It has already been announced and by law that the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan culminating in the Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) is a national holiday but the actual day depends on the moon which can either be August 8 or August 9 (Thursday or Friday).

Now to answer the question if August 9 is a non-working holiday?

Answer: not officially yet but probably (don't quote me on this). This will be officially announced by PNoy on the week of August, most probably August 5, 2013 upon advise of Muslim scholars and authorities

UPDATE August 1, 2013: August 9 is a regular holiday now officially declared by Malacanang.

Cheers to another long weekend, as August has other holidays

Where do you intend to spend the long weekend?

if you have work on that day, DOLE pay rules may apply on holiday, overtime work :(

Right after visiting Balayan town to witness and participate in the annual Parada ng Lechon in Balayan, Tutubi passed by the heritage town of Taal, Batangas to visit the largest cathedral in the Philippines, then short pitstop in the birthplace of the Batangas balisong, the deadly butterfly knife that got its name from the small village of Taal town.

The famous butterfly knife, locally known as balisong, a deadly easily concealed and opened knife wielded to perfection by Filipinos got it's name from the place of its origin: Barangay Balisong, Taal, Batangas.

the famous...err...notorious beinte nueve balisong is 29 inches long. this comes in framed and good souvenir

you can buy kitchen knives, butcher knives, small balisong, keychains, shears, and swords

samurai swords known as katana can be had for as low as PhP500.00. Next visit Tutubi intends to get a kampilan and a kris, native swords of the ancient Filipinos and Muslims of Mindanao

Sample prices of swords, knives and balisong in Taal, Batangas:

PhP500.00 two feet katana (samurai sword) ordinary steel
PhP2000.00 up: samurai swords stainless steel
P2500.00 up: sword replicas those used in Hollywood movies and epic series (The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, 300, Game of Thrones
beinte nueve (29" fan knives begins at Php300.00 up
ordinary balisong at PhP150.00
kitchen knives also available at PhP100.00 up (stainless steel)
jungle survival knife (Rambo) at PhP800.00 up

Tutubi got hold of the business card of the shop that contains the email address and contact telephone numbers but lost it probably in transit. Intend to re-visit Taal again in the future as it's a pretty town full and proud of its well-preserved heritage.

How to Get to Taal, Batangas:

Commute: buses to Taal, Batangas can be found in Cubao, Quezon City, Pasay/Taft/LRT Buendia and Pasay Taft EDSA Rotonda. Look for buses with signboard Lemery and get off in Taal town (some buses don't pass by taal poblacion so you have to ride a jeepney.

There are also shuttle service/FX to Lemery at Starmall at the corner of EDSA and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong and at Metropoint Mall at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue in Pasay. Estimated fare is PhP180.00

Driving Directions to Taal, Batangas:

there are two routes to Taal, the first is via Tagaytay - Lemery and the other is long path (that Tutubi took to fetch a friend in Tanauan) via SLEx, Tanauan, Lipa. Just follow the main highway on the map of Taal town and you won't get lost.

Related Post:

Swords of Pozorrubio, Pangasinan

Labels: Batangas, Calabarzon, OTOP

In the never ending fight to solve Metro Manila traffic problem, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino proposes a new MMDA Number Coding system to include four numbers instead of the current two numbers of car plate last digits where all vehicles will be banned from the street two times a week.

The Proposed modified Number Coding System is illustrated here:




The new MMDA number coding system simply means an estimated reduction of 40% vehicles during the number coding time of 7am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm from the present 20% in the current system using two numbers.

Cars will then be banned from the roads two days in a week. (Disclosure: Tutubi has two cars: Scarlett's plate number ends in 3 while Juno's ends in 0, if this will be implemented, won't be affected much as his two cars are not banned on the same day. But if public transportation will be improved, he can just commute to lessen his carbon footprint :)

Question: will this apply to public utility buses and jeepneys? Tutubi thinks it should as they're really too many, blame the LTFRB for not doing their jobs. They just issue/renew franchises even if they're not really needed. They can't even enforce the phasing out of old, dilapidated buses.

MMDA chairman is laudable for really thinking and trying hard to solve the traffic problem but it's only a band-aid solution. There are many other ways to solve this. How about other government agencies?

the heavy traffic on the two-lane EDSA Ortigas flyover is the cause of heavy traffic in Cubao. See the fast moving traffic when you pass this choke point on the south-bound lane in the morning. Decongesting Ortigas Center like say an interchange at Ortigas Avenue corner Meralco Avenue and reducing the number of jeepneys going to EDSA central will have tremendous effect on EDSA Southbound traffic. Tutubi guarantees this Heavy traffic on EDSA north-bound in the evening rush hour also ends in Ortigas Center due to road constriction from 5 lanes to 2.5 lanes (Ortigas Ibabaw).

If only Tutubi can be president, he knows how to solve the traffic problem without investing something, just use political will. To solve traffic in Metro Manila, the MMDA cannot do it alone, they need the help of the following government agencies. Herewith are Tutubi's suggestions:


MMDA: ENFORCE TRAFFIC RULES, lobby to pass an enabling law on contact-less traffic violation tickets using CCTVs so as to penalize even government vehicles and protocol plates, e.g. the notorious number 8 of congressmen, (Drivers will behave if they know they will be caught) ban provincial buses on EDSA by constructing integrated bus terminals near SLEx and NLEx. Construct better waiting sheds for commuters to protect them from rain (one of the reasons why heavy traffic on EDSA when it rains is that buses compete for passengers waiting under MRT stations as they're safe from the rain there)

DOTC: improve public transportation safety and efficiency, move people instead of vehicles e.g. more LRT, monorails from Airport to BGC, Makati CBD and Ortigas Center

LTO/LTFRB: remove all colorum vehicles, implement RFID, other electronic tagging or even automatic plate number recognition of all public utility vehicles to easily identify colorum buses and jeepneys, remove redundant jeepney routes (like the Munoz-Pantranco route in Quezon City), allow car registration only upon proof of garage/parking area, rationalize the EDSA Bus routes (note: all those buses pass by the segment of East Avenue to Ayala Avenue) and jeepney routes (e.g. Espana in Manila receives all jeepneys from Quezon City, Ortigas Avenue all jeepneys to EDSA Central from Rizal) and lastly, the SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO MINIMIZE TRAFFIC IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY is to force all routes to form a single company or transport cooperative and eliminate those jeepneys and buses jostling for position, too much waiting at every street corner. Drivers will behave once they don't have to hurry to catch their boundary and transport companies will not let loose all buses even if they're not even half-full during rush hours.

DPWH: Build more roads, tollways, interchanges, flyovers, elevated roads, road widening, bridges (like linking BGC to the Kapitolyo area in Pasig). Improve traffic on Ortigas Avenue (the reason why southbound EDSA is heavy is because of congestion in Ortigas Center particularly the two-lane overpass

DOLE: remove the boundary system of jeepneys and taxis, and the commission system of buses. Give drivers and conductors fixed wages and benefits. (this is the single most effective way to solve the traffic problem that can be implemented by forcing all jeepney routes to form companies or transport cooperatives. This way, only the right number of buses or jeepneys will ply the route instead of all of them competing for few passengers, like most business do to reduce unnecessary trips (and reduce emissions and fuel imports, improve air quality)

BIR: tax all jeepney operators, get the data from LTFRB. How many of them pay taxes?

Local Governments: do not allow street parking, tow them. Do not allow people (especially informal settlers to close roads). Clear roads of sidewalk vendors (Balintawak in QC, Divisoria in Manila and Baclaran in Paranaque are three prime examples)

DRIVERS: follow traffic rules. Be considerate to other drivers and pedestrians

COMMUTERS: 'WAG PASAWAY! Sumakay sa tamang sakayan, bumaba sa tamang babaan, no jaywalking din!

Labels: Floobydust

UPDATED August 2019

Laguna can arguably be called the Waterfalls capital of the Philippines, beginning with the world-famous Pagsanjan Falls and numerous waterfalls from Mt. Makiling, Mt. Banahaw and the Sierra Madre mountain range that separates the province from the provinces of Rizal and Quezon

List of Waterfalls in Laguna:

Cavinti:
Bayakan Falls, Brgy. Tibatib
Kipot Falls, Bgry. Tibatib
Magdapio Falls, Brgy. Tibatib and Anglas (popularly known as Pagsanjan Falls)
Nakulo Falls, Brgy. Tibatib
Subok Bakid Falls, Brgy. Labayo
Talon ng Talaongan, Brgy. West Talaongan
White Rock Twin Falls, Brgy. Sumucab

Kalayaan:
Twin Falls: Developed, near highway

Los Baños:
Dampalit Falls, Brgy. Lalakay

Luisiana:
Bumbungan Falls
Hulugan Falls
Talay Falls
Hidden Falls
Talay Falls

(Note: Talay Falls, Hidden Falls and Hulugan Falls can be visited in one day)

Liliw:
Kilangin Falls (same as Bucal Falls of Majayjay)

Majayjay:
Bukal Falls, Brgy. Bukal
Taytay Falls, Brgy. Taytay: Developed, with access road and short trek down

Taytay Falls, Majayjay, Laguna with a person swimming on the pool to add scale and estimate the height of the waterfalls, popular for camping and day trip (picture courtesy of Tutubi's cousin who recently went there)

Nagcarlan:
Bunga Twin Falls (Brgy. Bunga): Developed, with access road and short trek down


Paete:
Talon (named Matabungca Falls by self-serving politicians), Mt. Humarap (Sierra Madre)

Pagsanjan:
Pagsanjan Falls (the same as Magdapio falls)

Pangil:
Ambon-Ambon Falls, Pangil
Buntot Palos Falls (or Hidden Falls), Pangil

San Pablo City:
Tarak Falls, Brgy. Sta. Veronica, San Pablo City

Siniloan:
Batya-Batya Falls, Mt. Romelo
Buruwisan Falls, Mt. Romelo
Lanzones Falls, Mt. Romelo
Sampaloc Falls, Mt. Romelo

an old picture of Sampaloc Falls in Siniloan, Laguna but with jump-off point in famy town (photo taken using Canon Ixus 30)

Sta. Maria:
Three Sisters Falls (or Three Falls)

Related Posts on Laguna:
Laguna Jeepney Routes
Bus to Sta. Cruz, Laguna

Labels: Calabarzon, Laguna, Waterfalls