This morning as I was driving by along Palace Road in BF International, Las Pinas City, I saw a sign of Tropical Palace Resort Hotel’s announcement that it will be organizing another series of swimming lessons at its facility starting April 8, 2019.
I took the time to park the car, get down and enter their office to request a flyer and they gladly gave me one.
For everyone’s convenience and reference, please refer to the details of the picture below.
Tropical Palace Resort Hotel has swimming pools in its facility that can accommodate several learners at a time.
For the newcomers reading this, BF International is in the Las Pinas City side of BF Homes subdivision which has always been identified with Paranaque City.
If you are interested to take swimming lessons, call landline 825-1011 and 826-7794 now.
This morning I passed by Presidents Avenue in Barangay BF Homes coming from Parañaque City Hall and along the way I noticed a closed-off portion of the road which was a project of water concessionaire Maynilad.
The location of an early digging (related to Maynilad’s planned in-line booster) at the corner of Presidents Avenue and President Quezon street (according to Google Map). The project will take months to complete and may mean additional traffic congestion due to reduced road space.
I went near it and took a few pictures. As of today – March 19, 2019 – what I saw was an early digging of a portion of the road and clearly there is still a long way to go before Maynilad gets to complete the in-line booster project which, if successful, will prove to be very crucial to the water requirements of the many residents and businesses in and around BF Homes.
A few months ago, I talked with Augusto “Boy” Tejada, the president of the Tahanan Homeowners Association, Inc. (THA) who relayed to me details about the December 2018 meeting between his association, their residents and officials of Maynilad. It was during that meeting when the water concessionaire revealed that they plan to construct a water pressure booster somewhere inside the area of Teoville Village 3 and that construction will take around six months to complete.
More importantly the project was designed to boost the water pressure beyond the current limit of 30 PSI (pounds per square inch) which by today’s standards is no longer sufficient to meet the businesses and household needs. Tejada told me that due to location, elevation and distance away from the main gate of the village, there are houses that had trouble receiving water through the pipelines. Some houses have their second or third floors that water cannot even reach.
The mention of the year 2016 on the sign suggests that the project was planned that year but was only executed recently.
As of this writing, Maynilad’s water booster project is planned to not only boost the water pressure (to ensure constant and reliable access to water) but also be linked to the new water filtration plant of the company located in Muntinlupa City.
Improved access to water should translate into better satisfaction for family needs and certain improvements to the many businesses operating around BF Homes.
Until that happens, local residents will have to endure the related hassles like traffic disruptions due to street or sidewalk diggings, the arrival of trucks carrying construction materials, etc.
If you want to prevent yourselves or your loved ones from becoming victims, then you should read what I encountered today (March 18, 2019).
This morning, coming from the direction of Festival Mall in Filinvest City, Muntinlupa City, I was about to enter the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch at the ground floor of the Insular Life Corporate Center along Commerce Avenue.
As I was preparing myself, a thin, dark-skinned young man wearing dark shorts, dark t-shirt and slippers called my attention from behind. He carried a light bag on his back.
So I looked back carefully and then he said “Sir, patulong po.” (meaning he needs my help) and showed me a noticeable handy sign (like a card) with words written on it emphasizing that he needs money to solve his problem. From that moment on, I figured out he was a beggar trying to manipulate me discreetly (he did not even open his palm to show begging).
I just ignored him and went inside BPI Insular Life branch to do my transaction at one of the ATMs (automatic teller machines). As the ATM I used was processing my transaction, I took a few peaks outside and noticed that the guy was still standing outside on the lookout for other people he could approach.
Right after I completed my ATM transaction, I took it upon myself to photograph him for this very article. I also figured out it was a rare chance of mine to find out if he was trying to scam people given his very discreet approach on asking for money.
So I walked outside with my smartphone and its camera ready. As he noticed me nearing him, he showed me again that sign and asked for money. Then as I pulled out my smartphone to photograph him, he quickly put his sign away and faced the other direction trying to hide his face.
This is the first shot I managed to take as he hid himself when he noticed my smartphone. The thing he is holding with his left hand is the sign/card with a written message to convince people to give him money for his “problem”. At this moment, he knew his discreet begging was exposed.
After taking the first photograph (the one right above), I still aimed my smartphone camera at him and I asked him to face me and challenged him to beg while being seen. He refused to do it and kept hiding himself by facing away from me.
Check out the pictures below.
By the time I took this picture, he was resisting and decided to keep facing away and hide the beggar’s sign. He refused to face me and beg knowing that he was exposed. His earlier courage of discreetly begging for money was gone.The discreet beggar walking away.
As the discreet beggar walked away, I went back inside BPI Insular Life branch and alerted the security guard about the beggar.
The guard said he remembered seeing that beggar a few times from before begging within the Filinvest City spots. He also remembered that from time to time, adults like the one pictured would beg discreetly for money just outside their bank.
More notably, the security guard said that it is illegal for anyone to commit begging within Filinvest City. He added that the discreet beggar I encountered was very lucky that there was no Filinvest City security guard present otherwise he would have been apprehended for committing a violation.
The guard also warned that such beggars who use signs and words (to convince people to give money) might be members of local crime syndicates.
By the time my short talk with the bank security guard ended, the discreet beggar was several meters away heading towards the direction of South Supermarket.
Out of curiosity, I decided to follow him temporarily to determine if I could spot him trying to find a new spot to beg at others.
I walked some meters towards the discreet beggar and after a minute, I guessed he could have decided to go home. I took one last picture of him walking away before deciding to let him go.
The final picture I took of the discreet beggar walking to the distance.
This incident I am writing about was NOT the first time I encountered a beggar along the roads of Filinvest City. What makes this different is that the beggar used a handy sign while saying only a few words to beg.
I have a strong mental defense and I always practice caution (including awareness of my surrounding). It’s natural for me to resist the manipulation attempts of street beggars.
If I were to give out money to help people who really need help, I would not give to beggars roaming around and I certainly discourage you from giving to them especially if the begging constitutes a local violation. Surely you would not want to give your money to a beggar who happens to be a member of a crime gang!
Going back to encountering the beggars who roam around and near you, better have a defensive mindset and be ready to protect not only your money but also yourselves. Also be ready to call the local police or the nearest security guard if ever the beggar victimizes you.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.
Have you been passing by Japanese restaurants lately? In my experience, I often see people eating noodles or sushi or maki or tempura or a Japanese rice meal whenever I pass by a Japanese restaurant in the Alabang area or in BF Homes’ food strip.
The one particular food that is not too commonly spotted being served is the Okonomiyaki.
This is the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki as served by Fukuya Japanese Restaurant in Alabang. Below that fancy looking top are the other ingredients.
In case you are wondering, Okonomiyaki is a pan fried food that is made with batter and a variety of ingredients depending on what its type is. The cabbage is often the main ingredient. Its name is roughly translated as “to one’s liking” or “how you like”. With regards to variety or types of Okonomiyaki, the meal is most popular in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Osaka. The Okonomiyaki’s taste varies depending as to what its type is but for the most part it does not carry the sweetness of pancakes. In fact, the Okonomiyaki has more in common with pizza.
At Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City is Fukuya Japanese Restaurant which serves not one but two types of Okonomiyaki. For this article, I tried their Hiroshima variant of the meal which is pretty flavorful and in their restaurant customers can watch the chef cook it.
The other ingredients of Fukuya’s Hiroshima Okonomiyaki are noodles and vegetables and some pieces of meat in between.
Fukuya’s Okonomiyaki has a nicely decorated top which is edible and below it are the other ingredients mainly cabbage, noodles and some meat pieces in between.
I noticed that it takes some unique skills to cook Okonomiyaki which can be fun to watch at times. While there are some Japanese restaurants that cook the meal in the kitchen for the customers waiting, there are other restaurants that allow customers cook it themselves.
So, have you eaten Okonomiyaki at a Japanese restaurant lately?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book TheWorld of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.
I revisited Parañaque City Hall today to find out if there were any breakthroughs with regards to legalizing/legitimizing the use of electric vehicles for public transportation use within the city.
The result of my visit? NO PROGRESS whatsoever! According to my sources there, NOT EVEN A DRAFT PROPOSAL was made nor submitted by any member of the City Council until now (February 21, 2019).
On November 2018, City Government officials of Las Pinas formally received from the Department of Energy (DOE) one hundred electric tricycle (e-trike) units as a donation and the City’s Electric Tricycle ordinance (approved May 2018) made that possible. (photo source – City of Las Pinas Facebook page)A few of the 100 electric tricycles (e-trikes) donated by the DOE to Las Pinas. (photo source – City of Las Pinas Facebook page)
Going back to Parañaque, which was where I grew up in long ago, it is mind boggling that even though the national government has been heavily pushing for public utility vehicles modernization (or PUV Modernization) using technology that is cleaner, safe, more comfortable and less noisy, the City Government under mayor Edwin Olivarez still has not made any moves to legalize e-vehicles as a viable form of public transportation for the commuters. Safe to say, Parañaque is now behind Las Pinas and Muntinlupa on PUV modernization and commuters have no choice but to ride those noisy, unsafe and air-polluting tricycles and jeepneys.
No political will, no legislation and certainly no PUV modernization.
What is very funny is that mayor Olivarez has posed for pictures with electric vehicles more than once! Look at these pictures I found.
Parañaque’s mayor (7th from left) posing for pictures during the July 2016 launch of the FAILED electric tricycle project of the BF Federation of Homeowner Association, Inc. (BFFHAI), BFCOM and Barangay BF Homes. The project was launched but never went into full operation due to legal and technical problems. Of course, the City had NO ORDINANCE to legitimize such a project. It comes to show that the project handlers failed to do their research on the legality of e-vehicles for public transportation. (photo source – Ecos Efi Facebook page)In April 2017, Parañaque’s mayor (seated at the back) rode a solar-electric tricycle of Star 8 during a demonstration at Parañaque City Hall. It was all just a show. (photo source – Mayor Edwin Olivarez Facebook page)
All that posing in front of photographers. Smiling with guests. Looking handsome. Still no breakthrough!
With the next local election happening on May this year, it remains to be seen if the incumbent City Government officials will do anything to improve public transportation for the many commuters of the city. Those commuters have no choice but to endure the high noise and dirty air when traveling within the city.
If you are a concerned citizen and you want reforms to happen, better write formal letters to the City Council members, the City Administrator (Fernando Ding Soriano), the Vice Mayor (Rico Golez) and the Mayor himself.
Watch out for my next electric vehicles update. I got something significant coming.
Thank you for reading. If you found this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.
For motorists who have interests in Tahanan Village in Parañaque City, South Metro Manila, Philippines, the Tahanan Homeowners Association, Inc. (THA) has been processing and releasing the 2019 editions of their village vehicular stickers for residents, non-residents and commercial motorists and school bus operators.
This is the THA office sign at the village clubhouse in Tahanan Village. Just enter to apply for vehicular stickers.
The vehicular stickers cost P100 each for residents, P150 for non-residents and P700 for commercial vehicles and school buses when applied for on or before March 31, 2019. Effective April 1, 2019, the rates will be P100 for residents, P300 for non-residents and still P700 for commercial motorists and school bus operators.
To apply, one must secure an application form at the THA office located along Chrysanthemum street inside the village, fill it up, sign an submit the requirements as follows:
If vehicle is under the homeowner’s/applicants’ name: Latest Official Receipt (OR) of the vehicle and the Certificate of Registration (CR) of the vehicle.
If vehicle is not under applicant’s name: The OR and CR plus a notarized Deed of Sale.
If vehicle is under the name of the company: The OR and CR plus a Company Certification under the company letterhead stating that the applicant is the authorized user of the vehicle being applied for a village sticker.
If the vehicle has been recently acquired – no car plates yet: Delivery Receipt from the manufacturer/reseller and Sales Invoice.
For your reference, posted here are scanned images of the application form. Call the THA at 842-5955 and telefax 809-4345. Visit their Facebook page as well.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well.
During my recent afternoon visit at Union Jack Tavern at Festival Mall in Alabang, I ordered an Apple Crumble of theirs which is a favorite dessert of mine. However they could not serve it because they ran out of Apple Crumble that day (Sunday) which was served during their Sunday lunch buffet as the dessert.
Then I glanced over their menu to check what other desserts were listed. Out of curiosity, I decided to order their Sticky Toffee Pudding. Around fifteen minutes later, it was served to me by their waitress. I took time out to take a close look at it before consuming it.
Sticky Toffee Pudding is composed of a moist sponge cake, vanilla ice cream and chopped dates which were covered with toffee sauce.
After taking a few pics of it, I decided to take my first scoop of the dessert with the spoon carefully getting a portion of both the cake and ice cream together. The result – a great taste with a satisfying feeling in my mouth! It was really tasty and in terms of sweetness, it felt rich yet not excessive to my taste buds. Anyone who loves toffee or chocolate-like food should try this!
Union Jack Tavern’s Sticky Toffee Pudding. This one cost me P233.50 which includes the 10% service charge. Truly it was worth the price!
Having enjoyed the first bite, I gradually consumed it as I want to enjoy it to the best I could. In between bites, I drank water.
Ultimately, UJT’s Sticky Toffee Pudding is a GREAT dessert to have and it truly is worth its high price (listed at P215 on the menu as of this writing). I felt that the unavailability of Apple Crumble was a blessing in disguise. Had that other dessert been available, I may not have tried Sticky Toffee Pudding.
If you are visiting Alabang in Muntinlupa City, I highly recommend you visit Union Jack Tavern which is located at the lower ground floor of the Expanded Area of Festival Mall. Physically their place is located by the “river” (across Landmark Alabang) and near them is Mesa restaurant.
This is the exterior of Union Jack Tavern at Festival Mall in Alabang. A great place to visit for drinks, meals and fun!
Origin of Sticky Toffee Pudding
While the origin of Sticky Toffee Pudding remains debated, it is likely that the delicacy was created by Francis Coulson at the Sharrow Bay Hotel in Cumbria sometime during the 1970s. Although the exact date of creation is unknown, Coulson reportedly admitted that the recipe might not have been purely his own and that he was inspired by a “sweet woman in Lancashire”. Believe it or not, each member of the staff at Sharrow Bay Hotel signed a secrecy agreement not to reveal the recipe that is kept in the vaults of the place. To this day people are arguing that the the pudding originated in the Lake District or in Aberdeenshire or Scotland (because the Scots love sugar).
Thank you for reading. If you find this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.
Today I managed to visit a particular new place in the City of Las Piñas which has been getting some attention lately. It is called Las Piñas Cafe and it is located just steps outside of the main building of City Hall.
Las Piñas Cafe from the outside. It was recently inaugurated by the City Government of Las Piñas led by incumbent Mayor Imelda Aguilar.
Currently operating on one floor, Las Piñas Cafe is a canteen which has a large floor space with many tables and chairs (estimated sitting capacity of at least 80 people) kept cool with air-condition units.
Upon entering the front doors, you will find to the left is selection of meals and drinks where customers can line-up and pay for. There is also another spot of snacks (note: junk food) to choose from.
The self-service counter for meals and drinks.A selection of snacks on display.
Out of curiosity I bought a drink and sat at one of the many chairs across the room to drink and watch. In my observation, the place is pretty comfortable. I would not be surprised that very soon, the place will be occupied by more people (notably City Government employees and visitors) seeking comfort and refreshment.
With the summer season approaching, I can easily imagine a lot of people spending time inside the cafeteria to escape the scorching heat.
According to the City Government of Las Piñas, the Las Piñas Cafe actually had its soft opening last year. The formal and full opening happened very recently which was done by Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar together with her daughter (and running-mate for this May’s election) April, Vice Mayor Louie Bustamante, members of the City Council and heads of varied City Government departments.
The construction of Las Piñas Cafe was described to be part of the mayor’s infrastructure development program.
A view from the far end of the cafeteria.
If you have time to visit City Hall, I suggest visiting their comfortable and cool cafeteria.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your project or business, check out my services.
Former Parañaque City Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe turned 71 and he is still in good health.
On the evening of February 5, I attended and observed the big-time birthday party of former Parañaque City Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe who turned 71 and he showed no signs of slowing down.
The party was held at the multi-purpose facilities of Tahanan Village in Parañaque City which attracted some thousands of guests that include villagers (including those from BF Homes subdivision), business owners/managers, politicians, government workers and the like.
The many guests dining and waiting in line for meals and drinks at Tahanan Village.
Bernabe did not just celebrate his birthday. He is also running for Mayor in the May 2019 local elections and this explains why his teammates were present during the party such as his running-mate Jeremy Marquez (former Barangay BF Homes chairman) and the many candidates running for seats in District 1 and District 2 of the City Council of Parañaque.
To put things in perspective for those who are not familiar with Bernabe, he comes from a family that has a long history of public service in the history of Parañaque. Jun Bernabe first entered politics in 1998 and served as City Vice Mayor for six years (1998-2004). Then he served as City Mayor for three straight terms (note: 1 term is 3 years) from 2004 to 2013.
During his time as Mayor, Bernabe launched several city projects that not only helped the development of the city but also did so while following national laws. His administration won several awards and citations that are too many to list down in this post. Unlike recent times, Parañaque under his leadership was found to be very competitive with other cities.
What is most notable is the fact that Mayor Bernabe was named as Outstanding Mayor in 2006 with attention paid to his leadership, fiscal management and administrative style that boosted the locality’s finances through efficient tax collection. That award was won during his first term as mayor and so it was no surprise that he went on to get re-elected to serve the maximum of 3 consecutive terms.
Bernabe with Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos on stage. She supports his bid for Mayor, he supports her bid for Senator.
Back to the birthday party, Ilocos Norte Governor and candidate for Senator Imee Marcos arrived big time and was warmly received by Bernabe and the guests. This was the first I ever saw a Marcos in person. She expressed her support for Bernabe’s candidacy and the mayor returned the favor to support her run for the Philippine Senate. Here in the Philippines, voters nationwide get to vote for candidates for the Senate.
Former Senator Pia Cayetano expressed her admiration for Bernabe.
Shortly after, former Senator (and current Congresswoman) Pia Cayetano arrived at the party and was warmly received. Like Marcos, she expressed her support for Bernabe and expressed her family’s connection with Parañaque. She is running again for Senator this May.
Finally, I can confirm that the party was very lively. Guests reached out to the public servants and some celebrities. The band hired played very lively music and there was a special presentation celebrating Mayor Bernabe’s birthday.
Can Bernabe and his election team win big this May to change the tone at Parañaque City Hall? We will find out soon enough.
+++++
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your project or business, check out my services.
Author Carlo Carrasco 