Yesterday was another interesting day in Makati City, highlighted by another bungled ‘coup’ attempt, mutiny, rebellion, standoff, or what-have-you, led by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Brigadier General Danilo Lim, which was staged at the posh Manila Peninsula hotel.

‘Tis true, the government has lost the support of a great number of Filipinos, mostly induced by the recent spate of scandals, questions on legitimacy and alleged constitutional and human rights violations. True still is the fact that the opposition is slowly gaining ground in its attempts to wrest control of the government leadership. But whatever momentum the opposition has gained went for naught simply because they can’t put their act together. Haven’t they ever heard of the ‘team building’ concept?

Oh well, are there other lessons to be learned? Hell, yes!

And some of these are:

1. Never make bookings in any of Makati’s premier hotels. Settling for three-star hotels or motels will do.

2. Make sure you have enough fuel in your tanks. Curfew-induced traffic can quickly deplete your car’s fuel and trigger your temper. We have an opposition’s senseless action begetting a government’s equally senseless reaction

3. Make sure to empty your bladder before driving. Again, curfew-induced traffic can be hell for anyone with a full bladder. It’s sort of a ‘piss poor’ drive after a ‘piss poor’ coup.

4. We now have new ways to use plastic cable ties aside from managing computer cables – Yes, steel handcuffs are obsolete – talk about Filipino ingenuity. Those bondage and S&M couples definitely learned a thing or two and added a new toy to their arsenal.

5. When applying for a building insurance, remember to add in a clause stipulating coverage from tanks or assault vehicles barging into your facility. This is what I call a true ‘Urban Assault’. Shock and awe baby! NOT!

Today’s another very tragic day for the Philippines due to the Glorietta 2 bombing incident.

At about 1:30PM this afternoon, an explosive blast ripped through the ground floor of Glorietta 2, one of the country’s busiest and most heavily populated shopping malls, located at the heart of the Makati City central business and shopping district.

The Makati bombing claimed the lives of at least 9 people and injured hundreds more when its shock waves caused a violent chain reaction of collapsing building structures (ceilings, floors, walls and roof), menacing shards of projectile-like glass and metal shrapnels, falling debris and paranoia-induced human stampede.

The blast was initially thought of as an LPG tank that exploded inside Luk Yuen, one of the restaurants located at ground zero. Investigators soon ruled out the exploding LPG tank theory and found evidence that the cause was far more sinister than initially expected, it was a terrorist bomb attack using C-4 plastic explosives.

Most of the victims were rushed to different hospitals in the Makati area, such as the Makati Medical Center and the Ospital ng Makati.

For now, please pray for the eternal repose of those who died and for the quick recovery of the injured victims. May justice be served swiftly.

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Related News:
GMA News: C4 bomb component used in Glorietta blast – PNP chemist
Inquirer.net: 9 killed in Makati blast (Explosion in Glorietta mall injures 119 others)

Have you ever driven in the “country” that is Makati City?

Of the major cities in the Philippines, Makati has probably one of the most stringent rules when it comes to managing vehicular traffic (aside from Subic, which is not a city, so it doesn’t count). Most drivers passing through this city’s streets have stories to share of finding themselves being at odds with the city’s (sometimes overzealous) traffic enforcers, which oftentimes lead to being at the receiving end of a traffic citation ticket.

You can just imagine the headaches and hassles that Makati driving can bring to the life of the everyday, law abiding “Juan dela Cruz”.

So here are five driving lessons and tips that might save you from the long arm of the law, Makati style.

1. Know Where, When and How to Park.

Where? Streets that allow parking usually have parking slot pavement markings painted along its stretch. And as a general rule, sidewalk curbs painted white are for general parking use, yellow curbs are usually reserved for business establishments, and red curbs are no parking zones. Parking in front of fire hydrants is also a big no-no. Always check for Parking or No Parking signs or verify it with the city parking attendants.

When? Some streets allow extended parking only at certain times of the day. During business hours (usually from 7AM to 5PM), most street parking areas allow cars to be parked for a maximum of 3 hours. On the other hand, some streets offer free parking after 5PM. So it’s always good to check out the Parking Signs nearby.

How? There is a correct way to park when parallel parking is allowed on a street. Your car should generally face the same direction as that of the street lane’s traffic. If you’re caught parallel parking with your car’s front facing traffic, then have at least a thousand bucks ready because you’ll most likely end up claiming your towed car at the city pound (usually at Yakal Street).

To be on the safe side, it’s always best to park in a paid-parking lot.

2. Figure Out the “One Way” Labyrinth Riddle

This is what Makati is known for, the “One Way / Two Way” riddle. Always read the street traffic direction signs usually found at both ends of a street, or at the corner of each intersection. Be aware that some streets permit two-way traffic on weekends or holidays.

3. Obey All Traffic Signs

If a sign says “No Right Turn on Red Signal” then do as it says. These are traffic “honey pots” where Makati’s MAPSA (the city’s traffic enforcement group) people make a heyday. You’ll find these traffic zealots usually ‘hiding’ around the corner, ready to spring to action to apprehend the unsuspecting driver.

4. Buckle Up. Seatbelts Save Lives (Among other things).

Buckling up not only saves lives, it also saves you from unnecessarily spending your hard earned cash as fine for not putting seat belts on. MAPSA people have eyes trained to watch for signs of ‘passenger seatbelt underutilization’.

5. Remember Your License Plate “Number or Color Code” Day.

This is one traffic rule that makes the city seem more like an autonomous country. Makati does not follow the usual National Capital Region (NCR) Vehicle Reduction Program schedule, otherwise known as the vehicle Number Coding Scheme.

Vehicles with plates ending in a certain number are not allowed on main roads on certain days. The number code days are:

Monday: Plates ending in 1 and 2
Tuesday: Plates ending in 3 and 4
Wednesday: Plates ending in 5 and 6
Thursday: Plates ending in 7 and 8
Friday: Plates ending in 9 and 0

Most NCR cities and municipalities enforce the bans on the following specified hours: 7AM to 10AM and from 3PM to 7PM. In Makati’s case, bans are enforced from 7AM to 7PM. So you better watch out. Oh, and make sure your watch works just so you’ll now what time of day it is. :)

The five survival tips above cover traffic regulations. How to survive while driving along with Manila’s general driving public is a different story.

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Related Blog Entries:
7 Ways to Avoid Road Rage – Part 1
7 Ways to Avoid Road Rage – Part 2