Shopping Finds

If you grew up in the Philippines, you might have once blocked off portions of your street to play a game of patintero with your friends. Yup, life was a whole lot simpler back in the day – all we needed to amuse ourselves was a piece of chalk and hours of endless fun. I haven’t played patintero since I was a kid, and I’m sure the same thing can be said for most adults and teenagers. But thanks to Yabang Pinoy, a Filipino pride movement, everyone now has the opportunity to participate in the largest game of patintero ever.

On June 21, 2009, the Pinakamahabang Todo Patintero event will be help from 3 pm to 5 pm at the University of the Philippines Diliman. It’s completely free and the only requirement is for you to show up with an abaca band, Yabang Pinoy’s signature accessory. To compete, you need to form a team of six to eight members. No age limit, no restrictions.

To join Todo Patintero, contact Yabang Pinoy advocate Weng de Leon through todopatintero@gmail.com or through +63905 268 9194. You may also visit yabangpinoy.com and http://yabangpinoys.multiply.com for more information.

A Family Day of Retro Filipino Games

The Havaianas Playback is very relevant to this day and age where video games and media players take a lot of our kids leisure activities. Imagine this scenario.

a) A single venue where you can relive your old-school, game-day glory.
b) An event where tin cans, garters and rubber slippers can test your strategy and agility.
c) A chance for you to prove your street-game cred and prove that you were—and still could be—the player to beat.

And I got to experience being brought back to my childhood days. What a clever event this is. Let me take you to my afternoon stroll at the Havaianas playground.

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(Photo by Greenpeace)
This is good news for the public. The first electric jeepney took a test drive in Makati City by no other than the Makati mayor himself. The electric powered jeepney or e-jeepney is a 10 to 12-seater but can run only at 40 kms an hour. This e-jeepney is financed by the Green Renewable Independent Power Producer Inc (GRIPP) in an effort to encourage the use of alternative fuels as well as to reduce the effects of greenhouse gases on climate change.

The e-Jeepneys are powered by five-horsepower electric motor engines with 12 batteries that, at full capacity, allow the vehicles to run 120 to 140 kilometers at around 40 kilometers per hour.

The batteries are charged for eight hours on ordinary 220-volt power sockets at a minimum cost of P120. In contrast, regular fume-spewing jeepneys guzzle P300 (US$6.50) or more of diesel each day.

Each e-Jeepney costs at least P400,000 to build, around P100,000 more than most shop-built diesel jeepneys.

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I like the idea that it runs only at a maximum 40 Kms per hour especially in busy traffic areas of commercial centers. It isn’t feasible in highways though unless the speed is increased. Anyway, kudos to Greenpeace for undertaking this project. May we see more ejeepneys plying the streets of Manila.

The start of billboard death has come. I talked of billboard ban a few days after Typhoon Milenyo hit the Philippines. Look at this “Lucky Me” ( a noodle soup pack) as if taunting me that it can’t be dismantled. So far, this Lucky Me billboard ad is flashing for all motorists to see. It’s lucky that it hasn’t been dismantled yet.

A driver was killed when a huge billboard landed on his van along the northbound EDSA lane. Other people sustained injuries as well. It’s about time that our government totally ban these huge billboards along the major thoroughfares. Can you imagine if an earthquake disaster will happen ? I don’t think these billboard trusses are safe. The above photos is a billboard along the Magallanes Interchange. It landed on a yellow commuter bus. Fortunately no deaths were reported but let’s not wait for another casualty to happen .

President Macapagal-Arroyo will soon issue tougher regulations on size, material and location, and her staunch ally, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, is gearing for war against the purported stalwarts of “corporate greed.”

Santiago yesterday called on Metro Manila mayors to slap multimillion-peso damage suits on the owners of billboards that fell and killed people as strong winds brought by Typhoon “Milenyo” battered the metropolis on Thursday.

Source: Storm brewing over killer billboards

View Photos I took of Fallen Billboards around Metro Manila

Other related entries:
Typhoon Milenyo Aftermath
Typhoon Milenyo Photos
Total Ban on Billboards in the Philippines
Desperate for Power Supply and Internet Connection
Cleaning the Debris of typhoon Milenyo