Review: Abu Dhabi International Airport

I was in Abu Dhabi a few weeks ago via Philippine Airlines. This is a mini review from the point of view of an ordinary tourist.

PAL uses Terminal 1, the old terminal of Abu Dhabi. It's actually just small. Well, I didn't really roam around, but it's definitely not the usual massive airport like the ones in Dubai, Hong Kong or Singapore. In terms of size, it could be compared to Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 1.

But despite the small size, it's not crowded. There were many vacant seats when I was there and many shops and restaurants were also operational. Arriving and departing passengers share the same area, similar to the one in Singapore. And there were many Filipino staff. I bought something at Mcdonald's and the Duty Free shop and I was speaking in Filipino.

The Abu Dhabi International Airport also has money exchange booths, pharmacy and a spa. And the airport is expanding. Construction of a bigger terminal was ongoing when we landed. And if you need transportation going to the city proper, there are taxis and buses right outside the arrival hall. Like in other cities, airport taxis are more expensive. I took the A1 bus while I was there. It only costs AED4, compared to the taxi which I heard costs AED75 to our hotel.



Control tower of ADIA



Check-in lobby



Departure area/ Arrival area as well

 

Shops: both in the first and second floors

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2 months absence

I only have one blog entry this year so far. It's been very difficult posting a blog, because of a busy schedule and just a lack of enthusiasm to post something longer than a tweet. It's easier to update via Twitter or Facebook since it only requires just a few words or sentences. But with a blog entry, you need to have paragraphs and have photos or video too.

In 2 months that I have been absent in Blogger, so many things happened. The highlights perhaps are my trips. I have been to two countries, both of which were places I haven't been to. They are Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. I also had a local trip in the last 2 months: Ilocos Norte.

Here's one of my reports:

Here are links to my other reports:
- Tuberculosis survivor's story
- DOST: Science is sexy
- Intramuros redevelopment
- Overseas Filipinos contributions
- Turkish Airlines opens Manila route

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January 2015

I haven't posted a blog entry this year and I wouldn't want to end January without a single post. The first month of this year has been a generally busy and emotional month. Two key stories that made headlines for many days and even weeks happened this month: 1) the visit of Pope Francis in the Philippines; 2) the death of 44 SAF commandos in Maguindanao.

The first was a joyful occasion filled with tears of joy and inspiration; the second one was a sorrowful news filled with tears of anger and frustration. Hopefully, February will offer glorious and luminous stories.

January also marked the official change of my work. I am now out of the office almost every day, covering various stories from House hearings to press briefings.

Here are links to some my stories this January:
World Bank on lower oil prices 
Importance of the geohazard map of your area
Coffee culture in PH
IATA: NAIA has safety issues
Job opportunities for persons with developmental conditions

New The World Tonight set

PopeFrancisPH coverage

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Applying for SSS ID

I have been working for a few years already, but I didn't have an SSS ID. So last October 9, I applied for an SSS ID for the first time. I thought it would be a long and difficult process, but it was not.

Why do we need an SSS ID? So that we can transact with SSS easily (loans etc.) And since it is already a Unified Multi-Purpose Identification card (UMID), we can also use it to transact with PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and GSIS. And since it is a government ID, we can use it to apply for visa, bank accounts, identification in schools, airports, companies, etc.

I went to the Government Center in Ali Mall in Cubao. There are several government agencies there such as SSS, PhilHealth, GSIS, Pag-IBIG, PhilPost, DFA and many more. I went to the SSS area and asked for an application form for the ID. I filled it out and went to next step. A person will then input your information into a computer and see if you have an account with SSS. He/she will check if you are paying your dues regularly. Obviously, you should already have an SSS number and has already paid at least a month, I think.

After, you will be asked to sit down and wait for the next step. After a few minutes, a person called my name and it was my time for picture taking and signature/thumb mark documentation. The person then told me my ID will be delivered straight to my home in 3 months.


SSS (right side)

And that's it. In total, I think I just spent about 30 minutes in the area. Of course that will vary from time to time, depending on the number of applicants. For first time applicants, the card is absolutely FREE. Even the delivery is free.

I was shocked that it will take 3 months to deliver. But I didn't think of it anymore, since I won't be needing the card in the near future anyway. I was expecting my card to be delivered to me on January 9, 2015 (3 months after I applied).

But on December 4, 2014, I received my card via mail. One month earlier, impressive. In fact, the letter was dated November 5. So basically I already have an ID by November 5, but the delivery took about a month.

Neverthless, I'm happy I got my SSS ID earlier and I can now use it.

my SSS ID

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Confession: I just watched Toy Story

I've always thought I have watched one of the most famous animated films of all time, Toy Story. I know the names of the characters and I know their faces. But when I recently watched the movie online, I realized that I haven't seen the film ever. Where did my childhood go?

So after watching Toy Story, I then watched Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 all within 24 hours. It's a shame that I haven't seen the movies before and it has been almost 20 years since the first movie was shown. Now, I will surely watch the planned Toy Story 4 in the cinema.

And I just had to say this, I really like the films. They bring back memories of my childhood when I too would be playing with my toys and create scenes in my mind. Wonder if my toys also come alive when no ones around. :-)

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Trip to World Heritage Sites

One of my dreams is to visit every UNESCO World Heritage site. Of course, that would be impossible. Aside from the fact that some sites are located in conflict zones, one would need a huge amount of money to travel to all those places. And given my meager salary and busy work, I'm happy if I can travel to at least one heritage site a year.

Thankfully, this year, I surpassed my annual target. I went to Beijing, which is home to several World Heritage sites. I went to the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven. And aside from China, I also went to Myanmar this year. I visited the Bagan Archaeological Area, which is on its way to becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Great Wall of China

In the Philippines, sadly, I have not been to all World Heritage sites. I have only been to 3 sites, which fall under the Baroque Churches of the Philippines. These are the Miag-ao Church in Iloilo, the San Agustin Church in Manila and the Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte. There's one more church in the list that I haven't been to: the Santa Maria Church in Ilocos Sur.

Paoay Church in the Philippines

I hope to visit more World Heritage sites in the Philippines next year, possibly the Puerto Princesa Underground River and the Historic Town of Vigan. I also wish to visit many sites in Southeast Asia, particularly Borobudur in Indonesia and Angkor in Cambodia.

Future World Heritage Site in Bagan, Myanmar

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PAL's Cancelled Flight

Our flight from Manila to Coron was scheduled at 2:45pm. We arrived at NAIA 3 about 2 hours before the flight. We waited. Then came the dreaded announcement that our plane will not arrive on time. So we waited again. By 4pm, boarding time was announced. We rode a shuttle bus to our plane and upon entering the small aircraft, I was seated comfortably. 

View from the shuttle bus; about to board the plane

But another dreaded announcement came, the captain said we will have to wait for a few more minutes since the control tower has yet to give a go signal due to runway congestion. Waiting time yet again. The flight attendants already showed the safety features of the aircraft. Then, the plane started moving towards the runway. This is it. But I was wrong.

View from the plane as I wait for the plane to fly

The captain announced, we were third in line on the runway, BUT due to sunset limitation, it would be difficult to land in Coron. Hence, flight was cancelled! After several hours of waiting and when we were already about to fly, the bad news came.

The good news is that Philippine Airlines was following the Air Passenger Bill of Rights. We were given 2 options: 1) hotel accommodation with free meals or 2) you can go home and will be given a voucher worth P1,000.00. We picked option 1.

Bus to hotel

We were booked at the Century Park Hotel in Manila. Buffet dinner and breakfast included. Not bad. PAL staff were also there with us. There was actually another flight booked at the hotel. It seems the hotel staff are used to the delayed flights.

Sign at the hotel lobby

PAL created a special flight just for us for 6am the next day. It was delayed for an hour, but at least it wasn't canceled. Heard one passenger saying, hopefully it wasn't be due to sunrise limitation.

I hope cancelled flights won't happen again since it affects the schedule of a person, not to mention it lessens vacation time for some. But if airlines follow the Bill of Rights, then it makes the delay more acceptable.

Hotel room

Finally, arrived in Coron the next day

Handwritten boarding pass on our return flight to Manila :-)

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Philippines claims Half-Pinoys

Many half-Pinoys around the world have risen in recent times, whether in sports, entertainment, politics and business. And sure enough, the Philippines always claim them as its own, even if they don't speak the language or haven't been to the country.

Is it really a bad thing? I don't think so.

The recent victory of Marlisa Punzalan in 'The X-Factor Australia' again shows how the Philippines claims people like her as Filipino. Many news articles report, "Pinay teen wins X-Factor' or something like that. Many netizens would also comment 'Pinoy Pride' and 'Proud to be Filipino'. While there are a lot of positive comments, there are also those who say, she's not Filipino and therefore, the Philippines should not brand her as Pinoy.

It is true that Marlisa and other Fil-foreigners are not Filipinos legally, but I really don't see anything wrong with using the word 'Filipino' to describe them, at least in the title of an article. I also don't see anything wrong with being proud of them or being happy that a half-Pinoy accomplished something in the international stage.

I guess Filipinos express admiration for the half-Pinoys primarily because of their achievements, and in a way, it also makes them happy that somehow someone from their homeland fulfilled his or her dreams. It makes Filipinos happy that if she/he can make it, then perhaps many more Filipinos can also make it. Plus with all the bad news in the country, news about half-Pinoys are a welcome change. It's a feel-good story.

As many know, families and communities are big in the Philippines, where blood is thicker than water. And knowing someone has a Filipino blood kinda makes that person part of the one big Filipino community. Who knows, perhaps Marlisa is your cousin in the 10th degree.

Supporting half-Pinoys around the world is not a bad thing, but at the same time we should also support the Filipinos here in the country and help them develop their talents in various fields.

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7 Full Years in the Newsroom

This month marks my 7th year as a journalist. I joined the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) in September 2007, a few months after graduation. It's my first and only job. I initially wasn't thinking of ANC when I applied for work. I remember the HR person telling me to rank where I want to work. The choices were: TV Patrol or Bandila, The Correspondents or any current affairs show on ABS-CBN or ANC. Well, ANC was the last on my list, but as it turned out, it was the only one that has a vacancy. So, I said yes right away.

My journey with ANC has its ups and downs. I guess, like any employee, one would have a love-hate relationship with your company. But like any family, you learn to love them.

I am proud to say I started as a PA/runner. Today, fresh grads usually start as PA/writer, but during my time, it was PA/runner- a lowly position. I would deliver scripts to the editing or the control booth daily. I would also, sometimes, be assigned to just stay behind the camera, doing nothing, just observe. I felt underemployed at that time, but I know, I also learned a lot about the systems in the newsroom, since I get to work or interact with people from the newsroom, editing room, control booth and even the studio.

The World Tonight 2007- when I was still tasked to observe behind the camera

Eventually, I was tasked to write. My first tasks were writing sports or foreign news. And from there, my career grew, albeit in a slow pace. I would be assigned to check the graphics in the control booth, produce short reports, and eventually I would write business news, politics, showbiz, technology, features and basically just about anything. I would also join special documentary teams, breaking news coverage and many more. I'd like to think I have a broad experience in the "behind the camera" role (writer, producer, graphics checker, and even experience the 'point of view' of a studio cameraman). Oh, I'm also part of the social media team of ANC, one of the pioneers from among news organizations in the country.

On the on-cam side, my first ANC appearance was as the explainee in the show 'The Explainer' hosted by Manolo Quezon. I would do it once in a while. Then I would also ask my bosses to allow me to cover features stories on the field. My first coverage was about the National Disability Month. From that moment, I have done dozens of coverage not just in Metro Manila, but also in Cebu, Negros, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Maguindanao and Leyte. I have also interviewed so many people, among them CEOs, senators, and even celebrities including Paris Hilton. I have also been on a Spanish Galleon ship and the US aircraft carrier.

My first anchor post started in 2012, when I was asked to be a weather anchor for ANC's weekend grid. I was also given the opportunity to anchor the newscasts during the graveyard shift once a week. And by 2014, I was assigned to handle the graveyard shift on a daily basis. I have also pushed some of my reports for TV Patrol Weekend, do Balitang America and lend my voice for Umagang Kay Ganda.



I have seen and worked during many breaking news coverage, including the Maguindanao Massacre, Manila Hostage Crisis, Cory Aquino's death, Halalan, Corona impeachment and the many typhoons, SONAs, senate hearings, and dozens of special events.

They say, there's a 7-year itch. We'll, I'm not sure about that, but what I am certain is that I will continue to grow, continue to learn new things. I still have a lot to learn, and many of the things I have learned, I owe to ANC.

Selfie! September 2007 (background: old newsroom look)

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