The month of September has been considered by some as a bad month of the year. The world associates this month with terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001. In the Philippines, September has been associated with events of September 21, 1972 when President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law. September 2014 was no different, sad to say. From what has occurred with the Army and Navy Club Building which has alarmed concerned citizens to the brazen disregard by Anchor Land of Admiral Hotel’s heritage. (despite what some quarters may say otherwise) Then there were plans to relocate the Anda Monument from its original location in Anda Circle as…
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The COMET Has Arrived
Remember the presentation last April about the “green” jeepney of the future attended by no less than US President Barack Obama? Well, this e-jeepney called COMET (which is actually an acronym for City Optimized Managed Electric Transport) has now finally hit the streets of Metro Manila with its official launch over the weekend at SM North EDSA.
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The Admiral Hotel and Anchor Land’s Deception
Lately, Philippine heritage, most especially Manila heritage, has come under attack no less thanks to big developers who aim to “redevelop” those structures into something more…modern and commercially viable. And unfortunately in a number of cases, “redevelopment” for them means: “we’ll tear this old, historic building down and build something modern that is devoid of historic value, heritage be damned.” That may be the way of thinking developer Anchor Land has when it has decided to demolish the almost 80-year old Admiral Hotel and build a new structure which would be a boutique hotel that will, in their words, “keep its heritage alive and ensure that it remains as a historical…
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When “Mario” Mauled the Metropolis
It is a scene we are no longer unfamiliar with, unfortunately. As Typhoon Mario itself was ravaging Northern Luzan, thanks to the southwest monsoon or “habagat,” found itself on the receiving end as well of the typhoon’s fury even though the metropolis was not in the typhoon’s direct path. As a result, last September 19, parts of Metro Manila was submerged in flood water that rose as high as the chest, paralyzing the metropolis as a whole to a standstill that day. Alarming as it may seem, it looks like it is going to be the new normal, thanks to climate change and the continued inaction of our authorities.