Currently, the metropolis is facing serious issues as far as its transportation network is concerned. There is the issue of too many jeepneys plying the metropolitan roads which contribute to the constant heavy traffic the city has been suffering. Then, there is the unreliability of the current mass transit network, particularly that of the Line 3 along EDSA. I suppose I no longer have to elaborate further on that one. These issues are rooted in a stark and sad reality: the current metropolitan transport system is unorganized and in disarray, needing of a long-overdue total overhaul. What’s even more sad is that it was not always like this. In fact,…
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An Urban Roamer’s Story: A 5th Anniversary Post
As the Urban Roamer is celebrating its fifth year in its online existence, I realized I have not really told anyone yet the full story as to how I came into starting what was then an unknown journey for me 5 years ago. So I suppose this is the perfect occasion for me to finally tell that story, a story which by itself went back years before… I suppose many would know my affection for geography, a love that grew out of my love as a child for what I would call “urban geography,” as I would try to memorize jeepney routes, learning the ins and outs of whatever place…
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Considering Solar Energy
A news article shared through social media caught the Urban Roamer’s interest recently. It is an article published on Rappler which tells the story of Makati-based homeowner who used to be charged around P24,000 on his electricity bill but managed to cut his bill in half thanks to solar energy that now mainly powers his home. You can read up the story here. It sounds too good to be true, not to mention hard to believe. But with rising electricity costs (hey, we do not have the most expensive electricity in Asia for nothing) and concerns about a possible energy problem that may be looming in the horizon, this seems…
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Mabini150: The Mabini Shrine and Museum
Today marks the commemoration itself of Apolinario Mabini’s 150th birth anniversary. What better way to close off this special than a feature on the house that has long been talked about: Mabini’s Nagtahan house now known as the Mabini Shrine in its new and permanent “home” right at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ (PUP) main campus, which is also known as the Mabini Campus. (even before the move of the shrine) While it may seem odd to find such a house looking out of place in the middle of a busy campus, it does seem to complement the campus in a way, serving as a sort of a quiet spot…