In my earlier blog,i outlined what is happening in Taal lake and why fish kills occur. The lack of oxygen is one of the many manifestations of a disturb ecosystem where existing practice of fish rearing grossly violates laws of nature.
What should done:
1.There is a need to study the circulation pattern of Taal lake (or any natural lake) before location of cages could be identified. Cages, even if it is floating hinders, alters and redirects flow of current that impedes its natural process of replenishment of nutrients and water.
2. The number and stocking density of each fish cage should be carefully estimated to conform to the natural carrying capacity of the lake. Current policy simply regulates the number of cages but is silent on the amount of water enclosed by the cage, a more important consideration as the density or the number of fish to be stocked should be highly regulated. This is key to maintaining the integrity of the water quality.
3. Establish an independent lake monitoring body that implements and regulates the lake policies. A monitoring team should be created to monitor the quality of lake water.
4. All cage operators should secure from the DENR an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC)before being issued by the local government of the necessary business permits. Currently this is not being done but such policy exist under the Fisheries Code (RA 8550).
5. Before any ECC will be given by DENR,an environmental bond should be required to be deposited by the fish cage owner as security that when such fish kills or any environment-related disruption occur or a violation of existing ECC, the money could be used to rectify the damage.
6. If the government is keen on providing livelihood to the local fisherfolk, minimize the cages and invest in replenishment of the natural fish stock in the lake. CONVERT THE LAKE INTO A WILD FISHERY. GET RID OF ALL THE CAGES. It would serve more people, no extra government expenses on rebuilding the cages or providing altenate livelihood in case of fishkills. Simply said, a wild caught lake fishery would provide more food, job security and livelihood than all those fish cages combined. The fish don't need to be fed, no worries about overfeeding, pollution arising from bad culture practices and no corruption of local governments by the so callled investors.
7. To be really equitable, right to erect cages should be raffled, given to small scale operations rather than the large ones. A maximum of three years lease period that is not renewable. Note that the ROI is less than a year for a cage of 5x5.
8. For Bureau of Internal Revenue to really look into the income of these cage owners that earn a minimum of half a million per cage per year. I'll bet that none of these operators paid honestly taxes based on their earnings.
9. Remove from the local government unit the regulatory function and transfer this to the bureau of fisheries. Afterall, fish swims and water quality has no bouundaries
What should not be done:
As expected, we hear both local and national government officials offering help and subsidies. Some are good but many are wrong. Below is a wish list of what should not be done
1. It is wrong to provide assistance to the cage operators. They are the ones responsible (both legal and illegal)for overstocking the lake over time, polluting slowly the lake through their greed and through bad fish rearing practices. The legal ones knows the illegal ones and they are to blame for not reporting the illegal ones.
2. To provide subsidies and other support for restocking or rebuilding their cages
3. To simply destroy the illegal ones. the structures and nets should be confiscated and burned so that it could not be reused. Better yet not to allow any fish cages in the lakes.
4. For governments to do the cleaning of the mess the private sector created.
Who are the winners and the losers of this fish kill?
The losers of the fish kill are the people around the lake, the tourists and those dependent on the tourism sector. I would not consider the cage owners as losers as this is simply just a temporary setback, having relished its profits for many years.
The main winners will be the hatchery owners that supply the fingerlings and seeds for thhe cage operators. They are now all smiles and take notice that prices of bangus and tilapia fingerlings have gone up.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
A Fishview on the Fish Kills
Fish kills stink. Like the rancid fish oil going through the decay process, the main reason for the massive deaths of fish in fish cages and natural lakes is MISMANAGEMENT and GREED. It is not the lack of oxygen that every Juan de la Cruz have been told. Lack of oxygen is a manifestation that nature is reacting to human intervention of a natural system. Let us analyze in greater detail what was happening and use Taal lake to represent all the natural lakes (there are man-made lakes, e.g. result of open pit mining) of the country.
Taal lake is a classic oligotrophic lake example which is deep, with very little circulation because its exit to the sea through a river is very shallow. Because of this character, only the top portion has circulation that go as deep as its sill. Now, if you put there large number of cages and without any consideration on its natural circulation pattern, these made made structures hinder or changes the circulation pattern, disrupting the replenishment of nutrients from the sea etc and more importantly its vertical circulation. Ecological disruption #1.
Now the fish needs to be fed because oligotrophic lakes is not very productive. The excess feeds (arising from poor culture practices) and the fish droppings would initially contribute to the fertility in form of increased total N. Many of these excess food and droppings accumulate on the bottom and never rot because of lack of oxygen at the bottom and, partly also because of the high sulfur dioxide content, rendering the bottom layer, anoxic. Over time as these excess food and droppings continue to settle and accumulate, the anoxic portion of the lake becomes higher and higher. Ecological disruption #2.
The vertical temperature profile of Oligotropic lakes is highly stratified. This stratification normally disappears or get reduced when cold, dense water from rain settles to the bottom displacing the anoxic warm water layer to the surface. This happens only very seldom, perhaps once every two or three years.
What probably happened last week was that the anoxic part was almost at the surface where small amount of rain triggered the vertical circulation. On normal situation where the anoxic part is just a small percentage of the lake water, these layer, when coming up are oxidized by the upper water layers. But this time when a huge part of the lake water is already without any oxygen, the oxidized water at the surface is not enough to maintain a dissolve oxygen level sufficient for fish in the cages to survive.
What are the consequences of the fish kill? The investments and loss of livelihood in the fisheries sector represent a minor cost to the overall loses that media failed to account for. These are:
1. Loss of biodiversity. what we are seeing are fish in the cages. what about other fish species like the tawilis, an endemic sardines. what about the fishes that have no bladder that sink at the bottom, the other organisms, the snails, the insects that need the lake for their young to survive, the algae, the primary producers that start the food chain, all these could not function because of our greed to make profits?
2. Collapse of the ecosystem integrity. This by far is the most serious impact of mismanaged fish cages. the whole process of life cycle in the lake is disturbed and we do not know its consequences.
3. Land based impacts - tourism sector, a major source of livelihood is just one of the directly hit by the fish kill, the boat that ferries, resorts, horse rides, and thenumerous peddlers, suppliers of goods and services.
4. Health - impacts to health could run up to millions as bans on sale of fish reached the markets.
Our local managers need to understand that normality is not restored when bangus would not die in the cages, or when water clears up, or when the foul odor disappears. The impacts on the lake will be felt on the land, by humans and non humans,not just by fishers but by farmers, tourists, and all those that support and dependent on the lake.
Normality returns only after we see that human activities like rearing fish obeys the laws of nature, that profit is not the main governing policy but respect of nature.
When fish kills occur, it means that nature complains and fights back. Its consequences is wide and could be long lasting. Nobody gains and everybody loses.
Taal lake is a classic oligotrophic lake example which is deep, with very little circulation because its exit to the sea through a river is very shallow. Because of this character, only the top portion has circulation that go as deep as its sill. Now, if you put there large number of cages and without any consideration on its natural circulation pattern, these made made structures hinder or changes the circulation pattern, disrupting the replenishment of nutrients from the sea etc and more importantly its vertical circulation. Ecological disruption #1.
Now the fish needs to be fed because oligotrophic lakes is not very productive. The excess feeds (arising from poor culture practices) and the fish droppings would initially contribute to the fertility in form of increased total N. Many of these excess food and droppings accumulate on the bottom and never rot because of lack of oxygen at the bottom and, partly also because of the high sulfur dioxide content, rendering the bottom layer, anoxic. Over time as these excess food and droppings continue to settle and accumulate, the anoxic portion of the lake becomes higher and higher. Ecological disruption #2.
The vertical temperature profile of Oligotropic lakes is highly stratified. This stratification normally disappears or get reduced when cold, dense water from rain settles to the bottom displacing the anoxic warm water layer to the surface. This happens only very seldom, perhaps once every two or three years.
What probably happened last week was that the anoxic part was almost at the surface where small amount of rain triggered the vertical circulation. On normal situation where the anoxic part is just a small percentage of the lake water, these layer, when coming up are oxidized by the upper water layers. But this time when a huge part of the lake water is already without any oxygen, the oxidized water at the surface is not enough to maintain a dissolve oxygen level sufficient for fish in the cages to survive.
What are the consequences of the fish kill? The investments and loss of livelihood in the fisheries sector represent a minor cost to the overall loses that media failed to account for. These are:
1. Loss of biodiversity. what we are seeing are fish in the cages. what about other fish species like the tawilis, an endemic sardines. what about the fishes that have no bladder that sink at the bottom, the other organisms, the snails, the insects that need the lake for their young to survive, the algae, the primary producers that start the food chain, all these could not function because of our greed to make profits?
2. Collapse of the ecosystem integrity. This by far is the most serious impact of mismanaged fish cages. the whole process of life cycle in the lake is disturbed and we do not know its consequences.
3. Land based impacts - tourism sector, a major source of livelihood is just one of the directly hit by the fish kill, the boat that ferries, resorts, horse rides, and thenumerous peddlers, suppliers of goods and services.
4. Health - impacts to health could run up to millions as bans on sale of fish reached the markets.
Our local managers need to understand that normality is not restored when bangus would not die in the cages, or when water clears up, or when the foul odor disappears. The impacts on the lake will be felt on the land, by humans and non humans,not just by fishers but by farmers, tourists, and all those that support and dependent on the lake.
Normality returns only after we see that human activities like rearing fish obeys the laws of nature, that profit is not the main governing policy but respect of nature.
When fish kills occur, it means that nature complains and fights back. Its consequences is wide and could be long lasting. Nobody gains and everybody loses.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
On Rising Fuel Prices: An analysis of the jeepneys
Who or which sector is most vocal on the issue of rising fuel prices: If the airtime devoted to interviews with sectors - i would say, its the transport sector, particularly the jeepneys, and to a lesser extent, the taxis.
First, because jeepney transport associations are and has been, well organized and form a powerful bloc. But this should be viewed on a positive note because the association provides the loud voices to represent its members. Quite lately, with the rising fuel prices, it has become more of noise than advocacy, and have used this association, to blackmail government agencies. It does so with impunity, using the riding public as the reason, to push its agenda to get subsidies and threaten us commuters with their transport strike.
Let us view the jeepney transport system in terms of cost and benefit to ALL sectors.
1. The fuel diesel has increased by 8 pesos since start of the year alone. Just for the sake of computation, if every jeepney consumes about 30 liters per day, then at today's prices at say at 46 pesos, then each jeepney pays for P1,380 pesos per day for fuel.
2. Now let us further compute,that a route for example of Fairview to Quiapo has a distance of 15 km (estimate), each jeepney covers about 30 km per round trip and makes 4 trips per day for a total of 120 km. Using 30 liters for the 120km travelled translates to a fuel efficiency of four, just FOUR (4) LITERS PER km,. a far cry from city driving using a well maintained engine, say a 2.5 liter diesel, to about 10 km/ liter.
3. This means that with a well maintained engine, jeepneys will only be consuming less than half or just 12 instead of 30 liters. Their fuel investment daily should only be only 552 pesos and not 1380 pesos. This is savings that potentially could go to the drivers of about 820 pesos daily. Instead, these are spent on fuel and goes as sales and earnings of the oil companies.
4.Using these figures, we get the following statistics:
There are 202,891 registered jeepneys with the Land Transportation Office of which a quarter or 50,085 units are in Metro Manila.
The potential loss of income of each jeepney driver is 820 pesos which goes to the oil companies instead, or for the jeepney fleet operating in metro manila, is a whooping P41.47 million daily or using just 300 days operation per year, translates to P12.4 billion yearly at today's prices. How much was the intended government subsidy again?
5. In terms of fuel saved - the 18 liters/ day saved by each jeepney in MM is equal to 901,530 liters of diesel per day or 270.5 million liters annually.
6. if we pursue a fuel efficient jeepney fleet, who will be the gainers:
The jeepney drivers - as the 828 pesos will become part of their income.
The riding public - as there is no need for a fare hike. this windfall income is much more than what jeepney drivers are asking for increase.
The government on several aspects: lesser importation of diesel, no need for the subsidy and preservation of the holy grail of the government, the VAT income that could go to the development of renewable energy.
Every Filipino as the quality of air would improve considerable- cascading its effects on better health of Filipinos,less hospital bills and medicines and more productivity as people get sick less.
7. Now, the losers if jeepneys become efficient:
All those in the trade of oil, from gas stations to large oil companies as sales would greatly be reduced. As a consequence, traders and oil companies will become more competitive (rather than colluding)in plying their trade.
The owners of jeepneys that would need to install efficient engines.this is short term pain over long term gain.
Aha, the corrupt ones in the LTOs and DENR, that allow these jeepneys to pass the emission test. Question: have you heard of any passenger jeepney that did not pass the emission test? Grapevine gossip has it that large jeepney associations are exempt from subject to emission test?
The Jeepney associations - lose their potency as there will be no big issue to pursue. They might loose their income from the collections made at distinct points in metro manila. The one at 15TH AVENUE collects 30 pesos per day for those fleet plying the fairview cubao routes and another booth at Fairview.Pretty well organized. They say it is association dues, for what and for whom.
THINK AGAIN, THERE IS NO NEED TO INCREASE THE FARES OF JEEPNEYS nor SUBSIDIZE their fuel or raise jeepney fares. The solution is simple enough. The savings generated by efficient jeepneys is more than enough to offset the diesel price increases. Its a win -win situation.
P.S. What is surprising is that in Visayas and Mindanao, prices of diesel is 5 pesos higher, but the fare rate is the same, the numbers of commuters are much smaller, yet they survive and complain much much less.
ENJOY THIS RIDE
First, because jeepney transport associations are and has been, well organized and form a powerful bloc. But this should be viewed on a positive note because the association provides the loud voices to represent its members. Quite lately, with the rising fuel prices, it has become more of noise than advocacy, and have used this association, to blackmail government agencies. It does so with impunity, using the riding public as the reason, to push its agenda to get subsidies and threaten us commuters with their transport strike.
Let us view the jeepney transport system in terms of cost and benefit to ALL sectors.
1. The fuel diesel has increased by 8 pesos since start of the year alone. Just for the sake of computation, if every jeepney consumes about 30 liters per day, then at today's prices at say at 46 pesos, then each jeepney pays for P1,380 pesos per day for fuel.
2. Now let us further compute,that a route for example of Fairview to Quiapo has a distance of 15 km (estimate), each jeepney covers about 30 km per round trip and makes 4 trips per day for a total of 120 km. Using 30 liters for the 120km travelled translates to a fuel efficiency of four, just FOUR (4) LITERS PER km,. a far cry from city driving using a well maintained engine, say a 2.5 liter diesel, to about 10 km/ liter.
3. This means that with a well maintained engine, jeepneys will only be consuming less than half or just 12 instead of 30 liters. Their fuel investment daily should only be only 552 pesos and not 1380 pesos. This is savings that potentially could go to the drivers of about 820 pesos daily. Instead, these are spent on fuel and goes as sales and earnings of the oil companies.
4.Using these figures, we get the following statistics:
There are 202,891 registered jeepneys with the Land Transportation Office of which a quarter or 50,085 units are in Metro Manila.
The potential loss of income of each jeepney driver is 820 pesos which goes to the oil companies instead, or for the jeepney fleet operating in metro manila, is a whooping P41.47 million daily or using just 300 days operation per year, translates to P12.4 billion yearly at today's prices. How much was the intended government subsidy again?
5. In terms of fuel saved - the 18 liters/ day saved by each jeepney in MM is equal to 901,530 liters of diesel per day or 270.5 million liters annually.
6. if we pursue a fuel efficient jeepney fleet, who will be the gainers:
The jeepney drivers - as the 828 pesos will become part of their income.
The riding public - as there is no need for a fare hike. this windfall income is much more than what jeepney drivers are asking for increase.
The government on several aspects: lesser importation of diesel, no need for the subsidy and preservation of the holy grail of the government, the VAT income that could go to the development of renewable energy.
Every Filipino as the quality of air would improve considerable- cascading its effects on better health of Filipinos,less hospital bills and medicines and more productivity as people get sick less.
7. Now, the losers if jeepneys become efficient:
All those in the trade of oil, from gas stations to large oil companies as sales would greatly be reduced. As a consequence, traders and oil companies will become more competitive (rather than colluding)in plying their trade.
The owners of jeepneys that would need to install efficient engines.this is short term pain over long term gain.
Aha, the corrupt ones in the LTOs and DENR, that allow these jeepneys to pass the emission test. Question: have you heard of any passenger jeepney that did not pass the emission test? Grapevine gossip has it that large jeepney associations are exempt from subject to emission test?
The Jeepney associations - lose their potency as there will be no big issue to pursue. They might loose their income from the collections made at distinct points in metro manila. The one at 15TH AVENUE collects 30 pesos per day for those fleet plying the fairview cubao routes and another booth at Fairview.Pretty well organized. They say it is association dues, for what and for whom.
THINK AGAIN, THERE IS NO NEED TO INCREASE THE FARES OF JEEPNEYS nor SUBSIDIZE their fuel or raise jeepney fares. The solution is simple enough. The savings generated by efficient jeepneys is more than enough to offset the diesel price increases. Its a win -win situation.
P.S. What is surprising is that in Visayas and Mindanao, prices of diesel is 5 pesos higher, but the fare rate is the same, the numbers of commuters are much smaller, yet they survive and complain much much less.
ENJOY THIS RIDE
I'm Back : going bananas on fuel prices for wrong reason
Its been a while since I last posted on this blog: One of the reasons is this:
The Philippine News media - has changed in the last few months in the way news are reported - highly reactionary to events rather than proactive; becoming a mouthpiece of interest groups rather than making an independent assessment. I will be focusing on my blogs with the hope to provide another perspective and to give readers the other side of things.
On rising fuel prices - the topic hugs the airwaves (i am an avid AM radio fan, not TV) and regularly hear the wails of radio commentators - lambasting government for the price hikes - as if the government could do something about it. Fact is - high prices of fossil fuel are here to stay - with dwindling sources, expensive methods of extraction and huge demand from galloping economies (BRIICS) that is not about to wane, its about time that the media refocus itself rage by engaging the people on ways to save energy consumption (fuel, electricity) and on urging the government to invest NOT ON SUBSIDIES but on putting the country on path to independence from fossil fuel. We are rich in geothermal resources, solar energy and wind. How much would the subsidy that the government is allotting for the transport section alone? How much has the government invested in renewable energy research and prototyping? Do your math on the cost benefit of these two investment path and compute it over say, 20 years. We know the answer.
The Philippine News media - has changed in the last few months in the way news are reported - highly reactionary to events rather than proactive; becoming a mouthpiece of interest groups rather than making an independent assessment. I will be focusing on my blogs with the hope to provide another perspective and to give readers the other side of things.
On rising fuel prices - the topic hugs the airwaves (i am an avid AM radio fan, not TV) and regularly hear the wails of radio commentators - lambasting government for the price hikes - as if the government could do something about it. Fact is - high prices of fossil fuel are here to stay - with dwindling sources, expensive methods of extraction and huge demand from galloping economies (BRIICS) that is not about to wane, its about time that the media refocus itself rage by engaging the people on ways to save energy consumption (fuel, electricity) and on urging the government to invest NOT ON SUBSIDIES but on putting the country on path to independence from fossil fuel. We are rich in geothermal resources, solar energy and wind. How much would the subsidy that the government is allotting for the transport section alone? How much has the government invested in renewable energy research and prototyping? Do your math on the cost benefit of these two investment path and compute it over say, 20 years. We know the answer.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Why ERAP is Popular
a former president who is convicted,
a deposed president who was convicted of plunder?
a sinner president who lacks the moral fiber to govern;
and who is now implicated in double murder?
yet he is popular. WHY?
Ask the press, the journalists and the media why?
Ask why reporters who keep on reporting and publishing every garbage he says?
Ask a field reporter who is star-struck every time he gets to interview the convicted plunderer;
Ask why reporters do'nt ask him direct questions?
Ask why publishers keep him in the media and in front pages of newspapers?
Ask why media cant simply IGNORE him?
is it because it boils down to getting "exclusive" news?
is it because erap sells newspapers and attracts ads?
is it because eraps calling radio stations give the hosts credibility?
Has media asked itself that ignoring him will do a lot of justice to this country
has media asked itself that reporting about him is not just about making money.
It is spreading truth and helping the masses rise from the pile of ignorance and learn about the truth
In short ALL about him is a pile of muck NOT WORTH REPORTING.
a deposed president who was convicted of plunder?
a sinner president who lacks the moral fiber to govern;
and who is now implicated in double murder?
yet he is popular. WHY?
Ask the press, the journalists and the media why?
Ask why reporters who keep on reporting and publishing every garbage he says?
Ask a field reporter who is star-struck every time he gets to interview the convicted plunderer;
Ask why reporters do'nt ask him direct questions?
Ask why publishers keep him in the media and in front pages of newspapers?
Ask why media cant simply IGNORE him?
is it because it boils down to getting "exclusive" news?
is it because erap sells newspapers and attracts ads?
is it because eraps calling radio stations give the hosts credibility?
Has media asked itself that ignoring him will do a lot of justice to this country
has media asked itself that reporting about him is not just about making money.
It is spreading truth and helping the masses rise from the pile of ignorance and learn about the truth
In short ALL about him is a pile of muck NOT WORTH REPORTING.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Cost Savings Of Cebu Pacific - A Security Nightmare
Once again, I have used Cebu Pacific on a return flight to Davao and on both occasions, we did not use the bridge that was designed to ferry passengers safely from the departure area to the plane and from the plane back to the airport.
But on this occasion as in many of the Cebu Pacific flights to and from Davao, plane is parked at the tarmac or at the docking bay but were not allowed to use the bridge. In so doing, passengers have to go down the tarmac and walk, yes, I repeat WALK to the airport. Here is what happened upon arrival at NAIA 3. Opening the rear door, the passengers at the rear went down the stairs, the passengers on the front row exited through the bridge at the front door but was instructed to go down the stairs of the bridge. All passengers walked to the airport entrance for about 100 meters, went up one floor where the bridge meets the airport, walked all the way to the other end of the airport and then went down the stairs to the conveyor belt to get the checked in luggage. If one is handicapped and forgot to request for assistance, then this is calvary. This airline may be promoting health to its passengers but this is unheard of.
What happened to the airport tax that we pay? Is this the service we get for the P200 pesos we pay each time we use the airport. How come PAL and other airlines does not do this? What about the other taxes that are charged with the ticket?
I complained to the attendant and her reply was that this is one one gets for cheap fare. WHATTTTT? Not all passengers are paying cheap tickets, I complained because I paid a regular-priced ticket. But more seriously, such practice is a security nightmare. Getting passengers to roam around at the tarmac is inviting possible security breach to happen. What is the use of installing all those strict security procedures when one gets to roam at the tarmac? There are no security personnel there to watch, only Cebu Pacific Attendants. Why did ATO allow this?
Shall we wait for something dreadful and deadly to happen?
But on this occasion as in many of the Cebu Pacific flights to and from Davao, plane is parked at the tarmac or at the docking bay but were not allowed to use the bridge. In so doing, passengers have to go down the tarmac and walk, yes, I repeat WALK to the airport. Here is what happened upon arrival at NAIA 3. Opening the rear door, the passengers at the rear went down the stairs, the passengers on the front row exited through the bridge at the front door but was instructed to go down the stairs of the bridge. All passengers walked to the airport entrance for about 100 meters, went up one floor where the bridge meets the airport, walked all the way to the other end of the airport and then went down the stairs to the conveyor belt to get the checked in luggage. If one is handicapped and forgot to request for assistance, then this is calvary. This airline may be promoting health to its passengers but this is unheard of.
What happened to the airport tax that we pay? Is this the service we get for the P200 pesos we pay each time we use the airport. How come PAL and other airlines does not do this? What about the other taxes that are charged with the ticket?
I complained to the attendant and her reply was that this is one one gets for cheap fare. WHATTTTT? Not all passengers are paying cheap tickets, I complained because I paid a regular-priced ticket. But more seriously, such practice is a security nightmare. Getting passengers to roam around at the tarmac is inviting possible security breach to happen. What is the use of installing all those strict security procedures when one gets to roam at the tarmac? There are no security personnel there to watch, only Cebu Pacific Attendants. Why did ATO allow this?
Shall we wait for something dreadful and deadly to happen?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Doing Business at Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines - A reflection
Because my eldest son was born outside the Philippines during my six-year study stint in Europe, we need to get his original birth certificate from the country he was born in order to fill up his records here at the National Statistics office. The NSO referred us to the Consular Records Division of the DFA.
I took a half a day off from work on Thursday afternoon of October to work on the reconstruction of his birth certificate. I have a copy of the report of live birth I filed several months after the child was born at the Consular office of that country.
Taking the jeep from Pasay rotunda MRT station, I alighted at the corner of FB Harison and walked towards DFA. The distance from the corner to DFA compound was probably 100 meters and walking through the distance, I was harassed by at least 10 men and women branding their large laminated IDs and offering assistance in the procurement of passport. The whole entrance to the passport processing was full of more ID weilding men and women. I could not imagine how DFA could allow such chaos around the area where our own countrymen are being gyped publicly by these jackals.
But my business is at the Consular Records Division, so I was referred to Gate 1. Upon entrance, a security guard asks what your business for entering, another one inspects your bag. I was carrying a camera because I need to do a photo session later that evening. I was informed rather brusquely by the guard named R. F. Sabala that cameras are not allowed. As I would not entrust a very expensive camera to them, because they have no secure place to store it. They would simply issue a receipt and just put is on the table. These are very delicate and expensive instruments. I informed them that the camera are in separate pieces and could not be used. I inquired why they don't allow cameras but allow mobile phones with cameras. If cameras are banned for security purposes, then DFA must also prohibit all mobile phones with cameras. These mobile phones could take pictures discreetly in comparison with what I have which is a very bulky camera. I was wondering whether the issue with cameras has something todo with journalist rather than security. Knowing that these guards are just following orders hook line and sinker, arguing with them is a waste of time. I left my camera at the guard house and placed just on top of the table.
I was again halted in the main entrance of the building. I was informed that I was wearing a pair of sandals and it is DFA policy that sandals are not allowed. I could not believe what I heard because I was wearing a branded leather sandals that covered at least 50% of my feet. With the plan of going to Paranaque and Laguna later in the day where flooding occurs at a slight rain, sandals are, by call of the current times, the most appropriate footgear because I could remove it and put is back again once on dry land.
If indeed there is such a no-sandals policy, then this is such as STUPID and discriminatory because I could not imagine a poor Filipino who could not afford shoes going there to transact a business will not be allowed nor an Indigenous Filipino on a G-string being barred to transact business? Have we changed the definition of being a Filipino? I could not imagine someone from a flooded area to arrive there wearing shoes to transact business? Do we tell them to turn back and get a pair of shoes? Does this mean we are less a Filipinos for coming to DFA premises if we wear only sandals?
If the intention of that anti-sandal policy is INDECENCY, DFA should revisit the policy itself and also the definition of sandals. I think that the DFA policy refers to flip flops which have been been labelled synonymously with those sleek, and decent looking sandals use of sandals. And this is how the guards have selectively applied this to me because I had an earlier argument with them with my camera. While I was complaining about this ridiculous policy, I observed that more than 50% of the women visitors are wearing even slippers and these are allowed inside without a wink!!!!
If decency is the goal of that policy, then its definition based on what i experienced is exposure of 50% of my feet. Perhaps, DFA should look not just on my feet but to the half naked (but shapely women) roaming the corridors of DFA. Perhaps the indecency there is my non-pedicured nails which may be too much for our diplomats to look at?
But this is not the end of my story, I finally reached the office of the consular records division. There I waited not very long and finally, I transacted my business with a very nice person. I have requested for a reconstruction of the birth certificate of my son and explained the urgency of my need. I was informed that it will take 1- 2 months to accomplish this because this request will have to be officially transmitted with a cover letter and sent via the snail mail.
When i suggested that we could simply scan the file and send an email to the appropriate embassy, I was flatly informed that their office have no email facility and using electronic means is not an acceptable way of facilitating business. In our present flat world where everybody is connected by internet, that in a click of a mouse, one could send information halfway accross the world, i could not imagine DFA, the Foreign Affaris of the country, still depend on a very expensive and with a high carbon footprint way of delivering its mail services. If this is the kind of service that DFA delivers to its people, how could it serve efficiently the over 10 million overseas Filipino workers?
I took a half a day off from work on Thursday afternoon of October to work on the reconstruction of his birth certificate. I have a copy of the report of live birth I filed several months after the child was born at the Consular office of that country.
Taking the jeep from Pasay rotunda MRT station, I alighted at the corner of FB Harison and walked towards DFA. The distance from the corner to DFA compound was probably 100 meters and walking through the distance, I was harassed by at least 10 men and women branding their large laminated IDs and offering assistance in the procurement of passport. The whole entrance to the passport processing was full of more ID weilding men and women. I could not imagine how DFA could allow such chaos around the area where our own countrymen are being gyped publicly by these jackals.
But my business is at the Consular Records Division, so I was referred to Gate 1. Upon entrance, a security guard asks what your business for entering, another one inspects your bag. I was carrying a camera because I need to do a photo session later that evening. I was informed rather brusquely by the guard named R. F. Sabala that cameras are not allowed. As I would not entrust a very expensive camera to them, because they have no secure place to store it. They would simply issue a receipt and just put is on the table. These are very delicate and expensive instruments. I informed them that the camera are in separate pieces and could not be used. I inquired why they don't allow cameras but allow mobile phones with cameras. If cameras are banned for security purposes, then DFA must also prohibit all mobile phones with cameras. These mobile phones could take pictures discreetly in comparison with what I have which is a very bulky camera. I was wondering whether the issue with cameras has something todo with journalist rather than security. Knowing that these guards are just following orders hook line and sinker, arguing with them is a waste of time. I left my camera at the guard house and placed just on top of the table.
I was again halted in the main entrance of the building. I was informed that I was wearing a pair of sandals and it is DFA policy that sandals are not allowed. I could not believe what I heard because I was wearing a branded leather sandals that covered at least 50% of my feet. With the plan of going to Paranaque and Laguna later in the day where flooding occurs at a slight rain, sandals are, by call of the current times, the most appropriate footgear because I could remove it and put is back again once on dry land.
If indeed there is such a no-sandals policy, then this is such as STUPID and discriminatory because I could not imagine a poor Filipino who could not afford shoes going there to transact a business will not be allowed nor an Indigenous Filipino on a G-string being barred to transact business? Have we changed the definition of being a Filipino? I could not imagine someone from a flooded area to arrive there wearing shoes to transact business? Do we tell them to turn back and get a pair of shoes? Does this mean we are less a Filipinos for coming to DFA premises if we wear only sandals?
If the intention of that anti-sandal policy is INDECENCY, DFA should revisit the policy itself and also the definition of sandals. I think that the DFA policy refers to flip flops which have been been labelled synonymously with those sleek, and decent looking sandals use of sandals. And this is how the guards have selectively applied this to me because I had an earlier argument with them with my camera. While I was complaining about this ridiculous policy, I observed that more than 50% of the women visitors are wearing even slippers and these are allowed inside without a wink!!!!
If decency is the goal of that policy, then its definition based on what i experienced is exposure of 50% of my feet. Perhaps, DFA should look not just on my feet but to the half naked (but shapely women) roaming the corridors of DFA. Perhaps the indecency there is my non-pedicured nails which may be too much for our diplomats to look at?
But this is not the end of my story, I finally reached the office of the consular records division. There I waited not very long and finally, I transacted my business with a very nice person. I have requested for a reconstruction of the birth certificate of my son and explained the urgency of my need. I was informed that it will take 1- 2 months to accomplish this because this request will have to be officially transmitted with a cover letter and sent via the snail mail.
When i suggested that we could simply scan the file and send an email to the appropriate embassy, I was flatly informed that their office have no email facility and using electronic means is not an acceptable way of facilitating business. In our present flat world where everybody is connected by internet, that in a click of a mouse, one could send information halfway accross the world, i could not imagine DFA, the Foreign Affaris of the country, still depend on a very expensive and with a high carbon footprint way of delivering its mail services. If this is the kind of service that DFA delivers to its people, how could it serve efficiently the over 10 million overseas Filipino workers?
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