Roamer’s Roundup

Remembering Susan Calo-Medina

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In the realm of Philippine travel journalism, Susan Calo-Medina is an institution, so to speak.

(courtesy of Behance)

Long before the influx of travel programs and channels, travel magazines, and those countless travel websites and blogs like this one, she was one of those pioneering spirits who went out of her way to visit almost every point in the Philippines and show to us the rich sights and sounds the country has to offer. And for a generation or so of Filipinos who grew up watching her on Travel Time or on Tipong Pinoy with Wency Cornejo, Susan served as a gateway for us to discover and be inspired by the country’s beauty and diversity for the first time.

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Nazareno Blues and Other News

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Today, there are no classes and city government work in the City of Manila as it celebrates the Feast of the Black Nazarene, an event the Urban Roamer has written about in the past.

This year though has been an interesting one not much because of the event but due to the sidelights which have gotten a bit more attention.

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A Metro Manila Film Festival 2014 Postscript (and a movie review too)

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Christmas season in would not be complete without the movies. And by that, I mean the movies being shown at the annual film festival held at this time of year, the Metro Manila Film Festival or MMFF.

First launched in 1975, the MMFF was an occasion where local filmmakers get to release films without having to worry about competition from foreign films during the Christmas season, something that has been an object of irritation among some cinephiles who are deprived of seeing some Hollywood film early. (like in the case of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy films which were released here in January instead of the same Christmas season opening in the US, thanks to the MMFF)

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On Train Fare Hikes: A Commentary

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Just as commuters in the metropolis are still feeling the good tidings of Christmas with the recent decision to lower jeepney fares, not to mention a possible lowered fares for taxis and AUVs, there is an impending yang to this present yin as the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) announced an increase in the fares for the metropolitan mass transit lines operated by the LRTA (Lines 1 and 2) and MRTC (Line 3 or the EDSA line) effective January 4, 2015.

image of a Line 1 gen 3 train from Skyscrapercity
image of a Line 2 train courtesy of LRTA
image of a Line 3 courtesy of Rappler

The new rates would peg a trip from Roosevelt to Baclaran to P30 from the original P20 via Line 1, Santolan in Pasig to Recto in Manila at P28 from P15 via Line 2, and North Avenue to Taft Avenue at P28 from P15 via Line 3. If you use a stored value card though, you get a P1 discount on the fares.

the new Line 1 fare rates matrix (courtesy of Skyscrapercity)
the new Line 2 fare rates matrix (courtesy of Skyscrapercity)
the new Line 3 fare rates matrix (courtesy of Skyscrapercity)

What a way to start the year, right?

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