“The Santos-Andres Ancestral House: Heritage Born Anew” on GMA News Online

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It has been awhile since the Urban Roamer has written for another publication or site, but I am happy to announce that my little piece has made it to one of the leading news sites in the country, GMA News Online.

My piece published there is about the Santos-Andres ancestral house, a house which was formerly located along M. Naval Street in Navotas City to a more upland location in the hills of Antipolo, near the Hinulugang Taktak and the Antipolo Cathedral, giving a new lease of life to a house that was endangered from decay and encroaching urbanization in Navotas.

one can see on top the inscriptions “1917” (the year the house was built) and “RS” which stands for Roman Santos, the patriarch who lived in this house

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Checked Out: MAFBEX 2014

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There are a number of food-related trade events every year one should not miss, especially if you are a “foodie.” One of them would be the Manila Food and Beverage Expo (MAFBEX) which just held its 2014 edition last June 11-13. And yes, the Urban Roamer checked that one out recently.

First things first, I find it weird to have such a known event not being held within a weekend date as many trade fairs do. Perhaps the organizers may have taken into consideration that one of the dates is a holiday, but still…anyway, moving on

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The Question of the Common Station

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If the problems of malfunctioning trains and the alleged corrupt practices of the sacked/resigned general manager of a metropolitan rail transit administering body were  not enough woes to the metropolis’ mass transport system, well here comes another one that is surely to make mass transportation “more fun in Metro Manila.”

The issue at stake now is the building of a common station, which is intended to the common terminal for mass rail transit Lines 1 and 3, as well as that of the planned Line 7 which would run all the way to San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan. This would be the vital missing ingredient that was missing that would make at least the current mass transit loop of Lines 1 and 3 complete as at the moment, passengers are deprived of what would have been a convenient transfer between lines.

At the crux of this issue is a dispute as to where it would be located, something that may or may not involve some external forces at play. At stake is the welfare of millions of commuters who will benefit from the convenience or inconvenience of this common station, depending on where it will eventually be built.

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Checked Out: World Quizzing Championship 2014-the Philippine Leg

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It is probably one of the most prestigious global competitions out there, yet it is not that well-known in the sense that many have not heard of it…at least those who are not into hardcore intellectually-stimulating activities. But for those who are into such things, being on this competition is like competing in the Olympics, trying to slug it out with the rest of the world. This folks is the World Quizzing Championship. And the Urban Roamer was there not only to witness it but take part in it as well.

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