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Dec
21
The Skyway Sucat Experience
Filed Under News, Paranaque | Leave a Comment
Okay, so the Skyway Sucat ramp portion had already opened.
Mayor Jun Bernabe was even there during the opening.
Everybody was happy.
Or are they?
Here we put some of the mixed reactions (some too violent to post here) that we gathered from some of our readers.
One word that comes to mind when reading the reactions of our dear readers is INCONSISTENT.
Many loved the new ramp while several also hated the hyped road.
“Skyway ramp saved us last Saturday from the Sucat-Alabang traffic. Sent us straight from Buendia to BF in no time,” said one reader.
Another one said that it only took her 10 minutes from Buendia to Bicutan via the Skyway but spent one hour on the road from Bicutan to the Sucat portion of the Skyway.
“I love it!” quipped another excited and satisfied motorist.
Some also narrated that passing the new road felt like flying in their car but others warned fellow motorists because fast cars might bounce off the cement as the road is still not that flat.
A lot of shuttle services still prefer to exit at Bicutan though as the one-lane exit in Sucat takes too long to come out of, revealed a BF Homes villager.
Others weren’t so happy too.
“Dec.16, evening: terrible! We thought we had the advantage but that was only a few meters. It was a very long crawl after that. When we finally were out of the ramp, we decided to go through BF to get to Alabang instead of going back to SLEX since the ramp going down to Sucat seemed to bring us far inside. NOT a good idea if your destination is Alabang,” noted the motorist.
“TRAFFIC!!!!!” exclaimed another villager, saying the new exit ramp created a major bottleneck.
The BF resident said that it now takes her some one hour to get to her house compared to the usual 15 minutes it took her before.
Another couple said they got stuck in Skyway for one-and-a-half hours (6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.).
So is it traffic because it’s the Holidays? Is it traffic because people still aren’t used to having a ramp going to Sucat? Is it traffic because there are just too darn many undisciplined drivers in the country?
Whatever the reason is, the Skyway Sucat ramp still deserves some praise. Hopefully it fulfills on its promise to alleviate traffic in the area.
Let’s all drive safely!
Dec
20
MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
PROCLAMATION NO. 84
DECLARING THE REGULAR HOLIDAYS, SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAYS, AND SPECIAL HOLIDAY (FOR ALL SCHOOLS) FOR THE YEAR 2011
WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9492, dated July 24, 2007, amended Section 26, Chapter 7, Book I of Executive Order (EO) No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987, by declaring certain days (specific or movable) as special or regular holidays;
WHEREAS, RA No. 9492 provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation;
WHEREAS, RA No. 9849 provides that the Eidul Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday;
WHEREAS, the EDSA People Power Revolution, which restored and ushered political, social and economic reforms in the country, serves as an inspiration to Filipinos everywhere as a nation and as a people;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution as President of the Philippines, do hereby declare:
SECTION 1. The following regular holidays and special days for the year 2011 shall be observed in the country:
A. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day – January 1 (Saturday)
Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Saturday)
Maundy Thursday – April 21
Good Friday – April 22
Labor Day – May 1 (Sunday)
Independence Day – June 12 (Sunday)
National Heroes Day – August 29 (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Wednesday)
Christmas Day – December 25 (Sunday)
Rizal Day – December 30 (Friday)
B. Special (Non-Working) Days
Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Sunday)
All Saints Day – November 1 (Tuesday)
Last Day of the Year – December 31 (Saturday)
C. Special Holiday (for all schools)
EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25 (Friday)
SECTION 2. The proclamations declaring national holidays for the observance of Eid’l Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient. To this end, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President on which day the holiday shall fall.
SECTION 3. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation.
SECTION 4. This Proclamation shall take effect immediately.
SECTION 5. This Proclamation shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 20th day of December in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Ten.
(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
By the President:
(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary
Dec
19
Mayor Bernabe thankful to Maynilad
Filed Under Paranaque | Leave a Comment
Bernabe grateful to Maynilad
If only the diggings didn’t cause traffic, a lot of villagers would be thankful too.
Dec
19
The new contact center facility, known as Alabang Two, is the second Convergys facility located in the area.
The added capacity will bring Convergys’ total employment in the country to approximately 23,000, supporting the company’s status as the largest private employer in the Philippines.
The new Convergys facility measures 68,000 square feet and will employ up to 1,200 additional employees from the region.
The contact center boasts executive and administrative offices, training rooms, conference rooms, and employee lounges. The addition of this state-of-the-art, energy efficient facility brings the number of Convergys contact centers in the Philippines to thirteen – eight located throughout Metro Manila, three in Cebu City, one in Bacolod City, and one in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
“Convergys continues to add facilities in the Philippines due to significant and continuing client demand for the very high-quality customer service provided by our dedicated teams of agents,” said Marife Zamora, Philippines Country Manager and Managing Director, Asia Pac/EMEA for Convergys.
“Adding additional, integrated facilities in the geographies our clients request enhances our ability to deliver the outstanding customer service our agents provide, not only in the Philippines but across the globe.
Since opening our first facility in the Philippines in 2003, we’ve experienced great success here and with our agent population and talented management team, I’m convinced this success will continue.”
Recently, President Benigno Aquino III was the guest of honor and dedicated Convergys’ new San Lazaro contact center.
Convergys also recently expanded five of its existing facilities to create space for 3,600 additional jobs, citing the outstanding performance of its employees and high client demand for Philippines-based services.
Earlier this year, Convergys won top honors as “BPO Company of the Year.” Convergys was also recently inducted into the Philippine Economic Zone Authority Hall of Fame after Convergys won both the Outstanding Employer and Outstanding Exporter three times in each category.
Convergys continues to hire additional agents in the Philippines.
Dec
18
Another toll fee increase approved
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MANILA, Philippines – The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has given the South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC) the green light to implement by next year the 297 percent toll hike for the use of the rehabilitated South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) from Alabang in Muntinlupa to Sto. Tomas in Batangas.
The SLTC’s application for the new toll rate was approved without much publicity last Thursday and the implementation of the adjusted rate of P3.02 per kilometer from the current rate of P0.76 will be effective on January 1, according to TRB spokesperson Julius Corpuz.
As such, toll rates for the use of the 36-kilometer expressway from Alabang to Sto. Tomas will be P106 for Class 1 vehicles like cars, jeepneys, pickups and vans; P232 for Class 2 vehicles like light trucks, tourist/school buses and Class 1 vehicles that are 7 feet and above tall; P318 for Class 3 vehicles like heavy and multi-axled trucks and trailers.
The use of the SLEx from Calamba in Laguna to Sto. Tomas in Batangas is still toll free until January 1 and in view of the Christmas and New Year season, the SLTC will implement a toll holiday from 10 p.m. of December 24 to 6 a.m. of December 25 and from 10 p.m. of December 31 to 6 a.m. of January 1.
But to help the public gradually accept the adjusted toll rates, the SLTC would voluntarily grant motorists discounts for the first three months of 2011.
SLTC president Isaac David said it is “out of goodwill” and their sense of corporate social responsibility that they will grant motorists P0.35 per kilometer discount from January 1 to 31, P0.30 from February 1 to 28, and P0.13 from March 1 to 31.
In effect, SLTC will charge the rate of P2.68 per kilometer in January, P2.72 in February, and P2.89 in March. Motorists are expected to save at least P12 if they will be using SLEx from Alabang to Sto. Tomas on January due to the discounts.
“Our initiative to offer discounts will cost us at least P75 million but since it was made voluntarily, we will shoulder the cost,” David said.
But despite the development, David said the SLTC still has to discuss with TRB the means to recover its foregone gross revenues reaching P1.1 billion since the delayed implementation of the new toll rates in July. Based on SLTC’s toll operations agreement with the Philippine government, it is allowed to apply for toll hike every two years.
But despite the delay, David described as timely the TRB’s decision in view of the new calendar year, adding that “it has inspired them to pursue other infrastructure projects” under the public-private partnership (PPP).
“This is a clear indication on the political will of the Philippine government and the success of the PPP,” David added.
Consequently, the TRB’s recent decision has prompted the South Luzon Bus Operators Association (SOLUBOA) to petition for a fare hike as soon as the SLEx toll hike is implemented.
SOLUBOA president Homer Mercado said they will likely ask the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for a fare hike ranging from P0.30- to P0.50- rate per kilometer from a few days after January 1.
When reached for comment, Elvira Medina of the National Council for Commuter Protection said they are studying legal remedies available to oppose the SLEx toll hike.
As this developed, motorists using the SLEx may not be the only ones to be burdened by the looming toll hike next year as the TRB admitted it is finalizing its study and decision on the application to adjust toll rates for the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).
Corpuz disclosed that the operator of NLEx, Citra Metro Manila Tollway Corporation (CMMTC), and operator of SCTEx, Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), have also applied for toll rate adjustment for January 1.
As per their application, CMMTC is seeking for 11 percent toll rate increase from its present rate of P2.13 per kilometer while the MNTC is requesting for 43 percent increase from its current rate of P2 per kilometer.
Corpuz said the toll hike petitions for NLEx and SCTEx are “still being studied by the TRB” but the decision on their applications will be out anytime soon.”
When asked to comment about the public’s opposition to the simultaneous toll hike in SLEx, NLEx, and SCTEx, Corpuz asked the understanding of the motorists.
“The TRB asks for the understanding of our motorists. The board is just doing its job of assessing the toll hike petitions being submitted to it for review. If it won’t act on them, it will be accused of being remiss in its duties,” he said.
Corpuz also belied allegations that the TRB is favoring investors’ interest over the public’s in granting the toll hike petitions.
“Based on their agreement with the government, toll operators are allowed to increase toll rates every two years not only for them to be assured of their return of investments but also for them to adjust the rates in view of the inflation rate,” Corpuz added.
