PAGASA missed it’s forecast of typhoon Frank which passed Metro Manila an hour ago, despite earlier predictions that it will not hit Luzon. This in turn delayed the suspension of all sea travel hence the sinking of a Sulpicio Lines ship with 700 people on board.

While we understand that this oversight was caused by the agency’s possible lack of budget to buy better machines for predicting the weather or perhaps the outdated models that they use to predict typhoon direction, we fail to comprehend why the change in direction of the typhoon, which PAGASA can monitor, did not prompt anyone from the agency to contact the coastguard and thereby alert any ships on open water?

Blame game asides, we hope that they everyone on the ship will soon be rescued.

For the rest of us in relatively dry land, classes have been suspended tomorrow for Elementary and High School all over the Metro. College students will have to wait until 11pm tonight for the announcement. Those still experience power outages may call MERALCO’s hotline at 16211. Stay safe to all.

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Good news for everyone this June 12. Metro Rail Transit (MRT) will be offering free rides from 7AM to 9AM and 5PM to 7PM.

Get the scoop on:
Inquirer - MRT giving free rides on Independence Day

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It’s time once again for French Spring in Manila and this feast for the senses brings you the best movies, concerts, exhibits, fairs and more from France. We will be following the event all through May and June so watch out for postings.

Chris Daughtry of American Idol fame will be playing live in Manila! Tickets for the July 29 concert are now available at Eastwood Information Center and all Ticketnet outlets. Ticket prices range from P650 to P5775.

The annual Earth Day Jam will start at 7PM tonight at Tomas Morato in Quezon City. The street will be closed to traffic and two stages will be set up - Fire-Air and Earth-Water - so that audience can enjoy music from over 20 bands performing for free. Tents will also be set up around the area to promote environmental awareness and issues. Check out the round up of artists playing at the event from GMA News

Manila’s Ocean Park will now be open at night. The program, called “Sleeping With the Fish” will be held every Friday from April 25 until the end of May and will start from 6:30 PM until 7 AM the next day. Tickets will be at P1,000 for adults and P750 for children and will include unlimited entrance for that period, dinner, a midnight snack and breakfast.

Inquirer - Ocean Park opens facility to overnight visitors

Starbucks stores all over the Metro will be taking off P40.00 from the price of your hot or cold drink if you bring along your tumbler today. This is in part of their commitment for World Earth Day because by bringing in your tumbler, Starbucks can reduce the amount of disposable cups that inevitably end up in dump sites every day.

Good news to all Manila travelers: there is now the perfect map to help you get around. And I do mean get around. As per the recommendation of city cicerone Carlos Celdran, I am buying a Groovy Map ‘N’ Guide of Manila, as should all other tourists and accidental travelers. What is it exactly? Let’s see what the official website has to say:

Designed as an ‘executive brief’, the Groovy Map N Guide has everything you need to get the most of a city in a short time. With clear maps and independent reviews, we’ll lead you to the best in the city. Guaranteed.

We list and locate places on the map in five categories: Groovy Dining, Groovy Bars & Pubs, Groovy Shopping, Groovy Culture, Groovy Clubbing. Leave the guidebook at home — and go out and enjoy a “city made simple”.

Chris Mitchell summarized in his Travelhappy blog: With a map, you don’t want a lot of information - you want the best information, efficiently organised to let you look at it and understand it rapidly - and that’s precisely what the Groovy Map does.

Mr. Celdran himself offers a quick review:

I assure you that it has NONE of the useless crap, advertising and flagrant product placements that the other city maps have. Filled to the brim with useful information about dining, sightseeing, gay and straight bar hopping, and shopping, the map gives you the insider’s view of what to expect as seen through the eyes of someone who you assume is as groovy as you might be. The choices are also rather progressive, the map features underground insider secrets like Fat Michaels, Filling Station, the Evangelista flea markets, and the fantastic Cubao X art scene among many others (like yours truly). Best of all, the map is printed on super thick lamination paper so that it wouldn’t rip or get soggy on the streets steamy ol’ Manila. Be sure to pick one up before you arrive in the city. Or if you are a resident Manileno, just buy a whole bunch to give to visiting friends who wish to independently explore Manila in a fast and funky way. No surprise, that the Groovy Guide was the 2006 Winner ‘Best Tourist/Free Map’ Award from the International Map Trade Association (IMTA) and a recipient of a 5 star rating from Amazon.com.

Groovy. Get one so you can get around.

Apple what?

Last Thursday in Prince of Jaipur at The Fort, Dell Philippines launched its award-winning XPS and Inspiron laptop computer systems for the consumer segment.

And what an arrival it was! In a dazzling display of colors and artistry – featuring a stunning glow-in-the-dark pantomime performance and an enthralling capoeira number – Dell offered possible in-store buyers a vibrant peek of the beauty and power of its Consumer Brands. “Experience Inspiration,” went the tagline.

For the first time in the Philippines, Dell will be making available through retail partners the award-winning XPS M1330 and the Inspiron 1420 laptops, as well as the Inspiron 530 and slim-build 530s desktops. These were on display during the launch, and then later raffled off to lucky guests, which of course did not include me.

In a statement, Dell Philippines Country Manager Barry Bunyi said: “This is an important initiative for Dell and a great way for us to connect with the Philippine customers we may not have reached in the past. We have had strong success in the corporate segment and the time is right for us to allow the general populace to experience what Dell has to offer.”

For more information, visit www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell via a variety of online channels, go to www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.

Photos by Nykko Santos.

Anime enthusiasts gathered in SM Megamall’s Megatrade Hall for O-zine Fest 2008 last weekend. I only went there on Saturday but there were a lot of people. It was a very colorful event, so to speak. And it was amusing to see twins of cosplays. For example, there were two guys cosplaying as Naruto and they were posing for a photo-op. There were also two Haruhis from the anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. I also saw someone cosplay Card Captor Sakura, with a small Kero-chan on her shoulder! See the evidence:

There were other activities for those who were interested in games like fish-scooping, drawing, eating contests (Whoopee!) and there was something similar to sumo wrestling but the participants had to be in poring costumes, which was quite amusing to watch.

It’s really fun watching people who are having lots of fun with friends and fellow fans! I just wish that there’d be a better layout so that the merchandise area wouldn’t be as congested as it was during the day my friends and I went there.

Who can get enough of Manila Bay? I took a photo one recent summer afternoon.

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This summer school break, children can start enjoying the company of Jollibee and friends not just in their favorite fast-food stores, but on television, too. The brand that gave Filipino children the Jollibee Kids Meal, Jollibee Kiddie Party, Jollibee Kids Club and MaAga ang Pasko sa Jollibee, as well as their favorite spaghetti, fried chicken, sandwiches and desserts brings forth another innovation they will surely love— Jollitown, the new kids’ show on GMA7 featuring the fun and insightful adventures of Jollibee, Yum, Hetty, Popo and Twirlie. Each week, the five friends interact with the children who live with them in Jollitown through stories and music that those watching at home can also sing and dance to.

At the recent launch of the new TV program, top entertainment scribes and guests were allowed to enter this magical world as Jollitown was temporarily transported to Rockwell Tent. A place of rainbows, dessert- and toy-shaped clouds, and magical fountains, Jollitown is a place where the happiness of children reigns. The atmosphere rivals that of famous foreign children’s shows and provides an enjoyable setting for kids to freely frolic and learn. The first TV program in the country that’s produced by a major food chain, Jollitown merges the company’s Filipino family-oriented values with the network’s kid-friendly programming, assuring parents of a wholesome viewing experience that can be enjoyed by children of all ages.

The bright, bubbly and educational TV treat stays in tune with Jollibee’s mission of spreading happiness and promoting friendships and positive thinking. With every weekly installment, audiences will get to know the real characters of Jollibee and his friends and find inspiration in how they make the most of their unique personalities.

Yum is the imaginative young science expert who loves solving puzzles and mysteries through experiments and high-tech gadgetry. Cheerleader Hetty is the group’s big sister and is looked up to for her sweet, nurturing ways, neatness and self-discipline. The funniest and most athletic of the bunch, Popo loves sports but never neglects his studies and thus always gets good grades. Twirlie, the star performer who loves to sing and dance, is ever curious and inquisitive. And as everyone’s best friend is Jollibee, always good-natured, smiling and playful, he is a natural leader who sets an example for his friends with his courteous, helpful and kind ways.

The launch of Jollitown is yet another highlight of Jollibee’s 30th anniversary celebration this year. As the leading fast-food chain marks three decades of serving langhap-sarap experiences, Filipinos can expect more special activities, promotions and corporate social responsibility programs to promote the brand’s vision, values and increasing global stature, as well as reward the consumers who have helped make it all possible. As the latest offering for its younger but loyal patrons, Jollitown is an exciting and engaging highlight of the company’s 30th year commemoration. Sunday mornings’ new jolly habit starts this April 13, 9:30 to 10:00 am on GMA7.

Spotted at the Quezon City post office:

To our postal patron
Please count your change before leaving the counter
Otherwise complaint will not be entertained
Thank you

Ang taray!

To be fair, I’ve forgotten to get my change on more than one occasion and the lady behind the counter would always call me back.

A transport strike has hit the metro since midnight today and hundreds of commuters are already stranded. The strike by the public transport sector includes jeeps, buses, taxis and other forms of transit that are calling for a unification of traffic ticketing (which is being pushed by MMDA but opposed by some cities like Makati). 

Local news is reporting hundreds of commuters stranded along Taft in Pasay and Commonwealth in QC. Number Coding was lifted today by the MMDA to help motorists who might get affected. Public schools and Government offices will have work however universities like UP and PUP have already suspended classes.

More information:
Inquirer.net - Metro-wide transport strike pushes through
ABS-CBN News - Metro-wide strike to paralyze 100% of public transport
GMA News - Transport strike to hit Metro; AFP, police offer free rides