Agua…

“Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”

That line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” I believe, sums up best what many in the city have been going through lately, especially the past days when, in spite of the rains, there seem to be not enough of the precious liquid to go around.

Last week, when I started writing this piece, 50 percent, or roughly two million of Maynilad’s customers were getting fewer and fewer drops from their faucets. Believe it or not, those were the lucky ones. Some places in the metropolis have been waterless for weeks, and have yet to see a single drop come out of their already rusting faucets.

It was a nightmare scenario that, a few decades ago, would have been hard to magine, given the frequency of typhoons in these islands. Truth is, I can’t recall a time in my younger years when the city went through a water crisis as severe as the one we’re having. Water was aplenty and supply was the least of the government’s problem then. However, El Nino, overpopulation and the continued mismanagement of water resources have all but turned what used to be just a bad dream into a reality, and the days of seemingly unlimited water supply is now slowly, but surely, fading into history.

And yet, in spite of the continued warnings from the experts, and amidst the daily scenes of people lining up for their daily ration of the precious liquid, the newly installed government of P-Noy still refuses to either acknowledge or declare a state of emergency. It’s still far from being a calamity, they say.

Two million residents without clean, potable water… shouldn’t that number have given them a hint already? Or maybe they were still in a state of denial…

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Predators…

No, this piece isn’t about the movie wherein creepy-looking monsters make mincemeat out of their prey, but rather, of those government deputized trolls that prey on hapless motorists.

Next to politicians, they are perhaps the most hated and vilified — by both motorists and public utility drivers alike — among the taxpayer-funded government employees, and it’s probably the only thing that those two “road warriors” can ever agree on.

Owing their very existence to Juan de la Cruz’s lack of road civility, pig-headedness, and good old fashioned disdain for the law, they are tasked by the government with maintaining sanity in our oftentimes, insanely chaotic, and perennially congested streets.

Commonly known in the motoring circle as the “boys in blue”, so-called because of the unflattering color of their uniform, they are the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) vanguards of the road– frontline soldiers in its endless, though some say, futile quest for a semblance of order in the slowly degenerating landscape of the metropolis.

Much like the police, they are authorized by law to enforce existing traffic rules and regulations; and part of that authority includes imposing and collecting fines and penalties for all kinds of traffic violations– whether moving or non-moving in nature– and confiscate, suspend or revoke drivers’ licenses (unfortunately, they are allowed to do that but only if certain conditions are met, which we will tackle later); and that, as well as a host of other “sins,” is obviously why you won’t see them in any Filipino driver’s list of favorite people in the world any time soon.

As ubiquitous as the cigarette vendors and child beggars that inhabit our traffic-choked streets during rush hour, they man their posts, two, or even three at a time. Come rain or shine (this is somewhat of a myth though, as most of them suddenly make themselves scarce at the first sign of rain), they help ensure a smooth and trouble-free flow of vehicles along the major thoroughfares while forever looking out for real or imagined traffic violators.

And yet, for all their perceived usefulness in our society, and indeed, in our everyday motoring lives, controversies continue to haunt the boys in blue, with corruption being on the top of the list.

It’s common knowledge that many of these deputized street hoods often prey on unsuspecting motorists and public utility drivers — jeepneys and buses in particular. Although many law-abiding citizen will agree that PUV drivers are just “asking for it,” based on their driving habits, the abuses committed by these ticket-wielding enforcers cannot be overlooked, and often, it is the hapless private motorists, who often have to negotiate the bewildering maze of streets and confusing street signs, that bear the brunt of their nefarious activities.

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Windfall

Once again, nationalistic pride or proud nationalism (or is it misplaced nationalism, rather?) rears it’s ugly head, and in a grand way — all because of one lucky Filipina maid in Singapore.

An unnamed Pinay who worked for 20 years as a live-in maid for a wealthy Singaporean doctor recently had a windfall of 4 Million Singaporean dollars and a luxury apartment near Orchard Road, as part of an inheritance she received from the physician/philanthropist who passed away last year.

Understandably, the lucky woman refused to be identified in public, revealing only that she is a Pinay, for fear of possible threats to her (and her family’s as well, I would assume) life back in her native land where, understandably, having a million bucks — let alone more a hundred million, which is the equivalent of her 4M Singapore dollar inheritance — would make one an irresistible target for kidnappers. That thought alone would make anyone think twice about coming home flushed with cash.

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Money talks…

Are you in for the quick reward or do you delay gratification in favor of bigger, longer-term and sustainable gains?

How you answer this question may be telling of how childish you still are or how maturely you have grown. It may also give hints on how intelligent you are. According to studies, mature and intelligent people generally exhibit self-control – they are patient, enduring, and stable.

Whoever we are, whatever we do, however young or old, to delay gratification can be a good rule to follow in many activities and facets of our lives, big and small. From dieting, working out, and studying for exams to finding a suitable job, connecting with a life partner, and saving for retirement.

The importance of delaying gratification finds its most vivid application in starting and growing a business, where one is often faced with the dilemma: quick buck or slow but sustainable profit?

Many moons ago, when I was starting out in my career, I asked an older (and wiser) colleague what makes or breaks a business. His answer was simple: discipline and patience, or the lack of both.

Puzzled at the somewhat simplistic answer (I was expecting the usual “hard work” cliché), I pressed for him to elaborate.

An astute businessman, he said, will first and foremost impart goodwill towards his customers. Laying down a good, firm foundation via repeat business is not only important, but essential as well. Rewards, in the form of substantial profits, can come later. A bad businessman however, prefers instant gratification, or those that offer quick and easy profit. They would always go for the kill should the opportunity arise. For this type, profit, rather than goodwill, takes center stage.

Looking around, I see evidence that show my colleague knew what he was talking about.

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Crocs…

Ho hum… nothing interesting happening lately that would merit a post in this blog (as if my entries are that interesting); I would, however, like to share this photo which was forwarded to me by, who else but my best buddy via email (but how else?)…

Man, this picture kinda reminds me of our local “buwaya” (crocodiles). No, not the endangered reptiles that inhabit our vanishing swamps and rivers, but those of the uniformed variety found in urban areas. Like their toothy cousins in the wild, they are almost often seen hiding under the shades, always ready to pounce on unsuspecting motorists.

UPDATE: Just when I thought there wasn’t anything worthwhile to post today, turns out, my recent piece for the Philippine Online Chronicle just got published.

Know what is the “in” thing for celebrities/politicians these days? Going to school. That’s right, a slew of recent poll winners representing our local version of Tinseltown are hitting the books (but still short of burning the midnight oil), supposedly to show the naysayers and skeptics (and that would include yours truly) that this time around, they really mean business.

Preparation is the key, or so they say. And, as if to prove once and for all that there is indeed some spark of intelligence and wisdom underneath those glamorous facades, off they all went to one university that offers a crash course on, uhh… whatever that course is — tailor-made for busy, busy celebrities like them. Either that, or they probably just got tired of being looked down upon as a bunch of nitwits, out to play the biggest role of their lives.

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