Scenes from "development" in Silang

Hope these trees stay forever....many are gone...

Hall of Justice

"Meanwhile...at the Hall of Justice.."  (he he he)

Flag ceremony on November 13, Monday.  Tagaytay City

LTO Tagaytay

     This is my 30th year of driving.  I have been driving in the Philippines for 30 years. 3 decades, in NCR, with the last 8 years Calabarzon.  Wait that means almost the whole 3rd decade in Calabarzon. Whoo. That still amazes me.
Both the fact that this makes me 48 and that I have been a resident of this place for nearly a decade.

  Save for a brief stint in Indonesia where I did not drive, I really have been driving for about 30 years.  I cannot recall each and every license renewal process, but I know that the unavailability of license cards and the length of time the process takes these days is unthinkable.  Instead of improving, the system has gotten worse. 

  I obtained my student permit in Pasay City, took the exams both written and practical for my non-professional license from the FTI terminal, and then later on living in Makati City, went for renewal at the Ayala MRT station branch.  While that branch was a tad more comfortable with its airconditioning, the "drug test" was still a disgusting hassle. I cannot remember if that one was similar to the one in Pasay City where the toilet room doors could not be locked. I remember one not even having a doorknob but a hole in its place!

  Renewing in Robinson's Sta. Rosa was uneventful on my first renewal here.  The second time was crazier.  It took longer,  and when I received my card I saw I had gotten shorter by 2 cms and lost weight! The information on my height and weight was different from my old card. When I asked about this error, I was told their computer could not handle changes.  If they could not handle changes, how did this change in the first place?

  I had never changed my address on my license.  Now, after 4 different addresses, I decided to make the revision.  The problem was, I would have to go to another branch that could do it.

  Calling the LTO Main Headquarters was alright. A polite man answered the phone and was helpful with information.  We decided Binan or Las Pinas were branches I could visit.  I dreaded going to Binan because my husband said he took so long there before, that he decided to return another day to claim his license.  A friend had just taken her son for his student permit and spent an entire day.  Also, Googling Binan LTO resulted in nothing but rants from others who said the processing also took them the entire day.

  I dreaded it so much, that I made random mentions of my errand to random friends and aquaintances. Luckily, a mother suggested I go to the TAGAYTAY LTO!  She was sure they processed revisions, as that is where she applied for her first license.  She also said it was not very full when she went.  We agreed it being located in the vicinity of the Mahogany Market made the trip more interesting.  I could buy Batangas beef afterwards!

  

There are parking spaces within the gates of the compound, but you can park outside it around the Mahogany Market.

 Medical exams are in this 
building, the first one before the actual LTO building.
Prepare Php 300 for the doctor to sign your certificate after asking you to read the eye chart and stepping on the weighing scale.

  

A Taho vendor walks by, followed by a wood carved keychain vendor.  

I will talk about the actual experience another time. For now, I will just say I am so glad I mentioned having to go for license renewal to the mom who suggested this branch.  The waiting/seating area is like a lanai, with trees in a vacant spot behind the seats.  There was a cool breeze when I went, and was out of there an hour and a half later.  The thing is, I left without a card, and was told to call prior to claiming it after month.  At least I won't mind the trip, it being in Tagaytay and at the Mahogany Market!  I did bring home a kaffir lime tree seedling from the fruit trees being sold right outside the fence...

Silang PNP emergency number

     Saw this poster at a gas station along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway last month...and this one is posted at a BPI branch.

  Postscript to my last post then.

Thank you mayor and PNP.

Security in Silang

Took this photo at the Silang Municipal Hall last Monday, Laguna Day and Jose Rizal's birthday.
This was about a minute after missing an opportunity to shoot(a photo with my phone)...a photo of the Mayor outside her office, chatting briefly with constituents right next to where I stood.  It would have been one of those candid shots a la Time, Newsweek or Life (if you remember that mag you are old like me).
I do not know her and did not seek an audience with her, I was there for a transaction. Since I am apolitical and do not have friends nor close relatives in politics, the brief encounter was interesting in iterms of the sensation I felt.  From the way an employee waved me aside saying "dadaan si Mayor" to the way those who wanted to talk to her hunched humbly before her (well she is tall so maybe I exaggerate)...it is evident that change in little towns from reverence of their leaders at near-royal status can be...well..tough. The fact is theirs, like many ruling families in many other municipalities, has led this town forever. 

I must say however, I left Silang City Hall satisfied that theirs struck me as a decent office. This as opposed to other unkempt city offices where the employees, in dress and manner just reek of...corruption. Yes even out on the streets of Silang town proper, cars--2 different cars at 2 different times that morning, stopped to yield to ours going through! It was surprising because the courtesy was obvious...they didn't have to yield but they did.  I don't know if it being Rizal's birthday had anything at all to do with it, but whatever...I salute whoever drove those two (both red) cars.

I would like to know if the building itself is the original munisipyo from the time of Rizal (when was it founded? Climbing its wooden steps feels warm &fuzzy like entering a bahay na bato of the past. Also, transacting with them was fairly pleasant; decent and legitimate.

That was Monday. Tuesday evening, a terrible thing happened in one of Silang's up and coming villages. Wednesday morning, I heard about it. Thieves had broken into a home and shot the father of the family,killing him. By Thursday one of four suspects was  caught. By Friday, the other three were arrested. Incredibly, by today, we hear news that the three shall soon be released "for lack of a warrant". Apparently the police report was also bungled, with inaccuracies initially.

So, mayor, mayor in the hall...is your city one of the fairest in the land at all? The frequency of such similar crimes is common knowledge now. Please! Fix it!!

Bake My Day

Okay not only does Vista Mall's All Day Supermarket look pretty and feel nice with jazz playing in the background, they have delicious cakes and bread baked fresh in an equally quaint kitchen...

It looks like mine! With its subway tiled wall & blue paint.. their design concept seems appealing to many moms I know. Their Optimum Bank is being finalized as well... with...voila!  French green & Floral walls.

This bakery's staff is composed of very friendly & nice people. They seem very happy. Who wouldn't  be... in such interiors!

This is their Ube Custard cake. I grabbed a pack of edible flowers from the grocery..et voilà

The Calax

I am just selfish.  A terrible thing happened at 7 a.m. last Friday morning.

About a dozen dump trucks stopped traffic on Nuvali blvd...along the portion behind Santarosa Estates 1&2. This Blvd is heavy with vehicles early weekday mornings... comin and going from Mamplasan...Silang South blvd...and Nuvali.

It was my green road... with trees on the left and green green grass.

I try to ignore the transmission towers.Ere.

Now...I cannot ignore & will have to go through... construction of the Cavite

Laguna Expressway Here

In the words of Darth Vader.... Noooooooooooo!!!!!