Scenes From the New Normal

The new normal can be summed up in one word: Stupid. Everything about it is dumb. All the plastic. All the masks. All the social distancing. It's all dumb and it's effectiveness is questionable as the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines continues to rise. For instance how is sanitizing a vehicle's wheels going to stop the virus?

Is the coronavirus wiggling around in the road? Are the streets a petri dish covered with the virus?

I went to two stores recently and I had to sign-in at both of them!

They wanted my name, telephone number, and the city I live in. Why? Contact tracing? At least the second store was more sensible about it and had me fill out a health questionnaire.

1. Do you have any of the symptoms below? 

Cold

Cough

Fever

Sore Throat

Shortness of Breath

Abdominal Pain

I don't feel any of the symptoms 

2. Have you worked together or stayed in the close environment of  a confirmed COVID-19 case? (less than 1 meter for 15 minutes) 

3. Have you been exposed to any one who is sick or have flu-like symptoms in the past 2 weeks? 

4. Have you travelled outside the Philippines in the past 14 days? 

5. Have you travelled to any area in the NCR aside from your home?

It's more sensible but not any less stupid. Is this for contact tracing? Is this really going to stop the virus? You fill out the questionnaire, get your body temp scanned, and get your hand sprayed with alcohol and you go right in. Are the store employees even going to remember who I am and do a follow up? If employees start coughing will they track me down?

We all know the saying: Never let a good crisis go to waste. In the Philippines every crisis is a good excuse for politicians to get their face out in the public.

These posters are all over town. The faces of the Mayor, Vice Mayor, local Congressman, and the entire City Council are beaming down at you reminding you to BE SAFE. This banner has even been reduced to sticker size and plastered inside jeepenies.

Nobody's face appears on this sticker but the Mayor's name is at the bottom. That is still epal.

I have written elsewhere about a Robinson's Supermarket which has padlocked one of their doors.

I have already pointed out that this is an illegal fire hazard. However I have more information about this situation because I was finally able ask the management about it.

The manager I spoke with acknowledged it is a fire hazard but gave the excuse that we are in the midst of a pandemic and these kinds of measure are necessary. He also said that he was confident the building's sprinkler system would quench any fire and that the security guard would unlock the door. But the best part of all that nonsense is that he said the PNP approved this illegal fire hazard!

How will breaking the fire code and putting people in danger defeat the virus!?  It won't.

Iglesia Ni Cristo Tree Planting: An Unbelievable Waste of Taxpayer's Money

In August 2017 I wrote about Iglesia Ni Cristo's tree planting activity. I followed up on that six months and then a whole year later documenting that it turned out to be a complete failure with all the saplings dying. I thought those posts were the end of the matter. I was wrong. 

If you are unaware the INC regularly plants trees in their communities. They boast about it on their website.

https://iglesianicristo.net/our-programs/

Tree-planting activities and clean-up drives form part of the Church Of Christ’s ongoing program on environmental protection and preservation.

The intention is good but the follow up tends to be poor and in this case nonexistent. At six months the saplings were mostly dead though some were hanging on. A year later basically everything was dead. Now two years later the whole area is being dug up to house squatters.  It has become a reclamation area.

What these photos show is a backhoe carving out roads and men digging drainage ditches. This is the area where the INC planted their trees. While I was taking photos one man approached me and I asked him if he knew that the INC planted trees there three years ago. He said yes. I asked if he saved any of the trees. He pointed way into the distance to two trees and indicated that those were the last remaining trees.

I thought it was interesting that the person I talked with knew about the INC tree planting in 2017 because you can't tell saplings were ever planted in that areas just by looking. But he was very wrong about the trees. Those trees in the distance are not trees planted by INC. Their tree planting looked like this:

Seeing this new development I had to get a statement from the local INC. This is not an official statement but it is what I was told.

I was told the tree planting was ultimately a waste. I was told the Department of Agriculture donated  1,500 trees for the INC to plant at taxpayer expense! I was told that they had planted trees before in a area that is also now being ripped up for construction. I was told the Mayor was present at the tree planting in 2017.

I was also told it was the city which is in charge of the reclamation project. That means the Mayor either forgot about the trees or is willingly ripping up the work of the INC! Or maybe he knows the tree planting was a waste because nobody tended to the saplings.

It also means the Department of Agriculture wasted taxpayer's money by giving the INC free saplings which ultimately died due to their negligence. How many more free saplings has the DOA donated to the INC which have ended up dead? How much more taxpayer money is being wasted on the INC?

Coronavirus Lockdown: Stray dogs, Duterte Tattoos, and More

The nationwide lockdown and quarantine has brought out the best and the worst in people. Some folks have donated their time and money to distribute goods to the poor.  Some have wandered the streets breaking curfews by drinking and gambling. Some have put their lives on the line as they tend to the sick.  Some have taken lives by gunning down men guarding checkpoints.

Reading about the situation in the Philippines is apt to be depressing. So let's look at some more off-beat stories coming out of the lockdown.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1260545/stray-dog-in-manila-becomes-barangay-frontliner-gets-own-quarantine-pass

A stray dog in Barangay 496, Sampaloc, Manila brought smiles to the residents in the community as it accompanied local officials in distributing relief goods amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis. 

In a Facebook post by Dave Manzano Fuentes on April 5, it showed the dog, named “Ligaw” wearing its own quarantine pass as his caretaker, barangay chairman Edmond Dela Paz, was tending to the locals in the area. 

Fuentes told INQUIRER.net in an online exchange on Friday that Ligaw became a frontliner after the dog ended up in their area. Soon after, Dela Paz adopted Ligaw. 

(Everytime that the dog is with the captain, he’s not tied to a leash. He’s harmless too.) 

And Ligaw also ended up melting netizens’ hearts as well, as Fuentes’ post racked up 5,200 likes and reactions as of writing.

A stray dog wanders into a barangay and the barangay chairman adopts it. He then gives it a quarantine pass and allows him to accompany him unleashed on trips distributing relief goods. Sounds like a heartwarming story but who is this dog? Has he had his shots?  Rabies is a huge problem in the Philippines. Who knows what diseases lie hidden in this dog's body. Apparently it's ok to violate RA 9482 and allow your dog to roam unleashed as long as you are a barangay chairman.  At least no one has eaten him...yet!

https://coconuts.co/manila/news/for-the-love-of-prrd-woman-gets-dutertes-face-tattooed-on-her-forearm/

Honeylet Sauva showed off her Duterte tattoo in a now-viral Facebook post that appeared on Tuesday, where she wrote, “I am not [a] fan of any politician but this one caught my attention! Sad to say if it weren’t for COVID-19 and his bashers I will not see or learn how he is really like as a president of our country.” 

Sauva attached photos of her showing off the tat, which was heavily drawn in black, red, and green ink. Most netizens found the tattoo hilarious, judging by the 14,000 laughing emojis which Sauva’s post attracted. 

“Salute to our President Rodrigo Duterte! Thank you for your love of country and of my fellow Filipinos who remain obstinate,” she said in her post, which has been shared almost 7,000 times since it appeared. 

“It was [on] April 9 when I saw the design on [my] husband’s FB wall and I was so amazed at the blending and color. At the same time, I really admire PRRD (Duterte) so much so I decided to have it tattooed. It was on April 14 when I finally had the guts to do it. I wanted to use numbing cream but there was nothing available so I just pushed with it,” she said in English and Filipino. 

Sauva said she is OK with people laughing at her Facebook post, but she didn’t appreciate being called names by complete strangers. 

“It’s offensive that they would share [my post] and write in their caption that I’m ‘dumb’ [or] ‘crass,'” she said.

On April 14th, in the midst of the nationwide quarantine and lockdown, this lady, who just happens to share the same name as Duterte's concubine, got a tattoo of Duterte's face on her arm. At least that is what is supposed to be. Who knew tattoo parlors are essential businesses! Or maybe they aren't and this was done on the down-low in someone's private home? Having a man leaning over you while he tattoos your arm is not social distancing. If she did not want to be called dumb or crass then she should not have done something dumb and crass and then shared it with the world!

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/18/20/lgus-told-to-include-sugar-in-relief-packs-to-help-sugar-industry-amid-covid-19-crisis

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Saturday urged local government units (LGUs) to include sugar in their relief packs to help sugar farmers weather the coronavirus crisis. 

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who serves as the task force’s spokesperson, said the Department of Agriculture (DA) made the recommendation in an effort to offset the slump in the demand for sugar following business closures due to lockdowns in Luzon and other parts of the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

(The DA has approved a recommendation to encourage LGUs to include sugar in their relief goods to help the sugar industry.)

How much sugar? A kilo? You can't eat sugar by itself. It's an additive like salt. The relief packs would have to be packed with foods that require the addition of sugar for this recommendation to make any sense. If they are going to include sugar to help bolster the declining revenue of the sugar industry then why not add a few beers or a bottle of Tanduay rum to help stave off bankruptcy for the liquor companies?

https://www.rappler.com/business/258304-alcohol-companies-urge-philippine-government-lift-liquor-ban-coronavirus-lockdown

In a letter dated April 16 and addressed to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, the Center for Alcohol Research and Development (CARD) said the total ban "drives out the industry from the market" and "unduly forfeits the capital" they have invested in products. 

"If this ban continues, the industry can no longer survive, a situation that can affect a large sector of the community," CARD said. 

Some of CARD's members are Absolut Distillers, Emperador Distillers, Ginebra San Miguel, Far East Alcohol, and Asian Alcohol. 

Some countries have also banned alcohol consumption, but others said liquor shops are essential.  

"While the alcoholic beverages in the Philippines are banned, elsewhere in the world, it is not, putting our industry in much unnecessary peril," CARD said.

Save the liquor companies!  

One of the most positive things about the lockdown is that the traffic problem has been solved all over the nation. No more congestion. The crime rate has also been cut in half!

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/4/11/philippines-crime-rate-down-coronavirus.html

According to data released by the PNP on Saturday, 1,562 crimes were reported from March 17 to April 10, a 55-percent drop from the 3,509 incidents across the country from February 21 to March 16. 

Over the past 25 days, crimes in Luzon decreased by 63 percent – from 1,915 to 1,197. Crimes in the Visayas were halved, from 893 to 448, while Mindanao reported 396 incidents, down by 44 percent. 

Despite the dramatic drop in crime rate, hundreds of theft, physical injury, and murder cases have still been recorded nationwide. 

The most common was theft, with 452 cases reported, down by 62 percent from 1,200 before the lockdown. 

This was followed by physical injury (345 cases), murder (242), robbery (228), rape (167), homicide (73), and carnapping (55). 

In reporting lower crime rates in March, Metro Manila Police chief PMGen Debold Sinas attributed the decline to less people on the streets. 

Meanwhile, more than 75,000 individuals have been apprehended for violating curfew hours, according to Duterte's April 6 report to Congress.

Despite the steep decline incidents of theft and murder and other crimes continue to occur. Meanwhile a new category of crime, quarantine violation, has been created and the number of incidents is 75,000 which is much higher than the normal crime rate before the lockdown. So crime has actually increased by about 25x!

Watch out you don't get caught violating quarantine or you might be forced to plant vegetables.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/303659/quarantine-violators-in-pampanga-plant-vegetables-as-punishment

At least 35 first-time offenders of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in this Pampanga capital were punished by making them plant vegetables in the city nursery on Saturday. 

“We made them plant kalabasa and okra for two to three hours,” said Col. Paul Gamido, city police director. 

Gamido used to punish violators by requiring them to do body exercises for several hours. “I think making them plant vegetables is more productive nowadays,” Gamido explained. 

The offenders, all males, were arrested for violating curfew hours, not wearing face masks or inability to present a quarantine pass. They were also taught gardening methods.

Hopefully this is this in lieu of paying a fine.

While crimes like theft and murder have shown a decreases cyber crimes are up 100%.

https://technology.inquirer.net/98442/iatf-nbi-bsp-report-100-increase-in-phishing-cases-during-luzon-lockdown

In an online press conference of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), Nograles warned the public to be cautious about giving their bank details online. 

“While this has helped many of us cope with the limitations brought about by the ECQ, the National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas report a 100% increase in phishing cases… and warn everyone to be cautious when it comes to your bank details,” said Nograles, who is also the spokesperson of the IATF-EID. 

(So the modus operandi of phishing is an individual will claim to be an employee of the bank.  He will then ask for your bank details such as your account number or password.) 

“Wag nyo pong ibigay; hindi po hihingin ng banko niyo yan – kahit kelan man, kahit sa ano mang pagkakataon (Do not reveal it. Banks will not ask you to reveal those. Not now, not ever),” he said. 

The NBI previously cautioned the public against scams that use the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis as a front to steal their personal information or their money. 

Nograles also warned the public about giving donations online. 

“Wina-warn din po tayo na mag-ingat po sa mga humihingi ng donasyon online; may mga kriminal na nagpapanggap na kasapi sa mga respetadong institusyon (We are warning everyone about giving donations online; there are criminals who deceive and claim they are part of a reputable institution),” he said. “We encourage everyone to double-check and verify these requests for donations.”

Aside from phishing people for bank details and scamming people out of donations another scam promises free Netflix access.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/showbiz/showbizabroad/733607/philippines-warns-vs-text-scam-offering-free-netflix-during-lockdown/story/

The Philippine government on Saturday warned the public against an illegal text scheme claiming to give free subscription to Netflix during the lockdown against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. 

The government, through the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), made the warning about the fake subscription to the American media services provider in an advisory sent out to phone subscribers past 4 p.m.

You know what they say, never let a crisis go to waste. Crises are certainly a good time to take advantage of unsuspecting folks.

How to get through a stressful time such as the lockdown?  Why not dance?

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/filipino-soldiers-dance-stay-upbeat-210000738.html

They were filmed at the checkpoint at the Biliran Bridge in the east of the Philippines, where residents are being prevented from travelling between provinces in order to stop the spread of the pandemic. 

Their boss said: ''It's important to have good vibes while we're carrying out this important work.''

https://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippines-street-sweepers-dance-keep-050000039.html

Mercy Perez Dalida, 50, one of the street sweeper in Mandaluyong City said that they want to cheer up each other now that the streets have become empty because of the coronavirus lockdown. 

She said: "We still work the night shifts together and you have no one to talk to because we are assigned to our areas to clean. In the daytime, when we see each other in the morning we do a little activity to socialise." 

Street sweepers are deemed essential workers in the Philippines so they continue with their work despite the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown.

If it keeps their spirits up and sends good vibes, why not? Anything to stay sane during these times. 

We finally got a clarification on what Duterte wants from citizens during the lockdown. He wants them to hide!

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/04/19/2008245/pinoys-told-hide-covid-stay-home

“President Duterte repeated his call to the Filipino nation to strictly follow all the guidelines of the enhanced community quarantine or lockdown. His message is simple and clear – let us all hide, let’s hide. What the President meant is that let us all hide inside our house, do not leave our house if not necessary,” Galvez said. 

He expressed disappointment that some Filipinos have violated their community lockdowns while the quarantine is still in force. 

“There are some who are holding cockfighting on rooftops. People are seen in videos attending parties while others are going to the beach. I think they are not afraid and they don’t have patience and understanding,” Galvez said.

Did you hear that? No more cockfighting on the rooftops or beach parties. It is time to hide.  Whether under the table, in the closet, under the bed, or under the covers it is time to hide from the virus. Be sure to lock your doors so it can't get in and turn off the lights so it won't think you are home.

Digging a Ditch With A Jackhammer

The title says it all.  The local water company is out digging a ditch to lay down pipes and they are doing it with shovels and a jackhammer!

Can they not afford a Ditch Witch trencher?  There is an dealer in Manila. 

I have seen them digging all over so I can guarantee they would get their money's worth out of this little machine. I was on a job site once where this thing was being used and it was great. Made everything easy. But these guys are using a jackhammer!!

It's dumb. What's worse is the guy operating the jackhammer is wearing slippers! Not steel boots or even tennis shoes but flip-flops!!! No safety on this job site.

Now I am aware that there are people who dig holes and ditches using jackhammers. You can do a search and find advice on forums and even videos. But I stand by what I have written. The local water company is not a group of amateurs and should not be using a jackhammer instead of a proper trencher. And their workers should most certainly not be wearing flip-flops while operating a jackhammer!

The Parable of the White Russian

I was attending an event at a swanky hotel and I was bored. This was not my event.  I was a tagalong.  A plus one. After a while I decided to go to the bar and order a white russian. Where this desire came from I do not know but not having had one in quite some time I followed my heart. 

I sat down at the bar and placed my order. "I'd like a White Russian please."

"What's that?", the smiling bartender said to my disbelief.

"It's Khalua, vodka, and milk mixed together," I said pointing to each ingredient on the shelf as I listed them.

"Sorry, sir but we only have what is on the menu."

"But you have all the ingredients to make a White Russian. Just mix them up and make the drink."

"We can only serve what is on the menu," was the reply.

What kind of bartender will not make you the drink you request but only serve what it on the menu? That is ludicrous! Not to mention he had no idea what a White Russian is.

There was no point in arguing so I ordered a drink from the menu, a frozen mango margarita. I don't remember what the other drinks listed were but none of them were interesting. The mango margarita was delicious and I ordered one more but I was disappointed to not get a white Russian.

Months later at a different restaurant I placed the same order for a White Russian. It was not listed on their menu but a drink called a Bailey's shake was. I looked at their bar and saw all the proper ingredients for making a White Russian and I asked if the bartender could make one.

This picture is a little blurry but the Khalua and two kinds of vodka, Absolut and Stolichnaya, are clearly visible. The waiter returned and said sorry but they ran out of ingredients! That means this restaurant ran out of cream and milk? Really? So I ordered the Bailey's shake which is a shot of Bailey's with Tanduay.  What I got was totally unexpected.

Now I think these stories are very illustrative of the Philippines and Filipino society at large. Not many people here think outside of the box. They have all the ingredients to make anything they wish but they only make what is on the menu. It's only the same old over and over again. Nothing new. It's the same old corruption in politics. It's the same old manipulation in families. It's the same old societal failures with no one picking up the slack. It's the same old oligarchs running the show.

The bar is very much like the nation. It appears to be fully functioning and well stocked but the bartender does not even know how to make a simple drink. Much like the Philippines appears to be like a modern "democracy" with three branches of government but no one knows what the heck they are doing.

Perhaps what I have stated here is rather general. The Philippines is a large place yet the same things generally happen all over. I would like to think there is much room for improvement here but if no one is willing to improve anything then there is no room to improve. I am not sure anyone even knows how to improve.

In the meantime I just want a White Russian!

New Road Built Entirely Around Electric Poles

Just outside of Pototan, Iloilo there is a lot of ongoing road construction. Perhaps it is due to flooding but for some reason the new road being built is much higher than the old one.

For the moment businesses and houses on the side of the road which has been built have no access exiting or entering their properties. 

Not far from this construction site is a section of road that has been recently widened. A second lane has been added thus giving more room for traffic. The thing is though this road was built entirely around already existing electric poles!

Here are a few frames from a video I took of this amazing sight.

Who is the genius engineer which planned and designed this road? What a waste of resources, work, man hours, money!  This section of newly widened road is absolutely useless. No vehicles can use it lest they crash into a electric pole. I am completely baffled as to the stupidity that went into designing, planning, and constructing this road right around these electrical poles. Did they not take the poles into account? The DPWH should be held accountable for this major mess up.

The video speaks for itself and is below. Enjoy!

Illegal Petrol Traders

Along with drugs and bootleg DVDs illegal gasoline trading plays a large role in the black market economy of the Philippines. Surely you have seen the roadside gas stations selling gas from Coca-Cola bottles. That is known as bote-bote gasoline. I have written about these bootleg gas stations before as well as illegal filling of improper gas containers. What is there new to tell about this situation? Nothing really except these absolutely crazy pictures I have of pump-boys helping the black market trade in gasoline continue.

Look at this guy in broad daylight. This gas station is downtown in a busy area but the illegal petrol dealer has no shame and the pump-boy has no hesitation in filling up his four huge containers with gasoline.

Obviously those aren't approved gasoline containers and even if they were who the needs that much gasoline for their own private consumption? Nobody. Where this guy lives that he has to drive into the middle of the city to fill up his tanks, I don't know.  But this other guy told me he drove from 2 hours away to fill up all of his 50 5 gallon tanks at 4am.

Take a look at how much he has spent so far at this point in the filling up process.

22,769 pesos and 461 liters! There must be more than 50 of those containers or they must hold more than 5 gallons. I did talk to this illegal petrol dealer buying the gas and he told me he is taking the gas to Sagay City to sell to boaters and motorcyclists. Sagay City is two hours away from Bacolod! Are gas prices really that different that he can make a profit driving two hours to fill-up?

Here's another 4am fill-up.

I do not know how many containers this guy had but he did tell me he was taking this gasoline to Silay City which is only 30 minutes away.

From the foregoing pictures of illegal petrol dealers caught in the action it goes without saying that this black market could never succeed if the gas stations did not cooperate. Of course there are signs posted at all gas stations telling customers only approved containers will be filled.

But when have rules ever stopped anyone in the Philippines from doing something illegal? Never. How many times have I actually been in a vehicle refilling and the driver did not shut off the engine? It's like every single time and the pump-boy never tells the driver to shut off the engine. I'm going out on a limb here but the the pump-boys are a large part of the problem of illegal petrol trading.

Of course there are other hindrances to stopping this black market. To be sure the Department of Energy has said several times over the years that they are going to crack down on this practice. They even drew up a memorandum in 2003 with guidelines for gasoline retailers.  Here is the pertinent section.

Section 5. FUEL STORAGE, HANDLING, TRANSFER AND/OR DISPENSING 

The storage, handling, transfer and/or dispensing of Liquid Petroleum Products shall be subject to the following:

1. Liquid Petroleum Products shall be transferred only from underground tanks by means of fixed pumps designed and equipped to allow the control of the flow and prevent leakage or accidental discharge;
   
   
2. Liquid Petroleum Products shall not be dispensed from above -ground tanks, portable tanks, tank vehicles, drums, barrels or similar containers, e.g. bote-bote, into the fuel tanks of motor vehicles or containers;
   
   
3. The product suction lines of storage tanks shall be elevated at least four (4) inches from the bottom of the tank to avoid water draw-off with the product;
   
   
4. The discharge of Liquid Petroleum Products into or upon any street, highway, drainage canal or ditch, storm drain or flood control channel, lake or tidal waterway, or upon the ground shall be strictly prohibited.

https://www.doe.gov.ph/sites/default/files/pdf/issuances/dc_2003-11-010.pdf

The DOE has guidelines in place but they are worthless because they have no enforcement mechanism and are reliant on the Bureau of Fire Protection and LGU's but both are stymied by red tape.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/08/30/govt-cant-stop-illegal-sale-of-fuel/

Government appears to be helpless in curbing the illegal sale of fuel by small retailers. 

This was the impression that came about at a meeting called by the 14th Sangguniang Panlungsod’s Committee on Public Safety on a proposed ordinance regulating the retail of liquid petroleum products. 

While government agencies have been trying to stop the illegal practice of selling fuel by the bottle, unclear mandates and legal loopholes have made it difficult to enforce the law, despite clear provisions that only gasoline stations are authorized to sell petroleum products. 

For example, only the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) can inspect small neighborhood stores suspected of selling fuel. But based on the experience of Insp. Anthony de Paz, acting city fire marshal, they can be charged with trespassing even if they have an inspection order. 

BFP officials also cannot make arrests. While fire personnel can confiscate fuel stored in soda bottles and displayed in the sari-sari stores, this is only in theory. 

This is because the Fire Code of the Philippines allows dwelling units to store combustible and flammable liquids for a maximum of 94 liters. 

BFP also cannot invoke the Fire Code provision that fuels must be placed in an approved container since the Department of Energy (DOE) has not come out with an approved standard container. The most that BFP inspectors can do is recommend the appropriate storing of petroleum products. 

This leaves the job of catching illegal retailers to the police, but it would require a search warrant. But a warrant is not enough as sari-sari stores often deny selling fuel and claim the products were just being stocked for the owner’s personal consumption.

That article from 2017 deserved to be quote in full to show you just how much red tape is involved in something as simple as enforcing the law against selling illegal gasoline. The BFP is the only organisation which can investigate stores accused of selling illegal gasoline but they can be charged with trespassing for doing so. Neither the BFP nor the DOE have "come out with an approved standard container." The PNP could get a warrant but then small stores could claim the gas is for their own consumption.

All this red tape and these loopholes are madness! No laws will ever be enforced in the Philippines except at the barrel of a gun. People don't want the laws enforced even if they are for their own safety. Do you think that's a exaggeration? Take a look at the following.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/212865/pilar-exec-asks-doe-for-a-moratorium-on-arrest-of-illegal-petro-traders

The municipal government of Pilar on Camotes Island has asked the Department of Energy (DOE) for a  moratorium in apprehending townsfolk who sell fuel contained in one-liter soda bottles. 

Pilar Mayor Eufracio Maratas told Cebu Daily News Digital that he sent a letter to Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi  asking him to consider the absence of a gasoline station in their locality and be a little lenient in implementing the law on illegal petroleum trade.

The letter was sent through the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) on January 4, said Maratas. 

“Bisan until April lang kay naa na man diri sa Cawit nga magtukod og gasoline station. Nag process na man sa ilang documents. In fact, naa na man ang ilang permit. Ang pagconstruct na lang ang kulang,” Maratas told CDN Digital by phone on Thursday. 

In the past weeks, residents and officials of Pilar have complained that the town police,  led by Chief Inspector Roy Susvilla, have been strictly implementing the ban on the retailing of petroleum products, which badly affected the livelihood of many townsfolk,  especially that they need fuel to keep their businesses moving. 

On Thursday, January 17,  a team from the Department of Energy in Central Visayas (DOE-7) met with  Maratas and the town police. 

DOE-7 Legal Officer Russ Mark Gamallo, in a separate interview, said they had to explain the necessity of implementing the law even if  there is no gasoline station on the island. 

“Di nato pwedeng kalimtan nga duna tay balaod nga angay sundon ug ipatuman para pud sa kaayohan sa tanan,” Gamallo said. 

Under Presidential Decree 1865, the transport, sale and distribution of adulterated petroleum products is prohibited and punishable by two to five years of imprisonment and/or a fine ranging from P20,000 to P50,000. 

Adulterated petroleum products include those fuel contained in one-liter softdrink bottles, which are sold in Pilar, or those butane canisters filled with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). 

Gamallo said they committed to help in prioritizing the approval of the remaining documents of the firm that is putting up a gas station in Pilar. 

Maratas, on the other hand, said they also promised that as soon as  the gas station is  operational,  they will help in strictly implementing the law.

This article reads like a joke. The townspeople are complaining that the police have been enforcing the law and cracking down on illegal petrol dealing which badly affects their livelihood! Oh no someone cried, let's throw out the law! Who cares if butane canisters filled with gasoline are dangerous!?

How did the illegal gas get to that island anyway?

Just build a petrol station!

Electrical Poles in the Middle of the Road

Ok so not in the middle of the road. I admit the title of this post is hyperbole but just take a look.

See the white line indicating the edge of the road? Now see how far to the left of that line this pole is? Basically it's the middle of the road.

Now this pole is not in the road at all. I know this because they drew the line around it to exclude it from being in the road!

Who zoned and planned this road? From electrical poles to shanties to trees there are serious right-of-way issues on just about every road in the Philippines. Be careful out there.

Don't Play in the Road

This story is incredible. Just read it.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/11/07/dont-dry-palay-on-national-roads-dpwh-reminds-farmers/

“Drying of palay and other farm produce along national highways is totally banned in order to safeguard the motorists from any untoward incident,” the agency said. 

The directive, according to the DPWH, is pursuant to DPWH Department Order No.41, series of 2013 and DPWH Department Order No. 52, series of 2003, and pursuant to provisions of Section 23 of Presidential Decree No. 17, stating that “It shall be unlawful for any person to usurp any portion of a right-of-way, to convert any part of any public highways, bridge, wharf or trail to his own private use or to obstruct in the same in any manner.” 

Violation of the law is punishable by a fine of not more than P1,000 or by imprisonment not exceeding to six months. 

Based on the department order issued in February 2003, the private use of even the sidewalk, gutter and curb, or any other portions of the road covered by the right-of-way is prohibited. 

Private-owned structures installed on the road right-of-way are also banned. This is usually the case on the national roads in the metropolis. 

According to the same department order, all kinds of private temporary and permanent structures such as buildings, houses, shanties, stores, shops, stalls, posts, canopies, billboards, signages, advertisements, fences, walls, railings, basketball courts, and garbage receptacles. 

Plants and plant boxes are also prohibited along the national roads. It is also not allowed to use any part of the national road as a storage area for construction materials. Using it as a parking lot and for repair shops are banned.

I don't live near any national highways. Just normal roads which are always busy and are always cluttered.

Cluttered with electrical poles and parked cars and food stalls and grills and repair shops and restaurants and basketball courts. Cluttered so much that traffic gets stuck and slowed down. Even houses and shanties are right on the edge of the road. There is literally no space between the road and many shanties.  It is surprising that people don't regularly get mowed down or their shanties plowed into.

What little sidewalk there is is often cluttered as well with stalls and restaurants and repair shops and all kinds of junk that should not be there. 

But no one gets fined. Some of the restaurants I see have been there for years and no one gives a hoot.

Just imagine having to warn the people and make a national law to not obstruct sidewalks or play in the road! Does that sound like a law for adults or for children?