In the span of my entire 30 day vacation in the Philippines last June, it is inevitable to travel along this highway as I went to several government agencies in acquiring my son's authenticated birth certificate. It is so apparent to notice the foot bridges and waiting sheds at every bus stops alongside the road.
MMDA's footbridge at the Quezon Ave.-EDSA intersection
Walking over at MMDA's footbridge
You have to fall in line according to your destination at the MMDA's bus stop waiting shed. It has its loading and unloading slots and commuters are contained within the fence. No more pedestrian beyond the street gutter.
I've been to Hong Kong several years ago, and I am amazed of their road networks and transportation system. Buses come and go on schedule. Pedestrians are well disciplined and orderly as they walked along the busy streets of downtown Hong Kong.
With Sec. Fernando's dedication and vision, it is a pleasure to have him leading MMDA in making Metro Manila a global oriented metropolis for I do believe that we Filipinos deserve to have a world class city that we can be proud of and can be compared to other major Asian cities. Don't you think so?
His projects may have heap negative reactions among city dwellers but I believe that such undertakings from any public servants, for that matter, should have an impact to the majority, if not to all, in the improvement of the quality of life of the Filipino people.
Yet much work still needs to be done. Let's take it one step at a time.
I am thankful to God that I have the chance to celebrate my son's 9th month birthday last June 13 together with my wife here in the Philippines as I savor the last remaining days of my vacation. I am just hoping and praying to God that I will be with them again on his 1st birthday celebration before the year ends. 
I was so tired that day as I prepared the food we shared together for our modest merienda. The menu includes pasta with shreded Baliwag Lechon Manok and sliced carrots and celery coated in melted butter, Brazo de Mercedes improvised into a birthday cake, corn seasoned with melted butter and salt, buko pandan salad and Iced tea to quenched our thirst. WOW sarap, kainan na tayo.
Happy Birthday Marcus. I love you anak..
Cold Store. The first time I heard it, I thought it is a store where they sell frozen stuff. But I was wrong. The truth is, they not only sell frozen items but they sell anything that you could imagine from phone cards, vegetables, toiletries, cosmetics, school and office supplies, etc. It is a convenience store that is within your reach, just around the corner so to speak. 
Bahrain's cold stores are the equivalent of our friendly neighborhood sari-sari store in the Philippines. The only difference is that they have a wide variety of commodities to sell. If you want a nail pusher, you guess it right, they also have it. Would you like to buy one?
A small Filipino restaurant somewhere in Gudaibiya best known for its authentic la paz batchoy. The cooks were direct hired from Iloilo, one of which is a friend of mine. One day we invited him over in one of our group gatherings and had him cook la paz batchoy for us. He was so cautious that no body sees him as he prepares the secret ingredients.
