Cheaper air travel

I'll be flying to Malaysia tomorrow and it would be the third time that I take on Air Asia after our company decided to cut down costs. It really make sense though.

Malaysia Airlines could cost you around 30kpesos on a round trip ticket. On the other hand, flying with Air Asia could only cost you around 8kpesos on a round trip ticket.

How was that?

We were interviewing one of the ground staffs of Air Asia at Clark last June about this. She said that Low Cost Carriers like Air Asia will only charge you for the your seat, insurance and fuel surcharges whereas with the Full Service Carriers like PAL, MAS, they charge you with loads of stuffs.

That much? Yes, that much. That includes insurance, fuel surcharge, foods, in-flight entertainment, hotel costs and food costs in case the flight is delayed (wow!), and lots more.

Looks like flying with LCCs makes a lot of sense. Though you have to pay for the food in-flight, you can still save a lot more!

There are some inconveniences though. Delayed flights, horrible shakings in air turbulences, and small legroom.

But the heck, I'm still in one piece!

My second time around

It was 3 in the afternoon when my wife called me that she was having contractions. Wow! I just can't wait for this moment after nine months of waiting for our first born. I immediately escaped work and went straight to the hospital where my wife and my mother-in-law waited.

Our OB-Gyne told us that it may be that ella will be giving birth in a couple of days because her pelvic openning was still small but we can decide to stay in the hospital overnight if we decide to.

We thought it over. The baby was on his due. Right on the spot.

So we decided. We immediately rushed for a room at 7pm. Ella was in pain, worried, and at the same time excited. Me? I just can't explain. Like I was going to be circumcised again. I'm going to be a full pledged Daddy screams in my mind. Texted like a first timer to my buddies and all that. That was really fun.

After 12hours in the labor room, our OB-Gyne had her under her knife.

I had some pictures in the operating room but nothing could compare the feeling of seeing Josh for the first time in the nursery. I had mixed emotions. Mindsets suddenly changed in the span of 12hours. Happy. Worried. Willing. Hesitant. It's like no other. He looks like me! screaming in my thoughts violently!!! Wow!!! I just couldn't wait to have him on my arms!

They said it was First Time Syndrome. Maybe.

That was a year and a half ago.

Last May, Lela came. Wow. The same excitement. The adrenaline rush. The camera flashes. The same First Time Syndrome. It's a girl! I have a baby girl!!! I have a baby girl!!! She looks like me!!! Wahhhhhhhhhh!!!

More worries. Mindset overload. But looking forward and I am thanking God for the second blessing. For the second time around.

Will there be third? I don't know. I'll keep my fingers crossed…

Last Day

How would I like my last moment to be?

I haven't seen a person on his death bed before but I heard some stories and mostly these stories are from the movies. One story struck me hard.

My good cousin passed away about two weeks ago after a heart failure episode following a sudden low-potassium level in his system. In less than 24 hours, he retired… with so much pain in his heart.

"Wiggy, tawagan nako si Weng para makastorya mo karon ba… (I'll call your wife so that you could be able to talk to her now…)" Makith, her sister told her during his ordeal. She believed that it would had been the perfect moment for the both of them to talk after a failed marriage.

The last time they talked was months ago. After that, I was told that kuya had never been so sad all his life. A week before his passing, he complained to ate Makith how bad his life had been, with all the pain he's felt, about his failed marriage, about his love for his daughters, hi in-laws. He lamented why he was so weak and Makith is stronger than him in so many ways and he cried hard with hard breathings.

"Saba diha!!! Tawag tawag anang bayhanang way pagpakabana nako!!! (Shut up!!! Why call that woman who never cared about me!!!" With all his might he shouted at ate makith that time… She must have hurt him so badly…

Reflecting on his death, how would I like my last moments be?

Maybe, I like to be alone in my death bed… I mean with no one staring at me die slowly. I don't want to hear my love ones cry.. or hear them that I hold on.. or hear them how good or how bad a person I was..

And I don't want to say something that would hurt…

Hopefully.

What’s up Doc?

I took my father to the hospital about two days ago for him to have his left ear checked. Wow, I was surprised by the way some doctors practice pucntuality.

Of course not all doctors are coming in super late based on their schedule. Others have some valid reasons why they are coming in late while some are just very depressing knowing that they are health professionals for God's sake.

From now on, I will try to keep on blogging those doctors who are coming in very late. I'll just start with the Calamba Medical Center. I am aware that UST and PGH also have this punctuality problem and I will not hesitate to blog them here…

1. Dr. Rhodora Ocampo, M.D., FPSO-HNS (ENT) Rm. no. 3109 Calamba Medical Center. Arrived 1hour late based on her schedule on 27 March 2006, making 30 patients in agony.
2. Dr. Cynthia Talla, M.D., FPCP-FPCCP (Pulmonologist) Rm no. 3111 Calamba Medical Center. Scheduled to arrive at 2 hours late from home on 27 March 2006. One patient told me that she is always coming in late!!! And take note!!! Her patients are expecting her coming in late!!!

I don't want to ruin their reputations as doctors. I just want to let the world know that these doctors have punctuality issues and sick people don't deserve such attitude. It's disgusting.

I will also have to post here model Doctors (in my point of view) in the aspect of punctuality and personal touch.
1. Dr. Rosita Pardillo, M.D. OB-Gyne Chinese Medical Center. She is our OB-Gyne for two (2) years now and the only thing for her to late for her clinic duties is when she in the delivery room.

I also would like to call on our legislators to find a way to make a law out of this for Health Professionals. Calling on Dr. Flavier and I hope this blog comes to his computer someday.

Janitor Fish

Nabasa ko ang isang artikulo sa website ng ABS-CBN kanina lamang tungkol sa Janitor Fish at ang pinsala na dala nito sa Laguna de Bay at Marikina River…

Di ko alam kung ano nangyari at biglang dumami ang Janitor fish sa Laguna at Marikina na dati namang wala. Di ko din alam kung bakit napunta ang mga isdang yan sa mga ilog natin…

Mapanira daw ito. Salot sa mga mangingisda. Lalong kumukonti ang mga nahuhuling tilapia dahil sa isdang yan. Kumukonti din ang kita ng mga mangingisda. Ayun, tayo naman ang nagdurusa sa pamahal nang pamahal naman ang isang kilo ng mga 'to. Kahapon lang nagulat na lang ako na ang isang kilo pala ng tilapia ay umabot na sa P100.00 dito sa Laguna. Ang bangus P120.00 na. Nung isang buwan, P80.00 pa lang yun.

(Wala palang silbi ang pagtaas ng piso laban sa dolyar… at kung bakit kailangan ipagmalaki ng administrasyong Arroyo ito…)

Napaisip tuloy ako. Kaparehas pala ng Janitor Fish ang mga pulitiko sa Pinas. Oo, parehong pareho.

1a. Kailangan ang pulitiko para patakbuhin ang isang sistema para mapanatili ang kaayusan ng isang bayan.

1b. Kailangan ang janitor fish upang mapanatiling malinis ang isang aquarium.

2a. Mapinsala ang maga pulitiko sa lipunan kung mapapabayaan ang mga 'tong manghothut sa kaban ng bayan.

2b. Mapaminsala ang mga janitor fish kung mapapabayaang dumami sa mga ilog at lawa na dati'y wala ang mga ito.

3a. Gusto ng mga tao na mapatalsik sa tungkulin ang mga pulitikong salot sa lipunan.

3b. Gusto ng mga mangingisda na pagpapatayin ang mga janitor fish na nagdudulot ng salot sa kanilang kabuhayan.

4a. Ang pulitiko makapal ang mukha. Di maiihambing sa isang maskara.

4b. Ang janitor fish makapal ang balat. Pwedeng gawing wallet.

5a. Ang pulitiko nagmamalinis.

5b. Ang janitor fish naglilinis.

6a. Ang pulitiko kapit tuko sa pwesto. Kahit anong gawin mong pagpapatalsik.

7a. Ganun din ang janitor fish. Kahit anong gagawin mo, dadami at dadami ang mga ito.

8a. Ang mga tao nag aaklas laban sa mga pulitiko.

8b. Ang mga mangingisda nag aaklas laban sa mga janitor fish.

Iilan lang ang mga yan sa mga naiisip ko. Magkakulay silang pareho.

Wish ko…

Gaya ng mga mangingisda na naapektohan sa salot na dulot ng janitor fish… Sana, mapatay lahat ng mga pulitikong nagdudulot ng salot sa ating lipunan.

Posible? Posible….