Public Transpo to the
Airport
Options travelling to the Pasay airports have been added
other than using a private car, taking a taxi, riding the bus and the MRT.
Taking the taxi, you need to negotiate with the driver 1st
for his willingness to go South from North and secondly on the rate.
Using the car, you contend with the heavy traffic, the law
enforces and parking.
Riding the bus combined with MRT is tedious. With your
luggage, it is an effort moving from pick up point to the next and from
entrance to the rear of the coach.
The P2P addresses the difficulties one faces in these
different modes of transportation. The Point 2 Point coach is spacious, air-conditioned
with enough safe space for luggage. Rates are fixed at P100, almost a third of the
non-peak taxi fare, if you can spot one.
You must contend with fixed schedules (about an hour gap in
between rides which at times though is not followed to the minute), multiple
rides as the stations in the North are in Araneta Center, Ortigas. Given this,
one must give enough lead time to meet your check in deadline.
What is convenient about the new mode of transportation is,
it covers the fur airport terminals, NAIA 1 (original international airport beside
the Nayong Pilipino NAIA 2 (formerly Centennial of PAL), NAIA 3 (fronting Resorts
World) and NAIA 4 (small airport). You can take the P2P at the designated terminals
at the airports back to the city terminals.
-Written on Thinkpad X270 using Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus
New
Features of Local Air Travel
Those who have not traveled via commercial air for the past
decades maybe disoriented to new ways of booking and flying.
Before, one needed to physically go to an airline ticketing
office to see flight schedules, seat availability and to book a seat. Now one
just does it online. But one must have a credit or debit card with a security
code and an active email address. Booking is done real time with the current
rate on a first come first served. There are still a few ticketing offices
spread over the country but mostly only in the airports.
Rates fluctuate depending on the traffic, date and season.
The closer to the flight date, the higher the rate.
Passenger patronage has increased so did new air travel
destinations. Checks in lines at the airport are longer but operating hours are
longer. There too are added ways to check in: using the internet or mobile
phone for web check in or the check in kiosk at the airport. All check in
processes are secured by a code where physically printed ticket is no longer
necessary.
Boarding passes are bar coded and quickly scanned prior to
boarding the plane. One has yet to present an ID for security reasons. Terminal
fee is now incorporated in the cost reducing check in steps.
Security is more stringent. Scanners are installed to speed
up the screening. At time sniffing dogs sniff at the luggage for contraband
detection. Shoes, wallets, metallic objects, phones and belts are still to be
separated from the body.
Flight changes are accommodated at a cost subject to seat
availability and should be done hours before the booked schedule. Cost is
adjusted based on the prevailing flight rate of the new schedule which is
usually at a premium.
Flying distances are earned by the passenger to earn points
for premium redemption. This is made possible through a unique identification
enrollment. Services are likewise compartmentalized which can be customized at
an added cost. One can opt not to check in a luggage, not have an in flight meal
nor a premium seating.
Lastly, because service is done following a routine, do not
expect for a personalized service treatment. This is trade off to a more
efficient and safer air travel.
Happy and safe travel
Advent prepares us for Christmas. 
8th Gabi 2014 with Fr. Raymund Benedict Hizon as presider and singing led by Hangad at the Gesu. We pray for various reasons, the fundamental and the genuine. We ask and yet eventually submit ourselves to His will. All prayers though with doubts are answered, the more specific, the better. Asking doesn’t make Him change how he looks at us but changes us on how we look at Him.
ACTS
Mindoro is one of the island components of MIMAROPA
representing the 1st 2 letters. Most known destinations are two a
city and a tourist spot facing Batangas City, Calapan and Puerto Galera.
Once on shore at the island, San Jose can be reached in 4.5
hours from either entry point slightly faster via Abra de Ilog. From Abra de Ilog,
kilometer distance is 189 while from Calapan, 239 kms with winding road towards
the last hours. Both routes show scenic views of farmlands mostly rice and on
the inner side, mountains and rivers. At the center are two nationally known
mountains, the high and mighty Mt. Halcon with an altitude of 2,583 MASL and
the Mount Iglit-Baco National Park, a ASEAN heritage park.
Compared to travelling on a landlocked area, mobility in
island hopping is extremely unique. Trips are not marked only by landmarks but
by the changing transport. From a public bus, one takes a RORO to cross the
island. At the island, one can choose a utility van or continue with the bus
ride. At the town proper like any other town, there are tricycles and private vehicles.
Initial trips to the island answer logistical interests. The
succeeding visits satisfy the deeper understanding of the spirit of the place.
