May 10: Will you gamble like a pro, or vote on your own?

And so the month of May begins. With just a week left before our first automated elections here in our country, what’s left for me to say aside from all that’s discussed about in the news, debates, discussions, etc.? Perhaps negligible, or maybe sensible. It’s all for the readers to decide – provided you get to read this blog post before you vote that is.

I’m pretty sure by now that most, if not all, already have their Presidential bets in mind – and yes, the word “bets” being the emphasis here.

How come? Well the thing is, it has always been a disappointment every time election comes up. And this isn’t even restricted to just our country – anywhere in the world who needs to cast their votes for their Government leaders somehow brings about that sense of disappointment. Why? If you’re interested – feel free to read on.

While surveys, such as that of the SWS and Pulse Asia, are meant to show probabilities by getting an X number of people to represent an entire population (those good in Math should understand, admittedly, I’m not), it does also give us that bad habit of acting as if we’re casting bets on the probability that this candidate will win over the other. Once it leads to just two leading the pack, people then tend to just vote the one who’s either in first or second depending on who they believe is the lesser evil between the two. The sad fact? All the rest of the candidates are then disregarded significantly by everyone else.

I bet  while you’re reading this now, your vote will depend on only two statements, depending on which side you’re on:

“I’ll vote for Noynoy because if I don’t, Villar will win and we’ll be filled with his subdivisions regardless of where we live in the country.”

“I’ll vote for Villar because Noynoy hasn’t proven anything yet while Villar has a track record in having done a lot of things for the country.”

Yes, it’s just Noynoy and Villar now right? Well, Erap tied up with Villar yesterday, but that’s pretty simple anyways, just replace Villar’s name on the two statements and the result’s the same – it’s one over the other.

If I were to ask you though, if those surveys that dictate the percentages of these candidates bagging the Presidency were never shown to the public at all (hence no one will actually know who’s got a high chance of winning), will you still limit your options to just two candidates? I’m pretty much sure you won’t – and you may hate admitting it, but come on – let’s be true to ourselves for once.

Realistically speaking, you can’t blame these survey firms – after all, they’re just doing their job and their job peaks come election season. The rest of the days they’re well off just making statistics of how many Filipinos think they’re poor, trust ratings of the current Presidency getting lower, and all the rest of the depressing statistics that they can come up with. To be politically correct, they just want to deliver “facts”, regardless of the social impact it may bring to the viewers, readers, children, and so on. Bottom-line, it’s “business”, who cares about the social implications, right? Too bad they never notice how diabolical their surveys have changed us into.

So how do these survey firms broadcast of the probabilities of the next candidate turn us into? GAMBLERS. Professional ones who will bet on candidate A over candidate B because we need to make sure that it’s our principles that win over all the rest of the principles that other people have (even ourselves even). Who cares about candidate C, D, E, F, or even G? They’re losing already BASED on the survey reports, so why bother voting them? If I want to make sure that the right President is elected, then I’ll have to choose the lesser evil between the top two who have higher chances of winning.

It just becomes win or lose – just as how bets go. If you win, you earn (whether it’s your ego or something else), and if you lose, then simply be disappointed and bet again next time based on who will most likely win.

Such a shame right? Come on, in all honesty, why are you voting for Noynoy Aquino aside from the fact that he’s the son of Former President Cory Aquino? Before he started his campaign for the Presidency, what has he proved so far? Time and time again, you’ll see in the news – mediocre. He hasn’t even solved the decade old issue in his family’s own turf (Hacienda Luisita) – and you’re supposed to believe his promises of what he can accomplish if he becomes President? The farmers who need land the most can’t even be given due allocation. Claiming their family can actually earn by selling Hacienda Luisita, why hasn’t he done so even by parts(if it causes so much controversies, a sane man would’ve already done so a long time ago)? Because the farmers may get poorer? Come on, you haven’t even tried to check how sure you are that they will indeed become poorer. He didn’t even have the initiative to run for president, moreso, he had to wait for Mar and the rest of his party to step down and ask him to. Personally, his campaign is sensationalized by the fact that he will save the country in the same manner that his mother did then, the primary reason why he’s leading the candidacy for the Presidency in the first place – aside from that, there’s nothing else. Sensation and sensation it will be – we sure love to make life a “telenovela” do we?

And who’s next? Manny Villar? “Tunay na mahirap” – as they say. With all due respect to his mother, I can understand the pain, having to hear all black propaganda being thrown to her son and such. However, we’ll have to accept, that while Manny Villar may have that true “rags to riches” story, with all the facts showing up, it comes to mind that he might not have done it completely clean. With a very good educational background and persistence to succeed, he does seem to be a good candidate – but with all the expenses that he had to pay through for the Presidency, billions even, a person who took basic Business Management should know that such losses will have to be regained. And how will Manny Villar do it? We may never know – or we could know, but we may never be able to prove so.

Erap’s tied with Villar, and with the same image of Villar with a different jingle (“Erap para sa mahirap”), who couldn’t resist? Not so fast. After being caught live on video playing the numbers game in a Casino and still have the nerve to claim he hasn’t done anything wrong? Come on. Let’s be real, while plenty can be fooled by the famous “for the poor” platform, will you fall for the same trap twice? Having ad campaigns of him being 30 years younger is telling actually, why hide the age et al aside from looking good in the posters? Moreso, why do you have to hide anything even? Transparency and honesty’s just amiss.

So, personally, who will I vote, Noynoy, Manny, or Erap? Many have asked, and my answer remains, “NONE OF THE ABOVE.”

I’m pretty sure who I won’t vote (and they are the three that I cited above PLUS Mr. Acosta, who’s like a ghost up to now), yet in all honesty, I am still undecided as to who will I vote. The underdogs, Gilbert Teodoro, Dick Gordon, or Jamby Madrigal, perhaps. Still undecided as to who among them will I cast my vote for, but in all honesty – and this we have to face – they are the ones that we should really be casting our votes for. Feel free to say that Gilbert Teodoro is allegedly pro-GMA, Dick Gordon as a possible dictator, and Jamby Madrigal as someone who’s hopeless as an independent, yet does it make a difference to their achievements? I’m pretty sure not.

They are the people who talk the talk and walk the walk. What they say now is what they did then, and what they promise now at least has a bearing and possibility that they can accomplish once elected President. Gibo’s active and very helpful dissemination of information on his previous role in the Government during the wrath of Ondoy, being sleepless even just to be able to distribute goods and coordinate with different cities and municipalities for status reports. Gordon’s development of the SBMA. Jamby’s proactive search for anomalities (such as the funding in the C-5 Extension Project that haunted Manny Villar). All these have bearing and are good indicators of a potentially good leader – yet, they are disregarded up to date. WHY? Because the survey states it’s Noynoy, Villar, and Erap, that’s leading and have the higher probabilities of winning as compared to the measly outcomes of the underdogs.

Aren’t you saddened by the reality that we place our votes as if we’re gambling? We already know who’s the right one to vote, yet we compromise by looking at the odds and see what you can do so that you can prevent the greater evil to win in the elections. Is that even our role as voters? No. We’re supposed to vote who we think and feel we should vote – not on who’s leading in the surveys. It is in our OWN judgment, and no one else, that we vote who’s who. Go to statistics and it will prove that the more information that’s given, the more that we act based on the information and nothing else. We tend to follow a trend, instead of leading the pact and believing in one’s self.

A vote isn’t a bet nor is it a gamble. You vote for who you truly believe in, not on who’s leading the ratings. It is my hope that everyone wakes up to that reality that ratings should never brings about a leader – it is OUR OWN VOTE that makes them. Oh, allow me to correct myself on that one, it is a WISH, that we realize that a week before the election arrives. Why so? Because we’re in the real world. With the convincing prowess of these survey firms and the full support of all the television and radio stations in need of their data, it’s voting on behalf of one’s true belief that will never be followed upon.

Hence, I can only say, that it is only my vote, and my vote alone, that I can control – and by saying so – it will be my vote that will truly be a personal vote – not a vote derived from ratings, not a vote based on probabilities, but a true vote – my own, and no one else.
And if you’re one to follow on your own principles and belief and not on survey and probabilities, then comment here. I don’t ask for us to unite, but I do hope that my post enlightens even at least one of all the millions and billions of people browsing the world wide web. For voting should’ve never been a gamble, but a right. May you vote for who you truly believe has the capacity and capability in this coming elections.

May God bless us all.

Villar’s C-5 Extension Road vs. the original MCTEP Plan

*Revised for grammar and formatting corrections*

     Before anything else, here’s my disclaimer: I’m not voting for Villar this coming 2010 elections (Gordon gets my vote), so I really do appreciate the readers of this post to inhibit themselves from branding me as a Pro-Villar, Villar fanatic, or whatever you’d wish to call me. And please, if you can’t help yourselves from calling me as such, then at least spare a moment of your time first to read the blog before even doing so.

     Anyways, as a short background, I’m just an ordinary Filipino living near SM Bicutan in Parañaque. I travel from my home to Dasmariñas, Cavite, on a weekly basis, and I always try using different routes since 2006 to get there for road familiarity and experience.

     Based from my trips, going to Dasmariñas via SLEX is the worst way (and I mean WORST). It’s always a long crawl from the Bicutan Exit to Carmona, and the tricycles as you head to SM Dasmariñas won’t help shorten the travel time either. The best so far is the Daang Hari route, wherein I may have to deal with jeeps stopping every now and then at the West Service Road along SLEX, but once I get to Alabang and turn left at the corner right after Honda, it’s smooth-sailing. Best part is that the roads I take via the latter is all free of toll.

     But the Daang Hari route is only convenient if I do start the trip from home. Unfortunately though, I now work in a company operating in Makati-CBD right along Ayala Ave., and with that as a starting point, I now have five (5) routes available for me to use to go to Dasmarinas.

The five (5) routes are:

1. Ayala – Coastal – Molino Rd. – Salawag – Dasmariñas
2. Ayala – Coastal – E. Aguinaldo Highway – Dasmariñas
3. Ayala – Skyway – Multinational – C-5 Extension – Molino Rd. – Dasmariñas
4. Ayala – Skyway – Carmona Exit – Dasmariñas
5. Ayala – Skyway – South Station Exit – Daang Hari – E. Aguinaldo Highway – Dasmariñas

     Of course there are plenty of other routes and you can actually re-route every now and then in the routes I gave, but these are the routes I usually take. Of course, aside from the routes, allow me to post the how-to’s and disadvantages of taking each route.

1. Let’s first go to the Ayala – Coastal – Molino Rd. – Salawag – Dasmariñas route:

How: From Ayala just go straight to EDSA Southbound, turn left at the intersection just before SM Mall of Asia, then go all the way straight-again to the Coastal Toll. After the toll, proceed straight and when you reach the intersection where St. Dominic can be seen at the front, just continue on and at the end would be Molino Road.

     At the end of Molino Road, simply turn right and continue to Salawag (you’ll pass Avida Lands and a stoplight should be in place), turn right at the stoplight, and go straight ahead and you’ll be in Dasmariñas.

Disadvantage: Traffic from Magallanes flyover to MRT Taft-Edsa Station is a pain. It can take forever to get to the Coastal Road especially on Fridays.

     The MMDA Traffic Enforcers at times are positioned to catch “swerving” vehicles (aka “mga sumisingit na motorista”) and other traffic violators to help smoothen things out, but it still isn’t enough. The merge required from a four-lane road to a two-lane one is in itself a cause of traffic. You can try to reroute by going to the Airport Road but you’ll probably just suffer the same fate given the traffic at the roundabout going to the Domestic Terminal.

     As if that isn’t enough to ruin your travel, once you pass Coastal Highway, there are times that the traffic enforcers in Cavite implements their so-called “BUHOS” system, which involves having to completely stop either southbound or northbound lanes in 30-minute intervals with the assumption that it allows traffic to move “better.” After that, there’d also be a long queue at the Molino Road Intersection, as the traffic enforcers there also implements the same lousy “BUHOS” system to their liking. You will only experience a smooth flow of traffic heading to Dasmarinas once you get through the Molino Intersection.

2. Second in the list is the Ayala – Coastal – E. Aguinaldo Highway – Dasmariñas route:

How: Same as the first route from Ayala to Coastal, except that once you see St. Dominic’s Hospital on your front, turn right instead of crossing (heading to Molino Rd.). You’d then be merging with the rest of the southbound traffic heading to Dasmarinas via the Emilio Aguinaldo Highway.

     If I were to plot this on a map, this will be the easiest route to draw because after turning right to Emilio Aguinaldo, it’s all the way straight to Dasmariñas, no more rights and lefts.

Disadvantage: The disadvantage in terms of heading to MRT EDSA-Taft station still applies together with the dreaded “BUHOS” after the Coastal Toll Plaza, but add to that, the straight route will fool you into thinking that it’s a hassle-free ride as well.

     Along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway are two (2) shopping malls, SM Bacoor and Robinson’s Imus. Aside from these malls, Emilio Aguinaldo Highway is the main route of motorists heading to Imus Bayan (Imus Cathedral - familiar?), LTO Imus, and other vital establishments. If you’re lucky, you can pass through without traffic, if you’re not, well prepare for a long crawl until you pass Imus proper.

3. Third is the Ayala – Skyway/SLEX – Multinational – C-5 Extension – Molino Rd. – Dasmariñas route:

How: Good thing about this route is that you’d be free from the dreaded traffic going to MRT Edsa-Taft Station as you’d be taking the Alabang-bound flyover instead (or you can enter Skyway via the Makati Exit via Dela Rosa or Arnaiz Street if you want).

     Given that there are traffic enforcers at the Skyway’s Bicutan Exit, vehicles exiting Bicutan are saved from motorists who cut lanes right at the last minute just to cut through the line heading to Sucat-Alabang (before the traffic enforcers positioned themselves there, those exiting Bicutan also have to endure heavy traffic because there are inconsiderate motorists who uses the exit lane to cut through those in line going to Sucat).

     You’d now be traversing Doña Soledad, wherein there isn’t too much pile-ups heading to Multinational Village (the pile-ups are usually the other way around) so on a personal note, it will still be smooth sailing here (expect a slow ride though because of the tricycles and vehicles parking to different establishments every now and then, but definitely less full stops and traffic jams).

     Simply go straight, turn right once you see Total Gas Station (should be on your right, and yes it’s the only Total Gas Station you’d see along Doña Soledad), and drive straight yet again till you see airplanes due for take-off on your right, and once you do, on your front should be a sign: “C-5 Ext. Road NOW OPEN”, with a flyover right behind it.

     Take that flyover and you should see SM Sucat as you descend. Simply follow the road and check the signs (there should be signs pointing to Bacoor). Lo and behold – you’re already seeing St. Dominic to your left (yep, this time it’s on the left). Turn left going to Molino Rd. and same as the first route, you’d be in Dasmariñas afterwards.

Disadvantage: You’d have to pay a hefty toll fee (well, it’s cheaper now because of the Skyway Construction, but still hard on the wallet), much higher compared to that of the Coastal Highway.

4. Fourth is the Ayala – Skyway/SLEX – Carmona Exit – Dasmariñas route:

How: This road is as simple as it gets – two straights.

     Same as the third route, you rid yourself of having to deal with traffic heading to MRT Edsa-Taft station. Instead of exiting to Bicutan though, you’ll proceed instead to Skyway and go all the way straight to Carmona (Southwoods is another option btw), then go straight yet again to reach SM Dasmarinas. And did I say it’s just two straights? Yes, I did.

Disadvantage: This route may be simple, but we’re talking about two lengthy straights here though. Not to mention that it’ll be a long crawl from Bicutan to Alabang as well.

     Aside from that though, there isn’t much of a problem with this route, except for the fact that it is lengthy and will definitely take a lot more travel time than the other routes (like my friend said, it’s like you have to turn around to go to Dasmariñas). If you simply want a straight-forward route heading to Dasmariñas, this is a viable option.

5. Last on the list is the Ayala – Skyway/SLEX – South Station Exit – Daang Hari – E. Aguinaldo Highway – Dasmariñas:

How: Same as the fourth route, instead of exiting through Carmona, you exit via South Station. Go all the way straight until you see Honda Alabang on your left, then turn left at the corner right after it and you’re now in Daang Hari.

     You will pass by the Molino Road intersection as well, but the queue from this side is definitely shorter and faster as compared to being on the main sides. Simply cross-through the intersection and it’s all straight yet again. You’ll be in Dasmariñas in no time. Toll is cheaper compared to route #4 btw.

Disadvantage: The only disadvantage I see in this route is having to go through traffic past Bicutan exit to Alabang. Aside from that this route is pretty much smooth-sailing.

     Based on experience, here are the average travel times I get for each route:

Route 1: Two (2) hours

Route 2:  Two (2) hours

Route 3: One and a half (1.5) hour

Route 4: Two and a half (2.5) hours

Route 5: One and a half (1.5) hour

     Here are the relative (and subjective) costs I get via each route as well (note, this is with a 1.6 litre vehicle and via my driving habits):

LEGEND: Gas Expense (estimate in litres) – Toll/Access Fees

Route 1: PhP 500 (roughly 10-12 litres) – PhP 22.00

Route 2:  PhP 500 (roughly 10-12 litres) – PhP 22.00

Route 3: PhP 350 (roughly 6-8 litres) – PhP 65.00

Route 4: PhP 700 (14-16 litres or nearly half my gas tank) – PhP 129.00 (via Skyway) and PhP 74.00 (via SLEX alone)

Route 5: PhP 300 (roughly 4-7 litres) – PhP 120.00 (via Skyway and PhP 65.00 (via SLEX alone)

     Of course, if off-peak (like wee hours) travel times are significantly reduced, but at unfortunate times, travel time can also rack up to 3 or more hours.

     The travel times in routes 3 and 5 doesn’t vary too much as compared to the rest (again, this is based on years of experience that I’ve been travelling to Dasmariñas and back).

     In route 3, I may have to pay for a hefty toll (well, I can opt to use SLEX instead of Skyway, wherein traffic’s light heading to Bicutan btw), but the only traffic I could possibly experience is at the toll plaza of skyway and all the rest is smooth sailing. I may experience occasional stops because of the intersections along Doña Soledad, but the reduction in fuel consumption because of less traffic is a good compromise for the toll fee.

     Route 5, on the other hand, is almost the same, but traffic is expected after passing Bicutan to Alabang – but once you reach Daang Hari, you can crank up the speed to values you couldn’t even afford to do so in route 3, hence you’d more or less reach Dasmariñas in the same time regardless of which route you take from the two.

     Routes 1 and 2 though varies a lot – at times if you’re lucky, you can get to Dasmariñas in the same time you’ll do with routes 3 and 5, but if you’re unfortunate (and you will more frequently be compared to being lucky), you’d have to wait until it’s the southbound lane’s turn to go in the “BUHOS” system, fall in line while jeeps block your path as they load passengers from the mall, wait for the traffic enforcer at the main road leading to Imus bayan to let you through, etc. etc.. So if you’re feeling lucky, well feel free to take this route, if you don’t though, then better think twice.

     Route 4 is the most consistent thought, but given the length PLUS the hefty toll fee you’d have to pay, I’d rather pass.

     In all routes, route 3 is where the controversial C-5 Extension Road is. Honestly, this new route favors me and other motorists as it gives us a new option to access the south. Best thing about this is that, if I’d be coming from my home, I don’t even have to pay toll fees at all. I’d just go to SM Bicutan, turn to Doña Soledad, and after riding the flyover, I’d be in Cavite in no time.

     I honestly am a cheapskate and being able to cut travel costs means a lot especially in these trying times. So, yeah, in this post, I’m pretty much disregarding the anomalies involved with regards to the road. I’m pretty much discounting as well the motives of the ones behind the realignment of the project as well. But given that it gives you an alternative from the dreaded Coastal Toll that will greet you with a long queue of cars because of the “buhos” system after paying the toll fee, then I’d say that the longer, realigned, and most importantly FREE for all motorists road is much better than the originally proposed extension road wherein you’d have to pay to access it.

     Come on, who isn’t tired of paying toll fees? Toll fees wherein the companies behind them are still discontented and would like to increase it further after improving their roads or what-nots. It’s like having double taxation given that we’re already paying road taxes already.

     True, perhaps the Government had to spend more on this “realigned” project, but with the convenience it gives as a great alternative to get to the south, then I’d have to say that it’s money well spent. Let’s face it, there are so many projects initiated and created by numerous politicians, but does it really serve our needs? Better yet, do these projects even serve its respective purpose(s)? The electronic TIN application, vehicle RFID, or what have you as examples?

     In these trying times, we, of all cultures, desire to save for as much as we can, and if I can save time, money, and fuel, not to mention the environment, as a motorist because of projects like these, then at least, somehow, I can see where my taxes go. At least a peso that I paid in taxation went to this project, and I see it loud and clear, and I even traversed it. Now compare that to the rest of the government projects out there that were funded by us taxpayers yet some even failed to materialize, scrapped, and so on.

     So there, then again, this blog isn’t about being pro-Villar. I’d just like to share, that amidst the controversies going on with him and the road he allegedly controlled construction of, there is something good in the project. Maybe not for everyone, but for the least, I, together with my fellow Filipino motorists, will definitely benefit more from this longer road project as compared to the original plan. Less travel expense equals lesser fuel consumption leading to lesser environmental harm, no toll fees to pay to access the road, and faster travel time – go figure.

     Lastly, the view (for now that is) via the C-5 extension route then to Molino is scenic btw. I pretty much enjoy travelling on it in broad daylight.

     Feel free to post your own routes as well – again these routes are already flexible, you can re-route as you wish, but these are pretty much the ones I follow.

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