Solitary Walk: The National Art Gallery

08 March 2013

Pictures taken on: 06 March 2013

I promised myself another solitary photowalk after my deliberations, but then there aren't a lot of areas in Metro Manila where I can't take pictures with a DSLR alone without getting mugged or stealthily robbed (or at least feeling like it). So I thought of cancelling the solitary thing and just taking someone with me. 

Then the Anthropology professor assigned us to go to the National Museum's exhibit on Baybayin, which is the Philippine's ancient script.

So I decided to go on with the solitary walk in the Museum of the Filipino people. But I've already been there.

Once I got to the museum, I saw the building right next to it, which is the National Art Gallery. I realized I've never been there.

So before doing my extra credit Anthro homework, I went to the National Art Gallery first.

I'm super compressing this post because the museum is so big and there's just so much to see. I spent a few hours inside and I was very hungry once I got out.

Ah, Neocolonialism. You so pretty.

Since the building used to house the country's Senate, it was super fancy inside. It made me think of other public buildings in the country, where fanciness isn't exactly a priority. What if it was?

Photowalk: the Quezon City Memorial Center

14 November 2012

The schedule for all things thesis was handed out yesterday and I feel the anxiety creep over me slightly. I admit that I'm a little behind and the schedule was overwhelming.

So I planned a small solitary photowalk for myself today. I originally planned it to be in UP because I have a morning class, but I'm a little sick of UP at the moment so I decided to go to the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

It almost didn't push through because it was so hot. There were tons of clouds in the sky, but none of them seemed to want to block the sun.

Since it's not a weekend and it was 10 o'clock in the morning, not many people were around. The park was very quiet compared to the weekend family rush and afternoon tambay hours for younger people.

Some high school kids were practicing sabayang pagbigkas.

I visited the flower garden. The last time I was here, it was still new. I had hoped that improvements have been made.

The plants are still intact, but I was a little disappointed because some areas were overgrown and lacked maintenance.

They had a small pond inside, which was clear the last time I visited. Now the surface is covered by algae. I'm not sure if the green muck is healthy for ponds. I don't know if there are still fish here.

It's a bit dirty too.

The plants are thriving though, and I guess that's the important thing.

Ah vandals. Kayo talaga.

I left the flower garden and took a look at the newly paved lane aligned with Quezon Avenue.

Then I looked at to my left and was surprised to find a legit pond, which was not there the last time I visited.

There are huge tarps bearing the photos of Filipina photographer MM Yu and French photographer Lea Eouzan for the month-long exhibit KM1.

I think I spent more than half an hour beside the pond.

I am glad that there is something like this that people from all walks of life can enjoy. The park is not perfect, and it cannot serve the whole city, but anyone can see the effort. Besides, Quezon City is facing an unimaginable number of problems today, a huge one is the growing population of informal settlers. It is better if the government prioritize those problems first before overhauling its parks and recreation.

 But I do hope that there will be more places like these in Metro Manila, where people can come in and enjoy themselves without having to pay anything, where they can go with their family and friends and lovers and just be with other people from other walks of life---people whom they share a city with.

I am also glad that even though the park is already established, there are still things to look forward to in the future.

See you later, QC Museum!

A Sudden Farewell: A Heavy Heart

Taken from the Philippine Daily Inquirer

I just found out that the body of Jesse Robredo, Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, has been found after his plane crashed just off the coast of Masbate four days ago. He and the two pilots were proclaimed missing until their bodies were found earlier today.

I'm surprised at how emotionally affected I am. After all, I don't know him personally. I didn't feel this way when Dolphy or MJ died. For the latter, it was like hearing that a friend of a friend of a friend has died. You feel sympathetic, but after a few minutes, you won't care anymore.

But the death of Sec. Robredo feels different. 

Maybe it's because I had such high hopes for him. When the President announced his appointment last year, I immediately checked him out in the web and unlike what I usually see with other politicians, I liked what I found. For me, his appointment remains one of the President's good choices (along with Mon Jimenez for Tourism, De Lima for Justice and Carpio-Morales for Ombudsman). 

Maybe it's because while death in general is melancholic, sudden death will always be horrible. The nation is now scrambling to cope with this loss, especially since our political system is filled with greed and corruption. Incorruptible politicians who have stalwart records are rare, and the Philippines has just lost one of its gems.

I don't believe in the saying "the good die young". I believe that the good die young for a reason. My mind is reeling with conspiracy theories and foul play. After all, the person who has the national police under his thumb is expected to have enemies.

I hope that the government can find a suitable replacement, someone who is impervious to the nastiness that has infected it. I also hope his death will not be for nothing, that people may realize their mortality, no matter how high up they are, and no matter how good they try to be.