Three Stars and A sun

More Courriers

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:34:00 +0000

Aside from the Major International and Local courier companies, there are also a number of small courier companies that also offer the same services as the Big name companies at often a very competitive price. Unless you’re looking for a complete logistics solution for your company, you’re better off with UPS, DHL, or FedEx. But if you or your business needs is looking for a cheaper alternative for sending and receiving mostly small parcels and cargoes, these companies would do the job. The downside is that most of these companies though have only one branch or office (most would be located in the National Capital Region).

PHILMEC International
PHILMEC is a good alternative for both LBC and DHL if you’re looking for a courier service for documents and small parcel delivery. They have a pricing for Domestic courier services is a little cheaper than LBC or Air21. They also deliver to the Miami, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Honolulu, in the US and is an alternative for DHL or UPS.

Office:
Unit 6, G/F 2364 Osmena Corner Angoro Street, Rizal Village, Makati, Philippines
T: (632) 896 2297
F: (632) 896 2297

OCS/ Republic Courier Service
Republic Courier is also a good alternative for Domestic courier services and because of its tie-up with OCS (a Hongkong based courier service) is also a good choice for sending parcels to Asian countries.

Office:
First Cityland Condominium Bldg Rada Street Legaspi Village Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 817 8282
F: (632) 817 2891

BFC-Citylink Express, Inc.
Office:
G/F, Unit 104, Marcelaflor Bldg cor. Edsa Ext. & Park Avenue Pasay City, Philippines
T: (632) 804 0204; 833 2182
F: (632) 833 2176

BM Express Messenger & Manpower Specialist
Office:
834 J.P. Rizal Avenue cor. E. Zobel Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 899 9090; 899 8076 F: (632) 844 0527

Couriers Worldwide Express Services
Office:
Room 211, Executive Building Center Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue cor. Makati Avenue Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 899 3231; 815 4753; 899 2147
F: (632) 895 1466; 813 3096

DPE International (Worldwide Express Courier)
Office:
UG09 Cityland Condominium 10, Tower 1 Ayala Avenue cor. H.V. Dela Costa Street Salcedo Village Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 813 2733/4/5; 819 1597; 893 0750
F: (632) 812 1652

Website:
Main

Diar's Assistance, Inc.
Office:
232 Shaw Boulevard Mandaluyong City, Philippines
T: (632) 531 8428; 532 4782; 532 4486
F: (632) 531 8457

Eagle Courier Worldwide Express
Office:
4/F, Maligaya Bldg 237 Salcedo Street Legaspi Village Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 810 5775; 818 8270; 812 9865

Express Systems
Office:
Airspeed Bldg Paranaque Metro Manila, Philippines
T: (632) 834 1136
F: (632) 834 1136

Johnny Air Cargo
Office:
G/F, 14 Tordesillas Street Prince Tower Condominium Salcedo Village Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 810 7710; 817 6678

Website:
Main

LT Express & Delivery Service
Office:
4/F, Room 407, El Hogar Bldg 115 Juan Luna Street Binondo, Manila Philippines
T: (632) 241 7471
F: (632) 242 5479

Libcap Super Express
Office:
Room 106, Comfoods Bldg Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 844 5449; 843 5459

MSAS Cargo International
Office:
DVSC Domestic Airport Road Pasay City, Philippines
T: (632) 833 8967

Professional Couriers, Inc.
Office:
35 A-4 Timog Avenue Quezon City, Philippines
T: (632) 924 7720; 924 7695; 921 2830S

Securities & Messages Express
Office:
2178 Singalong Street Manila, Philippines
T: (632) 524 7442; 523 5402

Courrier Services

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Fri, 30 May 2008 07:16:00 +0000

Delivering a parcel or document to and from the Philippines is cheap and easy to find. Aside from the big league Courier Companies such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL, there are also a number of local Courier service companies in the Philippines such as LBC, JRS Express, and Air21.

Aside from their main offices, most Courier services also have branches on Malls and also small offices spread throughout the countryside. Most of them though, are located on Highly urbanized areas such as the National Capital Region, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.

Aboitiz Air Transport Corp. (2GO)

2GO is the Courier Service platform of the Aboitiz Group of companies that is generally known for their Shipping services. They offer various courier services, from simple parcel delivery (2GO Express) to complete Freight and Logistics solutions.

Main Office:
Aboitiz Air Hangar General Aviation Area, Manila Domestic Airport Pasay City, Philippines
T: (632) 833 1776
F: (632) 831 3978

Websites:
Main
2GO Express (For small Parcels and Document Deliveries)
2GO Express (Rates)
2GO Freight (Freight Services)
2GO Logistics (Logistics Services)

Airfreight 2100, Inc.

Airfreight 2100, Inc. or more commonly known as Air21 is the licensee of international Courier Company FedEx. It serves all the pick-up, customs clearance and delivery needs of FedEx in the country.

Main Office:
2/F & 3/F, U. Warehouse Building Brgy. Vitalez, Old MIA Road Paranaque Metro Manila, Philippines
T: (632) 833 7583/4; 833 7587/9
F: (632) 833 3288

Customer Service Hotline
Metro Manila: +63.2.854.2100
Clark: +63.45.599.2800
Subic: +63.47.252.7575
Cebu: +63.32.341.2121

Website
Main

DHL Philippines

Although they offer complete courier, logistics, and freight services, they are more known in the Philippines as the courier of choice for international parcel services, mostly for sending important documents to and from the Philippines

Main Office:
4/F, G.A. Yupangco Bldg Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue Makati City, Philippines
T: (632) 833 3333
F: (632) 831 1986

Website:
Main

LBC (Team LBC)
The oldest and most popular Courier service in the Philippines, earning the company the moniker “Hari ng Padala” or “King of Sending”. It is the leading courier service in the Philippines (with over 600 nationwide branches) , and now has expanded in the international market with over 60 branches in the US and Canada, and 12 branches in Hongkong, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan.

Main Office:
LBC Express Inc.
936-B Quirino Highway Novaliches, Quezon City Philippines
T: (632) 936 5274

Customer Care Hotline:
T: (632) 858 5999

Website:
Main

JRS Express

Also one of the oldest courier services in the Philippines, JRS Express started out in the 1960’s which started out as JRS Business Corporation. They currently have over 200 branches in the Philippines. They deal mostly in Domestic courier solutions.

Main Office:
Building No. 5, Pioneer Street Mandaluyong City, Philippines
T: (632) 631 7351-56
F: (632) 631 7357

Websites:
Main
Service Rates

RAF Int'l Forwarding (Phils.), Inc.

RAF INT’L. FORWARDING (PHILS.), INC. was established in August 1992. It currently services over 30 international destinations but their offices are limited to Manila and Cebu.

Main Office:
152 Quirino Avenue cor. T. Alonso Tambo, Paranaque Metro Manila, Philippines
T: (632) 832 5527
F: (632) 832 5929

Websites:
Main
Rates

TNT Global Express

TNT has 2 divisions in the Philippines. TNT Spring offers Domestic and International Mail delivery services while TNT Express offers International Parcel and cargo deliveries.

Main Office:
Logistics and Mail Pair Pags Center, NAIA Ninoy Aquino Avenue Pasay City 1300, Philippines
T: (632) 551 0918; 551 5632
F: (632) 551 7490

Website:
Main

United Parcel Service

UPS is not as Popular in the Philippines as DHL nor FedEx. UPS Philippines mostly Transacts on the Large Business Scale, and is almost only known to Large Corporations. UPS though, controls Delbros Delivery Services, which is the delivery service used by the American Embassy to deliver documents here in the Philippines.

Main Office:
UPS, Delbros Cargo Center NAIA Delbros Avenue, Bo. Sto. Nino Paranaque Metro Manila, Philippines
T: (632) 551 5640
F: (632) 834 0431

Website:
Main

Federal Express

Federal Express was mostly known by Filipinos as the company that delivers their “Padala” (Sent Items, Box of Goodies) which mostly comes from the U.S. But with the tie-up between Air21, FedEx has expanded it footprint in the Philippine Courier Service Market.

Main Office:
U. Warehouse Bldg Brgy. Vitalez, Old MIA Road Paranaque Metro Manila, Philippines
T: (632) 833 3604; 831 0109

Website:
Main

Internet Service Providers

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:08:00 +0000

Filipinos love the Internet. Filipinos mainly use their internet connections primarily to chat, surf the web, using web based email services, and just recently, online gaming.
All 4 (PLDT, Globe/Innove, BAYAN, and Digitel) major residential fixed line carriers also offer Internet subscription. All 4 companies have broadband services such as DSL and Wireless Broadband Internet and also offer traditional Dial-up connection. Sky Cable company also offer Cable internet connection, thru its Zipidee service.

The following is a list of some of the most popular ISP’s in the Philippines

Airborne Acces
An ISP specializing in providing Wi-fi Hotspot services. It has two major products, LAUNCHPAD and WINGSPAN, a prepaid Wi-fi connection service.

Basic Internet
Provides Internet services in the Northern region of the Philippines. They offer Dial-up, Leased line, and DSL connections. They also offer Webhosting and Webdesign services.

Bayan Communications
Formerly known as Bayantel, Bayan Communications offers a wide variety of network services for both residential and corporate market. For the Business sector, Bayan offers most of the Data and voice services needs that a corporation would require. For residential subscribers, Bayan offers Broadband DSL, Wireless Broadband, and post-paid and pre-paid dial-up service. Prepaid dial-up service is available from their pre-paid card, Bl@st. Bl@st offers pre-paid connection for both dial-up or Wi-fi connection. Bayan has also acquired Skyinternet, which made enabled Bayan to provide dial-up connections nationwide.

Bayan Communications is preferred by most subscribers because of their good service and is also competitively priced. Their network coverage is very limited though.

Bitstop Internet
Bitstop Inc. started in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. They currently offer dial-up and leased line connections in the Luzon Area, including Bicol in the Southern part of Luzon.

Bohol Quality
An ISP providing dial-up, leased line, and dedicated direct links in the Island of Bohol in the Cebu Area.

Cable21
A cable internet service provider in Cagayan de Oro city in Misamis Oriental.

Compass Internet
One of the very first ISP’s in the Philippines. They offer Dial-up, leased line, and DSL connection all throughout the Philippines. They also offer VOIP and Webhosting services.

Destiny Cable
Provides Cable Internet services.

Digitel
Digitel provides data and voice services to both residential and corporate market. They offer their ISP services thru Digitelone.

Eastern Telecoms
An ISP and Telecommunications company primarily providing services in the corporate market.

Easynet
Provides various Data services to both residential and commercial sector in Metro Manila.

E-mail Company
Provides E-mail hosting, dial-up and leased line connections, and web hosting.

Global Link Internet
Provides Dial-up, Leased line, and Dedicated line services. They also offer DSL connection thru a partnership with Digitel.

Globe/Innove
Globe offers their internet services to both residential and business sector. GlobeQuest is their subsidiary that deals with commercial and corporate services. GlobeQuest offers complete data and voice solutions.

Globelines is the subsidiary that caters to the residential market. They offer both traditional dail-up connection and broadband DSL thru Globe Broadband. Globelines dial-up have both postpaid and prepaid dial-up services. Globe Broadband has DSL and wireless broadband Internet.

Green Dot DSL
Green Dot DSL specializes in broadband connections in the greater Manila area and up to some nearby areas of Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan.

I-Manila

An ISP providing various data services solutions which includes broadband DSL and Dial-up connections. They also offer pre-paid dial-up connection thru their i-Republic prepaid cards.

I-Snap
A dial-up service in Manila that offers prepaid internet connection thru online purchase.

Infocom
One of the pioneers in the Philippine’s ISP services. Provides mostly Business solutions for data and voice services. They also offer pre-paid dial-up internet connection thru their pre-paid cards.

Jetlink
An ISP in Zamboanga city in Mindanao which provides post-paid and pre-paid Dial-up connections.

Laguna Internet
An ISP in the Laguna province that provides dial-up and leased line connection. They also have Network solutions and consultation services.

Manila Online
An ISP in Manila specializing in dial-up connections

Mozcom
One of the premiere ISP in the Philippines, Mozcom offers a variety of data services to both residential and corporate sector. It has many subsidiaries that offers internet connection in various provinces such as Basic Internet in the Ilocos Region, Omnitronics in General Santos City, and NetQuest in Batangas.

NetQuest
A subsidiary of MozCom internet in Batangas.

OmniTronics
A subsidiary of MozCom internet in General Santos City.

Pacific Internet
An ISP company specializing in dial-up connections and E-mail hosting.

Philonline
An ISP that provides a wide array of services which includes webhosting, business network solutions, and Voice and Data services. Philonline provides dial-up, leased lines, and Wi-fi connections.

PLDT
PLDT is the premiere ISP and telecommunications company in the Philippines. PLDT provides ISP and telecommunications services in both the residential and corporate market.

Skyinternet
Skyinternet has already been acquired by Bayan.

Textron Satellite
A company that specializes in providing VAS satellite service to the whole of the Philippines. They offer two-way VSAT internet.

TheNet Service Provider
A dial-up service in Metro Manila

Tridel Technologies
An ISP company that provides Internet and Network services in the Corporate sector.

UNet Philippines
A multinational company providing various data and voice solutions to corporations and business sector.

USATV1
Provides Broadband DSL.

ZPDee Cable Internet
A subsidiary of SkyCable Cable TV service that provides Cable internet connection.

Public Wi-Fi Access Connections
Most commercial establishments in greater Manila and in some provinces provide free Wi-fi access. Most major malls, hotels, and restaurants have a wi-fi zone that you can connect to free of charge.

Mobile Phones

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000

The mobile phone industry in the Philippine market today owes its success to the introduction of a ready to use cellphone kit (which contains a cellphone and a simcard) and pre-paid cards (which is used to load your cellphone with credits) which made owning a cellphone easier and more economical. The Philippines is known as the “Texting Capital of the World”. SMS (small message system) is referred to in the Philippines as “Text”.

PLDT, Globe, and SUN Cellular are the major mobile phone carriers in the country. I have seen Philcom and PT&T sim-cards back in the late 1990’s, but I think they don’t offer their services anymore. PLDT offers its mobile phone services thru its subsidiary, SMART Telecommunications. SMART has a multitude of mobile phone services and plans available. The most popular and successful of which is the Talk N’ Text service, a cheap mobile phone service targeting the low-cost market. SMART also has the Smart Buddy targeted at the more casual users, and SMART Gold, which caters its services to the richer populace. They also have ADDICT mobile and SMART ZED. Globe offers their mobile phone services in the Philippines thru Globe Handyphone. Like SMART, they have a low-cost service plan available thru Touch Mobile and the executive class plan Globe Platinum. SUN cellular made a scene when they offered unlimited call and text in their mobile phone services. Both Globe and PLDT complained about it and sought to stop the service by filing a complaint to NTC, but NTC favored SUN stating that there’s nothing wrong with it. To counter this, both Globe and PLDT now offer unlimited call and text also, but you have to go through some process of registration and subscription to enable it. SUN offers unlimited call and text (via SUN to SUN only) readily available. Though SUN offers the best deal in the mobile phone market, Globe and PLDT still have the biggest share, since SUN still has limited network coverage. PLDT has the most nation-widest coverage. All 3 companies offer their services in both post-paid and pre-paid billing system. SMART Gold and Globe Platinum though, are strictly post-paid.

Texting (SMS sending) is the primary usage of mobile phones in the Philippines. Even major corporations and government offices use it for their services, promotions, and as a mode of communication. Back in the late 1990’s when SMS was first introduced, it was a free service available to all cellphone subscribers. Filipinos found the SMS service extremely useful for communicating since it doesn’t use up their credits. Then, they seemingly “abused” this service, sending not just important messages, but apparently “useless” messages such as jokes and quotations. These texts later became known as “Forwarded”, since they are mostly forwarded from people to people, similar to how chain-mails get passed around. The cellphone companies noticed this trend and stared to charge SMS sending ( 0.5 Pesos at first). This did not deter the users and as Cellphone prices continued to drop and more Filipinos started owning cellular phones, texting became even more popular. Texting became so popular in the Philippines that it lead to the death of Pagers and Page services. Filipinos also rather communicate thru texting rather than thru voice, using their cellphones as a sort of instant messaging or chat room. The popularity of texting also invented what we now call as “text-speak”, which is similar to the instant messaging lingo where words are shortened and abbreviations are used. Not only does “text-speak” provide faster messaging, but it also saves you on sending costs (since SMS messages nowadays usually costs 1 peso per send, unless you are subscribed to an unlimited service) since shorter messages would only require 1 send. Texting also provided the idea of having a “Textmate”, where people can tell their stories to each other and act like a social communications tool similar to a “Penpal” or “Chatmate" works. Nowadays, an estimated 1 million SMS messages are sent in the Philippines on a daily basis.

Nokia is the brand of choice for cellular phones here in the Philippines. Nokia phones were also influential in enabling the texting craze. The 2110 and 5110 models shaped the basis of texting with their 4-line text display that became the standard template of forwarded text messages. Motorola comes in at 2nd, and their RAZR series are the most successful models. Sony-Ericsson is popular with the richer consumers, preferring their P900 series. Samsung is preferred when it comes to Flip-phones and is also popular with women. Myphone is the newest brand to be introduced in the Philippines. It’s primary selling point is the ability to use two simcards (usually from 2 different Carrier) at the same time.

Fixed Line Phones

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:55:00 +0000

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) is the country’s first and largest telecommunications company. It used to monopolize the telecommunications industry before deregulation made it possible for other companies to compete in the market. As of now, PLDT still owns the largest share in the market in both the residential and business sectors. It also has the widest coverage, covering all the major islands in the Philippines. Digital Communications Philippines (Digitel) was able to cut in to the scene by providing fixed-line services to remote towns and provinces that PLDT has not reached. Digitel is still the company of choice for residential lines in most rural areas since PLDT seems to concentrate more on Business and corporate lines, and it is easier to apply for a Digitel line. Globe Telecommunications (now Innove Communcations) provided a stiff competition to PLDT in Urban areas of the country, focusing its services in the greater Manila Area and Metro Cebu. BayanTel (now Bayan Communications) became popular because of their cheap rates and quick services. Bell Telecommunications, Eastern Telecommunications, Philcom, and Philippine Telephone and Telegraph Company (PT&T) primarily competes in the Business area of the market.

Aside from the traditional fixed landline phones, the 4 (PLDT, Innove, Bayan, and Digitel) major companies involved in the residential line market is now competing heavily in the “wireless landline” market. First introduced by Bayan communications, consumers are now preferring the wireless landline over traditional fixed line because it’s easier to obtain, since there are no more installation procedures to get through. The introduction of a pre-paid system on landline use also made owning a phone line easier, since most consumers find it cheaper and also made owning a line easier since in most cases, no more registration is required.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - Air Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:53:00 +0000

With more than 7,000 islands to explore, domestic air travel is the fastest way to get around the Philippines. Domestic air travel is cheap and there are a number of daily trips to the most popular destinations. There are also a number of domestic airline carriers to choose from. It’s also worth noting that most domestic airlines have a departure tax of 200 pesos, so for your own convenience, better reserve that amount on each trip. With the rise in the awareness of terrorism, it’s also a good to avoid joking about carrying bombs, since you will definitely be pulled out of the plane.

The first choice of course would be Philippine Airlines. There are daily trips to 21 major destinations all throughout the country. Asian Spirit Airlines are the true innovators in the domestic travel market. They initiated flights to small airport terminals which were often neglected by the other airlines. They were the first airline to offer direct flights to Caticlan Airport, which is the gateway to the now famous Boracay beaches. They are also the only airline that offers trips to Bagiuo, which can only be reached via Bus travel before. South East Asian airlines followed the Asian Spirit footsteps, concentrating their flights to popular tourist destinations. Cebu Pacific Airlines was the first competitor to Philippine Airlines. They were known to be “the other airline” before, since Philippine Airlines was the only domestic airline in the country before they came along and their fares were a lot cheaper than Philippine Airlines. But Cebu Pacific proved that low-cost doesn’t necessarily mean poor service, and soon they became favored by travelers over Philippine Airlines. Air Philippines is a subsidiary of Philippine Airlines, specially created to compete in the low-cost airline market initiated by Cebu Pacific. It has fewer destinations than Philippine Airlines though. Pacific Pearl Airways is the newest airline to burst in the domestic flight scene, but they only offer four destinations: Boracay, Manila, Tugegarao, and Subic. All airlines except Pacific Pearl have daily trips to the major destinations such as Manila, Cebu, Palawan, Davao, and Zamboanga. There are also charter services for both passenger and cargo charter flights. Subic Seaplane is the most well known. There’s also Interisland Airlines and Omni Aviation.

Domestic airline travel in the Philippines was often ridiculed back in the early 1990’s. A succession of Airplane crashes brought a barrage of jokes about the Airlines in the Philippines. They say that Cebu Pacific means “take off in Cebu, land in the Pacific”, for Asian Spirit – “Get in as an Asian, Get out as a Spirit”. But since Philippine Airlines has now lost its monopoly in domestic air travel and the other airlines provided cheaper fares, passenger volume still increased, despite the plane crashes. The good news is that as more and more Filipinos now prefer traveling by plane, and tourist hotspots such as Boracay and Puerto Galera has been attracting more foreign tourists, the Airline companies are now upgrading and improving their services. I haven’t heard or read about a passenger Airline crash for more than 5 years now. It’s more common to hear about Government and Military planes and Helicopter crashes than an airline carrier crash.

The idea of upgrading and improvement being made by the airline companies seem to have eluded the airport terminals however. The ATO just recently demoted the quality of Philippine Airports just last January of 2008. Government officials sourgraped about the action and said that the faults that ATO cited were minor and can be easily fixed. However, the ATO was proven correct for their decision when just 2 months after, the domestic terminal suffered a major delay in domestic the flights because of a mere power outage. Flights were delayed for more than 4 hours, since the terminal didn’t seem to have a back-up generator available. If it’s any consolation however, in-flight services of all Philippine airline companies are regarded as one of the best in the world. Foreigners often say that you almost feel like the flight attendants are your personal maids, that aside from being very polite and hospitable, they really take care of the passengers.

What most people don’t know is that Philippine Airlines is the very first and oldest commercial airline in the whole of Asia. Sad to say, it remained old. Despite being the first, it failed to cope up with the times and has been overtaken by the Flagship carriers of other Asian countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. Some people say that even secondary flight carriers of Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Japan are still better than Philippines Airline. Filipino pilots are also dwindling in numbers, and the best Filipino pilots are being hauled to other countries because of the lucrative salary that Philippine Airlines can not possibly match. The only shining light left for the Philippine Aviation Industry seems to be our flight stewardess and crews. Other airlines might have better planes, better in-flight amenities, or even better food, but the Filipino stewardesses and crew members would definitely provide passengers with the best services, politeness, and hospitality that other airline companies would find difficult to match.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - Boats and Ferries

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:50:00 +0000

Although you can travel between the major islands (Luzon, visayas, and Mindanao) thru planes, some destinations can only be reached by boat travel. Boats and Ferries also offer a faster alternative to destinations commonly serviced by buses. Small boats and ferries are often called “Bangka” while the bigger boats are called “Bapor” or “Barko” (the term “Barko” usually refers to huge cargo ships). Rafts are referred to as “Balsa” and are mostly used in small rivers and lagoons. It is also worth noting the beautiful “Vinta”, a kind of colorful sailboat found in the Mindanao Region. Though it is not usually used as a form of public transportation, some places in Mindanao offer tourists “Vinta” rides and rentals. Don’t pass up on the opportunity if you ever have the chance.

In Urban manila, small motorized boats and paddle boats called are found along the Pasig River. They usually provide transport for pedestrians to cross the Pasig River, since there are only a few bridges that connect the river banks. There also used to be a small ferry boat traversing through the Pasig river called the "Stracraft" (named as such even before the hugely popular PC game existed) that offers a fast transportation to and from Manila and Laguna, but it went bankrupt. Now, the "Starcraft" project is being resurrected due to the heavy traffic in the roads and the rising cost of fuel and Toll fees. Laguna to Manila by bus often takes 3-4 hours during heavy traffic hours and 1.5 to 2 hours during regular hours. Laguna to Manila by "Starcraft" usually takes only 1 hour any time of the day, or 30 minutes if the trip goes straight from Laguna terminal to Manila terminal non-stop. Manila to Laguna takes a bit Longer, since the trip is upstream. In cities which are prone to floods and have large bodies of water such as Malabon and Navotas, there also are small paddle boats and even rafts to ferry passengers. There is also a place in Navotas often called the "Venice" of Manila since boats are often used to ferry pedestrians in the neighborhood.

Interisland Travel by boats and ferries are easy to find. The three largest liners are Negros Navigation, Sulpicio lines, and WG&A Company (by that order). The central terminal is in the Manila Harbor. WG&A have a fleet of 10 Super Ferry and 2 regular Ferry Boats. They offer travel to and from Manila to other points in the Philippines such as Cebu and Negros Occidental. Super Ferries are preferred by tourist since they are the cleanest and most comfortable and they even provide in-board entertainment. The Super Cat line is a subsidiary of WG&A which has 3 Super Cat ferries which is a type of Catamaran and is extremely fast. Super Cats serves 10 various ports in the Philippines. Negros Navigations is the oldest Boat company in the Philippines, and covers most destinations including trips to Zamboanga, Cebu, and Palawan. They also have the largest boats and the biggest Fleet. Sulpicio Lines also serve routes similar to Negros Navigations but have more ports on various parts of Mindanao. MBRS Lines offer small ferries between Panay and Romblon to Manila. El Greco Jet Ferries have daily trips between Manila and Bataan which offers a faster alternative to a Bus trip since it would only take less than 2 hours rather than 6-8 hours by bus. There are also a fleet of small boats that operate in popular island destinations such as in Puerto Galera, Boracay, and Hundred Islands. In some provinces like in Abra and Negros, there are boats that are used to transport cars between large rivers, since there are no bridges that cross those rivers.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - Car Rentals

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:48:00 +0000

There are also Car rental services in the Philippines, but most are located only in the Manila area, though some have now expanded their businesses in Cebu and Bagiuo City. The most common car rental agencies are AVIS, Budget Cars, and Hertz. Hertz offer a wider choice of vehicles, even luxury models and limousines but is also the most expensive. There are other smaller car rental companies, but the 3 aforementioned are the most common and easiest to contact. All 3 car rental companies offer vehicles for your own driving or with a company driver. A valid international license is required if you want to do your own driving.

Driving in the Philippine streets takes a lot of getting used to. Although most international traffic rules also apply here, you may have a difficult time adjusting your driving skills. The rule of thumb seem to be "Size is might". If a bigger vehicle such as a truck or Bus tries to cut you off, its better give way since the drivers know that unless you have a bigger vehicle, they are safe and won't care if you crash into them. Pedestrians and street vendors also litter the streets, even the highways. It's not uncommon to see pedestrians trying to cross the streets, even if there's a pedestrian crossing or a footbridge nearby. Some streets also have beggars that would knock in your doors asking for spare change, most of them children. Motorcycles are hugely popular nowadays since they offer a cheaper mode of personal transportation. They zigzag along the streets of manila at high speeds and often cuts in-between vehicles. In metro manila, there is now a traffic ordinance that reserves the rightmost lane (the nearest to the sidewalk) to public utility vehicles, so it's best not to go there. Don't tailgate public utility vehicles, since they have the uncanny ability to suddenly stop to call in passengers, and you might get stuck in between two PUV's that are calling in passengers.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - Taxi Cabs

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:46:00 +0000

There are also Taxi Cabs that prowl the streets of the Philippines. The city taxis in the greater manila areas are notorious for commissioning a high price and opting for a contractual price rather than the meter. Some contracts you to add an additional price to the meter, a sort of "Forced Tipping" scheme, telling you that the place you're going to is too far, out of their usual route, or if there's too many passengers or you're carrying too much baggage. They also take advantage of the passengers during rush hours and the holiday season. The worst time to get a taxi is when it's raining; you'll have a very difficult time finding one and if you ever do, expect to pay a ridiculously high price for fare. Unless you're in a real hurry, don't ride in taxi's that asks for a fare other than the meter. Most of the nicest taxi drivers are the older ones, and those who own their own taxis. Some Taxis even have a barely noticeable airconditioning. In Bagiuo city however, the majority of the taxi drivers are nice and it's rare to find drivers that overcharge. They don't mind not being given a tip neither. I once rode a taxi in Bagiuo and my fare amounted to 38.00 pesos, I gave the driver 40.00 Pesos and didn't mind getting the change but the driver alighted the taxi and handed me the 2.00 peso change. They also have a lower rate, 15 Pesos for the initial meter and 2.00 Pesos additional per 200 meters compared to 25.00 and 2.50 in Manila. Maybe the fact that they don't have to use the vehicle's airconditioning (since Bagiuo already has a cold climate) and save on fuel makes them less greedy. But taxi drivers in other provinces such as Metro Cebu are also nice. There are also Airport taxis in Airports such as NAIA, but they are expensive and drivers tend to ask passengers for extra tips, especially from foreigners.

The most common vehicle used as Taxis are the Toyota Corolla, including the newest Corolla VIOS. Other car models are the Nissan Sentra and the the Kia Pride. The newest vehicle to be used as taxis is the Toyota Avanza, which looks like a small AUV. There are now also taxis that use Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) to cut down on fuel costs. While some of these LPG taxis are just fine, most of them have poorly installed LPG kits and you can smell the gas inside the vehicle. LPG taxis also offer less baggage space at the trunk compartment since this is where the LPG tank is installed.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - Buses

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Buses are the 2nd most utilized form of transportation in the Philippines, 2nd only to Jeepneys. They are often found on the Urban High ways and are often the only way of transportation to and from provinces. Buses on a city route don't often have a terminal, they just circle around their routes, like most Jeepney do. Provincial trip buses don't really have a central terminal (except for some provinces like in Dau, Pampanga and Bagiuo City, Benguet). Each bus company has their own terminals, but the terminals are often clustered in one place, like in Cubao and in Pasay. In most cases, you don't even have to go to the bus terminals, you just wait for them in the streets where they pass by and flag them, but of course, this depends if the bus still have seats and most of the times you are relegated to the worst seats.

In the city areas, especially in Manila, Buses are the worst choice of transportation. Aside from the fact that most of the city roads are already congested with heavy traffic, Buses oftentimes stall for long periods of time on Bus stops to call on passengers, especially in the malls. It is also common to see buses packed to the brim, with passengers standing in the aisle. Non-Airconditioned buses are more frightening, with passengers often barely clinging in the doorways. Some people get scared riding the buses since they sometimes get so close to one another that you can French-kiss the person in the other bus. During the wee hours of the morning however, at around 3 to 4am where the roads are wide open, those Non-airconditioned buses (specially the ones traveling along EDSA) will give you a ride that rivals a rollercoaster.

The Philippine Rabbit Bus line used to be the premiere Provincial Bus line in the Philippines, but it suffered bankruptcy and is now lagging behind in the Bus company race. Partas Transportation Company is now the liner of choice for trips to the northern provinces (Ilocos Norte, Bagiuo, Abra, Pangasinan). They are a bit more expensive, but they do boast of the most comfortable and cleanest buses. Five Star and Victory Liner are also good, but their routes don't go as far as Partas. If you want to go further north of the Philippines like in Cagayan Valley and Isabela, Autobus Transport Systems and Aladdin Transport Corporation are the bus lines of choice. For provinces nearby to the south of Manila, (like in Batangas and Laguna) BLTB liner and JAM Transit is popular. For provinces further south, BLTB liner, Inland Trailways, and JB Line will take you there.

There are also smaller bus lines in each province. Some often have a makeshift central terminal, consisting only of a big vacant lot with some stalls that sell refreshments. These terminals often have non-airconditioned buses, small buses, and Jeepneys that offer transportation to adjacent provinces. These buses often belong to transport companies that own only one or two buses, and they don't offer much comfort, security, nor insurance and safety found in major Bus companies, but they are often the only way to go to certain places.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - The FX taxi

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:35:00 +0000

FX's are AUV's (All utility Vehicles) that are often found where there are Jeepney routes. They offer an aiconditioned alternative to the Jeepneys and they are often a faster way to travel since they don't have to pick passengers as often as a Jeepney. FX's seat 10 people, 2 in the front, alongside the driver, 4 in the middle, and 4 in the back. Some FX drivers purposely lower the Aircon setting to the bare minimum to save on fuel, and it is sometimes better to ride the jeepney, especially in short distances.

The FX was borne out of the Toyota Tamaraw FX, an AUV that was first used as a "Mega-Taxi", which is a metered Taxi for groups of people who won't fit inside a normal taxi. Some people found out that they can use it like a Jeepney, usually driving the same route as the Jeepney. Thru this method, they can earn more than just by being a metered taxi. This mode of transportation became hugely popular that even those who have a non-public use vehicle registration used their AUV's to serve as FX taxis. Of course the Jeepney drivers and operators cried afoul since their earnings have drastically dwindled since the FX taxis came along. The Mega-taxi license has now been cancelled, and now replaced by the "Garage-Terminal Express" license. GTE vehicles are supposedly not allowed to pick up passengers along the routes, they have to pick up and drop-off passengers on specified terminals only. But of course, they still pick up and drop off passengers along their routes since terminals are often empty except during rush hour, and most FX taxis don't line up in terminals, since it requires expensive membership fees.

FX vehicles that lines up in terminals often have a fixed rate, whether you are dropping off nearby or going to the drop-off terminal at the other end of the route. The most common FX taxis are the Toyota AUV's like the Tamaraw FX, Tamaraw Revo, and the new Innova. Due to the high public demand, Isuzu and Mistubishi also released their own AUV versions such as the Hi-Lander and Crosswind for Isuzu, and the Adventure for Mistubishi. In some places, especially in the Malls and near Offices, vans such as the Mistubishi L300 and Hyundai Besta are also used like FX AUV's and generally have GTE licenses. But they often don't pick-up passengers along the way. Some FX and GTE Vans also have short provincial routes.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - The Pedicab

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:33:00 +0000

The Pedicab (also referred to as "Padyak" or "Sidecar") is a public transport vehicle similar to a tricycle, but instead of a motorcycle, a Bicycle is used. Pedicabs often have route less than a Kilometer long. Unlike the motorcycle, there is no backride in the Pedicab, and trips are carried out per passenger, meaning that you don't have to wait for other passengers before the Pedicab departs. The maximum number of passengers would be 3 or 4. The Pedicab also uses a makeshift foot-break instead of the traditional hand-clutch break in bicycles. The Pedicabs in Samar and some parts of the Cebu region have bigger wheels that resemble a racing bike and the side-car compartments look like small versions of the Kalesa cabin.

You may be wondering why there is a need for Pedicabs when most Pedicab routes can be easily reached by walking. Well, most Pedicab passengers often have heavy cargo, and the convenience of the pedicab easily lifts off the burden and allows the person to rest for a while. Some just don't like walking in the heat of the sun, especially when they have just taken a shower and they are going to work or school. Pedicabs are also useful during rainy days, where the poor drainage of most cities causes the streets to be flooded and people don't like walking in the flooded streets.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - The Tricycle

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:31:00 +0000

The Tricycle is basically a motorcycle with a sidecar that often serves as a public transportation in most neighborhoods in most parts of the country. It is similar to the Tuktuk of Thailand and the Indonesian Bekak. The Tricycle often has short routes, most are less than 4KM long, and the most common routes are only about 1KM long. Though in some areas of the country, mostly in mountainous rural areas where there are no paved roads, the tricycle acts like a Taxi, ferrying passengers for 10KM or more.

Tricycle designs vary from places to places. The most common design is a two seater side-car with a provision for a 3rd passenger. You can also ride in the motorcycle, in the back of the driver, often referred to as "backride" and is considered the best seat in the vehicle since it can often be cramped and hot inside the side-car. There are also tricycles whose side-cars can seat 4 people, and some can even seat 6.

Tricycles often have terminals where they wait for passengers. Since most tricycles already have a predefined route, drivers often wait for the tricycle to fill up with passengers before departing. If you are in a hurry or you just want the ride for yourself, you can tell the driver that you're going to pay "Special". You also pay "Special" if you want the driver to transport you to a place not within their usual route. Special trips often costs twice or thrice the usual amount of the regular fare

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - Electric Commuter Trains

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:29:00 +0000

The Light Rail Transit (LRT) line is the best way to travel around in the greater Manila area. It consists of 3 lines that connect the cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Makati, Caloocan, Quezon City, Pasig, and Pasay. It is the fastest, cheapest, and most comfortable (when it is not rush hour) mode of transportation in Urban Manila. The LRT1, the oldest of the three lines, is the first electric metro train line in Southeast Asia. The LRT1 and MRT Line 2 is owned and controlled by the government. The MRT1 is partly owned by Metrostar Company. The LRT1 services a route from Baclaran, Pasay city, to Monumento, Caloocan City. The MRT1 traverses along EDSA, from the EDSA station of the LRT1, to North Avenue in Quezon City. The newest line is the MRT2, which is a 13.8KM railway that traverses Santolan, Pasig City to Recto, Manila City. The lines are somewhat connected in some stations. They don't exactly share the same station, but your can transfer from one line to another in just a few walks. For example, The LRT1 connects to the MRT1 via their EDSA stations. You walk thru a mall in Pasay to go to the MRT1 station. The LRT1 connects to the MRT2 in Recto thru the LRT1 Carriedo Terminal. You go down the LRT1 Carriedo station and walk about two blocks to go to the MRT2 Recto station. The MRT1 and MRT2 meet up at their Cubao stations. You can walk thru the Gateway and Plaza Fair malls to go to the train stations.

The LRT1, MRT1, and MRT trains have separate cabins for the elderly and women passengers, since some women passengers have been complaining that some male passengers tend to get "frisky" in the train. Well, it can't be avoided, since during rush hours, the trains can be really jam packed. This is especially true in the MRT1 station, which is the busiest among the three lines. Most passengers complain about the LRT1 line because it is narrow and most don't have a working airconditioner. The newest line, the MRT2 is the most comfortable of the three. All three lines operate from 5am to 9pm.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines - Railroad Trains

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:11:00 +0000

The only railroad train I know of and has ever actually seen is the Philippine National Railways (PNR) train route of Tayuman, Manila to Legaspi, Albay. This is because the Jeepney I ride to go to school passes through Quirino Avenue and Herran Street in Paco, Manila where the train route passes by. This is also where the PNR Main office used to be. Railroad trains in the Philippines often depicts an image of rusty, old, and dirty locomotives with passengers hanging out the windows, doors, and rooftop.

The first railroad track to have been built in the Philippines was the Manila-Dagupan line in November 24, 1982. It was a 195 Kilometer track with a main terminal in Tutuban, Manila. In February 1, 1916, this track was extended to Legaspi, Albay, and San Fernando La Union. Extension branch lines were also added in various destinations such as Mandaluyong, Laguna, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija. Most of these routes are still operational, but the Manila-Albay route is the most active. The last official improvement on the railways was on February 23, 1995 which implemented the improvement of the Commuter Line South which serves a 40 Kilometer route from Tutuban, Manila to Calamba, Laguna. There was a supposed National Railway Improvement project initiated by the Government under the leadership of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but as with the National Broadband project, it was plagued by corruption allegations and numerous dilemmas that it was temporarily put on hold.

The railroad train of the Philippines even popularized the idea of the people who reside along the railroad tracks. Throughout the whole railways of the Manila-Legaspi route, there are squatters who have built shanties and makeshift homes. This sparked the connotation of a spoof of the movie "Home Alone" which is "Home Along" short for "Home Along da Riles" or “Home along the Railroad Tracks". They often build their own railroad carts (similar to the service and maintenance carts used in railways) and use them as a sort of public transportation similar to the way a tricycle or Pedicab works. This is highly illegal and dangerous, since they get in they way of the trains. When a train does approach, and the railroad carts are in the way, the driver of the cart asks the passengers to get out of the cart, takes the cart out of the tracks, and after the train has passed by, returns the cart to the tracks and the passengers jump right back in and they continue their trip.

You can read more information about the Philippine Railways in the PNR official site,. It doesn't really offer any images, and the site is poorly built. For great images of Philippine Railways and Trains, go here. It's a nice site written by a Railroads and Train Enthusthiast.

If you can read Japanese and your system supports Japanese Text go here. It has a wealth of information and great images that makes the PNR official site "dismal" to say the least. It even has pictures of postage stamps showcasing the Philippine Trains. It seems that Foreigners offer more information and admiration to the Philippine Railways and Trains than Filipinos themselves.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines – Kalabaw Riding and Kalabaw Sled

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:14:00 +0000

The Kalabaw (Carabao, a type of Water Buffalo) is perhaps the most prized and beloved animal in the Philippines. It has been the companion of Filipinos even before the Spaniards came. The Kalabaw is used by Filipino Farmers to plow their farms, as a mode of transporting goods, and as simply a mode of transportation similar to the way other people uses horses. Even with the advent of modern Farm equipment, the Kalabaw is still the top choice of most farmers to plow their fields.

If you would ever visit an urban area in the Philippines, you would almost always see people riding the Kalabaw bareback. If you do try to ride the Kalabaw this way, it is better if you are wearing jeans or long pants, since the hairs on the Kalabaw’s skin can sometimes make you itchy. The Kalabaw is often used to pull a type of wooden sled. This is often used to carry goods such as sacks of rice or baskets of vegetables, but can also be used as a kind of transportation since there is a makeshift seat in the sled.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines – The Kalesa/Calesa

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:12:00 +0000

The Kalesa is a horse drawn wooden carriage. As the European and Amrican horse-drawn carriages have four wheels the Kalesa has only two. The carriage is akin to the Chinese Rickshaw. Indeed, the Kalesa can best be described as a horse drawn Rickshaw. The “driver” of the Kalesa is called the “Kuchero”. It was popularly used during the Spanish era.

Like the Jeepney, the carriage of the Kalesa is often laced with various colorful decorations. Even the horse pulling the carriage is most likely to be decorated and adorned with myriads of ornaments. With the rise of the popularity of the Jeepney as a public transportation, the Kalesa lost the limelight of being the top civilian mode of transportation. The Kalesa in now relegated as a form of transportation often catered to tourists. Such Kalesa’s can often be found in the brick roads of Vigan Province in Ilocos Norte and along the pavement of Roxas Boulevard in Manila. However, Kalesa’s that still serve as a mode of transportation for everyday commuters can still be found in the busy streets of Quiapo and Binondo in Manila and in some parts of Cebu City in Cebu.

Forms of Transportation in the Philippines – The Jeepney

noreply@blogger.com (Kumag) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:24:00 +0000

The Jeep or Jeepney is considered the “King of the Streets” in the Philippines. It is the most common form of transportation in the Philippines. It can be found from the streets of busy Urban areas, to the remotest provinces of the Philippines. It is a type of passenger vehicle that looks like a stretched “Jeep” car. It is characterized by its colorful decorations much like how the Japanese “pimp” out their delivery rig trucks.

The Jeepney started out as a retrofitted U.S. Army Jeep modified for civilian use. The design and production of the Jeepney have not had a major difference from how it was produced back then. But instead of modifying a Jeep car, today’s Jeepney are often made from putting together different parts from different car manufacturers. A typical Jeepney can be made from an Isuzu small truck or a Toyota/Mistubishi multicab chassis fitted with an Isuzu Diesel Truck Engine. The body is made from steel sheets and rods. Jeepneys that are to be used in the Urban areas often have 8 seater capacity (8 people can seat on each side inside the Jeepney) but there are also monster 12 and 14 seaters which is often found on longer routes. There are also Jeepney that are aircondtioned, specially in the Ayala Area in Makati. Jeepney’s made for Rural areas and Provincial routes often have 12 seater capacities, and have steel rods in the roof for loading additional cargoes and passengers. Jeepneys on Rural Areas of the Philippines also have bigger engines.

Most Foreigners say that riding the Jeepney is almost like riding a rollercoaster. Indeed, most Jeepneys often speed up and zigzag the road, missing other cars just by mere inches. When a Jeepney is speeding or zigzagging along the road, better hold on to the handle bars at the roof of the Jeepney. Don’t let this scare you though, Jeepney accidents are uncommon, and despite the utter lack of any safety devices, death and injuries involving Jeepneys are rare, often resulting in only the Jeepney taking the damage. Most Jeepney Deaths and Serious Injuries often occur in Jeepneys in Rural Areas. This is a testament of how good Jeepney drivers are. Where else in the world will you find a driver who drives a car with the most basic mechanism and manual transmission in a poorly constructed road, holding a cigarette in one hand, money on the other hand, talking to a passenger, looking at the skirt of the a lady passenger, while going up to 80kph while zigzagging in a congested road and singing to the tune in the car radio?

You can also try to “Sabit” (which means cling to) where you stand at the end of the Jeepney and cling to the handle bar while the Jeepneey is moving. Be very careful though, since it often takes skill to do this. If ever visit the Province of the Philippines, you can also see people riding in the roof of the Jeepney, or even in the hood.

Riding in the Jeepney can also be a social event, since you can talk to the other passengers. Be careful though, there are also some people who do criminal acts inside the Jeepney. There are Pickpockets, snatchers, people who slash your bags and pants, those who take advantage of female passengers (touching your legs, peeking at your cleavage/skirts, and just recently, taking snapshots of your skirts/cleavage using camera phones). There are also holdups and robberies in Jeepneys, spcecially during the nighttime.