Bad driving is in the Philippines not in Filipinos

Comment from a reader on the post: Is the Philippines ready for high-speed highways?:


What the ----! Filipinos in the main, cannot drive safely. How the hell they manage in Australia is a mystery. Strict laws and regulations such as not having a mobile phone in sight and heavy fines for traffic infringements must be hitting the bank balance. They would probably get away with more in the states where riding a motorbike and bicycle without a helmet is almost "hero status". Just love it when you are turning left and motorcycles pass as you are making the turn! 

From the Bugle: They manage easily in Australia, Canada, the US, etc. They take driver's education classes and are forced to follow traffic laws, just like everyone else. We're not sure how much you travel but this isn't a "Filipino problem". Developing countries around the world have the same problem. (The Philippines is a haven of traffic safety and discipline compared to Vietnam!) There is zero driver's education in the Philippines. "Driving schools" actually just teach you have to shift gears in a standard transmission and they do the LTO paperwork for your license. There is almost nothing in terms of teaching driver's safety and defensive driving. Traffic laws are selectively enforced. If a country has the political will to enforce mandatory real driver's education, and enforce traffic laws (including for jeepneys and police, congressmen, and all the other VIP scofflaws on the road), then the country will move toward having safer roads. The Philippines isn't there yet.  

Christmas for Real Men

In the UK, We Stopped the Gun Massacres and it Didn't Lead to a Marcos-style Dictatorship

Comment from a reader on Maguindanao massacre was caused in part by poor gun control in Mindanao: 
I’d like to make a comment/observation regarding gun control. I read that Marcos introduced a tight gun control law and this effectively lead to his dictatorship and as such was a bad idea for the U.S.A. and it's democratic process. This would put the population of America's mindset on a par with the Philippines? In the U.K. approximately 30 years ago, we had a "nutter" who went on a shooting spree, and as a consequence we banned guns overnight! We had all the usual demonstrations etc. about personal freedoms and liberty but at the end of the day it took politicians with balls to actually do what the majority wanted and take a moral and not a "pressure" stand. As far as I know democracy still thrives in the U.K. and not any feared dictatorship.

Criminals in the Philippines Would be More Heavily Armed if they Could Afford It

Comment from a reader on the post: Maguindanao massacre was caused in part by poor gun control in Mindanao 

Huh? Poor gun control caused the Maguindanao massacre? Heavily armed victims would have been the only thing that would have prevented that massacre. Indiscriminate shooting in malls. Is that political? Shooting a bus load of Chinese tourists. Political also? Gun control didn't seem to work very well in those cases did it? The only reason more crooks don't have guns in the Philippines is economics, not because of gun control. They just can't afford to buy one. The USA has a population of 312 million people. Some of them murder each other too. A society that breeds nut cases that hurt children is the real issue that needs to be addressed. 

BIG Garage Sale in Binictican

Comment from a reader:
Hey Bugle, can you help us advertise our garage sale? It's two houses and a ton of stuff, lap tops, five printers, playstation, mobile phones, other electronics; collections of Vanity Fair, New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, and hundreds of Reader's Digest magazines in near new condition; tons of toys, a few thousand items of clothing, including winter stuff; a Hot Rod low-rider bicycle, a beach classic bike with foot brakes, and a bunch of other stuff, all priced to sell fast.

BIG THREE DAY GARAGE SALE

Saturday, December 29

Sunday, December 30

Monday, December 31

7 a.m. until dusk

36C and 36D Mahogany (near Mango Drive)

Binictican, SBMA

Tel. 0929 510 6031

Lots of great stuff for cheap prices:

Golf clubs

Electronics

Mobile phones

Bicycles

Toys

Books/Reader’s Digest magazines

From the Bugle: Happy to advertise your event. An alert to readers: we are happy to run free classified, event notices and other public service announcements for the Subic/Angeles area.

He Should Have Stayed in Thailand

Comments from readers of the New York Daily News regarding Subic Resident Arrested in New York:

It a typical story of how men are screwed when it comes to child support. These so call moms/females love it when they're living the high life but if it changes they still want the same amount and won't back down. All you have to do is watch any "Housewife" to see what today's women are like.

That's great -- put him in jail for the rest of his life. Let him make license plates for 25¢/hr so he can pay off the $1M bucks he owes. When my circumstances changed I went to court and got my child support adjusted. On the other hand, I always paid it so I didn't get any grief from the kids' mom. But whatever he could make on the outside, if they can keep him in one place, they'll get a lot more out of him than if he's in the slammer.

Great, the taxpayers can pay $40-50K a year to keep this clown locked up so he can send $100 a week to his ex-wife.

The moral of the story don't have kids. And worse don't get married if you don't have to. Then you can live as you want in Thailand or the Philippines. He should have remained in Thailand selling motorbikes. What caused him to go to the Philippines is beyond me? Does he not know the Philippines was once a U.S. posession from Spain. And we still have contacts there unlike Thailand the country that boasts they were never colonized by the Europeans?

Or, get custody if you do. Child support payments are based on absurd formulas and assumptions that have more to do with maintaining a high lifestyle for the mother than supporting the child. In real life a custodial parent who loses a job doesn't continue to owe the child an accumulated debt. And, since when does a kid need tens of thousands per month and to live in a mansion as is the case with some celebrity cases. Child support is post feminist alimony.

Good Burgers at Army Navy in Harbor Point

Comment from a reader: On Wed night driving through SBMA I saw signs that said Burger King Now Open.  I fancied a burger for lunch yesterday so I went to the mall only to find out Burger King was not open yet; opening at 1500 yesterday.  I still wanted a burger so I went to Army Navy two doors down.  Burger was juicy and very good, especially with the jalapenos.  Burger (lettuce, tomato, onion) was P165 and jalapenos P20 more.  Another bonus was you could have a beer (SML P60) with your meal.   They also had some Mexican (burritos, tacos, etc.) that I will try.

From the Bugle: Army Navy is owned by the same company that operates Yellow Cab Pizza. Their food is good and they are the closest thing you can find to a real taco in Subic. They have hard shell and soft shell tacos. And their prices are great. Too bad you have to deal with the mall parking and traffic to get to them. That's life with the malls!

Merry Christmas!

Subic Bay, Christmas Eve 1949

Go home loser

Comment from a reader on the post: The Philippines is a Pathetic Cesspool:

Go home loser.

Subic Bay Dumping Part II

A pretty in depth comment from a reader on Subic Bay Dumping

This is all propaganda BS by the complainant...who just happen to be top brass for GTDI, whom lost the contract to Glenn Defense Marine. These brainless idiots making such accusations such as "toxic waste", and "nuclear waste", all the while saying US Navy Ship. It was awesome how Subic Ecology Center violated all security protocal, when they boarded the Glenn, without being accompanied by any Coast Guard personnel. Just trying to create tension and threaten the RP-US relations, and give more fuel for the other brainless anti-American groups to run their filthy mouths. If they are so concerned about polluting the waters, then I would have to ask where is the investigation against Subic Water?? They clearly haven't any lifting stations to separate the solid wastes...so wtf are they disposing their waste? SBMA now is a cesspool of corruption, that has been mismanaged from day one when the US handed it over. It's amazing how these criminals have not been put in prison. Wonderful job sparking anti-American and anti-VFA sentiments...and you wonder why your country hasn't come out o the dark ages. Bask in your own juices.

Maguindanao massacre was caused in part by poor gun control in Mindanao

Comment from a reader on the post: The Philippines is aPathetic Cesspool

There are murders every day in the Philippines? What an idiotic comment. This is a country of 90 million people. When you have 90 million people, some of them murder each other. You toss around a lot of BS stats in your comment. Who says the Philippines has more guns per capita than the United States? Other than the Maguindanao massacre, which was a political killing (driven in large part by the lack of effective gun control in Mindanao), when was the last time we had a mass school killing in the Philippines. In the United States, we let heavily armed killers open fire on our children a couple of times a year. It’s routine now. The Philippines doesn’t do that. Take a look in your own backyard before you piss on other countries.

Subic Resident Arrested in New York

Long Island deadbeat dad who allegedly owes more than $1 million in child support is arrested in the Philippines

Robert Sand, labeled the nation's worst deadbeat dad, owes the money for the three kids he fathered with two ex-wives, say prosecutors

By Nancy Dillon AND John Marzulli / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 10:22 PM

Inspector General

Most-wanted deadbeat dad Robert Sand. His mother, Rita, says 'he's not a bad guy.'

The long arm of the law has reached halfway across the world to nab a Long Island man who the feds say is the nation’s worst deadbeat dad.

Robert Sand owes more than $1 million in child support for the three kids he fathered with two ex-wives, according to prosecutors who have been on the fugitive’s trail since 2002.

Sand, 50, had been living in Thailand but got into trouble last month when he traveled to the Philippines without the proper identity papers and was taken into custody.

The U.S. doesn’t have an extradition agreement with Thailand, but the government of the Philippines was more than happy to deport the deadbeat. Federal marshals took Sand into custody Tuesday after he arrived on a flight to Los Angeles.

Sand has left a lot of bad blood behind, but still has his mother in his corner — even though she concedes he’s a deadbeat like his own father.

“I’m very glad he’s back in the U.S.A.,” Rita Sand, 78, told the Daily News. “He made a terrible mistake leaving the country.

“He’s not a bad guy, he just got caught up in that spider web of whatever the system is,” she said.

Federal prosecutors indicted Sand in 2009 on two counts of failure to pay child support. He has been slapped with arrest warrants repeatedly since 1996 for failing to comply with court orders before fleeing to Thailand where he sold motorcycles for a living.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services termed him the “most wanted deadbeat parent” on its website.

Back in the 1990s, Sand was earning $500,000 to $600,000 a year running automobile auctions. He and ex-wife Lisa lived in a mansion in Old Brookville before the business and their marriage went kaput, his mother said. The couple’s two daughters are adults now.

Sand’s second wife, who asked not to be identified, said he owes her about $400,000 in support for their daughter.

“I think he should be locked up for a long time,” the ex-wife said. “He was a terrible role model, so I think it benefited us not having him around.”

Rita Sand said her son would occasionally call her on her birthday or around Mother’s Day, but he didn’t discuss his situation in detail.

“I told him to stick it out, that you can’t get blood from a stone, but he said he didn’t have that kind of money to pay,” Rita Sand said.

“The government wanted to make an example out of him,” she added.

Sand was arraigned before a magistrate judge in Riverside, Calif., and will be returned to Long Island Federal Court in the next two weeks.

“He’s happy to be back and is looking forward to the opportunity to address these outstanding issues,” said defense lawyer Glenn Obedin.

ndillon@nydailynews.com

I Don't Give a Crap!

Comment from a reader on the post: Keep Your Eyes on the Road: 
In response to the red sign, I suffer from mental constipation, I don't give a crap... 

From the Bugle: Thanks for updating us on your constipation. Anything you do care about in Subic or Angeles? 

The Philippines is a Pathetic Cesspool

Comment from a reader on the post: Thank God We Have Gun Control in Subic: 

You are beyond uninformed, staggeringly ignorant. In fact, read any local newspaper here. It’s the Wild West. Every day murder after murder in the Philippines, more guns per person than the US. What on earth would possess you to post that? You think anything in Philippines is better than the US? Maybe some of the prices for the cheap charlies, and the gals...other than that, this place is a pathetic cesspool...

Comment from the Bugle: You need to go back to your perfect America buddy and leave the Philippines to those of us who love the place.

Texas Joe's Now Open Seven Days a Week

Comment from a reader: Great News! Texas Joe's in Subic Bay is now open 7 days a week. Monday to Thurdsday it's 11am to 10pm and Fri, Sat and Sunday it's 11am to 11am.

From the Bugle: That is indeed great news. How about delivery service?  

Gun laws in America are enforced like Traffic Laws in the Philippines.

Comment from a reader on the post: Philippine Gun Control laws didn’t stop the Maguindanao Massacre

Yes but saying “it is NOT legal for a criminal or insane person to legally acquire a gun in the USA” is like saying “it is NOT legal to blow through a red light in the Philippines”. True it is not legal to blow through a red light but people do it all the time because law enforcement is lax. In the United States, law enforcement at gun shows is not lax, it is NON-EXISTENT. The fact is there are no background checks and no restrictions at all at gun shows. An insane felon can buy 50 assault rifles – as long as they do it at a gun show! You made a good point about Marcos. When the guns were cleaned off the streets during martial law, the violence in the Philippines dropped to its lowest point in history. Ask anyone who lived through martial law. You could walk down the streets of Manila and never fear being robbed or victimized. If you do the same thing, without declaring martial law, you have a safe, democratic society. Clean up the guns and the killing stops. Every society in the world knows that… except America.

Hey Bugle, Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter, the Sign is an Aircraft Warning

Comment from a reader on the Post: Keep Your Eyes on the Road: 
I have seen the sign; I think it went up in Oct or Nov.  However, I think you have the reason for it wrong as I don't think it has anything to do with the entertainment district.  The sign is right where the small planes fly over to land at Omni Aviation.  One day, I actually let off on the gas and sort of ducked as one was coming in VERY low.  I felt like I could have reached up and touched it.

From the Bugle: You're probably right but then shouldn't it say: "Watch for Low-Flying Aircraft". I've seen that sign lots of times near airports. This is the first time I have seen KEEP EYES ON THE ROAD.

Philippine Gun Control laws didn’t stop the Maguindanao Massacre

Comment from a reader on the post: Thank God We Have Gun Control in Subic:
Sorry but it is NOT legal for a criminal or insane person to legally acquire a gun in the USA. If you take weapons away from law abiding citizens, only the criminals will still have their illegally acquired weapons. I remember President Marcos declaring martial law and seizing all personal weapons here in the Philippines. That set the stage for him to become a virtual dictator over an unarmed populace, precisely the reason why the US constitution grants the right to bear arms. The school shooting was a sad event, but equally sad are the deaths around the world from bombs and suicide terrorists, and let’s not forget the Maguindanao massacre.

PNP Will Go Door to Door Looking for Unlicensed Guns

PNP reminds gun owners they only have until end of year to renew license

MANILA, Philippines - Individuals with expired gun licenses have until the end of the year, December 31, to renew their licenses or face arrest, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced Monday as it intensified security operations for the 2013 elections.

The PNP has recorded about 552,380 unrenewed firearms licenses, which will be the subject of a crackdown beginning next year.

The PNP stressed that there would be no more amnesty for delinquent gun owners this year.

Director Lina Sarmiento of the Directorate for Police Community Relations said that starting Monday, December 10, policemen would personally visit homes of delinquent gun owners to urge them to renew their licenses.

"I am appealing to all delinquent gun owners, particularly those whose gun licenses have been expired for more than two years, to have them renewed," Sarmiento said during a news conference Monday.

In Cavite, 85 firearms were turned over to policemen as part of the campaign against loose firearms. The surrendered weapons consisted of 25 long firearms and 60 short firearms.

Cavite, based on PNP records, is the province with the highest number of private armed groups with 14 active groups. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has about five.

Instead of sending letters to delinquent gun owners, the PNP opted to do personal visits in the hopes of encouraging people to renew their gun licenses.

"This is the first time that the PNP will do house visits to check on the existence of firearms. We are optimistic that with this, there will be more registered firearms this time," said Chief Superintendent Ricardo Marquez, PNP deputy director for operations.

Policemen are instructed to be courteous during house visits and are strongly warned against mulcting from residents.

Gun owners with expired licenses must surrender their firearms first and they will be issued receipts. Their firearms will be returned once a new license has been issued.

The PNP also started on Monday intensified operations in the 15 so-called election hotspots.

The 15 hotspots or high-risk areas are: Abra, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cagayan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Cavite, Masbate, Samar, Misamis Occidental, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan.

As early as now, the PNP has already recorded 10 election-related violent incidents, victimizing candidates of the coming polls, according to Sarmiento.

Give Subic to the Chinese

Comment from a reader on the post: Clark Prospers While Mismanaged Subic Sinks!

Best thing that could happen to SBMA would to be overrun by the Chinese. I have many great examples to share, but it's not worth my effort. I cannot wait to get out of this cesspool.

From the Bugle: If you have that kind of an attitude, we're glad to see you go!

Thank God We Have Gun Control in Subic

Comment from a reader:
After seeing what has happened in the United States these past few years - 31 school shootings and it is still legal for anyone, any criminal or insane person, to buy high-powered assault weapons with no background check at gun shows - thank God the Philippines has modern gun laws. And Subic inside the base is even more strict than the national laws. That's why we don't have the mass killings that the United States has and will continue to have for years to come. The United States has a lot to learn from the Philippines.

From the Bugle: All comments, responses MUST have some link to Subic, Angeles, Manila or the Philippines. If you just want to spout off on US politics, you're on the wrong site! Pro and con gun control comments are welcome but give us some local context!

Keep Your Eyes on the Road

Apparently, the line of adult entertainment establishments that run along the SCTEX highway, along Fields Avenue, in Angeles is causing some distraction among motorists. The angry red sign appears to take the tone of a perturbed wife in the passenger's eat admonishing her husband as his eyes stray toward the bright lights of Fields...

Catch a Free Ride to Ocean Adventure

TREASURE ISLAND Resort is proud to announce a new, Free transportation service to OCEAN ADVENTURE!

OCEAN ADVENTURE, Southeast Asia’a only open-water marine park, located on S.B.M.A., has just gotten easier and less expensive to enjoy!

Treasure Island Resort, in partnership with Ocean Adventure, is now the primary pick-up point for daily transportation to this exciting day-time venue. Here’s your chance to experience the whales, dolphins, sea lions, rescued forest animals, and a host of fish and sea creatures in a variety of exciting and intimate ways!

The daily van will depart TREASURE ISLAND Resort at 10:30am, where you will be brought to the New Ayala Mall for transfer to a luxury bus for the trip to OCEAN ADVENTURE. The return trip departs the adventure park at 5:30pm for transport back to the Ayala Mall where you can enjoy many of the fine restaurants and shopping experiences. (Note: Currently transport back to Baloy Beach / Barrio Barretto from the mall will need to be self-arranged. Taxis from the mall to Baloy and Barretto are available for about p350.)

Additional 10% Savings:

In addition you will receive a 10% Savings on your Admission Tickets and for many of the other Special Attractions/Events that this great venue has to offer.

Advance Reservations are required via the TREASURE ISLAND Resort Front Desk. They can be contacted at:

Land Line: (63) 047-223-8890

Mobile:09295156665

E-Mail: TISubic@Yahoo.com

*** Van Pick-Up is also available at the DRYDEN Hotel in Barrio Barretto

Ocean Adventure Web site: www.oceanadventure.com.ph/

Clark Prospers While Mismanaged Subic Sinks!

Featured comment from a reader about the post New SBMA Fees

Who could keep up with the administrators program

Who would want too????????????????

70000 new jobs in Clark and no natural advantages of Subic Bay

New building going up every where, expansion of existing business

Good roads,New roads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can anyone Tell me ONE piece of infrastructure the SBMA has actually built since they were given the Facilities here by the Americans. JUST ONE??????????????????????????????

Guess whose program we want to follow.

Only in the PI could they be given for free such an asset that they could completely stuff up

Keep up the Good Work Bugle!

Featured comment from a reader about the post Barretto is a Changing:

This is a very interesting blog site. Congratulations to whoever is behind it!!! You cover a varied range of topics considering the small area we live in. Thanks and keep up the good work!!

Hey Bugle, You’re a Cheap Charlie! You Get What You Pay For

Featured comment from a reader about the post Harbor Point Raises Fees

Harbor Point has a total of 9 rest rooms available to thepublic of which 7 are free of charge, 3 on the ground floor, 3 on the 2ndfloor and 1 on the 3rd floor.
There are only 2 Family Lounge CR’s in the entirebuilding, one on ground floor, one on 2nd floor chargingP10.00. Why – because shoppers can avail of powder, lotion, handsanitizer, mouthwash, a rest area in which to relax, a diaper changing stationand section for nursing mothers.
Shoppers producing a total of P500.00 worth of receipts from any food or non foodoutlets using the Family Lounge rest rooms are free of charge.. (not a singlestore, contrary to a recent blog)
Life is all about CHOICES…take your pick.

Give Bus, Jeepneys and Trike Drivers the Finger

Featured comment from a reader about the post Hand Signals

You started this article with the word "professional drivers". Are you kidding? What is professional about any bus, jeepney or trike driver. The best hand signal for them is the 1 finger salute.

Fixing Olongapo’s Floods Are a No-Brainer

Featured comment from a reader about the post Dredge the Rivers: 

This whole situation is truly a no brainer. Especially in an election year you would think that the Olongapo constituants would be standing up for themselves. How many times do they have to endure flooding (loss of belongings, flood damage, etc.) that would be solved by simply dredging the river/watershed and getting a full blown campaign against litter in the drainage system?
I was talking with a Olongapo born and raised resident and was told that during the previous mayor's tenure (Senator Dick Gordon) that the Subic/Olongapo area was one of the cleanest in the country. She further went on to recount how dismayed that she was about the lack of consideration for the environment. The people of Olongapo need to wake up and see how their actions/inactions also impact others upstream (i.e Santa Rita, etc.). I am sure that a lot of the flooding experienced there was due to the impeded flow thru Subic/Olongapo.
Another area that needs to be tackled countrywide is code enforcement. I have read how the National Administration is trying to get the codes enforced at a national vs local leve. This would help the repeated catastrophies of people building in flood prone areas (i.e. Marikina, Olongapo, etc..)...

RP-China Spat is Good for Subic

Featured comment from a reader about the post Ship Visits:

It seems like the little spat that the Philippines and China are having is turning out to be a good thing for our local establishments.  After the visit by USS Louisville we are now having the USNS Mercy visit our local area for some rest and logistical resupply.  Hopefully these visits will continue and the local economy will gain an infusion of American dollars.