Dear Ms. Tordesillas:
This pertains to your article titled “Nautical Highway” which appeared on your column in the Malaya Newspaper on 09 February 2007.
The undersigned conveys his appreciation for the comments the author made in the above cited article regarding the Nautical Highway. By way of information, allow us to state that the nautical highway component you have written about in your column is the Western Nautical Highway or Western Seaboard, one of the major components which comprise the government’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) system running across the major growth quadrants of the country.
We are humbled to know that you have considered traveling via the nautical highway as an interesting experience, particularly from the standpoint of price differential with air travel. However, we are equally concerned about the points you have raised in your article regarding your nautical highway experience, i.e., certain amenities on board the ferry vessel you have taken, baggage handling and ticketing procedures of bus companies plying the link, and toilet facilities along the route. While it is not directly within our jurisdiction to comment on the baggage and ticketing procedures of bus companies and the type of amenities being provided on board the ferry or Ro-Ro vessels plying the SNRH, we believe these concerns merit coordination by agencies like the LTO, LTFRB and MARINA, among others, tasked to handle these.
Again, my thanks to you for your 09 February 2007 article in the Malaya Newspaper, it having served as an eye-opener for government agencies, PPA included, the role of which is to improve the traveling experience of the commuting public along the SRNH.
Very truly yours,
ATTY. OSCAR M. SEVILLA
General Manager
There is a guy who has been going against this Philippine Port Authority. He has maintained likewise a home page on the anomalies there.
As a civilian upholding the law, I would listen more to the people complaining than listen to these people being complained about and/or apologists of this authority under the command of a cheat! :-
At least we know they are actually reading what is being said. Looked more like a Public Relations template letter to me though…
While writing this piece to Ellen, I wonder if our dear Attorney contacted the aforementioned agencies himself.. that is to say, if he was being sincere…
ATTY. OSCAR M. SEVILLA:
As General Manager, having had details of complaints brought to your attention will you at least inform people what you intend to do to improve basic traveling services OR are you just saying that its nothing to do with you because at the time you were up-on-deck busy collecting ticket fares.
You may also be humbled to know that apart from learning that “comprises the government’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) system running across the major growth quadrants of the country.” I learned nothing of your intentions of how you will improve services of your operation and its agents.
It leaves the impression that you have no intentions of improving anything connected to your operation. Not even a meeting with these various agents to discuss a solution to the problems. Atty Sevilla don’t you think this is a starting point of being sincere in trying to resolve the problems of your traveling passenger or are you content in leaving it to others.
SRNH, nice title, but means absolutely nothing to the traveler when using your poor services.
The reply of Atty. Sevilla is what we call de kahon. Mga ready reply, binabago lang ang contents. Sana kung nakabasa siya ng mga comments sa blog, marahil matatauhan siya at gagawa ng dapat na action to improve the system. Mas nakakatuwang basahin.
I have a friend-lawyer who has a very little regard for lawyers who are in the government employ. Mahinang klase raw ma abogado kaya sa gobyerno nagtatrabaho. Galing sa isang kapwa abogado yan, not from me.
Tawag diyan ng nanay ko, Joeseg, aabogago de kampanilya de sorbetero!!! 😉
Joeseg;
Pare;
I agree with you about a lawyer who work in the government,most of them are Bar flunker the first,second and even third time.Mahinang klase and they are only fit for being a Notary-Public.Ang magagaling na lawyer ay iyong mga Abogadong de-Campana,Then Abogadong-de Campanilya,Abogadong-de Batingting katulad ng ginagamit ng surbetero.Baka itong sinasabi mong Abogado na government employee ay di batingting.Baka Kuliling!
. . .”On 20 April 1571, Legazpi sailed from Panay with a fleet of twenty seven vessels, 200 Spaniards and 1,500 Filipinos. Before arriving in Manila, the fleet achored off of the island of Mindoro where they stayed for fifteen days. Even though a Muslim sultan from Borneo had ruled the residents of Mindoro, they showed an eagerness to form an alliance with the Spaniards.”
Isa lang ibig sabihin nito, maski wala pa ang mga Kastila at hindi pa Republika ang Isla ng Pilipinas(part of the Spanish East Indies), existing na ang trade route dyan!
The response letter of Atty:Sevilla to Ellen is not an apologetic but, instead he is passing the blame on government agencies for the inconveniences that she endured on the high seas voyage.
We-will-never-learn had written her comment addressing what suggestion for the general manager to undertake in improving the service to the traveling public, and I shared her views.
If I may add, the position we are risking in here is the safety and convenience of the passengers.
The shipping company is not looking for the so called——–convenience service——- but a profit. They disregard the fear and anxiety of the long journey to the high winds on the sea.
Nelbar:
Are you a History professor?
How about the Chinese traders what year they got involved doing commerce in the Philippines.
How about those notorious pirates?
Lima Hong? Artsee,might know the story he is a Chinese descendant.
cocoy,
hindi ako History Professor. nagbabasa lang ako. hilig ko na nuon pa ang pagbabasa ng mga libro na may patungkol sa kasaysayan lalo na ang mga bayani, founders, builders at innovators ng ating bansa.
malaking tulong ang libro na “history of asian nation :oriental history in world setting”.
akma sa binabasa ko na libro ngayon at nasa ika-apat na kabanata pa lang ako.
heto yun . . .
As Goiti’s fleet sailed into Manila Bay, passing by the small island of Corregidor at its entrance, he noticed that there were four Chinese trade vessels anchored in the harbor. Along the shore, he could also see that the Muslims had erected a wooden fort with earthworks. Surrounding the walled citadel were a number of villages and tilled farms with houses constructed of cane and palm fronds. The inhabitants of the city and suburbs consisted of Muslims, Filipinos, Chinese and Japanese who were all going about their daily business (the few Japanese living in the city were religious migrants who fled Japan after they were persecuted for their Christian beliefs during the sixteenth century). As Goiti sailed closer to the seafront, he noted the number of soldier and artillery visible along the walls of the fortified city.
Once his ship had anchored in Manila Bay, Goiti discovered that he had stumbled into a dispute between the Muslims of Manila and the Chinese merchant aboard their ship. It was then the practice that when trade ships arrived at Manila, the merchant had to remain aboard their vessels and were not allowed to come ashore. They were expected to conduct all trade with the city whilst staying aboard their vessels. However, with the arrival of the Spaniards, the Chinese merchants appealed to them for assistance in their dispute with the Muslims.
As token of friendship, the captains of the four Chinese vessels presented Goiti with a number of gifts including silk, brandy, rice, ornaments and live chicken. In return, Goiti invited them to come aboard his flagship. Once there, the Chinese expressed their dismay with the Muslims who had forcefully taken the helms of their vessels and would not allow them to regain control of their own ship. Moreover, they argued that the Muslims were refusing to pay for goods they had already purchased.
– The City of Manila –
. . .
Nay’ Ellen pagpaumanhin mo muna ang pag-post ko na ito hah? Share ko lang kasi nagtatanong si cocoy eh. Pa-bagong taon ko sa kanya! —-year of the Bayawak(buy-a-walk) 😀
mahusay itong si atitiway oscar sevilla. mapagpakumbaba at marunong magbigay halaga sa kanyang nababasa at alam ang mga hakbang na gagawin upang mas lalong maging kaigaigaya ang paglalakbay sa nasabing ruta.
utos sa kanya ng amo niyang donya!
Cokecoy, tama ka. Bago pa man ang mga Kastila ay mga Intsik na ang isa sa mga pinakaunang nakipag-negosyo sa Pilipinas. Marami akong libro at mga dokumento tungkol diyan. Pansinin niyo ang kultura at mga “arts” ng Pilipinas na may bahid ng kasaysayan ng Tsina o mga Intsik. Kaya nga ang pangalan ko Artsee kasi you can See the Art na may origin ng Chinese. Hindi lang sa Pilipinas. Sa buong Asia ay may inpluensiya ng kultura at tradisyon ng Intsik. Mula Korea hanggang Hapon at sa mga iba’t ibang bansa sa Asia.
As I understand it, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has authority only over the ports. It is the Marina who has authority over the shipping lines.
Therefore it is the Marina who should have replied to Ellen. Unless of course they haven’t read Ellen’s article. Or have read it but don’t care to reply.
But PPA has its share of inadequacies, too, as far as regulating the services of ports along the Nautical Highway. there have been a lot of talk about PPA being one of the milking cows of this and past administrations.
The PPA General manager conveniently forgot to address the “bad” attitudes of the personnel aboard the RO-Ro vessel, who either out of insensentivenes or ignorance or just plain outright morons ignored the passengers request for a wholesome family show opn their t.v. screens.
And besides the Manager, just a very smart fellow of diverting the ball to some others. True to bureucrats, no plan of actions for improvements, instead more of PR reply.
Ellen:
“I was reading Carmen Guerrero Nakpil “Myself, Elsewhere.”
Likewise I was enlightened by the piece ‘The mestiza’ written by Bambi Harper in The Malaya, fascinating.
Nelbar;
Quisiera clarles las gracias!-For the History lesson.It is my favorite subject.
Artsee;
Share me some of your Ancient Chinese history lesson.The Ming Dynasty.
cokies!
kapag nagdial ka ng 411 dyan sa Merika abangan ko lang yan dito sa kinalalagyan ko.
sinasabi ko rin kay artsee na magbangko sa Stanly-Murgan.
nelbar;
If your land line is listed or unlisted I can dial.I am avoiding to dial 911.If your a Sprint or Verizon subscriber or
a Time Warner cable I can pick a signal.
cocoy:
a bit of history.
what interest me most is the repeated mention of the word “Filipino” in the said chapter.
“The inhabitants of the city and suburbs consisted of Muslims, Filipinos, Chinese, and Japanese who were all going their daily business.
And the frequent use of the name Philippines(known earlier as “Islas del Poniente”) even before the arrival of Legazpi(The Adelantado) who first sailed the Pacific in the latter part of 1564.
Legazpi arrival at the northern part of of Malay archipelago only at February 1565.
The Malay archipelago was actually part of the territorial dispute between Portugal and Spain and resolved only in the Treaty of Zaragoza(Tordesillas) signed 29April1529.
Please see wikipedia entry for “Line of Demarcation“:
Portugal gave up its claim to the Philippines in exchange for Brazil
Nang makubkob nina Goiti at Legazpi ang Manila saka pa lamang nagpalabas ang kaharian ng Espanya ng “Insigne y Siempre Leal Ciudad” (“Distinguished and Ever Loyal City” noong June 10,1574.
Matatandaan na ang mga sinaunang mangangalakal ng Maynila ay mga Arabs at Indians.
Nope, not the Arabs and Indians, Nelbar, the Chinese and then the Japanese were the first ones said to be trading with the Filipinos long before Magellan set foot on Philippine soil.
There were contacts with countries in Indo-China likewise before and after they were invaded by the Europeans. Arab contact and influence came through Indonesia and Malaya.
Japanese traders reported the way the Spaniards treated the Filipinos, and that was why the priests who tried to convert the Japanese to Christianity were unwelcome, and fear of invasion by Spain through religion was the main reason Japan was closed to the world till 1858.
The Philippines’ “banga” was one of the sought-after product of the Philippines as a matter of fact. It was called “Luzon Tsubo” in Japanese, and used for keeping tea!
Tama, Ate Japyuks. Buti inamin mo na ang mga Chinese ang nauna at sumunod ang mga Japanese. Pero baka napagkamalan lang na Japanese ang mga Chinese. Noon kasi halos pareho sa kilos, kultura, relihiyon, tradisyon, sulat at marami pang iba ang Chinese at Japanese. Hindi siguro nakilala ng mga ninuno nating Pinoy ang dalawang lahi, Chinese at Japanese. Ang alam ko lang naipamahagi ng mga Japanese sa Pilipinas ay ang Japanese Garden sa may Luneta. Ang mga iba ay puro galing sa mga Chinese na.
Bago pa pangalanan ng Spanish East Indies ang Islas Filipinas pati na ang Caesaria Karoli aka Mindanao ay kasama na ito sa nasasakupan ng Majapahit Empire.
Villalobos named the island, Mindanao , in honor of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.