Mt. Haven Trek

The girl in red stilettos woke me up around three am. I grunted and she relentlessly shook me out of my sleep...time to go, she said...and I groaned knowing death march is part of the itinerary for this day.  I feigned sleep, but the impending thought of having to walk for miles is keeping me awake...and yammy is not giving up...she comes back shakes me again and I woke up frowning ready to complain -- but changed my mind.  I took a glimpse at her and decided she is more scared of it than I am, and to complain might push her to the edge of worry and insanity.

But the worry of having to walk for miles slowly dissipated after we slowly dragged our feet up towards our destination.  Its not the climb, we both learned, that is scary, it's the things that happens to you while climbing. Liam had an epiphany of umbrellas and octopus and I was dizzy on the first part =( Chocolate and good conversation got us going.  Liam and I with nothing but time on hands as we did our trek, found things to talk about...important matters and not so very important ones.  We wondered about stuff like plants and somehow found ways to connect it to the wallpaper issues of our lives.  The scary thought of tumbling down was drowned by laughter as we try to focus our steps because we are more scared to having to do it all over again.

This is a practice climb, the social climbers said.  I call it a death march...ok a happy death march.  Mt. Apo is an 8-hour climb ordeal...I don't wanna name it. 

In case you are wondering what this climbing and torture is all about.  Liam is heading DownSouth mag.  A mag to showcase the treasures and spots of Mindanao.  And for this year's first issue, she confidently chose Apo.  And because Mt. Apo is not coming down to the office for a meeting, we are climbing to have a word with it. 

Social Climbers said if you cannot talk anymore while walking, it means, you are out of breath.  Out of breath is not something you would not want to experience while climbing.  They advised to take baby steps...long strides are more tiresome and you unknowingly uses energy that you should be saving.  We also have to get a walking stick...a third leg to carry 25% of our weight.  Chocolates and jelly will be our comfort food.   There will be porters, they shared..and they walk through the mountains barefoot.  I am sure my eyes gleamed in disbelief...but I remembered the indigenous community I encountered before in my immersions...I don't remember those guys wearing shoes either...

We reached our destination in more or less three hours.  After swearing off a lot of things, I found myself staring at a sight that is breathtakingly beautiful.  The water and the mountain is wonderful...and I can't imagine how beautiful it will be on Apo...especially during sunrise and sunset.

Yes, I'm tired.  Yes, I was complaining.  But yes, I'd do it all over again =)

they're happy that they dont have to drag a dead body.

food!

liam and i are still alive

social climbers

social climbers

down south

Day 15: Goodnight Teddy

Nice to sleep on your own bed ^.^

with teddy watching over you hehe.

Day 14: Coffee Stop @ YuYu

On our way home, Mayor Uy called Edwin and asked

if we want to drop by YuYu Cafe. 

Yey! We so love the coffee and cakes ^.^

Day 13: Tagum City

Left Davao for a photo safari 

with Olan, Marvin, and Angie in Tagum City.

The photo safari was requested as part of the prep

 the city is making  for the  Musikahan Festival to be

held on Feb 16.  An international Music Festival with

15 countries participating.  

Thanks Edwin and Olan for the invite!

Day 12: Pinaypay

a childhood favorite. 

Ate neng gave me this for merienda today ^.^

13th Zodiac Sign revealed

The heavens shifted and the astrologists who favor the tidiness of the 12 zodiac sign must acknowledge the 13th constellation to maintain accuracy, says Betty Mattison Rhodes.

• Capricorn: Jan. 20 – Feb. 16
• Aquarius: Feb. 17 – March 11
• Pisces: March 12- April 18
• Aries: April 19- May 13
• Taurus: May 14- June 21
• Gemini: June 21- July 20
• Cancer: July 21- Aug. 10
• Leo: Aug. 11- Sept. 16
• Virgo: Sept. 17- Oct. 30
• Libra: Oct. 31- Nov. 23
• Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29
• Ophiuchus: Nov. 30- Dec. 17
• Sagittarius: Dec. 18- Jan. 20

As of today, I am officially an Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder.  According to Rhodes, this sign is included in the 48 constellations described by Ptolemy but Astrologers did not include this sign because the sun only travels on the 13th sign for nineteen (19) days.  But the heaven have shifted, as it often does after hundreds of years and to maintain accuracy, astronomers must now recognize the 13th sign of the Mazzaroth.

 Ophiuchus is believe to have represented Greek mythology characters that include Asclepius the healer,Trojan priest Laocoon, who was killed by sea serpents, and Phorbas, who rescued theRhodeans from the plague of serpents. (Michelle Esguerra, Batangas Today)

 Ophiucus is the only sign linked to a real Man, some believed it to represent greek mythology characters but according to Rhodes, this sign represented Imhotep, 27th Century BCE.  Imhotep is known to the Greeks as Aesclepius.

Imhotep is credited with many accomplishments including the knowledge and use of medicine.  It is said of Imhotep that he brought the art of healing to mankind. The symbol of a serpent [or snake], which is still widely used today to represent the medical profession, was used to represent Imhotep.  Imhotep was also known as 'Aesclepius' to the ancient Greeks, but by any name the attributes are still all the same.

Ophiuchus is described as a mand holding a serpent, dividing the snake in two parts.  This image was patterned after Enki, a Sumerian god and the original serpent holder. One famous symbol that uses this sign is the medical staff.  It was believed that Imhotep was credited with many accomplishments including the introduction of the art of healing to mankind.

The Greeks identified him as Asclepius, the god of medicine. Asclepius was the son of Apollo and Coronis (although some say that his mother was Arsinoë). The story goes that Coronis two-timed Apollo by sleeping with a mortal, Ischys, while she was pregnant by Apollo. A crow brought Apollo the unwelcome news, but instead of the expected reward the crow, which until then had been snow-white, was cursed by Apollo and turned black.

In a rage of jealousy, Apollo shot Coronis with an arrow. Rather than see his child perish with her, Apollo snatched the unborn baby from its mother’s womb as the flames of the funeral pyre engulfed her, and took the infant to Chiron, the wise centaur (represented in the sky by the constellation Centaurus).

Chiron raised Asclepius as his own son, teaching him the arts of healing and hunting. Asclepius became so skilled in medicine that not only could he save lives, he could also raise the dead. (Ian Ridpaths, Star Tales)

When Hades realized that dead souls might stop entering hell if this practice is known to many, he complained to Zeus  and Zeus striked Asclepius with a thunderbolt.  Apollo, enraged by this harsh treatment of his son, killed the three cyclops that forged Zeus' thunderbolts.  To soothe Apollo's anger, Zeus made Ophiuchus immortal by setting him up in the stars.

LIST OF KEY WORDS DESCRIBING THE SIGN OF OPHIUCHUS

• interpreter of dreams, vivid premonitions,
• attracts good luck and fruitful blessings,
• serpent holder, lofty ideals,
• a seeker of peace and harmony,
• doctor of medicine or science, natural-pathic,
• adds, increases, joins, or gathers together
• poetical, inventive nature, expanding qualities,
• seeks higher education and wisdom,
• overseer, supervisor of work,
• fame - either grand, or completely misunderstood,
• longevity, aspirations of healing the ills of man,
• architect, builder, reaches for the stars, figuratively and literally,
• tax assessor, or levys taxes,
• astrological talents, intuitive, 
• large family indicated, but apt to be separated from them when young,
• the number twelve holds great significance, 
• foresight and good fortune to benefit from hard times,
• has secret enemies in family or close associations,
• many jealous of this subject,
• notable father, apple of father's eye when young,
• high position in life expected [depending on aspects] highest fame and legend comes after death
• feelings of granular, wise, genius mentality,
• likes to wear clothing of vibrant colors, and plaids in particular,
• receives the favor of those in authority.

Day 11: Pansit Guisado

Order night last night. 

Pansit Guisado from Garridos Foodhouse

No to broadband capping

Official position of Davao Bloggers and Mindanao Media on Proposed broadband capping
 by Ria Jose in collaboration with Cocoy of ProPinoy.net, Pierre of Jester in Exile, and Karen of Bury me in this Dress. This shall be submitted to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

POSITION PAPER Re: NTC’s Broadband Capping

In a revised draft Memorandum Order (MO), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will allow internet broadband service providers (ISPs) to cap the daily volume of data allowed for each broadband user.^[1]  The MO on the Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections is NTC’s answer to the concerns raised by the Department of Trade and Industry regarding customer complaints on the poor service of ISPs.

Among others, the MO on the Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections directs broadband ISPs should specify their minimum broadband connections speeds, service reliability, and their service rates.  The MO also allows ISPs to set a maximum volume of data allotted per subscriber per day.

There is an assumption that broadband capping will improve the services of broadband ISPs.  I beg to differ.  Rather than improve the services of broadband ISPs and address that concerns of consumers regarding the poor service of ISPs, broadband capping is anti-consumer, regressive, and counterproductive.

Broadband capping will limit the consumers access to the internet.  The policy will not do any good to consumers and businesses.  Furthermore, it will not encourage broadband ISPs to improve their services and will likely increase the current service rates of ISPs.

According to the Yahoo-Nielsen Index 2010, 69% of Filipinos use Internet cafes to connect to the internet.^[2]  Out of 133 countries, the Philippines ranks 85 on the Global Technology Report 2009 – 2010 and lists the country’s internet bandwidth per 10,000 population at 1.1 Mb/s.^[3]

In a published paper entitled “Broadband and the Economy” by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the expected economic impact of broadband is explained:

“Broadband, when combined with Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), has many channels through which its effects can operate.  Direct effects result from investments in the technology and rolling out the infrastructure itself.  Indirect effects come from all aspects of economic activity affected by broadband and which drive economic growth and prosperity e.g. firm efficiency and increased productivity, reduced costs, innovation, globalization, and new employment opportunities from the gains achieved.

Broadband also enables the emergence of new business models, new processes, new inventions, new and improved goods and services, and it increases competitiveness and flexibility in the economy….”^[4]

The same paper asserts that broadband is an enabling technology with a huge impact on productivity and that the largest productive gain of broadband come from its use, rather than the production of ICTs.^[5]

Furthermore, the paper posits that broadband creates a positive impact on consumer surplus by lowering search and information costs and giving consumers access to information, the ability to compare prices easily, increasing competition, and creating a downward pressure on prices.^[6]  

Broadband also changes the roles of individuals in the productive process by facilitating user-created content and user-driven innovation.^[7]  Examples of these are blog posts, photographs, and audio-video recordings posted online.  The paper posits that as the new creative outlet, the Internet has “altered the economics of information production, and led to the increasing democratization of media production and changes in the nature of communication and social relationships.”^[8]

According to NTC Commissioner Gamliel Cordoba the MO was drafted to address the concerns of the DTI regarding customer complaints on the “poor services” of ISPs.^[9]  In the first nine months of 2010, there were 622 complaints against telecommunications companies with more than half of the complaints referring poor Internet connections.

NTC’s answer is the MO which orders broadband ISPs to specify their minimum broadband connection speed, service reliability, and service rates in their advertisements, services literatures, and in their service and legal agreements.

However, this disclosure ISPs are allowed by the NTC to set broadband caps or a maximum volume of data allotted to each subscriber per day, thereby limiting broadband usage of subscribers.

Allegedly, the broadband cap is to protect consumers from abusive users.  According to NTC Common Carriers Authorization Department Director Edgardo Cabarios,  “There were apprehensions raised (by telecommunications companies) over abusive users.  This is meant to discourage unfair use, to give everyone a chance.  The idea is to protect the majority of consumers.”^[10]  Allegedly, the abusive users being referred to include software and movie pirates and compromise just one to two percent of Filipino broadband subscribers.  

According to a clause in the the MO,

"WHEREAS, it has been observed that few subscribers/users connect to the internet for unreasonably long period [sic] of time depriving other users from connecting to the internet; NOW, THEREFORE... Service providers may set the maximum volume of data allowed per subscriber/user per day.”^[11]

NTC Public Relations Officer Paolo Arceo explains that this clause in the MO was suggested by telecommunications companies

“to prevent network prevent network abuse by unscrupulous subscribers who violate intellectual property laws, particularly on copyright, by downloading movies and software, similar to abusive subscribers of unlimited call/text promotions which were primarily designed for person-to-person use but used for voluminous commercial undertakings.  These types of network abuse limit accessibility to a few instead of providing adequate access for all of the subscribers. Commercial or high volume users may avail of other internet connection packages which have committed higher speeds and allow heavy data exchanges.”^[12]

Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators President Atty. Rodolfo A. Salalima, in a letter to Cordoba, reiterates that the clause regarding broadband capping is necessary for fair use in the interest of consumers:

“This guarantees that abusive consumers of broadband/internet service do not monopolize available capacity to the detriment of other paying customers. The definition of the volume cap can be left to the individual telecommunications providers to define based on the different service plan offers they provide, all in the spirit of competition.”^[13]

While the clamor for fair use is laudable, the means of doing it by capping broadband is unfair and goes against consumers’ rights.  The complaints against broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies for “poor service” cannot be attributed to the one to two percent of abusive users.  Managing the abusive users via broadband capping subverts the real issues being raised against the ISPs and telecommunications companies.  The problems of “poor service” does not lie on the abusive users who compromise a mere  one to two percent of the consumers.

The clause in the MO is counterproductive for individuals and business that rely on broadband services for their productivity and for the delivery of their goods and services.  Broadband capping will hamper the economic impacts of broadband as stated by the OECD.  It will also greatly hinder the changes in the individual and the society that is supposed to be brought about by broadband and internet connectivity.

Moreover, international rights lawyer Romel Bagares iterates that broadband capping goes against the basic right to information.^[14]

Instead of addressing the real reasons for the reported poor services of broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies, the NTC MO on the “Minimum Speeds of Broadband Connections” is regressive and counterproductive.

Broadband capping is not the solution to curtailing abusive users.  It is the role of the broadbands ISPs and telecommunications companies to make sure that their services are not abused and surely there are other means that the NTC and the ISPs can curtail these abuses, other than oppressing the rest of the consumers.

Broadband capping hampers the access of users to the services they are paying for and curtails their basic right to information.  Furthermore, it does not assure consumers that the broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies will upgrade their infrastructure and improve their services.

Broadband capping is counterproductive, regressive, and subverts the issues raised regarding the poor services delivered by broadband ISPs and telecommunications companies.

---

[1] “NTC Caps Broadband Data Volume,” Manila Times, 27 December 2010,http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/36310-ntc-caps-broadband-data-volume-.

[2] Yahoo Nielsen, “Digital Philippines 2010: Yahoo-Nielsen Net Index Highlights,”Scribd Slideshow,http://www.scribd.com/doc/32801291/Net-Index-2010-Highlights-PD-2010-06-05 (accessed on 10 January 2010).

[3] Cited by Cocoy, “State of the Internet in the Philippines 2010,” Philippine Online Chronicles,  entry posted on 29 June 2010, http://www.thepoc.net/thepoc-features/lintech/lintech-features/8176-yahoo-nielsen-digital-philippines-2010-the-state-of-internet-in-the-philippines.html (accesse 10 January 2010).

[4] Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) “Broadband and the Economy,” Scribd Document, http://www.scribd.com/doc/33640345/Broadband-and-the-Economy (accessed on 10 January 2010).

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] “NTC Caps Broadband Data Volume,” Manila Times, 27 December 2010,http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/36310-ntc-caps-broadband-data-volume-.

[10] Quoted by TJ Dimacali, “NTC’s Proposed Data Caps Violate Consumer Rights, Lawyer Says,” GMANews.TV,  http://www.gmanews.tv/story/209385/ntcs-proposed-data-caps-violate-consumer-rights-lawyer-says, 29 December 2010.

[11] “National Telecommunications Memorandum Order with Subject: Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections,” Google Document embedded  by TJ Dimacali, “NTC’s Proposed Data Caps Violate Consumer Rights, Lawyer Says,”GMANews.TV,  http://www.gmanews.tv/story/209385/ntcs-proposed-data-caps-violate-consumer-rights-lawyer-says, 29 December 2010.

[12] Quoted by TJ Dimacali, “NTC’s Proposed Data Caps Violate Consumer Rights, Lawyer Says,” GMANews.TV,  http://www.gmanews.tv/story/209385/ntcs-proposed-data-caps-violate-consumer-rights-lawyer-says, 29 December 2010.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Ibid.