Lessons Learned From Typhoon Ondoy

Our car at the service center. It will stay there for a while. From the outside, everything seems to be fine.

Dirt from floodwater accumulated in some parts of the interior.

That red thing in the middle is the airbag indicator. It shouldn't light up when the engine is on.

I can't scoop all the water out. Thanks to Jollibee for the bucket, comes free when you order six pieces of fried chicken.

When it rains, it pours. That's probably yesterday's biggest lesson from Typhoon Ondoy. To be honest, everything would have been fine for me yesterday, if not for the "bright" idea of parking the car outside our building. It was already raining when I brought our car there, I didn't expect it would end up in catastrophe. I wish life is like a computer, where you can hit Ctrl+Z (or ⌘+Z for Mac guys) whenever you make mistakes.

Is it really my fault? Lots of car owners were as shocked as I was yesterday, some long time residents even said it's the first time that it flooded there. But I guess what ticks me off is that I could have done something sooner.

Now our car is with Honda Makati, prior to going there I passed by a gas station to check how much it usually costs to have my interiors detailed. I wasn't too happy with the price they quoted me, so I guess I should prepare for some expenses to come.

Yesterday I had an earful from my mom, and it really brought my day down. But at least today I got a little appreciation for doing the right thing, which is to have the car checked as soon as possible. I guess having an old car means being worried while driving, while having a new one entails worries while it is parked.

I hope I didn't sound self-centered with this blog post. I just want to share my experiences, and why it's such a pain when your car is flooded. I know a lot of my fellowmen are in distress right now, my prayers are with them and the speedy recovery of our nation. I'm thankful that I'm still fortunate that what I experienced this weekend is just the tip of the iceberg compared to what others are going through.

Caught By Surprise (Typhoon Ondoy)

Okay, a little primer: I'm staying in Makati right now (across the Skyway actually, but that's another story), and I have my mom's new Honda City parked right outside. It usually doesn't flood in this area, well, until just now.

The flood was knee high, and much worse is that flood water entered my mom's new car. It took me a while to get the car to higher grounds. Actually, I had to brave the rain and floodwater to get to the car, and had to hire a few of the local guys to push my car to safety.

To say the least, this has been one bad Saturday. I had bad experiences with floods in the past, one of which I posted here. But this one takes the cake. I didn't have peace of mind the whole morning, worrying about my mom's car, and having quite an earful from my mom and dad. I know they love me, and I love them as well, I just feel guilty that I sort of let them down.

But after watching the news, I guess I'm not the only one suffering from bad luck today. Typhoon Ondoy caught everyone by surprise, even our own NDCC admitted they were not prepared for this. Many motorists are stranded all over Metro Manila, most of them advised to leave their vehicles and seek shelter. And some residents are forced out of their houses due to floodwater entering their homes. So I guess I'm still thankful that my experience is not as bad compared to some of my kababayan.

So my mom's car is now safely parked on an elevated area, and I have scooped most of the water inside. Hopefully if the rain clears tomorrow, I can have the innards of the car assessed and cleaned.

Oh, and to give you an idea on how high floodwater was (it already subsided), here are some videos I took using my phone.

Farewell Toyota Rav4

...and I never got the chance to say goodbye...

My Rav4 surviving the muddy slopes of El Kabayo Falls in Zambales nearing the end of its prime years.

I loved my Toyota Rav4. Heck, I still love it even if it's gone. It's the car that gave me confidence to drive, that brought me to places I would never have imagined, and the car I used when I started dating Roxanne. It served twice as a bridal car, have seen muddy and rocky terrain, and memories have been built around it.

But unfortunately, it has also been a source of headaches. Not only does it suck gas like a thirsty desert dweller, old age and the problems associated with it have begun to appear in recent years. Usually, cars with automatic transmission have a good five years before wear and tear starts to show, my Rav4 is already nearing its eleventh year.

In the past I tried to sell my Rav4, but often times I'm just too sentimental to let it go. But now that it's becoming a liability, I gave my brother the go-signal to do the dirty work. And just like that, it's gone. And I never had the chance to say goodbye.

Although a possible replacement is coming in September, I still can't get over the fact that my driving buddy is no longer mine. I got too attached to it, so as some of my friends. But change is inevitable, and it's time to move on.

My Rav4 didn't only leave pleasant memories, it made me a better driver, and more appreciative of how automobiles work. Thank you driving buddy, may you land in better hands.

Good Samaritans

I guess I need some bad luck and some good old bayanihan to have something to post.

I've been driving for some years now, and it's the first time one of my tires went flat while on the road. Worse, it was the front tire. It started with a thumping sound, and after several meters my steering wheel became unresponsive. Good thing I was able to park it along the side of the road.

I tried my best to remove the tire, apparently I suck at it. I was able to lift the vehicle off the ground, but I couldn't remove the lug nuts holding the tires. Add to that the terrible summer heat. But thankfully someone from the nearby newspaper stall helped me in changing my tires, and another passerby in his bike (along with his kid) helped me secure my busted tire at the back. Too bad I never got their names, but I'm really thankful for them, and hopefully I can emulate their kindness in some way.

The New Honda City

The new Honda City was launched today at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati. It's a complete redesign, and I actually want one. The previous models look like an ice shaver similar to that used by halo-halo and sago't gulaman vendors. This one is just gorgeous, taking hints from the current Civic and Accord.

What I like most about it is the paddle shift, similar to that of the Accord (and the new Mitsubishi Lancer). But the price of the new City is not something to rave about, it's a little higher than what I expected. Actually, a used 2007 Civic is cheaper, which makes me think twice about this car (well, that and where to get the money).

Bottomline, I love the new Honda City.

I Love Motolite!!!

I'm not yet done sorting out all our pictures from Baguio, but after yesterday's rant, I really have to thank these guys for their prompt action.

I consulted my dad about my car woes, and he advised me to have my battery changed, since it was out of warranty anyway.

Most of you may have seen the Motolite Express commercial, and it really works. In less than an hour, my new battery arrived, plus some free diagnosis. I even got a rebate for trading in my old battery (also the same brand).

So in case you're in the same shoes as I am, call them up (370-6686). Now I know more the next time I encounter such a problem.

My Car Makes Me Sad

This is just so frustrating. I haven't used my car for almost a week, the last time I drove it everything was running smoothly. Just this afternoon I decided to check up on my Rav4, just start the engine and keep it running for a few minutes. To my surprise, it wouldn't start. I just get a weird stutter, it's actually quite scary. It's the first time I encountered such a problem. Tomorrow we'll ask help from one of our neighbors who happens to know more about car problems. But for some reason, I don't feel hopeful about it.

Why, oh why? This makes me really sad. Maybe I'll just try to sort out our Baguio pictures, that might ease the pain a little bit.

One thing though, I'm still lucky that it happened here at home, and not while I'm driving.

Another Car Headache

I'm so frustrated with my car.

I just came from Cavite, and all seemed well with my car, until I got home. I noticed my temperature was higher than normal again, and upon checking I discovered that my newly replaced auxiliary fan has gone kaput again.

I really don't know what's wrong with this car. I barely use it, but I still end up paying a lot. I'm not even sure why I can't dispose it. Too many things are holding me back from selling it, I don't even know where to start.

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On the bright side, I would like to thank Roxanne for letting me become a part of her family. Two of her siblings celebrated their birthdays this month (just like me) and we had a small party in Cavite were her older sister (and birthday celebrant) Jem resides. Too bad I never got to see Mimo today, it just slipped my mind.

Hodgepodge

One tiring week. That's how I describe the past few days, and I'm not even sure why. Apart from celebrating my birthday last Thursday, I can't think of anything that makes this week different.

So instead of creating individual posts, I guess for now I'll combine everything in just one writeup. It's like combining my stories for the week.

"Shuttered" Vision

Shutter shades. I just don't get them. Mom brought home some from Singapore, and I can't believe I actually tried to wear one. Mom actually gave Roxanne a red pair.

Grandma, mom, and Roxanne wearing shutter shades.

Asides the weird eye wear, mom also got us some pasalubong. Mine were a nifty Casio G-Shock Gulfman and a new camera/laptop backpack.


By the way, the pictures above were taken from Solihiya in Greenbelt 5 last Monday. Solihiya is a restaurant that serves Filipino cuisine. Besides the great food, you also get excellent service and a great view of Greenbelt 3.


This one on the other hand was taken outside Greenbelt 5.

Car Trouble

The auxiliary fan of my car went kaput, and thankfully I had some time to have it repaired last Tuesday. Thanks to the guys at L.E. Gallego Auto Parts for taking time to repair my car (although it was quite expensive since they had to replace the fan). So in case you're in the Blumentritt area in Manila and are having some car trouble, check them out.

I would also like to thank Mandy' Car Wash and Auto Detailing, located a few blocks away from L.E. Gallego. Not only did they fix my bumper, they also did a great job of cleaning my car. I have never seen an engine that clean, and my engine was really dirty to begin with.

Fiery Birthday

My birthday was the usual. I went to work and had a little drink in the evening. What makes it memorable is what happened a few moments after midnight.


As you can see, those are firetrucks. Yes, a fire broke out in our area, thankfully it wasn't near, but the sight of firetrucks piling up in front of our house was enough to give us some scare.


Sorry for the grainy pictures, they were taken with a phone camera.

Mall of Asia

We never get tired of SM Mall of Asia. I was supposed to meet up with the JETS, but they left a bit early, probably exhausted from joining the International Coastal Cleanup Day. I wanted to join them on this one, but I had some conflict with my schedule (which didn't materialize anyway, too bad).

Mall of Asia's silent observer.

So instead Roxanne and I just enjoyed the ongoing sale. We also chanced up on KC Concepcion, who was promoting her new album.

Another Loss

Rabeh Al-Hussaini of Ateneo is just insanely good. La Salle lost for the third time to bitter rival Ateneo this year, and if they don't win on Thursday, the blue side of things will get the crown.

Ateneo really has the edge this season. As they say, the guy with the biggest stick usually wins. Having Rabeh in the Blue Eagles' roster is like that, with spikes to boot. I hope La Salle's big men can boost their confidence come Game Two.

I guess all I have to do is keep the faith. Animo La Salle!!!

Early Morning Woes

I hate rats.

I woke up fifteen minutes earlier than planned this morning, and I usually start my Friday mornings by checking my car's engine. Upon opening the hood, something really shocked me: a rat sitting on top of my engine. And much worse, rat droppings were everywhere. I have had this car for almost two years, but this is the first time that something used my car as some sort of restroom.

I swear, this almost ruined my morning. I'm thankful though that apart from all the rat poop, everything still seems to be in order.

But in the end, I still hate rats.

I Want A Pick-Up

Image courtesy of Motioncars.

With the rising price of petrol, I really want to ditch my Toyota Rav4, since I only get around 6.3km/L. I spend around PHP350.00 for an average trip to the office and back home.

But I like my Rav4, I'm not intimidated by floods and bumpy roads (very common in Manila), and I can use it to haul stuff (like baggages, big ones).

So now I'm looking at pick-up trucks. At an average price of one million pesos, it's the same price as a high-end compact sedan, but more economical. I especially like the Nissan Frontier Navara and the Isuzu Global D-MAX, because they seem to be the best bang-for-the-buck among pick-ups.

Now all I need is additional funds to get my hands on one of these babies.

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Off-topic, I'm blogging right now while waiting for Roxanne, using an unknown WiFi signal here at Rufino Tower in Makati. Whoever is supplying this signal, thank you very much. I only have nine minutes of battery life left, so I have to go now.

Nothing To Post

I had all the time to post something since last week, and yet I can't find anything interesting to write about. I'm actually on vacation leave since yesterday, and Roxanne is also enjoying her stay at her hometown, Ilagan. I'm supposed to go on a "solo photo safari", some sort of personal project that I want to accomplish. Unfortunately, some unforeseen circumstances (plus the urge to just bum out at home) hindered me from doing so. Hopefully, if all goes well, I will be able to do this tomorrow, which would be the last day of my break. But I will no longer be alone, as my close friend Mac, also a photo enthusiast, will accompany me, along with his Nikon D80.

On the bright side, I was able to have my car maintained during the first two days of my leave. Thanks to Sir Charles and his staff at Petron - J. Luna Branch for the change oil and car wash, and to Mang Emer of Romy's Auto Parts for aligning my wheels (see photo above).