Milenyo Storming In Metro Manila

Typhoon Milenyo (a.k.a Xangsane) which was named after the year 2000 when the entire storm naming system of PAGASA was changed - storms are no longer given female names only, will hit Metro Manila in a matter of minutes. As early as this morning, strong whistling winds can already be heard along with moderate rainfall. I still came to work and it was a surprise that the creek in the middle of Araneta Avenue is a meter away from overflowing despite the absence of strong rains. This is probably due to the increase in sea level due to strong winds as described by PAGASA. On my way to the office, I saw pedestrian struggling to keep their umbrellas upturned by the strong winds, their clothes clinging close to their bodies due to the winds.

Strikingly, PAGASA was able to predict this one typhoon accurately such that suspensions of classes in all levels were declared as early as early last night. This is quite a first.

I can hear the winds howling outside my window right now. The sky is very dark and cloudy. It is estimated that the eye of the storn will pass the Metro at around 11am which will be occasioned by a lull - the skies could probably clear and there will be absence of any strong wind. Within less than an hour, as the eye passes, the skies will darken and the winds will intensify again. The last time a typhoon made a direct hit on Metro Manila was way back in 1995 when I was still in college. I remember coming back to the U.P. Campus finding large chunks and pieces of decades old huge acacia trees lining the Academic Oval scattered all over. Some trees were even uprotted. Things are much different back then - there weren't too many billboards along EDSA for one. Neither were there plenty of skyscrapers. I hope the storm passes quite uneventfully, and for all of us to weather this, safely.

Steering the wheel? Not me!

The statement "God works in mysterious ways" may be considered cliche but it was so true for me yesterday and today.

One of my favorite prayers which I admittedly have not been able to pray often (as I have been recently often guilty of being remiss in nourishing my faith and my soul) is the Prayer of Jabez which goes:

That you would bless me indeed!
And enlarge my territory
and that your hand be with me
to keep my from doing evil
so I may not cause pain.

That prayer, for me, embodies how I want to live my life doing the daily grind. Simply put, the prayer asks God to create new opportunities to be able to live my life as a testament to God's love, i.e. to do good works (hence enlarge the territory), of course, with God's guidance because even in the best intentions, our weaknesses as human could drive us to serve our selfish intentions and consequently cause pain or hurt to others by putting our own interests above others.

I am very grateful that, inspite of my shortcomings to Him, he gave me a mere tap on the shoulder to remind me that, "hey, you seem to be forgetting about me!" Come to think of it, he's been showering me with so much blessings. This is not to say that I have perfect life, it is just that he has given me the gift of seeing through his blessing in a haystack of challenges. My mom was recently diagnosed to have stones in her kidney but lo and behold, her ultrasound results yesterday showed that the stones in her renal pelvis (which were the ones most difficult to remove) are completely gone! Of course, there are still stones somewhere else but they have either shrunk or remained the same which is still good because it means her diet modification, water and buco therapy plus her 6 caps dose of Sambong daily are all working perfectly. I actually have a doctor friend who has been helping my mom recover and he is a blessing to us actually because he has been generously sharing his gift of healing to us, a rare gift which, I think, he has not yet recognized and fully realized. Our friendship with him is actually a disguised blessing in itself and as with my other friends, I am glad to have made the choice of the path of friendship inspite of and despite of previous circumstances.

Going back to the tap on the shoulder I was talking about, I was on my way home from work last night and was making much effort to get some sleep in the car because I felt cold and felt like I needed to wee wee. Still, I thought I could still wait till we get home to rush to the toilet. After less than an hour, I suddenly was jolted awake when my driver suddenly stepped on the break, causing me to hit my forehead on the padded headrest of the front passenger seat (didn't hurt a bit, actually). I saw that we were a few meters away from the intersection of Araneta Avenue and Quezon Avenue, the traffic light was still green and our right front side bumped the right rear bumber of a Toyota Altis. I also later realized that a taxi also bumped us from behind. I remember my driver explaining that the car in front suddenly stopped that's why we bumped him. MMDA traffic officers and a policeman arrived, pictures were taken and we headed to the Balintawak police station to get a police report. I found all our police officers and MMDA personnel nice and professional. Thankfully, the owner of the car (who is a Nestle employee) was cool. In fact, it was my driver who was a bit edgy, trying to persuade all of us that he stepped on the brakes, DIDN'T hit the car initially and was bumped by the taxi causing us to bump the car in front. Hmn... Honestly, I took his word for it and supported his statement before PO3 Pagtalunan (yep, that's his surname) BUT after reflecting over it several minutes later, I realized that his res gestae should be considered, in which case, it seems that he was too near the car and hit it when it suddenly stopped and not after we were hit by the taxi. Discussing it with my mom, we realized that even if the story of my driver was correct, the taxi didn't have comprehensive insurance and we could only ask them to pay for the repairs (which were really negligible) or the participation fee if our insurance would answer for it. In any case, the poor taxi driver will have to pay for it. He wasn't arrogant afterall so I thought what's a few thousand pesos? Not that I can afford it, it's just that, I can earn that money easier than him and there is really no point making life harder for him. I am actually thankful to God that that incident last night provided me with a test which I may have initially failed (by supporting my driver before the police and not letting the taxin driver off the hook right there and then) but now have realized how to correctly address. Me and my mom have decided to shoulder the cost of having the repairs done, not because we have spare cash (which we actually don't have) but because that burden will be lighter on us rather than on the taxi driver.

While at the police station, I got the chance to have a little chit chat with PO3 Pagtalunan who strikes me as a respectable policeman (it's really nice to meet one). I noticed that their 1 square meter detention cell had two prisoners inside and so I asked what are they being detained for. He told me that they have violated Quezon City's Anti-Barker Ordinance and since they didn't have money, they can't pay the bail (which, based on the Bail Bond Guide should be P1,000). And of course, since they don'thave money, they do not have a lawyer to process their papers so they can be released or at least transferred to the city jail. PO3 Pagtalunan said they actually make them clean the station and pay them with meals just to help them. I volunteered to give him the number of the U.P. Office of Legal Aid (OLA) so they can get a lawyer for free to help them with their release papers. For all we know, they might have already served a substantial amount of their penalties just by their detention at the police station. I once handled a case in OLA involving Q.C.'s Anti-Tattoo Ordinance which penalizes having a tattoo of the gangs (i.e., Oxo Sigue-Sigue, Sputnik, etc.) endemic in the City Jail. My client was a gay dance instructor and he has an Oxo tattoo I think because he was previously arrested for vagrancy and stayed for a month inside the Q.C. City Jail. Since he was gay, he was forced to join one of the gangs for protection, hence the tattoo. It is because of that tattoo that he was arrested the second time. We in OLA actually filed a Petition with the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City to have that Anti-Tattoo Ordinance declared as unconstitutional but since the case was not finished by the time I graduated, I do not know now what happened with it. And I thought the Anti-Tattoo Ordiance was absurd until I heard of the Anti-Barker Ordinance of Q.C. again! I am astounded that there is an ordinance in Q.C. which prohibits working as a barker. FYI, a barker is that person who calls on passengers to ride a jeepney, shouting the routes of the jeepney hence the term (i.e. "Dulo, dulo!" or "UP Campus!"). Why is this activity prohibited utterly escapes me and I cannot fathom what goes on in the minds of Q.C. Councilors (the Anti-Tattoo Ordinance was enacted in the 1970s while I do not have information when the Anti-Barker Ordinance was enacted) for them to enact this ordinance. Being a barker is a decent way to make a living afterall.

Incidentally, by way of example and as a matter of comparison, the Pasig City Council has an ordinance prohibiting tow trucks NOT authorized by the City Council from conducting towing operations within Pasig City. Now that is a sensible ordiance because the MMDA accredited tow trucks are proliferating the Ortigas area harassing motorists, issuing traffic violation receipts when in fact, the MMDA has not police power which authorizes them to issue TVRs and apprehend motorists without express authority from the city government.

Incidentally, I immediately asked for the CR upon arrival at the police station. I was directed to one which was not as slimy as expected. Despite not having tiles on the walls and having a mere tiny bowl (buhos system), it was relatively clean as it was well-lighted and it had water supply, a pail and a dipper. Problem was, as my hunch told me, there was a fat lizard which welcomed me immediately upon entering the toilet. I let out a screem and hastily went out of the toilet even before I could use it. The police station helper was quite alarmed why I was shrieking and was evidently amused to find out it was because I was terribly afraid of lizards. Needless to say, I was able to use the toilet only upon arriving home. Sob!

Anyway, I am so pleased to discover the past few months that the practising virtues feels good and feels right. Experiencing compassion, forgiveness and the like are "incapable of pecuniary estimation". It feels good because contrary to what you might expect, we are surrounded by circumstances which make it difficult to choose to do what is right. I do not want to sound self-righteous. I am only writing this to, at the very least, encourage others to do what is right, no matter how difficult it may intially seem to be because it feels good. In the light of the current political atmosphere where you have, on one hand, leaders seems to be inclined to distort right from wrong and put their interests above the people, and on the other hand, young activists who, in the pursuit of right, threaded the path of wrong and stooped down the level of those they detest such as in the case of the UP students who are members of Stand-Up (a break away group from SAMASA) and the LFS who pelted General Esperon with rotten eggs when the general was invited to attend a symposium sponsored by the Association of Political Science Majors (APSM). Their actions are deplorable and essentially, lamentable. They opted to live their lives according to Hammurabi ("an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth") rather than Christ's teachings that if a stone is thrown your way, throw back bread.

This morning, I found myself hearing mass at our office chapel. It is indeed wonderful how heeding his call when tapped made me end up being led by Him by the hand. God is good.

The Ahh in Spa

A friend of mine recently asked me to recommend a value for money spa for her balikbayan relatives. I recommended her a spa and promised to give her a contact number. Ironically, while searching contact details of the recommended spa on the internet, I came across my own post (as hearrymione) dated May 10, 2005 (during my pre-blogging days) at Tsinoy.Com in response to a question by a forumer - "which spa would you recommend?" I was mortified when I noticed that I actually wrote that I'll be having a massage at this particular spa - and as it turns out, it was one of the WORST spas I have been too. And so I decided to update my Tsinoy post with this:

One of my guilty pleasures is having a massage, an activity which I consider to be purely hedonistic. I remember the first time I had a massage, it was done by our suking manghihilot, the night of September 4, 2001, the first day of the bar exams. It was probably one of the few instances when I had a massage when I truly needed one due to exhaustion and the need to relax. All the rest of the massage sessions, I had because I needed either some physical rest and relaxation, emotional respite or generally, a little bit of peace. After all, ideal massage rooms are generally very conducive to relaxation because they are quiet, they smell pleasant, have subdued lighting and comfortable temperature. Most of all, the pleasure of a touch is, whether we admit it or not, is a desired sensation that did not disappear as we grew up - - - the need is merely ignored and denied.

Six years since starting on the habit, I realized I have tried quite a number of spas and wellness centers. I've tried plenty enough, in fact, to be able to do a decent review and report of my quest of the ideal, perfect spa. Let me say at the onset though that finding one's ideal spa is very subjective but surely, tips and suggestions do come in handy. Personally, a massage which costs me more than P600, no matter how nice the spa is won't be on top of my list except if it was The Spa. This explains why the pricey spas in hotels and other spa resorts aren't listed here as no way will I spend more than a thousand bucks for a massage if I wanted peace of mind in the first place! :)

So here is my spa chronicles. Hope you get a tip or two where to run to if you ever need a good massage.

The Spa at the RCBC Plaza

Way back in 2003, when I was a member of The Spa at the RCBC Plaza (now known as Fitness First Plus), I used to have swedish massage at their massage center which is located at the same floor as their heated pool. I do not remember now how much it costs but it it probably around 600 plus but I had a discount as a member so I used the coupons. They have just three massage rooms, two solo rooms and a couple's room. The massage area doesn't have its own comfort room but other than that, it's one of my favorite massage places because it's the only one (as far as I know) with heated massage bed! Ang sarap talaga. And their therapists are personable and shows a ot of concern if the pressure is just right. Plus, the oils they use are aromatherapy oils with a lot to choose from. It was there where I discovered how much I like lavander. Hmn, I should get a massage there one of these days but only if they serviec non members too.

The Spa

Getting a massage at The Spa if you are not a member and do not have or use a Citibank credit card would cost you P780. That's for a massage which does not use aromatherapy scented oil and done in a common room. Still, one of my favorites is The Spa because they have well trained staff and personable too. The massage rooms are comfortably relaxing and the sheets are clean, they smell sanitary. So far, I have not encountered therapists at The Spa who are pasmado. Parang patay ang nagmamsahe sa iyo pag pasmado! A very big plus is their comforting and addicting salabat which I really enjoy sipping after a nice massage. I usually take it immediately after the massage while lounging at their comfty sofa area while reading the latest issues of trendy women's magazines. Wag lang may isang tropa ng mga nagtsitsismisan!

Orient Day Spa at Corinthian Plaza

I had the Thai Massage at Orient Day Spa when I was still working in Makati. It was actually a complimentary massage. Their facilitiis are okay, their sheets and towels are clean but I guess getting a massage by foot and all those pulling and stretching is just not my thing. Plus, I didn't like the comment of the masseuse, which she thought she made out of earshot, that I was so heavy.

Holiday Spa in Malate

This is the one inside Robinson's Place Ermita. I've been here about three times and the last time was literally the last! Good thing I discovered another spa in the area cause I tried Holiday in the firts place because I didn't know there were other better places. First of all, the ambience of Holiday Spa is quite far from other posh spas. You get the feeling that it caters to an older crowd and that feeling will be confirmed as soon as you step inside the common massage room. It smells like Omega Pain Killer. You actually have a choice between oil and efficascent oil but whichever you choose, you'd still end up smelling liniment anyway. The masseurs I've had were not all bad but the last one was terrible. Despite my request to have a soft to moderate massage, she massaged my neck area so hard natakot ako talaga na parang sinasakal na nya ako at balak patayin. I was flailing my arms in desperation. Expectedly, I suffered from a stiff neck immediately after that killer massage and had to endure that for weeks. Sob!

In Sense Wellness

If I had discovered this place earlier I woundn't even set foot inside Holiday. This heavenly place is located in front of the Court of Appeals complex along Ma. Orosa in Ermita, walking distance from Robinson's Place Padre Faura Exit. I would say, for its price (500) it's definitely one of the best. They use extra virgin coconut oil which isn't sticky and is easily absorbed by the body. The fee includes use of sauna and steam plus shower. Their massuesse aren't pasmado, well trained, personable and keeps all your body parts modestly covered during the enitre massage session unlike in some other spas na at some point (especially when you are already flat on your back) feeling mo nakabuyang yang ka. You don't feel tired after the massage. Too bad they do not have scented oils to choose from. All rooms are solo (no common rooms) which has a downside because they couldn't accommodate too many. The place is rarely full though which is a shame since it is really a nice spa. Even their manicure, pedicure and foot spa services are superb. These are done in their special section where they use subdued lighting, with soothing spa music to enjoy while propped up on a Lazy Boy! Manicure and pedicure costs only 150 each and that includes a hand or leg massage. At hindi sya parlor ambiance kasi dim lights at walang iikot ikot sa iyo. In Sense Wellness is worth visiting suggest you try it cause it's worth the trip.

Let's Face It at Prince Plaza

I also tried having a massage sa Let's Face It at Prince Plaza Makati. Mura sya at puwede na. But it's just that, puwede na but I tell you, there are other better places to have your massage. Even their masseuse are obviously not much trained for this. Stick to having facials here.

Urban Spa
I've tyried both the Chair Massage (its P500, I think) and the Express Massage (1 hour, P700) at Urban Spa at Shangri-la Mall and they're good. Pricey though, but good. Of course, the facilities are comparable to The Spa without the ginger tea of course. They do serve other types of equally relaxing teas like green tea and chamomile. If you want exclusivity and doesn't really care much for money, this is the place for you.

Blue Water Day Spa

Blue Water Day is a recent discovery. I had Tui Na (P650) a dry massage on August 5 at their Perea, Legaspi Village, Makati branch. (Incidentally, GMA was a few buildings away from Blue Water right the very moment I was having a massage!) Massage is done in individual rooms. You can opt to take a shower before and make use of their steam and sauna. The massage was also good and they also serve teas afterwards. I suppose I'll try their other massages next time as their choices are more varied that the usual swedish, shiatshu options in other spas. Tui Na is actually very relaxing and not tiring. It's worth having again.

Simple Pleasures
This place does not offer a full body massge, just a chair massage (P350) and a foot massage (P500). I've tried both services and they are excellent. Their facilities are also okay. For the chair massage, they use scented oils in small vials - not on your body but on the lining of the cushion for the face so you can smell the scent. It is basically a dry massage and they have male massuese if you are partial to hard massage. The massage is very relaxing, just like the foot massage which, though it doesn't include a pedicure, scrubs away all the rough portions of your feet. Plus, I really think the massage helps a lot in the improvement of blood in your lower extremities. Great fix after hours of shopping, really! Simple Pleasures is located at the ground floor of Greenbelt 3 near Pineapple, Mix and T.

Sonya's Bed and Breakfast
Yes, that's right. Aside from organic cuisine, I discovered that another well-kept secret at Sonya's Bed and Breakfast is its mini spa. I say it is mini because it seems having the spa was really not what Sonya intended her place to be. The massage center is right behind the homey cottages, near the property boundary/ravine. Me and my girl friends had swedish massage sans the aircon. First, you will have a shower at Sonya's pebble and cobblestone lined flooring, using Sonya's aromatherapy soap. I enjoyed the lavander soap so much I got a bar for myself. Also available for use are Sonya's organic shampoo (I had mint, I think) and conditioner. I was already relaxed even before the massage because of that shower. By the way, the bathroom is designed the same as the T/Bs in the dining area. The massage area is a common room but privacy is kept by way of thick curtains. I guess the downside here is having noisy people having their massage too but since we are a group of 4 and none of us are inconsiderate, noise was kept to a very comfortable level. The massage was one of the best I had since the massage room was comfortably cool (no aircon, just natural countryside coolness) and the masseuse are very very skilled. After the massage, I got to enjoy unlimited servings of warm dalandan tea with fresh mint leaves. Really blissful. I would be back more often if Sonya's isn't in Alfonso, Cavite. But if you are in Tagaytay anyway and have several hours to spare, a massage at Sonya's is one you shouldn't miss. Afterall, it's just 500 bucks. Really value for money. Tourists will surely have a field day reveling about it.

Boracay
Syempre, masarap magpamasahe sa Boracay! Mura pa! Kaya lang masyadong malagkit yung coconut oil na ginagamit ng mga manang. And you might not be too comfotable if you are conscious and wouldn't want to be seen semi naked by the beach. That's the down side, I guess. But you can have it in your hotel room, I think. Still, getting a massage while lying on the cool sand, your body being touched by the sea breeze is truly a one of a kind experience. Last time I was there, the massage cost P250.

Others
There used to be an Aromatherapy Massage Center in Greenbelt, in that building where Netopia and Max's used to be but it's been demolished now. I also tried Aromatherapy Center in Mega Mall. The atmosphere feels like its a cheap sauna. Imagine, for the sauna, I was asked to sit on a monoblock chair and a plastic cover was placed through my head - that's their makeshift steam. In Mega Mall naman, the towels and the sheets were really terrible. Smells like they weren't properly laundered and they were itchy! Needless to say I won't ever get back there. I don't remember how much exactly it costs but it wasn't too cheap which actually aggravates it.

I also used to have a massage sa Slimmer's World Pan Pacific. Their service is okay though if I weren't a lifetime member, it would have been 600 plus which is quite pricey considering they don't have steam and sauna which other people prefer. Massage is done in individual rooms which are comfty and relaxing enough. Sometimes the aircon gets too cold but they can adjust the temperature anyway. They don't use scented oil though but they allow you to use whatever oil you bring. It's just too bad that here is where I had an experience of being massaged by someone who is pasmado. Hate ko talaga yung pasmado yung kamay nung massuese! Grabe, torture! Parang patay yung humahawak sa iyo.

Another pasmado experience is at Metrowalk Spa. The massage costs P500 which is actually a good price considering their facilities and plus, the massage is done in individual cubicles. Problem really is they couldn't control the temperature so I ended up half frozen by the end of the massage such that I caught a cold. Hay! Would like to return though but the last time I checked it was on renovation.

I also tried Excelsior His & Hers Spa in Connecticut Greenhills. Massage is P450 and done in common rooms. Service and facilities are good enough but I guess it's quite out of the way because its not in a mall.

The Verdict
I think In Sense, Blue Water Day Spa and The Spa in Greenbelt top my list. On the bottom of my list is Aromatherapy Center.