Category Archives: Manila Tips and Tricks

What to Do When Apprehended for “Swerving”

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When you are a new driver in Metro Manila, and if you’ll get apprehended by an MMDA traffic officer for “swerving”, then you should read this this tip from Crazy Deals.

“Swerving” has been the violation (which is NOT) being used by some crooked MMDA traffic officers to earn illegal extra money. So, be careful.

Kapag hinuli ka ng traffic enforcer at alam mong wala kang violation:
1. kunin mo ang mission order nila upang malaman mo ang kanilang area of responsibility, time of duty and official function;
2. “SWERVING” ay HINDI isang traffic violation.

Tandaan:
1.Hindi maaaring kunin ang iyong driver’s license maliban na lamang kung ikaw ay sangkot sa traffic accident o nakalikom na ng 3 o higit pang traffic violations.
2. Walang karapatan ang traffic enforcer na pababain ng sasakyan ang driver.

Ipadala ang pangalan ng traffic enforcer at ang reklamo sa email@mmda.gov.ph

Metro Manila Car Dealer Tips

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There had been murders lately were the perpetrators targeted car dealers.

A number of other car dealers caught off guard and feel insecure as a result.

Here are some tips to share in order for car dealers in Metro Manila to avoid being barbecued.

1. Get the buyers telephone numbers, postal address or even email address, and verify it before conducting business.

2. Photograph your buyers.

3. Have with you one or more assistants to witness the transaction or even record the transaction with a video camera.

4. If the customer wants to test drive, get their IDs such as SSS, Philhealth. Find time to verify the authenticity of the IDs.

5. Test drive within a safe place such as subdivision, and during daytime. If the customers insist in another place, be sure you have another assistant in another car following the car on test run.

Sir, Your Money is Fake Scam!

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Be careful of another twist of fake money scam around Metro Manila.

This time, the culprits are store owners or cashiers.

This is how these lowlifes do it. When you hand over your money to pay for the goods you intend to buy to the cashier, the cashier will switch your money with a fake money and will declare to you like “Sir, your money is fake!.” In tagalog, “Sir, fake ang pera nyo.” Much to your embarrassment.

How to avoid this scam. When you pay, take a good look at your money even when the money is in the cashier’s hand.

In case you forgot to do above. Tell the police that you’ve been duped. Ask around other people about the store’s modus operandi.

Where to Get a Bus Ride Going to Cavite?

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This a guide if you start from Metro Manila. This is all according to my experience. I have a brother who lives in Manggahan Cavite. He would invite me sometimes to visit him.

EDSA. There are a number of air conditioned buses that ply along EDSA.

Taft Avenue. Starting at Lawton, near the Manila City Hall.

Baclaran. But the buses there might already half full or almost filled. So it’s not a good idea if you take a bus from there.

Be Careful along Roxas Boulevard

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I’ve heard of not so good stories along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City. Robbers frequent the area, even vehicle owners are not safe. Even if the drivers are inside their vehicles in the middle of the traffic in the street, thieves or robbers would forcibly open the car.

Just recently, i read in the news, a cop, yes a police was involved in a robbery by snatching the bag of a motorcycle driving lady.

Cop charged for bag snatching
By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:49:00 10/08/2008

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila policeman is facing criminal and administrative charges for allegedly trying to snatch the bag of an employee of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP, Central Bank of the Philippines) early Wednesday morning in Malate.

The complaint against Police Officer 2 Abraham Mamicao, 30, assigned at the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 9 and resident of Lardizabal Street, Sampaloc, was filed, Ivy Maria Cinco, 30, an employee at the BSP’s Corporate Affairs Office, and her companion Bruce Miller, 51.

Superintendent Rogelio Rosales, chief of MPD Station 5, said Cinco and Miller were walking in the Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Copr.) employee’s parking space at Roxas Boulevard corner Dr. Quintos Street around 2:30 a.m. when the suspect, who was onboard a motorcycle, suddenly passed by and tried to grab Cinco’s bag.

However, Cinco and Miller wrestled with the suspect for possession of the bag, which contained over P30,000 cash and other valuables. The commotion caught the attention of security guards at the parking lot, leading to Mamicao’s arrest.

Recovered from the suspect were his 9mm pistol Beretta service pistol the motorcycle.

Report Erring Personnels of BFP and BJMP

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Do you live in Metro Manila and is hounded by threat, extortion, harassment by personnel of  Bureau of Fire and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology?

I found this on the inquirer.net website:

Corpus appealed to the public to report their complaints or illegal acts of BFP and BJMP personnel directly to his Office at the DILG central office in Diliman, Quezon City or call 920-7783 and 925-9114.

Be Careful When Bringing Big Cash Around Metro Manila

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I read a news on Inquirer about a businesswoman who got “robbed” by Metro Manila policemen.

Read it more below.

4 cops accused of taking P345,000 from businesswoman

By Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:41:00 03/18/2008

MANILA, Philippines – Four Quezon City policemen were relieved from active duty Monday after they were accused of taking P345,000 from a businesswoman whom they reportedly arrested at a checkpoint in Balintawak, Quezon City last week.

Supt. Christopher Mateo, chief of QCPD Mobile Patrol Unit, said he immediately ordered the relief of his men pending an investigation of the incident.

The four, whom Mateo refused to identify, would be confined to quarters at Camp Karingal in Sikatuna, Quezon City. Mateo said there was “strong documentary evidence” against the four.

“We will never allow corrupt policemen to undermine our efforts to bring the Philippine National Police closer to the people. Definitely, we will not tolerate this,” he told the Inquirer.

In her complaint, Cecille Garrido, 32, a businesswoman, identified a policeman named “Bacani” as among those who took her money.

Mateo confirmed that one of those relieved was a certain PO1 Bacani.

Garrido, a cell phone shop owner from Malabon, said she was in a taxicab together with Melvin Cruz and Jamiel Romuros at around 4 a.m. last March 12 when they were stopped by a police car near the bridge in Camachile, Barangay Balintawak.

Cruz said four men in police uniforms alighted from the patrol car and told them to get down from the taxi.

“The police officers searched our pockets and bags as if they were looking for something. They said it was just a checkpoint,” Cruz said.

At first, the policemen were courteous to them, he added.
But when they noticed the plastic bag containing the money inside Garrido’s handbag, they started harassing the victims, he said.

Cruz claimed one of the policemen said the money came from a drug deal. The policemen did not believe him when he said they were legitimate cell phone traders and that they were going to use the money to buy mobile phones from their supplier in Baclaran, he added.

Cruz said the four told them that they would be brought to a nearby police station.

But instead of doing so, Cruz said the policemen drove them around and continued to harass them inside the police car for at least one hour.

He said the four then dropped them off on D. Tuazon Road in La Loma, taking with them Garrido’s P345,000.

From Pasig City to Makati City

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There are a lot of options in getting to my destinations around Metro Manila. One way that i discovered that’s  quicker is from C-5 Pasig City to Ayala Avenue in Makati City.

Just go to the C-5 highway in the inner Pasig City. Wait for an Toyota FX with a sign plate “Ayala.”  The ride would take you 15 to  30 minutes.

Since i live near the Pasig City Hall, i wait for those FXs in the Bagong Ilog area. The fare is 25.00 pesos (2008 rate).

I used to ride a jeep going to EDSA (10 pesos), then ride a bus heading to Makati (12-15 pesos). In total it would take me 40 minutes to more than hour.