Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Interviewing Riklamadora of AKPh

     So this is it! Your much awaited interview with Riklamadora is finally here. For those readers here, who are not yet familiar of Always Kubeta Ph, allow me to give you a brief background.

     Always Kubeta Ph is an Instagram account created by three comfort room lovers, who call themselves "comfort room" bloggers. These three are only known for their code names: EMmaarte, Riklamadora, and MTcoloso. They see themselves as bloggers doing public service for Filipinos and tourists of the Philippines. For more information regarding Always Kubeta Ph, just visit Instagram and key in @alwayskubetaph
     For followers of Always Kubeta Ph, here you go. Introducing Riklamadora, your comfort room blogger with a standard that one must please.

1. Describe your character?
Riklamadora: Reklamadora.

2. What gave you the idea to be a comfort room blogger?
Riklamadora: I always give feedback whether good or bad. Plus, I poop a lot in public places. hehe

3. What's the best comfort room you've been so far?
Riklamadora: In general, toilets in Japan.

4. What's the worst comfort room you've been so far?
Riklamadora: Mt. Pulag! Literally a shithole! Yung sa ranger station naman may jebs sa wall. As in ang daming jebs. Hindi ko alam paano umabot sa mga walls.

5. What's your favorite comfort room element? Why?
Riklamadora: Flush! Pinakamatatago ang ebidensiya. I can bring tissue naman. Pero if walang source ng tissue, then tissue. Gets ba?

6. What's your wildest/weirdest/funniest experience in a public toilet?
Riklamadora: Pulag talaga. Una, yung 2-hour hike sa summit nagawa kong 30 minutes pababa dahil sa sakit ng tiyan. Yung toilet doon eh butas lang na may bakod. Tapos mabaho talaga kasi doon ka lang tlaga pwedeng magbawas. I had my nose covered pero ang daming langaw na alam mong dumapo  na sa mga jebs. Alam ko rin na nakatapak na ako ng mga jebs. I highly doubt if nakashoot lahat. Tinapon ko shoes ko after. hahaha

7. In general, how do you see our public toilet here in the Philippines? Do you see any changes 5 years from now?
Riklamadora: A lot better than before! Hopefully we won't pay for that public service already. Pay lounge is a joke! Establishments should have budget for that.

8. What's your ideal/dream public toilet?
Riklamadora: Yung sa Japan. Hindi naman lahat may ganun pero sa airport nila automatic ang toilets.

9. What makes you continue this advocacy of yours?
Riklamadora: Dahil kay MTColoso at EMmaarte haha. Masaya rin eh.

10. Any message you want to convey to restaurant owners, building maintenance officers, public place managers, government officials.
Riklamadora: We eat, so we jebs. I thank you.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Until When?

Until when will you be stubborn, dad?
I remember you taught us to be obedient.

Until when will you start caring for yourself, dad?
I believe you told us to take care of our health.

Until when will you stop destroying yourself, dad?
I thought you want what's best for us.

Until when will cigarette be your master, dad?
I can't let you be its slave forever.

Until when will you finally be ours, dad?
I long for the time that you're completely free.

Friday, September 08, 2017

Blind Spot

     Darkness... the only thing I see since the day you left me. Such a cruel fate came by, kissed me, and changed everything I've known for regarding life. It was such a life-changing experience, which required losing someone like you. 

     You were my light back then. Your glow guided my path in trekking the future I desire. But that future became vague upon losing you. That accident consumed every unit of your inner light leaving me with complete darkness, which made me stop from having a bright future with you. 

     Right there and then, darkness occupied my entire being. It surrounded me, embraced me, and imprisoned me. No more clear path to take for this poor dreamer. And the saddest part is, I remained where you left me - hanging and can't move even a slight inch.

     Blindness is all I have now. How foolish destiny was in putting me in such a situation where vision and ambition are nonexistent. I can't recognize the face of hope anymore. It feels like I'm part of this earthly dimension that there's only "I" in everything. Only me can fathom what needs to be understood and what needs to be done. No more us. Just me.

     You are just a memory now living inside this confused mind. I can only see your visual imprints running in loop inside this head. It made me believe that you're alive, but I know deep inside my heart that you no longer exist in this dying world. No more you. No more us.

     Where should I go now? Living in this dire world with no direction isn't a sure path. I'm not aware if I'm heading forward or the other way around. It feels like I'm also running in loop just like the way you do inside my mind. 

     How can I move on now? Living inside this cycle of darkness stagnates me. I need my guiding light at this point. I need you. My directionless path would have complete meaning if you're here beside me. You would easily pick me up every time I drop myself and ready to give up. Only if there is [still] you.

     No more journey to start nor journey to end. This journey is only worth waiting until everything ends. This life is such a mess. Only I alone can make things best. But not for long for I [too] want my own rest.
Image source: https://www.associationcovenantpeople.org/2010/02/part-3-not-everyones-blind/

Thursday, September 07, 2017

Introducing EMmaarte of AKPh

     We've been introduced by a group of people - namely MTcoloso, Riklamadora, and EMmaarte -  into the world of Comfort Room Blogging a few weeks ago and people took notice of this type of advocacy. These "terrific trio" really have something under their sleeves when it comes to reviewing public toilets here in the Philippines. They have the knowledge, the taste, the wit, and the humor in delivering their reviews. They also have this certain view on why they have this burning passion within their hearts. It has something to do with service, tourism, and economy.  
     Today, this post is all about introducing one of them. Her name is EMmaarte and here are her quirky answers to my questions:

1. Describe your character? 
EMmaarte: Well I'm the maarte, funny, jologs, and baliw one. It's obvious naman diba? I'm also the smallest, the skinniest (charot) and ugliest hahaha. Dinaan sa katawan! 🦐

2. What gave you the idea to be a comfort room blogger? 
EMmaarte: I did not get the chance to say 'no' when we were talking about it. They did not even ask me if I want to be a part of it (mga assumera!). At first I thought it's joke time lang. Then they become so serious about it. So, yun na, wala nang atrasan. Or feel ko ginamit nila ako dahil may pag ka OC ako. Hahaha

3. What's the best comfort room you've been so far? 
EMmaarte: Here in the PH, Antonio's Fine Dining, Tagaytay. Pwedeng duet sa pag tae. LOL
Outside PH, SFO airport. May disposable seat cover eh hahaha.

4. What's the worst comfort room you've been so far? 
EMmaarte: Those stop-over CR that you have to pay PhP 5.00 for no.1 and PhP 1.00 for no. 2. Befor eh PhP 2.00 and PhP 5.00 lang. Kapal maningil ng fee eh ang dugyot dugyot naman. And there's putik every where and they are using the old style toilet bowl na you need to transform your self into 🐒 para lang mag wiwi. 

5. What's your favorite comfort room element? Why? 
EMmaarte: Toilet seat. It's so relieving and satisfying making wiwi or jebs na freely kang naka upo without worrying of getting any germs and bacteria like e-coli or staphylococcus. hahaha 

6. What's your wildest/weirdest/funniest experience in a public toilet? 
EMmaarte: Yung may kasabay kang jumejebs and nagpapakiramdaman kayo kung sino unang lalabas ng cubicle. Though alam nyo na pareho kayong gumagawa ng miracle because flush nyo eh sunod sunod. 

7. In general, how do you see our public toilet here in the Philippines? Do you see any changes 5 years from now? 
EMmaarte: I think this blog (promoting) will help in spreading awareness to toilet operators. As long as we continue encouraging people to share their good and bad CR experiences, soon majority (if not all) toilet operators will be aligned of the standard public toilet qualifications.

8. What's your ideal/dream public toilet? 
EMmaarte: Hmmmm toilets where you can properly sit without any hesitations. Has all the basic needs not just at the wash area but as well as inside the cubicle. Sarap kaya ng feeling na masabon pwet mo! 

9. What makes you continue this advocacy of yours?
EMmaarte: To let everyone know na CR must be included in our primary needs. Because it gives us satisfaction, diba we feel like being possessed if di tayo naka release. We must prioritize making our comfort rooms better than before. Porque CR eh hahayaan mo nang panget. Di ba ang sarap ng feeling na jumebs or magwiwi kung ang ganda ganda at nakaka relax ang restroom. 

10. Any message you want to convey to restaurant owners, building maintenance officers, public place managers, government official. 
EMmaarte: Customers will keep coming back to your resto/mall/area if your mirror can make them slim and pretty, and if they are confident enough that your CR will not suffer their kahihiyan in times of tummy crises. And let's face the fact that as years go by, people are becoming more and more vain. It's part of their daily routine to tambay at the CR because of that full length mirror for perfect selfie and to admire themselves. Kahit di kasarapan ung food as long as you have nice CR, they'll become your regulars. May sense ba mga sagot ko? Parang wala hahaha. I, thank you!

Friday, September 01, 2017

Start with Giving

     And so the month of September is finally here and Filipinos are starting to countdown days before the much awaited Christmas. Here in the Philippines, Christmas season can be felt as early as September - the start of "Ber" months - and ends as late as... well, as late as until when we have moved on from the reality that Christmas is over.

     Christmas season is a "giving" season. This is the particular season when people starts feeling the urge of giving gifts and inflicting joy to companions, colleagues, subordinates, and people in need. One good evidence that giving takes place is the increase of shoppers in malls and in different places that offer items good as presents. 

     Another good example that giving is evident is the influx of donors and sponsors. These are people willing to give items that are valuable to orphanages and other institutions alike. I've been a part of a particular kids foundation for five years now and I'm aware that volunteering and sponsoring trend increases when this season comes in. 

     Now that "ber" months are officially here and the concept of "giving" starts to fill in your heart, it's time for you to plan and organize your own "giving" project. Aside from organizing your own Christmas party, it is best to plan a party for other people especially those in dire needs. After all, giving works best when you are able to touch a heart. Do you want to touch somebody's heart today? Start with giving.
     Already determined to start your giving journey but still have a lot of questions in mind such as how, who, when, and where? Watch out for my next article. Thank you for reading!

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