The PAF Aerospace Museum

Along the stretch of road leading to the NAIA domestic terminal, at the entrance to Villamor airbase, lies a modern glass and concrete structure housing the PAF's Aerospace Museum. Its collection includes various uniforms of the PAF, model planes, cut sections of actual plane parts, guns, an interactive flight simulator and a vast collection of memorabilia. Aside from the indoor exhibits, there's also the outdoor 'Aircraft Park' that shows off the various aircrafts used the Airforce in the past. All of these for a small entrance fee of P20 (USD 0.44).

Dioramas and photo galleries on the 2nd floor showcases the history of flight in the Philippines under the American Commonwealth period, the inception of the airforce into the armed service, and its 'trial by fire' as the country was pulled into the Pacific theater of the second World War.

You can't help but feel pride as you move along the halls with stories of our brave and valiant pilots who, against all odds, was able to step up and defend the motherland against a larger, more experienced, and better equipped invading fleet. Especially with the story of Lt.Jesus Villamor who, along with a handful of defending pilots of that day, was able to fend off the Japanese fighters and bombers who came straight from their attack on Pearl Harbor.

The Aircraft park was a joy to go to. You can go and ride the cockpit of some of the planes and helicopters in the exhibit. My son and I fooled around with the anti-aircraft gun at the center. We had a lot of fun there. Good thing the weather was overcast that day.

I must say, this has been an eye opener for me and my visit there has changed my view about the state of the Philippine Airforce. All I heard from the past is that they only used WWII planes like the Mitsubishi Zero and the American P51. A kids, we even joked that a bombing mission entails dropping grenades or warheads to their targets...like in those old WWI films.

As I grew up, I did heard about the conversion and wide use of the Broncos but I never heard that the PAF used jet engine fighters like the F5A and the Sabre. As old as they may be, I am still awestruck when I see those old "Jet Age" airplanes.

Along with their wide range of WWII memorabilia, are the survival gear and weapons of Lt. Onoda. The Japanese soldier who stayed behind and was instructed to 'never surrender nor commit suicide'. He was instructed to surrender in 1975...30 years after the end of WWII.

Along with the various jet engine parts in the 1st floor are the different experimental weapons platform undertaken by the Armed Forces. Its also noted that these experiments, conducted to make our Armed Forces self sufficient, was scrapped due to political matters.

All in all, our trip to the PAF Aerospace Museum was well worth it. Its sure to bring out the inner child as you play along with the youngins.

Tales From the Old Photo Bin: Shinjuku in 3 Seasons

I found this old photo from 2003 when I was training in Shinjuku Center Building. From the smoking room, I could see the Shinjuku main avenue intersection and watched it change with the seasons.

By the end of Summer

During Fall


During winter

Photo Project 09-12-12a: Landscape

In our recent trip to Tagaytay, although sorrounded by people with digital SLRs and the like, I still took out my Kodak C813 coz I always wanted to try out the 'landscape' settings on the SCN mode. Here are the results...

The Alay Lakad Experience 2009

As me and my wife do every Maundy Thursday for the past 4 years, we walk from Cainta to the Antipolo Cathedral up the mountains of Antipolo City (As their banner now indicates, this is the pilgrimage capital of the Philippines). In this annual 3 to 4 hour pilgrimage from Cainta, I vowed not to drink nor eat until I reach the end of the climb. Along the way, you can also pray on different stations depicting the way of the cross as you go through this trek. This practice started with a handful of Marian devotees at least 2 decades ago as a vow of devotion to Our Lady of Antipolo. A few years later, various fraternities, local groups and a few punk 'tribes' joined in. As it grew in popularity and acceptance, many individuals also participated in the activity, gaining the recognition by the local goverment, prompting them to include it in their fiscal planning.

Before we started in the first station there was a message from the PA system that set up the mood and theme. In this era of instant convinience and gratification, its nice to, once in a while, slow down and give notice to all the things we take for granted. Like the way we walk in this pilgrimage, and thank the Lord for all the little things that we fail to take note of in our fast paced lifestyle.

But, as in all things in every culture, once it gets kitschy, it looses its core values and meaning. When you look around, the path is filled with people going out just to have a good time with friends. Fewer and fewer people are seen praying at the stations every year.

And the people just gets worse and worse. Two years ago it was a group of loud mouthed, skimpy dressed underaged girls in high heels with tons of makeup (skimpy as in backless spagetti strap tops with Japanese school girl skirts, looks more like they're out to hook up with foreigners...they're in for a big disappointment as I never saw any foreigners partake in this event).

Last year it was gays and transvestites acting up with 'sex in the city' inspired get ups, discussing loudly what part of the male anatomy they want the biggest and how long they can take. As we were going home, we rode with one 'tranny' wearing a two piece bikini and a mini micro skirt just a few millimeters above the crotch area (very unsightly).

(just like a sea of people)

This year it was a combination of both, along with a few disrespectful youths wearing devil costumes (there was a red devil and a green one), pickpockets, drunks harassing the female attendees and a rally held by right wing purists who keeps shouting that we're all going to hell because we don't do things their way, getting all 'I'm holier than you' with the crowd ...well, who can blame them, with what I've seen so far.

(pilgrims singing Francis M's "Kelaidoscope World")

("We're almost there"... the final stretch before the Antipolo Cathedral)

But on the bright side, there are still those devotees keeping true to their 'panata'. As it was written in the Bible, even if there is only one among you who is still faithful, I am willing to spare your lot.

(My wife and I resting outside at 7-11 after the pilgrimage)