The Sprinkles: Manila by Storm

Typhoon Pedring is ravaging Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon when I visited her this September. Our flight to the nation's gateway capital to the world was delayed two hours because of the weather conditions in Metro. It's actually my nth time to visit Manila but it's my first time to fly at night.

When we arrived at 11:30 in the evening at NAIA, strong winds welcomed us. When we traveled to our Hotel in Quezon City, I did not appreciate Manila that time because the power is down (it's dark because of the total blackout from Pasay City down to Quezon City) and the gigantic billboards are off. But I must admit that Manila looks cool without those towering billboards. I swear.

Because we're on official business attending the 2011 National Literacy Conference where Tagum City will be bestowed the much-anticipated Hall of Fame Award in Literacy, we can only roam around when it's free time. We're first billeted at the Great Eastern Hotel across Quezon Avenue but we transferred to the Imperial Palace Suites in Tomas Morato the following day, just across ABS-CBN. During the opening ceremony, we;re very lucky because no less than Mayor Herbert Bautista of QC welcomed us.

For me, the most memorable experience I had during this trip is our trip in the City of Makati, considered to be the country's foremost financial district. With Sir Edwin Lasquite and Madame Grace Terante of Tagum City Economic Enterprise Office, we roamed at Rockwell Powerplant Mall.

But it was our Trip to Makati City Hall that surprised me. It's huge and simply amazing -- with 28 floors! We are also granted permission to go to their helipad, a thing not all employees of the city hall are allowed to do so. From there, the Makati Skyline and the view of Mandaluyong by the Pasig River look so amazing!

Not bad experience for a typhoon-battered Manila.

Louie.