Today, 21 September 2022, marks the 50th anniversary of martial law declaration in the Philippines. I did not realize so until I saw posts on Facebook. But that is not what I would be talking about today. 😊
For more than year, I have been waiting for land survey plan to be approved by our government agency Department of Environment and Natural Resources or DENR. This was submitted by the geodetic engineer who certified the survey. I let the engineer took care of everything because our agreement was that this would be covered in his professional fee. The process usually takes a few months but the engineer keeps pointing at the DENR as the cause of delay.
After a very long period of waiting, I finally decided to follow through personally and not just through text messages with the geodetic engineer. I wanted to see what's going on so I told the engineer that I will go to DENR. He said his assistant will meet me there.
The DENR office I knew was no longer in the central business district of Baguio Ciry. I heard they relocated to Pacdal area so I had to find my way. I rode a jeepney to Liteng that passes through Pacdal and told the driver to drop me off near DENR. He nodded and said it is just near Pacdal Circle. Oh, I know the cirle. So I won't get lost after all.
The Pacdal Circle
I drop off by the Pacdal Circle, walked towards a school which the driver used as a landmark and found on the left side the arc of the agency that I was looking for.
I went inside the compound and followed the pathway to the first office building that I saw. There were chairs in front of the building with few people waiting so I thought they were in line. I sat on a separate chair and called my contact person who was supposedly inside already.
Shiela said she will come out to meet me when I called so I waited. More than 10 minutes passed and no Shiela. I texted her and she called back. That was when I realized I was in front of the wrong building. I followed Shiela's direction and found her waiting along the road about 50 meters going further inside the compound. She led on and we came to a wide gate where a bigger building is towering over.
Wow, I thought. It looks like the agency now has its own real estate property unlike before that it seemed just a tenant in a commercial building. That's cool.
Shiela led the way to the office where she was processing the papers. We got inside where people were on queue. I did not want to wait in line so I let Shiela continue what she was doing. I told her I'll wait outside. I indeed went outside looking for some things to shoot.
In front of the building was a mini-park with giant trees that each won't fit in my camera.
I went down to the parking lot and found stalls selling foodies and souvenir items. I was about to buy something to nibble but thought otherwise. It was almost lunch time and I wanted full meal so I'd rather wait.
The tarpaulin in front of one of the stalls caught my attention.
"Sirok Ti Kayo"
That is "under the tree." Cool name for a store stall, I thought.
I went back to the office through the other side of the parking lot and was amazed by dazzling Ti plants beside a stairway. The color bright purple-pinkish-reddish combination was striking. I can't get enough of one of them.
Ti plants are great ornamental plants that come with different varieties. I grew up knowing that purple variety on the photo. My mother used to have a few of those in our farm. It was only during the pandemic when I gor interested with plants when I knew that Ti plants have different varieties and thus colors.
I went back to the office to check on Shiela. She was still in line. I shot this wall decor (yes, I got nothing better to do) and waited a few more minutes.
Shiela came forward and led the way out. We went to another office. I just followed along and stayed in the waiting area while she went straight to a table. It did not take long and she finally came back with a set of papers. She said everything is okay now. I checked the papers and asked if she is sure all are complete. She said yes. So far, I agreed with what I checked.
It was past noon time so I thought of inviting her to lunch. She said she still has another set of papers to process. I asked where and she pointed to the building where I first waited for her. I then said my thanks and we parted ways.
Technically, I was of no use in there except to be a pressure so that things will be taken cared of with diligence and sense of urgency. If I did not meet up, the engineer could have continued telling me delays. So it pays to be a silent scare sometimes.