Philam Life Building to Be Demolished to Give away to SMDC Condominium

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This is the Philam Life Buidling and the Philam Life Theater.

"Did you know that the Philam Life Theater has a 780 seating capacity, rectangular in floor area  with curved walls and large concealed cavity above the ceiling with elegant glass light panels hang. Adorned with narra relief carvings  depicting Philippines folklore, traditional musical instruments and mytical character like Maria Makiking and Malakas at Maganda was designed by Filipino sculpture Jose Alcantara in 1961, with the helped  of local artists from Paete, Laguna.

The theater is known for superior acoustics design by BBN TECHNOLOGIES (Bolt, Beranek and Newman) Who also created the acoustics for the UN General Assembly Hall in New York.

Musical Director Okivier Ochanine of Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra launched an online petition way back March 2013 calling SM Development Corp. to spare the theater from demolition."

Notes:
Wikipedia

I worked at this building for a few years during my stint as an IT Trainor for the Corporate Human Resources of Philam Life. We conduct training programs for the Philam Group of Companies - but there were two of us who conduct mostly automation softwares like MS Office, etc. while the rest provide training on best management practices, behavioral and EQ in the workplace, and other similar work-related programs.

What was most interesting was when I had the chance to tutor Jose Cuisia Jr, the current President during that time. That's when you get to know a person better. A face-to-face interaction with the big boss of the company made me appreciate him more. I'm teaching the man holding the highest position in the company, and he opens up to me about his difficulties but genuine desire to learn on his own about computers and not just relying on his secretary.

The building definitely has a lot of memories for me.... especially our computer training room where I spent a lot of time to train myself more about other computer stuff. I would go home late pass the rush hour to become more productive with my time instead of joining the numerous people struggling to go home. I remember one time when the head of the Systems department went to check up on me wondering why I was still there. Well, aside from downloading porn...I mean trial or free softwares (lol), I was learning how to actually use them in a networked environment. Stuff like remote administration, networked training presentations, etc.

The learnings probably made it possible for me to get hired as a Systems Administrator for a bank (Banco De Oro which is another memorable story), and of course with a bigger salary and better benefits - the reason I left Philam Life. I must have impressed the interviewers with my answers during the interview, aside from my degree, trainings, and certifications on certain systems.

The Philam Life building is said to be torn down so a developer (SMDC) can build a condominium. Whether or not I am in favor of this action, and even though there are memorable moments in that place, I have moved on a long time ago. I seldom get attached to inanimate objects and quickly adjust, adapt, evolve and move on to the next reality of my life. Objects deteriorate, they fade, rust, crack, lose its durability, and as much as we want to keep them, we have to let go soon.

The building was somehow old, dark and gloomy for my taste...... what more now that it's years older, unless it was renovated after I left. Still, its whole structure may not be just as it was before. For me, the only bright and cheerful areas were inside our offices. Yes, it has heritage or historical significance, but modernization sometimes would require us to do otherwise.

Though there were fabulous works of art on display as decors. I'm sure they would be taken care of and transferred to other locations for people to appreciate again.

Sorry if it has to say goodbye.

I Think I Killed Our Money Tree After Replanting Into a Pot

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We spent three days and two nights in Montalban, Rizal...and now we are finally back in Pasig.

But before leaving Montalban, I took.a picture of the pot and the money tree my wife asked me to replant from the backyard to the front...

Now planted in a pot, I hope it survives on its own. The big plastic pot cost P200 and bought at a small neighborhood gardening supplies store in Montalban.

I think it was already too big (estimate 6 or 7 feet) to be replanted but I still took the risk since they say it would bring good fortune if it is placed in front of the house. To be specific, the plant should be kept in the south-east direction of the house or the room. As per Vastu, the southeast direction is owned by Lord Ganesha and is the direction of the planet Venus.

No idea who Lord Ganesha is, and how it has anything to do with the planet Venus. Still, I followed even though I'm not superstitious or a fan of Chinese beliefs.

Hope it is still alive when we return maybe after two weeks or so. I'm counting on my green thumb, if ever there really is something like it and that I possess that thumb.

Though I think I stressed the plant too much since I had to yank her out of the soil due to being rocky and clayish. I had a hard time digging her out.

As advised from gardening groups, I always replant from 5 pm onwards so that the plant has the entire evening to settle in its new medium.

For support, dahil hindi pa nakakapit ang ugat sa lupa, isinandal ko siya doon sa ginamit dating tuntungan when the carpenters worked on our ceiling. But later repositioned her beside the house where the sun is not too bright. Tied it left and right on window grills to keep her from falling down.

Now I realized I should have just cut it in half leaving the bottom part still planted in the soil where it originally grew. At least I have a fall back if the cutting won't survive. Well, I was counting on it being with roots but then it was too huge already to nurse back to health.

You can do it, money tree. You grew at our backyard without anybody planting you so I know you are resilient enough to survive even after all that stressful replanting process.

Parang tayo. We will appreciate and be thankful we managed to stay alive throughout and after this stressful Covid-19 pandemic.

After two days:

As expected, the money tree I replanted into a pot is withering. It was probably too big to survive...and yanking it out from the soil where it grew (eventhough I was successful in keeping the roots intact) was too much for the tree. The stress may have been too much for the plant.

I will try to save it by asking somebody there to cut it into two and planting the upper half back in the soil where it grew....and hope the other half in the pot will somehow live now that it's half of its size.

Yes, I also post about my failed attempts in gardening.

Is the Rainy Season Ideal for Container Gardening?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Since it's raining, hold na lang muna sa container gardening of fruits and veggies. The rainy season is perfect for some plants, but not for others that could drown or root rot from overwatering due to the frequent rains. I think tomatoes do not want overwatering...and my hydroponics setup will just get rainwater mixed with the nutrient solution. Also, it's still a pandemic so tipid mode. All I've bought from my gardening hobby are a few sacks of soil, vermicasts, vermicomposts, and the single big pot I used for the money tree.

Ang napabunga ko pa lang ay ampalaya, okra at munggo, the rest puro pakinabang sa leaves o talbos like kangkong, kamote, malunggay, yung ampalaya uli syempre, sili na puro dahon pa lang din .....at mga bean plants na namunga na rin pala, gumagapang sobra-sobra kasi kaya pinutulan ko na dahil masyadong invasive...umabot na hanggang kisame...and of course I won't forget my pechay harvest a few weeks ago...May mustasa rin pero kaunti lang grew successfully.

Yung mga kamatis at talong ay mga lumaki but they did not give me fruits. I have new seedling batches growing so hopefully maka harvest na ng fruits.

Onion leaks from kitchen scrap regrows for only twice max only, then they die.

There are about five turmeric seedlings growing fast. I also planted two gingers a few days ago and they've rooted and growing already, and onions  (red and white) just earlier today.

Then mga fruit seedlings like mango (5 na yata sila), avocado (mga 4 na ang may sprout with leaves, the others are still seeds), papaya (ang dami ko nito, akala ko kasi hindi tumubo kaya ginamit ko yung soil na pinagtamnan ko kaya kung saan-saan tuloy may papaya seedlings), sampaloc (namatay yung albino), and camachile (nag-iisa..coz I didn't plant this, ligaw na seeds from birds siguro). Out of 6 mulberry cuttings I planted, only two survived but I think only one will live. Both dragonfruit cuttings lived and growing. We all know it takes years for them to grow and see the output of these fruit trees.

May mga tumutubo na rin na seedlings ng calamansi sharing the space in some pots, I transfer o i-replant ko to a separate pot when they grow bigger.

The alugbati are just a few days old but mahaba na yung vines...I trimmed some so they will sprout new branches.

Yung oregano at aloe vera sobrang healthy na..I would need to propagate them soon...need pots and soil, and space to put them.

Not successful with upo. Their growth will be stunted, leaves would eventually wither, and then die after around a month. I still have one still alive but it's not healthy. Maybe they need more soil and bigger pot size.

May other plants pa ko that are still unidentified since they are still young.