However, I've been informed by my uncle that tonight, just after 6:30pm Pacific Daylight Time, I might see a total solar eclipse when I'm already up there in Reno, and he told me that I'll see it in full without any dimming or interruptions. He described an ingenious trick on how to view the eclipse using some folded sheets of paper from a letter I received lately and putting another sheet of paper (in this case, an envelope) so that I can see the sun while the moon passes by, covering the sun altogether. He told me that here in the Bay Area, we might see only 85% of the eclipse because the trajectory is a little off from the real path; in Reno and in other places, it is said to be at 100%, a perfect opportunity for me to watch the moon pass over the sun, covering it completely. It will be a rare chance for me to watch the total solar eclipse in real time out in the Sierras, but hopefully, I will be amazed by the spectacle.

My mother has been working at a nursing home -- more aptly called a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) -- in Novato for more than three years, and she is now a nursing administrator. She takes care of her six patients very well, and she treats them with utmost dignity and respect they deserve. Her patients range from 70 and better, their food prepared fresh everyday by her staff, and their activities range from weekly piano playing to weekend visits to a daily walk around the facility's beautifully-manicured garden. Her care is unmatched, in that she acts as a model to her fellow staff members in terms of cleanliness, proper etiquette, and professional handling of patients, akin to wonderful housekeeping.

And so, on her day off Mother's Day, my aunt, uncle, and I treated my parents and my sister to a dim sum restaurant in San Francisco called Ton Kiang and we had a great lunch full of dumplings, pastries, and vegetable treats. Even before continuing on touring through San Francisco's Ocean Beach, Legion of Honor, and the Presidio, I offered my mother a simple, yet classy bouquet of flowers. I got it at a florist located right next to the restaurant, and she really loved the three-flower arrangement. 

For details about Ton Kiang, view my article on my favorite Asian restaurants here.

Then, the family went to Fort Miley, in which my family and I visited the park for first time. It was a relaxing experience after enjoying a sumptuous lunch, and we were rewarded with captivating views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands (including Point Bonita). Unfortunately, the foggy conditions shrouded the Farallon Islands from the distance, thus we couldn't see the landmass located about 25 miles west out on the Pacific Ocean. Even my dad had a great time visiting this wonderful open space, which he visited for the first time.

After a brief layover at Fort Miley, we went through Ocean Beach and Golden Gate Park before resuming our journey through the Presidio, Legion of Honor, and Sea Gate. Then, after crossing the mighty Golden Gate Bridge, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary this month, we went up to the Marin Headlands, all the way up Conzelman Road through the roundabout and up an observation deck that has a narrow, one-lane road heading down to Point Bonita. It was a fine, bright day at the Headlands, with some fog, but the views are stunning and picture-perfect.

Before heading home, my uncle brought my parents through an alternate route heading from the Headlands to Sausalito. Going through the Sausalito Lateral, we passed through lots of bungalow-style apartments, scattered around the area north of the beautiful headlands, and we passed through another one-lane road -- this time, a tunnel -- that was used as a passageway between bunkers and shelters during World War II.

Mother's Day this year was really awesome that I really got to spend a full day with my mom, exploring the sights around the northern edge of San Francisco and Marin Headlands. It also brought a rewarding feeling for me when I gave her a gift of flowers as a token of appreciation for her hard work and care for my family. It is one memorable day that I will cherish.

Although not as prestigious as UC Berkeley or Stanford, San Francisco State University has a good Urban Studies and Planning program. However, it is only offered at the undergraduate level only, and in line with the CSU requirements, I am required to take a physical science subject with a lab component to graduate (e.g. Biology, Geography). However, with most of the units available to me are four units because I've used up nearly all my three-unit subjects in the lower division, finding three-unit subjects in the upper division can be daunting since what's offered are mostly subjects in a particular major, not anymore generalist subjects. What's worse, the increasing tuition has already been causing concerns for my family, in that as a comparison between Fall 2010 and Fall 2012, tuition rates have gone up by $660. In detail, comparing what I pay for six units (equivalent to two 3-unit subjects), note the difference in just two years:

Calculating the difference between the two years, the same tuition to enroll in six units has jumped by 22%.

If I calculate the cost of enrolling with eight units (two 4-unit subjects), the price becomes way beyond the two figures, in that:

Fall 2012 estimates:

First tuition payment (includes university fees and per-unit fee for non-residents): $4,461

Second and third tuition payments: $2,281.60

Total: $6,742.60

Estimating the cost difference, adding just two more units (2012 estimates) causes my tuition bill to rise by nearly 31%. And the first payments are just estimates for this semester; it does not account for books, food, or commute throughout the semester.

See the non-resident agreement form here

I think that education is a great force to reduce poverty, cut down recidivism, and improve one's life and stature in society. However, the unending rise in tuition has caused many students and families to back off from higher tuition rates; in many cases, students simply get more student loans to cover the costs of college. With the bad shape of the economy, scholarships are becoming more competitive than ever, receiving even more entries but with limited funds available to support such students of real need. I think that paying higher tuition fees need some sort of pay-offs too: better college facilities, more teachers and staff members to be hired, and more classes available for students. And yet, the state and federal government have been hesitant to raise funding for education, resorting instead to political bickering and rhetoric.

I am deeply frustrated with rising tuition costs without any real benefits. Should you be involved in a move to curb tuition costs and focus on quality education, not funding executives' wallets?

I have decided to skip Summer School simply because tuition fees have gone off the roof that I couldn't afford to spend $1,600 for a three-unit class at Berkeley or $2,000 for a four-unit class at San Francisco State. Ditching summer school for a longer vacation wasn't that easy for me to start with; however, I negotiated with my current internship site, Project Rebound at San Francisco State University, in which they want me to do a Pre-Statistics workshop for incoming and current San Francisco State students, especially tailored for those wanting to take statistics online in the Fall. The fun part: it will be a paid job, in which I will be charged per session, which is great since I can use the money to pay my commute every week. The details:

Along with teaching, I am planning to spend a weekend away from the Bay Area to be with my family in Las Vegas and, hopefully, travel to the Hoover Dam, a national monument straddling along the border of Nevada and Arizona. It will be a fun, yet hot, experience since it will be in July, when temperatures reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (above 38 degrees Celsius) for hours. My idea of a vacation this time, though, was to go to either Orlando in Florida and visit Universal Studios or to San Diego and soak up the beaches and enjoy quality nightlife, not another round of slot machines and steak buffets. However, given that Las Vegas has become a trendy fashion destination, with more boutique hotels and high-end shops competing for visitors, I am pretty convinced that Las Vegas will still charm me even though I've been there two times before. 

And finally, traveling around the Bay Area will continue as normal, with new sights to explore and revisiting my favorite sights... this time with more emphasis on what I really like about the places I visit. That's basically my summer plan for now.

After a long service, in which I stood for most of it, Sweet Tomatoes was our next destination, and as usual, I got a plateful of salad. The lines, though, were long that our wait time was about 15 minutes from one end of the salad bar to the cashier!

After a hefty lunch, we drove through the Niles District in Fremont, in which my uncle and I brought my parents to for the first time, then we went to Union City to grab some groceries, including a box full of mangoes in the process.

After, we toured along Alvarado Boulevard that turns into Hesperian Boulevard in Hayward, where we went through the Hayward Airport, and we finally went home.

And here's the good news: with the mobile version of Weebly now available, I can post more updates more frequently. Plus I can add even more photos and notes about my commute, including the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. I find it fun and easy to use Weebly Mobile; I hope it will have an iPad version of it soon though, as well as added features including HTML formatting and making a photo album similar to how I do it on regular Weebly that will allow me to build my website even further and make my posts better. Plus with expanded coverage, you will even get to see updated commute information as it happens using video and photos so that you can see how transit and highways are developing around the Bay Area. With the new Weebly Mobile, site updates become more frequent while I maintain my high quality of posts, and you'll get to know me the best way: on the go.

As my first video for the daily updates, here's a southbound view of the new Presidio Parkway that I really like with a tunnel instead of a viaduct, and I really like the wider roadway that makes the highway better looking.

It came as a series of events: in October 2007, the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) went to the Philippines to assess the current aviation safety standards made by the now-defunct Air Transportation Office (ATO), in which the agency determined that the ATO failed to meet the standards set by the international aviation community. Subsequently, in January 2008, the FAA downgraded the Philippines from Category 1 to Category 2. To explain what the two categories mean, I will briefly summarize them for you:

• Category 1 means that a country's civil aviation authority meets the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
• Category 2 means that a country's civil aviation authority  does not meet ICAO standards for any of the following reasons: (1) lacking laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with international standards, or (2) its civil aviation authority -- equivalent to the FAA for aviation safety matters -- is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping, or inspection procedures.

(Source: FAA [1], FAA [2])

Long description for Category 2, isn't it? Sadly, that's where the Philippines is... until now. It's already April 2012, and we've gone through several Christmas and New Year's celebrations, yet the country still struggles to find its wings back to Category 1?

Here's another setback: with the FAA placing the Philippines under Category 2, the European Union (EU) followed suit in November 2009, banning effectively all Philippine-based carriers from operating to Europe and flying over European airspace for safety reasons. The ICAO also has placed the Philippines under its Serious Safety Concern (SSC) status that is the basis of the basis of the US FAA's downgrade of the country.

(Source: European Commission)

The domino effect has caused the Philippine government to take adverse steps towards re-certifying the country back to Category 1 status under the FAA. The government has abolished the ATO and replaced it with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). The CAAP then had a new manager who vowed to sweep up needed reforms at the fastest-possible time as to regain the coveted status. Years have passed, reforms have been made, yet still, the FAA and the EU are not convinced of the changes made.

What has the Philippines done to be dragged in this mess for so long? Being under Category 2 for four years in a row and EU ban for three really sound alarm bells for many people, especially travelers who rely on airlines and airports to travel around the Philippines. 

It is really concerning -- and angering -- that the CAAP has done little significant reforms, if at all, that would truly impress the FAA, the EU, and the ICAO to change their minds and upgrade the country from its dreaded statuses. With that situation, our current aviation industry is like, what, Sudan? Ukraine? Even Indonesia? 

Why do we have to drag on with this problem for so long? What excuses have the government said to its people about aviation reforms and change? Why are incompetent people still working at the realms of the CAAP when they are there just for "benefits", not for professional development?

Will the continued downgrade impact our tourism slogan, "It's More Fun in the Philippines"? Definitely.

Will the continued downgrade put our critical infrastructure projects on hold for a long time? Absolutely.

Will the continued downgrade finally hit home to Malacanang and do something urgent about it? Hopefully.

Even the FAA has planned to expand bilateral partnership venues with key partners in the region, including the Philippines, which should give the country a wake-up call to finally improve its aviation standards so that the US will make deals to bring in more services to the country. (Source: FAA [3])

I think this Easter, we shall remind ourselves of two things: hope that we can evolve ourselves for the better through acceptance and change, and determination that we can overcome death by believing in the Lord who has done good things for us. 

We can improve the country's lagging aviation and tourism sectors by pressuring the government to make the aviation industry finally work by reversing years of neglect done by the ATO and by the former presidency that caused havoc among the country's airports, currently having poor infrastructure and connections. 

We can ensure that our tourism campaign shines forth by believing in ourselves and promoting our country as a great tourist destination by cooperating with others who have little to no faith in the government. For who else can change the image of a country that has gone through multiple colonizers, crooked presidents, and pitiful infrastructure that deserves better? Ourselves.

For those who believe that President Aquino is "Noynoying", I will tell you this: 

Hindi pupuwedeng paura-urada ang pagbabago. May proseso yan, na kinakailangang tumulong ang mamamayan para maibangon ang antas ng bansa mula sa kahirapan patungong kaunlaran. Magtulungan po tayo para umangat ang ating pamumuhay, ngunit iwasan na natin ang ugaling "bahala na ang pamahalaan"; bagkus, magsimula rin tayo ng mga hakbang upang mabago ang takbo ng ating bayan. Sapagkat tayo-tayo rin ang makikinabang kapag naging mas-maunlad ang ating bansa. 

Iwasan na rin po ang "crab mentality" na nagiging dahilan ng napakaraming salot sa ating lipunan: kaguluhan, kahirapan, at kamangmangan. Mapag-asikaso naman tayong mga Pilipino, marunong mamaluktot kung kinakailangan, at namamangha ang maraming tao mula sa ibang bansa dahil tayo ay mapagmalikhain. May karunungan naman tayo: maging masipag, matiyaga, at maka-Diyos. Gamitin natin sa husto ang ating mga magagandang ugali upang makipagtulungan tayo sa ibang tao upang iahon ang Pilipinas mula sa kahirapan.

Ang pagbabago, nanggagaling sa sarili natin. Iniisip, pinagmamasdan, ginagawa. Tulungan natin ang pamahalaan para mabago na ang takbo ng ating bansa; ngunit, sa kabilang banda, magbago na rin tayong mga Pilipino. Ika nga ni Pangulong John F. Kennedy ng Amerika: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." (for a translation, it will be on a footnote below)

I've read from various news articles lately through Google about the Philippines' progress towards gaining back the coveted Category 1 status from the FAA, as well as removing the ban from the European Union and removal from the Serious Safety Concerns list of the ICAO. However, in a visit of FAA representatives last January about the status of the Philippine civil aviation authority, it has seen an additional 23 concerns. Although minor, the FAA deems that those are "crucial" to bringing back Category 1 to the country.

(Sources: ABS-CBN, AFP, Bloomberg Businessweek, GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Yahoo! Philippines) Note: search Google for "Philippine Aviation", then click on news to view relevant sources.

And yet, in an editorial I read, Babe Romualdez of the Philippine Star, in his editorial called "Is it really more fun in the Philippines?", mentions that the Category 2 rating "raises suspicions that the downgrade has more to do with international politics rather than safety concerns". (Source: Philippine Star) That has put a large question mark in my mind: if the US allies with the Philippines in the global war against terrorism, then why does Washington not provide more than adequate resources to help Manila out, struggling from the depths of FAA placing the Philippines under Category 2 for four years in a row?

Does this mean the CAAP has done something unacceptable to the eyes of the FAA that deserves a continued downgrade? Maybe.

Does this mean the FAA has little faith in the Philippines to ever gain back its Category 1 rating? Possibly.

Does this mean the CAAP must act vigorously and fill all the missing holes to finally put our country's aviation on par with international standards? Absolutely.

The Philippine government should stop churning more excuses to cover up its shortcomings and faults as to further delaying the needed FAA upgrade from Category 2 to Category 1. The CAAP should look for solid, structured solutions that will impress, not only the Aquino government, but also the international community as well, as tourists from all over the world rely on airlines to travel to anywhere in the world.

Air travel is very crucial for the Philippine economy, as it is used by almost all travelers (98%) coming to and from the country. We should help the government work out the many mistakes and faults previous administrations have committed and done to improve our struggling aviation industry. The government, in return, should keep the promises they make to improve Filipino lives by reducing corruption and bureaucracy, becoming more transparent, and opening up investments to crucial infrastructure that will bring in more investments to the country, and hopefully, reduce poverty.

In my next segment, I will describe, step by step, what I believe the Philippine government, and the Filipino people, should do to improve our country.

Translation from above Filipino text:

Change is never instant nor easy, like making instant three-minute Cup Noodles or Top Ramen. It takes a long time and a lot of processes to make it happen, and it requires our cooperation to rebuild our country out of poverty and turn it into a prosperous nation. Let us help one another in making the Philippines a better place and avoid the "bahala na" habit towards the government. We need to change our old ways and introduce change and reform to make our road to recovery better and long-lasting. Once our country has finally come out of its shambles, we will ultimately benefit the fruits of our labor from the sacrifices we make and endeavors we take.

Our "crab mentality" thinking, which causes family conflicts, political bickering, and an endless cycle of poverty, should also be erased from our minds forever as well. We are a loving, accommodating, hardworking, and creative people who want to bring out the best of every tourist's visit to the country. We are also God-fearing, determined, and disciplined that makes us an envy of many country. We should use those valuable assets to our advantage to help the Philippines rise up from the ill-effects of poverty and hardship.

Change comes from ourselves. The government has already a lot of issues on its plate, yet, critical reforms are needed to make our country better in the eyes of the international community. It should eliminate corruption, waste, and greed that hampers economic growth and social development. However, we should not always rely on the government to change for us and to improve our lives; instead, remember what President John F. Kennedy has said during one of his speeches: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for the country."