#laagnitantong

To be able to work with the Coffey Institutional Development was a rare opportunity. My project with the Department of Education (DepED), the Strengthening of Financial Management System in DepED, a component of the Philippine-Australia Public Financial Management Program, funded by the Australian Aid, took two phases. The Phase 2 I worked with from July 2013 to June 2014 was under the firm AARC (Ireland) Ltd. The Phase 3 that followed was contracted under Coffey from July 2014 to June 2015 with the hope of extension for yet another year. Then the move of the Philippine Government to go electronic with its whole public financial management from budgeting to procurement to treasury and accounting was finally shelved, so they claimed, but junked as far as our team is concerned. That was the reason they based from for the cut short extension. Instead we were granted 3-month contract extension, from July to September 2015. And to celebrate our last day with the company, whi...

August 27 I made the biggest mistake of my travelling life. I left my entire luggage in the hostel I booked for 4 nights without considering that I would be wandering other cities in Thailand with no window time to get back to pack up. I woke up late thinking to just take it easy today. Maybe head to Ayutthaya at 9 o’clock in the morning. But I left at half past 10 already. I took the public bus to get to the nearest subway train station. It felt cool to mingle with riding locals, costing me only 9 baht. I then boarded the train bound for Hua Lamphong Railway Station. Emerging from the subway, I immediately noticed the ticket counters within the railway station. I approached the open window and inquired about trips to Chiang Mai. Knowing that seats with the express train are yet available, I bought one roundtrip ticket leaving at 735pm today and returning tomorrow at 6pm. Then I bought one way ticket to Ayutthaya that was scheduled to depart at 1120am. I mentally drew m...

Day 5 – August 25, 2015 Mandalay was the last city in my Myanmar itinerary. I reserved my seat in the couch to Mandalay through the hotel and paid 9,000 kyats. I was informed that the whole bus trip would last for 5 hours. Because it left Bagan at 1pm, I expected to arrive at early evening so I thought of enjoying Mandalay City at night. I was glad to know that the Coaster Bus we took followed a different route than the usual highways for regular buses. I felt gladder to know that the bus will drop us to our respective hotels. Having examined the google map early on, I noted that Yadanarbon Hotel where I reserved a room for the night is reasonably far from the downtown. To be taxied there for me was indeed a surprise treat. I tried to catch the sunset at the Royal Palace walls but it was too late; it was too dark already when I got there. I just walked my way there from the hotel and found out that it was more than a kilometer away. I decided not to hire a taxi or public uti...

Day 4 – August 24, 2015 Bicycling around temples, pagodas, stupas around Bagan seemed like a dream come true.   I arrived at New Bagan Bus Terminal at 5am. To my dismay, the bus dropped me and the American at the sidewalk several meters from the station. It was dark yet so I planned to stay inside the terminal building. A couple of “taxi drivers” crowded around us bidding for the lowest fare. I settled for the man who looked gentler than the rest and offered me the ride for 5,000 kyats. Then I was on board a horse-drawn carriage adorned with soft foams of lower quality than Uratex. Only the horse shoes made the early morning sound as we cross the road towards the Old Bagan’s Archeological Site. The driver whom I thought was gentle was insisting on me to watch the sunrise for a “little more money” until we reached the archway and stopped at the roadside kiosk. As a foreigner I paid 20USD for the 5-days pass around the archeological site and that’s the reason why I declined ...