Diverse list of music puts artist in the mood

Aimee Bernardo’s playlist includes Classical, French and Kundiman whenever she paints her magnum opuses at her studio and home at Factory 505, Parc Royale Condominium.

“I listen to mostly Classical music but now meron akong Ray LaMontagne, which I don’t know how to pronounce,” revealed Aimee laughing. “But I do love French music. Hindi ko sila maintindihan pero gandang-ganda ako sa tunes.”

Her dilemma though is finding a Kundiman to her liking. It’s either she loves the music but not the performer.

“Maganda yung Kundiman. Merong gitara lang na Kundiman. Gusto ko siyang pakinggan,” said Aimee.

Aside from music, Aimee listened to peace and quiet at the wee hours in the morning while she painted various pieces for her “Pat’ak – Pat’ak Series: Seasons Of My Mind” exhibit at her studio which runs until March 13, 2018.

There are more than 30 pieces on exhibit consisting of large master pieces built like a puzzle wherein interested buyers or art collectors can purchase per piece from the whole artwork. According to Aimee, it’s a result of her first art exhibit during which people looked for small pieces.

“But I can’t work on a small canvas, that’s why ginawa ko siyang parang puzzle, you can have a portion of that big canvas,” described Aimee whose series depicted various emotions on the four seasons – Fall, Spring, Summer and Winter, using pointillism.

“I want to honor the seasons. ’Yung Winter, kasi black and white siya, so monochromatic. You can tell na medyo it’s coming from a deep dark place. Then the Spring is like happy thoughts and then the Autumn is like more womanly that’s why the colors are rich, like gold, red, magenta. And then Summer, that’s my favorite place because it is my happy place. That’s why the colors are blue like the beach. So these are all my emotions so I called them ‘Pat’ak,’” she explained.

What’s the inspiration behind her “Pat’ak-Pat’ak” series?

“When I’m painting, my inspiration has always been my dad. He passed away. And of course when I’m painting, it’s for him. Parang in my head, there are unspoken words, hindi namin napag-usapan because he passed away suddenly. So parang this is my way of connecting with him,” intimated Aimee.

Aside from painting and preparing for her next art exhibit, Aimee teaches art. It’s her way of paying it forward for her gift of painting. She recently taught at the Philippine National School for the Blind and at Trimex Colleges in Laguna where she did a mural in its new building.

An ongoing project she calls “Proyekto Pat’ak,” Aimee hopes to teach two to three schools a year.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, March 10, go to John Lesaca, TJ Manotoc, Alex Estrada, Rosanna Marquez, Pete Dacuycuy, Erlinda Santiago, Nelson Gumatay, Raquel Dungo, and Julia Baretto… March 11: Jose Mari Chan, former Comelec Chairman Ramon Felipe, Councilor Hero Bautista, Vera Isberto, Lucy Chuaying, Dr. Teresita Gozar, Camille Nolasco, Anthony and Michael Segovia, Atty. Nardz Virtucio, Dr. Romy Suntay, Jessie Lucas, Janna Dominguez, Belsha Dizon, Chico Moreno, and Avi Siwa… March 12: Betsy Quisumbing, Mely Paras, Josephine Seson, Nenette Smith, Antoinette Bocobo, Bong Gaba, Raphael Robes and Fred Payaman…

After a month, MRT3 finally deploys 10 trains

In a bid to upgrade railway services, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) management finally managed to field 10 trains this week.

On Sunday, March 4 at 6:40 pm, the MRT3 operated with 10 running trains. The last time there were 10 working trains was a month before on February 4.

The MRT3 even managed to average 10 trains on Tuesday, March 6, serving 277,142 passengers.

The number of MRT3 trains dwindled to less than 10 in February – as few as 6 running trains were available on a given day to the commuting public. The MRT3 scrambled to reach 10 working trains the entire month as spare parts were delivered mid-February.

Improvements followed after the MRT3 experienced its longest glitch-free streak, but a breakdown incident on March 3 ended the "lucky" streak.

From March 5 to March 8, the MRT3 averaged 9 working trains serving around 280,000 passengers daily.

Three breakdown incidents happened in March – two of which were due to signalling problems, while another one was caused by electrical failure in the affected train's motor. There have been a total of 41 incidents since the year started.

10 trains running

On Saturday, March 3, some 750 people were unloaded at GMA-Kamuning due to electrical failure at 2:06 pm. The glitch ended the 9-day glitch-free streak of the MRT3. The day averaged 8 working trains serving close to 222,000 passengers.

On Sunday, March 4, the MRT3 management was finally able to deploy 10 trains at 6:40 pm. The day ended with an average of 9 working trains serving some 152,000 passengers.

On Monday, March 5, the day opened with 9 working trains. Ten trains were finally available by 11 am. However, a glitch involving a signalling error in a Southbound train unloaded 350 passengers at Quezon Avenue, making only 8 trains available for operations.

Despite the glitch, the day closed with 9 working trains on average, serving some 290,000 passengers.

On Tuesday, March 6, the day opened with 10 running trains at 6 am. The MRT3 was able to maintain the number of trains throughout the day at 10, and served around 277,000 passengers.

On Wednesday, March 7, 9 trains were available by 6 am but it went up to 10 trains by 9 am. The day averaged 9 working trains serving close to 281,000 passengers.

On Thursday, March 8, a breakdown incident happened a few minutes when the revenue line opened at 5:33 am. Some 850 passengers were unloaded at Guadalupe Station due to a signalling problem. After the incident, the MRT3 operated at 8 trains at 6 am.

By 8 am, the number of trains increased to 9. The MRT3 gave free rides to women during rush hour for the International Women's Day from 7 am to 9 am, and 5 pm to 7 pm. The day closed with MRT3 serving some 276,000 passengers.

Deadlines

As the MRT3 scrambles to maintain the available trains at 10, the deadlines set by the transportation department are closing as well.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade promised that by April, there should be at least 15 running trains for the public to use.

The assessment of the "overweight" 48 trains delivered by China-based CRRC Dalian Company Limited is due on March 10. The assessment will determine whether these trains are safe for the public to use.

Earlier this February, engineers from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) began a system audit of the MRT3. JICA is expected to release a report on the restoration works needed for the railway system.

On Friday, JICA presented the initial results of the report to Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan. According to the MRT3 management, the final report will also help determine the scope of work by the new rehabilitation and maintenance service provider.

The DOTr targets to sign a loan agreement with Japan – which will help select the new service provider around May.

The number of trains was drastically decreased after the MRT3 Maintenance Transition Team took over, as trains and spare parts left by the former maintenance provider Busan Universal Rail Incorporated (BURI) was not in the right condition needed, the DOTr earlier said.

On Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Malacañang wants new cases to be filed against former transportation officials – on top of a plunder complaint already filed. Roque alleged maintenance funds were diverted to a certain "Pangasinan group" for political machinery.

Roque traced the train's glitches to the alleged diversion of MRT3 maintenance funds.

In 2017, there were 516 MRT3 glitches recorded – almost 10 incidents a week.

Palace ‘to dissect plunder of MRT’

MALACAÑANG vowed Thursday to “dissect the plunder of MRT [Metro Rail Transit]” after two self-confessed whistleblowers came forward to reveal allegedly anomalous activities of former government officials.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said two unidentified whistleblowers he claimed previously were directly involved in the MRT operations had volunteered to reveal alleged corrupt practices in the management of the mass transit system along EDSA.

Roque earlier said new charges might be filed against former Transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and former Interior secretary Mar Roxas.

He also indicated the government might take action against its private sector partner in the MRT 3.

“I have documents already. I’m just giving notice to NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] and DoJ [Department of Justice] before I go public with the documents,” Roque told a Malacanang news briefing.

“I promise this will be a continuing activity that we have here, and that is dissecting the plunder of MRT.”

Roque said earlier said the whistleblowers claimed a certain “Pangasinan Group” and a “political machinery” pocketed two-thirds of the payment given to the MRT’s former maintenance provider, Filipino-Korean consortium Busan Universal Rail Inc.

The Department of Transportation last November terminated its maintenance contract with BURI, which was tapped by the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian asked the Department of Transportation to determine if the 48 Dalian trains, bought for P3.8 billion from a Chinese supplier—CCRC Dalian Co.—were suitable for use on the Metro Rail Transit 3 rail line.

He noted the controversial Dalian trains that had arrived two years ago had remained in limbo.

He said the DoTr should take immediate action based on the findings and recommendations of the independent auditor, expected to be released later this week.

“I urge DoTr and the MRT 3 management to act on the recommendations of the audit as soon as they are released, so that we can bring the suffering of MRT 3 commuters to an end,” he said.

In the event the 48 Light Rail Vehicles are assessed as unworthy for use on the MRT 3 line, Gatchalian said the DoTr should return the units and demand a total refund.

“It’s a question of suitability. If it is found that these trains aren’t right for the system, the government needs to get our money back. We cannot rely on trains that don’t match the specifications agreed on by the parties in the first place,” the senator stressed.

In January 2018, the DoTr and the MRT 3 management tapped the German firm TUV Rheinland to be the Independent Audit and Assessment Consultant that would evaluate and submit recommendations on issues concerning the unused LRVs.

The report on their assessments are expected to be released on March 10.

The DoTr said the Dalian trains weighed 49.7 metric tons, which exceeds the maximum allowable weight of 46.4 metric tons found in the contract, making them unsafe to use on the exisiting MRT 3 rails.

The transportation agency also claimed issues in the compatibility of the LRVs with MRT 3’s maintenance facilities and signaling system.

“The constant ailments of the MRT 3 have left it on life support. The usual medicine won’t be enough to save it. It needs a life-saving treatment. Hopefully, the independent audit will give the government the information it needs to make the right diagnosis and, ultimately, revitalize its operations for the benefit of the commuting public,” Gatchalian said.