Classes, glasses, planes and gases

Beauty they say is in the eye of the beholder. But if the beholder has poor eyesight, I guess life won’t be so beautiful. And if you happen to be a student or a child unaware of the visual impairment or problem, chances are everyone will be misdiagnosing you or judging you mistakenly.

Last Monday evening I passed by Viñas Optical at Shangri-La Mall to drop off a pair of eyeglasses I carelessly ruined while welding and grinding away in my workshop. As I made myself comfortable, I commented on the fact that traffic in the mall seemed light unlike in my previous visits. One of the ladies replied that since it’s school opening everybody was probably at National bookstore. That of course has been the tradition among of millions of families. But being in an eyeglass shop, I wondered how many parents or schools make it a habit or a mandatory requirement for students to have their eyesight tested?

I thought that computerization would reduce the problem but instead I learned that more and more kids as well as adults need “specialized” optics designed against glare both natural and electronic as well as the effects of prolonged use of computers. My daughter Hannah has always been bothered by glare and light levels to the point that she always reduces the “brightness levels” on monitors she uses. Her levels are so dimmed that I have a hard time reading at her settings.

This week we learned of “Crizal Prevencia” which I believe turns your eyeglasses into filters against harmful lights, UV rays, digital glare from TV and computers as well as reducing the risks of cataracts and eye aging. In an earlier column I mentioned that the same company Essilor manufactures made-to-order lenses specifically for computer terminal use. I have been using one for quite a while and it vastly improves my visual clarity and ability to stay in front of a computer for hours.

Because my father and my youngest sister both suffered from degenerative eye disease and surgery, and because eye related problems really upset me, I try my best to spread whatever useful information I can get my hands on. Please have your children as well as your eyesight checked, invest on good, comfortable and durable glasses and if need be get one for your computer time and one for regular use if the doctor gives you a prescription. Cheap off the rack glasses are what they are — CHEAP. Your eyes deserve better.

*      *      *

Imagine a parking lot full of cars with engines running but going nowhere. After 30 minutes a hundred cars would surely consume so much fuel that will produce so much pollution and cost thousands of pesos. Now, imagine several hundred airplanes with huge jet engines all revving to keep equipment, air conditioning and navigational gears operating while parked on the ground. That would cost even more money, more fuel that is twice if not thrice more expensive, being aviation fuel and certainly adding even more pollution.

Lets bring it to the next level. Imagine so many planes just circling above Metro Manila like eagles and vultures waiting for their turn to land. At such altitude and with cargo they burn even more fuel and cost even more money. Whether they remain in the air for 5 or 15 minutes, those planes will costs hundreds of thousands of pesos going around in circles.

But that is only half of the problem. While the planes are burning away your profits, and slowly depreciating your equipment, you have hundreds of passengers in each plane wanting to take off, wanting to land, or wanting to get somewhere. They are dissatisfied, they are unhappy and they are angry. Then you have a second set of hundred plus passengers for each plane at another destination being told their flight is delayed, rescheduled, again and again and again. They too want to get somewhere, they are dissatisfied, they are unhappy and they are angry. And whom does everybody get angry with? The AIRLINES.

If you approach the airline personnel they of course will simply apologize, grin and bear whatever invectives, threats and insult or drama are dumped upon them. What many passengers don’t know or realize is that they are barking up the wrong tree, because it is the CAAP’s fault, but their only solution is to stack planes and flight schedules regardless of the delays. In terms of dollars, this is what PAL lost in April: 380 hours wasted with planes stuck on the runway waiting for departure and arrival equal to $315,000. Lost to excessive airborne holding or circling like birds 284 hours equal to $643,000 in fuel. Cost of overtime for additional crew: $96,000 rounded off to $1.05million or P43 million lost being put on hold! This is how not to make money in the Philippines.

So next time you have reason to be mad at the airport, I suggest that you first find out if the delay is airline related or airport/CAAP related. At the very least the airline will be able to point your anger towards the right directions.

*      *      *

I learned that the new owners of Club Paradise, a resort I originally helped construct in Palawan, had offered to build up the Busuanga Municipal Airport (Palawan) so that the terminal would meet world-class standards in terms of amenities. But some people in the CAAP are clearly bent on keeping the curse on Busuanga Airport and reportedly declined the latest goodwill from yet another tourism outfit.

Secretary Ramon Jimenez needs to meet up with the long line of well meaning rejects who have tried to improve tourist facilities but keep getting rejected by the CAAP. First, Cebu Pacific’s offer to fix up the Tacloban Airport Terminal was rejected, then they snubbed proposals of PAL/SMC CEO Ramon Ang to build a new airport, and the third one the Discovery Shores offer. I suggest we write a law that requires any and all government officials to explain, justify or face lawsuits for rejecting such offers. If current policies block such goodwill, then lawmakers should make a law that simplifies donations and acts of goodwill in order for donors and sponsors to get on with their goodwill for the good of the people.