The Last Mon Standing

Among my group and classmates, I am the one who lives in the farthest town (the southernmost tip of Bataan- Bataan Economic Zone), however instead of boarding I decided to just travel more than an hour a day to get to school. Whenever people ask me why, I always answer, “Because I don’t know how to cook.”

But actually I first tried to live with different roommates when I was a freshman… but I found the experience traumatizing. No I was not bullied; I just find it hard to share my personal belongings to others (I mean toiletries as in sponge scrub). For me a Sponge-Scrub-slash-my-nylon-loofah is as sacrosanct as my toothbrush… but heck the story, I think, is too good and it deserves its own page… because this entry is about the new area that I am currently interning in (I mean the cost I have to pay just to get there).

I am currently interning in a District Hospital in Arlo Cordova’s town. I have been in a farther hospital before but this hospital is in the middle of Arlo’s town, unlike the other hospitals where I can just ride an Air Conditioned bus and TUH-DAAA!!, I’m there.

In order to get there first I have to wake up at 3:00 AM (today my alarm clock rang at 2:30). Then I have to leave the house at 4.

Then I’ll ride a tricycle… there isn’t too much of a passenger during this time, the factory workers work at 5… so I have to rent the tricycle to the bus stop for 25 Pesos. After that, I’ll ride the usual air conditioned bus at 60 Pesos (that includes already the student discount). The trip goes on for an hour (it takes 1 ½ in ordinary bus) then I’ll ride a tricycle to another Bus terminal for only 10 Pesos. The tricycle ride is followed by either a jeepney or an ordinary bus ride for only 15 Pesos.

Overall I have to pay (okay do your Mathematics);

Php25 + Php60 + Php10 + Php15 = Php 110

Going home is another, much cheaper, story…

I have to pay the Bus or jeepney ride that costs 15 pesos, then ride an ordinary bus to my town for 57 Pesos (Ordinary Buses do not give discounts on Holidays, summer and Christmas Breaks, and weekends) and finally a jeepney ride for only 6 Pesos.

Kindly please do your Math again;

15 + 57 + 6 = 78 Pesos.