Philippines – Everything is Broken

COV-19 Resources in Philippines

September 24, 2020March 18, 2020 by admin

Partially for my own use, partially in case it helps anyone else out there, this aims to be a list of useful, non-fake-news resources for navigating the next few months. Feel free to suggest more below. If you are feeling unwell and want to know what you should do, this article summarizes your options. [Executive … Read more

Alternative DNS servers in the Philippines

March 13, 2019September 5, 2017 by admin

Sometimes the default DNS servers for ISPs in the Philippines don't work. Sometimes they get overloaded, sometimes they block certain sites and not others due to internal agendas (PLDT blocking Globe sites for eg.). So here's a list of the alternatives. Outside the Philippines Cloudflare, APNIC 1.1.1.11.0.0.12606:4700:4700::11112606:4700:4700::1001[added Mar 2019. Current favourite] Google DNS 8.8.8.88.8.4.42001:4860:4860::8888 (IPv6)2001:4860:4860::8844 … Read more

Blocking irritating PLDT Billing popups

December 19, 2016 by admin

So you forgot to pay your bill. It happens. PLDT used to set an automated phone call to call you once a day until you paid. Now they have something much more irritating, and something that feels borderline illegal. What they do is they hijack your internet connection. Every four or five page loads, they … Read more

Job (in)security

October 24, 2009 by admin

Now every so often I complain about my job. No, really. I do. But then something happens to make me realise how lucky I really am. And one of those moments happened just yesterday.

I'll set the scene. Its just after two major typhoons have torn apart the Philippines. Its wet and rainy and the residual wind occasionally rattles the windows. I'm slogging away in front of my computer on a fairly mundane task, and having a bit of a hard time concentrating. I look out of the window. And I see some rope going past. Rope with a knot in it.

This particular rope doesn't look very safe to me, but then again what do I know. I'm not a sailor, and this could be some kind of special frayed knot type thing which is actually very safe. Interested by now, I take a look out of the window.

Attack of the mutant lamppost.

October 3, 2009 by admin

So I was working from home the other day, around mid-morning, when I heard a mighty crunch from outside. I looked out my window and was confronted with the scene to the left. I snapped a picture, and watched as a crowd started to gather, and then after about 5 minutes, the driver emerged from … Read more