COV-19 Resources in Philippines

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 summary is that you won't be tested unless you're having severe respiratory problems] Stats and Info DOH Philippines Ncov Tracker: https://ncovtracker.doh.gov.ph/ COVID 19 PH Govt Portal: http://www.covid19.gov.ph/ DFA Travel Advisories: https://www.dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/statements-and-advisoriesupdate Worldwide Ncov Tracker: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6Mobile version here. Metro Manila Checkpoints Map: https://www.safetravel.ph/ Worldmeters stats: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ … Read more

Alternative DNS servers in the Philippines

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 (IPv6) OpenDNS (includes protection against malware) 208.67.222.222208.67.220.220 Norton DNS 198.153.192.50198.153.194.50 Inside the Philippines Globe Telecom 202.52.163.6202.52.163.7202.52.162.39 (ns1.globeidc.com.ph)202.52.162.40 (ns1.globeidc.com.ph)202.52.167.70202.52.167.71203.127.225.10 (g-net.globe.com.ph)203.127.225.11 (g-net1.globe.com.ph) PLDT 210.14.4.37112.206.232.66119.92.150.133122.52.136.140119.92.233.15958.69.254.3/58.69.254.8 Smart Bro 121.1.3.81202.57.96.3 Sky Cable 202.78.64.83202.78.64.84

Blocking irritating PLDT Billing popups

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 inject an HTML frame with a monster ad, which sits on top of all your work. You have no choice but to click on the button which takes you to a page with the amount you owe (which means they know which IP is your … Read more

Job (in)security

Knot the way to do it
Knot the way to do it

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.

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Attack of the mutant lamppost.

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 the car, shaking his head. He made a great show of examining the lamppost and chatted happily with the assembled crowd. Two things disturb me about this photo. The first is that I can't figure out how he managed to crash. There was no traffic … Read more