Metro Manila South is a place I don't really know. I am more comfortable in Quezon City, parts of Manila, parts of Caloocan (preferably near SM Fairview), parts of San Juan, and I think a bulk of Pasig City and Mandaluyong.
I rarely go to the airport. I would rather pay 500 pesos for taxi fare than go to the Taft MRT on a regular day.
I have to though.
During the pandemic, I picked up this crazy habit of collecting NBA cards. There were a couple of sleepless nights in February 2022 when I ordered a bunch of old 90s cards at COMC.COM.
I am realizing now that I made a big mistake in collecting the current sets of rookies. While yeah, I still collect Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Darius Bazley, and Lamelo Ball cards, I could care less about the rest of my cards.
In fact, I think I am really ready to part with them... for a multitude of reasons.
I bought a lot of 90s cards at COMC.COM. Back when I was in high school and my allowance isn't as big, I wanted to collect a lot of my favorite players. While I wanted to collect Michael Jordan, Anfernee Hardaway, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O'Neal, Grant Hill, and Jason Kidd cards, I am a basketball history nut... and I would still try to buy the cards that have Alonzo Mourning, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dennis Rodman, Reggie Miller, Jerry Stackhouse, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan on them.
Also recently, I had this idea to collect Kobe Bryant cards.
So yeah, I bought a lot of cards.
You can check out the things I got from viewing these videos.
Anyway, last month, while I had stopped checking out my basketball cards and I was busy promo writing, I received two letters from the Bureau of Customs. Apparently, I need to get two parcels in Philpost CMEC - Domestic Road, and I need to pay import tax.
IMPORT TAX!
I learned upon research that any package that came from other countries with an amount greater than 10,000 pesos is subject to tax.
Back in February of 2022, all I wanted is to get the cards that I want and get on with my life.
I never knew about the import tax!!!
So after getting pissed, I took a leave from work to get the packages. I guess the best way to go there is to just take the MRT to the Taft station and get a taxi to Domestic Road. The people there are very accommodating but at the same time, they are ready for bitchy folks. I went to the place wearing a shirt and cargo pants and I saw a couple of people there wearing a summer neon-y skirt, shiny clothes, a suit...
You don't go to a government building wearing something formal unless you're a boss... or you're giving a talk.
Also, I could have shot a bunch of pics inside the establishment but I also want to get out of the place alive. As mentioned, while they are accommodating, they are also ready to slam and smash rulebreakers.
What I did there was they verified my claim (you really need two valid IDs if you want to get your package), looked for my parcel, get me to look at what I bought, pay the import tax, pay the safekeeping fee, and run along.
Leaving the place is a problem though. The taxis are scarce and I think you need to go to the other side of the road to get a better taxi service.
You know... because most taxi drivers have shitty attitudes when it comes to customers.
And this picture right here... came from the second time I went to PHILPOST CMEC.
This overpass is hundreds of meters away from the PHILPOST office. It was slightly raining and as mentioned, taxis are scarce on that side of the road.
Why did I go to PHILPOST for a second time?
Turns out, I ordered a lot from those fateful February nights.
Hmmm...