I was at Makati City yesterday morning. I went to The Atrium to have my RDO change. Typhoon Gener is already out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) but it was still a rainy morning. I thought that RDO 49 is still at The Atrium only to find out that it’s on another BIR building at the corner of Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and Ayala Avenue. So I decided to walk from The Atrium to that location.
The weather started out fine when I arrived at Makati City. I took some pictures of The Manila Peninsula, Ayala Avenue and even the car accident at Makati Avenue. A taxi hit a car and you can see from the pictures that the hood of the taxi was dented.
By the time that I went out of The Atrium en route to Gil Puyat Avenue, it’s already raining. I passed by The Ayala Triangle Gardens. I took a picture of the park from the waiting shed when a guard asked me if I have a permit to shoot. I said yes and showed him the papers (for the Make It Makati Photo Contest). The security guard then went silent and returned to his post.
I then walked along Ayala Avenue and took some pictures of the underpass. A security guard whistled to my direction and then stopped by the steps of the underpass. As I passed him I asked “Ako ba ang pinipituhan mo?”
The security guard said “Sir, bawal pong kumuha ng pictures dito. May permit po ba kayo ng MCEA?” I told him “Oo meron”. I showed him the same papers I showed to the other security guard and told this 2nd SG “Ayan o, may logo ng MCEA”. I added “Maulan kasi sa taas (street level) so dito na lang ako nag-shoot”.
The security guard said “Okay na po ba kayo?” as if he wanted to add “Baka kailangan n’yo pa ng konting panahon. Feel free po to shoot”.
These two guards were courteous in asking for the permit to shoot. I have no complaints whatsoever. I believe the management of MCEA did a great job in orienting them to be courteous in asking for paperwork if they saw someone taking pictures within the Makati Business District.
This is what I’m saying to the Facebook Group called “Bawal Mag-Shoot Dito”. The security guards are only doing their jobs in asking for permits and prohibiting someone from taking pictures. It’s pointless to argue with them. They are just following orders. If they see the right permits from you then they’re a happy camper.
Instead of arguing and asking the security guards provoking questions like “Bakit bawal mag-shoot dito?”, let’s just secure permits to shoot, participate in their photo contest and show these permits to the guards. After all, most areas of the Makati City Business District are private properties. We should take that in mind and respect their rights to levy rules and regulations within their private lands. Like the famous saying “When in Rome, do what the Romans do”.
Even the Government cannot impose guidelines on a private property.
