Rizal Sports Complex Swimming Pool

It's been a while since I last visited the Rizal Sports Complex swimming pool. This morning, I decided that I really need to work up my slowly lardifying muscles so I went to the pool right after waking up (any later than that and laziness would have kicked in)

Anyway, for people who will stumble upon this looking for informaiton on the Rizal Sports Complex pool, here's the lowdown:

Location	Vito Cruz/Pablo Ocampo, right across Harrison Plaza
How to get there	Via LRT-1, get off the Vito Cruz station, look for Starbucks across Jollibee, walk along the adjacent road.
Operating hours	8AM-12PM (morning session), 1PM-5PM (afternoon session). Closed on Mondays for Maintenance or special events. (I think they're closed during the Holy week.
Attire	Swimwear only. Shirts not allowed. Watersport shorts allowed. Rentals available (eww)
Fees	55 pesos per session. No idea on the rentals. (eww)

Don't expect too much though. Don't bring too many valuables, as there are no lockers anymore.(Financial Crisis? I dont know) If possible, bring a lock or a bicycle lock for your bag. The showers are newly renovated and now feature doors. (before, the shower room doubled as a penis sideshow). The locker room is clean enough albeit very slippery. Bring sandals or really good slippers. (fuck havaianas)

The water is decent although a bit low on chlorine. (some of you may like this. I dont) Even on a saturday morning, the pool is not as populated as what I saw in Hong Kong before. The sun begins to rear its cancer-dealing side around 10am so it's better to be there early. I was told that in the later afternoons, the grandstand's roof offers a shadow on the pool so if you can't go early, you might as well arrive late. My mother who visits the place as well has advised me that there are a lot of people in the afternoon though and since everybody wants to be in the shaded part of the pool, expect very crowded lanes (with kids jumping from the ledge like akyat bahay gangs on the run)

Stay away from the kiddie pool if possible. Do NOT drink any of the water. Wear goggles at all times to minimize the chances of eye infection. Stay away from the four corners of the pool if possible. Kids like to urinate there. (I know I used to) If you need to drink, bring your own water.

For fucks sake, remove your underwear before entering the pool. I know you love wearing your bacon briefs and aircool panties (butas) but it's just not hygienic. If you are wearing a bathing suit, you wont need underwear anymore, and we don't need to be involuntarily exposed to genitalia debris. If you're on your period, common fucking sense, stay away form the water or you'll die of leprosy. (or we kill you. eitherway, same banana)

Lifeguards of the place double as swimming instructors, and on weekdays you can pay them 110-150 per session for swimming instructions, both basic and more intermediate programs. They're famous for being strict sons of bitches, but trust me, you need these guys at least once.

I did not notice any food, although the guy outside sold taho as a sideline for 10 pesos a cup. Besides that, Harrison plaza is nearby anyway.

Rizal Sports Complex's pool is a very nice convenience to everybody who don't have a pool in the house, or live in a village with a clubhouse with a pool, or students of UST who have to swim to and from school during storm season.

We should go swim together sometime, specially if you're a girl, and sexy in a swimsuit. Just kidding.

Skinny dipping is nice too.

You may also want to read:
My account of swimming in Hong Kong