Advances in public peeing

Four years ago, people in these parts who peed standing up and had poor bladder control were introduced to pink urinals -- doorless, roofless steel cubicles that made street pissing in Metro Manila a more private, colorful and splatter-free experience.

Sometime last year, it was the waterless urinal that made its debut in mall restrooms. By eliminating the flushing system, it promised to save 150,000 liters of clean water a year per urinal. Wow!

One would think that an achievement of such proportions would come at great olfactory cost. Wonder of wonders, it didn't stink with any particular severity. Actually, it didn't stink at all. In fact, its water-guzzling counterparts stank way more.

How was this possible? Hi-tech plumbing? Super-strength deodorizers? Alien technology? The answer is right there for those who seek the truth. Behind the janitor's locker door in an SM Megamall men's room to be exact.

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