The Coconut Palace

Corregidor, Philippines

Corregidor is a small rocky island in the Philippines about 48 kilometers west of Manila which is stragetically located at the entrance of Manila Bay. This island fortress stands as a memorial for the courage, valor, and heroism of its Filipino and American defenders who bravely held their ground against the overwhelming number of invading Japanese forces during World War II.

Also known as "the Rock," it was a key bastion of the Allies during the war. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in December 1941, the military force under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur carried out a delaying action at Bataan. Corregidor became the headquarters of the Allied forces and also the seat of the Philippine Commonwealth government. It was from Corregidor that Philippine President Manuel Quezon and General MacArthur left for Australia in February 1942, leaving behind Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright in command.

Although Bataan fell on April 9, 1942, the Philippine and American forces held out at Corregidor for 27 days against great odds. On May 6, 1942, their rations depleted, the Allied forces were forced to surrender Corregidor to Lt. Gen. Homma Masaharu of the Japanese Imperial Army after having successfully halted the Japanese advance on Australia. It was only two years and ten months later in March 1945 when the Allied forces under the command of General MacArthur recaptured Corregidor ... making good his promise to return to the Philippines.

The big guns of Corregidor are now silent and the ruins of buildings, structures, and tunnels in the island tell a very moving story of a war that has claimed so many lives. A visit to this former battleground is a memorable experience especially for those who cherish and value peace and freedom. In his speech delivered at the signing of the surrender of Japan aboard the U.S.S. Missouri at Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur said, "It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all mankind that a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past - a world founded upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice."

Travel Cafe Philippines

http://www.travelcafephilippines.com/index.php
Two orders of a regular cup of coffee and a trip for two to the beautiful island of Boracay please…

Fancying this can happen? Imagine no more as entering a café can now get you a delicious cup of coffee, a travel booking around the country, and a one-of-kind experience of the Philippines as a great destination like no other.

As the old famous saying goes, it is “only in the Philippines” that the world is able to see things that are more than the usual. The introduction of the first-ever destination-themed Lifestyle Café, TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® (TCP), which is a pioneering “branding initiative” for tourism promotions of the Philippine Department of Tourism, can attest to this. But TCP will not offer merely ordinary twists to coffee shops; its unique and creative philosophy is to combine the elements of “coffee, travel and more.”

TCP offers a beverage menu with organically grown, Fair Trade Philippine Coffee from Batangas, Mount Matutum, and Cordillera Mountains. Furthermore, TCP introduces one of the rarest types of coffee and what is considered as the most expensive type in the world, the Coffee Alamid (Philippine Civet Coffee). It also boasts off its world-class food menu which is reflective of traditional Filipino cuisine offering limited but exclusive selection of soups, salads, pasta dishes, full course meals and desserts.

Aside from these, what makes TCP totally unique is the Travel Shop that is manned by a full-time Travel Concierge providing personalized consultation and travel advice to its customers. To serve as the “conversion vehicle” for Philippine tourism, the Travel Shop offers travel services from simple inquiries of when and where to go in the Philippines, travel information about where to stay, shop, dine, etc., to actual onsite travel bookings to the country’s various destinations. TCP provides a very convenient facility to everyone wanting to experience the country. Its Travel Library houses reference materials, maps, guidebooks, newsletters and magazines about the country.

As part of Philippine Department of Tourism’s (DOT) campaign, TCP has been born out of the vision of creating global awareness and recognition for a successful and outstanding brand for the country’s tourism. The utmost aim is to establish numerous TCPs worldwide through franchising while maximizing on the global acceptance by consumers of the trendy concept of a “café” as a “lifestyle venue.”

The brilliant concept behind TCP started in September 22, 2005 when it was introduced by Mr. Kazuyuki Goto of Travel Café Co., Ltd. (a Japanese company specializing in the operation of themed cafes all over Japan) to the Philippine Department of Tourism. Months after, DOT and Travel Café Co., Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the establishment of Travel Café Philippines in Tokyo.

In July 25, 2006, the very first TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® (TCP) was opened in Iidabashi, Tokyo, Japan. From its opening day, TCP in Tokyo has continuously received overwhelmingly positive response for the Japanese market. Philippine Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano recognizes this tremendous success and this has led him to expand the TCP into a franchise business model.

Here in the Philippines, a prototype TCP has been established in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center in Makati (launched on 18 December 2007). A satellite TCP in the SMX Convention and Exhibition Center in Pasay City will open in July 2008.

In order to establish a thematic plan for TCP, the team of top interior designer Budji Layug and premier architect Royal Pineda created a TCP design philosophy inspired by traditional Filipino craftsmanship and the usage of three design elements: bamboo, weave, and the ancient Filipino calligraphy “Baybayin” for all design elements of the TCP. Their aim is to transform traditional Philippine materials into uniquely modern designs, combining form and functionality in the architectural and interior design of TCP.

To achieve uniformity, the design philosophy is applied as well to other elements such as the menu, décor, merchandising (TCP Music Menu, limited edition TCP apparel, signature ceramic art pieces and Philippine Coffee), etc. To create the unique and sumptuous food and beverage menu, Makati Skyline Inc., one of the premier names in the food and beverage industry, was commissioned by TCP for its signature menu. Even the dinnerware and other tableware to be used are specially made by ceramic artists like Lanelle Abueva Fernando and Clemens Wirth of The Stoneware Pottery to create an exclusive line for TCP.

The TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® will open in other parts of the world: the TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® San Francisco, California, U.S.A. will open in December 2008. Negotiations are underway for TCPs in New Delhi, Seoul, Beijing, and Melbourne, Australia. TCP will enter into strategic partnerships with private entities who share with them a common vision and strong commitment to build a strong global TCP brand.

The TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® will be strategically located in trendy, up-market areas in key cities, targeting the new urban professionals while encouraging everyone to travel to the Philippines. TCP is sure to showcase and create a stylish, chic yet distinctively Filipino lifestyle among the market.

With the advent of TRAVEL CAFÉ PHILIPPINES® in the world market, there is no doubt that the coffee experience is no longer just a plain boring one. TCP reinvents your coffee, your travel, your lifestyle and your experience of the Philippines.

It's An Awesome Planet

I Love the Whole World

Spoken
Astronaut 1: It never gets old, huh?
Astronaut 2: Nope. It kinda makes you want to…
Astronaut 1: Break into song?
Astronaut 2: Yup

Sung
I love the mountains, I love the clear blue skies
I love big bridges, I love when great whites fly
I love the whole world, and all its sights and sounds
Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah

I love the oceans, I love real dirty things
I love to go fast, I love egyptian kings
I love the whole world, and all its craziness
Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah

I love tornadoes, I love arach-a-nids
I love hot magma, I love the giant squids
I love the whole world, its such a brilliant place
Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah
Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-dah, Boom-de-ah-da, Boom-de-ah-dah

Philippines' Himala is CNN's Best Asia Pacific Film of All Time!

You came, you voted - http://xxxriainxxx.multiply.com/links/item/109 and yes, Filipinos and non-Filipino voters... You came in thousands to support one of the best films of Asia's oldest film industry.

Himala ("Miracle") is an award-winning international Filipino film directed by Ishmael Bernal. Based on a 1967 incident, it was premiered in 1982 and was shown in other countries. The film stars the Filipino actress Nora Aunor, who is best known for her performance as the false visionary Elsa in this film. The role was considered by some critics to be the best performance in her career.

Subject and impact

The film is centered on the issues of religious faith and faithlessness. In a notable line from the film, the character Elsa says:

"Walang Himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao... ang himala ay nasa puso nating lahat."

(Translation:"There is no miracle! Miracle[s] are in the heart of a person... miracle[s] are found in all of our hearts!")

This line is well-known in the Philippines, and is considered the most famous line in Aunor's career. The film was a box-office hit, earning an impressive 30 million pesos, becoming one of the highest grossing Filipino films in the 80's.

 

The best ever Asian films: What you said

 

By CNN's Mairi Mackay

LONDON, England (CNN) -- "Oops -- missed a giant here, guys! How could you NOT include Akira Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai' ('Shichinin No Samurai'). This is a granddaddy in the genre!" scolded Mary Ann.

 You said we should include some Japanese anime like "Princess Mononoke" (pictured), "Akira" or "Tokyo Godfathers."
It's never nice to have your failings pointed out, but any list that claims to be a "best of" something as subjective as film is bound to fuel debate.
And our call out to help pick the best Asian films of all time was no exception -- the debate raged long and fierce.

As our list is very much a work in progress we were delighted to get so much feedback -- both positive and negative -- on what we are hoping will be a collaborative effort. What do you think the best Asia Pacific film should be?

Many of you commented on the concerning phenomenon of New Zealand moving into Asia in our film inclusions. Roald said: "Can we have a definition of Asian film please?"

Oscar was worried he had missed a major seismic event: "Can anyone tell me when did they move New Zealand to Asia? Was there an earthquake or something?"

So, to clarify, in the spirit of inclusion, we have decided to include films from New Zealand and Australia and, for that matter, the Pacific region, so we are now asking for the best films of all time from Asia Pacific.

This stirs up a hornet's nest of other difficulties, not least choosing a few films to represent the best of such a diverse geographical and cultural area, but we never claimed a scientific approach.

Roald also asked if we would be including films made by Asian filmmakers in the West. We decided no, we will keep it geographically specific, but Roald, if you are reading this and would like to propose a top 10 Asian films made in the West, we'll post it up on The Screening Room blog.

Now, on to the films.

It would seem we made some glaring omissions, the most serious of which appears to be Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai." Thank you JAS for really getting the point across: "Hello? 'Seven Samurai'? Duh!?"

Another popular film we missed is Chan-wook Park's "Oldboy." "What? No 'Oldboy'?" said Walt. A sentiment echoed by Wever who said: "Absolutely shocked 'Old Boy' is not on this list ... "

"Unfortunately somebody forgot Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' (1956)[sic]" chimed shakan@vsnl.com. Ricky agreed, saying, "Where's Satyajit Ray's 'Apu Trilogy'? Leaving it out is just wrong." Murali was right there with them on this one: "I am surprised some of Satyajit Ray's movies are missing especially 'Appu [sic] Trilogy'."

Chinese Zhang Yimou's "Raise the Red Lantern" is a firm favorite among CNN readers, as is Vietnamese Anh Hung Tran's "The Scent of Green Papaya": "The bigger shocker to me is that there is no mention of 'Scent of Green Papaya'. I always considered that film one of the breakthrough Vietnamese films," said Alvin.

Taiwanese Hou Hsiao Hsien was another popular omission. "Taiwan: Hou Hsiao Hsien's 'CITY OF SADNESS' and 'THE PUPPETMASTER'" offered Katja.

Animation is another area close to your hearts: "How about the anime 'Mononoke Hime'? Like 'Enter the Dragon' did for Kung Fu movies, 'Mononoke' introduced an established sub-genre to a wider Western audience," instructed Willwander, leaving us all a little better-educated.

Other honorable mentions include Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" (and also "My Neighbour Totoro" -- in fact, anything from Studio Ghibli), "Akira" and "Tokyo Godfathers."

But enough about what we missed. You did think we got some films right.

Typical of many of you who left comments, Shahriar Khonsari is a huge fan of Wong Kar-wai: "'In the Mood for Love" is among all of these films. Every time I watch it, I see more details and deeper thoughts."

"'2046' -- Kar Wai Wong -- prefer it to 'In The Mood For Love', but both are jaw-droppingly gorgeous and moving," opines Damned Thing.

You also approved of "Shower": "'Shower' -- Yang Zhang, 1999 -- my all-time favourite. Just a story about human society, about the loss of the old, and the growth of the young," gushed Helen.

But the clear favorite has to be Ishmael Bernal's 1982 film "Himala," which elicited an avalanche of raving positivity. Here is a small sample:

"'Himala' is the best asian film I've ever watched. It's so beautiful! Acting is superb!" said Bongskie. Arthur said,"'Himala' is the greatest filipino film."

"The classic film, 'HIMALA' is considered as Philippines' best. It won several major acting awards including the BEST ACTRESS award for NORA AUNOR (all time greatest actress of philippine cinema). Himala deserves to be in the TOP list of BEST ASIAN FILMS OF ALL TIME," said Meng Natividad.

Finally, a word of warning from John: "To make a list of 'best Asian movies' is like making a list of the best European movies. There can be no such thing.

"Any sort of 'boiling down' of the best of this massive, abundant, and fruitful crop of films -- admittedly, gleaned from a group that suited Western tastes --does disservice to the cacophonous diversity of movies from the continent."

Well, we thought we'd give it a go anyway, John -- if only to shine a little light on exactly that fruitful crop.

PHILIPPINES ALSO WINS IN THE BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST! CLICK HERE, CLIQUEZ ICI, KLIK MO DITO.

Vote for HIMALA as your favorite Asia Pacific movie of all time - CNN.com

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/14/apsa.vote/
Support the Philippines' Himala. A powerful film by Ishmael Bernal as your favorite Asia-Pacific film of all time.

CNN) -- On 11 November 2008, at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, CNN viewers will honor one Asia Pacific film as the best of all time.

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards, which celebrate the finest filmmaking in the region, will be held on Australia's Gold Coast at a glittering, star-studded ceremony.

Now, you can help your favorite win the award by voting in our poll.

Our shortlist of ten films was drawn up by critics, industry insiders, stars (including Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai) and -- most importantly -- CNN viewers. Now, you can decide who will win the award.

Will Peter Weir's "Gallipoli" fight its way to the top? Or will "Chungking Express" race for the prize? Maybe "Crouching Tiger" will pounce the award for Ang Lee -- or perhaps Hayao Miyazaki will spirit it away. It's up to you.

Voting closes on Friday, 31 October at 1800 GMT.

What if the World can vote in the US Presidential Elections?

http://www.economist.com/vote2008/
The world would vote for Barack Obama. With every country allotted a particular electoral vote, the results are astounding - with the exception of Macedonia, Georgia and Cuba - almost all has a strong Obama preference. 24,219 voted for Obama and a minuscule 4,554 voted for John McCain.

Results are updated every three hours and you must register to be able to vote.


How it works
America's electoral college

All democratic systems have their quirks, and America's is no exception. The electoral college is a 200-year-old institution. According to its rules, Americans do not vote directly for their presidents. Instead they cast a ballot to decide who wins their state's electoral-college votes. The number of these votes is fixed by the number of people the state sends to Congress, which in turn is based on its population. All states have a minimum of three votes and there are 538 electoral-college votes up for grabs in total. The presidential candidate who secures the most electoral-college votes ends up in the White House. The loser invariably ends up on day-time television shows.

Critics of the electoral-college system say it can produce a president who has lost the popular vote, as happened in 2000. They also complain that the winner-takes-all system employed by most states leads candidates to focus on a small number of "swing states" and ignore more reliably partisan ones. There have consequently been many attempts to reform the electoral-college system—over 700 so far—though until now nobody has suggested that the entire world be included.

The Global Electoral College

The Economist has redrawn the electoral map to give all 195 of the world's countries (including the United States) a say in the election's outcome. As in America, each country has been allocated a minimum of three electoral-college votes with extra votes allocated in proportion to population size. With over 6.5 billion people enfranchised, the result is a much larger electoral college of 9,875 votes. But rally your countrymen—a nation must have at least ten individual votes in order to have its electoral-college votes counted.

There are few countries whose votes in the Global Electoral College are a foregone conclusion. So the winner is unlikely to be decided by a small number of "swing countries". Rather, they will have to cobble together a coalition of small, medium and large nations. (A campaign stop in Beijing is recommended, as well as a tour of Africa.) Voting in the Global Electoral College will close at midnight London time on November 1st, when the candidate with most electoral-college votes will be declared the winner.

Cats

For Facebook

Coron, Palawan, Philippines

3-5 October 2008

Declaration of Support for the Immediate Passage of the Reproductive Health Bill into Law

http://www.petitiononline.com/rhan2008/petition.html
To: Philippine Congress

We are seriously disturbed that more than 10 Filipino women die every day due to pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. The big majority of those who die are poor women at the prime of their lives.

We are alarmed that 29 out of 1,000 infants die due to various sickness and illnesses that are preventable and curable.

We are troubled that 4.9 million Filipino youth, aged 15-27 are sexually active but programs that would ensure their safety and help them become more responsible in dealing with their sexuality and relationships are severely lacking. Especially worrisome is the fact that 1 out of 5 female teenagers get pregnant before they reach their 20th birthday.

These are just a few of the problems in the midst of the ongoing economic crisis, escalating poverty, and the ever-increasing prices of basic commodities and services. Moreover, the Philippine population grows unabated with almost 2 million individuals added every year. Researches consistently show that poverty is more prevalent among big families compared to smaller ones.

The acute lack of services and information regarding reproductive health:

* results in the untimely death of women and children;
* is the reason why our youth are largely unprepared to deal with matters pertaining to their sexuality and relationships; and
* exacerbates the effects of economic crisis and poverty on millions of ordinary Filipinos, especially those with big families.

We believe that Filipinos, particularly the poor, urgently need access to information and services that will address their reproductive health needs.

We believe that a rights-based, comprehensive, and responsive reproductive health law will help empower Filipinos to achieve a better quality of life.

We firmly believe that the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill into law will help actualize people’s, especially women’s rights to make informed decisions.

Therefore, we call on our legislators to pass the Reproductive Health Bill into law now.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


PLease repost this link in your social networks, blogs, online message boards. Enough with the meddling of the Church in State Policymaking! And no, WE DONT WANT MIKE VELARDE AND HIS MINIONS RUN THIS COUNTRY!

Farewell and Welcome Cocktails at the Turkish Ambassador's Residence

Farewell to our friend, Alp Atakcan, outgoing 3rd Secy. and Deputy Head of Mission Berki Tuna Atala at the residence of His Excellency Adnan Basaga, Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey.

Christmas Trip Home

Start:	Dec 24, '08 6:00p
End:	Jan 3, '09
Location:	Iloilo, Kalibo, Boracay, New Washington

It happens once a year...

Will check out Boracay, and the Christmas Cottage...

Palawan Trip

Start:	Oct 3, '08 08:00a
End:	Oct 6, '08
Location:	Busuanga, Uson, Coron Islands

Coron Island with hunny. :)

Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines (2008)

From the Long Weekend. August 2008 :)

Trip to Bohol!

Start:	Aug 23, '08 11:00a
End:	Aug 25, '08
Location:	Tagbilaran City and Panglao Island Bohol

:)

Scott's Arrival

Start:	Jul 31, '08 11:30a
Location:	Makati, Philippines

Scott is finally getting to Manila!

Welcome Champagne at Barcino Gourmet, The Fort August 1st
Get together at Masas, Absinth, M Cafe, Martini's at the Mandarin August 2nd
Wine Tasting August 8th

Philippine Stock Exchange Gets Merryl Lynch's Approval

Just when you thought that we are all down in the dumps....


Stock market looking good, says Merrill Lynch
By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:35:00 07/26/2008

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine stock market is looking more attractive these days to investors on the hunt for bargains, a top strategist at American investment banking giant Merrill Lynch said.

The Philippines is in a better position to attract investors again than India, which has also suffered heavy stock market sell-offs because of surging oil prices over the recent months, Stephen Corry, head of investment strategy at Merrill Lynch (Asia-Pacific) Ltd., told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview.

The Hong Kong-based Corry added that the central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), had effectively convinced the market of its commitment to prevent runaway inflation after jacking up its benchmark interest rate by 0.50 percentage point last week, double the 0.25 point expected by the market.

“Some Asian central banks are more proactive than others and those that are proactive will ultimately be rewarded with higher currencies, better fixed income markets and potentially higher equity markets once the US market find its floor,” Corry said.

He noted that Vietnam, where the inflation rate had risen to 27 percent as against only seven percent recorded at about this time last year, stood out as a clear example of not being proactive.

“Investors have lost faith in the credibility of the central bank and repatriated their money out of the country, that’s why equity prices [in Vietnam] are down 50 percent year-to-date,” Corry said.

By contrast, he said the hefty interest rate increase by the BSP last week lifted peso value versus the US dollar, narrowed the credit spreads and also perked up the equity market.

The Philippines’ main-share index has trimmed its year-to-date losses this year to 30 percent from as high as 35 percent, he noted.

“Definitely, it’s a step in the right direction,” he said.

Although most investors would still currently prefer to hold on to cash than return to Asia-Pacific stock markets, Corry said the Philippines was one of the markets where there are ample opportunities for bargain-hunters.

“What gets me excited about the Philippines first of all is that the price-earnings multiple is less than 10 times. That means that chance of further derating [values falling] is minimal,” Corry said.

The lower the price-earnings ratio, the less expensive it is to accumulate stocks of that company.

Corry said the problem, however, was that corporate earnings among companies traded on the local stock exchange were now running flat to 5 percent or slower than Merrill Lynch’s forecast of 10-15 percent early this year.

“But I always believe it’s easier to buy when everyone else is selling rather than when everyone is buying. So, I think the Philippines is beginning to be interesting. It’s one of our overweight (an investment strategy to accumulate a certain asset) markets,” he said. With editing by INQUIRER.net

Copyright 2008 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Philippines wins again at the English Speaking Union Public Speaking World Finals!

Eat our shorts Korea. After Patricia Evangelista won in 2004,  Sixteen-year old, incoming Gian Dapul, an incoming high school Senior at the Philippine Science High School has just won the English-speaking union's world championships held in London a couple of weeks ago. He beat 57 other participants from 35 countries, most of them college students. A Philippine Star news report reads -- Gian reportedly impressed the judges and audience with his relaxed and humorous delivery of a substantive speech with a clear message. Placing second was a young lady from Thailand who spoke on the need to avoid pre-marital sex, while the third-placer, from Bulgaria, promoted the use of bicycles instead of cars. Reed recounted that the chairman of the judges for the finals, Peter Kyle, the chief executive of the Shakespeare Globe Trust, acknowledged that Gian "impressed everyone with his speech, which from the start got the audience's attention." In November, Gian will be presented with a certificate at the ESU Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace by His Royal Highness, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Most likely, the Queen herself will be present as well, since the English Speaking Union marks its 90th anniversary this year. FISH MUCUS AND FOOT FUNGUS by Gian Dapul Champion of the ESU International Public Speaking Contest 2008 When I was in 6th grade, I hated Mathematics. You would have, too, if you had my teacher. He would drop huge workbooks on our tables and croak, "Thirty problems, fifty minutes." A lot of these problems seemed unsolvable, so we complained: "Sir, there are no answers to these!" But then he'd reply, "To every question there is an answer, to every problem there is a solution." Although I'm only sixteen years old and an incoming 4th year high school student, I know that my country has more problems than any Mathematics book. Strangely enough, the answers to some of our problems are fish mucus and foot fungus. These seemingly improbable items are products of what we call scientific research. Research turns our guesses into real knowledge, serving as the sifting pan of our hypotheses. It challenges what we assume, because, as they say, if you only learn from what you ASS-UME, you make an "ass" out of "u" and "me". In the early 1800s, someone warned that the streets of London would be filled with horse manure due to the uncontrolled use of horse-drawn carriages. Of course, that never happened. Combustion engines, products of research and invention, replaced horses, and the manure piled up in Parliament instead. While on the subject, few people know that the most expensive coffee in the world is taken from the droppings of the Asian Palm Civet found in the Philippines and Indonesia. The small mammal excretes the coffee berries it eats, and forest trackers recycle the fruity feces to create what is known as Kopi Luwak in Indonesia or Kape Alamid in our country. Research has led to a synthetic process that simulates the droppings' exotic flavor and quality. So, who's had coffee with their breakfast? Well, soon nobody will have had coffee and breakfast if the looming global food crisis worsens. Are you all feeling fine? Well, nobody might be fine for long if some new disease creeps up on us. Health can be enhanced and life can be extended. The nudibranch, a beautiful, soft-bodied creature unfairly called a "sea slug" — a favorite among underwater photographers for its marvelous colors and shapes — has actually been used in tumor research. Samples of fish mucus have also displayed certain antibacterial properties. And as the Home Shopping Network would say, "Wait! There's more." Certain types of infectious fungi that coat some of your toes here form beneficial relationships that support plant growth. The International Rice Research Institute based in the Philippines continues to develop ways to improve rice growth and help alleviate the current food crisis. New challenges are coming, and they will always confront us. What we need is an army of scientific researchers that will help find the solutions in advance. I want to be part of that army that would cross the new frontiers first. If only we could make science fairs and contests as popular as the thriving "Pop Idol" franchise. Although I'm not sure if Simon Cowell's sardonic comments will sit well with my peers. But we need the same hard-hitting passion in research and invention. To conduct research is to be innovative; avant-garde. Researchers are like artists with test tubes and lab gowns instead of paintbrushes and smocks. When I graduate from the Philippine Science High School next year, I want to begin my "masterpiece" and apply for a university degree in Biochemistry. But sometimes, I am discouraged by those who say that a researcher from a Third-World nation is like a Jesuit adhering to a vow of poverty, or worse, like a Benedictine monk observing the vow of chastity. It is indeed a challenge, but it's also another frontier to cross, for me and many young people like me. We Filipinos are well known for their dedication to service, in foreign homes, hospitals and hotels. In the hotel, I found three Filipinos working there. I want to be one of the pioneers that will make the Philippines known for its excellence in scientific research, as part of the driving force that will expand our horizons towards tomorrow. And I intend to have a lot of fun while doing it. Going back to my math teacher, I eventually realized that, well, he was right. As he said, "To every question there is an answer, to every problem there is a solution." We just have to go looking for the right ones. Who knows? Maybe one day we'll be answering the questions that haven't been asked yet. ------------------------------------- To read the 2004 winning entry of Philippines' Patricia Evangelista, Click here.

Got Class? Check out the Philippine Opera Company

http://www.philippineoperacompany.com/index.html
Culture in all areas is alive and well in vibrant Philippines!!


Philippine Opera Company (POC) is the only opera company in the country that produces regular opera productions. Founded in 1999, it's being managed by classical singers who perform at major venues in Manila as well as abroad. It is committed to extending opera beyond its elitist pedestal by performing in malls, churches, community centers, parks, and schools as well as in theatres thereby making opera more accessible to more audience.

To celebrate the fusion of music and drama, to share this passion for opera and help nurture this medium in our country – to this goal the Philippine Opera Company is committed to, most of all in developing a new generation of classical singers and audiences, and to develop our own Filipino style of presenting opera. POC also helps develop opera appreciation among Filipinos by performing outreach programs for schools, government agencies and private corporate organizations throughout the country with the funding from the outreach arm of POC, Friends of Philippine Opera Foundation.

After the successful launching of 2006 Opera Season with Terence McNally's Tony Award Winning piece, “Master Class”, “Operanow 2: An Evening of Puccini”, “Opera-lite … first opera bar tour” and Mozart's “Magic Flute”. This year, Philippine Opera Company is embarking on its 1 st full-length opera production of Puccini's most loved opera, “La Boheme” on October 2008 at the CCP Main Theater.

Philippine Opera Company's “Music and Lyrics” and “Tribute to Pavarotti” were named as two of Philippine Daily Inquirer's 2007 “Best Shows of the Last Quarter”.

POC is also committed to a number of programs designed to bring communities a chance to experience opera firsthand – “My First Trip to the Opera Program”, Student's Opera Workshops, Opera a la Carte and Pocket Opera.

Philippine Opera Company now has a total number of 85 artists in their talent pool, which they promote and manage.

Finally, NAIA 3 is Now Open For Business.

Unlike NAIA 1 and 2, families and friends welcoming or sending-off relatives and friends will have access to the terminal building itself, where they will be able to relax in lobbies and coffee shops, shop in retail stores or have send-off parties in restaurants.

The installation of state-of-the-art security equipments will guarantee safety to well-wishers, passengers and employees within the building.

NAIA 3 was built by the PIATCO consortium composed of Philippine, German and Japanese companies, namely Philippine Airport and Ground Services Terminals, Inc.; Fraport AG Frankfurt Services Worldwide; People Air Cargo and Warehousing; SB Airport Investments; Philippine Airport and Ground Services, Inc. and Nissho Iwai Corporation.

It was designed by the American Architectural firm Skidmore Owings Merill along with Flaghalen Frankfurt Main, AG.


An ultra-modern building measuring 1.1 kilometers from end to end, NAIA 3 was built according to a master plan drawn by the Aeroport de Paris in 1990.


The new terminal will have among its major features 20,000 sq. meters of shopping mall, 140 check-in counters, 118 immigration and 40 Customs counters, nine moving walkways and two car parks which would accommodate more than 3,000 vehicles, 70 flight information terminals, 300 kilometer fiber optic IT cabling, 29 restrooms, 29 elevators and 20 escalators.

It will also have duty free shops, conference rooms, a food court and an ecumenical chapel. (PNA)




Planes start flying out of NAIA 3 for 1st time

Officials target full operations this year

By Tarra Quismundo, Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:25am (Mla time) 07/22/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- After being in mothballs for six years, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) began partial operations Tuesday with a total of 16 domestic flights on schedule, an official of the Manila International Airport Authority said.

Tirso Serrano, MIAA assistant general manager for airport development and corporate affairs, said these would include eight inbound and eight outbound flights, all from Cebu Pacific Air (CEB).

As early as 5:15 a.m., a CEB plane ferried the first NAIA 3 passengers from Manila to Caticlan in Aklan.

“This is a culmination of years of hard work,” said Serrano, adding that they had to repair many structural defects.

Aside from Caticlan, CEB will fly to four local destinations: San Jose in Mindoro; Naga in Bicol; Laoag City, and Tuguegarao City, Serrano said.

CEB will field its 72-seater ATR 72-500, light turbo-propeller planes to these areas.

CEB agreed to pioneer domestic operations at the controversial terminal after airport authorities finally resolved some safety concerns.

CEB president and CEO Lance Gokongwei said they would assess the initial commercial operation after which they would decide whether to bring in 18 additional aircraft for 55 domestic roundtrip flights everyday.

CEB aircrafts consist of two ATRs, 10 A319, and eight A320.

Meanwhile, Serrano said flights from Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines would be introduced within the week, while international flights from CEB and PAL are expected within the year.

PAL is also expected to begin operations of its budget brand PAL-Express at the new terminal.

Meanwhile, NAIA-3 general manager Alfonso Cusi said he was “happy that the partial operation was very good.”

“Akala ko hindi na mabubuksan ito ang terminal na ito [I thought this terminal would never be open]. I’m so happy we are putting this into good use,” he added.

Cusi said that although the long overdue terminal was “98 percent complete according to the contractors,” it was undergoing “continuous construction” to ensure complete operations within this year.

They would also add 60 immigration counters, Cusi said.

Head of Task Force NAIA-3 Mike Defensor said they were ahead of their target schedule of ensuring full operations of the new airport terminal within six months, because officials of CEB said they could bring in international flights within the next few months.

“Once we have the first [international] flight out and the first flight in, then we are fully operational,” he said.

PAL and CEB will field planes that do not require the use of aero bridges -- terminal tubes that connect to plane doors for boarding or deplaning. In a dry run last month, one of NAIA 3’s aero bridges malfunctioned as it was being tested on an Airbus A-340.

But for small aircraft, all systems were working during the dry run, said CEB spokesperson Candice Iyog. “The terminal will be more comfortable for our passengers,” she added.

CEB’s wide-body operations to major cities in the country will remain at the old Manila Domestic Terminal until further notice.

For its flights this Tuesday, CEB said it would use three check-in counters at NAIA 3’s main hall, Iyog said.

Its first flight carried at most 72 passengers to the Aklan Island, gateway to the country’s premier beach destination, Boracay. All flights for Tuesday are expected to carry around 500 passengers, Iyog added.

The new terminal is twice as large as NAIA-2 and thrice the size of NAIA’s Terminal 1, he said.

Serrano added that NAIA-3 could accommodate as many as 13 million passengers a year (or 35,000 passengers a day) and 28 flights at any given time.

"[The new terminal] will bring the country's overall airport capacity to 25 million a year," Serrano said.

Meanwhile, Angel Atutubo, assistant general manager for security and emergency services of NAIA, said they have patterned the security of Terminal 3 after that of the Los Angeles Airport.

K-9 units and 500 airport security personnel were posted for Tuesday's opening, Atutubo said.

More than 50 security checking equipment were also set up in key areas in the terminal, he added.

Atutubo called this the "four-level security screening," which would consist of a comprehensive security system designed to detect all kinds of explosive and illegal devices.

"Level 1 and 2 consist of the explosive detection system 5000 (EDS), level 3 with the CTX 9000 that detects all kinds of prohibited items, and these will be redirected to level 4," he said.

Atutubo said these equipment cost around P3 million each.

"Our security here promises comfort and convenience to passengers and passes international standards," Atutubo said.

The terminal was mothballed in 2002 after the Supreme Court voided the multibillion-peso contract for its construction because of onerous provisions. The terminal was 90 percent complete at the time, throwing the government into a legal morass.

Airport officials said partial operations would initially involve only 15 to 20 percent of the facility.

The agency said it hoped to keep domestic operations running for six months to a year before shifting to full domestic and international operations.

Copyright 2008 INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

You Must Marry Me Today.

Download this MV @ http://ohsosublime.blogspot....

David Tao and Jolin Tsai!

chun nuan de hua kai dai zhe dong tian de gan shang
wei feng chu lai lang man de qi xi
mei yi shou qing ge hu ran cong man yi yi
wo jiu zai ci ke tu ran jian dao ni
chun nuan de hua xiang dai zou dong tian de qi han
wei feng chui lai yi wai de ai qing
niao er de gao ge la jin wo men ju li
wo jiu zai ci ke tu ran ai shang ni
ting wo shuo shou qian shou gen wo yi qi zou
chuang zhao xing fu de sheng huo
zuo tian yi lai bu ji ming tian jiu hui ke xi
jin tian jia gei wo hao ma

Jolin in the house, DT in the house
Jolin in the house, DT in the house
Come on Jolin in the house, DT in the house
Our love in the house, sweet sweet love

xia ri de re qing da dong chun tian de lan san
yang guang zhao yao mei man de jia ting
mei yi shou qing ge dou hui gou qi hui yi
xiang dang nian wo shi zhen me ren shi ni
dong tian de you xiang jie shu qiu tian de gu dan
wei feng chui lai ku le de si nian
niao er de gao ge chang zhe bu yao li bie
ci ke wo duo me xiang yao yong bao ni
ting wo shuo shou qian shou gen wo yi qi zou
guo zhe an ding de sheng huo
zuo tian yi lai bu ji ming tian jiu hui ke xi
jin tian ni yao jia gei wo
ting wo shuo shou qian shou wo men yi qi zou
ba ni yi sheng jiao gei wo
zuo tian bu yao hui tou ming tian yao dao bai shou
jin tian ni yao jia gei wo

ding dang ting zhe li tang de zhong sheng
wo men zai shang di he qin you mian qian jian zheng
zhe dui nan nu xian zai jiu yao jie wei fu qi
bu yao wang le zhe yi qie shi duo me de shen sheng
ni yuan yi sheng si ku le yong yuan he ta zai yi qi
ai xi ta zhun zhong ta an wei ta bao hu ta
liang ren tong xin jian li qi mei man de jia ting
ni yuan yi zhe yang zuo ma Yes I do
ting wo shuo shou qian shou yi lu dao jing tou
ba ni yi sheng jiao gei wo
zuo tian yi shi guo qu ming tian geng duo hui yi
jin tian ni yao jia gei wo

The Other 2 Filipino Torchbearers at the Beijing Olympics.

http://www.china.org.cn/olympics/news/2008-06/19/content_15856964.htm
It is not just Marcos Antonio Torres the only Filipino who will carry the torch but there are two others. And no, they dint join the contests- they were selected by the Beijing Municipal Government.

Jaime FlorCruz, CNN's Beijing Bureau Chief is scheduled to carry the Olympic torch on August 6 in Beijing, two days before the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. His daughter Michelle, a student at the International School in Beijing, will carry the Olympic torch on August 3 in Tangshan City.

The Filipinos Are Invisible No More.

I come from a country where, for decades, people have been leaving for greener pastures. It’s heartbreaking, but we didn’t know that by doing so, we were slowly exporting love and care. Now, we are exporting our culture and arts.

In front of me and behind me is a whole army of Filipino talents. As you have seen here ... Filipinos can fill your movie houses. We are a potent, profitable force. Let us continue appreciating and supporting each other’s culture.

This award holds a special significance ... through this recognition, Filipinos are invisible no more.
- Jim Libiran, Director, Tribu


Dans les rues mal famées de Tondo, le plus grand bidonville de Manille, les gangs rôdent et font la loi. Dans cette ambiance crépusculaire et claustrophobe, seuls les plus forts survivent. Un soir, Ebet, un jeune garçon de dix ans, est témoin du meurtre d’un des membres de la tribu des Sacred Brown. La nuit ne fait que commencer, mais déjà la tension monte... Journaliste reporter, Jim Libiran décrit, dans ce premier long métrage de fiction, un monde entre réalité et allégorie, dans lequel les membres des bandes rivales interprètent leur propre rôle. Sur fond de musique hip-hop originale interprétée par les gangs de Tondo eux-mêmes, Tribu témoigne d’une société où la violence et la mort sont parfois les seuls moyens d’expression de jeunes en mal de repères et sans perspective d’avenir. Souvent comparé à La Cité de Dieu de Fernando Meirelles, le film décrit avec une grande précision les rites d’initiation des nouveaux membres, les rivalités, le machisme... Trente ans après Insiang de Lino Brocka, qui dénonçait déjà les dérives de ce quartier, le cinéaste pointe les nouvelles tragédies de la misère urbaine d’aujourd’hui. Ce beau mélodrame puise sa force dans ses racines documentaires autant que dans son efficacité narrative.

In the disreputable streets of Tondo, Manila’s biggest slum, lurking gangs rule the roost. It’s a claustrophobic, crepuscular ambiance where only the strongest survive. One evening, Ebet, a 10-year-old boy, sees one of the members of the Sacred Brown tribe get killed. The night has barely begun, but the tension’s already rising... In his first fictional feature film, journalist Jim Libiran, describes a world between reality and allegory, where rival gang members play their own roles. With an original hip hop soundtrack by the Tondo gang members themselves, Tribu looks into a society where violence and death are how youngsters with little guidance and no hope for the future express themselves. Often compared to Fernando Meirelles’ City of God, the film describes the gangs’ initiation rites, rivalries, and macho behavior with great precision. Thirty years after Lino Brocka’s Insiang, which denounced the drift towards violence in the area, Libiran shows the new tragedies of today’s urban misery. This is a fine melodrama, drawing force from its documentary roots as well as from its effective narration.

(http://www.pariscinema.org/fr/film/fiche-film.html?film_id=2316)









‘Tribu’ is only non-European film to win at Paris fest
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:49:00 07/12/2008

MANILA, Philippines—“Tribu” has won the Pari de l’Avenir award, or Youth Jury Prize, at the Sixth Paris Cinema International Film Festival, which ends this Saturday.

“To be recognized in the city where cinema was born is immensely satisfying,” said its director, Jim Libiran.

He said the Pari de l’Avenir was given by a “jury of students and a film reviewer from the film magazine Positif.”

As part of the prize, “Tribu” will be promoted for possible distribution in France, Liberan said.

Pari de l’Avenir means “Bet of the Future,” Libiran said. The award is one of three given in the competition for feature films. The other awards are Pari du Jury and Pari du Public.

It is the only non-European film to win in the festival. Stephen Walker’s “Young @ Heart” won the Jury and Audience awards.

“Tribu” competed with films from France, Japan, China, Haiti, Mexico, Great Britain and Hungary-Germany.

It is a digital movie that chronicles the violent lives and deaths of rapper gangs in Manila’s Tondo district.

Last year, “Tribu” won Best Film in the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

Upon receiving this latest award for his film, Libiran told the Philippine Daily Inquirer via SMS: “Tondo kids yearn for respect and recognition for their talents. They yearn to show the world how gifted Filipinos are.”

The French festival featured a special program that showcased 47 Philippine films.


‘Slowly exporting love and care’

Wearing a black barong Tagalog designed by his cousin Francis Libiran, the director paid homage to overseas Filipino workers in his speech: “I come from a country where, for decades, people have been leaving for greener pastures. It’s heartbreaking, but we didn’t know that by doing so, we were slowly exporting love and care. Now, we are exporting our culture and arts.”

The Paris Cinema witnessed the biggest participation of the Philippines in any festival—with over 50 Filipino filmmakers, actors, producers, scriptwriters and journalists attending the two-week event.

Libiran said in his speech: “In front of me and behind me is a whole army of Filipino talents. As you have seen here ... Filipinos can fill your movie houses. We are a potent, profitable force. Let us continue appreciating and supporting each other’s culture.”

He added, “This award holds a special significance ... through this recognition, Filipinos are invisible no more.”

Charlotte Rampling

Libiran said he was thrilled to relate that his acceptance speech was translated by the acclaimed actress Charlotte Rampling, who is president of the Paris Cinema International Film Festival.

“The award ceremony was held at the MK2 Cinema, Bibliotheque National François Mitterrand where most of the festival screenings took place,” he said.

Next stop for “Tribu” is the 10th Osian’s-Cinefan Festival of Arab and Asian Cinema in New Delhi, India, where it will compete, along with another entry from the Philippines, Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto’s “Confessional (which won Best Picture-see story at the comments section).”

The 10th Osian’s-Cinefan ends on July 20.

Foreign programmers: RP film scene exciting
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:27:00 07/16/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Foreign festival programmers, who are in Manila for the 4th Cinemalaya Film Festival, told Inquirer Entertainment that Philippine cinema looks “exciting, energetic.”

Ansgar Vogt recounted that, while screening DVDs for the Berlin International Film Festival in 2005, he noticed there were three Filipino movies on his to-watch list: Auraeus Solito’s “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” and “Tuli” and Raya Martin’s “The Island at the End of the World.”

“As part of my job, I watch at least 1,000 films a year,” Vogt explained. “That these three films stood out could only mean that there must be something going on in the Philippines.”

His theory was “confirmed” when he set foot in Manila last year for Cinemanila, an international film festival. “I was amazed. The local scene was thrilling, energetic, different. [I found] a broad spectrum of films.”

Raymond Phathanavirangoon of the Toronto Film Fest agreed: “I was impressed by this year’s Cinemalaya entries. Even though most of them are first-timers, there’s a lot of talent and passion in their works. Filipino cinema is definitely one of the most exciting in Southeast Asia.”

He reported that there will be more than one RP film in Toronto this year. The first announced officially was Dante Mendoza’s “Serbis.”

Shanty Harmayn-Hofman of Jakarta Film Fest said she was instructed to bring home “lots” of Filipino films. “We’re building a Southeast Asian section in our festival.”

Hofman described the local scene as “fascinating.” She explained: “Digital technology has made filmmaking feasible here, but what is unique is the spirit. It’s not just one person. It’s an entire community of filmmakers making things happen.”

She recalled that several Filipino friends had urged her to watch Monster Jimenez and Mario Cornejo’s “Big Time,” a winner in the first Cinemalaya in 2005. “I found that even though the humor is [culture] specific, I could relate to it.”

Gertjan Zuilhof of the Rotterdam Film Fest concurred that a good movie crosses borders.

Storytellers’ goldmine

He picked filmmaker Lav Diaz as an example. “It can be challenging to watch a 10-hour movie, but no one else could have done that.”

He pointed out that the Philippines is "not a dull country. The political situation is a goldmine for storytellers.”

Critic Max Tessier of FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) opined that digital technology has allowed “young filmmakers to do movies that most producers wouldn’t allow them to make.”

“A cinematic explosion,” Axel Estein of Berlin’s Asian Hot Shots festival called the local “indie movement.” That over 40 Filipino movies were showcased at the 6th Festival Paris Cinema recently proves his point, he said.

“If marketed correctly,” he said, “a Filipino film could find an audience abroad—as did Jeffrey Jeturian’s ‘Kubrador’ in Europe.”

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com

With editing by INQUIRER.net

Sounds of Earth from Space!

http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMLX5SHKHF_index_0.html

Christian the Lion.

Christian was a lion purchased in 1969 by two Australians living in London, John Rendall and Anthony 'Ace' Bourke (sometimes erroneously cited as Ace Berg) — from Harrods department store.

Rendall, his girlfriend Jennifer Mary, Bourke and Unity Jones cared for the lion as it grew too large to remain their pet. After meeting Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, who starred in the film Born Free, Rendall and Bourke agreed to have Christian sent to Kenya with the assistance of conservationist George Adamson — in order that Christian be rehabilitated into the wild at Kora National Reserve.

After Christian had been in Kenya a year, Rendall and Bourke returned and visited their former pet. The animal recognized them, reared up, grasped and nuzzled both Randell and Bourke. The following video of the event received widespread dissemination around 2007-2008, more than 35 years later.

A movie titled Christian the Lion at World's End documented the relocation of Christian from England to Kenya and his successful reintroduction to the wild. After serious problems in the 1980s, Adamson and two of his assistants were murdered by poachers in 1989.

Water Car - The Future Starts Now.

As oil hits record highs everyday I think it's time the world take notice about this 30 year old Filipino invention. A water car? Yes, it can be done. They have put people in the moon! Visit Daniel Dingle's website- http://danieldingel.com/

Floodwaters Savage Kalibo- Footage the National Media didn't Show.

Super Typhoon Frank and Walking Water at Roxas Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan. This was taken from the second floor of the building, and the floodwaters covered what used to be a very busy street.

Help Kalibo!!

http://helpkalibo.multiply.com/
Pictures of the devastation of Frank in Kalibo.

Help and Donate to the Victims of Typhoon Fengshen in the Philippines!!

http://www.redcross.org.ph/
Please help now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Typhoon Fengshen (Frank) Devastates Aklan- A Blow by Blow Account!

Blow by blow account of what happened in Aklan-

Things that media never reported. Pardon the grammar mistakes- this is a repost. The objective is to let people know what happened in Aklan during the typhoon.

Aklan and Typhoon Frank

Posted in http://kyrienne.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/aklan-and-typhoon-frank-2/#comment-122
 

NOTE: This is NOT a news report, so do not quote me . This is only a humble blog trying to convey what I heard, and sharing my thoughts & ideas to help Aklan.

 

———————————

 

The morning of Saturday 230am, my husband received a call. It was from my sister in law informing us that Alta Tierra in Iloilo City experienced the worst flash flooding in the history of Iloilo. Typhoon Frank (international code name Fengshen) hit Western Visayas.

 

I was on an immediate text brigade mode, telling everyone from California to New York (I got unlimited text messaging from AT&T), of what has happened. The news was not on-line yet, but that didn’t stop me: all afternoon, I listened to Bombo Radyo Ilonggo edition.  I kept informing everyone I know of the damage that was causing my in-law’s and my adopted Ilonggo home.

 

True enough, the night of Saturday, Iloilo was on TV Patrol news.

 

But what about Aklan? I wondered and pondered. ‘No news is good news’, as they said. Friends asked me if I heard anything, but I said, oh well we had survived Undang in 1985, so this shouldn’t be bad. Now, I believe “No news is so EXTREMELY BAD news’

 

I almost flipped when I heard bits and pieces of news. Families in Aklan text’ed families in Manila, who sent out emails and phone calls about the worst thing that had happened to my beloved hometown.

 

First email I got was this: ‘10 times worse than bagyo undang.(This is ten times worse than Typhoon Undang.) No electricity and water supply since saturday. indi ako kapadaea it kuwarta (I cant send money), no banks. no boats as well. there was a MUD FLOOD in Kalibo and hasta sa may second floor namon! (It reached until the second floor of the house) And its now BYOB: Bring Your Own Bangkay (haul your own dead corpse) to the town plaza’ 

 

Second email, from a different source: ‘Hanggang tuhod and putik sa buong town ng kalibo, madaming barangays ang nawala na sa mapa ng kalibo, even yung bliss community wala na…bubong na lang ng bhay ang nakikita. Just now, 115 dead bodies (unconfirmed) ang nasa plaza ng Kalibo…they don’t know the number of people died and missing.’ ~ From Roxanne T. Oquendo, forwarded by Anna Liza, New York. Holy cow.(The mud was knee-deep in the entire town of Kalibo, many barangays (counties) got erased off the map, even BLISS Community (a government low cost housing project) is gone. Only roofs of houses can be seen. Just now, 115 bodies (unconfirmed) are in the town of Kalibo.)

 

Third email, different source: “Umapaw and Aklan river and it got to the point where the water was above the bridge papuntang Numancia. The bridge was damaged although I don’t know if it’s still passable. remember the shopping center? the water reached halos sa bubong eot ana kuno. It is also true that nobody’s selling anything because basically nothing was left. There isn’t any water to be had anywhere.” ~ From Cheryl Sevilla, forwarded by Ruben Mobo, Tennessee.

 

At this point, I started to call. Rommel Constantino, my dear friend and confidante, answered his cell phone. He just charged his cell phone for 50 pesos from a Korean Store that has generator. (FUCKING KOREAN.-riain)

 

What freaking happened?

 

I can hear my other friend Michelle rattling on and on I cannot understand what she was saying. My other friend Ariel, a non-stop talker too, cannot speak. I begged Rommel not to loose it and start talking calmly. I reminded him we were on the staff of our ill-fated high school publication, and it is now the time to speak up matter-of-fact.

 

Below is the best account of what had happened. Please remember that I have never done news reporting in my life, and my only source of information is my 3 closest friends who are in a state of disbelief, shock, exhaustion and full of mosquito bites. And this is just what happened in Kalibo, and they admitted they know nothing about the fates of Numancia, Banga, Malinao, Makato, Ibajay and all towns surrounding the Aklan River . I am also typing this as fast as I can, ignoring grammar and sentence structure, so that I may be able to reach Akeanons all over the world thru my emails, blogs, texting and non-stop speaking abilities.

 

So, here goes…

 

Friday, June 21, evening – People are preparing for the food festival in honor of San Juan Bautista. Radio said it was Signal No1. It started to rain hard, so people just went home.

 

            Saturday, June 22

 

2am – Heavy rains. Strong winds. Now it was Signal #3. Picture Undang.

 

                        5am-6am – Ceiling and rooftops blown away. Aklan River was rising.

 

9am-10am – Kalibo proper is starting to be flooded, waist deep. Strong currents and non-stop raining. People hold on to bamboos for floatation. To move from one place to another, people jump from rooftops to rooftops. Houses in lower C Laserna are gone.

 

3pm-4pm – Wind stopped. Water is at 7-8 feet, Kalibo Shopping Center now submerged. The entire Kalibo town was quiet, other than the sound of the falling rain.

 

7pm-8pm – In the dead of the night, with no lights nor electricity, people are screaming ‘tabang’ (help). Children wailing, women crying. Some people, who owned 2-floor houses, refused to accept their neighbors for the fear that the added weight may collapse the house.

 

             Sunday, June 22

 

Sunrise– People got out of their shelters to see water and mud, tricycles upside down, boulders everywhere, dead pigs. It was like a scene from a B-rated zombie movie. First thing people looked for: DRINKING WATER.

 

6am – People start to walk to the market for food. They walked in 2-feet mud. People lined up to buy bread (plastic still covered with mud), canned goods, medicine. Prices skyrocketed: rice that was PhP80 is now PhP150 (good for one day for a family of 6), candles 3 pcs for PhP100, tricycle trip PhP 1000 to-fro Kalibo Airport.

 

Everyone was in quiet shock, saying a low ‘kamusta’, and moved on to go to where their family & shelter was.

 

Everyone salvaged what was left. They tried to dry, using water from the rain, their clothing and beddings. Furnitures (tables, chairs) are damaged but usable. Magsig-magsig anay kuno, ah

 

The Provincial Hospital is damaged too, and the new PhP 45 Million CT Scan equipment is all lost. Where do the sick go? Stay at home and hope infection (feet are scraped and punctured due to walking on mud) doesn’t spread. That is why the corpse are now lying and embalmed at the town plaza, for we don’t have a hospital.

                       

The rest is history. You will hear about it. (Dont blame me for giving the bad news, and I had wished I was just misinformed).

 

Okay, I asked, how can we help? Here’s what they said:

 

1. Prayers. Jokingly, they said are too tired, too loss of words to do this.
2. Media coverage.  If you know anyone in ABS-CBN, GMA, Bombo, Bandera, etc please beg them to cover Aklan. Remember, press coverage and pressure to the government will open emergency funds. Further, call all of our local Akeanon associations for help. If you know even a drop of Akeanon blood, inform them of what happened. If you need to forward my article, please do so, until a decent professionally-written write-up happens. Repost, forward, link on your blog, utilize Friendster/Multiply/Facebook. Anything, everything, everyday.
3. Send money. Don’t do by bank (as for my write-up), send via Western Union or money order. Send it to your family or a person you know and trust.
4. Relief goods. Airports are open. Roads to/fro Iloilo are passable. The following are needed:
   1. water
   2. katol or insect repellant
   3. canned goods
   4. rice
   5. lots of blankets
   6. towels
   7. flash light and batteries
   8. shoes
   9. jackets
   10. medicine: anti-diarrhea, vitamins, antibiotic, acetaminophen, cough/cold meds
   11. candles and matches
   12. soap & shampoo, toothpaste & toothbrush
   13. disinfectant
   14. cell phone load
   15. something to pass time: playing cards, books, pen & paper, radio
   16. children stuff (by the way, they are so traumatized)
   17. umbrellas
   18. bible, rosary and religious items
   19. etc
5. Call them and when you get a hold of them, assure that we are doing something. Assure and reassure. Akeanons are quietly tough and I sensed morale is so low. They felt so alone. They cannot even talk to their neighbors: what for, they asked. Daily text will help and just say ‘Im here thinking of you’.

One last note: I have lived thru several hurricanes in North Carolina and Georgia. Hurricane Fran, Category 5 was the worst I experienced, having no electricity amidst freezing temperatures. But the County of Cumberland had this hour-by-hour Weather Channel and evacuation routes. Further, Americans fill their refrigerators and pantry with food, water and supplies. After the devastation, electricity was up the next day. FEMA came within the next few days.

 

It is so sad to even think that we don’t have the Red Cross (there is - please call your local chapter of the Red Cross to ask how you can help), coast guard, Salvation Army or anyone who can help our fellow Aklanons. This is their 5^th day of surviving.

 

Please help in any way you can.  All the way.

 

Sincerely,

 

Cheryl Joy Martinez-Avaricio, from Sacramento, California

Kalibo Pilot Elementary School 1980-1985

Aklan College 1985-1989

And a proud Akeanon from Bulwang, Numancia, Aklan

 

** Contact the writer: cherylavaricio@comcast.net