Showing posts with label Manila. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manila. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Beringuela-Amansec Wedding in Paco, Manila

11/23/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post







In all the world
There is no heart
for me like yours.
In all the world,
there is no love for
you like mine.
~Maya Angelou

Mr. & Mrs. Gisberto Beringuela is happy and honored to announce the marriage of their daughter Loren Jane to Adrian Bernard A. Amansec, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Benardo Amansec.

The wedding will be held on December 9, 2009 at the St. Pancratius Chapel in Paco Manila, Philippines at 5 PM. The reception immediately follows at the Paco Park Gardens.

UP Ibalon-Bicol sends its best wishes and congratulations to the lucky couple. (Photo Credit: http://adrianlorenwedding2009.weebly.com/) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Dying whale shark found in Manila Bay

10/30/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


An obvious setback to conservation, protection, and preservation of animals, the death of a 17 foot whale shark (butanding) in Manila Bay was a big loss. The huge female sea creature estimated to be about 2 years old and weighing about 1 ton had shown unexpected eye injuries and a few lacerations on the tail when found almost lifeless in the polluted waters of South Harbor.

"The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has classified whale sharks as vulnerable species, which means they face high risk of extinction in the wilds in the medium term. In the Philippines, the whale shark is protected by the Philippine Fisheries Code (Republic Act 8550) of 1998, which bans the fishing or taking of rare, threatened, or endangered species. Violators face 12 to 20 years of imprisonment and a P120,000 fine."--- Inquirer (11/02/09)

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are known to be docile animals which show extraordinary friendliness to human beings. They have been seen to frequent places like Donsol and Matnog, Sorsogon in Bicol. Possible causes of death include illnesses, entanglement in sea-fishing equipment, predation, and pollution.

Fishermen of the area and volunteers from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) attempted to revive the spotted gray-blue animal, but died soon after it towed to shore.

On examination of the remains, the whale shark harbored plastics and nails in its stomach prompting environmental authorities to theorize pollution as the probable cause of death. The whale shark subsists on planktons and krill found in the bay where polluting garbage and non-biodegradable debris abound. The death of the whale shark is another reminder that conservation of the environmnet including protection of sea animals must be pursued. (Photo Credit: Zamora, R/ Inquirer)=0=

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PostHeaderIcon More casualties in RP's Typhoon Ondoy

9/28/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post




The heavy rains and subsequent flood which swept Manila and neighboring provinces in the weekend brought a trail of destruction, disrupting lives and causing about 340,000 people to evacuate in 92 centers all over the country. The government reported deaths of at least 100 people, mostly due to drowning--- the aftermath of tropical typhoon Ondoy.

“Twenty-one died in Region III: nine in Bulacan and 12 in Arayat, Pampanga. In the Cordillera Administrative Region, one was killed in Kabugao, Apayao…

At the badly-hit Provident Village in Marikina, GMA News reported Sunday night that no less than 15 people had been found dead in the village. Among them were two children and six adults left by the roadside awaiting identification by family members who had been prevented by the flood from reaching them in time. Other residents were rescued Sunday after getting stranded for many hours.”---- GMAnew. TV (09/27/09, Dedace, S)

Drenched with rain, many people stranded for hours were rescued from the flooded streets and others were plucked from rooftops of houses. Villages were impassible to regular traffic in a flooding considered the worst in 42 years.

Airports temporarily cancelled flights as runways became water-logged. Electrical power disruptions were reported in various parts of the city. Businesses and stores in many villages in Manila were closed because of water damage.

Overall, the flood had been another warning that Filipinos need to step up their disaster preparedness. If not, more destruction and deaths couldn't be averted. (Photo Credit: Inquirer.net; YahoowNews/ AFP) =0=

RELATED BLOG: Record flooding in Manila by Typhoon Ondoy Posted by mesiamd at 9/26/2009

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PostHeaderIcon Record flooding in Manila by Typhoon Ondoy

9/26/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post



On September 26, 2009, Saturday, between 8 AM to 2 PM, a heavy downpour in Metro Manila brought water rising--- surpassing a previous record of rainful in 1967. According to PAGASA, the rain brought by Typhoon Ondoy, registered 341 millimeters in a 6-hour period. It surpassed the record 42 years ago for the highest rainfall record in a 24-hour period of 334 millimeters in the area.

Metro Manila and 25 provinces were put on disaster emergency. The provinces affected by the flooding were Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, and Bataan.

“At least 25 villages in Marilao, Meycauayan, San Miguel and Bocaue in Bulacan were also flooded, with floodwaters reaching up to waist-high. In Metro Manila, at least 33 villages in Marikina, Malabon, Muntinlupa, Quezon, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Valenzuela and San Juan Cities were also flooded.”---GMAnews.TV (09/25/09)

Typhoon Ondoy waterlogged streets in the city of Manila, hampering movement and forcing at least 363 families of more than a thousand individuals (mainly from San Mateo town) to evacuate their homes. At least 9 people were reported missing as the typhoon lashed the country. The poor drainage system and clogging of sewers and waterways were partly to blame for the torrential flood.

It is unclear if this wicked weather is related to the climate change brought by global warming as currently debated. Believers of man-made weather changes assert that catastrophes from high C02 emissions and pollution could cause these foul weather aberrations. On the other hand, there are those who believe that the earth’s climate changes in cycles that spans in centuries--- with man, contributing little to the fluctuations in weather.

Whatever the reason(s), it is expected that flooding in many areas could displace many people which might cause considerable suffering, political and social instability. The weather experience in the Manila, Philippines where about 10 million people live is not an isolated one. (PHoto Credits: GMAnews.TV; Kerolic) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Michael Jackson touches the hearts of Filipinos

7/27/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post




In these two faded photographs, Michael Jackson, the recently deceased phenomenal King of Pop, visited the Philippines in the '70s. In a noontime show "Student Canteen" hosted by Eddie Ilarde, Jackson and company woowed his audience with his electric presence and a song. The photos were sent to me in an egroup. (Photo Credit: Karan Mae Gutierrez) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Manila oil depot poses risk to Pandacan residents

7/22/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


For a long time the oil depot in Pandacan at the heart of Manila seemed safe. There were no complaints to the presence of the fuel facility right beside congested residential and commercial areas.

“The depot, a 36-hectare cluster of harbor tanks containing 330.5 million liters of gasoline, crude oil and other flammable substances, was built in Pandacan in the 1910s by the “Big 3" oil companies: Chevron (then Caltex), Pilipinas Shell, and Petron Corporation (then Esso). At present, the Pandacan oil depot supplies around 1,800 retail stations in Metro Manila and outlying provinces. The oil depot is also said to supply around half of the country’s total demand for fuel and other petrochemical products.”----GMANews Tv (07/04/09, Calonzo, T.)

Yet, the threats of an environmental accident, natural disaster, earthquake damage, sabotage, and terrorism have grown. It is easy to understand why people started questioning the oil depot's safety. The facility is considered a disaster waiting to happen and concerned citizens, church leaders, and community groups are apprehensive and up against it.

The order of the Supreme Court in 2001 to relocate the fuel site was in recognition of such threats. But through a city ordinance, Mayor Alfredo Lim was able to reverse the decision. Thinking that the oil facility was bringing jobs (10,000 workers) and revenue (P100 million in annual taxes) to the city, the mayor and his supporters, ignoring the danger, believed it was better to keep the depot for the “common good.”

It is hardly for the common good if people's lives are at risk and a fire caused by oil explosion may bring death and destruction to residents who live in the area.

In averting disaster, it is better to err on the side of prudence. As the saying goes, a pound of prevention is better than a ton of cure. (Photo Credit: Etang) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Communion by hand makes sense against the spread of H1N1 virus

6/07/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


The advice of Manila Archibishop Gaudencio Cardinal Santos to temporarily stop the custom of hand-to-mouth contact at the time of communion during mass will certainly help avoid the easy transmission of the flu virus in the community. Coupled with avoidance of hand contact during a religious service, this is certainly helpful as swine virus infection in the country jumped to 33 on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

Obviously, as more people get infected, the chance of a widespread influenza is greater. The public must appreciate the effort taken by health and religious authorities to contain the disease, hence the recommendation of frequent hand-washing, avoidance of crowds, the postponement of school opening from June 8 to June 15, the quarantine of those stricken with the disease, and the active educational campaign on prevention. It’s the civic duty of every Filipino to help stop the transmission of the illness. (Photo Credit: gems) =0=

SWINE FLU UPDATE:

June 8, 2009. The Department of Health headed by Dr. Francisco Duque III reported additional cases of H1N1 flu which totalled to 46 during the weekend.

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PostHeaderIcon 30,000 families to be relocated in Bicol train rehab

12/13/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


It’s like Rip Van Winkle coming out from sleep. At last, the plan to repair the Philippine National Railways (PNR) from Laguna to Legazpi City is alive again. For the project to push, it will require the relocation of 30,000 families settled on the 15-meter clearance of the train's path.

The government plan is definite good news to Bicol, but it’s mind-bending why only now will repairs be undertaken. The train plying the southern end of Luzon is different from how it looked decades ago as it meandered in the craggy mountainsides of Quezon Province to the foot of Mount Isarog in Camarines Sur and Mayon in Albay. Huge numbers of people have already crowded the tracks, the 483-kilometer stretch from Manila.

Vital to travel in the Bicol region and the rest of the country, the PNR had been largely neglected. It practically operated in meager maintenance budget even if plans to extend the line, about 135 kilometers from Legazpi to Sorsogon had been on the works.

Wooden planks and metal supports on the transportation line were continual victims of thieves who used them as firewood or sell them as scraps. For many years, almost nobody took action for their upkeep, to the disappointment of Bicolanos. The yearly torrential rains caused infrastructure damage. The government did little to prevent people from building houses along the railway tracks.

This early the concern for the legal rights of the squatters has been raised. Human rights groups are pushing for standard eviction amenities. The enormity of the problem causes some interested investors to back out of the project.

“Jun de la Torre, Community Organization of the Philippines (COPE) assistant regional coordinator said they have strengthened their social preparation efforts in favor of the railway settlers by collaborating with 10-federation strong Bicol Urban Poor Coordinating Council (BUPCC) headed by Lorna Chavez to ensure that the rights of these affected settlers would not be derailed when the PNR rehabilitation project starts in the near future." Bicol Mail, (12/12/08, Neola, J)

The project is rocked with questionable political deals. P17 billion has been allotted to remove the illegal dwellers on the dangerous tracks. It constitutes a third of the total budget of P52.19---the cost of the much delayed project which was earlier scheduled in 2005 to 2011.

It is uncertain when the money will come or if it is adequate. With the postponements that go with government projects, at this time, the railway rehabilitation remains a dream for Bicolanos. (Photo Credits: Orangedroplet; Alcogoodwin; Alcogoodwin; orangedroplet)=0=



RELATED BLOG: "Life on the railway tracks & the fate of Isadora Duncan" Posted on Friday September 12th, 2008
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PostHeaderIcon Life on the railway tracks & the fate of Isadora Duncan

9/12/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


It’s the same accident that happened to 50 year old famed American dancer Isadora Duncan who met her gruesome death when her scarf was caught in a car's wheel while motoring on September 14, 1927 in Nice, France. (Isadora Duncan, The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed., 2008)

Miss Duncan was choked by the constricting grip of a hand-painted scarf, a gift by Russian-born artist Roman Chatov. She who lived against the norm of her day claimed a place in history for her dance as much as her manner of passing.




In the Philippines, in a report which appeared in GMANewsTV on September 12, 2008, 22 year old Pandacan resident Imee Sapacio suffered serious brain injuries and almost died when her umbrella got entangled by a passing train on the way to Tutuban station in Divisoria, an old section of Manila.

She was knocked down, dragged and rendered unconscious before being rushed to the hospital.

Luckily she survived.






Life on the Railway Track (Vida en la via del ferrocarril)

"Marami ang palatandaan ng kahirapan: mga lumang bahay,
maduming barrio, mga lalaking walang kamiseta,
at ang tingin ng pag-aalala..."

"Dakul an senales kan pagti'os, mga lumang harong,
ma-ating lugar, mga lalaking mayong kamiseta,
sagkod hiling nin pag'hadit..."

"Muchas signos de pobreza: casas viejas,
pueblos sucios,hombres descamisados
y la mirada de angustia..."

"Many signs of poverty: old houses,
dirty villages, unshirted men,
and the look of anguish...."
---AFM, September 12, 2008



Imee may not like the life of poverty like Miss Duncan especially in a crowded blighted path of a train which snakes its way in the heart of the city. But it’s a perilous reality that she hardly can escape. Like thousands of squatters, she lives near the railroad tracks, ignoring the dangers of the squalid neighborhood and the noise of passing trains.

In spite of the government attempts to relocate the squatters, crowding continues. A fact of life, this is a big challenge in urban places like Manila which attract settlers from towns and provinces in search for better life. Photo Credits: olr2004; UPA; dy85duTpa; 3bp.blogspot; Maluche,A)





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PostHeaderIcon Tiya Dely: giving away advices like lollipops and candies

9/01/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
If a name could mirror one’s life and vocation, it might apply to Fidela "Tiya Dely" Magpayo. A popular broadcast personality in Manila, she dispensed advices (payo) to radio listeners as if she gave away lollipops and candies. She was known as a commentator, dramatist, on-the-air counselor, singer, and patron of Filipino music. The public admired her as a familiar consoling voice in the airwaves.

Many radio listeners with diverse dilemmas, running from personal to political, came to Tiya Dely for a piece of her mind, alleviating their insecurity, brushing aside distress, giving them common sense suggestions to approach life’s mundane challenges.

Stricken with massive cerebral bleed, Tiya Dely, the soft-hearted grand dame of local radio who dispensed public information and popularized Filipino music, quietly died at the age of 87 at the Manila Doctors Hospital on September 1, 2008.

The DzRh broadcaster with a long professional career spanning 6 decades had a big heart and ear for people with problems. Leaving a legacy of compassion and public service, she had been an epitome of a simple life made larger as an aunt, a mother, a sister, a wife, and a friend who was always willing to listen.

So long Tiya Dely! May God shower you with the love you gave away when you were with us!

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PostHeaderIcon Fashion in Manila

8/25/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
Not to be outdone by fashion events in Paris, New York, London, or Tokyo, the Bench Denim and Underwear Fashion Show pushed through in Manila with a rousing display of skin, entrepreneurship, and imagination in July 25, 2008.

Among the models was popular comedienne Ruffa Mae Quinto who appeared in Araneta Coliseum with an underwear that hinted how hot it could be when midnight fell in the city. Her dazzling intimate attire combined rooster’s feathers and miniscule wavy cloth, dazzling the eyes of the audience and driving the crowd's heart aflutter.

With the incandescent whiteness of an Edison bulb and crisp softness of a halogen light, her smooth alabaster legs were breath-taking as the naughty curves of her butt. Her firm bosom (erect like her lordotic spine,) stood as though the national anthem was played all along.

Celebrities like Alessandra de Rossi, Sam Milby, Diether Ocampo, Rachelle Go, Priscilla Meirelles, Angelica, Panganiban, Sarah Geronimo, John Pratts, Robi Domingo, Kim Chiu, Wendell Ramos, Valerie Weigmann, Gerald Adnerson, Egay Falcon, JC de Vera, Rayven Cruz, Shaine Magdayao, Dingdong Dantes, Margaret Wilson and many others were in attendance. Mabuhay! (Photo Credit: Pep) =0=
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PostHeaderIcon Ninoy Aquino: undimmed, forever young & at play

8/22/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
"They shall not grow old
As we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them
Nor the hourglass condemn
At the going down of the sun

And at the rising of the sun
We shall greet them in our hearts
Undimmed, forever young and at play
In the fields of the Lord.”

----Warrior King: The Triumph & Betrayal of An American Commander in Iraq (Sassman, Nathan Lt. Col., Martin Press, NY, 2008, p.293)

“It is even more clear to me now that Ninoy was never really mine or my children’s to lose; he has always belonged to the people he chose to serve and to die for,” former Pres. Corazon (Cory) Aquino said of her husband Benigno (Ninoy ) Aquino whose 25th year of his assassination is being remembered this year.

Ninoy Aquino came home from exile in August 21, 1983 from Boston, USA as the prime political adversary of then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos and wife Imelda Marcos. Upon arrival in Manila, he was escorted by military men and minutes later he was gunned down in the tarmac. Years of investigations of the gruesome killing failed to unmask the top people behind the murder. A lone gunman Rolando Galman, killed with Ninoy at the airport, was blamed for the murder. Ninoy’s martyrdom sparked a series of mass actions and protests against Marcos, forcing him out of Malacanang Palace and ending his dictatorship with Imelda.

Today, trying to bring back her health from treatments for colonic cancer, Cory faces new wounds of the ignominious murder whose real mastermind(s) and killer(s) are still on the loose. As the memory of the bloody shooting fades in the memory of the country, the culprits who escape judgement under the law, have gone old or have died of natural causes.

The Marcos family has been “rehabilitated” with the passage of time, rejoining Philippine politics as though nothing so nefarious and brutal ever happened. The case of Ninoy and the conspiracy behind it have been a metaphor of the Filipinos’ lack of trust in the court system. It speaks of the countless murders left unsolved in the country. Not only is justice slow, it’s riddled with corruption and nepotism that favor the rich and powerful. =0=
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