Posts Tagged ‘Philippines’

27 Jan

First 2022 post …. some random musings.

Posted by renxkyoko in Random thoughts. Tagged: , , .

My Mom has been posting on Facebook for over a year now. At first, she just wanted to reconnect with relatives and friends, especially those living in the Philippines. But now, she feels she has to get out of it. She thinks Facebook users live in Lalaland and just want to show off a life of privilege and bliss. She understands the motive , of course. Who wants to post about a life of destitution and misery in public, anyway? ( shakes head )

As for me, I made my Facebook page private. Only relatives and close friends can see my stuff . Now, why did I do that? Do you remember the photo below ? My ex -boyfriend did that when I updated my new relationship status on my Facebook. New boyfriend just 3 months after break-up…. I guess he was offended.

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Mom also feels overwhelmed with spiritual, religious, and inspirational Facebook notifications from friends and relatives. She’s like, ” I get it ! Stop !” I guess her friends and relatives are at that age where they’re starting to prepare to meet their Maker. ” Say AMEN if you want Jesus to heal your wounds.”

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I watched how, last month, a Category 5 typhoon Odette wreaked havoc on a large area in the Philippines on YouTube. The Philippines is the center of typhoons in the Asia-Pacific region , getting at least 20 typhoons a year, half a dozen of which are very destructive. Check out the video below. It’s jaw dropping.

On Siargao Island, Philippines, Dec.14, 2021

This is all for now. Stay safe.

13 Sep

“Beyond the commerce of men”…. a social commentary

Posted by renxkyoko in Manila, Philippines, Philiipine culture, Philippine Heritage, Random thoughts. Tagged: , .

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My previous post is about the massive clearing operations currently going on in

the city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines.  Manila is just one of 16 cities of Metro-Manila.  Non-Filipinos  and  Filipinos from other parts of the country call the whole metropolis ” Manila”, but  residents of  Metro-Manila  specify where exactly they come from….  like Quezon City, Paranaque City, Makati City, etc.  On my previous post,  I said  I was born in Manila.  Actually, I was born in Paranaque City, just a taxi ride away from Manila, 25  minutes without traffic,  2 hours with traffic. lol

 

Map of Metro-Manila, Philippines

 

 

 

Now, about the title of this post….

 

The Philippines’ Supreme Court had come out with a milestone decision on  the use of roads, sidewalks, and open spaces ( parks ) located in private subdivisions.  Basically, it says these so-called private  roads, etc. should be opened to the public. However,  though public,  all roads , sidewalks and parks  are ” BEYOND THE COMMERCE OF MEN. ” In other words, no one can use these places other than what they are intended for.  The phrase ” beyond the commerce of men”  is the ground these massive clearing operations stand on…… demolish all encroachments and obstructions, kick out illegal vending on sidewalks and streets. ( Ah, no more street food, eh ? )

 

Below is a structure built on the sidewalk… clearly a violation  of  national building code, and can be demolished even without  the  Supreme Court’s mandate.  Note : demolition workers lack proper equipment… it’s mano-mano, meaning literally by hand and it’s quite dangerous.  The city does use payloaders and jackhammers in some areas. but not enough for the whole city.

 

 

 

 

 

Above photo shows city workers  removing  food carts off a sidewalk.

 

Below is road clearing. Note: vendors occupy the street, then same street partially cleared… ( not enough, in my opinion… but , it’s better than nothing.)

 

 

I highly doubt Manila would be completely cleared .  Anarchy in the streets has been so  tolerated for  decades it’s become part of  Manila culture . They say it  would take at least 2 generations to completely wipe this off the people’s psyche.  My parents remember a clean city, with wide avenues lined with century old trees, such as  Taft Avenue, Manila’s main thoroughfare.  Then the trees were taken out to make way for  a wider road, and later , ( 1984) ,ugly , elevated railroad tracks  were built over it.  ( Metro Rail ) They also remember  there was a loud  outcry over removal of century old trees, but , well, “progress.”  Then, old residents of Manila left to live in the suburbs and  posh subdivisions just outside of Manila, and were replaced by people from the countryside with less education,  no job prospects and  housing ……then they built shanties on public lands, and the rest is history. It came to a point where illegal settlers and shanty dwellers have even become defiant  and  caused trouble and violent protests  everytime  well-meaning officials would try to clean up the city.  Previous city mayors had practically given up,  until the new mayor, Francisco Moreno, was elected in July , 2019, and promised to clear up Manila.

 

I am not so sure about that. Sorry, Mayor Moreno.   A big chunk of the city  looks like shanty town , with old, dilapidated , greasy , built in dirt on buildings,  especially in places like Tondo, and Quaipo,  and patchy-patchy residential houses .  Unless he issues an order for building and home owners to rehabilitate (  aka repaint ) their properties, ( which is dictatorial and too heavy handed, in my opinion ) , no matter how clean the streets and sidewalks are,  Manila will forever remain an unsightly, sad city.  I’ve seen these places on YouTube…. they look like the photo below…

…. * shakes head *

 

 

Above is a common street scene in Tondo, Manila. They build structures without regard for safety. Look  how many floors there are, and they are made of rusty corrugated iron, old wood, etc.   The houses are so unsafe. I assume they don’t bother to get a building permit, and authorities don’t  bother to inspect.

 

Don’t get me wrong…. the rest of Manila is charming, beautiful, and historical.  In fact, the whole country , all 7,641 islands of it, is one huge tourist spot…….  Pristine islands with white sand and the bluest water  you won’t  see anywhere else in the world.

 

So, how does one solve a problem like Manila ?

 

People suggest  deal with it with a hand of steel, and it’s about time.

 

Legitimate Manilenos  are already sick and tired of  illegal settlers demanding relocation sites and free housing.  There are already hundreds of government relocation sites with free houses. Well, not exactly free… they pay a staggering   $ 4.00 a month.  I repeat….. FOUR DOLLARS.   (  other cities are already protesting they don’t want them there, and tax payers are also complaining that their taxes are spent building houses for these squatters, with no end in sight. )

 

But…to be fair…. call Manila what you like, but…….

 

Believe it or not,  residents of Manila have free health care (  free medicines, even free surgeries, free hospitalizations) free public universities,  and senior students in  public  high schools are given PhP 1,000 Cash every month, discounted transportation fares for students,  senior citizen discounts in everything including  movie passes,  plus PhP  500 cash a month….. single parents are also given Php 500 cash. .  It’s practically  a welfare state.  That’s why poor people from  other places flock to the city.  Hey, fellow Americans, does this sound familiar ?

 

Another thing… the Philippines has universal health care.

 

And,

 

By law, all workers receive a 13th month pay, ( besides their 12 months regular salaries) , and if the employees are lucky, they also get 100 % Christmas bonus from big companies and government  institutions.  In other words, 14 months salaries annually.

 

And ,  all companies with more than 50 employees , are unionized.  Truckers, drivers ….Yes, unions are strong in the Philippines.  This is the reason why foreign companies don’t invest in the Philippines. They hate unions and organized workers, right? Typical.   They go to Vietnam,  Indonesia, and countries where  forming  unions are not allowed. There are only a few countries in Asia ( or Australasia ) where unions are  present .. Australia, Philippines and New Zealand.  CBA or Collective Bargaining Agreement is a very important aspect of doing business in the Philippines.  No sweatshops allowed.  That’s why you won’t see cheap clothes and stuff  here in the US that are Made in the Philippines.

 

Oh, wait, where am I going?  My thoughts are going haywire.

 

I guess it’s time to stop now.

 

PS:

 

I saw food cart  vendors  in Italy ( or their  merchandise are spread on the ground, mostly  fake brands, ugly souvenirs, etc. ) and hassling tourists.  In England, too.  Hey, Brits, you see them , right ? Yep, been there, saw them myself.   Watch out, Italy and England.     I think it looks worse in India.  Warning !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Aug

Good ol’Manila, Philippines, my birthplace.

Posted by renxkyoko in Old Manila, Philippines, Random thoughts. Tagged: , .

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It’s been awhile.  I’ve been so busy everyday is like a marathon.  I’ve also been helping clean our rental house when I have the time.  Guys, I did mention that our neighbor contractor  said we’d be out $20 K  easily .  He underestimated the cost of renovation.  It’s now inching towards $30 K. My heart goes out to my parents.  I was with my  mother when we bought new fridge, oven, and dishwasher.  We also renovated the two bathrooms . All floorings are new, from kitchen to bedrooms and of of course , the bathrooms.  aaargh.. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.

 

We  already bought the plane tickets for our Philippine vacation in February , 2020.

 

I’ve been watching YouTube videos of what’s going on in the Philippines. Thre’s   a massive clearing up operations going on  ….City authorities  are basically getting rid of illegal vendors  and structures on public properties.  .  The capital city of Metro-Manila , Manila, has a new mayor, and it looks like he’s very serious in cleaning up the city.  Metro-Manila is comprised of 16 cities and Manila is the capital,   the centre of government  but  due to decades of  neglect,   it’s  become a cesspool. The city  has been invaded by squatters and illegal vendors. I’ve been watching the massive clearing-up operations againt  illegals…… I’m sorry, but I have little  sympathy for them. I am not anti- poor, but damn,  enough is enough !  !  These illegal vendors  have totally occupied major streets , avenues, and sidewalks ……and not only that,  they leave so much garbage on the streets….. it’s anarchic and  almost criminal. Manila traffic  is one of the most chaotic  in the world because only 60%  are passable.  The new mayor, Francisco Moreno, has vowed to do the right thing .  So far, so good.  Mayor Moreno has now become a Rock Star in Pilippine politics. .

 

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Illegal vendors obstruct traffic on secondary and tertiary roads. No vehicles can pass anymore.

 

 

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Above is a major road in Manila,( Divisoria) one of many, that has been fully occupied by vendors.  Thieves,  ruffians,  street children ,   “solvent”  boys , snatchers, and  riff raffs mingle with shoppers,  unfortunately. .  I don’t know how  shoppers protect  themselves from these bad elements  of society.

 

And the photo below is how  the same road looks like  when it was cleared , just a bit… Holy cow, , there’s a 6 lane road under all that rubble ! !  Freakin’ hell !

 

 

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I hope Manila will look nice and clean  when we get  there. My co-worker  ‘s coming with me.  I don’t want my co-worker to have WTF moments during our vacation. But  we’re going to Divisoria to shop.   We’ll be  moving targets of  pickpockets…. . My  co-worker is  white .  And even though  I look like them,  for some reason, Filipinos  can recognize a non- citizen .  Or , am I just being paranoid ? We’ll hold on tight  and close  to our purses , no expensive watches and jewellery on us, either.

We did go to Divisoria  in 2014.  Everything was dirt cheap, so freakin’ cheap !     Haggling though  is ” de rigueur ”  in  Divisoria.  My accent was a give -away so my cousin did much of  the obligatory haggling for me. No tourist price, please.

 

Haggling  goes like this:

You buy 3 T-shirts, I’ll give them to you for  450 pesos, Ma’am.  ( $ 9.00 )

I can get that for 300 pesos  (  $6.00 ) at WalMart.  ( I lie.)

 

Ma’m , that’s below my capital….  I can give it to you for 400 pesos. ( $8.00 )

 

Is that the last price ? How about 350 pesos? ($3. 70)

375 pesos,  last price Ma’m.

 

Okay, sold.  ( My haul :   $7.50 for 3  nice T-shirts.  $ 2.50  each …..  Yay !  My awesome haggling power ! ! )

Then I saw similar T-shirts  at next store for 95  pesos each .(  $ 1. 90  )

 

Fail.

 

What can we buy in Divisoria? Everything, including wedding gowns.

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The truth is, Manila is a beautiful city.  It has the biggest urban park in Asia, it’s full of trees, and  has that old ,charming colonial ambiance . Filipinos , by the way, love fountains and water features…… Manila has lots of  these all over the city. If you’re a tourist, just avoid  places with bad reputation, like Tondo, Divisoria, and areas north of Pasig River, the main river artery of Manila. It’s sad because these places  are the old , historical Manila. The problem is,  that’s where the “have nots”  had congregated, while  the “haves” left  to live in gated subdivisions in the suburbs…… and where new , modern, clean cities  subsequently sprouted around them… Makati City, Bonifacio Global City, Newport City, etc. … these cities are so  clean one can eat off the streets. Sadly, there’s  an invisible wall that separates these areas from the “Great Unwashed” that is Manila..   For example, jeepneys and tricycles ( mode of transportation of the poor ) are not allowed into these cities… the ban  is  as  subtle as a battleaxe , no ?  ” Keep off  our  beautifully manicured lawn. .”  That’s what that ban means.  Well,   I don’t blame them.  Let one in … the next morning you’ll find hordes of  illegals selling their wares, peeing and pooping  everywhere, letting their minor children roam the streets, knocking on car windows begging for money , and if  you don’t give , they’ll  kick your car or scratch it with a rock…..they also   dump  garbage on the streets.

 

 

 

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Beyond words.   The LEFTIST activists are saying the mayor wants Manila to become another place for the ELITES. ….. This is the reason why my politics  radar is inching from the left  towards the center. I ‘m into social justice, but despise lawlessness.

But the truth is,  even though BGCity, Makati City, and the rest  of the metropolis have all the beautiful skyscrapers,   Manila is still  the centre of commerce in the Philippines.  Manila is the depository of all goods that come  from all over the Philippines and the world, and it’s been like that since 1500 ( Spanish galleon trade ) .  Ironically, Tondo , a scary place today,  was the center of commerce  , even during  pre-colonial times.

Below  are photos of Bonifacio Global City and Makati City.

 

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Below is the Trump Tower in Makati City

 

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Above is Tondo in Manila…. that’s reality… I’m  not hiding it, folks. … To be honest, this is even the “better ” slum area.  I don’t want to show anymore the worse of the worst.

 

But,  even though Manila has been left behind by neighboring cities, there’s one thing  other cities do not have……character.

 

Below is the statue of the country’s national  hero, Dr. Jose Rizal , located at Rizal Park ( or more commonly called Luneta , the largest  urban park in Asia )

 

 

Intramuros , or Walled City  ( Fort Santiago entrance photo, built in 1571 )

 

 

Charming old colonial architecture  , cobblestones…..

 

 

 

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Manila Cathedral

 

 

 

Below is University of Santo Tomas, built in 1611, the oldest university in Asia.  Next photo is Manila Baywalk..

 

 

 

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Intramuros (2)

 

 

 

 

 

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The National Museum

 

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And of course, the official residence of  the President of the Philippines:

 

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Roxas Blvd. along Manila Bay, with world famous Manila Bay sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

The new mayor of the capital city… Francisco “Isko” Moreno

 

 

By the way,  my photos here are messed up.  Some are  cut off, and others turn out too small. I can’t fix it, sorry.

 

The new Manila mayor  loves to dance. Ha ha… Awesome.

 

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A young and idealistic politician.  I hope he keeps his promise to bring  back the old glory of  the Queen City of the Orient.

 

Below is the Manila Post Office Building.

 

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That’s it….  I know  this post seems random and unorganized.  There are just  so much to talk about  that I don’t even know where to start , and how to end my  thoughts.

Anyway, to see is to believe , and I’ll see it 6 months.  Manila is my birthplace. I love the city, warts and all.

PS…. There will be a series of posts about the Philipines, especially about the dangers of  forcible  taking of  a group of small Philippine  islands on West Philipine Sea or ( South China Sea)  by you know what country….  This country wants to  own and dominate the seas  …..   and mess up the most protected  site in the world, the Philippine Tabbutaha Reefs.   The whole world should take note and pay attention ! !!    Please .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11 Jun

Ha ! ! I’m on $$$ mode ! Totally hyped !

Posted by renxkyoko in Boracay Island Philippines, Random thoughts. Tagged: , , .

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It’s been a while.

 

I’ve been busy these past few weeks, with only one day off a week, and lots of overtimes.  I’m glad for the extra work, though. I’m planning to buy a GoPro with a selfie stick { he he}  for our planned vacation in the Philippines in February, 2020, with my sister and mother.  Well, it isn’t really a vacation… it’s for some important “family”  business we have to take care of. My mom needs our physical presence and ” signatures” so that she and my aunt can finally transfer family  properties to us.( We are my aunt’s heirs , as well. )  They say they are already old and so they need to keep things in order to avoid  “trouble” , when the “inevitable” comes….. like who will inherit what . My  brother who can’t come with us jokingly  told us” Don’t be greedy, or I’ll sue you. ” I had already shown you guys a photo of our vacation house on Boracay Island ,Philippines.

This is a 3level  house ( the fourth is a view deck, shown above,) 7 bedrooms, 4 toilet/bath, all rooms fully air-conditioned.. The house is already furnished.  Uhm, sorry for shamelessly promoting our house. Ha ha The tenants’ contract ends in 2020, and we’re planning to make it an airbnb. So, if you’re a  reader living in the Philippines, contact me in 2020. (^_^)

 

We have another vacation house in Baguio City, the Cordilleras, Mountain Province. Baguio City is a mountain resort in the Philippines.  Our house is a 3 level one with 4 bedrooms, 3 toilet/baths, and also fully furnished. It’s located high up, with a million dollar view  of the Cordilleras.

That’s me sleeping in the photo above, all covered with blanket. ( It was very cold ) You can also see a great view of the mountains from the veranda, shown above. Also shown above is a row of townhouses where our house is located. There’s no one living there now, but we’re also planning to rent it out, airbnb, soon.

 

Okay, so this post is all about $$$$$$. We have 4 more properties, all tenanted, but they’re   all located in the capital city of Metro-Manila in the Philippines. That’s why it’s very important that we keep things in order and organized .

 

Meanwhile, here’s an update on our tenant problem here in the US..   The tenants have promised to vacate our house on June 23., in a registered letter , signed by the tenant.  My parents have decided to cut their losses and  just wait it out… Our lawyer has warned us not to do anything despite the losses, because there’s always a possibility  of a tenant filing  a malicious lawsuit against a landowner. ( knock on wood)

 

Sorry, guys, I’m suddenly on a business mode… Boring, huh ! Whatever,   I want to decorate ! ! !

 

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Bye and Peace ! !

 

 

 

”

 

 

 

19 Mar

So , okay, I’m an island girl.

Posted by renxkyoko in Genetically modified organisms, Philippine reefs, Tabbutaha Reef, Palawan, Philippines, Random thoughts. Tagged: , , , .

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I was taken aback when a co-worker asked me where I was born…  I answered the Philippines, of course… then he said, ” I mean, on what island .?????” I thought for a minute before replying….Uhm… Luzon Island ???

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I  told him I’d  always thought of my birthplace  as a country and not an island   ( if that makes sense). Well, the Philippines is comprised of 7, 641 islands ( or 7, 107  at  high tide, ha ha ) , and though I find  his question  a bit strange, I have to admit it   makes  sense…  After all, the former name of the Philippines was  Las Islas Filipinas ( as a Spanish colony.. .. islas means islands ) , Philippine Islands ( as  American colony) , Commonwealth of the Philippines, ( still American colony) , then Republic of the Philippines ( after independence)

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So, I ran off to tell my Filipino co-worker and she was surprised, as well. I mean, we have the same mindset.  We don’t consider ourselves “island people ” .  Japan is an island.  Indonesia , Singapore… Come to think of it… England.   Here’s the thing… it’s A-Okay  to be considered an islander. I find it very exotic… it evokes images of  beautiful, tropical islands with white beaches, palm and coconut trees swaying in the breeze…

 

Most importantly,  Palawan Island ( which is on the video above) is the  location of TUBBATAHA REEF, a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE site, the most protected site in the world.    The biodiversity of  Tabbutaha Reef surpasses that of Galopagos’ and Hawaii’s  combined. Then , there’s Apo Reef, the second largest contiguos coral reef system in the world , and is a highly protected site ,located in the waters of Occidental Mindoro  in the Philippines. The reef is submerged, of course, but are marked by 3 uninhabited islands, Apo Island, Apo Menor, and Cayos del Bajo. Like Tabbutaha, it is a no- take- zone., and just like Tabbutaha, it is  patrolled  by the Phil. Navy  24/7. Despite that,  Chinese poachers still encroach  and fish illegally.  On one Chinese fishing boat, they found turtles , manta rays, sharks, etc.  ( maybe for their shark fin soups and turtle soups which the Chinese love ).  I know I’m being politically incorrect, but I;m just stating a fact.  I hope the Chinese people desist from consuming stuff  that come from endangered animals. . Stop eating shark fin and turtle soups ! ! ( and buying elephant tusks for ivory. It’s outrageous. )*whisper* I don’t even want to mention what’s going on in West Philippine Sea ( South China Sea) .. Palawan is located in that area. How should I say this …. well, the situation there is extremely intense. If you haven’t heard about it, start reading , I beg you. The Philippines is a very small country. This is like David and Goliath.

Anyway….

Here is TUBBATAHA REEF. The preservation of the reefs and Philippine biodiversity is not only for the Philippines, but for whole mankind.

 

 

Well,  * cough * I wasn’t really born on any of these islands shown above… I was born in Manila, on Luzon island, the biggest island in the Philippines.  The city of Manila, shown on the video below,  is the reason why I don’t feel like an island girl.  Still, I am an island girl,  and proud of it.  I think the Philippines is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

 

This is all for now.  I hope you can watch the videos.  Bye and peace.

26 Jan

Musings

Posted by renxkyoko in Bilbao Spain, random musings, Random thoughts, Trump Tower, Clark City, Sexmoan, Metro Manila Skyline. Tagged: , , , , .

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My parents just sent out  the last mortgage payment on our house this week.  They’re  ecstatic. They now truly own the house, and there will be extra cash in their bank account  from now on.  However, there’s still another house they’re paying for, but no problem…. it’s being rented out  and therefore, it’s paying for itself.

 

I had an enlightening conversation with a co-worker from Afghanistan.  He said he had a hard time finding a job here in the US ( he used to work as an airplane mechanic at a US air base in Afghanistan ). He felt  that because he was a Muslim he was always viewed  as  potential terrorist.  He also joked about him coming from a  sh*thole country.  I blurted out , ”  Me, too ! ”  Then, I suddenly had a mental image of the city where I was born.  Hmmm,  is it really a sh*thole, or just a sh*thouse ?

 

Here’ s a video of  the capital city of  Manila, Philippines .  It doesn’t really look like a sh*thole , does it ?  But then, that’s just my humble opinion.

 

 

And why did HE build a Trump Tower in Manila , and plan to build another one at Clark City, Angeles, Pampanga,  about 4 hours from the metropolis , if he now thinks immigrants from terrorist countries, like the Philippines  are ” animals” ?  Yep, he did mention  the Philippines as one of the   terrorist countries.  Ha Ha Ha !   Who gave him that idiotic,  ridiculous  information ?

 

Below is the Trump Tower in Manila ( the one on the right )

 

 

About Clark City….. it used to be US’s Clark Air Force Base.  It was on lease from the Philippine government  for 99 years, the largest US base /territory outside of the US. When Mt. Pinatubo erupted, the whole base was covered with ash, and since the US was then downsizing all its  military bases outside the US,  the US government  decided to just  bail ,  without renewing the lease which was about to expire , instead of spending billions of dollars to clean up the base .  Now that the Philippine government  has started the conversion of the base to  a  modern, futuristic, green, city ,  we were all surprised to learn  that piece of US property was about 1/2 the size of Metro-Manila. They will also build an international airport to relieve the one in Manila which is already bursting at the seams.  In fact, there’s already an existing excellent international airport at Clark….. it was a US  airforce base, for Pete’s sake. The runway is so long and so well-made that it is actually an alternative landing runway for a space shuttle.

 

Now, for a bit of fun…..

 

There’s a town in Angeles near Clark  base named Sexmoan, I kid you not. Well, you know, where there are US soldiers  =  Red light district, strip bars, etc. You know what I mean.  But, that’s been its name for hundreds of years, Spanish colonial era, and it’s pronounced  Ses-mo-wan.  I’m guessing the origin is from Bilbao, Spain. When I was in Bilbao, I saw a lot of letter X in signboards over there.  ( Here I go again, I’m making theories,  he he he , but it makes sense, yeah ? Besides, the Philippines favorite chorizo/sausage is Chorizo de Bilbao…so,  there you go. ) ~_~

 

Okay, this is it for now.

 

Please check out my manga /anime/ video games blogsite  @ https://2megaworthitwordpresscomblog.wordpress.com/     I have a new entry, RWBY, Penultimate Episode, Chapter 13.

 

Bye ! Thanks for reading. Peace.

 

 

17 Sep

Something Light-hearted From Me

Posted by renxkyoko in Filipino food, Philiipine culture, Philippine Heritage, Random thoughts. Tagged: , , .

 

Hi, hello, Renxkyoko Iglesias here

 

I was in the Philippines in 2014, with my cousin and  Mom, and stayed there for one month. So it was kind of strange that I did only 3 posts on my one – month vacation in the Philippines. I think I was side-tracked by politics………..

 

Well, never mind . Better late then never, right ?

 

So, okay, we had lunch at this restaurant that was  so popular for its jaw-dropping  tacky decorations.  It is located in the province of  Laguna, about a 2 – hour drive from Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.

 

I was at a  loss for words as soon as I got off our vehicle and saw these humungous statues…. well, just look at the pictures and be amazed.  LOL !  By the way, don’t get me wrong….. my cousin and I loved,  loved, loved the place ! ! ! And please, have mercy on me… it took me 4 hours to finish this post.

The restaurant’s frontage

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The entrance

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LOL ! A calculator was actually provided by the waiter.

 

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Yours truly and my cousin in the pic

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Cozying up to former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. * Oooh , I love my tan *

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Having a tete -a – tete with President Obama and Michelle. * How’s it goin’, Mr. President .  *

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The sign on the wall says ,” For 25 pesos,  ( about US 50 cents ) you can throw a plate against the wall, but please  refrain from using vulgar words. ” Ha ha ha !

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Can you see the huge white statue of  Buddha in the distance ?

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Even Superman and Mickey Mouse weren”t spared.

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There’s some serenading going on here….. oh, and those are the hands of KingKong\ It’s a full statue. You can just imagine how big that is..

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” Native ” plates covered with banana leaves. And that’s a pitcher of so delicious and refreshing ice cold coconut juice….. unbeatable ! !

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Rice, roast chicken, grilled pork ribs, fish in miso soup

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That brown blob is laing ( lah- ing )…. it doesn’t look appetizing, but that’s one of my most favorite Filipino dish. It’s taro leaves and shrimp cooked  in coconut cream. I wish I could cook that here in the US, but taro leaves are not sold here.

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I wonder who did those huge statues , and how much it cost to build this restaurant.

 

It was jampacked with tourists when we were there.  It really pays to be different and unique. And the foods were delicious !

 

Okay, this is all for now. Thank you for reading . Bye !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Aug

Something cute….9 year old kids singing

Posted by renxkyoko in Filipino kids in a singing contest, Philiipine culture, Random thoughts. Tagged: , , .

Hi, Renxkyoko Iglesias here !

 

Well, that rant on my previous post….. it was cathartic, so give me some slack, okay ?

 

To make up for that , here’s something cute. This is from a Philippine TV variety show ( I think it’s a  kids’ singing contest ) where three 9- year – old kids sing to Beyoncé’s song Listen. Even if you cannot understand the language, you can tell it’s an unrehearsed singing contest.

 

This is 3 minutes, 35 seconds of your precious time, folks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 Jun

For the LGTBQ Pride March

Posted by renxkyoko in LGTBQ ,, Random thoughts. Tagged: , .

Hi, Renxkyoko  Iglesias here.

 

One of the things in Philippine culture that I take pride in , is the fact that  the country is one of the top 10 countries in the world most accepting of  LGBTQ .

 

In fact, my parents were surprised (  when we immigrated to the US ) that America had issues with the LGBTQ community. In the Philippines, it is a non-issue.

 

Here’s something  fun to watch…….. just 2 minutes , folks.

 

And,

 

Another 2 minutes of your time for an Uber Philippines commercial.  Fun !

 

 

Oh, and check out my anime/manga/video games blogsite at https://2megaworthitwordpresscomblog.wordpress.com/

 

Bye ! and Peace !

 

 

 

13 Mar

Philippine culture, part 2

Posted by renxkyoko in Philiipine culture, Philippine Heritage, Philippine honorifics, Random thoughts. Tagged: , .

Renxyoko Iglesias here, hello ! !

 

Here are some random Philippine habits, quirks, bits and pieces of culture and tradition that a tourist, like my friend @Ste J, may or may not encounter in the Philippines.

But before that, here’s something nice to watch.

 

 

Did you watch it ?  Of course,  I have to admit  there’s poverty all over, especially in urban areas ,  but Filipinos are consistently on the list of the happiest people on earth, despite the natural disasters that come their way,  year in and year out.(  off the chart typhoons, their current  president, earthquakes, volcano eruptions ….. Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption in 1991 was the biggest in the 20th century….. it caused the lowering of the earth’s temperature by at least 1 degree )  They say Filipinos eat disasters for breakfast, and no matter what happens, they just shrug them off. This is because of their ” Bahala na ”  attitude, which means, roughly, ” That’s the way it is, so live life to the fullest. ”  The exact translation is ” Whatever “, accompanied by shrugging of shoulders.  I’ve heard some Filipino friends say ” Bahala na si Batman. ” meaning, ” Whatever, Batman’s got my back. ”

 

In a crowd, Filipinos respond to ” Oy ! ! ”   ( Huh ? Who’s calling me ? )  Oy ! Comusta ! !  (  Hey, how are you ? ) However, Filipinos don’t say ” oy ” to older people.  That’s very disrespectful.

 

When Filipinos speak to older people, their language is interspersed with ” po  ”  or ” opo ” ( yes ).  It’s a sign of respect. However, the use of  po is nuanced.  Some people will not appreciate hearing ” po ” when, say,  a 25 year old person is speaking to a 30 year old woman . It’s like , ” Oh, noooooo !   She’s saying ” po” to me ! I’m getting olddddddd ! ! !”  Still…. it’s unimaginable for a Filipino to not say ” po ” to a …. okay, much older person. It’s okay, though,  for a 7- year old kid to say   ” po” to a 15 year old teenager ….. I think  ?

 

Filipinos are party animals…… and every Filipino household owns a karaoke. ( Videoke now ) We own a Magic Mic here at home, and my mother’s planning to update it to a videoke  soon. Yay ! ! I can now  sing my heart out . And yes,  Filipinos love fiestas!

 

Just like other Asians, Filipinos are big on honorifics.  I call my older sister ” Ate “,(pronounced Ah-teh,) meaning older sister, and my older brother,  Kuya (  pronounced Koo-yah, meaning , older brother ) .  Ate  Jennie,  Kuya Benjie, or just plain Ate and Kuya, unless one has other older siblings, then they have to add their names.

 

And this is where Filipinos differ from other Asians……… how they greet  each other.   Filipinos sometimes greet each other ( usually men ) by tossing their heads upwards. Oy, ‘  Pare,  comusta. ( ‘ Pare is short for Spanish word Compadre, meaning, pal/buddy), then a handshake, and a pat on the back.  Filipino women greet each other and relatives , male and female alike, with a hug and kiss on the cheek, sometimes, both cheeks. The term is beso- beso. Beso means kiss in Spanish, I think ?  Greetings are  boisterous. When we had a reunion in the Philippines, I think I hugged and kissed a hundred relatives and guests in one day. The kissing and hugging are repeated when they say  their goodbyes.    It is, indeed,  a touch culture. By the way, Filipinos greet their elders  by touching their elder’s hand to their foreheads, and saying, ” Mano po, Lola” ( grandma  or Lolo, grandpa) Mano means hand in Spanish.

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Filipino Customs and Traditions(

Got the image from the Internet. Whoever owns this, please don’t sue me. T.T

 

They call Restrooms/toilets in the Philippines, CR. ( Comfort Room )  ” Excuse me, Miss, where’s the CR ?”  @ Ste J, remember this. ^___^

 

This is all for now. Another one coming right up..

 

And check out my anime/manga site at http://2megaworthitwordpresscomblog.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 Nov

How To Boil an Egg, The Story

Posted by renxkyoko in People Power Revolution, Ferdinand Marcos, Dictatorship, Philippine Heritage, Philippines, Random thoughts. Tagged: , , , , .

RenxKyoko Iglesias  here, hello .

Check out my anime/manga site  at http://2megaworthitwordpresscomblog.wordpress.com/

 

On my previous post  here, I promised I’d  give my reason  for my weird post, “How To Boil An Egg“.  I did make it like it was a  mystery.  Sorry , but there’s nothing earth-shaking there, no clap of thunder.  It does have a rather long back story , a story  that my parents had experienced, up close and personal.

 

I will try to keep it short, so here goes….

 

There was this person named Ferdinand Marcos, who was elected President of the Philippines in 1968.  He  was , well, I don’t know what he was, but  he   was an honor law student  and topped the Bar exams  before he became a Congressman , then the President.  But he was  brazenly corrupt (  together with his wife, Imelda Marcos  of 10,ooo pairs of shoes  ) and knew he would not be reelected .  There were massive  protests all over the country……..  so what he did was first, he suspended the writ of habeas corpus , and using his personal army ( The Armed Forces of the Philippines )  ,   was able to detain his political enemies,   and in 1971 just  3 months  after  the suspension ( September ) , and  before  the presidential election  in November, he  proclaimed Martial Law.  Philippine democracy was replaced with dictatorship and authoritarianism. He detained  senators, congressmen , and known critics, one of whom was then Senator Benigno Aquino  who was detained for more than 7 years , then exiled to the US, ( supposedly due to medical reasons ….  and here in the US, he was given a teaching job at Harvard University ) .     Marcos dictatorship lasted from 1971 to 1986 (  15 years ! ! ) when he was toppled down thru the famous People Power Revolution in February 1986,  the culmination of people’s protests that began when Senator Benigno Aquino went back to the Philippines on August 21, 1983, and assassinated right there at the airport tarmac.

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The picture above was  the  funeral procession of  Senator Benigno Aquino .  The outrage was massive .  But, here’s the most unbelievable  part of the story. The day after the funeral march,  there was NO NEWS  that came out about that historical event. No photos.  None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Soon after,  journalists, especially opinion  writers ,  wrote nothing  but    HOW TO BOIL AN EGG  .

 

That, my readers, is the back story.

Alright, this is all for now. Thanks for reading.

 

Addendum :

 

My parents were so outraged that they joined the early protest movement in 1983, right after the assassination.  It was a very dangerous thing to do then because Marcos was still in power .  Soldiers  would come knocking on doors in the night . The victims became  part of the Disappeared , the Desaparecidos . Filipinos  called it  getting ” SALVAGED “.  There were thousands of  these victims  during Marcos’ dictatorship and kleptocracy.   It came to a point when my siblings , who were then 4 and 5 years old,  had to live with friends and were moved from one house to another over 3 years ( not with my parents’ families because , of course, the government  knew who they were ).  My parents were willing to die for the country. Great story !