Inflatable Shark and Laughing Cicada Among 300 New Species Discovered in the Philippines

One of the designs by the Mark of the Four Waves Tribe, created specifically for the wearer of the tattoo.

(via tribe_members2)

May 2011. Manila Ocean Park, City of Manila | Water Prisons.

The Philippines’ Azkals will go through its first ever game for a FIFA 2014 World Cup slot.

It will be held later today at Sugathadasa Stadium, 4pm (UTC +5:30).

I do hope they win because I think that we can find our niche in the sport of football. I say this because I think that we aren’t really made for basketball.

Here’s an OLMNews report on Melissa Roxas’.  If you haven’t heard Melissa is a Filipino-American organizer who was a victim and survivor of abduction and torture sponsored by the Philippines state.  Read below for more info and also check out

http://justiceformelissa.org/

Shot out to the Bayan-USA folks for the emotional guerrilla theater piece. 

(from description:)

OLMNews reports on the 2nd year Anniversary of Melissa Roxas, Filipino-American activist from Los Angeles who was abducted by gunpoint along with two other colleagues Juanito Carebeo and John Edward Jandoc in broad daylight in a home they were visiting on May 19, 2009 in the town of La Paz, Tarlac in Philippines. Roxas, an American citizen was in the process of working on a project to collect research for a future medical mission for organization Bayan-Tarlac. Students and organizers from Bayan USA staged a re-enactment of Melissa’s abduction at Union Square SF then marched to the Filipino consulate to voice their concerns.

Roxas suffered severe physical and mental torture while being held captive from May 19-25 of 2009. Some of these torturous acts include being dragged to a van, being struck on the head and body, while being denied of food and water. These extreme acts against human rights activists are said to be blamed by the command of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who launched a counter insurgency program called Oplan Bantay Laya which received financial backing from the U.S. Government.

sunset by the cliff

- Basco, Batanes…

@ Calamba Church

Aliwan Fiesta

June 28, 2011.

Meet my brother, J.R., aka the guy who becomes antsy when he’s not doing anything. Even during vacations, he likes to keep his schedule pretty busy. And thus, he decided to spend a couple of days working at my family’s factory. Here he is getting ready, uniform and all. Our mom would have wanted to take a picture of this, kind of like a first-day-of-school picture. I didn’t wake up early enough for his first day, so I took this before his second day. He attended a two-day orientation, where he was able to drive a forklift, make a few boxes, know how to manufacture wiring harnesses, etc. He was even put on the assembly line—although he did put them behind by a lot. Haha. I give props to my brother. He’s probably the most masipag or hard-working person out of us siblings. Hands down. He picks up the slack and keeps me on track whenever I drop the ball on my Ate responsibilites that’s for sure. Hehe. Love ya, weirdooo. :-p

Inflatable Shark and Laughing Cicada Among 300 New Species Discovered in the Philippines:

All these new findings help support the idea that the Philippines “is one of the hottest of the hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth,” Gosliner said

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/06/27/inflatable-shark-and-laughing-cicada-among-300-new-species-discovered-in/

WOOOO GO PHILIPPINES!!!

Araw ng Kalayaan.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY my dear PHILIPPINES. :]

June 12 is a special day in my country, the Philippines. On this day, one hundred and thirteen storied years ago, Asia’s 1st republic was born: my people’s, the Filipino nation’s home. Without fail, we will remember this day, with fervor, through the next hundred and thirteen years, and more.

via boiworx

Happy Indepence Day Philippines!

This is a wood artwork I made at school. Thought of posting a picture of it to commemorate the 113th Independence Day of my beloved country.

 Happy Independence Day, Philippines! Here is my attempt at being patriotic: a rizal monument paperweight.:D

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! 113 YEARS!! MABUHAY!!! =)

Happy Philippine Independence Day!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

(Me in the EDSA Shrine for the 25th EDSA Day Celebration last February 25, cool shot by Roma Lois Cruz)

SANTOL - one of my favorite fruits that is native to my country and other surrounding countries like Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia and others. This is so good when dipped to salt or soy sauce, if it’s sweet the better. For those who doesn’t know how to eat this kind of fruit, you only suck the juices out of its seed (the white part) and be careful not to swallow it since some types of santol can be very big like the Bangkok kind. :]

These brass plates at Cafe Uno, Vigan City remind me of Mother Mindanao…the gongs and kulintangs played by Muslim virtuosas at MSU-IIT every Charter Day. While I’m way up north, my mind was wandering down south. Very nostalgic.

• Malaya nga ba talaga ang bansang nagpapasindak sa gobyerno ng ibang bansa dahil sa isang tumpok ng mga isla na klaro namang kanila pero di nila maidepensa?
• Malaya nga ba ang bansang alipin ng colonial mentality? Yung bansang patuloy na nagpapagapos sa mga higante ng ekonomiya? Yung mga bansang tila anino ng presidente ng pinakamalakas na bansa, sunud-sunuran kahit ginagawa na tayong tanga.
• Malaya nga ba ang bansang yakap-yakap ang westernization, ang bansang tinitingala ang pilipit ang dila, hinahangaan ang may Chanel na sapatos, yung nakakapagshopping sa Zara, at yung nakapunta na sa Hollywood? Malaya ka nga ba kung alipin ka ng mentalidad na para sumikat ka dapat maging kamukha mo si Paris Hilton at makamayan mo si Manny Pacquiao dahil pinag-aagawan sya ng lahat ng international stars?
• Malaya ba ang bansa na nakagapos ang kamay sa tuwing may bibitayin na kababayan sa ibang bansa, pero kapag may dayuhan na lalabag sa batas nito, ang tanging nasasabi lang ay “Dis is haw wi do it in da Pilipins. Wi let yu go iben ip yu opend as. Pis awt tu yu eynd yur kawntri.”  Malaya ba ang bansang walang kamay na bakal pagdating sa mga dayuhan?
• Malaya ba ang bansang hindi nagkakaisa sa batas na ipapasa, sa lunas na dapat isinasagawa, sa solusyon na dapat isinasakatuparan? Masasabi mo bang malaya ang bansa na nasasabi nga ang saloobin pero hindi naman nararating ang dapat marating?

Di ako expert sa history o sa pamahalaan pero di ko kailangan maging expert para makita ko na halos walang pagkakaiba ang panahon noon at ngayon, yung nabasa ko nung 3rd at 4th year high school sa Noli Me Tangere at El Filibusterismo at yung sitwasyon ngayon. Malaya tayo dahil Pilipino ang namumuno, dahil hindi gobernador-heneral ng ibang bansa ang nakaupo sa pwesto, pero hanggang doon na lang ang kalayaan natin. Tanong ni Juan Dela Cruz, “Kung malaya tayo bakit mahirap pa rin tayo?” Kasi nga nagpapaalipin pa rin tayo.

Ang totoo pinalaya ka na. Pero di mo napapansin. Kasi gusto mo kung nasaan ka. We are a complacent nation. Sanay na. Pwede na. Sakto na.

Namatay na si Rizal noon para sa kalayaan mo. Actually si Hesus pa nga namatay para sa kalayaan ng mundo. Anong excuse mo para umupo-upo jan at magpaalipin sa ibang tao?

GISING.

PARA NEXT YEAR PAGDATING NG JUNE 12, MAY SAYSAY NA YANG KALAYAANG SINISIGAW MO SA LUNETA.

'Laughing' insects among new species discovered in PH

went to bohol but it was raining… so didn’t enjoyed much of the trip

Above is the Philippine flag.

I will be posting this since I am a proud pinoy, and yesterday was the day in the year 1898 that we were free from all countries who tried and conquer our beautiful and amazing (if I do say so myself) island. 

The Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands, which is devided into 3 larger islands; Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Luzon:

Luzon is the largest and most economically and politically important island in the Philippines. It is also the name for one of the three island groups in the country centred on the Island of Luzon, the other two being the Visayas and Mindanao. Luzon as an island group includes the island of Luzon itself, plus the Batanes and Babuyan groups of islands to the north, and the main and outlying islands of Catanduanes, Marinduque, Masbate, Romblon, and Mindoro in the south. It is home to the capital city, Manila. [Source]

Visayas

The Visayas  or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines,  along with Mondanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea. Its population are referred to as the Visayans.

The major islands of the Visayas are Panay, Negros, Cebu Bohol, Leyte, and Samar. The region may also include the islands of Romblon and Masbate, whose population identify as Visayan. [Source]

Mindanao

Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The Land of Promise. Mindanao is the only area of the Philippines with a significant Muslim presence. [Source]

The Philippines was conquered by a lot of countries. Mostly by the Spanish, which lasted more than a hundred years. Right now, I guess I’m boring you with what is most like a history lesson, but you are welcome to stop reading right now. Just giving the heads up.

So, yeah, the conquerors. 

There were a lot. Spain, USA, Japan, that’s all I think. Sorry if I missed some.

So today, I would like to give a delayed thank you to the brave soldiers who were included in the death march, and the long historic wars of our country, the Philippines.

If it wasn’t for you; we would still (probably) be colonized. 

I would just like to pray that a war won’t break out due to the Spratly Islands.

Thank you to the government especially Emilio Aguinaldo for having made a peaceful country back then. I don’t know if I can say this is still peaceful. Wars? Poverty? Everything? Squaters? Maguindanao Massacre? Sometimes, it truly scares me, but being a Filipino, I have great faith in God. (Which is also a thank you to Magellan for teaching us about him.)

Please NoyNoy, make this country better.

Thank you to Jose Rizal. [Who celebrates his 150th birthday this Sunday.]

Thank you to Cory Aquino.

Thank you to every single one who has helped the Philippines climb up one more step towards not being a 3rd world country.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas. A Happy (late) Independence Day to you all!

The Largest and Best Organized Body of Men which had yet met American troops.

The Battle of Zapote Bridge or the Battle of Zapote River, one of the bloodiest and second to the largest battles of the Philippine-American war, occurred on June 13, 1899. American forces composing General Henry Lawton with his 3,000 men, emerge victorious over 5,000 Filipinos under Pio del Pilar.

The New York Times reported that the Filipino army was “The Largest and Best Organized Body of Men which had yet met American troops.”

Zapote River currently separates Las Piñas City from Bacoor, Cavite. The ruins of the Zapote bridge still stands along Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Highway near Manila Bay.

DEAR VALUED CUSTOMERS,

In compliance with the new SMOKING ORDINANCE REPUBLIC ACT Section 5, No. 9211, please be advised that effective June 27th, all Starbucks stores nationwide will be smoke-free. 

All previously designated smoking outdoor areas will be converted to non-smoking.

Thank you so much in advance for your cooperation.

-Starbucks Coffe

Manila, Philippines —

In response to the existence of Catholics™ for RH (C4RH), the Catholic™ Bishops Conference of the Philippines have trademarked the term, “Catholic™.”

An official of the CBCP said Monday that the term “Catholic™” is reserved for those who obey the Pope’s teachings and are granted an official license by the Vatican through its newly formed franchising agent in the Philippines, the CBCP Commission on Franchising and Life (COFAL). COFAL recently filed a complaint with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines against C4RH.

“Catholics™ for RH are not authentic,” added Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, COFAL president. “They are not recognized as Catholics™.” Last week, Archbishop Palma refused to meet members of the group unless it changed its name. “Either they change the ‘Catholic™’ part or they change the ‘for RH’ part. As it stands their name is an oxymoron, let alone illegal.”

In accordance with the guidelines of COFAL, Laguna Bishop Leo Drona, COFAL vice-president, issued a “clarificatory note for the guidance of all Catholics™ so that they may not be deceived or misled by C4RH.”

Bishop Drona added that COFAL “does not consider nor recognize this group to be an authentically Catholic™ association or group since it espouses and supports a stand contrary and in direct opposition to the magisterial teachings of the Church. Their group violates not only Canon laws but intellectual property laws as well.”

According to Drona, trademarking the term prevents the formation of other groups such as Catholics™ for Divorce, Catholics™ for Abortion, Catholics™ for Euthanasia, Catholics™ for LGBT rights, and Catholics™ for Choice.

Because of the CBCP’s recent actions, some Catholics™ said that they’d leave the Catholic™ Church and form their own.

COFAL President Palma casually dismissed these threats. “They can do whatever they want in their own church but it is useless,” said Arhbishop Palma. “The sacraments, the prayers, even the bread and wine have no holiness or power unless properly franchised by the Catholic™ Church.”

COFAL have recently filed applications to trademark the terms “moral,” “family,” and “life.”

—

http://filipinofreethinkers.org/2011/06/13/cbcp-trademarks-the-term-catholic/

—

I am laughing my ass of right now. Can you see if I shit my pants just yet?

This is killing me to my wits. Oh my. ROTFLMFAO.

Please. Hahahahaha

If by any chance you did not get it. This is a satire. ;)

From one of the writers of Filipino Freethinkers.

Saw that lilttle island over there? :D

Boycott China? Really?

My momma’s hands, working to make my dad’s family’s halo halo while she shared a story about our lives. This was actually taken the moment I decided to start recording my parents’ oral histories. incognito of course. She thinks it’s weird I take a lot of pictures now and then.
Taken: August 6, 2010.

—

Tales from my Amang here. Original introductory post here.

I wanted to start a series of posts about things my parents tell me about their lives. It’s almost like ‘sh*t my dad says’ but better because my parents are immigrants, and from the Philippines. :) Also, this is an attempt to record memories and stories from my life that I value as a missing link to a past which always felt hidden from me, yet which I always seemed to feel strongly connected to…ultimately I hope to encourage you to look back at your own personal and family history in order to find out who you are and perhaps to start writing about them yourself, because sometimes these are things that really need to be heard.

Packing Day 1: 

Obviously did not get that much done today due to laziness

(From left to right) 

1. Swimwear 
2. Reading material 
3. Lifelines 
4. Beauty Box

Ed Westwick’s FIRST Penshoppe campaign ad.

Asian Armpit Model

Model: Donna Yu; MUA: Donald Lapez; Location: Forbeswood Heights, Fort Bonifacio, Philippines

Asian Armpit Model

Model: Donna Yu; MUA: Donald Lapez; Location: Forbeswood Heights, Fort Bonifacio, Philippines

In this video, Mike and I walk from one end of a train to the other, showcasing how the cars are all connected to form one long snake.

i never really developed a taste for eggplants all my life. never really wondered why. very rarely was it on my dinner table.

one time randomly in the car, my mom talks about why. again, these things about my parents’ past come up unexpectedly & i can never seem to recall how the conversation came to that point in the first place in order to better steer the conversation there in the future. but we’ll save that for another time.

my dad doesn’t like eggplants, so my mom doesn’t cook them as much. she loves eggplants. my dad says it’s because when he was a boy, all his family ate was eggplants. eggplants they harvested, eggplants they went into the neighbors’ fields to scavenge and survive. they ate eggplants cooked in all ways you can think of. eggplants boiled. eggplants baked. eggplants fried. eggplants, eggplants, eggplants. every meal of every day. my dad is very tired of eggplants. my mom eats them happily for him whenever they pop up in a meal nowadays.

as a result, i never really developed a taste for eggplants.

—

More Tales from my Amang here. Original introductory post here.

I wanted to start a series of posts about things my parents tell me about their lives. It’s almost like ‘sh*t my dad says’ but better because my parents are immigrants, and from the Philippines. :) Also, this is an attempt to record memories and stories from my life that I value as a missing link to a past which always felt hidden from me, yet which I always seemed to feel strongly connected to…ultimately I hope to encourage you to look back at your own personal and family history in order to find out who you are and perhaps to start writing about them yourself, because sometimes these are things that really need to be heard.

A reminder that this city has an undercurrent that will not be deadened.

Get ‘em Idris.

-s.

Got this from the Philippine Star:

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda called on all Filipinos yesterday to unite and boycott China-made products in response to Beijing’s bullying of the Philippines in the disputed West Philippine Sea.

“The ordinary people of the Philippines will rise to the challenge of duty and destiny to resolve our national predicament: Let us boycott made in China products, buy Filipino. Let us hurt them where it counts,” Salceda, an economist and close political ally of President Aquino, said in a strongly worded speech delivered in front of the Albay provincial capitol in commemoration of the Philippines’ 113th Independence Day yesterday.

 “Rightly or wrongly, military provocation is not an option as national response, whether tactical or strategic, to the naked belligerence of foreign powers in the West Philippine Sea – not only threatening our national sovereign territory but also bringing shame to our dignity as a race and as a nation,” he said, reacting to reports on the repeated intrusions and harassments of Chinese military vessels and aircraft on Philippine vessels in the country’s territory.

“We also protect our children and communities from the pervasive and persistent risks of various types of contamination and poor quality of their products,” he added.

Read more…

I am not one of the People’s Republic’s avid supporters from this chain of islands floating in the South China Sea, but hearing someone urge my fellow Filipino citizens to boycott products from what some economists have called as “the world’s factory,” is tantamount to saying that we do away with all the plastic ware that we use in our homes and offices; the safety pins, tacks, and nails that we take for granted in our daily lives; including the zippers, buttons, and some of the materials in our our bags, shoes, and clothes.

I have the highest respect for Governor Salceda since he is one of the better politicians in this country, particularly when it comes to being truthful about the country’s economic conditions and the state of its preparedness against natural disasters. He has done a wonderful job in terms of disaster preparedness and risk reduction an mitigation in one of the country’s disaster-prone areas. But probably the good governor has not heard of the old joke which goes: “God created the world, but everything else is made in China.”

I have a feeling that the good governor was inspired by Gandhi’s Khadi Movement, where the Mahatma advocated the boycott of British cloth, which was sold to Indians at exorbitant prices, despite its raw material, being cotton, coming from India. The Khadi was one aspect of Gandhi’s movement for Swaraj or self-rule, which emphasized self-sufficiency. Eventually, the movement would be symbolized by the charkha, where Indians would spin their own cloth right in their homes. The charkha would later on become a symbol of self-sufficiency and adopted in the flag of the Swaraj movement.

But that was India. In the Philippines, I don’t think we are prepared to launch a massive campaign against economic products coming from what one University of the Philippines professor called as “the poster boy of globalization.” We cannot just dismiss Chinese products in the same way Gandhi did with British products.

What needs to be done to re-think our position in the South China Sea in terms of economics, politics, and security.

We cannot just embark on an economic expedition against a huge state-capitalist nation (yes they are not communist), and not be mindful of its effects on our economy. We cannot just engage the People’s Republic (which denies the people of human rights), without thinking about the impacts it will have in our stature in the region. We cannot just spew out big words when our military is just a handful (compared to the People’s Liberation Army) and lack the capability to make our presence felt in the disputed Spratlys area. 

Only after we have re-evaluated our stature in these matters can the country proceed to deal with China’s menacing actions near Palawan.