Vacation

One more week and I will be having my vacation. I will back to my home country, the beautiful Philippines and I am looking forward to it. Actually, there will be several family occasions that I will be attending. There's the birthday of my 2 nephews, sister-in-law and the graduation rites of my niece in UP, Baguio. I may stay in Baguio for 2 days and go down to La Union.




Hhhmmm, the last time I have been to Baguio was way back in 1997. That was 13 years ago. I wonder whether the temperature up there was still cool. During summer in Philippines, people usually go up to Baguio city for it's cool climate. It is because of its cool climate that Baguio city was called the "Summer Capital of the Philippines. Some of the tourist attractions in Baguio that I have previously been to were :
a. Mansion House which serves as the official residence of the President of the Phillipines during his/her visit to the city.
b. Camp John Hay - former american base and was now converted into a world class resort.
c. Teacher's Camp - feature several function halls, museum and cottages
d. Wright Park - the place where your could ride horses along the towering pine trees for a minimal fee.
e. Mines View Park - one could see the mountain ranges where gold, silver and ores were once quarried. I remember when I was a kid, some local kids would ask tourists to throw coins and the kids would try to catch it along the slope of the mountain. Hopefully, these things have been stop
f. Botanical Garden - features native huts typical of the Cordillera architecture. The garden is also a site of cultural presentations and other tribal meetings.
g. Burnham Park - the oldest park in Baguio where you could rent bikes and skates. It also has man-made lake in the middle of the park and you could rent boats to row in the lake.
h. Lourdes Grotto - about 252 steps leads to this religious shrine housing the image of Lady of Lourdes. One could have a beautiful panoramic view of the city upon reaching the shrine.

Hopefully, I would be able to visit some of these places.

Old Manila

I would like to share the pictures of Old Manila. Actually, the pictures were sent to me via email by a friend and I was really surprised how beautiful Manila was. No wonder, it was a city that was once the envy of the Orient. Thanks to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee libraries for preserving these pictures.
















Picture(s) Credit: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries

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Final piece of a puzzle

I find these article from Philippine Daily Inquirer and yes, the article reflects the reality for some Filipinos who were born abroad (ie. not in the Philippines) to have their identity crisis and Filipinos working abroad, feeling the longing to return to their home country. I am one of those who long to return to my home country but opportunities to earn a decent living and safety for my family in Philippines remains the main concern that I still feel that staying put to where we (I and my family) are living now is still the best place. Hopefully, the time to return home would be in the near future.

Final piece of a puzzle
by Krisanne Alcantara
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:57:00 02/09/2008

The great Filipino Diaspora has resulted in countless Filipinos settling down all over the world, in countries such as the United States , Canada and Australia . These Filipinos are admired for uprooting completely and attaining the coveted Western dream, all-inclusive of the dollar-earning corporate job, Mercedes-Benz, shiny Gap-clothed offspring and glittering palatial homes in the suburbs.
But let me tell you, all that glitters is not gold.  
 
I know, because I am one of those Filipino-Australian /American offspring, part of an entire generation of young Filipino adults who have lived and been raised "abroad," a generation who, despite being born into the Great American Dream of their progenitors, cannot help but suffer from some form of identity crisis.
I am the perfect case study. Born in Manila , shipped to Australia for 10 years, only to be relocated in America , then back in Australia during my adolescence, I had completely given up finding a place to call home. Consequently, for years I insisted on calling myself a "citizen of the world." By the ripe old age of 21, I was jaded and slightly defiant, if not a little confused.  
 
That was until a week ago, when I found myself standing in the middle of a traffic-congested road with no distinct lanes, poorly attempting to "para" [halt] a jeepney in the thick of the Manila heat, knowing a total of 12 words in Tagalog and not knowing the difference between a P5 and a P10 coin -- and feeling right at home.
Coming back to the Philippines in my adulthood is akin to the satisfaction of finding that final piece of the puzzle and placing it snugly where it belongs. It is like filling an empty space that you never knew existed. "Where have you been all these years?" I wondered, as sweat poured down my brow and I was almost killed by a reckless taxi driver.  
 
Ironically, I have lived the "dream life" abroad like so many Filipinos constantly tell me they are desperate for. Whenever I mention that I currently reside in Australia , this revelation is always immediately followed by something along the lines of "Ay, Australia , gusto ko 'dyan!" [" Australia , I want to be there!"]
And with good reason. Me too, I like it in Australia . It's practically impossible not to like the country. It is so clean and so green, there is hardly any traffic and the weather obeys the seasons: winter means "cold" and summer means "hot."
Yet, now, after years of desperately trying to find this elusive place called home and instead being offered breathtakingly beautiful substitutes, I find myself loving a country where winter means "hot," and summer means "heat so excruciating you may as well be living inside a furnace." It's a country where people stare at me like an alien when I attempt to speak Tagalog (and oh, I try so hard), and a country where the skyline is defiled by billboards of heavily airbrushed superstars advertising anything, from hair products to coffee creamer.  
 
What many people don't know about we "lucky" Filipinos who have lived abroad our entire lives is that there is a tug-of-war that happens beneath the surface for many of us. There is an entire generation of Filipino young adults who have been brought up in another country, who experience a constant, underlying struggle between the culture that runs in their blood, and the culture that they live and breathe on a daily basis.
We are the young people who have been forced by our parents to adopt English as our first language and eat Weetbix and Cornflakes for breakfast. We nonchalantly take our SATs or HSCs, knowing that getting into universities is no drama, and neither is finding some form of employment if we fail.
Yet there is some kind of inexplicable emptiness that is hard to fill, or even admit, that is common among many of us Fil-Oz and Fil-Am youngsters.
I know this, having Filipino cousins and friends in both America and Australia . Within many of us lies the similar, disjointed feeling of being neither here nor there, being neither wholly American/Australian nor wholly Filipino.  
 
Please don't misunderstand me. I love Australia . It has been very kind to me, and I would not be sitting here had it not generously awarded me a free education at one of its most prestigious universities and then sent me to work here, expenses paid. And I know it sounds shallow, but boy, is Australia beautiful.
But the Philippines possesses a different kind of beauty that does not have to do with immaculate greenery, flawless stretches of golden desert and glittering turquoise ocean. In my opinion, the Philippines is beautiful because of its irony and its endearing imperfection.
A Third World country with gargantuan shopping malls to rival the world's best. A country with the most shopping malls, and also the most slum areas and poverty. A country so devoutly Roman Catholic yet also one of the most destitute and plagued with the most problematic of governments. And a country whose citizens are labelled "the happiest people in the world," according to the Chinese Asiaweek.
I have witnessed firsthand the breathtaking opulence of Malacañan Palace during vin d'honneur, and I have visited slums where shanties are packed so tightly together that the tiny doors can only open inwards and children run around barefoot and naked. I have witnessed both Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo' s presidential address beneath a glittering crystal chandelier and the heartbreaking sight of a sweating man standing in between two lanes of traffic, balancing a stand of peanuts on one arm and his toddler in the other..  
 
The Philippines is such a charming, enchanting, endearing mess of a country. Nothing really seems to fit, yet it all does.
And it reminds me a bit of myself. Perhaps that's why I feel like I fit right in. Perhaps that's why after all these years I can say I have finally, thankfully, found my home.
So, for all you fellow Filipinos here in the Philippines who dream of a life abroad, I am not telling you to stop dreaming. Explore your horizons.. Go to college, apply for scholarships, and work abroad. Just know where you came from, and feel blessed to have what you have. And never forget to come back to help your fellowmen, your people.
And to the lost souls, the confused "citizens of the world" like me who may be reading this: Don't lose hope. As the famous saying goes, "Life is a voyage that's homeward bound." In other words, no matter where or how far you wander, don't fret -- you will one day end up where you belong. Take it from me.

Krisanne Al cantara, 21, is a journalism student at the University of Sydney . She won the Myer and AKF journalism scholarship and is currently an intern at the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

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Regional Delicacies in Philippines

Philippine food is relatively unknown in many parts of the world.  Malay, Chinese, Spanish and American influences have greatly influence Philippine cuisine and also have complemented the Filipino's way of traditional cooking style.  Popular dishes adopted from Chinese are "lumpiang shanghai" (spring rolls) and "pancit" (rice noodles). A lot of traditional dishes still retain their Spanish names such as "mechado," "menudo," and "pochero."

Below are some well known food that could be found in certain localities in Phillipines.

Ilocos Region (Northen part of Luzon)   -  well known for its longganisa and pinakbet

Negros, Iloilo and Cebu -   Lechon and Otap

Pampanga -  tocino (sweet meat)

Batangas   -   famous for its "bulalo" and Barako (coffee beans)

Bicol   -   famous for its "laing" and "Bicol Express"  (dishes that used coconut milk and spices)

Iloilo   -   popular for its "pancit molo and "La Paz Batchoy"

Davao   -   famous for its "inihaw na panga ng tuna" and exotic fruits like "durian" , mangosteen, rambutan and pomelo

Zamboanga   -   famous for its delicious prawns, crabs, lobster and "curacha"


I am not sure of the well known foods for other regions.   Can you help me out ?

Diving In Philippines

Diving is a very popular water sports activity and Philippines, my country, has several world class diving destinations. Philippines possesses a wide variety of major diving sites which made it famous and attractive to divers from the West. Divers, novice or experts from all over the world, especially underwater photographers have been enchanted with the magical underwater beauty of the Philippine seas.


With over 7,000 islands, the Philippines, known as the "Pearl of the Orient" have been famous not only for the beauty of its natural resources atop the seas but for the wonders that can be found underneath. It is also considered as one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. A great diversity of more than 800 species colorful corals, small to giant fishes, various-sized and textured shells, and other marine life that exist under its deep blue waters.

Some of the best diving sites in the Philippines are located in Palawan, Batangas, Mindoro, Cebu, Boracay and others. Diving in Philippines is possible all year round, with best times being from November to May. So next time you plan on your diving vacation, see the great wonders that can be found underneath the Philippine seas



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To All Filipinos Everywhere

To All Filipinos Everywhere
By Gemma Santos Dimaculangan

I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell me this isn't true. It is one thing to see people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly explain their bizarre behavior? And to think I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country.

Can it get any worse than this?

Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my tv to watch the latest turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are caricatures of men - too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see these "honorable" crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they themselves are guilty of, is so comical and apalling that I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at its worst!

I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strutaround with the confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear andawe from the very citizens who voted them to power, bear titles like Honorable", "Senator", "Justice", "General" and worse, "President". Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make our laws,enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do!These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation � RobinHoodlum and his band of money men.

Their motto? "Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich."

It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make them act the way they do for allthe world to see. It makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had, what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve. It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heavenforbid!

I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my needs and those of my family's, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation's coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor healthservices, poor everything. But I have always thought that was what all third world countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more.

And then this. Scandalous Government Deals.

• Plundering presidents pointing fingers.
• Senators who are crooks.
• Congressmen who accept bribes.
• Big time lawyers on the side of injustice.

De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone's morality! The already filthy rich Abalos andArroyo wanting more money than they or their great grandchildren couldever spend in a lifetime. Joker caught red-handed. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security. And it's all about money, money,money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work in other countries?

And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on arusty ship. "Love (of power) is blind" takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband's shady financial deals. And still blinded with all that is happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her country is in shambles.

They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust. I don't agree. Many like me feel anger at the brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality. It is not that I won't make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it.

But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that would later affect me and my children. I want to make it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines . I want them to know that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak,a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down. I refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could for it.

Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in the government can summon the power ofgood. We can pray. We can do this with our families every night. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends here and overseas, just so we get the message to Him of our desperation inridding our nation of these vermin. After all, they cannot be more powerful than God!

I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way youc an. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things in this world.

I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them the virtues of hardwork, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion � right from the sandbox till they are old enough to go on their own. Not just in your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor.

I call on educators and teachers � we always underestimate the power of your influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to beaware of what is happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country, inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women. Encourage our graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us into.

The youth is our future �and it would be largely because of you, our educators, that we will be able to repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, justices, lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.

I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere tolook around and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as you need the wisdom of your elders.

YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!

Let your voices be heard. Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and yourheritage. Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good. Text meaningful messages to awaken social conscience. Try your best to fight moral decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves. You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do better than you did.

Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country. You can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. Weare tired of the old trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before anything else. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good lawyers, civil servants, accountants, computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a record that can speak for itself.

For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country even more.

DFA PASSPORT APPOINTMENT SYSTEM BY INTERNET

Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs had launched of the DFA Passport Appointment System by Internet last 14 January 2008.

Under the DFA's new system, passport applicants can set an appointment with the DFA-Passport Office for the filing of their passport applications.


Initially the DFA Passport Appointment System will be open to the following passport applicants:
a. Those whose passports have already expired;
b. Those whose passport will be expiring within the next one year;
c. Senior citizens (More than 60 years old)

The DFA Passport Appointment System will be expanded to cover all passport applicants in due time.


Procedure:
1. Qualified passport applicants may avail of the DFA Passport Appointment System by sending their request via internet, email address: appointment@dfa.gov.ph

2. Passport applicants applying for appointment must provide the following information:

a. Full name of applicant (first name, middle name and surname);
b. Date of birth;
c. Place of birth;
d. Latest Passport Number and Date of Issuance

3 Application for Appointment must be made one, week before the proposed date of appointment.

4. Applicant must wait for the confirmation of the proposed appointment and take note of the reference number that will be provided by DFA-Passport Office before proceeding to the DFA for the filing of the passport application.

5. Applicant must be at the DFA Passport Office (Special Area for those with appointments) at the confirmed designated date and time for the filing of the passport application.

REMINDERS:
The DFA Passport Appointment System by Internet is currently available only for the DFA Passport in Manila.

To access the system, pls click this link DFA Passport Appointment System