The longer I live over here the longer I realize it can be a waste of time to ask why? Especially when it comes to the driving around this place! One of the main roads we travel on daily is called Commonwealth, or as the locals like to call it "the highway of death". It is a large 20+ lane road (10 heading each direction) that has cars, motorcycles, jeepneys, large buses swerving in and out of traffic like they were bicycles, and of course pedistrians. You have to be very aware of what is going on around you all the time. It's not just called the highway of death for no reason, people actually do die on that road! (Tragically, a pastor and his wife were just killed in an accident on this road.)
As we drive along, sometimes the flow of traffic comes to a hault because of some "improvement" the are doing to the road. Like digging a hole in the middle of 10 lanes so that they can repair pipes that run underneath the road. Buses and cars are roaring by and swerving around the digging. It is maddening! Most recently, for some reason un-beknownist to us, the local gov't decided to make more "improvements" to Commonwealth by taking 8 of the 20 lanes (4 on each side) to build large concrete U-turn lanes. They are only providing 2 u-turn lanes but are using 4 physical "lanes" (not that we have lanes anyway, there are no lines on the road) to do it in! They need the new u-turn lanes wide enough for the turning radius of the jeepneys. So what do you get when you take 10 lanes of traffic and force them down to 6? Alot of people asking why! What in the world are they thinking? Traffic used to flow nicely but now is a log jam!! But you know what? No matter how much I ask why or rant and rave about it, they are moving forward with their "improvments". Not a thing I can do about it so I ask myself why ask why? Might as well embrace it, praise the Lord and just keep driving!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Hey Joe
Well it has been a long time hasn't it? Sorry to keep you all anxiously awaiting the rivoting posts from Manila. So without further delay, here ya go.
Remember G.I. Joe? According to Wikpedia, it stands for "General Issue Joe". It signified "the universal makeup of the US forces at the time." Well as I am told, the term has stuck around since the World Wars. With the heavy US Armed Forces present here in the Philippines, the term began to be associated with "white-faces" (or westerners which were mostly American at the time). Still to this day foriegn guys in the Philippines get called Joe!
Just the other day, I was walking along and I got many "hey joe"s thrown at me. "Hey Joe, do you want some DVD's?" "Hey Joe, how are you?" "Hey Joe, what are you doing?" "Hey Joe, what's your name?" The term is not meant to be mean or derragatory, it is just something the locals use to talk to foriegners. (or at least that is what I am told). It does get old sometimes because my name is not JOE!!
One day while I was walking along in a more playful mood, I shot back, "Hey Juan, what's up? How you been?" It drew a lot of laughter from the onlookers! I guess being called Joe is just one of those things to accept about this place. At least it is one of the nicer terms that could be used to describe foriegners!!
Remember G.I. Joe? According to Wikpedia, it stands for "General Issue Joe". It signified "the universal makeup of the US forces at the time." Well as I am told, the term has stuck around since the World Wars. With the heavy US Armed Forces present here in the Philippines, the term began to be associated with "white-faces" (or westerners which were mostly American at the time). Still to this day foriegn guys in the Philippines get called Joe!
Just the other day, I was walking along and I got many "hey joe"s thrown at me. "Hey Joe, do you want some DVD's?" "Hey Joe, how are you?" "Hey Joe, what are you doing?" "Hey Joe, what's your name?" The term is not meant to be mean or derragatory, it is just something the locals use to talk to foriegners. (or at least that is what I am told). It does get old sometimes because my name is not JOE!!
One day while I was walking along in a more playful mood, I shot back, "Hey Juan, what's up? How you been?" It drew a lot of laughter from the onlookers! I guess being called Joe is just one of those things to accept about this place. At least it is one of the nicer terms that could be used to describe foriegners!!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Religion at it's Best (and Worst)
The Philippines is an amazingly religious place. There are many superstitions that fuel huge festivals. Just yesterday in fact, Jan 9th, there was a large festival called "The Feast of the Black Nazerene". Tragically, so much religious fervor cost 2 people their lives yesterday. Below is the story from a local newspaper. This serves as a reminder to me as to why people need to know and experience the freedom found in the Gospel of Jesus.
2 dead in Nazarene procession
By Evelyn Macairan and Nestor Etolle
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Two people died and 50 others were hurt in the mad scramble of tens of thousands of devotees jostling to touch the miraculous image of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila yesterday.
A devotee identified as Cecilia Fajardo, 54, a resident of Bacood, Sta. Mesa, suffered a fatal heart attack while Alex Radovan, 44, of Sampaloc district, also died from cardiac arrest as they jostled with the huge throng of devotees trying to get near the religious image during the procession.
A number of children were among those hurt, crushed by the crowd inching towards the carriage as the image of the Nazarene was paraded in the streets of Quiapo district.
Authorities estimated at least 2 million devotees turned up for the eight-hour procession that began at 1:30 p.m.
Some 50,000 initially gathered around Quiapo Church and Plaza Miranda. Some devotees even spent the night at the Quiapo underpass while others lined up along Carriedo Street and Quezon Boulevard.
Though a hundred policemen were deployed to pull the carriage from the church, they failed to control the sea of devotees pushing against each other, arms outstretched, to get closer to the statue.
Devotees believe their prayers and wishes will be granted by simply touching the life-size wooden figure.
Brought by Spanish missionaries from Mexico in 1606, the figure of the Black Nazarene is believed to hold mystical powers that can wash away sins or cure illnesses.
The missionaries’ ship caught fire and the image was burned but survived as a testament to a unique brand of Catholicism that combines folk superstitions in Asia’s most populous Christian nation.
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, who led a dawn Mass at the Quiapo Church, said this year’s Black Nazarene celebration personifies “taking up one’s crosses and trials in life in imitation of Christ.”
As the statue of the Nazarene crawled through crammed streets with predominantly menfolk pulling on a rope, many hurled towels or handkerchiefs to be wiped on the image.
Police said Fajardo and Radovan were already unconscious when they were retrieved by rescuers, suggesting that they might have been trampled during the mad rush to get near the statue during the procession.
Radovan’s wife Marivic, however, told paramedics that her husband had a heart ailment and could have collapsed due to suffocation.
Most of the injured suffered high blood pressure, chest pains and wounded feet, according to Sta. Cruz-Quiapo police station commander Superintendent Romulo Sapitula.
“The crowd is uncontrollable. Everyone wants to touch the image and the carriage. Some even brought along small children,” Sapitula said.
Leticia Jiandani of the Manila government’s Fire Emergency Paramedic Assistance Group-Emergency Medical Technician (FEPAG-EMT) said most of those injured complained of difficulty in breathing, foot injuries, hypertension, dizziness due to hunger, fatigue and cramps.
Most of the devotees who walked barefoot suffered puncture wounds caused by broken glass, barbecue sticks and sharp stones, she said.
Sapitula, on the other hand, claimed there were no reports of petty crimes during the procession.
“Though we received reports of losses of belongings, it could not be attributed to theft or robbery. Some people simply dropped their cellphones unwittingly,” Sapitula said.
Sapitula noted a sharp increase of devotees this year, compared to last year’s 400th anniversary procession.
“This year, as early as 4 a.m. there were already people at the Quiapo Church. It’s like we were not running out of people here, unlike before when the Black Nazarene leaves the church and starts the procession, most of the people will leave but yesterday, a lot of people were still left behind,” he said.
Church officials earlier warned devotees to observe order and discipline to avoid accidents.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim ordered the MPD to deploy policemen to escort the image.
Although a number of policemen and volunteers acted as buffers, they proved no match for the surging devotees.
Sapitula said they were unable to implement the plan since the policemen were overwhelmed by the sheer number of devotees grabbing the rope to pull the carriage.
Rogello Estacio, 43, said he used to faint as a young boy and doctors could not help him.
“So what my mother did was to come here to Quiapo and eventually she became a devotee. My ailment disappeared. When I grew up I eventually became a devotee, too,” he said.
One of the few women in the crowd, 62-year-old Mercedita David, said she used to climb atop the carriage carrying the statue when she was younger and stronger.
Now, she said, “just to get a glimpse is good enough for me.”
David said the “grace of the holy Nazarene” has kept tragedies away from her family.
The crowd eagerly awaited Vice President Noli de Castro, one of its famous devotees.
A look-alike emerged and he was cheered by the throng of devotees waiting for the Black Nazarene statue to emerge from the church.
The real de Castro came unannounced and fulfilled his religious vow by joining the procession.
De Castro said he did not ask for religious blessing for his political plans but only for divine signs if he should push through for 2010.
“No. There was nothing political in my prayer when I grabbed the rope in pulling the carriage of the Black Nazarene,” De Castro said.
“Even when I ran for senator and Vice President, I did not ask for the blessing,” he said.
De Castro said he only wished for good legacy, good health and peace of mind for the rest of the year.
De Castro’s devotion to the Black Nazarene started during his college years when he would attend Mass at Quiapo Church after classes at the University of the East on nearby C.M. Recto Avenue. - With Pia Lee-Brago, Edu Punay, AP
2 dead in Nazarene procession
By Evelyn Macairan and Nestor Etolle
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Two people died and 50 others were hurt in the mad scramble of tens of thousands of devotees jostling to touch the miraculous image of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila yesterday.
A devotee identified as Cecilia Fajardo, 54, a resident of Bacood, Sta. Mesa, suffered a fatal heart attack while Alex Radovan, 44, of Sampaloc district, also died from cardiac arrest as they jostled with the huge throng of devotees trying to get near the religious image during the procession.
A number of children were among those hurt, crushed by the crowd inching towards the carriage as the image of the Nazarene was paraded in the streets of Quiapo district.
Authorities estimated at least 2 million devotees turned up for the eight-hour procession that began at 1:30 p.m.
Some 50,000 initially gathered around Quiapo Church and Plaza Miranda. Some devotees even spent the night at the Quiapo underpass while others lined up along Carriedo Street and Quezon Boulevard.
Though a hundred policemen were deployed to pull the carriage from the church, they failed to control the sea of devotees pushing against each other, arms outstretched, to get closer to the statue.
Devotees believe their prayers and wishes will be granted by simply touching the life-size wooden figure.
Brought by Spanish missionaries from Mexico in 1606, the figure of the Black Nazarene is believed to hold mystical powers that can wash away sins or cure illnesses.
The missionaries’ ship caught fire and the image was burned but survived as a testament to a unique brand of Catholicism that combines folk superstitions in Asia’s most populous Christian nation.
Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, who led a dawn Mass at the Quiapo Church, said this year’s Black Nazarene celebration personifies “taking up one’s crosses and trials in life in imitation of Christ.”
As the statue of the Nazarene crawled through crammed streets with predominantly menfolk pulling on a rope, many hurled towels or handkerchiefs to be wiped on the image.
Police said Fajardo and Radovan were already unconscious when they were retrieved by rescuers, suggesting that they might have been trampled during the mad rush to get near the statue during the procession.
Radovan’s wife Marivic, however, told paramedics that her husband had a heart ailment and could have collapsed due to suffocation.
Most of the injured suffered high blood pressure, chest pains and wounded feet, according to Sta. Cruz-Quiapo police station commander Superintendent Romulo Sapitula.
“The crowd is uncontrollable. Everyone wants to touch the image and the carriage. Some even brought along small children,” Sapitula said.
Leticia Jiandani of the Manila government’s Fire Emergency Paramedic Assistance Group-Emergency Medical Technician (FEPAG-EMT) said most of those injured complained of difficulty in breathing, foot injuries, hypertension, dizziness due to hunger, fatigue and cramps.
Most of the devotees who walked barefoot suffered puncture wounds caused by broken glass, barbecue sticks and sharp stones, she said.
Sapitula, on the other hand, claimed there were no reports of petty crimes during the procession.
“Though we received reports of losses of belongings, it could not be attributed to theft or robbery. Some people simply dropped their cellphones unwittingly,” Sapitula said.
Sapitula noted a sharp increase of devotees this year, compared to last year’s 400th anniversary procession.
“This year, as early as 4 a.m. there were already people at the Quiapo Church. It’s like we were not running out of people here, unlike before when the Black Nazarene leaves the church and starts the procession, most of the people will leave but yesterday, a lot of people were still left behind,” he said.
Church officials earlier warned devotees to observe order and discipline to avoid accidents.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim ordered the MPD to deploy policemen to escort the image.
Although a number of policemen and volunteers acted as buffers, they proved no match for the surging devotees.
Sapitula said they were unable to implement the plan since the policemen were overwhelmed by the sheer number of devotees grabbing the rope to pull the carriage.
Rogello Estacio, 43, said he used to faint as a young boy and doctors could not help him.
“So what my mother did was to come here to Quiapo and eventually she became a devotee. My ailment disappeared. When I grew up I eventually became a devotee, too,” he said.
One of the few women in the crowd, 62-year-old Mercedita David, said she used to climb atop the carriage carrying the statue when she was younger and stronger.
Now, she said, “just to get a glimpse is good enough for me.”
David said the “grace of the holy Nazarene” has kept tragedies away from her family.
The crowd eagerly awaited Vice President Noli de Castro, one of its famous devotees.
A look-alike emerged and he was cheered by the throng of devotees waiting for the Black Nazarene statue to emerge from the church.
The real de Castro came unannounced and fulfilled his religious vow by joining the procession.
De Castro said he did not ask for religious blessing for his political plans but only for divine signs if he should push through for 2010.
“No. There was nothing political in my prayer when I grabbed the rope in pulling the carriage of the Black Nazarene,” De Castro said.
“Even when I ran for senator and Vice President, I did not ask for the blessing,” he said.
De Castro said he only wished for good legacy, good health and peace of mind for the rest of the year.
De Castro’s devotion to the Black Nazarene started during his college years when he would attend Mass at Quiapo Church after classes at the University of the East on nearby C.M. Recto Avenue. - With Pia Lee-Brago, Edu Punay, AP
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
More MSG please!
Happy New Year everyone! Hope your was as special as ours! I just thought I would start the year with a little comment on food here in da Philippines. There are actually a ton of fresh things you can get to eat here. Hundreds of kinds of fresh fish, fresh fruits you have never heard of and more kinds of rice than you knew exisited. There are tons of neat little snack items that you can get that are packaged locally too. HOWEVER, eater beware!! For some reason, Philippinos think you have to put MSG in everything. I mean I can not even find just plain old nuts of any kind without it being soaked in MSG. "Contents: peanuts, palm oil, MSG" Why?? I just want the nuts!! You can even buy bags of MSG! Not just small bags either. They are at least 1 kilo each (that is 2.2 lbs for you non-international folks) It is sold next to the sugar! It is almost impossible to avoid it. Maybe they should just make it into a drink too? If you are allergic to the stuff I hope you like fish and rice!
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