Things are certainly hotting up around here in all sorts of ways. Firstly, we are apparently not having rainy season after all! Its still summer! The rain we have been having each day is not real rain but from cloud seeding. I'm not sure of the science ,but water or salt or both are sprayed from planes and this creates rain clouds. They do this to try to fill up the resevoirs and keep the temperature down to reduce load on the national grid. There is a debate as to whether this is true science or a fiction of the presidents publicity machinery (the cloud seeding not the rain) ,but anyway, whilst poor old blighty is soggy our dams are drying up.
Aside from reduced water pressure, there is also now afternoon blackouts, because of power shortages, they are low on coal to run the power stations - someone forgot to buy enough? Not to worry coal is being shipped as we speak, over from Australia. This power problem is apparently made worse because of the hydro electric dams being affected by the low water levels. On the streets of Manila no-one seems to be worried - everyone is still washing their cars and watering their gardens as usual - No hose pipe ban here then.
Meanwhile on a small island near Mindanao the government is squaring up to the Muslim rebels which will break 6 years peace in the region. There is a lot of diplomacy trying to stop the president and hopefully it will pay off. Whilst we are far, far away, from where any action will take place the longer term repercussions could have an adverse affect on the country. They are preparing to pull volunteers away from the nearest regions if any fighting breaks out, as this will mean movements of displaced people and general upheaval in the those areas.
The latest example of Philippines policy making was highlighted this week by Oxfam. They are trying to convince senators to actually turn up and vote to break the pharmaceutical monopoly in the country keeping the prices of medicines artificially high. They have tried and failed 3 times to get a quorum to pass the bill. The claim is that senators are "encouraged" not to turn up by those companies who would be adversely affected. Its a bit similar to the efforts to get a ban on powered milk adverts. Less than 20% of babies are breast fed whilst one of the main causes of infant mortality is dirty water being used to mix baby feed. Campigners can't get a bill enforced enforced as the American Mutlinationals who produce the milk sunstitutes are able to influence decision makers to stall implementation-Meanwhile every other advert on TV is for some sort of powered milk which is promoted for new babies right up to adulthood - I'm not joking! Other health obessions that shed loads of money are wasted on, and advertisers made rich, are skin whitening products and mulitvitamins!
Reading the newspaper is always entertaining as much of what is written about seems too incredible to be true - at best bad administration - at worst corrupt and criminal. Having said all that - The Philippines continues to grow on me - it gets in your blood- I think its theFilipinos ability to be happy about almost anything - god knows they've had enough years to practice this skill- as oppose to that truly British trait of moaning about absolutely bloody everything!We are lucky as the hardships that affect so many people here do not affect us, at least directly, to be honest it means we have a fairly good lifestyle as everything is so comparatively cheap. Something than can and does make you feel guilty from time to time.............
Anyway look on the bight side, the prisoners are still dancing inside the prisons - You must see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6917318.stm
and we have been taking advantage of the dry weather and been to the beach and Angelica swam for the first time without arm bands!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xZcrXQLDn4
We went down to MayaMaya on the Coast near Nasugbu for the weekend - it was great the kids played with their friends Mathew and David who are a year older than Angelica and Gianna and respectively. I had a stinking cold/cough so just lazed around and recuperated ate nice food and spent time with good friends.
Went to Cebu last week for workshop - didn't get to see much of Cebu but did find a tapas bar which sold a nice bottle of Rose, and a good hotel for stopovers. As people can fly direct from HK to Cebu this may be an option for those with limited time in the Philippines. Cebu gets u closer to the islands quicker than flying into Manila, its smaller and much easier to deal with. Cebu Pacific is the local equivalent of Ryanair and if u book in advance u can book short hops between islands for around 20 quid.
Anyway must stop touting for visitors and get back to work.................
Aside from reduced water pressure, there is also now afternoon blackouts, because of power shortages, they are low on coal to run the power stations - someone forgot to buy enough? Not to worry coal is being shipped as we speak, over from Australia. This power problem is apparently made worse because of the hydro electric dams being affected by the low water levels. On the streets of Manila no-one seems to be worried - everyone is still washing their cars and watering their gardens as usual - No hose pipe ban here then.
Meanwhile on a small island near Mindanao the government is squaring up to the Muslim rebels which will break 6 years peace in the region. There is a lot of diplomacy trying to stop the president and hopefully it will pay off. Whilst we are far, far away, from where any action will take place the longer term repercussions could have an adverse affect on the country. They are preparing to pull volunteers away from the nearest regions if any fighting breaks out, as this will mean movements of displaced people and general upheaval in the those areas.
The latest example of Philippines policy making was highlighted this week by Oxfam. They are trying to convince senators to actually turn up and vote to break the pharmaceutical monopoly in the country keeping the prices of medicines artificially high. They have tried and failed 3 times to get a quorum to pass the bill. The claim is that senators are "encouraged" not to turn up by those companies who would be adversely affected. Its a bit similar to the efforts to get a ban on powered milk adverts. Less than 20% of babies are breast fed whilst one of the main causes of infant mortality is dirty water being used to mix baby feed. Campigners can't get a bill enforced enforced as the American Mutlinationals who produce the milk sunstitutes are able to influence decision makers to stall implementation-Meanwhile every other advert on TV is for some sort of powered milk which is promoted for new babies right up to adulthood - I'm not joking! Other health obessions that shed loads of money are wasted on, and advertisers made rich, are skin whitening products and mulitvitamins!
Reading the newspaper is always entertaining as much of what is written about seems too incredible to be true - at best bad administration - at worst corrupt and criminal. Having said all that - The Philippines continues to grow on me - it gets in your blood- I think its theFilipinos ability to be happy about almost anything - god knows they've had enough years to practice this skill- as oppose to that truly British trait of moaning about absolutely bloody everything!We are lucky as the hardships that affect so many people here do not affect us, at least directly, to be honest it means we have a fairly good lifestyle as everything is so comparatively cheap. Something than can and does make you feel guilty from time to time.............
Anyway look on the bight side, the prisoners are still dancing inside the prisons - You must see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6917318.stm
and we have been taking advantage of the dry weather and been to the beach and Angelica swam for the first time without arm bands!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xZcrXQLDn4
We went down to MayaMaya on the Coast near Nasugbu for the weekend - it was great the kids played with their friends Mathew and David who are a year older than Angelica and Gianna and respectively. I had a stinking cold/cough so just lazed around and recuperated ate nice food and spent time with good friends.
Went to Cebu last week for workshop - didn't get to see much of Cebu but did find a tapas bar which sold a nice bottle of Rose, and a good hotel for stopovers. As people can fly direct from HK to Cebu this may be an option for those with limited time in the Philippines. Cebu gets u closer to the islands quicker than flying into Manila, its smaller and much easier to deal with. Cebu Pacific is the local equivalent of Ryanair and if u book in advance u can book short hops between islands for around 20 quid.
Anyway must stop touting for visitors and get back to work.................
No comments:
Post a Comment