From Germany to Gubat: Philipp Dukatz Travels to the Philippines

Enjoying a buko juice on the beach of Sabang, Palawan. All photos courtesy of Philipp Dukatz

Philipp Dukatz was working for Germany’s biggest telecommunications company when he decided to leave his job, give in to his wanderlust and travel to Southeast Asia, as he had long dreamed of doing.

The result is a year-long trek in which he zig-zagged the region, visiting the temples of Thailand and walking with the Komodo dragons of Indonesia, crashing a wedding in Hue and riding on top of jeepneys in Sorsogon—all chronicled in his blog Escapology.eu.

While Dukatz has since gone back to the corporate world, he says there are still some places he wants to visit, and others he wants to go back to. He spoke to GMA News Online via email about his travels in the Philippines.

Sambawan Island, Leyte.

Q: Was the language barrier a big one? Were you able to communicate easily with people?

A: I have traveled all across Southeast Asia, visited 9 countries overall, and I can say that communicating in the Philippines was probably the easiest. This was due to the Filipinos’ good command of the English language which made interaction easier. I found it a lot easier to get to know people, strike up a conversation and socialize than in any of the other countries I have visited. And all of this made for the unique travel experience which I ended up having.

Q: You talked about living the "Buhay-Baboy" in Gubat, Sorsogon. Was that a radically different lifestyle than you were used to in Germany?

A: The term was coined during a longer stay in Gubat, a small seaside town in the province of Sorsogon. We spent Holy Week there at a little beach and surf camp organized by the local surfing community. We got to know locals as well as other Filipinos from Manila who were also there for the so called Hayahay camp. We often sat together, had good food, drinks, listened to music, sang and enjoyed those relaxed days. It was a good life, without much to worry about, lot of laughter and happiness. Someone called it “Buhay Baboy” which, as far as I remember, translates to a “pig’s life”. Everybody liked it so much that it stuck instantly. My travel mates and I adopted the term for the rest of our journey and quoted it whenever we had another one of those “Buhay Baboy Moments”.

This lifestyle, of course only temporarily, was very different from what I was used to at home. I was caught up in a stressful job, lots of obligations and lots of worries, which, now that I look back, where not even justified. So yes, it was different and I enjoyed it a lot.

Dukatz with some residents of Gubat, Sorsogon.

Q: Do you prefer going to the off-the-beaten-track places?
A: I definitely prefer it on a general note but sometimes it also feels good to return to the backpacker trail. Just to enjoy the company of other travelers, exchange stories and travel tales. But usually venturing off the beaten track makes for the better travel experience. The things you experience are more unique and the interactions with the people are more real than in areas which have been exposed to tourism for some time. I can say that the best memories of my journey wouldn’t have been possible without going off the beaten track. But as I said, mixing it up a little is usually good as being on your own in the remotest areas can become a bit exhausting after a while.

Q: I don't think you went to Mindanao. Was it a deliberate choice not to go there, and are you planning to go there in the future?

A: We were actually supposed to go there but in the end we ran out of time. I think to really explore Mindanao, we probably would have had to skip Palawan and that was a place I really wanted to see. But yes, being a surfer I really would have liked to surf Cloud 9 in Siargao, to see the enchanted river, visit Davao and explore the other highlights of Mindanao. In the end, you can’t do everything but it is something that is high up on my list for my next visit to the Philippines. Hopefully not before too long.

Wreck diving off the coast of Coron, Palawan.

Q: You noted all of your expenses. Is this part of your routine when going on extended travels?

A: In my opinion this is a must if you are traveling long term. It is easy to lose track of your expense if you don’t note them in one way or another. For most people who decide to travel long term, money is the limiting factor rather than time, and this was also the case for me. So if you can prevent to overspend and budget wisely, you will be probably able to stay away for a couple of more months. And that is a good motivation.

Q: Did you have any truly unusual experiences, the kind that made you go, "I can't believe this is happening to me right now" or "I can't believe I'm doing this"?

A: Well maybe two different kind of experiences. The first thing involves me setting out for a solo trek into the Malaysian jungle of Taman Negara. You are not supposed to that on your own but at that time I didn’t feel like joining a group tour. I underestimated the trek and it ended up being a grueling march through leech-infested terrain with 35 degrees at about 90 percent humidity outside. I found an abandoned bungalow complex by the river and camped out overnight. The next day I really didn’t feel like hiking back so I hitchhiked a local longboat to make it back to the village I was staying at.

The other story is about my stay in Gubat, which I mentioned above. It was nothing crazy or thrilling, but there I was allowed to experience the amazing and unique Filipino hospitality first hand. During those days, I was offered food, drinks and shelter by people whom I was just introduced to. I was able to make real friends which is an extraordinary thing when traveling long term. I look back at this time with a smile on my face and a humble feeling of gratitude.

Dukatz and some newly made friends in Batad, Mountain Province

Q: Where are you off to next?

A: For now I am back to work so I can’t even tell when I will go traveling again. But I definitely want to visit the Philippines again and I can just hope that it won’t be before too long. I have received so many travel tips by my blog readers and facebook fans, that my list of places I want to explore is too long already. I’d like to see Ilocos, Batanes and Mindanao, just to name a few. Apart from that there a few countries in my bucket list which are really intriguing. Certain parts of India, Bhutan, Mongolia or Tibet for example. But at this time I have no real plans made..... not yet.

Cliff jumping in Siquijor.

Why Davao City?

Re-published column of mine from August 1, 2014 in MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR with friendly permission of Publisher Marietta F. Siongco.

A couple of years ago, I got the chance to meet Davao City's then vice mayor Sara Duterte for an interview. She took almost an hour to talk with me. One question of her was very much preying on my mind: How can Davao City become more attractive for investors and expatriates? Expats as pensioners and as business people as well... . 

Davao City has really a lot to offer. Where should I start?

Living in this wonderful city since 1999 already as an expatriate and businessman, I experienced already many of the good things that Sara Duterte has talked about. Sure, with the predominantly migration population, Davao City is a melting pot of cultures where diversities are well appreciated, respected, and  nurtured in a harmonious and peaceful environment. This is one of my most important reasons in staying here for good. Until 1998, I resided in Berlin, which is also very known for a multi-cultural and open city.

Davao City has one of the highest literacy rates in Asia, if we could believe, what's been published many times already. Davao City's labor force is cited as among the best in the region: educated, easily trainable, industrious and English speaking. Yes, I love to do business here while also being able to teach at the University of Southeastern Philippines in Obrero.

Every time, I am coming back from different business trips and entering then Davao City's airport, I utter the groan, "Salamat, I am back home!"

There is another reason: Although Davao City's average monthly crime volume went up a little bit, the peace and order public safety is indeed unique and awesome and very well known even leaving the municipal area of Mindanao itself. The Philippines' first emergency 911 call center has been of the priority development programs of our good mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Many expats or tourists can't imagine that a state of the art communication system that Davao City shares in common, an only befound in the U.S. and Canada.

Many more things could be mentioned. One thing for sure: Our good mayor has credited the Aquino administration for putting Davao City on the "green map" of investments and tourism in the country, as the MIRROR headlined last Monday. The mayor is totally right in saying, "Whether it is a spin-off of an improved economy - it happened during the Aquino administration." Speaking about the whole nation, German Ambassador to the Philippines Ossowski got the same opinion  when I met him last time in the German Embassy.

Yes, Davao City is really "a haven of urban luxury and gateway to natural wonders, engaging festivals and world-class tourism facilities. I left my heart in Davao City already in 1982 - during a trip to San Francisco... !

Philippines need Two Major Airports

By Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star)

The Philippines will need to have two major airports to cater to the growing tourist traffic in the country, airport specialists said yesterday.

Speaking at the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) general membership meeting yesterday, Shizuo Iwata, project manager of Japan International Cooperation Agency’s Metro Manila Master Transportation Study and chairman of Almec Corp. said the country needs to develop both the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Clark International Airport to cater to the rising number of travellers.

“Clark and NAIA have different catchment areas. It is not a choice between Clark and NAIA. It is two airports we need. Clark will serve Central and Northern Luzon while NAIA will serve main metropolitan,” he said.

He noted that while the Clark International Airport can still be expanded to meet an expected increase in number of tourists, the anticipated growth in tourists using NAIA will require the development of a new airport.

Based on JICA’s study, the total number of passengers in the Clark catchment area will rise to 9.230 million by 2040 from 1.315 million in 2012.

As for the NAIA catchment area, the total number of passengers is expected to hit 101.485 million by 2040 from 31.877 million in 2012.

Iwata said the JICA has looked at eight candidate locations for the new NAIA but has picked Sangley Point in Cavite and Laguna de Bay as the best site based on catchment area, availability of land and future expansion, navigation risk due to mountain range, flooding and other natural hazard risks, wind speed and direction, accessibility, minimal risks of aircraft crash and noise problems and integrated urban development opportunity or value capture.

Other sites considered were Angat-Pandi-Bustos (Bulacan), Obando (Bulacan), North Portion of Manila Bay (near Metro Manila and Bulacan boundaries), Central Portion of Manila Bay, San Nicolas Shoals, West Laguna Lake and Rizal – Talim Island.
Iwata said the development of the new NAIA in Sangley Point is estimated to cost $11 billion and expected to be completed in 2025.

“In the dream plan, as soon as new NAIA is open, we can close old NAIA,” he said noting that the old NAIA can become a central business district.

In the same event, BenL Consulting International managing principal Ben Lao said the government must modernize NAIA and develop the Clark International Airport at the same time.

He noted that just like other large cities in the world like Tokyo in Japan which have two airports Haneda and Narita, there is a need for a dual airport system here to plan for future growth.

He said NAIA must be fixed to cater to an expected rise in number of passengers given the country’s highly educated English speaking and mobile population as well as the large number of citizens working and living abroad.

“Clark is a gateway and it should be developed concurrently. To say that we will close NAIA and move it to Clark, as business people, residents living in this area, you will find it cumbersome to travel to Clark and Manila back and forth,” he said.

As for developing a new airport, he said Sangley Point would be the right choice.
“With NAIA and a new airport, I favor Sangley. Because of its geographical position, the Philippines is poised to be and should be the aviation hub in the Asia Pacific region and we must not waste time to do that. It means jobs, it means opportunities and alleviation of poverty, all of those things. Economic impact of aviation could be tremendous,” he said.

For his part, Avelino Zapanta, Southeast Asian Airlines International Inc. president and chief executive officer and MAP’s national issues Committee member said he is pushing for a dual airports system as well, with NAIA to serve as a domestic hub and Clark as an international hub.

100 millionth Filipino due Early Sunday

By Tina G. Santos

AFP FILE PHOTO

By the reckoning of a population expert, the Philippine population will hit 100 million at 12:06 a.m. or thereabouts on Sunday. Be happy if your baby is born around that time because you will earn P5,000.

The P5,000 will be given  in kind—not in cash—and will include basic provisions for  babies, such as  cloth diapers.

The prize will go to each of the 100 babies born in local government units (LGUs) nationwide to be chosen by the Commission on Population (Popcom).

The figure of 100 million was based on population projections by the Philippine Statistics Authority, which says three babies are born in the Philippines every minute.

With this trend, the country’s population is expected to hit 100 million on July 27 at 12:06 a.m., according to Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III, executive director of Popcom.
“Only babies born at 12:06 a.m. and beyond, meaning at 12:06 a.m. or seconds/minutes later, will be chosen to be part of the 100 symbolic babies because it’s the time projected when the 100-millionth baby will be born based on the mathematical analysis we conducted,” Perez said.

A blessing
 
Perez said the event would bring hope and challenges to the country as it struggles to give its people a better quality of life.

For Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, reaching the 100-million figure is actually good news and a blessing.

“It’s good for the economy … it’s good news, not bad news,” Castro said over Church-run Radio Veritas.

He said having more Filipinos would mean more human resources to advance the economy.

“We need enough young population to sustain the economy. Because of a young population, we can actually be economically strong,” Castro said.

He said having such a big population should not be seen as a problem.

“Unfortunately, we have been brainwashed [to think] that a bigger population is equated with poverty, which is [not true],” Castro said.

He cited India as an example, saying it had already overtaken Japan as the third-largest economy in the world, with Japan already experiencing a “demographic winter,” or aging population.

Solving poverty
 
“India became the third-largest economy in the world precisely because of its robust, young population,” Castro said.

He urged the government to work on finding real solutions to poverty and use the high number of Filipinos to advantage, instead of looking at it as a problem.
“As long as you can provide them with the opportunity for education, for work, for employment, a young population can help make the country an economic powerhouse,” Castro said.

To celebrate the milestone, it will be choosing 100 babies in the LGUs nationwide, Popcom said.

“These babies will symbolically usher hope for a better quality of life as they epitomize the challenge to make every Filipino count in the country’s development,” Perez said in a phone interview.

“The LGUs will ensure that these  babies will have all the population development support and services they need—that they are able to go to school, they are healthy, they have livelihood opportunities,” he said.

“If they get all these, then it means the other people in that LGU are getting the same support and services. It means that the government is doing a good job,” he said.
Perez said Popcom had a set of criteria in choosing the 100 babies.

The major criteria are that the baby must be born at 12:06 a.m. or seconds/minutes later; must be born in a government-licensed health facility; the facility must be certified as observing the Philippine Standard Time; and the birth must be certified by the attending birth attendant/doctor.

Only babies born through normal, spontaneous delivery are qualified to vie for the recognition. The parents should also be a resident of the provinces in the region.

Populous countries 
 
Countries with a population of 100 million or more are:

– Mexico – 122.3 million
– Japan – 127.1 million
– Russian Federation – 142.8 million
– Bangladesh – 156.6 million
– Nigeria – 173.6 million
– Pakistan – 182.1 million
– Brazil – 200.4 million
– Indonesia – 249.9 million
– United States of America – 320.1 million
– India – 1.252 billion
– China – 1.385 billion

With Philippine Daily Inquirer
(C) 2014

Land With No Summer Months

By Dexter A. See 

NATONIN, Mountain Province —Rain poured daily for the past 24 years on this mountain town in the rugged Cordillera Region in the northern Philippines, children gave up praying “rain, rain go away” and elders look misty-eyed at lowland areas sweltering under the burning sun,  a senior town official said on Friday.

Mountain town. A panoramic view of rice terraces
in Natonin. DEXTER SEE

Mayor Matteo Chiyawan said the town never experienced summer season in more than two decades and the government could not build and put up  infrastructure projects such as roads and school buildings on the soft ground.
“No development because of the rain. I pity our people for being exposed to too much rain,” Chiyawan said.
Natonin, a fourth class municipality, nestles on the slopes of the Cordillera mountain ranges and have little level ground. The town is surrounded by jungles and rain forests.
The sun shines on the 12,000 Igorot population for about three hours at least four times a month. People earn a living from rice terraces farming, fishing for eels in the rivers, and hunting wild animals such boars and deers.
Chiyawan said too much water in the soil and threat of soil erosion make it difficult for workers to compact the land and implement government public works projects.

A waterfall in one of the rain
forests in the area. DEXTER SEE

He said it takes several hours travel from the provincial capital of Bontoc to Natonin over 74 kms of rough and muddy national highway that winds on the side of the mountain.
Agriculture production has suffered because farmers could not dry their palay and rotting grains became one of the major causes of heavy losses, Chiyawan said.
“The old generation performed rituals to stop the rain with a sequence of prayers together with several animals butchered, but the practice has stopped in the past several years,” Chiyawan said.
The rain forests contribute to the abundant rainfall in Natonin, making its rivers suitable for operation of mini-hydro power plants, which could offer employment opportunities to people in the area.
Gov. Leonard Mayaen said the provincial government has on stand-by heavy equipment for use of Natonin during landslides and soil erosion caused by water saturation on the road.
He said he was ready to respond to any calls for assistance from Natonin municipal officials have handled the situation well and “no problems have been brought to our attention.”
“I am proud of the resilience of the people of Natonin because they are able to survive the prevalence of too much rain and still pursue their own sources of livelihood like raising of heirloom rice, hunting wild animals and being involved in food processing and weaving,” Mayaen said.
Officials appealed on the Department of Public Works and Highways to fast-track concreting of the unpaved portion of the Natonin to Paracelis road to connect the town to Santiago City in Isabela and open new business opportunities for residents.

(C) 2014 Manila Standard

Another Natural Disaster in The Philippines

Storm clouds hover above Mt. Isarog in Camarines Sur on Monday, a day before tropical storm Glenda was expected to make landfall in Bicol region. Photo by Juan Escandor, Inquirer Southern Luzon

Eight years after Super Typhoon “Reming” killed about 1,000 people in a destructive strike across Bicol and nearby provinces, Bicolanos on Monday braced for another howler called “Glenda.”

Typhoon Glenda is expected to make landfall on Tuesday anywhere on the eastern seaboard of Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes and the two Camarines provinces, as Metro Manila itself came under alert for rains and strong winds that may hit the capital early on Wednesday.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center, Glenda—estimated to be 470 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes—on Monday intensified as it churned westward threatening Bicol, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on its website.

Reming was the last major weather disturbance to hit Bicol with winds of more than 200 kph, according to typhoon specialist Michael Padua, senior typhoon specialist of the global private weather company MeteoGroup.

Strangely, Glenda would occur on the same dates when Typhoon “Bebeng” wreaked havoc in Camarines Sur in July 1983, Padua said.

He said that based on four models from international weather organizations, Glenda would make landfall somewhere between Catanduanes and Caramoan (in Camarines Sur) or down on the eastern part of Sorsogon. 

Typhoon path predicted
 

MeteoGroup is a private group supported by the Aboitiz Group of companies with a goal of setting up 1,000 automated weather stations around the country to provide weather information to companies, local government units and residents. 

Padua was recognized for correctly predicting the path of Typhoon “Unding” in 2004 that directly hit Naga City. 

He uses four typhoon models—the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (WRS), Global Forecast System (GFS), Navy Global Environmental Model (Navgem), all based in the United States, and European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts—in making his forecasts. 

Padua said all the four models showed that Glenda would make landfall in Bicol with some variations on the exact site. 

28-31 kph
 

Glenda may move slightly south and hit Sorsogon or Albay but if it maintains its track, Catanduanes and the two Camarines provinces would be hit, he said.

Using satellite data, Padua said Glenda was expected to be close to Catanduanes and the Maqueda Channel early on Tuesday morning and make landfall on Tuesday afternoon. 

He said Glenda was fast moving at 28-31 kph with a rain diameter of about 500 km, wind diameter of 390 km and maximum gustiness of 120 kph.

“My forecast [for] Tuesday is that the wind could have sustained gustiness of 130-140 kph which could reach to 150-160 kph,”Padua said.

“It could damage plantation areas and weak structures [and be] classified as Category 1, compared to Super Typhoon Yolanda, which was classified as Category 4,”he said. 

Storm surge
 
Padua said flooding was expected in low-lying areas and that the storm surge could reach up to 1 meter in height, compared to Yolanda, which reached 5 m.

Classes have been suspended in the Bicol Region while hundreds of passengers have been stranded as relief officials prepared to evacuate residents in flood- and landslide-prone areas.

The Virac Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC), headed by Capt. Ivanhoe Arcilla, said officials assumed Glenda would make a direct hit on the town and warnings had been sent to coastal areas to prevent fishermen from venturing out to sea.
Virac Vice Mayor Roy Laynes said the MDRRMC had authorized the procurement of 100 bags of rice from the National Food Authority (NFA), as well as noodles and canned goods from a supermarket.
In Bicol ports, some 820 passengers were stranded on Monday in Tabaco City in Albay, Bulan and Matnog towns in Sorsogon and Cataingan in Masbate.

In Albay, classes were suspended at all levels as were classes in Camarines Sur and Naga City.

Pangasinan at risk
 

In Pangasinan province, officials said Glenda might cross the province on Wednesday on its way to the West Philippine Sea.

Melchito Castro, Ilocos regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, said everyone must be alert, especially those living in coastal areas and near river banks.

“Eastern Pangasinan towns are also at risk because the typhoon is coming from that direction. It can cause landslides and flash floods,” Castro said.

“We should not be complacent because we do not know yet how much water Glenda will be dumping into the province,” Castro said.

Avenix Arenas, spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the provincial government was ready to carry out any evacuation.

In Aurora province, Gov. Gerardo Noveras convened relief officials to prepare for any emergency. 

Food assistance
 

In Manila, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepared food and nonfood assistance to augment resources of local government units.

The DSWD said its field offices in Northern and Central Luzon had prepositioned 78,608 family food packs for immediate distribution to local government units.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the field offices had 209,875 assorted food items and 101,326 nonfood items. 

“Social welfare and development teams at the municipal level are now on the field to monitor the extent of the typhoon,” Soliman said. 

Blue alert 
 

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has issued a “blue alert” requiring half of the personnel of all regional and municipal disaster risk reduction management offices to be at their posts.–

FHM 100 Sexiest 2014 - Victory Party

By Cia Juan

 

We told you that this year would be the grandest, and boy, we sure didn’t disappoint—you read that right; we just patted ourselves on the back...and we're not ashamed about it! Last night’s #FHM100Sexiest Victory Party was so damn wonderful we went to bed smiling.

Sorry, but one of the above statements isn't really true. It's the latter. But it's not because we didn't go to bed grinning from ear-to-ear, it's because we haven't slept yet.

Typhoon Season on Despite Looming El Nino

The Philippine government expects the country to still experience tropical cyclones and flooding during 2014's second half despite the possible onset of the drought-driving El Nino phenomen this year.

"We expect an average of 13 to 16 tropical cyclones to develop to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility from July to December, "Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Anthony Lucero said.

Data he presented show that two or three cyclons are expected to occur in July, three or four in August, another three or four in September and several more untill December.

PAGASA noted climate model output suggests cyclones that will enter or develop the Philippines in July may tend to move more along the Philippines' coast.

People must guard against flooding, particularly during the next months, because occurence of flooding is highly possible in low-lying areas. Let's face it: there is no El Nino yet!

Gigi Reyes Still Refuses to Eat and Drink

By Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News

The blood pressure of lawyer Gigi Reyes has now stabilized, but the former chief of staff of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile still refuses to eat and drink, according to the medical director of Taguig Pateros District Hospital.

Dr. Prudencio Sta. Lucia said there is a possibility that Reyes may not be able to attend her arraignment on Friday, depending on the results of their monitoring overnight.

He said Reyes has admitted to previously having epileptic episodes or seizure attacks, as well as series of light brain stroke in the past.

Her attending physicians are concerned about this since it is highly possible that stressful activities may trigger these episodes to recur, Sta. Lucia said.

He said, given her condition at the moment, Reyes may be fit to travel to the Sandiganbayan tomorrow.

However, the rigors of the courtroom might once again trigger the moderate to severe anxiety disorder that she experienced last night.

He said the lack of appetite of Reyes may be an indication of a psychological problem being experienced by the patient.

The attending physicians, he said, are wary about a possible fluctuation of Reyes' blood pressure at any given time.

Family appeals for compassion

Meanwhile, the family of Reyes appealed to the public for compassion and understanding as they go through a difficult time.

In a statement read by Reyes' brother Patrick Gonzales, who was teary-eyed, they also requested privacy from the media.

They also asked for prayers for the recovery of Reyes.

Gonzales narrated their emotional ordeal last night when Reyes was transferred from the Sandiganbayan to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) detention center in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig.

He said they were emotional when they saw Reyes in handcuffs and undergoing booking procedures.

Reyes eventually vomited then passed out, according to Gonzales.

It was then that BJMP officers carried Reyes from the 4th floor of the detention center to the ambulance that immediately proceeded to the hospital.

Prior to this, in Sandiganbayan, Gonzales said family members were not allowed to help Reyes pack her things.

They were also not allowed to accompany Reyes inside the BJMP vehicle enroute to Camp Bagong Diwa.

Crooked Politicians Contribute to Strife in The Philippines

By:

John Mangalonz

Local News Editor "The Spectrum"

 

Philippine politics has long struggled with corruption, and it seems that it is getting worse.

When former strongman, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, was ousted in 1986, everyone thought freedom and clean and honest government were going to reemerge, but it didn't happen.

What bothers me the most is the fact the disparity between the rich and the poor in the Philippines is getting wider by the minute, and I believe that one of the causes of the country's rapid economic decline is the corruption going on in all three branches government.

Recently, several key figures — sitting senators and congress members — were arrested in connection with a pork barrel scam: The politicians are alleged to have accepted millions of dollars in kickbacks from what was then known as the Countrywide Development Fund.

And involvement in the scandal may go all the way up to the presidential palace, according to recent news reports.

Meanwhile, millions of Filipinos worry how they are going to get their next meal.

The percentage of the Philippine population considered to be poor is higher than the Southeast Asian average, based on a study of the Asian Development Bank and the National University of Singapore, titled "Ending Asian Deprivations."

The report said around 17.71 percent of the populace, or close to 18 million Filipinos — based on the estimated 98 million Philippine population — still live below $1.25 a day, which is the internationally accepted poverty line.

This is depressing considering that the combined wealth of the 50 richest families — including families of politicians — in the country already equaled 25 percent of Philippine gross domestic product.

And, remember Typhoon Haiyan in November that affected 4.3 million people across 36 provinces and killed nearly 7,000 people? Eight months later, the United Nations estimates more than 100,000 people there in the storm zone still live in tents, waiting for better housing.

Tens of thousands more are rebuilding in places the government is trying to close down.

The Philippines suffered one of the world's worst disasters in history in November 2013. Haiyan rendered at least 4 million homeless.

The Philippine government (big question mark here), private sector, and non-governmental organizations have been behind a massive rehabilitation program for Haiyan, but the process has been slow and at times frustrating.

In the province of Tacloban alone, more than 12,000 homes were completely destroyed and 46,000 severely damaged. The rebuilding needs are immense.

Aid agencies have so far provided emergency shelter supplies — tents, tarpaulins and the like — to 570,000 families.

A further 160,000 households have received tools and materials to help them rebuild their homes.

So, I ask: Do these alleged political crooks have any conscience left in their bones?

I haven't been back home in more than 20 years. It was very hard, to say the least, watching footage of the November storm's aftermath. Some of my former colleagues in the islands sent me photos of their coverage, lifeless bodies of victims lying on the streets.

My fellow journalists there then asked me: "Do you remember back in 1991?"

Sadly, I do.

As Haiyan relief efforts went underway days and weeks after the disaster, bloated bodies lay uncollected and uncounted in the streets and survivors pleaded for food, water and medicine — much like what I saw in 1991.

Before Haiyan earned the distinction of being the worst storm that hit the archipelago, Tropical Storm Thelma, or what Philippine officials named Typhoon Uring, hit Ormoc City, also in Leyte province.

I was a young journalist when I was sent to Ormoc City in November 1991 to cover the aftermath of Thelma that killed roughly 6,000 people. Seeing hundreds, if not thousands, of bodies on the street made it very difficult for me to find objectivity.

I can still remember the looks on the faces of the grief-stricken people of Ormoc, some of whom had lost many members of their family.

The cries of the victims I heard back in '91 are strikingly similar to the cries I hear today.

It will be a long road ahead for those left to make sense of the devastation, for life as they know it has changed forever.

Losing everything for a people who have nothing is irony in itself.