This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading! Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?
There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!
Friday, March 1, 2013
Philippine Politics
On May 13, 2013, Filipino voters will troop to the polls to elect
their candidate of choice and fill a total of 18,022 government
positions. In Philippine politics the upcoming mid-term elections is a
democratic process designed to fill soon to be vacated local and
national positions including 12 seats in the Philippine Senate and 229
seats in the House of Representatives.
On the provincial level, 80 governors and vice-governors will be
elected and with them 766 members of the Provincial Board. A total of
1,634 mayors and vice-mayors are needed by local government units (LGUs)
nationwide, and a total of 13,504 councilors. The ARMM requires a
governor and a vice-governor and two dozen assemblymen.
Familiar names
It is perhaps not surprising that candidates, especially in the
municipality and city levels bear familiar names. Many of the hopefuls
are relatives or descendants of known or incumbent politicians. Grace
Poe-Llamanzares is an independent candidate running for the Senate. She
is the daughter of Fernando Poe, Jr. (better known as FPJ), a revered
actor who ran against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA).
There are still claims that FPJ won the election against GMA in 2004 and
Grace Poe is counting on fans and supporters of her father for her own
bid, no doubt.
The senatorial race is characterized by other familiar names in the
political scene of the past two decades, most notable of which are
Angara, Aquino, Binay, Cayetano, Cojuangco, Ejercito, Magsaysay,
Pimentel, Villar and Enrile. Jack Enrile, the son of current Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is running for the Senate.
They call it clan politics or traditional politics. Some use the term
political dynasties. No matter what the preferred terminology is, the
fact is that powerful families continue to dominate not just the
national political scene but the local scene as well.
A published study in the Philippine Political Science Journal states
that the 15th Philippine Congress is 70% dynastic. About 80% of the
members of the Congress aged 26-40 come from political families.
Similarly, political parties are dominated by political clans with
ancestors and a progeny of prominent families dominating the roll call.
The same study positively correlates political dynasties in areas with
severe poverty and poor development. The study does not claim to be
absolutely valid, but the results still reflect the current situation.
And there seems to be no respite from clan politics since the newly rich
and newly elected are already planting the seeds of their own
dynasties.
Those who doubt the validity of the dominance of clan politics should
look at the incumbent officials occupying provincial and municipal
seats in Ilocos Sur, Pampanga, and Cavite (in Luzon), Cebu and Siquijor
(in the Visayas), Zamboanga, and Maguindanao (in Mindanao).
Familiar faces
There were a few surprises when celebrities rumored to launch their
political careers did not actually file for candidacy. Some of the best
examples are TV show host Vic Sotto, actor-director Cesar Montano and
actor-turned 2010 Vice-Presidentialial Candidate Edu Manzano. But there
are enough familiar faces running for office that even showbiz talk
shows and variety shows have more than the usual tinge of political
color since the campaign period started.
Most of the personalities from show business have been in politics
for so long that people remember them more for their political
activities than the movies or television shows that they used to star
in. There’s former President and Philippine cinema legend Joseph Estrada
(popularly known as Erap), Laguna Governor “George Estregan, Jr.
(award-winning character actor),” Bulacan Vice-Governor Daniel Fernando
(former sexy star), incumbent Vice-Mayor of Manila Isko Moreno (dramatic
actor), incumbent Mayor of Quezon City Herbert Bautista (comedian), and
Paranaque City Councilor Alma Moreno (TV show host and dance diva), and
Quezon City Councilor Aiko Melendez (dramatic actress), to name a few.
All these familiar faces are running for office this year.
Estrada is bidding for the Mayoralty of Manila against incumbent
Mayor Alfredo Lim who is in real trouble if Erap’s mass appeal has not
waned. Estrada was elected the 13th President of the Republic of the
Philippines. He also served as Mayor (City of San Juan), Senator, and
Vice-President. He was found guilty of plunder charges and sentenced to reclusion perpetua
in 2007. After the former President GMA (who is now under hospital
arrest for election sabotage) granted Estrada executive clemency, he ran
in the 2010 presidential race and lost. Now, he’s back on center stage,
but he chose a smaller arena—the City of Manila (from President to
Mayor at that).
Vilma Santos (another Philippine cinema legend and wife of Senator
Ralph Recto) is hoping for another majority vote as Batangas Governor,
and rumor has it that the opposition backed out of the game. Congressman
and world boxing champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is back in the
political ring vying for the same post. And his wife, Jinkee is now
running as Vice-Governor of Sarangani.
With clan politics dominating the local and national scene and actors
and actresses delving deeper and deeper into politics, we can only
surmise that this is going to be a colorful, intriguing, and
controversial election year.
(Taken from PHILIPPINE DAY NEWS).
(Taken from PHILIPPINE DAY NEWS).
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
German Embassy Manila in The Philippines
THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY IN THE PHILIPPINES
DEUTSCHE BOTSCHAFT AUF DEN PHILIPPINEN
STREET ADDRESS:
25/F Tower II - RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue
1200 Makati City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Vw/RK 253.00/1 (RK-S1) – Stand: 18. Februar 2013 POSTAL ADDRESS:
P. O. Box 2190, Makati CPO
Makati City, 1261 Metro Manila
INTERNET: www.manila.diplo.de
Übersetzer/Translators TEL: + 63-(02) 702 3000
FAX: + 63-(02) 702 3015
Haftungsausschluss: Dieses Merkblatt dient ausschließlich zu Ihrer Information. Die Deutsche Botschaft in
Manila übernimmt ausdrücklich keine Verantwortung für die Integrität, die Arbeitsweise und die Qualität der
aufgeführten Übersetzer.
Bitte vereinbaren Sie zunächst telefonisch einen Termin / Please call first for an appointment
Klaus Döring Handy: 0063/(0) 927 496 3149
dt.⇔ eng.
Km. 4 Morning Side Heights Tel: 0063/(82) 227 1761 (residence)
ger.⇔ engl.
26, Everlasting Road Tel/Fax: 0063/(82) 227 1760 (office)
NCCC Village, Bajada, Davao City E-Mail: doringklaus@gmail.com
oder Website: www.germanexpatinthephilippines.
Postanschrift: blogspot.com
P.O. Box 80810 www.usep.edu.ph (→Academics→Delivery
Central Post Office, Davao City 8000 System→Institute of Languages)
Locker Translation Office Tel./Fax: 0063/(0)2/942 6330
dt.⇔ eng.
DDr. Markus Ekkehard Locker 0063/(0)2/546 6696
ger.⇔ engl.
B-3 L-10 Ateneoville Subd., Puerto Rico Street Handy: 0063/(0) 917 899 0237 (Globe)
along J.P. Rizal, Brgy. Nangka, 0063/(0) 922 354 5820 (Sun)
Marikina City 1808 0063/(0) 932 847 1526 (Sun)
(with offices in Quezon City and Makati City) 0063/(0) 919 651 4889 (Smart)
Öffentlich bestellter und vereidigter Urkunden- E-Mail: mlocker@ateneo.edu
übersetzer der englischen Sprache für Baden- edithalocker@hotmail.com
Württemberg ramonbmarcelo@yahoo.com
Jocelyn Mariano Tel.: 0063/(0)2/939 8350
dt.⇔ eng.
28 Sampaguita Street Handy: 0063/(0)917 791 0037
ger.⇔ engl.
DRJ Village, Sauyo, Novaliches E-Mail: jmariano234@yahoo.com
dt.⇔fil/tagalog
ger.⇔fil/tagalog
1123 Quezon City, Metro Manila
Orange Translations Inc. Tel. 0063/(0)2/ 836 0854
dt.⇔ eng.
37/F LKG Tower Handy: 0063/(0) 908 881 88 35
ger.⇔ engl.
All other major
6801 Ayala Avenue Fax: 0063/(0)2/ 799 3439
languages
1226 Makati City, Metro Manila E-Mail: phil@orangetranslations.com
Website www.orangetranslations.com
Dr. Franz Seidenschwarz Handy: 0063/(0)927 536 2044 (Globe)
dt.⇔ eng.
Deutsches Honorarkonsulat Cebu 0063(0)929 667 6386 (Smart)
ger.⇔ engl.
Ford's Inn Hotel Office: 0063(32) 344 79 80 105
A. S. Fortuna St., Banilad Tel./Fax: 0063(32) 236 1318
6000 Cebu City E-Mail: fseiden@yahoo.com
Dr. Beatriz K. Tschoepke Handy: 0063/(0)999 436 9104
dt.⇔ eng.
Pacific Place, Pearl Drive E-Mail: cibmworks@gmail.com
ger.⇔ engl.
Ortigas Center btschoepke@hotmail.com
dt.⇔fil/tagalog
ger.⇔fil/tagalog
Pasig City, Metro Manila btschoepke@yahoo.de
dtschoepke@hotmail.com
Dr. phil. Violet B. Valdez 0063/(0)2/ 995 8998
c/o Lucky Travel Corporation 0063/(0)917 303 1716
Ground Floor, Allied Bank Center idioms_translation@hotmail.com
6754 Ayala Avenue, Makati City vvaldez@ateneo.edu
oder
38 A Alta Vista Drive, Alta Vista Subd., Loyola
Heights, Quezon City, 1108 Metro Manila
DEUTSCHE BOTSCHAFT AUF DEN PHILIPPINEN
STREET ADDRESS:
25/F Tower II - RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue
1200 Makati City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Vw/RK 253.00/1 (RK-S1) – Stand: 18. Februar 2013 POSTAL ADDRESS:
P. O. Box 2190, Makati CPO
Makati City, 1261 Metro Manila
INTERNET: www.manila.diplo.de
Übersetzer/Translators TEL: + 63-(02) 702 3000
FAX: + 63-(02) 702 3015
Haftungsausschluss: Dieses Merkblatt dient ausschließlich zu Ihrer Information. Die Deutsche Botschaft in
Manila übernimmt ausdrücklich keine Verantwortung für die Integrität, die Arbeitsweise und die Qualität der
aufgeführten Übersetzer.
Bitte vereinbaren Sie zunächst telefonisch einen Termin / Please call first for an appointment
Klaus Döring Handy: 0063/(0) 927 496 3149
dt.⇔ eng.
Km. 4 Morning Side Heights Tel: 0063/(82) 227 1761 (residence)
ger.⇔ engl.
26, Everlasting Road Tel/Fax: 0063/(82) 227 1760 (office)
NCCC Village, Bajada, Davao City E-Mail: doringklaus@gmail.com
oder Website: www.germanexpatinthephilippines.
Postanschrift: blogspot.com
P.O. Box 80810 www.usep.edu.ph (→Academics→Delivery
Central Post Office, Davao City 8000 System→Institute of Languages)
Locker Translation Office Tel./Fax: 0063/(0)2/942 6330
dt.⇔ eng.
DDr. Markus Ekkehard Locker 0063/(0)2/546 6696
ger.⇔ engl.
B-3 L-10 Ateneoville Subd., Puerto Rico Street Handy: 0063/(0) 917 899 0237 (Globe)
along J.P. Rizal, Brgy. Nangka, 0063/(0) 922 354 5820 (Sun)
Marikina City 1808 0063/(0) 932 847 1526 (Sun)
(with offices in Quezon City and Makati City) 0063/(0) 919 651 4889 (Smart)
Öffentlich bestellter und vereidigter Urkunden- E-Mail: mlocker@ateneo.edu
übersetzer der englischen Sprache für Baden- edithalocker@hotmail.com
Württemberg ramonbmarcelo@yahoo.com
Jocelyn Mariano Tel.: 0063/(0)2/939 8350
dt.⇔ eng.
28 Sampaguita Street Handy: 0063/(0)917 791 0037
ger.⇔ engl.
DRJ Village, Sauyo, Novaliches E-Mail: jmariano234@yahoo.com
dt.⇔fil/tagalog
ger.⇔fil/tagalog
1123 Quezon City, Metro Manila
Orange Translations Inc. Tel. 0063/(0)2/ 836 0854
dt.⇔ eng.
37/F LKG Tower Handy: 0063/(0) 908 881 88 35
ger.⇔ engl.
All other major
6801 Ayala Avenue Fax: 0063/(0)2/ 799 3439
languages
1226 Makati City, Metro Manila E-Mail: phil@orangetranslations.com
Website www.orangetranslations.com
Dr. Franz Seidenschwarz Handy: 0063/(0)927 536 2044 (Globe)
dt.⇔ eng.
Deutsches Honorarkonsulat Cebu 0063(0)929 667 6386 (Smart)
ger.⇔ engl.
Ford's Inn Hotel Office: 0063(32) 344 79 80 105
A. S. Fortuna St., Banilad Tel./Fax: 0063(32) 236 1318
6000 Cebu City E-Mail: fseiden@yahoo.com
Dr. Beatriz K. Tschoepke Handy: 0063/(0)999 436 9104
dt.⇔ eng.
Pacific Place, Pearl Drive E-Mail: cibmworks@gmail.com
ger.⇔ engl.
Ortigas Center btschoepke@hotmail.com
dt.⇔fil/tagalog
ger.⇔fil/tagalog
Pasig City, Metro Manila btschoepke@yahoo.de
dtschoepke@hotmail.com
Dr. phil. Violet B. Valdez 0063/(0)2/ 995 8998
c/o Lucky Travel Corporation 0063/(0)917 303 1716
Ground Floor, Allied Bank Center idioms_translation@hotmail.com
6754 Ayala Avenue, Makati City vvaldez@ateneo.edu
oder
38 A Alta Vista Drive, Alta Vista Subd., Loyola
Heights, Quezon City, 1108 Metro Manila
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Going for the Gold - Philippine Madrigal Singers in Davao City
TT
Organized by National Artist professor Andrea O. Veneracion on 1963, the University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers is composed of students, faculty and alumni from the different colleges of UP. Demonstration of their notable musical competence, they were the first choir in the world to win the European Grand Prix for choral singing twice in 1997 and 2007.
This year, the Philippine Madrigal Singers have been already invited to perform during the American Choral Direcors Association, National convention in Dallas and during the America Cantat in Bogota/Columbia. All these coincide with the group's celebration of its 50th year.
I was able to watch and listen the choirs performance already sometime in the 1980s during its world tour while staying in Berlin.
On March 5, the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers are to set to enthrall Davao with their impeccable musicality. With choirmaster Mark Anthony Carpio, the group is expected to perform sacred songs. the audience will be also captivated with powerful classics, i.e. from Rossini and others.
The second half of the concert will be an aode to Philippine culture with folk songs and others.
Dare not miss this very rare chance to be in audience with music royalty. Catch the Madrigal singers on March 5 at 6 pm at the SM Lanang Premier Atrium in Davao City. For inquiries please call 082 - 285 0943.
Music Royalty - Philippine Madrigal Singers in Davao City soon
Catch them on March 5 at 6 pm at the SM Lanang Premier Atrium. Admission is free, but you are required to buy a eco-friendly shopping bag for 140 Pesos per ticket.
More details are following here soon...
More details are following here soon...
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Araw Ng Davao - Part II
Kristine A. Estoque, Mutya ng Davao 2013 (Best in Talent) and Talent Showcase (February 20, 2013).
Photos (with friendly permission) from the City Information Office Davao City.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Peace in Mindanao? CONTRAST
Re-published Editorial from Mindanao Daily Mirror from February 12, 2013 with friendly permission of the the publisher Marietta Siongco.
The contrast could not have been starker. President Benigno Aquino's visit to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) stronghold of Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat was marked by festivities, sports events, a fluvial parade, and plenty of optimism for a future that, while still tentative, no longer looks impossible bleak.
Some 13 years ago, then-President Joseph Estrada went to the same place - then called Camp Abubakar - in a scene of destruction and waste as the military overran it in pursuance of his "all-out-war" on the MILF. The only festivities that were done by soldiers who feasted on lechon and beer -both forbidden under Islam- brought in by Estrada himself. The desecration was never forgottten and set back the peace initiatives to almost unsalvaeable levels.
The contrast between the two leaders' handling of the MILF can be jarring, and both have their share of supporters and critics. Even now, as President Aquino makes inroads to peace by visiting Camp Darapanan, some sectors are saying he is making the wrong move, and that sooner or later conflict will once again erupt in Mindanao. But it is to his credit that the President has apparently taken things personally in the island: he is thus far the only president to have visited an MILF stronghold in peace. The message he is trying to convince has obviously reached his audience: peace is not just a matter of taking to the negotiating table but also in actually meeting each other, shaking hands, even feasting and playing together.
Time will tell if all this work, but at least for now, there is a reason to be optimistic. For the first time, peace in Mindanao is not an abstract concept discussed in Metro Manila or Malaysia but an actual event, in one which Mindanaoans themselves are participants.
Brownouts to Persist in Mindanao till 2016?
CAGAYAN DE ORO
CITY—Electricity consumers in Mindanao would have to endure continued
power outages until 2016, when the construction of new coal-fired power
plants goes full steam, it was learned over the weekend.
The energy committee
of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) reached this
conclusion last week after reviewing the government’s responses to
resolutions on tackling issues in the power and fuel sector that were
submitted to President Aquino at the conclusion of the 2012 Philippine
Business Conference.
Mindanao, except the cities of Davao and Cagayan de Oro, endures daily power shortages that result in brownouts.
Robert Calilim,
chairman of the PCCI’s sub-committee on power, told representatives of
the power sector in Mindanao, as well as some of the country’s biggest
power companies, that a solution could be adopted if the government
activates the hydroelectric generators in the area during peak hours.
In his presentation,
Calilim, also a senior executive of the power-generation subsidiary of
San Miguel Corp., boldly proposed making coal-fired geothermal and
diesel plants the baseload electricity generators.
He said hydropower plants along the Agus and Polangi rivers in Bukidnon province should only be used during peak hours.
Calilim explained that
the peak-hour requirements of Mindanao totals only 1,279 megawatts,
much lower than the generating capacity of power-generating plants in
the area that was initially computed at over 1,600 megawatts.
“The region has excess capacity of 400 megawatts. There should be no shortage there,” he said.
This approach to the
brownout problem has not been taken, however, because of an existing
policy that requires using the hydropower plants as baseload generators.
This means the electricity these produce will be used first.
According to Calilim,
this policy continues to be observed because the electricity produced by
the dams is much cheaper than other energy sources.
A trade-off will be
necessary, and consumers will have to pay about P1 more per
kilowatt-hour with the diesel plants, including power barges deployed
there once the power crisis starts to worsen.
Calilim assured,
though, the sacrifice would be temporary. Once coal-fired plants are
connected to the grid, these will replace diesel plants as baseload
sources of power.
13,404 Migratory Birds Counted
A total numberof
13,404 migratory birds were recently counted by the three teams of the
Protected Areas and Wildlife Division (PAWD) of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources-XI (DENR-XI).
The 7-day bird watching/bird counting
activity was done in Malalag Bay, Davao del Sur; Carmen, Davao del Norte
and Banaybanay, Davao Oriental in line with the Annual Asian Waterfowl
Census (AWC) for migratory birds.
There were 3,738 birds found in Malalag,
Davao del Sur, 3,914 birds in La Paz, Carmen, Davao del Norte and 5,752
birds in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.
These municipalities are the only
three identified temporary habitats of migratory birds in the month of
January after crossing the continents.
DENR-XI
Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus E. Fragada said that bird
watching/bird counting activity aims to obtain information on the
population of migratory birds at wetlands in the region as well as to
monitor on an annual basis the status and condition of wetlands. This
year, most of the migratory birds that were counted are Black-winged
Stilt, Little Egret, Common Tern and Whiskered Tern among others.
Last year, a total number of 7,836
migratory birds were counted on the same areas and these were composed
of species like Godwit, Sand Plover, Common Greenshank and Black-winged
Stilt to name a few.
AWC is an annual event which takes place
during the second and third weeks of January. The census was initiated
in 1987 in the Indian subcontinent and has grown rapidly to cover over
32 countries.
According to the National Wetlands
Program, many species of water birds fly in droves during winter to go to
warmer and more hospitable tropics. After winter following weeks of
hoping from one country to another, waterbirds go back the same way
feeding on marine species of animals and plants found along the shores.
(DENR-XI PR)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES REGION XI FOR PROVIDING ME WITH YOUR PRESS RELEASE.
Toni Gonzaga to Host The Voice of the Philippines
Ultimate Multimedia Star Toni Gonzaga is officially the host of "The Voice of the Philippines", the country's edition of the worldwide hit singing competition. Toni shared to give viewers a glimpse on what to expect on her new show: "It's a singing competition with a different concept. We will showcase the best singers in the Philippines, you have never seen before."
The Voice is a unique singing competition where auditions are based solely on vocal ability. In the first stage called the "blind auditions", all four coaches must listen to the artist without facing him or her and must their buttons if they want the artist to be part of the team they will mentor.
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