ALLEN MEINEN LESERINNEN UND LESERN EIN GESEGNETES FROHES OSTERFEST!
FOR ALL MY DEAR READERS:
I WISH YOU A VERY BLESSED HAPPY EASTER!
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, April 18, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
Good Bye World? Good Bye Philippines?
A UN panel believes the world could meet a maximum target for global
warming if it significantly cuts annual emissions by 2050. According to a
report, however, few nations are doing enough to meet the stated goal.
Annual emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases must drop 40-70
percent by 2050 to keep the global temperature rise below the 2-degree
Celsius (3.6-degree F), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) announced in a report released last Sunday.
So far, the opposite has happened: On average global emissions rose by 1
billion tons a year between 2000 and 2010, outpacing growth in previous
decades to reach "unprecedented levels" despite some efforts to contain
them, the IPCC announced.
"There is a clear message from science," IPCC co-chair Ottmar Edenhofer
said. "To avoid dangerous interference with the climate system, we need
to move away from business as usual."
According to scientists, failure to meet the 2-degree target could lead
to further droughts, rising seas and heat waves. The IPCC adopted its
33-page summary at a weeklong session in Berlin to help guide the nearly
200 governments negotiating a new climate agreement for next year.
Top three emitters
Counting all emissions since the 18th century, the United States remains
the top carbon polluter. However, China's current emissions run much
greater than those of the US.
Along with China and the US, the EU as a bloc is in the world's
top-three emitters. About half of the world's combined emissions since
1750 have come in the past 40 years.
The IPCC will release a larger scientific report this week. A report last month
warned that flooding, droughts and other climate impacts could have
devastating effects on economies, agriculture and human health,
particularly in developing countries.
Global temperatures have risen about 0.8 Celsius since record-keeping
started in 1850. The IPCC found that keeping warming below 2 C by the
year 2100 will require a shift from oil and coal. That would mean a
near-quadrupling of energy from zero- or low-carbon sources such as
solar and wind power.
"The only safe path forward is to arrive at a carbon neutral world in the second half of this century," Figueres said.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Dead Roads
Re-published Editorial MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR dated April 3, 2014 with friendly permission of Publisher Marietta Siongco
"Acting Mayor Paolo Duterte has pointed out one of the problems Davao City has that has been making traffic congestion a growing problem. There are some roads, he said, that have become unused and unusable because a number of people have put up permanent structures on them, including homes and businesses. These settlers, he said, have taken over public roads that could otherwise have been used for what they were built for: access of vehicles. Instead, the roads - built with taxpayers' money - have become settlements and even parking lots, benefitting only a few. And in the case of these roads, many of those who have settler are not the stereotypical urban poor who are forced to squat out of poverty but those who have the means to put up real houses. Some are rich enough to rent out the structures they build.
The obvious response should be demolish these structures for being patently illegal. They are built on public land that everyone should enjoy but are beeing kept from the people by a few who are not even in dire need. This, in fact, ist what the acting mayor said he would do, and in this, we agree. Traffic congestion is indeed a growing problem in Davao City, and any relief, no matter how small is welcome. Paolo spoke of at least two areas in downtown Davao, but we are sure there are many other roads that need to be cleared of illegal settlers.
The problem, of course, is that the settlers will not want to move and will fight for their supposed right to stay in these areas. This is where the political will of the city government will be tested. Unlike urban poor informal settlers who often have no choice on where they live and must, by law, be afforded every form of assistance so they can move to their own land, the settlers in question here can well afford to live elsewhere. The government must reclaim these "dead" roads and keep private individuals from keeping public lands to themselves."
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Foreigners' Questions about The Philippines
I am living permanently in the Philippines since January 1999. Meanwhile I got great opportunities: writing for several print papers and hosting radio shows in the Philippines, which are also to be recognized via live stream.
Meanwhile I receive a lot mails daily - mostly from concerned foreigners, who plan to put a business here or to get married to Filipina/Filipino national. Or, they are in need to get help and professional assistance in dealing with several Philippine authorities.
I always like people asking a lot of questions before moving to the Philippines for good. I appreciate that. Anyway, some questions are still hurting me, although I am not a Filipino. Sometimes, I really don't know whether I should laugh or cry.
A doctor from a Western country sent me an email (already many years ago, but it's really a fantasic example!), asking if Filipinos are wearing shoes, because he only and always saw them in slippers. NO COMMENT.
A businessman asked why Filipinos try to avoid to speak (and/or learn) the Spanish language.I suggested to him, to research Philippine History.
Someone mailed and asked, if the Philippines are really such poor, and if we would have hunger here?
Another doctor planned to open up a clinic in the "capital of the Philippines", asking me, if I would enjoy living and working in this capital "Jakarta". I really thought, he was kidding. When I mailed him, that Jakarta is not the capital of the Philippines,he stopped mailing me.
Sometimes, I am wondering myself, why foreigners don't know more about this beautiful country - especially if they are planning to move here for good.
"Do you have tomatoes there?" - An email - just a couple of days ago... .
Maybe those million Philippine Oversea Workers could help to establish a better image of the Philippines. Before Philippine Star columnist Jessica Zafra stated: "It's an entire country outside our national borders. All those Filipinos have friends, former classmates, colleagues and family members living abroad!"
Disputed South China Sea Shoal
SECOND THOMAS SHOAL –
A
Philippine government ship has slipped past a Chinese coast guard
blockade and brought food and fresh troops to a marooned navy ship used
as a base by Filipino troops to bolster the country's territorial claims
in the disputed South China Sea
The incident
Saturday was witnessed by journalists who were invited by the
Philippines military to accompany the resupply mission.
Around
one hour away from Second Thomas Shoal, a Chinese coast guard ship
twice crossed the bow of the smaller Philippine vessel in an attempt to
stop it from proceeding. It radioed the Filipinos, telling them to stop
entering Chinese territory.
But the Filipino captain maneuvered to shallow waters where the Chinese ship couldn't sail to reach the marooned vessel.
Early this month, Chinese vessels blocked a resupply mission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)