The good thing after the typhoon is the new life! The Filipinos are back into business and it seems nothing happened after the devastation of the typhoon Ondoy. Despite of calamities the people are used to it and can still wear a smile.

I love this country, despite of of many negatives heard about Philippines the Filipinos in general have only one common wealth--the happiness that cannot be bought by money.

I had an opportunity to work in a well-developed foreign country but despite of big salary and incentives that I earned I decided to come back to where I born and raised. The true happiness cannot be just money only. I was surprised that when my former non-Filipino colleague asked me why Filipinos in general are so happy. Actually I cannot explain why we live a happy life despite of many calamities and low salaried compared to other countries. In my mind I could say that we are born to stand and face challenges in life! Living in Philippines has many challenges and very exciting! Even the worst global crisis it is easy to live in Philippines especially in provinces!

I come back here in Philippines with small business of my own. It is a good start for a new endeavor. In other countries you need more bucks to put up a business unlike here, after just more than a year of saving while I was working as an engineer in a foreign land I now manage my own business. The cost of living is very low here and getting your own employees is not a problem. The good thing about this country is that the people here can speak and understand English so if you are a foreigner or new in Philippines and you are not happy with your life despite of your countless wealth why not give a try to invest, and stay here for the rest of your life?

Previously I was an engineer but now I am in a food business, I have started my food cart business and main commodity distribution just recently. Now, I am happy despite of the calamity that hit us.

As what I have said, cost of living here is too low, you can survive even if you don’t have money at all in some provinces in the country. Would you believe that you can survive here even if you just have a daily US$ 2 allowance?

Maybe you wonder that there are lots of problems, and other bad news about this country? Those were simply because the media used to report bad news. In some countries they control the media.

One of the provinces where I was born and raised. I love nature, life here is so simple. You don't need money to be happy.

A shot of a simple house in Zambales, one of the provinces in Philippines.

Another house in the province near the national highway.

Rice field in Philippines.

Bangka (Canoe) is one of the fishing boats being used by the small time fishermen. They sell directly to the market. If you live in the province which just nearby the seashore you will enjoy fresh fish for your lunch or dinner!

An entrance going into the beach resort.

My small piggery in our province.


Should you have inquiries please do not hesitate to send an email @ livinginphils@yahoo.com

Over the news you probably hear about the condition  of Filipinos staying in Metro Manila especially those cities and municipalities of Markina, Cainta, Muntinlupa, Taytay, Manila, and Caloocan. One of the most devastated cities is Marikina. 

After the typhoon below are the images.

                                                       

The Provident Villages in Marikina City where have been reported all over the news that these villages are the most devastated area in Marikina. The people here after the typhoon are so busy. The commuters have chosen to walk going to their homes and leave the stuck public transportations.

After the hard rainfall made by the typhoon and the subsiding areas like in Concepcion Marikina City, the people around the areas were on jitter finding for foods for their families. I have seen long queues in the drugstore and food stalls buying some medicines for their loved ones.

 

Provident Villages entrance where lots of residents here have been drowned to death. The estimated fatalities after 4 days of rescue mission have reached to 200 and still counting.

This is the road going to Provident Villages. The ambulance at the left and behind is the ABS-CBN News outside broadcasting (OB) van.

The maroon car is full of dirt because of the sudden flood that reached over 15 feet. The Philippines camaraderie is now again being tested during and after the typhoon. In this picture the volunteers are giving relief goods for a long queue.

Lots of donations in kind and in cash are being given thru the NDCC (National Disaster Coordinating Council) and non-governmental organizations that help those families affected with the calamity.

                                                         

OB Van of ABS-CBN Network News for TV Patrol program also in Provident Village.

This is not an old car but it looks like a 1970’s model because of the flood with mud that penetrated inside of this car.

This is a boxed-type damaged vehicle that caused by the typhoon.

Another damaged vehicle.

  Another view of the red vehicle.

This is a riverside. You can see the post here with some dirt attached to it and the two (2) ladies here. Imagine how deep was the flood in the river?

The government is now planning on how to solve the problem in Metro Manila so that in the future this will not happen again. It is now the right time to set and execute the Disaster Risk Management Plan (DRMP) for Metro Manila. 

Filipinos are helping each other regardless of social status in life. Poor, rich, celebrities and ordinary citizens are both affected with the typhoon.   Despite of devastation made by natural calamity the life must go on. I myself had been affected by the said typhoon, I have lost some of my valuables but I am still thankful that this tragedy has brought the attention of the individuals and especially the Philippine government for the plans to be executed that would be considered as solution to this problem. I believe in few years time there will be a permanent solution to ensure the safety of the Filipinos living in Metro Manila. We are still lucky that it has not claimed many lives as expected.

The climate change and global warming can be considered as factors that contributed to a very high flood aside from hard rainfall made by typhoon Ondoy ( Ketsana, international name)

I am not looking at the negative impact made by the calamity, the Philippines is still blessed despite of the tragedy because this will serve as a wake-up call for the Filipinos to be prepared in the future calamities.


-- Reported by, a resident in Concepcion, Marikina City

The country is now in official holiday to give respect to the Muslim brothers as they ended the Ramadan period. Many Filipino-Muslims all over the nation have been successfully accomplished the yearly obligation not just in the Southern Philippines but as well in the central and northern part of the country.

Way back ten years ago, Metro Manila had only less Filipino-Muslim population but nowadays even in the Philippine's capital we can see many of them here. What I am very proud of is regardless of religion we respect one another unlike many years back. As a Christian-dominant country not just in the South-East Asia but the entire Asia we still give respect to what our Muslim brothers being practiced.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my full respect to our Muslim brothers and as well their great contributions for the betterment of the country especially for the economy and stability of our beloved motherland. I salute them because I have noticed that there are lots of Filipino-Muslim businessmen which they really help the economy of the country to grow.

September 21, 1972, exactly 37 years ago when the late former president Ferdinand Marcos had declared Martial Law as the power vested in our constitution that time that the president of the nation has the right to declare Martial Law when times of political and government destabilization made by anti-government organizations and the like.Ferdinand Marcos was strict and he allowed the nation under military rule. Lots of anti-government personalities, and other ordinary individuals had been captured and allegedly put to death without a trace of existence. Curfew was being implemented and it was not allowed to have gatherings or meetings.

Martial Law under Marcos should be acknowledged because it was the only way to save the government from the oppositions that used violence. I feel bad that the new generations are being taught in Philippine History subject that Ferdinand Marcos decision and Marcos himself was a bad leader. I respect and honor the former president for all his achievements during his time.

Today, September 21, 2009 is nation's holiday not because in commemoration of martial law but to give honor to the end of Ramadan. It is just coincidence that the end of Ramadan falls on this day.

An armed forces full honor departure ceremony for Philippine President Ferdinard E. Marcos takes place with Secretary of State, George Shultz, in attendence.-- Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ferdinand_Marcos.JPEG

Is it rightful for a son of the late former president Corazon Aquino and late former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino to run for president? Becoming a president is not a joke. Definitely he has the right to run in public office. This would be a great opportunity for him that his family is well known in the country.

On the other hand, I give my deep admiration to Senator Mar Roxas. He sacrificed his ambition to run for president although he is more popular than Noynoy Aquino.There are lots of infomercials that I have heard over the television, radios and other forms of media about Mar Roxas that he was like informing the masses about his ambition in the 2010 Philippine Election.

Way back to Noynoy, is he ready to face the challenge to become like his mother as a president of the nation? Is he ready to take all the criticisms once he got his fortune to reside in Malacanang Palace? Who is Noynoy Aquino as a senator, and other positions that he took previously? We need to know those people such as politicians, businessmen who support Noynoy. Probably he is not corrupt but we do not know about his supporters once they will be given the privilege to have authority under his power.

I am not against with Noynoy but as a concerned and responsible citizen I need to know as well as the rest of the Filipinos and others who love this country the real Noynoy Aquino.

If we are about to vote by next year we should check the candidates' track records and for Noynoy in particular we need not to consider only because he was a son of the late Corazon Aquino and Benigno Aquino Jr.

The future of our children and the next generations will rely on our judgment Let us take the big step by voting seriously for the betterment of the country to achieve the real democracy, justice, and progress.

Mar Roxas has confirmed that he will not run for the 2010 presidential election. I salute Senator Roxas for his courage to unite his political party by not running for the highest position in the country. He chose to junk his personal ambition and gave way to Senator Noynoy Aquino.

Most Filipinos knew that he is the grandson of the former first president of the Independent Republic Manuel Roxas. By letting go his ambition I might consider Mar Roxas in the future if he will run for the presidential post. It is a huge sacrifice for him since it might be the end of his peak of career but I have seen him with good will.He has great confidence and I knew that someday he will run for the highest position in the nation. Politics can never be out of the bloodstream of Mar since his name carries the name of his grandfather. Even those children in the elementary education knew Manuel Roxas as one of the political icons in the country. It is like a brand name that can never be run out of customers.

It was a funny thing that it reminds me with his political ad which can be remembered by a man and child who was saying, "Ikaw lang ang nakinig sa amin" (You are the only one who listened to us) and "Hindi niya tayo pababayaan" (He will not take us for granted) respectively.Let us find out next if by letting go his ambition the question now is can Noynoy will win the election in 2010 even if he will get full support from Mar Roxas? Is Noynoy is really worth dying for?

Let us find out. To all my countrymen wherever you are, please vote intelligently. Do not just vote because of popularity. We need to check the track records and those what they had have supported during their terms as senator, congressman, or any other previous post in the government. Vote wisely and the most important thing to do is pray for the Philippines!

Influenza A(H1N1) Virus has claimed the life of 28 people in the Philippines so far according to the health official under Department of Health. After more than 40 years the new pandemic which had been originated in Brazil had claimed many lives globally. Since this disease is known as air borne the best thing to do in preventing this is by proper hygiene and sanitation. Always keep a healthy lifestyle and do not go to public places as much as possible to avoid transmission of the virus.

In Philippines, although we have over 100 million in population the spread of A (H1N1) is just minimal compare to other countries if you will base on the ratio with respect to its population. Most Filipinos (Pinoys) were not really alarmed since there were confirmed reports that mostly infected individuals had recovered from the so called dreaded disease. Perhaps it really helps in keeping good hygiene for most of the locals in the country. Since the environment temperature here in the Philippines can be considered hot, the Pinoys used to take a bath 1-2 times a day. Another factor that could probably keep the virus from spreading is the geographical location of Philippines unlike other countries that have lost many lives and lots of infected victims still under medication.

Any crises that Philippines may encounter even in terms of diseases, calamities, economic meltdown most of locals are not really affected. As for many Filipinos in times of difficulties or maybe in the event of bad economic situation they can still survive and live simple life. Provinces in Philippines are great in terms of fresh air, not really so crowded, can live simple life with very low cost of living. Unlike other countries if they lose jobs and unable to find good income they might end up in very bad mental and financial stress that could lead into suicide which I have heard some reports in other countries allegedly like in Singapore, and Japan.

In my next article I will write about the good life in Philippines! I will tell why there are lots of foreigners who enjoyed and chose to live here permanently.

Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

Most Filipinos knew that Noynoy is the son of the late former senator Ninoy Aquino, Jr. and the late former president Cory Aquino. He is actually the only son and never been married. Their political party could be divided into two since Noynoy got lots of supporters after the death of his mother. Before, the Liberal Party was looking at to Senator Mar Roxas but now there are rumors that they want to make Noynoy in the top position in the Philippines. Can he stand out and put a name by his own?

It would be better to peel off all those presidential candidates for the 2010.The Filipinos cannot wait to see the changes in the election in the Philippines by having the election in the computerization era. I cannot make any further comment to Noynoy since he just came out from the list of senators.

Nonoy's platform is to increase the transparency and accountability in public institutions.

About Noynoy
1998 to 2007 : He served in the House of Representatives as Congressman of the
2nd District of Tarlac.
2004 : Stripped from being a Deputy House Speaker for Luzon.
He joined leaders of the Liberal Party (LP)

Political Status : Opposition
He was calling for the resignation of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at
the height of one of the scandals with Mrs. President during the previous election.

For those Filipinos out there I am not campaigning neither make any bad judgment with Noynoy. Please value your vote on this coming election by checking the presidential candidates' profile especially their achievements.

Good luck and exercise the right to vote! The deadline for the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) registration is on October 2009. Do not wait for the extension of the registration to avoid any inconveniences.