Tag: Metro Manila

E.Samar hit by #Hagupit first, winds start to batter coastal areas as residents flee

December 6, 2014December 6, 2014 benign0 14 Comments

Dolores, Eastern Samar has been identified as the unlucky town where Super Typhoon Hagupit will first touch the Philippines. According to current forecasts, Hagupit will be packing winds of 180-200 kph near the centre with gusts of up to 220 kph. As of 11 a.m. Philippine time, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration…

Civics, Environment, Government

Latest forecasts put Typhoon #Hagupit (Ruby) on a course to hit Metro Manila over the weekend

December 5, 2014 benign0 32 Comments

A “very dangerous situation” is now “evolving” in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Hagupit (Tropical Cyclone 22W locally code-named “Ruby”) approaches the Philippines threatening to impact at least 30 million people according to the latest AccuWeather.com report filed about 0100H 05 Dec 2014 Philippine time… Hagupit rapidly strengthened into a super typhoon on Wednesday afternoon…

Civics, Environment, Government

Life on the tracks of Filipino rail taxi ‘driver’ featured in Australian TV feature!

November 6, 2014 benign0 5 Comments

Amidst the horrors of Metro Manila’s infamous perma-traffic can be found interesting stories of how ordinary Filipinos cope with the mess left by decades of administrative neglect. Australia’s SBS world documentary program Dateline featured the heartwarming story of Genaro Daclison, a Filipino father of two who made his living pushing a rail trolley on foot…

Civics, Development, Glitz and Glamour

Sorry, Joe. No more boom-boom in Manila and Olongapo City

October 29, 2014November 22, 2022 benign0 25 Comments

If I were a businessman of any sort in the Philippines, I’d be fuming. In most NORMAL countries, the arrival of shiploads of young, cashed-up, and physically vigorous American military personnel would be greeted with joy and eyes flashing with $$ signs. Not in the Philippines though. The other day, the United States aircraft carrier…

Crime, Culture, Development, Economy, Government, Lifestyle, Politics, Society

The Canadians finally got it right: Manila IS a dump!

October 10, 2014October 10, 2014 benign0 17 Comments

Literally! No really. As of this writing there are reportedly 50 container vans containing toxic waste imported from Canada sitting on a yard at the Manila International Container Terminal. Somebody in Canada must have finally worked it out in their head. Manila is the place to dump stuff. Metro Manilans have been doing it for…

Development, Economy, Environment, Lifestyle

‘Disaster preparedness’ has become an oxymoron in the #Philippines

October 8, 2014December 21, 2021 benign0 14 Comments

It has been becoming increasingly apparent that “natural” disasters are now a routine occurrence all over the Philippines. The idea that Filipinos ought to be more “prepared” for such calamities — whilst something one would think ought to have been an obvious national priority — is only now resonating across the broader public. To the…

Civics, Development, Government, Politics, Society

Borderline criminal: Contribution of Manila’s public buses to traffic congestion

October 3, 2014 benign0 20 Comments

Traffic flow on Metro Manila’s main arteries is routinely being jammed by public utility buses loading and unloading indiscriminately in the middle of the road. This is one of the obvious problems plaguing the country that Filipinos are seemingly too stupid to do anything about. We tolerate public utility buses loading and unloading indiscriminately in…

Crime, Development, Society

Wretched Philippine-style poverty is actually quite normal

September 23, 2014November 5, 2022 benign0 28 Comments

It doesn’t take much to remind Filipinos of their poverty. The problem, however, is that these reminders almost always have to come from external entities. And within this month alone we enjoyed the privilege of two stark reminders, Typhoon Mario and that Aegis Global viral video that the Philippine government is now desperately trying to…

Civics, Crime, Culture, Development, Government, Lifestyle, Society