Your brother’s body is shipped back home from the foreign land where he died.  You and your family have made all of the arrangements for a nice funeral and you are hoping to get over it and hopefully get back to a normal life as time passes.  After the body is repatriated, though, you and the family open the coffin and the body inside is not your brother after all.

How would you react?  Would you rejoice, thanking God that perhaps your brother did not die after all?  Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity when he was reported dead.  Certainly, the person in the coffin was not him, so you have a glimmer of hope.  You have a little glimmer of happiness and joy in your heart when you realize that your brother is not the one in that casket, after all.

My friends, it is rare that I write about the same general topic twice in a single week, but today I felt that it was justified to do so, given some new information that just came to light.

The situation described above played out in real life three times Wednesday in Hong Kong.  Remember those Chinese Tourists who were killed after being taken Hostage in a bus in Manila last week?  I wrote about the incident on Monday in my article, The Manila Massacre.  You see, when the bodies of the dead tourists were sent back to Hong Kong, three of the caskets were mislabeled.  Three of the families received bodies of somebody other than their loved one!  Can you imagine toiling with a grieving family like this?

Grieving relatives in Hong Kong - But are they grieving for the right body?

Back in the Philippines, who is minding the store?  Has the whole country gone on vacation and just left things to operate on autopilot?  It would seem so.  Stupidity.  That’s what it is.  It’s stupidity, ineptness and a general “I don’t give a crap” attitude that allowed this to happen.  There can be no other excuse.  It is shameful for the Philippines.  I love the Filipino people, and the country, but there is no excuse for this.

The country was already hanging their head in shame when the botched rescue attempt happened last week and 9 people were killed.  But, to send the wrong bodies to some of the families is a slap in the face to the loved ones left behind.  There is no excuse for it.  I certainly would not expect the President to personally check every casket to ensure that they were correctly marked, but somebody under the authority of the President should have been following up to make sure that everything went as smoothly as possible to ease the burden on the grieving families in Hong Kong.  I can think of no botch up that could have been worse than what happened.

Somebody did a poor job when labeling those boxes!

Frankly, a lot of what happens in the Philippines happens because a lot of the people just don’t care much.  Every day I see attitudes of people that don’t really care if they do their job correctly or not.  You go in office buildings and look for help, and you have 30 or 40 employees sitting around doing their makeup and such while dozens of people are waiting in line to get their business taken care of.  It is this kind of “I don’t care” attitude that caused this foul up to occur with these victims of the Manila Massacre.  Does anybody care?  I suspect that the number who actually care is quite small, and I’m ashamed to say that.  Like I say, I love the Philippines, but sometimes you have to stand up for what is right, and that time is now for me.

Certainly there are Filipinos who take pride in doing a job right.  I don’t think that could be said for the people involved in repatriating these bodies back to Hong Kong, though.  The simplest of work could have ensured a more peaceful time for the relatives of the victims.  For nearly 2 weeks we have heard a lot of Government people here saying that they are so sorry for the incident and such.  But, to let this happen is shameful.  Not much else I can say about that.

Well, we kind of got lost at first because the address didn’t seem correct. In our neighborhood, all of our street names are gem stones. She told me that the house that the address given to her was in this area. I told her its not because by just the name alone its not a gem stone name. This was also her first time seeing the house. The address was given to her by a friend. We just kept on looking and went to a lot of street and finally found it. It was really on the other side of Marfori. A few blocks from our house.

Mae immediately rang the bell and some lady came out from the house. Mae then asked for Miss Jenny I think (can’t remember her name). The lady said that it was her. So Mae told her that the best friend of the owner told Mae to find a renter for the house, and that the owner wanted it rented as soon as possible.

Just by observing the exchange of Mae and the lady I knew it was not looking good. Jenny immediately asked Mae who was sending us there and did we know that she’s the sister of the owner? Mae told her that “I was told that its just the caretaker were here and that the mom and the sister comes here sometimes.” Jenny immediately told us that she would not let us in and had not been informed by her sister. So Mae then called up her contact and told her that the house is not for rent right now. Mae’s friend talked to Jenny and then Jenny let us in to see the house.

While having the tour Jenny was fuming and saying how dare her sister have this house rented. That she didn’t have the courtesy to tell her. Mae told Jenny “we came here because I was told that this house is for rent. I didn’t know about it unless somebody told me. That’s the only reason why we are here.” Jenny understands what Mae meant, we just came there because it was told to Mae that its for rent.

It's time to start the Family Feud!

Jenny told us that she (Jenny) owned the land with a small house before. She said that since her sister went to Ireland to  work, the sister told her that she would build a house for Jenny and their mom. So Jenny let her sister tear down the old house to put this nice 2 story house.  Jenny told us that her sister said that Jenny and her mom can stay there for as long as they want. When Jenny and her sister made the agreement, the sister of Jenny was single at that time. The problem now was that the sister that owned the house that worked in Ireland got married like over a year ago to a Filipino guy. She petitioned the guy to come and live with her to Ireland. I think Jenny mentioned he just went to Ireland like 2 months or so ago.

Fists up, it's fight time!

While touring the house Jenny wanted Mae to call Mae’s contact. So Jenny talked to the Mae’s contact, the lady told Jenny the people’s name that wanted the house rented. It turned out really that the people that wanted the house rented were the husband and the mother-in-law of the sister of Jenny. As soon as Jenny found out who was behind it Jenny was really mad and told us that she never would move out on the house. Mae asked Jenny who really owned the house and lot? Jenny said that she owned the lot and the sister built the house. But in the title is just in her sister’s name. I told Jenny “you and your sister had to talk about it. You will end up fighting later just over this house. It’s not worth it.”

Jenny said that their mom is not in good health right now. I really had a feeling that the sisters will end up fighting over the house. I’m pretty sure the husband wants the family of his wife moved out on that house. I think he wants his mom taking over the place. I told Jenny right there I am not  interested on the house and I will never recommend to anyone I know. It’s just not worth the hassle.

Gosh, I don’t know those people but its a heartache seeing them torn apart by just a house and lot. I really hope that they can resolve their problem before it gets bigger. I will ask my agent for more updates on that. I hope its a better one. Let you guys know.

Cheers!

Readers who’ve kept up with my articles know that I’m a CPA and I love my work.  Helping others do “battle against the beast” is challenging but enjoyable.

Around this time last year, I jotted down a few hundred words regarding what I believe to be an important mid-year review of estimated taxes and periodic payment of those taxes.  If you wish, dear readers, you can review that article here.

Everything in that article remains true today – that in itself is something quite remarkable!  When it comes to adventures in Tax-land, an up-to-date, valid map, showing the correct route, is difficult to find.

I urge all U.S. taxpayers to take a peek at the article.  Since almost all readers of this fine e-zine are above average, I’m sure that peek will serve to reinforce you earlier, wise decisions and give you reason to pat yourself on your back.

UPCOMING CHANGES

As I mentioned, the world of taxes is one large, fluctuating blob of confusing rules and regulations.  Whenever a Congressman or Congresswomen gets an idea they believe to be better than sliced bread, a change in the tax code usually follows.

Remember, government is a “cost” center, not a “revenue” center and certainly not a “profit” center.  Even if government shrunk down to one-tenth or one-ten-thousandth of its current size, it would remain a “cost” center–its cost, though significantly smaller, remains present.  Governments do not generate revenue:  they obtain revenue from their true source–the taxpayer.

In future articles, I’ll give you the 411 on some of the more involved changes that are coming.  Taxes are going up.  Reporting and filing returns and reports will be getting even more complex.  Even one’s reporting of personal assets in foreign financial institutions is getting tougher.  New rules plus changes to existing rules (and unfortunately, no reduction in rules) is the theme of the century so far!

A SHORT ONE

Speaking of changes, this article will be a short one.  I’m currently handling quite a few of these check-ups for clients with complex tax situations (ah, the pleasures in life!), so lengthy columns are a luxury I cannot afford this week.

Please use the time saved reading this one by giving yourself a $$$ Check-Up.  You may be very happy with what you may discover.  For those who may need a little help:  Help is no further away than a click on the button at the top of the page (or here).

In the evening I walk across the islands with Melvin and Noling to observe the Mr. Math and Miss Science talent contest at the town Plaza. The people take it upon themselves to do some creative fund-raising for the school.  They vote for friends and relatives with their meager earnings so they can become King and Queen of that subject for the semester. Trust me; the winners don’t have to show any talent in the subject matter that they’ve been declared royalty of.

I dance the “curacha” and with the high school teacher that I met to in Tikling.  It is an enchanted evening with everyone in the village having fun at the festivities.  A giant moth with a wing span as wide as my hand dances under the bright lights in the Plaza. Exhausted, it lands on the floor.  A boy with his dance partner does not wish to share the dance floor and he crosses deliberately to place his shoe upon the moth- SPLAT! I leave in disgust.

On my last day on the island, I rent a pump boat to explore remote islands and atolls, some of which the locals have not even been to.  Back in United States I’ve heard of the remains of native Filipinos 10 feet tall, but it seems nobody here has any knowledge or wants to speak of this.  I was told this by a friend who explored the Philippine Islands and took pictures for Time and Life magazines.

I've changed my latitude, have you?

At dinner one night, Rebecca tells me of this cave on Santa Monica Island and early in the morning we set out to where the bones of these giants may be found. My whole plan is to preserve the treasure in a museum but a good probability is that someone has smashed the bones the like a moth. We find ourselves in a squall as we head back toward mushroom shaped islands.

Carved out by the seas fury these pedestals rise to tall at low tide. Some have trees and plants growing on them. There are many deep water pools – 20 feet across and 15 feet deep – safely far enough away from the break waters where once again I can swim.

Later we walked towards town and have lunch at the house of Rebecca’s cousin where I hear that the barangay chief had sold the remains to an American probably for a few dollars. I am terribly disappointed that I am too late to preserve this important piece of history.  It is now time to go back to Manila, I must complete business there and also in the United States.

Life interferes with those who make daily plans, and this is true in my life. Before leaving Samar and after saying my goodbye’s to everyone. Rebecca tells me that there might be a chance for us meeting up in Makati when she travels there on business in a few days.

In Manila, I get a message from Rebecca regarding dinner plans.  The taxi driver that I take seems to want have fun with me by driving around in circles and in the wrong area as well. I know my way around well enough Makati and areas of Metro and have him pull over so I can literally jump out and get an honest one. But not before I’m shortchanged a few hundred pesos because of my haste – c’est la vie!

I get to the restaurant to join Rebecca and her nephew, Bismark along with her niece, Sugar. Indeed, I have always had a sweet tooth! As we eat our dinner we are entertained with the ethnic dances of different cultures from the islands. The body language reminds me of the romantic dances when I lived in Hawaii.

Of course, the waiter insists on me joining the others onstage.  I politely refuse, Sugar however takes the challenge.  She’s had plenty of practice ever since she was small and performs the”tinikling” flawlessly in my eyes.  I think that maybe she admits her calling, she is excellent.  And once again the evening and is all too soon.

A day of work, a day of play, I do enjoy the schedule around here.  What would usually take me only a few hours back in the states takes me all-day or sometimes even longer to achieve around here, so I pace myself accordingly. I observed on my last visit that the Manila City Hall has two different times upon its clocks tower. Depending on where you are, one clock says 12:00 any other one would tell you its 1:30, your choice, Filipino time.

The start of the monsoon season came about two months ago in September when I first arrived. Occasionally in Samar there would be brief downpours and people would try to have me take shelter under an umbrella, but I enjoy the rain. Back here in Manila, there are much stronger storms.  The thunder is like nothing I’ve ever heard except for when I lived in the Arizona desert. It shakes my hotel room in cracks my eardrums. A typhoon warning signal number 2 is given to Manila, while Samar is given number 4.  Signal 5 is the strongest.

The bureau upgrades Lling to a super-typhoon status as it hits central Manila with unforgiving fury.  Dark clouds consume the daylight; rain comes in horizontally as the trees bend due to the wind with gusts up towards 300 kilometers an hour. The hardest hit places are Isabella and in northern Luzon.

Towns and people are swept away in walls of mud and debris. Another storm sits right off the coast of Samar. Most of the typhoons brew off the coast of Dolores and Broongan, within its pathway. Loling hits my hometown with signal No. 3.

After the storm I visit Noling, my driver, at his mother’s houses in Damarinas, Cavite. This is a relocation area from Tondo where these people once lived at Manila’s waterfront.  The government took the land from them and moved them about 40 miles away and gave them a small amount to build their lives.  Because of the typhoons all the lines are down to the banks and connections to the United States.  I have a few hundred pesos and therefore has to last me for more than a week.  I’m taking well care of but these are not rich people, so I try not to impose myself upon these good people.

I have my basics of rice, fish and mineral water and that’s about all. I have lived it like a King with a charmed life that most people can only dream about having. Now I will live like everyone else, don’t dare to cry here! I believe that it is wise to experience various seasons, to see the good and bad aspects when entertaining the idea of being somewhere for a spell.  Last time it was hot and dry with little or no rain, this time is the opposite.

Last time I was lucky I guess without any incidents, this time I’ve witnessed deception and have been robbed a couple of times when I was not careful.  Every paradise has a price to pay in some way or form. The Philippines is not unlike any other place in this world or even in the U.S., no place is perfect and one must be aware of their surroundings and choose the type of people they wished to spend their time.

There goes a hermit crab now!

I suppose what brings me back are the people, most are kind and genuine.  I believe that no one else can match the hospitality of the Filipino.  To be totally truthful, what I particularly appreciate is a natural elegance and charm of this sea-shelled eye’s of the Filipina.

White sandy beaches and pristine crystal waters.  The scenic coves and hidden islets with its diversity of marine life.  Hidden treasures that await the eye at almost every turn to corner.  Sometimes I am interrupted by the passing of the land crab with a seashell upon its back as I sip on a cold one while the gentle warm waves lap my feet.  I sometimes feel as though I’m in one of those commercials telling me “change your latitude.”

I see an airplane above and I know that my time becoming soon to go back to Hong Kong before arriving back in San Francisco to return to the usual routine and left my fond memories only.

Venus is quite a beauty, I must say.  I first saw her a couple of weeks ago when Feyma told me about her.  Feyma told me that Venus Raj, the contender for Miss Universe was half Indian.  It’s true, Venus was born in 1988, the daughter of a Filipina mother and an Indian father.  Shortly after Feyma told me about her, I saw her on a TV commercial promoting the upcoming Miss Universe Pageant.  When I saw her, I really was struck by her beauty.

Miss Venus Raj, 5th Runner Up, Miss Universe

A few days before the Pageant, I was watching the news on Philippine TV, and a reporter ventured to Bicol, where Venus is from.  She visited Venus’ house, and I was quite surprised.  Her house was a very simple Nipa Hut!  It really amazed me that such a simple home had produced such a stunning beauty as Maria Venus Raj.

Over the years, whenever there have been beauty pageants, the Philippines has always been represented by very beautiful women, no doubt.  The last time that a contestant for Miss Universe from the Philippines did as well as Venus did was in 1999, when Miriam Quiambao represented the Philippines in the Pageant.  Miriam placed 1st Runner Up in 1999, something that made the Philippines very proud.  Probably Miriam Quiambao’s most memorable event during the Miss Universe Pageant was that she slipped and fell on stage!  However, Miriam regained her composure and went on to become 1st Runner Up.  Miriam has gone on to be a TV News Anchor in the Philippines and has done TV commercials and such.  She is very successful to this day.

Previous to Miriam Quiambao and Venus Raj was Margie Moran, who was Miss Universe 1973.  Margie Moran now lives in Davao City and is a big advocate for Mindanao.  As a matter of fact, Margie used to have a TV show called “Margie on Mindanao,” which I watched regularly.  In the show, Margie addressed Mindanao issues, traveled to different points of interest on the island, and generally featured anything about Mindanao.  To this day, although in her 50′s, Margie Moran is still quite a beauty.

Venus Raj showing off her Philippine Passport

Getting back to this year’s Philippine representative in Miss Universe, Venus Raj, Filipinos were very delighted when Raj made it to the top 15, and ecstatic when she placed in the top 5.  I happened to be passing by the TV on Tuesday morning, while the pageant was being shown live here in the Philippines (Monday night in the States) and Feyma and my nieces were glued to the TV watching.  I didn’t realize what it was, but when I noticed, I stopped for a minute to see what was going on.  Just as I stopped in front of the TV, Steven Baldwin was asking a question of Venus.  Baldwin asked Venus what was the biggest mistake that she had ever made and what she did to correct the mistake (I’m paraphrasing).

Unfortunately, it was Venus’ answer that probably cost her a higher place in the pageant.  Venus replied (paraphrasing again here) that she had never made a “major, major” mistake in her life, and she was just thankful to have made it to Las Vegas for the pageant.  A lot of people have picked up on her “major, major” answer, and it has kind of become a source of light hearted ribbing around the world for Venus.

Anyway, 5th place is still a very respectable place for Venus!  I am sure that after bringing such a high honor to the Philippines, Venus Raj will go on to be very successful here in the Philippines.  Without a doubt, she can get into modeling, acting, TV, commercials and such with no problem at all.  Coming from such a modest background, I feel certain that Venus is now set for a very good life!

Good luck, Miss Maria Venus Raj.  If you ever make it down to Davao… give me a call… just don’t tell Feyma!

I was so impressed when we stopped at the Victory stop in Tarlac, everything was modern and clean, and really had a sense that a lot  of thought and pride had gone into this particular Tarlac bus station, but be warned there are many others, that do not boast the same conditions.

As we turned  to take the long winding up the road to the mountain city of Baguio, the rain started, and within thirty minutes the roads were treacherous, the drivers very skilled, knew where to place the wheels, but never the less it was amazing to see rain pounding against the drains, looking like those waves that the surfers would delight in. Incidentally this is the same road a week later that caused the death of about 50 people, who plunged over edge during heavy rain.

The mountains are beautiful, and the scenery spectacular, but the twisting and turning of the bus was taking a toll on my travel sickness, never mind only a few minutes to go, and we would be there.

Beautiful View

We arrived at the Baguio bus terminal for the Victory bus, and within minutes we realized that the place we were going to stay at no longer existed, but after speaking to a very forceful driver we were taken to a hotel that was perfectly OK, cheap, cheerful and clean, but a little lacking on things like electricity for a whole day,  in fairness this was not their fault, but a brown out for the whole area.

Our first stop was to the SM  Mall, where it just like any other SM , but the thing that I really noticed that everybody was in long trousers, and few had sandals, it was like a mall in the UK, everyone dressed for the outside weather. It is also apparent that the City has its own character, although I did only see a few white faces, the locals showed no surprise to having a white face walking around, especially when you consider at the height of the season in December the city changes from wet and rainy to beautiful hot weather for a few months.

John the warrior

The rain  did fall during our visit, but we still managed to visit a fantastic restaurant overlooking the city called The Forest, we visited Burnham Park, which is a beautiful American style Park, and really is the centerpiece of Baguio, have look at the pictures, and it will show its like an European city at lunchtime.

We went to Mines View and looked at the amazing panoramic mountain views,bought some Strawberry wine, and Migs got on a horse, as I had my picture taken spear and all. The Botanical gardens are well worth a visit too, and the center of the city Session Road has great venues to explore, and food quality everywhere is above many places I have visited here in the Philippines.

Horseback ride

I managed to go into the local wet markets,and the choice of meats and vegetables was extensive, there is no shortage of good food here, the rain sees to that, and SM even has a cinema, do not know why that surprised me really.

Baguio is a MUST to visit, its beautiful friendly and is not a typical Philippine City at all, its tidy, proper buildings everywhere, and a Western feel to it. For me its all plus, but the big minus is that it rains for the majority of the year, just like the UK, and i is in the summer subject to high levels of pollution as exhaust fumes are trapped by the mountains, in fact Baguio is one of the most polluted places in the Philippines according to a recent US study,but everyone is working on solving that, and its the car that causes it, and the Mayor seems to be determined to make changes.

When Rebecca and I were dating and during our first year living here, we travelled frequently, with Becky joining me overseas occasionally, or on domestic trips that I took for work. When Juanito entered the picture, those types of activities dropped off immediately, between the back and forth to Abulug and Juanito”s adoption paperwork (Limits travel until complete).

Didn't want to leave the pool!

Over the summer, I’ve been wrapped up in very stressful contract negotiations, and the drama over our godson’s health in the spring really wore us out. My brain was pickled and Rebecca was about one step away from the nice men with the big nets and white coats. We desperately needed a break. So, making up an excuse, I asked Rebecca, “Why don’t we go to Davao? I’ve been telling Bob that we’d get down there.” So, I booked us into the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao, and arranged to meet Bob and Feyma over the weekend we were there.

We were pleasantly surprised by Davao! Being from the far North, Rebecca has always heard, nearly her whole life, ”Mindanao this, Mindanao that, unsafe, dangerous, etc. etc.” So, despite having been to GenSan before, she was a bit skeptical. I wasn’t skeptical, but I sort of expected Davao to be a lot like Cebu… I was wrong, and so was Becky. Davao is much, much nicer.

Street Dancing parade

A pleasant surprise was the Kadayawan (harvest) Festival of which I was totally ignorant until Bob mentioned it to me a day or two before we left. I am so glad we went when we did… It was so much fun, and worth every peso spent to be there at festival time.

We left on the Cebu Pacific 4:00 AM flight, which arrives in Davao just before 6:00 AM. Hotel shuttle meets us, and 15 minutes later, we are checked in and ready for our day. Marco Polo is a five star hotel, geared towards business . It regularly hosts all the movie stars and dignitaries that travel to Davao (This is where the Presidents and so on stay… Their autographs are displayed in the lobby). Price wise, by Philippine standards, it is very expensive (And, level of service and room quality, justfiably so). By international standards, it is reasonable. Our room was $168 per night (You are billed in dollars for the room when booking online), but there is a whopping 25% tax on top of that, bringing the cost to just over $200 per night. By US or European standards, that is par for the course for a three star or better. Needless to say, with the Kadayawan Festival, everything was booked completely. The bonus: The festival parades pass right in front of the hotel. We had very much a ”premium” view, and the hotel provided guests waiter service and chairs and even parasols to watch the parade on the hotel lawn.

Street Dancing parade

Our day started with the Kadayawan Street Dancing parade, at 8:00 AM. This was a truly Filipino event, and very much worth seeing. Schools from nearly every province in Mindanao send teams that dress up in native costumes and perform traditional dances. They are competing, and the prizes are pretty substantial for the schools that win. Needless to say, this is a unique cultural experience, and the amount of preparation and work that the kids put into their performances is really inspiring: The looked so proud, as they should be! You would think that the kids were professionals. Very colorful, and everyone was having a good time, performers and spectators alike.

After the parade, we got a quick lunch at Gaisano Mall, and headed to the Crocodile Farm, so Juanito could see the animals. Very nice little zoo, with mostly animals from the Philippines, along with the star attraction: The crocodiles. You can feed some of the animals, and get quite close to many of them.

Durian with Bob and Feyma

That evening, as Bob wrote, we met Bob and Feyma for durian, followed by dinner. A wonderful evening that we enjoyed immensely! Juanito absolutely adored Bob’s kids, and we had a good time. A quick note about the dinner. It was, at best, so – so. Marco Polo sent me a guest satisfaction survey, which I filled out honestly… No exaggeration, praising the room quality and the other service, but truthfully relaying our experience at Lotus Court. I actually received a personal response email from the General Manager addressing those concerns: A very unusual experience in the Philippines, and one that certainly raises Marco Polo in Davao a few notches, in my book. Concern for the customer. That alone is worth a few thousand pesos in price, in my book.

The next day, the second Kadayawan parade took place in the morning, which was the celebrity parade. Many Pinoy movie stars riding the floats (Some pretty big names, too), along with the corporate floats (Like the Nescafe float). The floats are in competition, and must be decorated with real flowers (I think it is 80% or 90%). Though very colorful and enjoyable, I’m not one who cares much about celebrity. I found the Street Dancing parade much more fun and interesting, but, that’s why ice cream comes in more flavors than vanilla… We each have our own preferences.  Juanito was fascinated by the band drums, and at times seemed to be more interested in his balloon! Nonetheless, we were really glad we were there to experience the festival.

Nothing like living in a mushroom farm to get a complexion that burns!

Finally, we spent the rest of the day meeting Klaus Doring for lunch at the hotel buffet (MUCH better food), and taking Juanito for a swim in the Marco Polo’s pool, which was very nice. I got sunburned well beyond red, with my tender white Kano skin, but Juanito loves water so much that it was worth it. Closing the day buying pasalubong, batik cloth and three durians (eaten by Rebecca and our neighbors from Mindanao), we were on our way home. A whirlwind tour of Davao (Juanito was beat… We tried to do a little too much with him, but he still had a ball).

Our impressions of Davao were really good. We enjoyed the city. It is clean, safe, friendly people, kid friendly with things for the family to do, and, in my opinion, more “accessible” to westerners than other cities in the Philippines. A nice place that really doesn’t deserve the bad press that it receives. Rebecca even said that she could live there, though I doubt that would ever happen: It is too far from Abulug and is a complicated journey to get to the far North from Davao. However, we will be back someday for another visit.

More Pictures:

Please understand, I wish her no harm, only distance. And Facebook is way too close for me. So now I must figure out how to disavow myself of said FaceBook account. Feel free to tell me how, wait I’m just kidding.  Also what the heck is all this Farmville crap? And please, don’t feel you must explain it to me, as I really don’t wanna’ know. I just figured out how to make it go away.

My exwife's FaceBook Pictuture, Still kinda' a good looker.

Also, some old dude, (my age) tells me we were on my first ship together, it might be true as he remembers it. I can’t remember one tenth of the guys from my last ship let alone 45 years ago. But I got a nice e-mail from him, and the fog was lifted. But the truth be known, we were never really friends. But he seems like a great guy now, and BTW, I’m no prize.

I was having lunch at my friend’s restaurant and the guy at the next table, looked over and said “Hey you’re one of the guys that write for LiP.” We talked a while and I asked why I’d never seen a comment from him, no answer, just a shrug, a bit shy I presume. Yet, it seemed to have made his day, can you imagine if he had bumped in to Larry King? BTW: It was the mustache that gave me away. Because of the internet I’m finding that you can run but you cannot hide.

Years ago you could just drop off the radar, by just never signing up for a phone. Today they can find you hiding on a mountain in Bataan. Curse you Al Gore for inventing this diabolical internet, a pox on your house! Could that why Tipper divorced him?

Things I like about the internet are few and far between, I like being able to do my banking on line. Of course, then there’s “LiP” which brightens my day just by logging in. But the all time number one reason is downloading music, I just downloaded “Otis Redding – The Dock of The Bay” album. It’s old but timeless music. Longing for olden times, like when I was home on vacation in the Philippines from a ship, in 1996, I left my address and phone number with the company, and was enjoying my two months off. I flew back to San Francisco and went to the office to check in, finding, my name was red flagged, I had to go up to see the “Big Boss”, He asked where I’d been, I told him with a strange look on my face, “on vacation”. Did I know they had tried to reach me by phone? (Did they understand time zones or the word vacation?) “We sent a guy to your house and you were not home,” I asked, “Am I restricted to my house by the company?” “Well you should check in once in a while”, “I’ll call collect next time, are your phones manned 24/7 and do I get paid when I call?” “By the way if your people had reached me, the Union would require you to pay me 3 hours overtime for taking the call, as it was on my time off”. It was all was dropped, and I was sent forth, to sin no more! He never said what they wanted!

So here I sit, my cell phone dangling out the window connect to the World Wide Web, Globe, Smart, and Sun can’t connect me where I live, with their internet service, and yet the cell phone does. I checked with the 3 providers, and asked the reason why, since all their towers are sitting at the top of the mountain I live on. The companies explained that if I lived in the city I could “avail” of the service. Whereas I pointed out, that if I lived in the city I could have DSL or Broadband and would not need their service. When the hand moved to scratch their head, I knew I was doomed, for trying to using logic in my request. BTW: PLDT has never even tried to run a line within 12 miles of where I live. . The Internet also has the power to shock, and I’m not talking about those forbidden sites, I met a guy through LIP, from Pita Dinalupihan Bataan, now that’s about 20 minute drive from my place, I found this out through Google. While there I clicked on Images, and there was a picture of my house, and my dining room. They were pictures I took, and posted on LIP, How did this web site get them? Not that I care (that much) I was just shocked. BTW, pictures of his house were on the same site! Again, a pox on Al Gore! My area is the only place that was really affected by the Y2K bug. But I do have sporadic electricity, and for the last few months, running water. What more could I ask for? I’m not complaining, I choose to live here, and I like it just fine.

Oh, people are not calling this the Manila Massacre, that’s my name for it.  I mean why not, I think it’s fitting.

I am sure that almost all readers of this article know what happened, but in case you do not, I’ll make a quick recap of what happened.  Basically, last Monday, August 23, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) officer, Rolando Mendoza, took a bus load of people hostage.  He forced the bus driver to park the bus at the Quirino Grandstand, basically in an empty parking lot.  He held the hostages for the better part of the day, something like 11 hours or so in all.  Over the course of the day, some hostages (mostly Filipinos and Children) were released.  Almost all of the remaining hostages in the bus were Chinese citizens from Hong Kong, people who were vacationing here in the Philippines.  When all was finished, almost all of these Chinese were dead.

Police Storming the bus to "rescue" the hostages

Firstly, let me say that bad things like this happen in any country, not only in the Philippines.  In fact, I think that the may be even a little less common in the Philippines than some other places.  However, that said, the situation was handled very ineptly by the Philippine Government.  Hey, Governments, Police Departments and everybody else makes mistakes, and nothing can be done to bring those tourists back to life now.  However, something can be done to stop a situation like this from happening again.  Training is the biggest thing.

The BBC has a webpage that is an interview with Charles Shoebridge, who is a security analyst who used to work with Scotland Yard on incidents like this hostage situation.  Shoebridge points out ten mistakes that he feels were made and could have caused the situation to turn out differently than it did.  I won’t go into the mistakes here, I will let you read that article if you are so inclined.

I do want to talk, though, about some things that I have seen in the aftermath of the massacre, which I think the Philippines should seriously consider.

That's the hostage taker in the bus - couldn't he have been taken at this point?

Firstly, there is a mad dash to find somebody to place the blame on.  I mean, they want to find a single individual to blame, and it seems that then everything will be better.  Frankly, in my opinion, this is not about a single person making a mistake.  It’s a systemic problem.  It is a lack of training.  It is a lack of adequate equipment.  It is most seriously a lack of adequate procedures in place.  I mean, either there was no set of policies in place of what steps should be taken to deal with such a situation, or if such policies are in place, they are either inadequate, or they were not followed.  This needs to be seriously addressed.  In the past, during my years of living in the Philippines, there have been many times when people from other countries have come and offered training to the Philippine forces (Army and Police).  I know of many instances where the USA has offered such assistance, and I also know of times when Australia has made such offers.  I feel certain that other countries have offered such training as well.  In every instance I can remember, many Filipinos get defensive and say that such training is not needed, and they already know what they are doing.  A very nationalistic uproar.  Such training is needed badly.  I am not saying that Filipinos are not good, or other Nationalities are better people, or smarter than Filipinos are.  I don’t believe that at all, but what I do believe is that in the area of such Police and Army operations, training would be beneficial.

The most troublesome problem that I see, and I have not seen this mentioned anywhere else, is that the biggest uproar in the Philippines is about how tourism will be impacted.  There has been a lot of discussion about how the Philippines needs to show people in the rest of the world that this is an isolated incident and that the country is safe.  I heard these comments just 12 hours or less after the incident happened.  My God!  How about at least waiting until the bodies of the dead are cold before worrying about tourism dollars.  Look, yes, tourism will be impacted negatively due to what happened, but let’s mourn for the dead before we address that.  It really troubles me deeply when the financial impact is the first thing that comes to mind while blood is still dripping from the bus at Quirino Grandstand.  How about some respect for the dead and their families, some serious offers of condolences.  I think in a month or so the Philippines can begin analyzing the impact on tourism.

One of the more serious blunders that I saw, in terms of further offending the families of the dead was that when it came time for the body of Mendoza to be put in his coffin, his coffin was draped with a Philippine Flag!  When the Chinese saw this, they immediately lodged a protest with the Philippine Government, and rightly so.  I mean, when a coffin is draped with a flag, it is generally a sign that the dead is being honored as a hero of his country.  Mendoza was a former PNP Officer, but it would seem that his action of killing these hostages would eliminate any honor that he might have had from his police service.  And, oh, do you know why he was no longer a Police Officer?  He was fired due to corruption.  Mendoza took hostages in an effort to get his job back, and he loudly protested that he was not guilty of such corruption charges.  However, the act of hostage taking alone is enough to erase any honor that he deserved (or didn’t).

Frankly, this whole hostage situation was a real black eye for the Philippines.  My fear is that the way it is being handled in the aftermath is going to blacken the other eye, which is not necessary.

Usually, when people travel to different areas of a Country, Continent, World, they usually notice a difference in hygiene standards and in many cases they also notice the health problems which are caused by these different standards. The problem can even start on the plane to your destination and on a full plane it can be a nightmare if the toilets are busy.

Know the Feeling.

The main complaint or problem is called Travelers Diarrhea (TD) or Montezuma’s Revenge (a nick name for it), I am sure that we all know what I am talking about. The main cause of the problem is not being very careful as to what they eat and drink while on holiday or travel and estimates say that up to 50% of traveling people will be blessed with the problem during a 2 week trip. A safe defense to help prevent the problem is to develop a Safe Eating and Drinking Habit when traveling in High Risk Areas of the world.

Many cases of  TD can be avoided by eating food that is Steaming Hot, not just cooked a bit, by eating foods with a high acid content like Citrus, Orange, Grapefruit etc, foods with a High Sugar Content like Jellies and Syrups or by eating Simple Dry Foods like Bread.

Basically, anything that is moist and warm or at room temperature “can” be unsafe. This includes Sauces, Salads and anything on a Buffet. All Fruits and Vegetables which can be peeled by the consumer can be considered safe as long as you wash your hands first. Unpeeled Fruits such as Grapes and Berries should be considered unsafe unless you wash them in a mild disinfectant first. Watermelon, especially if it is sold by the Pound or Kilo should be avoided as in some places the seller will inject them with water to make them heavier and who knows where the water is taken from.

Whoop's.

Untreated Water cannot be considered safe but Bottled Drinks including Bottled Water with the Seal Intact, Wine, Soft Drinks and Beer can be considered safe. In some more out of the way places, Bottles of water are re filled, the tops put back and they are re sold but again, where did the water come from?

These simple precautions will give a better than even chance of avoiding Diarrhea but obviously I cannot say that they will definitely help the traveler to totally avoid it.

The US Peace Corps Rule for their people in the field is: Boil It, Cook It, Peel It or Forget It. This is a very simple rule to follow if you want to stay safe.

Hot and Steaming is safe.

Bread is Safe.

Rice and Noodles are Safe if cooked and Steaming Hot.

Fruits are Safe if Peeled by the Consumer.

Factory Sealed Bottles of Water are Safe.

Factory Safe Carbonated Water and Soft Drinks are Safe.

THINGS TO AVOID.

Buffet Type Meals.

Room Temperature Foods.

Pre Peeled Fruits, Raw Products and Salads.

Raw or Poorly Cooked Sea Foods.

Unboiled Tap Water, Even for Brushing Teeth.

Beverages and Juices not in Factory Sealed Containers.

Ice Cubes unless made with Safe Water.

Milk Products unless they have been Boiled of Pasteurized.

Saying that the above can cause you problems, I think that these rules apply when you first arrive in your destination because in my case, now after many years of travel I think that I break all of the not to do rules and probably a few more but I now have a good load of Local Germs in my system to I do not get the problems any more (Touching Wood).

If you are unlucky enough to get blessed with the TD problem there are are several local medicines available on the market which will assist such as: Lomotil, Imodium, Loperamide and several others. The local Pharmacy will be able to help you with choice once you explain to them the problem. There are local remedies also, some people take Hot Tea and add a couple big spoons full of Corn Starch and drink (or chew) it down. I have tried this in the past and it seems to work. My favorite is to take a good drink of Gravy Powder, it does not stop the problem but it does thicken it up!

Even if you get TD be sure to keep on drinking liquids as dehydration can make the problem much worse.

If you have to go to the toilet more than 8 times a day for more than 2 days then I would advise that you consult a doctor as there might be something inside you that needs Antibiotics in order to expel the problem. If in doubt, see the doctor as Diarrhea is something that they really know about in high risk areas.

SEAFOOD an TRAVEL.

Now this is commonly the number one cause of TD because many people cannot resist the flavors and colors of the local Marine Life but people should be really aware of the consequences.

Many of the larger Marine Fish such as: Barracuda, Groupers, Snappers, Sea Bass, Surgeon-fish,Parrot-fish, Wrasse, Jacks, Moray Eels and many others have the toxins in their bodies which, if the fish is treated correctly after capture 1.e,  immediately put on ice or refrigerated and when prepared for the table, cooked thoroughly then there should be no problem but if not then there is the possibility that a rather nasty illness called CIGUATERA POISONING can occur. Always avoid eating the organs of any fish.

This form of poisoning is thought to be caused by a dinoflagellate called Gambierdiscus Toxicus which is harmless to fish and works its way up through the food chain. The toxin is heat-stable and neither cooking nor freezing will destroy it but it lives mostly in the internal workings of the fish.

EAT ME IF YOU DARE!

This is a kind of problem which if you manage to catch a good dose could leave you feeling bad for days to months so please beware when eating the wonderful delicacies which are available in seafood restaurants.

Uncooked seafood dishes can also cause problems to the traveler, dishes like Sushi and Kinilaw which are eaten raw could give problems to some. Personally I can eat raw fish until the cows come home but on the other hand, I live in the place where it easy to pig out on such foods.

You Like Me, I am very yummy.

In some countries, especially Japan, the Puffer-fish is a part of a great traditional meal caused FUGU. This meal is prepared by specially licensed chefs who prepare the fish but add a small portion of the super poisonous toxin found in the internal organs. This addition of poison is supposed to give the eater a slight buzz which is what the meal is intended to do. Unfortunately, every year in Japan, many people die after eating this dish because they get a bit too much of the poison. I do not think that I would like to taste this dish, I eat most thing but not if they could kill me.

Shellfish are another problem in this day and age, because of pollution in our oceans, many of the areas where the shell fish are harvested can get contaminated, there is a phenomenon called Red Tide Disease which when ingested by the shell fish makes them really dangerous to health. Every year in the Philippines there are warnings and areas closed of from harvesting such things because of the hazard. Even so, many people still harvest the Shell Fish and as a result, people get sick and even die.

I am not being a scare monger and I am not telling people not to eat what they like, all I am saying is to really think before you eat and a dose of the TD can really spoil a Holiday. Most people who live in the areas of risk like the Philippines build up an immunity in part and can usually eat what they want but unfortunately the holiday maker or other type of person who is in country for only a short period of time are the ones really at risk so to them I say, Bring some TD Medication with you or have some handy, Always carry Toilet Paper with you as most if not all local toilets do not supply it. Be careful what you eat and drink and enjoy your stay in the country of your choice.