Running the Gauntlet and Shutting Down the Party

Every time I go for a run it's like running the gauntlet.  It's always an obstacle course. Obstacles include: dogs, potholes, traffic, exhaust, smoke from burning leaves or trash, dog turds.

Garbage from stray dogs

Stray dogs

When I lived downtown I was forced to run at 4 am because running during the day when traffic is flowing is impossibly dangerous.  Even though I live in the country I still run at 4 am sometimes.   If I run in the afternoon I can run through the sugarcane fields which is a lot more pleasant than running through a squatters village or on the highway. The most dangerous thing about running through the fields is that the trails are not well kept and one misstep gets a rock through your sole.

Sugarcane fields

A few months ago some neighbourhood had a fiesta going very loud.  I couldn't tell exactly the source but I had a general idea. In the morning I woke at 4:30 as usual and I could still hear the distant boom-boom-boom of the fiesta.  So I decided I would find the party.

I ran off toward the squatter village I thought it was coming from but there was nothing. Making my way through the village and into the open sugarcane fields I still heard nothing.  But then I heard it.  BOOM-BOOM-BOOM.

So I rushed across the newly plowed field and towards the sound which I now knew was coming from a different squatter village, one I am familiar with and run through regularly. 

After crossing a muddy creek, cutting across private property, running a gauntlet of dogs, and then turning the corner I found the fiesta.  It was at a basketball court.  The entire court was surrounded by an impromptu fence of corrugated roof metal and netting.  I ran around the court banging on the metal and finally made my way into the fiesta.

This is how the basketball court normally looks

They had speakers like these set up

There were two guys asleep at the control board so I reached around them and turned the volume down.  Then I ran back out.  People were staring at me and  I shouted that it was loud and I could not sleep, thanks. For a moment I thought someone might be inclined towards violence and follow me but no one did and I did not hear the volume increase.

The way back home was the usual gauntlet of dogs, burning trash, and vehicle exhaust. It's really not pleasant to be out for a run and then come across a large cloud of smoke. Not pleasant at all.

Typical smokey leaf pile polluting the air

This is not the first time I have confronted loud noise and physically turned down the volume.  The very first time was during an election when someone parked a jeepney outside and walked away with the volume going full blast with an election song.  I walked right over and turned the volume off.  No one said a thing and no one turned the volume back up. I have also been to the church (they meet at a basketball court and not in a cathedral) in the next village over and turned the volume down a few times. They play the sound of bells for 3 hours over a large loudspeaker which can be heard for miles around.

Confronting people, especially drunk people, about their noisy fiestas is a little unnerving and I always expect violence though none has happened. I would not recommend shutting down a party.  But I would do it again personally. 

Celebrating Failure

Who has not heard of the "Tiger Mom?"  The mother who hovers over her children and beats them real good if they step out of line.  She makes sure they practice piano 3 hours a day, homework for 4 hours, and woe betide any child who would make a fuss. And heaven forbid their child receive anything less than straight A's or the number one position in any competition.

Apparently, and despite its proximity to China, this trend has not caught on in the Philippines. There are no "Tiger Moms" here.  But there are parents who will bribe officials so their children get ahead. And their are teachers who accept bribes in order to give passing grades. Anecdotally anyway.  I have heard many such stories though I have never experienced the education system in the Philippines.

What is the result of the absence of "Tiger Moms" to push their children to scholastic heights?  It is a celebration of failure.

In what rational society would anyone celebrate 9th place!!  To God be the Glory I got 9th place!  What a way to blame shift. This guy is 100% responsible for coming in 9th place. And there is nothing glorious about it. Don't blame it on God.

Nor is there anything wonderful or glorious about 6th or 7th place.  Nobody even cares about who made 2nd or 3rd.  We all know who Michael Phelps is but who is the 2nd greatest swimmer of all time?  See?  No one cares.

And no one cares about this student making 9th place in a photo competition.  Will employers consider this guy as a win?  Who wants to hire Mr. 9th Place?  His photos probably suck. They certainly weren't good enough to get past 9th place.

Now take a closer look at the categories in the first picture and the third picture.  The first category is Filipino Photojournalism and the second is English Photojournalism.  What is the difference?  Photojournalism is just that, photos!  There is no such thing as English, Filipino, Chinese, or Slovenian Photojournalism because pictures do not speak with words. These categories are meaningless. Go ahead and Google "Filipino Photojournalism" and "English Photojournalism." There is nothing. (I'm not even going to delve into discovering what "Filipino Science-Technology Writing" is though I would guess it's just writing about science and technology in Tagalog.)

So not only is this a celebration of failure it is a celebration of meaninglessness. And such is the educational system of the Philippines which as I understand works this way:

1. Finish primary and secondary school
2. Get worthless college degree in tourism
3. Become OFW and support your whole extended family

This horrible system in the Philippines where failure is celebrated and where education is most decidedly not is one of the many problems facing the Philippines and it is another fundamental issue that the Duterte administration has failed to address.  Duterte has boasted that he wants to bring the Philippines up to a midlevel economy by 2022.  It won't happen with uneducated people who do not strive for excellence but instead celebrate failure.

Filipinos Love Fake Coffee

So much fakery here in the Philippines.  You can buy a pair of fake Nikes or a fake iPhone or fake name brand anything.  You can buy pirated DVD's.  You can even buy fake rice!

Surrounded by all that this fakery is it no surprise that Filipinos love fake coffee?

                                                        Fake Coffee                                                  Real Coffee

Sari-sari stores, convenience stores, they all sell these little packets of fake coffee.  Oh you can buy real coffee (they call it native coffee) but its not what is normally drunk.  They prefer this sugary fake stuff.  Some people even add more sugar as if there isn't enough already!

The packets sell for 7 pesos so if you have two a day every day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) that comes out to 420 pesos a month! You can buy 1 kg of real coffee from the market for 200 pesos and that will last for a lot longer than a month.  And you will get more cups out of it.  

And think of all the trash!  Millions of Filipinos drinking a packet a day!  The Philippines already has a litter problem. People here throw their trash on the ground without batting an eye. These fake coffee packets are only adding to the litter problem.

Saving money and the environment? So what! Fake coffee smells delicious, tastes sweet, and is easy to prepare and that's what they prefer.

Cock Fighting is Easy Money

Seriously take a look at all the money you could win all for doing nothing but pitting one chicken against another:

Now let's say you win all ten spots. That would be sweet and you'd be getting 65,000 pesos. Pretty good right?

http://www.sabong.net.ph/forum/showthread.php?75457-Cost-in-raising-Gamefarm-in-PI

This guy estimates that it costs 47,500 pesos per month to raise 250 roosters.  That's 570,000 pesos per year.  Which is $11,400 at todays exchange rate.  This estimate is four years old so the cost has probably risen.  Also the less cocks you raise the less money it will cost.

570,000 per year with a one time win of 65,000 pesos is hardly a profit. In fact it's still a loss.  But if you keep at it who knows?  Your cocks will probably become better fighters and you can enter more profitable tournaments.  

You might even make it to the BIG TIME!

World Slasher Cup is also known as the "Olympics of Cockfighting"

The cup is the high end of global cockfighting. To enter a single bird in the competition costs $1,750, more than half a year’s salary for the average Filipino.Wealthy owners often have more than just the money; they have dedicated farms and full-time trainers caring for hundreds of fowl that could sell for well over $1,000 apiece. Vaccines, antibiotics, vitamins, and supplements are all part of the modern game fowl’s life. Traditional methods of revving up your bird for a fight, like slipping cayenne up its anus, have given way to pricey steroids and other powerful drugs.  

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/12/cockfighting_and_chicken_history_the_world_slasher_cup_in_the_philippines.html

With all that potentially easy money no wonder there is a rooster in every yard and tied to every pole. Who would want to miss out on the chance of being able to tell the story of how you rose up through the ranks and won a whole lot of money at the "Olympics of Cockfighting?" 

There are, of course, other stories. There is the young villager who spent all his hard-earned money saved from an overseas job, and the children who suffer from malnutrition while their father’s roosters live a well-fed life. For the millions packed into Manila’s sprawling slums, cockfighting offers a fast way up the socioeconomic ladder or a quick tumble into indigence. And while the birds are famously pampered outside the ring, most end up dead inside it.

Of course, like the Highlander, there can be only one and that one will probably not be you.  So that is 570,000 pesos (or less depending on how many birds you raise) that could feed your family, buy medicine, procure dental care, buy clothes and slippers, pay for schooling, and pay the bills all flushed right down the toilet. 

Or rather, stuffed down some cock's throat.

Martial Law: "I Don't Need Martial Law"

President Rodrigo Duterte is an absolute madman.  This week he procured 3,000 pistols for the AFP and held an elaborate handing over ceremony. But in a surprise twist he told the soldiers to use the pistols to kill themselves rather than get captured.

Don’t get captured alive. 

President Rodrigo Duterte gave this advice to soldiers on Tuesday as he turned over 3,000 .45 cal. M1911 pistols to the military. 

“I will give you all guns with two magazines in reserve and one deployed. One of those magazines is for you. The other two are for the enemy,” Mr. Duterte said during a ceremony in Malacañang. 

“Don’t surrender while still alive. If you’re cornered, all you have to do is to raise your right hand with a [dirty finger] sign and put the gun in your mouth,” he said, drawing laughter from the soldiers present.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/915078/duterte-to-troops-dont-get-captured-alive

What an inspirational leader. Just the kind of man the Philippines needs during this time of crisis.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/07/23/1720699/congress-extends-martial-law-until-december-31

While the Supreme Court took a week to hear arguments and give a decision on the validity of martial law the Congress took one session and only 8 hours to decide a 5 month extension was necessary.  What should have been a debate that lasted a few days where testimony was heard from all sides took only one day. That the Congress does not think a serious debate is in order before deciding on this important issue is appalling. Does the constitution allow for an extension beyond 60 days? That is one of the many issues that should have been discussed all week but is now likely to be decided by the Supreme Court again.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/22/17/minority-lawmakers-to-file-petition-before-sc-questioning-martial-law-extension

Among the grounds the four lawmakers intend to cite in their petition are: the insufficient factual basis for extension, that the extension should not be more than 60 days, and that the coverage cannot be inferred to the whole of Mindanao.

Who cares though because a 5 month extension is what Duterte wanted and his party, which is now being trained to govern in the ideology of the Communist Party of China, is the majority. While some lawmakers voted in favour whole heartedly and others reservedly there was one lawmaker who suggested that martial law should be extended nationwide.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/22/17/tausug-lawmaker-calls-for-nationwide-martial-law

"Kusug Tausug Party-list suggests that this august body extend martial law not just in Mindanao but all throughout the entire country," Tan said, beaming as she cast her vote. 

Tan's remark earned both laughter and applause from the legislative body that convened jointly to vote on Duterte's request to extend his martial law declaration and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus for 150 more days.

HAHAHAHA! Oh, it's so funny. Martial law nationwide! JOKE LANG!  Look how everyone is smiling and laughing in that picture. Ah, so funny! After a few shots of Tanduay I bet Shernee Abubakar Tan is a real laugh riot. The idea of nationwide martial law is funny because it will never happen. It's like suggesting a billionaire real estate mogul turned reality star would ever be president of the USA. 

http://www.rappler.com/nation/176362-no-plan-nationwide-martial-law-lorenzana

On what basis can Lorezna even say this?  During the campaign Duterte said he would not declare martial law because there is no more rebellion.  But what happened in May?  He declared martial law because of a rebellion. And he said he would extend it to Luzon and the Visayas if he saw the need. Never say never when it comes to Duterte.  He has allocated all authority to himself.  In January Duterte said, “I will declare martial law if I want to and nobody can stop me.” 

Despite the Defense Secretary's assertion that martial law will never be extended nationwide the situation in the Philippines is shaping up for that very event to happen. Will Congress be laughing then?

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/618938/duterte-to-cpp-no-more-talk-let-us-fight/story/

In response to martial law the NPA is ramping up attacks across the country. Attacks in the Visayas and other places could well be the catalyst that sparks nationwide martial law.  The NPA is not limited to Mindanao. Now that the phoney peace talks have finally collapsed Duterte is calling for all out war against the NPA. He is even using his sexy propagandist, Mocha Uson, to the get people prepared.

All out war with the NPA would mean nationwide martial law and nationwide war. But HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! JOKE LANG!!! Because there is no chance nationwide martial law will EVER happen.

Equally funny hahaha is Duterte's former running mate Cayetano saying he supports an indefinite extension of martial law in Mindanao for the very same unconstitutional reason of developing infrastructure as does Speaker of the House Alvarez when the Duterte administration distanced itself from Alvarez for making those remarks.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/915523/cayetano-supports-martial-law-extension-to-rehabilitate-mindanao

Development and rehabilitation in Mindanao, he said, would be hampered unless the peace and order problem is addressed first. 

“Yung Mindanao railway system, how would the Muslims in Mindanao feel if kumpletuhin mo yun ng wala sila di ba. So kailangan nating ayusin yun bago mag-develop ang Mindanao (We need to address those problems first before we develop Mindanao),” Cayetano, who became Duterte’s running mate in the 2016 elections, further said 

“The length is speculative. Ayaw naman ni Presidente sabihin na 60 days tapos hindi (pala) tapos. So parang it’s just so logical, bigyan muna kami hanggang end of the year (The President would not want just 60days and eventually it still lacks the time to finish it. It is just logical that we give it until the end of the year),” Cayetano added. 

Cayetano noted that the country was “under threat,” citing the ongoing crisis in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur that prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the entire region of Mindanao last May 23. 

“In fact, many of the ambassadors have been telling me, they’ve been worried for the last 10 years that people are coming in, not the fighters but yung nagra-radicalize, yung nagpa-plan are here and they pointed to areas.”

Notice how he throws in so casually that the country is under threat.  He is not so subtly giving hints that nationwide martial law is coming.  He should know. He is part of Duterte's inner circle.

And what about Alvarez?  How is he holding up now that martial law has only been extended for 5 months instead of 5 years?

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/916220/speaker-alvarez-sad-martial-law-not-extended-for-5-more-years

Alvarez said there would be no need for Congress to monitor the human rights situation in Mindanao under martial law, especially with the media constantly documenting the situation on the ground. 

Asked on the adverse impact of the martial rule on the economy, particularly tourism in Mindanao, Alvarez said Filipinos would have to make sacrifices.

Alvarez is truly a wonder to behold. How does he keep forgetting the party line? Doesn't he know that the Duterte administration hates the press and considers media reports nothing but unreliable hearsay? The media has reported human rights abuses already and AFP Chief Eduardo Año has dismissed those reports as baseless. Why is he talking about the human rights situation at all when Cayetano has assured everyone that there are no abuses under martial law? Doesn't he know that the Duterte administration has said martial law will cause no negative impact on tourism or the economy? There are no sacrifices to be made because everything will stay the same.  In fact business leaders in Mindanao are confident that martial law will boost investor confidence! Martial law, they say, is great for the economy and tourism because it ensures a peaceful climate for both tourists and investors. Who doesn't want to go on holiday to an island with armed military forces patrolling the streets?  You are guaranteed to not be robbed, raped, murdered, or kidnapped and subsequently beheaded by Muslim terrorists. It's more fun (and much safer) in the Philippines.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/170876-tourism-trade-chiefs-downplay-martial-law

Never one to be outdone the funniest hahaha moment comes from the Comic-in-Chief himself, President Duterte. The Commission on Human Rights, Duterte's mortal foe, issued a statement saying that a martial law extension is not necessary to handle the crisis in Marawi and Mindanao.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/916172/chr-marawi-crisis-can-be-addressed-without-martial-law-extension

“The government has the full capacity and ability to address any extremist threat and lawless violence within established powers and authorities of our security forces and chain of command, without the necessity of further exercising the martial law powers,” the CHR Public Afairs Office, headed by lawyer Jacqueline de Guia, said in a statement issued on Saturday. 

The CHR said it had confidence that the military could “effectively quell terrorism” spread by Islamic State-inspired armed groups in Marawi City and “restore law and order in the whole of Mindanao even without martial law.”

And Duterte agreed!

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/916083/duterte-i-can-operate-with-or-without-martial-law

The President said he could proceed with his administration’s fight against enemies of the state even without a martial law. 

“Ako, I can operate with or without martial law. So, I have to do the — Sabi ko, I’ll just have to do my duty. It’s in my oath of office. I don’t need martial law,” he said.

HAHAHAHAHA!! Joke lang! What a funny guy. He doesn't need martial law at all. That's why he asked for an extension until December 31st. It's sarcasm just like his latest rape jokes.

Maybe he does not need martial law.  But now that he has 5 more months of it he will be taking his sweet time in the fight to secure Marawi.  From "This will be over in about 3 more days," to:

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/916250/president-tells-military-wait-dont-rush-things

“I said we have to wait it out. I said do not attack. You can fire shots, but if you launch an assault, they’re going to behead people there,” the President said. 

The lives of the hostages are equally important, Mr. Duterte added. “It’s not important to me if they’re Moro, Christian or Vietnamese. (What’s) important is we do not want to kill people.” 

It was the government’s “moral duty” to make sure the hostages were alive, even if the war drags on for a year, Mr. Duterte said. 

“So, even if it’s expensive … if you see someone running, you can open fire. But no assault. That’s 300 lives. If you have to wait there for one year, let us wait for one year,” the President said. 

The military should also allow food to reach the hostages. “Not bullets. Only food,” Mr. Duterte said. “It’s our moral duty to see to it that they live and that they are fed,” he added.

The government's moral duty?  Moral duty??  When did the man whose constant refrain to criminals has been, "I will kill you," and who has consistently berated human rights organisations for questioning his policies become a moralist and a humanitarian??

They were so eager to get this situation over with at first. How many deadlines did the AFP set and miss all the while remaining confident that victory was only a few days away? And now Duterte is worried about the safety of hostages and says take your time even if it means a whole year? Why should anyone believe he honestly cares about the safety of hostages when he told the AFP, "Do not hesitate to kill just because there are civilians there." The longer the siege in Marawi lasts the more critical the situation will become. And this is exactly what Duterte wants. He is slowing down the war so that the crisis will build to a breaking point and then martial law will be called for nationwide. He is waiting for the NPA or Abu Sayyaf or MILF or MNLF or BIFF or escaped and regrouped Maute fighters to launch a deadly and audacious attack which will then be his justification to declare nationwide martial law.

Now that Duterte has been given 5 more months of martial law we will see the real Duterte unleashed. There is nothing to hold him back.  There is nothing to prevent him from implementing the bloody dictatorship he said he would establish if he was president. He said he would do it and anyone who does not believe him is a fool.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections/2016/110679-duterte-contradictions-dictatorship

“It’s going to be a dictatorship,” he added. “It’s the police and the military who will be the backbone. If they agree with you – if the right-thinking policemen and military men agree with you – then after 6 years, there will be a new set-up: maybe a federal type, less corruption, and a fresh air for the next generation.” 

“I’m telling the Filipino people, huwag ako. It’s going to be bloody,” he said. “Because I will not sit there as President and just like any other regime, sabihin ko, iyan lang ang kaya ko … pero pag nilagay ninyo ako, do not fuck with me.”

Booksale

Booksale is one of the more enjoyable places to go in Philippines.  Every mall has one. This store is sells used books of all kinds.  It can be a real treat to walk in and find something unexpected.  Here are a few gems I have found.

The gold book is an out-of-print Book of Mormon with a gold foil cover replica of the golden plates Joseph Smith translated the basis of the Book of Mormon.  

Prices are usually between 130 - 25 pesos.  A real deal especially if you find something out of the ordinary.

Digging through the junk to find the treasure.  Now that's living in the Philippines.

Not(chos) Again!

The mall across town has an area where people can sell their homemade snacks and items.  I am not sure how this works and there does not seem to be any sort of oversight as far as cleanliness goes. Literally people bake their snacks at home and bring them to the mall to sell.  Some of them actually do cook and prepare the food at their table.  Today there was a lady selling nachos.  They looked good so I bought a large order to take home.  

Topped with meat, cheese, diced cumbers and tomatoes

Much better than Nachos Galore from Zark's Burgers.  Everything was crunchy and tasty.

Right next to the lady selling nachos was a group selling popcorn chicken.  So I bought a large order to go with the nachos. Covered in honey sriracha sauce. Very delicious.

Take a look at their logos. That's the Lion King on the top of the table and C-3PO and R2D2 on the banner.  Just a little borrowing from Disney to sell their products. This is a common practice in the Philippines and other third world nations. Take a popular brand logo and turn it on its head. No one will know and it's all in good fun no harm done. Right?

Take this restaurant for example:

Driveway...Eat Fresh!

Do they have 5 dollar foot longs or are they selling regular Filipino food like barbecue pork and chicken??  

And yes there are several Subway locations in the Philippines.