Posts by Gill

Typhoons and Shootings

The Philippines in the News

Posted by Gill on Sep 1, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments

Last week was a rare occasion for the Philippines, as the country saw massive exposure in news media that would be widely read or watched around the world. Unfortunately, this exposure came as a result of the tragic deaths of 8 foreign nationals at the hands of gunman Rolando Mendoza, whose bus hi-jack and subsequent hostage stand-off was broadcast live to millions of viewers as it unfolded....

Town Mouse, Country Mouse

The differing challenges of urban and rural poverty

Posted by Gill on Aug 22, 2010 in Blog | 1 comment

It is estimated that 44% of the population of the Philippines live on less than $2 a day, and that 80% of the poor live in rural areas of the country. Every year, thousands of these rural poor move to the cities in search of employment, improved living conditions and a better life for themselves and their families. Bing Bing, a subsistence farmer I met in Zambales province recited to me...

Wesewrimo

An experiment in web fiction

Posted by Gill on Aug 2, 2010 in Blog | 0 comments

Now, as I’m sure you’re all well aware, this month is Wesewrimo – Web Series Writing Month! No? Well then, go have a look here to enlighten yourself. Yes, its yet another slightly twisted Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month for the uninitiated) clone (albeit slightly less ridiculously demanding as you get to set your own goal as long as it’s vaguely web series...

Iloilo

Posted by Gill on Jul 31, 2010 in Gallery | 0 comments

← Return to gallery index Iloilo is the main city on Panay, an island in the Visayas. I spent a week there at the beginning of July, combining work and sightseeing.

Micro-mythbusting

Deconstructing some common assumptions about microfinance

Posted by Gill on Jul 31, 2010 in Blog | 1 comment

Travelling to Iloilo at the beginning of the month in order to conduct an assessment of a microfinance programme that targets people with disabilities as clients, I was required to undertake a bit of a crash course in microfinance theory. Microfinance – the provision of small loans (and other financial services) to the poor to enable them to avoid using traditional moneylenders who...