Posts Tagged "philippines"
Typhoons and Shootings
The Philippines in the News
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....
Read MoreKain Na Tayo! (Let’s Eat Now!)
Notes on a Filipino Obsession
If “halo halo” was the first Tagalog phrase I learned, “kain na tayo” or “let’s eat now” was close on its heels. That they were both in some way food related is no coincidence – eating seems to be a bit of a national hobby in the Philippines and “kain na tayo” sums up their attitude nicely, often used as it is to express that food should...
Read MoreHalo Halo
An Initial Impression of the Philippines
“Halo halo” was the first Tagalog term I learned, some thirty minutes or so after I stepped off the plane into the heat of Manila two weeks ago. It means, literally, “mix mix”, and is commonly used here to describe a frozen milk dessert with banana, coconut and some garish, unidentified green and purple stuff mixed in. However, I think its an apt term for my first impressions of Manila,...
Read MorePop Politics
A different breed of election
So the UK wakes (after a long night of swing-o-meter fun) to face the reality of a hung parliament with a Conservative majority. Change has been promised by all of the candidates throughout their election campaigns, but there will be much skepticism as to what can be accomplished in the face of this result, whatever the intentions of those in charge. In the Philippines meanwhile, voters face a...
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