Filipina Soul

Former President Joseph Estrada is asking current President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for a “full, free and unconditional pardon”. The request came after Estrada withdrew his appeal of the Sandiganbayan’s guilty verdict for his plunder case.
Here are choice quotes from the article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

“In the highest national interest, to which President Estrada is always willing to subordinate his own, we appeal to Your Excellency to grant him full, free and unconditional pardon,” read the three-page letter dated Oct. 22.

“I realized I really don’t stand a chance with the justice system that we have … so I bowed to the …read more

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It is still unknown what caused the blast in Glorietta last week. Initially, the cause was thought to be a tank of cooking gas. Then it was a homemade bomb. Now, several days after the explosion, an accidental cause is still on the table.
No conclusive proof of a bomb, like components of an explosive device, has been found. However, diesel and motor tanks have been identified where the explosion occurred. While it would bring a measure of relief if the explosion was an accident instead of a targeted attack, I can’t imagine that conditions were present inside the mall that …read more

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Forbes has released its list of the 40 richest Filipinos. The full list is below. For details about the Philippine’s wealthiest, visit the special report on Forbes.
1 Jaime Zobel de Ayala & family
2 Henry Sy & family
3 Lucio Tan & family
4 Andrew Tan
5 Manuel Villar
6 George Ty
7 Andrew Gotianun
8 Enrique Razon Jr.
9 Tony Tan Caktiong & family
10 Oscar Lopez & family

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Hello, I’m just dropping by to say I’ve been under the weather this weekend, but hopefully will be back in full swing in a day or two.
Hang tight!

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Shocking news came from the wires today. Around 1:20 p.m. on Friday (Manila time), a huge blast went through the Glorietta 2 shopping area in Makati. Nine people have been confirmed dead, and more than a hundred were injured.
The blast was initially thought to be from a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank. But more recent reports say that it is from a homemade bomb. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cleared her schedule for Saturday, for security reasons.
These photos show the extent of the damage inside the Glorietta:

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In the hands of a master, wielding a small stick becomes a deadly weapon.
In the hands of a master, on wheels, it becomes a symbol of victory against physical disabilities.
Carlito Bonjoc Jr. is a fourth-generation master of escrima, a Filipino martial arts using sticks, knives or swords. And he fights with his hands, on his wheelchair or crutches.
Bonjoc was diagnosed with spina bifida (a deterioration of the spinal cord) when he was nine and, lost his right leg to infection as a young adult. But these challenges has not stopped him from becoming a respected Master of Escrima.
Watch this video …read more

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Ever wonder what makes a Filipino truly happy?
Nope, it’s not sex.
Family, health and religion, in that order, ranked as the top three most important sources of happiness.
A survey by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) showed that Filipinos regard the family as the most important source of happiness, giving it a score of 9.45 in a scale of 10. Health scored 8.95, and religion was third at 8.59.
A little down the list are friends, financial security, education, work and love life.
The least important sources of happiness include sex (ranking 14th), and volunteer work (15th), cultural activities (16th), and politics (17th).
Although …read more

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These videos always make me cry:

I’m so glad they did this in Manila.
Go hug someone today. Everybody needs one sometimes.
Visit the Free Hugs Campaign site for more heart-warming hugs the world over.
Tags: Free Hugs, free hugs in Manila, Philippines, Philippine culture

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You know this guy, right?
He’s the Taiwanese heartthrob and member of the boy band F4, Ken Zhu Xiao Tian.

And this week, he is in the Philippines for 10 days to shoot “Batanes” an independent film with Iza Calzado.
(Do I hear fans screaming wildly now?)

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ANSWERS to the Riddles from October 12. SET # 11
 
1. Mapagabi, mapa-araw… walang tigil ang pagdaldal; ngunit kapag nakainisan, atin namang napapatay, nang tayo’y di nasasakdal sa alinmang hukuman. – RADYO
(Day and night, you talk. But if I get irritated I will kill you, that I don’t get convicted by the judge). – RADIO
2. Halina’s gabi na, sulong at umaga na. – BINTANA
(Come, it’s goodnight. Go, it’s good morning) – WINDOW
3. Maikling landasin, di maubos lakarin. – ANINO
(The distance is short but it’s still unreachable) SHADOW
4. Binili ko nang di kagustuhan, ginamit ko nang di ko nalalaman. – KABAONG
(I …read more

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