PHILIPPINE PORTS

Shame they can't invest some funds in the port at Manila and come up with a logical rail based solution in which to serve it.
Common sense is not all that hard to achieve.

 

http://customstoday.com.pk/philippines-plans-to-build-new-port-in-cebu-worth-200m/

MONEY REMITTANCE THREAT

  Greedy mongrel banks are threatening both your local Filipino shop and your access to cheap money transfer to loved ones back in the Philippines.
  Westpac and St George banks have been actively closing down accounts of any small business involved with money remit services - forcing people to use their more expensive 'money-grabbing'services. Other big banks are doing the same, with little regard to the welfare of those struggling to live in the Philippines, little to care if they live or die.

  If they are allowed to destroy these services, many Australian Filipino businesses will be destroyed, many people will be out of work (again).

  Average fees from a bank are around $30, where as the small local remit providers do it for as little as $8 to Manila.
  Rates at banks are always well below that of the local remit provider. A recent example being 36.90 (compared to the bank in the very low 35s).
   Bank transfers take up to a week, where your local provider do it in as little as a few hours, or the next day.
  Relative dying in hospital in the provinces awaiting for funding - those Australian bank managers don't care less.

  Its an absolute disgrace - don't remain quite and whinge about it later as always, stand up and be heard.
 

Philippine Sentinel Newspaper

Australian Remittance And Currency Providers Association

Please SIGN THE PETITION  takes 2 minutes and saves 20 years of complaining later.

Thank you

KYWONG HERITAGE RAILWAY

Celebration

Howdee one and all,
                                 My life after extricating myself from the horror that was the Eastlakes Filipino community has been a busy one. After a couple of years of endless gossip, hate spreading and pointless karaoke nights, I find myself and and trying to further the railway history cause.
  Unlike the ungrateful members of the Filo community in Eastlakes, my efforts are appreciated enough to find myself with an invitation to the recent celebration of the new 'Kywong Heritage Railway'project down in the Riverina town of, not surprisingly, Kywong.

  Many know the misery I went through during my involvement with the board of the 'Railways and Industrial Heritage Society Philippines inc'. Trying to raise money there, while contending with the narrow minded belief that we were a money printing factory, lead to a barrage of insults from both the board and racial bigots living in Alabang who pretend to have the Philippines best interests at heart.

  Subsequently a number of groups have been set up, the latest being the 'Manila Railroad Club Company' which, as a company, does not instill the greatest confidence in their plans for the future.
  Sadly, one is filled with regret as to what we could have achieved in the Philippines if egos did not interfere - but a good feeling that maybe the money will be appreciated here in rural preservation.

  The following photos are from the Kywong celebrations.

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Yet another wonderful show by Mega Rhythm Productions and our dear friend Conrad.
  We were honoured to attend with my cousin Pia and husband David.
  As a mostly English speaker, I did not get most of Willie's performance - however his impersonation of Erap was mostly understood and much enjoyed.
Atak seemed to be one of the true winners of the night. No matter what the language barrier, ATAK is just hilarious. His antics have you laughing from start to finish. A true Filo star.
  The supporting actors were fantastic, Jayden Rodriges (who I sort of met at the Blacktown Fiesta) was, as always, a full on crowd pleaser.

  Announced on the night was next years visit of Charice - this obviously being popular with the crowd.

  Still, and Conrad knows, I still eagerly await Ely Buendia (Pupil), Yeng Constantino and, obviously, Maja Salvador ;-)

Some video footage can be found on our FACEBOOK site.

~~ OPERATION ADOBO #6 - November 2011 ~~

A couple more photos from the recent Philippines trip, mostly to trial the downloading to Blogger from a different computer.

This selection of shots come from our second day, which saw us attend a meeting of FILDAC (Philippine Diecast Aircraft Collectors) before heading down to Multinational to photograph the real thing, then on to Pasay Road station in time to witness a massive storm and train delays due to flooding at Espana.

>>> MR ESTRADA - I HAVE A PROPOSAL <<<

For your next movie, what about a story on an ex-movie star, who become a president, then got dumped for corruption, was released, made a movie while threatening to run for president again and finishes it off by commiting suicide. Then ensure you do whatever it takes to make it a non-fiction movie. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Philippine ex-president, 72, shoots comeback movie

By OLIVER TEVES (AP) – 1 day ago

MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada, once an action movie star, is returning to the big screen with his first film since he was toppled on corruption charges.

"I am back. I am happy," Estrada told ABS-CBN television, the sister company of film maker Star Cinema. "This is where I came from, where I became known."

Estrada, 72, on Wednesday started filming a comedy about a minibus driver trying to deal with his daughter's plans to marry her Filipino-American boyfriend.

"He really thinks that the poor, who are already suffering, should not be made to cry some more in the movies," spokeswoman Margaux Salcedo said. "He wants to make them happy, even if only briefly."

Estrada built his political career as a champion of the poor, largely based on his movie roles as an underdog. He rose from town mayor to senator to vice president before taking the presidency.

He stepped down amid massive protests in 2001 after serving only half of his six-year term. He was convicted of "plunder" in September 2007 but was immediately granted a pardon by his successor and political nemesis, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Estrada has said he will consider running for president again next year and that the constitutional ban on a second term does not apply to him.

Estrada, with his trademark mustache, pompadour and wristband, is a Filipino movie hall-of-famer, having starred in more than 100 films.

His last movie, "Sa Kuko ng Agila (In the Eagle's Claws)" — made in 1989 while he was a senator — portrays him as another minibus driver who opposes U.S. military bases in the Philippines.

Estrada said he felt uneasy Wednesday with the modern "high-tech equipment" on the set.

Toni Gonzaga, who plays his daughter, said she was honored to work with the former president.

"I am speechless. He is really a classic actor," she said.

They were shooting a scene inside a jeepney, the ubiquitous Filipino minibus that was originally fashioned from surplus World War II U.S. jeeps.

Director Wenn Deramas also praised Estrada, saying he didn't need second takes for his scenes.

He said Estrada gave specific instructions that he be treated like other actors.

>>> PHILIPPINES 2009 <<<

A look at the beautiful Taal Volcano and lake of the same name from Tagaytay.

A family picnic day was spent here during the recent trip.

For those who may be interested, the Taal is still an active volcano and is believed to have the potential of the worst eruption on record should it eventually go off.

Scary!