Chinese New Year Celebration in Manila Chinatown 2012

A guide to Manila Chinatown's Food Scene during the Chinese New Year

click the link for the full story

http://verafiles.org/2012/01/20/a-guide-to-chinatowns-food-scene-as-the-dragon-year-begins/

Impeachment... Round 2

Editorial illustration by Vincent Go for Vera Files

As the second day of the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice was closely followed by viewer, only one thing was sure, prosecutor came out confident but with its rambling of what the people had expected because of what they call as "media exposure" only showed that they were unprepared and disappointing everybody closely monitoring the event. After seeing former Justice Cuevas give off a smile after the decession of  Senate Court President Enrile to adjourn the hearing. He knew right there and then, that they scored against the prosecution team.

My Current Score: Defense 2 - Procecution 0

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/dearth-talent-170811275.html
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/won-day-1-corona-impeachment-trial-162100548.html

Lets get ready to rumble....

http://verafiles.org/2012/01/17/who-won-day-1-of-corona-impeachment-trial/

January really started out with a BANG! After all the celebrations and festivities now comes the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, something that will be a sure hit among Filipino teleserye followers to keep them glued to the tube. The first day started out with the Chief Justice himself attending the proceedings and  represented by legal luminaries such as former Justice Serafin Cuevas and law school dean Eduardo delos Angeles for the defense, while the prosecution was headed by Iloilo congressman Neil Tupaz.

here is a link to videos posted by ABS-CBN News complied by Verafiles.
http://verafiles.org/2012/01/16/face-off-day-1/

Tondo celebrates feast of the Sto. Niño

Every third Sunday of January, Tondo, one of Manila's most densely populated district, celebrates the Feast of Sto. Nino (Holy Child in Spanish) which is one of the oldest religious relics brought by Fernando Magellan to the archipelago in 1521.

http://verafiles.org/2012/01/15/an-uneventful-feast-of-sto-nino-in-tondo-except-for-pickpockets/

Chinese New Year

2012 entered with lots of activities and festivities in the year of the water dragon. More than a week from now, the Chinese community here in Manila will be celebrating what is considered as the most important day in Chinese culture, the "Lunar New Year" which falls on the 23rd of January. It is also the time when all family members gather to have a family reunion dinner and share "nian gao" or what is locally known as "tikoy" which represents sweetness and togetherness of the family. Chinatown in Manila will surely have a festive atmosphere with abundant oriental delicacies, firecrackers, drummers and of course the lion dance.

Here, I would like to share some images from last year's event of what to anticipate a week from now. 

Feast of the Black Nazarene 2012

It was the longest procession yet in the history of the of the Black Nazarene, started the day around 4 am to fallow devotees in their journey to strengthen their faith. The annual event draws millions of Filipinos to participate in the procession in the predominately catholic country.

One question always linger in my mind  with so many devotees that participate in the procession during the yearly event, does each and everyone really know that essence of what they are doing. Does sacrificing life and limb going through a frenzied crowd to touch the religious icon really bring the miracle that each and every devotee pray for? With a steady number of growing participants yearly, is this a sign that there is a growing number of desperation among the population? One thing that left an impression on my mind was the call of Manila Archbishop Luis Tagle during the early mass which I saw fell onto deft ears at the end of the day.

This year's event lasted for almost 22 hours, leaving the Quirino Grandstand on Monday morning and was able to enter the Quiapo Church at dawn on Tuesday.

fallow link for more images:
http://verafiles.org/2012/01/11/black-nazarene-procession-broken-wheels-and-strong-will/

Journalist from various outfits waited at a vantage point for almost 10 hours for the procession to pass by.

A multimedia presentation here:

Black Nazarene, leading by example...

The feast of the Black Nazarene kicked off with the parade of Replicas this afternoon, it was a preview of the biggest show of devotion of what is to come two days from now, where millions of devotees to the Black Nazarene is expected to participate. Thousands of devotees with their replicas participated this afternoon, some were there since morning.  The volume of trash produced in such a gathering can be a surprising amount. I was taking a break at the side door of the parish when a man quietly walked by and picked up a broom and started to walk towards the foot of Quezon Bridge and started to sweep the street to the surprise of his aides and security personnel. By then they were scampering to look for brooms themselves to help clean the trash left on the street by the revelers, The man was Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, Rector and Parish Priest of Quiapo Church.

Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio at Quezon Blvd. after the replica parade.

"It's more fun in the Philippines" Again?

The Department of Tourism today launched their new slogan for the country's campaign to sell the Philippines as a destination point to foreign and local tourist. But hours after unavailing the new campaign, social media was already a buzz about the slogan used for being identical to that of a 1951 tourist slogan used by Switzerland for its campaign back in '51.

After what happened last year they ought to have been more careful and thorough before presenting the new slogan. There is a thing called Google you know...and surely this was not a one man task. Is this crab mentality or just plain neglect and coincidence.Could not help but think of how much time and effort that went into this and how much did it cost the taxpayers again...

image from  http://store.vintagepaperads.com/servlet/-strse-36616/1951-Switzerland-Tourism-Ad/Detail

image from  http://store.vintagepaperads.com/servlet/-strse-36617/1951-Switzerland-Tourism-Ad/Detail

image from http://store.vintagepaperads.com/servlet/-strse-36618/1951-Switzerland-Tourism-Ad/Detail

A Question of Faith

A few days from now organized chaos will once rule the streets of Manila, is this devotion or desperation? 

It is a day when millions of Filipinos will show their faith, when they would push, shove, fight and even trample on other devotees just to touch the symbol of their faith.

Feast of the Black Nazarene January 9, 2011, Manila.

New Year, Pinoy Style

A firecracker victim with facial injuries sustained by a wayward rocket.

Two weeks after the devastation of Sendong that hit Northern Mindanao, we ushered in 2012. 

I thought that after what had happened down south, we would end the year a bit more solemn and peaceful due to the numerous call of various organizations to donate and help our countrymen instead of spending hundreds or thousands of pesos for polluting the air with toxic particles and finger cutting fireworks.  

Despite calls and warnings to stay away from firecrackers and not to discharge their firearms indiscriminately. This was what transpired that night at the JRMMC emergency room which shows how hard headed some people really are. 

Not to mention those who are so intoxicated to the point of not knowing what happened and where they are, involved in vehicular accidents, brawls and even to the point of shooting and killing somebody right infront of the hospital where media was covering the injured coming in after the revelry.

They say it is way to drive away the bad luck, but with about 800 or so reported injuries this is sheer madness and stupidity. Are we vying for an award or record of some sort for having the most people injured or killed for ushering in the new year?

An intoxicated shooting victim during a drinking spree.

A young girl holding her left hand hit with a stray bullet.

Vehicular accident, intoxicated.

Intoxicated, involved in a brawl on new year's eve.

Intoxicated, left eye injured by firecracker.

"picolo" victim.

Heartbeat... a story on reproductive health

I saw an innocent life that came into this world on the last day of 2011 so fragile and helpless.

As he was brought out to this world and took his first breath he gave 

a shrieking cry as if afraid of  the uncertainty he had to face.

But as the stranger that brought him out onto this world placed him on the chest of his mother he heard 

something very familiar and knew right there and then, that he was safe once again.