Flood Weary in the Philippines

The recent spate of sad events in the Philippines — starting with Typhoon Ondoy on September 26th  – really kept me from adding to this blog.   But, after the tragedies and doing your best to help those affected, life goes on…

But back to the batcave and the rain/floods:  Though we can blame the unusual amount of rainfall on climate change, and the clogged drains on pollution, and denuded forests for the landslides, I always think… it’s been pouring buckets on this country forever!  We just never pre-plan anything here (except for the latest product launch and celeb debut, but I digress), and we never learn from from the past.

Just to prove my point, check out this vintage political cartoon from the 1931 Free Press (below):

Deja Vuuuuu....

Hmm, except for the vintage cars and outfits, and a shark in the water instead of the seriously real crocodiles and snakes from the September flooding, this looks sooo familiar…

 

It’s World Population Day

June 11th is World Population Day. 

Whenever I hear the words ‘population explosion’, I always think of the Philippines.  When I used to live in Canada, this would always come up about the Philippines in my Southeast Asian Government classes.  Now, I don’t need to study facts or statistics, I simply need to leave my home to see children everywhere — playing on dusty sidewalks by busy intersections, clutching their young mother’s hand while she begs for money, sleeping in wooden carts in empty lots. 

I always wondered how one can live in this country and not even consider the idea of a reproductive health plan.  I am against abortion, but am pro-birth control.   Underprivileged women need the information and free birth control to help them gain control of their lives.  As a nation, we seriously need to keep our population in check if we are to begin the long process of eradicating poverty.

The Philippine Star details the story of the UNFPA (United Naitons Population Fund)’s 20th World Population Day:

[The UNFPA released a statment that] calls on governments to promote women’s reproductive health and prevent maternal and child deaths through family planning programs and the use of contraceptives. Even the person in charge of direct aid for the poor in the Philippines, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, is pushing for the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill as resources shrink in the recession and the population continues to boom.

The UNFPA points out that an investment in contraceptive services could be recouped four times over in terms of savings in public education, health care and other social services. The UN agency also says that family planning alone can reduce maternal deaths by up to 40 percent.

So “Happy World Population Day” and may everyone in government seriously think about giving the Reproductive Health Bill a shot.  Just look out your windows, people!  Look.

 

Political Cartoon from 1937 shows this is not an new issue

Fabella Hospital, Manila's "baby factory" as 20% of Manila's babies are born here to indigent moms.

 Read more about Fabella Hospital HERE.

Pre-war Manila was so beautiful

I love looking at old photos.  Black and white photographs always evoke a sense of nostalgia in me, even if they’re of a history I wasn’t a part of.  Looking at old photos of Manila is especially interesting because the images capture a world that really seems forever lost to time.  As our grandparents’ and their friends’ stories go, these were the days when people shopped on Escolta wearing smart hats and white suits, when weekends were spent swimming and picnicking on the banks of the Pasig River, and when you got dressed to enjoy a night out at the Jai Alai Building’s Sky Room. 

To give a better sense of what pre-war Manila was like, I’m posting old photos of the Philippines that I found in the LIFE Magazine Photo Archives.   This amazing set of photographs was taken in November 1941 Manila, the week before the outbreak of war with Japan.  The days of calm before the storm…

 

The beautiful Jai Alai building, designed by Welton Becket, who also did the iconic Capitol Records Tower in LA:

The Welton Becket-designed art deco Jai Alai Building

 

 Watching a game of Jai-Alai:

 

The main commercial district, Escolta:

When men wore white suits...

 

Inside a Manila Department Store:

Taken in late November a week before Pearl Harbor, stores were ready to celebrate Christmas.

 

View of the busy Sta. Cruz Plaza, Manila:

 

Japanese businesses still open:

 

The Manila City Hall and its manicured courtyard:

 

Shopping at stalls near the Quiapo Church:

We loved tiangges even back then...

 

Lovely interiors of the Quiapo Church:

 

Having lunch at the Manila Polo Club:

 

Getting ready to watch a baseball game, Manila Polo Club:

 

View of the clean, art-deco Quezon Bridge:

Note that we used to drive on the left side of the street

 

When men used to wear hats… a second-hand hat stall off Carriedo St.:

 

Manila Hotel swimming pool:

 

Ready for what’s coming- the popularity contest winner of the Manila College of Pharmacy smiles and shows her support for the boys:

Where did Clairol Herbal Essence go?

 

I loved the long-haired ‘nature lady’ who used to grace the label of this shampoo.  She used to bathe in a forest and birds and butterflies would happily hover over her.  Clairol Herbal Essence came in a cool bottle, was a beautiful deep aloe green and most importantly, smelled so herbal essence good.  I found an old ad (above) and was surprised to also find an on-line petition demanding the return of Herbal Essence.  I wonder if the “Gee Your Hair Smells Teriffic” fans have the same passion.  These ’70s women are loyal! 

Speaking of Gee Your Hair Smells Teriffic, here’s something from the “You learn something new every day” department:  Did you know that after Jergens stopped making the popular shampoo in the US, that the only place it was available in the entire world was the Philippines?  According to this site:

By the mid-1980’s the products disappeared from [US] store shelves.  Jergens had discontinued manufacturing the product.  After that, the only place in the world where the items were still available was in the Philippines!  Jergens had licensed the product to a manufacturer in the Philippines, and up until today the product has remained available for purchase there!

Well… lucky us! 

"Gee, you look like my mom"

Philippines: 13th in Asia yet 14th Happiest in the World

Wealthy Singapore - but are they happy?

Below is the CIA’s list of the Top 10 Wealthiest Nations in Asia.  No surprise that Las Islas isn’t on the list but it was depressing to see that Malaysia, our former ‘not so successful’ neighbor (when I was a kid), is now at number 8.  It also says something that when I google’d photos of Malaysia, not one had a shanty, a mountain of garbage, or a half-dressed child.  But all is not lost, the Philippines stands at number 13, just behind China and ahead of  Kazakhstan(Borat’s home).  Not bad, at least we’re still ahead of Indonesia!

Top 10 List of the Wealthiest Countries in Asia  (c/o CIA World Factbook, rank based on GDP per capita)

1. Singapore – 27,800
2. Japan – 23,400
3. Hong Kong – 23,100
4. Macau – 17,500
5. Brunei – 17,400
6. Taiwan – 16,100
7. South Korea – 13,300
8. Malaysia – 10,700
9. Thailand – 6,400
10. Turkey – 6,200

Despite not making the Top 10 of Asia’s Wealthiest, the Philippines apparently ranks 14th out of 143 nations the in the New Economic Foundation’s Ranking of the World’s Happiest Places.  The basis for ranking being:

• life expectancy (ours is 71 years)
• people’s happiness with their lives (55% of Filipinos are apparently thrilled with theirs)
• and environmental impact (hmm…) 

Costa Rica was crowned the happiest and greenest place on earth (take that, Disneyland).  The highest ranked Western nation is the Netherlands at 43, with the US at 114.   So yay to South America and to us:  Viva and Mabuhay!  Let’s dance!

Happy Filipinos - sayaw nalang tayo!

Choose Sunflower Mayonnaise

I was so happy to see sunflower mayo finally available at the supermarket!  It’s under the Belle France brand and is very affordable – I think it was only P70 for the small bottle.   Just look for the word ”Tournesol” (sunflower) on the label.  I’m not really a mayonnaise fan, but if I did have to use mayo for tuna salad, I’m glad I can finally buy a good one here.

Sunflower oil: 

• Has no cholesterol
• Is high in Vitamin E (which has antioxidant properties) 
• Is low in saturated fat
• Is known for its clean taste

Belle France seems to be a high-quality generic brand from France, kind of like President’s Choice products from Canada.  Belle France products are available at Rustan’s and Shopwise.  It’s great seeing affordable packs of gauffrettes, bottles of cornichons, tubs of sorbet and many other yummy items available to choose from.  My kids love bringing packets of the mini chocolate biscuits to school and having the frozen cordon bleus for snack time.  High carbon footprint concerns aside, I still think Manila needs more products like these : )

Great Early Philippine Political Cartoons…

The book ”Philippine Cartoons – Political Caricatures of the American Era 1900-1941″ by Alfred McCoy and Alfredo Roces is a treasure trove of information on how things used to be.   Aside from the cartoons featuring the Manila Carnival, and the one about the passing of an ordinance in 1930 to get live pigs off the streets (!), I love these that depict public outrage at UP following the American example and allowing coeducation.  We’ve come a long way!

Wild kids dating and going to the movies

Coeducation = going to Pasay together... at 2pm!

Good salad vs. bad salad

I love love any Asian salad, with Vietnamese or Thai versions being my favorites.  But when it’s summer, I always look for a good, simple Mediterranean salad.  I usually go for Greek, but I found this great recipe for a Caprese one:

1. Drain 1 large can of black olives.  Cut the olives in half.  Cut 3 cups of cherry tomatoes in half as well. Put the olive and tomato halves in a bowl.
2. Cut up about 1 cup of good mozzarella and add this to the bowl as well.
3. Chop or tear 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves and mix into a 1/2 cup of an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.
4. Combine dressing with tomato mixture, salt and pepper and serve.  Mmmm…

From the Bad Salad department… I got this Jello ad from a vintage ad blog years ago.  It was labeled by the blog owner as “Satan’s salad” : (   Maybe because it looks like there are body parts trapped in it…

Not to be outdone is our local mayo brand, Lady’s Choice, which actually thought this ad would make me want to buy mayonnaise.  I wonder how much mayo (or cement) she had to add to her macaroni salad to make it stand like that.

Stop acronym abuse in the Philippines

Possible foreign mice buyer

“RP to host foreign MICE buyers”

What?!  Of course, upon further reading of the article in the paper this morning, it becomes clear-  MICE stands for ‘Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibition.’  It still didn’t make the article less laughable:   

[The event] will also provide local MICE suppliers with the chance to introduce their services to the foreign MICE buyers in the MICE mart on July 10 at Shangrila Plaza Mall.

It’s another case of acronym abuse in a country where the list of acronyms is so long, you need reference material when you read the daily headlines.   I’m already used to CON-ASS (Constituent Assembly), but imagine a visitor to this country picking up the paper to read:  “Former President Ramos hopes PGMA keeps her CON-ASS titillations to herself.”   

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front should also consider using their full name because it’s hard not to burst out laughing when you read,  ““Army pounds MILF” and  “MILF expels Christians from Philippine farms” (gee, that’s one mean MILF!).   Compare that last headline with Reuters’ version, “Muslim rebels expel Christians.”  See?  It can be done.

Was Sophia Loren ever in the Philippines?

Because I don’t know how to explain this photo.  Unless someone gave the set to her as pasalubong?   I’m hoping someone finds a photo of her with a giant wooden rosary…

Sophia with giant spoon & fork

 Sophia spoon & fork update HERE

3 great Filipino children’s books

I think I’ve given one or all of these books to all the Filipino (and sometimes non-Filipino) families I know who live abroad.   I’ve seriously bought at least 5 copies of each one.  They’re the best pasalubong since they’re very representative of the Philippines and yet they’re easy to travel with – skinny and light!

 

Bahay Kubo with artwork by Hermes Alegre

I love the folk-art quality of the pictures in this book.  Each page features a line from the classic song, Bahay Kubo.  The book is about a family that lives in a nipa hut situated next to their little vegetable farm.

Hermes Alegre no longer paints in this folk-art style so I think having this book as a part of your kids’ collection is a definite must.

 

 

 

 

Haluhalo Espesyal by Yvette Fernandez-Ferreol

Celebrating family, food and being Filipino, Haluhalo Espesyal’s simple story touches on the special relationship kids have with their grandparents, and on the enduring qualities of love.  I’m gushing, but please buy 1,2, 3 copies!  There’s also a nice recipe on the last page for… HaluHalo! : )

 

 

 

 

 

The Mats by Francisco Arcellana, artwork by Hermes Alegre

A very Filipino story about familial love.  The mats here are used to symbolize a father’s love for his children.  The story isn’t exactly for young kids, but children (and I’m told even my baby niece) love the colorful pictures, wonderfully done by Hermes Alegre.

The Kiwi is a wondrous wonder fruit

The Kiwi has recently made it back on Philippine supermarket shelves but since they look a bit alien to people here, haven’t been selling too well.  I bought some on sale at Shopwise the other day  - 6 kiwis for P75!  I’m worried they’ll be yanked soon if no one buys them.  They’re so good that my kids have gotten over the fuzzy brown skin and spotty green pulp to actually eat and enjoy them.

Plus, I read in the paper today that 1 Kiwi:

• Contains as much potassium as a banana
• Has the same amount of Vitamin E found in 3 apples
• Contains twice the amount of Vitamin C found in an orange
• Is high in Folate
• Is naturally high in anti-oxidants
• Is a good source of dietary fiber

It also has a low glycemic index.  So go, go buy some Kiwis now!  Then celebrate by making this Kiwi Bellini…

Kiwifruit Bellini c/o ZESPRI GOLD

1. Puree 2 peeled Kiwis, 1 teaspoon caster sugar, 2 teaspoons Cointreau in a blender on gentle speed (you don’t want to crush the seeds).  Pass through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Then spoon the puree into 4 champagne flutes.
2. Pour 2 tablespoons chilled prosecco (or similar sparkling wine) and gently stir to combine, then gently pour on more prosecco to fill each glass.  Serve. Mmmmm….