What's New Today - August 6, 2007
Welcome back from your honeymoon Ningning! I scanned the Kodak photo album containing your pictures. You surely enjoyed your vacation. Once you have rested and have some time to spare, please put some captions on the photos so we will know which places you’ve been to.
Wasn’t the temperature very hot in Europe at the time of your travel? I’ve watched on TV that there was a heat wave in some parts of Europe (Greece was one of them I think) while there was flooding in UK.
Here in the Philippines, particularly in Luzon, it’s still abnormally dry when it’s supposed to be the rainy season already. This prolonged dry spell has reduced the water levels in the major dams to almost critical levels. As a result, supply of water for irrigation has been cut, affecting thousands of farmers and threatening our agricultural food supply. Some provinces have already declared a state of calamity to be able to make use of their emergency funds to address the problem.
Wasn’t the temperature very hot in Europe at the time of your travel? I’ve watched on TV that there was a heat wave in some parts of Europe (Greece was one of them I think) while there was flooding in UK.
Here in the Philippines, particularly in Luzon, it’s still abnormally dry when it’s supposed to be the rainy season already. This prolonged dry spell has reduced the water levels in the major dams to almost critical levels. As a result, supply of water for irrigation has been cut, affecting thousands of farmers and threatening our agricultural food supply. Some provinces have already declared a state of calamity to be able to make use of their emergency funds to address the problem.
Supply of potable water to Metro Manila has been reduced slightly, but if sufficient rains still do not come, supply will be cut substantially by August 15. There are advisories to conserve water. The Archbishop of Manila, Gaudencio Rosales has even issued a letter asking the faithful to recite the obligatory prayer for rain in all churches in Manila starting last First Friday.
As usual, government is sending mixed signals. Some government officials are acting as if there’s nothing to worry about, like the Secretary of Agriculture who said that his request for additional funds to address the problem was only in “million” pesos. He added that we should begin to worry if his request is already in terms of “billions” of pesos. But in the same breath, Sec. Ermita said that should this drought resort to a power crisis, then President GMA may ask Congress to grant her emergency powers. As if she doesn’t have enough power yet!
We really have to conserve water. But government should take a look at the water consumption of the big users such as those in the car wash business and the golf courses.
how many gallons of water do bert's and danny's golf courses consume? Mandaluyong's Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club explained that contrary to the perception that they are consuming huge volumes of potable water, they are instead using recycled water - water from creeks and household waste water which go through their water treatment plant. Using wind power, the solid matters are separated from the liquid which then undergo the treatment process. The output is clear water, which is then used to water the green manicured lawns. But I don't think all golf courses in Luzon use recycled water!
how many gallons of water do bert's and danny's golf courses consume? Mandaluyong's Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club explained that contrary to the perception that they are consuming huge volumes of potable water, they are instead using recycled water - water from creeks and household waste water which go through their water treatment plant. Using wind power, the solid matters are separated from the liquid which then undergo the treatment process. The output is clear water, which is then used to water the green manicured lawns. But I don't think all golf courses in Luzon use recycled water!
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In keeping with the Retro, I am re-printing certain historical firsts in Camarines Norte, which I got from the webpage of the Camarines Norte Provincial Tourism Office. (http://www.camarinesnortetourism.net/). This is very interesting and informative reading. I didn’t know that the famous national artist-painter, Fernando Armosolo is from Daet until I read it in this article, and so with the info that the first PAL flight was from Manila to Daet!
I am also posting our special feature on the municipality of San Vicente in honor of Danny and Felino. We welcome the submission by the readers of other materials that will further enrich our knowledge of San Vicente. We are also requesting for materials on Capalonga, which will be featured next. (It’s the only municipality of Camarines Norte that I have never been to.)
There are additional materials and photos that I gathered on Vinzons and Paracale and I’ll be posting them in the succeeding days.
On a lighter mood, would TESS find these hair-dos cool?
I am also posting our special feature on the municipality of San Vicente in honor of Danny and Felino. We welcome the submission by the readers of other materials that will further enrich our knowledge of San Vicente. We are also requesting for materials on Capalonga, which will be featured next. (It’s the only municipality of Camarines Norte that I have never been to.)
There are additional materials and photos that I gathered on Vinzons and Paracale and I’ll be posting them in the succeeding days.
On a lighter mood, would TESS find these hair-dos cool?
1 comment:
Hello classmates,
Finally, after a whirlwind tour of Europe, I’m back. Thank you toti for welcoming me back. I’m still experiencing jet lag because of time difference.
Our first stop was London where we were met by our friend from Paracale Jim Villar. It was a good thing because Heathrow Airport was a beehive of activities. He showed us around London to places otherwise we would not see if we toured on our own. What makes London unique is people drive on the left side instead of the right so it was a good thing to see and to experience. They have a very efficient transit system which takes you to all places and you can ride all day for the price of one ticket. Points of interest: Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, eye of London, house of parliament, Faberge building, etc.
Our next stop was Madrid which has its own unique and interesting architectures. We were lucky because it so happened that one our companions has some friends there. They treated us to an outdoor dinner and welcomed us to their home and had dinner again. A Spanish husband of one of them showed us around which was nice. I could tell you that the best cooks in Madrid are Filipinos. Almost every well known restaurant employs our kababayans. They start as dishwashers and elevate themselves to become chefs.
Next was Rome, a very, very old city. It was an experience traversing the same paths and roadways that the Romans of history once traveled. We joined a bus tour of Vatican museums which includes the Sistine chapel and the masterpiece by Michelangelo. From there we went to see the ancient ruins and the coliseum. It was a sight to behold. Then we went on another tour to see Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and St. Paul's Basilica before seeing the most magnificent of them all, the St. Peter's Basilica and the square. I can only say WOW. The vastness of the place is overwhelming. The irony is we are at the center of Christianity and the tour guide warned us of pickpockets. Go figure...
Paris walang kaparis, it's every bit as they say it is and more. We stayed in prince de Galle hotel which is walking distance from arc de triomphe facing champs elysee. It so happened that tour de France was on its last leg of the race. The French's fascination with fitness is evident in their use of bicycle as a means of transport. Paris is the best place of them all, what with the Eiffel tower, the Louvre which houses the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, etc., the Notre dame, museums and buildings all over the place, there's nothing like it. We even met a kababayan who speaks fluent French and showed us Paris at night...what more can i say...Europe is expensive but worth seeing...
I still love Philippines though and I wouldn't exchange it for all of Europe...
Ningning
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