Monthly Archives: January 2019

Environment, Government, Local News, Tourism

Baguio City Officials Mull Over Converting Burnham Lake Into An Ice Skating Rink

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Frozen Chicago River, left, and Baguio City’s Burnham Lake, right

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Baguio Bureau) –  The Chicago River in Illinois, U.S.A. literally froze this week as temperatures dipped below zero degrees.

This gave the ever-efficient city officials of Baguio City led by Mayor Mauricio Domogan a brilliant idea: to convert the murky Burnham Lake in this Philippine summer capital into an ice skating rink.

Baguio’s own temperature dipped to 9 degrees this week, sending chills to both residents and visitors who are in town for the opening of the month-long Panagbenga Festival.

The conversion plan involves dredging the man-made lake, refilling it with salt water and installing an underground ice maker.

Many ice skating enthusiasts were elated over the plan, but others, including operators of rental paddle boats in the lake were not happy.

Domogan said the conversion is part of the city government’s overall plan to rehabilitate the city which could eventually lose its tourism industry because of overcrowding, traffic and deterioration of natural parks.

We may soon see the next Filipino Olympic skating champion among our Baguio youth!

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Salvador Panelo: “God Wanted Rodrigo Duterte To Be President”

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MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles,  Manila Bureau) – In an interview on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said she believes that God wanted Donald Trump to be president.

She told the Christian Broadcasting Network:

“I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times and I think that He wanted Donald Trump to become president. That’s why he’s there and I think he has done a tremendous job in supporting a lot of the things that people of faith really care about.”

In reaction, Malacañang Press Secretary Salvador Panelo told The Adobo Chronicles:

”Well, God also wanted Rodrigo Duterte to be Philippine President, but for an entirely different reason: God wanted to piss off the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).”

Just recently, the CBCP which has always been critical of  Duterte, sought forgiveness for its lengthy silence over “disturbing issues,” such as the President’s bloody war on drugs and his attacks on the Church and its doctrines.

No reaction yet from CBCP on Panelo’s comment.

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Congress Progressive Bloc Wants To Block Manila Bay Clean-up For Tourism Purposes

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(L-R: Elago, Brosas, Casilao, Zarate)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – One would think the Duterte government’s initiative to clean up the polluted Manila  Bay will have 100% support from Filipino citizens, but that’s not the case.

The Makabayan Bloc in Philippine Congress — mostly Partilist Representatives — wants to block the recently-launched “Battle for Manila Bay,” an government and private sector partnership aimed at rehabilitating the Bay that was once famous for its spectacular sunset.

The solons include:

  • Alliance of Concerned Teachers Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro

•Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao

•Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate

•Gabriela Representatives Arlene Brosas and Emmi de Jesus

•Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago

In a statement obtained by The Adobo Chronicles, the Representatives said they wanted to preserve the fame of the Bay as   a tourist destination, one that is unique in its filthiness.

”If we clean up the Bay, then how would it be different from all of the world’s famous bays, like the San Francisco Bay, or Hawaii’s Hanauma Bay,” Elago said.