Category Archives: Food

Business, Food, International, Politics, Travel

PHILIPPINES TO BE RENAMED CAPITALIST REPUBLIC OF SAN MIGUEL

May 9, 2014 Pol Pinoy 1 Comment

The San Miguel Corporation logo: soon to be the official seal of a new Philippine Republic?

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – San Miguel Corporation is best known for San Miguel Beer, but this Philippine company has extensive investments in fuel, power generation, food, agriculture, aviation, finance and infrastructure. It is on the list of Forbes 2000 largest public companies in the world.

Among its latest capital investments is the ambitious plan to build a new international airport in Manila. The existing airport, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has long exceeded its maximum capacity and has, in fact, earned the reputation as the worst international airport in the world.

Inside Manila's Airport Terminal — Inside Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal

The new airport plan will involve reclaiming (land fill) parts of Manila Bay in order to build up to four runways. Manila Bay has already been chipped away to make room for hotels, a huge shopping mall, casinos and other infrastructure. Initially, the planned airport will be used exclusively by Philippine Airlines (PAL) but will eventually be opened up to foreign airlines. San Miguel Corporation owns 49% of PAL stocks.

Since San Miguel Corporation now practically controls major aspects of Filipinos’ daily lives, and with the increasing inability of the government to manage the country, some influential legislators have proposed to rename the Philippines from ‘Republic of the Philippines’ to ‘Capitalist Republic of San Miguel,’ and to turn over management of the government to San Miguel Corporation.

Filipinos seem nonchalant about the proposal. In fact, many are drinking to that! As an advertising meme aptly proclaims: “Mag- beer muna tayo!” (Let’s first have a beer). San Miguel beer of course.

Food, Health & Medicine, Human Interest, International, Same-sex Marriage, Sports

EATING CORN GRITS LINKED TO HOMOSEXUALITY IN U.S, CHAMPION BOXERS IN THE PHILIPPINES

May 6, 2014 Pol Pinoy 2 Comments

Cebu City, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Two research studies released simultaneously today from opposite sides of the international dateline show an interesting link of eating corn grits to being gay and being a champion boxer.

The Daily Currant reports that scientists at Stanford University in California released a study showing that men who regularly eat grits are 70 percent more likely to have gay children.The prospective cohort study, published in Nature Medicine, followed 15,000 volunteers for 30 years to determine the influence of parental diet on the development of childhood illnesses.

In the Philippines, researchers at the University of the Visayas in Cebu City released their own study linking the consumption of corn grits to being champion boxers. While rice is the predominant staple in most of the Philippines, corn grits are the staple in many areas in the Visayas and Mindanao islands.

The Philippines has its share of champion boxers, many of whom hail from grit-eating cities and provinces. Manny Pacquiao is from Sarangani in Mindanao. Legendary Filipino boxer, the late Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde was from the Visayas.

Got grits? Be gay. Be a champion boxer!

Business, Food, Health & Medicine, Law Enforcement, Politics

PHILIPPINES TO TAX ‘BALUT,’ OTHER STREET FOOD VENDORS

May 6, 2014 Pol Pinoy 1 Comment

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Kim Henares will go down in history as the most enterprising commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Philippines’ tax agency.

She has been in the limelight for her personal crusade to collect taxes from the earnings of world Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao. But she is not focusing only on the rich and famous. She has issued new policies taxing cigarettes and ultimately the cigarette vendors, as well as small business people who make a living by selling used items at flea markets and other short-time street festivals like the Christmas night market.

Now, in the boldest move yet in her career as the taxwoman, Henares has announced that all street food vendors will now be required to pay taxes and to issue official receipts for every sale. These include vendors of balut (boiled duck embryo), taho (sweet tofu snack), mani (roasted peanuts), barbecue pork, chicken, and other favorites like pig ears, chicken feet, and pork blood – more popularly known in the Philippines as walkman, adidas and betamax, respectively.

Balut and taho vendors will feel the brunt of the new regulations because in addition to the sales tax, they will be charged an additional 5% travel tax. Unlike other street vendors who set up stationary stalls along Metro Manila sidewalks, balut and taho vendors are constantly on their feet, moving from one neighborhood to another to sell their goods.