Category Archives: International

VENUE OF PACQUIAO-MAYWEATHER FIGHT ON MAY 2 MOVED TO MANILA!

February 23, 2015 Pol Pinoy 10 Comments

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Within just fifteen minutes after official confirmation of the May 2nd championship boxing bout between Filipino Manny Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather was made public, the fight’s venue, the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, sold out.

Seeing as how this is being dubbed as the fight of the century, perhaps even eclipsing the 1975 ‘Thrilla in Manila’ between Mohammad Ali and Joe Frazier, both the Pacquiao and Mayweather camps agreed to move the venue from Las Vegas to Manila.

The new venue is The Philippine Arena, located just a few miles north of the capital. It has the distinction as the world’s largest indoor arena, with a capacity of 55,000. In contrast, the MGM Garden Arena can only hold 16,800 people.

“We want all the boxing fans to have the opportunity to personally witness this historical event, so we wanted to find a bigger venue that can accommodate more people,” a spokesperson for the Pacquiao camp told reporters in Manila.

Manila Mayor (and former Philippine president) Joseph Estrada welcomed the news, saying that this will bring millions of tourism and business dollars to his city. “With all the new hotel and condo infrastructure, we certainly will be able to accommodate boxing fans from all over the world who will visit the Philippines to personally witness the fight,” he said.

President NoyNoy Aquino directed the Manila Airports Authority to speed up renovations and improvements at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in time for the May event.

Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman also announced that she has scheduled another ‘camping’ for Manila’s street children and homeless families at a resort south of Manila during the week of the fight to hide them from view of visiting tourists. (It will be recalled that Soliman rounded up street children and brought them to the same resort during Pope Francis’ visit to Manila last month).

International, Same-sex Marriage, Travel

MANILA AIMS TO IMPROVE ITS NO. 9 STANDING AS HAVING THE WORST TRAFFIC IN THE WORLD

February 22, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The Philippines has recently ranked as the 9th worst in deplorable traffic in the world, according to a study by Numbeo, a Serbia-based research firm. Data from traffic situations in 88 different countries determined the position of the Philippines in the firm’s 2015 Traffic Index report.

Other noted countries with even worse traffic situations than the Philippines are Kenya, Egypt, Bolivia, Nigeria, South Africa and Thailand.

The Philippines ranked 4th worst in all of Asia trailing behind Bangladesh, Jordan and Iran.

According to Numbeo, traffic index refers to the “composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, carbon dioxide consumption estimation in traffic and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system.”

Kenya came in first place this year, as to having the worst traffic in all the world.

Reacting to the new study, Philippines President NoyNoy Aquino ordered the Departments of Transportation and Tourism to work closely with the local governments of Manila, Pasay, Quezon, Makati, Mandaluyong and other cities and towns comprising Metro Manila to improve the country’s No. 9 standing.

“We always strive to be No. 1,” Aquino said, “and there’s no reason that we cannot move up to the top spot in the world’s worst traffic.”

For motorists and commuters in Metro Manila, expect more excavations, traffic re-routing, cancellation of “coding,” easing of truck bans during heavy commute hours, and more Michael Jackson- wannabes among traffic enforcers. “Wang-wangs” (government vehicle sirens) will also be reinstated.

It is definitely a serious attempt by the Aquino government to again place the Philippines on the world map, this time as the top country with the worst traffic.

Festivals, International

PRESIDENT AQUINO DECLARES 2015 AS YEAR OF THE CARABAO

February 21, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Madonna, the hard-working Carabao of Villa Escudero in the Philippines (Photo: The Adobo Chronicles)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – It was a non-working holiday last February 19 in the Philippines, as declared by President NoyNoy Aquino, to observe the Lunar New Year.

Elsewhere in the world, an entire year has been lost in translation, with countries and communities celebrating the Year of the Goat, Year of the Ram, Year of the Sheep. So which is it?

What is little known about Aquino’s holiday proclamation was that his staff at the presidential palace, Malacanang, were very confused as to what to call this Lunar New Year. In doing some research, the staff determined that Yang (the sign for this New Year) is loosely translated as a “horned animal,” hence the confusion among the goat, ram and sheep — all horned animals.

To clear the confusion, Aquino, in his actual proclamation, decided that this year is the Year of the Carabao in the Philippines. The carabao (water buffalo) is a horned animal that is used in many farm lands in the country.

Designating this as the Year of the Carabao makes it more appropriate and significant to the Philippine setting, Aquino said, since there are no sheep or rams in the country — only goats.

Kilawen na Kambing, a Filipino dish akin to ceviche, but made from goat meat. (Photo: The Adobo Chronicles)

Despite the year being designated as the Year of the Carabao, residents of Baguio City, the country’s summer capital, celebrated the holiday by having family feasts consisting of kalderetang kambing, adobong kambing and kilawen na kaming, all goat delicacies popular among folks in Baguio and other parts of the country.