Category Archives: International

JOLLIBEE CHICKEN JOY AIRDROP FOR PHILIPPINE MARINES: MCDONALD’S, KFC CRY FOUL

imagePuerto Princesa, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) –  The Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea is among the disputed territories between China and the neighboring countries. Both the Philippines and China have laid claim to the shoal, where a Philippine navy vessel, the BRB Sierra Madre, has been grounded for months now.

Since its grounding, the Philippine military has been standing guard and protecting the vessel, replenishing both troops and supplies, despite several attempts by the Chinese Coast Guard to block the Philippine operations.

Yesterday, as part of its supply replenishment, a Philippine Navy plane airdropped  several packages of food supply for the Filipino navymen currently stationed at the grounded vessel. The packages consisted of the popular chicken joy from Jollibee.image

Upon learning of the special airdrop, both McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) cried foul and accused the Philippine military of unfair business practice. “We have been at a great disadvantage, because the chicken joy airdrop gave Jollibee free advertising,” officials of McDonald’s and KFC claimed. ” We could have provided complimentary chicken McNuggets and original KFC chicken for the troops,” they added.

McDonald’s and KFC are filing a joint formal complaint against the Philippine military before the Department of Trade.

The rivaly between McDonald’s and Jollibee in the Philippines is no secret in the business circuit.

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TOP TEN REASONS WHY MICHELLE OBAMA DID NOT JOIN THE PRESIDENT IN HIS STATE VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES

Michelle Obama at the 2014 White House Correspondents Dinner (photo: Getty)
Michelle Obama at the 2014 White House Correspondents Dinner (photo: Getty)

Washington. D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – It’s been almost two weeks since U.S. President Barack Obama visited Manila as part of his four-nation diplomatic tour of Asia, but the media and netizens still can’t figure out why he was not joined by First Lady Michelle Obama. It turns out the reasons revolved around the Philippines.

The Adobo Chronicles interviewed sources close to the First Lady and put together the top ten reasons Mrs. Obama skipped the Manila visit:

  1. There is no Philippine First Lady whom she could hang out with to gossip about their husbands  (President NoyNoy Aquino is a bachelor).
  2. She does not want to sit next to Vice President Jejomar Binay at the state dinner.
  3. She does not want to sit at the same table with convicts, i.e. former presidents. (Former President Joseph Estrada has been convicted of plunder and later pardoned by his predecessor. He is now mayor of Manila).
  4. She cannot stand Kris Aquino (TV host and sister of President Aquino who claims she is the ‘Oprah Winfrey of the Philippines’).
  5. She is allergic to hot and humid weather.
  6. She is allergic to  rice stalks (she learned that it would be part of the state dinner backdrop).
  7. Former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos was quoted as wanting to take a selfie with her.
  8. She hates karaoke, especially when it is boxer Manny Pacquiao who is singing.
  9. The Philippine government scheduled for her to visit St. Luke’s Hospital where former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was being treated at the time of the visit (Arroyo is facing criminal charges and has been under hospital arrest at a government facility).
  10. Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles just wouldn’t stop texting her (Napoles is being held without bail in a special military prison).

THE CURIOUS CASE OF WHITENING SOAPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

imageManila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Women the world over would die for the chance to sunbathe in Hawaii, The Caribbean, or the white sandy beaches of the Philippines – from Boracay to Puerto Princesa. They also pay top dollars (or whatever their currency is) to invest in bronzers (think U.S. Speaker John Boehner) or book sessions at tanning salons, ignoring warnings about UV rays-induced skin cancer.

Not so in the Philippines. White is better, especially among women who aspire to be on film, television, or to become beauty queens.

Whitening soaps have become priced items in the Philippines that many local and foreign soap manufacturers have invested millions of dollars to come up with products that promise whiter skin. Fruit-based soaps (papaya, citrus and others) as well as  chlorine-based products have become popular in recent years.

Whitening soaps have also been among the top requests from Filipinas  to their relatives in the U.S. and elsewhere when the latter ship balikbayan boxes back home.

Is this just a temporary trend or a residue from the Philippines’ colonial past?

We encourage our readers to weigh in by commenting.