Category Archives: Science and Environment

Boracay’ s Famous Sand Castle To Be Demolished

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Photo: The Adobo Chronicles

BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – The world’s most beautiful island, as per the magazine Condé Nast, is in deep, deep trouble.

Its most famous sand castle built in the middle of the long stretch of White Beach is about to come down for good, thanks to the persistence of environmentalists and advocates against illegal construction on public land.

The sand castle, which bears the words, ” I love Boracay,” along with the month, day and year updated on a daily basis, is one of the island’s icons.  No one who visits Boracay goes away without a selfie in front of the sand structure.

This is not the first illegal construction demolished in Boracay.  Years ago, government agencies demolished illegal structures of a posh resort for encroaching on a no-build zone among various other alleged violations of local and environmental laws. That resort, the West Cove, is rumored to be owned by Filipino champion boxer and now Senator Manny Pacquiao.

So, while “it’s more fun in the Philippines,” you never know when the axe falls on you especially if you do not have the needed permits to build on public or zoned land.

Tomorrow, December 10, a final tribute to the sand castle will be held by residents and tourists alike.  There will be music, fire dancing, buffets and free San Mig light beer to all who will attend the “burial.”

Unlike the remains of the late Ferdinand E. Marcos in the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani, it will be impossible to exhume the sand after it is demolished. That means, there can be no protests or rallies.

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Yolanda Victims Want Buried Relief Goods Exhumed And Transferred To Dinky Soliman’s Frontyard

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Soliman, left, and rotting Yoland relief goods buried in Leyte, right

PALO, Leyte , Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – It was during the tenure of Dinky Soliman as secretary of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the Aquino administration that super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit the Philippines, causing massive devastation and loss of many lives.

Relief for those who survived the tragedy was slow to come.  Worse, food items intended for victims left homeless and hungry were left to rot and later buried underground.

That was in 2013.

Fast forward to 2016.

The former DSWD was seen joining a protest rally of those against the burial of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos in Libingan Ng Mga Bayani.  They are demanding that the buried remains be exhumed (“Hukayin”), claiming Marcos didn’t deserve to be interred in LNMB.

Well, what comes around goes around.

Today, thousands of Yolanda victims have called on the government of President Duterte to exhume the buried relief goods in Leyte and transferred to the frontyard of Soliman.  The group promised to hold a daily vigil at the EDSA Shrine until their demand is met.

The Adobo Chronicles tried to reach Soliman for comment, but her cell phone has been disconnected.

Philippines: Baguio City’s Newest Product – Bottled Fresh Air

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(original photo by @cousinfrombaguio)

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Baguio Bureau) – Fresh strawberries and vegetables, bottled ube jam, garlic or sweet longganisa, wood-carved barrel man.  These are just a few of the souvenirs and pasalubong one can take back home after a visit to the Philippines’ summer capital — Baguio City.

Now, a new local product has been introduced in the market and its popularity has sky-rocketed in just weeks after it launched in late June.

It’s Baguio fresh air, bottled at the source, and it comes complete with the ever popular pine scent, preserved from the trees cut down when SM Department Store built its mall atop Luneta Hill, former site of the famed Pines Hotel.

It costs about three hundred pesos (about US $6.50) per bottle, but the price is expected to increase to more than double because of the high demand.

Best sources of this amazing product are the world famous Baguio City Market and some vendor stalls along  Burnham Lake.

It is expected to hit the world market in no time.  Get them while you can!

NOTE: Cousin from Baguio contributed to this report.

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