Category Archives: Tourism

Beauty, International, Politics, Tourism

One Million March Planned To Protest Miss Universe Pageant In Manila

December 14, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Sometime in October, a group of 260 Filipinos and Filipino Americans signed a letter addressed to the Miss Universe Organization asking that the 2016 pageant be pulled from the Philippines. The petitioners included familiar names like Filipino American millionaire Loida Nicolas-Lewis, retired entertainer Leah Navarro, and former beauty queens Aurora Pijuan and Gemma Cruz-Araneta.

The petitioners argued that the newly-elected leaders of the country, led by no less that President Rodrigo Duterte and his cohorts have demonstrated “objectionable, scandalous, and demeaning sexist attitude towards womankind.”

We all know of course that the letter-petition was a total failure. The 65th edition of the pageant will, indeed, be held in the Philippines and some contestants have already arrived in the country.

But the petitioners are not conceding defeat. They are planning a one million people power march on January 30 to protest the staging of the pageant in the Philippines. It will be held at Luneta Park, not far from the venue of the pageant finals at the Mall of Asia.

When asked by The Adobo Chronicles how many people have signed up so far to join the one million march, a spokesperson for the group said: “260.”

Arts, Government, Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Science and Environment, Tourism, Travel

Boracay’ s Famous Sand Castle To Be Demolished

December 8, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

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.

Government, Tourism

Online Poll On Torre De Manila And Rizal Monument

November 26, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Rizal Monument now, left, and proposed, right

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – The Philippine Supreme Court has yet to decide on the Torre de Manila developers’ petition asking the high court to allow them to proceed with the condominium’s construction, citing a potential loss of over P250 million.

In 2015, the high court stopped DMCI Project Developer Inc. from proceeding with the construction of the 49-storey condominium following a petition by the Knights of Rizal saying it mars the vista or visual corridors of the Rizal Monument in Luneta.The group said, once completed, the condominium would “stick out like a sore thumb and dwarf” all surroundings within a radius of two kilometers.

There were alternative proposals to resolve the sticky issue, among them, to turn the Rizal Monument 180 degrees sideways , so that instead of the condominium building, its backdrop would be the world-famous Manila Bay.

But the alternative proposal is a myth.

If turned 180 degrees, the monument’s backdrop will not be Manila Bay. Instead, it will be the Quirino Grandstand at Luneta Park.

With this in mind, the Manila City Government is turning to Filipino netizens, especially Manila residents to help with the final decision. It has sanctioned The Adobo Chronicles to conduct this poll among its readers and followers.

Please vote in the poll.