EDSA: THE FILIPINOS AND THE QUEST FOR DEMOCRACRY AND GOOD GOVERNMENT

February 23, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – On February 25, millions of Filipinos will gather along EDSA, Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare, for a shared purpose: to end a dictatorship, to end corruption, and to end the abuses of those in power. This avenue stands witness to what Filipinos are capable of doing for democracy and freedom. Nuns will face tanks head-on, armed only with flowers and rosaries. Students, workers, and families, will lock arms together, throwing caution to the wind in their stand for freedom. Soldiers who have the strength of will to go against the establishment will join in this mass action, realizing that the Philippines has had enough years of hardship and unbridled corruption.

The above was the scenario in 1985 that led to the downfall of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, a scenario that repeated itself during the administrations of Presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Is EDSA 29 a commemoration of the past or a declaration about the present?

Business, The Media, Travel

THE ADOBO TOUR PART 5: MANILA IS BILLBOARD CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

February 23, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – From underwear to nail polish, from wart removal to skin whitening, from the latest teleserye to the next movie box office hopeful, giant billboards as tall as the high-rise buildings and condos line both sides of Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares.

Whether they are an unnecessary distraction for motorists is debatable, given that road traffic is almost always at a stand still anyway. And this, perhaps, is the reason companies and advertisers cough up big bucks to claim their spot in billboard city.

We don’t need a scientific survey to determine which major city is considered the billboard capital of the world. Manila wins the title. Hands down!

Billboards are a sure way to get advertising messages across to their intended audiences in Manila, so much so that even God bought a giant billboard that greets commuters as they enter the city from the North Luzon expressway.

The billboard, painted in black, has this powerful message written in bold, white letters:

“We need to talk.

-God”

International, Sports

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).