Beautiful Cebu

Cebu is not the same colonial province time has forgotten decades ago. It is not a periphery to the center but rather, a destination with its own unique charm. Discover for yourself. See new destinations in the Cebu mainland. Read on...

Thursday, November 08, 2012

PEOPLE | Poverty in the Philippines

Shanties along the river - urban
dwelling of the city's poor. (Photo
from Inquirer.net)
Poverty in the Philippines is prevalent among the indigenous cultural majorities and minorities. This is ironic, to say the least. The country is rich in natural resources. It has the world's most diverse species of birds, plants, animals, insects, trees, and marine life. And yet, the country's fishermen and farmers are poor.

Many among the indigenous population end up working as house help, kargadors, drivers, construction workers. Those who finish college find employment in call centers [which pay much], in private companies [which pay less] and the government as favor dispensed by political patrons. Many leave the country and work  in well-paying jobs abroad as drivers, wielders, pipe-fitters, fastfood crew, garbage collector, carwash attendant, gasoline boy, etc.

There is a rising middle class courtesy of OFW dollar remittances. But they don't have a say yet on how the country is managed. They remain powerless despite keeping the Philippine economy afloat.

PROFILE | Cebu City, Queen City of the South

Cebu's port is home to most of the Philippines' shipping companies. It's not surprising as Cebu City has been, historically, the center of commerce, education, entertainment and information of Southern Philippines. It is also the administrative, ecclesiastical and cultural capital of the region.

THE ISLAND | SanFran is Disaster Resilient : UN

In May 2011, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) recognized San Francisco's disaster preparedness and awarded it the Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction for its “indigenous solutions to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation through its Purok system.”

ECONOMY | It's More Prosperous in the Philippines ... soon.

The Philippines and Peru will be among emerging economies that become much more prominent in the next few decades, helped by demographics and rising education standards, with the Philippines set to leapfrog 27 places to become the 16th largest economy by 2050, HSBC predicts.

POLITICS | Tomas as Jullus Caesar

For many people, Tomas and Joy Young's loss didn't add up. For them, last election's results were erratic, wild, inconsistent.

HISTORY | Demystifying Jose Rizal

The question is, could Rizal walk the talk? Even in his writing, he debated with himself between peaceful reform and bloody uprising. If Spain didn't throw him in prison and executed him, would he have become a hero?