MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang assured the public yesterday that the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) slogan and campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” will be implemented despite some criticisms.
“The response has been very positive. To my knowledge, it has been very positive so we have no problem with the slogan of DOT,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters in a press briefing.
Lacierda also clarified that the more than P5-million budget for the tourism campaign was not just for the slogan, but for the whole marketing strategy.
The DOT is being criticized …

MANILA, Philippines – CNN said the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) brings the term “stuck in the 1970s” to a whole new level.
In an article titled “World’s 10 most hated airports,” CNN’s Jordane Rane said up to the present, NAIA is “beleaguered by ground crew strikes, unkempt conditions, soup kitchen-style lines that feed into more lines and an overall sense of futility.”
It noted the rash of bad press it got, including the “Worst in the World” by the Sleeping in Airport blog.
This was capped, however, by a “collapsed ceiling in …

MANILA, Philippines—Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Francis Tolentino has welcomed a suit filed by a motorcycle safety advocacy group against the implementation of the motorcycle lanes at Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City and Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City.
“We welcome this lawsuit … with an end view of fine-tuning [the policy],” Tolentino said in a television interview, insisting that the new measure is very “helpful to the public.”
He lamented that it appeared the judicial process was apparently being used to stop a policy which he said tried to “instill discipline” among …

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 was voted the world’s worst airport for 2011 by readers of “The Guide to Sleeping in Airports,” a site that reviews the quality and facilities of the world’s airports.
Its primary audience seems to be budget travelers who see sleeping in airports as one way to save money during their journeys.
Among the array of problems cited by international passengers who managed to survive the airport were theft, bribery, and the absence of toilet seats and running water in the bathrooms.
One reader had this experience:
“A big …

Hong Kong’s High Court has ruled that an immigration law banning foreign maids from permanent residency is unconstitutional — a landmark decision that could pave the way for many applications from domestic helpers.
The court found Friday that employment and immigration law discriminates against Hong Kong’s nearly 300,000 mostly Indonesian and Filipino maids. All other people can apply for permanent residency after living in Hong Kong for seven years.
The case was brought before the High Court by Evangeline Vallejos, a former businesswoman from the Philippines who came to Hong Kong to …

“Pwedeng mag-padala?” It’s sort of like this. A Filipino tradition which is now used by drug syndicates. How do you fight this? Simple common sense. Better, refuse any type of “padala” even from anybody. If you choose to bring it with you, inspect the “padala” especially, the “maleta”. This is not just for OFW’s. This is also for all of you–Overseas Filipinos. Sabi nga: “If it’s too good to be true? Hindi yan totoo.”
It’s sad that three OFW’s will be executed in China. I was reading the news about it …

Pag hindi ka tinutugis nang mga impaktong pirata sa Somalia
Nanakawin naman mga food supplies nyo nang mga lecheng tiga Libya.
Nakalibre ka nga sa mga sira-ulong employers sa Saudi na itutulak ka sa tuktuk nang gusali
Karipas ka naman nang takbo sa nang-re-rape mong boss sa Hongkong na hindi tuli
Maligaya ka na sana dahil sa Japan maganda ang disiplina
Masisiraan ka naman nang bait sa taas ng tsunami at mala-delubyong lindol nila
Kaya nag-decide kang pumunta nang Canada. Buti pa, dun na.
Anak nang patola, hindi naman tanggap ang iyong diploma.
Tago ka ngayon sa Amerika.
Kung …

Manny Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee, made a brief visit to the White House Tuesday (February 15) and visited with President Obama, the boxer’s publicist said.
Pacquiao, in the midst of a national promotional tour hyping his May 7 world welterweight bout against Pomona’s Shane Mosley, stopped in Washington to first meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), for whom Pacquiao campaigned before the senator’s narrow victory in November.
As Pacquiao walked toward the White House, a cluster of cars stopped to watch him and a four-car pileup occurred with no …

Visitors to the Philippines may get smiles from airport immigration officials, but they shouldn’t expect to hear “Merry Christmas.”
Immigration Bureau chief Ronaldo Ledesma says officers at passport counters are banned from offering Christmas greetings because they may be misconstrued as soliciting gifts or cash.
It is a tradition in the Philippines for children to offer Christmas wishes to solicit gifts from godparents and relatives. The practice has been hijacked by corrupt officials who sometimes use it as code for extortion requests.
Ledesma said Tuesday that a Christmas greeting, even if sincere, may …

“Representing transfer of funds re: approved budget for the launching of the New DOT Philippines Branding scheduled on November 4, 2010 at Oceana, San Miguel By The Bay, Mall of Asia, Pasay City as per attached supporting documents…”
If you noticed, every actor and actresses in this epic fail Polska Dot drama, including Campaigns & Grey have their own, unique and twisted alibis.

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Dear Readers,
Few hours ago, I wrote to several advertising trade publications to share this “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” brand activation campaign.
While these trade magazines serve as venues to discuss advertising industry’s innovations and trend, I thought of asking them their stance on this deliberate shameful acts between Department of Tourism and Campaigns & Grey. As a concerned tax payer, I do not take such things lightly especially learning from Ellen’s report that here had been cost incurred.
Here is my letter:

I am just happy that someone already did …

This entry is a repost from Inday Espina-Varona’s blog: scaRRed_cat
First the good news: The Department of Tourism has a new website! Yehey!
Then, more good news: The Department of Tourism is bringing nationalism to a whole new level! Using Filipino! And providing a translation and pronunciation guide!
And even more good news: The domain name is going to make every lonely heart (or dirty mind) crawl out of the woodwork and make a beeline for the first plane headed for the land of beautifulpilipinas.com!
Did you say alarm bells rang in the Interpol’s porn …

From ABS-CBN News:
After policemen, traffic enforcers, cooks and waiters, here come the dancing cabin crew of local budget airline Cebu Pacific.
Carrying seat belts, life jackets and oxygen masks, young female flight attendants danced to Lady Gaga’s Just Dance and Katy Perry’s California Girls while demonstrating safety procedures, as recorded on video by one of the passengers.
Actual flight safety guidelines were read while the music was being played in the aircraft.
So, what do you think mga ka-barrio?
Magiging effective ba na ganito ang safety procedures sa eroplano?
Cheers,

Photo Courtesy of ABS-CBN News
Viewed …

65 students per teacher among woeful school conditions, reports the GMA News.
As schools across the country opened today, we are hearing pretty much the same thing that we’ve heard before: overcrowded schools, public schools severely lacking basic facilities like comfort rooms, etc., etc. There is news I read that, you simply cannot blame the “private school mentality” now, because parents want their kids to not only have decent education but also basic school facilities like comfort rooms.
We’re not even short of rational debate on how to improve public education. We …

Sabi nga nang ulat ni Kapitana, matindi ang labanan ni Mar at ni Binay, ayan tuloy, nagsabunutan ang mga supporters. Alam naman niyo saaten, dibdib masyado nang tao ang eleksyon. Kaya heto ang patunay na ang mga supporters ni Mar at ni Binay ay nagsabunuta daw.

Naku hindi po totoo yun, hindi po sila mga supporter ng kahit na sinung kandidato, at hindi rin po yan pugad ng ibon. Yan po ang in na in na hairstyle dito sa paligid ko.
Parang masyado lang kasi nakala stress itong nagdaang eleksyon na hanggang …

Juice ko ‘day!
Nakakaloka ang haba ng mga pila sa mga voting precincts. I doubt kung matatapos bumoto ng 7pm ang lahat ng nakapila sa kasalukuyan. My friend who’s in Tagbilaran City, anim na oras nang nakapila and as of now hindi pa rin siya nakaboto.
I had the chance to roam around the city kanina and ito ang iilan sa mga litraks na nakuha ko sa iba’t ibang location within Davao City.
This was in Palma Gil Elementary School (1st District), notice the queue from the ground floor up to the third …

This was forwarded to me and I have no clue who to give credits to. But I would like to share this to you all.

Take note, nakasapatos ang mga tao, walang maka tsinelas kahit sa Avenida. Just sharing…sayang mga iba hindi inabutan. Super linis at discipline ang mga tao. Wala pang naka maong.
Old Manila
The environment was still very clean. Very little wires hanging from posts. I still remember Mackay Radio and La Estrella del Norte where my parents would shop. Based on the Oldsmobiles, Studebakers, Buicks & Pontiacs, I must …

Before I get plastered with some negative Christian or Catholic labels out here, let me tell you, I am not a rabid catholic conservative or traditionalist. I do practice my spirituality (sometimes sa likod nang simbahan), although, I have to admit, I don’t believe in everything that the Vatican says, not even our Parish Priest. Once they start talking something that I don’t agree nor like to hear in their Sermon? I leave and blog about it hahaha! And I have done that many times. Ok? So, now that …

This all started when I wrote this blog entry: My Legazpi City. I would ran across the multiply blog of this Bicolano blogger. Since then, I would meet a number of fellow Uragons on Facebook and I have to thank these guys for all the work in promoting our beautiful city in Bicol, Legazpi City. Dex Baldon has been at the forefront with his Legazpi City Facebook and Wow Legazpi and another person who I still don’t know behind Gayon Bicol.There’s also Pading Romy, who has been hilariously pulling …

After about 4 blizzards, average 28 inches of snow, followed by 4 days of continuing and unrelenting rain, finally we had a beautiful day. Tamang-tama, kasag-sagan nang internet bullying, hate and vilification campaign to Reyna Elena sa Pinoy Blogosphere. So, mon ami et moi decided to drive somewhere.
We went to Atlantic City but decided to take the local roads. Wala lang. What would typically take 2.0 hours from Delaware to Atlantic City, it took us about 3 or more hours. Why? We discovered other alternative driving route destination, read: …

Life in the barrio B.C., that’s boring community, is truly boring. Only the sons, daughters and friendsters of the politicos move up to taste barbecue. Us, los indios have no futuro. Some of my relatives died of kamote overdose. Us the survivors, have to work twice as hard and haw-haw de carabao to even smell pugak pugak de tambutso in the city. Now, that’s a big deal when you go back to the Barrio. In fact, it’s a must that you carry one lata of biskwet. Ave Maria, I never …

This is a repost (originally posted here). Why? Because there is something magical with this entry and I love it because of it’s swak factor to the current political times. It has what I call the “konek” factor.
I am reposting this entry by Malen, one of our B7 writer, because these are the places in the Philippines forgotten by these politicians. Just in time to ting-a-ling some of these candidates that our barrios truly need some ‘about time’ attention. Who truly cares for our folks in the barrio? Alam nyo …

Here Are a Few Tips
A good education more often than not, paves the way for a good future. Due to steep competition in most professions though, a bachelor’s degree is oftentimes not enough to secure a job or climb high-up in the corporate ladder. Going abroad for graduate school offers a student a much wider horizon, in terms of training, experience, cultural integration, even communication skills. Most employers will put a premium to these. If you’re considering graduate school, here are few tips. Bear in mind though that I can …

Kung discrimination ang pag-uusapan medyo umiinit talaga ang ulo ko. Being gay all my life, I’ve experienced all kinds of discrmination and pangungutya from people of all sorts. Mas lalong nakakainis nga eh kung yung mismong kumukutya sa’yo ay pangit pa, ang kapal ng mukha sarap sapakin.
A mother together with her son was on their way home from Hong Kong when the crew of the Cebu Pacific flight they were on board asked them to step down from the plane because her son is ‘mentally ill’ daw and according to …

O, Monique! Basahin! Namnamin para ok ang pamudmud mo nang regalo sa Davao!
Here’s an Advice for Vacationing OFW’s this Christmas:

As the Christmas season is when overseas Filipino workers usually come home for a vacation, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has issued an advisory on the issuance of POEA travel exit clearances.
In the advisory, vacationing Filipinos are thus advised:

If you have just arrived, apply for your overseas employment certificate early either at the POEA main office or at the nearest POEA regional offices and extension units, or avail of the OEC …