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The Manila Massacre

August 30, 2010 By MindanaoBob 101 Comments
That's the hostage taker in the bus - couldn't he have been taken at this point?

Last year, we had the Maguindanao Massacre, where the Ampatuan family allegedly murdered around 60 people, mostly from the Mangudadutu clan in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao Province.  The legal part of that massacre is still unresolved, but now we have another massacre to talk about, the Manila Massacre.  I'm talking about last week's hostage situation in Manila where a bus load of tourists were taken hostage, and many ended up dead by the time that the whole scenario was played out. Oh, people are not calling this the Manila Massacre, that's my name for it.  I mean why not, I think it's fitting. I am sure that almost all readers of this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Crime in the Philippines, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines

I passed the test! With new Podcast!

August 27, 2010 By MindanaoBob 41 Comments
Oh no! Test Time!

Today, I'll be sharing a new podcast with you, but that will have to wait until the end of the story. It's been a while since I did a podcast, so it feels good to put one up again. Over the past 3 weeks, I have been having examinations as part of my Bisaya Class.  For new readers who don't know, Bisaya (or Cebuano) is the main language used in the Central and Southern parts of the Philippines. As the name implies, Cebuano originated in Cebu, but much of the Visayas and Mindanao speak this language, or a variation of it.  For the past 3 years I have been taking Cebuano classes and learning to speak the language. The textbook that I am using … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Communication, Daily Life, Expats, Filipino Culture, Language, Living in The Philippines, Podcast

Life is Stranger than Fiction

August 26, 2010 By Patrick Duffy 10 Comments
Lion Fish

Finally once again I am back in Dolores, Eastern Samar. With all the traveling, the humidity and the heat, I rest whenever possible. Yes, it's good to be back home again. In the morning I visit friends and make appointments with others whom are too busy. My friends and I catch up on many things such as family business and my plans on building my house on the beach. The housemaid I met last time now has new employers she introduces me to.  They are a local girl named Rebeca and a gentleman named Horst from Germany who met, fell in love, and got married.  They started a copra business and live in a nice house in town. They are planning to buy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Tagged With: Daily Life, Expats, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Patrick Duffy

My Kadayawan 2010

August 25, 2010 By Jawz 4 Comments
kada2

I had been wanting to see this, ever since I read about it in late '08. Something about seeing photos of people performing traditional dance in tribal costumes attracted my attention. I'm a culture lover, so I guess I was bound to want to see this, despite me being one to not take great interest in many other types of performances (excluding favorite band concerts). I could see it approach by the decorations being hung up in the malls. Finally, on August the 21st and 22nd, I got to see what I wanted. The events of the Kadayawan Festival! First, on the 21st, was the street dancing parade. The next day, Sunday morning, was the floral float parade. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Jawz Tagged With: Daily Life, Davao, Expats, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines

Updated: Warranties in the Philippines

August 25, 2010 By MindanaoBob 96 Comments
Warranty Issues in the Philippines

When buying a major item like a car, a new PC or an appliance, most of us always consider what kind of warranty is being offered.  The longer the warranty, the more likely we are to consider buying the item if it meets our needs. In my time living in the Philippines, more than a decade already, I can recall dealing with warranty issues three different times. My first warranty experience in the Philippines involved the warranty on my automobile, a 2000 Mitsubishi Adventure AUV (Asian Utility Vehicle).  Anytime you purchase an new automobile, invariably there will be things that need adjustments, or parts that may fail within the warranty … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Business, Daily Life, Davao, Expats, Filipino Culture, Financial, Living in The Philippines, Warranty in the Philippines

Getting around, or not!

August 24, 2010 By John 24 Comments
Coffee is out of stock?

I love to travel when I have  more than p5 in my pocket. Last week I flew from Davao to Manila, to see Migs and to see my friend off after his vacation, a two month vacation with me in Davao. Davao airport is OK, its normally efficient and reasonable, and there are coffee shops before you go through to the gate that are perfectly OK. I was told that a new coffee shop opened past the gate, so I felt I would give it a chance. When I went in there it was well laid out, very bright, and so clogged up in smoke, that I doubt I would have seen the sandwich let alone taste it. So, about turn and off to another coffee shop past the gates, this was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: John G Tagged With: Daily Life, Davao, Filipino Culture, John Grant, Living in The Philippines, Luzon, Manila, Transportation, Travel

49 Days in Maasin City, Part 1

August 24, 2010 By DanielH 31 Comments
I survived a taxi in Cebu!

Today we have a Guest Article, part 1 of a Guest Series from Danny Huseman.  Danny has been a long time reader of LiP, and always friendly and somebody who comments and participates a lot on the site!  Danny recently visited the Philippines for the first time, and wishes to share his great adventure with all of us.  Welcome aboard, and thank you for sharing with LiP, Danny! MindanaoBob First a little bit about why I decided to visit the Philippines. Like most men who have visited the Philippines, its for the love of a woman and I am no different. Back in January of 2008, I met my Rose online, and we have  continued that relationship to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Tagged With: Adjustment, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Transportation, Travel

It’s on the Coconut Telegraph

August 20, 2010 By MindanaoBob 63 Comments
Coconut Telegraph Album Cover

I admit it.  I'm a Parrothead.  Big time. Oh wait... some of you are asking... what the heck is a "parrothead?" Well, a Parrothead is a fan of Jimmy Buffett.  For the uninitiated, Jimmy Buffet is an American Singer.  His music is hard to categorize.  It is not quite rock.  It's not quite country.  It's somewhere in between the two.  Jimmy Buffett primarily sings island style music.  He is a man who loves the tropics.  He sails boats.  He flies a sea plane.  He parties a lot, or used to when he was younger.  A lot of Jimmy's songs really sound a lot like the life that I lead here in the Philippines.  Songs about Coconuts.  … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Daily Life, Entertainment, Expats, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Travel

Travel by ferry in the Philippines

August 18, 2010 By RoselynSmitley 8 Comments
Supercat Boarding Area

Today we have a Guest article from Roselyn Smitley.  Roselyn lives in the Southwestern USA.  Thank you for submitting your article, Roselyn! MindanaoBob In 2005, I visited my parents in the Philippines from the U.S. My parents were long-time residents of California before retiring to the Philippines. They maintained residences in two of the largest islands in the Philippines: Cebu City (my mother’s nephew resided two houses away) and Cagayan de Oro City (where my father’s only brother lived with his family). My retired parents enjoyed a slow travel pace at an affordable price via inter-island ferry. They could have easily afforded … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Guest Tagged With: Daily Life, Entertainment, Filipino Culture, Financial, Living in The Philippines, Roselyn Smitley, Transportation, Travel

A Cultural Exchange

August 17, 2010 By Peter Bell 21 Comments
Philippines

They say that overseas travel broadens you.  I agree with this statement because world travel, albeit on a limited scale, changed me considerably.  However I will be the first to admit that the changes weren’t all positive. One of the first things I found was that, having left the comfort zone of living and working in the country of my birth, I became a different person.  In short I started to become everything I despised in world travelers, an arrogant impatient tourist with little tolerance for anything I didn’t understand and wasn’t able to cope with at the time. Meeting my wife overcame this to a great degree but only after … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Peter Tagged With: Adjustment, Daily Life, Expats, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Peter Bell
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