Lil Li°

taking the initiative

2011-05-19T06:13:00.001-07:00

As voluntary organized and German-based human rights initiative called Sumabay Tayo! Walking Together – for Justice! the group launched its last activity in Oldenburg in 2010. It mobilizes and informs the general public about human rights violations happening in the Philippines and urges the Philippine government to end all human rights violations as well as to clarify the victims' cases.

Stop enforced disappearances and political killings!
Surface all victims of enforced disappearances and solve all cases of human rights violations!
Sumabay Tayo! also gives lectures to pupils and students to inform them about politics, human rights and civil society engagement in Germany and the Philippines.

For more infos or newsletters contact: sumabaytayo@ymail.com

KrahnNase

2011-05-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

Trier 2010

Décolletés

2011-05-19T05:32:00.000-07:00

July 2010

los bomberos

2011-01-27T08:53:00.001-08:00

Los Bomberos – the smallest fire department in Barcelona ……drinking self-made champagne (red wine with sparkling mineral water)…
…get ready

… for work out

mouse trap

2011-01-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

oh Schreck,
die Maus ist weg!

35 Movies in 2 Minutes

2010-07-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

35mm from Pascal Monaco on Vimeo.

Did you get them all?

One lazy Sunday

2010-07-18T07:20:00.001-07:00

I visited my friend Maya in Davao City, Philippines. I woke up early at her place with the sound of birds chirping. The sun was shining bright but it wasn't that hot yet. I was feeling at ease as I took a look at the garden. When I discovered the WORKMAN boots standing there unused, I told myself "Sundays are there for being lazy!
– take a rest, relax and set your soul free…" Marty the cat suggested as well that it is best to just lie about, snooze…… and let nature please your eyes.

Im Klima der Straflosigkeit - Politische Morde auf den Philippinen

2009-07-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Die steigende Zahl der Opfer extralegaler Hinrichtungen auf den Philippinen deutet auf ein marodes Rechtssystem, das bewaffneten Gruppen die Entscheidung über Leben und Tod überlässt. Da auch die Regierung zu den Waffen greift, geraten hunderte Zivilisten ins Schussfeuer.

Seit dem Sturz der Marcos-Diktatur bietet die Freiheitsverfassung von 1987 der philippinischen Zivilbevölkerung eine gute rechtliche Grundlage, um demokratische Werte wie Meinungsfreiheit und Pluralismus auszuleben. Doch zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit liegt eine große Kluft. Seit dem Amtsantritt der derzeitigen Präsidentin Gloria Macapagal Arroyo im Jahr 2001 sprechen die Opferzahlen politisch motivierter Morde in den Philippinen eher für eine Todesschwadronenpolitik. Denn das Land wird immer noch von einigen elitären Familienclans beherrscht, welche mit einer Mischung aus feudalen Strukturen, transnationalem Kapitalismus und US-Imperialismus ihren Status quo aufrechterhalten wollen.

Die Opferzahlen von meist staatskritischen Aktivist/innen schwanken stark, je nachdem wie und von wem gezählt wird. Die staatliche Polizeikommission Task Force Usig, die 2006 zur Aufklärung außergerichtlicher Morde entstand, zählt 116 Opfer. Dagegen berichtet die philippinische Menschenrechtsorganisation KARAPATAN – Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights von 1015 Morden seit 2001.

Die NGO Karapatan wird den radikalen Linken um die Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) und die National Democratic Front (NDF) zugeordnet. Die philippinische Linke ist jedoch in sich zerstritten, wobei zahlreiche gesellschaftliche Sektoren (Bauernorganisationen, Gewerkschaften, Frauenverbände etc.), politische Parteien (Akbayan, Bayan Muna etc.), NGOs und einzelne Akteure sich im Status quo nur geringfügig unterscheiden aber parallel mit verschiedenen Strategien operieren. Der bewaffnete Arm der CPP heißt New People’s Army (NPA) und ist sozialpolitisch sowie organisatorisch stärker im Hinterland verankert. Die NPA erhebt in den von ihr kontrollierten Gebieten „Revolutionssteuern“, die sie von Geschäftsleuten, Landbesitzern, Lokalpolitikern oder internationalen Unternehmen vor Ort eintreibt. Weigern sich diese zu zahlen, werden ihre Einrichtungen in Brand gesetzt.

Seit 2002 gibt die Präsidentin Arroyo mit dem Oplan Bayan Laya (Operationsplan Freiheitswacht, OBL) dem Militär (Armed Forces of the Philippines, AFP) freie Hand im Kampf gegen den kommunistischen Terrorismus und bekommt dafür noch 20 Millionen Dollar zusätzlich als Unterstützung von den USA. Mit dieser Aufstandsbekämpfung (Counterinsurgency) wird nicht nur der offene Kampf gegen die NPA verschärft, vielmehr werden unbewaffnete Zivilisten zum Abschuss freigegeben. Hierbei werden friedliche Aktivisten, die oft mit legalen linksorientierten Gruppen in Verbindung stehen, als aufständische Terroristen gebrandmarkt. Die Morde weisen ein politisch motiviertes Muster auf, in dem philippinische Sicherheitskräfte direkt an den Morden beteiligt sind oder sie zumindest mittragen und dulden.

Wie kein anderer AFP-Offizier verkörpert der ehemalige Militärgeneral Jovito Palparan, auch genannt „Der Schlächter“, eine Haudegenpolitik, die von der Präsidentin Arroyo in höchsten Tönen gepriesen wird. Palparan hinterließ in den Regionen Süd-Tagalog, Ost-Visayas und Zentral-Luzon, wo er zwischen 2001 und 2006 das Kommando innehatte, eine regelrechte Blutspur. Seit 2001 sind neben den etlichen außergerichtlichen Morden über 200 Menschen unfreiwillig verschwunden und werden vermisst. Dazu zählen auch die zwei Studentinnen

Sherlyn Cadapan (29) und Karen Empeño (23), die in der Nacht des 26. Junis 2006 von Mitgliedern der AFP entführt wurden und bis heute von ihren Familien gesucht werden.

Die Studentinnen der University of the Philippines sind in die Provinz Bulacan, Zentral-Luzon, gefahren um Feldforschungen zur sozialen Lage der dort lebenden Bauern anzustellen. Zeugen berichteten, wie sie in einem stillgelegten Militärcamp festgehalten und misshandelt wurden. Zur Zeit ihrer Entführung hatte Palparan das Kommando über die Region.

In einem Land, in dem 90 Prozent der Bevölkerung christlichen Glaubens ist, wird selbst vor Kirchenleuten kein Halt gemacht. Der Pastor Edison Lapuz (39) der Vereinigten Kirche Christi (UCCP) in Leyte war Mitbegründer der kirchlichen Menschenrechtsorganisation Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR). Am Abend des 12. Mai 2005 kam er gerade von der Beerdigung seines Schwiegervaters zurück, als ihn zwei Schützen vor den Augen seines fünfjährigen Sohnes erschossen. Der Bauernaktivist Alfredo Maliano kam ebenfalls bei diesem Anschlag ums Leben. Die Täter wurden als Soldaten der AFP identifiziert, wurden jedoch nicht verhaftet. Auch hier hatte Generalmajor Palparan das oberste Kommando über die Region. Seit 2001 hat die UCCP schon über 30 Opfer, die sich für Menschenrechte einsetzten, zu beklagen. Äußerungen des ehemaligen Generals sowie der Anstieg politischer Morde unter seinem Kommando weisen auf eine Schlüsselfunktion Palparans hin. Obwohl ihm gravierende Menschenrechtsverletzungen vorgeworfen werden, kam er nie vor Gericht. Im Gegenteil: Seit April 2009 sitzt Palparan als Vorsitzender der Partei Bantay im Kongress.

Nicht nur unter dem Deckmantel der Aufstandsbekämpfung werden lokale Stimmen ausgelöscht. Die Polizei sowie (paramilitärische) Streitkräfte setzen sich auch für den Schutz von transnationalen Unternehmen wie Nestlé ein. Diosdado „Ka Fort“ Fortuna (50) war im Arbeiterbündnis Kilusang Mayo Uno (Erster Mai Bewegung, KMU) tätig und versuchte als Gewerkschaftsführer des Nestlé-Werks in Cabuyao, Süd-Luzon, bessere Arbeitsbedingungen und betriebliche Altersvorsorge auszuhandeln. Der Streik und die Kampagne „Boycott Nestlé: There’s Blood in Your Coffee“ dauern nun schon sieben Jahre an, wobei es schon öfters zu Auseinandersetzungen mit Sicherheitskräften kam. Auf dem Heimweg von einer Streikversammlung am 22. September 2005 trafen Fortuna zwei von einem Motorrad abgefeuerte Schüsse – er war sofort tot. Die Nestlé-Arbeiter haben nicht einmal genug Geld, um ihre Kinder in die Schule zu schicken, und müssen dazu um ihr Leben bangen. Fortunas Vorgänger Mileton Roxas wurde bereits 1989 ermordet und Victoria Samonte (51), Vize-Vorsitzende der KMU, wurde eine Woche nach Fortuna, am 30. September 2005, erstochen. Die Fälle wurden jedoch nie aufgeklärt und die Mörder sind unbekannt.

Die Opfer solcher organisierten Morde sind allesamt Menschen, die sich für die sozialen Belange des Volkes einsetzen, wie Journalisten, Anwälte, Lehrer, Bauern, Landreformaktivisten, Zivilgesellschafter und auch Lokalpolitiker oder Mitglieder linksorientierter politischer Parteien. Dabei tötet auch die NPA unbewaffnete Zivilisten mit der Begründung sie seien Spitzel des Militärs. So geraten Menschen, die mit legitimen und friedlichen Mitteln versuchen ihre Bedürfnisse zu artikulieren, zwischen die Fronten bewaffneter Gruppen. Diese handeln wiederum im Auftrag von Bürgermeistern, Clan-Führern, Großgrundbesitzern oder lokalen politischen Akteuren, die bestimmte machtpolitische Interessen verfolgen. Auf diese Weise entstehen kriminelle Netzwerke, die eine Brutalisierung der Gesellschaft hervorrufen.

Ein solches Netzwerk von Todesschwadronen ist in Davao City, Mindanao, unter dem Namen Davao Death Squad (DDS) aktiv. Seit 1998 gibt es über 800 ungeklärte Morde in Davao. Die Opfer dieser systematischen Tötungen sind Räuber, Drogenhändler oder Mitglieder von Straßenbanden – darunter viele Minderjährige und Jugendliche. Die internationale NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) macht in ihrem Bericht „You Can Die Anytime“ Davaos Oberbürgermeister Rodrigo Duterte für die Straflosigkeit der Morde verantwortlich. Im Jahr 2006 berief die Präsidentin Arroyo Duterte in den Stab ihrer Sicherheitsberater und betraute ihn mit der Verbrechensbekämpfung. Duterte predigt zwar, dass „Verbrecher oder herumlungernde Bettler in seiner Stadt getötet werden sollen, damit Davao sicher und sauber bleibt.“ Andererseits bestreitet er, dass die Morde „staatlich organisiert“ sind. Neben HRW bestätigt auch UN-Sonderberichterstatter Philip Alston, dass lokale Ortsvorsteher und Polizeikräfte Davaos in die Morde verwickelt sind und eine schwarze Liste der „Verbrecher“ führen. Ähnlich wie bei anderen extralegalen Morden werden die Zeugen und die Familien der Opfer eingeschüchtert – oder gleich umgebracht. Dies führt zu einem Klima der Straflosigkeit, da kaum ein Täter verhaftet, angeklagt oder bestraft wurde. Kriminelle Bündnisse werden in diesem quasi rechtslosen Raum schnell zum Trendsetter und Mittel um eigene Interessen durchzusetzen. So wurde das DDS-Muster auch schon in anderen Städten kopiert. Da die Vernetzungen äußerst heterogen und undurchsichtig sein können, wird es immer schwerer die wirklichen Verantwortlichen zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen.

Die Präsidentin persönlich kann für die Straflosigkeit der Morde verantwortlich gemacht werden, da sie Drahtzieher wie Duterte und Palparan befördert(e). Diese wiederum plädieren für nicht schuldig, weil sie ihre Schützen lediglich dazu „inspirieren Staatsfeinde auszulöschen.“ Rechtsunsicherheit, Bestechlichkeit, Hilflosigkeit und Untätigkeit gehören zur Tagesordnung. Dadurch entstehen viele Gewaltspiralen, die fatale Auswirkungen haben und eine unmissverständliche Botschaft an die Zivilgesellschaft senden: Opposition ist lebensgefährlich! Die willkürlichen und summarischen Hinrichtungen führen zu anarchischen Zuständen und haben enorme Folgen für die politische sowie zivilgesellschaftliche Lage und stärken feudale Strukturen.

Es genügt nicht Menschenrechte durch Gesetze zu garantieren. Um der Straflosigkeit ein Ende zu bereiten müssen alle Morde gründlich, transparent und unparteiisch untersucht werden. Es muss ein effektiver Zeugenschutz gewährleistet werden, damit die Verantwortlichen identifiziert und vor Gericht gebracht werden können. Weiterhin muss der politische Wille da sein, um eine Verhaftung, Anklage, Verurteilung und Strafe der Täter durchzuführen. Gerade hier weist das Strafrechtssystem gravierende Mängel auf und geht nur schleppend voran – wenn überhaupt. Trotzdem muss die Regierung eine Strafverfolgung einleiten, wenn sie ihre Verpflichtungen zur Beachtung der Menschenrechte einhalten will. Nur so kann das öffentliche Vertrauen in die Rechtssprechung und in die Geltung des Gesetzes wieder gewonnen werden. Daher drängen Amnesty International, HRW, UN-Sonderberichterstatter Philipp Alston und andere Menschenrechtsorganisationen auf die Implementierung greifender Mechanismen und Programme, innerhalb dieser die Muster politischer Morde gestoppt werden können.

Doch während sich Konservative und Linksradikale um die korrekte Zahl der Toten streiten, opfern etliche Menschen ihr Leben, um für ihr Wohlergehen und das ihrer Mitmenschen zu kämpfen. Keine Zahl kann das Schicksal dieser Menschen auch nur annähernd beschreiben. Umso erschreckender ist die Vorstellung wie viele mehr trauernd zurückbleiben und sich nicht wagen den dringlichen Wunsch nach Gerechtigkeit überhaupt auszusprechen.

(Bilder von Victor Villanueva)

EdenH

2008-12-28T19:16:00.000-08:00

I am used visiting people who are living in different parts of the world. I am always aware of being a tourist, a temporary guest in another country. At the same time I get an "inside" view of the local culture through relatives or friends who have been living there for quite a while, the Philippines is a good example.

But this time I have to define the term "tourist" a little bit more touristic... "The term “tourist“ is increasingly used as a derisive label for someone who seems content with his obviously inauthentic experiences (MacCannell)". (In contrast, anthropologists are usually looking for the very ‘authentic’ :))

On the island of the Dominican Republic, along the Coast of Punta Cana, there is one fancy resort after the other. A family trip for two weeks -all inclusive - is more than I ever could think of. It sounds so nice: white beach, 5 different swimming pools, 2 pool bars, buffets every day (North-American style), tropical weather and all drinks for free! And that's only the beginning...

You enter a whole different world. Everything is perfectly arranged to suit your eye and your "relaxation". You get a wristband and depending on its color you can move in certain areas and consume certain things. As if we were animals and this mark tells everyone how to treat us.

It's like a set up tourist village and every tourist stands in the center of attention surrounded by many so called "botones" (bellboys) who are waiting to serve you (in exchange for money of course). But even the "Safari trips" outside of the resort are set up for mass tourism.

Most of the tourists are Canadians, just a few Asians and Europeans.

Certainly it seems to me that all visitors are walking on a stage, perfectly dressed up for the five meters between room door and pool seat (or buffet). The stage is given by the clean and fancy surroundings but the tourists are also creating the image themselves. Eyes are wandering down your body while walking by. Kids in the age of 4 or 5, barely walking but already learning how to dress up. You can do all sorts of sport like tennis, golf, beach volleyball, water aerobic and swimming or reading. Some are drinking all day and waiting to get tanned (or sunburned).

Further more, all the staff are locals. Of course the economy of this country is depending on tourism but it seems just too normal that these colored locals have to serve the (white and) wealthy ones, moreover their livelihood is depending on the tip of the rich ones. This circumstance strengthens images of stereotypes on both sides. On the one hand, as a visitor you get the picture that you don't have to worry about anything, you paid to be the "king" and everything will be done for your best comfort, the staff is friendly and happy to serve you. On the other hand, the locals might get the impression that all visitors have lots of money, prefer to be lazy and to consume.

In fact, many people are saving all their money to have a vacation like this. But I'm wondering: Is this supposed to be the peak of human evolution?

At the end you are traveling for hours to another country but you don't get a hint of the local way of living! Practically you don't even have to know a word of Spanish (local language). On top of all this place is called edenH - as if it were the paradise on earth.

I'm missing some mind stimulation, different styles and new impressions.. and something "not-set-up".. maybe you can call it.. "authentic".

Pantukan

2008-10-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I was invited to a day trip from another NGO (SILDAP) to Pantukan in Compostela Valley (about 3 hrs north of Davao). Actually I thought I was visiting a village affected by mining but instead I landed up visiting an indigenous community doing mining. These indigenous people in the area are called Mansaka and as I noticed most of the community members go to church and mix their traditional customs with christian ones. The Mansaka houses are scattered over several hills and most of the man are working down at the river site and extract "maragaha" (black sand with gold crystalls) from the river mud.

Upstream a big company started a large scale project already 20 years ago and the small scale miners downstream are suffering from the polluted river, so in a way they are also affected by other mining projects.

A Mansaka woman showed us how to extract the actual gold from the maragaha. The magic tool is mercury, it will be added to the maragaha on the round plate and the gold can be carefully washed out. But it is very laborious work because you need a lot of mud to gain some maragaha and than you need lots of maragaha to extract a gram of gold. Because the river doesn't always offer enough gold for survival the people also do farming.

It was quite a trip,

coming from Davao I took a bus for 2 hours, a motorcycle ride for another hour and another 30 minutes "habal-habal" (a ride with a (often transformed) motorcycle on a very stony road, usually to place which can't be reached otherwise). Indeed, the road had many slopes and was in an incredibly bad condition. I always wonder how the drivers can manage to get along with no accidents.

The landscape in this region is awesome but all the hiking (uphill and downhill) plus the many rides are very exhausting. However, it was worthwhile!

Goodbye Rojenn!

2008-10-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

After 4 months waiting my Cousin Rojenn finally got a working place in Dubai! As an architect he can earn there about 6 times more than in the Philippines. And luckily he got a job in the same company his girlfriend is already working now. But he won't be alone anyway, most of his former class mates are already there. Moreover about 20 percent of the population in Dubai are Filipino oversea workers.. I wish you and Kaye good times there!

Field trip to Bukidnon

2008-10-05T01:02:00.001-07:00

Bukidnon is a province in the heart of Mindanao. I went to a Talaandig community, one of the Indigenous Peoples here in Mindanao - also called Lumad. From Davao City I travelled around 6 hours to their place. Datu Victorino Saway (the term Datu refers to a community leader) and his wife Bai Liza were hosting me, I could stay at their school for livelihood and tradition. I actually enjoy being close to nature but that place was really really cold! I slept with 4 shirts, 2 blankets and a sleeping bag, not to mention the cold shower in the morning - like needles on your skin.

Luckily it was sunny these days and my first day started with a welcoming ritual which

was thought to get a permission from their spirits for my stay. Some women and children dressed in their traditional costume gathered around a white cloth with a plate of betelnuts and 8 Peso coins (standing for the Datu's in that region). I was sitting infront of Bai Liza and the elderly women started praying to the spirits in their own language "Binukid".

After the prayers the children (Kindergarten age) started singing songs and practicing traditional dances. Maybe after more than an hour the ritual went on: a chicken I brought was killed and sacrificed to the gods.

I enjoyed playing with the kids and watched how they learn the customs of their culture by playing and participating. I just stayed for 4 days in all, I went to their fields, visited some houses and met several community members. One morning I woke up early to watch the sunrise from a bamboo house. Waway, who just finished building it, acompanied me, we chatted and drank native coffee and than he played some music on his self made instruments..

Most of the "batan-on" (youth) are artists and musicians. That is also a main source of income for them by selling paintings, hand made instruments and necklesses. Because their place is really a rural and forest area plus they are

practicing a very different culture you could think modern technology doesn't fit there. But in fact, I wasn't surprised to find laptops, digital cameras, big music boxes and a stereo - of course cell phones (you can even find internet connection there), but no TVs. Actually, not only Datu Vic and his wife Liza already visited many places outside of the Philippines, also the batan-on are traveling all around the world. Most of the kids can study in nearby cities like Cagayan de Oro or even in Manila.

Unfortunately this certain community doesn't represent the live of other Lumads. The place of the Talaandig is luckily inside a national park which makes it a preserved area and their land is somehow secured. But in fact many other Lumad communities have really to struggle for their land and life.

At the end, these trip seemed to me like a very relaxing vacation with some cultural insights.

Street vendors

2008-09-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

Fruits already sliced up - like green mangos, papayas, guave
Coconut juice
Ice cream
Peanuts (mane) in different tastes
Piña
MARUYA - fried bananas, sweet potatoes, ube & jackfruit
Candy
Chicheron - chips made out of pork skin

Lizard

2008-09-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

I like Lizards because they eat mosquitos! You can find them everywhere...

Anyway, last week I thought there was a mouse in my closet so I put a trap infront of it. Mice are quite common here, most people don't even care anymore when there is a mouse running thru the living room. My trap just consisted of a paper with poisened glue. Apparently there was no mouse in my closet but a Lizard! It was stuck on the paper. So I removed it and washed it. That gave me the opportunity to get a closer shot because they are pretty fast.

In the end, it lived happily ever after. But I don't think it will visit me again..

WFDA

2008-09-05T01:33:00.000-07:00

The World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA) is an international network and platform of democracy advocates in the region. It is forum committed to promoting and advancing the merits of democracy as a universal value and fundamental right to which all peoples in Asia are entitled and which is indispensable for sustainable peace and development. Specifically to this mission in Mindanao, the goal was to support democratization processes, encourage people's participation, seek international support, sharing experiences, address local concerns and support peace-building efforts by civil societies in conflict areas. Two teams were formed for two different trips. One went to the conflict area of Cotabato/Maguindanao and the other one to Zamboanga/Jolo. Basically the mission consisted of a mixture of kaonferences (from kaon (=food) and conference, because these two components go hand in hand in the Philippines!) with government representatives, refugees, civilians and civil society organizations to get a picture of the situation in Mindanao and Sulu.

As background might be said that the government keeps on the dialogue for more than 3 decades, first with the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front; they had a "Final Peace Agreement" in 1996 which had the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as a result) and now with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front). In the peace talks with the MILF, both sides developed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) which gives greater autonomy and a bigger

region defined as Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE; which includes a bigger region than the ARMM and even includes regions in Palawan) to the Moros. This MoA should be signed on Aug. 5 2008 but the Surpreme Court stopped the signing because of insufficient consultation of the affected areas and refusals from several provinces.

Shortly after the alleged signing of the MoA were the elections of the ARMM. Hence, it was reported that many of the elections were officially peaceful but at the same time most of them dishonest.

Because of the NOT signing of the MoA the situation between the MILF and the Philippine army became tense and in some regions they started shooting. Therefore there are many refugees and civilians (both Christians and Muslims) affected by these political conflict. With this background and the MoA or BJE as main discussion point we went on the mission to explore the situation in different regions and from different perspectives.

The mission ended in a press conference in Manila (we were even on TV but I didn't see it!). Last but not least we visited Nur Misuari, the leader and founder of the MNLF, in his house in Quezon City!

Zamboanga City

2008-09-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

As part of the WFDA mission (World Forum for Democratization in Asia) I was in the team going to Zamboanga and Jolo. This was just a 3-day trip full of meetings. Our team consisted of 4 IID staffs, an American Professor (but resident of Japan) Paul, Nazwir from Indonesia (Aceh), Kristian from Spain and myself. Zamboanga City is also called "Asia's Latin City" because the Spanish influence is still quite visible or better hearable. In fact, they have a language which is called "Chabacano", it's a mix of Spanish and Filipino with a very strong Spanish tendency (The mayor gave us a Chabacano learning book).

Besides, we had three "angels", in other words 3 Muslim women who took care of us, guiding our way. The first stop after our arrival at the airport was the City Hall. There we met with the Mayor of Zamboanga City, Celso Lobregat.

He was prepared to meet us and held a powerpoint presentation

regarding his position to the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE). As we already read before entering the City Hall, he doesn't want an inclusion of Zamboanga in the BJE.

After listening to his point of view we went on to a meeting with Civil Society organizations of Zamboanga City. This meeting was as well informing and interesting, although we all were tired from the early flight and traveling.

The last stop was the Western Mindanao Command, a headquarter of the army.

Of course, similar to all our other hosts, we were friendly welcomed, food and drinks were offered. But unfortunately, we were just "playing soft ball" because the army wasn't prepared to meet us and weren't able or refused to answer most of our ("hard ball") questions.

Visiting Sulu

2008-09-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

Coming from Zamboanga City, the Western Mindanao Command (army) gave us the advice not to go to Jolo, the Capitol of Sulu island, because we wouldn't have an army escort and might not be safe. Nevertheless, we took a night fairy for 8 hours and arrived in Jolo at around 4 am with trust to our fellow Octavio Dinampo (a University Professor living in Jolo and a peace advocat who is closely working together with IID; he was lately kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf in Sulu with a famous Filipino reporter). We thought of going for a low-profile-visit to be more safe. But at our arrival, Prof. Octa was welcoming us with a big banner! So much for low profile..

With our WFDA mission (World Forum for Democratization in Asia)

we made up appointments with the Vice Governor of Sulu, Lady Ann. We discussed our issues with her and asked questions about the situation and position of Sulu regarding current happenings in Mindanao. After that we met the Mayor of Jolo and later on we discussed our findings with different Civil Society groups which apparently were all women. The inhabitants of Sulu are mainly Tausug, Muslims with a long history and many traditions (like i.e. mechanisms of conflict solution) which are still used today. The government wants to promote tourism and change the "terroristic" image but the local civilians are complaining about a lack of basic services. Both, Government and Civil Society emphasized that Sulu is different from Mindanao but safe. Both parties were also concerned about the heavy militarization on this small island. There are about 3000 U.S. and Filipino soldiers running after 50 Abu Sayyaf terrorists (who are mostly just teenagers) in Sulu. Locals are used to see guns around and although they have nothing to do with the operations going on, they often get labelled as terrorists by outsiders. After all, we had very interesting discussions, learned a lot about Sulu from different perspectives and didn't see any Abu Sayyaf. Maybe because we were escorted by six heavily armed police men and some secret agents from Prof. Octa. Octa took really good care of us, we were even able to visit his house and eat lunch there. The food variety and Sulu specialities were amazing (Sulu Durian is really masarap)! His house is located close to the sea, that means he has a beach as backyard! Unfortunately, our stay was only planned for one day and we had to leave in the evening back to Zamboanga City.

Kadayawan Floral Parade

2008-08-29T00:45:00.000-07:00

Kadayawan Festival

2008-08-23T03:56:00.000-07:00

For a description pls click on "Pieter's Filipino Blog" or "Dabawpinoy".

Islands of Smiles

2008-08-19T17:36:00.001-07:00

Filipinos are big on smiles. They smile when they praise; they smile when they criticize; they smile when they are embarrassed and have caused some minor offence; they smile when they need something from you; they smile when they are happy - and for any other reason too!

An awkward situation invites a smile because the air is charged with potential conflict and you are expected to smile back to refuse the situation and clear the air. A smile is a convenient reply when a person does not want to say something unpleasant. Rather than get some critical words you will get a silent smile.

Clearly there is much to read in a Filipino smile. With it, subtle mechanisms of social interaction are triggered. Verbal concern would only turn public attention to your predicament and cause you loss of face. One's dignity is always more important than physical calamity. There are various kinds of smiles and half-smiles, accompanied bye eye contact, to cover all occasions. No wonder especially foreigners get quickly the impression that Filipinos are very friendly and happy people! In fact, they are quite friendly and very patient!

Saturday Night Fever

2008-08-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

Last saturday my friend Maya and her friend Aijeen invited us to a fashion show at the Venue. But it was more a party than a fashion show because the "big show" existed of 5 girls presenting new designs... So we enjoyed dancing to some of the best DJs in town who were supported by a TV artist.

Maaike, Pieter, Maya and Aijeen
Pieter, Andrew and Harah
My room mate Harah and me

Trip to Upi

2008-08-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

My NGO (IID) was invited for a "forum on women and environment" in South Upi (at the west coast of Mindanao) organized by Teduray and Lambangian (indigenous) women. It was an 8 hours van ride from Davao. The 6 of us had to leave at 4 am on a sunday morning (maybe it should be mentioned that we celebrated IID's 20th anniversary the night before). Coming from Davao we had breakfast in Cotabato City at around 8 am. As we went on to Upi the road was really really stony and very uneven for another 3 hours!!! But the landscape was awesome! When we finally arrived at 11.30 am the indigenous women were waiting for us and already started their meeting in an elementary school. As special guests from far away (with 2 volunteers coming from Venezuela), we had the privilege to sit infront of the crowd. But with almost no sleep and this long way behind us - I don't want to know how we looked like!

The meeting went well and the women were able to come up with a position paper which they handed over to the mayor of Timanan.

Furthermore, we had the chance to interview one of the elders. Because the road is dangerous at dark the women prepared some place for us at the house of the former vice governor.

After we had a good rest we went back to Cotabato, this time not 4 but 5 am. In Cotabato we met the coordinator of the Bantay Ceasefire program which is watching over the peace talks between the army and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front). He could give us an update on the current situation...

SIPA kicks

2008-08-06T03:05:00.000-07:00

Last week the LRC (Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center) hosted a conference for the Indigenous People (IP's, also called Lumad) in Mindanao. It was a 3-day conference called "State of Indigenous Peoples Address" (IPRA and beyond) and the date was not chosen by accident. At the same day the conference started the president GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) gave her SONA (State of Nation Address) for the year 2008. The logic behind was: while GMA declares the situation of the nation and its future course of actions, the IP's can discuss their reactions to the SONA and develop a position paper of their own situation + further demands. The shortcut SIPA, coming from the initials of "State of Indigenous Peoples Address", means "kick" in Tagalog and is already an answer to the president's statement.

For me, the SIPA was a very good opportunity to get in touch with the Lumads and to learn something about their problems (like land issues, mining or women's empowerment). During the workshops I could listen to first-hand experiences of current issues which are affecting them. And although EVERYTHING was in Bisaya (mixed with English and Tagalog) it was quite informative.

On the last day there was the solidarity march and the declaration of the SIPA in the Freedom Park (where the pics were taken). The Lumads showed their traditional dresses, dances and music which can be seen as something special because they prefer wearing jeans and t-shirt in everyday live, too!

My Fake American Accent

2008-08-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

The Filipinos have their own way of pronouncing English words. The five vowel sound system as in Spanish is more familiar to them compared to the complex and illogical phonetic variation the English gives to these vowels. For example, many Filipinos are not able to pronounce "f" which is substituted by "p" (an example being the national language Pilipino). But an even further complication is that the "f" sound paradoxically appears in place of "p". Also the English "th" is spelt as "d" and similar alterations occur to the sounds "a", the short "i" and the long "e" (i.e. spelled "beeg pis of hum" means "big piece of ham")

But that doesn't mean you have to speak this pidgin English. "D pipol" are quite fund of speaking English because they already start learning it in elementary school. Furthermore, walking up the social ladder (as in administration) the use of English language is manifested.

My Fake American Accent is a movie about the lives of call center agents: "A slice-of-life workplace comedy following the lives of technical support call center agents in the span of 6 months. Speaking with a fake American accent is a prerequisite in the job. This ensemble comedy is an inside look into the maddening , sleep-deprived, coffeine-fuelled lives of those who ply their trade in the call center industry."

This job is coming into fashion right now in the Philippines! Mainly companies and agencies from the US are demanding this kind of service, so the call center staff has to conform with the American clock (that means around 12 hrs backwards). But all you need is good English knowledge (or an "American accent") plus an high school degree and you can earn more money than all the nurses and teachers.

Coca Cola Body

2008-07-25T03:08:00.000-07:00

I never saw another country where Coca Cola advertising is so popular! Not only that there is no birthday or meeting without a cold coke but also the big red advertisements everywhere. Especially the "tindahan/tinda'an" (small stores) like painting their wooden cottages red with the Coca Cola letters all over it. The brand can be lucky because red is seen as a "happy" color here in the Philippines. Not only jeepneys but even street signs are sponsored by Coca Cola!

Somehow the whole Coca Cola phenomenon roots so deep in the society that the picture of a Coca Cola bottle stimulates further imagination (at least for men)! But how can women and Coca Cola bottles be combined?

It's just a very superficial feature... the shape!

Hence a perfectly female body shape (or measures like 60/90/60) would be called "Coca Cola Body"! You can also say "Coca Cola body in can" that means the person is fat.

These women, working on one of the floating boats in Bohol, wearing a traditional Filipino dress and a Coca Cola pinafore above it. Their bodies are also labelled "Coca Cola". Do you think it's meant to be a flattering?

Let it rain

2008-07-22T02:44:00.000-07:00

It is "ting ulan" (rainy season) in Davao! But that doesn't mean it is raining ALL the time, it just looks like it ; )

There are also very hot and sunny days in between! Often it starts raining in one part of the city and the other part is still dry. But if it starts it's usually a pretty heavy rain! All the waste which was carefully collected before is flowing with the stream; all the jeepneys are crowded because everybody wants to get home; kids offer a walk under their umbrella (ella, ella, ella - by the way: this song is so popular here that they covered it with Filipino lyrics) but no one escapes dry!

Some areas and streets don't have a very good sewage system so the water stands in the street. Before, the University of Southeastern Philippines with the initials "USP" had the nickname: University Swimming Pool because it was always flooded.

In fact, for some kids the water in the streets stands so high that it is used as a swimming pool.

Santo Niño

2008-07-22T02:06:00.000-07:00

The Santo Niño is a Roman Catholic embodiment of the Infant Jesus or in other words Jesus as a child. It's the oldest catholic relic brought by Magellan in 1521.

There are many myths about the

young Jesus. When the Spaniards came to Cebu 1565 (after Magellan died) they destroyed the whole city but somehow the figure of Santo Nino (which was given by Magellan) was found unscathed in a burnt-out dwelling...

miraculous! Other folklore describe a disappearing of the figure during the night or that the statue has dirty shoes in the morning even though it was cleaned before.

Since then it serves as a patron saint of Cebu and it can still be seen today in every house, car, jeep, literally in every corner of the city!

But also in Davao I saw this jeepney drayber who had a picture of Jesus and a figure of him as Santo Niño instead of a working dashboard...

Cebu City

2008-07-21T01:54:00.000-07:00

Magellan's Cross is a very famous sight in Cebu. It represents the cross (now housed in a chapel) which was planted by Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in the Philippine Islands in 1521. It is encased in tindalo wood to prevent visitors from taking it home piece by piece.

Cebu is located in the center of the Visayas and is an important Filipino metropolis. Compared to Davao it's more crowded. To me, Cebu looked more like a city because there are a lot more high buildings and stone houses - among them are of course many remains of the Spaniards. The big buildings, monuments and malls gave me the picture of a prosperous city but on the other hand I also saw more people living in the streets.

Another difference was the food: the choices of fruits were more divers in Davao. And food in general is quite cheap in Davao because almost everything grows in Mindanao. But I was so happy to finally hear and talk the "lalum kaayo nga Cebuano" (very deep Cebuano words) I've learned in the language school because in Davao it's more mixed with Tagalog!

Cebu is famous for producing guitars, for its Shamrock cookies and different kinds of dried fish (bulad) which are very popular "pasalubong" (souvenirs or small gifts; in German: "Mitbringsel"). Eventhough the bulad has a very intense smell!

Another sight, Fort San Pedro, is located in the Pier area of Cebu City and was a military defence station build by Spaniards and indigenous labourers. It's the smallest and oldest (1738) triangular bastion fort in the country. Today it is used as tourist attraction and seemed like a quiet place for couples to gather.

The San Carlos University is oldest university of the Philippines and is even older than Harvard. We went in to see the museum which showed indigenous handcraft and ancient artifacts.

Bohol Island Tour

2008-07-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

I just spent two days in Bohol (about 2 hrs boat ride from Cebu City). It's just a small island but there is sooo much to see! The first day I rested on this beach...

The second day Richard and I took a round trip to the island sights. Our first stop: the world famous Chocolate Hills. These are 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills of about the same size and they are covered in green gras which turns brown in dry season (that's where the name comes from).

A hanging bridge made out of bamboo.

We had lunch on a floating boat which looks quite wild and natural at first. But actually there were a lot of these boats each with their own live music and certain stops along the river for Filipino dances.

We also visited a butterfly farm, the oldest coral stone church in the region, a men made forest, a cave and last but not least: the smallest primates on earth! These Tarsiers are actually night active. So although they have huge eyes they can't really see much with day light.

Palawan

2008-07-17T01:48:00.000-07:00

Ang princesa ng baybay - a monument at the pier walk in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

This is the entrance of the world's longest "Underground River" which is about 9 km long and inhabits different kinds of bats.

Snake island - one of the 8 islands in Honda Bay (close to Puerto Princesa).

My friends Max & Bente joined us going island hopping in Honda Bay... nice place for snorkeling!

Reif für die Insel

2008-07-16T23:41:00.001-07:00

Um mir zwischen dem 2-monatigen Sprachkurs und dem 3-monatigen Praktikum eine Verschnaufpause zu gönnen, habe ich mir 10 Tage Urlaub genommen. Geplant waren 6 Tage Palawan mit Onkel Charles und zwei deutschen Freunden, danach 4 Tage Cebu (+Bohol) mit Richard. Aber es lief nicht alles wie geplant, schon der Hinflug nach Palawan wurde gecancelt und um einen Tag verzögert. Mit viel Elan und Reiselust sind wir schließlich in Puerto Princesa (Palawan) angekommen; ehe ich mich versah hatten wir uns gleich nach der Ankunft ein Motorrad ausgeliehen. Um trotz der kurzen Zeit möglichst viel zu sehen, hatten wir einen sehr engen Zeitplan, viele Sehenswürdigkeiten sowie lange Strecken vor uns. Die Idee mit dem Motorrad ging allerdings nach hinten los, so dass wir uns auf halbem Weg zum weltlängsten "underground river" mal schön abgelegt haben... Die Schlürfwunden haben uns auch den Wind aus den Segeln genommen und das Gehen verlangsamt, aber mit aller Ruhe ging die Reise trotzdem weiter!

Nun ist der Urlaub vorbei, mein Bein heilt langsam, das Gehen wird besser, die Arbeit beginnt, aber ich habe trotzdem das Gefühl schon wieder reif für die Inseln zu sein...

Sweet Spaghetti - Filipino Style!

2008-07-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

The one and only magic ingredient: banana ketchup!

Usually spaghetti is served on birthdays - kids love it!
It has a very different taste compared to the Italian style spaghetti! Moreover, Filipino style spaghetti is not only sweet but also served cold. And other noodle salads may look European but taste sweet too!

This is a wonderful example for how such an adopted feature 1) has been assimilated to the local taste and 2) looks at first like the original but is in fact very different.

Graduasyon sa eskwelahan

2008-06-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

Two months have already past since I arrived in Davao! Last friday we were 11 students finishing a Cebuano course and we had a big celebration. After the mass everybody held a speech in Cebuano and introduced all his guests (we had around 30 visitors). Before lunch Joan and Bill, the head of the school, handed out the certificates. The teachers were very thoughtful in giving everyone a certain characteristic. My "sertipiko" says "maikagon" which means "interested".

After lunch the program went on with traditional dances of the Peruvians

as well as Filipino dances and songs from our teachers. Of course our celebration lasted until the end of the night.

But when I opened the fridge the next day I found a big surprise cake (Ube Macapuno) from Richard!

Although I was a little bit frustrated sometimes because the classes were going way too slow, at the end, I've learned a lot during these 8 weeks and the school helped me to get some important basics of Cebuano. From there I keep on practicing and expanding my language skills...

Brown and White

2008-06-29T00:37:00.000-07:00

While Germans use every ray of sun to get some tan Filipinos are avoiding the sun if possible. In Germany brown skin resembles "holidays" or having the time and the money for a nice vacation. Also the idea of being healthy goes hand in hand with a nice tan, maybe because you have to spend time outside with "fresh air" (if you want to get tan the natural way). You can find many lotions that help you to get darker skin. This advertisement from bebe for example includes a nice beach with tropical flowers, coconut trees and sunglasses in the background. And the product is called "holiday skin" :) And in a holiday place where you can find nice beaches, coconut trees and tropical flowers locals don't want to be tanned.This filipino ad says "Actually I'm not white... BUT thanks to SILKA I BECAME WHITE".

If you go to such a "bebe"- beach here in the Philippines it's the other way around - the people are admiring white skin. White in Cebuano and Tagalog means "puti". In the Philippines many products (not only lotion, also soap and even pills) are sold to "whiten" your skin. Puti is considered better. Marrying a white man is like stepping up the social and economical ladder, mixed children are seen more valuable, precious and better prepared for society. The ambition is to be like an American, like in the movies and TV: rich, handsome and superior. Sometimes Americans are presented like the saviors of the country that brought democracy. Furthermore, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary looked like Americans with their white skin and their long noses.

One of the cultural traits of the Philippines, possibly fostered by some centuries of colonial rule, is that of valuing things from abroad higher than their home produced counterparts. This is called the "colonial mentality" or the "stateside mentality". It doesn't refer only to skin color but to so many imported products (and apparently German products have a very good reputation).

Resilient like bamboo

2008-06-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Philippine islands were already strongly influenced by Chinese business men and Muslim traders from Malaysia and Indonesia long time before the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the islands in 1521. Until today the Chinese population is small but influential, moreover Chinese beliefs and customs are still practiced. In example, dressing white for a funeral (or black which comes from the Spaniards) and also placing coins near the entrance door which goes with the belief that money will flow in the house.

The Spanish rule lasted for over 300 years (1565 - 1898) in the archipelago. They gave the name "Las Islas Filipinas" (after Philip II of Spain), introduced elements of western civilization such as the code of law, the calender, new crops and livestock and last but not least: Christianity.

The American colonial period followed right after (1898 - 1946) and also left its traces. Of course, in the political system and administration, they introduced democracy, some western values and food like McDonalds (the filipino equivalent: Jollibee).

But most remarkable hint for tourists: the majority is fluent in English, many people assume that all "white people" come from America and they greet foreigners with "Hey Joe!" (which comes from the nickname of the US soldiers: G.I. Joe).

Even though so many western values and ideas were already imposed to the Republika ng Pilipinas, essentially it is still an Asian nation with its own cultural distinctions.

Therefore it is resilient like a bamboo that bends with the wind but doesn't brake. So does the filipino flag proudly present the independence and the uniqueness of the Philippine islands.

The white triangle stands for equality and fraternity; the blue field for piece, truth and justice; the red field for patriotism and valor. The rays of the sun represent the first 8 provinces that sought independence from Spain and the 3 stars stand for the 3 major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Vanishing Island

2008-06-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

While standing infront of the bat caves in Samal island you had a nice view on what is called "Vanishing island". (It's this thin white line in the middle of the sea) Now you know why the Philippines comes up with 7107 islands...

The island looked so tempting that we took a boat to get there and had a closer view. Indeed, it is really vanishing with high tide because there is only a tiny stripe of sand (or even none) left that's not under water. And the water was very clear, clean and calm; nice for snorkeling (if you don't forget your goggles)!

It's also possible to stay overnight in this house - just make sure you don't forget anything!

A weekend in Samal

2008-06-19T03:56:00.001-07:00

Well it seems that I'm just taking a huge vacation here but I can assure you that I'm studying all day! :D

And very very slowly, my Bisaya is getting better. Pieter and I went to Samal island (just 10 min boat ride from Davao) and explored some if its sights. Practicing Bisaya outside is a very good exercise because in school we mainly train our grammar but rarely a usual conversation. With this in mind we just spoke Bisaya with everyone, maybe not perfect but comprehensive.

The first sight was a waterfall: Hagimit falls.

This cute little mosque looked quite big on the map but if your not standing right in front of it you wouldn't even notice..

Close to the mosque we found a bat cave that inhabited around 2 million fruit bats! First time I see such animals and so many of them! But they really had a weird smell.

Cesar falls

2008-06-09T03:55:00.000-07:00

On our second day in Maragusan we visited a waterfall nearby. This was our friendly guide Chris2pher.

We had to take a motorcycle to get there. That was quite a trip since we were 4 people (driver, guide, Richard & I), a stony road that goes up and down for 30 minutes, no helmets, just slippers ;)

We had a 20 minutes walk throu "the jungle" before we reached the first step of the falls.

I wasn't really prepared to get wet but there was no chance climbing up the falls without going throu the water.

We carefully made one step after another because the wet stones were quite slippery. But the way down was more difficult than the way up. In the end, our efforts were worth it and as gymnast I really enjoyed the exercise!

The big falls are called Pyalitan falls. Christopher told us a story that in the 80's, an army soldier jumped down the falls to escape the NPA (New Peoples Army) and his body was found there.

That's how these falls were actually discovered and therefore they also call them after him "Cesar falls".

Maragusan

2008-06-09T02:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Uncle Richard and I went to Maragusan, a town north of Davao in Compostella Valley. It took us about 4 hours bus ride to get there and for the last 2 hours the street was very dusty and rocky. We drove up and down the hills, everything was green, sometimes some lonesome cottages along the road. The ride alone already offered a breathtaking landscape plus the driver made some breathtaking turns too.

I just thought for myself "If my filipino friends will ever visit me in Germany they will just laugh at me when I tell them that the "Saarschleife" is a main tourist attraction in my province." Maragusan is surrounded by hills, nature and

plantages. Therefore you can find many springs, waterfalls and the biggest flower Rafflesia there.

After our arrival we went first to cold springs...

...and later on to hot springs where we went swimming.

Class reunion

2008-06-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

Marisol (Peru), Pieter (Belgium), Ana (Peru), Sister Carmen (California/Mexico) and our fotographer Joseph (Korea)

Frithjof (Belgium), Antonio (Peru), Constant (Kongo)

Last tuesday evening I went with some of my classmates to MTS (Matina Town Square - a nice place to go out and meet people and with live music almost every night). There was a group performing "traditional dances", singing and playing instruments. We enjoyed the indigenous music and the colorful dances - and of course practiced our Cebuano because it's the only language we share (mixed with English and Spanish).

Monuments of Downtown Davao

2008-06-06T02:30:00.000-07:00

In matters of land area Davao City is the largest city in Asia with around 3 to 4 million citizens. But you can not find many high buildings and big buildings are usually hotels, banks or malls. The downtown area doesn't clearly appear as the center of the city but you can see that most buildings there are very old. In front of the City Hall is a tiny park where people gather.

While walking further you can easily overlook the main "downtown sights" like a statue of José Rizal and the San Pedro church.

The church "San Pedro" has the shape of a boat which represents Noah's ark and the monument in front refers to its passengers. "The Commemorative Monument of Peace and Unity" is a beautiful statue with obviously Filipino peasants on it. Moreover the monument gives a clue to the philosophy of the nation. While it expresses nice words its letters are already hanging down - officially the Republika ng Pilipinas has a nice democratic constitution but in reality everything is going upside down.

BUT "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead).

And José Rizal (1861 - 1896) is one of them. He is a very famous Filipino nationalist and the most popular advocate for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He wrote poems, essays and novels; his most famous works are "Noli me tangere" and "El Filibusterismo".

His name is used for several streets, avenues or places in every Filipino city and usually many statues too (btw you can find his statue even in Heidelberg (Germany)). The Philippines also dedicated a holiday to him which is coincidentally on my birthday: december 30 (that was the day he died)!

Actually most of the streets are either called after the names of Christian saints or of former Filipino writers and presidents. But outside people refer rather to landmarks and barangays than to street names.

Durian

2008-06-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

Durian grows only in certain areas around the equator. Mindanawons are proud to grow it and they love to eat it! It is hard and spiky on the outside but it has soft flesh inside. Foreigners tend to avoid Durian because of its really annoying smell! In some places, like Singapur, Durian is forbidden in public vehicles.

Its white pulp tastes sweet and somehow it's not comparable to other fruits. The nickname "king of fruits" refers to its uniqueness.

There is also the saying:

It smells like hell but tastes like heaven!

No wonder you can go to a "Durian Paradise", have a Durian shake, icecream, candy, chocolate and today I also tried the coffee! Yummy :- ) I can't wait for the fruit season to start in august!

Location

2008-05-30T02:38:00.000-07:00

This map shows cities of the Republika ng Pilipinas. The island Mindanao is inside the red lines, Davao is located in the south of the island.

If you take a closer look you can see that Mount Apo - the highest mountain in the Philippines - is quite close to the city. Talikud island is the small one infront of Davao. The bigger one is Samal island.

The last picture shows two houses. My Uncle Boy and his family are living in the big house. The small on

e aside is Richard's house and my home for at least one more month.

Corall Garden

2008-05-29T07:19:00.003-07:00

Annabie, Pieter, me, M., Frithjof, Jun and Maya infront

Right after I went to the market last saturday I met my Belgian classmates and others

to go snorkeling. We rented a boat with about 20 people, most of them working with the Canadian NGO LGSPA (Local G

overnment Support Program for ARMM).

It was a very nice trip going to another site of Talikud. Although the water was very clear you never expect to explore such a nice under water world by just snorkeling while you're sitting in the boat.

For lunch we went ashore on a nice beach with just benches and cottages. The food we brought was shared among the whole group.
After lunch we went to another side of the island to see a place called corall garden, I saw Dories and Nemos, blue starfish, snakes, seahorse and an octupus (which was a bait that belonged to fishers).

After hours of snorkeling we went back to the city and almost everyone brought a classic souvenir: sunburn!

Fish

2008-05-29T06:49:00.002-07:00

As a fan of seafood I was fascinated by the variety of fish I found on the market. Moreover different kinds of crab, shrimp, squid, mussels or even seaweed were offered.

Fish sellers might already remove the bones for you (20 Peso ~ o,3 €).

Nothing will be wasted because everything can be used for cooking. My Uncle just bought the head if this huge red snapper to prepare it with soup - it supposed to be a delicacy.

I ate the eye (it was a big piece of meat with a little white stone inside) and it wasn't bad!

Sa Palengke

2008-05-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

Last saturday I woke up at 5 am to go to Agdao market (palengke) with my Uncle Boy. It is quite big and divided in several sections for fruits, grain, meat, fish, flowers and more. These fruits (mango, watermelon, pineapple, papaya, different kinds of bananas etc.) are carefully piled up and sometimes already cut.

This jackfruit (nangka) for example is to big to sell it at once.

A big market like this is not only a place for buying and selling but also for producing (anything that can be used for cooking).

These men make wraps for i.e. springrolls (lumpia) - these white things in the front table. One is using pastry to create thin circles on the hot iron stove and the other one is collecting them. The wraps are done in seconds so these guys are actually working pretty fast. The wraps are also used for sweet bananas, that dish is called Maruya. It's usually served for meryenda (snacks are very common).

Buried alive

2008-05-26T04:21:00.000-07:00

When I took this picture I thought the pigs are dead. Instead they're lying on the street, wrapped in banana leaves and waiting to get grilled. This is certainly no country for people who are striving for animal rights because these pigs are still alive!

Learning Cebuano

2008-05-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

I still have a hard time learning the local language: Cebuano or Bisaya, at MaryKnoll Institute for language and culture. My classes are from 8 am to 3.30 pm every day except the weekends. There are only 4 other students in my class and aside from grammar we have seperate lessons with not more than 2 students (+ 1 teacher). Of course there are many brakes, sosyal awor (where we watch a movie or play scramble in Bisaya) and since the school is a missionary's house we also have mass twice a week (the priest comes from Poland and gives mass in Cebuano with a polish accent - kalooy sa diyos).

The first week we focused on spelling, the second on non-verbal sentences (Ako si Lilli = I'm Lilli / Hinay hinay basta kanunay = slowly slowly - but always! you can actually create a lot of sentences with just nouns and adjectives) and this week we finally learn some verbs. It is very much a spoken language with words coming from spanish (like numbers: i.e. baynte singko = 25; words are slighty changed in writing and sometimes in meaning i.e. seguro = maybe) and english (drayber = driver or janitor = diyanitor) or with malay roots. In fact, the language already tells a lot about the culture (i.e. sayings with a religous meaning: pohon = (next time) if god is willing, there is also the verb "simba" that refers to the action of "going to church")!

We usually sit outside under these "payag" during our lessons. It's a nice atmosphere but aside from mosquitos there are also caterpillars (tilas)

walking around. Although they look nice their hairs will infect your skin with red pimples which are very very itchy! And what is even worse: when you scratch yourself the itchyness will spread everywhere your fingers go... I had one last friday! Luckily I spend the next two days "under water"!

The last picture shows a fresh mosquito bite which looks like a flower - quite artistic these mosquitos!

Their bites develop a certain shape (maybe just in my case) before it will get red and big. You could even make a psychological Rohrschachtest out of it: what else does this shape look like?

Starfishing

2008-05-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

Although the rainy season is just starting the sun usually shows up in the morning to the afternoon. With the humidity it can get pretty hot and it never gets much colder than 20° C.

Last weekend I went with my class mate Pieter to Talikud island (one hour boat ride from Davao). The boat was full of filipino families and many were staying over night. Walking along the beach you could also find more remote sides with less people (just kids throwing sandballs).

The water was clear and we looked for starfish in different colors...

Unfortunately the last boat back to Davao already left at 3 PM. Since the weather was nice and the boat crowded we decided to take a seat on the roof - nice view with a refreshing breeze : )

Price crisis

2008-05-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

People are standing in line for rice from the NFA (just in front of the City Hall of Davao City).

Minda News reported that "Prices of goods in Central Mindanao have averaged 10.8 percent in April, the highest inflation rate ever recorded". The average price for a kilo of rice increased from around 15 Peso to 30 Peso here in Davao only within the last two months! This affects especially people who are already struggling for survival because they have to pay twice as much as before. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said "Lands that are used to be planted with rice and corn are now planted with bananas" (Davao Today). Meanwhile the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assures the country that the public has enough supply of rice but does not address the problems that lie behind the recurring rice supply deficits. Instead the National Food Authority (NFA) sells imported rice at the price of 18.25 Peso a kilo. "The Philippines is the largest importer in the world" (Philippine Daily Inquirer) but the importation will only have a short term effect and can only fill the deficit this year. Not only the price for rice increased within the last two months but food in general like the prices of grains, corn or meat and fish. Fuel, light and water increased almost 10 percent during the last two months and the prices are surging for the following months. Just on monday there was a transportation strike in Davao City as well as in Manila.

As a main filipino nourishment rice is an essential food component. Filipinos are proud of their rich and filling rice compaired with the cheap one from abroad. When you refer to a main dish in Bisaya the term "kan-on" (cooked or fried rice) is the main part while "sud-an" is just the side dish, therefore a meal is always "kan-on and ...". The rice price is expected to hit 40 Peso/kilo in the beginning of July.

Mango plantation

2008-05-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

This is the mango plantation of my uncles and also my mom (5 hektars). It's located in Bansalan - like so many things I learn to know throu my family!

The mangos (mga mangga) get ripped into newspaper. That avoids animals from eating it. Unfortunately, the harvest this year is very little! The rainy season started very early this year because of global warming and that caused the flowers to get washed away by the rain. Therefore there are less mangos hanging on the trees. You can see this one green mango hanging from the branch? Usually there are hanging like five mangos on one branch! And this time there are also trees with no fruits at all!

Lechon

2008-05-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

The pig (lechon baboy) you can see on the picture is a very typical dish for birthdays or other celebrations. It is grilled as a whole and also served like that. The thick skin supposed to be the best part! Additionally, there's a bowl with only that skin on the table. But other typical dishes get also served like papait (the inwards of the pig which sometimes gets mixed with blood), (sweet) spaghetti (they add banana ketchup; long noodles represent long life), pansit (asian noodles with some veggie, seafood and meat - also very typical!), several kinds of fish (soup), goat meat, chicken bbq and for dessert sweet noodle salad (with fruits), fresh local fruits and many more... of course, no meal is complete without rice!

Iris (on the right) was the birthday girl and May An is another classmate from High School. I was sitting at the end of the table. Iris cuts some meat off for me and across were sitting nuns, a priest was also around. Representatives of the church are very welcome and common guests for these occasions but they usually leave after dinner. If you take a closer look you can also see (one half of) the last supper hanging on the wall, you can find it in every catholic house! This little wooden square over May An's head adheres to some tiny forks and spoons (you usually use fork and spoon instead of fork and knife), the cutlery hanging on the wall can also be huge! After dinner karaoke was on the menu. It was nice meeting my old classmates again and other people from Bansalan, also getting into "community life" because the party was quite big - we even had two lechons!

Karaoke

2008-05-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Birthday Party, Saturday night: May An, BopBop & Iris

Filipin@s love singing karaoke !!!

My cousin Rojenn and his friend Don singing in a bar. Karaoke is really common here! Almost everywhere you can find a Karaoke machine or a TV and a microphone, even in the countryside where everything is made of bamboo and the rice gets boiled on a fire stove but there is a Karaoke machine in the barn (besides it can also be a way to earn money). The songs are mostly (US) pop songs or love songs from the 90s. But of course there are a lot of local Tagalog and Bisaya songs too! Not only in public places, on birthdays or big celebrations you can hear voices singing - also at home! Almost every evening I can hear a mellow voice singing next door. Men and woman, children and seniors - everybody knows how. Like they're voices are all trained for singing not seldom quite high! Your friends & family become your fans, they support you by shouting, dancing and clapping hands. Even when there's no music around people are singing or humming all the time.

How to ride a jeepney

2008-05-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

This driver has to move his windshield wiper per hand.

One of the first things I've learned (I'm learning) is how to ride a jeepney. Besides of

motorcylces, tricycles, cabs (or cars) are jeepneys a quite common means of transportation inside the city. There are no certain stops, in some places (like where there are yellow markers) more jeepneys waiting or stopping but in fact you can get on and off where ever you want. If you want to take one you have to beckon the driver so that he will stop and you can get on. But not all jeepneys take people or the same route so you have to read the little

signs in the front window. Even that could be tricky (for foreigners) because the signs are written in shortcuts and they're quite small when they're coming from far away. On my way to school most of the jeepneys are already pretty crowded but luckily they never get full enough! I have to take a double ride to the school which takes about 45 minutes. Once you're inside you always have to duck to see where you are going. Usually a ride within 5 km costs 7 Peso (0,10 €) and with a tricycle it's 5 Peso/5 km. These two vehicles have no windows (open air) and leave a big grey cloud behind them, sometimes I even get a headache from all the exhaust gas pollution (combined with permanent beeping and honking sounds). To escape some dust you see people, mostly women, on the street carrying a napkin and holding it infront of their mouth ("to breath throu").

The last step: getting off. There are several ways to stop a jeepney, they stop where ever you have to get out. You can say "para" or "lugar (lang)" to stop the driver. Some people make a sound as if they would call a dog or a cat, that works too. Alternatively you can also take a coin and knock against the iron stake.

carabao

2008-05-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

hello everyone,

I'm doing fine here spending lots of time with my family talking, shopping, travelling, eating (I really enjoy the food here!) and most of all: learning Cebuano / Bisaya! I apologize that my blog isn't adequate to my adventures! Also: I don't carry my cam all the time and I don't spend so much time in the internet like in Germany... Most of you are asking for pics, so here they are.

(I hope I can get you a better shot of the carabao (Wasserbüffel)! The peasants use them for diverse works on the field, you can also ride them but usually they are pretty dirty!)

Kialeg

2008-05-04T06:50:00.001-07:00

JD climbed up a palm tree with rope and knife to get some coconuts, hmm delicous!

This is Vicky, Jen and Uncle Boy sitting infront of a rice field...

My cousins Chrismon and Jay, as well as JD...

Bansalan

2008-05-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

This is my lola's (grandma's) house in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, where we cooked rice with an open fire...

... played with some puppies and had lunch.

This is for Mom: the "new" bridge infront of lola's house which you want to see...

My first day

2008-05-04T06:28:00.001-07:00

On my first day I went to Bansalan and Kialeg with my Uncle Boy, his wife Jennifer and two of his kids: Chrismon and Jay, as well as JD.

First Blog

2008-03-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog !!! And first, I have to check out how this works.

I hope you're patient with me... It'll be worthwhile ;-)