#ScrapPork

It all started with the shocking discovery earlier this month of a scam headed by one woman involving fake non-government organizations (NGOs), ghost beneficiaries, and the pork barrel funds of our lawmakers (officially called the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF) which resulted in the theft of billions of pesos of Filipino taxpayers' money. As details of the breadth of the plunder were released, normally lackadaisical middle-class Filipinos suddenly couldn't sit still. A no-organizer Million People March to Luneta (Rizal Park) event was created in Facebook, scheduled on National Heroes Day, the last Monday of August. People were simply asked to gather in front of the Quirino Grandstand with family and friends—maybe even have a picnic—to show the government the number of citizens who want the pork barrel system scrapped, and to demand that lawmakers involved in the scam be investigated and prosecuted.

So, gather we did, despite the threat of rain.
  In fact, it rained over the weekend and the field was very muddy. People just avoided the muddiest parts.
  In the two weeks that the event page was up, people got a bit more organized. The leaders of the biggest groups joining the protest met and agreed that the center of the field would be reserved for those without affiliations. More militant groups—with their banners and chanting—would stay at the periphery. My ground-level photos don't do the crowd justice; see this photo from Paulo Alcazaren, who uses a drone for his aerial photos.
  I think that organized groups were the minority that day, however. More people came with their families and friends, and despite the seriousness of the issues being discussed, the atmosphere was very relaxed and even—dare I say it—fun.
   Someone was even flying a kite. I must admit, the wind was perfect for it, especially since Rizal Park is just beside Manila Bay.
  Many people came with their "abolish the pork barrel" t-shirts and banners, like these three young students with their "The evolution of pork" banner.
  There was ample media coverage, of course. ABS-CBN's Korina Sanchez set up an elevated platform with a tent so she could interview famous personalities who showed up at the rally. Juana Change (actress Mae Paner) came in her signature red lingerie and a Miss Piggy mask and wig.
   Musician, writer and activist Jim Paredes refused to be interviewed on the platform, saying that he wasn't an organizer but just a participant. So ABS-CBN found a way to interview him on the ground, where he was surrounded by other participants who stopped to listen to him speak.
  Unlike the issue of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill, religious and lay persons agree about the pork barrel—it has to be scrapped if the Philippines is to progress beyond patronage politics.

Deterioration

Yesterday, I showed you the finely detailed ornamentation of the pavilions in the Chinese Garden of the Rizal Park. Unfortunately, the quality of the maintenance doesn't quite measure up to the design's magnificence. I noticed a few missing tiles and some of the paintings on the beams have been either been damaged or have faded. I hope the park can find the high-caliber artisans—and has the funds—to have them repaired.

Ornate

The detailed ornamentation of the pavilions in the Chinese Garden of the Rizal Park is amazing. Tiles, woodwork and painting—I cannot even begin to imagine how long it took to finish each structure.

Only the best

From the 2007 Philippine Daily Inquirer article about the honor guards at the shrine of Philippine National Hero Jose Rizal:

Battle-tested in Basilan and Jolo, a certain brotherhood within the Armed Forces of the Philippines carries out a special kind of mission at the country's Kilometer Zero, where the "enemy" includes the scorching midday sun, heavy downpours, the call of nature, and all sorts of distractions from hecklers and curious promenaders.… The Rizal monument is the only statue in the Philippines provided with an honor guard. For decades, guarding it has been a role exclusively given to corporals and sergeants of the Marine Security and Escort Group (MSEG), mostly soldiers with at least a year or two of combat experience against Moro separatists or communist insurgents.

Suspended

The "lake" pavilion at the Chinese Garden of the Rizal Park.

Flagpole

The Philippine flag flying high—very high—at the Rizal Park.

Duo

The wrought iron benches at the Rizal Park are made for two people, but not for lovers.

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My Manila will be on autopilot from November 1 to 5. Be well, be good.

Green canopy

One of the vine-roofed walkways of the Rizal Park Orchidarium.

Walking with heroes

On the two long sides of Rizal Park's central lagoon are paths that are lined with the busts of Filipino heroes. It's good to see that some people take the time to stop and read about them.

Serenity amidst confusion

A gazebo over a tiny pond in the Chinese Garden of the Rizal Park.

I was going to wish you all peace, prosperity, success, good health and happiness in this year of the Water Dragon, but I just found out that the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar is not necessarily the same as the first day of the Chinese astrological calendar. The Water Dragon year begins on February 4 and until then, we are still in the Metal Rabbit year. I must say that I find it all terribly confusing. So a simple

Happy Chinese New Year!

has to suffice.

And one

I almost didn't notice that yesterday was my 1,000th post! So, just for the fun of it, I now mark my 1,001st post with the silver sphere on top of the Philippines' Kilometer Zero marker—with my reflection on it. The girl in yellow behind me is my cousin taking a photo of me taking a photo.

欢迎 | Welcome

The arch over the entrance to the Chinese Garden of the Rizal Park. If anyone knows what those four characters mean, I'd appreciate a little language lesson.

Colonial

The lampposts at the Rizal Park have two decorations which are reminders of our colonial past: the kalesa of the Spanish era…




and the eagle of the American era.

Mixed up eras

The mural of a jeepney, an invention after the Philippine-American war, on the wall of the park fronting the Quirino Grandstand has Philippine National Hero Jose Rizal as the driver, and men and women in Spanish colonial era clothes as the passengers. I am sure that they represent other historical figures of the Philippine Revolution, but I wasn't able to get close enough to see.

Green on green

The open-air pavilion beside the pond in Rizal Park's Chinese Garden.

See what's reflecting what at James' Weekend Reflections.

Guardians

Two buffaloes flank the steps leading to the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park. The carabao (Bubalus bubalis carabanesis), with its long curved horns, is a domesticated water buffalo native to Southeast Asia. It is a precious farm animal, used to pull plows and carts. It is also a source of milk (which I find milder and more delicious than cow's milk) and—rarely, because of its much-needed help in farms—meat.




The tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), with its V-shaped horns, is the only bovine endemic to the Philippines, and is found only in the island of Mindoro. In the century since Mindoro was first settled, the tamaraw population in the island has been reduced drastically, and it is now classified in the IUCN Red List as critically endangered.

Roar!

The dinosaur playground at the Rizal Park. It is at the side of the park nearest Taft Avenue (named after William Howard Taft) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1.

Sacred shores

Standing beside the Filipino-Korean Soldier Monument at the Rizal Park is another sculpture created by Filipino artist Juan Sajid Imao. It is titled "Soul Waves" and the plaque in front of it reads in part:

The sculptural waves symbolize Korea and the Philippines' sacred shores which we protected against all forms of oppression. For indeed, our common sacred shore is our love for freedom.

Both sculptures were installed during the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea on September 6, 2010.

Exotic

The Orchidarium, which proudly houses some of the Philippines' abundant wealth of orchid species, is part of the Rizal Park complex. Unfortunately, it was closed for renovation (despite the open gates) when my cousin and I went on our tour.

Not user friendly

Metro Manila sorely lacks clean public restrooms. Even in the much-visited Rizal Park (and in most of our malls too, for that matter), if you want to use a clean restroom with toilet paper and soap, you have to pay for it.