aftermath

The storm yesterday was quite a doozy, considering it brought down several billboards around the metro, flooded dozens of homes and left the well-lit metro struggling to find its way in the darkness.

My house and its fauna have been subject to some amazing changes, with 4 trees uprooted and blocking our entry way from the gate. More amazing is the huge tree blocking the gate from the outside.

Ok, from our view inside it looks like that abandoned garden from great expectations. Either that or some weird portion of the island from LOST. Suffice to say that classes and work have been suspended due to this catastrope...but then again, with all the power out, who wants to stay at home?

To keep myself from going out (Starbucks was full, as well as other stores who decided to stay open despite all this), i bonded with my housemates, who, like me, hated the fact that the storm just plain made everything boring. With cards, available stereos and boardgames on hand, we managed to go through the day without killing ourselves (or anybody in the house for that matter). (will post pics of the storm later).

Well, i'd never thought i'd be glad to get to work. But i am. With the major damage brought about by the recent storm, i must say being in a well-lit room with (almost) all the necesities one needs is such a welcome sight after experiencing a day without electricity, telephone line and food (yeah, i don't eat at home). So the weekend lies ahead, hopefully by the time saturday comes in there will be electricity. Oh joy.

Mother Nature sure does know how to get our attention :-)

rockin for a cause

If you ask me on a monday...

...well, it's lunch a few pics and lotsa catchin up! :-) It's like, excellent!!!

Ode to Best Buds

We may never hang out as much
as we did back then
We may have changed in so many ways
We may not have the boyfriends we had back then
We may have changed circles as we went
Our friendship sure hasn't
and i look forward to more years of friendship with YOU!
Kitty+Bunnie 4evah! Love ya girl!

busy bee

Amazingly, i'm back at my old office. Not for work, just to collect some checks (yay!) and clearance stuff (even more yay!) So while burning cds i try to catch up with this update.

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Had a pretty full day earlier. Fellow volunteer for the cause Archie and I commuted all the way to Pier 18 (that's the docks in Tondo!!) to meet up with the truck of Shopwise Araneta, who generously donated a sizeable amount of goods. After rounding up and checking the packing (as well as some photo op with the fellows who helped out) we got around to taking the jeep to Divi, from which we took the lrt back to QC.

It's been quite hot, literally. I'm just so glad that despite the hard work and effort, we see some of it paying off (a lot of responses, as well as great raves from people who got to know more about the oil spill). hehehe. Lots of thanks to the many people who, in their own little way, contributed to spreading thw ord and volunteering their time, effort, money and goods to this cause!!! KUDOS TO YOU GUYS!!!!

We're still a long way from rehabilitating the damage, but with more help and perseverance (as well as ACTION) , we can do it! :-) Please check out fellow blogs/sites for more updates:

http://www.greenpeace.org
http://www.sludge.wordpress.com
http://www.newsbreak.com.ph
http://www.inq7.net

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I think i am really loooking forward to the weekend now....

GOTTA READ THIS!!!

Cost to Guimaras: P9.2 Billion
(Newsbreak, September 25, 2006, Page 21)
vol. 6, issue 19

PETRON LOST what could have been millions in income from the 2.4 million liters of oil that sank with M/V Solar 1 near Guimaras. They’re spending more for the cleanup costs and assistance to affected residents. But it’s nothing compared to how much Guimaras lost and has yet to lose. Based on the initial estimates of Resource, Environments, and Economic Center for Studies (REECS), a group of environmental economists, the island will suffer an economic loss of almost P9 billion in the first year alone. This covers the cost of the lost environmental services and recreational and tourism values. This means that cleaning up efforts and related health services for the population, estimated to cost another P266 million, is only the tip of the iceberg.

The damage to the mangroves, coral reefs, seagrasses, and estuaries—which are fish habitats—would cost Guimaras P8.3 billion worth of services. The damaged area includes the Taklong Island Marine Sanctuary, which is an area of study for many marine biologists because of its rich marine biodiversity. According to a report by the World Wildlife Fund, the dugong, green sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, and several cetacean species are threatened.

According to the REECS report, 14 out of 36 resorts in Guimaras were affected by the oil spill. The tourism sector may lose an estimated P652.2 million this year because of the tragedy.

Following a formula used internationally in evaluating economic values of ecosytems, REEC’s estimates were based on the assumption that the affected areas are totally damaged. These exclude compensation for the residents who largely rely on the sea for livelihood. Nearby provinces also depend on the sanctuaries of Guimaras for fish. This can be proven and then quantified by looking at the ocean currents.

“Something else might come up that will impact on the livelihood, which is not seen as of now,” says REECS’s Noela Lasmarias. “Guimaras is a fragile ecosystem. Oil spill has unseen effects.”

“It could be more than [P9.2 billion],” says Rina Maria Rosales, also with REECS, which will take a six-month onsite study to look at the actual scope of damage.

If Guimaras will play its cards well, there’s a chance it will receive rightful compensation for its losses. Its case is similar to Alaska’s Prince Willian Sound, where the Exxon-Valdez oil tanker sank in 1989, spilling 10 million gallons of oil, also on a marine sactuary. Thanks to the international attention that sustained the case against the owners of Exxon-Valdez, the owners were made to pay US$1.1 billion in various settlements, $2.5 billion for the cleanup costs, and $5 billion for recklessness.

—Carmela Fonbuena

poster kids!

mary_n_lette
Originally uploaded by wanderlust_junkie.

i guess this is our picture for this year, huh? Mary and i usually get a picture done of us two usually in this order... this was taken this weekend when we skedaddled out of town to escape the rains and somewhat stifling workloads. Ahh, bliss. Got to check out Haribon's GuBAT exhibit, which featured Ang I.N.K.'s works (including mary's, yey!), buy P10 raw eggs (yes, it's the normal ones) and learn to play poker (for real). hahahaha!

haydz and zsa

haydz and zsa
Originally uploaded by wanderlust_junkie.

cheesin' for the cam!

Got to spend some QT with my high school classmatesd who are currently here in Manila. It's a bit disconcerting having all of us together again after so long, but it was great fun nonetheless. Zsa and Marj, fresh off their first exam for the bar, were relieved to get some free time off the books while Haydz and I were glad to be out and about again from our respective jobs. Over coffee, lunch and some more coffee we got a chance to catch up with what's been happening (5 years is a long time, y'know) as well as check out the interesting sites in cubao (yep yep!)

future lawyers to be

future lawyers to be
Originally uploaded by wanderlust_junkie.

marj and zsa, our high school buds who are currently taking the bar

high school buddies

high school buddies
Originally uploaded by wanderlust_junkie.

Zsa and moi, havin' a latte during her free day from the bar exams.

sideways

(i know recent blog posts have been about the guimaras oil spill, so pardon my sudden interlude into some personal thought)

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It has been quite a jumbled week, with so many issues to tackle, so many adjustments to make, so many celebrations to think about. In a span of a week i have seen help rise from what i thought to be a careless world, felt utter humiliation and happiness all at once. (ok, am i making sense? Let me reiterate).

A friend is leaving for greener pastures while another friend has already left.I wish them both much happiness and success in their future endeavors. It has been a wonderful friendship, one i hope will continue inspite the factors which may dampen its fire.

A friend seeks greener pastures while another is given a new term (and a new love!). I wish them the best and more success in their efforts and more creative zeal. :-)

A fate is defined while another has become doubtful. Lord give me clarity.

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I wish i can be more verbose about how i feel to you.

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