Category Archives: current events

POST-SCRIPT | My take on the flesh-eating bacteria brouhaha

Posted on by

I didn’t have time to blog about this when this issue was raging on and on and on…(was knee-deep in work) but I was able to give my two cents’ worth on the subject via Facebook on February 27. Here it is:

Ang tinuturo kong subject ngayong sem ay News Reporting. Basic journalism. Ano ang tinuturo sa basic journalism? Always get the side of authority/government/regulator to confirm/deny your story, to give balance. Di tinatakbo ng isang responsableng editor ang istoryang wala nito. I am a science journalist by training and ano ang itinuro sa akin sa undergrad at ng nanay kong scientist? Always try to get and explain the science behind a phenomenon or simple event. RESEARCH. It was supposedly a two-part special report, ergo, somebody had enough time to contact DOH. No one did. Not even the editor. And there was even an attempt to connect it to a prophecy. And you say there was no intent to scare the public? This cant even be termed as kuryente eh. Kuryente is katangahan at nabibiktima din ako nito. Pero ito ibang level. Ok, class dismissed. I’m so pissed off to continue my lecture. Write a 2,000-word essay about this incident and email it to the newsroom concerned. Deadline saturday.

To complete this blog entry, I am posting here Alan Robles‘ blog/satire about the issue:

Art by Vincent Trinidad courtsey of www.hotmanila.ph

Flesh eating bacteria deny reports they’re invading the Philippines

By Alan Robles

Flesh-eating bacteria yesterday denied they were invading the Philippines, dismissing news reports of such an attack as “a stupid hoax.”

In an exclusive interview conducted via microscope, two of the organisms — one of which identified itself as Sid Bafarges-Bacterium and the other as “just Duane” — scoffed at the sensationalist reports.

“Why would we invade the Philippines…what was that province again? Why would we go there? Is there something immunologically delicious there?”, Bafarges-Bacterium asked.

Early this week, a report by a TV network claimed an outbreak in Pangasinan province of the dreaded necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that destroys skin and muscle tissue. The story was based on a reporter’s interview of just two people with alleged “mysterious” skin ailments. To emphasize the medical seriousness of the report, the reporter wore a mask and what looked like a protective suit.

Social networks went wild over the story, as well as the anchor’s claim that the “outbreak” was connected to a prediction of doom made by a shady looking foreign prophet who resembled a bad cartoonist’s concept of a child molester. Internet commenters had a field day shrieking religious warnings and prayers until a few hours later, when government health officials clarified the two alleged “victims” were actually suffering psioriasis and leprosy, respectively, and there was no outbreak at all.

“Stupid no?”, “Bafarges-Bacterium said. “If bacteria could laugh I’d be bursting my cell walls right now.”

“Hey, maybe that reporter or anchor was suffering from the dreaded brain-eating amoeba”, Duane suggested.

“If that anchor got infected by an amoeba that would probably be the first fully functioning cell that got into his head,” Bafarges-Bacterium volunteered.

The two flesh-eating microorganisms said they were tried of being sensationalized on slow news days.

“Take this ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ crap,” Bafarges Bacterium said. “Strictly speaking there’s no single microorganism that causes necrotizing fasciitis, there are several kinds of us, and for your information, we DON’T really EAT flesh, we release toxins that destroy skin and subcutaneous tissue.”

He added: “Take it from this microorganism, the chances of an outbreak of necrotizing fasciitis in Pangasinan are about the same as finding a decent science journalist in this country.”

“You tell them Sid,” Duane said.

Bafarges-Bacterium ranted: “And what is this thing linking our outbreak to this dubious looking prophet? Why would we work with someone like that, although I admit he does look like a low life, but we have standards in the microbial community.”

He warned, “and don’t you confuse us with brain-eating organisms either, that’s an amoeba, you’ll find it inside most Marcos loyalists.”

The bacterium cautioned Filipinos about being too gullible.

“Besides why would we WANT to invade the Philippines? You already have a surplus of vicious corrosive bacterium. Have you checked your Senate lately?”

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND

Posted on by

First of all, I’m still recovering from a major illness that forced me to take a long break. I came back from China with bronchitis, allergic rhinitis and severe asthma attacks—and much to my grief—I was also a carrier of pneumonia that struck down my twins, one of which was confined in the hospital for four days.

I can say that the days I haven’t been working were bliss, even if I was coughing my head off. Haven’t been following the news. I just learned that finally the Office of the Ombudsman filed the plunder charges against the lawmakers and others in the complaint filed by Benhur Luy et al against those involved in the pork barrel scam.

Actually, we already had a heads up two weeks before that the OMB would be filing this any time soon. Fortunately, I was sick so I was spared from the major harassing day I think it would have been.

Philippines says thank you to the world

Posted on by

“Three months after Typhoon Haiyan, a whole nation wants to show its gratitude to the whole world. This is the Philippines. And this is our way of saying thank you to every one who is helping us rebuild after the storm. #PHthankyou

Let’s make this “thank you” even louder. Spread this video and go to itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/phthankyo­u”

We were supposed to go back there last week but Tropical Storm ‘Basyang’ derailed our plans. I wonder when can we go back and see for myself the things that were claimed to be the truth and the hidden truths.

In any case, the Filipinos are grateful for all the help and support it received from the rest of the world. But the fight is far from over.

BLOGGING BIZ | MY ISP HAS A NEW FRIEND

Posted on by

I have to start this blog entry with a disclaimer: I had been a subscriber of Bayan DSL and wireless landline long before I joined InterAksyon.com and haven’t bothered changing since I’m too lazy to do so. And I have not experienced anything bad so why fix it when it ain’t broke?

I received this from my via courier last week. I thought it was an invitation to something because I knew from the shape and size of the thing that it was a card of some sort.

If you can’t read the text, it says “Dito sa ating Bayan, may dumating na kaibigan.”

It’s a pop-up card. When you flip the logo up, it shows:

The Globe Telecom logo. The under the pop-up part of the card, it says:

Kakampi na po natin ang Globe! Sa Globe, siguradong magpapatuloy ang magandang service na nakasanayan ninyo. Tuloy lang ang tawag at ang internet! Pero simula pa lang ito. Marami pang exclusive offers na parating. Abang ang susunod na kabanata…

Well, if you are a regular reader of business stories or follow the telecommunications industry, this news is not surprising since the Ayala-led telecom is set to take over the debt-saddled Bayan and announced it would be buying out the Lopezes from the company. Globe bought almost all of the Bayan’s debts and also the entire liabilities of Radio Communications of the Philippines Inc’s (RCPI), a unit of Bayan. Remember RCPI? Yes, the RCPI telegram, now obsolete and gone to tech heaven.

Anyway, under the agreement was Globe will acquire those debts for $130 million, lower than the $400 million face value of Bayan’s total debt. In 2003, the telco failed to service its debts of $325 million therefore it had to undergo a court-supervised rehabilitation. Under the original rehab plan, Bayan would be finished with its rehab by 2023 but Globe has shortened it, with the latter expecting it to be concluded this year.

With the PLDT having folded Digitel under its wings, Globe had to boost its business by eating up its remaining rivals. Analysts said Globe’s move was meant to boost its fixed line segment to improve its profitability. As I wrote in my November 16, 2012 analysis for InterAksyon.com:

“After all, broadband Internet is the fastest growing segment of the telecom business, albeit the revenues have yet to approximate those earned in mobile SMS and voice, which remain the bread-and-butter of the country’s telcos…”

Analysts said Globe is already being squeezed out by the PLDT-Digitel merger in the wireless game so it had to go for the fixed line, broadband Internet clientèle–me. But the real meat of the deal are the unused frequencies on the 1800-megahertz band that Bayantel holds, which Smart Communications had been asking the National Telecommunications to retrieve.

So what does this mean for customers like me?

“Since Bayan is now an affiliate of Globe, we are making our data products available to Bayan customers as well,” Yolly Crisanto, Globe’s head for corporate communications told me in a text message. According to their website, Globe is offering up to 100 mbps of fiber home broadband, LTE, mobile wifi and broadband sticks (which PLDT also offers).

I asked Bayan whether they would offer preferential rates or “unli” bundles for Globe subscribers and vice-versa, its corporate communications department said it has to come back to me for details as these had to be obtained from the company’s marketing department.

But as a customer, it all boils down to reliability of service. The reasons why I stuck with Bayan were: 1) their “cabinet” (you know, where all of their lines end up) is literally just spitting distance away from our front gate in Quezon City, ergo any technical problems, their people can immediately work it out; 2) their main office is just one tricycle away from our home so when I call because my Internet connection has gone wonky, their tech people would be arriving in our place in an hour or two (and no, they don’t know I am a business reporter); and Bayan-to-Bayan calls are free nationwide and my parents-in-law in Samar are also Bayan subscribers.

So now, the question is, would the level of service remain the same once the red logo of Bayan becomes blue? We are subscribers of all the three telcos (we have PLDT landline/Smartbro canopy in Laguna and a Globe DSL subscriber in our small shop in UP Village) and I know how reliable or unreliable each of these are.

So all I could do is wait and see.

AND THE BOOK CLOSES WHEN WE TRY TO FORGET…

Posted on by

Catbalogan Pier

 

…But I know things won’t change
About how we feel, how life goes on
And it feels so strange
And so the light fades away
Try, try, try as I may…              

                                                                —Phil Collins, “Everyday”

And for as long as I live, I will never forget the things that I’ve seen the two weeks ago. Some of my photos are beautiful and at the same time haunting. The truth in those pictures could never be hidden but the raw emotions could only be felt when you’re there. Photos could tug at your heartstrings but it’s different when you feel the pain in the air.

 

NOTES FROM GROUND ZERO | Of tuba and dried fish–or the lack thereof in the coming months

Posted on by

MARABUT, Samar – Coconut trees that once stood proudly on the mountains at the southern tip of Samar island were strewn all over the barren landscape like matchsticks after Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ went island hopping in central Philippines last month.

Most coastal towns in Samar and Leyte affected by the worst typhoon that has hit the country rely on fishing and copra for livelihood. Along with their houses, the fishermen and coconut farmers also lost their fishing boats and hectares upon hectares of coconut trees.

Nothing is left of the coconut plantation (Marabut, Samar)

Engr. Judarico V. Sabit, Marabut’s municipal planning and development coordinator, said their town would not be short of coco lumber to build homes again but the problem is the lack of machine to cut down the trees. He said representatives of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) have visited the area to see the state of the local industry after the typhoon ravaged the plantations.

“Ipapa-slice [ng PCA] yung mga [puno] ng niyog para gawing make-shift na bahay ng may-ari [ng mga puno],” Sabit said.

Given the extent of the damage to the plantations, Marabut is proposing to PCA to replace all the coconuts, standing or not,

Aside from fishing and copra, this town is also relying on tuba–a kind of coconut wine, which I haven’t tried yet–for livelihood.

Coconut farmers and fishermen augment their meager incomes with rice and rootcrops like cassava, gabi (yam), and banana. Save for the rootcrops, all the others have perished in the typhoon.

According to a November 20 press release from the Department of Agriculture:

“PCA has already committed 300 chains saw to be used for clearing operations. Each equipment will require two operators to be paid P300 each per day. A portable saw-mill will also be moved to the PCA yard in Tacloban.”

It’s tough if you’re poor. In Catbalogan, we were told of stories of families belonging to the middle class being able to escape the inhuman conditions in Tacloban and other neighboring towns via their own vehicles or paying for any other means of land transportation. Of Chinese businessmen calling up private choppers or what-have-you to airlift them out of the area. Of people with broken windshields, willing to pay P500/L just to be able to get out of the post-typhoon misery.

But what about those who cannot afford to even buy nails to fix their homes and are sleeping under canvasses?

Poblacion, Marabut, Samar

People of Marabut are left with nothing to pick up pieces of their lives. About 90 percent of the fishing boats here were lost. On the first week after ‘Yolanda’ hit, representatives from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have come to the area to check the damage wrought by the typhoon but they have yet to hear whether they would be given new boats to help them get back on their feet.

“Walang trabaho, walang income. Syempre yung inaasahan mo nawala,” Sabit told me. “Kahit maliit ang nakukuha pero kung mahal ang bayad, narerecover din. Pero ito [after ‘Yolanda’]–wala.”

He said that each pump boat costs P15,000 but that is for the cost of the body only, without the motor. Paddle boats cost P2,000 but that can only be used in weaving in and out of mangrove areas and not suitable for fishing in deeper areas. Fishing nets cost P20,000 each unit.

At those prices, going back to fishing almost seemed impossible for Marabut fishermen.

“Nagbigay na ang DA dati ng motorized banca, bago dumating yung bagyo. Tapos bumagyo…” Sabit said in a voice that betrayed his inner thought: “Sayang!”.

My husband, who grew up in Catbalogan, talked to a kababayan manufacturer of fiberglass pumpboats and said fiberglass boats can be made for P10,000 only, whereas boats made from marine plywood cost P15,000 to make. The boatmaker said the ones made of fiberglass last much longer than the wooden versions.

This boatmaker confided that he already saw the specifications set by the government but “they were all wrong”, based from his professional wisdom. That’s why he would rather make boats for the private groups who would want to donate to fellow Warays than follow the government specs.

There are kind-hearted private groups out there who are now raising funds to help these fishermen get boats.

Post-script:

MANILA, December 16 – A member of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) has been talking with BFAR about the distribution of pumpboats. He said BFAR cannot accept private money donations but can direct donors to non-government organizations that can help make and distribute these boats. According to the agency, the boats will be made in SOCCSKSARGEN ( South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) area then the NGOs will help identify the areas for distribution.