HAPPY NEW YEAR

WHALE TURNS UP IN MANILA BAY

Philippine Coast Guard pass by the carcass of a dead whale in the murky waters of Manila Bay, Philippines, on Tuesday Dec. 30, 2008. Philippine fisheries officials said the two-ton marine mammal believed to be a Minke whale may have been hit by a passing interisland ferry or strayed away from its traditional breeding ground of the western Philippine coast due to changes in sea conditions and eventually died. (source)

PEACE

IMPLORING DIVINE POWER

Helpless against demolition team, backed by anti-riot policemen, a filipino muslim woman chants passages from the Koran as she pleads for her house to be spared as the wrecking crew starts dismantling houses at a Philippine Muslim Community.

A CHRISTMAS SPIRIT?

RESIDENTS of Sta. Ana Manila show their claim stubs bearing the picture of former President Joseph Estrada as thousands of others await Christmas goodies packages from the former president at the Our Lady of the Abandoned Church.

VICTORY FOR FARMERS

"Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng tumulong para mabawi namin ang aming lupa, lalo na sa Simbahan at sa mahal na Panginoon. Tunay naming nadarama ang ligaya at pag-asa na dala ng kapanganakan ng ating Panginoon ngayong Kapaskuhan [We thank those who helped us in gaining back our land, especially the Church, the beloved Lord. We feel genuine happiness and hope that the birth of Jesus usually brings this Christmas]," said Jess Bergantin, leader of the Banasi farmers.

Peasants from Sitio Banasi in Barangay Pawili, Bula Camarines Sur celebrate at the Caritas Manila as they prepare their journey back home. The department of Agratian reform ruled last December 19 that the Fajardo estate in Banasi should be awarded to farmers, reversing an earlier decision that favored the previous landowners in the Agrarian dispute.

BANASI FARMERS

8:30 AM, the protesting Banasi farmers of Camarines Sur marched to Malacanang and soon blocked by counter demolition management team of the Manila Police District at the Plaridel gate. After a while the farmers retreated in a sit down protest under the Nagtahan Bridge.

One of the female farmers faints during the incident and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.

MANNY PACQUIAO'S VICTORY PARADE

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, now the undisputed best pound for pound boxer in the world, was given a warm welcome over the weekend by his fans over Metro Manila during a motorcade in his honor by Filipinos young and old alike, all poured into the streets to catch a glimpse of the country'sadmired hero.

WAVE OF THE FUTURE, Assured of a place in Philippine history as perhaps the country's greatest fighter, Manny Pacquiao waves to adoring fans as the motorcade weaves through the city traffic as his way of giving back to his millions of supporters. (source)

Students and teachers momentarily stepped out of their classrooms to cheer and wave to Manny Pacquiao.
Manny Pacquiao, the best boxer on the planet, returned home to his native Philippines earlier today to a boisterous heroes’ welcome. Upon his arrival home, Pacquiao visited the president of the Philippines and his motorcade was greeted by tens of thousands of screaming men, women, and children, as the bus made its way through gridlocked traffic in Manila. Pacquiao has become the stuff of legend in the Philippines where his adoring fan base never doubted for a moment that their foremost knight would conquer boxing’s most titanic figure in Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao’s declaration that the historic win was one ‘For Filipinos everywhere’ has instilled and affirmed a sense of national pride that will leave a firm footprint in his nation’s history. (Source)

ITS CHRISTMAS TIME

PACMANIA

Filipinos jubilate the victory of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao over Mexican Oscar De La Hoya while they watch it beamed live via satellite at the Tondo Sports Complex in Manila, Philippines on Sunday Dec. 7, 2008. From five-star hotel lounges and army camps to Manila's burgeoning slums, Filipinos gathered in huge numbers to cheer the country's boxing icon, as officials say the victory provided the country a momentary respite from financial worries.

Kaisa-ka

CAMARINES SUR FARMERS

After a 16-day and 444-kilometer pilgrimage from Camarines Sur, the 45 farmers clash with the Manila Police District anti-riot team at the foot of the Nagtahan Bridge in Manila yesterday morning. The Balasi farmers from Bula Camarines Sur persisted to personally deliver their demand to Malacanang for a reversal of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita's decision ordering the DAR to cancel their title issued under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) 11 yrs. ago.

WOAH!