konsehal - any updates regarding Davao's ICT? i got lil bad news kc....i wonder why we (PS) decided to open the next facility in Baguio!

I also hope that the our LGU is working to develop other industries, aside from outsourcing, so that our wealth of manpower will be fully utilized and developed.

I think we're currently doing that. However, we cant discount the BPO industry's advantages/strengths as well...Seriously? We're far behind na! and I'm glad that the LGU, business sector, certain groups and individuals (especially Jason aka SiliconGulf) are doing their best to catch up!

Originally Posted by Paulkrps
same guy. later he moved on to pwc for a while. i dunno if he finished his archi sa um. hev passed away 2 years ago i think.


how sad , I think he finished architecture . Did he work abroad?

DANCING SIGNS OF HOPE: AGNES LOCSIN’S “SAYAW LIKHANG KIUKOK”
by Jovino Miroy


They say we should be ready to proclaim the hope within us. Do we really have something to hope for these days when both the administration and the opposition continue to betray public trust? There are at least four concrete reasons to believe in the present greatness of our people. A number of outstanding Filipino dancers are back from abroad for a reunion show called “SAYAW LIKHANG KIUKOK atbp.” – a modern dance showcase under the direction and choreography of AGNES LOCSIN.

Introducing our ambassadors to the international world of modern dance: ERNEST MANDAP, GEORGETTE SANCHEZ, ELMER DOMDOM and GAYE GALILUYO.

Ernest went to France in 1991 when he was 18 years old. He had to learn the language and their work ethic. “Everyday there was something new to learn, so it was really difficult.” Beguiled by their use of fans, he wanted to join Jeunne Ballet de France to dance the male duet called “Shogun.” After his stint with Claude Beaurmarchons, he has now become Assistant to the choreographer of a dance company in Nantes. He also teaches classes and workshops to non-dancers in a collective effort to create a dance public. The company’s style begins with improvisations that allow dancers to propose pieces and movements to the choreographer. Since he started dancing at the age of nine, Agnes Locsin has pushed him to the limits, teaching him the commitment and discipline international choreographers admire most in Filipino dancers. He applies in his present company the attitude that says: “Kapit kamay kahit mahirap yung trabaho natin” (Let’s stick together no matter how hard the task is.). For the future, he dreams of putting up a dance company, and also wishes that Filipinos follow the law and help each other more.

Georgette Sanchez, on the other hand, joined the ABC Dance Company in a town near Vienna after winning a dance competition in Paris 2002. Born and raised in Bacolod City by a mom who owned a ballet studio, Georgette dreamed of working with a foreign dance company. After three years of training in the Austrian company, she is back for good, ready to train the new generation of Bacolod artists. Right now she wants to experience the pleasure of dancing, which the years of dancing difficult pieces has obscured. When asked how the working conditions were in Austria, she says that the workload seems to be very heavy, but much of the responsibility still rests on you. As expected, dancers get a better deal in Europe in terms of pay and benefits, like health insurance and pension. But she came home because “there are times when you can’t talk to anyone. People there are different.” She now dreams of establishing a modern dance company for kids, a truly new idea since young dancers normally take up classical ballet.

Elmer Domdom works with the Stadttheater in Zaarbrucken, near the border of France and Germany. He speaks German, but since dance is non-verbal and most choreographers speak English and Spanish, knowledge of German is not key to being hired in Germany. He says that Filipino and Asian dancers have proven that it is not height and technique that make one a dancer, but fire and soul. He also attributes to his training in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) the commitment and discipline which he brings to his craft now.

Gaye Galiluyo joined Ballet Philippines (BP) as a scholar after participating in the CCP Dance School Summer Workshop. She eventually became an apprentice of BP. When she graduated from the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), she was named the Most Outstanding in Dance. Former PHSA Director Tata Nanding Josef, now Artistic Director of the CCP, has this to say about Gaye: “I’ve always been proud of Gaye. I’ve always believed that she is bound for greater things.”

Earlier this year, Gaye won First Prize for performance and interpretation of “Which Club?” at the 9th International Solo Tanz Theater Festival in Stuttgart. Choreogrpaher Jana Vinovrski won Second Prize for the piece. This piece will be reprised by Gaye in the forthcoming show at the CCP. Gaye describes this prizewinning work: “The piece is about the influence of the bureaucratic system on an individual. I experienced this when I was applying for visas! In this pieces, we managed to mix the elements of dance, taekwondo, acting, gestures and speaking. That made it so special.”

Gaye is currently a member of Tanztheatre Freiburg-Heidelburg in Germany. For her, dance remains the single most important aspect of her life.

As I talked to them at the Tanghalang Amado Hernandez, it amazed me how this magnificent fact had been obscured. How I wish I met them while I was still finishing my Doctorate in Belgium. Associating with these artists would certainly have enriched my studies in Philosophy. Having proven their mettle as dancers, I made them promise to make Filipino modern dance part of the international repertoire.

A case in point is the piece Likhang Kiukok, probably one of the most moving pieces that issued from the genius of Agnes Locsin. I have become familiar with the works of Kiukok by being occasionally invited to the Cubao abode of National Artist for Theater and Design Salvador Bernal, whose house is literally ensconced in Kiukoks. Honestly, Locsin’s dance creation does not detract for a moment from the greatness of the art works. Can one think of any other dance piece that arises from works of art, and more so from contemporary expressionism? Of course, the connection is obvious in the painting technique of people like Jackson Pollock.

The Locsin piece is brilliant because it is not a programmatic ballet on the life of Kiukok but sympathy for and revelation of his Davao sensibility. The choreography uses a humongous fishnet and a simple wooden table found in beer gardens, objects one meets in Kiukok’s frames. The show enunciates how the late National Artist has triumphantly emerged from his humble beginnings and has become one of the great Filipino painters. By bringing his works on stage, Locsin also makes available what lies hidden in private collections and display rooms. This demonstrates that the Performing Arts are one of the most important vehicles of democracy we still have to exploit.

Yesterday morning, I woke up to a debate not on the evidential value of wiretapped materials but whether the tandem Juday-Piolo was more bagay than Juday-Ryan. Morning glory turned to morning gloom but which soon vanished when I thought of our modern dancers and choreographers. One must not think that this is a right time to be going to a cultural performance at the CCP. Watching an artistic performance these days is not a choice against social change. Rather, it is one of the most powerful acts of revolt he can make. The person who pays to watch a performance is not saying that he does not believe in the social movements in the streets. He is saying that he is staking a claim on the bright future of our nation. People say, and our current President heads the pack, that the arts and artists are useless. What does the thought that there are kababayans performing in Stadttheater in Germany or educating French kids on the importance of modern dance do to you? Doesn’t your adrenaline and confidence in the Filipino shoot higher than the nearest coconut tree?

Let me share a secret: When I feel bad about the mayhem in the government and in the streets, I get my honor-fix by simply revisiting the early Filipino jewelry collection at the Met Museum or reading Virgilio Almario’s anthology of Modern Tagalog Poetry. Seeing the dedication and talent of our Filipino dancers and artists, I realize that the message gives me is totally hogwash. Our nation is good and as good as the best of them. Ernest Mandap, Georgette Sanchez, Elmer Domdom and Gaye Galiluyo, together with the brilliant Agnes Locsin and her dance troupe, are our country’s living breathing and dancing signs of hope.

“Sayaw LikhANG KIUKOK, atbp” is slated on September 3, 8 PM and September 4, 3 PM and 8 PM at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo and on August 27, 6 PM at the Locsin Dance Workshop and on August 28, 7PM at the CAP Auditorium in Davao. It is a co-production of the Carment Dakudao Locsin Foundation and the CCP with the Philippine Council for the Bone and Joint Decade. Local dance artists based in Davao and Metro Manila will be performing in the show. Other dance artists in the show include Judelle de Guzman, Camille Ordinario, Annette Cruz, Annie Divinagracia, Christine Maranan, Christine Crame, Caroline Boncodin, Ella Rodriguez, Arthur Endaya, Victor Usabia, Dwight Rodrigazo, Cindy Espinas, Ana Tirol, Gabby Locsin, Gerald Mercado, Samantha Martin and Tim Gerken. Under the direction of Agnes Locsin, the show will feature music by Joey Ayala, lighting design by Monino Duque.

Kaliwat Theatre Collective

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4930/kaliwatlemafeuee8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Kaliwat Theatre Collective is one of the Philippines' leading theater institutions. Based in Davao City, Kaliwat was founded in 1988 by five members of the Mindanao Community Theatre Network (MCTN) led by Mindanao theater guru Nestor Horfilla. Since then, Kaliwat has become a training ground for Mindanao theatre artists.
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/4391/reinvention2br5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Kaliwat creates original plays and other performances based on Mindanaoan people's stories and cultural traditions. The heart of its existence, however, lies in its extensive cultural action work in grassroots communities. Its work includes: cultural research, natural resource management, environmental awareness programs, advocacy campaigns, tours and productions, gender in development programs, stress de-briefing for "children of war," and children's creativity and rights programs.

Its most notable productions are: Lemafeu sa Habagatan 1992, Siak sa Duha ka Damgo 1992, Ground Up 1993, Oya Arakan 1994, and Mindasilang 1999.

Mebuyan Peace Project
http://www.mebuyanpeaceproject.ph

Mebuyan Peace Project (MPP) is perhaps the only all-women storytelling group in the Philippines which utilizes music, theatre and dance for peace and healing work. The storytellers are based in Davao City, in Mindanao where peace is a perennial search. The group is composed of 16 women music, theatre, and dance artists. They can be found doing peaceweaving workshops, conducting rituals for special events, and performing once every six weeks at Taboan, Matina Town Square.
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/7302/mebuyantriogu5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
While still a fledgling group, members of MPP each have had many years in music and theatre work. Members come from Mindanao's leading theatre and music groups: Kaliwat Theatre Collective, Kulturang Atin Foundation, Inc., Kathara Dance Theater Collective, Sining Kambayoka Ensemble, EDCADS, Sining Kabpapagariya Ensemble, Kariala Etniko, and Seventh Heaven.
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/4936/mebuyankamatayanly1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^ rodrigo duterte-ben de guzman friendship park...

HAHA!!! funny! I don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon.

Anyway, I hope the park will not be named Grennbelt or Central Park as those names are already used by established places. Maybe they should name it something that is specifically Davao, like use a native term, or something.

I think we're currently doing that. However, we cant discount the BPO industry's advantages/strengths as well...Seriously? We're far behind na! and I'm glad that the LGU, business sector, certain groups and individuals (especially Jason aka SiliconGulf) are doing their best to catch up!

I don't hear any updates kasi. Or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough. Anyway, I hope updates on the development of other industries are also posted here.

basi sa aquarium walay slit, nya wala pud palda. ambot bitaw kay naa ra ba tay kuyog na mga girls - ria, gina & maybe lena.


Hi davao.

I see my name in there and would like to know what it says??Who likes to translate??? :)

deleted

Hi davao.

I see my name in there and would like to know what it says??Who likes to translate??? :)

I don't think a direct translation would suffice. Some guys were suggesting that maybe we could get together in a sing-along bar. He's saying that the clothes of some of the girls who work there are kinda lewd, so maybe it would not be appropriate for us to meet there since there are girls in the group.

UPDATES ON MAGLEV:

There are many and there are several MAGLEV designs all geared toward transport efficiency and cost effectiveness:

1. High-Speed Maglev (up 850km/hr) are cheaper to produce than an 300 seater Boeing Aircraft. And it is 50% cheaper than LRT or Northrail. It is also a lot cheaper to run them and there are no maintenance cost. This is more advantageous in connecting the Mindanao to Luzon. With local designs and resources combined with advanced composites technology, it can run to between $10M - $75M.

2. Regional Speed Maglev (Up to 485km/hr) connects inter-island provinces to the other within say Mindanao, or within Visayas, or within Luzon.

3. Provincial Speed Maglev (up to 320km/hr) connects towns within a province.

4. City Speed Maglev (up to 165km/hr) connects major points in the city.

5. Suburban to City Speed Maglev (up to 165km/hr) connects suburbs to the city.

6. PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) Speed Maglev (up to 100km/hr) designed for up to 12 riders within a city that uses different connections and stops.

7. Maglev Taxi Cab - up to 100 km/hr for fetching from airport to hotels, airport to downtown.

8. MAGLEV Emergencyy Cab - up to 100 km/hr designed to evacuate patients to hospitals, or from accideent, fire, flood to afe houses.

9. MAGLEV CITY DESIGN - Urban City are designed to deliver up to 8 seater occupants from their house door to work, to gyms, to entertainment centers, to the beaches, etc.

I'm currently putting together feasibility sudies on these variant and cheap maglev application to probably start in Digos-Davao City route for testing and safety applications. Some university participation will be encouraged to join in.

Guys, if anybody can please try accessing DavaoSale.com???? I've been trying to get into the site since early this evening but I can't seem to. I just want to know if there's anything wrong with my connection, or if the site is really down.

so unsa man jud nice laagan sa atong city karon? Regarding 183 - I used to hangout there often when I was still in Davao....And I bet i'll visit the place when I get to visit Davao this Kadayawan.....considering that I get to meet some queer friends! (ROTF-LMAO) ahahahahahaha :scouserd: :scouserd:

Nasunong daw ang Liquid? tsk tsk tsk....sayang! Wala nay chance na iopen again?

Excited nako movisit sa POPS!

Pops is in the Wheels n More Drive, which I think is the best place to hang out and just be with friends.

UPDATES ON MAGLEV:

There are many and there are several MAGLEV designs all geared toward transport efficiency and cost effectiveness:

1. High-Speed Maglev (up 850km/hr) are cheaper to produce than an 300 seater Boeing Aircraft. And it is 50% cheaper than LRT or Northrail. It is also a lot cheaper to run them and there are no maintenance cost. This is more advantageous in connecting the Mindanao to Luzon. With local designs and resources combined with advanced composites technology, it can run to between $10M - $75M.

2. Regional Speed Maglev (Up to 485km/hr) connects inter-island provinces to the other within say Mindanao, or within Visayas, or within Luzon.

3. Provincial Speed Maglev (up to 320km/hr) connects towns within a province.

4. City Speed Maglev (up to 165km/hr) connects major points in the city.

5. Suburban to City Speed Maglev (up to 165km/hr) connects suburbs to the city.

6. PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) Speed Maglev (up to 100km/hr) designed for up to 12 riders within a city that uses different connections and stops.

7. Maglev Taxi Cab - up to 100 km/hr for fetching from airport to hotels, airport to downtown.

8. MAGLEV Emergencyy Cab - up to 100 km/hr designed to evacuate patients to hospitals, or from accideent, fire, flood to afe houses.

9. MAGLEV CITY DESIGN - Urban City are designed to deliver up to 8 seater occupants from their house door to work, to gyms, to entertainment centers, to the beaches, etc.

I'm currently putting together feasibility sudies on these variant and cheap maglev application to probably start in Digos-Davao City route for testing and safety applications. Some university participation will be encouraged to join in.

Since Maglev Guideways can be laid out on exisitng highways and because it does not take additonal real estate, it is a lot cheaper and since there are already exisiting higways connecting Mindanao to Luzon, it can even be a lot cheaper to operate.

UPDATES ON MAGLEV:

There are many and there are several MAGLEV designs all geared toward transport efficiency and cost effectiveness:

1. High-Speed Maglev (up 850km/hr) are cheaper to produce than an 300 seater Boeing Aircraft. And it is 50% cheaper than LRT or Northrail. It is also a lot cheaper to run them and there are no maintenance cost. This is more advantageous in connecting the Mindanao to Luzon. With local designs and resources combined with advanced composites technology, it can run to between $10M - $75M.

2. Regional Speed Maglev (Up to 485km/hr) connects inter-island provinces to the other within say Mindanao, or within Visayas, or within Luzon.

3. Provincial Speed Maglev (up to 320km/hr) connects towns within a province.

4. City Speed Maglev (up to 165km/hr) connects major points in the city.

5. Suburban to City Speed Maglev (up to 165km/hr) connects suburbs to the city.

6. PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) Speed Maglev (up to 100km/hr) designed for up to 12 riders within a city that uses different connections and stops.

7. Maglev Taxi Cab - up to 100 km/hr for fetching from airport to hotels, airport to downtown.

8. MAGLEV Emergencyy Cab - up to 100 km/hr designed to evacuate patients to hospitals, or from accideent, fire, flood to afe houses.

9. MAGLEV CITY DESIGN - Urban City are designed to deliver up to 8 seater occupants from their house door to work, to gyms, to entertainment centers, to the beaches, etc.

I'm currently putting together feasibility sudies on these variant and cheap maglev application to probably start in Digos-Davao City route for testing and safety applications. Some university participation will be encouraged to join in.

What does "MAGLEV" stand for po?

I don't think a direct translation would suffice. Some guys were suggesting that maybe we could get together in a sing-along bar. He's saying that the clothes of some of the girls who work there are kinda lewd, so maybe it would not be appropriate for us to meet there since there are girls in the group.

dvocity I know dave is a real gentleman, thanks dave..apreciate your nice gesture towards the women!!


dinabaw your suggestion, I wonder varför vill du gå till en lättklädd bar och dricka booze och se girls ah???? Jag får inte föjla med och pappa har nyligen gått bort :cry::cry::cry::cry: I am very sad these days.

Dvocity I apreciate your translation, thanks alot!

so unsa man jud nice laagan sa atong city karon? Regarding 183 - I used to hangout there often when I was still in Davao....And I bet i'll visit the place when I get to visit Davao this Kadayawan.....considering that I get to meet some queer friends! (ROTF-LMAO) ahahahahahaha :scouserd: :scouserd:

Nasunong daw ang Liquid? tsk tsk tsk....sayang! Wala nay chance na iopen again?

Excited nako movisit sa POPS!

dunno if nasunog all i know is its under renovation karon thats why its closed.pero basi tngali mag reopen in time for kadayawan.

hang out..pops ra man ok sa karon ug bar1..or chill out ka for a pre gimik at K1

What does "MAGLEV" stand for po?

magnetic levitation.

dunno if nasunog all i know is its under renovation karon thats why its closed.pero basi tngali mag reopen in time for kadayawan.

hang out..pops ra man ok sa karon ug bar1..or chill out ka for a pre gimik at K1

Nasunog diay. Si TJ Pamintuan man ang naga-manage sa club ata.

lols i remember the story na one time isa sa mga owners ng apo view pumasok sa ilquid tapos nag smoke, sinita ng bouncer di kasi nakilala, nagalit daw yung owner tapos na fire out yung bouncer..nag explain naman yun bouncer na nagfofollow lang sya ng bar rules, tapos after a week ata na re-hire yung bouncer for a higher position.

Guys, if anybody can please try accessing DavaoSale.com???? I've been trying to get into the site since early this evening but I can't seem to. I just want to know if there's anything wrong with my connection, or if the site is really down.
naga Dsale pud diay ka?hehe, kinsa ka did2? im wway625 did2, basi diay nakapalit na ko items sa imo.what do you sell ba?

What does "MAGLEV" stand for po?

MAGLEV = Magnetic Levitation System that has applications among other things in Rapid Transport Systems approaching past aircraft speed and sound wave. Magnets and Electromagnets make these transport suspended to aboout between 3-6 inches in height and does not touch any metals, hence very fast. It is powered by magnetic propulsion systems with varying designs.

thanks lena & ria.

maayong buntag sa tanan!

taken yesterday morning

legaspi oil
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0287.jpg

grand regal hotel
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0283.jpg

damosa main bldg (left) & mindanao international school/PNJK (right)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0286.jpg

landco & pryce (partly hidden)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0293.jpg

orange groove hotel (left) & davao jones academy (underconstruction/right)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0295.jpg

mamay road/angliongto st

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0302.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0303.jpg

kanang bakery sa right akong paborito everytime i pass by mamay road. "pandemonyo" akong ginaorder kanang pan nga naay daghan sungay. ingon sa tindera buko-pinya daw.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0301.jpg

close shot sa Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku (Mindanao International School)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0305.jpg

lanang/bajada

carmelite natabunan sa indian tree
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0306.jpg

mana de davao (antique shop)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0307.jpg

gamayng renovation
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0308.jpg

nice link to phoenix site sleep!

ang galeng ng concept ng phoenix, meron din mga bars and 24 hour convenience stores (CAGE and NEST). i also like yung mga name ng fuel: raptorx, glide, magma diesel and flame. yung sa may maa-diversion road malapit na matapos may cage at nest na kaya yon? sana magkaka build up in that area gawin nila parang damosa hehe.

GO GO GO PHOENIX and DAVAO!i think this one is owned by dennis uy.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0269.jpg

Institute for Indigenous People's Education inside Davao City Natl High School
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0309.jpg

Mindanao Folk Arts Center inside Phil Women's College
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0321.jpg

Museo Dabawenyo update
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0318.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0319.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0320.jpg

singit ko lang, Registry of Deeds u/c
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0317.jpg

[QUOTE=sleepwalker_uno]

Museo Dabawenyo update
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/kulaskusgan/dc/IMG_0320.jpg


thanks... :)

ang legaspi oi l building building na ya o silo ra? muarg taas no? pila ka feet na cya?

balik na ko!!

naa'y pinaka maayong balita sa davao?

nangatuwg namo..hilum naman lagi.. :)

@davaoeagle: Lugwa ka sa "SSC Manila-Meet"? palihug kunog kanta ug "Malditong Gugma" didikitid tu ol. :laugh:


kron lang ko kabalik diri, busy "kuno" gamay, LOL. Kantahon nako Malditong Gugma - a la Martin Nievera style he he.

ang legaspi oi l building building na ya o silo ra? muarg taas no? pila ka feet na cya?


that's my question too. In the previous thread, Junax says it's 12 (more or less) storeys high.

pero building ba na cya? ma occupy tanang levels? murag silo ra man gud.unsa ba ni sya?

pero building ba na cya? ma occupy tanang levels? murag silo ra man gud.unsa ba ni sya?

funny coz i suspected it was the oil refinery equipment structure. lol

^^ mao.. i think its a silo or a refinery structure too

anyway.. i was watching ABS CBNs bayaning filipino awards..there was this lady from marawi who won an award..i was just pissed off at the commentary ng ABS stating "tubong mindanao, sanay na sya sa karahasan at paglalaban sa kanyan lugar" (not exatcly an accurate quote but more or less the gist of the comment)

WTF?!? bat ba ganun most media or non-mindanaoans.."tuboing mindanao, sanay na sa gyera?" like if insurgents are abound in central luzon..di naman sinasabi na NPAs are all over Luzon ah, they isolate it to the specific area..pero if its here in mindanao..maksi sa Lanao lang ang gulo they will say 'war in Mindanao"...tsk tsk eFF You ABS...

wala lang naiiinis lang ako.

anyway.. i was watching ABS CBNs bayaning filipino awards..there was this lady from marawi who won an award..i was just pissed off at the commentary ng ABS stating "tubong mindanao, sanay na sya sa karahasan at paglalaban sa kanyan lugar" (not exatcly an accurate quote but more or less the gist of the comment)

WTF?!? bat ba ganun most media or non-mindanaoans.."tuboing mindanao, sanay na sa gyera?" like if insurgents are abound in central luzon..di naman sinasabi na NPAs are all over Luzon ah, they isolate it to the specific area..pero if its here in mindanao..maksi sa Lanao lang ang gulo they will say 'war in Mindanao"...tsk tsk eFF You ABS...

wala lang naiiinis lang ako.

Same sentiments here. If there are skirmishes in Lanao, they'd call it Giyera sa Mindanao- really irresponsibe! It's not even only ABS who's guilty, even GMA makes the same stupid mistakes all the time.

I think Mindanao LGUs should work out a plan to quash this. One way could be to enforce a law whereby serious penalties would be slapped to erring stations.

maybe we should forward this to konsehal.... its really effed up how this thing is done by media... (mao maski intawon mga tga manila in-ana na pud mag huna2x)

maybe we should forward this to konsehal.... its really effed up how this thing is done by media... (mao maski intawon mga tga manila in-ana na pud mag huna2x)

Yeah, that's how powerful media is, and that power has been so abused by these stations. I think we should start installing our own Davao Media firm if only to thwart this appalling situation.

We can do our own (individual) share by painstakingly standing up for our city when the needs arise e.g. hasty, derogatory, anti-Davao/Mindanao comments from some ill-informed people from outside of Mindanao.

I even enjoy the hearty, heated debate that ensues from this issue. LOL

What does "MAGLEV" stand for po?

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/ProblemSolver_2006/skycar4.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/ProblemSolver_2006/skycar4.jpg


A 2-MAGLEV CAR ON THE SIDE OF AN OVERPASS (2 IMAGES)

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/ProblemSolver_2006/s21-1.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/ProblemSolver_2006/s21-3.jpg

^^ good morning peps.

^^ mao.. i think its a silo or a refinery structure too

i think it's both... the round part is for refinery and the other part is for the admin.

Good Morning Davao! junax! and all!!

posted by Junax below....

Chinese envoy arrives Monday to strengthen ties with Mindanao

THE People's Republic of China Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Li Jinjun arrives Monday to strengthen trade and socio-economic ties between Mindanao and China, especially in the areas of mining, infrastructure, tourism and agri-business.

Arriving from an exploratory trip in Zamboanga City, the Chinese Ambassador is accompanied by Chief of Political Office Mr. Lin Tao, First Secretary Ms. Yu Jianming, Military Officer Mr. Sheng Dazhi, Third Secretary and Interpreter Mr. Peng Xiubin, and Secretary to the Ambassador Ms. Zahang Yuanyuan.

In looking at possible trade ties between China and the Philippines, the Chinese Ambassador has also expressed particular interest in how China can strengthen its involvement in the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga).

The Chinese Ambassador and the rest of the delegation will then be meeting with various Chinese Community representatives, as well as attending a series of business meetings and city tours, starting Monday through July 26.

Highlights of the Ambassador Li Jinjun and party's visit then include a courtesy call to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, a meeting with various Chinese Community representatives at the old Chinese Consulate Building along Sta. Avenue, luncheon meetings hosted by the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Filipino-Chinese Amity Club, Inc., Davao Chapter, as well as a dinner hosted by the Davao City Chinese Community.

The Ambassador will also visit the AMS Banana Plantation in Calinan, as wellas attend trade and investment briefings by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC), and the Mindanao Business Council at the Medco Conference Room.


"The Ambassador's visit to Davao is indeed a welcome is very much timely and significant given China's role as a development partner of the Bimp-Eaga initiative," Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana, Medco OIC chair said.

"The Chinese government's initiative to visit Davao and Zamboanga is truly commendable. I certainly hope this visit will lead to more focused and productive economic ties between China and Mindanao, especially in the context of the Bimp-Eaga," he added.


:) :)

Ok kaayo! Here, you can see the international recognition of other Asian countries (such as China) to Davao City's economic capabilities and bright future.

^^ morning bai TJ...

share ko lang, watched "gikan sa masa para sa masa" yesterday, no duterte but vice mayor was there. his update on chinatown project looks promising... kaya pala natagalan yun is bcoz wala palang budget from the government, it's supposed to be implemented by the private sector although approved na ang ordinance. apat pala ang gagawing arko, 1 each at uyanguren-jacinto, uyanguren-magsaysay park, sta.ana-chinese school and sta.ana wharf... which cost 1.8 million each. about 600 lamp posts worth 15 to 20 thousand each will be scattered all over chinatown. vice mayor said, mga 20 million ang kelangan para matapos ito, and from donations mostly, but the city government is willing to give 8 million for the project. kasama din sa plano na dapat lahat ng business establishments doon must put chinese characters or translations katabi nung english signs nila. if finished, ang ganda daw ng chinatown, it will mimic some street in hongkong. so far, may nag donate na ng isang lamp post, other prospects are lucio tan and the owner of jollibee. the chinese ambassador who is coming today is also being eyed by the city gov, baka may maitulong sa project, anyway this is for the chinese community in general.

Davao Greenbelt and Chinatown project... pag matapos ito ang ganda na ng davao!

here's the chinese envoy news...

edited: hehe posted na pala above...

Originally Posted by by scandinavian girl
I came off the boat in Gothenburg'
after many days at sea
In the lands of South America
I did spend my time in work
and sweat for nature
and a special tree.

I came off the boat with
the sun in my eyes and a siluett
on the horizon catched my eyes
and there she was
my woman of joy
for many a day to come.

Her blond hair was like the sun
her blue eyes smiled at me
she had a uniform
on in deed
and yet she was smiling at me

I saw her ship
and I heared her talk
Oh Lizzy
my girl of the sea
you came to me with this day of joy
and a life of a seaman to be

We took our lives and joined them
nice
in a promise for eternity
I will never forget the day my love
when your eyes meet
mine by the sea.

Eric Thorsell 1970

dinabaw my father meet my mother after he came home from South America were he studied birds and worked for some nature projects. This poem is a joyfull not so pretentious note on his first encounter with the woman who became his lifepartner and wife for the rest of his life...their love is my model of how truth, honesty, commitment, care, compassion and comedey ( humour the 4 c dinabaw can be between two loved onse if they do not give up and they do continue through thick and thin........

Wow wonderful poem did you translated it to English? What's the special tree min askling? It is rare to see romantic poet like your papa.
your pappa is an ornithologist ? maybe he has seen those great birds in South America like the harpy eagle too bad he never seen the Philippine eagle min askling .
All min ASKLAR for du!!!!

konsehal - any updates regarding Davao's ICT? i got lil bad news kc....i wonder why we (PS) decided to open the next facility in Baguio!

any clues as to why not davao? perhaps maybe because it is easier to move managers over for the moment as it builds up?

updates... i'm still following up on the pldt building thing. since the land is owned by bsp (the entire block), it takes more than the decision of that company. the revived/renamed ict council, called ict-davao, is organizing itself. a proposal for the budget for an r&d lab at ateneo has also been passed. baby steps, but we're getting there. all this within the 3 weeks i've been here.

i'm also thinking of an initiative that davao can pursue, called Immigrant Technopreneurship. some leading IT companies in cebu and manila are led by tech businessmen from the US who have settled in the philippines (after marrying a filipina or trying out philippine tourism.) with davao gearing up for more tourism, perhaps the immigrant technopreneurship idea can be an alternative strategy to build ict here apart from attracting large multinationals.

any clues as to why not davao? perhaps maybe because it is easier to move managers over for the moment as it builds up?



yeah...first stop...OFFICE SPACE.

updates... i'm still following up on the pldt building thing. since the land is owned by bsp (the entire block), it takes more than the decision of that company. the revived/renamed ict council, called ict-davao, is organizing itself. a proposal for the budget for an r&d lab at ateneo has also been passed. baby steps, but we're getting there. all this within the 3 weeks i've been here.

Congrats Jason.......for 3 weeks of being here in the Philippines, mas paspas pa imong movement compared sa past ICT Council. We're glad that we have peeps like u and Konsehal! Thank u kaau. :)

i'm also thinking of an initiative that davao can pursue, called Immigrant Technopreneurship. some leading IT companies in cebu and manila are led by tech businessmen from the US who have settled in the philippines (after marrying a filipina or trying out philippine tourism.) with davao gearing up for more tourism, perhaps the immigrant technopreneurship idea can be an alternative strategy to build ict here apart from attracting large multinationals.

Good idea...in Cebu, ICT and Tourism goes hand in hand. We also have to show them a strong and solid reason why they have to consider Davao. Why do i need to transfer to Davao? What's in Davao that other hubs cant offer? Few of the questions that these prospective techy immigrants may ask. Let's go beyond the eagles and mt apo!

We have allt the ingredients.

- A dynamic ecomy
- international recognitions
- strategic location
- deciplined citizens
- economic stats
- a supportive local government unit
- innovative business sector
- an organized sme sector down to the baranggays
- upbeat tourism industry
- peace and security
- etc.

isa na lang ang kulang.

PROACTIVE PROMOTIONS

Davao Greenbelt TV updates...

the plan... (mini forest plus ameniities)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green2-1.jpg

on site...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green1-1.jpg




:)

Davao Greenbelt TV updates...

the plan... (mini forest plus ameniities)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green2-1.jpg

on site...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green1-1.jpg




:)

DAVAO GREENBELT PARK! whoa! :eek2:

nice kaau bro....so there'll still be an open space pala? cool......and naay fountain pud! cool cool cool! the project looks huge...would that fit PTA? nice kaayo! KUDOS to DAVAO LGUs!

any clues as to why not davao? perhaps maybe because it is easier to move managers over for the moment as it builds up?

updates... i'm still following up on the pldt building thing. since the land is owned by bsp (the entire block), it takes more than the decision of that company. the revived/renamed ict council, called ict-davao, is organizing itself. a proposal for the budget for an r&d lab at ateneo has also been passed. baby steps, but we're getting there. all this within the 3 weeks i've been here.

Do you have the letters of the proposal budget for Ateneo R&D lab. I'd be glad to examine them if this is possible. Thanks in advance.

asa nimo nakuha ang pix ani bai junax? anyway, unta naa stage para sa mga concerts..

@ TJ..tama ka jud...


PROACTIVE PROMOTION!!!

murag si konehal ra may ga trabaho sa city concil oi..and like i said during my first controversial posts here...luya jud kaayo ang city govt sa pag promote ug tourism and investments in davao..

anyway..kinsa naga davaosale diri? dili lagi ko kasulod?

ei gravy addict....naga davaosale.com ko....i tried logging now..nakasulog man ko!

uy nakasulod na ko..2 days man gud ko dili kasulod

asa nimo nakuha ang pix ani bai junax? anyway, unta naa stage para sa mga concerts..

"gikan sa masa para sa masa" capture na bai gravy.i guess naa sa city hall ang complete plan ani.

@TJ... i think maigo sa PTA ang plan bai. here's how IMHO...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green3-1.jpg

Mods,
This thread should be sticky , please update. Huwag Tamarin, TY

^^ ka demanding ba.hehe bitaw it should be sticky..bat ganun d pa rin?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/missuniverse.jpg

Congrats to Dabawenya Lia Andrea Ramos. Batchmate og uyab ni Gravy_Addict! ehehhehehehe ok lang kahit d ka nakasali sa Batch 20 ng Miss Universe....Still we're proud of ya!

siguro pag i greet na nating si TJ_BREWED ng happy b-day maging sticky na ito...

HAPPY B-DAY TJ... kung di ako ako napadaan sa cebu thread hindi ko malalaman hehe.

:) Thank you! Thank you! :)

hapyy bday tj...hapyy bday tj...hapyy bday tj...hapyy bday tj...

happy birthday happy birthdaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy..asa na man ang redhorse?

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....d man ko moinom og beer! ehehehhe iced tea na lang ta! Or durian shake! ehehehehhehehe Thanks Junax and Gravy!

parehas diay ta bai di man pod ko moinom ug beer...


tanduay akong ginainom hahahahaha.

btaw happy b-day ug singlon taka kung in the future magkita ta hehe

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/ProblemSolver_2006/skycar4.jpg
hi. your tech know how is fantastic and fascinating. hope your brilliant dreams for davao and rest of mindanao will catch attention of government authorities who share your vision!
just wanna ask if this 2 seater car can be owned privately and if so how could it park in a garage





.

^^ LOL, maybe in the far future pwede na i park yan sa garage natin. i still could not visualize its practical use (the 2 seater) kahit gamitin pang parang taxi. maybe problemsolver can answer this. siguro yung train medyo viable pa, but the 2 seaters? not in my lifetime.

Congrats Jason.......for 3 weeks of being here in the Philippines, mas paspas pa imong movement compared sa past ICT Council. We're glad that we have peeps like u and Konsehal! Thank u kaau. :)



Good idea...in Cebu, ICT and Tourism goes hand in hand. We also have to show them a strong and solid reason why they have to consider Davao. Why do i need to transfer to Davao? What's in Davao that other hubs cant offer? Few of the questions that these prospective techy immigrants may ask. Let's go beyond the eagles and mt apo!

We have allt the ingredients.

- A dynamic ecomy
- international recognitions
- strategic location
- deciplined citizens
- economic stats
- a supportive local government unit
- innovative business sector
- an organized sme sector down to the baranggays
- upbeat tourism industry
- peace and security
- etc.

isa na lang ang kulang.

PROACTIVE PROMOTIONS
yea mt apo(that'sme!:D) is just a speck of davao tourism! there are many more!
happy bithday tj! maayong hapon davao!
just want to add some more in your list bai. part of etc. @highly trainable/skilled manpower for seats of call centres. will you agree? well, news reports say, manila and cebu are turning south for call centre operators and found a large deposit of mine in davao! how cool is that. it said acceptance rate of applicants in davao are higher than manila and cebu.





.

Happy Birthday TJbrewed!

^^ LOL, maybe in the far future pwede na i park yan sa garage natin. i still could not visualize its practical use (the 2 seater) kahit gamitin pang parang taxi. maybe problemsolver can answer this. siguro yung train medyo viable pa, but the 2 seaters? not in my lifetime.
o yeah? i just thought i only need a slat of iron bar to connect the garage slot from main rail line and that's it you're century ahead in the neighborhood.






.

parehas diay ta bai di man pod ko moinom ug beer...


tanduay akong ginainom hahahahaha.

btaw happy b-day ug singlon taka kung in the future magkita ta hehe
how about tuba! flavored durian!
makahubog gyud times two the effect of isog nga tuba!






.

Do you have the letters of the proposal budget for Ateneo R&D lab. I'd be glad to examine them if this is possible. Thanks in advance.

Yeah, time for the Ateneo Engineering students to warm up those brains. Out-dated kaayo ang mga projects sa mga students, dili na applicable with the current technology. I hope some support would also be given to other universities like USEP and UM.

With the things happening in Davao, mouli na ko! hehe

:) Thankz to all of ya! :)

Thank you junax, kuya gravy (eehehehe), davaoeagle, mtapostandard, and all SSC - Davao gang!

Daghang Salamat Po! :)

hi. your tech know how is fantastic and fascinating. hope your brilliant dreams for davao and rest of mindanao will catch attention of government authorities who share your vision!
just wanna ask if this 2 seater car can be owned privately and if so how could it park in a garage





.

GARAGE IS A PARTLY A SHARED PRIVATE STATION:

HERE IS A SAMPLE OF A MAGLEV SMALL STATION (PARKING) ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING THRU AN EXTENDED PARK. SIMILAR CONSTRUCTION CAN BE BUILT IN A HOUSE THRU AN EXTENDED (OVERHANG) STATION. SINCE THE GUIDEWAYS TRAVERSES YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY, FUTURE CITY CODES CAN BE TAILORED SIMILAR TO THAT OF A TIME SHARE, IN WHICH YOU PARTLY OWNED THE GUIDEWAY, THE STATION, AND THE MAGLEV CAR. (NOT SURE IF PROPERTY INSURANCE WOULD BE NEEDED).

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/ProblemSolver_2006/cabin19.jpg

GARAGE IS A PARTLY A SHARED PRIVATE STATION:

HERE IS A SAMPLE OF A MAGLEV SMALL STATION (PARKING) ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING THRU AN EXTENDED PARK. SIMILAR CONSTRUCTION CAN BE BUILT IN A HOUSE THRU AN EXTENDED (OVERHANG) STATION. SINCE THE GUIDEWAYS TRAVERSES YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY, FUTURE CITY CODES CAN BE TAILORED SIMILAR TO THAT OF A TIME SHARE, IN WHICH YOU PARTLY OWNED THE GUIDEWAY, THE STATION, AND THE MAGLEV CAR. (NOT SURE IF PROPERTY INSURANCE WOULD BE NEEDED).



How does this work? Can two or more maglevs run on a single lane? I can't imagine it...

^^ yun nga ibig ko sabihin eh :), paano ito i-navigate? kung iisang lane lang eh paano kung gusto ko mag U-turn, i could not imagine the traffic. and if lanes will be provided for every turns, i could not imagine the lanes either. anyway, the train model is much acceptable, at kung totoo ang sabi ni problemsolver na mas cheaper ito than MRT, how nice if the davao region will be the pilot areas for these.

How does this work? Can two or more maglevs run on a single lane? I can't imagine it...

TWO OR MORE MAGLEV CARS CAN RUN ON SINGLE GUIDEWAY AND GOES TO WHATEVER DESTINATIONS WITHIN A TOWN, BACK-AND FORTH. THEY ARE SYNCHRONIZED BY A REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CONTROL SYSTEM (ACTS LIKE A SWITCHBOARD OR A KEYSTROKE OF A KEYBOARD) IS THE BRAIN OF THE WHOLE ACTIVITIES. EACH MAGLEV CARS ARE PRE-DESTINATION AND PRE-DESIGNED TO TRAVEL WITHIN A TOWN AND ARE SYNCHRONIZED. ONLY WITHIN THE TOWN ARE THESE ACTIVITIES APPLIED. OUTSIDE THE TOWN, ONE MAY HAVE TO GET INTO ANOTHER STATION FOR OUTBOUND TOWN-TRAVEL. THIS IS WHERE ABOUT 100-200 PASSENGERS ARE ACCOMODATED IN A LARGER MAGLEV.

I just realized this... One amazing thing about maglev is that you don't have to spend too much on the structure of the lanes or runways since the trains does not touch the lanes at all, unlike other trains like MRTs where the structure must support the weight of the train and the passengers, which must cost more and consume more space. At least with maglevs, the only things the structure must support are the magnets/electromagnets. Am I right ProblemSolver? I just thought so hehe...

I just realized this... One amazing thing about maglev is that you don't have to spend too much on the structure of the lanes or runways since the trains does not touch the lanes at all, unlike other trains like MRTs where the structure must support the weight of the train and the passengers, which must cost more and consume more space. At least with maglevs, the only things the structure must support are the magnets/electromagnets. Am I right ProblemSolver? I just thought so hehe...

ALSO, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN PROBABLY SAVE A LOT IN GETTING THE GUIDEWAYS LAID OUT ON NEW STREETS. NEW STREETS WITH ASHPHALT COST SOMETHING ABOUT P50 MILLION/KILOMETER, IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN. SO, LOTS OF SAVINGS IN STREET INFRASTRCUTRE. THESE GUIDEWAYS WILL TERMINATE HUGE OIL DEPENDENCE BY NOT USING OIL-BASED ASHPHALT.

TWO OR MORE MAGLEV CARS CAN RUN ON SINGLE GUIDEWAY AND GOES TO WHATEVER DESTINATIONS WITHIN A TOWN, BACK-AND FORTH. THEY ARE SYNCHRONIZED BY A REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CONTROL SYSTEM (ACTS LIKE A SWITCHBOARD OR A KEYSTROKE OF A KEYBOARD) IS THE BRAIN OF THE WHOLE ACTIVITIES. EACH MAGLEV CARS ARE PRE-DESTINATION AND PRE-DESIGNED TO TRAVEL WITHIN A TOWN AND ARE SYNCHRONIZED. ONLY WITHIN THE TOWN ARE THESE ACTIVITIES APPLIED. OUTSIDE THE TOWN, ONE MAY HAVE TO GET INTO ANOTHER STATION FOR OUTBOUND TOWN-TRAVEL. THIS IS WHERE ABOUT 100-200 PASSENGERS ARE ACCOMODATED IN A LARGER MAGLEV.

Here's how I imagine this: there will be a network of guideways in the city and if you want to go to a certain destination, you just enter maybe the code on your maglev and then the central control system will decide which route it'll take you to reach you destination. hehe very futuristic, but very possible...

Here's how I imagine this: there will be a network of guideways in the city and if you want to go to a certain destination, you just enter maybe the code on your maglev and then the central control system will decide which route it'll take you to reach you destination. hehe very futuristic, but very possible...

IT'S VERY COMMON IN GERMANY FOR THEIR CABIN CARS.

IT'S VERY COMMON IN GERMANY FOR THEIR CABIN CARS.

So I guess it's not futuristic anymore hehe. Maybe for Davao, we can start with higher capacity maglevs before going into the smaller ones.

So I guess it's not futuristic anymore hehe. Maybe for Davao, we can start with higher capacity maglevs before going into the smaller ones.

LARGER MAGLEV CAPACITY ARE SENSIBLE TO MAKE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE, GROWING POPULATION, SHIFTING OF INDUSTRIES, MATERIALS THAT NEEDED TRANSPORTED, ETC.

IMAGINE, A MANILA-BASED EMPLOYEE WHO'S GOT A JOB IN DAVAO CITY. INSTEAD OF GETTING AN AIRPLANE, MAKE RESERVATIONS, ETC., OR GETTING INTO A MANILA TRANSIT TO GET TO WORK FOR 2 HOURS TRIP (IF COMPANY IS IN MANILA), THIS EMPLOYEE CAN GET ON TO A MAGLEV TRAVEL AND BE IN DAVAO CITY IN 30 MINUTES! THIS EMPLOYEE DON'T HAVE TO BE MOVING SOMEWHERE ELSE. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO A DAVAO RESIDENT WHO WORKS IN MANILA.

SIMILARLY, PRODUCTS, MATERIALS, ETC. CAN NOW BE MOVED QUICKLY FROM PORTS TO DESTINATIONS AND VICE VERSA.

news reports say, manila and cebu are turning south for call centre operators and found a large deposit of mine in davao! how cool is that. it said acceptance rate of applicants in davao are higher than manila and cebu.

why davao's acceptance rate is higher is just a simple analogy. here's an example.

manila: manpower/applicants = 10,000
companies in need of workforce = 25
actual number of hired applicants = 6,000
acceptance rate : 60%

cebu: manpower/applicants = 8,000
companies in need of workforce = 15
actual number of hired applicants = 6,200
acceptance rate : 77.5%

davao: manpower applicants = 7,000
companies in need of workforce = 5
actual number of hired applicants = 6,000
aceptance rate : 85.7%

there are many factors to consider, among them are the number of established firms and companies operating in the area. if you have a large pool of manpower, a big number of firms, acceptance rate could be low. on the other hand, areas with a big pool of manpower with fewer established firms and companies, acceptance rate can be high, since there are fewer companies to compete for the available manpower.

a high acceptance rate could also mean there are few companies looking for the available manpower.

a low aceptance rate can mean a stiffer competition, and this can be reflected on the higher salary of the hired employees versus areas with high aceptance rate.

..... just a thought.

ps, its nice if we avoid ALL CAPS in our posts, its irritating and i dont think its allowed in the forum.

^^ hehe ok i got it... (at least the navigation side). advantage is faster point A to point B access, disadvantage is of course "it can't simulate the independent access of wheeled cars". in the future, this is a very good mode of transpo, can be implented in first world countries nowadays (japan, germany, canada, u.s.), but here in davao or philippines? hehehe. can't even make a decent coastal road. siguro nga mas mura ang maglev at installation level, pero sa maintenance and ROI, kakayanin kaya kasi diba long distance ang station interval nito coz its hi-speed?

note: it's not true that an asphalt road costs 50 million/km here. the cost of a concrete road per lane kilometer would only amount to roughly P18 million per kilometer, with enbankment, sub-base and cement-treated base, among others while asphalt roadway is less expensive.

IMAGINE, A MANILA-BASED EMPLOYEE WHO'S GOT A JOB IN DAVAO CITY. INSTEAD OF GETTING AN AIRPLANE, MAKE RESERVATIONS, ETC., OR GETTING INTO A MANILA TRANSIT TO GET TO WORK FOR 2 HOURS TRIP (IF COMPANY IS IN MANILA), THIS EMPLOYEE CAN GET ON TO A MAGLEV TRAVEL AND BE IN DAVAO CITY IN 30 MINUTES! THIS EMPLOYEE DON'T HAVE TO BE MOVING SOMEWHERE ELSE. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO A DAVAO RESIDENT WHO WORKS IN MANILA.


30 minutes from davao to manila on a maglev? are you sure? even at 500 mph parang di kaya and it will surely cost the whole phil. budget not on maglev, but on bridges hehe joke joke joke.

^^ hehe ok i got it... (at least the navigation side). advantage is faster point A to point B access, disadvantage is of course "it can't simulate the independent access of wheeled cars". in the future, this is a very good mode of transpo, can be implented in first world countries nowadays (japan, germany, canada, u.s.), but here in davao or philippines? hehehe. can't even make a decent coastal road. siguro nga mas mura ang maglev at installation level, pero sa maintenance and ROI, kakayanin kaya kasi diba long distance ang station interval nito coz its hi-speed?

note: it's not true that an asphalt road costs 50 million/km here. the cost of a concrete road per lane kilometer would only amount to roughly P18 million per kilometer, with enbankment, sub-base and cement-treated base, among others while asphalt roadway is less expensive.

The advantage of the maglev is the maintenance, you barely have to maintain it at all since the parts do not wear out due to friction.

^^ hehe ok i got it... (at least the navigation side). advantage is faster point A to point B access, disadvantage is of course "it can't simulate the independent access of wheeled cars". in the future, this is a very good mode of transpo, can be implented in first world countries nowadays (japan, germany, canada, u.s.), but here in davao or philippines? hehehe. can't even make a decent coastal road. siguro nga mas mura ang maglev at installation level, pero sa maintenance and ROI, kakayanin kaya kasi diba long distance ang station interval nito coz its hi-speed?

note: it's not true that an asphalt road costs 50 million/km here. the cost of a concrete road per lane kilometer would only amount to roughly P18 million per kilometer, with enbankment, sub-base and cement-treated base, among others while asphalt roadway is less expensive.

The project would rely on non-governmental activities, such as MultiCooperatives. Perhaps, with some flavor of private corporation for some supply materials or labor. The stations don't have to be long distance. Depending on high riderships and where the most significant demands for rides, the stations could be setup on these locations. Maglev control systems are flexible, it can go high-speed or it can go low speed. These are provided in the control systems and there are a lot more flexibilites in the maglev control systems. But the objective on these systems are to get riders to the quickest point of destination.

I stand corrected on asphalt. Do you have numbers on asphalt/kilometer rate in pesos? Be nice to get these numbers. For comparisons, guideways vs. asphalt.

more news on the greenbelt park... never expectd that it would be that nice... so unusual for duterte... hehe kala ko masang masa

san ganun din ang china town!

edit...

^^ yes greenbelt is indeed beautiful. the chinatown project too is worth watching. i hope the meeting tonight of chinese envoy, davao chinese chamber of commerce and city officials will be fruitful in favor of the project. sa apat na arko worth 1.8, parang monteverde pa lang ang nag donate but according to vice mayor jollibee owner who's a davaeoño and lucio tan are already contacted and got positive responses. after greenbelt, chinatown is next in line.

kudos nga pala sa mga davao architects na nag design sa whole chinatown project for FREE. for the sake of davao pride.

30 minutes from davao to manila on a maglev? are you sure? even at 500 mph parang di kaya and it will surely cost the whole phil. budget not on maglev, but on bridges hehe joke joke joke.

Typical commercial aircraft travels between 300-750 mph. In between this up to 500-600 mph has been tested and achieved. Average aircraft from Manila-Davao probably about 500 mph = 1 hr. 35 mintues average. Using Pan Philippine Highway as the infrastructure, a stretch of approximately 650-680 miles from Manila to Davao City, a Maglev traveling at 750 MPH, about 45-50 minutes is doable. At supersonic speed of 760-800 MPH, 30-45 minutes is possible. This is where Japan has been testing their maglev, at supersonic speed, greater than the speed of sound up to 3,500 MPH.

The maglev guideways can be fitted on the right of way side of the Pan-Philippine Highway. So, that in the long run, a great amount of monies are saved in terms of aircraft, gas, parts, and maintenance purchases. Aircraft fuel, parts, and maintenance are recurring expenses daily amounting to about $2 million a month per aircraft. Again, correct me if I am wrong with my estimate.

does anyone have pics of Puslan Man, an ethnic art / alternative music bar that closed down a few years ago?

things that im looking forward!

Greenbelt Park
Dvo China Town
Ulas Flyover

yan lng kase ang medyosure

FOr me..Greenbelt only and Chinatown...i want them to consider building the coastal road instead of a flyover..

anyway, i saw the trees planted at greenbelt kanina..mabubuhay kaya yun? walang ka dahon dahon eh..plus the fact that their natural habitat is the cool mountains of eden diba? so paano sa city center na mainit?

bitaw!

nakakita ko sa tv na wala'y ka dahon-dahon ang mga punoan.
Unsaon mana pagbuhi sa kahoy? Murag patay naman gani to!

haha... hirap ang coastal eh kc tatamaan ang masa...
pero inumpisahan n yun before... duno y duterte stoped.
pero kanina sa NBN about dvo... gagawin talaga ang flyover...

sobrang ok rin sana ang coastal... formated after manilas roxas

relax! mabubuhay yan! haha

sana kung anu nasa plan ganun nga noh? sana d tipirin! haha
pero gulat ako sa design,... kala ko puno lng... ganda ng pag design

agree! ganda nga ng design!

lols di mura nag pre winter ang fel sa park..haha kay wa may dahon!

dapat dn may pagka dvo ang motiff... ang design may pagka singapore... sentosa... galing

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/6898/gcvlogoxb7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Conference Mission Statement and Objectives

The Green City Vision


“The city can save the Earth”
– the Charter of Calcutta, 1990


What is a Green City?

A Green City is an ecologically healthy city. No such city presently exists. We do, however, see hints of Green Cities
emerging in today’s solar, wind and recycling technologies, in green buildings and green businesses, in
urban environmental restoration projects, urban gardening, and in individuals using foot, bicycle and public modes of
transportation in preference to the automobile. Car-free urban centers, “mixed use” and “balanced” development
projects represent land use and architectural changes moving in the right direction, too.

But despite such positive signs and efforts, the much larger trend around the world is toward cars and sprawl. And
now we are at a point of crisis in the way we live, which is largely determined by the way we build. This continuing

trend is promoting global warming, species extinction, loss of habitat and agricultural land, serious public health
problems and even war.

The prevailing strategy for “saving the environment” has largely been to try to improve a dysfunctional system. But
some things cannot be improved without causing further and more destructive problems. For example, improving the
automobile by improving its mileage or emissions makes it possible to extend sprawl development and prolong the
building of the car/sprawl/asphalt/oil infrastructure that is causing most of the climate change, extinctions and peak
oil problems.

The science of ecology is about the way whole systems work, and understanding that, we can see how improving an
integral part of a dysfunctional system can have an unintended and negative outcome for the
whole system or the environment of which it is a part.

Instead of trying to improve an unhealthy automobile and oil based infrastructure, this conference calls for the city,
town and village to be redesigned around the measure, needs and potential of the human being and
based upon ecological principles.

Specifically it calls for urban diversity at close proximity, instead of scattered uniformity. It calls for land uses,
architecture and a steadily and rapidly growing infrastructure for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit, powered by
renewable energy sources and balanced with preservation and restoration of natural and agricultural lands and
waters.

We have not yet tried such an approach. Its promise for creative, productive and restorative solutions are enormous.
All new things start with a small number of people clarifying and communicating their new offering. You are invited to
be among us.

GREEN CITY VISIONS SEEKS TO:

1. Strengthen the goals and objectives of World Environment Day by producing a high quality, relevant parallel event
2. Bring together community leaders, non-profits, students, government officials and green businesses in a shared visioning and learning experience
3. Present an honest assessment of the state of the world’s environment
4. Educate participants about the coming energy crisis
5. Emphasize the importance of education and outreach to help present new ways of thinking and doing
6. Connect the dots between the built environment, peak oil and climate change
7. Alert attendees to the positive green city alternatives that address declining cheap energy reserves, global warming, and other environmental problems
8. Give attendees specific, positive visions and descriptions of various appropriate built environments that will be truly sustainable into the far future
9. Present practical tools and solutions for how we can get “there” from “here”

how sad , I think he finished architecture . Did he work abroad?

he had plans for the u.s., tapos murag naa syay petition, kaso, death came early.

organic

WHAT IS ORGANIC ARCHITECTURE?

More than green, beyond individual, Organic Architecture describes a way of thinking about design that transcends the common, everyday buildings around us.

ecological + individual = organic

While Organic Architecture does describe environmental concerns, it also embodies the human spirit, transcending the mere act of shelter into something which shapes and enhancesour lives.

While Organic Architecture does describe an expression of individuality, it also explores our need to connect to Nature.

Using Nature as our basis for design, a building or design must grow, as Nature grows, from the inside out. Most architects design their buildings as a shell and force their way inside. Nature grows from the idea of a seed and reaches out to its surroundings. A building thus, is akin to an organism and mirrors the beauty and complexity of Nature.

Understanding the systems of Nature, Eric Corey Freed regards each design as an organism and each component as an interrelated extension of that organism. He designs the proper organism for its environment in accord with the relationships of each piece to the whole, and the whole to the surroundings. Through an extensive interviewing process, Eric begins to shape this new creature and provides the biology. The clients are an integral piece of this development as they are the the true designers of their building.

Through this process we feel our clients are "designing their autobiography."

The result produces unique and original forms that reflect the personality and needs of the client that also happen to be environmentally friendly. With a tendency toward natural forms and materials, these buildings often resemble organic creatures or plants, but are wholly new and inventive. This creative approach to design results in the opportunity to create an autobiography for yourself which lives in harmony with its surroundings and the environment.



WHERE DID THE TERM COME FROM?

The term "Organic Architecture" was invented by the great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959).

"So here I stand before you preaching organic architecture: declaring organic architecture to be the modern ideal and the teaching so much needed if we are to see the whole of life, and to now serve the whole of life, holding no traditions essential to the great TRADITION. Nor cherishing any preconceived form fixing upon us either past, present or future, but instead exalting the simple laws of common sense or of super-sense if you prefer determining form by way of the nature of materials..."
Frank Lloyd Wright, An Organic Architecture, 1939

Frank Lloyd Wright used the word "organic" to describe his philosophy of architecture. It was an extension of the teachings of his mentor, Louis Sullivan, whose slogan "form follows function" became the mantra of modern architecture. Wright changed this phrase to "form and function are one," claiming Nature as the ultimate model.

Although the word "organic" is now used as a buzzword for something that occurs naturally, when connected to architecture, it takes on a new meaning. Organic Architecture is not a style of imitation, but rather, a reinterpretation of Nature's principles to build forms more natural than nature itself.

Just as in Nature, Organic Architecture involves a respect for natural materials (wood should look like wood), blending into the surroundings (a house should be of the hill, not on it), and an honest expression of the function of the building (don't make a bank look like a Greek temple).

The Philosophy of Organic architecture continues today through the work of hundreds of students of Mr. Wright.

ecological
ecological mission statement : :

1. The Site is the Solution
The understanding of surrounding systems is the key to sustainable design. This includes the systems of construction, the systems of materials production and, especially, the existing systems of the site. By observing and designing in harmony with all of these systems, we can join and not destroy our environment. The systems of the site provide our solution before our eyes.

2. Nature is our Inspiration
By creating a place which complements the environment, other systems will begin to regenerate. Understanding our place with Nature, allows us to better observe our impact. Nature inspires our work and informs our actions.

3. Work with Nature
By striving for a regeneration of Nature, rather than a depletion from it, we are taking responsibility for our lives. We become more alive. As our surroundings come back to life, so do we. Sustainable design works with the processes of Nature.

4. Learn from your Actions
Understanding the effects of your relation to your environment will inform your design possibilities. The impact you create will eventually reconnect back to you.

5. The design is just the beginning
The collection of Individuals involved all contribute to the design process. Great design is the beginning of a lifelong educational process. The design begins a journey which continues as you live in harmony with your design.

Davao Greenbelt TV updates...

the plan... (mini forest plus ameniities)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green2-1.jpg

on site...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green1-1.jpg




:)

wow! kahilak man sad ta anag bildo. ok kaayo ang plano. i hope those trees would survive after balling & replanting. last week kakita ko nga ginabisbisan ang mga kahoy sa bombero.

so whats the official name? Green Park or Greenbelt Park?

kung ako papilion, dili ko ganahan sa greenbelt kay murag gaya-gaya. Mas gusto nako siya nga tawagon og "Green Park" or any local name like "Datu Bago Park".

^^ i still stand by my suggestion for the parks name..it should be Rody Duterte-BEn de Guzman friendship park!!! hehe

anyway..naka pst na pud ang aerial perpective sa park sa may camus cor. Palmagil..pero inato ra pagka print..not boysen sponsored...:)

^^ i still stand by my suggestion for the parks name..it should be Rody Duterte-BEn de Guzman friendship park!!! hehe

anyway..naka pst na pud ang aerial perpective sa park sa may camus cor. Palmagil..pero inato ra pagka print..not boysen sponsored...:)

Unya ang Artica Dome i-rename pud, himuon og Rody Duterte-Ben de Guzman Boxing Arena.

:sleepy:

Unya ang Artica Dome i-rename pud, himuon og Rody Duterte-Ben de Guzman Boxing Arena.

:sleepy:


ha ha ha. puede pud. makig-amigo na baya daw si ben. unta ibaba ni digong iyang garbo lol

^^ unta..they would make a very good tandem IMHO..ben for progress, ROdy for stability..

why davao's acceptance rate is higher is just a simple analogy. here's an example.

manila: manpower/applicants = 10,000
companies in need of workforce = 25
actual number of hired applicants = 6,000
acceptance rate : 60%

cebu: manpower/applicants = 8,000
companies in need of workforce = 15
actual number of hired applicants = 6,200
acceptance rate : 77.5%

davao: manpower applicants = 7,000
companies in need of workforce = 5
actual number of hired applicants = 6,000
aceptance rate : 85.7%

there are many factors to consider, among them are the number of established firms and companies operating in the area. if you have a large pool of manpower, a big number of firms, acceptance rate could be low. on the other hand, areas with a big pool of manpower with fewer established firms and companies, acceptance rate can be high, since there are fewer companies to compete for the available manpower.

a high acceptance rate could also mean there are few companies looking for the available manpower.

a low aceptance rate can mean a stiffer competition, and this can be reflected on the higher salary of the hired employees versus areas with high aceptance rate.

..... just a thought.
was referring to cybercity teleservices CCTL(reportedas the philippines largest call centre and outsourcing company) who gave comparative figures to the media. it said for every hundred applicants in manila, only 1-2 are qualified, cebu 4 while davao was up to 8. it was i guess one of strong grounds why they decided to set up a branch in davao through its affiliate 3g communications. if i have time to get into the archives of source, i'll post it here for you to read. it was published within first quart of last year, i'm not sure of date. will think it over.








ps, its nice if we avoid ALL CAPS in our posts, its irritating and i dont think its allowed in the forum.[/QUOTE]




.

^^ unta..they would make a very good tandem IMHO..ben for progress, ROdy for stability..

Let's hope Digong buries the hatchet on the ground for Davao's sakes.

was referring to cybercity teleservices CCTL(reportedas the philippines largest call centre and outsourcing company) who gave comparative figures to the media. it said for every hundred applicants in manila, only 1-2 are qualified, cebu 4 while davao was up to 8. it was i guess one of strong grounds why they decided to set up a branch in davao through its affiliate 3g communications. if i have time to get into the archives of source, i'll post it here for you to read. it was published within first quart of last year, i'm not sure of date. will think it over.
ps, its nice if we avoid ALL CAPS in our posts, its irritating and i dont think its allowed in the forum.


This was the same assessment Mr. Fournier-exec of a big BPO company, made about hiring stats in call centres. In conclusion, he said (with figures, course) Davao siphons 40% of the total call centre vacancies owing to Davaoenos' mastery of the spoken English language.

.

looks very impressive!


"gikan sa masa para sa masa" capture na bai gravy.i guess naa sa city hall ang complete plan ani.

@TJ... i think maigo sa PTA ang plan bai. here's how IMHO...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green3-1.jpg

Let's hope Digong buries the hatchet on the ground for Davao's sakes.
for oz open followers, ROD Lover Arena is a nice name:D ben de guzman could offer mayor rody duterte. j/k





.

^^ d ko gets....:(

for oz open followers, ROD Lover Arena is a nice name:D ben de guzman could offer mayor rody duterte. j/k

.

i don't get this bro..what do you mean?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/green3-1.jpg

asa dapit ang CR? :)

ngita pa kag CR kadaghan punoan ma ihian! hehe

rod laver arena is home to australian tennis open. artica dome should have been renamed rod lover arena as peace offering to mayor duterte. far off name but surely familiar to tennis lovers.


@Rod for Rody duterte




.

ngita pa kag CR kadaghan punoan ma ihian! hehe



That's precisely my point :hahaha: ..... baka mangamoy jingle ug etchas ang park pag walang CR considering nga daghang mga informal people living around that area. Btw Thanks to whoever posted that picture...c'est bon!

rod laver arena is home to australian tennis open. artica dome should have been renamed rod lover arena as peace offering to mayor duterte. far off name but surely familiar to tennis lovers.


@Rod for Rody duterte




.

ah ok, i know rod laver arena in Oz and I love tennis too. kaya lang bro medyo nakurat lang ko sa connection he he. peace!

That's precisely my point :hahaha: ..... baka mangamoy jingle ug etchas ang park pag walang CR considering nga daghang mga informal people living around that area. Btw Thanks to whoever posted that picture...c'est bon!

sa tingin ko merong CR/s yan. Di lang kasi clear yong pic ng rendering.

Hanson and the Mosque
By: Rene Bartolo

http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/column.php?id=1981


Hassan “Hanson” Mbatch is a devout Muslim. Originally from Gambia in Western Africa, Hanson’s family moved to the United States and settled there a decade ago.

He now lives and works in Georgia, and is married to a Filipina. Hanson’s father-in-law, Mike Markham, is an American; his mother-in-law, my younger sister Mina, is a Filipina. He came to the Philippines some three weeks ago - his first time -- with his wife, Honey, their son Hadji whom the family lovingly calls Poohbear, and the rest of the family.

In Cavite where the family stayed for two weeks, Hanson was at a loss where he could go for Friday prayer services. The nearest mosque is in Quiapo and Manila can be a wild and strange territory - for a visiting Muslim and foreigner. On July 12, the day after they arrived in Davao, I met the whole family at the Mandaya Hotel.

Hanson’s wife, Honey, told me about her husband’s predicament. “He really wants to attend Friday prayers here in Davao. Is there any safe mosque where we can go?” In Davao, that is never a problem, I told her. So I called up Atty. Cesar Dataya, the city’s housing chief. Cesar is as devout a Muslim as Hanson. “Pards,” I told Atty.

Dataya over the phone, “my nephew, a Muslim from the States, wants to attend prayers at the Mosque this Friday. Can you please facilitate this and make him feel welcome?” Cesar Dataya was more than just merely willing. He was excitedly accommodating. We set schedules; we were to meet for coffee at 10:00 in the morning of Friday at SM Mall, right across the city’s main mosque along Ecoland Drive.

Both the talk over coffee and Hanson’s visit to the mosque were a definition of what Davao City really is. Over coffee, the three of us - Cesar, Hanson and I - talked about peace, about the dynamics of tolerance that sets Davao apart from the rest of the country and world. We talked about why Davao is Davao. We talked like brothers bound by the universality of faith in the same God, unburdened by the restrictions of religious differences - one Christian and two Muslims; two Dabawenyos and one foreigner.

Hanson talked about subdued sacrifices that Muslims in America have to take after 9/11; about the strength of the American system in protecting human rights abuses against Muslims. “You can sue their pants off when they abuse your basic rights,” he said. I told Hanson that Davao is the only city in the country where deputy mayors have been appointed to represent and protect the interests of major Muslim and indigenous tribes.

“Madrasha is not a program in Davao,” said Cesar, “it is institutionalized into the life of the city.” I mentioned how Mayor Rody Duterte successfully solicited and utilized the support of Muslim leaders and communities to keep out fanatics, extremists and terrorists. “Islam is not a birthright,” said Cesar. “One has to follow the path of peace of Islam to be worthy of being called a true believer.” “Muslims play a crucial role in running the city,” I told Hanson.

“Atty. Cesar Dataya who heads the city housing office is an example.” We talked about how Davao City is a cauldron of communities, a refocusing of races from all over the country. When you say you are from Davao, we told Hanson, it means that you are from somewhere else in the country -- Luzon, the Visayas or Mindanao -- who have come to live in and love the city.

Davao City is peaceful because no race or religion dominates and imposes its will on the rest of the citizenry. Here, there is no persistent harping on differences. Rather, there is a pronounced and conscious propagation of the things that make us the same. “There is war in some parts of Mindanao?” Hanson asked, tentatively.

I answered: “Yes, with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Cesar Dataya here is the grandson of the late founder of the MILF, Chairman Hashim Salamat, and he is an important city official.” That, among others, defines the uniqueness of Davao City.

That defines peace. Hanson came to reinforce his faith and pray in a mosque. His visit reinforced my own personal faith in the city I love to call my home. (For comments and reactions, e-mail: rene_bartolo@yahoo.c

Hanson and the Mosque

Ricochet By Rene Ezpeleta Bartolo
http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/column.php?id=1981


Hassan “Hanson” Mbatch is a devout Muslim. Originally from Gambia in Western Africa, Hanson’s family moved to the United States and settled there a decade ago.

He now lives and works in Georgia, and is married to a Filipina. Hanson’s father-in-law, Mike Markham, is an American; his mother-in-law, my younger sister Mina, is a Filipina. He came to the Philippines some three weeks ago - his first time -- with his wife, Honey, their son Hadji whom the family lovingly calls Poohbear, and the rest of the family.

In Cavite where the family stayed for two weeks, Hanson was at a loss where he could go for Friday prayer services. The nearest mosque is in Quiapo and Manila can be a wild and strange territory - for a visiting Muslim and foreigner. On July 12, the day after they arrived in Davao, I met the whole family at the Mandaya Hotel.

Hanson’s wife, Honey, told me about her husband’s predicament. “He really wants to attend Friday prayers here in Davao. Is there any safe mosque where we can go?” In Davao, that is never a problem, I told her. So I called up Atty. Cesar Dataya, the city’s housing chief. Cesar is as devout a Muslim as Hanson. “Pards,” I told Atty.

Dataya over the phone, “my nephew, a Muslim from the States, wants to attend prayers at the Mosque this Friday. Can you please facilitate this and make him feel welcome?” Cesar Dataya was more than just merely willing. He was excitedly accommodating. We set schedules; we were to meet for coffee at 10:00 in the morning of Friday at SM Mall, right across the city’s main mosque along Ecoland Drive.

Both the talk over coffee and Hanson’s visit to the mosque were a definition of what Davao City really is. Over coffee, the three of us - Cesar, Hanson and I - talked about peace, about the dynamics of tolerance that sets Davao apart from the rest of the country and world. We talked about why Davao is Davao. We talked like brothers bound by the universality of faith in the same God, unburdened by the restrictions of religious differences - one Christian and two Muslims; two Dabawenyos and one foreigner.

Hanson talked about subdued sacrifices that Muslims in America have to take after 9/11; about the strength of the American system in protecting human rights abuses against Muslims. “You can sue their pants off when they abuse your basic rights,” he said. I told Hanson that Davao is the only city in the country where deputy mayors have been appointed to represent and protect the interests of major Muslim and indigenous tribes.

“Madrasha is not a program in Davao,” said Cesar, “it is institutionalized into the life of the city.” I mentioned how Mayor Rody Duterte successfully solicited and utilized the support of Muslim leaders and communities to keep out fanatics, extremists and terrorists. “Islam is not a birthright,” said Cesar. “One has to follow the path of peace of Islam to be worthy of being called a true believer.” “Muslims play a crucial role in running the city,” I told Hanson.

“Atty. Cesar Dataya who heads the city housing office is an example.” We talked about how Davao City is a cauldron of communities, a refocusing of races from all over the country. When you say you are from Davao, we told Hanson, it means that you are from somewhere else in the country -- Luzon, the Visayas or Mindanao -- who have come to live in and love the city.

Davao City is peaceful because no race or religion dominates and imposes its will on the rest of the citizenry. Here, there is no persistent harping on differences. Rather, there is a pronounced and conscious propagation of the things that make us the same. “There is war in some parts of Mindanao?” Hanson asked, tentatively.

I answered: “Yes, with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Cesar Dataya here is the grandson of the late founder of the MILF, Chairman Hashim Salamat, and he is an important city official.” That, among others, defines the uniqueness of Davao City.

That defines peace. Hanson came to reinforce his faith and pray in a mosque. His visit reinforced my own personal faith in the city I love to call my home. (For comments and reactions, e-mail: rene_bartolo@yahoo.c

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Old Davao airport eyed as military base camp

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is said to be eyeing the old Davao International Airport as a possible headquarter for the new Southern Command (Southcom) office to be established in Davao Region.

A highly placed source revealed that AFP chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon has already informed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte on the plan and are just waiting for the go-signal from the two officials.

The AFP is also planning to use the Southern Philippines Development Authority's property in Catalunan Pequeno for Southcom's training facilities.

Arroyo declared last week the plan to divide the AFP's Southcom into two.

Presently, Southcom is based in Zamboanga City.

If plans push through, a Southcom Eastern Mindanao will be established in Davao City to take care of all military operations in Davao and other neighboring regions.

The Zamboanga Peninsula and other neighboring areas meanwhile will be under the Southcom Western Mindanao area.

Southcom comprises about 60 percent, or 70,000 troops, of the 120,000-strong Armed Forces.

Esperon said the reason for such a split is for the AFP to effectively go after enemies of the state like the New People's Army and the Abu Sayyaf and their allies.

"Southcom is characterized by the strong presence of secessionist movements, which are now under control, but we have some terrorists that we have to address. (We will divide Southcom) for better control and to put more focus in the fight against the communist terrorists in the eastern part of Mindanao," Esperon said.

Esperon said Southcom's split may be implemented by the first week of August.

He said he would make "some redeployment" of troops from other parts of the country to Mindanao to fill up the new area command.

Esperon, however, did not mention how many troops would be involved.

The Southcom is the biggest of the six unified commands in the military.

The others are Northern Luzon Command based in Tarlac, Southern Luzon Command based in Quezon; National Capital Region Command based in Camp Aguinaldo; Central Command based in Cebu; and Western Command based in Palawan.

Southcom is currently headed by Lieutenant General Gabriel Habacon. (BOT)

(July 25, 2006 issue)
Sun.Star

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Old Davao airport eyed as military base camp

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is said to be eyeing the old Davao International Airport as a possible headquarter for the new Southern Command (Southcom) office to be established in Davao Region.



Boon or bane? tiyak headline tayo sa newspaper palagi kapag may-gulo sa outlying provinces........ :bash:

Hanson and the Mosque

“Atty. Cesar Dataya who heads the city housing office is an example.” We talked about how Davao City is a cauldron of communities, a refocusing of races from all over the country. When you say you are from Davao, we told Hanson, it means that you are from somewhere else in the country -- Luzon, the Visayas or Mindanao -- who have come to live in and love the city.


this is very true even in other mindanao cities like gensan, marbel, tagum, etc.

09224011418 or 09167345959

okies, mine is 09216162926...

^^ yes greenbelt is indeed beautiful. the chinatown project too is worth watching. i hope the meeting tonight of chinese envoy, davao chinese chamber of commerce and city officials will be fruitful in favor of the project. sa apat na arko worth 1.8, parang monteverde pa lang ang nag donate but according to vice mayor jollibee owner who's a davaeoño and lucio tan are already contacted and got positive responses. after greenbelt, chinatown is next in line.

kudos nga pala sa mga davao architects na nag design sa whole chinatown project for FREE. for the sake of davao pride.

The "arko" thing reminds me of Japanese architecture. We need also the "torii" arches to make a Nippon-machi.

:) Thank you! Thank you! :)

Happy birthday too, TJ...

GARAGE IS A PARTLY A SHARED PRIVATE STATION:

HERE IS A SAMPLE OF A MAGLEV SMALL STATION (PARKING) ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING THRU AN EXTENDED PARK. SIMILAR CONSTRUCTION CAN BE BUILT IN A HOUSE THRU AN EXTENDED (OVERHANG) STATION. SINCE THE GUIDEWAYS TRAVERSES YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY, FUTURE CITY CODES CAN BE TAILORED SIMILAR TO THAT OF A TIME SHARE, IN WHICH YOU PARTLY OWNED THE GUIDEWAY, THE STATION, AND THE MAGLEV CAR. (NOT SURE IF PROPERTY INSURANCE WOULD BE NEEDED).

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/ProblemSolver_2006/cabin19.jpg

Will this be appropriate with a mall kind of MAGLEV station. For example, if the MAGLEV point will be at Victoria Plaza, will it be good?

Originally Posted by Paulkrps
he had plans for the u.s., tapos murag naa syay petition, kaso, death came early.

Really sad bro, did he work as an artist or other kind of job diri sa Davao?

Will this be appropriate with a mall kind of MAGLEV station. For example, if the MAGLEV point will be at Victoria Plaza, will it be good?

This would add elegance to Victoria Plaza or any other infrastructure and it will be good.

This was the same assessment Mr. Fournier-exec of a big BPO company, made about hiring stats in call centres. In conclusion, he said (with figures, course) Davao siphons 40% of the total call centre vacancies owing to Davaoenos' mastery of the spoken English language.

Hello!

These figures were validated somehow in another way. During the much publicized Tourism Jobs Fair early this year held in Davao, Cebu, Manila, with GMA herself showing up at the PICC, the best performer in terms of actual hiring was Davao.

If I got the figures right, actual on-site hiring I was told was circa 70 in Davao, circa 20 in Cebu and only 2 in Manila!

In the AIM study on competitive cities where Davao was number 1 along with Makati, we fared poorly on HR development. I really do not know the reasons behind.

Anyway, here is good news. Yesterday, the Philippine-Australia HR Development Facility (PAHRDF), Ausaid funded, approved the application of the city for assistance. We hope to strengthen the HR program of the local government, and then work for a strategy to develop our city into a "learning city" with the synergy of academe-industry-community-government. :)

^^ good day to all!

i found google pics of victoria plaza circa 1996 if i'm not mistaken... although the cam date suggests '92.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/vict1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/vict2.jpg

naalala ko ang opening ng victoria plaza noon, halos hindi ka na makahinga sa dami ng tao hehe, at ang kanilang 6 cinemas, wow the best at that time. at allowed pa ang tao dumaan dyan sa parang balkonahe sa 2nd floor sa labas tulad nyang sa picture. one concert yung smokey mountain hindi nagkasya sa atrium na may fountain pa noon, ginawa ng management doon sila sa 2nd floor outside at ang mga tao transfer sa parking park. hehehe jologs pa tayo noon...

Boon or bane? tiyak headline tayo sa newspaper palagi kapag may-gulo sa outlying provinces........ :bash:


This could point to responsible journalism which in the time being is so deplorable.

On the other hand, the southeastern command base being in the vicinity of Davao would augment the governments anti-insurgency program.

Tourism
Introduction

General Resources


Tourism is already the world's largest industry, and is continuously growing. The number of international tourists increased from 170 million in 1971 to 635 million in 1998. By 2020, the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) predicts that 1.5 billion international travellers will spend USD 2 trillion every year on tourism.

Tourism is heavily dependent on the natural resource base. The marketing approach is based on selling of "sand, sea and sun". For coastal tourism, there are very strong economic incentives to locate hotels and associated tourist facilities close to attractive sites, regardless of resulting negative effects on aesthetic and environmental values. Attractive coastal landscapes, such as sandy beaches, dune areas, estuaries and coastal lakes, are preferred sites for tourism development.

The coastal environment is degraded by the impacts of infrastructure and construction activity when tourism is allowed to develop without proper planning. The more severe impacts of tourism stem from the infrastructure and construction activity it entails rather than the recreational activities themselves. Wetlands are being drained and reclaimed and the coastline severely altered to make way for marinas and other mooring facilities. When hotels are built too close to beaches, in order to offer tourists vicinity to the beach and sea view, there is also a need to construct costly erosion management structures that often lead to habitat destruction. Increased sediment mobilization, turbidity and water quality deterioration during construction and operation can be significant side effects. Important habitats like coral reefs and sea grass beds and fish spawning grounds can be destroyed if diving and recreational boating are not managed and controlled, including efforts to inform and educate tourists and operators of various facilities for water sports.

Coastal tourism is by far the predominant form of tourism in many regions, including the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Indian Ocean islands, and islands of the South Pacific. Coastal tourism, for the most part, originates from land, cruise tourism being an exception. In terms of turnover, tourism is a significant and in many cases dominant contributor to the GDP, employment and foreign exchange earnings of many small island developing states. Tourism receipts represent 25 percent of total export earnings in the Pacific and over 35 percent for Caribbean islands (although 30–50 percent of this income leak back to operators from developed countries). In the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action it was concluded that tourism "has contributed much to the development of Small Island Development States (SIDS) and, as one of only a few development options for those small States, will continue to be very important for their future growth. It could also stimulate the development of other sectors. However, if not properly planned and managed, tourism could significantly degrade the environment on which it is so dependent". The challenge is to keep the process moving and harness benefits in such a manner that the industry does not create severe stress in the system on which it depends.

Tourism is a double-edged activity. The Convention of Biological Diversity points out that tourism "has the potential to contribute in a positive manner to socio-economic achievements but, at the same time, its fast and sometimes uncontrolled growth can be the major cause of degradation of the environment and loss of local identity and traditional cultures. Biological and physical resources are in fact the assets that attract tourists. However, the stress imposed by tourism activities on fragile ecosystems accelerates and aggravates their depletion. Paradoxically, the very success of tourism may lead to the degradation of the natural environment: by depleting natural resources tourism reduces the site attractiveness to tourists, the very commodity that tourism has to offer". The interdependent, cyclic relationship between the tourism industry and the environment is fragile and requires precautionary and preventative action.
In recent years, a variety of guidelines, codes of conduct, and best practices regarding sustainable tourism and ecotourism have been elaborated. The challenge for the tourism industry, as well as for conservationists and development organisations, is to jointly develop and implement a mix of management strategies to promote environmentally, socio-culturally and economically sustainable tourism development in coastal areas. The dynamic nature of the industry, the severity of the consequences of incompatible development and the potential for environmental and social benefits from planned development demand that governments, tourism industry and all stakeholders assume proactive roles and implement a mix of management strategies to shape and guide the industry in an environmentally suitable manner. In guiding tourism development, self-regulation is likely to be more effective than statutory regulation because the industry if more likely to take the responsibility and ownership for selfregulatory approaches.

Hello!

These figures were validated somehow in another way. During the much publicized Tourism Jobs Fair early this year held in Davao, Cebu, Manila, with GMA herself showing up at the PICC, the best performer in terms of actual hiring was Davao.

If I got the figures right, actual on-site hiring I was told was circa 70 in Davao, circa 20 in Cebu and only 2 in Manila!




Sorry, our very own Davao got so much more than I gave it credit for. I said 40% but it actually corners 70% of call center on-site hiring if I did my math right.

^^ good day to all!

i found google pics of victoria plaza circa 1996 if i'm not mistaken... although the cam date suggests '92.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/vict1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/vict2.jpg

naalala ko ang opening ng victoria plaza noon, halos hindi ka na makahinga sa dami ng tao hehe, at ang kanilang 6 cinemas, wow the best at that time. at allowed pa ang tao dumaan dyan sa parang balkonahe sa 2nd floor sa labas tulad nyang sa picture. one concert yung smokey mountain hindi nagkasya sa atrium na may fountain pa noon, ginawa ng management doon sila sa 2nd floor outside at ang mga tao transfer sa parking park. hehehe jologs pa tayo noon...


Wow, these pics make me nostalgic. Salamat bai Junax!

Tropical Rainforest Destruction

Satellite photo of a burning rain forests
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/1802/amazonsmokeyd5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Destruction of a rain forest thru "slash and burn" method.
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/306/var002jmi0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Destruction the eco system thru gold mining
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7585/goldmine01lg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
By Margaret Faoro

Introduction“In the minute that it takes you to read this page, a piece of tropical rainforest the size of 10 city blocks will vanish forever” (Lewis, 1990, pg 40). Rainforests around the world are being destroyed at such rates, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.

The rainforests are “home to over half of all living things [and]…cover less than 7 percent of the land surface of the globe” .

This paper analyzes tropical rainforest destruction from many different perspectives because there are several contributing factors to the destruction of rainforests. Topics addressed in this paper include: an introduction to rainforests, causes and examples of rainforest destruction around the world, results of rainforest destruction and solutions to rainforest destruction. At the end of this paper there is an appendix to aid the reader in understanding the concepts presented.

Why are rainforests important?
Rainforests are an asset to the entire world. The destruction of rainforests worldwide is a problem because it eliminates habitat for wild life and depletes the earth of vital environmental services.

“Environmental services are what nature provides for human beings at no charge. Conservationists point out that people take these services for granted, so they are undervalued, exploited, and disappearing…We rely on forests for wood, medications, and food…on plants to pump oxygen into the atmosphere and absorb carbon dioxide; on wildlife to keep pests in check and distribute seeds and pollinate plants that provide us with food and other goods…If we put a price tag on these services, we might be more disposed to protecting earth’s other living inhabitants”



In addition to environmental services, rainforests have what some would call an intrinsic value. Rainforests are valuable for their own sake and not just for the value that humans can extract from nature.

What is rainforest destruction?

When rainforests are destroyed, they are robbed of their capability to sustain plant and animal life. The plants and trees of the forests can be burnt or cut down, resulting in partial or entire devastation of the rainforest that once existed. When rainforest destruction occurs, the flora is damaged or completely gone and the animals that once lived in that area leave because their habitat is degraded or torn down.

An introduction to rainforests


“Most tropical rainforests fit into one of three basic types, each defined by the amount of precipitation: a tropical dry forest, a tropical moist forest, or a true tropical rainforest. ” Tropical rainforests receive more rain and have warmer temperatures than either tropical moist forests or tropical dry forests. “Rainforest temperatures average 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. These conditions have made tropical forests the most diversely populated places on Earth in terms of plant and animal life”

Although this paper does not concentrate on one type of tropical rainforest, it does address the factors that threaten tropical rainforests and their survival.

The historic extent of rainforests
“The fossil record suggests that many now distant regions of rainforest once formed continuous forest belts in periods when climates were warmer and moister. In the early Cenozoic, 55 million years ago, the equatorial forests seem to have formed an almost continuous belt from Africa, through Europe and Southeast Asia, to Insulindia”

. However, the range of rainforests that exists today is diminishing.

The current range of rainforests
Currently, rainforests are distributed around the world in between the latitudes of thirty degrees north and south of the equator. They are predominantly in South America, Africa, and oceanic islands.

Rainforest destruction rates
Rainforests are being “wiped out at the shocking rate of 35.2 million acres a year…If this pace continues, most of the rainforests will be gone before the end of the century” Rainforest destruction rates differ from one country to another, however it is clear that rainforest loss occurs on a world wide basis.

If rainforests are not sustainably managed there will be fewer forests for humans to draw upon.

Causes of rainforest destruction
Humans have devised many techniques to destroy rainforests. Chain saws and bulldozers are used as efficient ways to destroy many acres of rainforest at a time. Bulldozers are often used to clear land in order to prepare it for slashing and burning.

Slash and burn agriculture:

One of the most widely used methods to destroy rainforests is using slash and burn agriculture. With this type of agriculture, all of the trees and plants in the selected area are uprooted or cut down. The downed trees and flora are then burnt, so that all of the nutrients in the plants are turned into ash, which is mixed with soil. After all of the vegetation has been burnt and the ashes have been incorporated into the soil, people plant crops. The area of land that has been cleared in this manner is only viable for a few years. Once all of the nutrients have been leached from the soil, the area is abandoned and a new area of rainforest is selected to undergo the same process.

This type of agriculture is problematic because “The huge number of farmers who have descended upon the rainforests have placed too much pressure on the land. Not enough time is being given to cleared patches for the forest to regenerate. This ‘slash-and-burn’ farming has replaced traditional, sustainable… cultivation in most tropical forests” . This is very unfortunate because ‘slash-and-burn’ agriculture is responsible for the ruin of fifty acres of rainforest every hour” .

Fires:

During 1997 several fires broke out worldwide and as a result, “More fires were recorded in that year than at any time in history- millions of hectares of forest were destroyed…” .

In addition to fires that occur naturally, farmers and native peoples use fire as a tool to clear land for agriculture. Cattle ranchers also use fire to clear the land for their cattle, “The conversion of the rainforest into grazing for cattle is a genuine ecological catastrophe. The replacement of the rainforest’s intricate structure by the much simpler structure of pastureland is an intrinsically negative process of biological simplification” .

Food:

Rainforests are very bountiful, not only do they provide habitat for both humans and animals but they are also a rich source of food.

“[Thousands] of products we have come to depend on are all derived from plants and trees that grow in the tropics…Tropical forests are a veritable cornucopia. Rice, coffee, tea, chocolate, lemons, oranges, bananas, and pineapples are among the dozens of tropical foods that have found their way into domestic cuisine”.



As a result of the forest’s richness, people turn to the land and plant agricultural plots in order to utilize the rich nutrients and minerals that the land offers. Thus, “agriculture is the most common cause of deforestation throughout the tropics. As human populations grow, more people are forced to clear forested land to plant the food they need to survive”.

Wood:

Wood is one of the many natural resources that humans are able to extract from forests,

“Timber is the economically most important product from the rainforest, and has a value on the world market estimated at 7,000 million U.S. dollars a year. The problem is that timber exploitation is performed as though it were a mineral resource to be mined, that is to say, extraction without replacement” .http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/1143/2599eo4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)



As a result of its high demand, tropical hardwoods are being extracted from the rain forests at an unsustainable rate. Unsustainable extraction of wood does not have to occur,

“Natural forests, if sustainably managed, can produce timber in economically important quantities without being exhausted in the short or medium term… however, less than 1% of the world’s forests are managed for sustainable timber production" .



Fuel Wood:

Just as consumers use wood from rainforests, native peoples also rely on the wood that rainforests provide, “In Madagascar, for example, primitive agricultural systems still predominate, and the pressure of the rural population is the main factor causing rapid destruction of the remaining rainforests”.

Wood for fuel purposes is necessary because many people use it to survive. “Fuel wood provides 5 percent of the energy consumed by people worldwide each year. Wood provides nearly 60 percent of all the energy used in Africa, 15 percent in Latin America, and 11 percent in Asia” . As a result of its vital role in meeting the energy needs of people around the world, it is crucial that fuel wood be used at a more sustainable rate, so that there will be enough for people in the future.

Indigenous people’s use of the rainforest as a food source:

Indigenous people can obtain many different types of rood from rainforests,

“almost every plant form found in the rainforest is a possible good source for the indigenous peoples under certain conditions. Fungi, ferns, tubers, leaves and fruit are all collected, whether as basic foodstuffs…or as emergency foodstuffs in times of hardship” .

In addition, “Wild plants continue to be the most important source leafy vegetables in many tropical areas where…shifting agriculture is practiced. At least 1, 650 rainforest plants contain about as much protein in their leaves as the seeds of leguminous plants, and are also an important source of vitamins” (Camarasa,2000, pg 196). Thus, the food that the rainforest provides for the people who depend on it is quite comparable to the food that is agriculturally grown. The destruction of plants in the rainforest deprives people of a rich source of protein and vitamins.





Medicines/pharmaceuticals:

Not only do forests provide food but they are also a valuable source of medicinal plants,

“Tropical forests contain…vital medications for heart disease and cancer-fighting properties; Pharmacologists have identified 3,000 plants as having cancer-fighting properties; 70 percent of them grow in the rainforest” .

In addition to being able to fight cancer and heart disease, plants from rainforests are a significant source for prescription medications. The following quote demonstrates this, “The tropical forest is a fantastic medicine cabinet…One-fourth of all prescription drugs sold in the United States contain plant-derived compounds…of the thousands of tropical plants, fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their possible uses”

Not only is forestland being used for the plants that can be extracted from it but forests are also being cut down so that the land can be used for farming.

Farming:

In order for farmers to be able to use forestland for farming and agriculture, the forest must first be cut down to make room to plant crops. An example of this is the Amazon, which “is being slashed and burned to make way for cattle and farms” Tropical Rainforest Destruction



By Margaret Faoro

Introduction
“In the minute that it takes you to read this page, a piece of tropical rainforest the size of 10 city blocks will vanish forever” . Rainforests around the world are being destroyed at such rates, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.

The rainforests are “home to over half of all living things [and]…cover less than 7 percent of the land surface of the globe” .

This paper analyzes tropical rainforest destruction from many different perspectives because there are several contributing factors to the destruction of rainforests. Topics addressed in this paper include: an introduction to rainforests, causes and examples of rainforest destruction around the world, results of rainforest destruction and solutions to rainforest destruction. At the end of this paper there is an appendix to aid the reader in understanding the concepts presented.

Why are rainforests important?
Rainforests are an asset to the entire world. The destruction of rainforests worldwide is a problem because it eliminates habitat for wild life and depletes the earth of vital environmental services.

“Environmental services are what nature provides for human beings at no charge. Conservationists point out that people take these services for granted, so they are undervalued, exploited, and disappearing…We rely on forests for wood, medications, and food…on plants to pump oxygen into the atmosphere and absorb carbon dioxide; on wildlife to keep pests in check and distribute seeds and pollinate plants that provide us with food and other goods…If we put a price tag on these services, we might be more disposed to protecting earth’s other living inhabitants”



In addition to environmental services, rainforests have what some would call an intrinsic value. Rainforests are valuable for their own sake and not just for the value that humans can extract from nature.

What is rainforest destruction?

When rainforests are destroyed, they are robbed of their capability to sustain plant and animal life. The plants and trees of the forests can be burnt or cut down, resulting in partial or entire devastation of the rainforest that once existed. When rainforest destruction occurs, the flora is damaged or completely gone and the animals that once lived in that area leave because their habitat is degraded or torn down.

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/8315/1317fu3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

An introduction to rainforests


“Most tropical rainforests fit into one of three basic types, each defined by the amount of precipitation: a tropical dry forest, a tropical moist forest, or a true tropical rainforest. ” . Tropical rainforests receive more rain and have warmer temperatures than either tropical moist forests or tropical dry forests. “Rainforest temperatures average 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. These conditions have made tropical forests the most diversely populated places on Earth in terms of plant and animal life” .

Although this paper does not concentrate on one type of tropical rainforest, it does address the factors that threaten tropical rainforests and their survival.

The historic extent of rainforests
“The fossil record suggests that many now distant regions of rainforest once formed continuous forest belts in periods when climates were warmer and moister. In the early Cenozoic, 55 million years ago, the equatorial forests seem to have formed an almost continuous belt from Africa, through Europe and Southeast Asia, to Insulindia”

. However, the range of rainforests that exists today is diminishing.

The current range of rainforests
Currently, rainforests are distributed around the world in between the latitudes of thirty degrees north and south of the equator. They are predominantly in South America, Africa, and oceanic islands .

Rainforest destruction rates
Rainforests are being “wiped out at the shocking rate of 35.2 million acres a year…If this pace continues, most of the rainforests will be gone before the end of the century”. Rainforest destruction rates differ from one country to another, however it is clear that rainforest loss occurs on a world wide basis.

If rainforests are not sustainably managed there will be fewer forests for humans to draw upon. (See diagram 2 for statistics about rates of rainforest destruction worldwide).

Causes of rainforest destruction
Humans have devised many techniques to destroy rainforests. Chain saws and bulldozers are used as efficient ways to destroy many acres of rainforest at a time. Bulldozers are often used to clear land in order to prepare it for slashing and burning.

Slash and burn agriculture:

One of the most widely used methods to destroy rainforests is using slash and burn agriculture. With this type of agriculture, all of the trees and plants in the selected area are uprooted or cut down. The downed trees and flora are then burnt, so that all of the nutrients in the plants are turned into ash, which is mixed with soil. After all of the vegetation has been burnt and the ashes have been incorporated into the soil, people plant crops. The area of land that has been cleared in this manner is only viable for a few years. Once all of the nutrients have been leached from the soil, the area is abandoned and a new area of rainforest is selected to undergo the same process.

This type of agriculture is problematic because “The huge number of farmers who have descended upon the rainforests have placed too much pressure on the land. Not enough time is being given to cleared patches for the forest to regenerate. This ‘slash-and-burn’ farming has replaced traditional, sustainable… cultivation in most tropical forests” (Lewis,1990, pg 60). This is very unfortunate because ‘slash-and-burn’ agriculture is responsible for the ruin of fifty acres of rainforest every hour” .

Fires:

During 1997 several fires broke out worldwide and as a result, “More fires were recorded in that year than at any time in history- millions of hectares of forest were destroyed…”.

In addition to fires that occur naturally, farmers and native peoples use fire as a tool to clear land for agriculture. Cattle ranchers also use fire to clear the land for their cattle, “The conversion of the rainforest into grazing for cattle is a genuine ecological catastrophe. The replacement of the rainforest’s intricate structure by the much simpler structure of pastureland is an intrinsically negative process of biological simplification”.

Food:

Rainforests are very bountiful, not only do they provide habitat for both humans and animals but they are also a rich source of food.

“[Thousands] of products we have come to depend on are all derived from plants and trees that grow in the tropics…Tropical forests are a veritable cornucopia. Rice, coffee, tea, chocolate, lemons, oranges, bananas, and pineapples are among the dozens of tropical foods that have found their way into domestic cuisine” .



As a result of the forest’s richness, people turn to the land and plant agricultural plots in order to utilize the rich nutrients and minerals that the land offers. Thus, “agriculture is the most common cause of deforestation throughout the tropics. As human populations grow, more people are forced to clear forested land to plant the food they need to survive” (Jukofsky,2002, pg 217).

Wood:

Wood is one of the many natural resources that humans are able to extract from forests,

“Timber is the economically most important product from the rainforest, and has a value on the world market estimated at 7,000 million U.S. dollars a year. The problem is that timber exploitation is performed as though it were a mineral resource to be mined, that is to say, extraction without replacement” .



As a result of its high emand, tropical hardwoods are being extracted from the rain forests at an unsustainable rate. Unsustainable extraction of wood does not have to occur,

“Natural forests, if sustainably managed, can produce timber in economically important quantities without being exhausted in the short or medium term… however, less than 1% of the world’s forests are managed for sustainable timber production”.



Fuel Wood:

Just as consumers use wood from rainforests, native peoples also rely on the wood that rainforests provide, “In Madagascar, for example, primitive agricultural systems still predominate, and the pressure of the rural population is the main factor causing rapid destruction of the remaining rainforests”
Wood for fuel purposes is necessary because many people use it to survive. “Fuel wood provides 5 percent of the energy consumed by people worldwide each year. Wood provides nearly 60 percent of all the energy used in Africa, 15 percent in Latin America, and 11 percent in Asia” . As a result of its vital role in meeting the energy needs of people around the world, it is crucial that fuel wood be used at a more sustainable rate, so that there will be enough for people in the future.

Indigenous people’s use of the rainforest as a food source:

Indigenous people can obtain many different types of rood from rainforests,

“almost every plant form found in the rainforest is a possible good source for the indigenous peoples under certain conditions. Fungi, ferns, tubers, leaves and fruit are all collected, whether as basic foodstuffs…or as emergency foodstuffs in times of hardship” .

In addition, “Wild plants continue to be the most important source leafy vegetables in many tropical areas where…shifting agriculture is practiced. At least 1, 650 rainforest plants contain about as much protein in their leaves as the seeds of leguminous plants, and are also an important source of vitamins”. Thus, the food that the rainforest provides for the people who depend on it is quite comparable to the food that is agriculturally grown. The destruction of plants in the rainforest deprives people of a rich source of protein and vitamins.





Medicines/pharmaceuticals:

Not only do forests provide food but they are also a valuable source of medicinal plants,

“Tropical forests contain…vital medications for heart disease and cancer-fighting properties; Pharmacologists have identified 3,000 plants as having cancer-fighting properties; 70 percent of them grow in the rainforest” (Lewis,1990, pg 9).

In addition to being able to fight cancer and heart disease, plants from rainforests are a significant source for prescription medications. The following quote demonstrates this, “The tropical forest is a fantastic medicine cabinet…One-fourth of all prescription drugs sold in the United States contain plant-derived compounds…of the thousands of tropical plants, fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their possible uses”

. Not only is forestland being used for the plants that can be extracted from it but forests are also being cut down so that the land can be used for farming.

Farming:

In order for farmers to be able to use forestland for farming and agriculture, the forest must first be cut down to make room to plant crops. An example of this is the Amazon, which “is being slashed and burned to make way for cattle and farms” . This use of land has a negative impact on the rainforests because so much is being converted to monoculture plots of land. “Small-scale farming is another major cause of tropical deforestation. In fact, small-scale farmers clear about half the total rainforest lost each year” . Farming has a negative impact on the rainforest’s ability to survive. However, ranching is also detrimental.


http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/135/rfnativesgn6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Ranching:



Cattle ranching has multiple negative effects to both the environment and the people living in it. For example, cattle ranching “intensifies deforestation by forcing peasant farmers into the rainforest to seek new land to farm when they are evicted by ranchers who want to convert their farmland to pasture”.

Cattle ranching is also negative because it “causes the land to decline in quality as the soil becomes depleted of nutrients. In fact, land cleared from rainforests generally supports cattle for only three to seven years before it deteriorates beyond recovery” . Just as the farmers do, the ranchers use the land until all the nutrients are gone. This makes it difficult for new flora to grow back.

One of the factors that allows cattle ranching to destroy rainforests is that “rainforest ranchers have relied on government subsidies and international loans, which make cattle ranching artificially profitable…Rainforest governments have also supported cattle ranching with land giveaways, tax breaks, and free technical assistance. Without this support, rainforest ranching would lose much of its appeal” .

With such assistance and support from the government, cattle ranchers have no incentive to give up such a profitable business.

Poverty and economic debt:



When people are not able to forge a living from the rainforest by farming, cattle ranching, or by other means they are forced into poverty. “To obtain a subsistence-level existence, rural populations are forced to ‘mine’ the forest; they remove forest products or clear forest for agriculture faster than the resource can renew itself ” . In their desperation to live, poor people have no choice but to turn to the forests for survival. In doing so, they destroy the natural sources on which they so desperately depend.

With poverty comes debt. When poor people or countries do not have enough money to improve their way of life on their own, they turn to other sources to provide the capital necessary to improve their way of life. However by doing so, the countries put themselves in debt. “The $1.3 trillion of accumulated debt owed by developing countries has… led to unsustainable development priorities. The need to generate export earnings to pay foreign debt is a problem faced by nearly all developing countries…”

.

It is not a surprise that developing countries want to improve their way of life. In order to do so,

“developing countries borrow money to develop their resources and improve their general standard of living. To pay off the debt that accumulates from that borrowing, countries are forced to pursue rapid and often destructive growth…Frequently, the justification for economic expansion into the forests is based on gaining short-term profits to fund the debt and doesn’t take into account the long-term ecological impact of forest clearing” .



It is unfortunate that countries are in a position in which they depend on the destruction of their natural resources in order to pay back debts. The countries want to improve their standard of living but they are destroying valuable natural resources in the process.

Population growth:



“There are those who play down the seriousness of world population growth…what they fail to realize is that population growth must be regarded as a global problem” . The growing number of people on Earth is worldwide problem, “populations continue to grow at an uncontrolled rate in most Third World nations. These nations are the custodians of the world’s tropical rain forests, and they look on their forests as the most immediate and most promising source of desperately needed income” .

As a result of increasing populations and people’s dependency on the rainforests for their livelihood, much rainforest is being cleared each year. Increasing populations only add pressure to the rainforest’s ability to survive without being negatively impacted by the people who depend on it for a living. (See diagram three in appendix for population growth data).

Examples of rainforest destruction around the world

Rainforest destruction occurs on a worldwide basis. This section takes a look at tropical forests in the United States and the ways in which humans are negatively impacting them. “U.S. tropical forests are found on four groups of islands: Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa…Today, the biggest threats are land development, urbanization and intensive recreational development” .

Hawaii:

Hawaii’s richness of species is described as follows, “no other place on Earth…has a higher percentage of endemic plant and animal species [than Hawaii]…Almost 100 percent of Hawaii’s invertebrate species and nearly 90 percent of its birds and flowering plants are endemic” .

Humans have managed to negatively impact Hawaii’s forests and the species that live in them. As a result, “human encroachment has turned Hawaii into the endangered-species capital of the United States” .

However, hope for the preservation of Hawaii’s natural beauty and riches should not be given up, “Hawaii’s four national parks…provide excellent opportunities to save what is left of the state’s biological diversity. Because of their level of endemism is high- the four parks include examples of 76 native natural communities, 42 percent of all those found in Hawaii” (Lewis,1990, pg 78). Thus, the national parks are a good opportunity to save rainforests and other vital habitat from being overexploited and destroyed by the impacts of humans.

Puerto Rico:

Most of Puerto Rico’s forests have “been cleared for agriculture, housing, and other development” . The result of such actions

in Puerto Rico “has placed hundreds of native species in danger of extinction. Most of the remaining virgin forest is contained in the Caribbean National Forest .

Other contributing factors to rainforest destruction in Puerto Rico include the “construction of communication facilities atop the highest peaks in the Central Cordillera [which] has disturbed the cloud forest ecosystem. Today at least two endemic plant species, the elfin tree fern and Cook’s holly, have been pushed to the brink of extinction” .

In order to counteract the various factors that contribute to rainforest destruction in Puerto Rico, the commonwealth should be encouraged “to establish nature centers at representative regions of the island within its forest system in order to draw attention to the importance of the island’s native tropical forests” .



The U.S. Virgin Islands:

Rainforest destruction in the U.S. Virgin Islands has made it difficult for the forests to grow back. This is because “the islands were largely deforested in past centuries when plantations grew sugar, cotton, and other crops and raised cattle. Some of the forests grew back in the twentieth century, but now the construction of homes and resort developments threatens both forested hills and coastal areas” . The prospect for development and construction now threatens the small amount of forest that has been able to grow back from prior exploitation.

A way to alleviate the negative effects that humans have had on the rainforests is to, “create a territorial park system for numerous native habitats of wet and dry tropical forests and other biologically, scenically, and recreationally important lands” .

American Samoa:

The American Samoa is rich with rainforests because it “supports five distinct types of rainforest that stretch from sea to mountaintop: coastal, lowland, montane, ridge, and cloud” .

A way to ensure that those forests are able to survive in the future is to engage in

“Proper management and additional conservation efforts in…designated areas [which] will help ensure the continued survival of the rainforests of American Samoa. We must act quickly if we are to protect these natural treasures and stop the loss of biological diversity”
The preservation of the United State’s tropical forests can serve as an example to other countries. “The preservation of…our tropical forests in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, can illustrate the importance of long-term ecological values over short-term economic gain” .

Amazon:



“Brazil’s Amazonia contains half of the world’s tropical rainforests”. Thus, it is an invaluable asset to the world. Once the Amazonian rainforest is destroyed it “probably would not regrow. Cutting the entire forest would severely alter the climate in the Amazon Basin, causing temperatures to rise and precipitation levels to fall- a shift that would severely hinder development of new rain forest…A complete and rapid destruction of the Amazon tropical forest could be irreversible” .

The Amazon supports many people, who depend on it for their livelihood. In addition to supporting humans, “Brazil’s Amazon Basin has a million animal and plant species, including 1,800 bird species and 2,000 fish species. Of all the tropical rain forest areas, Amazonia is the largest single genetic reservoir” . The destruction of the Amazon would be devastating to the countless plant and animal species that depend on it for survival.

In determining ways to prevent the destruction of tropical rainforest it is important to identify the causes of destruction. “Most deforestation in the Amazon is not caused by logging, but rather by the expansion of pasture for cattle and…agriculture…Clearance of forest for cattle ranching is unquestionably the most important factor in current deforestation” (Cockburn,1989 pg 231). As was discussed earlier in the paper, cattle ranching is a very profitable business and the Amazon is ripe with rainforests, which cattle ranchers exploit.

Results of rainforest destruction
Plant and animal extinction:

The detrimental impacts that humans have on the rainforests have effects on the rainforest as well as the many plant and animal species within it, “There is still no complete inventory of the world’s animals or those of the rainforest. The dramatic destruction of the planet’s forests has led to the extinction of many animals and plants species that were never scientifically documented or described.”

.

The rate of species extinction is high, “Recent studies estimate that tropical deforestation wipes out 17,000 species of plants and animals per year- species that exist nowhere else. That’s about 48 species made extinct every day, or two an hour” .

Plant species extinction:

“What makes rainforests so valuable and so biologically intriguing is not what we know about them, but what we don’t” . Humans have only scratched the surface in terms of discovering and understanding the wealth of flora that exists in the rainforests. “Fewer than 1 percent of tropical forest species have even been studied for their potential usefulness”.

Humans are obliterating the rainforests at a faster rate than scientists can analyze the plant species that exist there. Rainforests provide “a wide range of useful plant resources that have traditionally satisfied the basic needs of its inhabitants…Much of this plant wealth is still unexplored, but the rainforest’s vast potential as a storehouse of plant biodiversity is now being recognized” .

Animal species extinction:

Animals are also being threatened by human’s encroachment into the rainforests. When animals are not threatened by extinction they are able to better survive, this is because, “by being able to draw upon a vast and varied gene pool, species can adapt and reproduce in response to environmental pressures such as changing climatic conditions and disease” .

Many animals are in fact threatened by the destruction of the rainforests in which they live, as a result, “the planet’s gene pool is suffering huge losses as habitat destruction pushes more and more species over the brink of extinction” .

Climate change:

Rainforests are important because they effect the weather that we experience. “Rainforests…play an essential role in our weather. Forested areas absorb solar energy, helping to drive the circulation of the atmosphere. The phenomenon affects wind and rainfall patterns worldwide”.

Forests act as regulators of weather and climate. “Tropical forests play a significant role in the regulation of the climate. The immense expanse of vegetation cycles large quantities of water, thereby influencing global climate as well as local and regional precipitation and temperature” (Lewis,1990, pg 32). Any destruction that humans inflict upon rainforests could in turn affect the weather in a way that would negatively impact humans. An example of a way in which tropical rainforest destruction influences climate is that,

“The ever increasing burning of fossil fuels by factories and the mushrooming world population are at the root of the [global] warming trend. Until…industrial nations began overloading the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, about half remained in the atmosphere and the remaining 50 percent was absorbed by the oceans and forests, especially the tropical forests… ‘it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the destruction of the forests of the world is adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere at a rate comparable to the rate of release for the combustion of fossil fuels’ ” (Gallant,1991,pg 106).



Loss of indigenous cultures:

Modern people’s encroachment upon indigenous cultures has had a detrimental effect on their way of life. “indigenous tribal people are facing increasing pressure as the impact of the ‘modern world’ spreads to the most remote reaches of the rainforests. No tribal community is free from the risk of destruction, either by annihilation or assimilation” .

According to one source, “approximately 250 million indigenous people live in 70 countries and control 12 to 19 percent of the earth’s land…Because of deforestation, many indigenous cultures and the very lives of indigenous people have been threatened over the past several decades” . The fact that deforestation has had such a negative impact on indigenous cultures is unfortunate because

“indigenous peoples are an irreplaceable resource. They can teach us about medicinal and edible plants, farming and irrigation methods, and ways to protect crops from disease and insects”.

Global warming:

The dynamics of deforestation and its effects on global warming are summarized as follows: “The destruction and burning of tropical rainforests contribute to the buildup of carbon in the atmosphere. The living plant matter in tropical forests stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise remain it the atmosphere and add to the greenhouse effect. When rainforests are cleared…the trees and vegetation are burned or left to decay emit carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere” .

Tropical deforestation is a concern is because it “contributes up to 30 percent of all the carbon dioxide human beings add to the atmosphere, as well as unknown amounts of methane and nitrous oxide. These gases add to global warming, which threatens agriculture and the quality of life worldwide” .

Solutions to rainforest destruction
Biosphere Reserves:

A biosphere reserve is best described as follows:

“Biosphere reserves have an established core protected area, where no development or activities that would harm biodiversity are permitted; outside that lies an area, called a buffer zone, where some ecologically sustainable development is permitted, such as grazing, tourism, or sustainable logging; and surrounding that lies a broader region where local residents, scientists, and others can work together to develop eco-friendly growth” .



Biosphere reserves prevent deforestation by protecting rainforests that would other wise be exploited. In addition, they have a multi-use component that allows land to be used without destruction or damage to the rain forest.

Sustainable Development:

Sustainable development is defined as: “ ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ ” .

Sustainable development allows the forests to be utilized at a rate that does not threaten the future survival of the forests. “The rainforest cannot be kept apart from the dynamics of the world economy, and this is probably not desirable anyway…the protection of the equatorial rainforest depends on adequate management, that is to say, the application of ecologically rational and socially equitable measures. This is the basis for the concept of sustainable development” .


Encourage forest for debt exchanges (otherwise know as debt-for-nature swaps):

An example of a successful debt-for-nature swap was when “Conservation International bought $650,000 of Bolivia’s debt for $100,000. Then, in exchange for a promise from the debtor country to set aside rainforest as a natural reserve, the group holding the debt agrees to forgive the obligation”(Lewis,1990, pg 68). This swap was a success because it enabled the rainforest to be saved, while eliminating Bolivia’s debt. This was a win-win situation.

International treaties and agreements to preserve rainforests:



CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) protects some species of plants and animals that have become threatened with extinction due to deforestation. An example is “the Brazilian rosewood…which is on the brink of extinction in the last areas of the Mata Atlantica… The trade and export of this wood has been banned in Brazil since the 1970’s, in accordance with …CITES” (Camarasa,2000, pg 286). CITES can be used as a tool to protect both plants and animals and in the process, the forests they inhabit care also protected.

In addition to CITES, an assessment of rainforests was made and a plan to preserve forests was made,

“The UN Development Programme and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization made an assessment of tropical forests and along with the World Bank and the World Resources Institute developed a Tropical Forestry Action Plan that was implemented in 1985. I t received strong support from at least eighty national governments representing 90 percent of the tropical forest area” (Gay,2001, pg 36).



Another example is a summit that was arranged to protect the climate and biodiversity,

“The Earth Summit, convened in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, representatives of more than 150 national governments attended…During the summit, participants signed documents that included treaties on climate change and biodiversity, a statement of principles on general environmental protection (the ‘Rio Declaration’), and a Statement of Forest Principles, the first global agreement on the importance of forests and policies conserving them” .




The statement of forest principles that was developed at the summit is an illustration of the steps that have been taken to conserve forests world wide.

Population control in developing countries:

Increasing population has a negative impact on the rainforest’s ability to survive because there are too many people exploiting the rainforest and its resources. “Perhaps one of the most effective investments that could be made in tropical countries to prevent deforestation is to fund access to birth control throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America” . Population growth will result in a slower increase in the amount of people who will depend on the rainforests to survive.

Ecotourism:

It is important to preserve the rainforests because they can be used to attract wealthy people, who give money to the developing areas in which rainforests occur.

“Carefully controlled tourism may provide essential income for rainforest countries without exerting excessive pressure on the environment. Some projects ensure that the local people benefit from tourism and that profits are used to improve conservation management…It has been shown, especially in Africa, that local people in rural areas are willing to protect wildlife resources that provide a clear economic benefits for their community” .

Ecotourism has a dual purpose of providing economic benefits while at the same time functioning to conserve rainforests.







Community-Based Conservation:

In a way, community-based conservation and ecotourism are linked. Both approaches incorporate the preservation of rainforest and land, which has beneficial results for the people involved as well as for the viability of the rainforest.

“Community-based conservation is known as Integrated Conservation and Development Projects…The objective of these projects is to protect and manage ecosystems in ways that involve and benefit residents who live nearby…The theory is that if people have alternative and reliable sources of income…they will no longer need or want to take resources unsustainably” .



Environmental Education:

Education and conservation go hand in hand. Without the education to know that conservation is crucial, people would not realize how vital it is to their survival to keep the rainforest intact.

“Environmental education and public awareness are key to any successful conservation campaign…Changing human behavior is the only way to improve the global environment-or prevent its collapse. And the way to change human behavior is thorough education….conservationists agree that education and awareness are fundamental building blocks for progress toward sustainable use of the planet’s natural resources” (Jukofsky,2002, pg 223).



Agroforestry:



Agroforestry is another way people can avoid engaging in rainforest destruction. Agroforestry “combines techniques of agriculture and forestry on a single plot of land; a farmer plants trees in the same fields as food crops… Appropriate tree species can shelter food crops and animals from the wind and sun, enrich the soil, prevent erosion, and help the soil retain water” (Lewis,1990,pg 60). Using agroforestry is a much more sustainable practice than conventional farming (slash and burn techniques) because the forest is kept as a resource that can help facilitate the growth of agricultural products.

Conclusion
This paper has demonstrated that deforestation is a worldwide phenomenon. The issue of deforestation is multifaceted because there are several reasons why rainforest is destroyed. These reasons range from the exploitation of the forest for its wood products, to the slash and burn techniques of peasant farmers who are trying to survive.

There are many consequences of rainforest destruction, many negative results come from the loss of such a valuable natural resource. Not only do plants and animals become endangered and extinct, but rainforest destruction has far-reaching effects such as contributing to the global warming phenomena.

However, one should not lose hope. Although deforestation is occurring on a worldwide basis, there are several viable solutions to the destruction of tropical forests. Some of these solutions include population management, global treaties and agreements, the use of agroforestry and community based education and conservation efforts.

Only the combined efforts of nations and its peoples will help make a significant impact on reducing the rate of rainforest destruction occurring. In the past agreements and treaties have been adopted to help protect the world’s rainforests. However, only a concerted effort and global dedication will prevent the complete decimation and destruction of the rainforests upon which the planet so desperately depen
This use of land has a negative impact on the rainforests because so much is being converted to monoculture plots of land. “Small-scale farming is another major cause of tropical deforestation. In fact, small-scale farmers clear about half the total rainforest lost each year” . Farming has a negative impact on the rainforest’s ability to survive. However, ranching is also detrimental.





Ranching:



Cattle ranching has multiple negative effects to both the environment and the people living in it. For example, cattle ranching “intensifies deforestation by forcing peasant farmers into the rainforest to seek new land to farm when they are evicted by ranchers who want to convert their farmland to pasture” .

Cattle ranching is also negative because it “causes the land to decline in quality as the soil becomes depleted of nutrients. In fact, land cleared from rainforests generally supports cattle for only three to seven years before it deteriorates beyond recovery . Just as the farmers do, the ranchers use the land until all the nutrients are gone. This makes it difficult for new flora to grow back.

One of the factors that allows cattle ranching to destroy rainforests is that “rainforest ranchers have relied on government subsidies and international loans, which make cattle ranching artificially profitable…Rainforest governments have also supported cattle ranching with land giveaways, tax breaks, and free technical assistance. Without this support, rainforest ranching would lose much of its appeal” .

With such assistance and support from the government, cattle ranchers have no incentive to give up such a profitable business.

Poverty and economic debt:



When people are not able to forge a living from the rainforest by farming, cattle ranching, or by other means they are forced into poverty. “To obtain a subsistence-level existence, rural populations are forced to ‘mine’ the forest; they remove forest products or clear forest for agriculture faster than the resource can renew itself ” . In their desperation to live, poor people have no choice but to turn to the forests for survival. In doing so, they destroy the natural sources on which they so desperately depend.

With poverty comes debt. When poor people or countries do not have enough money to improve their way of life on their own, they turn to other sources to provide the capital necessary to improve their way of life. However by doing so, the countries put themselves in debt. “The $1.3 trillion of accumulated debt owed by developing countries has… led to unsustainable development priorities. The need to generate export earnings to pay foreign debt is a problem faced by nearly all developing countries…”

.

It is not a surprise that developing countries want to improve their way of life. In order to do so,

“developing countries borrow money to develop their resources and improve their general standard of living. To pay off the debt that accumulates from that borrowing, countries are forced to pursue rapid and often destructive growth…Frequently, the justification for economic expansion into the forests is based on gaining short-term profits to fund the debt and doesn’t take into account the long-term ecological impact of forest clearing” .



It is unfortunate that countries are in a position in which they depend on the destruction of their natural resources in order to pay back debts. The countries want to improve their standard of living but they are destroying valuable natural resources in the process.

Population growth:



“There are those who play down the seriousness of world population growth…what they fail to realize is that population growth must be regarded as a global problem” . The growing number of people on Earth is worldwide problem, “populations continue to grow at an uncontrolled rate in most Third World nations. These nations are the custodians of the world’s tropical rain forests, and they look on their forests as the most immediate and most promising source of desperately needed income” .

As a result of increasing populations and people’s dependency on the rainforests for their livelihood, much rainforest is being cleared each year. Increasing populations only add pressure to the rainforest’s ability to survive without being negatively impacted by the people who depend on it for a living.

Examples of rainforest destruction around the world

Rainforest destruction occurs on a worldwide basis. This section takes a look at tropical forests in the United States and the ways in which humans are negatively impacting them. “U.S. tropical forests are found on four groups of islands: Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa…Today, the biggest threats are land development, urbanization and intensive recreational development” .

Hawaii:

Hawaii’s richness of species is described as follows, “no other place on Earth…has a higher percentage of endemic plant and animal species [than Hawaii]…Almost 100 percent of Hawaii’s invertebrate species and nearly 90 percent of its birds and flowering plants are endemic” .

Humans have managed to negatively impact Hawaii’s forests and the species that live in them. As a result, “human encroachment has turned Hawaii into the endangered-species capital of the United States .

However, hope for the preservation of Hawaii’s natural beauty and riches should not be given up, “Hawaii’s four national parks…provide excellent opportunities to save what is left of the state’s biological diversity. Because of their level of endemism is high- the four parks include examples of 76 native natural communities, 42 percent of all those found in Hawaii” . Thus, the national parks are a good opportunity to save rainforests and other vital habitat from being overexploited and destroyed by the impacts of humans.

Puerto Rico:

Most of Puerto Rico’s forests have “been cleared for agriculture, housing, and other development”. The result of such actions

in Puerto Rico “has placed hundreds of native species in danger of extinction. Most of the remaining virgin forest is contained in the Caribbean National Forest”

.

Other contributing factors to rainforest destruction in Puerto Rico include the “construction of communication facilities atop the highest peaks in the Central Cordillera [which] has disturbed the cloud forest ecosystem. Today at least two endemic plant species, the elfin tree fern and Cook’s holly, have been pushed to the brink of extinction” .

In order to counteract the various factors that contribute to rainforest destruction in Puerto Rico, the commonwealth should be encouraged “to establish nature centers at representative regions of the island within its forest system in order to draw attention to the importance of the island’s native tropical forests” .



The U.S. Virgin Islands:

Rainforest destruction in the U.S. Virgin Islands has made it difficult for the forests to grow back. This is because “the islands were largely deforested in past centuries when plantations grew sugar, cotton, and other crops and raised cattle. Some of the forests grew back in the twentieth century, but now the construction of homes and resort developments threatens both forested hills and coastal areas” . The prospect for development and construction now threatens the small amount of forest that has been able to grow back from prior exploitation.

A way to alleviate the negative effects that humans have had on the rainforests is to, “create a territorial park system for numerous native habitats of wet and dry tropical forests and other biologically, scenically, and recreationally important lands” .

American Samoa:

The American Samoa is rich with rainforests because it “supports five distinct types of rainforest that stretch from sea to mountaintop: coastal, lowland, montane, ridge, and cloud” .

A way to ensure that those forests are able to survive in the future is to engage in

“Proper management and additional conservation efforts in…designated areas [which] will help ensure the continued survival of the rainforests of American Samoa. We must act quickly if we are to protect these natural treasures and stop the loss of biological diversity” .

The preservation of the United State’s tropical forests can serve as an example to other countries. “The preservation of…our tropical forests in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, can illustrate the importance of long-term ecological values over short-term economic gain” .

Amazon:



“Brazil’s Amazonia contains half of the world’s tropical rainforest. Thus, it is an invaluable asset to the world. Once the Amazonian rainforest is destroyed it “probably would not regrow. Cutting the entire forest would severely alter the climate in the Amazon Basin, causing temperatures to rise and precipitation levels to fall- a shift that would severely hinder development of new rain forest…A complete and rapid destruction of the Amazon tropical forest could be irreversible” .

The Amazon supports many people, who depend on it for their livelihood. In addition to supporting humans, “Brazil’s Amazon Basin has a million animal and plant species, including 1,800 bird species and 2,000 fish species. Of all the tropical rain forest areas, Amazonia is the largest single genetic reservoir” . The destruction of the Amazon would be devastating to the countless plant and animal species that depend on it for survival.

In determining ways to prevent the destruction of tropical rainforest it is important to identify the causes of destruction. “Most deforestation in the Amazon is not caused by logging, but rather by the expansion of pasture for cattle and…agriculture…Clearance of forest for cattle ranching is unquestionably the most important factor in current deforestation” . As was discussed earlier in the paper, cattle ranching is a very profitable business and the Amazon is ripe with rainforests, which cattle ranchers exploit.

Results of rainforest destruction
Plant and animal extinction:

The detrimental impacts that humans have on the rainforests have effects on the rainforest as well as the many plant and animal species within it, “There is still no complete inventory of the world’s animals or those of the rainforest. The dramatic destruction of the planet’s forests has led to the extinction of many animals and plants species that were never scientifically documented or described.”

.

The rate of species extinction is high, “Recent studies estimate that tropical deforestation wipes out 17,000 species of plants and animals per year- species that exist nowhere else. That’s about 48 species made extinct every day, or two an hour” .

Plant species extinction:

“What makes rainforests so valuable and so biologically intriguing is not what we know about them, but what we don’t” . Humans have only scratched the surface in terms of discovering and understanding the wealth of flora that exists in the rainforests. “Fewer than 1 percent of tropical forest species have even been studied for their potential usefulness”.

Humans are obliterating the rainforests at a faster rate than scientists can analyze the plant species that exist there. Rainforests provide “a wide range of useful plant resources that have traditionally satisfied the basic needs of its inhabitants…Much of this plant wealth is still unexplored, but the rainforest’s vast potential as a storehouse of plant biodiversity is now being recognized” .

Animal species extinction:

Animals are also being threatened by human’s encroachment into the rainforests. When animals are not threatened by extinction they are able to better survive, this is becaus
e, “by being able to draw upon a vast and varied gene pool, species can adapt and reproduce in response to environmental pressures such as changing climatic conditions and disease” .

Many animals are in fact threatened by the destruction of the rainforests in which they live, as a result, “the planet’s gene pool is suffering huge losses as habitat destruction pushes more and more species over the brink of extinction” .

Climate change:

Rainforests are important because they effect the weather that we experience. “Rainforests…play an essential role in our weather. Forested areas absorb solar energy, helping to drive the circulation of the atmosphere. The phenomenon affects wind and rainfall patterns worldwide” .

Forests act as regulators of weather and climate. “Tropical forests play a significant role in the regulation of the climate. The immense expanse of vegetation cycles large quantities of water, thereby influencing global climate as well as local and regional precipitation and temperature” (Lewis,1990, pg 32). Any destruction that humans inflict upon rainforests could in turn affect the weather in a way that would negatively impact humans. An example of a way in which tropical rainforest destruction influences climate is that,

“The ever increasing burning of fossil fuels by factories and the mushrooming world population are at the root of the [global] warming trend. Until…industrial nations began overloading the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, about half remained in the atmosphere and the remaining 50 percent was absorbed by the oceans and forests, especially the tropical forests… ‘it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the destruction of the forests of the world is adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere at a rate comparable to the rate of release for the combustion of fossil fuels’ ” .



Loss of indigenous cultures:

Modern people’s encroachment upon indigenous cultures has had a detrimental effect on their way of life. “indigenous tribal people are facing increasing pressure as the impact of the ‘modern world’ spreads to the most remote reaches of the rainforests. No tribal community is free from the risk of destruction, either by annihilation or assimilation” (Lewis,1990, pg 26).

According to one source, “approximately 250 million indigenous people live in 70 countries and control 12 to 19 percent of the earth’s land…Because of deforestation, many indigenous cultures and the very lives of indigenous people have been threatened over the past several decades” . The fact that deforestation has had such a negative impact on indigenous cultures is unfortunate because

“indigenous peoples are an irreplaceable resource. They can teach us about medicinal and edible plants, farming and irrigation methods, and ways to protect crops from disease and insects” .

Global warming:

The dynamics of deforestation and its effects on global warming are summarized as follows: “The destruction and burning of tropical rainforests contribute to the buildup of carbon in the atmosphere. The living plant matter in tropical forests stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise remain it the atmosphere and add to the greenhouse effect. When rainforests are cleared…the trees and vegetation are burned or left to decay emit carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere” .

Tropical deforestation is a concern is because it “contributes up to 30 percent of all the carbon dioxide human beings add to the atmosphere, as well as unknown amounts of methane and nitrous oxide. These gases add to global warming, which threatens agriculture and the quality of life worldwide” .

Solutions to rainforest destruction
Biosphere Reserves:

A biosphere reserve is best described as follows:

“Biosphere reserves have an established core protected area, where no development or activities that would harm biodiversity are permitted; outside that lies an area, called a buffer zone, where some ecologically sustainable development is permitted, such as grazing, tourism, or sustainable logging; and surrounding that lies a broader region where local residents, scientists, and others can work together to develop eco-friendly growth”.



Biosphere reserves prevent deforestation by protecting rainforests that would other wise be exploited. In addition, they have a multi-use component that allows land to be used without destruction or damage to the rain forest.

Sustainable Development:

Sustainable development is defined as: “ ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ .

Sustainable development allows the forests to be utilized at a rate that does not threaten the future survival of the forests. “The rainforest cannot be kept apart from the dynamics of the world economy, and this is probably not desirable anyway…the protection of the equatorial rainforest depends on adequate management, that is to say, the application of ecologically rational and socially equitable measures. This is the basis for the concept of sustainable development” .Encourage forest for debt exchanges (otherwise know as debt-for-nature swaps):

An example of a successful debt-for-nature swap was when “Conservation International bought $650,000 of Bolivia’s debt for $100,000. Then, in exchange for a promise from the debtor country to set aside rainforest as a natural reserve, the group holding the debt agrees to forgive the obligation”. This swap was a success because it enabled the rainforest to be saved, while eliminating Bolivia’s debt. This was a win-win situation.

International treaties and agreements to preserve rainforests:



CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) protects some species of plants and animals that have become threatened with extinction due to deforestation. An example is “the Brazilian rosewood…which is on the brink of extinction in the last areas of the Mata Atlantica… The trade and export of this wood has been banned in Brazil since the 1970’s, in accordance with …CITES” . CITES can be used as a tool to protect both plants and animals and in the process, the forests they inhabit care also protected.

In addition to CITES, an assessment of rainforests was made and a plan to preserve forests was made,

“The UN Development Programme and the UN Food and Agricultural Organization made an assessment of tropical forests and along with the World Bank and the World Resources Institute developed a Tropical Forestry Action Plan that was implemented in 1985. I t received strong support from at least eighty national governments representing 90 percent of the tropical forest area” .



Another example is a summit that was arranged to protect the climate and biodiversity,

“The Earth Summit, convened in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, representatives of more than 150 national governments attended…During the summit, participants signed documents that included treaties on climate change and biodiversity, a statement of principles on general environmental protection (the ‘Rio Declaration’), and a Statement of Forest Principles, the first global agreement on the importance of forests and policies conserving them”.



The statement of forest principles that was developed at the summit is an illustration of the steps that have been taken to conserve forests world wide.

Population control in developing countries:

Increasing population has a negative impact on the rainforest’s ability to survive because there are too many people exploiting the rainforest and its resources. “Perhaps one of the most effective investments that could be made in tropical countries to prevent deforestation is to fund access to birth control throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America”. Population growth will result in a slower increase in the amount of people who will depend on the rainforests to survive.

Ecotourism:

It is important to preserve the rainforests because they can be used to attract wealthy people, who give money to the developing areas in which rainforests occur.

“Carefully controlled tourism may provide essential income for rainforest countries without exerting excessive pressure on the environment. Some projects ensure that the local people benefit from tourism and that profits are used to improve conservation management…It has been shown, especially in Africa, that local people in rural areas are willing to protect wildlife resources that provide a clear economic benefits for their community” .



Ecotourism has a dual purpose of providing economic benefits while at the same time functioning to conserve rainforests.







Community-Based Conservation:

In a way, community-based conservation and ecotourism are linked. Both approaches incorporate the preservation of rainforest and land, which has beneficial results for the people involved as well as for the viability of the rainforest.

“Community-based conservation is known as Integrated Conservation and Development Projects…The objective of these projects is to protect and manage ecosystems in ways that involve and benefit residents who live nearby…The theory is that if people have alternative and reliable sources of income…they will no longer need or want to take resources unsustainably”.



Environmental Education:

Education and conservation go hand in hand. Without the education to know that conservation is crucial, people would not realize how vital it is to their survival to keep the rainforest intact.

“Environmental education and public awareness are key to any successful conservation campaign…Changing human behavior is the only way to improve the global environment-or prevent its collapse. And the way to change human behavior is thorough education….conservationists agree that education and awareness are fundamental building blocks for progress toward sustainable use of the planet’s natural resources” .



Agroforestry:



Agroforestry is another way people can avoid engaging in rainforest destruction. Agroforestry “combines techniques of agriculture and forestry on a single plot of land; a farmer plants trees in the same fields as food crops… Appropriate tree species can shelter food crops and animals from the wind and sun, enrich the soil, prevent erosion, and help the soil retain water” . Using agroforestry is a much more sustainable practice than conventional farming (slash and burn techniques) because the forest is kept as a resource that can help facilitate the growth of agricultural products.

Conclusion
This paper has demonstrated that deforestation is a worldwide phenomenon. The issue of deforestation is multifaceted because there are several reasons why rainforest is destroyed. These reasons range from the exploitation of the forest for its wood products, to the slash and burn techniques of peasant farmers who are trying to survive.

There are many consequences of rainforest destruction, many negative results come from the loss of such a valuable natural resource. Not only do plants and animals become endangered and extinct, but rainforest destruction has far-reaching effects such as contributing to the global warming phenomena.

However, one should not lose hope. Although deforestation is occurring on a worldwide basis, there are several viable solutions to the destruction of tropical forests. Some of these solutions include population management, global treaties and agreements, the use of agroforestry and community based education and conservation efforts.

Only the combined efforts of nations and its peoples will help make a significant impact on reducing the rate of rainforest destruction occurring. In the past agreements and treaties have been adopted to help protect the world’s rainforests. However, only a concerted effort and global dedication will prevent the complete decimation and destruction of the rainforests upon which the planet so desperately depend.[/B]

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eto, magandang picture din :)
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/davaogirl.jpg

dinabaw I like to quote my father who was an active environmentalist all the way up to his death and tried to live like he "preached". He said that if we do not take care of our nature , nature won´t take care of us. He also use to talk about chief Seattle the indian chief in Northwest America who said among alot of statements that all people of the earth are important and are an important part in a big interaction and like a big weave creates and weaves the pattern of this world, it is up to us what this pattern will look like and as we treat the world it will treat us. Pappa spoke also about the importance to treat each other with great respect and recognize all of us on this globe as important with a special talent or talents given by God that can be used for positive changes and developements in this world. He talked alot about our personal responsibility and that we all have to take important choices both in big and small matters in our lives that hopefully are for the better of the world. I miss my pappa alot, but am so happy he was my pappa and I will do my best to carry on his lifeviews and wishes for the world. One of my close to my heart projects is to work for the rights of women and fight all kind of abuses towards them the best I can, together with pappas nature projects and environmental work. With a consious mind we can do alot all of us if we just try alittle harder. God Bless, and my prayers for my father who was a great man in a big world.

crown regency... pwede mo i-date dito yang girl na yan, kung maswerte ka hehe
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/crown2.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/crown1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/crown3.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/crown4.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/crown5.jpg

pero kung dito mo dalhin, ibang usapan na yan :)

prince court...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt3.jpg

prince court rooms and beds...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt2.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt4.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt5.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt6.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt7.jpg

Yeah min askling your pappa is very right , "if we don't care about our nature , nature won't take care of us" . We can feel natures wrath now, the ozone hole , tsunami , unpredictable typhoon and of course global warming !! your pappa is a true environmentalist.

sticky sticky sticky

congrats davao thread... sticky na.

yups, that was 1992. i can attest to that as i was with victoria plaza then. part ng soft opening promo namin ito.

^^ good day to all!

i found google pics of victoria plaza circa 1996 if i'm not mistaken... although the cam date suggests '92.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/vict1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/vict2.jpg

naalala ko ang opening ng victoria plaza noon, halos hindi ka na makahinga sa dami ng tao hehe, at ang kanilang 6 cinemas, wow the best at that time. at allowed pa ang tao dumaan dyan sa parang balkonahe sa 2nd floor sa labas tulad nyang sa picture. one concert yung smokey mountain hindi nagkasya sa atrium na may fountain pa noon, ginawa ng management doon sila sa 2nd floor outside at ang mga tao transfer sa parking park. hehehe jologs pa tayo noon...

Abi nako murag naa'y ampitheatre sa Victoria sadto, kanus-a lang nawala ang ana?

pero kung dito mo dalhin, ibang usapan na yan :)

prince court...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt1.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt3.jpg

prince court rooms and beds...
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt2.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt4.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt5.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt6.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f142/kododoy/princecourt7.jpg


TEKA TEKA..eh kinuha mo ata mga pics nng nag check in ka sa prince court eh! LOLs bilib din ako sa yo..mag check in ka na lang SSC pa rin nasa isip mo. :D

anyway, have you tried La vida na?

OOOOOOHHHH those victoria plaza pics..definetely the mall closest to my heart dami memories jan lalo na nung high school days ko..i hope one day i renovate to and bring it back to its old glory...wag naman sana itong tuluyan imag deteriorate

(SM...Robinsons..Ayala..anyone... saklolohan nyo naman ang Victoria..bahala na i rename nyo..buhayin nyo lang)

@ berniemack

the amphitheatre was re-done around 1998..

nagparamdam lang!

Abi nako murag naa'y ampitheatre sa Victoria sadto, kanus-a lang nawala ang ana?

i think towards the late 90s. probably for the reason of wanting to earn for every square foot of the whole mall.

^^ abi ko bad feng shui daw? it was a good place to relax or watch shows pa naman..wasnt eat bulaga held there once or was it Apo Hiking noontime show? (what was the show called again?)

^^ abi ko bad feng shui daw? it was a good place to relax or watch shows pa naman..wasnt eat bulaga held there once or was it Apo Hiking noontime show? (what was the show called again?)

Little Miss Philippines, nahinumduma ko pa na. Around 1997 i Think

BUHAYIN ANG VICTORIA PLAZA!!! hehe

^^ abi ko bad feng shui daw? it was a good place to relax or watch shows pa naman..wasnt eat bulaga held there once or was it Apo Hiking noontime show? (what was the show called again?)


they would probably call it bad fengshui but it all ends up to you know what. i remember robert was kind of devotee of fengshui. he hired somebody known in the fengshui circles to analyze victoria plaza's "vibes". it ended up daming denimolish na mga rooms/divisions dahil nga bad fengshui. that could have cost him hundreds of thousands or millions. talagang malaking damage. if it was (amphitheatre) bad fengshui, then surely that fengshui guy could have seen in that time (mid92). that could have dramatically altered the mall.

^^ he should have taken the feng shui guys fee back..di naman nag work pag fen ghui nya eh..personally i thik the one thing that contributed to VPs demise was the fact na sobrang lapad ng hallway nya..tapos the layout was more of a wider store front and less depth (unlike most mall na less storefront width and more depth) konti lang kasi nagkasya na stores sa VP because of this layout...

Ergo, was it fengshui that caused Victoria's demise or was it the management?

well if the feng shui was effective..then it wouldnt have had any troubles (inc. management) :P

i'd say part of it was bad management. just think of this, taga-alaga sa imong mga manok (pangsabong) himoon nimog isa sa imong mga managers? that is what happened there. there were people that shouldn't have been there in the first place. add the maneuverings of the investors themselves wanting to put their own people.

One World, One Well
How Populations Can Grow on a Finite Water Supply
By Jill Boberg

Jill Boberg is an environmental policy analyst and a RAND consultant.

Watershed destructions
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2374/02flashjammer1alk9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/4527/summitcreek12suz0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Example of contaminated water from a recently destroyed wateshed (once the water is crystal clear.)
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2645/bottlesny2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Earth is called the water planet, as water covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, with additional water lying in glaciers, icecaps, the atmosphere, and underground aquifers. However, very little of this water is available for human use. Of the 1.4 billion cubic kilometers of water on Earth, only a tiny fraction of it — 200,000 cubic kilometers, or just 0.014 percent — is fresh water accessible for human needs, including water for the ecosystems on which humans depend.

The availability of fresh water has become a pressing global concern because of unprecedented growth in the human population. The demand for naturally recycled fresh water continues to grow while the supply remains all but fixed. The greatest growth in demand is occurring in developing countries, which have the fewest natural, social, and economic resources to meet it.

The proliferation of smaller households may do more environmental damage than does simple population growth.
To avert a global water crisis, local and national water managers need to understand the effects of demographic factors on water demand and institute reforms to help people safeguard the water supply. Some policy tools can help reduce demand, while others can help augment the supply available for human use. Equally important is revamping the governance of many water systems.

Demand by Sector and Population
Agriculture accounts for nearly 70 percent of all the fresh water used worldwide (see Figure 1). Industry accounts for about 20 percent. Domestic uses account for the remaining 10 percent. But the relative proportions of water withdrawn by each sector differ considerably from continent to continent. The dominance of agriculture tends to decline with higher levels of industrialization.

The world’s changing demographics will have a strong effect on the Earth’s freshwater supply. Population expansion, household contraction, urbanization, and economic development will all increase the amount of water withdrawn and influence the quality of water available.

Figure 1 — Agriculture Accounts for Nearly 70 Percent of Annual Freshwater Usage Worldwide


Figure 2 — Population Growth Has an Enormous Influence on Water Availability

The tripling of the human population in the past 70 years has been accompanied by a sixfold increase in water withdrawals. Of greater concern, the number of households worldwide has increased at a rate even faster than that of population growth — the result of lower fertility rates, higher divorce rates, aging populations, and a decline in multigenerational family units.

The proliferation of smaller households may do more environmental damage than does simple population growth. Per capita, smaller households consume more water and produce more waste than do larger households. By requiring more housing units, smaller households also consume more construction materials and contribute to urban sprawl. Urban sprawl damages water quality by paving over land that would otherwise help filter the water that replenishes lakes and rivers.

Increasing urbanization is both a symptom and a cause of strained water supplies. When farmers migrate to cities, it is often because of deforestation, desertification, drought, or lack of arable land. Migration to cities inflicts several negative consequences on urban water resources: depleting municipal water supplies, generating more waste than the surrounding environment can absorb, contaminating local groundwater, and ultimately requiring waterborne sanitation systems that alone increase the demand for fresh water by about 40 liters per capita per day.

In terms of economic development, industrialized countries use more water per capita than do developing countries to run industry, grow food, produce electricity, and process waste. People in industrialized countries also demand more water-intensive products and services.

Supply by Region
Much of the world’s water lies far from population centers. A large percentage of the water is found in the Amazon basin, Canada, and Alaska. About three-quarters of annual rainfall comes down in areas where less than one-third of the world’s population lives. And because rainfall and river runoffs occur in very large amounts in very short time periods, many people cannot make use of most of the world’s freshwater supply.

Figure 2 shows both the large variation across continents in the availability of “blue water” (the annually renewable supply of fresh water that can be tapped without leading to its depletion) and the effect of population on availability. The two extreme cases are Asia and Australia/Oceania. Asia has the highest total water availability but the lowest per-capita availability, whereas the opposite holds true for Australia/Oceania because of its lower total population.

Figure 3 gives a clearer picture, showing the per-capita renewable water supply by river basin. Looking again at Australia, it is clear that some areas — the most populated areas — have large per capita supplies of water, whereas other parts of the continent, where very few people live, have very small per-capita supplies of water. In Asia, although the continent as a whole has relatively low per-capita water availability, some areas are quite well endowed with water


WATER: The BLUE GOLD of the 21st CENTURY
Maude Barlow

It has suddenly become clear that humanity is actually destroying the world's freshwater supplies. In fact, the world is running out of clean water.

One of the most pressing and urgent new struggles on the international ecological front revolves around the future of the world's freshwater resources. Until very recently, most environmentalists and activists who were dealing with issues concerning water were unconcerned about the political question of the ownership of water. There seemed to be an abundant supply of freshwater around the world, even if it was unevenly distributed. Most concerns centred on water quality-toxic dumping, destruction of wetlands, industrial pollution-or water equity-the lack of access to clean water in the Third World. In both cases, pressure was placed on governments to stop the destruction of water systems and relieve the suffering of the poor. In both cases, it was assumed that there was water for all if governments fulfilled their responsibility. The notion that water itself would become a major bone of contention was non-existent.

In the last decade, however, two new developments have changed everything. The first is that it has suddenly become clear that humanity is actually destroying the world's freshwater supplies. In fact, the world is running out of clean water. We are polluting, diverting and depleting the wellspring of life at an astonishing rate. With every passing day, our demand for fresh water outpaces its availability, and thousands more people are put at risk. Already, the social, political and economic impacts of water scarcity are rapidly becoming a destabilizing force, with water-related conflicts springing up around the globe. Quite simply, unless we dramatically change our ways, between one-half and two-thirds of humanity will be living with severe freshwater shortages within the next quarter-century.
The second development is, as a result of the new scarcity of accessible fresh water sources, water is becoming the "Blue Gold" of the 21st century-a precious commodity that will determine the fate of nations and societies. Suddenly, the private sector has become intensely interested in the future of water and is moving in to take control of this finite and depleting resource. This should come as no surprise, for the knowledge of this looming water crisis comes in an era guided by the principles of the so-called Washington Consensus, a model of economics rooted in the belief that market economics constitutes the one and only choice for the whole world. Unlimited growth is the driving mantra of our time. And nation states are ruthlessly exploiting their water supplies to stay competitive.

Faced with the suddenly well-documented fresh water crisis, governments and international financial institutions are advocating a Washington Consensus solution: the privatization and commodification of water. Price water, they say in chorus; put it up for sale and let the market determine its future. For them, the debate is closed. Water, says the World Bank, is a "human need" not a "human right." These are not semantics; the difference in interpretation is crucial. A human need can be supplied in many ways, especially by those with money. No one can sell or trade a human right.

And so, a handful of transnational corporations, backed by the World Bank and the World Trade Organization, are aggressively taking over the management of public water services in countries around the world, dramatically raising the price of water to local residents and profiting especially from the Third World's desperate search for solutions to its water crisis. Their agenda is clear: Water should be treated like any other tradable good, with its use determined by the principles of profit.

Recently, a civil society movement has sprung into action to reclaim the world's water for nature and people. Based on the twin foundations of conservation and social justice, this movement is working furiously to stop the corporate theft of the earth's lifeblood. The political question of the ownership of water is shaping up to be one of the great contests of our time.

Re: The Davao Green Park plan, I hope they could make a more attractive fountain in the center that could rival Singapore's Fountain at Suntec Center. I've been there and it was spectacular. At night during weekends, movies/videos or light shows are being projected onto the water giving unique entertainment to citizens and tourists alike. It could come in the shape of a huge durian, or something. LoL.

bro ur back!

^^ a davaosale guy like me!

4 posts to go and im off to post# 666 BWAHAHAHAHAHA..

Thank You Aaron!

MAGLEV = Magnetic Levitation System that has applications among other things in Rapid Transport Systems approaching past aircraft speed and sound wave. Magnets and Electromagnets make these transport suspended to aboout between 3-6 inches in height and does not touch any metals, hence very fast. It is powered by magnetic propulsion systems with varying designs.

Thanks! I had an inkling that it has something to do with magnets and transpo but didn't get what it stood for.

naga Dsale pud diay ka?hehe, kinsa ka did2? im wway625 did2, basi diay nakapalit na ko items sa imo.what do you sell ba?

I'm "selling" services (tutorials, seminars, coaching), not products.

Regarding the visit of the Chinese Ambassador, here are some updates!

Envoy eyes more Chinese investors, tourists to Davao Source (http://mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=511&Itemid=50)


Impressed by "Davao's safety, security and cleanliness," visiting Chinese Ambassador Li Jinjun said he will introduce the city not only to more Chinese investors but also to tourists. Li made the pronouncement while meeting Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan in a courtesy call Monday at the city mayor’s office.

The ambassador, who first passed by Zamboanga in his first visit to Mindanao, is in town to meet Davao's Filipino-Chinese community and to “see for himself the local economic and security situation in the city.”

Speaking through an interpreter, Li said many Chinese businessmen wanted to invest in Mindanao but are worried by the negative reports they have heard.

But he said his visit will change the wrong impression his countrymen harbor. “I am impressed with this beautiful city,” Li told Bonguyan.

"Davao is safer and more secure than Manila," Li said.

He said many businessmen from mainland China are waiting for results of his visit so they could start exploring the possibility of investing in Davao.

He cited Davao’s role in the future of economic development in Mindanao and the country. He said they are willing to cooperate in the BIMP-East Asia Growth Area “where Davao plays a big role.”

Li said a group of businessmen are eyeing to put up an industrial park in Davao City.

He also cited a plan to encourage more Chinese airlines to establish direct routes to Davao as his country has a lot of tourists wanting to come.

Bonguyan said even if Davao gets only a small percentage of the Chinese tourists, it would already be good enough, considering that Chinese tourists reach millions.

The vice mayor said Davao is exerting efforts to establish sisterhood ties with Naning, China. The Naning mayor visited Davao last April. It was in Naning where the Asean China Expo 2004 was held last year where a Mindanao delegation was sent.

Bonguyan told Li the Filipino-Chinese community in Davao plays a big part in the city’s economy, with many of them in control of many industries.

He also announced the approval of the city ordinance detailing the creation the city’s Chinatown district to “give more importance to the culture and the role of the Filipino-Chinese community” in Davao.

Same sentiments here. If there are skirmishes in Lanao, they'd call it Giyera sa Mindanao- really irresponsibe! It's not even only ABS who's guilty, even GMA makes the same stupid mistakes all the time.

I think Mindanao LGUs should work out a plan to quash this. One way could be to enforce a law whereby serious penalties would be slapped to erring stations.

I have written (http://politics.alleba.com/2004/08/23/thanks-but-no-thanks/) and have in fact argued and debated with a lot of people about this. I hope that the LGU's of Mindanao seriously do something about this. If it were up to me, I'd file a class suit against the media, for slander and misrepresentation leading to economic sabotage, or something like that.

^^ why dont we come up with something so that the media will eahr our sentiments? lets get the help of the forumers from CDO too..hand in hand we can get heard..

^^ why dont we come up with something so that the media will eahr our sentiments? lets get the help of the forumers from CDO too..hand in hand we can get heard..

hmmmm...that's tough! I think we can't stop the press. Mindanao is not only the victim, even the whole country itself. Or make that the whole Southeast Asia region....

I wish there is something that we can do....but in reality, we are helpless....Press would always cling on "FREEDOM OF SPEECH". :)

san ganun din ang china town!

I really think the local gov't is going to have a hard time aethetically developing Chinatown. But I think it's possible. Anyway, Manila's chinatown is not really pleasing on the eyes rin naman. It's just really bustling with activity, with temples, food establishments, etc.

F*ck the press...ilang beses na rin akong nag reklamo to no avail..if we get the help of our LGUs or something then i think its possible..i hope konsehal reads this..

hmmmm...that's tough! I think we can't stop the press. Mindanao is not only the victim, even the whole country itself. Or make that the whole Southeast Asia region....

I wish there is something that we can do....but in reality, we are helpless....Press would always cling on "FREEDOM OF SPEECH". :)

Freedom of Speech does not imply irresponsible / lousy / lazy journalism.

F*ck the press...ilang beses na rin akong nag reklamo to no avail..if we get the help of our LGUs or something then i think its possible..i hope konsehal reads this..

But lately, Ive read a number of good reviews about Davao from the press.

davao lang man..what about the rest of mindanao?

davao lang man..what about the rest of mindanao?

Oh well...as what everyone says "Development of Davao is development of the whole of Mindanao". That's our role. :)

I'm not being selfish or something...We can't fix the whole image of Mindanao just like that! But if we get to boost Davao.......the effect will not only be in Davao but sa buong island din. Havent u noticed it?

im just pissed off with some non-mindanaoans see mindanao..i hear stuff like when a policeman in MM is bulay-ig "ipapatapon cya sa mindanao" stuff like that.or how they would equate mindanao to backwardness and poverty..not that im attacking Metro Manila people, but many of them are ignorant in Phil geography..someone even asked me if davao was near bacolod..duh

Oh well...as what everyone says "Development of Davao is development of the whole of Mindanao". That's our role. :)

I'm not being selfish or something...We can't fix the whole image of Mindanao just like that! But if we get to boost Davao.......the effect will not only be in Davao but sa buong island din. Havent u noticed it?

I agree. Medyo mahirap tulungan ibang places kung tayo mismo, struggling.

btw, belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D

im just pissed off with some non-mindanaoans see mindanao..i hear stuff like when a policeman in MM is bulay-ig "ipapatapon cya sa mindanao" stuff like that.or how they would equate mindanao to backwardness and poverty..not that im attacking Metro Manila people, but many of them are ignorant in Phil geography..someone even asked me if davao was near bacolod..duh


eh d bahala sila.....We don't live or lives for them!

I do understand your sentiments. I felt that way before too.... But now, I do not care at all. Coz everytime I see a newbie or a first time visitor in Davao, I love watching the way they drop their jaws in disbelief. I had a Manileño friend who visited sa Davao before....Unfortunately, I wasnt there to tour him up. A friend of mine (based in Davao) toured him. At first, nung nasa Manila pa sya, he said...gee ang boring sa Davao....this is the worst summer ever. He took a Cebu Pac flight. Eh paglapag ng plane sa Davao, airport terminal pa lang...nastartruck na sya! ehehehehhehe

Then he went sa MTS - and for him it looked like EastWood Libis daw, he also hanged out sa VENUE - for him it's like Malate or The Fort. Then Wheels and More Drive...na parang MetroWalk Ortigas daw!

See...kaya i really dont care kung anong sasabihin nung mga d pa nakapunta sa Davao. Ang importante, is that Davao would exceed their expectations!

Mas panget cguro kung grabeh yung publicity and when u arrive sa city..sasabihin nila na.."Oh eto lang pala yun?"

im just pissed off with some non-mindanaoans see mindanao..i hear stuff like when a policeman in MM is bulay-ig "ipapatapon cya sa mindanao" stuff like that.or how they would equate mindanao to backwardness and poverty..not that im attacking Metro Manila people, but many of them are ignorant in Phil geography..someone even asked me if davao was near bacolod..duh

Naku! Don't get me started with the ignorance of some MM people talaga... to think I met this people in a so-called exclusive college where intelligence is considered a requirement.

gravy_addict, my username in DSale is riajose, in case you're wondering.

Naku! Don't get me started with the ignorance of some MM people talaga... to think I met this people in a so-called exclusive college where intelligence is considered a requirement.

Hi Ria,

I had cousins who just recently (2 weeks ago) visited Davao for the very first time. They all grew up in Manila and are now New York-based. Their pre-conceived notions of Davao were all erased beginning with the airport. Yes, their jaws dropped. :)

I have written (http://politics.alleba.com/2004/08/23/thanks-but-no-thanks/) and have in fact argued and debated with a lot of people about this. I hope that the LGU's of Mindanao seriously do something about this. If it were up to me, I'd file a class suit against the media, for slander and misrepresentation leading to economic sabotage, or something like that.


that's more like it! I conjured up the same idea as this re: Class Suit. This could be an effective way to curb this perennial problem with the media.

yes its nice to hear that upon arriving here their notions are erased..but how many of those who have the negative image..or uninformed discriminative attitude actually get to visit here and have their judgement changed?

Hi Ria,

I had cousins who just recently (2 weeks ago) visited Davao for the very first time. They all grew up in Manila and are now New York-based. Their pre-conceived notions of Davao were all erased beginning with the airport. Yes, their jaws dropped. :)

i can just imagine. i think some people have been equating visayas and mindanao as a good source of household help. i am even pissed at my wife's friend calling her inday. while i am still trying to keep my cool, i am just counting days nya magkaleche-leche na. sorry kung o.t. na ni.

let them eat their notions of visayas and mindanao. or even include the all the other provinces outside m.m.'s universe. let them see what all these provinces have to offer then they'll say, boring ang m.m. sure, they have nightlife, so do we. sure they amenities, so do we. sooner or later, with all these developments, the migration will be reversed (actually it has already started).

eh d bahala sila.....We don't live or lives for them!

I do understand your sentiments. I felt that way before too.... But now, I do not care at all. Coz everytime I see a newbie or a first time visitor in Davao, I love watching the way they drop their jaws in disbelief. I had a Manileño friend who visited sa Davao before....Unfortunately, I wasnt there to tour him up. A friend of mine (based in Davao) toured him. At first, nung nasa Manila pa sya, he said...gee ang boring sa Davao....this is the worst summer ever. He took a Cebu Pac flight. Eh paglapag ng plane sa Davao, airport terminal pa lang...nastartruck na sya! ehehehehhehe

Then he went sa MTS - and for him it looked like EastWood Libis daw, he also hanged out sa VENUE - for him it's like Malate or The Fort. Then Wheels and More Drive...na parang MetroWalk Ortigas daw!

See...kaya i really dont care kung anong sasabihin nung mga d pa nakapunta sa Davao. Ang importante, is that Davao would exceed their expectations!

Mas panget cguro kung grabeh yung publicity and when u arrive sa city..sasabihin nila na.."Oh eto lang pala yun?"

Been to those places in Manila but Metrowalk in Ortigas. It must be one of those new developments just like GB4.

Anyways, a bit of a trivia here: The man behind the swanky Eastwood City (is it Gotianun or Gotengko) toured the MTS area in 1999 or 2000- man, he was awed by the place. He said to one of the tenants at MTS (who was my friend) that he was picking up good ideas for his plan at Eastwood City. Back then, EC was yet in the drawing board. Now, IMO, EC is THE best place to be in Manila. Awesome!

yes its nice to hear that upon arriving here their notions are erased..but how many of those who have the negative image..or uninformed discriminative attitude actually get to visit here and have their judgement changed?


Actually, more often than not, these "outsiders" become easy converts when they set foot on Davao. They really have this preconceived bad perspective about Mindanao and this all disintegrate into thin air even as they enter our spanking airport terminal.

Like a lot of my immigrant friends (formerly from Luzon including but not limited to Manila) they live and breathe their being transplanted Davaoenos now. They fight and stand for Davao if need be just like me. They live there now for the long haul. They can't even stand Manila anymore. They just love Davao so much that they have disposed of their properties in Manila and built their home in Davao.

ive a brit client/friend though who sold his house in the UK and is now having his house built here..says he wont trade davao for any place in the world....

ive a brit client/friend though who sold his house in the UK and is now having his house built here..says he wont trade davao for any place in the world....


A lot of these retirees from elsewhere in the world would say the same. Just visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/livingindavao/ and you will see there's a big number of them now living here and helping each other even those who are just testing the waters.

davao's population mix is probably like manila. you cannot probably meet a true blue native manilenyo, mostly now is nth generation. immigrants comprise the biggest chunk of davao's population. even the native dabawenyo speakers are now exclusive to a few families. what makes davao click? it's readiness to accept settlers from whereever they're from. we're not true bisaya, because our bisaya is very different from the rest. we're not tagalogs, because our tagalog is vastly different from manila's, mangled or whatever. sure, there's a springkling of ilonggos, warays, kapampangan, etc. but they also have added what is davao to their own dialect. yes, a lot have called it home, and a lot more will. davao will continue to evolve, and will be continue to be unique from the rest of other cities.

i remember a lot of tagalogs have even added man and gani to theirs just trying to sound local. even the bisayans adding a springkling of tagalogs to trying to sound uniquely davao.

^^ its a shame they trust living in davao than some of our kababayans...

^^ its a shame they trust living in davao than some of our kababayans...

I think it's plain and simple Gravy, those who shun Mindanao or Davao in particular are ill-informed and ignorant. As they say the truth of the pudding is in the eating and for sure they haven't even smelled our Durian yet. I don't take it against them for their lack of nice things to say about Davao-most of them haven't even travelled by plane how much more for an hour and a half flight to Davao. Throw in there the irresponsible journalism and that muddles the situation all the more. Those people feed on what is served by media and that is how they form their opinion in most cases.

The foreigners mostly are meticulous of sort- they investigate and painstakingly do their research before they decide which place to go or where to spend their dollars. They have the moolah and once they have all the vital infos in their hand, they'd pack up and off they go in a jiffy. This is what's happening in Davao-it's excellent record in a lot but not all things are it's prototype come-ons to the choosy, well-informed Davao-resident-wannabes in the world.

davao's population mix is probably like manila. you cannot probably meet a true blue native manilenyo, mostly now is nth generation. immigrants comprise the biggest chunk of davao's population. even the native dabawenyo speakers are now exclusive to a few families. what makes davao click? it's readiness to accept settlers from whereever they're from. we're not true bisaya, because our bisaya is very different from the rest. we're not tagalogs, because our tagalog is vastly different from manila's, mangled or whatever. sure, there's a springkling of ilonggos, warays, kapampangan, etc. but they also have added what is davao to their own dialect. yes, a lot have called it home, and a lot more will. davao will continue to evolve, and will be continue to be unique from the rest of other cities.

i remember a lot of tagalogs have even added man and gani to theirs just trying to sound local. even the bisayans adding a springkling of tagalogs to trying to sound uniquely davao.


Yeah, Davao City is not THE most cosmopolitan Philippine city for nothing.

hey gravy, are you a member of u.a.p or p.i.a.? my barkadas (archs seguido and alvarado are with p.i.a. while poldo sandoval is with u.a.p.)

UAP davao..hmm your friends are a lot older than me..hehe

poldo sandoval was UAP kadayawan's president last year..

UAP davao..hmm your friends are a lot older than me..hehe

hehehe, syempre, guwang na gud. how're these groups faring? my friends often complained that construction industry was bad (that was nearly 6 years ago). i hope that with all these projects, the architects are on the rebound.

its not as good as it was during ramos' term i guess (was a HS student then so i cant really say) anyway, yeah there are so-so projects here and there..nowadays its danny lim's fareast architects that have the most # i guess..so with elmo ferrazzini..

a close friend is omar payumo. i had my apprenticeship with him when i took my architecture in u.m. those times, si chiew ang kusog. lot's of projects. another probably was sulit. hope to see some architect-visionaries that can really change the face of architecture in davao, then surely, davao will be a must-see for visitors.

there was one who i considered a visionary - si filberto tero. we were neighbours sa panorama, and his house was radical. sayang wa kaayo napansin.

kusog man gihapon si boss (chiew)! :D

maayo. my mom during her college years worked for chiew (way back 50s). i dunno if he can still remember her (estrella).

What to do in Davao?

Courtesy of David Macaraeg of Living in Davao website.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/livingindavao/message/10672

1. Share jaw-dropping tales with Pangil, Philippines's largest
crocodile at the Crocodile Park.

2. Savor Davao's international cuisine and grilled tuna atop Davao's
tallest building - the Marco Polo Hotel.

3. Take a trip back in time to Mindanao's rich history at the Dabaw
Museum.

4. Dive among the wrecks at Samal Island - you might find sunken
treasure ... or the odd pearl.

5. Leaf through the many varieties of orchid at the Orchid Garden,
Malagos Garden Resort. Discover some of the Philippines unique flora.

These gardens feature, among others, the queen of Philippine orchids,
the "waling waling" or vanda sanderiana. The waling-waling is a rare,
exquisite bloom, considered by many to be the most beautiful in form
among all the Philippine orchids.

The more popular gardens are the Puentespina Orchid Garden along J.P.
Cabaguio Avenue in Davao City, the Yuhico Orchid Gardens in
Greenhills and the Derling Worldwide Orchid Corporation in Dumoy.

6. Make a visit to the rare monkey-eating Philippines eagle. The area
of Davao is also home to unique fauna and the Philippine Eagle Nature
Centre in Calinan breeds and cares for the endangered Philippine
Eagle or Pithecophaga jefferyi.

Once found in Luzon, Leyte, Samar and all of Mindanao, the Philippine
Eagle is now close to extinction, with its last remaining abode in
the Mount Apo range. It is one meter tall, weighs four to seven
kilograms and has a wing span of two meters. Formerly called the
Monkey-eating eagle, it feeds on flying lemurs, wild cats, flying
squirrels and monkeys.

The Philippine Eagle Nature Center is accessible from Davao City via
Bankerohan Public Market where jeepneys to Calinan are available.

7. Get the best view of Davao - atop Mount Apo, Philippine's highest
mountain. Climb Davao's unique natural wonder. At 3,144 m it is the
Philippines' highest peak.

Its base covers about 72,796 hectares of mountain ranges that extend
from Davao City, Davao del Sur, Northern Cotabato, Bukidnon and
Agusan del Sur to Misamis Oriental. Apo means "grandfather of all
mountains".

It is an inactive volcano with no recorded eruptions. Mount Apo's
attractions are thundering waterfalls, rapids, lakes, geysers,
sulphur pillars, primeval trees, endangered plant and animal species
and a steaming blue lake.

Tip: Trek or climb to Mount Apo via Kidapawan City in North Cotabato,
the most scenic trail. For amateurs, it's best to join organized
climbs for the safest trail up the mountain.

8. Dine on fresh seafood at the Muslim Fishing Village in San Jose,
Samal Island. It is a 45 min ride by motorized banca from the city
wharf and has native huts on stilts with residents performing Muslim
dances to music that makes for a worthwhile outing.

9. Add some punch to your trip - bite into delicious fruit at the
Madrazo Fruit Center.

10. Looking to taste something sharper? Crack open a durian at the
Durian Park, F.Torres Street.

11. Tread new ground – White water tubing at Sta. Cruz, Davao Del
Sur.

12. Go hiking in trails and camping at Eden Nature Park at the
foothills of Mt. Talomo.

13. Go fishing on Eden Nature Park's lake or try your hand and catch
a BIG one. Game fishing action can be found at Cape San Agustin where
marlin and tuna abound.

This is a great sport and it is requested that to conserve the marine
fish caught, that you use the internationally preferred, tag and
release system, when fishing.

14. Explore the Kaputian´s Talicud Caves that allegedly have giant
pythons and an underground passage crossing Davao Gulf to Malalag,
Davao del Sur.

The caves were used for burial by the Kalagan and Isamal tribes and
are worth visiting.

15. Visit the Cultural Communities 76 km east of Tagum, known as the
Mansaka community in the coffee-growing Maragusan Valley; on the west
are the Bullocan settlement for Mandayas and Dibabawons in Asuncion,
and the Tibi-Tibi settlement for Talaingods in Kapalong. There are
also Moncadian settlements in Samal town.

These sites offer glimpses of the tribes´ colorful costumes,
authentic dances, and native musical instruments, as well as their
bedding beadwork jewelry, handicrafts and woven cloth for sale.

I agree. Medyo mahirap tulungan ibang places kung tayo mismo, struggling.

btw, belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D

Salamat Po! thanx a bunch! :)

TEKA TEKA..eh kinuha mo ata mga pics nng nag check in ka sa prince court eh! LOLs bilib din ako sa yo..mag check in ka na lang SSC pa rin nasa isip mo. :D

anyway, have you tried La vida na?

googled pics lang yan gravy... la vida sa may maa? mukhang queensland lang siguro ang style nyan. pero hindi pa ako nakapasok sa mga ganyan ha. goodboy toits, sa bahay ko dinadala hehehe

Regarding the visit of the Chinese Ambassador, here are some updates!

Envoy eyes more Chinese investors, tourists to Davao Source (http://mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=511&Itemid=50)


Impressed by "Davao's safety, security and cleanliness," visiting Chinese Ambassador Li Jinjun said he will introduce the city not only to more Chinese investors but also to tourists. Li made the pronouncement while meeting Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan in a courtesy call Monday at the city mayor’s office.

The ambassador, who first passed by Zamboanga in his first visit to Mindanao, is in town to meet Davao's Filipino-Chinese community and to “see for himself the local economic and security situation in the city.”

Speaking through an interpreter, Li said many Chinese businessmen wanted to invest in Mindanao but are worried by the negative reports they have heard.

But he said his visit will change the wrong impression his countrymen harbor. “I am impressed with this beautiful city,” Li told Bonguyan.

"Davao is safer and more secure than Manila," Li said.

He said many businessmen from mainland China are waiting for results of his visit so they could start exploring the possibility of investing in Davao.

He cited Davao’s role in the future of economic development in Mindanao and the country. He said they are willing to cooperate in the BIMP-East Asia Growth Area “where Davao plays a big role.”

Li said a group of businessmen are eyeing to put up an industrial park in Davao City.

He also cited a plan to encourage more Chinese airlines to establish direct routes to Davao as his country has a lot of tourists wanting to come.

Bonguyan said even if Davao gets only a small percentage of the Chinese tourists, it would already be good enough, considering that Chinese tourists reach millions.

The vice mayor said Davao is exerting efforts to establish sisterhood ties with Naning, China. The Naning mayor visited Davao last April. It was in Naning where the Asean China Expo 2004 was held last year where a Mindanao delegation was sent.

Bonguyan told Li the Filipino-Chinese community in Davao plays a big part in the city’s economy, with many of them in control of many industries.

He also announced the approval of the city ordinance detailing the creation the city’s Chinatown district to “give more importance to the culture and the role of the Filipino-Chinese community” in Davao.

GRABE NA TO!

this is the best news na nabasa ko!
wheeee!! :righton:

Salamat Po! thanx a bunch! :)

Oh i missed your B-Day bai tj...!!anyhow, belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!!!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f19/Onibag1072001/ShowLetter.jpg

Thnx junex! how sweet...eheheheheh

Good morning Davao!!
Just wondering guys ,its lingering in my mind if ever our good mayor plans to retire next elelction or god forbid have a health problem ,can someone "fit his shoes"? i mean his solid waste treatment project , peace and order program / 911 , greenbelt park and his upcoming programs are just going down to the drain? I can't see anybody who is willing or not in his category , you know my concern is pag iba na ang umupo iba na ang agenda , some projects will be white elephants .I just hate to see davao again na nag lipana naman ang mga kawatan !!!

^^ i personally would like for Bonguyan to be mayor someday..

i want konsehal!

:) :) :) Davao City! Mindanao! Are you ready for this? click here (http://mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=519&Itemid=50) :) :) :)

wowowweeee. pero bago yan chinatown project muna taposin, at saka mga tatlong 40 storey hotels kasi pag nagka ganon ubos ang rooms natin sa dami ng tourists hehe.

^^ good morning TJ...

wowowweeee. pero bago yan chinatown project muna taposin, at saka mga tatlong 40 storey hotels kasi pag nagka ganon ubos ang rooms natin sa dami ng tourists hehe.

^^ good morning TJ...


Goodmorning Junax! Yup! And let's work hard so that these projects, plans, and proposals will be materialized the soonest time possible!

Hi Ria,

I had cousins who just recently (2 weeks ago) visited Davao for the very first time. They all grew up in Manila and are now New York-based. Their pre-conceived notions of Davao were all erased beginning with the airport. Yes, their jaws dropped. :)

That's good. But as gravy_addict already pointed out, the real problem is not impressing them when they come here, but making them come here. I hope the LGU can be more aggressive about this since the DOT seems to not care about selling Davao City as a prime tourist destination. Proof of which, is Arroyo's non-inclusion of Davao City in the tourism part of her SONA.

Li also said there is a huge potential for cooperation in infrastructure investment in Mindanao. He said many Chinese investors would be interested about the proposed light rail project in Davao and the 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Sultan Kudarat

wow, now let's give china a chance this time after bimp-eaga. :)

^^ i personally would like for Bonguyan to be mayor someday..

That would be nice but I do not think he has any plan to run for mayor in the near future. I think Duterte will be mayor until he dies. He's probably going to run as congressman when he three terms are up, then run again for mayor. Or maybe, as predicted, Nograles' son or Duterte's daughter will both run.

Among the councilors, my bets are Konsehal and Leo Avila. Maybe also Mabel Sunga.

for me, 3 more years for duterte and bonguyan for congressman, after 3 years bonguyan for mayor. siguro at that time, established na ang peace and order mastered by duterte.

That's good. But as gravy_addict already pointed out, the real problem is not impressing them when they come here, but making them come here. I hope the LGU can be more aggressive about this since the DOT seems to not care about selling Davao City as a prime tourist destination. Proof of which, is Arroyo's non-inclusion of Davao City in the tourism part of her SONA.

Well, I guess I did my part hence their visit to Davao to spend their precious savings on Davao souvenirs, Davao hotels, Davao taxicab drivers, Davao restaurants, etc.... I agree that our city can do more to invest in promoting Davao as a premier travel destination in the Philippines. Lastly, I think we do not have to nitpick Arroyo's SONA - her desire to have Davao host the last ATF is proof of her faith in what Davao has to offer to the world. What's important is that we know that Davao is always in her radar screen. Wasn't in Duterte who said that GMA calls him every evening para kumustahin ang city?

Good morning Davao!!
Just wondering guys ,its lingering in my mind if ever our good mayor plans to retire next elelction or god forbid have a health problem ,can someone "fit his shoes"? i mean his solid waste treatment project , peace and order program / 911 , greenbelt park and his upcoming programs are just going down to the drain? I can't see anybody who is willing or not in his category , you know my concern is pag iba na ang umupo iba na ang agenda , some projects will be white elephants .I just hate to see davao again na nag lipana naman ang mga kawatan !!!

Don,

That's been on my mind lately, too. Is Duterte on his last term? Or is he still eligible to run for the same office?

^^ this coming election will be duterte's last try for mayoralty race.

^^ this coming election will be duterte's last try for mayoralty race.

Di ba sabi ni Mayor Rudy na di na daw sya tatakbo sa next election sabi nya sa Pipol?

i don't think so, parang rody duterte - mabel sunga-acosta tandem ang palaging naririnig ngayon. sayang naman kung hindi nya ubusin yung term nya, some of his projects are not yet accomplished. one more shot and he can retire for good.

^^ this coming election will be duterte's last try for mayoralty race.


I hope our mayor is still up to the mayoral challenge next year. I don't want rain on anyone's parade but our beloved mayor's stamina is not as strong as his words of late.

This worries me completely as just like any prudent Davaoeno, I don't want his vision to be stymied by his obscure body malaise. I can't even say straight what it is that's hounding him. GF!

Some people outside Davao said that:

"Davao is Duterte and Duterte is Davao"

Is this true? Because when you say Davao, talagang papasok si Duterte sa isipan ng marami.

That's good. But as gravy_addict already pointed out, the real problem is not impressing them when they come here, but making them come here. I hope the LGU can be more aggressive about this since the DOT seems to not care about selling Davao City as a prime tourist destination. Proof of which, is Arroyo's non-inclusion of Davao City in the tourism part of her SONA.

Good Morning Davao.

How do you plan to make "them" come and enjoy and explore Davao?:) I think it is necessary not to impress but give "them" a sense of information to become curious, like low hotel prices, good restaurants with high sanitation standards, entertainment and nature experiences. What a tourist is looking for is as subjective and varied as human taste can be. Therefor it is a fallacy to think you can lure people with a smooth commercial approach. Like all popular tourists spots, these places have something intrinsic and pure which will naturally, attract travellers like magic. If you have a problem attracting toursits in any large number, you need to reflect closer to your own inherant possibilities. What makes a person love Greece for example is the singular experience. This is not impossible for Davao to realise. It may be necerssary to question in a friendly way, :) why Davao and it´s neighbouring cities constantly have to compete against each other, competition does create business but a unity of purpose among your tourist commissioners might be a more positive step for success. Were I live in a rural area close to a city, we also have our problems to make tourists come. But in contrast, a certain lovley island out in the Baltic Sea, with hardly any tourist propaganda, naturally attracts thousands of tourist and the real reason besides being a wonderful place to visit, is "word of mouth", by reaping the fruits of success you give one tourist a truly awesome experience (why not pick me as a token guest, since scandinavians are rarely represented as tourists in Davao, I am told, no sharks please!) :jk:
The best propaganda is a happy customer or client as they want to share their experience with others. This "word of mouth" technique is far more effective then a glossy tourist campaign spread.


Tj you had your birthday well I say Happy Birthday to you, some days later now, but still all from my heart, hope you had a nice day!:)

dinabaw älskling your nature and cultural thread is very nice for people who are interested in Davao culture. I have recommened it in European threads as a place to visit!!:) :)

delete

Lena: God aftermag

Yeah Davao culture is very interesting , hope we could sustain it , i mean our lumad (tribes) will not be displace from commercialism.
Nice you recommende the thread to some Europpenas i hope they vist it and hopefully Davao.
Have a nice day min askling and hope your couping now.

Originally Posted by bel1river
Don,

That's been on my mind lately, too. Is Duterte on his last term? Or is he still eligible to run for the same office?

he will have his last term this coming 2007 if he is running , i just dont get the idea that Dabawenyos always dependent on him ,murag kung mawala siya patay na and Davao. Maybe Dabawenyos have to realize now that Duterte is not Davao , and Davao is not Duterte . but really we have to choose future leaders , ang akong pangandoy lang na mga tao active mag lobby sa pag implement sa mga project niya even dili na siya ang mayor , kay sus kabalo na ta pag lain na ang mayor lain na ang agenda and worse pag political enemy pa niya ..tsk tsk tsk!

udates on the china town and greenbelt pls... hehe

GREENBELT PICS TAKEN YESTERDAY

Aerial Perspective

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g261/waway625/Image1028.jpg

Tree delivery

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g261/waway625/Image1031.jpg

Progress so far...

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g261/waway625/Image1032.jpg

wala tayong site for kadayawan fair this year....

tnx...
we have the agro industrial park...

he will have his last term this coming 2007 if he is running , i just dont get the idea that Dabawenyos always dependent on him ,murag kung mawala siya patay na and Davao. Maybe Dabawenyos have to realize now that Duterte is not Davao , and Davao is not Duterte . but really we have to choose future leaders , ang akong pangandoy lang na mga tao active mag lobby sa pag implement sa mga project niya even dili na siya ang mayor , kay sus kabalo na ta pag lain na ang mayor lain na ang agenda and worse pag political enemy pa niya ..tsk tsk tsk!

agree with you don. once we're done with the disciplanarian stage, we need now a mayor who's a visionary and have excellent management skills. otherwise dabawenyos would just think that it's rody again. i respect rody's skills, but it it's time to move and leap forward, i still believe that davao has lot's of talents. of course, less on the politics of the spoils of war, othwise this will again be a government of patronage.

ganda...

GREENBELT PICS TAKEN YESTERDAY

Aerial Perspective

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g261/waway625/Image1028.jpg


nice :)

[QUOTE=Gravy_addict]
Tree delivery

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g261/waway625/Image1031.jpg

Progress so far...


i like the caption "tree delivery"

tnx...
we have the agro industrial park...


yes, tsaka mas malaki din area ng Agro. riverside pati so mas nature(ish) ang view.

[QUOTE=Gravy_addict]GREENBELT PICS TAKEN YESTERDAY

Aerial Perspective

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g261/waway625/Image1028.jpg


nice :)



i like the caption "tree delivery"

Wow! Davao's streets are amazingly squeaky clean.

This is what my friend in Davao said about PTA.

"If you can still remember the PTA ground karon himuon na nila ug Park..

Full of Trees kanang naay Fountain syncronize sa music ang movement."

High-tech diay ni na park!

Lena: God aftermag

Yeah Davao culture is very interesting , hope we could sustain it , i mean our lumad (tribes) will not be displace from commercialism.
Nice you recommende the thread to some Europpenas i hope they vist it and hopefully Davao.
Have a nice day min askling and hope your couping now.


dinabawThank you for asking and for caring, I am coping, but it is hard. My grief comes like "waves" and makes my life sometimes very down and other times it is peaceful and reflective.

The rain and thunder storms did not come here.The clouds aproached and then disolved into nothing. They might maybe come in the night instead. It is so dry now and the grass turned dry and yellow. We need rain. :) I will make a raindance and see if it helps. The high temperatures drives us all :dizzy:

I wish you a nice day tomorrow (Thursday, I think, as you know I am absent minded and mixes days up, especially in vacation time)!


rajah hi, nice to see you in here !:) Thanks for all your good and friendly advices I do apreciate them alot.


:goodbye:

Chinese dip hands in Mindanao mines
By Rizalene P. Acac Published : 2006-07-26

THE investment of Chinese entrepreneurs to explore the mineral reserves of Mindanao could reach billions of dollars in the next three to five years.

Ambassador Li Jinjun said that after Chi Juan Non-Ferrous Metals Corporation invested more than $1 billion in Nonoc Island, Surigao del Norte; more investors are expressing interest to invest in mining here.

He said about five to eight mining projects are already lined-up including $500 million nickel mining and $400 million copper-mining project. Li added there are also three to four mining companies which showed interest in investing in mining here. “In 3-5 years, mining in Mindanao could reach two to three billion (US) dollars,” he said.

During her visit to Compostela Valley two weeks ago, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo brought representatives from two companies whom she said would invest in the mining industry of Compostela Valley Province. Li also said that apart from mining, Chinese entrepreneurs could also be interested in investing in the proposed coal plant in Sultan Kudarat.

Romeo Serra, chair of the Mindanao Business Council, has asked the ambassador to encourage investors for the 300-megawatt plant as an energy crisis looms in 2008. He said this is one of the priority areas which would have an impact in Mindanao if investors from China would give it attention.

He said their assistance could either be in a form of loan; build-operate-transfer scheme or a joint venture. Li said they have seen tourism as another area of cooperation between Mindanao and China. Through the presentation made by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco), he appreciated the island’s rich resources and impressive destinations that would be a come-on for tourists.

He said travel here would also become easier since typhoons are not that frequent. Li said they could arrange for tourists to come here from November until March, the coldest months in China. However, there are no direct flights from China to Davao except for the chartered flights from Davao to Macau.

They suggested that this proposal be negotiated to the top government officials of the two countries since most of China’s airlines are state-run. Li said they could also organize groups to study English here because the demand to learn the language is increasing for the upcoming Olympic Games in 2008.

They also expressed support to look into infrastructure and agriculture. Li and other staff of China’s embassy attended yesterday’s briefing and orientation of the investment prospects and business opportunities at the Medco.

Chinese consulate mulled
By Rizalene P. Acac Published : 2006-07-26 Mindanao Times

A Chinese consulate in Davao City may be established as Ambassador Li Jinjun expressed the need to put up an office here. He said he would immediately relay this to their government for study and evaluation.

The ambassador, who visited the city, said he was encouraged by the active involvement of the Filipino-Chinese community in building the local community.

“I believe that it is only a matter of time before this would be realized,” he said. In yesterday’s briefing with the Chinese delegation, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza, said a consulate would fast track processes made by the public and private sector with China.

At present, only Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan have consulates in the city.

how about the virtual US consulate? its still a consulate :D