(CNN) — If you don’t have the time, inclination and, more importantly, the money to go to university in Manila, you can still get a degree. It will cost you between $US10 and $US60, it will take about two hours to complete and it will be fake.
Welcome to “Recto University,” the name Manila mockingly gives to the strip of document counterfeiters that openly ply their trade between Claro M. Recto and Rizal Avenues in the Philippines capital.
on the plane / windows on the world (by phillip kalantzis-cope)
‘Green Solution House’, a new experimental conference center and hotel by 3XN (via ArchDaily)
Totem Pole to be finished in 4 days.
This is Baguio’s oldest tree, dating as old as 224 years and is now being carved in the image of a mother by 8 Ifugaos to give it a new life. To serve as a reminder to the people what a tree can provide to our existence, to never forget that before we happened, she has been around serving the earth we live in, down from our ancestors to the future inhabitants that we are now until 2 years ago when it died.
Amidst all these environmental issues we are faced with in the Philippines, one currently getting a mass of attention is the cutting of 182 mature trees as part of SM Baguio’s plan to create a 7-storey parking space for 1,000 vehicles. This means that eventually, 42 fully grown pine trees will be earthballed along with 43 alnus trees and 97 pine tree saplings will be cut by the developer. And knowing the pine tree’s sensitivity to up-rooting, all this move to expand a mall will only kill the trees despite their planned “green architecture”.
As of now talks of legislative matters and public education are ongoing to fight against this and the concerned people of the city are banking on all the help they can get from anyone who supports the idea of preserving the existence of these trees and a city that is now being threatened of heavier pollution and eventual lack of protection against natural disasters.
Since last week, environmental advocates have gathered 3,000 signatures and need more to help counter-act this problem and has produced several protests, one tomorrow, Jan 20 on Session Road - including artists and students.
Hoping this post serves as an image of urgency to us all. We’re currently mobilizing a movement that could extend support not just to Baguio but to other patches of land in the Philippines that could be in danger in the wrong hands.
[From the site]
The Philippine archipelago is home to a diverse number of ethnic groups. These different ethnic groups have populated the islands since the first people arrived over 30,000 years ago. Many of the larger indigenous ethnic groups, such as the Tagalogs, Visayas and Moros (Tausug, Sinamal, Yakan) adopted the ways of the Western and Islamic world through years of trade and colonization. There were, however, other indigenous ethnic groups that were never heavily influenced by the outside world and managed to keep their traditions, customs and in some cases their writing systems intact. Today, there are 110 recognized indigenous groups remaining in the Philippines making up ten percent of the total population.
Despite having held onto their way of life for many generations, the last few decades have brought about a myriad of changes, both socially and economically for these indigenous groups. This rapidly changing environment has lead to the gradual loss of centuries old customs and culture. Witnessing these changes first hand and knowing that very little visual documentation has been done with these groups an idea was born to create this project, the Katutubong Filipino Project. Katutubo is the Tagalog word for “native” or “indigenous,” combined with Filipino to collectively mean the “Indigenous Filipino Project.”
The goal of this project is to bring about awareness by collecting stories and images of these disappearing cultural heritages before their way of life is lost forever.
Visit http://www.katutuboproject.org for more information and then click on the Support tab to help Jacob Maentz accomplish his mission.
reblogged this wayyyyyyy too many times
always be my favourite.
(via ma-n-go)
From adobo to turon — the best bites to be savored around the archipelago
Filipino food may not be as famous as that of its Thai and Vietnamese neighbors. But with more than 7,000 islands and a colorful history, this archipelago has some delicious dishes of its own.
Blessed with an abundance of seafood, tropical fruits and creative cooks, there’s more to Filipino dishes than the mind-boggling balut (duck embryo).
You just have to know where to find them and how to eat them.
A Different Cut » OFF THE WALL: Sara Jimenez
This is Sara Jimenez, a Filipino-Canadian artist based in New York. She was one of the finalists in Work of Art: the Next Great Artist Season 2.
First, go grab some headphones. The best ones you’ve got. If the best ones you’ve got are these suckers (or something similar), you should really go buy new ones, but use the best you’ve got for right now.
Take a break from whatever you’re doing for 2 minutes and listen, but just listen to the whole thing, even if you have to multi-task.
Headphones on? Ok. Good.
Now, press play.
“Upular (3D Audio Version)” - PogoI love these things
THE MUSIC IS TRAVELING THROUGH YOUR HEAD!! HOLY CRAP THAT WAS TRIPPY… if i was on drugs… this would be amazing… but you really need headphones
(via alittle-pieceofmind)
