Wednesday, April 10, 2013

OLONGAPO City







                     
                 
Monuments of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, are found all over the country as well as in a few cities in the world. In Olongapo city, the land where Rizal's monument stands has a triangular shape thereby bearing the name Rizal Triangle Park instead of the usual Rizal Park. Residents simply refer to it as Triangle, for short.



 



                                                                   LEO's Park


Students of the nearby city college frequent Leo's park to review lessons, take snacks, or chat with friends. The body of a U. S. Navy plane, which was originally displayed at Subic Naval Base, found a new home at Leo's Park located at Old Hospital Road. 







Corner Fendler Street, and 5th Street
Arlene's Inn, David Salon
Former location - Mariposa Bar




Pre-Spanish time Olongapo warrior. From Ulo ng Apo rotunda
From a small fishing village, Olongapo has grown into a bustling city with seventeen barangays. This series of posts present interesting historical facts and trivia about Olongapo and its barangays. Part 1 traces Olongapo's early history. 

From Balangay to Barrio and Back


Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, the basic political unit in the islands was called "balangay" or "barangay" after the Malay word for a water craft, about eighty feet in length, used to carry around fifty passengers who were moving out from their village to form a new settlement elsewhere. A barangay might be an independent village or a part of a confederation of different barangays formed for mutual defense or for other strategic purpose.



During the Spanish times, the basic divisions of towns (pueblos) and cities (cuidad) was changed to Spanish word "barrio." However, in some towns, "barangay" remained in use but changed the meaning to a sub-barrio or a hamlet. Even when the country became under the United States and gained its independence, the word "barrio" continued as the official name of the municipal units.

Finally in 1974,  President Ferdinand Marcos put an end to the usage of "barrio" by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 557 declaring all "barrios" in the Philippines as "barangays."

Friday, March 22, 2013

8 Filipinos face death, life terms in Malaysia


             8 Filipinos face death, life terms in Malaysia







Written by: Allan Nawal, 
Who? 
Abraham Idjirani, spokesman for the sultanate of Sulu, condemned the filing of terrorism charges against the eight Filipinos, saying Malaysian prosecutors have not fully disclosed the evidence used in the complaints against the suspect. 
Idjirani said he feared the rights of the eight men were being violated and that there was a lack of transparency in the handling of their cases.
What?
Skirmishes between Malaysian troops and about 50 men from Agbimuddin’s group were reported in Tanjung Batu on Wednesday as the military cleared the area of the Sulu sultan’s followers.
Where?
Earlier Malaysian Attorney General Abdul Gani Patail asked the Bar Council of Malaysia and the Sabah Law Association to provide legal representation for detained followers of the Sulu sultan.


When?
Sabah on Feb. 9 and seized the coastal village of Tanduo in Lahad Datu town to stake their clan’s ancestral claim to the eastern Malaysian territory
Malaysia brought criminal charges against eight Filipinos on Wednesday, more than two weeks after a standoff in Sabah between Malaysian security forces and an armed group from the sultanate of Sulu erupted into violence that killed 72 people.
Why?
Idjirani said he feared the rights of the eight men were being violated and that there was a lack of transparency in the handling of their cases.