Sunday, July 19, 2009

Much has happened in the Philippines since our last post. We have gone from summer (Feb - May) and we are now in the rainy season which is also know as typhoon season. This will last until the end of the year. So far we have not seen a serious typhoon in Metro Manila although several weeks ago a decent typhoon hit a region of the Philippines that caused significant damage and 15 - 20 casualties. When you see some of the living conditions, especially in poorer areas, you can understand how there can be casualties.


When ever a typhoon is forecast, or even strong winds that might not warrant typhoon classification, advertisers will take down their billboards...and there are many many billboards. The billboards appear to be on canvass and they can be put up and taken down similar to a curtain. Here is a picture of a billboard being put up after it had been down for a few days. The people working on it are no doubt working with the latest safety equipment and every safety precaution is being taken....not likely; that would cost money. It would be cheaper to pay off the family of the occasional employee that doesn't make it home from work.

Talking about safety equipment, we often see electrical workers and we just shake our heads at their working conditions. Firstly, the electrical wires look like a rat's nest or wires. Then the workers lean their ladder on the wires and climb up and do their work. Their safety equipment include rubber soled flip-flops. Here are a few pictures of some we have seen. Too often, by the time we get our camera out the moment is lost. The Philippines is rich with WW II history. It was a key location to both the Japanese and the Allied forces. General MacArthur was referring to the Philippines when he made his famous promise, "I shall return." Located in an area near Manila, is the American War Cemetery. It is a piece of land hallowed by the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers, mostly American and Filipino. We had the opportunity to go there on the Memorial Day weekend, May 23rd, and help "plant" a Philippines and a USA flag at each tombstone. It was a good experience to show a small bit of respect to those who gave all. There are several pictures; it was a very nice morning. It was at the American War Cemetery on May 28, 1961, that Gordon B. Hinckley, then a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles gave a special prayer for missionary work in the Philippines.