Election fever

---

I have been getting back to work as normal after doing the tour guide bit while my parents were here. If anyone is thinking of visiting this part of the world I recommend Palawan, the snorkelling at El Nido is like getting inside a giant aquarium. Being in the water with turtles, sharks and stingrays is all very cool.

On the work side we have been planning a schedule of activities for the coming year mainly based on implementing the Forest Land Use Plan that I was working on for my first year here. This means we will be doing a programme of education activities as well as assisting local groups with mapping and paperwork to gain legal rights to land access. The most important activity will be to finalise a co-management between the local government unit and the national line agency responsible for the forest lands. This agreement will devolve management of a significant part of the forest into the local administration. Of course everything depends on the outcome of the election and gaining the support of the new mayor.

The Philippines is a democracy modelled on the American system with a president then senate and congress making
up the national government. At the provincial level we have a governor and council then at the local level each town or city is headed by a mayor with a council. This lowest level of administration often covers an area with less than 10,000 voters (around 7000 for Lanuza).

Polling is underway today (Monday 14 may) in national elections covering all of the positions above except for the president and half of the senate. Political power has historically been concentrated with powerful families who may use money, influence, fraud and sometimes violence to achieve a continuing office. This election has had allegations of vote buying, spurious legal cases filed against opponents and even the occasional shooting. It is often said that to get on in politics here you need the 4Gs on your side - Gold, Guts, Guns and God. Another thing that makes this election a different experience from at home is getting stopped on the road at checkpoints set up by the police and military to try and intercept illegal firearms.

Nationally the preliminary results look like the Presidents party has lost badly in the senate. In Lanuza the incumbent mayor has been re-elected for his third 3 year term in office.

Going off on a different tack I have managed to get out sailing using a outrigger canoe some bamboo and a bit of tarpaulin. This is not a 49er! At the moment I can’t tack or gibe, it’s downwind or reaching only and the mast is too far forward in the boat so it steers badly as well - using a paddle as there is no rudder. None of that matters to much because the wind is always at 90 degrees to the shore, constant and only about force 2. Improvements will be coming over the next few months.

Another form of unsophisticated transport is the jeepney a Philippine icon that has made an appearance before on this blog. While the distinctive style has remained most “modern” jeepneys are based on truck drive trains instead of the original American army surplus jeep. There is one running locally that is the proper original. 60 years old with the original engine, gearbox, axles and chassis. The giveaway is that there are only 3 forward gears and the steering is so worn that half a turn of the steering wheel either way seems to have no affect. The driver also jokes that he is original and is rightly quite proud of his original jeep.

So the American jeep is proven to be durable but if you stroll past the American embassy in Manila (which is in a very impressive compound) you will see that the vehicle protecting the main gates is a best of British Land Rover. We thought that was funny especially as it is one of only 2 Land Rovers that I have seen here.

Finally something to (try) and make you laugh. Our snorkelling guide in Palawan was in stitches of laughter when I flashed a bit of white bum cheek, he couldn’t quite believe that us foreigners could be so white. So at the risk of offending you all I have included a picture with a flash of white.

Here is a bad joke that I quite liked:

Q. Why did the banana go to the doctors?
A. Because he wasn’t peeling well!

That came from the rainforest foundation website which despite the joke is worth a visit for all things rainforest especially native peoples rights in the Congo basin.

More soon - with better pictures if you are lucky
Matt

---

Photos

Almost a sailing boat
Bamboo, string and tarpaulin can be made to do better. I will have to get someone to do an action shot next time so you can see the speed!

Election posters
Plenty of posters but not a policy in sight.

WW2 jeepney
Dad felt a connection to this one because the number plate is the same as his initials - LVY I have to point out that the jeep is the older of the two though.

Blinding light
Minor nudity the only artistic justification being that I wanted one more picture for the blog.

Comments

[Hannah Why]

I was looking at your blog this afternoon at and my colleague lent over my sholder and said 'I can't believe you are viewing porn at work?!?'.

[jo;>]

Nice Contrast !
Nice contrast...your @ss (I mean your tan) will be the envy of all britz !