Two working boys with different things on their hands.. 

Former Filipino hostage Angelito Nayan speaks at the palace. He was hostaged by insurgents in Afghanistan. One thing bogs my mind...are the rumors true?...is he gay? lets see and find out soon... 

a truck carries protesters to a rally area. I call them "paid protesters" because they belong to a group organized to destabilize the government, of course if the price is right...sad. 

A disabled man joins a protest against oil prices. 

wendy the dog poses beside a bush effigy..rally at US embassy 

A FARMERS PROTEST.......
I was talking to protesting farmers inside Hacienda Luisita. They were angry, hungry and sad. Alot of their comrades were hurt from yesterday's clash between police and army men. Some died. And yet again..they wanted to stand again and fight.

But what are these guys fighting for? A piece of land? Some rice to eat? Maybe something less...they wanted to get a fair wage increase.

"How can we survive?" approached one farmer as he was brandishing his payslip in my face. I rubbed my eyes and took a second look at the piece of paper he was holding...it read "NETPAY P9.50" (17 US cents) a day!!!!...damn!

Most of these sugar farmers work only once a week...they get a minumin daily wage of P194 (US$ 3.50)...most of them take home P9.50 for the day's work after salary deductions...divide it by a week...and distribute it to a family of five...YOU DO THE MATH!

Police keep watch at angry farmers..revenge will have it's day.  

they were taken by surprise..leaving food and supplies behind to save their own lives 

eggplants, a shirt and barb wire rest on the streets..site of violent clashes between farmers and security forces at a sugar hacienda. The farmers were demanding a wage increase. 7 died, many hurt. 

fishermen pick up clams at Manila's polluted bay. The clams are sold for US$1/kilo.  

and some more pictures of the derailed train. Some say that residents living near the area steal some of the railings to be sold to junk shops. Poverty pushes man to do stupid things. But I do hope we learn... 

A soldier on top of the train..it's quite a steep ravine...i think I need to work on my leg muscles..panth-panth... 

I went to cover a derailed train. It was overspeeding at 70kph (way high its operating speed of 20kph)..more than 100 of my countrymen were injured, good thing this major accident only claimed 6 lives. I wanted to share some of my pictures. 

streetchildren playing...what joy youth can bring on simple things. The pedicab was made like a playground. How simple
 

A naked kid runs past Chrismas trees being sold along a busy Manila street. I envy their innocence. Running naked without guilt. But exposure to society can corrupt the young mind fast. Placing shame on ideas you once thought were harmless...I wish I was young again. 

Muslims join in the fun..rally near the US embassy...it was a wet one today..rainy.. 

A few hundred workers marched along Manila's financial district to denounce recent power rate increases. Were they paid to join the rally or not, who cares! But they do cause one hell of a traffic jam! 

A simple candle light can guide a lost soul its destination. One light is all we need to get out of a dark maze. These lights however, were lighted after prayers for the safe release of a Filipino hostaged in Afghanistan... 

Everybody has a first time experience and we learn that throughout our lives. Be it young or old, we never stop having out first times. Our first sight at light, our first taste at food, our first kiss and yes our first swim....