Ruins are all thats left. Many tears poured. Many were injured and many got their own stories of happy and sad moments here at a place which they once called home. Sad Ending. 

Homes were demolished after days of resistance with police and demolition crews. Tension and high drama were all over. Pity these people.  

The police broke thru and residents pelt them with stones trying to protect their houses.  

Filipino squatters burn tires as they try to block demolition teams from entering their village. 

the volunteers carry victim to a waiting coastguard chopper. The drill looks very systematic. Real life is a different story. 

rescuers carrying volunteer victim 

before you get too excited..this is just a drill 

An elderly Filipino muslim woman joins Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Manila. Nov. 4 

Filipino women Muslims past by a mosque as they join Eid al-Fitr celebrations in suburban Manila. Nov. 4 

A Filipino girl join Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Manila.  

I hop into my car and plug in my Eagles cd. Im listening to "Tequila Sunrise". Cruising along the boulevard. Smokes on one hand while the other alternately puts hands on the steering wheel and my short shifter. I pump the music abit more and gently cruise along a traffic-less Manila. Its a phenomenon! Yes we have the worst traffic jams in the universe. But today is different. I dont hear honking criss crossing irritated drivers. Nope theyre not in Manila right now. They're out in the provinces observing "All Saints Day". I hope they stay there forever so we peaceloving drivers can have some quiet drive time by ourselves. I go on third gear and jab the throttle a little on my 200hp Mitsubishi Lancer turbo. The torque pushes me back on my seat and that all to familiar boyish smile flashes on my face. The slightly curvy road opens up and I do it again! ohhhhhhh...i love the holidays! the roads all mine! I light a cigarette as I simmer down my adrenaline. The office is just a block away. Yes! I work on holidays too.... 

Filipino children place candles on a relative on condominium-type tombs on a flooded portion of a cemetery. These type of tombs are placed on top of each other to minimize the cost of being buried. Many poor Filipinos resort to these to accomodate their lost relatives. Tomorrow is All-Saints day, a holiday where thousands troop to cemeteries to remember their love ones. 

Filipino kids look at Halloween display in Manila. Philippine tradition doesnt have such practices but Americans greatly influenced this.  

am back

after some months of trying to log in...am hopefully back blogging :-)

A happy wink from an innocent child amidst uprooted logs in Quezon province. 

A sad image from Quezon province, a land hit hard by typhoons and landslide. Picture depicts the hardship of one's trek and life after the catastrophe.