softail

DENR to restore mercury-tainted Palawan lake PUERTO PRINCESA – The government has started the restoration of a mercury-contaminated lake in Palawan that was previously used by a mining company. The rehabilitation of the lake in Barangay Sta. Lourdes, Puerto Princesa, Palawan is led and funded by the environment department's Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). It will have three phases. Phase 1 will cover the pit lake’s outer perimeter fencing, while Phase 2 will include the inner perimeter fencing. The third phase will entail the construction of pit benches, including engineering and landscaping, slope protection and vegetation, and construction of a three-meter “hike-jog-bike” pathway with park lighting. The lake was formerly mined by Palawan Quicksilver Mine, Inc. (PQMI). The MGB said residents who live around the lake are at risk of exposure to toxic mercury used by miners to extract ore. They will be relocated to a safer area. In a visit to Palawan, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez and city Mayor Lucilo Bayron assured homeowners that they will be given a proper relocation site and livelihood before they are asked to leave their homes. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Puerto Princesa local government are set to conduct medical check-ups to ensure residents’ health. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/17/denr-to-restore-mercury-tainted-palawan-lake

You maybe right, always open to new information.

She is more than likely talking about in the US. If you retire at say 35yrs old there will not be much SS income, health insurance will be expensive, no income from a job. You will have to support yourself for maybe 50yrs. To maintain a decent lifestyle you need maybe $60,000 a year plus inflation, looking at $3,000,000 plus the earnings. I don’t like her either but I think she may be right on this one.

This is a great topic. If I may I will share a little experience that my family and I had when i was a young lad. My dad got a wild hair and joined a colonization group that was to establish a colony in the Galápagos Islands, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. When the company ship dropped anchor in the harbor the company was declared broke, Dad decided to stay, he had $20 in his pocket, we were basically stranded in one of the most remote places on earth at that time, 1960. We lived on a dock, no power, had to burn cane whisky in our lamps, toilet was an outhouse on the dock. We ate fish we caught off the dock, beef when a cow was tied up to the slaughter house a mile and a half around the bay, We had to strain our water thru a sock on the Spicket, then cheese cloth it a few times then boil it so as not to get hepatitis. We had nothing, no TV, radio, no modern conveniences, it was the happiest time of my life. Finally dad got enough money selling stuff to the locals to get us home. As we were leaving on the ship, I was standing on the stern of the ship looking at what we had called home, I cried.

I see you are located in Laguna. I am considering moving to Santa Rosa near the large mall and S and R ,I can’t remember the name at the moment. I get the impression that there is a fairly large community of expats in the area, what are your thoughts?

Was there about a year ago, as far as I am concerned is a must see. They have a museum that is incredible. I didn’t stay there but the rooms are great, on the lake. The restaurant at the base of the waterfall was a lot of fun, your table is in the water at the base of the waterfall.

I show them my US drivers license and off they go, was just reporting what I was told

It’s my understanding that the government will reinburse the business for the discount they have given you. That’s what my family told me anyway, I had the same concern.

I have been really surprised that I have been able to use the senior discount a restaurants, my family encouraged me to try and it has worked every time. Saves quite a bit of money. I am just a visitor and have no card and have never been asked for it,

I feel that I totally blessed. My wife’s family has rarely ever asked for money, for the most part we are the ones that have voluntarily helped out. We have sent for some medical expenses, sent a couple of children that showed potential to college, bought a brother in law a cordless drill, that sort of thing, but all our idea. My wife’s family have totally accepted me in as a full family member and I consider them as my family. I again say, I am totally blessed.

I have asthma, the last 2 visits have me reconsidering my plans to move to the Philippines. The air pollution has really affected me causing me to cough up lots of nasty phlegm and making me miserable. When I am in Seattle USA I rarely have any problem, not on oxygen at all. I have reservations about how someone needing oxygen would fare.

Good chance that the welding shop cylinder killed him, that’s not medical quality oxygen. Not really sure someone with medical problems leaving a a first world country with great medical care moving to a 3rd world country with questionable medical care at best is a good idea.

I’ll take Palawan any time, the beauty of nature it still for the most part undisturbed.

My suggestion would be to check out Tagaytay on the Taal volcano. Is a beautiful area with all the amenities anyone could want, an added bonus is great clean air.

I think that the bottom line is that we need to cover our own ass. I have an “oh crap” fund that I can fall back on if either of my pensions were to fail. Nothing in this world is totally guaranteed, people in high places could care less about the masses, thus we need to have a fallback plan just in case.