Often hear that nothing changes

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Tommy T.
Posted
Posted (edited)
16 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 Words or thoughts of a Missionary Tom :whistling: and they did not do to well either :smile:

I hear you, Jack... just trying to help... maybe the efforts are lost, but we try..

I see nothing wrong with thinking about trying to improve some systems here.. We - L and I -  do not criticize current systems, but rather would like to make things better. Is there something wrong with positive thinking and trying to improve the living conditions?

And L and I are definitely not missionaries...:smile:

Edited by Tommy T.
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GeoffH
Posted
Posted (edited)
14 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Has anyone seen any new Jeepneys?

There was a big sign advertising the new Jeepneys (although they didn't call them that) along the glass front of the dealer (I think it was Isuzu, didn't pay that much attention) and they had a couple of types on display.  I haven't seen any actually in use but that doesn't mean there aren't and I know that the neighbour who had always owned and driven a jeepney had his put off the road for being smokey.  For whatever reason he wasn't able to get it passed and he's no longer driving or using it.

I understand the need to modernize the jeepney fleet but the Philippines will look a lot less colorful and a bit less Pinoy once those weird and colorful examples of Philippines 'making do' are off the road and are replaced with generic white buses.

Edited by GeoffH
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Jack Peterson
Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

And L and I are definitely not missionaries...:smile:

:whatever: :whistling: :wink:

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RBM
Posted
Posted
On 10/28/2019 at 7:22 PM, hk blues said:

 

The culture of laziness will need to change for the modernised jeepneys to succeed -

Many locals claim its because we do not want to be sweaty.....we are not lazy.....Go figure.

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graham59
Posted
Posted

Their country....for the umpteenth time.  :rolleyes:

Let them get on with it.

If you want things the way they work 'back home' .  Well, easy answer. 

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Snowy79
Posted
Posted (edited)

I certainly see a resistance to change here and maybe that's why the big stick method at times is the only thing to work.  The locals are pretty used to hardship and at times I think the education system is set up so they don't expect much.

I'm not a fan of if you don't like it go home.  That to me it is one thing that's holding the country back.  I'm on a few Facebook pages for the local area and it's a regular theme.  Someone, usually a foreigner suggests a simple yet effective process to greatly increase the lives of the locals and the usual crowd tell them if they don't like it go home.  Roll forward a few months and the same locals are moaning about the same things as they've visited somewhere else in the Philippines where improvements are implemented.  I usually take great pleasure in telling then tongue in cheek obviously to go home.

Over here in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro the Department of tourism and DENR are hitting the town hard.  Going by currents stats out of over 300 establishments only 7 are fully complient and will be allowed to operate.  This is going to kill the tourism here very much like the closure on Boracay, with the added problem that the place can't be policed to the same standards as the workers won't be removed from the island.  Suddenly the locals are up in arms about not having enough time to implement the improvements and as such thousands will be out of work and crime will go through the roof.  

I could spend all day going through the posts where mainly foreigners highlighted the issues over the last few years only to be told " If you don't like it go back to your own countries".  The stupid thing is some of them make their living out of tour guiding.  As I've pointed out to many of them.  I don't have to go back to my own country.  I can take my money elsewhere in the Philippines where the locals are proactive and want to progress rather than stand still and wallow in their own sh#@.

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intrepid
Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

Over here in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro the Department of tourism and DENR are hitting the town hard.  Going by currents stats out of over 300 establishments only 7 are fully complient and will be allowed to operate.  This is going to kill the tourism here very much like the closure on Boracay, with the added problem that the place can't be policed to the same standards as the workers won't be removed from the island.  Suddenly the locals are up in arms about not having enough time to implement the improvements and as such thousands will be out of work and crime will go through the roof.  

Snowy,  Since you live there maybe you see things differently.  Could you explain a little more what conditions you are talking about?  Maybe sewage.  We just returned home from our first trip to Puerto Galera Mindoro.  stayed at Sunset at Aninuan Beach Resort.  We loved our trip there and the hotel.  We drove about an hour each way from the hotel and was amazed how clean the roadsides were.  It is the first beach I have been where there was no trash, broken glass, or cans in the water.  I actually swam in the sea without any footwear.  Another first for me here.  I sent comments to several friends around the Philippines of my observations and asked why can't the people of Luzon be as clean and neat with their towns?  I even told my wife I felt like sending the Mayor a note of thanks with my observations.  Somehow I missed what you are talking about.

 

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Snowy79
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Posted

The main issue started a while back when they banned bancas.  It was a National issue but the Mayor had a vested interest in two new boats that he had bought so he pretty much  supported the ban.  Other areas had put in a redress which allowed them more time.  This stopped all boats to Sabang meaning  you had to go to Muelle or Balatero.  The tricycle drivers then upped their prices to stupid prices from what they used to be.  Mainly foreigners requested a jeepney service between the ports and Sabang and White beach which was pretty much ignored.  Private vans were also banned from the port area.

The next big issue was Brown Outs.  Sometimes more than once per day, again no one from the local government has gotten involved.  A private investor has spent billions of peso building a wind farm on the mountains overlooking Puerto Galera.  It was a two year project that took many more years due to local disputes again caused by those that benefitted the most.  The project was finished over 8 months ago and is still not online. 

Next is water. Some areas have been without tap water for over 6 months, other areas it's hit and miss, myself I was without water for over a month.  A state of calamity was called and government money was provided.  A few photo opportunities showing them looking for a new water source and still no change.  You may have noticed that all the water pipes run above ground even down the small alleyways in Sabang.  There's leaks in the pipes all over the place with rivers of water running dowen the roads and still others are without water.

A new sewage treatment plane has been built right on Sabang beach although technically it's not a beach as all the sand has gone leaving rock and open sewage pipes.  The plant has been built in an area which going by government rules is a no build zone.  This plant is meant to treat the local area yet they haven't built a suitable drainage system.  The local solution will be to provide trucks that will empty the septic tanks and transfer the waste to the treatment plant.  Imagine hundreds of metres of flexible pipe running down the narrow alleys to get to the tanks which in the majority of cases don't even exist.  The so called treated water will pump directly into Sabang bay.  On Boracay they at least ran about one km of pipe work out to the open sea.  The road to the treatment plane is pretty narrow and goes through the heart of Sabang.

On White beach they banned tables and chairs on the beach plus the entertainment shows by the lady boys, not my thing but apparently the locals loved it.  There used to be a crowded beach and now photos are showing maybe ten people on the beach at evenings.  I've been there during thre day and it's been empty.

Finally wifi is hit and miss.  I pay 6.7k per month for about 3mbps.  There's a bit of a monopoly here so they charge premium.  The same with the TV channels.

Burning of trash and throwing garbage away is rife.  It's a regular talking point.  You even see posts of locals digging holes on the beach when the tide is out and burying the waste.  

Some locals try to make great improvements but they are fighting against a don't give a sh@# attitude.  It's sad really but more and more foreigners are selling up.  They've just had enough.  The Koreans and Chinese are slowly taking over and providing their own services so the locals will suffer.  

Less than two weeks and I'll be out of here taking my peso with me.

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Gary D
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Posted

We see the same attitude here in the UK when they want to build a couple of new houses in a small village. All the hands of our village banners go up with the attitude that I've sh@t in the ditch at the bottom of my garden all my life so why should I change now.

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Arizona Kid
Posted
Posted
On 10/30/2019 at 8:22 PM, Tommy T. said:

And L and I are definitely not missionaries...:smile:

But starting to sound like it?:tongue:

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