ingat ka! safety tips

Last year, in Project 4, a girl fell victim to a bag snatcher on a motorbike. She fought back... she was shot... she died.

Just last month, my auntie stepped out of our gate, and a motorbike driver zoomed by and snatched her bag. Gladly, nothing worse came out of it.

It just enrages me that crimes have now become more commonplace in my very own neighborhood. More than enraging, it makes one feel very vulnerable, insecure and paranoid (Of course, the state of crime is just a symptom of the state of poverty as well, but that's another story).

Nowadays, whenever somebody says "Ingat ka"... I really take it to heart. And when I say "ingat ka" to loved ones, I sure as hell mean it.

Ate cherry sent an email forward for some safety tips. Might as well post it here... baka sakaling makatulong to increase all our safety. I'm not entirely sure if I agree with all the tips, because the others sound just as life-threatening. But am still posting the email in most of its entirety... who knows, maybe one of these days it will help for someone. Ingat kayo!

1 . Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you...chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR , LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5 A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat
B) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

blast from my past

Thanks to RA for these pictures. In a certain twist of modification, I've decided to randomly blog about good deeds done for me as well. After all, good deeds are abound and deserve their own acknowledgement.

I am a minority in this foreign land, and homesickness comes in ebbs and waves... little acts of kindness goes a long way in my list. So thank you RA for making me smile... sigh, our "innocent and whimsical" youth. Ladies and gentlemen, UPIS Kamag-aral 94-95.

power in the world challenge

Last year, a Philippine organization Juboken enterprises won the World Challenge 2005 for its Coconets projects. Others may remember receiving the email for people to go to the BBC & Shell project to vote for the coconet.

Coincidentally enough, early this year, one of my documentary projects with director (slash-friend and eternal mamu) El featured the coconet project. Basically, the cocohusk fiber was processed to make nets that could be laid on hilly slopes. This prevented topsoil erosion and served as an area to grow vegetation. And of course, the eco-friendly business gave employment to the people of the community.

This year, World Challenge is at it again, featuring 12 finalists from all over the world. Right now, my personal favorite is the card-making organization that employs orphans who held their own little households in Rwanda. All these orphanz have lost their parents from the 1994 genocide, malaria or AIDS.

Most of the 12 finalists are grassroot projects that are innovative and resource-generating. "People with principles, while making a profit," was how they said it.

Despite the fact that Shell probably has a lot of socio-economic crimes against the world, I'm glad for contests like this which give honor to micro-endeavors that help in changing the world.

For those who want to exercise their voting power in World Challenge, please do so by clicking here.

3 girls, 4 guys and a polar bear

The continuing tour around Holland leads us in the middle of a tropical forest (huh?). See the three pinays in their natural habitat. Somewhere in the background is sampaguita, dona aurora and kalachuchi.

The Artis Zoo in Amsterdam tries to cover as much of the global flora & fauna by having simulated tropical zones, fishes from the different zees, polar bears of the north, penguins of the south, elephants, giraffes, sea lions and birds, reptiles and monkeys of different sizes and colors.

The highlight of the visit for me was seeing the polar bear and penguins (up until college, i never knew that they couldn't be in the same pole... damn cartoons for misleading kiddies). The butterfly garden reminded me of home (little tear there).

The aquarium was also breathtaking, with an eerie yet beautiful underwater world colors (schitterende! onderwaterwereld!). We were able to spot nemo in his sea anemone habitat (yes, we do know that 'clownfish', is the official term... blame pixar).

Joining us for the day were old friends: the boys of RNTC/ RNW, Pepijn, Ferrie, Michiel.... and Gert (mijn hart). They toured us in Vondel park (mala-Luneta), and the Red Light District (sorry, no pictures... aside from being bawal... it makes me more bagabag whenever i pass by here).

We ended up hanging out at a pub before we finally walked back to Pepijn's place for an overnight (we missed the last tram, but walking at around 1:30am in Amsterdam is safe enough).

It's heartwarming to meet up with friends of old and have them hang out with new friends. Overall it was a fun union of pinays & dutch boys.

gender concerns conference

i haven't been requested this, but seeing as it is a relatively "good deed", I'm posting about it.

i served as a rapporteur/ reporter for an international conference "Country in Focus: Pakistan one year after the earthquake. It was held by a local Dutch NGO, Gender Concerns International.

One year after the earthquake and there are still about 1million people living in tents in resettlement areas. The conference was basically a commemoration of the calamity (as well as the aid that came in from Netherlands), and a call for continuing support of the relief and rehabilitation efforts that are still ongoing.

Am quite tickled to see that my report was uploaded already www.genderconcerns.nl
i think i've found my potential racket-sphere. After all, the Hague is the center of so many conferences. Here's hoping.

dance with a dorky guy

ate helgie's original deed request: "dance with a dorky guy". Well, I've been taking salsa classes with gert (Universalsa), and I can say that I've had my fair share of dancing with a variety of guys already... from dorky to debonair, all adorable in their own way.

it's been a while since I had to go through the awkward social motions of knowing people in a bar or a dance club, but it's been fun so far. I'd tell some person that I don't speak dutch, only to find out that he doesn't either, because he's french! or turkish! totoo, mga kaibigan, the world is getting smaller.

it's quite a trip to be on the dance floor as well. Regardless of how good a person really is, everyone can be an Antonio Banderas (take the lead) or a Catherine Zeta-Jones (from chicago to zorro), so long as you just feel the fun. I'm sure I sometimes suck just as much as the next guy but in my mind, I am a dancing diva projecting Cheryl Torres (Fil-am "Dancing with the stars" champion).

"I walk, I fall, I stand... but meanwhile I keep dancing".

naarden vesting: intramuros in holland

Intramuros counterpart in Holland, Naarden Vesting (as seen from a borrowed pic from www.vestingvaart.nl) is the walled city that aimed to protect Amsterdam during the 1500s (complete with cobblestone roads).

It's amazing to see from the top as it looks like a star (parol!parol!). Unfortunately, despite its great architecture, it wasn't a good stronghold as it was invaded by Spain ("where they killed everyone inside").

Today, Naarden vesting is a ritzy little village with restos, bookstores and coffee shops. Astrid, Faye & I were toured around by Gert as he grew up around this area. As you can see, this former bunker is now a coffee shop/artshop (cappucino €1,60).

Nearby Naarden are other pretty little towns that have their own claims to fame. Muiden has its very own castle (or fort depending on what profile you read). Meron ding sea port filled boats of varying designs (meron pa ngang mala-Pirates of the Carribean).

A nice little stroll beside the very-dutch window-filled houses during sunset makes for nice pictures (the golden hour!). Salamat kay Faye for this really nice pic.

There's a definite feeling of "old world" when you walk around such areas. I can't help but have a bit of a global afterthought at how our country is... Intramuros is ... during these times as well. Did I give our old walled city the same amount of appreciation?

Siguro kung masarap din ang ice cream (la laaang).