Monday, April 1, 2019

The measles -- tigdas (Tag.), kuribnas (Iloc.) -- crisis

Source: Dept. of Health

"Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus," says the Dept. of Health (DOH). "It is transferred from person-to-person by sneezing, coughing, and close contact. Its signs and symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes/conjunctivitis, fever, skin rashes lasting for more than 3 days."

Long before Mt. Pinatubo erupted, we went through a measles crisis. We remember having fever but still managed to play with the neighborhood kids in the vacant lot across the street, which had plenty of guava and sineguelas trees to climb. True, we had rashes almost all over our body but those came out after our mother had given us the kulantro bath. That was the folk cure for measles in our time: kulantro: with the rashes out. you're on the way to recovery.

Of course the sanitary inspector (sanidad) like the school dentist came to school at least once a year for the bakuna of school kids. We don't remember for what specific illness but we recall that some of the vaccines caused our arm to swell, and it was painful lifting this up for a few days.

Literature does not tell us exactly if the kulantro seeds that were boiled for banishing the measles were of the coriander/cilantro (Coriandum sativum) because there is another herb called culantro (Eryngium foetidium Linn.). Stuart Exchange, the popular reference website on useful Philippine flora, clarifies that culantro/kulantro is the common name of Eryngium or the sawtooth coriander.

Today, we still haven't heard  anyone in the old hometown looking for kulantro seeds. After the dengue vaccine scare, what we see now are mothers with kids in tow trooping to the municipal health center for shots of the anti-measles vaccine.

Even the Aytas in the mountainside sitio of Mabato almost an hour away from the town center had kept barangay health workers busy with their needles ministering to the mothers and kids.

Some time ago, this Ilocano blogger took a taxi driven by a fellow senior citizen, a Bicolano from Virac, Catanduanes. During that 30-minute ride, we exchanged commentaries on, among interesting current news, the measles crisis. We had a good laugh about our kulantro experience, the folk antidote to the measles crisis of our boyhood.

His story on the folkloric cause of measles is an item for cultural mapping in Virac. Their old folks believed that three creatures from the underworld with pockmarked faces ('maraming butlig", his words) are always on the prowl. They hid under the houses and when they go up the house, a household member will surely get infected by the unseen creatures, and will spread it to the others.

It appears now that the 'pockmarked creatures' that prowl in the air come from the sneeze and coughs of someone near you.



Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Two Gabaldon school buildings of San Narciso, Zambales restored

The Gabaldon school buildings of San Juan-Candelaria and San Rafael-Natividad elementary schools were completely restored during the first quarter of this year (2019).

For many years, the San Juan-Candelaria structure was totally abandoned with collapsed walls and floors dangerous to walk on. It was fully serviceable in January after the customary blessing and inauguration were celebrated


The restored Gabaldon of San Juan-Candelaria Elem. School

Much of what was left of the two schools like the ornamental calado at the top of the wooden walls were restored. The roof of the add-on stage in the central frontage of the building was removed; although, as concession to present needs, the stage remained even if this covered the original steps.

Hallway of San Juan Candelaria leading to one classrooom 
with its calado-trimmed door. The heavy wooden doors at the 
right lead to the three-room assembly area.
The standard plan No. 10 by William Pearson for Gabaldon buildings remained as template for the restoration. As originally intended, the three rooms comprise the assembly area although these can be partitioned into three areas using folding walls.

Capiz windows were installed; thus, the exterior view resembles those of Gabaldons more than a century ago except that grills were placed for security.

The rooms used to have wooden floors. The restored ones though either have wood parquets or are completely concrete. The hallways are of concrete.

Modern lighting and ceiling fans were included.

There were originally three Gabaldons. The third one at the San Narciso elementary school was severely damaged during the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June 1991. It was replaced. Thus, there was no more need for any restoration.

The San Rafael-Natividad ES Gabaldon building built in 1913.

San Rafael-Natividad has one room with old school desks, which
are cultrural heritage objects themselves being more than 50 
years old.
.



Airy classrooms, thanks to wide capiz windows.

Monday, August 27, 2018

World Watch: Pope Francis I in Ireland in the heat of sex scandals in the Church


From en.kiosko.net
Pope Francis was in Ireland, met with its Prime Minister and eight survivors of child abuse by Irish priests, and attended 
the 9th Meeting of Families in Dublin. 

This came in the wake of the Pennsylvania report about the abuse of some thousand children by Catholic priests for several decades.

I picked a free copy of The New York Times International Edition while boarding the Cathay Pacific flight Saturday evening from Hong Kong to San Francisco. The front page story said: "As pope visits, rage at abuse. Faithful in rural Ireland call on Catholic Church to offer more than apologies"

As soon as I got settled in SFO early Sunday morning, I went through my world watch of newspapers at the en.kiosko.net website, and found these interesting front page treatments of the Irish journey of Pope Francis I:

From en.kiosko.net
Sud Ouest (France): "The Church faces its demons. The very Catholic Ireland has been marked by the revelation of pedophile scandals and other abuses within the church. Beyond contrition, society expects actions."

El Pais (Spain), Sunday issue: "The new Ireland receives Pope with reproaches. Irish Prime Minister asks the Pope to go "to action" on the subject of abuse. The pontiff has met with eight victims of abuse during his trip"

ABC (Spain): "The indignation, the shame and the suffering of the Pope. Francis I denounces and laments in Dublin the 'failure of the ecclesiastical authorities to face these repugnant crimes' of sexual abuse that embarrasses the Catholic community"

The Irish Times (Sunday issue) reported that, according to two eyewitnesses, "Pope Francis referred to those who cover up child abuse in the Catholic Church as “caca” – the Spanish word for s**t – during a meeting in Dublin with abuse survivors."

From en.kiosko.net

The Independent (UK): "Abuse shames church, Pope tells Ireland", and The Sunday Telegraph (UK): "Pope apologizes for Church child abuse"

From en.kosko.net

Sunday, August 12, 2018

The breastfeeding Mama Mary

Nuestra Senora de la Leche at the Manila Cathedral.

Photo by the author. 
This August is the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month 2018 in the Philippines. August 1 to 7 was the Worldwide Breastfeeding Week.

That week, we saw two newspapers featuring a picture of a group of breastfeeding mothers in their front pages: the Philippine Daily Inquirer and an African broadsheet.

What could be the best icon for breastfeeding? The Virgin Mary in her representation as Nuestra Senora de la Leche (Our Lady of the Milk), or Nuestra Senora de la Leche y Buen Parto (Happy Delivery), or La Virgen de la Leche (The Virgin of the Milk).

I remembered taking a picture of the image of the Nuestra Senora de la Leche in one of the alcoves of the Manila Cathedral in November last year, right beside the large painting of the Filipiniana-dressed Our Lady of the Philippines. The feast day of the breastfeeding Mama Mary is on 11 October. It could be that the image is brought out only for veneration at the cathedral in October to November.

In the image, she holds the baby Jesus nursing on her right breast. She is like any mother opening her blouse anywhere to feed her hungry baby.

This very human, motherly image of Mary is far from the Nuestra Senoras garbed in rich garments in religious processions in provincial towns during her various feast days and in Intramuros during the Marian festival in December.

In Santiago, Chile, according to reports, the image of La Virgen de la Leche enshrined at the Church of Our Lady of Divine Providence is believed to be miraculous. Many childless couples attend her processions hoping that they be gifted with a child.

Pilgrims to the Holy Land may have visited the Chapel of the Milk Grotto, which is near the Church of the Nativity.

The grotto, according to tradition, is where Mary and Joseph rested during their flight to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. While she was nursing the baby Jesus, a few drops of her milk fell on the rocks, and soft yellowish-brown limestone turned creamy white.

Infertile couples, Christians and Muslims, according to pilgrimage accounts, visit the Milk Grotto to seek Mary's intercession for them to have a baby. Muslims have a high regard too for Mary.

The breastfeeding Mama Mary has been the subject of paintings around the time of Leonardo da Vinci. One painting attributed to him, the Madonna and Child (also called the Madonna Litta after its previous owner Count Antonio Litta) at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, shows Mary nursing the Christ child set against a mountainous scenery framed by symmetrical windows.

The Madonna Litta, c1490s. Da Vinci. Hermitage Museum.

The Museo Nacional de Prado [Prado Museum] in Spain has a collection of La Virgen de la Leche paintings.

Several paintings depict Mary nursing on her right breast --

La Virgen de la Leche. Alvaro de Luna. c1490.

-- and in this scene, we see Mary's milk spurting after the baby may have had his fill onto St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Benedict:

'La Vrgen de la Leche con Nino' between St. Bernard of Clairvaux
& St. Benedict. Pere Lembri. 1410-1415.

She is also depicted nursing on her left breast --

La Virgen de la Leche. Bernard van Orley. c1520.

In this painting by Orley, there are five angels in the background: a harpist and singers, three of them reading a large music book.


La Virgen de la Leche. Marinus van Reymerswaele. 1525-1550.

If not for the title, Reymerswaele's mother and child could be any nursing mother anywhere in the world.

The Virgin and the Souls of Purgatory. Pedro Machuca, 1517.

The Machuca painting is described as an intriguing version of the La Virgen de la Leche, 'a symbol of Marian mercy that serves to help the souls of Purgatory.' 

Here we see Mary with both of her breasts open, with milk dropping from the right toward the souls below. It appears that the baby wants to help her mother quench the thirst of the souls too.

The beautiful woman feeding her child in these paintings is the epitome of motherhood and motherly love. She is Mama, indeed!


References:

1. The Madonna Litta at The Hermitage at
https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/01.+Paintings/29633/?lng=en

2. The La Virgen de la Leche collection at Museo del Prado at https://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obras-de-arte?searchObras=la%20virgen%20de%20la%20leche





Tuesday, July 24, 2018

DU30's SONA 2018


Some 15,000 protesters on Commonwealth Avenue. (Photo by the author).

23 July 2018 was sunny all day. Typhoon Josie has left Metro Manila although a light rain came after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has delivered his State of the Nation Address 2018 and after his effigy dubbed DU30-train has been burned.

The protest march came from two directions and met under the overpass before the Ever department store. The religious organizations led by priests and nuns assembled in the vicinity of St Peter's church then moved toward the merging point. The massive group comprising the familiar left-of- center organizations marched from the Quezon Memorial area preceded by the DU30-train effigy,

Labor issue. (Photo by the author)

Commonwealth Avenue was as colorful as the broad spectrum of issues, causes, advocacies and interests of some 15,000 participants from participating organizations.

It was a peaceful assembly. The police contingent near the stage was relaxed, watching the assembly and listening to short speeches of representatives of the organizations. One speaker read the message of Sen. De Lima which dwelt on the 'shortcuts' that DU30 employed in his governance.

The news went around that something was going on at the Batasan, which explained why DU30 was already late in his report to his countrymen. Former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had toppled House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Apparently a compromise was agreed on; hence, it was still Alvarez who stood at the rostrum with Senate President Vicente Sotto III to open the bicameral session.

Nuns and other religious were in the march. (Photo by the author)

Of course, DU30 had been saying that he will just read his speech and promised that it would not take him long to do that. He did just that with a few adlibs. The delivery would have been totally lackluster except when he stressed some points for which he received applause.

The first jolt came shortly after greeting of the distinguished guests and his reminder of the two-year war on drugs.

"The war against illegal drugs is far from over," he said, and then explained why this will "not be sidelined."

"Instead," he fired, "it will be as relentless and chilling, if you will, as on the day it began." This has been reverberating in the print, broadcast and social media.

Spokespersons for women issues. (Photo by the author)

With regard to corruption, he thanked Congress for the 'swift passage of the Ease of Doing Business Act, which is a significant fight against corruption and improving service delivery.'

He enjoined government agencies to make their services "truly customer-friendly." "Our people deserve efficient, effective and responsive government services," he stressed, and "they deserve nothing less."

Because of the power struggle at the House that day, the Bangsamoro Organic Law was not ratified. Duterte asked to be given 48 hours to sign it once that has been done.

"I make this solemn commitment that this administration," he declared, "will never deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the basic legal tools to chart their own destiny within the Constitutional framework of our country."

Furthermore, he iterated his pledge "that the ISIS terrorists or groups or its allies will never gain foothold in our country."

DU30 caricatures. (Photo by the author)

He spoke of continuing "to assert and pursue an independent foreign policy" in out international relations.

With regard to "our improved relationship with China," he said that this "does not mean that we will waver in our commitment to defend our interests in the West Philippine Sea."  He clarified that "opening lines of communication and amicably managing differences have led to positive development that include renewed access of Filipino fishermen in the areas in dispute in the West Philippine Sea."

DU30-TRAIN effigy set to flame. (Photo by author)

There were several tasks that he implored Congress to address --

  • Pass the bill establishing the Coconut Farmers' Trust Fund;
  • Draft terms of reference for the entry of a new industry player "to ensure that the country's telecommunications services are reliable, inexpensive and secure;"
  • Pass the free Tertiary Education Act and the increase in the salary of men in uniform, soldiers and policemen;
  • As a result of the actions in Boracay, pass the National Land Use Act "to put in place a national land use policy that will address our competing land requirements for food, housing businesses, and environmental conservation;"
  • Passage of a law creating the Department of Disaster Management, which is aimed at "genuinely strengthening our country's capacity for resilience to natural disasters;"
  • Passage of Package 2 of the comprehensive tax reform program that will "lower corporate income taxes, especially for small businesses;" and 
  • Speedy passage of the Universal Health Care Bill;"
He ended his SONA with a happy note (that he has received copy from the Consultative Committee of the draft Federal Constitution) and his favorite quotation from Abraham Lincoln.
 







World Watch: Mandela@100



Mandela on the front page of the 20 July 2018 issue of
El Espectador of Bogota, Colombia (from en.kiosko.net).

Former US president Barack Obama was in the news. I thought the stories on front pages abroad had something to do with the recent meeting of USA's Trump and Russia's Putin. 

It turned out he delivered the 16th annual Nelson Mandela lecture at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa on 17 July, the eve of the Madiba's 100th birthday.


18th July 2018 was declared the Nelson Mandela International Day with the theme "Renewing the Mandela Legacy and Promoting Active Citizenship in a Changing World."

In celebration, the Mandela Centennial Scholarship was granted to 100 students across Africa. The recipients were announced by the Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) together with the Graca Machel Trust (GMT). 

"This scholarship is special because it celebrates Madiba’s birthday," Mandela's widow Graca Machel explained. "The best way to celebrate him is to plant seeds of ethical, vigorous, and committed leadership to our countries and the world. Today marks the successful start of a campaign to provide hundreds of young Africans with a chance to study at prestigious African universities.


The scholars--50 men and 50 women--came from 30 countries across Africa. The scholarship covers full tuition, accommodation, and upkeep at the Africa Leadership University in Rwanda. They are envisioned as “the leaders of the next 100 years for economic and social emancipation.”

The Nelson Mandela Foundation tells us in their webpage that Madiba is the name of the clan where he belonged and South Africans used it to express their respect for Mandela as the son of a traditional chief. It's a term of endearment that creates a sense of familiarity.


He was also called Tata, which means 'father' in the language of his tribe Xhosa. It was used as a sign of affection and respect because the South Africans regard him as the father of their country.


His birth name was Rolihlahla, which means 'pulling the branch from a tree' among the Xhosas. Its colloquial meaning is 'troublemaker,' according to the Foundation.

What did Obama have to say about Mandela's legacy?

Here are quotations from Obama's lecture that were included in the post-lecture press release of the Foundation:

"Madiba's light shone so brightly ... that in the late seventies he could inspire a young college student on the other side of the world to re-examine my own priorities -- to reconsider the small role that I might play in bending the arc towards justice.

"And now an entire generation has now grown up in a world that by most measures has gotten steadily freer, healthier, wealthier, less violent and more tolerant during the course of their lifetimes. It should make us hopeful.

"Let me tell you what I believe. I believe in Nelson Mandela's vision, I believe in a vision shared by Gandhi and King. I believe in justice and in the premise that all of us are created equal."

“Around the world today, men and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs; and are still persecuted for what they look like, how they worship and who they love. There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom but do not tolerate dissent from their own people.”

Obama's call: "We must never abandon Madiba's struggle." 


References:

1. The Nelson Mandela Foundation at https://www.nelsonmandela.org/
2. Andersen, Nic. 2018 July 18, Mandela Centennial Scholarship: 100 students set to benefit from new program. 
    The South African. Retrieved from https://www.thesouthafrican.com/mandela-centennial-scholarship-announced/


Monday, July 16, 2018

Vive la France! Football champion of the World Cup 2018.


It was raining when Les Bleus received the World Cup at Luzhniki Stadium n Moscow.
(Picture: Getty Images@https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/awards/)


It was a good thing that in this part of the world (Philippines), Manny Pacquiao's seven-round knock-out of the Argentine Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia came much, much ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia championship match of France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

It was midnight (Manila time), when France ran away with the Cup at 4-2 against Croatia. It was deemed a "fitting end to an outstanding tournament."

It was the second World Cup for the Les Bleus. The first time was twenty years ago when they trumped Brazil 3-0 in their home ground, Stade de France in St. Denis at the World Cup 1998.

We could only watch the match highlights from FIFA.com Monday morning, and read about turning points of the game from the FIFA webpage. 

The report says: "Despite Croatia having the majority of possession in the opening stages, France took the lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. Antoine Griezmann's lofted free kick from the French right was nodded into his own net by Mario Mandzukic.

"Ivan Perisic levelled with a calm effort from the edge of the penalty area, but he would turn from hero to villain. A cross from the French right-hand side was handled by the Croatia No4, with a penalty awarded after a VAR review.

"After the interval, France increased their lead through Paul Pogba, whose performances in the tournament deserved a goal in its finale. After Kylian Mbappe stretched the Croatian defence, Griezmann teed up Pogba, who finished after seeing his initial effort blocked.

"After his tireless running tired the Croatian defence, it was only fitting that Mbappe himself got on the scoresheet, hitting a sweetly-struck effort from the edge of the penalty area with which Danijel Subasic stood no chance.

"Mandzukic then scored in the same net, but this time to Croatia's advantage, capitalising on some carelessness by Hugo Lloris to reduce the deficit.

"In the end, the big No17's [Mandzukic] strike was not enough to spark yet another miraculous Croatian comeback, and Les Bleus emulate their heroes of 1998 - including coach Didier Deschamps - in securing their second World Cup title."


adidas Golden Ball Awardee Luka Modric of Croatia and
FIFA Young Player Award Kylian Mbappe of France.
(Pictures: Getty images@https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/awards/


There were consolation prizes too with key players receiving "Golden", "Silver" and "Bronze" awards from adidas, as decided by the FIFA Technical Study Group.

Croatia's Luka Modric received the adidas Golden Ball Award. He is considered "supremely gifted' with his "tireless work in the midfield, where he used his incisive vision to great effect in guiding his team, setting the tempo, and exploiting gaps in opposition defences. He proved equally effective in the Final, dictating the pace as Croatia made a fast start to the match."

Thibaut Courtois of Belgium got the adidas Golden Glove Award, which means he was the tournament's best goalkeeper. He is credited for the historic third place of his team in this tournament. Described as "imperious," this "imposing keeper made the most of his large frame and outstanding reflexes to come to his side’s rescue time and again. Beaten only once by eventual champions France in the semi-finals, he turned in another commanding performance in the play-off for third place.

Thibaut Courtois, best goalkeeper, adidas Golden Glove awardee.
(Source: https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/awards/

Kylian Mbappe of France won the FIFA Young Player Award, which is presented to the player with the biggest impact at the Russia 2018. 

Described as a teenage prodigy (he's 19 years old), Russia 2018 was his first world finals. He came to the World Cup as "relatively unknown before the opening ceremony, but emerged as a household name after the event."

He was greatly admired especially when he put two goals against Argentina. That made him the youngest scorer of a knockout match, replicating Pele 60 years ago when Brazil played against Sweden in 1958. 
  
Kylian Mbappe, FIFA Young Player Awardee.
(Picure: Getty images@https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/match/300331552/#match-summary)

England's captain Harry Kane went home with the adidas Golden Boot Award. He made six goals across six games in Russia 2018. 

He was described as "one of the best finishers in the business, helping to fire England to their best finish since Italy 1990." 

England captain Harry Kane, adidas Golden Boot awardee.
(Picture from https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/awards/)

The World Cup 2018 took a little more than a month to finish. It started with the Round of 16 in the knockout phase, a series of elimination from 16 teams to the final four. 

Visually, this was how the games held in various sites in Russia went:

FIFA World Cup 2018 championship history.
(Source: https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/)
 And the top teams that went home with honors to the acclamation of their countries were: France (World Cup 2018 champion), Croatia (runner-up), Belgium (third place), and England (fourth place).

Spain exited in the Round of 16 when it lost to Russia, but they received an award during the closing ceremony. They received the FIFA Fair Play Trophy for their "superb disciplinary record," and "exemplary behaviour on the pitch, where they picked up just two yellow cards in their four matches and committed a mere 34 fouls."


World Cup championship score card through the years.
(Source: Wikipedia)