By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net

YOU only have a few seconds to light a 5-star and move away before it explodes. He can make one with a few more seconds to spare.

Seven seconds, to be exact, was all it took for Dennis Asturias to get a piece of paper, take a pinch of pulbura — a chemical concoction of potassium chlorate and sulfur, or referring to it as “devil” (”Yun pampasabog”) — with his silvery fingers, fold it a couple of times in the process putting the mitsa or fuse (that piece of coiled string wrapped in red) and finally chuck it in a cardboard box already full to the brim with thousands of 5-stars he has made.

The speed by which he can make these deadly firecrackers is nothing short of amazing, considering he uses his bare hands — no gloves, nothing to protect his fingers, only a towel wrapped around his head to wipe his sweaty arms.

In a town where 80 percent of the population is involved in the production of firecrackers, it shouldn’t be difficult to find people like him who can finish a few boxes of 5-stars in a day.

The boxes are used packaging for cigarettes, I couldn’t help but notice the irony in that.

Dennis is from Pulong Buhangin, a remote barangay of Santa Maria, Bulacan, acknowledged as the center of Bulacan’s fireworks industry.

Pulong Buhangin, therefore, is the core of this industry because this is the production hub. Don’t expect to find gated factories, though. Apparently, we discovered during our trip that led us to Pulong Buhangin, fireworks — like Bulacan’s candies and sweets — are literally homemade.

We found Dennis in a small nipa-lined shack in the backyard of, we assumed, was the employer’s house. The wall carried newspaper clippings of his favorite basketball team.

Different shacks like his carried signs like “production,”"wrapping,” and “bodega” or storehouse.

Others like him, meanwhile, were making fountains, kwitis and sawa — the last one is a kind of firecracker, literally a snakelike string of hundreds, sometimes thousands of 5-stars.

Dennis was not at all disrupted even when we were interviewing him while he was pinching, wrapping and chucking — all in one fluid motion.

“Maliit pa lang ako hanapbuhay ko na to. Ten years old pa lang ako tumutulong na ko sa packing (I’ve been doing this work since I was 10),” he says. Dennis is now 27 years old.

But he says this only serves as his sideline, or something he does to earn extra when he can’t find a regular job in Manila. He says he earns about P700 per week.

Of course, the inevitable questions: How many times has he been in any accident involving fireworks? He casually replies, “Di pa ko napuputukan ni minsan (I’ve yet to mishandle firecrackers by accident).”

In this video, he even shares his secret on how to light a 5-star properly and safely.

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.NET

WITH the strong influence of Chinese culture, Filipinos borrow several traditions from the Asian neighbor in celebrating the New Year.

Over time, it has been part of our culture as well as other parts of the world to watch out for forecasts from Feng shui experts so we can better be guided in the following year.

2009 is the year of the Earth Ox in the Chinese Zodiac. For the coming year, growth will be slow but it will be sure, says Feng shui expert Master Aldric Dalumpines of Punsoy.com.

Dalumpines says there are three elements to reading the upcoming year. First, the earth element — signals earth related industries will have a rosy outlook. These include real estate, memorial parks, agriculture, mining and related businesses like construction, and even oil.

Another good area for business is aqua farming, since water is a stronger element than earth, he says.

Another element in the forecast is the animal sign, says Dalumpines.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

JUST a few days before New Year, some Filipinos find their way into the marketplace to buy things they deem will bring them luck next year.

One good place to visit is Quiapo. You will see all sorts of “charms.” Vendors are everywhere. As you walk out of the Quiapo church on the way to Carriedo, you will surely have difficulty passing through R. Hidalgo street. The supposedly clear street that was renovated in 2006 is packed with sidewalk vendors this time of the year. The fruit vendors almost occupy the walkway making it harder for customers to pass through.

“Hale, bili na. Dito mura! [Hey, buy now. We sell cheap here],” a vendor screamed as she persuaded people to check out her goods.

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WHO wants to celebrate the coming year with a bang?

Before you raise your hand, count your fingers first. You don’t want to start the year with incomplete fingers.

According to Engineer Celso Cruz, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Pyrotechnics Manufacturers & Dealers Association Inc. (PPMDAI), consumers should be careful in buying fireworks and firecrackers.

He says that you should always check the packaging if it contains the following: manufacturer’s name, address and contact number; license number of manufacturer; instructions for use and warnings.

If the fireworks that you bought don’t have the above mentioned requirements, then it means that you these fireworks are illegal. Cruz admitted that many are still selling illegal fireworks.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

AS a predominantly Catholic nation, it has become a Filipino tradition to light four candles of Advent during the Christmas season.

This year, my family was chosen to sponsor the mass on the lighting of the pink candle, which is a way of celebrating the prophesied second coming of Jesus Christ.

I must admit that Filipino traditions can be very demanding. But it has persisted for years because it has been one way of bringing families together. In my case, I was required by my mother to go to Tanay in Rizal – our hometown – to attend a special mass.

During the mass, I became part of the procession of the priest, lector and lay ministers. The rest of my family was asked to light the pink candles, while I was asked to read a written prayer prepared by the parishioners.

This event reminded me of the days when I was still eager to complete the Misa de Gallo before Christmas. Amid the cold weather in Tanay, I braved the early morning shower to attend the early mass with my mother. During my childhood, I was exposed to such traditions especially during Christmas.

But as I listened to our priest during his homily, he lamented about the “Simbang Gabi” as “Simbang Tabi,” a pun that describes how some younger people have used this Filipino tradition as an opportunity to meet friends.

Times have changed.

Lighting the candle of advent also reminded me of the times when my family got together. Back then we were all complete. However, like most Filipino families today, two of my sisters now live abroad, leaving me as the one only one left to read the prayer. I have a brother but I am not sure if he’s too keen on assuming this role.

Nevertheless, our priest reminded me that lighting the candle symbolizes “rejoicing.” Every year, traditions have brought Filipino families together and the lighting of the candle of advent was one of them.

By Marjorie Gorospe

THE CHRISTMAS season is about giving and sharing. But sometimes, the problem is finding out which organization could you give to and how.

Through the initiative of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL) with their “Give into the Giving” program for Christmas season, 12 different organizations with different advocacies are going to be accessible to people who wish to donate in their own little ways.

These organizations include Kababaihan Gabay sa Bayan (KAGABAY), Caritas Restorative Justice, The Philippine Animal and Welfare Society (PAWS), Bahay Tuluyan, Haribon, Cartwheel Foundation, Kythe, utism Society of the Philippines (ASP), Philippine Cerebral Palsy Inc., Philippine Band of Mercy (PBM), Resources for the Blind, and Philippine Business for Social Congress (PBSP).

Paolo del Rosario, Marketing Director of CBTL, said they chose twelve organizations to give people choice.

“As corporations, it is important for us to figure out how we can help,” Del Rosario said as he stressed on the importance of this Christmas initiative.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Izah Morales

DRESSED in red hat, pants and suit, the old stout man seated on a chair greeted children at the Glorietta mall with his signature laugh, “Ho!Ho!Ho! Merry Christmas!”

Yes, Santa Claus has come to town to meet and greet kids. But children should not be mistaken. The man behind this familiar costume during the holidays is Francisco Da Silva, just one of many Santa Clauses who dressed up during the yuletide season.

Da Silva, a 76-year-old Filipino-Portuguese, has been dressing up as Santa Claus for six years. He said he has seen a lot of Santa Clauses yet they weren’t fit for the character.

“If you are to be a Santa Claus, you must have charisma with children. Santa is a lover of Children. That’s why I love to be Santa Claus,” said Da Silva.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Quay Evano

Dubai, UAE — For a devout Catholic Filipino like Cristy Atendido, Christmas won’t be complete without attending the traditional “simbang gabi” or midnight mass and completing all nine days of it.

So, when she left the Philippines to work as an Overseas Filipino Worker in the Middle East last year, it was one of the things she thought she won’t be able to do since she was going to the world’s region of the Islamic religion.

But last December she was able to go to the midnight mass although wasn’t able to complete it. This year, she is focused on completing it and last night she was able to attend the first celebration of the simbang gabi. By the way, she’s still in the Middle East.

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DESPITE being diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus or HIV, overseas Filipino workers Miriam and Gerry (not their real names) are not losing hope. In fact, they’re even spreading optimism through communities of people that have the same condition.

In 1994, Miriam learned that she was positive for HIV. At that time, she was afraid people would shun her and that she would become isolated. Thus she did not seek medication until 2006 when she started feeling very weak. Miriam was initially diagnosed with Myoma. She was supposed to undergo an operation when doctors decided against the procedure when they learned she has HIV.

Miriam later learned from a non-government organization that her rights were violated when she was refused to be operated on. But she also learned that people with HIV continue to suffer the stigma from a society who knows very little about their condition.

“Naging maliwanag sa akin na nagkaroon talaga ng discrimination. Nalabag talaga ang aking karapatan na makakuha ng serbisyo doon sa hospital. [I realized that discrimination happened. My rights to get service from the hospital were violated.],” said Miriam.

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By Quay Evano

FOR the first time in the history of overseas employment for Filipinos and perhaps a first in the Middle East and the rest of the world, a foundation has been created by the OFWs (in the UAE) for the OFWs (in the Middle East) — to aid them during harsh financial times.

The foundation was also created to promote entrepreneurship, to engage in fundraising activities, to give scholarships to children of low-income Filipino families and provide money to Filipinos stricken with life-threatening illnesses or who are victims of calamities and natural disasters.

“The Filipino Expatriates in the UAE Foundation Inc., also known as FILEX Foundation was established so that in our own moments of personal need, we have a foundation we Filipino expats can easily go to for help. No one else can really help the OFWs but the OFWs themselves, so it is high time we start preparing ourselves for our future and supporting ourselves. Even if we are abroad, or back home in the Philippines, the foundation will become the common interest we will work for, to gather and to sustain and proudly say that it is our own charitable organization. There are so many charitable organizations in the Philippines but there is really none for the OFWs. Finally, there is one now,” Dick Orense, Chairman of the Interim Board of Trustees, said.

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