Reaction Paper - GEE Videos PDF

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Reaction Paper

1) Manila, Queen of the Pacific 1938 The first video is a travelogue featuring the majestic city of Manila in 1938 which was the period before the outbreak of the 1940s World War II. Modern City -- Manila became the hub for American commercial activities and local trading through kaskos boats where inter-island ships serve the archipelago of 7,000 islands, through a cave of the Pasig River at the center of the city. The city was portrayed in awe as it highlighted the American innovations like the drill ground recreation area and golf course, the Royal Gate aquarium, the Parian Gates, the main shopping street -- Calle Real, Burgos Drive with the view of the sunken garden of moat, the artistic Jones Bridge and old Spanish bridge, Manila Hotel overlooking the Bay, University of the Philippines, and more. The Franciscan Church and Cathedral was also showcased as Filipinos’ place of worship influenced by the Spaniards. In the oldest and main business street of Manila, Escolta, Filipinos are observed to be riding the kalesas or horse-drawn buses that fit 2 to 6 persons. Two and a quarter million of carabaos are also used by Filipinos in the 1930s. The Philippines was fast changing from a dreary Spanish colony into a modern, agricultural, industrial and independent country. What struck me the most in the video is the appearance and fashion of Filipinos before. Women are wearing Baro’t Saya dresses made of fine pineapple cloth while men are wearing white suits with hats, even kalesa riders are in uniform which portray Filipinos to be formal, regal, and classy despite their social class. Nowadays, we became less of the fashion we had in 1938 where people just go in tank tops or shirtless in public places. In the video, Tondo was described as the oldest and most densely populated area where masses and urban cities meet, which is surprising because things are still the same until now. Tondo is presently the city of the poorest families mixed with the well-off which shows no improvement on the situation of the city regardless of the time passed. Another aspect of contrast, mild traffic already exists as cars and caritelas collide in the busy streets, but even though our generation adopted traffic rules and regulations, our situation is still dreadful. From being a dark horse in the economic industry of trading, the Philippines was not able to continue its title as the Queen of the Pacific. It was a different Manila run by the foreigners than the capital we knew of today. I could not help but compare the situations of Manila in 1938 to the current Manila that we know for its overcrowded communities of people, polluted areas on air, land, and water, high crime rate, etc. Manila was beautiful and marveled at by foreigners which attracted them in the first place. But the capital slowly deteriorated as time passes. No one is to blame but ourselves for not having the discipline to maintain the superiority it once

has in terms of economic activities and recreational attractions; not to mention the negative mentality we have for change and opportunities elsewhere rather than in our own country.

2) New Pasay-Paranaque Reclamation Project The reclamation project is a breakthrough for the Philippines that is sustainable, global, modern, and the city of the future. Collaborating with national authorities, city governments, and private sector, I firmly believe that this reclamation would provide plenty of opportunities to people in experiencing a high quality of life. It proposes to provide a new home for 576,000 residents, 924,960 jobs, and attracts 851,666 tourists per year. Filipinos going abroad will be lessened due to the opening of work opportunities in an international standard environment and addresses the brain drain problem of our country. The tourist industry will generate extra tax revenues, new foreign money, and local business opportunities like hotel and tour services. The plan consists of 726 hectares of reclaimed land to build along 9.2 kilometers of the shoreline of Manila Bay. However, my concern would be the impact of the program towards natural habitats. It would take up water spaces that is possibly home for marine life. The project might be anti-poor considering the loss of livelihood as Manila Bay still remains a fishing ground that can also sustain small-scale fishermen's survival. Nevertheless, it promises opportunities to all, with green open spaces, cruise terminals and world-class transportation network and a CBD with fast connectivity to the airport and metro which answers the traffic problems of the country while promoting excellent public transportation. Safety plans are also conducted throughout the reclamation towards seismic waves and possible tsunamis to ensure the citizens. The project has both advantages and disadvantages to achieving new technology and development in the country. I just hope it would answer the problems of the country without neglecting the poor nor our natural resources.

3. HPA designs New Manila Bay City of Pearl Renewing the Manila Bay is an innovative, idealistic, and a visionary plan that is pleasing to think about, developing a new smart community in a city that can be revolutionary for the Philippines and reclaiming the title as the Pearl of the Orient. Like the Pasay-Paranaque Reclamation project, it is a global step towards the future and what it may look like for the next generation of Filipinos, promoting social mobility. It forges an international community with commercial or residential convention health care tourism education and sports hubs. But the

question on my mind still stands: Where are the poor on this plan? So far, the privileges that were mentioned are opportunities open to the well-off and that are within their lifestyle. How about our marine habitat and the equilibrium of the sea? If this plan were to pull through on 2035, I imagine the Philippines solving their problems first with poverty, corruption, pollution, unruliness, and lack of quality education. Presently I hope we focus on making this project more probable by changing our ways and learning from countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. Because the way I see it, the Philippines is still a long way from this vision of a city. Nevertheless, the HPA New Manila Bay Project could benefit the Filipinos in a modern and global-standard of urban city in jump starting the economy and the world, but will we be able to risk the masses and our natural resources−the more vital pawns for economic growth?

4. Massive Reclamation ng pribadong sektor sa Manila bay, hindi ipapahintulot ni Duterte The news report is about the several reclamation projects of the private sectors not being approved by the President because of the lack of participation of the government. The projects of private companies might have a capitalist goal than economic wherein our resources would greatly suffer. He explains how this large reclamation development can have serious effects on our marine habitat which I believe is true. Land reclamation would result in the large displacement of the marine sediments and the development of mud-waves beneath the reclamation fill. It can strongly disturb the whole natural system and bring a new misbalance, which affect the stability, diversity and sustainability of the seashore. If this project continues, it would be a long-term challenge to city development. Protecting the environment is vital to a sustainable and successful economic progress. The government should invest in projects environmental preservation. Also, improved equipment and revised methods of reclamation can be used to restrict the release of pollutants too. Let us not blindly resort to land reclamation as the only solution for the city’s development. Instead, let us build a city that is economically sustainable – and let us build it with a sense of empathy for the life around us. As President Duterte has said, careful analysis and diagnostics should be studies by engineers in order to avoid and lighten the influence of reclamation. The bigger reclamation scale, the effect degree of reclamation to environment and ecosystem becomes more and more serious. Past studies have been conducted on these, which is why this project cannot be fully approved just yet, but in time over the years might.

5. No to Laiban Dam Project The Laiban Dam project that aims to answer the water crisis of Metro Manila is a controversial yet insensitive plan that would destroy rural ecosystem for urban gain. The project seeks to spend 90 billion pesos in providing water in the metropolis which is 70 kilometers away. The neglected hindrances for its construction lies the life of 4,000 hectares of forest, loss of homes for 4,413 families and tribes, and the natural habitats for different local animal species. This also threatens the trees that contribute to the alarming effects of climate change. I strongly disagree with the making of the Laiban Dam for it will destroy ancestral lands and the lives of its inhabitants. I have personally been to Laiban and spent a day with the people who have a been there their whole lives and have a completely different perspective than the urban life. Imagine having to lose their homes and re-adjust themselves to a new lifestyle, it is like destroying a culture or history of local native Filipinos. A comprehensive economic planning of sustainable use and distribution of resources is the logical answer to the troubles in water distribution. As protesters have said, “We don’t need another dam. What we need to do is to nationalize water.” Alternatives that are less destructive are proposed. Researching about the Wawa Dam in Montalban as a possible alternative would mean ancestral homes would not be destroyed nor families relocated. However, the plan for execution should aim to be sustainable and eco-friendly as to reshape the damage done to forests and plant more trees. The government should also focus more on the faults of having wasteful water resource. Fix the water pipes that have leakages; this loses gallons of water a day rather than having this resource be used. The following substitutes can also be done to solve the water crisis of Metro Manila: start the rain forestation of Sierra Madre, fix the damages of Angat Dam, rehabilitate the Wawa water shed and its existing dam, put waterless urinals inside mall comfort rooms, establish a rainwater harvesting facilities, golf courses should store rainwater to avoid costing more water, and most importantly promote the importance of water conservation. We do not need to destroy our ecology and fellow Filipinos’ homes to answer a need that is solvable through conservation, reusing resource, and sustainable innovations.

6. Golden Gamble. Gold mining in the Philippines, a dirty business The documentary features the reality of the masses who live in a town called Paracale or also known as “Goldtown” because of its rich metal deposits in the area. Because of the poverty-stricken situation of the people, they use gold mining as the only main source of livelihood just to have something to eat, stay alive, and provide for their families. We have heard about the attempts of the government to ban all illegal acts of mining and to regulate mining, but the people cannot be blamed if this is the only work that they know how to do. These people are being forced to dive into these kinds of work that is highly dangerous because of poverty and lack of alternative jobs. It is a sad reality that they have been doing this maybe since they were children reason being child labor is evident in the barangay. The children also said that they cannot afford to go to school or would rather dig for gold to help their families. More importantly, this job risks many lives for gold. Families mourning because of their loss due to the health hazards that they are highly exposed with. Diving into mud-filled shafts with no personal protective equipment to do so, causes them to inhale toxins and incur tuberculosis, chronic illnesses, and lung problems. No one deserves to die gasping for a chance to make a living and feed families. What interest me the most about the documentary were the stories of the individuals working in the mines. One of these is Harrold Elip who is a kid about 10 years old who lives with his grandmother. Being the only one left after her mother married another man, he automatically became the breadwinner for his grandmother and work at the gold mines. His father died while his sister was sold for money. It is really a depressing story as a child to be experiencing what he did can cause traumatic effects and I couldn’t imagine the pain he felt. He didn’t even have the time to think of going to school nor playing with other kids. These are things that children have to be exposed to especially doing labor that is extremely hazardous for children. Another citizen is Mark John who incurred a skin disease because of past work experience in the mines which hinder him from working for private companies. He tells that he started working at the age of 12 years old and developed the disease at 19. Unfortunately, he cannot afford treatment for it would cost money, at the expense of his child’s wellbeing. Being a father and a husband who cannot work due to the conditions he suffers from the mines has greatly affected how they could earn a living. The business takes its toll on workers, their families and the community. They have been known to demonstrate, demanding safer working conditions, better pay and other job opportunities, but change is slow. Meanwhile, extreme poverty among people who produce one of the world’s most precious metals leaves them no option but to continue with this pitiless occupation....