Catanduanes Forum

We all know how ineffective the island's Highway Patrol service is at enforcing the nation's traffic laws (its been the subject of previous posts). Their inability to do so on our roads is there for all to see, as all sorts of transgressions abound.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a much feared disease caused by a virus carried via mosquito bites. Dengue causes hemorrhaging of the internal organs to a point that it causes death.

But here in the Philippines, many people know and have attested to the fact that they and many others have been cured of dengue via a simple weed. This weed is called Gatas GataS, Or TAWA TAWA ( snake weed, Cat hair, Asthma weed) ,soro soro ( bikol)

Recipe for curing Dengue Fever using GATAS GATAS or TAWA TAWA weeds is as follows:

Take 5 to 6 full whole GATAS GATAS, Or TAWA TAWA plants.
Cut off the roots

We use Tri-Ex Engineering to supply our cable tv service on Catanduanes. It costs Php250 a month. We have been without HBO channel for about a week. Its not the first time this channel has 'dropped out' for days at a time. Happily it was restored yesterday (Friday).
This morning The BBC World News channel has disappeared. What we do have is two Australia Network channels on #22 and #40.

Britain is holding its General Election today (Thurs 6 May). The following link is a BBC article on Polling Station etiquette.
[The election is manual and not electronic]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8661984.stm

A thought provoking article by Perry Diaz about the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines that will be used for the first time in May 10 elections.

http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/BALITA-USA/message/3115?l=1

See the link for a report that appeared on Sunday 2 May that counterfeit money (bills and coins) is circulating on Catanduanes.
There is a suggestion that crooked politicians may be using funny money to buy votes.

http://www.voxbikol.com/bikolnews/4436/fake-peso-bills-circulate-catandu...

A document appeared in the garden this morning. It was a bit rain sodden, but it dried out.
The document is titled "Catanduanes News and Features".
Its main (sole) article is headed "CUAtanduanes ... Cua, pig-sasadiri an kabuhayan sa Catanduanes". The paper goes on to list the Governor's business interests on the island, which are considerable (ferry, abaca, PAL Express franchise, RSL bus service, gas station). "Cua gari ng dios. Sadiri an gabos ... Kadagatan, Kadlagan, kalangitan, buda highway papunta sa kamurawayan."

The 21 April edition of the Catanduanes Tribune carried a report on the election status of the above locations. Read it at this link:

http://www.catanduanestribune.com/Apr-21-2010/OtherStory/Detail.aspx?new...

Since the report appeared a bodyguard of Governor Joseph Cua has been imprisoned for shooting a Gigmoto man on his own property. The man's condition is reported to be 50/50.

I recorded the instances of brownouts throughout March.

Number of Brownouts : 16
No of Days : 11
Duration of Brownouts : 2.55 hrs

Here is a summary for the First Quarter of the year:

Number of Brownouts : 67
No of Days : 35
Duration of Brownouts : 17.03 hours

Its 1 April and we have already had another brownout. April brownouts are recorded below.

I believe that BBC World News Television channel is featuring a report on the Philippines in their "Fast:Track" travel programme. It is broadcast at 1430 today.

I monitored the number of brownouts at home (Virac) over the month of February. I recorded the instances in the comments of my post for the January summary.
I have tried to be accurate and fair in my monitoring. There may have been brownouts occurring in the small hours whilst asleep that I missed. However The records are conservative and I believe represent a fair record of the truth.

I monitored the number of Brownouts over the month of January. I recorded the instances in the comments of another Post. I have tried to be accurate and fair in my monitoring. There may have been brownouts occurring in the small hours whilst asleep that I missed. I confess that I failed to record the exact end times of two brownouts. However the results are conservative and I believe represent a fair record of the truth.
All records are my own made in Virac. I received no reports of other brownouts on the island.

Days when Brownouts occurred: 16
No of Brownouts recorded: 37

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Many Happy Returns of the Day
Manu-Ukag
Monday 1 February 2010
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Scientific name: Pandanus odoratissimus L.

Ang dahon ng pandan ay isinasama sa sinaing upang bumango ang kanin, isinasama din sa ginagawang palamig. pang halo sa salad at sa ibang mga lutuin.

Ang dahon, ugat at puno nito ay tumutulong upang bumuti ang daloy ng dugo sa katawan. Nililinis din nito ang ating dugo.

Ang pinakalangis nito ay pinapahid sa rayuma at sakit sa ulo
..Ito ay puwede ilaga at inumin may mga highblood. or hypertension.

My Shellane LPG gas tank ran out this week. I have never had a problem getting a replacement ... until now. For some reason there are none to be had anywhere. Consequently we are cooking with charcoal at the moment. We are also using the rice cooker and microwave (when the electricity supply is working!).
Our strategy now is to purchase a new tank of a different brand with the appropriate regulator valve. This way we believe we will be able to change to the second tank and have 6 weeks or so to find a re-fill.