Blog Posts by VERA Files

elaine abonal on surfboard

By Norman Sison, VERA Files

With over 7,100 islands to choose from, the Philippines is known for its postcard-lovely beaches. Of late, it has been making waves on the world map of surfing.

One Internet site, Wanna Surf (www.wannasurf.com), describes the Philippines as "one of the last surfing frontiers". It lists 35 spots in the country. Fourteen of those are in Siargao Island alone, in the south.

San Juan town in La Union province is the northern Philippines' surfing capital. It is blessed with two surfing seasons — July to October and November to March — when waves spawned by the north swell crest from five to 12 feet.

Singapore-based Anne-Marie Bakker is often in San Juan with her white fiberglass board when she visits her parents' home in San Fernando City, less than half an hour south of San Juan. "Rain or shine, all the time I'm out there," says Bakker, whose cigar company, JB Global, champions Philippine-made cigars abroad and makes custom blends.

If she's not in San Juan, she

The grayish slice is the pawikan's flipper. Photo by NESTOR B. RAMIREZBy NESTOR B. RAMIREZ, VERA Files

CEBU CITY—Business is brisk, judging from the throng of people and cars parked outside this makeshift eatery in Pasil, a shoreline barangay.

The customers, some in long sleeves and tie, do not mind the heat and the dishevelled slum area. They are here for one reason: To eat their favorite stewed dish of sea turtle or pawikan, an endangered species whose hunting, sale and killing have been banned by law since 2001.

The Wildlife Conservation Act, or Republic Act No. 9147, penalizes violators with a fine of up to P100,000 and imprisonment of up to one year.

The pawikan appears on the list of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), having become endangered because of poaching, slaughter, blast fishing, illegal trade and pollution.

A signatory of the CITES, the Philippines, through the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, has implemented the Pawikan

  Parco

By GIAN C. GERONIMO, VERA Files

Fourteen-year-old identical twins John Paul and Peter John Parco and their younger brother Vincent, 13, share something rare.

Standing at less than 3 feet despite their ages, with slurred and hoarse speech, thick lips, fisted hands and ears slowly going deaf, the Parco brothers all have Hunter syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II), a degenerative genetic disorder that strikes a person's physical features and mental faculties.

The inherited, often life-threatening disorder is so rare that only 28 people in the country have been diagnosed with Hunter syndrome, according to 2010 data of the University of the Philippines-Manila Institute of Human Genetics. Hunter syndrome is called an "orphan" disease, which is defined as a group of diseases that affect only one in 20,000 people.

Treatment for people living with orphan diseases like the Parco brothers is available but is often expensive, placing it beyond their reach, said Yonylde Elcano, project

By Tessa Jamandre, VERA Files

FORMER Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon was all set to sail on Friday to the disputed Scarborough Shoal to make a stand on Philippine sovereignty—until the call from the President came.

Former Marine Capt. Nicanor said President Benigno Aquino III prevailed upon him to postpone his trip. He agreed, saying he "trust(s) the wisdom of the government that it will be better for current efforts to resolve the standoff there."

The standoff between China and the Philippines has dragged on since April 10 when China sent its maritime surveillance ships to prevent the arrest of Chinese fishermen found with sizable quantities of endangered marine species, corals, live sharks and giant clams by the Philippine Navy's BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF15) on patrol near the shoal which the Philippines calls Panatag Shoal. The shoal is also known as Bajo de Masinloc and is 124 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales.

Faeldon, who was granted amnesty in April last year for his

By Marc Jayson Cayabyab, VERA Files

When the pistol went off, three swimmers dived off the starting block and splashed into the water to best one another in the 50-meter freestyle competition.

The frontrunner was a teenage boy who swam with only an arm and a leg. Close behind him was another boy who had only one foot while the third swimmer was a girl with no arms.

They were the participants of the swimming competition for the orthopedically impaired in the special events category of the 2012 PalarongPambansa held at the DagupanPoolsite in Pangasinan from May 8 to 9. The special events were for persons with disabilities (PWDs) engaged in athletics and sports.

Clocking the fastest time was 15-year-old Gary Bejino representing the National Capital Region who made it in 46 seconds. He emerged from the water and headed for the bleachers toward a cheering audience,one hand holding his crutch and a foot balancing his walk.

Cris Natividad from the Ilocos Region, whose left foot had been

By REYNARD MAGTOTO, VERA Files

Photos and Video by VINCENT GO, VERA Files

Road safety advocates launched on Sunday morning a website in commemoration of the first year of the Decade of Action for Road Safety (DARS), which coincided with the first death anniversary of journalist Lourdes "Chit" Estella who died in a road accident a year ago.

The website www.dotcdars.com, a project of the Department of Transportation and Communications, was unveiled during a program at the Quezon City Memorial Circle that capped fun runs, walkathons and other activities around Metro Manila designed to raise awareness of DARS.

The site offers global road safety stories, special reports, safety issues and violations, community initiatives as well as blogs of road safety advocates in a bid to "extend that partnership to the rest of the Filipino community by providing a social context where we can all be connected to the decision making process and join hands in saving lives."

It also features the Philippine

The urban farm in the QCMC

By Eimor Santos, VERA Files

While vegetables are packed with nutrients essential to the human body, not all are a hundred percent safe to eat.

Environment group Bangon Kalikasan warned that urban-grown vegetables may be contaminated with heavy metals which are detrimental to people's health.

Joey Papa, Bangon Kalikasan president, said some of these vegetables are grown in the urban farm inside the Quezon City Memorial Circle, a project of the local government.

He said the group has "some reservations" in keeping a vegetable garden in such a heavily-polluted area. He observed that a person cannot even breathe properly in the said area.

"Maganda naman yung intensyon (The intention is good)," Papa said of the government's efforts to encourage urban farming, although describing the approach as "quite problematic."

What is alarming is that the vegetables absorb too much lead coming from gasoline emissions from the vehicles in the vicinity, he said in a phone interview.

Papa expressed

By Tessa Jamandre, VERA Files

Former Marine Capt. Nick FaeldonA year after he swore allegiance to the flag after being granted amnesty for joining the Oakwood mutiny in 2003, former Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon is back.

On Friday, he will lead an armada of fishermen to make a stand in the Scarborough Shoal where a tense standoff between Chinese maritime ships and the Philippine Coast Guard continues.

Faeldon and former Annapolis cadet Manny Albuera will set sail to Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal, as the Philippines calls the shoal, along with fishermen from his hometown in Batanes to symbolically protest China's claim over the shoal.

They also called on fishermen from Masinloc town in Zambales to join them to show China that the Filipinos are not afraid, especially "when we know it (the shoal) is ours." Panatag Shoal is 124 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales.

Faeldon's voyage initially will bring fishermen as close to Panatag Shoal as possible to exercise their right to fish, but the duration of their stay