SM Foundation Hosts Graduation of Tanauan Farmers who Underwent Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Training

The KSK training graduates.

A total of 102 farmers, most of whom are from the City of Tanauan, graduated from the 3-month farming training at SM City Lipa last 31 August 2016. The training, dubbed as “Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan” (KSK) is spearheaded by SM Foundation and is conducted in partnership with Harbest Agribusiness Corporation, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

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Some Very Telling Statistics on the Differences between Filipino Men and Women

A fact sheet on women and men in the Philippines offers some very interesting statistical differences between the genders in this country. The fact sheet was released last March 2016 by the Philippine Statistical Authority. The statistics in this sheet are comprehensive, but this article will only focus on certain areas which ought to be of interest to a wider audience.

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Early 20th Century Postcards Show Nostalgic Images of Old Manila

Dewey Boulevard, Manila (presently Roxas Boulevard).

An obscure collection of postcards simply called the “Rudyuski Collection” sits among the digital collections at the National Library of the Philippines. Regrettably, no details are given as to the owner of the collection or how the postcards were accumulated. The subjects of the postcards are diverse, with images not only of Metro Manila but of indigenous tribes and different provinces of the country. This post shows only postcards of Manila subjects.

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Shopping Tips for SM City Lipa's 3-Day Sale This September

In line with its coming three-day sale scheduled on 2-4 September 2016, SM City Lipa has released a set of tips for shoppers who may be planning to take advantage of the mall's upcoming event. Here are the tips sent to Life So Mundane by way of a Press Release by SM City Lipa:

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The Practice of Sending Convicted Criminals as Soldiers to Spanish Colonial Philippines

Image credit:  Nephicode.com.

“While this ship was on the point of departure, one of two ships which your viceroy Don Martin Enrriquez¹ despatched from Nueva España (Mexico) arrived here, on the fifth of the present month. Through these ships he sends one hundred and fifty soldiers, some married men, and three Augustinian religious.²”

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Improved Traffic Management in Lipa; but Foresight Also Needed for the Future

I have complained about the adverse traffic situation in Lipa City before, and now that it has perceptibly improved, I believe that it is merely fair to write about the improvements as well. I still see the occasional bitching about traffic on social media, so before anyone can consider trolling this article, let me immediately set its context.

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Gabriel de Ribera, Mariscal de Bombon, Batangas’ Representative to the Royal Audiencia

Image credit:  fotolibra.com.

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(Chapter XI of a Batangas Historical Series)

Gonçalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa’s term as Governor of the Philippines would be cut short by his death in 1583¹. He was in poor health from the day he assumed office, according to the historian Antonio de Morga. His demise, it is fair to assume, was probably hastened by the stresses brought on by criticisms that his administration drew not just from his political rivals but also from the members of the clergy.

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Batangas Port, Fernando Air Base Expansion, Batangas-Calamba Rail Proposed

Image credit:  Google Street View.

A TV Patrol Southern Tagalog item on its 9 August 2016 show reported that talks have started between Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Arthur Tugade and Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas regarding the construction of Phase 3 and 4 of the Batangas City Port, as suggested by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

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2016 Competitiveness Rankings: San Juan, Bauan Stay Top Towns in Batangas; Lemery 3rd; Rosario, Nasugbu Enter Top 5

Image credit:  Google Street View.

The municipalities of San Juan and Bauan stayed first and second in the Province of Batangas as per the 2016 edition of the Nationwide Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, the results of which were released by the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines last month. The competitiveness index is an annual undertaking of the council in coordination with the Regional Competitiveness Committees and with assistance rendered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

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Spanish-Style Corruption Arrives in 16th Century Philippines, Including Batangas

Image credit: Putok Do You Know the Truth?

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(Chapter X of a Batangas Historical Series)

After Miguel de Loarca’s pseudo-census of the Philippine Islands, Spanish documents for all intents and purposes went silent in the 1580s on anything that had to do with what would over time become the Province of Batangas. This was likely by no means deliberate and more due to politicking between the Spaniards themselves, often to the detriment of the native Filipinos or the Indians as these were referred to by the conquerors.

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50 Forgotten Tagalog Bugtongs (Riddles)

Image credit:  Ctw.com.

It used to be, when I was young, that we used to amuse ourselves by asking each other riddles or mga bugtong, as these were called in Tagalog. These riddles were witty and sometimes downright irreverent; and, of course, these had to be phrased so that they had rhymes. Most of the riddles were traditional; i.e. we heard them from others and it was a simple matter of repeating them and still drawing laughs, depending on how you told them. There were those, however, who were inventive and could create their own.

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