  Have to pick up a song by Jay-R called Bakit Pa Ba or something like that and Forever's Not Enough by Sarah Geronimo.
Okay, so the hike should be 3-hours long. Should be fun! So some things to remember for FilAms. There isn't toilet paper (generally) in the Philippines. Of course there are always exceptions like businesses, posh hotels, and museums. So start practicing using that tabo or water hose to wash your puet! Some notes on fractionalization: Even the insurgent groups are fractionalized such that they fight each other as well as the government troops.
Also there are redundant offices such that some offices don't know who is in charge of what since they have similar responsibilities. I wonder what miracles could be accomplished if Filipinos worked together for a united nation more often, EDSA, People Power, beheadings of oversea Filipino workers. Thought for the day: The whole is greater than the sum of all its parts... Filipinos are so soulfull, listen to our music. :) Later That Day: Sweet Jesus! Okay so the hike to Pilien makes the hike to Calapi look like a walk in the park.
Walked (literally! ) up-hill for 10-miles in the mud and when I mean mud, it's the kind you step in and lose your tsinelas (about calve-deep to me). Then we had to cross this river 4 times before reaching Pilien. Took a total of 4 1/2 hours. I was thoroughly exhausted. Tomorrow we'll walk back to Maruglo but despite the mud I'm looking forward to it since it's down hill.
Nice in Pilien in that there's relatively no pollution (the occasional cigarette butt and candy wrapper). People keep staring at me because i'm putik. I feel like I'm on dispaly. ;) Okay, so here's a chance for me to demystify some concepts that were told to me prior to leaving the U.S.: 1) Kampampangans DO NOT sound like birds chirping when talking... 2) Kampampangans DO NOT yell when talking... See what happens when regional stereotypes are mentioned but unfounded. I think we all need to visit another part of the Philippines just to get some cultural experience from our own countrymen.
For example, red necks are in bred but how should I know? I hate Texas (except for San Antonio! ) sucks, lol! Even in the U.S. we have our own regional biases. However I have to agree that Angeles City is where it's at. Didn't see much happening in San Fernando. I was told there was a huge robot in San Fernando but it eluded me.
:( Oh yeah, I need to remind Mrs. Palo that the field officers need motorcycles for Pilien. A note on critical consciousness: In the U.S. we take critical consciousness for granted in that a majority of the people don't exercise their rights to question authority. In the Philippines you have to be careful of what you say otherwise the Philippine National Police or military intelligence might pick you up for 'questioning' since you're acting like a 'subversive. ' Okay so some more thinking at Pilien. There's not much to do here after we've met with the tribal chief and his council (more in my field notes).
On the travel advisory to the Philippines... Just because GMA doesn't want to play Bush's bullshit game, his administration slaps the travel warning advisory on the Philippines. Bush's advisory is so transparent, his actions so visible, his reasons so apparent that it really laughable! The Philippines was safe while the troops were in Iraq and now the Philippines are unsafe because GMA recalls them a month ahead of schedule?
What is Bush afraid of? Seeing a country that isn't listening to his bullshit and kow-towing like some of the other servant-states (Britain, Australia, Japan, ie. Coalition of the Bossed Around) to the Bush administration? Is Bush afraid that the U.S. is seen as an uncaring company and the Philippines as a compassionate one? Too late, the whole world fears or hates the U.S. administration (take your pick!). To hell with Bush!
What a jackass! It's no wonder that over half the U.S. citizens 'dislike' Bush. I just wish we'd have the balls in the U.S. to take back our hijacked country from the terrorists living in the White House. I can only hope that the November elections pushes Bush out of the Oval Office. It's so nice to be happy! Everyone should be happy! Sex Bomb girls are the bomb! LOL! Empowerment from a social epidemiology point of view begins with the opportunity of self-rule and choice. 
