Ben Payat: A Touching Story

Isang anak nang pagkadalaga,na hindi nakayang alagaan ng ina at itoy pinagkatiwala sa kanyang lola at mga tiyahin,

Mula pagkamusmos ay dumanas siya ng maltrato mula sa kanila, kahit na sya ay apo, nasa isip nila na kasalann daw niya kaya di nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral ang ina. Lagi siyang napapalo ng lola nito, konting mali ay may parusa sa batang musmos, kahit mga tiyahin, galit sila sa kanya, ang tanging kakampi nya ay ang lolo nito.

Dumating ang pasukan at nagmakaawa siya na pumasok, napilit ng lolo nito ang lola niya na papapasukin siya, ngunit dapat bago pumasok si Ben ay kailangan makaigib at magawa nya ang trabaho sa kusina, dahil sa kagustuhan makapag-aral ginawa ni Ben ang pag igib, paghugas ng pinag kainan, pakainin mga hayop na alaga nila, pasok siya sa paaralan na ang baon ay piso lamang, ang dmit ay nag iisang pares na uniporme at minsan ang tsinelas nito ay magkaiba ang dahon, lahat ay naawa sa kanya kasi alam nila ang buhay niya, naging magkaibigan kami, at dahil mabait siyang bata, lagi namin share sa kanya mga baon na pagkain at makikita talaga ang gutom nito, napakatalino niya, lagi kaming habulan sa bawat exam.

Ganuon ang buhay na umimnog kay Ben.

Walang pakialam sila lola at tita niya, tanging ang lolo ang laging nagmamahal sa kanya, natutuwa sa mataas na marka ng apo,

Dahil sa siwasyon nya sa bahay nila, nabuhos ang isip nya sa pag-aaral, sa school niya kasi nakikita ang pagmamahal ng pamilya na wala sa kanya, ngunit kailan man ay di siya nagtanim ng galit sa lola at mga tiyahin,

Dumaan ang pagtatapos ng elementarya at naging salutatorian siya, lalong nakakaiyak kasi wala man lang dumating sa pamilya nito dahil may inasikaso ang lolo niya, ganun paman ay masayang umakyat ng entablado si Ben payat, may ngiti at lahat kami ay nagpalakpakan, lumapit siya sa akin at bumati, sinabi niya na baka di siya makapag high school dahil ayaw ng lola magastos daw kaya papasok siya sa pagawaan ng hallow blocks, nag iyakan kaming dalawa lalo na at ipapadala ako sa UPang para mag aral, linggo magkasama kami pumunta sa gawain sa church(born again)nang kausapin siya ng head pastor na napili siya sa schoolarship ng kongregasyon, ang tuwa sa kanyang mukha, ayaw pumayag ng lola nito, ngunit napilitan din.

Umalis ako at tanging text kami nagkaugnayan, pasok sa highschool, pag hapon ay nasa hallowblock si Ben, para ibigay sa lola na gahaman ang kita, 9 ng gabi nagtitinda ng balot para may pera siya pag may project.

Wala siyang kapaguran, at lalong naging malapit siya sa Dios.

Pag bakasyon umuuwi ako ay di maubos ubos ang kuwento niya.

Walang pagbabago sa maltrato ng lola niya sa kanya, at ang ina ay tuluyan na siyang kinalimutan.

Nakapagtapos siya ng high school at dahil matataas ang marka, scholar parin siya sa University sa umaga, pag hapon sa hallowblock, at balot sa gabi para pantustos niya sa mga project nya.

Halos di na siya nagpapahinga.

Mabilis na lumipas ang taon at nakapagtapos siya bilang summa cum laude.

At doon ay nakita ng lola niya kung sino na si Ben, naiyak ang lola nito at nagsisi sa mga ginawa niya sa apo.

Year 2011 nang umuwi ako. At siya po ang tinanghal bilang panauhing pandangal ng aming paaralan.

Lahat ay naiyak habang nagsasalita sa taas ng entablado.

Nagpasalamat siya sa lola niya at sa kahirapan na kung saan iyon ang naging lakas niya para iahon ang sarili.

Nagpasalamat siya sa simbahan na kung saan sila ang tumugon sa schoolarship niya.

Sinabi niya na walang imposible basta may tiwala ka sa Dios at sarili.

Lahat ay umiyak, sino nga ba ang magsasabing siya si Ben, ang batang payat, isang uniporme, naglalako ng balot, at gumgawa ng hallowblocks, minamaltrato ng lola, tsinelas ay magkaiba ang dahon dahil sa wala siyang pambili.

Ngayon isa nang professor sa U.P.

Lahat kaming kaklase niya ay yakapan ng magkita kita, may mga nahihiya sa kanya pero sabi nya ako parin ito, si Ben payat..

Isang batang akala ng marami ay matutulad sa ina,

Ngunit lahat ay nagkamali.

Mga anak ofw sana mabasa nyo ito.

At makita ninyo ang rason kung bakit mga magulang ay nandito ngayon sa ibang bansa.

Salamat po.

Miss Philippines-Megan Young Crowned as New Miss World

BALI, Indonesia—Miss Philippines, Megan Young, was crowned Miss World in a glittering finale on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Saturday.

“I promise to be the best Miss World ever,” Young, 23, said after winning the 63rd annual event, as a large number of Filipino fans who traveled with her celebrated by jumping and waving the country’s flag.

“Salamat sa mga kababayan ko. Mahal na mahal ko kayo (Thanks to my compatriots. I love you very much),” said the teary-eyed actress after she was crowned on Hindu-majority Bali at the end of a three-week contest.

Philippines’ first

Young, wearing a pearl white gown,  bested 126 beauty queens from around the world to become the first Filipina to win the coveted title in a contest broadcast to more than 180 countries worldwide.

Miss France, Marine Lorphelin, 20, took second place, while Miss Ghana, Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter, 22, came in third.

The 127 contestants vying for the crown were introduced Saturday wearing evening gowns shimmering in sequins, many of them with plunging necklines and slits up the leg. Four candidates dropped out earlier, mainly due to illnesses, said Syafril Nasution, one of the local organizers.

Young, who took the crown from Wenxia Yu of China, the 2012 winner, was born in the United States. When she was 10 she moved to the Philippines, where she has appeared in films and as a television host.

Core value of humanity

She thanked the judges for choosing her and pledged to “just be myself in everything I do, to share what I know and to educate people.”

To the question “Why should you be Miss World?” Young answered, “I treasure a core value of humanity and that guides people why they act the way they do. I will use this to show other people how they can understand each other … as one, we can help society.”

This is the first time the Philippines has won a Miss World title crown in the 63-year history of the London-based pageant.

The country has won the Miss Universe title twice, Miss International four times, Miss Earth once and Miss Supranational also once, this year.

The closest the Philippines came to win the Miss World title before were in 1973 with Evangeline Pascual and in 2011 with Gwendoline Ruais.  Both finished first runner-up.

AND THE NEW MISS WORLD IS . . . Miss Philippines Megan Young, right, reacts after winning the Miss World pageant final in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. Young beat candidates from 128 countries and is the first Filipina to wear the crown in the pageant’s 63-year history. AP

Protest

Indonesia’s government announced three weeks ago that the finals would be moved from the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta, and instead held on the Hindu-dominated resort island of Bali, where earlier rounds were taking place following protests by Muslim hardliner groups.

In a bid to reduce hard-line anger, organizers also took an early decision this year to axe the famed bikinis from the “beach fashion” round, replacing them with Balinese sarongs. But pressure continued to mount, and more mainstream groups joined in and called for the show to be banned.

Despite threats from the Islamic Defenders Front to disrupt the pageant, police said no rallies were staged Saturday. The group has demonstrated for weeks, calling for the government to cancel the pageant because members say it shows too much skin and goes against Islamic teachings.

Hundreds of police were deployed across Bali for Saturday’s final, which saw contestants clad in stilettos and shimmering gowns take to the stage in the Nusa Dua resort, southern Bali.

The contestants were quickly whittled down to six. Then, they faced a question-and-answer round before the winner was announced.

Highest score

Young, who is studying digital media and also presents TV shows in the Philippines, entered the semifinal round with the highest score based on preliminary activities.

Just a day before the coronation night, the Miss World Organization announced on its official website that Young topped the “Top Model” competition, placed fourth in the “Multimedia Challenge” and fifth in the “Beach Beauty” contest.

Others who made it to the Top 6 were Brazil’s Sancler Frantz who won the Beach Beauty competition, Spain’s Elena Ibarbia, and Gibraltar’s Maroua Kharbouch, who advanced by amassing the highest number of public votes.

Young’s proclamation as the new Miss World came just weeks after her coronation as the country’s official representative to the global competition.

Clear favorite

She was a clear favorite in the 2013 Miss World Philippines pageant and bested 25 other contestants in the finale held Aug. 18 at the Solaire Resort and Casino.

In the national tilt, the Olongapo-based Young also bagged the lion’s share of special awards—Best in Fashion Runway, Miss Sports by Fila, Miss Reducin, Miss Olay, Miss Laguna, Miss Bold and Glamorous by Revlon, Miss Figlia, Miss Bench Body, Miss Slimmers World and Miss Solaire Resort and Casino.

Young was just as impressive in the international competition. During the opening press conference, she joined 2013 winner Yu Wenxia of China and Miss World owner Julia Morley in addressing the media delegation. Eight other international representatives joined the Philippines’ bet.

The American-Filipino TV personality also earned a spot in the “Dances of the World” segment for the final telecast, where only a select few contestants were chosen.

Interest in Asia

A total of 129 contestants had been due to compete in the final, but two pulled out at the last minute, according to organizers.

While the popularity of Miss World, first held in 1951, has waned in the West, continued interest in Asian countries ensures that the final rakes in a huge global television audience.

Venezuela has produced the most Miss Worlds, with six winners, while India and Britain claim five titles each. With Armin Adina, Inquirer; Agence France-Presse

Read more: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/127875/megan-young-crowned-miss-world#ixzz2gGYEeCqg
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Megan Young's "topless photos" draw controversy one day before Miss World 2013 pageant

Isang araw bago ganapin ang Miss World 2013 sa Bali, Indonesia, sumulpot ang ilang fans na nagrereklamo sa diumano'y "naked pictures" ng kandidata ng Pilipinas na si Megan Young. Nailathala ang naturang artikulo sa isang online site sa U.K.

Bukas, September 28, ang coronation night ng Miss World 2013. Gaganapin ito sa Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, Bali, Indonesia.

Tulad ng mga nakaraang international beauty pageants, sinasabi na malaki ang tsansa na makuha ng Philippine representative ang Miss World crown. Ngayon ay turn naman ni Megan Young.

Pero isang araw bago ang coronation night, kumalat ang mga litrato ni Megan na na-publish sa March 2012 issue ng isang men's magazine.

Sinasabing topless photos ang mga ito, ngunit nang nakita ng writer na ito ang litrato, malinaw na wala mang saplot na pang-itaas si Megan, nakadapa ito sa buhangin o kaya'y nakatayo na nakatalikod.

Ibig sabihin, walang nakikita sa kanyang maselan na bahagi ng katawan. Sexy na matatawag ang mga litrato, ngunit hindi nude.

Lumabas sa U.K. edition ng International Business Times, isang New York-based online publication, ang balita tungkol sa controversy ng "topless photos" ni Megan, dahil sa reklamo diumano ng nagagalit na fans.

Sinabi sa artikulo na si Megan ay "one of the top contenders" at "early favourite" upang makuha ang korona ng Miss World ngayong taon.

Pero ilang fans daw ang kumukuwestiyon sa "topless photos" na ito ni Megan.

Nagtatanong din daw ang ilan kung magsasagawa ng protesta ang Indonesian group ng mga religious and feminists sa "naked pictures" ni Megan.

Ito ang bahagi ng report ng International Business Times:

“The most recent contestant to join the controversies is Miss Philippines, Megan Young. Having made it to the top ten of two contests—Beach fashion and Top Model—at the Miss World 2013 pageant, Young is one of the top contenders predicted to win the coveted Miss World crown during the finale.

“However, topless photos of Megan Young, an early favourite among pageant’s fans, that appeared in the March 2012 issue of Rogue Magazine have surfaced and drawn ire from the fans.

“'Rules are rules when it comes to the Miss World beauty contest it seems that contestants’ taking their clothes off is a clear breach of the laws,' a user wrote to IBTimes UK on condition of anonymity.

“'A beauty queen is somebody that is a good role model inside and out and obviously is a beautiful person. It's not just about exterior beauty; a beauty queen has to have outstanding morals, elegance, femininity and class. And that's what everybody thinks it is. Beauty queens should be seen as role models not sex object.'

"The user asks: 'Will an Indonesian group of religious and feminist launch a protest on Megan Young's naked pictures? How will Miss World Organization and Indonesian government handle this issue?'

“Notwithstanding any of these controversies, the Miss World Organisation is readying to host all the 130 contestants on the Miss World 2013 finale. Both Miss Philippines and Miss Uzbekistan remain listed on the pageant’s official website.”

Ang kandidata ng Uzbekistan na si Rakhima Ganieva ay inakusahan naman ng fraud.

Sinabi ni Ganieva sa mga interview sa kanya, na nanalo siya sa national pageant sa kanilang bansa noong July. Ngunit ayon sa mga opisyales ng Uzbekistan ay walang ginanap na pageant sa kanila.

Hindi pa naglalabas ng statement ang Miss World Organization tungkol sa "topless photos" controversy na kinasasangkutan ni Megan.

Pero nakakuha ng kakampi si Megan mula sa mga kababayan niya, na pinutakti ang comments section ng International Business Times.

Inakusahan nila ito ng "irresposible journalism."

Sinisiraan lamang daw nito ang Filipina actress-TV host, na strong contender para sa Miss World crown and title.

Iginiit ng mga tagapagtanggol ni Megan na artistic, hindi topless, at walang bahid ng kalaswaan ang kanyang sexy pictorial.

Courtesy of PeP by Jojo Gabinete-

Banaue Rice Terraces: The National Cultural Treasure

For 2,000 years the mountains of Ifugao province in the Philippines have been carefully cultivated with a seemingly endless series of terraced fields that climb thousands of feet.

The Ifugao Rice Terraces, which follow the natural contours of the mountains, only enhance the region’s rugged natural beauty. They also epitomize a harmonic, sustainable relationship between humans and their environment. These fields, and the knowledge to farm and sustain them, have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.

The structures' original builders used stone and mud walls to carefully carve and construct terraces that could hold flooded pond fields for the cultivation of rice. They also established a system to water these plots by harvesting water from mountaintop forests. These incredible engineering feats were done by hand as was (and is) the farming itself.

The rice terraces have long been central to the survival of the Ifugao peoples but they also occupy a central importance within their culture. Entire communities cooperate on cyclical, seasonal systems of planting, pest control, and harvest, which are tied to lunar cycles and sometimes accompanied with religious rituals.

But the world is changing and this region is not immune. Increasing numbers of young people are migrating toward urban areas in search of a far different future. With few left to work the fields according to the old ways their future is uncertain. Some 25 to 30 percent of the terraces are abandoned and beginning to deteriorate, along with irrigation systems.

Due to these threats the site was placed on the list of World Heritage in Danger in 2001 and it remains there today. Sustainable tourism may offer hope for conservation. In fact, the region’s value to the nation as a tourist destination likely exceeds that of its rice production.

How to Get There

Others are just as lovely but the Banaue Rice Terraces are the most famous of the lot. Banaue is some 216 miles (348 kilometers) from Manila (perhaps eight to ten hours with stops and mountainous terrain), and daily buses make the trip.

When to Visit

During summer and fall abundant rains can sometimes cloud views of the slopes. Winter may be a more reliable period for sightseeing. June is harvest time, so the landscape is golden and activity levels are high.

How to Visit

Not surprisingly, hiking into the terraces is a popular activity among visitors to the region. But the emerald hillsides appear lovely even without the walk and outstanding picnic spots abound. Plenty of guided tours are available in Banaue.

A NATURE’S MASTERPIECE: THE PRINCESA UNDERGROUND RIVER

Welcome to a Wonder of Nature!
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is one of the most significant protected areas of the Philippines. It is located in the Midwest coast of Palawan, some 76 km northwest of Puerto Princesa City. It was designated as a National Park on March 26, 1971 at 3,901 has. by virtue of Proclamation No.835. To ensure long term viability, the Park was expanded to 22,202 has. that includes the entire catchment of the Underground River and important forested areas by virtue of Proclamation No. 212 signed on November 16, 1999.

The Site features a spectacular limestone or karst mountain landscape with one of the most impressive cave systems in the world. It contains an 8.2 km long underground river that flows directly to the sea. The lower half of the river is brackish and subject to the oceans tide. A subterranean river flowing directly into the sea and the associated tidal influence makes it the most unique natural phenomenon of its type to exist. The discovery of 11 minerals, scientifically and aesthetically unique speleothems, and a 20 million year old Serenia fossil permanently embedded in the walls of the cave justifies the declaration of the Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The Site also contains a full mountain to sea ecosystems and protects forests that are important for biodiversity conservation. It is a representative of Palawan Moist Forests, which are among the most significant in Asia, and is noted for high levels of regional and local endemism. The Site serves as habitat to numerous endangered, rare and endemic wildlife species. In the coastal area, mangroves, sea grass beds and coral reefs are found.

The long wait is finally over. Four years after it was officially recognized as a nominee, and a couple of months after being included in the provisional list of winners, the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in Palawan is now officially one of the world’s New Seven Wonders of Nature. The PPUR shares the honor with Jeju Island in Korea; the Amazon in South America; Halong Bay in Vietnam; Iguazu Falls in Brazil; Komodo in Indonesia; and the Table Mountain in South Africa.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje, national campaign manager for the PPUR’s promotion, said that although the PPUR seemed to be a “David among Goliaths”, there was no doubt about its eventual victory.

“We knew Filipinos could make things possible once we unite for a common cause, and true enough, Filipinos from around the world voted both online and through text for PPUR,” Paje said.

Yet more than the votes, Paje stressed that the 8.2 kilometer underground river deserves to be called a “true wonder of nature” because of its unique natural and geological features that never cease to amaze not only tourists, both local and foreign, but also scientists and experts.


Diverse and unique discoveries


By now many are familiar with the iconic PPUR images of boats, carrying passengers in life jackets and hard hats, leisurely gliding along the river’s jade-green waters and into the cavernous entrance punctuated by stalactites and the occasional bat or swallow flying overhead.


Yet many do not know that the river is part of an entire mountain-to-sea ecosystem called the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. It is considered home and habitat to eight types of forests; inland wetlands like rivers and fresh swamp; karst ecosystem; and coastal wetlands like tidal flats and seagrass beds.



The Italian La Venta Geographical Association, which conducted a number of explorations of PPUR, described the site as “one of the most relevant and still promising speleological areas of the Philippines,” even exciting not only Filipinos but the world of their discoveries about the river:

• The PPUR represents one of the largest and most important underground estuaries in the world. Its 8.2 kilometer navigable underground river winds through a cave and flows out directly into the West Philippine Sea. The tides from the sea push their influence to as far as six kilometers into the cave, making it “a site of huge mixing phenomenon between fresh river and salt sea water… The system may reasonably be considered the world’s most classical example of an underground estuary.”

• It hosts one of the most complex cave systems. It consists of a large main gallery through which the river flows, and which branches out into several inlets and small tributaries. Though it is a well explored cave, many minor branches have yet to be investigated.• The PPUR is naturally sustainable. It has the natural capacity to offset the effects of high-impact tourism because of its high amount of energy resulting from its unique location, marine climate, and combination of wind, humidity and strong variable air fluxes.

• It contains scientifically and aesthetically unique formations from secondary mineral deposits not found elsewhere.

• While only a few caves in the world host more than three to four minerals, the PPUR alone hosts at least 11 cave minerals, three of which can be considered new. The new minerals are serrabrancaite, robertsite and janggunite, while the other eight are calcite, gypsum, apatite, variscite, strengite, manganite, rodocrosite, and pirolusite.

• Cave formations and the relationship of tides with the speed of fresh water flow within the PPUR allow scientists to conduct studies in understanding the Earth’s evolution.

• The fossilized remains of a sea cow or Sirenia, estimated to be at least 20 million years old, have also been found embedded in perfect condition in the cave’s walls. It is the first to be found in the country and in this part of the world. 

Tourism: boon or bane?

Puerto Princesa City has been enjoying a tourism boom largely attributed to the growing popularity of the PPUR. Tourist arrivals have increased to 250,000 in 2011, up by 35 per cent compared to 2010. With the increased number of flights from two to 13, including bi-weekly direct flights from Korea, a new international airport is already being constructed. The city government has also issued more than 200 permits for additional lodging establishments and other tourism-related businesses. 
True to form as an environmental champion, Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who was commended for his valuable contribution and leadership in steering the PPUR to victory, has, however, expressed concern over the tourism boom. Noting the possible adverse impact of human activities on the environment, he has sought the assistance of the DENR and other experts in determining the “carrying capacity” of the PPUR.
“We have already increased our self-imposed limit from 500 to 700 visitors a day in the area, but we are now receiving 1,300 persons daily,” he reported, albeit with mixed pride and concern. The study, he said, would thus give them sound basis on determining the maximum number of visitors to accept at the site without causing irreversible damage to the ecosystems.



Wetland of international importance
The declaration of the PPUR as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature is but a feather in its cap. Already, the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) considers it as a world heritage site, and thus, of outstanding value to humanity.
So, what else lies in store for the PPUR? 

Sec. Paje said that the DENR is set to nominate the PPUR as Ramsar site to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, otherwise known as the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty that seeks to conserve and sustainably utilize wetlands and protect them from progressive encroachment. The nomination was a result of the recommendation of the city government through Resolution No. 427-2011, and will be defended by the DENR in a ministerial meeting in Romania in July 2012.
“Once approved, the PPUR will form part of an international network of wetland sites that will be on the global radar for sustainable management. This will be an important contribution to the city government, which needs assistance in coping with the deluge of visitors that it is currently facing,” explained the secretary.

1700 killed and more than 9000 injured by chemical bombing 'Syria

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The violence in Syria began in March 2011. The middle eastern country has been crippled by a brutal civil war.

Since then, the United Nations estimates more than 100,000 people have died in the clashes between President Bashar al-Assad's government and rebel forces who want him out.

The UN also says more than two million people have fled Syria to neighbouring countries, and over a million of those refugees are children.

In July 2012, the International Red Cross said the violence in Syria had become so widespread that it was in a state of civil war.

But what are the reasons behind the violence? And what is being done to stop it getting any worse?
How did it all start?

The trouble began in 2011 in the Syrian city of Deraa.

Locals took to the streets to protest after 15 schoolchildren had been arrested - and reportedly tortured - for writing anti-government graffiti on a wall.

The protests were peaceful to begin with, calling for the kids' release, democracy and greater freedom for people in the country.

The government responded angrily, and on 18 March, the army opened fire on protesters, killing four people.

The following day, they shot at mourners at the victims' funerals, killing another person.

People were shocked and angry at what had happened and soon the unrest had spread to other parts of the country.
What do the protesters want and what have they got?

At first the protesters just wanted democracy and greater freedom.

But once security forces opened fire on peaceful demonstrations, people demanded that the President, Bashar al-Assad, resign.

President Assad refused to step down.

As the violence worsened he offered to change some things about the way the country is run, but the protesters didn't believe him.

President Assad also has quite a lot of people in Syria that still support him and his government.
Suspected use of chemical weapons

There has been increasing pressure on the international community to act after allegations came out that chemical weapons are being used in the war.

Syria, however, has denied using chemical weapons, which are banned under international law because the effects of their use are so horrific.

But in August 2013, a suspected chemical attack just outside the Syrian capital, Damascus, caused a strong reaction from the likes of America, Britain and France.

Now, those countries are debating how best to react to the deepening crisis.

Syria's government categorically denied the use of chemical weapons, saying: "there is no country in the world that uses a weapon of ultimate destruction against its own people."
Is there any help from other countries?

Following the suspected chemical attack, Britain began planning a possible military response. The British and American governments are working together on a plan, which is very unlikely to involve sending soldiers into the country.

The United Nations has been very critical of the violence - but can't agree on how to help the ordinary people of Syria.

They sent peace monitors into Syria in April 2012 as part of a peace plan, but they had to pull out after it became too dangerous.

The UN hasn't sent in any armed troops to Syria.

For that to happen, all the members countries of the UN have to agree - but Russia and China have so far blocked any moves to do this.

Russia in particular has strong ties with President Assad's Syrian government and have helped them by supplying weapons.

Britain and France have been pushing for the ability to send weapons to the rebels, saying it would encourage the Syrian government towards coming up with a solution to the conflict.

But there's a big debate about whether sending weapons is the right way to end the war. There's no way of telling who might get hold of the weapons.
The refugee crisis

Many ordinary Syrian people have been caught up in the violence of the war and have been forced to leave their homes to escape to other countries.

Every day refugees stream across the borders of Syria into the neighbouring nations of Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.

In August 2013 the United Nations said that the number of Syrian children who'd been forced to flee the country had reached one million.

Millions more have been displaced within Syria and are in desperate need of help. But aid agencies say that getting aid to people inside Syria is too difficult and dangerous.
What happens next?

It doesn't look like the fighting is going to end any time soon.

Neither the Free Syrian Army nor the government forces have been able to defeat the other.

It seems unlikely that Syrian government troops will ever be able to regain full control of the country.

Abolition’ of pork gets mixed reactions

Local officials in Eastern Visayas received with mixed reactions President Benigno Aquino III’s decision to abolish the corruption-ridden Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or pork barrel.

Biliran Rep. Rogelio Espina said he respected the President’s decision, but stressed that the abolition of the pork barrel would impact on the delivery of various services to the constituents of the members of the House.

Espina, a former governor of Biliran, said he got funds for various projects and assistance programs for the poor, such as burial, scholarships, medical and livelihood, from the PDAF.

“Our poor barangays, municipalities and provinces cannot provide a quality of life (services for their residents) on their internal revenue allotment (alone),” Espina said in a text message.

Servants

“As representatives, we don’t only legislate laws, but we are also servants of our constituents who are seeking immediate assistance in education, health and even embalming,” he said.

But he said he supported the President’s decision for the sake of unity.

“I hope he can find a way to equitably provide immediately for the needs of … more families in the countryside,” Espina said.

Leyte Gov. Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said the pork barrel was a big help to the local governments.

He cited the flood-control project in Palo town, which is funded from the President’s pork.

The project, he said, cannot be finished by the municipal government or the provincial government because it costs more than P300 million.

Minimal impact

But for Northern Samar Gov. Jose Ong, the abolition of the pork barrel will not affect local governments at all.

“I think the impact on local governments would be only minimal. Instead of asking our congressmen for financial assistance, we can go directly to the President. So it’s just a change of person to ask for help,” Ong said.

Ong is a younger brother of Rep. Emil Ong, who was listed by the Commission on Audit as having received more than P161.5 million in pork from 2007 to 2009.

The Catholic Church found President Aquino’s decision to abolish the PDAF a “very good move.

But the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on Saturday that the administration should also explain how it used the pork barrel.

Msgr. Joselito Asis, CBCP secretary general, said the public should scrutinize the Aquino administration’s pork expenditure, and determine if funds went to nongovernment organizations (NGOs) linked to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

“If [the funds] were invested in (bogus NGOs), that means [the funds] were not really used (for the public good),” Asis said in an interview.

“Those who received now and before should be made accountable. That’s a good clamor from the people—be accountable,” Asis said.

He said Mr. Aquino’s decision was a good move, as it showed the President listened to the national demand to abolish the pork barrel.

Shameful, sinful

“Pork barrel is not only shocking and scandalous, [but also] shameful and sinful,” Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said. “[It is] plain stealing, where the poor and the needy are further exploited and made to suffer again and again.”

The PDAF does not help the poor, Santos said. “Instead, it feeds the greed and the avarice of unscrupulous people.”

Santos said the Diocese of Balanga, which covers the province of Bataan, supported the Million People March at the Luneta Park in Manila set for tomorrow.

The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches is also glad about Mr. Aquino’s decision to abolish the pork barrel.

“We rejoice over this announcement from the President. However, we still do not know the mechanics on how the fund will actually be disbursed,” said Bishop Efraim Tendero, the group’s national director.

“The journey to liberate the funds of the people for the welfare of the people is just beginning,” Tendero said. With a report from Philip C. Tubeza

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