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Month: March 2015

The Lantern festival crowd: showcase of Taiwanese’s admirable discipline

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2015

In the 30 or so minutes that I was in the midst of the teeming crowd in Wuri Railway Station in Taichung, Taiwan last Saturday, I gained insights about the Taiwanese and in way, in their relations with mainland China, more than what I have learned in my readings in the past.

Thousands and thousands of people of all ages – babies, children, elderly, even the handicapped, filled every inch of the train station. Organizers said there were 1.5 million visitors that night, a record attendance.

As I flowed with the crowd, I thought of the stampede in Shanghai last New year’s eve where 36 people died and for some fleeting moments, it was scary.

Wuri Railway Station in Taichung, at about 9 p.m. of Saturday, March 7, 2015. Part of the 1.5 million who came to visit the Lantern Festival.
Wuri Railway Station in Taichung, at about 9 p.m. of Saturday, March 7, 2015. Part of the 1.5 million who came to visit the Lantern Festival.

But the amazing thing was,the crowd was moving orderly. There was no pushing or elbowing out each other. It was discipline at its most awesome.

Continue readingThe Lantern festival crowd: showcase of Taiwanese’s admirable discipline

The potent bite of the ‘Mosquito Press’

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2015

Documentary-Portraits of Mosquito Press
Documentary-Portraits of Mosquito Press
Congratulations to JL Burgos for bringing to the screen an important chapter in our history of struggle for press freedom.

“Portraits of Mosquito Press “documents the struggle for press freedom at the time when the country was still in the grip of the Marcos dictatorship.

“Mosquito Press” was Marcos’ belittling of the small, independent newspapers which he allowed to operate to give a semblance of press freedom under his autocratic rule.

The small, independent newspapers lead by We Forum, owned and edited by Jose Burgos, Jr., were called the “alternative press.” Alternative to the establishment press owned by Marcos cronies and relatives and toed the government line that Marcos was the savior of the Philippines.

We Forum was critical of Marcos. When asked by international media about issues raised in We Forum, Marcos dismissed it as nothing but the handiwork of the “mosquito press.” In effect, they are just mosquitos. Nothing that he cannot swat easily.

Later, Marcos would realize that mosquito bites can be potent.

Continue readingThe potent bite of the ‘Mosquito Press’