Last Monday, the U.S. Embassy launched a new blog: “Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership in Mindanao.” (http://blogs.usembassy.gov/mindanao)
The U.S. Embassy release quoted Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. saying, “Every time I visit Mindanao I am impressed with its rich cultural diversity, the enthusiasm of its youth, and its tremendous potential.
We are trying to do our part to help create opportunities, foster understandings, and promote good governance and human rights.”
(I have written on this subject before in my column in Abante. So this is not new to many of the regular bloggers here. This article appeared in Malaya today.)
ON the fringes of Roxas boulevard, where many shady deals are made, there’s a thriving business that operates primarily on trust.
In front of the US Embassy, under the shade of an old Balete tree, Linda Dragon will hold electronic devices for anyone going inside the embassy building for P150. No written guarantee except trust.
Kahapon, nasa US Embassy ako dahil schedule ng interview ko para sa renewal ng aking US visa. May na-discover akong isang kalakaran doon na nagpapatibay sa aking tiwala sa Pilipino.
Matagal-tagal na rin akong nakapunta sa visa section ng US Embassy kaya hindi ko alam na bawal na pala ngayon magdala ng cellphone at kung ano-ano pang electronics. Sa mga okasyon kasi na pumupunta kami doon katulad ng July 4 reception o mga press conference, pinapaiwan sa amin sa reception area ang aming mga cellphone.
Nang nandoon na ako (7:30 a.m ang schedule ng aking interview) saka ko pa lang nakita ang karatula na bawal ang cellphone at lahat na electronics equipment mula pa noong March 1, 2007. Malaking problema ko kasi saan ko naman i-iwanan ang aking cellphone? Wala naman akong kasama. Galing pa ako ng Las Piñas.