NorthShore Waves

Early this year I was nominated to be a member of the Board of Directors of the North Shore Waves Swimming Club. Photo shows the first BoD meeting at the Xavier Sports and Country Club.

Working and living far away from the base of operation of the swimming club, I am just wondering how the club is doing right now?

What are you looking at?

Lion and Cheetah Park
Harare, Zimbabwe

Billboard

I was in the town of Plumtree (a border town with Botswana) to visit our border reception center there. A few months back, the office commissioned me to take photos for our "Safe Journey" information campaign. I knew that the selected photos from that shoot will be used for the production of posters but did not realize that one photo was selected for the production of billboards. I was surprised and very delighted to see a big billboard in the border showing a photo that I took. Couldn't help myself but take a shot of the billboard -- my first billboard!


Plumtree Border Post (border between Zimbabwe and Botswana)
Matabeleland Province, Zimbabwe

Black and White

Zebras in Hwange National Park

Elephants of Hwange

The Hwange National Park is home to elephants. When going to a safari inside the park, elephants are the easiest to spot. They are almost everywhere. This is not surprising given that there is over population. To date, the total recorded population is at 60,000 when ideally, the National Park (with a total land area of 14,650 sq. kms.) maximum carrying capacity is 32,000 elephants. The over population of elephants is one of the major concerns of the park administrators. Policies and programs to find a way to bring down the population are however close to none.

Over population of elephants in the park affects the resources of the area. An elephant's average consumption of water is 200 liters of water a day and it can drink 100 liters of water at a time. Elephants, having an inefficient digestive system also continuously eats. Having an inefficient digestive system, whatever they eat goes out almost immediately. Thus, elephants are known to spend an average of 18 hours just eating.

Bahay

"Bahay" is a Filipino word that means House or Home. I was in Victoria Falls a couple of weeks ago to monitor the shelter assistance project we have there for 150 mobile and vulnerable households. Photos shows the present structure they live in. These people were evicted from places that the government deemed illegal for them to stay. They have since been provided with stands to have their houses built but due to economic hardship they can't afford to build their own house following government building standards.

While I was taking these photos, the song "bahay" kept playing in my mind. It was a song that was composed by Gary Granada. He joined the Metro Manila Pop Music Festival sometime in the late 70's and he won the grand price for this song. Ever since, the song became a favorite song of activists and NGOs especially those working for the urban poor and helping communities access their right to land and decent housing.

The lyrics of the song goes like this:

"Isang araw akoy nadalaw sa bahay tambakan. Labin-limang mag-anak ang doo'y nagsiksikan. Nagtitiis sa munting barong-barong na sira-sira. Habang doon sa isang mansion, halos walang nakatira."

"Sa init ng tabla't karton, sila doo'y nakakulong. Sa lilim ng yerong kalawang at sira-sirang gulong. Pinag tagpi-taping basurang pinatungan ng bato. Hindi ko maintindihan bakit ang tawag sa ganito ay BAHAY?" 

"Sinulat ko ang nakita ng aking mga mata. Ang kanilang kalagayan ginawan ko ng kanta. Iginuhit at isinalarawan ang naramdaman at sinanguni ko sa mga taong marami ang alam."

"Isang bantog na senador ang unang nilapitan ko, at dalubhasang propesor sa malaking colegio. Ang pinagpala sa mundo, ang diaryo at ang pulpito, lahat sila'y nagkasundo na ang tawag sa ganito ay BAHAY . . . . "

". . . . Baka naman isang araw kayo doon ay maligaw, mahipo nyo at marinig, at maamoy at matanaw. Hindi ako nangungutya, kayo na rin ang magpasiya, sa palagay ninyo kaya sa mata ng Maylikha, ay BAHAY?"

Sunset over Hwange National Park

Spent a long weekend at the Hwange (used to be called Wankie) National Park. Photos taken on our way back to the lodge after an afternoon safari. 

GREASE at the REPS Theater

For the third time now, REPS theater invited me to shoot plays they produced. The first two occasions were small plays done at the smaller theater they call "Theater Upstairs." This time, I got the chance to shoot a musical in the main theater.