Family news

Earthquake yesterday south of Manila. No problem.

Pope set to arrive. With all the terror attacks (and with the plot to kill the pope when he visited in the early 1990's) the country is on full alert.

Joy's uncle, a priest, is coming in from Rome a day before the pope, and will say mass at her sister's house and give her the Sacrament of the sick anointing. Joy has the flu and will go, but I told her she needs to wear a facemask.

Lolo is fine.

The internet is on and off: don't know if it's just the old router or we also need a new modem.

in local news: Someone decided to burn down the houses of some squatters last week. Three young children whose parents weren't at home, died...Sigh. I sent money and some clothing for the survivors, who had nothing.

Here in the Philippines, burning down shanty towns (or in our city, the old Palenke) is a common way to clear land for the owner to build new houses or shops there.

Of course, this is not limited to the Philippines: I remember when they were doing the same in Boston, after reselling the houses/buildings several times to increase their insurance value. In that case it was a toofer: more insurance money and a vacant lot. However, at least in Boston the buildings were usually empty.