Thanks for 2008!

Maraming Salamat po sa 2008!
My first ever capture of the Manila Bay sunset at its full splendor. Taken during my last shoot for the year 2008, at the Mall of Asia, December 29, with my supportive & loving wife.

Wishing you all a blessed and peaceful New Year!

Magtiwala Ka!

The Indios Experience

Concept and design by Dirthman

A group of photography enthusiasts, the Flickristasindios, will have its first photo exhibit entitled "The Indios Experience", on December 15 to 19, 2008 in TriNoMa, Quezon City.

The Indios is an assembly of Filipino Flickr members bonded by their love for life through photowalks and charity works, weekly get-togethers, and most of all, by their serious passion for photographic art. The exhibit will showcase the works of these men and women ranging from the mundane to the surreal, from snapshots of daily life to the unexplored and magical worlds, and everything else in between.

See you all there.

My Little Christmas Tree

Krispy Kreme's 1st

Dared three nights at Gateway, Araneta Center to be Krispy Kreme's 1st customer on its opening day. My daughter Kristine!

Kids from Pantay Elementary School

Taken during the first Flickristasindios' Outreach Program at Pantay Elementary School, Teresa, Rizal - 11 October 2008 (in cooperation with the Red Cross - Rizal Chapter)

Kami sa Binondo

A sampler of sights from the Flickristasindios' Manila Photowalk - 18 October 2008

Divers of Jones Bridge

Emotions

Reaching Out

Last October 11, 2008, the Flickristasindios, an online photo-sharing community (Flickr) group, in cooperation with the Red Cross - Rizal Chapter held a gift giving and feeding activity to 100 pupils of Pantay Elementary School in Teresa, Rizal. A first in its many group activities. It is the group's way of sharing the blessings received by many of its members, some of whom are Filipinos abroad, and at the same time doing its civic and social share to the nation.

The activity started with lectures on hygiene by Red Cross Volunteers to the selected pupils, after which, each of the kids were given gift bags containing hygiene products like soap, tooth-paste, tooth-brush, etc. Each child was also given an English grammar book.

Before leaving, each child was treated with a glass of milk and a bowl of hot porridge.

A speck of salt in the ocean - meager as it may, but if it could be replicated a dozen folds, this act by a small group of photographers could make a significant impact to communities longing for social support.

Kudos to the organizers of this endeavor, the Flickristasindios, and the Red Cross!!!

Shoot from the Gut. Capture and Share. Have Fun along the Way. - Flickristasindios

QueMAS ACTION

The QUEDANCOR Employees Association (QUEMAS) staging regular noon-time protest in an effort to avert plans of deactivating their office, the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation (QUEDANCOR) by the government administration. QUEDANCOR extends credit to Philippine's lowly farmers, fisherfolk and other rural workers. Primarily tasked to guarantee agricultural loans, in an effort to extend its services to more beneficiaries, the corporation went into direct lending. Short of funds and not getting any financial support from government besides its initial fund provided 30 years ago, the office borrowed money for re-lending. Under poor management, the corporation today can't barely pay interest on its borrowings, add to that the recent swine program mess it got into.

The Walk of Life

Wawa Dam

Wawa Dam - Sitio Wawa, Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal - Constructed in 1909 by the Americans as a reservoir and pumping facility. It stood witness to fierce fighting during the Japanese occupation as American soldiers retook the area.

Local legend says that Bernardo Carpio, a giant in Philippine Mythology, parted the two rocks in the Wawa Dam site to escape his captors. Proof to this are the imprints of his hands and feet found on the limestone walls of the mountains and huge rocks that abound at the river beneath.

Exploring the old Wawa Dam

Wawa Dam - Sitio Wawa, Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal - Constructed in 1909 by the Americans as a reservoir and pumping facility. It stood witness to fierce fighting during the Japanese occupation as American soldiers retook the area.

Local legend says that Bernardo Carpio, a giant in Philippine Mythology, parted the two rocks in the Wawa Dam site to escape his captors. Proof to this are the imprints of his hands and feet found on the limestone walls of the mountains and huge rocks that abound at the river beneath.

Taal by Night

Volcano Island contains a lake about 2 km across, called Crater Lake. Within Crater Lake is another small volcanic island, called Vulcan Point. Vulcan Point is the world's largest island within a lake on an island with a lake on an island. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taal_Volcano