I asked God for more

Abe V Rotor

Virgin Forest: only 3 percent is left in the Philippines.

Requiem to a forest, Brooke's Point Palawan

I asked God for food, clothing and shelter
and He showered me
these necessities I can not live without -
they are the Earth's bounty;
I settled down on fertile hills and valleys
and multiplied freely.

I asked God for power to boost my strength,
and He gave me energy;
I leveled the mountains, dammed the rivers
and conquered the sea;
raped the forests, prairies, lakes and estuaries,
a world I wanted to be.

I asked God if I can be god, too, all knowing
with my technology;
broke the sacred code of life and of matter,
changed the Great Story;
annihilated life unfit in my own design,
and set my own destiny.

I asked God if He is but a creation of the mind,
and rose from my knee;
probed space, rounding up the universe,
aiming at immortality;
bolder than ever, searching for another home,
and wanting to be free. ~

Country Road in Guimaras Island

Abe V Rotor

Take me to the country far, far away from the city, 

where sound is music, nature's canvas is the landscape,

where mountains, meadows and the sea are green;

where there are no walls, roofs, and bars to escape.

Take me to the county, far, far away from the crowd,

where I'm not just a part, where I am myself again;

where there is no high rise, where the cottage reigns,

where home is nature as I open the window pane. 

Take me to the country, far, far away from forgetting,

the cheerful child in me many, many years back;

flying kites at harvest time, fishing in the summer,

where school is far, yet learning is not what I lack.

Take me to the country, far, far away from the town,

where cars can't follow, where affluence has no place;

where commerce is simple, where wealth is not gold,

where living is not a show, where every meal a grace.

Take me to the country, far, far away from the race,

where I can compete best with myself, not with others;

where I can learn more the ways of nature, not of men;

where civilization begins once more at its borders. ~ 

         

 

Old asphalt road exudes the ambiance of a typical countryside.

  

 

Road expansion gives way to the growing number of vehicles.   

Slow pace of life is still evident; road arch welcomes the visitor to Nueva Valencia, site of an ecological park.

 

Changing landscape:  mansion and nipa hut attest to a growing socio-economic disparity.  

Iloilo Airport - a harmony of building structure and nature

Photos and Verse by Abe V Rotor

Interplay of light and shadow adds to pleasant ambiance; atrium of indigenous  plants makes an indoor greenery; ergonomic  lounging chairs designed for privacy and comfort. 

Floating ceiling allows sunlight and air to enter freely, with pivot mounting to allow independent movement from the main structure during earthquake.

Free hallway, no corridors, no cubicles; decors are just for accent.

Movable blinds control light and wind entering the building, combines western and oriental architecture.

Lattice above your head through the sky;

Glass panes to the tarmac's full view;

From end to end the hall flows through,

Relaxing you while waiting to fly.

Goodbye aircon, thick wall and heavy door,

Carpeted floor and dropped ceiling;

The sound of dungeon its echo resounding,

In musky air, all of these to endure.

For whoever brought nature into the hall,

Is genius, eighth sense his doctrine:

Cutting down cost and art's extreme.  

And the burden of a weary soul. 

Nature brings man back to the prime of life:

In simplicity and true beauty,

When air and sun and space are free;

Pleasance to life even in strife. ~

   

Rich Flora of Guimaras

Abe V Rotor

Corazon de Maria (Caladium bicolor)

Fancy-leaved Caladium (Caladium humboltii)

 Euphorbia (Euphorbia splendens)

Red kalachuchi (Plumera rubra)

Pandakaking tsina (Ervatamia divaricata)

 Water plant (Philodendron hastatum)

 

 Fire tree (Delonix regia)

Mayana (Coleus blumei)

Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

Doña Trining (white) - Mussaenda philippica

Doña Aurora (Mussaenda philippica var aurorarae)

 Lantana (Lantana camara)

Tiger hemp (Sanziviera zeylanica)

Yellow  gummamela (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Red gummamela (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Gummamela (Hibiscus schizopetalus)

 

 Variegated gummamela (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Lobsterclaw (Heliconia acuminata)

 
Anahaw (Livistonia acuminata)

 Powderpuff lily (Haemanthus multiflorus)

 

Beach hymenocallis (Hymenocallis litoralis) / Spider lily (Crinum asiaticum)


  Garden asparagus (Asparagus officinales)

Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)

 

Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Ripe fruits of pandakaki (Tabernamontana pandakaki)

Organic cooking: fish "tamalis"

Abe V Rotor 

Organic cooking? 

• Use banana leaves instead of aluminum foil. 
• Don't fry, steam with banana leaves. 
• Do away with plastics and Styrofoam.  
• And don't use microwave oven.
• Use claypot lined with banana leaves. 
  
• Wood fuel imparts a natural taste.  
  
• Cook with low fire. Don't overcook.  
  
• Serve while hot, let your guest unwrap with gusto.     
  

 The photos below show how fresh fish such as dilis (anchovies), dalangang bukid, and tilapia) are cooked into tamalis.  Wash, add onion, ginger, tomato, and a dash of salt.  Wrap with wilted banana leaves. Arrange in the pot, cover, and cook slowly with firewood or charcoal.

Wrap individually, one serving size.

Wilt banana leaves over fire. Follow one-size rule.

Prepare ingredients, mix well. Frying pan can do, just line it with banana leaves, before putting the individually wrapped fish. Be sure to cover the pan while cooking. This is the principle of steaming.

NOTE: Keep banana plants in your backyard.  Banana has many uses, other than food, mushroom that grows at its base, and coolness it imparts in the surroundings. Leaves are used to polish the floor, as padding when ironing clothes, wrapper to keep vegetables fresh outside - or in the refrigerator. You can't make suman, bibingka, tupig without this biggest (and versatile) leaf in the world. 

Ten Syndromes that haunt Humankind, and Man-Nature relationship

Abe V Rotor

Manila was razed to the ground as a result of heavy bombardment. Historians claim that it was an overkill by the American Forces which helped Filipinos liberate the city, and the whole country, from the Japanese invaders. An estimated number of 100,000 city residents perished during the four-year occupation. 

Berlin Wall before it was torn down uniting the divided city, and the two countries as one Germany - after 45 years of Cold War.  The graffiti mural on both sides of the wall expressing human rights and dignity is the longest the world has ever seen.

 

Mother and child on the street begging

 

Aftermath of illegal logging prior to kaingin takeover.

1. Syndrome of Facelessness - Wearing the mask of anonymity, arrogance, indifference, coldness – in partnership, too.

2. Narcissism or the Syndrome of Images – Reality turned into Fantasy

3. Frankenstein Syndrome – Man is the victim of his own invention. “Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings.” (Helen Keller)

4. Utopian Syndrome – in Search of the Lost Atlantis

5. Tower of Babel Syndrome – short cut to Heaven. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence.” (Helen Keller)

6. Syndrome of Re-Creation in pursuit of Perfection (E.g. Genetic Engineering defies natural law of life and evolution.)

7. Quicksand Syndrome Defeats Mankind Itself. This can be visualized from the painting of Spanish painter, Francisco Goya in the 18th century depicting two men clubbing each other to death as they are being swallowed by quicksand.

8. Janus Syndrome - We wear the mask of the Greek god; we are Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde – at one time or another; we ride on the goodness and evil of mankind; and on the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse as well.

9. Quest for Immortality Syndrome. The concept of resurrection and eternal life is no longer confined in the spiritual realm and fantasy.“The time has been that when the brains were out the man would die, and that’s the end.” (Macbeth)

10. Syndrome of Periodicity and Fatalism. “Something was dead in each of us, and what was dead was Hope.” (Oscar Wilde) “Never lose the child in you - that Little Prince must never grow old.” AVR