September 21, 1972 has been a date forever etched in the history of the Philippines as Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree 1021, which placed the entire country under the state of martial law as a way in addressing what was then a “deteriorating” condition of the country’s peace and order. For some, the Martial Law years was a time that our country achieved stability and growth which succeeding administrations have yet to surpass. Then there are others, especially those who became victims of human rights violations during this period, who feel that this particular dark, unforgettable chapter in history should not be glorified. Hearing stories of those imprisoned, tortured, killed…
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La Mesa and the struggle for a greener metropolis
Once upon a time, much of the area we know now as Metropolitan Manila was a heavily forested area lying on the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range in Eastern Luzon. The situation changed beginning the 1960’s and the growing urbanization of the metropolis that arose beginning that period. The thick forests had to give way to business districts and residential complexes to meet the growing needs of a growing population. There is, however, one significant part of the metropolis that still has its forested vegetation intact, which happens to be the most important part of the metropolis. The area we are referring to here would be the La…
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The metropolis’ green hope
We are often being reminded of the importance of environmental conservation and protection; some of us may have grown tired of hearing this message over and over. But with the threats brought about by climate change looming greater than ever, that message deserves to be repeatedly hammered down as a way to address this problem. Unfortunately, many of us have become too engrossed in the urban mentality as we appreciate more the towering buildings over the trees that provide shade and oxygen. A number of our green spaces have dwindled alarmingly thanks to further urbanization.
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The Balay and the Samar House: where the opposing home bases lie
If you’ve been reading the news these days about the Noynoy Aquino administration, you probably heard about the opposing camps in his administration: the Balay Group and the Samar Group. While The Urban Roamer does not dwell on all this political talk and intrigue, I thought it would be interesting to devote some space on this blog today to know about the home bases of these camps, after whom these groups were named in the media.