HOME for the HOLIDAYS

My family's 51-week Planning Session
for New Year's Eve 2009 has begun!!!

For the first time in history,
the Hizons are abandoning San Fernando, Pampanga
from December 29, 2008 to January 3, 2009,
to see for ourselves why everyone's making a fuss
about how great it is to greet New Year's on Boracay.

And what better place to billet 40+ Cabalens
than a True Home on Station 1,
with the church right behind us,
and Jonah's Fruitshakes
and the best Choriburger stalls
just a few steps away?


We'll be handcarrying the Hoc Shiu Ham,
Marca Pato and Marca Pina Quezo de Bolas,
rolls and rolls of Tsokolate Eh cacao tablets,
and dozens of Ensaymadas with us.

So far,
that's the extent of our planning:
a roof over our heads,
and the traditional Holiday fare!

WOOHOO!!!!

n.b.

GMA's Ace Durano and Lito Atienza
better get their act together;
if not, I'll be swimming in
fragrant sewage at the start of 2009!

from http://www.inquirer.net/:

Murky flood waters
threatening Boracay's white beaches

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 05:27pm (Mla time)
01/06/2008


ILOILO CITY, Philippines--
Tourism officials and resort owners in Boracay
have warned of the collapse of the island's
tourism industry if flooding on the island
is not controlled.

Tourism regional director Edwin Trompeta
said on Sunday the flooding which affected
major portions of the 1,000-hectare island
during the end of 2007 could destroy
the island's P10-billion tourism industry.

"If not addressed,
it will destroy the island in the next two years,"
Trompeta said in a telephone interview.

Trompeta said they were swamped by calls
and complaints from tourists and resort owners
regarding the flooding,
the worst experienced by long-time residents of the islands.

The flooding triggered by heavy rains
caused canals and sewerage pipes to overflow
spilling murky water which overflowed to the white beach,
the island's primary asset and attraction.

Trompeta said the worst affected areas
were those along Boat Station 2,
at the middle of the island.
It also severely affected the Boracay Municipal Hospital
and the D' Mall commercial complex.

At least 30 percent of the beach area
and most of Bulabog area were flooded,
said Trompeta.

A foreign national, one of Boracay’s establishment owners,
who asked not to be identified because
he did not want his name dragged into controversies,
said thousands of tourists "saw and smelled" the pools of water.

"The middle part of the island,
the White Beach and Bulabog Beach
smelled like an open sewer!"