The Presidential Chopper Crash

I am shocked about this news I heard about premier government officials who was initially reported lost with a chopper off Benguet province but are now being declared dead by the hour since it was reported to have crashed along the mountains yesterday afternoon. The cause was bad weather and initially they were only doing ocular inspection of a project that was meant to be seen the day after by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They were supposed to be the head party but after this particular incident, I guess there would not be anymore flights soon.

Now there are 8 recovered bodies from the crash site. Ifugao Governor Teodoro Baguilat, Jr. said that this is the death toll confirmed and according to Tinoc, Ifugao Mayor Lopez Tugong.

Baguilat said that there are no details where specifically their bodies were found as the Bell 412 wreckage was seen in his municipality. He added that tommorrow they would be able to identify the victims with the help of forensic experts. Search operations will still continue until the last one is found. They are still trying to see if there are going to be survivors but chances seem a little low now since they found the bodies. Because it is already hard to go in that location and it is already night time the priority is to at least get the bodies transported to the municipal and have them examined. Some of the bodies were burned beyond recognition. This is just really sad news.

These are high ranking officials from Malacanang and it is sad that this had to happen. It was about 4PM when they left Loakan Airport in Baguio. I have a question though, how air worthy are our aircrafts? What if Arroyo was the one in the chopper? That would just be really dangerous! The last time there was contact with the chopper was around 5 PM where the crew reported zero visibility in their area. Oh my, let's pray for them!

The Final Debate : Obama VS McCain

They go separate ways after 16 days...US Elections getting bigger by the minute!
Photo by telegraph.co.uk

It's officially 16 days before people in the US decide who leads the most powerful nation on earth (i think!) and have I been impressed? Ahm... not exactly. I watched the last debate about the US economy. The run I made in the treadmill in the gym seems long, I see lots of talk... and their plans? I just wish those work out... they've got nowhere else to go and no choice between the lesser of the two evils (lolz pardon the language, just jokin!)... I know people who think that way though.

I don't get the fuzz about Joe the plumber though... well, he's like the modern day american who would get his standard of living affected in the change on the tax structure the US is trying to implement together with the bailout package. He and the middle class people in the US who try so hard to make a living and now face poverty in the midst of the crisis. I just hope he doesn't get to conditions in the Philippines where IF you say you are POOR, you won't get a decent meal 3x a day... well that, or no meal at all. In the debate, I saw McCain leading in papers. But charisma should play a big role in this campaign... his composure helped this senator Obama (from Illinois) a lot... substance is okay, but anybody would be afraid about this showing, McCain might not win this one IMHO...

I and about billions of people around the world will just wait who to call Mr. President in a couple of days. The Red states are getting bluer and bluer by the minute. While McCain tries to get the Red states stay Red... a lot are at's stake in this election. Colin Powell btw just recently endorsed Obama. This election will not just affect the US, it will have an impact on the rest of the globe. Filipinos included! ^_^

Who do you think will win after hearing em this last debate? How about the election? ^_^ Thanks for your comments!

The Obama - McCain Presidential Debate

Buddies Obama and McCain =) Lolz!

Obama's and McCains... who do you think won this debate? =)
(Photos by AP and Reuters)

I and about millions of people around the world watched the debate of Senator Obama from Illinois and Senator McCain from Florida. I was at the gym (Fitness First), lifting weights and running around as usual... apart from trying to keep my tummy smaller, I watched how these two punch themselves with issues at hand. Everybody wanted to hear their plans about the economy. The analysts from CNN did not leave them alone one bit, while everybody else had their own opinion on the matter and how McCain should deal with this face off... as they say, he's the one who would want to gain from this.

Did he succeed? According to the polls there, he didn't! and in my books he did not gain anything from doing that debate. You know the feeling of having a traditional politician telling you his plans? (it sounded like a tape recorder) and like when he tried to approach that ol' guy in the stands it was not really sincere as I've seen it... (he asked about what they would do to retired people to keep their homes while facing the economic crisis) it was even like "scripted" for him... maybe choosing his own words was dangerous for him as it became insincere. I bet yah he didn't do well in the ratings... I saw those squiggly lines off the debate and it ranged higher when Obama spoke to the public. He on the other hand was calm and collected, I guess confidence was his key.

By more than a 2-1 margin, 65 percent to 28 percent, more people said they found Obama more likable than McCain during the debate. The discussion of an energy bill McCain offered up a two-word phrase that drew a quick reaction from the Obama camp: "You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one," McCain said, pointing to the Senator from Illinois. I think that part was uncalled for and somewhat a little bit personally offensive.

Who do you think won it? Keep em comments coming!