05-04-09
Greetings all!
Monday dawned with a hazy, peaceful on the water. Yesterday Manny continued to educate the world, Celtics won Game 7, and a few new Expats wandered by.
Old friend Phil Olsen has made an appearance and will be reconnecting for a week, and Richard Rash has repatriated to Butuan! Welcome back gents!
Before I forget, our next ride is Sunday, and we will make plans at Pit Stop at the Wed. morning brunch bunch meeting.
May is a very busy month for the Butuan community-many activities celebrating local history and culture. The fluvial festival is a must see mid month, as the river community parades by the downtown PPA facility in full bloom. Dancers, contests fill the morning activities. Visit the Butuan website for details, or I can email the monthly schedule to you.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gingoogvacation/ has agreed to be a active forum for Butuan Expat readers. Butuan and Gingoog share many characteristics besides geography, and I have found the members of this group to be very respectful and intelligent. Rather than starting yet another group, or maintaining a forum on this website, I felt in independently moderated group was most appropriate. Mucho thanks to the G! group for permitting this referral!
I am pleased to report that construction of the first golf course in Butuan will begin next month. The project is privately funded managed which means the likelihood of completion is more than less. The sports arena project on Montilla has grinded to a halt as funding has dwindled. Management, or the lack thereof, continues to be a source of frustration for those viewing the public works performance from the outside. Poorly managed and uncompleted, abandoned capital projects do not provide a positive perception of our City. The Japanese firm that constructed the impressive suspension Butuan Bridge was a shining example of a well organized project.
Friend Teresa, ye of Project Destiny(PD), the group working with abandoned children, happily reports that a new shelter will be active soon. Project Destiny is on the front lines of the human trafficking, child abuse front. The task force combating underage prostitution has been able to successfully glean quantifiable information from the abused, as evidenced by the recent major bust of foreigners in Cagayan. The PD staff often deals with the remnants of a child after such abuse. Volunteers and contributions are always welcomed. Teresa will hopefully join the Brunch Bunch this Wednesday and be available for discussion of the topic.
Our sportfishing, er…rod holding excursion has unearthed quite a response of suggestions and proposals. As previously stated, I do not know a single thing about the art of fishing, but it appears that many do. The recommendations have come in fast and furious. Politics, horse training and religion now have a companion topic-How to fish. Our next attempt is next week, so if you are so inclined, please let me know. On a related subject, I understand that Jack has hollowed out a log, stolen some thread from Tessie’s sewing kit, visited the dump for some discarded Styrofoam, picked up a few rocks from the garden, and is making a hook from a sardine can, all in preparation for our next, er….fishing trip!
A couple newbies are relocating here next month and are hoping to move into a recently vacated Expat pad, complete with furnishings. If you know of a soul who is disappearing, please let me know.
Our BIZ FAVE of the week is……..Fortune Law Offices & Real Estate Brokerage. Our friend Vincent Fortune continues to impress with the direction and integrity of his practice. An increasing number of Expats are recognizing the aplomb with which Vince is able to balance cross cultural and differing legal system experiences with those from’away’. Not an easy task when many of his clients expect the local legal system to function as the ones from their former homes’. It appears that his new real estate brokerage will emphasize internet access as well as a personalized approach, not yet present in Butuan. We wish Vince best wishes in this new venture!
Please remember Pit Stop at 10am Wednesday!
Til next week!
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