Firefly360's Blog
A Collection of Published 360VR Articles and Personal JournalsUSS George Washington Visits Manila
The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) arrived in Manila Bay on October 24. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is conducting a five-day goodwill visit that highlights the strong historic, community and military connections between the United States and the Philippines.
Commissioned in July 4, 1992; the nuclear-powered supercarrier is based in the homeport of Yokosuka, Japan and is being manned with about 5,500 personnel. It carries approximately 80 aircraft of various purposes, primarily F-18 Hornets, helicopters and E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning turboprops.
Prior to its arrival in Manila, the carrier group was in Malaysia for a 4-day routine port visit.
Anchored several kilometers facing the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, members of the media were taken aboard the carrier by ferry boats in a 45-minute cruise with storm signal no. 1 brewing in the metropolis. A short press briefing was conducted inside the hangar with the commander of the carrier group and its public affairs officer. Bad weather prevented our group from touring the flight deck, a disappointment for many who were looking forward to seeing it in operation.
“We have a longstanding history of partnership with the Philippines dating back to the Spanish-American War, and we are always appreciative of the opportunity to be able to work with one of our regional partners,” said Capt. G.J. Fenton, George Washington’s commanding officer. “My Sailors also appreciate the opportunity to engage in new surroundings and for them to be able to visit a nation with such diversity will be a crowning moment in a lot of their lives.”
George Washington Sailors will have the opportunity to interact with the locals via several community service projects set up by the ship. Projects include interacting with school children, teaching basic first-aid at a local hospital facility, and general cleaning and landscaping.
The carrier’s port visit serves also as a home-coming for nearly 800 sailors of Filipino descent.
“George Washington’s visit to the Philippines shows that our 61-year-old mutual defense treaty is still alive. It shows that the United States is committed to the Filipino people and that we actively support a reliable partner and a strong ally.” said Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. while aboard the carrier a day earlier during flight operations observation.
Majority of the crew will be looking for much deserved R&R with most of them touring the nearby Mall of Asia, trying the local cuisine and shopping for souvenirs.
VRs taken on October 25, 2012. The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph
AXE’s Sexy Saves Boracay
Axe Philippines gave Metro Manila’s driving population one sexy time last October 27 at the Aseana City Grounds with the AXE Anarchy Island Bikini Car Wash. Axe had their hottest girls go wet and wild on people’s rides to raise funds to preserve and promote their favorite island in the country. They are out to clean the beaches of Boracay by matching the funds raised from the sexy car wash.
To save the beaches of Boracay, Axe Philippines partnered with Hands On Manila, a foundation that gives Filipinos fun ways to volunteer their time. One of their flagship projects, Hands On Volunteer Vacations (HOVV), locals and foreigners may volunteer for community service as part of their vacation itineraries. Through Hands On Manila, volunteering can be fitted into daily schedules even for the busiest people, making it a great way to make a difference – an ideal for young people everywhere.
Axe is also sending two Axe Ambassadors off to Belize to represent the Philippines in the AXE Anarchy Island, an international gathering of Axe ambassadors from all over the world in a remote paradise island in the Caribbean. We have four ambassadors, rather candidates, competing become the official Axe Philippines representatives to the Axe party in Belize.
For more information on this campaign: http://www.sexysavesboracay.com
VRs taken on October 27, 2012. Text from organizer’s press release. The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph
Rover Curiosity at “Rocknest” Area
This 360-degree scene shows the surroundings of the location where NASA Mars rover Curiosity arrived on the 59th Martian day, or sol, of the rover’s mission on Mars (Oct. 5, 2012). It is a mosaic of images taken by Curiosity’s Navigation Camera (Navcam) on sols 59 and 60 during first scooping.
Smooth surfaces of the windblown sand and dust of the “Rocknest” area, in the foreground, are what signaled from a distance that this might be an appropriate place to spend about three weeks collecting and using the mission’s first few scoopfuls of soil. The rover scooped up its first sample on Sol 61 (Oct. 7, 2012).
Mount Sharp is on the horizon in the southeast. The “Glenelg” area planned as the next destination lies to the east. Tracks that Curiosity’s wheels made while driving toward Rocknest recede toward the west. For scale, Curiosity leaves parallel tracks about 9 feet (2.7 meters) apart.
I made this panorama by assembling 40 raw images courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech. No other image enhancement was applied except for a slight contrast adjustment. Minor process errors can be noted. Original text from: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16227.html
The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph
Jeepney Arts Festival
Jeepney Tours, a tourism enterprise offering Daily City Tours onboard the cultural icon, furthers its vision as it embarks its latest corporate social art drive—Jeepney Arts Festival—set to bring back the glory days of fun and vibrant jeepneys spread through a series of events. In essence, it is an advocacy that pays homage to the Philippine jeepney as a true icon of Filipino artistry, ingenuity, resiliency, and entrepreneurship.
The first event is the Jeepney Arts Camp which includes the On-the-Spot Jeepney Painting set to happen on September 20-23, 2012 at the SM Mall of Asia Open Grounds behind SMX Convention Center. It is aimed to be a great educational experience wherein people—Filipinos and foreigners alike—can witness the art of Jeepney painting and even have a glimpse of an original WWII jeepney. On site, the Department of Tourism will be providing a free training program for jeepney drivers and operators which will cover value formation, the culture of tourism, passenger handling, and road safety tips.
“It has always been our vision to be able to bring back the Filipinos’ high regard for the Philippine jeepney as a cultural icon,” says Clang Garcia, Managing Director of the Jeepney Arts Festival. “This is why we spearheaded this social project to involve everyone in making Manila a roving museum of arts, culture and tourism by means of the rehabilitated Philippine jeepneys.”
Anchored in the concept of the Department of Tourism’s campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines!”, the On-the-Spot Jeepney Painting is set to foster the spirit of Bayanihan which brings people together to unleash their creative excellence for arts and to do their own share in reviving the once well-regarded status of the iconic vehicle, whether as a participant or a spectator in this game-changing event.
Volunteers will be provided with real jeepneys and quality painting materials from Nippon Paint, a leading brand of automotive paint, as a way of reaching out to the Philippine industries of automotive and tourism. This corporate social responsibility project also includes other sponsors namely Hotel Intercontinental Manila, SM Mall of Asia, ManilART, MMDA, and FEJODAP, and is done in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Design Week Philippines and Smart.
With some of the country’s relevant and revered institutions onboard, this project allows the Philippine jeepney to showcase the country’s rich heritage—from its walls to its destinations—as it sparks hope and breathes life into that matchless feeling that can never be experienced in the comforts of an air-conditioned, music-filled, tinted car.
Putting to light this noteworthy revolution, the Jeepney Arts Festival is set to take us one step forward in reviving the Philippine jeepney, not only as the most popular means of transportation in the country, but as the Philippines’ bona fide iconic vehicle eminently bannering art and tourism.
VRs taken on September 20-25, 2012. Text from organizer’s press release. The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph
National Heroes’ Day 2012
Today the nation celebrates National Heroes’ Day with the main commemorative program held at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
President Benigno S. Aquino III was guest of honor and led the wreath-laying ceremony that started at 8AM.
The program begun with the customary arrival honors rendered by the AFP to the President then followed by the flower offering. Col. Ernesto Cimatu of the Philippine Army led the opening prayer with Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano then gave a welcome message. National Historical Commission (NHCP) Chair Dra. Maria Serena I. Diokno delivered a short message then Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin introduced the president.
The event was attended by the diplomatic corps, WW II veterans, members of the armed forces, different government agencies, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines and some residents of the City of Taguig.
The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph
Jesse Flies Home
The well-loved Secretary of Interior and Local Government Jesse M. Robredo die in an accident when the plane he was riding on crashed into the waters of Masbate on August 18, 2012.
After an exhausted 3-day search that involved Navy, Coast Guard, foreign divers and local fishermen, his body, together with the pilot and co-pilot was found at a deep of about 180 meters.
Given a state funeral at the Kalayaan Hall in Malacanang, his metal casket was first flown from Naga City in Bicol, Robredo’s home town, to Manila. After a 2 day wake where it was opened to the public, his remains were flown back to Naga for burial on August 28.
The scene above was from this morning’s departure honors rendered by the Philippine Airforce at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
Rest in peace Sec. Jesse.
The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph
Typhoon Gener
Typhoon Gener, international codename Saola move further away from the country today, but its effect triggered massive flooding in several parts of the metropolis.
In Roxas Boulevard this morning, strong winds and tidal forces conspired and flooded a large portion of the main road that left many motorists stranded with their vehicles.
It also washed ashore tons of trash, mainly floating plastics along the stretch of the newly constructed breakwater.
Personnel from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and their anti-flood equipment were at hand in trying to clean up the trash and mitigate the flooding.
But what was problem for the most of us was an opportunity for some; scavengers living along the boulevard had a field day collecting plastic bottles and caps in a struggle to earn a daily living, proving the age-old adage, what is garbage to others is money to some.
VRs taken on August 1, 2012. The author can be reached at: fung@firefly.ph
