A Philippines Lighthouse Memorial
By Sue Clark on Jul 22, 2008 in The Light Side 
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On June 21 of this year, The MV Princess of the Stars capsized near Sibuyan Island, off the coast of n Fernando, Romblon, when her engines stalled during Typhoon Fengshen. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has directed the Philippine Coast Guard to build a memorial to the more than 800 victims and the 56 survivors in the form of a lighthouse (or buoy markers…it’s not final yet).
Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo, Coast Guard spokesperson, said in a story at the Inquirer.net that the names of the victims would be inscribed on the memorial and their relatives would be invited at its unveiling. It is planned to be completed by the time the vessel is salvaged, possibly in two months.
An article about the disaster is posted on Wikipedia, and there is a video of the disaster on You Tube. Although the You Tube video is in the Filipino language, it doesn’t take any translating to revisit the horror of this disaster.
Balilo also said that if a lighthouse is built, it would also serve fishermen and passing vessels and could maybe even prevent another tragedy. “It symbolizes hope,” he said.
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If you’re in New South Wales, Australia, on Sunday, October 19, get out your running shoes for the very scenic Run For Breast Cancer. The Coordinator for the event wants to see at least five runners or walkers for each breast cancer patient on the North Coast. That translates to 1000 or so participants.
