ASIA / PACIFIC
July 4, 2016
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 3
Mud-splattered Filipinos pray to saint for blessing and woes
By Bullit Marquez
The Associated Press
B
IBICLAT, The Philippines — Hundreds of Fili-
pino villagers donning capes of banana leaves
covered themselves in mud in a ritual to thank
their patron saint, John the Baptist, who they believe
saved residents from killings by Japanese invaders in
World War II.
The Taong Putik or “mud people” festival in Bibiclat
village in northern Nueva Ecija province dates back to the
brutal Japanese occupation of the Philippines, according
to villagers.
Japanese troops gathered many of the male villagers in
a Bibiclat church courtyard for execution by firing squad.
But after women and children prayed to Saint John to
spare them, a sudden downpour saved the men, villagers
say. The residents rolled in the mud in jubilation and have
carried on the thanksgiving tradition ever since.
“They’re doing it yearly as a vow,” said Bibiclat’s parish
priest, the Rev. Elmer Villamayor. “They’re thanking St.
John the Baptist for the many blessings they receive from
god.”
A mud-splattered participant said he prayed for sick
relatives and another thanked god for curing him of an
ailment that has crippled him for years.
During the festival, men, women, and children — some
covered with capes from head to foot and with eyes peering
from a cake of mud — collect candles from villagers along
Bibiclat’s main street on their way to St. John the
Baptist’s church to hear mass. They light the candles and
make wishes.
TAONG PUTIK. Villagers — donning capes mostly of dried banana leaves and covered in mud — attend a mass during an annual ritual to vener-
ate their patron saint, John the Baptist, at Bibiclat, Aliaga township, Nueva Ecija province in the northern Philippines. The Taong Putik or “mud people”
festival in Bibiclat village dates back to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in the 1940s. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
An impoverished country of more than 100 million peo-
ple, the Philippines is Asia’s largest Roman Catholic
nation. The annual spectacle, which draws tourists and
journalists, reflects a unique brand of Catholicism in the
Philippines, which merges church traditions with
superstitions.
Malaysian woman dies after airbag ruptures in accident
Cambodia says tests confirm Angkor boat 8 centuries old
KUALA LUMPUR, Ma-
laysia (AP) — A Malaysian
woman has died after the
airbag in her Honda City
ruptured in a minor
collision, according to a
safety official.
The incident came days
after Honda Malaysia
announced an additional
recall of more than 145,000
vehicles
to
replace
defective front-passenger
airbag inflators.
Fire and rescue official
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — An
official at the agency overseeing Cambo-
dia’s famous Angkor Wat temple complex
says tests have confirmed that a wooden
boat found buried in a dry riverbed is from
the early 13th century.
Apsara Authority spokesman Long
Kosal said the tests by a research institute
in New Zealand confirmed the age of the
Rosdi Hainan said the
steering-wheel
airbag
ruptured when he arrived
at the site of the accident,
and the victim was
bleeding from her chest.
Rosdi said the woman
died a short time later.
Honda Motor Co. in To-
kyo said it was still check-
ing on the accident and had
no immediate comment.
There has been a
massive recall involving
millions of vehicles around
Vancouver Housing Authority
WAITING LIST OPENING
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42-foot-long boat, which was carved from a
single tree trunk. He said it is the oldest
boat ever found in Cambodia.
A farmer discovered the boat in April
while digging mud from the riverbed,
several miles from the temple complex.
The boat was sunk in a pond in front of the
temple to keep it preserved pending
restoration.
Indonesia’s parliament passes new tax amnesty bill
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indone-
sia’s parliament has passed a tax amnesty
bill aimed at drawing billions of funds from
wealthy Indonesians abroad as well as tax
evaders at home.
It would impose rates from two percent
to 10 percent on tax evaders, compared to
much higher standard rates.
Enterprises with up to 10 billion rupiah
($757,700) in assets would enjoy a 0.5
percent rate, while a two percent rate
applies to enterprises with bigger assets.
Those with wealth abroad can repatriate
from July to September and receive a two
percent rate, while three percent applies to
those who return through December and
five percent for those returning by March
31, 2017.
Those declaring assets abroad without
repatriating to Indonesia will be imposed
four percent, six percent, and 10 percent
each for the same deadlines.
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the world because of faulty
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Worldwide, 11 known
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In November last year, a
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