SiNGAPORE--For the third time, we are in this Lion City or Singapore (from the words singa, lion and pura), where things keep moving as if this rules-based island is always on the go, leaving behind other countries in terms of development and wealth. What did not exist the last tim we were here are there: brand ne spic and span highways, the world's biggest observation wheel--it reminds me of the ferris wheel during Philippine fiestas-- the world's second biggest casino, and a 4-story hotel built on reclaimed land in Sentossa, a tourist come-on, which has several beaches, one of which is named Palawan.
And many more including various buildings and structures in the last stages of completion.
This 9th priciest Asian city (Tokyo is the most expensive city in Asia and the world) survived the worldwide financial crisis and is back again as one of the earth's financial lords.
The Singapore Flyer, billed as the world's biggest observation wheel, sits atop a 3-story terminal with an array of shops and dining halls. We rode in one of the Flyer's 28 capsules ( a sort of a passenger coach with table and chairs) and had a half an hour ride that gave us a 360 view of Singapore and the surrounding islands, including Indonesian Batam now being developed as a commercial and tourist area.
From the glass windows, we saw the lights stretching from one end of Batam to the other. It was seven in the evening, the sky was clear, and our glass-covered capsule was almost on the uppermost position. Nearby, we could see in its entirety the structures of $3.5- billion Marina Integrated Resorts at Marina Bay where the world's second biggest casino is located. MIR consists of three high- rise gleaming buildings topped by a surf board-shaped park surrounded by trees.
Fare is S$29.50 per person, but you could occupy the whole capsule by yourself or with someone for S$274.00. At that time a couple--a man and a pretty Asian lady--had a capsule by themselves and they must have the time of their lives during the ascent in that 30-minute ride amidst the glittering lights of Singapore and Johore, Malaysia to the north, not to say Batam.
The Straits Times, the island state's biggest circulation daily, carried an article about the Marcoses and their hidden wealth in its in its June 10, 2010 issue. It was accompanied by Agence's France-Presse photo of Imelda and daughters Imee and Irene.
The picture showed the former First Lady, now an Ilocos Norte Congesswoman, looking for something inside her bag and Imee (in red T-shirt) and Irene (in checkered red polo). They were sitting on plastic chairs, with a crowd in the background, who could have been attending a program for them in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. The story, bi-lined by the newspaper's law correspondent, was about the Philippine government filing a multi-million lawsuit against the large estate of Ferdinand Marcos before the Singapore courts. The suit, according to the story, stemmed from a 2003 court order in Manila which allowed the Philippine government to claim US$658-million worth of the Marcos family's assets previously held in Switzerland. Some of the money, held in escrow by the Philippine National Bank, was deposited in the Singapore branch of the German-based WestLB.
about to be completed
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