I am reposting this article because I believe that the over 12M OFWs around the globe is a big voting bloc to reckon with which will definitely reshape the landscape of Philippine Politics. Whether or not the OFW is registered as an Overseas Absentee Voter (OAV), he can still participate by convincing members of his immediate families and relatives to actively participate in the election processes and to vote for the right candidates, especially those who look after the welfare and protection of the OFWs.
Thoughts, reflections, insights, anecdotes, and experiences of a Filipino expatriate at the desert coast by the Red Sea. What else? Oh yes, it includes the faces, places, food, sounds, culture, and the everyday life!
Showing posts with label Philippines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippines. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
OFWs Vote to Make a Big Difference!
I am reposting this article because I believe that the over 12M OFWs around the globe is a big voting bloc to reckon with which will definitely reshape the landscape of Philippine Politics. Whether or not the OFW is registered as an Overseas Absentee Voter (OAV), he can still participate by convincing members of his immediate families and relatives to actively participate in the election processes and to vote for the right candidates, especially those who look after the welfare and protection of the OFWs.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Justice for the Victims of the Maguindanao Massacre
It is a tragic thing that something like this happened within a few months before GMA finally winds up her term of office. After the celebration of victories of Manny Pacquiao and Efren Penaflorida’s win, which made every Pinoy anywhere in the world proud, the Philippines was once again put on the world map. This time not for something that every Juan will be proud of but for something atrocious and horrifying that even the UN had to issue a statement about it. What a shame!Indeed, it is something shameful, a moment of defeat, the triumph of superciliousness, the party of the wicked politicos that leaves us walking down here in the streets of a foreign land bowing down our heads in dismay and shame. The once proud Pinoys have nothing more to say but to accept the failure of our government to build a nation where peace prevails and for the citizenry to be protected by a government that is administered by the rules of law and not by the rules of guns and goons.
I was born in Cotabato City and lived the first 17 years of my life in the valley surrounded by mountain ranges in Upi, Maguindanao. I had my share of the arms conflict – evacuating from place to place, jumping and hiding in foxholes surrounded by sandbags, and coming back to our home that has been fully ransacked and looted by the hypothetically protectors and implementers of peace. I thought that such savage and barbaric acts were already things of the past until it is displayed once again before our very eyes. This horrendous crime brings pain and anguish to a once upon a time a Maguindanaoan-lad.
Do we care for the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre or are we pensive and engrossed with just the extras and supplementary?
Here are links for your further readings:
How Maguindanao massacre will affect 2010 polls
Join FaceBook Pages:
Monday, September 14, 2009
Ang Dalawang Mukha Ng Sining - Privilege Speech of Senator Ping Lacson
Browsing through my FaceBook account this afternoon, I saw a note posted by UP College of Law Dean Marvic F. Leonen, who by the way is a friend at Facebook and a friend during our college days when we stayed together at the UP Molave Residence Hall. I followed the link that led me to the Senator's blog - "What is right must be kept right; what is wrong must be set right ..." - Senator Ping Lacson. It caught my attention and is worth its space as a blogpost here.
Here's the full transcript of that speech and it's up to you to make your comment on the revelations he made.
As Dean Marvic says, the plot thickens...
Ang Dalawang Mukha ng Sining
Privilege Speech Delivered bySENATOR PANFILO M. LACSON
September 14, 2009
In Greek drama, masks were useful devices that allow the actor to play several different characters.
In the Philippine political drama, nothing much differs.
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues. Today, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege.
The great American writer Elbert Green Hubbard once wrote:
If you work for a man, in heaven’s name work for him.... If you must vilify, condemn, and eternally disparage, resign your position, and when you are OUTSIDE, DAMN TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT, but as long as you are part of the institution do not condemn it. If you do that, you are loosening the tendrils that are holding you to that institution, and at the first high wind that comes along, you will be uprooted and blown away, and will probably never know the reason why.
I hope you will understand why it has taken me this long to unburden myself of the truth I carry.
Having once been a professional soldier trained in the tradition and practice of institutional and even personal loyalty, only the higher interest of nation and people, and the highest call of conscience, impel me to speak out.
Mr. President, you, more than any of us in this hall, understand what I mean.
When you went through the gut-wrenching crucible of mutiny against your commander-in-chief on February 22, 1986, you had to choose between loyalty to person against loyalty to the higher interest of nation and people.
Jose Ejercito, or Joseph Estrada, also known as Jose Velarde, former president of the Republic of the Philippines and the first and only head of state of this country to be impeached by Congress was elected in 1998 with the highest number of votes cast by the Filipino people ever.
He also won by the biggest margin ever, over his closest opponent, Jose de Venecia Jr.
His campaign slogan –Erap para sa Mahirap – was a masterpiece, almost a stroke of genius.
Before he ran for the presidency, I worked with him closely as head of an anti-crime task force of the defunct Presidential Anti-Crime Commission formed by then President Fidel Valdez Ramos to combat the kidnapping scourge that was gripping the country.
Foreign investors were avoiding us, while local businessmen, especially the ethnic Chinese, were transferring elsewhere.
It was one big security and even economic threat that faced the newly elected president in 1992.
I joined then Vice President Estrada on August 4, 1992, after a short-lived stint as provincial director of Laguna in the Southern Tagalog region.
I gladly accepted the offer to join PACC since I was not happy anyway with my Laguna assignment.
I was consistently at loggerheads with most of the local elective officials when I waged a no-nonsense, uncompromising battle against the illegal numbers game, jueteng, in that jurisdiction.
Needless to say, those officials who were on the take from jueteng operators hated my guts and wanted me out of the province at first opportunity.
At the PACC, and it is a matter of public record, we scored high in our anti-crime efforts. In less than a year, we brought down an alarmingly high incidence of kidnap-for-ransom cases to zero.
Literally, zero.
This was highlighted by the neutralization of the dreaded Red Scorpion Group on February 17, 1993.
Modesty aside, but without mental reservation, I can dare say our performance helped chart Mr. Estrada’s road to the presidency.
More than a couple of years before the May 1998 presidential elections, he was virtually a president-in-waiting.
Mr. Estrada impressed me with the way he handled his subordinates. He personally took care of our needs, always mindful of our safety and security.
He also managed to personally thank and commend all the operatives for a good day’s work, even giving incentives after big accomplishments
It was his personal recommendation to then President Ramos that earned me my first star rank in 1994, way ahead of my peers and even senior officers in the Philippine National Police.
During our private conversations, he would tell me:
“Alam mo Ping, kung matitigil lang ang katiwalian sa ating bansa, siguradong maiaangat natin mula sa kahirapan ang karamihan ng ating mga kababayan. Napakalaki kasi ang nawawala sa budget dahil sa ‘corruption’, kaya hindi tayo makaahon sa hirap.”
Having been born to poor parents myself, he struck me as the man our country needed to lead our people.
Needless to say, I was impressed.
I would tell my men and as many people I could reach, “Kung mahal natin ang ating bansa, si Erap ang dapat nating maging susunod na presidente at wala nang iba.”
I put those words into action during the presidential campaign in 1998.
Under pain of being accused of electioneering, I mustered all the men I had worked with in the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to mount an organized strategic effort to thwart election fraud as that could be the only way to prevent Mr. Estrada’s victory in the 1998 presidential election.
My men and I went around the whole country - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, talked to as many field commanders and chiefs of police, so that they would not allow themselves to be used as instruments to cheat Mr Estrada out of sure victory.
In one of our visits in Mindanao, I met with then Southcom Chief Lt. Gen. Joselin Nazareno.
I brought him to Vice President Estrada to make his personal commitment to guard the votes in Mindanao and made Mr Estrada promise to consider him as the next AFP Chief of Staff when he becomes president.
He did not just promise to consider. He committed the post to Gen. Nazareno.
So Erap became president, all right.
After his victory in May 1998, he started making announcements for possible appointments to key positions in his government.
One not-so-fine afternoon, he summoned me to his Polk St. Greenhills residence and asked if he could appoint another ranking general as AFP Chief of Staff, instead of Gen. Nazareno.
I told him, that was his prerogative as incoming commander-in-chief, but firmly reminded him that a promise was made to Gen. Nazareno.
His sudden amnesia got me to start thinking, “something could be wrong with the character of this man.”
This thought came again sometime in early June of 1998.
He called me to talk about what I thought would be my possible appointment as Chief, PNP.
Instead, he expressed his thoughts on jueteng and how he intended to deal with it during his presidency.
He said: “Ping, iniisip ko, pagbigyan na lang natin itong jueteng. Alam mo, ang mga governors at mayors, lalo na ‘yung mga tumulong sa akin sa eleksyon, wala sila ng katulad sa President’s social fund na galing sa Pagcor. Marami silang gastusin at sa jueteng lang nila pwedeng kunin ang pera.”
Shocked and surprised, I retorted, “Sir, ilegal ‘yan. Saka presidente na kayo. Dapat huwag na kayong makialam sa jueteng. Larong lupa pati iyan. Sasabog kayo diyan at masisira tayo pareho.
Visibly dismayed and irritated, he said, “Sige, saka na lang tayo mag-usap.”
He walked me to the main door of his house and used another tack: “Saka, Ping, ‘yung mga tao natin dati sa task force, gusto ko rin silang bigyan ng monthly allowance.”
To which I quickly replied: “Sir, ang mga tao natin, kami lahat, mababaw lang ang kaligayahan namin. Kahit additional subsistence allowance lang, happy na kami.”
Hiding his irritation, he gave me a quick and curt goodbye.
Finally on November 16, 1999, I was appointed Chief, PNP. But only after persistent second thoughts from the appointing authority.
On November 15 of the same year, I received a call from his cohort, Mr. Jaime Dichavez, who was, at that time, with Mr. Estrada in Tagaytay Highlands in Cavite.
Mr. Dichavez told me I was to be informed of my appointment as Chief, PNP.
It did not turn out to be that simple.
In the living room of the Tagaytay resthouse, he told me very seriously: “Ping, dapat pagbigyan natin ang operation ng jueteng. Maraming umaasa diyan.”
“Eto na naman kami,” I said to myself.
By that time, I had realized jueteng had always been the deal breaker in getting my impending appointment and must be the reason why I was not appointed in June of 1998.
Maintaining my immovable position that I cannot, as we must not, tolerate anything that is illegal, he asked, “Sino ba ang mas senior sa inyo ni Wycoco?” (referring to the late NBI director, Reynaldo Wycoco), to which I answered, “Kung seniority sir sa PMA (Philippine Military Academy), siya, dahil una siyang nag-graduate. Pero ngayon, pareho lang kaming 2-star general, sir.”
He did not appoint me right there, instead instructed me to follow his convoy back to Malacañang in Metro Manila.
It was in Malacañang, that same evening, that he finally informed me of my appointment to the position, but not without his “huling hirit sa jueteng.”
It was also during that conversation when I told him I was aware of the monthly P5 Million “S.O.P.” being given by Gov. Chavit Singson to the Chief, PNP as part of an organized payola, and that I was waiving it, therefore would not accept it.
Three or four months after my assumption of office, I learned that Mr. Estrada asked Gov. Singson to remit to him retroactively the monies intended for the Chief, PNP.
He told Gov. Singson: “Gov, baka akala mo, hindi ko alam na hindi kinukuha ng bagong Chief,PNP ang para sa kanya. Ibigay mo rin sa akin ‘yan.”
After all the internal reforms that I instituted in the PNP were in place, including my “no-take policy, anti-kotong campaign, 34-inch maximum waistline, strong anti-crime and anti-drugs campaign, proper allocation and downloading of funds, and logistics to front-line units, I started training my guns on the illegal numbers game – jueteng.
It was a no-nonsense, no-matter-who-gets-hurt kind of a campaign.
I thought if I was hard on lowly policemen who stopped mulcting P100 or P200 from vegetable dealers and hapless taxi cab and jeepney drivers out of deference to my no-take policy, I should be as hard, if not harder, against my regional and provincial directors who were raking in millions of pesos from gambling operators.
This was when my life started to become miserable.
The general public, even most of my distinguished colleagues in this hall, may not be aware of this, but it was common knowledge in Malacañang as well as in Camp Crame at that time, that for the most part of the second half of the year 2000, I was not welcome in the palace due to my differences with then President Estrada over the issue of jueteng.
Mr. Estrada had unofficially declared me persona non grata in the palace grounds.
I was practically in the doghouse for an unusually extended period of time. Mr. Estrada would not talk to me.
He was dealing directly with my subordinate officers, both at the PAOCTF and the PNP, which I both headed in concurrent capacity.
I could not even report to him about major incidents like the bombings in Mindanao because he was no longer answering my calls, which he used to do, and in earnest.
“Anak ng jueteng na buhay ito!” I would tell my close friends.
Jueteng became a sore point between me and Mr. Estrada. I made it clear that I would stick to my “no-take policy” and I continued to issue stern warnings to my regional and provincial directors that if they tolerate jueteng operations in their areas of responsibility, they would be removed and subjected to harsh disciplinary action.
At least one regional director who had direct and strong connections with Mr Estrada was defiant.
When I confronted him, he said, “Napagalitan ako ni presidente nang simulan ko ang kampanya laban sa jueteng dito. Sino ba ang susundin ko, Chief, PNP o ang Commander-in-Chief?”
I was successful in instituting reforms in the PNP because Mr. Estrada gave me full authority which I asked in the first place when I got appointed to the post.
But because of jueteng, Mr Estrada, issued a written memorandum to then Secretary of Interior and Local Government Alfredo Lim, effectively taking away from me the authority to appoint and remove police officials down to provincial director level.
“Hindi nga talaga mahina ang ulo ng presidenteng ito,” I told myself. By removing that authority, I could no longer discipline my officers, I would fail in my anti-gambling operations and worse, I would definitely fail in my mission.
Resigning my position crossed my mind then. I spent many sleepless nights agonizing over my situation.
In one of our Cluster E Cabinet meetings held in the office of the DFA, then AFP Chief of Staff Gen Angelo Reyes took pity on me and gave his advice, “Pare, Commander-in-Chief natin ‘yan. Pagbigyan mo na muna ngayon at saka ninyo na lang pag-usapan ang problema ninyo ni Presidente.”
I answered him, “Sir, question de prinsipyo ito. Ako ang nasa tama sa labang ito. Tanggalin na lang n’ya ako, pero hindi ako bibigay dito.”
I found out later that indeed Mr. Estrada had started gathering legal basis to justify my relief.
On hindsight, people close to Mr. Estrada and this representation would say as an afterthought - EDSA 2 could not have happened had Mr Estrada listened to General Lacson’s consistent advice on jueteng. Simple.
But on the other hand, EDSA 2 would not have happened if I went along with Mr. Estrada and Gov. Singson and altogether tolerated jueteng operations.
Why?
Bingo 2-Ball would not have been conceived to legalize jueteng.
We all know that it was during its implementation that there was a misunderstanding and falling out between Mr. Estrada and Chavit Singson.
Mr. Estrada realized that I would not waver on my stand against jueteng and thought that by legalizing it, I would not have any more reason to conduct raids and operations.
Jueteng is just one illustrative insight into the character of Mr. Estrada as a government official, and as President of the country. There were other sinister behavioral patterns that must be told to the Filipino people.
Sa likod ng isang maka-mahirap na Joseph Estrada na mahal na mahal ng masa, ay maraming transaksyon na may kasamang pang-aabuso, gamit ang kapangyarihang kaagapay ng pagiging pangulo ng bansa, upang magkamal ng maraming salapi para sa sariling kapakanan.
In August 1998, in the early part of Mr. Estrada’s abbreviated presidency, Mr. Alfonso Yuchengco was pressured to sign conveyance of his 7.75% PTIC (Philippine Telecommunications Investment Corporation) holdings, equivalent to 18,720 shares to Metro Pacific, represented by Manuel V. Pangilinan.
These PTIC holdings correspond to 2,017,650 PLDT common shares.
Mr. Yuchengco, I also learned later, was pressed to sign a waiver of his right of first refusal over the PTIC shares of the Cojuangco-Meer group.
It was only after the passage of many years that I was to learn that Mr. Estrada, barely two months in office then, used the PNP to harass Mr. Yuchengco’s son, Tito, with threat of arrest on some trumped-up drug charges to force his father, Mr. Yuchengco to sell.
This harassment of the young man was accomplished through deliberate and obvious physical surveillance.
“Napag-alaman ko na matagal tagal ding may kimkim na galit daw sa akin ang pamilyang Yuchengco sa dahilang ang pagkaalam nila ay sa akin iniutos ni Mr Estrada ang panggigipit sa kanila upang mapwersang magbenta ng kanilang pag-aaring shares of stocks ng PLDT.
Sa inyo, Ginoong Pangulo ng Senado, mga pinagpipitaganan kong kasamahan at sampu ng pamilya Yuchengco -- wala po akong kamalay-malay sa pangyayaring iyan.
At kung halimbawa mang sa akin iniutos ni Mr Estrada ang gawaing iyon, ay siguradong hindi ko po susundin.”
The bigger and more important question remains - “What was the deal in pesos and centavos between Mr Estrada and Mr Pangilinan, if any?”
Or, should we rather ask, “How much was involved?”
Sa larangan naman ng smuggling sa Customs at sa iba pang lugar ay hindi rin masusukat ang kakayahan ni Mr. Estrada.
When Mr. Estrada transferred the mission of going after smugglers from the late Lt Gen. Jose Calimlim’s unit in PSG to the PAOCTF, he gave me the mandate to go hammer and tongs against smugglers.
Yet one morning, I received a call from Mr. Estrada. “May mga tao ka raw na nangha-harass sa Customs,” he said with a low tone.
After checking with my officers, I replied, “Wala sila sir sa loob ng Customs zone kaya imposibleng makapang-harass sila doon. Nandun sila sa labas, malapit sa Manila Hotel at may inaabangan na ilulusot na shipments ng dressed chicken parts from China and the US.”
He bellowed, “Basta i-pull out mo!”
A few days later in a light conversation on the topic of smuggling, inside his office in Malacañang, I told Mr. Estrada, “Alam mo sir, dalawampung 40-foot containers sana ng dressed chickens ang nahuli natin kung hindi mo iniutos i-pull out ang mga tao natin.”
With a mocking voice, he said, “Sana hindi kayo nag-pull out.”
Akala ko, nang bigyan ako ng kautusang lipulin ang mga smugglers sa pier, totoong-totoo at seryoso. Ako namang si gago, trabaho lang ng trabaho. ‘Yun pala, moro-moro.
May dalawang mukha nga ba ang sining? O, sa likod ng putting tabing ay ibang itsura ng mukha ang nakatago?
Pagkatapos ng manok na galing sa Tsina at Amerika, dumako naman tayo sa bigas na tanim ng Vietcong.
Sometime in August 2000, when Mr. Estrada was hardly talking to me, on account of my hard-headedness on the issue of jueteng, he was giving a direct order to one of my subordinate officers in PAOCTF to release a shipload of smuggled rice that was apprehended somewhere in the Cebu-Bohol area.
The PAOCTF officer was with me in Cebu during that time, and he was relaying to me the President’s order.
I did not bother to find out anymore if the officer complied or not with Mr. Estrada’s order.
I thought I should not interfere with a direct order coming from the President to a subordinate officer because in doing so I felt that it would add insult to injury upon myself.
Sadly, because we never punish smugglers, the same people who sabotaged our economy during the Estrada regime are the same saboteurs in bed with the present dispensation.
Walang nagbago, lalo lang lumaki ang komisyon at lagayan.
In an effort to defend himself from accusations that he may have been involved in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, he has consistently asserted that he never dealt with officials other than the heads of agencies.
Yet, on so many occasions, and I have personal knowledge on this, during his presidency, he was giving direct orders and instructions deep into the layers of the entire government bureaucracy, the PNP and the PAOCTF included.
And those who have worked with him in Malacañang know whereof I speak.
Mr. Estrada had the temerity to issue a press statement that I was the one who knew and in fact supervised what former police officer Cezar Mancao had testified in court as “Operation or Oplan Delta”, allegedly a special operations plan designed to neutralize Salvador “Bubby” Dacer.
Mabuti pa si Mr. Estrada, alam niyang may “Oplan Delta.” Ako, sa mga pahayagan at kamakailan ko lamang narinig at nalaman na mayroon palang “Oplan Delta.”
Sa halip na i-depensa na lang niya ang sarili niya, bakit siya kailangang magturo ng iba?
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, maraming bagay-bagay na sa abot ng aking natuklasan, matapos ang aking sariling pagsasaliksik at pag-iimbestiga hindi lamang sa usaping ito kundi pati ibang kasong maaring kinasangkutan ni Ginoong Estrada ang nais kong ibahagi sa kapulungang ito.
Marami din akong gustong itanong kay Mr. Estrada:
1. Sino ang inutusan mo para i-harass at gipitin ang pamilya ni Al Yuchengco?
2. Sino ang tumawag sa iyo para utusan ako na i-pull out ang mga tao kong nakaabang na hulihin ang smuggled chicken parts?
3. Kaninong shipment ng smuggled rice ang ipina-release mo sa Cebu?
4. At higit sa lahat, anu-ano pa ang mga iniutos mo sa ating mga dating tauhan sa PAOCTF na lingid sa aking kaalaman?
But for now and today, I will limit the subject of my privilege speech to the issues I mentioned.
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, with your indulgence, please allow me to take the floor once again on Monday next week.
For former President Joseph Ejercito-Estrada, there is no corruption if it does not involve government funds.
Therefore, following his flawed logic, it is not corruption to accept bribes - from jueteng and some shady deals that involve using the power and influence of the presidency.
He has not heard of ‘conflict of interest’ nor taking advantage of one’s position to amass wealth.
He has not changed that loose definition of corruption.
In media interviews and in his conversations with friends and associates, he maintains that he had not done anything wrong since all his transactions while he was president did not involve government funds.
Now he is presenting himself again to the Filipino people, for one more chance at the presidency.
At this juncture of our history, after suffering eight years of unmitigated corruption under the regime which succeeded the Estrada presidency, I would be remiss in my sworn duties as an elected member of the Senate, as a nationally elected official of the land, if I did not unburden myself of my insights into the character of Mr. Estrada.
Marahil may mga magsasabi na sa mga binigkas ko ngayon ay hindi ako marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob, lalo na sa pangulong siyang naghirang sa akin.
Ngunit hindi naman din matatawaran ang naibahagi kong tulong, sampu ng aking mga tauhan, sa kanyang katanyagan nung siya ay nanunungkulang bise-presidente at bilang Chairman ng Presidential Anti-Crime Commission.
Ang mas mahalaga ay pairalin ang marapat at matuwid.
At lalong mahalaga na gawing kataas-taasang adhikain ang kapakanan at kinabukasan ng mamamayang Pilipino.
God save the Philippines from Joseph Ejercito alias Joseph Estrada.
In the Philippine political drama, nothing much differs.
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues. Today, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege.
The great American writer Elbert Green Hubbard once wrote:
If you work for a man, in heaven’s name work for him.... If you must vilify, condemn, and eternally disparage, resign your position, and when you are OUTSIDE, DAMN TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT, but as long as you are part of the institution do not condemn it. If you do that, you are loosening the tendrils that are holding you to that institution, and at the first high wind that comes along, you will be uprooted and blown away, and will probably never know the reason why.
I hope you will understand why it has taken me this long to unburden myself of the truth I carry.
Having once been a professional soldier trained in the tradition and practice of institutional and even personal loyalty, only the higher interest of nation and people, and the highest call of conscience, impel me to speak out.
Mr. President, you, more than any of us in this hall, understand what I mean.
When you went through the gut-wrenching crucible of mutiny against your commander-in-chief on February 22, 1986, you had to choose between loyalty to person against loyalty to the higher interest of nation and people.
Jose Ejercito, or Joseph Estrada, also known as Jose Velarde, former president of the Republic of the Philippines and the first and only head of state of this country to be impeached by Congress was elected in 1998 with the highest number of votes cast by the Filipino people ever.
He also won by the biggest margin ever, over his closest opponent, Jose de Venecia Jr.
His campaign slogan –Erap para sa Mahirap – was a masterpiece, almost a stroke of genius.
Before he ran for the presidency, I worked with him closely as head of an anti-crime task force of the defunct Presidential Anti-Crime Commission formed by then President Fidel Valdez Ramos to combat the kidnapping scourge that was gripping the country.
Foreign investors were avoiding us, while local businessmen, especially the ethnic Chinese, were transferring elsewhere.
It was one big security and even economic threat that faced the newly elected president in 1992.
I joined then Vice President Estrada on August 4, 1992, after a short-lived stint as provincial director of Laguna in the Southern Tagalog region.
I gladly accepted the offer to join PACC since I was not happy anyway with my Laguna assignment.
I was consistently at loggerheads with most of the local elective officials when I waged a no-nonsense, uncompromising battle against the illegal numbers game, jueteng, in that jurisdiction.
Needless to say, those officials who were on the take from jueteng operators hated my guts and wanted me out of the province at first opportunity.
At the PACC, and it is a matter of public record, we scored high in our anti-crime efforts. In less than a year, we brought down an alarmingly high incidence of kidnap-for-ransom cases to zero.
Literally, zero.
This was highlighted by the neutralization of the dreaded Red Scorpion Group on February 17, 1993.
Modesty aside, but without mental reservation, I can dare say our performance helped chart Mr. Estrada’s road to the presidency.
More than a couple of years before the May 1998 presidential elections, he was virtually a president-in-waiting.
Mr. Estrada impressed me with the way he handled his subordinates. He personally took care of our needs, always mindful of our safety and security.
He also managed to personally thank and commend all the operatives for a good day’s work, even giving incentives after big accomplishments
It was his personal recommendation to then President Ramos that earned me my first star rank in 1994, way ahead of my peers and even senior officers in the Philippine National Police.
During our private conversations, he would tell me:
“Alam mo Ping, kung matitigil lang ang katiwalian sa ating bansa, siguradong maiaangat natin mula sa kahirapan ang karamihan ng ating mga kababayan. Napakalaki kasi ang nawawala sa budget dahil sa ‘corruption’, kaya hindi tayo makaahon sa hirap.”
Having been born to poor parents myself, he struck me as the man our country needed to lead our people.
Needless to say, I was impressed.
I would tell my men and as many people I could reach, “Kung mahal natin ang ating bansa, si Erap ang dapat nating maging susunod na presidente at wala nang iba.”
I put those words into action during the presidential campaign in 1998.
Under pain of being accused of electioneering, I mustered all the men I had worked with in the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to mount an organized strategic effort to thwart election fraud as that could be the only way to prevent Mr. Estrada’s victory in the 1998 presidential election.
My men and I went around the whole country - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, talked to as many field commanders and chiefs of police, so that they would not allow themselves to be used as instruments to cheat Mr Estrada out of sure victory.
In one of our visits in Mindanao, I met with then Southcom Chief Lt. Gen. Joselin Nazareno.
I brought him to Vice President Estrada to make his personal commitment to guard the votes in Mindanao and made Mr Estrada promise to consider him as the next AFP Chief of Staff when he becomes president.
He did not just promise to consider. He committed the post to Gen. Nazareno.
So Erap became president, all right.
After his victory in May 1998, he started making announcements for possible appointments to key positions in his government.
One not-so-fine afternoon, he summoned me to his Polk St. Greenhills residence and asked if he could appoint another ranking general as AFP Chief of Staff, instead of Gen. Nazareno.
I told him, that was his prerogative as incoming commander-in-chief, but firmly reminded him that a promise was made to Gen. Nazareno.
His sudden amnesia got me to start thinking, “something could be wrong with the character of this man.”
This thought came again sometime in early June of 1998.
He called me to talk about what I thought would be my possible appointment as Chief, PNP.
Instead, he expressed his thoughts on jueteng and how he intended to deal with it during his presidency.
He said: “Ping, iniisip ko, pagbigyan na lang natin itong jueteng. Alam mo, ang mga governors at mayors, lalo na ‘yung mga tumulong sa akin sa eleksyon, wala sila ng katulad sa President’s social fund na galing sa Pagcor. Marami silang gastusin at sa jueteng lang nila pwedeng kunin ang pera.”
Shocked and surprised, I retorted, “Sir, ilegal ‘yan. Saka presidente na kayo. Dapat huwag na kayong makialam sa jueteng. Larong lupa pati iyan. Sasabog kayo diyan at masisira tayo pareho.
Visibly dismayed and irritated, he said, “Sige, saka na lang tayo mag-usap.”
He walked me to the main door of his house and used another tack: “Saka, Ping, ‘yung mga tao natin dati sa task force, gusto ko rin silang bigyan ng monthly allowance.”
To which I quickly replied: “Sir, ang mga tao natin, kami lahat, mababaw lang ang kaligayahan namin. Kahit additional subsistence allowance lang, happy na kami.”
Hiding his irritation, he gave me a quick and curt goodbye.
Finally on November 16, 1999, I was appointed Chief, PNP. But only after persistent second thoughts from the appointing authority.
On November 15 of the same year, I received a call from his cohort, Mr. Jaime Dichavez, who was, at that time, with Mr. Estrada in Tagaytay Highlands in Cavite.
Mr. Dichavez told me I was to be informed of my appointment as Chief, PNP.
It did not turn out to be that simple.
In the living room of the Tagaytay resthouse, he told me very seriously: “Ping, dapat pagbigyan natin ang operation ng jueteng. Maraming umaasa diyan.”
“Eto na naman kami,” I said to myself.
By that time, I had realized jueteng had always been the deal breaker in getting my impending appointment and must be the reason why I was not appointed in June of 1998.
Maintaining my immovable position that I cannot, as we must not, tolerate anything that is illegal, he asked, “Sino ba ang mas senior sa inyo ni Wycoco?” (referring to the late NBI director, Reynaldo Wycoco), to which I answered, “Kung seniority sir sa PMA (Philippine Military Academy), siya, dahil una siyang nag-graduate. Pero ngayon, pareho lang kaming 2-star general, sir.”
He did not appoint me right there, instead instructed me to follow his convoy back to Malacañang in Metro Manila.
It was in Malacañang, that same evening, that he finally informed me of my appointment to the position, but not without his “huling hirit sa jueteng.”
It was also during that conversation when I told him I was aware of the monthly P5 Million “S.O.P.” being given by Gov. Chavit Singson to the Chief, PNP as part of an organized payola, and that I was waiving it, therefore would not accept it.
Three or four months after my assumption of office, I learned that Mr. Estrada asked Gov. Singson to remit to him retroactively the monies intended for the Chief, PNP.
He told Gov. Singson: “Gov, baka akala mo, hindi ko alam na hindi kinukuha ng bagong Chief,PNP ang para sa kanya. Ibigay mo rin sa akin ‘yan.”
After all the internal reforms that I instituted in the PNP were in place, including my “no-take policy, anti-kotong campaign, 34-inch maximum waistline, strong anti-crime and anti-drugs campaign, proper allocation and downloading of funds, and logistics to front-line units, I started training my guns on the illegal numbers game – jueteng.
It was a no-nonsense, no-matter-who-gets-hurt kind of a campaign.
I thought if I was hard on lowly policemen who stopped mulcting P100 or P200 from vegetable dealers and hapless taxi cab and jeepney drivers out of deference to my no-take policy, I should be as hard, if not harder, against my regional and provincial directors who were raking in millions of pesos from gambling operators.
This was when my life started to become miserable.
The general public, even most of my distinguished colleagues in this hall, may not be aware of this, but it was common knowledge in Malacañang as well as in Camp Crame at that time, that for the most part of the second half of the year 2000, I was not welcome in the palace due to my differences with then President Estrada over the issue of jueteng.
Mr. Estrada had unofficially declared me persona non grata in the palace grounds.
I was practically in the doghouse for an unusually extended period of time. Mr. Estrada would not talk to me.
He was dealing directly with my subordinate officers, both at the PAOCTF and the PNP, which I both headed in concurrent capacity.
I could not even report to him about major incidents like the bombings in Mindanao because he was no longer answering my calls, which he used to do, and in earnest.
“Anak ng jueteng na buhay ito!” I would tell my close friends.
Jueteng became a sore point between me and Mr. Estrada. I made it clear that I would stick to my “no-take policy” and I continued to issue stern warnings to my regional and provincial directors that if they tolerate jueteng operations in their areas of responsibility, they would be removed and subjected to harsh disciplinary action.
At least one regional director who had direct and strong connections with Mr Estrada was defiant.
When I confronted him, he said, “Napagalitan ako ni presidente nang simulan ko ang kampanya laban sa jueteng dito. Sino ba ang susundin ko, Chief, PNP o ang Commander-in-Chief?”
I was successful in instituting reforms in the PNP because Mr. Estrada gave me full authority which I asked in the first place when I got appointed to the post.
But because of jueteng, Mr Estrada, issued a written memorandum to then Secretary of Interior and Local Government Alfredo Lim, effectively taking away from me the authority to appoint and remove police officials down to provincial director level.
“Hindi nga talaga mahina ang ulo ng presidenteng ito,” I told myself. By removing that authority, I could no longer discipline my officers, I would fail in my anti-gambling operations and worse, I would definitely fail in my mission.
Resigning my position crossed my mind then. I spent many sleepless nights agonizing over my situation.
In one of our Cluster E Cabinet meetings held in the office of the DFA, then AFP Chief of Staff Gen Angelo Reyes took pity on me and gave his advice, “Pare, Commander-in-Chief natin ‘yan. Pagbigyan mo na muna ngayon at saka ninyo na lang pag-usapan ang problema ninyo ni Presidente.”
I answered him, “Sir, question de prinsipyo ito. Ako ang nasa tama sa labang ito. Tanggalin na lang n’ya ako, pero hindi ako bibigay dito.”
I found out later that indeed Mr. Estrada had started gathering legal basis to justify my relief.
On hindsight, people close to Mr. Estrada and this representation would say as an afterthought - EDSA 2 could not have happened had Mr Estrada listened to General Lacson’s consistent advice on jueteng. Simple.
But on the other hand, EDSA 2 would not have happened if I went along with Mr. Estrada and Gov. Singson and altogether tolerated jueteng operations.
Why?
Bingo 2-Ball would not have been conceived to legalize jueteng.
We all know that it was during its implementation that there was a misunderstanding and falling out between Mr. Estrada and Chavit Singson.
Mr. Estrada realized that I would not waver on my stand against jueteng and thought that by legalizing it, I would not have any more reason to conduct raids and operations.
Jueteng is just one illustrative insight into the character of Mr. Estrada as a government official, and as President of the country. There were other sinister behavioral patterns that must be told to the Filipino people.
Sa likod ng isang maka-mahirap na Joseph Estrada na mahal na mahal ng masa, ay maraming transaksyon na may kasamang pang-aabuso, gamit ang kapangyarihang kaagapay ng pagiging pangulo ng bansa, upang magkamal ng maraming salapi para sa sariling kapakanan.
In August 1998, in the early part of Mr. Estrada’s abbreviated presidency, Mr. Alfonso Yuchengco was pressured to sign conveyance of his 7.75% PTIC (Philippine Telecommunications Investment Corporation) holdings, equivalent to 18,720 shares to Metro Pacific, represented by Manuel V. Pangilinan.
These PTIC holdings correspond to 2,017,650 PLDT common shares.
Mr. Yuchengco, I also learned later, was pressed to sign a waiver of his right of first refusal over the PTIC shares of the Cojuangco-Meer group.
It was only after the passage of many years that I was to learn that Mr. Estrada, barely two months in office then, used the PNP to harass Mr. Yuchengco’s son, Tito, with threat of arrest on some trumped-up drug charges to force his father, Mr. Yuchengco to sell.
This harassment of the young man was accomplished through deliberate and obvious physical surveillance.
“Napag-alaman ko na matagal tagal ding may kimkim na galit daw sa akin ang pamilyang Yuchengco sa dahilang ang pagkaalam nila ay sa akin iniutos ni Mr Estrada ang panggigipit sa kanila upang mapwersang magbenta ng kanilang pag-aaring shares of stocks ng PLDT.
Sa inyo, Ginoong Pangulo ng Senado, mga pinagpipitaganan kong kasamahan at sampu ng pamilya Yuchengco -- wala po akong kamalay-malay sa pangyayaring iyan.
At kung halimbawa mang sa akin iniutos ni Mr Estrada ang gawaing iyon, ay siguradong hindi ko po susundin.”
The bigger and more important question remains - “What was the deal in pesos and centavos between Mr Estrada and Mr Pangilinan, if any?”
Or, should we rather ask, “How much was involved?”
Sa larangan naman ng smuggling sa Customs at sa iba pang lugar ay hindi rin masusukat ang kakayahan ni Mr. Estrada.
When Mr. Estrada transferred the mission of going after smugglers from the late Lt Gen. Jose Calimlim’s unit in PSG to the PAOCTF, he gave me the mandate to go hammer and tongs against smugglers.
Yet one morning, I received a call from Mr. Estrada. “May mga tao ka raw na nangha-harass sa Customs,” he said with a low tone.
After checking with my officers, I replied, “Wala sila sir sa loob ng Customs zone kaya imposibleng makapang-harass sila doon. Nandun sila sa labas, malapit sa Manila Hotel at may inaabangan na ilulusot na shipments ng dressed chicken parts from China and the US.”
He bellowed, “Basta i-pull out mo!”
A few days later in a light conversation on the topic of smuggling, inside his office in Malacañang, I told Mr. Estrada, “Alam mo sir, dalawampung 40-foot containers sana ng dressed chickens ang nahuli natin kung hindi mo iniutos i-pull out ang mga tao natin.”
With a mocking voice, he said, “Sana hindi kayo nag-pull out.”
Akala ko, nang bigyan ako ng kautusang lipulin ang mga smugglers sa pier, totoong-totoo at seryoso. Ako namang si gago, trabaho lang ng trabaho. ‘Yun pala, moro-moro.
May dalawang mukha nga ba ang sining? O, sa likod ng putting tabing ay ibang itsura ng mukha ang nakatago?
Pagkatapos ng manok na galing sa Tsina at Amerika, dumako naman tayo sa bigas na tanim ng Vietcong.
Sometime in August 2000, when Mr. Estrada was hardly talking to me, on account of my hard-headedness on the issue of jueteng, he was giving a direct order to one of my subordinate officers in PAOCTF to release a shipload of smuggled rice that was apprehended somewhere in the Cebu-Bohol area.
The PAOCTF officer was with me in Cebu during that time, and he was relaying to me the President’s order.
I did not bother to find out anymore if the officer complied or not with Mr. Estrada’s order.
I thought I should not interfere with a direct order coming from the President to a subordinate officer because in doing so I felt that it would add insult to injury upon myself.
Sadly, because we never punish smugglers, the same people who sabotaged our economy during the Estrada regime are the same saboteurs in bed with the present dispensation.
Walang nagbago, lalo lang lumaki ang komisyon at lagayan.
In an effort to defend himself from accusations that he may have been involved in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, he has consistently asserted that he never dealt with officials other than the heads of agencies.
Yet, on so many occasions, and I have personal knowledge on this, during his presidency, he was giving direct orders and instructions deep into the layers of the entire government bureaucracy, the PNP and the PAOCTF included.
And those who have worked with him in Malacañang know whereof I speak.
Mr. Estrada had the temerity to issue a press statement that I was the one who knew and in fact supervised what former police officer Cezar Mancao had testified in court as “Operation or Oplan Delta”, allegedly a special operations plan designed to neutralize Salvador “Bubby” Dacer.
Mabuti pa si Mr. Estrada, alam niyang may “Oplan Delta.” Ako, sa mga pahayagan at kamakailan ko lamang narinig at nalaman na mayroon palang “Oplan Delta.”
Sa halip na i-depensa na lang niya ang sarili niya, bakit siya kailangang magturo ng iba?
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, maraming bagay-bagay na sa abot ng aking natuklasan, matapos ang aking sariling pagsasaliksik at pag-iimbestiga hindi lamang sa usaping ito kundi pati ibang kasong maaring kinasangkutan ni Ginoong Estrada ang nais kong ibahagi sa kapulungang ito.
Marami din akong gustong itanong kay Mr. Estrada:
1. Sino ang inutusan mo para i-harass at gipitin ang pamilya ni Al Yuchengco?
2. Sino ang tumawag sa iyo para utusan ako na i-pull out ang mga tao kong nakaabang na hulihin ang smuggled chicken parts?
3. Kaninong shipment ng smuggled rice ang ipina-release mo sa Cebu?
4. At higit sa lahat, anu-ano pa ang mga iniutos mo sa ating mga dating tauhan sa PAOCTF na lingid sa aking kaalaman?
But for now and today, I will limit the subject of my privilege speech to the issues I mentioned.
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, with your indulgence, please allow me to take the floor once again on Monday next week.
For former President Joseph Ejercito-Estrada, there is no corruption if it does not involve government funds.
Therefore, following his flawed logic, it is not corruption to accept bribes - from jueteng and some shady deals that involve using the power and influence of the presidency.
He has not heard of ‘conflict of interest’ nor taking advantage of one’s position to amass wealth.
He has not changed that loose definition of corruption.
In media interviews and in his conversations with friends and associates, he maintains that he had not done anything wrong since all his transactions while he was president did not involve government funds.
Now he is presenting himself again to the Filipino people, for one more chance at the presidency.
At this juncture of our history, after suffering eight years of unmitigated corruption under the regime which succeeded the Estrada presidency, I would be remiss in my sworn duties as an elected member of the Senate, as a nationally elected official of the land, if I did not unburden myself of my insights into the character of Mr. Estrada.
Marahil may mga magsasabi na sa mga binigkas ko ngayon ay hindi ako marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob, lalo na sa pangulong siyang naghirang sa akin.
Ngunit hindi naman din matatawaran ang naibahagi kong tulong, sampu ng aking mga tauhan, sa kanyang katanyagan nung siya ay nanunungkulang bise-presidente at bilang Chairman ng Presidential Anti-Crime Commission.
Ang mas mahalaga ay pairalin ang marapat at matuwid.
At lalong mahalaga na gawing kataas-taasang adhikain ang kapakanan at kinabukasan ng mamamayang Pilipino.
God save the Philippines from Joseph Ejercito alias Joseph Estrada.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Philippine Consulate General Office in Jeddah Transfers to a New Location
The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently announced the transfer of its new office location to Umm Al Qura St., Al Rehab District starting 15-September-2009. in connection with the transfer, the Consulate will be closed to the public on 12th to 14th September. It will also be closed from 15th to 24th September for the Ramadan and Eid El Fitr.
The office of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia includes various sections and attached services. Services to the public are performed by the Consular Section, the Assistance to Nationals Section, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office which includes the Labor Attache and Welfare Officers, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center. PCG also has a Hajj Attache permanently assigned to Jeddah. SSS and Pag IBIG also have representatives at the Consulate.
Below is the map of the new location:
The office of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia includes various sections and attached services. Services to the public are performed by the Consular Section, the Assistance to Nationals Section, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office which includes the Labor Attache and Welfare Officers, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center. PCG also has a Hajj Attache permanently assigned to Jeddah. SSS and Pag IBIG also have representatives at the Consulate.
Below is the map of the new location:
Ezzedin H. Tago, Consul General
Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Umm Al Qura St.
Al Rehab District
P.O. Box 4794, Jeddah 21412
Duty Officer: +966-515016318
Consular: +966-555219614
AND: +966555219613
POLO/OWWA: +9662-6658462; +966-515124793
Phone: +9662-6600348; 6670925; 6630354; 6696303
Fax: +9662-6630338
Consul General Ezzedin Tago assumed leadership of the Philippine Consulate Office in Jeddah on 22 December 2007. He is a career Foreign Service Officer (FSO Class I) who has been with the DFA since 1995.
In September 1994, he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis.
Consul General Tago has been assigned to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1999-2003) as Vice Consul and Third Secretary; and to Jakarta, Indonesia (2003-2005) as Consul and Second Secretary. He was also detailed to Baghdad, Iraq for 10 months in 2004-2005.
In the Home Office, he served as Acting Director with the Office of Middle East and African Affairs (1996-1999), and as Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs for Special Concerns (2005-2007).
On 14 August 2007, he was awarded the Gawad Mabini DFA Award, with rank of Commander (Kasugo), by H.E. Alberto Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines.
He is a recipient of the following Presidential Awards/Citations:
Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Umm Al Qura St.
Al Rehab District
P.O. Box 4794, Jeddah 21412
Duty Officer: +966-515016318
Consular: +966-555219614
AND: +966555219613
POLO/OWWA: +9662-6658462; +966-515124793
Phone: +9662-6600348; 6670925; 6630354; 6696303
Fax: +9662-6630338
Consul General Ezzedin Tago assumed leadership of the Philippine Consulate Office in Jeddah on 22 December 2007. He is a career Foreign Service Officer (FSO Class I) who has been with the DFA since 1995.In September 1994, he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis.
Consul General Tago has been assigned to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1999-2003) as Vice Consul and Third Secretary; and to Jakarta, Indonesia (2003-2005) as Consul and Second Secretary. He was also detailed to Baghdad, Iraq for 10 months in 2004-2005.
In the Home Office, he served as Acting Director with the Office of Middle East and African Affairs (1996-1999), and as Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs for Special Concerns (2005-2007).
On 14 August 2007, he was awarded the Gawad Mabini DFA Award, with rank of Commander (Kasugo), by H.E. Alberto Romulo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines.
He is a recipient of the following Presidential Awards/Citations:
- The Order of Lakandula, Rank of Officer, by H.E. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on 14 August 2007.
- Presidential Citation from H.E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded on December 2006 for assisting in the repatriation of Filipinos in Lebanon during the Israel-Hezbollah Crisis in July 2006.
- Presidential Citation from H.E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded on 19 June 2005 for his role in the cases of two Filipino hostages in Iraq, Messrs. Angelo Dela Cruz and Robert Tarongoy.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
OFW - Bayani Ka Nga Bang Talaga Ng Lahing Pilipino?
I want to give credit to whoever wrote this well-said piece but I have no way of knowing who wrote it or where this piece originally came from. I've seen this posted in so many Pinoy Blogs before but this particular text was a forwarded email by my wife from her Yahoo.Group Ehem! She became a member of the Ehemplo Group many years ago when she was still a Prosecutor at the Office of the Ombudsman.
My apologies as I exaggerated a bit the title of this post!
My apologies as I exaggerated a bit the title of this post!
The following text was sent to me by an OFW friend from Ireland.
I just want to share the text with you for your reflection. - Sr. Tess
I just want to share the text with you for your reflection. - Sr. Tess
Ehemplo is a call of people dedicated to live a life of honor, integrity and good examples. Ehemplo is based on espousing Ehem -- the urgent call for cultural reform against corruption in the Philippines. Ehem aims at bringing people to a renewed sensitivity to the evil of corruption and its prevalence in ordinary life. It seeks ultimately to make them more intensely aware of their own vulnerability to corruption, their own uncritiqued, often unwitting practice of corruption in daily life. Ehem hopes to bring people, in the end, to a commitment to live the way of Ehemplo --- critical of corruption, intent on integrity! --------------------------------------------------------
06-Sept-09 at 9:00pm I just read from the comments of Blogusvox of the Sandbox (thanks Ed) that this essay was written by Frederick Arceo. So I browsed through the page and voila, here's what I got! Frederick was in primary school at Filamer Institute when I was working in Roxas City many years ago. I don't know how he is related to a friend in that same place named Danny Arceo. Moreover, Frederick is an OFW based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and has a multiply.com blog at Inocente Tambayero's Spot. It comes now with no surprise why he has expressed so well the true sentiments of the OFW. The original title of the piece was Ang OFW ay Tao Rin.
Thanks Frederick!
Thanks Frederick!
ANG OFW AY TAO RIN
By Frederick Arceo
Sa may asawa, kapatid, anak, kaibigan, at kamag-anak na OFW. At lalo na sa mga gustong mangibang-bansa... Nais ko rin ibahagi sa inyo, ang natanggap kong email na ito. Maaaring makatulong ito upang lalong maintindihan ng bawa't isa ang tunay na ibig sabihin ng pagiging isang OFW. Tiyak na may mapupulot tayong aral dito.
Hindi mayaman ang OFW - We have this notion na 'pag OFW o nasa abroad ay mayaman na.. Hindi totoo yun. A regular OFW might earn from P20K-P300K per month depende sa lokasyon. Yung mga taga-Saudi or US siguro ay mas malaki ang sweldo, but to say that they're rich is a fallacy (amen!).
Malaki ang pangangailangan kaya karamihan ay nag-a-abroad. Maraming bunganga ang kailangang pakainin kaya umaalis ang mga pipol sa Philippines . Madalas, 3/4 o kalahati ng sweldo ay napupunta sa tuition ng anak at gastusin ng pamilya.
Mahirap maging OFW - Kailangan magtipid hangga't kaya. Oo, masarap ang pagkain sa abroad pero madalas na paksiw o adobo at itlog lang tinitira para makaipon. Pagdating ng kinsenas o katapusan, ang unang tinitingnan eh ang conversion ng peso sa dollar o rial o euro. Mas okay na magtiis sa konti kaysa gutumin ang pamilya. Kapag umuuwi, kailangan may baon kahit konti kasi maraming kamag-anak ang sumusundo sa airport o naghihintay sa probinsya. Alam mo naman 'pag Pinoy, yung tsismis na OFW ka eh surely attracts a lot of kin.
Kapag hindi mo nabigyan ng pasalubong eh magtatampo na yun at sisiraan ka na. Well, hindi naman lahat pero I'm sure sa mga OFW dito eh may mga pangyayaring ganun. Magtatrabaho ka sa bansang iba ang tingin sa mga Pinoy. Malamang marami ang naka-experience ng gulang o discrimination to their various workplaces. Sige lang, tiis lang, iniiyak na lang kasi kawawa naman pamilya 'pag umuwi.
Besides, wala ka naman talagang maasahang trabaho sa Philippines ngayon. Mahal ang bigas, ang gatas, ang sardinas, ang upa sa apartment. Tiis lang kahit maraming kupal sa trabaho, kahit may sakit at walang nag-aalaga, kahit hindi masarap ang tsibog, kahit pangit ang working conditions, kahit delikado, kahit mahirap. Kapag nakapadala ka na, okay na, tawag lang, "hello! kumusta na kayo?".
Hindi bato ang OFW - Tao rin ang OFW, hindi money o cash machine. Napapagod rin, nalulungkot (madalas), nagkakasakit, nag-iisip at nagugutom. Kailangan din ang suporta, kundi man physically, emotionally o spiritually man lang.
Tumatanda rin ang OFW - Sa mga nakausap at nakita ko, marami ang panot at kalbo na. Most of them have signs and symptoms of hypertension, coronary artery disease and arthritis.. Yet, they continue to work thinking about the family they left behind. Marami ang nasa abroad, 20-30 years na, pero wala pa ring ipon. Kahit anong pakahirap, sablay pa rin. Masakit pa kung olats rin ang sinusuportahang pamilya - ang anak adik o nabuntis; ang asawa may kabit. Naalala ko tuloy ang sikat na kanta dati, "NAPAKASAKIT KUYA EDDIE!"
Bayani ang OFW - Totoo yun! Ngayon ko lang na na-realize na bayani ang OFW sa maraming bagay. Hindi bayani na tulad ni Nora Aunor o Flor Contemplacion. Bayani in the truest sense of the word. Hindi katulad ni Rizal o Bonifacio. Mas higit pa dun, mas maraming giyera at gulo ang pinapasok ng OFW para lang mabuhay. Mas maraming pulitika ang kailangang suungin para lang tumagal sa trabaho lalo na't kupal ang mga kasama sa trabaho. Mas mahaba ang pasensya kaysa sa mga ordinaryong kongresista o senador sa Philippines dahil sa takot na mawalan ng sweldo.
Matindi ang OFW - Matindi ang pinoy. Matindi pa sa daga, o cockroaches which survived the cataclysmic evolution. Maraming sakripisyo pero walang makitang tangible solutions or consequences.
Malas ng OFW, swerte ng pulitiko - Hindi umuupo ang OFW para magbigay ng autograph o interbyuhin ng media (unless nakidnap!). Madalas nasa sidelines lang ang OFW. Kapag umaalis, malungkot and on the verge of tears. Kapag dumadating, swerte 'pag may sundo( madalas meron). Kapag naubos na ang ipon, wala ng kamag-anak.
Sana sikat ang OFW para may boses sa Kamara. Ang swerte ng mga politiko nakaupo sila at ginagastusan ng pera ng Filipino. Hindi nga sila naiinitan o napapaso ng langis, o napagagalitan ng amo, o kumakain ng paksiw para makatipid, o nakatira sa compound with conditions less than favorable, o nakikisama sa ibang lahi para mabuhay. Ang swerte, sobrang swerte nila.
Matatag ang OFW - Matatag ang OFW, mas matatag pa sa sundalo o kung ano pang grupo na alam nyo. Magaling sa reverse psychology, negotiations at counter-attacks. Tatagal ba ang OFW? Tatagal pa kasi hindi pa natin alam kailan magbabago ang Philippines , kailan nga kaya? o may tsansa pa ba?
Masarap isipin na kasama mo ang pamilya mo araw-araw. Nakikita mo mga anak mong lumalaki at naaalagaan ng maayos. Masarap kumain ng sitaw, ng bagoong, lechon, inihaw na isda, taba ng talangka. Masarap manood ng pelikulang Pinoy, luma man o bago. Iba pa rin ang pakiramdam kung kilala mo ang kapitbahay mo. Iba pa rin sa Philippines , iba pa rin kapag Pinoy ang kasama mo (except 'pag kupal at utak-talangka) , iba pa rin 'pag nagkukwento ka at naiintindihan ng iba ang sinasabi mo. Iba pa rin ang tunog ng "mahal kita!", "day, ginahigugma tika." "Mingaw na ko nimo ba, kalagot!", " Inday, diin ka na subong haw? ganahan guid ko simo ba". Iba pa rin talaga.
Sige lang, tiis lang, saan ba't darating din ang pag-asa.
Kung OFW ka at binabasa mo ito, mabuhay ka dahil ikaw ang tunay na BAYANI ng lahing PILIPINO!!!
By Frederick Arceo
Sa may asawa, kapatid, anak, kaibigan, at kamag-anak na OFW. At lalo na sa mga gustong mangibang-bansa... Nais ko rin ibahagi sa inyo, ang natanggap kong email na ito. Maaaring makatulong ito upang lalong maintindihan ng bawa't isa ang tunay na ibig sabihin ng pagiging isang OFW. Tiyak na may mapupulot tayong aral dito.
Hindi mayaman ang OFW - We have this notion na 'pag OFW o nasa abroad ay mayaman na.. Hindi totoo yun. A regular OFW might earn from P20K-P300K per month depende sa lokasyon. Yung mga taga-Saudi or US siguro ay mas malaki ang sweldo, but to say that they're rich is a fallacy (amen!).
Malaki ang pangangailangan kaya karamihan ay nag-a-abroad. Maraming bunganga ang kailangang pakainin kaya umaalis ang mga pipol sa Philippines . Madalas, 3/4 o kalahati ng sweldo ay napupunta sa tuition ng anak at gastusin ng pamilya.
Mahirap maging OFW - Kailangan magtipid hangga't kaya. Oo, masarap ang pagkain sa abroad pero madalas na paksiw o adobo at itlog lang tinitira para makaipon. Pagdating ng kinsenas o katapusan, ang unang tinitingnan eh ang conversion ng peso sa dollar o rial o euro. Mas okay na magtiis sa konti kaysa gutumin ang pamilya. Kapag umuuwi, kailangan may baon kahit konti kasi maraming kamag-anak ang sumusundo sa airport o naghihintay sa probinsya. Alam mo naman 'pag Pinoy, yung tsismis na OFW ka eh surely attracts a lot of kin.
Kapag hindi mo nabigyan ng pasalubong eh magtatampo na yun at sisiraan ka na. Well, hindi naman lahat pero I'm sure sa mga OFW dito eh may mga pangyayaring ganun. Magtatrabaho ka sa bansang iba ang tingin sa mga Pinoy. Malamang marami ang naka-experience ng gulang o discrimination to their various workplaces. Sige lang, tiis lang, iniiyak na lang kasi kawawa naman pamilya 'pag umuwi.
Besides, wala ka naman talagang maasahang trabaho sa Philippines ngayon. Mahal ang bigas, ang gatas, ang sardinas, ang upa sa apartment. Tiis lang kahit maraming kupal sa trabaho, kahit may sakit at walang nag-aalaga, kahit hindi masarap ang tsibog, kahit pangit ang working conditions, kahit delikado, kahit mahirap. Kapag nakapadala ka na, okay na, tawag lang, "hello! kumusta na kayo?".
Hindi bato ang OFW - Tao rin ang OFW, hindi money o cash machine. Napapagod rin, nalulungkot (madalas), nagkakasakit, nag-iisip at nagugutom. Kailangan din ang suporta, kundi man physically, emotionally o spiritually man lang.
Tumatanda rin ang OFW - Sa mga nakausap at nakita ko, marami ang panot at kalbo na. Most of them have signs and symptoms of hypertension, coronary artery disease and arthritis.. Yet, they continue to work thinking about the family they left behind. Marami ang nasa abroad, 20-30 years na, pero wala pa ring ipon. Kahit anong pakahirap, sablay pa rin. Masakit pa kung olats rin ang sinusuportahang pamilya - ang anak adik o nabuntis; ang asawa may kabit. Naalala ko tuloy ang sikat na kanta dati, "NAPAKASAKIT KUYA EDDIE!"
Bayani ang OFW - Totoo yun! Ngayon ko lang na na-realize na bayani ang OFW sa maraming bagay. Hindi bayani na tulad ni Nora Aunor o Flor Contemplacion. Bayani in the truest sense of the word. Hindi katulad ni Rizal o Bonifacio. Mas higit pa dun, mas maraming giyera at gulo ang pinapasok ng OFW para lang mabuhay. Mas maraming pulitika ang kailangang suungin para lang tumagal sa trabaho lalo na't kupal ang mga kasama sa trabaho. Mas mahaba ang pasensya kaysa sa mga ordinaryong kongresista o senador sa Philippines dahil sa takot na mawalan ng sweldo.
Matindi ang OFW - Matindi ang pinoy. Matindi pa sa daga, o cockroaches which survived the cataclysmic evolution. Maraming sakripisyo pero walang makitang tangible solutions or consequences.
Malas ng OFW, swerte ng pulitiko - Hindi umuupo ang OFW para magbigay ng autograph o interbyuhin ng media (unless nakidnap!). Madalas nasa sidelines lang ang OFW. Kapag umaalis, malungkot and on the verge of tears. Kapag dumadating, swerte 'pag may sundo( madalas meron). Kapag naubos na ang ipon, wala ng kamag-anak.
Sana sikat ang OFW para may boses sa Kamara. Ang swerte ng mga politiko nakaupo sila at ginagastusan ng pera ng Filipino. Hindi nga sila naiinitan o napapaso ng langis, o napagagalitan ng amo, o kumakain ng paksiw para makatipid, o nakatira sa compound with conditions less than favorable, o nakikisama sa ibang lahi para mabuhay. Ang swerte, sobrang swerte nila.
Matatag ang OFW - Matatag ang OFW, mas matatag pa sa sundalo o kung ano pang grupo na alam nyo. Magaling sa reverse psychology, negotiations at counter-attacks. Tatagal ba ang OFW? Tatagal pa kasi hindi pa natin alam kailan magbabago ang Philippines , kailan nga kaya? o may tsansa pa ba?
Masarap isipin na kasama mo ang pamilya mo araw-araw. Nakikita mo mga anak mong lumalaki at naaalagaan ng maayos. Masarap kumain ng sitaw, ng bagoong, lechon, inihaw na isda, taba ng talangka. Masarap manood ng pelikulang Pinoy, luma man o bago. Iba pa rin ang pakiramdam kung kilala mo ang kapitbahay mo. Iba pa rin sa Philippines , iba pa rin kapag Pinoy ang kasama mo (except 'pag kupal at utak-talangka) , iba pa rin 'pag nagkukwento ka at naiintindihan ng iba ang sinasabi mo. Iba pa rin ang tunog ng "mahal kita!", "day, ginahigugma tika." "Mingaw na ko nimo ba, kalagot!", " Inday, diin ka na subong haw? ganahan guid ko simo ba". Iba pa rin talaga.
Sige lang, tiis lang, saan ba't darating din ang pag-asa.
Kung OFW ka at binabasa mo ito, mabuhay ka dahil ikaw ang tunay na BAYANI ng lahing PILIPINO!!!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Mikey Arroyo Under Fire on YouTube
yesterday. I cannot imagine how an Atenean could give such illogical answers . He's just so dumb!
It is annoying and exasperating to the hardworking Filipinos who have been honestly doing their jobs in government service only to find out that the very leaders are amassing wealth beyond imagination of which they cannot even track anymore.
The two clips from You Tube have been posted here for you to see and judge for yourself!
MANILA, Philippines—Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo may have found himself in deeper trouble following an early morning TV interview about his ballooning net worth and P63.7-million beachfront property in the United States.
Clips of his Tuesday interview with GMA 7’s “Unang Hirit” were uploaded to the video-sharing website YouTube, triggering nasty comments—many of them apparently not fit for newspaper publication—from angry Web users.
One viewer described the lawmaker as “the world’s dum... criminal.”
“(Mikey) sucks at defending himself. If he is in court, he’ll be (cited) for contempt for utter stu...,” another commented.
Another viewer said Mikey “hanged himself on national TV” with the way he explained how his net worth jumped from P5 million in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) in 2002 to P99 million last year.
“Take note of (his) facial expressions and the tone of his voice. Talagang sinu. . . (He’s really a li...),” one viewer said.
“Another stu... son of a corrupt politician. This is exactly what happens when you have a big f_ _ _ing ego to go on air to show everyone how much assets you try to hide,” said another. “Mikey, isa kang ... (you’re st...)!”
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita Wednesday said the Palace was confident that the eldest son of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, herself under scrutiny for her growing wealth while in office, could answer the issue “adequately to the satisfaction of everybody.”
How to earn millions
But Web users were not satisfied with his explanation when they saw the two-part video clip, titled “Mikey Arroyo on Media Suicide with Igan & Winnie Monsod—How Do You Earn Millions?”
The clips were viewed 8,888 times as of Wednesday afternoon and solicited a total of 258 comments.
In the interview, broadcaster and economist Winnie Monsod, armed with copies of Mikey’s SALNs, confronted the congressman on how he accumulated all his wealth given his salary as a government employee.
YouTube viewers noticed how the lawmaker repeatedly tried to “dodge” the question only to be cornered by Monsod each time.
Gifts, campaign contributions
Finally in the second clip, a seemingly exasperated Mikey said: “Let’s put it this way. Alam nyo kasi, syempre unang-una, kinasal tayo. Medyo nagkaroon tayo ng maraming regalo. Tapos pag kampanya, eh syempre, kahit paano, maraming tumutulong sa atin (You know, first of all, I got married. I received lots of gifts. Then in the election campaign, somehow, many people helped me).”
Mikey, a Pampanga representative since 2004, said this was how his net worth increased from P76.9 million in 2005 to P99 million in 2008.
He said his P5-million net worth in his 2002 SALN was inaccurate and had been corrected the following year.
“So is it legal to pocket the money intended as campaign donation? Magna...!” commented one Web user.
Earlier in the interview, Mikey acknowledged that he owned the property at 1655 Beach Park Boulevard in Foster City, San Mateo County, in the San Francisco bay area in California.
Limited liability company
Mikey said it was owned by a company called Beach Way Park LLC (limited liability company) of which he and his family owned some 40 percent in shares.
In the United States, LLCs are small businesses similar to single proprietorships in the Philippines. They can be set up with just one person as shareholder.
Mikey refused to identify the other shareholders in the company even to dispel speculations that they were merely acting as “dummies.”
“Stop saying it’s my house. It’s a house owned by Beach Way which I’m a shareholder of,” the lawmaker, appearing incensed and uneasy, told Monsod and co-anchor Arnold Clavio.
Burden of proof on Mikey
“You know what, the law is very clear,” Monsod told Mikey. “If there is a problem, when there is a question of unexplained wealth here, the burden of proof is with you, with the government employee.”
Monsod added: “It can’t be that (we) have to prove that (you) are guilty. No, the government employee should prove that he is innocent. That’s precisely the whole objective of having a statement of assets and liabilities.”
Mikey’s appearance on the TV show stemmed from a report of Vera Files, a group of investigative reporters, that the eldest son of the President did not report in his SALN for the last two years the $1.32-million (P63.7-million) house in Foster City that he bought and transferred to his wife Angela in 2006. They got married in 2002.
Vera Files also reported that Mikey’s brother, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Ignacio “Dato” Arroyo, also acquired a house in the United States after he won a seat in Congress in 2007.
But unlike Mikey, Dato declared ownership of a 70-square-meter unit at the luxury full-service Gramercy Towers in San Francisco in his SALN for 2008. Dato and his wife, Victoria Celina Manotok, bought the property for P26.7 million.
Mikey said Tuesday that his family could afford to buy real estate in the United States.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
My Right to Election 2010: The Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) Registration
After all the blahblahblah... have we registered for the 2010 election?
Funny at how many of us join in discussions about the Philippine political scenario, giving strategies on how a politician could win the election, etcetera... up to the point of fighting out with our last breath up to the last drop of our blood in defense of a lucky clown who does not even know who the hell we are, then when the million dollar question is asked, we coyly answer on the negative.
When I posted the blog Gearing Up for Election 2010: Will Overseas Absentee Voting Make a Difference? last February 8, I was all set to register within a few weeks after that blogpost but the Filipinos’ infamous "hasta mañana" habit almost cost my ticket to choose the next leader in the 2010 Election.
If I was not scheduled for my vacation on the 22nd of August to the first day of September, I could have extended that enlistment up to the last day of the OAV registration on August 31. I bet you, without that vacation schedule, I would probably have forgotten all about OAV. So to put my hand where my mouth was in that blogpost, I had to do it even when the sandstorm was raging mad along the Al-Laith - Jeddah Super Highway that Thursday afternoon of August 13. I braved the very low-visibility highway to be able to reach the Philippine Consulate Office in Jeddah.
Here are some of the snapshots taken from my mobile phone that afternoon:
When I posted the blog Gearing Up for Election 2010: Will Overseas Absentee Voting Make a Difference? last February 8, I was all set to register within a few weeks after that blogpost but the Filipinos’ infamous "hasta mañana" habit almost cost my ticket to choose the next leader in the 2010 Election.
If I was not scheduled for my vacation on the 22nd of August to the first day of September, I could have extended that enlistment up to the last day of the OAV registration on August 31. I bet you, without that vacation schedule, I would probably have forgotten all about OAV. So to put my hand where my mouth was in that blogpost, I had to do it even when the sandstorm was raging mad along the Al-Laith - Jeddah Super Highway that Thursday afternoon of August 13. I braved the very low-visibility highway to be able to reach the Philippine Consulate Office in Jeddah.
Here are some of the snapshots taken from my mobile phone that afternoon:
The famous Giant Bicycle Square which is known as the world's largest bicycle according to the Guinness Book of Records. This is the landmark that I always look at to know that I am near the Philippine Consular Office in Jeddah. The Bicycle or “Darrajah” in Arabic is located at the center of Siteen Road and Amir Abdullah Street.
This is the facade of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah. It is located in Al-Sayeddah Kaddija Street, Al Faisaliyah District.
Took the chance to pose in whatever place I can especially that there was no one who will call my attention and say, "Lalalalala" (Arabic for saying No! No! No! No picture taking here!)
Here I was with my finger print taking, signature and ID picture taking.
Here is the acknowledgment receipt of my OAV registration. (A proof that I'm temporarily registered)
I still have to wait for my ID which will be mailed by COMELEC after a few months
I still have to wait for my ID which will be mailed by COMELEC after a few months
My OAV registration calls for a simple celebration at Jeddah's La Paz Batchoy Restaurant. I tried their Batchoy, Bulalo and Grilled Beef but i will reserve my comments after they will sponsor PEBA 2009...hahaha
Friday, June 12, 2009
Independence Day and The Chocolate Bar Story!
Freedom is the timeless message not just of Kawit, Cavite but traces back even in the shores of Mactan in 1521. It is a priceless gift bequeathed to us Filipinos. People who are known to be fierce lovers of freedom and enemies of subjection.The fight for freedom has not ended up 111 years ago during the Kawit Declaration of Independence. It is an ongoing battle and it's going to be a fierce fight for freedom especially with the recent passing of Resolution 1109. The congressmen who voted in favor of CONASS thought that freedom was doing what they pleased.
Similarly, many of "us" take the liberty to do as we please under the guise of “freedom".
As we celebrate today our so-called "freedom" from the colonizers, may we not just find our freedom as a Filipino nation but to also realize that the one-time ransom price has been paid for our freedom from slavery.
A happy independence day to all those who believe that they are free!
Cheers and here are some 'chocolate' candy bars for the celebration!
The Chocolate Bar Story
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Friday, June 5, 2009
Moving Forward With Lessons Learned In Standing Up For What We Believe Is Right
Many of us OFW bloggers have spoken. Our Manifesto clearly outlined and defined our beliefs and stand... the lines have been drawn... the rules we play under have been set...we trusted our instincts and values... we trusted ourselves... we believed in our inner compasses and we did what we feel was right under the circumstances...Many have been hurt... opinions differed... factions and walls built... and the effect, the Pinoy Bloggywood is in the throes of frenzy and hysteria.
We have condemned the Tsokolate post and have demanded for his apology to the OFW community but if he prefers not to do so, that is his decision and his choice. And I respect his decision. Even now, new posts from his blog-kingdom keep on coming. We may find some of the posts offending but our Manifesto will stand as our guide.. probably adding more post-titles to the list other than the Tsokolate if it crosses the line. Are we going to be entrapped by the snares? Decisions and choices may not always turn out correct but then we should live with our choices without regrets.
While this experience isn’t particularly pleasant for many of us and regardless of the outcome of this, all of us must come out stronger with at least some lessons learned from it.
When all this uproar in the Bloggywood happened, there are several lessons that were reinforced in me as an OFW blogger and that,
(1) I will continue to respect the opinions and expressions of others.
(2) I will continue to write the truth and if not sure on issues, I will continue to do extensive researches and only then will I write my post.
(3) I will continue to write a disclaimer if there are issues or intellectual properties which are not mine.
(4) I will continue to be totally responsible for what I write. If found to be wrong, I will immediately apologize and accept my mistakes.
(5) I will continue to write my stand on the issues that I believe are right and will never take cover under the guise of being Anonymous when I write my comments in the posts of others.
There are countless and more lessons learned but these are the ones that struck me most for now.
We need to move forward... lot more important issues need to be taken up just like the CONASS, which has been passed... this issue calls for our attention and our stand as OFWs... many OFWs need our help and support... the KaBlogs Help Desk and its Jobs Support Program... the 2009 PEBA that all of us are excitedly looking forward to... and many more opportunities that we could contribute our precious time and efforts.
Just like riding a bicycle, we need to move forward to keep our balance. We’ve got to move forward... lend a helping hand... open new doors of opportunities... and doing new things!
OFW Bloggers Manifesto: NO to the ANTI OFW Blogpost of Mike Avenue's 'Tsokolate'
On Mike Avenue Pinoy Blog's 'Tsokolate'*
OFW BLOGGERS MANIFESTO
So that the bloggerworld and everyone may know...
OFW BLOGGERS MANIFESTO
So that the bloggerworld and everyone may know...
We believe in the right to freedom of speech as a human right.
We believe in the freedom to hold opinions without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
We believe in the right to freedom of expression to receive and impart information.
We believe that blogging is an expression of one’s opinions, personal experiences, hobbies, commentaries, diaries and we further believe that every blogger has the right to publish his personal expressions and opinions.
We believe that the exercise of these freedoms is not an absolute right but carries with it duties and responsibilities, that may be subject to restrictions or penalties on specific grounds as prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests and protection of the reputation or rights of others.
We believe that majority of the Overseas Filipino Workers have chosen to leave the Philippines to seek and search for better livelihood opportunities abroad so they may be able to support themselves and their families back home.
We believe that the OFW’s search for a greener pasture is not at all that easy and yet hundreds of thousands of OFWs have created names for them and have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavor, setting the world standards for nobility and for hard work.
We believe that there is nothing wrong with doing an honest day’s work as a domestic help or as construction worker or doing any other menial and blue collar jobs.
We believe that OFWs whether professionals or not should be given honor and respect.
We believe that the OFW is the Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World!
With these guiding beliefs:
We regard Mr. Mike Avenue’s Pinoy Blog post on "Tsokolate" as one that lacked research and a flagrant ignorance of the truth about Overseas Filipino workers and expatriates.
We regard this lack of truth and ignorance as especially inexcusable from one who feigns intelligence and high learning and coax people into belief and following.
We regard his statements: “minumura ng amo kapalit ng dolyar” and “humahalik sa paa ng mga dayuhan” as blatant mockeries of the sacrifices of the Overseas Filipino Workers and expatriates and are hasty generalizations of the living and working conditions of the Filipino expatriates and OFWs.
We regard his post as tactless and offensive, trying to make a lame attempt to sarcasm that failed to be funny, at the expense of the Overseas Filipino Workers.
We regard his post as a clear display of arrogance, done in a distasteful manner with blind indifference and unjust condemnation of the millions of hardworking OFWs who work long hours to earn an honest buck.
We regard his post to have overstepped the bounds of sensitivity and responsibility of a decent mind and an accountable and sensible blogger.
Therefore, we the OFW BLOGGERS will not allow this kind of humiliation to pass without making a stand.
We strongly condemn this irresponsible blog post of Mike Avenue.
We consider Mike Avenue as an Anti-OFW persona.
We demand a retraction and an apology from Mike Avenue of Pinoy Blog for this irresponsible blogpost!
We are Filipinos and we should stand together and strive for a better Philippines!
We believe in the freedom to hold opinions without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
We believe in the right to freedom of expression to receive and impart information.
We believe that blogging is an expression of one’s opinions, personal experiences, hobbies, commentaries, diaries and we further believe that every blogger has the right to publish his personal expressions and opinions.
We believe that the exercise of these freedoms is not an absolute right but carries with it duties and responsibilities, that may be subject to restrictions or penalties on specific grounds as prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests and protection of the reputation or rights of others.
We believe that majority of the Overseas Filipino Workers have chosen to leave the Philippines to seek and search for better livelihood opportunities abroad so they may be able to support themselves and their families back home.
We believe that the OFW’s search for a greener pasture is not at all that easy and yet hundreds of thousands of OFWs have created names for them and have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavor, setting the world standards for nobility and for hard work.
We believe that there is nothing wrong with doing an honest day’s work as a domestic help or as construction worker or doing any other menial and blue collar jobs.
We believe that OFWs whether professionals or not should be given honor and respect.
We believe that the OFW is the Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World!
With these guiding beliefs:
We regard Mr. Mike Avenue’s Pinoy Blog post on "Tsokolate" as one that lacked research and a flagrant ignorance of the truth about Overseas Filipino workers and expatriates.
We regard this lack of truth and ignorance as especially inexcusable from one who feigns intelligence and high learning and coax people into belief and following.
We regard his statements: “minumura ng amo kapalit ng dolyar” and “humahalik sa paa ng mga dayuhan” as blatant mockeries of the sacrifices of the Overseas Filipino Workers and expatriates and are hasty generalizations of the living and working conditions of the Filipino expatriates and OFWs.
We regard his post as tactless and offensive, trying to make a lame attempt to sarcasm that failed to be funny, at the expense of the Overseas Filipino Workers.
We regard his post as a clear display of arrogance, done in a distasteful manner with blind indifference and unjust condemnation of the millions of hardworking OFWs who work long hours to earn an honest buck.
We regard his post to have overstepped the bounds of sensitivity and responsibility of a decent mind and an accountable and sensible blogger.
Therefore, we the OFW BLOGGERS will not allow this kind of humiliation to pass without making a stand.
We strongly condemn this irresponsible blog post of Mike Avenue.
We consider Mike Avenue as an Anti-OFW persona.
We demand a retraction and an apology from Mike Avenue of Pinoy Blog for this irresponsible blogpost!
We are Filipinos and we should stand together and strive for a better Philippines!
______________________________________
*For the interest of fairness and balanced reporting and for the
sake of those who cannot access the webpage that is hyperlinked
to Mike Avenue Pinoy Blog's 'Tsokolate' we have linked you to other
pages that have the full transcript of his original post. Please check
these links where Mike Avenue's original post on 'Tsokolate' are found:
Kablogs, OFW (Mukhang Pera Nga Ba?)
The non-availability of the webpage may probably be due to his
personal decision, which we respect, to moderate his blog and to open
it only for the invited readers
*For the interest of fairness and balanced reporting and for the
sake of those who cannot access the webpage that is hyperlinked
to Mike Avenue Pinoy Blog's 'Tsokolate' we have linked you to other
pages that have the full transcript of his original post. Please check
these links where Mike Avenue's original post on 'Tsokolate' are found:
Kablogs, OFW (Mukhang Pera Nga Ba?)
The non-availability of the webpage may probably be due to his
personal decision, which we respect, to moderate his blog and to open
it only for the invited readers
______________________________________
Thursday, June 4, 2009
NO TO CONASS!
02 June 2009 - The passing of Resolution 1109 is a classic example of legislative privilege. It is written in the wall - their motives are already exposed and known!
The House of Congress has spoken when 170 Representatives sponsored and passed Resolution 1109 which calls for the members of the House of Congress to convene as a "CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY" or CONASS to propose amendments to the Constitution. The marching orders allegedly came from the President herself!
We should not be surprised to see dissent and disagreement, as well as anger at that turn of events at the House of Congress.
Was the rammed through, railroaded, and passed resolution a dress rehearsal for Martial Law?
As OFWs, what should be our stand on this? All we can do now is to stop this travesty from happening by displaying these badges on our blogs. Grab the badge and display on your sidebars!
We need to be informed and be updated!
Other reading materials on Charter Change!
Matrix House Proposed Charter Amendments
House Resolution No. 1109
Have You No Shame? - An Open Letter to the House of Representatives
More of the Links at A Filipina Mom Blogger's Oppose Constituent Assembly
Was the rammed through, railroaded, and passed resolution a dress rehearsal for Martial Law?
As OFWs, what should be our stand on this? All we can do now is to stop this travesty from happening by displaying these badges on our blogs. Grab the badge and display on your sidebars!
We need to be informed and be updated!
Other reading materials on Charter Change!
Matrix House Proposed Charter Amendments
House Resolution No. 1109
Have You No Shame? - An Open Letter to the House of Representatives
More of the Links at A Filipina Mom Blogger's Oppose Constituent Assembly
Friday, April 17, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Gearing Up for Election 2010: Will Overseas Absentee Voting Make a Difference?
Isla de Nebz's Blog on Infodrive-Let's Register for 2010 Elections inspired me to reinforce his call for OFW's to register for the 2010 Elections. Will the OFW vote really make a difference in this election?
A little more than two and a half decades ago, I was one of those young students who called for boycotts during elections. We would march from the State U to Mendiola in kapit-bisig fashion shouting anti-government slogans and the call to boycott plebiscites, referendum, and elections. To boycott was a call that we can no longer tolerate the political system! If we vote, we just reinforce the idea for the politicians that we tolerate the Circus where they play the clowns. To boycott was to show our care for the country by letting the politicians know that the citizenry has awakened from their political slumber, and that we're no longer traditional voters. To boycott was to let them know that they don't deserve any of our votes. I would often say that yes it’s my “right” to vote but why should I exercise such right when I know that the political system stinks. So the best alternative was to BOYCOTT!
What made me sing a different tune? "Balimbing" as how others would put it. But bahala na kahit balimbing I realized that boycotting the elections was like tolerating these clowns to continue on with their stage shows. To boycott means that I lose a chance to cast a vote to whom I believe is the better candidate. I have realized that a vote cast to a loser, will be a message to the winner that a voter did not like him to be there and it is for him to prove that he deserved it. In the case where the vote is cast to the winner, that vote will send the message that voter trusted him and that he should not disappoint the trust given by his supporter... Call it wishful thinking but I believe that I need to exercise my right to suffrage. I don't live just for myself now as when I was a young student. i also live now for my children and my children's children. I cannot imagine a country continuously run by clowns from the Election Circus.
Also, I could have probably matured and awakened to the reality that a cornerstone principle and the bedrock of our Philippine Constitution is our being a republican and democratic society (Yes, I got that from my Consti Law Class). And one of the hallmarks for our country to be truly democratic is the people’s right to suffrage or right to vote. When we vote, we exercise our political right to suffrage and our power to choose our leaders; When we vote, we send a message to the world that democracy and republicanism are not just concepts but a reality in the Philippines; When we vote, we voice out sensitive issues that we face as a nation; When we vote, we cleanse the misfits out from public service; and When we vote, we vote for life, freedom, liberty, democracy, prosperity and progress!The old proverb Vox populi, vox Dei “the voice of the people is the voice of God” does not refer to infallibility but is an acknowledgement that the choice of the people during elections is verdict equivalent to mandate. But if the voice of the people is the voice of God in that sense, it must be heard, and the condition that is possible only if all those who are qualified and registered to vote, or at least a majority, participates in the election. And for us who are approximately 7M OFW's all over the globe (even excluding the undocumented ones, it's a big bloc to reckon), the only way for us to vote is to register. I often hear excuses for not registering for the OAV. I don't want to be influenced by the lame excuses as I have not registered yet but I have resolved that I will because I believe my one vote will make a difference in the 2010 Election. (Deadline is 31-August-2009).
We can no longer afford political upheavals and rumors of coup d etat. We should not look at elections as just personal “beauty contests” or popularity contests among the candidates. We should look at it as a sacred exercise of our right. It is not even the losing candidate who loses in a manipulated, fraudulent and rigged election but the Filipino people who embodies the republicanism and democracy of our Constitution.
Other Related & Useful Links:
OFWs in Saudi Arabia find OAV registration schedule impractical
Araw ng pagpaparehistro ng mga OFW sa Saudi para sa OAV ipinapalipat
Saudi Gazette: Filipino absentee voting registration opens Feb.1
Philippine Embassy Seeks Saudi Approval for Mobile Registration
OAV Downloadable Forms (COMELEC)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Why is the Filipino Special? -by Ed Lapiz
Here's an inspiring article by a Filipino pastor which just means that I am special and so are you!
Filipinos are brown. Their color is at the center of human racial strains. This point is not an attempt at racism, but just for many Filipinos to realize that our color should not be a source of or reason for an inferiority complex. While we pine for a fair complexion, white people are religiously tanning themselves, under the sun or artificial light, to approximate the Filipino complexion.
Filipinos are a touching people. We have lots of love and are not afraid to show it. We almost inevitably create human chains with our perennial akbay (putting an arm around another's shoulder), hawak (hold), yakap (embrace), himas (caressing stroke), kalabit (touching with the tip of the finger), kalong (sitting on someone else's lap), etc. We are always reaching out, always seeking interconnection.
Filipinos are linguists. Put a Filipino in any city, any town around the world. Give him a few months or even weeks and he will speak the local language there. Filipinos are adept at learning and speaking languages. In fact, it is not uncommon for Filipinos to speak at least three: his own local dialect, Filipino, and English. Of course, a lot speak an added language, be it Chinese, Spanish or, if he works abroad, the language of his host country. In addition, Tagalog is not 'sexist.' While many "conscious" and "enlightened" people of today are just by now striving to be "politically correct" with their language and, in the process, bend to absurd depths in coining "gender sensitive" words, Tagalog has, since time immemorial, evolved gender-neutral words like asawa (husband or wife), anak (son or daughter), magulang (father or mother), kapatid (brother or sister), biyenan (father-in-law or mother-in-law), manugang (son or daughter-in-law), bayani (hero or heroine), etc. Our languages and dialects are advanced and, indeed, sophisticated! It is no small wonder that Jose Rizal, the quintessential Filipino, spoke some twenty-two languages!
Filipinos are groupists. We love human interaction and company. We always surround ourselves with people and we hover over them, too. According to Dr. Patricia Licuanan, a psychologist from Ateneo and Miriam College, an average Filipino would have and know at least 300 relatives. At work, we live bayanihan (mutual help); at play, we want a kalaro (playmate) more than laruan (toy). At socials, our invitations are open and it is more common even for guests to invite and bring in other guests. In transit, we do not want to be separated from our group. So what do we do when there is no more space in a vehicle? Kalung-kalong! (Sitting on one another). No one would ever suggest splitting a group and wait for another vehicle with more space!
Filipinos are weavers. One look at our baskets, mats, clothes, and other crafts will reveal the skill of the Filipino weaver and his inclination to weaving. This art is a metaphor of the Filipino trait. We are social weavers. We weave theirs into ours that we all become parts of one another. We place a lot of premium on pakikisama (getting along) and pakikipagkapwa (relating). Two of the worst labels, walang pakikipagkapwa (inability to relate), will be avoided by the Filipino at almost any cost. We love to blend and harmonize with people, we like to include them in our "tribe," our "family"- and we like to be included in other people's families, too. Therefore we call our friend's mother nanay or mommy; we call a friend's sister ate (eldest sister), and so on. We even call strangers tia/tita (aunt) or tio/tito (uncle), tatang (grandfather), etc. So extensive is our social openness and interrelations that we have specific title for extended relations like hipag (sister-in-law's spouse), balae (child-in-law's parents), inaanak (godchild), ninong/ninang (godparents) kinakapatid (godparent's child), etc. In addition, we have the profound 'ka' institution, loosely translated as "equal to the same kind" as in kasama (of the same company), kaisa (of the same cause), kapanalig (of the same belief), etc. In our social fiber, we treat other people as co-equals. Filipinos, because of their social "weaving" traditions, make for excellent team workers.
Filipinos are adventurers. We have a tradition of separation. Our myths and legends speak of heroes and heroines who almost always get separated from their families and loved ones and are taken by circumstances to far-away lands where they find wealth or power. Our Spanish colonial history is filled with separations caused by the reduccion (hamleting), and the forced migration to build towns, churches, fortresses or galleons. American occupation enlarged the space of Filipino wandering, including America, and there is documented evidence of Filipino presence in America as far back as 1587. Now, Filipinos compose the world's largest population of overseas workers, populating and sometimes "threshing" major capitals, minor towns and even remote villages around the world. Filipino adventurism has made us today's citizens of the world, bringing the bagoong (salty shrimp paste), pansit (sauted noodles), siopao (meat-filled dough), kare-kare (peanut-flavored dish), dinuguan (innards cooked in pork blood), balut (unhatched duck egg), and adobo (meat vi naigrette), including the tabo (ladle) and tsinelas (slippers) all over the world.
Filipinos are excellent at adjustments and improvisation, managing to recreate their home, or to feel at home anywhere. Filipinos have Pakiramdam (deep feeling/discernment) . We know how to feel what others feel, sometimes even anticipate what they will feel. Being manhid (dense) is one of the worst labels anyone could get and will therefore, avoid at all cost. We know when a guest is hungry though the insistence on being full is assured. We can tell if people are lovers even if they are miles apart. We know if a person is offended though he may purposely smile. We know becau se we feel. In our pakikipagkapwa (relating), we get not only to wear another man's shoe but also his heart. We have a superbly developed and honored gift of discernment, making us excellent leaders, counselors, and go-betweens.
Filipinos are very spiritual. We are transcendent. We transcend the physical world, see the unseen and hear the unheard. We have a deep sense of kaba (premonition) and kutob (hunch). A Filipino wife will instinctively feel her husband or child is going astray, whether or not telltale signs present themselves. Filipino spirituality makes him invoke divine presence or intervention at nearly every bend of his journey. Rightly or wrongly, Filipinos are almost always acknowledging, invoking or driving away spirits into and from their lives. Seemingly trivial or even incoherent events can take on spiritual significance and will be given such space or consideration. The Filipino has a sophisticated, developed pakiramdam. The Filipino, though becoming more and more modern (hence, materialistic) is still very spiritual in essence. This inherent and deep spirituality makes the Filipino, once correctly Christianized, a major exponent of the faith.
Filipinos are timeless. Despite the nearly half-a-millennium encroachment of the western clock into our lives, Filipinos-unless on very formal or official functions-still measure time not with hours and minutes but with feeling. This style is ingrained deep in our psyche. Our time is diffused, not framed. Our appointments are defined by umaga (morning), tanghali (noon ), hapon (afternoon), or gabi (evening). Our most exact time reference is probably katanghaliang-tapat (high noon), which still allows many minutes of leeway. That is how Filipino trysts and occasions are timed: there is really no definite time. A Filipino event has no clear-cut beginning nor ending. We have a fiesta , but there is visperas (eve), a day after the fiesta is still considered a good time to visit. The Filipino Christmas is not confined to December 25th; it somehow begins months before December and extends up to the first days of January. Filipinos say good-bye to guests first at the head of the stairs, then down to the descanso (landing), to the entresuelo (mezzanine), to the pintuan (doorway), to the trangkahan (gate), and if the departing persons are to take public transportation, up to the bus stop or bus station. In a way, other people's tardiness and extended stays can really be annoying, but this peculiarity is the same charm of Filipinos who, being governed by timelessness, can show how to find more time to be nice, kind, and accommodating than his prompt and exact brothers elsewhere.
Filipinos are Spaceless. As in the concept of time, the Filipino concept of space is not numerical. We will not usually express expanse of space with miles or kilometers but with feelings in how we say malayo (far)or malapit (near). Alongside with numberlessness, Filipino space is also boundless. Indigenous culture did not divide land into private lots but kept it open for all to partake of its abundance. The Filipino has avidly remained "spaceless" in many ways. The interior of the bahay-kubo (hut) can easily become receiving room, sleeping room, kitchen, dining room, chapel, wake parlor, etc. Depending on the time of the day or the needs of the moment. The same is true with the bahay na bato (stone house). Space just flows into the next space that the divisions between the sala, caida, comedor, or vilada may only be faintly suggested by overhead arches of filigree. In much the same way, Filipino concept of space can be so diffused that one 's party may creep into and actually expropriate the street! A family business like a sari-sari store or talyer may extend to the sidewalk and street. Provincial folks dry palayan (rice grain) on the highways! Religious groups of various persuasions habitually and matter-of-factly commandeer streets for processions and parades. It is not uncommon to close a street to accommodate private functions, Filipinos eat. sleep, chat, socialize, quarrel, even urinate, or nearly everywhere or just anywhere! "Spacelessness," in the face of modern, especially urban life, can be unlawful and may really be counter-productive. On the other hand, Filipino spacelessness, when viewed from his context, is just another manifestation of his spiritually and communal values. Adapted well to today's context, which may mean unstoppable urbanization, Filipino spacelessness may even be the answer and counter balance to humanity's greed, selfishness and isolation. So what makes the Filipino special? Brown, spiritual, timeless, spaceless, linguists, groupists, weavers, adventurers; seldom do all these profound qualities find personification in a people. Filipinos should allow - and should be allowed to contribute their special traits to the world-wide community of men- but first, they should know and like themselves.
and i'm definitely proud to be a FILIPINO.
Filipinos are brown. Their color is at the center of human racial strains. This point is not an attempt at racism, but just for many Filipinos to realize that our color should not be a source of or reason for an inferiority complex. While we pine for a fair complexion, white people are religiously tanning themselves, under the sun or artificial light, to approximate the Filipino complexion.Filipinos are a touching people. We have lots of love and are not afraid to show it. We almost inevitably create human chains with our perennial akbay (putting an arm around another's shoulder), hawak (hold), yakap (embrace), himas (caressing stroke), kalabit (touching with the tip of the finger), kalong (sitting on someone else's lap), etc. We are always reaching out, always seeking interconnection.
Filipinos are linguists. Put a Filipino in any city, any town around the world. Give him a few months or even weeks and he will speak the local language there. Filipinos are adept at learning and speaking languages. In fact, it is not uncommon for Filipinos to speak at least three: his own local dialect, Filipino, and English. Of course, a lot speak an added language, be it Chinese, Spanish or, if he works abroad, the language of his host country. In addition, Tagalog is not 'sexist.' While many "conscious" and "enlightened" people of today are just by now striving to be "politically correct" with their language and, in the process, bend to absurd depths in coining "gender sensitive" words, Tagalog has, since time immemorial, evolved gender-neutral words like asawa (husband or wife), anak (son or daughter), magulang (father or mother), kapatid (brother or sister), biyenan (father-in-law or mother-in-law), manugang (son or daughter-in-law), bayani (hero or heroine), etc. Our languages and dialects are advanced and, indeed, sophisticated! It is no small wonder that Jose Rizal, the quintessential Filipino, spoke some twenty-two languages!
Filipinos are groupists. We love human interaction and company. We always surround ourselves with people and we hover over them, too. According to Dr. Patricia Licuanan, a psychologist from Ateneo and Miriam College, an average Filipino would have and know at least 300 relatives. At work, we live bayanihan (mutual help); at play, we want a kalaro (playmate) more than laruan (toy). At socials, our invitations are open and it is more common even for guests to invite and bring in other guests. In transit, we do not want to be separated from our group. So what do we do when there is no more space in a vehicle? Kalung-kalong! (Sitting on one another). No one would ever suggest splitting a group and wait for another vehicle with more space!
Filipinos are weavers. One look at our baskets, mats, clothes, and other crafts will reveal the skill of the Filipino weaver and his inclination to weaving. This art is a metaphor of the Filipino trait. We are social weavers. We weave theirs into ours that we all become parts of one another. We place a lot of premium on pakikisama (getting along) and pakikipagkapwa (relating). Two of the worst labels, walang pakikipagkapwa (inability to relate), will be avoided by the Filipino at almost any cost. We love to blend and harmonize with people, we like to include them in our "tribe," our "family"- and we like to be included in other people's families, too. Therefore we call our friend's mother nanay or mommy; we call a friend's sister ate (eldest sister), and so on. We even call strangers tia/tita (aunt) or tio/tito (uncle), tatang (grandfather), etc. So extensive is our social openness and interrelations that we have specific title for extended relations like hipag (sister-in-law's spouse), balae (child-in-law's parents), inaanak (godchild), ninong/ninang (godparents) kinakapatid (godparent's child), etc. In addition, we have the profound 'ka' institution, loosely translated as "equal to the same kind" as in kasama (of the same company), kaisa (of the same cause), kapanalig (of the same belief), etc. In our social fiber, we treat other people as co-equals. Filipinos, because of their social "weaving" traditions, make for excellent team workers.Filipinos are adventurers. We have a tradition of separation. Our myths and legends speak of heroes and heroines who almost always get separated from their families and loved ones and are taken by circumstances to far-away lands where they find wealth or power. Our Spanish colonial history is filled with separations caused by the reduccion (hamleting), and the forced migration to build towns, churches, fortresses or galleons. American occupation enlarged the space of Filipino wandering, including America, and there is documented evidence of Filipino presence in America as far back as 1587. Now, Filipinos compose the world's largest population of overseas workers, populating and sometimes "threshing" major capitals, minor towns and even remote villages around the world. Filipino adventurism has made us today's citizens of the world, bringing the bagoong (salty shrimp paste), pansit (sauted noodles), siopao (meat-filled dough), kare-kare (peanut-flavored dish), dinuguan (innards cooked in pork blood), balut (unhatched duck egg), and adobo (meat vi naigrette), including the tabo (ladle) and tsinelas (slippers) all over the world.
Filipinos are excellent at adjustments and improvisation, managing to recreate their home, or to feel at home anywhere. Filipinos have Pakiramdam (deep feeling/discernment) . We know how to feel what others feel, sometimes even anticipate what they will feel. Being manhid (dense) is one of the worst labels anyone could get and will therefore, avoid at all cost. We know when a guest is hungry though the insistence on being full is assured. We can tell if people are lovers even if they are miles apart. We know if a person is offended though he may purposely smile. We know becau se we feel. In our pakikipagkapwa (relating), we get not only to wear another man's shoe but also his heart. We have a superbly developed and honored gift of discernment, making us excellent leaders, counselors, and go-betweens.
Filipinos are very spiritual. We are transcendent. We transcend the physical world, see the unseen and hear the unheard. We have a deep sense of kaba (premonition) and kutob (hunch). A Filipino wife will instinctively feel her husband or child is going astray, whether or not telltale signs present themselves. Filipino spirituality makes him invoke divine presence or intervention at nearly every bend of his journey. Rightly or wrongly, Filipinos are almost always acknowledging, invoking or driving away spirits into and from their lives. Seemingly trivial or even incoherent events can take on spiritual significance and will be given such space or consideration. The Filipino has a sophisticated, developed pakiramdam. The Filipino, though becoming more and more modern (hence, materialistic) is still very spiritual in essence. This inherent and deep spirituality makes the Filipino, once correctly Christianized, a major exponent of the faith.
Filipinos are timeless. Despite the nearly half-a-millennium encroachment of the western clock into our lives, Filipinos-unless on very formal or official functions-still measure time not with hours and minutes but with feeling. This style is ingrained deep in our psyche. Our time is diffused, not framed. Our appointments are defined by umaga (morning), tanghali (noon ), hapon (afternoon), or gabi (evening). Our most exact time reference is probably katanghaliang-tapat (high noon), which still allows many minutes of leeway. That is how Filipino trysts and occasions are timed: there is really no definite time. A Filipino event has no clear-cut beginning nor ending. We have a fiesta , but there is visperas (eve), a day after the fiesta is still considered a good time to visit. The Filipino Christmas is not confined to December 25th; it somehow begins months before December and extends up to the first days of January. Filipinos say good-bye to guests first at the head of the stairs, then down to the descanso (landing), to the entresuelo (mezzanine), to the pintuan (doorway), to the trangkahan (gate), and if the departing persons are to take public transportation, up to the bus stop or bus station. In a way, other people's tardiness and extended stays can really be annoying, but this peculiarity is the same charm of Filipinos who, being governed by timelessness, can show how to find more time to be nice, kind, and accommodating than his prompt and exact brothers elsewhere.
Filipinos are Spaceless. As in the concept of time, the Filipino concept of space is not numerical. We will not usually express expanse of space with miles or kilometers but with feelings in how we say malayo (far)or malapit (near). Alongside with numberlessness, Filipino space is also boundless. Indigenous culture did not divide land into private lots but kept it open for all to partake of its abundance. The Filipino has avidly remained "spaceless" in many ways. The interior of the bahay-kubo (hut) can easily become receiving room, sleeping room, kitchen, dining room, chapel, wake parlor, etc. Depending on the time of the day or the needs of the moment. The same is true with the bahay na bato (stone house). Space just flows into the next space that the divisions between the sala, caida, comedor, or vilada may only be faintly suggested by overhead arches of filigree. In much the same way, Filipino concept of space can be so diffused that one 's party may creep into and actually expropriate the street! A family business like a sari-sari store or talyer may extend to the sidewalk and street. Provincial folks dry palayan (rice grain) on the highways! Religious groups of various persuasions habitually and matter-of-factly commandeer streets for processions and parades. It is not uncommon to close a street to accommodate private functions, Filipinos eat. sleep, chat, socialize, quarrel, even urinate, or nearly everywhere or just anywhere! "Spacelessness," in the face of modern, especially urban life, can be unlawful and may really be counter-productive. On the other hand, Filipino spacelessness, when viewed from his context, is just another manifestation of his spiritually and communal values. Adapted well to today's context, which may mean unstoppable urbanization, Filipino spacelessness may even be the answer and counter balance to humanity's greed, selfishness and isolation. So what makes the Filipino special? Brown, spiritual, timeless, spaceless, linguists, groupists, weavers, adventurers; seldom do all these profound qualities find personification in a people. Filipinos should allow - and should be allowed to contribute their special traits to the world-wide community of men- but first, they should know and like themselves.
and i'm definitely proud to be a FILIPINO.
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