Life in the Philippines

Apo Reef: Jewel of Mindoro, Philippines

2011-06-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

If you love diving or snorkeling, Apo Reef in Mindoro and Pandan Islands is for you. They say it’s the best place to go underwater in Asia, and is the second largest in the world. There are up to 500 different types of corals, tunicates, nudibranches, sponges and slugs on the reef. Plus, another 500 kinds of fish including manta, sharks, stingrays, barracuda, green and hawksbill turtles, schools of fish like jacks, tuna, butterfly fish, batfish, surgeonfish, damselfish, snappers, fusiliers and trevallies.

Wall diving is cool, you needn’t go too deep. The walls are steep and you will have 30 different dive sites to choose among. And then there’s the reef plateau. Trips can be arranged from Pandan Island Resort, Club Paradise, or Dugong Dive Center and Club among others. It’s a three hour ride so load up on the sun block.

The Apo Reef Marine Park also has a lot of birds and the lands are rich in vegetables. Here’s a link for more information:

http://ilovemindoro.blogspot.com/2011/05/dive-find-jewels-of-deep-in-mindoro.html

Birds

2011-05-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

“She likes anything on two or four feet that moves,” my mom used to tell people about me when I was a kid. I wondered why she found that so spectacular and why she would repeat it over and over again to others. Now I know, long after mom has gone, that it was her way of letting me know that she sees me.

I say that last phrase with the film, Joy Luck Club, in mind. There is this scene when a daughter confronts her mother for something the mother had said earlier in the presence of company. The mom told her, (and I paraphrase), “I see you. You have the best quality heart. I see you.”

My mom always saw me, but I didn’t always know that she did. One way of conveying it was by her understanding of just how important animals were to me.

As a child, I wanted a dog badly, but Dad didn’t allow pets in the house. When we moved to an apartment in Spain, whereas Dad was assigned in Nigeria, mom bought me two parakeets.

Her voice, so musical when she simply talked, and her smile that seemed to open up the skies and make the clouds loom prettily, white and fluffy, danced as she told me, “The birds can go on your finger. You can take them out of the cage.”

The birds were named “Guapo” and “Guapita” and after that, I could never see birds in quite the same way again. Mama liked to do things with quality. Dad liked to do things large (which is a different type of quality). Mama knew that I was tactile. I often played with Guapo and Guapita.

The cage rested on top of a cabinet within view of the dining room table, and I always kept watch over them. Every day after school I would veer straight to the cage to bring my parakeets out. I told friends at school that I had trained birds. When friends visited, (whether mine or my siblings), I showed them the birds, which were to me the most precious things in the house.

Mama used to tell me of a friend who had similar birds, and every morning she said the bird would knock on the door and come in and jump on the woman’s bed and say, “good morning little love bird.” Her voice would lilt and she repeated the story to me many times, and it always ended with her beautiful laugh.

Now, of course, I realize that mama was just being funny, since parakeets are also called love birds.

I don’t want to remember how the birds flew over rainbow bridge. I do recall that one bird died first, and mom told me the other bird just keeled over one night. She looked serious and her voice was kind.

She saw me.

Music box

2011-05-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

I wish I at least took a photo of the second hand music box I didn’t buy. (It's similar to, but not exactly like the one in the photo above).

It was in a Japan Surplus store (a fancy schmancy name for ‘second hand’), near my home, that regularly changes stock. Though I rarely buy, I like to browse and enjoy other people’s memories.

The other day there was this lovely carved music box, the closest thing to what I had been looking for, for years. It was similar to my first music box when I was a child. Mom bought three of them, one for me, one for Terrie and the largest one for Alice (the oldest of the three of us). It was lacquered and smelled fresh and when you opened it, the spare, tinkling song came out, lively in its spartan quality.

Of course, there was the sparkle in mom’s eyes and her smile and her dancing voice that could make anything more beautiful and remarkable than it already is. So I often opened my music box, and it gave me a feeling that is rare and treasured.

Eventually the music box broke and was forgotten. Years later, Dad brought home a musical bottle with a dancing ballerina in the center, exactly like the one in the photo above. You could wind it up and the doll did fouette turns. I played it so often that eventually the doll danced more and more slowly, until one leg fell off.

So when I saw that carved, second hand music box my heart jumped. It was so much like the very first one I had. Could I paint and lacquer it, perhaps like this music box above? Things are always better when you upcycle. But my heart danced so much that it hurt, and I put the box back on the shelf. Its memories were its own, a carcass of mine.

Visiting Cory's Grave

2010-05-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

Kat thought it was strange to visit a grave. First, because as Christians (not Catholics) we don't make much ado over graves, as we believe the deceased is in heaven. Second, because the EDSA Revolution happened before she was even born--before Ed and I were even married, in fact. We were just starting to date at that time. This is why Kat doesn't have the same sense of the historicity that goes behind the passing away of President Cory Aquino.

She also thought it was strange to pose for photos in front of a grave. However she tried to look respectfully solemn. That is the diplomat in her. Though we don't view death with the same solemnity as Catholics do, she is respectful of the differences in people's sentiments.

I however really wanted to see the grave of the former president, because when she died I had deliberately avoided watching all the coverage on TV, reading newspapers about her wake and funeral, viewing any live stream, and listening to the coverage on the radio. It was pretty emotional for me, and I simply needed space.

Ed had the greater sense of historicity. When Cory died he went to the streets to watch her coffin pass by, braved the heavy traffic, the heat, and the huge crowd. At the end of the day he would tell me about what happened, what he had seen and who he talked to. Everything always feels and sounds safer with Ed.

In fact, it's only now that I am posting these photos though we took them on Jan. 1. I think her death was emotional for me because I was afraid that in her dying we would lose something very special--a time when we as Filipinos cared more for our country and for each other than for ourselves and our personal lives and safety.

Kat kept telling me not to clown around. I tried.

And tried.

Anyway, I was lucky to have interviewed Cory twice. The first time I did was when I was still young and sexy. She was quite an inspiration at the time. It was in the midst of the EDSA Revolution, and shortly after her husband was killed.

The second time I interviewed her was after her presidency. I was then doing research for a book about one of her lawyers. That interview did not go quite as well. She was a bit impatient and things fell below my expectations--but the experience was not boring, and I treasure it.

First, because I can say I stood beside history and spoke to this amazing woman one on one. It was just for an hour however, because she had to go to mass. And although things fell below par I have learned as a writer that people are people, and a public image is very different from a private life.

Second, I treasure the experience because it is a privilege to be able to see the normal side of people who make our history. I am grateful for what she did for our country.

It is not a privilege to see how fat I am and how stupid my outfit is. But as Christina Aguilera said, "I am beautiful no matter what they say. Words won't bring me down." hahahahhahha.

Been there, done that. That's how I feel about having had the chance to meet and interview a lot of famous and remarkable people, gone to a lot of press events, et al. Maybe that's why I'm so comfortable with a quiet and laid back life now.

I have friends who are much more successful than I am, extraordinarily talented, still in the thick of things, genuinely sincere, married, still in love, and have raised amazing children who are achievers. Okay, I am thinking of one couple I know who is REALLY all that.

I'm happy and proud of all my friends--those who stayed in the industry, and those who found their mojo elsewhere. We share the earth, and I would like to think everyone is where he or she is meant to be. Thankfully, God is democratic, and then some.:).

What struck me (and Kat) when we visited Cory's grave were the number of other people who came. It was not a big crowd, but there was a steady flow of couples who came and went. When we arrived a couple had just been leaving. While we were there another couple came, prayed for awhile, then looked around and left quietly and respectfully.

They were followed by another, and then another. Even when we left we saw another car that had just parked, and another couple that was coming up the walkway. I guess they came in pairs because it was a holiday (Jan. 1) and there was no work.

Here's another couple that came to pay their respects. They took some photos, too.

When you get to the cemetery look for the Plaza of Dignity. Being me, I can't remember the name of the cemetery, but I would know how to get there. But still being me, I wouldn't be sure about being able to find the Plaza of Dignity once I'm there. Life follows.

Tagaytay's Econo Inn

2010-05-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

We don’t live lush, we just live to have fun. So when the fam went to Tagaytay, we found a very nice hotel that rang true to its name, the Econo Inn.

We had really been feeling stressed and overworked at the time, even Kat who is always academically active in one thing or another, and we really needed a break. I urged Ed to be spontaneous, something he and I rarely are. So we went to Tagaytay and booked a room.

Kat immediately cocooned herself, as you can see.

One thing Ed and I love is that we can work anywhere in the world as long as there is wifi, and even though we were both beat, we still brought our laptops with us. Even if we're not working, we love surfing the net just for fun.

So Ed parked himself on the lanai for awhile, and later on I joined him.

The Econo Inn has a nice Japanese garden as you can see. So it was very peaceful for us. All buildings and homes in Tagaytay have to build downwards so that you don't block the view of Taal Volcano, the smallest volcano in the world.

I regret not taking photos of the cabanas which were windy and extraordinarily cold at night. By day it is quite restful to watch the volcano and the lake from the cabana.

This is the garden. Later in the evening we saw children playing here, and it was quite nice. There was also a special child who seemed delighted to be in the garden. Children at play can be very soothing.

The whole place was quite restful. Economical but not cheap:)

This is the lobby. At night we saw families, foreigners, people young and old come and go. If there are people who want to enjoy Tagaytay but don't want to spend an arm and a leg on it, I would certainly recommend the Econo Inn.

My Idea for the Horses in Tagaytay

2010-05-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Here’s my idea. Tagaytay is really a great place. The weather is cool and there’s a sense of calm to the place. You’ve got the smallest volcano, and the Tagaytay Highlands if you want to play golf or just ride the cable cars. You have flower farms and a mushroom farm and Mushroomburger restaurant. You have a zoo at Residence Inn. You have an organic vegetable farm with a restaurant that serves its organic produce. And there’s a restaurant where presidents have dined.

At the edge of the city there’s a bee farm. Across that there is a vegetable farm owned by a US war veteran. Behind his farm is this amazing orphanage (extremely well funded) for the most destitute children of the DSWD, and there are retreat houses and rest houses everywhere.

If you want some sun after having had your share of wind, you can even go further south and enjoy the beaches of Batangas, and get right back home on the same day (if you live in the south). A lot of young people who live in the south prefer to do that instead of go all the way to Quezon City and endure hours of traffic.

Now here’s my great idea. I got this idea when we rode the horses in Tagaytay. You see, since I was little we had been riding these tiny horses. Even in college I recall riding these horses with a group of friends, only we had a lot more places to go to then, so it was really enjoyable.

The reason I wanted to ride the horses this time is because at my age it is totally out of my comfort zone. After having done that I find myself wishing there were bigger horses in Tagaytay, which brings me to my idea.

I loved seeing the carabaos, the donkeys and the tiny horses going around in circles. The ride can get a bit dull if you don’t jazz it up (like I did-hah!) Mainly it is something you do for the little children. While riding, I spoke to the man who was pulling my horse. He told me he pays a rent of P5,000/month to let his horse work in this place. He charges P250/hour, so if he gets four rides a day, in one week he has paid his monthly rent and the rest is his profit.

He feeds his horse a mixture of pig feed and rice, and he takes his horse home and brings it back early in the morning at 7:30 every day. He was obviously very proud of his beautiful white horse and quite loving towards it.

So my idea is this: To the mayor of Tagaytay, wouldn’t it be nice if you could expand the walking space of these horses, donkeys and carabaos. Make it an adventure trail, really big and put landmarks along the way to show the natural resources and the history and ethnic produce of Tagaytay. A combination wildlife and conservation park with a horse trail, etc.

I would envision something smaller scaled than the Taro Ubud elephant park in Bali. The reason is Taro Ubud is very expensive. I would want it to be something made by the people of Tagaytay, their artists, their landscapers, their everything.

And I would like it to be made like a cooperative so people like this man and his horse could still make money out of it. Not something for profit, but something for education, adventure, and at the same time a source of independent income generation for people like those who rent out their own horses and carabaos. That could be another tourist draw, that a project like this is being done to benefit the people and not some big old businessman.

It could also be a reason for schools nearby to organize field trips. Put a zipline somewhere. Make part of the education the fact that something like this can really work as a cooperative. Have a produce farm for those who are discombobulated. That is my idea and if the mayor of Tagaytay sees this, I hope he will give it some serious thought.

With All My Love

2010-04-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Father Reuter is quite old and ill now. My cousin Marilen Kahn sent me something that he wrote:

WITH ALL MY LOVE

James B. Reuter, S.J

When I came to the Philippines, I thought that I was a missionary. Bringing to the

Filipinos the beautiful values of God.

But I discovered, when I got here, that the beautiful gifts of God had arrived, in the

hearts of the people, long before I did.

It was a strange fulfillment of the truth in the Gospel; “You have not chosen Me, but I

have chosen you.”

The desire to become a missionary came to me when I was seven years old, in Grade

Two, at Saint Mary’s Catholic School, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.A.

It never left me. I went to a Jesuit High School – Saint Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. I was

fascinated by the gentleness, the wisdom, and the genuine desire of the teachers to

show us how to live according to the law of God.

So I became a Jesuit, and a missionary, and I came to the Philippines.

I thought I was coming to give. But I was not. The Filipinos gave to me. From them I

Learned how natural it was for them to love God, by loving each other.

These are not just words. It is an amazing reality. During the Japanese Occupation one

of my students, Ramon Cabrera, went into the underground. He was picked up by the

Japanese. They asked him to give the names of all his friends who were in the

underground.

He said: “I don’t know any names.”

To make him talk, they beat him in the mouth with a gun butt. They broke out all his teeth. They smashed his jaw and his nose. Then they asked again for the names of his

friends in the underground.

He said: “I don’t know any names.”

So they brought him to the cemetery, gave him a shovel, and told him to dig his grave.

He said: “Dig it yourself!”

So they bayoneted him. As he dropped to his knees, he looked up at the Japanese and

smiled. And then he died.

“Greater love than this no man hath, that he lay down his life for his friend” . . .

“Whatever you do for the least of these my little ones – you have done it to ME”.

He would not give the names of his friends in the underground.

At the age of 93, in the hospital with pneumonia, I am saying this to tell you – all of you,

my friends. . .

· The Filipino has deep, strong courage. . .

· He has courage enough to die for his friends. . .

· He loves God with all his heart, because –

“Greater love for God no man has - that he lay down his life for his friend. Whatever you do for the least of these, my little ones, you have done it to Me.”

What I discovered when I came to the Philippines was that the Filipinos do not need

missionaries.

I did.

And so I am deeply grateful to God for sending me here.

I did not choose Him.

He chose me

Source of image and more info on Fr. Reuter:

http://wawam.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/jesuits-sell-xavier-house-the-house-where-3-points-of-history-were-made/

Political Decision

2010-03-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

The other day I went to a generic drugstore to buy diapers. For 12 pieces, I paid about P56 (a little over a dollar). In the supermarket depending on the brand, the same could cost up to P200.

My husband and I have become generic drugstore fans, and as much as possible we buy meds there first. Some medications normally sold at P14/piece are only P2/piece at a generic drugstore and they work just as well.

This brings me back to a time when a former Health Secretary, R.A. Bengzon first set up the generic drugs law in 1989. At the time, overpriced medications were rampant and prescription drugs were sold over the counter without prescriptions. Bengzon required that doctors write both the brand medication and its generic equivalent in every prescription slip. Also, drugstores could no longer sell prescription medications--unless they were doctor prescribed.

Pharmaceutical companies were outraged. Doctors complained. People accustomed to getting necessary medications without prescriptions complained. Concurrently, some tried to canvass the prices of generic medications and, being a new law in transition of its implementation, sometimes generic costs were even higher.

But it was a first step, and we are benefiting today from the first step Bengzon made some 20 years ago. Other achievements: Overpriced medical supplies sold to the Department of Health, which was formerly institutionalized, was ended. The millions that was saved went to public education on how prevention was cheaper than cure. For his performance, Bengzon won a 1991 Ramon Magsaysay Award for his efforts.

We Got Mail

Today with the internet no one cares about snail mail. But there was a time when it was the only way to hear from someone overseas or in another province. And at a time when mail took one month to arrive, and mail pilferage was rampant, then Postmaster Roilo Golez took charge and people could get mail in 3 days.

It happened in a nanosecond and all it took was the political decision to implement it. For that he won a Ten Outstanding Young Men award and since then, Golez remains a political star. For 20 years he headed the Red Cross and it never performed so excellently as under him, especially during the 1989 coup attempt, for which Golez was given the Red Cross Bayani Gold Medal.

Flawed governance which we often tend to accept as written on stone can oftentimes be easily changed if someone in power makes the political decision to do so. I look forward to an overhauled health program someday where free health is available for all Filipinos. Other countries are doing it, why don’t we? And of course, free quality education. And more trees planted really, really fast. And something to be done in the most flood prone parts of our country in ANTICIPATION of yearly rains and floods rather than stop gap measures when the yearly floods occur.

Because if we can enjoy generic drugs today because 20 years ago someone took the first step and braved the heat for it; and if snail mail became ant mail for the first time in a nanosecond and stayed that way even as we have email, then so much is possible. Vote wisely, please.

Images came from:

http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2008/01/is-it-time-to-return-to-snail-mail.html

http://www.freebeeforeignpharmacy.com/pharmacy-drugs-blog/category/generic-drugs/

Filipino Parenting and Wimpification

2010-03-14T09:17:00.001-07:00

Pinoy bashing always seems to be in style, most often by Pinoys themselves. Our cousin sent us an article that suggested that Filipino parenting, which they identified as primarily authoritarian, produced wimps who were unsuitable for democracy.

There were no surveys, and the writer simply canvassed among people he knew who were Pinoy. He used a template of four parenting styles that were devised on an American website. Needless to say, the template does not suit all cultures as a means of measurement. For example, authoritarian parenting would apply to Chinese upbringing but I don’t think they are wimps, and they don’t think they are either.

In the Philippines authoritarian parenting was more intensely practiced in my mother’s generation, and all her brothers became successful. One was a Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals (Uncle Danny), another Archbishop of Lipa (Monsignor Gaviola), a third a doctor (Uncle Silver), another a judge (Uncle Nino) and finally a successful businessman (Uncle Alex).

I imagine the authoritarianism was harsher the further back in time you went, but think of our Filipino heroes, Rizal, Bonifacio, Aguinaldo, Mabini, et al, who were quite young—30 years old--when they played out the revolution.

And today we have amazing men too—Efren Penaflor, Pacquiao, Arnold Pineda, Carlos P. Romulo, and Dr. David Manalo (St. Andrews Prize Winner 2007 for his project on River Fibre and Power) – wimps? NOT!

So I question the methodology, as well as the conclusions of this largely speculative article. I also wonder who the Anti-Pinoy is, as there is no staff box, no way of identifying who the writers are (although sometimes they link up to credible publications online). Red flag when someone expresses all types of points of view but is not willing to take ownership for it. Here is their website nonetheless: http://antipinoy.com/

The Most Precious Tree in the Philippines

2010-03-04T02:22:00.000-08:00

Take a moment to remember the things you once took for granted—but later came to love. That is the story of the Pili tree, the most precious tree in the Philippines. Once it was so abundant in Bicol and Romblon that landlords cut them off to plant coconut trees and other crops. Now this tree might make the Bicol region--the second poorest region in the country—prosperous. Blame it on the Pili nut that grows from this most typhoon resistant tree.

The Pili tree allegedly originated on Mt. Bulusan, Sorsogon. There are 75 kinds of Pili Nuts in Africa, India, northern Australia, Malaysia and the Pacific Islands, but only Bicol has enough supply of commercial quantity to monopolize the world market.

The US imports millions of kilos of shelled walnuts and almonds yearly but Pili nuts are less expensive and can replace almonds and macadamia nuts in candies because its taste is a cross between the two. We export nuts to Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Before World War II, we exported to Hawaii, Germany, France, Great Britain, Japan, and China. Now the Pili nut Regional Development Program of the Department of Agriculture is trying to hasten this industry’s development.

I learned this from an email from a social website addressed to Filipinos and foreign retirees living here. The letter suggested investing $24,000 to cultivate Pili nuts in Romblon near a retirement village.

I don’t have $24,000 but I was curious about this nut and did some research. Amazingly, not just the nut, but the whole tree is precious. Consider this:

The Pili Nut:

The kernel is used in chocolate, ice cream and baked goods.
Unroasted nuts are cleansing and purgative.
The light-yellow oil compares well to olive oil, containing 59.6% oleic glycerides and 38.2% palmitic glycerides.
Fruit is similar to avocado

The young shoots are used in:

Cakes
Candies
Concentrated Pili essence for coffee or as a syrup
Consumed as a nut
Cookies
Crushed topping for coffee
Pies
Salads
Sweet Chips (resembling a sweet wafer)

The Pulp

Eaten after it is boiled and seasoned
Local low cost protein feed additive
Natural dye
Pickled appetizer or for a desert
Pulp oil can be used for cooking.
Pulp oil can substitute for cotton seed oil in making soap and food products.
Pulp oil has lanolin and can be used in skin lotion products

The Shell

Cooking fuel requires little fuel and produces negligible carbon byproduct.
Being tested as an environmental substitute to silica based sandblasting
Used as an activated carbon base
Used in flower gardens to retain water and reduce soil compaction of potted plants
Used to grow orchids and anthuriums.
Used in local handicrafts

The Trunk

Provides wood for furniture, but only after meeting its useful life as a fruit crop or felled due to a typhoon

The Sap

Good for perfumes
Cheap alternative for varnish, lacquers and paints

The Leaves

When pickled, a great appetizer or palette cleanser similar to atchara (pickled papaya)

Below are some resources of Pili info:

http://pilinuts.com/nutritionalinfo.htm
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/10446448 (Tree photo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ6mE6SGAoM&feature=related (Film of Pili tree)
http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/peeling-pili-nuts (Pili nuts photo)
http://www.catanduanesforum.com/...original (Photo of Pili nut tree)

Why The Malls Are A Cultural Experience In The Philippines

2010-02-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

Culture is defined as “A particular society at a particular time and place” and in the (Above, my husband with a display in a mall where families took photos with their cell phones) Philippines, going to the malls is the cultural experience of today.

We don’t even think about it, but we go to the malls after work. We go on weekends with our families. We go with our friends. We go clubbing at night at the malls, too. In fact, it is much easier to club in a mall than to go to a club in some faraway area, because in the malls they are all together and you can easily shift from one club to another. Some clubs are for dancing, some clubs are for music. You can experience ten different club themes in one night in a mall.

Malls (Photo of fireworks display in a mall) have everything you need, and every mall will have the same things given a tweak or two. There are middle class malls and high end malls, but most malls will have something to meet all budgets. You can spend a whole day in a mall. There is a selection of restaurants from inexpensive to very expensive; and there are little stalls where you can get a delicious cheap meal if you don’t mind eating while standing. There are lots of stores and boutiques to shop from or just to see what is available. There are beauty salons, spas, dentist shops, medical clinics, hardware stores and stores selling export overruns. There are jewelry stalls where you can have something made in a minute to your design or you can buy something ready made. There are chapels and churches of different faiths whether Catholic, Christian, and one mall has a prayer room for Muslims. There are play area wonderlands for children, movie theatres, appliance stores, department stores, supermarkets and nightclubs all in a single mall. So you could be there all day and there would always be something to do.

There was a time when the idea of having fun would be to visit people at their houses, or go for a stroll at Luneta Park. But with the global warming it is so much nicer to spend the day with your children in an air conditioned mall. Besides, there is always a wide open area similar to the “plaza” in the streets, where everyone can congregate. They will have one indoors where usually they will have a free show for you, whether it is a famous local star or a famous foreign star trying to promote his newest record. Office workers plan their work schedules so they can leave early to see their favorite singer for free. There is always an outdoor “plaza” also, where there could be a fireworks display, a free ballet performance, or a series of local rock bands hoping to make it big. It could even be a late afternoon free aerobics class for matrons. Things always happen in the mall and you don’t need money to enjoy yourself there.

If you are a single parent of four children, all you need to do is find out what the latest free event is at the mall, and if the kids will enjoy it, bring them along. Everyone gets a hot dog and drink, and anyway after whatever free show there is, there is also a free playground in the mall where the children make friends.

There is the expensive bookstore to browse in or spend a whole day reading a book or magazines. Some people read a book by going to the bookstore and reading a few chapters every day after work until they’re done. Others will go to the basement where second hand books can be bought in excellent condition for 1/10th the price at the normal bookstore.

Another reason for spending a whole day in the mall: There is so much traffic. When I was younger you could go to three different places in the city from one end of the metropolis to the next and have a great time doing so. Now the traffic is phenomenal. So between global warming and traffic, thank God for the Filipino cultural experience that is the malls.

Life of the Frogs in the Philippines

2010-02-14T18:14:00.000-08:00

Show me your frogs, and I’ll know of your environment. For real. The skin of frogs is sensitive and they breathe and drink through it. If the environment is polluted, it shows in their skin.

We don’t want a lot of sick and dying frogs because they eat insects. I hate insects. Put me in a room with 10 people, and all the insects will land on me. So we need our frogs.

There are 105 known frog species in the Philippines, but many others have yet to be given formal names. If a star can be named after a person, I wonder if a frog species could be, too. More likely they will come up with a scientific name to describe it in Latin which nobody understands. They expect to come up with 200 species of frogs when the naming is done, and ONLY 80% OF SPECIES ARE ONLY FOUND IN THE PHILIPPINES.

All over the world a lot of frogs have died and many species became extinct because of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or Bd. North, Central, South America and Australia have had massive losses of frogs because of this and efforts to save them are way insufficient.

So our frogs are pretty important. While these other countries are trying to save their frogs, we have to see if Bd has led to a lot of deaths of our frogs. So far Bd infection was found in Cavite on Mt. Palaypalay, and Mt. Labo in Camarines Norte. The investigation is ongoing because if we still have lots of frogs they can be propagated to keep the food chain going and maintain the balance of nature – at least from where I see it, between the insects and the frogs.

Here are two photos of a happy frog and a very sick frog.

All frogs should be as happy as this one above.

This is a very sick frog in Australia. Photo came from the site http://www.commercialps.vic.edu.au/Science/Articles/TeachARC/teacharc.htm --

What is Delicadeza?

2010-02-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

In the Philippines we often use “Walang delicadeza” in reference to politicians who are perceived to be corrupt, flaunt it, and are not ashamed of it. In Spanish “delicadeza” means “delicate, fragile or gentle”. We were colonized by Spain, but in Tagalog it refers more to integrity and sensitivity to public perception. (“Walang” means “no” or “none”)

So “walang delicadeza” means no integrity, or no sensitivity to public perception. Historically (to lend a sense of neutrality)—the late President Quirino was deemed “walang delicadeza” because he was rumored to have a golden urinal. (My friend who is a keen investigative journalist wrote a book on Quirino and found no evidence of the golden urinal).

My question is, why is “walang delicadeza” used only in reference to those in power or who have wealth? Integrity should be expected of all, whether rich or poor. We also have the term “delikado” which in Spanish, when spelled with a “c” means sensitive, but in Tagalog it often implies a potentially dangerous situation. This is linguistically interesting since language through history tends to reflect experience.

My take is that Filipinos respect their elders, who in turn are expected to care for their families. Perhaps in society that transfers to public expectations of government officials who are expected to care for the public, which is of course valid.

But from the viewpoint of some government officials, they bring with them their families’ expectations so you see so many of their relatives benefiting from the one who is in power-- at the expense of the people who elected them.

So in a sense, does this make integrity a dangerous thing, at least from public perception, when applied to oneself? Most Filipinos by nature have integrity, but how does this natural integrity operate within a cultural setting? In other words, from a linguistic point of view, I wonder why these terms have come to mean what they do?

Let me end in a lighter note with photos of some pretty fancy urinals.

This blue urinal is from a museum in Wisconsin.

This flower urinal is in San Francisco

The Farmer and Club Filipino in the Philippines

2010-02-04T17:26:00.000-08:00

Life in the Philippines was different in 1966 (or thereabouts). We had one of the first houses on Eisenhower street (then called Sunset Road), Greenhills, San Juan. One day it would be a posh village with President Joseph Estrada living across the street, next to Club Filipino.

But in 1966 there was just a huge empty field and across it we could see Mary the Queen parish. I was in grade school and the Filipino newspapers were serializing a book about UFOs or unidentified flying objects. The priest and a young boy from Mary the Queen even claimed to see a flying saucer over the field, and the newspapers reported it.

One day a family came to the field and built a nipa hut (a straw house) and lived there. They were squatters, but my dad loved going across the street, talking to the man in the hut after work, drinking beer and sharing stories. My dad was a self made Filipino and although now successful, things like this brought him back to his roots.

From the balcony on the second floor of our house we could see the farmer’s nipa hut. My youngest sister Sami was perhaps six months old, and before sleeping Dad would sit on the balcony with Sami on his lap, while I sat beside them. Then one day the nipa hut was dissembled and the squatter family was gone.

So Dad told Sami about the Filipino farmer who once lived across the street (though she was too young to understand). The farmer built a house on the field and they were happy. Then one day a big bad man with a big bad truck pushed the farmer’s house down (he would push his arm forward in the dark at the word “push”, imitating the truck), and the farmer’s wife cried (and he would pretend to weep “hoo hoo”). Sami was too young to understand but he repeated this story every night for a month and sometimes, three times in one sitting.

Club Filipino was why the “big bad truck” took the squatter farmer out. This ritzy Club when fully built had a swimming pool, tennis courts, badminton court, ballrooms for parties, and other things clubs usually have. (In this photo you see condominiums to the right, where our house used to be).

When I became a reporter I interviewed some celebrities there, attended some events and swam a few times. One day Club Filipino became a Filipino landmark in history when President Cory Aquino took her oath of office there after she felled Ferdinand Marcos.

Rugby Boys in the Philippines

2010-01-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

Life in the Phililppines is different for Filipino rugby boys. Elsewhere rugby is a sport, but in the Philippines rugby is a very strong glue used for home repairs. This same rugby serves as a drug that streetboys inhale to get high.

I looked outside of my (former) tutorial center and saw that the rugby boys were back again. There were four of them and they stayed high all day. They continually inhaled the rugby which they hid under their shirts. We owned a tiny place then and the area was safe until the rugby boys made a part of the parking area their "home".

In the Phililppines the streets are tough. This corner, near my center, would be refuge for them. It is not easily seen, and they could lay their cardboard on the ground for their bed at night. They had nothing else. What could I do? I asked a policeman who was a student of our English class, and he told me "they do this because they are hungry."

Rugby deadens the senses and melts the brain.

Once, I saw the Department of Social Welfare and Services Development (DSWD) stop by to haul the rugby boys on their van. Like askals (Filipino street dogs) the children were brought to orphanages. But this had happened a couple of times before and they would somehow be back in a day or two--back to their rugby. I knew if I gave them money it would go to buying rugby instead of food.

How do you make a common housing material illegal? We have used rugby to reattach soles to our shoes, and for any housing function that requires extra strong glue. But life in the Philippines is tough for the rugby boys. That was a few years ago and since then, they had long left our neighborhood after staying in "their" corner for a couple of months. I don't know what happened to them.

(Note: For a more positive story of a former rugby boy, go to http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20091227-244134/Rugby-boy-finds-home-with-Scouts.
Photo image came from http://blogshaveeyes.wordpress.com/2009/09/ where there is also a piece about rugby boys.)

Bargaining in Hongkong, Bali and the Philippines

2010-01-19T02:57:00.000-08:00

First: If you are touring the Philippines, be sure to buy pearls in Greenhills, San Juan, and be sure you know the real from the fake. Also, let a Filipino friend bargain for you, and you will get a great value for your money.

Bargaining in Hongkong

Filipinos love to bargain. In Hongkong, Filipina maids told us how to bargain at Mongkok. Whatever price the saleslady may ask, you must counter with half. Then the bargaining continues, but don’t go too far from your half price. You may add another 10 dollars, or 20 if you are feeling generous. They were right. In fact, sometimes we even got things at 1/3 the original asking price. But if the stall owner was not pleased with the price, they would rudely dismiss us afterwards.

Bargaining in Bali

In Bali the best place to bargain at the cheapest rate for value is Legian street, perpendicular to the beach. However, I tried the old Hongkong trick and they found me rude. Instead, my daughter and I stuck to a price we would pay per purchase, for example , nothing over 20,000 rupiah. By the second day, they billed everything at 20,000 rupiah no matter what it was, so I suppose the sellers talk to each other. Some stall owners were very good salespeople. They would talk us into buying everything from their stall only and because they were so caring, we were drawn in, and besides, they had good items. When we finished our shopping, other sellers would plead for us to buy from them, and we felt sad to the point of guilt, but we could not buy everything.

Bargaining in the Philippines

If you have a Filipino to bargain for you, the price difference will not be too far off-maybe just 10-20 pesos mark down. Filipinos will happily call out “Hi Ma’am,” or “Hi Sir” to draw you to their stall. If the seller is gay, I find them to be exceptionally jolly and personable.

That is what I notice about bargaining, no matter where you are. Personality can spell the difference. One Hongkong seller convinced me to buy a bag I didn’t want, because although she didn’t speak English, she modeled the bag up and down her stall for me, kept saying “happy happy” and showed me all the features of the bag. When my husband took my picture she put an arm around me and posed. The bag is nice, but her memory gives it heart--so, no regrets.

The Decline of English in the Philippines

2010-01-10T19:51:00.000-08:00

Now I really want to make this clear. Very, very clear. English in the Philippines did not begin its decline under the administration of the late Corazon Aquino. Because too often I hear that it started because of her, and I try to say “No, it was under the time of Marcos” and it goes back and forth—“ Cory” “Marcos”--and no one really listens, which renders it an issue of communication more than English--but that is another story.

English began its declined during the time of Marcos. I know. I wrote the story about it, which was published in a newspaper called “Veritas” which was then headed by the late Louis Beltran.

At that time English had been the medium of instruction in all schools. Everyone spoke English, including maids and drivers. TV shows, variety shows, comedy shows were all in English. That’s why if you talk to Filipinos who are 50 and above, regardless of economic status, more often than not, they will be quite fluent in English. Cebuanos, regardless of age, are more fluent in English too.

Activism

At that time there was also the rise of the activist movement in the Philippines. There was a cry for nationalism in the University Belt and one of the issues was, why do Filipinos speak English when it is not our native language? Why do the Chinese speak only Chinese and the poor are not hungry? (Leftists believed that then). Others would say, why do the Japanese speak only Japanese and they are a prosperous nation compared to the Philippines? And so among other things, there was this cry for Pilipino (which was a language that merged words that were primarily Tagalog and included words from other local dialects) to be the medium of instruction.

Under Marcos, Pilipino as the medium of instruction was implemented. However the plan was that technical subjects like math and science would be taught in English, and subjects “close to the heart” like history and sociology and the like would be in Pilipino. In terms of implementation it came out differently. Teachers around the country would teach in English and then translate what they said into Tagalog. So we ended up with a transition generation of students who were poor in both Tagalog and in English. Then there came a time when Taglish emerged, where you spoke a hodgepodge of English and Tagalog at the same time.

The full effect of this came out when Cory Aquino was president. She did not decree it, the effects of the decree were in full swing during her time. Before we knew it the next generation of teachers were also not very good in English and so on. Of course, at that time, who could guess that the internet would come by, and a whole new economic system would emerge and English would be more important than ever? The sentiments behind making Pilipino the medium of instruction may have been good, but the future did not cooperate.

And now with the call centers being a primary place of employment, people who speak English have the edge. English is better spoken in Cebu because they refused to cooperate and retained English in the schools. A lot of Christian schools also retained English in Metro Manila as the medium of instruction. Many families personally insisted on keeping English as a primary language. And because English was still being taught in some subjects and there was an English subject among other things, Filipinos can speak some English and take remedial classes to land that valuable job in a call center or in medical transcription.

Good and Bad

But was it a good thing to make Pilipino the medium of instruction nonetheless? I think there were some good and bad effects to it. Bad, because no one knew how computers would change the world. Good, because when I was a college student if I went to a bookstore Filipino books would occupy a small row in a shelf. Now they have a much larger space, shelves and shelves of books by Filipino authors in both English and Tagalog. And Filipino readers are interested in what Filipino writers have to say.

Good, because in my day if you said “chair” you would tend to visualize a luxury chair, something modern. If you said “upuan” you would visualize a poor, straw chair. Now, I can say both words and imagine the same chair. Subconsciously, we came to think less of ourselves because we didn’t honor our language.

Good, because I feel like students today are more self confident than my generation was. They know who they are and have confidence in their identities because they comfortably speak in their own language in school hallways. In my day, if you spoke a Tagalog word in recess or during lunch time you paid a fine. Now there is no sense that it is a “crime” to speak Tagalog.

Now English has been reinstituted as the medium of instruction in the Philippines. I don’t know how that will change things, but it is an economic strategy now. In China English is being taught big time. In Japan Filipinos who speak poor English but who speak better English than Japanese are making a good income as English teachers.

Linguistics

Sentiment goes with language, cultural connotations, too as does some history, and some life experience. I told a lawyer friend Filipinos have 11 words for rice. He said, “I wonder what I can do with that”. And yet through understanding linguistics you learn the growth, movement and development of civilizations.

What do you do with that? Somehow you incorporate it into everything else you know and it can have an input in areas of occupation like diplomacy or sociology or history. The roles of the latter two often serve as backdrops of reference in understanding today’s world or a particular culture. That’s what you do with that.

Computer language

Today we are dealing with college students who write English essays spelling in text talk. They spell “love” as “luv” and “text” as “txt” and that tells us something, too. It tells us that this generation has cell phones which ours did not. My spelling is now not what it used to be and my mind feels no urgency about that because computers have spell checks. Things are changing, and our language shows it.

So if you thought this piece was geared to complain about or laud the decline of the English language in the Philippines, you are wrong. I simply wish to observe and make a point. It’s not good or bad. It is more than anything else, reflective.

What is Filipino Time?

2010-01-09T16:16:00.000-08:00

Filipino time means that you will be at an occasion anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour late. To remedy this, people tend to set appointments an hour early, anticipating Filipino time. For example, last night my husband and I went to a club to hear a band play. They were set to play at 10 pm, but we arrived at 10:30. Which was just fine, because they hadn’t started their set yet. Their violinist was late. It was a valid excuse, and actually no one seemed to mind. Everyone was drinking and having a good time. Filipino time is well understood among Filipinos. They actually started around 11:00 pm and it was as if there was no delay at all. The crowd was totally appreciative of the music.

Another example: My husband and I attended a magazine launch at a club slated for 6 pm. We arrived to see an empty place. In fact, the event started close to midnight, and we had to leave before the actual launch ceremonies of the magazine and the fashion show took place. But we had fun watching the preparations being made, people coming in, having our photo taken, and eating (dessert was served first). In the Philippines the club scene actually starts at midnight but then the invitation WAS set at 6 pm.

I myself am habitually late. Set the appointment at 10 am I will come at 11 or noon. Set it at 2 the next time, I will arrive between 3-4. Text messaging makes it easier to be late. You can say you are running late and the person you are meeting with is reassured and does other things while waiting for you. He may be delayed for another meeting and the ball will go on that way the rest of the day.

I notice however that with the rise of call centers, Filipino time may be reaching its ebb. Young people come on time to work generally and being late is more the exception to the rule. Especially when there are threats to deduct for every minute you are late. Filipinos are also willing to work overtime, and they calculate how much they will earn for working overtime compared to others. What’s more, they are amenable to having 15 minute lunches to get work done and will do this strict regimen 6 days a week.

I think Filipino time is changing with the younger set due to the discipline called for in these call centers. They still follow Filipino time for their social life. My daughter has friends who are habitually 2-4 hours late for appointments. But when it comes to work, they get serious. And for social occasions the use of text messages helps a lot too, so the uncertainty of Filipino time is exonerated. In fact, more often than not they set an appointment by saying “text text” meaning, we’ll just text each other when we’re ready. So now it may be the dawn of Electronic Filipino Time.

Filipino Time

2010-01-09T16:10:00.001-08:00

How to Be More Filipino Than a Filipino

2010-01-08T22:22:00.000-08:00

If you are going to live in the Philippines expect a process that must be undergone in order to blend in. Here are some tips on how to be more Filipino than a Filipino.

1. Take time to learn the language. This may sound funny coming from a Filipina who doesn't speak her own language, but my experience knows this to be true. If you are only dealing with an upper class group, or an older age group (think 50s) it’s okay to be English speaking. But otherwise, if you are dealing with salespeople or personnel who work for you, or even an educated younger set, speaking fluent Tagalog will be a pleasant surprise and you will be loved and respected more for it. My husband looks completely like a white foreigner but he blends perfectly in the market place and bargains like the best because he is native born and speaks Tagalog. I look Filipina but grew up overseas, so my Tagalog is bad and I get consequences for it.

2. When you enter a home, eat what they serve you and express appreciation. Filipino hospitality is quite famous and if you don’t eat or drink what is offered to you they may feel you are not having a good time. Conversely, always have something available to serve your guests.

3. Make sure relationships are give and take. Oftentimes a Filipino will offer to treat you every time you spend time with him. The protocol is this: If he treats you, next time you treat him. He will initially refuse, you are supposed to insist. He will refuse again, you still insist. If he refuses for the third time, put the money inside the neck of his shirt.

4. Get used to cold baths using a bucket of water and a tabo (pail). Even in some upper middle class to upper class houses, some people do this and are used to it. However, the difference may be they will have a water heater—a Filipino invention that is electrically plugged and left in the water for a few minutes to heat the water up before your bath.

5. Eat rice every day, three times a day. And get to eat Filipino food, too. Look up these dishes: Adobo, liempo, tapsilog (tapa, egg, rice) , longsilog (longanisa, egg, rice), bangus, tilapia, lechon kawali, lechon, panga, tiyan and salmon heads. Also garnishes like bagoong, and red egg. Patis, and datung puti. And get to like garlic.

6. Always understand the importance of saving face. Let me give you an example. My late mother’s jewelry was stolen by a relative who left for the province the following day. Knowing this, the normal procedure would be to summon the police, retrieve the jewels, and have the relative charged, right? Wrong. She called a relative who was a general (and the woman’s half brother). The relative came back to my late mother’s house, denied stealing the jewels, began to look through my mother’s drawers, and “found” them in a place she insisted they had been all the time. My mother played along. She got her jewels, the relative saved face. Another example: When we were all single, a friend of my sister’s slept in the family house one day. The next day, all her jewelry was stolen. We had five maids at the time. My sister told them that if the jewelry was not returned, they would all be fired. Later in the day the jewelry was “found” on the dressing room table.

7. Be savvy of the company you keep. Like any other country, there are good and bad people in the Philippines. And if you make it a habit to go along with any stranger, you can expect to find some of the unpleasant citizenry, those who would see you as an opportunity. My husband looks American, and Filipinos are always surprised when he speaks in Tagalog. Just today he attended a political campaign event. A stranger approached him claiming to be with a TV station and asked if she could get his impressions of the event. She physically resembled an anchorwoman, but he was not sure. She asked for my husand's number and said in 30 minutes she would call him and arrange for a place where she could interview him. Although she resembled the anchorwoman and spoke well, because he was not sure he gave a false number. He figured it could be a holdup or a kidnapping. Better safe than sorry.

8. Be very soft spoken. A lot of Filipinos speak loudly (including me), it’s true. But it is polite to be soft spoken people and when a foreigner is soft spoken, he is looked upon kindly. If you are even more soft spoken than the Filipino that will make you more Filipino than them and you will get more love for it.

9. If you want to be generous, that’s okay, just do it wisely. It goes without saying that many westerners are culture shocked at the extreme poverty of the country. They may want to give to street children, but remember that you will be remembered for it, and more kids will approach you each day. If you want to be generous, give to a charity for street children rather than to beggars. But you can give to “watch your car guys” the ones who will help you park and watch your car to make sure no one steals from it. Especially if you live in a neighborhood where such service is common, they will remember you and the kind of tip you give. I like to give them 5 pesos because they are rendering a service and I know they have a family to support. In my neighborhood the watch your car guys always give me good service. My husband gives 1 peso. But then, that’s just him.

10. Family is a big thing here. When a foreigner marries into a rich and powerful family, or a middle class family, or a poor family, each economic structure has certain mores that go with it. In my family three of my sisters married Americans. But because we all grew up travelling, there was no real transition or cultural barrier to worry about. Also, we are upper middle class but not powerful nor extremely wealthy. When you marry into big money you will be bound by what mores the family lives by and the head honcho will want special respect. If you marry into a poor family remember that in a Filipino family everyone helps each other and if you happen to be the wealthiest one, you may perceive the needs of sisters, brothers, and parents. It will take some understanding on both sides. Your wife would be pressured to help the less well to do, and if you love her and can afford it, there is no harm in supporting her on that. But you should also establish your own limits on how much you will give or do. This is not a “I’m the rich foreigner” thing. It’s a Filipino thing. My friend is very successful and self made, her brother is not doing well. She pays for the education of his child though she has a child of her own. Whether you are a foreigner or a Filipino, you just help each other financially because you are a family.

Ju.D Lao and Daughter Jamie Make Fruitcakes

2010-01-08T06:13:00.000-08:00

What you are looking at are two young people who are holding the latest product of the Philippines' Fruitcake Lady, Ju.D Lao. These are gourmet cookies geared to a young, AB market. The two people modeling it are school achievers, not just pretty faces. They are Kat Gonzalez and Renzo Claudio. Because Ju.D's products are not common.

Ju.D is quite the phenomenon in the Philippines because aside from formerly hosting her own cooking show in Taiwan, winning food awards, and writing two vegetarian cookbooks she stands out for

making a fruitcake that is favored by leading socialites, businessmen, politicians, celebrities, et. al. This is the gift you give to the person who has everything. Ju.D's fruitcake is also sent overseas. In India they take it with tea, especially during the Diwali festival. In Germany a woman was served a cake topped with ice cream. It was so delicious she asked the waiter what the cake was. She found out it was Ju.D's. A friend was given a fruitcake to bring back to the States. When it was suggested she take the cake out of the box so her luggage would be lighter she refused. The box, you see is beautiful too and she planned to save her love letters in it. Ju.D uses only fresh ingredients and no preservatives. She made the first fruitcake cookie (Chewy Chewkies), a coffee fruitcake (Ju.D Blue), a prunecake fruitcake, a ginger fruitcake, and an apricot fruitcake. These are true blue Filipino creations of quality and Ju.D is the mother of invention. Now her daughter Jamie is taking over the business. Jamie's contribution? The cookies of course. Petit Fours, Savory Cookies, and variations of nougats. THAT is perfect mother and daughter kitchen talk.

The Philippines' Rachel Ray

2009-05-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

I have so many memories of the lanai of Nancy Reyes Lumen. I was thinking of that not long ago when I visited her at home, where she had a cooking demo going. I call her the Philippine's Rachel Ray, cause she is all that. A TV personality, publisher of COOK Magazine, food stylist, author of many books, food consultant, advertising personality, you name it, she's it. Her latest stint was in London where she had to publish a book, and then she and hubby Bob went to Paris to do a TomKat on the eiffel tower.

Nancy is also a scion of one of the country's oldest food families, the Reyes family, whose restaurant, The Aristocrat dates back to prewar days. She grew up spending summers with cooking contests among her cousins, where Matriarch Aling Asyang would be the judge of who came up with the best recipe. She can cook anything.

Recently Nancy transformed her lanai to become the set for her cooking show. And in between, it is used for cooking classes and demos. This time, she got her staff to cook all kinds of dishes. And being multitasked by nature, she photographed each dish when it was completed, for her magazine. The staff enjoyed the occasion because Filipinos LOVE to cook (except for me) and they did their dishes exceedingly well.

Nancy also has a big heart. I can't count the times she's visited friends in hospitals, gone to funerals, counseled those in pain or in trouble. I can't count the times she would help a waiter in Aristocrat or someone who had less than she, giving this person opportunities that would go a long way in improving someone's quality of life.

No one is perfect, not Nancy and she would be the last person to say that of herself. But certainly, she has contributed abundance to her patch of the world. Come to think of it, I don't think she is the Philippines' Rachel Ray at all. No offense Rachel, but she is simply Nancy Reyes Lumen, an original individual.

She is an Unnamed Hero

2009-03-25T00:52:00.000-07:00

I live in a gated village, not one of the top ones in our country, more middle class. We have lived here for 14 years, and always, I had heard stories about this mysterious heroine who lives among us.

To this day, i don't know her name, but have this feeling that she would prefer it that way. She lives just a few houses down from where my brother lives. And the first i had heard was of a young boy she had adopted, who would sometimes drop bye my mom's house to take a nap.

Strange, i thought, but mom told me of the doctor down the road who had adopted him. The boy in due time became a friend of my daughter, but he was always a little on the strange side. In due time i came to see how the doctor and this boy would find each other in a world not always kind.

The doctor's house became popular among the househelp of our village, because she would treat anyone who came by, for free. Among her beneficiaries where the two little children of my mother's maid. Yes, at one time, this wonderful maid of my mom had her husband and children living with mom, and while there was only so much mama could do for them, the doctor down the road did her share, too, caring for the children whenever they were sick.

when mom became very, very ill, sometimes my brother would need immediate medical advice, and the doctor down the road always came through. But she would also advise my brother the next day to immediately call on mom's primary caregiver.

In my own house, about 5 blocks away from mom and the doctor, one morning i saw the daughter of my maid, ashley, just 6 months old, with skin riddled with bumps. i thought it was prickly heat as the weahter was quite warm, and my own daughter had it big time as a baby.

then i went to work. later that night, i saw ashley (the baby) again. her "prickly heat" became splotches, and she looked rather distressing to see. but the maids (who are sisters) were not worried at all. you see, that afternoon they consulted the doctor -- the one who lives near my mom. it was all free and just a short walk away. the doctor made a prescription, which they immediately filled. and the following day, ashley baby's face was clear and smooth.

i was so thankful for this unnamed heroine in our village. we all try to do our share, i do spend on ashley for diapers, milk, food, and sometimes medical help. but this time they took care of their baby by themselves, for free. and they felt so reassured to know there was a doctor so nearbye they could count on, who would never charge and always make them feel well.

and make ashley baby get well, too.

A Patch of Spain in Manila

2009-01-30T08:34:00.000-08:00

I love this knight, and i wish the vacuum cleaner weren't situated beside it. I think this knight has something to do with the Knights of Rizal. But don't quote me on that. I just thought so because i also saw a bust of Rizal in this place, where you will find Instituto Cervantes, the Spanish Embassy's cultural center, which shares a piece of land with a Spanish restaurant (I can't remember the name of it) where there was quite a bit of memorabilia of Jose Rizal here and there. He did live in Spain for awhile, anyway.

Below was a former pelota court. But in Manila we used to have a Jai Alai building -- not anymore. So people use this pelota court to play jai alai. Go figure. i was told this is the only place where you can play jai alai now. don't quote me, ha...

This is a wall tile. A portion of the patio has a collection of tiles like these, I just took a close up.

There ya go, the full display.

And then, there's the grand piano. I was lucky to spend a day with my hubby, who is taking Spanish lessons at Instituto Cervantes. In the morning he had his classes, while I played on my laptop. Then we had lunch, and went back in the afternoon. We both worked our laptops while someone played this piano. Nice way to spend a quiet afternoon, quietly and constructively.

That's my buff. Kasi, after his classes he can do his work here -- assignments, office work, etc. preparing English lessons and the like since he is also an English trainor. He does it all here while waiting for our kid to get out of school. Don't you love technology?

He has a nice laptop, but i wanted a notebook, cause i just need something to do research and to write my articles on. cause aside from my day job as a medical editor with a transcription company, i write articles on the side...am also writing 2 chapters of a book, and sometimes the hubby and i do publicity for the occasional client. and we do writing and english seminars and tutorials, shall i continue with the resume?

This is the library. you can connect your laptop here and do some real work in a very quiet environment. But even more interesting are the people the hubby meets at Instituto. One is a fellow, a high school grad who has a gift for languages. He couldn't afford college but he can teach himself languages on the computer, and he beefs it up with spanish classes here. he is already of level 8 quality. and he does this while holding the day job. Filipinos are really amazing, always able to achieve more with less.

He's such a buff guy, my guy. And he likes dogs, too:)

Here's the frontage of Instituto. A lot of the students here work in call centers. It bugs me more than a bit when people say a call center job is a dead end job. or when people look down on it. because it's a step, an opportunity. a lot of my hubby's classmates work in call centers. You can get a pretty good salary there, but if you work in a foreign language call center, you can earn triple, even five times as much depending on the language. Spanish is easier cause it's closer to English and Tagalog. But the highest paying is if you speak Finnish, you can make P 100,000/month. So please, don't put outsourcing down in front of me. I'm very proud to say one of my officemates at STU (my day job) has also enrolled in Instituto. If you are determined, one step very easily leads to another.

And then there are those who study spanish with plans only to reach up to level 3. These people usually are hopeful of working as a caregiver in Spain someday. Some just study to kill time. They tend to drop off after the first level. There are 18 levels at Instituto. By the 8th level you are eligible to work in a call center. by the 18th, i guess you can shoot for the moon? ha ha ha.

Lobby shot. I think now they made a little canteen hereabouts.

That is the swimming pool where no one swam the day i was here.

Courtyard.

This is the bar of the restaurant next to Instituto. I had 2 cups of coffee here.

Wall plate.

The restaurant is really quite beautiful and I'm told the soup is particularly good, the ajos, a friend told me (hope i got that right).

I totally loved this tilework on the floor.

Well, i never promised you organization. here's the restaurant again.

Good Knight:)

Dog Spa

2009-01-23T07:34:00.000-08:00