Jose Rizal is the quintessential AntiPinoy. He is my hero and probably yours too. His two novels are considered by Leonie Guerrero (himself a translator of the novels and prizewinning biographer of the Hero) as the “Gospels of its [Filipinos] nationalism” While we may think that the two novels are anti-friar, it is also anti-Pinoy. Part of the basis of our national identity is being AntiPinoy!
Consider the German trained physician’s dedication in his first novel, Noli Me Tangere [Derbyshire translation]
To My Fatherland:
Recorded in the history of human sufferings is a cancer of so malignant a character that the least touch irritates it and awakens in it the sharpest pains. Thus, how many times, when in the midst of modern civilizations I have wished to call thee before me, now to accompany me in memories, now to compare thee with other countries, hath thy dear image presented itself showing a social cancer like to that other!
Desiring thy welfare, which is our own, and seeking the best treatment, I will do with thee what the ancients did with their sick, exposing them on the steps of the temple so that every one who came to invoke the Divinity might offer them a remedy.
And to this end, I will strive to reproduce thy condition faithfully, without discriminations; I will raise a part of the veil that covers the evil, sacrificing to truth everything, even vanity itself, since, as thy son, I am conscious that I also suffer from thy defects and weaknesses.
THE AUTHOR
EUROPE, 1886
The real AntiPinoy does lift the veil of hypocrisy that covers the Philippine diaspora and the structures that feed it. This is the AntiPinoy’s mission.
But the real AntiPinoy knows that he “also suffers from thy defects and weaknesses”.
The blogosphere now serves as the Temple, where the post-post-post moderns do what they ought to do with Filipino social cancers, exposing them on its steps so that everyone who logs in and invokes the Divinity may offer a remedy.
Of course the remedy is what is sought and what is really needed.
Now how does one go and dispense the remedy? But before we answer the question…
The 21st century AntiPinoy has this to say and its own way is Rizalian minus the Victorian ethos and the metaphors and allusions after all, who among the AntiPinoy has a classical education like our good doctor had? The Ateneo has thrown out the classics long ago.
The more the Anti-Pinoy glorifies these mediocrities and focuses on the vacuous and the trivial, real issues that affect ordinary lives and futures are forgotten or pushed aside. Like the unambitious student who is praised by his parents despite consistently doing poorly in school, the bad habits and low expectations of Pinoy society are reinforced, making it that much harder with every passing day to find the right path. So that’s where we come in, and we bring a message: The path to prosperity, the path to the place the Philippines deserves among the world community, the path of patriotism for all true Pinoys is to first honestly and bravely acknowledge the ills of society and then have the initiative to seek to fix them.
But the 21st century version fails to give the solution. The AntiPinoy falls on its heels as your usual AntiPinoy that needs to be AntiPinoyed!
Dr Rizal himself gives us the true AntiPinoy siolution. Go back home!
Dr Rizal also gives us the sterling example of how to really succeed. Get shot at the Luneta!
Of course no one can get shot in the Luneta while overseas. You can get virtually executed, but that doesn’t count.
Sipping coffee on a terrace in Sydney, New York, London or wherever also while nice, doesn’t count. The best place to be as an AntiPinoy is in the Philippines and nowhere else. The best place to be an AntiPinoy is in a coffee shop in Manila or Baguio or Tuguegararao or Cebu or Iloilo….
In other places you will be a second class AntiPinoy citizen with an adopted country passport and trying to make it in the “mainstream”.
BTW. There is another AntiPinoy I admire. His was the one who gave us that soundbite on “running a government like hell by AntiPinoys”!
Popularity: 10% [?]
Good points, but the question is, aren’t you also hitting Nick and Lila when you say the following?
“Sipping coffee on a terrace in Sydney, New York, London or wherever also while nice, doesn’t count. The best place to be as an AntiPinoy is in the Philippines and nowhere else. The best place to be an AntiPinoy is in a coffee shop in Manila or Baguio or Tuguegararao or Cebu or Iloilo….”
Nick and Lila are, after all, US-based.
His “The Indolence of the Filipino” alone is enough to put Jose Rizal as anti pinoy.
Akala ko, Lila has returned to Pilipinas for good already.
But then that applies to Blackshama too, doesn’t it? Please see my post in “Kapihan,” which pretty much encapsulates my views. As far as I’m concerned, all voices r legit, except those that deliberately denigrate others. I submit that u can critique the Philippines from abroad (NSW, Florida, Shanghai — anywhere at all) without trashing the views of those u exchange views with. It’s not about your political positioning: it’s about methodology. R u exclusive or inclusive; do u tolerate difference? Is accepting difference an integral part of the way u think?
FYI, I’ve always intended to live and work in Pinas in the long-term. But it was important for me to make it abroad on my own first. I’m home now, and may end up staying much longer than I had expected…
“s thy son, I am conscious that I also suffer from thy defects and weaknesses.”
BTW, I used to sip coffee at Double Bay and that trattoria completely staffed by kabayans in front of the British Museum!
What does this mean, exactly?
In other places you will be a second class AntiPinoy citizen with an adopted country passport and trying to make it in the “mainstream”.
Seriously, world-class is world-class. Evidence — Miss Saigon. Evidence – Pacquiao. A world-class Santiago can be just as world-class in Washington DC as Madeleine Korbel Albright. A world-class deQuiros can be just as world-class in New York City as a Brett Blackledge. Mehta from Bombay, India — world-class. And a PhD Pinoy with world-class intelligence and diligence and a passion for ecology? Better chances for a nobel prize if working in San Diego, California or in Cairns, Australia than working in Pilipinas.
The problem is not with world-class individuals. These individuals are so driven by the desire to excel that second-class is a hurdle to overcome, not the reason to quit. The problem is for the C to B+ population — the average people which happens to be the majority of people. Average is average, meaning as a general rule they are B performers who need to ramp up their educational level, work-habits and political skills. Average, performing at B level except at times, they do shine to B-plus-plus. Sometimes they also drop to C. And when things get worse and they find themselves in over their heads then they plunge to C-minus or even D or F. Or, despite everything they find themselves without a job…. because.
A regular-class Filipino will have to struggle in Manhattan in the same way that a regular-class from London, from Toronto, Dunbar, Ohio or from Johnson, Alabama will have to struggle.
This sentence makes sense:
I, Gene de UP nn grad, do not want to be subjected to discrimination and I will never work in USA nor Australia, not in Canada nor New Zealand. They treat Asians badly over there.
I am warning my graduate students about this discrimination against Pilipinos so that they are aware of the risk of working in USA or Australia, Canada or New Zealand or England.
This one — you be the judge:
I, Dr. Gene de UPnn grad, am telling all my graduate students to just stay home in Pilipinas (or maybe work in Africa instead) rather than face discrimination in USA or New Zealand.
In addition, I will never allow my children to ever immigrate to Australia or any country where they may face discrimination against Filipinos.
How about this sentence?:
I, Dr. Gene de UPnn grad, am telling all my graduate students to go to America because that’s where the dollars are but am also telling all my graduate students when they reach America not to be more American than the Americans and become ku klux klan to their own people at home.
aha, at last, a high response to the antipinoy bashing. but, yes, antipinoys: “To serve our country, there is nothing like staying in it. It is (t)here that we have to educate the people; it is (t)here that we have to work.” [From Rizal in Europe to Jose Maria Basa in Hong Kong 1889]
True, but remember Rizal wrote his works while abroad. Possibly working his magic with the ladies. Although the 21st century Anti-Pinoy sips his coffee in Daytona or Sydney does not make his argument less valid.
Yet the truth is despite benigno’s “enlightenment” AP doesn’t really get to the bottom of the problem. BongV comes close but not enough. Rizal would have the root of the dysfunction and then some butthurt Pinoy would say otherwise.
Free,
Well said. It is not the color of the skin that is the make of the man, nor the land upon which his feet rest, but the quality of his thinking. Those abroad have perspective we should appreciate, not diminish. The open mind is the learning mind. And the home folk have a relevance that ought to be cherished by those abroad, not diminished.
Neither AP nor FV has made the leap to seminal brilliance, and neither is a platform for much but ideas and argument. Neither is the end toward which we aspire . . . they are as useful as their writers and contributors care to make them . . .
Joe
The truth that in order for our society to advance we would need another MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE to rally indignation. Without it I fear Flips cannot rally around a good cause to finally get our acts together.
To paraphrase Rizal, triumph presupposes much struggle and sacrifice.
Huh, Free? We need another Maguindanao massacre? As in a cleansing catharsis to get to revolutionary change?
As for: “Yet the truth is despite benigno’s ‘enlightenment,’ AP doesn’t really get to the bottom of the problem. BongV comes close but not enough,” I notice u sing a very different tune when you’re at AP…
Let me put it this way Lila, AP ideas are on the right direction. Just not the best direction. I am still looking. AP’s pieces particularly Bong’s get close enough to show why we’re crapped up as we are. In short, there’s those missing pieces. no mass scope.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed but when people are genuinely pissed at something they’ll act.
Just to remind everybody, “Flips” is a term used by the “patriotic” anti-pinoys to mean Filipinos, a euphemism they regularly used similar to the ku klux klan’s use of the term “niggers” for negros.
Of course some of them don’t know that they are racists so that’s one example of a racist statement.
Marcelo H. Del Pilar is another great AP. An active propagandist in Spain, being the brother-in-law of Deodato Arellano, the first president of Katipunan, he is credited with having directly inspired the establishment of the KKK. From his sanctuary in Madrid where he edited the paper La Solidaridad, Del Pilar, in July, 1892, advised the creation of another association, similar to Rizal’s Liga Filpina, but which to include laborers and persons of little or no education, but were directed by their chiefs and caciques in their localities, who were to form its enormous nucleus which should, at the proper time, give forth the cry of rebellion(St. Clair). Del Pilar was also intent on leading the Katipunan until death overtook him on his way back home from Madrid. I think he is the true AP of all time.
At the rate you guys are eulogising the anti-pinoys, as if benignO and BongV are the reincarnation of Jose Rizal and del Pilar, my conscience is bothering me now having complained of those two anti-pinoy heroes bad mouthing my people. I wonder which of the two dudes is the equivalent of Jose Rizal, or del Pilar. Next I know, FV will be erecting monuments in honor of those two anti-pinoy heroes. It will be interest to see benignO’s monument looking like his avatar, :).
Bert,
Wasn’t Rizal, Mabini, etc. the assholes of their days who were trying to show the malaise which inflicted the people of the Philippines?
They are badmouthing the Philippines because it needs to be badmouthed. Haven’t you ever seen how our countrymen act. To live in contentment and stupor because some asshole(INC/VATICAN/Manong, Inday, boss) says so. You have seen how the majority of our countrymen act. To quote Rizal the problem stems from 2 things: defects in education and lack of national sentiment.
He is not educated properly because he is not trained to be inquisitive. To learn more than what he has to. Beyond the 4 walls of the classroom.
He is but an amoeba. In order for higher animals to progress he must create organs to connect to other Flips. Associations that do not end within a region, family ties and parochial connections.
The FLip must learn to care of others in this country. I think you know what I’m talking about.
Bert,
You’re the man!
I don’t know about these “two opposition” Benign0 and BongV. For what reason you might ask.! Well, as for Benign0, I have not seen an Anti-Pinoy sporting the biggest “AFRO” such as he does.
As for BongV, I don’t know what to guess or is that a fecaloid or just a shade of colors to blend himself out from his[Pilipino] society. Poor Guy!
Food for Thoughts:
• I can’t really see who you really is/are or whatever…!
• Dr. Jose Rizal, did not hide behind an “avatar” Oh yeah, forgot he didn’t have a computer back then. But he did have a Bolo on the side.
mario, you are confused. Jose P. Rizal did have Josephine Bracken and other chicks, but he’s afraid of bolos, that’s why, not unlike benignO and BongV, he went to take refuge in a foreign land. In a way, blackshama is correct saying Jose Rizal is an anti-pinoy. It was Andres Bonifacio who did have a bolo,always brandishing it, and some wag would even say he was shouting, “sinong patutule?” If Bonifacio is alive today I’m sure benignO and BongV would be running headless at the Luneta already, :-).
Bert,
Confused. I was somewhere deep, in left field. I stand corrected but I still like that wielding Bonifacio “shouting that phrase” Then again, being a stud muffin, that’s another side of the story. LOL!
inodoro
pink daiquiri is one of my favorite ladies drink or a pink lady ( a martini mix). a typical normal guy will not order a mix drink especially when it’s pink. so bongv is drinking a ladies drink? honestly, I will doubt a guy when he will order a pink daiquiri. It would make me very uncomfortable. I won’t mind him trying it for a sip to get the taste.
and Rizal was rumored to be leaning to pink? something’s wrong with the antipinoy people maybe? lol
thanks for the info. it helps explain… :D
leytenian,
dili man na there’s something wrong with twirling fink daquiri with finkie, but is wrong is putting on a thug-looking avatar who twirls the fink daquiri with his finkie. or really, is there something wrong with that? ambot. confusing, no? :DDDDD
No, I don’t think our good friends BenignO and BongV will contemplate getting shot in Luneta or dying of TB in a Hong Kong sanitarium! Only if they do that will a monument be deserving.
There r two other differences: Jose Rizal loved the Philippines and he was a brilliant writer.
Lila,
I personally find that Benign0 has a plane of vision that is a little deeper than most, and turns a nice phrase. So I suppose brilliance is a variable, depending on who learns what from his writings. I agree he is a wasted resource though, stuck in a rut about his simple reality. He could do a lot if he could get on an “applied track” of development of the Philippines instead of relentless tear-down.
Joe
asa ka? bongV getting shot in luneta? didn’t you read in his old post, he once shared to bert how he spent a weekend in florida, twirling his pink daquiri–i suppose with his finkie.
Bert, sorry, I did not mean to trap you. I was actually referring to “Active Propagandist”. I share your feelings and indignation. Mabuhay ka.
I do not consider Jose Rizal as a National Hero. There are mpre
deserving noble Filipinos to be the National Hero.
Humans are the only species that let grown children return to the parents.
To say that Pinoys should go home INSULTS those who stayed put.
Besides, we are already overpopulated and the talent pool remains deep.
Stop this nonsense. Go and live where you are most happy, most productive, and most successful.
what is the connection between overpopulation, emigration, and deep local talent pool?
it’s quite obvious, 90 million answers.
i suppose what i mean is, there is no guarantee that the talent pool is deep because there is overpopulation (here, by talent, i mean skills). people leaving aggravates the problem.
there you go, just like the messianic expats, denigrating 90million.
how can a big number like 90million not have skills?
all these people who went abroad, they’re products of the philippine education system naman ah.
ibig mong sabihin bigla nalang ganon ka-laki ang jump in skill set nila dahil sa experience nila abroad?
and those expat pinoys should not be so arrogant that just because they moved elsewhere, suddenly there is a ‘brain drain’. kung ano man alam nila, madali rin matutunan and eventually may papaplit.
there are skills. there is talent.
it’s these ultra-nationalist patriotic nutters and the rubbernecking pinoy expats who are just making it appear as if ther issue was about ‘patriotism’ or ‘filipinism’. It’s not.
I keep saying that. There is the assumption that because talent is leaving there is no talent left.
It’s more accurate to say there is no appreciation for talent to begin with. Our local companies do no innovate. They offer measly salaries to talent when competing nations offer more.
There is also this prejudice directed specifically towards migrant skilled labor in the West, including Australia when we have plenty of skilled employees going to Malaysia and Indonesia. Indonesia is our competitor and Filipinos are responsible in making entities like the Salim Group stronger. Isn’t Indonesia more of a rival to us than a friend while Australia and US are benefactors?
whoa, i didnt say there was no talent.
i said i wondered why you think its “deep”. sure there are skilled workers, but why is it “deep”?
Many of the more better employable Filipinos have left, so the depth of expertise in Pilipinas, nabawasan na.
The best example is nurses and doctors. Kulang na kulang ng nurses at doctors (even midwives!!!) sa probinsiya. My cousin is also an example of what I mean by better skilled and better employable. She has to pass extra certification so that USA school districts hire her. My cousin was teaching at private school in Quezon city, now she is among many of our very good high school teachers now in New Jersey or Maryland, USA o sa inner cities (Detroit, Washington DC, San Antonio Texas, Philadelphia, Brooklyn New York).
Lila is good, she returns to Pilipinas. I guess Lila is still single because usually the husband can not earn as high a salary in Makati as in USA.
Agreed, Nash. People should live and contribute where they r most happy. And u do Pinoys proud by showing those Brits how gifted we can be in the sciences. But I hope one day u consider coming home to teach even as a visiting prof man lang (Abe and Blackshama, u too!). We need some real thinkers in our universities…
I too agree with you Nash. For the most part, I think Filipino expats mean well and get frustrated when they see that things could be better in the Phil. since they have seen it work in the country where they are based from. I too hope to give back one day with focus on streetkids and also volunteering for math teaching assignments. Even here, I see a lot of volunteer Filipinos who help the newly arrived Filipinos and organize Filipino cultural activities. So geographic base should be a non-issue and each one can help out no matter where they are.
right now, it is the job that determines where one is. If your job is in New York, you stay in New York.If in London, you stay London. Especially if you are single, then it is your job that determines where to go, not your husband’s job.
The True Pilipino is the one that truly applies the value into our Filipino Cultures. Giving no regards, to neither demographic place, where that Pinoy[ay] sets his[her] feet.
What so exceptional about Dr. Jose Rizal and, the admiration for our Filipino Society and its Culture, to take a great step to the opposition. To exposed himself and truly believes that Filipino can overcome tribulation. For this reason, he has paid a valuable historical price, for being AntiPinoy.
For us, as a 21′st AntiPinoy. We must also do the same, expose our true name, not hiding behind the “avatar” or “fictitious” (got the idea from ms. lila) name(s) Hello…!
Ooops!
Almost forgot “Joe America”
This includes you, Gene…!
Mario,
An alien in the Philippines does not have the same rights as a citizen. It is that simple. Yet I wish to speak boldly as if I were a citizen.
Congratulations on your ability to dig where you do not belong. You have in essence come into my house and stolen a small piece of my private self. Why you did not respect my personal wishes, I don’t know. I did no harm to you. You feel you are free to compromise my sense of security (whether real or false), no matter what that may mean to me or my family. All in the name of some ideological principle.
Why can’t you and your like-minded compatriots get it through your thick skulls that it is the quality of the idea that matters, not the color of the skin, the land of the feet, or the name that is attached to the ideas.
Joe
Read the name too.
…that was just probably a slip of the keyboard…
baycas,
If so, my bad, indeed. I plead old age.
Joe
It’s alright, Joe, keep on bloggin.’ Nice to read your comments.
They say wisdom comes with age…(especially when it comes to emotions)…
Joe, personally I would prefer it if people didn’t hide behind avatars. If folks like Ben and Bong, etc, think they can hide behind avatars so they can attack people at will and prevent others from responding in kind, then I feel it should be demonstrated that they r actually not invisible at all and can be subjected to equally rigorous (read: merciless) scrutiny. Their real identities provide a useful reference when assessing their words and the avatars they choose for themselves.
But, for the rest, I’m perfectly happy to respect privacy. As long as attacks r not below the belt, “outing” is a non-issue. In the end, that’s a personal decision.
At any rate, as far as I’m concerned, u r as Filipino as the rest of us here! Enjoy the rest of your day.
joe,
Didn’t mean to get you tick you off!
Man, that mercury sure went up quickly.
joe,
Omit the words, “get you”
Having a little, or too much “Merlot” on the side. LOL!
Mario, Lila, Baycas,
Yeah, yeah, the fuse was short on that. I need to get to the point where I don’t care that much if some honcho with power decides I am not behaving in the best interest of the Philippines, and has me tossed “back to the USA”.
Joe
Joe, You’re being married to a Filipina gives you as much right as anyone else to speak about the country and her people. And from where I sit, you are more lucid and sensible than those who feel the validity of their thesis is skin-related and the strenght of their analysis, territorially-based.
Expats have much rights as the locals to express their pro or anti-pinoy sentiments. Their status do not void them of their birthright as Pinoys to express their minds, their being anti-pinoy, notwithstanding. For the truth is, if only we will look inwardly in everyone of us, we should all be anti-pinoy.
i think i made a bobo there. “Your being married to a Filipina not “you’re”.
jcc,
Thank you. I may be old, but I’m . . . uh . . . I’m . . .
I forget . . .
J
What do u mean, Jcc? We’re all deeply critical of the Philippines. At least I most certainly am. I could go on an extended litany for hours, days, even weeks. I could write a novel about all the things I think r troubling, nefarious and problematic in this country, and all the spaces I consider to be ultimately lost to history. And i have listened to countless friends, family and colleagues express the depth of their sorrow about the fractured and inchoate universe in which we now find ourselves. Indeed, it is, in many ways, a postcolonial nightmare. Kaya lang, hindi na nga mababango ang mga bangungot, as good old Kidlat Tahimik would say.
But in the end, I would pick myself up and make an effort to contribute — whether it is in policy analysis, fund-raising, teaching, humanitarian work or the act of writing — which is ultimately just another form of engagement anyway. But even decent writing is couched in satire or sober thinking — u can’t just vomit your ideas on a page, u know, or exorcize childhood phantoms in this site.
Some of what Joe, leytenian or The Cusp write, for example, suggest clarity of analysis; sparks’ rhetorical flair is replete with ironies; Nick can often be lofty and inspired; and PhilManila and Nash can be downright hilarious. I mean, it’s a marvelous group all round. Everyone here criticizes everything, but they certainly don’t trash the country and say it’s sh…t (oh, except Free). They describe specific things they struggle with, which is a very different thing.
Name-calling doesn’t constitute critical analysis, nor does it suggest satire, sorry. Benedict has a good mind and is wasted as a webmaster in Australia; he could be doing policy analysis instead. Rather than trashing Gordon’s enemies, he could be helping Gordon build his platform. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, it’s unusually skeletal, as platforms go. Why don’t the antipinoys write a policy proposal and send it to Gordon for his perusal? Ben K can just walk across the street and pass it on to his cousin when he’s in Cavite. And why have none of them answered Buraot’s posts on Gordon in barriosiete? Now THAT would be engagement, don’t u think?
I maintain that being critical of the Philippines does not imply that u need to reject it in its entirety. In fact, being a critical thinker suggests that u wouldn’t reject ANYTHING in its absolute entirety. Because u would understand the notion of nuance, which apparently some don’t.
Lila,
Right on!
(Observe my right fist in the air, pumping, and it ain’t for Paquiao.)
Joe
bravo Lila, very well said. Perfect.
In addition,why would someone wants to be an antipinoy? And now Jose Rizal is speculated in actuality as an antipinoy? It’s too sad to observe that few of our professionals here are very negative about our people. It is preferable to directly confront an entity who holds a higher duty to implement good governance for the system to work instead of defaming the culture and the positive attributes of the many filipinos. The facts in the International communities cannot support any antipinoy claim. Why indirectly defame a country where it actually needs a lot of help? The demand for Filipino workers stem from some widely-recognized attributes, namely:
1. Strong will to succeed – Generally able to rise up to the occasion when given responsibilities.
2. English Language Facility . Better English communication skills in comparison to many other nationalities in same category.
3. Family Oriented . Considers work as sacrifices he does to offer a better life to the family. 4. Good Work Ethics . Possesses an inherent capacity for hard work, diligent and well-disciplined.
5. Good team player . Is generally friendly and has a positive outlook in his relationship with other people and co-workers
6. Innovative Worker . Many possess diverse skills and are easily trainable. Ha penchant for finding solutions to problems and challenges.
7. People-Oriented. Can easily adjust to foreign culture and work environment. Has a sound temperament and can cope with the demands and pressure of his work.
8. Warm and Caring. Excel and is recognized worldwide for professions and competencies that require people oriented service and care
If you don’t have those qualities, then it’s your personal problem. Call psycho 111 to get help.
tick tock tick tock tick tock.. 57 days left.. :D
Those things, Leytegirl, that you enumerated are exactly what the Filipinos are. Sadly the anti-pinoys are blind to them because they see only the Filipino pissers on wall, and they’re them, :).
This may be the time to remind everyone. The most anticipated Filipino novel in a century is coming next month. From the excerpt I’ve read and the review by Antonio Hidalgo, Miguel Syjuco has written “Cancer 2.0.”
This Antonio Hidalgo, is he the same person mentioned in a circulating email about a supposed P42 billion scam involving derivatives-like transaction between mass housing developers and govt financial institutions?
I’m talking about the first well-informed, autobiographical novel that is genuinely critical to the Filipino elite.
No malice intended. Please see my comment in Philippine Politics viability or buyability
The same Antonio Hidalgo, just didn’t want to change the subject. He’s a lit professor, writer, etc. I don’t think there’s another one.
Ty.
Brian, how’s the book? Have u had a chance to read it? I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on it…
Coming this April. This could also change Philippine literature, I think.
after 3 days of turbulent discussions at “disgraced” , a hero from the past has come out as if no one can read his books under a coconut tree. Comparing history to the 21st? Your hero will not feed you food on your table. Life’s basic needs do not include a hero. It can be supplemented thru the act of kindness ( and not suicide) which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. This applies to all people not just filipinos. No such thing as anti unless you are a rebel to your ownself. It will self destruct.
This discussion might be boring to have a coffee… ouch!!!! have a good weekend all
Yeah, not big into the notion of heroes myself, leytenian… ;-)
Filipinos today are faced with three choices: do nothing, do what Rizal did, or do what Bonifacio did. Of course, some prefer to just send comments here.
Only three? One can also do an aguinaldo or do like Padre Gatmaytan. Or one can follow the ideas of Mexican Pancho Villa or even Mother Teresa.
very easy saying that, when just the mention of “surge-the-gates” we’re hearing the quaking of knees already, :).
Rizal=educate masses and reform the establishment. Bonifacio=use masses to bring establishment down and put up another one. Aguinaldo? vigilante? He did a Bonifacio. Padre Gatmaytan? educate me, anything to do with condom? Pancho Villa, same as Bonifacio. Mother Theresa? sterile, won’t affect establishment. Comments in FV, goes with Rizal type, but how many names? And sorry, no proxy please.
Or do what we have been doing for decades, sending money home to relatives for schooling, for scholarships in hometown schools, for daily living. And going home once in a while spending money which could have amounted to going to Mexico three times for an all inclusive stay in a five star hotel. If my money is welcome in the Phil. so should my comments. So there.
Well-said, Rosa –keep ‘em comin’!
In fact, OFWs should be given party-list representation. If Migrante is controversial to many in government (not to me), then another group should be found. Absurd that COMELEC wouldn’t even allow overseas registration to be extended. OFWs also don’t get adequate protections in bilateral labor treaties in countries like Saudi Arabia, where their rights aren’t even mentioned in the national labor code. When they end up being abused or on death row, they don’t always get access to legal counsel. I mean, OFWs are not chattel to be exploited and discarded. They r single-handedly responsible for keeping our economy afloat! Of COURSE their opinions r welcome. Once I’m done with my next three blogs, I’m writing about how we might improve their living conditions in systemic ways…
Thank goodness the comments made by some antipinoys don’t represent all OFWs. Otherwise, we’d be REALLY screwed. Meantime, more power to u, Rosa! :-)
Thanks Lila, sometimes I am astonished at how very intelligent people here at FV have this insular mind. I am a big fan of yours and I do learn a lot from your blogs and comments. I have not looked at Phil. news since I left in 87 and only the past year that I have been following it. I was too busy making a life here and I am happy to say I am seeing the fruits of my labor. Now I have more time so that is why I am catching up/reading up on Phil. history, keeping up with news, and following a lot of Filipino blogs. I wish I can get a geology book on Phil. as well a book on Phil. fauna but I have to wait till I get back home. Keep on commenting Joe, a different perspective on things is always welcome.
Lila, I am looking forward to your blogs on OFWs. An article on how they can deal with life in the Phil. once they come home for good would be useful I think – which will include the things that they are entitled to, continuing their insurance contributions, investment opportunities, any business that they can put up etc. would be welcome.
Naku, mammoth na nga ang research ko sa mga OFWs, Rosa. Kaya lang, natabunan nina Villar at Noynoy, at ng mga trolls. But I definitely plan to write about this (and extra-judicial killings) next chance I get…
Btw, what books do u need? Let me know and I can bring them back to the US the next time I go…
Thanks for the offer Lila and if this is really no imposition and bother on your part, I am afraid I will selfishly take advantage of your offer. I am looking for a book on basic geology of Phil. as well as any book on indigenuous plants in Phil. from a naturalist perspective. Please let me know how to send the bill including the fed-ex once you are back here in USA. Thanks and Cheers!!!
Just staying alive, same problem.
Lila,
I can’t wait to hear you blog about OFW, bilateral agreement, employer -employee contract, role of local employer on educating OFW about Saudi’s strict citizen’s law, job pre-orientation on work place environment, and the role of POEE. It will be a good discussion for coffee eh?
Hi, ladies! :-) Rosa, r u coming in April of this year or next year? I’m confused. Kung this year, mauunahan mo pa ako. Sayang lang ang Fedex. I can pick them up for u and give them to u nalang when I see u. Kung next year pa, then I’ll be happy to bring them. But I don’t know anything about geology and fauna, ok? I’ll certainly look, tho…
Haha, leytenian, it sounds like u need to write your own OFW blog too! :D Why not talk about the employer-employee contract? I’m looking at it kasi in terms of diplomacy and international law, as well as legislative changes that need to be made. And POEE! Naku, mahabang usapan iyan. Lunch nalang tayo… ;-)
Lila,
we have to invite the cat for lunch. she has been quiet here for a while but I will highly recommend her to join our discussions on POEA pala. She is probably one of the most highly qualified. I would say better than Joe. hehe…
I’d love to meet The Ca t, L. Especially since she’s the original Tililing Alice pala! :D
Lila,
On diplomacy and international law, we can review. Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995- Republic ACT 8042. . The law clearly states the responsibility of the Philippine State but according to my favorite presidential candidate GIBO, the country lacks the supply of lawyers specializing in international law to represent OFW or to protect our shores including the Spratley. Each country however possesses a determine set of rules and policies regarding tort, contract and criminal disagreement at workplace environment. These regulations may not be entirely fair or in line with our domestic laws . In the US, the rule of law is very strong to work for the people, by the people and of the people regardless of his status( greencard or temporary visa or even illegal alien) or regardless of what contains in the bilateral agreement. If one is injured on the job, an employee or an independent contractor can sue any company directly for negligence ( for example: faulty machinery or lack of maintenance) under vicariously liability. I am not very familiar with the other countries’ rule of law nor has information on their counsels’ ethical behaviour towards foreign workers or even to its own people.
The Philippine state is then solely responsible for its OFW . That responsibility includes Section E of Republic ACT 8042 :
The disadvantages also fall into Article II. ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT of the RepubLic ACT 8042. Please blog about it, am sure everybody here at FV will contribute. You are a good writer and I’m not. :D
I am sure the namecalling will start, but hey, I really like Teodoro’s ideas. I also believ he has leadershp as well as th abilty to work with all groups. Obvously he can work with those currently or previously aligned with GMA administration like NoyNoy, Gordon, Fernando. Teodoro can work with Erap and Enrile, with Biazon and Miriam-Defensor but also with the business community, the military, the less partisan.Go Gibo Go!
Great points, leytenian — thanks. I agree about the dearth of international lawyers in the country. But it’s not specifically related to international law anyway. U see, domestic workers tend not to be mentioned in the labor codes of many countries, so that’s one reason why they have so few protections. I thought Saudi Arabia was unusual, pero hindi pala. The UN has tried to address this in terms of international law by hosting conferences on migration and human rights in the hopes that a convention would lead to a consensus, which could then be normalized into international law. Unfortunately, not too many host countries have expressed an interest in the status of their foreign domestic workers…
Another area one could focus on is bilateral labor treaties. This is where a country like the Philippines could make sure there were protections for OFWs. Regrettably, they tend to be described as products to be exchanged in the free market rather than as human beings with basic and inalienable rights…
This is not to say that OFWs r all domestics; there r many other kinds as well. But their status is the most disturbing, so I think I’ll focus on them when I do work on this…
Lila,
I came across this site : OFW empowerment . The owner of the site might be able to provide you valuable direct information. I don’t know him except he is from the Visaya. And on that link, I was laughing hard on “responses” :D.
The site also has the Republic ACT, the Salient Saudi Law but no information on conflict of interest between public officials and recruitment agencies. There were rumors or allegations before. On POEA DEPT website, there’s no implementing rules and regulations screening the legitimacy of recruiting agencies, either incorporated locally or abroad.
In my view, when recruiting agencies act as middle man, transparency on employee and employer contract may not be fair. It should clearly state who will pay for healthcare benefits or other employment packages. Second, embassies overseas or offices may lack the information on list of employers recruiting filipinos. I can think of many loopholes but maybe next time when we have lunch? : D
or…probably migrate somewhere and enjoy life. I am thinking very hard about it. I did it before and possibly will do it again. So long my Motherland!
Jose Rizal, anti-pinoy that he is, could be any Filipino’s hero. He’s a hero of all time.
But was Renato Constantino, Sr. right when he declared that our task is to make Rizal obsolete?
Constantino’s historiography is now almost discredited.
Yep, there really are myths that Constantino and the so-called nationalist movement somehow perpetuated before. But, as Non-malignant here copy-pasted an excerpt of Constantino’s work on “our task for Rizal’s obsolescence,” the Social Cancer in Rizal’s time still pervades today. So, I think, Constantino may be right in asserting:
(Emphasis mine.)
Of course, we could never achieve 100 percent eradication…
@baycas: agree with blackshama, constantino’s historiography now mostly discredited. read floro quibuyen’s “a nation aborted” (ateneo press) for a deep study of rizal as revolutionary.
“We are still backward, ignorant, and to a great extent, un-free. That is why Rizal can still speak to us with the same sense of urgency and immediacy that he produced among his contemporaries. When he is no longer valid, we shall have become a truly great nation and Rizal will no longer be read for the social truths he can reveal. But to make him obsolete does not mean to forget him. On the contrary, only when we have realized Rizal’s dream can we really appreciate his greatness because only then will we realize the great value of his ideals. When Rizal becomes obsolete, our society will no longer be infected with Doña Victorinas because the triumph of nationalism will make us all proud of our race. There will no longer be any Basilios because each and everyone will consider it beneath his manhood to be concerned only with personal, material success. We shall have no more Simouns motivated by personal revenge. Philippine society will frown on the Pastas and the other fawning and obsequious minor officials whose only interest is to retain their sinecures. A reorientation of our ways and our thoughts along nationalist lines will fulfill the dreams of Rizal and at the same time make them obsolete as goals because the dream will have become reality.” — Renato Constantino, Sr.
Rizal may not become totally obsolete (probably not yet in our country’s near future) because no society can ever be totally perfect. Every now and then through generations, there will always rise people like those characterized by Rizal in his novels. Throughout history, societies — “progressive” or otherwise — are constantly struggling with all sorts of social ills. Like the pathogenic microorganisms in a vaccine introduced to the anti-bodies, these society’s ills are what ironically help societies improve for the better.
I mean societal ills, not social ills.
Rizal is not the proper National Hero. There are more deserving Filipino
Heroes. Rizal was choosen by the American Colonizers for us.
Not true, Rizal was chosen by the Anti-heroes that Nick Joaquin wrote in “A Question of Heroes” These antiheroes are the predecessors of our 21st century AntiPInoys!
Why would a person who advocated for Representation at
the Spanish Cortez, becomes a National Hero? I still dont
believe he is the one. Like Ninoy Aquino becoming a Hero.
Financier of the NPA, and co-plotter of the Plaza Miranda
LP bombing. I will make also my dog a hero.
Rizal was chosen by Taft over Aguinaldo.
“Among other things the Filipino people lacked to make them a nation was a hero – a safe hero, the only safe ones, of course, being dead. Aguinaldo held the highest place in the eyes of his countrymen, as the leader of the recent insurrection, but he was … one who might be of considerable danger to the American administration. It was expedient to establish a hero whose fame would overshadow that of Aguinaldo, and thereby lessen that leader’s ability to make future trouble. … Governor Taft, … at once fixed on Jose Rizal…” (Crow, 53).
Macapili.
Fascinating. You obviously have a great deal of pertinent historical info running around inside your brain, or your computer, or wherever you find it.
Taft is one of America’s more intelligent and interesting people. He did not really want to be President, but served because others, especially Teddy Roosevelt, wanted him to. He wanted to be Chief Justice, for he recognized that the Judiciary is where the soul of a nation resides. When he got done with the Presidency, he worked for the well-being of others, then went on to do his life’s chosen work, in the courts, as Chief Justice, an exemplary man for that time and this; today people see power as a place for self-glorification and self-enrichment, not contribution to social good.
This is a part of the reason why I think moving the Philippines toward a less corrupt, more productive state, ought to start by making the Judiciary a real force. A nation of laws ought to enforce them well, otherwise there is little credibility in those laws.
Joe
JoeAm:
Rotund H. Taft, sometimes ballooning to 300lbs, still is the only US President to have served in the 3 branches of government, plus a stint overseas as Gov. Gen. of Phil. Islands under McKinley. Had clashed with another American hero’s family, Arthur MacArthur, father of Douglas, while in the Phil. Islands.
There is another difference. Rizal and del Pilar left the Philippines because they were being persecuted; the two B’s left the Philippines to seek greener pasture. Malayo ang comparison.
What are the chances that Ping Lacson will do a Jose Rizal? He (claims that he) meets one of the requirements — being persecuted daw. Wonder if Ping has the bravery to return to Pilipinas to risk being tried in court.
And here is another question. What happens if both Pulse and SWS says less than 3-1/2 percente separation among Gibo, Villar and NoyNoy on May 2, 2010, and winner is Go-Gibo-Go. Who will call for surge-the-gates?
No problem there. Wait when the election failed, then see the ‘real mccoy’, the real “surge-the-gates”, the tsunami of tsunamis. My oh my, I am hearing already the quaking not only of knees but chins as well, hehehe.
GsbbyD baka di masisid. nyuk nyuk nyuk.
there are two kinds of soldiers; the foot soldier and the military strategist.
the foot soldier needs to be in the place to fight; the strategist needs only his brain to do honorable thing of restoring industry in war ravaged place of a nation. He can sip coffee in Starbucks in SF or in the Union Station in Washington DC while he disguises himself as a cat. Meantime his strategy is being used in developing business and helping the marginalized segment of the society back in his mother country. Isn’t it that is how scientists are trained?
Besides the coffeshops in the Phils are always crowded any time of the day. Too noisy to think. The waiters are not tipped properly. Dito ibaban kayo o duduraan ang inyong order pag hindi kayo nagtip. :).
The Ca t, I hope you’re not suggesting that those AP guys qualify as military strategists! I see nothing but wasted ammunition there. To extend the metaphor, I think they might more aptly be described as deserters…
Yes, indeed those anti-pinoys are deserters. And while having their dessert in Australia and America, instead of firing live ammo against the enemy of their people, they’re firing duds, mud, and heckles against them.
wasted ammunition really. Unless the hits in their blog which translates to $$$ was the real intent.
I wish lapu lapu is alive, he will definitely cut your thingy off.. :D
Jose Rizal as anti pinoy? Nah…
As a member of the Ilustrado elite, Rizal was a counter-culture chap alright advocating against religiosity, fatalism and other traits of Maria Clara, Elias, Sisa, and the rest of the Pinoy Noli and Fili characters; besides being a political and social revolutionary.
Rizal realized that to fight ignorance and indolence, the key was education and freedom from the shackles of religion.
Hmmm, in these election times, doesn’t Rizal’s galing at talino resonate loudly?
Yep, read it…the myths debunked…
But I quoted Constantino above as I believe some of society’s ills in Rizal’s time may still be pervasive today. Rizal’s dream of reforms then should still be our focus today…
ah okay. agree.
What I mean in my statements is that you do not have to be in the philippines to be able to help.
Unknown to few and to people who belittle their kababayans as second class citizens , there are many Fil-ams who are employed to develop economies Philippines included by simply using their brain power.
Some of them have applied for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship and that is good news (though I have reservations on dual citizenship). But the comment that they are second class citizens really comes from FilAms and not from us here.
Like what my uncle tells me. He was an excellent surgeon from the 1960s to the day he retired in 1985. He told me “no matter how good you are in America, you will always be not good enough.”
Well I do think immigrants to the US are second class citizens since they cannot be elected as President.
Similarly Roman Catholics in England are second class subjects of the Queen, since if they marry into the Royal Family, they ensure that their royal spouse won’t be Queen or King!
But in England and the USA the issue is not that relevant at all.
Pilipinas is best country for Filipinos. Only in Pilipinas a Manobo or Aeta girl can become president of Pilipinas.
love this artcile by blackshama
Hes becoming a favorite.
I can die laughing that the two Bs are being compared to Rizal. and it has become a sublject of the debate or discussion at that. Hmm sana wag lumaki ang ulo ng dalawang eto. Actually, its 3Bs the CaT , there another favorite of mine. Ben K.
Personally, I believe that people just love to do what they love doing. The 3 Bs love bashing the Pinoys imperfection as their way of expressing their love for the country.
While you guys just love bashing them becuase you love the country too
Hmmmm Pilipinas must be very lucky and blessed to have a lot of people who passionately love her .
rego,
Well, I thought BenK and BO are one and the same. My bad?
Joe,
I’m actually in the middle of a research work on Philippine history covering the period from 1896 to 1906. The reason for doing this, I suppose, was finding out I knew very little after reading Constantino and Leon T. Wolfe. When I finished school, I had a very hazy idea of this period. What was planted in my mind was the hand drawn picture of men with bolos and red flags that instilled in me the impression that those events happened a very long time ago. My young mind was then asking why the Americans capture Aguinaldo. Were not the Americans our friends? I did not realize, until lately, that there was already electricity in Manila, an ice plant, a few telephones and a cable connecting the city to Hongkong when these events were unfolding. In other words, the Filipinos fought a modern war and the weapons used were rapid firing guns and breechloading artillery including those mounted on warships made of steel, a far cry from from its predecesor, the ones called muzzle loading cannons and wooden galleons. Now, I’m uncovering some good old photographs of men waging the war, the battles, the wounded, the dead and the POWs. And I am trying to understand why all these were not in my school history books. I still have a long way to go in my research, and have to self-study Spanish, and hope to finished my work in a few more months, but you may already want to see some of my partially completed work: articles and chronology with photographs.
Mac
Pardon my tenses, am really weak on that, and wrote above comment while glancing once in a while the replay of Pacquiao.
Following your blog. Keep up the good work. liked this part
The Patriot and the Elite
we may not be subservient directly to any foreign power, but we are by proxy through our leaders, our attitudes and emotions. Time for change.
Yes, I must say your work is very interesting, macapili! It’s not a period I’ve worked on myself, so I appreciate the opportunity to learn something new… If you’re in Manila, I have a dear friend who teaches Fil-Am history at the Ateneo (or perhaps he’s now shifted to UST? I forget now) and focuses on this very period. U might enjoy shooting the breeze with him…
Also, did u ever see the “Old Philippines” site on Facebook? They had some spectacular photographs of the turn-of-the-century. Pity they got discontinued…
Edward, you’t the kind of supporter does justice to Nicki Perlas… Kudos! :-)
Yes, I’ve seen “Old Philippines”. Some of my collections are similar to theirs. I still have about 2,000 more photos to select from and upload.
Lila,
thanks. appreciate it :D
Mac,
Thank you. I sometimes argue that the past is irrelevant to today, and getting something done is more important, but, man is the past amazing. I spent a little time digging into WWII in Luzon, and was astounded at the determination and ingenuity displayed by the rebels. They took down the whole Japanese infrastructure before the American landing, saving thousands of American and Filipino lives. I’ll check out your research. Good period to focus on.
Joe
Macapili,
Let me first express great appreciation for the historical information you have compiled. I have read through 1899 and intend to go through the other years as well. What rich perspectives you bring to us, the as yet unenlightened. As per usual, I tend to want to read meaning into things.
I was struck by the following two comments:
October 15, 1899
Mrs. Aguinaldo speaks to soldiers assembled in Tarlac: “Were it not a shocking thing for us to wear trousers and to carry rifles…we [the women] members of the Philippine Red Cross – would aid you in the struggle and die by your side, for what would our lives amount to if we should still have to live in slavery? Though I am a weak woman, I can assure you that my prayer is [for] all the Filipino people.”
November 6, 1899
A semblance of autonomous self-government under American protection is inaugurated at Bacolod at the request of the local population, but its bureaucratic failure reverted the town back to American administrative control.
____
There is no doubt that the American government’s views and actions during this time were disgusting, and I am glad that there was at least a core of notable Americans who had a more noble perspective. Second, I would hope that readers recognize that America today is a much less ignorant place.
I am left wondering what is the penalty of pride. Whereas Mrs. Aquinaldo speaks of slavery, the Bacolod experiment in self-rule suggests slavery was hardly the intent. Fears and insults and pride seemed to mix like gasoline and a match – both in the US and Philippines.
I think it was American pride and arrogance, recast as racism, that led to their brutal behavior, and Filipino pride and power-mongering that led to their constant internal bickering, with America responding to the more reactionary factions and the instability they saw. The same residues of pride exist in both countries today, reflected as national arrogance in the US and clanish power-mongering in the Philippines.
I think pride that is wrapped in a need for conquest, or a need to tear-down, is not constructive and ought to be reserved for the sports arena.
Having lived in Luzon for a time, (heh, shopped mightily at the malls in Pampanga) I am stunned at depth of engagements between the US and Philippines in that region over the past 120 years. The fighting your chronicle describes moving from Manila to Tarlac, the Bataan death march and US/rebel collaboration against the Japanese in WWII, Baguio as the American capital, and the Clark/Subic development and divorce. It is rather tragic, to me, that two intelligent nations could be so at odds when their interests are so joined.
Pride. A four-letter word in my book.
Joe
Joe, thanks.
macapili,
With intent of knowing more of my “Island I Was Born Into” and with the vast knowledge of our Pilipino history, along the struggle with the Americans. I am constantly being educated as i pass by your blogosphere. Further, I am deeply touch how our ancestors, their ability to conquer the battle of slavery.
Also, I am deeply indebted how the Americans and the United States of America, for giving me the opportunities, the willingness, for me to achieved, those that have dreamt for. To open doors for us minority, also the greatest institutions in the world.
Both of these Countries gave me so much, to appreciate both sides of life and it’s natures that is so deserving. My people[Pilipinos] and the Americans are my precious friends, for without both, I would have nothing to behold.
Mario,
Very true. And the same applies to me, from the perspective of having gone the opposite direction across the pacific. I did not get a career, but I got a family who mean the world to me.
Joe
I, too, have strong links to both. But I take the McKinley policy in those periods the way I see Obama today with his trouble in getting the Health Care reform due to strong lobbying from business interest groups. Note that the Republican party was in power for sixteen years from 1896. The Democrats took over in 1912.
I agree that Jose Rizal is a bit anti-pinoy. He also described the Filipinos back then as a backward society. But also in the fact that he also had a bit of an attitude of being a self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude towards the Filipinos (could be the Atenean elitist trait hehe). He criticized the Filipinos in his books but didn’t stop there, he became a doctor, educator (for free) when he was banished at some province. His hands also moved for the people he cared for showing that he had genuine affection for the people.
I like macapili’s idea that we question (as some schools are doing) the validity of Rizal as a national hero. I think some schools treat ka-Andres as the national hero who really made the revolution possible and was the powerful force behind it.
We all know that writing is only the first step in the revolution and pushes it (hardly comparable to the AP strategy which demoralizes the people). The proper things to provoke are: thinking, emotion of nationalism (or idealism), anger for the ills in society(not the writer), sense of equality.
Ty to everyone for the encouragement and suggestions. I’ll keep you posted. I’m currently in NJ and will be back in Manila by September.
Coffee
Gat Jose Rizal was the First Filipino.
He was anti-Pinoy but was never a racist against his own people.
Have to ask, how racist are AP?
FreeSince09,
Every time I look at your avatar, you remind of this cartoon character. Now, you have another character sporting “YELLOW” shirt. That’s a good start.
May I call you “BENDER” (Bending Rodriguez) built in Tijuana, Mexico. You do have that same characteristics. It fits you appropriately.
So, before I can answer your question, are you campaigning for Noynoy? I can determine by your higly exuberance expression and all bug-eyed out. Nice avatar. Go Noynoy, yeah…!
Your not having an ectotrophic state or are you?
isn’t broadbrushing Filipinos as “indolent” similar to the “uncle tom” broadbrush of blacks?
The higher form of being AntiPinoy is to be AntiDiliman, AntiUP Diliman for that matter. With the rumpus at the State (National) University, we now see how much the university as regressed, with ideologies propped up as infallible beliefs that guarantee mediocrity. Academic freedom is the casualty.
Joe,
Here’s a portion of the speech delivered by Rosa Sevilla de Alvero at the 1912 Independence Conference in Manila confirming the work of the wife of General Aguinaldo in establishing the first Filipino Red Cross to care for the sick and wounded soldiers:
“Proofs of her (Filipina) patriotism are furnished us by the indefatigable Tandang Sora, the great mother of the “Katipunan”; by General Agueda Kahabagan Ruisefior and other innumerable women whose names now lie in oblivion because of the negligence of the men who wrote the history of our revolution. I say this because personally I saw with my own eyes courageous women working side by side with their husbands on battlefields where about the middle of February of 1899 we served as member of the first Filipino Red Cross, organized by the wife of General Aguinaldo, to bring aid to and encourage the soldiers of the Lolomboy Division, which was quartered a few kilometers from Polo, where the Americans had advanced, driving our troops back to take possession of the towns then held by the Revolutionary Government. The Filipino woman has been always conscious of her duties toward her country. Those who because of the weakness of their sex were unable to fight on the field, sent donation or rendered personal services as nurses attending the sick and wounded or enlisting as army cooks, preparing the meals of the soldiers and furnishing foodstuffs to our valiant combatants, just as we personally did with other companions in Bulacan during the twenty-eight days of the siege of that capital by the troops of General Gregorio del Pilar, from May 30 to June 27, 1898. General del Pilar’s troops were in trenches they dug a few kilometers from the enemy’s place. Many other women did the same thing with other troops in the war zone for, as is well known, the Revolutionary Government had no time to organize supply stations nor hospitals behind the front so that these needs had to be filled often by private initiative aided on many occasions by Filipino women who spontaneously offered their services to the mother country.”
Mac
macapili, Lack of discipline among filipinos? treachery?
it is antiPinoy to present Filipinos in a bad light.
General Antonio Luna resigns in disgust over the lack of discipline in the Filipino army, but Aguinaldo prevailed upon him to reconsider. (General Luna had previously disarmed Captain Pedro Janolin and his Kawit Brigade, but the men, who were from Aguinaldo’s hometown, reported back to Gen Aguinaldo, who made them his bodyguards without General Luna’s knowledge. By some stroke of fate, the Filipino soldiers who participated in the assassination of Gen Antonio Luna in Cabanatuan came from this Kawit Brigade.)
No, I don’t think so, if done objectively without color and sparks.
now thats bring to the point of AP. Who are really the anti pinoy? is rizal anti pinoy? ar eteh 3 Bs antipinoy.
On the other hand very interesting comments or conrtibution from Mac!
Mac,
I hold you solely responsible for my wife getting ticked off at me last night. I was so engrossed in 1898 that I did not pull myself away from my computer to go to bed. To be frank, she considers my computer to be my “girl friend”, in competition to her own standing as my wife. So you did not help my domestic affairs at all.
I must research what happens to Mr. Aguinaldo after he pledges allegiance to the US. I also wonder what happened between March 23, 1901, when he was captured, and April 1, 1901, when he professed allegiance. Why, I am wondering, did he give in. I note that April 1 is April Fool’s day, a day for playing tricks and telling lies to fool people.
You know, you go through the “what if’s” on this. What if the US had held true to Dewey’s informal arrangement to support independence? Would the Philippines be a strong, viable, independent state able to parry Japanese invasion in WWII? What if Mr. Aquinaldo had capitulated before the fighting and hate erupted in Manila? Would the Philippines be a part of the US?
I think June 23, 1898, is very telling, when Dewey says Filipinos are a better race than Cubans. To make that judgment, he would have to hold that Americans are a better race than Filipinos, and it is this inherent racist undercurrent that leads to American duplicity and fuels an anger-stoked Congress to renege on the promises of Dewey and other American officials to support Philippine independence.
I think the fate of the Philippines turned on the racist views of a handful of Americans who were able to manipulate public perceptions and Congress, much as President Bush did in gaining backing to invade Iraq.
Thank you again for this wonderful chronology. I’ll buy my wife a halo halo today, to try to bribe my way back to good standing.
Joe
Joe,
I miss the halo halo. I’ve actually done one “what if” – the Treaty of Paris was not ratified by the US congress. I saw Aguinaldo consolidating the new republic with addition of more provinces in the south including the moroland. But then the Japanese, the Germans, the French and the British – they all had man-of-war in the bay, like sharks encircling the prey. So, I stopped my reverie, entertained no further thoughts, and stayed on course. So back to the story – Aguinaldo took the oath of allegiance to the U.S. to encourage his comrades to give in and save lives, for he knew the resistance was going to fall apart any time. He became sort of a recluse, spent most of his time in his farm. He refused to hold any public office and limited his social life with the veteranos dela revolucion. He came to public view again during the elections for the presidency of the Commonwealth, but lost to Quezon. During WWII, he and Ricarte collaborated with the Japanese, but, unlike Ricarte, he did not take up arms. Ricarte retreated with the Japanese and died in the Sierra Madre mountains. Thanks for your valuable insights. Give my regards to your love one.
Mac
Mac,
Thanks for the follow-up. The main takeaway for me, looking forward and also seeing what I see, is pondering how to build unity amongst the very diverse interests, from city to city, clan to clan, region to region, political party to political party, aristocrats and masses, Catholic and not-Catholic, and on and on. Although there are varied interests in the US, they are generally unified because they put country ahead of their group, but here, the “country” tends to not be so dominant, and the various interests are very “intense”.
See you next blog . . .
Joe
Hmm — fascinating, conversation, gentlemen! Joe, why don’t u blog about Dewey?
If GabbyD and I come in miniskirts (Ding will play the guitar), can we all go for halo-halo instead of coffee? Tayo nalang sa NY, macapili… ;-)
Kudos to our resident historiographer macapili.
I like the whatifs .
What if the cubans did not sink USS Maine would there still be a US Spanish war? If the British chose not to be neutral what could have happened?
I guess the Brits got tired of all the anglo-spanish wars,two things can happen if Brits were not neutral,only a few ships would have come and others would stay at Hong Kong and it would not be a walk in the park for the Americans. Or a combined US-British invasion could have happened.
I guess the Germans will invade the Philippines instead of the Japs.
Ok that is my contribution to the halo-halo magdadala sana ako ng crushed ice.
Joe,
Please do write about Dewey,he was at the right place at the right time,unfortunately Mckinley and his Congress gave him the highest rank in the navy,but did not consider his inputs and unsolicited advice concerning Philippine independence.
PS. Macapili,
was the Filipino american war started by the shooting of a drunk pinoy????? We did not sink a ship like what the Cubans did?
Speaking of anti-landed Pinoy, sumawsaw na rin ang U.S. liberal media sa Philippine elections. The New York Times:
“Though Mrs. Aquino made land reform a top priority, she allowed landowning families to eviscerate her distribution program. Critics say there is no greater example of the failure of land reform than her own family’s estate.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/world/asia/15phils.html?emc=eta1
Phil,
“U.S. liberal media” is a misconception, given the shrillness of Fox, the Wall Street Journal, Rush Limbaugh, CNBC and like-minded conservative bastions of opinion representing largely corporate America and assorted churches. Let us pray Joe Blow and assorted consumers continue to have a liberal voice on their side to keep things in balance. Or wish, if praying does not work for you . . .
Joe
Not to mention a Supreme Court so stuffed with conservatives that it grants Corporations, even if foreign owned, unlimited right to fund campaigns they support. Boy, talk about going for the jugular of public interest in favor of corporate interest . . .
Joe
Joe Am: It is about “… the law of unintended consequences”.
The US Supreme Court’s decision was about “.. if the government can do this (to corporations), then what else can the government do?”. Read the transcript of the proceedings when the US Supreme Court made its decision, the Question-and-Answer began to point to
dangerousthings about how right to censor speech that was being conferred to government. The Federal Election Commission could ban toys/action-figures. And this exchange between Judge Roberts and government prosecutor Stewart:Judge Roberts: It’s a 500-page book, and at the end of that it said “so vote for X”, the government can ban that?
Stewart: Well, if it said “vote for X”, it would be express advocacy and it would be covered by the pre-existing Federal Election Campaign Act provision.
That is any book, Joe Am — authored/funded by the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, Ralph Nader, Ross Perot, John Edwards’ mistress or by an investigative reporter from Cedar Rapids, Iowa or a history professor from Kissimee, Florida.
The US Congress next steps are obvious. Write a law that enables the Federal Justice department to restrict ONLY corporate spending, without the unintended consequences of providing the Federal Justice Department from banning other legitimate acts by citizens.
Joe Am: You are presenting the latest US Supreme Court decision as if the Supreme Court passed a law granting so-and-so to foreign corporations. Congress passes laws, not the Supreme Court.
Think the other way — the US Congress had passed a law which was used by the US Justice Department to prevent the airing of an anti-Hillary Clinton movie during the last weeks of the elections. Just think about that — a movie against a candidate got banned by the US Justice Department — as the then-law allowed them to, so the movie producers sued. And when asked during the Supreme Court interpellation, the government lawyer repeated what was true — the law allowed them to ban a movie FOR a candidate. The then-existing law allows the US Justice Department to ban a movie which says “Vote for Ralph Nader!” or “Vote for Dorothy Margallo!”. The then existing-law allows the government to bank a 500-page book, which in the last paragraph concluded with “Vote For Jo Koy as next governor of California!”.
Unintended consequences — the existing law which had banned Nestle from campaigning for or campaigning against a US senator also allows the US Justice department to ban National Public Radio or a University of Alabama professor to publish a 500-page book on global warming and then close with “Vote for Randolph Gore!”. The law as written was repealed.
US Congress has to pass a better law.
“The main takeaway for me, looking forward and also seeing what I see, is pondering how to build unity amongst the very diverse interests, from city to city, clan to clan, region to region, political party to political party, aristocrats and masses, Catholic and not-Catholic, and on and on. Although there are varied interests in the US, they are generally unified because they put country ahead of their group, but here, the “country” tends to not be so dominant, and the various interests are very “intense”.”-JoeAm
Meaning, Joe, that in America you don’t have the Anti-Americans, while we here have the anti-Pinoys, :).
Good for America, Joe, that Americans, whatever country they’re in remain a true pro-Americans. Some Pinoys are so delicate in the nose that they turned into anti-Pinoys by the smell of foreign soil.
that is so anti-pinoy what you just said, bert, heh heh heh.
americans are such great people that Americans, whatever country they’re in remain a true pro-Americans. Some Pinoys
you mean, mike h, what I said is so anti-anti-pinoy? Hindi naman, just a little. after all, who could be pro-anti-pinoy but the anti-pinoys themselves, heheh.
bert: it sounded like, even though they bombed the hell out of Manila in World War2 that you put Americans up on a pedestal. i don’t think that is you and you justgot super-kind to JoeAm in praising the American gnetic line as you wer pointng fingers at some frm of Fipilno genetic line. miscommunication lang. may balasubas din sa mga amarkano.
Mike H,
Perhaps you should elaborate on your statement about Americans bombing Manila so that we understand your point. Is it that Filipinos were in the buildings and Americans bombed them? Or Filipinos stood back helplessly as America bombed? Or you disagree with the notion that lives are more important than buildings, and the Americans should have sacrificed their soldiers to Japanese snipers hiding within the buildings, thereby preserving the concrete but burying more Americans? Or is it that you know better, 65 years later and from the comfort of your desk, how that brutal war should have been fought? I suppose the people who were there, facing the deadly Japanese bullets, are not relevant to your more cogent thinking.
I’m not sure I get your point, and I certainly can’t see anything constructive coming from the comment. To me it seems like just a continuation of the tired anti-Americanism that pops up now and then as a scapegoat for all that the Philippines has not become.
As for Bert, he is indeed my friend, and I might argue with his thinking, but would never, ever question his patriotism.
Joe
joe am: it is a joke of a point, some will laugh, but those who don’t get it and think, they will do better. You can have phrases that make sense (e.g. are reasonably accurate, are appealingly rational, or are emotionally pleasing to one or more senses). String the phrases together — lo and behold, I can tell myself that I hold title to the Brooklyn bridge.
A few times (with friends, enemies, strangers) before saying yay or before saying nay, you have to pause and ask “Is there a missing sentence in there somewhere?”
Don’t be so in love with America that you’d think they can do no wrong.
There are anti-America Americans, come on already, drink some Batangas barako and wake up! Don’t be so infatuated that you forget that great chess player Bobby Fischer.
Joe has misread the American people. There are lots of anti-Americans in America. You don’t have to import foreign terrorists to create fear in America. There are home grown terrorists, as well as liberal left wingers who do not cease to apologize for America’s sins throughout the world. Unless of course you claim that these terrorists and lef-wingers are the real pro-Americans, in which case, the people they are against with are the real anti-Americans. Which ever way, you choose your side, the other side are either pro-Americans or Anti-Americans.
jcc,
I have not misread the American people, others have just mis-read my comment and re-stated it wrongly in their own words. I recognize there are a lot of anti-Americans in America, and a lot who think that you are unamerican for being a democrat instead of a truely patriotic republican, as per Mr.Steele’s fundraising letter.
My point was that the Philippines is very fractionalized by dialect, island, city, province, state, wealth, church and I suppose other loyalties, whereas Americans tend to bond to country as a higher commitment. It is an opinion, and I could be wrong. It just seems there is an intense loyalty to things, and not a lot of sway or compromise in the interest of the greater national good.
Filipinos derive from their islands, clans, tribes. Americans derive from other countries, and commit to their new one.
Rather like I have committed to the Philippines . . . come to think about it.
Joe
Joe,
It is bound to happen when people superficially read your position. I thought for a while that it was your position only to find out that they read you out-of-context real bad. LOL..
Ah, now, Joe, my friend, it’s clear, you admitted there are also Americans who are anti-Americans. Maybe the anti-Pinoys in America got their lessons from them. But, how about benignO? Are there Australians who are also anti-Australians?
Lila, Thanks. I’m 1-1/2 hours away from NY, but my wife and I will accompany my daughter’s family to a vacation in the west coast. Will be back next month. Is there halo-halo in Manhattan?
Karl Garcia, Thanks. The shoot out happened in Sta. Mesa, not at San Juan bridge. NHI corrected this already, although our textbooks still contain old version. One account says the American soldier fired because he was pissed off by the Pinoy soldiers making faces and acting comically brandishing their weapons. Actually, the Germans, Japanese and the Chinese were working behind the scenes helping the Filipinos. In fact, a German prince was shot dead during a firefight somewhere in Tondo in the company of Filipinos. The Japanese and the Chinese assisted in purchasing arms. Sun Yat Sen was a close friend of Mariano Ponce, who was stationed as Filipino envoy in Japan. It is now clear to me that the government of Aguinaldo was not a “laughable farce.” Mabuhay and Pinoy.
The Victors, like the Americans wrote the Philippine History. They
even wrote the mock up Battle of Manila Bay. In which, Adm. George
Dewey was victorious. We were already ceded (bought) from Spain
to the Americans, during that time. Together with Puerto Rico and
other Spanish territories in America.Filipinos are easily fooled;
still being fooled by politicians and foreign powers.
Equalizer,
That is the danger of history. Believing that today everyone is the same as they were a century ago.
Everyone is a fool at some level because of all the distortions in modern media, and our own weaknesses as humans. This notion that what we know to be true actually IS true leads me to believe that most of us are lunatics, taking as truth what others say.
Americans don’t write Filipino history books today. And it is fruitless to get apoplectic over that war. It is better to build, as Germany and Japan have done. It is better to trash the VFA for the sole reason that it encourages too many Filipinos to look for excuses for not taking responsibility.
Joe
Thanks for the the info, Mac! :)
The term Filipino during Rizal’s time only applied to a small population. The natives then were collectively called Indios. Is Rizal then talking about the Indios or the Filipinos of that time?
Yes, people then were called, as you said, indios, and there were also those called half-caste,or “mestizos” – from intermarriage among indios, chinese, and Spaniards, and there were the whites called insulares and peninsulares. Bonifacio did not use the term “Filipinos,” but Tagalogs and Katagalugan. It was Aguinaldo who gave us the nation called Filipinos after he declared Philippine independence.
I am not comfortable about antipinoy . It’s not commonly spoken nor ordinarily used among filipinos. It can imply hate just like antipinoydotcom. Unfortunately the site can easily spread their negativity and it is definitely a cancer for social networks. A report from New York times today :Hate Sites Grow With Social Networks is part of the center’s effort to raise awareness about hate groups, and the center urges Web users who encounter hate sites, videos or groups to e-mail links to ireport at wiesenthal dot com. The center then contacts Web companies or law enforcement agencies, as appropriate.
We don’t want to help the bad guys.
leytenian: you don’t want to help in getting Gordon elected because then, that helps bongV. BUT… but you of “Go-Gibo-Go!”-thinking would want bongV to help you get a few more pro-NoyNoy voters to change their mind and to vote for anybody else except Noy.
Similarly for the pro-NoyNoy’s. Same for the pro-NoyNoy’s. You want to encourage bongV when he is working to change the mind of the pro-Villar voters.
Hindi ba ganoon ang laro?
haha, i understand Mike H but the internet cannot lure the youth to change their minds to vote for my GIBO. This election is all about grassroots campaign not internet and my GIBO is doing well with it. Wait until the local units starts mobilizing. Over 50% are Lakas Kampi. wink… :D
Haha Leytenian, The Social Network Cancer and the Social Cancer
LOL karl.. :D
FYI
Good news from barriosiete
reynz, says: @barriosiete
March 17, 2010 at 8:57 am
I think barriosiete is getting the handle with this whole “anti-pinoy” matter. Let’s see what reynz can come up with.
I am wondering myself if BenK, BongV and Benign0 are all one, of the same. Don’t matter at this point. Their ass is grass…!
mario,
That’s the worst good news I’ve ever heard!
Bong V = Warlito “Bong Vicente (Florida); Ben K = Benjamin Kritz (Imus, Cavite; cousin of Gordon); and Benign0 = Benedict Ignacio (NSW, Australia). Their websites opened in Shanghai and Arizona.
Some AP members r decent naman. And some r legitimately pro-Gordon without being hacks or paid supporters. But I have just had confirmation that specific ones r on the Gordon payroll, which is not entirely surprising, I suppose. Of greater concern is the fact that some apparently have links to the administration and Manny Villar. The sources are very credible but have asked to remain protected. So at least now we know why they’ve been attacking Noynoy so much and have remained so quiet about Villar. I guess the latter prefers to have others do his dirty work for him so he can remain mabango…
Just so u all know the way the wind blows…
L
BongV for Perlas…kaya, hayan, kulelat.
Ben K for Gordon?…aysus, kaya pala. wawa Gordon.
Kung pro-Noynoy ang mga anti-Pinoys, siguradong talo si Noynoy kay Villar. :)
Is bongV of antiPinoy the same Warlito who is or was Chairman of the Board of the MoveOn Philippines (MOP) International, Jacksonville, Florida, USA? MOP is an organization of Filipino migrants. MOP is active in sending educational materials to schools in Cotabato and other Pilipinas provinces.
Mike H Moveon phils does donate to schools in mindanao provinces.
(http://minland.multiply.com/journal/item/13)
Leytenian,
naalala ko yung donation to websites issues mo.
checkout (moveonphil.org)
New: The new interactive site is under development. Try it out.
Click on the Image anytime to skip the Flash intro and
Enter the READ Philippines website
READ Philippines, Inc is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization registered in the State of Florida
and recognized as a charitable organication under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
READ Philippines, Inc is a proud member
of the Jacksonville Asian American Alliance.
Official PayPal Seal
Well, u should see their financial statements. Bong V, the (voluntary) Chairman of the Board, is also listed as a donor. He donated all of $25.00 (!). Their assets do not go beyond $2000, so it’s not exactly big league…
Lila,
Non profit org can sometimes be used to channel funds for campaign purposes as to take advantage of the tax exempt status and to avoid the illegal act of money laundering. Will explain more of this on Villar concentric musings.
heh heh heh, the two gals here seem to have stepped closer to talangka-mode. I really didn’t expect this. Talaga bang you would trivialize / mang-mamata of a Pinoy who would donate only five or even only a dollar or personal time/effort to support efforts of a USA-based organization that sends help to Pilipinas.
What is the minimum among the special people among Manhattan Pinays and Pinoys, a hundred bucks, heh heh heh.
Hahaha — nandiyan ka nanaman, e, Mike H! Nakakahalata na ako sa iyo, ha? At the rate you’ve been defending Bong V on these boards, u might consider charging him a fee for all your efforts… You’re not his FV ambassador, r u? :D
Basahin mo ang mga financial statements ng Minland — they’re available naman, e. And of course there’s nothing wrong with donating small sums — I’m sure we all do that all the time. The thing is, when we do that, we’re not listed as (PRIMARY) DONORS, and just tend to be seen as some among many other minor donors… So, when I saw him on the short list of donors, I was curious to see how much he had actually donated. Yun pala, $25.00 lang, so why was he on the list, di ba? Does that mean the rest donated even less? The point is: board chairmen, even voluntary ones, r almost never donors as well, because that tends to be seen as a conflict of interest in many circles…
A propos of conflicts of interest, check this out:
http://www.moveonphil.org/index1.htm
See the recipients? Sarangani (home to Paul Dominguez, who Bong V likes, not to mention Pacquiao of Villar camp); Cavite (Ben Kritz/Gordon); Angeles (Gordon); Davao (Bong V); and Maguindanao (we all know who’s from there). I’m not necessarily imputing malice here, but do have to wonder: wala bang nangangailangan ng mga libro sa mga ibang parte ng Pilipinas na hindi pinanggagalingan ng mga barkada ni Bong V? Why not Pangasinan somewhere, say, or some other region? Makes u wonder about other conflicts of interest, is all I’m saying…
As for talangka, pwede ba, no? Both leytenian and I can stand on the merits of our own work naman, puhleeeze. And we definitely give credit where credit is due! Sorry, my friend, but it’s really not here… ;-)
Mike H,
My point was more on ethical behavior. If an individual is kind and shows it by becoming a member of a non profit org, there’s no need to change that behavior online by insulting women. The problem with bongv is he tries so hard to be somebody he cannot be. The last time I talked to him was here at FV and he cannot even defend himself. You know why, he drinks a pink daquiri… LOL
and Mike H, let the girls have fun here at FV and we would gladly tickle you. :DDDD
and lastly, what is talangka in english or bisaya?
leytenian: talangka refers to “crab mentality”. Wikipedia describes “crab mentality” reasonably well — the image is of crabs in a pot, singly the crabs can actually crawl out of the pots. No one can’t because crabs are holding each other back.
You filed your complaint tick-tock-tick-tock-52-days-to-go against antiPinoy dotCom because you believe antiPinoy dotCom violates USA laws. That is not talangka.
Crab mentality? oh i see. It won’t apply to me at all. yeah tick tock tick tock… 52 days more to go. LOL
Karl,
Thank you very much for the info. You are wonderful. Yes indeed,Read Philippines is a legal non profit entity and Warlito, aka bongv is one of their officers. It’s President is Karen Doreen with a California address.
It is very odd and I am intrigued to this organization’s awareness in relation to Bongv’s antipinoy website which is more evocative of hate speech rather than an educational site. Antipinoy site is actually in contrast and in conflict to the core vision of Read Philippines, INC. Does it mean that Bongv is not honest about his true mission? Or perhaps he is happy damaging and defaming the entirety of our race? Or he can be writing independently without knowledge of his peers?
Very curious too on bongv’s task in terms of developing rapport among donators and beneficiaries. Antipinoy is undoubtedly articulating negative behind the organizations back.
Giving books to the poor is an act of kindness but why ANTIPINOY? where’s love and kindness there?
I don’t know Karl.. Bongv maybe enjoying his fink dakwere using his finkie? :D
mike h,
it’s not talangka, but just revealing how some antipinoys fit much into the moulds they create for they ‘pinoys’ themselves: you know, creating organizations of dubious nature for fund recruitments, and help keep their pretense of being productive members of an adopted country, when all they really do is suck up!
note that ngos and charitable orgs provide tax shields. and how well do the antipinoys know about this pinoy ingenuity, aver?
I do not think it is a talangka mode. for me, it is more of a question why donate only so much if you believe in your own charity. Charity begins at home.
There is no minimum donation especially if it is for a non-profit with sec 501 because the donations can be claimed as tax deductible.
Even if he donated more than 250 in cash or in volunteer hours, there is no problem of getting the necessary documentations from the organization.
when bong v was new here in FV, he flaunted that book donation activity as his own. He even had the photo. So now it is an organization not by one person but by several members. ReadPhil is the new name of MoveonPhilippines, a non-profit founded by the Bisdak community in that part of the US.
I think BongV and Jose Rizal are different people. Bong has never insulted me, as he did Lila, so I have no particular axe to grind against him. I appreciated the information he generated while he was writing here, as it helped me understand the Philippines better, especially all that is going on in Mindanao. I never saw him flaunting his charity work, although he did mention it as an example that there are things that individuals can do to take responsibility. He also mentioned ag cooperatives and other steps. He believed (and still believes) that individual Filipinos need to step up to the bar.
Like most AP writers, he has a position, and holds to it. And he can be insensitive in his remarks at times.
Like most of us, he does not have perfection down pat . . .
Joe
Oh yes, he did. That was the time you were not here yet. One of the reasons why I left temporarily is because of the moderation was a mess that bongv dominated the comment box while most of our comments never were posted . I e-mailed nick about it and he wrote back that he was trying to find a solution.
When he informed me that all’s well, I lost already the interest since many have already left.
Joe,
Some of us are getting off-tangent here. This is not about BongV insulting or not insulting anyone. Just to make it a bit clearer, let me cite an analogy to what is happening here.
Supposing that I am an anti-American American, then I kept on saying that Americans are like pigs and dogs living in…well, heaven. Then I will claim patriotism, donating $25.00 to a charitable org that might have been used as a mode for tax-exemptions.
My question to you, Joe: Is your friend BongV’s $25.00 a big deal for love of country?
Bert,
I have no interest in judging another person’s private decisions. Maybe he gives with time instead of money, as I did for a charity in Los Angeles for two years. It is wrong to judge the make of a man on one small bit of information.
Joe
Lila: it is less about bongV, I wll be inclined do the same if insted u began to direct funnily-slantd sntences in the directin of Mnuel Bencamino, jcc, letenian or Abe Margllo. Here is an example — a Lila assertion : The point is: board chairmen, even voluntary ones, r almost never donors as well, because that tends to be seen as a conflict of interest in many circles… I thnk it is only yur intentin to slime Warlito that energize u to make such a pronouncement.
Bill Gates is co-chair of the Bill and Melnda Gates Fundation. Catherine Reynolds is chaiman and chief exective offcer of Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation. I know that Bill Gates and Catherin B Reynolds both have made ovr $20.00 contributin each year to their fundations, and I haven’t heard of any conflict of interest there.
Lila….and I hope that u will not be using as examples sina ex-president Fidel Ramos, Chairman of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation [RPDEV], si Cory – chairman Benigno S. Aquino Jr Foundation, o si Jaime Zobel Ayala Chairman of the Board Ayala Foundation. Maski sabihin mo, hawak mo ang signed affidavits by lawyers or nieces or even children of these individuals who say that FVR or Cory or Jaim-Zobel never gave donations to the charities that they were heading, hindi kapaniwa-paniwala.
And if begign0 or bong were to put a blogcomment on FilVoices saying that pintas ka ng pintas perothey cannot find u makng donatons to Plilpinas, I’ll tell them u may be the same Lila Shahani/New York City who made $150.00 donatn to the Repblicns during last USA persidentil elcetions Kung kayang mag-donate sa USa electins, siguro naman nag-donate dn sa Ondoy.
Huh? I’m not following, sorry. Immediately above, u see leytenian, Karl, Bert, inodoro, Blackshama, Ding, Edward and the Ca t, etc, etc, having all made critical observations about antipinoy as well. It’s interesting to me that u focus on leytenian and me when we were only two of the many commenters. Blackshama wrote an entire blog, in case u hadn’t noticed. leytenian practically accused them of money-laundering; si Bert nga nababahuan, e. So u, too, could be described as selective, see…
I think expressing my misgivings about someone’s motivations (like so many people under this particular blog) is not necessarily sliming. We all express misgivings about all sorts of things all the time here at FV. Sliming, to me, is when u start calling people names. Questioning motivations is standard intellectual procedure, surely. Yet u seem to be more concerned with *who* makes the criticisms rather than the criticisms themselves…
I will continue to say that I am suspicious of their motivations because I am, and that’s my prerogative, I’m afraid. As far as I can see (here in FV and elsewhere), many happen to share that sentiment. They almost never criticize Villar or GMA. Whether or not they attack me personally, I find that suspicious (and those token posts on Villar don’t cut it, set against the overwhelming number of posts on Noynoy).
I suggest u check your facts, Mike H. I am a registered DEMOCRAT and have donated far more than u can imagine to the Ondoy/Pepeng effort. Now that, see, could be easily countered (and is arguably another form of sliming) since it is widely-known that I donated through the UN and other NGOs in NY. Not that I need to justify anything to u or anyone else.
Hindi tayo nagkaka-intindihan, e. Ang point ko: the financial statement I saw was a very odd format (and somewhat rudimentary; looks like it was downloaded from the internet and hastily filled in) and the numbers didn’t make sense at the time. I suggest u look them up yourself. I was already told that I shouldn’t be posting links here.
If Bong wants to come here and defend himself, he is most welcome to do so. But, until then, I suggest u bear in mind that I have just as much right to voice an opinion on any topic at hand as anyone else here. If what u r objecting to is my “outing” of them, I’m afraid that just happens to be my position, so u might as well get used to it. If people r going to attack others on the grounds of their race or gender, etc, under the guise of anonymity, I will continue to make it a point to identify by name and location who they are, whether u or they like it or not. I feel no need to respect the anonymity of people who feel no need to respect the human rights of others, sorry.
Now if we could kindly move on here. Bong’s “efforts” to help the Philippines are significantly less important to me right now than Manny Villar. In case u hadn’t noticed, that’s where my mind is at, and perhaps u might make an effort to engage substantively with me at that level or with respect to any other ISSUE pertaining to Philippine politics. Otherwise, I regret that I have neither the time nor the interest since your loyalties r fairly clear. And u have never once taken me to task with respect to my engagements with leytenian or Manuel or anyone else, even tho I have disagreed with them on specific issues as well. You’re not defending rights here, Mike, you’re defending Bong V, so we might as well agree to differ, and stop wasting each other’s time.
Mike H,
It’s conflicting when a person donate for a good cause and on the other side consistently tells them that they are living in a pigsty. It’s an interpersonal conflict of value. Why donate a book when the teaching is opposite and hostile. Educating a fragile democracy requires nurturing of that value.
mike h, you are lawyering for BongV, so I will be lawyering also for Lila and Leytegirl, :). The two girls I think is correct by saying that BongV’s $25.00 donation was just a token donation, baka mas malaki pa kinita nila as officers ng org na iyon, bukod pa sa tax exemptions. Ito pa, nagbigay nga siya ng 25 dollars, kutakot-takot namang mura ang inabot ng mga binigyan niya, mga baboy at aso raw ang mga Filipinos, kasama ka na doon, mike h…at ako, at sila rin, heheh. Kaya sabi ko, mga perverts ang mga iyon, binababoy ang sarili. Twenty five dollars abuloy ipinagmalaki pa.
Lila: I thought only US citizens can be a registered democrat or a registered republican. eHOW dot com says “When you register, you’ll be given the opportunity to select a political party or remain independent. By registering as a Democrat, you can vote in Democratic primaries to select the party’s candidates.”
I see you’re still fixated on me, Mike. U might want to address all the people above who have taken the time to respond to u too. :D
FYI, my father was Indian and my mother is Filipina: I was born in the US. Because of my Mom, I am entitled to Filipino citizenship. I am therefore a dual citizen and have no interests whatsoever in running for public office in either country, so I am well within my rights to keep both.
Not that any of this has anything to do with what we’re discussing here, but never mind…
Thanks.