…mga nagpuputok ang butsi sa pinoy.
pinoy bashing kapwa pinoy
- otherwise known as the citibank scandal. this clips could be a very nice ring tone. better yet - this should be pass on to those stoopid politicians who tend to enact silly laws, corrupt law enforcement officers or your high and mighty boss that you despise a lot.
i dont think it was pinoy bashing and worse of all i dont think the senator is the best person to advocate its condemnation.
here’s the whole article…
First, it was Filipino doctors. Then, Filipino house helps. The Philippines was even called a “nation of servants.” Now, Filipinos engaged in the illegal mail-order bride scheme are the latest subject of a purported racial slur.
Veteran Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin is the latest addition to a somewhat growing list of personalities blurting out comments that usually end up being perceived as a racial attack against Filipinos.
In his May 12 interview on The Late Show with David Letterman, Baldwin – a divorced father of a 13-year-old girl – expressed his desire to extend his family and have more children.
“I’d love to have more kids. I’m thinking about getting a Filipina mail-order bride at this point or a Russian,” said Baldwin, who has been hailed both by the Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for his comedic role in the hit television show 30 Rock.
Seemingly delivered in jest, Baldwin’s remark caused the audience to break into laughter and prompted the show’s host, Letterman, to respond: “Get one for me [also], for later.”
Continue Reading »
Dubai , UAE Airport Incident
CASE SUMMARY
Ako po si Raquel Dia Regino at ang aking asawang si George Fernandez Regino ay biglaang umuwi ng Pilipinas noong February 22, 2009 galing Dubai upang magdalamhati sapagkat namatay ang aking ina na noon ay nakaburol sa Bongabong Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Kami ay nagtatrabaho sa isang company at binigyan kaming mag asawa ng (2) weeks na emergency leave.
Noong March 6 2009, 10:30pm bumalik kami ng Dubai . Sa aming pagbalik, sakay ng Emirates Airlines habang kami’y palabas ng Exit Terminal 3 Dubai Airport, hinarang kami ng isang Security Officer. Hiningi nya ang aming passport at sinabing ichecheck ang aming bags. Sumagot agad kami, “Yes sure, no problem you can check our bags.” Tinanong namin ang Security Officer kung anong problema sapagkat natural na magtaka kami dahil maraming pasaherong dumadaan na hindi nila iniinspection ang mga bags. “It’s just a normal checking” ang sagot ng Security Officer. Kaylangan daw naming sumunod sa policy nila, dahil kung hindi kaya nilang icancel ang visa namin. Sumunod kami sa lahat ng instructions sa min dahil alam naming wala kaming tinatago.
Dinala ang asawa ko ng Security Officer kasama ang isang babaeng Arabic sa isang side upang icheck ang handcarry bag nya pero hindi ako allowed na kaharap during checking. Sa kabilang side, dinala naman ako para icheck ang mga bagahe ko.
After ng checking tinanong ko ang asawa ko kung bakit chineck ang bags namin, sinabi ng asawa ko na naghinala daw sa mata nya ang Security Officer dahil sa mapula ang kanyang mga mata. Pinaliwanag nya na mahigit (1) week kaming walang tulog dahil namatayan kami at buong biyaheng hindi masyadong nakatulog dahil sa panonood ng movies sa eruplano.
Kinausap ako ng Security Officer at sinabing may nakitang Marijuana seeds sa handcarry bag ng asawa ko. Nagulat ang asawa ko sa sinabi ng officer dahil ang mga butong nakuha sa kanya ay GRAPE SEEDS at hindi sya gumagamit ng Marijuana. Pinaliwanag nya na sa pagkakatanda nya, few months ago kumain sya ng grapes at nailagay nya ito sa bag na noon ay malapit sa kinauupuan nya dahil sa tinamad siyang tumayo para itapon ang buto sa basurahan na malayo sa kanya. Since emergency ang dahilan ng paguwi naming ng Pilipinas, hindi na nya nagawang maglinis ng bag. Ayon sa asawa ko, kung iyon ay Marijuana seeds, kahit sinong tao siguro magiging aware na iyon ay itago at hindi basta nakakalat sa bag.
…mula sa isang puting kiwi
___________________________
I read with a sinking stomach that Telecom, in their infinite wisdom, are moving 250 call centre jobs to Manila which will bring their number of call centre people there to 700.
Must be a money saver…why pay Kiwis a half decent wage when you can get the job done more cheaply elsewhere?
hisssssssssss…………..
I’ve had a lot of problems with email, am on the phone to xtra at least once a week - and it drives me nuts.
It’s bad enough that Telecom/xtra can fail in their service to us full stop, and it’s even worse if that failure is not reflected in a reduced phone bill, but what’s really infuriating is not being able to understand the person on the other end of the line who is supposed to be helping.
Filipinos learn American English and their accents are diabolically hard to understand. They are so heavy!
When I have to call them for help I am always stressed out (because my job is communication and I can’t afford to be offline and incommunicado - that would mean blank pages in About Town!) so getting someone with a voice that a) is almost unintelligible and b) grates, really fires me up. It shouldn’t I know. But it does. Their voices are not just impossible to understand, they are really annoying as well. You know how some accents can be totally charming? Well, these are anything but! They must be the least attractive accents in the world!
And because these people are as close as we get to the actual corporation I allow myself to fully vent my anger…
E.g. after getting someone to repeat something 6 times I will yell in frustration.
I am better with Indian call centres since I saw Slumdog Millionaire, and I can cope with Cairo, but Manila? I lose it!
Wouldn’t it be nice if Kiwis could do these jobs instead of adding to the unemployment.
It’s mental. It doesn’t make sense and it makes me really really mad!!!!
mula sa isang intsik beho…
__________________________
The War at Home
By Chip Tsao
The Russians sank a Hong Kong freighter last month, killing the seven Chinese seamen onboard. We can live with that-—Lenin and Stalin were once the ideological mentors of all Chinese people. The Japanese planted a flag on Diàoyú Island. That’s no big problem-—we Hong Kong Chinese love Japanese cartoons, Hello Kitty, and shopping in Shinjuku, let alone our round-the-clock obsession with karaoke.
But hold on-—even the Filipinos? Manila has just claimed sovereignty over the scattered rocks in the South China Sea called the Spratly Islands, complete with a blatant threat from its congress to send gunboats to the South China Sea to defend the islands from China if necessary. This is beyond reproach. The reason: There are more than 130,000 Filipina maids working as HK$3,580-a-month cheap labor in Hong Kong. As a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter.
As a patriotic Chinese man, the news has made my blood boil. I summoned Louisa, my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell everyone of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China.
Grimly, I told her that if war breaks out between the Philippines and China, I would have to end her employment and send her straight home, because I would not risk the crime of treason for sponsoring an enemy of the state by paying her to wash my toilet and clean my windows 16 hours a day. With that money, she would pay taxes to her Government, and they would fund a navy to invade our motherland and deeply hurt my feelings.
Oh yes. The Government of the Philippines would certainly be wrong if they think we Chinese are prepared to swallow their insult and sit back and lose a Falkland Islands War in the Far East. They may have Barack Obama and the hawkish American military behind them, but we have a hostage in each of our homes in the Mid-Levels or higher. Some of my friends told me they have already declared a state of emergency at home. Their maids have been made to shout ‘China, Madam/Sir’ loudly whenever they hear the word “Spratly”. They say the indoctrination is working as wonderfully as when we used to shout, “Long live Chairman Mao!” at the sight of a portrait of our Great Leader during the Cultural Revolution. I’m not sure if that’s going a bit too far, at least for the time being.
Ang importansya ng edukasyon sa mga Pilipino.
Ilan lamang ito sa mga tanong na gusto kong sagutin subalit hindi ko malaman alin sa kanila ang dapat unahin
Magkano ang presyo ng edukasyon sa Pilipinas?
Sa pribado o public schools ba dapat magsipagaral ang mga bata?
Ano ang seguridad ng mga estudyante habang sila ay nagaaral?
Ano ang naibibigay ng gobyerno sa edukasyon ng Pilipinas?
Kalidad ng edukasyon?
Hindi ko alam papaano at saan ko sisimulan ang usaping pang edukasyon sa Pilipinas. Dahil sa magulo at buhol buhol na pamamalakad dito. Hindi ko tuloy malaman alin ang mga dapat unahin o i-prioridad. Bakit nga ba may private at public schools? kapag sa private ka nagaral ang ibig ba sabihin ay mas mataas ang iyong matutunan at paghahanda sa buhay?
Siguradong sa private schools ang halaga ng pagaaral ay doble sa buwanang suweldo ng isang amang nakakatangap lamang ng Php 9,000 sa metro manila. Elementarya pa lamang po iyan, papaano ang sa High School at College. Wala pa rin ang taunang mga kwaderno, libro, school projects, educational trips at iba pang gastusin. Ganunpaman, ang tamang pagaaral ay hindi dapat maging panindak sa mga magulang.
Kapag basic salary nga naman ang kinikita ng ama ay mapipilitan hati-hatiin ito sa buong pamilya. Paano kung higit sa isa ang iyong anak? Kahit na nga ba ang ina ay nakakatulong din makalikom ng pera sa pamamagitan ng pananahi o bilang beautician o kaya’y kubrador ng jueteng. Kapos pa din ito sa baon ng bata, pagkain sa bahay, pamasahe ni tatay, kuryente at tubig sa bahay. Hay naku saan nga pala kukunin ang pang bayad ng renta sa bahay at yun pang bonding moments ng pamilya tulad ng pagpasyal sa Mall o kahit sa Luneta.
Sadya bang mas mahirap ang buhay ng may pamilya kesa sa Grade 5 History, Chemistry, at Integrated Calculus. Mayroon din ba ganyang subjects sa public schools, colleges at universities? Ganun naman pala, e bakit may private schools pa?
If I were the president of this country… then I should not prioritized the education as done by previous His/Her Excellencies. Pwede ba magmura ang presidente? Tut!@# Tut$%^&. We have 41,995 Barangays, 1,494 Municipalities and 136 Cities. The news said that the education budget for 2008 is Php 149,000,000,000 only. By simply doing addition and division you will end up with this value of Php 3,426,153. Hindi ito sapat sa kada eskuwelahan ng barangay subalit malaki rin ito kung hahayaan lamang kung kani kaninong bulsa ito mapupunta. Ang suweldo ng mga guro, pananatili ng paaralan o konstruksyon nito, donasyon ng pribadong tao o kompanya, ang nalikom na pera ng munisipalidad at cities ay saan nga ba nangagalin at napupunta? Ang importante ay namamalagi ang mga paaralang ito sa mga barangay at patuloy na pinakikinabangan ng mahihirap na estudyante.
Ang mga public elementary’s, high school’s at colleges ay palagi na lamang nasesentro ang usapan sa budget o perang inilalaan ng gobyerno dito. Sadyang pera lamang ba talaga ang importante sa mga lider na ito. Sa ganang akin, hindi na ito prioridad huwag lamang kakaligtaan at nanakawin. Mayroon matatag na distribusyon ng sistemang inilaan sa pananalapi na dapat ay magpatuloy at madagdagan.
The quality of education, structures and security of students should be address and reform. Immense planning, implementation and proper order by the government are precedent for urgency. Siempre kapag may bagong programa may perang pangangailangan at higit sa lahat may makikisawsaw, mananamantala at magnanakaw.
Una, tapusin ang pagsulpot ng mga pribadong paaralan. Saan ka naman nakakita ng paaralang malaki lamang ng kaunti o halos kasing laki lamang ng lupa sa mga subdivision. Ang istraktura nito ay bago at airconditioned subalit kasing laki lamang ng istraktura sa ayala labang village. Susmeo, hindi sapat ang dahilang mas bago at maganda ito kesa sa public schools. Malinaw na ang prioridad ng mga private schools ay ang kumita at hindi ang quality at security. Kayong mga middle class akala nyo ba nakikinabang kayo sa mga paaralang nabangit? Nakakatuwa po kayong pagmasdan sapagkat ang hinahabol ninyo ay ang kategorya at pangalan ng iskwelahan.
Ikalawa, itakda sa batas. Nabasa mo ba ang librong ginagamit ng iyong anak? Ito ay nasusulat sa filipino subalit ang ehemplo at aral nito ay sumasalamin sa lahing indiyano (Indian national) sapagkat ang publishing nito ay pagaari ng banyaga. Ganun din ito sa mga Intsik, Amerikano at British. Para akong sinampal ng paulit ulit… naitanong ko tuloy sa aking sarili, bakit wala na ba talagang halaga ang maging isang pilipino? nasaan ang aking sariling kultura? Hindi naman masama kung ang subject ng bata ay History subalit ito ay GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct). Itatakda ng gobyerno ang pinal na basehan at angkop na pagtuturo at edukasyon.
Kasama din dito ang pagdikta ng sukat ng lupain titirikan ng paaralan at paglimita sa strukturang gagawing silid paaralan at pumapalibot na establishimento at mangagawa nito.
Isipin ninyo kung ang mga establishimentong pumapaligid sa paaralan ay naangkop sa mga estudyante. Mayroon pang alalahanin ang mga magulang? Ano kaya ang epekto kung ang mga mangagawa nito ay siya din mga magaaral?
Restaurants
Internet Shop
Recreation and Gymnasium Bldg
Bookstore
Grocery Shop
Books and Newspapers Printing Shop
Park and Hotel
Drugstore
Others
Kung ang mga paaralan sana ay tulad ng mga malls na nagsusulputan na parang kabute.
Ipapagamit ng gobyerno ang kanyang lupain na hindi liliit sa 100 Hektarya upang pagtayuan ng aprubadong desenyong paaralan, dormitoryo at mga establishemento. Ito ay ilalagay sa kada probinsya at ang bilang ay depende sa laki ng una. Maaring mamumuhunan ang sino mang isang pribadong tao o kompanyang pagaari ng Pilipino o kasyosong Pilipino.
Ang buwis na umiiral dito ay kokolektahin (10%) at gagamitin (90%) sa pagsubsidiya ng halaga ng matrikula. Ang halaga ng pag-aari ng gobyerno ay hindi bababa o hihigit sa 50% hatian. Dito rin mangagaling ang garantiya (10/90) ng mababang matrikula subalit mataas na kalidad ng edukasyon.
Private Schools Average Tuition Fee - Secondary (annual) and College (per semester) level.
Php 16,000
@ 10% Gov’t Taxes (Assumed)
90% Subsidy
@ 50% Profit Share (Gov’t)
90% Subsidy
Proposed Tuition Fee
Php 7,280
Mode of Payment
@ 10 months for high school
Php 728 monthly
Php 1,820 quarterly
@ 5 months per semester for college
Php 2,912 - 40% downpayment upon enrollment
Php 1,456 - 20% Prelim
Php 1,456 - 20% Midterm
Php 1,456 - 20% Final
Ikatlo, paguubliga sa kinikita ng munisipyo, pondong inilalaan sa DECS, congressman at senador at higit sa lahat ang kinokolektang buwis ng BIR. Sapat ito upang ipaayos ang kasalukuyang paaralan at pagtatayo ng mga bago sa mga liblib na barangay.
Masuwerte tayo at naipagawa ng mga sinaunang lider ang pagpapatayo ng mga ito sa bawat barangay na may malaking espasyo. Kailangan lamang paunlarin natin ito sa tulong na nilaang pondo sa DECS. Hindi ba kayo kinikilabutan sa paghahangad ng computerization ng ating eleksyon. Gayong ni isang computer ay wala ang mga paaralang ito upang pagaralan at gamitin.
Tapusin na natin ang tila habang buhay na pagtitiis kung sa kasalukuyan ay kaya nating wakasan ito sa loob ng lima o sampung taon lamang. Ang maganda at mahusay na pananaw bilang pundasyong maipapamana sa mga susunod na Pilipino ay may kaakibat na pagbabago. Ang kaunlarang ito ang siyang nararapat sa magagaling na mamayan. Hindi lamang iilan ang makikinabang nito, lalong higit ang mga namumuhunan sa pagpapalusog ng Pilipinas.
Sadyang malinaw na ang edukasyon ang sandata at ang mga estudyante ang kawal sa hamon ng mundo.
For generations of pinoy si General MacArthur na siguro ang pinakarespetadong amerikano kailanaman. Isa sa pinakakilalang general sa buong mundo na ginagalang ng mga asyano. Pero sa kadahilanang siya lamang ang nakakaalam Arthur MacArthur (ang kaisa-isang anak ni General Douglas MacArthur) chose to disassociate himself with the image and memory of his father.
General Douglas MacArthur, his wife and son, ca. 1950
Arthur MacArthur IV
Born in Manila on 21 February 1938
William Manchester, wrote about the famous
general’s son: “Apparently being a MacArthur was too much; after his
father’s death Arthur moved to the other side of Manhattan and took an
assumed name. His identity thus concealed, he lived for his music, a
fugitive from his father’s relentless love.”
Aurthur MacArthur apparently does not WANT to be “found” nor does he have any apparent interest in his legacy. If he is indeed marching to a different drummer – which seems to be the case - he is undoubtedly doing so by his own design. We must therefore assume that he is, at the very least, satisfied with the choices he has made or else he might reassume his true identity and perhaps reveal himself now in his 60’s.
If this kind of radical anonymity can be called happiness, well, so be it. Different strokes for different folks.
Presumably however, in spite of all the unanswered questions, Arthur MacArthur (or whoever he is calling himself these days) is still alive - somewhere.
His life could be an interesting movie plot, possible title - ” Flags of my forefathers” or ” I shall NEVER return”.
Read more articles about the search for him here and here.
(Share ko lang ang email na natanggap ko galing sa isang kaibigan)
Maganda rin naman ang naidudulot ng pagiging prangka ni Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Ayon kay Santiago, marami ang tumatakbong Senador dahil sa laki ng budget na ibinibigay sa kanila kada buwan.
Lumalabas na P35,000 suweldo nila kada buwan ay pakitang-tao lang sa milyun-milyong budget ng bawat senador. Kada buwan ay may Fixed Monthly Budget ang bawat Senador ng humigit-kumulang P2 Milyon.
Sa opisina pa lang nila ay humigit-kumulang P500,000 and budget nila sa Maintenance and Operating Expenses (Rental, Utilities, Supplies at Domestic
Travels) at P500,000 para sa Staff at Personal expenses. Kaya para makatipid ang ibang Senador, kaunti lang ang staff na kinukuha nila. Nagtataka ka pa kung bakit mayroong mga Ghost Employee?
Bukod diyan, may P760,000 allowance pa sila kada buwan para naman sa Foreign Travel. At ang masakit pa nito, hindi na kailngan i-liquidate ang mga resibo ng mga gastusin ‘yan kundi Certification lang ang Requirement.
Heto pa, lahat sila ay Chairman ng mg Komite sa Senado. Ang Committee Chairman ay tumatanggap din ng budget na sinlaki ng tinatanggap ng mga Senador na humigit-kumulang P1 Milyon din! Hindi sila mawawalan ng Komite dahil 24 lang ang ating mga Senador at 37 naman ang Committee sa Senado.
There’s food for everybody ‘ika nga! Lumalabas na doble ang kanilang benepesiyo at kita kapag sila ay nabiyayaan ng Committee Chairmanship.
Sa P200 milyon na Budget para sa Pork Barrel ng mga Senador bawat taon, awtomatikong may 10% na S.O.P. o kita ng Senador na P20 milyon. Ito ang porsiyento na ibinibigay ng mga kontratista sa mga Senador na nagbibigay sa kanila ng mga Infrastructure at Livelihood Project.
Bago matapos ang termino ng isang Senador, kumita na siya ng P100 milyon sa Pork Barrel pa lang. Yung ibang Senador mas gahaman, hindi lang 10% kundi 20
- 30% ang komisyon hinihingi sa mga kontratista.
Pansinin niyo na lang ang pagbabago ng buhay ng ilan sa ating mga Senador simula nang manungkulan sa puwesto. Kung dati ay simple lang ang kanilang pamumuhay ngayon ay nakatira na sila sa mga eksklusibong subdivision, maraming bahay sa Pilipinas at abroad at mahigit lima ang sasakyan.
Ngayon nagtataka ka pa ba kung bakit gumagastos ng daan-daang milyong piso ang mga Senador sa kampanya para sa isang posisyon na P35,000 lang ang suweldo kada buwan? Bawing-bawi pala ang gastos kapag naupo na!
ANG SARAP MAGING SENADOR ! ! !
orihinal na pinaskil DITO.
“Kaniya-kaniyang Rizal…”
–Cris Villanueva in Bayaning Third World–
Today, the Philippines, as always, celebrates its national hero’s 147th birthday. As always, renowned politicians, attention-hungry statesmen, and a wild caboodle of TV-familiar faces who are in control of government and business are all over public plazas frothing out “nationalistic” fervor in relation to Rizal’s life, works, and influence. This will continue on and on and on, a vicious and aching cycle for a nation attuned to the vices of modern technology.
Nowadays, who cares about Rizal? Who reads him? I mean, who really reads him? Would an avid Rizalian be able to share his heroism towards the masses who would rather pay more attention to bring food to their homes at least twice a day? Ambeth Ocampo does, but mostly towards students who are affluent enough to be able to enroll in posh schools like La Salle or the Ateneo.
But here lies the question: why is there a need to study Rizal? For the simple reason that he is the key towards identifying the Filipino national identity. Not that he was the first Filipino (in a way, he was, in the romantic context of León Ma. Guerrero), but whenever there is a mention of Philippine history, this Calambeño will easily come into mind. Besides, Rizal did have something to do with national identity; he lived in that identity which was later lost when we were invaded in 1898 and which, up to now, our generation is still looking for (or is it?)
Rizal, as well as his contemporaries, but especially him, knew where he stood. National identity was never a dilemma nor a mystery for him. Nor was it a mystery for the rest of the Ilustrados and majority of Filipinos. Knowledge of national identity is power. And with this, Rizal and the rest of the Ilustrados had knowledge of this power; the only problem was some of them didn’t know how to use it.
The scenario today is twice as frightening: we don’t know our true national identity, thus we are powerless.
Since Rizal, among other venerated people of the past, is the most conspicuous and most widely known throughout the islands, it is but wise to use him as the key to opening that treasure chest of knowledge of our national identity that has been long searched for and debated.
But there is yet another problem: Which Rizal should we use?
This realization behind the mystery of Rizal was raised upon watching the last scenes of Mike de León’s film biopic Bayaning Third World (winner of the Gawad Urian Awards 2000).
At the end of the movie, Cris Villanueva’s character, which was dumbfounded behind the controversies surrounding Rizal’s retraction, couldn’t help but mention “Kaniya-kaniyang Rizal” (each has his own version of Rizal). This was a result of his and Ricky Daváo’s character’s frustration over their unresolved search for the truth behind Rizal’s retraction from Masonry.
Did he or did he not retract?
Standing on top of the heap of all this controversy was a Vincentian from the San Carlos Seminary, Jesús Mª Cavanna, C.M.
Several decades ago, he published a massive tome: Rizal’s Unfading Glory (a Documentary History of the Conversion of Dr. José Rizal, 1956). Cavanna’s brilliant defense that Rizal did return to the Catholic Church seemed up to now unbeatable. In the book, through the strengthening of the “Rizal did retract” postulation, Cavanna virtually stripped Rizal’s novels and vitriolic essays off every trace of heroism. Indeed, what is so heroic behind irresponsible calumnies against an institution which technically created a nation? But the gist of the book is that Rizal’s heroism may be found in the retraction itself — he fought for what he thought was evil, unjust. He aligned himself against forbidden secret societies, read books that were included in the Index of Forbidden Books. All this he did for love of country. The retraction he did for love of God.
In view of the foregoing, the truth behind Rizal’s retraction is terribly crucial: if he didn’t retract, that only goes to show that everything he wrote against the Catholic Church, no matter how baseless and Satiric, were true. That would have given Christianity in the country a gaping hole. That could only mean that Dan Brown is right about the Church after all. On the other hand, if Rizal did retract, what’s all this talk of Rizalian heroism during his birth and death anniversaries?
No matter how strong Fr. Cavanna’s evidence is, skeptics remain. Thus, it is up to the historian in general and to the Rizalian scholar in particular to finish this discussion once and for all. We may never know where Bonifacio was exactly buried. We may never know where the first cry of revolt was made. We may not even know the real reason behind Gomburza’s execution. But with Rizal, perhaps the most self-documented Filipino hero of all time, everything to know about him is all set on the table; all we need to do is to have a discerning eye, a conscious mind, a relaxed judgment of facts.
Not to mention a huge amount of patience and time.
In order to know Rizal, we should follow and faithfully observe his life. One step at a time. In order to know Rizal, we have to get into his mind.
To the historian and Rizalian scholar lies the brunt of responsibility. He must think and feel like Rizal. He must follow his every movement — from his childhood days in Calambâ to his misadventures in Biñán. From his poetic youth in Manila to his sojourn in Singapore and elsewhere. From his cold lonely nights in Europe to his peaceful days in Dapitan. From his final moments in Fort Santiago to Eternity.
He must think like Rizal. He should literally read all the books Rizal read, page by page, word for word. After reading, the Rizalian should learn how to daydream like Rizal, and how the latter felt after reading the triumphs of his literary heroes. Was it a feeling of triumph, of wild ambition, of a realization?
He should feel like Rizal: meditate on the heartaches and the pains of a broken heart, from Batangas all the way to Europe. He should discover how Rizal felt when he secretly left his parents on his way to the Old World.
He should be able to answer why Rizal hated the very institution which nurtured his hunger for knowledge, and quenched his thirst for the sciences. Why did he rebel against those who supported his desire to make love with the arts and letters?
The Rizalian should know the hidden fears, excitement, and awe that Rizal must have felt upon entering the Lodge door. If the need arises, the Rizalian, if religious, should make a pact with God before entering the Lodge just as to know more about the evolution of this Renaissance Man from Calambâ. Within the Lodge lies so many answers behind the evolution of Rizal’s rebellious character later on in his life.
The Rizalian must learn how to talk to God, for that was how Rizal was: deeply spiritual man despite his Masonic degrees. And in this spiritual puzzle, the Rizalian must be able to delve in order to solve it.
He must undergo a lot of challenges. He must undergo a transformation. He must become José Rizal. Because Rizal was never human. First and foremost, he was a man, sent by God to challenge our iniquities in these direst of times.
All this the Rizalian must face — if he wishes to finally decipher Rizal and his religious conversions. Only an end to this retraction hullaballoo will finally get rid of the rust that has encrusted our “key” which can open the age-old chest hiding our national identity…
For each Filipino cannot have his own version of Rizal, nor he be allowed to have his own fancy of the national hero…
We should only have one Pepe Rizal.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
dagdag ko lang n’to - supercool!
Gerry Alanguilan finally show a one page teaser art for his new graphic novel series “The Marvelous Adventures of the Amazing Dr. Rizal “, which is still been on hold for some reason and I know everyone here are excited to read the whole graphic novel. more news from Gerry’s blog at http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/430
Below is an open letter of Sass Rogando Sassot, a transgender woman, who experienced discrimination at one bar in Makati.
PEOPLE LIKE US
An Open Letter of a Transgender Woman in the Philippines
[25 May 2008 / Sunday / 6.04 AM to 6.45 AM]
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt
My friends and I have been made to feel inferior approximately five hours before I wrote this letter. I’d like to sweep this incident under the proverbial rug but there is no more space to accommodate it.
On the 24th of May 2008, my friends and I were celebrating the anniversary of our organization the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), the first transsexual women’s support group and transgender rights advocacy organization in the Philippines. We settled to celebrate it in Ice Vodka Bar, located in Greenbelt 3, 3rd level Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila. It was my first time in that bar. Two in our group have been there before and they had nothing bad to say about it.
There were five of us. I was leading the way. The bouncer stopped us. I asked why. His reason was we were dressed “inappropriately”. We were rather dressed decently, tastefully, and most importantly just like any other human being who lives her life as female 24 hours a day.
I asked for the manager. The bouncer was nice enough to let me in. The manager, Ms Belle Castro, accommodated me. I don’t know if I spelled her name right. I asked for a business card but she had none available. Her telling feature though was her braced teeth.
I complained. Ms Castro listened to me. I found her sympathetic, even respectful as she addressed me all throughout as ma’am. She told me the following:
1. (Referring to my friends, and obviously to me) That “people like them” aren’t allowed in our bar every Fridays & Saturdays;
2. That that was an agreement between all the bars in Greenbelt (she particularly mentioned their bar, Absinthe, and Café Havana) and Ayala Corporation, the company which owns the Greenbelt Complex;
3. That the reason for this policy is: “Marami kasing foreigner na nag-kocomplain at napepeke daw sila sa mga katulad nila.” Loosely translated in English: “There are lots of foreigners complaining because they mistake people like them as real women”; and
4. That they have a “choice” to implement the policy.
I felt terribly hurt and uncontrollably agitated. This transphobic act is not the first time that it happened to me, to my friends, to people like us. To say that this has become almost a routine is an understatement.
I have shouted at Ms Castro several times, asking her why I’m f***ing experiencing racism in my own country and what gave f***ing foreigners the right to demand to block people like us to enter bars in our very own country.
Ms Castro tried to hush me by pulling the “It’s our choice card” and asked me to talk decently. I am not proud at all of using the F-word as my intensifier and of letting my emotions ran raw and wild. My warm apologies to Ms Castro for losing my cool. Just like any of us, I know, she was just doing her job.
This may not be the proper forum to raise this concern. But is there any reliable legal forum to address this issue? Reality check: there is no antidiscrimination law in this country. And if you’re discriminated, there seems to be a notion that you’re supposed to blame yourself for bringing such an unfortunate event to yourself.
So, I’d just stand up through this open letter.
I am standing for myself. I am standing for people like us. I am standing up because I, am, very, tired of this incivility. We have long endured this kind of treatment for far too long. Enough.
I’ll not go as far as campaigning for a boycott as it is definitely the simple workers that would suffer from any loss in revenue such an act may cause.
People like us would like to be treated just like any other human being. Just like those foreigners who complained about our existence: With dignity.
You know the civilized and ethical thing to do: Stop discrimination in your establishments.
Bigotry is never ethical nor a sound business strategy.
Warmly,
Ms Sass Rogando Sasot
Sass is one of the founding members of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) [www.tsphilippines.com], an Associate Member of Transgender ASIA Research Centre, and a member of Ang Ladlad Party.
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this part of the letter caught my eye “….there is no antidiscrimination law in this country.” - is it true? then shame on our politicians.
more info on this incident and some updates here.
