The Filipino Story of Our Time

Whoa, the things we receive in the mail. This letter was originally sent to an association here in the Philippines but the letter writer somehow came across this blog and also sent the letter to us (igorotblogger@gmail.com).

The letter is libelous and maligns the reputation of the subject (she comes from the Cordilleras ha) so I edited out her identity and some other portions. The letter writer also attached some pictures which, if it were a part of a movie, will be slapped with either a Restricted or an X-rating.

It is interesting that I came to sympathize with both the woman and the letter writer. I sympathize with the woman because her story is the Filipino story of our time: she is a professional and in fact comes from a noble profession, left her family to become a domestic helper abroad, and maybe played around either out of need for human companionship or to earn more money (maybe it was both). I also sympathize with the man because, if his story is true, he may be a good example of a “victim of love” if ever there is such a thing. Heck, he appears to have been so hurt such that he goes to the extent of writing to associations and persons he doesn’t know just so he can get back at his lady love.

Anyway, here’s the letter. Make what you will out of it. As mentioned, it was edited to protect the identity of those involved.

Dear Principle and dear tecaher,

I am sorry to attached such a shame story and pictures for your association for your record and reference. I hope your end can help me to grant me back the lost from this lady of which she was working in Hong Kong as a Domestic helper but she is the member of the xxxxx in Hong Kong and Philippines too.

This lady name is xxxxx. She is a big liar and she betray the love of me and she also lie to her husband too. During her nearly 4 years service as a Domestic helper in Hong Kong. She have more than 3 to 4 boyfriend xxxxx. I was the last victim. I have the proof and the receipt of her loan payment that I am the one to offset for her. She told me that she was separated with her husband xxxxx this mam working for xxxxx in according to her information provide to me while we start our xxxxx relationship in Hong Kong 1 year ago. She told me that her husband have xxxxx illness and desease that why she left him to Hong Kong but the fact is she never leave her husband and never separate at all. she just make use of my mercy heart to her she tell lie make alibas and bola bola during she stay in Hong Kong and I gave her support and allowance for her kids. I have all the evidence in Hong Kong. 3 weeks ago she went back to Philippines and being terminated by the new employers only day because her ex-boy friend looking for her too. she is very bad and back to xxxxx. she lives in xxxxx.

xxxxx. I am sorry to tell this story because I am very hurted and Saki. sorry my philippines language no good. I am an USA citizen and a businessman with large garment set up in Shanghai. Money lost is not a big propblem but she betray my love to her.

It is a real shame to her family and nation and kidas and husband and all relatives and friends. If she is honest suppose she and I can be very nice and I can take her for buhay but she is lie then what is the moral there in philippines Shame. If she really separated with her husband then this is true love. I believe her that why I am not the third party in between. But the fact telling me that she is with the husband still have the sex relationship therefore she is a liar to everyone. She cannot lie to God.

Please kindly help me get in touch with her and her husband. Her phone number is xxxxx.

I will highly appreciated if your asscociation can email me the outcome by return. I appreciate that greatest help for the aforesaid issue.

Kind regards,

xxxxx

Stories like this will continue to happen as long as the government maintains its policy of exporting Philippine labor as the solution to the numerous problems that we face as a nation. Government a.k.a. Gollum Macapagal-Arroyo: “Rapid population growth? What rapid population growth? It’s good for the Philippines to be a baby factory. We can always send them abroad when they grow up. Unemployment? No problem, we can send the unemployed abroad. The doctors will become nursing aides, the teachers will clean toilet bowls, and the engineers will be janitors. Poverty? What poverty, well even if there is poverty in the Philippines we can always send the poor abroad, they will send back dollars to their families so they can eat cake. Of course, those dollars will prop up my government so me and my ilk will rule forever and ever. Filipinos won’t complain about the scandalous distribution of wealth in the country because they can always go abroad. A perfect solution to a revolution. Basta, Gollum Jr. will also become President someday. It is written and so it shall be done. Bwahahaha.”

In the meantime, Filipino families will continue to get broken. And lovesick Chinese/Arab/etc. men will continue to question the morals of Filipinos. Heck, even the non-lovesick ones do question the morals of Filipinos.

Anyway, here’s our advice to the Chinese businessman who sent us the letter: Move on. Forget about her. Forget about contacting her. If she is back with her husband, then set her free. In fact, set her free even if she is not back with her husband. Why? Because it will release the bitterness from your heart. And it’s not good for anyone to be bitter. It’s definitely not good for your health and well-being. Good luck.

Wow, I became a love counselor without meaning to.

A Kankanaey Love Song

You gotta love this video. It is simple but meaningful and heartfelt. It is one of my favorites. It helps of course that the model is beautiful (she should have joined Starstruck) and the singer himself looks quite good.



Okay, for those of you who don't speak Kankanaey, the song is about a man's unexpressed love to a woman because the woman comes from an economically better-off family. This might sound silly in 2006 but I think it is a common story in the elder days.

Credits for this video go to: Jefferson Anton (performer), Andrew Paulino Jr. (lyricist), and Jun Garcia (producer). Great job and more power to you all.

How to Spot an Ibaloi

Ooops, I missed this comment from "sahiy ya ibadoi ngo" which I think deserves a post of its own. If you remember, we made a post on How to Spot an Igorot several months back and "sahiy" added his/her tips on How to Spot an Ibaloi. Here it goes:

1. They are the guys who stay near the walls of a room in a social gathering, and just smile (ngishit) when asked to go in front.

2. They point to one another when called, (sikam ga!).

3. They say "eh eh" instead of "I'm sorry".

4. They always use the word "timing".

5. They have "wat wat" on the inside pocket of their jacket carried on one shoulder, and a toothpick protruding from their mouth -- this is when they come from a party.

This may be reinforcing stereotypes but we are doing this tongue-in-cheek so please don't crucify either "sahiy" or me. Surely we can get to know who we are as a people better and have fun at the same time, can't we?

Bad News: Abra's Violent Politics Claims Two More Lives

Ano bang meron ang hangin sa Abra at masyadong marahas ang pulitika doon? The latest victim is Abra Representative Luis Bersamin Jr. who was killed December 16 at the Mt. Carmel Church in Quezon City where he attended a niece's wedding. His bodyguard, policeman Adelbo Ortega was also slain. More information here.

A church is supposed to be a safe place where one can lay one's guard down but maybe its precisely this sense of safety that makes it easy for political assassins to target their victims. Maybe these killers have been getting pointers from mafia movies where protagonists are killed right after they get out of churches. (Like in the Godfather movies, you know.)

In October 2002, Tineg Mayor Clarence Benwaren was killed inside a church in Laguna where he also attended a wedding. Details here and here.

Apart from Congressman Bersamin and Mayor Benwaren, other Abra politicians killed in the recent past are: La Paz Mayor Ysrael Bernos in January 2006 (assasinated while he was watching a basketball game); Tubo Mayor Jose Segundo in December 2001 (killed on horseback while on his way to solemnize a marriage); and provincial board member James Bersamin -- reportedly a distant relative of the slain Congressman -- in November 2006 (gunned down while jogging in the Bangued plaza).

So what is it in the air in Abra that makes its politics so violent? Or is it in the water? Whatever it is, I'm sure Abra (and national) hero Gabriela Silang didn't fight for our country's freedom just so we'll have this kind of political violence. She must be turning in her grave. Too bad.

Reactions of Abrenians to this latest political violence can be found here. Also, you can read an earlier blog entry on Rep. Bersamin here.

Our condolences to the Bersamins.

Igorots in the Asian Games (or Folayang Wins Silver Medal in Doha)

FOLAYANG BITES HIS WELL-EARNED SILVER MEDAL; HE EARLIER BESTED HIS KYRGYZ OPPONENT ON HIS WAY TO THE FINALS.

Igorot wushu athlete Eduard Ayangwa Folayang bagged a silver medal during the soon-to-be-concluded 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Folayang, who we earlier included in the 8th installment of The List, bested his opponents from Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Iran on his way to the finals. Unfortunately, he was up against a Chinese athlete in the final round and so had to settle for silver. The Chinese invented wushu so its kind of hard to beat the masters in their own game. But, who knows, maybe China will include wushu as an official sport in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and maybe Folayang will beat his Chinese opponent (in China at that) and win the ever elusive first Olympic gold medal for the Philippines. We can dream, can't we? Ha ha. For the record, Folayang bagged a bronze medal in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

Other Igorots who participated in the Asian Games are (from left): Estie Gay Liwanen (judo), Rexel Nganhayna (wushu), and Dick Takiban (body-building). They were not as successful as Folayang but there is always another day and another competition. Nganhayna, by the way, won a silver medal in the 2002 Busan Asian Games.

Photos courtesy of: Doha Asian Games site and the Unofficial Asian Games Blog.

No, we're not dead yet :-)

Our apologies for not posting for almost two months. Life has been busy and unpredictable. But we are returning to the blogging world and hope to be a consistent blogger. At least iyon ang aming new year's resolution. He he.

Thanks :-)