Saturday, December 16, 2006

Why do Filipinos in the US Suddenly Become Good Citizens?

I work out at Gold's Gym Glorietta, and every time I am there, some disrespectful, lazy bastard always leaves the weights on the bench and not return them to the racks. Signs everywhere saying to return them to their proper places, but it never works. The bench press always has the weights that the last person used.

I also work out at Gold's Gym, Las Vegas. And yes, there's the occasional weight left on the bench press. Keyword: occasional. Maybe even rarely. Here in the Philippines: Almost Always. Fine, I always remove them and place my own weights according to my strength. OK, where am I going with this? What's my story here?

I'm not trying to make the Philippines become the US. Not at all. We Filipinos have our own identity, which are still trying to figure out, I think. We shouldn't become like any other nation. We should develop our own, if not, find what it is. However, there are certain universal code of conduct that human beings follow. One of them is following rules. Another is, respect. One more, courtesy. Plus, safety. Putting the weights back to the rack, is following rules and is a sign of respect, courtesy, and safety conduct. Obeservation: my Gold's Gym in the US does it better than my Gold's Gym in the Philippines.

Gold's Gym US: There are some Pinoys that work out in this Gold's Gym, though most of them are white. Latino's, and Blacks. Why are Pinoys in the US so different from the Pinoys in the Philippines.

I rarely hear of any hardcore Filipino news in the US. No drugs, no shootings, no political corruption. Well, maybe the occasional crime here and there; and even then, they pale in comparison to the other crimes committed by Latinos, Blacks, and Caucasians. I can't remember a major Filipino criminal in the US. I'm sure there are some; I just haven't heard of any, or remember any. And I'm an avid news and current events television viewer.

So the hypothesis, what happens to the Filipino when they migrate to the US? Some miraculous thing happens over the air. There must be something in the air up there as they cross the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, whichever way the plane took. All of a sudden, our beloved Pinoys are obedient citizens. They abide by the law, listen to instructions, follow rules and regulations, just like good little boys and girls.

What happened to the Pasaway Pinoy? How was he cured? Possible answers: In the US, someone is always looking at your actions, making you accountable for whatever course of actions you take. In a way, there is a bit more discipline. Here in the Philippines, the keyword is PASAWAY. I need not expound.

I write SINS, not TRAGEDIES.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Starting a Business is long Process here in the Philippines

You'd think that starting a business in a third world country would be really quick since not everyone follows rules and regulations anyway. You just find a space, put your business name on it, and you're in operation. Well, of course, it's more complicated than that. I don't quite remember the specific statistic, but I read somewhere, about a month ago, that the Philippines is 130s of 150 nations surveyed in the expediency of processing business papers. My experiences may tell you why.

SEC: The guy who tried reserving our name didn't know much about corporation, incorporation, partnerships, etc. We got our name reserved, and on the instructions, we were informed to go to CHED.

CHED: We went to CHED and informed them that we were sent there by SEC. CHED people were confused. But we figured it out; we did not need CHED endorsement. They sent us back to SEC.

SEC: I talked to a manager regarding the confusion. She was even more confused. I asked that instructions should not be made if they are not needed. She defended SEC by saying that the IT people who programmed it is now long gone. She was upset that I was calling her on it. A good manager would have thanked me for showing them a glitch in their system.

SEC: A week later, we were told to go back to SEC to turn in final forms; SEC person did not like our wordings. She thought that it should sound like the way they want it to sound. Fine, we retyped and retyped. Fortunately, there were typing services downstairs.

SEC: Thank God. We were final able to get out papers.

Barangay Hall: Told us to fill out paperwork first and come back tomorrow. We went back the next day. Their copy machine broke down. We walked around the area to find one. Hot and humid. We got the copies and turned in all forms.

Barangay Hall: Picked up all the completed paperwork.

Mayor's Permit: I don't want to expound here. But this is where it's taking years and years and years and decades. So much red tape. To make a long story short, we don't have the papers yet. We were bounced around by different departments. From the Business Permit area to the building inspection area to telling us they were going to inspect, to making typos on the paper that we had to fix, to double charging us for one quarter and for forcing us to buy the insurance to going back again to follow up to not yet finished to going back several time to let them know that we're still waiting to the promises unkept to the inefficiency. I could pull my hair out. But that won't be good for marketing.

I'm still alive. I probably aged 10 years since I've been here two months ago. Yikes.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

We Discriminate (BLATANTLY) in the Philippines


I don't know where to start with this one. Should I blast at the US corporation first? Or should I go straight into my rants about the Philippines again.

I'll take it easy on the Philippines this time. Let's hit this US corporation, this evil beast they call Wendy's.

I'm not sure if Wendy's America is aware of this situation. Probably not. For if they were, they would definitely pull this job post. In fact, they probably would not have allowed this to happen.

I'm sure y'all know what I'm talking about by now; I shall not be condescending. But in case there is that one person who happened to stumble on this site and has no clue what the heck I'm saying, well it's in reference to this picture. Can you read discrimination all over it? So what's so discriminating about this, some might say? What's so wrong about the job post?

18-22 years old? What about those that just turned 23? Can you say age discrimination? Sure, there will always be age discrimination. We won't allow nine year olds to work in a chemical lab. But 18-22 at Wendy's? I need not expound.

Male and female height requirement? Can you say "little people" discrimination? My 5'1 and a half sister cannot even qualify for this position, even though she's really good workin at fast foods in the US. Ha ha. OK, there's still humor in this. But damn it? Why Philippines? Why do we allow this? Or, why do we do this to ourselves?

2nd year college? Good lord! Who goes to college aspiring to be a Wendy's crew member? I need not expound here.

Can anyone say US lawsuits? Does anyone here in the Phil wanna have a class action lawsuit against this mighty US corporation? This is a major lawsuit waiting to happen.

So, Wendy's Greenbelt One. You better watch out. I'm not done with you.

I'm guilty. I've eaten here, even though I see this poster. Shit. But I make sure I ask the worker that's in front of the register. Are you at least 5'2"? Are you between the age of 18 and 22? Do you have at least 2nd year college experience? If you aswered no to anyone of these questions, I'm reporting you to your manager! If you answered yes to all, I'm still reporting you to your manager. For not having a "pleasing personality." Will sarcasm work? We'll try.

Any US lawyers seeing this post?

-----

If you wanna read more, here's my letter to Wendy's corporate @ http://www.wendys.com/feedback.jsp:

I am from Las Vegas, Nevada. I am in the Philippines, and I visited your Wendy's inside Greenbelt One in Makati.

I am appalled by what I saw. Blatant Discrimination. Discrimination that we would not tolerate in the United States. Discrimination that would be in-your-face illegal.

I need not expound. I have a picture of the Job Posting they have on the glass window of this Discrimination. Can you say lawsuit ahead?

Please take care of this issue immediately. If you wish to see the photo, I already posted it in my blog @.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

There's Joy in Sorrow

I've always hated funerals. Mainly because it's so depressing. Also because I don't like seeing dead bodies. I feel such a loss. Some beautiful life has gone and went. Looking at the lifeless body, I feel that life is somewhat unfair, that there should have been more for this person.

My reconciliation is to accept death as part of the lifecycle, regardless of how and when it came. Then I follow it with: There's a reason for everything. And finally, I pray that God will look over the person's soul, and the people he has left behind.

My cousin took her life almost two weeks ago. I have never had a close relative die. No cousin, no uncles, no aunts. Even four of my grandparents are still alive. So this was an overwhelming time for me. I've thought about what I would feel if one of my siblings died, my parents, my grandparents. The thoughts horrified me.

As I look at the faces of my aunt and uncle, and my cousins, I cannot begin to fathom the depth of their despair. She was only 20 years old, leaving behind her twin sister. There are so many dimensions to this story, but I'll focus on how, despite this tragedy, there was some kind of joy in this sorrow.

Intermittently, my relatives were able to smile or laugh on the day of the funeral. Perhaps it was because there's no sense in drowning yourself in sorrow. Perhaps because they were confused with their own emotions. I think it's because there's also a time when things just move on. They must move on. Me, I could not imagine anyone trying to make me laugh. I would just be too much in despair. But then again, I have never been in that situation where I lost my own sibling or child.

They drank, they sang on the videoke, they ate. Stories of the past and what's to be. In the midst of the drinking and singing and eating and telling stories, there was joy. There was a sign that life will move on.

In Loving Memory of My Cousin.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

The Good Heart

I just wanted to share this quote I came across reading Filipino profiles across the internet. I am refreshed by messages like this, because I try my darndest to live a life like that. Sometimes I'm vain; sometimes I have too much pride. Sometimes I forget what I'm doing. Sometimes, I just wanna quit. Sometimes, I just don't want to care. But I am glad to come across messages that inspire. I need not explain; it's self explanatory.

"NEVER feel intimidated by people who act as if they own the world.
Regardless of where we came from, what kind of environment we grew up with, or
how small other people treat us, it all boils down on how we look at ourselves.
Social graces and languages are learned. We do not envy people who are full of
such, rather we envy those who despite of not having blessed with material
things in life are adored by many because of their good heart.."

What about you? What are the tenets you live by? What are you principles? Do you stand by anything? Does the world revolve around you? Or is there a higher principle out there that should be the guiding force of our existence?