The Rich and the Poor

I was driving through Alabang yesterday from Cavite, and I was completely shocked by what I saw. I saw rows of houses behind high walls. I wanted to have one of these houses. They were very beautiful, luxurious, and inspiring.

As I drove further, however, I began to see a different row of houses. These houses were in stark contrast to the ones I saw earlier. They were jam-packed houses made of thrown away material, and they looked like a beaver built these houses. And just across the street is a tall wall, separating these posh houses from these "squatter" looking houses.

How can two worlds exist right next to each other?

AIEPRO Blog Contest Worth over Php 10,995 in Cash and Prizes

START DATE: Contest starts September 1, 2008
END DATE: Contest ends September 30, 2008

WHY JOIN THIS BLOG CONTEST?

1. You will be promoting your own website and ours. You will definitely gain more readers and fans for your blog.
2. You will be helping to promote English proficiency in the Philippines.
3. You will be helping to promote critical thinking, communication, and writing skills in the Philippines.
4. You will be fostering healthy debates and discussion, which are all essential elements for a democratic society.
5. The American Institute's First Most Active Blogger Award
6. CASH and PRIZES!!!

MECHANICS:

1. Create or post a NEW topic in any of the forum areas. (To promote your blog, make sure your forum/post signature contains your blog's web address.)

2. Copy your post and use it as an entry in your own blog.

3. At the end of your blog entry, please include the following message:

This blog post is an official entry in AIEPRO's contest for bloggers, in which the winner will win Php 10,995 in cash and prizes. To vote for this entry, please visit www.aiepro.org. (You may add more here to entice your loyal readers to support you.)

4. Come back to this thread and reply to this topic/thread by posting the address or URL of your post here in the forum. (Below, see the example in the reply to this post). Each time you create a new post here, you must come back to this thread/topic to post the URL of your new post!

5. You must have a new entry at least three (3) times a week. Simply repeat steps one to three above to create new entries/posts.

6. The winner will be the blogger who earned the most points.

SCORING

A. Number of replies. We will count your posts/replies, up to a maximum of 25
B. Number of unique participants replying to your posts.
C. 50 Bonus Points if our website address is on your side bar as a link. Please use American Institute for English Proficiency as the title and www.aiepro.org as the address.
D. 100 Bonus Points if our logo is on your sidebar linking it back to www.aiepro.org. Resize if necessary.

SIMPLY VISIT WWW.AIEPRO.ORG TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONTEST!
Or directly to... http://aiepro.com/forum/index.php/topic,731.msg10254.html#msg10254

I was browsing through my photos, and I came across this one. My friends and I traveled to Hundred Islands during the Holy Week, and along the way, we saw the re-enacment of Jesus' excruciating "carrying of the the cross." I have seen this on TV before on CNN when I was still in the US, but this vision was now live. Behind "Jesus" were some shirtless men who wereself-flagellating.

I was amazed by what I saw because there are some of us who are so passionate about our beliefs. We know that there are many wars out there cause by our overzealous beliefs. I would not necessarily approve of this act, but as long as it is done safely, without hurting the self and others, then I say "to each his own."

Shaka - from Hawaii

Everytime I take a picture, I do the shaka. Most times. Some people give out the peace sign, the nasty sign, or the "I love you" sign. Many of my friends and students have been asking what it is. It's great to explain what it is, especially because its meaning is so significant and has a lot of good values.

Since I grew up in Hawaii, I do the shaka. It means "how's it going," "what's up," "hang loose," or "right on." Simply put, it is a cultural statement meaning "aloha" and that everything is going to be all right.

Some of my friends and students here in the Philippines are now using the shaka to take pictures. It beats the overused peace sign, doesn't it?

Changes and Growth

I am changing the name of this blog to AIEPRO, which is the website of my school.

There comes a time when we morph into something new, to a better self. I have learned, throughout my one year and a half here in the Philippines, that we shouldn't take life too seriously, but also not to take life whimsically. We must have a good balance. It's a "yin yang." It's give and take. It's give and receive. It's karma.

AIEPRO for me has been a blessing. Through this project, I have seen the goodness in so many Filipinos, how they strive, and how they want to make a difference. On the other hand, I have seen how they don't want to make a difference at all. That's fine with me. I intend to help them see otherwise. I don't need to do it on a grand scale. I just have to remind myself everyday, one day at a time.

I had respect for different individuals before, but I learned it so much more here in the Philippines. It is sometimes hard to respect those who have different attitudes and values, and so I struggled here. But I am learning to adapt, to acculturate, and the battle continues. I remind myself everyday, that even if I cannot change other people's attitudes, I can change mine. That is all I have to worry about, for now.

And so, anyone can change. For better, or for worse. It's up to us to change our selves.

Greedy Taxi Drivers

Yesterday evening, just before the end of the work day, it rained heavily. Some streets were flooded. Some people were drenched and soaked.

At about 8:15 pm, I tried catching a taxi. It took me a little over an hour standing on Dela Rosa trying to flag a taxi. People were competing for the next cab. Fortunately, it stopped raining by this time.

A cab passed by and didn't want to take me anywhere except to the MRT. I suppose he just want to make a quick buck.

Another cab passed by and said that he can't go to Eastwood. What a drag!

Finally, I was able to catch one who could take me to Eastwood City. There was no traffic at all, and I got home in less than 45 minutes.

Sometimes, taxi drivers pick and choose their passengers. Most times, I should say. Their doors are badly painted with "To any point in Luzon." It should be, "to any point I agree to take you."

It's a dog eat dog world out there.

American Institute for English Proficiency

The American Institute, located in Makati City/Manila, is the Philippines' leading service provider of English training and career development, specializing in American Accent, Conversation Fluency, Critical Thinking, Confidence Building, Grammar, Writing, and Test Preparations (TOEFL, IELTS). We have revolutionized and innovated English language learning in the Philippines by offering specialized courses that will not only teach you how to speak English well, but also to think critically and analytically; you will not find any English learning institution with higher standards and better staffed than we are. Our goal is simple: to provide only the best English learning experience to help you or your company reach your personal and professional goals.
Our clients are from all over the world; they are executives, professionals, and students from Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Germany, Turkey, Italy, and Spain. Here in the Philippines, we have consulted with not only corporate groups and call centers, but also with business professionals who are seeking to improve their critical thinking skills, confidence level, and of course, speech and communication skills, recent college graduates who are preparing for their call center interviews, and school teachers who are applying for positions abroad. Simply put, we are both the professionals' and students' choice.

Because we administer the highest educational standards, our graduates are poised, knowledgeable, and very confident; they excel in interviews, are awarded promotions, and become social and corporate leaders. Once you meet with us, you will find that American Institute for English Proficiency (AIEP), Philippines is very different than other schools here in the Philippines in that we are extremely professional and friendly as well as innovative and qualitative. Our English Language Specialists are Americans and Filipino-Americans with extensive backgrounds in English language training, corporate training and management, and personality development. Now is the time to take charge of your future. We invite you to call or visit us today.

It's been a long time...

I've managed to survive the Philippines. Some people struggle with not having enough food to eat. Some struggle with the lack of good education. Some fight against corruption daily.

Here I was struggling with self-identity. I did not know if I belonged here. If I was a Filipino. If I was an American. If I was a Filipino-American. A year and a half later, I realized that we are all people, wherever we go. We have our own struggles; some just have it more difficult.

The things that used to bother me still bother me, but not to the extent that they would drive me crazy. I have learned to accept things that I cannot change and to continue fighting for things that really matter. I have learned to smile despite the hardship. I have learned to dignify people even more. I have learned that a fellow man, regardless of where he's from, is still a man.

When I first came here, most of my family and friends thought I was going crazy. They thought I've lost my mind.

They were right. I was crazy. And I did lose my mind. But I lost it when I got here. Then I found it again. I saw the horror, yet learned from them.

There are some things that are difficult to fathom here, but they can be surmountable. It starts from within. It starts in a change of attitude. I am continuing to change my attitude while I am here.

And I know that I am not writing specifics in this post, but I am glad that I came back to this blogging again to have a reflection so that I can see where I've been and where I am going.

Desperately Seeking Janina San Miguel

A lot of people are making fun of Janina San Miguel because of her dumbfounding moment and answer at the recent Binibining Pilipinas pageant. She is physically beautiful, but most argue that she has nothing but air up there. So what now? How is she going to represent the Philippines at the Miss World pageant? Will she humiliate the Filipinos?

I don’t blame Janina for what she’s done. In fact, I commend her for making it to the top. She did what she could with what she had, and it surely wowed the judges. Let me repeat, it wowed the judges. The judges were the ones who gave her the title. That means that if we’re to blame anyone, it’s the judges. They were the ones who selected her. They were the ones who thought that she will do us Filipinos proud at the Miss World pageant. I’m sure that the judges were very qualified. They’re not? Do you say they are not qualified at all? Well they had different ambassadors and celebrities like Marian Rivera and Dennis Trillo, and even a basketball star.

Next, most people are making fun of her grammar. I’d like to point out that her grammar was indeed erroneous, but her answer was even more horrendous. The question was about the “role of her family,” not the “importance of her family.” She missed the target. She could have said that her family played an important role in her process to become a winner by financing her, giving her advice, and educating her. (Notice the three points…Five elements, anyone?) Then she could have gone on to illustrate each point with a specific detail. The point is, the grammar can be corrected easily, but the critical thinking and analytical skills are a bit harder to improve upon.

So what’s the moral of the story? Well, we can relate this situation by how we elect our public officials. We also make the mistake of electing not-so-good politicians, thinking they will represent us well. At the end of the day, it is not about how one falls, but how one rises. The true measure of a man is how he rises to the challenge.

To Janina San Miguel, you have about eight months to improve your skills. That’s a long time to prepare yourself for the international competition. If you put the time, energy, and effort, you will be more than prepared. And with this statement, we at The American Institute would like to offer you a Full Scholarship for our C3 Course: Conversation Fluency, Critical Thinking, and Confidence Building. We also offer you another full scholarship in our Critical Writing and Intensive Grammar Course.

So if anyone knows Ms. San Miguel, I hope you will be able to relay this message…

LTO and the Student Permit

This morning, my friend went to the LTO to get a student permit. He called them three times to ensure he gets the necessary documents to bring with him. How sad is he, calling three times? Well, can't blame him. I guess in a country like ours, you need to make sure and make sure and make sure.

So when he got there, the person assisting him said that he needed an ID with a TIN # on it. You cannot just have a passport or an ID with no TIN #. You cannot just have a TIN #. It must be on an ID.

It's really sad to think that people like these are running our government offices. After having called several times, my friend still didn't get the right information. What do the LTO people need an ID with a TIN # on it? Passport and TIN # and Birth Certificate won't suffice. YOU MUST HAVE AN ID WITH TIN # ON IT.

That is what they said. So now he has to go back tomorrow. Waste of time. Waste of cab fare.

The Strength of Catholics in the Philippines

Blasphemous! We've replaced the 12 disciples and Jesus with supermodels. Female disciples? Male Mary? Female Jesus? Think about thinking out of the box.

I forgot where I saw this picture, but I thought it was very interesting because it shakes up the mind. It makes one think and wonder about the possibilities. It really opens your eyes to looking at things from a different perspective.

So about the catholics here in the Philippines? If we are such a strong catholic nation, why is our country described as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. If most citizens are catholics, why is there such pervasive display of non-catholic, unchristian behavior wherever you go. From Pagudpud to Sorsogon (that's the commercial from the movies), you see human tragedy. Greed, power, poverty, hunger, corruption.

Does that mean, then, that most catholics are hypocrites? That they go to church but don't really practice what they learn? Or does that mean that they are not hypocrites, but that the church is teaching them the wrong things?

Someone, please tell me.

I took a picture of this wall frame at one of my client's training rooms. It's a great reminder that despite all the battles, the hardships, the obstacles, the blues, or whatever word you may want to call it, we need to remember that there are still opportunities ahead of us. As long as life has not ended for you, as long as you are breathing, and as long as you will live to see the light of day again, you can make a change.

There are many times when I would just want to quit, and go back home to the US. But I keep telling myself, that this is where I need to be. That I have a purpose here. There are so many people that will try to undermine you. People who will not believe in you. People who could care less about the people. People are people. They are not perfect, and they can be the most cruel ones out there without even knowing it.

So I say, Don't Quit. DO IT. Sounds like Nike, eh? But it's so true. When the going gets rough, the tough gets going. Damn, how many jingles and cliches is this post going to have? To make a long story short, look at it from an optimist's point of view, like this wall frame says: Every difficulty is an opportunity in disguise.

Great Talkers are Little Doers

Today, one of my clients asked me, "What's wrong with the Filipinos?" He's a foreigner from Korea. He said that most Filipinos he meets are fed up about their situation. They always speak of corruption, bad politics, dirty streets, disorganized communities, poverty, poor education, bad government, the kitchen sink, the beeping car, you name it. He asked me, "If the Filipinos are so disappointed about their current situation, why is the country not changing?"

I ask the same thing myself. The only answer I can think of is that we like to talk, complain, whine, or what not, instead of helping to make a change through action. This begs the question, "Why do we not take action?" My honest opinion is that we are afraid. We are afraid that if we take action about the wrongdoings, we may be harmed in the process. Therefore, we would rather shut up and put up. If it inconveniences us, turn a blind eye. How sad that we must behave this way. However, I do understand, for we may only be protecting our own lives.

But there comes a time when you just need to speak out. When is this time?

Government Office Hung up on me

Should I be surprised that an employee in a government office I called today hung up on me? Should I be upset? Should I be disappointed? No, I shouldn't be. I've expected it. If I get all fired up, it would just ruin my day. There are certain things we cannot change, and we should just accept them. Does this mean I'm becoming a wuss? Am I ready to accept and do nothing? Of course not. This is a battle I can not win. Many of us have to complain to this person's manager in order to see a change. And even then, there probably won't be a change.

I called the Bureau of Immigration at about 11am, and this dude answered told me I should call back at 1pm because there is no one else there to answer my inquiries. Why pick up the phone then? And what is he doing there if he cannot answer questions? Is he there to simply pick up the phone and tell people to call back? Are we paying for his salary? Well, he probably doesn't get any salary, so he doesn't care if he helps or not. Thus continues the vicious cycle...

I would recommend to government office managers. Do a phone shop of your own office. Pretend you are a customer yourself. I can guarantee you that you will not like the service that your own people are providing. Is that how you want your office provided? I'm sure you already know that the way your people treat others is a reflection of who you are as a manager. So why allow your people to be rude and worthless. You wouldn't want your sister, mother, brother, grandmother, father to go through a bad experience, do you? Why allow your people to serve us in such a poor manner? Yes, do a phone shop, and you will discover how ineffective your people are. Just a small suggestion.

Wild Taxi Drivers

I am a taxi freak! I don't have a car yet. I'm working on that one. So I'm forced to ride taxis everywhere my legs will not take me.

Observation 1. Picky taxi drivers. For crying out loud, I always give tips, 10-50 pesos, depending on the distance. I have had so many cab drivers refuse me for going to Makati or Ortigas. Shit, I'm not going to Ilocos. When they refuse, I walk out of the cab, and leave the door open. I know that's bad. I gotta learn to relax.

Observation 2. Lots of English speaking taxi drivers. Do you think they can work for the call center?

Observation 3. Taxi drivers love to pee. I guess they have small bladders. They are always pulling over to pee where ever they want. I learned a new word...jingle. Mag-ji-jingle!!! He will pee.

Observation 4. They don't want to turn on the meter. I can understand; the meter cheats them of a higher salary. Unfortunately, they always go over Php 100 than what I would normally pay from point to point.

Observation 5. They always beep at you. If I wanted a taxi, I would raise my hand. No need to beep for me.

Observation 6. Most of them are very friendly. They like to talk about politics. Then they like to ask me what country I'm from because my Filipino sounds weird they say.

Observation 7. They like to complain about the traffic. I guess this is their first time in Manila, and they've never seen traffic before. I've been here about a year, so I no longer complain. I just accept and start to look for alternative means to beat it.

Observation 8. They like to charge extra if you're carrying a luggage. What difference does it make? You don't charge extra for my friend, do you? What an opportunistic!

Observation 9. The one with the yellow cab seem to be a better experience. They're nicer, friendlier, and smell better.

Observation 10. Race car drivers or taxi drivers? Filipinos should go into drag race now. They're very good weaving in and out of traffic. And no accident. Whoa! I'm amazed.

I have a million observations, but I guess 10 will suffice for now.

Proof that Filipinos are Poor in Customer Service

I was looking for a place to eat in Market Market a few weeks ago, and I chanced upon this interesting gadget at North Park Restaurant. Could this be proof that Filipinos are ingenious? Or is it proof that Filipinos just don't know what good customer service is?

First, my idea of good customer service in a sit-down restaurant is where the waiter or waitress attending your table serve you. When I say serve, I don't mean serve you food or kiss your feet. What I mean is that they should come around your table once in a while to refill your water, ask if you have another order, refill your drink, remove your used plates, comes to check on your table if everything is okay. This should be the norm. However, I find myself having to raise my hand every time I need a refill, or I have more order, or if I want napkin, or if I want the bill, or if I want some ketchup, some hot sauce. Maybe I'm just too demanding. But this is the norm I'm used to. In fact, good waiters and waitress upsell their products and come back if you want some dessert or anything else. Here in the Philippines, it seems like you are an inconvenience for being in their restaurant.

Okay, before you all get fired up about this, I'm not saying all Philippine restaurants are like this. Just the ones that I go to, like the ones in Greenbelt or Glorietta. And around Metro Manila. Perhaps 5 out of a 100 restaurants I go to are actually decent when it comes to service. My personal favorite for service is Bubba Gumps. They are so attentive, so fast, so nice...Oh, and Burger King! They're awesome! They can make your burger the way you want it...no pickles, extra onions and lettuce please. McDonald's crewmembers would flip out if you asked for extra lettuce. Haha.

Anyway, back to this picture. This gadget allows you to push the button and a waiter/waitress will see their electronic board that table #37 is in need of service. To me, that means they won't care about you unless you press that button. They take a more reactive approach. Me, I want proactive. If I want my tip to be bigger, I'd take a proactive approach. I'd come by your table, and I'd ask if there's anything else I can get for you. I'd keep refilling your water or softdrinks. I'd clear your table immediately so that you don't have leftover chewed food in front of you. I'd really do that. I have done that. Here, eat your shit, pay your bill, and go cause I have another customer coming.

This gadget to me is symbolic of a Filipino robot. Push the button, and I will respond. Otherwise, my battery is dead, and I will not pay attention to you.

Method to my Madness Revival

It's the new year, and it's time to plan things again. I've always been a new year's resolution fanatic. But most of my resolutions did not come to fruition. Perhaps a new year's resolutions are just like promises, which were made to be broken.

So far, I am achieving to resolutions. Quit smoking! Last cigarette was on January 1, 2 am. Go to the gym! It's been nine months. This week, I've been to the gym twice. It's a slow start, but hey, it's progress. In fact, I'm planning to go again tonight.

More resolutions. Be more patient. Be more understanding. Smile more. Sometimes, these things are very hard to do because of the country we live in. But I've learned, after having lived here for a little over a year now, that we just need to accept certain things we cannot change. Instead, we need to change ourselves, and then slowly change the people around us. So I have learned to love this country even more, but I have learned to hate it even more. There's an oxymoron for you! How can I possibly hate something more if I love it even more? Beats me. But I'm slowly discovering that myself. Thus, the title of this blog: Method to my Madness.

And through this blog, I will discover myself even more. But to discover is just half way. How do I change? How do I change the people around me? By writing things down, it's at least a start.

And with new year's resolutions, my blog is reborn. It is revived. The revival of my blog. To pour my thoughts and hopefully change the mindsets of people. It's a pretty lofty goal, but hey, I'm ready for it. I don't intend to change everyone's mindset. Just one at a time, that's all. Just one at a time.