America, The Philippines, and the Fourth of July

July 4 marks not only American Independence Day but also Philippine-American Friendship Day.  By way of a little history, this date was also originally celebrated as Independence Day in the Philippines to commemorate the official end of American colonization in 1946. The holiday was moved to June 12 in 1964.  For the story behind reason for the change, click here.

But back to the present, in honor of this joint holiday the American Association of the Philippines, an organization with which I only recently became familiar,  presented a festival in Taguig City yesterday. Inasmuch as I usually don't attend such events, I decided to spend a few hours there anyway but didn't stay for the finale.

It was a low-key, family oriented celebration that while it had a distinctly American flavor and was held mainly for the benefit of Americans residing in the Philippines, the festival  nevertheless blended U.S.and Philippine cultures. There was a good turnout, and everyone seemed to be at ease with this mix.

The American ambassador, Harry K. Thomas made an appearance and gave a speech that traced the historical ties between the U.S. and the Philippines.  He mingled with the crowd and pressed the flesh; so  I was able to meet  and exchanged pleasantries with him. Ambassador Thomas seems sincerely interested in his assignment, and I wish him success. However, his immediate predecessor, Kristie Kenney, who was immensely popular with the Philippine people is going to be a tough act to follow.

Two glitches in the festival were a shortage of  tables and chairs to accommodate everyone in attendance, and the "infomercials" presented by the sponsors were too long which delayed the rest of the events agenda.

Still I'm glad that I went and that the AAP holds such festivities which enable us expatriates to collectively enjoy the holiday traditions that in relocating abroad, we might not otherwise have the opportunity to celebrate.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, EVERYBODY.

Taxi Hassles and How to Avoid Them

As the result of some of my recent experiences with taxis in Metro-Manila I have decided take this opportunity to review and expand on some advice that I offered in my original post about what everyone who uses this form of transportation here should know.

First, when you flag down a taxi, tell the driver where you're going before boarding. Many drivers are prima donnas and  will refuse to take you if they think the destination is too far or inconvenient for them.

As soon as you're in the cab make sure that the driver activates the meter immediately.  If he doesn't, chances are he's going to ask for an outrageous flat rate instead.   Or did the driver hesitate before accepting you as a passenger? Chances are he was planning to add a surcharge to the fare.   Either of these scenarios can be infuriating.  But don't let your anger cloud your thinking.  If, say, it's raining and / or taxis are far and few between where you're boarding, it may be best to swallow your pride and roll with with paying an additional P50 tacked onto the fare or to negotiate a flat rate after all.  Otherwise, just say no and tell the driver to pull over and let you out, or threaten to report him to the LFTRB (a government transportation regulation agency). Sometimes either of these demands itself will cause him  to back down and play by the rules.  This also applies to reckless drivers.  Again, deciding when and when not to do "rebel"  is strictly a judgment call.  You can also text complaints about errant drivers to 9988. Click here for details about this service.

Also for your personal safety when you board, text the taxi's license number to a personal contact especially if you're traveling at night or are in an unfamiliar locale. 

If possible, avoid taxis that are in poor condition inside or out.  There seems to be a positive correlation between dilapidated vehicles and greedy drivers. 

Know in advance exactly how far your destination is and how to get there.  Then when you tell the driver what route to take, you will show that you can't be fooled and are less likely to get an unexpected tour of the city. You can buy street maps and directories at places such as National Book Store.  I recommend the "Accu map Metro Manila CitiAtlas" or their "Metro Manila Route Map". Whichever guide  that you're most comfortable using, I suggest that you go over it in your spare time to acquaint yourself with the various streets and byways of the area.

Finally, I don't want to give the impression that all taxi drivers here are dishonest.  That's certainly not the case.  For all that I think I know about getting  around or going from point A to point B in Metro-Manila , I've had drivers who have shown me  better and cheaper routes. It's just that the more you know about being a taxi passenger, the less likely you are to be taken for a ride.    

The Green, Green Grass of Home

My wife Lydia and I recently returned from a trip to her home town, Gumaca, Quezon, which is about 210 km south east and a 5 1/2 hour bus ride from our locale in Quezon City. It was good to get away from the concrete jungle of Metro-Manila for a few days.  Another incentive is seeing  Lydia's step-niece who roll outs the red carpet when we visit there.

Gumaca is a bustling municipality with a population of about 65,000; but it's  small enough such that the greenery of the countryside is a just a walk or short tricycle ride away from any point in town. Another scenic area is the promenade along Lamon Bay in the middle of town. One of the best times of the day to enjoy Gumaca is just after dawn while the air is still (relatively) cool.  Many people are already up and about strolling or buying pan de sal and other breakfast goodies. Property owners are outside sweeping their walkways and burning fallen leaves.  The air is redolent with that scent, along with that of  smoked copra (a form of processing coconuts), and of sea air if you happen to be near the bay.

There are a couple hotels in or near Gumaca.  One of which that comes to mind is the the Perennial.  This establishment is in Gumaca proper on Rizal Street, the main artery of town.  Lydia and I have stayed there and found it to be adequate.   The rooms are small but clean, air conditioned, and have their own bathrooms. Room rate as of Sept ., 2009 was P800, but we managed to tawad it down to P500.  Another hotel is the Acacian, about 15 minutes north of Gumaca located along Maharlika Highway (the national road).  I've never been there but from the outside the place looks attractive. I've heard that the interior is also pleasant and that there's a restaurant on the premises. So guests don't have to travel into town just to eat.

Speaking of  food, in Gumaca you will find the the ubiquitous Jollibee and Chow King eateries.  But if you really want a great  meal, check out the Kapit Bahay  Restaurant.  The selection and quality of the food there  which is mainly native and Chinese cuisine are competitive with the better restaurants in Metro-Manila, and a lot cheaper.  Fried (half) chicken for example is P125.

While we were there we visited a coconut plantation  in Barangay Rosalino near the town of  Pitogo, which is about a  20 minute jeepney ride from Gumaca.  Walking through this forest-like area was very relaxing and so quiet that the only sound was that of birds singing.  As such,  it was the highlight of my visit.

Lydia, who has a love for landscaping and a talent to match, spent time on beautification of a property which we own in Gumaca and have up for sale. She is in her element with this kind of work and does it with the passion of an artist, shaping the land and creating a rolling hillside garden. 

The only downside of our visit was the weather, which was miserably hot and humid. But it  certainly was no worse than that in Metro-Manila. Just about the time we left Gumaca in the middle of the week,  the extended heat spell over this part of Luzon finally broke, and the weather has since turned a bit rainy.

I would like to visit Gumaca more often, but due to  health considerations lengthy bus rides are no longer my cup of  tea (Lydia tolerates them better than I do).  In all fairness, I should mention that the trip itself is actually broken up by a change of buses at the Grand Central  Terminal in Lucena City, about 3 hours from Metro-Manila.  Grand Central like its namesake is huge but-- including the the restrooms (which charge P5  for use)--surprisingly clean.  One of the better bus lines to Lucena City is Jac Liner, which offers air conditioned coaches, comfortable seats, and a movie.  The trip from Lucena City  to Gumaca and points south is not as pleasant.  The buses on all the lines heading in that direction are messy and not air conditioned. An alternate means of transportation to travel between M-Manila and Gumaca (and other destinations  of course)  would be to hire a car and driver.  However, that's a rather pricey proposition, about 10 times the price of a bus ticket.

Well, homebody that I am, I'm glad that I made the decision to take a break from my routine and make this journey. Despite the discomforts it was worth the trip.

On Choosing One's Battles

When it comes to political issues,  as my posts indicate I'm usually rather opinionated.  But in the case of outgoing Philippines President Gloria Arroyo's last-minute naming the Renato Corona as Chief Justice of the  Supreme Court I can see both sides of the argument as to whether or not President-elect Benigno Aquino should recognize this "midnight appointment."

Granted that there is controversy in the Supreme Court's decision in favor of Arroyo's claim that it's her right as president to proceed with this appointment and that it's proper for Corona to accept it  But  based on his own record is there any reason to doubt that Corona will be his own man as he professes and that he will not serve honorably? Based on this criteria, is there any cause to be skeptical that he will not simply be Arroyo's insurance policy to block legal action against her for her misdeeds that she committed while in office--or in order to achieve that office?  If not then perhaps Aquino should be a bigger person than Arroyo (no pun intended) and drop the matter for the sake of  continuity and the good of the country rather than provoke a constitutional crisis.  He will have enough on his hands putting his policies into place without having this issue as a distraction.

Yet it must be acknowledged that Corona is not Arroyo's only appointee to the Supreme Court. That branch is packed with justices whom she placed there. And after all, an overwhelming  majority of them did recently vote to reverse the decision that had initially blocked Arroyo from being allowed to fill any vacant government positions, which according to the Philippine Constitution the President may not do in his/her final days in office.

In America we also know what a biased Supreme Court can do. Recall the 2000 U.S. Presidential elections when the Republican dominated Court ordered Florida to stop the ballot recount that probably would have tipped the election in favor of Al Gore.  What a different  history America would likely have had without George Bush as President, especially considering that his first term for that office may have been bogus.

Then there is the possible scenario as painted by one newspaper columnist:  Suppose the Supreme Court justices rise above their political debt to Arroyo and instead  live up to their mandate of impartiality. In doing so, further suppose that they find the Ampatuan clan guilty as charged for the hideous massacre of 57 journalists and others last November.  In response to this verdict the leaders of that family may take their revenge by spilling their guts and revealing everything about their erstwhile beneficiary, Arroyo, for whom they delivered votes in their locale by hook or by crook in exchange for free reign and full control of their province, and confirm that she in fact was guilty among other crimes of fraudulently securing the office of the presidency in 2004.  In turn this would call into question the not only her legitimacy as President (like Bush?) but of all her appointments including that of Corona.

Yet if Aquino somehow manages to successfully challenge Corona's position as SC Chief Justice, would that in itself  necessarily stop the Ampatuans from singing like canaries if finally convicted?.  And in that case, what about Arroyo's other Supreme Court justice appointments for whom there was no midnight appointment controversy.  Wouldn't they still be tainted by the her guilt?  In fact wouldn't every law that Arroyo signed and every policy that she enacted since "assuming" office be up for the question of legitimacy?

If Aquino sincerely believes that in order to uphold  the honor of his office and of the Philippines as a whole he has no choice but to press for Corona's dismissal, then it's understandable that he must pursue this campaign to the bitter end. Yet, on the other hand, by vigorously protesting Corona's appointment as he has already done, Aquino has made his point. Now maybe it's time for him to strike some kind of compromise and and move on.

A Milestone In Phlippine History

Probably the best way to describe this week's  elections in the Philippines and the country's first experience in electronic voting is to quote Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times".

It was the best of times in that despite glitches with some of the machines, voters for the most part were able to complete and register their ballots. At this writing about 90% of these ballots have been relayed, and counted and a winner of the presidential race declared.  What a difference between this and previous elections under the manual system  when it took days or even weeks to tally the results. Automation also prevented  such forms as cheating that were common in bygone days as stuffed, lost, and stolen ballot boxes. It also reduced the incidence of "flying voters", i.e. those who submit ballots at multiple precincts.    

It was the worst of time in that Comelec (Commission on Elections) when redirecting the precincts into fewer polling centers failed to plan and coordinate for such a large turnout of voters, many of whom waited in long queues under  a wilting tropical sun to cast their ballots.  One candidate--and winner in the  presidential race-- Benigno Aquino III stood in line for four hours to cast his vote.  Congratulations on  his victory and hats off to him for not insisting on special treatment while voting as did most other candidates..

And hats off to the Philippine people for their tenacity and determination to vote, despite  doubts by many skeptics, myself included, against a successful election.  It was really touch and go almost up to the last minute as to whether the machines would function properly.  And then there was the attendant violence in some locales that always accompany elections in the Philippines. That's something that even computerized elections can't prevent.  Nevertheless, the success of this election may be an incentive to institute further reforms in the electoral  process and in the government itself.

For further details and reflections about this historical event, please see these two great articles, "Philippine Election Update:  Results Reported in Record Time, Largely Peaceful, Now What?" and "Philippine Election Results Updated: May 13, 2010".

Cliffhanger

The old Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times" is certainly ringing true in the Philippines these days.  As national election day draws near (Monday, May 10) several factors come into play that make this occasion one of the most significant such events in the nation's history.

One is that this election will be the first in this country to use automated vote counting. On the face of it, electronic ballots could reduce if not eliminate the rampant cheating that accompanies elections here, not to mention an improved efficiency and time in tabulating the ballots.  But in order for all that to happen, the voting machines have to work properly. And that isn't happening. In a recent trial run, they malfunctioned.

In addition, the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who allegedly cheated her way into office in 2004 may be using the error-prone voting machines as an excuse to postpone elections and hold on to her power, which many people feared she would do. All she needed was a pretext, and she may have found it.  If she does take advantage of this situation, it could result in "no-el" (no election).

At this time there is an ongoing attempt to repair the problem that caused the trial run glitch in the machines (replacement of faulty compact flash memory cards) but it seems questionable that they will be up and properly running in time for Monday as there are 76,000 computers affected. But even if the replacement is completed on time and Comelec (Commission on Elections) proceeds with the balloting that then misfires during the voting-or if other unforeseen problems crop up on election day, that could lead to another scenario: failure of election.  This would also occur if the voters cast their ballots but the devices break down in the process of counting the votes themselves.   

And of course it's way too late to fall back on a manual vote.

In the unlikely the event that the election does come off without a hitch, in my opinion the winner will be Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino,who among the numerous candidates is the apparent  front runner.  Aquino is  the son of the beloved late former President of the Philippines, Corazon"Cory" Aquino and the martyred Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. who was assassinated during the martial law era of President Ferdinand Marcos, possibly at the latter's behest.

But a clean election even if automated is not a slam dunk if the computers accept the ballots but aren't tamper proof.  Skullduggery and dirty tricks run rampant in political campaigning here.  Rumors and gossip likewise flourish.  One such story that I heard today  is that there is supposedly a plot afoot by Arroyo and her allies including  the head of the Department of National Defense and a former President  to sabotage the election  with the assistance of a computer expert who will hack the voting computer system in favor of Aquino's rival, Manny Villar. One thing about innuendo and rumors in the Philippines like this one is that they are often so outlandish that they could very well be true.

Of course as an alien, I can't vote.  So why should I care about any of this?  Because the implications of a botched  election are considerable for everybody living in this country, citizen or otherwise. The scenarios are almost endless, including civil unrest,  instability and / or the possibility of a military takeover. In turn the accompanying fallout  for the public could range  from minor inconvenience to complete chaos.

There will be foreign observers on hand to monitor the election proceedings, but in the end I don't think that they can second-guess the ingenious tactics that seen and unseen forces may well use to manipulate this event. That degree of awareness  takes a deep understanding of the Philippine culture and mindset that these poll watchers may not possess.

At any rate, right now life goes on. And if somehow, the election goes smoothly, there will be a new leader but probably little social  and political change at least for now.  However, an uneventful election itself  in the Philippines would be a watershed event and maybe even the beginning of a transformation  towards a better society.

But if things don't go well on Monday, then fasten your seat belts.  It's likely  to be a long, bumpy ride.

Endurance Test

I hesitated to bring up this topic because on the face of it, the subject seem rather inconsequential:  riding the jeepney (aka "jeep"), which is a ubiquitous and cheap form of public transportation in the Philippines, especially in the cities, towns and provincial roads. As I mentioned in my original post,  this vehicle might best be described as a cross between a passenger van and as the name implies, a military personnel carrier.  It has been around since shortly after WWII.  Almost everybody uses it at one time or another, and I'm no exception, especially if it's expedient and I don't feel like spending money on taxi fare.

However, my jeep experience the other day was just about the worst that I've ever had.  March through May  is the hottest season of the year in the Philippines , with daily temperatures reaching the upper 90'sF accompanied by a high humidity. This is especially noticeable of course in vehicles that are not air conditioned. Jeeps are partly open on both sides and in the back, but the metal roof of course absorbs sunlight.  So when the vehicle is at a standstill or  crawling in traffic (which is most of the time), the passenger area can become  sweltering.   Add to this the body heat of the passengers themselves who are crammed together side by side and you have the ride from hell.  

But the point that I'm getting at is not so much about my own discomfort. As I mentioned, in my case I at least have the option of taking  taxis instead which for all their own particular warts are usually air-conditioned. But in a way I'm glad that I made that trip. It reminded me about the the plight of  the people who must commute via  jeep every day in all kinds of weather. Demographically, most jeep passengers are adolescent  to middle age and so perhaps more likely able to tolerate it . But in extreme weather such  as we are now experiencing, woe unto the senior citizens or those in poor health who have to endure this form of transportation on a regular basis. Besides the unpleasantness of the ride itself, jeeps are difficult to board and alight from. They are poorly maintained, so diesel exhaust fumes often waft into the passenger area.  In order to attract attention and riders some operators add sound systems and ramp up the volume full blast including a thumping bass that literally vibrates to your innards.

As if traffic isn't already bad enough, jeeps stop anywhere even in the middle of the street to drop off and pick up passengers. The Metro-Manila Development Authority has talked about abolishing these vehicles or at least banning them from major thoroughfares where public buses and rapid transit run anyway.  But talk is as far as the matter gets. As my wife points out, jeeps are too embedded in the culture to be eliminated that easily, if at all (not to mention the political considerations.  Jeep drivers and owners, who number in the thousands, are strongly organized) .

The most that can be hoped for is the gradual replacement of those jeeps that are diesel-powered with models that run on electricity instead as is already happening in some locales such as Makati City. That of course would make a dent in the air pollution here to which the fossil-fuel models are a major contributor. But no matter which type of engine prevails, and for all its aggravations,  the jeepney is going to be a part of the social fabric of  this country for a long time to come.

Medical Advice

Due concern over a recurring physical problem, I had a medical procedure performed yesterday. As mentioned in an earlier post, quality health care in the Philippines is remarkably inexpensive as compared to the same level of care in the U.S. (see my post "The Future of American Medical Care Lies in--Asia?) I had a private room in a first rate hospital, the daily charge for which is about $53 USD. The doctor's fee for performing the the procedure, an endoscopic examination: about S200, anesthesiologist' fee, approx $70.

My only regret about having such an examination is the timing. This is Holy Week, during the latter part of which (beginning today, Thursday local time) almost all businesses and public services are closed. (See my post "The Day The Philippines Stands Still" ). So personal business matters and errands that I would normally move up to an earlier day of the week during this period could not be taken care of as I checked into the hospital on Tuesday and was not released till yesterday. Fortunately, my wife was able to take care of some of my tasks, but inasmuch as the hospital requires the patient to have a companion when checking out, she was also prevented from completing some of these items, not to mention her own agenda.

Furthermore, In general, medical offices and clinics are also shuttered for the rest of the week. So if I won't know the outcome of the examination until next Tuesday, and if I encounter complications as a result of this endoscopy, I will have to wait until Monday to contact my doctor or in a worst case scenario, go to the E.R. Can you imagine how crowded such a facility would be on a four-day week-end in this overcrowded megalopolis?

The moral of the story is that if you're going to have an elective medical procedure here in the Philippines, try to avoid slating it during Holy Week or right before any other major holiday such as Christmas. The resulting aggravation from not having access to follow-up support for several days and the frustration of having to juggle your schedule may be hazardous to your health.

Equal Rights for Filipinas: Almost There?

Like many other countries, the Philippines is currently observing International Women's Month. When it comes to women's rights, the culture of this country is truly a paradox. In some respects Filipinas are ahead of their American counterparts as for example in career opportunities. Women in the Philippines been active for decades in the professions such as medicine, law, broadcast journalism, government service and politics, and in such fields as engineering, and architecture for which American women until recently were considered unsuitable. Yet unlike in the U.S. women here are barred from occupations such as construction and operation of public utility vehicles. On the other hand there are Filipinas working in law enforcement and serving in the military including the PMA (Philippine Military Academy). In the barios and rural areas, women toil alongside the men and experience the same hardships.

The near-egalitarian status of women in the Philippines as compared to most other third-world countries may be the result of the matriarchal influence of the pre-Magellan Malay culture here that 300 years of colonization by the patriarchal Spanish were never able to completely erase. However, where Filipino women are negatively impacted is in their role as child bearers. The maternal mortality rate here is high especially among those in the lower socio-economic ranks: 200 out of every 100,000 women die in childbirth. This is due to a lack of access to quality medical care among the poor and equally importantly a very limited access to birth control measures such as as condoms and birth control pills, due to the opposition by the Catholic Church. (See my post "The CBCP: Pro-Life But Against the Living").

Yet the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo could have overcome this obstacle by exercising political will during her six year term which ends this year. For example she refused to support such measures as the Reproductive Health Act, which was recently defeated in the current session of Congress: As a conservative Catholic, she opposes government assistance in providing the people with access to artificial family planning means and education. This just goes to show that a woman in power does not necessarily empower women.

Interestingly, local women's advocacy groups did not criticize Arroyo on this issue during their protest march on International Women's Day concerning injustices against women. Yet they did confront the presidential candidates (all males) regarding their lack of position on women's issues.

Although President Arroyo's term officially expires in May, there is concern that she will try to hang on to her power one way or another. But if in fact she does "go quietly", one can only hope that her successor will vigorously address the matter of overpopulation that is one of the root causes of poverty in this country so that instead of winding up as street urchins as is the fate of so many kids here, the majority of Filipino children may be born into families who can materially and emotionally provide for their needs. In turn this will give the people an opportunity for a brighter future--regardless of gender.

Of Skin-Deep "Beauty" And Shallow Values

As I mentioned in a previous post one of the most irksome aspects of Filipino culture is the fixation on light (read white) skin, especially among women. So it was refreshing that no less than the Mayor of Makati City, Jejomar Binay, recently made a statement criticizing this sign of colonial mentality.

As Mayor Binay pointed out, cosmetics companies profit from this obsession by exploiting the popular notion that brown skin is something to be ashamed of. So they (very successfully) push skin whiteners as the path to beauty, no matter that poor quality brands of these products are often toxic.

I recall a television commercial for a whitener that told viewers that by using the advertised product, they would "look white and stay white." That is just pathetic. Think how much consumers could save instead of throwing away money on these useless products that do nothing more than appeal to a misplaced vanity and consider what these millions of pesos could do instead to improve Philippine society if properly redirected.

The main reason for Filipinos' self-identity issue is that for generations they have allowed themselves to be brainwashed into thinking that Caucasians, especially Americans who ruled this country for 50 years, are superior to their "little brown brothers" as U.S. President William McKinley referred to the people here. As a result of this now internalized racism, rarely if ever for example will you see a Filipino celebrity or even sales people in the country's leading department store chain who are not light-skin.

But skin color should be neither a source of shame or pride. Whatever one's race or ethnicity might be is an accident of birth and is something over which we have no control. So it behooves each of us to accept himself or herself as a unique individual and to not delude ourselves with pointless envy or magical thinking in trying to be who and what we are not.