That’s how we call the Philippines before. But aren’t pearls represent opulence? Why on earth more than 70% of our population live below the poverty line, despite the rich natural resources?

Are pearls associated with landslides, flash-floods and typhoons? Are we pearl no more?

“Love of country”

The Preamble of the 1987 Constitution contains the line “Love of Country”. Most, if not all, of other country’s constitutions do not include love of country in their preamble or other parts thereof. And the result? We belong to the Top 20 among the most corrupt government, according to Transparency International’s survey.

The recent typhoons that hit Northern Luzon magnified the effects of corruption. We had the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) cramming on their feet to cope with the onslaught of emergency calls from all sectors. Even the national capital Manila, rescue equipments were so few, compared with the number of flood victims that needed to be rescued. Evacuation quarters were available, but how would rescuers transport the evacuees over rushing flood-waters? Reflecting from all of these, one can say that what happened was a disaster from the beginning. Ironically, the P50 billion-peso annual budget for NDCC was reduced to P10 M pesos at the time of the disaster.

I’m not saying that other countries are not corrupt. Mostly have their own version of corruption. The difference is – they truly love their country…Love of country is not mere lip service…It must be practiced…

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

We boast of the fact that the IRRI is situated in our country. Why are we importing rice from Vietnam and Thailand? To think that these countries used to send their agriculturists to IRRI, to study and attend trainings on rice research. Now, they are supplying us with the product we taught them to research…

Highest literacy rate in Asia

We used to identify ourselves to have the highest literacy rate in Asia. But where are these bright guys now? Why can’t they solve the endemic corrupt system in the government? Why do we have to send our human resources abroad when they are needed here most?

We’re history. Neighboring ASEAN countries now edged the Philippines in terms of education and literacy rate…Our country is experiencing “brain drain” due to graft and corrupt governance…

Philippine Airlines (PAL)

PAL was once our national flag carrier. We pride ourselves to have PAL as the first airline in Asia. Ironically, PAL is now privatized. Only minimal shares are owned by the government and the rest belong to the Lucio Tan Group of companies and other private shareholders…

Is this our idea of national pride? Selling government properties to private entities because, according to our leaders, management will be better in private hands? Why are we privatizing government properties and businesses in the first place? Isn’t that a government under able hands acquire properties and take over businesses of private entities? Whatever happened to the theory of “Reinventing the Government” by Osborne and Gaebler?

English language proficient

Among Asian countries, we are one of the most proficient, if not the best, to speak and write the English Language, considered as the universal language. in fact, we send our local English teachers to other countries to educate them of the language.

If only our leaders translate this unique skill in following the letters of the law on legal ethics, morality, and nationalism, we can have a better Philippines.

Conclusion

These and other things not mentioned are manifestations of poor governance and corrupt practices. We are a people of versatile skill. Our Overseas Workers are preferred over other nationals because of such traits. We are a people of unique talent. We have the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Charisse Pempengco and Lea Salonga, to name a few, that gave us national pride in their fields of excellence…

We are indeed a nation of ironies and inconsistencies. We have it but we refuse to have it. Its all there all along, but we failed to make use of it. Love of country, that’s the bottomline. If only our leaders will pause for a while, stop thinking of enriching themselves and think of what they could do for their country, we can have a better Filipino nation. They can even declare a national holiday called “love of country day” and spend the whole day thinking or doing things for our beleaguered country, then, presumably, we can better off than today.

We should see opportunity in adversity…We must unite in diversity…This coming elections, our voice will be counted. Let us vote for somebody who loves our country…And let us hope that this somebody files his/her certificate of candidacy…

The use of euphemism seemed to be the trend nowadays as we read them in the newspapers, magazines and even as we watch movies, we do find these terms. Here are some few of the lines I gathered while watching movies and what it may seemed to mean for me:
“We’ve  got company” – may mean “somebody’s watching us” or “our enemies are close”…

“We got a situation” – which may mean “We’re in a kind of a problem” or may simply mean “we’re in deep shit”…

“You’re very helpful” – one way of saying “It’s a waste talking to you” or “You’re not helping me at all” or “you’re wasting my time” or “you’ve got to be kidding”

“He’s just leaving, show him out” – may mean “he pisses me off, throw him out” or “I’m through with him, show him the door”

In school or in offices, we often hear terms such as:

“Differently- abled – used to refer physically disabled people

“Greenhouse Effect” – definitely, the global warming or melting of the polar caps

“Chairperson”– instead of chairman or chairwoman, either is a gender issue

“Slander by deed” – legal term which literally means a slap on the face

“Country-wide development fund”– lawmakers fondly call their pork barrel funds

“Indigenous people” – refers to the native inhabitants or cultural minorities

“You have the gift of time” or “wow, you’re chronologically gifted” – meaning, you’re already old

“Internally displaced persons” – refers to evacuees

“Externally displaced persons” – formerly, refugees

“toy soldiers” – combatants who are minors

“Vertically challenged “– other term for short people or not considered tall at all

“you have more face to wash than hair to comb ” – meaning, bald or hairless

“Exotic nose” – may refer to a “flat nose”

“Exotic beauty” – black beauty or may mean Asian beauties

The list is endless. Thousand of euphemisms are being coined daily showing that people had evolved out from barbaric languages to a more cultured conversations. We hear them every day and seemed not so big deal nowadays because they are more of a general rule rather than the exception. It’s a skill for speakers to make use of these terms to avoid offensive reactions or simply as a toned down sarcasm .

The golden rule still applies through the ages, “Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you”. So, we may say by analogy that “don’t speak unto others like you don’t want others speak unto you”. Uh, well, as near as that, so it seems… Lol

Bottom line is, we got options now to say things in a manner that we don’t get the receiver’s ire. We can now be very diplomatic that instead of saying “ceasefire”, we can say “peace talk” or “cessation of hostilities”. Euphemism, to me, is some sort of a“damage control”?

What could be better in a bachelor’s life when,  after graduating from college, he lands in a high paying job, having an income more than enough for himself and more for night life and life savings? I was just on that same fix when some few years back (actually, decades ago), I partied here and there, with friends and kin, girls and women. Saturday nights seemed timeless and more often than not, we ended up in the wee hours of the morning…It was a dream life for singles, I would say. Booze are a-plenty and no commitment to look up to whomsoever you end up with when you feel like going to bed… It was a purely a care-free life back then…

“Every night seems, dinner and wine Saturday girls,

I was never in love never had the time in my hustle and hurried world.

Laughing myself to sleep, waking up lonely,

I needed someone to hold me, Oh…”

“It’s such a crazy old town, it can drag you down, till you run out of dreams;

So you party all night to the music and lights, but you don’t know what happiness means.

I was dancing in the dark with strangers no love around me,

When suddenly you found me, oh… “

My golly, looking back with my life, I spent more than eight years of my bachelor days fooling around in bars and friends on weekends and back to work on Mondays to Fridays.

But lo and behold, and quite unexpectedly, on a fine and exquisite summer day, I was sent on a training to the “City of Smiles” (Iloilo City) where I met this girl who changed everything in me…changed the world around me…where fantasy and reality are at par with each other… you can’t tell the difference…

“Girl you’re every woman in the world to me.

You’re my fantasy, you’re my reality

Girl, you’re every woman in the world to me.

You’re everything I need, you’re everything to me, Oh girl”…

She’s a girl all right, but not quite…She’s the type of a young woman capable of challenging my choosy taste. She stirred me intellectually and ahh, biologically, I may say…No wonder she’s smart and eloquent. She’s a UP graduate…Need to say more?  She got the body and physique that passes my personal criteria … She’s perfect, in and out…my ideal woman, for all legal intents and purposes…

For a very desperate heart of a bachelor, no woman can be as hard to get as the Helen of Troy….Well, her beauty may not launch even a single ship, but beauty is relative and and I would say, she’s relatively cute…

It was a whirlwind romance, and our engagement didn’t take long as we were already ripe of age at that time. She being twenty six and me, twenty nine. Legally, under the Family Code, both of us may proceed with contracting marriage even sans parental consent. Finding sense to my proposal, she interposed no objection thereto. I can’t simply let her go. I can’t afford to…So, on one rainy day in December 1993, we got married…

“Everything’s good, everything’s fine, that’s what you are

So put your hand in mine and together we’ll climb

As high as the highest star

I’m living the lifetime in every minute, that we’re together

And I’m staying right here forever, Oh”

“Girl you’re every woman in the world to me

You’re my fantasy, you’re my reality

Girl, you’re every woman in the world to me

You’re everything I need, you’re everything to me, Oh girl…”

I have to reveal, I am married to a star. Not in the real sense but literally. She’s neither a starlet nor a TV personality or an athlete of some sort.  She’s a star simply because her first name is Starjoan, Star for short, and she’s my every woman in the world…

I was lucky, I came across with the website GenSan News Online Mag where it was announced that there will be an Air Supply Concert in GenSan sponsored by the deliciously prestigious Grab A Crab Restaurant and also featured a blog contest entitled What Air Supply Song Are You? Blog Contest. This will be a golden opportunity for me to strengthen the bond with my Star and a good time to relive our past and renew the flame of passion we initially shared…

Of late, however, owing maybe to the moral orientation and the present culture of liberalism and boldness of youth, a young third party had emerged – threatening to snatch my all out attention to my star…she got the better looks, more passionate, aggressive and charming, whose closeness to me easily melts my fickle heart…But I will fight this feeling…I was married to a star and will always be…I will live a day at a time, in rhythm with the passing of days…and the other woman?  Well…she’s still young and more is in store for her in the future…

She’s very close to my star too…In fact, the three of us are very close with each other…

Finally, my two every women in the world had come to some kind of understanding and posed for posterity…

My gratitude to the following ad logos…

Dreamwork Ventures Inc.’s Platinum Concert Series 2009, in cooperation with the City Government of GenSan, the GenSan City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., ABS-CBN. Other partners are Grab A Crab Restaurant, MISO Hardware, San Miguel Corporation, Coca Cola Bottlers Inc., East Asia Royale Hotel, Coffee Dream, Giacominos, NY Fries and Dips, Giacominos, Gaisano Mall of GenSan and Gregoria Printing Press.

Undeniably, the white sand beach of Gumasa is a far cry from the world-class Boracay beaches in Caticlan, Aklan. But it’s the cheaper alternative hereabouts.  No fancy hotels, foreigners, cottages and bars.  Just plain, natural white sand beach with affordable native-inspired budget rooms and food suited for lowly government employees trying out a little luxury take home pay can buy.

So, when we reached the area, we settled at Coco Beach Resort, one of the budding resorts being developed in the area.

An open cottage of this type costs around 500 pesos (USD 10).

We chose this type,  cost  us only 200 pesos (around USD 5)…ha ha ha, cheap? You haven’t seen the best yet.

The magic of seaside breeze is truly a gift of mother -nature to mankind.  Value-added on  the physical and mental relaxation you get when lying down on the shore is the chance to make bonding with the children, whose school schedule and requirements so cardiac nowadays, and with dear wife, who lately, had been nagging me for a date, alone,  with the kids…

But surprise of all surprises is meeting a long lost relative in an unlikely place such as Coco Beach.   Perhaps,  not long lost but, more accurately, a newly found relative,  Dr. Delfin Besquillo, Jr., whom I never had a chance to meet  before.  He’s  a retired skin doctor a la Vicky Belo, according to him.  Now, a senior citizen at 78 years of age who finally decided to spend his retirement days developing a beach resort.  Ironically, he owns Coco Beach!

It’s like this.  My late paternal grandfather Juan, may his soul rest in peace, was such a Valentino in his younger days had  he had three wives.  Not at the same time, of course, but successively married  one after the other.  In his first wife, he had 3 children and one of whom was the mother of my aforesaid cousin, Dr. Besquillo   My father was an offspring of my grandpa Juan with his third wife, Grandma Vida…That makes me and Dr. Delfin Besquillo, Jr.  first degree step-cousins…proud descendants  of the great playboy Grandpa Juan…  Interestingly, he looked so closely similar with my late father that I had goose-bumps looking at him.

So, by late afternoon, after a few hours of catching up family affairs with cousin Doc over some bottles of San Miguel Lights, plus tuna sashimi and  grilled panga (tuna jaw) and after finding my kids sun-burnt already , we decided it was  time to head back home.

Whew, what a day…It’s not only that I found a relative and a father incarnate in one person, I did get 50% discount off the regular rate everytime I show up there, courtesy of cousin Doc!   Lol…You never can tell what will happen in any one day away from home. It was one unforgettable weekend for my family.

In fairness, I love Coco Beach…

Former president Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino is history, literally. But she left a legacy that may be considered for a long time unequalled, unparalleled by past and present crop of political leaders. Her rise to the top national post was meteoric that it was forgotten she was a mere housewife to her equally great late husband Benigno “Ninoy”Aquino. Well, actually, so much had been said about the life of Cory in the news and broadcast media. So what’s my point here?

I would rather deal on what I think on the impact of her demise from the view point of an admirer from afar. Uh, don’t get me wrong, I’m not physically attracted to Cory but you see I admire her achievements and what she had done and showed us as Filipinos.

First, she showed us that being president is no big deal. She showed us that you don’t need the right political party, right connections and lots of money to get elected. Neither was there a need to amend the constitution so that you retain the top post nor allow your husband to get assassinated in the tarmac first before becoming president. She simply showed us that even a simple housewife, or a simple man on the street with the minimum acceptable education, could be as effective a president as she was…

Secondly, a simple housewife can unite a nation, no matter whether she’s alive or dead…

Third, you don’t need to amend the constitution or get re-elected so that people will love you and give you a hero’s honor when you’re dead…

Fourth, she taught us that humility is a virtue, even in politics…

Fifth, she also showed us that there is power in the people and it is possible for Filipinos to have a government of the people by the people and for the people.

Sixth, she showed in human form that honesty is still the best policy in governance..

Well, I can cite several lessons but too lengthy to mention here…Bottom line is, we had one Cory Aquino whose life had instilled inspiration to our national existence.  For it is in the darkest that star shines best…Wherever you are, thanks for being around Madam Cory…

Except in a test run in the ARRM Elections, the country has no direct experience on a fully automated elections so far. In 2004 elections, there was an attempt to automate the presidential elections but the Supreme Court restrained the move based on a petition in court filed by one of the losing bidders which later resulted to the junking of the proposed automation, costing the government something like P2 billion pesos. To date, the counting machines are still stored somewhere in one of the myriad warehouses in Metro Manila.

With the proposed automated system for purposes of the May 10, 2010 presidential and local elections, it means that the polling precincts will be clustered, not to exceed 5 precincts, with a ratio of 1,000 voters (maximum) per cluster. Each clustered precinct will be provided with one PCOS-OMR machine. Voting hours will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Voting is manual – by shading the spaces/boxes/circles opposite the candidates’ names in a special official ballot. Right after voting, the voter himself will feed the official ballot into the PCOS-OMR machine so that his vote will be counted. Accordingly, every time the machine completes counting a ballot, the result will be automatically transmitted to a central consolidating machine situated in the canvassing center. After 5 p.m. on election day and when all votes are supposed to be counted, the consolidated results will be printed out from the consolidating machine for canvassing and proclamation of winning candidates. While in the precinct level, machine-generated election returns will be printed in 30 copies for distribution to watchers and other stakeholders. National winning candidates will be known within 48 hours after voting.

Well, quite fast and efficient, huh?

That is, on the presumption that elections will push through as planned, without any hassles and glitches along the way. Or maybe, on the presumption that machines will neither conk out in the middle of counting nor hang up while counting a ballot. Or, just maybe, on the presumption that the Supreme Court will not issue a restraining order for the use of the machines in which, if issued, inevitably, we’re back to square one – manual elections.

Whatever detractors say, I say we go automated, all the way. Its time to move on. Its time to try out new things for a change. We used to be one of the top countries in Asia, we can still do it now by automating our elections and doing some other noble things. Bottom line is, we showed the world the magic of people power during EDSA 1. What will keep us from showing other powers with magical effects as well? Go Filipinos, let us vote wisely come May 10, 2010…

Above are what appear to be the ballot boxes for PCOS-OMR counting machines

Whatever, this wedding I attended was out of the ordinary. This was a “mixed wedding”.  Uh…, a  wedding by mixed parties.  Or an inter-marriage or mixed-up wedding, perhaps.  Well, actually, it’s a wedding between a Christian bride and a Muslim groom by Muslim rites.

I am not privy to Muslim weddings as they constitute only around 10% of our national population.  Although considered as a minority population hereof, it certainly is not the least among the minorities.  With the kind indulgence of my Muslim friends and respected citizens embracing Islam,  I had to be cautious here lest this piece unknowingly deal on sensitive religious issues. My apologies, perhaps, is in order.  I meant no offense and these were mainly impressions coming from a first-time observer of a Muslim wedding.

Now, for the wedding story, it started not with a bridal march but with some sort of arrangement or conference with the family of the groom and father of the bride or his representative, before the officiating Muslim priest (Imam, I think), in which everything said were publicly heard through a microphone.  With the Imam facilitating in Arabic language, consent by the contracting parties were obtained.   It was announced though, that the father is presently abroad and hence, cannot attend the wedding.  The replacement is the elder brother of the bride. But since the elder brother is not a Muslim, somebody should fill-in the slot.   To cut it short, the bride was finally represented by an elder distant relative who is of known probity, a leader and of good moral standing as a Muslim.  So, after consent was obtained , other requirements were readily agreed upon with no objection being heard thereof.

After some symbolic hand-holding  and foot-shoving by the bride’s paternal representative and the groom,     the Imam then announced in Arabic (usually followed with a translation in the local dialect)   the wedding ceremony was over and the bride was summoned (who was just outside the wedding hall, anyway) to join the ceremony. No exchange of “I Do’s” as we used to hear in Christian weddings.

Then  followed  the wedding march.  It amused me because I  expected an entirely Muslim march but lo and behold,  there go the flower girls, the ring bearer  and followed by the bridal entourage, with their respective partners all in gowns and traditional wedding wear for the groom’s men…

Soon, the newlyweds marched their way to the center table for the picture-taking, well-wishing,  gift-giving and the awaited wedding feast.

As you will notice, the bride’s gown doesn’t look like a traditional Muslim gown at all.  But does it matter? Its a mixed wedding anyways and we’ve got to evolve somehow from our traditional wedding rites…

Bottom line is, the wedding ceremony served its purpose – the divine union of two consenting hearts.  The slight modification hardly had any effect in the establishment of the new family and the beginning of new alliances…Hence, all is well that ends well…

My lasting impression?  Well, the food was good…

But how can I explain  these things or accuse or educate my 8-year old child Ethan Joss, who is on his 3rd grade at New Era University? His acts constitute all the essential elements required to establish probable cause for a criminal prosecution based on the afore-cited laws…The dictionary looks like this:

Ethan, perhaps not so contented with the contents of the children’s dictionary,  updated the said book and now looks like this:

He just pasted his updates on page 9. Written  in pencil on his 3rd grade sheet, back to back, in his own handwriting…

Without his permission, I took the liberty of  posting here the contents – exactly how he had written it, complete with punctuation marks in “excellent” English grammar and capital letters.

“Dictionary of animals

coral snake.

coral snakes are poisonous their bites are deadly to human it will take 15 sec. until the victim dies.

Vulture

Vultures are big birds that can eat dead animals.

toucan.

toucans are big birds. they have long beaks to reach high fruits to eat.

horse.

horses are useful to humans. the humans can ride on it to make them more faster. they can also useful for the race.

Warthog

Warthogs are big pigs that are dangerous to humans. they can run to victims to attack victims.

Lion and Lioness.

Lions are king of the beast. The Lioness are queen of the beast. they can eat meat or people.

kiwi.

kiwis are small birds that can reach high fruits with their beaks. kiwis have no hands. kiwis can climb trees with their  feet.

made by: ethan “ (Italics, mine)

See,  how flagrant was the violation?  A novel case of  invasion of intellectual property right.  A deliberate attempt to derail the literary standards of the authors.  The violator  had intentionally, willfully and feloniuosly converted the children’s dictionary into an 8-year old dictionary without any apparent authority! You be the judge…Guilty or not guilty? Here’s the only picture taken from the unsuspecting suspect/accused/culprit…with a possible accomplice in the background…

Popular ornamental fishes include goldfish, cichlids, sharks (actually catfish family), mollies, guppies, barbs,arowana, arapaima, etc. Flowerhorns belong to the cichlids. I prefer to deal on freshwater tropical fishes because of its familiarity in the pet market.

Breeding

Tropical fish may differ in reproduction. It is either a live bearer or a egg layer. In  live bearers, you don’t get so much problem in breeding your fish. They produce their youngs with the least of human intervention. In short, even if you leave them in tanks or aquariums, live bearers reproduce by themselves. As breeder, your only concern is to separate the young ones from the bigger ones to avoid cannibalism. Aside from potential food for their parents, separation also increase survival rate. Popular live bearers are the guppies, mollies, swordtails and platy varieties.

On the one hand, egg-layers are the rest of the tropical varieties like the goldfish, cichlids, sharks, barbs, arowana and even plecostomos.

Strangely, egg-layer varieties have several reproductive habits. For example, the barbs and goldfish. Both are considered egg-scaterers because when spawning, the female looks for a vegetation or aquatic grasses where the fertilized eggs are released and scaterred. Other breeders use yarn as replacement medium. The male simultaneously fertilizes the eggs as they are released from the female.

Some cichlids, like tilapia, blue kennai, tangerines, yellow prince, etc. are mouth-breeders. Meaning, after the female lays her eggs, the male usually collects the eggs and incubate the same in his mouth for a few weeks until the young ones are released where they are now allowed to feed on their own…Arowana, which is of a different variety, is also a mouth breeder. However, breeding it remains expensive because one needs a number of breeders to start production

Plecostomos or janitor fish, digs in a cave or a hole along fishpond banks where the eggs, usually protected and contained by a thin membrane hanging inside the breeding cave or hole.

Bettas or fighting fish and gourami are bubble-nesters. The male creates bubbles where the females deposit the fertilized eggs after spawning.

Other species, like angel fish and oscar, are egg-layers of the adhesive type. While spawning, the female fish plants the eggs on a smooth-surface stone or medium where eggs adhere until hatching…Commercial breeders sometimes use smooth ceramic tiles as medium in breeding angels and oscars.

Well, one thing I’ve learned in freshwater tropical fish-breeding is that if you try your hand for the fun of it, then its all right. But if you venture on commercial breeding, you have to do it large scale. Meaning, you’ve got to input capital and aim for a profitable breeding. For starters, you will need at least a hundred pairs of each variety of breeders. The likes of angelfish, goldfish, barbs and danios. For koi, oscars and bigger varieties, you need to have at least fifty breeders to choose from. For mollies and guppies, a minimum of five hundred breeders will do for a start.  For the life-support system like aquariums, tanks,  ponds and other accessories entails added cost too.  With these facilities and animals, you can now start your fish breeding adventures – only for local market. For export ventures, you need ten-fold of the facilities aforementioned…

The governments of Malaysia, Indonesia and perhaps, Thailand, extend support to freshwater ornamental fish breeding through financing and technical assistance and annual export earnings run to millions of dollars. These countries are known exporters of ornamental fish. In the Philippines, the business seemed none of the present priority of the government. Its a potential dollar-earner and national leaders do not recognize it as such.  Fillipinos tend to  export  human resources so that they could bring back dollars when they return. These same human resources could have solved most of our domestic woes.  What a pathetic state of affairs.

Southeast Asia is endowed with a climate highly conducive for tropical fish-breeding. We have the optimal water temperature, alkalinity and natural foods for nourishment of fish larvae. Bottom line is, we must take advantage of this natural endowment.

European fish breeders use their underground basements as breeding areas to control water temperature. They also use water heaters and laboratories for the natural foods production.  Imagine breeding tropical fishes in places like Germany, Norway and UK – but they can – successfully at that. Indeed, if there’s a will, there’s a way….

Talking of history, the President celebrated Independence Day for the first time in Koronadal City, Province of South Cotabato. Symbolic celebrations of independence day were always in Cawit, Cavite or Rizal Shrine in Manila.

Of all the beautiful cities in Mindanao, Koronadal City was her choice to hoist the flag of independence. Hence, the following speculations were afloat among critics:

1. Is the president avoiding the massive rally at Makati City courtesy of the opposition and other concerned groups?

2. Is she “testing the waters” in Mindanao for the viability of her Con-ass (Constitutional assembly)?

3. Or is it her way of making the rounds for a “loyalty check” for her allies in Mindanao?

Whatever prompted the president to grace the Independence Day celebration is of no significance among the majority of the Filipino people. We tend to care less these days with so many concern to be worried about – like the Swine Flu scare and economic depression plaguing the globe. We can easily think that her move was a case of premature campaign.

Who would ever think that the Filipinos are independent when we are so “Americanized” here? We rank as the one of the best English-speaker in Asia. Most of the foreign companies that find their products here are of American brands.

Although the US naval and air bases moved out in 1991, they were replaced by the controversial Visiting Forces Agreeement (VFA). Sans the bases, American forces are free to come and go, to train our local armed forces on modern warfare a la navy SEALS OR DELTA forces, reminiscence of the Lebanese and Vietnam war.

Our biggest money-lenders are the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which have all the american dollars smelling in them.

Our favorite national sports is basketball, and Le Bron James and Kobe Bryant, our sports heroes.

We are the people who claimed to be independent and belonging to a democratic and republican state – but whose ways, culture and mentality are deeply rooted to American culture – or at least of American standards…We have the Philippine Constitution which is a replica of the American Constitution with slight modification. We always look at the Americans as our big brothers, whom we can call upon in times of war and animosity. And what’s wrong with that, anyway…we have the most powerful nation on earth as our big brother…A superpower…That’s the bottom line…

To be philosophical about it, most, if not all, 3rd world countries can not truly claim they are independent. As long as there are the likes of “big brothers”, “mother countries” and “superpowers”, we only deserve the lower end in terms of technology, economics and military capability…An independence in formality that exists in paper only..

So what’s with independence day anyway? Shall we say we belong to an independent nation for formality sake? That we pretend to be an independent state only for international recognition and not as true as the word implies? For me, it’s something that we can be proud of, it’s the commemoration of the day we stood against world powers. The day we showed history that we are human beings after all, capable of feeling that wounded national pride.. A celebration of a new beginning, new challenge for one’s beloved country…And certainly, not a celebration to hide one’s hidden political agenda…