"WHAT'S THE PROBLEM???" ang tanong ng boss ko sa isang katrabaho. Kasama ako sa sasakyan na hindi makaalis-alis dahil sa red tape. Mukhang naghihintay pa ng pampadulas ang mga kinauukulan. Kuripot ang amo kong banyaga. Hindi nabitiw kahit sinkong duling. Makakalabas daw kami sa gate nang hindi nagbabayad ng kung anu-ano dahil yun daw ang legal. Ma-prinsipyo. Bilib ako.
"That's why the Philippines remain so poor!" sabi n'ya. Mainit, pagod kami, at medyo bwisi. Doon nag-umpisa ANG BWISIT NA KWENTUHAN.
Na-culture shcok daw s'ya sa Pilipinas patapak n'ya ditoanim na taon na ang nakalipas. Laganap daw ang lagayan...at hindi sa pamamaraang patago. Hindi n'ya maintindihan kung bakit pumatol dawtayong mga Pilipino sa ginto, ganyong tayo rin ang nahihirapan. Kaya may mga nangongotong, dahil may nagpapakotong.
Tinahak namin ang Navotas papuntang pier. Akmang-akma ang lugar para lalo akong balahurain ng employer ko.
"Manila(Metro Manila) is one of the dirtiest cities in the world." sabi n'ya. Parang musika sa tenga ko ang sinabi n'ya. Muntik ko na nga s'yang alaglag sa sasakyan. Pero mas malakas ang sipa ng katotohanan. Madumi nga yung lugar na 'yon."And it stinks, too!" dagdag n'ya.
Maganda nga ang tanawin sa aming paglalakbay. Mga batang walang panty at nilalangaw ang mukha. Mga kalakihang walang t'shirt at bagsak ang katawan sa droga. At mga kababaihang abalang-abala sa pagpapasuso s sampung anak. Ayos din ang mga tenement. Sa malayo mukhang mga rectangular na smokey mountain. Sa malapit mukhang bangungot.
'Yan ang view sa kaliwa namin. Gusto ko sanang tukuran ang mukha ng boss ko para wag nang makalingat sa kanan kung saan mas maraming peklat ang Pilipinas, pero nakita n'ya pa rin: mga basura, bahay, at batab na hindi mo malaman kung ano ang alin dahil sa kapal ng itim na usok ng mga sasakyan. Marami s'yang komento, sinabi ko na lang, "Well, what do you expect from a third world country?" Talo na 'ko. Tama na amg yabang.
Pinag-usapan namin ang tungkol sa negosyo n'ya... na nauwi na naman sa gobyerno natin. Sandamukaldaw ang mga buwaya, red tape, graft, at corruption dito. Tinaong ko kung baka dahil lang sa dayuhan s'ya kaya s'ya ginagastahan. Ang sagot n'ya: No, Filipinos do it even to other Filipinos!" kitang-kita ko ang pagbagsak ng bandera ng Pilipinas sa sinabi n'ya, naramdaman ko pa ang pagtama ng flag pole sa ulo ko!
Maiintindihan n'ya raw kung mahigirap ang magnanakaw, Pero sa bansa natin, mga mayayaman ang malilikot ang kamay...mga edukodo, titulado, at nasa gobyerno. No, Filipinos do it even to other Filipinos...No, Filipinos do it even to other Filipinos...No, Filipinos do it to other Filipinos...Patuloy ang pagtugtognito sa isipan ko.
Ikinuwento n'ya rin ang ginawa sa kanya ng isa n'yang empleyadong Filipina. Pinagbalakan s'yang pikutin nito. Oo nga naman, instantfortune 'yon kung saka-sakali. Mahahango sa hirap ang Pinay na 'yon at ang kanyang pamilya. Aba, andami na nating success ng bansa,ganyan ang konsepto ng pag-unld.
Napag-usapan ang kultura, ang sex. Mababa rin ang tingin n'ya sa mga Filipina. Sabi ko e marriage before sex ang kultura sa Pilipinas. Umiling s'ya, Pinoy daw mismo ang nagsabi sa kanyang pakawala ang mga babae dito at mag-eenjoy s'ya. Sabi ko, " Those are whores and the guy who told you that is a pervert." Professional at kakilala ko pa pala ang nagkwento sa kanya . Asshole.
Totoo ang mga kwento ng boss ko. Nakakangilo sa ngipin, pero totoo. At bagama't nakakapikon s'ya minsan e mabait at mabuti s'yang tao. Sa bayan nila, hinihikayat ang mga tao na umunlad. Dito raw sa atin, pag-umuunlad ang tao, hinihila pababa. Nakakatakot mag-negosyo kasi yari ka sa mga "tauhan ng gobyerno". Pag nakitang namumuga ka, babatuhin ka nang babatuhin hanggang sa malaglag ang mga prutas mo. Walang pinagkaiba kun legal o ilegal ang negosyo mo, maglalagay at maglalagay ka rin sa mga kinauukulan. Bakit ka pa magli-legal???
Sa pag-uwi ko sa bahay naisip ko, bakit ang Hong K0ng at Singapore, hindi naman gaanong nabiyayaan ng likas na yaman pero maunlad? Bakit ang mga Hapon, bob mag-English pero mayaman? Sa Pilipinas kahit bawal magtinda sa sidewalk, may nagtitinda. Kahit bawal magtapon ng basura kung saan-saan, meron pa ring tapon nang tapon. Paano pa kaya uunlad ang bansa natin n'yan?
Displina lang kaya talaga ang problema sa'tin? Sgurado akong kahit sa mga sandaling 'to, may isang Pilipino na bumabasa ng nakasulat dito kahit na sibi nang bawal ito basahin. Tigas ng ulo!
Proud to be a 100% Pinay!
Posted in Proud Pinay! on May 20, 2007 at 6:46 PM
Current Mood: happy
1. You're related to everyone.
2. Your middle name is your mother's maiden name.
3. Your parents call each other "Mommy" and "Daddy."
4. You have uncles and aunts named "Boy," "Girlie," or "Baby."
5. You have relatives whose nicknames consist of repeated syllables like "Jun-Jun,"
6. You call the parents of your friends and your own parents' friends "Tito" and "Tita."
7. You have four or five names.
8. You greet your elders by touching their hands to your forehead.
9. You always kiss your relatives on the cheek whenever you enter or leave the room.
10. You follow your parents' house rules even if you are over 18.
11. You live with your parents until and at times even after you're married.
12. You make your children sing and dance to amuse your friends and relatives.
13. Your house has a distinctive aroma.
14. You decorate your living room wall with your family's framed diplomas and plaques.
15. You decorate your dining room wall with a picture of the "Last Supper."
16. You keep your furniture wrapped in plastic or covered with blankets.
17. You have a Sto. Nino shrine in your living room.
18. You keep a fly swatter in your kitchen.
19. Your kitchen table has a vinyl tablecloth.
20. You recycle shopping bags as garbage bags.
21. You have a piano that no one plays.
22. You keep a tabo in your bathroom.
23. You own a barrel man from Baguio (Schwing!).
24. You use Vicks Vapor rub as an insect repellant.
25. You have ageless skin, thanks to the high humidity of the tropics.
26. You eat with your hands.
27. You eat more than three times a day.
28. You think a meal is not a meal without rice.
29. You use your fingers to measure the water you need to cook rice.
30. You eat your meal using a spoon and fork.
31. You cut your meat with a spoon or fork.
32. You think sandwiches are snacks, not meals.
33. You feed all your visitors.
34. You always cook too much.
35. Your dining table has a merry-go-round (lazy Susan) in the middle.
36. You bring baon to work everyday.
37. You keep your stove covered in aluminum foil when not in use.
38. You wash and re-use plastic utensils, styrofoam cups, and aluminum wrappers.
39. Your pantry is never without Spam, Vienna sausage, corned beef, and sardines.
40. You love to eat daing or tuyo.
41. You prop up one knee while eating.
42. You eat your meal with patis, toyo, suka, banana catsup, or bagoong.
43. Your tablecloths are stained with toyo circles.
44. You love sticky desserts and salty snacks.
45. You eat fried Spam and hot dogs with rice
46. You eat mangoes with rice--with great GUSTO!
47. You love "dirty" ice cream.
48. You love to eat, yet often manage to stay slim.
49. You grab a toothpick after every meal.
50. When dining out, you always fight over who will pay for dinner.
51. You put hot dogs in your spaghetti.
52. Everything you eat is sauted in garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
53. You order a "soft drink" instead of soda.
54. You eat rice for breakfast.
55. You hang a rosary on your car's rear view mirror.
56. You get together with family at a cemetery on All Saint's Day to eat, drink, and tell
stories by your loved ones' graves.
57. You play cards or mahjong and drink beer at funeral wakes.
58. You think Christmas season begins in October and ends in January.
59. You make the sign of the cross before take-offs and after landings and every time you
pass by a church.
60. Your second piece of luggage is a balikbayan box.
61. You've mastered the art of packing a suitcase to double capacity.
62. You are standing next to eight boxes at the airport.
63. You collect items from airlines, hotels, and restaurants as "souvenirs."
64. You feel obligated to give pasalubong to all your friends and relatives each time you
return from a trip.
65. You can't make a purchase without haggling.
66. You use paper foot outlines when buying shoes for friends and relatives.
67. You're a fashion victim.
68. You point with your lips.
69. You can convey 30 messages with your facial expression.
70. You greet one another by raising your eyebrows or tossing your head.
71. You hold your palms together in front of you and say "excuse, excuse" when you pass
in between people or in front of the TV.
72. You scratch your head when you don't know an answer to a question.
73. You smile all the time for no reason.
74. You ask for the bill at a restaurant by making a rectangle in the air.
75. You cover your mouth when you laugh.
76. You respond to a "Hoy!" or a "Pssst!" in a crowd.
77. You'll answer "Malapit lang!"--no matter the distance--when asked how far away a
place is located.
78. You prefer to Mercedes Benz as "chedeng."
79. Goldilocks is more than a fairy tale character to you.
80. You refer to power interruptions as "brownouts."
81. You love to use the following acronyms: CR for comfort room, DI for dance instructor,
DOM for dirty old man, TNT for tago nang tago, KJ for kill joy, KSP for kulang sa
pansin, OA for over-acting, TL for true love, BF for boyfriend and GF for girlfriend.
82. You're always late for events and parties.
83. You say "rubber shoes" instead of sneakers, "ball pen" instead of pen, "stockings" in
stead of pantyhose, "pampers" instead of diapers, "ref" or "prijider" instead of
refrigerator, "Colgate" instead of toothpaste, "canteen" instead of cafeteria, and "open"
or "close" instead of turn on or turn off (as in the lights).
84. You always leave your shoes or slippers outside the doorstep.
85. You use an umbrella for shade on hot summer days.
86. You prefer sitting in the shade instead of basking in the sun.
87. You can sing and dance at a drop of a hat.
88. You like everything imported or "state-side."
89. You love ballroom dancing, bowling, pusoy, mah jong, billiards, and karaoke.
90. You hang your clothes out to dry in a laundry line.
91. You middle name is your mother's maiden name.
92. You have a relative who is a nurse.
93. When you're in a restaurant, you wipe your plate and utensils before using them.
94. You can squeeze 15 passengers into your five seater car without a second thought.
95. You have carpet runners in your house.
96. You wave a pom-pom on a stick around the food to keep the flies away.
97. You find dried morsels of rice stuck to your shirt.
98. You always ring a doorbell twice, assuming that the first ring was not heard.
99. You let the phone ring twice before answering, lest you appear overly eager.
100. You laughed at every single one of these statements and couldn't believe how true
they are!
