Cracking My Shell Open

I’ve been back in Manila from Mindanao for a few weeks now. I was forced into a shell even after I got back because of circumstances, but now my egg is hatching. Disheartening episodes continued and became worse than what I told you about in Bubble Bursting.

Eventually, a tiny bit of financial relief came along, enough to get myself up and running with a computer and got back online. I had really missed writing. I had tried continuing in an internet café on my return, but I couldn’t focus with ten screaming youths around me and keypads where I have to punch the space bar to make it work. I’m not complaining though, it’s damned cheap!

Injury Time

Then, to further compound my writing return, I was beset with illness. My poor health was a hangover from an injury I got in a tomato field. Don’t ask but in short, a nylon rope had cut into my leg, a fly had a nibble on the injury when I wasn’t looking which resulted in a very yucky pus-ridden swollen and infected lower leg which made my last few weeks in Mindanao very uncomfortable. I returned to the capital and fully recovered, or so I thought. Apparently not, my leg decided to start rotting from the inside out. It swelled like an elephant’s leg and was so painful, I struggled to walk. I had serious fever for a few days and a course of antibiotics later; now, I am in recovery mode.

All these enthusiasm-dampening events have made it difficult to continue where I left off. I’ve hardly written a thing since December. It wasn’t losing the will; it was more about the means. I had many months away without a computer or internet connection.

Well, I now have the tools (computer and connection), I just need to wake up the brain and get some energy. It really is difficult picking up something you started after putting it down for such a long while. I had the desire, but the lack of means really did throw me off course.

In Bubble Bursting, I played with footballer analogies. The reason for that is because mentally I do feel rusty. No money and illness has left me feeling that I really need to ease myself back into writing. So as I’m still in football analogy mode, I will describe it as not feeling match fit. I need a few warm up games in the reserves. I guess this article could be such described as my warm up game.

I went well overboard with the football analogies in my last piece so it best ends here.

Losing Touch

Being away from a computer and internet meant I hadn’t had much to do with social media. I would visit a café a couple of times a month and keeping up with events wasn’t a priority. I did feel cut off from knowing what was going on but it wasn’t exactly a hardship.

I would make a point of checking on the fate of my beloved Blues spend 30 minutes realizing I was bored with Facebook and then log out to go back to a simple existence all of which I’m due to tell you about. I learnt a lot on my travels. I lost touch with the world and it was fine.

Something for Everyone

My absence from writing gave me the time to think about the future direction for this blog. I still have no idea exactly where I’m going with it though.

I’ve been spending my time since getting back online familiarizing myself with events, news and observing the usual Facebook chatter in an attempt to get the old brain working again. I’m hardly Mr. Metro so I don’t go out and find out much first hand. On occasions I have ventured out, I have had some great nights out, seen some excellent local bands and discovered many places which have gone a little under the radar. One thing I know is whether you like Facebook or not, social media and the internet in general really make it easy to find out what’s going on and where.

This blog is for those that can afford a good night but not forgetting those that can’t. Having less cash may be limiting in some ways, but the other side of not having a lot of money on your stay here means your limitations make you more informed and more adventurous. Lack of cash takes you into situations which other visitors seldom see. Your condo or hotel can be a little too safe. I love those that can step out of their comfort zones and explore the real Philippines and real Filipinos.

I’ve spoken of it before but there are many different ways of being accommodated if you’re coming on a visit. If you’re coming with a view to settle here, you need to know even more. You can save yourself a lot of time and money by simply educating yourself and taking guidance from someone that knows what may take you years to find out for yourself.

Metro Manila or tourist spots will always be more expensive when it comes to everyday living and accommodation. In short, these lessons are something you could really do with being fully aware of before you come with a vague plan. The actuality would mean having to rethink whatever you intended. Wouldn’t it be better to educate yourself long before you even got here?

It’s never easy, but this country has endless possibilities if you’re prepared to grasp them. I’m aware that for good reasons, people want to stay in their comfort zone. You’re not in your own country; you play it safe, very wise. Not everyone wants to be intrepid but the reality is if you only see a country from the safety of a hotel room, you are going to go home having learnt little about the real Philippines.

However, you don’t need a hotel to live comfortably. There are apartelles, motels, home-stays or rented condos and houses or a simple unfurnished or furnished room. With many of the options, you can get the same services you get in a hotel for a lot less cost. If you’re prepared to move away from the standard you’re possibly used to, then you can live amazingly cheaply. I will try and guide you enabling you to hold on to your cash and therefore prolonging your time here safely.

Everyone has different needs from the next. Whatever you want from the Philippines, it’s here. I’m hoping I can help tailor your stay within your budget. It’s most likely a vacation so you may want a little comfort. It really depends on you. Whatever you want, it’s doable; it’s the Philippines.

In future articles, I shall be offering you the guidance you need. You simply need to ask yourself a few questions as to what it is you want to achieve. If you’re visiting only, what is it that you want to do here? Do you want to sit in your room and only relax around the pool or do you want to see everything, do everything, and taste everything whilst you are here? To do that you need to plan. I’m more than happy to help you make that plan.

OK, I will leave you with one more football analogy as its World Cup year. This post was my playing just the first half of a friendly behind closed doors. A few more run outs, a full game and I’m ready for the league. Be patient with me and no more football analogies, I promise.

I’m back writing, still rusty, but I’m coming back to see where this takes me. I have decided to just put out posts as they come to me. No regular pattern, I think it will be all the better for it. So this is my warm up post. Normal writing will resume as soon as possible. This old chicken is coming out of his shell.

(Photo courtesy of Kay Smith Brushworks)

Higher Ground

I think it’s time for me and some of us expats to be a little reflective. I know I’m taken by some locals to be being critical. Well of course, up to a point I am but I like to think it’s not criticism for criticisms’ sake. I challenge mindsets and general everyday madness that are holding people back. If giving no quarter when in traffic makes the problem worse, I say so. I don’t feel any wrong in that or other such examples of everyday criticisms. Likewise, if people here vote for people with obvious self-agendas, am I wrong to suggest that they should perhaps consider not voting them. Unfortunately, I don’t have suggestions as to where their votes should best go, not too many choices or alternatives around. I don’t do anything other than state the obvious but I have no plan to call for revolutions nor put down a people who are misled from every side.

But as I ask Filipinos to have a think about things, it’s only right to question ourselves and our own attitudes too as outsiders. In some ways, it could be said that I come from a country where things are done better than here. Perhaps as foreigners, we’re a little too happy to point that out, but we need to remember that not all is as perfect as we like to think it was in our own countries for whatever reasons. Perhaps we should put the brake on a little when we think of Filipinos as being more stupid than what they actually are. Most Filipinos are far from stupid. It’s always too easy to say them when in reality, it’s usually just some.

There is no getting away from many of the wrongs here that come from the top and consequently work their way down to the bottom of society. If there is corruption at the top, it’s obvious it will be in every walk of life here; from the lowest paid government worker to senators. We may come from places that don’t have the same degree of problems, but we don’t come from any kind of utopia either. The point of this blog is to look at things and ask what we can learn from each other but we outsiders, also need to check ourselves sometimes too.

It may seem like insanity to us but to people here, it’s normal because it’s just everyday life and they haven’t seen things done in other ways. Filipinos will surely be thinking more as to why we can’t adapt instead of telling them constantly that they are doing everything wrong which is something we have to admit; many of us do. It is a valid argument to say that the way this country functions is difficult to understand. Many of the criticisms are valid but let’s not forget we haven’t flown in from heaven either.

It strikes me very often just how much many of us tend to forget that our own countries have problems too. Some seem to idealize their home country when away from it to the extent that I wonder why they ever left it.

With some expats, they show no will to learn Filipino ways and want to spend the whole day telling them how it should be done. I do want to emphasize that I know this isn’t everyone, but I have experienced it all too often, and in some matters, I’ve been guilty of some of it, too.

From where we’re looking at it, it does sometimes appear that in many ways, Filipinos are not helping themselves. They elect monsters as heroes, lap up unsavoury pointless celebrity nonsense, happily clap along to infantile TV, and it’s easy to see why sometimes, we can get a little sneering.

I sneered with the best of them over many things. I didn’t stop until I realized, this is all they know. What would I be like if I was raised knowing only what I was told? I would believe in monsters, enjoy the lives of others (celebrities), as an escape from my own life possibly. I would clap along happily with some lunchtime TV programme monstrosities without questioning the ethics. I would never have known a brighter place; I would have little idea that I’m being insulted.

The real villains are not those that don’t know any better and take what they get. The bad ones are the ones that feed them the scraps of fish, deceive them with false information and have no wish or intention to uplift people, educate them or to elevate them into anything other than a voter and a consumer. As ignorant as they are seems to suit the entertainment industry, media in general and especially the ruling classes.

As you spend time here, you will pick up on these issues and quickly work out who the real villains are and why they do it. It would appear that there is a dumbing down of a people by the group mentioned above for their own benefits.

So okay, we suddenly feel all superior and believe it all beneath us whilst forgetting that we have our fair share of awful, patronizing style over substance TV, too. Our media is not impartial either and feeds us misinformation constantly.

We sneer at their outdated versions of realty TV and mock the pointless exercise of making non entities famous for no other reason other than they wanted to be famous. One big thing we forget when we’re sneering is that we invented the garbage called reality TV in the first place, and Hollywood invented the celebrity as we know it today. It seems to me that we have short memories when we are here and seem to think we came over from paradise and everything here is beneath us.

Despite their failings (which are not too dissimilar to ours) we think it’s okay to call them stupid and wonder why we get people angry for what we like to call being honest. Simple fact is no people like to be called stupid and nor would we.

There may be many truths in our criticisms, but we are not as above it as we like to think. We have our own negative mindsets. Some of us possess levels of aggression you wouldn’t see here. I have seen some moronic disgusting and damned right childish behaviour in my own country more often than I have seen here.

We may not like the moronic way TV companies regard their viewers but have we forgotten the game shows and stupid soaps we got back home. The only difference being is that our moronic bull crap comes with a higher budget.

Nobody here in the Philippines guides, sets examples, and the media doesn’t give a damn so the people are fed fish, so they eat fish; that’s all that’s on the menu, so let’s eat fish. We, for our part, have had a lifetime of more choices regarding on what to watch, what to read but many still love the moronic, even given wider choices, so really, lets ease off and consider our own cultures, too. We come from a moronisized (a word I invented) society, just as much as here; we just forget that when we’re here.

To sum it up and to put things in context, I will use a British example to make my point. In my country, I’ve seen people who will spend a lot of money to watch a cricket match (nothing wrong there), spend the day consuming alcohol to help make the day more fun, and then they proceed to spend half the time bouncing up and down in groups of other men, constantly chanting “barmy army” (barmy English slang for insane) over and over again till they are tired, then they go home after the day’s cricket convinced they have had a good time. Maybe they did enjoy it for whatever reason, but is it any less stupid than the things we criticise.

This is just one example; there are many others. I found it tiring back home with everyone talking tough, and even getting together with friends for football fights and deliberately causing a ruckus on a Friday night for the hell of it. I don’t see that kind of stupidity from many Filipinos so I’m asking is our world really as idyllic as we claim sometimes? We may come from richer countries, we may have better infrastructure but I don’t recall my own countrymen being models of perfect behavior very much at all. We didn’t come from the higher ground we like to think we have.

To push the point further, nearly everyone I have met here in the capital has at least some understanding of English no matter what standard of education they have received. Not only that they speak in a dialect from whatever province they come from as well as the national language of Filipino and have added English on top in varying degrees. I don’t know many Americans, British, Australians, Japanese or anyone else for that matter that can boast that ability, yet we love to say the word stupid. Who’s stupid? Well probably all of us and what Filipinos lack in some attributes, they make up for in others so it’s all relative.

This is what they know. Just remember, it’s not so much what you say, as the way that you say it. We may come from a more disciplined asylum, but it’s still an asylum.

 

 

A Dog’s Life

Once again, I’m stepping onto rocky ground so therefore I’m being very careful how I tread. I do find myself asking though, should I try to be sensitive when it comes to a topic that goes beyond the sensitivities of Filipino people. I don’t really think I should as what I see here every day regarding the care of animals namely dogs is unforgivable but I will attempt to put some rationale to it.

Before I go on, I need to point out that many people here in the Philippines look after their dogs very well. I doubt if any stats are available so I have to rely on what I see and I do see many who love dogs and other animals and care for them very well. What I also see is possibly far more who don’t and some who don’t even seem to recognize a dog as a living creature that can be made to suffer by irresponsible care or lack of it.

A Dog as a Burglar Alarm

It’s so hard to define where the attitudes towards dogs come from. Some would argue that in a country where some of the people have a standard of life on par with street dogs (askals), that the care of animals is a low priority. Although it’s not always the case, it’s often the poor that give their dogs the hardest life.

If you have money, you probably have a place with a compound and are more able to feed your dog with proper food which dogs are meant to eat. The poor often feed their dogs mostly white rice. I’m guessing they don’t see this as a great hardship as many of the people in their situation often eat mainly white rice too so I think you can imagine how they may regard a complaint. They may reply “so you want the dog to eat better than we do” it’s not hard to see their point even if it is harsh.

To be honest though, that is an extreme as most people with dogs do not live in that situation, it just seems to be a cultural ignorance. If you cannot feed a dog what it’s supposed to eat, then why have a dog at all. I have on very odd occasions seen dogs kept on white rice and chained up even in wealthy people’s compounds so to me the problem seems to be as much cultural as anything. In fact the worst case of abuse that I ever saw was in the compound of a leading political family who were extremely wealthy. The dogs there were free to roam within a compound, but unfortunately being starved.

When I’ve asked questions about why people have dogs that don’t seem to know how to look after them, then that’s when the reasoning gets totally bizarre. The usual thing I’m told is that they are there for security. I simply fail to see how a dog in a cage or chained up can protect anyone. When I’ve said that the reply is usually “oh but they bark and it lets us know someone is out there”. Wouldn’t it be better to have them free and able to protect you? People without compounds are likely to chain a dog outside. As for those with a compound I have to ask if someone intends harm whether it is theft or violence, then why would they care about a chained up or caged dog. I have no idea why many cannot work out that a dog is a living creature and not a burglar alarm.

It’s a little more understandable with those without a compound and would be forgivable if they took their dogs off the chain or out the cage and gave it some exercise. Many don’t and that’s when you realize that far too many people here don’t seem to recognise suffering.

Education

So I have gone on to ask why so many people here give their dogs such a sad life. The reply really makes me sick even though there is some truth in it. I’m usually told by way of an excuse for such behaviour that it’s because they don’t know any better and are not educated about such matters. My answer to that is do people need to be educated to recognise suffering? I find that excuse utterly bizarre, but after a lot of thought I see there point.

The people who treat dogs this way probably saw their own parents chaining a dog up all its life possibly grandparents too. I suppose in some respects this teaches people who it is normal, and is passed down.

You would be stunned at some of the exchanges I have had with people over this issue of mistreatment of dogs. Sometimes much offence is taken because it’s a foreigner who has the nerve and cheek to suggest it’s not right. I’ve been told that “it may not be right to me from my way of looking at it, but to us it is acceptable”. It develops into more about foreign interference than the actual matter in hand. When it goes down that road, you’re wasting your time.

I just become an interfering foreigner and I’m often told as with other matters “I should mind my own business”. The issue becomes perverted from there and it develops into all about their human rights. They seem to feel I should simply allow them the right to cause suffering. At this point you have little choice but to give up. The issue of suffering gets totally lost and it’s about the right to be allowed to give a dog a miserable life and foreigners have no right to interfere.

No Help from Media

So reluctantly taking the point that some make as a poor defence in saying that people are not educated as to how to look after a dog, you ask yourself what are the media doing to help. Sadly, as usual the media do little or nothing that is helpful on any level. Surely the lead has to come from them.

Also celebrities here are taken far too seriously. They are admired and worshipped by many. So you might think that that would be a good starting point to reach people. Sadly most Filipino celebrities are a very weird breed in themselves and mostly only concerned with their own careers and trying to actually do something worthwhile by speaking out is never a part of their selfish career plan.

Sometimes trying to defend animals from miserable lives is attacked as the implication is that animals matter more than humans. To that I can only say that it’s about both. A country that cares about animals would instinctively care about people you would think. The issue goes hand in hand and I cannot accept these weak defences for cruelty whether against man nor beast alike.
I’ve heard it said you can judge a country’s morals based on how it treats its prisoners and animals. Well, the Philippines treat both animals and prisoners awfully perhaps that’s a statement, you decide.

Just once I wish the media would speak out against some very obvious wrongs as they carry a lot of weight and people sit up and pay attention. Not only as regards animal abuse but in all matters, the media does virtually nothing other than focus on making money. Celebrities the same and it’s so frustrating when you think of the good they could do.

Education on how to do right by a dog comes from mostly underfunded dedicated organizations such as The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) Welfare Philippines and Philippines Animal Lovers Society (PALS).

Solutions

I’m certain that any of the above named groups mentioned have a much better idea of what to do to change the situation and encourage better welfare for animals and as in the focus of this article, dogs.

For what my thoughts are worth, I would love to see the end of seeing dogs in cages at pet shops being sold to just about anyone. I think that a spay and neuter program for dogs that are picked up on the streets would be an excellent idea, but of course as with most things here, money for such a program would almost certainly be the obstacle.

It’s great to see that Paws have a great outreach program where they offer free spaying and neutering which they actually take out into local communities.

Cara offers discounted spay and neuter programs and PALS are focused on education.

In the local pet shop just around the corner to where I am staying, I noticed dozens of baby rabbits in cages for sale. This is Metro Manila and I cannot imagine any of those rabbits will be going to a suitable home. Metro Manila is a place where many don’t have gardens and compounds like we do in our home countries, so I have to ask, why are they on sale? Seems the welfare of dogs is only a part of the equation, there is so far to go.

Defining a Sex Tourist

Writing this post is obviously going into a minefield. It feels as if I’m opening proceedings in a court. But who’s on trial? Well, before I start the trial, let’s begin by defining the charge. The definition of a sex tourist seems to have got muddled. So, let’s begin with simply that. What is a sex tourist?

The obvious thought that comes to mind is one who abuses. This is an international issue and it’s not just something related to tourism. But do abusers come to the Philippines to abuse? Well, of course it happens, as it happens around the globe, but when somebody actually travels thousands of miles for a specific kind of abuse then that is an obvious sex tourist.

I have no idea as to whether or not the Philippines attract child abusers for example. I think its possible purely based on my own knowledge of that it gets offered. Only on very few occasions I hasten to add but I have been approached by shady characters as I spoke of in my article, Two Girls a Boy and a Goat, Please, and been asked if I wanted ‘young’. I never asked for details but I can only assume that means illegal age so yes, I guess it’s here and offered.

I don’t really have any idea how many people would travel thousands of miles for easy access to this kind of abuse. I’m sure it goes on and they are obvious sex tourists of the worse kind. So where does the definition get murky beyond that?

Age Gap

Well, I would say that people’s perceptions of relationships between foreign men and Filipina girls get cheapened in some people’s eyes; not just here, but equally abroad. A classic example of this is when there is a noticeable age difference which is commonly seen. The dirty old man (DOM) label is automatically banded about by people here and abroad; it’s taboo in many cultures.

But these relationships are not abusive. It may be for the wrong reasons sometimes on both sides but both parties agree to it and it’s not fair to assume it’s always because of money. Of course, that is sometimes the motivation of some but nonetheless, they agree and it is not abuse.

Many older guys over 50 and more settle here with a young Filipina wife or girlfriend possibly 30 years younger than he is, and in some instances, even larger age gaps. This does happen more times than is comfortable for some observers, but sex tourist?

I couldn’t claim anyone going into a consensual relationship with someone younger is abusing. I’m sure some would say its abuse because they are taking advantage of the girl’s poverty. Well, the girl was living before she met him, so how can anyone say that she had to do it, it’s her choice. It may be a route out of poverty for some, but that again is her choice. If the nature of that relationship becomes abusive, well of course that’s another matter. But it’s not the age difference that is at issue there; it can happen when they are the same age, too.

Internet

Now, as is the case with many things online, it can be a good thing or a bad thing. The bad is that many men from abroad are just interested in the internet as a vehicle to obtain sex. Some men both foreign and local can be abusive online in many ways; I’m sure that’s obvious.

As many Filipinas actively look for relationships online, these types tend to prey on local girls here. There are a lot of Filipinas online searching for varied reasons. Some are genuine romantics and some are financial opportunists. The volume of Filipinas online means that they are often targeted by these types of men. There is no doubt that the internet is misused by many. But many men of all persuasions are perfectly genuine and are simply looking for a partner; same goes for the girls.

It’s the age of the internet and it’s no worse than going to a bar to meet someone or a dating agency. The internet has made finding potential partners easy and there is nothing wrong in that. However, somewhat unfairly, there is a sense of mockery from some within these shores and abroad about the nature of such relationships.

Strangely, often the same type that sneers at internet long distance love sees nothing wrong in finding girls in a place where you can’t be heard, i.e. a nightclub. It’s a simple fact that people can widen their search these days. There is nothing wrong in finding a partner online in this day and age.

It’s sometimes too hasty and has a faint smell of desperation from both or either parties. The world is full of lonely people and loneliness sometimes leads people into making bad decisions. The majority are perfectly capable of not making those mistakes. Again, subjects of stereotyping, people forget that it’s not done for the wrong reasons every time, there is still such a thing as love no matter how cynical some can be.

The dangers of internet relationships lies in the fact that people can be whoever they want to be on the internet. I can be an ex-footballer who owns a restaurant, flies a hot air balloon at weekends and has a racehorse of my own. Sadly, it wouldn’t be true. I’m just a fat lazy old hippy who has very little of anything. Point being I could be anything and who’s there to disbelieve me.

I cannot account for abusive people, but let’s give the benefit of the doubt to most. It’s a small world these days and 20 years ago, people didn’t have Facebook. Facebook is commonly a medium for meeting people. Chat rooms are not as busy these days so online abuse I imagine has decreased.

A big reason why online relationships or communications gets a bad reputation with some is because the amount of online abuse from men whether foreign or Filipino is high. When chat rooms were more fashionable then serial wankers would spend hours online. In real life, they have to hide their abusive nature as it has repercussions. Online they feel empowered, especially when the person he targets is far away and cannot do anything other than block him. That happens after the abuse.

It’s normally simply a matter of an over-interest in sex and expecting webcam titillation in return for sometimes only promises.

Sometimes, I suspect that some of the mockers know too much; it’s a hypocritical world. It’s the internet and it’s a fact of life that sex is all over it. This encourages abuse. People forget that normal people use the internet too.

Gay Tourism

In other countries, there is still prejudice regarding homosexuality. Prejudice is not as widespread as it has been in the past and it varies from country to country. But even some more open-minded people, have a subconscious prejudice still alive in their heads. Subconsciously they think of gay as something a little dirty. With others, it’s not subconscious; it’s full on, and they regard it as something sordid and not right. This gives people the idea that gay men through their eyes, are not quite clean, good and even think of it as sordid.

So within that culture, the stereotype is that someone going to the Philippines that are gay is going for a naughty time only. There is plenty of prejudice towards gays and it magnifies to be something seedy in their way of thinking. Well, gays just like anyone else have varied reasons to visit the Philippines.

The Philippines has a high percentage of men that are gay. Being gay in the Philippines does not mean you’re free from prejudice, but it’s more open here than most places, and in some respects, it is much more accepted. Naturally enough, this attracts gay visitors who have relationships with Filipino men and even those that come to enjoy the gay scene here. Yes, sometimes I’m sure that involves sex as is common within the gay scene. It’s not always about one-to-one faithful relationships. That’s the gay scene the world over.

But that subconscious thought which is in many people’s minds where they regard anything to do with gay as a little sleazy, tends to overshadow their thinking. They only think about the sexual nature of such relationships and lifestyles. This has people thinking that they go only for sex. That may or may not be true, it depends on the individual. But I have explained the reason why many gay men come here from abroad; it’s because that there are many gays here. It’s not rocket science to work out that would mean many gay people will come. Sex tourist? No, it’s a fact of life. But it feeds into prejudices so therefore is spoken of negatively.

It has planted a seed in many heads which has them thinking that it’s all for pure sex and that the Philippines is some kind of haven for that. Again, let’s not assume anything. Often, it’s a relationship of their own choosing and it’s wrong to allow prejudices to earn someone a tag as a sex tourist.

Liar, Liar Pants On Fire

Now I will step into what I believe to be the most common kind of sex tourism. It’s not even illegal here or anywhere else for that matter. If we are to define sex tourism as people who travel to abuse, then this category is by far the biggest offender. They are the liars or should I say them that travel to acquire sex on false promises. The abuse is that they simply lie to get it which is something totally absurd and says a lot about these characters.

If a man travels all this way after possibly months of lying in online conversations just to fool someone who he will marry them, help them or take them abroad with him. He could definitely be rightfully tagged as a sex tourist. After the few nights in a hotel room, he disappears or returns home with no intention of meeting his promises; this is an all too common form of abuse here.

The purpose of all this deception is nothing other than to be able to obtain sex. This is not a category of sex tourist that people think of, but I don’t know why that is, as these are by far the most common offenders, and of course they break no laws in doing it. All I can say to that is that if anyone reading this is guilty of such actions, then can I ask, were you that in need of sex that you had to travel so far and tell lies? Are you actually that ugly and cannot find yourself a sex life back home. I will let you decide what their reasons are.

The Verdict

Well, the trial ends and I haven’t gone into other aspects mentioning prostitution and those that use them and foreigner-owned sex businesses as well as girly bars designed for titillation. These are all matters for another day.

But if I was the judge in this strange trial, I would find the people who are with partners much younger not guilty of being any kind of sex tourist. Those that travel thousands of miles simply to have sex I would definitely find guilty. There is more to life than sex and it’s a little disturbing some would lie and cheat and spend hard-earned money traveling so far just to have that.

Its time people actually had a clearer definition of what a sex tourist actually is. This is only my account. I’d be curious to know your thoughts. It’s a topic submerged in stereotypical thinking and often unfair. Yet the real villains seem to not get mentioned, the deceivers. Filipinas are mostly very real girls. Of course, they can be abusive on another level too and again that’s another article. This article focuses on those that travel for sexual purposes. What I ask people to consider is that most of us don’t. Don’t label as is too commonly done. It’s far too easy to label without knowledge. Keep the definition down to those that abuse and those that don’t. I think it’s fair to say most don’t. You can call the ones that do what you like; I don’t seek to defend them.

Days Out in Metro Manila

I sometimes feel such a fraud as here I am, an Englishman, with a 20-word Tagalog vocabulary and I’m telling you about Manila and the Philippines. Yes, hands up, I should stand aside and let a real expert in to take over this blog.

Well, I will even go as far as to confess that much of the time I’ve been here over the last 7 years have been spent lying on my fat arse making me even more unfit to report. So all I’m offering really is an account of how it’s been for me. So maybe it’s time to start putting you in touch with some more authoritative people and give you a few links so you can explore for yourself.

Probably the best known tourist guide as well as social activist for want of a better term is Carlos Celdran. I hadn’t been here all that long when I saw a program on the Living Asia channel.

The program in question featured Carlos on a tour of Chinatown. It may have featured more as I joined the program late, but what I watched had me spellbound. Not only does he give you incredible information, the guy is pure entertainment. I plan to go on one of his tours myself. I have no idea why I haven’t done so already; just one of those things.

Carlos is fully aware of the contradictions in Filipino culture and graphically highlights much of this by pointing out the mixing of Chinese, Catholic and native tradition and tells it how it is. I can honestly say it was a mesmerizing watch. I’m certain that going on one of his tours would be all the more entertaining than simply watching him on TV. On his website, he also lists other guides that you can consider but I think Carlos is terrific value for money and you will return back to your accommodation knowing a lot more and have a far better understanding of Manila life, its people and culture.

Ordinary Living

I’ve eaten here and there; loved it, hated it, and it’s been okay sometimes, but to tell you the names of the places I would have to run back over old ground. I’m in the process of doing that and that’s another article for another day. Personally, I am not a TGI Fridays type. Nothing wrong with it and it’s very much used by expats and visitors alike and the food is yummy, but it’s out of my price range.

I personally tend to eat out of local eateries which are just about everywhere. You’re never far from food wherever you go in Metro Manila. It’s not what many who are here for a brief stay would probably be interested in but it’s very much a piece of real Filipino life. The nice restaurant or should I say more up market places are out of the range for most ordinary Filipinos sadly. There are many who can afford it and I tend to find if the food was cheaper, then the beer was very expensive. Sometimes it’s the other way round. When I say expensive, even the more up market prices are a lot less than what we pay in our home countries.

Eateries are simply where everyday Filipinos eat maybe in their lunch break. Some eat exclusively at such places as they may be residing in a dormitory which possibly lacks cooking facilities. Many working locals not only do an 8-hour day or often more; they also have a 2-hour commute to and from work taking an additional 4 hours every day out of their lives. Food in eateries is cheap therefore a natural lure for the overworked underpaid populace of Metro Manila.

I’ve got drunk in local videoke bars, tramped around every mall and touched on many areas. But on most occasions, I simply chose places randomly for better or worse.

It definitely has its moments, if you spend all your time in the hotel bar or eat in quality restaurants; the only locals you will experience will be the waiter.

Virtually anywhere in Metro Manila, you are never far from a mall. Some are large, some small, some old and some new, but none are as huge as the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Metro Manila. MOA is the biggest and not only good for shopping, but eating, drinking, cinemas, a convention center also an amusement park, events venue with over 10,000 capacity, and it even has an ice rink.

Malls are everywhere. They can be quieter on weekdays between paycheques especially, and teeming at weekends, especially the weekend after payday.

Some have indoor market areas selling mostly clothes and general haberdashery, mobile phones, laptops and tablets generic or otherwise. Outdoor stalls are never too far away from any mall as retailers hope to take advantage of the passing crowds selling everything from street food to jackets and DVD’s (pirated, of course).

Some malls are up market and some old and decrepit. I find some of the older ones as enjoyable as the modern ones having less emphasis on the usual brands, and where you can find ukay-ukay stores among school supplies, DVDs, musical instruments and pretty much everything. If you’re as Kuripot (tight-fisted) as me, then the overruns and sometimes second-hand stock in ukay-ukay stores are a great way to find something different at often incredibly cheap prices. If you’re not too snobbish and think wider than branded clothes, you can find items for as low as 50 pesos and even less sometimes.

Markets are everywhere too and also very much a feature of everyday life for Filipinos. The main wholesale area is Divisoria in Chinatown where you will find cheap imports as well as fruit, veg, wet and dry goods, and just about anything else from electrical to paper and curtains at possibly the cheapest prices in the whole of the Capital. In fact, pretty much everything is at Divisoria, the most significant market in all of Metro Manila. It is not just a market in the traditional sense, as it has stalls alongside stores in a variety of malls from old to new. The more traditional outdoor market is worth braving the excessive crowding for, and after spending a few hours at Divisoria, there is no shortage of interesting places to eat.

However, a word of advice. Only yesterday I wasn’t cautious and fell prey to a very talented thief. I had a backpack thrown over one shoulder. I felt a mild movement from my bag, barely noticeable. I thought at first someone passing by behind had lightly brushed past and thought that was what I had felt. I turned around and only saw the usual crowds walking by, nothing unusual but noticed a front zip was open. Straight away I knew what had happened and I had a cellphone in there. Before I checked, I knew it was gone. I had been warned to be careful when in Divisoria as pickpockets and snatchers take advantage of the crowds. Best advice is if you have a back pack, wear it on your chest where you can see it. Don’t keep a wallet or phone in a trouser pocket. These thieves are damned good, be very careful.

Other prominent markets in Metro Manila include Farmers market in Cubao, Quezon City, Blumentritt, Manila, Commonwealth again in Quezon City.

Beyond these markets are 100s of smaller neighbourhood markets and unofficial ones that seem to spring up along every highway, unused corner or bridge.

Many here kill time in Malls even those without money. I’ve seen crowds of 20 watching the pictures on the display TVs in shop windows just to pass time. Malls are far more than shopping. They are where everybody meets, dates and enjoys the free air-con. Some come to use the chapel and some even come to shop, you may be surprised to know.

Market (Palengke) is a little more hard-core jostling with crowds, carts and tricycles and definitely more tiring, but still a great way to see some real life here whilst grabbing bargains and pigging out all at the same time.

Naturally enough you’re going to hear “Hey Joe” 30 times over and some traders may raise the price when you enquire, but mostly they don’t, and the same in stores.

As much a day for watching than spending and a great view into people’s lives here, should you want to see. But there again, you could sit in TGI Fridays but it’s your choice.

Metro Manila, the Positive Post Some Desire

Allow me to begin on a serious note. Criticisms have not been much really and I could possibly be accused of making too much of it. But after having posts deleted from a group and comments from people (never directly to me) with some complaining my posts have a negative tone and requesting my posts not be allowed into certain groups, well this is my simple answer to you.

Also, to a very unpleasant expat group that objected to me because somebody who blogs for no money is apparently spamming. As it’s the internet, I thought it was normal practice to share your blog. This blog I write for free and I have not even earned a cup of coffee nor did I get a doughnut for anything I have written. I do it because I love to write and because I want to see something good come out of it one way or another.

I also ask that group of people who believe I am doing their country down to actually read the posts and not make judgments after the first paragraph. Also, remember I am writing about Metro Manila predominantly. After I get to spend a day on the beach lying with other fat whities like myself then maybe I will say it’s great. As nobody is inviting me to paradise, I write about Metro Manila. I invite anyone to correct me when I’m wrong, and said that from my very first pieces.

However, to emphasize my point, I will give you what you want for today if only to show the ridiculous nature of your claims.

Metro Manila, Paradise on Earth

When I wake in the morning, often awaken by happy dogs locked in cages, and screaming, lovable, adoring children whose ever smiling fathers are blasting music from a tricycle, I often think how great life is for 12 million lucky people.

As I open the window and fill my lungs with smog, I often say to myself, thank you lord for giving me the opportunity to be in a place where anywhere will seem like paradise after. I’m lucky just like the other 12 million happy smiling inhabitants of the metropolis.

Not wanting to miss any of the excitement of a thriving buzzing city, I step out where happy adoring locals are shouting out “hey Joe” and laughing at me simply because I’m foreign. Delightful and makes me feel so good to be alive.

As I skip down the road happily, playing a game of “don’t fall down that bloody hole”, I enjoy seeing the piles of garbage that only go to show that the good people of Manila have empty bins in their houses, and share the contents of their lives with all of us.

It’s time to catch the bus. I go to the smiling sari-sari store owner on route to get some personal requirements and I’m quaintly told how they cannot change a 500 peso note. But still, it reminds me how lucky I am to have a 500 peso note for them not to be able to serve me due to the simple, adorable characteristic of not knowing that businesses actually operate using money.

So I merrily wait as 12 buses pass me by full, and eventually manage to catch one that has a space on the dashboard for me. I chat with locals whose breath and armpits are in my face, where else can you be so close to the people who are so accepting of my armpits and arse in their face, too.

Whilst traveling with my head lodged in an armpit, I notice a downpour which refreshes the air and brings down the smog; it’s going to be a lovely day. As I step off the bus into 2 feet of water, I have the opportunity to soak my feet.

Even more delightful, I then have an opportunity to be bounced off a polluting stainless steel jeepney, and enjoy all the cultural significance of being run down by a vehicle with so much history behind it. By now, I’m full of the spirit of living in a thriving city and heartily smile at the children who charmingly ask me for money. I notice other little darlings who selflessly pick up all the plastic to keep the city clean. Where else can you see so many little abandoned children happily trying to survive? Life is good and I feel so lucky as I am not in the shoes that they don’t have.

Smell the Coffee

I was going to go on as I was enjoying myself for a while but I think I’ve made my point. Before offense is taken, please note this is a spoof post and none of it is meant. It’s just trying to say that if I’m going to write about one of the most overcrowded capitals in the world where poverty is rife and that it is that way due to controlling interests of the elite whom local people give power to then it’s not going to be easy to say solely positive things. I don’t know what’s outside others’ windows but I’m in Metro Manila, and that’s what I see every day, how do I not mention it or skip past it.

I am searching out positives and I always offer explanations for some of the crazier things that go on in this collection of cities. My purpose is to do good by reporting what for me is the truth. Anyone is welcome to challenge me and if you’re a member of the elite or have a certain position in society then I guess life is more positive.

I am fully aware of history and know there are many good things to do here. What I am eventually going to promote are some of the more novel and interesting things about Metro Manila. That won’t come quickly as I’ve only posted 23 pieces to date, this being number 24. I wish people would read the about section of this blog where I explain that this is primarily designed to introduce foreigners into a difficult to comprehend culture and make some attempts to give a little reasoning for some of it. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing and I have expressed that this is written to guide outsiders through culture shock and help them accept and adapt as well as promote mutual understanding. I still vehemently deny the accusations of just a very few. I just thought this was the right time to say it.

I am not a travel agent. I am not trying to book people into resorts and get paid for it. I have no reason to lie, I just write and I do not only say negative things. I believe the few critics I have had, had only read selective pieces where the subject matter was not meant to be positive, but simply an account.

A Filipino just today decided to blame me for all the wrongs of the British Empire, too. I had to remind him I wasn’t there, it wasn’t me. Doubt he got it though. In other words, I feel things with some are getting distorted. I ask people to read all my posts before they rush to judgment. But above all, please don’t ask me to not see much of what is happening whether good or bad, it’s not my fault.

Where Next?

(Photo by CoolBeanMommas.com)

Blogging is boring and I must be the ultimate bore to be doing it. But hey, it’s no worse than stamp collecting so give me a break, OK. Blogging about the Philippines, well yes, I ask myself, why on earth? Well, I’m a coward for bungee jumping, but I’m a warrior for talking shit online. Writing about a country with many imperfections and an oversensitive populace is not just difficult, it’s dangerous. Today, I’m really going to give it a go; I’m going to talk some serious shit. No controversies, just a little clearing of the mind before I carry on what I’ve started.

So right now, I’m in a state of confusion about how to carry on with this blog. I think it’s time to get this little boat I’ve set afloat on some kind of course. When I started this blog I thought just do it (no endorsement intended). I had no idea where it would go or if it would ever come to serve any purpose. I just wanted to do it. I just want to try things, let things build, develop and just see which way the wind blows it.

I’ve had a million thoughts of things to do with this blog, and they are mostly just loose ideas. Yet, at this point, I’m just another foreigner wittering on about failings, mindsets and giving amateur advice to potential visitors. Well, that’s where I’m up to so far.

This post is trying to explain that I don’t really have any solid aim, and I am still floating around the blogosphere building content and finding a course to steer. I have every intention of changing that in due course, I’m just not sure how yet.

What I hope I can achieve is to give local people, business and those that don’t have the means, opportunities. If you are selling something, I hope I can help you sell it. If you are job hunting, I hope I can put you in the frame and give a little platform to show yourself. If you’re going into business then I hope I can put you in touch with people to help you achieve it. Above all, I want to build some understanding between people here and us foreigners and see if we can actually learn from each other.

I also don’t want to be silenced by the ‘write positive or leave’ people. I intend to continue writing about the difficulties that people have here and I want to address so many issues such as animal cruelty, power for the sake of gain, and encourage people to learn for themselves the real history of this country and not the doctored version put around not only by this country’s agenda-motivated media but by bad, lazy reporting abroad.

Amongst all this I want to try to take on board suggestions and ideas from my growing readership. There are many things to appreciate this country for and I hope I am still writing this blog as the good news grows. I’m sure some of the changes desired by the people will influence changes here. I’m praying the families that control and virtually own this country think about reforming themselves. That’s not something at this point I’m overly optimistic about. I’m hoping I can encourage the people to think hard about the people they put into power. Common sense would solve many of the problems here; people need to know that sometimes, it’s their own doing. If you vote for slave masters, you will always be slaves.

Foreigners have their own ideas of what to do to fix the Philippines. Locals probably see it as interference. However, I really do believe exchanges of thinking can be healthy. We, as outsiders, really do have to try to relate to how things are done here and up to a point, accept it. Locals need to consider that sometimes, things could be done a little better. It’s no pissing contest, just trying to learn from one another.

What I’ve learnt so far from people here is that you must have patience to survive and let things go as getting mad only hurts yourself and doesn’t change anything. What I’ve tried to show people here is that if you want changes, then it’s you that has to change it. Combine the two together and you’re patiently complaining. Sounds silly, I know but what I’m trying to say is that to make anything better you really do need to speak up. That is where locals fail. What we need to learn from locals is that there is a way to do it without calling people stupid and making demands as well as appearing superior. That’s sometimes where we fail. We cannot change a culture simply because it doesn’t fit in with our thinking of how things should be.

So what’s the point of my talking shit and having no firm topic to discuss today? Well, over the last 40 days, I’ve just been writing, building and now I think it’s time to up the ante a little. I want to add a Facebook page so that topics and ideas can be shared easier. I want to try to empower by presenting local arts, events and alternative adventures for visitors here. Also for god’s sake, will somebody here feed me so I can introduce some unfashionable eating places? I could even handle a day at your resort if invited and reporting it. No, I’m not going to endorse nonsense. But I’m sure there are many unknown, un-thought of things to do which will make visitors time here just a little more worthwhile. Also, there are many pieces by other writers that are helpful and informative; I shall be leading you to them so you can learn for yourself.

So allow me this little time out post which is simply for me to re-group myself and put up a sail to encourage the wind to blow me somewhere. I still don’t know where I’m going with this. But that for me at least is just adding to the adventure.

Is There a Joke in It?

I have often thought what a difficult job it must be to be a comedian in the Philippines as they have a particularly amusing habit of having to announce a joke. When you’ve asked questions and got to the bottom of it, it’s again just one of those things which is easily explained and many of the assumptions as to why this is are not what they seem. Allow me to be a little clearer.

I was baffled as to why people here often say “joke” at the end of the sentence. It can be said in a variety of ways; sometimes to cover embarrassment at what they had said, or often simply to announce that it was meant humourously.

The covering embarrassment aspect is a difficult one to explain so bear with me. If someone compliments you, chances are they may kill the compliment by saying “joke” at the end to cover the embarrassment of having complimented you. It’s as if saying something nice about you causes an after-blush at having said it, so they say “joke”. I won’t pretend to fully understand it but the best I can do to explain is to say it’s possibly due to shyness. It’s like saying “I like you” then following it with “not really” to mask their embarrassment of having flattered you. Yes all very confusing.

That’s one way that joke is used at the end of a statement but the other use of saying joke is a little misleading too. I used to think that perhaps they had trouble working out what is funny and what isn’t and needed telling. I was utterly confused by the “joke” at the end as after all shouldn’t we know that without being told.

However this was simply my misunderstanding and Filipinos are not missing the joke as often as it seems nor are they explaining that it is a joke literally. So why do they need to announce it’s a joke?

Well it’s nothing more than a punch line which is commonly said after a humourous comment.

It’s a little like the old music hall drum roll at the end of a one liner in painful British music hall jokes which later was turned into saying boom boom after the punch line. Well, with Filipinos it isn’t necessarily after just one liner’s, it’s just announcing a joke, a little like canned laughter (which is used frequently on TV and radio here).

Why am I bothering to explain this? Well its one of many sources of misunderstanding between foreigner and Filipino. It’s a silly thing but I for one thought that they simply didn’t know a joke until they were told to laugh. Well it’s true up to a point but that’s common in many cultures. Americans invented canned laughter, British in days gone by would say boom boom, Filipinos say joke.

Sometimes it’s said to cover an unflattering remark or mild insult; they cover it by saying “joke” after. It’s as if to reassure you they are teasing and it wasn’t meant offensively. Confused? So am I.

The moral of this tale is, don’t assume it’s down to any kind of inability to recognize humour, it’s just something they say.

Filipinos laugh long and loud and are generally a happy people without meaning to sound cliché, but they are. Regardless of their willingness to laugh, sometimes they are not always going to get some of our humour. There is an excellent chance they will be taking your words literally and sometimes offended due to misunderstandings in what you have said. It’s happened to me dozens of times.

English is not their everyday tongue.If occasionally irony sometimes passes them by; I think it’s entirely forgivable when you consider that English is not the first language.

Being a silly European fellow, I had quite a time whilst learning the importance of “Joke” when I was teasing or just making a funny remark. Thinking myself to be a bit of a comedian I would happily make remarks which could be teasing the person or just generally being a fool. You would not believe the amount of times I unintentionally insulted people and wouldn’t know it.

In instances where it has happened with me, it could possibly be because of the crossover between English and how they comprehend English and not realizing I’m not serious. They tend to take your words very literally in their interpretation. When you think about it, it’s obvious as English does not come natural, it’s taught.

Although Filipinos have the talent to learn English as well as their various dialects and nearly all speak Tagalog, it’s asking a lot to expect them to fully comprehend the abstract in English with ease, as the abstract is often a feature in humour.

It’s not something entirely due to misunderstanding English as they do the same amongst themselves and you always hear them saying “joke” after they have made a funny or tease even in their own dialects. It’s just something they do and its open to misreading it from our side as foreigners.

However, you have to realize that the potential for misunderstanding or simply not getting you in the first place is far higher with someone speaking in English to them. We don’t always make it simple for them in how we put things in humourous conversations.

It’s totally impressive that even those with basic schooling in many cases still have some grasp at least of English. But you have to remember that where there is any degree of difficulty in understanding, they are going to take the literal meaning first before the abstract can be understood. You say “joke” at the end and they will re-process your remark and chances are no offense will be taken and they will see the joke.

This may seem a tedious point to write about, but I do so because it’s one of many areas where things are not as they seem and the likelihood for misunderstanding is high from both sides.

I’ve had conversations with other foreigners who have stated that Filipinos are dumb as they don’t know a joke until you say it’s a joke. This is harsh and misconstrued on the part of the foreigner, and I admit that I myself believed for a while that our humour was just not translatable to them. Sometimes that’s true, but assuming they say joke because they don’t know it’s a joke unless told is a major discredit to the Filipino. It’s just us not understanding the context that saying “joke” is used.

So if you’re trying to be funny, say “joke” at the end. Just be aware that some do not understand your humour, but many do and once you say “joke” at the end, they will probably laugh anyway just to be polite, but inside they may be saying to themselves, “what’s this cranky foreigner talking about”.

OPM of the Masses

Brownbeat Allstars at Radio Republic’s Instagig at B-Side

Why on earth would an aged, old hippy from England set about writing a piece about Filipino music? My honest answer is I have no idea other than lately I’ve been inspired.

It was Karl Marx that said “religion was the opium of the masses”. Well, I’m sure as hell not getting into that debate. It’s James, the blogger from England that is saying “OPM is the driving force behind musical change”. I am more than happy to get into that debate. Something has happened; the doors have been kicked open and so many good bands, musicians and talent have broken through.

Just a few years ago, I would not have said it was not possible. 8 years on from my first visit here, I’m discovering some great sounds, good music with originality something that I had previously been hard pushed to find.

There has grown a thriving alternative music scene that would not have got a look in just a few years ago. What’s changed? Well, possibly a young population of educated, internet savvy music lovers who, due to the internet, had broadened its horizons, is what has changed. Some of this change has come about because of an Original Pilipino Music movement that has forced the industry to rethink and real talent is pouring out.

Good music and especially anything original was suppressed by a stale, money and fame-oriented entertainment industry which had sold its soul to the corporate contract. If any of them cared about being innovative, then they would get little backing and would have to sacrifice their art for exposure.

Sadly, there were many around that were only interested in fame and would play the industries game. Why would the TV companies whom are not known for bold visions take a gamble on anything new when the cover singers were a safer bet?
It was all about getting the contract from big companies to endorse their products and in return, they would promote their gigs. Established artists lived forever being signed up right, left and centre for endorsements, and the people knew only them and showed little desire for change.

Unlike other countries, artists could not rely on album sales as the mainstay of their income. From what I’m told, CDs were not big sellers here. To make a good living as an artist, you needed to do shows, and more so, endorsements. As in all things, that usually spells the death of art.
It became tiresome watching endless pre-pubescent little wannabes with little talent manufactured by TV companies and record labels that had no idea. The end product that was nothing worthwhile was being heard, nobody was brave enough to give any of the newer upcoming bands exposure and the business was dominated by agents who were only interested in turning out starlets like sausages for the consumption of a populace that was so used to it; they ate up all they were served.

Throughout that time, waiting in the wings was a whole crop of talented musicians who was getting no support and to become known would have to sell their soul to mediocrity for the chance to appear on TV to an unappreciative audience that was only interested in faces that sing covers, usually badly. From established artists to the new wannabes, TV would turn out endless dross.

Now I confess that I’m no expert and I’m even speculating a little, but my guess is that there was an audience growing that had grown up with the internet. They were discovering international music that was out of the box. At the same time, the OPM scene was being born.

To say it was born over recent years isn’t quite accurate. There was an old wave of Filipino artists from the 70s to the mid 90s that was tagged as OPM but many of the names associated as OPM artists was little more than American sound-alikes who rarely sang or wrote anything that could be defined as Filipino yet strangely they fell into the genre described as OPM.

Over recent times, the OPM definition progressed to mean Filipino artists that write their own material and not covering western songs which in the past had been much of what the old wave artists did. The emphasis seemed to shift to meaning more about Filipinos writing original compositions. It could be in English on occasion, it would matter not; it was original and written by a Filipino. The concept was embraced by some aspects of the music establishment and the door opened for a wave of fresh new talent that could write, and in effect, this produced innovation. From rock to reggae, from folk to hip hop, a whole wave of new music came to the fore.

Ang Bandang Shirley at Radio Republic’s Instagig

Ok, much of it was still unoriginal in style, and it would be hard to define any of it being particularly unique or having a Filipino sound, but music here has always had outside influences and that’s no different to many musical cultures throughout the world. Some of the hip hop that has risen over recent years most definitely does have a style which could be described as uniquely Filipino. However it’s defined, the result is a new wave of fresh artists with much originality, innovation which meant throwing off the copy culture of old.

OPM has been around a long time and much of the early music was perfectly credible. However, the stale industry helped to degenerate the form and they held a lot of power. It seemed OPM was music by nationality only and became a pointless flag waving exercise which in reality only served to degenerate the musical culture. It feels to me that the new wave of OPM has finally conquered and some great music is now being aired.

Aspects of OPM can be a little disingenuous and now it seems the old enemies of musical culture are now waving the OPM flag and it seems sometimes that every radio station seems to be claiming the mantle of being the original OPM station. From some of those making that claim, it’s a little laughable and the term is now being used like a brand which isn’t good in my opinion. It’s in danger of losing its meaning. Some radio stations are claiming to be the fathers of OPM, but actually have been musical culture assassins. Some have been true to their course, such as RadioRepublic.PH. In its early days, they have featured old and new wave OPM but seem to have got on course with establishing the truer definition of OPM.

For me, personally I don’t care if music is Filipino or foreign. The only definition I care about is good music, no matter where it was from. Due to the nature of the music industry in the Philippines previously, it was often not good music at all. The good thing about the new wave of OPM music that has been let off its leash is its quality. Some class acts have broken through. They may not aspire to be international megastars but no matter. Music here now has become Filipino again and the old elite have had to adapt or die. The new music is much more the OPM of the masses. It has allowed those that play for the love of music to step into the limelight and the ones that seek fame only are still there but less significant.

I’ve been enjoying this musical journey so much that I’m going to showcase some of it from time to time. I will be adding music of interest from Filipino artists on this blog. The music industry of the Philippines has done a great disservice to musical culture in the past. It’s great to see the quality begin to shine through.

Metro Manila, Cities of Broken Dreams

Metro Manila – Class Contrast (Photo by Benjamin Myers)

Learning about the Philippines is a mammoth task. There is simply so much to find out and not being a Filipino means everything is a mystery and you are naturally prone to much misunderstanding about what you are seeing. All you have to go on is your own eyes but still much of it is difficult to comprehend. You see poverty, then drive or even walk a short distance and you see malls with condominiums alongside. Walk a little further, you see people sleeping on the streets then a little further on you witness school kids in fast food restaurants with laptops and tablets.

You notice that not everything is what it may seem. There are many very decent cars on the roads, people eat in expensive restaurants and as you leave the building, you walk past children picking out plastic bottles for recycling from the bins outside.

You see so much poverty and then you observe the other extremes of wealth and a lot in between wealth and poverty. It’s not everyone who has neither time nor patience to research and we tend to ask questions of people we know here and start putting together a jigsaw. Naturally, what you’re told depends on the beliefs of the person you ask as everyone has their own perspective; it’s very easy to be mis-educated.

You notice a lot of haves and a lot of have nothings and you cannot work it out for yourself. This blog only touches on the edges of the politics as giving a more detailed account of reasons for what you are witnessing is beyond me. So I will give only a surface impression and explanation of what you see as a visitor. To try to go into the subject deeply and giving an insight based on what I have learnt is not wise.

However, I do ask questions and naturally, one of them is why there are many people in certain areas that sleep on the streets. Why are there so many people trading on every available little space and how come Metro Manila became so overcrowded?

The account I will give is based on what I’ve read, seen, and what I’m told. I do not pretend to be an authority on the subject, and wherever I am inaccurate, I welcome being corrected.

It sounds like a familiar tale for many capital cities, but for some reason the streets paved with gold belief has in the past been very widely held, and judging by the amount of people pouring into the capital still, it seems to be a belief still held by many.

In the provinces, work is scarce. This is being addressed with various livelihood projects, the building of more roads to markets and this has been going on for many years all designed to encourage people to remain where they are in the provinces. The last administration made great strides in starting infrastructure projects and some of the good work is still happening. Sadly, every time a new administration comes into power, perfectly decent projects and ideas are squashed for political reasons of not wishing political rivals to gain any credit.

Metro Manila has huge amounts of people here who originate from all over the Philippines, who came and are still coming to seek better work opportunities. The story often is that family members are encouraged to take their chances in the metropolis, and in many cases, the family left behind in the province thinks that their problems will soon be over, and the money they earn will help those back home. They set off to Metro Manila in the belief that jobs are easier to come by. Sadly and not surprisingly, it is simply often not the case.

So a brother or sister, even father or mother will leave home and arrive on the ferry from all over the archipelago, sometimes with nowhere to live and hardly a peso in their pocket. It’s not an unusual sight to see whole families making the trip with nowhere to stay and no money, and the street is their home till something better comes along. That’s only one part of the equation as often they have aunties, uncles, cousins or friends that will help them with somewhere to stay as they try to make their mark in the capital. The heat is on and over the coming weeks or months, they spend time learning that Metro Manila does not offer the dreams they hoped it held.

So it could be fair to say that Metro Manila is a capital of broken promises and unfulfilled dreams. That sadness is evident everywhere you look. So many of these people have one hard existence but they persevere with their search as to go back home is an admission of failure, and having to disappoint the family that had such high hopes for them is a crushing blow for the returnee and the expectant family.

I mention these things because this is often the backdrop to what you are witnessing in the capital. As a further consequence, the overpopulation and demand means that the property rentals are higher and many who own property see this as an opportunity to make cash and rent out every available space often within their own house. One thing you always hear in Metro Manila is how good a business owning property can be. You are rarely short of takers and rents are high compared to the provinces.

So the result is people living in tiny little rooms, sharing facilities with other tenants commonly and it simply becomes an existence of work and sleep. Privacy is a luxury that many cannot enjoy. Many others don’t even have the luxury of a room and live in dormitories or bed spacers as they are locally known.

Obviously, not everyone’s a loser and some do get lucky and find a job. Some fall right on their feet and even find a decent job especially if they are college graduates. For the high school graduate, it’s very hard indeed as even the most menial of jobs sometimes require a college diploma.

Not only that, it seems that other qualifications are a standard also, such as being under 25, and what they term in the job advert as having a pleasing personality, which I believe has mixed meanings. When it states a pleasing personality is required, these jobs are not for males; there is a clue in there for you.

As a visitor, it can take you a long time if at all to work out what is going on in the internal organs of this collection of cities and in many cases, all over the Philippines. This is a part of the reason why Metro Manila has such a population problem as so many from the provinces have come here over the years.

Metro Manila is bursting at the seams, yet they still come ever hopeful and often ending up disappointed. It’s one of the many tragic tales of life in the Philippines, a country full of disillusionment and little hope for so many. What will stop them coming I don’t know, but if they believe that the capital is their best chance, it’s almost scary to imagine how hard life must be for some in the provinces. The Philippines is a beautiful country and not everything is as I describe it in this article. But the reasons for overpopulation in the capital is very much related to some long term failings of government, business and church over many decades leaving the provinces neglected and subsequently bringing a greater problem to the capital, overpopulation.

There are sunnier tales to be told about Metro Manila life and I fully intend to tell it as time goes by. I describe this situation mainly because a visitor cannot fail to notice the many problems around. Overpopulation is the main contributor to the shortcomings. It’s a question that many will ask. I’ve tried to answer it. It’s senseless to indulge in blame game. It’s far better to seek out solutions and make people aware of good things that are happening.

There are fewer unequal societies anywhere than the Philippines. You can draw your own conclusions from that. Nonetheless, there are efforts to address these problems and encourage people to remain in the provinces. The usual obstacle to progress and development as well as change is a lack of political will by all too many that stands for election for all the wrong reasons. Far too many politicians are from rich families that extend themselves into politics to further their own aims; the losers are always the people who foolishly elect them. This blog is intended to promote understanding and some basic explanations to visitors as to what they are seeing when they pass through Metro Manila.

To those that have accused me of painting negative pictures, all I can say is I can’t describe a flowerbed in a garden of weeds. There are some flowers in the garden of Metro Manila for sure and I will be coming to that. But when I set out to explain this city to someone who isn’t aware, then naturally overpopulation is possibly the most visible thing to the eye, and I cannot say the reason is because it’s so lovely, everyone wants to be here. I think sometimes that is what is expected of me and a non-rosy report gets frowned upon. All I can say to those people is “get real, Philippines.”

But change is slowly coming around. Real progress is far away. When the problems are removed from the eye, that’s when I can accurately say that things are getting better. It’s the people that have a will for change. A young and more aware population I hope will drive that change. Government isn’t quite on it yet and self-interest is still the main obstacle to change. The hope is that this young and disillusioned populace is starting to demand it. My other hope is that this will eventually bring about political reforms that benefit the people. Only time will tell.