Everyday Heroes the website

RUDOFO VERA QUIZON

2011-02-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

I truly respect and honor this man. Rodolfo, or as most of you know him “Dolphy”, is a towering talent and a good man. His comedic skills transcend the language barrier and make me smile every time I see him. Not a day goes by that there is not at least one of his many hundreds of movies or television episodes bringing laughter and joy into your home. Beyond his overpowering talent he is at heart a good person. He often steps out of the spotlight and encourages young talented artists to take center stage. He knows how hard it is to become a success in the rough and tumble entertainment industry even when you have skills. In addition, Dolphy is well known for not forgetting his friends. When a fellow entertainer is having a hard time, it is often Dolphy who is first there with a helping hand. His heart is almost as big as his talent. He truly is “The King of Comedy”.

In some small ways I identify with Dolphy. While I am no where near as talented, we both did come from very humble beginnings. Both of our families were very poor. While he struggled to survive in his career during World War II; A few years later I was struggling to survive in my career in the Vietnam War. And finally, we are both old men in love with beautiful women less than half our age. Zsa Zsa Padilla is a very talented and beautiful woman, but she is half Dolphy’s age.

I often wonder if Zsa Zsa is ever approached by young Filipino men and offered sexual services just in case Dolphy is not able to perform. My wife gets those offers almost every day. I wonder if Zsa Zsa is called “nawong og kwarta” (gold digger) for loving a man with money. Passing pedi-cab drivers yell that at my wife all the time. I wonder if “high class” (?) society people call Zsa Zsa a “puta “(whore) behind her back, just because she is partnered with an older man. My wife is the topic of their nasty gossip all the time. I wonder if Zsa Zsa, holds her two beautiful daughters and quietly cries herself to sleep because of the ugly things these “good” people say about her. My wife just cries herself to sleep holding a pillow. She never lets me know just how much she is hurt.

Happy Birthday Dolphy, you are an “Everyday Hero” extraordinaire.

GOSSIP

2011-02-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

Gossip is almost like a living thing. It grows changes and almost has a life of its own. Good gossip seems to have a short life and dies young; but bad gossip changes, grows, gets uglier and never seems to die. Bad gossip distorts reality and causes people to look for and see the worst even when it does not exist. The story of that drunken shirtless fat foreigner sitting at a boulevard bar is believed even when it never happened, because many of us expect them to be fat, drunken and shirtless. The lie that Visayans are lazy is believed to be true in some corners of the Philippines (i.e. Aguinaldo’s “History of the Philippines’’) when the “hard working” truth is plain to see just by looking around Dumaguete City.

The local police are victims of this bad gossip. I cannot count the number of crooked police stories I have heard. You almost never hear about honest cops; just the ones that take bribes and extort money. It is time to set the record straight. Most police officers are hardworking and honest. They believe in justice and try, despite frustration, to safe guard the public and punish the criminals.

Take the Bacong police as an example. A friend of mine had two encounters with the Bacong police and both times they demonstrated that truth and justice was their primary concern.

A speeding motorcycle rammed into the back of my friend’s halted vehicle. Despite the testimony of many observers who said it was the “foreigners” fault, they determined, from the physical evidence, it was the speeding motorcyclist fault and cited him accordingly. They made him pay for the damages.

On a second similar traffic accident the guilty driver failed to pay for the damages as he had promised. When the authorities in his community were “not able to find” the guilty driver, the Bacong police drove over 60 kilometers and arrested him in his home. Even in America it is rare for police to pursue justice with so much dedication. There were no bribes. There were no attempts to extort money. The Bacong police were ONLY motivated by a quest for truth and justice.

I know good gossip is not as much fun as bad gossip; but good gossip builds a stronger community and creates mutual respect. If you cannot kill the bad gossip at least do not spread it, instead let’s keep good gossip alive. Let’s honor the Bacong police and other selfless heroes in our community.

THE PIGS

2011-02-17T18:40:00.000-08:00

Around the world many people call them ugly names; “Pigs”, “Gestapo” or “Thugs with a Badge”. Generally most people do not like the police but few stop to realize how difficult their job is, especially here in the Philippines.

There are an average of 37,254 crimes against people and property committed here every year. There is one rape every three hours; there are 5,735 murders and over 4,079 homicides annually. Fifteen women and six children are reported beaten every day. There are 5,185 sex crimes committed against just children each year. Every time you see a beautiful innocent child, think about that. That means that almost one out of every four children will be molested before they reach eighteen years of age.

To make law enforcement even more difficult 45% of our courts have no judges. There is a 22% shortage of prosecutors and many people find the justice system so flawed they do not even bother to file a case. Many crimes just go unreported. Those that do seek justice are often threatened and intimidated by criminals into dropping the case.

Beyond this horrendous work load and almost impossible burden of preventing crimes, some law enforcement officers fail their brothers. Over 4,447 police officers were disciplined for failing in their duty; 239 officers were completely dismissed from the service.

We have an expression in America, “Never judge a man until you have walked in his shoes”. Being a Philippine police officer is a very difficult profession. Six out of ten police officers are paid below the nation’s poverty level. Out of these poverty wages they must buy their own uniforms, equipment and maintain the highest standard of appearance. Nine out of ten police officers admitted they have debts to government and private lending institutions. One out of two have no bank savings. Often the people they arrest earn more money in a week than they make in a month. You always hear about the “dirty cop” but you never hear about the thousands of hard working honest cops; the brave men who risk death trying to protect you.

Public safety is a team effort. The police cannot do their almost impossible job without your support. File those criminal charges; testify and put the bad guys in jail. Remember those 37,254 crimes reported every year, 85% were solved and the criminal arrested. That is not bad for a bunch of “pigs”. Think what they could do if we helped them a little more; honored and supported them a little more. That frail thin blue line is the only thing between us and anarchy, total chaos. They are not “pigs” they are your brothers and sisters. Help them fight graft, corruption and crime. Give them the respect most of them have earned.

HOT TOPIC

2011-02-17T18:39:00.001-08:00

The last time I talked about this topic I was savagely attacked by three readers on the Negros Chronicle forum. I admit, I am neither a geneticist nor a Bible scholar. The information contained here is the result of research. Knowledge is the key to understanding.

I am proud of how Filipinos handle the sensitive subject of homosexuality. Generally Filipinos are more mature and compassionate than people in other countries. I have known two respected and professional teachers who were openly gay. That would, tragically, never be accepted in my country. Several of your most respected TV and movie stars are openly gay; one even pretends to be gay but has a wife and child. The Philippines has fraternities and sororities for homosexual students. There is a political party that advocates gay issues. Prejudice is usually the result of fear and ignorance. I cannot remove the fear but maybe I can impact the ignorance.

According to the latest scientific research ( XY Chromosome Studies ; Twin Studies, etc.), most homosexuals are born gay. They have no more control over their sexual orientation than they do the color of their eyes. In Twin Studies, where twins are separated at birth, there is a startling demographic. In American society a child has a 4% chance of being gay ( 11% in the Philippines; XY Chromosome Studies) If one twin becomes homosexual, the chances the other twin will also become homosexual rises dramatically to 40%. Obviously there is something more going on here than a “free will choice”.

Darwin, who was a Christian, maintained that traits that do not contribute to survival of the species are lost. Accepting this as fact, then begs the question, why has homosexuality survived in almost every species? Obviously homosexuals are not inclined to have offspring of their own so how does it contribute to the survival of the species? The current theory is that homosexuality helps to control population levels. Homosexuality helps prevent a species from over populating and creating starvation.

Many Christians maintain that the Bible condemns homosexuality. They base this belief on such passages as Leviticus 18 and 20. Not all Biblical scholars agree. Some theologians believe those and other passages were not so much a condemnation of homosexuality as an attack on some pagan religions that used homosexuality in their rituals. I do not know, but I am left with the question, if homosexuality is genetic, why would God create it?

As a compassionate Christian I cannot condone or support actions that hurt other people just because they love the same gender. I trust God to sort these things out. It is not my job to judge or punish; it is my job to respect and love. If you are one of those who judge and hate those that are different than yourself maybe you need a refresher course in the Golden Rule. Be everyday heroes and replace anger with compassion and love.

We never have too much compassion and love.

MY HERO

2011-02-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

There was a terrible automobile accident. The traffic was jammed up for miles. Amid all the chaos there was a long dark limousine with tinted windows. You knew whoever was inside was important because he had a police escort. The police motorcycles turned on their lights and sirens attempting to clear the way for the huge car. The window slowly rolled down and a man leaned out, in a strong firm voice he said, “Turn off the lights and sirens. We do not own the road”. When the man heard that some people had been hurt he gave up his limousine and let the injured use it as an ambulance. He finished his trip in a common everyday car.

In a small way the man was wrong; he did own the road. You see that man was Ramon Magsaysay, the President of the Philippines.

Outside of the Philippines few people know or remember this magnificent man but he is one of my personal heroes.

Magsaysay’s early life was not unlike millions of other young Filipinos. He was the son of a poor blacksmith and a school teacher. He worked as a chauffeur, mechanic or any other job that would pay his way through school. At the outbreak of World War Two he and several other Filipinos organized the Western Luzon Guerrilla Forces. He became a battle hardened professional Army officer. While serving in a variety of post-war government jobs, Magsaysay earned the respect of the Philippine people.

Magsaysay even came to Negros. There was a heated political contest in Negros Occidental. Magsaysay came down to mediate the two warring factions. He was too late. Moises Padilla was publicly tortured and killed. There are pictures of Magsaysay personally carrying the man’s mutilated bloody body to the morgue. The murderers were eventually convicted and sentenced to die.

Ramon Magsaysay was elected President in 1953. He was the first President sworn into office wearing the traditional Barong Tagalog. His political philosophy was that government was there to protect the little people; the rich can protect themselves. Magsaysay is the only President of the Philippines, so loved; he did not need a body guard. His administration was considered one of the cleanest and most corruption-free; his presidency was cited as the “Philippines' Golden Age”.

Most Filipinos already know this story; a few foreigners will find this mildly interesting but I have a greater reason for writing this column. I am convinced the next Magsaysay is walking the streets of Dumaguete City right at this moment. All he or she needs is the confidence to try. If you believe in yourself there are no limits. Your nation needs you. You can lead this beautiful country out of poverty and corruption into a second “Golden Age”. Do not give up on her; she won’t give up on you.

I KILLED MY FATHER

2011-02-17T18:33:00.000-08:00

When my father was arrested for public drunkenness, I was the one who went to the jail to bail him out and took him home. When he stood in our front yard and peed in front of our neighbors, I was the one who stood by his side in embarrassment. When he passed out, I undressed him and put him to bed. When he got sick and vomited on himself and the kitchen floor, I cleaned up the mess. I endured his cursing and violent rages. I took his verbal and physical beatings in silence. I cooked food and tried to get him to eat rather than drink. Everyone else in the family ran away; I was the only one who stayed and endured his abuse; his addiction.

I killed my father; not with a gun; not with a knife. I killed my father with love. If I had not made it easy for him to be a drunk; if I had let him wake up covered with his own vomit on the kitchen floor, maybe he would have realized he was destroying himself. Maybe he would have stopped his drinking. I made it easy for him to be a drunk. I enabled his addiction and hurried him to an early grave.

I look around Dumaguete City and see the same tragedy being played out on our city streets almost nightly. From the drunken foreigners on the boulevard; to the drunken Filipinos on the corner drinking tuba, potentially beautiful people are committing suicide and calling it fun.

My brother-in-law had a horrible motorcycle accident that almost killed him. I thank God for that motorcycle accident because it saved his life. My brother-in-law is a fine man, and intelligent man, but he used to drink every night. One night he and his best friend crawled on his motorcycle a sped off into the darkness. When he woke up he was in a local hospital. His gonads were the size of basketballs and he was in horrific pain. But the real pain came when he found out he had killed his best friend. My brother-in-law does not drink anymore and I admire him for that.

When I go to parties here in Dumaguete I am always asked to have a drink. When I try to explain that I do not drink alcohol; they look at me as if I were a visitor from another planet; something less than a man. Trust me it takes more of a man to refuse a drink than it does to accept it. My father died at 53. My brother died at 47. I am older than dirt and I think two of the reasons I am still here; I do not drink or smoke.

If you love someone and they are destroying themselves with booze let them feel the full weight of their addiction. Let them stay in jail until they are sober. Let them sleep on the floor covered in their own vomit. Love them enough to let them suffer. Maybe they will clean up their own life like my hero, my brother-in-law.

THE QUIET MAN

2011-02-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

You probably would not notice him if you passed him on the street. He does not attract much attention to himself; in fact it took me a month to arrange a meeting. Being Muslim he does not drink or carouse with women. He has specifically requested I not reveal his name. This is not about him but about helping people.

At first my friend did not know what to do, but he knew he had to do something. He adopted a family and once a month brought them a huge sack of rice. Slowly he noticed a change. The children became healthier, more active. The families living conditions became better. He was having a positive impact on their lives and their future. It was still their job to lift themselves out of poverty but at least now they had the strength. It does no good to teach someone how to fish if they are not strong enough to fish.

If you go to this web site you will see a small boy hiding behind his mother’s skirt. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13318&id=100001834467142&l=63a0bb5de3 His right eye has a tumor. He probably got this tumor from heavy metal contamination in the river where he plays. My friend has taken him to several medical specialists but it is too late. This sweet innocent boy will probably die a painful death. Maybe we can save the next child.

So why has my friend authorized me to tell you his story. Does he want donations? He refused to take money from anyone. I even volunteered to carry the rice and corn to the adopted families and he would not let me. He revealed his secret life because he wants you to think about taking two hours out of your life every month; taking a few pesos out of your wallet every month and make a difference. For the price of one meal at a local restaurant you can save a family and give them a chance to break the chains of poverty.

You never stand as tall as when you bend down to help others.

FOOTNOTE: As I always do, I let my friend read the column before it is published. As I expected, he was not happy about this being about him. He wrote:

Poverty is degrading and dehumanizing. Yet it is all around us. We are not Florence Nightingales, but we can do something… Feeding of hungry children is very fundamental. It brings changes to the lives of children and … their families… Instead of living in slums, becoming addicts and criminals… they hopefully can stand on their own feet, support their own families, and contribute something to society. The effect of simply feeding a hungry child will go on long after we are gone.

Methodology:

1. We have decided that we will supply food, not money. Food is least likely to be re-routed to drinking or gambling.

2. We carefully choose families in urgent need of help. This means personally going to meet these families, seeing the living conditions, understanding the earnings potential, their general health.

3. We have decided to standardize our help by ONLY supplying a staple. All families have unique problems, we cannot solve them all. So our model is 100 kilos of a staple per month per family. They can use some of their own money to buy dried fish, vegetables, oil, etc

4. We want to continue to do this without gaining a high profile. Right now we have no organization; simply friends doing what each can do to help.

5. So far we've been doing this by using my personal funds. If we are to increase the scale of our work, we would like to tap into the local individuals who will join us. We ask for a commitment of 100 kilos of staple for one family for six months. The current price of 100 kg of rice/corn is P 2,650 per family.

6. We don't want to handle money. Our hope is for you to join us; adopt a family and make a positive change.

POWER CURVE

2011-02-17T18:26:00.000-08:00

There is an American expression: “Get ahead of the power curve” It means that if you know something is going to break, you fix it before it breaks. You get ahead of the problem by fixing the problem before it becomes a problem.

We need to get ahead of the power curve; we have a huge problem looming on the horizon. This problem will hurt every man woman and child unless we do something about it now. Based on current estimates the world will run out of “refineable” oil in less than fifty years. The United States alone uses over two hundred billion gallons of oil per year. As supplies dwindle prices on oil, on almost everything, will skyrocket. Instead of the absurd P45 a liter we now pay for gas, we will probably not be able to afford gas at all. We will be forced to strip the mountains just to heat our food because there will be no LPG. This is a very real crisis not some “Al Gore” fantasy.

The Philippines, the nation that can turn the scourge of “red tide” into a useful rat poison (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20090307-192783/New-use-for-red-tide-tahong-Rat-poison ) has the ingenuity and ability to lead the world and get ahead of the energy “power curve”. One pound of caribou dung can provide enough methane gas to cook a day’s food for an entire family of four. The manure produced by one cow in one year can be converted to methane which is the equivalent of over 200 liters of gasoline. We lose three to four hectors of land to rotting garbage every year. Why not put this waste into methane cookers heat and light our homes for free. The technology is out there waiting for some bright student or inventor to hone it into a useable and efficient energy system that will free us from our fossil fuel slavery.

If we had cost efficient and functional home methane generators we would not need to spend money on septic tanks for the poor or for anyone else. Our ground water would not risk contamination. Our waste would become a benefit not a burden or risk. Methane generators can light your home; no more “brown outs”. Motor vehicles can be run on methane.

A couple of brilliant and resourceful Filipino students could literally change the future of the Philippines. They could make the Philippines the energy leader of Asia, possibly the world. Take the challenge; get ahead of the power curve and make a difference. Be a “future” everyday hero.

T.I.P.S.

2011-02-17T18:24:00.000-08:00

Bahşiş (Turkish / Persian) cubierto (Argentinal) bakshish(Albania) napojnica, manča (Croatia) Pourboire (France) Trinkgeld (Germany) þjórfé (Iceland) la mancia (Italy) bacşiş (Romania) propina (Spain)

The story going around is that the word “TIPS” is an acronym meaning “To Insure Prompt Service” but the truth is “tips” more likely originated from 16^th century criminal slang meaning to “to give; to hand or to pass”.

Tipping seems to be more of a western custom. China, Japan and many other Asian countries feel uncomfortable with tipping. In some countries people may even take offense if you offer a tip. In South Korea it is more likely that restaurant will “tip“ you with a small snack or drink to show appreciation for your loyal patronage.

I see tipping as a way to improve customer service. People work harder if their extra efforts are likely to be rewarded. Unfortunately many places now automatically add a service charge. Often that service charge rewards bad service and negates the entire concept. In addition, it is likely these service charges are used to justify lower wages for the already underpaid employees. In many countries you are not required to pay these service charges but most people never bother to protest and consider it part of the bill.

Since I came to the Philippines I have developed a new tipping philosophy. While the Philippines has a minimum wage law, few businesses actually pay it. Most people here are “temporary” employees and are paid almost slave wages. Rather than reward people sitting on the sidewalk; I tip people who work. I tip everyone who works. I tip waitresses and waiters and all the usual people but I also tip gas station attendants and other hard working people. I even tip the people in the post office. If they do an especially good job; I tip even more.

TRUE STORY: There is a quiet young Filipino. He is one of the “invisible” people; someone you see every day yet never really “see”. He tends the motorcycles outside a local fast food restaurant. Once in awhile his beautiful young wife brings him a snack and spends a few minutes brightening his day. He speaks almost no English and spends most of his day quietly doing his job. One of the American customers discovered, quite by accident, that the young man had a handicapped son. As it was Christmas the American tipped him P500 to get a present for his son. The young man was at a loss for words; the grown man had no way to express his feelings and collapsed on the curb in tears.

Look around you. Instead of complaining about things you can not change; why not change the things you can. Share your gifts with those that have less.

VAMPIRES

2011-02-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

Vampires are real. Not the romantic or scary ones you see on television and movies but real blood sucking heartless people illegally recruiting innocent hard working Filipinos for overseas employment.

Go to this site http://www.negroschronicle.com/?p=2737#comment-49289 This story is ripped from the pages of the January 26^th issue of the Negros Chronicle. I do not know if this woman is guilty; the courts will have to decide that, but read the comments of our readers. Almost one hundred people are justifiably outraged by having been victimized by scam artists and illegal recruiters. These “vampires” promised overseas employment, then viciously heartlessly robbed and abandoned their trusting clients.

It is a tragedy that our best and brightest must go overseas to find employment in the first place, but then to be ripped off by these homegrown crooks is just unconscionable. There must be a special place in hell for these dirtbags.

There are legitimate “legal” employment recruiters out there. Professionals that provide the services and guarantees they advertise, but we need a way to separate the good from the bad. Possibly there is a handbook or some guidelines that exists / can be compiled, that will prevent others from being victimized. While libel and slander laws prevent me from naming names and directly exposing these operations, there are some things we can do. Write me your story. ( kojak3238@yahoo .com ) The Negros Chronicle will use its influence and power to clean up this scummy racket. We will warn others. and when possible try to get justice for those already victimized

I have never seen a homeless Filipino in America. I have never even heard of a Filipino on welfare. Possibly there are some but I have never seen or heard of them. Filipinos are known around the world for being honest and very hard working. Filipinos can take justified pride in the reputation they have earned.

Let’s work together to clean up this business and put these “vampires” in jail where they belong.

HATE

2008-01-15T16:53:00.006-08:00

An email was sent to me by a good Filipino friend. He was consumed by rage. When I read it, I too was very angry and a little suspicious. Later, I found the same email posted on Yahoo Answers ( Philippine category) making even more Filipinos angry. I decided to do some investigation. Before I tell you the results of my investigation, I want you to read some selected quotes from this long and ugly email.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(title) filipinos.....*make me puke* (Art Bell)

" Filipinos have begun to infest the United States like some sort of disease."

"Their extensive involvement in the U.S. Armed Forces is proof of the trashy kind of qualities all filipinos tend to exhibit on a regular basis."

" Nothing respectable has EVER been created by filipino people during our entire human history."

" The only filipinos that can live successfully in Japan are the filipino prostitutes. But that's the case for most filipino people no matter where they live in the world. "

"Asian...... these people are actually more closely related to African americans and Mexican americans. "

"Nothing good has ever come from Philippines and I don't believe anything good ever will."

" You country is a disgusting and filthy place."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There is no question that the person who wrote this email is an ignorant ugly racist, .....

................but it was NOT Mr Art Bell.

I suspected there was something wrong not just because the email was poorly written but also because I knew Mr Bell was married to a Filipina and had expressed his love of the Philippines on his radio program many times
Not only was his wife Filipina, he was living and working in the Philippines when this email was first published. His is family was immediately accosted with hate mail and death threats. For their safety he was forced to move his entire family to Nevada.
Investigation traced the original email (1998) through
the University of California San Diego to a Philippine Internet chat room (Pinoytok) which is now defunct. Indication are that the email was written by a Filipino to hurt Mr Bell and his family. Dispite Art Bell posting the proof of this ugly fraud to his web site, it was again published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer (2001). The reporter, Leah Salterio "Showbiz Tidbits" failed to verify her source. The Philippine Daily Inquirer almost immediately published a retraction but the damage was done. Art Bell and his family had to go into hiding again. Death threats were made.
I do not understand why Filipinos are willing, almost eager , to believe the ugliest things if it is said about a foreigner. The latest gossip is that all foreigners have AIDS-HIV. A teacher at Silliman University even told this to her students. It defies logic and common sense to believe such trash. Think about it. Why would a person with AIDs come to the Philippines when the finest FREE medical treatment for the disease is in America. It makes no sense.
At one time it was actually against the law to spread ugly hateful gossip in the Philippines. People who violated this law had their lips burned. There are a lot of people in Dumagete City, both Pinoy and Foreigner who should feel lucky that law is no longer on thye books.
Be an Everyday Hero before you believe ugly gossip and hurt others, do the research, find out the truth. Mr Bell and his family could have been killed based on a total lie.

PEACE

2008-01-15T16:53:00.005-08:00

The Iranian people have a lot in common with the Pinoy culture. They have very strong family values and enjoy a passion for friendship and beauty. They also enjoy going on picnics and family outing. Each weekend the rugged Alborz Mountains are alive with Iranians seeking the peace and beauty of nature's bastions.
Tehran is nestled at the foot of Mount Tochal. Each evening as the stars twinkle in the black desert night, one star seems to rest near the crest of this rugged rocky peak. It is not a star but the light from a small rock chalet. The only way to reach this sanctuary is a long arduous climb. On the weekend hundreds of students and familys make this trek.
I and my Iranian counterpart, police lieutenant Mortiza Nabavi, were drinking a little tea before we began our long climb down. Being the only foreigner I attracted a lot of attention. We drank our tea and played a little "gol-va-zi" with some students from Tehran University. After awhile the conversation drifted to the American participation in the raging Vietnam War (1973). I suddenly found myself the center of a lot of youthful hostility.

"Americans are war mongers, ravaging the freedom loving people of Vietnam"
"Why can't the Americans live in peace with their brothers and sister?"
"Love is the answer; not war"

I paused for a moment, then said quietly, " You are right. I agree with you. We all should live in peace and brotherly love. In fact we could set the example right here in Iran. Lets take all the tanks, airplanes and guns in Iran, melt them down and make tractors and plows. Lets have Iran take the billions it spends on defense and build schools and hospitals all over this beautiful country."
I waited a moment to let them savor the thought, then added, " .......and twenty-four hours after you are done all those things, Iraq will occupy Tehran." They knew what I said was true. "Peace and love only work if everyone wants them to."
I went on to explain that the freedom loving people of South Vietnam asked us to help repell the communists from the north. "When that job is done America will return home...... those of us still alive."
The tragic irony of that conversation was that after the revolution (1979), the Ayatollah Khomeini executed most of Iran's top military commanders, several of them were my personal friends. Iraq's president, Saddam Hussein, mistakenly felt this weakened Irans ablity to defend itself and he invaded. Millions of Iranians, probably including those same peaceloving idealistic students, were tragically slaughtered in the war that followed. Peace and prosperity are the rewards of bravery and vigilance.

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing...Say a prayer for all those who stand up for what's fair and moral.

-- Author:Unknown

A Filipino friend of mine sent me some horrific pictures of atrocities committed by so called local "freedom fighters". The victims of these atrocities were innocent civilians, women and children. My Everyday Heroes for today are all those brave Philippine soldiers who leave the comfort of their homes to combat evil and try to bring peace to this beautiful land.

WHAT IS IN A NAME ?

2008-01-15T16:53:00.004-08:00

Over one thousand seven hundred years ago the Chinese called it "Ma-Yi ". One hundred years later they had shortened the name to "Ma-i". The people of this verdant country were reknown for their honesty. Chinese merchants recorded, once a deal was struck, the people would never cheat you. The most honest country in all of Asia.
A scant two hundred years later Ruy Lopez De Villalobos christened that special Asian country the " Filipinas " and thus it remained for another three hundred years. When America "bought" the Filipinas from Spain, they changed the name to the "Philippine Islands". Once the Philippine people won their long political and military struggle for freedom they chose the name "Republic of the Philippines".
Long before the Philippine people cast off the cruel yoke of colonial oppression various leaders had searched for a new name for this unique and beautiful land. The KATIPUNAN General Artemio Ricarte proposed that the islands be re-named the " Rizaline Republic" in honor of Jose Rizal. Jose Rizal himself, in his moving farewell poem, called his beloved homeland " Pearl of the Orient Sea". Even President Ferdinand Marcos joined the list of notables and suggested the name "Maharlika" ( ).
Over the years a litany of people have contributed a long list of suggestions. During World War II, "Tokyo Rose" ( Iva Toguri D'Aquino) called the Philippines "Orphans of the Pacific". Katherine Mayo in her book enigmatically called us the "Isles of Fear". Explorer and anthropologist Arnold Landor called us the "Gems of the East". Other suggestions have been, the "Emerald Islands", "Treasure Islands of the Pacific", "Isles of Hope", and even "Land of Morning" None of these names seem to resonate with the Pinoy people.
As a guest in this beautiful country, I do not get to make any suggestions or even cast a vote in this quest for the best name. But as long as my generous host will let me; I would like to call the Republic of the Philippine simply, "my home".

BISAYA KAMI

2008-01-15T16:53:00.003-08:00

Many of you have heard the story of the dying starfish. For those of you who might have missed it; it goes something like this.
There was a horrific typhoon. Millions of starfish were tossed upon the beach where they were dying in the hot sun. Amid the carnage a lone figure was picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. A man came up to the starfish rescuer and said, " You are wasting your time. You can not possibly save all these dying starfish. Look at them. There are millions of them !" The young man just continued to toss starfish into the water saying, "I saved that one, I saved that one, I saved that one."
That is sort of the spirit of the "Bisaya Kami" organization. They are a small group of Filipinos and Americans based in Pittsburg California. Lead by Princesita "Percy" Fiscus and a dedicated circle of friends they take on almost Herculean tasks. This thriving little Filipino community club has held fund raiing events all year long. Then when a disaster strikes here in the islands they are there trying to help. During the terrible typoon and mudslide that devestated Lyte in 2006 they donated their clubs entire treasury. Early this year, they made another donation to a local orphanage( Casa Miani-Arvedi in Talay; see the photo). Admittedly their struggling little club does not have much to give, but in true Christian spirit they give all they have. If you would like to join Percy and Richard and their friends William and Tessie drop them an email at princesitaf@yahoo.com.
Bisaya Kami carries a lesson for all of us. No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. We can all do something. To borrow from my friends Diane Pool and her husband, "Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness" The Christmas season is here. Save one "starfish"; sponsor a child in school, better yet sponsor an entire school or orphanage.
Be an Everyday Hero and give back a little

STEREOTYPE

2008-01-15T16:53:00.002-08:00

It is not politically correct to stereotype people, but everyone does it. You can always tell the "bad guy" in a movie. He acts and looks like a bad guy. Sadly in "real" life it is often not that simple.

Take the Pinoy stereotype of Australian men. Many Filipinos think Australian men are hard drinking brutish wife beaters. Like most stereotypes this is grossly unfair and often simply wrong. Take the case of "Tom"

Tom is a handsome young man with a mild Australian brogue. Working most of the year in the construction trade has given him a strong athletic body. Tom saves his money all year so he can travel during constructions off season. Most people would spend their vacation partying and having fun, but not my friend Tom. He spends his hard earned vacation time helping others. He helps them not by giving them money but by giving them the use of his time and strong arms.

When I met Tom he was digging a huge cistern for a local mental facility. Later he plans to fix that hospitals dirty kitchen and then create a french drain down the middle of the compound. That drain will allow the stagnant water to drain off and improve the hospitals sanitation. When I last saw Tom he was creating a gravel walkway so patients and staff will not slip as they walk between hospital buildings.

I have never seen Tom drunk or even take a drink. You wont find him dancing the night away at the local disco either. He lives a quiet peaceful life helping other people.So the next time you feel tempted to stereotype someone, be an Everyday Hero and remember Tom. Never judge a book by its cover. Get to know a person before you pass judgement or label them.

APOLOGY

2008-01-15T16:53:00.001-08:00

Just when things are going good something happens to mess-up those good things.

I was invited to talk at the organization "Little Children of the Islands". This promising invitation would allow me to tell you about this wonderful organization and the great work they are doing. I was invited by security officers at the airport to attend a "Counter Terrorism" Seminar. With the knowledge I would gain I would be able to give you a peek behind the security blanket. I would be able to give you an appreciation of how these hard working officers protect your lives. We might even get some suggestions on how we can help them keep us even safer. I had a lead on a grassroots Filipino organization called "Bisaya Kami", This organization was the creation of our own Princesita "Precy" Fiscus and it is based in California. They are dedicated to helping local charities and assisting with disaster relief. Then there is Mrs Hunt from Liberdad, who along with several others is sponsoring local scholars and helping them break the chains of poverty. I met a fantastic Australian named Tom, who spends most of the year working in construction so he can earn enough money to come here and work on his own private charitable projects. He is currently repairing a dirty kitchen for a local hospital. There is my friend Jack, in Cebu, who established a non-profit organization to house, feed, clothe and educate our smallest most vulnerable citizens. The Department of Agriculture was briefing me on their box garden project which can help improve the diet of our most needy citizens. I was working with marine experts on a project to address the "red tide" threat which can kill children and our older citizens. . I had dozens of Everyday Heroes to tell you about but circumstances have interfered. Sadly I have had to call a temporary halt. I even had to leave my new bride and rush back to America.

My only relative has been battling breast cancer for several years but recently she went into total renal failure. The doctors gave her only six months to live. I thought I had lost her; I even wrote her eulogy. Then I discovered she simply refused to die and now she requires constant care . As her closest relative she needed me and I could not abandon her. Last week I took an early morning flight back to Las Vegas. I do not know when I can return home to the Philippines but like General MacArthur, I WILL RETURN.

I am sorry if these important Everyday Heroes columns are delayed but I will tackle them as soon as I return. In the meantime I will try to keep my column as entertaining as possible tackling a variety of what I hope you will find to be interesting subjects. I hope you will bear with me during my time of personal trial.

JENNY LIND ELMACO

2008-01-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

Jenny Lind Elmaco is one of my favorite columnists. She writes well and chooses very interesting topics. Unfortunately her column on the "Flaws of US Health care" falls short of her usual excellent performance. I must admit her viewpoint is the most popular one. Out of 161 reviews of Michael Moore's documentary (?) film "SICKO", only 13 were negative. But sadly just because you stand with the majority does not mean you have the correct opinion.

First, I have a big problem with any investigative documentary film which starts with a conclusion and then gathers only material that supports that conclusion. It is by its very nature disingenuous and most frequently simply wrong. Jenny said Moore was "brutally honest"; that is only true if you approve of hiding half of the truth and then calling it being "honest". Michael Moore mixes real problems with a ton of half truths and then paints an unreal depressing picture of the finest health care system in the world. He pompously proposes a socialist approach as a better answer to the health care "problem" (?). He attempted to support this bogus contention by citing more half truths and distorted facts.

Second, lets take a look at a FEW of the lies and half truths in the film. Moore cites France, Britain and Canada as sterling examples of how government sponsored universal health care can work. He ignores the fact that 87% of the French people do not like their health care system. Moore cites 18,000 uninsured American citizens that die each year but he fails to mention that 15,000 French patients died in one month from inadequate health care. The British system has a two tier base. You have free medical care or you can pay for your own health care. Sounds good but when you are poor you only have the free system. In that free system you can wait up to two years for a medical appointment, especially if you need a specialist. According to Moore, Canadians wait for "20 to 45 minutes" to get their free medical care. When it was pointed out to Mr Moore that Canadians have to wait so long for medical treatment they often sneak cross the border to America by the bus loads. He was told that Americas northeast border area has become the nations fastest growing medical service communities. He then vacillates and says, "even if we got the waiting times wrong, America can create a medical service that eliminates that problem". Conveniently Michael fails to explain exactly HOW that can be done.

Third, lets look at a few things Michael Moore forgot to mention. Ever wonder why the vast majority of medical breakthroughs come from American medical services and research facilities. Why do thousands of American doctors and medical researchers work themselves into almost total exhaustion? While I am sure a few of them are motivated by humanitarian concerns, but the majority are simply "greedy". The man who discovers a cure for cancer with become a billionaire over night. The profit motive is EXACTLY why America has the best medical treatment in the world. It is also why we have so many doctors. When you put the government in charge of paying for medical services they will cap them. No doctor will be able to buy his BMW and the number of medical students will drop drastically. When shortages force a lowering of professional standards, the medical profession will soon be filled by less qualified people instead of the best and brightest.

Finally, I was once a member of a "universal non-profit" medical system. The service was terrible. I once thought I could outsmart the overloaded system. When I got sick I waited until two in the morning to go to the emergency room. I figured nobody would be using the facility at that hour. WRONG! I still had to wait until 6:30 before someone finally saw me. You can just can imagine what it was like in the daytime. If you were not bleeding to death you might not be seen for several days.

The truth is there is a federal law that prevents public medical facilities from refusing service to anyone. Even if a sick or injured person can not pay for treatment they must be treated. That is why people who can pay their medical bills are charged $22 for an aspirin.
They are paying for all those patients Michael says can not afford medical care.

Ms Elmaco, you are too intelligent to just accept Michael Moore's garbage without checking the facts; I can only assume you wanted to believe he was right. That is kind of sad, but evidently most people would rather believe the worst rather than investigate. Admittedly there are some major problems with the American medical system but it is not as bad as Moore wants you to believe and if we adopt his solution the system will be a whole lot worse.

Be an Everyday Hero and research these ad homonym attacks before you believe them. Next you will be believing the ridiculous story that President Bush bombed the twin towers.

BE VIGILANT

2007-10-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“ Your Online Banking is Blocked !
Because of unusual number of invalid login attempts on you account, we had to believe that, their might be some security problem on you account. So we have decided to put an extra verification process to ensure your identity and your account security. Please click on sign in to Online Banking to continue to the verification process and ensure your account security. It is all about your security.
Thank you. and visit the customer service section. “
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I opened my email and discovered this disturbing official notification from one of the largest banks in the United States . For Expatiates living here, a block on their bank account could mean a personal financial disaster. How would you pay your rent? How would you buy food? How would they re-new their passport?

Many people would have clicked on the link and immediately tried to resolve the problem. Unfortunately what would probably happen is that they would have every dollar in their bank account stolen!

My first clue that this was a possible hoax is the fact; I have no account with this famous international bank. Now, it is possible that someone has stolen my identity and opened a new account; but then why would they contact me instead of the person who stole my identity? In addition to this anomaly, I have placed a special alert with all credit bureaus. The credit bureau is directed to report to me, immediately, all “new” accounts. I have received no such notification. A check with them shows no such account has been opened.

So what is going on here? Look at the notice. This notice is purportedly from one of the largest banks in the world. This notice has at least sixteen grammatical, punctuation and syntax errors. One error is possible, but sixteen is ridiculous for a bank of this stature. Obviously the people who composed this message, not only do not work for the bank, but it would appear English is their second language.

If you click on this link you open your computer to these criminals. They can place a “key-stoke” virus on your machine and steal your identity. If you complete the form you will give the crooks direct access to your personal bank account. They then can steal all the money you have in your account.

Anytime you receive a notice supposedly from a legitimate business (EBay, Bank of America etc.) instead of using the link provided, contact the business through a different route. Ask the business directly if the notice is legitimate. My experience is that these notices never are legal. Responsible businesses never give you a link and demand passwords or account numbers. They always just ask you to contact them as soon as possible.

I suggest you contact the three largest credit bureaus and have them place your account on “alert”. Request they contact you in the event any new accounts are added to your record. Also request a copy of your account and clean it up. There are procedures for removing obsolete or inaccurate information. The first step in preventing identity theft is prevention.

Finally, be VERY cautious about what you send over the internet. Never send passwords and account numbers through links even to what may appear to be a legitimate web site. On the rare occasion you need to transmit this data, go directly to the companies’ web site and access them through a secured system. I access my bank through two levels of security. In addition I constantly scan my computer for “key-stroke” viruses. Once your identity is stolen you can never get it back. Be an Everyday Hero, protect yourself and educate your friends.

STUPID

2007-10-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

He came busting through the front door of the Smart business office like a wounded pregnant carabao. His face was contorted in anger. He snapped and snarled at the security guard, then took his number and waited his turn. At the counter his mood had not improved. He spoke to everyone as if they were idiots. His choice of words was not fit for a whore house much less a place of public business. He obviously thought the louder his voice the quicker his problem would be resolved.

I will never understand why people do stupid things like this. First, he is abusing the wrong people. These people are not personally responsible for his problem; why does he feel compelled to hurt and insult them. Second, how can hurting and making angry the very people you need to help you, make those people more inclined to give that help. I do not know about them; but I would be less inclined to help.

Never underestimate the power of a smile and a sense of humor. I had a similar problem with Globe. I went into the service center with a smile and tried to make the situation as painless as possible. It took awhile, but the problem was fixed. The Globe service people worked extra hard to help the “nice” man.

The huge mango tree needs insects and animals to stay alive and propagate. The insects pollenate it's flowers so fruit will grow and animals eat the sweet mangoes distributing the fruit pits and making new trees grow. The tree does not shout at the insects and demand they pollinate it. The tree provides beautiful flowers and sweet necture to encourage the insects to do their job. The tree does not beat it's limbs together and demand birds and humans eat it's fruit and plant it's seeds. It makes its fruit sweet and juicy to encourage our help. These are the lessons of life that God has wisely provided all around us. Things work better His way.

Calling people "stupid" does not make those people smart nor does it resolve your problems quicker. Be an Everyday Hero. Do not abuse people. Learn the art of patience and living in harmony.

YIN and YANG

2007-10-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

Most people are familiar with the symbol but many do not understand the concept. The “Unity of Opposites” is a Chinese philosophical concept that recognizes a world filled with contrasts. Good is contrasted by evil. Wet is the opposite of dry. Slow is relative to fast. Each of these conditions or objects needs the other to define itself. The concept of hard means little unless you compare it to soft. Often these opposites combined to form something even more special. If you take a dark velvet night and combine it with a bright silvery moon it becomes a night to remember.

Many of us believe there is someone special in this world who is our other half; someone who is the Yin to our Yang. I have searched all of my life for the other half of my heart. I had finally given up the hunt and resigned myself to living out my remaining years in solitude. I was here in “the land of beautiful women” a year before I even thought about dating anyone. I had made peace with my lonely fate.

Suddenly there was Cora. Interestingly, I was attracted by her inner beauty long before I even noticed her outer beauty. She routinely sublimated her Pinoy pride in an open quest for self improvement. Her determination, dedication coupled with an unusually high intellect was inspiring. She showed an uncommon empathy and compassion. Her quick wit and sense of humor made her a stimulating companion.

Shakespeare once wrote, “The course of true love never did run smooth” and that was certainly true of Cora and I. Our love has had a long and rough trip. She even admits, when we first met, she did not love me; in fact she was a little afraid of me. But I had a simple plan. I would keep her in my life long enough for her to forget the “wrinkled old man” and fall in love with my “young heart”.

Love is not a word; love is a lifestyle. Saying “I love you” is easy but living that love is difficult. Everything she did told me she did not love me. Several times over the past three years we came terribly close to separating. Finally about eight months ago things began to slowly change. I could see and feel her love growing. We were becoming a true couple, a “team”. Finally I asked her to be my wife.

Last Wednesday we pledged our love and were married. I traveled halfway around the world and finally found the other half of my heart.

HISTORY

2007-09-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

“Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters.” ~African Proverb

The history of the world is written by those in power and to serve their own needs. Japanese history school books say little or nothing about World War II or their role in that disaster. For centuries, America almost totally ignored the contribution of minorities to our own history. Then in the early 1960’s the Civil Rights Movement forced a change to our historical records. Until 1946 Philippine history was controlled and recorded mostly by western powers. Since then such authors as Dr Gregorio Zaide, Antonio De Morga, and Negros Orientals own Caridad Aldecoa-Rodriguez have enlightened the world to the many valuable contributions made by Filipinos, both here and around the world.

Sadly despite over an estimated 4,000 new books on Philippine history many distortions and inaccuracies still survive. To illustrate my point I want to compare two historical figures, one western and one eastern.

Leonardo da Vinci is known around the world in every nation as a “genius”, a “Renaissance Man”.

“He was the most diversely talented person to ever have lived.”….Wikipedia

“Leonardo can be considered to have been the universal genius par excellence… Five centuries have passed, yet we still view Leonardo with awe”…. Liana Bortolon, 1967

“"There may not be in the world an example of another genius so universal,…. so far ahead of his own century “….H. Taine, 1866

Jose Rizal is not nearly as well known.

"A gem of a man.”…. Dr. Reinhold Rost, Curator British Museum.

"Pride of the Malay Race" ….Wikipedia

"The First Filipino"….Wikipedia

"Greatest Man of the Brown Race"….Wikipedia

Leonardo was the illegitimate son of a peasant girl; Jose was one of eleven children born into a middle class Philippine family. Leonardo accomplished very little until his teenage years when his talent for drawing was recognized. He became the apprentice / student for some of the greatest artists of his time. Jose could write the alphabet at age three and was reading and writing by age five. While his talent for art was also acknowledged, he was never provided any formal training. Leonardo never attended a university, while Jose not only attended four top quality universities but earned two doctorates. His student performance was always sobresaliente (outstanding). Leonardo only spoke Italian. Jose not only spoke Italian but twenty-one other languages. His linguistic fluency was such that he graduated from universities in three different countries.
Jose Rizal was a pacifist. Both Gandhi and Nehru credit him with originating the concept of “passive resistance”. Passive Resistance eventually freed India from British colonial rule. In contrast Leonardo spent much of his life designing and building “war machines”, unfortunately many of his designs were impractical and/or failures. His “helicopter”, “tank” and “airplane”, while ahead of their time, were poorly designed and would not actually work.
During Leonardo’s 67 years he is credited with being a : scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, musician, writer, aeronaut, botonist, civil engineer, chemist, geologist, optiical engineer, and zoologist.

During Jose’s brief 35 years he is credited with being an: anthropologist, architect, artists, businessman, cartoonists, cartographer, civil rights reformist, dramatist, diarist, editor, essayist, educator, economist, ethnologist, engineer, Freemason, hospital director, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, ophthalmic surgeon, pacifist, poet, propagandist, psychologist, playwright, martial artist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, teacher, theologian and writer. He was also an expert swordsman and an excellent shot. He carried on a very active correspondence with intellectuals from around the world, often in their own language.

I do not want to denigrate Leonardo da Vinci. He was a genius and far ahead of his time but it becomes immediately obvious that Jose Rizal accomplish ten times as much in half the time. He was NOT just the “greatest man of the brown race”; he was a great man of all races. If Rizal had been given the support and opportunities that Leonardo enjoyed, one must wonder to what intellectual heights he might have soared.
There is much to be appreciated in Philippine history and culture but you must search it out because the full story has been hidden for over 500 years. Be an informed Everyday Hero. Do not accept everything you hear and do the research. Check even me and when you think I am wrong, write the editor. Truth is more important than ego.

One last bit of information you might find interesting. Modern genetic research has revealed Leonardo da Vinci’s mother was probably an Asian slave from Constantinople.

THE ANSWER

2007-08-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

For the last thirty seven years the Philippines has been fighting what seems to be an endless war against Abu Sayyaf (“Father Sword Maker”) and other insurgent forces. Abu Sayyaf, by itself, has murdered an averaged of one innocent civilian each day during those many years (over 100,000 people). My friend Nick Rowe was targeted and murdered by these communist criminals. Nick was a loving husband and devoted father. He was one of the nicest people I ever met and a good friend. Surviving horrendous torture while a prisoner of war in Vietnam (“Five Years to Freedom”; his war biography) he was assassinated riding in his car on a quiet Manila street.

Currently the Philippine government is negotiating a peace treaty with these animals. You have only to look at world history to see how useless and silly that is. Thailand signed a peace treaty with its communist rebels only to have that treaty broken just a few years later. What makes the Philippine government think they can make a treaty with people who slaughter innocent women and children? These criminals have no honor. They respect no treaty.

Abu Sayyaf has never had more than two or three hundred killers on its roster. You can add to those numbers maybe 3,000 supporters. This handful of criminals has held the entire nation in fear. They are cowards that attack from ambush killing unarmed civilians. When faced with “real” Filipino soldiers they run and hide. They negotiate fake “Peace Treaties” to avoid their own annihilation.

I spent almost thirty years teaching and fighting this type of warfare. Bullets and false “Peace Treaties” will not stop the terror. Every time you kill an “insurgent” you create two to take his place. Every time you sign a “Peace Treaty” you give them time to regenerate and continue the war. There is only one way to fight this type of war and it is not with bullets or treaties.

You fight an insurgency by using your brain. The Philippines leads Asia in fighting insurgencies. They were the first Asian country to fight against western imperialism. The Philippines set the worlds standard for a successful counterinsurgency campaign. The Philippine people have only to study their own history to know the way to stop the carnage and eliminate these cowards. Magsaysay’s victory over the PKP’s “Hukbalahap” is a classic example of how to conduct a counterinsurgency.

Some western historians claim the fall of the Huks was caused by the assassination of the late President Quezon’s widow but that explanation is far too simplistic. The Hukbalahap was defeated because Magsaysay understood the dynamics of an insurgency. He studied the enemy and developed programs which stripped the communists of their ability to fight and survive. If he had lived to complete his plans; we would not be fighting this war today. In my opinion Magsaysay was one of the greatest leaders in the modern world. He is highly underrated by many historians including some Filipino writers.

If the current government would study and follow Magsaysay’s example they could eliminate ALL the insurgencies in the Philippines, without outside help, within two years. In addition the economy and the plight of the poor would be improved. As this great humanitarian leader once said, “I believe that government starts at the bottom and moves upward, for government exists for the welfare of the masses of the nation.” Sadly many in the current government have forgotten this simple truth.

SACRIFICE

2007-08-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

Persie Mapili’s life was not that unusual. Born poor some forty-four years ago; she eventually met and fell in love with a handsome young Filipino. They were married and started their family. As time passed Persie’s focus became her five children. She dedicated her life to helping them escape the very poverty she had suffered. Her sacrifices were never ending. If there was one bite of food left, her children got it. If there was one peso left, she spent it on clothes and school supplies for them. All her money and energy went into her children and their future. She encouraged them and monitored their academic progress. Two of her children are now university graduates and earning a good living. Two are still in the university and the last one is doing well in high school.

What started as a small lump in her breast began to grow and was uncomfortable. Again she sacrificed for her children. Rather than see a doctor she spent the money on tuition fees. Later as the discomfort became pain she finally was forced to see that doctor. It was breast cancer. If they operated and treated it, they might be able to save her life or at least give her a few more years. The ride home in the pedicab was long and silent. She stared at the road as it sped by, thinking about her choices. By the time she reached home her mind was made up. She would make one more sacrifice for her children. She would give up her life.

There was no expensive surgery, no expensive medicines; she continued to dedicate her life to her children and their future. Her children suffered whenever she cried out in pain, so she endured the pain without sound or tears. Even on the final day of her life she showed no sign of the searing pain that tore through her body. Her last words were, “I am fine; Go study.”

While I honor and respect Persie’s sacrifice, I can not help but think her family would prefer to have her at their side. Her children would rather have her smile than ten diplomas.

The Philippines is the leading country in Asia for breast cancer deaths. Breast Cancer is the third major cause of death in the Philippines. We even have more breast cancer deaths than several of the larger western countries. During a World Health Breast Cancer survey in Manila 54% of the women examined were found to have signs of possible breast cancer; of those examined only 27% sought medical treatment. While breast cancer can be cured if caught early enough, in the Philippines one out of every two breast cancer victims will die the first year because they were not diagnosed or treated soon enough. Over 64,998 Filipinas and Filipinos are diagnosed with this disease every year. (Yes, men get breast cancer too.)

Who is at risk for breast cancer?
*High risk people are men and women between 35 and 50 years old. But BC can strike teenagers also.
*People who have a family history of breast cancer are at higher risk.
*If you use contraceptives you increase your chance of getting breast cancer.
*Post menopausal women are at a greater risk.
*If your first pregnancy was after your 34th birthday the risk is higher.
*If you are infertile and can not have children you are at greater risk.
*Some foods can increase your BC risk ( Deep fried foods, food boiled in coconut milk, charred meat, etc)
*Not getting a regular medical check up puts you at greater risk. If you can afford it get an annual mammogram. At the very least give yourself a periodic breast self exam. Have your husband help you with the exam. You can help him check for testicullar cancer. Do not wait for something to hurt. When it hurts it is often too late.

Many Filipinas/Filipinos put off seeing a doctor thinking, “What I do not know can not hurt me.” “Why spend the money?” “I feel fine an exam is a waste of time.” There is an endless stream of excuses and that stream often ends in the cemetery. Your family NEEDS you. Be an Everyday Hero, prevent breast cancer; get an exam regularly and teach your friends to do the same.

MYSTERY II

2007-08-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

In the column “MYSTERY” I challenged you to fight graft and corruption. What I failed to do was explain HOW !

A friend of mine came to me with his tale of corruption. He and his wife went to a local government agency to process some paperwork. Later when he returned to check on the project he was told the paperwork was “lost”. After he paid an additional 900P his paperwork was suddenly “found”. He asked me what he should or could do. To be honest, I had no answer for him. I began to research the local corruption problem.

The closest Oddbudsman Office is in Cebu. Having lived there, I know they have their hands full with their own corruption. In Dumaguete City, elected officials can not act against corruption without committing political suicide. Everyone here is related to someone. If politicians put one corrupt official in jail that officials relatives will vote the politician out of office. Elected officials are in effect powerless to stop corruption. The local police are hard pressed to fight rape, robbery, drugs and murder. The police work long dangerous hours for low pay and the temptation to look the other way on what they see as a relatively minor crime like corruption is very strong.

Everybody hates corruption; but I could find nobody locally who is doing much to stop it. Several community leaders realize it needs to be stopped. If the community is to grow economically corruption must be stopped. None of the leaders, I spoke to, knew exactly how to halt this insidious “cancer”.

Corruption has plagued many nations. In the 1930’s corruption in America was as bad, if not worse, than it is here today. Almost every judge or policeman in America was on the “pad”. Justice was for sale to the highest bidder. We created the “Untouchables”. They were a group of special police who sought out and prosecuted corruption. The “Untouchables” could not be bribed or politically influenced. America solved much of their corruption problem and the Philippines can solve its corruption problem also.

Dumaguete City could be the “first” corruption free city in the Philippines. Local leaders just need to follow the example of the Philippine national government. Form a special “Anti-Corruption” police unit. Shield the unit from outside political or economic influences. Authorize them to conduct “sting” operations. Establish an anti-corruption phone line, so honest Filipinos can safely report corruption crimes. Enact local “Whistleblower” protection laws that will keep people trying to fight corruption from being unjustly punish for their honesty. Publicize the special police unit’s successes and make the “Anti-Corruption” Squad local crime fighting heroes. A similar program is working nationally; national corruption statistics have improved. The PERC has even withdrawn it’s unjust “Most Corrupt Far East Nation “ label and apologized for the injustice, not that that repairs the damage they did.

Nothing bad ever gets better by being ignored. If we want to lift Dumaguete City economically and eliminate poverty, we must first remove corruption. In a corruption free zone we can enjoy not just domestic investments but foreign investments. Economists say, “The rising tide lifts all boats.” That means the financial success of one business sector of Dumaguete City will eventually benefit everyone. We can fight corruption and improve the quality of life in our city but we must all work together.

DANGER

2007-08-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

When you start to read this column many of you will wonder, “Why did he title it ‘DANGER’? “ Be patient my friends; I will show you the danger.

There is at least one in every Barangay. The ugly sight of this pitiful creature is enough to tear the heart out of any dog lover. Their hair has almost all fallen out. Their naked flesh is crusted, raw and oozes a yellow fluid. Sometimes there is a secondary infection causing even more misery. The itching and pain must be almost unbearable. Sometimes the animal’s eyes are crusted over and they can barely see. These poor creatures live in constant misery.

Mange is caused by one of three tiny insects. These insects are so small you can not see them with the naked eye. These little mites burrow into the dogs skin and lay eggs. When the eggs hatch the new tiny insects repeat the process until the animal is covered with tiny bites. The itching is almost unbearable.

Mange can be treated and even cured. The sooner you seek treatment the better your chances of obtaining a cure. Even if you do not care about the animal you should seek treatment. Why, because mange is highly contagious and can even infect humans. In humans it is called “scabies”. You do not have to come in direct contact with the infected animal to become infected yourself.

An infestation of these tiny insects can quickly spread from person to person and through out your home. The incubation period is 3-4 weeks so your family may be infested before the first itching signs occur. In humans the pathology is slightly different than dogs and cats but the suffering is no more pleasant. Beyond the itching you can develop secondary infections and ugly rashes. Children are highly susceptible. Bites are usually found on the soft tissue of the body such as under arms, the pubic area and between the fingers. But you should inspect the entire body. Bites are often hard to detect on people with dark skin. Itching will sometimes not be related to the actual bite. When you scratch, it is recommended you use a wash cloth. Scratching with the fingers can cause secondary infections.

An old home remedy for mange is bathing the dog in old motor oil. This does work if the used oil has sulfur content of 10% or higher. While there are many home remedies the best course is to seek proper medical attention. There are sulfur soaps that can be used, but that requires direct contact with the infected animal and rubber gloves are recommended. The animals sleeping area must be treated also. There are modern medicines (ivermectin ) that can stop an infestation fairly effectively. The problem becomes how to stop re-infestation. You almost have to clean your entire house. These tiny creatures can survive for up to five days on bedding and clothes.

Unlike head lice, which even the cleanest child can get from just playing with other children, mange is the result of neglect and a contaminated environment. Be an Everyday Hero and protect your family. Seek knowledge and clean your environment.

MYSTERY

2007-08-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

No matter how many times I tell my wife she looks "GREAT!” she always asks, “Are you sure?” She then immediately seeks out the opinions of everyone in the immediate area. But let me say that the outfit she is wearing does not look good and she will immediately accept the negative comment and change her clothes. This seems to be a general Pinoy trait. Many Filipinos resist or reject positive comments but are very quick to believe, without question, anything negative about themselves or even their nation.

Not to long ago, President Arroyo acknowledged that the Philippines is “the most corrupt nation in the Far East”. This ugly and economically damaging label was bestowed on this beautiful country largely because of a small survey done by the Political & Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) headquartered in Hong Kong. The media immediately jumped on this criticism and flashed it around the world. Everyone, including most Filipinos, just accepted this economically crippling label without question. Most people did not even bother to read the full report but just focused on the lurid headline.

If you read the full report you discover several positive facts that everyone seems to have missed. First, while the report does label the Philippines the “most corrupt nation in the Far East”; the report also says that there is little or no difference between the five nations on the bottom of the list. Anyone of these nations could have been legitimately labeled the “most corrupt.” The report also cites significant improvements in the Philippine’s war on corruption. The solicitation of bribes, in both the public and private sectors, has gone down since the 2005 report. There has also been a significant increase in honest business practices. That means the Philippines did not fail in the war on corruption but has actually been winning that war. Somehow the media seems to have missed this very important point.

On its web site, PERC claims to provide information to foreign businessmen so they may safely invest their money. That is a very important and powerful mission. Accuracy of information and conclusions are vital. Their report can mean the difference between having a job and starving to many people in these developing countries. I join with several leading government advisors and believe there is no legitimate way to accurately evaluate or compare corruption levels. These reports are little more than the perception of a few selected people. The data is highly subjective.

The PERC report surveyed 1,476 expatriate businessmen in 13 different countries. Almost half of those surveyed were in the Philippines. PERC never explains how it compensates for this great disparity of data sources. In addition there is no model compensation for the impact of the media on the perception of those surveyed. Independent statistical data says the corruption levels in the Philippines have dropped yet those surveyed state corruption levels are higher. I find the fact that PERC went with perception rather than the facts to be a telling piece of information.

The Philippines averages three arrests per day for corruption. In 2005 the conviction rate for these arrests was 55%. In 2007 the conviction rate has been 77%. Over 50 government officials have lost their jobs. The Philippines even arrested a sitting President for graft and corruption. President Arroyo has hired the man responsible for ridding Singapore of its corruption problems. Singapore now rates number one in Asia for the least corruption. Do not know about you, but I think the Philippines is working damn hard to clean up the country and getting no credit for that work.

This beautiful country loses over 2 billion dollars each year to graft and corruption. It is impossible to estimate how many billions of dollars the Philippines lose in foreign investments and new jobs. If you want to blame someone for all the poverty in the Philippines seems like a good place to start would be those people involved in kick backs, bribes, graft and corruption. Be an Everyday Hero help us fight this “cancer” that threatens this beautiful country.

THE MODERN FILIPINA SPEAKS

2007-08-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

Modern Filipina’s are tired of “Evil” minded prejudice people slandering them. These “new age” Filipina’s are speaking out by the hundreds. They are tired of being ashamed of something GOOD; something BEAUTIFUL. They are tired of silently standing by as these prejudice people hurt innocent women. Here is just one of the many responses I have received.

I want to say something (in) support (of) Kojak !! …It is not true that all Filipina-foreigner relationships are fake. I have a foreigner husband and we have one child. Every time we go out together people (look) at us murmuring (and) laughing. It happened (so) many times to (us). When we're traveling the (ignorant) people will (overtake) us, looked (in) at us (and) then laugh out loud. It was a very (racist and ugly) thing to do. … We have done nothing to them but they (insult) us anyway. I used to love my country and love my fellow countrymen but … not anymore. When people see a Filipina … with a foreigner they … think she's a whore and of low class. …. I hate it when someone asks me if the foreigner, I (am) with is my father or my lolo. It is obvious he is neither, and they know it. I do not know if it is only Filipinos that do these stupid things… I even had an English teacher telling her students that ALL Filipinas with foreigners (were) UGLY! (I ask you) is (she) a good model (for) her students? I know a lot of (movie and television stars) who are pretty and sexy. (They) married … foreigners. (Nobody calls them names or says they are whores) They think we are uneducated.....these people are self centered (and insensitive). They (do not realize how much) they hurt us. Sometimes I do not (want) to even go out (because) I know what is going to happen… When I stepped out (of) the house, (I feel their eyes staring at us) So what if I have a foreign (husband)? So what if he's big and I am small? So what if I am brown and he is white? …God sees what they are doing to us...they are judgmental (vindictive) people!!!!! One day, they will be judged by GOD (for their cruelties).

Cheryl

Filipinos have long been the target of unwarranted and painful prejudice. From the ugly “little brown people” epitaph to the grossly prejudicial song “The Monkey’s Have No Tails In Zamboanguita’ the justifiably proud Filipinos have endured the bigotry of the west. NOW the Filipino people are turning on their own. They hurt unfairly their own people. If it is WRONG for foreigners to do this to Filipinos , it is even more wrong that Filipinos do this to themselves.

The other day a respected teacher at Silliman University said, “ All foreigners have HIV.” When one of the students listening to her, uncharacteristically, challenged her, she back off and said it was a joke. Excuse me Mam, HIV is not something to “joke” about. For an intellectual role model you make "stupid" jokes. Not just because you have NO facts to support such a gross misstatement (I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get the HIV statistics for the entire Philippines for six months) BUT because it is unintelligent and illogical. Why should an HIV positive American leave his country, where he gets the best HIV care in the world, often for FREE, and come to the Philippines to die. As good as the Philippine health care system is, and I use it frequently, their HIV care does not match that available in America and it is definitely not FREE.

I have long been proud of the mature way Filipinos handle their attitude toward “Bayuts”. I even had two gays on my teaching staff. They did an excellent job. You show true Christian compassion, fairness and sensitivity toward this alternate lifestyle. That is something often missing in other countries. But when it comes to DOM relationships, many of you do not show an equal level of compassion and fairness. You unfairly and unjustly hurt others who have committed no crime other than falling in love with an “old man.” Be an Everyday Hero and cleanse your mind of these gross prejudices. Do not slander and hurt others. Get some Christian compassion.

DOTTY

2007-08-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

I want to pay tribute to a very special lady, my sister.

I learned this week that she has been terminally ill for some time now. Dorothy would not let anyone tell me how bad it was, evidently, to keep me from flying to her side and make a fuss. That is typical of this strong tough lady. When life handed her crap, she used the crap to grow flowers. She refused to let anything or anyone keep her down. She was a true warrior all of her life and I am proud to have call her my sister.

My first memory of her was at age five. While our parents worked, she was my baby sitter. Somewhere I had picked up a “nasty” word and was enjoying the fact that I could shock friends and neighbors. She warned me to stop “or else.” The “or else” turned out to be having my mouth washed out with a soapy rag and being sat on for half an hour. I quickly learned not to mess with my big sister.

Shortly after, at 17, she ran away from home. I did not see her again for 12 years. During that time she had worked at a wide variety of jobs and took abuse from no one. While other women were baking cookies and going to dances, my sister was flying her own plane and parachuting. She was the modern equivalent of an American pioneer woman. She took whatever life threw at her and whipped its butt. Dotty took life in both hands and shook it into submission.

In her younger days Dotty was strikingly attractive. She had no shortage of male suitors. In fact she was married five times and raised two children. Dorothy was no submissive, dutiful, shy housewife. She was a strong, outspoken “partner”. If her husband did not respect her and their marriage vows, she kicked his boney butt out the door. She never moaned or complained about the past but always planned for a brighter future. She did not have time for self pity or charity.
She was a “modern woman” before there was such a label.

You might think from my description that my sister was ruthless and cold but you would be so very wrong. I never met anyone with a greater capacity for love and tenderness. Her hugs and soft words still warm my heart. I can not ever remember her raising her voice in anger and Lord knows I gave her plenty of reasons over the years. She had an especially soft spot in her heart for the innocent and vulnerable among us. Whether it was a child or just a lost kitten, she was always there with soft words and a helping hand.

Some would call my sister a “character”, even an eccentric, but I like to think of her as a rugged individualist. You never knew for sure how she would react in any situation and that made her an exciting companion. Wherever she went she made friends easily. People seemed to sense she was “real” and they opened up to her. In 67 years I have never met anyone quite like her and I doubt I ever will. I do not know where I am going when I shuffle off this mortal coil, but wherever it is I hope it is with her. An eternity being hugged by my sister would be heaven.

Goodbye Dotty…I love you

INFORMATION PLEASE

2007-07-31T02:50:00.000-07:00

This was sent to me by a friend. I have no idea if this is a true story, but if it isn’t it should be.
“THE OLD PHONE”

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. “Information Please” could supply anyone's number and the correct time.My personal experience with this amazing person came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible.I ran around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information, please" I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information." "I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience. "Isn't your mother home?" came the question. "Nobody's home but me," I blubbered. "Are you bleeding?" the voice asked. "No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts somethin’ terrible." Can you open the icebox?" she asked. I said I could. “Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," she said .After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography, and she help me locate Philadelphia. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk would eat fruit and nuts.Then, there was the time “Petey”, our pet canary, died. I called, Information Please," and told her the sad story. She listened. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to so many, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, " Wayne always remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow I felt better.All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle . I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please."Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well. "Information."I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."I laughed, "So it is really you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister."Please do", she said. "Just ask for Sally."Three months later I was back in Seattle . A different voice answered, "Information." I asked for Sally."Are you a friend?" she said."Yes, a very old friend," I answered."I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. "Sally had been working part-time the last few years because she was very sick. Sally died five weeks ago." Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute, are you Wayne ?" "Yes." I answered."Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. As she read I felt a pain in my heart."Tell him there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."I thanked her and gently hung up the phone.
We never know how profoundly our actions can impact the lives of others. If you have a chance to give a simple act of kindness, no matter how small, don’t think about it, be an Everyday Hero and just do it. Kindness and love are never wasted.

HISTORICAL PARALLELS?

2007-07-31T02:43:00.000-07:00

This story might strike a cord with some of you.

It seems there were these islands in which the United States had some interests. The islands had once been the possession of Spain but we won them in the Spanish-American War. Later we built and occupied military bases on these beautiful lush green islands filled with equally beautiful brown skinned people. From the beginning there was trouble. These proud people demanded to be free. Our two cultures clashed on many levels. There was strong resistance to American dominance of their economy and territory. They also object to “Gringos” marrying their beautiful young women. They even tried to assassinate a United States President!

No, it is not the Philippines. I refer to the island of Puerto Rico and her sister island, Vieques. For those geographically challenged, these are two small islands about 90 miles off the coast of Florida. While I served there, the “Independantistas” tried to assassinate my boss and did kill several sailors at Sebana Seca.

For years the people of Vieques have fought to eject the US Navy from their little island. The Navy has used half the island as a weapons testing area for almost 75 years. The ground is so contaminated no one will be able to use it for several hundred years and fishing is restricted. Even though the ejection of the Navy would gain the people of Vieques nothing; their pride demands the removal of these crude uncouth intruders. I was once almost assaulted by a 350 pound woman protesting our being on her island.

After years of demonstrations and arrests Congress decided to pull the Navy and return the island to Puerto Rican control. The government has not disclosed what it will do with this contaminated pile of rock filled with unexploded ordinance but they at least they have successfully ejected the imperialist barbarians.

Actions have consequences. Always be careful what you wish for, you may get it. On the nearby island of Puerto Rico the Navy has a huge complex called “Roosevelt Roads Naval Air Station.” It employed over 1,200 civilians. There were over 700 military families living and working in the area. Each year they pumped 300 million dollars into the local economy. Entire Puerto Rican communities depended on “Rosy Roads” for their existence. Because we no longer test our pilots and equipment on Vieques, the US government decided they no longer needed this expensive facility and closed it.

Suddenly the Governor, Sila Calderon, held a news conference in San Juan, protesting the base closure and stating, “The people of Puerto Rico don’t now nor ever did have an interest in closing the Vieques bombing range or Roosevelt Roads. We are interested in both staying in Puerto Rico.”

After years of German protests, “Yankee Go Home”, the US government has announced it will pull American troops out of Germany. That will mean a six BILLION dollar annual loss to the German economy. There will be a lot of businesses which will have to close their doors. Thousands will be forced to stop their schooling. I am sure some of the rich Germans will make a lot of money selling old US military land and facilities but the vast majority of “little” people will suffer an economic down turn..

Personally, I think America should pull all its troops from every country around the world. Stationing troops in other countries is counter-productive. It has no real strategic military value and is actually just US “welfare” for other countries. That "welfare" creates a balance of payments problem and a drain on the American economy. It is almost like we are trying to buy or bribe friends and that never does not works well.
We are not ”Big Brother” or the world’s police force. While I support humanitarian aid, without caveats, our intrusion into the internal affairs of other nations seldom comes out well and is usually not appreciated by those nations. It is time for other nations to “police” themselves. Beyond simple economics and the strategic waste, the American military is not our best export. Unlike Filipinos, Americans often do not adapt well to other cultures. We have a tendency to be our own worst enemy and create a cultural backlash such as we had in this country.

America has the finest fighting force in the world... but we lack some grassroots diplomatic and adaptive skills.

Just the humble opinion of an old war dog…..

BARRIO GIRL

2007-07-31T02:41:00.000-07:00

I had this foreign friend who was married to a sweet beautiful little “barrio” girl. One day in casual conversation he said, “My wife is an idiot!” I felt very sad for him. I knew his wife and he was the “idiot” not her. With all his academic credentials he failed to appreciate one simple truth.

“We are all idiots and geniuses depending on the subject”

There are many things about life here in the Philippines she could have taught him but he was not wise enough to listen to her. Because someone has not seen snow or ridden on a train does not make them an idiot. Just as you may not know which fish taste best and how to pick the freshest fish does not make you an idiot. We all have different life experiences.

The truly sad thing about my myopic friend was he missed the fantastic chance to increase his own knowledge and share with her the wonders of his life experiences.

I was in a hotel room with a friend who had spent her entire life in a simple fishing village. She had seen bamboo walls and painted concrete walls but she had never seen “wallpaper”. What followed was an interesting talk about how wallpaper is made and installed. How the pieces are matched and glued to the wall. We even talked about the history of wallpaper. Did you know that many historians think that the great French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was killed by wallpaper? Napoleon was in exile and living in a villa. The walls of his bedroom had wallpaper with a green flocked pattern. To create this textured surface the manufacturer used arsenic and copper. In the warm tropical climate of St Helena the copper-arsenic together with mold produced a toxic gas. Historians think that over a protracted period of time Napoleon’s body absorbed enough of the poison gas that it killed him.

In the US Army Ranger School survival class the first rule is to “copy the natives”. They know better than you how to survive in their environment. I am constantly seeking knowledge from my Filipino friends. The very title of this column was changed from “purok” to “barrio” based on advice of a Filipina friend.

To my foreign friends instead of trying to change your Filipina wife or girlfriend into something she is not; glory in her uniqueness, in her special beauty. You should honor her and respect her. Explore her world; increase your own knowledge and life experiences. Turn your life into an adventure with her.
Be an Everyday Hero open your heart and your mind.

THE OTHER SIDE

2007-07-31T02:39:00.000-07:00

The people who disagree with me deserve a chance to be heard.
Rosa wrote:

Dear Mr. James:
I read your articles with interest, you write of our beautiful country from a foreigner's point of view. You have always been gracious about your being here.
One topic that perhaps many locals do not understand is your lavish praises for the Filipina girlfriends or "wives" of foreigners. Truth to tell, they are not our regular Filipinas. By their dressing and actions, they cannot be mistaken for the homegrown Filipinas. They are more western than Asian, perhaps to mimic or impress (?) their foreign partners.
Another topic we locals do not understand is the "May - December" relationship ( it is more February - November relationship) that you write about and we see all over. All told that is simply not the norm and was not until the foreigners started flaunting their money in front of these girls.
You can very very rarely see an old regular Filipino (sixty or seventy years old) with a 16 or 17 or 20 years old Filipina. It just is not a regular relationship. The sensible older Filipino marries a reasonably mature Filipina, not a teen-ager.
What we see are old foreigners with one or two skimpily dressed Filipinas hanging on as if it was the most normal thing in the Filipino culture.
Even in Europe and America, the average older men are not seen with girls 20 or 30 years old younger than them. They would be the ultimate laughing stock pair! Fortunately for the foreigners here, the locals are to polite to laugh in their faces and call them dirty old men or naive fools. Even without words, the foreigners must know what the locals think.
Maybe there will be rare exceptions to what I write, but the odds are 1 or 2 to a hundred. It is almost as disgusting as the child bride of India; what makes it different is the foreigner and the young Filipina profess Love instead of the word manipulation.
After all is said, one thing is clear: this old Foreigner-young Filipina syndrome has corrupted the real Filipino culture and moral values. It has fallen to a business transaction with each side trying to get the most out of the other.
Try standing on our side looking out and see if it isn’t disgusting.

Rosa

If you read my column “EVIL” you would know I agree with you about the DOM relationships based on lies and deception. Where we part company is when you assume that all of these DOM relationships are false. I object to you taking it upon yourself to be judge and punisher of people you do not know.
Back when I first started writing this column a young Filipina wrote me a poignant tribute to her older foreign husband. She had been a young widow struggling to raise her children and keep a roof over their head and food on their table. Her life was slowly falling apart. Without a father, her children were beginning to make bad choices. This “old foreigner” sold his home in America and risked everything to come here and marry her. Their “May-December” love turned tragedy into a true love story. Together they created a loving functional “family”. I later met this couple and you could feel the love and respect they had for each other. I object to you calling her a “gold-digger, whore and prostitute” just because she fell in love with someone older than her.
You make several bold statements of “fact” that are really just your opinion. First you say these “May-December” relationships are “not the norm”. Who says it is not normal? Check the Bible. These “May-December” relationships have been going on for thousands of years. There are no laws against them. There are no scriptures against them. These relationships pose no real threat to society and are the “private” business of two adults. They hurt no one. They do not threaten society. Even the “May-December” relationships based on lies hurt only themselves.
You say these DOM relationships are not “a regular relationship”. You say that normal Filipinos chose people their own age to marry. As they say in the courtroom, “You assume facts not in evidence”. You assume that because older Filipinos usually chose brides in their own age group, they would not chose a younger bride if they could. The fact that “Dolphy” and others marry young brides proves that elderly Filipinos would marry young girls if the young girls would have them. The choice is not the elderly Filipinos; the choice is in the hands of the young Filipinas. That is how it should be; their choice not yours. You try to slime these “May-December” relationships by comparing them to the “disgusting … child bride of India” You must be truly disingenuous and desperate. How do you compare a free choice made by two adults to the selling of innocent children?
You claim “in Europe and America, the average older man is not seen with a girl 20 or 30 years younger than him.” I do not know where you get your “facts” (?). “May-December” marriages and even the marriages of total strangers have been practiced many thousands of years around the world, including Europe and America. Even if you were accurate in your claim, which you are not, the existence or non-existence of these DOM relationships does not negate their right to exist. Two adults have the right to associate and marry whom they wish without your approval.
“Locals are too polite to laugh in their faces and call them dirty old men or naive fools.” I admit that most Pinoy’s are very gracious and polite. One of the many characteristics I admire about the Pinoy culture. But the people you speak of are NOT “too polite”. They are foul mouthed cowards. They use the foreigner’s ignorance of Visyan to verbally assault the young Filipina in public. They call her ugly names and ask her ugly personal questions about her sex life. If I did this to your mother you would be justifiably outraged but people like you feel free to do it to this young Filipina simply because she loves a man older than her. You do not know if her love is real but you still set yourself up as the judge and punisher.
You claim that “this old Foreigner-young Filipina syndrome has corrupted the real Filipino culture and moral values.” How? How has the free choice of two adults changed your life or your society? These kinds of relationships have been going on here and around the world for centuries. You still live by your values. Nobody has forced you to change your lifestyle or morals. Without searching, I know of three Filipino families where the father openly breaks his marriage vows with any woman who will lay down with him. I read in the newspaper where fathers molest their own children. My own “wife’s” uncle was murdered and the killer was set free. If you want to protect the “real” Filipino culture and moral values get outraged at these breaches and leave the relationship of consenting adults alone. They are not yours to judge or punish. That job belongs to God.
“Try standing on our side looking out and see if it isn’t disgusting.” Those “false” DOM relationships based on economics punish themselves. The “May-December” relationships based on real love deserve our respect and to be honored. Your problem is you punish EVERYONE with your ugly words and contempt. You could use a little Christian compassion and empathy.

ILLNESS and INJURY

2007-07-31T02:38:00.000-07:00

If your leg were broke, you would not just ignore it. You would seek proper medical attention. Not to see a doctor would be “stupid”. It could cause you to possibly lose your leg or even die.
If you have measles, you would not ignore it. You would seek proper medical treatment. Not to see a doctor would be “stupid.” Not to be treated would not only endanger you but the lives of others around you.
The human mind is like any other part of your body. Your mind can get sick or be injured. Not to seek help from a doctor is “stupid.” Not to seek proper medical help could cause the injury or illness to get worse and might even destroy your life. Mental illness and injury can be treated, controlled and even cured.
We are not ashamed of a broken leg. We are not ashamed of having the measles. But for some illogical reason nobody wants to admit they might have a “mind” that has been injured or is sick. There is an ugly fear, even stigma, of being diagnosed as mentally injured or mentally ill.
The usual response to aberrant behavior is to ignore it until it gets so bad you can ignore it no longer. You hide your “crazy” aunt in the back room. You tolerate your nutty uncle’s bad behavior and just avoid him. The shame of this is their illness may just be a chemical imbalance that could be cured with medication. They could possibly live “normal’ loving productive lives if someone cared enough to help them get proper treatment.
The Philippines has an excellent Mental Health Association. The local chapter is compassionately managed by Mrs. Aurora Caluscusin-Flores. The office is staffed by equally compassionate and highly professional people. The new patient is given a series of psychological tests and their condition is expertly diagnosed. With proper treatment many patients fully recover and lead normal lives.
How do I know all this? I am one of their patients. I suffer what is called “Anxiety Disorder; acerbated by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”. I suffered a dysfunctional childhood and then was further traumatized by my military service. I take medication and undergo therapy sessions. Despite what my critics say I am not really “crazy”. My illness manifests itself in hypersensitivity and rages both of which I have been successful in controlling. Most people do not even know I have a medical problem. The shame is not in having a mental injury; the shame is not seeking proper treatment.
Substance addiction, beyond damaging the body, can also be an indication of possible mental problems. If your “loved one” is drunk every night, that is not normal. A friend of mine has a teenage son who pulled a knife on the maid and he is constantly physically abusing his little brother. He has serious separation anxiety and rage issues. He needs professional help before he kills someone. If you have a friend or relative who is subject to uncontrolled rage or anti-social behavior get them to the Philippine Mental Health Association and seek professional help. Mrs. Caluscusin-Flores and her staff are my Everyday Heroes for this week. Keep up the good work.

EVIL REDUX

2007-07-31T02:36:00.000-07:00

I have been inundated with a flood of support from Filipinas and Foreigners who are angry with petty small-minded black-hearted evil people who have been attacking Filipina-Foreigner relationships unchallenged for years. These evil people only have the courage to speak out in Visyan and hurt defenseless young Filipinas. Now, normally non-confrontational Filipinas are speaking out. The following email from a proud Filipina is typical of this new Pinoy voice that will not tolerate this abuse any longer..

Jinky writes:

“Hello, a good day to you. I am an avid reader of Negros Chronicle… I would like to react to (the)” Everyday Heroes” column by James KOJAK Hughs. I am a filipina married to a foreigner. I agree with what he has written in his July 22 ,2007 column. I would like to (stress) not all Filipina-Foreigner relationships are fake or ugly. Not all Filipina(s) who marry foreigners are “gold diggers” or just want to go out of the country in search for greener pastures. I know some people who are so shallow minded, judgmental and (vindictive) about us Filipinas married to foreigners. My relationship with my husband is built on love, trust,( and ) respect. My relationships with … past Filipino boyfriends didn't work out. I wanted to find my happiness; I wanted to love and be loved. What is wrong with that?... Being married is being happy. What is” wrong” (are these) people who think all Filipinas married to a foreigner are prostitutes and gold diggers!!”

In the past three years, I have been told of hundreds of these cowardly attacks made against innocent Filipinas. Filipinas, who have had to stand silently and unflinchingly as the vilest of comments were directed at them “IN PUBLIC!”
If some Foreigner had said these things to a Filipina married to a Filipino, the foreigner would have justifiably been attacked and punished. But these malicious cowardly attacks have, up to now, been silently tolerated. Maybe that silence has finally been broken. I applaud Jinky and the other Filipinas who refuse to apologize for loving and honoring their foreign husbands. Women who refuse to tolerate these cowardly attacks and are speaking out for justice, fairness and respect. Jinky, you and your modern Pinoy sisters are my Everyday Heroes for this week.

THE “FILIPINA” PROMISE

2007-07-31T02:34:00.000-07:00

Everyone has heard the sad story about the “American Promise”. How an American would come here to the Philippines and meet some sweet beautiful young Filipina. He will promise to marry her, then take advantage of her trusting nature and rob her of her innocence. Often these sweet girls would be left with fatherless children and shattered lives. Sadly there is some truth to these stories. It did / does happen; maybe not as often as some people think, but just once is too often. There is another side to this “ugly” human tragedy. There is the Filipina who robs the trusting foreigner of his money and crushes his dreams.
Over the last two years I have watched numerous foreigners get robbed and emotionally destroyed by ruthless Filipinas. There is Patrick who married a Filipina and started a local business. After a year of cheating on him with half of Dumaguete City, she finally took all his money and left him penniless on the streets. There is the Australian who built a 1.2 million peso home on another island only to have it stolen by his Filipina girlfriend. Heartbroken he come here and fell in love again. He built another beautiful home and his new girlfriend kicked him out and brought in her lover. Then there is the simple lad who sold his home in Ireland and married a Filipina. They started a nightclub in Manila. Next thing he knew, she had his 12 million pesos, the business and a new lover. He became another penniless human wreck on the streets of Dumaguete City. He has been befriended by some local Filipinos. I am watching to see if this trusting boy is being ripped off yet again.
I do not excuse or condone either of these life shattering crimes but I find it interesting that some Filipinos only condemn the “American Promise”. Filipinos make movies about the “American Promise”, but no one talks about the “Filipina Promise”. They talk about the “American Promise” in the classrooms at Silliman University and say vicious nasty things about people they do not even know. The consensus seems to be that old foolish foreigners deserve to be robbed and have their lives and dreams destroyed. That teacher who spewed those ugly attacks against foreigners in his classroom ought to borrow a text book on logic from the Philosophy Department. If it is wrong for foreigners to destroy Filipina lives; it is also wrong for Filipinas to destroy foolish old foreigners lives.

Be an Everyday Hero and cleanse your heart of prejudice and racism. We are all God’s children and deserve respect until we earn something less.

HOW TO CATCH A WILD PIG

2007-07-31T02:31:00.000-07:00

This was told to me by Lowell E. Hedges, a retired professor. He was taught this little lesson by a young student who was a refugee from Central America. There is a lesson here not just for the Philippines but for the American Congress.

How to Catch a Wild Pig
First you find out where the wild pigs are roaming and feeding. You then put some corn out in an open field. Soon the pigs will come to eat the free corn. You keep putting out this free corn everyday. More wild pigs will come. After the pigs get used to your free corn, you put up a length of fence along one side of the open field. Soon the pigs will get accustomed to the fence. You keep giving them the free corn. Later you put up another section of fence at right angles to the first. You keep giving them the free corn. The pigs get used to the second fence. After awhile you put up a third section of fence at right angles to the second section. You now have a U-shaped fenced open area. You keep giving them free corn. Then you put another section of fence with a gate in it, making a closed area except for the gate. You keep giving them free corn. Now, the pigs are no longer out in the woods, working to find their own food. They get accustomed to the fenced area with the open gate. Then, one day you slam shut the gate trapping the wild pigs inside. They quickly lose their ability to find their wild food and become totally dependent on your free corn. They can not survive without you.

This is how communism and socialism works. They give you “free corn” until you are dependent on them. Until you lose your ability to support yourself. They rob you of your free spirit and your self respect. You become their domesticated worker pigs.

I see pictures of Che Quevara and hear socialist / communist propagandist all around Dumaguete City, especially at the universities. The “free corn” is very seductive. Communism / Socialism offer the illusion of ultimate equality, “free” medical care, and “free” homes and food. Marx said, “To each according to his abilities; to each according to his needs” The implication is that we would all be taken care of by the state. The sad reality is that great promise has never been fulfilled. Many have tried; all have failed.
With any form of government someone has to be in charge. Someone has to have the power to distribute the benefits. Those with power will eventually abuse it. They become the new elite. While millions wait in line for their free bread; the elite have theirs delivered. While millions live in no rent apartments; the elite have no rent homes and a dacha (summer cottage) on the Black Sea (Russia) or the Isle of Pines (Cuba). While millions wait for that doctor’s appointment; the elite have their own physician.
There is no difference between communism / socialism and any other corrupt government system. They all have “haves” and “have nots”, the privileged rich and the desperately poor. If that is true, why then is democracy preferable over communism? Simple, democracy and capitalism have one advantage over all other systems of government. The word is “CHANGE”. There is the possibility to change and improve. Not just change and improve the government but change and improve individually. There is social and economic mobility. The “have nots” can become the “haves”.
Rather than hunger for the false promise of socialism and communism, seek to change and improve the system you already have. You have the building blocks here to create the greatest nation in the Far East. Look around you. You have great climate, good resources, strategic location, hard working intelligent people, and an inordinate ability to adapt and change.
Are there problems to be solved here? Of course there are, but I believe the Philippine people not only can solve those problems but are well on the way to solving them now. Name another nation that has put a sitting President in jail for corruption. Many countries need to, but only the Philippines has actually done it. That is not a mark of shame but a badge of courage and commitment.
I believe in you, my Philippines; it is time for you to believe in yourself.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 16

2007-07-31T01:34:00.000-07:00

Did you know here in the Philippines that it is specifically against the law for foreign guests to become involved in local politics? If you think about this, the prohibition makes good sense. Most of us do not even speak the local language; much less understand the nuances or subtle undercurrents that pervade local politics. For us to use our money and influence to obtain our idea of what we think the Philippines needs not only smacks of neo-colonialism but would corrupt a political system already plagued by serious problems.
Most people think the prohibition against our involvement in local politics started with the Philippine Constitution and the anti-colonial movement, but its roots are much older. The historical precedence is closer to 500 years old.

Now for the rest of the story.

Most people know that Ferdinand Magellan was killed by local natives in 1521. Few of you know “WHY” he died. To put it simply, he got involved in local politics.
When Magellan first arrived in the Philippines he was greeted with open arms by Rajah Humabon of Cebu. They exchange gifts and the Rajah even converted to Christianity. From Datu Zula, Magellan learned there was a war going on with Chief Lapu Lapu of Mactan Island. Magellan volunteered to use his superior fire power and vast military skills to resolve this ugly situation. He even invited the Rajah to watch as he destroyed their enemy. Underestimating the enemy was just one of the mistakes that led to Magellan’s death. His superior weapons were still stuck in the boats off shore when his body and inflated ego was pierced by a native bamboo spear. The Rajah tried to rescue his new friend but it was too late. The Spanish retreated in chaos. Do not get involved in local politics. You can get hurt.

WEB OF LIFE

2007-07-31T01:15:00.000-07:00

Not long ago a woman from Occidental Negros was caught smuggling over one hundred poisonous snakes and reptiles out of this country. She was taking them to Malaysia to be sold for a variety of uses. The reptiles were in little plastic bottles in her luggage. Many of the poor reptiles had died during the short suffocating trip from Bacolod to Manila. I am sure some of you are shivering and saying, “Good, Lets ship all of the little nasty creatures out of the country. Who the hell needs them?”
Actually, WE all need them. They are an important part of the web of life and help keep a very delicate balance. Surprisingly, they probably indirectly save hundreds of lives here every year. They may have saved your life.
While it is true a few of these poisonous reptiles do injure people; they do so only in self defense. Their normal prey are rats or mice. In fact there are many homes in Korea that keep snakes in their garden to control rodents. While a few thousand people around the world die from poisonous reptiles, literally billions of people die or have died from rats and mice. Rats carried the plague that wiped out half of Europe. Just a few years ago rats carried a hemorrhagic fever in the four corner area of Arizona, killing several people before we got it under control. Rats and mice carry rabies which can cause an excruciating death. A rabid rat will hunt and attack you. Even normal rats will bite sleeping babies, especially around the mouth. Snakes want nothing to do with you; but mice and rats will eat and poop in your food.
Many of you are afraid of snakes and lizards. Everybody is afraid of something. Learn to deal with your fears. Knowledge is power. Knowledge conquers fear. When you remove the snakes and lizards from the web of life, you allow the rats and mice to breed unchecked. You upset the balance of nature and endanger us all. If there is a poisonous snake or lizard near your home, try to safely move it or have it moved to a new home; you should kill it only as a last resort.
God left us as custodians of this wonderful world. We need to learn to do a better job. We need to live in harmony with nature and each other.

PONZI SCHEME

2007-07-31T00:51:00.000-07:00

Charles Ponzi did not invent the scheme named after him but he certainly perfected it. In the 1920’s He got thousands of people to invest in his Postage Redemption Plan. The plan was simple and seemed perfectly legal. Someone would buy cheap postage coupons overseas then send them to Charles to have them redeemed at the much higher American rate. The profits were then shared by the investors. Ponzi guaranteed profits in excess of 50% each 45 days. The investor would deposit $300 on the first of each month then collect a “guaranteed” $450 after 45 days. As the investors raked in the cash the lines at Ponzi’s Bank stretched around the block. What they did not know was there were no postage coupons, no investments and no profits. What Ponzi did was pay the first investor with money provided by the second investor. Eventually Ponzi collected over $9,000,000.00, and then the scheme fell apart and Ponzi disappeared.
Greed blinds people to the obvious. No one bothered to think or investigate. In order to earn the millions of dollars Ponzi had claimed, astronomical quantities of coupons would have to been redeemed. One can only imagine hordes of Ponzi agents, pushing wheelbarrows full of coupons to post offices, unloading them with shovels or pitchforks. Shear logic should tell you; “something is wrong here”.
This is a type of fraud is called a pyramid scheme. This system of making money requires an endless stream of victims for success. The first few investors might make a little money but the scheme will quickly exhaust any new investors. In fact if you use the world’s entire population, an impossible 50 billion people, there will only be 500 million winners and 4.5 BILLION LOSERS.
The only way anybody can make money through a pyramid scheme or chain letter is if other people are cheated out of their money. That is not only morally wrong but it is also very likely you will be the one cheated.
Pyramid schemes are popular because most people are greedy and greed can fog your thinking. Scam artists know how greed works. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can outsmart these grifters. Even police departments have been victims and they should have known better.
In 1995-96, at least 67 employees of the Sacramento Police Department, including 45 officers, were investigated for involvement in a pyramid scheme. The chief of police said that he will fire at least seven officers and discipline 60 other police department employees. Nine officers were placed on administrative leave and relieved of their guns and badges. According to a prosecutor, the scheme involved more than 200 people. The minimum amount lost by those who were on the bottom of the pyramid was $500, not to mention losing their jobs. This police pyramid scheme was called an "investment club". The scheme is sold to investors by claiming it is “perfectly legal” and approved by the BIR and that it definitely is not a pyramid scheme. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true; it probably is not true.

Here are some indicators that you should investigate further before investing your money in a company or club.

-Be wary of high start-up costs / investment requests. Pyramid schemes want you to pay a large amount up front. The promoters behind the scheme make most of their profit on the signing up of new recruits.

- Find out if the company will buy back inventory not sold. Keep in mind that normal legitimate companies will buy back at least 80 percent of your stock purchases.

-What is the consumer market for the products or services? If the company seems to be making money by recruiting, you will want to stay away! Multi-level marketing depends on selling to consumers and establishing a market for a quality product. Pyramid schemes are not concerned with actual sales of the products or services.

-Check with others who have experience with the company, its products or the club and its services. Are the products actually being sold or services actually being provided?

Not every business opportunity is a crooked scheme or an attempt to steal your money but before you invest you owe it to yourself to thoroughly investigate, especially if it sounds too good. Especially if the “investment opportunity” promises high profits and with little risk. Be an Everyday Hero and lets work together to protect each other.

(What happened to Charles Ponzi? He was eventually caught. He spent time in prison, was divorced, was deported and eventually died in a charity hospital in Italy. )

EVIL

2007-07-18T00:43:00.000-07:00

There is an insidious slimy black-hearted evil here in the Philippines . It is grounded in ignorance, jealousy and prejudice.
I came to the Philippines with two dreams. I wanted to live a better life and to write a book. I did not come here to be a DOM (Dirty Old Man). In fact I found old foreigners taking advantage of young sweet poor Filipinas particularly repugnant. To me it was a form of prostitution. A relationship built on individual needs and mutual deception. It was a facade of lies and pretence. I have an almost childish belief that love and relationships should be “real”. They should be grounded in truth.
Without truth there is no honesty
Without honesty there is no trust
Without trust there is no love
Without love there is NOTHING

Not all Filipina / Foreigner relationships are fake or ugly. I personally know of several of these “May-December” relationships that are true romantic treasures. Two people from different cultures and different generations who have managed to find each other amid the chaos and pain of this world. Two people who genuinely love each other. But sadly some of these DOM relationships are not real but merely a hollow empty sad “business” deal. I was determined not to be a part of that ugliness.
I had searched all my life for “real” love. I wanted to find the other half of my soul. Enjoy the bliss of “never having to say you are sorry” because the one you love “knows” you would never hurt her on purpose. I fell in love with a young Filipina. She eventually fell in love with me. For a brief period we were very happy. I wrote about that joy many times in this column. I wrote of the pride and respect I have for this Filipina flower. My heart soared with the promise of the great adventures we would share. Her compassion and love were limitless. She wanted to help her own people. Not just her family but friends and neighbors. There are 32 students we alone are putting through school. Our lives were productive and filled with love. Then the evil came.
Like most Filipinos she is VERY sensitive. Each day she had to sit silently as her fellow Silliman students spewed forth the dirtiest foulest attacks against young women in DOM relationships. They called them whores, prostitutes and gold diggers. These students never met these people but they somehow “knew” that they could not possibly be in love. Even some of the faculty vomited this same malicious ignorance and prejudice. They made it clear they had "no respect" for people in these relationships. The ugliness of these people's souls was so palpable it became a part of her daily student life. She was forced to hide our relationship in shame. She had to invent lies to hide something beautiful and good; something she should be able to shout to the world. She loved me and I loved her. But this beautiful truth would have destroy her. The other students would have shunned her. Whispered ugly things behind her back. It might even have affect her grades and prevented her being able to graduate. This secret began to tear us apart. The constant pounding eventually drove her from my arms.
There is no scripture against this kind of relationship. There are no laws against it. Yet these small minded people have made themselves judge and executioner. They, with their ignorance and prejudice, destroy and hurt others; people they do not know.
The scripture says, “Judge not ; less yee be judged”. One day all of those bigoted people will face the “real" judge and answer for the pain and ugliness they have inflicted. I pray God has more compassion and understanding with them than they have shown us.
It is too late for me and the lady who once loved me. She was not strong enough to stand up to the vile names and stigma heaped upon her. The other day a fellow student saw her with me. She ran in a panic away from me so the "shameful" secret of our love would not be discovered. She has now given up her academic dreams. She has thrown away the promise of a better life we could have had together. I am sorry my Beh, I could not protect you, take away the pain. I failed you.
These cowards only mutter their vile words in Visayan because they know better than to rile my wrath. They pick on the innocent, the vulnerable because they have not the courage to face me.
If she really was a “gold digger”; she never would have quit. She was just a sweet simple young girl who’s only crime was to fall in love with the wrong man. Where ever you are dear, one last time, “Mahal Kita Walang Iba”.

ISLAMIC TERRORISTS

2007-07-18T00:33:00.000-07:00

The story goes like this:

“Once before in American history we had an episode of Islamic terrorism. It was very quickly stopped. It happened in the Philippines (1911), when General. “Black Jack” Pershing was in command of the occupying US troops. There had been numerous Islamic terrorist attacks and General Pershing was determined to stop them.
Terrorists were captured and forced to dig their own graves. US soldiers then brought in pigs and slaughtered them, leaving the carcasses in the open graves. They then rubbed their bullets in pig blood and fat. The terrorists were horrified. If they are contaminated with pigs' blood, they could never enter heaven.
All but one terrorist was shot, their bodies then dumped into the contaminated graves. The lone survivor was set free and allowed to return to the terrorist camp. He told his comrades what happened to the others. This brought a stop to Philippine Islamic terrorism for the next 50 years.”
As you can see this story is very popular in the world because it provides a very “simple” solution to a very complex problem. The harsh sad truth is it will not work, it will most likely would cause greater problems and, in historical fact, never even happened.
General Pershing was Governor of the troublesome Mindanao-Jolo area. There is absolutely no record of this incident having ever happened and in fact it is in direct conflict with General Pershing’s recorded conduct and known feelings. When the terrorists refused to obey Pershing's order banning firearms, he sent a letter to the Moro leadership expressing sorrow that his soldiers had to resort to violence to enforce that order. He wrote paternally, “All Moros are the same to me as my children and no father wants to kill his own children”. When negotiations stalled and matters became critical, Pershing was still reluctant to be responsible for more unnecessary loss of life.
The interesting dichotomy in this historical excerpt is that the current terrorist / insurgency problems can be solved with lessons direct from Philippine history. Magsaysay knew the answer. Aguinaldo learned the answer the hard way. Negros Chronicle columnist Dindo Generoso had it almost correct (column “Books Not Bullets”). The answer is NOT found with bullets and violence, but sadly not found in books either unless of course it is a Philippine history book. Study your own history and you have the answer to the current terrorist/insurgency problems.

MAGIC

2007-07-18T00:30:00.000-07:00

Evidently some people think I have “magical” powers. They feel all I need do is write about a “problem” here in the Philippines and somehow it will magically be resolved. Only wish it were that easy or that I had that type of influence. There are many Filipinos much smarter and more articulate than I trying to solve most of these problems. My mumblings and scribblings go in a different direction. All I do is try and focus on the positives; while giving you a possible “new” way to look at an old problem.
One of these old problems that people keep bringing to me is “air pollution” Specifically the burning of trash each evening. Most of the people complaining are upset about this odorous pastime but I doubt they have really given it any real thought.
Why is the trash burned? Obviously the first reason is to get rid of the trash. Then why not just have the trash hauled to the dump? Oriental Negros uses 2.5 hectares of landfill per year. Not only would hauling this extra trash to the landfill stress the already overburdened sanitation trucks but potentially it would double or triple this annual land loss. In the current situation it is not practical or efficient to try to haul it all away. So what can we do? If you let the trash accumulate we run a high risk of having an unplanned fire that would kill people and destroy property.
The secondary reason the trash is burned is indicated by “when” it is burned. Trash is burned usually in the early evenings when insects are at their worst. Without the smoke of the burning trash to help control these insects there would be a sharp increase in disease. For example many more children and old people would die of dengue fever. So why not get chemical foggers like they do in the United States? First, where do we get the money to support this expensive program? Beyond that, I have lived in Florida where they have these “safe” (?) fogging programs. The fog not only smells much worse than the smoke but it kills “good” insects as well as the bad. This could upset the balance of nature and create more problems. For example without good insects farming could be impacted. If the fog kills insects how good can it be for our growing children to breathe it?
You have children going hungry or not being able to go to school because they can not afford supplies and uniforms. You have children living and eating amid the fetid stench of a landfill to just survive and you worry about a little wood smoke each evening. Sorry but I think the burning of trash is a non-problem and sometimes the smoke even smells good. Be an Everyday Hero and help a child get an education and stop worrying about a little smoke.

PSYCHOPATH

2007-07-18T00:15:00.000-07:00

Psychopath is the official name for the world’s worst antisocial criminal. What makes a psychopath and why are they so dangerous? Doctors agree that the psychopaths are devoid of love and guilt. They know what they are doing and care nothing for those they hurt. What makes them dangerous is that many appear quite normal. Their capacity to hurt and destroy can be hidden under a veneer of charm and honesty.
Typical example is John Wayne Gacy. Gacy was a well-respected volunteer in community affairs. He often dressed as a clown and entertained children at a local hospital. He appeared to everyone as a nice sweet gentle man, yet he tortured and murdered 33 young boys and buried them in his basement. His veneer of respectability was so good that despite complaints from victims who had escaped, the police did not investigate. After being caught, not once did Gacy express any remorse or guilt for his savage crimes.
Ted Bundy had a similar mask of respectability. He was a clean-cut law student, and put his charm and smile to good use at a crisis hotline center. After his capture, he confessed to raping and murdering 28 women and may possibly have murdered a hundred more. He showed no remorse or pity. He was a classic psychopath.
The traits that define psychopaths ( i.e. impulsiveness, violence, lack of guilt, etc) are well known. An important predictor of psychopathy is severe love deprivation in childhood. Serial killers were nearly always been beaten or abused when children. They also consistently had family members addicted to drugs or alcohol (an indicator of love deprivation).
Hitler's father, in drunken rages, often beat him and his mother. At 15, Hitler himself beat his mother. The rapist and serial killer Carl Panzram, America's most violent prison inmate, was deserted by his father and beaten by his mother. The multiple killer, Jack Abbott, had an abusive alcoholic father and a prostitute mother, who left when he was four, leaving him to a string of abusive foster homes. Albert DeSalvo, the Boston Strangler, was brutally tortured by his alcoholic father. In each case the effects of “love deprivation” later exploded into terrible violence.
How do we discipline our children without creating monsters? I am not against spanking, but there is a difference between paddling and “beating”. Just because you spank your children does not mean they will grow up to be serial killers or psychopaths. So where do you draw the lines in our attempt to discipline your child. I use two methods: one negative; one positive. I use a variety of negative methods from "time out" and withholding privileges to spanking. The spanking should not be a first option but a last option, and it NEVER should injure.
The most neglected and most important disciplinary technique is the positive re-enforcement approach. Lavish on the child praise, hugs and kisses for everything good they do. Even if the results of their actions are not so good; give them hugs for trying to do the right thing. You should have special “rewards” for positive performance. Remember, when you paddle their butts they jump up and down, going nowhere; but when you pat them on the back, they go forward with a smile. Love is more powerful than pain.
Be an Everyday Hero, love and hug your child today.

IF YOU LOVE THEM

2007-06-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

(BASED ON TRUE STORIES)

Her life was not going so good. She never would have won a beauty contest, but now things were even worse. She had trusted the wrong person, now she was an unwed mother. Her son was a treasure; but it was not likely any man would marry a woman with a child. She also had no education or job skills so her chances of finding good employment were not very good either. Her family was very poor and her own future seemed equally bleak.
Suddenly, a chance meeting on the internet sparked a romance. He was not handsome and was many years older than her, but he loved and respected her. After they were married, he began the adoption of her son. He even bought some farmland, so her family could start feeding themselves and earn a modest living. God had finally forgiven her mistakes and blessed her and her son.
It did not happen like it does in the movies. He was just walking down the hall when suddenly he stiffened and fell forward. The heart attack killed him before he hit the floor. Her life turned upside down and came to a crashing halt. She was suddenly a widow and her son again had no father. There was no money for food or rent. She still had no job skills or education. She was right back where she started only now there was a hole in her life where there once had been a loving husband.
I know personally at least five women who have suffered a similar life disaster. One woman’s loving Filipino husband went to Cebu and was murdered. She was left destitute with a house full of children. Another woman’s young husband was murdered this year and she has five children. Just this week a nice lady lost her husband to cancer and was hard pressed just to pay for the funeral. I know of two incidents where the wife died leaving the husband with the burden of raising his family alone.
I think I know, psychologically, why we do not prepare for these disasters. We want to keep the self delusion that we will live forever. The harsh truth is we will all die and death can come at any moment. If you love them you must prepare and protect them NOW not tomorrow.
All of you Everyday Heroes, instead of making those you love totally dependent on you; make them totally independent. Educate them and prepare them in case you are not there. Give them job skills and a career. Create an educational trust fund. Keep an emergency bank account to pay for unexpected medical expenses. Get health insurance. If you love them, be an Everyday Hero…. PROTECT THEM NOW NOT LATER !

DID YOU KNOW ? # 15

2007-06-28T21:07:00.001-07:00

Did you know that in America the initials “KKK “are the very embodiment of everything evil. The KKK or Klu Klux Klan was / is a secret society born out of the chaos of the American Civil War. The organizations ideology advocated white supremacy, anti-Semitism, racism, anti-Catholism, homophobia, sexism and nativism. They spread their ugly ideology by using intimidation and even murder.

Now for the rest of the story.

The Philippines has their own KKK, except here those initials are the embodiment of everything GOOD. The Katipunan or KKK was a nationalistic partisan secret society founded to oust the Spanish colonial government. Katipunan ideology was a combination of nationalism and egalitarianism. It was nationalist by seeking Filipino freedom from Spanish oppression and egalitarian, in that it believed in the equality of all mankind regardless of class, race or gender. Some of the leaders in the revolution were Filipina. The Philippine people were fighting for equality between the sexes some 30 years before we granted it in America. The Philippines is second in the world for gender equality.

PERCEPTION vs. REALITY

2007-06-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

A friend at Foundation University sent me an interesting article. I want you to read some thought provoking extracts.

THE BETTER SIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES
by INTEL General Manager Robin Martin

Filipinos tend to dwell too much on the negative side, and this affects the perception of foreigners. The negative perception of the Philippines is way disproportionate to reality. Let us all help our country by balancing the negative with the positive especially when we talk
to foreigners, whether based here or abroad. Looking back and comparing the Philippines today and 1995, I was struck by how much our country has progressed physically. Consider the following:
1. The great telecom infrastructure that we have now did not exist in 1995. Since then billions of dollars have been invested in both fixed line and cellular networks producing a system with over 5,000 km of fiber optic(s). From a fixed line capacity of about 900,000 in 1995 we now have over 7 million. Cellular phones practically did not exist in 1995; now we have over 11 million.
2. The MRT, many of the EDSA flyovers, the SKYWAY, Rockwell and Glorietta 4, the Fort, NAIA terminal 2 and most of the new skyscrapers were not yet built in 1995.
3. If you drive to the provinces, you will notice that (many of) the national roads are now of good quality.
4. Philippine exports have increased by 600% over the past eight years…Philippine mangoes are now exported to the US and Europe.

Additional tidbits :
1. INTEL has been in the Philippines for 28 years. The Philippines plant is where Intel's most advanced products are launched, including the Pentium IV. By the end of 2002, Philippine operations became Intel's biggest assembly and testing operations worldwide.
2. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS The Baguio plant is the largest producer of DSP chips in the world. DSP chips are the brains behind cell phones ( the ) Baguio plant produces the chip that powers 100% of all NOKIA cell phones and 80% of Erickson cell phones in the world.
3. TOSHIBA laptops are produced in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
4. If you drive a BENZ, BMW, or a VOLVO, there is a good chance that the ABS system in your car was made in the Philippines.
5. TREND-MICRO, makers of one of the top anti virus software PC-Cillin… develops its "cures" for viruses right here in, Quezon City.
6. Today a majority of the top ten U.S. Call Center firms in the U.S. have set up operations in the Philippines, we are the best in the world in terms of value for money.
7. America Online (AOL) has 1,000 people in Clark answering 90% of AOL's global e-mail inquiries.
8. PROCTOR & GAMBLE has over 400 people in Makati doing back-up office work to their Asian operations including finance, accounting, Human Resources and payments processing.
9. Among many other things it does for its regional operations network in the Asia-Pacific region here in Manila, CITIBANK also does its global ATM programming locally.
10. This is the first year ( 2003) ever that the Philippines will be exporting cars in quantity courtesy of FORD Philippines.
11. The government is shedding off graft and corruption slowly but surely. This is the first time in our history that a former president is in jail and facing charges of plunder. Next time you travel abroad and meet business associates tell them the good news. A big part ofour problem is perception and one of the biggest battles can be won simply by believing and by making others believe. This message is shared by good citizens of the Philippines who persevere to hope and work for our country.

Making your focus constantly on the negative is MORE than just depressing. I feel that negativity is largely responsible for slowing the economic growth of the Philippines AND giving us the false reputation of being the “Most Corrupt Nation In Asia”. HOW ? Annually there is a survey to determine the most corrupt Asian country. A relatively small group of businessmen tell the world what they think about corruption here in the Philippines. If all those businessmen have heard, all year long, is the "NEGATIVE"; then of course those businessmen are going to give a negative report. Foreign investors, fearing corruption, turn to other countries to build their factories hurting the Philippines. I am sorry, but instead of embracing the “most corrupt” label, President Arroyo should have challenged it. We put a sitting Philippine President in jail for corruption. Name another nation that has done that.

One Pinoy blogger stated that a "nation that looks to the past or the present is stagnant". I strongly disagree. Lessons from the past and the present are the keys to improving the future. Inspiration, from past and present, gives impetus and power for progress. Those who do not know or appreciate history are doomed to repeat it. We all need role models and heroes to inspire us to try; to believe in ourselves; to constructively engage the future.

NONE of the problems that face the Philippines are unique to the Philippines. EVERY nation has wrestled with them. Many are still fighting them NOW, just like we are. If all you look for is the "darkness" you miss the sun rise. Be an Everyday Hero “think and speak positive”; be constructive not destructive.

CONSTRUCTIVE NOT DESTRUCTIVE

2007-06-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

I feel foreigners have got this undeserved and ugly reputation for speaking badly about the Philippines. The actual truth is the overwhelming majority of foreigners respect and honor their host. The crime here is you only hear about the few foreigners who do misbehave. One of the reasons I volunteered to write this column was to recognize and tell you about the “silent majority” you rarely hear about.
Now it is time to point out another shame; Filipinos who speak badly about their own country. The shame is not in their being critical of their own country. I am very critical of my own country. As citizens we have that right. What bothers me about much of the Pinoy self criticism I have read is that most offer no solutions and are often inaccurate, even destructive.
One Filipino wrote on his blog quoting President Manuel Quezon. “I would rather have a Philippines run like hell by Filipinos than a Philippines run like heaven by Americans”. Then the blogger added, “….and we got our wish”. His entire blog is one long rant on how bad it is in the Philippines. I could not find one positive or constructive suggestion from this Pinoy expatriate living in Australia.
I challenged one Pinoy critic to come up with some solutions and all he could say was, “Kill them all and start over”. That is hardly a realistic or practical solution.
A local leader in this community said to a room full of people, “Filipinos have never produced anything for the world except pretty women”. Wrong.
History is written by those in power and those in power almost never acknowledge the work of those subjugated or without a voice. The Philippines has been dominated by other nations for almost all of its history
Prior to Philippine colonization by Spain, the Philippine people carried on a thriving trade with other countries, including Java, Sumatra and even China. Beyond normal exchange of food items, Filipinos were known for their textiles and gold craft. They mined their own metals, when much of the world barely knew what metal was and how to process it. Early Filipinos not only had their own language, they also created their own alphabet. The letter in the center of the Philippine Katipunan flag is pronounced “ka” and means “freedom” in pre-Spanish Filipino. Early visitors to the Philippines found her people to be highly cultured and literate.
There is evidence that early inhabitants of Palawan practiced trepanning (drilling holes in the skull to relieve pressure). This medical practice is still used today to relieve cranial pressure. The high percentage of healed patients indicates an early knowledge of how to fight or prevent infections.
Despite the early indications of Filipino medical skills, the Spanish would not allow the people to learn or practice medicine until the mid 1800’s. Who knows what Filipinos might have been able to contribute if only the ruling powers had allowed them to develop to their full potential?
Most people know that Magellan was killed by Chief Lapulapu when he “invaded” this country. This example should have been emulated by other Asian nations. It would have prevented the rape of Asia by western powers. What many people fail to appreciate is that the Philippines was the first Asian nation to revolt against colonization and the first Asian country to establish a republic.
It is hard to historically match the determination and courage exhibited by the Filipino people in their quest for freedom. The American Department of Defense estimates that 217,000 Americans lost their lives fighting for their Independence and freedom. In just this single insurrection against America, Filipinos lost over 600,000 lives. Their 100 year struggle for freedom against four modern nations is unmatched in bloody courageous sacrifice. They led Asia, by heroic example, in the overthrow of empirical tyranny.
As to “Filipino contributions”, in their few short years of independence they have done very well: (for example)
Diosdado Banatao, an engineer created the GUI (graphical user interface). Without this vital program, your computer would be limited to a green screen and only text displays. There would be no color or pictures.
Dr. Alberto Aguilar discovered the drug “wonder drug” Erythromycin literally saving millions of lives. Gonzalo Catan Jr. created a water-based insect buster. His discovery makes use of 21 useful microorganisms to kill flies, mosquitoes, termites, ants, roaches, ticks, fleas and lice. Maria Carlita Rex-Doran also produced a bittermelon concoction used for diabetes mellitus and HIV infection.
Dr. Ramon Barba discovered that spraying mango trees with potassium nitrate induced flowering all year round. This technology made the Philippines a leading world exporter of mangoes and mango products. The Philippine mango is rich in vitamin K and is known as the sweetest in the world. Working for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Dr. Rodolfo Aquino, helped to develop IR8, the 1966 strain of the rice that launched Asia's "Green Revolution."
Dr. Ricardo Lantican led a corn research program that saved America's corn industry from the Southern leaf blight. Dr. Nic Liquido pioneered the research on light-activated dyes that now control many fruit flies. This was a significant contribution to the fruit growing industry world wide.
Dr. Baldomero Olivera, discovered conotoxins, a bunch of biomolecules in Philippine marine snails now used in international neuroscience research. His contribution will significantly impact neurological science.
Immunologist Eduardo A. Padlan, together with Dr. D. R. Davies, used x-ray crystallography to study the antibody, which is helpful in diagnosing cancer cells and in understanding the human immune system.
Ned Teves, an anesthesiologist, invented the endotracheal tube cardiac monitor used in surgury. Wilmo Orejola, a surgeon, created the harmonic scalpel, an ultrasonic surgical knife that doesn't burn flesh.
Francis Duhaylongsod, a surgeon invented minimally-invasive cardiac surgery. This uses smaller cuts and reduces recovery time significantly. The ''Fracture Classification Manual'' used all over the world, was written by Ramon Gustilo, a surgeon with nine patents for artificial bone replacement systems. Juanito A. Simon, a metallurgist, formulated “Tribotech” a motor lubricant used by McDonnell Douglas on AH-65 Apache helicopters. Rodolfo Arambulo developed “Multishock”, a bullet that increases firepower of an ordinary gun. It is the first of its kind. Dr. Jose B. Cruz an engineer created the automatic control system for the Patriot missile
These are just a few of thousands of Filipino contributions. In just a few short years Filipinos have contributed significantly to the world and the only thing this “local leader” revealed was his own lack of knowledge.
I call on all of you, Filipino and Foreign guest alike, stop concentrating on the negatives and focus more on the positives. Be constructive not destructive. It does make a difference. You will not only find your life here more enjoyable but you will help create a better Philippines. Filipinos are solving many of their problems. Filipinos are making progress daily. This is a great country with even greater potential, lets work together to help not hurt.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 14

2007-06-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Did you know my first computer, like all that were available at the time, was very primitive when compared to the ones we have today. It had no pictures and was regulated to just text and two colors. It came with pounds of code manuals and was very difficult to operate. The user almost had to program it every time they used it. You had no video games and researching was limited to packaged programs without pictures.
When I compared my old computer to my new one it is like the difference between night and day. My plasma screen monitor brings the world in full vivid color into my office. I can call up pictures and even complete art galleries. Businesses can send me a full color catalog enabling me to buy what I want over the internet. I can send my personal photo around the world and even video phone my friends thousands of miles away. The Negros Chronicle uses state of the art computers to bring you the most current news and photos, in full color.

Now for the rest of the story.

Filipino Diosdado Banatao wrote an innovative computer program that is responsible for turning that night into day. His development of the Graphical User Interface (GUI) program literally changed the face of computers around the world. His program made full color graphics possible.

COURAGE

2007-06-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

The movie “300” is a dramatic presentation of the gallant stand of Spartans at the Pass of Thermopylae. The Persian king, Xerxes, sent over 170,000 troops to conquer Greece. This handful of brave Spartan’s halted that invasion for three days. They gave Greece, with their lives, the precious time needed to gather troops and eventually defeat the invading Army.
The Spartans at Thermopylae knew they faced certain death but they never wavered. When told that, “…Persians arrows will blot out the sun” the Spartan commander Leonidas responded, “Good; we will fight in the shade.” When Xerxes demanded they surrender their arms, he was told, “Come and get them”. The Spartans used the narrow pass to limit the enemy’s ability to fight effectively. These warriors faced five to one odds, yet slaughter ten’s of thousands, before being betrayed and butchered. Their sacrifice is a tribute to courage and honored and is respected around the world.
There have been two major block buster movies about the gallant battle for freedom at the Alamo. Two hundred eighteen Texans held Santa Anna’s 6,100 man army mired in blood and battle for thirteen days. Those thirteen precious days gave Sam Houston time to gather an army and eventually defeat the Mexican invasion.
The Texans at the Alamo knew they faced certain death but they never wavered. The cry “Remember the Alamo” has been an American call for bravery and courage ever since. The Texans used the heavy walls of the mission to hold back the enemy. These warriors faced twenty seven to one odds yet slaughtered thousands of the enemy before they were over run and butchered. Their sacrifice is a tribute to courage and honor and is respected around the world.
There has never been a movie about the Battle of Tirad Pass. A young 24 year old Filipino boy named Gregorio Del Pilar, commanded a sixty man platoon of volunteers. His mission was to prevent the 3,000 troop 33rd Infantry Regiment (Texas) from capturing President Aguinaldo and crushing the Philippine struggle for freedom and independence. Facing certain death Gregorio wrote in his diary, “…I realize what a terrible task that has been given to me and yet I feel this is the most glorious moment of my life. What I do is done for my glorious country. No sacrifice can be too great”. There were no thick walls or any narrow pass. The “boy general” and his men gallantly held off the invading army on an empty hill top for six hours. Eventually he was shot in the neck and died amid the bodies of his fallen comrades.
The Filipinos at Tirad pass knew they faced certain death but they never wavered. Gregorio rallied his men with the cry, “We will die fighting; not fleeing like cowards”. These warriors face fifty to one odds, more that the Alamo or Thermopylae, yet they fought bravely to the last man. Their sacrifice is a tribute to courage and honor and is UNKNOWN outside of the Philippines. Lieutenant Dennis Quinlan, of the 33rd Infantry Regiment, honored his brave adversary by placing a marker on the grave which read, “An Officer and a Gentleman”. This is high praise and respect from your enemy.
Fort Del Pilar, the Philippine “West Point”, is named in Gregorio’s honor.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 13

2007-06-14T00:43:00.000-07:00

Did you know for generation’s pneumonia was called the “Old People’s Friend”.
A sardonic way of saying pneumonia eased the old people's passage into the afterlife. Millions of people around the world annually lost their lives to this fatal disease. Alexander Fleming received a British knighthood for discovering penicillin used to treat this dreaded disease.
Penicillin changed the face of medicine. It not only helped to remove pneumonia as a killer, but it also proved an effective treatment for a wide range of other potentially fatal streptococcal infections.

Now for the rest of the story.

Filipino scientist Abelardo Aguilar discovered soil from the Illoilo region had some interesting antibacterial properties. He sent samples to his employer, the American drug company, Eli Lilly. This led to the discovery of a broad spectrum antibacterial medicine, Erythromycin. Alexander Fleming received world fame and a knighthood for discovering Penicillin; Abelardo Aguilar discovered and even more effective antibiotic, but neither he nor the Philippines were ever paid or even recognized for their contribution.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 12

2007-06-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

Did you know the story that the classic children’s toy, the yoyo, was originally created by Filipinos as a weapon and used for both hunting and jungle warfare. The truth is that story is a myth started by the Duncan Yoyo Company as a marketing ploy. Historians are not sure, but they believe the yoyo was probably invented in China . We do know that the Greeks had yoyo’s 200 years before there were people living in the Philippines . The Mayans even used yoyo’s as far back as 700 AD.
Over the centuries the yoyo has had a variety of names. It was called a “Quizes” in England and “L’emigette” or “Incroyable” in France . In America , before Donald Duncan, it was called a “Whirligig” or “ Bangalore ”. The name “Yoyo” probably comes from “Jou-Jou”, another French name for the toy. Many notable people have enjoyed playing with this toy. France ’s Napoleon and King Louis XVII relaxed with a yoyo. President Richard Nixon liked to play with them and Abbie Hoffman even used one to make a political statement while appearing before Congress.

Now for the rest of the story.

The yoyo has become international. Over fifteen countries hold national championships. Touring Yoyo Teams draw huge crowds. Trick shots like “Walking the Dog” and “Shooting the Moon” are standard with most yoyo enthusiasts. The popularity of the yoyo has helped built one of the largest toy companies in the world. This company grosses billions each year.
None of this would be possible without a simple contribution made by Filipinos. While Filipinos did NOT invent the yoyo; what they did was invent the continuous loop string that allows for all the tricks. Without that simple modification none of those tricks and tournaments would be possible.

A SOLDIER DIED TODAY

2007-06-12T23:31:00.000-07:00

He was getting old and paunchy, and his hair was falling fast
He sat around the Legion Hall, telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he once fought in, and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.

And though sometimes to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly, for they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer, for old John has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.
He won't be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
for he lived an ordinary, very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family, going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing. though a soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
while thousands note their passing, and proclaim how they were great.

Papers tell their life stories, from the time that they were young,
but the passing of a soldier, goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution, to the welfare of our land
some jerk who breaks his promise, and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow, who in times of war and strife,
goes off to serve his country, and offers up his life?

The politician's stipend, and the style in which he lives,
are often disproportionate, to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier' who offered up his all,
is paid off with a medal, and perhaps a pension, small.

It was not the politicians, their compromises and there ploys,
who won for us the freedom, that our country still enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
would you really want some politician with his ever waffling stand,
or would you want a soldier, his home, his country, and his kin,
just a common soldier, who’d fight for freedom until the end?

He was just a common soldier, and his ranks are growing too thin,
but his presence should remind us, we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, we find the soldiers part
is to clean up all the mess, that the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor, While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least give him homage, at the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline, in the paper that might just say;
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING, A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."

Author Unknown

SECURITY

2007-06-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

Every time I pick up a local paper I shudder. There seems to be an endless stream of college and university students who are victims of robbery and even murder. I have racked my brain trying to come up with possible ways to keep our children, our nation’s treasure, safe while they grow and learn. I came up with a couple of ideas so I contacted my friend Dr Ben Malayang, President of Silliman University.
I found I was behind the “power curve” once again. Dr Walayang and his staff were also very much concerned about this seemingly growing danger. They are very aware that parents trust them to keep their children safe and are dedicated to that goal. Not only had Dr Malayang and his staff thought of every security measure I had suggested but they had come up with few of their own.
Some of the Security Programs under consideration are:
· STUDENT SAFETY HANDBOOK / BROCHURE: While most safety procedures are common sense it never hurts to re-enforce good habits. Many of the students have had a protected life and are not used to thinking defensively.
· ESSAY CONTEST: The theme would be “How Can We Improve Security On Campus”. Many of these students are brilliant and tapping into that fertile resource could prove beneficial.
· ESCORT SERVICE: Most students realize they should not walk alone, especially at night. Sometimes traveling in a group is not possible. Using volunteers from various campus organizations a lone student could call for an escort.
· SELF DEFENSE TRAINING: Here there are two potential programs under consideration. First, there are several excellent martial arts school in the area. The Universities current excellent physical training program could be augmented with a short intense self defense course. A second option would be to give PE course credit to students at approved martial arts schools.

This is just a sample of the many innovative programs that Dr Malayang and his staff are looking at to improve campus security. It must be a comfort to parents sending their children to the university to know that the President is just as concerned as they are for their children’s safety and doing something about that concern. Dr Malayang and his excellent staff are my Everyday Heroes for this week.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 11

2007-06-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

Did you know they say and I believe, history is written by the victors for their own purposes. You do not always get the full and accurate picture just reading one source. For almost a century the full role of blacks in American history was sorely neglected. Then with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s blacks began to discover the hidden truth. They began to discover their people had played an active role in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Indian Wars and even two World Wars. They began to have pride in their own role in American history. They discovered new role models and new heroes.

Now for the rest of the story.

In the American Civil War more than twenty Filipinos served and fought bravely to end slavery and preserve the American union. Felix Baldberry served with the 11 th Michigan Volunteers and was wounded. Prince Romerson was a sergeant with the U.S. Cavalry. Joseph Castor served on Old Ironsides, a sister ship to the USS Monitor. Manuel Santos was a seaman on the USS Monitor.
When the Confederate ship Merrimac attempted to sink the USS Minnesota. The Monitor bravely sailed between the two ships. What followed was a heavy pitched battle at point blank range. The brave seamen of the Monitor, including Santos, inflicted so much damage on the iron clad Merrimac that she withdrew and was never again a major threat.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 10

2007-06-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

Did you know many American’s felt the Philippines abandoned us in Iraq. They allowed the terrorists to blackmail them into withdrawing their troops. Many Filipinos never understood why their country was involved in Iraq in the first place. Iraq, after all, was an “American problem”.
Let’s look at the facts. Angelo De La Cruz, an overseas worker in Iraq, was kidnapped by the terrorists. They threatened to kill him unless the Philippines withdrew their military forces from Iraq. After offering the terrorists a 6 million dollar ransom, which was refused, President Arroyo reluctantly withdrew her troops. Thankfully the terrorist kept their word and Mr. De La Cruz was released and returned safely to the Philippines.

Now for the rest of the story.

The terrorist actually “shot themselves in the foot.” They lost much more than they gained from this small blackmail scheme. The fifty-one man Philippine military unit, commanded by BG Jovito Palaran, was only involved in humanitarian projects. Like their role in Vietnam, they were helping the people not killing them. When the Philippine troops were “forced” to leave, the Iraqi people were angry with the terrorists NOT the Filipinos or the Americans.
The question remains should the Philippines have been in Iraq in the first place? Beyond the fact that Filipinos have a long history of humanitarian service to individuals and nations around the world, they may have a personal stake in this war.
When the bomb went off in Mindanao, three people were killed. It had been triggered by a cell phone call. Later a second bomb was discovered in Zamboanga City and that same cell phone “trigger” was captured. What does this have to do with Iraq? On that “trigger” cell phone was a call to Iraqi diplomat Husham Husain from the Abu Sayyaf. Is Mr. Husain the Abu Sayyaf’s connection to Al Quida? I do not know, but Philippine Intelligence saw fit to throw him out of the country. If the terrorists win in Iraq, not only does America lose but so do the Philippines.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 9

2007-06-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Did you know there have been many pivotal events in American history; the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Civil War, World War One to name just a few. The passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act was one such major event.
The names of the men and women who fought, suffered and even died in the fight against racism, prejudice and bigotry will echo down the dusty halls of history for generations.
Most people know the names of black people who fought for equal rights. Names like Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King are known around the world. A few people in the world even remember the names of white people who marched and fought. Names like Andrew Goodman and Michael Schermer who died fighting for other people’s rights and equality.

Can you name any civil rights fighter that was “brown”?

Now for the rest of the story.

His name was “Frank Atonio”, he and his friends were Filipinos and Samoans working for the Ward Cove Packing Company of Alaska. They sued Ward Cove Packing Company for employment discrimination claiming the company hired brown skin workers for low paying dock work and reserved the high paying office jobs for people with white skin.
They lost in the lower court but then tenaciously refused to give up. They won their appeal in the District Court. Ward Cove Packing took the fight to the Supreme Court where a split 5 to 4 decision gave them the final win. The blatant unfairness of the Supreme Court’s decision prompted Congress to pass the 1991 Civil Rights Act correcting the court and other inequities in the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Filipinos championed civil rights and fought for racial equality in America.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 8

2007-06-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

Did you know Beriberi is a tragic disease that causes dramatic weight loss and even death. For centuries it destroyed lives around the world. It is caused by a lack of thiamine in the victim’s diet. A good source of thiamine is the hull of rice kernels; unfortunately most countries remove the hulls before cooking. As most Asians eat 300 pounds of polished rice annually, untold millions of them suffered and died from this horrible disease.

Now the rest of the story.

In 1947 the Philippine Health authorities started the “Baatan Experiment”. The people were given a dietary supplement of thiamine, iron and niacin. The incidence of beriberi was reduced by 90% in the test areas. The Philippine Health authorities developed a pathology that literally save millions of lives around the world.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 7

2007-06-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

Did you know America spends over 700 million dollars on shrimp annually. We consume 725 million pounds of the little critters every year. That is almost half of the world’s commercial consumption. It is America’s favorite seafood.
Shrimp are a basic ingredient in oriental cooking. Beyond being eaten themselves, shrimp are used as a soup base, sauce thickener and general seasoning. Shrimp flakes are fed to tropical fish and used as feed pellets on aquaculture farms. Shrimp are even used in bandages by the U.S. Army in Iraq. It helps to stop bleeding and saves lives.
Over half of all the shrimp consumed in America comes from the Louisiana Gulf.

Now for the rest of the story.

The dried shrimp industry in Louisiana was started in 1895 by Filipinos. After harvesting tons of the little creatures from the Mississippi delta the shrimp were boiled in huge kettles of salt water. Later the boiled shrimp are spread on drying platforms. To remove the heads and hulls the workers would perform “dancing the shrimp”.
One of America’s major seafood industries was created by Filipinos.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 6

2007-06-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

Did you know we were actually winning the World War II. There was no question the Philippines would soon be free again. The horrible tragedy is that thousands of innocent defenseless prisoners of war and civilian internees were being slaughtered before we could rescue them. The Los Banos interment camp held over 2,147 men, women and children all destined to be executed unless we could free them. While there were only 243 prison guards, there were over 8,000 enemy marines within striking distance.
Troops from the 11th Airborne Division, 130 strong, under the command of MG Swing accepted the challenge. The result was the most successful rescue mission ever recorded. All the prisoners were rescued and only two Americans were killed and two wounded.
Chief of Staff and former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, proclaimed:
"I doubt that any airborne unit in the world will ever be able to rival the Los Baños prison raid. It is the textbook airborne operation for all ages and all armies."

Now for the rest of the story.

There were 800 Filipino troops on that historic raid. A cynic might think they just provided support for the Americans but that cynic would be wrong. The first enemy sentry was killed in hand to hand combat by a Filipino. Filipinos were in the thick of the fighting and without their valor and courage the raid would have failed. Starting with a 19 year old Filipino named Frank who snuck in and out of the heavily guarded prison coordinating the raid to LTC Gustavo Ingles and his Philippine guerrillas, they all served with courage and valor. LTC Ingles commanded an amalgamation of five diverse Filipino units, including a Marxist Hukbalahaps unit, former cadets from the Philippine Military Academy, a Chinese squadron and even President Quezon’s Own Guerrillas (PQOG).

BROWN IS BEAUTIFUL

2007-05-31T20:03:00.001-07:00

She was going to a high school dance. Her dress was gorgeous. Her hair was a masterpiece. She is dating a handsome youngman who cares deeply about her. Yet with all this, she was almost in tears. I asked her what was wrong. She told me, through the pain, that she wished that for one day she could be WHITE.

It is normal of young people to be very critical of themselves. They often want this a little bigger or that a little smaller. This is a normal part of growing up and finding your own identity. What bothers me this obsession with white skin is not limited to young people. The store shelves here in the Philippines are filled with soaps and lotions that “whiten” skin. There are TV commercials for white skin treatments. All your major movies stars have “light” colored skin.

I am not intelligent enough to know why there seems to be this national obsession with white skin. Is it a remnant of colonialism when the ruling class was light skinned? Is it a desire to meet some standard of beauty created by nonFilipinos? Is it merely the desire to be different or exotic? I do not know. I do know I will never get use to children rubbing my skin as if it had magical properties.

Let me give you a little perspective. First the majority of the world is NOT white. Second, dark skin protects the person from skin cancer. Naturally dark skin is healthy. Finally some of the world’s most beautiful women are NOT white. Halle Berry is said to be the most beautiful woman in the world. She is only the most current non-white beauty to capture that title. Every year American women spend BILLIONS of dollars and many long hours in the sun trying to get that beautiful dark skin that is natural to most Filipinas. My Philippine sisters you should glory in your beautiful skin color. God has blessed you. Walk proud and if that jerk wants a white skinned woman, he is not worthy of you anyway. There is someone out there that thinks YOU are the most beautiful woman in the world, brown skin included.

TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE

2007-05-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

Philippines is not the only nation in the world where the people urinate in public. There is a major European nation where the average citizen pees in public almost everyday. (324 days a year). Even their women urinate in public an average of 22 times per year. That is not to excuse this unhealthy behavior, it just proves that the Philippines is not unique in this regard.

You will never see me standing beside the road peeing. It is not because I am afraid someone will peek and see all those stories about American men are not true. I do not pee for one reason… I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES. Urine is pollution. Urinating in public is unhealthy for all living things.

The average American urinates in public only 8 times a year. This is with good reason. In America this activity can be a very serious crime. It can be classified as a “sex” crime. This would require the peeing “criminal” to register with police wherever he went.

My objection is for health reasons alone. Everyday approximately 75,469 gallons of human urine pollutes our beautiful city. That is 2.6 MILLION gallons of pee a month. How can that be good for the health of each of us?

I am not political. It is not my place as a guest here to be involved in local or national politics. But I attended an open meeting of the mayor as he presented a program to clean-up pollution. I was impressed with the professional presentation and the comprehensive plan. Currently the water table is not polluted but that will not stay that way if we neglect to plan for the future. If you go to the boulevard on a hot day, you can smell the future .

Pollution and raw sewage are a threat to every man, woman and child in Oriental Negros. It does not matter if you are rich or poor; disease is an equal opportunity killer. We need to work together for the survival of this beautiful city.

Be an Everyday Hero. Stop pollution; get your septic tank pumped. Get familiar with the mayors new clean water program. You will never know whose life your might save. It could be your own or even your child’s.

IGNORANCE

2007-05-31T03:54:00.001-07:00

I was only a fresh faced fifteen year old high school student. I can still remember her name, Miding Miraflor. I was in love. Not some sweaty lust but pure innocent adoration. For me she was the very essence of beauty. Around five foot two or three, she had long silky raven black hair. Her voice was soft and her eyes flashed with intelligence and humor. With flawlessly cinnamon brown skin, she had delicate features that would make angels flush with envy.

My love was pure and innocent. I dreamt of running my fingers through her soft hair. Holding her close, I wanted to feel the gentle touch of her fingers on my cheek. I ached to have her look at me, to see me. But that was not to be. She had a boyfirnd and barely knew I was alive.

The only person who might have suspected my love was her brother, Fausto. He even stole one of her senior pictures and gave it to me. But even he could not suspect the depth of my infatuation. He did not know how often I lay in my moonlit bedroom gazing at her picture with tears filling my eyes. He never knew how my chest ached from the hole her absence left in my heart.

One day I asked him innocently, “What nationality are you?” I barely knew there was a place called the Philippines, much less what the people looked like. My naiveté and ignorance were boundless. With a burst of raw anger that literally caused me to step back in shock, Fausto said, “American! Why?” His eyes burned with anger. It was years before I understood why he was so angry, all I did know was I had asked the wrong question.

For me the question was a simple desire to know the source of his sister’s incomparable beauty. For him the question was the prelude to prejudice, bigotry and pain. There was a single question but two very different frames of reference, two different life experiences.

Now some 52 years later I find myself again stumbling around asking questions and making statements; not always understanding the ramifications or the responses. I ask you to be patient with me and to know there is no ugliness in my heart, just ignorance.

PERSPECTIVE

2007-05-31T03:28:00.001-07:00

A very nice lady sent me a copy of a newspaper column by a British journalist named Matthew Sutherland. Seems Mr. Sutherland is a long time resident here. He wrote a humorous column about life for expatriates in the Philippines. He talked about the uniqueness of Filipino names, eating balut, and even other Pinoy eating habits. I found it entertaining, even educational. She must really like his writing as the column was ten years old. She suggested I might do something similar in my column.

I told her I could not write that kind of column. It would be easy to find humor in the differences between our cultures but writing about it would be inappropriate. You are my host; I am your guest. As your guest I do not make fun of your culture. I do not criticize this country or its people. The Philippine people have treated me well. They have been excellent hosts. I want to be a good guest. If I do not like life here I can always go back to America.

Everyday people, expatiates and Filipinos, sit around and complain about the things they see wrong here. I even had one Filipino apologize for the graft and corruption in his country. You need a little perspective. The problems you face here are not unique to the Philippines. Every country had had them or has them now.

There was an American TV show called the “Untouchables”. The show was based on a group of historically real “honest” policemen. Why was this so unusual? At that time almost all policemen, judges and politicians, in America, were crooks or on the payroll of a crook. There are those that say one of your Philippine Presidential elections was “bought”. Do not know if that is true but I do know American President Kennedy bought his Presidential election. He even joked about it later saying his father refused to pay for a landslide victory. Dishonesty and greed are human sins NOT Pinoy traits. Like other countries you will solve your problems and you will solve them the Pinoy way.

There are a lot of very intelligent Filipinos working hard to make this a better country. These patriots know the problems and the possible solutions far better than I. As I told my friend Dindo Generoso, who is constantly trying to improve conditions here in Dumaguete, I may not know how to solve these problems, but I will hold your coat while you do. My role in the Philippines is to be a good guest, respect and honor my host and not create more problems. I hope I am doing that.

PURE SIMPLE LOVE

2007-05-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

I was at Mass. When we stood to sing, I saw a little seven year old girl about three rows in front of me. She had the distinctive features of a Down Syndrome child. I was overwhelmed with a sudden sense of sadness. I felt so sorry for her, not because she as likely to die before her twentieth birthday. I felt sad because here was a beautiful innocent child that would miss so much of life. She would probably never have a boyfriend. Never know the thrill of her first romantic kiss. She would never be married or know the full joy of motherhood. As I stood there feeling sorry for her, she looked up at her father beside her. As he gazes down at her they smiled and her tiny hand slid into his. I suddenly felt sorry for myself. I would never know the depth of pure simple love that they shared at that moment.

God gives us challenges; He gives us love in strange ways.

The other day a nice Filipina lady told me about little Kate Lozada. She is only seven months old but already she had adult size problems. Problems that can kill this sweet tiny little baby. You see little Kate has a congenital heart defect. If she does not get an operation soon she will not survive. Her mother works in the pharmacy at Silliman University Medical Center but just can not afford the expensive surgery. She is forced to sit helplessly by and watch her tiny innocent baby die a little each day. In desperation she has appealed to every charitable organization she could find. Only to be turned down. My friend asked me to see if I could help. I told her I would try.

I took all the information I had to some friends who regularly do charity medical work. They were not too optimistic. The operation is VERY expensive, around 500,000 pesos. Also it is highly likely the baby will be retarded and has a limited life expectancy. Possibly that is why the charitable organizations turned her down. I admit, here I get little angry. People claim to be against abortion, the killing of a fetus, but are perfectly willing to let a baby die when it could be saved, merely because “it won’t live long anyway”. I can not help but think of that sweet little girl in the church and how much love her father would never have gotten had she died. How much pain her loss would have brought to her family.

To those Everyday Heroes that read my column. Those who want to help as I do, even though my help is meager compared to the need. The mother has established a trust bank account for contributions, the pediatrician is Dr Glenda N. Nuico and the mother can be contracted at 09173141942.

UGLY FOREIGNER

2007-05-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

I went to a local store to buy some playing cards. The clerk, seeing I was foreigner, picked up the “girlie” cards. I bought another style.

The street vendor who sells sunglasses and watches always brings out the pornography and Viagra whenever he sees a foreigner.

Four Filipinos were discussing a Cebu massage parlor that supposedly gave more than massages. Each admitted they had never tried the “extras”. They all turned and looked at me. They were disappointed the foreigner had never tried them either.

Let’s face the truth; foreigners do no have a great reputation here in the Philippines. Everyone talks about the drunken driving foreigner who kills Filipinos. You hear about the ugly foreigner who cavorts with prostitutes, or molests children, or rapes women. Sadly sometimes these stories are even true.

Let me tell you about the “ugly” foreigners I have met here in Dumaguete.

There is Jack. He and his Filipina wife run an orphanage. They provide a home, food, clothes and even an education for Filipino children who have nothing.

How about Joe, he fell in love with a Filipina. You might be shocked to find out; he never touched her until after they were married.

There is Tom, who along with his Filipino brothers spends his weekends providing free medical and dental services to those who can not afford it.

Now there is George who along with two other “ugly” foreigners supports twenty-three Filipino students. They will have an education thanks to those ugly foreigners.

Then there is Bill. He is currently working trying to help battered women. He has done so many things from trying to help Emergency Medical Team save lives to lecturing on the dangers of AIDs.

I could list many more people just like these. You may not like those “idiot” foreigners, but I am pretty proud of them.

So the next time you hear about some ugly foreigner, there are at least fifty more that are not so ugly. In fact many of those foreigners are very nice people.

DESPERATION

2007-05-26T07:40:00.001-07:00

I have fought in two wars. I have jumped from airplanes and climbed mountains. I have faced poisonous snakes and vicious jungle animals. The other day a young Filipina almost made me cry.

I came back to my apartment with an arm load of books. A little girl who works in nearby business asked me if she might borrow a book to read. I told her rather than loan her a book, I would take her to Hypermart and let her pick out her own books.

I fully expected her to select romance novels or some other escapist entertainment reading. I was shocked to see her pick out huge school books. These massive tomes were on geology, physics and math. It became obvious she was desperately trying to educate herself. The vision of her studying these huge books in a vain attempt to change her fate still moves me.

I am currently putting six people through school. Seven if you count my wife. This is not much; I know others who are doing much more. I know three Americans who are paying the tuition on twenty-three students. They are not the only ones.

The city of Dumaguete has a program to educate almost two hundred “street” children. They want to give these children a chance to break the yoke of poverty. In addition to an education the city wants them to get at least one good meal each day. Unless these children are properly nourished they can never reach their full potential.

As with most government projects, they are short of funds. The children need uniforms, books and supplies as well as food. Seeing the need, one of the nicest ladies I know has stepped forward. Negros Chronicles own “Mam Le Le”. She is, as always, hard at work trying to gather support to fill the need. A veteran of Dumaguete’s Habitat for Humanity, she knows that a hand up is better than a hand out.

She is my “EVERYDAY HERO”.

PRAYERS DO COME TRUE

2007-05-26T07:20:00.001-07:00

A nice lady shared her story with me the other day. I want to share it with you not because it is especially unusual but because it is NOT especially unusual.

She lived in a simple home with her husband and five young children. They did not have much but they were a happy family. She and her husband both worked hard to provide a good home. There were no frills but a lot of love.

While visiting Cebu her husband was murdered. Suddenly she was the sole support for her family. She worked hard but no matter how hard, there never seemed to be enough time or money. Her life and family were slowly falling apart. She prayed to God for help. God answered her prayer with a chance meeting on the internet. The man was a foreigner. They exchanged emails for over a year before he came to the Philippines to meet her. He had a beautiful home in America, while she lived in a simple cement block house and washed her clothes in a nearby stream. He drove a big fancy car, while she road a pedicab to work every morning. She was a widow with FIVE children. No man wants someone else’s family. He returned to America.

He returned to America and sold everything he had. He came back to the Philippines and married her in a big church wedding. They have been married for four beautiful years. He not only adopted her children, he has become the loving father they needed. They have blossomed into confident, outgoing young adults. Two of them already have a successful growing business. He has taught them so many things. He not only gave them a beautiful home but also gave them beautiful hearts.

Now why did I tell you this story? I consider him an Everyday Hero, but there is more to this than just that. He is 71 years old. Soon God will call him home. Before he goes, and before the everyday hero in your life goes. Take the time to tell them just how very special they are and how much you love them.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

2007-05-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

Living in a small fishing village far from the big city the little girl’s life was sweet and simple. Her father was a handsome hard working fisherman. Then tragedy struck. A man high on shabu murdered her father. Their only source of income was gone.

With no education or job skills her mother was forced to break up the family and go to the big city to find work. She sent back what money she could but there was never enough. Finally at age eight the little girl went to work doing laundry and other household chores. The following years were virtual slavery. Most of the time she got only one or two hours sleep. Often she was not paid but just allowed to sleep on the floor and eat leftovers. As she grew and became more attractive her problems increased. If she was not fighting off the sexual advances of her employer she was fired by the wife in fear that she would stop fighting.

Finally at seventeen she ran away to the big city to find real work for real money. She worked as a store clerk, waitress and even an untrained caregiver.

Her patient, an American, was dying of lung cancer. She made sure he was fed and took his medicine. She held his hand as he writhed in pain all night. She cleaned his soiled linens. Finally when he died he showed his gratitude for her honest and devoted care by giving her a small monetary gift.

For the first time in her short troubled life she had some money. She had never had any fancy clothes or fancy food. She had never dated any young boys. She had never gone dancing or to the disco. What should she do with her new wealth?

First, she built her mother a Sari-Sari store. Then she gave her stepfather a used pedicab. She then put the rest of the money in the bank and went back to school. She graduated from high school and is now enrolled in Silliman University. She is helping her sisters get their education. She is determined to become a nurse. She is equally determined to rebuild her shattered family. She is an “Everyday Hero”.

I could tell you her name but she doest not want the attention. Her story is just one of thousands of hard working, honest and compassionate Filipinas and Filipinos. She and they are the real faces of the Philippines.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 5

2007-05-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Did you know in 1923 Santa Barbara California was a beautiful city but Pedro Flores was still homesick for his beloved Philippines. One day he picked up a piece of wood and began to carve a toy just like his father taught him so many years before. When he finished and started to play with his new toy, it was almost like being a kid again, almost like being back home in Negros Oriental.
As Pedro amused himself a crowd began to gather. They had never seen such an amazing toy. Soon he was flooded with request for this wonderful toy. The demand became so great he had to open a factory in 1928. By going to schools and holding tournaments his new business grew steadily. By 1929 Pedro had opened two additional factories, one in Los Angeles and one in Hollywood. He eventually employed over 600 people and produced over 300,000 toys daily.
In 1930 the American economy crashed but Pedro was still doing an unheard of volume of business. While all around him other companies were going bankrupt, his business flourished. His toys were so popular he was offered $ 300,000 for the company. Even without the depression, this was a huge amount of money in those days. Pedro sold the company.

Now for the rest of the story.

That company became Duncan Toys, one of the largest toy companies in the world. You can find Duncan Yo-Yo’s in almost every country. There are National Yo-Yo Tournaments every year in fifteen countries. Duncan Toys does billions of dollars in sales every year and it all started with a Pinoy who was homesick.

MEDIA ACCURACY

2007-05-26T03:50:00.000-07:00

This is not so much about Filipino media accuracy as World media accuracy.

I want to give you some headlines about a country you will never read about in the media. These are true facts about a real place. It is almost the same size as Iraq. The population is almost identical to Iraq. Interestingly enough you NEVER hear the media screaming about these shocking facts.

Last Night They Suffered 6 Violent Deaths. ( that the average every single night for an annual total of 2,196 nightly murders ; three times as many that are killed in Iraq annually)

Two Hundred Poor Citizens Were Butchered This Month!

600 Women Raped in February & Over 600 Violent Robberies and Assaults in March (Talk about Iraq having a police / security problem)

You heard about Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison scandal, this country has 170,000 prisoners crammed into its prison system (more criminals than Germany and France put together), which cost its citizens 7 billion dollars each year. Here are some actual headlines about these prisons: "Guards Watch as Inmates are Raped!" And "CorrectionOfficer Accused of Having Sex with Under-Aged Detainee! " Kind of makes Abu Ghraib seem like a fraternity party.

In less than two years Saddam was given a trial, sentenced to death and executed. This country had a heinous murderer on death row for 26 years before justice was finally done.

In the five years America has been in Iraq, we have tragically lost 3,500 lives; In this country over 20,000 lives were needlessly lost during that same period of time.

There are an estimated 2,000 terrorists in Iraq. A few of these terrorists are from other countries. This country has 150,000 violent criminals from another country in its prisons with thousands more that are still roaming free and hurting innocent citizens.

The media wants us to seal the Iraqi border. That border is almost 3,000 miles long. There are Iraqis who live and work on both sides of the border and cross it legally many times each day. This other country has only a 150 mile international border and they can not keep out invaders. An estimated 1 million infiltrators cross illegally every year.

Much has been made about the fact that Baghdad has electrical problems. The media ignores the fact that electricity outside of Baghdad has improved 600%. In this country the people pay outrageously high electric bills and still have an average of 32 days a year with black outs (no power). They also have frequent brown outs(reduced power).

Iraq has had an economic surge since the invasion. Business has never been better. The oilfields are back to 92% production. Profits are pouring into the government. A sergeant in the 1 st Cav Division along with Texas A&M University has boosted Iraq produce production to a level where the Iraqis now export. You never hear these things, nor do you hear about this other country, despite being a major agricultural center, has run a 3 billion dollar debt each month for the past several years.

What is the name of this horrible country? What is the name of this country so much worse than Iraq? They call it “CALIFORNIA”. Is California really a worse place to live than Iraq? Having lived in California I can tell you it is a great place to live.

What is my point? The media can distort the truth and make ANYPLACE seem worse than it actually is. . Ask yourself two questions. Seventy percent of the American people, based on distorted reports from the media, have decided Iraq is a failure.
The questions are: "Why have the troops in Iraq, the people who know the whole truth about the war, the people who risk their lives everyday…...Why have they , by poll, voted overwhelmingly in support of the war?" and " Why do the soldiers re-enlist and extend tours of duty at unprecedented levels?"
Just maybe the troops know something the media is not telling you.

PHALSE PARADIGMS

2007-05-26T03:43:00.000-07:00

What characteristics make a boy into “A MAN !”? Most anthropologist and sociologists seem to agree that usually those characteristics are the same as those that make him attractive to women. Women are usually attracted to those features that make a man, a good provider, a good protector, a good mate. For example, world wide, women seem to prefer men taller than themselves. Taller men represent power and the ability to protect the smaller woman. Most of the other general “manly” traits (muscularity, aggressiveness, self confidence, etc) seem to match a similar general worldwide criterion.

So the “mystery is”, how did being able to drink large amounts of alcohol become a desirable trait for a “real” man. How does being a slobbering, almost incoherent, drunk make you a better provider? How does barely being able to stand, much less walk, make you a good protector? How does not being able to function sexually make you a better mate? As the loving son of an alcoholic, I can tell you it does not make you a better father. It took my father 54 years to commit alcoholic “suicide.” The world lost a good man and I got to watch him slowly kill himself.

Alcohol is a “legal” drug; but it is still a drug. Like most drugs, if it is not used properly it can damage or even kill you. My next door neighbor wakes up each morning to searing pain. There is a rock hardness near his diaphragm. To ease the pain he gets drunk, everyday. Judging from this and several other symptoms, my opinion is that he probably has cirrhosis of the liver. The alcohol destroys the cells of his liver and leaves hard nonfunctioning scar tissue. Every time he gets drunk, more of his liver will die. Within two years he will probably die, and his wife and children will be alone. She will have to go to work and the teenage boys will not have the father they need to help them become men.

I asked some young men why they sit around each night and drink tuba. The best they could come up with was, “We need some kind of recreation.” When I had the temerity to suggest they could do things less destructive like playing with their children, repair and clean their homes or try to improve their community they withdrew from the conversation. This is not just a Philippine problem. Drop by the Why Not tonight and you will find a host of foreigners pickling their livers, committing slow suicide.

For me, the male who chooses NOT to drink has to be stronger and be more of a man than those who yield to this “phalse paradigm”. Males who stay alive and teach their son’s how to be “men” are the real men, the real Everyday Heroes.

WAIL

2007-05-26T03:38:00.000-07:00

It is almost a curse. While most people can see or hear something and accept it without question, I am plagued by a mind that asks “WHY?” and “HOW?” As a child I spent several hours figuring out how a car speedometer works.
Last night, I lay awake listening to the neighborhood dogs. Obviously they were “talking”. I could discern when a dog heard something it did not like. His barks were single and separate. When the dog saw someone or something it did not like, the barks were a series that was repeated several times. When a female in heat got a nose under her tail she did not like, she gave a distinctive snapping nasty snarl. All of this is based on years of observation and working in animal rescue shelters. There is one behavior I do not understand, the wail.
Every once in awhile a dog will give a mournful cry which is quickly picked up and echoed by all dogs within hearing. I have nothing I can relate this to but human behavior which may or may not be valid. Could this be a cry of pain and frustration? Could the wailer need the understanding and support of his friends?
In the year I have been writing this column, I have wailed in frustration a couple of times. All I got was silence. I began to think I was alone. I began to think no one cared about the ugly things some of us do to each other, both Pinoy and foreigner, or how some of us disgrace our countries with our bad behavior. I began to think instead of bringing us together, I was driving us apart. I even wrote a “good-bye” column; which my editor refused to print.
Yesterday I received my first email of real support. Surprisingly, it was NOT from a fellow American who should understand me and what I am trying to do, but from a German reading my column in his second language.
He was angry how some of his fellow countrymen seem to find only negative things to say about the Philippines and her people. How many of his countrymen spent most of their time so drunk they can not even hold an intelligent conversation. He was enraged that many of them disgraced themselves and their country with their crude, rude and crass behavior. Finally he was angry at the “good” Germans who tolerate and do nothing about these outrages.
He echoed my frequently expressed sentiments. If you can not be a good guest in the Philippines; if you can not be on your best behavior and represent your country with pride; if you are so upset with the Philippine culture and its people and can not find anything positive to say; YOU SHOULD SHUT-UP OR JUST GO HOME!
This is not America. This is not Germany. This is the Philippines. Love and respect it or go someplace else to show your ass. Your money does not buy you the right to disrespect your host.
My emailer authorized me to use his name and thoughts in the column. I decided not to print his name but I will call upon him to continue to set the example. Continue to help me try to change the negative image of foreigners in this country. Most important help, me spotlight the many GOOD foreigners that are not given the respect they deserve. I ask him to continue to stand up and be counted as a good guest, you are an Everyday Hero.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 4

2007-05-26T00:09:00.000-07:00

Did you know in 1870 the Chinese in New York City decided to create an Asian community, later to be dubbed “Chinatown”. The selected streets have a distinctive Chinese flavor that still exists today. It is a major tourist attraction and a frequent location for movies.
Even earlier than this, in 1848, there was a Chinese community created in San Francisco. Today San Francisco’s “Chinatown” ,with it’s narrow twisted streets and complex underground tunnels steeped in “Tong War” mystique, still attracts thousands of tourists every year.
But what was the oldest Asian community in America? It was a little fishing village called “Saint Malo “established 240 years ago (1763). The houses and general lifestyle were exactly like that enjoyed in their home country, but even before it was destroyed in 1915, no tourists ever bothered to visit.

Now for the rest of the story.

Saint Malo was the oldest of six Pinoy villages in the swamps of Louisiana. The largest village was “Manila Village”; eventually that was destroyed by a storm in 1965. Now, how did Filipinos get to North America 14 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed? Simple, they came the same way we did, by boat. They were sailors on Spanish galleons and a variety of other sailing vessels. Often they were treated worse than slaves, so when they had a chance, they deserted. These hardy Filipinos lived secretly in the Louisiana swamps for almost 100 years. Their existence and lifestyle was revealed in a newspaper article published in 1883.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 3

2007-05-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

Did you know during the war of 1812, American Major General Andrew Jackson took a ragtag group ( “regular army troops, state militia, western sharpshooters, two regiments, Spanish fishermen and pirates from the Delta Swamps.”) and defended New Orleans from a British invasion. General Jackson had only 1,500 men standing alone against 8,000 seasoned British troops. At 8 to 1 odds a British victory was almost a sure thing.
Andrew Jackson, later our 7th President, was known as “Old Hickory” because of his flinty toughness. His motley army was equally as tough. They mauled the British troops. Jackson’s army lost less than 25 troops while the British lost over 2,000 including three general officers. The Battle of New Orleans or sometimes called the Battle of Chalmette Plantation was the last major battle of the long war.

Now for the rest of the story

Filipinos were there and fought along side of General Jackson for the freedom and sovereignty of America. “Spanish fishermen” were also known as “Manilamen”. These hardy fishermen / fighters had been crewmen (slaves?) on Spanish galleons. They jumped ship and lived in the swamps of Louisiana. I find it interesting that Filipinos fought for America’s freedom before we saw fit to give them theirs.

TREASURE HUNT

2007-05-24T07:29:00.001-07:00

I write this column for several reasons. First, to honor those we often do not hear about or just forget. Second reason is to entertain and, hopefully, to help improve our quality of life. Finally I do this to stimulate your thoughts and to encourage you to actively participate. I am gratified that many of you do send me thoughts, stories and encouragement. (kojak3238@yahoo.com)

The other day I heard a story that disturbed me. According to a Filipino friend, some people hunt and kill birds by using "old vinyl" records. They take these records, go into the jungle at night and burn them. The fumes of the burning records kill birds that are sleeping in the trees. Now I am NOT upset by killing the birds. Feeding your family is more important than a few birds. What upsets me is burning the vinyl records! Let me explain.

For ten years I owned an antique and collectible store. I also sold antiques and collectibles world wide on the internet. Old vinyl records can be very valuable. There is a record worth $10,000 (540,000 pesos). That was the price paid for it TEN YEARS ago and that copy was damaged. Today the price would probably be triple for a good copy.

Now do not get too excited, not all records are valuable. Many are good for little more than hunting birds, but there are many that are prized by “vinyl freaks” (collectors). I can tell you many things about how to identify and sell these antiques and collectibles. You would be surprised what is valuable. I have sold old plastic Pez candy dispensers for hundreds of dollars. Many are worth thousands of dollars. Things do not need to be “old”. A first edition hard back book of Sue Grafton’s “A is for Alibi” from the early 60’s, would sell for $2,000 to $3,000 today. Old toys are also very collectible. Those associated with cartoon characters and TV shows are in high demand. I have sold old metal lunch boxes for hundreds of dollars. Even plastic lunch boxes are gaining in collectiblity.

The things people collect and the prices they will pay are amazing. I know people who collect old candy bars. Another man collects old church doors. You name something and chances are somewhere, someone collects it. I have an extensive file on these collectors and markets.

Turning that junk in the closet and garage into money is a skill. The value of anything depends on where you sell it. The “Antique Road Show”, a popular TV show about antiques, would have you believe an item is worth a specific amount but that is not true. If you go into an American book store you will find hundreds of “price guides”. They claim to tell you what an antique or collectible is worth. That also is false. The key to getting a high sales price is where you sell it.

That $10,000 vinyl record is the soundtrack from the movie “The Caine Mutiny” featuring Humphrey Bogart on the cover. If you want more information on these and other collectibles and how to market just drop me an email. Good luck on you treasure hunt.

DID YOU KNOW ? # 2

2007-05-24T04:47:00.001-07:00

Did you know in order for you to be in the “crème de la crème” of American high society; your ancestors must have sailed to North America on the Mayflower in 1620. American society attaches some mysterious special status to these early settlers. Later colonists or immigrants lack class and were considered “late comers”.

Now for the rest of the story.

While it is true the Filipinos ( Indios Luzones ) who landed at Morro Bay California in 1587 did not establish a colony they did beat the pilgrims to North America by some 33 years. The Filipinos who were shipwreck near present day San Francisco Bay beat them by only 25 years. Wonder if the ancestors of those Filipinos would consider the pilgrims as the “late comers” and not fit for high society?

DID YOU KNOW ? # 1

2007-05-24T02:58:00.000-07:00

Did you know Pedro Calungsod was a seventeen year old Visayan boy. In his short life he was quite accomplished. Besides being an artist, singer and carpenter, he could read, speak and write Spanish, Visayan and Chamorro. It was because of his linguistic abilities that Father Diego Luis De San Vitores ask Pedro to accompany him to the Marianas in 1668. Father Diego wanted to catechize the Chamorro natives. When the Chamorro Chief’s wife asked to have her daughter baptized, Father Diego fail to get the Chief’s approval. Pedro tried to protect Father Diego. Both were hacked to death with catanas and their mutilated bodies were dumped into the sea.

Now for the rest of the story

In 2000 Pope John Paul II made little Pedro Calungsod a Saint. Negros has it's own home grown saint.

DEDICATION

2007-05-23T07:48:00.001-07:00

Pick up almost any newspaper and you will think that all the people that live here in the Philippines are corrupt, greedy and immoral. This is NOT the Philippines I know and love. It is time to stop concentrating on the small negative elements and pay tribute to the greater majority of the people who live and work in this beautiful country.

This column is dedicated to bring a new perspective to the news and honor “Everyday Heroes” that walk among us. We will not only reveal the true face of the Philippine people but also acknowledge the selfless contribution of some of our foreign guests.

The Philippine community and the expatriate community can accomplish many great things if we work together for the betterment of all. We can be more together than we ever were apart. Who is an “Everyday Hero”? I have met dozens of these heroes in the short year that I have lived here. These heroes exemplify the true nature of the Philippine people and our little community.

I have taught at several universities and schools around the world. I volunteered to work, for a short while, at a local high school. Like in my own country, the teachers were not paid enough. Many were fathers and mothers with heavy responsibilities at home. Yet all of them devoted many long unpaid hours of overtime. I saw teachers’ breakdown and cry because a student had failed. These teachers truly care about their students. This level of dedication and personal sacrifice is very rare in the world. Yet here in the Philippines it is common and most often unheralded. They are honest, hard working dedicated professionals. They are the true face of the Philippines. They are “Everyday Heroes”.

We are not here to promote any business, political agenda or organization. Our purpose here is to reveal the true beauty of the Philippines and her people. We strive to bring harmony between our host and guests for mutual advancement. If the reader knows of more quiet heroes that deserve recognition please feel free to send the information to kojak3238@yahoo.com.

TRUE FACE OF THE PHILIPPINES

2007-05-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

My father was a wise man. One of the things he taught me was, “If you want to know a person's character; Do not listen to their words ; Watch what they do”. Your actions reveal your true character. Everyday, I learn more about the Philippine people and their values.

I was standing in Hypermart the other day counting my money to be sure I could pay for my groceries. A young Filipino tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a fist full of pesos. He said simply, “Sir, your dropped this”. In many countries where I have lived this would never have happened. My money would have been gone. A cynic might suggest this was an aberration but this is not the only example of the true values of the Philippine people I have experienced.

While volunteering at a local high school I saw two young girls turn into the office several thousand pesos they had found. This was a small fortune to these young girls yet they returned it to its rightful owner.

This and other examples force me to the conclusion that the basic nature of the Philippine people is to be honest. The graft and corruption you read about in the news is the “aberration”.

Let me show you one more example of the “true” nature of the Philippine people.

While living in Cebu, I rode an elevator each morning. Often I shared the elevator with Filipinos. Consistently when they left the elevator all of them would stop, reach back and press the close button. They took time out of their busy day to help me have a better day by not waiting for the timer to close the door. Admittedly this is a small thing but it speaks volumes about Pinoy culture.

Most Filipinos accept these events as just how things are done. They find nothing remarkable or extraordinary but trust me in a world filled with selfishness, insensitivity and greed it is very remarkable.

It is the true face of the Philippines.

HUFFING

2007-05-21T20:42:00.000-07:00

It was FIESTA !! The basketball court was rockin’. Beautiful girls and handsome men were everywhere. Laughter and music pulsed through the small village.
I was sitting at a table with my mother-in-law while my wife did her thing on the dance floor. I looked up and a small group of young men came walking out of the darkness. Instinctively, from many years as a nightclub bouncer, I knew these boys were bad news. Individually they looked like everyone else, but as a group they had a sinister “feel” about them. I fell back into my bouncer mode. I started looking for the leader, searching for hidden weapons and trying to identify the trouble maker. There are those that just “talk” and those that are truly dangerous. If there was trouble, I wanted to know who needed to be watched. I glanced at my mother-in-law and she whispered, “Rugby Boys”.
Now I added “sadness’ to my list of feelings about these boys. They were the future of the Philippines and they were committing suicide by millimeters each day. They did not know their future but after years of drug counseling I knew their probable tragic future.
Usually it will start with a rash or sensitivity around the mouth and nose. Later there will be a cough. Sometimes they will cough up blood or small pieces of a sponge like material. Then there will be the nose bleeds. For apparently no reason their nose will suddenly start to bleed. Additional symptoms depend on what they are “huffing” or “sniffing”. Often it will be a quick death (SSDS). They will get pneumonia, have sudden heart failure or simply pass out and drowned in their own vomit. More often it is a long lingering painful death that hurts everyone who cares about them. Their body will be slowly poisoned until the kidneys shut down (renal failure). In addition to destroying the kidneys, “huffing” can destroy the nervous system, the liver and even the brain. For a variety of reasons, some doctors feel that “glue sniffing” is even more dangerous than intravenous use of heroin or “shabu”.
As a parent, how can you tell if your child is “sniffing?” Remember glue is only one of a long list of things these kids use to get high (hypoxia). Often the first sign is the odor of paint, solvents or glue on your child’s skin, clothes or breath. Look for signs of inebriation such as slurred speech, dilated pupils and strange behavior. Check the trash for signs of inhalant misuse. Look for empty solvent containers, tubes or cans or bags with solvent residue inside. (NOTE: I have not listed chemicals that can be used because I do not want to give children a shopping list)
What can you do to get your child to stop inhalant abuse? This behavior is highly addictive. First, get medical attention for your child. Doctors have more experience with the problem and potentially have more credibility. Second, change or monitor your child’s friends. While inhalant abuse can be a solo pastime, it often is a group behavior.
Finally, monitor and challenge your child with new productive activities. Get more involved in your child’s life. Be more than a friend; be a parent. Idle hands and minds are truly the devils playground.

AWAKENING

2007-05-21T04:02:00.001-07:00

Hopie must have had African Royalty in her family tree. She walked with her head held high in regal pride. Her beautiful black satin skin celebrated her heritage every day. How we became friends was an accident. She is an ardent Black Muslim and detests things white. She ates no white bread and drank no white milk. She, of course, did not associate with white people. We met while I was working in an all black night club. She thought I was “high yellow” (black term for a light skinned black) and by the time she discovered I was white it was too late, we were friends. what followed was an educational experience for both of us.

I learned how racial prejudice looks and feels through her eyes, her pain. It is easy to see the big abuses but there are little hidden everyday abuses white people never notice. I felt, through her, the righteous anger that must be suppressed and the frustration that must be swallowed. I had been blind and she helped me see.

Hopie learned from me too.

One night, as the dashboard light show on her face, Hopie confessed. She said quietly, “Jim, you know we do not talk about it and we are not very proud of it but I have a grandmother who is part white.” I drove on in silence, trying to decide what I would say. Finally I said, “Hopie, what would you say if I told you, my family does not talk about it and we are not proud of it but I have a grandmother who is part black?” There was a long pause as he stared into the night. Quietly she said, “I did not say that did I?” I responded, “That is exactly what you said.”

In that moment I taught Hopie the very thing she hated and fought all her life; she had become, a racist bigot.

Bigotry and prejudice are an insidious ugly cruelty that can hide in any of us. We must not allow it to twist our souls. Grouping people under a single label and hating them is lazy, cruel and unfair.

When you see someone who hates a whole race of people or an entire culture, do not hate them, pity them. They not only are hurting themselves, they are missing a whole new world of experiences and knowledge.

ATTITUDE

2007-05-21T03:44:00.001-07:00

There were twin brothers named Al and Bill. While these young boys looked alike they were very different when it came to how they looked at life. Al was always very happy. No matter how bad things got he always knew they would get better. Bill, on the other hand, was never happy.

Their father asked them what they wanted for their birthday. Both boys asked for a horse. Their father decided to teach them a small lesson about life. He gave Bill a beautiful little horse, but all Al got was a big room full of horse manure.

After a few hours the father went to check on his sons. He found Bill sitting on the ground crying his eyes out. The father asked his son, “What is wrong? Why are you crying? You have this beautiful horse to ride,” Bill looked up and sobbed, “The horse is going to die. I know the horse is going to die.?

The father went to see his other son. He found Al laughing and happily digging through the horse manure. The father said, “How can you be so happy with a room full of horse manure?” Without stopping his digging Al replied, “There is so much horse manure here, there has to be a horse in here somewhere!”

Many of us think that happiness is “out there somewhere”, when in reality it is inside all of us. It is not a horse or money or even power. It is how we think. It is thinking the glass is half full not half empty.

Some eastern philosophies teach that we generate “karma”. When we think or act positively, positive things happen to us. I have found this to be true for me. If I do nice things for others, nice seem to happen to me. I do not know “why” this happens, it just does. I also have watched others who wrap themselves in negativity living miserable lives. I do not think this is a coincidence.

Try this experiment in your life. Go for an entire day doing and saying only positive things. do not complain or criticize anyone or anything for a day. If you fall down, think how GOOD it is you were not hurt more seriously. If you lose 100 pesos, be glad it wasn’t 1,000 pesos. Whatever happens try to find the “positive” side.

I think you will find you have a pretty good day.

SECRET SHAME

2007-05-21T03:27:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love most about the Pinoy culture is its sense of family. It is obvious that most Filipinos respect the elderly and adore the children. One could say the family unit is the “heart” of the Pinoy culture. But like most places in the world, even here, there is an ominous secret shame. It is every parent’s most horrible nightmare. Their sweet innocent child is sexually molested.
The popular myth is that the evil pervert is some stranger. But the harsh reality is the molester is most often a family member or someone trusted by the family. Most children are abused where they should be the safest, in their own home.
In the Philippines, four out of every ten people you see will be a child under the age of 19. One of those four children will have been sexually abused. These innocent little children will be emotionally scarred, maybe even physically scarred, for the rest of their lives. This abuse destroys their sense of self worth and shatters their personal security. The molester does not just destroy their innocence; he or she destroys the child’s entire life.
We as adults, as parents, have a duty to assure every child has certain basic needs. Children need food, shelter, education, discipline, love, affection, nurturing and security. Protection of a child is everybody’s job. When you suspect a child is being abused you must tell the parents and the authorities.
What are the signs that child abuse may be happening?
· The child tells stories of a sexual nature.
· The child acts out sexual activities. They touch or fondle their own and others peoples
private areas.
· There is a radical change in the child’s normal behavior. They become withdrawn, silly,
unruly or destructive.
· The child starts acting rebellious. They run away or start fighting.
· There is a sudden change in the child’s eating habits.
· The child has pain, itching, discharge, bleeding, unexplained bruising or a change in their
walking habits.
· A sudden onset of bedwetting, nightmares and other sleep disturbances can indicate the
child has problems.
· The child exhibits a fear of certain people or strangers. They do not want to be left alone
with a relative, teacher or babysitter.

I stress these are just indicators. Having one or more of these does not mean your child HAS been molested but just may have been molested. It is an ugly possibility that deserves your attention.

What can you teach your child that will help keep them safe?
· Teach them the difference between “good touching” and “bad touching”. Someone
touching their private parts or wanting them touch the other person’s private parts is
“bad touching”. “Bad touching” must be reported to both Mommy and Daddy immediately.
· Teach your children to stay away from strangers, especially if that stranger wants their
help or offers them money or gifts. One technique is to have them tell you and get your
permission BEFORE they talk to or help a stranger.
· Each child should be taught there are no “secrets” they can not tell their Mommy and
Daddy. They should report to Mommy and Daddy anyone asking them to keep a secret.
· Teach them that taking off their clothes is a private activity. When they change clothes,
take a bath or get naked they should do it alone and not in front of people. Mommy or
Daddy need to be with them even when a Doctor examines them.
· Teach your child to be safe. They should avoid being alone and stay with other children in
groups when possible.
· Finally, if the child feels uncomfortable about the way someone is acting toward them they
should tell both Mommy and Daddy immediately.

As a parent what else should you do to help protect your child?
· Know where your children are at all times.
· Know who your child’s friends are and what they are doing together.
· Be on the look-out for teenagers or adults that are paying an unusual amount of attention
to your child. If they are spending too much time with or giving gifts to your child you
should investigate.
· Chose your Yaya and other people who spend time alone with your child very carefully.
· Do not be mislead by your child’s age. Babies unable to walk or talk have been molested.
· Teach your child that they can talk to you about anything. Even if they make a mistake,
you love them and are on their side.
· Finally, if your child is abused seek out professional medical care. The damage and scars
are not always visible.

If you suspect child abuse, seek professional help from as many sources as you can find. Talk to your Priest, your doctor, everyone who can give you help protecting your child. There is even a web site for your use ( http://www.childprotection.org.ph/index.html ).
The last thing I want to do is unduly alarm parents or scare children. But we MUST protect our most vulnerable, protect our most innocent, protect our nation’s greatest treasure, our children !

DAMNED IF I DO; DAMNED IF I DO NOT

2007-05-20T09:11:00.001-07:00

I just can not seem to win!

My Foreign friends are mad at me because I denigrate their country. Now a Filipina lady, I respect, has taken me to task because I do not denigrate the Philippines. In her view, I present a “false” rosy picture of life here in the Philippines.

Besides this anomaly, I am constantly being bombarded by people who want me to write about their favorite complaint. They are not happy about the burning trash and air pollution. Traffic is a nightmare. They hate the fact that their wife’s brother never goes to work. They do not like that some men drink tuba each night, while their children go hungry. Maybe they were robbed at gun point and writing about it in my column will somehow stop crime.

It is time to set the record straight. My column was not created to highlight the negative or bitch and complain. There are a lot of people doing that already. My column is meant to present the hidden positive side of our community. To pay tribute to those who are a plus in that community, both Filipino and Foreigner. My column is here to entertain and to inform, hopefully to help improve your life. I have no political, religious or other hidden agenda other than to bring us together and improve the quality of our lives.

To my foreign critics, I do not denigrate other countries. If I give an unpleasant fact, I never even name the other country. I tell the raw unvarnished truth about America because I earned that privilege. I went to war and literally risked my life for America. I did that not once, but twice. That is more than most of my critics can claim. (The records to prove that statement are on file in the Negros Chronicle office) One American friend admitted what I said about America was true, but in his words, we had a responsibility to present only the good view of American life. With almost a million Filipinos living and working in America, do you seriously think there is any “secret” shame about America that the Philippine people
do not already know? How can I expect my readers to believe me about their country if I do not tell the whole truth about my own country? I love America. I am ready to risk my life again should America ask me, but America is not perfect and I wont pretend she is. America is still a work in progress.

Now to my Filipina friend who says I present a false “rosy” image of life here in the Philippines. You are correct. I never claimed to be telling the complete story. If you want to know the ugly side of Philippine life, you have just to read the rest of the newspaper. My point is the rest of the newspaper is not the complete story either. I started
my column because no one was telling the positive side.

There is no way I can make everyone happy and I won’t even try. I was never very good at kissing backsides. I tell things the way I see them. I try to be as open and as honest as I possibly can. If I am wrong. I will admit it and take my punishment. If I hurt your feelings, I am sorry, that was / is not my intention.

The editor of the Negros Chronicle is a fair minded man. If you wish to present your view, you should send him a letter. I am sure he will publish it and we can let
the readers decide.

If you know of an Everyday Hero, individual or organization, that deserves my attention, please feel free to send the information by email to kojak3238@yahoo.com.

PTSD

2007-05-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

Most people associate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with the Vietnam War. But this illness has been with us in one form or another since even before the American Civil War. Then it was called “Soldier’s Heart” or “Nostalgia.” During World War I it was called “Shell Shock” and in World War II it was called “Battle Fatigue.”

For many years, people, even doctors, felt the victims were malingering, suffering little more than cowardice. Over those same many years case studies have proven it is a real illness brought on by trauma. The latest case was Canadian General Romeo Dallaire in charge of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force in Rwanda. After being forced to watch helplessly as thousands of women and children were slaughtered, he suffered severe depression and committed suicide.

Hollywood has had a great time making PTSD victims seem like dangerous ticking time bombs. When Hollywood needs a villain they trot out some Vietnam Veteran, he has a flashback and then he kills his family. The truth is PTSD victims are more of a danger to themselves than they are anyone else. And I have another surprise for you. Anyone can get PTSD; you do not have to go to war. Many people here and around the world have PTSD and they never wore a uniform or fired a shot in anger. In fact some of you reading this column probably have PTSD and do not even know it.

A diagnosis of PTSD requires that four criteria be met. First, the individual must have been exposed to an extremely stressful and traumatic event beyond the range of normal human experience. Second, the individual must periodically and persistently re-experience the event. This re-experiencing can take different forms, such as recurrent nightmares, flashbacks during which he re-lives the trauma, or just simply the inability to forget the event. Third, the individual is persistent in avoiding events related to the trauma.
The symptoms for PTSD can manifest themselves in a wide variety of forms. The most common manifestations are bursts of anger, strong irritability, heightened startle response to loud noises, trouble sleeping, and physiological evidence of fear when re-exposed to a traumatic event. Other possible symptoms can range from headaches, tremors and sweating to hypervigilance, nightmares and substance abuse. The best way to tell if you or your loved one has this illness is to get tested. The Philippine Mental Health Agency has a battery of tests and an excellent staff who can determine if you suffer this illness. I have PTSD. My wife, at age eight, watched her father murdered and suffers PTSD. My best friend spent three months in the hospital because of PTSD. The shame is not in being sick. The shame is not seeking proper treatment. Illnesses never get better through neglect. Yes, PTSD will often respond to proper medical treatment. It can be controlled and even cured. Be an Everyday Hero. Face your possible illness with courage and get proper medical treatment. It will change your life and the lives of those who love you.

RAGE

2007-05-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

They were two different foreigners with almost the same story. They went to a local government office on some minor official business. Suddenly they were met by an enraged Filipino waving a gun and screaming, “You ********* foreigners are ruining my country!!!” He actually threatened to kill them.

Both Americans were shocked. They could not imagine why they deserved this treatment. What had they done? I was “shocked” too, but not at the Filipino as much as at my expatriate friends.

Now, I do not condone the actions of the government official but I understand the causes. I understand why he became enraged. One of the reasons I write this column is to respond to that rage.

I was “shocked” by my expatriate friends because just a week before they sat silently by and watched an American stand in a public place and say ugly, nasty things about the Philippines and the culture. They did not stop him. They did not even criticize him for his violation of every Filipino within hearing. Some months ago other foreigners sat by as another foul mouthed American said even more ugly nasty things about the Philippines. They did not stop him either. Finally a normally quiet security guard came over and politely asked him not to talk bad about his country. Do foreigners think these incidents are not talked about in Pinoy community? Do you think these proud polite people are not angered by these and other outrages? Here some foreigners routinely talk to Filipinas like they are whores. These women are somebody’s sister, somebody’s wife, they deserve respect. In America this conduct would probably get your butt whipped on the spot. Fortunately for them most Filipinos are more polite, tolerant and respectful.

There are rules of conduct for guests in our home and in your country. When you act or allow others to act in a boorish obnoxious way, do not be shocked when someone screams out in frustration. In “Bambi” the Disney film Flower said, “If you can not say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” That is pretty smart for a skunk. There are problems in every country. Publicly pointing out even real problems here serves no useful purpose and often hurts others. If you do not like life here in the Philippines you can always go home.

To the enraged government official I want to say; it is not all foreigners. Most foreigners respect and love this country. There are many foreigners that are even actively working to help the Philippines improve the quality of life here. So do not blame all foreigners for the acts of a few.

RAIN

2007-05-17T05:21:00.000-07:00

People who see me zipping around Dumaguete City on my red motorcycle in the pouring rain, might just think I like the rain. They would be correct. I have always had a special affection for rain.

There is a mist rain in Puerto Rico. You can be walking in the beautiful tropical sunshine with not a cloud in the sky, when suddenly your skin will be covered in a clean cool wet mist. The mist is so fine you can not even see it.

Near Victoria Falls in Africa it rains all the time. The trees are constantly wet, the ground is covered with thick soft green moss and there is a beautiful rainbow every day.

I loved watching the green grey curtain of monsoon rain sweep across the rice paddies of Vietnam. The wind would swirl and whip the palm trees. They looked almost like they were dancing in the rain.

Parking on a high bluff, I would watch the thunder storms roll across the Arizona desert. Each huge black cloud silhouetted with lightening. It was like God was celebrating life with his own private fireworks display.

While working on a sail boat in the Caribbean I would go to the bow and climb into the rigging. Off in the distance I could watch a wall of rain as it came rolling at us across the sea.

In the Philippines I like the sound of the rain. It is like the “white noise” you get when you lose the signal on your TV. That sound blocks out all other noises. For me the best sleep is the “rain sleep”.

The next time it rains do not get mad, enjoy it. Walk out in it. Get soaked to the skin in it. Everything seems cleaner and fresher after a good rain. I like to think God’s crying for us and His tears are washing away all the filth and grim of the world.

BUMPKIN BUMP

2007-05-16T03:00:00.001-07:00

This is the perfect location for the crooks to use the Bumpkin Bump scam. In fact a variation on that scam was used here Dumaguete City just recently. The victim was a sweet lady trying to help a stranger understand modern technology. The next victim might be you.

The “Bumpkin Bump” uses your desire to help a stranger in trouble and ends up costing you money. Here is how it works.

The crook may pretend to be a foreigner unfamiliar with local banks or merely an ignorant villager from the country who does not know how to use an ATM machine. He will “flash” an envelope full of cash he wants to put into the bank. He will claim to not know how to operate the ATM machine and worried he can not get his money back once it is in the bank. He asks you to show him how things work by drawing funds out of our account. Usually he will ask you to hold his money and yours in the envelope whilehe runs to get the rest of his money for deposit.

He never returns and when you check the envelope, all you find is cut newspapers. Your money is gone and so is his. The example I gave is typical but there are minor variations in many countries. Anytime someone wants you to remove money from your account, be very wary. It very likely is a scam to steal that money. How does he switch the money? There are several techniques but the usual one is to drop the packet. The switch takes place when he bends over to pick it up.

What you do if this cruel heartless crook attempts to make you his next victim? First, do not confront him. A crook desperate to stay out of jail might harm you. You should invent some plausible excuse not to play his game. I suggest saying something like you would like to help, but you have drawn the limit on your account for today. Explain that some people put a limit on the amount money that can be taken out on any single day to prevent theft. Offer to demonstrate the procedure but do not remove any money. He will usually move on to his next gullible victim. Finally, look at his person closely so that whey you report his suspicious behavior to the police. A good idea is to note scars or other distinguishing features that can later be used to capture this person before he can hurt others. We need to put scum like this out of business.

Finally, knowledge is power. Again, share this information with friends and neighbors who might not read my column. Be an everyday hero and help keep our community safe.

PIGEON DROP

2007-05-14T08:07:00.001-07:00

In the past few months I have read of two separate incidents where our citizens have been robbed in broad daylight, on our city streets. These ladies who might be your mother or wife, were victims of a heartless team of scam artist. These scam artist use trickery to steal their money. Almost any of us can be their next victim. I am writing this series of articles to help you spot them before they make you their next victim.

The “Pigeon Drop” scheme originated in China over 1,000 years ago about the same time paper money was first invented. Since then it has spread around the world and is a danger no matter where you live. The example I am going to give is typical but there are minor variations in many countries.

The “Pigeon Drop” team usually consists of two people. The first member befriends you or strikes up a conversation in a public area. The “hook” member of the team approaches you both. He has something of value he just found. Usually this is a packet of money. He shows you the money. This is called the “flash” meant to get your attention. The conversation that follows may vary but it usually has four characteristic features:

You decide to keep and split the money or sell the valuable item and split that money.
The two strangers suggest getting some legal advice. Sometimes one of them will claim to be lawyer’s secretary whose office is nearby.
They will suggest your put up some good faith money from your pocket, which will be returned, when you finally make the split. They will let your hold the money “next to your heart”.
They will invent some reason to leave but promise to come right back and split the money you are holding. They trust you.

They never return. When you examine the packet you find nothing of value; usually the packet is just cut pieces of newspaper. The switch takes place in a variety of ways. The usual way is when the con artist suggests holding the money “next to your heart so no one will steal it”, he demonstrates. While the packet is out of sight; the switch is made.

What should you do if this cruel heartless team of crooks attempts to make you their next victim? First, do not confront them. Crooks desperate to stay out of jail, might hurt you. You should invent some plausible excuse not play their game. I suggest saying, honestly, that your religion forbids you profiting from the misfortune of others. Stick to your position. They will try to corrupt you and change your mind. Next, look at these people closely so that when you report them to the police, you can give the police something to help them put these parasites out of business. A good idea is to note scars or other distinguishing features that can later be used to identify and capture them. Finally, knowledge is power, share this information with friends and neighbors who might not read my column. Be an everyday hero and help keep our community safe.

BANK EXAMINER SCHEME

2007-05-14T07:48:00.000-07:00

Most Filipinos want to help banks and the police stop crime. The Bank Examiner scheme uses your civic sense of responsibility against you and is again designed to separate your from your hard earned savings.

The man will appear to be very professional and official. He will claim to be an investigator from your bank or an undercover police investigator. He will tell you they think one of the tellers at your bank is stealing and they want your help to catch him. They may even give you a confidential phone number at the bank which you can call to verify the story. You will be asked to withdraw money from your account and let them secretly mark it or record the numbers. Then they want you to take it to a specific teller and re-deposit the money. They say there is absolutely no risk to you or your money. When you go to the teller and attempt to deposit your money, there is nothing but cut newspaper in the envelope. Of course, your never see the investigator or your money again and the secret phone number leads nowhere. Banks never use depositor funds to investigate themselves.

What you do if this cruel heartless crook attempts to make you his next victim? First, do not confront him. I have no idea what he might do if he though you could put him in jail for impersonating a police officer or bank official. If you are brave enough, your might offer to cooperate tomorrow, as your account is over it daily limit. Then when he returns have “real” police there to arrest him. Personally, I just would politely refuse. Say you are not interested in getting involved. Again, look at this person closely so that when you report his suspicious behavior to the police, you can give the police something to help them put this parasite out of business. A good idea is to note scars, tattoos or other distinguishing features that can later be used to identify him. Finally, knowledge is power, share this information with friends and neighbors who might not read my column. Be an everyday hero and help keep our community safe.

HAND-UP; NOT A HAND-OUT

2007-05-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

The posters are up. The countdown begins. On April 21st, the first of five elimination tournaments will be held in Guihulngan. The top thirty of that district’s best and brightest young chess players will quality to come to Dumaguete City and complete in the first ever Filipino-Foreigner Friendship Foundation’s Summer Chess Tournament. The top prize; a full year’s tuition and books at a local University. This elimination tournament will be quickly followed by elimination rounds in Tanjay (25-26 April), Zamboanguita (28-29 April), Dumaguete City (2-3 May) and culminate with the finals to be held at Foundation University (5-8 May). One hundred and twenty of our finest young people have a chance to build a future and change their destiny.

Previously, young Oriental Negros chess players had to compete at the national level and place in the top three finalists to win a similar prize. Thanks to the generosity of both Filipinos and Foreigners we can now reward excellence right here at home in Dumaguete.

Starting with the award winning, Governor George P. Arnaiz, the list of local dignititaries involved is mind blowing. The elimination tournaments will be supervised by volunteers from our academic fraternity such as Dr. Propetosa Lima (Tanjay City) Dr. Maria Milagros Velez (Bayawan City) Mario C. Andong (Bais City) Lecerio Napao (Dumaguete City) and Aleli R. Abne (Oriental Negros). Oriental Negros Club 64, a volunteer organization and local chess club, under the experienced direction of its Secretary Florendo Zamora will supervise the entire tournament. Foundation University’s Dr. Mira D. Sinco through her son Victor “Dean” Sinco has generously offered the campus facilities for the tournament finals. Even the Land Bank has supported the event by providing a secure two party account to guarantee all donations are ONLY used for the event prizes. The administrative costs will be paid by the Foundation members. There are hundreds of volunteers both young and old working hard behind the scenes to make this event happen.

A rich father, in Augusta Georgia, once asked me what business he should buy for his son, who was graduating from high school. I told him, “If you love your son, you will make him work to build his “own business” Charity solves the immediate problem, but it often robs the recipient of his pride, self-confidence and a sense of self-worth. When you reward hard work and excellence; you build pride, self-confidence and character. With these tools young people have a good chance for success in life. It is our mission to see that our best and brightest have the chance to acquire and use these tools.

"WILNAR'S WORLD"

2007-05-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

Wilnar’s entire family, especially his mother, worked hard to give him a “normal” life. She sent him to a regular school and encouraged him to be active in sports. But, Wilnar’s life was not normal and in his own words it often “hurt”, “Wilnar’s World” was a silent world with no music or laughter. He never heard his mother’s voice or the simple words, “I love you.” Often other children would not play with him afraid they would end like him. You see Wilnar was born deaf and could not speak.

Wilnar came to Daine & Bill Pool’s “One Candle Schoolhouse” at Tambobo Bay to learn about computers and found a whole new world. At first he was shy and reluctant to participate but soon he started to emerge. He had always been very good at math but he discovered he also had an artistic side. The T-shirt he is wearing is his own creation based on his name. If you go to http://candlesschoolhouse.blogspot.com/ you can see full color examples of his extraordinary artistic talent.

“One Candle Schoolhouse” has approximately twenty students. With their full support Wilnar began to develop his interpersonal skills. They all began to learn International Sign language and a wide variety of ways to express their collective intellectual and artistic talents. They created decorated note cards, jewelry, colorful candles, and individually stylized T-shirts which they sell to support the school. But this was not just a “one-way” exchange. Wilnar’s courage to accept new challenges gave others the courage to try their own challenges. Another deaf child in the school decided to enroll in public school, to face her own worst fears.

One Candle Schoolhouse went to the Great Physicians Rehabilitation Center (GPRehab) here in Dumaguete City. Wilnar and his classmates taught the differently abled wheelchairbound children how to tie dye and met yet new personal challenges. A field trip to Apo Island inspired Leonila Palalon to try and save an endangered reef. She is currently writing letters and Proposals to the government. Charlie Palallos dreams of building and repairing boats. When I visited the school he was hard at work refinishing a spar on a small sailboat.

I got an idea. If you have a talent you can share with these great kids, why not volunteering to be a guest teacher. They have a small kitchen, you could teach cooking. They have computers, you could teach programming. Maybe you know decoupage, knitting or some other creative craft. These kids are bright; they learn fast. Contact Diane or Bill Pool, 1candleschoolhouse@gmail.com. There are only four more weeks of summer school so time is running out. If you are talentless, like me, just go down for a visit or become a sponsor for this inspiring grassroots program. It is a beautiful place to visit and you will never regret losing your heart to these wonderful kids.

TWO “T’s”

2007-05-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

I was worried. After three years hard work trying to get into Officer Candidate School, we were about to be tested to see if we had the math skills to be an Army Engineering Officer. It took me three tries to get a passing grade in high school Algebra; I knew I was in trouble. Nothing I could do but give it my best.

All our work had to be done on a single sheet of paper and that was handed in with the test. After several long hours, we all sat in the classroom waiting to hear our fate. One by one we were called into the office. Some came out smiling. Others quietly began packing their bags. Sweat was rolling down my neck as I knocked on the door.

“First the good news, you passed” the Tac Officer said without smiling. Looking at my worksheet he continued, “What I want to know is how the hell you did it?” He never let me explain my “secret” but instead I ended up on the floor doing push-ups. In the next six months I spent almost as many hours doing push-ups as marching.

There are actually two secrets. First is a technique for taking tests. The second is a way of thinking.

TESTS: There are three basic types of written tests. First is the most difficult, the essay test. It is rarely used because it is time consuming and hard to grade.
Then there is the fill in test, which while less time consuming still is not “teacher friendly” like the multiple choice test.

In multiple choice test two of the possible answers are usually ridiculous. Those two choices most often can be immediately discarded. That leaves you a 50/50 chance of guessing the right answer. Often you can work the possible answer by figuring it backwards. Take the answers given and plug them in to see which one fits. If unanswered questions are counted wrong, obviously guessing is in your best interest.

When the test begins go completely through it; skipping all the hard questions and answering all the easy ones. I mark each question number with a simple code. If I think I know the answer I place a check by the number. If I am not sure; I put a question mark. Hard questions get a box.

I use all the time allotted. I never turn in my paper early. Take care and do not over think. When guessing, your initial spontaneous guess is usually correct. When preparing for a test; getting enough sleep is just as important as studying your books.

THINKING: Most schools around the world operate on memorizing information. They then expect you to regurgitate that information on demand. You can not possibly memorize everything. So it is more important to learn how to think. Learn how to take a small bit of information and find a larger unknown. Learn logic and deductive reasoning.

The brain is sort of like a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it gets. Never stop learning or being curious. Instead of listening to music all the time; watch educational television. Do you know what hyperthermia is or how to prevent it? How does a car speed-o-meter work? Can you start a fire without matches? Did you know the male seahorse gives birth, not the female? You NEVER know what bit of information will one day be useful, maybe even save your life. At the very least you will win a lot of trivia pursuit games.

To exercise your brain try these “Kojak Brain-Teasers”: The first five correct answers to my email (kojak3238@yahoo.com) get their names in the paper.

PROBLEM #1
Fill in the blank spaces with the correct letters…

OTTFFSS_ _ _
(NOTE: All the information you need to answer the question is provided)

PROBLEM #2
Logic Problem:
Mr. and Mrs. Good and Mr. and Mrs. Smith each have different tastes in literature. One prefers history, another biography, another detective novels and another adventure stories. Of the four, only two have blue eyes, and one of those likes adventure stories best and her husband likes history best.

Mr. Good has brown eyes. What is Mrs. Good’s preference in literature?

Along with the names of the first five readers with correct answers, I will show you how to solve for the answers. Good luck.

PHISHING

2007-05-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

Last month some friends stopped by to get my opinion on an email they had received. Seems they had just won an International lottery (De Lotto Netherlands) and all they needed to do is give the Lottery Headquaters a bank account number so they could deposit the $3,000,000.

This month I got an email from a “Cedia” Estrada. She was asking for my help in smuggling, out of the country, millions of dollars her “ex-President” husband had stolen from the Philippines. Only problem is “Erap’s” wife is named Luisa not Cedia.

Both of these are elaborate computer schemes designed to separate you from your money. Here are a few more (http://www.snopes.com/).
- An offer to hook you up with thousands of dollars worth of government grants (free money) you are eligible for if you just apply.
- A person offers to buy something from you or your business paying with a cashiers check for more than the items price. The extra cash is yours to keep. No risk it is a “cashier’s check” good at any bank.
- People claim you failed to report for jury duty or some other official appearance and to avoid going to jail you need to provide them proof of your identity. They steal your identity and open up credit card accounts.
- There are several “work at home” schemes. One is you cash a check, then after extracting your forwarding fee, send the balance of the money to a third party. No risk, they will deposit the money in your account.
- They promise you $200 worth of gasoline coupons or a $500 dollar shopping spree at a big name shopping mall. All they want from you is a $3.49 filing fee.
-PayPal or Ebay will contact you and require you go to a linked site and update your information. Looks very official.
- A bank will contact you and request you tell them what to do with the $200,000 they have deposited under your name. the account has been inactive for over 5 years and they closed it.
-Hired as a secret shopper, you are asked to provide bank account information so they can deposit the money you need to make the required purchases.
- A job offer from a company in England. They want you to be their agent here in the Philippines.

Everyday crooks think up new way to “phish” your personal information or access to your accounts. The FBI (http://ww.fbi.gov/) recommends:

- Do not reply to email or pop-up messages requesting financial information.
- Do not open any links on these messages or “cut and paste” addresses from these messages.
- When asked to call your bank, do not call phone numbers provided in the computer message; use the one on your monthly statement.
- Keep your anti-virus/firewall up to date. Run a scan frequently.
- Do not email financial or personal information.
- Be very cautious about downloading or opening any email attachments even when you “know” the sender.
- Contact the bank or other financial institute and report anyone using their name to get information from you.

There are worm viruses that record and send everything you type to a third party. Be very careful to keep our computer virus free and avoid sending banking information or other personal data whenever possible.

General Rule: If it sounds too good to be true… it probably isn’t true.

They say you can not cheat an honest man. These schemes use the promise of easy money for little or no work. That is the hook they use to land you, their “phish”. Do not be a victim. Be an everyday hero and do not let your friends be a victim either.

THE WALLET

2007-05-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

My wallet was missing. I could not figure out what had happened. I am always so very careful. Not only was a good hunk of money gone but my driver license, vehicle registration and credit cards were missing also. What a mess. Without my credit cards I could not access my bank. I had no money to buy food.

I contacted the bank and arranged for a replacement card to be sent by express mail. I borrowed money to live on and tightened my belt. Things were going to get rough.

About a month later I came downstairs to find a strange man and his wife at my door. Father Tulabing ministers to those in greatest need of hope. Every Sunday he has services for the families that live off Dumaguete City’s garbage. During confession one of his parishioners gave him the empty wallet. Father Tulabing then spent several days tracing me so that he could return my cards and license. I offered to reward him for his hard work but he refused. He is a remarkable man who after graduating from Foundation University turned away from a promising career to minister to others in need. The world needs more selfless dedicate men like this weeks everyday hero.

What happened to the money? The young man who found my wallet explained that he thought it was “gift from God.” After I figured out what happened, I can not say he is wrong. You see I had done something I had never done before. I had put my wallet on the TV table and it accidentally (?) got knocked into the trash. Out of the tons of trash this young lad found a small black wallet. Who can really say it was not a gift from God.

Maybe God wanted the money to help someone and also teach me a couple of valuable lessons. I now have two sets of registration papers, got a system set up to get a new card rapidly if I need it and most important I met a very special man and his lovely wife.

INFLATION

2007-05-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

When I first arrived in Dumaguete, I was approached by a small gaggle of expatriates. They heard I was an ex-Green Beret and wanted me to “check out” a man who claimed not only to have been an ex-Green Beret but a “general with nine tours in Vietnam.” On the face of it they had good reason to suspect he had inflated his resume.

I was introduced to him and his wife at a local restaurant. After a few minutes I excused myself. Outside everybody hovered around trying to get the REAL story. They asked, “Is he a real Green Beret?” My response was simple, “It does not matter. He is dying. Let him have his dignity.”

A few months later he did die from lung cancer brought on by years of smoking. His death was bloody, painful and ugly but he died with his dignity intact. Now it can be told, he was a total fraud. A poor pathetic insecure man who felt he needed to lie to get respect.

In my opinion the vast majority of expatriates and local Filipinos tell the truth. I have met many individuals here that I personally admire and respect. None of them were “generals” or “ex-Green Berets” or captains of industry.

An example of this is a very nice local lady and her husband. She ran a small business that failed. Her husband works in a local business and they live modestly. After hours of long personal talks on a wide variety of subjects; after hours of watching this loving family in action, I grew to respect them to their true character not some false resume. Respect is born in truth and nurtured by reality.

Around the world we give far too much credit to “false” idols. Movie stars, Green Berets or sports athletes who have little to offer except their fame. They are often held in unjustified respect and awe. Many can do little more than throw a ball, kill something or cry for the camera yet we hang on their every word as if they had some brilliant insight. The American Congress even called a movie star to testify on the plight of America’s struggling small farmer. What were her qualifications for this honor? She once played a role as a small struggling farmerin a movie.

Condoleeza Rice got her Masters Degree at prodigious Notre Dame University and her Doctorate Degree at the University of Denver. She holds honors at six other Universities. She has functioned successfully at the highest levels of the American government for over sixteen years. Yet America hangs on every word from her many celebrity critics like Martin Sheen who failed his college entrance exam and Barbara Streisand who merely graduated from high school. Why do we believe them and not Ms Rice? Because they are movie stars and we like them. Hardly qualifications I find reassuring when the future of a nation is at stake.

If you are looking for people to admire; you do not need to go beyond the family breakfast table. I honor and admire hard working parents more than I ever will a “Rambo” wannabe or some pretty face on the movie screen. Their job is far harder and they get less credit. There is no special school for being a parent. They do not always get it right, but they keep trying day and night.

My landlady raised four boys and adopted her sister’s orphaned daughter. She worked long arduous hours in a small shop in the market. There were no frills, no fancy clothes or toys. She gave them values, responsibility, structure and love. Now they are all grown, educated and successful. Sadly she will never get a spot on TV news or be honored at some big banquet. Yet, what she did with over half her life against tremendous odds, deserves much more admiration and respect than someone like me, who just wore a funny green hat and spent a few hours in hell. Take a few minutes today and give our parents a big hug and a bigger thank you. They are your real heroes.

OLGA LUCIA A. UY

2007-05-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

In my “personal” dictionary, next to the definition of “LADY”, is picture of Olga Lucia A. Uy. This is not because of her gender but because she is a living example of the classic meaning of the word. She is a devoted wife and loving mother. She is a passionate hard working member of our community. She not only writes a column for the Metro Post; but when there is a community need she is one of the first to step to the front and try to help. You can understand my shock to read her column “Move On, A--- le!”

For those who missed it, she tells of an encounter with a rude and crude foreigner. Mrs. Uy was turning her car to pick up her daughter at school. This hulking guest in the Philippines, screamed obscenities at her in front of children, for what he felt were her poor driving skills. She goes on to describe her justified rage and frustration at this breech of common courtesy and guest etiquette.

I have personal credo I try to live by: “Never do or say something negative, unless there is a chance for a positive result.” What did the crude American hope to accomplish with his ugly behavior? What would he have done if some guest in America had treated his wife and child that way? His answers to these questions will probably remain a mystery. There is no mystery, however, about what he had done. He has widened the gulf between host and guest. He has verified every ugly false thing ever said about a foreigner. He has not improved life here and in fact he has made it even more difficult for all of us.

The other day a foreigner was passing around a long list of things he felt were wrong here in the Philippines. I won’t mention the gall and breech of good guest behavior this constitutes but just ask; What did he hope to accomplish with this little negative exercise? How will this slap in the face of our host and friends improve anything? More important, why did the other foreigners tolerate this boorish act? By ignoring or allowing it to go unchallenged your de fact approve it and encourage it. It is time for foreigners to stand up for what is right. Time for us, the majority, to no longer tolerate the few ugly foreigners among us. If you would not tolerate this boorish behavior in your own country; why should you condone it here? The next time some foreigner starts to call his host vile names or spout some ugly rant, tell him to “shut up” and sit his butt down. If he does not know how to behave as a good guest, maybe he should just go home.

Be an Everyday Hero. Be part of the solution, not a part of the problem.

FEET OF CLAY

2007-05-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

My favorite Pinoy author is Ms. Barbara Gonzalez. If you have not read her books you missed a treat. I sent her this letter.

Ms. Gonzalez,
I just finished your book “We’re History.” Unlike your aborted dinner companion, I did not borrow a copy; I bought one. I am eagerly looking forward to reading “How Do You Know Your Pearls Are Real.”

I very much enjoy your writing style. You took me on an almost poetic journey through Philippine history and the Pinoy mind. I enjoyed the trip.

I am afraid my writing style is not as polished or as eloquent. My somewhat harsher blunt style undoubtedly is a reflection of my career choices and lack of formal education. One of your passages rang true for me. “A writer’s life is a solitary life. Not because it has to be, but because it takes courage and honesty to be the kind of writer I like to be.”

I reserve my own critical writing for my countries foibles. As a guest here in the Philippines I do not feel it is proper to criticize my host. I love your country and if I could contribute in anyway to help her attain her full potential, I would. But as you and EDSA have taught me, any problems that may exist, the Filipino people are fully capable of solving in their own time, in their own way. My ignorant musings in this area would not help and more likely would harm.

Having said all that, I do have a question. I was captivated by your efforts to humanize Jose Rizal. While I see your goal was to bring him closer to the people he loved by showing his flaws; I worry this is a two edged sword.

All our mortal heroes have feet of clay; Martin Luther King held a mirror to the face of America’s bigotry and prejudice. He forced America to change her ignorant and ugly nature. He also broke his marriage vows and kept a mistress. Thomas Jefferson was one of America’s most brilliant founding fathers. A genius and enlightened soul without whom there very well might not have been a United States of America. He not only owned slaves but fathered at least one illegitimate child with his house slave, Sally Hemings.

Does knowing our heroes were flawed make them more human or does it help to excuse our own flaws? Does knowing our heroes have “warts” make us appreciate their accomplishments more or less?

People are better than they think they are. People can achieve more than they think they can. People need role models that set goals and standards high enough that they must stretch to match them. We need inspiration not excuses.

Please allow me to breech good etiquette and suggest, let Jose Rizal’s towering brilliance shine through and let his relatively minor flaws lay undisturbed in the dust of history.

I look forward tour next poetic journey…. Admiringly.

STRAWBERRIES

2007-05-08T07:48:00.001-07:00

“Old Man Clarno” as a strange man. Thin form years of hard farm work under a hot broiling sun, he looked like a brown stick figure. His tan skin was stretched over his sharp angular frame. He had a sparkling smile but he rarely used it. Life was hard. All he had was a small one room shack and a tiny strip of farm land.

I say he was “strange” because he did not do things the way other people did. For example, he did not grow strawberries like other people. He had one patch under his window and a second smaller patch way at the other end of his land. Why two patches?

I did not care. With no money to buy strawberries that second patch became my target. I would sneak down out of the trees and steal handfuls of juicy sweet red strawberries. Somehow, stolen strawberries are sweeter than store bought. Once in awhile, “Old Man Clarno” would come running out waving his shotgun. I would run for the hills with birdshot flying over my head. He was a lousy shot.

It never occurred to me until years after his death, he knew who I was yet he never complained to my parents. All he had to do was tell my dad I stole his strawberries and my little narrow butt would have been hamburger. Why did he not report my ventures into crime?

“Old Man Clarno” was not strange, he was kind and intelligent. Obviously he wanted me to “steal” the berries. Not only did it keep me out of his other strawberry patch but it added a little excitement and drama to both our lives. I had the thrill of being a little wicked boy and the sweet taste of stolen berries. He had his cash crop safe from pillage.

The other day my wife’s teenage sister came running into the house all excited. She had just stolen two mangos from our neighbor’s tree. Of course I told her it was wrong to steal, but I did not make it a big deal out of it. I was remembering my own “outlaw” youth. I let her and her sister enjoy the sweetness of their stolen prizes. I then quietly went next door and paid our neighbor double what the mangos were worth. I made him also swear never to tell her I had paid. Why spoil the thrill of living dangerously?

AMANDA

2007-05-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Some of you might recognize the name, Amanda Blake. Many of you will know her as the flaming red haired, fictitious “Kitty Russel”, owner of the “Long Branch Saloon” on the long running TV show “Gunsmoke.” Besides this record breaking TV show, Amanda enjoyed a long an successful movie and television career. She was frequently honored and respected by her peers. Her name was entered into the Hall of Great Western Performers and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum years before the honor was given to John Wayne, Gene Autry or even “The King of the Cowboys”, Roy Rogers.

A lover of animals, she founded the Arizona Animal Wildlife League, now the largest “NO-KILL” animal shelter in the state. She later started the Performing Animal Wildlife Society (PAWS) to care for animals abused in or retired from show business. After her death, PAWS opened the “Amanda Blake Memorial Wildlife Refuge” to care for African hoofed animals, many of them destined for death in illegal hunt clubs.

Amanda was also a faithful devoted wife. She served as the compassionate and wise matriarch of her family. Many of you would have been proud to have her as your wife or mother. Why am I writing this column about his woman? None of this has anything to do with the Philippines or any of you? Are you sure? You see Amanda Blake died of AIDS. Her husband cheated on her and both of them died from the dreaded disease.

There are an estimated 2,665 cases of AIDS in the Philippines. That number is growing everyday. Information on the number of local AIDS cases is not available but with anywhere from 300 to 1000 sexworkers in the area you can bet if AIDS is not here now, it soon will be. We do not have a STD Medical Clinic and testing for HIV is rare. This insidious deadly disease is lurking in the shadows of the boulevard and even your peaceful barangay.

However terrible, this does not affect you, right? You do not use drugs or prostitutes; so you are safe. Are you? We won’t discuss the many ways, other than sex or drugs, this dreaded disease can inflict itself upon our community. Let’s just talk about sex. Many people cheat on their wife, husband or fiancé. Of course they are sure their secret lover does not have AIDS. He or she is not a prostitute or drug user. But you forget, when you have sex with someone you are having sex with every person they have ever had sex with also. It is impossible to look at a person and tell if they have AIDS/HIV. The visible symptoms come late in the pathology. Your lover can have the disease and you would never know it until it was too late. How about condoms? Remember, condoms are only effective 98% of the time. Two out of every hundred times you use them, they will fail. It could be the first two times or the last two times but with a fatal disease it does not matter much.

So what do we do? First, have yourself and your significant other tested for HIV. If you are healthy remain faithful to each other. It is not just a matter of morals; it is matter of life and death. Next, we need that STD health clinic. I know of one local University student who was infected by her fiancé. She was NOT a prostitute, just a foolish girl in love. She was so ashamed she did not seek medical help. She could have died for trusting a “man” (?) who later abandoned her when she got sick. The clinic is not a matter of condoning or making prostitution easier. It is a matter of preventing more Amanda Blakes.