Karachi – Sa unang araw namin dito, natuwa kami nang may nakilala kaming dalawang Filipino seaman na naghihintay ng kanilang barko. Sina Buddy Acub at Jessie Yongco.
Kababayan ko pa si Buddy na galing Antique at si Jessie naman ay galing Tanjay, Negros Oriental.
Naghihintay sina Buddy at Jessie ng kanilang barko na galing Germany. Matagal na silang seaman at naikot na nila ang mundo.
Pangalawang araw, nakilala naman naming si Aristotle Baricuatro, tiga Cebu at Gerry Alas na galing Surigao. Pareho silang engineer at nagta-trabaho sa Ericson Electronics, isang Swedish telecommunication company.
Sabi nila mga 15 raw silang Filipino na nagta-trabaho doon sa Ericsson na may planta sa Hyderabad, mga dalawang oras daw mula Karachi. Palipat-lipat ang trabaho nila sa Hyderabad at Karachi. Nakatira sila sa company guesthouse. Kaya lang nitong linggo, puno raw ang guesthouse kaya sila nasa hotel.
Ako naman, kasama sa grupo ng Filipino journalist na inimbitahan ng Islamabad Public Research Institute. Ang kasama kong journalists ay sina Gemma Cruz-Araneta na sumusulat ng column sa Manila Bulletin, Tals Diaz ng Inquirer, Fatima Parel ng People Asia, Lyn Resurreccion ng Business Mirror, at Dante Francis Ang ng Manila Times.
Dahil naka-ilang buwan na rin doon sina Aristotle at Gerry, binibigyan nila kami ng tip kung saan nakakabili g mura. Sabi nila napakamura raw gamut doon. Ang paracetamol na dalawang piso yata isa sa atin, halos 60 sentimo lang doon.
Kaya itong kasama kong si Lyn Resurreccion, ang daming gamot ang kanyang binili. Dala ko rin ang aking reseta ngunit wala yung botika na aking pinuntahan.
Pinag-usapan naming na sana itong Cheaper Medicine bill na sinusulong ni Sen. Mar Roxas ay maging daan para magmura ang gamot sa Pilipinas.
Nakakatuwa kasi itong apat na Filipino ay maayos ang kanilang lagay. Ang kinikita nila doon buwan-buwan ang sueldo ng isang business executive sa Makati. Sabi nila, kung sa Pilipinas sila, baka aabuting ng taon bago sila maka-ipon ng pera na kinikita nila sa isang buwan.
Kaya lang hindi nila kasama ang kanilang pamilya. Yan ang malungkot sa buhay ng OFW. Si Buddy at Jessie, mga sampong taon ng seaman. Bilang seaman, mga siyam na buwan sila sa isang taon sa barko bago makauwi. Sina Aristotle at Gerry, isang taon ang kanilang kontrata. Lumalaki ang kanilang mga anak na hindi nila kapiling.
Sabi nila temporary lang itong ganitong buhay hanggang maka-ipon sila para may puhunan sa negosyo.Doon na sila magkakasama ng kanilang pamilya..
Kahanga-hanga sila. Maipagmalaki mong Pinoy.
Photo captions:
1. Buddy and Jessie with Gemma Cruz and Lyn Resurreccion.
2. Aristotle and Gerry
tunay ngang kahangahanga ang mga pinoy. nakalulungkot lang tanggapin na may mga bulok sa gitna natin. silang mga manhid at kapit-tuko sa puwesto, nakakahiya! ! ! Kailan kaya tayo makatatakas sa kuko ng mga gahaman at sakim nating opisyales sa ating pamahalaan.
sayang na sayang ang mga OFW remittances. hindi natin nagagamit sa pinakamabuting kapakinabangan ng ating mga kababayan lalo pa nga”t ang pandarambong ng mga dorobo ay kabi-kabila. sana naman ay magising na tayo mula sa ating malaong pagkakahimlay. . .
Way back in mid 60’s pambihira kang maka meet ng isang Pinoy sa ibang bayan..I had the opportunity to spend a summer in Japan in 1968 and the only Filipinas I met in Japan then were the two nuns at Sacred Heart Convent in Hiroo. One of them was a high school classmate of my late sister and the other one was the former Sonia Aldequer..of Iloilo City..Hindi pa kilala ang mga Filipino noon..but now it is very freshing to meet Filipinos all over..and to hear stories about them. Sa Israel nakatutuwa makipagkwentuhan sa kanila..Para sa akin, na isang Bisaya (Antiquena) to talk with them in Visayan nakalamang ako sa mga kasamahan ko .. because they tell me where to buy things na mura..
rose,
Baka maganda ang buhay noon at walang demand sa pamilya na mag-overseas to feed more than a handful of mouths.
When we left the Philippines in the 60, I was probably the only one not that enthusiastic about going to the US. 70 percent of my classmates in high school in fact were waiting for their own approval to immigrate to the US then, and everyone thought I was crazy to want to go to Japan instead.
You’re right, Rose, when I came to Japan in the late 60’s after US, the only Filipinos I met were those in the US bases, the Philippine Embassy staff and a few members of some music band performing in some clubs or discos. I missed talking in Tagalog then in fact as I had to use Japanese all the time.
Signs, etc. were all in Japanese, but I had no problem since I already could read, write and speak Japanese even before I came over as I planned in fact to come over than live in the US even when it would mean separation from my family, and travel to the US then to/from Japan usually took longer time than it does now.
Hindi lang maganda ang buhay noon, Chi. Maganda din ang pananaw ng mga pilipino at mataas ang sense of morality. Walang nangangatwiran na walang magagawa kung gumawa ng masama para lang mabuhay! Shock nga ako doon sa mga name-meet kong mga Japayuki noon na inaasahan ng mga magulang na magpalamon sa kanilang mga pamilya sa pamamagitan ng pagbebenta ng laman! Makaluma kasi ang mga magulang ko lalo na iyong ama ko na ang paniwala ay siya ang dapat na magpalamon sa pamilya niya, at ang nanay ko ang taumbahay (maybahay).
Lungkot ng nangyari talaga sa mga pilipino sa totoo lang. May project nga ako dito ngayon na turuan ang mga pilipina kung papaano mamuhay ng matino at maging maligaya sa pagsunod sa batas at customs and traditions ng mga hapon kung dito sila mamalagi habang buhay. Ang dami kasing nasasangkot sa krimen dahil marami talaga ang nabubuwang sa lungkot, hindi maka-adjust, etc. problema.
Isa akong OFW ate ellen,kaya tama ka na ang isang sacrifice namin ay ang mapalayo sa family namin.Pero mas mabuti na rin ang ganito,at least may laban tayo sa hirap ng takbo ng buhay.14 years ako sa isang Construction Company dyan sa atin at ngayon ay dito na sa Dubai.No regrets ako mapalayo man sa family ko dahil well compensated kami dito.Nabibigyan ko ng magandang buhay hindi lang ang pamilya ko kundi pati na rin ang aking mga kapatid at kamag-anak na nangangailangan ng tulong.
Medyo hindi nga lang maayos ang gobyernong nakaupo ngayon at puro pagnanakaw ang ginagawa.Bulok ang sistema at walang foresight.Nasasayang ang mga pagkakataong maganda dulot ng mga OFW na syang kinabibilangan ko.
Pero twing election,I see to it na makapagbakasyon upang maibigay ang boto ko sa mga taga-OPOSISYON gaya nuong nakaraang 2007 senatorial elections.
Majority ng OFW dito ay galit sa administrasyong bulok ni Gloria.
rontonio,
tunay kang bayani! Mabuhay ka. Mabuhay ang mga katulad mo.
rontoniotrill4,
Hintay lang tayo at mapapawalang-sala rin si AntionioTrill4 at mga kasama. Pasasaan ba at matatapos din si Gloria, lahat ay may katapusan at siya ay hindi exception.
In my travels, almost all the hotels and ships I lived in and sailed in were manned by Filipinos. It is also very common to see them on the streets and parks of big cities. When tired of foreign cuisine and I wanted to find a Filipino restaurant, I could always spot one Filipino resident who would lead me to one.
Truly, Filipinos are sought after workers. Except for a few domestic helpers who in the first place are illegally recruited and underage, majority of our OFWs are soundly employed. Even if they are away from their families, their big sacrifices help a lot of their sibblings in the Philippines. MORE POWER TO OUR OFWS!
Since we are on the subject of the Filipino migrants, here’s one that a friend sent to me. Just sharing:
Subject: U.S. Visa Application
A 70-year old ‘lolo’ from the province was accompanied
by a grandson to the US Embassy in Manila for his VISA
interview.
The lolo spoke not a word of English so the grandson translated for him.
The U.S.Consul told the young man to ask his grandfather why he wanted to go to the States.
‘Bakit daw ho ninyo gustong pumunta sa Amerika?’ The grandson translated ‘Sabihin mo gusto kong
makita yung mga anak ko doon.’
‘He said he wants to see his children there.’ Fair enough, that’s what the lolo’s application indicated.
The Consul had another question. ‘Ask him why does
he have to go there? Why can’t his children just come
and visit him here?’
The grandson translated this in Tagalog. Lolo replied:
‘Sabihin mo kasi dito pinanganak yung mga anak ko.’
‘Nakita na nila ang Pilipinas.’
‘Gusto ko namang makita ang Amerika bago ako mamatay.’
(Translation: ‘Tell him, my children were born here.’
‘They’ve seen the Philippines already’. ‘I just want to
see America before I die.’)
The HEARTLESS Consul was unimpressed as he declared, devoid of any emotion, that he was rejecting the visa application ‘because the applicant was unable to speak any word of English.’
‘Reject daw yung visa ninyo kasi hindi daw kayo marunong mag-Ingles.’
The lolo was equally unimpressed. ‘Sabihin mo ito sa kanya at huwag na huwag mong papalitan ang sasabihin ko:
‘Putang ina niya, bakit siya nandidito eh hindi naman
siya marunong mag-Tagalog! ?’
Translated,’He said: You son o f a b i t ch, how come
you are here..you do not know how to speak in Tagalog!?’
Taken aback, sense of humor still intact, the consul relented and approved lolo’s visa application in pronto.
(Taken from The Philippine Star (a newspaper in the
Philippines ),written by Boo Chanco) Go LoLo, go…
mabuhay ang Pinoy!!!
That’s my kind of Lolo! Hahaha!
grizzy: Had it not been for the language problem, I wanted to study in Japan..mayroon akong laging nakakasabay sa bus who had resided in Japan for some years…sa kwentuhan namin particularly about the sad situation in the Phil..re corruption, greed, etc. I told her that had the Japanese occupied the Phil..much longer and we were ruled by them..we probably are a disciplined nation..look at Formosa and Korea..True, there were a lot of atrocities done then..but we were at war..how about now? bakit mas marami ang kabalbalan? Filipinos ang nagpapalakad ng gobyerno..a democratic government run like hell by someone with a master’s degree from a US university..malungkot tunay..
Correction, Rose. The Dorobo never got any degree from any US university. She got her bachelor’s degree from Assumption, master’s from Ateneo, and doctorate (daw) from UP. I understand that no credit was even given to her by Georgetown University, which will be willing to clear up false claims to protect its name and reputation.
In fact, some publicists in CA have already obtained disclaimer from Bill Clinton re the Dorobo’s claim of friendship with Clinton during her stint at Georgetown University as an observer.
Off topic, but I would like to congratulate the graduates of PUP especially those who openly showed their disgust for Gloria Dorobo and her deputy, Ermita, who should not have been conferred an honorary doctorate degree. Mabuhay kayo, new PUP graduates!
Hopefully, majority of these graduates will opt to stay in the Philippines through thick and thin unless the prospects are reall that bad!
Tunay tayong mga OFW ay makabagong bayani ng ating bansa. Hindi tayo makasarili. Dahil mahal natin ang ating pamilya, ang basic unit ng ating lipunan. Si PIGloria? Mahal lang niya ang kanyang sarili, si Fatsoy at ang kanilang mga biik. Sinusuka na siya ng lipunan ngunit ayaw pa ring lumayas sa puwesto na kanyang ninakaw. Makapal talaga ang mukha.
Yuko,
Bilib ako sa mga PUPians. I saw their pictures with oust Gloria banner with tandang Edong in the background.
Ang matatapang na graduates daw ay ipatatawag ng PUP dean na bitch din!
grizzy: thanks for the correction..all the while I was of the impression that she did have a degree from the US..and Clinton and she were classmates..this is what we would say in Visayan…tikalon gid (what a liar!) ang hindi lang niya masabi ay “she is ten feet tall”..
Off topic ..BTW..Jenna (Bush’ daughter) is getting married..inggit seguro si Lolipop baka unahan niya si Jenna..may nasilaw kaya sa kayaman..definitely walang nasilaw sa kanyang kagandahan (looks or ugali) kahit seguro bulag..kaya lang may kasabihan “love is blind”
Kamukhang-kamukha ni Bush iyong anak niya. Kawawang nilalang! Hopefully, hindi niya namana iyong pagkamokong ng ama! Sana magkaroon ng Tornado sa Texas during the wedding!
Golly, sinasalanta ng husto ang US ngayon sa ginawa ni Bush, the most hated president of the US! Hindi man lang natitinag ang inutil sa dami ng mga Iraqi na sinasakripisyo ng ungas para lang sa yabang niya.
As of this date 1,206,950 Iraqis na ang namamatay simula noong 2003 nang atakihin ni Bush ang Iraq. Wala naman silang nakitang weapons of mass destruction at koneksyon ni Sadam kay Bin Laden. Tapos magkukunyaring sarado siyang kristyano! Pwe!
As for the Pidal daughter, wala yatang makitang kamag-anak na gusto siyang mapangasawa. Iyong mga kapatid I am told ipinapaasawa sa mga kamag-anak din nila. Wait for the effect on the future generation of this family with all the possible gene defects caused by this kind of mating with their own relatives.
Pihadong may lalabas at lalabas na magnanakaw. Mental illness ang kleptomania, iyong sakit na gustong angkinin ang hindi naman kanila. Remember? Namamana iyan, you know.
Luli denies taking presidential chopper
Presidential daughter Luli Arroyo denied reports that she left her co-passengers and took a presidential helicopter after a delayed Asian Spirit flight last May 1.
…What would she say except to deny again like her evil mother!
Today is Mother’s Day..tama ka “daughter like mother”!Ang
bunga ng “ugly tree ay ugly fruit” Hindi ako nagbibiro there was an “ugly fruit” (ito ang pangalan) that was on sale in a fruit store here in JC nito pero walang bumili at nabulok…
I’m just wondering why most bloggers hates America but most destination of OFW is America. Is there anything my American friends and relatives can do to please you. WE are doing our utmost to do good to Filipinos but it seems that we can not do enough. If you know the inner selves of most Americans, they are very generous, helpful, understanding and we are Christians too. You must be watching a lot of Hollywood movies to think otherwise. It is very obvious that the lady from Japan just can not swallow Americans. When 40 Filipinos got stranded in Japan 35 years ago my brother with his busy schedule took those stranded Filipinos and spent for their trip home. Was there any gratitude for his good deeds? None, zero. But my brother did it for his fellow men. I am glad that I am an American and I can help whenever I can. There is no other country I’d rather be than America. Please don’t belittle our President Bush and the wedding of his daughter. What if the Bagio or the Tornado instead hit Japan or the Philippines, would you be happy then Grizzy? That would be unchristian for any body to say and wish that the tornado could have hit Texas and ruin any bodys wedding.