(I have written on this subject before in my column in Abante. So this is not new to many of the regular bloggers here. This article appeared in Malaya today.)
ON the fringes of Roxas boulevard, where many shady deals are made, there’s a thriving business that operates primarily on trust.
In front of the US Embassy, under the shade of an old Balete tree, Linda Dragon will hold electronic devices for anyone going inside the embassy building for P150. No written guarantee except trust.
Caption: Linda and her sisters, Belinda and Cecile
I experienced this recently when I went to the US Embassy consular section to renew my visa. My appointment for interview was 7:30 a.m. I got there at 7 a.m. only to read the notice that since March 1, 2007, all electronic devices are not allowed inside.
I had no companion to hold the cell phone for me. I could not go home to Las Piñas which is more than an hour’s travel from the embassy.
I appealed to the security guard but he pointed to the written notice. But he was kind enough to suggest that I talk to some people plying their trade on the embassy premises. That’s how I met Linda Dragon.
Linda is a hustler. Sunburned, made-up and bejeweled, she is welcoming but minces no words. Asked for a guarantee that she would not run away with my cellphone, she said, “Mukha akong pera pero hindi ako magnanakaw. (I look materialistic but I’m not a thief).”
Looking at my Nokia E-51, she said, “I am not interested in your cell phone. Look at my diamonds,” and she showed me her ring.
Left with no other choice, I handed her my cell phone which she put inside a zip lock plastic bag. She gave me a tiny piece of cardboard with the number 20. She said her P150 fee would be paid when I redeem my cell phone.
It turned out that it was not only my cell phone that I needed to give Linda for safekeeping because when I passed through the X-ray machine, the guard saw my MP3. I went back to the balete tree. Linda was happy to see me, thinking that I got my visa that fast. I felt relieved. I thought, if she had any intentions of running away with my cell phone, I would not find her there anymore.
Without any apprehension, I entrusted to her my MP3. “That’s another P150,” she said. Two hours after, I gave her P300 and she gave me back my cell phone and MP3.
Linda, whose real name is Isabel Lopez, proudly said that in the two years that she has been into the “safekeeping business,” there has been no incidence of loss.
She said she has 39 associates in the business including her two sisters, Belinda and Cecile, an English major from Philippine Christian University. They started with ID photo service in 1978 and branched out to other services like selling newspapers, snacks, drinks and other things needed by visa applicants. Since fixed stalls are not allowed, they move about all throughout the day but within the area so their “customers” can find them easily.
This is Adam Smith’s theory of “invisible hand” at work guiding market participants to trade in the most mutually beneficial manner.
Linda said they have also been experiencing a “recession” in their business since the Embassy has allowed a commercial photo service inside the consular section.
Linda calls the US embassy premises her “hacienda” which she zealously takes care of. We are the “yayas” of the US visa applicants, she said.
In her work, she has met all kinds of people and has heard so many stories, happy and otherwise. She is ready to listen, even offers a shoulder to cry on for those who fail to get a visa. She related the story of a couple who shared their anxieties as they went through the process of undergoing a DNA test to prove that their child, a menopause baby, was theirs. There were some fiancées of American men who were happy to see her again when they came back as “balikbayans.”
She also has her own story to tell, complete with pictures. Unmarried Linda said she adopted two babies. She was heartbroken when the eldest, Princess, was taken back by her biological parents when she turned 10. She said Princess is now 19 and writes her from Canada. Her son, Vincent James, is six years old.
Linda said she has written in her will that when she dies, her ashes will be spread over her “hacienda” outside the Embassy.
ang ganda ng revision ng blog mo.
offtopic:
meron akong naalalang article about gloria’s ancestors,if not for them hindi magtatagal nang 400 years ang pananakop ng espanya sa pilipinas.
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What is it in a name that sometimes it provides a consistent measure of character? I am referring to one of the most enduring and ubiquitous names in Philippine history: Macapagal.
One would be amazed at how often some Macapagal from Pampanga would surface periodically at critical points in Philippine history. However, the Macapagal record is not that stellar. For, anywhere and anytime that someone with that name appears, the air would always reek with the stench of treachery.
The first Macapagal in history is a datu from Arayat, Juan Macapagal. A grandson of Lakandula, Don Juan was among the principalia during the early Spanish era. He betrayed his own people by assisting the Spaniards quell the Kapampangan and Pangasinan Revolts of 1660 and Ilocano Revolt of 1661. By his handiwork, many natives died. For his services he was handsomely compensated with an encomienda — a.k.a. license to steal, cheat and plunder — and named Maestre Campo General of the natives of Arayat, Candaba and Apalit.
Two centuries later, the murderous tradition lived on to wreak havoc on the Philippine Revolution of 1896. This time, the Macapagal victim was none other than the venerable Supremo of the Katipunan, Andres Bonifacio. On May 10, 1897, Col. Lazaro Makapagal (Filipino derivative of the name) marched a wounded and hogtied Supremo and his brother, Procopio, up the rugged mountains of Maragondon, Cavite and shot them to death.
Indeed, duplicity is the Macapagal trade that many decades latter, another scion of the clan, Diosdado Macapagal, even managed to double-cross a master schemer, Ferdinand Marcos. In the 1960s, Diosdado promised the young (then) Senator Marcos the Liberal Party presidential nomination. In return for Marcos’ support, Diosdado declared that he would not seek re-election in 1965 in order to give way to Marcos’ candidacy. However, he reneged on such assurances later. The scheme backfired, however, when Marcos bolted the Liberal Party, joined the Nacionalista and soundly defeated Diosdado in the presidential elections.
Meanwhile, another Macapagal would have been in a perfect position to salvage the clan’s honor. Felicisimo Macapagal, unlike the rest of his clan, started out as a socialist revolutionary. He eventually rose to become the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas’ (PKP) Secretary General. However, DNA proved unalterable when this Macapagal ended up as a capitulationist. In 1974 he signed a compromise with Ferdinand Marcos to cooperate with the dictatorial regime.
Then several decades later, the same pattern continued. This time, the country is led by the daughter of Diosdado and a direct descendant of Don Juan. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became President through electoral fraud. Her administration is steeped in scandals involving plunder of the treasury and murder of innocent activists.
Sometimes some things do not change. It is either the Macapagal name is accursed or the country is accursed by having such treacherous brood appearing and re-appearing throughout the pages of its history.
http://otsopya.multiply.com/reviews/item/8
They must be earning good money doing their trade.Lucky for them.They don’t need to fish too far from home.
Kazuki,it was said that Major Lazaro Makapagal was a spy of the white anglo-saxon protestant(WASP)or the americans.Do you ever know about this?
Kazuki,a Filhispano historian claimed that Major Lazaro Makapagal was a WASP spy.White anglo-saxon protestant or the gringos.Same done to Gen.Antonio Luna.
Great publicity for the girls!
They had better watch out — with the publicity this human interest story will garner, they are likely to face competition. Heh!
Linda called me up this morning to thank me. She said a US Embassy staff informed her that she is in Malaya. Tuwang-tuwa siya.
@ Ellen
Ellen ang Bait naman ni Linda and very down to earth.
@Patria Adorada
Yes,lazaro macapagal is a spy, a traitor like his ancestors, if it was not for them we would not have been colonized for 400 hundred years by the spanish, ganun din ang ginagawa ni gloria she sided with the us war ,bakit ba hilig nilang sumipsip sa puti.
Paki-usap,kasuki. since you have provided the website for the lazaro macapagal thing, i think that’s enough. Those who are interested can visit that site.
Now, we go back to the posted topic for this thread.
yup,ms.ellen
I want to apply for american visa in the future kaso lang natatakot ako sa pila,at least we have people like Linda who help us while waiting.
If the Americans care, they should allow for a decent place for Linda’s operations INSIDE the entrance to the Embassy. After all, her services arose from an Embassy rule that has caused the need to leave electronic gadgets outside. Just consider that in the event of a thunder storm, Linda with her cellphones must run for shelter across the boulevard.
Akala ko ba galit ang karamihang Filipino sa mga Amercano,bakit yata napakahaba ng pila sa US Embassy para kumuha ng Visa papuntang US.
Kung mapanood lang ninyo ang “Citizen Pinoy” ay maraming nagtatanong kung ano ang mabilis na paraan para makapunta sila sa US.Ang karamihang sagot na lang ni Atty: Gurfungkle ay “Humanap ka ng Pangit” na US citizen para pakasalan.
trustworthy people — such a very elusive existence nowadays.
unscrupulous and acquisitive politicians and businessmen — such a nauseating experience that the country needs to get rid off as soon as possible.
It is not lucrative to come to the U.S. for work now a days. Baka kayo mastranded. I know a lot of Enginers, accountants na Pinoy na walang trabaho. Iba na ngayon ang panahon. Iyong Igot sa WH ang binibigan niya nang trabaho ay Igot din lalo na sa Dept. of Justice. Siempre tulad din sa Pinas. Ang trabaho ay benibigay sa nagtulong sa pagnalo ni Igot sa election, the Unions, Acorn have first preferences. Kong hindi ka igot malabo ang trabaho dito. Here in America the righteous are likely to be prosecuted especially the Veterans that just came back from Afghanistan and Iraq, They are labeled as racists. Nakakatakot nang kaunti ang buhay nang mga puti dito. Baka mawala na ang tunay na democracia dito, ” the chicken have come home to roost” America is going towards Socialism and next is Communism. Maari na mawala na rin ang mayayaman dito. Small businesses are coming to a halt because of high taxes. The President of GM was already fired by the Igot. The WH is going to be in banking business. He wants to control everything. I think he is going to compete with Pandak when it comes to leadership. The Europeans adored him and he did not get a dime from them to go with his spending policy. He just came back from South America and shook hands with Americas enemies. Haya-an mo lolokohin lang ni Chavez, Ortega at Castros si Igot. Those people are seasoned dictators and criminals.
dandaw,
I pity the new US so much. Capitalism is the only real way to live, but so many people have been converted already. But I am chasing an already lost dream, I want the gov’t to keep their hands off everything and that won’t happen. It’s like asking a spider to stop spinning their webs, the gov’t will never loosen stranglehold on their baby.the Republicans are not in power anymore, and even if they came up with a good plan, do you really think the Democracic controlled congress or Obama would even consider it? Of course not, and if it was the other way around the Republicans would not consider any Democratic ideas either. It’s all about whose in power.
Socialism by its very definition is halfway between Capitalism and Communism. In fact Marx and Lenin considered it a stepping stone to Communism. What’s wrong with it? Nothing if you want government control of everything and a massive government bureaucracy. It seems we’re heading that way; more government control of the banks and their foot in the door of GM. We, the people are loosing control, and it all started with the formation of the Federal Reserve and the 16th Amendment (the beginning of income taxes). We can’t even smoke in bars anymore, they want to ban all guns, and now conservatives are terrorists? Piece by piece we’re loosing our rights and we’re being manipulated by our leaders.These is the kind of CHANGE that Obama promise the American people.This is the blueprint for where USA is going.
Cocoy,
Hindi kita nakita sa Tea Party sa San Diego. Marami kami na Pinoy at Pinay nandu-on, pati iyong mga doctor at doctora. maraming handa iyong isang doctor nang seafood. Guinawa tuloy naming na Pinoy party pagkatapos ng Tea. There was a Pinay speaker there that was a small business owner, akala ko bata. Ang galing magsalita.
Speaking of the situation in the U.S. we just have to pray hard that these leaders will come to their right senses. Some Pinoys thinks that because the Igot is Pres. he will give a chance to foreigners to come here to work. On the contrary they are more strict than ever. I hope that this new Pres. does not get carried away with his strong ego and being a colored person as not to devide people from being white and black. I can see it here now already. Republicans or Democrats, they are all ideologies and I hope it gets back to freedom and not oppresion, decency and not chaos.
Dandaw – your rhetorics doesn’t hold water. They’re at best provocative and we’re off topic here.
I suggest Pareng Cocks to create even a one liner post that reads “Obama, good or bad” or “Obama” and we’ll discuss Dandaw’s seething heartaches in your blog.
Dandaw – teabaggers were actually for people making 250k a year? Do you make that much? Also, feel free to move to any country while Barack is in Office. Nawalan ka ba ng trabaho?
TruBlue, Retired na ako. Kong mabaksak man o hindi ang America, hindi na yata ako malubug. Palibot libot na lang kami ng magasawa. No one has a claim to any country including you. Kung pagusapan natin ay si Pandak I’m sure you are on board. How do you know I can do more help to Pinas than you. Blogs are mostly posted for opinions and I don’t have any claims that Obama will make it to not. Who knows he might be the best leader he might not. So far he seems like he sucks. As to Pareng Cocks, he happened to have the same opinion as me. That happened to be “Common Sense” and he seems to have a good grasp of history, economics, and politics. Honestly, of all the bloggers that post here he seems to have it all.
hi ellen,
ilang years binigay sa yo sa embassy? ka excite naman yan. please write naman about your experience sa interview, how much pera na dala mo, etc, im planning to apply din kasi…yung si linda ba may visa na rin ? ang sosyal naman niya kng ganun.
So where’s your “common sense” for denigrading Barack having been in office,not even 100 days as we speak? You seem to be blinded with facts that Barack inherited a huge mess from GWB. Listening to pundits like “Limbaugh the drug addict” and hate mongering tv/radio talkshow hosts to push their agendas is plain idiotic.
Did Chavez, Ortega, and Castro ever sent terrorists to America? No. And don’t worry about their country’s human rights violations as America has more of those. If they’re criminals as you’ve professed, GWB was a criminal in his own right by attacking a country for the wrong reason. He killed thousands of civilians and sent young americans to their deaths more than Ortega, Chavez, and Castro combined killing Americans.
Venezuela’s CITGO had been flourishing in the US even during GWB’s reign – and Bush didn’t have the “Huevos” to put a stop to it. Tell me why?
Holder and Susan Rice are the only blacks I see in the Justice Departments – you seem to know more, give me names.
Give me names of Acorn supporters who are/were given preferences ahead of everybody, and what jobs/positions they’re clinging to. As far as I know, Farakhan, Ayers, Wright, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpy are not employed by Obama.
Veterans coming from Iran and Afghanistan are labelled racist? – wtf are you saying here? No sense at all.
The righteous are being prosecuted? not sure what you’re trying to say here either. Most righteous are in the south clinging to their firearms.
President of GM took a 20million loot. He’s a happy camper like Barney.
Orosa, I got a ten-year visa. That is what they usually give these days.
Nothing exciting about my interview. This is just a visa renewal.
Republicans and Dems are all idealogies – it’s been that way for generations. You need to turn Independent like me and view the national and world scenes with common sense, not faith-based or party-based idealogies.
I hope it get backs to freedom not oppression – you don’t have freedom in America? Are you oppressed? move to another state, maybe a battelground state.
Decency not chaos – do you live in a state or county with no decency? Is it always chaos in your county? move to another county or state, a swing state, that’s I mean.
Obama never shook hands with Chavez or Ortega. They came over and shook his hands. Besides, Obama didn’t give them anything, unless you know something we don’t.
Listen, you and I, as well as Pareng Cocks can eat peach all day – and for you to lament what goes on in Washington will just diminish your well-being, I say that as a friend.
You’ve said “kung mabagsak man o hindi ang America, eh hindi ka malubog”. That’s a very good approach. So let my friend Obama do his thing, and do your thing, just keep on tracking, I mean, keep on travelling and I’m right behind you. As I’ve said so many times, if Barack, does not deliver, he’s replaceable. America is not like the Philippines, where you can be a leach to the throne by cheating. Democracy will thrive in the free-world.
magkano pinakita mong show money lola? tulong naman pls. ayaw ko ma deny. sayang ang 130 dollars. ilang sakong bigas din yaon. tips naman lola. totoo bang 10 milyong piso para 10 years ang ibigay?
What show money? I showed nothing.
hi ellen,
theres a similarity between the people who gave their cellphones to that linda balete woman and the public.
like you, we have no guarantee that what were reading from you is the truth or the product of your imagination. THERE is no guarantee but trust. We trust you and youre like our linda who asks that we deposit our trust in you by believing in the words you wrote in the article. so in effect your like the linda of journalism. saludos!
Thank you for your trust, Sansan. I’ll try my best to live up to that trust.