There is a blog making the rounds of social media at the moment, which I understand is a, clearly disillusioned, young girl (23), professing her hatred for her country, which just happens to be The Philippines.

In her vitriolic rant she says among other things that since she graduated from college, with idealistic dreams and plans to "change the world" she has become so disillusioned with her country that now, at 23, she writes how she hates everything about it...from the broken infrastructure, to the rampant corruption, to the lack of attention to anything and everything outside of Manila. She says she is sick of making excuses to people from elsewhere about the problems that this country faces.

I was saddened when I read this blog, for a number of reasons: 

Perhaps it is my cynical nature, but as I read the blog I began to think about a previous blog that had been written by an American girl, I think, about Philippine food, and specifically Philippine street food. There seems to be a general acceptance now that the blog was written, the way it was written, for one reason and one reason alone...to get noticed...especially in Social Media. It seems these days that reason, objectivity and balance are not enough to get attention in the cyber-world, which of course is what most bloggers (me included) seek. The only way, it seems, to get noticed is to adopt an extreme posture at one end or the other of a topic's spectrum. This is the only way to go "viral", I'm reliably informed by my 14-year old daughter. As an ex-journalist, who cut his teeth on balance, context, and fair reporting, I'm disappointed that some people think that is they only way they can get noticed in the cyber-world. I for one don't accept it. Well, I just hope that this young lady's rant about how much she hates her country was not driven by the desire to "be noticed" or to have her "fifteen minutes of fame". That would be disappointing!

If her reasons for writing the piece were motivated by a genuine anger and frustration at the conditions in her country (our country), I would first of all agree with many of her sentiments. The Country does have a lot of problems. I would just add these few comments as food for thought on the issue:

1/ You are 23 years old. You say that when you graduated you were full of ideals and dreams of making a difference. Now, if we assume you went to University at 16 which many kids do here, and that you did a four-year degree; that would mean that you had been in the "real world" now for all of three years! I doubt that three years is anywhere enough time to have formed such an entrenched and angry position on any subject, let alone a subject with which you speak with such absolute indignation. 

2/ Change is effected only by people prepared to work, and to work hard, from WITHIN the system. Change that comes about from without the system, only comes about through violence, suffering and repression. I would just ask you, if we really want to go back to the days of personal restraints and lack of freedoms that typified the Martial Law years under Marcos. You have a freedom to express your opinions now that would have not been available to you during the years of Martial Law. You would have been arrested, detained and even tortured for the type of comments you made in your blog. To retain these freedoms, and still change the system, it must be changed from within by a new generation of young leaders. We need strong, hard-working, committed young leaders - not quitters. 

3/ Yes, there are a litany of problems that can be attributed to this country...as there can be to most countries anywhere around the world. You talk of hating the fact that the only thing Filipinos are noted for in the international community is their resilience and fortitude in the face of natural disasters. I say that you should be immensely proud of your fellow countrymen. Nowhere in the world have I ever encountered such a staunch people who can keep their spirits high and their dignity intact in the face of such horrific natural disasters. This country will always be the recipient of the worst that nature can throw at us; such as typhoons, earthquakes and volcanoes. That is just the reality of where we live; a group of islands in the middle of the tropics, sitting on the "Pacific Rim of Fire". There's nothing we can do about nature, it will always do its worst, no matter what we do. All we can do is try to mitigate its effects. To be fair; we have often been poor at this in the past - but things are improving; albeit maybe too slow for you. What I am asking you to accept is that we are now on the right path. We are now doing the things necessary to respond, and to respond quickly to natural disasters. Filipino people, by dint of their incredible courage and resilience are as best placed as anyone, anywhere to deal with the aftermath of calamity. Be proud...don't hate! 

4/ Corruption, greed, extreme poverty and self-serving leaders; have and continue to be a problem in this country. What we need to understand is that short of violent revolution (AND NOBODY, BUT MADMEN, WANT THAT!) reforms take time. The elimination of poverty and corruption are inter-generational. The ills cannot be cured overnight. What this administration has done (and some would argue it has done little enough), but what it has done and this is the start of change...it has woken the sleeping giant...the Filipino people. For the first time since I've been involved in this country, I see a change in mindset. I see a non-acceptance of corruption and poverty. For the first time, I see an unwillingness, among everyday Filipinos, to accept that poverty and corruption are endemic and not fixable. This is the start of the revolution! This is the start of the change! This is the point at which Filipinos say...enough! This is the point at which we no longer accept mediocrity and theft from our leaders! Whether you support or decry President Aquino's performance, is actually irrelevant. His legacy to this country is simply this...He has changed the mindset of an entire nation to believe that change is possible and that we, as individuals, can contribute to that change. I reiterate - what this country needs is committed dynamic, free-thinking, YOUNG leaders who are not tainted by the familial ties of the past and who can act in the best interests of their country. To our young 23 year old blogger, I say, be one of those young leaders...don't be a quitter. 

5/ Social Media has become and is becoming an even more vital cog in the push for change. What our politicians, civil servants and civic leaders are slowly coming to realize is that they just can't get away with it anymore. Everyone has a cellphone with a camera; everyone has a device that can record audio; and anyone is capable of being "your" whistle-blower. There is a coming awareness among the entitled elite that their days are numbered. That is why you currently see such fear, such violent reactions and such vehement denials from those caught up in the current scams. They are scared! They can see the writing on the wall! Their days are numbered and they know it! Don't give them comfort by relaxing the pressure on them. Use the power of social media to expose all and every case of corruption you come across. Only then will we see change. 

6/ My final plea to our blogger is that she considers what has been achieved in the four short years since the drive to clean up our country started. Much has been achieved, whether she admits it or not. They key to success now is continuity. As a Country we must never go back to the status-quo. We must never go back to politicians that will serve themselves. That is exactly what the current bunch of miscreants are hoping for. They believe that come 2016, the new government (led no doubt by the cunning little man himself - the do nothing, keep quiet, upset nobody and I'll get elected President, man - you all know who I mean), will forgive them. Don't believe it? Just look at Erap Estrada...pardoned by Arroyo...now Mayor of Manila and apparently considering a run at the Presidency in the 2016 elections. Please, tell these people NO! Their time has come and gone (thankfully). It is now time for a new generation of honest, dedicated, committed, young people to take the reigns. To our blogger...be part of that revolution. 

The thing that sustains me the most in my hope for this beautiful country (and don't ever forget that - it is a truly wonderful country!) is one exciting fact: Over 50% of the population of this country is under 25 years of age. 


Young people - you ARE the majority. You can effect change. You have the power. To all young people, especially our 23 year old blogger...


DON'T HATE - MAKE A DIFFERENCE!                               

As the World Cup heads into the last sixteen stage, it is a good opportunity to share some thoughts on the group stage and the first two weeks of exciting competition. 

I'm not a football (or soccer, as I grew up in New Zealand calling it) fanatic, but with saturation coverage on free-to-air television here in The Philippines, I have to admit being caught up in World Cup Fever and I must say, thoroughly enjoying most of the football I've seen. 

Two things, in particular, have struck me over these first two weeks of games: 

1/ The sheer volume of goals being scored. I remember watching the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa and complaining about how few goals were being scored. I had a special interest in that World Cup as my own home team had qualified, a rare occurrence, but I can honestly say I've enjoyed the first two weeks of this tournament way more than the 2010 version. It just seems to this non-aficionado of the "Beautiful Game", that goal scoring is what the game is supposed to be about. I'm sure all the experts will jump on me and tell me that defense is what wins games, and a 0-0 draw can be just as exciting, if not more exciting than a 4-2 scoreline. That may be so, if the game flows through your veins, like Guinness flows through an Irishman's veins, or Caipirinha does for Brazilians. But to those of us who are just casual observers of the World Cup, it really is goals that matter and there have been plenty of them already, many of them spectacular. After 40 games we have seen 116 goals. At the corresponding time in 2010 there were 92 goals. This morning's 0-0 draw between Costa Rica and England may have dragged down the average (more on that game later), but nonetheless, the first two weeks have been full of excitement and most importantly for me...GOALS! Perhaps things will tighten up more once the competition gets more serious in the final 16, but I hope not. I hope we continue to see free-flowing football that has been the norm for these first two weeks of the competition.     

2/ Despite the high number of goals being scored, this World Cup so far has been highlighted for me by the performance of one of the game's often unsung heroes; the Goalkeepers. As a very, very average goal-keeper back in High School, I do identify with the loneliness and angst of goalkeeping. It is the one position on the field where you can go from hero to zero in an instant. There is perhaps no more exciting action in a game of football than to see a goalkeeper, at full stretch, tipping a ball around the corner, or over the crossbar - saving his team from what had seemed a certain goal. It is an intensely lonely position back there as the last line of defense. There have been some absolutely phenomenal performance by goalkeepers in this first two weeks of the World Cup. One of the things I've particularly liked is that some of these phenomenal performances by goalkeepers have come from the less "sexy" teams at this World Cup. Nobody probably has more epitomized the fearless goalkeeper, determined to keep his goal intact and his sheet clean, so far than Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa. Mexico would hardly have been considered a glamour team heading into this World Cup, but on the back of Ochoa's heroics, they now prepare for a last-16 showdown against The Netherlands. He finally did concede a goal in the last seconds of their game against Croatia, but by then they had already qualified. It was his brilliant performances in all three games, that has earned him such high accolades. His performance against the superstar Brazilians in earning his team a surprise 0-0 draw, was perhaps one of the finest goalkeeping displays seen at a World Cup. He was supreme in denying the high-flying Brazilians at every turn. I understand Ochoa is currently club-less for the upcoming Club season. I'm sure that won't last long following his heroics at this World Cup.   

Two more goalkeepers who have provided some fantastic performances for this first two weeks are Keylor Navas of Costa Rica and Tim Howard of the United States. Navas was superb for his unfancied Costa Rican team, in the shock victories against Uruguay and Italy. He was equally unperturbed by anything England could throw at him in their scoreless draw this morning. 


Tim Howard's moment of brilliance, for me, was in the game against Portugal. One-nil down, with half-time looming, Portugal looked set to add to the scoreline and head to the break two-nil up. Had the US fallen behind by two at that point it is doubtful they could have come back to almost take the game. His superb double save, tipping wide from Eder, after having diverted Nani's initial effort onto the post, gave his side the boost it needed heading into the break. The US were cruelly denied an historic victory only by a perfect Christiano Ronaldo cross in the final seconds of the game that found Varela's head and flew like a guided missile into the roof of the net. Tim Howard can take much of the kudos for the US's excellent results thus far. 

As the tournament moves out of the group stage, long may the goalkeepers continue to provide us with breathtaking acrobatics and stunning examples of their craft. I love it!   

Some questions, as the tournament moves into the final 16: 

1/ Are England as awful as they appear to be? 

In a word - YES! I'm thrilled they've gone home now. I expect a lot more from an England team than this team delivered. Their 0-0 draw against Costa Rica this morning was symptomatic of their entire tournament. They couldn't hold onto possession, their passes were woefully inaccurate and their shooting at goal was appalling. Yes, I realise you were in the "Group of Death" with Italy and Uruguay, but Costa Rica? Really boys, is this the best you can do? The commentator was trying his best not to rubbish his own team and find some positives to take out of the tournament, but really were there any? Their new superstar, the 19-year old Raheem Sterling had a few glorious moments against Italy, but against Uruguay and as a substitute against Costa  Rica, was virtually non-existent, well; when he wasn't giving the ball away to the opposition, anyway. Another who offered a glimmer of hope for England was Daniel Sturridge, who scored a pearler of a goal in their first game against Italy, but despite working hard in every game frequently showed his inexperience in front of goal. He had many, many shots in the three games, few of which troubled the goalkeepers. Who else did they have to offer us? Steven Gerrard and Frank Lamphard, both at the end of long and distinguished careers for their country, were shadows of the players they once were. The indomitable Wayne Rooney, did show flashes of the brilliance he is capable of, but all in all, it was just too little, not often enough. England are known in the Footballing World as "The Three Lions" but at Brazil 2014, they were more appropriately, "The Three Pussycats!"     

2/ What happened to Spain? 

Two words: Time and Fame! 

Time has caught up with the great Spanish side of the past eight years. Since winning the 2008 European Trophy, this Spanish team has ruled the world. They followed Euro 2008, with victory at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and continued on their winning way at Euro 2012. This Spanish team was the best in history. The Coach Vincente Del Bosque stuck with the veterans who had won the back-to-back European titles and the 2010 World Cup when there was a wealth of young talent pushing to break into the team. 

For six years Spain ruled the footballing roost with their wonderful, crisp, possession fueled style of play, but they left it too long to bring in their youngsters. They did manage a final respectable result against Australia, with a 3-0 scoreline, but if Spain is to rise to its former glory again in time for the defense of their European Title in 2016, they need to let go of the elder statesmen and embrace the exciting young players, many of whom play in the Spanish Club Scene. The early exit in Brazil may offer a chance to usher in change. It's probably time for Xavi, Alonso and Cassilas to hang up their international boots and see if a new, younger breed can turn Spain around for their Euro 2016 defense in France. 

I think the other problem that Spain faced is that they started to believe their own press. They started to believe that they were unbeatable. That is a sure sign that the fall is about to come. Innovative and creative sides throughout history that have created dynasties, always tend to crash once they start to believe in their own superiority and infallibility. A team that creates a new style and leads the world somehow seems to forget that every other team then sets about coming up with a way to beat that new style. You only have to look at the Rugby World Cup to see evidence of this. The New Zealand All Blacks, had been the dominant rugby side in almost every year since 1986, yet in the 25 year period until 2011, they had only won the Rugby World Cup twice, in 1986 and in 2011. Too often they believed their own press, that they only had to show up to win and they forgot that in the period between World Cups, all the other teams were frantically searching for one thing...a way to beat them! Invariably, someone did. I think probably Spain suffered from this malady also in 2014.

3/ What has happened to the Asian Teams? 

Put simply: I don't know! What I do know is they haven't performed up to expectations. 

I guess Iran have done OK, but I don't really think of Iran, as an Asian team, despite them playing in the Asian Confederation. The same applies to Australia, I don't think of them as Asian either, plus of course with 3 straight losses they haven't really done anything worth writing home about. 

The two "truly" Asian teams in the competition are Japan and South Korea, both of whom I suspect, were expected to do much, much better than they have. Japan have been pretty abysmal really. Their results  included being thumped by Columbia, well beaten by The Ivory Coast and managing a 0-0 draw against lowly Greece. The J-League is one of the world's more exciting and competitive club leagues and much was expected of this team of J-League stars boosted by overseas based players. Japan had one of the easier groups of the World Cup to fight its way out of, and yet they performed only average at best. There was no way this team would emulate the 2010 team and qualify for the round of 16. A disappointing campaign for all concerned in the Blue Samurai.

What about South Korea, Asia's most prolific qualifier for World Cup Finals? As I write this they still have one game to play tomorrow against group high-flyers Belgium. If they manage to unseat Belgium AND Algeria lost to Russia they could still qualify for the final 16, but the odds are stacked against them, as they sit at the bottom of Group H, on one point. I've seen both Korean games...their 1-1 draw against Russia and their 4-2 loss to Algeria. Frankly, they are not a team that inspires. Their defense is suspect and although they never stop trying, they have not impressed me at all. The glory days of a semi-final appearance in 2002 are long gone., I suspect South Korea need to go back home and study the way the game has changed. They still appear to be playing a style from a decade ago. They need; defenders prepared to commit themselves, and their bodies, to tackles; some strikers who know how to score; and a coach who understands what is necessary to win these days.     

PREDICTIONS: 

My Dream Finalists: I would love to see some real flair in the final. My dream final would be: 

Columbia vs The Netherlands

I have absolutely no idea if the draw would allow such a final...they might meet in the round of 16 or the quarter-finals or something, but I think this would be a great final. Why? 

I've loved watching Columbia in the group stages. They are a team with no real superstars, but tons of flair and play well as a team. They love to score goals and they are exciting to watch. 

The Netherlands: I've always had a soft spot for them. They always show so much style and flair in the early parts of the tournament but so often seem to come crashing down to a boring Germany or Spain or someone else, later on. I'm a big fan of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie and I would just love to see them do well at Brazil 2014. Also, I like their orange strip...a very logical reason for loving them.

Lets face it...the Yellow of Columbia versus the Orange of The Netherlands, would be an interesting sight.  

The most likely finalists: 

Brazil vs Germany

Again I have no idea if the draw will allow this final to happen, but I strongly suspect Germany will be there or thereabouts when the spoils of victory are handed out. They usually are. Brazil...well, it is their tournament after all. They've played well to date, without being totally spectacular, but they do have the players to make it happen. 

All I can say; is bring on the round of 16!

I can just hope that the second two weeks of this awesome tournament lives up to the excitement and goals of the first two weeks. For a non-football fan, it's been a really enjoyable experience thus far. Long may it continue!    

Ahhh, now I get to the fun part. 

The ten most things about living in The Philippines, that make me ever so slightly annoyed...never frustrated enough to blow my cool, of course, just mildly annoyed. If you doubt my sincerity...just ask my wife. I'm sure she will confirm what a cool, calm and collected little soul, I really am. 

So, without any further ado...on with the show: 

My ang pinaka ten most annoying aspects of living in this awesome country: 

10/ The Crowds: 

Now, in general I love the sheer volume of people, especially in the Metropolis. I love sitting somewhere at a Cafe and drinking my coffee, just watching people pass by. I have this habit of "people watching" and yes, I do make stories up about them sometimes. But, just occasionally I feel this deep longing and yearning for the solitude and emptiness of Gore's main street. This crowd thing can be especially overpowering if you happen to visit a mall on a Sunday afternoon. I've found myself looking around at times and wondering just how so many people managed to fit into this space all at the same time. To be fair there are around twenty million people living in and around the greater Metro Manila area and they all have to go somewhere. I just sometimes wish it wasn't always the same place I am going.

9/ The Heat: 

I remember saying to my dear son, Chris, on more than one occasion; especially in the middle of a cold, southern winter in Gore...Why would anyone in their right mind choose to live in this God-forsaken, freezing hell? Well...there are times now, when I secretly long for a cold, southerly blast straight off Antarctica, whistling through the main street of Gore. When I first came here, I figured the heat would probably be an issue for me. I WAS RIGHT! I did think however my body would eventually adapt to the new climate, and to some extent it has. 25 degrees, which I would have considered sweltering in New Zealand, doesn't even raise a sweat these days...in fact, I might even comment how nice it is to be so cool for a change. I do still struggle with the extreme heat of Summer...the 36-37 degree days and the 29 degree nights...plus the humidity of the rainy season can be a bit draining at times, but all in all, I've come to terms with it. As I sit here in my sando (singlet) and shorts, which is all I wear probably 6 out of 7 days a week, I can actually reflect that the climate of my adopted country is pretty damn nice. I've forgotten what socks are...what a long sleeved shirt is...what a jersey might be...and as for jackets, they are a thing of the far gone past. Yeah, it is too hot sometimes, but all in all, it beats the hell out of winters in Southland, New Zealand.  

8/ Television: 

Now, surprise, surprise, I'm not actually going to rattle on about how little there is for me to watch here. It is true that there is only one English language channel that I can receive on free to air television here...and that used to be ETC...until they changed to Channel 21, which we can't receive. What I can get is Channel 9 - The Solar News Channel. It's not their fault I can't speak Filipino, so in actual fact I'm thrilled there is one channel I can actually watch. I don't watch much television these days, so it's not a big issue. My one gripe with Filipino Television relates to the Filipino obsession with celebrity. So much of what I see on the TV, when others are watching, revolves around the cult of celebrity...be it overseas celebrities or home-grown ones. One thing that particularly grates on my nerves is the image Filipinos seem to have of themselves, especially as it relates to beauty and health. The biggest child star of the moment is a little girl called Rizza Mae Dizon. She is a nine-year old who has captured the nation's imagination. She really is the super-star of Philippine Film and Television at the moment. My problem with her? She is adorably cute, but she is also extremely overweight for her age. This country, like so many others, faces a real obesity epidemic in the next few decades. My question is: Is Rizza Mae Dizon a good role-model for how we want our Filipino children to look? It is a recurring theme in television advertisements, programs and movies; overweight children are cute and adorable. Personally I just think it sends the wrong message about health to our parents and children. I guess some of this stems from the idea that overweight children mean the parents have been successful. All I can say is that allowing your children to overindulge in eating too much Jollibee, Shakeys, KFC, McDonalds, whatever, is doing them no favours in their future  health.   

7/ The Traffic: 

No blog about this country could ever be complete without some mention of the traffic. It IS diabolical...everyone knows it is diabolical and yet all the local and national politicians seem to want to do to solve the problem is build more roads, more spaghetti junctions and more flyovers. Building more roads is not and never will be the solution to a city's transport problems. I've covered this issue before in another article. Only 20% of the citizens of Metro Manila own their own cars...so why do we insist on spending more and more money on roads. If 80% of the citizens of Metro Manila don't own cars, then surely we should be spending much more money on rapid transit public transport, especially rail. The majority of people who live in this city are suffering on the backs of the elite and wealthy who run the metropolis. It's wrong, and until local and national politicians understand that they are there to serve the majority, not the wealthy elite, or the overseas businessmen, the people of Metro Manila will continue to suffer. Part of the problem is that this lack of clean, fast, reliable, safe public transport has meant that for the 80% of people who live in the metropolis, who don't own cars; their greatest aspiration is first and foremost to own a car. No amount of road building can ever keep up with this continual, mounting desire to own a personal vehicle. To all politicians, local and national, I say: Invest in the future...invest in smart public transport systems and the next generation will reap the rewards of your foresight.       

6/ No footpaths: 

I'm not sure if this is a problem everywhere in the country, but it certainly is where I live. The nearest town to our house is Novaliches (Bayan) and although the main street does indeed have footpaths, you are often hard-pressed to find them. The sheer volume of street traders and food stalls set up on the designated footpaths means that often one is required to walk down the road just to get to where you are going. I have nothing against street traders or food stalls. Both add colour, vibrancy and excitement to the urban environment. In fact, I love eating street food (when my dear wife will let me) and there is always something interesting to find at the various market stalls. My only wish is that they would actually leave us somewhere to walk in safety. At best there is often just a small, narrow path to follow between the various vendor's stalls. The problem occurs when (a) you meet someone coming the other way (99.9% of the time), or (b) someone you are following stops to look at a particular stall's wares. Talk about traffic jams on foot. It can be most frustrating when it takes you over 10-15 minutes just to negotiate a hundred meters down the street. 

5/ Pedestrians:

In many ways this problem is allied to the no-footpaths issue. I realize that there are millions of people in Metro Manila, at any given point in time, trying to get from one place to another, so I'm not overly perturbed by the sheer volume of pedestrians. What does grate on me from time to time is their lack of manners and their lack of awareness of others. An example of this is the use of umbrellas by pedestrians. Yes, I do understand it does rain regularly here and yes I do understand the sun can be particularly hot at times, but is it really necessary to walk down crowded footpaths with your enormous umbrellas up? If it's raining, the little old ladies will try and poke you in the eye with their umbrella and if the suns shining, well, they'll still try and poke you in the eye with their umbrella. My second gripe is people who just stop dead in their tracks...whether to examine the goods at a vendor's stall, or if they suddenly remembered something they'd forgotten, it really doesn't matter. Please don't suddenly stop in the middle of the busy and narrow footpath...there's simply nowhere for those following you, to go. My third gripe is CELLPHONES. It's hard enough walking around the narrow crowded streets without having to avoid the 80% of people who are glued to the screens of their electronic devices as they walk. Not only is it unsafe, for you...it's damn dangerous for others as well. There's no way you can see what's happening around you, if your eyes are focused intently on the display on your cellphone. My final whinge about pedestrians is please, please be patient. If you are behind me and I'm not moving, it's because someone in front is holding me up. Don't try and push your way around me just to get one step further in the snaking queue of people. It's rude and annoying...JUST HAVE SOME PATIENCE PLEASE! I have to get where I'm going to, just as much as you do, so please wait.        

4/ The Strange Desire To Be "White": 

I want to make a heart-felt appeal to all Filipinos. Quit this crazy obsession you have with believing that white skin is somehow more beautiful and more desirable than your own skin colour. This is not unique to Filipinos, it actually appears to be an Asian-wide beauty trend. Please listen to me: IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE! Women all over the world would give their right arms to have skin the colour and texture of yours. Your gorgeous, brown skin is coveted by white Europeans, Americans and Australasians. These women go to extraordinary lengths, like tanning salons and long-term sun exposure, just to look like you. Why on earth do you want to look pale, wan and pasty, like them? It defies belief! The perception of what is beautiful is clearly skewed by popular culture. All I'm saying is that until you go overseas and receive literally millions of compliments about your beautiful skin colour, you will believe the marketeers that insist that beauty is white. In the meantime, you spend thousand of pesos on skin whitening formulas that can actually damage your skin. You stay indoors and avoid the sun; like the plague. You forego the immense pleasure of the beach in Summer...WHY? Trust me, Philippine women are the most beautiful women in the world...you don't need to be white to be beautiful. Personally, I couldn't believe the furore that erupted when Nancy Binay was elected to Senate last year. The general joke seemed to be that she was too dark to be a Filipino. WHAT! Filipinos ARE dark...that's what makes them Filipinos. Somewhere along the line we seem to have gotten confused about what defines beauty. Brown skin, big brown eyes and dark black hair IS beautiful and don't let anyone else kid you otherwise. Personally I find it grotesque when I see a beautiful woman, with lovely brown skin; ruining it by plastering powder all over her face to try and look whiter. To me, it looks like a ghost's face with a slash of red lipstick in the middle. Please embrace your ethnicity and be proud of your beauty.

3/ Creepy-Crawlies and Other Pests: 

We do have creepy-crawlies in New Zealand, just perhaps not as many, or as wide a variety as you do here. Until I came here, I don't think I'd actually ever seen an Ipis (Cockroach) up close and personal. Perhaps it's just too cold for them in Gore or Invercargill, but truthfully I was shocked and horrified by the sight of them. I've certainly seen plenty of them since I've been here, but I'm afraid familiarity hasn't lessened the shock or horror when I actually come across one. Another thing that absolutely floored me was when I realized that Ipis could actually fly. Nobody ever told me that! I discovered it quite by accident one night when one flew straight at me and landed on my shirt. What followed was what I like to call; my "horror dance". I think my wife would describe it as jerking insanely, all over the place, whilst screaming maniacally..."get it off...get it off...get it off!" I just can't help it, they do something awful to my normally rational mind. I doubt I will ever get used to them. Oh, I know they are one of nature's survivors and I know they love to share their lives with us, but I've got news for them...I DON'T WANT TO SHARE! Besides the ubiquitous Ipis, there are many other things that make me jump on a chair and scream like a baby, but I won't go into them all here...suffice it to say...if it moves and it's inside my house...and its not human...I don't like it! I have this policy, which I tried to explain to my dear wife to help her get over her equally irrational fear of lizards (which also like to share our lives). I told her, "If you don't see it...it doesn't exist!" That seemed to work for a while until I was silly (nasty) enough to point out a tiny lizard running across the wall. The resulting scream somehow made my fear of Ipis seem more tolerable, if only for a short time. Thank you darling! 

   

2/ Queuing:

Before I moved to The Philippines, it would be fair to say that I was not the most patient person in the world. In fact, I even had a reputation for being a tad impatient at times. Living here has certainly cured me of that malady. I would suggest that I now am one of the calmest, most patient souls you could hope to meet. Perhaps my wife might disagree slightly with this assertion, but I do think I have a pretty good handle on the laid-back attitude now. One thing that I absolutely abhorred, even back in New Zealand, was queuing. Now you don't have to queue very often in New Zealand, that's just the nature of living in a country with only four million people. The other thing that negates queuing in New Zealand is that we can interact with government offices, both local and national, to do almost anything...online. This makes queuing, especially for government services almost redundant. I realize that technologically the services industry here is well behind the rest of the developed world, so I understand that for many services it is still necessary to present yourself in person. I've experienced this myself at the Bureau of Immigration. The sheer number of people requiring these services on a daily basis means that more often than not you will have to queue. I have no great problem with this. Here's where I do have a problem though...THE BANK! The way bank staff treat their customers in this country is appalling. If this is one country where having enough staff to service the customers should not be a problem...it is this country. The way in which banks in this country treat their customers, especially with respect to waiting times is similar to the way New Zealand banks treated their customers in the 1970's. Somebody needs to remind banks that it is YOUR money that they are holding...NOT theirs. You, as the customer deserve better service than you currently get. I'm not going to mention any bank names in particular, but I really hope our particular bank is one of the worst. I'd hate to think that their are other banks out there that could treat their customers any worse than ours does. Banking here is a crowded market...there is oodles of competition. I would suspect a bank that made its priority dealing with customers transactions quickly, would attract a lot of customers. Where is this bank? I can honestly say that about a year ago, I spent over an hour waiting to see a teller at my bank's branch at Trinoma. You know something else...nothing...and I mean nothing grates on an ordinary customer more than seeing some over-weight, over-dressed, be-jewelled, "priority" customer wander into the bank and get served immediately and get treated with so much deference and courtesy by the bank staff. I know you have to look after your priority customers, I accept that...but please don't rub it in my face, as I'm still queuing along with the other poor people for yet another 30 minutes. What we need is a technology explosion. Banking should in general be done online. Back in New Zealand, I would visit my bank perhaps once or twice a year at the most. Everything I need to do, I can do online. BRING IT ON! pleeeeeeease!     

And now to the finale! My number one Ang Pinaka gripe about living in The Philippines. 

1/ The winner by a long, long way: RUBBISH! 

I'm not talking about the house-hold or commercial rubbish that we put out every day to be carted away to the landfills and disposed of, although the idea of recycling is one that is alive and well in this country and should be applauded. No, what I'm talking about is the prevailing attitudes of, it seems like, most Filipinos who think it's okay to drop their rubbish wherever they are at the time. I've said it in my previous blog, this is a beautiful country, so why on earth are so many people hell-bent on ruining it by dumping their litter just anywhere. This attitude comes from the parents. When I see children do it, they learnt it in only one place...from YOU, their parents. It's not okay to discard wrappers, packaging, and other litter just anywhere you please. If I had one message to schools, to community leaders, to parents, it would be this: Teach the children to care for their environment. Teach the children to value their environment. Teach the children to be responsible when it comes to litter and rubbish. YOU have to set the example. Your children will do as you do. When I ride a jeepney home from Bayan and I see parents unwrap foodstuffs and throw the wrapping out of the back of the jeep, I just want to weep. What sort of example is that for your child sitting beside you? Please, please, please love this land of yours enough to make a personal difference and keep it clean. DON'T ever use the excuse that everyone does it! That's the sort of excuse politicians use when they're caught with their hand or snout in the trough. Take personal responsibility for yourself...at the end of the day that's all you can do. Community leaders, schools and businesses...please make the effort to provide more receptacles for rubbish. It doesn't guarantee that people will use them, but it does take away the excuse that there wasn't any available. When we went to Lemery this past summer there were many photographs my wife didn't want me to post simply because they showed the depth of rubbish washed up on the shoreline. I find it appalling that we are prepared to tolerate this sort of wanton disregard for this beautiful land. Don't let our country become a rubbish dump - be responsible and dispose of the litter properly.    

So that is it! My Ang Pinaka list of the top ten things that mildly annoy me (except for the last one, which frankly, really pisses me off!) about living here. 






Does the list of gripes outweigh the list of loves? Not in a million years! There are many things that could make this country a better place for everyone to live in; but there is only one thing that would be sadder than not seeing them implemented, and that would be: Not living here! I love The Philippines and I love Filipinos. I may not be a Filipino, but I do truly believe I have a Filipino heart.    

It seems that everyone these days is making their lists of likes and dislikes about things, so I thought: Why be different? Let's go with the flow. 

Ang Pinaka, literally means "the most". It s also the name of a popular television entertainment show here on GMA News Channel on a Sunday evening. Hosted by Rovilson Fernandez. It is a top ten countdown of virtually everything; the top ten places to visit in Illocos; the top ten bikini bodies in show business; the top ten places to eat in the Metro; the top ten hottest, hunkiest actors. You name it, Ang Pinaka has probably counted it down at one time or another. 

In the spirit of Ang Pinaka, I present for your delectation and delight today, my top ten things I love about The Philippines and also my top ten things I dislike (note: Not Hate...just dislike). I don't hate anything about this country, but there are one or two things that do annoy me from time to time...and I suspect annoy some other people as well. So...without further ado: 

Ang Pinaka: Thing I Love About the Philippines! 

10/ The Scenery: 

This is a nation of over 7,000 islands. Sure we all know about Boracay, Coron, and Puerto Princess, but the reality is you are never very far from some of the most breathtaking scenery you will see anywhere in the world. From the rugged north of Illocos; to the mountains of Baguio; to the central plains of Luzon; to the Chocolate Hills of Bohol; to the Beaches of anywhere in this country; you have the choice of the most gorgeous vistas to be found anywhere. The sunsets here are to die for. I just cannot understand why so few visitors come here for their "Asian experience". We just have to get the word out more. It's not just more fun in The Philippines...it's more beautiful too. I come from New Zealand, a country famed for its scenery, and yet what I see here never fails to inspire me, to relax me and to refresh me. 

9/ The Filipino Spirit: 

It has been said many, times by many different people, but that's just because it's true. Filipinos are an indomitable people, able to rise above adversity, able to face immense challenges with a smile and a "let's just get it done attitude". If this sounds a little cliched then it is only because we have seen this spirit rise up in the face of calamities, so many times before, that we now take it for granted. Almost 400 years of colonial domination has created a psyche that is prepared to accept that "shit happens" and we just have to deal with it. I am always immensely impressed by the way the people rise to these sometimes seemingly insurmountable problems. You only have to look at the responses to the Bohol earthquake and Super Typhoon Yolanda last year to get some idea of the uncrushable, unbeatable Filipino spirit. 

8/ The Heritage: 

Perhaps it's a sign of my getting older, but the thrill of adventure tourism has paled somewhat. My idea of an exciting day here is to tour the old Churches, the Museums, and admire the old architecture. For this, one of the best places I have discovered is Vigan, in Illocos Sur and of course, Intramuros in Manila. We also toured some wonderful Churches, a year or so ago in Iloilo, when we were there. The Spanish influence in this country was immense, over that 350 odd years, and the heritage they left behind provides me with many hours of pleasure. The Churches, in particular, are amongst the most beautiful buildings and the most richly decorated I have ever seen. It saddened me when I realized the 2013 earthquake in Bohol had destroyed many magnificent Churches, that I had yet to see. 

7/ The Multiculturalism: 

There are many different indigenous populations that make up this country and I have seen a real effort in the past few years for indigenous people to be included in the mainstream of Filipino life. For centuries the uniqueness of these indigenous cultures has been suppressed, derided and diminished through inter-marriage. Each one of these indigenous groups; be they Aetas, Ifugaos, Mangyan, Lumad, Kalagan, or any of the other many distinct cultural groupings; their cultural diversity, their unique language or dialects, their special cultural treasures of dance, song and literature are now all being promoted and celebrated. Filipinos, it seems, are finally beginning to realize that they are not clones of Spanish/American culture, but that they do actually have their own rich and diverse cultural identity. Long may they continue to embrace and revel in their cultural heritage. It is the key to Filipino identity and crucial to the country, going forward. 

6/ The Youthful Vitality of the Country: 

Over half of the 90 odd million Filipinos in 2010 were under 25 years of age, with around 34% under 15 years. While this does provide some unique challenges for any Government; with respect to education and employment, what it also does is to create a vibrant, technologically savvy youth that can lead this country deep into the 21st Century. When this is compared to many Western Countries we find that one of the biggest tasks facing them is care of the elderly and provision of social security for the aged. The Philippines, by dint of its youthful population has a young, willing workforce capable of building a social security system that can support those elderly who have no familial support. More importantly, from a personal perspective, the young population gives the country a young and fresh feel. It is full of young people seeking to make their way in the world...it gives a feeling of hope for the future. 

5/ The Strength of the Family Bond:

 The Philippines is a clan based society. Family first, region second and country third seems to be the standard viewpoint of most Filipinos. Although this can have some negative side effects, such as putting family or regional interests ahead of the National interest, I still put it as one of the things I love and admire about The Philippines. As a Westerner, I struggled initially with this whole concept of OFW's. To me, it seemed an anathema; that people would essentially abandon their parental responsibilities to travel overseas and work. It seemed to me that the children would be better off having both their parents with them as they grew up. I know better now! I have enormous respect for the self-sacrifice that so many parents make in order for their children to receive a quality education and a good start in life. These parents have one desire; that their children have a better opportunity at life, than they did. How can I not respect that sentiment? It is a reflection of the incredibly close family bonds that there is almost always somebody willing to step into the breach as surrogate parents for the children of OFW's...be it the Husband or Wife of the OFW; the Lola and Lolo, the Tita, or Tito, or even elder siblings. I have learned not to judge until you have walked a mile in their shoes. Immense kudos to all OFW's!

4/ The Food: 

Where to start with the food. I love most Filipino food. I will admit there are one or two things that I cannot stomach...and trust me, I have tried; they include bagoong and balut, but those aside I adore most Philippine cooking. I couldn't imagine not having rice at least twice a day now...and who would have believed that three years ago...certainly not me! For the record; my 10 favorite dishes, from 10 to 1 are: 10/ Lechon (manok or baboy...it matters not!) 9/ Pata tim 8/ Bulalo 7/ Pancit Shanghai 6/ Pancit Canton 5/ Menudo 4/ Embutido 3/ Adobo 2/ Sisig (must have itlog on top though) and my No.1 all-time ang pinaka Filipino food is: (drum roll please)...Lumpia Gulay! (No surprise there to my wife). There are so many other wonderful foods that I just can't cover here. I'll have to do a blog just on foods I think. 

3/ The Friendliness: 

You know; anyone that knows me knows I'm just a tad cynical sometimes and when I first came here I did put the innate friendliness I encountered down to one thing...I was white, I was a Westerner and they thought I must have money. Three and a half years later, I'm totally ashamed of myself for thinking that. The truth...the reality...the plain fact is that Filipino people are, in general, incredibly friendly, incredibly open and incredibly sharing. One of the most important reasons I love living here is the laid-back, relaxed, almost sleepy attitude of my fellow inhabitants of this country. Maybe it's their strong moral background instilled in them through their parents, the Church (heaven forbid!) and School but whatever, people here are just plain nice and they are just plain nice in a selfless way. They generally expect nothing in return for their kindness and generosity. The Philippines often scores highly in happiness surveys, so maybe that's the key...despite every trial they face, Filipinos are just naturally happy and friendly people. I love it! 

2/ The Theater that is Philippine Politics: 

Much as I would like to stay away from Politics, it seems I just can't. I'm drawn to it in much the same way as the actors, singers and dancers in this country seem to be drawn to it. It truly is the grandest stage of all! As a keen student of political machinations and of people, I totally love and thoroughly enjoy watching the soap opera that is Politics here, playing out on a daily basis. Whether it is the Impeachment of a Chief Justice or the pending imprisonment of three incumbent Senators, there is nothing quite more like "Days of our Lives" than the evening news on the Solar News Channel. For me, the highlight recently was the "Privilege Speech" of actor, turned Senator, Bong Revilla prior to his corruption case going to the Sandiganbayan and prior to his imminent arrest. Sadly, for me, it was in Tagalog, so I didn't get all the nuances of the speech, but you did not have to be a Filipino speaker to appreciate the wonderful theatricality of his delivery and his words,..an excellent script Mr Revilla...I wonder who wrote it for you...Who will play you in the movie? I understand he is considering running for President in 2016 but I wonder how easy it will be to campaign from the detention cells in Camp Crame? Politics - Pinoy Style! Still a source of great entertainment for me. 

AND: 

My Number One Ang Pinaka reason why I love the Philippines! 

1) My Family Here: 

OK, if that sounds a bit soppy and sentimental, I don't care. I make no apologies for this topping my list. From the very first moment I set foot on these islands I have been brought into the fold of a wonderful family. My gorgeous and loving wife Thess, should be immensely proud of the seven children she has raised. The elder children accepted me, without question and have treated me with care, courtesy and inclusion from the very start. As one of them said to me early on; "If Mama's happy, I'm happy." I have also had a chance to be an influence in the lives of my two youngest step-children; Angeline and Amelia Rose, who have welcomed me into their lives with genuineness and love. I have loved the opportunity to play a small role in their development as human beings and I am forever grateful they never resented my arrival in their lives or resented my taking their Mother's time away from them. BUT I reserve my biggest love, my biggest admiration and my biggest thanks to my beloved wife. A cross-cultural marriage is a lot harder than many think. There are language, cultural and moral differences that need to be worked through. She has never let misunderstandings come between us and the trials and tribulations we have faced in the past years, we have faced together in unity. She is my No.1 idol and I am her No.1 fan. Someone in the Bureau of Immigration once asked me; "Why do you want to live here, New Zealand is such a lovely country?" My answer then and my answer still is; "Home is where the heart is...and my heart is here." Thank you my darling, for making my home so special.

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 of ANG PINAKA: The top 10 things that mildly annoy me about The Philippines. 

People, it would appear have very short memories and it is this which prompts me to write my blog this morning.

It was Edmund Burke, a renowned Irish philosopher and statesman, of the sixteenth century, who once pronounced; "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it". As a quote it is probably one of the most bastardized quotes ever. Many have taken it and re-applied it to their own personal agendas. Still 300 odd years on, it rings as true today as it ever did back then. 

What prompts this focus on history and its importance to us today? In the past week I have seen one television interview (with Imee Marcos) and read three separate commentaries on social media that are attempting, in my humble opinion, to rewrite history. We are being told that the years from 1965 to 1986 under the Presidency of Ferdinand Marcos were great years for the Philippines. Further, that in those 21 years, great achievements were made in this country in education, social change and in technology and infrastructure. We are now being told that the excesses of the Marcos regime and his family were nowhere near as bad as they have been portrayed. 

Mr Marcos and his good wife Imelda, we are now led to believe, were misunderstood and that their actions were for the good of the Filipino people. When I read this stuff I recoil in horror. Can our memories really be that short? Do people genuinely believe that a murdering, thieving, lying, ruthless, incredibly corrupt Government led by Mr Marcos had the best interests of the Philippine people at its heart? Are we really all that gullible? In short, is this an orchestrated propaganda campaign to lift the Marcos name, in the Filipino psyche and to rewrite history. 

The fact that Imelda Marcos, a co-participant and some would say the driving force behind the throne of Ferdinand Marcos, can still sit in the 'People's House' the Congress of the Philippines and represent the Second District of Illocos Norte...coincidentally not her home district, but that of her late husband, and a seat previously held by her son Bong-Bong Marcos, is in my mind scandalous. Sadly that is the nature of politics in The Philippines. That she is the second richest congressperson behind, of course, Manny Pacquiao should be an even greater reason for horror and disgust. Did that wealth not come off the backs, the blood, the sweat and the tears of millions of poor Filipinos? Clearly Filipinos are the most forgiving of people...a trait that will always make them vulnerable to scalawags and rascals.

I would ask people to remember that MANY of these supposed great infrastructure projects of the Marcos era were not promulgated with the needs of the Filipino people in mind. They were created for one reason and one reason alone...to enrich the already wealthy supporters and allies of the regime. There is a reason, for example, why so many cement factories made billions during the Marcos era. They were owned by supporters and allies of Mr Marcos and they received Government contracts in much the same way as children receive lolly's at a lolly scramble. 

I can accept that if it is the will of the people to continue to elect known thieves, liars and celebrities as their politicians, then so be it (see my previous blog). That is the nature of democracy. What I cannot do, however, is sit idly by whilst the Marcos Clan, their cronies and their political allies attempt to rewrite history. 

For 14 long, painful years this country was strangled by the economic rape of the ruling elite. When Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972 he assumed absolute and complete control over the destiny and direction of The Philippines. During those 14 years there was a succession of political assassinations, illegal detentions, torture and the simple mass disappearances of opposition or political activists. Now you try and tell me that the wives, the husbands, the children and the other relatives of these people consider the economic progress made by this country during Martial Law was a fair recompense for the loss of their loved ones. 

Now, many economists would indeed argue that the best political mechanism to lift a developing nation out of poverty, is a benevolent dictatorship. The economists argue that a benevolent dictatorship allows decisions on resource allocations to be made quickly and efficiently. This is true...BUT HERE'S THE CRUNCH! No dictatorship, benevolent or otherwise has ever stayed benevolent for long. In 1887 Lord Acton, in a letter to Bishop Creighton stated: "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." 

Most, if not all dictators started off with good intentions. After all, Mussolini made the trains run on time...even Hitler created many great things for Germany. He got employment back to the people, with his great industrial war machine. But all people who crave power and the wealth that goes with great power will inevitably fall to the human nature of greed. There is little doubt in my mind that one Ferdinand Marcos, his family and his cronies succumbed to that belief that only they could be right...only they knew what was right for the people. 

It's called megalomania and it is the most common form of political disease anywhere in the world. The Philippines is no less immune to megalomania than say New Zealand. In 1974 New Zealand also had a leader who came to the conclusion that he was more powerful, more important than anyone else in Parliament. He came to believe that only his opinion counted. His name was Sir Robert Muldoon and he displayed all the classic symptoms of a megalomaniac...distrust of others, suspicion of motives of others...in short paranoia. Fortunately we had an electoral system that allowed us to easily remove him from office, which the people did in the 1974 elections. Sadly, for The Philippines, it took the People Power Revolution of 1986 to remove their megalomaniac from office. 

My point of this blog is simple...do not allow a recitation of the achievements of Ferdinand Marcos, his lovely wife and his cronies to cloud the memory of what those 14 years of martial law and ruthless dictatorship did to this nation. 

When I talk to the young people of this country it disturbs me that they really have no concept of their political history. They know of "People Power" of course, but they have very little idea or concept of what prompted the people's revolution. They know a lot about the early heroes of the first republic...Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emile Aguinaldo, and others, but I find their understanding of and appreciation for the years of Martial Law, to be sadly lacking. This is a clear gap in the current education system. It was those years under Marcos that shaped where we are today and we must never allow the passing years to dim the evil aspects of that regime. 

I don't for a second suggest that The Philippine democracy is anywhere near perfect. It is still beset by self-serving cronyism that puts wealth and power far above service. We only have to look at the current PDAF scam debacle to realize that as a democracy we still have a very long way to go. What I do suggest is that what we have today is far, far, superior to any dictatorship. At least we can hold those who have cheated us, accountable. For that we need a strong Leader (we have one), a strong Justice Secretary (we have one), a strong Ombudsman (we have one) and a strong leader of our Court System (we have one). The fact that three of those four leaders are woman, just adds to my certainty that in this issue justice will eventually be served on these greedy, corrupt people. 

Winston Churchill once famously said; "Democracy is the worst form of Government - except for all the others that have been tried from time to time." I'm a great believer in that statement. Until something better is discovered I would rather live in a democracy, no matter how imperfect it is...than any other form of autocratic rule. 


We must not forget, or allow others to sanitize, the past. It was what it was. 

Learn from it and vow to never allow it to be repeated!