Peaceful End to a Hostage Drama: Agenbite of Inwit or a Political Stunt?

Just about two hours ago, a hostage drama involving 32 children and 2 teachers in a school bus, in the Philippines, ended without any bloodshed.

The alleged hostage taker, a certain Jun Ducat, who is also the founder of the day care center where those children attended, peacefully surrendered after a 10-hour stand-off that stole the spotlight, having the world media covering every bit of the crisis.

What did he want from all that media-grabbing attention? Based on initial reports, all he wanted was for a change targeting on the corruption in the government and a demand for a better education for all those poor children.

Oh yeah, those poor little children! You don’t really know what the guy’s real motives are because apparently this is not the first time that he pulled a stunt of this sort. As I watched the coverage on TV, I am appalled and infuriated by the heartlessness of these people, putting the lives of these poverty-stricken children in danger. Mind you, even in the midst of crisis, most of them didn’t even have a clue on what was happening. Someone inside the school bus where all these children were hostaged, was threatening to blow-up everyone inside with a hand grenade yet the picture you see on TV is that of those hostaged children waving to the spectators and the cameras, smiling as if they really weren’t in a hostage situation. I am just glad that it ended without any of those children being hurt physically. The emotional trauma for those who knew that their lives were in grave danger, though, is far more devastating.

Whatever the real motive was for the hostage drama, I'm sure it served its purpose. The timing of this hostage-taking crisis is a little vicious knowing that the Philippine political scene is just heating up for the fast-approaching polls. The hostage-taker admitted that he has no intent of hurting any of those children. Then, why put them in harm’s way?

It’s ironic for one to seem to care about giving some children an improved quality of education and not care about the horror that the situation brings about to those young innocent lives. What if it didn’t end up the way it ended up? What if some outsider with an ill will sabotaged the situation and resulted in the demise of those little children? I tell you, if I was one of the parents, and God forbid, I probably wouldn’t be as forgiving and as hopeful as those parents who were paying close vigil on the sidelines, waiting for the moment when the crisis is resolved peacefully. I just don’t think I have the heart and the tolerance to withstand all that!

Now, I’m a little curious. Was the peaceful end of the crisis a result of perhaps some kind of remorse of conscience on the hostage taker’s part or was it a mere predetermined conclusion to a stunt that hinged on the political interests of a few puppet masters? Tell me please, for the sake of those poor innocent children.

Philippines: Its Beauty Shines Through

For most people around the globe who haven't travelled to the Philippines, perhaps you'd think that the Philippines is really as bad as what the global media projects. Yes, it is a third world country. About 65% of its population live below the poverty line. The economy isn't remarkable. There's too much political instability. Chaos and insurgencies loom in the south. The country is still buried in its huge debt. Much of the government's arm is tainted with corruption. Dwell on these facts and you'll very well picture a banana republic struggling to get out of its pit.


On the lighter side though, the Philippines is a great country, endowed with beautiful people and beautiful places. It is a little paradise geographically segmented into several little islands that are mostly unindustrialized, thus preserving nature's innate beauty.


One of the Philippines' successful campaigns is tourism, and indeed, it is able to bring in a huge number of tourists and visitors from all over the world and helping boost its economy as well attracting more investors. This provided an opportunity for the Philippines to be seen in a different light. For those people who came and really bothered to venture the islands, they know that this place is a little piece of paradise. In fact some of them have opted to stay in the Philippines for good. Some chose to raise a family here. Some even ventured into trade. Most of them eventually acquired a liking to the Philippine habitat, the Filipino lifestyle and the Filipino culture.


Most Filipino people go to other places to work and earn abroad because the Philippines does not promise much hope for most of its job-hungry populace. Couple to that the fact that even if you have a job in the Philippines, it is not enough to raise a family and be able to secure the family's future. Yet, these people as soon as they prosper they always choose to come back and settle in the Philippines for the rest of their lives since they know the Philippines has more to offer in terms of enjoying one's life once you already have the finances to back a leisurely lifestyle. And perhaps it won't be as costly as enjoying the same standard of life in a different part of the world.


With that said, let me assure you that if you come and visit the Philippines and keep and open mind, you will be able to experience something that is both unforgettable and pleasurable. There's an endless list of places you can go to for all kinds of interests whether it be sight-seeing, photography, island-hopping, yachting, surfing, mountain-climbing, scuba diving, jet-skiing, collecting unique crafts, dining and more. You will be catered too if all you want to do is to enjoy the picturesque sceneries and not to mention, the bounty of beautiful, well-mannered Filipinas.


Haven't I said enough? Run to your nearest travel agent and grab the next flight to the beautiful Philippine archipelago now.

Lucky Filipino: Jinxed!

You probably wonder what it's like to be a Filipino. To be a Filipino is quite like a stroke of luck and some jinx intertwined. Why?

1. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: You live in a country full of natural resources.
   
   
   • Jinx: Having been colonized by the Spaniards, the influence of corruption is undeniably crippling, and it looks like it's here to stay till kingdom come!
   
   
   
   


2. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: Filipinos are naturally a happy people no matter what their status in life is.
   
   
   • Jinx: Most Filipinos don't try so hard to improve their lives, anyways, they're happy with what they've got.
   
   
   
   


3. 
   
   • Luck: In times of tragedy, the Filipino community never fails to reach out to those needing help. There is always a genuine spirit of caring for other people in need.
   
   
   • Jinx: Filipino people are crabs, no matter what. If you do well with your life, watch out, there's always a crab behind you, waiting to pull you down.
   
   
   
   


4. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: There's ample supply of super-talented professionals in almost every field of practice be it medicine, engineering, journalism, teaching, social work, etc.
   
   
   • Jinx: There's a greener pasture about 10,000 miles away. That's where all of them are headed.
   
   
   
   


5. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: Most Filipino people are God-fearing.
   
   
   • Jinx: It allows them to leave everything up to God without trying. Thus, if someone doesn't act responsibly, the bad outcome is always attributed to " God's will".
   
   
   
   


6. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: The Philippines encourages free trade.
   
   
   • Jinx: All junk from other countries becomes a tradeable commodity--and it's coming in at a rate much faster than you can say 'junk'--from relief clothing to junkyard scrap cars.
   
   
   
   


7. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: The Philippines encourages tourism. All the Koreans are moving in.
   
   
   • Jinx: Could it get worse? There is already about 75 million flat-nosed spread-toed Pinoys struggling to have a slice of Pinoy land.
   
   
   
   


8. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: The Philippines is a democratic nation.
   
   
   • Jinx: The so called "people's servants" do lip service all the time, and they never stop arguing. Democracy is--I have every right to talk, you have every right not to listen if you don't want to!
   
   
   
   


9. 
   
   
   
   • Luck: Most Filipino women are beautiful.
   
   
   • Jinx: They can only have either beauty or brains, but not both.
   
   
   Note: I'm the only exception to that rule. And?(picture me raising my eyebrows while I give you a mean look.)


10. 
    
    
    
    • Luck: A Filipina can blog.
    
    
    • Jinx: She didn't get to know about it, until after the blog craze has cooled down dramatically.
    
    
    
    
    

Now that you know, you can either beg to differ or agree to disagree. Drop a line.

A Bit of Filipino Tongue

Ever wonder how to say "I love you" in a thousand different ways? I'll give you two ways more to say it. Pay close attention.

I LOVE YOU

• I
  
  Tagalog: Ako
  
  Visayan/Cebuano: Ako
  



• Love
  
  Tagalog: Mahal, Pag-ibig
  
  Visayan/Cebuano: Gugma, Pagmahal



• You
  
  Tagalog: Ikaw
  Visayan/Cebuano: Ikaw

So how do you say it?

Tagalog: Mahal kita

or Tagalog: Ini-ibig kita

Visayan/Cebuano: Gihigugma ko ikaw

Visayan/Cebuano: Gimahal ko ikaw

Now try this: What does this mean? Tagalog: Ano ang pangalan mo? Clues:
Ano--what; pangalan--name; mo--your

Visayan/Cebuano: Pila imong edad? Clues: Pila--how much; imo--your; edad--age

Got it?

Stages of Marriage To A Typical Filipino Couple

To a Filipino couple who commit themselves to a relationship through marriage, indeed, the phrase "till death do us part" is kept for a lifetime. Note that, since the Philippines is a predominantly Christian nation, there is no premise that allows for a divorce to occur after marriage. Nowadays though, a couple who jumps into the bandwagon of marriage and later realizes that the union has no future due to "irreconcilable differences" has an option to file for annulment as an exit door to end the relationship. It should be noted however that this exercise of freeing oneself from the bonds of marriage is only for a few couples who have the money to spend for the litigation and the stamina to endure the long process.

With that it's a common occurrence for couples to just endure one another throughout the relationship for as long as they live. Now, let's take a look at the bigger picture. Granting that a union despite being a rocky relationship will still manage to flourish, these are the typical stages that many Filipino couples go through from the courtship stage until post marriage.

1. "I love you and that's all that matters" stage.This is the stage in the relationship wherein all that abounds is love. At this amorous phase, the guy treats the girl like a princess, and the girl sees the guy as "Mr. Perfect". It is expected that all good things that can possibly happen in a relationship happen at this stage. This is also the stage wherein both individuals are blinded about the flaws of one another.
   
   
2. "I thought you were ...but you aren't" stage.This is the stage wherein the cloud of affection slowly lifts off and shines a bright light on the couples awareness, thus, the flaws will now be slowly noticed and noted as well. At this point the relationship starts to lose its sweetness and is replaced by sour demeanor and bitter resentments. This is like the awakening stage. This is where battles are fought and whoever can withstand this stage has a better chance of making it to the finish line--that is live with each other "till death do us part".
   
   
3. "You weren't what I thought you were...but what can I do" stage. This is the third and last stage, which is like the calm after the storm. At this stage of the relationship, the couple has finally gotten used to each other's flaws and has learned that their individual differences is only meant for them to complement one another. This stage is the acceptance stage. It is at this stage that the couple realizes that there's no point in tearing down the union. The only thing that's left is an invitation for each other to walk with each other and uphold the relationship till the end of their days.
   

Stages one and two are so typical of any relationship. The only difference is, some culture has reserved an exit door for couples to take when things really get out of hand. Sadly, for the many Filipino women who suffer in a relationship, there's no other way than to proceed to the third stage. On the other hand, being forced to go on with the relationship for as long as the couples live have made it possible for a lot of Filipino children to have a family that is whole and one they can call their own. There is a down side to it too, and that is the trauma that it brings about when there is too much hostility in the relationship.

Nevertheless, let me say that this cultural upbringing has influenced a lot of Filipino women to remain faithful, and hold on to a marriage for as long as they can. Ever wonder why some men from highly liberated societies would opt to come to the Philippines to marry a Filipina? That's a pretty much precise judgement based on the fidelity factor, but let me clarify one thing though. If you are one of the guys that I've pointed out above and you're thinking that the Philippines has a huge market of wife-material women, think again. Faithful isn't synonymous to being a responsible wife or being a good mother. Just like the women you find in your place, women in the Philippines also come in different packages. There are good, there are bad. In this day and age, cultural exposure through all kinds of media greatly influences a woman's views, values and morals. So what might have been so typical before may no longer be typical after all.

Tell-Tale Signs That You Found Your Way to the 7,100 and One Islands

The seven thousand one hundred and one...err...two...whatever...islands? Where else? The Philippines, of course!(look in the world map, can you actually count all the islands?).

How can you tell that you made your way to the Pinoy republic?

Here's how:

• As you tour around the islands, it is impossible not to notice a bunch of people trekking the streets in their flip-flops.
  


• If you happen to drive around, you'll be able to gauge how quick your reflexes are as you try to avoid oblivious pedestrians crossing the streets--at your own risk!
  


• How many Pinoys can you fit in the back of your car? 5? 10? 20? Try a whole village! And that's a common sight.
  


• The national pastime is not basketball. It's gossip!
  


• For once you'll think you're visiting the U.N. headquarters. You'll see a bunch of flag-like stuff(like the U.N. flags), adorning typical homes...wait where did you hang my laundry?
  


• Wherever you go, rice is the main dish.
  


• If you ask for directions, you'll typically get a nod and...directions indicated by the direction where the mouth is pointing. Yup...you can actually use your mouth to point at stuff. Try it.
  


• It's the only place where everyone seems to like you. People will actually smile at you and say hello.
  


• It is also a place where people are rude. Yup, but for Pinoys it's not rude to stare at people. It's merely showing a genuine interest in you.
  


• Nobody minds his own business. Everybody minds other people's business.
  


• Texting through cellphone is the next favorite pastime.
  


• This is the only place on the face of the earth where people are so hospitable.
  


• How about, you're in Asia, yet these people speak your language as though it's their native tongue?
  


• Certainly, this one is the best indicator--this is the only place where most people have nothing, yet they're much happier than most people anywhere in the planet!

March Madness

Time went by so quickly. It felt like we just hit 2007 and we didn't even notice that we're now finishing the first quarter of the year. In our place, March marks the start of a usually long period of hot, hot weather. This is the time of the year when ninety degrees Fahrenheit really isn't a surprise. This year, March is quite a busy month. Why? There's so much going on. School year ends. Inventory sale everywhere. Lenten season kicks off. Summer job starts. And most notably, the political arena is heating up for the May 2007 polls. Where? The seven-thousand-and-one-islands of course!

There's just so much going on right now. If you focus your attention on the local scene, there's just too much eyesore. You turn on your television and all you see are these campaign ads from different politicians who are running for the polls. It is really an eyesore because it just looks so unnatural for them to be so charismatic, so nice, so sensitive to the needs of the people, so aware of the plight of the poor, so hopeful to do something for the people--when all they did while they were in office was just to bicker with one another on unimportant issues, and grandstand on their political affiliations. I don't know why, but this political scene is just appalling! It is an ever endless loop of mud-slinging, trashing, strategizing, etc. all for the good of the politicians political career. And nothing for the people, actually. It's just sad. The result--(I hope not)a government "fool" the people, "buy" the people and "off" the people.