Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Self-Centric Behavior and Filipino Face


This is not a new topic here. I'm just going to try cutting it a different way to get some clarity on it. I'm going to be rudely blunt because tippy toeing gets us nowhere.

TO: Juan dela Cruz, the Juan with a high school degree and a couple of years of college under the belt before going off to Uncle Manuelo's vulcanizing shop to fix tires:

Good day, Juan. Here's a little story.

This is the American way

A man sees that his American wife is going to go out for a ride on her motorcycle. He leaves his computer desk and goes downstairs to open the garage and haul her heavy bike out so she can start it easily. His wife, recognizing his kindness, says "Thank you, smoochie poo!"

He smiles back, "Happy to, my sweet!"

"Oh, loverboy, I forgot the key to the outside gate? Can you get it for me?"

"Happy to, love of my life."

This is the Filipino way

A man sees that his Filipina wife is going to go out for a ride on her motorcycle. He leaves his computer desk and goes downstairs to open the garage and haul her heavy bike out so she can start it easily. His wife, recognizing his groveling servitude and her greater power, scowls at him and says nothing.

"Get the keys to the outside gate," she commands, sensing his weakness at having come downstairs.

Pregnant pause as two cultures collide . . .

"Get a life" he mutters and stomps back up to his computer.

Discussion

Perhaps you think I jest, eh, Jose? That this difference in attitude is a petty little snit?

I assure you, the difference is real and profound. I state the trivial simply to show how pervasive this "win/loss power struggle" is in normal Filipino behavior.

Most Filipinos are self-centric. Period. Full stop. End of statement. They engage in win/lose power struggles in just about every interpersonal interaction from throwing off minor ridicule about people's looks and clothes to going volcanic in big arguments that end up with guns blazing and bodies bleeding. Indeed, last week a body was dumped on a country road about a half-mile from here. It is the second murder bringing police to our small and peaceful hillside sitio this past year.

The Philippines is a brutal and murderous land. It is not a coincidence that it is also a self-centric land.

American behavioral norms are generally "community centric". That's what the Golden Rule means. Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you. So there is a much more evolved sense of compassion, courtesy and "give" in American discourse and behavior. Sometimes it is fake. Most of the time it is sincere.

Way too many Filipinos are engaged in dysfunctional games and unbridled attempts to preserve face: denial of responsibility, excuse-making, blaming, ridicule of others to reduce their standing. The difference in behavior is tangible, palpable. One is giving. The other game-playing.

Now, Jose, it is completely fair for you to say "Joe, that is our culture here. Every place has a different culture. It is the outsider's obligation to adapt to us, not our obligation to change to suit your foreign needs."

Yes, yes, I agree. Indeed, that is the richness I find in living here, the challenge of adapting to behaviors that are not common and are often downright entertaining (watching 50 vehicles from tricycles to dump trucks trying to get through a crowded intersection at the same time, whilst the traffic guy chews the fat with his buddy over there in the shade).

But if I, as a foreigner, am supposed to accept things as they are, why do Filipinos complain so much about how ineffective government is at providing jobs, or health care, or how poor the people are and how often they seem to get killed by flash floods or sunken ferries.?

Why can Filipinos yap but I cannot?

I ask, being very blunt here, Jose. Is it because you don't lose face when YOU yap? Indeed, you GAIN it by criticizing others. But you lose face when I yap because I am pointing out flaws in the Filipino community, and you are a member of that community?

Well, if you lose face, there must be something meaningful to my yapping, something true about the words. Something to hide from. Why would you get worked up if there were no truth to the yap? You'd simply laugh at my alien stupidity.

Well, the fact is most Asian cultures are very much involved in saving face and building face. Look at China's face-saving posturing on their silly nine-dash map that claims an entire ocean as theirs. It defies any kind of logic and forces them into the role of international strutting bully. Or look at the Japanese, still committing honorable suicide if they lose too much face. Love those knives up the gut.

But this notion of "face" is itself false, if you think about it. It is a lie. It is a pretense. And if enough people are dealing in "face" instead of objective, transparent, explicit information, you get the surreal kind of dysfunctional, schizoid, psychopathic (Ampatuan) place called the Philippines. People are living their perceptions and their angers instead of the kind of explicit truth that opens problems up to solution.

The FACT is that life is a flawed undertaking, full of risk and human failing and chaos. Why engage in a fantasy that our decisions or the way we do things must be perfect, or we are somehow lesser beings? Why leap to the conclusion that if we make a mistake, we are flawed as people?

The first thing any good psycho-therapist does is to make sure the client is content with who he or she is. If you are content, you don't get into face issues. You deal forthrightly, giving other people the space they need to be themselves. You don't impose your neediness on them. You don't judge yourself based on what other people do or say.

"Face" is an emotional needy space. It is actually empowering OTHERS to rule your life.

Ahhh, I'll go beyond that. The notion of preserving face is horseshit. Succumbing to it covers up the benefit that honest information and candor would bring to a discussion. Trying to preserve face is wallowing in pity and pride and hiding out. You might as well be gay and stuck forever in the closet, only you are hiding from yourself. Face is running and hiding. It is useless.

So, Jose, while you and so many of your countrymates are working hard to take care of your faces, you are not caring about all the people who are getting sick, killed and hurt through neglect and sloppy practices. You are not caring that bright, capable young people do not having the chance for a career job, right here in the Philippines. You are not caring about women trapped in abusive marriages because their marriage contract has no escape clause. You are not caring about your country . . .

Maybe, Jose, my amigo, if y'all forgot about your face and focused on problem-solving and helping the grand community of Filipinos, called the Philippines, this place would be less dysfunctional, eh?

That's it. My time's up.

Gotta go help my sweet wife get her heavy motorcycle out of the garage.

Adios, amigo. Go with God.

ps, your face looks fine to me.

45 comments:

  1. "...You don't judge yourself based on what other people do or say..."

    Hahaha right on the dot: We DO judge ourselves on what other people do or say!-- ricelander

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    1. Everyone tends that way. It takes a conscious effort, and exercise, like working out at the gym, to get rid of that albatross. The way it was explained to me was that others have their own agendas and backgrounds and biases, and we should let them keep them. They have their reasons for doing things and usually it has nothing at all to do with us. Even if they are talking to us! We should not allow them the power to dictate who we are or what we do or how we feel.

      Delete
  2. Nice example, Joe. This may be why I often don't get a "Thank you" when I hold the door open for someone.

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    1. Exactly! Nice example yourself. It's like sayng "thank you" is a sign of weakness. Or stopping for a pedestrian in the crosswalk.

      Delete
    2. Yeah Joe,

      Why is it that most Filipinos are afraid to say thank you? I am afraid culture is not the answer.

      Educated Filipinos certainly know how to say thank you, but those regular Jose and Josefa are just afraid or perhaps too lazy to yap back.

      What's the problem?

      Delete
    3. Anon, I'm working on it and will drop a blog off when I figure out why the common-man Filipino has not figured out that his community is stronger if people take care of one another . . . give me a year or 10.

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    4. I am afraid, when these common-man Filipino learns how to say thank you, you will have nothing to blog about. Terrible eh?

      I take my children fro/to school in the morning only. There is a young childless married lady who takes care of her nephew whose a classmate of my daughter in prep-school. They live nearby, so I give them a ride from time to time. My little kindness deserved a tiny-bit thank you, but she always failed to say thank you. I dont feel bad because I guess I have already understand that it is an unspoken words
      substituted with that shy smile.

      What do you see wrong with that picture Joe?

      In my poor community we tend to take care of one another and there is a strong sense of goodwill, and saying thank you is difficult for the common-man Filipino.

      Perhaps, I will never find out why, but I understand why.

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    5. Ah, I'm sure I will find something to blog about when Filipinos far and wide are saying thank you. Coconut farming or China maybe.

      I see nothing wrong with your story at all. It is quite touching, actually, and I will need to try harder to see the unspoken thank yous that surround me. Thanks for that bit of guidance, from the heart.

      And your closing line is fantastic.

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    6. Joe,

      I thought my closing line was redundant; you really never know and glad you like it.

      I was messing with you about nothing to blog about, I am sure you can blog about coconuts, but I seriously qustion the China choice. Your wife will kill you first before she will allow you immigrate in China :)

      I will have to ask your wife to get the key ring, open the garage door this time and say "Hey! Honey bunny, why dont you take joy ride and get some SanMig."

      Delete
    7. Ah, on Monday she brought home half a case of San Mig. She is very much a sweetie. She had to hitch a ride on a motorcycle cab to haul it in.

      Delete
    8. Nice to have a good wife you got there and sacrificed her safety on a bike just to make you happier.

      I am salivating over your San Migs.

      Its Jack

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  3. To Joe Blow, the Joe with a high school degree and a couple of years of college under the belt before going off to become an "associate" at a burger chain

    Filipinas don't grow up watching princess movies, they know the frog they marry will always be a frog notwithstanding kisses unmatched anywhere in the universe. They cook, they clean, they wash, and they make love that even God could not conceive possible. And all they ask for in return is for their men to get the goddam keys to the fucking gate so they can take their bike out for a spin. :)

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    1. In that case you know that for your Filipina wife to treat you like a prince you must recognize her as your queen :) But I guess women everywhere expect that of us the inferior species.

      But moving on to your thesis, what I do not understand is why my fellow Filipinos do not realize that they can replace their local officials every three years and their national officials every six years. Instead of bitching, just vote for someone who will serve you in the way you want to be served is what I always tell them. Some countries have to go through a bloody revolution, all we have to do is tick off names on a sheet of paper and stick it in a PCOS machine. And yet...we bitch and moan over the choices we made

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    2. My wife treats me like a prince, so I'll keep getting the keys. It is a superior way to be inferior . . .

      Yes, you raise a good point. Elections here are forthright for the most part. But no one seems to have gotten the notion of "throw the bums out". Maybe the other choices aren't so hot, either, I dunno. The party system here is a little weird. Opportunistic. People just go with who they know, and that is the guy with his face plastered on the billboard down there where the farm to market road starts.

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    3. @manuelbuencamino:


      Some Filipinos, maybe most, do not have a real choice. Have you been to the far-flung barrios? It takes more than ticking names off a ballot because of aggressive persuasion of candidates. In some cases, life has gotten so hard to the point that once-idealistic rebels have became bodyguards of their landed oppressors. Idealism takes the backseat to financial needs.

      On the not so extreme side of things, it isn't as simple as ticking off names, especially when the names there represent the changing of the guards of the status quo. The family names on ballots rarely ever change. I believe that change might come with new names and new politics. The problem is there aren't any new names getting enough attention. The people on top are out to protect themselves from those climbing up the ladder. That's the stupid mentality that comes up with tarpaulins that say "Condolences on your untimely death. Mabuhay!" It's also the same mentality that drives power struggles that kill candidates, and in some cases, journalists.

      Who wants to lead with a new perspective? Preferably, that should be one who isn't afraid to get shot down from the top of the ladder? Among Ed and Grace Padaca tried before. Where are they now?

      I think a bloody revolution is still in order. The question is, who wants to die for true change and freedom?

      I'm happy to tick off names on the ballot.

      Anyway, I hope this made sense.

      Delete
    4. MB,

      I go along with three or six years revolution. It is less bloody, and yet we the common-man Filipino have to figure out how to pick the right last name to serve our best interest.

      Interesting point you brougt up.

      It should work when authorities start arresting people involved in vote buying scheme.

      Delete
    5. brianitus,

      But don't you see that you are giving excuses for the way voters vote?

      A bloody revolution brings about what?

      Delete
    6. mb:


      A bloody revolution gets rid of the old and death resistant ways of the trapos. What's new with the names on the ballots ba? I've given elections a chance, and I crave for better service. But I don't think I'm the type of guy who'll pick up a gun and wield a bolo for change.

      Is there a better way? I mean, if there's a special virus that can infect only those with enough kakapalan to put their face on a jumbo tarp as if taxpayer money is their own money, I'll gladly pick that over the revolution.

      Excuses? More like motivation.

      Delete
    7. brianitus,

      In the first place, local officials are the ones who affect the life of every Filipino directly. Start by replacing them with new faces.


      What's new with the names of the ballots ba? If you replace the local leadership, which those who are running for national office depend on, then you will have new names on the ballot or the old names but who will now do as they are told by the new locals.

      A bloody revolution gets rid of the old and resistant ways of the trapos to make way for a new crop of trapos. Why? Because for a revolution to succeed the rebels have to stay in power. And the problem with that is there is no definite date when anyone can or will say the revolution has succeeded our job is done.

      Delete
    8. mb,


      Finally, one who shares the same sentiment as I have. Frankly, I think there's too much focus on who's at the top-level national level position. If you notice in the news, local problems get to be problems because people don't give a hoot about how local officials serve them.

      As for changing names on ballots, it depends on where one is. I'm sure that won't happen in provinces like Ilocos Sur and in Mindanao. If the place is progressive enough, that can happen. Remember that we're in a country where even candidates for Barangay Captain get killed. I have a friend who was even cheated by his own relatives in a local election. Maybe I'm wishing too hard for progress when it can be one locality at a time. I'll mind my own business in the metro. Less stress for me.

      and yeah, ang never-ending struggle ay...never-ending. Pardon my pushing for revolution but can't there be a middle ground solution? Say, a temporary bed arrangement with the devil?

      Delete
  4. That there is a much evolved sense of compassion, courtesy, and "give" in American discourse and behavior....

    Have you read American newspapers lately? Watched Fox news perhaps? Listened to Rush Limbaugh maybe?

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    1. Anon, you are correct, of course, that at one level the US has descended into a pit of manipulation and anger, and is more divisive than it has ever been (surveys show this). The political scene is dysfunctional and insists on bringing the economy to the brink of collapse again and again. The Supreme Court allowed corporations to fund political causes, so it is likely that elections will be purchased rather than earned. But when you get out into the population, into the mainstream, you will find Americans to be a lot more considerate, courteous and respectful of others than if you go out into the Philippine population.

      But this isn't really a competition to see who is better or worse, Americans of Filipinos. It is a discussion of how the Philippines can thrive, and get past corruption and even poverty. The matter of "face" is culturally distinctive to the Philippines and I believe it contributes to the dysfunction that holds the Philippines back.

      Delete
    2. I haven't disagreed with the rest of what you wrote, have I?

      I just thought using America as your example of a more compassionate and caring society quite preposterous, that's all.

      But like you said, it's not a competition of who is better or worse. But you do make it sound like it is one, sometimes. I don't mind you telling us Filipinos what you think we can or should improve on as a people, especially since you seem to have good intentions for doing so. But you also need to show cognizance of the imperfections of your own American culture, otherwise you come cross as just another arrogant and brash American, which the world has seen plenty of.

      I do hope you see this as constructive criticism and not simply as some vain Filipino's attempt to save face on behalf of her countrymen :)

      And yes, thank you.

      Delete
    3. Yes, I need to be careful not to make it sound like a competition. Americans do typically come across as arrogant. Sometimes is is confidence miss-interpreted. Sometimes it is just plain arrogance. Of which my daughters in the US inform me I am not lacking.

      I take your comments as wholly constructive.

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    4. Great! Now that we've sorted that one out, may i just make a few clarificatory points on some of the issues you have raised here; first, on the Filipino's seeming inability to say thank you and secondly on the need to save face.

      Saying thank you in the Philippines is just not part of the cultural construct, I'm afraid. I'm not saying that's right and that it should continue to be that way. But any effort towards effecting a cultural change should start with understanding how a cultural value or norm came to be, in the first place.

      The home is usually where most of one's values and attitudes are first shaped. In most Filipino families you will find that the children are not asked or told by their parents to say thank you ... to them, to their siblings, to the household help; for the everyday things done for them. It's like attending to your children or your "amo" if you're the household help, is what you're expected to do in the first place, and thank you's therefore are not necessary.

      I, myself, like saying thank you and being told that my efforts are appreciated so that is what I do and that is what I have taught my own children to do, to say thank you, even to and most especially, the household help (at least, when we used to have them in the Philippines). When we come to visit, we say thank you to everyone, the lolos and lolas, the titos and titas, their household help, the waiters in the restaurants, the salesladies at SM etc. Hopefully the practice rubs off on them. You know what they say, be the change you want to be :)

      Oh boy, this has taken longer than I thought it would. Can I just defer the other issue (saving face) for next time?

      For now, may I just say that while saving face is a common element of most Asian cultures, I don't believe it's the same with Filipinos. Our problem is not that we're always trying to save face. It's that most Filipinos, in fact, present far too many faces in public, as cited by one other commenter here. "Doble cara", as we have learned from our Spanish conquerors of old. Also otherwise known as hypocrisy. You only need to go to church (preferably Catholic) to be convinced we've far too much of it :)

      There you go, I did go into it after all. But I really need to go now. Thank you again.

      It's Cha

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    5. Cha, thank you for the perspective, especially about how the family traditions influence later behaviors. It would be fascinating to do a study of the family dynamics in large households, versus small. I think my only child gets a lot more "special tutoring" than would the eighth of ten children.

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    6. Cha,

      You are one of a kind I like to associate with.

      I like to welcome you and hope to hear more of your outstanding outlook. Let us have more fun.

      I have learned something today.

      Its Jack

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    7. Aaaaw, thanks for the welcome, Jack!

      Where do we start? How 'bout them unholy bishops? :)

      Cha

      Delete
  5. From: the cricket...!

    1. Wonderful and insightful essay on "the face"!

    2. Question of face? Monuments...hum....in the PH
    the "stoned statues" are usually themes of blood...
    I wonder if that has anything to do with the present
    status of "face"?

    3. If it would take only a revolution, war or major
    natual dis-asster to shift the PH into high gear..
    modernize to the point where the people are benefited
    daily....raise the living standards....then I vote
    for "blood" running in the streets (instead of polluted
    air/water!

    4. A example to live by:
    My grandfather "john" (juan/ph) was a gravedigger
    following his in-trench time in WWI. He came from
    "old Italy" in steerage to seek the "dream" and avoid
    the violence and famine of Europe....I spent several
    summer vacations with him digging graves (the pick and
    shovel daze)!

    One of the many things he attempted to impress on me
    was "not to do anything that would dirty your face"--
    do the right thing for yourself, family, community,
    and adopted nation! His main goal in life was to do
    better than his father! He shoveled coal into the
    local post office furnaces after his regular day job
    of digging for a living! He knew the value of coop-
    peration, of good government and education.

    He also knew that "pride goes before a fall"....and the
    difference it makes to focus on "CYA", the PPPPPP,
    and that (he was a wonderful cook and baker) the
    wrong cook, the wrong recipie ingredients would
    ruin the dinner! Most of all I can recall him making
    the statement that it is not how a person looks(face-
    time)...it is what he does that can "save your ass"!

    Gradfather knew the diffeerence between living in
    the trenches, trenches, and grave-enforcement!
    Often when digging "people ditches"--just a grave
    open at both ends you know ....snow and ice in
    the street... that "your need to keep your backside
    covered just as much if not more than your face!"

    So when I experience the so-called face I tend to think
    in terms of degress of "face" (vs. backside wisdom)..
    "radical" face time..."extremists face" is a mental
    illness which needs to be treatd ....now the question is
    of what remedy would benefit our rainbow islands....?

    Oh well... when all is said an done...give me some good
    "tail".....and I can put a bag over the "face" if I
    have to survive in "fantasy island"

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    1. p.s. I forgot about the issue of brains...
      good brains...bsd brains...what good are
      they if they are disfunctional!

      Grandfather cooked anything that he could
      make to taste good...rump, heart, neck,
      face, brains....! He made some of the
      best Italian Sausage and red sauce because
      he gave his creations a lot of "heart" and
      "brains"....but it took a good well-qualified
      cook to make it happen!

      Chirp...chirp...chirp!

      Delete
    2. Ha, tail indeed, over face.

      Your grandfather sounds like one of those larger than life wise men of grand character who seem to pop up now and then. My great grandfather was one of those. That's his photo on the right.

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    3. Joe,

      "Tail over face huh"?

      That is just lovely.

      Did you know that face is highly re-cyclable in the Philippines?

      Erap had about 8 million votes in the previous presidential bid and now talking about becoming a mayor in Manila.

      Corona was talking about teaching law.

      Zubiri who cheated during the previous senatorial election is also talking about senatorial candidacy in 2013.

      Hey man, we couldnt be dysfuntional than that, Can we?

      I am afraid those three faces will get what they want, and I will blame the common-man Filipino.

      We couldnt be sickier than that, Can we?



      Its Jack

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    4. Yes, Jack. It is strange to me, the latitude of either forgiveness or forgetfulness that exists here. In the US, people who cheat are the subject of great scorn. They go off into private life because their public life is usually done for. Here, it is almost a badge of honor, that the common man accepts. I don't get it.

      Delete
    5. Erap was even convicted of plunder before. People seem to have forgotten that. The Marcoses are back, after getting kicked out because of their excesses.

      Yes, face is recyclable.

      Delete
    6. Joe,

      That is my point exactly.

      Yes, it is absolutely strange. You wrote about self-centric-behavior and Filipino faces. It is about time that someone has to write about collective Filipino mental-disorder.

      I dont know how to define it Joe, it is time to check your reliable Humpty-dumpty international dictionary.

      Brianitus,

      Erap, Marcoses and Imelda, Corona, Ampatuans and lots more are classic beneficiary of collective filipino mental-disorder.

      Are these justifiable anomalies to change our culture? There are just too many and the present culture has mesirably failed us consistently.

      Cha,

      I know your brain is thinking out loud about effecting cultural change, but let us hear it.

      Its Jack

      Delete
    7. Jack,

      I don't think there is such a thing as a collective Filipino mental disorder.

      What is there is an overwhelming number of Filipinos living abject deprived lives where dignity and self respect have become rather out of place.

      Why would someone who lives off the trash from Jollibee and the like have any qualms about exchanging his vote for a few hundred pesos? Why would he care that Erap or Marcos or whoever stole government money to give him a sack of rice when his dinner the night before came from a garbage bin?

      You find a way to bring a steady, decent source of even just the food to feed those hungry mouths and maybe they'll start listening to you about the sanctity of their vote, about them holding the power in their hands to choose good leaders for their country.

      Only if we agree to start our discussion on Filipino culture on this premise and not a presumed mental disorder can we even hope to come up with some meaningful and useful discourse.

      What say you?

      Cha

      Delete
    8. Cha,

      Perhaps you are right, there is no such thing as collective Filipino mental-disorder. I made it up and there is a possiblity that I may have opened a can of stinking can of worms.

      You know in America, around 80% of the population have suffered kind or forms of mental disorders. Those 80% is what I called collective mental disorder. What difference does it make in the Philippines with that assumption?

      Yes, I agree, those deprived souls who live off the Jollibee garbage wouldnt care about anything but their basic needs, FOOD.

      I remember what Peter Jennings have said about the homeless in NYC. "You dont give them money, You give or help them find food."

      Ok, I will go along with you to discuss Filipino culture less mental disorder, but I have to ask you that I reserve the right to go back to my original argument. I think that is fair, shoot, go ahead, I am listening.

      On your previous comment about them unholy bishops. I entertain the idea that "We created God, God didnt create us."

      Its Abe

      Delete
  6. Fair enough , Abe/Jack. Thank you for keeping an open mind.

    So you want to effect some changes to address the dysfunctional components of our Filipino culture? I'd say start with that great bastion of hypocrisy a.k.a the Catholic Church in the Philippines.

    The leadership of the church has consigned and continues to consign millions of Filipinos to a life of poverty by standing in the way of any effort to address the issue of a huge population that keeps growing amidst the limited resources available to afford everyone a decent existence.

    Ironically, the priests and bishops of the church are also largely responsible for the continuing moral decline in our society.

    They continue to put their foot down on divorce, yet say nothing about the extramarital liaisons of their faithful parishIoners. They have admonished Gawad Kalinga for receiving donations from pharmaceutical companies that sell abortion pills to build houses for the poor. Yet, they keep monies collected as donations for victims of Ondoy and other calamities, in their bank accounts instead of releasing them to their intended beneficiaries.

    They call for a boycott of a Lady Gaga concert because she sings about Judas, yet they turn a blind eye on their fellow priests who have sired their own children, or worse molested some other person's child.

    I can go on and on, but I guess I won't really be saying anything you don't already know.

    The point is, when the very institution that is supposed to uphold the moral values in our society has become immoral itself, then what chance is there for principles, honor and integrity to lay hold of the land?

    Why would poor Juan dela Cruz who works in some government office refuse a small amount to help expedite some papers for someone when his parish priest is supporting a family with church funds? Why would Mr Big Shot politician allow his conscience to worry about helping himself to government money when a couple of bishops did not have a problem receiving or asking for gifts of cars from money originally meant for charity?

    Why would some small time businessman or even a top company executive be concerned about shortchanging their employees or not paying the right taxes to the government when one hopelessly notorious bishop said this about election anomalies "everybody cheats anyway".

    Jesus Christ! Excuse me while go and have a puke!

    So, if you want honor, fair play, integrity to reign supreme in our land, go for the cause... the cancer as our national hero Jose Rizal, has once labelled it. Find a way to break the devil's stranglehold on the church and you're off to a good start.

    And yes, I will join and support you so long as it doesn't involve blowing off tires of those bishops' 4WDs. But only because it's not physically possible for me as I am not based in our country at the moment :)

    Have a good weekend, my compatriot!

    Cha

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  7. Cha,

    I had Internet connectivity problem, sorry about that.

    I agree with your views on Catholic church. I actually hold contempt and glad you brought it up. I dont donate money to the Church to build a new chapel and other projects based on the assumption that they are super rich. "Everybody cheats anyway," eh? Including them.

    The guardian of morality speaks.

    What do you suggest do to change that culture of hypocrisy? You know it is like swimming upstream.

    Where are you dude? By the way, I worked thirty years for Uncle Sam.

    Its Jack

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    1. Ah, the old Globe modem busted, eh? And it would seem that Cha is a dudette fully committed to having fun on a Sunday.

      Delete
    2. Sydney, mate!

      So, we "might" :) write the next big thing in book trilogies and give the proceeds to the poor. Too bad the title "The Hunger Games" is already taken. That would have been perfect.

      Anyway, It will be a tell all on those priests and bishops' unholy undertakings; a modern day retelling of Rizal's Noli Me Tangere. We'll just translate the title in tagalog for our own... "Huwag Mo Akong Hipuan ". :))))))

      (Joe, dunno how much tagalog you've picked up but loosely translated, it should read "Do Not Touch Me ... Maliciously ". So much funnier in Tagalog, I promise.)

      P.S. I give money to Gawad Kalinga. (In your face, Monsignor!)

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    3. Sorry, forgot sign that previous post. That's still me, Cha.

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    4. G'dye Cha, I read little Tagalog so I appreciate the translation. It is hilarious in English, too.

      Forever Joe

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    5. Good morning Sydney, I wonder how many of your friends follow this blog. Pls spread the word.

      Sorry Joe, I guess we busted the old globe modem, but not to worry, Joe is a gentleman and a scholar. Are you a dude or dudette? Sorry for mistaken indentity.

      Giving to the poor is a virtue and writing a book for that matter sounds perfect. Gawad Kalinga is a good charity and I salute you.

      Let me add one unholy undertakings where Jesus Christ got mad when he entered his churh. In my place, the priest/bishops is operating a lending institution under the pretext of helping the poor. Please dont puke, I know its sickening.

      I just want to remind Joe not to touch anything "Huwag Mo Akong Hipuan." It could be dangerous and I agree the tagalog version is more fun.

      Hey mate (Might) ;)) got to go for now.

      Its Jack

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