Democracy in Time of Economic Inequality

Last weekend, we met a man from Cuba.

We were invited to a weekly gathering of children with Spanish heritage for which Isaac was lucky enough to be allowed in due to his status of having experienced the Spanish educational system when he was three. But while John can hold his own when forced to communicate in Spanish, I definitely felt like an uninvited guest about to be kicked out of the party so when another parent came over, we were grateful that he was happy to speak in English.

I told him that we have watched a documentary on Cuba, featured by my favourite adventurer Simon Reeve who reported on the communist country's transition to capitalism in 2012. Like any citizen of countries featured in Western documentaries, he admitted that he is often wary of how his Motherland is portrayed. As an academic, he was paid $25/month but his wages allowed him to live a comfortable life, in a country where public services are free and accessible and where poverty is not a concept most people know of. But when he lived in Mexico he discovered what his countrymen has lacked, dreams and aspirations, but it came with a cost - economic inequality. Which world is better, he doesn’t have an answer but he has in fact chosen to bring up his children in a country with decent social benefits despite its widening gap in wealth distribution.

It made me think of another documentary we watched recently on former Soviet republics Kazakhstan and Belarus, countries that claim to be democratic but has been ruled for decades by authoritarians who have suppressed political freedoms of its staunch critics.

Kazakhstan is the largest and strongest performing economy in Central Asia due to its rich oil reserves whilst Belarus claims to have 1% reported unemployment rate and a recent Forbes article is greatly optimistic of its thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. In the program, the journalist was able to talk to groups of people who are highly supportive of their chosen leaders, pointing out the economic benefits they enjoy and carefully skirting over the issues of human rights violations that don’t get reported on the state-run media outlets. But there are dissidents too which he was also able to interview, voices that their governments continuously try to stifle by life threats and stints in and out of jail.

In those countries where life is easier when you turn a blind eye, choosing the road less taken wouldn't have been easy. On that crossroad, I would have been tempted to go with the crowd or just abandon the walk. That was what I did.

I was among the few lucky Filipinos whose move abroad was not precipitated by economic needs nor desire to bring white-collar job representation to my country whose biggest export is its people. Rather it was by my quest to pursue personal happiness.

It has been over a decade since I have left my homeland, an island nation in the Pacific which was once ruled by a dictator who looted the country of its wealth and sunk it deep into debt. Marcos supporters would point out that in those days impressive buildings were built, arts and culture thrived and the economy was booming in its early days but it was all at the cost of human rights atrocities that eventually the people took to the streets. It was a surprise to me then, that 30 years after toppling dictatorship, the very people who have ousted the previous one has put another in his place.

I have been repeatedly told, by family and friends, that as an outsider, I do not have the right to criticise the country that I have abandoned. For how can I, with a Facebook page that unashamedly boasts of a sheltered and comfortable life in middle class Britain, possibly know of the plight of the millions of ordinary Filipinos who have been burned by the failed promises of the post-Marcos liberal elites and who saw in Duterte, the man whom they defend with ferocity and passion, the realisation of those promises.

During my recent visit, I have noticed the strong military presence in my hometown in Mindanao. I was told that the Martial Law declared in Marawi and the crackdown in drugs have made many people feel safer but the dehumanisation of drug users have made them forget that the victims of Duterte's war on drugs are somebody else's child or loved one. They claimed that the thousands of farmers who protested for government aid during an El Nino drought in 2016 were puppets of militant organisations wanting to attract media coverage, not hungry peasants demanding for their rights. They pointed out that the staunch opponents of the incumbent president deserve to lose their government positions or be sent to jail for daring to speak out, forgetting that the job of the opposition is to make sure that the government is held accountable.

Perhaps because I am an outsider who doesn’t have to worry about the country's rising inflation, job prospects and economic inequalities, I am able to look at these issues that ordinary citizens can overlook and see them for what they are, blatant disregard for the basic human rights that a democratic country must and should uphold.

I understand the reason behind the nation's popular choice of an authoritarian leader, just like how I can comprehend the lack of major upheavals in countries like Kazakhstan and Belarus, or how our Cuban acquaintance is loath to criticise his country's communist regime. But I worry about what it means for the next generations of my family that is left behind should democracy become a thing of the past.

Tomorrow the BBC is airing a documentary about the state of Philippine democracy under Duterte's reign, who despite recently suffering the biggest dip to his approval rating, at 79%, is still favoured by the majority. On Monday at the kitchen in my multicultural workplace, my colleagues who are research scientists from countries like Iran, India and Poland will probably discuss it with me and together we will lament on the states of our homelands and its leaders. And we should be allowed to, because even though we have left our countries to chase after better lives, it doesn't mean that we no longer care.

Metro Manila: A Bite of Reality

Last Sunday, we took our little boy to his first trip to the cinema to watch Metro Manila, an award-winning film that was a marriage between his own ethnic origins with a British director and Filipino actors. He slept through the whole thing of course, save for ten minutes of breastfeeding, and for nearly two hours at least, I was able to once again experience the sights and sounds of the country where I come from. 

It was an age-old Filipino tale of survival in the country's capital. A rice-farming young family was in the verge of destitution after their crop failed and decided to leave their tranquil life in the province to relocate and seek employment in the bustling Metro Manila region. Once there, they immediately fell prey to local fraudsters, losing what little money they have saved and were forced to squat in the slum where they slowly slide into the poverty trap.  

The tide started to turn when the husband Oscar found himself not only a job in a security-van company but a friend in his senior Ong. But this friendship came with a cost and we found out about the life-changing contents of a missing safety deposit box and what it would take to open it. 

The story may be typically Filipino but the bittersweet ending was admittedly very British, one that shocked my mother who came to watch it with us. But how should it have ended otherwise? 

I was briefly reminded of a Facebook post denouncing moral relativism. When you have a roof over your head and eat three meals a day, it would be easy to distinguish black from white. But when your family is clinging on the cliff's edge, different rules apply. 

This movie will not be a commercial success in the Philippines with its lack of well-known actors and only its critical international acclaim to advertise it. The Metro Manila here depicts the gritty reality of urban life with seedy alleys, empty lots, dark bars and rundown houses. The people are desperately holding on to their faith and principles amidst the struggles and hardships of life in a capital of nearly 12 million inhabitants. No, this is not a movie that will help you escape your own sad reality but to confront and disturb, to jolt you out of your comfort zone and horrify you enough to understand that unless we have a fairer society, we cannot expect the same set of moral values to govern everyone. 

Metro Manila is now showing in the UK and will be released in the Philippines on October 9. 

What is Left of Home?

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.”

When I think of home, I think of my childhood. It is not a particular place but a certain moment in time, one filled with innocence and expectations, laughter and daydreams echoing across the yellow cornfields as I ran barefooted under the blazing heat of the summer sun towards the peak of Mt Matutum which loomed over the horizon.

That idyllic home of my early years only exists in my memories now. Just after my eight birthday my family was forced out of our comfortable way of life by the influx of squatters taking over the surrounding areas of what used to be agricultural farmlands which were soon turned into sprawling cheap housing developments. My carefree world of open expanse was replaced by the suffocating concrete jungle which became home to hundreds of families like us, coexisting in the dark and grim suburban nightmare of rows of boxlike houses that were separated only by a thin wall between them and very narrow streets. It was considered modernisation then: we were introduced to electricity and public transport that our previous rural existence would have not heard of.

It was modernisation that drove me away from the city I grew up in, mostly because of the lure of the bright lights and big bucks from the country’s financial capital. Yet there had always been a desire to come back, to return to the much simpler way of life compared to the fast paced monotony of the big cities that when I made a brief visit home two years ago, I was expecting to see everything as I have left it. 

But the world is constantly changing and so has my hometown. During the recent years, the city’s economy has shifted from one that is largely sustained by a big fishing industry to one that is retail-driven brought about by large investments from greedy multinational giants who have set up shops in massive shopping malls that have taken over what used to be a rural landscape. This development was welcomed by the local government and the population rather imprudently without consideration for its long-term effects, including the death of local businesses, foreseeable issues with obesity, rubbish disposal problems and  the shortage of electrical power that would grip the city for hours, causing a frequent blackout. Daily Facebook status complaints on the electrical power cuts flood my wall but no one seems to be asking why it is happening, maybe they should.

And yet I wouldn't have asked any questions if I have stayed. My culture insists that we must always try to look at the bright side of things. Living in Europe has made me realise that this almost blind acceptance of fate is the very reason why there is no lasting and meaningful change in a nation that only looks out for number one (or for number one's relatives). In this part of the world, paying high levels of taxes is an accepted way of creating a more equal society where every individual's basic needs are met and problems from the local communities to the general population are rightfully addressed. It takes a shared sense of social responsibility to create a fair and humane society.  

I am not against progress but there is a certain progress that was not considered in the city’s recent economic boom, one that is sustainable and inclusive which would provide for all and not just for the moneyed few. Instead the government has acted in a clichéd ‘short-term gain, long-term pain’ manner. In keeping up with American model of modernisation, my hometown and indeed the rest of the country has lost its identity and most certainly its natural resources. I am scared to think of what the future generations would be  left with.

When I think of my hometown, I am no longer gripped with longing but with sadness. When asked if I still have dreams of settling back, I say no. This is not because I have suddenly become an arrogant immigrant who refuses to look back to my roots but because, aside from my family who were left behind, there is little that is left of the life I have once cherished and would have wanted my own children to have a glimpse of.

We Can Share the World

For my husband's 32nd birthday, we headed off to Chester Zoo, Britain's biggest and most successful animal sanctuary. We have been inspired by the David Attenborough's latest series on Africa, a six-episode documentary following the lives of the smallest to the largest animals that inhabit the sweeping savannahs and the dense rain forests of the world's second largest continent, and fascinated by their impressive survival skills in a planet that is increasingly dominated by the growing population that now threatens their natural habitat. 

I have been to Manila Zoo as a child when I first visited the Philippine capital before giant malls sprung up and became the local 'tourist attractions'. My memories from this experience were not particularly pleasant: endless rows of metal wire cages where animals were squeezed in like prisoners without a trial and large animals in open spaces taunted by some crazy visitor with no respect for other forms of life. I never asked why the animals were there or if they would have been better off where they came from. I reacted as how I would have for most of my life, with passive acceptance that people (or animals) have to suffer and we can't do anything about it. I readily assumed that the zoo would have been a better place for them, there at least they would have been fed regularly.

This was John's first trip to the zoo. His closest encounter with the elephants had been in the wilderness of Zimbabwe on a family visit to relatives when he was 14 before Mugabe made the South African country a dangerous place for white people. He remembers how sitting in his uncle's veranda, surrounded by a deafening silence while watching the setting sun turn the sky bright orange, he suddenly heard the lions roar from a distance. "In Africa", he says, "you do not own the land; the land owns you. Most people have forgotten this." Perhaps this life-forming experience has fuelled his passion for the conservation of the natural world and becoming an avid supporter of WWF.

The trip to the zoo had been more educational than I have anticipated. I have seen most of these animals before but I never really looked at them, at what fascinating creatures they are, forced to live in an environment that looked like their natural habitat but not quite. Perhaps they are happy in the zoo, fed regularly and cared for by competent professionals but perhaps they would rather have stayed where they came from. Yet it was apparent that most of them didn't really have a choice because their natural environment has been swallowed by human 'progress'. 

It wasn't a surprise that in some sections of the zoo, I have found animals that are native only to where I came from, most of them endangered and some largely extinct. The Philippines has once been a land covered almost entirely (95%) by rain forests and the seas inhabited by the most diverse marine communities on earth. But a growing population over years of mismanagement and greed has taken its toll and today only 7% of this forest cover has remained and continues to be 'threatened by booming rural populations living in severe poverty who are clearing forests for agriculture' [see The World's Top Ten Most Threatened Forests ]. 

If the government is not doing anything, I was comforted at least by the fact that conservation groups like Chester Zoo is trying to rehabilitate some of these forests and save the lives of these fascinating species that remain. Their conservation efforts have been highlighted on this trip and I hope that by sharing this experience, I could make my fellow countrymen take notice of the environmental issues that concern our land. 

Another BBC documentary, Wonders of Life by Professor Brian Cox concluded on the third episode: 

"When you go outside tomorrow, just take a look at a little piece of your world, to that corner of your garden or a park or even the grass that is growing in a crack in the pavement. Because there will be life there and it will be unique and there will be nowhere like that anywhere else in the Universe and that makes Earth's Tree of Life from the sturdiest branch to the most fragile twig indescribably valuable."

It is every human being's responsibility to look after our planet because a world that has lost its ecological balance would naturally die off. At least this part of the world where I am now has acknowledged this and is passionately doing something about it.

 

Which Accent?

I emerged from the underground station of Piccadilly Circus slightly fazed and for a moment stood briefly transfixed by the urban scene that was before my eyes. Behind me, a lone building is mounted up with a collage of advertising hoardings in bright neon lights, London’s version of the NY Times Square. On the other side of the boulevard, a fountain was erected with the statue of the Greek god Anteros, popularly mistaken for his brother Eros. The buildings on each side of the intersection features theatre houses, shopping centres and fine restaurants catering mostly to tourists who flock in thousands at any time of the year.

But on that cold January morning, I wasn't there for sight-seeing. An unfortunate incident in Budapest last year has left John and me stranded in Central Europe without a passport. An emergency one was issued but only for a year and after months of putting it off, I finally had to renew.

I haven't been to the capital for more than a year and I easily forgot what it was like. From where I stood, an overwhelming flurry of movement rushed past me in every direction - a carnival of sorts - of cars, busses and delivery vans; of businessmen, tourists and lunchtime shoppers. They all seemed to have a clear idea of where they were going and an urgent need to get there, oblivious to the heavy snow that was starting to fall (although this being London, it never quite settled on the ground).

I started to move off and crossed the street at the traffic lights, following Haymarket Street just before it slants to the left and entered Suffolk Place which leads to a line of impressive Regency period terrace buildings that boasts of a painted stucco façade, wrought iron balconies and bow windows. This is Suffolk Street, an expensive neighbourhood in the Westminster area and home of the Philippine Embassy in Britain.

The Philippine flag, hoisted from the middle of the four dramatic columns above the main entryway, beckoned me in. It was still 15 minutes before the embassy opens for the afternoon but the waiting area was already packed and noisy. I picked a number (33) from the door and prepared for the long wait.

Unlike the heavily guarded British embassies around Europe with intimidating officials and very quiet rooms, my national embassy felt somewhat cozy. In a city where people tend to occupy their own spaces and went inside themselves on public places, it was a refreshing experience to see how Filipinos manage to break free from this culture when they find themselves in the company of their fellow countrymen. Acquaintances were made on that waiting room, the national language and occasional English  some with very recognisable Filipino accent was spoken.

I haven't heard my first language spoken by a large group of people for a long time. British cultural integration meant mixing with peoples of different ethnic origins who have made this country their home and thus there was absolutely no need to become a part of a Filipino community (my husband would heave a sigh of relief on that). But having been able to socialise with individuals from different tongues, I have learned to pick a person's origin from their accent and in Britain, there is nothing 'racist' about it as some Facebook statuses have accused. In fact, the British themselves are rather proud of their regional accents - Cockney in London, Scouse in Liverpool, Geordie in Tyneside, Brummie in Birmingham and Scottish English amongst others. John occasionally slips into the Yorkshire accent himself.

Although the British are not particularly patriotic, an ideal that to them seems rather vulgar and should be limited to the waving of the Union Jack during royal celebrations (which very few people participate in), there is a very strong sense of regionalism here. People are proud of their local colour - their provincial customs, history and landscape - and these regional differences are happily celebrated. But it isn't just the British. Other non-native speakers of the English language have their own accents that tend to carry over the intonation and phonemic inventory from their mother tongue into their English accent. These accents speak of their origins and they are proud of it.

After three years of living in Sheffield, I have come to appreciate the blend of cultures that mix harmoniously in this country. In this politically correct society still tormented by its dark history, an accusation of racial discrimination is a serious one met with harsh consequences. Laws are set-up to promote equality and efforts are made to reduce racial and other discrimination. And while there remains allegations of racial divide linked to crimes, I have never been subjected to this nor have heard of any reported incident within my community. There would of course be the occasional banter involving one's origin, but this should be distinguished from that dirty word: racism.

My visit to the Philippine Embassy lasted for more than two hours because despite the queuing system, groups can actually approach the counter at the same time and those picking up passports or documents need not go on the queue. But perhaps the biggest inconvenience was the fact that the system does not seem to be capable of cross-referencing records thus the need for individuals to check that all details typed by the staff are correct. This probably explains why a postal service is not an option. It was very typical of a Filipino public service, if I am allowed to complain and on an age where customer service feedbacks are the norms, there was a deeply felt absence of such a questionnaire.

It was still an interesting afternoon nonetheless, where I became privy to the lives of other Filipinos who are happy to share their life traumas and accomplishments. For a moment, it did feel like I was back in my own nation's soil. But when I left the building for what might be the very last time and stepped back into the British soil, I also felt relief. 

So This is Christmas

A Filipino, wherever they are in the world, would always long to be home at Christmas time. It's been five years since I have last spent this merry season with my family and the yearning only grows with time. I have walked along the street markets of great European cities, sang carols with my church family in Gibraltar and shared roasted goose with my English family over Christmas dinner and yet none of them has ever come close to capturing the Christmas spirit that we have in my old country. 

In the Philippines, the advent begins as early as September when carols start playing on radio. Elaborate and grand decorations are slowly being put up on the streets and inside the houses. Competitions to light the parks are sponsored by private enterprises and the malls put up the biggest and brightest Christmas trees, some major advertising ploys if one must say but it sure draws the crowds. But of course it wasn't just the commercial machinations of big businesses or music executives cashing in on the biggest Christian celebration in my homeland. 

The message of Christmas - hope, love, charity - is still very much embraced where I come from. It is a time of mass homecoming where families separated by distance and time, would once again be together in prayer and thanksgiving. And within these families and amongst friends, old wounds are healed and peace is restored. 

I suppose then that it is the meaning of Christmas to its inhabitants that differentiates the spirit of my country's celebration from the Western one. But none is better than the other, for even if perhaps the celebration in this 'politically correct' part of the globe has less to do with the birth of Christ, it shows that Christmas can be celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike. It is a perfect example of how people of different cultures and traditions can co-exist with acceptance and respect for each other. 

And because I am a Filipino, from a culture known to be able to see the best in everything, I have also been able to make my cold Christmases away from home special and spiritual (as much as I can!).  In the next posts, I'll try to bring them back to life: 

2008 ~ My first Christmas in Gibraltar
2008 ~ Soup Kitchen in Gibraltar
2009 ~ Christmas markets in Barcelona  
2009 ~ A rainy evening walk in Granada
2009 ~ My second Christmas in Gibraltar
2010 ~ Winter Wonderland in Wetherby
2010 ~ Christmas markets in Sheffield
2010 ~ My first snowfall
2010 ~ Christmas markets in Manchester
2010 ~ Russian Christmas in Chatsworth House
2011 ~ Christmas whizzed past
2011 ~ December in Paris and the Great British escape at Christmas
2012 ~ Christmas markets in Bath
2012 ~ Christmas traditions of my friends from different countries
2012 ~ New Year's Day walk
2012 ~ Our Special Christmas Eve Tradition
2012 ~ Christmas Blues, S-A-D! and the Winter Solstice

A Case of Cultural Identity

Disclaimer: Having become a fan of the very popular British satirical humour which usually means taking a 'mick out of themselves' as a nation, I decided to compose a Filipino version. This is a product of fiction: any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. For those who are otherwise offended, I sincerely apologise. 

The ultimate scorn for a Filipino living abroad is to be accused of abandoning their own culture, it is as good as being branded a traitor. For a country that hails 11% of its citizens as 'modern-day heroes' for selling their skills to the highest bidder, it is expecting these global citizens to remain loyal to the same ideals that pushed them out of their own Motherland. 

But this is a rather Herculean task, especially when you live in a continent as multicultural as Europe. Recently, the question of what it means to remain a Filipino abroad has started to consume me. Discussing this with a compatriot, we have come up with a list of answers that could be enough to show we are loyal to our origins: 

1. Subscribe to the Filipino Channel, never mind that it costs a huge chunk of your monthly income, this is a sure way to remain rooted. Besides, you need to know who you are cheering on (and why) when you attend the Filipino Fiesta in London. [What BBC? We are watching 'TV Patrol' to keep up to date with the celebrities].

2. Join a Filipino community. If you can't afford the outrageous Filipino Channel subscription cost, this is the best alternative. You will always be in the middle of a reality TV-style drama and be able to enjoy the nation's favourite pastime, chismis (i.e. gossiping). Leave the Europeans to their talks about culture and politics, we don't want to meddle with those, thank you. 

3. Throw a party! That's also one of the best things about joining a Filipino community. We know how to party. Don't forget to bring your Magic Sing, there's nothing like singing the blues. 

4. Share a flat (or a house), you did not leave your country to have a comfortable life abroad. Think about all the money you can send home and what it would buy your loved ones (most importantly the latest gadgets they can show off). Do not even think of falling out with your housemate, it's expensive to live on your own. It would be best to avoid confrontations.

5. Keep a stack of the national drink, Coca-Cola, on your cupboard to accompany your meals. It will make you feel closer to home and bring back memories of mealtimes with your family. Dismiss the European claims that it is bad for your health, they don't understand culture. Period. 

6. Smuggle Mama Sita (a packed MSG-filled seasoning) on your luggage. You can buy them from the Chinese market or any Filipino shop in London at highly exorbitant prices but it doesn't matter. There's nothing like eating proper Filipino food with rice three times a day. ['Pasta? Don't try to be posh!]

7. NEVER complain about your workload, that is your competitive edge. While everyone else thinks they have the right to fair pay and working hours, keep your complaints to yourself. That is why you will keep your job (no matter how you hate it) and your work colleagues will leave eventually, obviously to find better employers. Recruit another Filipino on the job! 

8. Do not go out with anyone who is not of the same 'blood'. Those who go out with foreign blokes have questionable agendas. ‘Oh? So are they getting married now? Is she pregnant then?’

9. Book your holidays in the Philippines, after all, there is no place like home. After living in the civilised world for most of the year, surely you can manage a few weeks of being stuck in traffic on your way to the biggest mall in Asia (especially as they don't make those malls in Europe). 

10. Embrace some of the (alleged) Western culture too. Like drinking Starbucks coffee as though it is high quality beans, getting drunk on cocktails on a Friday night out, going on pub crawls all over Europe, buying yourself an SUV [What do you mean by CO2 emissions? Bigger is better!], queuing for the latest gadgets and wearing branded clothing i.e. like GAP plastered on the front. You've worked hard for your dosh, it's time to show what its worth!

11. Best of all, promote your country. And what better way to do it than by wearing a 'PROUD TO BE A FILIPINO' t-shirt. Put it on during the national festival of your host country too, it's a statement [that you refuse to be integrated with their culture, surely you are a hero].

Then again, you can just be brave and accept the consequences of turning your back on those specific cultural hindrances and embrace the values that your parents have instilled in you: of handwork and perseverance, of simplicity and respect for all creation and of ingenuity in difficulties. In a highly globalised world, you do not need to put a plaster on your head saying you belong to a nationality to have an identity. You have to find your own identity by yourself. No one needs to tell you who you should be.

Shop and Change Lives

Nothing beats a good dose of retail therapy and I get my fix by hitting the charity shops!

Nowhere else can I leave £10 poorer with a big happy smile on my face, the look of a shopper who has just purchased 5 pieces of branded items that would have cost me ten times more from a high street retail giant. But more than clothes, I get my books from there too, loads of them (some already shipped home while the rest still sits in the shelves waiting to be read). Occasionally I would find some treasures like Miss Piggy Wiggy who grows chunkier with every coin we feed her and Mr Elephant who keeps our books in tact.  

The charity shops are a unique British institution and the public loves them, with half the population having purchased something from among the 5,500 shops across the country since June last year. Like the Filipino 'ukay-ukay', they sell second hand items but the British twist is that the merchandise on offer are donated unwanted clothes and household goods, a perfect example of reuse and recycle. The staff are mainly unpaid volunteers, usually students during the summer period and pensioners with a bit of time to spare. The proceeds are then used to fund charitable works not only in the UK but throughout the world. 

The first charity shop in the UK, Oxfam, has in fact been working in the Philippines since 1987, focusing on increasing opportunities for women dealing with disasters and lobbying for change. It would be very interesting to read about the work they have been doing in the country and the amount of people they have been able to help in developing a sustainable way of making a living. 

So the benefits of charity shopping is quite profound. Not only do I get retail therapy, I am also saving the planet through recycling and reusing items. But most importantly, I have also indirectly been able to help my countrymen in a more sustainable way. 

Saving the World

Charity should not be mistaken as a single grand act of kindness or a moment of heroism that brings with it a ‘feel good’ factor and a pat in the back for a job well done.

In the light of the recent flooding in Manila, I admired the heroic acts of my compatriots, many of them are my friends, who initiated donation campaigns and relief operations for the thousands of people who were uprooted from their homes. It’s nice to know that in a time when the country seems to have been overtaken by the American culture it so openly embraces, Bayanihan, the spirit of communal unity to achieve a particular objective, is still alive.

But the big question that no one seems to be asking is that after all the relief operations finish, some of the houses are rebuilt and the typhoon season temporarily ends, “What’s next?”

Contrary to the Catholic Church’s belief that the devastations caused by typhoons in the Philippines are signs of God’s wrath over the Reproductive Health Bill, it is in fact, a natural phenomena where patterns haven't significantly changed since meteorological observation started more than 200 years ago. The ferocity and frequency of weather events across the globe are increasing, a man made inevitability thanks to carbon dioxide and its heat retaining properties. Disturbingly, the summer arctic ocean is predicted to be completely ice free by 2030. Indeed just half a degree increase in sea surface temperature can help a storm gather significantly more wind strength and rainfall amounts.The increasing temperature and melting ice caps also pose another threat to countries throughout the globe, but particularly ones with large areas of coastline and an abundance of islands, making the Philippines even more susceptible than most. Sea levels have been rising by 2mm a year and the latest middle estimates predicated a 100cm increase by 2100. It was shocking to see the evidence first hand on our trip to Boracay last year when dead tree stumps could be found on the sea shore.    

Our tropical country, because of its location, is in an area where typhoons build up but it was only in the recent years where we have started to experience the wrath of them. The reasons are two pronged but couldn’t be more obvious: growing carbon emissions contributing to global warming but also the way we have fundamentally changed our landscape. A concrete landscape cannot absorb nearly as much water and neither can soil that has been stripped of its forests. Dense vegetation helps to put moisture back into the atmosphere as well as help bind the soil together which prevents sedimentary run off and ultimately landslides too. They also help absorb carbon dioxide and put oxygen back into the atmosphere. 

Then add the nations's population growth that shows no sign of slowing down; booming housing market that does not consider sustainable development alongside; industry operations lacking energy efficient saving measures; high-carbon emission cars; and cities that don’t have proper waste management implementation. It is a recipe for disaster.

“I’ve always respected those who try to change the world for the better rather than just complain about it.” — Michael Bloomberg (Autobiography, 1997)

No, I am not all talk. I actually walk the walk. I am lucky enough to live in a country where ‘Saving the Planet’ and ‘Making a Difference’ is more than a single act of goodwill but a lifestyle in itself.

We own a car with a 1.0L engine and CO₂ emission of less than 100g/km which means that we don’t have to spend a lot to fill the tank and we pay the lowest rate of Vehicle Excise Duty and. But despite that we use the public transport, a tram service run by electricity, then walk 20 minutes to get to work every day. It’s a healthier option and it cuts down the carbon emissions released in the air.

At home in Britain, we practice reduce, reuse and recycle. We reduce the amount of household wastes by bringing our own carrier bags when we go food shopping therefore not accumulating plastic bags that are usually a major source of litter. We use creativity to reuse items purchased for one reason into something else. We segregate plastics, glass, paper and bottle to be recycled. We also carefully select the chemicals in the cleaning products that we use, making sure that they are environmentally friendly and would not contribute to water pollution.

This kind of lifestyle is not cheap. On top of our personal taxes, we also pay council tax to the local authorities. We don't even earn as much money as most of our friends overseas (perhaps even some of those who live in the Philippines). But I’m sure people who reap the benefits of a cleaner environment and a better quality of life would agree with me that it is a price worth paying for. For someone who used be against socialism, Europe has taught me that there is better way than the right wing American way which is only geared towards personal, rather than community aspirations.    

Then again, I live in an already developed world. How would the country of my birth, where a quarter of its population live in poverty, be bothered about saving the planet when it can’t even feed its offspring?

I used to think the same: save humanity first then save the world. The human race requires an immediate need for food, water and homes to survive. But the world’s natural resources are finite whereas the world population will only grow in numbers. We need to find a way to meet man’s needs through renewable resources and make it our responsibility to be educated about how our actions affect the future of mankind.

As a Filipino living abroad, I couldn’t do anything more to alleviate the plight of my countrymen but I can show them that there is a better way to do things. In doing so, I can be the change that I wish to see in the world.

At the end of the day, there wouldn’t be anyone who would give me a pat in the back for a job well done but I sleep better at night knowing that because of the little things I do everyday, I would leave the world a better place.

Questions on the Flooding

The Manila skyline from walled city of Intramuros with the garbage-inflicted Pasig River in the foreground. 

It's not just the Philippines that gets devastated by flooding caused by excessive amounts of rainfall. Great Britain, because of its geographical location, also has its fair share of these catastrophes. In 2007, the country experienced a series of destructive floods across the land as rainfall doubled the average. In Sheffield, the River Don over topped its banks with two casualties reported, cattle being swept away 3.5 miles across fields and the lower half of the city submerged up to 6 feet (1.83m) under water. 

Let's not point out the obvious differences between the countries: one a third world nation, the other a had-been superpower. Let's look at the people's reactions and the government's response. 

In the very recent disaster that turned Philippine capital Manila into a 'water world', the Filipino public rushed to give aid to the thousands of people who were evacuated. Valiant efforts of celebrities with their big smiles were photographed as they carried on their relief operations. Phrases like 'Proud to be Pinoy', 'Hero Time', 'Filipinos are waterproof and can weather any storm' amongst others popped out in social media sites like Facebook. In times of adversity, the nation's pride gets stronger, so they say.

It would have been admirable if scenes like these do not have to happen almost every year. All that effort poured in rehabilitation and yet no one has dared to ask serious questions on why this tragedy has to strike repeatedly. 

The government response in the 2007 flooding in Great Britain had been an increase in the government spending on risk management and flood defences. An independent review had been carried out and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 was passed. Thus, this summer, despite the record amount of rainfall in Sheffield, there was no repeat of the 2007 disaster. 

In browsing through the internet, there have been in fact, graduate studies made with regards to the flash floods and landslide disasters in the Philippines. The University of the Philippines will also be taking part in a presentation entitled 'Chronicling and mapping the physical and social components of the 2009 flood disaster and the disaster risk reduction initiatives of urban poor communities in Metro Manila, Philippines' during the 4th International Disaster and Risk Conference in Switzerland by the end of August. 

But to put together a credible disaster and risk management plan for the Philippines seem to be a Herculean task. The head of DPWH reported today that the flood control plans would take up to six years as it would need to go through a bureaucratic process typical of a third world and corrupt society. Meanwhile, we will be expecting more ravages of floods and more opportunities for the rest of the country to 'feel good' about themselves by doing charitable works. 

Of course I admire the gallantry of these individuals who are putting themselves on the line, doing something useful to make even a small bit of difference in other people's lives. But if we continue to embrace the victim mentality and just accept that 'these things happen', 'God is punishing the country for the RH bill' or 'we live in a tropical country', then we will always be stuck in a situation where in every step forward we will be pulled two steps backwards. 

Despite no one responding to my posts, this will be the question that most of my compatriots are asking: "With all your rantings, what have you done?" With better understanding of the situation and having realised that there are alternatives available, I am hoping to instigate a desire in Filipinos to demand for something better. A like-minded individual online has given this response to the same question: 

It would be better to act on a situation after critical analysis and not just that get up and go attitude which so marks the Pinoy mind.

No, I have not physically contributed to the rehabilitation that is taking place back home, my charitable contributions belong to the WWF who is fighting to save the planet in a sustainable way. But yes, I am praying for my country, praying for the minds to be opened to seek out credible solutions to the problems of the society rather than putting things in the hands of fate. 

It's Not All About the Economy

Let’s take a look at the positives then: the Philippines is on its way to become an economic super power.

In the IMF’s List of Countries by GDP (PPP) for 2011 which saw India overtake European countries in fourth place, we are ranked 32^nd. An outlook by investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates that by the year 2050, we will be on the 14^th place.

The fact that the country had recently lent $1 Billion to the IMF as its share in supporting the global efforts to stabilize the world economy is impressive. Up until 2006, the Philippines had been a net borrower from the IMF for nearly 40 years.

There are other signs that the country’s economy is growing. It was also recently announced that S&P has raised its credit rating to BB+ from BB, the highest level since 2003. This higher rating is likely to help the Philippines attract more investments, a key to further growth.

Top that with the news that six Filipinos made it to the recent publication of the Forbes Magazine’s List of World Billionaires for 2012 (one of them described as a former Marcos crony).

So in terms of the economy we are doing well. So good in fact that there has been a massive boost in local tourism (which has created air traffic causing an hour’s delay for take-offs). There are more people flocking the enormous air-conditioned malls and sporting branded products most Westerners couldn’t even afford (or wouldn’t even touch). There are more SUVs in Manila than probably the whole of Britain so sit back in traffic and relax (a normally 30-minute ride can take close to two hours but there is air-conditioning at least, never mind the carbon emission). There are more people who are carrying the latest gadgets too and you can even see some of them watching You Tube whilst eating in a restaurant.

There is nothing wrong with being bullish but one should be responsible enough to look at the bigger picture and not just pick the ones that ‘feel good’. What good is a positive economic outlook if 25% of the population still lives in poverty? Three years after I have left the country, the shanty houses are still there, multiplying each year. The typhoon that regularly visits the country still claims lives and livelihood every time it strikes. The transport system of Manila is still way behind other nation’s capitals.

Has anyone else noticed all these or has it already become a way of life? 

The size of a country’s economy has little to do with its standard of living. Take Austria, for example, who is only ranked 35th in the same list. Its capital Vienna has been since 2010 ‘The Most Liveable Place in the World’. A visit to the city and you will see why the Philippines is still centuries behind.  Their transport system is fast, reliable and efficient, thus there are more bicycles than cars in the road, reducing carbon footprint. They have invested in renewable energy that they don’t need to rely on fossil fuel from Arab countries. They have fair taxation and a generous social system that ensures everyone has a shot at a decent way of life. They have a culture and heritage that is as alive today as it had been hundreds of years ago.

My travels have not given me ‘anti-Filipino’ sentiments. In fact, I have thought more about my country now more than I have ever done in the first 24 years of my life spent there. I am proud of its history and of the freedom I have inherited. But I am not proud of what the country has become – right wing, materialistic and without regard to the environment.