Change

Long before Sen. Obama anchored his campaign on this platform of CHANGE, many Filipino politicians have already rode on this theme to launch their election campaign. As far as I can remember, our longest serving president Ferdinand E. Marcos anchored his presidential bid on the promise of “This country will be great again.” Citing the mismanagement and mal-administration of then incumbent President Diosdado Macapagal, father of the present president GMA, he promised to be different and cure the ills of the government and turn the country to be the model of Asia that Filipinos can be truly proud of. When Marcos was elected president, our country was No. 2, second only to Japan economically. He promised to make the country No. 1 and promised anew to be in this position after his 2nd term expires four years later. When he was kicked out of office by People Power in 1986, after twenty years in power our country was still in second place… 2nd only to Bangladesh as the poorest country in the region. His apologist argued… so what if we’re still in 2nd place… there was a change, isn’t it? Hi Hi Hi…Right, you’re okay. You’re telling the truth. There was indeed a change. When widow Cory Aquino ran against Marcos in the 1986 snap elections, she promised to be different. There will be a change. “I will be like what Marcos is not.”, candidate Cory declared. And so it came to pass. She was installed as Marcos successor. During her term, media was restored. No censorship was imposed. Press Freedom was enjoyed freely. The 1973 Constitution was scrapped after declaring her government as Revolutionary hence came the birth of this 1987 Freedom Constitution. This was the change she promised and was delivered. Not much change happened when President Fidel V. Ramos took over. FVR continued President Cory’s program of government since he was a protégé of his predecessor. Candidate Erap promised to have his government pro-poor, something his predecessor has neglected. He also promised not to travel as much as FVR did when he was in office. More than this, he promised to dispense justice to all people equally. The poor, the rich will be given equal justice before the law. In his inaugural speech, he declared “No friends, No relatives, No companero will be given preferential treatment. Don’t dare to try me.” After two years and six months in office, there was a sudden change. A change in government leadership. He was kicked out of office by what every Filipino knew as People Power II. Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo found herself the new president. She promised “ To have food in every dining table.” Only two months ago, a family is considered lucky if there’s food in their household. Long queue lining up to buy cheap rice are common sight in the most depressed areas. Even the well offs join the miserables in lining up to buy our major staple. The significant change that happened in the past two months were the price of our prime commodity. Prices has doubled while workers salary remains. In this case, our take home pays were becoming mere “loose change”. Salary increase will be given but it’s just a drop in the bucket. President GMA’s allies want a change in the form of our government. They want to shift to parliamentary from republican form. They haven’t made any headway yet. This early, politicians with presidential ambitions are promising change from the present woes we are having. If only they can make good their promises, maybe our country will not be as worst as it is now. God bless us.

Pinoy Idle

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Once an original is appreciated, imitation follows. Sometimes, the imitation looks better than the original. Fashion, entertainment, sports, jobs, politics, technology. Of late, there were tv programs being aired locally were imitated or copied from its original concept in the USA. Pinoy Big Brother and Wheel of Fortune were popular programs patterned after the original hit tv shows from the mainland. Young pupils when asked what their ambitions in life were?… many answered.. “I want to join “Pinoy Big Brother” so I’ll be discovered as an entertainment talent.” Some wants to join the “Wheel of Fortune” to have a chance of winning a major prize given to winning participants. Lately, “Pinoy Idol”, patterned after the popular program American Idol was aired locally. Anything that was conceptualized in the U.S. can be expected to have legions of following locally. A colleague who is a holder of a US tourist visa filed for a two-month vacation leave. Before he left, he made it known to us he might go on extended leave if work to be done exceeds this requested leave. Allegedly, he was invited by a relative and several friends who were in the construction business to earn dollars by working while on vacation. Work to be done were repair of apartments that includes repainting, lighting fixtures, bath rooms, removal and replacement of carpets, door locks and other related works. Work is relatively easy compared to similar work done here. Safety goggles, proper work clothes, mechanized tools were provided by contractors. Seemingly, he was enjoying his vacation since he was earning in dollars, aside from the fact that he’s on paid vacation leave. A week before the two month vacation comes to a close, he called up advising us he’ll be back to work as scheduled. On the day he reported to work, he told us – the vacation leave was not worth the earnings he got. He was able to work only for a month and on the second month… work was stopped. He was told, tourists are restricted from working and people who employ them will be penalized if they got caught. However, he was allowed to stay and worked at home as cook and do other house hold chores as dish washer, gardener, house cleaner. Although he was compensated for everything he did, not getting the job and work he was promised when he left, he felt cheated. Not losing his sense of humor and still afford to join us making fun of what happened he was frustrated to be a model, an idol to American dreamers, instead he called himself.. PINOY IDLE.

Desperate Our Lives

The last four months in our country’s landscape had been so turbulent such that waking up in the morning not hearing a bad news can be deemed abnormal. Early February ZTE star witness Jun Lozada surfaced on national tv alleging he was kidnapped by G-men who attempted to silence him but aborted the plan when media people becomes noisy on radio and on tv and his disappearance becomes too hot to handle. Senate investigation on his alleged kidnapping became the subject of a Senate investigation implicating high government officials from the police to the cabinet members and their understudies. One witness follows another and until now the inquiry has not been put to a close. In late March until April, the country was in a quandary where to get rice, our national staple. Supply disappeared in the market and when warehouses were raided, authorities found enough supply were being hoarded to make an appearance of less supply and high demand thus commanding a higher selling price. Cheap rice were repacked and sold at premium prices by merely packing the commodity in superior looking rice bags. First of May, labor leaders and workers trooped to the streets to demand wage hike to keep abreast with the rising cost of prime commodities. Different suggestions were made as to grant and implementations of the wage increase. Almost immediately, consumers were taken for a ride by politicians to demand the removal of charging of electrical pilferage known as systems loss – power not actually used by consumers but pilfered by illegal users then billed by the power company to its legitimate consumers. Middle of May i.e. May 16th, shortly before 9AM, 9 RCBC employees were massacred in Cabuyao, Laguna when bank robbers shot them in the head, point blank. A 10th victim, expired 2 days later. The victims of the St. Valentine’s Day massacre in Chicago in 1929 were happier. Bugs Moran boys were slaughtered by Al Capone’s gang, its mortal enemies. In the Cabuyao carnage, they were not the bank robbers enemies or rivals but ordinary bank employees tasked as keepers and handlers of money. Two days later, another massacre happened in Calamba, also in Laguna. Here, eight victims were killed. Less than a week after these two massacres, Tropical Storm Cosme devastated Northern Luzon leaving more than 40 people dead, destroyed thousands of houses and school buildings rendering the opening of classes is these areas in June doubtful. Prices of oil products were raised resulting to a fare hike nobody wants. Shortly before weekend, four buses of a provincial bus company were torched right at their terminal in the metropolis. Allegedly, extortion is the motive of the crime although not likely. Disgruntled bus drivers and conductors dismissed by management for various offenses were the likely culprits in this incident. In higher education, surveys shows at least 30 per cent dropout for the coming school year is anticipated. Reasons were the hike in tuition fees and parents not capable of raising the amount for their children’s school fees would rather allow their children to look for a job where they qualify to augment the family’s income. Many students are transferring from the private schools to the state colleges and universities to avail of the low tuition fees since the state funds these schools through the national budget. And when these students graduates, no jobs await them here so they leave their love ones to seek that proverbial greener pastures outside the country. New problems keep coming faster than we solve the present ones. It is said, the cost of dying is more than the cost of living. Otherwise, many of our suffering countrymen would have committed suicide or genocide long time ago. The real hopeless ones did. With each passing day, desperate people are rising in numbers. People wanting for a job, food, shelter, clothing, medicines for the sick, education for our children, the barest of necessities. Indeed, many people in our midst - young and old, learned and unlearned are desperate just to survive,

American Dreamer Dictionary

In May 2007, my friend Donnie Valencia came home and paid a visit to our office. His former office, almost a home for more than 31 years. We exchanged stories and pleasantries along with Verna. I almost forgot about this dictionary he jokingly asked last time he was here. It was originally intended for him but he suggested friends might get amused and as one author once said "The best joke is to tell the truth". It might not be the whole truth, but it comes very near to it. So, here it is, Relax, Seat and Enjoy (Or Annoyed).

Donnie,

Getting a U.S. visa is big deal to many Filipinos including employees of the national flag carrier “retired and active.. Even idiots claim to have a lot of class simply by getting this visa. I don't know why. Many went to the mainland and came back more stupid than when they left. You taught me many things and this serves as an overview of what to be done if and when I decided to apply for a visa (kung hindi ako manghinayang na mag-tuition sa pag-kuha ng visa) and if I don't chicken out in my filing for application. Based on the briefing you gave me, I documented it in my listed word meanings (my own, not copied from Webster) so if anything wrong comes out.. they are entirely my own. Nobody to blame. Ako lang. You are not responsible either. I might be the one who got confused. Anyway, many things I wrote might have actually happened to you, your friends and other Filipinos. As for me, panaginip pa lang. Libre naman eh.

If you find any mistakes in them, please make the necessary corrections and when you showed up again during you vacation here, give me the corrected version and I'll make a revised edition.

Thank you very much.

My Best,

GENE YU

AMERICAN DREAMER DICTIONARY

Amboy “ Long before the Fil-Ams came, there was this Amboys. I happen to be one.

When mother was raising me as a child, I was basically breast-fed. Bottle-feeding was unknown then. When working wives became the fad, bottle-feeding becomes popular. When my mother's milk was drying up, I was made to suck this Rice soup (sabaw ng sinaing na kung tawagin ay AM). Being fed this way, I became an accidental Amboy.

AW- I thought this is the American fast food chain. Until somebody corrected me. Mali daw ako. These are health workers in the United States , either legally or illegally that includes- nurses, caregivers, physical therapist. My colleague Billy gave this acronym new meaning AW, Ass Wiper. According to him, no matter how much you'repaid, in whatever currency you're paid, how much bonus you get if you're doing any of the above, you're still an Ass Wiper. An ass is an ass. Whether here in the Philippines , in the United States , or anywhere else. Isn't it Billy?

Alvarado “ What I had in mind before Frankie tells me his amazing story, I thought this is the character actor in most tagalong movies (local cinema), I've seen in my youth. A Sammy Davis or Jay Leno look-alike, he was a topnotch villain I wanted killed. I'm wrong after all. Frankie, the master de-facto liaison officer everybody knows in the office, found this street in downtown L.A. (according to him, how would I know) frequented by TNTs on the lookout for fake SSS, California ID and Driver's license cards. Talaga itong si Frankie, pambihira ang galing. Even in the United States , he's on the look-out for fake papers and credentials. I fervently hope and pray¦ our friendship is not fake. Or else, Oh my God (OMG).

America “The best place in the world" for the Americans.

Barkada “Some people mistook barkada for friendship. Very shallow. Most people who were taken for a ride thinks anybody who regularly give them drinks, foods and entertains them is their friend. Maybe.. If he/she is your friend, even without any or all of the above, then they are your friends, not barkada. Good luck.

Citizen “a person born in the USA by American parents (natural born) or of foreigners who happen to gave birth in the United States . If the foreigner happens to be a Filipino, the child is a Fil-Am. Eman Valencia , Donnie and Verna's son belongs to this group.

Consular Officer “ is an authorized person at the U.S. embassy who evaluates and assess the application for a visa and can either issue or deny it. Unfortunately, some people act, talk and discourage prospective applicants by saying "You will be denied.. you don't have money, you don't have any relative in U.S. , you don't have valuable property, you look live a prospective TNT, etc.. In short, they are saying.. "Hindi ka puwedeng mabigyan ng visa" "Di ka katulad ko. Ako lang (or Kami lang and puwedeng mabigyan ng visa, di ka puwede" This shit is all-knowing, too presumptuous. The consular officer himself will not tell you why you are being denied.

Fil-Am

One group of those amerasians who traces their roots in the Philippines . Fil-ams are of different class “Bic-Am, Vis-Am , Il -am, Tag-Am (Bicol-American, Visayan-American, Ilocano-American and Tagalog-American,. Many Fil-Ams who were nobody in the U.S. mainland suddenly find themselves a hot item or most-sought-after commodity here in the Philippines . Some of them turned to basketball, showbiz becomes instant celebrities and found themselves in the limelight. Many women including matronas fantasizes that these Fil-Ams might court, marry and bring them to the U.S. of A.

Friend “Anyone you can trust, depend, rely and turn your back to without getting stabbed in the back. He/She will not turn you in. Instead, they're whom you can turn to. If I have a friend who will turn me in or betray me, Mag-aalaga na lang ako ng aso. No dog has betrayed his master. A dog is not man's best friend for nothing.

Green Card “ A credit card or ATM card look-alike that is shown to friends or former workmates/officemates by immigrants who is a holder of this card that signifies their stay in the United States is legal. No immigration officer will run after them as far as their stay is concerned. To a natural-born American citizen, this card has no value; but to an immigrant, it's a big deal. Although its value is nominal compared to than of full citizenship, its value in the Philippines becomes greater than it actually is. As my former officemate Donnie Valencia says, its value here is purely "PAMPAYABANG". He added, "Magyayabang ka rin lang, Hustuhin mo na". I believe in what he says. Di tulad ng iba diyan, magyayabang din lang puro kuwento, wala naming kuwenta.. Yon pala nakikisabit lang. Free Loaders.

Invitation “ It is an offer by a friend, relative or acquaintance to come to the U.S. and stay with him at his house and says "Feel at Home”. There you can sleep, eat, drive his car and consider it your own. Some guests take it seriously. When they go home, nagbi-bitbit pa ng gamit ng host and sometimes nag-uumit pa.

Plenty of jobs in the U.S. “Some immigrants and even TNTs will keep on telling people to come to the U.S. once they get their visas. I can surely help you once you arrived there. Once their friends get their visas and were able to come to the U.S. , they'll tell them "You came too late. Huli ka na. Last week lang na-fill up ang bakanteng puwesto. Sayang. Dapat inagahan mo. Next time na lang baka ma-taymingan mo. Sayang talaga. Buwisit ka, sabi mo marami.. ngayon napunan na lahat.... sabay-sabay bang napunuan ang maraming pinagsasabi mo? O nambobola ka lang.. PWE.

Legal “Also called a legal permanent resident. He has the necessary and valid papers to show when confronted by immigration authorities. Sometimes, called L na L, or legal na legal. He can legally stay and roam around the United States and can expect to become a U.S. citizen after a certain period of time. Donnie Valencia and Alfonso Lin belongs to this group.

Naturalized American "A foreigner who earns an American citizenship by undergoing a process called naturalization. When one is a naturalized American, he is not natural-born. I used to think, a naturalized American is one born by natural or ordinary means, normal delivery. Not caesarian. Hindi pala. Now, I know.

Pakisama “fellowship. Getting along with people. Some people give this new meaning. Like, "Punta ka pala sa amerika,.. PAKISAMA mo naman ako. Wala akong matutuluyan don eh. May U.S. visa naman ako.

Petition “something done by a petitioner whereby he files with the appropriate U.S. government agency or office informing that office he wants to have his parents, siblings, spouse or sweetheart to stay with him, join him or bring them to the United States to be reunited. In the Philippines , a petition is something submitted to a government agency or office demanding or requesting the removal, dismissal or replacement of a government official they don't like.

Petitionee “ is a person designated by a petitioner he wants to be with in the United States . He can be a parent, sibling, spouse or sweetheart. In some instances, a petitionee is a prospective worker.

Petitioner “is a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States who files a petition to an appropriate government office or agency informing that office he wants he parents, sibling, spouse or sweetheart to join him in the United States. A prospective employer can also be a petitioner. Sometimes, a petitioner is a paid citizen who do it for monetary consideration and/or other conditions.

Port of Entry “is a place in a foreign country usually an airport, seaport, or border where foreigners are admitted or rejected by immigration authorities. Travelers usually develop a sudden uncomfortable feeling that made them feel like urinating, bowel movement, perspiration, high blood pressure, heart palpitation. Some even collapse. A few are excellent liars and bluffers and were able to make it. Some say they will visit a relative but actually they don't have any.. sabit lang. Others say they are coming for a short visit. Short visit? Mga buwisit na ito ah.. Ayaw ng umuwi.. short visit lang? Iniiwan nga ang trabaho dito at pamilya... short visit pa? Sinungaling na mga ito ah. Baka Long Buwisit. Hi Hi Hi. Sometimes, it's also an "airport of denial", "airport of crying", or a "port of sadness". A 2 A ako ah. Hu Hu Hu.

Recto “A busy street in downtown Manila where credentials are easily procured for a measly sum of money. What takes an ordinary student four years to earn a college degree, anybody can get it in an hour or two. You can choose any course you want, the year you supposedly graduated, honors earned or received. To an untrained eye, he/she won't recognize the fake from the original. Sometimes, the fake looks more genuine and the original looks inferior.

Relative “are of two kinds. Affinity or Consanguinity. Relative by affinity are those we have account of marriage. For example: mother-in-law, father-in-law, all kinds of in-laws. Outlaws not included.. Mga wanted ito, may patong sa ulo. Relatives by consanguinity are those we have account of blood relationships. For example: Uncle, aunts, cousins, grand-parents. Somebody who made me a topic of their discussion once said, "Gene Yu has no chance of visiting America because he has no relatives there". True, I have no relatives there. I don't deny. But then, he is wrong. Why? Not all those who have relatives in U.S. were able to go there. I made an extensive research and found out at least one person who came to America without any relative. For your info, he is Christopher Columbus. He has no relative at all. Pinsan, Tiyohin, tiyahin, biyenan. Talagang wala. Peks man. Cross my heart. Believe me. Maniwala ka, walang kamag-anak ang kumag na ito ng pumunta ng Amerika. In fact, siya ang kuna-unahang dayuhan na nakarating ng Amerika aside from A.V. Kilala mo ba ito? Try to find out kung hindi pa. Only idiots will tell me only those with relatives can go to America . Tell that to the marines.

TNT “acronym for Tago Ng Tago. A tourist who has overstayed in the United States . He abused the generosity of the U.S. government for allowing him to stay for a definite period of time. Nasarapan yata. Ayaw ng umuwi. Like a mouse who plays when the cat is away, he roams like a lion and act like somebody when no immigration officer is around. Comes an immigration officer, he will hide even in the dirties sewer (imburnal) to get away from immigration authorities. Sometimes, he is called "Illegal or Panaguan. Many ex-employees of the national flag carrier belongs to this category.

Tourist “holders of tourist visa who were admitted and gained entry in the United States. Some of these tourists worked there as caregiver, PT and similar work, a violation in the issuance of the tourist visa. When they don't return to their home country and remained in the US after the validity of their legal stay, then they become a TNT. Years back, my Japanese look-alike friend called them TOURISAN, a corruption of the tagalong word- Tulisan. Some of these tourists eh nakituloy na, may mga nawala pang gamit sa tinuluyan ng nagsi-uwi. Totoo nga. Tourisan.

U.S.Visa “a document issued by the U.S. government through the U.S. embassy to selected applicants granting them permission to enter the U.S. mainland or any of its trust territories. Some people think having a US. Visa include the right todemand accommodation by acquaintances (kakilala), friends (kaibigan) once they are admitted at the port of entry. Wrong. The visa is used only for passage to gain entry, a limited stay for a specified period of time. It does not include the right or privilege to forced admission to any acquaintance or friend residing there. Otherwise, you become an "unwanted guest" or "gate crasher". Some would- be host suddenly leave town or change telephone numbers to avoid these tourisans or buwisitors.

Working Visa “one of the visa issued by the U.S. government where holders can legally work in the United States .