Why are Filipinos so Rude to Foreigners?
The Philippines is dependent on two things to keep its economy afloat. It needs the contributions of the OFW’s and it needs the foreign money of the tourists. It also does not hurt if many foreigners move to the Philippines permanently, usually those who are married to Filipinas, set up a home , and spend LOTS of money in the Philippines on goods and services. Agree?
If these things are true, and I certainly believe they are, then why is it that foreigners are targeted by pickpockets, scam artists, those wanting “basketball team sponsors”, the locals in the neighborhoods and even the police? Can some Pinoy answer that for me, please? I am an American who has been married to a Filipina for almost 21 years now. I have been living in the Philippines on the isle of Cebu since March of 2009 and I have personally either witnessed or been a victim of those things I just mentioned so don’t dare tell me I am exaggerating or that I don’t know what I am talking about. I do.
Just today, for example, my American neighbor from Ohio, me, my wife and some others were sitting in chairs out in the yard here at our fenced apartment complex when a young Filipino guy poked his head over the locked iron gate. My wife said, “Who are you looking for?” He said, “That FAT American there”…indicating my buddy from Ohio…and yes, he is fat. He was waving an envelope in his hand and we all mistakenly assumed that he was with the post office and was bringing him a letter of some sort. He was on a bicycle, which is the usual way our mail here gets delivered to us. Wrong. He was just wanting a basketball sponsor! Oh, me. John, my neighbor, did not give him anything and sat back down, disgusted, as we all were, at this silly ploy for money.
If you are a Filipino and you go to America, you will be treated with respect. You will not be excessively made fun of, targeted for scams or be the victim of a crime just because you are a “foreigner”, especially if you move to one of the southern states like, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, or Mississippi. Folks there are very friendly and you will be treated well, I promise you. So…why are foreigners who visit or move to the Philippines treated like fools, suckers, and just rich people with money?
The first landlord I had here in the Philippines tried to steal water from my outside hydrant to water his chickens with and even tried to tap into my electric line to use my electricity for FREE….until I caught him red-handed and made him stop. What the hell?!?? We “foreigners” are people too. We have two hands, two feet, ten fingers, ten toes, one head. We are neither higher or lower in stature than you Filipinos. I am sorry if some act that way, but the ones I know do NOT act that way…and I know quite a few Americans, Australians and a few Germans here in the Philippines permanently. Tricycle drivers try to overcharge me quite often when I ride tricycles. The old ladies selling vegetables at the market will UP their prices on fruits and vegetables if I go with my wife to the market…so she usually leaves me at home so she can only pay the “Filipino” price. The car salesman at Toyota of Cebu tried to screw us out of an additional 70,000 pesos on the price of a new 2009 Toyota Altis. Cashiers at the grocery store repeatedly short us on the change we are due when we pay our grocery bill. I have heard MANY derogatory statements made about me by Filipinos who do not realize I understand just enough Visayan to know that they are insulting me. And you still expect me to praise the Philippines and encourage other Americans to move here?!??
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test post to see if this works
Whenever generalizations are made, everyone gets defensive because (1) the people doing that kind of thing don’t want to be exposed and (2) the ones who don’t do it (rightly) don’t want to get lumped in with the other kind. I think it’s fair to say that there are also plenty of Filipinos who would complain about the same things as Mr. Macon. Mr. Macon is an American. In America, we feel entitled to the benefits of the law being enforced. We also feel entitled to speak our opinion when we feel someone is being rude to us. Not to say we all go around shouting at people that offend us. I think more people try to give some hint to the person that their behavior is unacceptable. Other Americans understand it because there is an unspoken understanding as to what is acceptable behavior and what is not. I suppose the same could be said of the Philippines, albeit under a different set of standards.
Now, I can say that many polite Americans become rude Americans after moving to the Philippines because their attempts to politely make their feelings known are often ignored. In some cases, it could be because the Filipino didn’t understand the queue that his or her behavior was offensive. In other cases, sad to say, it’s because the Filipino simply doesn’t care and feels entitled to do whatever they are doing (cutting in line, calling someone fat, invading another persons personal space, etc.). Please don’t make this a “Adapt or get lost” thing. It’s not too much to ask to not walk up and poke someone’s belly when they have already made it clear they don’t like being touched by people they are not familiar with. This is not simply a cultural thing. Even individual Filipinos have their own sensibilities and boundaries they want others to respect. Demonizing foreigners for wanting the same personal boundaries is just bigoted.
Depending on where you live in the Philippines, the percentage of people who act that way may be higher than other places. If you live in a place like Davao, where I’ve personally found that most people are reasonably polite and respect your personal space, you might be tempted to view Mr. Macon’s opinion as generalized or exaggerated. However, there really are some places with a higher concentration of jerks. If you are a foreigner living in a place like that, it can tend to wear on your patience. Nevertheless, it’s not fair to assume that Mr. Macon is, himself, a jerk because he has frankly expressed his opinions in his blog since blogs are places people use to frankly express their opinions. I thought, given the level of frustration, he was reasonably restrained. Believe me, I’ve heard a LOT worse(sometimes from Filipinos). I can assume that since Mr. Macon didn’t use his blog to unleash this in the rudest way possible, he probably does not go around being tactless and blabbing out his opinions to random Filipinos.
What I want to know is why some people don’t want to hear negative opinions about their culture but seem to seek them out so they can tell the person with the opinion that their all wrong and it’s all their fault and their opinion doesn’t accurately reflect the real situation in the Philippines. If it bothers you so much, why look for blogs like this? If he’s exaggerating, the people who live here, foreigners included, will see through it. Indeed, there are as many foreigners who have lots of good things to say about living here as foreigners who don’t. Keep in mind, though, that their location and circumstances might be totally different from one another. If a foreigner married well, was lucky enough to get good neighbors, and does not have to worry about his budget too much, he is more likely to overlook the irritations (and probably in a better position to avoid them). The kicker is, the things that these unfortunate foreigners complain about are more likely to be things that affect Filipinos as well. Some foreigners (like myself) live more on par with the average Filipino economically.
So, let’s say that we foreigners did as you wished and kept all of our opinions to ourselves that didn’t sing the Philippines’ praises – would anything worthwhile have been accomplished. Sure, you shut up someone’s opinion which didn’t please you, but for what? They weren’t complaining about you personally. So, why feel offended? More than likely, if more people gave attention to the complaints, life in general would improve for the average person, including you.
I hate to point out something that has been pointed out so many times that it’s become cliche, but you folks need to quit your TV dramas and news cold turkey. I tried to watch, and I saw nothing of any moral value, nor did I find anything of any real value in terms of informing the people of current events. You’re more likely to get a clearer picture of what’s going on through blogs and foreign news outlets than watching the ABS/GMA programs. The news here seems geared toward making people resent foreigners and viewing them as unwelcome meddlers. Let me assure you, foreigners (aside from the Catholic Church as a foreign entity) are in no position to meddle. Your constitution makes it impossible for us to even do the most basic things like own our own property even when we reside here legally or to own the majority share of our own business even if we invested 100% of the capital. Our complaints are (1) a basic human right, (2) objective observations of things that, if improved, would improve your standard of living, reputation, and attract more investment. If we kept our opinions out of your ears, the opinion would still be there, and so would the situations that caused the opinions.
Now, I know you guys are used to dealing with a different kind of customer service, but in most places in the world the customers are NOT grateful to the company for selling them goods. The company is grateful to the customer for giving their business. If a company conveyed the attitude of “take what we give you and say thank you or you’re welcome to get out and not come back”, that company would go out of business. Well, friends, tourism and yes even long-term foreign residency is a business. That means that foreigners are your customers. Now, I’m not saying that you folks should take abusive behavior from foreigners. No, what I’m saying is you should listen to your customers and try to objectively evaluate the situation. I was a customer service manager for 10 years back in the states. Some customers would have ridiculous complaints, but as long as the cost of complying with the wish of the customer didn’t outweigh the income we would receive from keeping his or her business, we would comply. If we couldn’t accommodate the customer, we would try to help them find an alternative.
Telling the victim of a crime that it was their fault because they didn’t research well enough before coming to the Philippines is skewed logic. I’m talking to you, Rolfaneub Anewor. You seem to feel that someone reporting this kind of thing deserves you harshest criticism and you try to discredit him. So, when other people like him go to “Do their research”, and they encounter comments like yours, what are they to think? I will tell you, I spent a year researching the Philippines before moving here. I learned three of the languages. That’s how serious I was about it. Nothing in any of my research could prepare me for living here as a foreigner. Do you know why? Because when I tried to find blogs about living here, most foreigners living here are afraid to say anything negative. Just look at that Jimmy kid from Cebu. The media demonized him when all he was saying was that life could be so much better for everyone with a few achievable improvements. When someone like Mr. Macon blogs, people like you accuse him of being ignorant and generalizing for telling his perspective on living here. People who have never lived in the Philippines reading that might get confused and think that there’s nothing to what he’s saying when in fact there is a lot to what he’s saying. We certainly can’t turn to the Department of Tourism. They just get the masses to chant the same rhetoric about how fun it is here. You can’t tell people it’s their fault for not researching well enough on one hand and then participate in silencing the tools of that research. Mr. Macon’s opinion is an accurate assessment of life here from his circumstances.
Now, don’t misjudge me here. You are also entitled to your opinion, but with all due respects, I don’t think you’re qualified to understand what it’s like to be a foreigner living in the Philippines or considering living in the Philippines and trying to find accurate unbiased information. Don’t worry, there are at least as many blogs with more upbeat themes on the Philippines. Still, the issues raised by people like Mr. Macon can’t be ignored…or, they can, but it’s like having gangrene. You can ignore it, but it won’t help anything.
I’m sure Mr. Macon is well aware that smiling, being friendly, and keeping negative opinions to himself in public is the best policy for living here just as I figured out that being a smiling foreigner who shakes hands with everyone and chit-chats with them in their dialect makes a lot of allies, and remembering their important dates and giving little gifts now and then don’t hurt anything either. Still, these things are not the basis of true friendship. Don’t you think it’s sad that it’s rare and difficult for foreigners to cultivate real true friendships with Filipinos.
If you’re a Christian, you believe in Jesus’ “Golden Rule” about treating others as you would want to be treated.
If you’re not a Christian, still, even the United Nations included several clauses in their declaration on Universal Human Rights about acting in a spirit of brotherhood toward other human beings and all being equal.
Wouldn’t that negate foreigners being considered “Legitimate targets” because they are viewed as having money? In fact, don’t you think there’s something wrong when a good percentage of the population of a society believe there is such a thing as a “Legitimate target” of scamming and larceny? Don’t say it’s only a few people. You’d be surprised how many people think its ok to take from someone by hook or crook simply because that person has and they don’t. It’s a prevalent. There’s no defending it. If you don’t think that way and don’t behave that way, then why defend it or try to make it seem like it’s not really that way? Do you have something to lose by seeing people’s moral standards and human empathy improve?
Oh, and one last thought. I do think it’s a little inaccurate to say that Filipinos as rude to foreigners. Many Filipinos do things which foreigners find offensive. There may even be certain kinds of rude behavior that are directed specifically toward foreigners. However, I can say for sure that Filipinos offend other Filipinos more than they offend foreigners. If a person is rude, they are rude. It doesn’t matter who they are being rude to. One sure fire way to know if a certain behavior is not a cultural difference is to watch and see if other Filipinos are offended as well. I suppose the same could apply to Americans or Foreigners just the same.
all posters on this site….get another perspective…from filipinos…not foreigners…go look at…anti-pinoy
Sorry to hear that you have had some bad experiences.
I lived in the Philippines for 5 years and have not had many bad experiences. Did encounter pick pockets twice in jeepneys but foiled their attempts.
On the other hand my Filipina wife was verbally abused by two foreigners while she and our baby were in a family restaurant in Balibago. They were waiting for me to come down from our room. Our two year old was making noise and one shouted at our child and then the other one told my wife to keep her baby quiet. Talk about rude. It even had a sign that said “This is a family restaurant”. People like those two guys are one reason Filipinos may not like foreigners in general. Those two apparently had no idea how much trouble they could have gotten into by mouthing off to a Filipina.
I have seen Filipinos violently enforce a little courtesy on a foreigner outside of a bar in Balibago. After all, the foreigners are “guests” in the Philippines. Not bosses.
Can you imagine the reaction of some Americans to a foreigner berating them or their families?
Are you rude to Filipinos? Do you have bad body odor? Do you insult them in any way? Have you asked your wife what she thinks?
Check out my blog about my life in the Philippines at:
timotraveling.blogspot.com
Timo, hello. I did actually see two “foreigners”, (white guys, possibly Americans…),in the food court at SM Mall in Cebu City abusing verbally a Filipino guy that cleans the tables. I was actually started towards them to tell them to stop acting like assholes when my wife grabbed my arm and stopped me. Yes, it works both ways,attitudes and treatment of others. I thought ..mistakenly..that all Filipinos were like my wife…before I moved here..neat, clean, responsible, good at handling money, courteous to others, kind, and not given to making loud noises or playing their music so loud that it disturbs others.BOY!! Was I ever wrong! LOL! As far as body odor, I shower twice a day and use deodorant and yes, I have smelled some foreigners’ body odor that is just horrible. The habit of peeing in public on a tree or a wall by Filipino men needs to be stopped! Also, the habit of just dumping your basura on the street somewhere is really sickening! You do NOT see that in America, at least nowhere near on the scale you see it here. Why not just burn the basura? That is what my apartment neighbor here does..out in the yard, and I have no problem with that.
Problem with trash burning. I developed asthma while in the Philippines. Lived 2 years in Manila area and it is polluted enough without burning trash. Then we moved to Angeles City area and neighbors burned trash including plastic wrap. Talk about pollution. It is supposed to be against the law to burn trash. But, in an elementary school book my daughter was taught to burn the trash. Go figure.
First place we lived here had NO trash pickup because the road was too narrow for the truck to get down it. WE burned not only our trash but the neighbors’ trash. They were very nasty people. About 5 young teenage girls lived together and one had a baby and they would just put the USED disposable diapers out on the ground in front of their apartment. Not kidding. We talked the landlord into digging a 6 foot deep hole to put and burn trash in and they were even too lazy to walk to the hole and do that! If there is any ordinance against burning trash where we live now, we and our neighbors are unaware of it. City trash pickup is very unreliable…and that is a big understatement so …you have to burn it from time to time where we live. God…I miss the USA!! We had a large green plastic can on wheels with a lid. Trash was picked up every Tuesday and Friday, (twice a week), just as regular as clockwork.
Not sure this gets posted in the correct spot, I try to reply to some posts and they are not listed. Anyway, yea the trash burning and charcoal cooking is very bad, I try to get up around 4am and shut the windows because we can wake up to some serious smoke, we use to have just screens so no way to shut out the smoke but now we have windows that close. Our house and back yard the size of a football field was flooded up to 4 feet with water lilies that brought in the trash, so I have been burning almost non stop tons of plastic, such as diapers, sandals, shoes, animal feed bags that’s the worst offender here and plastic bags, I have been planting banana and mahogany but it’s difficult because when I dig it’s full of plastic and shirts I have pull out of the ground and when I use the brush cutter it’s even worse it can pick out shirts, rope the list is endless and it’s back to burning tons of garbage, this will take probably another 3 years before I have the yard somewhat cleaned up. I too have noticed some sort of asma issue’s that end up Anxiety issues.
Filipinos are VERY careless with their trash. I noticed that the first trip we made here on vacation back in 2004. They buy these little one peso plastic bags of water, suck the water out and throw the plastic down on the street where it is washed into the gutters and storm drains. Then..during rainy season..surprise! surprise!…the water gets backed up and floods the streets. Idiots. Complete idiots.
Steve, I spent almost 3 years cleaning the garbage up by my self I might add only to hear from my wifes sister, yea your alway’s cleaning the yard and of course after I got it somewhat clean I found out that the family was throwing their trash bags full of plastic into the yard, dang it! So my wife decided to start putting the babies diapers and garbage right at their back gate the one that leads to our yard and they started making threats like, how would you like it if we started throwing our trash in your yard, lol, they have been doing it for years, also the sea men, boats in the back just throw their stuff in the water or on shore real early in the morning, I still have mounds of plastic drying up with the water lilies in the back ready for burning the smoke always travels in the direction of the family so what they contribute will return, lol, they stand there and enjoy the smoke they don’t even try to get away from it the level of stubborn pride is very high in the family area.
Steve, I spent almost 3 years cleaning the garbage up by my self I might add only to hear from my wife’s sister, yea your alway’s cleaning the yard and of course after I got it somewhat clean I found out that the family was throwing their trash bags full of plastic into the yard, dang it! So my wife decided to start putting the babies diapers and garbage right at their back gate the one that leads to our yard and they started making threats like, how would you like it if we started throwing our trash in your yard, lol, they have been doing it for years, also the sea men, boats in the back just throw their stuff in the water or on shore real early in the morning, I still have mounds of plastic drying up with the water lilies in the back ready for burning the smoke always travels in the direction of the family so what they contribute will return, lol, they stand there and enjoy the smoke they don’t even try to get away from it the level of stubborn pride is very high in the family area.
There you go again, on your bs generalization, Mr Macon. Some people in my country are that ignorant when it comes to pitching in. Those types just love to litter anywhere. There are people there who has no discipline when it comes to trash. I’ve heard that until now there is no good garbage system in most major Cities in Metro Manila. There is a place called Olongapo City that is known for its cleanliness. You may want to check it out.
If the government is serious about the cleanliness, they would implement the proper garbage disposal policy with heavy fine to people who will violate it. Just like here in the US.
Speaking of the US, there are some low life foreigners here from Latin America who just throw trash anywhere. You can tell if these people are living nearby. The surroundings of the stores where they usually go to are trashy. You can also see some trash on the side of the roads.
J.T., LOL!..I know all about the “Latin” foreigners in the USA. I worked with some, even. Yes, they are, as a group, very untidy, to say the least. Yes, I also agree with you that the Philippines needs to implement and ENFORCE some stricter trash laws and yes, the cities need to get serious about timely trash pick up. Did you know we have to “tip” our trash guys here or they will not even come around? Yep. Ridiculous. They are already getting paid…something…by the city. By the way, before you start “preaching” to me again about this or that regarding the Philippines, WHY ARE YOU NOT HERE ENJOYING ALL THIS PLEASURE OF PARADISE? Hmmm? Yeah, I think I know. It is called M-O-N-E-Y, same reason I am tolerating all this….for now..so I can save some money and get back to civilization some day in the states.
Why I am not there enjoying the paradise? It is because my family is here.
What are you doing there enjoying that so called paradise if all you do is to fuss? Why don’t you come back here pronto and enjoy cleaning up the messes those Latin Americans scattered all over Uncle Sam.
The Latin Americans are responsible for themselves, as we all should be. I am waiting until I turn 62 so I can draw my Social Security check. I believe this makes about the tenth time I have stated that on here.
As for Latin Americans, I see a lot of them as hard working as well. The problem, there are so many illegal hispanic here. They help derailed the welfare system and they are taking the jobs that belongs to American people. Instead of shutting the borders down, Obama will reward the illegals with amnesty as long as they’ve been here for 8 years, if they can speak English, they have no criminal records here, and they know the US history. This is very unfair to those who stayed in line to follow the US immigration law but still waiting for decades for their chance to get here. You are going back to Texas? I bet you will be running your mouth one more time but it would be for the Latin Americans in general.
Face it Mr. Macon, your kind look down on colored people no matter what nationality they might be.
You won’t be missed if you leave the Phils. The last thing the Filipino people want is a foreigner like you who always look down on them in general. One thing I am sure, once you get back here, you will miss the Phils big time. The kind of life my country can offer you is nothing compare to the life the USA can offer to anyone on SSS pension.
The tipping is one of the poor system in the Phils. They do that to come up with extra money to survive though. They are not getting paid enough and tipping helps a lot. Consider it, each time you help, your soul is being blessed. Who knows, you will still get to heaven even if you are that grumpy just because you helped a lot of Filipinos while running your big mouth doing it, hahahaha!
LOL! Don’t give me that stuff about my soul being blessed! LOL! I did not just get off the plane. The whole country is full of beggars and thieves and somehow, for some reason the foreigners are supposed to support them all. (??) I don’t think so…not this foreigner anyway…
No one’s demanding the foreigners to support all Filipinos. A lot of Filipinos are hard working you just haven’t met them all yet. And if you did, you are probably too blinded with your hatred against the Filipino people in general to see that NOT all of us are like your Pinoy in-laws. Your Pinoy in-laws are probably the ones demanding you to support them because they look at you as a walking ATM. If they got used milking you, that’s your fault. You tolerated them.
Lived in Subic for one year. Olongapo is clean. It’s also riddled with pickpockets and burglars who target foreigners. Guess you can’t have everything!!!
You guys are still at it, huh?
Anyway, I don’t agree with Mr. Macon but I respect his right to say what he said.
He has his reasons. And for him they’re good enough reasons to hold on to about his view of things.
I understand that unless the Filipinos around him miraculously change and show him the opposite of what he’s seeing now, all the arguments in the world will not be enough to dissuade him. Heck, I’m not even sure he wants to be proven wrong.
Admittedly, there are numerous Filipinos who fit Mr. Macon’s description. Fellow Filipinos, don’t be “balat sibuyas”. If a foreigner says “ALL Filipinos are thieves”, why should you react like it’s a life and death situation? Maybe ALL the Filipinos that foreigner met are thieves. Can we blame him for generalizing?
We too are fond of hasty generalizations. On the Spratlys Islands dispute, most Filipinos don’t say “Yang mga Intsik na umaangkin sa Spratlys ay mga suwapang.” (Those Chinese who are taking the Spratlys for their own are greedy). What most Filipinos say is “Suwapang talaga ang mga Instik!” (Chinese are really greedy!) We don’t pinpoint just the ones who are actually involved in the issue. We include them all.
Same goes when we comment about the ill-fate some of the Filipinos in the Middle East and say “Salbahe talaga ang mga Arabo!” (Arabs are really bad!). We even do it to our fellow Filipinos when we say “Ang baduy mo naman! Bisaya ka ba?” (You’re too out of fashion! Are you Visayan?), “Para kang Ilocano! Kuripot!” (You are like an Ilocano! Stingy!) I could go on and on but I’m sure you get the picture.
So you see, we are guilty of the same crime. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Besides, even if there are dozens of Americans, Australians, Englishmen, Blacks and all kinds of nationalities who say Filipinos are rude, there’s at least one foreigner who disagrees. Read this – http://opinion.inquirer.net/47047/love-letter-to-filipinos
So relax.
Your cultural heritage (if you truly believe in one) cannot be decimated by a single (or even hundreds, for that matter) blog post.
Keep off the net every once in a while and interact with real people. Who knows, you might meet a foreigner and strike up a friendship with one. At least you can do something to directly influence his view of Filipinos.
God bless everyone (and yes, that wish includes you too, Mr. Macon
)
I am quite sure this does not show in my posts on here but..I have actually really tried to fit in here and to be nice to most Filipinos. I have. However…just 2 days ago…in the SM Mall in Cebu City, a well dressed, elderly Filipino man came up to me…told me a long, sad story about how his son in law would not allow him to live with his only daughter and him and he was 84 years old and needed money. I noticed a 20-something Filipino male standing behind the old guy vigorously shaking his head, “NO!” at me. The old guy left and the young Filipino said that the old man spent every penney he gets on lottery tickets because he gave him money once and followed him. LOL! THIS….is the huge ATTITUDE problem here in the Philippines and just one more reason why I have the attitude I do about Filipinos, in general. Now..on the good side..there is Faye, a 76 year old Filipina who lived in California for many years married to a white American guy until he died. She now lives here in Talisay close to us. SHE…is good and understands our frustrations.
God haven’t you gone back to Texas yet? I think whining is the only fun you get in life.
You will find occasionally that guys come up to you in New York and ask for money after spinning a hard luck yarn. As they do in Sydney or London or any other city in the world. I bet it’s even been known to happen in San Antonio and Houston. In six years it’s never happened to me in the Philippines even once, so it’s hardly an everyday occurrence.
The 20-something year old Filipino on the other hand seems to have gone out of his way to do you a favour, but you don’t even seem to realise it. It’s called selective perception – only seeing things that reinforce your existing prejudices. Sorry, PREJUDICES to adopt your idiosyncratic writing style.
you are the one eyed wanker…you must stay inside your house and hide…or maybe narcs like you give off some sort of warning so the usual filipino foreigner shit doesnt touch you…but for sure you have your own blinkered view…
PS..your own post says what is relevant…”occasionally”…and that is what defines valid generalizations versus invalid comparisons and justifications or relativism
PPS…I see S&P are in the crap…what a surprise…has that 7% growth made a big difference to the average filipino?..will it?…no way
Ken you must be very wealthy and privledged man living in a gated community, you can’t be serious dude? Are you serious, this is whats wrong with politics, these guys running for office don’t live with the general public and have great wealth and body guards, try walking to the grocery store all by yourself in the provinces it don’t happen without someone bugging you to buy rags, knifes, belts, flowers and beggar kids, wow Ken you are so out of touch that you could live anywhere as long as you have your wealth and be happy, try living on pension man.
Ummmm no, dude, not even close to wealthy. I live in Navotas City, right in the middle of the slums, in an ordinary Filipino house. My partner’s family’s home is a squat that’s scheduled to be demolished soon. Not a gated community in sight. I walk in the streets, alone and without the use of bodyguards, for at least an hour every day. Visit local malls with my partner frequently. Occasionally visit our nephew’s schools and so on … just a normal life.
Yes people occasionally try to sell me things. I politely decline with a “walang pera” and that’s usually the end of it. No big deal. What does that have to do with Macon’s complaint about someone trying to con him? Macon whines that Filipinos are all lazy and won’t work and now you whine about desperately poor people walking the streets 10 hours a day trying to make a few pesos selling things. I wish you guys would get your stories straight.
Ken, sorry to hear that the family in Navotas will eventually have to move due to demolition, actually I am on squatted land also, no title. Unsure if my other comment went through, I am having a difficult time with this CAPCHA code that you type in and if it don’t work you lose everything, dang I lost so much that I will make this brief, I’m through whining about it here, it’s much better than the solitary confinement feeling that I had in the US. Going to check out this board or some sort of expat board for those living here to maybe share information on how to find certain things or food items such as corn meal or corn flour, still haven’t been able to find that or a hot dog that taste good, Frabelle cheese hotdogs so far are my favorite every now and then but I live on the bottom edge of the Laguna and I mean right on the bottom edge of the lake, so variety is not that good here. Good for you on striking it out on your own, no escort I think that’s cool.
That captcha code is annoying I lost many posts because of that.
Mcalleyboy, I believe the Landmark at Trinoma Edsa sells corn meal flour. This store probably carry all kinds of International food.
Below is the address and the phone number of Landmark. Check it out. Good luck.
THE LANDMARK
Address : Trinoma Mall EDSA Corner North Avenue Quezon City Metro Manila
Phone : 63(2)9229990
Also, Metro Supermarket and SM Hypermarket sells American food. Please check it out:
http://timotraveling.blogspot.com/2012/08/buying-american-and-european-groceries.html
Thank you JT Bredett, On my next trip to Manila I will check that place out, on my yearly trips to the Manila PBI I stop in different malls such as the MOA (Grocery store there is terrible) and there was another mall in Paranaque or I think it’s called the twin mall, Paranaque has the best grocery store I have ever been to, they sell the mini potatoes in large bags cheaply along with onions and garlic the fresh meat, hot dog, bacon, milk products and frozen food section is awesome along with the bread section and overall variety, I need to check out the others you recommended, I can usually find black beans in almost any large grocery in Manila but the supplies are so few, I would probably buy 20 bags if allowed of black beans it makes great Chile and also refried beans, thanks again.
You are welcome, Mr. Mcalley.
I’m soooooo impressed of you Ken. How I wish a lot of Americans can think and act like you. Good to hear from you on this site Ken and I hope a lot of your kind increase here.
I’m impressed of you, Ken_L! you are good people who knows on how to appreciate… and for you ,mcalleyboy, always remember the golden rule “when you are in Rome, live like a Roman” just like Ken_L did!
Those people who don’t appreciate and complainer are unhappy and proud like Mr. Macon
so GO HOME WHERE YOU CAME FROM if you are not happy in our country!
yeh…good idea…all foreigners in the philippines should start behaving like filipinos…within 5 days we would all be dead…us foreigners i mean
I can see what you are saying, ginoong Marvin. As I grow older and wiser, I try not to generalize anyone.
The point is, it is human nature to be defensive. As I am sure Mr. Macon would not be pleased as well if I generalize all the old White man like him as impotent and useless if generalization is nothing to him.
Would you agree if I call you impotent and useless Mr. Macon just because I’ve heard that there are old grumpy White expats are that way?
hahaha…thats what pinoy want to believe to make themselves feel better about the fact that fat old white guys get the girls they themselves can’t get…my pinay wife tells me a lot of things she hears filipino say about foreign men here…it becomes clear that most of it is designed to stroke the low self esteem of bastos lazy wife beating pinoy…
Those self esteem low life wife beating Pinoy would say anything to get to under your skin just like how Mr. Macon would say anything to get to Filipino nerves out of anger and frustration.
Oops, my post is messed up.
….which only adds more proof to the posters original claim…that filipinos are rude to foreigners…for me i can take it…what really pisses me off is the shit my wife has to hear and how upset she can feel …all because she is with a foreigner…and its not just a few…it is very common…
Do not know what world Ken is living in. I get asked for money constantly here. Cannot stick my head out the door without being asked for money by someone. Annoying is an understatement. Cannot wait to get back to USA..and..whoever said it..in jest or whatever…YES, America did save the world back in WW II. A lot of folks forget that. My wife’s father was a scout for the American army in the Philippines in WW II, got captured by Japanese army and was part of the infamous Bataan Death March and survived. He raised 6 kids. My wife is the oldest. I report on REALITY. Don’t know about everybody else. My current wife is my 3rd wife. Impotent? LOL! Hardly….
Mr. Macon, you chose to live in an over populated country without any means of welfare assistance to the poor, expect beggars everywhere.
The United State of America is a rich country that even cater to illegals, of course there’d be no much beggars here.
You can’t wait to get back to Texas? How long have you been gone? The US economy is not so good don’t be surprised if you see more bums than what you did before as I am starting to see more of them in the fast few years since the US economy went bad. I live in a big City.
I am probably way younger than you but I am aware that America saved the Philippines from WWII. If you think there are Filipinos who forget that, can’t you blame them? They are probably very old to remember. The rest are probably very young who doesn’t care about history. Kudos to your father-in-law.
You still can get it up!? Good for you! Thanks to blue pill.
Hahahahaha JT Bredett. You really hit the nail on Steve especially about the blue pill. Now, I’m thinking if that blue pill has something to do with Steve’s consistent whining. LOL.
Well, the blue pill is a common back up for libido issue that usually affects the older men or even the younger ones with health issues such as diabetes and severe high blood pressure. I was just messing up with him when I insinuated he has a libido issue just to take his attention away from his daily misery: The Filipinos in “GENERAL”.
Yes I know. I’m just wondering if there’s Viagra for the brain, like… you know… to somebody who always rant and whine!
Hahahaha! Good sex is the answer to that. A man won’t be grumpy if he is getting enough. Lol.
J.T…hardy har-har! LOL! I don’t use blue pills, yellow pills or anything, thanks! BTW, as I have told all of my wife’s relatives..the “Bank of Macon” is permanently closed! It is not my fault there are so many poor people in the Philippines. Write Noy-Noy a letter or something…..
J.T…hardy har-har! LOL! I don’t use blue pills, yellow pills or anything, thanks! BTW, as I have told all of my wife’s relatives..the “Bank of Macon” is permanently closed! It is not my fault there are so many poor people in the Philippines. Write Noy-Noy a letter or something…..
Mr. Macon, no one’s forcing you to give your money away especially if they are your in-laws. They are milking you with your permission ” THROUGH ” your wife. Since you finally learned your lesson, I doubt they can bother you anymore. Usually, people will move on if you are useless to them.
Write Noy-Noy a letter or something? Nah, I don’t need to do that. I wrote a letter to Senators and Congress here in the US because this is where I live. Since you are out there and have too much to fuss about, why not address the Phils government of your concern? Hey, maybe you are that powerful enough when it comes to Phils, they might listen to you. Blue pills wise, no one can prove if you are dependent to it or not. The point is, you are too grumpy you sounded like you are not getting ” any “.
Steve Macon makes the elementary error of generalising from his own individual experiences. He therefore believes that anyone who reports different experiences must be lying, or stupid, or suffering some other affliction that prevents them seeing reality …sorry REALITY.
The trouble is he simply refuses to accept that his experiences might not be typical. For example he has an obsession with rubbish and its removal, complaining bitterly that nobody collects his trash like they used to do back in good ol’ Texas. Here where I live in a very poor part of Metro Manila, we put basura outside in the street where it is picked up by a city truck not once, not twice, but three times a week; which is better service than I ever got in Australia. The only way Macon can deal with information like this is to cover his ears and deny it’s true, which is sad for him. I only keep correcting his nonsense because I know people sometimes find sites like this when looking for information about the Philippines and it’s important they know the real situation.
Similarly when I report that I seldom get asked for money he sneers that I must live in a fantasy world. I don’t actually; I simply write a calm factual account of my experiences here. Quite why he thinks I would choose to lie about it I have no idea. Anyway I would urge anyone who is worried by what he says to do a bit more research on some of the ‘live in the Philippines’ sites run by expats to get a balanced perspective of life here.
I am sure Macon sincerely believes in his version of events, just like some people sincerely believe they have been abducted by aliens, but that’s no reason why anyone else should take them seriously. And I’m still struggling to understand why anyone with property in the USA worth almost a million bucks would hang around in a place he purports to loathe, but that’s his business I guess.
If you live out in the many provinces the garbage truck is a dream only, there’s no such thing, it’s dump your trash in the lake on the shore or just burn it and choke your neighbors that’s how things work and most of the people would rather dump their trash in a beautiful setting because they don’t have the money to pay for trash collection, all you have to do is look at any shore line in the Philippines or most roads to see it’s a toilet most of the time here.
Steve Macon makes the elementary error of generalising from his own individual experiences. He therefore believes that anyone who reports different experiences must be lying, or stupid, or suffering some other affliction that prevents them seeing reality …sorry REALITY.
The trouble is he simply refuses to accept that his experiences might not be typical. For example he has an obsession with rubbish and its removal, complaining bitterly that nobody collects his trash like they used to do back in good ol’ Texas. Here where I live in a very poor part of Metro Manila, we put basura outside in the street where it is picked up by a city truck not once, not twice, but three times a week; which is better service than I ever got in Australia. The only way Macon can deal with information like this is to cover his ears and deny it’s true, which is sad for him. I only keep correcting his nonsense because I know people sometimes find sites like this when looking for information about the Philippines and it’s important they know the real situation.
Similarly when I report that I seldom get asked for money he sneers that I must live in a fantasy world. I don’t actually; I simply write a calm factual account of my experiences here. Quite why he thinks I would choose to lie about it I have no idea. Anyway I would urge anyone who is worried by what he says to do a bit more research on sites like http://www.liveinthephilippines.com/ to get a balanced perspective of life here.
I am sure Macon sincerely believes in his version of events, just like some people sincerely believe they have been abducted by aliens, but that’s no reason why anyone else should take them seriously. And I’m still struggling to understand why anyone with property in the USA worth almost a million bucks would hang around in a place he purports to loathe, but that’s his business I guess.
Steve Macon,
I am sorry some of my people are bad apple. But not all are that way. You encountered those con artists who prey on foreigners or anyone vulnerable for their evil act. The foreigners are not the only victims. They also victimized their fellow Filipino. Foreigners are the best target though because of the sound of dollars that makes you look very rich and the stereo type that the White people ( no matter what nationality ) are that generous.
A lot of Filipinos have no idea that life abroad is not that easy and that, a lot of foreigners visiting or living in the Phils are just stretching their small income or pension for them to have the extra money to blow to Philippines’ charity wether the needy are the beggars in the Street or the Filipino in-laws.
My husband is a White American. When he went to the Phils to marry me, some vendors over price the items he was buying. It didn’t bother him because the way he converted the amount to dollars, it still came out way cheaper compare to the price of that goods here in the US. Besides, he felt so sorry for the vendors and the beggars particularly the Street kids. He said, for only few dollars he can hand them, that could feed their whole family.
I don’t mind him helping the beggars but he also need to save some money because there are so many beggars in the country. If he keep on giving all the time, he will run out of money. The beggars also have good memory. They remember who’s the good Samaritan and who is not. They will chase you everywhere to get alms. I experienced that myself and I am not even a foreigner in the Phils.
So, I advised my husband to let me handle things until he learn his way around in the Phils.
There are taxi drivers who over charged us and a lot of the meters were suddenly ” NOT” working so they can really hit us even if the distance is not that much. What I did to stop this awful behavior, every time my hubby and I needed a taxi, I hid him so the driver would not see that I am with foreigner. I asked how much the fare from and to and I negotiate. Usually, the taxi driver quoted the fare in a very reasonable price. As soon as the deal was done, with the driver’s dismay, I called my American husband. Lol. It worked all the time. You see, your Filipina wife should have been guarding you from the scams you have experienced there. She should know better and both of you should learn your lesson fast so the issues won’t be repeated anymore.
If you can’t stand the Filipinos in the Phils, my hubby can’t stand the White Americans he encountered there. He said, a lot of them are way arrogant and rude. Some of them even smirked at him and had a smart ass attitude to him. My husband was really pissed off. He said, their attitude is unacceptable in the US and he can tell why those White Men are that way, it is because they think they are that superior because they are in the Phils. My hubby got along better with blacks in the Phils which he found funny because in the US, there are blacks who are a pain in the neck but the ones he met in the Phils are nice and much friendly to him.
You quoted: [ If you are a Filipino and you go to America, you will be treated with respect. You will not be excessively made fun of, targeted for scams or be the victim of a crime just because you are a “foreigner”, especially if you move to one of the southern states like, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, or Mississippi. Folks there are very friendly and you will be treated well, I promise you.]
What you quoted above is not 100% true. I am in the South and I experienced to get bullied by both White and Blacks when I just got here. Some of them made fun of me and some of them tried to scam me just because I am just an Asian to them. Some of my co-workers hate my guts. That didn’t last though. Things went smooth as soon as they get to know me. Crime wise, I haven’t encountered to be targeted of such because I am not hanging around dangerous Streets in the US and I don’t just go with anybody I don’t know of.
As for derogatory comments made by Filipinos behind your back, some of them are that naughty. They do that even to their own people by using different Filipino dialects. Maybe you are a bit grumpy and quite hard for their liking that’s why they are doing that to you.
I don’t expect you to praise the Philippines but please don’t generalize the Filipino people. You should know better than that.
Your encouragement is not necessary. Nothing would stop many more old grumpy foreigners to visit or stay in the Philippines regardless of your experiences and what you think of. Here’s why: In the Phils, you can stretch your small dollars and live like a king with servants trembling to meet your needs, you have varieties of choices between so many YOUNG exotic Filipinas who don’t mind marrying or dating even a viagra dependent diaper old man as long as he is White, the weather and the beauty the country can offer to people with money is irresistible for foreigners, the price of goods are cheaper.
So, relax, Mr. Macon. Just count your blessings. You are going back home anyway, right? So, why not enjoy your stay while it last?
This is one of the best comments I have seen in this section…JT Bredett, you are one smart lady!!!!I am in 100% agreement with you…
Thank You Paula.
JT I too experience arrogant or down right rudeness from my own country men in the US? I also experience just how rude the Australian men can be, one man wasted his breath on boy who wanted money just inside the store and while I was eating at McDonald’s an old white fart like me I guess was telling the lady worker where she missed moping the floor Oooh my God what an idiot, I ran into this nut twice actually and each time he never failed to dissapoint, while in Manila just a couple of weeks ago I was heading to the check out counter and an older fellow expat just about knocked me out-of-the-way with his cart, his Philippine wife looked pretty angry with him and he didn’t even look at me. To be fair with my fellow expats I also ran into a few funny ones that called me Joe and then gave me the odd stares we usually get in deep in the Laguna area when he left, lol and another younger man who talked with me a while just outside another restaurant.
Mr Mcalleyboy,
Speaking of funny expats, when my hubby went to the Phils to marry me, he took me to US naval base to see the famous US base in Asia on that time. The base was pulling out for good when we got there. On our stay, we met one grumpy old expat with 20 or something years his junior Filipina.
I’ve heard they were on and off for years and the old man was still undecided if he will marry the woman or not.
Tired of waiting when to walk the long aisle, the Pinay was losing her patience on him. They always argued in front of me and my hubby who was my fiancee back then. I found the old man funny because he was too old to wait any longer before to tie a knot. I was afraid if he waited few more months, he would be in his funeral suit instead of a wedding tuxedo. Yup, that’s how old he was.
Anyway, my hubby was chatting with him and the Pinay was chatting with me. The Pinay told me once the man married her and once she got here, she would insure him for money then off him as soon as she can.
On the other side of the table, I didn’t realize the old man was telling the same to my hubby. The old man said, he was planning it for a long time. That if he married the Pinay and bring her here, he would insure her big time then take her sailing to dump her body for huge life insurance.
My hubby and I shared with each other what we’ve heard from those nutty couple when we got back home. We couldn’t believe some idiots like them actually exist. We haven’t heard from them again even after my hubby got back here and I came over here as well.
My hubby and I was wondering who got killed first? The grumpy old man or the grumpy Pinay woman? Who knows.
I wonder if they were joking though? If they were, that’s way foul cold blooded joke and they had us big time.
The one who pissed off my hubby to the max was a private American navy eating at the US base Mc Donald restaurant. My hubby was so happy to see fellow American so he said hello and started talking to the man. The man got upset at my hubby and told him not to get closer to his table, don’t even touch the table, nor dare to sit on the chair across him. My husband is a very patience friendly guy but he blew up right there with the foul response to him with the navy guy. My hubby told the man: ” Who do you think you are private? I had a higher position than you when I was in the service for you to be that arrogant!” The man didn’t respond just gave my hubby a dirty look while stuffing his mouth with big hamburger. I pulled my husband out of there before they make more scene. We got out of the base and found a restaurant outside instead. My hubby told me, when I get to the US, I will be surprised that majority of the people in America are opposite of that guy. He said, a lot of people in the US are polite he that’s why he was in shock to find out how those American guys transformed into hateful creatures when they got to the Philippines. I think it is because they know they can.
Its true…there are many foreigners in the philippines who behave like they are something special yet when you get to see what they are it becomes clear they are trash in their own country. The builders labourer from Australia is king here while on holidays. The aged pensioner paid by the government because they didnt save for their own retirement and probably didnt finish high school comes to phil and thinks his shit doesn’t stink…and don’t single out aussies…i see more from the US like that (but I have to admit i am ausssie)
the problem is too many americans still think we all owe them something …cos they “saved the world” in WW2…but i don’t see too many americans here who saved the world and really do believe they have the greatest country in the world…unfortunately the relevant statistics on many things don’t support that
Agree too!
I Hate Filipino , i was in manila for 10 years i rubbed many times in MRT and in Taxi , even my best Filipino friends hold me up in manila , Damn you filipino
Filipinos also target other Filipinos. I was just looking at it from a “foreigner” perspective but yes, Filipinos (SOME), do rob, steal, lie and cheat other Filipinos. To those who say they do this because of their circumstances or because they are poor or because they were an American territory at one time or because they were under Spanish rule…PLEASE!..grow up.
Who’s talking har har!!! you are a big denial and hypocrite, Mr. Macon, or you are just outdated of what’s going on in your beloved country? Do you know that robbery and stealing are the big problem in your beloved country now? and don’t forget that cheating ang lying are the main caused of divorce in your country with the highest rate… so Fool those people who don’t know the real world in AMERICA or in a foriegn country!… grow up!!!
You hate “FILIPINO”? I am glad you are only pertaining to ONE Filipino because NOT all of us FILIPINOS are that bad.
I am also a australian foreigner living here 5 years now. You know all the things that piss you off what happens here I used to get pissed of over as well. But I remind myself that these people really have a hard life and are poor and its their circumstance that makes them do this. You got to take it all in your stride or you will go nutts. These things are all petty things. Just dont get paraniod thinking filipinos are all out to get us. Filipinos do all these thing to each other also, thats just how it is here. Lets just be glad its not a lot worse. Think back in your country there were things than used to piss you off as well. If you know the guy is stealing your water etc, I would leave him a note and say please stop it. That will usually do the trick. We are all human right? Unless someone puts a gun to your head why worry.
…a foreigner living in the philippines has a real chance of just that happenning…having a gun put to your head….and if unfortunately that does happen then your right…don’t worry because it’s almost acertainty they will pull the trigger….end of worries…
I couldnt agree more. I have been living in Luzon for the past 7 months with my wife, and as each day passes, I become more and more discouraged. I am a southerner, and consider myself a friendly guy, but that does me no good here. The constant ploys to get my wallet, the dirty, resentful looks from most males, is almost enough to discourage anyone. What happened to just being normal? I cannot take much more of this. Dave
I couldnt agree more. I have been living in Luzon for the past 7 months with my wife, and as each day passes, I become more and more discouraged. I am a southerner, and consider myself a friendly guy, but that does me no good here. The constant ploys to get my wallet, the dirty, resentful looks from most males, is almost enough to discourage anyone. What happened to just being normal? I cannot take much more of this. Dave
Dave, the dirty resentful looks you are getting from those males could be due to:
1.) They are anti-American. Or, they just hate anything White skinned foreigners.
2.) They hate your guts as they know you are more superior compare to them. Some Filipino men are that egoistic. They don’t want anyone higher than them may the man be Filipino or foreigner.
3.) These men could be previous admirers or bfs of your wife. They are upset you’re the one who win her heart instead.
4.) Some of them are giving you that dirty looks just to show you who’s the boss. They are being territorial and they are sending the message that you should bow down on them or else…
Those types of men are nothing but worthless bullies who are playing tough when with back-up, but a dog with a tail in between its legs if alone. These types of men are bunch of bluffers. If you don’t feel comfortable with your surrounding. Move.
Only a handful are civilized enough to be polite and courteous.
I have to stop there. I realize I have spent more than an hour on this site, which is not an effective use of my time.
To the Filipinos reading this – the problem is obvious, and it has lessons for us all. I am sure many Filipinos living abroad, even in the US, are in a similar situation of raging against their hosts’ ‘lack of common sense’(although Filipinos are rather generally better at anger-management than Steve seems to be).
Steve, in my view, is on the edge of needing therapy. But the sort of disconnection and the anger that he is experiencing are common in people who live in foreign countries. It can be really tough. I am not sure I know how to move him out of this emotional situation, but when I went through similar experiences in the past, there was a point when someone said: “Now hold it a minute. You sound on edge, out of balance. Step back and relax. Try to forgive the country a little.”
Over and out!
For the Filipinos reading this: Your only hope is to educate your young people and hope they do not make the same mistakes the parents have. Over and out.
hahaha…hysterical…the usual filipino denial…and feeling of superiority…u people are so predictable n your responses…filipino is better at anger management…hahaha…hahahha….hahahhahaha….thats incredible…from arac that kills each other..and foreiegners for the slightest perceived insult….so flip
hahaha…hysterical…the usual filipino denial…and feeling of superiority…u people are so predictable n your responses…filipino is better at anger management…hahaha…hahahha….hahahhahaha….thats incredible…from a race that kills each other..and foreiegners for the slightest perceived insult….so flip
@Matt, My wife told me to stop and relax, that was my wake up call here and she’s right. I actually used to be relaxed and had very little issues but over the years I guess I got so angry at my wife’s family for all the many things they have pulled, too many to list and I’m getting over it and moving on….I think I started to generalize everyone, I have heard that term on this post and it’s wrong because I have found many people here that are very nice and friendly and were nothing like my wife’s family and my wife too! She’s has and had some issue’s that she needs to work out and it seems for me things are getting better my wife is coming around and helping me out, Thank God, I almost left, there were two times I grabbed my brief case and started walking and I think she screamed both times, it seemed to work.
On a lighter note I just got done swimming in the lake or Laguna lake as they call it here with my son and many neighbor kids and it was fun.
LOL! “Deep change?” ..in the Philippines? Don’t make me laugh. I HAVE been studying Filipino culture, history,government and habits for about 4 years now, even before I moved here. Filipinos do not THINK and they never, ever PLAN anything. One reason why they are always LATE! Examples: When I am on a 2-way, 2-lane street, giving a right turn signal blinker in my car, and a motorcycle wants to pass me, which side do you think they try to pass me on? THE RIGHT!! LOL! Idiots. Another example: When I am trying to parallel park my car at PNB bank on the curb and I am pulling up close to the bank building on my RIGHT side, which side do pedestrians still try to walk on? THE RIGHT!?? This..is the type of thing I am talking about and it has zero to do with culture, poverty, race, or anything else. Again…COMMON SENSE!!
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I am sorry Steve, but you seem to be incurable. Some people are. You would probably have problems in any country, outside the US. ‘It is just plain common sense’ is an excuse for an unwillingness to exert yourself. Alas, it doesn’t sound to me as if you can make it.
People have said: ‘Try Iraq’! I know their intentions weren’t friendly, but there was wisdom in what they said. Try Georgia (the country). Try Kazakhstan. Try Argentina. Try the Hungary. I guarantee that within a year, you’ll be raging and roaring about people’s lack of common sense, just as you are now.
The problem is in you. You can only live in one country. OK! Accept it – in adaptability, you have big limitations. But you make a mistake blaming other people and other countries, for your own inflexibility.
I find Manila one of the most stimulating, diverse and challenging cities in the world. To misquote Ben Jonson, “He who is tired of Manila is tired of life.” I have employed Filipinos for years and have been honoured to be associated with such a dedicated and hard working bunch. I am less fond of Cebu but you can have a great time out island-hopping on bancas, visiting Malapascua, Bantayan, etc.
You want to exchange this wonderfully vibrant human richness for Texas? To me, it seems a terrible poverty of imagination.
Mat, ??? Have you BEEN to Texas? I was born and raised there. The Philippines is going downhill in a hurry. Reasons: Poverty, OVERPOPULATION, BASURA everywhere, period. It is a cesspool and getting worse.
4get it steven…if u have learned one thing while livibg in the pi…its that pinoy are so in denial about themselves and their country…they will only continue to justify their behaviour and that of each other…its y philippines is what it is…n will continue to sink in the quagmire while the rest of asia rises…good luck pinoy….maybe we in western countries should start treating filipino like we are traeted there…the howling would never stop…the whole phil and its governement would be on the warpath…hahaha..losers
‘International credit watcher Standard & Poor’s raised its growth forecast for the Philippines for 2012, even as it downgraded its outlook for other economies in Asia and the Pacific, saying the country has the capability to withstand unfavorable developments in the global economy.’
But I am sure David knows more than S&P.
actually s&p dont have a great track record…n for the record i am an economics graduate from a university rated in top 50 in the world.n worked for a federal govt department..but thats all irrelevant….macros might look ok on the surface for pi…its the cultural aspects that will continue to keep it down…sorry to say…n more importantly whil;e growth might be good it wont be where its needed…rich getting richer n the poor get the picture…hahaha
An economics graduate? Wow I bet S&P never thought to consult any of them!! And you worked for the government? Well you are indeed the expert sir, I bow down before your authority.
It’s clear that like Macon you have a story to tell and you are impervious to evidence that is inconsistent with your prejudice. You probably learnt that studying economics, now I think about it.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/47611/transition-from-old-to-new-oligarchy
tried to post a link here but it didn’t work…a new article out in major philippines daily…bottom line….most economist agree….the GDP growth in philippines is doing nothing for ordinary filipinos…oh really!!??…those economist don’t work at s&p of course…all they care about is overall growth…but ken im sure u know better…i’m sure your filipino family can feel the change…diba
..growth that is locked up in the top few percentage of the population ultimately does nothing for long term growth…that requires effective demand…broad based demand from across the economy…rich filipinos spending more money on overseas holidays…sports cars…doesn’t mean the sari store owner will send their kids to college this year…but what would i know…i’m an economist and therefore biased and blah blah blah
Who IS this guy? Sigh.
Steve Macon, you have a syndrome called “expat shock”. It happens to many foreigners, perhaps most, when they live abroad. Go into a supermarket frequented by foreigners, you’re likely to see one who is freaking out, losing his temper…
It happens because you’re out of your comfort zone.
Of course there are rude and bad people in the world, but you are getting yourself into an unhappy state. Most of it is because you’ve probably never before been through the adjustment process of learning to adapt to a foreign culture.
Foreigners get stressed out, they get into a cycle of unreasonable expectations, they try to deal with things like ‘normal people do at home’. It doesn’t work so, boom! Off they go. Explosion! That’s expat shock.
This is a common problem, and dare I say specially common in the case of Americans, because America is an insulated country. Only 14% of US citizens have passports, very few learn foreign languages – whereas most Filipinos will speak 3 or 4 languages. In Europe, its the Brits who have this problem. Other Europeans come to the UK to learn English. So they’ve had to suffer the turbulent emotions of acculturation. But Brits don’t need to go through that, because they speak the ‘global language’.
Filipinos suffer from it too! Just listen to Filipinos in Singapore talk about their Indian colleagues! The two nations just give each other a headache, no idea why.
You sound as if you’re far gone. You need to understand that the problem is not only in the world. It is inside you. Try to cool it, de-stress, eventually you may come round.
Please just give it a try, otherwise you sound a little dangerous to me.
Mat Pol,
There is some truth in what you say. All I am saying is that common sense seems to have flown out the window here a long time ago and Filipinos want to blame it all on American colonization and Spanish colonization in the Philippines. My remedy for my problem is quite simple. I will be going back to America probably sometime in 2014, never to return to the Philippines. Thank you.
What seems like common sense is different in different countries. When I go to the US, I find people do things which (to me) seem utterly to contradict common sense. I believe Americans have the same experience in Europe.
The frustrations you experience are also widely experienced by Filipinos. Individual Filipinos respond to deeply-embedded institutional structures which often do not make life easy. Criticizing people’s mentality as a ‘lack of common sense’ is not exactly a considered response. There is a history to these structures, which you seem to downplay, but the past moulds the present. To understand why people behave as they do, first you will have to study a little. These things are less a matter of ‘mentality’, than of ‘how things work’. Changing that is not easy. There are strong vested interests. There are political structures. These are complicated things, with many intermeshed strands. Study and learn.
In case you had not noticed, the whole of Filipino society is at this very moment undergoing a profound effort at self-criticism which permeates the government, the news, and people’s thoughts and conversations. This is a hugely impressive process, which far surpasses in depth anything that is taking place in the US. Your criticism seems to come from someone who has not noticed what is happening.
If you wish to make suggestions to help this process of reforming Filipino society and institutions, well good luck to you, but it is not easy. You will win everyone’s gratitude! But first watch the news, and read books about Filipino society. You could do worse than start with Alfred McCoy’s ‘An Anarchy of Families’. Then go to the website of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) and spend no less than a week reading and learning. Also read Rappler, an on-line split off.
You will be impressed, and dare I say, humbled. Deep change is afoot.
Kaya ng Pilipino!
LOL! “Deep change?” ..in the Philippines? Don’t make me laugh. I HAVE been studying Filipino culture, history,government and habits for about 4 years now, even before I moved here. Filipinos do not THINK and they never, ever PLAN anything. One reason why they are always LATE! Examples: When I am on a 2-way, 2-lane street, giving a right turn signal blinker in my car, and a motorcycle wants to pass me, which side do you think they try to pass me on? THE RIGHT!! LOL! Idiots. Another example: When I am trying to parallel park my car at PNB bank on the curb and I am pulling up close to the bank building on my RIGHT side, which side do pedestrians still try to walk on? THE RIGHT!?? This..is the type of thing I am talking about and it has zero to do with culture, poverty, race, or anything else. Again…COMMON SENSE!!
Steve, man I have had issues here and I also acquired “Anxiety” and serious anger management issues due to all this crap the bottom line for me has been my wife and how she tolerates or keeps letting us get screwed, she has actually over the years gotten better so things for me are starting to look up. I don’t want to return to the US the people there don’t even know your alive and you spend more time with yourself, TV and eating out because everybody has to go to work and their alway’s tired the neighbours don’t even recognize you are breathing am I wrong?
Mr.Macon, I can see that my country and my people are NOT perfect but for you to always generalize the Filipinos is way too foul and idiotic. I can see your frustration but it is not fair that you will always slam us all in general. Common sense wise, you should realize that your wife is a Filipina as well. Whatever shit you call us Filipinos, that bounce back to your wife, get it? I am here in the US for more than 2 decades and I can see this country and its people is imperfect as well.But I don’t generalize everyone here because my common sense said, there is no way on Earth that we are all the same. If you are not happy with my country, get the fck out of there asap. That simple.
Never mind, admin. Please delete my pending post above. Thanks.
GO HOME WHERE YOU CAME FROM!!! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES grrrr . . . .
Emelie, it’s not your call. We’re living in the Philippines, not North Korea. At any rate, I think the man already said that he was making arrangements to go back to Texas.
bakit may apostrophe ang OFW’s mo? it should be OFWs. advice lang po.