Among the many splendid mansions of Old Jaro, Iloilo, there is only one grand residence that enduringly captures the full essence, and the length and breadth of the wealth and splendor of the legendary Iloilo Sugar Fortunes at their Height in the 1920s to the 30s: The “Nelly Gardens.”
The imposing, Beaux-Arts style ”Nelly Gardens” mansion was built in 1928 by Don Vicente Lopez y Villanueva [ 1879 - 1963 ] and his wife Dona Elena Hofilena y Javelona. It was named for their eldest daughter Nelly. Their first residence was along Calle Iznart, Jaro’s main thoroughfare, but Dona Elena found the street noisy and bothersome, and since she liked flowers, plants, and gardening, Don Vicente decided to build their new residence on four hectares in [ what was then ] the outskirts of Old Jaro. The residence began as a simple two-storey affair that was continually enlarged and embellished as the family grew, as their fortunes multiplied, and as their social obligations increased.
Don Vicente Lopez and Dona Elena Hofilena had four children: Nelly [ married Salvador Zamora ], Benito [ married Leonor de la Rama ], Lilia [ married Francisco Lopez Jison ], and Vicente [ married Maria Rita Lopez Zamora ]. In the aristocratic fashion of those days, all four siblings could play a musical instrument proficiently: Nelly played the piano; Benito, the cello; Lilia, the harp; and Vicente, the violin. To this day, there is still a large PreWar photograph of them on top of the black Steinway grand piano in the ”Sala” [ living / drawing room ] of the mansion.
Don Vicente Lopez y Villanueva was among the richest in the affluent Lopez Clan: a sugar planter and industrialist with immense holdings. When his elder brother Don Benito Lopez y Villanueva [ o 1877 ] was assassinated in 1908 by a rival political faction [ who happened to be their Jalandoni relatives ], He undertook the guardianship of the two sons, Eugenio “Ening” and Fernando “Nanding” [ who later on became THE tycoon Don Eugenio Lopez and The Vice-President Fernando Lopez ], and took them to live in his Calle Iznart house and later on at the “Nelly Gardens” [ Their mother, Dona Presentacion Hofilena viuda de Lopez, retired to the old { turn of the century } house perched on an islet --- the storied "Roca Encantada" --- on the 400 hectare ancestral Hofilena "hacienda" in Guimaras island ]. The brothers Eugenio and Fernando Lopez y Hofilena and the siblings Nelly, Benito, Lilia, and Vicente Lopez y Hofilena were first cousins twice over: their fathers Don Benito and Don Vicente Lopez y Villanueva were brothers and their mothers Dona Presentacion and Dona Elena Hofilena y Javelona were sisters. The younger Lopez-Hofilena first cousins always addressed their elder first cousins respectfully and affectionately as “Tatay Ening” and “Tatay Nanding.” In fact, when Eugenio Lopez y Hofilena married Pacita Moreno y de Santos, they spent the first years of their married life at the “Nelly Gardens.” To this day, there are twin, late 1800s four-poster beds with the initials “BL” [ "Benito Lopez" ] and “PH” [ "Presentacion Hofilena" ] in a second-floor bedroom facing the front garden.
According to oldtimers, The “Nelly Gardens” mansion was the very place where the legendary lifestyle of the Iloilo Sugar Barons was ultimately defined. It became the definitive Iloilo residence as the most important receptions of the province during PreWar and PostWar were held there. In PreWar, the grandest occasion in The Lopez Family was the annual birthday ball of Don Vicente held every 22 January, to which only The Family and The Elite of Iloilo were invited. It was always a formal affair that required long dress and black tie, magnificent jewels and black limousines; full orchestras played dance music throughout the evening. The invitation from Don Vicente Lopez was an indication of one’s rank in Iloilo [ and Manila ] Society.
The mansion eventually devolved to the second daughter, Dona Lilia Lopez y Hofilena [ Mrs. Francisco Lopez Jison ]. She and her husband Don Francisco Jison y Lopez of Silay, Negros Occidental were second cousins through the Lopez line. Dona Lilia’s father Don Vicente Lopez y Villanueva was a first cousin twice over of Don Francisco’s mother Dona Maria Juana Dolores Lopez y Villanueva [ married to Don Albino Jison y Golez ]. Don Vicente’s father Don Eugenio Lopez y Jalandoni was an elder brother of Dona Dolores’ father Don Marcelo Lopez y Jalandoni. Don Vicente’s mother Dona Marcela Villanueva y Felipe was an elder sister of Dona Dolores’ mother Dona Julita Villanueva y Felipe. To further underscore the close relations, Dona Rosario Lopez de Santos [ Dona Rosario Lopez y Villanueva, married to Don Francisco Santos; they had no children so She adopted several Lopez nieces and nephews as her heirs ], the formidable “Nanay Sayong” [ "Mother Sayong" ], adopted the young Francisco Jison y Lopez [ her first cousin Dona Dolores' son ] and made him one of the heirs of her vast fortune. “Nanay Sayong” was an older sister of Don Vicente Lopez y Villanueva, a very capable and very willful lady who created her own immense fortune in sugarcane plantations and sugar mills. She was among the richest of her generation of Lopezes. So such are the interrelations of The Iloilo Aristocracy…
*************
These days, The “Nelly Gardens” is actively managed by the daughters of Dona Lilia Lopez y Hofilena and Don Francisco Jison y Lopez: Lourdes Lopez Jison-Ledesma and Elena Lopez Jison-Golez. Their brother, Francisco Lopez Jison Jr., resides at the estate year-round. The mansion itself defies time as it is excellently maintained and remains as it was during the lifetime of Dona Lilia Lopez de Jison; but the grounds are being redeveloped to best utilize the opportunities of the 21st century. Constant Reinvention is one of the Secrets of the Lopez Fortune.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
El Nido and Sabang, Palawan
EL NIDO, PALAWAN
WOW!!!!... i had a great time there. i met lots of cool people too... and we ended up traveling together even in Puerto Princesa. the seascape is simply breathtaking. AWESOME! my jaw literally dropped when i saw the first glimpse... and the people seated around me all turned to look at me when they heard me gasp when my jaw dropped. i was so excited... i was like a little boy, and my heart was beating so fast in excitement.
first day, i didnt do much.... just rested. met a german doctor (Thomas) and a french osteopath (Thierry)... Thomas told me that he swam to the nearest island the day before... shucks! "Power Swimmer".
the following day... met 2 swedish students, Johanna and Madeleine, and a taiwanese interpreter (Nono). then had a swim with Thomas and Nono later that day in jellyfish-laded waters... it was quite a painful swim!!!! i was swimming right into a sea of small, half-centimeter jellyfish, and they were stinging all over, good thing i had my rash guard. but i was scared that i would be swollen all over after the swim, especially coz they were stinging my lips very often. it was terrible. but we found a nice secluded beach after swimming around one of the corners though.
the following day... met 2 norwegian fire performers, Thomas and Kristin. they were a cool pair... so much fun... and i ended up traveling with them the longest during this trip. we went island hopping that day. there were 7 of us during the island hop, the Thomas, Nono, Johanna, Madeleine, Thomas, Kristin and me... lots of fun. we went to some secluded beaches where in the boat has to skirt its way though some narrow parts between rocks, and we also had to SWIM into one of the lagoons. the opening was just as small as that tiny crack that Barry, Terai and I had to negotiate in Sagada, except this time we had to swim through it. it was amazing!!! the opening turned out to be narrow near the top, but it gets bigger when you dive deeper, then it opens up to another lagoon. when the boatsman stopped in front of a rockwall, we were all clueless on what to do... we were asking ourselves if he took us to a nice snorkeling spot... but it was a good adventure. the snorkeling was terrible though, the coral was having a hard time regrowing. they were blasted away by dynamite... and now the tour boats are dropping anchor everywhere. but the view was TOTALLY AMAZING for almost the entire trip, sometimes i just stop & stare at everything around me... it was so easy to forget taking pictures. :-) it was so cool when we swam into one of the lagoons, i was just totally in awe and i screamed "I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES!!!" and they screamed "SO DO WE!!!" in reply to me.
the following day, we planned to go hiking into the waterfalls. but thats when Typhoon Frank struck. it transformed the seascape into one of those National Geographic shows entitled Violent Earth. the waves were battering our lodge, it was slamming and going under it... and the waves didn't sound very soothing anymore... you could hear rolling and rumbling waves, and they would hit the first level hard but the water spray goes above the 2nd level. we just took it easy that day. Johanna and Madeleine had to leave this day, and we said goodbye to them.
the following day, the weather made the decision to leave el nido easier for us. the Kristin, Thomas, and Nono and I traveled to Puerto Princesa together. German Thomas decided to stay behind and take the 5 am bus despite all our powers to convince him to travel during that day coz he had to catch his flight the afternoon of the following day. the bus operator later told us that the 5am bus was being cancelled... so until now we don't know what happened to German Thomas. we left El Nido late, more than 1.5 hours late coz of this stupid filipino tourgroup.. they were scheduled to go to Coron but their rented boat got cancelled... so they encountered problems with the refund, so now they made the entire bus wait for one of their companions while they sorted out the problem. well, the bus left much much later, and it was prompted by one of the passengers going wild (no, that wasn't me.) the bus was part of the adventure... it had a hole at the side... it was carrying a motorcycle at the back.... there was a puppy inside the bus... and a chicken inside the bus too... and a goat on top of the bus. so, let the 9 hour bus ride begin. then we had to stop behind what looked like a long queue of vehicles. vehicular accident probably? nope... i had to relive a nightmare... a landslide!!! we caught up with the buses that left el nido at 5am and 7am and all the vehicles in between. and there was a bulldozer trying to get all the mud away... of course everybody had his own idea about how the bulldozer should accomplish its task and everybody was talking about it. there were some moments when the stupid bulldozer operator would just go straight at the huge pile of earth that was much much bigger than the machine, it was even sliding dangerously close to the metal rails at the other side of the road, dangerously close to falling by the the side of the road. but he accomplished his task after a while to much applause and rejoicing from the audience. everything looked flooded while we were traveling. then my fone decided to join and complicate things, it just died, it would turn on for 2 seconds then turn off again, then turn on again for 2 seconds then off again, then all over again. then we had to stop AGAIN. in front of us... the road, bridge, river, and farmland just merged into one... absolutely no distinction between them. but we were able to cross again due to some resourceful filipinos who placed wooden planks for the vehicles. suffice to say, we were able to reach puerto princesa, but almost everything was flooded during the travel south.. we were so tired, and hungry. we went to kalui after to recharge... we had their special... but it wasn't so enjoyable when everybody is dead tired. we turned in early after dinner.
the following day, we had to say goodbye to nono, what's left of the group was now me, kristin and thomas. we still had stormy weather so we decided to take the day easy... we just ordered a grandslam pizza from shakeys for just the 3 of us. hehehe! we were just talking and making lots of crazy jokes. and it was so refreshing to be with these 2 norwegian fire performers, everything was so light and happy and funny. at this point, i realized that it is so much better to be with people that have professions that are extremely different from my own when i travel. we had some serious conversations during the stormy weather days... but most of the time it was light and bubbly. and we were not planning for the next day... we took them as they arrived. i was traveling without a plan during the whole time, I LOVED IT.
the following day, we had brunch at badjao inn. we went to their street dancing parade... a lot like Masskara festival but on a smaller scale... they only had 10 performers... and there were gaps in between the crowd unlike the totally packed Masskara streets. then that night we went to the 3 km seafood grill. i had to take my antihistamine 2 hours before to be able to eat. then went to the fireworks show... there were only 4 performers but they dont come close to the ones that we watched at mall of asia. then we had dinner at kinabuchs, and i had a very refreshing mango-ginger shake. then it was all fun and laughs with beer at the roofdeck of Aniceto's Pension. we stayed up until 2am. and we were all laughing that i had to be at the bus terminal at 4am. Mwahahaha!!! that was a joke indeed. then we said our final goodbye's, hugs and kisses from everybody for such a wonderful time.
..........
SABANG, PALAWAN
later that morning, i indeed missed my 4am schedule. as they say, travelers are not known for their punctuality. i was there to catch the next bus that leaves at 9am... but as luck would put it.... the 9am bus wasn't traveling that day due to repairs being done to it. i had to wait for 3 hours at the terminal... had to take a jeepney instead, and it left at 12nn. now, the jeepney was quite interesting. i was seated at the front, i thought that would be the most comfortable place. the jeepney had a windshield, but it was angled forward to allow air to go through. then it started to rain and that made it more interesting.... the rain would bounce on the front of the jeep and then bounce painfully on our faces and chest.. then and only then will the driver realize to put the windshield down.
arrived in Sabang after 2.5 hours. Sabang is a very nice place. i met this cool american surfer (Bryce) upon arrival in Sabang. he told me that he has been living on fita crackers and noodles for most of his backpacking trip and we both laughed when i told him that i have been living on chocolate-cereal bars for most of my trip (dinners are a totally different matter though). we had a carabao with a cart carry our bags while we walked to Mary's where we were staying. but we needed some serious lunch (and dinner combined) though coz we arrived late, went for calamares at the tribal restaurant upon the suggestion of my norwegian friends, but unfortunately, it wasnt available. i had wild boar instead. yummy! saw the resident eagle of sabang that nests on one of the coconut trees that lost all its palms. was very lucky that the waves were high when we were there. it was cool... i got one really big wave and it sent me spinning in all directions.. Bryce told me later that its called the washing machine. just chilled in the garden after dinner. then we decided to do both trails and the underground river the next morning, then catch the last bus/jeepney back to Puerto Princesa... that was pretty gung ho!
we asked one of the girls at Mary's to wake us up at 6am but they didnt do that... we woke up at 730. but we were able to accomplish it. 2 dogs just decided to go with us during the monkey trail going to the underground river. then inside the underground river, i was carrying the light, so cool. after the underground river, we met our white guide dog again, she decided to wait for us while we were inside the underground river. then she led us again through the jungle trail, we got lost at one part of the trail and she led us to the right path. awesome dog. had lunch again at the tribal restaurant while waiting for our bus back to puerto princesa, still no calamares though. had fish and chips, it wasn't so good... couldn't really find the 'fish' in my fish and chips dish. the bus was again interesting, there was again a puppy, a chicken, and to my surprise... a huge rusty boat anchor and engine at the back of the bus. Hehehe!! Bryce and I traveled together to puerto princesa. then i surprised my norwegian friends who were still staying at the same place. it was a very nice reunion... all i had to do was say "Surprise! Miss me?" and it was quite a surprise for them indeed, we were all smiles, and big big hugs from everybody, after that we were just chilling at the roofdeck of Aniceto's Pension in puerto princesa with Thomas playing with the drum. then had dinner at kinabuchs with Bryce. i again had my favorite shake at kinabuchs, mango-ginger, 2 of them in fact.
the following morning was all goodbye for everybody, Bryce traveled to El Nido, Thomas and Kristin flew to Manila, and I flew to Cebu.
I've had so much fun in this spontaneous backpacking trip.
WOW!!!!... i had a great time there. i met lots of cool people too... and we ended up traveling together even in Puerto Princesa. the seascape is simply breathtaking. AWESOME! my jaw literally dropped when i saw the first glimpse... and the people seated around me all turned to look at me when they heard me gasp when my jaw dropped. i was so excited... i was like a little boy, and my heart was beating so fast in excitement.
first day, i didnt do much.... just rested. met a german doctor (Thomas) and a french osteopath (Thierry)... Thomas told me that he swam to the nearest island the day before... shucks! "Power Swimmer".
the following day... met 2 swedish students, Johanna and Madeleine, and a taiwanese interpreter (Nono). then had a swim with Thomas and Nono later that day in jellyfish-laded waters... it was quite a painful swim!!!! i was swimming right into a sea of small, half-centimeter jellyfish, and they were stinging all over, good thing i had my rash guard. but i was scared that i would be swollen all over after the swim, especially coz they were stinging my lips very often. it was terrible. but we found a nice secluded beach after swimming around one of the corners though.
the following day... met 2 norwegian fire performers, Thomas and Kristin. they were a cool pair... so much fun... and i ended up traveling with them the longest during this trip. we went island hopping that day. there were 7 of us during the island hop, the Thomas, Nono, Johanna, Madeleine, Thomas, Kristin and me... lots of fun. we went to some secluded beaches where in the boat has to skirt its way though some narrow parts between rocks, and we also had to SWIM into one of the lagoons. the opening was just as small as that tiny crack that Barry, Terai and I had to negotiate in Sagada, except this time we had to swim through it. it was amazing!!! the opening turned out to be narrow near the top, but it gets bigger when you dive deeper, then it opens up to another lagoon. when the boatsman stopped in front of a rockwall, we were all clueless on what to do... we were asking ourselves if he took us to a nice snorkeling spot... but it was a good adventure. the snorkeling was terrible though, the coral was having a hard time regrowing. they were blasted away by dynamite... and now the tour boats are dropping anchor everywhere. but the view was TOTALLY AMAZING for almost the entire trip, sometimes i just stop & stare at everything around me... it was so easy to forget taking pictures. :-) it was so cool when we swam into one of the lagoons, i was just totally in awe and i screamed "I LOVE THE PHILIPPINES!!!" and they screamed "SO DO WE!!!" in reply to me.
the following day, we planned to go hiking into the waterfalls. but thats when Typhoon Frank struck. it transformed the seascape into one of those National Geographic shows entitled Violent Earth. the waves were battering our lodge, it was slamming and going under it... and the waves didn't sound very soothing anymore... you could hear rolling and rumbling waves, and they would hit the first level hard but the water spray goes above the 2nd level. we just took it easy that day. Johanna and Madeleine had to leave this day, and we said goodbye to them.
the following day, the weather made the decision to leave el nido easier for us. the Kristin, Thomas, and Nono and I traveled to Puerto Princesa together. German Thomas decided to stay behind and take the 5 am bus despite all our powers to convince him to travel during that day coz he had to catch his flight the afternoon of the following day. the bus operator later told us that the 5am bus was being cancelled... so until now we don't know what happened to German Thomas. we left El Nido late, more than 1.5 hours late coz of this stupid filipino tourgroup.. they were scheduled to go to Coron but their rented boat got cancelled... so they encountered problems with the refund, so now they made the entire bus wait for one of their companions while they sorted out the problem. well, the bus left much much later, and it was prompted by one of the passengers going wild (no, that wasn't me.) the bus was part of the adventure... it had a hole at the side... it was carrying a motorcycle at the back.... there was a puppy inside the bus... and a chicken inside the bus too... and a goat on top of the bus. so, let the 9 hour bus ride begin. then we had to stop behind what looked like a long queue of vehicles. vehicular accident probably? nope... i had to relive a nightmare... a landslide!!! we caught up with the buses that left el nido at 5am and 7am and all the vehicles in between. and there was a bulldozer trying to get all the mud away... of course everybody had his own idea about how the bulldozer should accomplish its task and everybody was talking about it. there were some moments when the stupid bulldozer operator would just go straight at the huge pile of earth that was much much bigger than the machine, it was even sliding dangerously close to the metal rails at the other side of the road, dangerously close to falling by the the side of the road. but he accomplished his task after a while to much applause and rejoicing from the audience. everything looked flooded while we were traveling. then my fone decided to join and complicate things, it just died, it would turn on for 2 seconds then turn off again, then turn on again for 2 seconds then off again, then all over again. then we had to stop AGAIN. in front of us... the road, bridge, river, and farmland just merged into one... absolutely no distinction between them. but we were able to cross again due to some resourceful filipinos who placed wooden planks for the vehicles. suffice to say, we were able to reach puerto princesa, but almost everything was flooded during the travel south.. we were so tired, and hungry. we went to kalui after to recharge... we had their special... but it wasn't so enjoyable when everybody is dead tired. we turned in early after dinner.
the following day, we had to say goodbye to nono, what's left of the group was now me, kristin and thomas. we still had stormy weather so we decided to take the day easy... we just ordered a grandslam pizza from shakeys for just the 3 of us. hehehe! we were just talking and making lots of crazy jokes. and it was so refreshing to be with these 2 norwegian fire performers, everything was so light and happy and funny. at this point, i realized that it is so much better to be with people that have professions that are extremely different from my own when i travel. we had some serious conversations during the stormy weather days... but most of the time it was light and bubbly. and we were not planning for the next day... we took them as they arrived. i was traveling without a plan during the whole time, I LOVED IT.
the following day, we had brunch at badjao inn. we went to their street dancing parade... a lot like Masskara festival but on a smaller scale... they only had 10 performers... and there were gaps in between the crowd unlike the totally packed Masskara streets. then that night we went to the 3 km seafood grill. i had to take my antihistamine 2 hours before to be able to eat. then went to the fireworks show... there were only 4 performers but they dont come close to the ones that we watched at mall of asia. then we had dinner at kinabuchs, and i had a very refreshing mango-ginger shake. then it was all fun and laughs with beer at the roofdeck of Aniceto's Pension. we stayed up until 2am. and we were all laughing that i had to be at the bus terminal at 4am. Mwahahaha!!! that was a joke indeed. then we said our final goodbye's, hugs and kisses from everybody for such a wonderful time.
..........
SABANG, PALAWAN
later that morning, i indeed missed my 4am schedule. as they say, travelers are not known for their punctuality. i was there to catch the next bus that leaves at 9am... but as luck would put it.... the 9am bus wasn't traveling that day due to repairs being done to it. i had to wait for 3 hours at the terminal... had to take a jeepney instead, and it left at 12nn. now, the jeepney was quite interesting. i was seated at the front, i thought that would be the most comfortable place. the jeepney had a windshield, but it was angled forward to allow air to go through. then it started to rain and that made it more interesting.... the rain would bounce on the front of the jeep and then bounce painfully on our faces and chest.. then and only then will the driver realize to put the windshield down.
arrived in Sabang after 2.5 hours. Sabang is a very nice place. i met this cool american surfer (Bryce) upon arrival in Sabang. he told me that he has been living on fita crackers and noodles for most of his backpacking trip and we both laughed when i told him that i have been living on chocolate-cereal bars for most of my trip (dinners are a totally different matter though). we had a carabao with a cart carry our bags while we walked to Mary's where we were staying. but we needed some serious lunch (and dinner combined) though coz we arrived late, went for calamares at the tribal restaurant upon the suggestion of my norwegian friends, but unfortunately, it wasnt available. i had wild boar instead. yummy! saw the resident eagle of sabang that nests on one of the coconut trees that lost all its palms. was very lucky that the waves were high when we were there. it was cool... i got one really big wave and it sent me spinning in all directions.. Bryce told me later that its called the washing machine. just chilled in the garden after dinner. then we decided to do both trails and the underground river the next morning, then catch the last bus/jeepney back to Puerto Princesa... that was pretty gung ho!
we asked one of the girls at Mary's to wake us up at 6am but they didnt do that... we woke up at 730. but we were able to accomplish it. 2 dogs just decided to go with us during the monkey trail going to the underground river. then inside the underground river, i was carrying the light, so cool. after the underground river, we met our white guide dog again, she decided to wait for us while we were inside the underground river. then she led us again through the jungle trail, we got lost at one part of the trail and she led us to the right path. awesome dog. had lunch again at the tribal restaurant while waiting for our bus back to puerto princesa, still no calamares though. had fish and chips, it wasn't so good... couldn't really find the 'fish' in my fish and chips dish. the bus was again interesting, there was again a puppy, a chicken, and to my surprise... a huge rusty boat anchor and engine at the back of the bus. Hehehe!! Bryce and I traveled together to puerto princesa. then i surprised my norwegian friends who were still staying at the same place. it was a very nice reunion... all i had to do was say "Surprise! Miss me?" and it was quite a surprise for them indeed, we were all smiles, and big big hugs from everybody, after that we were just chilling at the roofdeck of Aniceto's Pension in puerto princesa with Thomas playing with the drum. then had dinner at kinabuchs with Bryce. i again had my favorite shake at kinabuchs, mango-ginger, 2 of them in fact.
the following morning was all goodbye for everybody, Bryce traveled to El Nido, Thomas and Kristin flew to Manila, and I flew to Cebu.
I've had so much fun in this spontaneous backpacking trip.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Friday, November 02, 2007
Hostility in my Civil Service answers
This was written as a response to one Case Study in the Civil Service Distance Learning Program. The case involves Roy, a rank-and-file employee who gets late frequently and his lates are being recorded and he is getting cited. While Mr. Sanchez, the Director of the Department also goes in late but does not get cited.
My response:
Roy is envious. He should resign and find a nearer job.
The director deserves the flexible working schedule. This is how it works in corporate management. You provide incentives to the top brains, to the top managers, to the top salesmen, so that they remain in the company and stay happy working for the company. These incentives may come as a flexible working schedule, bonuses, service cars… and they deserve it because in the long years that they have stayed in the company, they have proven that they are capable of bringing more for the company despite the expenses spent on them. Now if we expand that to a larger scale and substitute “COUNTRY” instead of “COMPANY”, we can say “The top brains, the top managers, the top salesmen, the top professionals, deserve the incentives given to them because in the long years that they have stayed in the COUNTRY, they have proven that they are capable of bringing more for the COUNTRY despite the expenses spent on them.”
Providing the same incentives for top managers and rank-and-file employees is a Communist Ideology and it does not work in this day and age. It becomes counter-productive in the long term. How? It starts when employees in a company make this very simple observation: “the lazy do not work, the diligent work hard, but yet they get the same.” If we substitute the names in this case, it becomes: “Roy does simple clerical work in the office, and comes in late. Mr. Sanchez with all the stresses of managing the department as a Director comes in late too.” Now, why would Mr. Sanchez work so hard through those long years to become top manager if he will only have the same privileges as a rank-and-file employee? This is the downfall of this Communist Ideology, of providing the same incentives to the top manager and rank-and-file employees. No motivation to work harder, no motivation to become better. No motivation to get a Doctor of Medicine Degree or a Masters in Business Administration or a Doctor of Philosophy or a Degree in Economics or a Degree in Engineering. The entire society suffers in the long-term due to the lack of motivated and brilliant professionals. Why would I study 5 years to get a Degree in Economics or Engineering or Architecture or Nursing or Physical Therapy or Education or Accounting or Banking and Finance if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 7 years to get a Masters in Business Administration if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 10 years to get a Doctor of Medicine if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 13 years to get a Doctor of Medicine and a Diplomate in Medicine if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 15 years to get a Doctor of Medicine, a Diplomate in Medicine and a Fellowship in Medicine if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet?
We live in a Capitalist World and the Capitalist System predominates. Roy and other rank-and-file employees should wake up to this reality. The Capitalist System is a just and fair system, we have EQUAL RIGHTS but we have DIFFERENT PRIVILEGES. The Capitalist System is a just and fair system; it rewards the hard-worker, the motivated, and the brilliant.
Jake E. Hofileña, M.D.
My response:
Roy is envious. He should resign and find a nearer job.
The director deserves the flexible working schedule. This is how it works in corporate management. You provide incentives to the top brains, to the top managers, to the top salesmen, so that they remain in the company and stay happy working for the company. These incentives may come as a flexible working schedule, bonuses, service cars… and they deserve it because in the long years that they have stayed in the company, they have proven that they are capable of bringing more for the company despite the expenses spent on them. Now if we expand that to a larger scale and substitute “COUNTRY” instead of “COMPANY”, we can say “The top brains, the top managers, the top salesmen, the top professionals, deserve the incentives given to them because in the long years that they have stayed in the COUNTRY, they have proven that they are capable of bringing more for the COUNTRY despite the expenses spent on them.”
Providing the same incentives for top managers and rank-and-file employees is a Communist Ideology and it does not work in this day and age. It becomes counter-productive in the long term. How? It starts when employees in a company make this very simple observation: “the lazy do not work, the diligent work hard, but yet they get the same.” If we substitute the names in this case, it becomes: “Roy does simple clerical work in the office, and comes in late. Mr. Sanchez with all the stresses of managing the department as a Director comes in late too.” Now, why would Mr. Sanchez work so hard through those long years to become top manager if he will only have the same privileges as a rank-and-file employee? This is the downfall of this Communist Ideology, of providing the same incentives to the top manager and rank-and-file employees. No motivation to work harder, no motivation to become better. No motivation to get a Doctor of Medicine Degree or a Masters in Business Administration or a Doctor of Philosophy or a Degree in Economics or a Degree in Engineering. The entire society suffers in the long-term due to the lack of motivated and brilliant professionals. Why would I study 5 years to get a Degree in Economics or Engineering or Architecture or Nursing or Physical Therapy or Education or Accounting or Banking and Finance if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 7 years to get a Masters in Business Administration if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 10 years to get a Doctor of Medicine if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 13 years to get a Doctor of Medicine and a Diplomate in Medicine if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet? Why would I study 15 years to get a Doctor of Medicine, a Diplomate in Medicine and a Fellowship in Medicine if I only get the same privileges as the person putting folders in the cabinet?
We live in a Capitalist World and the Capitalist System predominates. Roy and other rank-and-file employees should wake up to this reality. The Capitalist System is a just and fair system, we have EQUAL RIGHTS but we have DIFFERENT PRIVILEGES. The Capitalist System is a just and fair system; it rewards the hard-worker, the motivated, and the brilliant.
Jake E. Hofileña, M.D.
Total Democracy for the Philippines?
Total Democracy for the Philippines?
The Philippines and the Filipino people is NOT READY for a TOTAL ALL-ENCOMPASSING DEMOCRACY. Instead, what the Philippines needs is a selective limited democracy. The Filipino people must learn several things prior to being able to handle and appreciate total democracy.
What I have to say may sound elitist but this is only my opinion and my argument in the subject matter. My word is not to be taken as the authoritative opinion regarding the subject matter.
It is a known fact that the majority of the Filipino people is poor, thus it follows that the majority is also poorly educated, thus it follows that the majority of the voting population is also poorly educated.
It is very dangerous to entrust the election of public officials and leaders in the hands of the poorly educated. The poorly educated are prone to making unreliable and misinformed decisions. They are also prone to bias and may also fall prey to bribery. They are incapable of distinguishing false and hollow promises from concrete plans. They are incapable of distinguishing selfish and corrupt officials from honest ones. Thus, the poorly educated have been chronically electing officials that are inappropriate for their needs and inappropriate for the general public.
It is my hope that with continued improving education, the Filipino people will make better and well-informed electoral decisions. The Filipino people already showed signs of improving decisions when president Estrada was ousted and in the succeeding general elections refrained from electing actors, actresses, newscasters and other inappropriate officials. But the Filipino people is again in danger of forgetting these painful lessons, and I think it is the obligation of the well-informed to constantly remind the poorly educated to make better decisions.
Poor education, in my opinion, is the root of the problem. One can not skip into solving a problem as complex as democracy when one has not yet solved the simpler problem of education. Educate the Filipino people, and they will naturally gravitate towards a democratic society because they will now be able to appreciate all the aspects of democracy.
These aspects of democracy are the ones that need to be taught to every Filipino, prior to granting them full democracy. Without knowledge and mastery of these aspects of democracy, granting full democracy to a poorly educated population is ANARCHY.
These aspects of democracy that I am referring to are: RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, DISCIPLINE, and JUSTICE. When every Filipino has mastered these values and ingrained them in every fiber of their being; then and only then can the Filipino people appreciate full democracy; then and only then should the Filipino people be granted full democracy.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS is the core value and it is strongly intertwined with freedom and democracy. How? Because YOUR FREEDOM ENDS where MY RIGHTS BEGIN. When people understand this, they will respect each other’s rights. Mastery of respect for human rights means that everybody is fully aware of the rights of other people, and fully aware when a person is going beyond his freedom and already stepping on the rights of others.
The second value is DISCIPLINE. Awareness of the rights of others is not adequate, discipline reinforces respect for human rights because it means that a person will uphold in concrete action and behaviour his awareness of the rights of others. With discipline, you trust that your neighbor will equally respect your rights just as you respect his rights.
The third equally important value is JUSTICE. If in any case, a person violates the rights of others, then he is given a commensurate punishment for his action. Every person, therefore, will trust that his neighbor will not be allowed to violate his rights without punishment.
These are the core values that every Filipino must learn. Learning these values take precedence over achieving full or total democracy.
Full or total democracy means that one is free to walk the streets of your neighborhood free of worry that a person will violate your rights, because everybody is fully aware of your rights, because everybody possesses the discipline to uphold those rights, because everybody is aware of the commensurate punishment when your rights are violated.
The next step towards preparing for a total democracy is having a Code of Ethics upheld by everybody based on Mutual Respect.
In conclusion, these are the values that need to be ingrained in every Filipino in preparation for a total democracy, then the Filipino people will be prepared to appreciate their total democracy.
In a just and human society that respects human rights without external guidance, every citizen is free.
The Philippines and the Filipino people is NOT READY for a TOTAL ALL-ENCOMPASSING DEMOCRACY. Instead, what the Philippines needs is a selective limited democracy. The Filipino people must learn several things prior to being able to handle and appreciate total democracy.
What I have to say may sound elitist but this is only my opinion and my argument in the subject matter. My word is not to be taken as the authoritative opinion regarding the subject matter.
It is a known fact that the majority of the Filipino people is poor, thus it follows that the majority is also poorly educated, thus it follows that the majority of the voting population is also poorly educated.
It is very dangerous to entrust the election of public officials and leaders in the hands of the poorly educated. The poorly educated are prone to making unreliable and misinformed decisions. They are also prone to bias and may also fall prey to bribery. They are incapable of distinguishing false and hollow promises from concrete plans. They are incapable of distinguishing selfish and corrupt officials from honest ones. Thus, the poorly educated have been chronically electing officials that are inappropriate for their needs and inappropriate for the general public.
It is my hope that with continued improving education, the Filipino people will make better and well-informed electoral decisions. The Filipino people already showed signs of improving decisions when president Estrada was ousted and in the succeeding general elections refrained from electing actors, actresses, newscasters and other inappropriate officials. But the Filipino people is again in danger of forgetting these painful lessons, and I think it is the obligation of the well-informed to constantly remind the poorly educated to make better decisions.
Poor education, in my opinion, is the root of the problem. One can not skip into solving a problem as complex as democracy when one has not yet solved the simpler problem of education. Educate the Filipino people, and they will naturally gravitate towards a democratic society because they will now be able to appreciate all the aspects of democracy.
These aspects of democracy are the ones that need to be taught to every Filipino, prior to granting them full democracy. Without knowledge and mastery of these aspects of democracy, granting full democracy to a poorly educated population is ANARCHY.
These aspects of democracy that I am referring to are: RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, DISCIPLINE, and JUSTICE. When every Filipino has mastered these values and ingrained them in every fiber of their being; then and only then can the Filipino people appreciate full democracy; then and only then should the Filipino people be granted full democracy.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS is the core value and it is strongly intertwined with freedom and democracy. How? Because YOUR FREEDOM ENDS where MY RIGHTS BEGIN. When people understand this, they will respect each other’s rights. Mastery of respect for human rights means that everybody is fully aware of the rights of other people, and fully aware when a person is going beyond his freedom and already stepping on the rights of others.
The second value is DISCIPLINE. Awareness of the rights of others is not adequate, discipline reinforces respect for human rights because it means that a person will uphold in concrete action and behaviour his awareness of the rights of others. With discipline, you trust that your neighbor will equally respect your rights just as you respect his rights.
The third equally important value is JUSTICE. If in any case, a person violates the rights of others, then he is given a commensurate punishment for his action. Every person, therefore, will trust that his neighbor will not be allowed to violate his rights without punishment.
These are the core values that every Filipino must learn. Learning these values take precedence over achieving full or total democracy.
Full or total democracy means that one is free to walk the streets of your neighborhood free of worry that a person will violate your rights, because everybody is fully aware of your rights, because everybody possesses the discipline to uphold those rights, because everybody is aware of the commensurate punishment when your rights are violated.
The next step towards preparing for a total democracy is having a Code of Ethics upheld by everybody based on Mutual Respect.
In conclusion, these are the values that need to be ingrained in every Filipino in preparation for a total democracy, then the Filipino people will be prepared to appreciate their total democracy.
In a just and human society that respects human rights without external guidance, every citizen is free.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
24-hour Duty - Camiguin Style
Common Lines of Patients that can either lighten up your day or make a dark day even darker.
Common Line and it's intended meaning
X-tray = x-ray
undersound = ultrasound
philearth = philhealth
Common Line and it's intended meaning
X-tray = x-ray
undersound = ultrasound
philearth = philhealth
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Some Peculiarities in the Philippines
Some Peculiarities in the Philippines
1. The LOO VALLEY located in the Cordillera mountains in northern Philippines.
Need a shower after visiting that place?
2. The POO RIVER, which rightfully runs through the LOO VALLEY.
Need to shower again?
3. Silliman ‘Silly Man’ University in Dumaguete City.
Are you sure this is a center for education?
4. The town of LOON in Bohol.
What do you call the residents of the town of LOON? Loonies?
1. The LOO VALLEY located in the Cordillera mountains in northern Philippines.
Need a shower after visiting that place?
2. The POO RIVER, which rightfully runs through the LOO VALLEY.
Need to shower again?
3. Silliman ‘Silly Man’ University in Dumaguete City.
Are you sure this is a center for education?
4. The town of LOON in Bohol.
What do you call the residents of the town of LOON? Loonies?
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Travel Log: Balicasag Island
I traveled to Balicasag Island in Bohol, Philippines, during the first week of May 2007… on my own. ADVENTURE!!!
From the main city of Tagbilaran in Bohol, I took a Habal-Habal motorcycle to Bohol Museum; it will cost only 10 pesos.
There is a jeepney terminal right across the street from Bohol Museum. The jeepney will take you to the town of Panglao. The jeepney ride costs 18 pesos. It would be advisable to get down on Panglao church instead of the market center of Panglao town since it is nearer the boats/bancas. From the church, one can walk to the small dock where the boats to Balicasag Island are. The boat/banca ride to Balicasag Island costs 600 pesos one-way. It is possible to hitch with some of the boats going there for 150-200 but those boats are very infrequent.
While on Balicasag Island, I found a nice place to stay – Rosa’s Lodge… but I also like to call it Detrose Place… sounds cooler. They are renting out 1 room that costs 800 pesos per night whether you are alone or going as a group. It comfortably has room for 4 with its 2 queen-size beds. Electricity is only until 12 midnight, and it gets pretty warm without the electricity, but its not a problem since you can also opt to sleep in any of their 3 open-air huts along the beach (just bring your pillows and blanket, put on some Off Mosquito Lotion, and get comfy). Fresh water for taking a shower is limited, but understandably so, because they have to ship the freshwater from Panglao Island and that carries some costs… but it wasn’t a problem with me… I always supported water conservation and staying green and eco-friendly.
The meals cost 75-175 pesos, but the portions are usually good for 2. And they are delicious! I had squid for one meal; and fresh-grilled tuna for another… the tuna was so huge that I wasn’t able to finish it even without touching my rice. But my favorite would have to be the eggplant-vegetable dish that Ate Rosa cooked. I miss it so much… I wish every meal would be like the meals I had in Balicasag Island. And what’s a meal without conversation… Ate Rosa and Kuya Detrose are so pleasant to talk to; they kept me company the whole time that I was in Balicasag. And I even had a celebrity moment during one of my meals! After waking up in one of the open-air huts that I slept in during the night, I went back to my room to freshen-up. And when I went back out, all the open-air huts were filled with guests who rented them for the day (Php 200/day). I went out in my shorts and sunglasses (but shirtless) and carrying my sunblock… found some shade under one of the trees by the beach… and put on some sunblock. By the time I came back, Ate Rosa had prepared for me a BREAKFAST FOR A PRINCE!!! I had my own little table under the trees overlooking the beach and the sea and the 3 huts. Perfect! Soon, Kuya Detro approached me and informed me that one of their guests asked him who the celebrity is (referring to me). Hehehe!! No wonder I was getting strange stares. CooooL!!!
My primary goal in Balicasag was snorkeling… and boy did I snorkel… I snorkeled half the island. I’ve read of 5-star snorkeling and dive sites on the island and I was finally there, among them were Black Forest and its spectacular reef of black coral, Rudy’s Rock, Rico’s wall, and Turtle Point. I particularly enjoyed snorkeling along a huge length of the reef wall, it was hypnotic… you have a very nice feeling of being drawn to the blue ocean with the sparkling light that would get through from the surface. It was pretty much like the reaction of Dori in Finding Nemo. It was awesome, some parts of the reef wall were laddered; the first drop of the reef wall was followed by a much deeper drop further out. It was beautiful; I was finally able to see Gorgonian fans and large wrasses.
Balicasag Island is most likely a volcanic island. The island is surrounded by these huge rocks with embedded shells and corals that the rocks have been smoothened by centuries of waves crashing on them, they almost look like concrete slabs but I was told they were natural rock formations. Balicasag got its name from the root word casag which is local for crab. I saw numerous small crabs but only one big crab. Balicasag was also known for being a turtle nestling ground before, and that could be the reason why one of the dive sites was named Turtle Point, or perhaps it could be due to the shape of the rock formation. However, very few turtles lay their eggs on the island nowadays, due to tourist development. It is a good thing that ecological legislation is set in place in Balicasag though, a marine sanctuary has been established, it is approximately 700 meters long and boats are not allowed to drop anchor within its boundaries. National legislation protecting turtles is also strictly enforced in the little island; I was told that a Naval officer was removed from the Naval service after being caught eating turtle eggs. I also had the general sense that residents of the island are well aware of benefits of protecting the environment around them. I would still prefer though, that the whole island be made into a marine sanctuary, with only a 700-meter stretch of shore allocated for anchorage, instead of the other way around. And that corals are to be strictly banned from being taken from the sea… whether it’s inside or outside the sanctuary… because sometimes, some tourists get away with it.
I was also able to see the dolphins coming from Balicasag Island, no need to go to Pamilacan Island to be able to see the dolphins. One could hire a banca from Balicasag Island, Pamilacan Island, or Panglao Island to see the dolphins. The dolphins could be seen at around 6am in a location approximately in the middle of the 3 islands. So it was an early wake-up, some coffee and bread and off we went. The sunrise that greeted me was spectacular, and I was blessed with a perfectly calm sea to provide perfect weather for dolphin watching. And I was totally delighted when we arrived at the site after 30-45 minutes. There were hundreds of dolphins. I even saw 2 or 3 playful dolphins that would totally burst out of the water, and do 3 or 4 twists, before plunging into the water again. I screamed ‘whooohooo!!!’ at the top of my lungs when I saw those playful dolphins, and I didn’t care that there were 2 other boats with other people watching dolphins in them. After I while, I took out my mask, snorkel, and fins… ready to go in the water… but it’s not allowed… I was told by Kuya Detro that the dolphins are not accustomed to humans swimming with them so they would hit humans with their snouts. I took his word; they know more than I do. Most likely, there was an incident in the past and they learned from it. All in all, I was just delighted to see them so close. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!! I did what I came to do in Bohol.
Dolphin watching will cost 1200 pesos (alone or as a group). Dolphin watching plus a ride back to Panglao town will cost 1600 pesos. I took this option.
The other option to get back to Panglao town from Balicasag Island is to hitch with one of the boats/bancas. For some reason, it’s easier to hitch going to Panglao town from Balicasag Island than the other way around. The boats are anchored in front of the Naval Center of the Philippine Armed Forces. The hitch will cost the person 2 litres of petrol (approx P90). This is amount the locals pay but perhaps it could cost around 150-200 for tourists.
After arriving in Panglao town, I took a walk around to see the old watchtower and church. After that, I took a habal-habal (Php 10) to Alona beach just to see it. I didn’t really like Alona beach… it’s only a short strip of beach, unlike Boracay, or Bantayan. The other beach that we went to, Dumaloan beach, is even better than Alona beach. It is longer and does not have much development. Plus, Dumaloan beach has a nice coral reef in the deeper parts and a nice reef wall that is good for snorkeling and/or diving. The coral reef and the reef wall are probably little known to most people since I did not see a single person snorkeling or diving in the area. I found Alona beach to be too developed (lots of resorts… and too much concrete for my preference), and the beach is crowded by bancas, you could hardly swim in them. I just took a walk around the beach and decided to go back to Panglao town. Another thing I didn’t like about Alona beach was the opportunistic and dishonest people. A tricycle driver and a habal-habal driver tried to cheat me by overcharging me Php 50 for a ride back to Panglao town. Hehehe! No thanx! Little did they know that I just came from Panglao town.
Traveling back to Tagbilaran, Bohol; I took a Habal-Habal motorcycle to the Panglao town market for 10 pesos, and then I took a jeepney from the Panglao market to Tagbilaran for 18 pesos.
From Tagbilaran, there are ferries (via Oceanjet) to the cities of Cebu, Dumaguete, and Dapitan if you plan to travel further. Tagbilaran-Dumaguete one-way costs 500 pesos. Tagbilaran-Cebu one-way costs just less than 600 pesos.
The ticket area in the Tagbilaran terminal is chaotic but the pre-departure area is ok. It is wise to ask around while in the ticket area, and also be prepared to assert yourself because there will be a lot of people who will try to cut in line. I yelled “Hey! Hey! Hey!” to this guy who cut in line just in front of me, and when he justified himself… he received a piece of my mind when I told him that he didn’t have the basic courtesy of waiting his turn.
In Dumaguete, I took an air-conditioned bus back to Bacolod. Always, always, always, take the air-conditioned bus because the non-airconditioned buses can get VERY overcrowded. In one bad experience, the non-airconditioned bus was overcrowded to the extent that a stranger’s ass was resting on the shoulder of one of my friends, while one of my friends had half of her body out of the window… the whole time, the 3 of us couldn’t move an inch. Another caveat, the guy in the information desk at the Ceres terminal in Dumaguete is not known for being helpful at all. He will not volunteer to give you additional information, so be prepared to pry it from him. It is most important to ask the Bus Number of the bus going to Bacolod because they could sometimes arrive early and park at the back. Local people know this so they would often get on the bus while it is still parked at the back, so it gets filled very quickly. The bus that was scheduled to leave after 12noon got filled within 5minutes upon arriving in the terminal.
I also sent parts of this as a contribution to Lonely Planet (Philippines). I hope it helps in further editions of the book.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Siquijor Island vacation reaches Top of the list.
Bumped into one of my high school teachers today and our
I had to confirm it… and WOW!!! When I searched for Siquijor on YouTube, our video was the most-viewed video at 5575 views. Top of the list man!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtlE0vjC66U
To add to that, our blogsites also feature highly when you search for Siquijor Blog on Google.
Are we becoming local experts on Siquijor? Oh Yeah!! So CooooooL.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Philippines finally ROARS!
In Defense of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Team. The
The
Infrastructure and Energy projects planned all the way until 2013 are only going to further support this growth.
Want proof? Go to the websites of First Philippine Holdings, International Container Terminal Services, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, and PNOC.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
My Past Life
I don't know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Central England around the year 975. Your profession was that of a jeweler or watch-maker.
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Such people are always involved with all new. You have always loved changes, especially in art, music, cooking.
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
The world is full of ill and lonely people. You should help those, who are less fortunate than you are.
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Such people are always involved with all new. You have always loved changes, especially in art, music, cooking.
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
The world is full of ill and lonely people. You should help those, who are less fortunate than you are.
Friday, May 18, 2007
My Letter to the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Mailed to: Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
URL: http://www.mofat.go.kr/me/me_a002/me_b100/me02_06.jsp
Email address: web@mofat.go.kr
URL: http://www.mofat.go.kr/me/me_a002/me_b100/me02_06.jsp
Email address: web@mofat.go.kr
Good day gentlemen:
I would like to report an incident that occurred several months ago. This is a bit late, but it is better than not reporting it at all.
It occurred during Ash Wednesday of this year,
I attended the Ash Wednesday Mass in the San Agustin Church in Intramuros. Before entering the church, I saw a sign that said ‘Tourists are not allowed to enter while mass is going on.’
In the middle of the mass, 6 Korean tourists who did not even bother to take off their baseball caps and visors went inside the church. As far as I’m concerned, removing a hat is required as a sign of respect when entering a place of worship, whether it’s a church in the
How would Koreans react if Filipino tourists went inside Korean temples without removing their baseball caps and visors?
Furthermore, the female tour guide of the tourist group soon entered the church, and explained very loudly to the tourist group. She was not even sensitive enough to observe that the people around her were already being bothered by her very loud voice.
Again, how would Koreans react if Filipino tourists went inside Korean temples and talked loudly while Koreans were worshipping inside the temple?
Lastly and most notably, the female tour guide forcefully stomped her feet numerous times on a tombstone located inside the church, while explaining to the tourist group.
Again, how would Koreans react if Filipino tour guides went to
In the spirit of MUTUAL RESPECT, I would have to say that the behavior of the tour guide is unacceptable by any civilized culture and any civilized religion in the entire world. It is unacceptable behavior based on Philippine Culture, it is unacceptable behavior based on the Roman Catholic Religion, it is unacceptable behavior based on Korean Culture, it is unacceptable behavior based on the Buddhist Religion, it is unacceptable behavior based on European Cultures and Religions, Middle Eastern Cultures and Religions, Hindu Cultures and Religions, North and South American Cultures and Religions, and Asian, Australian, and African Cultures and Religions. I would just like to emphasize that her behavior is unacceptable wherever she went in the entire world.
Places of worship, whether it’s a church in the
Lastly, may I recommend that it should be the responsibility of the tour guide and the company that the tour guide works for to remind the tourist group of the proper behavior when visiting such places, even though they are common sense. If he/she can not take on such responsibility, then perhaps he/she should not be allowed to work as a tour guide, and the company that he/she works for should not be given the license to conduct the business of individual and group tours.
I hope action will be taken regarding this matter.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Landslide!!! U-Turn!!!
20 March 2007:
We left Sagada very early in the morning (first bus out of Sagada to
The following morning, after staying a night in ugly Baguio, we were hit by a sudden bout of insanity, and we both decided to go back to Kabayan, and face our landslide fears and the mummy’s curse. This time everything went smoothly. We arrived there, saw the museum and the following day saw hundreds of skulls in a small cave that was just behind one of the houses, not even 10mins from Co-op lodge where we were staying. We took more creepy pictures. We were creeped-out several times in the cave when birds would fly in and out, and you should have seen both of us on how we ducked for cover. We also met the town’s ex-mayor, Florentino Merino, and we bought his book. He built the cooperative, and was one of the discoverers of the mummies, and his grandmother was the last person to be mummified. From all those accounts, I would have to say that he almost built the town of Kabayan single-handedly, and I would have to say that he would be the best source of information in that town.
And that’s the full story. That’s how I was able to get back to Manila in one piece. :-)
Monday, March 19, 2007
Sagada
19 March 2007: Easy day. Had breakfast in my favorite place... Café St. Joe, native Arabica coffee as usual. After that Terai and I set out to Echo Valley. We saw the hanging coffins along the way. And in true geo-idiot manner, we got lost. It was a good thing though, coz by getting lost, we actually stumbled across Latang and Matangkib caves and the Underground River while locating the trail that led to the road. We ended the hike at 12nn and had lunch at Café St. Joe. After that, a little hike up to Calvary Hill then we had some dessert (yoghurt) at Yoghurt House. It was there that I realized that I’m not a yoghurt person. Then we did some shopping. I got some miniature coffins and a walking stick.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
St. Patrick's Day in Sagada
17 march 2007: 17 march 2007: Terai and I decided to do a cave connection. While hiring a guide, we met Barry Dillon from Ireland who decided to go with us.
It was awesome; we went in one cave and went out another cave. There were awesome rock formations, we had to climb up some rock formations, sometimes rappel down using a rope, sometimes squeeze through tiny crevices, wade through ice cold water, sometimes slide down some rocks uncontrollably on our asses, and sometimes bump our head on the rocks. It was so much fun!!
We also found out from Barry that it was St. Patrick’s Day. So in true St. Patrick’s Day spirit, we celebrated it by drinking at St. Joseph’s Inn. There was beer, persimmon wine, blueberry wine (my fave), and strawberry wine, and we were drinking it around a bonfire. In true St. Patrick’s Day spirit too, I got totally drunk. Terai informed me that I headed to a wrong lodge, I only have vague memories of that part, but I remember one guy pointing me to the right direction. But I have totally no memory of how I climbed up our lodge and got into bed. Terai just informed me the following day that when I was looking for the key, I just dumped all the contents of the backpack on the floor.
When I woke up the following day (2:30 pm), I had a terrible hangover. I also saw that the blueberries that I bought from the local market were all over the place, they were on the chair, on my shirt, on my pants, and all over the floor. Hehehe!
I went back to St. Joseph’s Inn when I felt better. I got coffee and soup. I met Jose (from Madrid) while eating. Terai was long gone when I was doing this; I suspected she went to the Echo Valley on her own because that was what we set out to do on that day. It turned out she met this girl from the Peace Corps and they both volunteered to help the local community by helping out segregate trash.
It was awesome; we went in one cave and went out another cave. There were awesome rock formations, we had to climb up some rock formations, sometimes rappel down using a rope, sometimes squeeze through tiny crevices, wade through ice cold water, sometimes slide down some rocks uncontrollably on our asses, and sometimes bump our head on the rocks. It was so much fun!!
We also found out from Barry that it was St. Patrick’s Day. So in true St. Patrick’s Day spirit, we celebrated it by drinking at St. Joseph’s Inn. There was beer, persimmon wine, blueberry wine (my fave), and strawberry wine, and we were drinking it around a bonfire. In true St. Patrick’s Day spirit too, I got totally drunk. Terai informed me that I headed to a wrong lodge, I only have vague memories of that part, but I remember one guy pointing me to the right direction. But I have totally no memory of how I climbed up our lodge and got into bed. Terai just informed me the following day that when I was looking for the key, I just dumped all the contents of the backpack on the floor.
When I woke up the following day (2:30 pm), I had a terrible hangover. I also saw that the blueberries that I bought from the local market were all over the place, they were on the chair, on my shirt, on my pants, and all over the floor. Hehehe!
I went back to St. Joseph’s Inn when I felt better. I got coffee and soup. I met Jose (from Madrid) while eating. Terai was long gone when I was doing this; I suspected she went to the Echo Valley on her own because that was what we set out to do on that day. It turned out she met this girl from the Peace Corps and they both volunteered to help the local community by helping out segregate trash.
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