The Real Present & Future of the Philippines Outlined

[momopi]

*cough* someone told me that the best Thai "special service" places are advertised to Japanese customers. The sites are not in English but you can figure it out.

http://www.raku2.tv/

http://orangesbkk.com/

[ladislav]

The difficulty in trying to show all these things here is that American- bred people have a very hard time imagining that racists come in all colors and that an Asian society can be as racist, if not more so that a 'white' society. It is so deeply ingrained in an American-bred mind that white people are racist while all the others are so sweet and nice and are victims. Which is because their mind is still in America where whites are the majority. But treating people in a racist way is part of human condition, not just of the white condition. Taking a person out of America is easy- taking America out of your brain- that is hard. Making you think as an earthling is hard. That is why when I tell them that Thais or Japanese are racists, people just cannot fathom it.

The main difference is that (adult )Asians as a rule are non-violent in expressing it. They will by and large not beat you up for being different. However, verbal abuse and contemptuous body language as well as shunning/shutting you out and mocking or simply ignoring you is their way to express it. Many are fake in showing friendship while inside they are resentful and are afraid of you.

There were articles in the Bangkok post about mixed kids ( of GIs) growing up in Thailand and how much mockery they had to go through. And if the kids were half black it was far worse than if they were half white. Yeah, some became entertainers. And some half black kids became comedians. So? None are in the business world. None are in politics. None are teaching. WTF?

Filipinos are Christians -Malay-Spanish- Chinese mixture, and thus, they have white blood in them. Just about everybody has some kind of white ancestor somewhere. And they are a mixed race- mostly descendants of some kind of migrants. Race means little to them. That you are a decent person- that means a lot.
Mixed kids have a great future and are respected and revered. It is an honor to be of a mixed race in RP, not a shame. They have a senator here with the last name "Jaworski". Try that in Thailand.

The Philippines has close to 200 ethnic groups all speaking different languages. There is really no Filipino ethnicity or an ethnic nation. Tagalog and Visayan are two major groups. A person is identified by the language he speaks; not so much by race. You speak Visayan- you are a Visayan. You speak Tagalog- people say: He is a Tagalog. I speak Visaya (not fluently) and I have heard people talking about me- He is a Visayan, they would say. Can you imagine? I have been asked if I was a Filipino. And also, here in the Philippines, if you become a citizen, no one can tell you that you are not a Filipino. Try that in other Asian countries.

I have never been to Hawaii but from what I have heard the people there can be violent against whites. Mixed couples have been attacked. They even have a "hate whitey day" in Hawaii. I have known white guys that had run away from there. One Jewish guy would tell me that he had to take his daughter out of Hawaii because kids would chase after her and mock her. A nice change after the Holocaust- from a Jude to a Haoli. He said she would even be attacked by kids at a bus stop. He moved to the Philippines. In the Philippines he only complains about the "Hi Joe" shouts and that the people say: "Oh, you are so big!" That is hardly racism. That is what? Body-size-ism?

The T'boli tribesmen of Mindanao have told me that I am now their chief. Do not know how serious that was. But anyway, the society integrates you much better here. The problem is extricating yourself from too much integration as you become part of enormous groups who need your help in terms of advice, money and just having you around. They miss you when you go away and they want you back just to have you by their side. Ties that bind... and gag.

It was so pleasant to hear how when Filipino people were talking about me to each other, they would use my name ( or my Filipino nick name) and treat me as a member of their group. Not like in Thailand- they would call me 'farang' .

[ladislav]

Ladislav-

I certainly agree with you about Mindanao. There is a strong guest culture and a laid back agreeable attitude. Mindanao and such places as Bohol are really the best places to be in the Philippines. I am well treated and it relaxes my mind and soul just to
be there. My Girlfriend is from General Santos...all the "Thai issues" why they are...how bad or serious...Thai royal family BS...that stuff is not on the horizon in Mindanao. I have a pretty decent place on Bohol here...great view...laid back people...


Nate

Mindanao was never seriously colonized except by Filipinos from the North after the Spaniards were gone. If you go there, they often treat you just like another settler coming in. The density of the population is small, there are plenty of spaces, the roads are pretty good and the people are proud and independent without complexes. They do not ask you for money and are mostly honest. I did not feel I was much of a guest as the people are not really 'hospitable'. Many just assume you just live there like they do. Outside of the T'boli and B'laan tribes and various Muslim ethnic groups everyone is from some place else. So, basically- no special treatment for foreigners. I like that because I can just feel at home because most people do not give a hoot in hell about me. They see that I do not look like the majority but mostly they are indifferent to me. That means- freedom. The Mindanao saying is this- "sa amin ang batas, sa amin ang libingan"- "ours is the law- ours is (your) funeral." A strong message for you to behave.

In Bohol, they are like Cebuanos - funny and talkative, but the place is clean and the culture is pristine, not polluted by money like Cebu.

[ladislav]

And to go back to the original topic: the Philippines will always be a relaxed, happy oasis-like place because it was never meant to be a " tiger" populated by robotic people striving to forever move forward to some vague 'progress' while eradicating everything human in the process. It will never be a place of automatons, plastic women and ruthless money-making men. It will never be an economic powerhouse ( with sky high prices) That is why from the metallic 1st world point of view it is having 'problems'. It will never be on the main track of tourism, will never be a place of A list revelers or achievers. But it will always be on the map as number one for friendliness, humanity, gorgeous women, healthy family values and just happiness that hangs in the air which is yours for free to scoop up with buckets and pour into your life. People who appreciate those things in life will always be drawn to the Philippines. It is all about what is important in your life. If happiness is it, well, then that is the place for you.

The Philippines is all about this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzoylHsI ... re=related

The message here can be absorbed even if you do not understand the words.

[gmm567]

I think ladislav should get a job with the filipino tourist office.


Nice to hear of your impressions.

[Repatriate]

The difficulty in trying to show all these things here is that American- bred people have a very hard time imagining that racists come in all colors and that an Asian society can be as racist, if not more so that a 'white' society. It is so deeply ingrained in an American-bred mind that white people are racist while all the others are so sweet and nice and are victims. Which is because their mind is still in America where whites are the majority. But treating people in a racist way is part of human condition, not just of the white condition. Taking a person out of America is easy- taking America out of your brain- that is hard. Making you think as an earthling is hard. That is why when I tell them that Thais or Japanese are racists, people just cannot fathom it.

I agree with the vast majority of your posts Ladislav but I feel that your views in regards to Thailand have been distorted by your own animosity from what you experienced more than a decade ago and doesn't reflect the reality now. I think Thailand (Bangkok at least) has changed substantially in its interaction with foreigners. There's a very clear set of Thais who are fairly well traveled who don't seem to have any issues with dating or interacting with foreigners. I see it with my own eyes. These aren't the aging expats courting bargirls but young uni aged westerners dating normal thai women. In fact at times I feel there is even a preference for western men with some of these Thai women. Of course they could have a hidden agenda there (money, green card, etc..) but at face value it seems to be fairly normal.

I have never been to Hawaii but from what I have heard the people there can be violent against whites. Mixed couples have been attacked. They even have a "hate whitey day" in Hawaii. I have known white guys that had run away from there. One Jewish guy would tell me that he had to take his daughter out of Hawaii because kids would chase after her and mock her. A nice change after the Holocaust- from a Jude to a Haoli. He said she would even be attacked by kids at a bus stop. He moved to the Philippines. In the Philippines he only complains about the "Hi Joe" shouts and that the people say: "Oh, you are so big!" That is hardly racism. That is what? Body-size-ism?

Sounds like a preposterous exaggeration to me. My cousin lives there and Hawaiians generally don't like mainlanders period regardless of race. It's an island mentality that has less to do with race and more with local territorial attitudes. People that live in Hawaii (of all races) tend to adapt their own slang, dress, etc.. and if you are a mainlander you tend to get attitude for it.