DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOR OFW....

LET'S SUPPORT THE CALL, GUYS!

On Mon, 6/10/08, Philippine Nurses Association of UK wrote:
From: Philippine Nurses Association of UK Subject: Respect and Dignity for the Filipino WorkerTo: marylleleilayne@ yahoo.co. ukDate: Monday, 6 October, 2008, 10:11 PM

Dear Friends,
The British Broadcasting Company United Kingdom (BBC UK) recently aired a comedy series which directly insulted the Filipino people with its tactless and insensitive behaviour through its disgusting gutter humour.
We have now started an online petition to show the broadcast industry that such behaviours will not go unnoticed and unchallenged.
We now encourage you to read more about the Dignity and Respect for the Filipino Worker Campaign and sign the petition so that collectively we can let them know about our reactions to the series.
The campaign petition can be accessed here http://www.gopetiti on.com/petitions /dignity- and-respect- for-the-filipino -worker.html including the offending video clip.
We also encourage you to pass this message to friends and other kababayans who might wish to support the petition.
Together we have a voice, and through our small voice we can show the world how to respect others and regulate our own actions.

Best regards,
Michael Duque
PNA UK

__._,_.___

CRY OF JUAN DELA CRUZ

I found this article from Astig Pinoy in Iraq blog site... and I found it very interesting. Since ako rin ang editor dun on some of the posted items, as per request ni Astig Jhim hehehehe! kinuha ko na rin with permission of course....we might not have been fully aware of the time this artcle is telling, pero baka ipinanganak na tayo sa mga panahong ito... ako ay Martial Law baby e...

It is really touching and I wish the old times would come back to bless us all Filipino.. maybe too impossible already.

After reading... my comment? KAYA PA NATIN!

Here it goes! (un-edited)

Cry of Juan Dela Cruz

This Letter is forwarded to me by my friend also an OFW in Iraq and thought of sharing it with you I find it amazing so simple life back then.
My Fellow Filipinos,When I was small, the Philippine peso was P7 to the US$. The president was Diosdado Macapagal. Life was simple. Life was easy. My father was a farmer. My mother kept a small sari-sari store where our neighbours bought sang-perang asin (1cent salt), sang-perang bagoong (1cent shrimp sauce), sang-perang suka (1cent vinegar), sang-perang toyo (1cent dried small fish) at pahinging isang butil na bawang (with free one clove garlic). Our backyard had kamatis (tomatoes), kalabasa, talong, ampalaya, upo, batao, (these are local vegetables) and okra. Our farm had chickens, pigs, dog, and cat. And of course, we lived on the farm. During rainy season, my father caught frogs at night which my mother made into stuffed frog, or just plain fried. During the day, he caught hito (catfish) and dalag from his rice paddies, which he would usually inihaw.During dry season, we relied on the chickens, vegetables, bangus, tuyo, and tinapa (all local fish). Every now and then, there was pork and beef from the town market. Life was so peaceful, so quiet, no electricity, no TV. Just the radio for Tia Dely, Roman Rapido, Tawag ng Tanghalan and Tang-tarang-tang.And who can forget Leila Benitez on Darigold Jamboree? On weekends, I played with my neighbours (who were all my cousins). Tumbang-preso, taguan, piko, luksong lubid, patintero (all local games), at iba pa. I don't know about you, but I miss those days.These days, we face the TV, Internet, e-mail, newspaper, magazine, grocery catalogue, or drive around. The peso is a staggering and incredible P47 to the US$. Most people can't have fun anymore. Life has become a battle. We live to work. Work to live. Life is not easy. I was in Saudi Arabia in 1983. It was lonely, difficult, & scary. It didn't matter if you were a man or a woman. You were a target for rape. The salary was cheap & the vacation far between. If the boss didn't want you to go on holiday, you didn't. They had your passport. Oh, and the agency charged you almost 4 months of your salary (which, if you had to borrow on a "20% per month arrangement" meant your first year's pay was all gone before you even earned it).The Philippines used to be one of the most important countries in Asia. Before & during my college days, many students from other Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and China went to the Philippines to get their diplomas. Until 1972, like President Macapagal, President Marcos was one of the most admired presidents of the world. The Peso had kept its value of P7 to the $dollar until I finished college.Today, the Philippines is famous as the "housemaid" capital of the world. It ranks very high as the "cheapest labour" capital of the world, too. We have maids in Hong Kong , labourers in Saudi Arabia , dancers in Japan, migrants and TNTs in Australia and the US, and all sorts of other "tricky" jobs in other parts of the globe. Quo Vadis, Pinoy? Is that a wonder or a worry? Are you proud to be a Filipino, or does it even matter anymore? When you see the Filipino flag and hear the Pambansang Awit, do you feel a sense of pride or a sense of defeat & uncertainty? If only things could change for the better....... Hang on for this is a job for Superman. Or whom do you call? Ghostbusters. Joke. Right?This is one of our problems.We say "I love the Philippines .. I am proud to be a Filipino." Words is not enough and never will be..I want to help the maids in Hong Kong .. I want to help the labourers in Saudi Arabia .. I want to help the dancers in Japan .. I want to help the TNTs in America and Australia ...I want to save the people of the Philippines .. But I cannot do it alone. I need your help and everyone else's.If you say you love the Philippines , prove it. And if you don't agree with me, say something anyway. Let's exchange ideas on how to achieve the above. You are bound to have ideas that never even entered my mind or you might hear something that you never thought of before. Indifference, especially among Filipinos and the situation in the Philippines, is a crime by itself.Juan Delacruz :(
How true and it hurts..

Quotes by our two Famous Madam President
The Filipino, crises and all, is truly worth living and dying for."-

Gloria Arroyo

“My biggest disappointment was, of course, the coup attempts, ... The economy was proceeding very well, but in 1989 we had the most serious coup attempt and ... many of the investors who were set to come here had to tell me that they chose to go to other countries because of the uncertainty brought about by (the coup attempt.) If that had not happened, I'm sure our economy would just be booming today ...”

Pres. Corazon Aquino

Posted by Astig Pinoy

ANG ALAMAT NG ASONG MATAPAT

By: Rio Fabellore

"Dedicated to my Best Friend Thyler"

(photo: My Oldest Dog, Tatang Thyler, he just had a fried pittbull staffordshire for his dinner)

Sa isang malayong lugar sa malapit sa hangganan ng kabukiran at kagubatan nakatira ang binantang taga-bantay ng Hangganan. Siya si Taji ang nagbabantay ng mga pag-aari sa kabukiran laban sa mga hayup na umaatake at kumakain ng halaman at mga inaalagaang hayup dito.

Si Taji, bamagama't taga-bantay, siya ay makatuwiran at pala-kaibigan sa lahat ng kaniyang nakikilala. Bukod sa tagubilin ng kaniyang panginoon, ang kaniyang pakiramdam din ang batayan ng kaniyang desisyon pagdating sa kaniyang tungkulin.

"Magandang hapon, Taji,. Maaari po bang tumawid papuntang bukid?" tanong ng mabangis na Ulupong.

"Dinaramdam ko, kaibigan, ngunit mahigpit ang bilin sa akin na di kayo maaraing magawi sa bukid. " paliwanag naman ni Taji.

"Akala ko ba'y kaibigan kita? Ano naman ang masama kung gagawi ako sa bukid?" tanong muli ng ulupong.

" Ang ginagawa ko'y para sa kabutihan mo rin, kaibigan. Ayokong mapahamak ka sa gitna ng bukid. Dahil bukod sa akin, nariyan ang anak ng may-ari na handang paslangin ka sa oras na makita ka. Kaya ikaw man ay binabantayan ko para na rin sa iyo." Wika ni Taji.

Galit na umalis ang ulupong at bumalik sa gubat.

Ilang oras ang nakalipas, ang masungit na anak naman ng may-ari ng bukirin ang lumapit sa bantay ng Hangganan.

"Alipin, ako ay tutungo sa kagubatan upang mangaso. Paraanin mo ako?" utos ni Bagdad.

"Ikinalulungkot ko, ngunit mahigpit ang utos ng aking pakiramdam na h'wag kang padaanin. Lubhang mapanganib sa gubat at galit ang mga hayup sa mga pumapaslang sa kanilang uri," paliwanag ni Taji

"Pagsisihan mo ang pag suway sa aking nais, alipin. Isusumbong kita sa aking ama." At saka umuwi ang galit ang si Bagdad.

Dumating at nagsi-alis ang lahat na nagtangkang pumasok sa bukid man o sa kagubatan. Ang unggoy, mangingisda, babo-ramo, agila, manlililok, mangangahoy, at iba pang nilalang, lahat sila ay nabigong kunin ang pahintulot ni Taji.

Lahat sila ay bigo na tawirin ang hangganan. Ang paliwanag ni Taji ay may kaniya-kaniyang hangganan ang bawat nilalang upang maiwasan ang di pagkakaunawaan at ang tukso na sirain ang pag-aari ng bawat isa.

Tanging ang mga bilin na sinambit ni Taji ang kanilang baon pabalik sa kanilang lugar, bukid man o gubat.

" Ang ginagawa ko ay para sa iyo rin naman, ang kaligtasan ninyo ang tunay kong binabantayan" ang madalas banggitin ni Taji sa mga mananawid.

Isang araw dumating sa kubol ni Taji ang panginoon ng bukirin. Wala si taji dahil nilalakad niya ang kahabaan ng Hangganan. Nakita ng panginoon ang sipag at kusang loob ni Taji sa kaniyang tungkulin. Maayos ang lahat at walang bahid ng anumang dapat ikabahala.

Ilang sandali pa ay dumating na si Taji.

"Magandang araw po panginoon. Sa aking, pagbabantay sa araw-araw Hanggang sa sandaling ito ay wala pong pag labag sa inyong tagubilin.Sana po ay nasiyahan kayo, " ani ni Taji.

" Lubos ang aking kasiyahan, Taji, At maging ang aking paboritong anak ay iningatan mo sa kabila ng kagaspangan ng kaniyang ugali. Labis mong tinanggihan ang iyong mga kaibigan sa gubat na makatawid dahil sa aking tagubilin. Sa kabila nito ay nanatiling kaibigan ka sa kanila," papuri ng panginoon.

"Nalalaman ko rin ang iyong layunin at matalinong katuwiran sa iyong bawat pagtanggi sa kanila, maaring magkaroon ka ng lihim na kaaway," wika pa niya.

"Ang paglilingkod at pagtupad sa inyong kautusan ang aking kasiyahan at dahilan ng pagkakalalang sa akin, panginoon. Tanging ang pagbabantay ng Hangganan aking mithiin at manatiling nasa ilalim ng iyong kasiyahan." Wika ni Taji.

"Ngunit paano ang sarili mong buhay? Hindi maaaring habang-buhay ay naririto ka sa amin at tumutupad ng aking tagubilin, palagay ko ay kayang gawin ito ng ibang nilalang sa bukid" ani ng Panginoon.

"Inilaan ko na ang aking buhay sa inyo at sa pagbabantay ng Hangganan upang maging ligtas lahat na nilalang. Anuman ang nais ninyong maging direksyon ng aking buhay ay tatanggapin ko, huwag lamang pong ilayo sa aking tungkulin na batayan ko kayo at ang Hangganan," hiling ni Taji.


" Kung ganun, maliit ang iyong kahilingan kung ihahambing sa laki ng iyong nagawa at nailaan. Pagbibigyan kita, anuman ang mangyari at anuman ang iyong kakulangan ay mapupunuan sa susunod mong buhay, " bitiw na pangako ng panginoon kay Taji.


Lumipas pa ang ilang kabilugan ng buwan, naroon pa rin sa Taji. Ngunit lahat ay tila naghihitay ng pagkakataon upang labagin ang batas ng hangganan. Nakita ng mabangis na Ulupong si Taji na natutulog at nagpapahinga mula sa maghapong pagbabantay.

"Ikaw lang ang tanging sagabal sa aming daraanan patungong Hangganan, dapat sa iyo ay mawala na sa aming landas," wika ni Ulupong sa kaniyang sarili.

"Sa bangis ng aking kamandag, ang tulad mong patulog-tulog ay tuluyan nang di magigising he he he he he he…" ani pa ni Ulupong.

Agad niyang sinalakay at tinuklaw ang natutulog na binata. Ngunit si Taji ay nagising sa sakit na dulot ng kagat ni Ulupong kung kaya't nagtatakbo sya papasok sa bukid. Subalit lubhang madilim ang gabi kaya di niya makita ang daan patungo sa bahay ng panginoon. Sa pagdidilim ng kaniyang paningin ay nagawi siya sa kinaroroonan ng palalong (mayabang) anak ng panginoon na kasalukuyang lasing sa alak.

" Tulungan mo ako, Bagdad, kinagat ako ni Ulupong," sumamo ni Taji.

" Aba! Ako ba'y pinagbigyan mo ng ako ay nais mangaso..ito ang para sa iyo," sabay unday ng pamalo sa binata na siyang tuluyang ikinamatay nito.

Sa labis na katusuhan, kinuha ni Bagdad ang kaniyang gamit sa pangangaso at tinungo ang landas sa gubat. Ngunit, tulad ng iniiwasan ni Taji, nagsalubong ang mangangaso at ang Ulupong. Nasawi ni Ulupong ang anak ng panginoon.

"Kailanma'y di nagkamali sa adhikain ang binata, nasawi si Bagdad dahil sa pagsuway sa batas ng kaligtasan na siyang pinatutupad ni Taji sa Hangganan," pahayag ng panginoon.

" At tulad ng aking pangako, ibinabalik ko ang binata sa kaniyang katungkulan na may taglay na kapunuan sa kaniyang kahinaan. Mula ngayun, ang kaniyang sigaw ay hudyat ng pagbabawal at pagbibigay babala," wika ng panginoon.

Iyon lamang at umalis na ang panginoon.

Nang magbukang-liwayway, isang bagong nilalang ang sumulpot sa Hangganan. Ito ay may kaaniya-aniyayang balahibo at maliksing pangangatawan. Higit na mabilis, matalas ang pakiramdam at pang-amoy, at lalong higit ang kaniyang kakayahang makakita sa dilim.

Natuwa ng higit ang panginoon sa pagbabalik ng tagabantay ng Hangganan, at sa tuwing maririnig niya ang kahol nito alam niyang tumutupad ulit ito sa kaniyang tungkulin si Taji, ang matapat na taga-bantay.

WAKAS.



PAGHAHALINTULAD:

Taji
alagang asong matapat (askal man o asong bahay) gaya ni Thyler, actually aso ko rin si Taji at si Baghdad (Bagdad)

Panginoon
amo ng aso, kahit alaga sya ng buong pamilya..iisa ang tinuturing nyang amo.

Hangganan
property boundery (loob at labas ng bahay o bakuran)

Mga hayup at iba pang karakter
mga di welcome sa bahay ng master

ANNOUNCEMENT:

PLEASE LOVE and RESPECT THE FEELINGS of ALL DOGS!

"Paliguan nyo ang aso nyo kasi hindi niya abot ang sabon at tabo, ayaw rin nilang mabaho sila e."

A CHALLENGE TO THE FILIPINO BRIGHTESTS

In the old days strong young men usually flexed muscles in order to be able to lift a one whole piece of Nipa hut or the traditional Filipino home, from one place to a quite distant new location. May it be far or near, the journey was never easy especially some walking paths were terrains that were never been flat for easy traveling. The Nipa Hut was carried on the shoulders of mostly able-bodied young men from within the neighborhood and other places as invited volunteers. Nipa Hut-is a traditional Filipino home made of bamboos as its main structural, flooring members, wall runner and roof rafters tied together by strands of bamboo skins to achieve structural strength. Its main roof is usually made of bunch of pre-arranged cogon leaves or woven coconut leaves.

The effort is what we Filipinos called the Bayanihan. This is uniquely Filipino. This tradition is still in practice in our countryside, where huge transportation is not so practicable option to lift a house or the very natures of circumstances are so poor to do it other than lifting the house by shoulders. Usually, Bayanihan starts from developing a keen planning, where to lift, what path to take and how many men are needed for the job, however the latter is not usually limited to few or to the numbers needed. As long as there more volunteers, more are so welcome to share the loads. The efforts await no monetary rewards but just cold fresh water from clean spring.

NOW THIS IS A CHALLENGE to the young, able-bodied and brightest Filipinos, both professional and skilled ones. Let the spirit of this Bayanihan be elevated on a higher level of mission, a bigger challenge and more difficult terrains to traverse.

We have numerous different associations and societies of professionals like engineers, economists, computer scientists, public accountants, lawyers, and doctors of medicines and many more, to include the skilled group of fabricators, welders, machine operators, electricians, mechanics and other trade practitioners. Most of them are scattering around the world making their employers more dominant in their respective field of businesses, while likewise their employers give them comfort in life because of their indispensable contributions through high salary rates and other benefits.

Khalliwalli (Arabic for “do not care”) the militant leaders and street activists. We sometimes need to abandon their old style of expressing grievances. More often than not, street protests ended in vain and painful laryngitis at the end of the day. All the time the ordinary people are the once affected by their acts like Tigil-pasada and traffic congestion due to mass rally on streets. Militants have more loud shouts (than result) to effect changes and always trying to push the most immovable entity in the world, the government, to the hell on their feet and address our economic problem. We need to replace this style professionally. We should not shout and wait and shout again, but we rather convene, brainstorm and work for it, and maybe we can shout at later portion.

Through the years, the Filipino masses are lambasted by undeniable corruptions in the government, mismanagement, grids, poverty and political theatrical play to fool the ordinary Pinoys. Prices increase overnight but with unclear reasons behind. Oil and Currency exchange are the easy escape-goats by the manipulators and by the government, but to approach the problem with solutions is always out of their hands. Monster giant companies usually pick one (between oil and peso rate) after the other as reasons for increases, or sometimes pick them both. In my personal view, it is high time to challenge everyone (politicians not counted). Our first project to be lifted, not a Nipa Hut, but a power plant. Let the Filipinos be free from paying expensive electric bills.

Let the engineers convene to develop new power plants that do not rely solely with petroleum, or much less depend on it. It may take time but let it a mission for the generation. Technology is just around the corner, Engr. Dingle has proved it. Honda cars had proved it too. All the engineers need to do is to gather around unselfishly and contribute what they have got. Launch a contest maybe through our top universities. This is a challenge; let us carry it in our shoulder.

Last time, I saw a Pinoy engineer on television who applied a US –initiated type of engine in his passenger jeepney using used-cooking oil instead of diesel fuel. More than a half of daily expenses were saved. He is somewhere in Pasong Tamo, Makati I guess, I forgot the name. As a short brain back-track, our very own coconut oil is also used as cooking not to mention the vegetables (Halleeer! We are vegetation country kaya) Diesel emits pollution, cooking oil does not. While Saudi Arabia has abundant of natural oil, the kingdom has no vegetations and coconut trees in their deserts. Imagine a big power plant spreading the smell of “pinirito” instead of lethal carbon monoxide.

Also let the other professionals and skilled ones to convene for this patriotic agenda and contribute using their profession. (Convene not for bowling and basketball. Television exposures and name-screen flashing are also not included, unless of course one has political ambition). This is a challenge; let us carry it in our shoulder.

Needless to say, “Necessity leads to invention”. But more than enough has been invented and its only development and application are the next thing needed. Now and more than ever our necessities are too high and too big to face against. Admit it or not, in our solitary time, we are thinking of sure-shot alternatives to somehow cope up with current difficulties. How to use our cars without spending too much, how to eat enough without spending too much and how to get things we need without spending too much. Even going too church now in order to file a complaint before God about what happening is becoming too expensive too.

I know our agriculturists, nutritionists and other food scientists are so busy inside UPLB in addressing food problems. Last time they announce the development of submarine rice that can live inundated for two weeks. I wish they could develop a fast growing “kamote” that can be harvested in a month so we can just plant it inside our home-made garden, maybe inside empty tin cans. Sweet potato is better alternative to high priced rice, I guess. It is better than instant noodles as your toppings for ice cold rice and healthier too.

One example of usual innovation available to us, last time our company here in Dammam, KSA, developed a German-designed Barge Water Desalination for the royal personalities. This maybe common but Filipinos do not have it, the fact that we can do it too. The vessel travels on sea and converting sea-water to mineral water. It was quite expensive in its final commercial price of course due to too much profit our company has added, it maybe cheaper though. The unit is quite big fixed to the front of the barge to get all this water to be converted to fine potable water, but the idea is not always depend on moving barge.

I am thinking, if few million pesos from each congressman’s pork barrel will be used to this project to create desalination for constituents; people will be free from paying too much water bills or maybe for maintenance and operations contribution only. We will gonna spend once for a long time benefit, after all we are surrounded by sea. This is a challenge; let us carry it in our shoulder


This is just a challenge, take it or leave it.

WIND OF CHANGE
By: Astig RIO

This is just a short reminiscence of the early days of Astig Pinoy and other Filipinos in Camp Taji, Iraq.

When I arrived in Camp Taji, I almost got the job of a bus driver. Good thing my driving license is still an official receipt since our LTO back home was “too fast” and “too systematic” in issuing my plastic card. (I have not got it until after 24 months huh!)

Good thing, Eleño informed me that Gary Pierce had just lost his rodman in Engineering Department due to medical reason. After a short interview about design engineering and CAD skills, I got the slot. My one and only batch mate, whom I flew with inside a Russian Cargo airplane from Dubai to Camp Anaconda in Balad, Servando “Vanny” Delen, who is also supposed to take that slot for bus driver, got the admin works in the warehouse instead.


Months later, I got the respect in my field, while Vanny (from Rosario, Batangas) smoothly sailed his ship in the high winds in his Tool Room Management.





Gary Pierce did not just left me without letting me learn about Land Surveying and by the time Byron Miller arrived, he just added much more techniques.

And allow me to mention a good friend, Mike Hester, a very fine gentle giant; he stands more than six-foot and a half. He taught me about engineering supervision and time and scheduling management.






And Khalás! (Arabic for “finish”), after few months these two gentlemen from Houston left the Engineering Department to me, on my own, until the end of my stint (I was alone, man!)

During those days, Filipinos were just occupying ordinary positions, no matter how you excel in your field, no amount of promotion was there waiting for you. All you could get is, “YOU ARE THE MAN!” Of course we could not buy anything from the PX using those appreciative words as payment. But anyway it is still an appreciation and really it is a food of the heart for us. It feels really good to hear that. (Ego-boosting ika nga!)

Now, Astig Pinoy excels not just in the mere sense but in actual change of seats and change of titles. They have got also salary increases too. (Ewan ko lang si Marlon Flores, my true friend, kung may increment na, Attention: Terry Tweedel). After Astig Eleño and Astig Joseph, (a.k.a bus lover) accepted as direct hired employees of KBR in Afghanistan, expats had started to express admirations to Filipinos’ skills and capabilities, although they really do admire Filipinos but not to the extent of getting them in their caravan. I heard those who used to be laborers are now enjoying their respective air-conditioned offices with full internet access. That is really pretty uncommon before when I was there. Once, I was asked by an expat, “Why most Filipinos are really educated?” I told him because we simply value it as the only way out from poverty.

All I can say now is that…prevailing wind of change has blown Astig Pinoy to better future. Hooah!

History of ASTIG PINOY in IRAQ

HISTORY THAT GAVE BIRTH TO ASTIG PINOY IN IRAQ

Astig Pinoy was conceptualized based on the on common goal of “be heard and be recognized” in midst of collective issues arising from discomfort working in the middle of on-going Iraq War in 2006.

Everyone then was seeking solutions to a simple problem of how one could express his grievances without putting himself in a difficult position afterwards. Help is too far and out of hand; internet communication to find help from the embassy is also second to impossibility, the fact that our presence in Iraq is actually illegitimate due to existing travel ban to Iraq for Pinoy workers. And of course, the fact that we know how our embassy usually address to OFWs problems, most of the times. No one will never know how it feels to be inside the military camp where war is on-going until you have experienced one.

I still believe in the power of unity, camaraderie and integrity as I learned during my cadetship in the Philippines. Unity for positive cause can and will never fail, as long as the objective is for common good and not to suppress the standard righteousness. (Well somtimes, even for unacceptable cause.)

From the first day of my life in Camp Taji, I have heard stories of failed dreams and expectations, from the first boom sound of my first-ever experience of incoming mortar attacks from Iraqi rebels, I heard hearts of good pinoys who want to do something different that no MWR (Moral, Welfare & Recreations) could give. Pinoys in Camp Taji were so divided by regionalism, fraternity affiliation, dialects, faith and personal principles. We must bridge these divisions to achieve unity.

Although, all kinds of comforts are available to everyone courtesy of the US Military, the way Filipinos were treated was not so acceptable. Not by few Americans but by some Filipinos also who were assigned to juicy position or we say “has the power to decide for your plight”. And since we believe that the power of Filipino skills and talents may cause defeat in everyday operations of the camp as far as civil augmentation is concerned, we seated aroun and discussed ideas, even argued, to come up with something that would give us relief to our conditions that time. The idea was just to let them feel and see the importance of Filipinos as part of civil augmentation program.

I can be so proud to say that among other Third Country Nationalities in our camp, we are more superiors than the rest in all aspects of course. And no one could just ignore that, that why we should be treated the way we deserved. Our act was not design to fight against and to bully our employers and other bosses, but only to effect change the manner how they handle the Filipinos.

BE HEARD is the common goal. Almost year ago, a simple protest on the Prime Project International (PPI) camp was took place to address the same problem on the issues of living conditions. Almost a success, but failed later on due to luck of solidarity during actual actions. This incident is our main basis of “lesson learned” system in conceptualizing an all-Pinoys group.

Sometime in October 2006, if I am not mistaken, Astro Mana, Jong Macias, fellow Philippine Guardian brother Bro Mike Molit, Marlon Flores, and Vanny Servando were enjoying $50 vodka from Pareng “Source” Danny, (R.I.P. - Rest in the Philippines). There is a strict policy from the General Order Number 1 that drinking intoxicating beverages is prohibited by the US Military. Since Pinoys are really risk-takers by-nature, we violated that. In the police and military parlance way back in my heyday in police service we called it “take life”, since what were doing may cause our “lives”. Well, actually everyone does in PPI Camp.

From that gathering, we discussed problems, failures, possible solution and rewards that await everyone for pursuing it and the very first reward was the feelings we felt that night. Everyone who shared for that bottle of vodka was already a brother by-heart. Grouping of people to achieve certain goal is actually the best subject that I got from my cadetship, I had no hard time in convincing everyone that from our small group we can have a big, fun, happy and cooperative group bigger that we imagine, longer than we imagine. I suggested the name Astig Pinoy, no one disagreed.

Why Astig Pinoy? Astig Pinoy is structured by all-Pinoy intellects and most-willing, and we are Astig because of the very nature of danger around us and yet we still manage to stay for our families and for money. Astíg- (as-tig) adjective- tough, firm, compact, solid.

In connecting one another, we started targeting the use of email system because most of us were Admin Personnel who use PC in everyday work. The purpose is to invite everyone who was also an admin to join the idea of having a solid Pinoy group. The motivation is group bonding, chatting, sharing comedy of life, fun events, and of course unity to BE HEARD when we need to be heard. Luckily, everyone who received the emails agrees, so I suggested creating a distribution list in our email address book under the name Astig Pinoy, but I think only few created their own. This is to avoid a loose email message in Tagalog to non-Pinoy, and to non-organic of Astig Pinoy that might prejudice the goal. From there, we started a simple morning greetings, and we address everyone as Astig followed by their pseudonym.

We started the so-called birthday sharing because it was really hard to spend money to celebrate one’s birthday. So, we shared money for on Astig’s birthday and let the celebrant to sit and relax as he was being treated as the most privileged mammal of that day while everyone is busy to prepare for the party. We also started contribution to generate monetary assistance, community activity, sharing knowledge especially how everyone could have full internet access, where later on KBR IT guys really found hard time to block it. But we always remind each and everyone not to be abusive in the use of internet because we could be in the loosing end later on. We must show the KBR that we are responsible internet users since this is the only way we could connect with our family back home every moment everyday, free of charge. Cellphone use is strictly prohibited also for us Foreign Nationals (FN) under US Military GO-1. That's understandable since Al Qaeda might trace our exact location through out signal and wala! Free delivery missiles will hit the cellphone user.

The first successful event of Astig Pinoy and we considered the official launching was December 11, 2006 during Astig Astro’s Birthday celebration. And from then on, activities that will spread the news about Astig Pinoy has come to existence were started. We were the first all-Filipino group to have courtesy call with Camp Taji Mayor during Philippines Independence Day celebration in 2007 and were given privilege to use KBR swimming pool, as PPI is actually prohibited to use such facility. Now we can feel something is really moving forward from that Cabin 80 meeting. This can be considered remarkable footstep as we are in middle of war where strict military policy rules. Nevertheless as we keep on saying, if we go for common good and stay in the rules, who will go against us? Policy can be bent over sometimes to break the ice.

We always carry the Astig Pinoy for sports, contests and big events and of course for our own goal of being HEARD and be recognized. We defended rights against unfair treatments. We unite to uplift morale of fellow Astig and non-Astig, even against work termination, although we do have some failures also but of course that was normal.

Astig Pinoy also introduces the attitude of group honesty and transparency as we were kept updated by Astig Susan Vasquez when it comes to our funds up to the last coin and POG. We have man to man everyone for all possibilities. We are safe to eventualities, since one could warn everyone about his office’s plans to do what could affect an Astig’s welfare. We used our charms and power of brotherhood and friendship to gain hearts of our American bosses. So we could have the best and hardest wall we could lean on, if we tires out. We have Astig Gus, who shares everything from money to baladiya as we call it Customs Inspections Items. Astig Pinoy taught everyone the correct work attitudes and proper interaction to avoid issues the will compromise other Filipinos and might affect the way other nationalities’ confidence to Pinoy workers. We watch each other backs, although sometimes like ordinary family we have feuds. We always caution those who do things that will jeopardize the image of the group.

We even tried hard to convince the Filipino Governement to lift travel ban to warzone to give opportunities to other Pinoy risk-takers. We believe that there is so much more to get in being a risk-taker rather than staying in the Philippines with all the risks only but without chances. We succeeded for 3 days only, and then died out. DOLE Department Order 86-07 was revoked after 3 days.

Now, Astig Pinoy has bloated to some proportions, US Army specially the military Fil-Ams recognized Astig Pinoy. But still the low-profile attitudes remain. It has mutated but still the ideas were carried on, some are gone physically but remain in contact and still interact. I was amazed to hear news that we excel in sports while others we given big job opportunities in other countries because of the skills and work attitudes that guides all Astigs. We have revived our strong faith to God by actively participating in War Zone Christians Fellowship, after all God is the final answer. Most recently, Astig Pinoy was invited to participate and represent Filipinos in Asia Pacific Heritage organized by the US Army, and aslo we have successfully celebrated the 110th Independence Day with all support by other Pinoys in different company inside Camp Taji.

Astig Pinoy now as we can see, virtually a group of Pinoy that has heart and each Astig member is its blood. We are still looking forward to seeing the Astig Pinoy lives on after Iraq war. And in the hands of current Astig enthusiasts like Astig Jhimbo Handayan, Astig Gus Atender and others, we can see from the outside of Iraq, Astig Pinoy will remain standing from the ruins of Cam Taji.


I am proud. . . I am Astig Pinoy!


Hooah!


Astig Rio

STATE POWER TO GRAB FOR GOOD

THE STATE MUST LEGALLY GRAB THESE CORPORATIONS BY FORCE

Before I will start this issue, I would like to express my deep admiration to Senator Juan Ponce Enrile for bravely castigated those representatives of the Foreign Chamber of Commerce (I am not sure about the group’s exact name). These unbecoming members of the foreign investors issued letter to the President with a clear tune of interfering to our sovereign affairs, to stop the Congress and demanding the President not to allow any amendment to the EPIRA Law. They think they could get through with their evil agenda undetected huh! Not when Sen. Enrile is around. I salute you Sir for your very patriotic gestures last week, June 6, 2008 (I hope my date is correct). Well anyway, my discussion for this entry has something to do with foreign investors and government basic service to the people.
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I was not born during the birth of the Philippine Republic, neither during the time of its declaration of independence. I only have the chance to learn about most of our history during my classes in history way back in high school and college days.

Funny, because I have never been a lover of this subject though I found it very interesting during discussion. But now, I am so interested about some part of our history which has direct link to the Filipino sufferings today. One of these portions that I am about to touch, maybe it was not or had never been included in most history books, is the root story how the state’s basic services landed to the hands of rich and multi-billionaire corporations.

Who started what and what started what? These are two of the questions that really make me very patriotic and also bother me sometimes. To give me some playful thought during my incumbency inside our house, wherein during those times I belong to more than majority of the unemployed Filipino worrying how to pay their bills. I started reading all my monthly bills, from electricity, internet and water bills to the receipt issued by the gasoline station. Thanks to government’s initiative to ban Filipino from working in Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Lebanon, my great opportunity to elevate my family’s living status was lost forever. I went home from Iraq to grab the offer to work in Afghanistan. Being a design engineer, I started designing on that boring time a structural dream how to get back in Iraq after 3 months of being no work at all, and to how to pay my bills.

In my monthly bills, I have this MERALCO, a private company which controls almost 100% of Filipino lives. Without it I don’t what else the Filipino can have in the dark. Another private one is SMARTBro, an internet provider by SMART Philippines. Well we can still live without it but internet service is now starting to be considered one of the basic necessities for those who need to be connected around the globe, even Ka Roger of the New People’s Army has internet connection in his mountainous haven. Just like our cellular phone, right? In the old days, cell phone were said to be for those who have businesses and for those who need to be contacted anywhere. The other one is my water bill which is also from a private water contractor inside our village, and this SHELL Gas Station official receipt where I got my premium gasoline for my motor bike; its name is Corpus Delicti.

With those precious pieces of paper I was holding then (the ones that would decide our plight if I fail to pay it on time) I started to ask question, is there any public utility from the State itself that enters a Filipino home? I think there is none? Almost everything is privatized already; correct me here if I am wrong.

As far as I could remember, my Constitution subject told me that “the State shall uphold the welfares of the People”. And what are these welfares that our constitution is guaranteeing?

Are not these public utilities fall under the category that will determine Filipino welfare? I am very sure they are. What is life without electricity and water? What is modern life without gasoline, LPG, cable TV, modern educations, concrete road, fresh food, and what is Filipino life without our rice? Somehow these things are interconnected with the four basic utilities that I mentioned.

Here are some questions that will connect them in order to answer the inquiries above, “who started what and what started what?”

Who initiated to have our power source be controlled by private entities? Who started the idea of giving the water business be controlled by Private Corporation? Who decided to let non-government entities import and distribute petroleum and sell it to the Filipino?

Who? Of course the old grids and old corruptors, some of them are dead now, good thing. They are the oneswho the started everything in order to give personal favor to their friends, alliances and to themselves. That is why we now have all these uncontrollable crises that we immediately blamed to the prices in the world market. And to make them worse, the government is introducing a fast solution that somehow may sounds nice but unfair to others and semmingly unconstitutional, this is the SUBSIDY allocation to help poor a little bit. (What about the not so poor Filipino with more than 100KW consumption?)

It is like repairing a busted pressure water pipe by wrapping a rubber band right on the busted area. Cool idea huh. Does it sound long term solution? The government is now handing over PhP500 subsidy for millions of poor Filipinos have a monthly power consumption of no more than 100 kilowatts. Is the State suggesting that we should not buy more appliances? Are they suppressing our right to somehow dream and plan for better life by having more necessary appliances? More appliances mean more electric consumption, of course. They are also giving subsidies to the farmers to assist them with the high priced fertilizers, subsidy for gasoline, and etcetera.

What else next? What is next to be subsidized? Are we going to live forever with this system? Will State always adjust and give subsidies every time these private corporations have losses due to their mismanagement? Well, government effort in extending subsidies is not bad at all, but I guess it should be used in a proper scenario and NOT in every scenario. It seems to be a way of yielding to the problem and not to solving and exhausting all other possible means, with long term effect.

I remember a spokesperson of a giant company explaining why they need to increase their prices, he said the price increases in their products were due to their billions of losses 5 years back and they have to get it back? So they need to get it back by getting it from the consumers right away. Do you get the clear point in his issue? If this is acceptable, why anybody can not just impose unjustified increases to their prices if their carenderia, sari-sari store, tricycle business and others micro-businesses which suffer losses due to “katangahan”, mismanagement, inside job, corruption and so on and so forth? The only difference between these small time and big time businesses is that the latter has an agreement with the government when it comes to the premise of all their losses. Usually the provision of these of agreement are always prejudicial to the Filipino masses.

One thing they are claiming is this system loss as explained through TV commercial. They used a bag of ice cubes bought from a store as a metaphor of system loss. Cool! But they did not explain why there is too much part of the ice that had melted before it reaches the house. The reason is just like our errand boy who was sent to buy this ice but on the way home he asks his friend to rather bring the ice home for him. The same thing this friend did to another friend. They pass the ice over and over for so many times just to bring it home. And there you go, system loss was born.

In my personal view, the right thing to do is to loan enough money to buy our own refrigerator. Find ways how to pay this loan, so we can have the ice directly from the freezer down into our glasses of water.

I personally believe that it is the business of the State to decide for the welfare of the people, and it should be a MUST for the State to manage and control these kinds of public utilities for the Filipinos. Take this:

What if the State was the one importing oil and was also the one distributing it directly to the Filipino consumers?
What if the State was the one producing the power and directly supplying it to the Filipino homes?
What if the State was the one producing potable waters and directly supplying the same to the Filipino households?
What if it was the State-owned tele-communication company run our internet, cellular and landline phones?
And the rest of the questions are just copy-paste of the three pervious issues, replacing the service items.

Is this possible?

The famous escape-goat why they sold these government corporations to the private sectors is that private entities can operate and manage these corporations better. Take note of the term “better”. Don’t we have experts in the government sectors? Maybe the reason behind it is that the initiator of this move is also investing to these businesses using public funds taken during their incumbency, so that after their retirement from government service they are much secured out of these investments.

If the these corporations had never been owned by private entities, the whole NET INCOME from these business will directly go to the State Fund and not just part of it as TAX. Think about it.

The additional arguement here is the issue of corruptions and that the geornement proceeds might go to the pockets of adminitrations. Yes, this is not far from happening, but is there any difference in reverse scenario. We still have all these corruptions when we almost have nothing more left, so which is which?

And besides, most often than not, taxes from most of these private corporations are not paid correctly on due time. As a result, if taxes become too heavy to bear after failing to pay for several years, these private entities will offer the government with agreement or settlment (usuallyfavorable to them) in order to have these taxes get paid. How can we forget an airline company wherein until now its debt from failing to pay its taxes is still an issue?

Ironically, just like what happened to a government office, I think it was DAR. When the department failed to pay their telephone bills, the provider immediately cut off their lines without offering first any favorable settlement. But in fairness, they also offered terms and conditions for easy payment right after they have cut the line. Imagine, a government institution to have no telephone line? If the State owned this telephone services in the Philippines, it would have never be placed in this ridiculous situation. Besides, the State should get all the best from this provider and not the least of it.

How can the Filipinos have a government that is so inferior to private giant corporations but too oppressive to the masses? Most of the times, radicals find and accused the government of misuse of its power. Yes, nobody wants it anyway. But, there is one reason where we can praise and applause for the government anyhow for the use of its suppressive power, once and for all. I will suggest a debatable idea here in my blog, that is:

Let the power of the State be used to re-possess and re-control these corporations by passing laws to legally grab it back, amend the constitution to allow these moves. Formulate systems that will prevent superpower entities and personalities to interfere to this creation and that will keep them away from getting it back forever. Is it not this is idea of Mr. Winston Garcia? He wants the government to get control of MERALCO being GSIS as the biggest shareholder of stocks. The only thing needed is to re-design his actual intention and re-design the system of State control in order not to be abused.

The State should get all of these public utilities controlled and owned by private entities with due consideration of course to the provision of Law on Ownership. Taking back these used-to-be State-owned corporations may take some times, nevertheless long term good effects can be expected. The state has the police power to do it and this is one historical moment to use it. And what about the ideals and principles of Democracy? Do you think we are still enjoying democracy with all these increases? Only these corporations are so free in robbing the FIlipinos. The idea maybe harsh but we are used to this kind of thing, anyway.

Unlike having subsidies for the few, right? Filipinos should not rely on government subsidies, because this is also from our government funds where we can rather use to operate these corporations once the State has taken them back. Just like If the State controls the petroleum industry, Filipinos have no one to go against with but only to government if unjustified increase is imposed. What is happening today is that these corporations are pointing to each other to prevent them from answering to the people and posible bad repercussions.

We can not always bring the matters before the Court, since they have the brightest lawyers in town while the militants have not. We should not be afraid of seeing these investors walk away from the country. As i mentioned Sen. Enrile bravely told a foreign investor in one Senate hearing to leave the country out his dismayed. Did anybody get bother about his gesture thinking that this might affect the country’s relation to other foreign investors? Nobody reacted otherwise. Because it will not affect us really that hard. Are not we tellig alwasy that the Philippines can stand alone in its feet, so we have to show them this is right Telling Filipinos that we should caress these foreign investors to avoid them from pulling out their investment is no longer that fearful. Why? Because we know and Sen. Enrile knows that this is just a mere made-up monster by the “so bright economists”.

We are living in modern times, where people are much smarter, I guess the fear of getting abused by the government if State will have control of these public utilities is already outdated and can be resolved in no time if ever it will exist as far as this issue is concerned. The fears that the government might not manage these corporations properly, and has no financial capacity to spend for or can not bear the expenses for operating these corporations are no longer true and acceptable today. If they can afford to loan budgets for government projects, why not do it in order to operate these corporations properly. With these, the State can lower the bills of ordinary Filipinos; they can lower the rate of text messaging, electric rates, phone bills, water bills, and others. What is happening now, government is trying to persuade and beg to these corporations. By this, the utility services coming from the State as the guardians and provider of the Filipinos will be directly delivered at our doorstep without these system losses.

Finally, if the State owned these public utilities the Filipinos could never be hit so hard by world market’s price increase. This is self explanatory, since we are already dealing directly with only one provider-the State. As in, from market it goes directly to the distributor-State and to us Filipinos as consumers. No more too much additional profits due to so many pass on and pass over by different capitalists.

This the right time to use oppressive power of the government and these are the right targets - not the masses.