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Originally Posted by roy
THANK YOU Eva33! I truly appreciate your mannerly, insightful replies. Indeed I considered your criticism to Filipinos as everyone’s obligation especially if one is not doing good for the advancement of his people. Of course I am not offended because in my own way I do criticize people in the government and politicians as well when I was then with the government- the more I am doing it now being retired 8 years ago. And I am glad you are helping me too, a foreigner at that married to a Filipina. I hoped someone would also post their comments.
Surely it is admitted and cannot be denied that Philippines is not as rich as the other country but you can’t deny too that they are more respectful and more educated compared to some other countries you visited that is why you married a Filipina. However, it's depressing (I do mind it-of course I am not referring to you) to see people repeat stuff they heard somewhere, in a bar, towards closing time?
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I really do appreciate your posts Roy. It is not always easy to express criticism even if it is not meant to offend, or just to relate facts and give ones particular view and opinions. I also try to protect foreigners coming here and finding very different circumstances as the ones they read on the Internet. As a foreigner in your country, I just want to give a realistic picture of what tourist’s or retired ex-pats can expect coming to the Philippines. I am aware that the Philippines are a big country, so this is only a very general description, which can differ quite much depending the region and your lifestyle, It is not my intention to criticize Filipinos as individuals or to comment your politics. There are enough Filipinos, which do a very good job at this themselves in the major newspapers of the country. I do not collect my opinions in Bars towards closing time or some other dubious places. The Philippines do have a low cost of living, one just have to consider what you get for your money. You are right about the fact that Filipinos are more respectful, especially when it comes to older people, as the people in the west. About education, it really depends what you mean by the word education. On the other hand it is documented that under certain conditions Filipinos can easily become violent, with less respect for human life, as in other countries - see recent bank robberies e.g. Of course the literate part of Filipinos is very high in comparison to citizen of other third world countries
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Originally Posted by roy
Modestly aside, do I belong to a poor country, I too visited countries in Europe, North America and Asia and I have bad and good experiences so to speak with these countries like you do in the Philippines. I have also friends, relatives in Europe particularly in Germany, Denmark and Switzerland who are permanent residents and giving me both unpleasant and excellent feedbacks. I hate to mention this but some countries became rich because of the money from other countries. Is it Switzerland with their bank secrecy policy that the infamous international criticism of Switzerland's “gold transactions with the Nazis and Swiss banks' handling of wartime Jewish deposits? What about Marcos money”? Some say that the U.S. became rich because of war materials and equipments exported to other countries(?) that is why poor countries became poorer. I don’t know. I prefer not to go on details.
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I agree again! I am also critic of my own country. I am fully aware of the dark side of Switzerland during World War II. On the other they’re where Nazi collaborators in all European countries, including France, Belgium, Holland and of course Spain and Italy. As an Asian country, I do not have to remind you Japan… I did, as a big majority of other Swiss citizen, participate at protest marches because of the Swiss bank concerning the Marcos money and other dubious bank operations. There are many more negative things in Switzerland, but overall we have less corruption, less crime, more social equality, no abject poverty and we are nr. one worldwide in clean air. I also have to mention that Switzerland, opposed to the Philippines, is a country without any kind of natural resources. So sometimes one can ask: why is Switzerland a wealthy country and the Philippines so poor? Also there are quite some “poor excuses for being poor”…. Personally I think that being critic to your one country is better as blind patriotism and being proud just for having a certain passport. The second will definitely make progress more difficult. I would never dare to quote the USA as an example. The numerous atrocities and genocide this nation perpetrated in order to become the world power number one is historic evidence. On the other hand, being honest and realistic, they also did a few good things…
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Originally Posted by roy
On slave issue: there are more than10 millions’ of Pinoys victimized by human recruitment scammers and smuggling rings. I see also the millions of starving Pinoys in the slums and growing illiteracy of the young generation and are working as slaves (maybe –according to you since they received less remunerations which I disagree ). I won’t say Filipinos are modern slave because everyone are considered slave when they are working under someone, aren’t they? Slave is considered a harsh word for someone who doesn’t earn any respect and being treated shabbily by their owner and slave isn’t a right word to condemn the filipinos that works oversea. But I don’t feel like the idea and i am ashamed that some Filipinos marrying foreigners for their existence and not for love.
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To me, comparing to European democratic, country, the Philippines looks as a country where one part - the rich- are colonizing the other part –the poor; like having taken over from the Spaniards. I could elaborate on this, but this is not my role and if the Filipinos are happy with this system, then everything is OK with me. Filipinas marrying for money? Marrying out of interests other than love happen not only with Filipinas. Two from three, so called “love marriages” concealed in Europe are divorced after only a few years. In Japan “love marriage” is not a tradition. They have one of the lowest divorce rates worldwide. Then: “What is this thing called Love?” We do not really know, and there are so many things we do not know! But in short: Many of the marriages between foreigners and Filipinas are very good and working for many years.
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Originally Posted by roy
Indeed, everyone in this world has been working even overseas and they couldn’t be labeled as someone else slaves because everyone has their own role in producing something good in their industry no matter if you're a skillful engineer or just a hard labor. Both also contribute their time and skill in achieving something especially in work. And certainly too, work is not shame, laziness is shame. No one achieve happiness if they don’t work hard and it’s a shame not to want to work hard.
On the other hand why should the majority of filipinos worry if they are already enjoying life to the fullest even in their hearts?. Maybe they just don’t have the need to be identified as a superior race (remember the nazis).
Really, sometimes I would tend to believe that humans are not nice people no matter what their outer covering looks like.
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I do not know about superior races, which is kind of a crazy concept, but I know about some people feeling inferior and I am wondering why? Personally, I have the opinion that it is not good for a nation to have to export their working force, often the elite, to other countries in order to have a sustainable economy. It does produce much individual misery. This foreign workers are often considered as second-class citizen being underpaid.
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Originally Posted by roy
Lastly, what I am trying to sell is not Makati but Cagayan de Oro City-about 1.5 hours away by air. Makati has nothing to offer but pollution, high crime with very very bad, unstable leadership.
My regards.
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Which Cayatan de Oro, there are at least three in Philippines? Northern Luzon, Mindanao... ? I found Makati to be quite nice. Crime and security matters in Makati are generally considered much more positive as in the rest of the country. I do agree about the terrible pollution, but there are many other positives sides to big cities. I mean this is really a matter of taste, lifestyle and priorities.