Today is Monday, July 12th, 2010 and it is now 934AM here in Makati, Luzon, Philippines.
Recap: Talking about Tasaday Tribesmen and how I hate seeing myself flooding the Blog roster with 3 entries in 1 day...
This Entry: So we left at about 2PM yesterday and got back to the city at around 3AM, not bad at all considering that even without the ramped up military presence in the mountains it is a 14 hour drive in dry season. Even with the moderate rains and super-heavy Army Checkpoints we made it in 11 hours, or should I say the bus did because we ended up taking a bus. Considering he stopped in every medium sized to large town on the way he must have been flying.
That of course is another danger to add to the list, accidents take place all the time. Speaking of which...
On Tuesday, the day before we left Jackie's new neighbour had an accident. I told Jackie very clearly, do not talk to anyone in your neighbourhood because you have no idea how people can be outside of the military. It is a rough world and when they hear your accent they will know you are from the South and may give you a lot of problems.
The national language is a man-made hybrid called, "Filipino" but almost entirely based on the old national language, Tagalog. The Tagalog are a tribe, rather small, native to Central and Southern Luzon, this island.
The most widely spoken language though is Bisaya, or to be exact, Cebuano, the language of Cebu. Yet there is an extreme bias up here against non-native speakers of Tagalog or Filipino. For example, if you get into a taxi and converse with the driver and he hears a Bisaya accent you can almost guarantee that your fare will be higher.
As much as it might cost a Bisaya, they still pay a lot less than any Foreigner. In Thailand they call it the "Farang Tax," or, "White Devil Tax." Here? "Kano Tax." "Kano" is the word for "American" and is found in all languages. Because of the close historical relationship, more to the point the recent relationship, Americans are the largest foreign demographic here. For some reason most want to settle in these gaudy Americanised enclaves where 95% of the almost entirely elderly population has local wives and lovers in their early 20s, or younger...colour me disgusted.
Assumptions about money...As in most poor nations one finds that having white skin here makes you a walking Dollar Bill. For example...My civilian job in New York City was as a union heavy construction labourer (Local 731 NYC, Excavators and Common Concrete). My wage, without the incentives etc, was 37 US per hour. It comes to about 1,700 Pesos per hours, more than a weeks wages for most workers here.
Now, when you tell this to a Filipino they get an instant hard-on. They see nothing but money bags. If you stop and explain to them that the average 1 Bedroom flat in the city costs 1,400 US per month plus utilities they cannot grasp the nuance. It is just too alien for them. I paid Jackie's electricity bill on Wednesday, before we left and it was all of 300 Pesos , about 6.50 US for a month. They just cannot understand the whole concept of "Cost of Living."
Regressing, her neighbour had an accident. The husband is a Jeepney driver. "Jeepneys" are WWII Era American Army jeeps that were abandoned after the war. The drive shaft is extended to 10 meters and they create what literally looks like a lowrider schoolbus, or the progeny of a US Postal Service jeep and a schoolbus if they ever fucked. They are a very affordable form of public transport.
His jeepney was parked in the compound where both Jackie and this lady's house is. The 5 year old son of the family, Rafael, was climbing over his father's Jeepney. Like many children here he was unattended and ended up sliding off the top roof, onto the ground. Using his hand to break the fall onto gravel he shattered his entire arm.
They rushed him to the hospital of course but in this country you must pay upfront or lay in the parking lot and suffer through it. The family like most here has no savings, but even if they did what can they do?
Naturally they went to Jackie, seeing a white man and thinking Jackie has a sugar daddy. Let's put it this way, as I proceed...In Mindanao any cultivated field runs the risk of attracting squatters where is you allow them, they will take over your land. I cannot count the number of thatched huts I have burbed down, all possesions included.
Now I will seem like Hitler to people reading this but that is how life is. By the same token, our Labourers, many oh whom have with Rizza's family for more than 80 years (generationally) have a very secure and somewhat prosperous life by local standards. 1 hand allows the other.
The point? I do sympathise with the family, but If I turn on the spigot it will never get turned off. They need to put steel pins in and told the father that they need to buy the pins and a hand drill to do the operation. Cost? 15,000 Pesos, roughly 330.00 US all told.
So, I came up with a solution. I went to the boy's hospital and spoke to the Chief Surgeon. I explained the game plan and for a a 5 Dollar Bill he was receptive.
I instructed him to buy what he needs and I paid 400 US for it. I said to go to the boy's room and tell his mum that the hospital had some reserves left in its charity fund and that they wouldn't have to pay after all. Had I not he would not be able to use his arm again, it wouldn't be able to bend upon healing.
I instructed him sternly not to allow anyone to know what I had done and when the operation was completed I would come by and hit him off a bit. He was ready and willing so it all worked out great though the family now hates me hahaha.
Jackie didn't dare tell me to fund it and she has no idea and I like it better that way.
Life here is harsh but there are ways to make it a tad bit better.
Recap: Talking about Tasaday Tribesmen and how I hate seeing myself flooding the Blog roster with 3 entries in 1 day...
This Entry: So we left at about 2PM yesterday and got back to the city at around 3AM, not bad at all considering that even without the ramped up military presence in the mountains it is a 14 hour drive in dry season. Even with the moderate rains and super-heavy Army Checkpoints we made it in 11 hours, or should I say the bus did because we ended up taking a bus. Considering he stopped in every medium sized to large town on the way he must have been flying.
That of course is another danger to add to the list, accidents take place all the time. Speaking of which...
On Tuesday, the day before we left Jackie's new neighbour had an accident. I told Jackie very clearly, do not talk to anyone in your neighbourhood because you have no idea how people can be outside of the military. It is a rough world and when they hear your accent they will know you are from the South and may give you a lot of problems.
The national language is a man-made hybrid called, "Filipino" but almost entirely based on the old national language, Tagalog. The Tagalog are a tribe, rather small, native to Central and Southern Luzon, this island.
The most widely spoken language though is Bisaya, or to be exact, Cebuano, the language of Cebu. Yet there is an extreme bias up here against non-native speakers of Tagalog or Filipino. For example, if you get into a taxi and converse with the driver and he hears a Bisaya accent you can almost guarantee that your fare will be higher.
As much as it might cost a Bisaya, they still pay a lot less than any Foreigner. In Thailand they call it the "Farang Tax," or, "White Devil Tax." Here? "Kano Tax." "Kano" is the word for "American" and is found in all languages. Because of the close historical relationship, more to the point the recent relationship, Americans are the largest foreign demographic here. For some reason most want to settle in these gaudy Americanised enclaves where 95% of the almost entirely elderly population has local wives and lovers in their early 20s, or younger...colour me disgusted.
Assumptions about money...As in most poor nations one finds that having white skin here makes you a walking Dollar Bill. For example...My civilian job in New York City was as a union heavy construction labourer (Local 731 NYC, Excavators and Common Concrete). My wage, without the incentives etc, was 37 US per hour. It comes to about 1,700 Pesos per hours, more than a weeks wages for most workers here.
Now, when you tell this to a Filipino they get an instant hard-on. They see nothing but money bags. If you stop and explain to them that the average 1 Bedroom flat in the city costs 1,400 US per month plus utilities they cannot grasp the nuance. It is just too alien for them. I paid Jackie's electricity bill on Wednesday, before we left and it was all of 300 Pesos , about 6.50 US for a month. They just cannot understand the whole concept of "Cost of Living."
Regressing, her neighbour had an accident. The husband is a Jeepney driver. "Jeepneys" are WWII Era American Army jeeps that were abandoned after the war. The drive shaft is extended to 10 meters and they create what literally looks like a lowrider schoolbus, or the progeny of a US Postal Service jeep and a schoolbus if they ever fucked. They are a very affordable form of public transport.
His jeepney was parked in the compound where both Jackie and this lady's house is. The 5 year old son of the family, Rafael, was climbing over his father's Jeepney. Like many children here he was unattended and ended up sliding off the top roof, onto the ground. Using his hand to break the fall onto gravel he shattered his entire arm.
They rushed him to the hospital of course but in this country you must pay upfront or lay in the parking lot and suffer through it. The family like most here has no savings, but even if they did what can they do?
Naturally they went to Jackie, seeing a white man and thinking Jackie has a sugar daddy. Let's put it this way, as I proceed...In Mindanao any cultivated field runs the risk of attracting squatters where is you allow them, they will take over your land. I cannot count the number of thatched huts I have burbed down, all possesions included.
Now I will seem like Hitler to people reading this but that is how life is. By the same token, our Labourers, many oh whom have with Rizza's family for more than 80 years (generationally) have a very secure and somewhat prosperous life by local standards. 1 hand allows the other.
The point? I do sympathise with the family, but If I turn on the spigot it will never get turned off. They need to put steel pins in and told the father that they need to buy the pins and a hand drill to do the operation. Cost? 15,000 Pesos, roughly 330.00 US all told.
So, I came up with a solution. I went to the boy's hospital and spoke to the Chief Surgeon. I explained the game plan and for a a 5 Dollar Bill he was receptive.
I instructed him to buy what he needs and I paid 400 US for it. I said to go to the boy's room and tell his mum that the hospital had some reserves left in its charity fund and that they wouldn't have to pay after all. Had I not he would not be able to use his arm again, it wouldn't be able to bend upon healing.
I instructed him sternly not to allow anyone to know what I had done and when the operation was completed I would come by and hit him off a bit. He was ready and willing so it all worked out great though the family now hates me hahaha.
Jackie didn't dare tell me to fund it and she has no idea and I like it better that way.
Life here is harsh but there are ways to make it a tad bit better.
). 
