On a Rainy Day watching trains go by

It's very tempting to watch trains go by, either for a day, or for the rest of one's life.  Losers do it all the time.

But when one is semi-retired like me, watching trains go by, becomes acceptable. Even watching birds fly onto my window sill, or watching the five dogs in the household mangle each other for food or for playtime become A-okay, specially on  a rainy day.

We were planning to watch the new Bourne movie but the on-and- of- again rain ruined the day's plan.

Which brings to mind that summer in Canada is winding down whilst the rainy season in Manila has just started its reign. 

During summer in Toronto, we did what true blue Canadians did - stayed out in the sun.  Indoor malls were deserted during summer, except for visitors and some Asian families who protected their skin from the ravages of UV rays.

We never enjoyed backpacking, though.  Nor pitching- in tents in some woods for weekend camping.
We were traditionalists; we loved long trips, stopping at restaurants, arriving at destinations for rest and recreation which included souvenir hunts.

We love cottage markets, open flea markets, outlet stores, museums, parks, old churches, summer jazz, cook-outs,  I-Hops, and hotels and motels on the roads.

In Manila on summers, we love driving to the beaches up North or down South.

But wet Manila makes one lazy.  The cool breeze brought by rains makes it ideal for napping.

On a rainy day, I can watch imaginary trains go by, and let my memories rekindle events of long ago.

 

The Terror of Ordinary People.

They  look ordinary.   Ekking out a living, selling properties, selling wares and services, crunching numbers, serving higher ups, a lot are professionals.  They go to church. Worshippers. Church people.

At their beautiful homes, they serve delicious food, wear nice clothes, spend money on friends, on families, and on leisure.  They drive nice cars. They travel.

They are ordinary amidst their own kind of upper middle burgeoning class in  upwardly mobile housing villages. And outstanding amongst those beneath them.

But one thing stands out.  Outside of their ordinary skin, beneath the pores and bones, their hearts beat a different beat.  They breath power.  Their mouths, when closed, and only open to the most inner circle of friends, twitch lies.  Their brain think of money, and how they can spend it to promote themselves.

Yet, they carry their bibles close to their hearts, they kneel at prayers, they whisper "hallelujahs."

They are the terrors amongst ordinary people.  They think they tower amongst their peers and non peers. They flaunt and hide, at the same time.

They are plagues. They make ordinary people tremble at their fakery.

The real ordinary people amongst them laugh at their hypocrisy.

Our Hardworking Pinoy Sisters and Brothers Overseas.

I wrote a piece several years back about The Dentists in general, and Filipinos in particular
( luckycanary.blogspot.com/2009/03/dentist.html).  And one Keith Allen commented:

"Dentists are very nice, there is nothing to be afraid of. I always go to my friend for a dental check up. Filipinos are very nice and hospitable. Their service is good too."

Philippine dentists and other medical practitioners in different parts of the globe are not the only Pinoys heralded for their hard and outstanding work. Filipino workers excel in service and hospitality sectors, in restaurants and hotels, in cruise ships, in educational settings, retail, banking and finance, blue collar jobs and other fields.

In my last work at Canada, our office helped thousands of newcomer professionals train, adapt and find jobs in their new country, and I met hundreds of Philippine-born immigrant professionals and caregivers who got successful either in their own field or in a new career.

OFW's, as they've come to be called, are a unique lot of individuals.  They leave their country for one reason alone: to improve their lot so their families can survive. They face abuse, irregularities, loneliness, ridicule, religious persecution and tons of other difficulties, yet they are able to survive. Of course, there are those, who in their course of working with other culture, succumb to depression and anger, and commit crimes.

But it is very sad that there are some individuals who manipulate and use the cause of OFW's to promote their own agenda.  Some politicians pander to OFW's issues not to help them but to help themselves become popular.

OFW's need not succumb to these hydra-politicos.
 

Hydra, in    Greek legend, is the offspring of Typhon and Echidna (according to the early Greek poet Hesiod’s Theogeny), a gigantic monster with nine heads (the number varies), the centre one immortal.

These local Hydra-politicos attack all issues that confront day-to-day living and promise to solve all of them when elected, without giving specific solutions. They go for drama; voters would, sooner or later, discover they are all FICTION, not real.

What is real and true are the hardworking Pinoys overseas. I'd met them, worked with them, had been under their care.

If Filipinos could excel and be honest overseas, the more that they should do and be in their own homeland. If they can demand from the government officials of their host country, the more that they should in their native land.

When foreigners ask why Filipinos lack the brand of nationalism of other Asians, the only answer I can think of is that they are too embarrassed to be associated with some corrupt and inept officials and law enforcers, and weakened by the too timid approach or non-assertive values taught at home and at school.

The Filipino worker is a world class act. I've seen this many times.

TELL ME A STORY.

I attended a Kerygma Conference one time.  That was in 2014. In one of the sessions I went to, there were five preachers who talked about their style of preaching and talking to a large audience.  In that session alone, (two same sessions ran concurrently side by side) there were at least a thousand people.

All preachers were excellent.  I actually liked them all, in varying degrees. But one preacher stood out for me.  She was the only woman preacher in the crop.

Up to this day, almost 400 days later, I could still recall parts of the story. 

What made her "talk" stand out? She told a simple story; a very tiny slice of her life.

This was the story as I remember it told:
She and her sisters were about to exhume the remains of her late mother for transfer to another site and were debating who would supervise it. Although they loved their mother dearly, they felt queasy having to see her actual bones and all. So they assigned the family driver to oversee.

The preacher then related how her mother used to be very careful about her physical appearance when she was still alive, but now that she'd gone, and just all ashes and bones, all the speaker could remember of her mother were the values she imparted to her and her siblings. She then told a scene in which her son asked for a hotel room with a big tub, and how the little boy said he'd pray for it when she told him they could not afford a fancy room. Her son learned early the value of prayer that she inculcated in him.

Simple story. And simple stories touch the hearts of people.

We do not have to look farther. When we read the Bible, we will discover that it is full of stories. The entire Bible, Old and New Testament, is a STORY.

The Old Testament is the story of the coming of the Messiah, and the New Testament is the story of Jesus, the Messiah.

Jesus loved to tell stories or parables. In all, He told 46 parables.
Parables of Jesus in Chronological Order:
1 New cloth on an old coat 9:16 2:21 5:36
2 New wine in old wine skins 9:17 2:22 5:37-38
3 Lamp on a stand (also see #6) 5:14-15
4 Wise and foolish builders 7:24-27 6:47-49
5 Moneylender forgives unequal debts 7:41-43
6 Lamp on a stand (2nd time, see #3) 4:21-22 8:16, 11:33
7 Rich man foolishly builds bigger barns 12:16-21
8 Servants must remain watchful (also see #44) 12:35-40
9 Wise and foolish servants (also see #42) 12:42-48
10 Unfruitful fig tree 13:6-9
11 Sower and four types of soil 13:3-8, 18-23 4:3-8, 14-20 8:5-8, 11-15
12 Weeds among good plants (Kingdom of Heaven) 13:24-30, 36-43
13 Growing seed (Kingdom of Heaven) 4:26-29
14 Mustard seed (Kingdom of Heaven) 13:31-32 4:30-32 13:18-19
15 Yeast (Kingdom of Heaven) 13:33 13:20-21
16 Hidden treasure (Kingdom of Heaven) 13:44
17 Valuable pearl (Kingdom of Heaven) 13:45-46
18 Fishing net (Kingdom of Heaven) 13:47-50
19 Owner of a house (Kingdom of Heaven) 13:52
20 Lost sheep (sheep as children, also see #29) 18:12-14
21 The sheep, gate, and shepherd ( John 10:1-5, 7-18 )
22 Master and his servant 17:7-10
23 Unmerciful servant (Kingdom of Heaven) 18:23-34
24 Good Samaritan 10:30-37
25 Friend in need 11:5-8
26 Lowest seat at the feast 14:7-14
27 Invitation to a great banquet 14:16-24
28 Cost of discipleship 14:28-33
29 Lost sheep (sheep as sinners, also see #20) 15:4-7
30 Lost coin 15:8-10
31 Lost (prodigal) son 15:11-32
32 Shrewd manager 16:1-8
33 Rich man and Lazarus 16:19-31
34 Workers in the vineyard, early and late 20:1-16
35 Persistent widow and crooked judge 18:2-8
36 Pharisee and tax collector 18:10-14
37 King’s ten servants given minas (also see #45) 19:12-27
38 Two sons, one obeys one does not 21:28-32
39 Wicked tenants 21:33-44 12:1-11 20:9-18
40 Invitation to a wedding banquet 22:2-14
41 Signs of the future from a fig tree 24:32-35 13:28-29 21:29-31
42 Wise and foolish servants (2nd time, see #9) 24:45-51
43 Wise and foolish virgins 25:1-13
44 Servants must remain watchful (2nd time, see #8) 13:35-37
45 Three servants given talents (also see #37) 25:14-30
46 Sheep and goats will be separated 25:31-46

In the Basic Bible Seminars that we run through the Biblical Apostolate at our Parish of San Andres Apostol, participants learn Bible sharing, and they become earnest and eager when it's time to share their personal stories and encounter with Jesus.

I have had also many opportunities to deliver small talks in our prayer meetings, seminars and fellowships.  I always tell stories. 

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY.  I have many to tell.  In this very blog.  By the way, the woman preacher above is Rissa Singson Kawpeng, Editor-in-Chief of Kerygma Magazine.

The Donald. The Newt.

One time while still living in New Jersey, a female acquaintance said that her one big crush in life is The Donald. She was referring to Donald Trump, the mega millionaire then, the billionaire now.

Mr. Trump, who is attempting again to become President of the United States, has not changed his approach, whether in business, politics or in his showbiz stunts. He is the bully, the strong guy.

I like Trump for his business wizardry. The guy is simply brilliant when it comes to real estate development and other business ventures.

But when it comes to his other stints, like his infamous rows with showbiz personalities like Rosie O'Donnel, the Fox' anchor woman, Megan Kelly and his un-popular remarks such as those regarding Mexican illegal immigrants, I simply cannot like.

The guy should just stick to real estate. Leave the Ms. Universe franchise and the Apprentice and other showbiz connections to others.

Don't seek out the U.S. presidency.  You are great being a real estate mogul. Don't cross the line.

Trump's nastiness reminds me of the Newt. Gingrich. He who was responsible for the shutdown  of government services (1995 - 1996) when the Republican- dominated Congress battled with Democratic President Bill Clinton over the passage of the national budget. 

According to wikipedia, "A 2010 Congressional Research Service report summarized other details of the 1995–1996 government shutdowns, indicating the shutdown impacted all sectors of the economy. Health and welfare services for military veterans were curtailed; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped disease surveillance; new clinical research patients were not accepted at the National Institutes of Health; and toxic waste cleanup at 609 sites was halted. Other impacts included: the closure of 368 National Park sites resulted in the loss of some seven million visitors; 200,000 applications for passports and 20,000 to 30,000 applications for visas by foreigners went unprocessed each day; U.S. tourism and airline industries incurred millions of dollars in losses; more than 20% of federal contracts, representing $3.7 billion in spending, were affected adversely^{. "}

President Aquino's 2015 State of the Nation Address (SONA)

He showed his audience, the combined House of Congress and Senate, guests, and the Filipino people that he is an economist by training.

He showed growth figures, and testimonials from individuals who had been aided by projects and programs that his administration had undertaken.

Critics raged that President Benigno S. Aquino attacked the previous administration of Gloria Arroyo-Macapagal again in showing his five-year administration accomplishments. But one has to compare in order to dramatically present the glowing differences.

Aquino won in his SONA 2015 ;  his figures looked impressive. For instance in the education field, his administration wiped out classroom deficiencies almost 100%.

In all other areas, health, energy, road and infrastructures, flood control, local and foreign investments, figures spoke volumes and displayed the country's economic growth, the highest in 40-60 years.

Certain sectors and politicians, and even some people interviewed talked about the wealth of the nation not trickling down to the majority of the masses. Where do they base this assumption?

President Aquino mentioned a Gallup Poll taken just recently which said that the Filipinos are the most optimistic people in the world when asked " how do you feel about the prospect of finding a job?"

I feel that when people who say they belong to the poor class (C/D/E) are asked if they are better off with the Aquino administration, and when they reply that they do not feel the economic growth which the administration boasts of, that these people will say this line over and over no matter who the President of the Philippines will be. And why is that?

The people who are mostly being interviewed are pedicab drivers, jobless people, and those who refuse to work - individuals who do not take advantage of other job opportunities and who refuse to improve their education or experience.

Take for instance a pedicab driver.  This guy would drive the pedicab and pay a boundary (fixed amount) to the owner of the vehicle, and pocket the remaining money. No matter who the President is, this pedicab driver would drive 8 - 10 hours a day, eat the same number of meals, and if he is married, feed the same number of children.  The fare may increase from year to year, but boundary will also increase from year to year, and gasoline will increase or decrease, negating any fare increases.  So basically, the pedicab driver will feel unchanged economically, unless he decides to seek another type of employment, save enough  money to buy his own pedicab so he keeps all income to himself,  or train for another job that will pay higher wages.

The maid who thinks working as a full-time maid (more in demand in the Philippiens) is demeaning and opts to be a stay-out-maid will soon find out that her salary is shrinking, no matter who the President is, because she gets to pay for house, utilities, and other bills that living out requires.

Those who engage in small businesses, (sari-sari store or convenience store, ambulant food operators, and other small scale business owners)  when interviewed said they felt the improvement in their economic situation under the Aquino administration. This is believable because national economic growth spells growth in consumer demand, and all that domino effect comes into play.

Mr. Aquino mentioned about the rising car ownership in the Philippines, which I also noticed months and months ago; young people working in the BPO industry are the avid car buyers. In shopping malls across Metro Manila, one will see car sales almost every month.  The down payments are affordable and so are the monthly amortizations; lending and financial institutions had been easing on their car loans.

Aquino's political opponents will deny to high heavens the accomplishments of his presidency; but growth, statistics

and everyday people's optimism point to confidence in this present administration's successes.

Mr. Aquino said it right, " the 2016 Presidential elections will be a referendum on his administration."
With people's confidence and optimism, I think Aquino's choice for President in 2016 will win.

HAPPY CANADA DAY! July 1, 2015