History and Events : May 1 - International Workers' Day

Today is May 1 : International Workers' Day. I would like to dedicate this post to all OFWs and Filipino Migrant Workers. Ang mga bagong bayani. Mabuhay po kayo!

Overseas Filipino Workers in Qatar

Among the nations of the world, the Filipino is one of the most scattered people in this planet. They are second only to the Chinese or  the Indians. The "diaspora" of Filipinos to the different parts of the world is more of labor related reasons than intentional emigration. A big portion of this diaspora left during the Marcos regime when jobs were offered to Filipinos in the Middle East and Africa through government-to-government labor contracts. 

The OFWs or Filipino migrant workers is not a recent phenomenon. Earlier groups of Filipino migrant workers composed of farm workers, sailors, doctors and nurses left for the US decades earlier. But the earliest recorded migration of Filipino workers were those of Filipino sailors and laborers of Spanish galleons going to Mexico and the Americas during the "galleon trade"centuries earlier. Another group of early migrant workers during the period of the galleon trade were the Filipino Catholic evangelists helping Spain propagate Christianity in other parts of the world. To this day, Filipino sailors and workers are manning the hundreds of commercial and cruise ships plying the high seas of the world.

The Overseas Filipino Workers(OFWs) are called the new heroes or "bagong bayani" of the Philippines. Many OFWs endure hardships, discrimination and loneliness in foreign countries where they work, and sacrifice a lot of things in life for the future and betterment of their families. Most of these migrant workers have success and good stories to tell, but there were also some tragic stories about them.

The best compliment ever said about the Filipino migrant workers is : "If you would take away all the Filipino workers around the world, the world economy would stop." But whatever is said about the Filipino migrant workers, the Filipino nation will always be grateful to them and will acknowledge them as the real "saviour of the Philippine economy."The billions of dollars of OFW remittances was the reason why the Philippines survived all its economic problems in the past. The OFWs will always be the main pillar of the Philippine economy.

Indeed, the OFWs are the true heroes of the Philippines and the world at that. 

Picture Source :
http://www.pinoy-ofw.com/news/

Announcement : MVRB 2Q General Membership Meeting and Fellowship

Marikina Valley Real Estate Board Inc. (MVRB) 

2nd Quarter General Membership Meeting 
and Fellowship

The heat is on at MVRB!

It's summertime fun and fellowship for 

MVRB's members and friends. 

MVRB RESAR 2013 PRC Real Estate Broker Board Passers and 

Top-notchers will be honored during the occasion.

Venue : Jade Palace Restaurant

106 Shaw Blvd, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

(Beside China Bank)

Date : May 4, 2013

Time : 5:00 to 10:00 P.M. 

Please Contact :

Beth (MVRB Office Secretary) at 

0922-6100516

to confirm attendance 

Jade Palace Restaurant along Shaw Blvd, Kapitolyo, Pasig

Location Map of Jade Palace Restaurant

View Larger Map

Photo Source :
https://plus.google.com/100981631264450322883/about?hl=en

Places : Intramuros - Reminiscing at the Walled City

Last January I attended a symposium at a school located inside the walled district of Manila: Intramuros. Intramuros is the old walled Spanish city-fortress from where the city of Manila originated. The walls were built by the Spaniards in the late sixteenth century to protect them  from marauding Chinese pirates and other foreign invaders coming from the Manila Bay. The walled city used to be surrounded by a moat. Intramuros is one of Manila's main tourist attractions. Inside Intramuros are schools and universities, parks and gardens, churches and convents, museums, government and private offices, restaurants and shops, hotels and some private residential houses. Most of the buildings and churches have Filipino-Spanish architectures and designs. The preserved old buildings, churches, monuments, cobblestone paved streets and "calesas" or horse-drawn carriages make Intramuros looks like one of the old cities of Europe. 

I studied at one of the schools located inside Intramuros, and seeing the place again after a long time made me reminisce the good times I had spent inside the walls of Intramuros during my school days.  Here are some pictures I took of one portion of the walled city and its peripheral areas during my last visit. 

Comment : Whoever is responsible in maintaining the cleanliness of Intramuros is not doing a good job. Some parts of the walled city are scattered with litters. Considering that Intramuros is located right in front of the City Hall of Manila and being the city's prime tourist spot, it should be well-maintained. 

Click photo to enlarge

The Manila's Walled City : Intramuros

Picture Source :

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialIntramurosAdministration

Rants : Chinese Ambassador Apologizes for Chinese Embassy First Secretary's Blunder

H.E. Ambassador Ma Keqing of China

Having lived and worked in China in the early '90s, I have a very good impression of the Chinese people. The Chinese I had met during my stay there were very humble, hospitable and happy people. I think these good qualities are inherent of the Chinese people and its culture.

But recently, the news I have been reading about Chinese expatriates give a different picture of their character and behavior. Did I get a wrong impression about the Chinese people during my stay in China? Or did they have a reversal of values because of the prosperity and wealth they have now.

Last year, there was a news about a Chinese expatriate driving a Ferrari that drove thru a red light signal in Singapore causing his death and the death of a Singaporean cab driver and a Japanese passenger. The Chinese national involved in the accident was not an ordinary laborer but a financial adviser, which means that he was a highly educated person. The accident created a backlash on mainland Chinese expatriates living in Singapore. The Chinese embassy's "first secretary" in Singapore had to apologize on behalf of the mainland Chinese expatriates' behavior.

Two weeks ago, another road accident happened involving a mainland Chinese expatriate, this time in Manila. A Chinese diplomat by the name of Wang Ben bumped the car in front of him. The car he rear-ended happened to be the car of the MMDA(Metro Manila Development Authority) Chairman Francis Tolentino. According to report, "Wang, who appeared to be drunk, showed a photocopy of his ID and then suddenly drove off in the middle of their exchange, Tolentino said"[1]. Chairman Tolentino gave chase but lost him. It was a good thing that nobody got hurt when the Chinese diplomat drove and sped off, it would have been another big diplomatic problem between the Philippines and China.

The Chinese diplomat involved in the accident was the Chinese embassy's first secretary. A few days after the incident, the Chinese ambassador apologized to the MMDA Chairman for the incident. The irony of  the matter is that the Chinese embassy's first secretary would normally be the one apologizing on behalf of misbehaving Chinese citizens in a host country, like what happened in Singapore last year. But this time it was the Chinese ambassador H.E. Ma Keqing herself, apologizing on behalf of the Chinese embassy's "first secretary".

Why couldn't the Chinese embassy's first secretary Wang Ben apologize by himself to MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino? Why the need for the Chinese ambassador to apologize for Mr.Wang's traffic violations and his disrespect of a Philippine government official? As a diplomat, he is covered by diplomatic immunity and won't be penalized, so why the fear of owning up his blunder? Anyway, the humble gesture by the Chinese ambassador was accepted and very much appreciated by MMDA Chairman for him to forgive and forget the incident.

I wish diplomats like Mr. Wang Ben be transferred to Afghanistan for posting.
I am sure China does not tolerate abusive behavior from its diplomats abroad, specially from a high ranking officer like an embassy's "first secretary".

I hope my good impression of the Chinese people remains a good one.

Picture source and related link :
Click link below to know about H.E. Ambassador Ma Keqing of China :
http://ph.china-embassy.org/eng/sgxx/dsjl/
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/390057/chinese-ambassador-says-sorry-to-mmda-chief-over-car-bump [1]