| Start: | Feb 26, '06 4:30p |
| End: | Feb 26, '06 6:15p |
| Location: | LongShou Branch |
Monday, February 27, 2006
Meeting with Gao Shan and Vivian
On GMA and the State of Emergency
I was going to write my two-cents on the present crisis in my country but because I'm too lazy and there are so many other things I'm planning to write about, I've opted to do it the cut-and-paste way. I had this conversation with my good friend Kate. It's quite long but it pretty much covered the basic things that I was going to write about so it works.
Let me also throw in Conrado de Quiros' column on PDI that I just finished reading.
katea: musta ka jan
katea: magulo dito
katea: hehehe
sanapakaininmoko: onga e. what's happening na? getting worse?
katea: yes. pero lam mo yun parang mga trapeze artists
katea: lahat naninimbang
sanapakaininmoko: hmm. ok
katea: but the government is really serious. they want to arrest peping cojuanco
katea: aside from lisa maza and satur ocampo
sanapakaininmoko: so far, who are now arrested?
katea: beltran
katea: si randy david but they let him out na
sanapakaininmoko: i heard about randy david and and argee guevarra
katea: yes
katea: naguguluhan ako
katea: kasi if ever who will lead the country di ba?
sanapakaininmoko: everyone wants to lead
katea: yes. that's the point
sanapakaininmoko: hay
katea: although as far as i know
katea: if ever "she" will be out
katea: magkakaron ng junta government
katea: yung parang there will be another election
katea: and different people will represent
katea: i dont know lang how are they going to do that
katea: well, delikado rin si bro.armin
sanapakaininmoko: bro. armin? why, what happened?
katea: e kasi he also calls for "her" resignation. ever since active sya sa mga rally
katea: well, if they do that they have to arrest cory as well
katea: what do you feel about it ba?
sanapakaininmoko: i feel that she should really step down
sanapakaininmoko: the problem is, if she does who will lead naman?
katea: for the reason that...?
sanapakaininmoko: that she cheated in the elections
sanapakaininmoko: that for me is the main reason
katea: pareho tayo ng sentiment
katea: then kagabi i texted mam beni
katea: then she said, let's pray for GMA
katea: she's the only person who can lead the country
sanapakaininmoko: uh oh
katea: mam beni said, she cheated alright but everybody cheats in the election. after she cheated i forgave her kasi she's doing her job
sanapakaininmoko: the problem is a lot of people are just riding on this
sanapakaininmoko: ok
katea: our econmony is getting better
katea: --according to mam beni yun
sanapakaininmoko: yeah, i get her point
sanapakaininmoko: but the thing is i don't think i can look up to a leader who i know cheated me
katea: sabi pa nya, last time her husband bought crabs and the tindero gave her husband bulok na crabs, her students plagiarize and so on
katea: ako rin...pareho tayo
katea: kaya lang i really dont know who will lead e...kasi ang dami pakisali lang, nakikigamit
katea: parang hindi na ba tayo natuto
sanapakaininmoko: yun nga e. if we know our president cheated and we tolerate it, what message is it giving our youth?
sanapakaininmoko: that it's ok to cheat
katea: yes exactly
sanapakaininmoko: that it's ok to plagiarize kasi they're doing their jobs naman as students by attending classes, getting good grades, etc
katea: hahaha. i get your point
katea: mam beni's point is...wala tayong karapatang magreklamo if we're not doing our work
katea: pero our point is, harap harapan ang pangdaraya nya
katea: walang kahihiyan
sanapakaininmoko: we need a leader who we can respect
sanapakaininmoko: of course we also have to do our part
katea: naisip ko nga, dapat rallies should start locally
katea: i mean, protest natin mga congressmen and mayor and mga ganun
sanapakaininmoko: ahh
katea: lalo na if they are not doing their part
katea: lalo na congressmen, they should be representing us
katea: pero kung bingi bingi sila then we should make reklamo
katea: kasi may kasunduan nung binoto natin sila di ba
sanapakaininmoko: oo
katea: so my point is, let's start from our locality
sanapakaininmoko: but the thing with gma is that we didn't vote for her. she rigged the elections. so she shouldn't even be there
katea: well, sabagay
katea: gulat nga ako kay mam beni
katea: but that's her opinion
sanapakaininmoko: kung nanalo talaga sya, kahit ayaw ko sa kanya ok lang e. matatanggap ko.
katea: and i respect her for that
sanapakaininmoko: when erap won, ok lang
sanapakaininmoko: that is until he started abusing his power
katea: yes, and wala naman talga ginawa si erap. hindi nga sya makausap ng matino e
katea: kasi parati syang drunk
sanapakaininmoko: even when gma became president when erap stepped down, kahit yoko kay gma isip ko sige lang. let her prove herself
sanapakaininmoko: but this time, she fucking cheated. unforgivable yun.
katea: and the economy they say na growing, it's not felt here
sanapakaininmoko: oo nga
katea: i swear, we have a store and alam kung ano ang mabili? tuyo
katea: yun na lang talga kinakain ng mga tao
sanapakaininmoko: shit
sanapakaininmoko: yun nga di ko maintindihan e
katea: kasi nagoobserve ako e
katea: nagugulat talga ako kasi before walang pumapansin nun
sanapakaininmoko: if it's really getting better, how come more and more people are starving?
sanapakaininmoko: they show us numbers and stuff. putik, we can't eat those numbers
katea: i told mam beni, that maybe our economy is getting better but it's not felt in the REAL economy
katea: she said, "she's PhD in economics, she knows what's best for our economy. let's just do her job."
katea: yun nga daming nagugutom
katea: at kahit may trabaho pa parang hindi kasya
katea: i earn 12k a month online yun, without tax and i hardly go to the office.pero putik 2 weeks lang tumatagal sakin yan
katea: i hardly even go out
sanapakaininmoko: um, magastos ka yata talaga.
sanapakaininmoko: hehehe
katea: haha...well
katea: pero kahit na
katea: i mean, mahirap talga buhay no
sanapakaininmoko: mahirap talaga
sanapakaininmoko: mag-isa ka lang nyan. imagine feeding a family with that
sanapakaininmoko: how much is minimum wage now?
katea: kaya nga e...josko
katea: back to the edsa thingy
sanapakaininmoko: ok
katea: this dean emeritus of ateneo law school
sanapakaininmoko: uh huh
katea: he explained na even if the gov does not say it's martial law
katea: it can be martial law
sanapakaininmoko: exactly
katea: kasi dapat pala naconsult congress
sanapakaininmoko: the mere fact that they're arresting people right and left
katea: before she announced the state of emergency
sanapakaininmoko: that they raided the tribune
katea: yes
katea: and untimely yung pagsabi ng state of emergency
katea: kasi wala naman threat sa governmet
katea: government
sanapakaininmoko: ano ba tong coup attempt daw?
sanapakaininmoko: was there really a coup attempt?
sanapakaininmoko: or did they stage that too so they can have an excuse for the state of emergency?
katea: may difference yung coup and ano ba yung tawag sa ginawa ng magdalo before?
katea: what's the term?
katea: mutiny!!1
sanapakaininmoko: um, i don't know...
sanapakaininmoko: ahh!
sanapakaininmoko: ok
sanapakaininmoko: hm, what's the difference?
katea: there's a difference between mutiny and coup
katea: mutiny is more or less for the good of the people, an attempted coup na makikinabang mga tao not just the military
katea: coup is the take over of the military power
sanapakaininmoko: ahh
sanapakaininmoko: hey, can i post this on my blog?
katea: warrantless arrest has no basis
katea: ikaw...that's what i heard e
sanapakaininmoko: i was thinking of writing something about what i think is happening. parang it would be easier if i just post this. hehe. tamad.
katea: somebody explained on tv
katea: mutiny is parang a nationalist movement
sanapakaininmoko: ok. i think i got it.
katea: weird no to think na EDSA celebration yun
katea: biglang state of emergency
sanapakaininmoko: oo nga
sanapakaininmoko: ironic
katea: kahit sa bbc nagcomment ng ganun
katea: hindi nila maintindihan bakit ginawa ng government yun
sanapakaininmoko: i don't have cable e.
katea: magiging mali lang ng government if they arrest cory
sanapakaininmoko: how bad is it na ba?
katea: pakiramdaman talga
sanapakaininmoko: kasi the way i'm imagining it, parang the government doesn't stand a chance na e
sanapakaininmoko: she will have to step down soon
katea: well, nagpakita sa congress si maza, ocampo et al
katea: ayaw nya e
katea: kapit-tuko
sanapakaininmoko: oo ayaw nya. si erap din ayaw. si marcos din ayaw. wla naman silang nagawa lahat
katea: thing is GMA learned from marcos and erap
sanapakaininmoko: that's true
sanapakaininmoko: clever monkey, that one.
katea: yes
katea: her husband is a lawyer too
sanapakaininmoko: that's right
sanapakaininmoko: is there a vigil going on until now?
katea: media, naggagalit na
katea: well, yung sa camp bonifacio napigilan
katea: lahat, pinipigilan
sanapakaininmoko: i read that randy david's group said that they won't hold class until she steps down
katea: so yung mga entry points like south luzon and north luzon express way, lahat may bantay
sanapakaininmoko: if only to add another warm body on the street, i wish i could be there
katea: GMA said, she's the best person to lead till 2010
katea: yes
katea: mom ko rin and my whole family
sanapakaininmoko: i can say that too
sanapakaininmoko: i'm the best person to lead till 3000
sanapakaininmoko: should i be the president then?
katea: exactly. we can all say anything that we want to
katea: gusto ba tayo ng tao? kaya ba natin? may respeto ba sila satin?
katea: sunud-sunod ang suhol sa mga sundalo
sanapakaininmoko: the point is she may or may not be the best person to lead. but precisely because we're (or should i say we were) in a democracy, she'll have to have the majority of the people say that.
sanapakaininmoko: and we said no!!!
katea: kaya nga
sanapakaininmoko: so what in hell is she doing in malacanang?
katea: but not all are moving kasi
katea: like it's just in manila
katea: and they say manila is not the only region
katea: cebuanos will never protest against gma
katea: pero if you go to other places, galit din sila
katea: pero wala silang ginagawa
katea: may alliance pa mga mayors and governors
katea: they all went to malacanang and nag buffet sila dun
katea: nung friday
katea: party party sila
sanapakaininmoko: i'll still go back to "she did not win the election" which proves that majority of the people did not think she should be president.
katea: yes...the root of it all
katea: it will be bloody joni
sanapakaininmoko: you think so?
katea: unless she steps down
katea: whatever the rumors are, they're more or less true
katea: kaya takot government
sanapakaininmoko: how divided is the military at this point?
katea: meron hindi pa bumabaligtad--nalilito sila
katea: fvr, umalis na siya kay GMA
sanapakaininmoko: influential si fvr sa military diba?
sanapakaininmoko: but then again, these people have their own agendas din
sanapakaininmoko: hay, kakapagod
katea: oo nga e kaya kainis
katea: yes, kung hindi sya iaarrest
sanapakaininmoko: fvr might get arrested too?
sanapakaininmoko: hahahaha!
katea: well, he's part of the oppisition na e. he condemns the use of 1017
katea: and alam mo sinong buwisit sa lahat?
katea: si noli de castro
katea: lahat ng sinasabi nya ambiguous
sanapakaininmoko: just like gma when erap was in trouble
sanapakaininmoko: e sya makikinabang e
katea: yes
sanapakaininmoko: nothing to lose and everything to gain...
katea: he said, let us all protect our democracy ek ek and yet he said to support gma
katea: parang, sige go out in the streets and rally for your rights but make sure you still support gma
katea: ang labo talga nya
katea: anak ng ewan
sanapakaininmoko: para safe sya kahit anong kalabasan. in case gma remains in power, ok pa din sya. in case hindi, ok pa din
katea: oo nga pero i swear
katea: pag sya nalagay
katea: ipoprotesta ko rin sya
katea: that person has no balls e
katea: i dont know anything that he did
sanapakaininmoko: patay patay na talaga pg sya presidente
katea: as in wala syang kuwenta
sanapakaininmoko: we're not even sure if he won din
sanapakaininmoko: pero yoko din naman kay legarda
katea: well, malakas sya sa tao at the time na nagtakbo sya pagka-vice
katea: legarda is quiet
katea: well, im sure she's also preparing
sanapakaininmoko: oo yun pa.
katea: para hindi nga naman obvious
sanapakaininmoko: isa pa yung oportunista e
katea: yup...wala silang konsyensya
katea: kaya nakakainis sila lahat
sanapakaininmoko: patay tayong lahat
katea: exactly
katea: syempre chavit is preparing too
katea: im sure mga smuggled firearms sa mga ports
sanapakaininmoko: josme, buhay pa ang loko
katea: hahaha
katea: grabe, kung nasa france tayo
katea: dapat sa galit ng mga tao
katea: kinaladkad na sila sa park at pinugutan ng ulo
sanapakaininmoko: hahaha
katea: kung sa japan yan
katea: dapat nagpakamatay na sila
katea: mabait pa rin mga pinoy
katea: lalo na babae si GMA
sanapakaininmoko: yun nga e. masyadong mabait ang mga pinoy
sanapakaininmoko: at ang dami ding gago
katea: pero patay tiis naman
sanapakaininmoko: sana there can be someone na we can all say na "eto. eto ang papalit"
katea: kaya nga daming oportunista sa lahat ng maliliit na bagay
katea: that's why im so disappointed
katea: like some people dont deserve anything, some people are not worthy
sanapakaininmoko: is joker arroyo still with gma?
katea: no
katea: he's being critical
sanapakaininmoko: good
katea: he said, maliwanag na maling ginawa ng gobyerno ang pagsusupil sa media
katea: syempre anti-martial law din yun diba
sanapakaininmoko: i'm trying to think of people who can be president e
katea: nadisappoint ako sa kanya before nung parang pro-admi sya masyado
sanapakaininmoko: oo. kaya lang he had always aligned himself with the administration so i was wondering
katea: and not independent
sanapakaininmoko: oo
katea: kasi kamag-anak din nya si arroyo?
sanapakaininmoko: kamag-anak ba? dati lang, pro-gma sya kaya i was wondering about his stand on the issue. i haven't read anything about him pa these days e
sanapakaininmoko: i want him. let's make him president.
sanapakaininmoko:
katea: he's been quiet. im also observing him
katea: pero now he's being critical
katea: yeah, i like him too
sanapakaininmoko: he should be president. let's start campaigning na.
katea: hahaha
katea: kung tatagal pa sya a
katea: hehe
katea: alam ko malakas sya sa youth, sa atin
sanapakaininmoko: how old is he na ba?
katea: di ba nung time natin
katea: nagcampaign tayo for him
katea: dont know
sanapakaininmoko: yup
sanapakaininmoko: for senator. it was the election right after edsa 2.
katea: yes. tapos he supported GMA, malamang kasi team nya yun e
katea: team player naman sya
katea: but now ok na ulit sya
katea: i think he's weighing things
katea: not the way noli weighs things
sanapakaininmoko: oo. hahaha. well at that time gma didn't do anything wrong pa naman so ok lang to support her.
katea: yes true
sanapakaininmoko: hey, you have to give me permission to post this conversation on my blog
katea: sure
sanapakaininmoko: hehe. thanks.
katea: pag nahuli ako...well, ill be in singapore this friday
katea: hahaha
sanapakaininmoko: hahahaha! they can come here and arrest me if they want.
katea: ma'ma beni said, "think for yourself"
katea: yeah, i am that's why im trying to move out
sanapakaininmoko: i can respect her opinion too.
sanapakaininmoko: pagod na din ako sa mga edsa
sanapakaininmoko: but it doesn't mean we just let them do whatever they want.
katea: oo naman
katea: naiintindihan ko kung san sya nanggagaling
katea: kanya-kanya lang talga ng opinion
katea: but it boils down to: she admitted that she cheated
sanapakaininmoko: she cheated. that's it. she's not a legitimate president therefore she should not be in malacanang.
sanapakaininmoko: end of story. or should be the end of story.
katea: and we can have all the increase in the stocks market but if the stock market is controlled by foreigners, it does not mean anything too
sanapakaininmoko: tama
katea: ordinary filipinos dont understand the bonds too
katea: ako nga, di ko rin alam yan no
katea: parang--e ano ngayon?
katea: hahaha
sanapakaininmoko: ako din!
katea: so i can invest on bonds, tapos?
katea: haha. di ba? alang kuwenta
katea: only capitalists earn
sanapakaininmoko: most pinoys don't have the money to invest at all.
sanapakaininmoko: e wala ngang pera pang-araw araw na pagkain e.
katea: tapos ang masama pa
katea: lahat ng prices tumataas
katea: yung salary hindi
katea: and do you know what donald dee said?
sanapakaininmoko: the same shit. the rich becomes richer. the poor becomes poorer.
katea: he said, "i dont see the need for an increase"
sanapakaininmoko: donald dee is a financil analyst?
katea: parang, langya...ikaw kaya ang magpakasya sa 8k every month
katea: minus taxes
katea: tapos you have a house to pay and the bills pa tapos mouths to feed
katea: donald dee is the chair of the chinese chamber of commerce
sanapakaininmoko: uh oh
katea: ang galing nyang magcompute di ba?
katea: ano ba naman yung halimbawa mabawasan sya ng 1 million sa isang taon
katea: dahil tinaas nya ang sahod ng mga tao nya
katea: masyado ba syang maghihirap nun?
sanapakaininmoko: hayayay. ewan ko na.
sanapakaininmoko: i'm going to bed soon. antok na ko
katea: wala kasi silang konsyensya
katea: sa kanila business is business
katea: example: kung halimbawa, sumobra ang nilutong pagkain sa jollibee...itatapon nila yun
katea: instead ipakain sa mga employees
katea: why? kasi para hindi sila magluto ng sobra para sa sarili nila
katea: well, ako rin
katea: because i have to wake up early
sanapakaininmoko: naku, another topic na naman yang mga jollibee na yan. mahaba pa yan. some other time.
katea: ayusin pa papers ng cousin ko para kasama ko sya
katea: hahaha
katea: oo nga
katea: hahaha
sanapakaininmoko: sige. goodnight na.
katea: im leaving this friday..macau muna
katea: sige good night
sanapakaininmoko: sarap
katea: let's discuss next time
sanapakaininmoko: isn't macau in HK?
katea: close
katea: 30 minutes
katea: from HK perse
sanapakaininmoko: is it another country?
katea: yup
katea: portugese mga tao
sanapakaininmoko: aba
katea: and chinese
sanapakaininmoko: weird yun a
katea: it's the europe of asia
sanapakaininmoko: ganun ba?
katea: yup
katea: kaya may visa ako kukunin
sanapakaininmoko: i always thought macau was a part of HK
katea: dun na sa macau mismo
sanapakaininmoko: sha sha. enjoy your trip to macau and singapore.
sanapakaininmoko: visit me!!!
katea: thanks
katea: sana makaside trip sa kl
katea: sige sige
katea: mid this year
sanapakaininmoko: kuala lumpur?!
katea: yup
sanapakaininmoko: putik, sarap ng buhay mo a
katea: hehe
katea: sige tulog ka na
katea: ako din
katea: nightie
Sunday, February 26, 2006
The Day After by Randy David
I have been getting a barrage of messages about what's happening in the Philippines through all kinds of media available: text, email, YM. I also try to keep myself updated by constantly reading inq7.net's running account. Despite all these, the mere fact that I'm out of the country makes me feel detached. There's a part of me that wants to be where the action is.
Just a few minutes ago, former students sent messages that DLSU has called off classes for tomorrow. In the almost eight years that I was with DLSU, as an undergrad, a grad student and later as a member of the teaching staff, DLSU almost always never cancelled classes. The whole city may be submerged in flood water or the whole public transport system may be on strike but life in DLSU had always gone on as usual. Therefore the first thought that came to mind upon finding out classes were cancelled was, "boy, this really is serious."
Below is Randy David's column, Public Lives, on the PDI. Randy David is one of the most respected columnists and Political Science professors in the country. He was arrested while leading a demonstration on the day the state of national emergency was declared.
Public Lives : The day after
First posted 03:29am (Mla time) Feb 26, 2006
By Randy David
Inquirer
Editor's Note: Published on page A15 of the February 26, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
FERDINAND Marcos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo—in their uncanny parallel ways—show that the easy part of power is seizing it. The difficult part is using it with wisdom and restraint. This is where most extra-legal takeovers falter. Their objectives remain too general; the limits of their intervention are left undefined.
The Philippines had fairly stable formal institutions until 1972. We had an independent judiciary, a professional civil service, a free press, an apolitical military, an acceptable electoral process, an autonomous and modern educational system, etc. Most of these were legacies from the American colonial period. It is not to say they were democratic in any real sense, for indeed they were very much loaded in favor of the elite. But in the sense that they were relatively insulated from politics, we can say they were formally democratic.
Marcos changed the rules of the game in 1972 when he seized upon the martial law provision of the Constitution to install one-man rule under an indefinite state of emergency. One of the objectives of the martial law proclamation was "to extirpate the roots of the insurgency"-a goal large enough to encompass a wide range of interventions. Marcos intervened in the work of an ongoing constitutional convention, jailed some of its members, and dictated its final product. Under this new Constitution, he legalized the exercise of authoritarian powers. By closing its eyes to the illegal manner by which the 1973 Constitution was ratified, the Supreme Court became one of the first institutional casualties of martial law.
As dictator, Marcos intervened in every conceivable area of the national life-in the economy, in education, in the armed forces, in the bureaucracy, in the mass media, in culture and the arts, in science and technology. Political incursion into these various spheres naturally overburdened the bureaucracy. The technocrats in the regime began to worry over this, and sought in their own ways to limit the scope of presidential intervention. One good example of this attempt was the program of the Development Academy of the Philippines under Dr. O.D. Corpuz to institute a career executive service officers (Ceso) system. The Ceso aimed to produce a generation of modern professional civil servants and public managers that could be deployed to the different agencies of government.
These initiatives, however, were not strong enough to arrest the growing dysfunctionality of an over-centralized system. The politicization of the military was perhaps one of the more dangerous outcomes of the Marcos experiment. Marcos came to depend almost exclusively on his loyalist generals to stay in power. This did not sit well with the young officer corps who became increasingly resentful, and eventually mounted a coup against the regime.
Were it not for the accident of people power, the Marcos regime would likely have been replaced by a provisional military-civilian junta. People power made it possible for Cory in 1986 to re-establish a purely civilian government based on the configurations of the pre-martial law political system. Starting out on a maximum agenda aimed at reversing the effects of 14 years of authoritarian rule, the first Edsa government unfortunately found itself retreating by the day from its original intentions. It sought to rebuild political institutions but ended up restoring an obsolete political system based on patronage and corruption. But even so, many vital institutions like the Commission on Elections and the judiciary were able to regain their autonomy and credibility during this period.
Joseph Estrada, an outsider to the Edsa constituency, ironically became the first beneficiary of a reformed electoral process. Carried on the wings of a massive populist vote, Erap came to the presidency in 1998 with all the right ideas about modern governance. But the logic of a political system run on patronage proved irresistible. He was eventually unseated in 2001.
Edsa II placed the Supreme Court once more on the spot. The Court liberally interpreted the Constitution to legitimize Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's accession to the presidency. I believe that single act compromised its autonomy. It set the parameters for its subsequent rulings on questions affecting Ms Arroyo's political standing.
The greater blame for the destruction of our institutions must, however, be laid at Ms Arroyo's door. In opting to secure a full six-year term in the 2004 presidential election, she compounded the problems of legitimacy arising from Edsa II. She found herself exploiting the weaknesses of the electoral process in the hope that the moral majority would understand and close its eyes to her "lapses." She juggled public funds and exploited the accounting system of various agencies to finance her campaign. But more than this, she abused the prerogatives of her office by enlisting the military to support her political ambitions, and then openly rewarding those who helped her. In less than five years, Ms Arroyo has wrecked the whole institutional healing process that was set in motion in 1986.
At 9 a.m., on Feb. 24, 1986, 20 years ago, Marcos went live on Channel 4, surrounded by his generals, to announce a nationwide state of emergency. How uncanny that Ms Arroyo should choose the same date to announce the same draconian measure to suppress the same perceived conspiracy supposedly between the extreme Left and the extreme Right. Marx was indeed right: "Events and personages occur at least twice in history-the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce."
* * *
Comments to public.lives@gmail.com
Friday, February 24, 2006
Cute Chinese Guy # 4?
While I was in a state of panic, my country was in a state of emergency... I read that Randy David and Argee Guevarra were arrested. Media were also warned not to air "rebellious" materials. Martial law, is that you?
In the previous entry, I mentioned that I've started packing. After I had considerably calmed down, I did the laundry and took a shower. The reason for these were still connected to my initial panic. I did not want to have my dirty clothes packed with the clean ones, thus the laundry. And then, Rain's water heater is broken. Sometimes he'd come to my house to take a shower so I figured if I leave, I should at least had taken advantage of the hot water here. And if I get thrown in jail or something, I still smell nice. That thought brings me comfort, somehow.
Meanwhile, there's this guy that confuses me a little. He's Wendy's student and the first time I met him was in a dinner that her students invited me to attend. Cute, a little shy, very nice. I think I found out within a very short time during the dinner that he's married so I didn't even have time to put him in my cute Chinese guys list. Nevertheless, I remember being disappointed to find out that he's married.
The next time I saw him was when he attended my introductory class for adults. He didn't attend the following sessions, I'm guessing, because the time was changed to the earlier part of the afternoon. As these were adults, most of them had jobs during the day and could only attend evening classes. A few days ago, he added me in his YM list and we chatted for a while. Being used to people who like "practising" their English with me, I decided that he was one of those people. I didn't mind since he seemed really nice. Anyway, I don't know if I'm reading too much into this but are there some hints being thrown my way here? I'm dense. I never figure these things out until it's too late. Not that this could lead to anything since I'm pretty set on leaving. Oh well. It makes for an interesting blog entry.
killer tide: are you here
sanapakaininmoko: hi
killer tide: hi
sanapakaininmoko: i had dinner with some friends then when i got home i was busy with some things so i wasn't able to see your message immediately.
killer tide: that is nothing ,
killer tide: you are a good girl, in china you have much more friends,that is a good things
sanapakaininmoko: hehe. thanks
killer tide: this country is not your mother land, but you have so much more friends, but this country is my country sometimes i fell onely
sanapakaininmoko: really?
sanapakaininmoko: are you living with your family?
killer tide: no , my home town in another province
killer tide: too far to see my father and mother and another friends
sanapakaininmoko: i thought u were married...
killer tide: yes, you are right
sanapakaininmoko: aren't your wife and kids with you?
killer tide: ok ,that is not a good topic, can we change it
killer tide: i only have my wife
sanapakaininmoko: ok. i'm sorry.
killer tide: nothing, this is no you mistake ,do not say sorry
sanapakaininmoko: well, try not to be lonely then
killer tide: sometime ,you cannot chioce it
sanapakaininmoko: yeah. i know what you mean.
killer tide: dou you like chinese food
sanapakaininmoko: i love it!
sanapakaininmoko: i'm getting fatter. hehe.
killer tide: which food do you like
killer tide: nothing , you are so beautiful
sanapakaininmoko: thanks! um, i like ya dan, fei shou. hehe
killer tide: eatting is a beautiful things in out life, do not worry
killer tide: 鸭蛋 ？
killer tide: egg of duck
sanapakaininmoko: yes. i'm not really worried about gaining weight. i've been trying to gain weight eversince i can remember. and only china was successful...
sanapakaininmoko: yes.
sanapakaininmoko: 对
killer tide: i am very happy ,you like chinese food
killer tide: your chinese is very good
sanapakaininmoko: hahaha! thanks!
killer tide: do you lile food which is puted pepper on it
killer tide: which was put pepper on it
killer tide: spicy
sanapakaininmoko: yes, but only a little spicy.
sanapakaininmoko: i can't eat it if it's too spicy.
killer tide: if you like this food , i know a good place in our city, i will invite you and your bf to eat it
killer tide: hehe , except egg of duck,do you have other chinese food which you like
sanapakaininmoko: great! i eat almost anything.
killer tide: ok , tell me you telephone No. if i have time i will call you
killer tide: １３５０４１０５８７６ this is my
sanapakaininmoko: i'll give you a call now. don't answer hehe
sanapakaininmoko: did you get it?
killer tide: yes
killer tide: ok time is too late ,i want to go to bed,see you next time
sanapakaininmoko: ok, see ya. i'm still reading some things. my country is in a "state of emergency". blah.
killer tide: good dream
sanapakaininmoko: goodnight
Time to Pack My Bags
A few minutes after I got home (even before I changed my YM status message from "out!" to "available"), Wendy started sending me messages. I was on the phone talking to Rain about checking out Beijing first before really deciding on moving there. Upon reading Wendy's first message, I freaked out. Rain, who understandably was calmer, told me to deny everything and play innocent. So here is my conversation with Wendy...
wendy wang: Jasemy talked with me today she told me u called the Foreign Experts Administration in Tie ling , is that true?
wendy wang: i have already told u u should let me know before u make a decision , u don't believe me? i think it will make u be in a not good situation in our school , maybe u don't look me as your friend, anyway i hope everything will be fine
wendy wang: no matter where i am i will always be your friend , and help u if i can
wendy wang: good luck
sanapakaininmoko: i did not call the foreign experts administration
sanapakaininmoko: what happened was i had dinner with my gege, the guy we met at the party last time
sanapakaininmoko: i just mentioned that there are some problems but i never called the foreign experts administration
wendy wang: ok, maybe she misunderstood or the headmaster said so
sanapakaininmoko: what did he say?
wendy wang: they called Gao Shan to ask if it is true
sanapakaininmoko: if what is true?
wendy wang: i don't know exactly
wendy wang: if he break the contract and if u and he has problem or quarrel or dissatisfaction
wendy wang: anyway i just don't want u meet any problem so just try your best to be fine with him until the contract is over ok
wendy wang: i really look u as my best friend and i don't want u to meet anything bad
sanapakaininmoko: ok. what did he say?
wendy wang: i really don't know exactly , she didn't tell me so much because she know we are good friends
wendy wang: so don't mention anything to her what i told u or she will not tell me anything else next time then i will not know how to help u
sanapakaininmoko: ok. thanks
wendy wang: my pleasure
wendy wang: are you ok now , i mean are you still a little sick
sanapakaininmoko: when did she tell you this?
sanapakaininmoko: i'm still a little sick.
wendy wang: i called her to ask her if he told other teachers that i am working part -time here, and she mentioned that to me
wendy wang: this evening
sanapakaininmoko: ok
wendy wang: see you tomorrow
sanapakaininmoko: see ya
While we were having this conversation, I was frantically going from room to room packing my things. I want to be as ready as possible for whatever that could happen. I am a lot calmer now. Breathe in, breathe out.
Something tells me I'll be summoned to the headmaster's office tomorrow for bad behavior.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Updates on My Life
The job search
Since I posted an ad on Dave's ESL last Monday, I've gotten a grand total of three replies.
1. A private English school in Qingdao, Shandong Province. I viewed their website and I must say that it was very impressive. We chatted last Tuesday and have not heard from her since so I'm scratching it off my list.
2. A company in Beijing looking for an English Editor. Mainly the responsibilities include "drafting and editing official documents of the company; supporting internal communication and daily communication with other related companies in Asia and drafting and editing internal message in English; and supporting external communication, including working with English medias, answering enquiries and keeping good relations with them." Sounds like a 9-6 kind of job... Nevertheless I sent my resume.
Yesterday, I got an email saying that my qualifications match the person they're looking for and that we should talk more over the phone to discuss further details. I'm waiting for their call.
3. A metal company in Beijing looking for a... the job title escapes me. When the caller, his name escapes me too, described the job, it sounded more like a call center kind of thing. He said I will make a lot of phone calls to Europe and America. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be telling the people there but he said I'll have to write analyses of the things that I learned everyday. Hmm, will a blog be ok? And the job will be at night, since we'll be following Western time. He promises to send me more information. Except for the analyses part, it sounds like a call center.
Rain: It might be glorified telemarketing!
Joni: (stared blankly)
Needless to say, I'm not very excited...
Leaving TieLing
The other night I had dinner with my GeGe from the Foreign Affairs Bureau, his colleague Liu, my Chinese friend Frank who did most of the translation, Rain and his girlfriend Ivy.
Basically, what GeGe wanted is for my headmaster and I to talk about the problem, solve it amicably and finish the contract. The conversation circled around this for a good number of minutes. He persuaded me not to leave the city because foreign teachers here are too few and they "need" me. I was adamant at saying that no, I really want to stop working for GaoShan and that this is tiring me too much. At one point, I was almost near tears which made the men very uncomfortable. GeGe promised to call his friends at the Foreign Experts Office and ask them to inspect the school for irregularities. I don't know how this is going to help me but whatever. He assured me though, that it's impossible for GaoShan to have me blacklisted via the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
Tonight or sometime soon, I might be having dinner with Frank and his lawyer friend and discuss what could be done.
This is the plan: I am set on leaving. I'm going to get paid on the 6th and I will go to work until that day. If the lawyer, foreign experts people, etc can find just cause for my leaving, then I'm free. If they can't, I'll pay the breach penalty then leave. Let's just put it this way: The goal is to avoid paying the breach penalty. If I'm left with no choice, then I'd rather pay than stay. Hey, that rhymes!
I am leaving whether or not I've secured a job by that time. I can use the break. I've been working my ass off since I came here, I might as well take a few weeks off and have a much needed rest. While resting/looking for a job, I'm going to crash at Rain's and try to be as inconspicuous as possible.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Crazy English
I just got a call from a man crazy about learning English. He's going to the US in a month and he's looking for the fastest way to learn the language. He called twice before this morning but I ignored my phone's incessant ringing. The third time, I caved. The conversation went like this:
JC: Hello.
Man: Hello. Good morning.
JC: Good morning.
Man: Have you (garbled) Chinese?
JC: Huh? What's that?
Man: Have you (garbled) Chinese?
JC: Say it again.
Man: (silence)
JC: Say it again. Zai shuo yi bian.
Man: Ni huei shuo hanyu ma?
JC: Ahh! Yi dian dian.
Man: (sighed with relief) Good.
JC: Wo gei wo de pengyou... um, a message. Ta hai mei you da an. Wo deng ta shuo shenme.
Man: Ok, ok. I'm glad to meet you.
JC: I'm glad to meet you too.
Man: What do you (garbled) China?
JC: What? What do I shen me China?
Man: What do you (garbled) in China?
JC: What do I shen me in China? Zai shuo yi bian. In China, what do I shen me?
Man: Ni zai ZhongGuo duo (not sure, maybe "nian") le?
JC: Oh! How long have I been in China? Duo shao shizian? I've been in China for six months. Liu ge yue. Ban nian. Half a year.
Man: Ahh. Welcome to my home.
JC: Thank you.
Man: (Muttered something in Chinese that I didn't understand) Byebye.
JC: Bye!
I really should not be talking to strangers (shakes head).
This was what happened yesterday: My little sister took me to the bookstores because I told her that I wanted to find some novels in English. In one of the bookstores, this man, about three feet away, was openly staring at me. You get used to it after a while so I ignored him and continued my conversation with my little sister about a Kahlil Gibran poetry collection that I was contemplating on buying. When he could no longer content himself with just staring, he asked, "Ni huei shuo YingYu ma?" I looked at my sister, looked back at the man and nodded. In Chinese, he said that he's looking for a fast way to learn English. Well, aren't we all looking for a fast way to learn a lot of things? I would have launched into a speech on how certain things cannot be rushed but then it would have been too hard and not to mention pointless.
Anyway, he wants me to give him private lessons. Foreign teachers are always offered this but my contract states that I can't teach outside of the school so I always say no. I had my sister explain this to him. He said he's going to the US next month to be a cook and he has to learn English fast. He showed me the Phonetics book, with a CD, that he just bought. I scanned the book and it looked fine so I said yeah, that'll be good. He was talking about a lot of things and I would just want to get back to thinking about whether or not I want the Gibran book. He said that when he goes to America, the people might think he's stupid if he can't understand them. I think that was what did it. I asked for his number and told him that I'll ask my friend if he'll be interested in teaching him. He asked again why I couldn't teach him. Again, my sister explained. Because I asked for his number, I felt it might be rude not to give him mine when he asked for it.
When my phone kept ringing this morning, I vowed never again will this ever happen. I must have made a similar vow before but I'm not sure. And that's why things like this continue to happen to me. I guess it was also good that he called, since I must admit I forgot to mention him to Rain when I saw him last night. After the first two unanswered calls, I sent a message to Rain. Just now, he replied that he is interested. So there. Let them talk. Don't bother me again, please.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Hang out with Rain, Sunrise, Star, Frank and ShanShan
| Start: | Feb 13, '06 6:30p |
| Location: | Rain's apartment |
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Rain: the enemy of the school
I'm sure I mentioned before that Rain's back. Before he left, his deal with the headmaster was he'd pay Rain his plane fare after he has returned to TieLing. This left Rain broke the whole time he was in Canada and even after he came back. A few days after being back, he had a meeting with the headmaster. I and Wendy (a different Wendy) went to the school with him and waited in one of the classrooms while they talked in the office. We passed the time studying Chinese. No, I was studying, she was teaching me. I was practising writing the characters for the different seasons, different parts of the body, etc., when we heard raised voices and thudding sounds from the other room. We went out of our room and listened intently. It got quiet again so we went back in. A few more minutes, we heard louder thudding sounds. I was worried about what Rain could do to the headmaster, the man being so tiny and all. We were in the hallway when Rain stormed out of the room, followed (to my relief, he was still alive and walking) by the headmaster.
Rain: (seething with rage) Let's go.
HM: No.
JC: What's happening? What happened?
Rain: (looking at me with intense hatred, the intense hatred was not directed at me of course) Do not trust that man. Let's go.
HM: No. Joni. No.
You must remember he has a limited English vocabulary. I interpreted this as: Joni, don't go yet. I want to talk to you, please. Or it could also be: No Joni, please don't go! I can't live my life without you! No! Or: No Joni. No life. (Maybe he doesn't know how to say life.)
I'm going for the first interpretation.
JC: (looking at Rain) Five minutes.
R: Ok.
Wendy must be around somewhere. I think she might be gathering her things from the other room. I don't really remember.
So I went inside HM's office and we talked. We tried to. Basically, he tried to explain to me what happened, from his point of view. I remember him complaining about Rain taking the contract to Canada, that Rain did not leave the key to his apartment, how dirty Rain's apartment was. I know, I don't get it either. Sometimes I feel the Chinese have a weird sense of logic. The point to this talk is to try to persuade me not to be friends with Rain anymore. I knew it would lead to that.
Flashback: American teachers JP and Zach used to work for the school. They left due to misunderstandings with HM. Or they were just plain fed up with him. The only time I met them was months ago when they (and a Canadian of Chinese descent. I had to say that because he was the one who found a locksmith to pick the lock and because his Chinese is sooo good!) went to my house, which used to be JP's house, to get JP's things which were locked up in a room. HM locked them up out of spite. I knew about this even before I met them which was why I let them in when they knocked on my door. I also immediately called Rain because he knew these people and I didn't. HM was out of town that night. To make an already long story short, they got JP's stuff and left. A few days after, HM found out about it. I told Wendy (the one from the school) the next day and feigned ignorance. He used to live there, he came to get his things. What's the big deal? HM also talked to me about this, saying that JP and Zach were enemies of the school and I should not associate with them. They live in a different city, for crying out loud. I said, ok. Fred, a Chinese who used to teach English here, is also an enemy of the school now that he has left and is working at another school.
So that was how I knew it was going to be one of those talks. He started by saying that Rain is a nice boy (yes, he said boy). But now that he's not with the school anymore, I should stop being friends with him. Did I tell you it's hard to follow their logic sometimes? Maybe it's just my headmaster. I apologize to all the other rational Chinese people of the world. Of course I said no. With the patience developed after years of explaining things to Nenet, Ube and Charly, I explained very slowly and in as clear a manner as I could that I can and will be friends with anyone I like, because, maybe it wasn't obvious enough, it is my life. He tried a different tack. His favorite, in fact. That of the school being a family and he's like the father. I've heard this so many times before. Again with all the patience I could muster, I told him that yes, Waiyan could be my family but I also have a life outside of my family. This conversation actually took a long time and Rain had since stuck his head in the room to tell me that he was going home and I just follow after. It finally ended, I was actually afraid it never would, when he gave up and said that he would ask Wendy or Jasmine (both my friends and are teachers in the school) to talk to me. I said, fine.
Rain's version was HM did not want to give him the money and said that what he meant was he would give the money after he finished the new contract. Ohgod, it was a miracle HM was still able to walk out of that room. Knowing Rain, he probably told HM to go fuck himself. When he tried to leave, HM blocked the door and asked for the contract. There were three copies of the contract, one of which had both their signatures. Rain opened his folder and started looking. HM grabbed the papers as soon as he saw them and started tearing them up. Rain, shocked, grabbed the papers back. At one point they were both holding them and HM started twisting the unfortunate papers, resulting to the damage of Rain's fingernail. I saw it, eww. Rain, being bigger, managed to get the remaining untorn ones, picked up the torn sheets, pushed HM aside and stormed out the door. The one with the signatures are still with Rain, untorn. He is now plotting on HM's eventual destruction.
Jasmine and/or Wendy must have talked some sense into HM because the next time we had a "talk" (with both Jasmine and Wendy there) he just said that although I'm very good friends with Rain and he can't do anything about that, I must not reveal the school's secrets to him. I said, ok. Sigh. And I just want to eat.
Yes, I finally got my plane fare reimbursed. Yes, I think I'm moving to Beijing after my contract expires. Whew! Crazy!
Friday, February 10, 2006
The Man Blog
http://www.man-blog.com/
From the makers of "The Atrocities of Friendster," comes "The Man Blog." If you want to read something polite, politically-correct or proper, don't visit this site. Enough said.
From the makers of "The Atrocities of Friendster," comes "The Man Blog." If you want to read something polite, politically-correct or proper, don't visit this site. Enough said.
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Meeting and meet with Gao Shan and Wendy
| Start: | Feb 7, '06 1:30p |
| End: | Feb 7, '06 3:00p |
| Location: | South School |
Sunday, February 5, 2006
Dinner with Rain, Sunrise, ShanShan, Star
| Start: | Feb 2, '06 6:00p |
| End: | Feb 2, '06 8:00p |
| Location: | TieLing City |
Saturday, February 4, 2006
Modern Day Slavery in China
The Filipino culture is a martyr culture. We have a Cinderella-complex. One just has to watch the soaps on primetime TV to recognize the almost primordial image of the bida weeping in misery, suffering in silence. Even FPJ's Panday movies tell of an underdog who takes it all in before avenging himself in the end. And guess who the Filipinos voted for in the last elections?
This can be seen not just in popular culture but in history as well. It took more than three centuries of abuses from the Spanish colonizers before the long suffering nation finally decided enough is enough. Decades, before the Americans were kicked out of Philippine government; and another number of decades before the bases were all out of Philippine shores. (They seemed to have come back but that's another story.) And then there was Marcos' 20-year dictatorship. In the present, the people continue to endure a president whose legitimacy as president remains in question.
Perhaps it has to do with the teachings of Catholicism deeply buried in the Filipino consciousness, thanks to the Spanish friars of long ago. Blessed are the weak, meek, poor for the reward will come after this life. Turn the other cheek. Forgive as ye have been forgiven.
I got to talking to a Filipino woman teaching at another school a few days ago. I thought I was already nice for not screaming at the headmaster when I felt like it. I could hardly believe the things they had to go through in their school. It was almost surreal. When she phoned me, one of her first questions after the customary kumustahan was whether my headmaster often checks on me if I were home. I was so confused. Check on me? Why would he do that? I later on learned that they could not even go out of the house without asking permission from their headmaster. Ridiculous! Not even the supermarket?! The headmaster will be calling every few minutes until they go back home. Yes, even the supermarket. My head was spinning. I tried to look for the words. "I don't get it. How could you stand it?" I was met with more stories. My heart goes out to a young Filipino woman who has been here for only about three months. Her passport is being held hostage by the evil headmaster. She was being asked to pay 5000RMB if she wanted to leave, but was threatened that he would do everything in his power so she could never set foot in China ever again. For her first month, she was given 500RMB. Welcome to the new age of slavery.
My friend told me that the headmaster once asked her if she calls me on the phone. He encouraged her to make friends with me and invite me to go to their school. Please don't make me laugh now. Even before I met this man, I was already told that he's the "biggest asshole of a headmaster" in TieLing. I did not expect him to be the reincarnation of the devil himself. The last time I saw him (this was before I was told of all the shit that's been going on in their school), he had the gall to tell me that I should work for his school because his wife is a Filipina. That is what makes it hurt even more. They have Filipino employees precisely because of this woman. A fellow Filipino who does nothing to stop these abuses, who reprimands a Filipino employee of not knowing her responsibilities because she wants to go out of town--on her holiday. The next time I see her I want to ask her how much she sold her soul for.
One more irony, she's a missionary. Another irony would have been the name of their school.
It took me days to finally get this out. It does nothing to lessen the feeling of helplessness, but it just seems important that I write it down.
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
ShenYang 1 Feb 2006
Nuna, sometimes Skye looks like you!
Finally, I got to play in the snow. Luz, a fellow pinay teaching at a rival school, and Skye, her student, invited me to go somewhere in ShenYang for the day. We took the wrong bus and ended up still somewhere in ShenYang but in an entirely different place. This one is called Northeastern Asia Ski Center.
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