I grew up feeling a bit creeped out thinking thousands died while I'm being born into this world. Somehow, it made me love the country even more. There seems to be a connection. I can't explain it. All I know is that this "bond" I feel towards the country, is a little bit stronger than most people I know.
I could give you a shitload of reasons why the Philippines is the best country in the world...well in my world that is.
Every time someone asks an OFW what makes the Philippines the "better country" compared to wherever he's currently in, a general response would be "mas masaya e". Although... when you really think about it, I mean reeeallly think about it, there's not much advantage in living back home. There are quite, aargh, ang hirap, let's just say the Philippines is not exactly perfect. Well it's not perfect at all.
Where do I start? The government? The heat, the traffic situation, low wages/salary, yung kakulangan ng disiplina, yung pagdura at pagtapon ng basura sa kalsada, yung krimen, yung kakulangan ng mga matitinong writers sa TB at pelikula, yung airport, yung mga hinayupak na taxi drivers, yung admin ng mga "private schools", yung pagpila at LUNCH BREAK sa mga government offices, yung pag a-anak ng limampu kahit wala ng nilalamon. Yung TERMINAL FEE sa airport, sa lahat ng port, yung fee sa lahat ng gate,sa CR., yung mga usi sa isang aksidente. Yung mga tsismosang kapitbahay. Yung mga taong nakakaluwag-luwag lang e kinalimutang minsa'y sumakay din ng jipney, yung mga call center agent na nag i-English sa Jolibee,Yung mga taong walang ginawa kun'di magreklamo na wala namang solusyong ginagawa o iniisip man lang. Yung mga taong nakatapak lang ng ibang bansa kung makaasta kala mong nirerespeto ng mga taong iba ang kulay sa kanya. Yung mas mahusay pa sa English grammar kaysa sa Balarilang Pilipino.Yung kawalang pagmamahal sa sariling bayan.
Ayun, so, I guess, there's quite a few reasons why, let's say for argument's sake, Canada is better than the Philippines.
I'm starting to like it here really. I mean, there are so many things I like about Canada. Whenever a Canadian asks me "How are you liking it so far?" My immediate response is "Life here is very convenient, I still need to get use to the weather tho" tapos sabay fake laugh tapos dasal na wala ng follow-up question. Convenient kasi naalala ko na natapos naming pamilya magasikaso ng SSI, HEALTH CARD, phone lines atbp ng isang araw. That was a game changer. That reaffirms the fact that I am indeed in a better country.
Galit talaga ako sa PILA, ayokong-ayoko talagang pumipila at naglalakad ng mga papeles nung asa Pinas pako. Hindi kasi nakakatulong na SOBRANG INIT satin tapos siksikan pa. Hindi lang yun, wala ding SAPAT AT EPEKTIBONG direksyon kung paano ang mga proseso. Andaming dapat pilahan. Mga prosesong kaya namang tapusin ng isa o dalawang tao sa isang window. Tapos kadalasan sa Maynila pa at kelangan mo pang mag-commute. (wag kang timang, hindi ako maarte, hipokrito ka lang talaga)
I remember when I was applying for my Driver's License at (o in??) the Land Transpo Office in Kawit, I was offered to have my papers completed by a fixer for (i'm not exactly sure) probably P2100 and I was so on board with that. If you have seen the line that day you'd understand. But I was with my dad that time and he firmly disapproved of the transaction. I hated him for that because I had to endure hell by following the right path. I respected him for that though. At the end of the day, I was really glad I followed him. Although I remember paying the SAME amount the fixer was asking of us with all the fees during the process. It was crazy.
Yes, I am in fact living the better life. I am currently working in the industry that I studied for. I can easily buy things I like whereas I had to save for months to do so back home. I can wear clothes that can only be sold in Greenbelt. I do NOT have to boil a pot of water every morning for a bath. Nagawa ko nang tumanggi sa muffins. I can go ahead and buy myself a steak anytime I wanted to. Ang dami kong pwedeng ipagyabang. Kung jejemon lang ako baka pinost ko na lahat to sa Facebook. Money can definitely buy happiness.
I'm not referring to any designer clothes, I'm not talking about hot showers and overrated pastries, or a pretentious piece of marinated carcass. I'm talking about a plane ticket, a reasonable capital to put up a small coffee shop/bar/bakery in Cavite, savings that can buy me a house in Tagaytay, enough money to tour around the Philippines, and to get myself a resort in Palawan, or Baler, or Galera, or in Cebu, or in Bohol, Ilocos, Surigao, Camsur, Batangas. O bakit kaya hindi sa Zambales?The Philippines may be flawed. So is Canada. So is the US, So are any other countries. I am confident that when I accidentally put mayonnaise instead of ranch dressing on a sandwich in the Philippines, the customer wouldn't feel like it's the end of the world. I'm pretty sure we're just gonna laugh it off and joke about it. Like family.
It would be so much easier if we migrated when I was still a little kid. Back when I didn't care about any of these. I would just smoothly adjust myself in to my current situation. I would probably have the cutest accent when I try to speak Tagalog.
I started believing I'm no longer at home when I didn't have to fall in line to process my papers. I'm done being angry of the cold and the fact that it's too quiet outside, and how it takes me a while to get dressed. I gave up believing I could save enough for a plane ticket home in a year. I already got tired of feeling sorry for myself a week ago. I'm ready to accept the fact that I am in my new home now.
Kailangan ko ng tanggapin na hindi na ko makakalabas para bumili ng makakain-kain sa sari-sari store nang naka sando't boxers. Tanggapin na wala nang inuman sa kalsada kasama ang tropa. Tanggapin na hindi na ulit ako makakatawa ng sobrang lakas sa mga green jokes at sa mga kakornihan ng mga pinoy jokes.
Tanggapin na simula ngayon kelangan nang maging maingat sa mga salita dahil maaaring maka-insulto kahit hindi mo naman intensyon. Tanggapin na hindi na kayo magtatawanan kapag jinajabar na yung tropa nyo sa init. Tanggapin na hindi na ulit ako sususka sa estribo ng jip habang pinupunasan ni mamang tsuper ung mukha ko gamit ang trapo. Tanggapin na hindi na ko makakaihi kahit san ko gusto. Tanggapin na kahit wala kang ambag okay lang basta sayo ang kwento. Tanggapin na matatagalan bago makahiga sa buhangin nang may beer at yosi kasama ang barkada. Tanggapin na kahit walang wala ka nang pera, nagagawa mo paring maging masaya. At higit sa lahat, tanggapin na baka sa paguwe mo, ang lahat ng mga bagay na inaasahan mo...wala na.
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