Filipina Soul

Pops Fernandez’s love life is in full swing these days:
“I am single, and it is the privilege of single women to go out with as many decent single men who are willing to take them out”, she reasons out.
She goes on to stress, though: “If I have been going out with younger men, it is not because I seek them out, it is because they seek me out. And since they are decent, interesting and presentable young men, I don’t see anything wrong with going out with them.”
Source: ShowBits, Manila Times
Pops is former wife to Martin Nievera and dubbed with …read more

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Political instability. Shaky national security. Economic Crisis. High unemployment rate. Population growth. Graft and Corruption. Questionable justice system. Blah. Blah. Blah.
The Philippines have all what it takes to break (not make) a nation. From the inside looking out, it seems there’s nothing good to say about this ailing country. But as always, there’s got to be an outsider looking in to pin-point the brighter side of things.
Marit Stinus-Remonde in her Manila Times column today said:
As a foreigner who chose to leave family behind and live in this country, I always wonder about this so-called colonial mentality and supposedly insecurity and …read more

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Rice Farmers from the mountain town of Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan found a virtual “diamond mine” in planting high value commercial crops:
(Bulacan Governor) Josie De la Cruz lauded the farmers who veered away from the beaten path of traditional farming practices of their forebears and opened their minds to new farming technologies.
“Since 1998, I have been advocating the production of high-value commercial crops, because we realized that if our farmers will keep on planting rice, their lives would not improve unlike the ones who listened to our call”, de la Cruz said.
If what the report says is really true: Filipino …read more

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As if the New Year (Jan 1) wasn’t enough to assure us of positive things ahead and to hope anew; the Philippines joined the world in celebrating the Chinese New Year, in welcoming the Year of the Fire Dog. If you have been in the area of Binondo, Manila (the heart of this country’s China Town), you’d think you weren’t in tropical Philippines at all; what with the colorful and gay festivities which are trademarks of any Chinese New Year celebration.
I was raised Catholic, ( I am not Chinese) but growing up with a Chinese family in the heart of …read more

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The climate in the Philippines is a bit tricky to understand. Personally, I only describe it in two extremes: hot and hotter; wet and wetter.
In any case, we Filipinos generally take a bath at least once daily, especially before reporting to work, or going to school or plainly before going out of the house (wherever the destination is).
In this regard, we changed our clothes daily. (Yes, all of it, especially the under garments!) What’s the use anyway of having freshly bathed if you’re going to wear the shirt you were wearing yesterday? Even if that particular shirt (worn yesterday) was …read more

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There’s still hype in the country over Manny Pacquiao’s victory. He is coming home Friday from Las Vegas, Nevada. Meanwhile, Manila and General Santos City (Pacquiao’s hometown) is going crazy on the preparation of a Hero’s Welcome for the boxing champ.
 
 
 
The boxer would also meet officials and staff of Malacañang on the Kalayaan grounds before proceeding to meet Manila Mayor Lito Atienza for the motorcade in the capital city.
After the motorcade at around 4:30 p.m., Pacquiao is expected to attend the “Tribute to Pinoy Champions” at the Rajah Sulayman Park with a special appearance by the Lettermen, which is in the …read more

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The Japanese men I’ve met so far are either scientists or young scholars visiting the Philippines in lieu of a scientific collaboration.
I hate to admit it but I have female relatives that work as entertainers in Japan. Whatever “entertainer” really means is hard to tell unless I’ve seen each one of them in action myself.
The relatives I’m talking about are really hard-knock beauties but they aren’t the singer or dancer-kind of entertainers. But they were trained to sing and dance before they left for Japan. (Entertainment workers in Japan, we generally call here as Japayuki.)
I’m no fool not to figure …read more

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Greg Macabenta of my favorite column Global Pinoy at Manila Times wrote about Pinoy Power today in lieu of Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Mexican Eric “El Terible” Morales.
In his column, Greg Macabenta emphasized a few important points:
Slogan-makers often throw around the statement “Kaya ng Pinoy!” as if saying it is enough. Where we fail is in the “doing” part.
But what most of us lack is the will to take the lead, to push ourselves to the limit in order to excel, to dare to be the best. To be world-class.
But vicarious success is not enough.
An attitude that puede na is …read more

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Demand for OFWs in Europe to shrink:
when the EU approves the membership of Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia, the western Balkans and even Ukraine and Moldova, Europe may no longer need to hire overseas Filipino workers, because its labor demand could be provided by the new EU members.
There are about 340,000 Filipino workers in Europe, with the biggest number in Italy. There are also large concentrations of OFWs in Great Britain and Germany.
There goes my chance of applying to Italy as DH. (he he.)

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My name is Gloria. Nope, no second (or third) name(s) and I thank my parents a lot for not being that creative in naming their children. Otherwise, I could have been baptized Ana Gloria, Maria Gloria, Gloria Theresa, or even Gloria Magdalena; the options were just innumerable.
In my generation, parents have a knack in naming all the baby girls Maria-something and all the baby boys Jose-something. Or in behalf of any Saint available.
Back in high school, I know a Jose Randy, a Maria Sharon, a Marie Antoinette, a Maria Jael and a George Marshall.
Later I’ve met some Gemma Theresa, Abigail …read more

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