Bromance in the Philippines

Once upon a time, while my family was engaging in dinner conversation, the subject of the Pinoy being touchy-feely was brought up – at the time, the term “bromance” had yet to be coined. My dad would say that in the olden days (insert 1950s music here), he and his friends had no problem hugging each other, or walking around with their arms around each other’s shoulders. In fact, they were very much unaware of the current “don’t touch me too much” mentality, except, expectedly, for the kissing part. We ended the conversation and proceeded to other subjects for our after-dinner coffee with the conclusion that people these days were more self-aware and praning about how they would be viewed if they were too affectionate with their same-sex friends.


Go to the Philippine Online Chronicles for the full article

Photo: “Bromance,” by bostankorkulugu, c/o Flicker.com

Relational Culture and the Filipino

If a reasonable, pleasantly-mannered Filipino is looking for a job, then chances are, the train of events will go like this:

1) He’ll first try and look for a job himself, by going to all the job openings and interviews he can go to. Chances are, in our current economic realities, there will be many job openings, but few, if any that will be good in terms of salary and job description. And the problem is, those that are will probably be full of people applying for the job, too.

2) Once the person realizes that finding a job is either an exercise in idealism over reality, or a classic denial of the self, he’ll go to the next best thing: his network of friends and relatives. At the most blatant, a relative or friend will offer a job. At the most subtle, a friend will talk to a friend, and that friend will give a tip on a job opening that isn’t being advertised, or the job offer will be made privately, so that essentially the job is a shoo-in for our Filipino.

3) Years down the line, our Filipino will be the one on the other side of the coin, ready to help his friend or relative get a job.
Does that sound… wrong? Well, welcome to the “relational culture” of the Filipino.


Go to the Philippine Online Chronicles for the full article


Photo: “Handshake,” by Aidan Jones, c/o Flickr.com

Article: VIP ako! – The feeling of entitlement in the Philippines

VIP ako! – The feeling of entitlement in the Philippines

For the older generations, there has always been that familiar gripe: “when I was your age, we never had it so good.” That’s usually a reaction to how the younger generations take things for granted, or, looking at it another way, don’t give things the proper value.

However, what is being noticed now is how so many are crossing the line from “taking things for granted” and sliding right into “I deserve this” territory. And yes, that’s how entitlement looks like from the outsider’s point of view.

Is this epidemic of entitlement becoming worse, or is it just that people are pointing it out more?

Read the whole article in The Philippine Online Chronicles. Click here for more articles I wrote for the POC.

Article: Pinoy Folk Catholicism - The Black Nazarene

Pinoy Folk Catholicism - The Black Nazarene

My housemate, unexpectedly, once asked me: would you like to go and see the procession of the Black Nazarene? It was an awkward question to answer at best, since I had no particular liking to be in crowds, and I wasn’t a religious person either. But now that the procession has come around again, and given how the Philippines has been in some sort of calamity bull’s eye the past year, perhaps the procession of the Black Nazarene, for all of its chaos and strangeness to outsiders looking in, is necessary for the Filipino psyche.

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However, there is a dark side to this celebration of survival, and it is in the concept of trading for the protection of the Black Nazarene. It is a psychological quid pro quo with God. All will be forgiven and all will be healed with the sacrifice and suffering that the procession sometimes brings.

How many times have we heard of people who sacrifice so much for the procession, and yet spend the rest of the year as if nothing has happened? How many people start worshipping the statue’s “special properties” without thinking of the entity it represents?

This, too, is very Filipino, the idea that you can bargain with God. Some people point to the mistaken notion of indulgences that were given out by the Catholic Church in the past, while others point to a deeper tradition of communicating with ancient deities. Whatever the case may be, the modern-day application has been one where a person could technically “equal” the scales for their sins by sacrifice and devotion.

Read more at the Philippine Online Chronicle

*Original photo by Constantine Agustin, as per Wikipedia.

Article - The internet cafe: An obsolete business?

The internet cafe: An obsolete business?

For many here in the Philippines with the time and money to put up a business (not to mention the intent), one that seems easy to get into is to put up an Internet café.
The Internet café seems simple enough in concept: Set up an Internet connection, set up the network software, have desktop computers ready for network Internet and gaming, have the network games and productivity software, and there you have it, a business you can run. You can even be the cashier on your off-hours.

However, the truth is the Internet café business model may be a dying idea. Alternatively, if it’s not dying, then you need to get past many, many obstacles. Here are some concerns you have to think about for an Internet café.


Click here to read the full article over at The Philippine Online Chronicles

Article - Bahala na: The Pinoy catch-all?

Bahala na: The Pinoy catch-all?

Filipinos always have fun with concepts that are untranslatable to English. It’s always a source of amusement, probably related to how Filipinos view the mangling of meanings and words as a source of humor. One good example is how there is no definite word for “no” in Filipino, or perhaps how we’ve practically reversed the meaning of “salvage.” It’s also hard to translate “gigil,” “kilig,” and even “lihi.” I mean, yes, you could explain it as a phrase, but there is no exact translation.

But for my money, one of the most Filipino of terms remains a top pick for being untranslatable: “Bahala na.”

Multiple-choice origins
The origin of the term has never been properly pinned down, but here are some of the origins as they have been circulated online (which of course, means that grains of salt must be used, perhaps a shaker full of it).

Click here to read the full article at The Philippine Online Chronicles

Article - Demonizing the middle class and the rich: “Mayaman kasi sila, eh”

Demonizing the middle class and the rich: “Mayaman kasi sila, eh”

Whenever I do ride a taxi, I make it a point to chat the taxi drivers up. I do so since it helps pass the time, and, in some cases, keeps them awake, or at least alert enough to avoid possible accidents. The conversations can sometimes be light and amusing, but at other times can also make me wish I hadn’t even started the conversation.

However, I’ve had a few observations stick to my mind when talking with them, and one of the more interesting – and disturbing – points is that, well, when someone does good, or is able to get away with murder (figuratively or literally), then that person is “may pera kasi” (“has money to use”). Now bear with me, as some people may say that it’s just a saying. However, I’ve had quite a few more experiences where people say practically the exact same thing: from street children in Manila, to fellow workmates when I was working in a mall, it all came down to “mayaman sila” or “may pera sila.”

The way it was said was either one where there was a certain sort of fatalism, while another way would be with a sneer and a malicious smile. And it made me wonder: Why is it so easy to demonize people who are in a higher income bracket here in the Philippines?

Read the full article at the Philippine Online Chronicles!

The Seven Wishes for OPM, Amended.

Click here for our Facebook site. I'm the bassist. Left-most.

A friend, Vin, linked an article on Facebook. It was about someone's Seven Wishes for OPM. As I read through it, I realized that I had a very different set of wishes. Here are those wishes, and I hope they come true.

1) I wish people would stop obsessing on the traditional ideas of "ORIGINAL" in OPM. Get over it. If it's an original song that takes from popular tropes and types of the day, then it's Filipino as long as it's made by one. Covers? Well, that's a matter of taste. Youtube? Why not? If you don't like it, then go somewhere else. The rule is: never take away from anyone who is trying. That's just a subtle sort of arrogance.

2) Songs start with the writing process. Some people think it may be easy to write, but it really is both a talent and a skill - natural and learned. However it may be, it pays to keep on writing. Didn't get the last song right? Put the lyrics, chords and melody in your library - you never know when the right pieces will come along. And if they don't, take that song as a lesson on what could be improved. Listen to people who diss you with a grain of salt - and pick up the good stuff. The negativity, just leave it behind.

3) Don't blame the kids for not going to the gigs. Face it, it's a new paradigm for kids these days. The best thing to do is to adapt to this reality. Make sure you do have online content - and through that, encourage them to come to the gigs. Learn merchandising, too.

4) Forget the hometown heroes. Just listen to good music, wherever it comes from. Regionality is great, but only if it's worth it. That way, if you do get into the music, you won't have those blinders on, either.

5) If you're in a band, always go for self-improvement. Even if you did get famous on three chords and a microphone, it pays to learn how to play better, write better and perform better. On a selfish note, you'll get damn good at impressing people. On a non-selfish note, you'll end up being a better draw and money's worth for your fans. Both are GOOD.

6) It's good to move on from the classics, but never forget why they're classics in the first place. Yes, I know we're all tried of hearing the 'Heads, Wolfgang, Razorback and Juan dela Cruz songs prepetually being covered, but there's a flip side to it: listen to these songs, figure out why they're the classics, use those lessons to do things your way.

7) Don't wish for someone to save the decade. Just wish that more people will get into music. That more people will love music. That more people will pick up instruments. Forget about saving music, just go out and play.

* originally posted in my Facebook account

Cog. One Decade.

One Decade. One Night. Details coming soon.