Only In The PhilippinesDon't get me wrong. But sometimes I just hate living in this country. Maybe hate is such a strong word. Let me rephrase... Sometimes I just don't like living here.
I haven't lived anywhere else but here. Sure I've been to other countries but the most time I've spent was a week in Hong Kong and again a week in Malaysia. Have been to Singapore several times but just stayed for like four days, at most. Thailand was the same.
I haven't been to Europe nor the US (though I sure would love to go sometime) but I have relatives and friends there and I hear a lot of stories from them. Which makes me
NOT LIKE living in the Philippines. No, not at all.
Why then, you ask?
Well... let me enumerate the reasons why:
01. Filipino drivers have no respect for the pedestrian lane (and other road rules,for that matter). For a law-abiding pedestrian like myself who only crosses the street using the pedestrian lane, it's such a big hassle to be running all the time I cross the street, praying to God that no car will hit me. It's freaky how drivers here actually speed up the moment they see a pedestrian lane with people waiting to cross, racing down the road so as not to give way. C'mon, but hello? Does it give them a big thrill to get ahead of people? I am willing to forgive racing against other cars on the road but to actually race against people walking? Pathetic. In other countries, cars slow down when they see people or even just one person standing by a pedestrian lane. That's why these lanes were put there in the first place! They're not just decoration, idiots! Grrr.
02. Passengers who ask the FX's, jeeps or buses to stop wherever they like. I know, I know... there are no designated PUV stops, which is actually stupid to begin with. But if one passenger asks the driver to stop at one point and another is getting off at maybe ten steps away, couldn't he/she just get off at the first stop? I mean, it's just ten steps! Couldn't they just walk? Lazy SOBs!!!
03.
Mahilig sumingit sa pila ag mga Noypi! This is really one of my major pet peeves. Even if there is no sign saying "Please Fall In Line", by mere common sense and good manners, people should know when to wait their turn. Just yesterday, Kuya Arnold and I were at Market Market buying food at one of the stalls there. There was only one man giving his order to the sales person. Naturally, Kuya Arnold and I lined up behind him. Then this guy just came and literally shouted his order at the girl. Okay. Rudeness much. This guy looked like a bouncer and as much as I wanted to scream at him, I let it go. But then two other guys tried to squeeze their way in. That was way too much and I had to tell them off. I even told off the sales girls asking them why they were allowing such behavior! Major
jolog behavior man! Makes me not wonder why this country is going to the dogs.
04. Actors and actresses running for office in the government. Enough said.
05. Power-tripping organizers and security personnel. I just came from a gig when one bouncer power-tripped on Mike D. The nerve! He obviously didn't recognize Mike but when he saw Raims coming, he immediately apologized. What a creep! I don't care if he recognized rock stars or not, but the point is whether that was a rock star there or an ordinary person, he should treat people with respect! He even had the gall to say that he was just doing his job. Moron! Your job is to control the crowd if they get rowdy and not to push people around.
06. Actors and actresses releasing albums. Why can't we let singers sing and actors act? Do we ever see Julia Roberts singing on TV? Do you think Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise will ever release albums? It's enough that these local actors sing on noontime variety shows (even when they can't hit one not right), but to actually release records? :::Shudder:::
07. Malls are a dime a dozen. What the hell? Why is this country so fascinated with malls? Once you've been in one, you've been to every other mall. You see all the same things! It's weird how there's a mall in every block in this country. And it really sucks since they cause a lot of traffic jam. Why can't we have libraries and museums instead? No wonder there are so many illiterate people in the Philippines when their idea of a free time is to just hang out at the mall.
08. Locally produced TV shows and movies don't help at all to "elevate the intellect of the masses". How many times have we heard people in the industry say 'that's not
masa enough' or 'it has to have commercial appeal'. C'mon!
Lalong nabobobo ang mga nanonood.
09. Oh and please don't get me started on all these
artista talent searches. Even the reality shows are talent searches. Puhlease.
10. Cost of living is too high. And wages are not fair. How much is minimum wage now? 300 bucks a day? How much is the minimum cellphone load? 150? A movie is 150 also. Cheapest would be a hundred bucks. One CD is 250 if local and 450 if foreign. Do the math. Makes me wonder how all these people can afford to survive.
I can go on and on but I'm already developing a headache. So yeah, I sometimes wish I don't live here. If only I had the chance to get out of here, I'd be on a plane going anywhere but the Philippines.
Road TripLife is a highway
I wanna ride it all night long
If you're going my way
I wanna drive it all night long
- "Life Is A Highway", Tom Cochrane
Since the last time I posted, I have been to Baguio twice in a week and then Pampanga. If it hadn't been cancelled, I would've gone to Palawan too. Anyhoo, more road trips are in the offing for me in the coming months and I can't wait! Sure, travel sometimes wears you down... like now, I'm feeling more
bangag than normal but it's fun and it's where all the action is! Lol.
I love road trips.
- Get Your Own
Average JoeI was supposed to post this a few weeks back but since I was out of town, I just found the time to post it now.
This was taken with permission, in case you're wondering.
LOL!
Errr...
Jon, like I've told you many times, this new look just doesn't cut it. For me at least. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to say here what I think you look like exactly. Change 'the look'. I dunno how you'd do it, but just tweak it a bit please.
Countdown to...
