Filipinos speak English, even to each other. I went about browsing different Filipino-oriented blogs and forums yesterday to get a more thorough insight into how overseas Filipinos think and feel. I felt uneasy when I gathered that some overseas Filipinos took issue of the fact that some Filipinos do not speak the native tongue even among each other. The native "tongue" was specifically referred to in one entry as "Filipino," which in fact is Tagalog. Hey, I'm Cebuano-speaking (a.k.a. "bisdak" or "bisayang dako") , so that already gives you an idea why I cannot relate with the sentiments. Cebuano and Tagalog may have common words, but hey, they're different. An untrained Cebuano will not understand, much less speak, Tagalog and vice-versa. My wife is Tagalog and my children will grow up speaking Tagalog and English because we live in Metro Manila. I don't mind that at all. I'll be teaching them Cebuano in due time. This post is n...
Street names can be confusing in Metro Manila . Someday I'll understand why they are making a hobby out of changing street names. Maybe they don't want Promdis like me to freely come and go. Image credit: wikimedia.org Finding out which street is which can sometimes feel like a chase. I have come to know a good number of streets during my trying years in Metro Manila as a newcomer. But then, just when I have gotten used to the names, the Lords of street names changed their names. Most of the street chase that I know are in Makati City: BUENDIA (a major street in Makati that intersects Ayala and EDSA) ... they changed the name to Sen Gil Puyat Ave decades back; but people still call it Buendia.
I'm researching the internet about the Filipino psyche: how a Filipino thinks, what his aspirations are, and things of that sort. This research is related to a project I'm engaged in right now. In the process, I came across a lot of blogs that either talks about or makes references to the Filipino psyche. Among the many entries I found, I find this post very interesting: http://blog.totalphilippines.com/filipino_dream/20080813-18050-The-Filipino-Dream It opens and ends with these paragraphs: The once famous American Dream have already been absorbed by many cultures around the world. The American Dream is not exclusive for the Americans alone, but for the global citizen. . . . To achieve their goal is the most important thing for a Filipino. To give their family a better life, to help others, share their knowledge to their fellows, and bring smile to everyone, even in times of problem. This is what the true Filipino dream is. I like the way she puts it. The American Dream, to Fi...
yes. matagal na, but amazing indeed.
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