Leaving Is Not A Matter of Choice, Coming Back Is

PEBA’S 2011 THEME RALLIES ON HEROES HOMECOMING TOWARDS CHANGE

Note: The photo of a boy holding a flag is an official entry of AnalinDenhann from Copenhagen Denmark to the 2010 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards International Photo Contest

The First Quarter Storm

The first quarter of 2011 is perhaps the most turbulent days of the Overseas Filipino Workers as they witness the political revolution in the Middle East and North Africa where thousands of OFWs were caught in the middle of domestic conflicts in countries such as Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Libya.

Even with these appalling events, Filipinos remain determined to continue following their dreams through migration in order to survive domestic poverty. The world could be cruel and unforgiving but also highly rewarding... because in every struggle, heroes emerge.

Leaving Is Not A Matter of Choice, Coming Back Is

Despite the varied reasons why Filipinos go abroad, nationalism is still evident on the narratives of the 12 million Filipinos scattered all over the world. PEBA has witnessed how OFWs take pride of our Filipino roots, our culture and our race. Filipinos abroad, after they have followed their dreams, have chosen to return, evident on how we are called... "Balikbayan." They return to share their talents, skills and fortunes in an effort to bring change to the families left behind, communities and country. Thus, PEBA 2011 is dedicated to our "balikbayans", the unsung heroes of our time. Their homecoming brings a spark of change to the lives of their loved ones and their homeland. PEBA 2011 honor them with the theme,

"Ako'y Magbabalik, Hatid Ko'y Pagbabago." (I Will Return, I Will Bring Change.)

The PEBA 2011 Challenge

PEBA 2011 will attempt to remind the P-Noy administration to solicit, listen and heed the advice our OFWs who have been the forefront of finding solutions on the world’s most powerful economies. It's about time that instead of concentrating on labor-export policy, this administration start tapping the professional services of OFWs in various areas of expertise in rebuilding our country's infrastructures and basic services by offering them job positions in government offices to be administration partners in nation-building.

We call on our Filipino expatriates around the world to continue their roles as Global Ambassadors of our country in foreign lands by promoting and patronizing our locally-made products, making the Philippines the first stop destination for holidays and investing in the home country. We ask them to teach their children and their foreign spouses on the positive Filipino values and the Filipino language. Let’s be proud of our race, for nationalism knows no time and bounderies.

Expats, OFWs and Bloggers, They’re Heroes That Multiplies

To our Global Filipino bloggers, as the curtain rises for PEBA 2011 in celebration of our nation’s historic "Araw ng Kagitingan"; let us look back on the heroes of La Solidaridad - Rizal, Del Pilar, Ponce, Paterno, Jacinto, Lopez-Jaena , etc. who were the Filipinos reformists in Spain who used instead of the sword to campaign for changes in the Spanish-governed Philippine islands through essays, speeches, news articles, and other literary and journalistic forms. Their efforts ultimately led to the Philippine independence from Spain. Today, PEBA invites our bloggers to write and post topics on "Balikbayan" (Returnees), "Homecoming" and the positive "changes" and benefits it brings to their families, relatives and friends, to the community and to our country, the Philippines. 

We call on our bloggers worldwide to share their stories - through essays and anecdotes, literary and journalistic forms, videos and photos on their quest for the real change that they want to be - for their own selves, for their families, communities and country on their plan homecoming or recent “balikbayan” experiences that bring positive change to the lives of their love ones. And to our non-OFW bloggers, we seek your talents to share with us your expectations and memorable experiences gained during the homecoming events of your returning family members, relatives or friends.

Like Rizal, Luna and Ninoy, 12 million OFWs have crossed borders to work, learn culture and technologies abroad in their effort to battle poverty in our courtyard; soon they will return and apply their knowledge and wealth to bring the change they want for their families, relatives, communities and country - for heroes never die, they just multiply.

This season will put a challenge to our Global Filipinos to flex its muscles to show that with the unity of its great numbers, it can be a potent force for political change, that OFWs can stop this culture of corruption, exploitation, and fraud and steer our country to greater heights by participating in a mature political exercise by participating in the Overseas Absentee Voting and joining forums and social organizations abroad that promote Filipino values and socio-economic assistance to OFWs and kababayans back home.

To the private sectors that have economically benefited on the remittances and homecoming spending of the OFW and their families; PEBA calls for your support on the advocacy programs and projects of the Government, LGUs and NGOs that promote values and welfare of the OFWs.

PEBA calls on POEA and OWWA to improve its reintegration program for returning, retiring and displaced OFWs. We ask this administration to restore an estimated 46 percent budget cut to the Department of Foreign Affairs 2012 budget and to increase funds to assist OFWs in Japan and the Middle East countries.

As the quarter storm closes, we prayed and mourned for the loss of our OFW compatriots, Sally, Ramon and Elizabeth who were executed in China. A painful lesson for every Filipinos to be careful and not to allow ourselves to be used as drug couriers.

Hundreds of OFWs are still missing in New Zealand after a devastating earthquake hit the country. In Japan, the horrifying series of earthquakes and tsunami that swept the Japanese shores where hundreds of OFWs are still unaccounted for and the continuing threat of radiation exposure remain an unending nightmare to the survivors.

©2011 THOUGHTSKOTO

Lucky Me! Anti-OFW Ad?

Check here...Be the judge...

©2009 THOUGHTSKOTO

BAKIT MAKITID ANG UTAK MO? (Edited)

Paumanhin: I have been vocal in replying to blog and post that are highly critical sa mga OFW's. Hindi ako naghahanap ng gulo, at mas lalong ayaw ko ng magulo, pero may mga sitwasyon na hindi lang hinahayaan. Pagbigyan niyo na ako, baka mapapagod din ako kalaunan.

Inaamin ko na I am"mean" sometimes especially when retaliating to post against sa mga OFW's. Ipinanganak ako at lumaking kanto boy sa Mindanao sa bayan ng Cotabato, pinalaki ng Nanay sa General Santos na may respeto sa kapwa, at tinuruan ng magandang asal at kabutihan, kaya lang may pagka kanto boy pa rin. At kung ang tema ng iyong post ay may halong walang modo, kabastusan at walang respeto, kita kits tayo sa kanto.

Ang mababasa niyo sa ibaba ay isang kwentong parody or satire in response to Arvin de la Pena post na "Mukhang Pera". This post was voluntary deleted by the Blogger mentioned above.

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Naguusap kami ng Production Manager ng planta namin nung bigla may dumaan, si Boy Bawang. Sabi niya bisitahin mo nga ang blog ko, nagpost ako about OFW. Magaling si Boy Bawang, parang si Boy Buang. Ang kaibahan lang nila, si Boy Bawang papak ng papak ng mais samantalang si Boy Buang may pagkaabno minsan. Epekto seguro nung tumalon sa tulay dahil sa hindi sinagot ni Paris Hilton. Dun pala galing ang bansag na "Buang".

Balik tayo kay Boy Bawang. Magaling pala si Boy Bawang sa tula. Parang ganito lang yun. "Ako'y tutula, mahabang-mahaba, ako'y uupo, pagkat natuliro. Tapos na po, bow!" Katunayan, maraming tula niya ang napublish sa mga dyaryo kagaya ng BAHAG, KULANGO, at TULANGGONG. Karamihan sa mga tula niya ay alay niya sa mga naggagandahang babae sa internet o sa school. Mas magaling daw siya gumawa ng tula kapag lasing, kaya wag ka nang magtaka kung minsan parang nasa kubeta ka kung nagbabasa ka.

Binasa ko ang post niya, kahit napakahaba, binasa ko kasi sinulat pa daw iyun back to back sa papel at saka may kinalaman sa OFW. Pinaghirapan niya at nakaubos ng ilang sakong mais hanggang maging utak mais na siya. Halata naman sa sulat niya, di ba. Sabi ko sa Production Manager namin na si Mang Manny, "Sir, pakibasa mo nga."

Matiyagang nagbasa si Mang Manny, at pagkatapos ng halos sampung minuto, nagwika ng mga salitang nakakagulat or nakakatawa. Parang si Boy Bawang at Boy Buang, iisang mukha, dalawang pag-uugali at pag-iisip.

"Pakisabi nga kay Boy Bawang, manalamin muna siya, kung ako na mahigit sampung taon na dito sa Saudi ay nagsusumikap para mapagtapos ang tatlo kong anak ay tatawagin niyang mukhang pera, ang tawag ko naman sa mga katulad niya mukhang AMAG!"

Medyo highblood na kasi si Mang Manny, tatanungin ko sana kung anong ibig sabihin ng amag, kung ito ba’y fungi, or molds, kaya sagot ko na lang.

"Sige po, sasabihin ko."

Nung lumabas na si Mang Manny ng opisina ko ay binasa ko ang email ni Ate Trisha, isang Caregiver sa Canada. Nabasa niya na rin pala ang post sa blog ni Boy Bawang.

Ito ang excerpt sa email niya.

"...abi nimo Dong, murag nakahilak ko sa iyahang istorya kabahin namong mga caregiver bah. Lisod kaayo oi. Pero duda nako naa na si Boy Bawang sakit, polar disorder man tingali tawag ana. Kasabot man sad kog tagalog oi, pero bastos man to iyahang istorya na dili man unta isulat. Anyway, dili nako magdugay Dong, pasagdi na lang na siya kay basura man ng iyahang mga post, bati bitaw nag mukha oi..."

Naawa ako kay Ate Trisha, kaya sabi ko sa email-reply ko, pwede mo seguro isend ng link ang Caregiver Association of the Philippines, at mga Nurses Association para ipabasa sa kanila, pati ang school kung saan galing si Boy Bawang kasi nagooffer din sila ng Caregiver at Nursing courses and tingnan natin kung anong masasabi nila sa malaswang kwento na ito.

Nanlumo ako sa aking nabasa actually. Hayag na kabastusan na walang puwang sa blog. Nagpapakita ng tunay na laman ng isip (kung may isip) at utak (kung may utak). Ang tawag namin nun sa Bisaya, "utak bolinao" yung mga maliliit na isda, ayun, dilis nga. Utak dilis pala.

Mag-anchovy salad ka na lang.

Alam mo may suggestion ako, Boy, why don't you take an IQ test online?

Dito oh.

Bumaba ako ng laboratory at nag-ikot sa production area habang nasa isip ang mga katagang sinulat ni Boy Bawang sa kanyang kwentong Face Money or Money Face...well {mani-pis}. Naalala ko tuloy si Binoy Pinya , isa rin daw yung basura blogger, kasi ang mga post niya basura, as in wala daw talagang kwenta, at bawat post niya umiikot yun sa buong world wide web para ipaalam na may post siya.

Halimbawa:

"may bago akong tula tungkol sa dalawang babaeng mahal ko sa blogosperyo"

Ang tawag sa blogger na umiikot at nagiiwan ng mga komentong ganyan ay

desperado, makitid ang utak, utak dilis nga eh!

ito pa...

"napost ko na ang kwento ko tungkol sa balakubak ko sa ulo at kung bakit may mga lisa ang mahaba kong buhok"

ang tawag dyan sa mga ganyang mga blogger na iikot sa blogsoperyo at proud sa balakubak at lisa - ipokrito at walanghiya o walang modo.

ito last na lang.

"napost ko na ang tungkol sa pagkamatay ng miyaw ko, magdala ka ng tissue at baka mapaluha ka pag binasa mo"

Kapag gusto mo daw magkaroon ng mga mambabasa at magcocomment sau, magcomment ka rin sa page nila. Bihira akong magcomment sa Cbox. Sa mundo ng blogging, give and take. Comment ka, comment ako. Hanggang sa mahook ako sa mga panulat mo, maging magkaibigan tayo. Hindi na parang nagiiwan ka ng instruction sa Cbox ng iba na basahin ang post mo na walang kwenta!

WAHID ITNIN TALATA

كما تعلمون ، أن تضيق من الدماغ ، وبعد مواجهة مثل العفن. وينبغي أن المدونين المتعفنة مثلك ، والقمامة وظيفة ، nilulublob الطين ، وكنت في مثل الجاموس.

المؤسف أن يفكر كما أنت. القمامة التي تقوم بكتابتها ، ولكن يبدو أنها تريد أن يلمع ، كنت تماوج أن الثوم

Translate ko na lang ha.

Anta Mok Mafi. La, mafi, monkin, anta mok taban, monkin karban. Inta kalam alatol kulo OFW sim sim sekol pulos? Anta karban, monkin, anta mafi pulos badin anta katir like pulos, monkin anta mafi akil. Bagaysaunilublubsaputikanparamatauhan.

Is muskil? Inta mafi malum Filipini katir kuayes? anta maginon. badin anta harami. Katir harami anta. Shup, inta sekol sim sim karban.

Kilala niyo na siya kung sino siya? Ilang beses na siyang nagiwan ng mensahe sa akin na i-add ko siya sa sidebar ko. Pero sorry, namimili kasi ako ng nilalagay ko sa sidebar ko. Boknoy, pasensia na boks, di ko type maglagay ng link sa mga post na tula-tula na may picture ng mga babae kahit ako ay tinaguriang makata ng school ko ng high school, at naging literary editor ng college. May mga manunula sa blogosperyo na magagaling, nakakabagbag-damdamin, nakakapagpagana ng kaisipan. Pero sory di ko type ang mga tula mo, mas lalo na kapag ang post mo ay hayag na pambabastos sa mga kagaya kong OFW.

Para sakin, isa kang basurang blogero, and hindi ako naglilink ng basurang post. Katunayan ito lang na post mo ang binasa ko. Ang post mo na ito na Mani pis. Kasi para sakin, nilait mo ako, kinutya, sinaling, at nilapastangan. Bulok na mga posting na gawa ng bulok na blogero na maaring pinalaki or lumaki sa bulok na pamamaraan.

Marami kang napublish na mga gawa sa dyaryo ? Well, sikat ka sa labas. Bulok sa loob.

United we fight this, full details at Palipasan.

Bizjoker also here, Gumamela sa Paraiso here, Dungeon here, Batang Henyo here

Azel at Mapanuring Panitik, and Jee of Wits Expression

Also here at Desert Aquaforce and Dating Tambay, KosaPogi Kupal here

Pamilyang Mukhang Pera

Dear Arvin De La Pena, Lessons 101 For You

©2009 THOUGHTSKOTO