In the port of Tagbilaran and even in Cebu, there was a common denominator. This:

Familiar with the lovely pictures? Of course. Who cannot recognize the Pink Empire of the Queen City of the South, Cebu? The grandeur Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa owned by the legend, Manny Osmena (he also formerly owned Waterfront Hotel).

Early this evening, I got a chance to meet and interact with this multi-millionaire for an hour in CAV Wine Shop-Cafe in Fort Bonifacio, Global City, Taguig. The setting: job interview. Yes, he interviewed me! What was he offering? Wine Ambassadorial position. The perks? Monthly salary, house and lodging, food and transportation allowance. Basically all. Plus the opportunity to be personally trained by him in countries like France, China, Singapore and Hongkong. As a wine ambassador, it is expected that you handle everything that is asked of you. You travel anywhere in the Philippines, day and night, if the need arises. You talk to media, promote the wine products. “You do this, and many more, with sophistication” — these are his very words I could not forget.

Wine, for him, is a lifetime business and even beyond. The learning experience continues every single day. Wine, for him, is never tainted with negative vibes, as those compared to beer, vodka, tequilla, etc. Wine is never an alcoholic drink. It is a drink that invigorates the soul, releasing the positive energies of your being. It is all about sophistication.

As his final words, “think about this, and if you decide to work with me, I will personally train you because I know that you belong to the Class A circle. Someday, you will achieve more than you could think of.”

As analyzed on the last issue, among the many environmental problems that are on the priority list of Africa include: land degradation, deforestation, declining of marine resources and water scarcity of deteriorating of water and air quality. More to these problems and more to the pressing issue on HIV/AIDS (that was also discussed last issue) that has been taken a serious toll on this region are the tropical diseases.

Tropical diseases are one of the main environmental problems of Africa S. of the Sahara. This tropical climate creates epidemics such as malaria, river blindness, cholera, Ebola, and sleeping sickness. Sleeping sickness comes from tsetse fly infestations from the cattle. Sleeping sickness has had the power of killing more than 200,000 people in one year.

Like HIV/AIDS, these tropical diseases have a cure, except of course that many people can not afford health care to treat it. So, the problem goes beyond the surface level.

Environmental problems in Africa have been discussed on considered on the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) which was held in South Africa in August 2002. Basically, the material of the summit points out main environmental problems and challenges. The key issues which dominate African environmental problems were addressed during the summit. They include:

1. Water pollution and sanitation. First of all water pollution is caused by oil transmission in ship ports, water resources poor management, lack of financial resources required for sustainable development and efficient utilization of resources, absence of effective regional and basin development plans and shared management, and under-estimation of the groundwater potential to supplement irrigation and drinking water supplies. Thus, Africa’s freshwater problems are acute and worsening. Freshwater shortage is the two greatest limits to development in Africa;

2. Energy. Energy consumption in sub-Saharan Africa varies dramatically and dominates fuel consumption. Africa is home to one of the world’s largest rain forests. It is obvious that rain forests are lungs of the Earth and their reduction cause air pollution. They protect and stabilize soils, recycle nutrients and regulate the quality and flow of water. Deforestation is one of the most pressing environmental problems not only in Africa but in other parts of the world and has negative implications for the local and global environment. Forests cover about 22 per cent of the region, but they are disappearing faster than anywhere else in the developing world. During the 1980s Africa lost 10.5 per cent of its forests. Thus, African forests are shrinking as a result of deforestation;

3. Biodiversity. The richness of African biodiversity requires greater protection and a sustainable use that will ensure the income of those who depend on it. There is a need to maximize biodiversity landscape protection, to give priority to biodiversity areas close to areas of high population density, and to give balanced attention to such regions as the arid and semi-arid areas;

4. Oil pollution. In a number of countries such as Nigeria and Angola, fore example, oil is the principle source of benefits. However it is pretty clear that new technologies used in oil exploration are extremely harmful for the environment. Environmental problems are common and rise heated debates. On the one hand, it expands relations among states, diversify trade relations, bring benefits. But, on the other hand, the benefits from oil are not fairly distributed among the population. The revenues from oil mainly belong to some local government communities or certain groups of interest. But the commons of Sub-Sahara have to face the oil-related problems;

5. Agriculture. Increased food insecurity resulting from rapid population growth, degradation of agriculture and arable lands, and mismanagement of available water resources combined with poor economic policies to support food production.

The summit was therefore very essential. Not only they identified the environmental problems in Africa, also they seek solutions to solve these serious problems.

To summarize, the address of environmental issues first of all lie in environmental awareness. To cap it all the environmental issues need regular monitoring, assessments and public reports of the state.

It is noting to submit however that these problems that Africa encounter aren’t exclusive to them. They are present and are even malignant to other regions of the world.

There have been various environmental problems that Africa is currently experiencing. Several scholars have continued to study the continent’s environmental concerns and found out that these problems were caused by the inhabitants’ ignorance of the universal knowledge that they need to be aware of.

Many problems have arisen in the status quo and it is said that new developments in industry and manufacturing have been root causes of environmental degradation over the past three decades. This thinking has been supported by Sandon. To him, “the rapid growth of population, urbanization and globalization are the driving force of the environmental problems.” He stressed that “the challenge is extremely high not only for the well-developed regions, but in poor parts of the world as well.” Among the many environmental problems that are on the priority list of Africa that he mentioned include: land degradation, deforestation, declining of marine resources and water scarcity of deteriorating of water and air quality. Sandon admitted that Africa has a vast majority of poor states and regions, and blamed poverty to be the major reason and consequence of the environmental degradation.

A working paper titled, “Fatal Problems in Africa South of the Sahara,” add up HIV/AIDS as another cause to the existing environmental problems of Africa aside from poverty stating that “this disease destroys a person’s immune system causing them to be more susceptible to other fatal diseases such as tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, cancer, pneumonia, and others. Many people contract the disease from having sexual intercourse without protection causing the bodily fluids to mix. It is also caused by the sharing of dirty needles, from mother to child either from birth or through breast milk, and through transfusions of infected blood. Once infected with this disease a person is incurable and will eventually die.”

People receive the said disease because of the increased spread of poverty, a traditional family breakdown of support systems, and miners having sexual intercourse with prostitutes and then transporting the disease to their wives. Many people can not afford to take on the medical expenses and they end up suffering until their death.

The said paper suggested that this problem can be solved and that organizations in the

continent are constantly working solutions in order to control this critical problem by providing condoms, sex education to the youth, and educating people on the harmfulness’ of the disease.

More environmental problems in the continent will be critically scrutinized next issue.

Last issue, I’ve cited two points of misconceptions and skepticisms most people believe about sororities. This week, I have two more, as promised.

Misconception # 3: I’ve heard stories about the hazing that goes on in sororities. I don’t want to go through that.” Two words: No hazing! We are not fraternities. And fraternities and sororities are two very different things. It may be that most fraternities, if not all undergo hazing, but sororities, at least here in UP don’t. In my sorority, I am proud to say that one of our fraternity brothers in UP Los Banos drafted the Anti-Hazing Bill, now a law. Therefore, it would be a big slap on our faces if we will be the first to violate this law. And besides, we don’t believe that the code of ethics of a sorority could be best imbibed if the aspirant will pass through unconstructive activities such as hazing. We believe that there are other forms or ways of indoctrination that requires no physical contact. We keep it true in my sorority.

Misconception # 4: “Why would I join a sorority, what good would it bring me?” Three words: sisterhood, leadership and philanthropy. Sorority membership brings lasting friendships that continue throughout your life. The sorority becomes a “home away from home” for many women. Sorority women share friendships that are a special bond unlike any other. Sorority sisters share their joys and disappointments, learn and grow together, and appreciate the loyalty of friends, and sisters that they know will always be there.

Moreover, membership in sororities is one of the best ways you can discover and refine your leadership skills. Within each chapter, members may assume a variety of leadership roles ranging from chairing committees to holding major offices. Sororities provide leadership opportunities for women who will become respected professionals and community leaders after graduation. In fact, most of our successful women in our country right now are sorority members in the persons of Winnie Monsod, Betty Go-Belmonte and many of the professors in UP. In the US , much is true on this. Statistics shows that 62% of campus leadership positions are held by Greeks, meaning sorority women, 76% of campus honoraries are Greek, 89% of US supreme court justices have been Greek and of the United States’ 50 largest companies, 43 are headed by Greek alumnae. Quite interesting, isn’t it?

Another important part of sororities is philanthropy. It is the giving of time, service, and funds to the community. During the year, sorority women strive to strengthen their relationship with the community by increasing individual member involvement in worthwhile community and campus events. Sororities sponsor events for a cause such as Bayanihan, Donate a Blood Activity, participating in socio-civic activities like Gawad Kalinga and a lot more. These projects are a wonderful opportunity to have a good time with your sisters as well as making a difference in the community.

Now tell me at this point that what I just mentioned are purely hallucinations and skepticisms. Facts show, as based on experience, that sororities aren’t bad influences after all. In fact, I must attest that it’s the other way around. Here’s a beautiful quote I’d like to share: “From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it.” That’s what sorority life is all about.

(The end.)

Whenever people learn that I am sorority lady, most of their impression is, “Oh! Really? Why? And their follow-up questions to that would mostly be, “How come? What happened?” And their faces, now showing a disheartened spirit. It’s as if they cannot accept for themselves that I am already into a sorority right now. And before I can defend my side, they already began to sermon me of why I joined in a sorority.

Fellows, this I can assure you: sororities are not really the type of cliques you think they are – that sororities bring no good to the welfare of the ladies entering it. This I can assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that sorority life is not one big party; in fact it’s a lot of hard work and dedication. According to Mr. Webster, sororities are supportive environments that enhance the educational experience of college women through opportunities inside and outside of the classroom. Very true, I must say. Being part of the sorority for almost three years makes me compelled to redefine and restructure the common notion of sororities at the back of your minds. My very goal right now is to change the misconceptions and skepticisms of sororities. I will be citing two points for this week’s issue and another two the following week.

Misconception # 1: Many people believe that its only focuses are only to party and get drunk. Yes it is very much true that one of the most exciting aspects of Greek life is the social experience it offers. But it would be very much unfair that the real intention of holding events would only be seen as something it is not. Formals, theme parties, homecoming events, intramural sports and of course the Greek Week or the sorority week are examples of the social opportunities sorority women share. These activities are not only fun for the members; they bond sorority members together as a family and build unity within the entire sorority. These shared experiences will actually make your collegiate years, and those to follow, a most rewarding experience.

Misconception # 2: “If I join a sorority it will take up all my time and my grades will suffer.” False. Actually the opposite is true. Upon joining a sorority, you should not worry that your grades will drop because you do not get enough study time! Sorority women help their new members develop study skills through scholarship programs and individual help. The incentives and support offered by the sorority help all members achieve and maintain high academic standards. In my sorority, for instance, a grade requirement is necessary. Meaning, you have to meet with the sorority’s academic obligation to its members or else a disciplinary action shall be imposed on you. The sorority understands that the primary purpose of going to academic institutions is for academic excellence. And the sorority’s role on achieving this is very vital. The sorority will not be there to make you ineffective as a student but rather to make you a productive one.

Before I’d end the first part of this article, I’d like to leave you with a quote that I really like most: “From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it.” That’s what sorority life is all about.

(to be continued…)

People ask me of what I would want to become when I grow up. Surprisingly for them, my answer doesn’t usually fit to what they expected from a youth like me who has been part of politically-inclined families. They are expecting me to follow the footsteps of my father, at least. I have thought of that ever since, yes, but now that I have reached college wherein plans of the future have already been mapped at least not too sharp, I have realized that I want something new for myself. As I continue to unravel the cosmopolitan world, I have come to think that there’s a bigger world for me out there and there’s always a place allotted for me someday in that bigger world. I want to be a cosmopolite. I want to travel around the world. I am eager to discover new things about the wonders in life. And of course how can I forget, one of my top priorities, I always want to continue the legacy of my family – I want to serve the people in whatever way I can. And nevertheless, enjoy. I always want to live in a simple and happy life full of fun and excitement. I always dreamed of a family living in an undemanding lifestyle harmoniously. I always want life to be simply perfect. That’s why in my article for this issue, I’ve tried to research something fabulous on one of my favorite countries I plan to visit soon – Brazil. Below are some of the facts about this beautiful, close-to-nature, country.

Brazil with its capital Brasilia is located in the Eastern part of South America bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of almost two hundred million with an area of about eight million five hundred thousand square kilometers. That’s roughly twenty eight times as big as the Philippines. And olá (hello), Brazil is a Portuguese-speaking country. Now doubt Portuguese is one the top ten most popular languages in the world according to the census.

What’s interesting about this country is that this country is a bit like the Philippines.

Like us, Brazilians are very emotional and much attached with their families and friends. Before they make conversations, it is necessary for them to give a kiss on their cheeks (we call it beso-beso) or a handshake. Asking about the family’s background and how the family is going on is very important likewise. In that way, you show your deep concern for them.

Brazilians like coffee as much as we do. They are also very into coffee, and that they serve really strong coffee. These coffees are now served mostly during business transactions. When it comes to business dealings however, Brazilians are very particular with time so that when you make appointments with them, make it at least two weeks in advance. Never try to make impromptu calls at business or government offices. During meetings, Brazilians start on time (a very reflecting part for the Filipinos). Gift giving in doing business meetings is also usual in Brazil so that the host will have to give a present to her colleagues or if not he must buy lunch or dinner instead during or after the transaction.

An unfamiliar fact about its people is that they have this unique gesture that they do every time they express appreciation to someone; that is, Brazilians pinch their earlobes in front of the person they admire using their thumbs and forefingers. For what reason they’re doing this, I still don’t have a clue, but I’ll promise to know the reason behind this as soon as I interview a Brazilian the moment I’ll be in Brazil. I mean, we can always dream right? It’s the only thing left here on earth that is free, so just dream on.

Here’s more. If somebody asks you a question and you do not know what the answer is, just flick your fingertips underneath your chin. It indicates that you do not know the answer to the question. Imagine it and try doing it. Its fun and amazing realizing that we only see this in cartoons shows.

Before I close this article, I want leave some questions for reflection to help us realize what it takes to be a Filipino. What can we say about these Brazilians? How do they differ from us? Do we have “strange” qualities too that are exceptional in our culture? What are these? Are we proud of these traits and customs we have like the Brazilians do? Or do we, like most of us, forget our customs and traditions our ancestors passed on to us?

Adeus!

We ask ourselves why do we migrate to other countries? Why is it that according to the Pulse Asia survey of 2005 one out of five Filipinos expressed their desire to migrate? According to an article titled “Globalization and Migration”: “In the last 30 years, a “culture of migration” has emerged, with millions of Filipinos eager to work abroad, despite the risks and vulnerabilities they are likely to face.”

Moreover, more recent Pulse Asia in 2005 found an increasing percentage of adult respondents — 26 percent in July and 33 percent in October — agreeing with the statement, “If it were only possible, I would migrate to another country and live there.” Interest in leaving the country is not limited to adults. In a nationwide survey in 2003 of children ages 10 to 12, 47 percent reported that they wished to work abroad someday. Sixty percent of children of overseas foreign workers said they had plans to work abroad. Let me take the country’s history in terms of its migration, “Since the 1970s, the Philippines…has supplied all kinds of skilled and low-skilled workers to the world’s more developed regions. As of December 2004, an estimated 8.1 million Filipinos — nearly 10 percent of the country’s 85 million people — were working and/or residing in close to 200 countries and territories. “

This rate of migration is actually increasing every year so that in 2004 alone, 933,588 OFWs left the country. What would be its implications?

Simple. The citizens of our country, especially the migrants and those who expressed their interests to migrate, have lost their trust to the state being an institution that would provide basic and other essential needs to its people. The push and pull theory of migration will explain this: People moved either because social and economic forces in the place of destination impelled them to do so, or because they were attracted to places of destination by one or more social and economic factors there. In the case of the Philippines, the first premise of the theory is true: Filipinos migrate because economic forces in here in our country impelled our citizens to do so. Why do this happen? Again, the issue will run in a cyclic manner. Why can’t our own country provide us with all our needs? Simple. The reason we Filipinos developed a “culture of migration” is the very “culture of corruption” that is creeping from one generation to the next. Kaya nga tayo di umuunlad, eh. This is, I believe, the very reason why we Filipinos go the same flow to what is “fashioned”, to what is “dominant.” The reason why we now are attached to globalization so deeply that even our concept of migration has gotten to the nerves of our people – even compromising family and societal relationships with one another – is that we think that because the United States head this, and because we think that US is strong and dominant and has a stable economy in a sense, we deduced that globalization is thus essential and inevitable and is therefore good; so why not adopt it and go where the orientation is so we’ll eventually be a super-power like the US? The sad fact is that it brings no good to us, no good to me and definitely no good to my family. Yes, I concede that it brings money to the family of the migrant and to the nation as a whole in the form of remittances, but it actually don’t do us any good more than the money it can offer. As a Filipino critic said it, “All over the world, dehumanization serves the interests of the multinational capitalists who regard people as human resources…to secure a condition of perpetual servitude, poverty, and exploitation for the next generations of Filipinos.”

So what are we going to do about this? To be honest? I don’t know. It would be hard if only dots of the whole imagery are only the ones working to whatever desirable change we can think of for our country. Our main problem here as I have pointed out earlier is the incompetence of our country’s leaders in running the government. So how can we address this? Change the set of leaders we currently have? Change the system of government? Then this will be another story all together. Then let’s go more specific. The very basic problem we have right now is the incapacity of the state to literally feed all its citizen (the very reason why Filipinos migrate – for survival, for greener pasture). Therefore, if we see it this way, then I think the best way to address this problem is for the government to adopt reforms in their programs that would address the basic needs of the citizens. Moreover, since migration has been a trend, the government therefore should establish programs that would promote and protect the rights of the migrants. I say not just establish programs that are beautifully written in paper but I mean programs that will be properly implemented for the protection of these unsung heroes. After all, they bring pride and extra help to our nation’s economy.

There have been tons of reading materials on globalization from all sorts of perspective but all of these perspectives boil down to its grass root level of definition, that is, globalization is a politico-economic strategy. Of who will benefit globalization, the perspectives have different stands on this. What my stand therefore will be based from Alice G. Guillermo’s definition on globalization:

“…globalization is not a diffuse universal trend, but is constructed from within the hub of American imperialist power from which it expands to cover the rest of the globe, particularly the developing, countries of Asia and Latin America..”

What is so bad about globalization is its implied way of how we are molded to live like Americans: that in the long run, despite the leading technologies they have, we will, like them, become totally strangers to one another. I always hate the idea of how, for instance, they “slowly kill” their olds. I mean sending them to home-for-the-aged makes me so sick.

Moreover, considering Dr. Jane Kelsey’s definition as cited by Guillermo, globalization for her is “the community of economies:” “it excludes from consideration any ‘non-economic’, social and political issues like human rights, poverty, employment, unless they are redefined in trade-related terms…States, governments, indigenous peoples, paid and unpaid workers, women, children, communities, and ecosystems are all irrelevant, except as vehicles to promote the interests of capital or resources to fuel production and profits.”

Personally, I don’t think globalization will bring any good to us, especially here in our country, a still-developing country, to put it in a beautiful term. Globalization is as if everything is run by trades, nothing more, nothing less. How about other aspects in our society? How about our interpersonal, political, social, moral development? We cannot risk these dimensions and say, “Hey, let’s unite and think in an economical sense. With this, everything good will follow.” This is impossible.

Though I concede that globalization, one way or another, has brought good to the lives of some of the migrants and their families in terms of uplifting their families’ economic capacity (including my family’s), and in the broader sense has actually helped the country’s economy in the form of remittances, it actually is in fact not a strong excuse for us to undermine other institutions in our society that basically weighs as important as improving the economy of one’s country and of the world as a whole.

If globalization has brought good to our country then why are we experiencing the dilemmas it has brought as an effect of its presence? On the next issue, I will be considering more issues on migration— on why Filipinos escape our country and move abroad.

(to be continued…)

Let me start this essay by saying that my mother is an Overseas Contract Worker (OCW) in the Middle East. She has been practicing her profession as a nurse for around eighteen years in Saudi Arabia. Since her contract is renewable every ten months, she gets to go home on the eleventh and the twelfth months respectively which is actually equivalent to a fifty day-vacation here in the Philippines. That means we in the family get to see my mother 50 days out of 365 days a year. And numbers will not lie that of my nineteen years now in this world, I have just lived with my mother physically present in our home for about 900 days only, equivalent to even less than three years.

I have one aunt and one uncle who happened to be younger siblings of my father. No kidding, I only saw them every time they get back to the Philippines. And how are they visiting the Philippines? Well, every five years. So that means I only saw them for less than five times in my whole life.

All because the three of them migrated abroad. All because of globalization. There were so many times I am saddened by the truth that my mother isn’t with us for almost twenty years. During my childhood, during my high school days, I had always wanted to understand the feeling of a home having a mother physically present to guide and take care of the three of us, her kids – to help me in my puberty stage (because I am the only girl in our house aside from our house help), and to manage my two younger brothers who always engage in so many fights simply because at times my father cannot handle them both. I mean, there’s always a big and clear distinction on how a father and a mother trains and manages the household, right? But then again this thinking has always been overruled by the fact that it is but about family survival and “good” living that pushed my mother for this option. Let me also stress that my father never wanted this idea of my mom leaving us to find a higher-compensated job abroad. My father had been the Chief Executive for 12 years and now a local legislator in one of the towns in Bohol. This idea of average and simple living in terms of economic wealth (because a town in the provinces is really poorer as compared to the towns and cities here in the Metro) yet living in a community where people get to respect you because of the family’s political background is still not a weighted reason for my mom not to leave the country. After all, how much does a local official get as compared to an OFW’s monthly salary anyway? My mother cannot just swallow in the idea of poverty creeping into all Filipinos as our country’s economy continues to flunk each day. On the other extent, I can’t blame my mother if she opts to work abroad for I know that all she is thinking right now, her very reason of leaving us and working overseas, is that she wants to give us fairer lives, better lives as compared to how people live in towns and provinces. I realized, I would not have been in UP right now if it isn’t because of my mom supporting me. The cost of living here in Manila is far more expensive than in my province. For instance, a meal here in UP would cost me P35-80 whereas that same delicious meal can only be bought for only P15-25 in my province. And this has been manifested through all other forms of living here in Manila as compared in the provinces so to say.

On the other hand, looking at my mother’s perspective, I cannot fully imagine how she basically was able to survive working in Saudi alone for almost two decades already. I can still recall when she experienced her biggest problem she encountered there as an OCW about five years ago. This experience she had is in fact a problem not just to her but mostly to all non-Arabian workers. In the case of the nurses there, miscommunication between nurse-patient will surely arise if for instance there is a culture gap (and obviously there’s really a culture gap knowing that my mom is a Filipino and all her patients aren’t). Some patients may not understand them the way others do. Some patients especially the natives of Saudi are really abusive to their rights as citizens of the country. Once these patients will actually file complain to the management to any non-Arabian nurse (mainly because of miscommunication), the Arabian government, without further and thorough investigation will automatically lean on to the side of the Arabian patient complaining so that the one non-Arabian individual will only have 25 per cent chance to win the case. Luckily, my mom has gained the administration’s trust thus she was able to win the case otherwise she would have been whipped 150 times or more if she had lose the case. This is only one of the many horrible stories our migrants experience abroad. The *** thing here is that my mom cannot actually do anything about it other than to abide more strictly to the country’s laws because obviously she cannot move and work here in the Philippines because of a very relatively low compensation here not even enough to pay for my college education. In other words, all these sufferings from culture discrimination, all these pains she experienced because of the fact that she is away from us, her family, all of these, she actually ate it all up for us, for her family. Never mind her condition there as long as she can bring hope and inspiration to her family, to me.

Needless to say, the impact of globalization on the very medium of migration has its pros and cons. But I would say more on the cons, as based to my experience.

On the next issue, I will be talking more on the definition per se of the term globalization and more on its impact in the migration side.

(to be continued)