#Filipino-American balikbayan visiting the #Philippines baffled by blatant colonial mentality!

By -


I'm in Manila right now. I'm a 1.5 generation immigrant to the U.S., and it is my first time back after 11 years. I'm basically American in every way, but I understand and speak Tagalog. I haven't been wearing makeup due to the heat, and my attires have been low-key ie just been wearing dresses to combat the oppressive heat.

My point is, I'm not the type of balikbayan who scoops up department store discounts. I've been to a couple of stores, and I'm guessing due to my appearance (I hiked Mt. Pulag and I'm quiet DARK), none of the assistants would give me the time of day. Same in restaurants, I've had to seek out the host to ask for a table. What gives? It's not until I speak in perfect American English that I'm treated like a person. I didn't experience this in the provinces. Just in the capital. So despite being fluent in Filipino, I've been speaking almost exclusively in English just so service workers will give me the time of day.

Sorry that was long-winded, but this type of behavior is unacceptable. The Filipino tries to promote an image of humility and hospitality overseas, but they can't even treat their own people with respect. Even the passport control officer gave me the stink eye for presenting my Philippine passport and speaking in English (sorry I spoke out of habit? It's been about a decade after all).

How is the Filipino supposed to contribute to the world if they discriminate against their fellow Filipino?

---------------
This is a GRP Featured Comment. Join the discussion!
http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2015/06/do-filipino-immigrants-really-contribute-to-the-greatness-of-the-united-states-and-other-countries/#comment-1176457

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular this week

Filipinos are taught by their parents to flush at public toilets with their feet. Is this RIGHT??

By -
Image
Public toilets in the Philippines are seen to be dirty. As such many Filipinos are taught by their parents to use their feet to operate the flush lever after using a public toilet. The prevalence of this practice was confirmed after a tweet from a Filipino Netizens describing the practice attracted wide approval... Is this the right way to solve the problem of unsanitary public toilets in the Philippines? By teaching kids to use their feet to operate such facilities? It's more like teaching them to be inconsiderate and rather than be good members of the community. No wonder public facilities in the Philippines suck. It's because their users suck.
Read more

The sound of a #Tagalog convo: 'like chickens and hens cackling in unison'

By -
Image
While I'm not sure the language should totally go the way Latin did, one can't deny the limited use of Tagalog. As it is now, a sentence can't be done without two or three borrowed words in English which makes it redundant in academia. Somehow you gotta address the technical jargon but there really is no equivalent to it in Tagalog so the English term just ends up jammed in between the local vernacular. Nevermind the fact that reading Tagalog online is cringey no matter who wrote it. Add the fact that it just doesn't sound pleasing to the ear. Normal conversation with Tagalog is like chickens and hens cackling in unison to the uninitiated. It's the peasants' language through and through. ------------ This is a GRP Featured Comment. Join the discussion! http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2014/06/kudos-to-the-commission-on-higher-education-ched-for-finally-junking-tagalog/comment-page-1/#comment-544143
Read more

What good are Filipino "activists" to ordinary Filipinos?

By -
Image
This question is leaving an increasing number of Filipinos utterly stumped, specially nowadays, ironically, considering the number of activist circuses that spring from the ground everyday. But that is exactly the problem. Protest rallies  spring then fizzle at every drop of a hat in recent months. Much of what these rallyists protest can't even be considered to be things one would normally be outraged about anymore. Most ordinary Filipinos simply get on with it. But not these "activists". The things they consider to be important from their cushy ivory towers are too lofty for the average Filipino to care about. After all, how relevant, for example, is "feminism" to the average Pinoy? Can "human rights" be eaten for breakfast? Would whoever happen to be sitting in Malacanang actually make any difference to the average Filipino schmoe? See, this is the trouble with today's "activism". The show put up by these "militants" a
Read more

The slow steep decline of Camp John Hay in #Baguio under #Filipino management

By -
Image
Camp John Hay (Baguio) is a perfect example of this. Back when the US bases were still existing it was touted as the best R&R facility for US military personnel in the Pacific. Unfortunately, much of Camp John Hay now, despite its purported "corporate care," is mired in stacks of intricate court cases. Hotels which are supposed to bring in cash to Baguio are still closed due to litigation. Around a dozen old bunk houses have been bulldozed for faux-log cabins nobody uses anyway. The corporations which supposedly take care of Camp John Hay's well-being refuse to pay taxes to the government because they think they have some sort of "special privilege." At the center of this all is a lawyer-politician under the Liberal Party banner who has plans to become Baguio's mayor. Furthermore, his SJW wife turns her back and keeps silent over John Hay's wanton environmental degradation, and rather be more vocal against the earthballing of trees at SM Baguio
Read more