WAKE UP CALL FOR FELLOW FILIPINOS I am a Filipina & I do agree with what you\'ve posted in here! Some Filipinos might get insulted because we are a race of mighty proud people but sometimes, that pride becomes our downfall. I really hate it when we tend to hate foreigners who say something bad about the country but in reality, they are just telling the truth! The truth may hurt but then, why not for once, we take those bad comments as constructive criticisms? Why don\'t we get up our asses & do something about it? If we really want to impress other countries, then why don\'t we help each other & do our part in making our country something that we can really be proud of?
Had the article been written with more finesse and responsibility, it would have been more convincing and less rant-y. Everything just felt irresponsibly written. The word \"dump\" I am positive can be rewritten to make it less offensive, and maybe then the hate emails the author would receive would not be as many as it is.
What I am more disappointed about is the fact that most Filipinos who are commenting on this article have lost faith in their country. Yes, it is necessary to admit the problems that we are facing. It is necessary to look them in the eyes and accept them. However, the act of repeatedly putting down the country I would not hesitate to qualify as treason. It is the greatest manifestation of the fact that nationalism in the Philippines is at its lowest point. The Filipinos who are complaining about the bad governance and dirty airports have no right to do so if they have been taking an active role in the reformation of their society; this I highly doubt they do. They complain and complain yet they do not do anything about it -- they simply let things be. A sincere love for the country is what we need to experience progress, and this love is true nationalism. But true nationalism most definitely can never be equated to patriotism. True nationalism requires action, i.e. to reeducate ourselves with the problems of our society, to have a broader sense of Philippine history that is pro-Filipino and to not subscribe to biased colonial historiography, to be critical thinkers, and to have a sense of loyalty to the country -- to not leave the country simply because it is in shambles.
We cannot Filipinos cannot call the country a sinking ship and simply leave to some well-off land. That is nothing if not irresponsible.
totally agree.. i'm a Filipina by the way,,
wish the powerful ones in the government would realize something through this.. i hate the government because it\'s not that helpful to the people..if i could just speed up the process for our migration, i\'d gladly do it..i want to spend my life in a better place than here..many had promised so many things to help this country but just passed and even left more problem for the nation..it\'s every powerful man for himself..and it\'s kindda making it hopeless for this country..but i still pray that things would still turn out ok..anyway..thank you for this blog about our country..at least it\'s an eye opener..
i\'m a filipino and i\'ve been living here in manila for almost 2 decades. i must admit, I AGREE with everything you just said here. awful prices for stuffs of bad quality, awfully maintained structures, oh and you\'re lucky you haven\'t experienced a night stroll in manila where polite citizens would greet you with a knife for anything you got in your pocket. you\'re right though, i\'ve been to the other rural places here in philippines, they\'re beautiful and i\'ve some of the most memorable times of my life. i hope you tell more foreigners about this, NEVER should they try staying here in manila, it\'s just a place full of business scums(i should also warn you about the politicians, uggh biggest scums ever).
and i\'m no hater also :) really, i\'m just saying the truth.
I\'m a Filipino but I have to agree with you... Maynila.... An example is they\'re building things (Condominiums to be specific) but they\'re building it in the wrong places. The government is really the problem not poverty, overpopulation or whatever. Sorry to say this but Marcos\' leadership is waayyyy better (in terms of leadership) than any of the ones who followed him. When he was president the Philippines is one of the top countries in Asia. Damn... >_<
I\'m a Filipino and all I can say is that this is so true. I always travel to the city of Manila since my school is located there. I hate the fact that I study in Manila especially the pollution I am exposed to almost every day along Taft Avenue. Thank God my school is at the southern edge of Manila (well that leaves a clue to where I actually study, if you are actually familiar to Manila) and I don\'t get to see more dirt and pollution along Taft. According to my professor, Manila has no good (or, nothing at all, i forgot what he told us exactly) sewerage system, which means when it rains... and it floods... Disgusting. Think of all you can think. Totally disgusting. So unbearable that I always wished I studied somewhere else. The people are kind? Well, I guess that\'s not so true at all right now. It\'s totally disappointing. Really. I cannot wait for me to graduate so I can work abroad. I am proud to be a Filipino. But that does not mean I will stick to the Philippines forever. I\'ll be practical, it\'s hard to change Manila when only 1% of the population (or less) actually cares about improving it.
I think I wrote so much. If you want I/we can add up to your article, so that you will have references as to what Filipinos really think of Manila. Again, thank you for your sensible and constructive opinion.
Manila Man, you hit it spot on. i was born and raised in manila, well, the suburbs to be exact, bout 30 minutes away. sad to say, i remember a time when i used to look forward to going to manila to visit my aunts and uncles, but now anymore. i refuse to go there unless it is absolutely necessary. I applaud your fresh take on things, not like some of my narrow-minded country men who im afraid may have misplaced their patriotism that they cant see past the fecal matter on their nose. Ive always believed that its those on the outside, looking in are those with the best views. Thank you sir.
things the eyes don't see i agree how ugly the Philippines is, how distateful and awful it could be especially to those who's grown living with all the grandiousity this world could offer, but why do u look at the things ur eyes can only see which we know do not last? but everything the eyes cannot see is everything that last. u may travel to every corner of the earth and be amazed by all the beauties it could show u, but they would only satisfy the calling of ur body and fail to even leave a mark on ur heart. why do u think some people who do not belong to this country have loved it? it's because they have seen what u failed to see. the poverty of this country and its fear and love for God made its people strong and enduring under any circumstances, having survived at any place and situation. we take delight to our suffering bec. we know through this we're made strong and learn to value every little thing, and depend to God and only to Him. God is providing us what this world could never provide. this is the real treasure, this is what will last forever.
This person wasn't happy with his stay but he keeps coming back. I'm sure you love Manila all you really want is improvement. Yes you are disappointed with NAIA because that's the first thing you see when your plane lands. Try other hotels then if you don't like what you see in Discovery Suites. But thank you for your honest opinion, this blog should be an eye-opener. for IMPROVEMENT.
I'm Filipino, but I agree. I mean, come on, what do you guys expect? Good commentaries in the midst of Manila's extremely corrupted and populated area?
True I agree with you..... Eventhough the philippines is like this , we enjoy living in here,.. Yeah manila need some sort of improvements ,.. but the problem here is,.. not manila,.. not the law,... the law is great ,.. but SOME PEOPLE managing the government is the very problem, that makes Philippines so UGLY in perspective , they they just sit there talk , enjoying the people out there working hard... ,.. some of them corrupt that's why YOU Post this Blog so that we can know,... but we knew .. people here corrupt , even poor people corrupt ,.. they are just chains of what the people in the government have done into this country,... Lot of us take criticism , we know also some country criticize us while I'm typing this comment. I bet you saw that do you?... yeah some of us (filipinos) would be hurt while reading your blog . they comment and just say anything to you.. they CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU REALLY MEAN ABOUT THIS BLOG. thank you ..
Hi! first of all I want to thank you for honestly speaking your mind.
I'm not surprised if you receive negative feedback
I just hope that this article can at least awaken even just a little bit portion of their minds that Philippines is getting worse than ever!
I'm a filipino :)
You are correct you are right about Manila, and I agree with some of the things you have said.. the smart ones leave the country because of the dirty politics, an economy that doesn't improve and narrow minded people. Though there is a chance for improvement, though very SLIM. Hey 0.01% chance is still a chance no matter how you think of it
those straight-to-the-point words hurts, but I couldn't disagree you stated very bad things about manila but as I imagine the whole city it's just as right as you said. I hope this blog would be read by the people here and be more aware of how the city is going into dump.
Iceberg Dude, that's just the tip of the iceberg. The things you noticed were but a mere fraction. There are a lot of other "not-so-good" things in Manila (and that's putting it lightly!) Most people here think that progress is measured by the number of decent structures (like malls) rather than the quality of living. I'm a Filipino, and I think that Manila is an overpopulated, too-cramped-up hell-hole that will probably do better as some sort of walled city that functions as a prison than an actual city where people work and live.
Don't get me wrong. I love my country, I love my people. It just sucks that everyone's focusing their energy on blasting at people like you when you tell the truth rather than fix the problems that you actually took time to point out to us.
I am a Filipino and I agree 100%
Consider appealing to our government which seems to be untouchable.
And if you ever try to poke it..
you might find yourself defunct by the forces of government officials..
:) Nice post but its like you want to post comments and tell us your perspective on something and then you want people not to get angry and just agree with you?i think for merely 2 decades you've stayed in the Philippines it made you rich and it made you who you are right now..instead of complaining about shits why not come here and clean the Ilog Pasig ! duh your too old, i think you need to rest your mind and stop complaining life.just live with it.. but hey! seriously your post was great and i still agree with you man.MANILA is a dirty place.
... I do agree with you. Even though I am a Filipino, I often complain of the heavy traffic especially in EDSA. Living in this city is like living in hell.. many people from the countryside had come to Manila to find jobs but instead be forced to build their houses in unlikely areas , like riversides.. poor traffic system, flood control and implementation of traffic laws.. for the people who should be implementing the laws are violators themselves.. politicians listen to their own private interests.. instead of prioritizing the plea of the people... they keep on pulling each other down, rather than be one and help pull up the country's ever deteriorating state and economy.. It is definitely sad to read posts like these from you, especially for me, since I'm a Filipino myself. But no matter what my fellows say, it's the truth.. The truth that can never be buried or disregarded..
I'am Filipino, based in Sydney. I totally agree with this blog. it\'s really sad, but it is indeed soooo true. it's unfortunate, really. if only the government would take actions, and I mean really TAKE actions. Philippines is and would have stayed as beautiful as it was.
But unfortunately, GREED is the disease that's killing the tourism of this country. GREED has taken over, people there don\'t recognise the word "help" and "give" any more...it is all about taking. It is all about who's got all. This is why Philippines is not on the list of places to visit for most the Aussie's I know. My boyfriend's Australian. but to be honest, we would rather go Bangkok, than go Manila.
You're right the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, is indeed the same as it was. I hope people in the government would realise that they have to renovate the bloody airport! Like come on, can't they see? NAIA is waaaayyyy to shabby!!! they even dare to call it international terminal, but with complete honestly, it does look like other country's domestic terminal.
I pray that one day, those who can make a difference in the Phils. will really make a difference. But I also pray that when that time comes, it\'s not yet to late.
That is the truth I am a FIlipino, but I will not defend the Philippines and say that what you just mentioned is purely discriminating. The reality is, your criticisms are completely true. The Philippines have grown to its worst. Corrupt politicians who'd rather invest people's taxes on their own bank accounts rather than putting up roads. Businesses who are satisfied with providing the worst service probably available in all asia (from internet services to hotels). People who just do not care and tends to just forget the history (e.g. Marcos fall out in 1980s after 20 yrs. Marcos(es) back in power). We have just been really left behind. I hope the government will soon realize this and start reversing what has come.
Oh yes. Hello sir! I just read your blog post. Just a few cents worth. Yes, I am Filipino. Yes, I live in Manila (though I was born in the provinces). Do I think it is the same drab, dirty, polluted, congested cesspool that you described? Oh yes. And you're right about a lot of things in your post. But I'd like to say that we Filipinos are a hardened race. You know what I mean. Colonization, government in shambles, economy going down the pits... name it. Wait, you already did. So, what I really mean is, despite the very vivid description (sir, actually, you haven't scratched the surface), most Filipinos are aware of this, and the fact of the matter is, they just can't accept it easily. I know you just tell it the way you see it, which is the right thing to do. But it is sad to know people from over the world are seeing our country like this. It is a shame - Once a pearl in the east, now a dump... But despite all of these things, I still find ways to hope for our country. Even with the fact that the "smart ones" leave. Not all of us may be "smart" enough, but we do have hope. Someday. Maybe not in my lifetime, but I do still have hope. And oh yeah, we almost got "smart" enough to leave this cesspool. But this is the only cesspool/dump/pit of a country we got. And I thank you for the post.
Hotel in Ortigas There\'s a Crowne Plaza in that area. Try it sometime, I love it there. Although I\'m biased because I work for the InterContinental Hotels Group. :-)
As for the rest of the city, your observation is accurate. The government wants to kiss the voters asses by allowing the masses to live in their sub-standard concept of acceptable living conditions. They allow them to litter and violate simple traffic rules to make them think they are free and living in a democratic country. This way of thinking is something that I\'m afraid will not be fixed within my life time. Part of me wants to leave as well.
haha I am amused of this review
pretty much true
everything overpriced, old to antique equipment, etc.
well all I want to say dear sir,
try coming back to the Philippines
and not spend that much by not going to those fancy hotels
try living amongst us
you'll see the true beauty of Filipinos
ahaha
but no offense
most of it was true
and I can really see where you are coming from
I could be described as a flaneur - Dictionary definition: "an intellectual and physical wanderer, observer of life".
I travel extensively in Asia, the Middle East and East Africa.
My tales, stories and rants here are part fact/part fiction but, I hope, always stimulating and sometimes irritating. PLEASE don't take them too seriously - they are meant to inform but also to amuse and to get under your skin. I hope there's a bit of an "edge" in what I write sometimes.
For those that take themselves over-seriously: it's a BLOG! Not "the Truth"... just my weird personal take on... full info
chris
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WAKE UP CALL FOR FELLOW FILIPINOS
I am a Filipina & I do agree with what you\'ve posted in here! Some Filipinos might get insulted because we are a race of mighty proud people but sometimes, that pride becomes our downfall. I really hate it when we tend to hate foreigners who say something bad about the country but in reality, they are just telling the truth! The truth may hurt but then, why not for once, we take those bad comments as constructive criticisms? Why don\'t we get up our asses & do something about it? If we really want to impress other countries, then why don\'t we help each other & do our part in making our country something that we can really be proud of?