Archive for the "Opinionated Me" Category

On the Japanese

July 19th, 2007
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Found this article in Japan Times. Matthew Fargo, a language expert, considers the Japanese people to be hilarious. Quoted from the article:

“I think Japanese people have a wonderful sense of humor, so I don’t know why people think Japanese people are serious. I think Japanese people are hilarious. They’re making me laugh more than anybody,” Fargo says.

Considering the really funny manga (comics) and countless entertaining JDrama, I would have to agree with Fargo. Looks like they’re channelling all their “funny streak” in manga and TV. But living in the midst of them, it’s entirely different… more so working with them.

In here, you could work in the same desk for months without knowing the name of the person sitting next to you. Another weird, troubling, and a little bit funny thing is the way most of them behave towards foreigners. Majority seem to avoid or keep the maximum distance as much as possible. In the trains, the vacant seat next to me is often the last one being occupied.

But just like any other race, you could still find some who are friendly, even to foreigners. On rare occasions, some of our teammates joke around while at work. Still, the overall rating of work atmosphere: serious. But then this is how everyone should be while at work… yes? no? ^-^

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No Longer a Third World Country?

May 24th, 2007
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Taken from an article in Philippine Inquirer:

Philippines now ‘Second World,’ says Arroyo

“The economy is showing strong signs of health, not only because of the stock market or the strong peso, but on the fact that at last our people will be enjoying a per capita income of 1,400 dollars this year,” Arroyo said.
“Right now, we’re not Third World anymore. At 1,400 dollars we are now Second World, a middle class country, and we’ll be able to achieve, if we are able to continue the trajectory of (a) one percent decline in the poverty level, we can reach hopefully the First World status by the year 2020,” she said.


How do you really define first, second and third world? And the Filipinos receiving 1,400 dollars per capita income this year? Hahaha! Very funny… ‘coz the way I see it, especially in rural areas, many people are becoming jobless and prices are shooting up. I see more people having more difficult lives.

When I was still working in the Philippines, it really hurt a lot seeing my payslip with the 25-30% income tax deduction. I talked to a Japanese friend and she told me that their income tax is only about 10%! I would have paid my tax whole-heartedly if I am sure that it is used for the benefit of everyone. But no, last time I heard from the news, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) still was 40% off from its projected tax collection. The saddest part is, most of the tax evaders are the “big fishes”. Another thing that really infuriates me is the misuse of government funds. Why does the government allocate hundreds of millions of pesos for the election campaign funds?

Seeing the Philippines attain the status of a first-world country is really a wishful thinking. Unless the corruption is minimized (if not at all eliminated), and every Filipino take on the responsibility of reviving our country, then it’s just another impossible feat.

Philippines is my home. Despite everything, I still choose to stay there someday for good. I may not be a good citizen but I still want and I still hope that one day, Philippines will at least become what we, Filipinos hope it would become. ^-^
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