Pinoy Penman

IT'S TIME to dig into our mailbag for some interesting responses from the readers. I’m publishing three such comments below, all verbatim, with these readers’ kind permission. I'm not saying that these are necessarily the best-written ones, or those I most strongly agree or disagree with; let's just say they have an edge to them that others might find engaging. From now on, I’ll be providing the readers’ e-mail addresses as well, so that other readers can respond directly to them if they so wish.


On “Civil Society?”


great dilemma you put out there. and i'm sure its one mulled over (well, maybe not really) each generation of a hopeful citizenry striving to make heads or tails of our political fiesta. some want the panache to transcend the barbarism of a physical attack. of course, others may just simply want to bash in someone's face, preferably that of a perceived symbol of what is antithetical to the state they presently exist.

perhaps deep inside these two categories mutually envy each other and their capacities. Thing is, while i'm predisposed to one as against another (not telling which) i can see the purpose for both. i suggest, with no science backing it up either, that these actions serve to reduce the objet of their ire and dismantle whatever sense of invincibility they have. if i were forced to be silent in a state where political dissent seems to have a rather pallid face, i would attempt to put some red onto that face by showing that the perp is not all that strong. in..any..way..i. can.

and since i have such a small stature with no public persona and only a deeply cultivated rage against an oppressive government, i could understand the satisfaction of that angry mob when it lobs an egg onto a face of government. i may not do it myself, but i;m glad someone has. in turn, i will do what comes more naturally to me and hope that those who lob projectiles can find satisfaction in it as well.

in the end, whatever they do, or I do, may serve to reduce the stature of these men enough to encourage many more to speak their mind (or speak my mind for me, haha.) perhaps, its really not about shutting everyone up. its may just be about encouraging others to find their voice.

i find myself anxious in these times when dissent (perhaps even all sense of integrity) is under seige in makati. your article makes me realize even more the value of understanding the roles we each play in the lives of fellows. some write. some silence. some fight. some cheat. some throw eggs. some have it smashed in their heads.

xcm (xc_marin@yahoo.com)


On “Bettter Than Banning”


Dear Mr. Dalisay,

A couple of days ago I read your article iexpressing the view that banning Taglish would not solve the serious inadequacy of many to communicate in English.

Well, I sure am not competent to comment on your view but let me tell you what I think about the matter. Watch the local shows on TV and without any doubt you can see what kind of stuff we are made of. The circus entertainment that we all are treated to is just disgusting. You have hosts and guests whose only attribute is beauty and good looks and nothing more, whose sexual orientation and gender is exactly the opposite of what they are, who waste time discussing about people, events and situations that are best left in the trash bin. The sad part is, such inanity is tolerated, perhaps even accepted, as the norm for all types of entertainment in the country. And whose fault is that? Well, let me see who the purveyors are of this crass spectacle. The TV networks are all cashing in on the high rating of their TV shows and here is where the trick lies. A vast majority of the audience and TV watchers don't get a kick out of talk shows about history, milestones or breakthroughs and the TV stations know this. Aware of what really sells and catches the fancy of many they devote their resources to broadcasting interviews to know why a star cried during a party,or why she went to a gynycologist, or to show a male movie idol finally letting down his cover and admitting to being a gay, or that a TV host contracted a venereal disease, and so on and so forth. Hysteria, stupid questions and answers, the fun drawn from the mistake of others - these are ingredients to perpetuate ignorance, to limit one's perspective of a meaningful and responsible life.

And right behind these stations are the sponsors that are equally profit-driven and whose obsession is to produce inhabitants that smell good, look good and feel good by flooding our screen with soaps, whitening skin lotion, shampoos for soft and shiny hair, toothpaste that encourage kissing, liquors that appeal to one's libido, etc. (You don't see these sponsors possessed of lofty motivation and being dedicated to the upliftment of moral values and education of our society, do you?) What the sponsors want to achieve in this approach is two-pronged - to condition the mind of their patrons that good looks can beat all odds in life, and along the way they encourage the young to become movie stars and TV hosts whose magnificent appearance is the exact opposite of their mental condition (not all of them of course but nearly). And the other prong hits the victims right smack in their head - the poorly or hardly educated segment of the society who find satisfaction in getting their hands on such products sold on small packets or sachettes and thus generate profits for the sponsors. The result is abject - the advert entices the poor to spend money for the products and unknowingly maintain their ignorance by watching these shows. Indeed, a never ending cycle.

Given this conspiracy of TV stations and sponsors to perpetuate mundane and inane shows I am not surprised at all that generation after generation we are producing individuals better seen than heard.

It is bad enough that our educational system does not provide a real good breeding ground for developing adequate communication skill, whether in Pilipino or English. Unfortunately, it is made even worse by TV stations, sponsors, radio programs whose main pre-occupation is profit at any cost.

Now our generation has to deal with a serious deterioration, that is, the severe erosion of any desire to read books among the young ones. Sadly, many parents don't even care.

I am certain one time or another you have met, heard or watched a Pinoy who could not even speak straight Tagalog like, "gusto ko kasi na maano siya para di na maulit ang kanyang masamang ano!@#) Ang sama, ano?

Ingles pa?

Jose Banzon, Jr. (oniok_bee@yahoo.com)


On “One for My Father”


Hi:

My name will never ring a bell to you as we don't know each other from Adam and Eve. By the way, as I was reading news about the typhoon in the Philippines, I happened to read your article as I like reading Opinions and Editorials.

I was brought up by poor parents with 10 children. My father is a carpenter/farmer and my mother was a housewife. My father finished second year high school only being a son of a poor farmer, too. Besides, he had to go to the provincial capital to attend school and there was no available transporatation during that time so he had to go there on foot. My mother finished only grade five because her mother died at an early age leaving 8 siblings behind. She quit schooling to stand as the mother to her siblings, helping her father make both ends meet aside from doing all the household chores.And the rest is history.

As a housewife, she did everything excellently. As I was growing up, I was a witness to her ability to make both ends meet. She unfailingly taught us her 10 kids to do all the household chores from butchering live chicken, from unskinning the frogs to everything that requires the woman's hands in the house. She grew pigs on the side just so she had something to sell and to have money for some of our needs. During that time, we can't buy anything that we want because of the scarcity of resources.

Among the ten kids, I am number 8. My older brothers and sisters weren't able to go to college because of inadequacy of funds. In other words, they were required to work after high school just so they can raise little money for themselves and for us the little ones. When I finished grade six, I came out to be the best student and came home with flying colors. Being an honor student I enjoyed a partial scholarship in one of the private schools in my hometown, Urbiztondo, Pangasinan. When I finished high school, my father doesn't like me to go on further studies because of inavailability of funds. I cried and cried and I insisted that I go to college. My mother gave in to what I wanted then my father agreed only if I studied education which I did. Thanks to the state universities that provide almost free education to poor citizens like me. Even if I was paying Php130 for one semester, it was still hard to raise that amount. I had to rent a small bed shared with other students from other towns as well. At the end of the week I had to go back to my hometown and help my parents with whatever chores that await me. I had to fetch water, chop firewood, feed the pigs, do laundry, iron our clothes using live ember because there's no electricity yet till it's time to go back to my school on Sunday afternoon. But what I really hated most is to be brought out in the fields and harvest rice, corn or beans and be exposed under the violent rays of sun. My four year course was shortened to three and a half because I had to take summer courses to finish early and not be a burden to my parents.

After graduation, I went to Manila to look for a job. It was in 1984 when I landed my first job as an English teacher. A year later, I got married and I had my first baby. I continued teaching till I was struck by a sickness that required me to quit my job and almost took my life. With God's miracle, I was able to conquer the battle between life and death, hence, I got back to my own feet and had two more children. In the field of marriage, I consider myself unlucky. I broke up with my husband of 15 years and left the comforts of our little home and lived with my three children whose ages then were 13, 7 & 5.5 Inspite of this, my parents stood by me, prayed for me and clothed me with their undying love.

Life for me was not easy. Right now, I am teaching at the Jilin Teachers' Institute of Engineering and Technology here in China. This is my 3rd year in this country teaching Oral English and Writing courses to students majoring in English. Whenever I share my experience with my students, they would open their eyes in awe, some of them struck with disbelief and looked at me with the "i'm not the only one in this world" look.

Last year, my mother got sick and succumbed to death. It was hard for an OFW to be home but no matter what I managed to go home and paid my last respects to her. That was the first time I saw my father cried. I always look up to my father to be a man of inner strength, the one who has strong will and determination to conquer the odds that came his way. I got my strong determination from him. Last August, I went home and paid homage to my father. He is still the same man I've ever known but the only difference is he has knee problems being 77 years old. I was struck with homesickness and the urge to see my mother alive. I was used to seeing her walking, doing the household chores, preparing early breakfast, making myself coffee and preparing myfavorite suman. I miss her hugs and kisses and the warmth of her unconditional love.

Next month my older daughter will finish her Nursing course and I might or might not come home. I wish my mother would march with me and be with me during this remarkable event in my daughter's life just what she did when I graduated in college.

If only I have a time machine, I would hold back the hands of time when my mother was still the same age as I am. At the age of 42, I've been through a lot and no amount of love can give me comfort like a mother's love.

I am

Macrina Fernandez-Mamaradlo (macdoinchina@yahoo.com)

I'DLIKE to share two messages that recently came into my inbox. While I can't possibly reprint all the messages I receive, I occasionally select a few that I feel other readers might be interested in. So please continue sending me your comments at the e-mail address on this page. Unless you specifically say so or if the material is obviously intended for my eyes only (or if its publication might be harmful to you or to others), I'll assume that I can publish excerpts from your messages on this blog. Many thanks in advance!


Dear Butch,

We can read from your Dadufalza award acceptance speech that writing and doing good science are extremely similar. While scientific fact can be taught (concepts and theories), doing science cannot. Just like writing doing good science requires insight that can only be acquired by doing science.

Also the teaching of science is like the teaching of writing, brutally inefficient. Of the hundreds of science majors in this university, only a few would ever become good scientists. And this is the reason why recently in a chat with Pisay alumni (I'm not a PSHS alum, I'm from the UPIS), some suggested that PSHS be abolished and the money be used to invest in training scientists in grad school.

And like writers, scientists need a nurturing environment. While UP is a better place to be a writer and a scientist, we can still improve conditions. And I agree with you that artists and scientists on a paltry salary will not produce good art or science, but simply wither.

Benjamin Vallejo Jr PhD
Assistant Professor
Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology
University of the Philippines Diliman


Dear Penman: (to make me feel I know a superhero, as in Batman)

Your Penman columns have been entertaining and informative. As a reward, I shall tell you a few (very few) pen stories.

My father who died decades ago, collected pens. They were not necessarily vintage at the time. They just had to be sexy to him, that's all….

When I was in grade school and still using pencils, my older brother graduated to pens. My mother allowed him to use her own black Parker pen. This was the mid-50s. That Parker pen was not really black. It had what looked like white stripes on the cap and barrel. I now realize it was the classic Debutante model.

I was entranced as my brother went through an esoteric ritual. He would fetch the Parker ink bottle, set it on the table, then dip the pen in the ink bottle. Then he would move the lever as the pen sucked in the ink, draining the ink in the bottle bit by bit. One day I asked my brother if he could lend me the pen. He did. I happily brought it to school. I brought it home from school, and proceeded to do my homework. I took out the pen and promptly dropped it. I did not mean to, but it just fell. The tip of the nib split. My brother was dismayed, my mother distressed. That was the end of the Debutante.

My parents did not give up on me. Many years later, my father gave me a pen, one which I have to this day. It was my grandfather's Conklin. It looked stodgy and oversized when I used to see it in my father's cabinet. It is black, black cap and barrel. The cap has a gold band, and a gold clip that says Conklin Pat May 28, 1918. The barrel has a gold lever with the words Pat Nov17, 1925. The nib is gold and says Conklin Toledo. It looks like the Conklin Lever-Filler 1926. It is a looker, not just because it has a nice pattern on its body, a body elegantly bedecked with gold, but because I have never used it. I just look and look at it.



End of stories.

Truly yours in the pen world,

Purita Salas

June 1, 2006

Dear Mr. Dalisay,

I read with great interest your articles on the Fulbright scholarships which appeared last May 22 and May 30 in the Philippine Star, that it moved me to write and share a bit of my experience and thoughts. I have never before replied to any article appearing in a newspaper.

I, too, was a Fulbright scholar, having attended, for the academic year 2001-2002, The American University Washington College of Law in Washington DC where I earned the degree of Master of Laws in International Legal Studies. I was there when 9/11 struck, and despite my Mother's urgings for me to come home where she thought it was safer, and despite my own personal fear, I resolved that neither terrorism nor neo-conservatism was going to dash my Fulbright dream. As I told her, "Ang hirap-hirap kayang makakuha ng Fulbright!"

Like most of the other kababayans who came before me and those who will be as lucky, "Fulbright scholar" is -- I will not deny -- one of the few personal titles I cherish the most.

I was still in high school when I began hearing of the Fulbright, and it crossed my mind not a few times since that, maybe one day, I too would be privileged to live and study in the United States. To have been so privileged has proven to be one of the greatest gifts of my life.

To friends who have asked me for tips since, here is the gist of what I would say:

Part I -- The Application

1. In order to qualify for the panel interview, time and care should first be taken in preparing one's application dossier. Using one's best English, it must be clean, comprehensive and coherent. The dossier must put the applicant in the best possible light -- from very good to outstanding -- demonstrating his academic achievement and leadership potential based, of course, on genuine information.

2. What the Fulbright screening committee looks for in every dossier, I believe, is not how an applicant packages himself for his sake alone, but how this self-marketing directly relates to the overall interest of the country. This sounds downright pretentious, but allow me to explain. I believe that the treshhold question, or the bottomline, the screening committee seeks to answer is, "How, in the medium- to long-term, will a Fulbright scholarship for this applicant redound to the greater interest of the Philippines?"

The screening committee will headhunt, in a given field, a select group of hopefuls who have the best relative potential to later on help influence the course of this country's future, whether in international relations, government, politics, the academe, scientific research, and the arts and culture. Naturally, professionals and managers in government service have a greater chance compared to those in the private sector, for two reasons. First, it goes without saying that the former will, theoretically, never earn enough to fund themselves for an overseas education, especially in the USA. Second, and this must be stressed more importantly, it is the former, by the very reason of their employment, who have a natural ability to shape official government positons or policy with increasing responsibility.

That, after all, is the underlying rationale of Senator Fulbright's very bright idea on behalf of American overseas PR. He would want us to read between the lines.

I snagged a Fulbright not because I was a summa or even a magna (there were lots of them in my batch). My edge was because I dealt, and still deal, with matters of state and policy on behalf of my beloved country, trumping my not so outstanding academic record in law school.

Part II -- The Interview

The panel interview will ask the applicant a series of questions based on his dossier. This will last from 30 minutes to an hour. It is in the interview where that fancy dossier comes alive flesh and blood, and I may add, with heart and sould, separating the chaffe from the grain, the pretenders from the contenders. The ancient Greek aphorism, "Know thyself", largely attributed to Socrates, is the most important mantra, the single most important tip, in preparing to face the interview panel (and in fact for any kind of interview, whether for a job or with one's desired parents-in-law). Natural confidence based on one's self-knowledge, and as easily distinguished from disastrous cockiness, is one's most effective weapon. Neither will the meek and the timid inherit the Fulbright.

Here are my detailed tips:

1. The candidate must look good, groomed and dressed appropriately for success that he can face anyone in the United States. The candidate, for all intents, is potentially not only a scholar, but also a kind of ambassador for his country. He must put his best foot forward, and not in his mouth.

2. An excellent oral command of English is key, and one must speak in a modulated voice of relaxed speed. The candidate must not talk too rapidly as to betray his nervousness and lose his substance. Neither must she be too calculating in her syllables as to bore the living daylights of the members of the panel.

3. Eye contact is essential, especially with the panel member posing the question the candidate is attempting to answer. A smile at the beginning and at the end of the interview will brighten one's prospects.

4. Finally, and to return to the main point, the candidate must be able to demonstrate her belief in her own potential, based on a clear objective of why she wants to receive a Fulbright scholarship and how she can parlay that opportunity not only for her own personal benefit, but more importantly, for the benefit of her country.

After the rather friendly interrogation, the dossier will either painfully fall to the trash can, or fly with the appropriate endorsements to the Institute of International Education in New York City.

Part III -- Post Mortem: To Return or Not to Return

There is no denying the fact that the Fulbight Program is an elaborate mechanism that ferrets out the best and brightest young minds from around the world. Young natural and applied research scientists are especially prized. Post-scholarship employment opportunities for them in the US are quite lucrative.

Most Filipino Fulbrighters, to my knowledge, honor their contract and commitment to return home and make their contribution to nation-building. A lot has been written about the brain-drain phenomenon, and although it is the legal and moral obligation of the Filipino Fulbright scholar to take a leaf from Douglas MacArthur, in the end, one must answer to his or her own conscience. Like what the novelist Toni Morrison eloquently stated in her 1993 Nobel lecture, when she talked about conscience and personal responsibility, "It is in your hands."

The point is, do we educate our young scholars enough at home, before they get educated in a foreign land, such that they would have developed a priori a strong sense of self and of country, providing them the appropriate moral compass that would compel them to come home despite the temptation of the American dream? If not, then our educational system has a lot to answer for, for what good is being the best and the brigthest, if such talent will not ultimately serve the country?

On the other end, shouldn't the government and the local private sector cooperate on a sustainable employment incentive scheme that will attract and retain our foreign-trained scholars?

The concerned Filipino Fulbright scholar, whoever he or she is, is not to be blamed totally. Sometimes, one's talent is the key, the only key, to survival, abroad rather than home.

To return or not to return, is indeed a very complex question that opens up Pandora's box or stirs up a hornet's nest, if you like.

But to end on a happy note, I join you in congratulating this year's batch of home-grown Pinoy Fulbright scholars. They have the rest of ther lives ahead of them. To understand how lucky they are, they need only read the first poem of Ted Hughes last collection of poetry, Birthday Letters.

More power to you!

Igor G. Bailen
Deputy Permanent Delegate
Philippine Permanent Delegation to UNESCO
1, rue Miollis
75015 Paris, France


May 26, 2006

Here's something sent in by reader Daniel Saracin--a well-argued and thought-provoking piece, to which I'll respond in Monday's Penman.


The elite graduates of the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Management are not tied down by commitments to stay in India. Fifty years later, this was considered very far-sighted and revolutionary for Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, founding father of these elite institutions.

Today, the best and the brightest of India are in Silicon Valley, teaching in Harvard, or managing billion-dollar funds in the financial centers of London and New York. These elites laid the foundation for whatever India is becoming now, acknowledged powerhouse in IT and brain-intensive economic ventures. Investments flow back to the source of these brains, i.e., Bangalore, Hyderabad, etc. but the confidence of Indian capabilities were planted by Indian PhDs working in the giant US pharma, IT, airlines, even the World Bank and IMF.

Why can Tata consulting get $6B of contracts from GE alone? Because of GE's confidence the Indians can deliver, on account of their prior experience with their top Indian employees. Why did Microsoft locate part of their R&D in Bangalore? Because Biil Gates had prior experience with the best Indian software engineers inside his company in the US.

The US drug companies are transferring their R&D to India, an upgrade from just producing generic medicines. Soon, Hollywood would "outsource" part of their creative work to "Bollywood", right now the most prolific movie industry in the world in terms of movies produced and released.

Prime Minister Nehru, in founding these elite schools, did not see it fit to limit India's best and brightest to Indian soil. India's role in the global economy, long before "global" was in fashion, was the hallmark of true nationalistic Indian aspirations.

Not so in the Philippines, where we persist and continue to delude ourselves with limiting our best and brightest to our own soil, to our own stagnation as an insignificant global pushover. I say limiting our brainpower to local soil is denying the realities of global competition. I further say it is “false nationalism”, which should be eliminated and dismantled from our consciousness.

Let's compare theories of 50 years ago and the realities of the present. Let's learn from Prime Minister Nehru. Let's learn from India.


May 23, 2006

My Fulbright piece received a surprising number of responses, mostly from readers who wanted to know more about Fulbright grants. Yes, they are available--albeit in very small numbers, through a highly competitive process; please go to this website for more details. Meanwhile, here's something that an old friend and classmate, Marlu Balmaceda (lest she sue me, let me make it clear that I'm much older than her), sent in:


I ENJOYED reading your column today about being a grad student in the Midwest. I was in Purdue about the same time on a shoestring assistantship for my MA and experienced similar things you mentioned. I taught, would you believe, speech communication to those American kids? The jocks were the hardest to handle but I somehow managed. The experience does make you stronger, gives you more confidence.

Your collecting soda cans rang a bell. One midnight, while alone in the library xeroxing readings (a nickel a page) I discovered that the machine was faulty because I only got 3 nickels for my quarter. So I got down to my knees and looked under the machine for my extra nickel. Lo and behold! The carpet was teeming with nickels! It felt like struck gold! I probably collected more than $2's worth of nickels. I went to the library every night after that to collect nickels to pay off my readings. This went on for a couple of weeks until someone must have discovered it too or the machine was just finally repaired.

Scrimping was definitely part of the learning experience. I'd cook adobo or sinigang for one whole week. A can of Coke (at 50 cents) was a treat. I'd save and get myself a McDonald's burger when I aced an exam. But as I tell people, I look back at those moments with much fondness because they gave me character. When self-pity would set in, I would think of how l was still so lucky compared to so many -- the fact that I was being educated in the US was an opportunity not available to most.

On my first birthday in the US, a blizzard struck... and I only had a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup. But that's another story...


May 16, 2006

I knew something like this was coming, thanks to my piece on The Da Vinci Code. Well, here's one message that just came in from "Manolo of Madrid", unedited. You be the judge. (I already wrote him a polite response.)

I don·t know who the fuck you are,one thing I know was that I got irritated on your column. We brown monkeys should stop boasting around like you knew alot bout literatures and novels written by known writers.I tell you this you don·t need to tell the whole world that you got loads of books on your own disposal.I tell you this we brown monkeys are hippocrites,we felt like we knew lots of things.Here in Europe people are appreciative on writers that have guts to exposed whatever the outcome be labled against them.A couple of years back when that Dan brown books (I say books co·z you need to read the four Dan Brown books before start criticizing the poor fellow)sweep most of the top selling books accross European continents,all walks of life from common people up to the higher standing in society they appreciate what they read on the books and think twice.Was the books of books concerning the old teachings are corrupted by the people who translated it into the Bible we called this day?Better check it out if I were you.We never know,you might be the one who can give us the answer?Have a nice day butch.cheeeeers.

All the best
Manolo of Madrid


March 27, 2006

Since some of you have noted that I don't have a comments feature on this blog (for reasons I gave much earlier), I'm opening this From the Readers section to post some of your mailed-in responses to recent pieces. I reserve the right to edit letters and messages for brevity and clarity. If you wish to use a pseudonym, please let me know.


From Alexis Aldeguer-Aragona:

"I was one of your students." How many people have intro-d their letters to you this way? :) I took your CL 151 class long ago in 1999 (and still have the blue book on Philippine Literature you assigned for the course).

I read your blog entry "A Larger Standoff" and it reminded me of my biggest worry during PP 1017--that with the raid of the Tribune offices, this government seeks something more than suppressing the alleged coup against PGMA. This president has always struck me as being overly PR hungry and totally wishy-washy in her actions, seeming to measure each public appearance by the number of cheering crowds or flashing camera lightbulbs that appear.

Now from your entry I find out that steps were taken to search the offices of the PCIJ--an institution which I believe has proven time and time again how objective they are. I wrote a feature article on them some years ago and got to interview Sheila Coronel, who struck me as a sharply intelligent, down-to-earth woman with integrity (and their actions speak for themselves). To take steps I view as against them infuriates me because it shows this government is afraid of something. Perhaps it is the truth. It looks as if the government seeks to suppress those who search for the truth, who have the resources to look.

This, and everything else you mentioned, makes me all the more certain it isn't long before this government goes down. And really, it is of their own (un)doing.