From Diary: The Lonely Voyager (October 4, 2012)

 

 

Today I embark on that now regular trip back to the adopted country which has also become the country of allegiance.  Actually, one of two that somehow got fused in what may be viewed as paradoxical, though easily explainable.  Where one has pledged obeisance to two disparate countries at the same time.  But that is the reality albeit in some stealthy and underhanded way, and one that works so long as they say that never the twain shall meet.  In fine, this is typical example how dual citizenship is made possible.

 

The strenuous trip of over 16 hours has to be made for some imperative reasons.   I and the wife take our turns attending to this chore.

 

Back to the trip.  So I am finding myself in between flights, one domestic and the other all the way across the wide expanse of the Pacific to beautiful and cool San Francisco by the bay; thus giving me time to spare and to lend my thoughts out of the ether to something a bit more permanent and lasting.

 

For some easily discernible reason which needs not be divulged, I have to travel solo in this and previous trips, leaving the wife to care for manifold concerns in the old homeland.  And by design then, this and previous trips have been lonely ventures, with forlorn thoughts for companion and solace.

 

But for one quite at home with solitude and prone to conversing with oneself, I must confess the ordeal is actually a relief proffered  by unavoidable circumstances.  As a matter of fact, it affords the manifold opportunities to introspect, retrospect, and reflect on more profound things of life, like maybe the inevitability of one’s mortality.  One finds this exercise quite useful and necessary especially as one steadily and surely approaches the twilight of one’s years.

 

So here I am lodged on a swivel chair beside a table equipped with a bunch of electrical convenient outlets, at the premier international airport of the old country waiting for a flight that leaves in a couple of hours. Plugging away at my trusty companion, my laptop.

 

I am sifting through the many varied concerns both trip related and those that typically beset the thinking serious man as he travels through life.  It makes for a confusing maze of unrelated odds and ends that crave for attention and priority. 

 

Being an inveterate note-taker, I need not worry about missing some of them due to failing memory, most of the thoughts having been written down, sorted out, categorized, and highlighted.  It is then a matter of going through each one, in the order of importance and gravity.

 

But that will not be the topic of this scribbling.  Rather this will be about the knotty problems of politics, both in the old homeland and in the adopted country. In a twist of fated destiny, politics is on heightened mode in both places.   In the old homeland the year 2013 is designated as the election cycle for both local and national government positions, except for the presidency.  And as always, politics is not only contentious and very melodramatic and also very shallow and pretentious, but more morosely it is also very dirty in many respects.  Thus the ominous cloud of physical violence is ever present and hovering, a skin-crawling eventuality that threatens everyone’s safety. 

 

And the US is of course in its own painful throes of electing a new president.  And this corner definitely wishes that indeed a new president is elected, given the unarguably very disastrous performance of the current one.

 

All this knotty thinking has given me a double-treat headache, given how much of a worry wart I am about the overall state of both countries.  After all one wishes well for the places where one lives. On all levels that I have been exposed to, whether as personal experiences or learned from reading or listening to media and the Internet, I can extract so many glaring failures of governance.  Sufficient for one to experience sleepless nights, and bouts of extreme frustration and loss of faith in people, and the system.

 

It appears as ever that man is destined to suffer in this world, regardless of  how everybody else think differently.  That no amount of good intentions and noble actions can stem the surging tide that is pushing man to the path of perdition and misery.  As we read in the classical good books, man is bound to suffer and that is his lot.  That there is no escaping that.  So might as well prepare for that, designing plans and attitudes with that in mind.

 

Thus many of us have resigned to the reality hhat life is not intended to be enjoyed, but suffered through.  We have been destined not to gather peace and happiness but to go through tribulations and crosses.   

 

Perish the thoughts then that because life is short, we ought to pursue whatever little fleeting enjoyment we can derive from it.  Like, plan for those dearly-craved-for vacations and fancy trips to witness grand sights and interesting people never before experienced.  Gather as much pleasant memories while the candle of life still burns.  For when life is no more,  everything is gone.

 

But if once life is gone and everything else is gone, why bother?  Isn’t there wisdom then in the Biblical saying that we should not gather material treasures that fade with time, but instead gather those that will last for eternity?

 

For indeed what has happened to the enjoyments and the pleasant experiences of the last happy trip? The momentous once-in-a-lifetime vacation taken with special friends and family?  The historic meeting with cherished acquaintances separated by so many decades?  Even the thrills and smiles of yesterday?  They probably have lost their novelty and before long  will be consigned to the unattended corners of our mind and life.

 

At most, we ought to seek only for contentment or some degree of satisfaction that we have tried hard to live a good life. A simple and uncluttered life.  A life of constant challenges and countless occasions of begin-again moments.

 

The real measure being in the dogged determination and passion of the attempts, rather than the grandiosity of the results.

 

 

 

US Teeters On Edge

 

Time was when people around the globe looked to the US of A as the one steady and reliable power that could be relied upon when things looked dim.  Less because of the strength and wisdom of its government, but more because of its many “institutions” that had been built and strengthened over its colorful history.  And mute testimony has been the countless accounts in history when they had credibly acquitted the country through the bumps and straight-a-ways encountered.

 

But slowly and maybe at times imperceptibly over the years, these reliable institutions have been assaulted and weakened, less by known outside forces, but more by pernicious inner forces that have slowly been eating away at their foundations.

 

It behooves us then to revisit them if only to sound off a roll call to find out where they are headed.  And there are many to be mentioned, far too many to make this account truly all inclusive.  But just the same let us count the random ways where many have been headed.

 

First, its vaunted free press.  Now we find mainstream media to be so slanted to the left that there is no conscious hiding of this fact.  It is now okay since the irrefutable proofs are so glaring and cannot be hidden from view.  These dominant liberal journalists in media are expected to compartmentalize their personal ideologies from their work as guardians of objectivity and impartiality.  But realities show otherwise. It is as if collectively mainstream media has taken on blinders, seeing things only one way, their way.

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What about academia?  The country where the most prestigious schools are located, where eager and determined students from all over the world rush to gather and to learn.  Again, leftist and statist ideologies have co-opted far too many campuses, complete with insidious intolerance for those who do not toe the ideological line.  So intolerant those espousing traditional ideologies have to practically go underground, or risk censure or worse

 

Going below, we revisit the noted public school system in the US, once the unstinting pride of educators worldwide.  Now almost a big joke, by and large.  With big teachers unions holding students hostage, and caring mostly about benefits and tenure.  Always asking for more money, while student scores continue going south.  So now states spend more money for less and less education.  What a boondoggle.

 

What about the hard sciences?  Surely they have been left untouched by the clammy hands of intolerant ideologies or pseudo-sciences.  Well, think again because some have gone softies.  So think about global warming and how this has made many scientists look more like money chasers than impartial pursuers of truth.

 

Big Business, Wall Street, Banking?  We need not go far or travel back in time.  We are still in the cavernous throes of the calamities brought on by these institutions.  Double dip recession, anyone?  What about the very stubborn housing bust which continues to remain unstable?  Scandals.  Failures.  Bankruptcies.  Etc.

 

Well, of course, let not our very broad brush include the small business community, the mom and pop enterprises that have been tasked as the dependable backbone of the economy and have supported it greatly without question and very little complaints, in times of prosperity and dire needs.  Indeed, like in the disastrous economic situation we now find ourselves in, exacerbated by a bungling government.  And so who do we turn to for renewed employment and activity?  Small businesses.

 

What about the other professionals?  Definitely, we cannot cogitate with kind thoughts about the lawyers, especially the tort lawyers with their exorbitant fees and silly suits.  By and large, I would say our doctors in the profession have been true and faithful to their Hippocratic Oath.  We still have the best medical care in the world, the looming catastrophe the people call the Obamacare notwithstanding

 

The film industry?  One word.  Hollyweird.

 

Through thick and thin, the military has always pulled the country through with its inspired members making ultimate sacrifices for love of country.  But now we are reading reports that political correctness tentacles are now trying to secure a stranglehold.  To pursue beloved diversity, promotion points, sensitivity training and all, a determined push to the path for lowering standards as accommodations is now in place.  Women now go into areas traditionally reserved for men simply because of their rigorous demands but not to worry, standards can always be lowered  We know we cannot sacrifice standards for these goals simply because national security and freedom are the highest stakes of any freedom-loving  country.

 

Forget mentioning government and its many institutions.  No one doubts how low they have all ploughed themselves under.  What is the approval rating of Congress?  How dirty has our presidential campaigns become?

 

 

 

The Lore and Lure of Dahilayan Barrio

As early as 2002 while Dahilayan was still a sleepy barrio tucked away from the beaten path trod by adventurous segments of the local population, a few of us serendipitously found enough interest to give the place second looks.  We envisioned attractive reasons to apply some resources into its development.  Admittedly, in that early time, there was already a working irrigation system that winded through its hills and valleys potentially providing any interested farmer ample supply of water for farming.  Still the natives then, those referred to locally as the galis, obstinately kept at their laid-back and lazy ways content with meager results produced by meager efforts.  Exerting just enough efforts at work through employment or working their own farms to eke out a very elemental type of living.  They were at the same time nonchalantly banking on the efforts of outsiders to provide both easy employment and productive uses of their idle lands through leases, to propel them beyond the survival stages they were wont to experience.

Agricultural plots were initially leased from the land-owning natives to provide the basic infrastructure for vegetable growing, essentially of high-value crops that were finding good markets in the nearby cities.  Food service businesses  were suddenly finding themselves addressing the variegated palates of their clientele which were growing in sophistication.  And the idle natives became the pool for harnessing labor to work the fields. But an eye for acquisition of some plots of land was always there because of the long-term prospects seen for the area.

In the beginning we were essentially absentee landlords, relying on the presence and the developing expertise of relatives who were residents of Cagayan de Oro and who served as our proxies.

That was then, but now in that short span things have changed tremendously.  So dramatically changed as to make the current-day barrio almost unrecognizable from what it was a few years ago.  In no small measures, thanks are due to the Paras family who has unloaded tons of development into the blessed area as to convert it to some kind of tropical Disneyland.  Needless to state, not only has the barrio shown tremendous economic betterment, but also the immediately surrounding areas.  And in the meantime, A Brown Company had opened its unique kind of subdivision up on one of the ridges owned by them, touting some kind of leisure farming for lot buyers by providing generous cuts in lots like a 1000 sq. m. a piece.

In fine, Real estate prices have soared dramatically and a little scramble from city folks to purchase land for themselves had ensued. Now the heightened prices have reduced the ranks of ready buyers.

In retrospect then, it wasn’t too long ago when I wrote/blogged about the place (2005 and 2006).

“Anyway, all things considered, my choice has been the little, agricultural, remote, and rural barrio of Dahilayan, in the municipality of Manolo Fortich in the Province of Bukidnon forming part of the northern region of the island of Mindanao.”

”For the past 3 years or so, we have been slowly and quite imperceptibly acquiring contiguous farmlands in the above barrio which rises some 1300 meters above sea level and nestled in one the various foothills forming part of the majestic Kitanglad mountain range. The imposing shadow of Mt. Kitanglad looms large and inviting facing south from where we are located. The combination of soft rolling hills and sharp steep inclines in the terrain while at times providing daunting challenges in farming, makes for a landscape that can combat boredom and cookie-cutter looks in farm lots. No endless stretches of uniform looking plots or bland flat yards around structures.”

“And no fears of being isolated from the rest of civilization, since the place can be reached from the bustling northern Mindanao city of Cagayan de Oro in an hour or so, though the conditions of roads at times leave much to be desired. Especially during rainy seasons. But the eye-catching travel scenery makes up for this lack of comfort, traversing through verdant fields of pineapples, vegetable tracts, and simply virgin valleys and gullies enveloped in thick foliage. Intermittently broken up with sites of man-made structures such as greenhouses and even piggery housing. But the overall outlook of the area is still one of being untapped and unspoiled by too much intrusion of urban-like sprawl and structures.”

Read more from these past blogs:

http://theignatianperspective.blogspot.com/2005/11/dahilayan-barrio-eden-at-your-reach.html

http://theignatianperspective.blogspot.com/2005/09/farming-in-bukidnon.html

http://theignatianperspective.blogspot.com/2007/04/anything-goes-on-last-phases-of-two.html

On Returning to the old Homeland

 

Many Filipino expats show uneasy ambivalence in their plans to return for good to the old homeland, with good justifiable reasons.  However, here are a few thoughts that could help in addressing the issue.

If one is simply planning an abbreviated visit, then it is quite easy not to mind the many “quirks” one finds there, or maybe even laugh them off. 

But once one starts living there and experiences these things on a daily basis and as part of one’s daily existence, then it becomes a different thing, especially for those of us who have been exposed to and have soaked in the nice living environments in other more advanced communities.

One has to have a heart of stone, calloused emotions, or even very deaf ears not to be affected by those pesky things around that need correction or improvement.  If so, then frustrations and/or anger could easily take over.  Or one gets prone to intuitively express unsolicited vocal criticisms at the very least.   If not more, like wanting to exhibit the itchy urge to try to do something about them.

For others, retreating in isolation to their own private little worlds is an escape option – their own beach-side or mountain-top hideaways, or hidden nooks and crannies in some remote barrio or town, etc.   Insulated from the rest of the world.

Anyway, coming back to stay for many of those planning to will not be that cut and dried, believe you me.  It will involve a lot of discovery or re-discovery, if you will, and making attitudinal adjustments in case the desire to stay put is strong.

Sorry to appear so grim and gloomy in my personal perspective, but I believe it is best to be forewarned and prepared.

Intellectuals, a bane in society?

One dreary midnight as I pulled myself up from bed racked with knotty restlessness causing sleeplessness, grudgingly raised myself to my tired feet looking for a diversion to distract my antsy mind. The laptop ever ready in hibernation mode was a welcomed respite. Pushed a button and made a couple of clicks and I was on my way for a quiet period of online reading. Found myself choosing to watch this video.

An interview of a kindly, but accomplished beyond measure, man in the person of Dr. Thomas Sowell, a person I have always admired and have read about online as much as time could allow me the luxury. He was being interviewed for his new book that just came out, entitled Intellectuals and Society.



It was a most interesting and mind-grabbing hour listening in rapt silence to the ideas being tossed about and debated. For me, it was an hour worth more than the sum of its minutes. It was both very elucidating and foreboding. The latter made me feel somber and fearful. Though I confess after watching the video it was quite easy to get back to sleep.

But then after waking up, the recalcitrant and troubling thoughts came rushing back and this time made me feel sad and helpless. Like the hopes of a better tomorrow being drained out slowly but surely. Implying that I could be expecting more of the same for more years to come.

After Dr. Sowell made his very convincing case about how the intellectuals from academia are running roughshod in our society with their self-righteousness and arrogance, one would think that right-thinking persons would awaken and see the error of their ways and choices.

But Dr, Sowell made the dire prognostication to a question about the forthcoming elections. Albeit the seeming inconvertible evidence to support his case, it would still be a 50-50 chance that the people responsible for our current woes in government and society will be removed from offices come election time in 2012.

I suppose the intellectuals are so ensconced in society that expeditiously removing them would not be that easy. Aside from controlling most of government now, they also rule academia, their seat of empowerment, and of course, the compliant mainstream media is also counted in their fold. And polls show that young voters, especially those fresh from academia, now carry the same chips on their shoulders as intellectuals unerring do - aiming for stronger and more extensive statism and churning out more programs aimed at more governmental entitlements making the citizenry more dependent on the state.

And those with less in life have also been recruited and conditioned to expect more from government for their daily livelihood - more welfare benefits for a far greater number of recipients and longer unemployment insurance entitlements being now the current dispensation.

And worse, Dr. Sowell appears not alone in this. I had read other conservatives project gloomy prospects for the more enlightened adults in our midst aspiring for public offices to try to get back their government and restore the country back to the moorings the founding fathers had envisioned.

No doubt, I continue to feel sad, frustrated and not very hopeful. I am decidedly hopeful about one thing. In this particular instance, I earnestly hope that Dr. Sowell and his like-minded band are wrong.

That enough people will awaken up on time and vote for the right candidates.