By ACC Delen
In our last piece, this space was dedicated to the Filipino characteristic of being overly sensitive otherwise referred to in the Philippines as balat sibuyas (onion skinned). So much is sacrificed because of this trait; friendships, partnerships, and all sorts of relationships under the sun. Like I said before, this column could literally write itself up just with examples of people who are balat sibuyas…from common people which I doubt, you, dear readers will find interesting, to celebrities and politicians. The latter would be so much more of interest I bet. The ironic part of it all? The Philippines is not the best place to be onion skinned because EVERYONE has an opinion on EVERYTHING. And with the proliferation of social networks and the anonymity afforded by the internet, woe to those who can’t hack it. Or, in other cases, woe to those who offend powerful onion skinned people for they might end up being investigated by the government.
I won’t deny it, despite my apolitical stance, I found myself commenting more and more on Facebook. But unlike my more impulsive friend, I’ve taken to reviewing my comments before hitting enter. Maybe it’s my advanced age or my passive aggressive nature, but I’ve taken to asking myself the question “Is it worth it?” before I let my finger descend on the key that would share even my most private thoughts to all and sundry.
For instance, when Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stated that the President will not pressure Philippine Health Insurance Corporation chief Ricardo Morales to resign, despite having allegedly participated in stealing millions of funds from PhilHealth, my fingers flew through the keys, penning a scathing comment that would have made even my sarcastic father turn in his grave. After forcefully ending my comment with three exclamation points to emphasize my feelings of outrage, I sat back and read the one paragraph sentiment dripping with sarcasm. Middle finger ready to click ENTER, I instead heaved a sigh of regret and began deleting the whole thing word per word at the same time, reminding myself that picking your battles is not a sign of cowardice. It’s a strategy to ensure you live to write another day.
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OFW Story 3
Like I’ve been saying for the past weeks, hundreds of Overseas Filipino Workers are waiting, praying, and hoping to be able to get back to their jobs as soon as possible. Anyone who has had to wait for a spell knows that the hardest task in the world is waiting… made worse a thousand fold by the uncertainty the future holds. One of these worried souls is Ged (not his real name).
Ged came home for a holiday during Chinese New Year. As an English instructor with a government owned university in the Middle Kingdom, CNY is the longest break he has in a school year. Little did he know that 6 months into 2020, he will still be in the country; trapped by circumstances beyond his control.
Unlike many of his fellow OFW’s who currently live and work in China, Ged had no plans to work abroad. He had hoped to work as a lawyer but when that fell through Ged found himself on a train bound for Beijing from HongKong in the early 2000’s. Without knowing the language, he agreed to join several others who found a fulfilling career in teaching in the capital city where he would spend more than a decade helping his students learn a second language.
Talking with Ged via wechat, one could sense his strong desire to return to his life in Beijing. Like so many others who have already spent their lives in other countries, he has created connections, relationships, routines…a whole new life from what he used to have in the Philippines. According to him, he’d been fortunate and is grateful for the opportunities that were opened to him overseas and would return there in a heartbeat…a sentiment that is yet again echoed by so many OFWs, yours truly included.
As of this writing, Ged’s school which continued its operation via distance learning, is set to have a short summer break. He agrees that one of the greatest challenges of teaching remotely, is the far from perfect internet connectivity in the country. As if to underscore the fact, we have had to log off and on several times during our short interview. Ged feels lucky that being in a government owned university, he has more job security than many others who work in privately owned after school language centers. However, being the eternal sigurista that he is, Ged began a buy and sell business while waiting for his return to his workplace. It’s a risky move he admits. Considering the rising unemployment rate in the country which is sure to adversely affect the purchasing power of Filipinos, a buy and sell business might not be the best move. Yet Ged continues to be positive. It has everything to do with what you’re selling is what he says. With the BER months just around the corner, sure to bring in chilly evenings, his stock of warm and gaily patterned blankets will likely sell off long before he is on a plane back to the Middle Kingdom…hopefully.
Note: This column is the product of an over caffeinated mind belonging to a person who believes that every story matters. Have you got one to share?
