The Health Benefits of Life in the Philippines

The other day I was talking to some of my ‘kababayan’ countrymen about plans of going back home to the Philippines. One of them immediately snapped back “But how are you going to pay for your health care back home, aren’t you going to lose out on the company sponsored health plan?”This statement kind of took me aback, as I haven’t really thought about it. In fact, I haven’t sought treatment from a doctor or dentist for the past seven years. I did have one required checkup last June, but that was only to fulfill some immigration requirement. Now, I’ve always considered myself a fairly healthy guy who takes time to get regular exercise on my own time. I take the bus and public transpo to work, which forces me to walk long distances and breathe in the natural air outside.
I always felt in my heart that the Philippines offers the best natural health care available. Let me explain.

The US medical and health care industry is geared towards curing diseases and sicknesses once they are already present. There seems to be a pill or drug for almost everything, be it colds, flu, headaches, insomnia, depression, restless leg syndrome, obesity, erectile dysfunction and a lot of other assorted ailments. The idea is that you get sick, then you drink something that will make you feel better and get well.

Contrast this with the philosophy of Philippine and Asian medicine, which is focused on prevention of sickness and increasing our natural resistance to diseases. When I was growing up, my grandmother instilled in me the values of having good health through exercise and eating nutritious food. As kids, when we got sick, we rarely got any prescription medicine. Instead we were given home remedies such as vinegar, lugaw (rice porridge) with lots of ginger, salt gargle for mouth sores, and having hot calamansi juice to help our antibodies fight the virus.

I remember one meeting at work while in the US. There was a lull in the discussion, and my co-workers were chit-chatting about what type of sleeping pills they took when they couldn’t sleep at night. Apparently, it was normal to take sleeping pills if you couldn’t sleep, to make sure you get the proper rest. One senior guy mentioned that there were various side effects with some type of pills – they would give you a headache the following day, and there is a risk of developing a dependency on them.

I felt out of place because apparently I was the only who had not taken any sleeping pills, or even NyQuil for colds. I told my teammates that if I couldn’t sleep, I would just relax and read a book, and if I got just an hour or two of sleep before morning, that would be ok with me, no big deal. I found it interesting to listen to stories of people describing their level of anxiety when they had trouble sleeping, and needed some drug to get the needed sleep and rest.

Another thing I found fascinating was this preoccupation with antidepressants. I was both skeptical and amazed that there was actually a pill that can make a sad person happy. And what was more surprising was how many people I knew who had admitted to taking antidepressants, including a number of Filipinos who had been in the US for several years. I asked them if it actually worked – “When you drank it, did you feel different?” and they would reply that yes, after several weeks of taking the drugs, it helped them to feel better about themselves.

I will never forget the time when a friend and co-worker confided in me that there were occasions when she just wanted to drive to an isolated stretch of the interstate at midnight, park the car to the side and just curl up to die. I think it might have been depression due to hopelessness or bad weather, so I tried to cheer her up with some positive stories from my home country and the simple pleasures that Filipinos enjoyed.

It got me thinking – why had I not heard of these ailments and wonder drugs while I was in the Philippines? There were no sleeping pills, and not much mention of antidepressants or sleep anxiety. What was different?

Then it hit me that the reason is because we have the best natural health care system in our country. That natural health care comes in the form of a relationship-based society. In the Philippines, there is a universal and honest closeness among friends, family, and co-workers. You see the support system everywhere you go. Go to any shopping mall, jollibee, or starbucks, and you will see this magic in effect.

For instance, many years back when I was still working in Makati, there was a time when I was having some personal problems both at work and at home. My friends and co-workers could instantly see what was happening to me and just wouldn’t allow me to get depressed. They sacrificed much of their personal time to stay with me when things weren’t going well, and we would talk about our problems, as well as finding needed diversions to get our minds off of it. So you see, I am very much indebted to those people, and would do the same for them during their low times.

The relationship among family members also plays a big part. I instinctively always try to cheer up my mother and father when I sense that they are bored or hopeless, or sad. And I remember all their support and concern for me when I had low confidence and self-esteem. A relationship-based society is the best antidepressant. It is like walking around with a giant support system around you, having a huge of community of people who care and help each other in times of need. This is our biggest strength as a people, and we should never sacrifice this at the expense of material progress.

Of course, there are lots of other health benefits to life in the Philippines. To enumerate some of them – fresh food, vegetables and fruits, a nice hot sunny humid climate is good for the skin and mental outlook, and a more laid back, less stressful lifestyle does wonders for warding off ailments. Yes, I know everybody complains about the heat, but honestly it beats cold weather in terms of health benefits. I can probably do without the smoke and pollution – that is a solvable problem that we can work on.

The health benefits of being happy is easy to underestimate. It is very hard to get sick when you are living in the moment, enjoying life and the people around you. It sure beats swallowing a pill. [Written by Rob dela Cruz]

Filipino Ambassadors and Anecdotes

I’ve been preoccupied with my planned return trip to the Philippines, which I’ll finally get to do this coming March. All the preparations can be very hectic – selling items I no longer need, packing all the things I’ll be shipping home, and getting things straightened at work before I leave. It’s exciting too, just thinking about going back to my old life. I have learned a lot since I first left five years ago, and I feel all these new experiences and ideas will serve me well in the coming years.They say that when your mind is attuned to a specific thought or goal, you tend to attract similar ideas, people, and events that correspond to what you’re attuned to. In my case, returning home has almost been an obsession to me, so it’s no coincidence that I have come across people with similar vibrations.
I haven’t told anyone in the office other than my boss about my timetable for going back to the Philippines. So when my Indian co-worker Rohan asked me, “So Robbie are you planning to work in US forever or will return home after some time?”, I was pleasantly surprised. Rohan was one of the good guys at work – bright, hardworking, friendly, and always helpful to everyone, in sharp contrast to much of the indifferent and oftentimes grumpy people in the office. I told Rohan, I don’t plan on staying in the US for good as I miss life in my home country. Then I asked him what his future plans were.

His answer was astounding. He said he always knew that the US would be temporary thing, and that India will always be home. In fact he and his friends were in the process of building a business in their home city. The way he said it, it sounded like it was the most natural thing to do. Almost as if it was expected of him to return to India after a couple of years and apply everything he learned from the US. There is much opportunity in India, according to him. I told him that I was happy to hear that, and that it was the first time I’ve heard someone say that they plan to return and give back to their country. I can imagine that in a few years, he will be back home, managing his own company, and building up the local industry in India. It made me proud and sad at the same time, as Indians like Rohan have such pride in their own country, something we Filipinos have not yet realized on our own.

I also met a pinoy shuttle driver named Tony. He is a slightly elderly man who looks much younger than his age. And he always has a cheerful disposition. Talking to him is a treat as he tells a lot of stories during his younger days in the Philippines. And he gives lots of frantic advice such as “Bata ka pa iho, mag-ipon ka, wag ka gastos ng gastos palagi, mas madali maubos pera mo dito” (”You’re still young so you need to save your money and avoid overspending, it is easy to run out of money here in the US”). There is always a sense of urgency in his voice, which reminds me that the choices we make today have a big effect on what will happen to us tomorrow.

He had this particularly amusing anecdote which I will relate. A decade ago, Tony used to work as taxi driver in Metro Manila. Just imagine this handsome, mestizo Fil-Am looking taxi driver, only he wasn’t your ordinary driver. One time, this British national and his Filipina wife rode in his taxi, I forgot where their destination was, it was probably some mall or something. But along the way to their destination, the British guy and his pinay wife kept complaining about how dirty and unorganized the Philippines was. It was like they found fault with everything they saw. This irked Tony to the point where he finally turned to them and said, “You keep complaining about everything you see. But the Philippines is not America or the UK, so it isn’t fair to keep comparing it to them. Let me make you a deal, I will turn off the meter, this ride is free. But in return you need to allow me to give you a free tour around Marikina, entirely at my expense, to show you that there are parts of Metro Manila that are clean and organized.” This was during the time that Marikina Mayor Bayani Fernando had cleaned up Marikina to the point where it was much like a small well-off US city, maybe even better than most.

The couple was flabbergasted. I guess they realized they weren’t dealing with your typical taxi driver. So they politely declined the offer and stayed quiet the whole trip. Hopefully they got Tony’s point, and I think in the future, the Filipino woman will be more appreciative of her home country and take the good with the bad.

Tony has lots of other stories, mostly about politics, his Americanized daughter, and his admiration for former Subic Chairman Dick Gordon, but that’s for another time.

My last anecdote is about a couple I met in a party a month ago (I sent them the link to philippinevoyager so hopefully they are reading this!). The duo are a pinay named Dulce and her husband Joel, an American, and I think they have one kid together. When I told them that I had planned to return home, Dulce’s eyes lit up, “why??”, which is a response I am used to hearing. But the interesting thing is the American guy, Joel’s reaction after hearing that I wanted to return. I think he actually wanted to spend more time in the Philippines, but his wife didn’t feel the need to. When the rest of the crowd was sufficiently distracted, he confided some questions to me, some I didn’t expect and found fascinating.

He asked me what the job prospects are for me in the Philippines. I told him that Metro Manila is just like any other large city in the world, there are lots of people, lots of jobs to be had, and plentiful multinational corporations investing in it. I told him that I actually find Metro Manila to be more urbanized than most of the United States. People have this impression that the Philippines is all countryside, but anybody who has stayed in one of the major cities in the Philippines knows that this is furthest from the truth. I told him “We have high speed internet, dsl, cable, everything you are used to having in the US.”

Then he asked me this question, what do I think are the possibilities that a class revolution will occur in the Philippines, as there are a lot of poor people. I told him, yes there are definitely a lot of poor people in the Philippines, but there are also many more happy people in the country, both rich and poor. People can be poor and unemployed, yet happy as they can count on their family and friends for support. This type of thing is hard to describe to a westerner, as you really need tfo spend some time in the Philippines to relate to the culture. We have a culture wherein we are economically poor but spiritually happy, if that makes sense. Unfortunately, my conversation with Joel was cut short, but I hope was able to give him a clearer picture, and maybe it will encourage him and his wife to visit the Philippines more often.

Whether we are abroad or in our home country, it helps to think of ourselves as ambassadors of the Philippines. Foreigners and outsiders are listening, and curious to learn more about our country. Don’t hesitate to give praise when deserved and promote the good stuff and simple pleasures in our country that aren’t obvious. There is a lot that we can share to the rest of the world if they only knew.

Rob

Everything is Free (in the Philippines)

I go through the same routine every month. Collect the paycheck (a smile spontaneously forms), then pay the bills (the smile disappears). Whenever I try to cut down on expenses, it always feels like I am going against the grain of society. Whenever I try to cut down on expenses, it always feels like I am going against the grain of society. In the US there is tremendous pressure to spend and consume. I’ve gotten used to the constant ribbing from peers and co-workers about my ‘kuripot’(skinflint) practices. Sometimes it seems that everything has a price tag attached to it.

Do you have a cellphone? That will be $50 per month please for the cell line. New computer? That will be another $60 for internet access. Bought a new flat screen TV? Only $60 per month for digital HD cable. New car? That’s at least $30/month for gas, and another $90/month for the insurance. Buying a new house to live the American dream? That’s only $1500/month for the next thirty years. You tell yourself that someday you will stop buying things. Perhaps by the time you’re seventy, when you have finally paid off everything and can now start living the life you want.

I was thinking about this great consumer dilemma prevalent in many of the most developed countries – places where everything has a cost value associated with it. Where you are a disposable cog in the corporate economic machine. As long as you provide value, you will be patted on the head and appreciated. But the instant you stop providing value, no one will even remember that you once existed. Then it occurred to me that there is a place in the world where things did not cost so much. In fact, not only were things inexpensive, I found that almost all of the stuff were actually free. Everything of value was being freely given away. And this was in the Philippines. Let me enumerate those items that are free.

Shelter – Rent isn’t really free of course, but sometimes it is. I remember one time when I had a serious conflict in my parent’s house and I decided to get away for some time. The problem is, I didn’t really have money for rent. Fortunately I used to hang out frequently in the shared apartment of a couple of my officemates. So I asked them if they could let me stay there for a week or so until the situation at home improved. Without any hesitation, they said I could stay as long as I wanted, and even asked if they could do anything else to help. Up to this day, I’m really grateful to those guys, I owe them one. The nice thing about living in the Philippines is that you always have someone you can turn to in times of need – whether it is friends, co-workers, family, or even strangers. At that time, rent and shelter was free.

Food – Not only is the food great, but if you have the right timing, it is free also. It is customary for a person having a birthday to treat everyone out to a meal (’pare, happy birthday, saan ka manlilibre?’) . And I remember one week when I was a willing participant to several consecutive birthday dinner blowouts. Everyone was in great spirits because not only was it the birthday of your buddy, it was also him paying the bill. Another custom is when visiting the house of a friend or relative, they will always offer you a meal (what, free again?!) . One time I paid a surprise visit to a girl I was courting. Unfortunately she wasn’t home, but her brother who I only met for the first time then graciously offered me, a total stranger to come in and have a softdrink. After she arrived and got over the shock, they even asked me to stay over for dinner. Although she ultimately declined my romantic advances, I will always have fond memories of the inihaw na liempo they served.

Health Care – If you get sick, there’s no need for any expensive medicines or doctor’s visits. The alternatives are much better than any drug you can get in the US. If you have a sore throat or cold, just gargle salt walter, eat some garlic and drink some vinegar to strengthen your immune system in fighting the virus. If you’re running a fever, you can sweat it out in the nice hot humid weather. Let the body’s natural temperature fight the disease. I remember feeling sick for several days, that type of feeling where you just know you’re coming down with something. It was a Friday night and my officemates invited me to go out with them for a drinking session. I politely declined and told them that I wasn’t feeling well and that I should go home to rest. Unfortunately they did not accept my explanation and instead insisted that beer has miraculous healing power, and that after several bottles, I should be cured of my sickness. So I was coerced in going out with them. The funny thing was that they were exactly right, as after the third beer, my sickness disappeared, and when I got home I was back to 100%. Health care is free.

Psychiatric counseling – In America and many western countries, there is an epidemic of depression and anxiety. People regularly pay psychiatrists by the hour to listen to their problems and prescribe some drugs to make them feel better. Oftentimes, they can’t sleep, also due to stress and depression, so they take sleeping pills, prozac, and other medication to help them sleep and forget. In the Philippines, you don’t need to go to a psychiatrist or take anti-depressants because those are all free. If you have a problem, or if something is bugging you, you can always turn to your friends for advice. Oftentimes, the advice isn’t helpful of course, but somehow having the listening ear of someone you know and trust is the best form of psychiatric medicine, and it’s free too.

Entertainment – You don’t need a cable subscription, or an iPod, or a high-def DVD player with 50″ plasma in the Philippines. As the country offers much better entertainment than any of those devices can give. Life in the Philippines is like having the best entertainment in the world 24/7. Most of the jokes and ‘pakuwela’ that occurs in offices are better than that of any standup comedian I have heard. Just go out to the streets, shopping mall, or friendly neighborhood and you will be bombarded with hours and hours of entertainment. All free of course. Do you enjoy listening to music and concerts? Then you only need to ride a jeepney that has a good sound system where the driver plays it at full blast (not free unfortunately, it costs 7 pesos for the ride). I get to listen to all sorts of good music while riding the jeep. I even get a small physical workout from the intense vibration of the bass in the subwoofer. The rest of the passengers are the fans and groupies, while the jeepney driver is the rock star. It doesn’t get any better than this.

So if you are a cheapskate like me who doesn’t like to spend for high quality goods, I highly recommend that you take advantage of all the free stuff available in the Philippines. Because here, (almost) everything is free. [Written by Rob dela Cruz]

 

Celebrating Christmas in the Philippines and America – Part 2

I have a couple of interesting observations on how Christmas in the US is different from that of the Philippines. But before I mention them, I would like to say first of all that I have much respect for American culture and I believe we can learn a lot from them, particularly on how to grow an economy and how the respect for the beliefs of others plays an integral part of their culture. It’s one reason why the United States is the greatest nation in the world. That said, I find some of their holiday practices a bit unusual from my point of view.

For one, the words ‘Merry Christmas’ seems to have disappeared from the lexicon, replaced by the more religion-neutral and politically correct phrase ‘Happy Holidays’. While I understand that the reason behind this is so as not to offend other religious faiths, frankly I find this just weird. After all, the holiday is Christmas, so why not call it by its name, regardless of whether you believe in it or not?

It’s gotten to the point where in our office, we have a Christmas Tree in the lobby decorated with lights and ornaments. Except we are told that it’s really not a Christmas Tree, instead it’s called a ‘Giving Tree’ (so as not to offend anyone). It’s as if the word Christmas has suddenly become taboo. They even removed the star on top of the tree. So lame.

We also don’t have an office Christmas party, in its place we would have a ‘Yearend Party’. And my co-workers greet each other a ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’. Every year as an experiment, I always greet my co-workers with “Merry Christmas” (avoiding the more safe Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings), and see if they will react violently or take offense. I’m happy to say that everyone seems to smile when they hear the words and some even get the courage to greet me a ‘Merry Christmas’ in return. I also noticed that my Indian co-workers (who are not Christian) are frequently the first to reply back ‘Merry Christmas’. See, no big deal.

The office Christmas party in the US is always a dull event. It would sometimes be held at 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Some chips and cookies will be served with beer or wine. The big boss would usually start by thanking everyone for their contributions the past year, there would be a few chit-chat and polite smiles, and that’s it. Everyone then heads home at 5pm to avoid rush-hour traffic. The company does this deliberately to avoid liability, as if the party gets too wild, and if too much drink gets served and consumed, the chance is greater that the employees will drive home under the influence and cause an accident. It is safe but boring.

Contrast this to your typical Filipino Company Christmas Party. When I was still working in the Philippines, I always looked forward to them. It is typically held after office hours and can last up to midnight. Typically, there is a group competition as to who has the best dance number or comedy presentation, and who can make the biggest fool of himself. You might see the division manager dance in a skirt, or watch your officemate serenade a female co-worker with a love song. In the spirit of the Christmas Party, bosses and employees are equal, and it is always a good opportunity to have fun and let loose. After the party is over, everyone is usually in such a good mood that we would go to a Karaoke (KTV) or bar for the ’second party’ which oftentimes ends up more fun than the company-sanctioned one.

December is also the time to reconnect with old friends you haven’t seen for most of the year. My old barkada (group) usually meets once or twice during the season and we reflect on how much we have grown since high school or college and resolve to see each other more often, maybe try to organize a billiards or basketball outing.

This is really what Christmas is about for me. It’s about celebrating good times with friends, having the noche buena (Christmas Eve Meal) with the family, making fun of my cousins, getting back at your boss in the company party, and just basking in the glow of your relationships with the people that matter the most. Wouldn’t you agree, nothing beats Christmas in the Philippines? [Written by Rob dela Cruz]

The Eye of the Tiger in the Philippines

Originally posted on Saturday, 05 January 2008

I just finished watching Rocky III again last night. I probably have watched it more than twenty times since I was a kid, as we had an old betamax tape of it back in the 80’s. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies. The story revolves around Rocky Balboa losing his title to a young, hungry fighter played by Mr. T. Rocky had gotten soft and complacent, having gotten used to the easy life as a popular heavyweight champion. He had achieved fame and riches, yet lost the edge that made him a dangerous fighter in the first place.

Rocky’s old rival, Apollo Creed then contacts him and offers to train him so that he can regain his heavyweight championship. Initially, the training was very slow and difficult. Rocky had lost most of his motivation and will to fight. Apollo has to bring Rocky back to an old, dirty boxing gym where Apollo got his start as a young fighter. He then proceeds to show Rocky exactly what is lacking in his mental outlook. He tells Rocky that the young, poor fighters in the gym have that hunger and motivation to succeed, and this is what is missing from his game.

Eventually, Rocky gets back the motivation and killer instinct he needs to fight. He goes back to his roots, trains hard, and regains the confidence to win back the heavyweight championship. He had rediscovered the ‘eye of the tiger’, the old hunger and drive to succeed.

I can relate to this movie on many points, and I always get inspired by it, although I know most people find it terribly corny by today’s standards. I’ve always felt that while living in the US the past five years, I had gotten soft and complacent, so used to material comforts and luxuries. I had gotten accustomed to the safe and secure life – the type where everything is taken care for you as long as you conform to society and avoid rocking the boat for everyone else. As long as I held a regular job, did what I am told, and not say or do anything that other people might find offensive, I knew I would be assured of a secure (or at least the illusion of security), yet boring and empty life ahead of me.

I had lost the ‘eye of the tiger’. I had lost that instinct and drive I had when I was still a young and hungry college graduate looking for work. I had become complacent, afraid of trying new things, afraid of taking risks. I was all about preserving the status quo rather than taking advantage of new opportunities.

During my visit to the Philippines early last year, I rediscovered my connection with family and friends. I talked to a lot of interesting people back home. Those who had big dreams and outrageous goals and ideas which they weren’t afraid to share with me.

I also talked to a lot of young workers and I felt the raw energy and positive outlook they had towards life. To them, life did not consist of merely earning a paycheck and waiting for retirement. Instead, they were filled with passion for their work, their families, and their friendships.

It was then that I realized I had a lot of hard work in store for me. I had to regain my old form, go back to doing the things I love doing, and take advantage of more opportunities. I needed to regain the ‘eye of the tiger’. And this is one of the main reasons I’m returning to the Philippines. [Written by Rob dela Cruz]

Celebrating Christmas in the Philippines and America – Part 1

I had a rude awakening when I experienced my first Christmas in the US back in 2003. Previously, I had heard stories from other Filipinos about how difficult it was to be away from on Christmas. Being quite proud and arrogant at the time, I thought I wouldn’t have much trouble adjusting to life away from home, even during the holidays. But it was actually much tougher than I thought it. Serves me right.While growing up in the Philippines, I would be treated to videos and images of Christmas in America.

These were happy, feel-good pictures of Santa Claus, snow covered porches with Frosty the Snowman, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and little kids gathering around the Christmas Tree wearing proud smiles as they held their presents. I was captivated with those images and it built into me a mentality that the United States is a Christmas Paradise.The reality of the situation is actually quite different, and reflecting back on it made me more aware of the discrepancies between what we are force-fed in the media as compared to the way things actually are.

The toughest thing hands-down about Christmas and New Year in America is the weather. I’m aware that the climate might be more hospitable in the warmer states, but in Washington State where I stay, it gets very cold and dark. There are weeks where we go without sunshine due to the seemingly never-ending clouds and rain this time of year. I get claustrophobic from feeling trapped indoors with artificial heating. My skin dries up and I often feel suffocated from the lack of outdoor air. Where’s Frosty the Snowman when you need him?

Another thing is the lack of Christmas decor, music, and overall holiday spirit. I think it’s because I got so used to the amped up Christmas spirit in the Philippines. Back home, you are reminded that Christmas is coming as early as September, and you’ll see the decorations, hear the Christmas songs, and other references everywhere you go. I know a lot of Americans find our way of celebrating the holidays to be a bit too much, and I can understand how they got that point of view, especially when you compare the way it is celebrated in the Philippines and US.

I remember going around downtown Seattle one mid-December, seeing all the Christmas lights, outdoor Christmas Tree, and being reminded a little bit of what Christmas is like in Metro Manila. It’s just that you have to go to the busiest part of the city to see it.

I also recalled how I quickly got sick and tired of all the commercials on TV, as well as all the junk mail trying to convince me to buy more and more stuff during the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas had become synonymous with shopping, you will encounter many hardcore shoppers lining up outside of malls at the crack of dawn, competing with other equally hardcore shoppers to get the best deal in the latest cool gift or high-tech gadget.

I easily got depressed by all the rampant materialism and consumerism on display. It felt like something wasn’t right. Now don’t get me wrong, the Philippines is also stuck on that same consumerist treadmill, especially during the holidays. It’s just that Filipinos generally have less disposable income to spend, so we end up focusing on other things.

Part of my Filipino Christmas experience includes the company Christmas party, multiple reunions with friends, and family get-together’s. I’ll go over these memorable activities in part 2 of this post. [Written by Rob dela Cruz]

Metro Manila: A Food Paradise

For months, I’ve been harping on the joys of life back home in the Philippines. But there’s really one simple reason why I know I’ll be back: The Food. I just can’t live without it.

Metro Manila is a food paradise. Everywhere you go, you will be surrounded by a wide assortment of culinary choices. When I went home early this year – my first time back in three years, I could hardly contain my excitement. It was like I was an escaped prisoner having his first real meal after years of confinement.

My first week was mostly spent staying in the hospital where my father was confined while recovering from a serious health concern. It was a very difficult time for the whole family and was the main reason I rushed home. No matter how old we are, we will always feel a certain responsibility towards our parents. My mother and I had lunch in the hospital cafeteria daily. They had simple, inexpensive meals – always Filipino food consisting of rice, vegetables with some meat dish. For me, it was like eating in a first class restaurant as it was my first taste of real Filipino food in years. I had my fill of chicken caldereta, ginisang ampalaya (bitter melon), chicken curry with gata (coconut milk), and lots and lots of rice. I would have several cups of rice to go with the ulam. Eating there brought back familiar memories.

The hospital food was the icebreaker. The following week, I went to Enterprise building in Makati to meet my friend, Crab (yes, that’s his nickname) who was working there. It was kind of a surprise actually as he didn’t know exactly what date I would be back. We had coffee at the starbucks in his building. I was amazed at how many new eateries they had in Makati. There was a starbucks everywhere you looked. And I noticed a Dencio’s and Jollibee at the base of the buildings along Paseo de Roxas where most of the Call Center offices were located. On the side streets, the old ‘Jolly Jeep’s could still be found, where you can buy take out lunch – ulam and rice in small plastic bags.

While with Crab at starbucks, I heard a loud “HOY!!” followed by a slap on my shoulder. To my surprise, it was our old college friend, Sony. He just happened to be walking outside and saw us. He said it was entirely unexpected to see me as he didn’t even know I was back in the Philippines. Crab, Sony and I spent some time reminiscing the good old days. We texted everyone in the old barkada, and met up in Glorietta mall that same night. I was touched that all my old friends rearranged their schedules on that day, called their wives to tell them they will be late coming home, just to go out and have dinner with the old group. It’s so different from life in the US where everyone is too busy and preoccupied to meet friends on short notice.

We had a late dinner at Gilligan’s which was right outside the mall near established franchises such as Max’s Chicken and Gerry’s Grill. I think we only spent P700 ($65) for food that was good for six people. If I remember correctly, we had Tuna Belly, Sinigang na Baboy, and Sisig. It brought back memories of when I worked in Makati as a young, wide eyed employee. You could feel the energy and activity in the area when we walked outside.

It seems that everywhere I went, I was surrounded by good food that was hard to resist. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I would work remotely from our local office in Makati and ate at either the Glorietta or Landmark food courts. My favorite was the Sinigang na Baboy at Kamay Kainan – sometimes having three cups of rice to go with the patis and siling labuyo on the side. My mother said that my daily ‘Sinigang habit’ probably caused the increase in my cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

I went to Yoshinoya several times with my friend Jan, who updated me on all the new eating places I missed. Yoshinoya still serves the best beef rice bowl. Maybe a bit pricey at P120 for the large bowl, but that’s ok. I have a habit of adding a lot of red ginger and hot spices to the dish. Along with a side order of miso soup and green iced tea.

Even the westernized restaurants in the Philippines were good, as it frequently catered to local tastes. The Dads/Saisaki/Kamayan buffet was excellent and they had not significantly raised prices which is a good sign. I also have to admit that I enjoyed Shakey’s pizza and even the local McDonald’s! The Jollibee Chicken Joy was also a perennial favorite of mine. I can’t tell you how much I missed being able to eat rice in those fast foods, which they obviously don’t serve in their US branches.

Speaking of rice, I find I can never get enough rice while away from home. Sure, I can cook rice while in the apartment. The trouble is when I eat in the company cafeteria. They usually serve rice as a side dish and I have to request the server to “add more rice please!”, which still won’t be enough. As rice is a side dish, it sometimes comes mixed with some flavoring, with some nuts and corn added. Somehow, eating nuts and corn with rice doesn’t work for me. Just give me plain white rice and I’ll be happy.
Which brings me to my favorite eating place in Metro Manila. It’s a small outdoor grill named ‘Yoo Hoo’ located in Metrowalk, Ortigas. If you’re visiting the Philippines, you have to check out this place. The food is very inexpensive – you’ll pay less than P50 for a full meal. They serve various cafeteria-style ulam that changes every day, and you typically point to the ones you want. I was introduced to the place by Jan, and he was right on with his pick. The inihaw na liempo (roast pork) is the best of its kind in the world. Its regular patrons seem to like the pork barbecue, but I think the Liempo is a much better value. You also have to try the various side entrée ulam they have available. After a hot day of walking all around the area, I was so hungry that I had four cups of rice with Liempo and Lechon Manok. I’m just glad I don’t work near the place or I might get an early heart attack from eating the inihaw na liempo everyday.

I can go on and on about all the great food available in Metro Manila. I haven’t even described the wonderful home cooking, or the day we had free sago at gulaman in the Makati office. And all the desserts and fresh fruits that were available. I missed my mother’s pineapple upside down cake so much, that she baked two of them within a span of two weeks.

After having my fill of home cooking, I finally returned to the US and reluctantly went back to the company cafeteria food. It was a little sad to go back to my old routine. But I still had a huge smile on my face remembering all the great food I enjoyed back home. [Written by Rob dela Cruz]

In Defense Of Filipino Time

You have heard the term before – ‘Filipino Time’, referring to our tendency to be late to meetings, social gatherings and events. When a group of friends or relatives agree on a me eting time of – let’s say 6:30 PM, you know implicitly that the time is really more of a suggestion, and expect the people to actually arrive 15 to 30 minutes later, usually with the excuse that they got stuck in traffic, or that the bus was too slow, or something else. The common joke is that if you schedule an event to take place at 6:30 in the evening, it usually means that the true start time is closer to 7 PM, to account for ‘Filipino Time’. If a friend has a reputation of coming in much later than everyone else, you would give him an earlier start time than the rest, as a way of giving him an additional head start to compensate for his habit of coming in later than usual. We’ll usually have a good laugh about all of this, and oftentimes pressure the guy who comes in very late to pay for the drinks.

So it was quite a shock to me during my first few months in the US. I remember the first time I was invited to an after office team dinner celebration. Our group had just completed a major product milestone before the deadline, and the managers wanted to treat the whole team to a nearby restaurant. The first thing I noticed was that there was a detailed schedule given for the dinner. The invite said it would take place from 6:00 – 7:30 PM. I found the dinner end time of 7:30 PM a bit odd as it seemed too early. At the time, I thought it was just an arbitrary end time set which wasn’t really followed. After all, I’ve been to office dinner celebrations in the Philippines before, and 7:30 PM would just be the time when we would be getting started. Plus we would usually stay out much longer in the night. As we were all friends in the Philippines office, those who didn’t want to go home right away would all go out for beer or coffee after dinner.

Back to my first team dinner in the US: I arrived in the restaurant around 15 minutes later than the 6 PM start time, taking some extra time to sort out some odds and ends in the office before going to the restaurant. To my surprise, everyone was already seated and had ordered by the time I arrived. I found it both surprising and interesting how everyone was so prompt with regards to the dinner start time. I guess it was because I had gotten so accustomed to Filipino Time back home. But what surprised me even more was how the dinner ended promptly at 7:30 PM as scheduled, with the big boss giving a speech at the table thanking everyone for their hard work. Followed by everyone leaving the restaurant and driving off, like clockwork. That was the end of the short, very business-like dinner. The sun was still shining when everyone left, and I was thinking to myself “That was it? bakit natapos kaagad?” (why did it end so fast?)

Though I had eventually gotten used to “US Time”, where everything starts and ends according to schedule and everyone rushes to make it in time so as not to inconvenience or offend anyone, the feeling of everything running like clockwork still always felt unusual to me. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I knew it was more efficient, more respectable towards other people’s time, and probably better for productivity and economy. Yet it had always made me feel more anxious, like I was always running after time, rushing to the next event, and getting more stressed out.

Contrast this with my experiences when visiting the Philippines early this year. Everything was more relaxed. No rushing for anything and schedules weren’t set in stone. In general we had more time to sit back and talk about important life matters without constantly looking at our watches. After several years of ‘US Time’ which I think added many years to my biological age, ‘Filipino Time’ was such a refreshing experience. Now I’ll get to my main point, as I’m guessing many of you reading this are thinking that Filipino Time is one of our vices that we must cure, and that we must adopt the practice of western punctuality if we want to progress.

The theory is that if we want our economy to grow, ‘kung gusto natin umasenso’ (if we want to grow), then we have to start being more aware of time and doing everything to gain the most efficient use of it. In a way, I agree with this, but only to a limited extent and I’ll tell you why. First of all, while I agree that US Time is good for business and the economy, the price you pay for it is added anxiety and stress, which exacts a toll on physical health in the long-term. When everything you do is according to schedule, when everything is dictated by pop-up reminders on your calendar telling you what you should do next and how long it should take, those things eventually pile up on the psyche. I’ve seen my teammates at work who are always too busy and preoccupied with what is next on their schedule. Whether it’s to make an important deadline, or rushing to fetch their kids from day care, getting home in time to cook dinner, or the frantic planning to schedule their next vacation out of town. Everything becomes a constant battle for time.

With Filipino Time, perhaps we are a bit more inefficient. Perhaps our economy doesn’t grow as much as a result from it. And we end up wasting time waiting for friends and family who are late in arriving. But what we lose, we gain in our health and mental outlook. There is less struggle, things occur much more naturally. We observe our surroundings more, maybe spend more time talking to our friends and family about more important matters. And it also increases the serendipity factor – where we discover and learn new things by accident, as a result of being more aware of the world around us. We can make the distinction of being punctual on matters where time is critical – life and death situations, or work matters that are super important. But with everything else, we can afford to relax and not pressure ourselves too much. Then maybe we can get the best of both worlds. Many people criticize Filipino Time, but to be honest, I’m actually quite thankful for it. [Written by Rob dela Cruz]