You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!


Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!

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Showing posts with label BAHALA NA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BAHALA NA. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Typical Filipino (XV) - Typisch Philippinisch (XV) - "Bahala Na" - Fatalismus oder Resignation

 


Bahala na” is a philosophical expression Filipinos used when they are confronted with problems. They will say “Bahala Na”, meaning “come what may,” “whatever will be, will be,” 'leave it to God', like the Spanish word “que sera, sera”. ... So it can literally be translated as God already or God will take care already.

Is it correct to say "Bahala na" is a Filipino negative trait?  Yes, it is tantamount to leaving one's fate to another.

Manche halten diesen Wesenszug für Fatalismus. Wörtlich bedeutet der Ausdruck, die Dinge (Bathala) Gott anzuvertrauen oder einfach sich selbst zu überlassen. Da Filipinos auf das Wohlwollen anderer Leute bauen, zum Beispiel ihrer Vorgesetzten und ihnen möglichst alles recht machen wollen, kann man BAHALA NA  gut verstehen. Man will einfach hoffnungslos langwierige und verstrickte Entscheidungsprozesse vermeiden. BAHALA NA ist die Schublade, in der alles verschwindet, was "zu schwierig" ist, weil letztendlich alles doch von vielen anderen Menschen, ihren Wünschen, Meinungen und Launen abhängt.

Some consider this trait to be fatalism. The expression literally means to entrust things to God or simply to leave them to themselves. Since Filipinos rely on the goodwill of other people, BAHALA NA can be understood very well e.g. with their superiors trying to please them as much as possible. One just want to avoid hopeless drawn out and entangled decision-making processes. BAHALA NA is the drawer, in which everything disappears, which is "too difficult", because ultimately everything depends on many other people's opinions and moods.









Thursday, July 12, 2012

Why is The Filipino Special?

Writer's note: This is an article written by former Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., which has been re-posted several times in the past, and several days ago in Mindanao Daily Mirror, where fellow columnist Juan L. Mercado commented: "YOU MAY FIND MUCH TO AGREE WITH IT - OR DISAGREE. ANYWAY READ ON...". I would say the same. As an expatriate, living in the Philippines since 1999 for good, I found Magsaysay's article very interesting... .

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Filipinos are brown. Our color should not be a reason for an inferiority complex. (Some) pine for a fair complexion, white people tan themselves - approximate the Filipino complexion.

Filipinos are a touching people. We create human chains with our perennial AKBAY (putting an arm around another's shoulder, HAWAK (hold), KALABIT (touching with the tip of a finger). We seek inter connections.

Filipinos are linguists. It is not uncommon for Filipinos to speak at least three: his own dialect, Filipino and English. A lot speak an added language, Chinese, Spanish, or, if he works abroad, thelanguage of his host country.

Filipinos are "groupists". We surround ourselves with people and hover over them. An average Filipino would have and know at least 300 relatives, notes Dr. Patricia Licuanan of Ateneo and Miriam College.

At work, we live BAYANIHAN (mutual help). We want a KALARA (playmate) more than LARUAN (toy). At socials, even guests bring in other guests. When the is no more space in the vehicle, we KALONG KALONG (sit on anoher!). No one suggests splitting.

Filipinos are weavers. Look at our baskets, mats and other crafts. This art is metaphor. We are social weavers. We weave their into ours that we all become parts of another. Thus, we put preium  on PAKIKISAMA (getting along) and PAKIKIPAGKAPWA (relating). WALANG PAKIKI-PAGKAPWA (inability to relate) is one of the worst labels. 

We harmonize with people and include them in our "tribe", our "family". We seek to be included. Thus, we call our friend's mother NANAY. We ca a friend's sister ATE (eldest sister), and so on. We even call strangers TIA/TITA (aunt) or TIO/TITO (uncle).

We have the "KA" - institution - loosely translated as "equal to the same kind" as in KASAMA (of the same company), KAISA (of the same cause), KAPANALIG (of the same believe), etc. In our social fiber, we treat other people as co-equals. 

Filipinos are adventurers. We have a tradition of separation. Our legends speak of heroes and heroines who almost always get separated from loved ones, and move to far-away lands. There, they find wealth and power.

Our Spanish colonial history is filled with separations caused by the reduccion (hamleting), and forced migration to build towns, churches and galleons. American occupation enlarged the space of Filipino wandering, including America. There is documented evidence of Filipino presence in America as far as back as 1587.

Now, Filipinos composed the world's largest population of overseas workers. Today's citizens of the world bring BAGOONG (salty shrimps paste), PANSIT (sauteed noodles), SIOPAO (meat-filled dough), including the TABO (ladle) and TSINELAS  (slippers).

Filipinos recreate their home, or feel at home anywhere. Filipinos have PAKIRAMDAM (deep feeling/discernment). We know how to feel what others feel. Being MANHID (dense) is slur. In our PAKIKI-PAGKAPWA (relating), we get not only to wear another man's shoe but also his heart.

Filipinos are very spiritual. We transcend the physical world. We have a sense of KABA (hunch). A Filipino wife instinctively feels her husband or child is going astray, whether or not tell-tale signs present themselves. Filipinos spiritually makes him invoke divine intervention. Rightly or wrongly, Filipinos are always acknowledging, invoking or driving away spirits into and from their life.

Filipinos are timeless. For nearly half-a-millennium now, the Western clock encroached into our lives. Except for official functions, Filipinos will still measure the time with feeling. Our time is diffused, not framed.

Appointments are defined by UMAGA (morning), TANGHALI (noon), HAPON (afternoon), or GABI (evening). Our most exact time reference is probably KATANGHALIANG-TAPAT (high noon), which allows many minutes of leeway. There is really no defenite time. A Filipino event has no clear-cut beginning nor ending. We have a fiesta, but there is VISPERAS (evening), a day after the fiesta is still considered a good time to visit. The Filipino Christmas is not confined on December 25, it somehow begins months before December and extends up to beyond the first days of January.

Filipinos are spaceless. The Filipino concept of space is not expressed in kilometers but with feelings. We say MALAYO (far) or MALAPIT (near). Indigenous culture did not divide land into private lots but kept it open for all to partake of its abundance.

One's party may expropriate the street! So do SARI SARI - stores! Provincial folks dry PALAYAN (rice grain) on the high ways. Religious groups matter-of-factly commandeer streets for processions and parades. "Filipinos eat, sleep, chat, socialize, quarrel, even urinate ANYWHERE!

So what makes the Filipino special? Brown, spiritual, timeless, spaceless, linguists, groupists, weavers, adventures? Filipinos should contribute their traits to the world-wide-community of men. But first, they should know, like and love themselves...!

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Again: this is an article, written by former Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. - Comments are very much welcome here.




Saturday, June 16, 2012

Bahala na! I DON'T CARE!

Republished from MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR (Friday, June 15, 2012)


From the sheer goodness of one's heart - are we really doing even small things for our fellow creatures? Hey, don't you see it/

We are becoming more and more uninterested. We live without concern. We are not making the difference. We even don't think or even don't try to think about it. We have no influence or weight - neither good nor bad. Is that really what we want?

The taxi driver has learned his way and makes a detour without his conscience pricking him in taking my pruse: "Nong, asa ka? Diretso lang!" - "Sorry, Sir!"

On the other hand, while walking a short distance somewhere down town in Davao City, I don't care about the (blind?) beggar, who might really need any single centavo. Many other "business beggars" or swindlers have dulled so much my usually open hand character. BAHALA NA - suddenly, I really don't care!

Several years ago, while riding a jeepney (yes, I always loved to so!), I listened to two passengers. "You know, our neighbour suffers from lung cancer. He asked me a loan because he needs to be hospitalized." - "And, what did you do/" - "WALA, nothing, BAHALA SIYA! Why did he never quit smoking as I have told him already long time ago?"

Well, here we are! Why should I help other people around me, if, on the other side, MY cries of help or urgent appeals have been rejected, as intentionally unanswered? Indifference or egoism? It seems to be a privilege for us to close our eyes, ears, and mouths in such an indifferent and shameful way, that we hurt those who seek our attention.

Somebody tries to become our friend. Sure, why not?

Somebody was hired as a leader and needs the support of his or her staff. Sure, why not?

Somebody is ill and is suffering from from persecution and needs us? Sure, why not?

Somebody needs our advice because he or she is facing a difficult decision or homelessness or living alone or losing his job? Sure, why not?

Somebody suffers overwhelming prejudice, provocation, and loss of reputation and needs badly the involvement of another helping hand. Sure, why not?

Because of indifference, we keep keep on destroying our good nature and the whole globe by unintentional or international contamination of the environment. Indifference allows wars instead looking for peace. Indifference allows man to hide behind stupid excuses... .