This might not be the typical expat blog, written by a German expat, living in the Philippines since 1999. It's different. In English and in German. Check it out! Enjoy reading!
Dies mag' nun wirklich nicht der typische Auswandererblog eines Deutschen auf den Philippinen sein. Er soll etwas anders sein. In Englisch und in Deutsch! Viel Spass beim Lesen!
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!
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has welcomed its first foreign president as the flag carrier seeks to add to its storied past while “growing [its] business internationally” to feed travel momentum.
In a statement on Wednesday, the airline announced the appointment of British national Richard Nuttall as its new president, effective May 29.
“Appointing Richard Nuttall to Philippine Airlines is an important part of our medium-term and long-term strategy of building a robust management team and growing our business internationally,” said Lucio Tan, PAL chair and CEO.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE An artist’s rendition of the Samal Island-Davao City Connector project and its ongoing construction following its groundbreaking ceremony in 2022. —PHOTOS FROM DPWH FACEBOOK PAGE
Scientists and environmental groups on Monday filed a petition for a writ of kalikasan at the Supreme Court to stop the construction of the bridge that will connect Davao City and Samal Island due to the alleged “actual, serious, and irreversible damage” it has done to the coral reefs in the area.
Construction of the P23.52-billion Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project, a 4.76-kilometer bridge financed by China, is ongoing and on track to be completed by September 2028, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“This case reveals both a slow and an immediate death of the coral reefs in the Davao gulf and of the ecosystems, including local communities, that collectively depend on these reefs for their continued existence,” the 200-page petition read in part.
Last week, a public high school principal in Antique faced widespread online criticism after a viral video showed her angrily scolding students on their graduation day. She was upset that many students had arrived wearing togas. Before the ceremony began, the principal took the microphone and asked the students to remove their graduation robes, insisting that all they should be wearing are just their uniforms and sablay. However, her remarks quickly escalated into a furious lecture, even threatening to call the police because the students had “violated the law” for wearing a toga.
For context, the Department of Education (DepEd) has clarified that while school uniform, casual, or formal wear remains the recommended attire for both graduation and moving-up ceremonies, a toga or sablay may still be worn as an additional garb. Several students and parents later shared their version of events, saying the school’s Parent-Teacher Association had convened a meeting where most parents voted to wear a toga and even volunteered to sponsor students who could not afford one. Despite the consensus, the principal reportedly insisted on a different attire, which may have led to confusion and miscommunication.
The school head justified her actions by claiming that she just wanted to teach the students a lesson in respect and obedience to authority. But the manner in which she delivered her message seemed deeply inconsistent with the very values she claimed to uphold.
First, public shaming is not discipline. It is a form of control that uses fear and humiliation. While it may result in temporary compliance from students, it does not build their character or teach them any values. A leader earns respect by showing fairness, consistency, and empathy. When the principal shamed the students before their peers and parents, she wasn’t teaching them about respect; she was inadvertently teaching them that authority figures are exempt from practicing the respect they demand.
Second, we all make mistakes despite our best efforts. As educators, part of our responsibility is to turn our students’ mistakes into teaching moments. We need to guide children toward positive behavior through respectful correction and compassionate guidance. It is important to let them know that they were wrong and that their actions have consequences. Dwelling on the mistake in a way that erodes their self-esteem is unnecessary, ineffective, and potentially harmful to their well-being. When a child receives overly harsh comments from someone in authority or whose opinion they value, the negative feedback could become ingrained and permanent.
DepEd Antique has since stated that it formed an investigation team to look into the incident. Several teachers, however, posted anonymously in online forums, to share their doubt that any meaningful action would be taken since the principal allegedly had many “connections” in the regional office. They cited how the school community had raised serious concerns against the principal in the past. In 2023, parents and students staged public rallies and even appeared on a public service program to seek help from local officials. According to the parents, students, and teachers who were part of the petition, the principal was a “bully” who caused significant mental distress among the learners. The school allegedly lost around 500 students that year because many children ended up transferring or just stopped going to school altogether, supposedly due to the emotional toll from their experience.
This highlights a broader issue: When conduct-related concerns are raised against school authority figures, how often are they held meaningfully accountable? While DepED’s standard response is to have a formal investigation to ensure due process, there must also be clear and transparent mechanisms to allow the school community to monitor its results and assess whether appropriate measures were carried out.
There is also a growing public perception that problematic school heads are too often just reassigned to another location. This band-aid solution just successfully manages public outrage without genuinely addressing the root problem. A more effective and constructive approach should involve restorative justice frameworks, community dialogue, and targeted retraining of the principal based on the underlying issue (e.g., positive discipline, emotional intelligence, or values-based leadership).
Lastly, when a principal commits a mistake in a way that significantly harms students, accountability should include meaningful efforts at schoolwide restitution. In these cases, addressing the community to publicly acknowledge and apologize for one’s mistakes can be a powerful act of modeling responsibility. This helps rebuild trust by reaffirming that schools are places of both learning and integrity for everyone, including those in charge.
If we hope to raise virtuous and compassionate young citizens with strong critical thinking skills and a deep commitment to civic participation, we must train our educators to model those same values. More importantly, we must ensure that they will uphold the right of every child to be treated with respect and dignity—even when students disobey a rule.
Outside my house, the yard is thick with dry mahogany leaves. They fall continuously, carpeting the entire garden, reminding me of an inescapable truth—that decay precedes death, and death awaits all living things. “But to what end?” I often catch myself asking.
The comforting message of Easter—that death is but a passage to eternal life—has not entirely soothed my anxieties about growing old. Perhaps I’ve spent too many years steeped in secular social science and philosophy, neglecting my spiritual growth. Seeking balance, I asked my brother, the Cardinal, if he could lend me one of his bibles. Without inquiring into my purpose, he gave me both the “Jerusalem Bible” and the “Little Rock Catholic Study Bible.” I interpreted this gesture as his gentle way of suggesting I might need guidance to find what I’m searching for.
Several months later, I remain a hesitant learner, having made little progress in my private biblical studies. Instead, I’ve found myself returning to familiar philosophical companions—Alexander Nehamas’ “Nietzsche: Life as Literature” and Kierkegaard’s “The Concept of Anxiety.” As one might expect, these texts frequently disrupt my attempts to grasp the transcendent meanings of the scriptures.
Beyond books, I have discovered equanimity in a simpler practice—daily walks. I used to bring binoculars, hoping to spot birds, but nowadays I prefer simply to look, letting whatever catches my attention stay with me. Certain images linger like memories that refuse to fade, quietly waiting to be understood.
One such memory was from a recent trip to Japan with my granddaughter Julia. In late March, we went to see the cherry blossoms, only to find unopened buds instead. Initially disappointed, I wrote about this experience in a previous column, (see “Looking for sakura, finding a samurai,” 3/30/25). I recalled our memorable encounter with a young Japanese man from a samurai lineage who tenderly cared for his elderly mother. This left an enduring impression on me.
Throughout that trip, Antonio Gramsci’s phrase, “The old is dying but the new cannot be born,” kept returning to my thoughts. Originally meant to describe the dangerous political transitions that give rise to authoritarianism, the phrase took on a more personal meaning. I was supposed to guide Julia through a Japan I thought I knew intimately, but soon realized she was instead guiding me, gently navigating the dissonance between my aging memory and our present journey.
This realization crystallized during breakfast one morning at the International House of Japan, a place I used to frequent as a young academic attending conferences. At the next table sat an elderly professor and his young assistant or student. The professor spoke most of the time, barely noticing that he spilled scrambled eggs on his blazer. Without interrupting the flow of conversation, the young man quietly rose, knelt beside him, and gently cleaned the spill. Their dialogue continued uninterrupted.
At once, I saw myself mirrored in that passing scene. I have always taken pride in self-reliance, rarely asking for help. Yet, there, unmistakably reflected, was a truth I must now face—that age brings with it an inevitable dependence. The moment I had long dreaded finally occurred later, as we waited for our train to Narita International Airport.
After visiting the restroom, I suddenly couldn’t find my way back. Disoriented and anxious, I went back to the toilet and retraced my steps. Each time, my effort led me either to the exit to the street or the automated ticket doors. Finally, I sought directions at the ticket counter. The language barrier and confusion compounded my anxiety until I finally surrendered and called Julia. Calm and reassuring, she quickly found me. “Sorry, I got lost,” I murmured, embarrassed. “Did we miss the train?” Her reply was gentle and comforting: “Don’t worry, Lolo. There’s another one in 10 minutes.”
On the plane home, still wondering how I got lost, and reflecting on the panic I felt at that moment, I recognized something instructive in my failure to help myself and my granddaughter’s patience and kindness. Perhaps this is what Nietzsche meant by embracing life unconditionally, or what Kierkegaard described as confronting anxiety by accepting our limitations. Perhaps transcendence begins by recognizing our humanity, acknowledging our vulnerabilities, and finding redemption not through doubt and denial but in the grace of love and care of those who succeed us.
The Miss Philippines-Eco International 2025, Alexie Brooks. Image: Facebook/Miss Eco International
By: Armin P. Adina
INQUIRER.net / 11:57 AM April 13, 2025
Filipinos can now throw even more support to Philippine bet Alexie Brooks in the 2025 Miss Eco International pageant in Egypt as the global tilt offered its online voting for free.
Fans are now given one free vote per day for the “Miss Eco People’s Choice” on the Eventista online platform (missecointernational.1voting.com), the international pageant posted on social media on Saturday evening, April 12.
“Free voting is now available on the Eventista platform! Get 01 FREE VOTE/day to support your favorite contestant in the ‘Miss Eco People’s Choice,'” posted the Miss Eco International pageant. Additional votes will incur charges.
The delegate with the most votes at the end of the official voting period will receive the “Miss Eco People’s Choice” award, and will automatically enter the Top 10.
“Voting closes at 06:00 PM 19 April 2025 (UTC+2). Don’t miss out—vote now and make a difference!” reminded the international pageant.
As of 8 A.M. on April 13, Brooks is still leading with 24,024 votes. She is also leading in the race for the Ecotourism Video on the pageant’s YouTube channel.
Local Plan
Brooks had earlier placed second in the talent competition held in Hurghada for her rendition of Adele’s hit song “Set Fire to the Rain.”
The Ilongga national athlete-turned beauty queen is hoping to score the Philippines’ third Miss Eco International victory, following Cynthia Thomallia in 2018 and Kathleen Paton in 2022.
The 2025 Miss Eco International coronation show will be held at the Al Zahraa Ballroom of Hilton Green Plaza in Alexandria, Egypt, on April 19 (April 20 in Manila).
