The Jolliest Season in The Philippines

Many times I have been asked, if I am a preacher or pastor. I am not any of them. I was born and grew up in a parish house. While treading on different paths around the globe, through life, God has been more or less my permanent compadre. This might explain the "religious touch" in many write ups from time to time.

When the Christmas spirit sweeps through the Philippines, i learned how this spirit infects residents, tourists and a lot of expats alike with its gaiety.

The "official" Christmas season in the Philippines stretches from December 16 to January 6, but Christmas carols began already in October, and the season decorations stay up until the end of January. I remember my time as radio host in the Philippines: requests for Christmas tracks started already in September (!). They didn't surprise me while being on air for almost five years... .

Spanish missionaries introduced Christianity in the Philippines in the early 16th century. Many Christmas customs are derived from European roots. A creche is commonly found in church yards and on store facades, but often the carabao and the chicken have replaced the ox and ass. Humble farmers and fishermen bring offerings of fruits and fish to the babe in the manger. Real evergreen trees or the real Christmas tree, which can be found in Europe or other parts of the globe are rare in the Philippines. Filipinos have devised imaginative rattan representations, or "silver trees' fashioned with aluminium foil.

No dwelling or business address however, is too humble to display a "parol", the traditional star shaped Japanese paper and bamboo lantern that is a unique Christmas symbol in the Philippines. There are plenty of examples nationwide which show us how to celebrate the jolliest season of the year. 

Las Pinas (near Manila!) is very well known for its lantern makers. Have you seen already the marketplace overflowing with fanciful designed lanterns? San Fernando, Pampanga is famous for its spectacular lantern parade on Christmas Eve.

Yes, the Philippines celebrates the longest Christmas season worldwide infecting every one with gaiety. Count me in...!

I feel very touched when the "Gloria in excelsis Deo' rings triumphantly. After midnight families gather together around a table of traditional fare: foods and gifts. Towns are filled with wonderful and biosterous parties, noisemakers, and fire workers (NOT in Davao City!).

For me as a foreigner, who experienced the jolliest season of the year many times already, it is always an unforgettable event. 

Merry Christmas and Maligayang Pasko!

Cute - But Please Don't Wait For the Bite!

I love dogs since my childhood. I still have seven dogs here in the Philippines. Here are some puppies. Aren't they cute???

Without timely treatment, rabies infection is 100 percent fatal. Rabies is the best example of an illness in which prevention is better than cure, as it is a vaccine-preventable disease. 

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), more than 55,00 people die of rabies every year, with dog bites as the cause of 99 percent of rabies deaths. Every year, more than  15 million people worldwide (!) receive post-exposure prophylaxis, preventing an estimated 327,000 rabies deaths annually.

Following the official announcements rabies remains a significant public heath concern in the Philippines where only 25 percent of dogs are vaccinated against the viral infection and only 17 (!) rabies diagnostic laboratories are currently in operation. 

Come and visit me and my dogs. Yes, they are very cute - not only as puppies. And, if they might bite you, youhave nothing to worry!

Mr. Eric van Oppens, president and CEO of Novartis Healthcare Philippines voiced it out very clearly: 

"Our commitment to increase public awareness on rabies begins within the company and among our employees. Rest assured that we will expand our rabies awareness campaign to include the general public. This is our humble contribution to preventing and controlling rabies in the Philippines!"

Unsung Philippino Heroes

While staying in Manila again last week, I came across a wonderful write up of Pablo A. Tariman in the 'Philippine Daily Inquirer' about unsung heroes in the performing arts. I strongly agree with him. Of course, Manny Pacquiao, with a reputation as one of the greatest boxers ever, without difficulties named with the same breath nowadays with Dr. Jose Rizal seem to be Philippine national heroes. 

Pablo A. Tariman mentioned also Efren Penaflorida, who made the pushcart his classroom to help children get basic education. For his selfless dedication he was named the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year. Congratulations again!

I love classical music. I was blessed being able to host a classical music radio show for several years in the Philippines. During that time I always tried to add classical music elements performed by Philippine artists in my show. Not easy sometimes - but with the help of several record companies I got successful.

During that time I also learned a lot about these unsung heroes, Tariman also mentioned in his article.

Iloilo-born Filipino tenor Otoniel Gonzaga, i.e., who has reaped audience adulation in Vienna as Calaf in Guiseppe Verdi's "Turandot" or as Bacchus in Richard Strauss' opera "Ariadne auf (on) Naxos". Imagine, he remains the only Filipino tenor who has sung the Verdi opera "Otello".

Another Filipino opera singer, Arthur Espiritu, made history by becoming the first Filipino tenor to make it to "La Scala di Milan" (the Mandalay Stadium of Opera). 

Recently, as one could learn from Tariman, Lea Salonga was again the toast of england and millions of TV viewers when she sang in the 25th-anniversary concert of "Les Miserables" in London, where she was the first Filipina to sing the lead part of that musical, by the way, one of my favourites and requested in almost all radio shows of mine. 

Or, let me mention Cecile Licad. After her triumphs in several continents, she again made waves in Michigan and Germany with her 'Chopin No. 1'. Again, imagine my dear readers, she's now heading for Russia where she will become the first soloist of the Russian state orchestra. New York Times critic Harris Goldsmith says she's among the world's greatest pianists. Wow, wow, wow...!

It's really a never ending list. Allow me to quote Pablo Tariman again, because he so very, very well right in his article:

"This is good an occasion for us to refelct on the plight of artists who have no millions in pre-formance contract and who have to make do with modest fees compared to the million of dollars earned by champs and other athletes. So, while basking in the glory of Pacquiao, Filipinos should remember that the world also needs performing arts heroes and heroines who can provide truly inspiring anthems of the spirit."

Philippine Barangay Power

It is really good that every three years between local government elections, every Filipino will have the power to choose who will govern the neighborhood in which he or she lives.

As one could learn from several books, barangays are in the Philippines since pre-Hispanic days. When the Americans took over in the Philippines, the barangay was renamed BARRIO and the leader became the barrio captain or tiniente del barrio. Under the Marcos regime the barangay was once again revived, and the name of its head replaced as barangay captain. 

Why do I talk about barangay power? Of course, the Local Government Code of 1991 has given back the barangays more power and structure, as well as reponsibilites. Fact is also, that there have been several attempts to modify and even abolish this indeed most basic of the Philippines' political units.

The barangay is keeping the community working and is responsible for local matters such as peace and order and constitutes a powerful link for any city, provincial and national politician. Barangays are still taken a load off the regular courts since conflicts are encouraged to be resolved at the barangay level. 

I also strongly agree with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) which wants the barangays as the first line of defense against global climate change. Costal barangays, in example, should be given more priority since they are the most vulnerable to rising sea levels rise. 

(Barangay Captain from Buhangin, Davao City, James "Jimmy" Salvador, during an interview after his re-election)

Foreign Language Education in The Philippines (III)

Foreign language teaching in the Philippines - so far so good! The demand in high-schools and university teachers is indeed big.

During my last stay in Manila I learned that the Department of Education, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Manila, has launched a program that introduces German as foreign language to High Schools in the Philippines (Pilot). In order for this program, proven to be a success since its formation, to establish itself further and to meet the demand for teachers, Goethe Insitut is offering 16 teacher scholarships for Philippine universities in 2011.

Participation in this scholarship program will enable universities to incorporate the study of German into their curriculum as well as be part of the German network. The scholarships will occupy a period of six months of German teacher training (April - October 2011)  at the Goethe Institut Philippinen in Manila. 

Of course, applications are only viable through the universities and departments that focus on the establishment of German as a foreign language in their schools. Private applications will not be accepted. in addition to this, applicants must be already employed by the university at the time of application and have a long-term contract with the school.

Foreign language education in the Philippines - in this case the German language - and such scholarships of the Goethe Institut Manila - another big step into the future. 

Understanding each other is good. Gut, wenn wir uns verstehen.

Why Do I Live in The Philippines? Warum lebe ich auf den Philippinen? (II)

Deswegen - zum Beispiel...

That's why - one of many other reasons...

Foreign Language Education in The Philippines (II)

While staying in Manila I was really blessed and honoured to meet several people with one mutual goal: "Teaching foreign languages in the Philippines". 

I have been also invited to the "Benchmarking Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education Development" (Practices and challenges in the 21st Century in Asia Pacific) in Pangasinan next January. Thank you Professor Vigilio Manzano of UP Diliman in Quezon City. 

Thanks a lot also to many people, who joined this conference in Manila. I love to express my gratitude to Dr. Teresita T. Tumapon, Dean and Vice President of Liceo de Cagayan University (among so many others) for giving many valuable advices. Thank you (und danke schoen) also to my friend, Mr. Helmut Frielinghaus from Goethe Institut Manila for so many inputs.

Why learning foreign languages (besides and in addition to English) in the Philippines?

Allow me to quote some expressions, I have learnt from the Goethe Institut:

"Peacekeeping, human rights or environmental protections are topics of global relevance that can only be addressed through dialogue between societies. Foreign languages are essential for this kind of dialogue. After all, even though English has long since been a university platform, additional  foreign languages do help to retrain individual identity and individualism. They also help to buildt bridges - for multicultural diveristy and intercultural tolerance."

While attending the said conference in Manila, I also came across the following statement given by Professor Ludwig Eichinger, Director for the German Language, Mannheim/Germany:

"Dies schlaegt sich nieder in den Aufgaben fuer die Sprachen und hat Folgen fuer die Raeume, in denen sie gelten. Das Deutsche ist die grosse Sprache in Europa, und es erstreckt sich ueber einen ganz erheblichen Raum!"

"This idea is reflected in the roles of the languages and has consequences for the geographical areas in which they are used!" ...

I also love to quote Dr. David Graddol of the "English Company (UK) Ltd.", who drams up studies on the future of the English for the British Council:

"The world is rapidly becoming multilingual. ... Fears that he expansion of the English language is threatening local languages will doubtless turn out to be unfounded. ... The manifest dynanism between globalisation and localisation is exerting pressure to retain local, linguistic identities. Over the next ten years, it will not so much be a question of "Do you speak English?", but rahter: "Of course you speak English, but else what can you offer"?

French, Spanish, Italian, Nihongo, Mandarin?

(To be continued)
(Fortsetzung folgt)

Foreign Language Education in The Philippines

As faculty member (German Language, Institute of Languages) I do enjoy teaching at the University of Southeastern Philippines, Davao City, starting almost three years ago. Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Goetheinstitut in Manila, USEP became one of its partner schools:

http://www.goethe.de/ins/ph/map/net/ska/enindex.htm

I'll be attending the collaborative conference  on "Sustainable Development of Foreign Language Education in the Philippines (Secondary and Tertiary Levels)" in Manila, organized by the Alliance Francaise de Manille, Embassy of France, Embassy of Germany, Embassy of Japan, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Italy, Goethe-Institut, Instituto Cervantes, and the japan Foundation, Manila.

I like to quote Japan Foundation Manila Director Shuji Takatori:

"The said event will showcase the cooperative efforts of various foreign government cultural/language agencies and pertinent institutions in promoting a long-term implementation of the Philippin Government's program in foreign language education, it's significant for foreign organizations to be engaged in a laudable endeavor - the Filipino student's communicative competence in foreign language as well as in depth understanding and appreciation of foreign culture in preparation for a linguistically diverse workplace; thus, the undertaking - "working hand-in-hand / strengthened partnership" with the host country leading to the inclusion of Foreign Language Education in the standard academic curriculum is for the attainment of the Filipino's youth's global competitiveness."

The Department of Education and the CHED will inform about the current situation of the participating languages in the Philippines in High-Schools as well as in universities (e.g.existing language programs, possible teacher trainings, teacher education, evaluation, quality standards, needs, program goals and questions.

I am sure, it will be an exciting time for me while joining this event. I am also sure, that I'll be reporting more details about this topic after being back from Manila.

An Email from InterNations GmbH in Germany

I was very glad to receive the following email from Germany:

Dear Mr. Klaus Doring,

First of all let me congratulate you on your informative website. I liked the way you structured the information in order to give useful tips for your visitors about culture, lifestyle, your adventures and a lot more! I was personally happy to see your commitment and ability to write interesting posts about the daily life in the Philippines as an expatriate!

I am sure that our expatriate members would be happy to have a look at your blog! ... I will be more than happy to create an entry for you in our City Guide. This way we can draw our members' attention to your website and promote it among 200,000 members. 

... Here is some more information about InterNations: InterNations is the biggest global networking site for expats of various nationalities and their family members. At the moment InterNations unites more than 200,000 members in 235 cities worldwide. On our platform, expatriates and their partners can connect with compariots, ask for advice on everyday life in their host country, provide other members with useful tips, make new contacts and find information in our City Guides.

... The restrictions - membership is invitation-only - are necessary for our community in order to maintain a high level of quality, trust and confidence for our member base. The registration process is easy, safe, free of charge, and it will take you only a few minutes.

...Keep on updating your exciting Blog!

Sincerely 

PHILIPP VON PLATO

Founder & Managing Director InterNations GmbH, Muenchen/Germany.

Thank you very much Philipp von Plato. I joined already your community and for all those, you like to join also, here is the link:

http://www.internations.org/expats/home/philippines
http://www.internations.org

Or visit my "Important Links/Wichtige Links" and click "Expatriats"!

German Christmas Party German Community and International Friends (II)

 

Mayor of Davao City Miss Sara Inday Duterte-Carpio

Barangay Captain, Buhangin, Davao City, James "Jimmy" Salvador (during an interview after his re-election!).

Both of them (among many others!) to grace the Christmas party of the German Community and International Friends.

Call now and reserve your tickets now: 082 -227 1761 (Rossana Balcom-Doring in Davao City!)