WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (XXIX) : Back on air and first diplomatic impressions

A great day of honor awaited all of us: my mother became 90. She had "one more wish". "Let's go to the Waterfront Insular Hotel again", she asked Rossana and me. We went there. After that, she never left the house again. A year later, just four days after my birthday, she never woke up from her nap. In the morning, during breakfast, were her last words, "Those were the best 16 years in my life that I was  allowed to spend with you and our Filipino family".

Yes, that's so true:  the most important thing about having a Filipino family is that you will always have someplace to go, even if it’s your third or fourth cousin from your mom’s side whom you haven’t seen in fifteen years. For Filipinos, when a family shows up at your door, you let them in. Much like how Robert Frost’s famous poem goes, “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.”

For months I have received phone calls, emails and even letters telling me when I would finally be hosting a classical music show on the radio again. "And what do you want to do? Can you still manage of all this in addition to your teaching and other work"? Rossana asked me with a big frown. "If you help me, I can do anything", I answered her in a confident voice. The then 104.3 FM Edge Radio Davao gave me time-slots on Sundays: in the morning from 9 to 11 and as replay from 7 to 9 PM. Ludwig van Beethoven and all classic masters were back again. 

While Rossana kept our business in Davao City going, I traveled to Manila several times a year. For several years I have enjoyed speaking to the different ambassadors (photo with Ambassador Thomas Ossowski). Main topics were the situation in Mindanao and the Philippine-German relations. I had learned a lot on the latter subject from my mentor, Monsignore Hermogenes Bacareza, Father Gene. The former Philippine Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Minerva Jean A. Falcon mentioned it during on of her speeches: Philippine-German relations are built on the strong foundations that link the people and culture of two countries. Formal relations between the Philippines and Germany began only in the 1950's, but the social  and economic relations date back to the colonial times when Hamburg opened  a consulate in Manila. The Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, stayed in Germany from 1886 to 1887. It was in Berlin where he published his novel Noli Me Tangere.

Rossana and I were then invited to Manila: 60 years of Diplomatic Relations between Germany and the Philippines & 24 years of United Germany. A touching event, i.e. together with the Philippine Madrigal Singers and  an amazing violin soloist a la Vanessa Mae.

Back in Davao, I continued my German language teaching. In the meantime, I, as well as my students, had got used to a very special phenomenon: Filipino Time. Picture this: You turn up at an event 30 minutes late. You probably didn't mean to, but that's just how things turned out. When you get there, you realize you're not late at all because the organizers accounted for Filipino time and set the real start of the event an hour later than stated. But I could never imagine being late with my radio program as well as teacher at the university ... .

(To be continued!)

The "Great Resignation"

Unless you’re walking into a glossy, new, upgraded role, leaving a job to head in a different direction can be hard, upsetting and even leave people feeling like a failure. Faced with the prospect of quitting, Denver, Colorado-based organisational psychologist Melissa Doman, MA, says, “typically speaking, people still self-criticize. For many people, their job is heavily tied to their identity and their self-efficacy”.

 

When I blink back after almost 50 years of work, I've quit my job several times. Yes, quitting – particularly without a job to go to – can be emotionally challenging and carry stigma - as writer Joanna York got it to the point. Most of my colleagues  thought that I was rushing into a bad decision. I was already anxious about having quit and their remarks put more doubt in my head.

 

Still, despite these factors, indications are that many people want to leave their jobs. In fact, 41% of all workers are thinking about handing in their notice, according to a recent global survey by Microsoft. In the US, a record number of workers quit their jobs in April 2021, and similar waves are anticipated in nations including the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There’s even a name for it: the Great Resignation.

 

Joanna York describes it like this: There are multiple reasons for this trend, from people re-evaluating what they want from their careers during the pandemic, to the stress of juggling home and work life, or even discontent with employers. Whatever the motivator, many who choose to leave their current roles will find the process emotionally challenging. ‘Quitting’ often comes with negative connotations, both from the people around us and from ourselves, even if we have good cause.

But the upheaval caused by the pandemic – and the sheer number of potential quitters – could help us remove the stigma around resignation, and re-frame it as a more positive choice.  The negative feelings the brain can cycle through after quitting can be significant, with shame, guilt, fear and a sense of failure all common reactions.

 

Also important is asking for advice from the right people at the right time. When I moved to the Philippines for good in 1999, I got the right people at the right time at my side. I tried to temper the fear and the uncertainty. The fact that I made the decision that's right for my life and my career was a privilege. And an opportunity. Or even many opportunities... .

 

The Resiliency of a Filipino is Built into the Culture

 

A little-known fact about Filipinos is that a polite way of greeting someone is to invite them to share your food. When you approach Filipinos while they’re enjoying a meal, they will greet you with a cheery “Kain tayo or Kaon ta,” which translates to “Let’s eat.” Small gestures like this are built into the Filipino culture, one of which is the ironclad habit of helping your neighbours or giving food to those who don’t have it.

But more than generosity and innate friendliness, Filipinos are also some of the most practical people in the world. In the face of hardships, Filipinos are less likely to question why such difficulties could happen but are more likely to accept that bad things do happen. The real question for a Filipino is, what should we do next?

These can be seen during the corona pandemic when so many people lost their jobs. Instead of throwing their hands up, the resilience of the Filipino spirit showed in how most people adapted to their change in circumstances. Whether it’s to sell baked goods online or to learn to buy and sell items via popular eCommerce websites or to find work online, most people in the Philippines looked at what needed to be done and took the next step.

The Resiliency of the Filipino is finding strength in family. There are times when the Filipino culture of having a close-knit family can be a pain, like when your Auntie asks when you’re getting married, something that happens often enough during the holidays. But the great thing about having a close-knit family as most Filipinos do is that there’s always someone to lend you a sympathetic ear and even a helping hand when times get tough.

2021 © BAROK AND TAKYA BISAYA PODCAST

Why was Mindanao not fully converted to Christianity ...

 ... unlike Luzon and Visayas in spite the Philippines being a Spanish colony for over 3 centuries?

By: John Carlo Dacillo

Mechanical Engineer

Space, Technology, Military and Philippine Culture, Politics and History enthusiast. Loves to read all stuff

Because the Spaniards failed to conquer them. The Moros along with Lumads had resisted them successfully. Thing is, only parts of Mindanao were not conquered. Some parts of it were conquered. The natives absorbed Spanish influences like Luzon and Visayas, take Butuan for example and Zamboanga that even speaks a Spanish Creole language. Also, Luzon was not converted in its entirety too because the Spaniards failed to conquer the Highlands, the land of Igorots.

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine available soon in local drugstores

by Raymund Antonio, Manila Bulletin

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Tuesday, August 24, that Pfizer’s vaccine, which has the highest efficacy rate of all COVID-19 vaccines in the market, will soon be available in local drugstores after it received full approval from the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This file photo taken on November 17, 2020 shows vials with COVID-19 vaccine stickers attached, with the logo of US pharmaceutical company Pfizer. (AFP/ MANILA BULLETIN)

During a virtual press briefing, the Palace official noted that Pfizer’s COVID-19 was also the first vaccine to receive the emergency use authorization from the US FDA.

“Well, magiging commercially available na po ang Pfizer. Kaya konting panahon na lang po at mabibili na sa ating mga botika ang Pfizer kung ito po ang inyong (Pfizer will become commercially available. That’s why in a little time we can already buy in our drugstores the Pfizer vaccine if that is your) preferred brand,” Roque said.

The US FDA on Monday night (Manila time) granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 shot, clearing the path for more vaccine mandates there and abroad. The White House believes that this will persuade unvaccinated people in the country to get their jabs.

In a survey, three out of 10 unvaccinated individuals said they are willing to get their COVID jabs as long as the vaccine received full approval from the FDA.

Roque said that Pfizer-BioNTech still has to be granted with commercial use approval by the Philippine FDA, but he believes this will be a non-issue.

“Dahil meron tayong polisiya ng Philippine FDA ay mas mabilis naaaprubahan for commercial use ang mga bakuna’t gamot na meron ng approval sa mga stringent na FDAs gaya po ng Estados Unidos (Because the Philippine FDA has a policy to quickly approve the commercial use of vaccines and medicines that has approval from stringent FDAs like the United States),” he explained.

Pfizer has a reported 95 percent efficacy rate, a higher rate compared to the other vaccine brands used by the Philippines such as China’s Sinovac and the United Kingdom’s AstraZeneca.

Filipinos’ preference for the Pfizer vaccine was the basis of President Duterte’s earlier order to local government units (LGU) not to announce the vaccine brand in various vaccination sites in the country.

The Philippines has largely procured China’s Sinovac owing to the President’s friendly relations with China, as well as the lack of available supply of Western brands.

Roque also revealed that there will be some 362,700 doses of Pfizer procured by the government that will arrive in the country on Wednesday, August 25. This is part of the five million COVID-19 vaccine doses expected to arrive in the Philippines this week.

© 2021 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.

What are the creation myths of indigenous Filipinos?

 

By: 

Bisaya

https://barokandtakya.com

Every culture has a story or legend that they use to describe the origin of their tribe. For Filipinos, the tale is about these three princesses who wandered out into a vast nothingness one day and were swallowed up by enormous waves, only to be saved by a mighty bird.

With so many years between then and now, most people would think our beliefs are just fanciful tales from old superstitious times. But in fact, as science has begun to show us more and more just how small this world is--that we're all living on one planet with creatures including plants and oceans that we have yet to explore--and faced with environmental changes through pollution and climate change; these fantastical legends now find more meaning than ever before.

The ancient beliefs of our ancestors can be found in the old creation myths, which are more like poetic stories about how everything was made. Here in the Philippines, many of these tales come from indigenous tribes like the Tagalogs, Ifugaos, Mangyans and many more.

The Tagalog people, for example, believe that their role on earth is to tend to rice plants, while it's the spirits' job to take care of everything else on Earth. The ghosts are like little elves, the creator said to them. You're like helpers and guardians of the rice plantation.

Even with this seemingly simple task, some spirits have gone bad, and they cause disasters--they're also known as engkanto. Some enjoy playing tricks on humans by making them hear noises in the night or seeing things when there's nothing there at all.

For the Filipinos, these stories not only tell of how everything was made, but they also teach a moral lesson about how to behave and what happens when people don't apply what they know.

How does the Filipino language sound to foreigners?

 

By: Lea Velasco

I made a German friend listen to some Filipino music just recently, and what he said was actually very interesting as it’s the first time I’ve ever heard a non-Filipino tell me how the Filipino language sounds like to them.

He said “It’s like a mix of Bahasa and Español.”

I can quite understand this interpretation, and it’s so perfectly well put.

It’s basically breaking down the ingredients that made the Filipino language what it is now; South East Asian (More probably Malayan) + Spanish influences.

How are you going to determine and distinguish Philippine Contemporary Arts?

 

By: Bisaya

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

The key to Philippine Contemporary Arts is how each artist reflects on their personal experiences. Creativity and innovation set artists apart from their peers, not whether an art piece looks like a traditional painting.

When I was first introduced to Contemporary Filipino Art, I found it hard to understand as everything looked like something done before by someone else. It wasn't until my professor started talking about how their own personal experiences influenced their pieces that I truly understood this type of art form for the first time. Once you understand what makes your work stand out, all you need is creativity and innovativeness to make your unique identity shine through in your work! Remember: never be afraid of experimenting.

Contemporary art is ever-changing. It opens the world to unique perceptions and encourages innovation. So when you find something that inspires you, could you share it with others? Your great influence will set Philippine Contemporary Art apart from typical Filipino art forms that have already been redone a million times over by other artists looking to be famous overnight.

Remember: it's not about whether the art looks like a traditional painting, but how you use your own personal experiences to make an impression that is truly yours! Innovate and create. Be yourself and be creative. That is how Philippine Contemporary Art will really stand out in the world!

Are our work messages as private as we think?

 

We all need to vent about tasks or colleagues sometimes. But if we gripe on work devices, can our bosses read our messages? I asked myself this question many years ago when I was still working in Germany. Now, as a retiree, I might be my own boss but I am still communicating with people around the world. Those employees all still have a supervisor, chef or boss.

Ask yourself: have you ever had a bad day at work, complained to colleagues about it over an internal messaging app and then worried that your boss might be able to read all of your complaints? Turns out, you have every right to be concerned; communications on a work device are rarely as private as they may seem. British writer Mark Johanson helped me and you, my dear readers,  a lot with some interesting answers and links.

In July, Netflix fired three marketing executives for messages criticizing colleagues on what they thought was a private Slack channel. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos explained in a LinkedIn post that it was not a simple case of employees venting on Slack, but rather “critical personal comments made over several months about their peers”, including during meetings when those peers were presenting. “It's also worth noting that we don't proactively monitor Slack or email,” he continued. “The Slack channel was open, so anyone could access the conversations even though the employees concerned thought it was private.”  Wow, here we are!

I strongly agree with Mark Johanson in saying that workers are often seduced by the illusion of privacy when it comes to workplace communications, mistakenly believing that they can privately chat, send emails or even video conference on a company computer without their employer viewing that information afterwards. Yet, what appears private in the moment can often become public with the click of a button. The reality is that technology exists for employers to track virtually all workplace communications by all employees at all times, even if companies are rarely transparent about the level to which they do this.

So, where should companies draw the line – and what should workers bear in mind before they send that unguarded message?
 

“Employees should assume that whenever they’re using work owned and issued equipment, anything that they may do – including written communications or websites they may visit – is subject to review,” says Boston-based Heather Egan Sussman, head of law firm Orrick’s global Cyber, Privacy & Data Innovation Group. Very well said and very true!

Of course, there are legitimate reasons why companies monitor internal communications. Sussman says that companies in sectors including financial services are heavily regulated and need to proactively monitor communications as part of their compliance programmes. Anyone who deals with sensitive materials (such as health records or government contracts) may also be proactively monitored, to protect the company’s business, reputation and resources.

Companies outside these sectors often take a more reactive approach, says Sussman, capturing communications through a records-retention programme (which archives data for a set period of time) and then looking back on that information only when it’s necessary to address an issue. This includes not only messages and emails, but often video calls on Skype, Zoom or Teams, too, which can be recorded and logged.

Brian Kropp, chief of research for global research and advisory firm Gartner’s HR practice, based in the Washington DC area, says the only time companies really go back and look through these communications is when there is reason to believe there’s been some sort of performance management problem, data theft, harassment or other complaint that warrants an internal investigation. General griping that doesn’t target an individual is rarely cause for concern. Similarly, everyday managers don’t typically have the ability to freely conduct keyword searches for things like their names.

I learned that when companies do suspect unprofessional behavior has taken place, there are minimal restrictions to prevent them scrutinizing employees' workplace communications. Even though US and European laws do protect communications on things like collective bargaining, Kropp says that, “anywhere in the world, there’s no legal requirement that says employers have to inform you about the data they are collecting about you”.

My advice: Keep that in mind - in a professional environment, it may be best to assume that you’re being monitored and behave accordingly. The best way to share frustrations is "face-to-face" or with private units not linked to your work. Since we are all social media fans, try to avoid communicating also here on a work-owned device. It  can open you up to monitoring.

How did Philippine modernity and popular culture also develop, and why do we keep on doing all these practices until this time?

 

By: Bisaya

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

The origin of Philippine modernity results from several processes that occurred within the country and outside it. In this way, it is also an outcome of the process of globalization.

Historical accounts have shown that after the Spanish introduced new ideas and innovations to our shores, Filipinos could absorb them into their culture and make these fit into their way of life. It is also worth noting that American occupation and the second world war have shaped our country's present national culture even as they established a colonial system different from Spanish colonialism until its end in 1946.

The Americans' influence proved significant, especially in terms of infrastructure development, particularly transportation and communication networks, which were needed to administer the archipelago during their era of control effectively. In addition, some modernization efforts were carried out starting in 1922 when the National Government was created after an agreement between American Governor-General Leonard Wood and revolutionary leader Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. This is manifested in the setting up of various facilities such as schools where students could learn new skills, including art education; hospitals with healthcare services accessible to more Filipinos; and public buildings such as courts of justice, which helped maintain law and order.

The American occupation institutionalized the introduction of new ideas and innovations through the educational system after it took over in 1901. Thus, for example, the Americans started a program for teaching the English language in schools, which eventually became the medium used to teach subjects like mathematics and foster nationalism among students.

In addition, modern media technologies were introduced, resulting in changes in Philippine culture, including those affecting popular taste. Media content is now influenced not by oral traditions passed on from generation to generation but by what is being shown on television screens or projected onto movie theatres' screens because these are available anywhere at any time. It is true that even before the Spaniards came, Filipinos already had a culture of their own. Still, contemporary Philippine culture is different from what it was in the past, just as Philippine society has changed.

Culture is dynamic, which accounts for why we are still doing practices that were once common decades ago. For instance, Filipinos have been attending wakes to pay respect to the deceased and socialize with others while consuming food prepared by relatives of the departed person. This practice remains relevant until today because many people still go to wakes mainly because they do not want to offend grieving families who may feel alone after losing a loved one. Another example is dancing, such as sexy dances, which some people have continued performing despite criticisms received from other people. This was very much influenced by the introduction of new forms of popular culture from foreign sources in the first place.

Interestingly, these examples perpetuate until this time because, in a way, the people have been conditioned to continue doing them.

Despite all the new things introduced to our society over time, many Filipinos still keep ancient practices alive for no other reason than to preserve these as part of their culture.