Educated Filipinos tired of Philippines coup attempts

As you may or may not know, the president of the Philippines (Arroyo) is under threat of a coup or a rebellion stemming from the military. A segment of the marines have been influenced by politicians that's opposed to the president. About 100 marines staged a rebellion after a previous ploy was squashed on Friday (24th).

President Arroyo's influence
According to Forbes magazine, the Philippine peso was the best performing Asian currency in 2005. This is a positive recognition of President Arroyo's ability to manage the economics of the country, thanks to her graduate studies at Georgetown University, USA. She was once an economic professor and was a classmate of former US President Bill Clinton.

The opposition against her
Much like the Democrats in the United States, there is opposition against President Arroyo in the Philippines coming from liberals, communists, socialists, labor unions, and left wing activists. The main issue that they have against the president is the alleged vote rigging in the 2004 elections (similar to Bush/Gore in 2000). Other issues involve unproven accusations that her family is involved in illegal gambling. Third, many uneducated Filipinos blame her for the rise in gas/oil prices.

The opposition's choices in the 2004 election
Despite all the rumors -- members of the United Nations considered the Philippines 2004 election as democratic and fair despite isolated problems. Contrary to the conspiracy theorists of the "Hello Garci" tapes, the electoral monitors of the international community didn't turn a blind eye to any problem and found the election to be valid.

The opposition found it hard to believe that their choice, Fernando Poe, Jr., was not voted in as the new president. He was a popular actor, with most of his roles played as a hero of the poor. He was gathering tremendous support on his economic policy from the uneducated masses, where he defined how to fix the Philippines economy in three simple words: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. When asked by the business community on how to reduce the nation's debt, he wanted to shrug off all the bonds, much like saying to get rid of credit card debt, just ignore the bills. This was a clear example of how well this former actor grasped economic principles.

The middle class annoyed and balikbayans angry
Throughout the United States, Filipinos are beginning to be annoyed by the idea of people power and rebellion as the answer to the country's problems. The middle class of the Philippines who are considered to be the most influencial and most educated group are simply annoyed. "Rebellion against the government should be the last resort," said Eduardo Federico, a businessman in Manila. "Running and hiding from issues will never resolve anything."

Balikbayans or overseas workers, also annoyed and angry at the stupidity of their fellow countrymen. "We need to mature as a country, we look like fools everytime we disrespect our own civil laws and elected governments," said an anonymous balikbayan.

The ignored majority: Visayas and Mindanao
There are three major island groups of the Philippines: north (Luzons), central (Visayas), and south (Mindanao). The northern part of the country is mainly considered to be the rebellious one -- with all of the previous people power uprisings held in Manila, Luzon. The Visayas and Mindanao regions are largely ignored by politicians and they are now getting weary of Luzon's attempt to be the voice for them. For instance, in Cebu last week, the coup ploys were hardly felt and no tensions were played out against the government.

The central and southern parts of the Philippines has the majority of the population and they have a considerable amount of economic resources. As more corrupted political agendas are being played out in the north by the Manila "elite", many question why Manila is the capitol.

Maturity is the hope of us all
The country is a relatively new democracy founded in the late 1940's. This latest struggle is definitely a test of its democratic maturity. It is the hope of many Filipinos that the country that is so rich in resources can some day learn to be civilized. The true test in this country isn't how well the president can hold on to power, but whether the citizens can be mature enough to learn how to trust.

Fishing Report: Caloosahatchee River 02/26/06

Caught only one fish today (sheepshead) at Sanibel. Some members of the fishing group caught snapper, and grouper. Snook was seen today but not very active. We attempted to catch the tide at Cape Coral bridge in the evening to no avail. Windy conditions, rough currents, and the rain showers early this morning may have pushed the fish away from the river.

Fishing Report: Caloosahatchee River 02/19/06

Possibly one of the worst days of fishing ever via boat. For 4 hours, we caught nothing but a stingray and a 12" flounder. Going through Pine Island and the River didn't give us anything at all. Fishermen we talked to that were hitting the sandbars, mangroves, and other areas didn't hit much either today. Some notable events today: we saw manatees, a shark, and a dolphin.

From 7pm-9pm (after we get out of the boat), we went besides the Cape Coral Parkway bridge and caught catfish (4), snapper (2), ladyfish (2), and redfish (3). It goes to show, fishing conditions always change.



Manatee swimming close to our boat.

Fishing Report: Caloosahatchee River 02/12/06

With a full moon and a season open for snook -- this Sunday was definitely a good day for fishing. We also didn't get stopped by the Florida Wildlife Commission, which was an extra plus since they've stopped us 4 times in a row in January with over 1.5+ hrs of fishing wasted.

By watching the currents and looking for spots that were easy eating for fish, we were able to find a few areas that sheepshead, snapper, and snook were plentiful. See our pictures below. Please note we were using medium action rod, circle hooks, and live shrimp as bait.



Snook, 25" - had to return because 1" below legal limit


Sheepshead, 17"

Disaster Spotlight: Mudslide hits Philippines, 1500 missing, help now!

This just in. A mudslide hit the Philippines with an estimated 300 people dead and 1,500 missing! "It sounded like the mountain exploded, and the whole thing crumbled," survivor Dario Libatan told Manila radio DZMM, according to The Associated Press. "I could not see any house standing anymore."

The mudslide swept through the farming village of Guinsahugon in the municipality of St. Bernard town on Leyte Island, about 670 kilometers (420 miles) southeast of Manila. The entire village was swallowed by the mudslide.

How to Help
For $10.00, you can help one single family survive this mudslide. Your gift will be tax deductible in the United States through the ADRA mudslide relief fund for the Philippines. Act now!

References
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/02/17/philippines.landslide/

Media Annoyance: Cheney News

Just a side note to CNN and other news media that seems to be stuck on Cheney's hunting accident...Move on. It's boring. There's no controversy, just boredom.

Fishing Report: Caloosahatchee River 02/05/06

Last Sunday, I was roughly 2-3 miles off before the Sanibel bridge. The best catch of the day was a fairly large sheepshead that measured 19" inches and weighed 4.25 lbs. I was using a middle-action rod, circular hook, Fireline 15 lbs, flurocarbon leader 10 lbs, and my bait was live shrimp. The fish already had a hook inside of him from a previous encounter with me. Goes to show that fish are really stupid or are really courageous.

Despite the big catch, fishing conditions were rough. We hardly got any bites until 4-5pm in the afternoon. This was partly due to the low tide and the saltinity levels in the water. A previous storm front went through the area on Saturday.

My thoughts on the Muslim cartoons

My thoughts on the Muslim cartoons
I believe we should respect everyone's beliefs. I believe the recent Muslim depictions of their prophet is insulting. Don't get me wrong, I think he is a false prophet; however, there is a responsibility of publishers and newspapers to not incite hatred in their published works. You will never find a public newspaper depicting African Americans as "n*ggers" because that's insulting. So why should we treat Muslim beliefs any different?

My message to violent Muslim newspapers and their readers
To the Muslim newspapers in the Middle East that have suggested crimes against Europeans and Americans because of cartoons...you are HYPOCRITES. Don't you think we know you've published your own cartoons going against Western leaders, and other religions? You are an infidel of your own religion -- and the readers that enjoyed your cartoons, eat your own words and judge yourself first before judging anyone else. When you say "cut their heads off because of the cartoons" -- do this to yourself FIRST before you say it to anyone else. Fatwa on you, you hypocrite.

Accountability:
Hypocrite Credit: Palestinian Al-Hayat al-Jadida March 22, 2000


Hypocrite Credit: Arab/Muslim cartoonist - Bendib


Hypocrite Credit: La Revue du Liban, 2000



Hypocrite Credit: Egyption Al Ahram April 21, 2001


What hypocritical Muslims are angry about:

Worldwide Protestant church responds to Muslim cartoons

Adventist World President Responds to Muslim Caricature Controversy

Silver Spring, Maryland/USA, 03.02.2006 / ANN/APD

Following an increase in global tension surrounding the publication - in newspapers in Denmark and other European countries - of cartoons that some Muslims worldwide have found insulting, Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist church issued a call for the responsible use of the right of free expression.

The drawings were first published in a Danish newspaper in September 2005. The appearance of the cartoons provoked emotions in the Muslim world because the Islamic tradition explicitly prohibits images of Allah, Muhammad and all the major figures of the Christian and Jewish traditions.

"It is unfortunate that the publication of freely expressed opinions ... has inflamed relations among people," Pastor Paulsen said in a statement released at the Adventist world headquarters.

"As Seventh-day Adventists we support and encourage the responsible use of the right of free expression," he added. "Inherent in that responsibility is also being mindful of not insulting others, and causing injury to their beliefs and practices. Opinions can be shared without the colour of disrespect, and debate can take place but without offending the beliefs of others."

Drawing on many years of experience in intercultural ministry in Africa and around the world, Paulsen noted the importance of valuing diversity and of building harmonious communities, while at the same time acknowledging the importance of free speech.

"My work as a Seventh-day Adventist Church leader has taken me to many nations. I witness the value of diversity and the fact that Christians build the community alongside adherents of many other religions and worldviews," he said. "And I recommend that living by the principle of the Golden Rule, which asks us to do unto others as we would wish them to do unto us, would inspire us to live in harmony with all people, be free in expressing our views, but also maintaining courtesy and respect to all."

More than 25 million people worship weekly in Seventh-day Adventist congregations in 203 countries and territories around the world. Adventists are a protestant mainstream world communion with a global network of hospitals, educational institutions and health food businesses dedicated to serving needs worldwide.

Movie Review: Joint Security Area (2000)

When I rented this, I thought it was an action film. To my surprise, this movie had more depth and meaning than most of the movies I've seen for the past few months. Originally released in South Korea in the fall of 2000, the movie has been distributed internationally and has recently been released in DVD format (2002) for the United States.

The film's setting is on the 38th parallel on the Korean peninsula. The communist North Korea and the democratic South Korea created two bases across from each other. The story surrounds itself around one South Korean soldier befriending two North Korean guards. Under the secrecy of the night, they have formed a friendship that would have been considered treason on both sides.

This movie is a powerful statement about the idiotic hostilities between the two countries. Both countries have family ties together and have very similar cultures; however, they are separated by different political views. This is the tragedy of the movie, that there is still a Cold War brewing in the world between the 38th parallel.

Charity Spotlight - ADRA

I want to encourage you to donate to charities such as the Red Cross and ADRA. Through these programs, you are making the world better by providing and enabling organizations to work for the betterment of citizens around the world.

ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) is my favorite charity. Through their Gift Catalog, you can donate to specific programs. Here are some examples of what the gift catalog can do:

• Feed and Take Care of One Orphan for One Day in Ethiopia ($1)
  
• Give Breakfast to Two Children for One Day in Chile ($1)
  
• Feed and Educate One Street Child in Russia for One Day ($2)
  
• Educate One Russian Teenager in Drug Abstention and Healthy Lifestyle Issues ($2)
  
• Feed One Family of Typhoon Survivors in the Philippines for 10 Days ($10)
  
• Pay for a child to help him against TB disease in the Philippines ($100)
  
• Launch a Medical Center in Burkina Faso, West Africa ($36,000)
  

Give and watch your blessings grow.

Medicare limiting therapy payments

Aside from Medicare drug benefits in shambles, the Medicare therapy caps are also causing problems for senior citizens. It essentially means they cannot go to therapy clinics after a set amount of visits even if they are still suffering. The Congress-approved Medicare system will not allow them to come back to therapy clinics despite the fact that the treatment is not complete.

Read more below..

----
Source: Lindy Washburn / North Jersey Media Group Inc.
----

By LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITER

Overshadowed by the furor over Medicare's new prescription drug plan, another change in Medicare benefits took place on Jan. 1 that could have a serious impact on stroke victims and others who need rehabilitation therapy.

A limit of $1,740 will be imposed this year on physical therapy and speech therapy services. Another $1,740 limit will be imposed on occupational therapy services, which include adaptations such as brighter lights, grab bars or stair lifts to make the activities of daily life easier.

The caps apply to care received at free-standing practices, not at hospital-affiliated centers or nursing homes. Originally imposed as part of the 1997 budget-balancing act to cut Medicare costs, the caps have been delayed three times by Congress. The most recent moratorium lapsed on Dec. 31.

"It makes a huge difference to me," said Tobi Goldstein, 72, of Little Falls, who has Parkinson's disease.

Without physical therapy, "I would probably be in a wheelchair," she said. "I thought I would have to go into some sort of facility with assistance, whereas now I can live in my own apartment."

Goldstein says there is no way she can pay for her twice-weekly sessions at Suburban Physical Therapy in Cedar Grove. "Without them, I can tell you: Very, very quickly my condition will deteriorate," she said. "It took such a long time to reach this point. It would be such a pity to plateau and go downhill."

Few patients have hit the limits yet. But active seniors - who might injure themselves twice in one year, or recover from a fall and then have joint surgery - are also concerned, said Matthew Riordan, a physical therapist at Suburban. Others, such as stroke patients, rely upon therapy to learn to walk and swallow again. The caps essentially limit them to about 12 physical therapy sessions.

Once coverage runs out, they must pay their own way, switch to a hospital-based center or do without.

"We're dealing with the most frail patients," sad Richard Stoneking, president of the American Physical Therapy Association in New Jersey. "The problem will escalate as the year goes forward. ... Then people will ask, do I forgo necessary care or do I pay out of pocket?"

About 3.7 million people, or 9 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, receive one or more types of outpatient therapy a year, according to the Government Accounting Office. The services are covered under Medicare Part B, if necessary to improve a patient's condition.

Congress has long struggled to control spending on Medicare outpatient therapy, which grew at double the rate of overall Medicare spending in the early 1990s. In 1997, it adopted caps on the payments for services.

"Every Medicare beneficiary should care about this," said Dave Mason, vice president for governmental affairs of the American Physical Therapy Association. Even a relatively healthy person might encounter a problem early in the year that eats into his cap, and then not have enough later in the year to pay for therapy services after surgery or a stroke, for example.

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Monmouth, has introduced a measure to repeal the Medicare therapy caps. "I've always supported eliminating the caps," said Pallone, the senior Democrat on the House of Representatives health committee. "A lot of people who are impacted by them can't pay out of pocket."

So far, 241 House members - a majority - have endorsed his bill, "The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2005." It also has the support of 41 senators.

"The reason caps don't make sense," Pallone said, "is that they're not based on what's medically necessary. ... It's just budget driven."

Conference committee members on this year's budget reconciliation bill took a different approach, however. They recommended that the caps remain, with exceptions granted for medical necessity by the secretary of Health and Human Services. The House is likely to take up that modification when the next session begins on Jan. 31.

Physical therapists have urged the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to allow exceptions to the caps while the issue is pending in Congress.

The American Occupational Therapy Association is looking "forward to working with Congress in the next year in order to provide a more permanent solution for the cap problem," said its spokesman, Rob Black.

If the caps had been in place in 2002, last year's GAO report found, about a quarter of Medicare's payments for outpatient therapy, or about $800 million, would not have been paid unless an exception had been granted.

What it means

What's new: Medicare patients are limited to $1,740 for physical and speech therapy services at free-standing centers. There is another $1,740 limit for occupational therapy.

What's next: U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Monmouth, has introduced a measure to repeal the caps. A majority of House members has endorsed the bill.

Google, in defense of its users

In a remarkable stance of protecting privacy, Google has refused a subpoena from the federal government asking for search information. Although the information requested by the Justice Department requires no personal information and only asks for search information, it could later ask for more in-depth data further.

Google's theme since its inception was: "to do no evil" -- and they have continued to follow this motto despite the U.S. government's insistence. Where Microsoft's MSN, and Yahoo! gave in, Google is fighting a lone battle in defending its users.

Yet another reason why people like Google...they defend you and me.

Tokyo stock market crashing! Other markets being affected.

Tokyo's main stock exchange crashed!

It was shutdown 20 minutes early due to capacity reasons. The stock exchange's early closure is causing widespread speculation throughout the world that tomorrow's session will be worst. The increased sell-off trading was due to an Enron-like scandal involving Livedoor, a major Internet services company in Asia (our Yahoo! in the U.S.). Livedoor was raided late Monday by government officials on allegations the company violated securities and exchange laws.

According to MarketWatch, the U.S. market could follow the downtrend in the coming days. BBC News has already reported that Tokyo's crash has already affected Europe. Specifically, London, Paris, and Frankfurt markets. Additionally, oil prices have been affected, raising the price per barrel range to $66, largely due to the negative speculation regarding the Tokyo market crash and Iran/Nigeria.

How I stopped Cuba from making money off Google

Did you know the federal government has a list of individuals, companies, and web sites that you are not allowed to transact with financially? If you didn't, you may want to review the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Their web site is found here:

http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/

How Cuba Was Making Money off Google
I was surfing through the Office of Foreign Assets Control and saw that they had a number of web sites listed that should not be involved in any financial transaction with any US individual or firm.

Through the list, I found that http://www.realestatecuba.com/ was using Google's AdSense network. They were showing off Google's advertisements in return for some financial benefit. Here's how it works (roughly): Let's say Google gets 10 cents if someone clicked on an advertisement, Cuba would get 1 cent for displaying it on their www.realestatecuba.com web site.

There's no problem in making money this way, except for the fact that Google isn't allowed to financially transact with Cuba or any other sanctioned government (ie: like North Korea or Iran).

I sent off an e-mail to Google
I like Google because they are not evil (except their stock price). So I sent them a kind email telling them they might be breaking a few laws. Here's my email on January 8th:


From: "Don Sausa"
Subject: Google AdSense possibly violating federal sanctions
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 04:36:57 -0500

Dear Google,

Please escalate to management or legal team for advise. On your AdSense program, you currently have http://www.realestatecuba.com/ listed. This web site is blacklisted in the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and any transaction with this web site and its owners could be in violation of U.S. trade sanctions against Cuba.

OFAC's publications regarding violation of sanctions state that:

"Economic sanctions are used by the U.S. government to prevent targeted countries, entities, and individuals from, among other things, accessing the U.S. financial system for purposes that are contrary to U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives."

...

"Depending on the program involved, criminal violations of the statutes administered by OFAC can result in penalties ranging from $50,000 to $10,000,000 and/or up to 30 years imprisonment for willful violations. OFAC also has authority to impose civil penalties of up to $1,075,000 per violation depending on the sanctions program."

I highly suggest that your web site managers compare the list of "Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List" to make sure that you are legally compliant with U.S. trade sanctions. The most recent list of individuals can be found here:

http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn/sdnlist.txt

If you have any questions about US trade law or the persons listed in this list, please forward these questions over to OFAC. If you ever need help in doing compliance audits with your company, let us know.

Thanks,

Don Sausa
Team Asylum Compliance Team
http://www.team-asylum.com
"Security requires manual vigilence."


Google responds within 48 hours
What I like about Google is that when they find something that's broke, they fix things. I received a response from them on January 11th, 2006 (see email below). As of January 13th, 2006, the web site http://www.realestatecuba.com/ is no longer displaying advertisements for Google's AdSense. YEY! Castro's no longer making money off Google on this web site.


-----Original Message-----
From: Google AdSense Policy Enforcement [mailto:adsense-support@google.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 8:30 PM
To: Don Sausa
Subject: Re: [#43211366] Google AdSense possibly violating federal sanctions


Hello Don,

Thank you for reporting this to us. We will investigate this matter and take necessary actions, as appropriate.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team


If anyone else is bored out there, feel free to do what I did. Fight against terrorists or Communists by simply...surfing the Internet. :-)

-dohboy

Health: Smoking cigarettes affect global warming

For awhile now most scientists say that methane gas is one of the primary causes of global warming. After seeing a Truth commercial on TV about smoking and methane gas, I wanted to see the type of impact cigarette smoking has on our atmosphere.

According to FSU's science department [1], smoking worldwide releases about 2.6 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide in the air every year. It also releases about 5.2 billion kilograms of methane every year.

So there's another reason to quit smoking, not only are you helping yourself but also the environment.

[1] http://scienceu.fsu.edu/content/tobaccoyou/enviroment/docs/globalwarming.html

A New Year in the Gulf

Happy New Year to all!

I started the New Year by launching over 600 grams of gunpowder into the air (in the form of fireworks). I think Jan 1st and July 4th are the two days in the year that drastically affect the world's air quality the most. Why do we do it? Cuz it's so much fun. Check out the party photo below, this was taken during the fireworks show at my house. Notice the smoke...



After blowing up the sky with mortars and other types of fireworks, we continued the New Year celebration by going to the Gulf of Mexico. My goal was to fish for snook, salmon, or grouper. What'd I catch? Sting rays and cat fish. Yuck! However, my better half did catch snapper, sheephead, trout, etc. She caught more fish than anyone on the boat.



My resolution

I only have one resolution this year. More time for family recreation! I haven't fished in years and when I went out on the boat, it felt so relaxing that I definitely wanna do it everyday!

Vid Review: This is the most disturbing thing I've ever seen....

You need to see this video! It has been around for a year or so and has been rated by CNN as the #1 funniest video clip in 2005. The main character: Gary Brolsma. He lives in New Jersey and when he is bored, he likes to dance...and on this video, dance he did.

Thanks Anderson Cooper for showing this on CNN. It made my day, I couldn't stop laughing.

Click here to access it:

I can see you...

Have you ever typed your name on Google and just see what comes up? Try it. You'll be surprised of what you find online. What might also be surprising is how many people are looking you up! This month, I had a higher than usual number of people looking for me on the Internet. Yes, I know who you are...

Surprise surprise, I can see you and your Internet activity...and you thought I was just watching you at work.

gateway1.ftmy.calltech.com [216.69.222.249]
Date/Time: Dec 29th, 2005, 10:57:18 AM EST
Type of Computer: Apple, Mac OS X, Safari browser
Comments: During my tenure at CallTech, I've set a no surfing policy for large projects. Stop surfing! I'm surprised you got through without being seen by a supervisor on Remote Desktop.

167-127.34-65.swfla.res.rr.com [65.34.127.167]
Date/Time: Dec 27th, 2005 6:29:04 PM EST
Type of Computer: Apple, Mac OS X, Safari browser
Comments: Same guy, different day.

cache3-outside-a.fw-bc.sony.com [160.33.98.118]
Date/Time: Dec 24th, 2005 7:51:13 PM EST
Type of Computer: Windows XP/2000, Internet Explorer 6.0
Comments: Probably old CallTech pals that's now working for Sony.

167-127.34-65.swfla.res.rr.com [65.34.127.167]
Date/Time: Dec 22th, 2005 9:28:40 PM EST
Type of Computer: Apple, Mac OS X, Safari browser
Comments: Now am I really that interesting? This is the second time in one day.

167-127.34-65.swfla.res.rr.com [65.34.127.167]
Date/Time: Dec 22th, 2005 6:12:12 PM EST
Type of Computer: Apple, Mac OS X, Safari browser
Comments: First time this guy searched me on Google was on Dec 22nd. Looked at other sites too.

ppp016082.dynppp.nettally.com [199.44.16.82]
Date/Time: Dec 11th, 2005, 9:23:59 AM EST
Type of Computer: Windows XP, Firefox browser
Comments: An acquintance from Tallahassee, FL. Probably bored on a Sunday morning...

Artist Review: Black Eyed Peas

Have you ever heard of Black Eyed Peas (BEP)? I haven't either until my wife introduced me to it tonight. She let me listen to "the APL Song" from their Elephunk album (ASIN: B00029LNHS). A great song based on the true life story of Allan Pineda Lindo, one of the main singers for BEP.

The song hit home because some of the themes were strikingly similar to my childhood story. Read the San Francisco Chronicle's take on the song and try to figure out how it relates to me:

1988. Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. On a sultry summer day typical of the tropical Philippines, Allan Pineda Lindo [APL] left his rural home to join his new adoptive family in the United States.

He was just 14 years old then, the half-black, half-Filipino son of a U.S. soldier who had returned home before he was born, a teen making a solo journey from Angeles City to the City of Angels in California. He remembers his pangs of loneliness at leaving behind his mother and brother, and his stark terror at going from an environment he calls "very country -- all farms and water buffaloes" to the smog-filled streets of Los Angeles......He'd written that song from the heart. It was about his home, and it was dedicated to his brother, who'd committed suicide just two years ago."

The song reminded me of my past

I moved from the Philippines to the US in the early 90's and felt the same awkwardness and culture shock as described in the lyrics. The difference was incredible, in my old country, everyone helped each other out, everyone knew each other in the neighborhood and then some. There were no class differences because almost everyone was poor! When we celebrated holidays, everyone shared food and opened their homes, and people were constantly singing. Despite the financial difficulties families were facing -- people were happy and content. This is largely due to the families that helped each other and formed a real community.

The poor who are happy

It is a great paradox, that people who are poor can be very joyful. In 2003, I went with my best friend Howard and we toured my home country. He almost was brought to tears as he saw the rural areas of the Philippines. Houses made out of straws and wood, with kids having barely anything -- yet out of it all, they were all smiling and playing games, and singing songs.



Without further adue

So here's the lyrics, check out and if you like it, buy it. You can hear part of the song through Amazon.com for free (ASIN: B00029LNHS).


[Chorus in Tagalog]
Lapit mga kaibigan at makinig kayo
Ako'y may dala-dalang, balita galing sa bayan ko
Nais kong ipamahagi ang mga kwento
Ang mga pangyayaring nagaganap
Sa lupang pinangako

[English Translation:]
(Come closer my friends and everyone listen
I brought news from my homeland
I'll tell you how we live and what goes on
From my beloved homeland.)

[Verse one, Apl.De.Ap]
Every place got a ghetto this is my version
Check it out...
Listen closely yo, I got a story to tell
A version of my ghetto where life felt for real
Some would call it hell but to me it was heaven
God gave me the grace, amazin' ways of living
How would you feel if you had to catch your meal?
Build a hut to live and to eat and chill in.
Having to pump the water outta the ground
The way we put it down utilizing what is around
Like land for farming, river for fishing
Everyone helpin' each other whenever they can
We makin' it happen, from nothin' to somethin'
That's how we be survivin' back in my homeland

[Chorus]

[Verse two, Apl.De.Ap]
Yo, its been a while but...
I been back home to my homeland, (check it out) to see what's going on
Man it feels good to be back at home
And it's been a decade, on the journey all alone
I was fourteen when I first left Philippines
I've been away half my life, but it felt like a day
To be next to my mom with her home cooked meal
Meant I felt complete, my emotions I feel!
Now life has changed for me in the U.S
But back at home man, life was a mess...
I guess sometimes life's stresses gets you down
On your knees, oh brother I wish I could have helped you out...

[Chorus]