The Philippines is deliberately raising future generations of hopeless citizens via the “shameless, state-sponsored, systematic moronization of the Filipino” (I love to quote Butch Dalisay in this regard).

The Marcos legacy was to leave in his wake a politically immature citizenry, hungry politicians who use HIS system of raping the resources of the country better than he could at that time, and a press that, though outspoken, is also irresponsible and does not possess too much integrity.

Many good people with good minds have abandoned the country to seek their fortunes abroad, to return only when they are infirm so that the Philippines can take care of them prior to burial, haveing giving their best years in service to another country.

And they will return only to find a country they do not recognize because they have abandoned it for decades to the wolves who stayed behind.

This is our dilemma. And it is a big one. And every intelligent Filipino must step up now, whether from within or without the country, to help restore the country to its former excellent self.

So dear, Elyssa, much as I agree with your comparison of the two political systems, we still have to analyze the WHY of it all. And the answer is, the people themselves.

The Americans do not take a lot of bull from their own politicians, but they allow their country to rape other sovereign states like Iraq and Afghanistan in order to maintain their residents’ excessive living standards while wasting away the world’s resources.

The Filipinos take a lot from their own but do not offend anyone, or bully anyone.

And I guess the key is to educate the masses, but definitely not the brand of education that Baguio schools give, which is total spoon feeding and non-analytical for the most part (”memorize this and folks will think you intelligent, so you can pass the board and earn a lot while wiping some foreigners butt”).

I guess we all want the same things for our country, and in particular Baguio. So the final question is: what will we do, DIRECTLY and CONSTRUCTIVELY, to help the City of Pines?

Welcome to the bittersweet burden of finally waking up and smelling Bautista’s garbage.

:<

p.s. I just re-read your comment and want to add Baguio was “cleanest and greenest” but only 3 years after the earthquake. But during the years Domogan was mayor, migrants, squatters and illegal vendors abounded in Baguio, the city market was given to Uniwide, street parking was given to Jadewell, SM City Baguio was given 5 years moratorium on business taxes. A city cannot be physically clean when city hall isn’t.

For one thing, what with the US presidential elections comming up, I wish that Philippine politicians would take note and learn from it. You CANNOT run for office for any position of the American Government without the desire to be of service to OTHERS. They also do NOT forget that they ARE accountable to the constituents who elected them into office. And what I like best about the American Politics is the fact that regardless if the incoming person was against or for the person he or she is replacing in office, they recognize when a good program has been put into action and support it’s contiuation. Unlike Filipino politicians, God forbid that they should support ANYTHING that they can’t get credit for starting, never mind that the people and the community around them are benefiting from it.

When Congressman Domogan was Mayor of Baguio, it was deemed one of the cleanest and greenest cities of the Philippines. What happened?!? Now with Mayor Bautista, I’ve heard that
trash is piling up on the streets because there just isn’t anymore room in the city dump. Millions of pesos have also been spent in order to dump Baguio’s trash in another city’s dumps. That my friend, does not solve the garbage problem. It’s only spending the tax payers money while the Mayor hopes he can stall long enough to finish his term and pass on the problem to whoever is elected next. Well maybe if Mayor Bautista actuallly spent more time in his office working for his city instead of gallivanting overseas every few weeks, he might actally get something done.

Alot of friends and relatives who have visited Baguo lately have complained of the traffic conjestion and the bad quality of air. Air pollution is such a major problem, that most of my friends or relatives used to the cleaner air where they’re from developed respiratory problems walking around the city. Too many smoke belching taxis and jeepneys that god-forbid the government should cut down since they’re voters . . . Well what about the voting majority made up of pedestrian citizens?

And what’s with this news that the struggling tax payers are now providing the Baguio government with NEW cars?!? Or an allowance for them in any case. Which of the self-serving, money grubbing, apathetic and ignorant politicians came up with that brilliant idea. Because of course any money that the city makes is not OWNED by the city should be divied up between the politicians. I guess they have forgotten that they are public SERVANTS and should be thinking about how to improve the lives of their constituents whom they ARE accountable to.

Like my family and friends are apt to tell me only in the Philippines. Yup only in the Philippines do the politicians have their own definition of democracy. No longer does it mean a “government of the people, by the people, FOR the people,” but rather a government “of the greedy, by the ignorant, for the corrupt.” I’d say shame on them, but then the Baguio politicians don’t have enough decency and morality between them to feel anything but satisfaction at the wealth they’ve acquired at the expense of the city and it’s people.

Our beautiful Baguio is being assaulted by ugliness and congestion! Come home na!

Love, Lisa

I love your blog

Best friend and cousin

Hahaha. But I was not the one who tagged Baguio as the Ukay Capital of the Philippines! That was our then mayor, now congressman Mauricio Domogan who very proudly announced it.

I, too, dislike the way folks don’t want to think of any other business to put up on and off session road except the ukay. I am aghast at how folks buy up everything — including used underwear — at the ukay. It alarms me that a lot of these buildings are fire traps. It bugs me that owners of vacant lots and otherwise untenantable buildings, instead of improving their properties for the sake of Baguio, have chosen to stuff ukay stalls in them. I am upset at the way Baguio City Hall gives new investments a hard time about setting up businesses that will enhance Baguio (e.g. restaurants) but are quick to grant permits to ukay stalls and sari-sari stores.

From a marketing point of view, I will attempt to convert a weakness into a strength. Since visitors see a Session Road filled with such stalls, I have to ’sell’ that as a benefit (”items that will rival designer goods found on Ebay”)in a travel website.

Because there’s just no other way to justify the proliferation of these ugly stalls with other people’s DISCARDS that the people of Baguio absolutely LOVE! Actually the ukay stalls proliferate not because of the visitors, but because, as I mention in the article, “it is a way of life” for the residents.

It’s the same way I hate Pinikpikan for the way it is prepared. However, it IS a Cordillera ritual. So I will feature it as a ritual, not as a must try dish. And personally, I will never eat the stuff nor patronize a place that sells it.

I hate seeing laundry hung out to dry, too. There are many things I actually dislike about Baguio today, but for the love of the city, I will not bash Baguio itself at Go Baguio! nor at Baguio Insider — just the folks responsible for trashing the place at Baguio Insider.

If the city stopped allowing ukay stalls to be put up, and instead declared it “UKAY_FREE!” then I would proudly announce that, too!

And watch, the minute I bash the ukay, now folks will condemn me as anti-poor naman. Hahaha.

Believe me, it is thus such an exercise in restraint for me not to air Baguio’s dirty laundry in public (on the web). I act on the things that need fixing OFFLINE. So that maybe we can fix up Baguio before everyone notices and condemns us in toto for being bad caretakers of the city.

For the love of Baguio, dear.

I am very surprised that someone who claims to love baguio very much would actually tag baguio as UKAY Capital of the Philippines! ANybody who has ever known and lived in Baguio would be outraged that you are actually promoting Baguio as an ukay capital of the Philippines. Having been born and raised in Baguio, I hated the fact that session road was infiltrated by your beloved ukay ukay. Of course, not to be a hypocrite, but I benefitted from the cheap goods of the ukay, but i knew that it was adding to the degradation of Baguio. Why don’t you include that in one of your battles instead of baptizing baguio as Ukay Capital. I am not against ukay, but i think it shouls be limited to some areas in Baguio. Definitely not session road where it now looks like someone’s apartment with clothes being left out in hangers to dry.

The ‘Love Baguio, Leave Baguio’ gentlemen also happen to be long-time residents of Baguio who have a built-in constituency in their flock.

The ‘tibaks’ I know are limited to the few ‘mulat’ UP students, whose forums I used to host at Nevada Square a few years back, plus a few artists.

But no one is taking to the streets yet. We need a ‘tibak’ middle class! It’s the absence of leadership and specific programs of action, I suppose.

Lisa

ps. I love your blog! Maybe all bloggers in Baguio can unite? And work as one with other sectors for the good of Baguio offline. Great propaganda tools, blogsites can be. Individually, pretty influential already! Together, very, very potent.

Interesting that it’s now the evangelists who are doing the protesting. Good for them and for us. Where have all the tibaks gone these days?