How Do Filipinos View Balikbayans?

[Grimace]

THere's this thing that i dont understand about other people espeically my relatives that they think you're mayabang when you can comforts in life. what bothers me is that the crab mentality is there and you dont know how to go about it. I really do deserve the good life because of my long stay in school, the hardwork that i endure during the past 10 years working in the embassy has already been paid for.

Funny lately , i was at my Lola's funeral, two people, mostly my lola's friends from the church ( yeah you reckon) were actually talking about me without even knowing me personally. they say "

 

- the black sheep of the family just got home and pay respects for her lola"

- Really? ive heard she's an old maid although successful

-poor girl she wont marry. her job has taken over his personal life

- although she drives a fancy car, definitely she's barren, look she doesnt have the hips to have children

 

See?

[martinace1]

Tao pa rin.

[MizzTaRaY]

It's quite disturbing reading through some of the posts. *sigh*

 

All I can say is... don't generalize all balikbayans as if you know them personally. Not unless they do something horrible to you, leave 'em be. Just laugh it off whenever you hear them talk with a very bad "twang". Yes, some of them act up as if they've got all the riches in the world... who 'effin cares? Mind your own business. Some of them may show off all of what they have... just shrug it off. I'm for sure they'll eventually run out of things to show off. So, who's got the last laugh now right?

 

I've been going back to Manila at least once a year either on vacation or on business trip. And had quite a few encounters with people from the airport literally "asking" for money or goods. I just smirk at them and leave. So, should I think and generalize that all of NAIA employees are like that? Of course not.

 

Balikbayans has their own individual reasons/causes why they act such way. It's not you who are feeding them... are you? So, who gives a sh*t why they're like mayabang and all? It is those pakealamera people who needs to figure out what to do with their lives... to make it better.

 

we all live differently so stop being too judgmental.

 

peace.

[Guest Leviticus]

It's quite disturbing reading through some of the posts. *sigh*

 

All I can say is... don't generalize all balikbayans as if you know them personally. Not unless they do something horrible to you, leave 'em be. Just laugh it off whenever you hear them talk with a very bad "twang". Yes, some of them act up as if they've got all the riches in the world... who 'effin cares? Mind your own business. Some of them may show off all of what they have... just shrug it off. I'm for sure they'll eventually run out of things to show off. So, who's got the last laugh now right?

 

Balikbayans has their own individual reasons/causes why they act such way. It's not you who are feeding them... are you? So, who gives a sh*t why they're like mayabang and all? It is those pakealamera people who needs to figure out what to do with their lives... to make it better.

 

we all live differently so stop being too judgmental.

 

peace.

Am i reading this right? you're saying that we should be complacent and submissive to the wrongdoings of the balikbayans we know who erred?

 

there is a difference between common courtesy and being plain rude. as to the statement about the balikbayans having their individual reasons/causes why they act such way.. the question is if i is the RIGHT WAY. kung mali hahayaan na lang? wow hanep naman.

 

what pakialamera people who needs to figure out whose lives to make it better? misleading ata ang sentece mo. sure you're good with the "language enhancers" but pagdating sa content ang labo mo.. but who 'effin (F-ing = F*CKING) cares, right?

Edited March 20, 2007 by Leviticus

[boomouse]

halos pareho lang ang OFW sa Balikbayan. the only difference being yung OFWs werent lucky enough to get permanent residence dun sa country na pinagtatrabahuhan nila. if these OFWs would be able to get permanent residence and be able to tag their family along too, e malamang babalik nalang sila dito for vacations and retirement just like many balikbayans.

 

There you go committing the same crime some of the people on this thread accuse me of.

 

I go and voice an opinion of HOW I VIEW BALIKBAYANS and people like tamisuplada and boardpasser can't take it because they think they are exceptions to my generalizations.

 

Excuse me but I was airing an opinion of balikbayans as I see them and based on my experience with them. By and large they would have to be my relatives. I cannot be commenting on people I do not know. My comments were frank and succinct because what use would be a forum discussion behind an alternick if these were not so. Tamisuplada thinks that I am insincere to my relatives and two-faced because I do not tell them off. I may be pissed at what they do and how they behave but they still remain my relatives so I just play along and help them have a good time the way they want to have a good time. They're still misers. Nothing would change that. I believe its because they think they sacrificed so much for what they have.

 

So you guys who feel like you have been offended had just better take a step back, calm down, because unless you are my relatives (and believe me it is highly unlikely that you would be) you should not be offended. You want to be their knights in shining armour? This is the wrong forum. Anonymity is a given here in the interest of brevity, clarity, and succintness.

 

If this were a face-to-face discussion where my identity is known so that people can figure out who my balikbayan relatives are then, yes, by all means jump in as their champions. In the meantime, you can grit your teeth and have a bad day if you so choose if my opinions rile you.

[boomouse]

It's quite disturbing reading through some of the posts. *sigh*

 

All I can say is... don't generalize all balikbayans as if you know them personally. Not unless they do something horrible to you, leave 'em be. Just laugh it off whenever you hear them talk with a very bad "twang". Yes, some of them act up as if they've got all the riches in the world... who 'effin cares? Mind your own business. Some of them may show off all of what they have... just shrug it off. I'm for sure they'll eventually run out of things to show off. So, who's got the last laugh now right?

 

I've been going back to Manila at least once a year either on vacation or on business trip. And had quite a few encounters with people from the airport literally "asking" for money or goods. I just smirk at them and leave. So, should I think and generalize that all of NAIA employees are like that? Of course not.

 

Balikbayans has their own individual reasons/causes why they act such way. It's not you who are feeding them... are you? So, who gives a sh*t why they're like mayabang and all? It is those pakealamera people who needs to figure out what to do with their lives... to make it better.

 

we all live differently so stop being too judgmental.

 

peace.

 

You are right. In real life, I let things 'slide'. But this is a forum. You're suposed to be able to let your hair down so to speak. So that is what I do. Apparently, a few guys here either don't understand this or don't like my hair.

 

But to be sure we're not OT: There is one thing I enjoy about by balikbayan relatives (especially the doctors): they save all their free samples of viagra, cialis, and levitra to give to me as pasalubongs. I then turn around and distribute to my aging uncles and my dad too who are too embarassed to ask for these. Of course, I keep some for myself just in case middle aged guys like me get into one of those panic situations.

[boomouse]

i really envy this player right here boomsymousy that you dont have to worry about your life good s@%t homie just sipping some brewed nescafe from your italian cofee maker. you stereotype all balikbayans is not really nice thing to say and coming from a well educated fool (you write better than my white english professor by the way so pls dont embarass boardspacer if he chose not to speak english ) cause each individuals got their own reasons maybe their not as bad ass as you that they have to move out of the country. of course, who wouldn't want such life that you were gladly flaunting. a cook, lavandera, yayas that would wipe your ass and follow u everywhere YES SIR this Yes SIr that . again..who wouldn't want that?? but let's put reality back here, wealthy individuals and families can only afford such things. majority of the people in our country are way below the poverty level...and that's a fact(good s@%t your helping them out. Each individuals have their own opinions..so here's mine.. like you said.."you don't know me", when you are saying that balikbayans are like this..and that..isn't that the same as generalizing every balikbayans? you don't know them too right? In fact, I pity all my fellow filipinos there in the Philippines. Poor and middle class families who would send their children in to a 4 year college hoping to help their families if and when they do graduate..then what? a job in one of the fast food chains, coffee shops, and restaurant..sure that would help their families! So you see, this is just a case between the have's and the have nots..if only our mother county is not f#&ked up enough , then these so-called balikbayans wouldn't have to migrate across the oceans a thousand miles away from their country and families just to earn a living and SEND $$$ to all they have left behind. So it is not true that only OFWs are responsible for all remittance our country acquires. Yes, it's true balikbayans are not modern heroes..unlike OFWs. However, let's not forget that they too are a part of that income Philippines is getting from remittances. Last thing, please don't flaunt your friends and what not that are in the high places or should we say position..because majority of my fellow filipinos there aren't like you. An average Filipino would choose to earn a decent living outside of the Philippines.. and let me ask you this one question? why do they want to leave the Philippines..HOW's THE ECONOMY THERE???? and try to stay away from coffee they make you real agitated peace

 

Are you paying me a backhanded compliment? Some part of your post sounds like that but if you would indulge me... can you PM me your post again but this time in English? Kung gusto mo tagalugin mo na lang.

 

To escape the OT tag, let me say that I did not generalize my opinions. The nature of the thread only makes it sound like I do but a deeper reading of my post will show that my opinions are based on my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with my balikbayan RELATIVES and not just some people I would claim to have observed or based on some other guys story about their own experiences (that would be hearsay). So, I hope that sets that part of it right.

 

About the Philippines being f*cked up... You and I are in agreement here. But I chose to come back and work here. My balikbayan relatives chose to jump ship just to be assured of a good life. I chose to gamble my future in my country.

 

I never flaunted my friends and relatives in your so-called high places. I meantion their existence to illustrate that I had no need to ask them for support to achieve what I think I have achieved--a comfortable life in the Philippines.

 

Yuou ask about the economy in the Philippines as opposed to the economy in your country? As if there are no poor people in other countries? We're not discussing that here. If you wish, we are discussing the kind of lives my balikbayan relatives live and what they had to forego in comparison to the standard of living that I along with my parents and siblings enjoy in the Philippines.

 

I must thank you for the compliment about my english being better than some of your white professors. I presume you are in America. As the character Henry Higgins said about English in the musical version of "Pygmalion": "in America, they haven't spoken it for years."

 

I guess, the crux of our argument here is that I am saying it is possible to build a decent life in the Philippines even if you are a product of the public school system. With my situation, I showed it was possible. I admit I had some breaks too if you can call those breaks. After public elementary school, I went to a science high school, then UP, then a government scholarship to some school in Europe and then another scholarship to some business chool in Europe and some certifications from some US school on the east coast.

 

My balikbayan relatives have adopted as their life's refrain that this was not possible.

 

Not all college grads here end up as fast food chain employees. A sizeable number of the good ones work in call centers and earn foreign exchange for the Philippines while stealing away jobs from American college grads who can't speak english to save their lives while insisting on high wages. This is an industry growing at the rate of 60% a year in the Philippines. And there are several industries like this coming up. So don't accuse me of generalizing when you commit the same offense in the same post.

 

Now I will address ALL balikbayans:

 

If you think that sending money back home is enough to compensate the country for your long absence and your depriving the country of your industry, skill and experience you are wrong. By sending money you do not solve the problems that you guys are so quick at pointing out are there. The act does not make you part of the solution. If at all, the act of money being sent by balikbayans (not OFWs!) is a symptom of the problems that continue to exist. When you think your country is not good enough and you are too good for your country. That is the problem.

 

Boardpasser:

 

I presume you were educated in the Philippines but now work abroad permanently. You think that if you send money to your folks here that was sufficient repayment for a country that despite its faults has nurtured you to the point where you were able to "escape" it? In a pigs eye it is.

 

How do you like my fancy English? You mentioned it in one of your posts. You learn that in UP from an education subsidized by government and you get to hone it at the University of Manchester in England where they speak English correctly. How would you like to sample my fancy Spanish? I got that earning an MBA from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Empreza (IESE) at the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. Now before any of you guys start jumping on my back for flaunting an education that most poor people might not be able to get, let me first say that I am just trying to illustrate that I got resources, skills, an education from abroad and I returned home to put these to use for my country.

 

How many doctors--brilliant ones even, were educated in the Philippines who have chosen to put their skills to work for some other country? What about you guys in the other professions? So what? If you send money it makes things right? Hah!

 

How many Filipinos have to trained? How many small kids have to taught to read and right even if their parents were too poor to send them to public school? How many squatters associations have you organized into cooperatives and taught the rudiments of fiscal management so that they are able to take out a loan to buy the land on which they have illegally built their homes? Have you ever witnessed the tears of joy and gratitude from scores of families whose homes were about to be demolished by armed people after you use (flaunt?) your connections in high places to buy them time to negotiate to buy the land they do not own? Tell me if these things can be done from somewhere else?

 

That's the difference between a balikbayan and OFW. It may be a little cloudy differentiating their remittances, but that is not the issue here. An OFW who eventually comes home to ply a tricycle route with a tricycle he has bought with his overseas earnings is a far better Filipino than some hot shot doctor who chooses to practice his profession elsewhere and sends money once in a while.

 

So, if you guys will excuse me, it's time for another cup of java. That local Cafe Alamid is too strong but it makes a good blending coffee to barako. Oh and I prefer a Japanese vacuum percolator to do my coffee because the acidity is reduced.

[boy popoy]

There you go committing the same crime some of the people on this thread accuse me of.

 

I go and voice an opinion of HOW I VIEW BALIKBAYANS and people like tamisuplada and boardpasser can't take it because they think they are exceptions to my generalizations.

 

Excuse me but I was airing an opinion of balikbayans as I see them and based on my experience with them. By and large they would have to be my relatives. I cannot be commenting on people I do not know. My comments were frank and succinct because what use would be a forum discussion behind an alternick if these were not so. Tamisuplada thinks that I am insincere to my relatives and two-faced because I do not tell them off. I may be pissed at what they do and how they behave but they still remain my relatives so I just play along and help them have a good time the way they want to have a good time. They're still misers. Nothing would change that. I believe its because they think they sacrificed so much for what they have.

 

So you guys who feel like you have been offended had just better take a step back, calm down, because unless you are my relatives (and believe me it is highly unlikely that you would be) you should not be offended. You want to be their knights in shining armour? This is the wrong forum. Anonymity is a given here in the interest of brevity, clarity, and succintness.

 

If this were a face-to-face discussion where my identity is known so that people can figure out who my balikbayan relatives are then, yes, by all means jump in as their champions. In the meantime, you can grit your teeth and have a bad day if you so choose if my opinions rile you.

 

 

dude, i think your being a little too defensive here. i wasnt accusing you of anything with my post. here it is again:

 

halos pareho lang ang OFW sa Balikbayan. the only difference being yung OFWs werent lucky enough to get permanent residence dun sa country na pinagtatrabahuhan nila. if these OFWs would be able to get permanent residence and be able to tag their family along too, e malamang babalik nalang sila dito for vacations and retirement just like many balikbayans.

 

youre standpoint seems to be that OFW's are heroes but balikbayans are deserters. im just merely stating that the people you hail couldve easily been the people you scorn had they been able to get permanent residence.

[rudepnoy4]

Are you paying me a backhanded compliment? Some part of your post sounds like that but if you would indulge me... can you PM me your post again but this time in English? Kung gusto mo tagalugin mo na lang.

 

To escape the OT tag, let me say that I did not generalize my opinions. The nature of the thread only makes it sound like I do but a deeper reading of my post will show that my opinions are based on my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with my balikbayan RELATIVES and not just some people I would claim to have observed or based on some other guys story about their own experiences (that would be hearsay). So, I hope that sets that part of it right.

 

About the Philippines being f*cked up... You and I are in agreement here. But I chose to come back and work here. My balikbayan relatives chose to jump ship just to be assured of a good life. I chose to gamble my future in my country.

 

I never flaunted my friends and relatives in your so-called high places. I meantion their existence to illustrate that I had no need to ask them for support to achieve what I think I have achieved--a comfortable life in the Philippines.

 

Yuou ask about the economy in the Philippines as opposed to the economy in your country? As if there are no poor people in other countries? We're not discussing that here. If you wish, we are discussing the kind of lives my balikbayan relatives live and what they had to forego in comparison to the standard of living that I along with my parents and siblings enjoy in the Philippines.

 

I must thank you for the compliment about my english being better than some of your white professors. I presume you are in America. As the character Henry Higgins said about English in the musical version of "Pygmalion": "in America, they haven't spoken it for years."

 

I guess, the crux of our argument here is that I am saying it is possible to build a decent life in the Philippines even if you are a product of the public school system. With my situation, I showed it was possible. I admit I had some breaks too if you can call those breaks. After public elementary school, I went to a science high school, then UP, then a government scholarship to some school in Europe and then another scholarship to some business chool in Europe and some certifications from some US school on the east coast.

 

My balikbayan relatives have adopted as their life's refrain that this was not possible.

 

Not all college grads here end up as fast food chain employees. A sizeable number of the good ones work in call centers and earn foreign exchange for the Philippines while stealing away jobs from American college grads who can't speak english to save their lives while insisting on high wages. This is an industry growing at the rate of 60% a year in the Philippines. And there are several industries like this coming up. So don't accuse me of generalizing when you commit the same offense in the same post.

 

Now I will address ALL balikbayans:

 

If you think that sending money back home is enough to compensate the country for your long absence and your depriving the country of your industry, skill and experience you are wrong. By sending money you do not solve the problems that you guys are so quick at pointing out are there. The act does not make you part of the solution. If at all, the act of money being sent by balikbayans (not OFWs!) is a symptom of the problems that continue to exist. When you think your country is not good enough and you are too good for your country. That is the problem.

 

 

 

First off, don't give off a "proud product of public school pinoy" impression when you can barely write in tagalog with proper grammar. You insult people here because they are not in the same level as you as far as their ability to write proper English but when it was your turn to reply in Tagalog (because you insist that your superior writing is above everyone's understanding) you couldn't even finish a paragraph without resulting back to using another English word. Remember that famous line from Gat Jose Rizal about "malansang" isda? Well you sure as hell reek of the smell. Also, exactly how many drafts do you go through before you make the final post in this forum? I bet you have to look up a simple word in a thesaurus to find a better sounding synonym for your post, huh? By the way, if you were so damn proud of your country, why the hell did you have to leave for Europe for a 'better' education? Oh...wait...that's right....so you can study literature and learn to write better in English...right? I guess you weren't so damn proud of the school system there after all since you believed that a European school can provide you a better education? I am aware that I have gone out of the topic here since the issue is about the "view of balikbayans" but you made it that way when you began to boast of your education, generalized balikbayans, and insulted people here. You continue to boldly claim in your replies to others that you DID NOT generalize and is amazed why you get criticisms? Why don't you look back to your post and read (slowly...please) the first sentence that you wrote. Now ask yourself if that is not generalizing? I suggest that if you are going to start generalizing, then it will become handy to use the method of deduction. It will make your argument much more convincing. I assume that with your higher education that you know of such method, right? It scorns me that you 'pity' balikbayans when you yourself is guilty of what you accuse them?! You perceive them as traitors for not getting the courage to stay in their homeland and make something of themselves there instead of someplace else? HEY PUNK when you experience real poverty, survival needs become priority and not pride or partriotism. Maslow will back me up on this. He's a popular icon so I see that there's no need of clarification of who he is, I assume. When you see a tiny chance of hope of escaping a poor life by living in another country, you just do it...like it's a gut instinct . Call that betrayal but it makes a less of a difference when you know of how many relatives you can help. Exactly how many balikbayans or OFW do you know who can honestly admit that they leave to better the economy of Philippines? That is not what they initially think of. It's just an icing on top of the cake. So before you make another reply to anyone, including me, ask yourself if you really are arguing for those strong convictions that you like to claim you hold? Or, are you maybe just another miserable f#&k fishing for compliments? Quit the coffee and go suck a fat one Ya Heard? .

[boomouse]

You don't get it do you?

 

What i recall hammering away at in this discussion was how Philippine-educated Filipinos take their education abroad to use in some far off land.

 

I had the opportunity of getting it outside the Philippines but I returned to put that to use here. In MY country. Where I PAY TAXES. No matter how f#&ked up you say this place is, this is where I chose to come home to. Apparentlly my smugness in proving that you have a future in your own country get under the skin of some of you guys who's thesis is that the only way to a better future is to seek it in some far off land.

 

My English was this good when I was in a public high school. Again sorry to disappoint you. But when was writing in English in a proper manner considered insulting? Read the terms of this board. English is encouraged so that foreigners who chose to join the fora can participate.

 

As for fishing for complinets... The only time I referred to one was in refered to it being 'backhanded' or from 'left field' if you will. I don't need complinets.

 

But I get them each time you respond to my posts. Yes you in particular pay me the ultimate compliment. Each time you respond in a manner that is personal and borderline abusive you not only pay me a complinent but also provide a source of entertainment.

 

I can imagine you pounding away at your poor keyboard, making each keystroke count as if to hammer one nail at a time into an imaginary coffin with your fingers and it brings a smile to my face because I realize I have absolute, positive, indubitable proof that I have once again stuck it up your balikbayan nose.

 

And that sir, is royally satisfying. So much better that, what was it you said... "sucking on a fat one?" How gauche.

 

Sino kaya ang malansang isda sa atin dalawa? Ikaw na nagalsa-balutan para hanapin ang bahagyang ginhawa sa piling ng bansang dayuhan ang nagpapadala ng kakarampot na salapi sa mga naiwang kamaganak para magbigay ng konswelo de bobo sa di-maanin na hiyang nararamdaman?

 

O itong ingliserong ito na nagbabayad ng buwis, nag bibigay ng kabuhayan, at tinatamasa ang maginhawang buhay sa sariling bayan?

 

You can heap any amount of insult on me sir and by so doing you heap insults on every onether Filipino who is trying to make a go at being successful in his own country.

 

And if you feel your English has remain inferior despite your total immersion in the land of the American speakers (where I presume you are) then you're hanging out with the wrong crowd.

[rudepnoy4]

Fool seriously did you really think i was affected by your post? i was clowning your ass since day one , fool get over your insecurities, pretty much everyone here thinks your a straight up clown i dont even know what to say anymore . I tried being matured with my response to you , but everything you write is just retarded, just for the record i was born and raised here in the us ,so dont worry i didnt take anything away from pinas or whatever nonsense you will say again. peace

[Mandrake]

Kulay azul ang pasaporte

[elmersglue]

palaging sabik umuwi kasi makikita na naman yung mga pinsan at mga kaibigan, goodtime inuman w/friends, punta sa mga beaches, shopping ang laki kasi value ng pera nila,mga pasalubong canned goods spam chocolate, pero ang lahat ay hard earned money kaya ang sarap gastusin sa pinas yun lang...

[boomouse]

Guys, there is a balikbayan, nay, uwing-bayan named Dr. Martin Buatista who has decided to come home to ran for senator under the Ang Kapatiran party along with three other upstanding Filipinos.

 

Please take a second look at their platforms. These are the kind of people we have to start seeding in an ailing institution like the Philippine Senate.

 

Here's a youtube link:

 

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=ik9XW3134c8

[boomouse]

Fool seriously did you really think i was affected by your post? i was clowning your ass since day one , fool get over your insecurities, pretty much everyone here thinks your a straight up clown i dont even know what to say anymore . I tried being matured with my response to you , but everything you write is just retarded, just for the record i was born and raised here in the us ,so dont worry i didnt take anything away from pinas or whatever nonsense you will say again. peace

 

Eh hindi ka pala Filipino sasabat sabat ka dito. Kano ka pala. Kaya pala para kang egoy magsulat. Ikaw ang insecure. Buti na lang diyan na pinganak dahil kung ganyan ang pananalita mo dito (na sa tabas pa lang halata na walang masyadong pinagaralan) walang mangyayari sayo dito. Ni hindi kita kukunin tagalinis ng gulong ng kotse ko.

 

Magtanong ka dito kung sino sa atin dalawa ang insecure. Puro ka lang angas.

 

Now if you were clowning in a serious discussion like what the rest of use are trying to have here, you're in the wrong place. Go to the circus you'll just might fit right in. After all, PT Barnum said there were people like you born every minute.

 

Nekulturny.