You’re not Cool Chip

As the few days of March drifted, we saw in the news another lambasting booboo of a Hong Kong journalist named Chip Tsao, who claims that Spratly is solely owned by China. And since the Philippines ventilated bone of contentions which can ultimately wage a war, he started ridiculing the hapless Filipina maid which he reported that only receives salary ranging from $3,500-3,800. He lectured the maid about how Filipinos should start thanking Chinese for giving them food on their empty plates. The Filipina maid by the way has a degree of International Relations in University of Manila. This doesn’t sound new to us. Filipinos are known to be ardently sensitive. On the side note, I believe in “selective-sensitivity.” I remember one time our previous president, ERAP, reacted when he have heard that one European country will start to name a certain cookie, “Filipino cookie.” Guess what, he despises the idea. Moral lesson: #1, it’s subjective, #2, read history and learn.

The battle for the Spratly islands is a story that no one dares to end with a consensus. The sad part is, for most countries like Malaysia, China and Philippines; they concluded it’s their own. This pieces of land have long been a source of debate, and to deodorize each and everyone’s argument, countries make their people believe that they have discovered it and that they have legal fortitude to back their a**es up. For decades, no one has really decided – international laws has decayed it’s spirit, and to abandon them gives it more sense.

So how on earth should we react if someone daunted us with remarks like that of Chip Tsao? As a Filipino, I am very disheartened as to how some neighboring countries regard our Overseas Filipino Workers. Yet, at the end of the day, I feel proud and honored to be a citizen of this land. I know that for all those demoralizing howler, the fact how OFW’s sustain the economy mitigates what’s shouting inside me. As part of the labor force that drives our economy, I know that our race can really influence different sectors. “Filipinos are efficient,” can really be an understatement. We are a rich county, with or without Spratlys.

With the recession going on and the battle of surging prices continues, we are indeed lucky to still have jobs and maintain a very dignified career. For those who feel that they are just dragging theirselves to work, well, think again. For a single chair you are occupying now, 20 applicants are battling it out to win and replace you. It now tells me that if we are presented opportunities to learn and be challenged, we should always be ready and embrace them. I know it’s cliché, but those who accepts responsibilities are those that usually gets on top. Sprinkle it with a bit of common sense though and you’re all set.

I wish that world economy heals at the soonest possible time. Right now, I know that everyone will agree that comments made by Chip Tsao’s only deepens the wound made by China to the Philippines. I find it detrimental to foreign relations and thus it affects the economy somehow. If for any consolation, it should stir our legislators and public officials to work for better economy, and to stop wasting our tax money. We on the labor force will work our hearts out and maintain our reputation of world-class labor. But please, enough of the mudslinging and corruption. It’s such a pain to watch.