The War At Home

The Russians sank a Hong Kong freighter last month, killing the seven Chinese seamen on board. We can live with that—Lenin and Stalin were once the ideological mentors of all Chinese people. The Japanese planted a flag on Diàoyú Island. That’s no big problem—we Hong Kong Chinese love Japanese cartoons, Hello Kitty, and shopping in Shinjuku, let alone our round-the-clock obsession with karaoke.

But hold on—even the Filipinos? Manila has just claimed sovereignty over the scattered rocks in the South China Sea called the Spratly Islands, complete with a blatant threat from its congress to send gunboats to the South China Sea to defend the islands from China if necessary. This is beyond reproach. The reason: there are more than 130,000 Filipina maids working as $3,580-a-month cheap labor in Hong Kong. As a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter.

As a patriotic Chinese man, the news has made my blood boil. I summoned Louisa, my domestic assistant who holds a degree in international politics from the University of Manila, hung a map on the wall, and gave her a harsh lecture. I sternly warned her that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell every one of her compatriots in Statue Square on Sunday that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China.

Grimly, I told her that if war breaks out between the Philippines and China, I would have to end her employment and send her straight home, because I would not risk the crime of treason for sponsoring an enemy of the state by paying her to wash my toilet and clean my windows 16 hours a day. With that money, she would pay taxes to her government, and they would fund a navy to invade our motherland and deeply hurt my feelings.

Oh yes. The government of the Philippines would certainly be wrong if they think we Chinese are prepared to swallow their insult and sit back and lose a Falkland Islands War in the Far East. They may have Barack Obama and the hawkish American military behind them, but we have a hostage in each of our homes in the Mid-Levels or higher. Some of my friends told me they have already declared a state of emergency at home. Their maids have been made to shout “China, Madam/Sir” loudly whenever they hear the word “Spratly.” They say the indoctrination is working as wonderfully as when we used to shout, “Long live Chairman Mao!” at the sight of a portrait of our Great Leader during the Cultural Revolution. I’m not sure if that’s going a bit too far, at least for the time being. 

Chip Tsao is a best-selling author and columnist. A former reporter for the BBC, his columns have also appeared in Apple Daily, Next Magazine and CUP Magazine, among others. 

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DYING

Death. We all experience a certain death in our lives. I’m not only talking about the ones when we lose our breath, I’m talking about dying in our soul, dying in our feelings, dying in our sins, dying in our hatred. I just finished watching an episode in One Tree Hill and that episode really strucked me hard and deep, like the way Leo Buscaglia in his book (*Loving, Living, Learning) mentioned about a young student dying without anyone noticing it.
It is really sad to realize that one could kill himself/herself due to feeling unloved or unnoticed, but hey it is reality, cruel and insane it may seem…death comes to every individual who felt he/she is alone in the battle and quest for a life of love. Every act of suicide indicates a lesson to be learned, that each one is responsible for one’s insane act. Emotional neglect, social isolation, loss, failure, insecurity, frustration, etc…all are pre-cursors to that depressing feeling of being unloved and without love that eventually leads to the act of suicide. Death in one’s heart is more fatal than that of dying due to physical malfunction, cause it challenges everyone to analyze things and rise above the adversities and start healing the illness in the society. Suicide confuses and awakens everyone from leniency.
I remembered the news about the person who committed suicide by jumping off the MRT station at Shaw Blvd. It really made the headlines in the evening news, newspapers and even the chatrooms. Everyone is bothered by it, it triggered certain emotional reactions, good or bad…it did awaken many of us to the sad and cruel reality that on our world, many died as they got drowned by their emotional baggage that caused much pain, making it easier for them to end their lives, believing a better life awaits them in the aftermath.
So, what can we possibly do about it? Perhaps, we could start by giving life to others with our smiles or simple acts of kindness in order to avoid that depressing feeling of wanting to die. We may have not notice it, but at certain points in our lives, we have caused an emotional death to another by our indifference or feelings of grandiosity. I think it is high time to make that change, give others the reason to live. And I’m sure with this sincere and loving act you’re about to share, would ultimately give you that same feeling of wanting to live more.

What's Your CHOICE?

This is my first actual journal for this year. I don’t know what got into me but I just feel like writing in this unholy hour, 1:00 a.m. to be precise. I just came from a tequila party at a friend’s house and hey! Don’t ever think it’s a by-product of alcohol intoxication as I, in my own evaluation, sensed that the motivation came from elsewhere outside the alcohol influence.
I have this deep urge to writing about one’s journey to life as it influences the people around him or her. I have been living a life filled with emotional struggles in the quest of my own true identify. As I travel along that road, I noticed that the path always lead you to potholes and crossroads. Potholes that could stumble you, make you lose balance, let you really fall hard and deep; or crossroads that lead you to a different world outside your comfort, or bring you to another series of confusing passageways, or perhaps a dead end… but in the end, what I realize is that the choice one makes made the big difference whether one is on the right track or not.
Some people complained about how their lives turned out to be such a web of endless confusion, on how their present state of mind and heart got hardly affected by the failure of their past love affair, or how they regret on having to work in a company they dislike that they feel so lost and stagnant and very much wanting to try things outside the expectations set for them. I could not help but feel really burdened and sad reflecting on what really transpired after one made the choice, not knowing how this would affect him or her. In my own experience, after 32 years of being who I am, I could say I made the not so good choices in my life but it also became my choice to be positively influenced by that choice or not. Everything boils down to CHOICE.
I remembered a friend asking me on why God created men to have free will when He already laid our future in His hands. Well, what do you think I would say? In my own understanding of the reason beyond the beauty of free will is that man is created to choice which way to go to go to His ultimate destination, which is being united in the heaven with God. On the question on how come God had made certain ranges of roads for one to choose…then perhaps it is not because God wanted to mislead us but God had no power over our free will or choice, all He wanted is to provide every possible avenue in order for us to reach heaven no matter how misguided our choices were once were.
OUR OWN CHOICES DICTATES THE KIND OF LIFE WE ARE NOW EMBRACING. To influence a brighter future then perhaps, it is but high time making the right choices based on God’s truth and love.
I may sound overly serious in my quest but hey, I just want to start the year right for our resolutions and deep wanting to have a better nation is highly influenced by our choices. Certain personalities like our national heroes and other inspirational individuals like Rizal, Bonifacio, Ninoy, Manny Pacquiao or for the youth, Chris Tiu had made their choices that made them great, should you want to be like them then perhaps… make that CHOICE!
Luceat Lux.

2008, the year that was....

Year 2008 has given much unforgettable moments for the Filipinos and the rest of the world. Who could ever forget that it was this year that made MANNY PACQUIAO became a household name, not only for Filipinos but the rest of the world as well with his three triumphant boxing feats against boxing legends, including that of the Golden Boy with the beautiful smile, Dela Hoya. He may not made it to politics but he surely hit it in giving much hope and inspiration to those who look up to him, especially giving the nation a zero crime rate whenever he’s on the ring for a match. He mentioned of having his two final bouts in 2009 before retiring and joining the politics in 2010, well, if he really has the heart for it, then perhaps, the light he sheds would continue to give hope to those around him along with the sacrifice of giving up his Boxing career to a vocation f service.
The year 2008 also marked a great inspiration from a young mind filled with ideals in the person of CHRIS TIU. The basketball cager, King Eagle of the Blue Eagles from ADMU has drawn crowds to Araneta during the UAAP games aside from his hosting stints and political assignments in his place. He was such an inspiration to the Youth, not only to his good looks, well-educated and affluent family background, but due mainly to his “too good to be true” charismatic and spiritually enlightened persona. He attributed it to the Jesuit upbringing and a really loving and supportive family who disciplined him right from the start. Now, every girl wants a Chris Tiu for a boyfriend (faithful as he is to her girlfriend) that most guys wanted to be just like him in the end… He truly inspired many.
CORY AQUINO, the widow that inspired many Filipinos to be more nationalistic and spiritual at the same time, has made this nation united in a lot of ways. When she was diagnosed with cancer, everyone was succumbed to prayer for her health. Her example lives on in every Filipino heart despite the failures and mistakes she has committed that made her much stronger in her Faith in God and the Filipino people she believes to be on the road for change.
We may not be living in the US, but who could not resist in being awed and inspired by the victory of BARRACK OBAMA as President of the USA. Being the first black to win the elections is a great feat as he rose to his feet saying “Yes We Can!” He gave much hope for a better change even in a country that is predominantly white. His win had given the word equality in opportunity a resounding meaning to the rest of the world.
The Catholic Church with POPE BENEDICT in his seat, has drawn much attention when the church is drowned into several incidents of scandals committed by its priests/pastors. With his humility, he apologized for it and even talked with the victims of said incidents, giving their families hope and light that he is truly an advocate of change and spiritual enlightenment.
FRANCIS MAGALONA encouraged Pinoys to be more of a Filipino than anyone else with his proudly pinoy shirts. The shirts that awaken patriotism among the youth that is fast becoming a fad among the youth who loves being a Pinoy.
There are still many persons that made the year 2008 as meaningful as it already is, several incidents. Good and bad had been avenues of learning for all of us. Worth to mention is the Thailand political turmoil that made the prime minister stepped down after a “people power” incident in the airports; the US economic mayhem has risen the other nations to be much stronger and independent from the US that greatly affected the world market; and the invasion of talents in the internet that made big names out of Arnel Pineda and Charice Pempengco, among others had given the word patience and hardwork a new meaning, There’s still a lot but hopefully this 2009 would bring us more inspiring events and individuals that could contribute to better changes in our outlook in life. With these, I now begin my year.

Luceat Lux