Pinoy Drug Scene

Today, a wide variety of drugs is available to the Pinoy that can afford it. In the scene you’ll meet many different kinds of people from almost all walks of life. In the Philippines, there are plenty of druggies but mostly they can be divided into four different groups: The partee people (ecstasy, spelled as “partee” to emphasize “e” for ecstasy—this group is a subculture of people that listens mostly to electronic music. Also uses other drugs to enhance the ecstasy hit—drugs like ketamine and GHB); the meth and speed junkies (coke, shabu), the natural/organic group, (marijuana, hash, pollen, shrooms); and the benzodiazepine junkies (diazepam, nitrazepam, alprazolam, temazepam, etc). A psychedelic group (shrooms/acid/LSD) also exists, but here in the Philippines there aren’t too much of them, maybe because shrooms/LSD aren’t very easy to find, but the world of psychedelia is really something different from anything you’ve ever experienced.

The partee people are some of the best people around. They watch out for their friends, they let you crash in their living room if you don’t have a place to stay (even though you’ve met them only less than 5 times). If not at someone’s pad having an “inhouse” (an inhouse is a gathering of partee people at someone’s pad or a hotel room to swallow some happy pills and celebrate life for at least 3hrs), these people can be found in dance clubs that play trance and electro music. Ecstasy is extremely powerful and life-changing and if used in moderation (once every two months), people can actually benefit from it. It opens minds and it is not addicting (unless you start using too much, a psychological dependency may be developed). One just has to have a dealer that doesn’t supply stuff laced with meth or too much ketamine. Ecstasy is also used with Viagra sometimes (both men and women) to exponentially amplify the goodness of sex. In the 70’s before it became illegal, ecstasy was prescribed by marriage counsellors and it saved countless relationships from unnecessary breakups/divorces. Today, it is approved for use in America as part of the treatment program for soldiers that suffered extreme mental stress in Iraq and all those other places America sticks its nose into.

The meth and speed people are pretty awesome too, depending on the crowd. Shabu is actually cheating. It makes school easier. But it has its consequences. Shabu is one of the most addicting substances available out there. Under no circumstances should anyone take shabu, for even though it helps people attain unreal amounts of energy (under normal circumstances), it will make you suffer in the end. It will make you suffer and crave like you’ve never craved for anything ever before. Cocaine is okay occasionally, but as much as possible one must try to stay away from it. It gets you so used to the tremendous amount of self-confidence it gives you that withdrawal makes it impossible to go out and socialize for a few weeks (the duration depends on your situation. Sometimes it can last for months). On cocaine, everything seems so clear. You have a clear picture of what you want to do and how you are going to do it. However, it is dangerous both to your body and to your brain. Many people here in this country use coke and shabu, shabu users are mostly people who can’t afford or don’t know where to find coke or can’t score coke at the moment. Shabu is a different culture from coke.  It’s mostly people who listen to alternative/rock, people who go out to see gigs. Coke is closely related to the partee culture.

You won’t find much benzo people here in the Philippines. Most of the druggies here abuse uppers and marijuana, but you’ll find a minority that’s into prescription downers like Valium and Xanax. Some people mix Valium with alcohol because Valium enhances alcohol absorption of the body.  People who abuse these prescription drugs often have problems with their lives, some start off with using a little Valium to sleep, but eventually the Vees aren’t enough anymore because people build a resistance to the dosage, so it’ll only go higher and higher.

The smokers have a positive outlook towards life. This is the biggest drug group not just here, but across the globe. Marijuana, given that it’s illegal, still produces a higher profit than rice and corn in the cash crop industry worldwide. This is why it should be legalized. Marijuana smokers never did anyone any harm and it’s impossible for people to think violent thoughts while under the influence of this magnificent herb. It is sad and unjust that young people who never do anyone any harm, get incarcerated for mere possession of something that’s scientifically proven to be less harmful than sex, coffee or potatoes. Laws must be adjusted to end this madness. Proposition 19 in California (legalization of marijuana—to smoke, to possess, to plant, to sell—this is different from medical marijuana. This is.. marijuana) was not passed in November 2010 but it had almost 4 million people vote yes on it. The decriminalization of consumption and possession and intention to distribute of marijuana also means economic prosperity for the entire world. Billions of dollars saved annually, the big chunk that goes to chasing down dealers and enforcing all the other provisions of anti-marijuana laws can go to other projects instead, like infrastructure, education and healthcare.

The reality is that most people don’t do drugs. But some people do, and we shouldn’t judge them because of the habits they choose. This is relatable to PHILIEN because I think drugs is fast becoming a part of Philippine culture, and I’m not saying it’s a good thing, but I’m saying it’s not too bad, we shouldn’t listen to every word the media says. It’s their job to say drugs are bad. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trying out of curiosity. For recreation. For fun. The only time it gets really wrong is when people start using too much of it to deal with negative emotions. That’s when the brain sends the signals to the body, the same signals that create dependence. A little celebration every once in a while is acceptable, but if you’re sad or depressed or angry, stay away from everything except marijuana, which usually deals with those situations with surprisingly remarkable brilliance.

Whenever one feels that his use of drugs serves as a distraction to the things he should be doing, one must stop immediately. One must understand that he is responsible for his own actions, and drugs should never be an excuse for failure to accomplish one’s responsibilities.

_________________________________________-

Blog #5 – Submitted by Miguel Cortazar

Phallic Symbols

Links:

http://images.travelpod.com/users/rachel_john/roundtheworld.1134027360.phallic_symbol.jpg

http://www.ancientsculpturegallery.com/images/G-021S-2.jpg

http://jaredude.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/0521071503.jpg

http://www.deeptrancenow.com/images/phallus.jpg

http://www.itshibrow.com/series/full/phallic-full.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/93/248469821_d6ebf9e4ec.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4UOIkt1NV30/SDhB3xx1mfI/AAAAAAAAA_I/HFSxMQlMoug/P1030852.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Cucutenireperezentarefalica.jpg/800px-Cucutenireperezentarefalica.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e5/Phallic-Head_Plate,_1536_.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/2005_walking_penis.jpg/367px-2005_walking_penis.jpg

 

Submitted by:

Jose Miguel Cortazar

Bianca Marie Bulusan

Korean/Chinese Idiosyncrasies

Koreans are weird. No offense to our chinky-eyed neighbors. Most of them might never learn English properly (I have a Korean friend who I’ve known since 2003 and to this day, “basketball” is still “basketburr” and “fishballs” is still “fishburr” to him), but they make up for it by making us look like the dumbest people on earth when it comes to adding/subtracting/multiplying/dividing things. They beat us when it comes to almost anything that involves numbers, but a notable exception is the Awesome Scale of course, in which we score 11/10. Another observation that backs the statement that Koreans are weird: They do not take daily baths.

I have yet to find out if the lack of proper hygienic awareness applies to all Koreans, or if it’s just that the bunch I befriended in high school is the non-bathing minority. The explanation behind this is even more daunting: they say that their dorm rooms are air-conditioned, thus there is no need to take a shower every day. One Korean said he just takes a short bath on days he must go to church, which is twice a week. This is extremely alarming because they themselves are unaware of the putrid odor they emit whenever they sweat (lots of spices in the typical Korean diet, which is awesome by the way, the food not the sweat). Couple this with their refusal to bathe – almost unbearable. Couple it again with going to high school with them, seeing them every day, studying in the same classroom – it’s okay because the rooms are air-conditioned and a plethora of different designer scents is available to attempt to mask the unacceptable. But after PE where people sweat in a non-air-conditioned environment, it’s a nightmare.  They reek of bathless weeks when they sweat out all those spices.

But not just because they choose to be on the dark dirty side, it means there’s nothing interesting about them. I really find it very interesting how they’re so in love with their country. Truly, madly, deeply in love with it, unlike Filipinos who only talk about how they love this country but still dream of working in America. We usually dismiss people who don’t bathe as people who just don’t care about anything, but these Koreans are different; even on times when they reek the most, you will see that they love their country, their race, their being, never mind that they smell almost like what we’d imagine Shrek to smell like. I do not know how I came to tolerate them, but I did, and because of that I learned plenty of nice things, like Korean ice cream. These guys would always introduce me to something Korean – Soju (alcoholic drink), Korean ice cream, Korean beer, Korean junk food, Korean drinking games, Korean cigarettes, Korean girls, Korean words, Korean fun (singing karaoke most of the time in a private room with sexy girls who deliver ANY REQUEST…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………from the menu). They would also take me to a new Korean restaurant every week. Notice how everything’s Korean. Not all of them have plenty of money, but still they make it a point to get stuff that was manufactured in Korea by Koreans, whenever possible, however much higher it costs (80peso pack of Korean chips vs. Chippy that’s less than half what its Korean counterpart costs –  and it takes a few packs a day to fulfil man’s normal and socially acceptable daily lust for junk food, so definitely compromises are going to be made). That is what I love about them.

There’s a sad part though. Some of them hate this country and detest every force that drove them to what they have come to know as a pit of terminal torment and despair. These Koreans always cite the disparity between this place and theirs, and how they wouldn’t get mugged walking on the streets or ripped off by greedy cab drivers or made fun of by groups of brown people, “back home”. One blog post from a Korean was even on the news last (or late 2009) year for how it criticized Filipinos and wished death upon them (goes something like “they should all have drowned” or something, pertaining to the Filipino people shortly after the Ondoy misfortune).  Dumb ethnocentric faggots.

Fashion is another area Koreans claim to have broad knowledge in, and Filipinos allow Koreans to think that they (Koreans) are right. I have to say that it is impressive that they have their own modern fashion trends. However, not just because they have a fashionable identity means that the fashion is acceptable. An example is the recent Korean fashion trend – wearing leggings, black leggings, for guys! It’s good that they experiment a lot and discover combinations that work, yes, but someone must let them know that leggings are exclusively for girls and guys caught wearing them should be shot dead.

The Chinese… like the Koreans, the Chinese have chinky eyes. They give out plenty of money around February of every year. And tikoy too. Yum. Chinese food is almost a part of our culture today. Almost everyone enjoys eating Chinese. Ma Mon Luk of China brought pancit to the Philippines. There is a restaurant (named after himself) in Quezon Ave., Quezon City, which is still open today.

It is good that the Philippines is home to many different kinds of people. Chinese, Korean, Iranian, Arab, the list goes on. We get to learn about their culture and we get to enjoy some (food, Kebab!, the red envelope on Chinese New Year, etc) while we disagree with others (Korean leggings for men, Arabian refusal to apply deodorant, etc).

Submitted by:

Jose Miguel Cortazar

Bianca Marie Bulusan

Reaction Paper: V-Day Poetry Reading

Poetry has never held much interest for me. Nothing against the art of writing poetry. So going to this poetry reading, and on Valentine’s day of all days, kind of made me think how cheesy it would be to sit there and listen to random people gush about love.

I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying the event. I could not get the feel of it at first because the place was packed, and it was noisy, so I could barely concentrate (I have issues in that department), but when the audience started to quiet down (and after a couple of cold beers, to calm me down) and I could actually hear the readers reciting their chosen poems, I found that I could actually appreciate the stuff. They were reading. Though some of them were a bit too profound for my taste, there were some I could relate to and there was a very funny one performed by three girls in white. And there was one guy who instead of reading poetry (valedictorian from Philippine High School for the Arts), made music on stage. It’s what poetry would have sounded like had it been given melody instead of words.

All in all, it was a fun learning experience for me. And I think it’s always a good thing to open yourself up to new things – there’s always something to learn.

__________________________________________

Submitted by:

Jose Miguel Cortazar

Gender Roles

It’s always been the debate of the ages, for as long as man has had the ability of discourse: the man versus woman argument. Ever since the dawn of time, even before civilization started to take root and formal norms defined the way of life of people, men and women have played different roles and taken on different responsibilities to protect, nurture, and cultivate their relationships, environment, and ultimately, the world they lived in.

In the prehistoric age when language and communication was not yet developed, men took care of hunting and protecting their tribe from wild animals and other dangers, while the women took care of caring for the children and gathering food. When civilization started taking root, and men and women started taking on more definite roles, depending on the culture of the place they were living in. Some cultures dictated that women were the ones responsible for running the household, while men should be the ones working and earning a living. Women were expected to stay home, care for the children, prepare the meals, and keep the house in order.

The typical stereotypes of women as the homemaker and men as the protector and provider of the family were predominant in mostly western culture. History will show us that strict demarcation that existed between men and women – in countries were monarchies were the ruling bodies, the line of succession always went from father to son. If there were no direct male heirs, the throne would be passed to the closest living male relative. Important decisions that had to be made, whether about the family, business, or political matters, were left to the men.  Women were almost always in the background, only to be seen but never to be heard. Aside from the right to rule, women were forbidden to join the army – it was unheard of in those days for a woman to be a soldier, much less to know how to wield a weapon. Even a very simple matter of riding a horse would show the difference men and women, because women had to ride sidesaddle.

In some places, however, things were different. If we look into our own history, especially before the Spaniards came and conquered us, we will find that the norms that governed the lives of people then were vastly different from those the westerners were used to. Before we were colonized, women held equal status with men. Both men and women were warriors; they fought alongside one another to defend their tribe and their territory from enemy attacks. The right to conduct the religious practices and rituals of the tribe were not limited to the male priests because there were also priestesses who held the same position, and had the same kind of power and authority in the tribe. Women were also part of the tribal councils, they shared equal voice with the men when it came to decision making. And in those days, when men were still allowed to have multiple wives, a woman had every right to file for divorce if her husband was no longer able to satisfy her.

Of course, when the Spanish conquerors came, they were scandalized that women held such power. They were shocked that women had a voice in the community, and that they were entrusted with important matters that, in their western way of thinking, were supposed to be only for men. So of course, they did what they thought best – they indoctrinated us and imposed their ways on us, until eventually, the former way of life of the natives was almost completely wiped out. The longer they stayed, the more we absorbed their culture and their ways – women were now only limited to the home, to care for their families and pretty much have no other opportunity for growth, unlike before where they could do everything the men did. With the conquerors firmly in place as the new rulers, there were also new and different norms to get used to. Men and women were allowed to go to school, but only men could attend university and pursue higher education. Women could only attend finishing school. Education in those days was only for men, because they were the only ones who would be able to make use of it anyway. Since women were only going to be at home, what was the point in sending them to school to have an education, right?

So for the 300 plus years that the Spaniards were here, women were forced into the background, pretty much the way things were done in the west. For the longest time, women had no voice in society. Only men had the power to hold authority – in government, at home, and pretty much everywhere else.

Science says that men are, indeed, the stronger sex, if we are to measure strength in terms of physical power. They are stronger physically because they have more muscle mass compared to women. But if we will look at it from a historical perspective, men have extended their power over women not only in the physical aspect, but in other areas of life, too. Gender equality rights are a recent development, especially in the west – it was only in the early 1900s that women could finally vote, and do the other things that men could enjoy.

Men and women are built differently – men’s bodies are designed more for power, their bodies are built more for physical confrontation and the use of force while women, on the other hand, have four times as many brain cells as men, which means that women have more access to both sides of the brain, and therefore have more access to the right side of the brain. Women are able to focus and solve more than one problem at a time, and frequently prefer to solve problems through multiple activities at a time.  (http://www.oregoncounseling.org/ArticlesPapers/Documents/DifferencesMenWomen.htm)

These differences do not mean that one sex is more superior to the other, it simply means that there are things men do better, and there are certain things that women are better at. Men and women are supposed to be complementary, not at opposition to each other or fighting for superiority against one another. Men are generally the protectors and providers because they are built to be more efficient in those fields, while women are more effective at caring for their families, nurturing their children, and managing the household because they are more in touch with their emotions than men, and they are better able to handle various tasks at the same time. The differences, whether it is  physical, biological, emotional or psychological, should be welcomed and understood, and not used as points against the other.

_________________________________________________

Submitted by:

Jose Miguel Cortazar

Bianca Marie Bulusan

Ultimate Pinoy Stuff

FOOD

Food is one of the best things our country has to offer. We have something for everything. The best comfort food, sumptuous desserts, appetizing appetizers, mouth-watering main courses. As much as we would like to rate and discuss everything, we can’t because no amount of space will ever be enough. After a lengthy argument about which foods we should include here, we decided it should be the three that would pique the prima facie curiosity (initially, disgust) of any outsider (they usually learn to not judge a dish by its origins after experiencing the Pinoy food trip).

Dinuguan

At first it may not sound like anything that you would put into your mouth (there’s no way to sugarcoat it, that’s what it really is. Blood); Even in English it doesn’t sound too nice (Pork blood stew), but this dish is definitely a must-try for everyone. As http://www.filipino-food-lovers.com/?p=66 puts it, “A lot of times people judge this dish before tasting it. The truth is for most people that do actually taste it, my American mother in-law for example, they actually like it”. “Dinuguan or pork blood stew is a Filipino, savory stew of blood and meat simmered in rich, spicy gravy of pig blood, garlic, chilli, and vinegar” (http://www.filipino-food-lovers.com/?p=66). A good serving of dinuguan can be found in Kanin Club, Ayala-Technohub, Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City. It’s dinuguan with a twist (crispy dinuguan), dinuguan to the next level.

Balut

Balut is basically unhatched duck embryo. It is usual for anyone from the West to question just why we Filipinos eat it. The answer is simple. It is because unlike them, we are awesome. There is no place in the Philippines we’ve been to where balut wasn’t available within a 20km radius (except maybe in a yacht in the middle of the sea or aboard an airplane, airborne 30,000ft above ground); and we think every inhabitant of this country that falls under the homo sapiens category knows what balut is. It is an acquired taste – not everyone likes it, but we still believe it’s worth a try for all. If you know what a balut salesman looks like, you can find balut anywhere.

Isaw

This can be made out of either pork or chicken intestines. It has zero health benefits, too much of it makes you dizzy, too little makes you want more, so you still end up dizzy anyway. The good, satisfied kind of dizzy. If you’re looking to experience good isaw (it’s not the same everywhere and you must be ten times as careful when choosing a place to eat isaw because if you make the wrong choice, this cheap stuff can make you end up in a hospital, and worst-case scenario, with a 6-digit damage done to your life savings), you can go to Mang Larry’s in the UP Diliman campus. You’ll see all sorts of people enjoying their isaw there. Jeepney drivers, construction workers, yuppies, pretty people, not-so-pretty people, smart people, not-so-smart people, students, feeling students, lovers, soon to be lovers, soon to be ex-lovers, loveless, hopeless, hyperactive, steady, drunk, stoned (plenty), manic, depressed, Catholics (there’s a Catholic church nearby), Christians (from Victory Christian Fellowship which holds Sunday service near there), atheists (it’s UP), L, G, B, (no T so far), parents, children, senior citizens. Isaw is best eaten drenched in vinegar (no health benefits there too).

VERDICT:

The winner is isaw. There is definitely a lot more to isaw than meets the eye.  It brings people together. “Over isaw” is like “over coffee”. Isaw is not too pricey (3 pesos apiece at Mang Larry’s—all their products are safe); this is what makes it possible for anyone to have meaningful conversations or just plain sabaw discussions and good times over isaw, any day. Though it has no health benefits whatsoever, and though we found both dinuguan and balut to be almost equally delightful (blood > embryo, by a thin margin), we still give the crown to isaw. This is because isaw is multi-purpose. You can eat it anytime: Before meals, after meals, with meals, instead of meals. It is also the most social food that’s truly Filipino. Everything is truly 100%
Pinoy when you’re eating isaw (in contrast to eating in high-class Filipino restaurants—sure, the food is truly Pinoy, but the furniture? The ambiance? The silverware? The ingredients? The food descriptions on the menu (written in English)? The beautiful quasi-Swarovski chandelier fixtures? The nameplates of employees saying “Hi I’m [name]” instead of “Ako po si [pangalan]”? Nope, that’s nowhere near what the Philippines is really like).

________________________________

DRINKS

Apart from the endless food selections our country has to offer, we also have a rich array of original liquid refreshments. Listed below are the 3 everyone must try, Filipino or otherwise.

Sago’t Gulaman

Sago’t gulaman (Tapioca pearls and jelly) is a very popular refreshment. It is sweet and best served cold with crushed ice and plenty of syrup. In restaurants it is served in a tall glass, in neighborhood stores it is ladled into plastic cups and in street stands it is simply poured into plastic bags and provided with straw. It can be taken as an after-meal beverage-dessert. Like balut, Sago’t gulaman can be found anywhere in the Philippines. Sago’t gulaman goes well with our Kakanins and afternoon snacks like bananaque (deep fried bananas with plenty of sugar on a stick). Serye restaurant in Eastwood, Libis makes a nice, sweet serving of sago’t gulaman at only under 100 pesos.

Buko Juice

Buko juice (coconut milk drink), unlike isaw, is pretty good for the internal human system. Buko is Filipino for “young coconut,” which has been proven to present many significant health benefits, and some have noted that a daily fix of buko juice contributes to overall wellbeing. It is also known to cure Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and like cranberry juice, it is said to have detoxifying properties so if someone you know suddenly develops a daily interest in buko juice, it should pretty much give you an idea of what that person is up to. Buko juice goes well with almost anything, and like isaw, can be enjoyed by anyone from subminimum wage earners to corrupt politicians who make our parents not want to pay their dues. Nothing beats a tall, cold glass of buko juice by the beach just moments before sunset but if you’re nowhere near a beach, Ristorante Pia y Damaso in Greenbelt 5, Makati serves a nice coconut shake with an awesome twist of macapuno. Kind of pricey at 200 pesos but if one were in the area and had at least 200 pesos, it would be a sin not to try this. It’s like liquid ecstasy (without the MDMA of course, we don’t want to be violating RA9165 here). So let’s call it angel sweat (just as fitting) instead, to be safe. If one has to compromise his taxicab going home fare, do it. The kind of satisfaction this drink brings sets some sort of an aftershock of positive vibes that makes you realize: the bus isn’t all that bad. Unless you live in Fairview, Quezon City, of course, the drink can wait. No amount of heaven can ever cloak the evil which is rush hour Metro Manila traffic.

Kapeng Alamid

This is the best-tasting coffee in the world (also the most expensive available here in the PI), though it might be surprising where it comes from, which is literally cat shit. The Philippine Civet/Musang/Alamid (a really wild cat that looks like a small hyena. NOT a friendly kitty, it’s like a terrestrial piranha, so do not touch) only eats coffee beans, and from what we understand, there’s something special that happens in its stomach, won’t go very much into detail about it because it’s very scientific, but we do know it involves coffee beans and the Musang’s natural stomach acidity, but the coffee beans do not get digested, up until it gets expelled from the Musang’s digestive system and into the earth. The raw product is then extracted from its fecal matter, and then maybe undergoes commercial processing from there. Kapeng Alamid is the world’s rarest gourmet coffee, so anyone (even non-coffee drinkers) should try it if given the chance. There are some places in Tagaytay City that offer this, but the authenticity of their serving cannot be verified. Another place in Cash and Carry, Makati also serves this; the name of the place escapes us.

VERDICT:

Buko juice wins. Not everyone drinks coffee and the idea of cat shit certainly won’t appeal to all. Sago’t gulaman is also nice, and in terms of niceness we rate them both the same, but due to the health factor, which is absent in sago’t gulaman, buko juice emerges the victor. It was a very hard decision to make (both are great by the beach or anywhere on any hot day; both give you nice, soft things to chew on—plain 100% liquid is boring; both are excellent drinks to chug down after eating 30 sticks of isaw). If by some miraculous occurrence, sago’t gulaman suddenly becomes as healthy as BJ, or BJ suddenly loses its health properties, this verdict will result in a swift tie.

________________________________

FASHION

There is not much to discuss about true Philippine fashion, not if we talk about the enormity of Western influence (aka neo-colonialism, though most of us are too “busy” to be aware of it) in modern times. So we will talk about the awesome, the truly Filipino; dating back to when we had a solid identity before Spain or America came to dump their awesome (sic) shit on us, shit we did not need, which we unknowingly accepted with open arms and embraced without enough conscious resistance (yes we fought with guns and swords, but due to the lack of an adequate or proper mental arsenal, prolly because we had everything focused only on what we saw, they still got through to our minds), thus killing the awesome, rich, independent culture we once had. Below you will find pure, unadulterated pre-colonial Filipino awesomeness. This is true Pinoy fashion, and it’s more than just a dress.

Pintados

“Painted” in English, Pintados was a group of people from the Visayas who inked themselves using small pieces of iron. By all means, this group resisted the authority Spain tried to impose upon them. Today they are called tattoos, but the best tattoo today will never compare to the hardcore manner with which the Pintados colored themselves. Lapu-lapu is among the members of this group, if you listened in elementary history you’ll know that this man killed Ferdinand Magellan (public enemy number one) somewhere in Cebu. Lapu-lapu had ink from his heel up to the area surrounding his eyes, and in his time there was a positive correlation between the amount of ink on one’s body and the number of people that person killed in war. We consider Pintados or pinta from that era to be part of true Philippine fashion—fashion that really meant something.

Barong Tagalog

According to http://www.mybarong2.com/history-barong-tagalog-art-99.html: “As the Philippines’ national dress, the Barong Tagalog enjoys a distinction all its own. Its fine needlework or hand-painted designs in cool cotton or handwoven pina or jusi have given it a flair that has won international recognition and acceptance. President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who has worn the Barong Tagalog with such impeccable grace and searing devotion, underscored its prestige when he issued in 1975 a decree proclaiming Barong Tagalog Week (June 5-11) and more significantly, officially designating the Barong Tagalog as “the national attire”. The presidential act was meant to focus nation-wide attention on the Filipino national dress to wider use and enhance its export potential”. We also found out that there is a popular legend about the origin of the barong, which is it was used as a dress for Filipino slaves because being see through, it ensures that the Indios can’t steal anything or wield weapons. “But American hold on the Philippines and Filipinos grew tighter as in a noose and many Filipinos, steeped in colonial mentality, took to wearing American outfits. The Philippine Commonwealth and Republic Presidents – from Presidents Manuel Luis Quezon to Manuel Roxas to Elpidio Quirino – paraded their white sharkskin suits, coats with vests and tuxedos at official functions. There were some occasions though when these leaders of the country wore the Barong Tagalog as some photos confirm. But even President Quirino, who had been sporting the Barong Tagalog from the Tesoro’s shop in the early 50s, had not really pushed the attire to its national recognition.”

Gold

Citizens of the pre-colonial Philippines (called Ma-I at that time, just as Thailand:Siam, Myanmar:Burma and Cambodia:Kampuchea) wore gold like it grew from trees. Genuine gold, and they had it in abundance. The golden accessories wielded by just one person is worth tens, maybe hundreds of millions today (maybe trillions if you’re from South Korea and whatever a trillion times ten is called if you were in Turkey when they still used the Turkish Lira). You can just imagine how much a whole barangay’s worth would be in modern day peso (we don’t think it’s even countable anymore if converted to 1999 Lira. It’s an unspoken rule that if something costs so high we don’t even know how to read its price tag, it’s automatically awesome). If that’s not awesome, we don’t know what is.

VERDICT:

Because we are Filipinos, Pintados beats anything that will ever be injected into our idea of fashion (the Japanese have something pretty awesome written on their history books too, but we’ll reserve that for WORLITE). One look at Lapu-lapu answers a thousand questions, and the best part is that no one has to say a single word. The pinta on him narrates the things he’s done and was prepared to do to salvage our nation from the malicious West, and we believe that there is nothing better any other fashion statement can ever do. Pintados makes fashion speak beyond the call of its duty, and for this, we immortalize Pintados (or pinta because Pintados might refer to the people only) as the best fashion our history has ever seen.

________________________________

EXPRESSION

Expressions play a big part in any culture. In the Philippines, we have plenty of expressions, and the number just keeps growing every year. Expressions are more than just expressions to us: They remind us of certain moments in our lives. Because the number just keeps growing and there are new expressions available every year, the next generation might not quite understand the same expressions we have today, in the same way we do. This makes everything all the more special. When jejemonism came, more people strove to speak in English (English… it just doesn’t work for everyone) because their minds told them it’s the only way to set them apart from these culture-wrecking parasites (jejemons). Because of this, Filipino automatically becomes corny or jologs for these people (sad to say, the majority of today’s high school generation). They’d rather speak in incomprehensible English and plenty of them grow older trying to prove the same thing every day—that they can speak in English. And when people start trying to be someone they’re not, they get used to pretending. That generation will grow up to become the downfall of our country. Everyone’s the same and “identity” is a thing of the past. Most of them are boring and stupid—and that’s a fairly nice way to put it; when it’s their turn to run this already damaged land we call our own, that’s when I can say we’ve lost hope. All this is being said because it reflects on the kind of useless expressions coming from the “downfall generation”. Expressions like “imba!” (imbalance, but people today use it for everything. If you have plenty of cash, you’re “imba sa yaman”, if you’re good at billiards, “imba mag billiards” and so on); “GG” (good game, but sounds more like a good “fuck you loser!” said by a winner to a loser in a DOTA game originally, but adopted to be used in many different ways now). These expressions are okay I guess,  but the ones from a few years back are funnier and fuller.

ITALY – I Trust And Love You

HOLLAND –  Hope Our Love Lasts And Never Dies

PARIS –  Please Always Remember I’m Sincere

ROME –  Remember Our Memorable Evenings

KSP – Kulang Sa Pansin (13 years ago in Claret School of Quezon City, KSP meant Kulangot Sa Pader)

UST – Utot Sabay Tae (UST has happened to anyone at least twice)

KKB – Kanya-kanyang bayad (this expression is very useful. It’s not always easy to tell everyone to prepare cash for something, especially in a place infested with freeloaders, so shouting “KKB” to the group does it. It’s easier (not to mention less offensive) to say “aww, okay lang yan, may next time pa naman J” than “magdala ka ng 5,000 pesos ah?” to someone who clearly can’t prepare enough funds. More people usually agree to the KKB (it’s a group decision), the group agrees on the amount to be brought, and the people who can’t produce aren’t directly offended by one person because it’s a group decision.

PSG – Pang-Sariling Gamit. Usually used by selfish people who do not want to share their cigarettes (“Bro pasensya, PSG nalang to eh).

TUS – This expression is hard to explain but if you hear someone saying it, that speaker tells the listener that he/she (the listener) is obviously stoned (“hoy tus ka, mag eye drop ka nga”) or high on whatever. When someone has a stash it’s tus if that person walks into a mall or into CSB, where there are fierce dogs that are already good at sniffing but were trained to be a lot better at it. This expression was coined by someone from Taft (either DLSU or CSB) around 2007 (batches 106 and 107 are very familiar with this term). Today, it has spawned a sub-culture with thousands of followers (check “TUS!” Facebook page, yes the exclamation point is included). Tus = TUStado. Tustado pag nahuli.

Verdict:

KKB is very useful and its use has saved countless people thousands of pesos and this is a very, very close battle but though KKB is there to protect the contents of your wallet and save you thousands of pesos, TUS has saved countless lives… From the police, from paranoia-stricken parents, from the DO, from public humiliation. We would rather live on fishballs and isaw everyday (without KKB) than live wishing there’s something we could have done said (TUS) to prevent someone we care about from being publicly humiliated or being disowned by his/her family or living a life behind bars/out of school.

Submitted by:

Jose Miguel Cortazar

Bianca Marie Bulusan

2 February 2011