Gobsmacked! with a little rant thrown in.

[Arizona Kid]

If the Philippines is such a poor country, why do I see almost every Filipino teenager walking and texting on their cellphones at the same time. I'm not about to feel sorry for a family that says they are poor and don't have enough food to eat, while they are chatting on their phones. 

[Snowy79]

11 minutes ago, Arizona Kid said:

If the Philippines is such a poor country, why do I see almost every Filipino teenager walking and texting on their cellphones at the same time. I'm not about to feel sorry for a family that says they are poor and don't have enough food to eat, while they are chatting on their phones. 

Probably texting their boyfriend or fiancee in the West to tell them how much they love them, and can they send more money for their sick relative, exam, food for the parents etc, etc.  

[Tommy T.]

Good points from both of you... I wonder, too, how they can buy these nice cell phones when I struggle to pay for one.... 

Ahhh... but I think I know the answer - please tell me if you think I am wrong! I believe that most, if not all, are taking out bank loans to buy their phones. I know for a fact from my SO that most take out loans to buy their Fortuners. And they are paying high interest in the range of 8%, I believe (please correct me, I might be wrong about that number). There is a ton of peer pressure to buy buy buy here and I see that as so sad. So many people who have small income are challenged to buy the latest and greatest.

[hk blues]

No point in trying to teach work ethics in a country where hard work is neither respected or rewarded - just my opinion.  I am in the middle of decorating at the moment (just basic painting etc) and I know the neighbours are thinking  "Why isn't he paying someone to do it for him?" - the concept of me actually enjoying it doesn't enter into their minds! 

It's an upward struggle trying to instil some values (OK - western values) into my son but we can but keep chipping away and hope something rubs off.  On the plus side, I'm pretty confident parents in western countries are facing different but similar challenges!  

Edited June 24, 2019 by hk blues
spelling

[Tommy T.]

2 minutes ago, hk blues said:

No point in trying to teach work ethics in a country where hard work is neither respected or rewarded - just my opinion.  I am in the middle of decorating at the moment (just basic painting etc) and I know the neighbours are thinking  "Why isn't he paying someone to do it for him?" - they concept of me actually enjoying it doesn't enter into their minds! 

It's an upward struggle trying to instil some values (OK - western values) into my son but we can but keep chipping away and hope something rubs off.  On the plus side, I'm pretty confident parents in western countries are facing different but similar challenges!  

I agree with you 100%, hkblues!

Interesting - I am right now watching a documentary about Marcos here...fascinating! I have seen it before, but it never stops intriguing me... Marshal Law?

 Yes... I have seen several times already where people are working (hardly) but then for what, US$6 per day? And only a few seem to have a good work ethic (as we would consider in the "west"). Honestly... I would not work very hard or smart if I were paid a pittance either. Perhaps this is a viscous circle? It sort of seems that way. Hard and quality work does not seem to be rewarded here - anyone contest this?

[hk blues]

13 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Honestly... I would not work very hard or smart if I were paid a pittance either. 

Therein lies the root cause of the problem!  It just amazes me the lengths people here got to to avoid work when they are at work - the effort required must amount to more than that they would expend if they actually worked!  Then again, it may just be passive resistance coming into play, and, honestly speaking, who can blame them? 

[Tommy T.]

Agreed!

[Gary D]

As the saying goes " you pretend to pay me and I'll pretend to work"

[bastonjock]

14 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

You said before that your wife is a school teacher, is that correct? Or did I confuse you with someone else?

Anyway, I am most distressed because my SO just informed me that there was a meeting of "coordinators" at her school. Apparently someone in DepEd came up with the idea that yet more paperwork was needed! I know, I am repeating myself again, but why don't they just let the teachers teach instead of being bureaucrats or secretaries?! She already is stressed from it all, and now it just keeps getting worse!

Sorry... my turn for a mini-rant...

My gf was the governor of the high school at Catalunan grande , then her mama took over , her mama raised 400t for some projects in a short time period ( very persuasive woman )  , her aunts are all teachers down in near digos , being a teacher is stressful everywhere 

[Jollygoodfellow]

23 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

but then for what, US$6 per day?

Put it it perspective. Its peso here and it makes no difference what other countries salary is. If the Filipinos were getting say P5000 a day what do you think the price of everything else would be?