'COMING HOME' 2012: "TO LIVE, TO LEARN, TO LOVE & TO LEAVE A LEGACY"

THE METAMORPHOSIS

By

Ernie D. Delfin

TO LIVE, TO LEARN, TO LOVE  &  TO LEAVE A LEGACY

(3^rd of ‘Coming Home” series of articles)

“I have always dreamed of the sweetness of a rose,

                                         but I forgot that  a rose is full of thorns!”     --- By Author 

                   In his classic book “As a Man Thinketh”, James Allen  wrote that what a man thinks and holds true to his heart, so he will become.   Oftentimes, a man’s constant dreams  becomes prophetic  as his  dreams propel him to live out  and work passionately towards it. Thousands of people, living or dead, like Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln,  Mahatma Gandhi or  Mother Teresa  have accomplished so much for humanity who were driven to do what they did,  not for the material riches  but to leave this world a better place than they found it.  Probably no one among us can  be another Lincoln, Gandhi,  Mandela nor Mother Teresa, but we can be the best we can be to make a difference,  like my friends,  Tony Meloto (founder of Gawad Kalinga) and Alex Lacson (founder of Kabayanihan Foundation and author of ’12 Little Things that a Filipino can do for his country” series)

                  This year, as I entered another phase of life, as a cancer survivor,  I have resolved to do what matters most to do my own share of “Living, Learning, Loving and Leaving a Legacy, the four quadrants (physical, mental, social and spiritual) of a balanced life according to America’s foremost guru, Dr. Steven R. Covey, who died this year at 79. (Bless his soul!)  According to the Good Book,  what matters most is never the accumulation of material wealth like millions of people from America to Zimbabwe (including many Filipino public and private leaders) do  but  what we accomplish  during our lifetime that  really  impact others’ lives  positively when we are  gone.   Indeed,  that sobering thought inspired me to continue what I am doing in my church as a Peace & Justice (Prison) Ministry volunteer, a columnist-writer, and also as a Rotary leader, despite occasional human disappointments and “ is it worth it” questioning moments.  In silent prayer, I promised to myself and to the spirits of my departed parents when  I visited their humble tombs along side my two sisters’ resting place  in my hometown of Laoac, Pangasinan, last month.  With nostalgic memories of their short life on this earth, they have indeed  in their humble ways positively contributed  much in the improvement of their  community as well as in the betterment of the lives of their  children and their grand children  through their life’s   example of industry and integrity.                 

           During my recent 5-week-trip to my homeland, the Philippines,  I have travelled to many places and met hundreds of people, but let me take especial mention of two people who are also charter members of  Global Kalinga e-Rotary Club that I founded officially a year ago this month. First is Tony Meloto, who is possibly the most trusted Filipino at this time, despite that he has no official government  title except the fact that his name is now synonymous to Gawad Kalinga, the Asian version of  Habitat for Humanity that started in the Philippines about 10 years ago.  GK’s vision is to build a nation, empowered by people with faith and patriotism; a nation made up of caring and sharing communities, dedicated to eradicate poverty and restore human dignity. Its mission is to end  poverty for 5 million poor families by 2024: Land for the Landless. Homes for the Homeless. Food for the Hungry.

           I first heard and met Mr. Meloto around 2004 when our Rotary Club of Cerritos where I was its Centennial president donated $1,000 for one house, then,  built in the GK-Rotary International-Brookside Village in Quezon City.  With occasional visits to GK villages, I was hooked of helping this fine organization in not only building houses, but building communities and empowering people. Last month,  I was privileged to be Tony Meloto’s guest together with another Rotarian friend, Jess Cifra, the immediate Past District Governor of QC’s District 3780, in GK’s Enchanted Farms, another GK innovative model of a viable  entrepreneurial agri-business  in the town of Angat, Bulacan.   With the great reputation of Gawad Kalinga worldwide,  Tony told us that multi-national corporations (MNC), from Shell to Hyundai to E-Bay, as well as dozen foundations and several European countries are now actively  supporting the GK Movement to empower the poor to become more self-sufficient and economically independent.

            Major corporations now have become Gawad Kalinga’s  partners in empowering  millions of poor people, the primary beneficiaries of GK, to earn more, and eventually they too become  consumers and clients of these MNC supporters.  To see is to believe, so I respectfully recommend highly to all my readers, especially those in America who may be travelling to the Philippines to take time out of their hedonistic shopping or just visiting and eating with friends to visit  Enchanted Farm, that no less than President Noynoy Aquino  has visited this model farm a few times. (Email me and I can help arrange your visit to this Enchanted Farm of Gawad Kalinga)

        The fruits of Tony Meloto’s vision of one man, propelled by his dream of ‘Walang Iwanan’   and “Less for Self and More for others”  which are  quite parallel to our Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”,   are causing ripple effects beyond the shores of the Philippines. Countries like Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Europe Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and the USA are catching the GK phenomenon and many of them have adopted the  GK model in their serious fight against poverty. Please visit www.gk1world.com  or www.gk-us.org  or email me how you can also be involved in Gawad Kalinga or in our Global Kalinga e-Rotary Club, www.gkerotary.com.           

                                                             ****

         Another Filipino bayani, worth working with is Alexander Lacson,  another  unsung hero,  whose  series  “12 Little Things” book about the Filipino people, his culture and his country is becoming a best seller author among Filipinos as well as  Filipino expatriates.   Although a lawyer by profession, Alex is fast  becoming more of a popular author and speaker than a lawyer,  having written 5 books so far and now  have over 200 speaking engagements a year!   He founded a foundation which promotes KaBayanihan as Culture of Greatness for the Filipino KaBayanihan  (www.kabayanihan.org)  that is anchored on Kapatiran and Bayanihan, two old but beautiful values of our people since the olden times.  He believes deep in his heart that KaBayanihan should be the cultural anchor of the Filipino people  that can bring out the “Kapatid and the Bayani” in every Filipino wherever he resides  in the world!

              Meeting him twice for dinner, we had many hours just sharing dreams and projects, and in my own little ways to help him spread his message,  I am promoting his books in North America.  For a small donation to our Foundation for Next Generation,  I can send you his latest book, “12 WONDERFUL THINGS about the Filipino and our Motherland,  for your Thanksgiving  or Christmas gift giving.  (Just  email me at ernie.delfin@gmail.com)

                                  *****

           Last, but not the least, let me also plug in our very own   GK e-Rotary Club’s  flagship project,  Entrepreneurship Development 4 Socioeconomic Advancement (nicknamed EDSA, the new revolution)  a entrepreneurship training program for the Filipino Youth, which we will launch next year with a matching grant from The Rotary Foundation, with partnership with dozen of Rotary Clubs in the Philippines, like Metro Baguio Rotary Club, San Pablo City Rotary Club, Dagupan City Rotary, and dozen of Rotary Clubs in the United States.

          With the rapid rise of unemployment and underemployment of millions of people around the world, especially among the youth,  Rotary International has made Entrepreneurship and Job Creation as its 6^th Avenue of Service and has allocated millions of dollars towards this top priority.  Even the World Bank is now fully supportive  through their  lending programs and humanitarian grants  towards  entrepreneurial initiatives especially  in third world countries to hasten the development and creation of  jobs for the teeming millions of people who are entering the workforce every day. Without jobs and economic opportunities to keep them busy and productive, these educated but restless youth will cause more Arab Springs in the world due  very easily as they use all the social tools of their generation to be  connected with their unemployed peers.   

             Our young GK e-Rotary Club has sent three of our members to Nigeria last summer as a part of the Entrepreneurial Training Team, with a $50,000 Rotary Matching Grant with the active participation of District 5300 in California and they have initially trained, (Part 1) over 4,000 college students. With the local Rotary Club partners in Nigeria, business plans are now being collected and  professionally evaluated and selected  for implementation, as Part 2 of this Rotary Entrepreneurial project.

           The primary purpose of my recent trip in the Philippines was to identify and solidify this EDSA Training project  with our local  Philippine Rotary clubs as the project partners of our GK e-Rotary Club. The  training module is now being refined to be ready for implementation by mid next year. We plan to have a minimum of two pilots, one in District 3790, possibly Baguio City or Dagupan City or Urdaneta City as a venue) and another pilot center in District 3820, San Pablo City, Laguna as the venue.  An urban model is also being prepared for Quezon City where our District 3780 is situated.   There will be at least 5 retired Rotarian  entrepreneurs and businesspeople from the United States to assist our Philippine Rotarian entrepreneur-trainers  counterpart.

              The training module  that is being seriously considered is to present and market this Rotary pilot project to a couple  thousand of college age youth, 18 to 25 years old,  and select no more than ten percent for an intensive month long “HOW TO” training, and go into the fine details of a successful business enterprise from aptitude-personality  testing, to detailed business plans, accounting, budgeting, management, manpower, marketing and financing the business.  With the computer facilities of a few of our  local partners, like ATIKHA and MSC College in San Pablo City and other universities, we intend to match  each student (mentee) based on his or her profile and business plans to an appropriate ONLINE mentor in North America (or anywhere in the world) to have a one-on-one  mentor-mentee relationship for at least one year that we in Rotary will try to  oversee, monitor and evaluate.  We believe based on some models that we have seen that this personalized mentoring  will lead to a higher success ratio of the would-be-entrepreneur, especially if the motivated mentor can assist in the financing and marketing aspect of the new business, which are perceived to be the top challenges of any new enterprise.

               As in any  Matching Grant application to the Rotary Foundation, we the participating Rotary Clubs are now raising the seed money, which we have to have in 90 days or so, that will be approximately be a third of our $50,000  goal which is about $17,000.  We  have already pledges of approximately half of that amount, but we still  need more generous supporters and partners to raise another $8,000. Any generous reader or organization  out there that  can contribute towards the realization of this ambitious and noble project  is very much welcome.  Contributions to this Rotary Foundation Matching grant are tax deductible donations in the USA  and can also count towards a Paul Harris Fellow recognition by  Rotary International.

                 For more details, please contact this writer-Rotarian.

                                                                 ---  3  0 ----

The Metamorphosis Food for Thought:

         “We make a living by what we get,

              We make a life by what we give!”   ---- Winston Churchill

      

Email writer:  ernie.delfin@gmail.com  and drbannatiran@yahoo.com

COMING HOME 2012: "SERVANT LEADERSHIP PARTY" TO WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD

THE METAMORPHOSIS

By

Ernie D. Delfin

OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM NEEDS A MAJOR OVERHAUL:  A “SERVANT LEADERSHIP PARTY” TO WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD

(2^nd in a series of  ‘Coming Home’ articles)

                Both the USA and the Philippines are currently in deep and spirited political exercises these days.   The United States  in   just less than  two weeks  will  have its presidential election on Novembers 6,  while the Philippines just started  its  mid term election campaign legally early this month.  The lingering  economic woes, higher than normal unemployment and increasing gasoline prices at the pump here in America are making the presidential contest a very close race between the  Democratic President Barack Obama and his GOP challenger, Mitt Romney. The Philippines political climate is also getting hotter and the moneyed candidates  have started to grease their political machines across the country. 

                    As an independent voter in the USA,  I still have not  decided who to vote to be my president the next 4 years, as of this writing. I have voted for President Obama in 2008, but I am not totally convinced that he has delivered what he promised to do, then and I am not quite optimistic that another 4 years term will make a lot of difference. His many socialistic programs have made more Americans lazier and more dependent upon the government that takes taxpayers’ money and redistribute it to millions of nonproductive or opportunistic citizens.  

              Yet, I am not equally enamored with the GOP alternative Mitt Romney, either.  A multi-millionaire, he seems to be out of touch with the lower economic strata of American. He appears to have flexible conviction that has changed to the center from his stand during the primary election.  Furthermore, although it is not legally required for him to disclose his previous  years’ tax returns, he has completely ignored the requests of many people and groups.  Is it because what are contained in those tax returns may contradict some of his campaign rhetoric?  No one knows except him and his CPA.

          The independent voters like me will have to make a decision very soon and in some degree, it will be the “lesser evil”  as neither one has all the qualities I  want in my president. What a choice! The polls to this date show a dead heat and one may win the popular vote but may lose in the Electoral College, like in 1980 when Bush Sr. beat Al Gore with the “hanging chads” controversy that even went to the U.S. Supreme Court.   The swing  states, like Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, Virginia and Iowa,  will determine who will be elected president on November 6^th!   

* * * *                    

          I  was   in the Philippines for over a month and I was there when the filing of candidacies started on  October 1^st for the  May 2013 elections.   As a resident of California for almost  40 years,  and having voted in every election since I became a naturalized American citizen,   I have a first hand knowledge about the  political processes, their  strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (S.W.O.T.) of both countries.  For the most part,  the Philippines,  a relatively young democracy since its independence of 1946, from the United States (or is it 1898 from Spain?) compared to the USA that  became an independent nation since 1776,  still has much to learn and improve to make it a true representative and  democratic  nation  to be a genuine   government of the people, by the people and for the people.

            It’s somewhat   lamentable that the wish of the first Philippine president  Manuel L. Quezon  that he “preferred to have his country run like hell by Filipinos vs. run like heaven by the Americans” apparently has come true!  (Pun intended) There are many “wrongs” in the country’s  political system that converts the  political campaigns into a national circus.   It’s a common knowledge that votes are bought and sold openly for  as low as P500 to as high as P5,000 per voter, depending on the province or  city and the position being contested.  Politics is a huge business in the Philippines, but the politician-vote buyers  can easily  recoup their  investment a hundred fold once they are in power.  For instance,  a senator gets a pork barrel of P200,000,000 annually  and millions more for their staff, travel and more if a senator become  a committee chairperson  (yes, there are more than committees than senators!) and many other perks  and allowances that do not require any  audits if these  monies were  really spent for the common good! 

        Many families in most provinces enter politics to protect and amass more wealth. Over generations, they  have established their political dynasties, whereby a husband or wife and/or their children just swap positions,  to go around the so-called term limits.  I know a mayor who can no longer run for reelection as  mayor after his three 3-year consecutive terms or 9 years,  but his wife is running as his alter-ego and  he is running as her vice mayor.  After one term, he can again run and be the mayor for another 9 consecutive years!

           Vote buying in the Philippines has been practiced for many decades now  and it is unlikely to change dramatically   unless  and until the vast majority of the electorate becomes more economically independent and politically mature like in the United States.  Vote buying  subverts and undermines  the true will of the people, and often makes the less qualified or corrupt people into elected into  public offices.  Many personalities, college drop outs,  former actors, comedians, and even athletes  or  boxers are now in Congress!     

               In the USA,  there is no vote-buying.  On  the other hand  the political  candidates  ask for political contributions from their party mates and from political action committees (PACs) that believe and support the candidates’ platform. It is reported that this election year, both the Democrat and Republican parties have achieved historic amounts of contributions in excess of $1 Billion!  The   candidates’ forum and televised debates of opposing candidates help us greatly  to know more about the candidates,their platforms and programs.  Voters  are also given the opportunity to ask  questions, to  get a good  glimpse of the  candidate’s passion, advocacies as well as his character. For instance,  the three presidential debates between  Pres. Barack Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney will certainly help many undecided voters like me who to vote.  

             Unlike the many political parties in the Philippines,  the parties in the United States really stand for something well defined  as there is indeed a  black-and-white contrast between the parties, especially where the party stands in  major issues like, taxes, role of government, social programs, foreign policy, military  spending or  abortion, etc. etc.  

          The Philippines’  political parties have become parties of convenience and many candidates change their political parties or coalesce with others like a chameleon changing its  colors to suit its environment.   The Philippines also elect their 24 senators countrywide, that has made the big island of Mindanao having only one or two senators for decades while Luzon has the majority of the senators. The Senate of the USA has  100 senators, 2 senators per state regardless of its population, thus making California that has over 30 million people equal to Alaska that has less than a million people!

           The Philippines and the USA, however,  both elect their representatives by congressional districts based on the population of that  province or state. Thus, provinces like Cebu and Pangasinan   have more representatives in Congress than Batanes or Catanduanes, and California and New York have more representatives than Alaska or Wyoming.

           The Philippines’ party-list system has also become a mockery of the political process.  Millionaires become  congressmen purporting to represent marginalized social or economic groups like the organization of  security guards or farmers  yet  these party list candidates never really  belong to such  groups!  We do not have this so-called party-list system in the USA, although there are  many minor parties, the Peace and Freedom, the Libertarian Party, that almost always field  a Don Quixote candidate.  

                                                * * * * *

        As politics is an integral  part and parcel in the fiber of any democratic country and politicians are supposed to deliver the COMMON GOOD (this profound  phrase seemingly has become extinct and never discussed openly now),  it is imperative to re-evaluate why there is now and obvious and prevalent decline in the quality  of political parties and politicians.      WHY?

         Please allow me to advance my idea why.   Over the years,  elected public officials have metamorphosed into full time careers from the old tradition of a public service as a part-time profession.  Hundred years ago (for the USA) and decades (for the Philippines) a public office is an office of trust that is given to worthy citizens who want to really serve, and never  to enrich themselves through their elected position. I still vividly remember when I was a small boy in our barangay my own grandfather, then followed by my father, being asked to be the barrio (the lowest political  unit of government in the Philippines) or  a barangay’s  Capitan del Barrio. Then, the position sought  the man (not vice versa)  and there was not even a salary for that opportunity to serve.  The only consolation was  the honor given by the governed and the satisfaction for doing a  true public service for the common good.

         With that bit of nostalgia and observing the political trends of both countries’  political processes, I now believe that  a more principled and more focused party that believes, adopts  and fights  for the COMMON GOOD must be created or formed,  as soon as feasible, hopefully before the 2016 presidential election in the Philippines and the USA.  This party can become the common peoples party (not to be confused with the Communist Party)  that will advocate that each public  office is an office of trust, that politicians must not  make it their full time career to ingratiate themselves, but must go back to the private sector after a few years of service, like in the early life of the republic.

           This party can be christened as the SERVANT LEADERSHIP PARTY that obviously implies that the party candidates and leaders  are there to serve and not to be served.  All the candidates must declare and if necessary to enter into a ‘blood compact’ in signing a covenant between themselves and their party and the people  that they will not enrich themselves NOR engaged in any corrupt practices like many trapos (traditional politicians) of our times.

              I have no illusion that in these materialistic times, this idea will have a very steep climb and will be opposed by most of  the trapos in our midst, but what is a better alternative that we the people have now?  If we do not start a revolutionary idea or  action NOW,  what will be the political system of our nation when my grandchildren or their own children become adults?

               With the remaining productive years of my life,  I am willing to  add my God given talents, my time and organizational experience to bring this idea to the table, so that the  pros and cons can be discussed more intelligently,  among as many voters  who are intrigued or interested with  this outside-the-box idea.  Who knows, this  Servant Leadership Party (SLP)  might  be born during  our lifetime.  Only God knows and  time will tell. 

            COMMENTS, ANYONE?

* * * *

Email writer:  ernie.delfin@gmail.com  and  drbannatiran@yahoo.com

             

COMING HOME 2012: NOSTALGIA AND SERENDIPITY

THE METAMORPHOSIS By Ernie D. Delfin COMING HOME 2012: NOSTALGIA AND SERENDIPITY (First in a series of articles) To go on a vacation, be away from one’s business, work and family and be free from the routine of daily living, has always been an exciting and colorful rich experience for me. It also adds fresh perspectives and meaning to what life is all about. My 5- week adventure in the Philippines last month was no exception. I went to a dozen of places, a few of them I have never been before, like Palawan and the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan, that added to the excitement. For a few days, I again visited for the 9th time (over a span of about 40 years in America) the barangay or barrio called ANIS, a farming village in the town of Manaoag, now a part of the newest town of Pangasinan, called LAOAC, Pangasinan. Instantaneously, the many years of my boyhood reappeared in my mind screen showing the countless events of my care free years through high school. Ahhh, those unpolluted memories filled with bitter-sweet experiences still make me happy and nostalgic. Above all, I feel quite grateful to that Somebody Up There for a very good journey, called LIFE, that I have had so far. This trip was probably one of the most memorable trips that I have made because many things happened without even planning it. Through a mysterious Hand, many call it Divine Providence, I was in places that I have not even planned, experienced a few things that made my over a month vacation quite different. A couple of examples: my sister Leticia, a Dominican nun who was vacationing in the Philippines from her current assignment in Guam, was stranded in Manila for over a month due to some kind of legal technicality: her U.S. visa not being stamped in her Philippine passport! When she responded to my email I learned that she was still in Manila, so I invited her to join me and my fellow Rotarian, Victor Nejal from Northern California, to our Palawan R & R trip which she happily did. Serendipitously, that trip allowed us to bond (again) for about 4 days! Through her positive encouragement and prayers, we might even have a “retirement home” in that island province, that is now getting world famous due to its Underground River that was just voted as one of the 8 Wonders of Nature in the World! Another unexpected occurrence happened at the Maxine By the Sea Resort Hotel in Hundred Islands. During one breakfast, as I always do a “small talk” to local people, including the hotel employees, about their place, business conditions etc, a Filipino woman in a group of Australian tourists overheard me when I mentioned I was also from Manaoag and now a part of Laoac, blurted out that she was from that place too! Lo and behold that started an unexpected animated conversation, that connected our families in the barrio as her mother as per her recollection was the exclusive hairdresser of my own mother decades ago! With that brief encounter I met Imelda Merlito, her Australian husband John and the family of Werner Schwendener, a manager of Sonic Innovations in Australia. (To my new Australian friends, I am seriously considering to accept your offer to visit you next year, as I will be semi-retired my then!) * * * * * “It’s more Fun in the Philippines” , the new Phil Department of Tourism motto is quite apropos in marketing this country of 7,100 islands. If you have been in many countries and see beyond the concrete buildings but simply observe the how the people live, their genuine hospitality in their normal simplicity, you will agree that there is more life and fun in the Philippines. Just watching the topography of the many islands with its many rivers, lakes and mountains, one cannot help but think that the Filipino is indeed uniquely blessed and especial people. Just compare the Philippines vs. many countries in Africa! For reaffirmation of this belief, I strongly recommend the latest book of a dear friend Atty. Alex Lacson, entitled “12 WONDERFUL THINGS about the Filipino & our Motherland”. (For a small donation to our “Foundation for Next Generation, I can send you a copy of this best-seller book, while supply lasts. Email me at ernie.delfin@gmail.com) People in the country can smile genuinely even with standstill traffic or despite incessant news of “bad news” on TV and in the papers. Foreigners even told me that it seems that Filipinos can smile even with no reason at all. Probably so, as it is one inexpensive coping mechanism to go through life. Sometimes it is better to smile or laugh, in order not to cry! Everywhere you go, the land is so fertile, making many varieties of plants and trees grow and become verdant green due to rains that come in overabundance. And the people are so friendly, simply happy (with what they have, unlike many of us in America who seem not happy nor contented for not having the advertised car, designer clothes or 5 bedroom house in an nice neighborhood) and seemingly very much contented with just having the most basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing. The vast majority of those in the lower economic strata in the country cannot even afford to send their children to high school, much more to college, making it a great challenge for them to escape poverty where they are born into. This great socio-economic divide of the very poor and the very rich is the greatest perennial challenge of the country’s leaders since the country has become independent from foreign invaders. As Pope Paul VI said, “there can be no lasting peace without social justice”. Our Filipino culture is also unique and different than the Western culture. Consider that in the Philippines, it is quite normal for a typical family will vacate a room for you, prepare the best food they can buy for you if you are their guest (of course, but must not be abused beyond a day or two as their guest!) Living in America for almost 40 years, I feel quite uncomfortable when a “poor” (for lack of a better adjective) family prepares unusually large quantity and variety of foods for me, especially now in my “senior” age when I can no longer consume as much nor eat meat as I did decades ago. Often, many members of the host family, by habit or tradition, may be, choose to eat later after the guests and the main hosts are finished with their meals! * * * * * Have you ever noticed that there is practically no meeting in the Philippines that is not centered on food, or drinks and merienda? It is said that it is quite easy to be loved or liked by any Filipino (male or female) by being genuinely interested in his culture that can be summarized by five F’s: family, faith (Catholic) food, fiesta and fun. To enjoy one’s adventure to the Philippines, it is not only important but imperative for any foreigner or a long-time balikbayan like me to have a new paradigm shift once he steps in the Philippines soil. From the time you land in the Manila International Airport, do not be scared when a person gives you a paper towel after you do your thing and even has the temerity to ask you, “How are you, sir or ma’am? Although I never dreamed to be a “Knight”, many people call me “SIR Ernie”! Only in the Philippines that you are given a title that you may not even deserve! Lest, the reader brands me that I live in utopia, that all is well and dandy in the country of my birth, I am not saying that. There are also many “things” that I strongly detest and wish that the so-called business leaders and public officials should address right away. It’s an urgent matter of life and death, I mean pride and shame! And yes, Anita Schon, I am referring to the shameful condition of public restrooms, aka Comfort Room or C.R. in the Philippines! It’s a common sight that a person is standing outside the entrance of many public comfort rooms waiting for the C.R. user to pay him some money as posted on the wall. Five pesos to use a stinky toilet per visit is absurd and sub-human! (To put in perspectives, a daily minimum wage in the Philippines ranges from P280 to P380 depending on the province or city; current exchange rate is about P42.00 per US$1.00) In my view, this is one area that the merchants, bus companies and all local businesses must contribute some money into a pool, like the “home owners association” dues in the USA, to maintain these public comfort rooms (restrooms) as a FREE public service to this very basic human need. A serious public-private initiative can easily solve this, if there is a will to do it. I am again recommending that the local governments MUST require all businesses that cater to the public to offer the use of CLEAN public comfort rooms for FREE! (Can we Overseas Filipinos especially the 3,000,000 Filipino Americans demand this basic right for everyone, from our so-called leaders, both in private and in public? The election season has started in the Philippines and it is a great opportunity to ask every candidate how they can solve this very undignified practice of “collecting” money from people for using public restrooms! Lastly, may I recommend to all Filipino American newspapers have a joint EDITORIAL on this very “shameful” practice that many of us, especially foreign tourists find detestable and abhor! COMMENTS, DEAR READERS? ** ** (TO BE CONTINUED. . . . More on People, Places and Politics, and our GK e-Rotary Club’s EDSA project in the homeland. Abangan! Email writer: ernie.gkerc@gmail.com or ernie.delfin@gmail.com,