SA SINGAPORE

As for my case, I came to Singapore at the height of Erap's stupidity. Just when I came in, the bombshell that Chavit dropped exploded that same week, and everyone was talking about the Philippines. Indeed, negative comments about the fact that "we elected an idiot" were floating all around...

In any case, my job is to basically go around to customers as a consultant. In many cases, I'd also do lots of technical presentations and demos to large crowds. When I'd say my name and show it on the Title slide of the Powerpoint deck, of course, it was obvious that I wasn't local, though most people, perhaps because they consider me "light skinned" originally thought that I was a local.

In any case, I was already aware of the slight bias that existed and the "stereotypical view" they had of Filipinos as maids or seamen. So I decided that I'd give them a taste of the "flipside" of the Philippines. The other side.

I decided to give them an idea that "Filipinos are SUPERIOR" as far as education is concerned. So, when I'd give my talks, I'd use THE QUEEN'S ENGLISH. Yup, Lea Salonga, Veronica Pedrosa-style AUTHENTIC BRITISH RECEIVED PRONUNCIATION ENGLISH. (Yung tipong akala mo talagang galing sa London, at hindi halatang peke...)

Of course, I would then jokingly give away the fact that I'm Filipino by joking "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm absolutely sure that with my Hispanic-sounding middle name and totally strange surname, you're wondering what country I'm from... Well, ladies and gentlemen, I come from the country where the President is an Actor..." Then the audience would burst out laughing... Then I'd joke "Well, I'm here as an economic refugee... In any case, I'm sure things will get better... "

At that point, medyo ice-breaker. The audience knew that I was Filipino, and they found my stuff funny. But they also couldn't quite place why I had a "British accent."

So, during those talks/presentations to the public, I'd thoroughly speak with that accent, and after the talk, many of them would come to me and ask some technical questions. Usually, at the end of it, someone would say, "Orion, you study overseas bee-foh (before), is it?"

Then I'd answer with the straight British accent, "No I'm sorry, my entire education was all in the Philippines..."

Then they'd say "Wah! Your English so good, ah!" (Paano ba naman, British Colony sila dati, they still have some attachment to the British Accent, plus LKY, when he was younger, also spoke with a very British Accent...)

Then I'd reply, "Actually, most people in the Philippines speak VERY GOOD English."

Then the reply would be "Wah, I never knew education in Philippines (sic) so good ah."

Of course, I wasn't lying. I never studied abroad (except for a 5 week Mandarin summer-course in Taiwan in 1987).


In any case, I always strove to give a very positive spin to my being a Filipino. I know it's hard. Especially with the bad press we're getting because of Erap's recent administration, the excessive poverty shown on TV, and the chaos that is exposed on the news that exists with our inappropriately applied American-style political system.

Another thing that made my Singaporean officemates (most of whom have Filipina maids) think differently of Filipinos was when I would speak to our Southeast Asia Regional Director (who's French) in straight Parisian-accented French... Especially if there are Singaporean officemates around, lalakasan ko yung boses ko para marinig nila na "MAGALING ANG PINOY!" Anyway, hindi naman 'to pagyayabang sa inyo, pero mas maganda kung IPAGMAMAYABANG NATING MGA PINOY NA MAS MAGALING TAYO SA MGA BANYAGA. (Anyway, what I did was merely to show them that they SHOULD NOT STEREOTYPE FILIPINOS just because many of us in Singapore work as maids. Many of them think that our educational system is totally inferior [well, indeed there is some truth to that as for the diploma mills and public schools], but I just wanted to dispel the idea that makes them sometimes subconsciously feel that nothing good can come out of the Philippines, or that ALL education in the Philippines sucks.)

Of course, subtly. Rather than "claim" something. Just show it, subtly... Kung kayo'y kumakanta o nag-gigitara o piano, ipakita niyo sa officemates niyo ang talento ng Pinoy! In Singapore, they acknowledge that Filipino bands have the BEST MUSICALITY and are superior to any of the local bands. Grabe, a week before Holy Week at Hard Rock Singapore, DEVIATE was playing. Hataw talaga, and the Singaporeans in between their drinks were basically commenting saying things like "Filipino band, always great, ah... Better than our local bands... Cannot com-peh (compare), lah..."

I'm not saying that we should have overbloated egos or what. I'm just saying that while our reputation internationally has suffered somewhat due to Erap and the little problems we've been experiencing, the fact is, WE CAN STILL BE PROUD OF SOMETHING. Of course, left and right, we'll receive criticisms, but let's be self-confident of ourselves so that we don't defensively lash out at them, because that is what usually "confirms" their suspicions that we have an inferiority complex. Let's IMPROVE OURSELVES so that we can easily be confident of ourselves and show other people what we can do. And if and when criticisms come our way, we can be CONFIDENT enough not to be too over-DEFENSIVE.

Let's learn from our mistakes, but let's also build upon our strengths and harness CONFIDENCE from those STRENGTHS and TALENTS.
PINOYEXCHANGE