Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Man In The Mirror

Is image everything?

Given that what people think about us matters, the answer to the above question is a resounding YES.

Pinoys have reacted badly to a Hong Kong columnist who described our beloved country as a nation of servants.

Consider the following facts:

1. Majority of our overseas contract workers are domestic workers.

2. A great chunk of Pinoy workers in HK are household helpers.

3. Filipino maids are in demand worldwide.

Since image is everything, here’s the challenge to our now infamous Hong Kong writer. Mr. Tsao, kindly place your photo right beside Raft3r’s.

Tell me. Who looks like a servant now?

41 comments:

hitokirihoshi_kawaii said...

"Since image is everything, here’s the challenge to our now infamous Hong Kong writer. Mr. Tsao, kindly place your photo right beside Raft3r’s."

ah yos Rafter! magnifico, bravo, mabuhay!

wahhhhhh

Raft3r said...

hitokirihoshi_kawaii, Bad trip sya! Syet. Hehe

Oman said...

well said bro.

Raft3r said...

lawstude, Salamat. Para sa bayan. Hehe

Wendy said...

Ibang level ang confidence natin a. Haha. Bukod sa looks, talong talo mo sya sa name pa lang. Cheap Chow vs. Dennis Raft3r. So who's Chow's mommy now? Hehehe

Visual Velocity said...

Sobra naman yang Ms. Tsao na yan. Eh ano naman kung nation tayo ng mga julalay? Marangal naman na trabaho yun, in fact, dream job ko nga yon. Ehehehe, biro lang po.

Pero seryoso, parang gusto kong mag-apply bilang julalay kay Ms. Tsao. Yari siya sa 'kin pag tinanggap niya ko. Baka gusto niyang mabuhusan ng kumukulong tubig? Masarap yun, mainit-init pa.

Teka, Ms. Tsao ba o Mr. Tsao? Ewan, basta yari yang Tsao-Tsao na yan sa kin!!! Leche siya.

Raft3r said...

wendy, Sira ulo kasi sya eh. Kaya daanin na lang natin sa looks. Di hamak mas maganda ang lahi natin kesa sa kanila. Kanya ganyan na lang sila manira satin. Hehe

andy briones, Nyahaha. Pag natanggap ka, bigay mo ako ng spare key ha. Lahot sakin yan! Hehe

Jella said...

Panalo na naman ang hirit mo dito, Denoy.

Need I answer pa your query? (,")

Anonymous said...

wow ang pogi mo naman raft3r LOL

Raft3r said...

jella, Hwag mo na lang siguro sagutin. Hehe

prinsesamusang, Nyahaha. Oo. Sobra. Kumpara sa kanya. Hehe

len said...

There are millions of Filipino domestic helpers in 190 host countries. What Tsao didn't know is that they are our secret weapons in ruling the world.

And I'm proud to be a part of what he calls a "nation of servants."

Panalo ang hirit mo. Alam mo bang natuwa ng bonggang-bongga si Hoshi doon, eh minsan lang matuwa iyon. hehehe

Raft3r said...

len, Nyahaha. Kaya loves ko kayo pareho, eh. Hehe

HalfCrazy said...

Hi there,

Actually tatawagin ko rin tayong nation of servants in a good way and in sort of a bad way. Good way dahil nagtatrabaho yung iba sa ibang bansa para mas malaki ang pera na mapadala sa pamilya. Bad way kasi yung iba dun na namamalagi, habambuhay nang sineserbisyuhan ang ibang bansa at tuluyan na atang kinalimutan ang Pilipinas. Saka halos lahat naman ng Pinoy bow sa mga foreigners dito palang sa Pinas eh!

Nakakainis tignan LOL.

HalfCrazy said...

Oh and I'm not racist, nakakainis lang talaga yung ugali ng ibang mga Pilipino.

Raft3r said...

halfcrazy, Welcome to The Deadbeat Club! Lahat ang opinyon welcome dito!

Visual Velocity said...

Si GMA welcome rin ba dito? :-)

lulz, lulz, lulz

Raft3r said...

andy briones, Syempre pa! Idol mo yon, eh. Hehe

liza said...

I love the last line! Swak na swak. :)

Raft3r said...

liza, Pang-asar diba? Kala mo kasi kung sino sya. Hehe

Visual Velocity said...

Duda ko magkabarkada si Madame atsaka yung Ms. Tsao na nagsabing nation of julalays daw tayo. Ehehehe, joke lang po. :-)

Raft3r said...

andy briones, Siguro tama ang analogy na ito: Angel Locsin is to Raft3r as GMA is to Andy Briones. Hehe

HalfCrazy said...

"Duda ko magkabarkada si Madame atsaka yung Ms. Tsao na nagsabing nation of julalays daw tayo. Ehehehe, joke lang po. :-)"

Pinaparinggan mo ba ako. >:)

Hahaha natamaan!

escape said...

hahaha... lagot si chip tsao. kulit nitong post.

bisaja said...

There's nothing wrong to be called a nation of servants. Sa service industry tayo nakakakita ng malaking pera. What I just don't like is when other people think that those who work as "servers" are of low/no class and are not meant to be treated humanely.

And what's with the Sprately's Island? Di ko nabasa na China is eyeing on it too, despite the location of it from their country. But kahit bali-baliktanrin mo man, kahit na mapunta sa Pinas o sa Brunei o sa Malaysia ang Spratley's Island, it wouldn't matter to Luisa and to the other Luisa's and Luis', because they'll still work to have their needs and that of their families provided.

Would I be rich if Spratley's Islands will be included in the Philippine map? I don't think so. And I'd still be paying my taxes, and so will other people.

Raft3r said...

halfcrazy, Hehe. Hindi ikaw. Si Madame ay si GMA. =P

the dong, Daanin na lang natin sa panglalait. Hehe

bisaja, Grabe talaga mga sinulat ni mokong. Akala mo kung sino.

Visual Velocity said...

@HalfCrazy

What are you talking about? I was referring to GMA when I said "Madame." :)

Raft3r said...

andy briones, Yes. Interactive na talaga ang Deadbeat Club. Hehe

laieesha said...

A lesson Mr. Tsao needs to learn: We are ALL servants. We all serve someone. Everything that everyone does is for someone else.

Tell me what you do for a living, then tell me that you're not serving someone. Hindi pwede di ba? As a columnist, he's also serving the readers, so really, servant din sya.

The OFWs who are domestic helpers proves that Pinoys are hard working people. No job is too big or too small. Di tulad ng ibang lahi na mga tanga at tamad!

Anyway, inggit lang sya dahil mas matalino ang mga Pinoy kesa sa lahi nya. >:(

Raft3r said...

laieesha, Hindi lang mas matalino ang mga Pinoy sa kanila. Di hamak mas maganda ang lahi natin kesa sa kanila!

Visual Velocity said...

Ano bang itsura ng Ms. Chippy Tsao na yan? Baka mamaya pag nagsama kami siya yung mag-mukang julalay ko. Ehehehe.

Raft3r said...

andy briones, Click mo yun link na nasa post para makita mo sya. Mukhang sya... Ay. Ayoko. Bawal mamintas. Holy Week pa naman. Hehe

Anonymous said...

Naks! to the highest level ka talaga Raft3r!! Bonggang-bongga!
-charlie

Raft3r said...

charlie, Syempre. Kung sira ulo sya. Mas sira ulo si Raft3r. Nyahaha

Visual Velocity said...

Nakita ko na picture ni Chippy Tsao. Ang asim naman. Aray ko. Ehehe.

Raft3r said...

andy briones, Ang lupit diba! Tapos kala kung sino kung manlait. Hehe

The Islander said...

hahaha! you got a point!

Raft3r said...

the islander, Salamat. Once in a while, Raft3r delivers. =)

abie said...

hehehe...oo nga, mukha aliping sagigilid si mr tsao...

wala na yung column diba, binura na online

Raft3r said...

abie, Oo. They took it out right away. Natakot. Hehe

Anonymous said...

I have not read the article that the HK columnist wrote. And to tell you the truth, I will not even bother.

So what if we are a nation of servants? So what if we are the biggest suppliers of maids abroad? Filipino maids sell their services in honest ways without having to compromise their dignity. In fact, for most, it is a sacrifice because they have to be away from the ones they love, face new people and new surroundings they are not sure will treat them well and kindly.

I kind of understand why Filipinos react violently to being called servants. But at the same time, there is nothing shameful in being a servant. Sometimes we lose sight of the simple thing called dignity of labour.

We are servants to somebody. And even those who we serve are servants of somebody higher.

What this HK columnist seem to overlook is that if it were not for the Filipino maids that are so in demand in his country, his own countrymen would be doing what Filipinos are doing.

He also seem to conveniently forget that not so very long ago, they themselves were servants of the British. Whereas the Filipinos are not ruled by any foreign master.

Dignity of labour, that is all that is important. At least we are not known as the nation who sell their own children to foreigners and work abroad for meager earnings and are treated inhumanely. We are not known as prostitute suppliers or something worse.

And regardless of everything else, everyone has a religion. And in any religion, aren´t we humans servants of God as well?

Raft3r said...

bernadette anne, Panalo ire! High five!