Pete's Letter from the Philippines

No Matter how many times I come to the Philippines, and by the way, the novelty of coming here has all but dissapeared ! It makes me seem to appreciate so much my own country of birth and where I have made my life, complaining continuously about our own country and by the way, its not perfect, has made me see how lucky we really are in the West, no one ever said it was perfect, we could always do better, but living in the Philippines teaches, you that people here are resigned to a life of resignation and accceptance, resignation because for most Filipino's who live in the barrios, the Politics of Manila seem so far away, almost in another country, do you really think that anyone in Barangay no 41 cares about scandals and Jueteng payoffs that rock Makati City almost daily, no..my freinds, they are more concerned about how they are going to get enough money today to buy food from the local sari sari store for tomorrows meals, a kilo of rice costs just P25.00 a little soy sauce, some ice, juice drink, and some banggus, a little Bagoong, maybe enough to make some adobo, thats a treat, but its amazing what you can do with P40.00 (UK 40p), a far cry of the stories that abound at the moment, where Representative Juan Miguel (Mikey) Arroyo is currently in the news for allegedly accepting payoffs of up to P500,000 per month. ( UK 5,000).

The gap between the majority of Filipino's and the Political elite that rule this collection of Islands is ever widening, you could dress a monkey up here and put it in for senator or congressman, and if it promised to deliver enough rice every day, it would probably win high office, such is the attention that local people who live in the barrios would give.

As I awake in the morning to take delivery of my P227.00 breakfast in bed, of Poached eggs, Omelette, American Sausage, Toast, Jam, Fresh Fruit either Mango or Papaya, Orange Juice and Coffee I switch on Channel 15, News Patrol, almost guaranteed most days to give me a few laughs while I eat my breakfast, such is the daily diet of scandal in the Philippines, what do I see today.

" Yes its official President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been bugged by persons unknown speaking to the COMLEC, that is the Commission on Elections, she has been heard, trying to influence the outcome of the previous election in 2004, although no one in the media has actaully heard the tape, or tapes, Who has the technology to wiretap the Presidents personal telephone, various suggestions are being banded around, is it Uncle Sam ? perhaps a Filipino company who is not impressed with the Arroyo administration, not enough political patronage perhaps, is it the BRITISH ?? That has been suggested, maybe the CIA did they do it ? well, only yesterday, Mr Samuel Ong the former director of NBI has come forward and said, that Agents of the Intelligence Service of the AFP have come forward and asked him to keep the original tape for safe keeping, at a press conference yesterday in the Metro Club in Makati City, he was in fear of his life, shouting that it is time fo the President to stand down for the sake of the Filipino people, she should go now, the President of course currently has much on her plate, for example the allegations thrown at her Brother In Law, Mr Ignacio (Iggy) Arroyo, who is accused of receiving P400,000 a month in pay offs, from the Illegal Gambling Jueteng payola, also, her son Reprsentative Mikey Arroyo has also been implicated in receiving P500,000 a month in a brown envelope.

The Syndicates Bag woman, Miss Sandra Cam has recently testified at a Senate haearing, that she personally was asked to hand P500,00 to Mikey Arroyo, for his cooperation in the illegal Gambling syndicate that his Mother is trying hard to bring to justice, it makes you wonder what is really going on.

Of course they will get away with it, as the Political elite in the Philippines always do, but what of your average Filipino, hmm he still has to make a few hundred pesos today, to buy rice and soy sauce for tomorrow, it wont change his life one bit, does he really care what goes on in Makati city, with illegal payoffs, and shady business dealings, brown envelopes under the table, not one bit of difference to his miserable existence.

As a foreigner looking in what do i personally see ?

In the famous words of Mr Bennett my namesake, the Father of many daughters in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice where he said

"What are they for, but to provide sport for us all, and give us time to laugh at them in our turn" yes, Filipino life, provides a daily diet of soap opera style politics, giving rise to immense laughter, whilst having my breakfast, I think my day was made when I heard former diposed President Joseph Estrada who was questioned about his involvement in the bugging of the Presidents telephone

"What has it got to do with me...I am just here tending my Ducks !!"

Quack Quack Quack..



I rest my case...the Philippines is and always will be...one gigantic Zoo


"Down on the Farm I Dont need no alarm, just tune in to Channel 15.....la di dah di dah.


Thanks for listening