Third world stereotypes - Second Part

"Real poverty is the loss of imagination."
- Denyce Graves -

Homesick and wanting to take a breather, I plunged into a one-day marathon review of past Filipino television programs available via the internet. The news and current affairs programs sizzled and dazzled, my hats off to the brilliant team. But of course, Filipino television would not be complete without the glitzy variety shows with actors and actresses, almost impervious to shame and disgrace dance or lipsynch their way to mediocrity. Add to that the melodramatic soap operas where talents do nothing but lacrimate, the showbiz gossip mongers and the ever polemical Miss Kris Aquino. What a colourful and eclectic mix of fact and fantasy, something that a lot of Filipinos are not able to discriminate.

In a popular current affairs program, Madam Tita Reverente, one of the Philippine’s foremost protectors of rights, morality and values education was invited as a guest . Faithful to the meaning of her surname, she was warning the parents to be more vigilant about the dangerous liaison of their chidren and challenging the women to battle poverty, sexual abuse and discrimination. Several other guests were also present to defend or scrutinize the efforts of the government in protecting the rights and welfare of women and children, and its drive against terrorism and corruption. These issues are critical in building the image of a strong republic that greatly rests its back on foreign investors. But in spite of all the debates and the friendly banters, there was one issue that brought the guest speakers in unison to object yet another blackguard publicity about the Philippines.

The expostulation was brought about by the caustic and malicious description that one UK magazine wrote about the Philippines . The magazine branded the country as "rubbish" because of its "crap food, rampant terrorism and being not in the world cup" and having only "beautiful women for sex". As a nationalistic person, I was furious at first but then I realized that this magazine was fronting a dog and pony show, using intrigue to sell and gain waves in Asia especially in English-speaking Philippines. So, why the tempest in a teapot?

Tailored for men with minds embedded in their groins, the magazine's writers do not care about facts and figures, let alone use their brains for good purposes. They deliberately targeted a third world country lacking in international appeal to retaliate and flatten their faces with an equally irresponsible whack. I have been to the UK several times and I am damn sure that the magazine's staff do not reflect the general opinion and the intellect of the majority. They might have created a stir but they appeared extremely callous, ignorant and indifferent about the same burning issues in their own backyard. Totally unaffected by the cheap propaganda, tourists are still flocking to experience the bounties of nature and the richness of the Filipino culture that is a unique fusion of the east and the west.

It is very unfortunate that poor countries like the Philippines always serve as an easy sitting duck for unscrupulous characters. Some rich countries are notorious for portraying developing countries as backward and uncivilized with people using nothing but stones to make fire or voodoo to cure illness. One time, I was surprised to be asked by a supposedly educated person if houses back home had colored television. I retorted by saying that I came to his magnificent country by steam boat so it was so futuristic of him to say that we already had the luxury of enjoying the box with moving paintings. At the back of my mind, I thought that millions of people go to school, but indeed, very few are educated.