AMoores

One trend in Philippine society, because of its lagging economy, is for its people to seek employment abroad. The government boasts that its greatest resource is its people. The income generated by OFWs, Overseas Foreign Workers, is said to account for a sizable percentage of the national income. Not only do the worker’s families benefit from the income earned abroad, but the nation’s economy is boosted because of this.

So mothers and fathers leave their children behind in order to give them a better future. My parents were among the millions who have been doing this for generations. My father left to work overseas the very same day that my youngest sister was born. He barely caught a glimpse of her before running off to catch his flight. This is the only way he could have supported a family of three children. His civil servant position did not pay enough to support us. He knew that.

A few years later, his contract over, he returns home to find his youngest child afraid of him. It took her a while to warm up to the father she didn’t recognize, and it broke his heart.
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My daughter discovered Happy Slip not too long ago and she has been addicted. All she talks about sometimes is what Christine and KevJumba have been up to like they are old friends she’s been catching up with. At home, all we have to do is mention Bicks (Vick’s vaporub) and Basilin (Vasseline petroleum jelly) and we’d be on the floor laughing. Does everyone have a grandma or an Auntie like Christine’s? Does everyone have a mom who always reminds you not to forget your ‘happy slip’ every time you go out the door? If you’re Filipino, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

Christine Gambito, is a truly talented actress and comedienne. I think it won’t be long before we start seeing her in mainstream tv or cable at least. It isn’t any wonder then that she was asked to visit the Philippines, courtesy of the Department of Tourism so that she can produce her hugely popular video logs that will be posted both on the tourism site and on Happy Slip. She has returned home from that trip and has started to put together the video logs of her trip. This tourism video is different from her usual, funny Happy Slim monologues, it is a bit more serious. It is touching to see how visiting her homeland has affected this second generation Filipino American.

I just found out about this recently via email (thanks Ting :)). The band, Journey, has a new lead singer in the ultra talented Arnel Pineda from Quezon City, Philippines. Read the press release here.

How awesome is that? Check him out.

I found out about this cool innovation From the Boondocks, literally