Daughter: Hello, How are you there?

Father:…?

Daughter: No, I don’t have money. I’m not marrying a rich guy…..

I asked her what was it all about and she told me that her father wa asking money from her because they want to move to Manila from her province and will rent an apartment in Manila. I’m felt sad for her because instead of greeting her Merry Christmas they ask her to send money right away.

My parents send us money for more than 20 years and although we did all finished college and able to buy properties but we if we knew better we could have invested those remittances in worthwhile investment. When I came home for the first time and they know I’m married to a Dane I got a lot offers to  invest in properties and a lot more but I said no. That’s the dilemma of an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker), are always bombarded by financial request from family and relatives and get a lot offers to buy properties and engaged in business without even basic knowledge of running a business.  Sometimes they thought that an OFW has a lot of money and they are just picked up from the streets.

Unmarried Filipinos especially the girls are dutiful daughters who work so hard just to send money to help their families. Sometimes they forget to save for themselves for their future and makes their families depend on them most of the times even when you tell them that’s a hard earned money from cleaning etc. if they are au pairs or house helper their families don’t know how hard it is unless they themselves will become  OFW.

Therefore Babaylan-Denmark is offering this one of a lifetime training on how to mange your finances on 30th of May 2009. This is limited for 30 participants only  so Please Register now.

The rules:
1. Link the one who gave this award and let them know you posted it.
2. Pass this to as many Smart Bloggers as you can think and make sure to write something about them, like what makes you think they are Smart.
3. Let them know they have an Award.

Now I’m going to pass this award to

• Rolly – because you spearheaded the campaign for the Petition for the Save the Bonifacio Monument Movement and joining the Bloggersunite.org where we share supporting events that close to our hearts.
• Mel- because you founded the Filipinos Unite where it rekindled my love for our country the Philippines and supporting my advocacies.
• Marlene-because you are the only my Scandinavian neighbor and you show the rest of the Filipino communities that you by learning the language of your new host country you can be  fully integrated into the system and find a job that you love like teaching. I also admire that you teach the Filipino language in Sweden that’s tough. Go girl!! You’re mart because you still find time to acknowledge and visit your blogger friend by commenting in their blog.
• Maricris- because you are so talented with your designs and at the same time doing charities like the Locks of love and despite the financial crisis that rammed your family you still find time to blog about it and still find humor in it.

I wish you all a good  weekend.

Myth – Autism is a sickness

Autism is not a disease but a development disorder. It is a complicated condition that can be caused by different development of the brain or other biological factors.

Myth-Autism is cause by parental rejection and bad parenting.

Autism has nothing to do with upbringing or how parents treat their children.

Myth – People with autism have no feelings.

People with autism have feelings, but find it hard to express because of their condition.

Myth – People with autism have no imagination.

People with autism can easily create fantasy but it hard for them to imagine things they haven’t tried before.

One of my friend has a child who is autistic and my brother’s nephew has ADHD which is short for the Attentive Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder which is a different diagnosis form autism although they have similarities. So I know the hardships they went through. But fortunately in Denmark there schools for special children because they can not learn from a regular environment they cannot concentrate and they need teachers with special education to teach children with learning disabilities. Early diagnosis is a good way to help children so they can be help or they are talking about that the state is spending a lot of money in special tutor to students who might be autistic or ADHD because you can see physically if they are autistic or not if you are not aware what is autistic behavior are. Read more aboutautism and ADHD inthi svery informative site http://www.retrainthebrain.com/autism.html

When I learned that I am pregnant I became conscious of everything I eat and put on my body fearing that I will harm my child. I still have the fears since when at 8 moths he was screened or undergone test by a special child care nurse if he has some early signs of autism of any disabilities. That test to check if a child can concentrate by showing if I can remember it right 2 ball and just move it if the child will eventually grab it and it took my son a little while. Later on the nurse said she was afraid that he will not grab it. But that doesn’t end he also went with some difficulty with biting, hitting and only do parallel play meaning he do what others are doing but don’t want to join them. But this time I’m so happy that he is on the right track in his social skills. He is actually advanced child which explains that he should always needs challenges he can actually rad the alphabet and nos. 1-50 at the age of 2.5.

People should be aware that children or people with autism are also human they have feelings and not totally handicapped but they should be understand and not be outcast. Stop looking blaming the parents or the mother that they did something wrong but who knows how the brain works. I was once hurt when I heard people which some of them are close friends of mine commenting about my son that he is different that he is so aggressive that he should be in a special school which means for autistic or gifted children. I appreciate their cincern but they should not outcast my son because of one incident. I can not just imagine how the parents of autistic children experience.

Let us join the autism awareness day and it should not be today and everyday we should support parents and treat people with autism with respect and understanding.

This is dedicated to Earth

Ever since the Swiss based World Economic Forum started their survey in 2005, the Philippines have been consistent in its Top 6 rank where Denmark rose from Rank 8 last year to rank 9 this year.

There 4 fundamental factors this study or survey were based from

· Economic participation and opportunity- female labour force over male

· Educational attainment – Literacy rate of women over male

· Political Empowerment- women with ministerial positions, members of the parliament or Senate and congress and head of state over the past 50 years leaders

· Health Survival- female life expectancy over male and sex ratio at birth

The gender gap index showed that Filipino women have achieved equality or surpassed men in educational attainment, healthy life expectancy and improving opportunities for skilled women professionals. The country’s scores on political empowerment also improved further as well as other economic indicators such as estimated income, labour force participation and income equality for similar work.

Top 10 Global Gender Gap Index

1. Norway

2. Finland

3. Sweden

4. Iceland

5. New Zealand

6. Philippines

7. Denmark

8. Ireland

9. Holland

10. Latvia

You can also download the pdf file of the report.

Source: World Economic Forum

The Filipinas and the Danish both got a top score when it comes to educational attainment, and more women in the Labour force as legislators, senior officials, and managers as well as professional and technical workers.

Some basic data between Denmark and the Philippines

But if you look at the table above the Danish women fare much better with having twice the length of paid maternity leave of a Filipina.

Here in abroad sometimes when you say that you are from the Philippines they just nod their head and thinks that most of us are domestic helpers, care givers, entertainers, aupairs or just out to find a rich husbands we should be proud that we are world class because there is gender equality in our country.

We have big future ahead of us we are still young as a country in comparison with the other countries in the top 10. But thanks to the OFW’s ( the domestic helpers, the care givers, the aupairs, etc.) who are also a big factor why the Filipina women are on top positions and educational attainments because their remittance help finance the education or schooling of their families.

We still needs a lot of improvement in some areas like the maternity leave benefits which are far below the develop countries, more women in the congress and the Senate, reduce the infant mortality rate of 24 out 1000 birth and mortality rate of mother at birth of 230 out 1000. With the results of this survey I hope that the Philippine government will do something to close the gender gap to help reduce hunger and poverty.

Don’t you think it is amazing were Top 6 when it comes to gender equality?

Are you affected by the recent financial crisis? In Island they provide crisis center to it’s citizen who were affected by the recent financial crisis where they provide psychological help. Everyday you just hear about several banks that goes bankrupt or taken over by other financial institution or by the state. The stocks market knows only one way that is DOWN . Many states tried to provide help package like in the USA’s 700 B US$ whewww! but it did not dampen the investor they want to cash out.

In ordinary life the big loser are those who bought their properties with flexible loans especially now that the price of properties are also on the way DOWN because now the interest rates is 5%. I have some friends who purchased new apartments and while their old apartments are not yet sold so they are paying 2 mortgages whiles their values is going DOWN.

Some people always looks us in different way we just live in a rented apartment. The trend here is that you move to bigger apartment when you have children and sometimes it also cross my mind but now I happy that we did not tried to invest in one. I have some friends mostly pinoy who fall to this credit thing because it was very easy to ask for credit especially in the shops but they don’t look at the rate and their household finances in the future. I think because in the Philippines it is so hard own a credit card even you declare your true income they will not approve you while here you gets a lot of offer that sometimes you get irritated. Here you can open an account without any money just your personal register no. while in the Philippines you are required to opening amount and maintain or else they will deduct your account every month.

Luckily for us we don’t own properties and we don’t owe anything but still the uncertainty is there it is more expensive to borrow money when we have the need for it and the risk of losing job. Anyway there is an insurance when you lose your job but still you can not live the life you wanted.

Ohh maybe we are directly affected because my son have some shares of stocks in a bank where I keep his savings but now it’s less than half its worth when I first bought it tsk.tsk.

But the Filipinos have been through a lot of crisis and they still survived remember the 1998 Asian crisis I was affected by it since i was in the construction industry. We still managed to smile and say that’s life we never heard of psychologist.

But I just hope that soon this crisis will be over .

How about you? are you affected in someways?

It’s good to hear that the OWWA (Overseas Welfare Admisitration Admisnistration) helped her even though she wasn’t an OFW. This is an interesting story because there is a danish national involved which seems like they will questioned him with the incident. I just hope that it will not be another jealousy related incidents that has been happening here in Denmark.

1. Rain or typhoons

Just when we arrived the 2nd of August it was wet, wet, wet. But we reach to see the Mall of Asia and the Baywalk before the heavy rains and flooding in other areas . On the 3rd day it was still raining so we can not visit Fort Santiago and Intramuros which I really like to show my husband because one of my biggest project was a San Juan de Letran College Dormitory just beside the wall near the Starbucks and some restaurants.

We decided to go my home province Panngasinan on the 3rd day since we already give up our house in Manila and most of my family is there.  But 4 hours travel time became eternity because of RAIN and FLOODs and a lot of potholes in the roads that leads to our province. We even have to turn  back because there was a flood in Sta Barbara and find a road which happens to be thru Mapandan and navigate thru series of floods another which delayed for another 2 hours.

We lived near the beach and I was dreaming of going there everyday but because of heavy rainfalls and flooding the water is not that clean. But we’re able to enjoy the beach at least twice when the sun showed up but it was really fun because it rained and we still stayed in the water despite the heavy rains. The picture on the left was taken when a typhoon was about to come. Actually we planned to go to HUndred Islands but there’s a typhoon so we end up in Bonuan Beach. The beach is almost empty except for some fisherman who tried to catch some fish and some few people who just went sight seing. So we have the whole beach for ourselves and my boys really enjoyed it seeing waves for the first time in their lives. But after an hour in the water then the typhoon came with very heavy rain showers that it really hurts when it hits your back so we decided to go home.

2. Traffic and chaos

I can not understand the danes when they complain for the slightest traffic buildup just wait until you see the Manila streets. It was my husband’s first trip outside of Europe so it kind of shock what he had seen in the streets. We stayed in Paranaque/Las Piñas area and fromthe airport to Sucat Road it was traffic and chaos because of heavy rains. I don’t know why there are stops lights but not working, some places where they U turn are allowed but without proper warnings, people crossing the streets under the pedestrians lane, unruly drivers especially jeepney drivers, tricycle and pedicabs (bicycle with sidecar) in the main roads, trucks without lights etc. While in the province dogs, cows, goats, carabao (water bufalo), children are the additional road hazards because they stay or play in the middle of the road and sometimes even if you blow the horn they will not moved. I was just laughing while the hubby was complaining it but later on I think he got used to it.

3. Hot & Humid

Even though it rains a lot it was still so hot and humid that you almost have to bring your own electric fan. When you sweat heavily and your back became wet and go back inside a air conditioned mall or car makes you sick unfortunately I did get sick at the end of our vacation. I realized that I like the cold weather than hot because you can control it by wearing the right clothes when it’s hot even if you are naked still it’s hot.

4. Mosquitos & Ants

We brought some mosquito repellant form Sweden which was so effective but how about the ants which it’s so rampant during the wet or rainy season. If I leave any candies or chocolates in my bag just an hour it will be full of ants not just ordinary ones but RED ANTS and I hate to be bitten by them. Actually my son and I were their favorite victims I don’t know maybe our blood taste better. There’s piece of advice my aunt’s husband who is also a dane who visited the Philippines many times”Just keep you feet up so they will not bite or climb you legs” but how about when they invade you bed. AHHH. We just sprayed with insect repellant but I hate to spray because It’s poisonous since we have amall babies and I’m allergic and ashmatic.

But for there is a saying in danish if I can remember it right: East, West The Home is best. Meaning that even you’ve been to the best places in the world Home is still the best and that’s the Philippines. In spite of chaos, bad weather, ants, mosquitoes, typhoons, traffic, karaokes and sometimes irrational people I was still glad and call it my home. I was happy to see my old folks, my relatives, some of my friends familiar places and the craziness.

After 6 years of absence I can say that it changed a lot; children became teenager, my relatives became older, new malls, everything is more expensive etc., but I can say that my homesickness is somehow cured when I saw and experienced my I was missing all along.

I hope in 2 years time we gonna visit the Philippines and hope it will be longer and deeper pockets and of course maybe in dry and colder seasons.

Well I can not blame this little girl (the second one on the right) why he can not forget my son,just look at my son he  is so charming.

It was a nice  day,  we sat down in their backyard while watching these two kids playing and catching up.

And the proud parents,  we were ecstatic that these precious kids can run as fast as lightning while we just can’t believe how time flies so quickly.   2 years ago they’re just lying on their stomach in the day care now they already running and talking.

But now it’s my turn. I’ve been crazy hunting anything in my closet and all the malls scouting for anything I can bring home. My nieces and nephew are teenagers now so it took me a long time to find out something that they will like. Good thing we still have the summer sale going on. I can’t afford to buy expensive gifts since I’m only a student but I already filled 2 suit cases. My sister asked me where do I get my money since don’t work. Well thanks to a very understanding husband my money is my own except I pay for my son’s day care, but the rest is mine and I’m good in saving because I know this moment will come then I don’t have ask him to buy those pasalubongs which he will have the hard time understanding.

25 days is very short time for a visit and I don’t know if I can visit all my friends and visit a lot of places but definately I will spent some time with my family my nieces, cousins and uncle and not to forget my grandmothers who are in their 90’s I hope they still can remember me but I’m sure they are glad that now I’m happily married and did not end up as a old maid.

It’s not a good time to visit the Philippines because it is a wet season but I don’t any choice it the summer vacation here in Europe so I have to make the most of it and pray that there will not come any typhoon or floods. Or we just stay on the beach everyday.

10 days more……and we will be there…