I am a Filipino

I am a Filipino
I am the thousands of Nannies
who've signed up
to take care of you and your children
In a place so far away
and different from mine.

Its a full-time job
being a surrogate mother
and a full-time emotional burden
to be away from my own...

Sundays are a relief
for at least on that day
I own my time
and I find myself again

I am but human
and subject to weakness,
folly, whim, pleasure
and delight
but God knows
I do my job well
because it means
the difference between
hunger or survival
back home.

I am a Filipino

I am a Filipino
one of the multitude of seamen
who serve onboard
the vessels
that are the lifeblood
carrying
the world economy

I brave high seas
hunger, loneliness
even death
because I have a family to feed
and promises to keep...
Promises that I made to my children...
I'm doing this so that
they may be educated enough
that they don't have to do the same
for their children.

Despite this, I am happy
for I am a marino...
I embody the bonds
that tie my island nation
together.

I am a Filipino

I am a Filipino.
I am the caring, nurturing
healthcare professional
bringing my people's
warmth and alaga
to the millions
in the ailing and aging west

I've stood witness
to many things
and have been numbed
by how uncaring
they may be
to their sick, their old
and their disenfranchised.

I only hope my children
would acknowledge my sacrifice
so that when I do grow old and gray
they be the ones taking care of me.

Nonetheless, I am happy
because each life I help comfort or save
is testament to my race's humanity.

I am a Filipino.

I am a Filipino.
I am the faceless,
nameless, multitude
of technocrats, specialists
technicians, staffers,
engineers, students,
managers, marketers,
businessmen, executives,
scientists and researchers
who have blended in
with the crowd.

Everyday is a struggle
not for existence,
like what we have back home,
but for relevance
and competency.
I have blended in,
not because I'm ashamed
of who I am, or how others
see/know my people,
but because I want others
to see me for my skills
and for what
I am capable of doing.
Not merely by my colour
or my nationality.

I am a Filipino.
and in the tradition
of Jose P. Rizal
and the others
before me,
I have found myself
and who I am
away from my home.

I have never been more proud
of who I am, where I come from
and what We all can be,
than I am right now,
away from my homeland,
away from my family.

I am a Filipino.
I say this in english,
not because I disdain
my language...
but because I want others
to know what I'm all about.

I have been hostaged by history,
but I refuse to be
a victim of globalization
and the fates.
For I am made of better stuff.

My suffering and history
has toughened me.
and has made me
a sophisticated blend
of warmth, ability,
fiery passion, creativity,
skill, achievement
and flexibility.

My colonial masters
have used me
But I don't treat this
as if they owe me back.
And although,
It may look like I have
a chip on my shoulder,
look closely...
that's just my heart on my sleeve.

Thats because I love my country.

Honeymoon's over...

Although I never had any illusions about how peachy life would be now that I'm here in Singapore, and indeed, life has been good. (I've been blessed to be in the company of good people... my flatmates are shining examples of how a Pinoy can be a world-class citizen of the world... my classmates have been a rich and diverse group of people from whom I'm learning all sorts of stuff... and my professors/learning experience has been excellent so far...) All I could say is... the honeymoon is over... I think I've officially crossed the threshold of being a tourist or traveller... to behaving more like a resident. Indeed the realities and frustrations of living here have hit me.

And I'm not talking about school... its about the fact that this is a totally new chapter in my book... something I'm having trouble linking with the past sections. I know its just a matter of keeping my head down and keeping blinders on... staying focused with what has to be done. But its definitely not an easy task when you are out of your element and natural context. But then thats the whole point. I wanted this. I signed up for this. And I know that I will not grow, and our design practice will not mature if I don't do well with this.

Velvet gloves are off... Iron fist exposed... seatbelts snuggly fastened... Foo Fighters are on shuffle... Bakbakan na!

Singapore River Valley Redevelopment Strategy

Parents visit Singapore

Curtain Wall

The rusty outer coating,
and the green,
mossed-over patina,
of the long forgotten shard
hides the brilliance
and innate strength
of the real metal beneath

The brilliant shine and
luminuous sheen
disguises and masks
the rotten creeping
rubber fractures
that give way
to the weak joints
and underlay

Yours is the lesson
I've learned so far...
value lies not
on what is plainly visible
but
on what is innately
intangible

Yours is a true
luminosity
radiating brilliantly
over the sky,
whose true value
is lost to those
meandering
in the direction
of your reflections...

How lucky are those
who see through to
each inner base
and damned are the
countless
who are lost
in the layers
not knowing
what truly matters

UD 5622 Methods of Urban Design Final Crit under Francois Decoster

After 3 intense weeks opening the MA UD programme, we presented our work to Go Hap Chor (former AVP of the Singapore HDB) and Low Boon Liang (programme coordinator) Things went well... very well in fact! hehehe ;)

UPAAS- Scholars thing at The Carribean at Keppel

You know I kinda got bored when all I did was take pictures of the building... but seriously... it was great o see so many Pinoy scholars/knowledge workers here in Singapore.