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What I hope to accomplish in the Philippines (December-February 2011)

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(Manila, Philippines - Photos courtesy Salim Photography on Flickr)

The last time I was in the Philippines was in the summer of 2004. One of the major questions that I have been giving a lot of thought to since then, has been this idea of returning to the Philippines for an extended period of time in order to contribute to Filipino society in a positive way. With thousands of young Filipinos leaving the country every day to work abroad in North America, Europe, the Middle East or wherever it seems, work is available; it may seem odd that I actually want to make my way back to the Philippines in light of the Filipino diaspora. All I know is that I am not alone, based on some of the connections I have made and the conversations that I have had over the past couple of years with many like-minded people: young people of Filipino descent who were born and brought up abroad for most of their lives, and are now in their twenties, looking to return to, or in some cases, are already in the Philippines, in order to contribute to society in a positive way. This includes Michael Pana, Ryan Letada, Kevin Asuncion and Vince Golangco, among many, many others.

Since 2004 as well, I have also been struggling with the question of what good can I really do in the Philippines, and how much of an impact would I have once I am there. After giving this a lot of thought and in a rare moment of clarity, which to a large extent was helped by a recent guest blog post I was asked to write for The Leaders Blog, I have come to the realization that it is really not about me at all. When I do end up making my way to the Philippines for good, it will eventually be about the people and the local communities in the Philippines that I hope to work with, empowering them and embarking on a shared journey together with them to help improve their standard of living, participating in the process of nation-building.

Aside from reunions with friends and family in cities across the Philippines, from Cebu to Manila, what I hope to accomplish when I am in the Philippines at the end of December till mid-February early next year, is to map out the framework for my eventual MA thesis which will be on the Philippines. More specifically, I am looking to do a comparative study between the growth of the economies of the Philippines, South Korea and Japan from the 1950s-present, taking a critical look at the conditions and the factors–political, social, cultural, economic, or otherwise–that prevented the Philippines from achieving the same degree of success as their Asian counterparts. Once these factors and conditions have been identified, the second part of my MA thesis will focus on mapping out a road map for the Philippines to reach its full potential, both in terms economic growth, as well as addressing other facets of society, namely the social, cultural and political fabric, all within the context of the global environmental crisis, the increasing depletion of natural resources and environmental degradation, that we see today.

Before I can even begin to think about where I am best suited to contribute to Filipino society, I know that a better understanding of the socio-economic framework, the cultural mindset, as well as the systems of politics/business that exist in the country, will go a long way towards lending whatever support I can to people in the country who want to see a brighter future for themselves.

I hope to make my way back to the Philippines again in September/October 2011 through to May/June 2012 (a period of 8-10 months), when I have to be back in Hungary to defend my MA thesis in order to graduate. During this second, extended trip to the Philippines later next year, I hope to continue researching for and writing my thesis, as well as to work and get involved with any opportunities that come along my way when I am there.

For the time being however, this is what my itinerary for my initial upcoming trip to the Philippines looks like:

  • December 23, 2010: Flight from Vienna to Manila, via Amsterdam
  • December 24, 2010: Flight from Manila to Cebu
  • December 24, 2010 - January 25, 2011: Cebu (during this period, I also hope to visit Bohol, Dumaguete and Cagayan de Oro)
  • January 25, 2011: Flight from Cebu to Manila
  • January 26, 2011 - February 11, 2011: Manila
  • February 12, 2011: Flight from Manila to Vienna, via Amsterdam
  • February 12, 2011: I have a 15-hour layover at Schipol Airport, beginning 630pm when I arrive. I am hoping to make my way into Amsterdam for the evening, so if anyone is around and would like to join me for dinner/drinks then, please let me know! (renjiebutalid [at] gmail [dot] com)
  • February 13, 2011: Arrive in Vienna, onwards to Kőszeg.

I have already begun emailing numerous people in the Philippines within my network to set up dates and times for informal meetings over coffee or a drink, in order to discuss and get some insight on some of the issues that I have raised above. Putting it out there as well, one of the people that I hope to meet with, perhaps when I am back in the Philippines for a second time later in the year and when I am more prepared, is the President of the Philippines, NoyNoy (PNoy) Aquino.

Having said that, if you have come across this blog post through a link shared by a mutual friend, and it has sparked your interest in some way, shape or form, I would love to hear from you. I would also be more than happy to grab a coffee or a drink, my schedule above permitting, when I am in town (Cebu, Manila, Bohol, Dumaguete or Cagayan de Oro). Feel free to email me at renjiebutalid [at] gmail [dot] com

I am truly excited and extremely blessed, for what lies ahead, in what seems to be a never ending adventure in my life. Im also looking forward to hitting up some of the beaches and to go scuba diving while I am there!

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Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey WBO Welterweight Title

Looking forward to Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao's WBO Welterweight title bout against Joshua Clottey later this evening.

Pound for pound, Pacquiao is arguably the best boxer in the world. It's also great that he's from the Philippines. Let's go Pacman!

Photos courtesy Chris Farina

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A Return to the Philippines

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(The above photos are courtesy of my friend Dyan Pascual, Boston: The Big Picture, Flickr, BBC and the Definitely Filipino group on Facebook)

I came across the first picture in the above photo gallery a couple of weeks ago when my friend Dyan Pascual in the Philippines posted it on Facebook in the direct aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana (also known as Ondoy in the Philippines). And since then, I have not been able to stop thinking about what happened to the little boy attempting to float in a bucket in the flooded waters. 

In case you missed it, the Philippines was hit by Typhoon Ketsana towards the end of September, and no sooner had the rains cleared leaving a warpath of large flooded areas, destroyed homes, thousands stranded, hundreds dead and millions of dollars worth of damage, did Typhoon Parma make its way to the Philippines shortly thereafter. Entire villages were flooded triggering deadly landslides, the worst it has ever been in the Philippines in over forty years. In total, over 600 people have been killed and according to government officials, an estimated 300,000 people remain displaced or in shelters. It seems that in the weeks following the floods, fears of water-borne diseases are growing due to the stagnant, rancid and infested water left behind.

The use of social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and Youtube played a big role in keeping communication lines open, as communication by telephone was rendered impossible due to the floods. Google has set up a resource page for the victims of Typhoon Ketsana, and students from Ateneo de Manila University have set up a Wiki allowing people to post information on missing persons as well. Suffice to say, social media has played a critical role in documenting the impact and extent of the floods and landslides, as well as helping to rally people together to help their fellow countrymen affected by Mother Nature's fury.

It seems that parts of Asia and the South Pacific were not spared either, as an earthquake rocked Indonesia around the same time period, a tsunami devastated American Samoa, and southern India saw the worst rain and floods in more than a century.

A return to the Philippines. But what would it take?

There is a reason why I decided to write a blog post on the state of calamity in the Philippines. A part of it has to do with the sympathy vote. Of course, if you are moved and are able, please feel free to donate both online as well as in-kind using the resources page listed on Google.

However, a larger part of it has to do with my wrestling with the notion of returning to the Philippines. With the advent of Typhoons Ketsana and Parma in recent weeks, I am beginning to seriously consider taking the leap and moving to the Philippines within the next year or so. And yet, the sticking point always revolves around the notion of impact, and what "good" can I really do for the Philippines when I am there?

I have friends who upon graduating from university in Canada as recently as this past year, decided to move to Hong Kong or mainland China to live and work, as a result of lower costs of living, a surging economy and to pursue opportunities that were simply not found in North America. And many of them were of Chinese descent as well.

Given all of this, the one question that comes to mind when put into context is,

"What would it take for young Filipino graduates/professionals who grew up and studied abroad, to go back to the Philippines to contribute to ensuring a robust economy and a resilient society?"

It certainly may be a lack of perceived opportunities in the country. However, there is the example of Filipino social entrepreneur, Efren Penaflorida, recently recognized by CNN Heroes for his work with Dynamic Teen Company in providing Filipino youth in slum areas an alternative to gang membership through education programs, that has convinced me that there is no shortage of opportunities in the country to make a difference.

On a side note, please take a moment to vote for Efren Penaflorida for the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year

But is making a difference enough? What about the practical and financial aspects of moving to the Philippines?

Sadly, I don't have the answers to the questions posed above just yet. However, I have always imagined what it would be like if my fellow (young) Filipino peers, who lived, grew up and studied abroad as a result of the Filipino Diaspora, and are now young professionals in a wide range of sectors and industries, returned in massive numbers to the country of our parents' homeland. 

I know that this is not as simple as it may seem, given the economics of the situation as outlined by Bong Amora in his brilliant blog post on the Filipino Diaspora (the blog post is a bit dated, but still brilliant nonetheless)

I know that there has to be a solution.

Returning to the Philippines. 

What would it take? Hmm...

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims affected by the natural disasters, not only in the Philippines, but across Asia and the south pacific as well.
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