Star ng Pasko in Myanmar

Did I come like a thunderbolt to a few Filipinos who knew me in Myanmar during the Star ng Pasko Christmas party held at the Parkroyal Hotel on December 6, 2015? Well, that should have not been a surprise at all. Myanmar is home because of all Kababayan who love to lend a helping hand to build solidarity and raise the banderole of Filipino identity.

I don't need to be settled in Myanmar to be a part of the community. In my heart, I had been and will always be a part of our rapidly growing population in this wonderful country. Besides, Bangkok is more or less than an hour flight away. To see the community and celebrate with them during major events is a joy beyond compare.

I was overwhelmed by the crowd who turned up last night. There used to be less than 500 pinoys in Myanmar documented as registered Filipinos in the embassy. According to his excellency, Ambassador Alex Chua, there's more than a thousand pinoys in Myanmar registered nowadays. That's double (or triple) the population after two (or three) years that I was away. That means, yesterday's crowd (around 400 plus) was phenomenal!

There are many things I am thankful for during my visit. A few of them are the following:

- the PILIPINAS.MM officers of 2015 for making me busy with the audio-visuals. There were many technical challenges including incompatibility of my Mac with the hotel's projector, converting all slideshows to videos that can be played in Windows, to name a few. But they looked after me and provided all the help they can give to do my task in spite of them being occupied with their respective tasks. Thank you and kudos for a job well done!

- old friends' faces for understanding that I didn't have enough time to socialise. Even for a short period of time, I was able to take a glance at your beautiful and dazzling faces. It meant a lot to me to be greeted and welcomed into our community. As I said, you are the reason why I keep coming back here. My commitment to you as the admin of the Myanmar Pinoy Connect FB group is as faithful as my excitement to be here in Myanmar with you. Again, I don't need to be here to support and lend a helping hand. Thank you.

- new faces in the community. They are the new coals that keep the fire burning - the reason why the officers have been working hard and working late to come up with an event as grandiose as last night was. Did you know that the president's apartment became a warehouse of gifts from the sponsors? Did you know that they wake up early and sleep late to pull the Xmas party off together? Sometimes they even forget to take their lunch because they were so busy. I can't imagine the stress and the pressure. The community apparently was their inspiration.  

On another note, Christmas and New Year is the time of the year when we reflect on how our lives have been for the past years. It's the season to forgive and be forgiven. We don't need to be so spiritual to understand this. I was hurt. We get hurt. I hurt others. We hurt others. I was wronged. We were wronged. I wronged others. We wronged others. That's how life plays. I have been through ups and downs. I'm sure everyone does. Everything that happened has happened to teach us. The only question is: did we learn from them? I, for certain, have learned. It's been a long time. I had buried those rubbish six feet on the ground already. Where I am right now is where I chose to be and I blame no one for that. The most important thing - we all have been moving on with our lives with peace of mind.

What does one want to see in 2016 for the community in Myanmar? More kababayan coming in from the Philippines and more to lend a helping hand to build PILIPINAS.MM, the Filipino Community in Myanmar. Our FB group, the Myanmar Pinoy Connect, is one with you as the FB group's role is to connect Filipinos all over the country. Of course, my hands are long enough I could reach you all from Bangkok!

Thank you po sa lahat ng kababayan sa Myanmar! Merry Christmas po and have a prosperous new year! Kyisu tin bar de, sawasdeekrup and mabuhay!

Capoeira in Myanmar

Capoeira has become one of the main reasons why I travel. It is one of the activities I enjoy the most - the kind of martial arts I am willing to spend for. From the music that's authentically Brazil/Angola to the roda (the circle where Capoeirista's show off their martial arts skills that results to a dance and/or a game), everything about Capoeira is an experience everyone should have a try.

My trip to Yangon, Myanmar this month (October) was apparently about Capoeira. Although I didn't stay long enough to do the workshop with Mestre Pintor from Bantus Capoeira Singapore, I was more than happy to be part of the welcome roda at the Embaixada do Basil em Yangon (Embassy of Brazil in Yangon) on October 18, 2015.

Here's the video i made for Capoeira Group Yangon. I hope you like it...

The Capoeira Group Yangon's Facebook group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/264435187034679/. They usually have classes every Tuesday 6:30 - 8:00 PM and Saturday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM (please correct me if I'm wrong CapoGroupYangon friends) at the French Institute on Pyay Road (near Myaynigone). The classes are for free (this one I am not sure). Please check 'em out sometime - they are the friendliest people in town and the local Capoeiristas are amazingly hospitable.

Yangon... Again

My first quarter at work in Bangkok ended up with an excited hop on a plane to Yangon, Myanmar on Friday night of October 16, 2015. I had a promo ticket from NOK Air which only cost me about 50 bucks with 30 kg of check in baggage. What are the forces that pushed me to go back to this awesome place again? It’s simple… Yangon to me is a home. But to be more specific, what motivated me to fly back here is the community of nagkakaisang Pilipino (united Filipinos).

 Overwhelmed… it’s like a dream come true!!! 

I remember about four years ago, I had to defend myself in front of the ambassador and the vice consul for the actions I did in an attempt to help Filipinos with money remittance problem which until now exists as one of the primary problems because there hasn’t been a law about money sending in the country yet. Western Union exists only to receive money. Some expat Filipinos are clever enough to find themselves alternatives like banks (which I think are still costly). I remember that I had to cry because some people who knew about that secret confrontation with the former ambassador and vice consul reported “misleading rumours” to my employer which almost cost me my job. I remember being comforted by the same employer saying “we hired you because we believe in you and not because of anyone - be it the Filipino community here in Myanmar”. I also remember that I wrote many letters of complaints to the DFA, the senate, human rights, civil service, vice president, and even the office of the president to report harassment done to me by a diplomat during an Independence Day celebration in 2012 at a public discotheque bar in Sedona Hotel. What I am saying is that those days are over. I’m saying that I have come back to witness a miracle in the community - and the embassy. It is not my intention to say something negative about the previous office but that was my experience, what can I do?

I am now a believer of “sa tamang panahon” (in due time). Sa tamang panahon, things that you are hoping to come true will really come true - just don’t lose hope. If it’s not you, there are other people out there who have the same visions as you do who will step forward to build what you have been dreaming of. 

Si Tatay Ruben magaling palang magluto!!!

In 2013, I ran as a president of the PILIPINAS.MM, the Filipino Community in Myanmar. All I was thinking was “there need to be changed”. It was an honourable defeat. The community wasn’t ready to change back then (and I probably wasn’t ready to lead as well because I was still very young). I didn’t know that sa tamang panahon, the community will ripen and be ready for this change. 

Sina Nanay Wilma at Ate Landa, mga magagandang
nakapag-asawa ng local dito sa Yangon.

I am really so happy to witness the event on Sunday, October 18, 2015 where Filipinos gather for a big event organised by the current set of active officers. The embassy was flooding with sponsors. It was terrific to see the “bayanihan” spirit among the community. It was lovely to see old faces who have been my friends since I arrived in Yangon 5 years ago. It was also lovely to see new faces - about 95% of them too. 

Dala kong mga paninda

I came prepared for the event that day. I brought some Filipino products I bought from “The Sari Sari” located in Thaniya Plaza, Sala Daeng (SIlom) to be sold. I used the 30 kg check in baggage I have from NOK Air to bring those products in. I had Sky Flakes, Ding Dong, Boy Bawang, Lucky Me Pancit Canton, Argentina and CDO Carne Norte Corned Beef, Eden Cheese, Nestle Cream, Knorr Sinigang Mix, Mama Sita’s Adobo and Caldereta Mix, and Magic Sarap. SOLD OUT! There seems to be a need to have a sari-sari store in Myanmar eh?

I am a Yangon boy. What does it mean? Yangon is a home. I have a community here - a fabulous community that includes (and never excludes) everyone. This is not the same “de-vy-sive” community I used to have where I feel so excluded or excommunicated because I wasn’t the guy they want me to be - a loud critic. The Filipino Community is lucky to have the new set of awesome officers spearheaded by Ms Olivia! They’re the crew Myanmar Pinoys have been waiting for…

Lights of Thomas

Many years passed. Thomas is still in the same area where I found him the first time. Every time I visit Bangkok, I would pass by his lights shop. I didn’t show myself for many years but I have always been checking him out secretly. I was surprised and happy that it didn't take long for him to finally change. He is now successful. His shop grew in number, he opened two more shops in the same area, his cousins and siblings are now working for him, and his lights are even brighter and more colorful. I am back in his life as his friend. I am very proud of him. 

 I arrived in Bangkok in mid - September of 2011 for my first visit/visa run. I have a Friday and a weekend for that short trip. Every after 70 days in Myanmar, I have to leave the country. I checked in at a hotel in Silom walking distance away from the Myanmar Embassy to be sure that I’ll get my visa on the same day I applied for it. I honestly have no clue what’s in Bangkok that time. All I wanted to do that Friday night was to get out of the hotel and walk around the area at night.

I asked the hotel what’s the nearest night life there was in that area of the city. It was quite difficult for me to understand what the receptionist said. So I went out alone with no info where to go.

I hiked to the main road and kept walking to the right. I crossed a wide intersection. I didn’t know what’s ahead. After a few minutes of walking, I found stalls of souvenir shops lined up along the sidewalk. There were clothes of different styles, colors, for different ages and genders. There were also home decors like lotus soaps delicately designed, lamps with religious designs, and Thailand framed photographs. I have also seen many hand-made tin can products they turned into either a tuk tuk or a transformer. But the most shocking of all – the adult toys explicitly displayed. If you are a non-conservative, non-religious, and easy-going like me, you would spend time looking at those toys like ordinary goods. And you might enjoy talking to the vendors selling them. But during that time, I had no interest with those toys. I was particularly interested with one thing – the Christmas lights with some kind of balls that looks like mercerized thread. More interestingly, the vendor was a Myanmar guy.

His name was Thomas, a good-looking, soon-to-be-father, hard-working man. He speaks quite well English and from his accent, I knew he wasn’t Thai. He was selling colorful decorative lights in Patpong – one of the red districts of Bangkok. He was the first friend I have in Thailand. He was very friendly and warm when he learned I can speak a little bit of his language. He was very happy he met me. He introduced me to some of his fellas who also work there in the red district. We had a day we got to know each other. Until I found out that he has drinking issues.

I didn’t judge him for his habits. I understood quite well and I tried to be empathetic about his situation. But there were things that are beyond my control. Something awful happened. It was bad. As a result, I cut him off because I didn’t like what I saw. I walked away, said goodbye, and showed him the attitude of a very disappointed friend hoping that he would realize he needed to help himself and change.

Thomas was not a bad person don’t get me wrong. There are things in our personal lives that people find unpleasant that they don’t agree with how you see things. Often, you are judged. Then they cut you off because they don’t want to understand you. They don’t feel what you feel, they don’t see what you see, and they don’t believe what you believe. 

All photos are from Thomas' FB