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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Letter from Hong Kong
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on Jan. 05, 2009 For the Standard Today January 06 issue The last time we were in Hong Kong was during the New Year holidays in 2006-07. Celebrations then were muted because of the tsunami that had devastated Aceh in Indonesia and other places in the region on Dec. 26, killing a quarter of a million people. In 2008-09, celebrations in Hong Kong were also muted because of the financial and economic meltdown that has gutted many economies around the globe, throwing millions of people on the slippery slope towards unfamiliar poverty or near-poverty levels. But one can never guess it from the long lines of brand-conscious customers lining up on the sidewalks to get inside the Louis Vuitton or the Chanel shops near our hotel on Canton Road. Not being brand-conscious, at least not for clothes or shoes or other baubles, I cannot comprehend such loyalties. In 1982, I bought a fake Christian Dior belt for HK$27 from a pushcart vendor off Nathan Road. I am still wearing that very same belt 26 years later and have found no earthly reason to replace it since it still holds my pants up, albeit several notches wider, to enclose a scandalously expanded waistline. In fact, on the many occasions that I have been to Hong Kong, I have never spent more than US$200 per visit � an infinitesimally small contribution to HK's economy - aside from airfare and hotel accommodations, which have always been pre-paid in Manila, and, of course, food, which is the principal attraction of Hong Kong to me. I do not buy clothes or shoes or watches in HK, and I do not buy jewelry, anywhere. But I do enjoy good food and for that I am willing to spend moderately. One way I save money for an evening repast is to buy sliced bread, cold cuts, cheese, orange juice and fruits from a supermarket and consume these over the next few days as late lunches in my hotel room, thus saving money and appetite for some fine dining in the evening. This year's discovery was Zen in Pacific Plaza. Whenever I am in Hong Kong, my favorite, and really only, shopping haunts are the Swindon bookstore on Lock Road, and the HMV shops on Hankow Road and in Hong Kong island, for classical music on CDs and cinema jewels on DVDs. This year, as in 2006-07, we tried out the night market on Temple Street for some "globalized" DVDs, but I must say that my favorite Muslim vendor in Makati Cinema Square is much better stocked than his Hong Kong counterparts. Aside from being a Mahler devotee, I am also a Rachmaninoff fan. I have recordings of almost all the 100 or so works composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff, including six different recordings by various pianists of his Piano Concerto no. 3 in d minor, said to be one of the most difficult piano concerti in the repertoire. In my opinion, the must-have recording of what has become known as Rach 3 is the one (on RCA Red Seal label) by Vladimir Horowitz, with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy, recorded live at Carnegie Hall on January 8, 1978. I bought an extra copy of this memorable CD for a disbelieving friend, which, I assured her, would blow her socks and her panties off. (Rach 3 was the musical centerpiece of the 1996 Australian film Shine by Scott Hicks.) More an historical curiosity than a musical gem is a CD (on the Telarc label) of Rachmaninoff himself playing 19 of his piano compositions, including, curiously, his piano arrangement of the Star Spangled Banner, recorded on a piano-roll mechanism in the 1920s and enhanced through digital technology for 21st century listeners and collectors. A rare memorabilia of the composer himself, but give me Horowitz anytime. Highly recommended is the CD titled Unknown Rachmaninoff (on the RCA Red Seal label) featuring the Russian pianist Denis Matsuev. Most of the numbers that he plays are not unknown to me, but Matsuev has been a revelation as a Rachmaninoff interpreter, in my book the worthy successor to the immortal Horowitz.. This year I added to my short list of shopping haunts in Hong Kong stores catering to two of my earlier hobbies: model railroading and military model kits, largely because my daughter Carla resurrected from 20-25 years of storage and obscurity my earlier passions for miniature scale models of trains, military aircraft, tanks and naval warships.. In the mid-1970s I bought from a departing American missionary his set of HO or 1:87 scale trains by the German manufacturer M�rklin. I bought the train set to amuse my then pre-teen children, but it was I who became addicted to it, expanding the layout ever bigger with purchases from the M�rklin distributor in Hong Kong, and augmented by dear Chitang Nakpil's gifting of her own children's outgrown and discarded sets. When my late wife Marica and I built our house in Merville in 1976, the biggest room was my train room, where trains ran through urban and rural landscapes, including a city with skyscrapers around which tiny cars (including a Polizei Volkswagen with flashing blue light), buses and trucks (made by another German manufacturer, Faller) also ran, automatically stopping at railroad crossings whenever a train was going to pass. (And underneath the train layout was an expanding collection of scale models of warplanes, tanks, artillery, naval warships, etc.) Those who have never put together such an elaborate set may never have experienced the joy of creation. And, contrary to popular misconception, this is not a toy for children. It is a hobby seriously pursued by millions of adults in First World countries who can afford the considerable costs. Locomotives which I purchased for US $100-$125 in the 70s and 80s, and which have long gone out of production, are now selling on eBay for US $400 or more. When I visited the M�rklin outlet in Hong Kong (MTR stop Mong Kok) last week and bought a copy of the 480-page M�rklin catalogue for 2008-09, I was flabbergasted to learn that many of the new model locomotives are now equipped with digital decoders that can receive signals from the control box to blow their horns, simulate the sounds of train doors closing and brakes squealing, and turn on interior LED lighting in the passenger coaches. Having been bitten by the bug once, how can I resist it the second time around, especially when I have convinced myself that it as a way of amusing and entertaining my grandchildren? I also found a retailer on Hong Kong island (MTR stop Sai Wan Ho) of model kits from Russia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic that are normally not available in run-of-the-mill model shops. I promptly purchased kits of World War I aircraft such as the Pfalz E.IV monoplane and the Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 float plane, both German, and World War II aircraft such as the Russian Lavochkin LaGG 3 fighter plane, the Czech Letov �.16 biplane, and the uniquely asymmetric German Blohm und Voss BV-194 reconnaissance bomber, all in 1:72 scale. And in 1:35 scale, I picked up a model of the Swedish Strv 103B main battle tank, also known as the "S" tank, the only tank designed without a turret, making for a very low, hard-to-hit silhouette in a battle situation. But what do the pacifist Swedes know about battle situations? The last time the Swedish Army fired a shot in anger was in 1806 when it fought and defeated the Prussian allies of Napoleon in the Battle of L�beck. Carla has creatively converted my train room-turned storage room into a billiards room, with lighted glass cabinets along one wall displaying some 150 models that I had built, painted and detailed 20-25 years ago of warplanes from World War I and World War II and beyond; some 30 tanks and other military vehicles, mostly from WW2, in 1:35 scale; some famous warships from WW2 in 1:450 scale, and some 15 model trains from European and American railroads, in HO or 1:87 scale, which had all somehow survived 25 years of airless storage.. My more famous sister Gigi has in her collection some one thousand Nativity Scenes from all over the world, proclaiming PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TO MEN. In my much more modest collection, the message is TOTAL AND PERPETUAL WAR. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org and in acabaya.blogspot.com.. To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to "Letter from Hong Kong" 'Major Marcelino � true Hero' 'The Best Gift is Hope' Happy New Year Tony! Missed Hong Kong this year and share the same sentiments. Gone are the days when we would go home with overweight luggage, today it's only our bodies that are overweight for all the HK eating, though my plan is to eat out at lunch rather than dinner because the price is lower for lunch :) Swindon isn't as exciting as it used to be, though remodeled, there are better picks elsewhere in Manila or in Kinokuniya in Bangkok or Singapore. I go to Swindon for sentimental reasons, remembering that old shop from my first trip to HK as a boy in 1970. What do you think of the Cecile Licad's Rachmaninoff? Hope to see your models sometime. Wishing you the best for 2009 Ambeth Ocampo, (by email), Jan. 06, 2009 Faculty member, Ateneo de Manila University Columnist, Philippine Daily Inquirer wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, Once again a very entertaining and informative article! I myself am a military hardware buff but I have never heard of the Blohm und Voss BV-141 and BV-194. I was very much entertained googling these aircraft and reading about them. I just find it curious that these objects of fascination were products of a world war. Anyway, many thanks! Enrico D. Hidalgo, (by email), South Korea,, Jan. 06, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You wrote: My more famous sister Gigi has in her collection some one thousand Nativity Scenes from all over the world, proclaiming PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TO MEN. In my much more modest collection, the message is TOTAL AND PERPETUAL WAR. **** HAHAHA! Made my day, Tony, thanks. Way to go! Krip Yuson, (by email), Jan. 06, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Ha ha ha! Nice ending, Tony. AL Leonidas, a fan, (by email), Quezon City, Jan. 06, 2009 Faculty member, Miriam College wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Tony, hi, Thank you for sharing with us your latest Hong Kong escapade and tips to maximize travel budget when we do our turn, hopefully. Belated prosperous New Year, and keep on writing. Arcy F. Sibal, (by email), Sta. Maria, Bulacan, Jan 06, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I know that store in Sai Wan Ho. It's Falcon. Antonio Sy, (by email), Jan. 06, 2009 (Bingo! ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Please say hello to your more famous sister Gigi. Following my good fortune to sit next to Gigi, on a flight from Honolulu to Tokyo in the fall of 1962 (on the way to Manila), I met the Abaya family. And by the way, Happy New Year to you from this corner of France! Lee Bigelow, (by email), Provence, France, Jan. 06, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww KUNG HEI FAT CHOY ! The year of the Ox... Thank you for this extremely fascinating piece about miniature trains, warplanes, tanks and other weapons of mayhem. Now that you have resurrected your former hobby, how about the other one ? I'm referring to the first 100 copies of William Gaines' MAD MAGAZINE. Probably you could preface it with the McCarthy era's right wing-fundamentalist harassment of EC Comics which morphed into Mad magazine. Sincerely yours, Auggie Surtida, (by email), Tigbauan, Iloilo Jan. 06, 2009 (How nice of you to remember, Auggie, after all these years. For readers who do not know what Auggie is referring to, he is referring to my collection of EC Comics, going back to the 1950s, which includes the first 100 issues of Mad, which was then a ten-cent comic book. I still have these comic books with me. I consider them an integral part of my non-academic education, they were that good, believe me. In the 1970s, my comic book collection had a market value of $12,500 in the US. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Kuya Tony, I was with my family in Hong Kong for three days last December 2008. What made me remember you there was when my morning newspaper the Standard compliments of the Renaissance Hotel in Kowloon (where we were billeted), had an article that non-believer of minimum wage Hong Kong was mulling to impose a minimum wage law to this former British colony to cushion the workers in the lower stratum of society on the global crunch that would affect her this year. Do you think it would affect her competitiveness with other First World countries? What do you think would affect this to your previous stance that imposing minimum wage law only discourages investors? Best wishes, and thanks pala ulit doon sa binigayt niyo. Mortz Ortigoza, (by email), Dagupan City, Jan. 06, 2009 (I was not aware of this move in HK. It is probably being considered because of worries that there would be massive lay-offs in HK as a result of the global financial meltdown, which would increase HK's pool of unemployed and could encourage some entrepreneurs to hire workers/employers at less than current wages. I think it is a wrong move, but who am I to tell the HK authorities what not to do? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, you regaled us with your Hong Kong jaunt and your extensive train collection -topics in great contrast with dirty politics. I've always been fascinated with those moving tiny trains. It's not a boy toy, but is actually a serious adult hobby. It sounds just as amazing as Gigi's Christmas collection. Happy 2009! Best, Yett Montalvan, (by email), Jan. 06, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww My dear Tony, You have taste! Wish to meet you in person...Happy New Year.! Myrna P. Valdez, (by email), Jan. 06, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww My dear Tony, I enjoyed reading your article Letter from Hong Kong as it gave me a few chuckles and remembrances when you described men's predicament when shopping there. For women however, Hong Kong is a wonderland of credit card swiping every which way, my wife included. The last time she went gaga there was when we attended her Chinese sister-in-law's family reunion. Her family owns a successful freight forwarding business owning a ten bedroom home in Kowloon! While in Hong Kong for five days arriving from 20 days Christmas holidays in Manila, our sister in-law and her brother who were raised and educated in America took us shopping to the popular street vendors' area as well as the very elite shops and restaurants. Some of the restaurants catering to Chinese only served what I considered bizarre food for our taste. Although my wife and I have traveled extensively and have somewhat developed an adventurous gourmand pallet we found ourselves mostly saying "no thank you's" on several luncheons and dinners. Wearing the same belt for 26 years is not only sacrilegious but a bad role modeling, my friend. You are not supposed to skip that middle age spread, period! I tip my hat to you ,Tony for developing a passion for your gadgets hobbies. Thanks to your daughter Carla for resuscitating it. The magic of being a young boy once is what I find fascinating about this whole thing. I simply admire that. It is cool. Here is wishing you and your family of beautiful things to make you happy and passionate about living. Cheers! Oscar Apostol, (by email), Rocklin, CA., Jan 07, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Just a brief note to express my gratitude for sending me your column by email throughout the year. I trust that you had a Merry Christmas with your loved ones and a good start in 2009. Happy New Year! Knowing how much you appreciate classical music, you may want to try the following web site and if you like it, please share it with your readers: www.radioswissclassic.ch Radio Swiss Classic plays classical music around the clock, seven days a week with a minimum amount of announcements related solely to the music played but no news, other topics or advertisements. The same concept is available for jazz under: www.radioswissjazz.ch I hope the above links will lighten up 2009 and further inspire your excellent writing. Again many thanks and my best wishes! Walter Bucher, (by email) Makati City, Jan. 07, 2009 Swiss resident of Metro Manila wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Thank you, Tony, for your Letter from Hong Kong. as I am myself a music lover. I now have additional titles to buy to add to my humble collection of classic music CDs.. Unknown Rachaminoff should be worth the effort to find. And i envy your collections of WW2 tanks and plane models in that scale. In the past , for awhile, back in Cebu then, I would buy and assemble these (tanks and planes) but gave up as0 I just couldn't keep my hand steady and my patience easily wore out. I tried having them assembled by someone at the store and paid him a fee, but there was absolutely no fun at all except an avaricious feeling that I had a new model put up, or kept. the vacuum after that was filled by my interest in the internet which lead me to reading writings such as yours. Well, the season is over, and it's full steam ahead for '09. 2008 was bumpy, although GMA and her salesmen insist it was made rosy by them since 2007 ( "7% growth" - whether no one believes it), and that governance was honest ( as clean as ZTE deal , Northrail, Joc-Joc's fetilizer, disappearing media people ...) and that a new constitution will be written (for whatever purpose , but which everyone else already knows). 2009 will be the turning point where the people will set up the foundations for a total change of leadership in 2010 or lay the foundations for the same faces extending themselves beyond 2010. Gosh, give us a break ! Victor Manalac, (by email), Jan. 07, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Wasn't the tsunami in December 2004? Hugo Restall, (by email), Hong Kong, Jan. 07, 2009 Editor-in-chief, Far Eastern Economic Review wwwwwwwwwwww Tsunami in Aceh occurred in December 2004, not 2006. Matthew Patong, (by email), Canada, Jan. 07, 2009 (You are both correct, and our last New Year visit to Hong Kong was in 2004-05, not 2006-07. Thank you for pointing it out. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Sir, Happy New Year! Rach 3 is likewise a favorite of mine. My introduction to classical music was via my aunt's old turntable when I was about 7 or 8. She would play some classical music whenever we visited her and my grandmother on weekends. I visited Hong Kong more than 10 years ago before the handover. What I could remember about Hong Kong was the hustle and bustle of the tiny city. Everyone appeared to be in a hurry to go someplace. Quite a change actually from the usual pace here. I went with my sister and a friend. We did not join any tour and instead attempted to decipher the city armed with a map and the MTR, of course. I also visited HMV and spent a bit on hard-to-find CDs. Unfortunately my sister and friend do not share the same passion for music and I had to break out of my trance and temporarily abandon my quest and be content with what I already bought. My friend speaks fluent Mandarin and she haggled for our purchases at Mong Kok night market (I could only manage a few phrases though courtesy of Chinese classes I attended in high school). We were actually so preoccupied with touring the city that we sometimes forgot to eat! My friend had been to Hong Kong several times and knows her way around a bit. So for pasalubong, she took us to a restaurant that specialized in roasted duck. We brought some home for our family. Having the opportunity to travel to other countries made me appreciate the Philippines more, warts and all. There is no place like home. Grace Santos, (by email), Jan. 07, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi, Tony.. Wishing you a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We read with interest your Letter from Hong Kong. Mafe and I had the same experience with regard to food in Spain. We would buy slices of different kinds of chorizos well known in Spain and make a sandwich. Our hotel had free breakfast consisting of fruits, cheeses, and, of course, the well known chorizos. And different kinds of bread. As for coffee, they pour milk with the coffee. Not to my liking. Occasionally we have tapas and churros. We went to Southern Spain as I was interested in the Muslim history during the 700 years of their occupation. I love Spain and plan to go to the northern part some time this year, specially the Basque regions. My relatives from Zamboanga are Basques. I remember your model trains some time ago in that big room. It's time to start it again during your retirement era. My grandson, Alex, to be four years old next week, is very interested in trains. He has several trains on a table his dad bought for him. I hope he becomes a NASA engineer rather than a train engineer. Incidentally, considering the situation in the world, I have been reading several books on Islam. The Muslims have been gradually infiltrating America, demanding the government accede to their demands relating to Islamic "religion". The government has been wishy-washy accepting their demands. God help all of us. Regards to all, Ralph Romero, (by email), Houston, Texas, Jan. 07, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, Whether shoppers are aware of it or not, there are quite a number of good things and deeds when patronizing branded products: In today's trade globalization and outsourcing world, companies outsourced products from developing countries mostly from China because they are cheaper. In the case of branded products, there is what we call Corporate Social Responsibility, which is not merely philantrophic activities. Brands usually have Code of Conduct that require their vendors to comply with. They ensure that vendors are at least conforming with local regulations like non-employment of child labor, paying correct wages and benefits, safe and decent workplace, pollution prevention, etc. Before even starting the first production, vendors are audited for compliance. Raw materials and finished goods are even required of testing for harmful substance before they are shipped out and being a chemist yourself you are aware how much this tests would costs especially when using those sophisticated lab equipment. A lot of this costs add up to the labor and other production costs of the product. So when buying branded products you are not only ensure of the quality but as well as consumer safety of the product aside from not tolerating those suppliers that exploit the workers and in effect patronizing irresponsible factories employing children, not paying correct wages and polluting the environment. If you heard about the supplier of Mattel toys in the US found to be highly contaminated with lead,he committed suicide right there in his warehouse in China in front of millions of dollars of toys stock. Well, that is the consequence of his wrongdoing, he can only blame himself. I am working for an internationally known sports brand and it is our responsibility to inform consumers about what we are doing. Whether we source our product from China or other parts of the world we make an effort that our suppliers follow our code of conduct. We even pay law enforcers to run after those fakers but it is just too difficult to stop them because they are doing better business than our legitimate stores. And during this times of global crisis, while our business is plummeting, theirs prospers because more people patronize them. But despite all of these, we will continue to deliver safe and quality product to our loyal consumers. Regards, Edel Anit, (by email), Jan. 07, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Can no longer resist Hi Tony: For the past couple of years that I've been reading your column religiously (pun intended from this totally non-religious reader), I've had to abide by that unwritten rule of professional courtesy among professional journalists/columnists/writers, the one that constrains us from publicly commenting on one another's writings, lest all sorts of conspiracy and buddy-buddy theories arise to make us suspect in the eyes of readers, haha. But after reading your wonderful "Letter from Hong Kong" on the sane attitude towards shopping in Hong Kong (or anywhere else for that matter) which means that we should bypass the expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. and instead head for the good eatin' and the bookshops and the film stores and the model train/plane/ship treasure trove -- I can no longer resist! So this "reaction piece" is for publication on your site and not just another of the private notes I've sent you before. Because I must let you and your readers know just what it is about your writing that makes it so special. Attention, please, and this is all totally unsolicited praise from this semi-recluse buried in the snows of Canada with up to minus-40 wind chill factor temperatures: I appreciate your writing, Tony Abaya, because it is consistently concise, witty, unsentimental, mature, ironic, honest and backed by accurate historical information and intelligent analysis. I love the way you appreciate art, especially great music (classical, jazz,) and how you really recognize the fine recordings from the many out there that grate on the ear -- I appreciated the movie "Shine" but am not a fan of David Helfgott's heavy-handed recording of the Rach 3. I love the way you make wise financial choices and opt to funnel your hard-earned cash to purchase CDs and DVDs, such priceless gifts to the human race. I am a total amateur beside you on the various recordings, since I am financially absorbed by my book collecting and thus have little left to splurge on music as well; but I do have the basic five hundred CDs of Bach-Brahms-Beethoven-Mozart-Mahler-Dvorak-Miles Davis, Coltrane etc, and could not live without even these modest versions of the music of the heavenly spheres. Like you, I am genetically immune to the siren calls of fashion, fancy cars and all the tiresome bling that inevitably prove to be worthless cash-wasters. My Seiko watch is the same I wore in college when my mother gave it to me for a birthday, and I even have a couple of pens from grade school though no longer have any ink for them and have happily accepted Bic for ages. The more hip and worldly rich folks I've met over the years have always tsk-tsked at my pathetic lack of interest in the shiny stuff that screams you're not alive if you don't gorge and strut like Paris Hilton. But I've been too happy in my "eccentricity" to note their disapproval, and I've always known that the tribe a few of us -- you, me, and others like Barack Obama?? -- belong to, is most likely playing with a fuller deck than Paris Hilton. I thoroughly enjoy the sly or biting humour in your work; the caustic yet sympathetic commentary on the foibles of our species; the eminently practical suggestions you make to try to solve those monumental problems and disasters in the Philippines. I truly admire the inspiring keep-at-it doggedness you've shown all your lifetime as a writer. Wimpier men and women, myself included, have been worn down much sooner. You, in contrast, are still at it after decades. If you've concocted a version of Intellectual Viagra for the Writing Man/Woman, you will get rich marketing it, Tony! Or maybe not, since we all know the place of writers in this world when you're not Danielle Steele or some religious sloganeer foretelling who will be swooped into heaven and who will be left behind. I think that what really touched me as I read your "Letter from Hong Kong" was coming upon that sense of wide-eyed wonder that you captured as you wrote of your enchantment with trains and planes and Mahler. That sort of ever-renewed sense of wonder is something precious that few of us can retain throughout our lives, yet there it is in your Letter, fresh as crisp snow without the freezing temperatures! I know that you are a few minutes older than me, Tony, but you certainly have been drinking from the fountain of youth! That's the thing that prompted this letter which, unlike all my previous ones to you, I do not request you to keep just between the two of us old bags. Send it out there into wild cyberspace, Tony, so that the warm and heartfelt vibrations I soak this missive with can be added to the swirl of universal aspirations and woes, to the intricate web of human tragedy and triumph that you so capably write about. This note is to thank you for all the valiant and wrought acts of creation you've shared with your readers, myself most appreciatively among them. Of course, never reveal under pain of swiftest death my address because there are just too many fruitcakes and nuts out there and already too much spam in my poor computer. (Hmm, it must be past lunchtime if I fall into food allusions.) But do accept this New Year greeting and long-overdue salute to your wonderful work. On our next visit to Manila, Richard and I will drag you out to my favourite bibingka place and I can let the bibingka thank you more than these meagre words can. Meanwhile, through the vastness of the Pacific Ocean that lies between us, this letter will have to do. Stay frosty (or as we used to say, Keep cool), but be grateful you don't have to shovel tons of snow, Arlene Babst-Vokey, (by email), British Columbia, Canada, Jan. 07, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Just read Letter from Hong Kong -- again, am laughing loudly all by myself. How does one define ACA? You are a rare writer/specie with what I say to myself - a BIG BITE-- "nasty" at times�.. and really hilariously funny, comedic, clowny at times - especially this time. You are precious! Had to let you know before I sleep, before you sleep (maybe you're still awake?) how I ENJOYED reading you�� Marla Yotoko-Chorengel, (by email), Quezon City, Jan. 05, 2009 (This must be Be-Kind-to-Tony-Abaya Week. Thank you, ladies. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, Should I ever return to the Philippines, I now know who to share my interest in Marklins with. I also have the HO scale. These trains have become too expensive to collect. As you will note, the classic ones appreciate, the new digital ones depreciate. Some rich retired CEO of a tech firm built a warehouse-sized model country in Pennsylvania, running about 12 trains simultaneously. They claim it cost him $ 2 million..I wonder how many more quietly collect these things in the country? Lynn Abad Santos, (by email), Washington, DC, Jan. 07, 2009 LSGH68 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Major Marcelino � a true Hero Hi, Mr Abaya, In a column you sent me before, you said that Jun Lozada was a hero. When I said that he wasn't, at least to me, I think you asked what constituted a hero to me. Well, accidentally,Ii heard Major Marcelino yesterday afternoon over the radio, and today news of his testimony is all over the radio and the print media (online). . Anyway, not that my opinion is THAT important to you or to others, for that matter, but I think Major Marcelino, from what i heard and read of him, can qualify as a modern-day hero. It used to be, in my time at least (so you have an idea of my age) that what the major did was fairly common. But not in these times. So it's quite refreshing and admirable to come across someone like him. Incidentally, I heard over the radio that the major's sister needed a brain operation, and Joe Taruc commented that the P3M bribe could well have paid for that. The fact that the major didn't accept the bribe, speaks volumes of his probity. Ethel, [email protected], Jan. 07, 21009 (I agree with you. Major Marcelino is a hero, assuming he does not recant his testimony as so often happens these days. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The Best Gift is Hope By Tony Meloto This Christmas I realized is my happiest, despite the doom and the gloom I watch on television or read in the papers, because there is so much goodness in my world. Thank you for being a part of it. Every day I walk with heroes. Some are successful and powerful who use their resources and influence for the good of many. Most are ordinary day to day heroes who sacrifice their time with family or work to be with the less fortunate. Like the Three Kings and the shepherds, they follow the star to give hope and the priceless gift of self to the abandoned and the suffering in their search for the Savior, who came to bring glad tidings to the poor. Every day for me is Christmas. There is no absence of generosity or goodwill or good faith around me. People are in a giving mode all year round when they realize that they can truly make a difference and they can see where their efforts and resources are going. Vision and values are important for many to believe. Credibility is the key that opens heroic generosity. Every day I see hope for our country. This is the country of my deepest affection, a gift from God that I treasure. This is the country that still nurtures my belief that the greatest source of hope came to the world in the lowliest circumstances over two thousand years ago � not with economic or military might, without prejudice to color, race, status or gender. It is my faith that it is possible in this land for us to create wealth and spread it, by simply living out our greatest qualities as a people � kalinga and bayanihan � caring and sharing. This is the only way that I know for me to fulfill the dreams of our forefathers and live out the tenets of our Christian faith � to be my brother's keeper, leaving no Filipino behind. This not only includes but prioritizes the needs of our Muslim brethren and those of other faiths who belong to the minority and are often forgotten. Starting this Christmas, I pray that more Filipinos can be radical optimists. Let us consciously spread hope by seeing the good in others, starting with our informal settlers and slum dwellers and the poor farmers and fisher-folks in the countryside, and wishing well and supporting all those who are helping them. Let us make it our prayer for the day to come that no Filipino will be landless or homeless in this country where there is enough land for all. Likewise, let us make it our firm resolve to harness every idle hand and every idle land to plant and produce until we achieve abundance and no one is hungry among our people. This is not just about capital or technology but about justice and leadership. Social justice is the gift that we can give to the poor that will please the Father, if we look at the mission of the Son as the way to His heart. We need to lead everyone, by example, along this path. With the recession and depression in the more affluent countries, the Mumbai incident, the growing unrest in Thailand and Malaysia � two Asian neighbors that many thought had it all figured out, it is clear to me that we are not so bad after all. I do not say this for us to gloss over our problems or to exonerate those who are responsible for our woes, but for us not to lose heart or blame one another or bash our country. Definitely, the global recession will affect us but it can also trigger heroic sacrifice among our people. We can turn adversity abroad into opportunities at home. We can start to produce and patronize world-class products instead of importing contaminated goods. We can channel our investments and philanthropy to the Philippines like what many migrants, expats and overseas workers are doing. They are investing in real estate and local businesses with the uncertainty of the stock and money market abroad, and helping the needy in our country, not just their relatives. Gawad Kalinga, and its mission of nation-building, is helping spur patriotic investment and philanthropy to the motherland. Many local corporations are going beyond conventional CSR and investing in viable and effective social enterprises. Let us continue to pray for our business climate to improve, for investments to pour in, for the GDP to rise, for profit to grow a bigger social conscience, and for the day to come when transactions can be conducted more ethically without resorting to bribes and other corrupt practices. Love for God and country will help us overcome this global economic crisis, and ultimately, free us from poverty and corruption. Let us not get tired of doing what is good and what is right. For those of us who are over fifty, let us invest the remaining years of our life building a better world and a future full of hope for our children. Let us not consider ourselves too old or the time too late for us to make a difference. Let us turn our regret into reform and offer our country our energy, our expertise and the greatness of our spirit. This is the way of hope for many of us: the best caring for the least�raising the least to become their best�leaving no one behind�seeing no one as an enemy. It is the way to peace and our ticket to heaven. Let our lives be good news to others. Oftentimes, people say that media reports too much bad news. We have discovered that they are equally interested in covering inspiring stories that are relevant to the issues of the day and the needs of our times. Good news also sells. The best news is the poor themselves. They have shown us that they do not want to beg or steal or remain idle �that they can turn troubled and ugly slums into peaceful and beautiful communities, barren lands into fields of abundance � if they regain their dignity and their dreams for their children. The next great news is that the young are starting to believe that there is hope in this country. Many of them are mobilizing the campuses to be in solidarity with the less privileged in their communities � to build, to care, to mentor and to learn�and to reconnect with the forgotten Filipino again. It is my great belief that change is coming that will make the future much better than what it is now. Finally, I pray that we can all be grateful for the gift of this country. As we advocate for change, let us not forget to count our blessings. Let us discard the mentality that everything is bad and wrong in our country, while everything is good and right abroad. Let us observe a moment of grace when we can simply thank God for this beautiful land and the great privilege of being a Filipino. With all our imperfections and problems, this is still the best spot in the planet for many of us who see this country through the eyes of hope. This is the Gawad Kalinga dream and I am profoundly grateful to all those who have made it real. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for hoping for our country and caring for our people. May God bestow His infinite blessing on you, and to all those who are precious to you. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! Tony Meloto OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to [email protected]. To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send ablank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. |