A Forwarded Email/News: A World Without the Filipinos

Received this forwarded email early this morning.

Sana naman mas maraming balita ganito at hindi puro
nakakasakit na lang ng mga puso natin.

Strong Peso making the value of money transfer weak

It sounds really good, finally strong peso. Hey our
economy has started so good with the new year but
I found this posting from this think-tank foundation
IBON
FYI
IBON News / January 10, 2008
DUE TO STRONG PESO: OFWS LOSE P700 PER $100 REMITTED
The strengthening peso has resulted in a sharp cut in overseas
Filipino workers’ (OFWs) incomes, costing them over P700 per $100
remitted,according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.

From January to December 2007, the exchange rate of the peso
to the dollar has strengthened by almost fifteen percent. This means
that over the period, the family of an OFW who remitted $100 in
January were able to exchange it for P4,891. By December this had
fallen to P4,174 or a decline of P717.

Such a reduction is especially painful given the increasing prices
of basic goods and services in the country.
For example, from January to November 2007 the cost of an 11-kg
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder increased by P76.94
to almost P600. Manila Water also recently implemented a rate
hike that will cost consumers who consume 30 cubic meters per
month an additional P60 on their bills.

“Overseas workers were forced to tighten their belts and remit
more of their income to make up for the lost value,” said
IBON research head Sonny Africa. Monthly remittances grew 26% from
P1.1 billion in January to P1.4 billion in October.

The strengthening peso and its effect on OFWs’ incomes reveals the
folly of the government’s labor export policy and its continuing
reliance on migrant workers’ remittances. (end)


The strengthening peso is one of the issues that will be discussed
at the IBON Yearend Birdtalk on January 14 at the UP Balay
Kalinaw. The media is cordially invited to attend the press briefing
on January 15 at the IBON Bookshop, 114 Timog Ave. Quezon City.
For details, please call IBON at tel. (02) 927-7059 or 927-6986.


(Ang immediate na kahulugan nito ay: Mas maraming "moneyobra" ng
mga allowance at pera sa daily needs ng mga sarileng pamilya
sa Alemanya para makapagpadala pa ng sapat na suporta duon
sa Pinas. Hindi lang yun mga tao ang nagTT and T, pati yun mga
household money kailangan tipirin, itago, palaguin, sumama pa
sa ibang paluwagan para may nakatabing pera, hanap pa ng extrang
trabaho, walang party party muna, saka na lang muna yun mga sales
after Christmas at mga iba pang stratehiya para makapagpadala ng
pera sa naiwang bansa na habang tumataas ang halaga ng salapi
lumalaki naman ang problema ng mga taong lumabas ng bansa...
hay ano ba yan?)

Tita Bee

Ika 146 na Taong Kaarawan ni Dr. Jose P. Rizal

146th Birthday of Dr. Jose P. Rizal on June 19, 2007

Song of the Wanderer

by José Rizal

(A Translation from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin)

Dry leaf that flies at random
till it's seized by a wind from above:
so lives on earth the wanderer,
without north, without soul, without country or love!

Anxious, he seeks joy everywhere
and joy eludes him and flees,
a vain shadow that mocks his yearning
and for which he sails the seas.

Impelled by a hand invisible,
he shall wander from place to place;
memories shall keep him company
of loved ones, of happy days.

A tomb perhaps in the desert,
a sweet refuge, he shall discover,
by his country and the world forgotten
Rest quiet: the torment is over.

And they envy the hapless wanderer
as across the earth he persists!
Ah, they know not of the emptiness
in his soul, where no love exists.

The pilgrim shall return to his country,
shall return perhaps to his shore;
and shall find only ice and ruin,
perished loves, and gravesnothing more.

Begone, wanderer! In your own country,
a stranger now and alone!
Let the others sing of loving,
who are happy but you, begone!

Begone, wanderer! Look not behind you
nor grieve as you leave again.
Begone, wanderer: stifle your sorrows!
the world laughs at another's pain.

(Translated from the Spanish by Nick Joaquin)

Awit Ng Manlalakbay

Kagaya ng dahong nalanta, nalagas,
Sinisiklut-siklot ng hanging marahas;
Abang manlalakbay ay wala nang liyag,
Layuin, kalulwa't bayang matatawag.

Hinahabul-habol yaong kapalarang
Mailap at hindi masunggab-sunggaban;
Magandang pag-asa'y kung nanlalabo man,
Siya'y patuloy ring patungo kung saan!

Sa udyok ng hindi nakikitang lakas,
Silanga't Kanlura'y kanyang nililipad,
Mga minamahal ay napapangarap,
Gayon din ang araw ng pamamanatag.

Sa pusod ng isang disyertong mapanglaw,
Siya'y maaaring doon na mamatay,
Limot ng daigdig at sariling bayan,
Kamtan nawa niya ang kapayapaan!

Dami ng sa kanya ay nangaiinggit,
Ibong naglalakaby sa buong daigdig,
Hindi nila tanto ang laki ng hapis
Na sa kanyang puso ay lumiligalig.

Kung sa mga tanging minahal sa buhay
Siya'y magbalik pa pagdating ng araw,
Makikita niya'y mga guho lamang
At puntod ng kanyang mga kaibigan.

Abang manlalakbay! Huwag nang magbalik,
Sa sariling baya'y wala kang katalik;
Bayaang ang puso ng iba'y umawit,
Lumaboy kang muli sa buong daigdig.

Abang manlalakbay! Bakit babalik pa?
Ang luhang inyukol sa iyo'y tuyo na;
Abang manlalakbay! Limutin ang dusa,
Sa hapis ng tao, mundo'y nagtatawa.
(Isinalin sa Pilipino di kilala)