S O C . C U L T U R E . F I L I P I N O
F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S L I S T
FAQL version 1.5
[28 August 1994]
Parts 1-4 of 4 follow
From: francis@mpl.ucsd.edu (Francis C Felizardo)
Subject: soc.culture.filipino FAQ 1/4
Subject: soc.culture.filipino FAQ 2/4
Subject: soc.culture.filipino FAQ 3/4
Subject: soc.culture.filipino FAQ 4/4
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 1994 16:48:20
PART1===============================================================
Summary: soc.culture.filipino FAQ, part 1/4 (Outline)
Keywords: FAQ, soc.culture.filipino, outline
S O C . C U L T U R E . F I L I P I N O
F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S L I S T
FAQL version 1.5
[28 August 1994]
This article is posted every last week of the month to soc.culture.
filipino, soc.answers and news.answers.
The soc.culture.filipino FAQL was prepared by Francis Felizardo and Aimee
Manosa in January 1994. The original work borrowed from the outline of a
preliminary FAQL developed by John Jay Tanlimco in 1993.
This is our attempt at putting together a compilation of answers to some
frequently asked questions in soc.culture.filipino. We have made every effort
to keep the information in this article as correct and as up to date as
possible. We plan to keep it that way by soliciting your help in
maintaining and updating this FAQL. Your comments, submissions,
corrections and answers are welcome. You can send them to either
Aimee Manosa (aimee@asd.sgi.com) OR
Francis Felizardo (francis@mpl.ucsd.edu).
who currently maintain the FAQL.
The latest version of the FAQ can be obtained using anonymous FTP
from chiton.ucsd.edu:/pub/francis/scf.
Copies of the FAQ can also be obtained via anonymous FTP from rtfm.mit.edu
in the directory /pub/usenet/news.answers/filipino-faq.
To get a copy of the file via e-mail. Send the folowing message:
To: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu
Subject: Not important
send usenet/news.answers/finding-sources
send usenet/news.answers/filipino-faq/part1
send usenet/news.answers/filipino-faq/part2
send usenet/news.answers/filipino-faq/part3
send usenet/news.answers/filipino-faq/part4
Legend:
* This item was rewritten OR there is some new material in this item.
+ This is a new item in this version.
O U T L I N E
Section 1: soc.culture.filipino FAQ
----------------------------------------
1.1) What is the charter of soc.culture.filipino
1.2) When did this newsgroup start?
1.3) Who reads soc.culture.filipino?
1.4) What are the suggested general rules of netiquette for posting
in this newsgroup?
1.5) I just read a post that I found offensive. What do I do?
1.6) This is soc.culture.FILIPINO. Why aren't we writing in
Tagalog/Filipino here?
1.7) I can read the articles here but I seem to have a problem
submitting articles. How do I post to SCF?
1.8) Should I post personals in SCF?
1.9) Someone posted yet another personal ad in SCF. Should we flame
him (it's usually a him)?
Section 2: Philippine Network FAQ
--------------------------------------
*2.1) Is the Philippines connected to the Internet?
*2.2) Which sites already have access?
2.3) If you can't get PHnet access, how can you get email access
from the Philippines?
*2.4) What are the BBSes in the Philippines?
2.5) What is STAC/STACnet?
*2.6) What other Philippine-related Internet resources are available?
A. Wide World Web
B. GIF site
C. Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Section 3: Philippine Government FAQ
-----------------------------------------
3.1) How did the Philippines get its name?
3.2) Why do some people here get ticked off when the Philippines is
referred to as 'PI'?
3.3) What's the Philippines like?
A. Basic Geography.
B. Weather.
C. Language.
D. Other Demographics.
E. Economic statistics.
3.4) What is the capital of the Philippines. Is it Manila or Quezon City?
3.5) What is the form of government?
3.6) Let X = Philippine President. Solve for X.
3.7) Can you give me some background on the current President and Vice
President of the Philippines?
3.8) Who are the top government officials?
3.9) What are the addresses and telephone numbers of the top government
officials of the Philippines?
3.10) How much are the salaries of the top officials of the Philippine
government?
3.11) I was born in the Philippines but my parents aren't Filipino. Am I
a Filipino citizen?
3.12) Is there divorce in the Philippines?
3.13) Let X = Income distribution in the Philippines. Describe X.
3.14) What is the address and telephone number of the closest Philippine
embassy or consulate?
3.15) I am a US citizen who used to be a Filipino citizen. I would like
to go back to the Philippines and settle there permanently. What do
I need to do?
*3.16) I'm a Filipino/ex-Filipino who wants to avail of the Balik-Scientist
program. Do you have any info on this?
+3.17) What items are exempt from customs and duties when entering the
Philippines?
+3.18) What kind of taxes do I have to pay on a second-hand vehicle brought
into the Philippines?
+3.19) Will customs tax my used computer when I get to the airport?
+3.20) What are the visa requirements for a non-Filipino citizen who wants
to visit the Philippines as a tourist?
Section 4: Philippine Culture FAQ
--------------------------------------
*4.1) What is 'flip' and is it offensive?
4.2) What are the letters of the Filipino alphabet?
4.3) I've seen words referring to the Philippines spelled with 'ph',
'f' and 'p'. Why are there differences and which words are
spelled with which letters?
+4.4) What are the lyrics to the Philippine national anthem?
+4.5) What are the words to the Panatang Makabayan (Nationalist Oath)?
+4.6) Why do most Filipinos have Spanish surnames?
4.7) I go/am going to school X. Is there a Filipino association here?
4.8) What is BGN?
4.9) What is FIND?
4.10) I would like to subscribe to a good Filipino/FilAm newpaper/magazine.
Any recommendations?
4.11) I need to prepare Filipino dishes but I don't know how. Do you have
any cookbook suggestions?
4.12) I'm looking for some good Philippine movies. Which ones would you
recommend?
4.13) Will my 110 VAC appliances in the US work in the Philippines?
*4.14) I want to learn how to speak Tagalog/Ilocano/Bicolano/(put your
favorite language here), are there any good books around?
+4.15) What are the Philippine martial arts?
+4.16) What is the state of science and technology in the Philippines?
+4.17) Please suggest good methods for sending money to the Philippines.
*4.18) I live in city X and I would like to know if there are any good
Pinoy restaurants in the area. Any recommendations?
Appendix: Some Questions That Need Answers
------------------------------------------------
Q. Filipino style weddings: What are all those sponsors for?
What's the coin for? What's the "money dance" and where did
it originate? Why is the groom expected to pay for all expenses
in a traditional Filipino wedding?
Q. I am a Filipino citizen and I am preparing a US Federal Tax Form
1040NR. Is there a treaty between the RP and US and what is it all
about?
Acknowledgements:
-----------------
Thanks go to the following people who have made useful and significant
contributions to this document.
Jim Ayson, Rhenee Blanco, Erik Bloom, Michelle Calderon, Odie Calima,
Jeremy Casas, Desmond Chan, Jose Isagani de los Reyes, Sonny Dionida,
Sam Espartero, Rommel Feria, Kelsey Go, Ken Ilio, Roger Key, Don Labutay,
Carlos Legaspi, Joe Lim, Ritchie Lozada, Meg Mendoza, Bill Mitchell,
Marian Nebraga, Norman Owen, Phoebe Parrone, Joselito Real, Chinky
Rodriguez, Jowell Sabino, Lea Salonga, Rick Sanchez, Paco Sandejas,
Louie Soriano, Rich Sucgang, Lyn Tadena, Benjie Tan, Joe Tanchoco,
John Jay Tanlimco, Cynthia Tee, Lulu Turner.
PART2===============================================================
Summary: soc.culture.filipino FAQ, part 2/4 (Network)
Keywords: FAQ, soc.culture.filipino, network
This is the 2nd of 4 parts. It contains 2 sections: an introduction to
SCF and basic information about Internet in the Philippines.
Section 1: soc.culture.filipino FAQ
-----------------------------------
== 1.1) What is the charter of soc.culture.filipino?
This is the original posting to announce.newgroups sent on October 1, 1990
written by Aimee Manosa (aimee@asd.sgi.com).
ORIGINAL CALL FOR DISCUSSION: soc.culture.filipino
PROPOSAL:The creation of a new newsgroup: soc.culture.filipino
CHARTER: To provide an open discussion on issues concerning the Philippines.
This includes the following topics:
- new technology in the Philippines
- "what's happening back home" information and passing this on to
others unable to read news.
- Government and other related political issues
- Earthquake relief information (still need lots of help)
- Cultural events
- Fil-Ams
- introducing the Filipino culture to news readers
- understanding the state the Philippines is in
PURPOSE: Would like to discuss relevant Filipino issues in a newsgroup
that would single out the Philippine culture. Currently, there
are several other nations that have started their newsgroups.
GENERAL: I have received mail from several folks who have expressed the
need to start this news group. It seems to me that this is
probably the way to go considering that soc.culture.asean has
split into several other cultural newsgroups.
I believe that there will be a consistent flow of news, especially
with the state our country is in presently. This newsgroup may help
others to understand what our culture is really like and not what
it is rumored to be.
The official discussion should last less than 30 days. If at this
point, there is no consensus as to the name, charter, whether or
not there will be a moderator, then the discussion will be conti-
nued offline.
== 1.2) When did this newsgroup start?
The voting period for this news group started on October 29, 1990
and ended November 22, 1990. On November 26, the finally tally
was posted to news.announce.newgroups:
YES 241
NO 32
-------------
Total 272
The newsgroup was created a couple days after.
== 1.3) Who reads soc.culture.filipino?
This newsgroup is read by users who have Usenet access all over the world.
Here is how SCF compares with some of the other soc.culture.* newsgroups.
The data was taken from the Jan 94 USENET readership report in news.lists.
+-- Overall rank
| +-- Estimated total number of people who read the group, worldwide.
| | +-- Actual number of readers in sampled population
| | | +-- Propagation: how many sites receive this group at all
| | | | +-- Recent traffic (messages per month)
| | | | | +-- Recent traffic (kilobytes per month)
| | | | | | +-- Crossposting percentage
| | | | | | | +-- Cost ratio: $US/month/rdr
| | | | | | | | +-- Share: % of newsrders
| | | | | | | | | who read this group.
V V V V V V V V V
40 150000 1824 73% 3653 10257.3 17% 0.08 3.6% soc.culture.indian
96 120000 1472 74% 1747 4431.5 20% 0.05 2.9% soc.culture.china
99 120000 1455 74% 2200 4371.4 16% 0.05 2.9% soc.culture.japan
121 110000 1375 73% 2536 5763.1 10% 0.06 2.7% soc.culture.jewish
156 100000 1269 72% 2790 5390.9 16% 0.07 2.5% soc.culture.hongkong
172 100000 1219 72% 1122 2467.9 6% 0.03 2.4% soc.culture.french
188 97000 1188 72% 1756 3084.0 23% 0.04 2.3% soc.culture.british
209 92000 1119 73% 558 2235.7 19% 0.03 2.2% s ulture.greek
225 90000 1096 74% 1222 2479.6 9% 0.03 2.2% soc.culture.celtic
234 88000 1078 70% 2912 4419.7 7% 0.06 2.1% soc.culture.soviet
- 24 other soc.culture.* newgroups -
728 55000 667 68% 746 1854.6 0% 0.04 1.3% SOC.CULTURE.FILIPINO
- 37 other soc.culture.* newgroups -
Network traffic on SCF is low compared to many of the more popular
newsgroups that get more than 100 posts daily. Check out
rec.arts.startrek.current to see what we mean. SCF's "disposition"
and "character" has traditionally been pleasant and informative.
We're a small friendly corner here. We're more than happy to keep
it that way.
SCF is also being fed to the Philippines via email by Philip Lim of Seattle
University, WA. The feed is conducted on a daily basis. Jim Ayson handles
the collection of mail for FIDONET, Philippines. Larry dela Cruz handles the
collection of mail for Philippine FREENET.
== 1.4) Is there a suggested general rules of netiquette for posting in
this newsgroup?
Contents for this topic are mostly taken from "posting-rules".
Some newsgroups are intended for discussions, others for
announcements or queries. Please use these newsgroups for
their intended purposes.
IF you are unhappy with some users comments, send the user
email, *don't post it*.
Before posting, think about what your article will say;
If it's posted to a "comp", "news", "misc", "soc", "sci",
"rec" or "talk" newsgroup, it will probably go to the sites
on every continent with an estimated audience of more than 3
million potential readers. Use the "Distribution" feature to
restrict distribution to your local area and appropriate news
groups.
Be considerate with your use of network resources; small savings
in disk or CPU add up. So, keep "thanks", "me, too", "congrats",
postings to private mail. Someone pays for storage/transfers.
Keep your .signature file short. Again, someone is paying
for the transfer. Be considerate. Long .signatures are viewed
as rude by the community.
If you are including private mail in your post to a newsgroup,
ask the author's permission. Posting this without permission
is generally considered rude.
Use "followup" to reply to a current thread. Don't use "followup"
to start a new thread.
If you are doing a "followup", please remove lines that you are
not replying to. That is, don't include the whole article to
reply to the first 2 lines (or the last 2 lines) or just to say,
"me, too". On the other hand, please don't say "me, too" or
"I agree" without making reference to the author of the included
file. Remember, keep it short and concise.
== 1.5) I just read a post that I found offensive. I am really offended.
What should I do?
First of all, calm down. Go to the nearest Coke machine. Get a Coke. Finish
it. Then reread the message. Are you still angry?
If people leave the message alone, it will most likely die a quiet death.
If you respond to it, you'll be promoting the discussion of the same
issue you found offensive in the first place. This may or may not be what
you intended. Weigh the alternatives carefully before you respond.
If you choose to respond to the offending article, try to use a level-
headed and dispassionate tone. Minimize flaming. Try to frame your message
in a manner that will convey subtantive information and promote a meaningful
discussion. Often, the author of the 'offensive' article is really a
reasonable and well-meaning person who has a valid point of view different
from yours. Her opinion (or yours) can also be based on incorrect
information or understanding of Philippine culture. The reason why we're
here is to discuss Philippine issues and promote understanding. That's
rather hard to do in the midst of a fire fight.
Try contacting the author by email and explain how you feel. If you have
concluded that the author cannot be reasoned with, consider using the
'kill' option in your newsreader to kill all messages sent by the author.
A poster who chooses to be purposely offensive enjoys seeing a newsgroup
full of angry posters responding to his message. The best way to shut him
up is by removing his audience. If he sees that he can't get his kicks here,
he'll hopefully move somewhere else.
== 1.6) This is soc.culture.FILIPINO. Why aren't we mainly writing in
Tagalog/Filipino here?
Postings in Filipino and other Philippine languages are welcome in this
forum. In fact, many readers have expressed the desire to learn or relearn
Tagalog by reading or writing Tagalog articles in SCF.
Note however that not all Filipinos can communicate in Tagalog/Filipino
well. In addition, many non-Filipinos, including many Fil-Americans, who
do not speak Tagalog or any other Philippine language but are interested
in Philippine culture also read and contribute to this newsgroup. So while
you are free to write in whatever language you wish, you should seriously
consider writing your articles in English if you want a larger audience
for your ideas.
== 1.7) I can read the articles here but I seem to have a problem
submitting articles. How do I post to SCF?
You can post an article here by emailing your file to:
soc.culture.filipino.usenet@decwrl.dec.com OR to
soc-culture-filipino@cs.utexas.edu
== 1.8) Should I post personals in SCF?
No. soc.culture.filipino isn't the place for that. You will annoy many of
the readers here. You will most likely be flamed. While some readers have
noted that the quality of flaming in SCF is inferior to that in, say, the
*.politics.* newgroups, it is unlikely that you will make friends through
personal ads here. There are appropriate forums for personals on Usenet.
SCF is not one of them. If quality flaming is your cup of tea, you
can find the best ones elsewhere. So why bother?
== 1.9) Someone posted yet another personal ad in SCF. Should we flame
him (it's usually a him)?
Look people, life's too short. I suggest that we just let it slide. The
worst thing flame wars can do is make OUR newsgroup seem unwelcome to
many of us who would like to read and join informal discussions in a
friendly forum. While flaming the people who post personals might succeed
in driving them away (dubious), it will also drive away many people whose
writings we would like to see here.
If reading yet another idiotic personal ad really ticks you off, see
Section 1.5.
Section 2: Philippine Network FAQ
---------------------------------
The status of Internet in the Philippines is in constant flux. Some or
perhaps even most of the material in this section may already be obsolete.
While this is a decent (we hope) source of information for the most general
questions, you need to tune in to soc.culture.filipino or STACNet to
get the latest answers to network and PH questions.
[Much of what is here was taken from articles by Jim Ayson, Rommel Feria,
Kelsey Hartigan Go, Ritchie Lozada and Benjie Tan.]
== 2.1) Is the Philippines connected to the Internet?
Yes. Some of the major universities and goverment offices have Internet
sites. Internet services in the Philippines are, in most cases, provided
and maintained by PHnet, a nonprofit consortium of government agencies and
universities. PHnet was organized to oversee the creation of a nationwide
backbone networking various institutions.
Note however that in most/all of the sites that are members of PHnet,
only few of the students, faculty or staff so far have computer accounts
that can access the Internet. What this means is that if you have a
friend who is a student at, say UP Diliman, it is possible that you may
not be able to communicate with her using electronic mail. Hopefully, in
the forseeable future, Internet accounts will be significantly more
available.
Some companies, BBSs and commercial service providers offer email service
by relaying messages through a PHnet gateway. This may be the most feasible
option for most people who can't get accounts at any of the PHnet sites.
== 2.2) Which which PHnet sites already have access?
[Info provided by Kelsey Hartigan Go.]
The following institutions are active. Contact persons at each site are
also given below:
DLSU : csckhg@dlsu.edu.ph, cscspm@dlsu.edu.ph
ADMU : franz@admu.edu.ph, rpl@admu.edu.ph
UPD : dey@nicole.upd.edu.ph
ASTI : migs@asti.dost.gov.ph
DOST : joseph@dostmis.dost.gov.ph
UPLB : abc@makiling.uplb.edu.ph
UST : ceciliae@ust.ust.edu.ph <- don't bombard them w/ e-mail yet
they are just starting up!
SLU : ian@silang.slu.edu.ph
USC : manman@ceac3b.usc.edu.ph
ADB : James_R._Ayson@gwmail1.asiandevbank.org
Other PHnet sites in the horizon (might be online by now):
[From Jim Ayson and Benjie Tan]
1. Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro
2. Davao State University
3. Mindanao State University
4. IRF (N.G.O. in charge of PHnet)
5. Presidential Management Staff, Malacanang
== 2.3) If you can't get PHnet access, how can you get email access
from the Philippines?
[From Jim Ayson.]
1. The E-Mail Center. P3,000 startup fee, P300/month subscription, P10
per kilobyte for outgoing messages, P5 per K for incoming messages.
2. FEBnet BBS - $10/month for up to 60K of mail volume, $20/month for up
to 120K.
3. FidoNet - P600/year, login to any participating Fidonet BBS.
[Some info from Carlos Legaspi.]
Fidonet Philippines echoes to several BBSes in Manila and in Cebu.
You can send internet e-mail to anyone in Fidonet using our Fidonet
address. My Fidonet address is 6:750/2. For example, to send an Internet
message to me, mail it to:
carlos.legaspi@f2.n750.z6.fidonet.org
A Fidonet to PHnet gateway has been created recently. This should speed
up email service between Fidonet addresses and Internet addresses.
== 2.4) What are the BBSes in the Philippines?
[From Jim Ayson 7/94.]
Here is the latest edition of Eric Placer's Philippine BBS Listing.
Please note the following country/area codes:
Metro Manila : 63-2
Cebu City : 63-32
Baguio City : 63-74
==============================================================================
BBS NAME ONLINE HRS SYSOP PHONE No. MAX PTC NET
---[ METRO MANILA ]-----------------------------------------------------------
1. AALGLATT 8p-6a Jerry Leviste 887-034 9.6 Fr
2. Abyss 2 Byte 12m-6a Ronald Buenaseda 605-476 2.4 Fi
3. Alien's Alcove 24H Eric Pareja 587-355 9.6 C/P Fr
4. Black Hole 10p-6a Mark Manuel Ramos 361-3034 14.4 C Fi
5. Dark Hold 8p-6a Michael Lu 823-2847 2.4
6. Data Station 10p-7a Kenneth Te 266-334 14.4 C Fi
7. Discovery 10p-7a Harvey C. Ong 292-8917 14.4 C Fi
8. DOST BBS 5p-8a M-F, Jungie Roasa 823-8195 2.4 Fi
24w
9. Download BBS 9p-9a Francis Salazar 801-0249 9.6
10. Duck BBS 10:30p-6a Rick Tee 268-335 14.4 C Fi
11 Dynamics BBS 9p-6a Aeneas Acu 361-9186 2.4
12. FEBNet 24H Martyn Shortley 818-6464 9.6 P
13. Fly By Night 7:30p-10a Christopher Gan 795-322 14.4 C Fi
14 GrmB GRAFIKMIX 5p-8a,24Su Benedict Patajo 361-4872 2.4
15. HB 10p-6a Henry Bernardo 281-1044
16. Hiker's Board 11p-5:30a Dennis T. Lee 484-015 24.0 * Fi
17. Inner Sanctum 24H Ronald Go 785-727 14.4 C Fi
18. KGB - 2 11p-6a Horace Posadas 842-0959 16.8 C/Z Fi
19. Krak Shop 10p-6a Joey Martin 216-844 14.4 C Fi
20. Lighthouse 8:30p-7:30a Peter Que 361-3089 9.6 Fi
21. Majesty BBS 24H William Villanueva 732-2516 16.8 C/Z Fi
22. MaXiMuM OVeRDRiVe 9p-6a Albert Godinez 615-516 19.2 C/Z Fi
23. Midnight Callers 9p-6a Albert Uy 350-021 16.8 C/Z Fi
24. Milliways 11p-6a Ronald Lachenal 237-035 2.4 Fi
25. Monolith - 1 7p-10a,24Su Richard Pe 484-984 19.2 C/Z Fi
26. Monolith - 2 7p-10a,24Su Richard Pe 491-740 28.8 # Fi
27. Nightline - 1 7:30p-9a Dave Deluria 721-0808 14.4 C Fi
28. Nightline - 2 7:30p-9a Dave Deluria 798-632 14.4 C Fi
29. NightSTalkeR 1 9p-6a Daniel Chua 732-1478 28.8 # Rd
30. NightSTalkeR 2 24H Natalie Yu 816-7731 28.8 # Rd
31. NSO BBS 1p-8p M-F Val Abuan 601-707
32. Operating Room 7p-6a Gene Yusi 931-9879 16.8 C/Z Fi
+33. PC BBS 9p-6a Cholo Gino 281-2115 2.4 Fr
34. PC Digest 7p-7a,24w Po Wong 817-1493 19.2 C/Z Fi
35. People's Access 5p-2p,24w James Jasminez 971-535 2.4 Fi
36. Philsoft 5p-8a,24w Miguel Paraz 633-3396 19.2 C/Z Fi
37. P.S.D.N. 24H Victor Reyes 893-7213 14.4 C Fi
38. Shadow Keep BBS 10p-7a Anthony de las Alas 406-576 14.4 C Fr
!39. Silver Magic 11p-6a Rick Laig 615-309 14.4 C Fi
40. Socialitenet 7p-7a Eugene Lam 614-953 14.4 C Fi
41. SPAWN BBS 10p-12m Dondee Cenido 732-0617 2.4
42 STI BBS 24H Dan Angeles 815-3910 14.4 C
43. SYNTHEGRAF BBS 9p-9a,24w Lomar Cruz 812-7762 24.0 *
!44. Tech Arsenal BBS 24H M-F Dennis Sy 741-0179 19.2 C/Z Fi
!45. Tee-Pee Group 10:30p-7a Roy Villafuerte 605-517 2.4
46. The Cove Node 10p-8a David Dizon 827-7449 14.4 C Fr
+47. The Girder BBS 24H Benedict Lao 242-4307 16.8 C/Z Fi
48. Toolbox Jr. 10p-6a Chester Chua 614-607 2.4 Fi
49. TRACi 10p-6a Noel Bautista 711-4590 14.4 C Fr
50. TWiLiGHT ZoNe ! 24H Carlos Legaspi 712-0329 19.2 C/Z Fi
!51. UP BBS 7p-8a,24Su Rodel Atanacio 968-837 14.4 C Rd
52. WISDOM Forum 6p-6a Joel Ramos 817-5779 14.4 C Rd
53. ZyLINE 24H Roger Lim 214-332 19.2 C/Z Fi
---[ CEBU ]-------------------------------------------------------------------
1. C.E.B.U. - 1 24H Jojo Sybico 032-221-545 16.8 C/Z Fi
2. C.E.B.U. - 2 24H Jojo Sybico 032-222-676 14.4 C Fi
3. Cosmic BBS 8:30p-6a Ryan Chiu 032-217-332 24.0 * Fi
4. DOST-7 8p-6a M-F Beam Llanto 032-311-852 9.6 Fi
5. InfoTech BBS 8a-6p Jojo Wan 032-313-797 14.4 C Fi
---[ BAGUIO ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
1. Cyberspace 6p-9:30a, Terry Bogayong 074-442-8230 14.4 C Fi
Central 24Su
---[ PAY ]--------------------------------------------------------------------
1. E-mail Center 24H Roberto Verzola 921-9976 16.8 C/Z Fi
2. Financial Access 24H Frank Borromeo 812-2416 2.4
3. Pacific Rim 24H Joel Disini 632-7087 14.4 C Fi
---[ LEGEND ]-----------------------------------------------------------------
MAX - maximum speed attainable in kbps
PTC - high speeds attainable only with other modems supporting the
indicated protocol, otherwise 2.4 kbps only
C - CCITT V.32bis at 14.4 kbps, V.32 at 9.6 kbps
H - US Robotics High-Speed-Transmission protocols (14.4, 16.8 kbps)
P - Telebit Pep high-speed protocols
Z - ZyXEL high-speed protocols (16.8, 19.2 kbps)
* - V.FC at 24.0 kbps
# - V.FC at 28.8 kbps
Fi - member of FidoNet, Philippines
Fr - member of Philippine FreeNet
Rd - member of RDNet
+ - new entry
! - changed entry
== 2.5) What is STAC/STACNET?
[From Cynthia Tee.]
STAC stands for the "Science and Technology Advisory Council" of the
Republic of the Philippines. It is an organizational network sponsored
by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines.
STAC's goal is to use expatriate human resources in key development
programs of the country.
There is a mailing list called STACNET where the discussion is primarily
Philippine science and technology issues. Joe Lim's STACNET FAQ is
available by anonymous ftp from credit.erin.utoronto.ca in /pub/STAC.
[Info from Joe Lim's FAQ.]
The STACnet FAQ has information on four mailing lists associated with
STACnet. These are: STACNET (Philippine Science and Technology), PH-BSG
(Biological Science Group), PH-PSG (Physical Sciences Group), and PHILS-L
(Social Sciences and Humanities). The lists are unmoderated but I suspect
the listowners can kick you out if they want to so be on your best behavior.
To join STACNET, PH-PSG and PH-BSG, send the message
"SUBSCRIBE
" to
listserv@searn.sunet.se or LISTSERV@SEARN.BITNET.
To join PHILS-L, send the message
"SUBSCRIBE PHILS-L " to
majordomo@coombs.anu.edu.au.
When you join STACNET, send a short self-introduction to
STACNET@SEARN.BITNET or stacnet@searn.sunet.se .
== 2.6) What other Philippine-related Internet resources are available?
A. Wide World Web
[From Jowell Sabino and Odie Calima.]
Listed below are some URL's maintained by Pinoys which contain stuff
about the Philippines and pointers to other Philippine-related sites:
http://www.cse.ogi.edu/~casas/casas.html
http://www.arc.ab.ca/~mendoza/pinoy
http://www.eecs.uic.edu/~ocalima
http://www.mit.edu:8001/activities/mitfsa/homepage.html
gopher://sabino.wharton.upenn.edu/~home.80
B. GIF site
[From Roger Key.]
Due to the number of responses about making available pictures
from the Philippines, I took a few minutes to scan some photos
made with one of those Kodak disposable panoramic cameras and put
them on an ftp site here. To get them, ftp to 'phys.ksu.edu'
and look in the sub directory /pub/rkey. There is also a display
program there called qpeg(something) if you need it to view the
gifs. Please pardon the quality and size if they don't meet your
standards.
C. Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
[Info from Desmond Chan.]
IRC allows you to simultaneously communicate (chat) with several users.
Think of it as the Internet equivalent of a party line. For hosts which
support IRC, the following channels are either dominated by Filipinos
and Fil-Ams or by Philippine-related discussions:
#filipino, #manila, #pinoyz, #flipcyde, #tagalog, #pilipino
PART3===============================================================
Summary: soc.culture.filipino FAQ, part 3/4 (Government)
Keywords: FAQ, soc.culture.filipino, government
This is the 3rd of 4 parts. It contains information on the Philippine
government and some Philippine laws.
Section 3: Philippine Government FAQ
------------------------------------
Major sources for this section:
National Statistics Office. Philippine Yearbook 1992 (PY92)
1987 Philippine Constitution (PC87)
World Almanac and Fact Book 1994 (WAFB94)
The Economist Intelligence Unit, 1st Quarter 1994 (EIU194)
== 3.1) How did the Philippines get its name?
The Philippines was named after Prince Philip of Asturias (who later
became King Philip II of Spain) by Spanish navigator Ruy Lopez de
Villalobos.
== 3.2) Why do some people here get ticked off when the Philippines is
referred to as 'PI'?
PI or Philippine Islands was how the Philippines was referred to
during the Spanish and American colonial period. To some people, the
term invokes images of the Filipinos being the white man's 'little
brown brother', which is how the American colonizers viewed the
Filipinos at the time.
[Bill Mitchell recalls from previous discussions on SCF.]
Despite being scrupulously correct English and despite being found
in many or most English language dictionaries, this is considered
offensive by many or most s.c.f readers. My understanding is that
there are two reasons for this: (1) political sensitivity to the
term "PI" vs the preferred term "RP" (even though both terms are correct
English, and have different meanings) and (2) "PI" is a swear-word
contraction in Tagalog.
== 3.3) What's the Philippines like?
A. Basic Geography.
Total land area is 300,000 sq.km. (slightly larger than Nevada). There
are 7100 islands (2773 have names). The largest 11 islands comprise 92.3%
of the total land area. These islands are (larger islands first): Luzon,
Mindanao, Samar, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Mindoro, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol,
Masbate, Sulu Group, Romblon, Marinduque.
B. Weather.
Philippine climate is determined primarily by the wind from three sources.
1. NE monsoon from October to January, 2. E to SE trade winds from
February to April, and 3. SE monsoon the rest of the year. Much
of the country experiences two pronounced seasons, dry from November
to April, and wet the rest of the year. About 20 typhoons enter the
Philippines every year. Typhoon season is between May and January
although most typhoons come in July-September. The northern and
eastern islands (e.g., Luzon and Samar) are the most vulnerable. The
western and southern islands (e.g., Palawan and Mindanao) rarely get them.
Rainfall Rainy Temp (degC) Humidity
(mm) days Max Min
Jan 163 12 32 20 81
Feb 460 11 33 20 79
Mar 444 7 34 21 77
Apr 134 9 35 22 77
May 159 11 36 23 78
Jun 304 18 34 22 81
Jul 327 20 34 22 83
Aug 208 14 34 22 84
Sep 213 17 35 22 84
Oct 603 22 33 22 83
Nov 309 14 34 20 83
Dec 573 20 31 19 82
Data is for Luzon. Rainfall and temperature data are from 1988.
Humidity values are averages from 1951-1985.
C. Language.
The official languages are English and Filipino. They are
also the mediums of instruction in grade school and high school.
English is generally the medium of instruction at the university level.
In addition, according to the 1990 Census, there are 87 languages and
dialects. The ten leading languages are spoken in 89.5% of all
households. The distribution of the mother tongue of the population is
given by the following table:
From Philippine Yearbook 1992, p. 198ff
Major Mother Tongues of the Population
(percentage - figures may not total 100% due to MY rounding)
Census year 1960 1970 1975 1980a 1990
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Tagalog 21 24 24 30 28
Cebuano 24 24 24 24 24
Ilocano 12 11 11 10 10
Hiligaynon 10 10 10 9 9
& Ilonggo
Bicol 8 7 7 6 6
Samar-Leyte 6 5 5 4 4
Pampanga 3 3 3 3 3
Pangasinan 2 2 2 2 2
Others 14 13 13 13 14
a There is a difference in the counting method in 1980. The other census
counted the mother tongue of each person. The 1980 census figure was
based on the language used in each private household.
WAFB 1994 lists the following major languages (which includes native and
non-native speakers) as of mid-1993:
LANGUAGE REGION TOTAL SPEAKERS
(inc. non-native)
Bikol SE Luzon 4 million
Cebuano Bohol Sea 13
Ilocano NW Luzon 7
Magindanaoan S Philippines 1
Pampangan NW of Manila 2
Panay-Hiligaynon Panay 6
Pangasinan Lingayen Gulf 1
Samar-Leyte Central E Phil 3
Tagalog Philippines 43
Tausug Phil, Malaysia 1
Note that the two tables do not match. Discrepancies may be due to
differences in methodology. I would give more credence to the
Philippine Yearbook data because its values are based on census.
D. Other demographics.
Ethnic divisions:
Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 5%, Aglipay 3%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2%,
Muslim 5%, Other 2% [PY92]
Literacy:
90% (1990 est.)
[Unless noted, figures are from CIA World Factbook, 1992]
E. Economic statistics (EIU194).
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
GDP (current P B) 803.0 925.2 1069.7 1241.0 1338.4 1457.6
Real GDP growth % 6.3 6.0 2.7 -0.9 - 1.9
Inflation % 8.7 12.2 14.2 18.7 8.9 7.6
Population M 58.7 60.1 61.5 62.9 64.3 65.7
Exports $M 7074 7821 8186 8840 9824 11,259
Imports $M 8159 10,419 12,206 12,051 14,519 17,619
Current accts $B -.39 -1.46 -2.70 -1.03 -1.00 -2.60
Reserves excl gold $M 1003 1417 924 3246 4403 4676
Total extern debt $B 29.0 28.4 30.2 31.9 30.9 35.1
Fiscal deficit % GNP 3.0 3.1 3.4 2.1 1.2 1.7
Exchange rate (av) P:$ 21.10 21.74 24.31 27.48 25.50 27.12
13 August 1994 P26.3:$1
== 3.4) What is the capital of the Philippines. Is it Manila or Quezon City?
It is MANILA although many references list Quezon City incorrectly.
History: Because of its strategic location, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
took Manila and made it the capital on 24 June 1571. The Philippine
government made Quezon City the capital on 17 July 1948 (Republic Act
333). The seat of government nonetheless remained in Manila even
though many national government offices have moved to Quezon City
(e.g., the Legislature, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the University
of the Philippines). Manila was once again made the capital and the
permanent seat of government on 14 June 1976 (Presidential Decree 940).
== 3.5) What is the form of government?
The Philippines has a presidential form of government modeled largely
after the United States government. The three separate and co-equal
branches are the executive, the legislative and the judiciary.
The president and vice-president are elected at large for a single six-year
term. The next presidential elections are in 1998.
The 24 members of the Senate are elected at large for up to two consecutive
six-year terms. Elections for 12 of the 24 seats are held every three
years. The constitution provides for up to 250 members of the House of
Representatives. 200 are elected by congressional districts. The rest
are alloted to sectors as defined by statute (there are currently less
than 10 sectoral seats). Representatives can serve for up to three
consecutive three-year terms. The next elections are in 1995.
The supreme court consists of one chief justice and 14 associate justices.
They are appointed by the president. Their terms expire when they reach
70 years old. The lower courts are created by statute.
The lower Philippine courts were reorganized by Executive Order 867 in
1987. There are 12 Regional Trial Courts (RTC) which serve as courts of
first instance (CFI) outside cities and municipalities. Within towns and
cities, Municipal Trial Courts (Metropolitan Trial Court in Metro
Manila) serve as CFIs. The Intermediate Appellate Court consists of
50 justices in 10 divisions. The Sandiganbayan (graft court), which was
introduced in the 1973 Constitution, is at the appellate court level.
The Tanodbayan (Ombudsman) prosecutes graft and corruption cases in the
Sandiganbayan.
The constitution also provides for the following commissions which are
considered independent of the three branches given above: the Civil
Service Commission (3 commissioners), the Commission on Elections (7),
and the Commission on Audit (3). Commissioners are appointed by the
president and serve for single 7-year terms.
Although the Philippines has always had a presidential form of government,
there was an attempt to introduce a parliamentary form of government in
the 1973 Constitution. While elements of a parliamentary system were
used after 1973, the system of government remained essentially presidential
under martial law with the president (Ferdinand Marcos) exercising both
executive and legislative powers, and the unicameral National Assembly
exercising 'advisory' [the interim Batasang Pambansa 1977-1984] and later
legislative powers [the Batasang Pambansa 1984-1986]. This bad experience
with the presidential system erroneously labeled as 'parliamentary' led
many of the writers of the 1987 Constitution to (perhaps foolishly) reject
the parliamentary system.
== 3.6) Let X = Philippine President. Solve for X.
PRESIDENT YEAR BIRTHPLACE PARTY
Emilio Aguinaldo 1898 Cavite President of the revolutionary
gov't. Captured by US in 1901.
Manuel Quezon 1935 Quezon Coalition Party, headed Commonwealth
and gov't in exile in WW2.
Jose Laurel 1943 Batangas Nationalista Party, headed
Japanese puppet gov't in WW2.
Sergio Osmena 1945 Cebu CP. Became president when
Quezon died.
Manuel Roxas 1946 Capiz Left NP to form Liberal Party
Elpidio Quirino 1948 Quirino LP
Ramon Magsaysay 1953 Zambales NP
Carlos Garcia 1957 Bohol NP
Diosdado Macapagal 1961 Pampanga LP
Ferdinand Marcos 1965 Ilocos N. NP
Corazon Aquino 1986 Tarlac UNIDO
Fidel Ramos 1992 Pangasinan Lakas-NUCD
== 3.7) Can you give me some background on the current President and Vice
President of the Philippines?
[Info provided by Lulu Turner.]
PRESIDENT Fidel "Eddie" V. Ramos
Born: March 18, 1928 in Lingayen, Pangasinan
Education: Bachelor of Science, US Military Academy (West Point)
MBA, Ateneo de Manila University
MS in Civil Engineering, University of Illinois
1952: Reconnaissance platoon leader of the 20th Battalion Combat Team,
Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK).
1968-1969: In the Vietnam war, he was operations commander of the 1st
Philcag team and Presidential Assistant on Military Affairs.
1970: Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Intelligence
Service.
1975: Director General of the Philippine Constabulary.
1982: Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
1986: Chief of Staff (after EDSA)
1988-91: Secretary of National Defense.
VICE PRESIDENT Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada
Born: April 19, 1937 in Tondo, Manila
Education: Ateneo de Manila High School
Mapua Institute of Technology
A movie actor and producer with many box-office hits before entering
politics (his roles usually heroic, battler against injustice,
champion of the underdog); five times FAMAS (Philippine equivalent of
the Oscar) awardee for Best Actor. Founded the Movie Workers Foundation.
Was Mayor of San Juan (in Metro Manila) for 17 years. Said to be
the only mayor in the Metropolitan Manila area to have built up municipal
savings of P23.9M. Was forced to step down from office after the 1986
EDSA Revolution. Chosen one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men in
Public Administration in 1972.
In 1987, elected to the Senate, one of only two in the minority
bloc. Chosen one of the three most outstanding senators by the Free Press.
== 3.8) Who are the top government officials?
President Fidel Ramos
Vice-president Joseph Estrada
Key department secretaries
agriculture Roberto Sebastian
defense Renato de Villa
economic development Cielito Habito
education Ricardo Gloria
energy Delfin Lazaro
environment & nat. resources Angel Alcala
finance Roberto de Ocampo
foreign affairs Roberto Romulo
interior & local government Rafael Alunan
justice Franklin Drilon
labor & employment Nieves Confesor
public works Gregorio Vigilar
tourism Vicente Carlos
trade & industry Rizalino Navarro
transportation & communication Jesus Garcia
executive secretary Teofisto Guingona
Senate president Edgardo Angara
House speaker Jose de Venecia
Supreme court chief justice Andres Narvasa
== 3.9) What are the addresses and telephone numbers of the top government
officials of the Philippines?
DEPARTMENT ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER
Agrarian Reform PTA Bldg., Elliptical Rd., Diliman QC
993573/996821
Agriculture DOA Bldg., Elliptical Rd., Diliman QC
998946/998741 thru 51
Management & Budget Administration Bldg, Malacanang, Manila
483475 481420
Education, Culture Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila
& Sports 407744/491775
Energy PNOC Bldg, 7101 Makati Ave., Makati MM
851923/865287
Environment & Nat. DENR Bldg, Visayas Ave., QC
Resources 969428/976626
Foreign Affairs PICC Bldg, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd, Manila
832-8309
Finance DOF Agrifina Circle, Rizal Park, Manila
595262/482677
Health San Lazaro Hospital, Rizal Ave, Sta Cruz, Manila
711-6095
Justice Justice Bldg, Padre Faura, Ermita, Manila
599270 thru 79
Labor & Employment DOLE Bldg, Gen Luna/Muralla St, Intramuros Manila
470264
Interior & Local PNCC Bldg, EDSA/Reliance St, Mandaluyong MM
Government 774011
National Defense Camp Aguinaldo QC
786783/785301
Natl Econ Devt Amber Ave, Ortigas Complex, Pasig MM
Authority 673-5051
Public Works & 2nd St, Port Area, Manila
Highways 403552 473180
Science & Tech Bicutan, Taguig MM
822-0961 thru 67
Social Welfare & Batas Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills, QC
Development 964935
Tourism DOT Bldg, Rizal Park, Manila
501751/597031
Trade & Industry DTI Bldg, Buendia Ave Extension Makati MM
818-5701 thru 04
Transportation PhilComCen Bldg, Ortigas Ave, Pasig MM
& Communication
Ofc. of the Pres. Administration Bldg, Malacanang, Manila
521-2301 thru 09
== 3.10) How much are the salaries of the top officials of the Philippine
government?
PC87 Article XVIII (17) set the salaries in 1987. It also provides that
the salaries may be increased by statute. The figures below do not
include bonuses, allowances, etc.
ANNUAL SALARY (US$ Equivalent)
President P 300 000 $ 10700
V. President 240 000 8600
Senate President 240 000 8600
Speaker of the House 240 000 8600
Supreme Court Chief Justice 240 000 8600
Senators 204 000 7300
Congressmen 204 000 7300
Supreme Court Assoc. Justice 204 000 7300
Const. Commission Chair 204 000 7300
Const. Commission Members 180 000 6400
Note that a typical engineering/science RA in a major US university
has a higher salary than the Philippine president.
== 3.11) I was born in the Philippines but my parents aren't Filipino. Am
I a Filipino citizen?
No. Philippine citizenship is based on the principle of jus sanguinis.
According to PC87 Article IV, to be a Filipino citizen, at least one of
your parents has to be a Filipino citizen. This also means that children
of Filipino parents who are born outside the Philippines are Filipino
citizens as well.
== 3.12) Is there divorce in the Philippines?
The Philippine government does not recognize divorce. You cannot file
for divorce within the Philippine legal system. However, there are
some exceptions [WARNING! I am not a lawyer. This isn't legal advice.
If you're stupid enough to take this as legal advice, please don't
blame me.]
[This section is taken from Philippine Laws by M.H. Casenas 1989.]
Before 3 August 1988, a valid marriage contracted by a Filipino citizen
was not subject to divorce. However, with the advent of the Family Code
(Article 36) and EO 227, a Filipino citizen whose divorce is decreed by
a foreign court will be allowed to remarry PROVIDED the divorce is
initiated by the foreign spouse. Note that if a Filipino spouse
initiates the divorce, his marriage is still valid under Philippine law
even if a divorce decree is granted by a foreign court.
If a nonFilipino spouse filing for divorce was a Filipino citizen
at the time of marriage, the divorce will not be recognized by
Philippine law unless both spouses are nonFilipino citizens by the
time divorce proceedings are initiated.
Note that before Family Code 1988 Article 36, Filipinos who get
divorced would still be married under Philippine law even though their
nonFilipino spouses were free to remarry. The divorce provisions of the
Family Code were written to remedy this incongruity.
== 3.13) Let X = Income distribution in the Philippines. Describe X.
According to the Family Income and Expenditure Surveys of the
National Statistics Office
Recipient % share of total income
1961 1965 1971 1975 1985 1988
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Top 10% 41.0 40.1 37.1 38.8 36.4 35.7
Top 20% 56.5 55.5 54.0 53.3 52.1 51.8
Top 50% 82.4 82.7 82.4 79.5 79.7 79.8
Bottom 50% 17.6 17.3 17.6 20.5 20.3 20.3
Bottom 20% 4.2 3.5 3.6 5.5 5.2 5.2
Bottom 10% 1.5 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.0 2.0
== 3.14) What is the address and telephone number of the closest Philippine
embassy or consulate?
There are too many to list all of them. I'll only list the ones that
are in coutries where I've seen people here post from.
Phone number follows #. E - embassy, others are consulates or missions.
USA:
1617 Massachusetts Ave NW, WASHINGTON DC 20036 USA
#(202)467-9300 (E)
30 N Michigan Ave. #2100, CHICAGO IL 60602
#(312)332-6458/9
GITC Bldg, 4th Fl Ste 406, Marine Dr, Tamuning, GUAM 96911
#011(671)646-4620 [Thanks Reynaldo Dalisay]
2433 Pali Highway, HONOLULU HI 96817
#(808)595-6316/9
2727 Allen Parkway #880, HOUSTON TX 77019
#(713)524-0155
3460 Wilshire Blvd #1200, LOS ANGELES CA 90010
#(213)387-5321
Phil Center, 556 5th Ave, NEW YORK NY 10036-5095
#(212)764-1300
447 Sutter St, 6th Fl Phil Center Bldg, SAN FRANCISCO CA 94108
#(415)433-6666
United Airlines Bldg, 2033 6th Ave #801, SEATTLE WA 98121-2523
#(206)441-1640
CANADA:
130 Albert St #606, OTTAWA Ont KIP5G4
#(613)233-1121/3 (E)
151 Bloor St. W #365, TORONTO Ont M5S1T5
#(416)922-7181
470 Granville St., Roger's Bldg #301-8, VANCOUVER BC V6C1V5
#(604)685-7645
GERMANY:
Argelander-St 1, 5300 BONN 1 Germany
#(0228)267990 (E)
Otto Grotewoh St 3a/v, BERLIN 1080, Germany
#2202136
Jungfrauental 13, 2000 HAMBURG 13 GERMANY
#(040)442952
AUSTRALIA:
1 Moonah Place, Yarralumla CANBERRA 2600 P.O. Box 297, Manuka 2603
#732535 (E)
27-33 Wentworth Ave, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 P.O. Box K315, Haymarket, SYDNEY
2000
Australia
#(02)267-3066
OTHER COUNTIRES:
760 Sukhumvit Rd, BANGKOK, Thailand
#2590139 (E)
Hallwystrasse 34, BERNE 3005, Switzerland
#(301)434221 (E)
229 Ave. Moliere, 60 BRUSSELS, Belgium
#3436400 (E)
RP Mission to the UN, 47 Ave Blanc, 1202 GENEVA Switzerland
#313820/9 (C/M)
125 Lean Copes Van Cattenburch 2528 Ez THE HAGUE Netherlands
#(070)604821 (E)
9a Palace Green, LONDON WB 4QE UK
#(01)9371609 (E)
39 Ave, George's Mandel, 75116 PARIS France
#47046550
Skeppsbron 22, 11130 STOCKHOLM Sweden
P.O. Box 2219, 10315 STOCKHOLM Sweden
#(08)209129 (E)
11-24 Nampeidai-mashi, Shibuya-ku, TOKYO Japan 150
#(03)4962731/6 (E)
50 Hobson St, Thornton WELLINGTON New Zealand; PO Box 12-042
#729921 (E)
== 3.16) I'm a Filipino/ex-Filipino who wants to avail of the Balik-
Scientist program. Do you have any info on this?
The Balik-Scientist Program was instituted by the Philippine
government to provide incentives for expatriate Filipino S&T
professionals to return to the Philippines and share their
expertise.
For details on this program, please contact
Asst. Secretary Lydia G. Tansinsin
Balik Scientist Program
Department of Science and Technology
General Santos Avenue
Bicutan, Taguig, Metro Manila
P.O. Box 3596, Manila
Philippines
FAX (632) 823-8937
TEL & FAX (632) 823-8940
lgt@dostmis.dost.gov.ph
Below are excerpts from the pamphlet _Balik-Scientist_ provided
by DOST to all applicants:
The program is available to science and technology experts who are
Filipinos or foreigners of Filipino descent.
TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS
1. Short-term Experts - will work for one to three months
2. Long-term Experts - at least 2 years
3. New PhD graduates - at least 3 years
REQUIREMENTS
Short and Long-Term Experts:
1. Medical certificate saying you're healthy.
2. Must not have received a grant that requires her to go back to
the Philippines (e.g. Fulbright scholarships).
3. Must have at least an MS plus five years experience preferably in
the private sector. Applicants without advanced degrees but with
highly specialized skills can still qualify. Expertise must be
consistent with STMP and STAND 2000.
4. Must have made an outstanding contribution to her field.
New Graduates
Same requirements as 1 and 2
3. Must have a PhD. No experience required.
4. His field of study must be consistent with STMP and STAND 2000.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
1. 2" x 2" photo and completed BSP Application Form 001.
2. Academic transcript and Xerox copy of diploma from your
highest degree.
3. Curriculum vitae.
4. Latest medical certificate.
5. Release from your employer.
6. Certificate of good moral character from employer.
7. Statement of plans and expected output.
[Hint: When writing this, make sure you relate your plans
and expertise to the STMP and STAND priorities.]
S&T MASTER PLAN (STMP) PRIORITIES
1. Agriculture 9. Energy
2. Aquaculture & marine fisheries 10. Transportation
3. Forestry & natural resources 11. Construction
4. Metals & engineering 12. Information technology
5. Textiles 13. Electronics, instrumentation,
6. Mining & minerals & control
7. Process industry 14. Emerging technologies
8. Food & feed industry 15. Pharmaceuticals
S&T AGENDA FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (STAND) EXPORT PRIORITIES
1. Computer software
2. Fashion accessories
3. Marine products
4. Fruits
5. Gifts, toys and houseware
6. Furniture
7. Metals fabrication
SOME KEY INCENTIVES
Short-Term Experts
1. Free round-trip economy airfare
2. Per diem
3. Travel tax exemption
4. Duty free importation of personal effects and
professional instruments
Long-Term Experts & New Graduates
1. Economy airfare for expert, spouse and 2 dependents
Return ticket provided at end of contract
2. Travel tax exemption
3. No-dollar importation (NDI) of motor vehicles
NOTE: NDI != duty free. All this means is that you can
pay the duty in pesos. See section 3.18.
4. Duty free importation of personal effects and
professional instruments
5. Reimbursement of surface shipping expenses (up to 2.5 tons)
6. Waiver of visa and professional registration fees
== 3.17) What items are exempt from customs and duties for immigrants
and returning residents of the Philippines?
[Info from the Phil Embassy Trade Office (202)467-9419.]
I. Free of Duty and Taxes
Balikbayan box with declared value of $500 consisting of personal effects
such as:
A. Used clothing, towels, bedsheets, shoes, kitchenware and houseware,
except appliances,
B. Canned goods up to 2 dozen per kind,
C. Coffee, up to 3 cans or jars total,
D. New shoes, up to 3 pairs total,
E. Toiletries, shampoo, up to 1 dozen; soap up to 2 dozen,
F. Cosmetics, colognes/perfumes, up to 1 dozen.
G. Up to 6 VCR tapes. Excess must have prior clearance from Videogram
Board in Manila or they will be subject to confiscation.
All excess items and all non-returning residents are subject to rate of
duty and taxes: 50% or subject to corresponding duties and taxes provided
by the Tariff and Customs Code.
- skip II. -
III. Items Requiring Prior Clearance
A. Used microwave oven Dept. of Health
B. Replicas of toy guns Phil. Constabulary
C. Copy machine NBI
D. Radio transceivers NTC
E. VCR tapes (> 12) Videogram Regulatory Board
[This number seems to contradict Item IG - Francis]
F. New tires and vehicle spare parts Bureau of Import Services
IV. Appliances: For contract workers and returning residents:
All used appliances must show that they have been used. Duty free if owner
is going home provided they:
A. Write a letter requesting tax exemption,
B. present original passport,
C. show packing list and bill of lading.
Used appliances should arrive within 60 days after owner arrives.
Contact: Mr. Vivencio Bacal
Dept. of Finance, Revenue Office
Agrifina circle, Rizal Park, Manila
# 489779
Invoices or sales receipts from stores are required for presentation
to customs. All packing lists must have shipper's passport number above
their names to assure Phil customs shippers are using 'real names'.
== 3.18) What kind of taxes do I have to pay on a second-hand vehicle
brought into the Philippines?
[Info provided by the Philippine Embassy Trade Office.]
Note: This rule applies only to returning residents, immigrants and
balik scientists.
Rather than giving you a formula, let me instead use an example similar
to what the document provides. Note that in my example, the total cost
of importing a 1993 Nissan Sentra (1600 cc) is $20,798 or P561,546 plus
shipping.
How much does this car cost in the Philippines anyway?
Car 1993 Nissan Sentra (1600cc)
Book value $ 12,000 <---- Kelly Blue Book Value
Less: depreciation .85
------
10,200
Less: 20% wholesale value .80
------
Home consumption value 8160
Add: 2% Insurance 1.02
------
8323
Add: Freight 1002
------
Dutiable value 9325
Duty (50% fixed) .50
------
Duty $ 4663 <----- You pay this amount
Add: Dutiable value 9325
Add: Misc expenses 700
------
Total Landed cost 14,688
Add 10% 1.10
------
Ad valorem tax base 16,157
Ad valorem tax rate* .15
------
Ad valorem tax $ 2424 <----- You pay this too
Add: Total landed cost 14,688
------
Value added tax base 17,112
VAT 0.10
------
VAT $ 1711 <----- You pay this too
SUMMARY
Duty $ 4663
Ad Valorem Tax 2424
VAT 1711
------
Total Duty and Taxes $ 8798 or P 237,546
* Ad valorem tax rate for gasoline cars:
Displacement (cc) Rate
----------------- ----
1600 cc 15 %
1601 - 2000 35 %
2001 - 2700 50 %
2701 - 2800 100 %
== 3.19) Will customs tax my used computer when I get to the airport?
What I think the law says:
The duty-free importation of personal effects and tools of trade not
meant for sale, rent or barter is covered by Section 105 of the Tariff
and Customs Code of the Philippines. The discussion in this section is
based on my personal non-lawyer interpretation of the complex provisions
of the TCCP. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE THAT I AM COMPLETELY WRONG HERE SO
BEWARE. I invite a more knowledgeable person to rewrite or clarify this
section.
Section 105f:
For personal effects of returning residents which were registered
before departing the Philippines and used for more than 6 months
before return, the first P2000 value is exempt. I am sure this value
has been increased although I have no copy of the amendment. Value
above cut-off is subject to 50% duty.
This provision seems to be targetted to Filipinos who went abroad as
tourists. This doesn't give you much.
Section 106g:
For tourists, foreign consultants and experts, portable tools and
instruments are exempt. Customs may ask you to post a bond 150% of
the duties and taxes.
Section 107h:
For Filipinos who have resided abroad such as green card holders and
ex-Filipinos, professional tools are duty free if you are coming back
to settle in the Philippines.
This section does not explicitly mention contract workers (e.g., H-1
visa holders) and students. 'Residing abroad' legally does not apply to
contract workers and students even if they own, maintain, rent homes
abroad.
However, if you read the Trade Office guidelines given in FAQ
Section 3.17 part IV, the duty waiver for appliances given to contract
workers and returning residents could be based on this section.
---
Practical experience of some people on soc.culture.filipino:
If the computer looks used, customs inspectors generally waive duties
with no need for explanation.
== 3.20) What are the visa requirements for a non-Filipino citizen
who wants to visit the Philippines as a tourist?
NOTE: You might not need a visitor's visa if you stay for 21 days
or less. Contact the nearest RP consulate and ask if you qualify.
[Info provided by the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles.]
To get a visitor's visa, you needs to apply in person. Bring the
following items:
1. passport
2. passport size photo
3. green card/I-20/visa/whatever document that to shows that
you can enter the next country in your itinerary
4. exit ticket from the Philippines
5. affidavit of support or a bank statement show you can afford to
stay there
6. $30 cash (no checks)
== 3.21) I am a US citizen who used to be a Filipino citizen. I would
like to go back to the Philippines and settle there permanently.
What do I need to do?
[Info provided by Sam Espartero.]
This was sent to me by the Philippine Consulate General in San
Francisco.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Requirements for the issuance of a NON-QUOTA IMMIGRANT VISA
13-G under Republic Act No.4376 to a natural-born citizen
of the Philippines who has been naturalized in a foreign
country, and is returning to the Philippines for permanent
residence, including his spouse and minor unmarried children:
1. Personal interview;
2. Applicant's passport valid for a period of at least six
months from date of application;
3. Application FA Form No.3 accomplished in duplicate by
each applicant. (One original and one photocopy)
4. Three (3) identical (2" x 2") photographs, taken within
the last six months, signed across the bottomline;
5. Naturalization papers; (photocopy)
6. Original and photocopy of birth certificate (or baptismal
certificate) or old Philippine passport; (Submit 2 copies)
7. Marriage certificate - If applicant is a female and applying
alone or applying with spouse; (Submit 2 copies)
8. Proof of financial support;
(Choose one which applies to you and submit 2 copies)
a. Certification from the bank
b. Statement of monthly pension
c. Affidavit of support executed by a relative here in
the U.S.
d. DD-214 if retired from the Navy or Military
9. Police clearance from city or town of residence in the
last 5 years for applicants who are 15 years and above.
(Submit one original and one photocopy)
10. Medical and physical examination. Medical Certificate
(F.A. Form No.11) to be signed by examining physician
and to be submitted in duplicate. Submit also 2 copies
each of all laboratory tests results. Chest x-ray film
should also be submitted. (One original and one photocopy)
11. Visa Fee of $100.00 for each applicant, in cash or money
order or cashier's check, payable to Philippine Consulate
General.
PART4===============================================================
Summary: soc.culture.filipino FAQ, part 4/4 (Culture)
Keywords: FAQ, soc.culture.filipino, culture
This is the 4th of 4 parts. It contains information on Philippine
culture.
Section 4. Philippine Culture FAQ
---------------------------------
== 4.1) What is 'flip' and is it offensive?
In the US, 'flip' is slang for Filipino in much the same way as 'jap' is
used for Japanese, 'chink' for Chinese, etc. Many Filipinos and
Filipino-Americans consider it a racial slur and take offense. Some don't
care at all. Some even take pride and encourage its use. For example, I
used to know at least one Filipino student newletter called 'Flip
Quarterly'.
In SCF, using 'flip' is as inflammatory, perhaps even more so, as using
'PI'. In most cases, using it could get you some irate mail.
[Bill Mitchell recalls from previous discussions on SCF.]
Many Americans think 'flip' is a derogatory term, but many Filipinos
treat it as simply a convenient contraction of "Filipino". However,
many Filipinos and Fil-Ams do consider it derogatory, and those who do
are likely to have picked up that interpretation here in the U.S.
== 4.2) What are the letters of the Filipino alphabet?
The old Pilipino/Tagalog Abakada which many of us here learned in their
grade school has been supplanted by the new Filipino alphabet. Here are
the two alphabets:
Old alphabet:
a b k d e g h i l m n ng o p r s t u w y: 20 letters
New alphabet:
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n ~n ng o p q r s t u v w x y z : 28 letters
== 4.3) I've seen words referring to the Philippines spelled with 'ph',
'f' and 'p'. Why are there differences and which words are
spelled with which letters?
Misspelling 'Philippines' and its derivative words is a pet peeve to
some SCF readers.
The spelling differences arise from the influence of the Spanish, English
and Tagalog on our culture. In general, words derived from English are
spelled with 'ph', words derived from Spanish are spelled with 'f', and
those derived from Tagalog are spelled with 'p'.
Here is a spelling guide that will help you avoid the minefield:
Philippines the country
Philippine adjective (e.g., Philippine languages)
Filipino 1. The Philippine national language.
2. A Philippine citizen.
Pilipino 1. Previous name of the Philippine national language
(This is not 'strictly' true but the difference
is too minor and too artificial to quibble over.)
2. In Tagalog or Filipino, a Pilipino is a Philippine
citizen.
Philippino A not so common misspelling of 'Filipino' and is a pet
peeve to many.
Pilipinas 'Philippines' in Tagalog or Filipino.
pinoy Accepted slang for 'Filipino'. Use this instead of
'flip' to avoid arguments.
pinas Accepted slang for 'Philippines'. Use this instead of
'PI' to avoid arguments.
== 4.4) What are the lyrics to the Philippine national anthem?
[Info taken from RR's Philippine Almanac, 1988, p. 271]
The Philippine national anthem was composed by Julian Felipe, a music
teacher and composer on 11 June 1898 in Cavite. It was first played in
public during the independence proclamation on 12 June 1898.
Jose Palma, a poet and soldier wrote the lyrics in Bautista, Pangasinan
in August 1899. The poem entitled 'Filipinas', which was set to the
music of Felipe's hymn, was first published in the 3 Sept 1899 issue
of La Independencia.
The Philippine national anthem is in Filipino. Camilo Osias translated
Jose Palma's poem into Tagalog in the 1920s. He and M.A.L. Lane wrote
the most common English translation.
PAMBANSANG AWIT NG PILIPINAS
Bayang magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang
Duyan ka ng magiting
Sa manlulupig
Di ka pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nangniningning;
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo,
Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo.
-----------------------------------------
Below is Jose Palma's poem:
FILIPINAS
(Letra para la Marcha Nacional Filipina)
Tierra adorada,
Hija del Sol de Oriente,
Su fuego ardiente
En ti latiendo esta.
Patria de Amores,
Del heroismo cuna,
Los invasores
No te hollaran jamas.
En tus azul cielo, en tus auras,
En tus montes y en tu mar
Esplende y late el poema
De tu amada libertad.
Tu pabellon, que en las lides
La Victoria ilumino,
No vera nunca apagados
Sus estrellas y su sol.
Tierra de dichas, de sol y amores,
En tu regazo dulce es vivir,
Es una gloria para tus hijos,
Cuando te ofenden, por ti morir.
---------------------------------------------
Below is the most common English translation.
[Info provided by Michelle Calderon and Joselito Real.]
THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL ANTHEM
Land of the morning
Child of the sun returning
With fervor burning
Thee do our souls adore.
Land dear and holy
Cradle of noble heroes
Ne'er shall invaders
Trample thy sacred shore.
O'er within thy skies and through thy clouds
And o'er thy hills and seas,
Do we behold the radiance
feel the throb of glorious liberty.
Thy banner dear to all our hearts
thy sun and stars alight.
Never shall its shining rays
Be dimmed by tyrants' might.
O beautiful land of love,
O land of life,
In thine embrace
'Tis rapture to lie.
But it is glory ever
when thou art wronged
for us, thy sons,
to suffer and die.
== 4.5) What are the words to the Panatang Makabayan (Nationalist Oath)?
Most Filipino schoolkids also recite the following oath during the
flag ceremony. This is our equivalent to the 'Oath of Allegiance'
recited by schoolkids in the United States. An English translation
of the oath is also given below.
PANATANG MAKABAYAN
Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas.
Ito ang lupa ng aking sinilangan.
Ito ang tahanan ng aking lahi.
Ako'y kaniyang kinukupkop at tinutulungan
Upang maging malakas, masaya at kapakipakinabang.
Bilang ganti, diringgin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang
Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng aking paaralan.
Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng isang mamamayang
makabayan at masunurin sa batas.
Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan
nang walang pag-iimbot at ng buong katapatan.
Sisikapin kong maging isang mabuting Pilipino
sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa.
NATIONALIST OATH
I love the Philippines.
It is the land of my birth.
It is the home of my people.
It takes care of me and helps me
become strong, happy and reliable.
In return, I will heed the advice of my parents.
I will follow the rules of my school.
I will discharge the responsibilities of a
patriotic and law-abiding citizen.
I will serve my country
without reservation and with complete loyalty.
I will strive to be a true Filipino
in thoughts, in words, and in action.
== 4.6) Why do many Filipinos have Spanish surnames?
[From Norman Owen.]
For the first several hundred years of Spanish rule, most Filipino
surnames were either indigenous (e.g., Macapagal) or the names of
Saints or other Catholic symbols (San Jose, de la Cruz, de los Reyes,
etc.). Frequently, members of the same family did not have the same
"surname" which drove Spanish officials crazy since they were trying
to keep the tax rolls straight.
So in 1849, under Governor General Narciso Claveria, they issued a huge
"Alphabetical Catalogue of Surnames" (Catalogo Alfabetico de Apellidos --
republished by the National Archives in 1973), which is just page after
page of names, some Spanish, some Filipino, compiled by friars and
bureaucrats from various sources. In theory, every Filipino was supposed
to pick a name from this approved list, and all members of
the same family were supposed to have the same surname and stick
to it.
In practice, implementation was very uneven. In some provinces, e.g.
Albay, the governor apparently tore out pages from the Catalogue and
sent them to individual towns. Hence, almost everyone in the town
had names beginning with the same letter ("B" in Tiwi, "R" in Oas, etc.)
In other provinces, it was much more random. A lot of people kept old
surnames (including "de los Santos" and the like) even though the decree
supposedly forbade this. However, most Filipinos have family names which
date back only to 1849 and to the "Catalogue" issued by Claveria.
Most of the Filipino-Chinese surnames date from the 19th century and
later when most Chinese immigrants came to the Philippines. Names
ending with "-go" or "-co" or "-son" often reflect contractions of
generic terms or honorifics.
For more details on the Claveria decree, read the introduction to the
1973 edition of the _Catalogo Alfabetico de Apellidos_. See Edgar
Wickberg, _The Chinese in Philippine Life, 1850-1898_ for the origin of
Filipino-Chinese surnames.
== 4.7) I go/am going to school X. Is there a Filipino association here?
Submissions are invited. Here's what we have so far:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA
MIT Filipino Students Association
filipinos@mit.edu
University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA
Kaibigang Pilipino
== 4.8) What is BGN?
[Submitted by Paco Sandejas.]
Brain Gain Network
P.O. Box 9293
Stanford, CA 94309
Tel. (415) 493-7462
Fax (415) 753-3430
The goal of the Brain Gain Network is to encourage cooperation among
highly-skilled, expatriate Filipino professionals and students in
assisting the economic and social development of the Philippines. The
movement emphasizes the fostering of high-technology entrepreneurship
in the Philippines and other forms of technology transfer. In
addition, the movement seeks to encourage the formation of business
and professional relationships between expatriate Filipinos and
Philippine-based professionals, students, and corporations.
The BGN facilitates networking among people who can initiate new
ventures that will help the Philippines in one way or another. These
ventures can involve, for example, starting companies in the
Philippines, providing consulting services for Filipino corporations,
or forming foreign-based companies that do business in the
Philippines.
At present, the main activity of the BGN is the creation of a
worldwide human resources database. The database will store data on
the technical/business skills, academic and professional experience,
and contact information for all BGN members. Anyone who takes
time to fill out a BGN personal information sheet will be considered a
BGN member. The database will include expatriate Filipinos,
interested non-Filipinos, and Philippine-based professionals and
students. The database will be available, at mailing cost, to anyone
interested in promoting high-technology efforts in the Philippines.
The database can be used, for example, by a group of prospective
entrepreneurs looking for partners or technical specialists. People
using the database may include not only expatriate Filipinos, but also
Philippine-based entrepreneurs and students or even foreign-owned
entities conducting business in the Philippines.
== 4.9) What is FIND?
[From Chinky Rodriguez]
FIND is the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue. Our purpose is
to promote unity and cooperation of Filipino students. Our goals are:
to offer a channel for dialogue and action
to promote and preserve Filipino culture
to further awareness of issues pertinent to the Filipino community
to offer support to Filipinos studying at East Coast institutions
FIND is divided into seven districts:
1: Eastern New England--Greater Boston, Maine, New Hampshire, and
Rhode Island
2: Western New England--Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, and
Vermont
3: Metro New York--New York City, northern New Jersey, and Long
Island
4: Upstate New York--all of New York State north of metropolitan
New York City
5: Penn-Jersey--Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware
6: Mid-Atlantic Coast-- of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia
7: Southern Virginia
For more information, contact Kathy Ferrer (st201392@brownvm.brown.edu)
== 4.10) I would like to subscribe to a good Filipino/FilAm newpaper
/magazine. Any recommendations?
Philippine News (weekly) (415) 872-3000
156 S. Spruce Ave., Suite 207, South San Francisco CA 94080
Largest circulation among FilAm newspapers (130,000). Good coverage
of Philippine and FilAm news. Editorial columns are usually interesting
and well written. Sports news and Showbiz news can be uneven. Community
news is usually cheesy [but I personally enjoy reading it - Francis.]
Filipinas (monthly) (800)654-7777
5222 Diamond Height Blvd., San Francisco CA 94131
Good and well-written human interest magazine articles. Some of their
writers even have good pedigrees, e.g., Ninotchka Rosca, Arlene Babst,
Marra Pl. Lanot.
== 4.11) I need to prepare Filipino dishes but I don't know how. Do you
have any cookbook suggestions?
Here are a few:
Galing-Galing: Food as Prepared in Philippine Homes (Daza & Daza, 1974).
Our copy at home is well-worn and dog-eared from years of use. Good
recipe book for everyday food.
Popular Recipes of the Philippines (del Fierro, 1986).
Has an extensive intro to food section. The recipes are less involved
and use less ingredients than Daza's.
Filipino Cooking Here and Abroad (Laquian & Sobrevinas, 1977)
I like this cookbook. It has an intro to Filipino food, cooking tips,
suggested substitutions for unavailable ingredients.
== 4.12) I'm looking for some good Philippine movies. Which ones would you
recommend?
The answer to this question is subjective. For what it's worth, here
is a list of 20 post-WW2 movies the Philippine Almanac 1990 called
'Film Classics':
Isumpa mo, Giliw 1947 Portrait of the Artist as Filipino 1965
Sisa 1951 Manila, Open City 1967
Anak-Dalita 1952 Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang 1974
Buhay-Alamang 1952 Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag 1975
Badjao 1953 Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon 1976
Biyaya ng Lupa 1955 Insiang 1976
Diego Silang 1957 Minsa'y Isang Gamugamo 1976
Noli Me Tangere 1960 Nunal sa Tubig 1976
Daigdig ng mga Api 1962 Itim 1977
Sa Atin ang Daigdig 1963
Passionate Strangers 1965
== 4.13) Will my 110 VAC appliances in the US work in the Philippines?
Short answer: Maybe. Buy or bring a 220V-110V AC step-down transformer
anyway since many/most homes only have 220 VAC outlets. Don't forget to
bring an adapter that will let you plug a three-prong plug into a two-
prong outlet.
Long answer: [From Rick Sanchez.]
Here in US, the utility company supplies a 240 VAC +-5%, 60 Hz and
because of drop of voltage due to resistive load, it could drop to
220-230 VAC. There are 3 wires coming from the utility company:
two hot wires (220Volts) and one neutral. The 220 volt wires are
for appliances that consume a lot of energy like the dryer
and the electric range. These 220V appliances have monster plugs. Small
appliances are connected to 110V convenience outlets which have 5-15R
receptacles. These outlets have one hot, one neutral and one ground
connector.
The Philippines adheres to the US National Electrical Code specs with a
small difference in implementation.
In the Philippines where most of the appliances are 220V 60Hz, utility
companies, e.g. Meralco, provide only 2 hot wires with 5-15R convenience
outlets. If you request 110 VAC lines, Meralco will supply a neutral wire
from the electric post. [Very few homes do this.] Make sure that the 220V
outlets are not 5-15Rs. I would suggest using a 6-15R.
== 4.14) I want to learn how to speak Tagalog/Ilocano/Bicolano/(put your
favorite language here), are there any good books around?
[Info taken from John Jay Tanlimco's FAQ.]
1. Teresita V. Ramos. Modern Tagalog: Grammatical Explanations
and Excercises for Non-native Speakers. Honolulu, Hawaii:
University of Hawaii Press. 1990. ISBN# 0-8248-1332-4.
University of Hawaii Press
Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 USA
2. Teresita V. Ramos. Conversational Tagalog: A Functional-
Situational Approach. 1985. ISBN# 0-8248-0944-0.
University of Hawaii Press.
3. Teresita V. Ramos. Intermediate Tagalog: Developing
Cultural Awareness through Language. 1981. ISBN# 0-8248-0776-6.
University of Hawaii Press.
*Ramos comes from an anthropological background and so her texts not
only address grammatical structures, they also place Tagalog within
social and cultural contexts. This is important because you get to
learn culturally acceptable responses as well as language skills.
4. J. Donald Bowen. Intermediate Readings in Tagalog.
Berkeley, California: University of California Press, Ltd.
1968. ISBN# 0-520-00157-5.
5. Vito Santos. Vicassan's Pilipino-English Dictionary.
Intro by Teodoro Agoncillo. Metro Manila: National Bookstore, Inc.
Revised edition. 1990. ISBN# 971-08-3654-4.
(This one's pretty serious. 2677 pages. Hardcover. Pilipino
words only, translated into English. As of June 1993, it
cost 980 pesos at National Bookstore, MM which is close to
$50 US.)
== 4.15) What are the Philippine martial arts?
[Info condensed from the rec.martial-arts FAQ provided by Don Labutay.]
Kali, Escrima, and Arnis are all terms for the native fighting arts of the
Philippines, specifically the arts that use weapons.
Arnis is a Northern Term, Escrima more Central, and Kali is from the South.
In this view, the terms just refer to indigenous weapons fighting systems.
Arnis would be the term used in Northern Luzon, Escrima from Manila through
the central islands, and Kali on Mindanao.
History:
Kali is an older art than Escrima or Arnis, and more comprehensive.
Escrima and Arnis were developed as streamlined, simplified ways to teach
people to fight the Spanish invaders. Hence, Kali is more of a "warrior's
art" while Escrima and Arnis are "soldier's arts". Kali is usually
considered to have 12 areas of combat, with Escrima containing 8 or 9 of
them, and Arnis 4 to 6.
Description:
The "full" coverage alluded to above usually contains the following:
1 Single Stick (or long blade)
2 Double long weapon
3 Long & Short (sword & dagger, e.g.)
4 Single dagger
5 Double Dagger
6 Palm Stick/Double-end Dagger
7 Empty Hands (punching, kicking, grappling)
8 Spear/Staff, long weapons (two-handed)
9 Flexible weapons (whip, sarong, etc.)
10 Throwing weapons
11 Projectile weapons (bows, blowguns)
12 Healing arts
A further distinction that some people make is to say that Kali is, at its
heart, a blade art, while Escrima and Arnis are designed to work with
sticks. This is a matter of some contention among practitioners of the
various styles and schools.
A distinctive feature of all of these Filipino arts is their use of
geometry. In strikes/defenses and movement, lines and angles are very
important. In addition, the independent use of the hands, or hands and
feet, to do two different things at the same time, is a high-level skill
sought after a fair amount of experience.
Training:
Filipino styles normally classify attacks not by their weapon, or their
delivery style, but by the direction of their energy - for example, a
strike to the head is usually analyzed in terms of "a high lateral strike."
A punch to the gut is treated much the same as a straight knife thrust to
that region would be. Students learn how to deal with the energy of the
attack, and then apply that knowledge to the slight variations that come
with different lengths and types of weapons.
Filipino arts place great emphasis on footwork, mobility, and body
positioning. The same concepts (of angles of attack, deflections, traps,
passes, etc.) are applied to similar situations at different ranges, making
the understanding of ranges and how to bridge them very important. The
Filipinos make extensive use of geometric shapes, superimposing them on a
combat situation, and movement patterns, to teach fighters to use their
position and their movement to best advantage. Some styles emphasize
line-cutting (a la Wing Chun), while some are very circular (like Aikido).
Some like to stay at long range, some will move inside as soon as possible.
These differences are hotly debated, as are most things, but they all work
differently for different people.
Most Filipino arts, but Kali in particular, stress the importance of
disarming an opponent in combat. This is not usually done gently, but by
destroying an attacking weapon (break the hand, and the stick will fall.)
== 4.16) What is the state of science and technology in the Philippines?
This topic will not be settled by the FAQ. We wish we could since it is
recycled regularly without any new empirical information or new arguments.
If you plan to start a discussion on the subject, please do so by
introducing data from recent statistics or studies.
While it is generally recognized that the Philippine S&T could use a lot
more qualified scientists, engineers and technicians, science leadership,
innovative programs, resources, financial support, etc. there is also
evidence that S&T is doing better than many people are usually led to
believe. Before attempting to start a tirade on the subject (and
this happens all the time), please read the article 'How does Korean
science rate?' in Nature, v. 364, p. 379, 29 July 1993 which suggested
that we're doing well compared to our South East Asian neighbors. Below
is an excerpt from that article:
In terms of quality, South Korea compares poorly with seven other
rapidly industrializing countries in the region (Taiwan, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines),
coming next to last in terms of citation impact (average citations
per paper relative to world average), according to the March 1993
issue of ISI's Science Watch. By field, South Korea was only strong
in engineering, ranking second.
Odd as it may seem, the Philippines, which has the weakest economy
and the weakest industries in the region, came out top overall and
top in engineering, biology and agriculture, and second in medicine.
== 4.17) Please suggest good methods for sending money to the Philippines.
[Includes info from Erik Bloom and Marian Nebraga.]
Here are a few suggestions:
I. Mail checks
Advantage: It's generally safe, hassle free, and free. I've been doing
this for seven years and I've never had problems with this method.
Disadvantage: Checks take 45-90 days to clear. If you add this to the
mailing time and time for your folks to deposit the check, it may take
up to 110 days for the money to get to them. Some people also feel
uneasy about trusting their checks to the postal system.
Suggestion: This is a good method for sending money on a regular basis.
What we usually do is write checks which have dates every first day of
the next few months. As long as your folks deposit the checks as soon as
they are current, then they'll be getting a regular monthly subsidy.
If your folks can sell dollar checks to 'non-conventional money dealers',
they could get the money sooner and with a good exchange rate.
II. Dollar remittance services
Advantage: It's fast, safe and hassle-free.
Disadvantage: A fee is charged. In addition, remittance companies usually
give a lower exchange rate than usual. For example, the exchange rate
at BPI Express Remittance (Aug 94) was P25.80/$1 when the prevailing rate
according to GMA News was P26.3/$1. At Lucky Money, it was P25.4/$1.
Some companies:
Listing doesn't imply endorsement. Comments from readers who have actually
used these companies are welcome:
1. BPI Express Remittance Corporation (800) BPI-EXPR (274-3977)
3550 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 128, Los Angeles CA 90010
Gellert Sq. Shopping Center 2233 Gellert Blvd.
So. San Francisco CA 94080
Branches everywhere.
SERVICE FEE
Regular Peso Remittance $ 5.00
Door-to-door MManila 8.00
Door-to-door Provinces 12.00
Dollar-to-dollar ASK
2. Lucky Money (800) SUWERTE (789-3783)
1111 Mission St., San Francisco CA 94103
Many locations in California.
24 hours to MManila, many C. & S. Luzon towns and cities. Elsewhere
longer.
Every 6th remittance is free.
Up to 50 word message with remittance.
Proof of delivery provided.
$10.00 to all locations in the Philippines.
3. Grace Foreign Exchange (800) 438-3220
870 Market St. Suite 323 San Francisco CA 94102
Many locations in California and Washington.
4. Philippine National Bank
I sent a remittance to Manila via PNB just 2 days ago. The recipient
has to have an account with PNB. If it's a dollar account, they'll
get it in dollars, and quicker too. If it's in pesos, they'll get it
of course in pesos and may take 45 days!!! PNB has an affiliate bank
in the Bay Area known as Century Bank - one in Daly City and another
in downtown San Francisco. [Marian Nebraga]
5. Johnny Aircargo (800) 227-6182
55 St. Francis Square, Daly City CA 94015
I used Johnny Aircargo in Queens. It was not as cheap as BPI and
PNB (they deducted about 40 centavos per dollar) but it did arrive
in Naga City promptly and without much hassle. [Erik Bloom]
6. RCBC Telemoney (415) 757-0500, (800) 873-7222 in CA
RCBC Calif. Intl., PO Box 2629, Daly City CA 94017-2629
Metro Manila (1-2 days) $ 7.00
Major cities, e.g., Cebu (1-2) 9.00
Elsewhere (5 days) 9.00 (up to P9K)
Emergency (6 hrs in MManila) 13.00
Dollar to dollar 15.00
To an RCBC account 5.00
== 4.18) I live in city X and I would like to know if there are any good
Pinoy restaurants in the area. Any recommendations?
[List originally compiled by Ken Ilio.]
I also listed the person's whose opinion you're reading. People's tastes
differ, of course. YMMV. Reader comments and contributions are welcome.
Please limit your reviews to three lines.
CALIFORNIA
Bulakena (San Francisco)
Tito Rey (Daly City)
Not too elegant, great atmosphere, good food. Someone says it's more of
a night spot. [I ate there. The food was good. Somewhat pricey though.
Reservations recommended on weekends. - Francis Felizardo]
Live entertaining and dancing on Friday and Saturday nights.
[Sonny Dionida]
Goldilock's Bakeshop (many outlets)
Fine pastries. Lot's of food to chose from. Sort of quickie meals
but not like common fast food places. [Sonny Dionida]
Bahay Kubo (South San Francisco)
Manila Sunset (South San Francisco)
Max's Fried Chicken (South San Francisco)
Filipino Cuisine Maynilad (San Jose)
Gold Ribbon Bake Shop (Main Street, Milpitas)
Great cakes, pastries and other Filipino delicacies. [Lyn Tadena]
Barrio Fiesta (Milpitas)
Sisters Bakery (El Camino Real, Sunnyvale)
New Manila Cuisine--in Liddicoats Fast Food complex
University Avenue, Palo Alto near Stanford University
Price very reasonable (ex: 3 items for $3.50; home style cooking,
generous serving. Large selection of Filipino dishes and desserts.
[Lyn Tadena]
T'boli Cuisine (Los Angeles)
Reservations needed. Good food, reasonable prices, has lunch specials,
atmosphere not baduy.
Barrio Fiesta (Los Angeles)
Max's Fried Chicken (Los Angeles)
Calesa (Sta. Ana)
Serves paella, salpicado, fondues. More on the Spanish side of Filipino
food. Also singing and guitar music.
Filipino Restaurants in Los Angeles [Louie Soriano]:
Goldilocks
Betsy's
Manila Sunset
Barrio Fiesta (This the Best!!!)
Max's Chicken
Turo-Turo (Northridge)
Pinausukan, Los Angeles, CA
An excellent restaurant. The traditional dishes are great. This is
the only restaurant where I saw Filipino dishes my parents have never
cooked before--a pleasant surprise. Too bad no one seems to go there
because of the location--I really don't know anyone else who knows
about it... [Jose Isagani de los Reyes]
% National City is just south of San Diego.%
Pampanga's Best (National City)
Manila Sunset (National City)
Karihan Filipino Food (National City)
Max's Fried Chicken (National City)
Maynila Restaurant (National City)
Barrio Fiesta (National City)
Good food but don't get their chopsuey. Their bulalo is my favorite.
Moderate prices. 'Native theme'. Good atmosphere. They don't have a
liquor license. [Francis Felizardo]
ILLINOIS
Manila, Manila (Chicago)
Cultural show and seafood buffet on Fridays.
Little Quiapo (Chicago)
Excellent food (the ampalaya con carne is heavenly), atmosphere is a
little bit depressing though, no windows, leatherette red table
coverings, friendly waiters/waitresses who speak in accented Tagalog,
video rentals, komiks, and of course, an adjoining gift shop.
Filipiniana (Chicago)
D'Manilans (Chicago)
Tipanan (Chicago)
Sulo (Chicago)
Manila Sunset (Chicago)
Pancit Malabon especial.
Sun Wah BBQ (Chicago)
Serves lechon.
Hong Kee (Chicago)
In Argyle. It's a Vietnamese restaurant but serves Filipino noodle
favorites such as Pancit Canton, Mami, and also lechon de leche and
ordinary lechon. The lugaos are also good. Hang out of a lot of Pinoys.
NEW JERSEY
Manila's Ihawan (Jersey City)
Reviewed by Wesley Macawili in Filipinas Magazine. He liked the
laing, grilled bangus. The Pinoy style BBQs (on sticks) in the review
article looked really good. [Francis Felizardo]
NEW MEXICO
The Filipino Burrito (Albuquerque)
Serves nothing but lumpiang sariwa and lumpiang shanghai. The best
lumpia ever.
NEW YORK
Manila-Thai Restaurant (Queens, NY) (718) 779-9893
Food is very good. They have very good portions and the price is
reasonable. Its not a classy place but the food makes up for it.
Best part is their kare-kare is very good. [Ariel Manoos]
Manila Garden (Manhattan, NY)
All their food is wonderful, from the sinigang to the inihaw na
bangus. [Lea Salonga]
Elvie's (Queens, NY)
My favorite is a turo-turo called Elvie's. Not a fancy place, but I like
the food. [Rich Sucgang]
PENNSYLVANIA
La Filipiniana Restaurant (Pittsburgh)
The food is so-so but this happens to be the only Filipino restaurant
in this neck of the woods. Actually, Phoebe's friends claim her
cooking is better than LFR's. [Phoebe Parrone]
TENNESSEE
Cafe Tropicana (Nashville)
Owned by some relatives of Ninoy Aquino.
UTAH
Philippine Gardens (Salt Lake)
Friendly service. Food was good and different from other Asian food.
WASHINGTON
Marco's, Seattle, WA
A Filipino cafe in Seattle's University District that has the
"grubbin" Adobo. [anonymous]
WASHINGTON, DC
Ang Maynila (Bailey's Crossroads, VA)
Manila in Georgetown
Good food but not as good as mom's cooking. A bit pricey, elegant,
friendly waiters.
Little Quiapo (Falls Church, VA)
Little Quiapo (Arlington, VA)
Sam's Seafood Carryout (Oxon Hill, MD)
AUSTRALIA
The Filipino Restaurant (Sydney)
Little Quiapo (Sydney)
NETHERLANDS
Adobo (Amsterdam)
Moderately priced. Typical dinner between US $20-40. The ambience is
"gezellig" meaning cozy. Filipino or Indonesian waiters wear original
costumes from Mountain Province. Can't say what my favorite dish is,
maybe lumpiang shanghai? [Jan-Willem van de Ven]
SCOTLAND
Philippine Islands (Edinburgh)
Elegant and pricey. Food presentation (some dishes served in kawali)
is tops. Popular with the trendy and up-market Brits. Need reservations
in the evenings. Basement is a pub with a trio of singers imported
from Manila. Has a 'take-away' (called Manila Cafe) nearby which
serves short orders and kakanin.
