Blog 6: What's so funny?

They say that laughter is the best medicine; most Filipinos believe this saying. It is evident in our nature that we are joyful and optimistic, we always see the humor in everything. Politics? Check. Tragedies? Check. Calamities? Check. Show-business scandals? Check. It would seem that with almost all aspects and topics of life, Filipinos will crack a joke and indeed will find it funny. It could also be said that Filipinos always look at the bright side because of our personality. In any moment, there would always be a Filipino laughing or smiling.

In an article titled The humor that is Filipino written by Bernadette Sembrano in the site PhilStar, Sembrano narrates a small comparison from her own experience of the new year's eve in China and new year's eve in the Philippines. She states that the optimism and joy is really on a different level in the Philippines. She states an example of Filipino humor creativity.

"Last week,  I visited a six-year old boy named Buboy, whose face was deformed when a firecracker Goodbye Philippines exploded on New Year’s day on his way to the sari-sari store to buy coffee for his father. His older brother Jeff said, “We were so happy last night. Now we do not know how we will be able to cope.” Another boy, 10-year-old John Vincent, lost both his hands when he picked up the firecracker Bin Laden.

Even the names of our firecrackers are reflective of our Filipino humor. What happened last New Year’s Eve to the victims is a clear example of fun gone bad." said Sembrano.

It would seem that everything is a joke to us Filipinos. This illegal fireworks are even humorously named after terrorists based on their firepower. This can be taken as an example of creative humor of Filipinos even in the face of danger. They know that it's dangerous and risky to use these kind of fireworks and they even make more powerful versions and then they named it after terrorists; well, because, you know, it's funny; and Filipinos dig funny stuff.

Although, some Filipinos just don't get it. No, most Filipinos don't get some things that are meant to be jokes. In the article titled Why can’t many Filipinos tell truth from satire? written by Marguerite de Leon in the site Rappler, the author points out several examples of Filipinos "not getting the joke" on satire posts. These posts even went viral and started social media debates. The netizens didn't know it was satire or even did not know what satire is. The author even gave out some possible reasons of why Filipinos can not comprehend or understand satire.

Estrada apparently introduced himself as “THE sexy senator from the Philippines,” and that the bulge on his chest was the result of intense [sic] workout regimen he undertook months prior. -  ‘Jinggoy Estrada Arrested After Trying to Smuggle Money Inside His Breasts to US.’

"A population that can read and absorb satire properly is, at the heart of it, one that enjoys the benefits of a good education. Thus, the fact that satire continues to be received so naively here is a sign – however unusual – that education is not being valued enough, or being valued correctly, by those who manage it.

We need to change how young Filipinos are taught. We need to change how we see the act of educating others." said De Leon.

Indeed, De Leon points out a sad reality in our education system. Many of our so called "teachers" just teach according to a manual or strictly according to the textbook. Critical thinking isn't welcome. Students are supposed to give textbook answers. I agree that this is one of the many possible reasons that Filipinos cannot comprehend and understand satire. It's supposed to be humorous and funny, yet our so called culture of humor doesn't seem to appreciate this kind of jokes. Are we really stuck to slapstick comedy and cheap corny jokes? This greatly reflects the awareness and the intellect of us Filipinos.

In conclusion, Filipinos know how to make jokes and know how to laugh, but is the nation going to be glued there? With the introduction of satire and other forms of comedy, most Filipinos seem to fade, some even believe it and cannot find the joke. Is our intellect really not on par globally? Sure, there are smart and intelligent people in other respective careers, but understanding other types and forms of media should be welcomed as this reflects our nation as a whole.

Blog 5: Rape Culture

Ever since I was a child, I would often hear instructions for girls to not go when it is already dark or don't dress inappropriately. My logic about these continuous stream of reminders to females is that so that they won't get raped. I thought that if they wear sexy clothing or if they show skin, then they are "asking for it". I never questioned that logic, I would even remind my girlfriend not to wear sexy clothing if I'm not with her. I never realized that I was participating in Rape Culture. 

I found an article explaining what rape culture is. The article is titled A Gentleman's Guide to Rape Culture written by Zaron Bumett III from the site Medium. Bumett explains thoroughly what rape culture is and why each man is part of it, even without knowing initially. He even states examples of what rape culture is. He also relates with the shock of knowing that all men are part of rape culture.

"You’ll quickly find that rape culture plays a central role in all the social dynamics of our time. It’s at the heart of all our personal interactions. It’s part of all our social, societal and environmental struggles. Rape culture is not just about sex. It is the product of a generalized attitude of male supremacy. Sexual violence is one expression of that attitude." said Bumett.

Once I read the article, I realized that I felt the same way as the author. I was surprised that I am part of rape culture and I didn't even know why. I thought rape was just about un-consented sexual intercourse or forced sexual intercourse, but it is really larger than it all. It's kind of amazing yet disturbing to realize the simple social norms that goes around everyday is the core part of rape culture. Although I doubt it that even with this kind of realization, the society will still find it hard to adjust.

I found an article titled Rape Culture is Real written by Zerlina Maxwell in the website of Time. Maxwell gave out examples of rape culture that is happening in the society. She even stated her experience when her roommates boyfriend raped her a couple of years ago and how people close to her didn't even support her. She even started a Twitter trend #RapeCultureIsWhen and got numerous tweets from people who experienced rape culture as well.

"It’s no surprise that we would refuse to acknowledge that rape and sexual violence is the norm, not the exception. It’s no surprise because most of us would rather believe that the terrible realities we hear about aren’t real or that, at least, we can’t do anything about it. The truth is ugly. But by denying the obvious we continue to allow rapists to go unpunished and leave survivors silenced." said Maxwell

Maxwell states one of the harshest realities society holds; rape culture is the norm. We treat is as a normal run-through of life. Yes, it happens frequently, but does it make it normal? Shouldn't we stop for a second and educate ourselves of what is really happening? Victims go unheard, and worse, they are blamed and shamed for what happened to them even if they really had no motive or intention.

After reading, studying and listening to lectures about culture rap, I still stand by the decision to restrict my girlfriend from wearing sexy clothes. It isn't because I would blame her.But given the information and realization that most of the people don't realize rape culture, it's more risky and dangerous to let a female, let alone my loved one, walk sexy and free in the streets full of men who don't realize and don't rationalize what they are thinking and what they want to do. I would only prohibit her if and only if society changes 100% for the better.

Blog 4: eSports in Digital Culture

I, myself, am a fan of eSports; specifically League Of Legends and DOTA 2. I started playing it even before it became popular here in the Philippines or even before it was considered an eSport back in 2011. There were just a few players and I only had a couple of friends who I can count on one had who played with me. Finding in a match in the queue took a minimum of 5 minutes then, compared to the fast almost instant matchmaking queue today due to the growing number of players.

In an article titled Report: More than 70 million people watch eSports worldwide written by Rod Breslau in the site OnGamers, it is stated that the numbers of eSports fans and participants around the world are growing exponentially. The article is full of statistics about eSports and the numbers are awe-inspiring. 

"The report estimates that League of Legends will see 42 million new players by 2015, topping out at 94 million monthly active users, with Wargaming's World of Tanks predicted to reach $590 Million in revenue by 2015.

Twitch released their own impressive report in January, which includes 12,000,000,000 minutes watched per month, over 45 million unique viewers per month, 1 million broadcasters per month and 6,000,000 total videos broadcast per month. 5,100 of those broadcasters are partners, and minutes watched and videos broadcasts have doubled since 2012, with unique viewers up from 20 million in 2012. Twitch users watch on average 106 minutes of content per day." said Breslau.

The numbers are astounding. This just proves that the digital culture which we live in is just starting to flourish. Maybe it's because people love to play games. This MOBA games just started for the sake of friends to have fun, but now it enters competition level. They now hold tournaments which provide professional players income and fame.

I found another article titled DOTA 2 INTERNATIONAL PRIZE POOL HITS $10 MILLION written by Mike Mahardy in the site IGN. The article reports the recent addition to the already humongous prize pool of the DOTA 2 International Tournament. The prize pool already hit the $10 Million mark just recently. The prize pool comes from part of the sales of Compendium in Steam stores.

"The prize pool is fed almost entirely through purchases around the Compendium, the interactive program that accompanies the upcoming tournament. For every $10 Compendium purchased, $2.50 goes directly to the International 2014 purse.

Team Matchmaking, 1v1 mid-lane practice, and a Favorite Hero tracker were recently added to Dota 2 during the steady flow of Compendium purchases. As of this writing, the victory prediction taunt is the highest listed reward, with no further milestones exceeding $10 million." said Mahardy.

This shows the enthusiasm and excitement of the growing number of eSports fans, as well as players. This is also a first in history, a tournament with a prize pool of 10 million dollars generated from the players itself. This is just the beginning. Who knows what else could be in store for the eSports community? Even a college in the U.S. is starting to sponsor scholars for their eSports program. 

This could be the start of a new era for digital culture. If at first it was just the social media dominating worldwide, this could be next big thing. Competitions around the globe will start popping up more often, even here in the Philippines, tournaments are starting to gather numbers. Let's just hope that this will bring in more positive effects rather than negative effects.

Blog 3: Filipino Identity Post Martial Law

I didn't exist when Martial Law took place in our country. But, numerous sources and even the media claim that it was a very dark period at the time. Numerous killings and disappearing people were the norm. Curfews were supposedly very tight. The military was feared and you would have to think twice or thrice before saying anything. Some labeled the martial law as the dark period for the Philippines. What did change post-martial law?

I found an article titled The Ghosts of Martial Law written by Nathan Quimpo in the site Rappler. The author cites a number of atrocities that were committed during the said Martial Law by Marcos. Aside from that, the author also compares the atrocities to today's politics. The article, however, states that almost nothing has changed. The events and failures are still quite similar to what happened during the Martial Law era.

"Electoral fraud continues, sometimes worse than before. The Lanao del Sur warlord Ali Dimaporo once reportedly wired Marcos: “You are leading by 100,000 votes. Tell me if you need more.”

Under Arroyo, that was chicken feed. As “Hello, Garci” showed, Muslim Mindanao was turned into the national center for electoral fraud. In many areas of Maguindanao, Arroyo’s Dimaporo – Ampatuan – delivered results of 99% or more for her and 12-0 for her senatorial slate." said Quimpo.

It is clear in this comparison that whatever rigging of votes that happened during the Martial Law era can and is still happening today. It just goes to show that politics is really dirty and maybe, never to be clean. I feel as if democracy is just a sham for our country as the voters' vote doesn't really count as politicians just use their money to keep or to win their positions.

I found another article titled 40 Years After Martial Law and The Philippines is Still A Failure written by dachronicler in the site DaPinoyChronicle. The article states the chronological events that led to the Martial Law and even what transpired after it was lifted up to today. The author states that it is still the same and the cycle will go on as long as the voters elect the same corrupt politicians.

"We are not a true democracy, it is mob rule. We let this happen, we continue to elect politicians with no competence. And the cycle goes on and on and on. Martial Law was not the dark period of our history, it was merely a normal era. The dark period of our history is today because we have already lost our sense of morality and rationality." said dachronicler.

After reading the lengthy article, I realized that the author's point was actually true. Even if I wasn't part or I did not experience the Martial Law, I can say that the political and economical status of our country isn't improving. People still elect politicians that are either incompetent or just because the politician came from show business.

As a Filipino, I am disappointed at the progress of the country. I have to disagree that we are free from tyranny or corruption because the Martial Law was lifted. It is till happening and we are not changing. The vicious cycle will go on. Yes, we are free from curfews and death threats but at what cost?

Blog 2: Filipino Woman

I was brought up to always respect women and to never hit one. Movies and T.V. shows would always portray women as weak and should always be protected by males. I also grew up with the notion that if I wanted a girl to be my girlfriend, I should court her first. And so I did, I courted my first girlfriend by giving her love letters and chocolates. That was when I was still in elementary school. Things have changed and so has my perception of what the Filipino woman really is. 


In an article titled What's The Big Deal About Filipinas written by Henry V. in the site LifeBeyondTheSea, the author states the positive sides of being with a Filipino woman. The author talks highly about the Filipino women in general because the author is a foreigner. The author even states that Filipino women take every advance of a man, big or small, very seriously.

"So what’s the problem?  Again, differences in culture.  Which is fine, don’t get me wrong.  But you need to know what’s-what before you arrive and start charging around like a bull in a china shop interacting with them the way you did with Western or European women.  Here you need to pay closer attention to the nuances of ‘courting’.  Getting to know a Filipina woman is a process.. not a sex-on-the-3rd-date formula you might be used to back home.  When you are dating a Filipina, if you have any reservations about it going into a serious relationship, you better let her know soon or you will find yourself neck-deep in a river flowing quickly towards marriage." said Henry V.

It's part of our culture to court women in order to start a relationship. The author says that there is a difference between their western culture and the Filipino culture. The author states that women will consider every advance as a step towards a serious relationship or even a possible marriage. This maybe true, but only if the male involved is a foreigner. It's not always the case with Filipino men as well.

In another article called Filipino Women: Fire and Water in One written by an unnamed author in the site AsianWomenPlanet, they summarize what a Filipino woman is. The article states that Filipino women are conservative and would always respect and give the decision making to her husband. The article sees a Filipino woman as fragile and a very good housekeeper. It even says that a Filipino woman would give up her career just to raise her children.

"When it comes to housekeeping, the Filipino woman is a perfect wife. She is very hard-working. House cleaning is more the everyday necessity than a hard duty, she finds its charm in it. In other words, it's a pleasure for her to do housework. The same is true for cooking. They are good cookers. Most often they cook oriental or Asian dishes, but if the husband wishes, they can learn to cook his favorite meals. As it has already been said, Filipino women are family oriented. Therefore, all husband's wishes are taken into account." said the author.

It views the modern Filipino woman as a housekeeper and a housewife. It even states that Filipino women enjoy cleaning the house. But, in the latter part of the article, it states that a Filipino woman grants any of the husband's wishes. It does not view them as strong independent women. It's because of these archetypes that women are viewed as this way especially the Filipino women. Even from childhood, parents raise their young ladies to become a perfect wife for a husband. It's like they teach their daughters to obey men no matter what.

The image of a Filipino woman is the image of a perfect housewife. Although it may seem positive at first, it maybe harmful to them. Filipino women are also strong and independent and shouldn't be looked down upon. They also have their own dreams and hopes to attain. Some even don't like being treated as a housewife and do not want to always obey their husbands. We should treat and respect everyone equally.

Blog 1: The Filipino Man

When I was a young boy, I believed that you needed to be tough, know cars, and know basketball in order to be called a "tunay na lalake". My uncles were always sported this masculine aura. They would always watch sports in the television, basketball or UFC, boxing, action packed mpvies - every testorone filled movie or show. They would never watch dramas or tele-novelas, in fact, they hated it. They always knew how to fix cars or motorcycles, even appliances. My former male classmates when I was in elementary to high school would all know how to play basketball, anyone who does not would be called "bakla" or be regarded as "di tunay na lalake". Sometimes, they would also start fights to impress others. This are just some of the behavior and beliefs or myths of what a Filipino male should be.

I found an article called  Ten Fears of a True Filipino Gentleman written by BESTLiNK in a site called BCP PH. The author of the editorial stated some of the supposedly common fears of a Filipino male. Most of them are also patriarch in nature, with some that can also be considered fueled by testosterone such as the fear of being impotent. Almost all of them imply that the male should always be the dominant one in a family or in a relationship.

"5. PREMATURE EJACULATON
A true Filipino gentleman fears of premature ejaculation. It seems that it will lessen his worth and will imprint a negative impression on his partner— ‘that he could not satisfy her biological need.’ To avoid this fear, one has to overcome his inferiority complex over his father. He needs also to consult a psychologist.
4. LOOKING WEAK
A true Filipino gentleman should be strong and should be confident. Men really project that they are all strong. This is also added b the pressure of the society. Thus, many men, if not all men engage themselves in sports and several manly activities like gym, shooting, fencing, karate, and basketball.
3. FEAR THAT HIS WOMAN WILL CHEAT HIM
A true Filipino gentleman fears of being cheated by his partner. “Ayoko kung maloko.” In reality, in terms of relationship, it is always the man who is affected most that the women. To handle this weakness, one has to learn how to handle his emotion. Seek friends’ advice and look for a psychologist.
2. DEATH
A true Filipino gentleman fears death. Our culture tells us that we sympathize a lot when a man dies in a family. This is true most especially when a breadwinner dies. Besides, having left undone important manner before the final curtain comes is truly fearful for it will remain an Herculean task to his family who is left behind. And also for the fact that death is unknown to us.
1. BEING IMPOTENT
Fear of not rising on an occasion is a number one fear of a true Filipino gentleman. This is also added by the culture that a true gentleman must have a baby. His self worth therefore must balance his sexuality. Consult a doctor once this is happening to you." said BESTLiNK.

Even premature ejaculation is stated as a fear of a Filipino man. It is implied that a Filipino man should always be good in bed. A Filipino man should not be weak or impotent the article says. It even goes far to say that every Filipino man should have a baby or an offspring. This maybe stemmed from the Philippines' religion of being a Catholic which propagates the "go forth and multiply" verse from the bible. While some others would really agree on these myths of being a Filipino man, it can be damaging to say the least to others who do not sport or live by these set of rules. 

In another essay that was posted and titled I am a Filipino by the late Carlos Romulo in the site Carlos Romulo, Romulo wrote that being a Filipino man, for him, is a heritage. It was passed down by a generation of hardworking ancestors. In his essay, he also wrote some historical male figures that fought for the Philippines. 

"That seed is immortal. It is the self-same seed that flowered in the heart of Jose Rizal that morning in Bagumbayan when a volley of shots put an end to all that was mortal of him and made his spirit deathless forever, the same that flowered in the hearts of Bonifacio in Balintawak, of Gergorio del Pilar at Tirad Pass, of Antonio Luna at Calumpit; that bloomed in flowers of frustration in the sad heart of Emilio Aguinaldo at Palanan, and yet burst fourth royally again in the proud heart of Manuel L. Quezon when he stood at last on the threshold of ancient Malacañan Palace, in the symbolic act of possession and racial vindication." said Romulo.

It can also obvious in the article that it is influenced by Patriarchy. All of the historical figures that he mentioned was male. Aside from that, it is also implied that a Filipino man should always be ready to strike or to defend, to be violent towards his enemies. This could also be a reason as to why more of Filipino males tend to get into fights more and tend to be violent in nature.

These set of examples and myths can prove to be harmful not only to males, but to society also in general. If a Filipino man is always expected to do something or behave in a certain way, he is pressured and is obliged to stray away from his original disposition in life. Any one who does not is shamed by the society and his community. It does not have to be so that way, we must understand that every individual is unique. We can't all be the same. We should learn to accept the differences of others, it isn't always black and white.