THE PHILIPPINES AS SEEN IN THAILAND
By: Iris P. Concepcion

There are a lot of interesting stories coming out in Thailand, an obviously excitable and developing country. Leading its stream of stories is the election of its first woman Prime Minister,Yingluck Shinawatra Puea who is only 44 years old.  I caught a television program honoring her in a song with enough entertainment chutzpah. As I have written, Thais possess understated comedy that suits well with my creative surges. Like me, she is veritably hooked up on educational concerns and vows to improve the state of education in her country. She need not fret much, I suppose, since the country's King had laid the groundwork for this noble pursuit to flourish.

I am envious of Thailand's development trajectory. Its uncultivated lands do not remain idle. From Bangkok going to Yala, I saw a university built by this Prime Minister's father in an area which is latently agricultural. Better to feed the brain than waste it on an imaginary rice. It looks majestic from afar.

I scan the news coming from our country and am baffled by how selective the major papers are in highlighting the state of our affairs. Here, networks carry the daily activities of the King in reaching out to His constituents. I am reminded of a similar pattern undertaken by Mayor Rody Duterte of Davao City who has a one-hour public service television program which he utilizes to address the problems of the city's residents. He had discussed water, electrical and even dating problems of Davaoenos that had me guffaw one time in wonder. As written here, art boomed in this city as the mayor weeded out the pesky belligerents who had sown terror for measly kickbacks from the government.

Luckily for me, I have found an alternative source of information in the Philippines straight from the President's desk. I would like to commend whoever is manning this website. Its writings are not political voyeurisms of the extracted. I compare its compositions with those that appear on-line via the leading news chains and I am proud of its obvious superiority in textual context. Journalistic integrity can still be had even when one writes for the government. They are better crafted, syntax and grammar-wise.

Moreover, its news items do not oversell the Aquino administration, short of pimping it. Thus far, I had known that the government's major infrastructure undertakings in the Visayas and Mindanao regions had been completed and these are not cloudly claims straight off from a fiction page. They do exist. I have seen how fast the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) can finish their projects under the auspices of  the newly-picked, action-minded leaders. The road at the back of my alma mater, University of Santo Tomas, is a testament to this.

I have also learned that he had approved the entry of twenty-four career diplomats at the Department of Foreign Affairs. These people had studied foreign service legitimately and had passed its requisite examinations. This made me recall former President Gloria Arroyo's daughter, Luli, who had topped this career examination but had begged off from accepting a post abroad due to delicadeza. I was told by a seasoned Cebu resident that this woman was very low-key that she travels around the Philippines using  ordinary means of transportation. She once rode in a taxi cab and the driver was shortchanging her with her fare. She kept silent but reported the incident to the police. These and some come from direct interactions but bear retelling if ever we need little stories to give us a slant of the underside. I prefer this than making up scripts of couples headed for splitsville.

The renewable energy bill had not been given much importance in the papers. It is a major shake-up in our manufacturing industries but nobody gives it a prime space from among our intelligent scribblers. I had observed that in this country, people are celebratory of any social benefit that they could derive from the government. They are proud of their heritage. Their conversations are peppered with enough pride of what the government can do for them.

The website needs another space for the President's achievements, captured visually; it can double up as a tourist/net location for our country. Have the energetic "provincianos" write about what makes their places interesting and have them exchange on thoughts about their  undiscovered cultural finds. Have them discuss it, like a wikipedia for regional tourism. Have them compete. Start with the query: "What have you, Capizeno, got to offer for a foreigner like me?" Very O. Henry. It sounds so easy; provide the cheapest and the most expensive routes to get there without the uninspired maps. Writers from Manila could not lengthily capture the allure of our countryside. They have not lived on them. Ask the people around and you might be surprised by the unnamed riches of discoveries our country can offer through the natives' words. I still wonder why we have not capitalized voraciously on the rich textures of our Lent celebrations. This is a pitch and I am shooting for the moon.

I enjoy Thailand by learning first the moors of its backdoor, country life. I know of its Yorkian, lively cityscapes but I could experience them later. I am having a swell time, for the time being, gazing at their educational institutions and its school-focused youths.

I am also surprised about this news item.

For months, the President had been severely harped on his purchase of Porsche which was paid straight from his own personal pocket on an installment basis.  Everybody went mad to grill him. Now that he sold it, no paper carried it frontally. Not a hiss, not a sound, not a buzz. This, while I had realistically read the bills that he had approved that were thoroughly discussed on his website. I keep track of his Cabinet members' projects from this site also. It makes more sense than the atrocious buffoonery of wild stories being floated by enterprising writers.

Thus far, I have seen our country captured hauntingly and sublimely at the lifestyle pages of the Manila Bulletin. Their pictures are inspired by Life magazine. I wonder why nobody wants to publish the glaring improvements made at the Rizal Park now that its surroundings had gone globally appealing. It is not that we lack people who can do justice to the inherent beauty of our country. It is this repressive manner of information keepers who would rather shred them than placing our country in a favorable light.

I had heard the famed director Jim Libiran (a classmate) whose film gets cut prior to its release for mere thoughts of artistic jealousies. It was an honest take of undertakers going big and it sent tremblors down the spines of those who had been surpassed artistically.  If I were an editor, I would have my pages devoted to putting our malls in their various futuristic and vibrant architectural make; assess schools with their wondrous amenities; stalk the evolution of artists in their quests of their craft. The businessmen had lent their hands on these improvements already but we need more visuals to spread them out. Social values in writings can still be made fun.

Luckily again  for me, I have seen these alternative works in other forums. The best way to publisize them is for Filipino writers like me to provide details on what had been actually experienced and not just some alienating dilution of an editor's prodding. I was asked once why I am hellbent on not placing advertisement tags on this site. I replied that I may not be able to write as freely.

I am thankful still that columnists like Conrad de Quiros of the Philippine Daily Inquirer push for these alternatives relentlessly. Him and the, hilarious, Lifestyle writers of Philippine Star had made me see my country in another vista and it excites me. I am sure they, too, can recall their own brushes of publishing rejections but the Internet is alive for us monsters of the "other side" to transmit information as we had actually experienced it.

From Thailand, I give my Philippines a big boost by sharing tweets and links direct from the President's office. Better this, than conjure my missteps in meaningless gripes. I love my country and I am not jealous of its improved charisma (my name) under President Noynoy's leadership.

To those who can commiserate with my opinion, you need not worry. We never lack avenues to get the real stories inked and linked.

In the words of a visiting gizmo : "I know you. Thank you."