My first trip abroad was an advance graduation gift from my parents in 1990. My cousin, Edlyn and I were sent to enjoy Hong Kong and Bangkok with her Abaya cousins and Tita Azon as official chaperone.
Besides learning about passports and traveler’s cheques, I became acquainted with immigration and customs procedures as well as basic airline etiquette. Mama accompanied me to DFA at Roxas Blvd. to apply for my first passport and then to Cocobank to get some traveler’s cheques. But she wasn’t there anymore as I learned how to operate the airline foldable table for meals, or the aircraft lavatory’s sliding door. The seatbelt was easy enough because it wasn’t my first time on a plane after all, having flown to Bacolod before with Ate Marie to meet her future in-laws. When the stewardess handed us some earphones, I also figured out where to plug it for some music. On the other hand, Edlyn complained that her earphones didn’t work, until I saw that they weren’t plugged in yet.
Immigration and customs are always such a hassle. You need to bring out your passport to check if the data you’re putting are correct. The same goes for your flight details – airline and flight number, country of origin and airport of destination. You have to be so careful with the information you put in, or risk further hassle at the immigration counter.
This became evident when after a day trip to Macau, Schenzen and Guangzhou, Edlyn and I were stopped at the Hong Kong immigration counter and detained for some intensive interviews. There was possibly two reasons for this: one, because this was right after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and Chinese authorities were on a look-out for students who were all trying to escape to HK; and two, because the beginnings of human trafficking of Filipinas was fast gaining ground. Although I doubt it that doting, conservative Tita Azon would ever be mistaken for a Mama-San.
To prove my point, once we got to Bangkok, that city known for its skin trade, Tita Azon promptly complained about the location of our hotel as being in the red light district. Heck, we were on a budget tour, you can’t really complain much about accommodations, but complain she did. She even asked her only son in Manila to badger the family travel agent to move us to different lodgings. Not getting what she wanted, she would proceed to rant and rave about our “unacceptable” lodgings.
After our dinner at the hotel, the waiter politely asked if we liked our meal. She blurted out, “No, it wasn’t good. I cannot eat it.” Embarrassed, the waiter asked again, “Was it too spicy for you?” But she was already walking away and shaking her head, clearly a discontented customer. When we got to the elevators, we found that one of them was under repair, and only one was functioning. Looking down at the dark and dangerous shaft, she expressed panic again, saying “Ano ba naman ito, papatayin tayo dito!”
But that wasn’t all I remembered about that trip. South East Asian tours are generally associated with shopping sprees, and shop we did. While bargaining for a lower price is allowed, once you touch the item and bargain for it, be sure you will buy it or the vendor will get very mad at you. In Macau, the sales clerk was so incensed with Tita Azon’s “negotiations”. Our Chinese-Portuguese tour guide intervened and said, “These are Filipinos, you HAVE to let them bargain…” In Hong Kong’s Mongkok district, I made the mistake of bargaining for an early edition Walkman and then changed my mind about purchasing it. The Chinese guy was so mad at me for wasting his time and blurted out a bunch of Cantonese words which I presume would be foul and blasphemous on my account.
One other thing I learned about traveling abroad is one begins to appreciate what she takes for granted in her own homeland. My first concern is always about food and knowing where to eat. In HK, the real Chinese restaurants were so expensive and the menus were all in Chinese you can’t decipher them. So we ended up eating at all the possible McDonald’s branches in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island for our meals. In Bangkok, we were also at a lost half the time at the incomprehensible offerings in the menu, but at least they had pictures so we just pointed at what we wanted to eat.
That’s another thing – language. In Hong Kong, the non-English speaking Chinese were so rude up to the point of shooing us out of their stores so they won’t have to deal with us. In Thailand, while more often than not the Thai people we encountered didn’t speak a word of English, they simply smile when we come to a communication impasse. So that’s something to remember: just because we Filipinos speak perfect, American-twanged English, it doesn’t mean we’ll be understood everywhere else in the world. Better get over that Americanized-ego of yours and learn some basic terms for your country of destination.
Finally, we forgot that something as culturally-imbedded as the exercise of religion could be so complicated once you’re abroad. To Tita Azon’s chagrin, Catholic churches are not at every block or street corner in Hong Kong unlike in the Philippines. We had to ask around whether there was a parish somewhere in either HK Island, Kowloon or Aberdeen where we could hear Sunday mass. We did find one; a very small Catholic chapel where most of the church-goers were also Filipinos, mostly overseas workers.
All in all, I had fun with that first trip abroad. In HK, we got to go to Victoria’s Peak, rubbed that Buddha’s tummy, saw the Ocean Park aquarium and rode the Crazy Galleon and ‘The Dragon” roller coaster. In Macau, we saw the contrast and combination of Chinese and Portuguese culture and bought jade for luck. Guangzhou and Schenzen were just like any rustic Asian countryside, even with the real 12-course Chinese meal and authentic Chinese beer we had at its popular tourist restaurant. While Bangkok is best remembered for its shopping opportunities, I liked our tour of the Rose Garden where the orchid exhibits and the elephant show were the highlights of the visit. (I found some of their native dances appeared too similar to our own Philippine “tinikling”). Thus, from that time on, every trip abroad is simply a reminder of what I miss about the Philippines - because there really is no place like home.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Stories of AngLadlad
From the very beginning, the idea of AngLadlad as a representative of the Filipino LGBT Community was a controversial one. Even when it was first conceptualized by Danton as “Lunduyan”, there was some feedback that certain members of the LGBT Advocacy Movement did not support it. Ironic that they didn’t seem keen on an LGBT Party List back then, even when LGBT activists already realized the importance of legislative advocacy and lobbying as a tool for promoting LGBT rights.
In fairness to Danton, he consulted the LGBT Community several times and offered them this opportunity for greater political participation. He went to the organized LGBT groups whose members were also veteran NGO workers in their own right, and had sufficient experience working for marginalized sectors. However, most of them were already affiliated with other political parties or party lists. This, we did not begrudge them of course, since for some, this political connection was also their source of livelihood.
Lunduyan’s Constitution was revised exhaustively prior to its being finalized. It was the basis for the organizational structure and composition of the different committees and designated officers, as well as the organization’s future platform. Upon being told that “Lunduyan” was being confused with a child rights’ NGO and does not really “sound” LGBT, Danton asked us for a term that would have better “recall”.
It was at a party at Malu’s place that I pointed out to him, “Danton, you are best known for your books…the Ladlad series. That word clearly identifies as LGBT.” “But that starts with “L”, Danton replied. “We would be listed further down the ballot that people won’t see us. It should start with an “A”, he insisted. I answered, “So put “Ang” before Ladlad, so it is more empowering. It will sound like we are claiming the right “to unfurl” ourselves as the Filipino LGBT Community.” “Oo nga, ano,” Danton said. I didn’t realize then that he would take me so seriously, just as I didn’t think Malu and the rest of LEAP would consider my suggestion to call our community/social support group as “LEAPunan” before.
From then on, Danton and the rest of the gang, Bemz included, proceeded to get the organization registered with the SEC. It’s first national convention in 2006 in anticipation of the 2007 elections, was held in UP Diliman and was well-attended by LGBT advocates albeit the very limited funds. While Angie labored over our petition for partylist accreditation, we didn’t expect the outright denial the COMELEC would give us on the basis of some technicality – that we failed to prove national membership or enough regional representation. (In truth, this was because we refused and failed to give the amount which was required of us of some powers that be.)
Yet we took this in stride, waited for another three years and proceeded to do some groundwork at the provincial level. We contacted old friends in the LGBT network and reconnected with them. We sought the new and emerging LGBT groups around the country to help us build chapters. Through it all, some people left us while others joined in. It was fortunate that for those who remained steadfast in their beliefs, they continued to be the true “anchors” of AngLadlad.
For me, the vision is very clear. AngLadlad sought partylist accreditation to get recognition that the Filipino LGBT Community is a marginalized sector deserving of better political participation. AngLadlad seeks to represent the Filipino LGBTs in Congress because it realizes the significance of having one’s own voice in political arena, because only then can we influence laws and policies that will affect us. AngLadlad knows that this is an opportunity for the LGBT Advocacy Movement for promoting LGBT rights and achieving the equality and respect we have yearned for so long already.
I can only hope that other Filipino LGBTs see these reasons as clearly as we do.
In fairness to Danton, he consulted the LGBT Community several times and offered them this opportunity for greater political participation. He went to the organized LGBT groups whose members were also veteran NGO workers in their own right, and had sufficient experience working for marginalized sectors. However, most of them were already affiliated with other political parties or party lists. This, we did not begrudge them of course, since for some, this political connection was also their source of livelihood.
Lunduyan’s Constitution was revised exhaustively prior to its being finalized. It was the basis for the organizational structure and composition of the different committees and designated officers, as well as the organization’s future platform. Upon being told that “Lunduyan” was being confused with a child rights’ NGO and does not really “sound” LGBT, Danton asked us for a term that would have better “recall”.
It was at a party at Malu’s place that I pointed out to him, “Danton, you are best known for your books…the Ladlad series. That word clearly identifies as LGBT.” “But that starts with “L”, Danton replied. “We would be listed further down the ballot that people won’t see us. It should start with an “A”, he insisted. I answered, “So put “Ang” before Ladlad, so it is more empowering. It will sound like we are claiming the right “to unfurl” ourselves as the Filipino LGBT Community.” “Oo nga, ano,” Danton said. I didn’t realize then that he would take me so seriously, just as I didn’t think Malu and the rest of LEAP would consider my suggestion to call our community/social support group as “LEAPunan” before.
From then on, Danton and the rest of the gang, Bemz included, proceeded to get the organization registered with the SEC. It’s first national convention in 2006 in anticipation of the 2007 elections, was held in UP Diliman and was well-attended by LGBT advocates albeit the very limited funds. While Angie labored over our petition for partylist accreditation, we didn’t expect the outright denial the COMELEC would give us on the basis of some technicality – that we failed to prove national membership or enough regional representation. (In truth, this was because we refused and failed to give the amount which was required of us of some powers that be.)
Yet we took this in stride, waited for another three years and proceeded to do some groundwork at the provincial level. We contacted old friends in the LGBT network and reconnected with them. We sought the new and emerging LGBT groups around the country to help us build chapters. Through it all, some people left us while others joined in. It was fortunate that for those who remained steadfast in their beliefs, they continued to be the true “anchors” of AngLadlad.
For me, the vision is very clear. AngLadlad sought partylist accreditation to get recognition that the Filipino LGBT Community is a marginalized sector deserving of better political participation. AngLadlad seeks to represent the Filipino LGBTs in Congress because it realizes the significance of having one’s own voice in political arena, because only then can we influence laws and policies that will affect us. AngLadlad knows that this is an opportunity for the LGBT Advocacy Movement for promoting LGBT rights and achieving the equality and respect we have yearned for so long already.
I can only hope that other Filipino LGBTs see these reasons as clearly as we do.
A Few Disclaimers
In the midst of the controversies surrounding AngLadlad, a few categorical statements were required of us as a way of clarifying issues. While I personally think it is unnecessary since I believe a truly intelligent person would know the difference, we acquiesced to some friends’ requests and told them what they needed to hear.
The first issue concerns questions about AngLadlad’s leadership. A few of our supporters and friends were getting confused with personalities and what the organization stands for. So we explained to them the history of AngLadlad and the necessary processes we had to go through. We also had to reassure everyone that AngLadlad is in very capable hands.As such, I took exception to some criticisms being lodged against us and the decisions that were made. I have always emphasized that we never lost track of the bigger picture and that is to look out for the interest of the LGBT Community.
Others pointed out to speculations about our political affiliations. So while we are thankful for all the support we have been getting for our LGBT causes, we had to clarify that we are not in any way connected with any partylist, politician or political group, unlike some “bogus” partylists who will now be representatives in Congress. We have been judged as “left-leaning”, “right-leaning” and being “too moderate” at some point. Be that as it may, AngLadlad is not as naïve as some people may think. It’s loyalty remains with the Filipino LGBT Community.
Some were also mistakenly affiliated with AngLadlad or were inadvertently invited to vote for AngLadlad in the last elections. For this, we apologize if this caused some inconvenience for some LGBT groups or individuals. We respect your choice for not helping out, but rest assured that we shall continue fighting for every Filipino LGBTs’ rights whether you support us or not.
Finally, we would like to disavow the notion that AngLadlad only pushes for the “gay agenda”, that lesbians are “mere passengers being taken for a ride and just being used”, and that we do not carry the transgenders’ concerns. Note that the chosen nominees were representative of the different LGBT “sectors”, and AngLadlad has always stated its desire to represent the WHOLE LGBT Community and carry ALL its causes. The insinuations that it only seeks to represent gays, or that there is a “hidden” lesbian agenda, is both malicious and divisive. AngLadlad will not tolerate such misrepresentations because we need to project a unified front. We already get negative vibes from other people; it will do us no good to cultivate in-fighting amongst ourselves.
We can only hope that a few of these disclaimers produces the goodwill we sought to generate from others. Know that AngLadlad is very grateful for the friendship, the good faith and the continuing support you have shown us. Happy Pride Month to us all!
The first issue concerns questions about AngLadlad’s leadership. A few of our supporters and friends were getting confused with personalities and what the organization stands for. So we explained to them the history of AngLadlad and the necessary processes we had to go through. We also had to reassure everyone that AngLadlad is in very capable hands.As such, I took exception to some criticisms being lodged against us and the decisions that were made. I have always emphasized that we never lost track of the bigger picture and that is to look out for the interest of the LGBT Community.
Others pointed out to speculations about our political affiliations. So while we are thankful for all the support we have been getting for our LGBT causes, we had to clarify that we are not in any way connected with any partylist, politician or political group, unlike some “bogus” partylists who will now be representatives in Congress. We have been judged as “left-leaning”, “right-leaning” and being “too moderate” at some point. Be that as it may, AngLadlad is not as naïve as some people may think. It’s loyalty remains with the Filipino LGBT Community.
Some were also mistakenly affiliated with AngLadlad or were inadvertently invited to vote for AngLadlad in the last elections. For this, we apologize if this caused some inconvenience for some LGBT groups or individuals. We respect your choice for not helping out, but rest assured that we shall continue fighting for every Filipino LGBTs’ rights whether you support us or not.
Finally, we would like to disavow the notion that AngLadlad only pushes for the “gay agenda”, that lesbians are “mere passengers being taken for a ride and just being used”, and that we do not carry the transgenders’ concerns. Note that the chosen nominees were representative of the different LGBT “sectors”, and AngLadlad has always stated its desire to represent the WHOLE LGBT Community and carry ALL its causes. The insinuations that it only seeks to represent gays, or that there is a “hidden” lesbian agenda, is both malicious and divisive. AngLadlad will not tolerate such misrepresentations because we need to project a unified front. We already get negative vibes from other people; it will do us no good to cultivate in-fighting amongst ourselves.
We can only hope that a few of these disclaimers produces the goodwill we sought to generate from others. Know that AngLadlad is very grateful for the friendship, the good faith and the continuing support you have shown us. Happy Pride Month to us all!
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