Sentidokomon

By Josephine “Joy� B. Miranda

I gave myself a day’s chance to sit down and think about the things which are happening around me, things that occupy my sunrise to sunset undertakings. In so doing, there are few “realities� which really surprised me, things which somehow gave me a lesson or two. One of these things is the realization that here in Nicosia, there are quite a number of Filipinos who are either “deliberately ignorant� to media matter or simply “refused� to admit rather accept that there can be a person like me who can run pretty well a small publication like Tinig Pinoy.

Come to think of it. What we do here is only voluntary. We do not receive anything monetary except the feeling of fulfillment that we are able to disseminate necessary information to the reading public. Recently, we were thrown some stupid questions saying we do not come here as journalists but we come here as domestic helpers. Of course, darling, we do not have a “journalism visa� as you insisted. That is answered back right away should you use your common sense. And common sense says that Cyprus Republic do not issue such. It would be a great fun for the staff should anyone go to immigration and check if we have “journalism visas,� perhaps it would be a way where it can become a reality right? So go ahead darling, suit yourself!

I do not ask anyone to agree with my opinion much more to appreciate it. What I expect is for anyone to be educated enough to agree that I have the privilege to write out my opinion. The privilege and the liberty to write and publish the matters which are relevant and necessary belonged solely to the judgment of an Editor in Chief. In my case, I really do want to educate us about how a media person operates. The negative over-reactions showed by limited few Filipinas regarding my article “Pasaway� published last October 1^st, had gave me a lesson that indeed, there are those who are walking half-blind and half-deaf or worst, like zombies. Please bring me just one person who could say that what I have written in that article were false and just pigments of my imagination because I would say that person is hypocrite. God knows if they will be able to understand what I meant to say here.

I will soon leave Cyprus, that is for sure, because I do not intend to live here forever. This is my home for many years but unlike those who wished to be green card holders, I have different plan for myself. I considered myself lucky to be in Cyprus because in years that I stay here I was able to invest a house of my own and most of all, to place myself back into being a media person again with which, no matter what I do for a living at present, I will always come back to my own calling and that is, as a writer.

So huwag nang sumakit pa ang ulo at dibdib ninyo na ako ang chief ed ng Tinig Pinoy. This is not a big deal to me. With or without Tinig Pinoy, nothing will change in me, or for what I truly am. After my work in Cyprus is done, darling, it is not the end of the world. Doctors and nurses and therapists are needed when there are sick people. Engineers and architects share the answer to the necessities for building constructions. Teachers and educators are called to provide knowledge. But a writer? Oh dear, I can do it anytime, anywhere, anyhow, because this is a timeless profession. I’m so blessed to be one. At para sabihin ko sa lahat ng mga naninira sa akin, sa mga gumagawa ng mga baseless accusations against me, sa mga nagalit daw sa sinulat ko, come on mga gals, chill out! Baka pwedeng basahin ninyo ulit at sabay buksan ang kinakalawang na isip…gaano ba kayo kaapektado sa sinulat ko? Kung sigurado kayo na hindi kayo kagaya ng mga binigay kong halimbawa, bakit nag o oa kayo sa pag rereact? Did I ever pinpoint anyone or mentioned any name? If sa tingin ninyo may basehan ang galit ninyo, then why not go to a corner at magisip…na sa kabilang banda, I don’t mean to offend anyone. If you were offended, then because maybe its true. So perhaps it is about time to make a small change about the conduct of our behavior outside, para hindi naman po unfair sa mga matitino at desente at of course sa mga hindi “high nose� na mga kababayan natin? But if one will be stubborn enough do deny it and think na apektado sa write up ko, well then go get a lawyer. Just be sure na alam ninyo kung ano ang isasampa ninyo sa akin at saan department ninyo isasampa. Please do not test my limit because Gee, I will deal with you accordingly. Let us see who are going to make a fool of themselves. Go, suit yourself!

I will take this chance to say “thank you� to all my staff members and contributors who showed their support in times when few envious pinays went their way out trying to stop the publication of Tinig Pinoy. Someone with a “marsh-mallow� heart has no place in this kind of endeavor, as it requires a tough and strong personality inside and out to be able to combat whatever nasty stones which people who are not “pleased� would try to throw to us. I am proud to say that I have seen this toughness in my staff. They also showed their ability to understand what is right and to help present what is wrong. All in all, what I appreciate more is their loyalty and friendship. Thank you gals, indeed. Someday soon, I will leave Tinig Pinoy, but I am sure what I have imparted will mark in everyone’s hearts. Happy holidays everyone!

NOTE: Please read, analyze and send me your opinion

Here below is the “Mga Pasaway” article which I published in Tinig Pinoy newspaper for October issue. I wrote such article in Tagalog addressing Filipinos working and living in Cyprus as contrast to my editorial article “We are not a bunch of idiots” published on same date which I previously posted here too. The editorial was addressed towards the employers. When it came out, I and my staff received nasty, rude and dirty text messages from few pinays who dared to challenge the publisher (POLITIS) and asked to stop it. I was called by Mr. Dionisis Dionisiou, editorial consultant of Politis and was made to explain the matter.

Pinay Sense

Kudos to more ‘humane’ employers

There are nice, fair and considerate employers and we salute you! It’s a chain reaction, you know, if you can notice it, that when you are good to your workers, they in turn will love their work resulting to a harmonious relationship in the house. God bless these employers like you!

Mga Pasaway

Sa aming mga masusugid na mambabasa, gusto ko pong ipahayag dito ang mga komentaryo ko tungkol sa mga pasaway nating mga kababayan. Bato-bato sa langit ang matamaan siguradong bukol. Hindi po ito isang pakikialam kundi pag papaalala lamang na hindi po tayo nabubuhay na mag-isa sa mundo, at nararapat lamang na maging responsible tayo sa mga kilos natin, kung wala ba tayong naaapakan, o nasasaktan o hindi kaya nadadamay sa mga careless actions natin. Unang-una, doon sa mga pinay na nakakalimot ng orihinal na dahilan kung bakit sila nag abroad. Hindi po ba ang unang rason ay magkaroon ng konting kaginhawaan para sa iniwang pamilya sa bayan natin? Higit na ang kadalasang nangyayari ay nakakalimot sila agad. Nang matikman ang konting laya habang day off, at magkaroon ng karelasyon, doon na umiikot ang kanilang mundo. Puro paglalandi na lang ang inaatupag at kadalasan napapabayaan na ang mga trabaho at marami nang reklamo laban sa mga amo at ang hilig pang makisangkot sa mga gulo lalo na pagdating sa mga karelasyon.

Dahil nagselos sa kababayan, isinuplong na ito ay walang papel. Ayon, nakulong at napauwi ang karibal niya. Siguro masaya siya sa ginawa niyang iyon. Pero hindi po. Dahil ang nobyo ay likas na palikero at nambubugbog pa. Kunsumisyon ang napala niya. Nabuntis siya at ayaw panagutan ng nobyo kaya pinalaglag niya ang bata sa kanyang sinapupunan. Ganun pa man, sige pa rin siya sa nobyo niyang walang pakialam sa kanya! How stupid, hindi po ba?!

Ang iba naman ay halos ubusin na ang sahod sa panlalaki at sinusundan kahit saan ito pumunta o naglalakwatsa, at hindi na maatupag ang trabaho hanggang nawala tuloy ang gana ng mga amo. Binilhan na ng ticket pauwi pero nakuha pang maglayas, so wala nang papel. |Ngayon kung sino pa itong walang papel siya pa ang malakas ang loob na gumala ng gumala sa disco at pub-houses…hayyy.

Isa pa sa listahan ko ng mga pasaway ay iyong mga nakapag asawa ng ibang lahi, lalo na iyong mga naging residente na dito. Kung napapansin ninyo, kung umasta ang iba ay parang mga hindi galing sa pagiging katulong din. There was an incident that I was invited to a party. The host introduced me to her sister who is married daw sa isang foreigner. Aba, hinagod muna ako ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa bago pa nakipagkamay sa akin! Another incident was experienced by Beth, she was once asked by a pinay who is working in a department store, “Ilan kayong kopela diyan sa flat Ninyo?� Beth replied sarcastically, “5 kaming kopela sa flat namin!�

Meron pang isang pasaway na ginawang career ang pangingikil sa kapwa pinay. Siya ay nagrerecruit ng mga workers na tinatawag na direct hire sana, sapagkat may contact siyang isang hindi lisensyadong Cypriot agent na nagbibigay ng mga amo. Itong pinay na ito ay naniningil umano ng mula 850 CYP o mahigit pa sa bawat marecruit niya, samantalang ang amo naman ang nagbayad na ng airline ticket at immigration fees na umaabot din sa 1,000 CYP! Maliban pa diyan, gumastos din itong recruit ng para sa ‘escort’ doon sa NAIA. Nasa mga kamay po namin ang kumpletong detalye ng babaeng ito at kung hindi niya maisip na tumigil sa modus-operandi niyang ito, ipaparating po namin ang mga reklamo laban sa kanya sa higher authorities at tuluyang ipublish ang kanyang true identity.

Isa pang nakakatawang pasaway ay tungkol sa isang pinay na diumano ay claiming to be contributor of old Tinig Pinoy. Nang masimulang baguhin ang pamamalakad ng diyaryong ito, nabago din ang listahan ng mga staff members. In our last two issues, meron po kaming na-published about mga pinoys na diumano mga members ng isang organisasyon. Nanggagalaiti sa inis ang pinay na ito at nagpadala ng text messages telling us to stop publishing any news event involving their members. Nang tanungin po kung bakit ayaw niyang ilathala namin ang isa man sa mga members nila, ang sagot niya ay, “Galit ako sa Tinig Pinoy sapagkat hindi isinama ang pangalan ko bilang correspondent!� Ay, kawawa naman!

Paunang pasabog po lamang ang mga binanggit ko sa unahan, sapagkat marami pa pong naka-lined up na mga pasaway dito sa Cyprus, mga pinay na nagbibigay ng maruming imahe sa mga pilipina in general. We aimed to awaken the viewers or encourage everybody to take responsibility of our own actions. Maybe these people who went wayward are desperately in need of our prayers. Human as we are, we have our weaknesses, and because we are all human, so we are not perfect. We all commit mistakes and sometimes, we are not aware of it. To judge others will not do any good to anyone, but prayers will.

Come support  the Tinig Pinoy

I am inviting everyone here all the people who were instrumental for the birth of this paper, especially the old staff members, contributors and readers to attend the 2^nd anniversary celebration of Tinig Pinoy on November 18, 2007 at 1 pm to be held at St. Joseph School Hall. I do reiterate that this is for all the Filipinos in Cyprus and despite the hassles in the previous issues, we keep the door opened to everyone. I am urging every Filipino to please support our newspaper, to please buy a copy every issue (50 cents each copy)  because it is our only way of expressing our gratitude to the Politis management for giving this chance to us Filipinos.

Your 50 cents would mean a continuance of this publication, for more anniversary years, and just remember, Pilipino lang po ang merong newspaper, not other nationalities. God bless us all.