Filipino News 15 January 2017

02 15- 31 JAN 2017 ISSUE 95 | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz Facebook: Filipino Migrant News
By LOUIE
ENCABO
Just like any Filipino-
Kiwi household, my family
embarked on a trip to the
motherland during the
recent Christmas holidays.
For the Filipino diaspora
worldwide the process of
balikbayan is a ritual that
we have grown accustomed
to. It is tedious, but rewarding
at the same time.
We spend copious
amounts on pasalubong,
while constantly doublechecking
that we did not
forget to bring one for any
family member - regardless
of how distant the relation
may be. We pack our maletas
to the brim, while at the
same time fretting about
exceeding the allotted baggage
allowance.
When we touchdown at
NAIA we immediately
complain of the heat - but
can't tell whether it's the
climate or the warmth of
being home again. We go
through the Customs area,
praying silently that the
Customs officers do not ask
I keep coming back to
us to reveal the contents of
our luggage.
Exiting the terminal is
just as exhausting; without
a sundo you must para a
taxi. In the process you
either get hassled by
obnoxious porters or argue
endlessly with a taxi driver
trying to con you into paying
an overly generous
fare.
Manila
For the Filipino diaspora worldwide the process of balikbayan is a ritual that we
have grown accustomed to. It is tedious, but rewarding at the same time.
You sit in the uncomfortable
back-seat of the colorum
taxi while you traverse
through the dreaded
Philippine traffic; surrounded
by an endless sea of
vehicles that neither stay in
their lanes nor use their
indicator lights when
switching.
You arrive at your relatives'
place, where the rest
of your kin greets you. You
become overwhelmed by
their warmth and hospitality,
until you get asked what
pasalubong you brought
for them.
They then swoop in for
the mix of food and clothes
that you stashed in your
luggage; your heart faints
when it seems as though
they care more about the
material goods than they do
about you.
In that brief lull you
wonder if it was all worth
it. You traded that sane,
orderly Western country
you came from for this
urban jungle of bad drivers
and pollution. You spent
quite a lot on gifts which
are appreciated more than
your presence is.
But then you are told that
noche buena is ready and
you salivate at the banquet
prepared especially just for
you: all the dishes you
deprived yourself of while
you callously worked
abroad.
You then sit at the dinner
table with your extended
family; they ask you about
that foreign country you
work in and update you
about their lives while you
were away. You reminisce
about the past and make
grand plans to say hello to
your childhood friends.
Then the answer becomes
apparent to you: yes,
it was all worth it.
For all the trouble it
causes you, for all the
heartaches you get reading
the news or the migraine
the travel gives you - being
home and feeling the
warmth of being at home
makes all that worth it.
And hence the reason I
keep coming back, despite
the madness, because as the
saying goes: there's no
place like home.
Foreign consultant proposes
an e-voting system
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By CRISELDA DAVID
FMN Correspondent
TUGUEGARAO CITY,
Philippines - A foreign
computer system architect
and volunteer consultant has
proposed an electronic voting
system in the country as
a solution to election fraud
and manipulation.
Keith Brent Duncan,
who is now in the province,
has proposed some methodologies
for eliminating
societal problems that hamper
economic progress during
the recent episode of
the Philippine Information
Agency's 'Tipon Tipan sa
PIA' here.
Duncan explained to the
local media the importance
of an electronic voting system
in which the control
number of each voter will
not be manipulated or
hacked.
“As an expert in computer
programming I can create a
system of voting which will
lead to a clean, orderly, safe
and honest election,” he
said.
He said that the e-voting
system's concrete structure
has already been published
on his website, which government
agencies can
access and study further for
adoption.
He urged concerned agencies
to adopt the e-voting
system for the coming local
elections to assess its credibility
and accuracy.
He said that his proposed
methodologies are still in
the dissemination phase, in
which he is trying to involve
the public in assessing
whether the proposed solutions
would be helpful in
eradicating societal challenges
or not.
Duncan is also partnering
with religious organizations
here and abroad to raise
funds for the rehabilitation
of typhoon 'Lawin' victims
in the province.
MILA BAKER - Residential Sales
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A/H: 09 627 3439
P: 09 845 5906
E: m.baker@barfoot.co.nz
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