The Forgotten War: Philippine-American War, 1899-1902

How many of you (who are 50 years old or younger) have heard of the Philippine-American War, 1899-1902? Here's a video for your information and perhaps wonderment!
You will enjoy this video if you love history. As the saying goes, you will never know your Future if you do not look back to your Past.


A more detailed description of this war can be found in Andrew J. Birtle book " US Army Counterinsurgency and Contingency Operations, 1860-1941.

Racial Slurs or Terms of Endearment in the Philippines?

Are the terms "Hey, Joe"(HJ) or " My Little Brown Girl"(MLBG) racial slurs or terms of endearment(TOE)? HJ to me is not a racial slur, but MLBG is definitely very derogatory and has racial connotations.

So, to all Americans, Europeans, Australians, or Canadians and Non-Filipino Husbands, do not call your wives or girl friends "My little brown girl" as if your wife is a commodity that you have purchased or as "my Filipina", even if you meant it as an endearment. I am addressing this to all non-Filipino husbands who are married to Filipina women whether your are residing in Philippines or other parts of the world. I am also addressing this to all Men looking for Filipina wives in the Internet and other dating sites. Filipina women are known to be good wives and they must be treated with respect and dignity.

On the other hand, Hey Joe is a term of endearment to me. I grew up in the early 1940's with American GI's working along side with my DAD. Hey Joe, meant to me goodies from the food ration package that I will receive from US soldiers in the Philippines once I greeted them with those words. I really do not know the real names of most of the soldiers except for the two dental assistants that worked with my DAD every day. So, to me all American soldiers are called Joe at that time, whether the guy is white or Negro. But, I know of several American Balikbayans and Residents in the Philippines who are offended with the Hey Joe words today.

The following is a list of commomly used TOES in the Philippines. Used any or all of the following terms of endearment(TOE) to your wives, girlfriends or lovers, but never used the term "my little brwon girl" or "my Filipina".

1. Honey - or its variation such as, "Hon", "Ney", "Honeypie" or "Ni"

2. Baby - or its variation such as: "Babes" but not baboy

3. Sweetheart - or its variation such as: "Sweet", "Swit", "Sweetie Pie", "Sweetie", "Heart", but not "Tart" .

4. Darling - or its variation: "Dahleng", "Ling".-Most common TOE all over the world

5. Cutie-Pie - I don't hear this used in the Philippines, but it is still used as a TOE here in US, mostly by younger couples.

6. Love - or its variation such as: "lovey","lab or lub", but not "labidubdubs"

7 Mom/Dad/Mama/Papa - this term is commonly used either by married couples or couples that have been together for a long time. The variations are: "Mommy", "Daddy", "Mami", "Dadi".

8.Pangga/Mahal - Pangga is what I call our youngest grand daughter. It is a contraction of the Ilongo word Palangga which means mahal or loved one.Here's a short video on the most common tagalog TOEs.

Bullfighting and Cockfighting in Manila in the 1890s

While doing a web search on the Philippine-American War of 1899, two items attracted my attention, bullfighting and cockfighting. The first item is gone in the Filipino lives and culture for quite a long time. However, cockfighting remains ingrained into the Filipino mind, that is why it very popular gambling activity for a lot of Filipinos today. It is almost a national sport in the country side. A lot of money is lost or won every weekend in almost all towns and cities in the Philippines from cockfighting festivities. I wrote an article on my first cockfighting experience along with my two American-born kids, 2 grand kids and son-in-law about two years ago in this blog (see below for a short excerpt). That first cockfight experience in Marinduque will be the last time, I will put myself near a cockfighting arena. Here's a short paragraph on bullfighting in Manila in the 1890s.

"The bull ring was located in Paco district. An American writer who was in the Philippines in 1898-99, Joseph L. Stickney, described the state of the sport in the country: "Neither Spanish bull-fighters nor Spanish bulls are brought to the island, so that native talent has to be obtained to play both roles. The bulls are timid and lazy, the bull-fighters are little better, so that the traveler does not see bullfighting of the same sort that he would in Spain, Cuba or Mexico."

Here's a reprint of my first cockfighting experience in Marinduque

I grew up in the Philippines, until I was 25 years old. But I have never attended a cockfighting tournament. When I was growing up my parents instructed me never to go inside the arena or else I get a beating in the buttocks. However, without my parents knowledge, my friend and I were outside the arena a number of times where there are stalls selling merienda's( Filipino cakes and balot) and other goodies. So outside the arena, I could still remember the noise and commotion inside when the winner is announced in my mind even until today.

It was only two years ago, when we celebrated our Golden wedding anniversary that I attended a cockfighting tournament in Marinduque. This was the first request of my two sons, nephew to be (boy friend of my niece) and son-in-law who all grew up in US. They have heard and read about it, so they were really curious. So the first Sunday of their visit in Marinduque, I took them to my first cockfighting experience. We were accompanied by a local relative who was a cockfighting enthusiast and a semi-addict of this bloody sport and gambling activity in the Philippines.

WOW! What an experience! The crowds were 99.9% male. There were only three women out of about 300 gamblers. My son-in-law and "nephew to be" were the only white-skinned males(gringos) in the crowd. Of course my son-in-law who is 6 feet and 6 inches tall stuck out like a sore thumb with his height and bald head. At first I really did not understand what was going on, as the attendees were all shouting their bets to the bet taker almost at the same time. But I heard the bet taker never makes a mistake. What a memory! There were two sides, MAYRON or WALA. When I was growing up, the two opposing sides were “ SA PULA and SA PUTI”.

MAYRON means you have something and WALA means you have nothing. PULA means red and PUTI means white, indicating the opposite color of the roosters. But sometimes the roosters have the same color, so this was abandoned to the current mayron or wala as the two opposing sides.

The noise was so deafening once a winner or a “kill” was declared. It sounded like a thousand males had an orgasmic experience all at the same time. It was so loud, that I had to cover my ears. I enjoyed more watching the antics of the crowd than the actual cockfights except for the moment of kill. After a few of these bouts, I got tired, so I went outside the arena. In the meantime, my guests were betting and enjoying themselves. We stayed for only about an hour since I was getting tired due to the noise, the heat and humidity in the arena. My son won about $10, but my son-in-law lost $15. They had a grand and fantastic time. I did not!

I will never attend a cockfighting tournament again, I just don't like the gambling atmosphere and the smell of the place(amoy pawis). My preference in gambling are the casinos not the cockfighting tournaments. It was however, an experience worthy of posting in this blog. Cockfighting also reminded me of bull fighting in Spain, that I attended about ten years ago. I loved the bull fights, not the cock fights.

Six Delightfully Named Places in US and Other Parts of the World

1. No Name, Colorado
150 miles west of Denver along I-70 lies a tiny little town that people were too lazy to bother naming. Therefore, it is simply called No Name, Colorado. Population: a whopping 123.



2. Boring, Oregon
This is one of those unfortunate towns named after some old dude (W. H. Boring…really), long before the old dude’s name came to mean something else in the English language. Or at least, we’re going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that “boring” didn’t mean then what it does today. Otherwise that’s just stupid.



3. Hell, Michigan, which is about 15 miles from Ann Arbor, has been around for a long time. There are two predominant theories as to the origin of it’s unique name, and both are stupid. One theory holds that some German travelers were overheard saying “so schön hell” (“so beautifully bright”), so some stupid locals started calling it Hell. The other theory posits that, when the founder was asked what to call the town, he said “I don’t care. You can name it Hell for all I care.” So they did. Like I said, stupid theories.


4. Anus, France
If anyone in this little medieval town had a sense of humor or entrepreneurial spirit, they’d be selling “I Heart Anus (France)” t-shirts by the side of the road.

Fucking, Austria
5. Fucking, Austria
In 1070 this town was called Vucchigen. It was called Fukching in 1303, Fugkhing by 1532 and, finally, Fucking by the 1900s. So you see, it took a long, long time for the German language to evolve to the point where “Fucking, Austria” became totally hilarious. Today, the sign at the entrance of town is the most sought-after object d’art for Americans backpacking through Europe (because it looks sweet on dorm walls).

Bald Knob, Arkansas
6. Bald Knob, Arkansas
Coming in at #6 is Bald Knob, Arkansas. With a population of 3,210, this metropolis dwarfs the previous two poorly-named municipalities. I wonder what residents of this town call themselves—Bald Knobbers? Bald Knobbians? Bald Knobbites? Whatever it is, I bet it sounds dirty.

Besides the above six, I have posted short articles on Intercourse, PA, French Lick, Indiana and Dildo, Newfoundland, Canada.
I hope I made your day! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Note: This is #5 to #10 of a series of articles on delightfully named places in US and other parts of the world.

Frequently Ask Questions about Dual Citizenship( Filipino-American)

The other day, one of my long time friend here in Northern California was asking me how to apply and what are the advantages of dual citizenship.( Philippines and American). Here is my answer to her from the article Frequently Asked Questions Relating to the Reacquisition of Philippine Citizenship under Republic Act 9225, published by The Philippines Consulate General Office.

1. Who are eligible dual citizens? Natural-born Filipinos who have lost their Philippine citizenship by naturalization in a foreign country, and their unmarried children who are below 18 years of age are eligible under Republic Act No. 9225 or the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003.

2. What is the procedure in applying and what documents are required in order to apply? (a) Applicant shall present a copy of his/her Birth Certificate issued or duly-authenticated by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in Manila.

(Note: applicants who are based in the United States can request for an authenticated birth certificate from the National Statistics Office on-line through the following website: www.ecensus.com.ph)

In case of no records found, applicant must present a Certificate of Non-Availability of Birth Record from the NSO and other secondary documentary proof of being a former natural-born Filipino citizen (e.g. old Philippine passport, baptismal certificate, marriage certificate of applicant’s parents)

(b) Applicant accomplishes form entitled “Petition for Dual Citizenship and Issuance of Identification Certificate (IC) pursuant to RA 9225” and attaches three (3) 2”x2” photographs showing the front, left side and right side views of the applicant.

(c) Applicant submits duly-accomplished petition to the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago together with the photos, birth certificate and a valid ID.

(Note: applicants who are married and who wish to use their married names must submit a copy of their marriage certificate).

(d) Applicant pays a processing fee of US$ 50.00 and is assigned a schedule for his/her oath of allegiance before a consular officer. Applicant takes his/her oath.

(e) Applicant is given the original copy of his notarized oath of allegiance together with an Order of Approval issued by the Philippine Consulate General.

(f) The Philippine Consulate General forwards to the Bureau of Immigration in Manila the petition, oath, order of approval, and other supporting documents for issuance of an Identification Certificate.

(g) The Bureau of Immigration issues an Identification Certificate (IC) and forwards it to the applicant through the Philippine Consulate General.

3. What rights and privileges will dual citizens enjoy? Those who retain or reacquire their Philippine Citizenship under RA 9225 shall enjoy full civil and political rights and be subject to all attendant liabilities and responsibilities under existing laws of the Philippines and the following conditions:

(a) Those intending to exercise their right of suffrage must meet the requirements under Section 1, Article V of the Constitution, Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as “The Overseas Absentee Voting Act 0f 2003” and other existing laws.

(b) Under the Act, the right to vote or be elected or appointed to any public office in the Philippines cannot be exercised by, or extended to, those who are candidates for or are occupying any public office in the country of which they are naturalized citizens and/or those who are in active service as commissioned or non-commissioned officers in the armed forces of the country which they are naturalized citizens.
(b) Those seeking elective public office in the Philippines shall meet the qualifications for holding such public office as required by the Constitution and existing laws and, at the time of filing of the certificate of candidacy, make a personal and sworn renunciation of any and all foreign citizenship before any public officer authorized to administer an oath.

(c) Those appointed to any public office shall subscribe and swear to an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines and its duly constituted authorities prior to their assumption of office: Provided, That they renounce their oath of allegiance to the country where they took that oath;

4. As a dual citizen, can I own land in the Philippines? Is there a limit as to the area or size of the land or real property which I could purchase under my name?As provided for under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, there is no limit as to the area or size of the land or real property, which a Filipino citizen may acquire or purchase under his/her name. Naturally, this principle applies to former Filipinos who reacquire their citizenship under RA 9225.

5. As a dual citizen, how long can I stay in the Philippines? Having reacquired your citizenship, you can stay in the Philippines for as long as you want without having to pay an immigration fees. You can even choose to retire or permanently settle back in the Philippines. As a Filipino citizen, you are subject to duties and other obligations imposed on other ordinary Filipinos, such as paying the necessary community tax residence and other tax liabilities in accordance with the tax laws of the Philippines.

6. Will I have to pay income taxes for my earnings here in the United States?In accordance with current tax laws of the Philippines, all income derived by Filipino citizens from sources abroad are not subject to income taxes.

7. As a dual citizen, am I allowed to practice my profession in the Philippines (e.g. doctor) ? Under the law, those intending to practice their profession in the Philippines shall apply with the proper authority for a license or permit to engage in such practice.

8. After I reacquire my citizenship, are my minor, unmarried children also considered as Filipino citizens? Under Section 4 (Derivative Citizenship) of Republic Act 9225, the unmarried child, whether legitimate, illegitimate or adopted, below eighteen (18) years of age, of those who re-acquire Philippine citizenship shall also be deemed citizens of the Philippines. Applicants who have unmarried minor children should submit copies of the birth certificates of their children upon filing of the petition.

9. If I need to get more details on the rules and procedures for the implementation of RA 9225, which government office do I contact in the Philippines? Under Administrative Order No. 92 Series of 2004 dated 12 January 2004, the Bureau of Immigration has been designated as the government agency in charge of formulating the rules and procedures for the implementation of Republic Act No.9225. The contact details of Immigration Commissioner Alipio F. Fernandez are as follows: Office of the COmmisioner, Bureau of Immigration, Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila, Philippines. (Tel. No. (63)2 527-3265 / Fax No. (63-2) 527-3279)

Have You Heard of Dildo, Newfoundland?

Dildo, Newfoundland, Canada

Not only does this town have the #1 most unfortunate/awesome name in the entire history of the world, but it is surrounded by other incredibly unfortunate/awesome place names. For example, due south of Dildo, Newfoundland, there is South Dildo. Then, just across the bay from Dildo, you’ll find the town of Spread Eagle. Finally, and best of all, just south of South Dildo is Dildo Pond, which bears a striking resemblance to—what else!—a freaking dildo. So, yeah, no other crazy town name even come close to Dildo, Newfoundland, Canada.

Note: This is #4 of a series of articles on delightfully named places in US and other parts of the world.