ABAKADA 2010 Summer issue (pp. 25-30)

FILIPINIANA
Why the piña has a hundred eyes:
Myth on the origin of
the Pineapple
ously to ask for directions, even help her look for things.
Aling Rosa still could not get up, so she relied more and
more on Pinang. Her daughter, on the other hand would still
ask Aling Rosa for kitchen utensils. Because of this, Aling
Rosa got so frustrated she uttered impatiently, “Why don’t
you look with your eyes, not with your mouth. I
wish you had many pairs of eyes to help you
see what exactly you are looking for!”
Pinang did not answer. Aling Rosa had
never seen her again, although neighbours and everyone in town helped her
look for Pinang. With the disappearance
of Pinang, a strange looking plant began to grow under the house, right by
the front steps.
Aling Rosa moved the plant to where it
could grow tall and enjoy the sunlight.
She took very good care of it just like
she would with Pinang.
A
ling Rosa (Mrs. Rose), a widow, had a daughter named
Pinang. Pinang was a 10-year old with a mind of her
own. She was headstrong, and preferred playing than
helping her mother with the housework.
When Aling Rosa got sick one day, Pinang had no choice
but do some of the chores which included preparing food
for both of them. Since Pinang had not had any experience
working in the kitchen, she woke up her mother continu-
It bore a
strange-looking fruit. Aling Rosa and her
neighbours thought it looked like a person’s head with
many “eyes” marked with specks all over in a regular pattern.
Aling Rosa thought of Pinang and what she had said to her.
She wept all over again until her tears were dry. She realized that the words she had spoken were really a curse on
Pinang. She began calling the plant Pinang. As the years
passed, people began to call it “pinya,” a word in Filipino
which means the juicy, edible tropical fruit we all know as
pineapple. END
Ang sawikain o idioma ay salita o grupo ng mga salitang patalinhaga ang gamit. Ang sawikain ay mga salita o pagpapahayag na karaniwang ginagamit sa araw-araw. Ito’y ay nagbibigay ng di tuwirang kahulugan. Mga halimbawa ng sawikain:
21. saling-pusa - pansamantalang kasali
1. agaw-buhay - naghihingalo
22. sampay-bakod - taong nagpapanggap
2. alilang-kanin - utusang pakain ngunit walang sweldo
23. sanga-sangang dila - sinungaling
3. anak-pawis - magsasaka; manggagawa
24. tulak ng bibig - salita lamang, di tunay sa loob
4. balat-kalabaw - mahina ang pakiramdam
25. takaw-tulog - mahilig matulog
5. balat-sibuyas - manipis, maramdamin
26. Takipsilim - paglubog ng araw
6. balitang kutsero - hindi totoong balita
27. tawang-aso - nagmamayabang, nangmamaliit
7. bantay-salakay - taong nagbabait-baitan
28. kabiyak ng dibdib - asawa
8. butas ang bulsa - walang pera
29. kaututang dila - katsismisan, kakwentuhan
9. bungang-tulog - panaginip
30. kidlat sa bilis - maliksi, napakabilis
10. bulaklak ng dila - pagpapalabis sa katotohanan
31. kumukulo ang dugo - naiinis, nasusuklam
11. nagmumurang kamatis - matandang nag-aayos bata
32. kusang palo - sariling sipag
12. naniningalang-pugad - nanliligaw
33. di makabasag-pinggan - mahinhin
13. ningas-kugon - panandalian, di pang-matagalan
34. di mahulugang-karayom - maraming tao
14. panis ang laway - taong di-palakibo
35. dalawa ang bibig - mabunganga, madaldal
15. pagkagat ng dilim - pag lubog ng araw
36. daga sa dibdib - takot
16. patay-gutom - matakaw
37. dalawa ang mukha - kabilanin, balik-harap
17. pulot-gata - pagtatalik ng bagong kasal
38. hampas-lupa - lagalag, busabos
18. putok sa buho - anak sa labas
39. halang ang bituka - salbahe, desperado
19. pantay ang mga paa - patay n a
40. itaga sa bato - tandaan isulat sa tubig - kalimutan
20. sukat ang bulsa - marunong gumamit ng pera
ABAKADA, SUMMER 2010
26
ENTERTAINMENT
HI!HI!HI!HI!
HA!HA!HA!HA!
Getting married is very much like going to a restaurant with
friends. You order what you want then when you see what
the other person has, you wish you had ordered that.
----------Ama: Buntis anak ko, panagutan mo!
BF: May asawa na po ako!
Ama: Pano ‘to?
BF: Areglo na lang po... 2 M pag Boy, 2.5M pag Girl
Ama: Ok, pero pag nakunan. GIB HER ANADER CHANS
ha?
----------Wife: Dear, ano regalo mo mo sa 25th Anniversary natin?
Husband: Dalhin kita sa Africa...
Wife: Wow! How sweet naman... eh! sa 50th Anniversary
natin?
Husband: Susunduin na kita!
----------Anak: Itay, bibili ako ng bond paper
Itay: Anak, wag kang bobo ha? hindi “bond paper” ang
tawag dun!
Anak: Ano po ba?
Itay: “Kokongban”
----------Dalawang probinsyano sumakay sa elevator
Gorio: magkano ibabayad natin?
Andoy: tanga! inosente! bugok! stupid! bat ka magbabayad
eh wala pa tayong tiket!
----------Pedro bumps a foreigner
Pedro: ay sori
Foreigner: sorry too
Pedro: sori 3
Foreigner: what are you sorry for?
Pedro: (kala mo bobo ako ha!) sori 5
Foreigner: i think you are sick!
Pedro: hahahaha! sick daw, seven sunod!
----------Parishioner: Father bakit may nakasampay na daster, bra at
panty sa may kumbento? May asawa ka?
Father: Kung aasa ako sa mga donasyon nyo, di ako
mabubuhay! Tumatanggap ako ng labada!
----------Nay? bakit po VICTORIA ang name ni ate?
Kasi anak dun namin siya ginawa ng itay mo...
Eh bakit si kuya, ANITO?
Ay, tumigil ka na nga Luneta at baka mapalo kita! tawagin
mo na si kuya FX mo!
Marriage is give and take. You’d better give it to her or she’ll
take it anyway.
----------My wife suggested a book for me to read to enhance our
relationship. It’s titled, “Women are from Venus, Men are
Wrong.”
----------The average woman would rather have beauty than brains,
because the average man can see better than he can think.
----------Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.
----------After an acquaintance of ten minutes, many women will exchange confidences that a man would not reveal to a lifelong
friend.
----------An archaeologist is best husband a woman can have: the
older she gets, the more interested he is in her.”
----------Women like silent men, they think they’re listening.
----------Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take
time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I
go Fridays.”
----------I love being married. It’s so great to find one special person
you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
----------I fell in love at first sight… I should have looked twice.
----------Women are physically stronger than men...
Why?
Because women can carry two mountains at a time!
while men can carry only two eggs...
Take Note!
with the help of a bird pa!
-----------
Names
A little American Indian boy asked his father, the big chief
and witch doctor of the tribe...
Papa, why is it that we always have long names, while the
white men have shorter names like Bill, Tex or Sam?”
His father replied, “Look, son, our names represent a symbol, a sign, or a poem for our culture not like the white men,
who live all together and repeat their names from generation
to generation. Also, it is part of our makeup that in spite of
everything, we survive.
For example, your sister’s name is Small Romantic Moon
Over The Lake, because on the night she was born, there
was a beautiful moon reflected in the lake.
Then there’s your brother, Big White Horse of the Prairies,
because he was born on a day that the big white horse who
gallops over the prairies of the world appeared near our
camp and is a symbol of our capacity to live and the life force
of our people. It’s very simple and easy to understand.
Do you have any other questions, Little Broken Condom Made in
China?
END
ABAKADA, SUMMER 2010
27
UPDATES
B
BABAYLAN-DENMARK’s AGM 2010
abaylan-Denmark held its
Annual General
Meeting on Sunday, April
18, 2010. The meeting began with a short
presentation by our
Chairperson, Judy Jover.
The topics included an
update on who we are
as an organization, a discussion and overview of
the past year’s programs
and achievements. The
meeting provoked new
thoughts while strengthening existing knowledge
and concepts relevant to
the organization. With Filipinos and Au Pairs being
increasingly recognized
in Denmark, Babaylan
will continue providing a
forum intended to help
our Filipina kababayans in Denmark to voice out issues and challenges
related to women and gender as they tangent migration, development
and cross-cultures.
The assembly elected several coordinators to handle different target
groups in which Babaylan-Denmark is challenged to organize. Lakambini “Bing” Sitoy, Sylvia Jensen and Hedelyn Reyes were picked as the
Cultural Coordinators. Sheila Santos will continue as the Youth Coordinator to be assisted byJennifer Racca Soliman, while Rozvi Alberto
and Tefanee Sevilla Bonafe will be the new Au Pair Coordinators .
Furthermore, Jun Bermoy and Erika Nielsen were elected as PROs for
Babaylan events and activities. The newly elected set of young people
are with resources which will help promote the goals of the organization
through cultural activities, networking and social awareness.
TARGET GROUP EVENTS
The members also exchanged ideas, insights on Babaylan’s vision,
strategies and priorities regarding the upcoming events for the year 2010.
These include the Au Pair Orientations to be held during the months of
May and June, Movie Night sometime in June, reaching out projects in
the regions of Syddanmark and Sjælland; the 112th Commemoration
of the Philippine Independence, on June 12, 2010; Teaching Filipino
Language*, Copenhagen
International Day on the
28th of August, FOA and
Au Pair Networks Event
on the 4th of September, Babaylan Conference in Switzerland on
September 24 to 26,
Masquerade Party* and
Christmas Party*.
In July, BabaylanDenmark, together with
Dr. Marga Congreso will
conduct a medical mission with the help of our
Au Pairs who are also
nurses and midwife. Also
this September, Baba
San Jose will conduct
an orientation on the
acquisition of properties
in the Philippines.
FUTURE PLANS
What makes Babaylan-Denmark one of the most respectable and
competent organization in Denmark is that we have specific expertise and
competence gathered to commit, to create and deliver good results in all
projects and activities we focused to handle.
The arrival of young target groups will create a fresh and an all-encom
passing environment in which they can learn from each other and cultivate their talents. We will continue to help our members, sponsors and
society as a whole by producing events meant to discover and showcase
the talents and skills of all our members and at the same time to promote
women’s empowerment.
Once again, we thank our members and guests for their participation,
especially Ces Nymann , our newly elected Treasurer, for providing the
venue, and Jadha, Ana, Hedelyn and Jennifer for the food and refreshments. END
_______________
*to be announced
Join Babaylan, be a member! Yearly Membership Fees are 200 DKK for
residents and 100 DKK for Au Pairs.
by: Erika Credo Nielsen/Judy Jover
BABAYLAN-DENMARK’S newly elected officers
1st row from L-R
CES C. NYMANN
2nd row from L-R
ROZVI ALBERTO
LAKAMBINI SITOY
HEDELYN C. REYES
Treasurer
cessy_castro@yahoo.com
Culture & Resource Coordinator
lakambinisitoy@yahoo.com
MILAGROS SAN JOSE
Culture & Resource Coordinator
babasanjose@gmail.com
MARGA CONGRESO
Culture & Resource Coordinator
marga_ginto@webleasing.dk
SYLVIA T. JENSEN
Culture & Resource Coordinator
jbjo34@yahoo.ca
SHEILA SANTOS
Youth Coordinator
sheilamarie_santos@yahoo.com
ABAKADA, SUMMER 2010
Youth Coordinator
rozvi@kit-danmark.dk
Youth Coordinator
TEFANEE BONAFE
Youth Coordinator
tefkensee062000@yahoo.com
JENNIFER SOLIMAN
Youth Coordinator
jennifer.soliman19@gmail.com
ERIKA CREDO NIELSEN
PRO - Events & Activities
erikacredo@gmail.com
BENJI “Jun” BERMOY
PRO-Events & Activities
benj_siy@yahoo.com
28
ABOUT US
BABAYLAN - DENMARK
FINANCIAL REPORT 2010
January 2009 - March 2010
Income
Cash on Hand – Jan. 2009
Bank Deposit
DKK 10,930.00
2,675.00
13,605.00
Expenses
Orientation Expenses
Transports, Office Supplies
7,460.00
2,650.00
10,110.00
Collectibles
1,700.00
Income
Expenses
13,605.00
10,110.00
Collectibles
1,700.00
GRAND TOTAL INCOME 2009
5,195.00 DKK
Prepared by:
Hilda Gudmundsson
Treasurer
Attested By:
Judy Jover
Fafo-report 2009: Cecilie Øien
On equal terms?
An evaluation of the Norwegian au pair
scheme
This report is the outcome of an evaluation of the Norwegian au pair scheme. The
main objectives of the evaluation have been
to uncover whether (or not) the scheme is
practised according to its original intentions,
and whether the changes introduced to the
scheme in 2007 have generated the desired
effects.
This report is downloadble on pdf at
http://fafo.no/pub/rapp/20119/20119.pdf
or check it at www.babaylan.dk website.
Filipina Artist at Art Exhibition in
Copenhagen & Malmø City Halls
Youth Vårsalong is Denmark’s largest art exhibition for young people. The
Copenhagen City is again hosting the exhibit and this year’s theme is titled
“What I dream about”. It is interesting to see young artists visualize their
dreams into various art expression modes like photography, films, sculptures and paintings.
Come and see the dreams of the young artists whose 220 art works were
selected by a professional panel of judges among the hundreds of submitted works. The art exhibit will be opened by Copenhagen’s Children and
Youth Mayor Anne Vang.
We are proud to announce that Babaylan-Denmark’s illustrator and cartoonist Muir Jover, was chosen for two consecutive years to be part of this
big exhibit from April 29 to the 8th of May 2010 at Copenhagen City Hall
and subsequently at the city hall in Malmø, Sweden, from May 20-26, 2010.
“Mellem drømme og virkeligheden, hvor fantasi
og virkeligt liv blander sig” - Muir Jover
filt, acrylic & tusch
Medieskolen i Lyngby
Among the 200 young artists from around, Copenhagen, Århus, Odense,
Esbjerg, Aalborg & Malmø, Muir Jover is lucky to get her chance once again
to participate in this yearly art exhibition. END
ABAKADA, SUMMER 2010
29
CONTINUATIONS
Trading Places...
continuation from page 9
Having the savings group office sideby-side her business, however, makes
it difficult for Sangaran because the SIB
advocates “forced saving”.
Domestic workers come here and give
their money to Sangaran who records the
deposit in white passbooks carrying the
SIB seal.
Women and Migration...
continuation from page 6
but also the fact of deskilling where their
own educational qualifications slowly
diminish from lack of use because they
are mainly doing housework or ‘dirty work’.
They also run the risk of becoming undocumented because of expired visas, which
can occur unintentionally.
Double jeopardy
Filomenita also discussed diaspora
philanthropy in the course of the evening.
It is widely known that Filipino migrants
send high remittances home. Filipinos rank
among the top three worldwide in sending
billions of dollars of money home. Here the
Filipina women workers in Europe experience a double jeopardy: not only do they
As of May this year, SIB has a total deposit
of 84,235.09 Malaysian ringgit from 400
members.
Likewise, having such savings structure
inside the Kota Raya shopping complex
doesn’t appear helpful at all.
This fund is reserved for hospitalization
and mortuary assistance and emergency
loans for migrant Filipino workers in dire
financial need.
Kota Raya, to note, was cited by the Asian
Development Bank as having a “well-entrenched remittance system.”
Sangaran admits the savings consciousness is still slow-going among migrant
workers who feel responsible for sending
money to their loved ones.
have obstacles in their everyday situation, fighting for labour rights and against
discrimination, racial and gendered, but
they also have to argue against European
feminists who look at remittances as problematic.
While Filipina migrants see it as their
primary aim in migration to help their families and thus send most of their earnings
home, this is often seen negatively by European women coming from nuclear families. According to some views, remittances
not only impinge on Official Development
Assistance (ODA) but also affect a concept
of family (as migrating women often leave
their children back at home).
But in fact there is a paradigm shift today,
so even in the UN the annual assembly
called the Global Forum on Migration and
Hence, the shopping mall will remain the
beehive of foreigners like Filipinos, for as
long as Malaysia allows the entry of foreign
labor. END
Development (GFMD) is precisely looking
at the question of remittances – of course,
without reneging on migrants’ rights in
either the receiving or sending country.
The evening’s panel also consisted of
Renate Anderl, the Chairperson of Gmtn frauen, and Helga Neumayer, who
is Frauensolidaritaet’s Editor-in-Chief.
There were quite a few questions fielded
by the participants who came with other
competences to add different perspectives
to the topic of women and migration and
how women mobilise against the current
multiple crises resulting in poverty.
First published: WIDE October 2009 Newsletter.
_____________________
Filomenita Mongaya Hoeghsolm is also one of five
members of the Executive Committee of newly
joined WIDE member, Babaylan, the Philippine
Women’s Nework in Europe, and is the Founding
Chair of Babaylan Denmark.
24 Hours as UN Expert...
continuation from page 7
poverty and labour migration. Without
this gender perspective, an analysis of
the position of female migrants the development of policies to counter their
discrimination, exploitation and abuse,
is not possible..
NB: During my intervention, I brandished
the poster I got at GFMD in Athens on
December 10 2009 as Domestic Workers
World Mobilizing Day, introducing the no
Additional Women's Right...
continuation from page 12
and shall be non-cumulative and nonconvertible to cash.
This is not all.
Republic Act 8972 provides that if the
female employee happens to be a
single parent, meaning, she is solely
tion of an forthcoming ILO convention
on Domestic Workers by 2011 hopefully
leading to an international standard on
domestic workers and their work The poster
well received. Luckily I had an extra copy
of the poster which I could then donate for
documentation. Re documentation, the 3
hour Roundtable was unfortunately NOT recorded because of costs but the published
report is available at Babaylan-Denmark
and Babaylan-Europe websites. Please visit
websites www.babaylan.dk and babaylaneurope.org.
_________________________
By Filomenita Mongaya Høgsholm
taking care of her children due to,
among others, death or abandonment
by her spouse, she can take a parental
leave of not more seven working days
every year if she has rendered service
for at least one year.
that they too can avail of this leave if
they meet the criteria on solo parent
status. In this instance, gender equality
cuts both ways.
Before similarly situated men cry discrimination, I would like to assure them
ABAKADA, SUMMER 2010
CEDAW Task Force member of WIDE and
Babaylan EU and Denmark representative
WIDE Steering Group member from the Danish
Platform KULU
(For feedback, please write to: rpalabrica@
inquirer.com.ph)
30