Okay, Coach Tab Baldwin is not Filipino, we know that. But for someone not having Filipino blood, he sure has the Filipino Puso (heart) and the Filipino balls, that of a David going after the Goliath.
Adopted
Also being the head of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth National Basketball Program, the (unofficial) national team sport of the Philippines, then he has become an adopted Filipino.
He has the uneviable task and Herculian burden of carrying Gilas on his shoulders through the next World Mens Basketball Games and who knows, even bringing back Philippine Basketball on the Olympic stage.
Balls of Steel
After publicly saying in a recent podcast what his personal opinions are of what is wrong with Phillipine basketball worrying not about angering FIBA, local Filipino coaches and the mighty SBP and the PBA, then he really could be considered as a certified adopted Pinoy -- fighting for the cause of Philippine basketball more than any other previous Filipino head coach, even though he knows that he will be in the receiving end of criticism from his peers within the local Filipino coaching circle.
Sanctioned
Now after being sanctioned and fined and castigated by local coaches and the PBA, for speaking his mind, I just hope something positive will come out of his revelations, particularly because what he said is true.
Without changing any of the outmoded style of recruiting, training, selecting, coaching and everything else, then there is no way for Philippine basketball to move up internationally, especially now that all other national basketball programs are doing everything to better themselves, including recruiting foreign coaches and players.
Let's watch what he said here.
Time will tell and will come when his words will be proven true.
Over a century ago, Filipino Silver Screen pioneers started producing the nation's first Filipino made movies. But although they were 'silent' movies, they weren't totally silent because the "singing" parts were performed live during the theater screenings.
This was probably because for decades, Filipinos were used to watching stage plays (locally known as zarzuelas and moro-moros) which were much like the stage plays of today which showcase live performances.
Father of Philippine Movies
Although it was not the first film produced in the Philippines, it was the first by a Filipino.
The first film made in the Philippines was La Vida de Jose Rizal (The Life of Jose Rizal) produced five years prior by American Edward Meyer Gross. At this time, the Philippine Islands was still a U.S. Territory.
Incidentally, Nepomuceno bought his first film equipment from Gross on his birthday in 1917 and practiced his movie making skills for two years, until in September 25th 1919, the first Filipino made film was shown in Empire Theater in Manila.
Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden) was shown on screen with English, Spanish, and Tagalog subtitles. And as earlier mentioned, a song in the film had to be sang live, for each and every screening of the film, along with musicians who have to accompany the singer and play the musical instruments live.
Pioneers in Asia
It is noteworthy to mention that during this time, India, Japan and the Philippines were the only people in Asia who were making films in their part of the world.
Jose Nepomuceno (1893 - 1959)
Jose Nepomuceno went on to produce and direct numerous other full length films and documentaries. He was a photographer, journalist and a foreign news correspondent. Although his pioneering work with cinema was singularly his most important contribution to Philippine history, culture and arts, much more their people's way of life.
It is just unfortunate that all of his pioneering work has been deemed lost.
Dalagang Bukid was a huge box office hit. Nepomuceno produced a sequel in 1920 -- La venganza de Don Silvestre, to continue the story of the country maiden.
These initial successes paved the way for Nepomuceno and other local contemporaries to continue the business of producing films which eventually ushered in the Philippine Movie Industry.
Philippine Commonwealth President Quezon broadcasting to his countrymen in Manila, from Washington, D.C., 1937 (Wikipedia Commons)
An audio recording of President Quezon was preserved and one can listen to it here.
This was a speech he made for his people and is in English and then in Spanish.
Quezon's List
About four years have passed since we featured former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon and talked about how he was part of a "game" of life or death, which he being the head of state of an island nation along with others playing the game were able to allow the safe passage of about 1,300 Jews out of Europe and into the Philippine Islands during the Holocaust.
At that time, we kind of joked that a script entitled "Quezon's List' should be made into a movie based from this little known historical event, just like 'Schindler's List'.
Big Plans to Save Jews
President Quezon really wanted to save as much as he can and already planned to give safe refuge to as much as 10,000 European Jews, who were facing untold atrocities and imminent death.
What was tricky was that the Philippines was also caught up with the War in the Pacific as they got over ran and went under the control of Imperial Japanese forces. So Quezon and his group of friends should be able to outwit not only the Nazis in Europe but also the Japanese in Manila.
Now four years later, a movie about this was finally made and will start to be shown. It already made the rounds of international film festivals.
Whenever halloween comes along, there is no other Filipino (being) that is more popular than the "Aswang".
Every Filipino gathering wouldn't be complete without the mention of one.
"Tik Tik"
For the most part, these beings are mythical creatures but millions of Filipinos throughout recorded history have sworn to them being real, yes even up to this age of the internet and social media, which the Filipinos are king.
Books, movies and tv shows have been made about these fantastic creatures which sometimes goes by the name of "tik tik or "wak wak"". According to stories, these beings are indigenous to the islands of the middle part of the Philippines but there would be tales where they were seen in the southern parts and the lower upper parts of the country. Of course according to some tales (movies and tv shows included) they have also infiltrated many parts of the world.
Shape Shifters
They are for the most part, shape-shifters as they seem to be quite normal and unassuming people in the day time but change into creatures straight out of your wildest dreams or even into wild animals at night.
They are also often depicted as grave robbers or fresh flesh eaters or even ghouls who feast on unborn fetuses -- sucking them from the bellies of unsuspecting sleeping pregnant women.
"Aswangs" are also said to be like witches or other ghouls of Philippine mythology and are often likened to vampires and werewolves rolled into one.
History tells us that even during the Spanish times (1500s to 1800s), stories of the "aswang" have already been widespread. It is also noteworthy to add that we shouldn't get it past those Spanish friars of old to make up these spooky stories to scare the natives, so they would be easier to subjugate or to stop them from having secret meetings or incursions at night.
Anyway, true or not, if you are interested in finding out more about this interesting and uniquely Filipino beings, here is the "aswangs" as depicted by the creators of Grimm the TV Series.
Grimm "The Aswang" -- Mommy Dearest
If those short clips, left you craving for more, then here is a full length documentary made by the "Aswang Project".
"The Aswang Phenomenon" A Documentary
And if you are really into this kind of genre, then here is the accompanying movie that they have made:
"Aswang" Movie (2008)
Filipino Movie
Those who speak Tagalog would have no problem finding several "aswang" movies. Many will remember that since the 1980s, there have been a lot of Filipino movies made which tackle the "aswang" phenomenon, including the ever popular Shake, Rattle and Roll series.
Here is one of the more recent films about these creatures.
"Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles" Tagalog Movie (2012)
American school teacher in his classroom possibly taken in 1901
Moro School, Zamboanga, Mindanao, P.I.
In 1901, the United States of America established a public school system to be implemented throughout the entire Philippine archipelago.
They shipped in American teachers and dispersed them to the different provinces that make up the Philippine Islands. These teachers taught Filipino students the same curriculum as in the U.S., in the English language. The teachers came by way of a US Army Transport boat called "Thomas", the first batch came August 1901. Hence, these teachers got the nickname "Thomasites".
By 1903, Americans started sending selected Filipino students to the United States to actually study in U.S. high schools, colleges and universities. This practice lasted until the start of World War 2.
All if not most of these students came back to the Philippines with their diplomas and all the learning and the experience they received in the U.S. mainland. And some of them became the country's next teachers and educators themselves.
100 Years Later
Fast forward to 1999, numerous U.S. school districts in major cities in many states are having problems with the hiring of qualified teachers, some with having no applicants at all.
It got from bad to worse and school districts had to "import" teachers from a handful of countries. And you guessed it, many came from the Philippines -- talk about coming full circle.
Export: Teachers
The teaching profession have always flourished in the Philippines since the post war era. We can say the same thing about professions involving accounting and its allied courses, nursing and other health careers, care giving, domestic work and related fields, sea faring, blue collar,skilled and entertainment jobs as well as call center, business processing and IT consulting -- which basically make up the bulk of Filipino workers who are being contracted to work overseas.
The Learning
In 2011 PBS aired a documentary titled "The Learning". This was about the face of this imported teachers phenomenon and it followed the story of four Filipino teachers who left their careers and their families to teach in Baltimore, Maryland.
What the casual reader might be missing here is that even though these teachers might be receiving salaries which are 10 times more than what they would receive in the Philippines (which is probably the only reason why they would be doing this in the first place), is that they were sacrificing a lot by leaving their careers, their pensions, their homes and their families to travel and live half-way around the world. And to come teach children in a country where they couldn't find anybody local to do it themselves.
Filipino students protesting the lost of their teachers
Sacrifices
This is very similar to the sacrifices the "Thomasites" had to go through when they sailed from the United States in the early 1900's, leaving their American lives, their comfortable homes and their friends and families to teach people in another country where everything is very much different from what they were used to.
This old saying is is true, you reap what you sow.
Today Filipino teachers are repaying those brave, naive and idealistic American teachers who taught their grandparents by going to the U.S. and teaching their grand children.
And they themselves are enduring sacrifices which those American teachers had to go through.
Respect
To these pioneering teachers, we salute you for your service and for helping educate the next generation of people who will come after us.
Many Filipino teachers across the U.S. right now have been receiving awards and recognition and they are proving that they deserve to be teaching American school children today and for years to come.
Award Winning Filipino Teacher in New York
A Filipina Teacher is the Top Teacher in California
The World's "Budget English Teacher" found in the Philippines, BBC News
Poem written by E. Schneider (an American teacher) while he was on the first boat to the Philippine Islands in 1901
TO THE PHILIPPINE TEACHERS O'er boundless seas and to a foreign land A chosen and devoted band you go; And those of you upon whose heads the snow Of age has fallen labor hand in hand With those who still in youth's prime vigor stand The selfsame task to carry out, to sow The seeds of truth and culture; and you know This is a noble duty, wisely planned. So let no fear of failure fill your hearts, Or dash your courage, or your spirits grieve; And let no petty doubts becloud your brain, Remember, while you try to do your parts, That, if one single spark of light you leave Behind, your work will not have been in vain. E. E. Schneider.
May our Filipino teachers abroad be guided with the same sentiments.
Manuel L. Quezon y Molina was born 1878 in Baler, Tayabas (now Quezon Province) to Lucio Quezon and Maria Molina, both school teachers, in the island of Luzon, the Philippines, which at that time was under Spanish rule for over 300 years.
Quezon went to college in Manila and went on to study law at the University of Santo Tomas. His studies were cut short because he dropped out to join the struggle for his country's independence which by then was under the control of the United States.
He stopped to join the revolutionary forces led by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo during the height of the Spanish-American War.
After General Aguinaldo surrendered to the Americans at the end of the war in 1901, Manuel went back to law school to finish his degree at UST.
In 1903, Quezon passed the bar and set up a law practice in his hometown. He later gave up his private practice and joined politics.
He was elected provincial governor and served two terms. In 1907 he was elected as a representative to the newly established Philippine Assembly.
Philippine Independence
Quezon went on to serve as Resident Commissioner to the U.S. in Washington, D.C. (1909-1916). In 1916 he co-sponsored and played a major role in obtaining the passage of the Jones Act, which gave the Filipinos the power to legislate for themselves (subject to veto by the American Governor-General).
He then resigned his position and returned to the Philippines, a hero.
In 1916 Quezon was elected to the newly formed Philippine Senate.
Quezon fought for the Tydings-McDuffie Law in 1934, otherwise known as the Philippine Independence Act. This law provided for Philippine independence in 1946.
President of the Philippines
In 1935, Quezon was elected as the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth government. (General Aguinaldo is generally acknowledged as the first president of the Philippine Republic in 1899).Quezon was reelected president in 1941 until the Japanese forces bombed Pearl Harbor and occupied Manila at the other side of the Pacific on the same day.
President Quezon and his cabinet fled the country and set up a government in exile at Washington in May 1942.
Quezon was most famous (or infamous) for his attack on the racist policies of Governor Leonard Wood and his declaration that he preferred "a government run like hell by Filipinos to one run like heaven by Americans." (be careful what you wish for, you just might get it)
Little Known Fact
Quezon, of course is no saint, like everyone else he has his faults but he did a few great things.
But what he was nonetheless less famous for and one which Steven Spielberg should really be seriously considering making a movie out of is on how he was instrumental in giving safe passages to over 1,300 Jews who were desperately trying to escape the holocaust from the late 1930s to 1941 when no other nation on earth was willing to take them in.
Quezon's List
His is a story much like how Oskar Schindler did it (ala Schindler's List) only there is so much more drama, action and suspense as the Jews they saved didn't only have to escape the Nazis in Europe but also the Japanese forces while in the Far East.
And it was very interesting how they managed to do it. Read the story on how they did it here: CNN: How the Philippines saved 1,200+ Jews during the Holocaust.
This untold story was first recounted by Frank Ephraim in his book, Escape to Manila: From Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror (University of Illinois Press, 2003), based mostly on his own eyewitness account as a child who was one of 1,300 Jewish refugees who arrived in Manila in 1939. Source: AsianWeek
Manuel Quezon donated his own land in Marikina (now a part of Quezon City) to give to these Jewish migrants to build a group home to call their own.
In 2012, there was a documentary made about the story of these holocaust survivors.
Jewish Rescue in the Philippines
Hard not get teary eyed watching that excerpt but still a Hollywood movie would give their story the global impact it so much deserves. There are only a few of these survivors who are still alive today and we need to hear their story before they pass on from this earth.
Open Doors Monument
October 2014, Tel Aviv, State of Israel featured the Open Door Monument as one of its attractions in its official city brochure-map for tourists. This monument was unveiled on 21 June 2009 at Rishon Lezion’s Holocaust Memorial Park by then Secretary of Tourism Joseph H. Durano, along with Minister for Improvement of Government Services and Member of the Knesset Michael Eitan and Rishon Lezion Mayor Dov Zur.
The marker honors the Philippines' humanitarian act of saving the Jews fleeing the Holocaust in Europe through President Manuel L. Quezon’s “open doors” policy in 1939. At a time when Jews were refused admission by most countries, the Philippines opened its doors to them, allowing the issuance of 10,000 visas of which 1,300 Jewish refugees reached the Philippines. The Open Doors Monument also symbolizes the strong and enduring friendship between the Philippines and Israel, the Philippines being the only Asian country who voted in favor of UN Resolution 181 concerning the creation of the State of Israel in 1947. Source: http://www.tel-avivpe.dfa.gov.ph/
Video: 1935, Inauguration of Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Philippine Commonwealth
Manuel Quezon died August 1st 1944, a year before the liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese and two years from Philippine independence in 1946. In fact the Philippines is the largest and most important U.S. colony (commonwealth, territory, property) to break away from the U.S.A., declare independence and become a sovereign nation. Five U.S. territories still remain today: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (plus a few small islands, atolls, reefs, banks).Two non-stateside territories have since became U.S. states, Alaska and Hawaii.
Quezon's Accomplishments
1. Establishment of minimum wage, 1936
2. Gave an order to establish a national language, 1937
3. Pushed for the establishment of a city to become the future capital of the country, replacing Manila, 1938
4. Liberation of the Philippines, 1946
5. A systematized form of government, 1946
And many more, but what every Filipino should be made aware of is that President Quezon (like Jose Rizal) believed in the Filipino. Quezon, like all other Filipino nationalists before him fought hard for Philippine independence. He envisioned a strong Filipino nation governed by Filipinos. Quezon had a list of civic and ethical duties that he prescribed to be taught in Philippine schools to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and to teach the duties of citizenship.
Quezon's Dream
80 years later, his country should have been a much stronger and united nation. Today, although the Philippines have a national language unlike most former Spanish colonies, 100 million Filipinos speak 13 major languages and over 100 regional languages. And although majority of Filipinos are Roman Catholic, the Philippines is home to dozens of other religions which help to segregate the population.
But it's never too late. The U.S.A. took about a hundred years to become a strong nation, the Philippines still have time to do the same.
Quezon's Code of Citizenship and Ethics (1939)
1. Have faith in Divine Providence that guides the destinies of men and nations.
2. Love your country for it is the home of your people, the seat of your affections, and the source of your happiness and well-being. Its defense is your primary duty. Be ready at all times to sacrifice and die for it if necessary.
3. Respect the Constitution which is the expression of your sovereign will. The government is your government. It has been established for your safety and welfare. Obey the laws and see that they are observed by all and that public officials comply with their duties.
4. Pay your taxes willingly and promptly. Citizenship implies not only rights but also obligations.
5. Safeguard the purity of suffrage and abide by the decisions of the majority.
6. Love and respect your parents. It is your duty to serve them gratefully and well.
7. Value your honor as you value your life. Poverty with honor is preferable to wealth with dishonor.
8. Be truthful and be honest in thought and in action. Be just and charitable, courteous but dignified in your dealings with your fellow men.
9. Lead a clean and frugal life. Do not indulge in frivolity or pretense. Be simple in your dress and modest in your behavior.
10. Live up to the noble traditions of our people. Venerate the memory of our heroes. Their lives point the way to duty and honor.
11. Be industrious. Be not afraid or ashamed to do manual labor. Productive toil is conducive to economic security and adds to the wealth of the nation.
12. Rely on your own efforts for your progress and happiness. Be not easily discouraged. Persevere in the pursuit of your legitimate ambitions.
13. Do your work cheerfully, thoroughly, and well. Work badly done is worse than work undone. Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.
14. Contribute to the welfare of your community and promote social justice. You do not live for yourselves and your families alone. You are a part of society to which you owe definite responsibilities.
15. Cultivate the habit of using goods made in the Philippines. Patronize the products and trades of your countrymen.
16. Use and develop our natural resources and conserve them for posterity. They are the inalienable heritage of our people. Do not traffic with your citizenship.
The Philippines Loses Bid to Host FIBA World Cup of Basketball 2019
Even though the Philippines boasts as being home to the craziest basketballs fans in the planet, they still lost in their bid to host the next World Cup of Basketball to China.
This will be China's first time to host the FIBA WC, the Philippines hosted one back in 1978 when they then had the largest coliseum in the world.
Today, the Philippines has since built many other venues and again is home to the biggest indoor basketball arena in the world, one that could sit 55,000. They also boast of a few other other world class indoor arenas and they were so ready for this world cup.
Watch their final petition here:
Lou Diamond Phillips, Manny Paquiao, Jimmy Alapag, Chot Reyes
Yes, as in who could have turned that down?
But no, it wasn't meant to be and people all over the world could only speculate as to what could have been.
Authentic Love for the Sport
Because these crazy Filipinos do not need to "manufacture"anything, their hearts beat basketball, it was their time, like no other time. The Philippines didn't need much of anything else, when they have the greatest and most die-hard fans in the planet.
To give you an idea of how basketball crazy Filipinos are, like in the USA, they also have three professional sports seasons in one year -- but unlike in the US, they are all played in the basketball court (no pro soccer, no pro baseball, no pro American football, volleyball, cricket or anything else) -- just basketball, all year round.
Worldwide Online and Out
100 million plus basketball crazy fans within their 7,100 islands. Tens of millions of other "kababayans" all over the world at any given time, people who would most likely buy FIBA merchandise, welcome the players like no other would, and virtually heat up social media and boost the sport like no other nation can -- they are among the top (if not the top) social media users in the world.
And who could forget this Fox Sports Filmabout the FIlipinos' hope, determination and resilience and their uncommon Love for Basketball.
But no, we just hope that this isn't anything like what has happened at FIFA.
This Isn't Over
Philippine basketball fans have a never-say-die attitude. They would root for their team no matter what. And they would still be fans through thick and thin.
But one thing I do know, these fans would just want to know who were the countries who voted for the Philippines' bid, so that 100 million basketball crazy Filipinos would be able to salute them and say thanks.
But then again, most would probably be more interested in knowing who were those who didn't vote for them.
