20 Reasons

A couple of weeks or so ago, a guy named Jimmy Sieczka posted an online video rant about 20 reasons why he disliked the Philippines that caused quite a stir. It went viral (for all of us in the Philippines, of course) and got a lot of attention. Jimmy has long since apologized for how his video appeared and that he did not intend for it to hurt so many people, going as far as to declare his love for the Philippines and calling it his second country, and Cebu his second home.

But quite a few say, the video is a wake-up call. You can see Jimmy in his f-laced glory in his video here.

The video actually brings up very valid points and while I agree with its spirit, the delivery could have used some more refining.

-- The holes in the street

There are countless -- potholes, open drains, canals without grates or covers but I'd rather have them filled or covered with a barrel rather than have someone fall into them. The local government watched this video and I hope they actually do something about it.

-- Street Cialis

Just because people over there in their country buy it over the Internet doesn't make it any less of a need for people with erectile dysfunction (ED) here in our country. But do you know Jimmy that those vendors, more often than not, sell it to old foreign geezers who can't get women to like them in their own countries so they come here. ED is a problem for those who have it, and you are adding to the stereotype of those who use the drugs. Sildenafil is a perfectly good drug with a good number of uses -- pulmonary hypertension, ED, and so on. And contrary to popular belief, there have been no adverse effects for use by normal, young individuals like you. So your secret is safe with us.

-- The street food

Well, I can't completely say that food and places in other countries are just as clean and sanitary. You came to the Philippines, which is right smack in the tropics, so you're going to have flies and whatnot. But I guess that's why foreigners get diarrhea more easily. I'm proud to be a proponent of the hygiene hypothesis.

-- MILF.

We really can't do anything about our local terrorist name. In my opinion, it's cooler than Al Qaeda.

-- Endless Construction

It's true about the seemingly endless construction. Seemingly. They usually get completed a few more years than the target dates. More jobs for people I guess.

-- White

I am a Filipino and I'm brown as can be. And for the life of me, I could never understand our obsession with looking more like Jimmy and our Caucasian friends while a good percentage of them try to get as tanned as possible to get rid of their pasty tones. I've always favored our natural skin tone over the more fairer complexions. Crazy Filipinos.

-- Small Plastics and Receipts

I wonder why Jimmy had to buy a whole pack of gum from a pharmacy in the first place? You could have just bought a pack from the guy who peddled Cialis so there would not have been a need for a plastic wrapper. I've bought small things from pharmacies and stores myself and I find that if I told them not to bother putting in plastic, they happily oblige. Oh, and in this part of the world, receipts are required by law.

-- Shitty drivers

Pretty much the same all over the world. There are so many more of these in your country Jimmy.

-- CR

I laughed at this bit because this was so true. I don't have a comeback for this. Everybody should really fix their CR's and bathrooms and toilets. The only thing, it's not all over the country, it's in a majority of the countries CR's, but not all.

-- Security guards

In a perfect world, our security guards would be just as good as SWAT's and Seal Team Sixes. But we don't live in utopia. I agree that most of our security personnel lack training and hmm, expertise. Sadly, it often is a job that they have to take because of the lack of other opportunities. Thus the poor job satisfaction, lounging and joking around. But give credit where it is due, there have been many security guards who have lost their lives to robberies and giving it in the line of duty even without the proper compensation.

-- Pissing anywhere

If my wife would become president of this country, the first law that she would pass would be to castrate men who pee anywhere. Sadly, this is a truth. Something that we, Filipinos, should really change.

-- Frisking

I'm not sure where security guards in malls get their frisking techniques either. I could hide a weapon in my sock and they couldn't find it. When you drive a car in a parking garage, they just check the chassis and the trunk. I could have a bomb in my lap and they probably wouldn't see it. But then again, I probably would mind if they turned the car inside out and did a full body cavity search every time I entered SM or Ayala.

-- Beeping

I've been to foreign countries Jimmy. I've been to your country as well. No, they don't just beep in emergencies. They're pretty much the same here -- beeping traffic, getting to close, stealing lanes. Gasp, are you Filipino Jimmy?

-- Napkin size

I had no idea they didn't come in that size. Maybe, if people ate a little less sloppily, they wouldn't have to use that much table napkins.

-- Beggars

True. But beggars in other countries are better off because they have sign boards, better boxes and newspapers to make their beds and a garbage can to light a fire in.

-- "Valet" Parking

My pet peeve. Yes, they do confuse more than they actually help. I'd rather they just watch the car or wash it. You get into your car suddenly they come out of nowhere and wave their hands to "guide" you out, and like Jimmy said, "Just waiting for the goodness." Mostly, I just give them a couple of pesos to not do anything to the car while I'm gone. People do expect tips for the tiniest of things.

-- Chickens crowing

Dude, you are in the Philippines, get used to it. Others have dogs, lizards, snakes, cats. Here we have chickens.

-- Top 40's

I wish they got rid of these as well. I can't bear to hear songs without discernible lyrics and just plain bass-driven beats all night. But just move away from the noise, err, music buddy. Discorrals are here to stay. It's the poor man's version of trance music.

-- On hot Filipino women being lady-boys, prostitutes

Jimmy, Jimmy, buddy. You just haven't been looking in the right places.

-- Cockroaches

It's a tropical country Jimmy. And yes, we have cockroaches here like you do where you're from.

-- Koreans

Do we have an agreement with the Korean government? I do agree with Mr. Sieczka on this one. We have foreigners here, but why is there a ridiculous number of Koreans over other nationalities? It's probably not a nice to generalize but they do tend to hang out in groups, obnoxious as hell, and loud. And them not speaking English is one of the most annoying of all. I walk around the malls and they just crowd the walkways and they don't give way nor do they apologize when they hit you. They whoop it up in my favorite coffee shops (granted it is a public place but, some respect for those who want to enjoy a peaceful moment with their drinks). Granted they've given jobs for those who teach them English, our local tourism, and prostitution rings, but seriously, when you're in Rome, be a Roman.

-- Motorcycles

What can I say? We ride our motorcycles here way better than you guys do in your country. Yup, I don't understand taking the muffler off to make it sound louder (I was under the impression, it should be more quiet), but we live on the edge here in the Philippines. No helmets, zipping in and out of traffic, habal-habals -- ain't nobody gonna beat us at that.

When all was said and done, I have to say I enjoyed Mr. Sieczka's video. I laughed at the funny things (the vendor touching his crotch, the ladyboys), agreed over the truths, indignantly disagreed with the inaccurate bits, and embraced the spirit with which he made his video.

What critics and non-critics alike should realize, that barring certain unique situations, it is mostly the same in every country of the world. I could go to the Vatican and make a top 20 list of why I dislike it. I could go to Jimmy's house and make a top 50 list of why I despise it.

But there are probably just as many reasons to like it.

The Philippines is more than this. We are a people who can get through a day smiling and laughing shirtless on a street corner while waiting for the sun to set and get a guitar and sing off our worries with friends. To extoll the values of our race would take so much more than just a video saying so.

In short, the Philippines is an experience for most people who come here and for those strangers in our own land.

For others like me, it's home.