Planning to Retire Soon!

If you are planning to retire in the Philippines soon, I suggest you visit several excellent websites on pro's and cons of retiring in the Philippines. However if you want to retire in the provinces, where life is simple, standard of living cheaper, less traffic congestion and pollution, availability of fresh seafood and vegetables compared to the big cities, my island province is the place for you! If this is your first time in my site, welcome. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on the infringement of your copyrights. The photo above is the front yard of Chateau Du Mer- Our Retirement Home in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Health Benefits of Okra-My First Harvest

My First Okra Harvest this Year

Okra, Abelmoschus esculentus, known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of West African, Ethiopian, and South Asian origins*.

The following are known to be the medicinal benefits of Okra:

Alleviates Asthma. ...
Lowers Cholesterol. ...
Manages Diabetes. ...
Boosts Immune System. ...
Prevents Kidney Disease. ...
Promotes Healthy Pregnancy.

The three are my favorite garden plaques decor of my Garden

1.To cultivate a Garden is to Walk with God.

2. Gardeners Rule the World

3. Everything Grows with Love

*From Wikipedia

Note: If you have a favorite okra recipe, can you share it with my readers?

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Is Trump a Racist? Racial Slurs or Terms of Endearment?

According to the latest Fox Poll, majority of the Americans believed that Trump recent tweets of sending back home the 4 colored female congresswomen( The Squad) is racist. I agree 100%. The above news reminded me of my previous post on Pinoy racial slurs posted in 2012.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/25/fox-polling-finds-that-americans-think-trumps-tweets-were-racist-fox-didnt-cover-it/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.421b12f0391d




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 commonly 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 brown 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.

Friday, July 19, 2019

The Advantages of a Filipino-US Dual Citizenship

Image from elyong.blogspot.com

This article I first wrote on December 21, 2011. Yesterday, was my 77th birthday and also the day I reacquired my Filipino citizenship. I became a dual citizen of the US and of the Philippines. After a slow two hours and foggy drive from Sacramento to San Francisco, Macrine and I with son David arrived at the Philippine Consulate at Sutter Street at 9:30AM. After one hour I was ready to be sworn in and took the Oath of Allegiance in the presence Of Alfonso A. Ver, Deputy Consul General, Philippine Consulate, San Francisco, California.

It was a very smooth process although six other Filipino-Americans were also applying along with me that morning. We were out of the consulate by 11 AM, plenty of time to celebrate my birthday lunch at Fisherman's Wharf with Dungeness crabs now in season. I applaud the Consulate for the smooth process. The application fee was $50. So why did I apply for dual citizenship. The advantages and privileges are as follows:

The Advantages

1. One who re-acquires Filipino citizenship can vote in elections in the Philippines according to Art V, Sec.1 of the Philippine Constitution.
2. One can own real property with no size limitation.
3. One can practice his/her profession provided he/she is licensed or permitted by the Philippine authority to engage in such practice ( RA 9225).
4. One can own and operate a business not generally open to foreigners among others, explorations, public utilities, mass media, cooperatives, and advertising.
5. The citizen's spouse can get an immigrant visa that entitles him/her to permanently reside in the Philippines - come and go, avoid exit clearances, entry fees, etc.
6. Can run or get an appointment to a public office provided that the person renounce his allegiance to the other country.
7. Can apply for Philippine passport and can stay in the Philippines for an unlimitted period.

Ownership of real property is a significant advantage, as existing law in the Philippines restricts ownership of real property to its own citizens. Although a foreigner is permitted to take title to a condominium, he/she cannot take title to real property (land and a house). A foreigner can lease land from a Filipino and then take ownership of a house on the land, but this type of transaction is extremely rare in the Philippines. Thus, through re-acquisition of his/her Philippine citizenship, the Filipino is once again able to purchase real property, with no restrictions.

For those wanting to retire to the Philippines, the ability to run a small business or practice one's profession is a strong benefit. Through dual citizenship, retirement in the Philippines can be the start of a new chapter in one's life, as a business person or a professional. Ownership of business as a sole proprietor or as a wholly owned corporation is severely restricted, unless a foreigner makes a significant investment ($200,000 as a minimum).

Without citizenship, a foreigner wishing to operate a business in the Philippines is limited to forming a corporation, of which he/she can only own a 40% interest. As a dual citizen, the Filipino re-acquires the right to wholly own his/her business. Thus, a foreigner married to a Filipino with dual citizenship can take 40% ownership of a business and keep it in the family by his/her dual citizenship spouse taking the remaining 60% ownership.

Other than being in an immigrant status, there is only one way a person carrying a foreign passport can reside in the Philippines for any significant amount of time, and even then it requires the foreigner to be married to a "Balikbayan" (a returning Filipino who was born in the Philippines). A Balikbayan and his/her spouse can visit and reside in the Philippines for up to one year, after which they must exit the country, and then re-enter should they wish to stay another year. This must be repeated on an annual basis

Balikbayan status is not an immigrant status, but rather a special non-immigrant visa status. Yes, one can enter without a visa and stay for a maximum of 21 days, and then get a renewal for another 38 days, followed by two month extensions for about USD $100 per extension, up to a maximum of one year. There is also a special retiree visa program permitting unlimited stay status, but it does not permit real property or business ownership.

There are only two ways for a foreigner to be registered as a non-quota immigrant and those are (i) be the spouse of a Filipino citizen who was never became a citizen of a foreign country, or (ii) be the spouse of a former Filipino citizen who has re-acquired his/her citizenship by obtaining a dual citizenship status. If desired, the door is open after 5 years residency for the foreigner to also obtain dual citizenship.

With a dual citizenship status, the Filipino has the best of both worlds - citizenship in the Philippines and all the rights that attach to that plus citizenship in his/her other country (e.g., Canada or USA) and all the rights that attach to that status.

https://hubpages.com/health/How-to-Live-or-Retire-in-the-Philippines-for-Less-than-1-500-a-Month

But there are duties and obligations one must follow: Excercise the right to vote, pay taxes on income earned in the Philippines. Last but not least, support and defend the Constitution of the Philippines and obey its laws. To apply for dual citizenship call the Philippine Consulate nearest to your residence.

Source: Will Irwin (http://www.retirementlivinginthephilippines.com)
and brochure from the Philippine consulate, San Francisco, California, USA

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Filipino Business Signs of Wit


A decade ago I received an e-mail from a Filipino friend listing 25 business signs in the Philippines. Most of them are still funny and humorous. The author was not listed. If you know the author please let me know so I can acknowledge his work.

1. The sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.

2. Anita Bakery.

3. A 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day & Night

4. Barber shop called Felix The Cut;

5. A bakery named Bread Pitt

6. Fast-food place selling 'maruya' (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey.

7. Then, there was Christopher Plumbing.

8. A boutique called The Way We Wear.

9. Two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.

10. A restaurant in Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken.

11. A local burger restaurant called Mang Donald's.

12. A doughnut shop called MacDonuts.

13. A shop selling 'lumpia' (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll.

14. Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the 'Taglish' (The Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino accent)such as:

15. At a restaurant menu in Cebu:"We hab sopdrink in can an in batol" [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle].

16. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called "Bids And Pises" - [translation: Beads and Pieces--or-- Bits and Pieces]

There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to 'correct' them like....
17. In a restaurant in Baguio City,the 'summer capital'of the Philippines: "Wanted: Boy Waitress"

18. On a highway in Pampanga: "We Make Modern Antique Furniture"

19. On the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan: "We Shoot You While You Wait!"

20. And on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila: "Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier".

Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression such as:

21. A shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: "We Sell Imported Robber Shoes" (these could be the 'sneakiest' sneakers);

22. A rental property sign in Jaro reads: "House For Rent, Fully Furnaced" (it must really be hot inside)!

23. Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique - if not altogether odd. A city in southern Philippines which said: "Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation" .

24. European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia - which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr.. Ho and Mr. Po respectively - (believe it or not)!

25.. Some folks also 'creatively' redesign English to be more efficient. The creative confusion between language and culture leads to more than just simple unintentional errors in syntax,but in the adoption of new words,says reader Robert Goodfellow who came across a sign... "House Fersallarend" (house for sale or rent).. Why use five words when two will do?

According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako,there is so much wit in the Philippines because we are a country where a good sense of humor is needed to survive. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and bad actors.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Our Twelve Moves in Forty-Two Years in the US

photo from topviralpictures.com

Although, I have never worked for the US navy, army or air force, my family have moved twelve times from the 1960 to 2002. Most of these moves were paid by my employers. These moves are either intercity or interstate, voluntary or involuntary. Each move is for a different reason, but it is always an adventure, filled with anxiety and hopes for a better life and new experiences. The places we have lived are as follows:

Chicago, Illinois (2 moves), Kansas City, Missouri (3 moves), Modesto, California (2 moves), Pinole, California ( 2 moves), Silver Spring, MD (1 move) and Sacramento, California (2 moves). These averaged to about 1 move every 3.5 years ( 12 moves in 42 years).

Can we call the David Balleza Katague clan modern gypsies then? We lived the longest in Pinole, CA (16 years) and followed by Silver Spring, MD ( 12 years) with exception of our current residence here in Northern California, now in our 17th year).

Ditas Baptism Party published in the Kansas City Star, Gladstone, Missouri, 1965

Our first interstate move was from Chicago, Illinois to Kansas City, Missouri in 1964.After my PhD. graduation from the University of Illinois in Chicago, I got my first industrial job in Kansas City, Missouri. The move was paid by my employer, Chemagro Corporation. The movers packed and unpacked every thing we owned which was not much. We first rented a 3 bedroom house in Gladstone, Missouri, right in town. The family( Macrine and three kids) got involved with the local church and country club activities.

The house was right in town and after two years, our landlord wanted to sell his property, so we were forced to rent another house nearby. This house is more secluded with an undeveloped land in our backyard. At the back of the property is a small creek, where our three kids love to play. We are always on our toes if they play on the creek, since we are afraid an accident may happened.

An accident did happened, when our little David scrapped his knees and had to be driven to the emergency room for several stitches. Macrine was so scared ( too much blood), she did not realized she was driving in second gear on her way to the hospital.

On our fourth year in Kansas City, we decided to buy our first house in Park Woods, Missouri, North of Kansas City.
In front of our first house in the US with the 4D's in Kansas City,Missouri, 1967

The house was a 4 -bedroom ranch with a one acre of lot. We called it “The Nipa Hut”. Our Christmas Parties with the Filipino-American community in the area was featured in the two local newspapers, The Dispatch and Kansas City Star. We lived in the North Kansas City area for 5 years,.

Our next move was to Modesto, California. Modesto is in the heart of Stanislaus County, a part of California Central Valley- a farming community in 1969. This was a voluntary move. After five years of Midwest weather, I wanted to move to California for a better paying job and climate. With the move, I got a 20% raise and fulfill my wish to live in a warmer climate. My new employer paid again all our moving expenses, including relocation expenses. Shell Development Company also paid for our hotel expenses and help us in the purchase of a new home in Modesto, right in town.
Our Citizenship Party published in the Modesto Bee, 1972

By this time we had 4 kids and decided to apply for American citizenship. It was granted in 1972. Our citizenship party was featured in the Modesto Bee- a local newspaper. Macrine at this time wanted to have a gift shoppe where she could sell Philippine handicrafts and other gift products from the Philippines. So we decided to sell our house right in town and purchase a farm house with a gift shop in front at Skittone Rd, right in the border of Modesto and Salida. The gift shop was doing well, but after five years in Modesto, Shell Development decided to close their agricultural research and move all of it to Houston, Texas. Since we do not want to move to Texas, I decided to look for another job close to San Francisco or in the East Bay.

I was lucky to find another research chemist job with Stauffer Chemical Company in Richmond, California in 1974. We purchase a new house in Pinole, walking distance to the High School. We selected Pinole, since it had a “Debate-Forensic Program” that our oldest son wanted. When we move from Modesto, our oldest son said, he will never forget the fact, that we uprooted him from his high school at Beyer where he was active in the forensic team. So his requirement was that we move to a place where there is a local forensic team in the high school.

When all the kids graduated from high school, we decided to move from our 2-story house to a ranch type house in the same area. This was instigated, when one day, I sprained my ankle playing tennis and I had a hard time climbing the stairs to our bedroom. So we move to Silvercrest Rd up in the hill with a nice view of the San Pablo Bay. This time we do the moving ourselves. Since it was only about 2 miles from our former house, it was not a hard move, although we have to hire a local moving company for the heavy furniture and appliances. The expenses for this move came from our own pockets. In this ranch home on the hill with a view, we hold several parties for the University of the Philippines Alumni Association, Berkeley Chapter, when I was President at that time,1988-1989.

In 1990, my new employer, Chevron Chemical Company, decided to close their agricultural division in Richmond. This time I promised to myself, I will never work for a private company due to stability concerns. My goal was to work either for the State or the Federal government. My chance to work for the Federal government came when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hired me as a review chemist and later Team Leader, after I attended a Job Fair in San Francisco in 1990. Luckily at that time, the Federal government had a budget for relocation expenses for employees under their Special Hiring Program. So without touching anything, the federal government paid for all our relocation expenses and also help us find a new house in Maryland. We found a ranch type home in Colesville, MD, north of Silver Spring. We live there for 12 years until my retirement in 2002.

This is our current residence here in US. Hopefully this will be our last move before our day to Return to Mother Earth (Dust thou art, to dust thou shall return)

The latest move we had was in 2002 from Maryland to Sacramento, California. Why retire in the Sacramento Area? We want to be near our children and grandchildren, so at least we could help in baby sitting. Our youngest daughter and husband live not too far from us. Our two other children lived in Walnut Creek, about a 90 minutes drive. This move was our hardest move. We had to pay for all the moving expenses. After a garage sale, giving away some of our possessions to friends, relatives and neighbors, we still have more than 500 boxes plus two cars to transport across the continent. Since we were not sure where to buy a house in the Sacramento area, we decided to rent first. After one year, we decided to purchase another ranch type house in the Eastern suburb of Sacramento. It is convenient to shopping malls, the casinos (Thunder Valley and Red Hawk) and of course to my Pangga, Carenna. For details about our life in the various locations listed above, please visit my web site. http://theintellectualmigrant.blogspot.comhttp://theintellectualmigrant.blogspot.com ( First posting in 2012). http://theintellectualmigrant.blogspot.com ( First posting in 2012).

Friday, July 5, 2019

My Pineapple, Banana and Okra Plants in Northern California

Pineapple Fruit Getting Bigger

Growing tropical plants such as bananas and pineapple is not easy here in Northern California. If we reside in San Diego or Florida, it will not be a problem. However, my potted pineapple plant appears to be thriving and its fruit is getting bigger every day. Hopefully it will mature before the winter chills arrives.

I have tried growing papayas and avocado in pots. However the winters chills was not kind to them. My dream would have to have a green house attached to our house, but at the stage of my life, that is not possible. I am just happy watching my banana and pineapple very healthy this year summer season.

This banana plant will never bear fruit as the climate here in Northern California is not hot enough and warm temperatures last only for about 7 to 8 months.

My Okra and Avocado in Pots.

This is my first year to grow okra from seeds. Our Filipina caretaker gave me the seeds. She has grown okra to maturity in her backyard. So I hope I will have some okra for my pinakbet or tempura by the end of this year.
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