Off limits? Dangerous grounds?

26 August 2008. Found this article:

MANILA, Philippines -- With 54 Filipino seafarers held hostage by Somali pirates, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is studying the possibility of keeping Filipino sailors off "high-risk" waters, Secretary Alberto Romulo said Tuesday.

Duhhhh!!! As long as there is poverty in the Philippines, Filipinos would go out and try to earn money!! Overseas workers would always risk their lives than to face A SURE STARVATION in their country. There is a chance for a better life abroad, some money to earn than staying home and watch each day goes by.

Philippine passports are supposed to be stamped "NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL TO IRAQ" - and yet, Filipinos still travel there - for the simple reason, there is some money to be made there!!

Psychiatric tests for OFWs?

From Inquirer (22 August 2008):

MANILA, Philippines—The proposal of the Department of Foreign Affairs to subject all departing overseas Filipino workers to psychiatric tests drew flak from a militant migrant group, which said the government move “essentially typecasts OFWs as lunatics.”

Migrante International said it should be the DFA officials, not the OFWs, “who should have their heads examined if they really believe mandatory psychiatric tests could help prevent OFWs from snapping in the workplace.”

Hmmmmm.... lead by example. Employees of DFA should take the psychiatric exam before being employed - there are a lot of crazies in the DFA! Migrante says its the working conditions that make them crazy... true enough, I remember a friend who worked in the Consular Division, she works with passport applicants, she said she gets crazy with the people... that at one point, she was so annoyed she cut her hair in the bathroom.. wala lang .. (just nothing!)

Choo choo or tsu tsu.... whatever....

I was only a child, but I was already verated by my aunt. I talk too much. I say things that need not be spoken - thus there were no secrets around me. My father told me to think before I speak. Yes, there are repercussions ... words have power. Information is power.

Truth hurts, but it is the truth thus it can not be libelous. Besides, life is really not fair.

Blissful ignorance ... this is what others decide for you. Should I not be the one to decide for this? Thus tell me first what I might want to know, let me think if I would rather live in blissful ignorance. With this philosophy - I have no qualms telling.....

Who am I? I do not know really. I am still not sure of myself.

Let us take this journey one day at a time.