ShareThis
Aug 20, 2010
I have heard so many times that middle aged Filipino Americans in Chicago and maybe in other parts of the United States are generally attracted to specific events, predictable occasions mostly characterized by glamour, recognition, glitz and dancing. The younger ones allegedly fall head over heels to the abrupt gyrations of hip hop, an urban beat, more rhyme than melody. I should know. My son got hooked into it once during one of his adolescent zany moments. A television show, ABDC (America’s best Dance Crew), even held popular dance competitions crowded by so many American born Filipino teenagers. High priced tickets are sold to hordes of well-dressed naturally tanned brown skinned socialites from different regions of the Philippines at least once a year; not knowing why they have to go, but they go nonetheless. Gala nights are big business and a common source for fund raisers. Weddings, birthday parties, casual get together, pot luck parties, dancing lessons (even through Church disguised occasions), winter picnics and what not are just some of the magnetic actions that attract so many Filipinos all over the world.
And then we have the social action groups, misperceived and represented by those tagged as left wing zealots; activists as they say, mostly middle class highly educated individuals motivated by an overwhelming ideal for the grass roots and the marginalized. Some are so attached to the Philippines to an extent of considering themselves as exiles. And some are so passionately attracted to a cause at all cost that they set aside any patriotic inclination. Behind them are less educated folks or those who feel that they should always fight for something through protests and marches.
They will go where the action is because that is where the action is. But where is the action? What attracts a Filipino to hang around each other without much ado? What kind of event can easily persuade us to be a part of? Since I do not have much time to do a field research and not much resource to accept invitations, I tried the virtual arena, the myriad social network groups flocked by Filipinos from every continent and walk of life. Like ant colonies or worker bees, groups organically form from friend to strangers, back to friends liking friends and strangers becoming friends.
Three years back, I ventured into the pages of what was My Space, and then Twitter, and then Facebook. My aspirations with My Space and Twitter faded like a seasonal fruit. For whatever reason, my activities with Facebook stayed, lingered and evolved from meeting old friends to that of publishing some of my work and giving away poetic art for free. Ever since a schoolmate from the dark ages of my grade school years found me, I found High School buddies, best friends, old friends and former girlfriends. Time was caught stark naked with photo albums and the space that separated islands suddenly became as small as a pixel. I got bored. I started with experiments and then made some theories with probable conclusions.
Filipinos are by nature attracted to what is spiritual and religious. Since the Philippines have been so unfortunate to be mired in various forms of poverty and corruption,it is natural to hover around an Absolute Purity, a blameless Reality – God according to the dogma of different religious dimensions. This virtual conclusion I saw from numerous groups responding and reacting to biblical verses and graphics are a true extension of how Philippine society developed. The culture inherited from the Spanish colonizers rested upon a clerical leadership who preferred to maintain popular piety and over dependence to ecclesiastical authority.
The Church has been and will be the primary beacon of Filipino activity. That is where the action is. In all the nooks
and corners I have traveled to, Churches were the main refuge for a Filipino. The Holy Mass, the Sunday Service, the Rosary, and weekday Bible Study groups were just some of the events that a typical Filipino can be found. The “Simbang Gabi” has its own American idiosyncrasy. Through it, fund raising parties are established and through it many Filipinos start their journey towards obesity.
Politics have always been misjudged as a dirty ploy. Yet, a Filipino will sometimes back up a promising politician with a hidden motivation to bask under certain unethical patronizing habits. If a candidate can provide a job or if there is something financial indirectly involved, the odds of attracting a Filipino to that candidate is said to expand. However, to be fair, I should also say that I know of so many admirable Filipino citizens aware of their democratic options. They do politics as excellent citizens. And despite the ugly face of Philippine politics, it is still a place where many Filipinos buzz around. Next to parties, piety and spirituality, politics is where the action is.
In the virtual world, to my amusement, I was surprised by the Filipino’s overwhelming penchant for poetry, music and arts. From a handful of friends who read what I write, I huddled more than two thousand readers of all verses that rhyme and consumers of everything that is profound. I was surprised by so many intellectual individuals whose expertise match or exceed the smartest Filipino professionals who opted to work abroad. I am more than happy to know that they have remained where they are.
The Philippines still deserves to keep her talents and skills. Where is the action? For a Filipino, it is there where God is, and then were beauty is, then where art is, then where humor is, then were ideals are. This is the order of
appearance I have observed through my virtual social experiments. True or not, it remained to be seen. So what do we have to do to attract a Filipino to our event? Follow the thread.
Some socially conscious friends have often wondered on how to mobilize a Filipino for a civically oriented affair. They have thought of passing through the portals of a Parish with not so very positive results. What some of them do not understand is that the typical Filipino parish goer has strong suspicions of socially oriented organizations with political undertones. Movements like “Justice and Peace” for example or “Liberation Theology” have not surpassed a handful of very few Filipinos among Chicago Parishes with a high Filipino American concentration. Yet, Couples for Christ or anything with Christ or the bible have gained traction in so many groups despite the fact that some of these groups are bordering towards a cult like structure.
Where is the action? Not so many come and read this here. But then, when I post it online, in less than five seconds, I have ten people clicking on the thumbs up. If I post love verses, they repost it in cycles. If I post a religious song, people shed tears. I am still trying to figure out how to host a party or connect some hip hop aficionados.I have not found a way yet. Do you know? Where is the action?