Jim Paredes on ‘finally giving up on the Philippines’

“To those back home, a man might seem to have amounted to something abroad; but he will never really amount to anything in the eyes of those out there. That is why we all come home all from rebellious youth and wanderlust all back to our original faith and native country; to die in their arms at last; but, before then and better yet, to amount to something as only we can in the estimation of our own kind.” Quote from Rep. Locsin jr. Speech as indicated below:

Rep. Locsin Jr. speech delivered at the 40 anniversary commencement of School of Business, Ateneo de Manila, 6 August 2006. For complete text of the speech here is the site: http://www.admu.edu.ph/?p=120&type=2&sec=25&aid=2671

And here is my own thoughts on Mr. Locsin views about us.

Rep Locsin maybe partly right, that to the eyes of those who are here, we amount to nothing. Really? And what would we amount had we stayed and become the victims of Political Assassinations? Unemployment? If we get sick and can’t afford the treatment, because we could even hardly afford our daily sustenance? That the representatives we voted to represent us, our interest, instead once in power, more too often are the ones who betray our trust. That the the government who swear to uphold the law and the constitution is the same that is accused of corrupting its own subject. He was talking to the Ateneans, mostly, the very rich and wealthy among the society. But unknowing to the Honorable Representative there are a Lot of us who amount to something in the eyes of our neighbors, our employers, our leaders, our new country, to our fellow citizens who for reasons of their own, left their own native land and homeland and never look back.

Some of us may go back home and see our last days in the arms of our beloved Philippines. Some for the reason that we left a few or many family members we want to spend the twilight years of our lives. Some for the reason, that with the pension in dollars and the benefits we can carry all over the world, it is much, much cheaper to live there than in our adopted country. Some for the reason, that Rep. Locsin himself, has beautifully articulated in his speech.

And then for our children, who other than the color of their skin, can no longer consider themselves the nationality of their parents, but of the land of their, that someday they will grow up and come to realize that they are equal to the men and women of all colors, race, original nationalities and opportunities in life. Then and maybe then, we will amount to something wherever we are…

Thank you very much, Rep. Locsin, for tellings us who we are. We may not amount to “something” in your view, but in our eyes we are better to that “something”.

I really felt bad for Apojim when I read that story in inq7, but I already knew based on its headline that it was only the author’s interpretation but still unfair for Jim.

I’m also an immigrant like Jim Paredes, and i’m 100% sure na hindi lalampas ang isang araw na hindi sumasagi sa isip niya ang Pilipinas. In my honest opinion Filipinos abroad (OFWs and immigrants) are “more pinoys” than some Filipinos in our country. Habang ang iba jan nagkakandarapa sa McDo, Starbucks at Subway..kami dito naghahanap ng Jollibee, Goldilocks at iba pang pagkaing pinoy. Habang ang iba jan nababaliw sa Simple Plan, Beyonce, etc. ang iba dito naghahanap ng April Boy, Porkchop Duo, Yoyoy Villame at Max Surban.

I think Jim deserves an apology from Gerry Lirio, and I challenge the author to get an in-depth analysis why so many Pinoys want to get out and settle elsewhere..not because they gave up the fight, its because they’re willing to fight for their family’s future.

“The PESSIMIST sees difficulty in every opportunity, the OPTIMIST sees opportunity in every difficulty”
- Winston Churchill

Migrants need not make apologies about migrating. The Philippines is a country that has a proven track record of sucking the life and soul out of its most talented citizens whilst propping up and rewarding its most mediocre and dysfunctional members.

One need look no further than the politicians that run the country today. Whilst our most brilliant engineers build abroad, our most mediocre constituents destroy back home.

Mr. Paredes ought to stop wasting his breath on a country he’s left and focus on building a life in the country he now lives in. Life’s too short to be sitting on the fence.

Recall, that this is the same guy who gave up his Green Card in a stroke of collossal shortsightedness back in 1986. Whilst an act of that sort may be driven by genuine passion, its outcome falls short in quality of an act driven more by common sense.

Think of the millions of Pinoys who would gladly give up an arm and a leg for that priceless document. And think of the man who simply tore it up at the height of an empty hope offered by a society with a shiny track record of disappointing its own people.

Benigno,

People have DIFFERENT reasons for doing things. What might be an act of shortsightedness to one may be an act of courage and defiance to another.
It seems Jim Paredes is more a citizen in exile than a migrant.
We all have different lives and, hence, motivations.
Let’s leave Jim Paredes in peace. There so other Filipinos who truly deserve criticism.

LC

Just when I started to like my new pseudonym true_north and already said my another (tearfull) goodbye to “naykika”, I can’t seem to log with my new username. So back again, along with the PCIJ site and nice to see the old same, same back again.

About Mr. Paredes; I can recall from the start that Jim had already given his reasons for migrating to Australia, though he didn’t have to. Until today, I still can’t figured out, how a writer can speculate a person can give up on his country. Sometimes just make me wonder, whose really giving up his country; the people within, who inflict more injuries to the country they profess to love or we the people out, who may not be our primary duty, at least we care for reasons of our own. If I were Jim, I can’t be bothered.

It’s a balancing act always.Because, surely we do love our country. At the same time we also have to think of our growth, our future our families future our childrens future.
Pinoys abroad have always done well given the oppurtunities. Something that we can only dream of in this country.
But at the end of the day. Things are also subjective & a case to case thing.
Because it’s also a fact that there are those who can adjust better then the others.
Perhaps the writer of the article on Jim Paredes is also the very reason why any pinoy & not just a Jim Paredes would like to find better oppurturtunities abroad.
Because it’s really the fellow pinoy who brings down the pinoy.
It’s naive to think that it’s only the goverment people that make our lives difficult.
It’s the pinoy who falls in love w/ how other countries operate efficiently & loves how things work in other countries.
There are those who generate jobs & there are those who look for jobs.There are those who make things happen & there are those who wait for things to happen.
The shameless writer will twist any story or motive or reason just to come out w/ a story that does more harm to the country & it’s people & gives no respect to pinoys.
Perhaps our problems are more of having malicious minds about others.

I have not read that article from PDI but have anyone ever think the reverse psychology in here? It could be that the author intention is to awaken the many that seems sleeping by pinpointing the disappointment of EDSA 1. It could be read by the other as criticism for Mr. Paredes, but to other it maybe a wake up call.

If Benigno is right that Paredes tore his green card earlier and we compare that to his latest action to migrate to Australia then the author of the article has a very big point to conclude that he has given up his earlier fight.

Actions speak louder?

Sellability is the bottom line. I presume most of you here knows that one way of selling a product is to study first the demographics of its supposed intended consumers. Having pinpointed that, add a little of psychology in attracting and enticing consumer’s interest. Then puff! The product sells.

Gerry Lirio’s latest write-ups about JIM PAREDES is nothing new. He was just trying to get the nod of his editor and capture the attention of his readers. Media is business and mediocre write-ups have no room for it and in his own little ways he was exactly doing that. Why do you think polical issues anywhere in the world doesn’t seem to die down? For media, it is where the money is and at the end of the day it is still business.

hayyy, as usual jump to conclusion na naman tayo. why not read and listen that february inteview and post of pcij about jp? his reasons are very clear in that interview including his revelation about giving up their green cards (he even made a comment on that post). he has reasons to be upset because he made it clear that he’s coming back.

Intenton is more clarified if he has stated “the fight is going on and the walls of distant seas is not a hindrance” rather than the word “comeback” which only signify there is a period of disengagement….

is the above letter of Mr. Paredes not enough clarification on the whole issue or are we just reading the headline? but so much for that big point scored by the PDI writer (turned out edited by the editor), PDI already apologized to Mr. Paredes for the ERROR.

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?art icle_id=16688

Mr. Paredes later apologized also to Mr. Lirio through his blog for his HASTINESS after finding out that an editor not Mr. Lirio wrote the headline.

as what Mr. Paredes said in his blog, “The damage though is in the headline itself. I know that very few actually read the whole thing and many more just READ THE HEADLINE and came to their own MISGUIDED CONCLUSIONS.” … so true.

and his last message:

“Lastly, I want to say that I felt bad not so much that people misread me as a person (that’s hurtful, yes) but more so that they may slip deeper into despair by such a false story. That’s the last thing we need.”

“Pick up the feathers, you jerk!”

nice title of Mr Paredes’ blog post. he is referring to himself of course in apologizing to Mr. Lirio for what he said “my humble step in picking up the feathers of your pillow of reputation I slashed because of my hastiness.”

such an excellent display of humility.

[...] IN the aftermath of the Philippine Daily Inquirer story on Jim Paredes, the involved parties have already apologized to each other — Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot for the “inaccurate and unfair” headline that accompanied the report, Paredes and daughter Ala for hastily putting the blame on Gerry Lirio, the paper’s city editor who wrote it. [...]

“such an excellent display of humility.”

… a trait sorely lacking among those who have “stopped wasting their breath on a country they’ve left and focus on building a life in the country they now live in,” seeing that “life’s too short to be sitting on the fence.” in essence, once you leave, sever all ties. forget the forever-backward las islas pilipinas.

waitaminute… have they actually stopped “wasting their breath on the philippines,” seeing that they are among the denizens of an pinoy journalism blog that’s pretty much focuses on pinoy matters, leaving their own three-dollar-bill opinions on pinoy issues?

practice what you preach, children.

The headline story of Inquirers giving up the Philippines for good does not diminished my respect to Jim Paredes.I know him better in Corazon Aquino’s days than their show in ABS CBN.Sa Lingo NAPO Sila.I raise my hand for you and APO