Kwentong Kapuso: Balikbayan from New York mugged in Manila

The first thing on my mind was that scene in “Ocean’s Eleven” when George Clooney’s character was recruiting a young pickpocket played by Matt Damon. The obvious difference was this was real life, and it was happening to me.

 

Two guys blocked the entrance to the bus immediately after I got in, and there was an a--hole behind me who kept nudging my arm as though he was trying to get in also. When I looked back and saw the suspicious fear in his eyes, I should have known then what was happening. When I looked forward I saw two other guys hopping off the bus while gently brushing me. At that point I knew I was getting robbed.

 

It was well executed, and I was honestly impressed by their professionalism.

 

But immediately after I found out I was robbed, I was disheartened and discouraged sitting in that fu--ing bus. See, exactly a week before the incident I had cancelled my flight back to New York, putting my complete faith in the nitty-gritty streets of Manila. It was almost like I left New York for Manila but soon after found out that Manila was being unfaithful to me. It was heartbreaking.

 

The thoughts that immediately followed were so overwhelming that I was confused how I felt. I was upset, angry, sad and almost in the midst of crying in a lonely bus speeding down EDSA on a muggy Tuesday morning. I started to wonder when would be the earliest flight out of Manila back to New York, how many bags I had to pack and how to break the news to my family that Manila has beaten my soul silly.

 

Then I realized that the courage of my heart, molded by living 16 years in the Bronx would pity the fool that would pack up and go from a relatively harmless incident. Without sounding melodramatic, I prayed halfway through SLEX, and thank God nothing else had happened. They just got my iPhone.

 

Then I started to ask questions. Why did it happen? Why did they do it? And who or what was to blame?

 

I dress quite simply in Manila, just a regular shirt, a pair of jeans and ‘tsinelas’ or rubber flip-flops. Prior to the incident, I was not on my phone, I didn’t talk to anyone, but I looked tired at 5:30 a.m. I began to wonder why they did it. As a political scientist, I thought maybe it was because of the poor economy and the lack of job opportunities. But then I realized that this reason does not suffice. Those men were able-bodied and could find an honest living if they tried, yet they chose to be fu--ing a--holes. Furthermore, to give these a--holes slack because of the poor economy would be an insult to all the honest men and women in the world who choose the honest path to life. I refuse to excuse these thieves.

 

One night, after getting “ikot” or driven around and around by a taxi so he can run the meter, I finally said something to the driver out of frustration. Understand that this has happened to me several times, that it has become insulting. I exclaimed, “What has happened to this country. It has become the land of thieves and whores.”

 

Harsh, I thought the day after, but true. The few honest men and women who remain true to their Christian faith here are overrun by the evilness of this place. Filipinas here are so quick to dismiss a local potential because she is so receptive to the accents of foreigners and old money. Whereas before, the beautiful ‘Indays’ would only give their heart to the sweet courage of men when they serenade or ‘harana.’ Now they cheaply listen to the accents of old nasty foreign men.

 

I confronted a Filipina in Cebu once, on my high horse and slightly inebriated. I asked why she would so easily give herself to foreigners. She calmly explained that it was easy for me to criticize her because my family did not rely on me to trade love for money. She said, of course she wants to find genuine love but genuine love has become a privilege in the islands of the Philippines, and not too many people can afford this privilege. I was embarrassed and speechless, I apologized and walked away.

 

Today, I realized that my mother made candies and sold them in packs just so she can support my father’s earnings, no matter how small the amount. Many of these Filipinas today have forgotten the concept of hard work and integrity. I hope to God that Pilipinos will one day quit chasing the American Dream and realize that the Filipino Dream of having a family and being able to support it by honest means suffices.

 

Those thieves will get theirs. I believe God will give me justice. I will not allow these assholes to corrupt my soul and neither will I relent on my objections of young Filipinas taking the easy way out by way of foreign men. I believe one day, we will stand in front of God and answer one question: Why did we choose evil at certain moments in our lives? And to justify that because good was not convenient at the time is unacceptable.

 

Live free. - The FilAm  

The author ‘stays positive’ with this photograph of the breathtakingly beautiful Manila sunset.