Eheschliessung auf den Philippinen (II)…

… fuer deutsche Staatsbuerger. Meine Gattin und ich unterhalten hier in Davao City ein Servicebuero, das u.a. hilft, legale Ehen auf den Philippinen zu schliessen. Wir sind keine Partnervermittlung, sondern arbeiten mit deutschen und philippinischen Behoerden zusammen und teilen Ihnen unsere Erfahrungen mit. Wir bekommen immer wieder Informationen, dass deutsche Behoerden, z.B. die Standesaemter andere Auskuenfte geben, als z.B. die Deutsche Botschaft in Manila. Ich denke, dabei handelt es sich wirklich um Missverstaendnisse. Deutsch-philippinische Eheschliessungen auf den Philippinen, wenn sie denn legal durchgefuehrt werden sollen, gehen strikt nach bilateralen Gesetzen und dienen “beiden Seiten” nur zur Hilfe. Man braucht Geduld, aber schliesslich moechte man ja legal verheiratet sein. In den folgenden Artikeln zitiere ich meistens die Informationen der Deutschen Botschaft Manila.

Eine auf den Philippinen rechtsgueltig geschlossene Ehe ist auch in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland gueltig. Davon zu unterscheiden ist die Beweiskraft der Urkunde ueber die Eheschliessung. Die Deutsche Botschaft Manila uebernimmt keine Urkundenpruefung und Legalisation fuer philippinische Urkunden seit 2001. Grund: es ist und war sehr einfach, philippinische Urkunden (gefaelscht gegen Extrazahlung) zu bekommen. Die Urkunden, die beide Verlobte beizubringen haben, sind einfach. Von der philippinischen Verlobten/dem philippinischen Verlobten vorzulegende Urkunden sollen in den meisten Faellen “von der Deutschen Botschaft geprueft” werden, ehe ein deutsches Standesamt ein Ehefaehigkeitszeugnis fuer den deutschen Verlobten/die deutsche Verlobte ausstellt. Das ist teuer und langwierig. Ueberhaupt sollte fuer die Vorbereitung und Abwicklung einer Eheschliessung auf den Philippinen mindestens 4 bis 6 Wochen veranschlagt werden, vorausgesetzt der/die deutsche Verlobte hat das Ehefaehigkeitszeugnis mitgebracht und muss dies nicht erst beschaffen.

(Fortsetzung folgt!)

Congratulations!

This morning I received the following text message:

Congratulations! Your cellphone number had won 5 million Pesos unclaimed prize at the PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office) Main Office, PCSO Building, QI Complex, E. Rodriguez Ave, Quezon City. Please call Rosario Oriarte, 0906-XXXXXXX, General Manager of PCSO, bring valid ID, Cedula, Birth certificate, two GLOBE cards and your bank account number!

I am sure many of you have received simular message, also regarding other network companies. I called up the PCSO office here in Davao City and was informed, that investigations are still ongoing. The media is being informed. The only thing we can do, is ignoring or deleting such “Congratulations”.

The human scourge - or “Bahala na”

I don’t care. - “Bahala na!” From the sheer goodness of one’s heart, are we doing only small things for our fellow creatures? Hey, you don’t see it? We are becoming more and more uninterested. We live without concern. We are not making the difference; we don’t try to think about it. We have no influence or weight - neither good nor bad. Guys, is this really what we want? Sorry, sometimes I still get problems to adjust the “Bahala na”…

The taxi driver has learned his way and makes a detour without his conscience pricking him in taking my purse: “Hey, asa ka? Where are you going? Diretso lang…!” “Sorry, Sir!” On the other hand, while walking later a short distance downtown I don’t care about the (blind?) beggar, who might need every single centavo to survive. Many other “business beggars” or swindlers have dulled so much my usually openhanded character: I don’t care! Bahala sila!

While using a jeepney, I listened to two passenger. “You know, our neighbor suffers from lung cancer. He asked me a loan because he needs to be hospitalized.” “And, what did you do?” “Wala, nothing! I told him to stop smoking, as I had advice him long time ago!”

Indifference or egoism? Anyway, why should I help other people around me, if on the other side my cries or urgent appeals have been rejected, as intentionally unanswered? It seems to be a privilege for us to close our eyes,ears, and mouth in such an indifferent and shameful way, that we hurt those, who ask our help or seek our attention.

Somebody tries to become our friend: Why not?

Somebody was a hired as a leader and needs the support of his staff: Why not? How about the intrigues and wage wars in offices many times?

Somebody is il; suffering from persecution and needs us: Why not?

Somebody needs our advice because he is facing a difficult decision or homelessness or living alone or losing his job, and possessions: Why not?

Somebody suffers overwhelming prejudice, provocation, and loss of reputation and needs badly the involvement of an “important person”: Why not?

Somebody writes plenty of letters or emails or send text messages and expects an answer after how many follow ups: Why not?

Because of indifference we are continuing to destroy our good nature and the whole globe by unintentional  or intentional contamination of the environment. Indifference allows wars instead peace! Indifference allows us to hide behind stupid excuses and explanations. Indifference goes so far that the employees of a company do not care about their work anymore by wasting time and money of the company. They must not be surprised if inevitable bankruptcy results.

Some of your attention, my dear reader, ought already be on another page, because sometimes indifference might interrupted the continued reading. But sometimes, I am pretty sure, it’s because our conscience reminds us. Believe it or not, my conscience does the same, even while writing this piece, Of course, our conscience has no free lottery ticket for this… .

WHY VITAMINS?

Something that I have found interesting, even fascinating since I have been in the Philippines, is the way people are encouraged to take vitamin supplements all of the time. Nearly all of my Filipino friends, especially the younger ones in their 20’s, all ask me, are you taking your vitamins, or they will tell me that they must take their vitamins, for general well being and for preventing the oncoming of all kinds of illnesses.

When my friends have been to the Doctor due to illness, if they require a prescription, that prescription is ALWAYS accompanied by vitamins.

My friends tell me very earnestly how important it is to take these and even if they are struggling financially to put food on the table, they will always try to find enough to purchase their vitamins.

On the television, on the radio, in magazines and shop windows and on billboard posters, vitamins are advertised everywhere. They will prevent sickness and illness and will help keep you strong and full of vitality.

I find this attitude towards vitamin and mineral supplements interesting and to be honest a little worrying too. Indeed, in the West, such things are advertised and encouraged to a degree, but some people here in the Philippines seem to have absolute blind faith in these products, as though they are some kind of miracle preventative or cure.

I have been a qualified nurse for more than 20 years and I have learnt about nutrition, growth and development, illness and disease prevention and all about vitamins and minerals. Now, the advertisers and some of the less ethical doctors will not like me saying this, but this belief surrounding vitamin and mineral supplements is somewhat a false one. People are being mis-led into purchasing so many of these products when they really don?t need them.

Now of course, I understand the Western diet is totally different from here in Asia, I know to take into consideration the economic climate, ability or difficulty for people to purchase a wide variety of healthy foods, availability of products etc etc. But the truth is, the people who really do need a vitamin supplement, are the ones who probably can not afford to buy it.

While from time to time, we may lack in some of the trace elements and minerals that the “experts” say we need to maintain good health, in general, if a human being is able to consume some meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and fibre, they really are not going to go wrong. For those who have a really poor diet, and do genuinely have a lacking of a vitamin in their body, or they have some kind of medical condition or illness requiring supplements, then they will for sure be displaying symptoms that will indicate this. If there is nothing seriously wrong with an individual, then a diet of regular fish, meat, fruit, veg and fibre and of course water will certainly keep you alive and healthy.

How many people actually know that there is a difference between these supplements and natural vitamins anyway? The ones you buy in tablet or liquid or powder form in a bottle from the shop, are chemically produced, they are not the natural product and there is a big difference. You will never be able to effectively replace the vitamins and minerals you get from fresh fruit and vegetables by taking a tablet. Some have traces of natural product “extract” in their powder or tablet, but this is absolutely minimal and the majority of what you are ingesting is a chemcial reproduction.

The human body can not store vitamin c, so if you take more than the daily recommended amount, you will simply excrete the rest out of your body anyway.

Many vitamin and mineral supplements have an impact on your internal organs too, such as your liver and kidneys, causing them to work over time, therefore, if you are required to take something, it should be taken alternative months, one month on, one month off. You could be causing more damage than good if you don?t.

I have tried to explain these facts to many of my friends, but to be honest I don?t think I have got through to them, I can see it in their eyes, a fear almost, that if they don?t take their vitamins, they will fall foul of sickness and disease. They seem to be indoctrinated and I do blame the advertising industry, and to some point the medical profession too. These doctors who are prescribing all these vitamin supplements to the innocent and naive are not doing their patients a good service at all. Unfortunately, as in the West too, medicine and vitamins are big money and that is when ethical behaviour tends to go out of the window.

I just hope some people will read this, and maybe take just a little bit of it away with them, even if it just makes them think twice about taking those tablets to prevent flu and fever or any other ache or pain that they think may be inflicted upon them.

If you are able to afford a sensible diet that consists of the main food groups, you drink plenty of water, take some regular exercise and are able to maintain a sensible sleep pattern then you should be ok.

Try to think of your health and don?t line the pockets of the unscrupulous advertisers who really don?t care what you do to yourself.

Oh, the holidays….

This week is one of the biggest holiday weeks of the year here in the Philippines.  Probably the only week with more holidays than this week is Holy Week (the week before Easter).  Out of the normal 5 day week, there are 3 holidays this week!  That’s right.  Monday was election day for Barangay and SK elections here in the Philippines, and election day is an official holiday, so there was no school, and most businesses were closed.  Tuesday and Wednesday are normal work days.  All Saint’s Day is Thursday, November 1.  Friday, November 2 is All Soul’s Day.  Both Thursday and Friday are National Holidays, and virtually every store will be closed during this time.  On Wednesday, as the eve of All Saint’s Day, many workers will work only a half day.

For All Saint’s and All Soul’s Days, many Filipinos will travel back to the Province where they came from.  Starting on November 1, Filipino families will head to the cemeteries  around the country to grieve for family members who have passed on ahead of them.  Actually, grieve may be the wrong word for this, because it is really more of a celebration or a party.  I can’t say that I fully understand the ritual, although I am aware of the goings on.  People will actually bring chairs, tables, tents and such to the cemetery and they will “camp out” there for a couple of days.  They will bring lots of food too - no celebration or holiday in the Philippines is complete without food!  Plenty of people will bring beer or other types of drinks to the cemetery too, although I am not sure if that is really accepted.  Whether drinking during this occasion is acceptable or not, lots of people do it.  People will also bring boom boxes to play tunes at the cemetery.  They will sing, dance and party the time away, right there at the grave sites of their ancestors.

Another ritual that I find interesting is that people will also “feed the dead.”  What I mean is that they will get a plate, fill it with food, and leave it on the grave, so that the dead can also enjoy the party.  It is very strange to me, but I know that this happens.  I am quite sure that there are many other rituals that will be done as well, things that I have no idea about.

All of this is very foreign to me and my culture.  It doesn’t affect me a great deal, though, because Feyma is not into this activity.  So, we tend to just live our normal life during this time.  Feyma does sometimes take a trip to visit her Father’s grave during this time, but just for a short visit, not a party or anything.

Well, I better go now… got to gear up for the holidays! 

Big Fish - Small Pond!

I’m sure that most of you have heard the old saying about being a big fish in a small pond, right? If not, well, just think about a fish of a certain size. If that fish is in a small pond, perhaps he is one of the bigger fish in the pond. If you take that fish out and put him into a large pond, he might turn out to be smaller than average! Same fish, different environment. It applies to people too.

Yesterday, I was a speaker at the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit, which was held here in Davao. Due to my various blogs and websites, I was considered to be enough of a “big fish” to be invited to be one of the speakers. Later in the day, I was even on a discussion panel - the panel consisted of “A-List” Bloggers in the Philippines. Can you imagine, I was considered an “A-List” blogger? I really had a good time at the MBS, and got to meet a lot of interesting people and share some of my passion for blogging and also for Mindanao with the crowd.

If you stop and think about this, any logical person would have to come to the conclusion that if I had stayed in the States, it is highly doubtful that I could have participated in such an event in the way that I did at the MBS. I mean, after all, there are a lot bigger fish than me in the USA. But, the Philippines is a smaller pond with fewer fish in it, so I have been able to make myself into a person with a little bit of influence here, even an A-List blogger! I seriously doubt that I could have made this much of a mark in the USA.

I have to say, I really love living here. I am passionate about Mindanao, and I am passionate about Living in the Philippines. If I didn’t have that passion, I could not write this blog. Writing a new article almost every day of the week is not an easy thing. There are a lot of times when you get up in the morning and think to yourself - “what will I write about today?” But something always comes to mind, because living here is a passion, and I like encouraging other people to follow that passion themselves.

Why be that small fish in your big pond? It’s not always easy to avoid being eaten up by those bigger fish. Wouldn’t you prefer to transfer to the Philippines, make a niche for yourself and suddenly become that BIG fish that can make a difference? It’s a nice feeling!

Off to Manila

We will be leaving today to go to Manila for two and a half weeks. We are hoping to see the right doctor to find a solution for a chronic infection my husband has had in his upper jaw bone for about a year and a half, even after removing the teeth. We hope to see a good oral surgeon. Someone graciously offered to let us stay in their condo in the Makati area for free! What a blessing! I will give you all an update on our medical adventures. We would apprieciate your prayers.

And they lived happily ever after…

In a very old issue of PHILADELPHIA NEWS columnist Larry Fields confessed:”I lead a life of wine, women and song (by the way, that’s a wonderful waltz by the King of Waltzes Johann Strauss)- it’s cheaper than petrol, food and rent!” Mmh…

Some marriages are made in heaven. You know some? Me too! The best of the rest is down-to-earth! Maybe it’s yours? Down-to-earth. Good.

You remember this:”Then the prince swept away the lovely young maiden into his arms and carried her home to his castle. And they live happily ever after!” Indeed, they did.

What I would like to see is an autonomous in home affairs study of all these title of mobility bearers seven years after their happily-ever-after marriages. Or even earlier, because the so-called darned and tricky seventh marriage year could be even the first or second one.

The truth is that life isn’t made up of the continual highs found in the initial stages of courtship. Of course, flirting is fun and a wide groove existing. But after a while our system needs a rest. Unanimously we’re in the second stage or later in our marriage life.It needs badly a new outside coating.

All of a sudden the partner wants you day and night prefers watching the sports channel i.e., falls asleep while you’re revealing your innermost secrets and even forgets the anniversary of the first time ever he or she saw your face. Just bear in mind: “You’ve won each other’s acceptance, and sometimes even feeling terrible gloomy, this acceptance shouldn’t be undervalued.

Even we see a house that has to be cleaned, many other things have to be organized and the partner, who looks as fatigued and bored as you feel. Logical question, “That’s it?”" Or, “This was it?”

And suddenly we experienced the third stage and learn, why it’s worth the ups and downs. Maybe we men don’t tell anymore, how incredible “she” looks, but we enjoy bleating and grousing at her spending innumerable hours putting herself together. But then suddenly we men are able to unload the garbage without being asked.

Maybe “she” doesn’t have the newspaper and the slippers waiting “for him” (is “he” really so fragile?), but “she” asks about “his” day in the office and is really interested in responses.

Although no marriage is continually blissful, it can be pretty good most of the time. When we lasted through arguments, money worries, and kid’s problems (also or especially in “Foreign-Filipina/Filipino marriages”, or slowly but surely coming up midlife crises, THEN we should facew reality that our relationship is not always the “12th of June” (Philippine Independence Day) or the “3rd of October” (Germany’s Day of United) .

It’s because the fundamental reason of a marriage has outlasted the craziness of day-to-day-living: we love each other. Mmh, that’s my idea of “Happily Ever After, Indeed!”

**********

How to contract a legal marriage in the Philippines between German and Filipino nationals “next time” in this blog in German. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments.

Wie man legal und korrekt auf den Philippinen eine deutsch-philippinische Ehe schliesst, koennen Sie demnaechst hier lesen. Die Gesetze und Vorschriften aendern sich permanent. Sollten Sie spezielle Fragen haben, hinterlassen Sie doch einfach Ihren Kommentar.

Do you have a place to rent in Davao?

I have now been living full time in Davao for ten months inn the area of Lanang which is a great area .

But I am now looking for new accommodation from JANUARY 1ST 2008, a place to rent preferably furnished, even a short term contract 3-4 months would be looked at.

Two bedrooms minimum and secure gating would be a major advantage too along with a reasonable area for noise .

Reason for the move is that I pay a very high price where I live and am still waiting for my house in the UK to be sold, so I am conscious of watching my money for a few months.

Maybe you are needing a house sitter? If so maybe I can help as I am house trained!!

Please feel free to contact me direct on JGRANT8165@YAHOO.CO.UK

Philippine-German relations (I)

It’s a topic, which I am interesting in, since first time I met my mentor Professor Dr. Hermogenes Bacareza in 1987, who used to be the Chaplain of the Philippine Community in Berlin. Father Gene was the one who introduced me to the Philippine media. During our time in Berlin we published two magazines called “Ang Mabuhay” and “Deutsch-Philippinischer Informationsspiegel Berlin” for Filipinos at home and abroad,  published in German and English. I started also my column in “Tinig ng Bayan”, a mission oriented magazin published in Abra.

I learned a lot of him. I know my readers of this blog would like to know more about Philippine-German relations. From time to time I will write about it in this blog.

Regarding Dr. Johannes Zobel let me explain as follows: Historically we must give credit to some early missionaries, who introduced pharmacy in the Philippines, and who were the first to study the various medicinal plants of the 7107 islands. The Jesuit Brother Georg Josef Kamel is significant in the Philippine-German history  for having pioneered the establishment of the first regular “apothecary” in Manila. Other followed, i.e. the historic Botica Boie, founded by the Spanish Dr. Lorenzo Negrao, to be taken over by the Germnans Heinrich Schmidt and Friedrich Steck, who, ten years later, opened another drugstore, Botica de Sta. Cruz”,  and the Botica Zobel, established by Johannes Andreas Zobel in 1932.

The German scientist who is very well-known, is Feodor Jagor. He was born in Berlin in 1818. While studying in Paris, Jagor became interested in ethnology because of the discussion about the Pacific Islands. Most of the time Jagor stayed in Madrid speaking Latin, French, Spanish and German. In 1873 Jagor, being satisfied with his study, he published the book “Reisen in die Philippinen” (Traveling to the Philippines).

Dr. Rudolf Virchow, noted for his medical researches on pathology, must be mentioned here too, even he never traveled to the Philippines. Virchow wrote many monographs on Philippine anthropology. 1899 he published a book which has been translated into English by O.T. Mason, “The Peopling of the Philippines”.

(To be continued!)