Retired lawyer, blogger and community critic Joe Rivera has said goodbye, written his last blog and with stinging accuracy.
I would say or describe it as “ tama sa leeg “simply because he hit his targets
right on the mark.
Together with colleague Butch Galicia of Libretto, I say, may I join
your motley company because just like those few souls, I agree with your
critique on what’s wrong with the Filipino community in Toronto.
For our readers who don’t know Joe, here are some excerpts of his blog.
ON SOME COMMUNITY LEADERS: “ One community leader’s reaction to my blog is typical of the arrogance of a few, who believe they are clothed with papal infallibility. This type of leader does not take criticism mildly, not just from anyone who is beneath their mighty position in the community “ .
ON COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS: (They)community organizations “
As they are now, will always be instruments for the community’s self-anointed cream of the crop, for highlighting and sharing their personal milestones and other anniversaries, not to mention trips to foreign and exotic
Places . Thus our community leaders will continue to lead and think insularly, instead of engaging with the bigger civil society” ( that is their host country Canada) .
He continued “ Every year they will continue to stage beauty pageants, song and dance contests, parades and other events that do not reflect our rich culture and heritage, but those that perpetuate our bondage to our colonial past “.
ON THE COMMUNITY MEDIA: Our community media is presently served by a proliferation of local newspapers run by so-called journalists and profit-driven publishers who are only interested in racking up advertising
revenues “
“Whereas, we could do with three or at least five of these newspapers, we are constantly barraged biweekly or monthly, with more than 12 similar editions of local news from the Philippines and the latest entertainment gossips “.’
But here’s the kicker:” It is not much the quantity of newspapers, but rather the mediocrity of writing and reportage that these newspapers suffer from “
He said the local media is a byproduct of the free press and a free market but it has become “billboards for posting social and family gatherings such as weddings, birthdays, coming-out parties of society debutantes and personal and family promotions. “
Sadly true, but then and again, the community media in a foreign land, naturally tend to be parochial as compared to their mainstream counterpart.
But it’s not an excuse to ignore or abandon their true mission as journalists
this is of course the pursuit of truth.
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Joe, If you think you have the last words, mine is the farting shot…
Oops I mean the “:parting shot “. We don’t think we’ve seen or heard the last of you !
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CHICKEN, CHICKEN ! The queue is endless in the first ever Philippine franchise here in Toronto.. Pidoy Pacis of Saladmaster fame, has a new business venture and it’s the family institution resto Max’s of Manila,
“The House that Fried Chicken Built “.
I grew up on this succulent, yet plain and simple no frills crispy fried chicken Filipino-style that my dad used to bring home from its original Quezon city location.
Working in Los Angeles,California in the 1990’s, our editorial offices
In Wilshire boulevard is besides Max which later moved to the Glendale area in north LA.
The original recipe for this fowl recipe was borne out of the need to
satisfy the cravings of homesick US servicemen from the Jusmag area in Quezon city way back in the late 1940’s of their American dishes such as fried chicken and burgers .
The secret concoction that Max’s developed clicked and the rest ,so to say,
was culinary history.
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ENGAGED: Popular songstress Josie De Leon is set to tie the knot with
Mark Crescini after a two-year long courtship. Congrats Josie, you broke many young men’s hearts including mine but you deserve it.
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YEARS OLDER/YOUNGER? To my niece, Arielle S.Soriano,Jan.28, Happy birthday and to my colleague and friend Ricky Caluen, historian,writer,teacher and world traveler, welcome back, birthday
person, January 25.
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