Klaus Doring

Time flies by so very quickly. Even having some heavy problems with some neighbours nowadays ending in court fightings, I didn’t forget, that Bob Martin gave me the chance to become a part of liveinthephilippines.com. We met during a gather-together of the Friends of Mindanao last year. Up to that time I was a ‘print media journalist’ with ‘radio host experiences’. Internet was something very new for me. Meanwhile I feel very much at home here, and I could feel “the power of Internet”, means to say also the advantages and disadvantages.

Talking of some personal problems, happening right now to me and my family, I must confess, that there are some politicians somewhere out there, who do everything to help us. Kudos to them and let’s hope and pray, “that everything will be fine again one day”. Remember, what I published here before: “Can we love our politicians?” … .

Because of being a part of liveinthephilippines.com I really got a lot of advantages:

- The Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court certified me as translator and interpreter.

- I was invited to teach German language at the University of the Southeastern Philippines, which, by the way, is the only state university in Region XI (Mindanao) through its Institute of Languages by offering a special program on the propagation of the German language. So far, it is the only university in Visayas and Mindanao next to Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City, which has taken a strong stance supporting the formal conduct of language teaching and learning of foreign languages, particulary German, in this part of the Philippines.

Because of liveinthephilippines.com my wife and I were able to open up a legal business (of course with permit number) described as “Consultancy for Germany and the Philippines” including immigration assistance or legal civil marriages. I received a lot of emails daily and sometimes a lot of asking for help, which unfortunately can’t be handle by our office, especially in facts of illegal overstay in the Philippines or crimes and offenders.

Because of liveinthephilippines.com I got the chance to publish many thoughts and write ups worldwide. That’s of course a big difference writing “just for a daily newspaper”. I like to express my gratitude to all of you, who just send me a message by clicking CONTACT KLAUS… .Please be patient - I always try to do my best to answer all your questions.

Because of liveinthephilippines.com I got the chance to learn more about ‘how to live in the Philippines’. Yes, even after almost ten years being here for good, I must confess, that it’s still challenge or not such easy as you might try to imagine, while reading this and being in another country of this globe.

Because of liveinthephilippines.com my family and I got some very unique and precious friends like Bob Martin and his wife Feyma as well as my fellow columnist partners, for example John, Migs, Ichi or Martin here in liveinthephilippines.com.

Because of liveinthephilippines.com I got a lot of positive feedback from you, my dear readers, opening my eyes many times and making the right decisions , how to handle some things while living in the Philippines.

Thank you very much and God bless!

I am looking forward very much for my second year in liveinthephilippines.com. …

Philippine government called on the people to remain calm even as local oil firms raised their pump prices without end. I only learned now, that these increases will continue up to July 12 to recoup under-recoveries for the month of May. Wow!!!

Of course, as we all know, these problems are global. And as a global problem we can’t avoid it, as Presidential Management Staff Director General Cerge Remonde stated in an interview a couple of days ago. So far so good. Fact is , that more and more people are really getting furious these days because of the rising prices. Apart from oil we have been also hit by high prices of rice, canned food and all other food items.

Incomes are not going up - and, all governments have been forced to come with some measures to ease the consumers’ burdens. Let’s talk about rice, education, electricity… . How about the transport groups?

My two brothers-in-law are operating a taxi. They can feel the lower income day by day. They, and not only they, support Efren de Luna, President of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators, who stressed the need for the government to undertake the 2 Pesos fuel subsidy and other aids. Many drivers and their families are really in deep crises now.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayab announced to continue the protests against what it described as inaction of the government on high oil prices. Will it help? Today I observed the litre price of gas almost reaced 61 Pesos. Wow, that’s almost one EURO... . Protests in the Philippines - riots in other countries of the world.

What do you think? Where is the end of the tunnel? And how? And when?”

Last Tuesday Rotary Club East Davao was honoured and privileged to listen to guest speaker Mr. Simeon P. Marfori II, the new elected President of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII). Mr. Marfori also provided us with information about the 8th Recyclable Collection Event, which take place today from 8am - 4pm at the SM Citypark C here in Davao City.
“Bawas Basura na, Magkakapera Ka Pa!” Bring your recyclables there and redeem for cash at special buying stations or donate the proceeds to charity.

This is a project of the DCCCII, wherein industry recyclers set up the buying stations where the public can sell its recyclables such as: used car batteries, used ink jets and cartridges, tires, pet bottles, scrap metals, used papers or corrugated cartoons, electrical/electronic equipment and much more.

No need to tell, that you and we and the enviroment will benefit, in saving trees for example. Or, plastics recycling reduces air and water pollution. Or, car battery and used computer recycling keep hazardous waste away from the landfills.

This important event today is sponsored by many big companies, such as HOLCIM, PEPSI, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Cyper City Teleservices, Landbank,HZero2 - just to mention some among many others.

I wish that this will not remain as the only and last event. Maybe there are also similar events in other towns here in the Philippines. If you know  about it, please leave a comment and share it with us.

Everybody should follow this examples. We owe it our next generations.

“… The Philippines become a peaceful, prosperous and green country. …”

Every time I arranged my office I find some clippings from the past. I found that item of the Philippine President’s much talked about 10-points program such as creating million jobs, bringing peace to Mindanao, “decontaminating” Metro Manila, supporting entrepreneurs as the foundation of a broader middle, bringing electricity and water to all (?) barangays, balancing the budget - all that and much more, in six years. I slowly drifted - and start dreaming… . That program dates from mid-2004.

If I look around I still observe people pleading that the government solve the foreign and national debts by its self-imposed fiscal discipline and elimination of graft and corruption starting from the top to the bottom of its bureaucracy. Do we really tell our top-level government officials what’s happening in their communities? Do we tell them our needs and hopes?

I must confess: many times I do - and, it works. Many people just love to complain how bad everything and every body is.

Let’s tell our leaders to give protection to the environment as top priority in all agricultural and industrial undertakings. I know that a lot of people see me as naive and blue-eyed dreamer. Yes, I know, we have economical recession all over the world,  high jumping oil prices,  war because of  drinking water… .

I listened to Philippine students here in Davao City telling their leaders that they want them to be models of moral values, and to make values education as the top priority in public and private schools, from the nursery to the graduate school. Many years ago I mentioned already in one of my printed media columns: “Better start getting state-of-the-art quality education but also get connected to top officials and leaders of the country”.

I am talking about the Philippines. I know, in many others countries it’s the same. But I am living here and I noticed a lot of people talking to their senators and congressmen to urge the Chief Justice to speed up judicial processes starting with those waiting for decisions for the past ten or more years.

I know, but all those national leaders responded strongly and without doubt positively. Yes, one thing is very clear, the Philippines started to become a prosperous country with its oversea workers and “foreign investors”, who keep on running instead of complaining. Let’s spend the sunset of our lives together with other happy, healthy, strong and morally conscious people.

I have a dream … And I will continue living in the Philippines, because it’s worth living here…

An African proverb states: “The camel never see its own hump, but that of its brother is always before its eyes…!”

While visiting several parts of Mindanao during the last weeks I observed again, how much I do love nature. And, I also observed too, how much the Philippines, especially Mindanao is blessed with wonderful and breath taking places.

And then after being home again? I enjoy “my little nature” too. From the first day, my family and I moved to Davao for good, we got the idea to use our lot also for a wild and “natural garden”. We let trees growing (especially fruit trees such as mango, rambutan, guava, coconut or even a durian…

Many times landscaping companies and gardeners contacted us and offered its knowledge. But up to now, sorry guys, we enjoy lay out our garden ourselves.

In between “everything” is growing and blooming. We all became very happy seeing our very rare and unique Waling-Waling orchid blooming after more then nine years.

We get a lot of help from our family when it goes to gardening … and then let’s enjoy the garden party after moving pruning shears, lawn-mowers and rakes.

By the way: our small pool became a fish farm. Believe it or not: less gnats, especially in the evening, are bothering us. I only don’t know, when the “tilapias” are big enough to be eaten…

We are taking all our meals mostly on our veranda. Can you imagine, how nice it is to watch different butterflies and birds? Before I knew ‘colibris’ just from the TV. Especially nowadays they are always “our special guests” looking for the flowers’ nectar … .

Yes, I love nature - also at home. If you are an ex pat living here in the Philippines you should also look for a nice garden. You will never be bored… .

Many of us are under medication. A couple of months ago in Switzerland health activists and policy experts from around the world attended a World Health Organization Conference. Not only there, but in many other countries, especially from the Third World, discussions are ongoing about the best ways to get medicine to the world’s poor. The resulting recommendations should have a great impact on the healthcare programs of many governments - also here in the Philippines.

Some time ago in the Philippines, for instance, the congress considered a measure called the “Cheaper Medicines Bill’, which aims to a lower cost of medicines by weakening or revoking patents on drugs. Is this really a good idea?

As I could learn from Mindanao columnist Nonoy Oplas: “Only one percent of the medicines on the World Health Organization’s “Essential medicines” list are patented. The remaining 99 percent of drugs are off-patent and could be cheaply produced as generics.

I must confess, that after every doctor consultation I have been asked, WHICH is medicine I would like to take. Meanwhile all our doctors explained the possibility of generics - or, the pharmacies, where we used to buy our medicine, do so.

But, the real access problems are indeed systemic. Plenty of cheap generic drugs are available in the Philippines, but they are not the genuine article, as Nonoy Oplas stressed. How very true!!!

And, many of the generics are simply fake and do not pass the bioequivalence testing for safety. Some are not tested at all - as Dr. Suzette lazo of the University of the Philippines has said in an interview a couple of weeks ago. “In fact only a very small minority has undergone this testing!” Wow, how many dangerous consequences for all of us. Patented medicines go through perfect screening in order to guarantee their safety.

There are amounts being mentioned such as 800 million US$ to develop and bring out a new product to the market. Maybe it’s really a ‘miracle’ product - maybe not.

Now I, and not only me, feel puzzled and, we don’t know what to do.

Do you have any idea and how do you handle this problem here in the Philippines as an ex pat or ‘somewhere out there‘ reading this blog?

I must confess: I was never happy being a club member. It’s also sad, that I don’t find time any more to join the “Friends of Mindanao‘ - meetings here in Davao City every second Wednesday of the month, because that’s my time I am teaching German language in the University of Southeastern Philippines (also Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays).

But, after two invitations to luncheon meetings of the East Davao Rotary Club in the Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City I enjoyed joining the Fireside Meeting and Orientation together with President Efren Elbanbuena, Past District Governor Raoul Hilario, Past President Ading Macatangay and Past President Virgilio Sojor last May 31.

The object of Rotary International says:

- to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular to encourage and foster:

1. The development of acquaintance  as an opportunity for service;

2. High ethical standards in business and professions…

3. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business and community life;

4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

On June 3, 2008 I took the oath of membership having been elected as a regular member of the Rotary Club of East Davao under the classification “Journalism - Foreign Media” (Inducting officer Past District Governor Reynaldo I. Reyes).

As I said in my brief speech: “It’s my great honour and privilege to belong now to this outstanding Rotary Club East Davao. I am very much touched to notice i.e. about the community service - all these big projects - and, of course, the fellowship and the possibility to make friends by also doing business.”

I smiled, when President Efren explained being an avid listener of my former radio show “Classics at Night”. He never thought, that “we will meet in this way one day”. By the way: he introduced to me also the possibility to become a co-anchor of the radio programm “Rotarian Dreams’ to be aired every Thursday morning.

This coming Tuesday the new Consul General of Indonesia in Davao City will be introduced as new member.

Yes, I am a Rotarian now - and I am very happy about it…

Only a short time ago one of our German friends (also named Klaus), married to Helen ( distance relative of Governor Uy), invited us to visit some places in Northern Mindanao. They picked me up last week together with my wife and my mother - and got the idea to travel first to Tagum City to show us one of their farms. We really enjoyed again fresh Durians and the fresh coconut juice. Hey, since more then 20 years, I was able to touch a horse again and watch roebucks. We sit beside a little fish pond in real lush nature. Then our friends brought us to the City of Tagum. We really got surprised how green and clean and well developed Tagum has become since a couple of years. Amid banana plantations and rich highlands, shopping complexes and pristine beaches Tagum City presents the so called “Musikahan”, as we learned. Celebrated this year from February 21 to 27, around 3,000 music and performing artists joined the event. I am pretty sure, we will visit Tagum next year again to watch this music celebration, which brands Tagum City as the Music Capital of the South.

A couple of relaxing and silent minutes in the Tagum Cathedral Christ the King followed.

For more information you might call the Tagum City Tourism Office 084-218-4727.

Yes, then suddenly, we got the idea to travel “more to the south”. How about Davao Oriental? Ok, let’s go…up, up and away!

On a mostly good cemented road we travelled from Tagum City to Maco (Comval Province) and then to Magnaga, where a Filipino friend of us operates a beach resort. Pantukan followed and also some terrible potholes… Anyway it’s really a fantastic dreamscape if you reach Lupon (still a 30 minutes ride away from Mati). A hot mineral spring (Calapagan Hotspring) surrounded by woodlands is a must visit.

Then we really became speechless: Have you heard already about the Sleeping Dinosaur Peninsula? It’s visible upon passing the 8-km Badas zigzag road to downtown Mati. The 57-hectar island resembles a sleeping dinosaur.

Talking about Badas: it was time for lunch - and, we got a very tasty seafood one in D’Golden Sunrise Beach Resort, owned by Efren Dupa, Punta Gemelina. Here you can also rent air con cottages to very affordable rates. For inquires you might call or text 0921 - 5560307.

Time flew by so very fast. Actually, when you are in Mati City, a lot of attractions are waiting  for you. Waniban Island is one of them. The 40 hectares island is surrounded by white sand beaches and is home to a number of local tribes who make a living through fishing and hunting, as I learned already from my friend Lisa, who is working in the Municipal Hall of Mati.  Waniban Island can be reached by a 20 minute boat ride from Cinco Masao Resort in Masao, Mati City. To know more about Mati and its other attractions call the Municipal Office at 087- 811 2371.

It was already late afternoon, when we started our trip home, and we really missed to see Burias Island located near the Puntalinao waters in Banaybanay, where also distance relatives of our family are living. This one hectare island can be seen only during low tide.

But surely, this was not our last trip to Davao Oriental. Many thanks to Klaus and Helen, who showed us all these wonderful places.

… during the last weeks I really got a very hectic schedule. Then - since two days I tried to do my Internet work… BUT, PLDTmyDSL got double trouble shootings regarding its Visayas and Mindanao links. Even NDD’s (National direct calls) have been impossible.

This morning everything seems to be  fine again, BUT: I am off to a place in Northern Mindanao and some other tasks will be waiting for me after returning back.

Don’t worry: Some more write ups will be posted here soon. Bear with me. And, believe me: it’s wonderful to live in the Philippines for good….

Sometimes, it’s good to relax and smile. I did it yesterday, when one of my nieces showed me a little booklet from Printshop Publication, which really made a selection of popular storybooks specially designed to entertain children, who have learned and mastered their basic reading skills.

Why do Filipinos have flat noses? I remember, that this topic was an important one from the first moment on, I stepped on Philippine soil.

Let me share Ofelia Concepcion’s little story with you:

In the olden days, all the races of men lived together in one island. the white, back, red, yellow and brown races were all living in harmony. All of them have no noses. They only have two holes on their faces, used for breathing.

Juan was coming home from chopping wood in the forest when he stumbled. his face hit a puddle of mud. A part of the mud stuck on his face. He couldn’t put it off no matter how hard he tried.

Unknown to Juan, the Goddess of Beauty took fancy of him. it is the reason why he stumbled. it is also the reason why the mud kept on sticking on his face. the goddess wanted to know what would be its effect to Juan.

Juan’s mother was surprised when she saw her son. ‘What happened? What’s  that piece of mud in your face?” His mother looked at him again and again. “But you see, it lloks good on you.” Juan was so happy at his fortune.

Juan’s life changed since then. He became the envy of everyone. Many girls started to like him. Instead of being boastful, he became more humble. Unfortunately, he bumped his face in the stairs one night. The piece of mud fell off his face.

The Goddess of beauty was happy with her experiment. She just wanted to know if the nose would fit Juan nicely. She didn’t expect that because of it Juan would be more humble and industrious. She thought of giving humanity a surprise.

The Goddess made noses the whole day and the day after. Now finished, she called a messenger. “Choose a place in the land. Go there before the sun rises. Then, drop these noses on the ground.”

Just before the sun rises, Juan was already awake. ‘mother, look! It is raining but only on that part of the island!” Juan exclaimed. They were not the only ones who witnessed the event. All the people living on the island saw it, too.

“It’s raining noses!” a white man cries. All the people were excited. they rushed to the place whre the rain was falling. Probably because other races were taller and bigger, they were able to run faster.

The people were overjoyed. They scampered while picking the noses that fir them best. “This is mine”, one man said. “This is mine!” said another. They dashed and fought each other in choosing the nose that suits them well.

Some noses were flattered in the mad scramble. “I can’t go in!” said Juan. ‘i can’t get any!” said his best friend. They tried hard to break into the crowd but all their effort went in vain.

They only got their shares of noses when the other races had already gotten their share. They were dismayed in getting only the flat noses that were deformed with the struggle. That is the reason why Juan and the whole Filipino race that descended from him had flat noses.

What a very wonderful story… . Or, what do you think?