Islamabad -At the Jinnah shopping mall, where we made a stop after a series of interviews and a visit to the historic site of Taxila outside the capital city, we heard three young boys horsing around, speaking Tagalog.
We were glad to see Filipinos as we needed tips and directions in our effort to contribute to Philippine –Pakistan economic relations.
“We” include Manila Bulletin’s Gemma Cruz, Inquirer’s Tals Diaz, People Asia’s Fatima Parel, Business Mirror’s Lyn Resurrection and Manila Times’ Dante Francis Ang, We are here on the invitation of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute.
It turned out that the boys were children of employees of the Philippine Embassy headed by Ambassador Jaime Yambao. The kids, who are studying in a school run by Catholic nuns, just came from a dance rehearsal for the June 12 independence day celebration.
In a dinner hosted by the amiable ambassador with Vice Consul Conrado Demdem, we were glad to learn that unlike Filipino communities in other countries, there are hardly sob stories of illegal recruitment and maltreatment by employees among the 3,000 Filipino workers, majority of them professionals.
Most of the Filipino professionals here in Pakistan are in the field of telecommunications. We met two of them at the Regent Plaza hotel in Karachi, Aristotle Baricuatro and Gerry Alas, both engineers working with the Swedish Ericsson Electronics. The two said their compensation package is in the range of not less than $3,000 a month, something that would take them several months to earn in the Philippines.
Aside from those who have Pakistani spouses, many of the Filipinos in Pakistan work with international organizations and embassies. A member of a Filipino community said three of the maids of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani are Filipinas. Needless to say they are college graduates. Most probably teachers.
Despite Pakistan being predominantly Muslim, Catholics have their own closely- knit community. Filipinos attend a Catholic mass where the priest is Pakistani and music is provided by the ambassador, a tenor who has performed in operas in the Philippines.
A culture buff, Yambao gives delightful briefings. He gave us an interesting sidelight about the roots of Catholicism in South Asia which complemented our earlier visit to Taxila, ancient Buddhist city 32 kilometers Northwest of Islamabad which was discovered by British archaeologist Sir John Marshall.
Taxila, we learned, was conquered by Alexander the Great in 326 BC which explains some of the Greek features of some of the excavated Buddhas.
Yambao said he has read that one of Jesus Christ’s apostles, Thomas, (known as “Doubting Thomas” for not believing immediately that he was seeing the risen Christ) also came to Taxila and built a church, to where the Pakistani Catholics trace the beginning of their Christian religion.
Yambao said next year, the Philippines and Pakistan will mark the 60th anniversary of its diplomatic relations established on Sept. 8, 1948.
He said Pakistan plays an important role in the world being the only Muslim country with nuclear power. It is in the forefront in the US-led war on terror .
The Philippines was instrumental in Pakistan’s inclusion in the Asian Regional Forum, a security-oriented grouping of Asia-Pacific countries. On the other hand, Pakistan supports the Philippines’ application to be an observer of the influential Organization of Islamic Conference. The OIC, however, has yet to set up guidelines on admission of predominantly –Christian countries as observer or member.
Yambao said they are working on a visit by Gloria Arroyo to Pakistan to reciprocate the visit made by President Pervez Musharaff to Manila in 2005.
Yambao said trade relations between the two countries has been greatly boosted by the availability of cheaper pharmaceutical products from Pakistan. This is reflected in the $4.5 million Philippine import of medicines from Pakistan, almost double from the $2.5 million figures in 2005.
This is one area where it can be said that robust trade figures translate to healthier people.
At least we can say we also have a nuclear power plant, paid in full, unused, and pilfered away.
Valdemar,
Ang galing ng comment mo. Wala akong masabi kundi mamamasyal na naman ang Aling Mababa.
Cheap medicines? who knows, baka expired na, or made of low-quality stuff. or maybe another racket? 🙂
Off topic.
Pope declines RP invitation. Too busy kuno ang Pope to visit Pinas. Buti naman at aware ang Pope at Vatican leaders na gagamitin lang siya na pampapogi ni Korap Gloria.
Kung bakit naman kasi ngayon pa na uhaw na uhaw ang tianak sa photo ops at pang-international news/publicity ginawa nina Rosales at Lagdameo ang pag-imbita sa Pope. Ilang bagful of money kaya ang equivalent ng invitation at kung sakali ay ang aktual na bisita ng Pope sa Pinas?
Kung nagkataon ay maluluma ang drama ni Imelda kay Gloria.
HW,
Saan kaya nabibili/binibenta ang medicina cheapo sa Pinas?
chi,
kaya nga. bibilhin ng mura sa mga pakis, tapos ibebenta ng ubod ng mahal sa pinas. eh di ganansiya nga naman, di ba? tubong lugaw, ika nga. 😆
HW, tumbok mo, igan.
The article would have been complete had the author shared with us the views of our Kababayan about GMA and her evil government. Since the host was no less than the RP Ambassador and his staff, we did not hear any negative comment about the evils of this GMA government and the serious problems the country is facing these days. Likewise, Dante Ang was in Ellen’s group. This man is not perfect; in fact the least perfect and credible of all the names mentioned in the group.
Pakistan na lang ang kapantay ng mahal kong Pilipinas pagdating sa economy.Di ko masabi kung matatawa ako o maiiyak.
Sana nga matuloy ang visit ng Aling Mababa (ang lipad?) sa Pakistan.At sana rin,di na makabalik.hahhaha!
Bitchdevil: Since the host was no less than the RP Ambassador and his staff, we did not hear any negative comment about the evils of this GMA government and the serious problems the country is facing these days.
*****
Of course, he won’t because he is with the government. I have yet to meet a Philippine bureaucrat willing to criticize the Malacanang occupant openly, and lose his/her job.
I don’t know Ambassador Yambao personally, but I’ve heard of him. Wasn’t he the leader of the union of career diplomats, who would not want to be kowtowed to submission of any kind?
He is in fact considered as one of the progressive members of the Philippine diplomatic corps. He has gone a long way to have his position jeopardized by prejudice against the likes of Gloria Dorobo.
Hopefully, though, he is not one of those Philippine bureaucrats who think that they have to stick to crooks in the government, having been trained to be loyal to the likes of Gloria Dorobo instead of being loyal to the Republic that does not actually mean the elected officials of the government but the country and the people, the taxpayers who pay the bills.
Sabi nga trabaho lang for country and people. Removing the crooks is not his responsibility. It’s the people’s choice. They are the ones allowing crooks like Gloria Dorobo to stay. The people have the responsibility to remove them, especially these criminals now running the country like hell even by hook or by crook!
There is a continuing war in Kashmir. For every 5 the Pakistani shoot India get back at them for 6.
Hope our trade with Pakistan wont be on a 5/6 prejudice.
Chi,
Sayang di pupunta ang pope. Aaply sana ako ng rally permit na sasalubong sa kanya.
Valdemar,
Palagay ko ay hindi lang ikaw ang mag-apply ng permit. hahaha!
Baka Gloria will sell the remaining portions of Pinas to Pakistan.
Mga Kabayan, Mag ingat lang tayo sa mga middle eastern folks. They are no better than the Chinos. Some of them are worst than your most hated woman ruling your country now. If Dorobo
will sell Pinas to the Pakistani, she’ll probably get all the Oil Companies such as PNOC and Meralco by hostile take over if not by illegal means. Estilo ni Marcos. Ang sarap ida-an sa chipper shredder your politicians there. They don’t do anything right but make lives miserable for the people but their own pocket.
Maybe these RP diplomats could whisper to the guests what they truly felt about the RP crisis and situation. Knowing that our Ellen is a certified opposition, these RP diplomats could be a little be more open and real in their communication.
ronton4,
ano ibig mong sabihin? elope siya ng mga alibaba and the 40 thieves o magapply siya ng suppermaid.
Valde,
What are you talking about she will apply as a suppermaid. I have news for you, the only job she knows is cheating, lying, corrupting. Women like her do not know even how to clean their inner self let alone clean houses. She was trained to bankrupt the Philippines and nothing else.