The day before the event, while getting the program details and the "restricted access" IDs (shown above) at the Carlton Hotel, the Labor Office told us not to bring cameras and phones so as to not "disturb" the ceremonies (having us Filipinos convene is, in fact, already a huge disturbance). Having strict parents, we obliged to the plight of the Labor Office and went there bearing only ourselves. And since I didn't have any means to document the chaos via camera, here are some of the highlights of what happened on September 20:
• We went to the International Philippine School in Al-Khobar (IPSA) around 4pm-ish. The place was already packed with fellow kababayans touting cameras and phones. WTH?! Being Pinoys, the motto generally adhered to by most when told not to bring anything is this: masarap ang bawal. The irony nga naman.
• We arrived at the banquet hall of the Movenpick Hotel before 6pm. The hall was huge. There were 11 seats per row and there were 20 rows per column and there are four columns all in all. Therefore, there are 880 seats in place and more were being added. There are reports telling us that there were over a thousand participants for this event.
• The food, drinks, and condiment area were placed on both side ends of the hall. I got overwhelmed with the numerous selection of viands and pastries that I returned three times just to enjoy all of them while wondering how much the Philippine government (or the taxpayers rather) paid for the lavish meals.
• PGMA arrived past 9pm-ish from her flight from London looking refreshed by the help of cosmetics. My dad strategically placed ourselves near the entrance of where Ms. Arroyo is going to initially pass by. Then the people created another path away from us where she was rumored to enter. Well, the lucky (sure?) me together with my parents, titos and titas, didn't go with the throng. PGMA did enter where we were situated and the fellow event goers went berserk and pushed their way into our places. We were slightly displaced, but still in the zone.
• People who shook hands with PGMA was so shocked because her hands were really soft, and you know what that means, right? It means she doesn't lift a finger to do household chores. I'm never ever going to vote for someone who doesn't know what it's like to do things inside the house.
• Another surprising revelation and this time it's from the katutubos who were in charged of the hotel: How come someone as small as a schoolgirl be president of a country? Ha! You tell us! I immediately went LOL upon hearing this.
• Ms. Arroyo told us that the OFWs in the Eastern Region send the most number of remittances (in both volume and amount) to the Philippines which helped the country waver the recession and that's one of the reasons why she wanted to visit us. She continued by saying that she wanted to protect us, and help those displaced OFWs go back to our country.
• After the pleasantries of her speech, PGMA elaborated that there was this article in The Economist (I can't find it anywhere, swear!) that there is like this "pageantry" where countries vie for. I think it was all about being a viable place for investment. She then told everyone that this trip will help us solidify our place in that pageant among different countries with emerging and developing economies. Economist much?
• As the trip helps the country boost its image as a viable country for investments, she spelled out that more investments mean more work and that this is beneficial to OFWs because once we go home, there's no more need daw to go out of the country to find a stable job that brings food (and much more) to the table.
• Like any other Filipino gathering, the whole event was packed with numerous song and dance numbers by children of various OFW communities and organizations. IMHO, only a few of the performances were praise-worthy while some are so ho-hum. But, Pinoys, having the sense of pakikipagkapwa, gave thunderous rounds of applause for the performers, whether they liked it or not.
• When we went out of the hall, all participants were flabbergasted with the security thrown in to the entire place. There were more men in military uniforms (the katutubos) than all the Filipinos who went to see Ms. Arroyo that night. It's unbelievable! Pinays summed the feeling in one word: Kakalurkei!
• Almost all participants, before boarding the buses, talked and said they believe that PGMA tanked a lot of money (as in limpak-limpak) for this visit to the Middle East. I just hope she gives it to the public and not end up in her and her alipores' pockets.
• The traffic on the way home was heavy but bearable. What took the most time before returning from IPSA to our respective homes is finding where we parked our vehicles outside the school grounds.
The verdict on the whole visit thing? She kissed our arses because she believes to never bite the hand that feeds you. (Then again, history proves her otherwise.) She made us wait for too long only to deliver empty promises. (I could've done more with my time, no.) More so, if you think you're nauseated with hearing PGMA's speech defect on television and radio, you have the power to see the truth. By all means, it's best for you to do other things than think you're helpless with the cringes you're going to get.
Okay, enough of the bickering because any Pinoy can go on and on ridiculing the midget. So, I'm going to let you in on an open-secret. Did you know that Ms. Arroyo is kabisote? With every meeting she has with her cabinet, she remembers facts and figures so well that they are secretly agitated and aroused at the same time. It's the only thing I truly I admire about her from the stories that were told to me during college days.
I just hope it's all true.
