I took the Sunday afternoon off to go with Epril out to her parent's house in Jassan, a small village about 30 miles to the northeast of Cagayan, along the coastal highway.
I saw this sign at the Jolibee
at SM Mall. It says "Congrats
Batch 08". In The Philippines,
they don't call it a graduating
class, they call it a batch,
like graduating cookies.Our first stop was at SM mall to buy a motorcycle helmet, as (I hadn't realized yesterday but) the motorcycle repair people had taken the cheap plastic helmet I had been using out from under the seat of the bike (there is a storage compartment there) when they were doing repairs, and had forgotten to put it back. We also picked up some Dunkin Donuts and Jollibee chicken.
About 5 miles out of town on the East side of Cagayan, my motorcycle died again. This time, it was the ignition/spark system, by my guess. I'm sure you're thinking the same thing I am at this point. Still, I'm a little more pragmatic: The motorcycle dealership can fix it this time... and one more time after that. Then, if it breaks down again, I'm asking for my money back. Yes, I'm that generous: My new motorcycle can break down three times without me asking for my money back. The fourth time will be the time I give up.
Anyway, we left the bike at a nearby gas station and caught a Jeepney the last 25 kilometers to Epril's village.
When we got to Jassan, I had quite a rude surprise: The family across the little dirt pathway from Epril's home had installed a karaoke machine and were operating a bar out of their house. The music was loud... bar loud... night club loud. Epril's family's house has only bamboo walls and no windows; the house across the path is only 15 or 20 feet away. Everyone in Epril's house had to talk in an almost-shout to have a conversation. This has been going on every day for almost a month... until 10:00 at night. Epril's sisters can't study, nobody can hear the television, Epril's mother — who wakes up at 4:00 a.m. every day — can't get enough sleep. (Epril's father is out on his fishing trawler, but when he is home, he has the same sleep schedule, and the same problem.) Nobody is willing to complain for fear of causing resentment in the neighborhood.
As each song played (Guns & Roses seemed to be popular today), I watched Epril's mother came closer and closer to tears, and I got angrier and angrier.
People doing something on
a small island in the river
below. Could be washing
sheets, though that seems
a bit odd. Fishing? It's
a mystery to me.Finally, after an hour, I had enough. I had two choices: Go over there to that house and go nuclear, or go back to Cagayan. I decided to go back to Cagayan... but not before I let Epril's mother know in my sternest words possible that there were 30 or 40 other people on this street suffering because of this family, and she needed to talk to them about this, and see what they, as a community, could do about it.
In the Jeepney back home (with Epril and Susan, who went with me), I decided that it might as well be me, the outsider, who will be the source of any bad sentiment in the neighborhood — that is, if the neighborhood itself can't find the will power to fix this problem. With Epril and Susan's encouragement, the next time I go out to Jassan, I'm going to go to the barangay (village) council, and pay them whatever cash it takes for them to have that machine removed from the neighbors' house. If they won't do it, I'll bribe the police. (No: There are no noise ordinances in The Philippines to the best of my knowledge... but, whatever it takes.)
That machine will be leaving that neighborhood. Epril's family will have a quiet home. I care too much about Epril's family to let their peace of mind and life be ruined like this. It really broke my heart today to see such nice people under such horrible circumstances.
Anyway, Epril and I at least got to spend a quiet evening at home enjoying some more episodes of "Heroes" on TV, before going to bed at about 11:00.
Jil,
ReplyDeleteJust be careful about doing things with the neighborhood coz am sure you and Epril will go there from time to time. Have Epril or Susan complain with the barangay captain. Good luck!
That's one of the example about the different term they use there about the batch instead of class.
Hope your motorbike is running good!
Din
Thanks for the advice Din.
ReplyDeleteI'm told that people have gone to the Barangay captain complaining about karoakes before, and the captain says, "well, they turn off the music at 10:00, that's the best I can do." If Epril and Susan get that reply, I'll step in and try to see if money won't help.
Mmm, Jil, I understand your feelings and it must be heartbreaking to see your girlfriend's family suffer like that, but maybe it'd be wise to keep low profile for a while in the Phils, suss out how things really work, instead of bribing police and so on.
ReplyDeleteYou still ARE the foreigner there and if things turn ugly, everyone will turn against you. Be careful, keep low profile.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right. I'm still pretty hot-headed over the entire thing. I really hope that what I said to Epril's mother about getting together with other people (all family of hers) living nearby, they'll be able to solve this problem on their own. These people really are suffering.
The people operating the karaoke bar are close friends of Epril's family... if not actually related. That's what makes it even more upsetting... how selfishly these people are ruining the peace and quiet their close friends' lives all for a few hundred pesos per month.
In the end, I'm sure I won't go back there and try to bully these people into my way idea of peace and harmony, but whatever I can do to help, I will.
Hell: I've even thought about paying the people with the karaoke machine several thousand pesos to take the damn thing out, if I didn't think that would just mean it gets moved down the road, or other people think that they can get paid under the same circumstances.
The only thing I want more than to avoid hurt feelings and resentment is to stop Epril's family suffering with this constant ear-splitting music... but much much much more.
Take on the world mate and you will lose - same rules as Thailand. Not a problem you should or can solve... keep your head down is good advice, your the new ATM on the block. Think smart before you act.
ReplyDeleteBe careful farangs can disappear in PI quicker than Thailand. Also once you start throwing money around eveyone is going to open their pockets and want it filled. Word can get around fast in the CGO area. Avoid the hassles it is better in the long run. I just wish you good luck and safety.
ReplyDeleteI have heard some pretty horrific stuff before from friends who thought just because they were family things would work itself out but they always seem to go the extreme in this part of the world.
Dont trust anyone please.
from Jakal
Thanks for the advice folks. I still feel the same way, and am still strongly pressured by my conscience and emotions to get involved in this problem... but your advice (and a day to think about it) has made me cool down a bit and take a step back.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that, Jil. Keep cool, keep low profile. Remember what the last anon said, falang disappears more quickly than in Thailand, esp. in off-the-beaten track places like the one where you live.
ReplyDeleteI've known some expats living in PI when I was living in HK. First thing they told me, if I ever were to move to the Phils, do NOT get a bank account with a local bank, as word about your bank balance WILL spread quickly and as somoeone else said, you'll be the new ATM on the block.
A bit exaggerated maybe, but still pays to be careful.
Anyway, glad you decided to keep your cool and keep low profile, as a) I'm concerned about your safety obviously and more importantly haha b) reading Jil blog is part of my morning routine at my boring office.