July 2024
I had the opportunity to attend a local festival in the small town of Inabanga in the Philippines. It was a wonderful and interesting experience, doubly so because it was so very different from anything I ever experienced in the West.
It was night time and I estimate there were about 20,000 people present. The roads were packed with people, so it took over a half hour to navigate through and find a place to park the car. There were stages with singers and bands, but the main draw was the food and socialization. There were dozens of various food stalls lining the streets, serving everything from traditional Filipino fare to Asian and Western fusions. Families, couples and groups were sitting and standing around listening to the music and enjoying both the food and ambience.
I was the only Westerner there. My appearance was very different from everyone else, but I was treated well by everyone. Every now and then, a tipsy young man would slap me on the back, smile and say, “Hey, Joe!” There were no hateful glares or stares. There were curious stares, which mostly turned to smiles when eye contact was made. I felt very welcome the entire time and enjoyed myself thoroughly. I cannot say this was the case when I was in an average town in the USA, where ideological lines are drawn almost everywhere.
What really stood out to me however, was the crowd of locals. It was very different from what you would see in the West. Groups of laughing young men and women. There were lots of young couples enjoying each other’s company. There were lots of groups of people of all ages enjoying each other’s company. Nobody had weird colored hair. All the women had long hair. Nobody had facial piercings. Nobody had excessive tattoos. Less than 5% had any visible tattoos. Nobody was obese. Less than 5% were overweight. Women looked like women and men looked like men.
Even more amazing, there were gays and trans persons throughout the crowd. They also did not display weird hair, piercings, tattoos or anything of an overtly sexual nature. They were fully accepted as part of the community with nobody harassing or condescending to them. They also were not in other people’s faces demanding that others endorse them. To each their own, with mutual respect. Gays and trans are not uncommon here. They are equal citizens, just like everyone else, and treated as such. However, the government and culture do not let them dictate the policies for the rest of the nation. They are not prevented from pursuing their lives. It works quite well.
I treated my wife’s family and friends to food while we were there, eleven people in all. Four pizzas, a half-dozen burgers, a dozen corn-on-the-cob, four sandwiches, assorted street food, ice cream, two liters of soda and a case of beer. The price tag? $60. Not a typo. It was a very enjoyable evening that didn’t break the bank.
This is just one of many positive experiences I have had in the Philippines. I will write about more as I have the time.
