Filipino Expats Qatar

Malu Fernandez, columnist of Manila Standard Today and People Asia who wrote the article “From Boracay to Greece,” is back again! In the August 27 issue of the Manila Standard Today, page C1, Malu Fernandez’s photo is displayed at the bottom of the page with a note: “Divalicious will resume next Monday.”

(Voted Women's Favorite Email of the Year. )

A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed home. He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:

"Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen.

God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish. The next
morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman.

He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids, Set out their school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, Drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping.

Then drove home to put away the groceries, Paid the bills and balanced the checkbook.

I encountered just now this fresh article from one of the sites i frequently visit. I thought that it must be a perfect tool to let all of us have a time to reflect for having a better situation (yes, indeed, we have the luxury in opening internet) than the lady featured here, yet continue to alm to satisfy the need. This is just one of the stories that should be focused on by several journalists, rather than factually and discriminatively state the difference of haves and have nots Filipinos accross the globe.

"Saudi Pinay gives up P780T back pay to return home"

After 18 years of slaving away as a shepherdess in Saudi Arabia, a 65-year-old Filipina is giving up her claim to 63,000 Saudi riyals (approximately P779,366) in back pay, to be able to immediately return home to the Philippines.

Online news site Arab News reported that Leonora Somera was hired in 1987 as a domestic helper but is now stranded at the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah.

Hello po mga kababayan,

Kung kayo po ay Baptist sa Pinas at naghahanap po ng maaatendahan na lugar po dito, you can just PM me. Salamat po!

kepoy

New Traffic Radar is now working with infra-red lights (without flash) on Corniche – so be careful.

Maximum speed limit here is 80 km/hr.

September 3 used to be celebrated before as independence day in Qatar has already moved to December 18 and already regarded as National Holiday. Which means hindi kami pupunta sa Sea Line Beach Resort next week. Waaahhh ulit..

For details, please follow the link below.

http://www.qppstudio.net/publicholidays2007/qatar.htm

NHRC hotline gets good response from expatriates
Web posted at: 8/24/2007 3:9:12
Source ::: The Peninsula

DOHA • The hotline service set up by the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) last week has received a good response from expatriate workers who have disputes with their employers.
The service is available through mobile No. 6626663. Majority of the calls received over the past week were from people who needed urgent solution to their problems, said Al Sharq quoting an NHRC source.
Most of the callers didn't know where to go and whom to approach to solve their problems. They were seeking advice on this matter and the hotline was successful in providing the information, the sources said.

Statement from Malu Fernandez on the OFW Controversy

I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled 'From Boracay to Greece!' which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.

Below articles from Malu Fernandez published in Manila Standard Today and People Magazine have invited roaring reactions from mostly OFW's. I only read this from my inbox this morning.

There has been a call for this journalist (is she??) for a public apology or forced resignation to be initiated by the management.

See what you can do for this. Personally, I find this insulting and unacceptable. Yes, we are tagged as Bagong Bayani, and that is over used. What I don't like here is her blatant display of a gap between the rich and the poor. That is the inner side of the story as displayed by her second article indirectly.

Please follow the link below to be updated on this issue. You can also leave your comments there. I personally don't know the initiator of this call, but I am supporting them.

http://www.tingog.com/social-concerns/fire-malu-fernandez-boycott-manila-standard-today-and-people-asia-magazine.html

(Editor note: After netizens threw up their arms in protests with some of what she wrote in her articles about OFWs, the write wrote this reply)

As I type this, I’d like you to know that it’s not about whining, complaining and bitching but just stating the facts. Just recently, I wrote a funny article in my magazine column and my friends thought it was hilarious. It was humorous and quite tongue-in-cheek, or at least I thought so, until the magazine got a few e-mails from people who didn’t get the meaning of my acerbic wit. The bottom line was just that I had offended the reader’s socioeconomic background. If any of these people actually read anything thicker then a magazine they would find it very funny. Most people don’t get the fact that they need bitches like me to shake up their world, otherwise their lives would be boring and mediocre. I obviously write for the a certain target audience and if what I write offends you, just stop reading.