Category Archives: Language

PRESIDENT AQUINO’S SPEECH IN CHICAGO: FILIPINO AMERICANS CRY FOUL

May 6, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Aquino speaking at gathering in Chicago on May 6, 2015 (Photo credit: Rose Tibayan) — Aquino speaking at a gathering in Chicago on May 6, 2015 (Photo credit: Rose Tibayan)

CHICAGO, Illinois (The Adobo Chronicles) – President NoyNoy Aquino spoke before a small group of 300 Americans, mostly Filipino Americans, in Chicago tonight, as part of what the Philippine Consulate is calling a ‘working visit’ by the Philippine head of state.

During his speech at the J.W. Marriott, Aquino talked about his administration’s accomplishments in bringing about economic progress for the Philippines. He was, of course, referring to the economic progress for the rich, not the 99% of middle class and poor Filipinos.

But the bigger issue was that Aquino delivered his speech in Tagalog which 90% of his audience didn’t understand because they were Americans or Filipino Americans who didn’t speak the language.

Aquino is known for delivering his speech in Tagalog.

Reacting to criticism from non-Tagalog speaking Filipino Americans, Aquino said, “You don’t matter to me. You are not Philippine voters. You’re not my bosses.”

Aquino is famous for referring to the Filipino voters as his bosses.

A Filipino American commented on his Facebook page that Aquino’s ‘working visit’ was merely to justify his trip to Las Vegas to watch the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.

The Adobo Chronicles could not independently confirm if Aquino was, indeed, present at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to personally witness the “Fight of the Century.”

Government, Language, Law Enforcement

CALIFORNIA DMV RECALLS PERSONALIZED LICENSE PLATE OF THE ADOBO CHRONICLES

April 27, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

SAN FRANCISCO, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Company vehicles like those of television stations, hotels, airport shuttles or even Google are marked with painted logos or personalized (vanity) licensed plates. Even The Adobo Chronicles has its special license plate, ‘My Adobo’ on its company car used to transport its reporters covering events and breaking news.

While anyone in California can pay extra money to get a less boring personalized vehicle license plate, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employs a three-person license plate police team that monitors, approves or cancels vanity license plates that may be offensive, racist or insensitive.

Last month, the DMV cancelled the license plate of a Southern California driver after grasping its double meaning: ‘NOT SEE.’ The other meaning was, of course, anti-Semitic.

The three-person team, which reviewed more than 100,000 orders for vanity plates last year, rejects about 25 applications a day — requests like “BUBEEEE,” “BURN 01” and “M16 GRL” that run afoul of prohibitions on references to guns, drugs and certain body parts.

Today, The Adobo Chronicles received a demand letter from DMV asking us to surrender our license plate, ‘My Adobo.’

The letter didn’t exactly say what was offensive about our special license plate, but when we called DMV, they said our license plate was offensive to many non-Filipinos who are vegetarian, vegan or who are allergic to the smell of garlic and vinegar. Adobo is the Philippines’ national dish consisting of chicken or pork that’s simmered in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar and garlic.

As a law-abiding company based in the California, we absolutely want to adhere to government regulations and decisions, so we are asking our loyal readers and followers to suggest a new license plate that will be less offensive to non-Filipinos in America.

International, Language

MISS PHILIPPINES PIA WURTZBACH WILL USE AN INTERPRETER IN MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT

March 25, 2015 Pol Pinoy 1 Comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Pia Wurtzbach’s answer to the final question during the recent Miss Philippines Beauty Pageant was memorable: “Always think before you click.”

However, it didn’t really directly answer the question on what she thinks about Internet censorship. (In a subsequent TV interview, she qualified that her answer meant that we need self-censorship.)

Wurtzbach ended up winning the Miss Philippines Universe crown, nonetheless.

As she prepares to compete in the next Miss Universe Pageant which will be held in Budapest, Hungary, Wurtzbach has been advised by Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) chairperson Stella Marquez-Araneta to have an interpreter should she make it to the 5 finalists. BPCI is the franchise holder of Miss Universe in the Philippines.

(Many Filipina candidates to Miss Universe made it all the way to the top 5 in recent years, but their answers to the final question always seemed to have cost them the crown.)

In an interview with The Adobo Chronicles, Wurtzbach confirmed that indeed, she will use an interpreter. “I will answer the final question in German.”

Wurtzbach is half Filipina and half German.

While the main language spoken in Budapest is Hungarian, a good 11 percent of its population speak German. So it may be a smart move on the part of Wurtzbach to speak her mind in German to better endear herself to the pageant audience as well as the judges.

We wish her the best and Viel Gluck! That’s “Good Luck!” in German.