Now this particular e-mail would be funny if it weren't for the fact that it's the sad truth of life...

THE PHILIPPINES IS.................
50. where the most happening places is not where the party is, instead it's where the gang wars happen, where naked women strip and where the people overthrow a president.
49. where even Doctors, Lawyers and Engineers are unemployed.
48. where every family has its own drama story.
47. where mountains like Makiling and Banahaw are considered as holy places.
46. where everything can be forged.
45. where the school is considered the second home and the mall considered as third.
44. where Starbucks coffee is more expensive than gas.
43. where every street has a basketball court and every town only has one public school.
42. where all kinds of animals are edible?????
41. where people speak all kinds of languages and still call it Tagalog.
40. where students pay more money than they will earn afterwards.
39. where Call Center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses
38. where driving 4kms can take as much as 4 hours.
37. where flyovers bring you from the freeway to the side streets.
36. where the tourist spots is where Filipinos cannot afford to go.
35. where the personal computer is mainly used for games and friendster.
34. where most 13-year-olds are alcoholic.
33. where colonial mentality is dishonestly denied!
32. where 4am is not considered bed time yet.
31. where PEOPLE CAN PAY TO DEFY THE LAW!!!!
30. where everything is spoofed?
29. where even the poverty stricken get to wear Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger (sobrang peke naman ng itsura)
28. where honking of car horns i s a way of life.
27. where being called a bum is never offensive.
26. where flood waters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during the rainy season.
25. where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive.
24. where crossing the street involves running for your dear life. (EDSA!EDSA!)
23. where wearing your national colors make you "baduy"
22. where billiards is a sport, and darts is a bar game.
21. where even the poverty stricken have the latest cellphones. (nakaw kasi eh)
20. where insurance does not work.
19. where water can only be classified as tap and dirty... clean water is for sale (35pesos/gallon) - 40 pesos na po un iba 3 for 100!
18. where the church governs the people and where the government makes the people pray for miracles. (AMEN TO THAT)
17. where University of the Philippines is where all the weird people go. Ateneo is where all the nerds go. La Salle is where all the chinese go. College of Saint Benilde is where all the stupid chinese go...
16. where (most people think that) fastfood is a diet meal
15. where traffic signs are merely suggestions not regulations
14. where all the trees in the city are below 6 ft.
13. where being held up is normal, it happens to everyone..
12. where kids dream of becoming pilots, doctors and basketball players.
11. where rodents are normal house pets.
10. where the definition of traffic is the 'non-movement' of vehicles.
9. where the fighter planes of the 1940's are used for military engagements and the new fighter planes are displayed in museums.
8. where being an hour late is still considered as punctual.
7. where cigarettes and alcohol are a necessity, and where the lottery is a commodity.
6. where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news provides the drama.
5. where every foreigner is American & is addressed JOE!!!!
4. where actors make the rules and where politicians provide the entertainment (kung gusto mo mapikon, watch the news)
3. where people can get away with stealing billions and trillions of pesos; but not for a thousand or a hundred
2. where AMERICA is considered HEAVEN... and GOING THERE IS A FULFILLMENT OF ONE’S LIFE LONG DREAMS!!!!
1. where everyone wants to leave the country????

I was going to do a post on the brain drain of the country... but I think I'll save that for next time...