Some close relatives ask me at times why I’m not keen to move back to the Philippines, much as I love the country and miss my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandmother. Well, here’s one reason why. (Read the article in the Philippine Star about the incident, and the ensuing public relations frenzy that followed.) Yep, when things like that happen on a daily basis, I’m not especially encouraged to hop on the next flight back.

A year ago, when my mom and I visited for a few weeks, I was often told to put away my mobile phone — an old, cheap Nokia brick, the faceplate of which I had to replace when I borrowed it from my cousin because all the numbers had been rubbed off — because apparently people have been known to kidnap and kill in order to obtain one. On our last night in the city, as I was texting my cousin, the driver of our cab even suggested that I not use the phone because its brightly lit screen against the dark interior of the cab might attracted unwanted attention.

Erm. Hooo-kay. I can’t even use a crappy cell phone in public because someone might kill me for it? And why is it again that people want me to live there?

Anyway, on a happy note, I hope you all have a better New Year’s holiday than the de la Pazes are having, and that 2009 will bring lots of joy and blessings!