Sunday, June 13, 2010

Beautiful San Francisco, Pinoy Heaven

by Ted Laguatan, Esq.

SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States—When former USSR head of state Mikhail Gorbachev visited here, awed by the views, he sighed, “Residents here should pay higher taxes because this place is so beautiful and pleasant.” I absolutely agree to the “beautiful and pleasant” part; the “higher taxes” part let’s ignore.

No bragging intended but I have traveled everywhere: Rome, Paris, Geneva, London, Brussels, Bonn, Rio, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Seoul, Prague, Madrid, New York, and more, but as Tony Bennett croons, my heart is in San Francisco, and in Manila where I was born and in Quezon City where I went to college and in Makati where I also now have a residence.

Hills, mountains, ocean, quiet secluded beaches, nearby redwood forests with ancient giant trees, clean air, crystal blue skies, starry nights—cool summers and mild snow-less winters—natural San Francisco features I love so much. Even the occasional thin fog—not the London horror movie pea-soup kind—creates a romantic atmosphere for this incredible “city by the bay.” Being in its Chinatown is like being instantly transported to Hong Kong or Shanghai together with the familiarly unique appetite-inducing Chinese food scents. Japan-town features traditional arts like ikebana flower arrangements side by side with modern electronics displays and rows of Japanese gift shops and restaurants.

Great universities in the area like Stanford, University of San Francisco, University of Santa Clara, University of California-Berkeley reflect the multi-racial multi-cultural population where half of the students are non-Caucasians and predominantly Asian. Here also are great museums, fabulous swimming pool-sized public aquariums featuring sharks and giant fishes, an excellent zoo displaying the world’s exotic animals, sports arenas, modern computerized libraries, and Silicon Valley, America’s computer technology center.

Two hours east is wine country Napa Valley, whose wines compare with Europe’s best. Another two hours farther is world-renowned gaming and entertainment center Reno, beside which is the scenic resort town of Lake Tahoe dramatically surrounded by majestic snow-capped mountains. Nearby is Yosemite National Park whose magnificent glacier carved granite mountains defies description. Two hours south of San Francisco is the famous “17 Mile Drive” in Carmel Valley which snakes along the cypress tree-studded Pacific Coastline offering awesome cliff and ocean views. Along this drive is the legendary Pebble Beach golf course with its $400 green fees if you can get a reservation and homes of the rich and famous including that of “Dirty Harry” Clint Eastwood which elicit tourist “oohs” and “aahs.”

In 1972, martial law was declared in the Philippines and I could not return home after doing some studies in Chicago. I was stuck. Living permanently in the US was not in my plans. Three years later, the dictatorship was even more formidably in place. I had already gotten married by then and had a one-year-old boy and a one-month-old girl. I did not want to get stuck in Chicago’s concrete jungles, its extreme cold and extreme heat weather and pervasive mafia culture. This is not to say that Chicago does not have good qualities because it does. I met many good people there. It’s just not green enough to be my kind of town.

The move to California was truly a “bahala na ang Diyos” (“leap of faith”) decision as I and my young pretty wife hardly knew anybody here then and had little money in our pockets. Fortunately my registered nurse spouse immediately got a job at Stanford University Medical Center. We were bone poor living on a tightly budgeted income—oh but how happy we were arriving in such a lovely setting with our suitcases and two little beautiful babies. I’ve never equated happiness with money—even if it sometimes helps. I couldn’t get much of a job with my Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from UP.

I really did not know what to do when I arrived in the San Francisco area. I felt displaced and disoriented by the martial law declaration because I still wanted to return to the Philippines, but I had the added responsibilities of being a husband and father. I felt really lost. When this happens, I go to my Center.

I discovered a quiet spot in an area called Fort Baker across the Golden Gate bridge and directly below it, there in complete solitude and silence I would refer the question of what to do with my life to a Higher Power, my Center. Almost every night for about a year, I went there. While contemplating alternative life directions, I fished using a strong 9-foot fiberglass rod and caught crabs using a crab ring trap. I had a great view of the bridge above me and could hear the lonely moaning foghorn sounds of ships coming and going. I spent long hours there sometimes until 4 o’clock in the morning by myself. Well not really, as I felt my Center was always with me. I caught dozens of big Dungeness and red crabs; no legal catch limits yet at that time. I also caught flounder, snapper, shark, and other kinds of fish. I caught so much I often just gave these to neighbors. It was in one of those dark nights below the Golden Gate bridge that I finally decided to go to law school. But where would I get the thousands of dollars needed for tuition and other expenses? Again, “bahala na ang Diyos.” By a miracle, I got through law school, passed the bar, wrote a book on US immigration law and became a certified legal expert, but that’s another story.

Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos live in the San Francisco Bay Area enjoying the bounties of the land and the culture. Practically all kinds of Filipino foods are available here including Ilocano vegetables like malunggay and fruits like Mexican grown Philippine Carabao mango. We also enjoy the cuisine of the rest of the world— prime American steaks of course and authentic Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Italian, French, and other foods—served in so many restaurants.

San Francisco arguably is the most expensive place in the US to live in—but incomes here are also much higher. Resourceful Filipinos know where and how to buy cheap—whether clothes or food or whatever. Living well without spending too much money is an art. Some simply catch fish and crabs or gather clams and mussels from the surrounding rich ocean waters—instantly available delicious free food for the taking if you know the technology involved, where to look, and if you enjoy the effort. These ocean gifts are stored in huge freezers and can last for months. Some family or friends groups buy butchered whole pigs, cows, or goats cheap directly from ranch or farms sharing the meat and saving much money. High quality vegetables are cheaply sold in Asian groceries. Good quality clothing are half off or even more in certain outlets.

Politically, San Francisco is the most liberal and racially neutral city in America—maybe in the whole world. The City Council even passed a resolution protecting undocumented aliens by officially refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities regarding alien apprehension. The City also issues identity cards to aliens—illegal or otherwise—enabling them to open bank accounts and for other purposes. Gays and lesbians have as much rights as anybody else. It’s a very human-friendly city.

San Francisco was the center of activism against the Marcos dictatorship. It continues to be the center of political activities relating to Philippine affairs. The recent Philippine elections spawned the US Pinoys for Noynoy Mar organization which I helped to establish. It originated from here and snowballed to become a national organization helping to deliver 65 percent of US Pinoy votes to Noynoy and Mar. Its members also influenced relatives and friends in the Philippines and other countries to campaign for Noynoy and Mar, having a significant multiplier effect. These trailblazing efforts will be duplicated in the next national elections.

Yes, San Francisco is now home—just like the Philippines. A Pinoy heaven on earth. I love it.

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