A Link Between Taiwanese Aborigines and Certain Tribes in the Philippines

Back in my student days, I remembered having been a stranger to Chinese culture. One song was called "高山青 (read as Gāo Shān Qīng)" which literally means "High Green Mountain". The dancers wore the costumes used for traditional Ifugao dances. My interest in this topic came back because of a local tea company called Alishan Tea. Before that, other tea shops offered tea from Mt. Alishan. Chatime also promoted tea from Taiwan which was grown from Mt. Alishan. I'm afraid that the cultural revolution of Mao Zedong could've destroyed them if Chiang Kai Shek didn't split Taiwan from China. Hopefully, Taiwan's desire for independence would be granted if China becomes a democratic country.

I remembered being told that a trip to Taiwan's Mt. Alishan might remind one of Baguio or Nueva Ecija. It turns out that the Banaue Rice Terraces, as marvelous as it is, may not be so unique. I love the Banaue Rice Terraces and they should be preserved. Countries with terraces should preserve theirs as well. It turns out that Taiwan and the Philippines do have some common tribes. Settlers tend to move here and there.

I found this interesting note from the Indigenous Welfare Research Institute National Center of Excellence. This is about the common links between Taiwan and the Philippines since both are members of ASEAN and are very close to each other:

The diversity of Taiwanese languages strongly suggests that Austronesian peoples have inhabited Taiwan for 8,000 years. Population growth contributed to out-migration from Taiwan to the Philippines starting 6,000 – 7,000 years ago, and thence to mainland Southeast Asia and the islands of Indonesia. From maritime SE Asia, Austronesians fanned eastward to the islands of the South Pacific between 1200 B.C. and 1280 A.D., when New Zealand became the last major island group to be settled. Austronesians fanned westward into the Indian Ocean and landed in Madagascar by 500 A.D.

Did a couple of Taiwanese aborigines end up introducing terracing to the Philippines? It would be very hard to determine that. If there are rice terraces for raising food (Taiwan has the Xinshe rice terraces and Yehang terraces to name a few. Did the people of Banaue and Cordillera descend from Taiwanese aborigines? That means a couple of indigenous Filipinos are descendants of Taiwanese natives.

The Inquirer even shares this amazing piece of information about Taiwanese indigenous folks:

TAIPEI—In communities of the indigenous Amis tribe across Taiwan, locals say lima for five, pito for seven and mata for eye, just like Filipinos. In southern Taiwan’s Alishan mountain, the Tsou tribe calls the community’s meeting hut a kuba, strikingly similar in design to the Philippines’ kubo.
Whether in language, architecture or way of life, links among indigenous peoples of the Philippines and Taiwan are undeniable, with both sides tracing their ancestry to the Austronesian migrations across the Pacific Islands thousands of years ago.

Ying Xuan Zhuang

Above is a photo of the Taiwanese tea terraces. Talk about another marvel to behold. I guess it's no wonder why a visit to Mt. Alishan is comparable to visiting the Banaue and Cordillera region. You may get to see indigenous people dance for you in their native costumes. The costumes worn by Filipino aborigines are very similar to the Taiwanese aborigines. Did native Taiwanese decide to make the best of what they found in Banaue and the Cordillera regions? I can't be certain. With that in mind, I really feel ties between Taiwan and the Philippines need to be strengthened.

Should Vico Sotto Be a Reason to Oppose Constitutional Reform?

It's something when people keep saying, "It's not the constitution that's the problem! It's the people!" The rise of Victor "Vico" Ma. Regis Nubla Sotto can be something. It's a breath of fresh air. People might use Vico (aside from every other candidate they blindly adore like some god or goddess) to resist the need for constitutional reform. Previously, I wrote about whether or not the late Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" C. Aquino III should be a reason not to pursue economic charter change . Now, I'd like to write a post on whether or not Vico should be a reason to reject constitutional reform. I read through The Philippine Star and found an interesting article on Vico. As I read through it, here's something Vico said, and hopefully, he's for constitutional reform: “ Good governance isn’t flashy, but it is the bedrock of progres s. If you build the right systems and lead with integrity, everything else – whether scholarships, ...

Let's Be Real: Term Limits Cause Political Dynasties to Spiral Out of Control

Inquirer There's always the obsession with political dynasties. There's also the obsession with term limits . Back in the 1990s, I remembered fearing charter change . I was afraid that the late Fidel V. Ramos might become a dictator. The talks that if a president would rule for more than six years--would be considered "frightening" or "nakakatakot" in Tagalog. I wrote an article where I wrote one staggering truth-- a long reign isn't necessarily tyrannical and that a short reign isn't necessarily benevolent . In my discussion, I highlighted both Pol Pot and Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.--both deceased dictators. Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge dictatorship murdered millions in contrast to Marcos' regime. Of course, some people will say Pol Pot would've caused Cambodia to go extinct if he rhad eigned longer. I remember the logic that I was told back in elementary school. I was told that the reason why term limits are imposed is to prevent another Marcos-...

30 Years of Flor Contemplacion Crybabies Spreading Fake News

Liza Maza Facebook Page It's 30 years since Flor Contemplacion was executed in Singapore. My memories was how some people felt hatred for Singapore, how we were told that "Filipinos are always oppressed." in both values education and civics classes, and how Flor should be regarded as a heroine. The Buwan Ng Wika program came and Flor's execution was also highlighted in the song "Kuko Ng Agila" (Claws of the Eagle). Flor was always romanticized as innocent, a martyr, and even some decent Filipinos bought it once. However, I soon accepted Flor's execution to be what it is-- Singaporean justice . Some people are still continuing to commemorate Flor--as if she was some kind of Catholic saint or martyr. I could remember rallies year after year, commemorating Flor's "martyrdom". What was also ironic was, at that time, the Vizconde Massacre (read here ) happened and the wrong people were arrested. The public demanded the blood of Hubert Jeffry P....

The Ozone Disco Fiasco Last March 18, 1996

Another 1990s tragedy that I remember hearing about was the Ozone Disco Tragedy . If I were teaching business ethics right now, I would use the Ozone Disco case as a case study. It deserves attention because of how tragic it was. I heard some bodies were never recovered. I watched this episode of the Ozone Disco Tragedy on Case Unclosed . Once again, I'll apologize if the videos I post don't have English subtitles. I may consider finding an application to provide a transcript soon, but that's no guarantee! Pretty much, if you're not a Filipino then just read through the blog entry without watching the video first! I looked into an article from The Flip Science called " Playing with fire: Understanding the Ozone Disco tragedy " which was written by Mikael Angelo Francisco, during the pandemic. The pandemic ceased several social gatherings, that included discos. Back then, I used the Ozone Disco tragedy as a reason to oppose dancing classes. However, dancing...

Childhood Memory Shattered Further: The White Gold Ruins Collapsed Last Saturday

Head Topics This is pretty much another part of history, not gossip. It turns out that the White Gold Ruins have collapsed . Before that, there was already some demolition going on. It really has become a painful site. For the 1980s to 1990s children, the whole place may have had a lot of nostalgia associated with it. I could remember how often I was excited to go there. I could remember the children's department (which I think was the third or fourth floor). It was the simpler days back then. There were also arcade games that were meant to make people spend more money. There was my memory of mascots of various fictional characters like Darth Vader from Star Wars (which scared me), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Santa Claus (and I used to think he was real). I also remembered some of the rides there like the mini-train ride. That was what I associate with the White Gold Ruins the most. There was also another urban legend or gossip. Robinson's had the snake-man legend. So...

I Enjoyed Watching Yukan Hayung's Struggle as an Atayal Native in Taiwan

This would be another good video to watch. I was watching the struggles of indigenous tribes in Taiwan. There's a stereotype of indigenous people not just in the Philippines but also in rest of Asia. Featured in this video is Yukan Hayung--an indigenous student in Taiwan from the Atayal tribe. Here we see Hayung speak in both Atayal and Taiwanese. I really have a fondness for researching more of Southeast Asia. The indigenous people in Taiwan and the Philippines do share a lot of things in common. The same kind of outfits, dances, and food would really tell you that the Philippines isn't so unique. This makes me think about what future would indigenous Filipinos have in the protectionist Philippines? Taiwan's democratic, FDI-friendly country has given more chances to get awareness of their aboriginal tribes. Try watching this video and learn more about how Taiwan's FDI-friendly country may have given Taiwanese aborigines a better chance than Filipino aborigines.

Real Talk: Dancing Campaigns for People to "Vote Wisely", Under the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, is a Waste of Time

Midterm elections are already around the corner. Driving or travelling during election seasons can be annoying. Honestly, why didn't the Philippines go parliamentary? I would ask people on Facebook (but again, I will not mention their names and if I do post their comments, I will block their names and pictures out) what their plan is. Obviously, it can go from "voters' education" to "campaigning for people to vote wisely". Above is a parody of the presidential election last 2010. Yes, it was that time when the late Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" C. Aquino III also ran for president. Noynoy's mother Maria Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino died of cancer. It would be necropolitics all over again. This video made me chuckle because it shows the problem of presidentialism. It's all about how dancing during campaigns. I could imagine if people who insist that "vote wisely is the solution for long term progress"--finally decide to dance to the jingle ...

HPMV Virus Facts vs. Social Media Gossip

Should we panic or should we not panic? Life during the COVID-19 pandemic was deadly. What we must remember is that COVID-19 was a novel virus at that time. Meanwhile, the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) has surged in China. Should we immediately assume that "Oh no! Another lockdown is coming for the world!" or should we remain calm? I feel tense right now, even as I'm writing this. Partly, it's because I'm an outgoing person. Another reason is that I recall the number of Filipinos (both politicians and civilians) who do not follow simple guidelines. Right now, I can expect more racist attacks because I'm ethnically Chinese. I could even explain for all I care that (1) I was born in the Philippines, (2) I was raised in the Philippines, and (3) explain fluently that I never lived in China. The problem is that racist Filipinos do exist--never mind that the Philippines is a melting pot of several cultures! The recent Alice Guo (Guo Hua Ping) controversy where people...

Taiwanese Aboriginal Dances Compared to Filipino Aboriginal Dances

I remembered writing about the links between Taiwanese natives and Filipino natives as well as Ifugao OFWs in Taiwan . I'm not a bit surprised about the studies showing the common ancestry of Taiwanese natives and Filipino natives. The brown skin ethnicity is not unique to the Filipino majority. A visit to Taiwan's fabulous Mount Alishan would show a surrounding similar to Banaue Rice Terraces or the Cordillera region. Above is a video depicting the dance of a song called "高山青 (read in pinyin as Gāo Shān Qīng)". It literally means "High Green Mountain". I guess this is the most-known song. A trivia would be that the song was written for a 1940s Taiwanese film called Happenings in Alishan . If you noticed the dance steps, any Filipino familiar with the native dances of Filipinos might comment, "Wow, the steps are rather similar." These are dances that Taiwanese natives would entertain tourists with. This is an Ifugao dance called Dinuya. It'...

Still One of My Favorite Politicians, the Late Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago

It's been some time since Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago died. True, she can be temperamental but she really has a lot of good reasons to be angry. The impeachment of the late Renato Corona was one example. I could remember seething in anger seeing Atty. Vitaliano N. Aguirre II when he covered his ears. Some say she went overboard. Maybe, she did and I think Aguire II didn't deserve to be detained in contrast to instant admonition. I believe that no caucus was needed and making Aguire II get out of the courtroom was more than enough punishment for minor disrespect . She may have clashed with the late Fidel V. Ramos but I can't get enough of her feisty behavior--something I feel the Philippines needs to become a truly disciplined country. Some may say that MDS is very maldita or a very mean woman. I did pass through a teacher who was like her. Sure, I didn't get good grades, she could go overboard, but I'm still thankful to that economics teacher. I'd say I...

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