But why do we call Filipino Chinese as ‘Intsik’? It's an offensive term. They call now themselves ‘Chinoys’ or 'Tsinoys' (from ‘Tisoy’ and ‘Pinoy’) -- Ken Benedicto, Jr.

In

an online dialogue in the Botomo and NaFFAA_forum e-newsgroups, Ceferino (Ken) Benedicto, Jr., posted this commentary:  “In the Philippines, there are many ‘Chinoys’ (Filipino Chinese) who cannot speak Chinese or speak a quaint antiquated Macau or local Fukien unintelligible to the Mainland Chinese. They look Chinese. They carry Chinese or Hispanized Chinese surnames. They consider themselves Filipinos. But why do Filipinos still distinguish them from the rest of the populace? Why are they still called ‘Intsik’? It is an offensive term. Some Chinoys decided call themselves as ‘Tsinoy’ (a mixture of Tisoy, and Pinoy).”

This writer replied to Ken Benedicto: “I am glad that Filipino Chinese have coined ‘Chinoys,’ also spelled as ‘Tsinoys.’ It seems that Filipinos are some of the best folks in the world who coin a lot of monikers (AKA ‘bansag’ in some Filipino languages or dialects). I think that I am one of the Filipinos who excel (ahem) in coining these monikers. Here goes . . .

QUOTE. Perhaps people will eventually remember me as a writer who coined "HispanoAsian" and "HispanoFilipino"(both without the space), the "MLAs" (Missing Latinos in America) and the “ñ-Filipinos.” Aside of course from these three terms, I coined also more Filipino monikers such as the "ABER Filipinos" ("American-born, educated or raised" Filipinos), the "Hoaxbalahap" (a Filipino who spreads historical hoaxes) and "errorist" (an individual who commits a comedy of errors).

I used the "Hoaxbalahap" and the "errorist" monikers in my word war with some national executive officers (NEOs) of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA), aside of course from coming up with "NaFFAA-ka-sakit, Kuya Eddie," the Fil-Am soap opera that I also dubbed the "Corrupt Lives in our Days." Of course, the NaFFAA NEOs got dubbed as the new "McKapili," the "McNanakaw" and even the "McRodis." Why the use of the European "Mc"? Because my fellow writer, Ernie Delfin first called the NaFFAA Gang as belonging to the NATO (No Action, Talk Only). Yes, the NaFFAA NEOs are either European, Kanadian or Japanese in ancestry. Kanadian? (Kana dito, kana doon, kana diyan.) Japanese? Yes, as in "Lagareng Japon" (the original moniker of Greg McCabenta). But then one of our readers, Alfred Gilo of Panama City (FL), opined that the NaFFAA NEOs might be also Korean (as in "Saan ang lagay ko riyan?").

The NaFFAA NEOs could not win any online argument; it was really too hard on their part to answer the very-funny use of wit and sarcasm in the Internet debates.

 
Then there are the NaFFAAgate, the Menorgate, the "Menor-de-edad" legal defense and the "Barbarians at the NaFFAAgate." And that the NaFFAA national Board of Directors consists actually of many Bored (sic) members? Remember my dubbing Ms. Loida Nicolas-Lewis and seven of the NEOs as "Snow White(wash) and the Seven Dwarfs?" I later called my favorite manay, the "CinderLoida." And her successor as the "coming 'Almageddon'."

Poor NaFFAA NEOs: they could not win any online argument; it was really too hard on their part to answer my very-funny use of wit and sarcasm in our Internet debates.

Editor’s Note: To learn the meaning of “Almageddon,” please go to What the New Year Is All About . . . Is 2008 “Almageddon Time”?
One time, NaFFAA NEO Rodel Rodis called me the Filipino "BoRat." I commented that indeed I was the president of the BORAT (Bicolano Organization Rallying Against Thieves). And Atty. Rodis did not use the term again.

Several Filipino-American community leaders in San Jose, CA, used the same tactic in getting back at Atty. Rodis, who called them "crabs" when they reported Mr. Menor to the authorities for alleged criminal conduct. The opponents of Messrs. Menor and Rodis called their group the "Citizens Rebelling Against Bogus Spending" (CRABS). Here is the latest report from the CRABS:  The Ben Menor Trial Will Start on May 12th, as No More Postponement Is Seen

On a serious note, perhaps history will record someday that I was the first to use YIMBY, the antonym of NIMBY. I have the proof, as I was the first to register the domain name, "yimby.com," which is still in my possession. I used to own the domain names, yimby.net, yimby.org and even yimby.com.uk but I was informed that only yimby.com has some commercial value. So I stopped renewing the other yimby domain-name registrations. I even came up with a "Yimby.com online magazine" until our webmaster, Bill Saunders, died of a heart attack. Then there is the ATIC (for accountability, transparency, integrity and credibility). Even Senator Pimentel used the ATIC acronym in several of his e-mail postings.

Then there is the term, "dogmestic violence," which means the violent way of turning dogs into meat for the table. I used the term in several online postings and in July 2007 for this article in the www.mabuhayradio.com that was entitled, 

 Michael Vick Can Never Be Guilty of "Dogmestic Violence" in the Philippines (As Updated)

And BTW in 1988, I came up with the term, "economic purgatory," in writing for the Los Angeles edition of then Manila Standard newspaper about President Manuel L. Quezon's preference for a "government run like hell by Filipinos to a government run like heaven by Americans." Recently, fellow book author and journalist Mar G. de Vera told me that the Wall Street Journal copied me and one of its writers used also the same phrase,  "economic purgatory," earlier this year.

Now, where are we? Oh, yes, Dr. Eddie's denial of the HispanoFilipino and the ñ-Filipino existence and my prediction of the coming Hispanic Renaissance in the Philippines. Please read again my piece, Dr. Eddie, and read in between the lines. The hyperlink to the article, Rediscovering the “Missing Latinos in America”: The HispanoAsians and the ñ-Filipinos

In conclusion, let me bring in again Ka Ernie Delfin, who said that "without Bobby Reyes (ahem), life in the Filipino-American community and even in the Filipino Internet world, would be boring." Mr. Delfin's statement was subsequently said also by at least two Filipino consuls general in Los Angeles, Amb. Josue L. Villa and Amb. Emmanuel C. Fernandez. But actually, life would be dull without the NaFFAA NEOs and the federation's Disneyland-like clowns and cartoon characters. UNQUOTE. # # #

Editor’s Note: Bobby M. Reyes signed off his posting as “the Bicolano version of Carlos P. Romulo, the original I-specialist.”

Your Name / Email Address:

Please enter the above numbers