expatula
13th Mar 2009, 11:49
As with the untimely passing of master rapper Francis M., I have also decided to finally put an end to the thread “cebupac pilots exodus” which I started in 2006. Like a viral video posted in Youtube, it was a thread that generated more than 80,000 views and almost a thousand replies in its almost 3 years of existence. With comments and posts ranging from the rational and sensible to the most absurd and utterly insane, that thread was filled with so much passion – of friendship and indifference, of jealousy and trust, with a little bit of love and so much of hatred, of success and failures, of broken spirits and shattered dreams – all rolled into one.
That thread, which was originally intended to amplify the sentiments and clamors of a small group of pilots asking for better pay and improved conditions, immediately gained attention and had somewhat also evoked a feeling of patriotism and nationalistic fervor among pinoy pilots overseas to come home and pursue their careers in their native land, which was by some twist of fate an exact reversal and complete departure from the thread title’s true meaning.
And for the brave ones, the pinoy expats who went out of their comfort zones and ventured out to seek greener pastures and better life on all corners of the world – to the chilly hills of South Korea and foggy streets of Taiwan, to the vibrant suburbs of tiny Singapore and humid enclaves of spicy Delhi, to the exotic alleys of Saigon and the arid desert and dusty roads of the Middle East, the changes that dramatically occurred after the early stages of that “exodus” was a resounding success.
The thread lived a good life, I would say, nurtured by the fertile (or infertile) thoughts and ideas of different people coming together to speak out their minds through writing. I do not mean to sound too presumptuous here, but I think that the exodus thread was a good piece of literature that somehow provided us some kind of temporary relief (or grief) and a way of escape from the mundane world of everyday flying.
But like master rapper Kiko, the thread had been plagued by an illness that necessitated me to end its existence and put it into eternal oblivion. So why did I choose to end it? Well, I must admit that the recent tirades and harsh words thrown among and between you bupakers have become a poisonous formula for the early demise of that thread. I don’t know exactly what’s going on back there, but with the current postings I’ve been reading, I can say that the tumor had already become widespread and malignant which made euthanasia an option for dying. I wanted that thread to be remembered as something with a purpose, which I believe had already been accomplished, and after three years in the running, I can say that the mighty “exodus thread” is no longer relevant of the times, and therefore deserves to be laid to rest…in peace.
There is a battle raging on, and hatred spreading among you, and I can see that there is clearly dissension within your ranks. Although my name - expatula’s name - had cropped up occasionally and used as an example of the pinoy “crab mentality” effect, I would prefer to be just a mere spectator than be an active participant in your internal conflicts. I am no longer part of Cebu Pacific, and although I have received some info saying that I have also been or being maligned, some by people whom I have looked up to and treated with respect while I was there, again I will prefer to keep my silence…and peace. I have always lived by the fighter pilot credo to “never fire unless fired upon”, and although I’ve been directly hit by the painful accusations of your good colleagues in bupak, I figured keeping my guns silent this time would be a more dignified option than to waste them on an unworthy opponent. This is not my fight anymore, and I don’t want to be a part of it.
In ending, again let me tell you all that I feel no hatred to any of you in bupak. I only have two years of good memories about bupak, and along the way since I’ve left, well, some friends maybe I have lost…and some friends maybe I have kept, ganyan lang naman ang buhay. The important thing is I left you all in peace…and I hope it would not be too much to ask if we all could keep it that way.
Signing off and wishing you all safe flights, successful careers, and a good and happy life…
EXPATULA
That thread, which was originally intended to amplify the sentiments and clamors of a small group of pilots asking for better pay and improved conditions, immediately gained attention and had somewhat also evoked a feeling of patriotism and nationalistic fervor among pinoy pilots overseas to come home and pursue their careers in their native land, which was by some twist of fate an exact reversal and complete departure from the thread title’s true meaning.
And for the brave ones, the pinoy expats who went out of their comfort zones and ventured out to seek greener pastures and better life on all corners of the world – to the chilly hills of South Korea and foggy streets of Taiwan, to the vibrant suburbs of tiny Singapore and humid enclaves of spicy Delhi, to the exotic alleys of Saigon and the arid desert and dusty roads of the Middle East, the changes that dramatically occurred after the early stages of that “exodus” was a resounding success.
The thread lived a good life, I would say, nurtured by the fertile (or infertile) thoughts and ideas of different people coming together to speak out their minds through writing. I do not mean to sound too presumptuous here, but I think that the exodus thread was a good piece of literature that somehow provided us some kind of temporary relief (or grief) and a way of escape from the mundane world of everyday flying.
But like master rapper Kiko, the thread had been plagued by an illness that necessitated me to end its existence and put it into eternal oblivion. So why did I choose to end it? Well, I must admit that the recent tirades and harsh words thrown among and between you bupakers have become a poisonous formula for the early demise of that thread. I don’t know exactly what’s going on back there, but with the current postings I’ve been reading, I can say that the tumor had already become widespread and malignant which made euthanasia an option for dying. I wanted that thread to be remembered as something with a purpose, which I believe had already been accomplished, and after three years in the running, I can say that the mighty “exodus thread” is no longer relevant of the times, and therefore deserves to be laid to rest…in peace.
There is a battle raging on, and hatred spreading among you, and I can see that there is clearly dissension within your ranks. Although my name - expatula’s name - had cropped up occasionally and used as an example of the pinoy “crab mentality” effect, I would prefer to be just a mere spectator than be an active participant in your internal conflicts. I am no longer part of Cebu Pacific, and although I have received some info saying that I have also been or being maligned, some by people whom I have looked up to and treated with respect while I was there, again I will prefer to keep my silence…and peace. I have always lived by the fighter pilot credo to “never fire unless fired upon”, and although I’ve been directly hit by the painful accusations of your good colleagues in bupak, I figured keeping my guns silent this time would be a more dignified option than to waste them on an unworthy opponent. This is not my fight anymore, and I don’t want to be a part of it.
In ending, again let me tell you all that I feel no hatred to any of you in bupak. I only have two years of good memories about bupak, and along the way since I’ve left, well, some friends maybe I have lost…and some friends maybe I have kept, ganyan lang naman ang buhay. The important thing is I left you all in peace…and I hope it would not be too much to ask if we all could keep it that way.
Signing off and wishing you all safe flights, successful careers, and a good and happy life…
EXPATULA