Last week was my fourth trip to Singapore this year (as program manager for AIM's placement office, we had our very first career fair in Singapore). And I just cannot get enough of the country - especially the food!
In Singapore, I can eat McDonald's! They don't serve pork, and even their bacon is made of turkey! Yes, I am ecstatic about it. Since I found out that the oil used in McDonald's and Jollibee in the Philippines is from pig oil (I know this is debatable, but if you trust me, then you would believe me), I have refrained from dining in these establishments. But Singapore is a whole different story - their version of the Big Breakfast is, well, to die for.
I know, all you foodies out there (my wife included) are looking down on me with those statements but trust me, it is really good fast food. And how I love fast food (my wife just swallowed her vomit).
Kidding aside, Singapore is a really good place to live in. Yeah, it's expensive, but you can see the tax dollars at work there. Everything is efficient - even getting a haircut takes no more than ten minutes and you even pay through a vending machine! The railway is superb, and puts to shame what we have for an MRT here in Manila.
Don't get me wrong, I love Manila (my wife just threw up). But man, can't we learn from our ASEAN brothers on servicing our people better? For one, Singapore has a great public transportation system and they also recognize more than one national language (i.e. Malay, Mandarin, English, and Tamil). In the Philippines, you have Senator Lito Lapid asking for the debate on reproductive health to be done in Filipino because he can't speak English. I don't know how he got elected considering his lack of qualifications, but the man should understand that not everyone in this country speaks what is defined as the "Filipino" language- you can speak English anywhere in the Philippines but good luck to you if you try to speak "Filipino" in some parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Recognizing more national languages and improving our public transportation system may take years to develop. But for starters, our government can push for making food palatable for all religions. They can ask Ronald McDonald for advice.
MAJULAH!
(that means "to progress" in Malay, and is one of the slogans of Singapore)
In Singapore, I can eat McDonald's! They don't serve pork, and even their bacon is made of turkey! Yes, I am ecstatic about it. Since I found out that the oil used in McDonald's and Jollibee in the Philippines is from pig oil (I know this is debatable, but if you trust me, then you would believe me), I have refrained from dining in these establishments. But Singapore is a whole different story - their version of the Big Breakfast is, well, to die for.
I know, all you foodies out there (my wife included) are looking down on me with those statements but trust me, it is really good fast food. And how I love fast food (my wife just swallowed her vomit).
Kidding aside, Singapore is a really good place to live in. Yeah, it's expensive, but you can see the tax dollars at work there. Everything is efficient - even getting a haircut takes no more than ten minutes and you even pay through a vending machine! The railway is superb, and puts to shame what we have for an MRT here in Manila.
Recognizing more national languages and improving our public transportation system may take years to develop. But for starters, our government can push for making food palatable for all religions. They can ask Ronald McDonald for advice.
MAJULAH!
(that means "to progress" in Malay, and is one of the slogans of Singapore)
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