My daughter - The In Flight Manager

Monday, July 14, 2008

9:23:53 PM EST

She once danced and taught ballet; an attractive young lady, Cristina was visited (courted) by many eligible bachelors from exclusive villages in Manila, even after her teen years. Sometimes I would fantasize her being married to some executive, say a banker or even an entrepreneur and she would host grand tea parties at her plush residence in, say, a not too exclusive residence in Makati. Yes, a father's fantasy...

But Cristina knew what she wanted. And she found it - a career as flight attendant in a prestigious airline - Cathay Pacific Airways.

There have been many stories passed on through the years about these hard working individuals who have served in many airlines since air travel became a major means of travel

I must admit not many remarks, mostly by machistic men, were flattering especially from young men always yearning for some "fun."

Perhaps, I was among those uninformed young men who regarded these young ladies back in the immediate postwar years, as objects of pleasure.Indeed there have been some cases when the pilot-female attendant affairs were glamorized in stories thereby portraying these hardworking women in a very uncharitable light.

The very first time I met flight attendants was during the early fifties when the executive in charge of cabin attendcants of the first Asian flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, asked me to help in organizing a drama club which they called the CHEER CLUB, at the request of Mrs. Mercedes Rovira who was then the lady manager in charge of all cabin attendants .

majority of whom were young, pretty and eager Filipino women. At the time, many who applied for this kind of job were carefully screened and those who got in usually came from the middle income level with a college degree and proficient in spoken English.

However due to the prevailing feudalistic values in the early post war era in the Philippines, not many women from the upper middle class despite their desire never joined the applicants to the flight stewardess positions.

Because Manila society at the time regarded the work of flight attendants as merely "waitresses in the sky". But the fact is that they were that and more.

And the screening of applicants was strict and the training was even harder, but harder still were the rules they had to adhere to during their employment.

Years later, with more sense in me brought on by time and experience, I was enlightened and grew to regard these attendants with more respect and praise. I personally got to know the many little annoyances and challenges each of them faced day after day flight after flight - and even when they were off duty they still had many things to attend to about their own persons and relationships.

I now share this piece written by one of them. Yes, she is close to me and my heart. She is my daughter. Cristina.

-----------------

August 20 2004 was my 20th year with Cathay Pacific Airways. Believe me, it seems like it was only yesterday. Time does fly when one is flying around the world for a living. (Excuse the pun).

When I joined the Cathay Pacific Airways, a company established and based in Hongkong, in 1984 being a Flight Attendant (FA) was so much simpler. There were no fancy in flight entertainment systems to speak of apart from some music piped in to one's headset and some magazines from the racks. No real security problems existed before. We welcomed pax (passengers) on board, fed them in flight, then assisted them when they disembarked.

Twenty years a Flight Attendant's job is no longer as straightforward. FAs undergo additional training to deal with new safety and security measures. Extra security procedures are in place especially concerning airlines because of the dangerous times. Flight attendants have to be extra vigilant about their surroundings. We have to make sure our flight is safe, no unauthorized objects should be carried by persons on board. In flight service is no longer just about food and beverage. Entertainment must be in the cutting edge of the state of the art and individualized audio and video system. If some problems occurred with the entertainment systems, FAs need to troubleshoot as best they can or the passenger will be very unhappy. Sometimes,there are unruly passengers who cause trouble in flight. The FAs need to restrain and if need be, handcuff them. Unfortunately, as the opportunity to travel has become more affordable to many, more incidents of trouble in flight have been recorded. That makes an FA's job even more challenging.

But having said all that, I have always enjoyed my career as a Flight attendant. My job has taken me to different and exciting places in the world. I have met many interesting people in flight as well as on the ground. Because of this it has enriched my experience in life and has broaden my way of thinking. Because of the many years of service, I am now holding the position of In flight Service Manager and I continue to learn new things related to my work and life in general. I would recommend this job to anyone!

Cristina Joaquin Claudio

In Flight Manager

CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS

A CHANCE FOR CLEAN ELECTIONS-FINALLY

Many observers often say that the Philippines can never achieve any measure of positive change towards good governance simply because our leaders do not sincerely feel in their hearts the need to change things. For instance, we have a lot of legal charges against high government officials that when first reported created a solid media splash. But then...as days go by....it is pushed in the background. Soon, months pass and even years come and go and the cases supposed to be major violations like "plunder" by officials still remain unresolved. So one can conclude that there seems to be no political will to really do the right thing and see it to its conclusion.

A good example and current hot topic in the country is the newly-developed voting system that will use computer technology for the first time and not only speed up the process of voting and counting but minimizing the "human elements" that have for many years been well trained to manipulate the system itself. We Filipinos know the "dag dag bawas" indoor sport everytime the Philippines holds its elections. This phenomenon, an open secret, is evident onli in da pilipins!


BOTONG PINOY, the new mechanized voting system was developed by Rafael Garcia III who incidentally was the first member in my first Rotary Club that I got to know very well back in the mid seventies, and who was already "making waves" in the field of computer technology in the Philippines when computers were huge machines that occupied several rooms. Raffy, as he is known in the industry, has developed this voting system because he does love the country, romantic as the statement may sound.

However, inspite of the fact that Raffy has offered the use of the new technology for the coming elections FOR FREE there seems to be no apparent interest among the Comelec officials.

Needless to say, a number of thinking Filipinos had expected something like this reaction from the Comelec.

In fact, one technically oriented official who had gone through the dry run of the voting system remarked,

“They are systems that are so efficient, there is no room for graft. Equally, Botong Pinoy is meant to be an election system so efficient there is no time to cheat.”

49 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS- AUGUST 5, 1959

We first met in a classroom back in the late fifties. The school was called Far Eastern University. A remarkable feature of Manila in the late Fifties was the complete positive aura that prevaded the entire City, nay, country.

Stage presentations - both professionals and amateur, schools downtown stage shows, and even visiting classical performers - yes, including Shakepeare groups based in America and Europe treated Manila aficionados with excellent shows. Even Hollywood movies were mostly musicals and little violence, nor gangster flicks.

She was a young 16 year old, slender, and somewhat resltess. I was teaching Speech I (subtitled Remedial English for Filipino college students). I had several sections to handle each day - and at the time with seven other fellow instuctors, we had our hands full for we had to serve all the institutes.

Thanks to our department Head, she won her battle with the school authorities to require all FEU students to pass at least one semester of Speech I prior to graduation.

Then, it happened.

While I was carefully handling the oral drills of the class, I spotted her at the very last row of a class of 25 students, busy doing something. I tried to continue but was unavoidably distracted that I had to stop my lecture completly.

"Mendoza" I gently called the student's attention. She was startled, stopped abruptly and looked up followed by an ambarrassed smile. That was the first element that attracted me...her beautiful youthful teenage smile."May I see you after class?" I suggested and then continued with my lecture.

Shortly after the bell ending our period, with the room emptied except for this young lady and me, I approached slowly and saw a half tied gym shoe on one foot and the other still unshod.

"Sir, I am sorry, but...you see...I have to get ready or be late for my gym class after this one."

"Oh, you have to change shoes in my class to make your gym schedule in the next period?" I asked amused.

She then continued on with putting both shoes on while explaining that time was of the essence since the gym was across the wide campus and if she did not change shoes then, she would be late for that class following mine.

I soon realized her predicament and gave her a broad smile, and she did smile back. And she was out in a flash. I discovered later that her name was Concepcion Mendoza, 16 years old and a niece of the school's founder.

Two years passed when one day as I was about to cash my monthly check I spotted a familiar face, well made up but in a demure manner. She was smiling at me. Yes, indeed, it was Ms. Mendoza, now employed in the Treasury Department of the university. That smile was there, more radiant.

After our hellos and once my check was cashed...I invited her for coffee...and as the saying goes ...the rest is history.

Forty Eight years have passed. Five children. Three grandsons. Now residing in Northern California, we find ourselves into our 48th year of marriage as solemnized in the Roman Catholic Faith and officiated by a dear friend, fellow artist, and director par excellence Rev. Fr. James B. Reuter, S.J.

Over the decades Fr. Reuter was to officiate in three more weddings in our family - that of our eldest son Bobby's and Marijean's, our second child Cristina's and Jowin's, and the most recent one in Jay's and Jenny's.

Admirable, might not come close to describing the man but Fr. Reuter with his "walker" and special sandals to cushion his sore feet was at San Agustin Church - Intramuros - one hour earlier than 7 am ready to bless our son's marriage to Jenny Blas.

During the ceremony with obvious difficulty, the dear father solemnized the wedding as if he had not been suffering from the aches and pains of an 88 year old arthritic Jesuit priest.

Today, as we receive wonderful greetings from our children and others who cherish our friendship with them, from across the globe, I gaze at my former student Concepcion Mendoza, now better known as Chita and ask her, "What can you say to this 48 year union?"

She smiles and looks away and says in a steady voice, "I would do it again if I had to..."

TONY TRIES SINGING WITH PILITA

When Mama Sarah got her award from the Filipino Community in 1999, Pilita Corrales was the main show and during that time I was seated in Mama's box inside the Convention Hall of Washington D.C.

Pilita, without any warning, suddenly announced my name and asked me to come join her onstage to sing with her.

Here is the clip of that singing incident. I enjoyed it. I hope you do too.

The interesting Atenean friend of mine - Tony Manuud

Reflecting on a post war friend and poet

Tony Manuud- Born February 4th, 1930; Died March 7th, 1996;
------------------------------------------------------------------

We were among the shell shocked Filipino teens that suffered through the Pacific War from 1941 - 1945. When we got back to school we felt old at 14 years but Ateneo High School was a haven for us. Still some bore the scars of war - some lost their parents who were murdered by retreating Japanese, shelled homes by the American artillery forces when they liberated Manila freeing the interns at the University of Santo Tomas and other internment camps.

I almost did not get admitted at the Ateneo for the grade school records were all burned when the building inside the Walled City, the exact place where Jose Rizal studied as a young boy was bombed during the early days of the war. Thanks to the Nakpil boys and their father Juan Nakpil who vouched for me during registration time at the Padre Faura Campus where we held our classes in makeshift burnt concrete rooms still with the acrid smell of raw human flesh clinging to crevices. The rest of the classes held session in U.S. installed Quonset Huts which were like ovens during the summer months and a cold storage in January.

Tony lived in Sampaloc with his parents. He had two sisters whom we met during our periodic high school dances held in those times at private homes of students. These dances were "visited" by Jesuit priests and some nuns just to see how the kids were enjoying themselves. Slow drag was the favorite dance in which couples held each other tightly and just sort of swayed with the slow soft music as if in a trance or meditating. We were warned about this type of dance that could provoke the occasion of "sin".

My sisters and I enjoyed Tony's sharp mind and keen wit. Ateneo boys liked to pun at the time and playing with words phrases and quotations always got many laughing with complete abandon. In other mixed groups La Salle students frowned on Ateneo students being too intellectual. They just wanted to dance, period.

After our high school graduation at Padre Faura, Tony got a scholarship for a Masters in Journalism at Marquette University, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was THE school for good Journalists. Gaby Manalac was another Journalism scholarship awardee at this Jesuit university. After his Marquette stint Tony returned to Manila and taught at the Ateneo for a couple of years. Since we became close friends on and off campus we asked Tony to stand as god father to our fourth child Ma. Regina. If the old folks are to be believed, Gina is our brainiest child now into information technology.

In 1964 he was awarded a fellowship at Oxford University (Exeter and St. Antony's Colleges) and another at the University of Durham (Grey College). Tony enjoyed the three year scholarship to observe English Literature courses in both universities. He was commended for his distingushed tutorial paper at the end of the course. We did not see Tony for a while and when he came back he managed to publish the first anthology of Filipino fiction the landmark anthology Brown Heritage: Essays on Philippine Cultural Tradition and Literature ( AdMU, 1967), which has been reviewed as the book that “sparked the revolution in Philippine cultural studies.”

.As chairman of the English Department, Ateneo de Manila University, he organized the Ateneo Institute of Philippine Literature in 1965.

A poem by Tony

TO MIREN

Did I forget? Do I regret

Days unremembered, thoughts unkept?

A harp (once plucked to eloquence by joy)

Long untouched now lies untuned ... off-key ...

Not sure if chords ring true. Listen! In coy

Distress -- how mute. Yet singing silently.

Days are remembered, thoughts are kept

In long, long silence ... with regret.

-- Antonio P. Gella Manuud, Bowling Green, 1973