Tomorrow is Eid’l Fitr, last day of Ramadan, a public holiday meaning no school, no banks, no work for government employees. Next week, the whole country will once again stop for "All Saints Day". We observe a lot of holidays here. Compared to Americans, we work far less hours per week.

I don't have anything against marking special occasions but once we start staying home for all these important dates, productivity suffers. Investors will find it more difficult to conduct business because there are no government agencies to process permits and documents, the banks are unable to perform transactions, the stock exchange is closed.

If we want to do some catching-up and everyone knows we have a long long way to go, we need to take a collective deep breath and begin foregoing these frequent celebrations.

These days, all I can do is wait for the Supreme Court to decide on whether the Constitution needs to be changed or not. In the five months that I have been home, I have tried to discern how best I can serve my country, how best I can give back. As usual, politics is rendering this desire to help difficult because if the May 2007 elections are postponed then I will have to rethink everything once again. Meanwhile, all my immediate plans are on hold.

Not being affiliated with any of the established traditional political parties makes this such a long shot already and all this uncertainty only exacerbates the situation for non-traditional newcomers even further.

I never imagined that this struggle was going to be an easy one. There is so much at stake for all the innumerable politicians and their relatives who depend on politics for their livelihoods. They will not cede anything without a fight.

All this gloomy talk about the Philippines losing an entire generation of physicians, nurses, teachers and all the other motivated citizens who needed to leave their native land in order to give their families a better life would be rendered moot if we could only make our country a better place for a fraction of these emigrants to return.

Just think of what even one percent of the10 million Filipinos abroad could contribute if they chose to come back. Remember, these are people who have experienced the loneliness, uncertainty and fear that only living alone in a strange place will bring. This is one life-changing experience that does wonders in strengthening character. It stimulates industry and imagination. It forces one to appreciate what is routinely taken for granted and it makes us see clearer what can be improved on the societies we left behind. Nothing better to fire-up motivation than being a foreigner all alone.

Finally recovered my full-fledged license to drive a motor vehicle in the Philippines. First I was told that my license had expired in 1991 and that there was a 10 year limit. They accepted my Oklahoma license however as long as I paid a "conversion fee". I was then handed a slip of paper that outlined where I needed to go next. Urine drug testing established I wasn't smoking pot or using crank. For a fee, I was awarded a medical certificate signed by a doctor who affirmed having examined my vision and hearing even if I never saw a doctor. There was a convenient 5 minute photo shop that provided me with 6 photos even if I needed only one little picture.

Obviously, all these stops were all part of the game. Remember an earlier post that strongly advocated reducing government as a means of reducing corruption?

Back to the licensing den, I had to wait for 2 hours before I was summoned to the chief's tiny office. On the table lay my brand new license. I was ready to do anything at that point so I was easy prey when I was asked to buy "raffle tickets".

Don't these lowly bureaucrats know that this institutionalized corruption hurts them the most? This is the system that will ensure that they and their families will never escape this cycle that will forever keep them down.

Joined an anti-poverty rally today along with 5000 others. Last time I participated in a similar event was easily 25 years ago. Biggest change was finding myself among the oldest in the mass gathering. More of the same complaints I heard long ago--inequality, poverty, poor governance. Like I said, only difference is I am 25 years older and unless I personally do something to try and help I will have no right to chime in and complain and whine about the seeming permanence and intractability of this struggle.