Hermes Visits the Philippines

I am Hermes.

I'm one of the twelve Olympian gods. With my winged sandals and fleet-footedness, I function as a messenger for the others. Many of you mortals may have confused me with my Roman counterpart, Mercury, as he is often seen delivering flowers. I, however, do not concern myself with such trivial occupations because of my respected status among the Olympian gods. I am also a close friend of Zeus. He and I have gone on many adventures together, often disguised as mortals to test the worthiness of other humans. Perhaps I will share with you some of those stories another time. I have even served as a reliable "psychopomp"—a spirit guide for deceased souls venturing down into the underworld.

As you can imagine, dear mortals, I have traveled extensively throughout the world. I have witnessed many cultures. I have conversed with many people. I have marveled at the sheer wickedness of the wealthy and I have pondered on the perseverance of the poor. Let me tell you about my recent visit to the Philippines and of what I have learned there.

The Philippines is a country comprised of many small, unspoiled and exotic islands—an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean—with a multitude of charming people who are as beautiful and warm as the fertile land. It is a storybook setting. To stray from the densely populated metropolitan areas and go further into the sparsely inhabited wilds of the Philippines is like stepping into the pages of an Edgar Rice Burroughs's novel. Yet a civilized man does not travel far from the comforts of society's familiar surroundings.

In the other jungle known as Metro Manila, with formidable skyscrapers of international corporations and imposing mega hotels catering to financially-secure foreigners, the steel constructed canopy of the metropolitan landscape seems to overpower and enslave the natural beauty of these chained islands. One can only imagine the sight of the various pre-industrialized indigenous people and their way of life that awaited the first Spanish explorer ships of Ferdinand Magellan when he and his men landed on the Philippine shores.  

There is no doubt that the Philippines is a paradise on earth; however, as any tourist or swift-footed god with winged sandals traveling to these Southeast Asian islands is painfully aware, life is a daily struggle for its citizens. If it is not the economic situation, where the average daily income for a Filipino worker is about 460 PHP (Philippine pesos) or approximately eleven U.S. dollars, then it is the country's unfortunate location that leaves it vulnerable to typhoons and tsunamis (brought about by Poseidon's whim), which are costly in terms of property damage and human life. Add to that, the population seems proportionally unbalanced between the two genders, with women surpassing men by an astounding 20:1 ratio.

This gender population inequity can be attributed to the nation's strong Catholic influence and the taboo of abortion. As nature takes its course, more female babies are born to families. In countries like China, where families are restricted to one or two children and female babies are less preferred, you will find a burgeoning population of Asian men looking for Asian brides. So it comes as no surprise to see Chinese businessmen coming to the Philippines and leaving their mark. But the Philippines is not Thailand. There is no overt sex trade industry at work there, much to Aphrodite's displeasure. While it is true that any native or tourist can find topless bars and engage with exotic dancers (known as "bar girls") seemingly on every gritty corner in the major cities, the reality is that many conservative young women of the Philippines are simply looking for faithful husbands and the dream of a happily married life.

If only Hades knew about this bountiful female population in the Philippines, then maybe he would not have stolen Persephone from her mother Demeter.