Luzon People Seems To Be Too Unfamiliar With The VisMin Geography
By asiacevillar
@asiacevillar (643)
Philippines
April 7, 2012 3:37am CST
I was born, raised and grew up in the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan De Oro City which is on the Northern part of Mindanao.
Since I came here in Manila almost three years ago, I've been into different parts of this little Philippine "continent" called Luzon, since my late father was a native of Nueva Ecija. I've been into my father's hometown in Palayan City; Cabanatuan, City, parts of tarlac, Bulacan, Baguio City and I've been also to the provinces of the whole Southern Luzon ( CALABARZON ).
Since I'm only in my Junior year in this side of the country, of course I always meet a lot of new people and friends everyday and everytime they're gonna ask about what province I'm from and I would frantically answer them where I'm from.
But what kind of reaction do I always get?- They would return my answer and say: "Where's That?" or in our own vernacular: "Sa'n nga ba yan, sa Visayas yan, dba?"- a very disgusting display of a fellow Filipino.
You might say that I'm an intellectual snob but I'm telling ye that I'm not, I'm not a perfectionist nor an elitist. What I'm saying is that people should have to be familiar with their own territory, it may be that far and it may not be that important to someone but I still believe it's a sheer responsibility of every Filipino citizen, which is also tantamount to our responsibility to sing our National Anthem properly- Musically and Lyrically.
But going back to our topic, I'm not trying to say that everyone should master every single place or province in our country and what region they are. But to at least to familiarize what or which particular island does a certain province belong, be it in Visayas or in Mindanao..it's just that simple, so that at least, you won't get embarrassed when somebody asks you a question concerning the Philippine geo, because we'll never always know.
You might say that I'm an intellectual snob but I'm telling ye that I'm not, I'm not a perfectionist nor an elitist. What I'm saying is that people should have to be familiar with their own territory, it may be that far and it may not be that important to someone but I still believe it's a sheer responsibility of every Filipino citizen, which is also tantamount to our responsibility to sing our National Anthem properly- Musically and Lyrically.
But going back to our topic, I'm not trying to say that everyone should master every single place or province in our country and what region they are. But to at least to familiarize what or which particular island does a certain province belong, be it in Visayas or in Mindanao..it's just that simple, so that at least, you won't get embarrassed when somebody asks you a question concerning the Philippine geo, because we'll never always know.1 person likes this
6 responses
@yahnee (1243)
• Philippines
8 Apr 12
I certainly agree with your observations. Most of us don't really know much about geography in our very own country. Do you know that some people would make the mistake of thinking that Cagayan de Oro and the Cagayan Valley are the same? I have noticed that many people are not really interested about regions or provinces particularly those in the Visayas and Mindanao. My observation came about because of the noontime show Eat Bulaga where they have the Pinoy henyo. When the contestants are asked about a certain province, they cannot even agree if it is in Luzon or Visayas or Mindaneo. Considering that they are all high school graduates, am I to believe that it was not taught in school or they did not pay attention. I remember drawing the map of the Philippines including all the provinces and its capital for the final examinations. It is embarrassing but who can we blame, the curriculum, the teachers or the students?
1 person likes this
@asiacevillar (643)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
I think we should not take the blame on the curriculum or to the teachers, it's been always taught in our schools, in elementary we have Sibika At Kultura subject and Hekasi, which tackles all about our country, it's the pupil or student to do his part to exert and strive for such infos beyond what is being taught at scool.
@juneebubby (79)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
I agree with you on this one. I've always thought that Filipinos from Luzon think they are superior to their fellowmen who live in Visayas and Mindanao. It might be just me or the people there are just snobs who think they are more important because they live in the north. "Why would I wanna know about them? They're the ones who should know about us" is the kind of thinking I think they have over there. And yeah, to familiarize oneself with his/her own nation is important. It is to get cultured, it is to not be looked at as ignorant, to not make oneself look like an idiot.
@asiacevillar (643)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
we have a tagalog saying "Wag Maging Dayuhan Sa Sariling Bayan". I also agree with you, maybe some of them has that "inferiority complex" thing in them hence they have that kind of mentality. Maybe they're thinking that they are more superior than the Visayan-speaking people, so in their minds it's like - "why should I bother knowing those places?"- a very demeaning display to us Visayans.
@juneebubby (79)
• Philippines
21 Apr 12
You are dang right mr. asiacevillar. Nice discussion going on here by the way :D
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
Hi!
If you ask me where CDO belongs, I will answer that I'm not sure if its in Visayas or Mindanao and I won't be embarrassed for my lack of knowledge. Why? Because I've never been fond of geography. I've been bad on it since I was in grade school. I never took the initiative to learn what provinces belong in this region or whatever because I just learn about it as I go through with life.
I mean, people don't always take time to learn about something especially when they don't think they need it at that time. If I will have to go to CDO, then that's the time I will learn about the place. If it's going to be in my exam, then that's the time I will learn about it. Still, in my case, even if I learned about it for the exam, I may forget about it after that time. Anyway, there are those who learn about things just by hearing them or stumbling upon them. But not all people are like that.
My point is, you can't expect people to learn or at least be familiar with something they have not encountered or something that does not concern them immediately or seriously. People take time to learn about things.
What about you, did you learn immediately about Marinduque or Mindoro being parts of the MIMAROPA region? Do you know that Aurora was once part of Quezon in CALABARZON? Do you know that there was never a CALABARZON nor a MIMAROPA before? When did you learn about these things? Did you learn about it on your own accord? I mean, did you research about it just for the sake of being familiar?
I'm sure you can't help but feel disappointed when someone does not know where your province belongs to, but hey, at least you should be excited to tell them where it is. 
@asiacevillar (643)
• Philippines
24 Apr 12
secretbear,
This post was created merely not to offend anybody. But I must tell ya that I really feel so sorry for people with such mentality as you. If you're going to ask me where are those provinces/places are then I would answer you with all my humbleness that I exactly know where they are but hey, we're not talking about some history here and it's not my damn fault if you're bad on that subject, and I can't really please you to do better on that, as what I've had said, we should sometimes not to put the blame on what is being taught at school, we should at least sometimes take the initiative as it is also our responsibility, like learning the proper way of singing our national anthem musically and lyrically. I agree that there are certain things that needs time to be learned but I really think that a Filipino citizen should be at least try to be a little familiar with the places in his own country, I wasn't only talking about my hometown province but also, the Philippines as a whole.
Your fellow Luzonians who have responded here were so humble with their admission of being not that familiar and for showing they are not offended with the post. If you're offended with this post or with my proposition then I can't really please you. I just feel so sorry for you.
"Huwag Maging Dayuhan Sa Sariling Bayan"..This adage is exactly for people like you.
"Huwag Maging Dayuhan Sa Sariling Bayan"..This adage is exactly for people like you.
@shenlynn7823 (641)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
you are perfectly right about this Asiacellar. I myself had been a subject of this embarrassing thing that our fellow Filipino do(doesn't know their own place). I was born & raise in south of Mindanao specifically Gensan City.I was sent to Manila to study in a University & I came to meet new friends & everytime they asked me from where am I and when I answered,they're like wondering,where on earth is that & then ask me like ( same as you) "Visaya yan di ba?". I was thinking that when I was in our province,it was like I really admire the people in Luzon as I thought them as very intellectual in all aspect especially the simple subject of knowing your own country, I mean you are right when you said they don't have to master it but at least get familiarized with the main cities.And when I get a chance to work abroad,although it sounds so unreal but the foreign friends that I came to know who are so interested with Philippines,knows more about the different places in our country compared to our other fellow Filipinos.
@asiacevillar (643)
• Philippines
11 Apr 12
Hahahah, you had me chuckling there. absolutely right. See? There are even people from foreign lands who are even more familiar with the places here as compared to some dumbhead people here in our locality. It's a REALLY disgusting example.
But it's such a good feeling for me to know that there's someone here who've had the same experience as I. 
Thank you so much for the response! Have a good day.
, you had me chuckling there. absolutely right. See? There are even people from foreign lands who are even more familiar with the places here as compared to some dumbhead people here in our locality. It's a REALLY disgusting example.
But it's such a good feeling for me to know that there's someone here who've had the same experience as I.
Thank you so much for the response! Have a good day.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
I also observed this situation. I will admit myself that I am not very familiar with the regions or places in Mindanao or Visayans, because primarily I live in Luzon area for the most of my life so far. My parents knew these places because they have traveled for a while.
I guess it can be linked to regionalism or placing more emphasis on the centralization (usually in Luzon, particularly in Manila). We tend to be more familiar with places or cultures that we are affiliated rather than learning more about otehr local cultures and our country as a whole. I agree with you that we cannot really memorize or appreciate everything but perhaps, we could always try to appreciate more this country more than ever. And of course, the people who live in this country as well. Perhaps, and I do so hope, it could help us with out national identity
@asiacevillar (643)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
Good point. And like what I've said "Huwag Maging dayuhan sariling Bayan". We should try to appreciate more things we have in our country, my point is very evident when you watch "Pinoy Henyo"- a segment in Eat Bulaga, there was once a pair of contestant who couldn't answer his partner's question if the place is in Visayas or in Mindanao because he himself doesn't know the place, I even wondered if he had even heard that particular place before or not, when I saw that I really shook my head in disgust. And like what I've said, if their former teachers were able to watch that moment, I bet they could've let their teacher's hearts down, that was on national TV hence moments like that could really be so embarrasing.
@cearn25 (3456)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
I understand your point. At least we should look into the different places here in the Philippines. It would be a shame to us Filipinos if we don't know the answer. I guess it is already common sense and basic to know the places. I, for one, would love to know where is this place and what are the specialties they have. I look into that. I am a person who loves my own. Anyway, we shouldn't use any lame reason if we don't know the answer although honesty is still the best and not making things.
@asiacevillar (643)
• Philippines
9 Apr 12
Having said that, I commend you for being that kind who exerts an effort to know everything you think you are curious about, esp. with some of the places in our country you don't know. We should take an effort beyond what we've had learned in school in the past, the term "forgetting" is not an iron-cast excuse for not knowing so, forgetting is just normal yet we have all the resources to be able for us to review things we forgot, we have internet and books, now it is really up to the person to maximize it or not.
We have this saying in Tagalog: "Huwag Maging Dayuhan Sa Sariling Bayan". This is for our "Kababayans" who seems to be a Foreigner in their own country.
for being that kind who exerts an effort to know everything you think you are curious about, esp. with some of the places in our country you don't know. We should take an effort beyond what we've had learned in school in the past, the term "forgetting" is not an iron-cast excuse for not knowing so, forgetting is just normal yet we have all the resources to be able for us to review things we forgot, we have internet and books, now it is really up to the person to maximize it or not.
We have this saying in Tagalog: "Huwag Maging Dayuhan Sa Sariling Bayan". This is for our "Kababayans" who seems to be a Foreigner in their own country.