The Government is Taxing Me for Learning Japanese

According to the 1950 Florence Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials that the Philippines signed in August 7, 1979, imported educational and cultural books should be exempt from Customs Duties, although a limited amount for the services they (Customs) render could be applied. Of course this is subject to interpretation, and it appears that the Bureau of Customs has its own, to the tune of 2,000 pesos for a set of books worth 5,500.

I was supposed to order a complete set of Minna No Nihongo from the Nihongo Center Foundation in Makati, except they would not let me buy them because I am not enrolled at their institution. I think that is bullshit since they are supposed to be promoting the Japanese language. How are they to do that if they are monopolizing the resources? They are not even the publisher of those books. Moving on, I just decided to purchase online and found another textbook series: Genki.

Who Broke My Thermos in 1992?

OFFICE OF THE PREFECT OF STUDENTS

BAS – GS Department

Date: 10-15-92

Dear Parents,

Please be informed that your child DAN ALFRED DE JESUS in levels 3-4 was sent to the office for having a fight with his classmate. It started with him not giving a space for the girl at the table. His folder was written by a crayon by his classmate and he wrote back in the folder of the girl. During recess time the girl got a chance to fight back and threw Dan’s thermos on the floor and the plastic cover broke. The attention of the girl was called and I wrote to the parents of the girl.

Sinapak Ako ng Isang Kamag-Aral

Sinugod naman siya ng nanay ko. Ngayon magkaibigan kami sa Facebook, at malamang ay hindi na rin niya naaalala ang pangyayaring ito halos dalawampung taon na ang nakararaan. Hindi ko alam ang dahilan kung bakit niya ako sinapak at wala na ring saysay na alamin kung bakit bigla na lang nananapak ang isang batang wala pang kamuwang-muwang sa mundo. Marahil ay bahagi lamang iyon ng pagiging bata.