si Carding…Bow

A good friend of mine from highschool sent me a text message asking how I was and when I was graduating. I told him I was doing fine and that I’d be graduating this Summer ‘06. He told me my skills would be maximized in Manila, where he is currently working as Assistant Manager in a well - known Bank. I was thrilled upon reading his message. After all, i’ve been dreaming of making it big in Manila. It is after all, the country’s "premiere" city. It’s not the country’s capital for nothing.

Then it dawned on me.If Filipinos opting to go abroad to "seek greener pastures" is considered braindrain, then I believe there is another type of braindrain occuring right in our very country.I call it the Local Braindrain.Excuse the lack of creativity with the title.

How? Cities outside of Metro Manila - even if they ARE cities - are most often referred to as provinces by the Manilenos.I’ve heard it many times.And to get a job in Manila is tantamount to becoming successful. Manila is seen as the country’s bastion of corporate success.Why not? The big national and multi-national corporations are there.

In Cagayan de Oro, life is pretty laid-back. And if you’re the workaholic type of person like I am, the city would probably bore you to death.From what I gather, corporate employment opportunities are also hard to find. Well, that is as far as the opportunities I’m looking for are concerned. My dream job/s seem to be in Manila. That is why there is great possibility that I’ll be moving there after I graduate.I wish.

Then again, maybe not.First, God may have other plans for me, period. Second, I realized, "What about Cagayan?" I don’t know how I developed this appreciation and - strangely enough for me - loyalty to his city. Is it because I grew up here? No. I realized, that if Cagayan de Oro would become a premiere city like Manila, or Cebu or Davao, I should, in my own little way, help in allowing this city become exactly that. Besides, if i’m going to Manila, chances are I’d be swallowed by either the fast - paced life of the city or by very stiff competition. Neither of them matter.But seeing how Cagayan de Oro is, I began to believe I’d do the most good here.

Now I’m not sure how to end what I just wrote. Maybe all this is to say that my dream of joining the corporate workforce in Manila might change…hehe