FLIGHTS to Guam are at such odd hours with the nation’s flag carrier. Our party of five—Linda Oledan, Maridel Villavicencio, Bibing Villanueva, Dolly Dacanay and myself left Manila at 10 p.m. and arrived at 4 a.m. Guam time.
From the minute we touched down, to immigration and customs and hailing a cab, we felt we never left the Philippines. Everyone was Filipino. It was Filipino scenery all throughout our stay.
Since our room was not ready until 9 a.m., our accommodating taxi driver (who owned the cab he was driving and eventually became our “suki”) suggested that we have a hearty breakfast and go shopping. A good all American breakfast at Denny’s sounded most inviting but shopping at dawn?
K Mart is open 24 hours so after a gluttonous morning meal with time to kill until 9, we headed for K Mart. Indeed it was open and shockingly we were not the only creatures hunting for good bargains.
So as to be focused and not to squander precious dollars, I was determined to consume only the necessary things to purchase: my bed sheets, which have seen better days. A streak of great luck, the linens were on sale. Like a woman energized from a heavy dose of bananas after a marathon, I was practically on all fours choosing from the selection of sale items. After two hours, I had all I needed in my cart throwing in some towels, which sold for a steal.
We were done by past 8 and our “suki” driver said that this is the perfect time to go to Ross. He said the lines in the cashier can compare to the MRT human so after depositing our goods with the concierge, off to Ross we go. Amazing indeed again…there were shoppers ahead of us. Seriously, is this for real?
So that was the story of our four night stay in Guam—shopping and eating! Even with a Category 4 typhoon, we were either in Macy’s, or the Duty Free Shop or the malls. Guam is tax-free so it has become a haven for neighboring members of Oceania to shop, and for the Japanese and Koreans who have made Guam a family holiday destination.
Truth to tell, items were really quite cheap. If you wear a size 10 or 11 for shoes, Guam is your country. Even designer pairs are sold for peanuts especially on a clearance sale. With all the amiable Filipinos attending to you, shopping becomes most pleasurable.
Filipinos make up 26.3 percent of the population, second to the native Chamorros who make up 37.3 percent. The rest is a mixed assortment but all in very low percentages compared to the former two. Filipino is the second spoken language next to English (considering it is part of the US—so you need a visa to get there), and Chamorro only the 3rdmost spoken language.
Historically, from 1521 to 1898, Spain colonized Guam and the Philippines. Guam was governed and administered through the Spanish-established administrative government in the Philippines. Guam was a stopover for the annual galleon trade between Mexico and the Philippines. Aside from goods for trade and supplies, the galleons brought in Filipino soldiers, administrators, and even political exiles and convicts, to Guam.
The seminaries and universities that Spain established in Manila made it convenient to send priests and lay assistants as well. By 1817, records claim that the parish priests of Guam were Tagalogs.
Today, 85 percent of people living in Guam are Roman Catholic. This was most evident in the Sunday Mass we attended. The priest and practically all parishioners were Filipinos.
The Spanish-American War of 1898 spelled defeat for the Spaniards so we were under American rule. Then from 1941 to 1944, we were occupied by Japan and Guam shared our fate. After the war, while the United States gave us our independence on July 4, 1946, Guam continues to this day as an unincorporated territory of the United States.
Americans contracted Filipino engineers and construction workers to help rebuild the island and its economy, which was devastated by the war. Also, the American military built larger bases in Guam so there was a large migration of Filipinos for labor. Many Filipinos who came to Guam decided to stay and settle that’s why you see 3rd to 4th generations of Filipino families.
Currently, Filipinos comprise one-third of Guam’s population. Filipinos in the medical, educational, and religious fields continue to serve the island’s needs and excel in their professional endeavors. Some are even prominent economically and politically.
Our same group except Dolly went to Guam 22 years ago. The landscape has changed tremendously with tourism as the second top industry of the country. And with the proliferation of our “kababayans” who have made a difference in this island in Oceania, I feel proud to see our brother and sister Filipinos doing so well for themselves in Guam. Mabuhay kamo!