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I got quite a number of interesting feedback from the e-mail on my item on foreign nationals living in Bacolod. Almost everybody agreed we must welcome them but some said, they must not be allowed to abuse our hospitality. This has not been a problem so far. They are well-behaved.

But I want to write only about the feedback from three readers. From a Filipino, a German, and a Briton.

From texts and verbal feedback, I was corrected, the term “foreigner” is not correct. The proper term, I was told, is expatriate or one who is not living in his own country. From now on, I will not use foreigner but expatriate.

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One who I believe is a Filipino but whose name sounds foreign, Cristobal Nuñez de Paroja from Talisay, said he liked my calling for supporting expatriates here. His daughter and her family living in U.S. sent him my column.

But his two page and a half e-mail did not like my saying some foreigners must be “put in their right place.”

The term is an idiomatic expression, meaning “to explain to one where he is wrong.” I researched and got this explanation from no less than an Englishmen, Neil Honeyman. And that’s what I meant it to be. The origin is in sports that said, that when a referee calls a foul, he is asked to put the guy in his place, which means explain to him where he was wrong.

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I also did not say we want them here only for their money. We profit from their new ideas, their values, their culture. A country or community improves with the entry of other nationals.

So, to my new friend Cris, don’t worry. It’s just an idiomatic expression.

One reader e-mailed that her tourism related business did not have more tourists. It’s not my fault. She does not know how to manage it. She better get out of it fast. That is putting her in her place. Right place, if she wants.

I want to thank her for sending a copy of my column to as many people she named.

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The second feedback came from a German friend, Peter Uhllman.

He wrote, “I found years ago, I would agree when you wrote Bacolod is the best place to live. Today, for some friends and me, it’s a big question mark when you see how Bacolod changed, traffic, garbage, dirt road and in my business, shitting…”

Continued Uhllman, “What I heard is if Bacolod does not do something, Dumaguete could be the best town for foreigners…” This is Peter Uhllman’s opinion. And I have no reason to suppress it.

Really, I like Dumaguete and its rustic ambience. But in the “Money Sense” magazine study, it did not qualify to be in the first 20 cities. Cebu was No. 20 and Iloilo at No. 5.

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My third feedback is from British Dave Duckett who told me in Great Britain there are no foreigners. There are Pakistanis, Indians, Filipinos. Chinese are called as such and not as foreigners. I like Dave Duckett, his favorite topic is his wife, Nelly, his driver, his everything, his opinions are even hers. And he signs his e-mail to me as “Nelly and Dave Duckett.” He is like a Pinoy, he adores his wife.

Dave likes Bacolod and wants the best for it “even if it means putting up a screen or something to hide men weeing in full view.”

Weeing in public is also what Peter Uhllman calls “shitting.”

Let’s correct ourselves. Weeing, shitting, or pissing in public is not good and is bad manners.

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In London, Dave said, race is of no importance and it is strange if people mention color. In schools in Central London in a class of 30, the most that you can find is only five of what you call white.

In the 60s, Dave said, when the Rolling Stones sang black American music, it got no respect from the white Americans.

Dave’s and NPC Past President Jun Julita’s wife are relatives. In one family reunion in Silay during the picture taking one said, “We have a foreigner in the family. And where do you come from, Sir?” Dave answered, “Bacolod.”

The Ducketts live at Bacolod’s Sta. Clara Executive Village.

Dave can sing the Philippine national anthem, good for one who has lived here for only two years. His problem is his difficulty in pronouncing “magiliw” but he is happy his relative told him, her 5-year old daughter also finds difficulty in pronouncing it.

His lament, his karaoke has no Ilonggo songs but he scores better than his brother-in-law in singing Tagalog. He said he joked with his brother-in-law, Ilonggos cannot sing Tagalog songs very well.

Dave Duckett is witty, a good singer, go-getter, a senior citizen I think, and not a smoker, and if he can take jokes even at his expense and enjoy boisterous laughter every Sunday morning at breakfast at McDonalds, I think he will make a good Sunshine Boy if nobody will oppose his entry.*

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