We don’t want to bore you with more quotes but this one, attributed to restaurateur Lorenzo “Larry” J. Cruz, is just too interesting to ignore. Cruz is the person behind those pricey, chic, intimidating, pretentious, stylish, [add your own superlative adjective here] Manila restaurants.
Larry was talking about the young people of Ifugao (where he bought three Ifugao huts) when he said the following:
“The people there don’t want thatched roofs anymore. The youth’s biggest ambition is no longer to plant rice in the terraces but to go down to the city and drive somebody else’s tricycle. And these tricycles contribute to pollution.”
— Larry Cruz
Just so we won’t be accused of taking his words out of context, click here to read the full story.
Message to Larry: Call me. My biggest ambition in life has nothing to do with driving a tricyle.
UPDATE: Imakaiw points us to two links about the Ifugao hut: Ifugaos.org has a drawing and a write-up on the Ifugao hut and the Kiangan site has a picture of a modern-day hut. Thanks Pedlo Sikangay/Imakaiw.
INFO SOURCE: Inquirer; PHOTO CREDIT: Manila Times.
I just happen to be thinking about the Bahay Kubo song these past few days …For some reason, the children’s story of the “Three Little Pigs and the Wolf” keeps popping up…
I suppose thatched roof is fine as long as there is no wolf…
Going back to the Bahay Kubo song, it talks about sari-saring halaman indicating that thatched roof living comes with a broader environment of simple, healthy living that includes organically grown, unthirsty vegetables…
complex simplicity.
Somebody tell him off. Now. Please! We can’t let them get away with saying things like that! Some people actually believe this stuff, and some tanga-Manilas will actually think it’s god’s own truth because their fellow socialite Larry J. Cruz said so!
Hey thanks for the link too :o)
who he and why should we pay him any attention?
Hi Anonymous,
Thanks. Good points. There must be a reason, aside from the oft-cited progress, why people have shifted from thatched roofs to something else. It’s their choice. If Mr. Cruz wants to live in houses with thatched roofs, then it is his choice. But he has no business sounding like its bad if people don’t want to live in houses thatched roofs. Thanks 🙂
Hi Padma,
Thanks for dropping by. It is a very condescending, insensitive comment. Komo bumili siya ng Ifugao huts eh akala na niya he is so knowledgeable na of what Ifugaos are dreaming for their future. What a silly silly, pretentious man. Thanks again.
Hi Nashman,
Some award winning restaurateur (not sure of spelling). Thanks.
Bill, It is worth your while to write him a diplomatic letter…I would like to believe that you can make an asset out of him (hindi hopeless case until proven talagang hopeless)…Thanks.
The thatched roof is merely part of the Ifugao Native Hut. The simple single room house has four(4) posts, high enough to protect the occupants from the big bad wolf. Believe me, not even a rat can go inside. You can paste the link below to your browser to see some details drawn by an Ifugao engineer now based in the US of A. (He is not a tricycle driver)
http://interactive.ifugaos.org/modules.php?name=News&file=categories&op=newindex&catid=3
A picture of a modern day hut can be seen in Kiangan. Cut and paste the following link in your browser: http://www.kiangan.somee.com/
Larry Cruz is drunk with his own world of bigotry. Ignore him.
From an Ifugao-Pedlo Sikangay/Imakaiw.
Hi Anon (1:15)
Hehe, my letter writing projects (to Anglican Archbishop Akinola and to some NCIP people were ignored by the recipients so I don’t have a good track record in letter writing and am not to keen on writing another letter hehe. Although the NCIP letter did produce results.
But you’re right that he is not a hopeless case. No one is. So maybe this is what we will do, let’s all write him letters. The letter as you say, should be diplomatic. I think it is best if our letters are more about how we feel about his unfortunate statement and less finger pointing and name calling. Hehe.
Dear Mr. Cruz,
I found your statement about Ifugaos no longer wanting thatched roofs and no longer wanting to plant rice to be very judgmental. It sounded like you know better than the people themselves and that you do not want what the people are doing because it doesn’t fit your conception/stereotype of how they should live their lives.
Sincerely,
Bill Bilig
Hehehe, now its your (and everyone’s) turn to write a letter. You can make it as long or as short as you want. If we have at least 5 letters, I will really go through the trouble of sending it to him 🙂 Thanks.
Hi Imakaiw,
Thanks for pointing out the links, I will add it to the main post so others who don’t read the comments will see it.
Hehe, my initial reaction was actually to ignore his statement but I guess its too late na (at least for me) because I still decided to blog about it. Thanks 🙂
An Open Letter to Mr. Larry Cruz:
Re: Quote Attributed to You in Philippine Inquirer.
The quote attributed to you detracts from appreciating your newly purchased Ifugao huts, one of the most intricate if not the most intricately constructed of the Cordillera traditional thatched-roof structures.
I feel that you lack understanding and also appreciation of “the people” and the place with the following words attributed to you:
“The people there don’t want thatched roofs anymore. The youth’s biggest ambition is no longer to plant rice in the terraces but to go down to the city and drive somebody else’s tricycle. And these tricycles contribute to pollution.”
I feel that if you have better understanding and knowledge of the bigger picture, you will come to know that “The people” want to keep their heritage—thatched roofs and all. “The people” do want to keep the terraces ecology and maintain a less-polluted world. “The youth” after all are descended from the most sophisticated natural designers and builders that we can ever boast of as Filipinos.
If what you earn from your restaurants and businesses is what folks earn from planting rice, I have no doubt that many will opt to be “rice terrace ecologists” including urban dwellers.
Youth’s BIGGEST ambition is definitely not driving somebody elses tricycles or going down to the city. Don’t you think that a youth from anywhere in the Philippines, an Ifugao youth included, who has the same thinking capacity, social andeconomic opportunity like yours will not equal you in ambition and goals?
We all claim to appreciate the architectural structures that you purchased. Let words that are quoted from all our mouths reflect that we appreciate with wisdom.
Thank you.
Hi Anonymous,
Wow. It’s very well written and I agree with your points. Hah, even if the others won’t write a letter I think we should send this.
Let’s wait for the others though. Come on folks, three more letters to go 🙂
Just add the fact that his mouth is also full of pollutants!!!!!!
No cheers for a turd like him!!!!
nah, why pay him any attention at all.