Thank you to everyone who posted very useful replies to the questions the OP asked. I wish there weren't many off-topic replies but ...oh well!
yeah these are all true. I'm Filipino and this is all true and I can take the criticism. Can't fix the problem unless one knows what the problem is.
Definitely to each his own. I grew up in the Philippines (Bacolod City) and moved to Southern California when I was 22. I loved it...and hated...