Where are you going? Filipino: Im going to the CR. American: Im going to the bathroom.

Finally, I found something worthwhile to do. I enrolled in the English Proficiency Program sponsored by the governor. Its a five-week training, four hours a day, four hours of speaking straight English. And I love it! I'm learning a lot. It was like learning English in a different way.. American way. Though I am proud of being a Filipino, we can't still deny that English, besides from being our second language, is our investment towards success. I mean, I have plans of going abroad and I wanna be understood by other English speaking persons and at the same time understand them better. Even here in the Philippines, there's a lot of foreigners visiting the country.

Oh well, I am really enjoying it so here's some new things I learned that I wanna share

Standard American English vs. Filipino-English

Filipino --------------------------------------------------- American
All the staffs should.. ------------------------------All the staff..
Avail the item -----------------------------------------Avail yourself of the item
Batch ----------------------------------------------------Class
Chit -------------------------------------------------------Bill
Come again? -----------------------------------------Could you repeat that, please?
Cope up with -----------------------------------------Cope with
CR -------------------------------------------------------Restroom/Bathroom/John (for the male)
Discuss about the proposal --------------------Discuss the proposal
Don't shout to me ----------------------------------Don't shout at me
Eat all you can Restaurant ---------------------All-you-can-eat restaurant
Every now and then -------------------------------Often
Equipments ------------------------------------------Equipment
Fill up the form --------------------------------------Fill out the form
For a while -------------------------------------------Hold on a moment, please
Furnitures --------------------------------------------Furniture
If ever it happens ----------------------------------If it happens
It's so traffic -----------------------------------------There is a lot of traffic
I'll be the one to do that ------------------------I'll do that
Jewelries --------------------------------------------Jewelry
Officemate ------------------------------------------Colleague
On leave ---------------------------------------------Take a day off
Open/Close the computer --------------------Turn on/off
Pass the paper to --------------------------------Submit the paper to
Pass the phone to me -------------------------Hand the phone to me
Push through a transaction -----------------Complete the transaction
Push through a meeting ----------------------The meeting will take place
Ref ----------------------------------------------------Fridge
Stuffs -------------------------------------------------Stuff
Malling ----------------------------------------------Window shopping
last June 2002-------------------------------------In June 2002


haha.. There are still a lot of non-standard words that we use in Filipino English. But I think, the most important thing is, whether in choppy English or "Carabao" English, you are still understood.