A 70-year-old 'lolo' from the province was accompanied by a grandson to the US Embassy in Manila for his VISA interview. The lolo spoke not a word of English so the grandson translated for him.

The consul told the young man to ask his grandfather why he wanted to go to the States. "Bakit daw ho ninyo gustong pumunta sa Amerika?" the grandson translated. "Sabihin mo gusto kong makita yung mga anak ko doon." "He said
he wants to see his children there." Fair enough, that's what the lolo's application indicated.

The consul had another question. "Ask him why does he have to go there? Why can't his children just come and visit him here?" The grandson translated this in Tagalog. Lolo replied: "Sabihin mo kasi dito pinanganak yung mga anak ko. Nakita na nila and Pilipinas. Gusto ko namang makita and Amerika bago ako mamatay." (Translation: "Tell him, my children were born
here. They've seen the Philippines already. I just want to see America before I die.")

The heartless consul was unimpressed as he declared, devoid of any emotion, that he was rejecting the visa application because the applicant was unable to speak a word of English.

"Reject daw yung visa ninyo kasi hindi daw kayo marunong mag-Ingles."

The lolo was equally unimpressed.

"Sabihin mo ito sa kanya at huwag mong papalitan ang sasabihin ko. Putang ina niya, bakit siya nandidito eh hindi naman siya marunong mag-Tagalog."

Translated: "He said: you son of a bitch, how come you are here...you do not know how to speak in Tagalog."

Taken a back, sense of humor still intact, the consul relented and approved lolo's visa application in pronto.


Taken from The Philippine Star written by Boo