Continued

Philnews
You did mention that you will be coming out with a US edition of this book. I don't think it's currently available here in the US?

Bob
It's available through one particular bookshop: Philippine Expressions, which is in Los Angeles. They specialize in Philippine books. This is one of the reasons why we are working to get a US edition, so that it can be more widely available. But of course, one can always go to a local bookshop. If you order it they will find it. Over the next year I will be working to make it more available in the US.

Philnews
I'm sure people who see this interview would be interested in reading the book. So what we'll do is include the web address of that bookstore in L.A. for those who want to get a copy of the book before the US edition comes out.

Bob
It's www.philippineexpressions.com run by a very nice lady called Linda Nietes. I would like people to read it and get to know part of their history. My children are obviously half-English, half-Filipino. I want them to be fully aware of both sides of their heritage. For me history is part of the DNA of a country. If you don't understand the history, you haven't got the DNA.

Philnews
That's very true. The sense I got from your book is that there is a lacking of history taught in the Philippines and it is a problem that should be corrected.

Bob
Yes, because if you don't know your history, it is like not knowing your father and your mother. You can get away without knowing them, you can still breath and get a job and so on, but if you know who your family is, it gives you an anchor into who you are. And I think it is the same with countries and their history. If you know your history, you have an anchor and that gives you a sense of belonging. It gives you a sense of what your country should be, and gives you a sense of respect for that past. Mind you, I'm a Brit! Brits tend to be very pro-history. I feel two thousand years of history behind me and if "Hang the Dogs" is giving back to Filipinos a part of their history I shall be very happy. It is sort of a payback for all the good times that I've had here.

Updates:
April 3, 2005 - Wyoming veterans voted for the return of two bronze church bells taken from a coastal town in the central Philippines more than a century ago.

Colonel Joseph Sestak of the Wyoming Veterans Commission says: “We followed a lengthy process of getting support from the major veterans' service organizations and received no opposition and in most cases support for the return of the bells.”

April 17, 2005 - Despite the recommendation of the Wyoming Veterans Commission, WVC, the return of the bells is not imminent and is certainly unlikely this year at least.

Prior to the recommendation being presented to the Governor of Wyoming, under whose office the WVC operates, a disgruntled member of the Commission persuaded the governor to issue an anti-return press statement before having the opportunity to examine the evidence. The governor, as well as the Wyoming Congressional Delegation remain opposed to the WVC recommendation and see no reason to inquire why the recommendation was made.

The situation now is that it is unlikely that the bells will be returned without the passage of a resolution from the US Congress. (Source: Balangiga Research Group)