Oo, and lata ng Pinoy

Yes, the Filipino can.

Start a war, that is.

A heckling radio ham known as the Filipino Monkey, who has spent years
pestering ships in the Persian Gulf, is being blamed today for sparking
a major diplomatic row after American warships almost attacked Iranian
patrol boats.

The US navy came within seconds of firing at the
Iranian speedboats in the Strait of Hormuz on January 6 after hearing
threats that the boats were attacking and were about to explode.

Update: 'Filipino Monkey' isnt a person. It isnt even a group of persons. The media people got it wrong. It is a phrase, a taunt, that has been in use for over 20 years. MLQ3 has the lowdown on the whole Filipino Monkey phenomenon in the waters of the world. Im looking forward to the response of the the contributors to this blog to the fact that the 'atrocities' might be perpetrated by one of their favorite ethnic groups. Nyahahahaa.. Let the trash talking begin.

Here's something from The Register via the United Filipino Seafarers website.

Anyone who has spent time bridge watchkeeping at sea east of the Suez Canal will be aware of what's known as the "Filipino Monkey" phenomenon. All ships at sea are required to maintain a listening watch on VHF marine channel 16, so as to hear distress messages, collision warnings or other calls. It's the equivalent of the Star Trek "hailing frequencies", as it were. However, you aren't supposed to just blot out channel 16 with chitchat - if you want to hold a conversation or something the correct form is to change channels after establishing comms on 16. In that way, the primary channel stays open for urgent stuff.

In northern waters, this is what happens. Once you get down into points south and east, the knowledge that large numbers of people absolutely have to listen to you - like it or not, as a requirement of maritime law and professional seamanship - seemingly becomes an irresistible temptation for a lot of people in possession of VHF sets.

The most popular phrase used by these people is "Filipino Monkey", said by salty old seafarers to have started out as an insult against Filipinos but now just meaning "I'm bored and want to piss a lot of watchstanders off".

At other times, people will offer karaoke-style musical offerings, brilliant gambits such as "I f*ck your mother/sister/dog", "look out I am going to hit [collide with] you, ha ha" etc. In many ways it's a lot like the internet, but sadly you can't - as a professional seaman - turn it off.

Another major form of airwave pollution on VHF channels is Western - typically US - warships reading out standardised warnings as required by rules of engagement or legal procedure. "Vessel on my port bow this is US/NATO/coalition warship... please keep clear/stop and be boarded in accordance with UN security council resolution blah-blah/be aware I am engaged in flight operations/be warned I will open fire if you do not comply/etc.".

Out in the Gulf and such places this often draws a storm of "Filipino monkey" style comment, very often from vessels nowhere near.

The fact remains that Pinoy seamen, far from being whiny about the whole thing, simply return the compliment, as illustrated by the sailor from Manila quoted by MLQ3 who just smiled it off and recounted how they had a ready comeback for that shit. What Im wary of is the reaction of The Whiny Pinoy community: Boo-hoo! Racial slur! We're oppressed victims! Our sailors arent behaving as victims, so knock it off.

[I have to admit though, that to some Pinoys, unggoy or tsonggo is insulting. I remember Pops Fernandez boo-hooing on TV because his ex Martin Nievera's wife called Pops's kids (with Nievera) monkeys. Probably just a clash of cultures, I thought. 'Monkey' could be a term of endearment, especially when used with your own kids. I used to use it all the time with my kids when they were toddlers, and so did my brother and sister with their kids.]