You gotta be kidding me..

I can’t believe the Manilenyo mentality.
After undergoing a certain bank’s security check over the phone...
Caller: Are you Filipina?
Ako: yes.
Caller: Ma’m, Filipino po ako. Kamusta po? (as of the accent is not obvious!)
Ako: No, hindi ko kelangan ng card nyo,
Caller: Ma’m, taga saan po kayo sa atin?
Ako: (entertaining mood) sa Laguna
Caller. Waw, ang layo.
Ako: ah, okay.
Caller: Ma’m, yung bosses nyo po kasi hindi parang taga probinsya.
Ako: (papatulan ko na to) eh taga city ako eh. May city naman sa Laguna.
Caller: Oh. Hindi ko alam yun ah—para kasing yung accent nyo po, pang-Manila. Parang hindi taga---
(BLAG!)

Ibig sabihin ba non, eh pag taga probinsya ka, ‘iba’ ang English mo? Maganda ba yon, o hinde? (Im casting my naiveté here) Ibig sabihin ba nun, eh basta taga Manila ka, magaling kang mag-ingles, at kung taga probinsya ka, nasa ‘sub standard’ ka lang? Sa totoo lang, kung pwede lang sabihin dito, everytime they ask me ‘Where are you from?’ instead of saying ‘Manila’ (kasi, haller, dalawa lang ang lugar sa Pinas na kilala nila—Manila o Davao), I’d say ‘Laguna’. As if being proudly from the ‘cuidad’ is even a good thing. Sige nga, give me something you Manilenyo’s are so freaking proud about? Intramuros? SM Malls (na meron din kami)? Glorietta? (Again, in the norm that Manila means Manila, Makati and Quezon City) English nila? Bleh. Pwidi bah.

I was born in Manila. I lived in Manila. I even studied there. But Laguna raised me. I grew in Laguna. And darn proud of it!
And yes—I get that ‘anung ginagawa nyo pag weekend? Nangingisda?’ question all the time.
So no insensitive, geography ignoramus can’t comment on my English.
Pakers.