.

Awareness Program and Change in the System

2012-02-20T19:21:00.002+08:00

Calamba City, (PIA)- February 16, 2012, The City Building Official Head Engr. Joselito Guevarra is already two years as a public servant. The department he handles is the one in position for the regulation of law in accordance to the building code 1096 within the city which have 54 Baranggays and is known for its Industrial Parks.

A contractor himself and an advocate for children welfare, Engr. Guevarrra and the Building Department Office is continuing to give an awareness program to the community of Calamba to make sure that everyone is safe in their own house or building under construction with the help of social media from print, broadcast and the Local government office.

The challenge lies when he doubts about the structure of the design of the building plans submitted to his office, so he asked his fellow engineers for the second opinion for certification. In terms of violation against the building code, he is willing to cooperate and help to solve easily the problem that needs to be corrected. His office is open for everyone and inviting the community for transparency and consultation.

When asked about the alleged corruption in the government, he said that the change will be through the correct implementation of the process inside the system. The awareness program for risk reduction according to him must be done from the start of construction work because the efficiency and effective correct procedure in the construction lies in its foundation.

How to lead a modest life in today's world

2012-02-14T14:44:00.001+08:00

Modesty is very uncommon to most in high stature position these days but what are the measurements of Modesty? Can we judge a person modesty base on his exhibition of wealth, his working environment, the way he dress, food he ate, number and type of cars he own or could we judge a person modesty by background checking his SALN?

According to Wikipedia, Standards of modesty (also called demureness or reticence) are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged.

Modesty may be expressed in social interaction by communicating in a way exhibiting humility, shyness, or simplicity. The general elements of modesty include:

· Downplaying one's accomplishments.
· Behavior, manner, or appearance intended to avoid impropriety or indecency
· Avoiding insincere self-abasement through false or sham modesty, which is a form of boasting.
A second expression of modesty, isolated from communication and human interface, focuses more on internal perception of superiority and may be expressed in the following ways:

· through work ethic,
· motivation for self improvement,
· and tolerance of others (wikepedia)

When the incumbent President of the Philippines Benigno “NoyNoy” aquino bought his now famous “Porche” justifying that he is a bachelor, can afford to buy it or the most powerful man in the Philippines is not the point or out of question. According to the Philippine government ethics for the Public servants, they must lead and live a modest life and that’s include the type of car ones own whether one is the President of the country or just a mere Clerk working at the Bureuo of Custom (BOC).

Modesty must be the character of all individual working in the government to avoid them from the so easy subject of corruption. Under Republic Act 6713 Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees." And under Section 4. Norms of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees. - (A) Every public official and employee shall observe the following as standards of personal conduct in the discharge and execution of official duties:
(h) Simple living. - Public officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form.

But does working in a government agency especially with higher position like the lawmakers or representatives whom the Filipinos mostly elected because of their means of living and are usually rich and successful in their own field could help themselves to turn around with the kind of life they had before they were elected?

There are many cases of corruption among the highest officers from the government and yet, only now, with the current head of state with his promise to clean the country from the decades of corruption and red tape, the show off of one at a time trial for the accused of using the taxpayers money for his own personal gain only manifest that it is very hard to refuse the wealth that is in front of you and not yours.

Former Presidents like Ramon Magsaysay Sr, Carlos Garcia and Manuel L. Quezon were all modest when they were in position and admired by the majority. Does it means that the culture or mindset of the Philippine officers are different then than today? There was General Reyes who because of her ties to the Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and was also investigated about his financial accounts killed himself in front of his mothers grave.

Boxing Champ Manuel Pacqiao is an elected Congressman and yet with given humble beginnings to the success of his boxing career does not living a modest life but instead not denying the posh mansion he bought at Forbes Park, estate at Sta Rosa City, Laguna, different fancy cars and even giving money in the national television. Everyone knows that it is his money from his career but as a government official, he must lead and be the model of living a modest life to his constituents.

The comparison of the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (FPGMA) and the incumbent Philippine President Noy Noy Aquino when they visited a state abroad could determine the mindset of the individual, say when FPGMA indulged in a Dinner worth $20,000.00 equivalent to PH 840,000.00 (as of exchange rate of today) was a contrary of a modest living while the majority of the population in the Philippines are living below the poverty line. When President Aquino on the contrary went to US last year, his first visit as the new Philippine President, he showed off that he was eating a hotdog bought from the cart at the side walk of New York City.

Everyday, the Filipinos mostly are judging the status of life of others on what model of car one is driving, clothes, position in the company or even the brand of cell phone one is using. People loves to have a comfortable life, in this kind of economy and situation the Filipinos are experiencing today, majority will do everything to have food on the table. If those elected government officers can’t do appropriate things for the country, can we count on the majority of the population to follow or to do what is right for the country?

Some people respect others not because of his character but because of the power and amount of money in the bank. The mindset of the majority is Loyalty for those who could help them even in a short period of time. If the case will be all about money, what will happen to the Filipino people, say after 10 years.

Road Safety Awareness

2012-02-07T10:28:00.002+08:00

Filipinos love to have a good life, well, actually all people are. Parents would love their children to be safe inside and more on outside the house. In the recent years, because of the traffic congestion, limited resources for safety program, lack of discipline, lack of means to maintain the vehicle to be always in good condition, driving under the influence from drugs or alcohol, over speeding, overloading, violation of traffic rules, texting while driving or even social networking while driving are just some of the causes of deaths in the road which are all from human error.
Road accidents happen when people violate rules, fail to keep their vehicles in good running condition and unintentionally do the wrong thing, such as making a wrong turn or even wrong signaling of lights. Accidents happen because drivers are selfish, greedy and always in hurry and thinking that road accidents only happen to others but not to them. They are very confident while driving without thinking that some cause of road accidents might be from the other drivers with a wrong decision to overtake.

Road safety is not only limited for the drivers but to all people who are riding or inside the vehicle whether one is inside a car or mass transportation. People need to be aware also about the crimes committed in the road like Car-napping, Hijacking or even to become aware about those people in your routine daily route or people you transact in a car business. Awareness usually is the key, to save lives.
The Philippines is compose of more or less 95 Million in population and majority are unaware about the right traffic rules because of the lack of funds from the different government agencies for programs and trainings that could help the drivers on how to be safe on the road and to know the correct traffic rules and ethics.

Mr. Alvin Carranza, Father Robert Reyes who is known as the Running priest and activist for Environment and good governance, Izabelle Palanca Enriquez, Wenchie Flores Sabban, Boy Evangelista ( child has been hijacked and killed and the Dominguez brothers are the suspects) and General Danny Lim were among the advocates who attended the meeting and organized and plan the “Fun Run for Road Safety” awareness. It was held at Café Lupe, Antipolo last February 3, 2012.

Media Advisory:
“Run for Love Run for Life”
(A Fun Run for Road Safety)

OneA Events Place would like to invite you on its fun run, a campaign for ROAD SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS entitled

“Run for Love Run for Life: A Fun Run for Road Safety”.

Date: February 12, 2012
Time: 6 am
Meeting place: café Lupe grounds along Sumulong Hi- way, Antipolo
End: Katipunan across Ateneo campus

.
Andrew Grace Home Builders, a Construction firm is supporting this advocacy as its Awareness program for the community.

All participants are requested to wear red as a sign of solidarity on the advocacy and because Valentines Day is in the air. Prizes and certificates will be given away to winners and finishers of the run.

Joining us are its lead advocates Gen. Danny Lim, Fr. Robert Reyes, Senator Pia Cayetano, celebrities like Chuckie Dreyfus and some other notable personalities. This is to create greater awareness on the importance of road safety and call the attention of the government to enact stronger laws on keeping our roads safe.

Donation: ph 100.00

Questions and / or clarifications may be directed to Eilleen Esteban at telephone number (02) 624-9664, mobile number (0917) 854-8235, and email address lockerroom.sportsmarketing@gmail.com.

Arangkada

2012-01-28T18:20:00.001+08:00

Former Finance Secretary Roberto F. De Ocampo, Me and Maria Ressa

Arangkada, a tagalog term, verb, which means as “to move fast” or “acceleration of motion” hence “umarangkada ka na” (go) or “umalis kana” (go now). And for the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce (JFC) who are here in the Philippines as investors and guests, they chose this term for the Economy of the Philippines to move as twice as fast hence the forum that was held at the posh Marriot Hotel at Pasay City last January 26, 2012 has this title; Arangkada Philippines Forum: Moving twice as fast. (maybe they think that the past administration is slow or they want to give a hint to the new one).

President Noynoy Aquino was the keynote speaker and gladly stayed for a few minutes to answer some questions, a must, with the high profile successful businessman, top investors and business leaders in the country who attended the event such as Environmental planner and development consultant Architect Felino Palafox, Governor of Ilocos Norte Imee Marcos Araneta and Tycoon Oscar Lopez not to mention the speakers like John Casey who is the president of the Australian- New Zealland Chamber of Commerce, Gloria Steele who assumed the duties as the Mission Director for USAID/Philippines last July 2010, Hon. Gregory Domingo of Department of Trade and Industry, John D. Forbes who is the Senior Adviser of the Investment Climate Improvement Project under the American Chamber of Commerce, Former Secretary of Finance Roberto F. De Ocampo who was the best speaker among the rest for his “ Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure “ words that even some speakers keep on repeating after his talk, Guilermmo M. Luz who is the Co- Chairman of the National Competitiveness Council, Hubert d’ Aboville who is the President of the European Chamber of Commerce among the distinguished speakers and participants from the forum.

In the forum, they discussed on how the Philippines will become competitive with the help of good governance, transparency and good laws that will not just change every minute. The seven key sectors that need to established and could provide the Philippine economy stability from the JFC point of view are:

1. Infrastructure
2. Agri- Buiness Enterprise
3. Buisness Processing Outsourcing (BPOs)
4. Creative Industries
5. Manufacturinf and Logistics
6. Mining
7. Tourism

As a member of Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs), the forum gave me a vision to attain higher than what we have achieve so far. The foreign and local movers and shakers of this economy right now are successful in their field and easy for them to talk about their experiences though screaming loudly in their lungs that to move twice as fast, the country must remove bureaucracy, red tape, corruption, streamlining and good governance which are a must not only for the foreign investors, but also for the whole Filipino people who are suffering from poverty because of those deficiencies.

Competitiveness is a must and to achieve ones goal. Education is the key. The Philippines has a higher demand for good education but quality is less among the education system. To succeed they said that, Infrastructure is one of the best sector, according to the former Finance Secretary, If we have many good infrastructure such as railways, airports or manufacturing companies that could employ a lot of people and that could make us work faster.

Roberto F. Batungbcal was the most articulate from the panelist. He is the chairman of AmCham manufacturing and Logistics Committee and the Philippine Country Manager from Dow Chemical Industry. From him the status of manufacturing in the Philippines are as follows:

a. Manufacturing is 21% of GDP, the largest economic sector in the Philippines
b. Estimated total revenue of US $ 121 Billion.
c. 83% of 2010 FDI is Manufacturing, 40% of 2010 Total Investment is Manufacturing and it grew by 102% in 2010 to US $ 5 Billion.
d. In first half of 2011, it grew again by 191%…US $ 3.3 Billion.
e. NSO’s Annual Survey of the Philippine Business and Industries states: manufacturing dominates the economy with the total revenue of US $74 Billion.
f. Philippine Econom is very diverse (semicona and electronics is only 14% of total revenues)
g. 86% of exports are manufactured good, rapid growth of non “high-tech” exports grew 29% in 2010, 18% in 2011 (led by wood products, chemicals, garments, machineries and transport equipment)

In Laguna, there were 26 Municipalities and 4 Cities. Those four cities basically get a high revenue because of the Technical and Science Parks where Industrial Manufacturing Companies are located such as Samsung, Fujitsu, Toyota Motor Philippines and First Sumiden. Manufacturing Companies employs thousands of employees, they even given transportation to reach the company. Majority who are working here are High School graduates as operators thus lack of education is one big problem in the country. Those employees who didn’t have a college degree are earning more or less below the poverty line.

Recommendation of Engr. Roberto Batungbacal:

a. Create a Philippine manufacturing Strategy based on;
1. Integration of basic and manufacturing sector with the consumer markets including the enabling of infrastructure
2. Diversification and upgrading of industries, sectors and products.
3. Long term planning that creates linkages between export and domestic manufacturing.
4. Driven by innovation and sustainability
5. Leveraging on Government leadership and resources
For me, based on the current situation of the government, I agreed with the solution to accelerate the motion of the Philippine Economy which are, removal of red tape, corrupted official, transparenc, streamlining and good governance. Without those diseases, The Philippines will gain more investors and the Filipinos will have a different mindset. Te key always will come from the Leaders and right now, those we elected who are supposed t be the Filipino leaders must do something for the future of this country. Arangkada na!

The other panelist from the business sectors were Philip Soliven, Alfredo Ayala, Henry J. Schumacher, Micheal Raeuber, Dan C. Lachica, John Ridsdel, Aileen Clemente, Nobuya Ichiki, Avelino DL. Zapanta, Meneleo J. Carlos Jr., Daniel Chalmers,Rene SantiagoEnrico Basilio, Don Felbam, Ray Cunningham, Edward Chang, Donald De, Corazon Claudio, Vincent Lazatin, Jose Midas Marquez, Edgardo Lacson, Romeo Bernanrdo, Rommel Banlaoi, Kenneth Hartigan- Go, Ricke Jennings, Julian Payne with Marria Ressa, david Celdran and Coco Alcuaz as the moderators of the event that lasted for six hours.

What is SALN?

2012-01-20T18:55:00.001+08:00

This time, for a common Juan and Maria like me and for the majority of the population, another term, another Acronym in our vocabulary, SALN or Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth is the talk of the town in relation to the impeachment trial against Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Renato Corona. The chief was the one who issued or approved the medical treatment abroad of the former President of the Philippines and now under hospital arrest, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. That actually was the start of the suspicion of the Yellow army that leads for them to investigate his relationship to the incumbent Congresswoman of Pampanga.

It’s been almost one and a half years since we elected the son of the former president of the Philippines. Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino is the only son of the slain hero Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino and one of his programs is to clean the decades of corruption in the Philippines. He swore to start it and from the past months, we prove that he is true to his promise, there’s Reyes, Garcia, Ligot, Guttierez who were all either appointed or under the previous administration.

Let me share to you this article below that I found from the web. This is in relation on why SALN is so important for the transparency of a government official to the Filipino people. I am not a lawyer but I am aware of the fact that the Philippines are suffering from poverty, which is due from the repeated greed of those we elected. Filipinos for this 2012 is more or less 95 million and because there are no works available for most of us, a lot of people are living below the poverty line.

Let’s read on why SALN is important and is enough for Corona to be impeached if proven a discrepancy on his submitted SALN.

The Experience of Asset Declaration in the Philippines
By: Assistant Ombudsman Pelagio S. Apostol
Office of the Ombudsman
Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City
Republic of the Philippines

As an effective strategy to combat corruption and promote ethical conduct in public service in the Philippines, as early as June 18, 1955, Republic Act 1379 was passed and approved into law declaring forfeiture in favor of the State any property found to have been unlawfully acquired by any public officer or employee. This refers to an amount of property acquired by any public officer or employee during his/her incumbency which is manifestly out of proportion to his/her salary as such public officer or employee and to his/her other lawful income and the income from legitimately acquired property.

In order to effectively implement Republic Act 1379, several legislative measures were installed and one of them is the requirement of asset declaration which is the primary and effective tool to find evidence of illegal enrichment.
On August 17, 1960, Republic Act 3019, as amended, was passed and approved into law, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act of the Philippines. Section 7 of the said Act, expressly states:

"Section 7. Statement of Assets and Liabilities. - Every public officer, within thirty days after assuming office and, thereafter, on or before the fifteenth day of April following the close of every calendar year, as well as upon the expiration of his term of office, or upon his resignation or separation from office, shall prepare and file with the office of the corresponding Department Head, or in the case of a Head of Department or Chief of an independent office, with the Office of the President, a true detailed and sworn statement of assets and liabilities, including a statement of the amounts and sources of his income, the amounts of his personal and family expenses and the amount of income taxes paid for the next preceding calendar year; xxx…."(As amended by RA 3047, PD 677 and PD 1288, January 24, 1978) (underlining supplied)
On February 20, 1989, this particular Section of the Act was modified and expanded by the passage of Republic Act 6713, otherwise known as the
Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Section 8 of the said Act, expressly states:
“Section 8. Statements and Disclosure. - Public officials and employees have an obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households.” (underlining supplied)
Asset disclosure is mandated by the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Article XI, Section 17 of the 1987 Constitution, expressly states:
“Section 17. A public officer or employee shall, upon assumption of office and as often thereafter as may be required by law, submit a declaration under oath of his assets, liabilities, and net worth. In the case of the President, the Vice-President, the Members of the Cabinet, the Congress, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Commissions and other constitutional offices, and officers of the armed forces with general or flag rank, the declaration shall be disclosed to the public in the manner provided by law.”

COVERAGE OF THE LAWS
The requirement of asset declaration covers all public officials and employees, except those who serve in an official honorary capacity, without service credit or pay, temporary laborers, and casual or temporary and contractual workers.
This is embodied in Rule VIII (Review and Compliance Procedure) of the Rules Implementing Republic Act 6713, which explicitly states:

“Section 1. Filing and Submission of SALN on Time and to the Proper Official

a. All public officials and employees, except those who serve in an official honorary capacity, without service credit or pay, temporary laborers and casual or temporary and contractual workers, shall file under oath their SALNs and Disclosure of Business Interest and Financial Connections with their respective Chief or Head of the Personnel/Administrative Division or Unit/Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), to wit:

b. Public officials and employees under temporary status are also required to file under oath their SALNs and Disclosure of Business Interest and Financial Connections in accordance with the guidelines provided under these rules.

c. Public officials and employees are strictly required to fill in all applicable information and/or make a true and detailed statement in their SALNs.” (underlining supplied)

(Revised and Clarified by CSC Resolution No. 060231)

DECLARATION CONTENT
The contents of the declaration are embodied in Rule VII, Section 1(a) of the Rules Implementing the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which expressly states:

(a) Contents of Statement
(1) The Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth shall contain information on the following:
(a) real property, its improvements, acquisition costs, assessed value, and current fair market value;
(b) personal property and acquisition costs;
(c) all other assets such as investments, cash on hand or in banks, stocks, bonds, and the like; and
(d) All financial liabilities, both current and long-term.
(2) The Disclosure of Business interests and Financial Connections shall contain information on any existing interests in, or any existing connections with, any business enterprises or entities, whether as proprietor, investor, promoter, partner, shareholder, officer, managing director, executive, creditor, lawyer, legal consultant or adviser, financial or business consultant, accountant, auditor, and the like, the names and addresses of the business enterprises or entities, the dates when such interests or connections were established, and such other details as will show the nature of the interests or connections.”
(underlining supplied)

THE PRESCRIBED FORM
In order to capture and uniformly comply with the requirement as to the sufficiency of the contents of the declaration an official form has been prescribed and labeled as “Sworn Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth, Disclosure of Business Interest and Financial Connections, and Identifications of Relatives in the Government Service”. The prescribed blank form is hereunder shown:

FILING FREQUENCY
The Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth is required to be filed by a public officer or employee within thirty(30) days after assumption of office, and on or before April 30 of every year thereafter and within thirty days after separation from the service. Rule VIII, Section 1(a) of the Rules Implementing Republic Act 6713, expressly states:

“Section 1. Filing and Submission of SALN on Time and to the Proper Official

a. All public officials and employees, except those who serve in an official honorary capacity, without service credit or pay, temporary laborers and casual or temporary and contractual workers, shall file under oath their SALNs and Disclosure of Business Interest and Financial Connections with their respective Chief or Head of the Personnel/Administrative Division or Unit/Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), to wit:

1. Within thirty (30) days after assumption of office, statements of which must be reckoned as of his/her first day of service;

2. On or before April 30 of every year thereafter, statements of which must be reckoned as of the end of the preceding year, and

3. Within thirty (30) days after separation from the service, statements of which must be reckoned as of his/her last day of office.”

DECLARATION PROCESSING
Upon receipt of the Statements of Asset, Liabilities and Networth (SALNs) the same are evaluated to determine whether or not they have been properly accomplished by the filers. Those who did not comply are required to comply by the Head of Office thru Compliance Order directing the concerned employee(s) to comply within a non-extendible period of three (3) days from receipt of the order. Thereafter, the original copies of the SALNs are transmitted, on or before June 30 of every year to the concerned offices, to act as custodian of the said documents. Sections 2, 3 and 5 of Rule VIII (Review and Compliance Procedure), expressly state:

“Section 2. Duties of the Chief/Head of the Personnel/Administrative Division or Unit/HRMO

Upon receiving the SALN forms, the Chief/Head of the Personnel/Administrative Division or Unit/HRMO shall evaluate the same to determine whether said statements have been properly accomplished. A SALN is deemed properly accomplished when all applicable information or details required therein are provided by the filer. Items not applicable to the filer should be marked N/A (not applicable).
The Chief/Head of the Personnel/Administrative Division or Unit/HRMO shall submit a list of employees in alphabetical order, who: a)filed their SALNs with complete data; b) filed their SALNs but with incomplete data; and c) did not file their SALNs, to the head of office, copy furnished the CSC, on or before May 15, of every year.

Section 3. Ministerial Duty of the Head of Office to issue Compliance Order
Immediately upon receipt of the aforementioned list and recommendation, it shall be the ministerial duty of the Head of Office to issue an order requiring those who have incomplete data in their SALN to correct/supply the desired information and those who did not file/submit their SALNs to comply within a non-extendible period of three (3) days from receipt of said order.
Assets and/or properties acquired, donated or transferred in the name of the filer for a particular year, but were not declared on his/her SALN for that year, as the same came to his/her knowledge only after he/she has filed, corrected and/or submitted his/her SALN, must be declared or reflected in the filer’s next or succeeding SALN.”

Section 5. Transmittal of all submitted SALNs to the concerned agencies on or before June 30.
The Chief/Head of the Personnel/Administrative Division or Unit/HRMO shall transmit all original copies of the SALNs received, on or before June 30 of every year, to the concerned offices, as specified below:

National Office of the Ombudsman -President and Vice-President of the Philippines -Chairmen and Commissioners of Constitutional Commissions and Offices
Secretary of the Senate -Senators

Secretary General of the House of Representatives -Congressmen
Clerk of Court of the Supreme -Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeal
Court Administrator -Judges of the Regional Trial Court, Metropolitan Circuit Trial Court, Municipal and Special Courts
Office of the President -National Executive Officials such as Members of the Cabinet, Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries, including the Foreign Service Offices -Heads of Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations with original charters and their subsidiaries, and State College and Universities -Officers of the Armed Forces from the rank of colonel or Naval Captain
Deputy Ombudsman -Regional Officials and Employees of Departments, Bureaus and Agencies of the National Government including the Judiciary and Constitutional Commission and Offices -Regional Officials and Employees of Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations and their subsidiaries in the region -All other officials and employees of state Colleges and Universities -Regional Officers below the rank of Colonel or Naval Captain including Civilian Personnel of the AFP -Regional Officials and Employees of the PNP -Provincial Officials and Employees including Governors, Vice-Governors and Sangguniang

Panlalawigan Members -Municipal and City Officials and Employees including Mayors, Vice-Mayors, Sangguniang Bayan/Panlungsod Members and Barangay Officials
Civil Service Commission -All other Central Officials and Employees of Departments, Bureaus and Agencies of the National Government, including the Judiciary and Constitutional Commissions and Offices, as well as Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations Departments, Bureaus and Agencies of the National Government, including the Judiciary and Constitutional Commissions and Offices, as well as Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations and their subsidiaries -Appointive Officials and Employees of the Legislature -All other Central Officers below the Rank of Colonel or Naval Captain as well as Civilian-Personnel of the AFP -All other Uniformed and Non-Uniformed Central Officials and Employees of the PNP, BJMP and BFP

In August 2006 (last year), the SALN Data Bank System was designed and installed in the Office of the Ombudsman to capture SALNs filed at the Central Office. This system is still in its initial implementation stage but later on it can be adopted by the area/sectoral offices. It has the capability to track compliance by producing a report showing a list of filers who filed their SALNs in the previous years but did not file this year. It is also useful in trend analysis by providing data about the yearly percentage increase in the networth of a filer.
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PUNISHMENT FOR BREACH

Section 4 of Rule VIII (Compliance and Procedure) provides sanctions against an officer or employee for failure to correct/submit his/her SALN in accordance with the procedure. On the other hand, Section 6 of the said Rule provides a penalty against the Head of Office and/or the Chief/Head of the Personnel/Administrative Divisions who failed to perform their duties relative to the processing of SALNs. Sections 4 and 6 of Rule VIII, expressly state:

“Section 4. Sanction for Failure to Comply/Issuance of a Show-Cause Orders
Failure of an official or employee to correct/submit his/her SALN in accordance with the procedure and within the given period pursuant to the directive in Section 3 hereof shall be a ground for disciplinary action. The Head of Office shall issue a show-cause order directing the official or employee concerned to submit his/her comment or counter-affidavit; and if the evidence so warrants, proceed with the conduct of the administrative proceedings pursuant to the Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (CSC Resolution No. 99-1936 dated August 31, 1999). The offense of failure to file SALN is punishable under Rule IV, Section 52 (B) (8) thereof, with the following penalties:
1st offense - Suspension for one (1) month and one (1) day to 6 months
2nd offense - Dismissal from the service

Section 6. Penalty
The Head of the Office and/or the Chief/Head of the Personnel/Administrative Division or Unit/HRMO who failed to perform their duties may be held liable for neglect of duty under Section 46, Chapter 7, Subtitle A, Title I, Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive Order No.292).”
The officer or employee who violated the requirements of asset declaration can also be criminally and/or administratively punished under the following provisions of laws:
a) Section 11 of Republic Act 6713, expressly states:

“Section. 11. Penalties. - (a) Any public official or employee, regardless of whether or not he holds office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent or regular capacity, committing any violation of this Act shall be punished with a fine not exceeding the equivalent of six (6) months' salary or suspension not exceeding one (1) year, or removal depending on the gravity of the offense after due notice and hearing by the appropriate body or agency. If the violation is punishable by a heavier penalty under another law, he shall be prosecuted under the latter statute. Violations of Sections 7, 8 or 9 of this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding five (5) years, or a fine not exceeding five thousand pesos (P5,000.00), or both, and, in the discretion of the court of competent jurisdiction, disqualification to hold public office.
(underlining supplied)
(b) Any violation hereof proven in a proper administrative proceeding shall be sufficient cause for removal or dismissal of a public official or employee, even if no criminal prosecution is instituted against him.
(c) Private individuals who participate in conspiracy as co-principals, accomplices or accessories, with public officials or employees, in violation of this Act, shall be subject to the same penal liabilities as the public officials or employees and shall be tried jointly with them.”
b) Section 9(b) of Republic Act 3019, as amended, likewise expressly states:
“Section 9. Penalties for violations. –
(b) Any public officer violating any of the provisions of Section 7 of this Act shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year and six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the Court.
The violation of said section proven in a proper administrative proceedings shall be sufficient cause for removal or dismissal of a public officer, even if no criminal prosecution is instituted against him."(As amended by BP Blg. 195, March 16, 1982).”

c) Perjury under article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, with penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correcional in its minimum period ranging from four (4) months and one (1) day to two (2) years and
11
four (4) months imprisonment for making a statement upon a material matter; that the statement was made before a competent officer, authorized to receive and administer oath; that the statement contains willful and deliberate assertion of falsehood; and, that the sworn statement containing the falsity is required by law.
d) Falsification under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code with a penalty of prision mayor ranging from six years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years imprisonment – for making untruthful statements in the narration of facts; and, that he/she has a legal obligation to disclose the truth of the facts narrated by him.
e) Under Section 52 of the Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service for Dishonesty with a penalty of dismissal from the service for the first offense.

PUBLIC ACCESS TO DECLARATION
The public has access to the declarations/statements but with certain limitations. Section 8(C) and (D) of Republic Act 6713, expressly states:

(C) Accessibility of documents. - (1) Any and all statements filed under this Act, shall be made available for inspection at reasonable hours.
(2) Such statements shall be made available for copying or reproduction after ten (10) working days from the time they are filed as required by law.
(3) Any person requesting a copy of a statement shall be required to pay a reasonable fee to cover the cost of reproduction and mailing of such statement, as well as the cost of certification.
(4) Any statement filed under this Act shall be available to the public for a period of ten (10) years after receipt of the statement. After such period, the statement may be destroyed unless needed in an ongoing investigation.
(D) Prohibited acts. - It shall be unlawful for any person to obtain or use any statement filed under this Act for:
(a) any purpose contrary to morals or public policy; or

(b) any commercial purpose other than by news and communications media for dissemination to the general public.

ENFORCEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
EXPERIENCE
The survey as to the number of complaints related to Asset Declaration filed with the Office of the Ombudsman yearly from Year 2007 (this year) down to Year 2000 shows the following:
Year Complaint for Failure to File or Failure to File a True and Detailed SALN Complaint for Forfeiture Total
2007 (As of June 30) 21 14 35
2006 40 22 62
2005 43 27 70
2004 25 18 43
2003 22 15 37
2002 18 7 25
2001 12 8 20
2000 22 4 26

The Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) Report as to the number of administrative charges filed by the Commission pertaining to non-filing or failure to file a true and detailed Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) from 2003 – 2007 shows the following:
Year Non-Filing of SALN Failure to File a True and Detailed SALN Total
2003 - 4 4
2004 - 3 3
2005 1 - 1
2006 1 5 6
2007 (as of June 30) - 7 7
The Sandiganbayan, the Anti-Graft Court of the Philippines, reported eight (8) Petitions for Forfeiture filed from Year 2002 to year 2005 as follows:
Civil Case Number Date Filed
0189 July 29, 2002
0190 March 10, 2003
0192 September 27, 2004
0193 October 27, 2004
0194 June 7, 2005
0195 July 4, 2005
0196 July 5, 2005
0197 September 13, 2005

COMMON OBSERVATIONS
The following are the common observations/findings in the investigation of cases involving asset declaration in the Philippines:

1. non-filing of SALN

2. non-declaration of assets

3. non-declaration of improvements

4. non-declaration of business interest and other financial connections

5. assets are recorded in the name of dummies or other persons except beneficial use

6. changing the mode of acquisition of assets

7. lumping of illegitimate assets to intermingle with other legitimate assets

8. disposal of newly acquired asset with fantastic selling price to justify sharp increase in networth

9. almost all filers subject to lifestyle check claimed that they won in lotteries

10. increase of liabilities due to bank loans without an actual or existing loan in the bank

11. recording of non-existing assets during the initial submission of SALN

- END-

In the name of Progress

2012-01-16T19:31:00.003+08:00

Progress the idea that the world can become increasingly better in terms of science, technology, modernization, liberty, democracy, quality of life, etc., We can also use the term improvement as a synonym, but does every improvement a good thing for mankind?.

Tall towering buildings, Parks with PVC slides, synthetic umbrellas, concrete cartoon characters in every corner, artificial falls, air conditioned malls with expensive jewelries and fancy clothes, moving steel stairs, elevators, concrete swimming pools, cars parking in the concrete pavement, Science parks to give way for Manufacturing companies, Airports, Casinos, Subdivisions with row houses, hectares of themed parks with artificial river and so on in the name of progress. People are amaze with the idea of improvements and changes without mostly thinking the side effects or impacts in the environment and a long- term impact in the society.

Conversion of land from Agricultural to Commercial needs cutting of trees, excavation of soil for foundation or might be to increase the value of the land, but on the other side, it could mean also, shortage of food supply, pollution, damage to habitat, soil erosion, extinction or climate change.

When we heard about the story of what will happen to almost 180 trees in one place in the Philippines, which is popular for its Pine trees and cold weather, most environmentalist disagreed and rallied. The move of this Retail store giant to remove the trees or transfer the three from its original location is to give way for the multi stories car park for its customers. For the name of progress, are we going to exchange those 180 trees for a parking slot? Trees are hard to grow and from the internet, “Trees are an important component of the natural landscape because of their prevention of erosion and the provision of a weather-sheltered ecosystem in and under their foliage. They also play an important role in producing oxygen and reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as well as moderating ground temperatures.”

It’s year 2012 and we deal “Climate Change” now as a serious environmental problem. With so many calamities which I am calling “Human induced” calamities, the government is asking for the Filipino people to do our part to combat this problem like removal of plastics, waste segragation, solid waste management, implemented laws like clean water act or simply by planting trees.

The proposed “transfer “ of 182 trees made the social media roar with anger and almost 2000 residents from Bagiuo signed a petition to stop the said SM project which has a go signal from the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources. A signed approval for the project was signed last October 27, 2011.
If in the name of progress and if the project is approved by the agency that swore to protect the environment, who are we to argue? In the name of progress, trees might be extinct in the future, might be in a museum and for our grandchildren to see and feel with a fee.

In other words: "This is for you Mr. President" An essay from CGMA

2012-01-12T22:00:00.002+08:00

January 12, 2012. The author of the article on the economy that was read by Dr. Gonzalo Jurado at the Manila Hotel, Sampaguita Room is the fourteenth president of the Philippines, from 2001 to 2010.

As the daughter of the late and former president Diosdado Macapagal, Dr. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo graduated at the top of her class, a deans lister at Georgetown University and now the Congresswoman of Pampanga.

Professor Gary Olivar gave an introduction about the former President’s achievements and the introduction of the speaker, which was no other than Dr. Gonzalo M. Jurado who later answered a question from the audience that “ President Pnoy is lazy.”

Title: It’s the economy, student! By Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, PhD

(I wrote this article on and off in my spare timeduring my house recuperation, re-hospitalization and hospital detention from October to December 2011.)

The economy I turned over

Countless studies have shown that rapid increases in average incomes reduce poverty. Policy research, notes economist Stephan Klasen, has shown that “poverty reduction will be fastest in countries where average income growth is highest.”

When I stepped down from the Presidency in June 2010, I was able to turn over to the next Administration a new Philippines with 7.9 percent growth rate. The growth rate capped 38 quarters of uninterrupted economic growth despite escalating global oil and food process, two world recessions, Central and West asian wars, mega-storms and virulent global epidemics. Our country had just weathered with flying colors the worst planet-wide economic downturn since the Great Depression of 1930. as two-thirds of the world’s economic contracted, we were one of the few that managed positive growth.

If you look around you in our cities as you drive by the office towers that have changed the skyline, if you look around you in our provinces as you drive over the roads, bridges and RORO port where we made massive investments, that is the face of change that occurred during my administration.

By the time I left the Presidency, nearly nine out of 10 Filipinos had access to health insurance, more than 100,000 new classrooms had built, 9 million jobs had been created.

We built roads and bridges, ports and airports, irrigation and education facilities where they were solely needed. To millions of the poor, we provided free or subsidized rice, discounted fuel and electricity, or conditional cash transfers and we advanced land reform for farmers and indigenous communities.

No amount of black propaganda can erase the tangible improvements enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of families liberated from want during my decade at the helm of the nation. But these accomplishments have simply been part of the continuum of history. The gains I achieved were built on the efforts of previous leaders. Each successive government must build on the successes and progress of the previous ones: advance the programs that work, leave behind those that don’t.

I am confident that I left this nation stronger than when I came into office. When I stepped down, I called on everyone to unite behinds our new leaders. I was optimistic and I was hopeful about our future.

However, the evidence is mounting that my optimism was misplaced. Our growth in the 3rd quarter of 2011 was only 3.2 percent, well below all the forecast that had already been successively downgraded. The momentum inherited by President Aquino from my administration is slowing down, and despite his initial brief honeymoon period, he has simply not replaced my legacy with new ideas and actions of his own.

The politics of division

In the last year and a half, I have noted with sadness the increasing vacuum of leadership, vision, energy and execution in managing our economic affairs. The gains achieved by previous administrations- mine included- are being squandered in an obsessive pursuit of political warfare meant to blacken the past and conceal the dark corners of the present dispensation. Rather than building on our nation’s achievements, this regime has extolled itself as the sole harbinger of all that is good. And the Filipino people are paying for this obsession- in slumping growth, under achieving government, escalating crime and conflict, and the excesses of a presidential clique that enjoys fancy cars and gun culture.

Vilification covering up the vacuum of vision is the latest manifestation of the weak state that our generation of Filipinos has inherited. The symptoms of this weak state are a large gap between rich and poor- a gap that has been exploited for political ends- and a political sysytem based on patronage and, ultimately, corruption to support that patronage. Recently, politics has seen the use of black propaganda and character assassination as tools of the trade.

The operative word in all of this is “politics”= too much politics.

I know that the President has to be a politician, like everybody else in our elected leadership, whether Administration or Opposition, and we must all co –exist within this system. But what really matters is what kind of politics we espouse, not how much. The enemy to beat is ourselves: when we spread division rather than unity; when we put ego above country and sensationalism above rationality; when we make everyday politics replace long term vision in our country’s hour of need.

Everyday we draw nearer to what may be our country’s hour of greatest need, because an increasingly ominous global environment is aggravating our self- inflicted weakness. The leadership’s palpable deficiencies in vision and execution are hurting our economy at a time when the rest of the world faces the ever more real threat of a double- dip recession, one that we may have escaped the first time during my term, but might not be able to avoid again.

Our dream of growth

In order to avoid such a grim outcome, we must pursue the economic growth of our country as the permanent solution to our age- old problems of poverty and even corruption. Every postwar administration to my recollection has sought to advance the economic growth of our country as a matter of highest priority. Only by enlarging the economic pie can there be more and bigger slices for everyone to enjoy.

It is the poverty that we find the material roots of the problem of corruption- because the political system based on patronage- and ultimately, corruption to support patronage- is made possible only by the large gap between the rich and the poor. This will persist until and unless we enlarge the economic pie. Unfortunately, the present Administration has chosen to turn the problem upside down, anchoring their entire development strategy on one simplistic slogan: “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” If there is no corruption, there is no poverty- this is a proposition that also tells us that the undeniable persistence of poverty to this day therefore means the continuation of corruption under this Administration.

The Economist commented earlier that: “…the President’s approach of fighting corruption..is to punish the sins of the past rather than try to prevent crime in the future. Mr. Aquino has proposed few reforms to the system.”

Meanwhile, most analysts are downgrading their growth forecasts for this year and the next. The Dutch bank ING cited the government’s “under- spending in the name of good governance” as the reason for lowering its growth forecasts.

Now more than ever, as the rest of the world faces renewed threats of financial and even sovereign defaults as well as economic recession, it is high time for us to return to the commitment to growth that has been the primary objective of every administration in the past.

Sunshine industries

Returning to this mainstream commitment to growth enables the country to tap the opportunities of the 21st century. In line with this, during my time we promoted fast- growing industries where high- value jobs are most plentiful.

One of them is information and communication technology or ICT, particularly the outsourcing of knowledge and business processes. My Administration developed the call center industry almost from scratch: in June2010 there were half a million call center and BPO workers, from less than 5,000 when I took office. It was mainly for them that we built our fifth, virtual super- region: the so- called “cyber corridor”, the nationwide backbone for our call centers and BPO industry which rely on constant advances in IT and the essentially zero cost of additional bandwidth.

These youthful digital pioneers deserve government’s a continuing support- by upgrading instead of downgrading and politicizing CICT, the government agency that overseas our digital infrastructure; by continuing to fund related voctech training programs; by wooing instead of alienating foreign companies seeking to set up shop here. As countries like China and Korea rapidly make their own way up the value-added ladder of outsourcing, we must work harder to stay ahead of them.

I had coffee with some call center agents one Labor Day when I was President. Lyn, a new college graduate, told me, “Now I don’t have to leave the country in order for me to help my family.” I was touched. With the structural reforms we implemented to promote ICT and BPOs, we not only found jobs but kept families intact.

We created appealing employment opportunities b focusing on the development of priority sectors, such as BPO. We need to create more wealth and keep people working here at home. That is why I remained so stubbornly focused on the economy. Many times during my tenure I expressed how much I longed for the day when going abroad for a job is a career option, not the only choice, for a Filipino worker. My economic plans were designed to allow the Philippines to break out of theboom and bust cycle of an economy dependent on global markets for agricultural commodities, and pursue consistent and sustainable growth anchored on a large domestic market and the resiliency of Filipino workers at home and abroad.

My successor flattered me by parroting what I said, but tried to frustrate me by distorting what I did. Instead of acknowledging his debt to his predecessor, he accused me of doing the opposite of what I had achieved, by describing my government as “…[one] that treats its people as an export commodity and a means to earn foreign exchange”. Then he promised to install what I had already established and which he appears bent on dismantling: “…a government that creates jobs at home, so that working abroad will be a choice rather than a necessity; and when its citizens do choose to become OFWs, their welfare and protection will still be the government’s priority.

Indeed, it’s so easy to claim achievements that have already been accomplished by others, and take credit for what is there when the one who did the work has gone. Just make sure she is forgotten, or, if remembered, vilified.

The President’s words were brave indeed- and yet his government has consistently failed to back them up: by failing to rescue our countrymen from China’s death row, or promptly evacuate them from national disaster in Japan, or comprehensively secure them from political unrest in Libya and elsewere in the Middle East. Now we are facing a new challenge of “ Saudiization”, as the government of our largest OFW market, Saudi Arabia, sets out to implement a massive program of replacing OFW’s with its own nationals, starting next year.

Will this government have the will and the skill to properly navigate such uncertain waters? Protecting our overseas workers will urgently require contingency planning and continuous backdoor diplomacy with their host governments, while creating alternative jobs at home for them will require- again- the kind of commitment to economic expansion that I cannot over- emphasize.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure strengthens our competitiveness and enables us to attract new levels of job- creating foreign direct investment. Infrastructure investments not only drives economic growth, but also creates a more efficient, competitive economy, by improving productivity and lowering the costs of doing business.

I am alarmed that the pace of infrastructure build-out has slowed dramatically under this Administration, with some projects even being cancelled outright for no good reason- such as the earlier noted flood control projects in Central Luzon- and our country being sued by investors. At a time when we should be wooing their money, we are inviting litigation from them instead. This kind of flip-flopping may help explain the tepid investor response to the Administration’s flagship public- private partnership (PPP) program, where only one project has been awarded after all of eighteen months.

I am heartened to hear the President announce recently his willingness to resume government infrastructure spending next year. However, one cannot help but notice the timing, so close to the upcoming 2013 election campaign.

Land productivity

In my first State of the Nation Address in 2001, I said that the first component of our national agenda should be an economic philosophy of free enterprise appropriate to the twenty- first century, while the second should be a modernized agricultural sector founded on social equity.

Within a couple of months after taking office in January 2001,I personally conducted cabinet meetings to implement the Agriculture and Fisheries modernization Act of 1995, which had never been implemented for luck of funds. After several discussions with selected department secretaries as well as heads of government banks, we uncovered budget items and available credit to channel more than P20 billion a year to provide fertilizers, irrigation and infrastructure, extension services, more loans, dryers and other post-harvest facilities. And seeds and other genetic materials to our farmers and fisherfolk. This was perhaps the biggest reason for the decline in poverty that was posted during my first few years in office.

The current Administration originally fixated on the single goal of achieving self- sufficiency in rice by 2013. I too wanted to achieve rice self- sufficiency, but I knew the odds were tough. Since the Spanish period we’ve been importing rice. While we may know how to grow rice well, topography doesn’t always cooperate. Nature did not gift us with a mighty Mekong River like Thailand and Vietnam, with their vast and naturally fertile river delta plains. Nature instead put our islands ahead of our neighbors in the path of typhoons from the Pacific. So historically we’ve had to import 10% of our rice, and so I took care to keep our goals for agriculture wide- ranging and diversified.

Recently the Administration seems to have retreated from the original objective of rice self –sufficiency by 2013. In its place, do they have an alternative vision in mind for our all-important agricultural sector?

The real challenge in this century in broader. The real task at hand is to make the finite land that we had planted to agriculture ever more productive, though agricultural modernization founded on social equity.

Higher productivity from farm lands is critical for our development. By making more food available at lower prices especially to our poor, we are effectively bringing down the required level of real wages in our country- already among the highest in the world, according to UP Professor many Esguerra- and helping to make our manufacturing industries globally competitive again.

As for social equity, being the daughter of the late President Diosdado Macapagal, the father of land reform in our country, I am gratified by the evaluation of one of my favorite Economics teachers, UP Professor Gonzalo Jurado: “The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, to the extent that it is a land distribution program, can now be described as having almost completely succeeded in attaining its goal. [CARP] should now be a developmental program aiming explicitly to raise farm productivity…so that the country as a whole will benefit from the tenurial rearrangement.

And of course it is the landowners who must set the example of compliance with the law in order to allow the rest of us to move forward- such as the Arroyos in my husband’s family, who voluntarily submitted long ago to land reform even without an order from the Supreme Court to do the right thing.

Our children

For Filipinos, family is everything and the future of our children is sacred. That is why I invested so much time and effort in rejuvenating our education system. I met with teachers and other educators to get a first- hand look at the improvements that we need to make. I listened to what theses fine public servants had to say, and in response to their advice, I increased the country’s total budget for education by nearly four times: from Ps 6.6 Billion in 2000 to Ps 24.3 illion in 2010 when I stepped down. Those funds went into the following critical areas of educational spending.

· We built 100,000 new classrooms, more than the three previous administrations combined.
· We supported one in every two private high school students- a total of 1.2 million students- with the GASTPE financial voucher program.
· In 2009 alone, we doubled TESDA’s budget.

For the long term, key recommendations were also submitted by the educational task force I created in 2007- comprising representatives from the major educational and private sector bodies under the leadership of former Ateneo president Fr. Bienvenido Nebres- In order to fashion a new educational roadmap with special attention to the needs of the youth and our growing knowledge- driven industries.

The task force report is the only document I personally handed to President aquino, wen we were together in the car being driven to his inauguration last year. Unfortunately that report seems to have landed in his circular file, making our schoolchildren yet another casualty of the ongoing vilification being waged against me.

I’m now saddened by news reports that the administration has been under- funding state colleges and universities without offering alternatives to the more than ten percent of our student population who attend these institutions.

I’m now saddened by news reports that the administration has been under-funding state colleges and universities without offering alternatives to the more than ten percent of our student population who attend these institutions.

Moreover, to my knowledge, any major educational, reforms implemented by this administration have been limited only to adding another two years to basic education. I do not know how sound this is, or how widely supported among education professionals.

The poor

I often said during my administration that we need to continue translating our economic and fiscal achievements into real benefits for the people. We must continue to invest in what I like to call the three “E’s” of the Economy, Environment and Education. These include such pro-poor programs as enhancing access to healthcare, food, housing and education, as well as job creation. They are central to lifting our nation up.

Over the past decade- fuelled by the windfall from our midterm fiscal reforms- I initiated or expanded a raft of social programs for the poor. We increased PhilHealth insurance coverage, set up nearly 16,000 Botika ng Barangay outlets to deliver affordable medicines to the poor, ordered the drug companies by law to reduce their prices, energized 98.9 percent of our barangays, provided water service to 70 percent of previously waterless municipalities, And of course, we also introduced “Four P’s”, the highly successful conditional cash transfer program aimed at encouraging positive behavior among the poor in exchange for cash assistance.

But perhaps more than our social services, what the poor benefited the most from was the low inflation and the low unemployment we made possible through effective management of the economy. Despite the global food and oil price spikes of 2008, domestic inflation slowly declined on my watch, bottoming out at 3.9 percent by the time I stepped down in June 2010. And unemployment, which had peaked at nearly 14 percent under President Estrada, was averaging only around 7.5 percent toward the end of my term in office.

The problems of the poor are serious indeed, and they deserve serious thinking and serious solutions- not empty slogans, not the bloating of the cash transfer program for patently political ends, and certainly not the inability of this administration to keep the price of rice affordable or create more jobs by continuing the growth agenda. The moment that agenda is compromised, it is the poor who will feel first and the hardest the dire consequences.

The environment

No nation can aspire to become modern without protecting its environment.

On my watch as President, the country’s forest cover increased from 5.39 million hectares in 2001 to 7.17 million hectares by 2009. And we registered 40 projects abroad to reduce greenhouse gases- the sixth largest number of such projects among all countries.

I also signed a large number of laws to codify environmental protection- including new legislation to promote Ecological Solid waste Management, Wildlife Resource Conservation and Protection, Clean Water, and Biofuels. And I tried to set the example for our countrymen by dedicating every Friday to environmental concerns.

I created the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change in 2007, which was later enhanced into the Climate Change Commission under the Climate Change Act of 2009. Under the law, the Chief Executive chairs this Commission, just one of only a few bodies headed by the highest official of the land. And yet President Aquino to date has not convened the Commission even once. The country can ill afford his lack of interest in this matter, now that climate change is causing calamities at the most unexpected times and places, such as the December typhoon floods in Cagayan De Oro and my home town of Iligan City.

Presidential drudgery

As my father the late President Diosdado Macapagal, used to say: “ The Presidency of the Philippines is a tough and killing job that demands a sense of sacrifice.” At the end of the day, it comes down to plain hard work A president must work harder than everyone else. And no matter what he thinks he was elected to do- even if that includes running after alleged offenders in the past- he must not neglect the bread and butter issues that preoccupy most of our people time: keeping prices down, creating more jobs, providing basic services, securing the peace, pursuing the high economic growth that is the only way to vault our country into the ranks of developed economies.

Good management begins with planning ahead, not pointing fingers and blaming others after the fact. It means spelling out your vision quickly and clearly so your team grasps their mission at once and immediately starts to execute it.

Unfortunately, planning and preparation seem to be absent from this administration, whether it’s for taking OFWs out of harm’s way on a short notice, or evacuating flood victims- or rescuing foreign tourist held hostage by a crazed gunman. By comparison to that incident against me that I had to put down by force. There is no secret behind this: it all boiled down to endless preparations against any crisis, implemented with hands-on leadership from the very top.

Once the plan is in place, the leader must proceed to hands on execution. There is no room for absenteeism, nor for coming to work late and leaving early. There is simply not enough that can be done if the Cabinet meets only four times in an entire year.

The last major task for good management is to exercise control without fear or favor. This was the principle I was following when I brought AFP controller General Garcia up on charges in 2005, and cancelled the NBI/ZTE deal in 2007.

These days- alas- there is absolutely no fear in the administration when they’re running after me or my allies. But there is definitely a lot of favor involved when they excuse- and even defend- their friends even from misdeeds committed in full view of the public.

This is not the kind of ethics that should be practiced by one who claims to have a genuine reform agenda. Neither will it attract capital from investors who desire regularity and a level playing field. Nor do our people deserve to be consigned to economic stagnation, government lethargy, and nobody- home leadership.

Neither the President nor anyone else can truly expect to govern the next five years with nothing but a sorry mix of vilification, periodically recycled promises of action followed by lethargy, backed up by few if any results, and presumptuously encouraging gossip about one’s love life in which no one can possibly be interested. Given the electoral mandate that he enjoyed in 2010- the same size as mine in 2004, as predicted by every survey organization at that time- our people deserve more, and better, from him.

Pics from the event:

Misconception in construction

2012-01-05T11:06:00.000+08:00

The first topic I have in mind for this first week of the year is about Misconception. A lot of people are making a lot of mistakes because of this. As the owner of Andrew Grace Homebuilders and as a project engineer, I came to face the disadvantages of cracks in the construction industry. So for me, to have a detailed understanding and knowledge about this, this is what I did for my Thesis under Masters in Management Major in Engineering Management.

Hairline crack is common to all concrete walls. This is due to the ratio and proportion of water content, type of cement used, change in temperature, thickness of the concrete mortar and movements of the earth. Concrete wall hairline crack is not a structural defect, nobody could stop the natural movement of the earth. Unless it is a see through crack where you could see the outside from the inside of the wall.

Another client misconception in building construction is the cause of the paint bubbles in the wall or ceiling. When I attended a seminar from Boysen Philippines, I’ve learned the correct process. The homeowners thought that bubbles are from the low quality of paints used. Actually, it is the result of improper procedure. The painter must know that there is a certain period for curing of the concrete in a plastered wall. Usually it would take 14 days before the concrete plastered wall to be neutralized with a chemical. After the application of the chemical, another 14 days must pass for the application of the first paint coating. The bubbles is the result of the water content of the mortar, if the concrete plastered still have a water content and painted already, the water will push the paint that could result to bubbles.

Misconception is an opinion, false idea, mistaken belief, wrong impression or delusion. When we say opinion, it’s personal view. It is ones own perception that could be resolved by communication, asking question or research. It is a wrong judgment because of the insufficient or incomplete knowledge.

As a contractor, I build residential house, renovate buildings, coordinated the paint colors, doing the interior designs, check the electrical and plumbing if they are in accordance with the set of building plans, purchase and deliver the materials needed in the project and everything that anyone could do in construction, even landscaping. Another common misconception of a client is that they thought all contractors are only for the licensed Civil Engineers.

In all parts of the world and in this business, everyone could be a contractor. A contractor is the one overseeing the whole project; they are hired to give service even with the help of different sub contractors to finish the project and usually the contractor is the project engineer or project manager.

From wikipedia, “A contractor must first assess the project-specific documents (referred to as tender documents). In the case of renovations, a site visit is required to get a better understanding of the project. The contractor will then calculate a price, also called an estimate. The contractor considers the cost of materials and equipment as well as the cost of labor to provide the owner with an approximate price for the project.
Contract documents include a budget, any general and special conditions, and blueprints and specifications prepared by a design professional such as an architect. In many instances the general contractor is the project engineer or project manager for construction projects.
A general contractor is responsible for providing all of the material, labor, equipment (engineering vehicles and tools) and services necessary for the construction of the project. The general contractor hires specialized subcontractors to perform all or portions of the construction work.
Responsibilities may include applying for building permits, securing the property, providing temporary utilities on site, managing personnel on site, providing site surveying and engineering, disposing of or recycling construction waste, monitoring schedules and cash flows, and maintaining accurate records.”- Wikipedia

FILIPINO CONSTRUCTORS’ CODE OF ETHICS

1. A constructor should be fair and honest in his business dealings, his practices and activities guided by principles of justice and equity.

2. A constructor should conduct himself with honor and dignity in his relations with his fellow constructors, fully aware that to speak maliciously of the work reputation or ability of a fellow constructor is highly unethical, and should cooperate with them for the protection and advancement of the construction industry

3. A constructor should carry his construction contracting on a high ethical level and deliver quality service and faithful performance of the undertaking to which owner-clients are entitled.

4. A constructor should not advertise his firm’s business in misleading terms and false representations, which is not only improper but also immoral.

5. A constructor should refrain from unfair competition, which is a disservice to the construction industry.

6. A constructor should be fair and just to his employees, considering their welfare with sympathy and understanding.

7. A constructor should not attempt to supplant a fellow constructor who is in the employ or to prevent a constructor from undertaking that which the owner has engaged him to do, as it is a practice inconsistent with the honor and dignity of the construction industry.

8. A constructor should hold himself dedicated to the proposition that the construction industry should be rid of participants whose reputation.

The day for giving

2011-12-29T17:23:00.000+08:00

I am so fortunate to belong to different groups of advocates. I am much aware now than a year ago, what a whirlwind and magical realization about human rights, reproductive health, justice system, poverty, life and family.

For this 2011, I would say the deepest and most challenging year from the rest of my life. I met a lot of interesting people from slams to politics. Everything is different and anywhere and everywhere I go, my point of view to so many things have been change.

For us humans, we thought we are invincible and untouchable. The natural calamity and human induced catastrophe only telling us that this life of ours is a temporary temple of the soul and that just like plants and animals will eventually die. Some of us do a lot of things without respect of others, majority of us actually because of the needs that our government cannot provide. We thought we can do a lot of things, which are against the law, but we tend to justify those acts because of family. What are you going to do if your child is asking for food and you don’t have even a single peso in your pocket? Who am I going to blame?

With a surprised calamity around the world, calamity for me is including war which is human induced and a surprise for me because my parents thought me more than hate but to love our countrymen and more beyond than this. Still, don’t do to others what you don’t want others to do unto you. For us prayers and love could solve everything.

Everyday is a calamity day in all parts of the country, check bayan ni Juan sa Calauan and our 17 barangays. In some deeper parts of each Barangays I would say there are poverty that is not popular or published in even a small tabloid in the area. For the first week of this coming new year, will remove all things in my closet, will put some things I don’t need in a box and will send it to those who are more in need of these things than me. This is also a one way also to clean my closet and helping others at the same time. Can you do that too?

My mother told me that she was not always wearing new shoes before when she was little but with perseverance, love from family and education, she achieve a lot way more than her peers. I admire er so much, her beauty, compassion and wisdom is helping me to do what is right all the time, truly mothers knows best.

Social media as a powerful tool for an awareness program gave us a lot of time to realize how fortunate we are attending parties, with food on the table and have gadgets to connect anywhere. A lot of us are using this change and progress of the technology to advocate human rights and to empower our government official to do what we think is right and morally good. Using this tool, we can influence, encourage and use our democratic rights to speak up. Not only in times of published calamity one must help but must do it everyday because everyday, a lot are suffering, no food on their table, clean water, medicine and education to fulfill ones dream, to survive.

Family is Family

2011-12-28T12:57:00.000+08:00

Nobody right now I know told me that his or her life is way better now than 5 years ago. Most of them love more to bring back the time. Must be the poverty or calamity we are experiencing right now not to mention the climate change.

My youngest sister dream is to travel and she is doing it now. She’s a Management major and with two years of Law under her belt. Fluency in French and now learning German and Italian are the languages she’s studying now. Her husband, a multi linguist author of a technical book and a Neurosurgeon in which even one word from his book I cannot understand is the culprit who gave her satisfaction for her dreams.

Everyone will be happy if only with love ones and as of this moment, she is living her dream, two beautiful sons and another son on the way with a loving husband beside her. Though I would say she is happy, still she goes home every holidays or every opportunity she could get. Family is where the heart is anyway and the foundation of all decisions. Judgment and advocacy all starts inside our home. I would blame my parents for this, for bringing and giving us so much love and understanding about life and on how to share the blessings to others.

2011 is different for all of us. All major happenings or events affects everyone, wherever you are, even you doesn’t want to care, at the back of your mind, you know even a little. We still care and if only we could go where the calamity affects more, if only we have the means, we will spend some time because deep inside of this human heart, we still care because we don’t want that to happen too to our family.

A realization too because of this 2011 holiday is that nobody is an island, we cannot live alone and if there will be a choice who we would like to be with, it’s always the family. We are attached with them, no matter what will be the differences because of the experiences and maybe some discussions happened, still Blood is thicker than water. It is easily for us to forgive and to bring back the time when we are still little, especially if the parents keeps on reminding you to love your sisters because they will always and only sisters one will have for the rest of this journey.

For every reunion with family, if one is courageous enough to forgive, if not for thy self but for the betterment of the majority, one will do what is right, to forgive. Family is still a family; we cannot change who we are and the relationship. We can change our friends or new acquaintances but the family remains the family no matter what. So for this season, let us all realize the beauty of life, those people who will not leave us till the end no matter what, our family.

Unity for this season 2011

2011-12-27T18:50:00.002+08:00

I would have to say that this Christmas 2011 is the most expensive holiday for me ever. Though I told myself that I will not spend more, but with people who I wanted to give those gifts, love ones of course, and though it’s not about the cost of the gift, the cost in the retail store went up to the maximum.

The rate of Peso to dollar is not the highest but would say not the lowest either. Balikbayans want to enjoy the holidays with their family in the Philippines and the malls are packed. I can’t imagine that with the highest rate of poverty in the Philippines, how do a common Juan and Maria could afford malling.

One of the posh mall I’ve been to is the SM Podium, would love to spend time there because of the fewer customers compare to their other department stores. Though the Restaurants and shops are more expensive, still compare to Alabang Town Center with the same restaurants and shops, the fewer the people, the more relaxing for me. I am already stressed with work and the heavy long queuing of traffic along the way, I don’t need a long line for paying the gifts too.

This time I realized that Christmas is about Family. Happiness is the most important wish that one could give to each and everyone together with peace, prosperity and good health. I miss some of my deceased relatives, I love them so much and regret those times I didn’t spent time with them but this is the reality and so the realization of showing love now must be done and would really need to work it out, it’s not easy especially if some opinions and decisions with them are opposing with yours. That is life anyway, without courage and forgiveness, it will be nothing and useless.

Kids gift request are more techie now than any other time. They are growing fast and I wonder how I became this old in just a glimpse. I still think that I am 22, oh well maybe because everyone is young at heart. Santa Clause took good care of the gifts mostly, thanking him for working hard for a year to afford those nice gifts.

I told to the kids to check their blessings, on how the typhoon destroyed all the assets and life of many people in Mindanao. They are growing fast and could understand now the value of work and a single peso. They know how important now is to help and the value of having a good family around. They are willing to donate their toys for them, they knew that those victims needed more. Life will never be the same again. I am blaming the culprit for this tragedy. The government who gave permits to illegal loggers and miners. The calamity is human induced more than a wrath from the nature.

For this Christmas 2011, I am hoping everything will be the past. The coming new year will give everyone joy, more love, realization to love the environment and a wish for worldwide peace. Everyone is related, what happened to Japan, with 15,000 people died because of the recent calamity affects also the Philippines and the other parts of the world. If only the majority will be heard, if only our voices will become the most powerful tool, it will become only with unity and this time, it is the biggest problem. Still wishing for this new year, harmony and understanding for each and everyone.

Public Disturbance and Police Empowerment

2011-12-06T12:25:00.000+08:00

December 4, 2011- Calauan, Laguna for more than 30 minutes of loud continuous banging of roof woke me up. The culprit was a male with more or less 5 feet in height, more or less 120 pounds in weight with mental disability and just a boy, might be 16 years of age to 18.

I saw him standing up in the building 20 meters far from my house and at instant I sent text messages to our dear Mayor and Vice Mayor. I don’t have the numbers of the Police station and the first thing in my mind is for the executives to know what’s happening.

There’s a Police Station just in front of the building where the noise is coming, more or less just 6 meters far from the place and I am thinking that nobody maybe was there because the boy was still continuing to pound the roof of different buildings just in front of my house. I reached for my car keys and went out to check the police and sad to say, there were more or less six of them and just standing up on the other side of the road and looking or maybe waiting for something or someone to stop?

I asked the officers what will be their plan, one of them told me that the gate where to go inside of the buildings is close and that they don’t have a ladder. The gate they were telling me belongs to my father. When I was in college, I could go up and jump alone in that gate without the help of other people and hearing the officer about this alibi is very disappointing. I told to one of the officer that I could jump to that gate and in 10 minutes together with the other officers, they asked the tenant of the other building where to go up. As disappointed as I am, while some of the bystanders are laughing about the situation, I feel so helpless.

From the internet, A public disturbance is a legal offense that involves a person or people engaging in behavior which causes an unreasonable nuisance to others. Public disturbance are typically classified as misdemeanors, and the specific offenses that qualify are usually governed by local laws. Often associated with excessive noise, they can also include some types of inappropriate language, physical behaviors, or the generation of offensive odors.

In this case, the boy is making some people afraid because he might go inside their house and do something with the big wood in his hand. The noise still keeps on going for several minutes and I am telling you, minutes are like hours when nobody is doing anything.

Mayor Felisa Berris arrived then soon after the Calauan Chief of Police. There were two officers on my father’s 3rd floor building now, looking for the boy. The boy went inside the building and started to break two-window glass, now it’s the property that needs to take care of not to mention the roof that in times of rains will obviously have holes now. For some people, a boy with a wood in his hand and pounding the roof is just nothing especially if that’s not their property but to me and for those people in the area, the situation is worst. What if the children are playing? What if it goes inside to our houses? Surely, we cannot let our doors open now.

The boy was capture. He is so thin and half naked with bruises. I don’t have any complaints to the boy if he has a mental disability and for the police, they captured the one who is making a noise and property disturbance though there might be no property loss if they are quick. My question is, what if I didn’t go out and asked the officers to do something?

From my interview last time with the former Calauan Police Chief, the ratio of an officer and Calaueno is 1:1700 which is way beyond the ideal ratio of 1:500 or one police officer per 500 people. The time the officers respond is unbearable to the people involved though they achieved their goal, to capture but only with broken properties involved now.

2011 Philippine Blog Awards

2011-12-06T10:27:00.001+08:00

December 3, 2011 at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium,RCBC Plaza, Makati City was held the 2011 Philippine Blog Awards. Attended by the Finalists and Guest, the event has a new theme which is “Bayanihan.”

The Philippine Blog Awards aims to recognize notable Filipino-owned blogs in their respective niches. With topics ranging from the arts, culture, technology and politics, Filipinos have become more abreast because of the fast growing blogging industry here and abroad. The Philippine Blog Awards is a venue to showcase notable blogs with quality content that engages readers from around the globe.

I am so surprised when I received an email that I am one of the National finalists for not only one but two categories, which is the “Bloggers Choice” award, and “Advocacy” category. I invited my mother to join me to the awards night, as a proud daughter, which I am, I believe that the foundation of advocacies is family. Family is where I got the wisdom and empowerment to help others. My advocacies are Human Rights, Environment, Good Governance, Reproductive Health and awareness program that is why I am blogging.

For me, through writing, I could empower, influence and encourage my friends and everyone else it could reach not only in the Philippines but also around the globe through the use of the internet.

When Janette Toral of Digital Filipino included me as one of the speakers of her Iblog 7 that was held at UP Diliman, I was ecstatic and overwhelmed. My blog title before is “empowered grace” but after that when I saw all the students and bloggers in the audience and heard the speakers who are successful in their own field, I changed the name of this blog to “Empowerment in just 1 single click.”

For me, this is the time to effectively use the power that is just in our fingertips. In just one single click, which is the “enter” in your keyboard, you could enrich, influence, encourage and empower everyone. You are empowering your readers, you are making them aware about the situation, you can encourage them to join you too in your advocacies.

Blog watch gave me a will also to write, Noemi Dado- Lardizabal is one inspiration. Her advocacies gives me a will also to continue together with the Blog Watch contributors which I am calling my online and offline family for their various advocacies from Human Rights to Good Governance while Mulat Pinoy gave me the first step when they asked me to become a contributing writer.

For me I will keep on blogging as my way of awareness program aside from the offline seminars and trainings I am doing for those who need my help. This is our time, keep on blogging.For me, that is what "Bayanihan" is all about.

Would like to thank the Philippine Blog Awards President Juned Sonido, Karla Redor and to all the organizers for the successful event. Till the next Philippine Blog Awards.

Kasambahay Bill

2011-12-06T09:47:00.000+08:00

The Department of Labor and Employment at Region 4A invited the Media from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon to introduced the Senate Bill number 1141 or known as “Batas Kasambahay.”

Attended by the DOLE Regional office Director Atty. Ricardo S. Martinez, Sr., Bureau of Local Employment Director Criselda R. Sy and DOLE Undersecretary for Labor Relations Hans Leo Cacdac, concurrent officer-in-charge of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) among others.

Under the proposed legislation which is introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, the rights and interests of household helper are enhanced and protected by ensuring just and equitable terms and conditions of their employment are embodied in their contract with their employers. This includes the following:

· the payment of at least the minimum wage, (2,500 NCR, 2000 outside NCR, 1000 3rd class municipality such as Calauan, Laguna). The current minimum wage right now nationwide is PhP 800.00 pesos.
· 13th month pay,
· Social Security System (SSS) and
· Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) coverage,
· maternity and paternity benefits.
Under this proposed law, employers are prohibited from sub-contracting the service of the household helper to any third party or household.

Likewise provided in this bill are the enumeration of the special rights and privileges of household helpers of minority age, as well as rights and privileges of self-employed, and part-time or day-to-day household helpers.

This proposed legislation is an affirmation of the value and dignity of every person and guarantee full respect for human rights.
One that struck my attention is the minimum age of Kasambahay which is 15 years old. Though the bill would give special protection for child domestic workers and some prohibitions on hazardous work, in my opinion, 15 years old is so young and their body built is not suitable for household work.

I asked USEC Cacdac if there will be “Amo” bill that gives protection to the Kasambahay employers because in Reality, there are many abuses also happening against the employers by the kasambahay. Because trustworthy Household helpers are hard to find these days, some kasambahay are the ones who demanded to send them transportation allowance in order for them to go to the employers place but usually they only made it as the stepping stone then in few days they will leave intentionally the employers from the province and go to the city.

The bill must give full protection to both domestic helper and the employer in order to see the fair treatment of the legislator to their constituents. The bill must be for all the Filipino people welfare.

Office of Civil Defence

2011-12-06T08:43:00.002+08:00

December 2, 2011- At the Philippine Information Agency at Calamba City, Laguna, the media and bloggers from CALABARZON welcomed AMOR ROSANA, CHIEF, PLANNING DIVISION- OCD4A, and FREDERICK BRAGAS CHIEF of the MIS Department OCD4A to discuss the role of the Office of Civil Defence in the country and the solution to Climate Change.

“The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has the primary task of coordinating
the activities and functions of various government agencies and
instrumentalities, private institutions and civic organizations for the
protection and preservation of life and property during disasters and
emergencies. It serves as the operating arm and secretariat of the national
disaster coordinating council and maintains the National Disaster
Management Operations Center.”

As naïve as I am for I thought the office role is to defend the people from Human induced calamities such as crimes and war rather than the natural disaster like typhoons, flood and environmental hazard.

From their website there is a law that stipulates that during times of war and emergencies, the OCD is the principal agency responsible for coordinating the activities and functions of various government agencies and instrumentalities at all levels, including private institutions and civic organizations devoted to public welfare. This is to ensure that the facilities and resources of the entire nation may be utilized to the maximum extent for the protection and preservation of people’s life and property.

I just hope that the office will be more visible and their role must be known to the Filipino People not just for Government officials.

Media at CALABARZON

2011-11-28T11:24:00.001+08:00

November 25, 2011 Batangas City and Governor Vilma Santos Recto welcomed all media personnel from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon at the Provincial auditorium of Batangas Province. The day is for the oath taking ceremony of the newly hailed officers and members of the press at the CALABARZON area.

Most of the attendees are from different publications and radio stations that are delivering news and information to the general public. This is also the time the group CAMPO or Confederation of Active Media Practitioner Organization second year anniversary was being celebrated with the new President Rubie Garcia from Cavite.

In this event, I am the only Blogger Columnist and this is because of Kliping Times where my blog “Empowered Grace” is being published every week with articles from Human Rights, Advocacy to Success.

From the Internet, “ Blogging, too, has become a pervasive form of media. A blog is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or interactive media such as images or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order, with most recent posts shown on top. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images and other graphics, and links to other blogs, web pages, and related media. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting) are part of a wider network of social media. Microblogging is another type of blogging which consists of blogs with very short posts.”

The new Vice President of CAMPO is Mr. Zen Trinidad, the publisher of Kliping Times and the last one who spoke at the event. Guests were ASEC Zaldy De Loyola, Marlon Purification of National Press Corp., Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste and Philippine Information Agency Calamba City Norie Sumilang among others who shows their support.

No to Mining! Yes to Life!

2011-11-22T11:41:00.002+08:00

I’ve been writing for years about Poverty in the Philippines, the situation is getting worst each day due to population increase. There are more beggars, more illegal settlers and more crimes parading non stop to our daily life. They said its survival of the fittest so the move and changes justifies all misconduct and wrongdoings but still we have many laws to follow for the security and sake of many lives, we don’t live alone and we cannot live alone. The question lies on the government on how they could help the country if the people are suffering and greed is the norm in the government office?

The Calamity such as Ondoy and Sendong right now is human induced calamity, I am blaming the illegal loggers. Don’t forget that in Mining, there will be removal of trees to get the minerals. More than 900 lives are lost because of the greed of the few. If one will check all the industries in the Philippines the area where the Mining industry is located right now is one of the poorest municipality, people doesn’t have a choice but to mine, so I am blaming the government official for not giving the people the alternative work.

Poor people became poorer and rich becomes richer. One injustice truth is working at the Mining industry. In the Philippines, we could define poor through the salary per month, which is below Nine Thousand Pesos while the rich will have 23 times bigger than that. There is a measurement of everything and the standard in which we live in depends on the amount of money one has on her bank account.

Mining might be one other way to survive only if the community doesn’t have anything to offer. People need to choose and government offices need to stop giving away business permits. The need for basic needs everyday and the will to survive are the only reason why we could work in a mining industry. Big facilities, big time foreign investors and the no benefit in the community, hazard to the environment and no future are the only we have if we will embrace this industry. Only the few and the investors will benefit to this industry while the majority few will suffer with the environmental hazard it will bring.

In the Philippines where we converted our Agricultural land to commercial spaces and shopping malls will have it’s toll 10 to 20 years from now. Before, we don’t drink bottled water and say, last 10 years ago. Why are we doing it now and not to mention, expensive? Because of pollution and toxic in our water system and yet people are still not aware or doesn’t care at all about the only environment we have.

In the Philippines where majority of the population are uneducated rely their source of life to farming or fishing. The Philippines is rich in minerals and that is why farming must be push not to convert the land to commercial purposes, it is our basic needs. It doesn’t mean that we will go back to hunting animals or we are turning our back out from progress but we are not the one producing chips for technology here that’s why we have work at Industrial or Science Park which are mostly located in Laguna and Batangas but we are just doing the assembly here. Companies like Fujitsu, Toshiba, Ionics and the like are manufacturer of finish products in the Philippines not producing the raw materials.

In Mining, we are removing the minerals. We are planting trees right now because the experts said that we cannot solve the Climate Change anymore but we could make the process slow by means of bringing back what we took from it. Mining and logging go together because you cannot mine without cutting the trees, so that makes the miners not doing their part to save the environment.

Our basic needs includes food and the major part of it came from farming and fishing. With Mining, its removing slowly our life, poisoning and putting toxic to the source of life and there will be no restoration for that or if there will be, it will take most of our life to bring back the beauty and richness of nature and our food supply, check law of supply and demand in this case.

A lot of heroes today or philanthropists who have will, power and means to provide the basic needs are not even government officials but has long term plans and methods on how to help the people in their own way. Those people are doing it for free and without asking for anything in return but to make a difference for the sake of her countrymen. One local hero is Gina Lopez who is the founder of “Save Palawan Movement.” She is gathering signatures to show the impact and power of the majority against Mining not only in Palawan but to other affected areas all around the nation. From her, we could do everything as long as we are united as one. No to Mining! Yes to Life! Is her rallying cry.

Injustice Reality

2011-11-17T17:22:00.003+08:00

From the past months- an interesting conclusion from the observation of the Justice System role in the Philippines caught almost everyone’s attention. From heinous crimes done by the poor people to the allegedly billions of stolen wealth case of the elite and powerful paraded to the eyes of the majority.

58 people died in a massacre from a far- flung area of Maguindanao and 730 days have pass with no concrete solution to the problem that the justice will be bestowed upon to the victims. The accused elite with their famous and popular lawyers is happier than the family that was left behind and starving to death.

The monopoly of a giant company is better to be called Ceasar of this time without any option for the poor consumer. Every month this Ceasar will just collect with the computation that a common Juan will never understand while the Higher court is assuming that every Juan knew and aware about the system.

So too think of really big time good looking crooks with their clean and ironed well suits freely roaming around and enjoying their precious lives, remember infamous professional thieves proudly displaying their stinking stolen wealth and throwing and displaying well with cameras their donations for poor people. Don’t forget some high-ranking politicians infamous for their big families and graft and corrupt practices yet still manage to command the adoration of the majority of the population—and you find systemic injustice reality in the country as their common playground.

With a good fortune and the precious blessings brought about by social injustice will never just be a common reality to every Juan. Came across with this statement from a high-ranking official that not all legal is right, does it means that not all illegal is wrong? Come to think of it, it is morally impossible to find anything really good or truly right when injustice is an element of the court. So honesty is not really honest, generosity might have a hidden agenda behind or in other words, people doesn’t have no satisfaction but greed.

A Hacienderos will have all his land while the tenants will die as tenants tens of his grandchildren till the agricultural land will be converted to a commercial leisure residential part in the South. What is the life of one leader if the cost is only 60,000 pesos, same as the cost of one luxury bag? Everything will be forgotten, as time goes by, life to everyone, to others will still go on and will just continue to mind their own business to survive in this harsh injustice reality that we are all in.

The justice department has been investigating a powerful elite for their role in suspected election rigging in 2004 and 2007. They were also facing corruption inquiries in connection with several government contracts and yet never from the entire months of request the accused attended or appeared a hearing in court, which is another reason to become rich and powerful.

Conclusion: In the event that the new yellow administration famous with so many slogans and swamped by so many invisible concrete decisions, propositions, solutions to poverty, suggestions is unconditionally committed to its battle cry of principled, objective and straight policies and upright governance, it stands to reason that with unity everything will be possible, its over-all national plan of action cannot but have as its cornerstone and priority mission, none other than a consistent, serious and operative Justice System all over the country. And the rest of what is basically good, right and fair for the Philippines and the Filipinos, simply follow as a matter of course.

From a respected leader “ Thus: Away with untouchables! Away with those above the law! Away with justice only for the poor, the ignorant, the little people. Justice for all or none at all!”

Pacquaio- Marquez Fight: Business as usual

2011-11-14T07:40:00.001+08:00

I am more a Chess fan than Boxing (I don’t like blood) but my time to appreciate it became recently only with Manny Pacquiao as the boxer who is still the Champion. People like to dream and Manny with his multi tasking skills as a singer, congressman, entrepreneur and print ad model and not to mention his evergrowing empire makes the Filipinos “proud” or “envious”.

I am a proud Filipino and proud about the talents of Pinoy but a lot of different reactions from yesterdays fight make me wonder about the truth..well for me, winner or not, it’s always business as usual.

My Favorite Random Twitter Comments from Pacquaio and Marquez Fight

Before the fight

danrafaelespn Dan Rafael
These guys are made for each

kookabar Mikey O. Tan
The #PacMarquez tweets are more exciting than the match itself.

DonManganar Don Manganar
Pacquiao must win. Or we are in danger of having him as a full-time congressman.

ANCALERTS ABS-CBN News Channel
RT @danrafaelespn Marquez is winning this fight thru 8. Manny looks confused.

After the fight

HBOboxing HBOboxing
"Another Collision, Another Controversey"

raissawriter Raissa Robles
I just hope Manny Pacquiao retires before his brain gets addled by too many head blows.

servantblessing Gabby Lopez
@
How Manny won? Pacquiao: 176/578 punches Marquez: 138/436 punches. Let the evidence speak.

HuffPostSports HuffPost Sports
#Pacquiao defeats #Marquez in controversial majority decision. A fourth fight? Or time for Mayweather?

chuckiedreyfus Chuckie Dreyfus
Pinoy pride and being a Pacquiao fan aside, JMM came in prepared and fought awesomely. Pacman won but JMM stole the show. Congrats, Manny.

WilsonLeeFlores Wilson Lee Flores
Congrats Manny Pacquiao,avoid politics & bad politicos,being Hero is greater than being President of the Philippines! Push reforms.

GelSantosRelos Gel Santos Relos
"@juLiusbabao After 12 rounds, judges 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112 to winner by majority decision and still champ, Manny Pacquiao”

tammygdavid Tammy David
RT @orangerose: The crowd is booing Manny Pacquiao. And it is very loud.

gmanews GMA News
Manny Pacquiao, after the fight: "It's very clear that I won the fight.

AndreasHale Andreas Hale
I wouldn't argue TOO much with a 114-114 score. But 116-112 for Pacquiao is insane.

In just 1 single click

2011-11-11T15:41:00.003+08:00

Reposting from my article for Blog Watch because it’s timely (Iblog7: In 1 single click= E power http://blogwatch.tv/) Seeing my friends as speakers for different outstanding events makes me wonder that if they could do it, if they could do an spectacular something, why it’s very hard for others. Poverty is one hindrance, but what if everyone could afford? As we have this journey, how can we manage to bite back when they are always telling us that reality bites?

(This is me discussing Blogging for Advocacy for Iblog7 At Malcolm Theatre, University of the Philippines, College of Law, Diliman, Quezon City)

In Blogging for advocacy, everything comes naturally. It is about yourself, your passion and your environment in which you focus all your forces together with some luck. Blogging is not for everyone. To be a good blogger, one must have the will, time and an open heart to accept the challenges. There are three things to consider; Empowerment, Encouragement and Enrichment.

In 1 single click, an individual, group of people or even a politician can be empowered. It’s about influencing a target market about the issue. With the use of the fingertips, it could even start a revolution. The power of that 1 single click just like an ‘enter” sign for the “go signal” to allow the missile to be released could cause a disaster or peace. Empowerment is having power, making everything or thinking that everything is within your reach. It gives somebody courage, confidence and will to continue.

In 1 single click for an advocate, everything needs to be done. An awareness program for the citizens to be concerned, a training or seminar for a group of people to become skilled or a forum for those who are misinformed to have the right information. From the events and experiences of an advocate, the time has come to write which is as easy as 1,2, 3 because of the facts, observation, interviews and curiosity. A blogger must be knowledgeable about the issue. The world is the market and audience. Encouragement will be easier with proofs and reputation thus facts must be the objective.

In 1 single click, there are many connections. With the same advocacy group like RHAN or The Reproductive Health Advocates Network, while blogging, one can enrich everyone, no impossible. Twitter, Facebook, Wordpress and Blogspot are just some common tools to show the advocacy, from there one might encourage, empower and enrich the whole country without knowing it.

Blog Watch Team

The power of the internet and your fingertips might be the biggest issue today because of the positive or negative strength of the world wide web. It’s like praying that you are thinking somebody out there will do the work. In just 1 single click, everything will never be the same again.
In blogging for advocacy, it must be non-profit. One must not consider it as the day job. Donations and supports are welcome to be able to sustain the goal and objective but not for thyself. In one single click, one can help by expressing through blogging.

Participants at Iblog7 with Janette Toral at University of the Philippines, Diliman, College of Law (check where I am*wink). (Thanking @enjayneer and Pusang Kalye for the pictures)

Crimes of the Elite

2011-11-07T11:52:00.004+08:00

Pilipinas na binubuo ng mahigit kumulang na 95 Milyong katao ay naghahanap pa rin ng isang Lider na makakapagpasunod sa karamihan, tuwid na daan ang kinakailangan at may kamay na bakal. Kadalasan ang mga nahahalal sa pinaka mataas na katungkulan ay mga kilala, batikan o may mga dugong pulitika ng nananalaytay sa kanilang ugat. Mga maykapangyarihan na sa kani kanilang bayang sinilangan at ginagalang sa kanilang komyunidad, nagtapos sa matataas na paaralan sa ibang bansa o kaya naman ay nagka posisyon dahil sa popularidad sa palakasan man o sa pinilakang tabing.

Napansin nyo naba ang pagkakaiba ng krimen sa ngayon na ang nasasangkot ay mahihirap at may kapangyarihan? Napagnilay nilayan na ba nating lahat ang pagkakaiba ng hustisya kung ang nasasakdal ay isang hamak na Juan o isang mayamang si Diego? Gaano man kagaling ang namumuno sa ating bayan, may prosesong pinagdaraanan ang paglilitis, ngunit ang kaibahan sa haba ng panahon, prosesong pinagdaraanan at sistema ng hustisya ay may malaking pagkakaiba ang mahirap at mayaman.

Sa kaso na may kapangyarihang opisyal na nadidiin ngayon sa “Plunder”, ilang beses na ba nating nasilayan ang kanyang presensya sa hukuman? Humarap na ba sila upang ipag tanggol ang sarili mula sa nag gigitingang mata ng taong bayan at nangitngitngit na mga mapagmasid? Sa ating natunghayan sa radyo man o telebisyon, mukha yatang nagkakaroon ng mga sakit sa katawan ang mga nasasakdal. Mula sa diksyonaryo, ang salitang “Plunder” ay katumbas ng “magnakaw”, “manloob” o “mang agaw”. Magnakaw ng hindi kanya, manloob sa iba, o mang agaw ng hindi sariling pag aari. Sa madaling salita ay kumamkam o kumuha ng hindi nya pagaari ngunit ito ay hindi kayang gawin ng iisang tao lamang lalong lalo na kung ang pinaguusapan ay kaban ng bayan. Napakaraming proseso ang pinagdaanan ng pagnanakaw, hindi lamang iisang araw ang ginugol ditto kung limpak limpak na salapi ang nakulimbat. Ang tanong mangyari ng mga pangkaraniwang mamamayan ay kailan may makikitang may kapangyarihang nakulong.

Kung ang nagkasala ay isang pangkaraniwang mamamayan, kulang sa pinag aralan at walang abogadong magtatanggol man lamang, hindi pwede na ang rason ay nagkasakit ng ilan ng buwan, hindi pwedeng humiling na mangibang bayan man lamang upang doon magpagamot at higit sa lahat mas mabilis pa sa ulupong ang proseso ng paglilitis. Napaguusapan ba sila? Gaano kahirap ang maging mahirap.

Sa mga mahihirap nating mamamayan, suspek ka pa lamang ay naka kulong kana. Natanggalan ng ilang araw, buwan o taon sa iyong buhay bago mapag alaman na wala ka palang kasalanan. Ang hustisya sa Pilipinas ay isang “iling” sa karamihan. May magagawa ba ang mahihirap upang ipagtanggol ang kanilang kinasasapitan? Sa tuwing eleksyon, ang ating mga inihahalal na may mga platapormang; Itaas ang pamumuhay ng nasasakupan, pagkakapantay pantay ng mga mamamayan, trabaho para sa lahat, pag iingat sa inang kalikasan, pag igtangin ang proyektong inprastraktura para sa bayan o matanggal ang krimen para sa tahimik na pamumuhay ay ilan lamang sa mga pinanghahawakan o rason kung bakit natin sila nahalal. May nakatupad naba?.

Unethical YOU : Anti Epal Bill

2011-11-04T10:37:00.001+08:00

Projects are defined as work involving a single or group of people to finish it that usually involves research, design or implementation. Projects can be further defined as temporary rather than permanent that are constituted by teams within or across organizations to accomplish particular tasks under time constraints.

From the dictionary, An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either his own or that of his superior and/or employer, public or legally private).

A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public administration or government, through either election, appointment, selection, or employment. A bureaucrat is a member of the bureaucracy. An elected official is a person who is an official by virtue of an election. Officials may also be appointed ex officio (by virtue of another office, often in a specified capacity, such as presiding, advisory, secretary). Some official positions may be inherited.

A person who currently holds an office is referred to as an incumbent. –wikipedia

Today, we could see different tarpaulins, posters or even names of an incumbent or previous government official written on the Infraastructure, public works or activities that are project of the government, local or national. Senator Miriam Santiago made it a point for the Filipino people to become aware that the money spent for this projects are from the taxpayers money not from the government officials with their pictures smiling attached to the project on going or done.

Anti Epal Bill or formerly titled “An Act Prohibiting Public Officers from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project” or Senate Bill number 1967 is directed to politicians who claim credit for government projects. “Epal” is slang to “mapapel” or best defined as people who are attention grabbers, crave a role that are not theirs or scene-stealers that are not appropriate.

In terms of those government officials specially the incumbents with lots of tarpaulins as big as 10 ft x 10 ft square meters with their pictures and claiming it is their projects on going, the Senator find this unethical that could lead to corruption and evil because the project is funded by the taxpayers money.

Here are some points from the bill.

S. No. 1967
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago

AN ACT PROHIBITING PUBLIC OFFICERS FROM CLAIMING CREDIT THROUGH SIGNAGE
ANNOUNCING A PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Signage of Public Works Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the State's policy for public officers to serve with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, and to maintain honesty and integrity in public service.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -For the purpose of this Act, the term:

A) "Government" means the national government, the local governments, the
government-owned and government-controlled corporations, and all other instrumentalities or agencies of the Republic of the Philippines and their branches;

(B) "Public officer" means elective and appointive officials and employees, permanent or temporary, whether in the classified or unclassified or exempt service receiving compensation,even nominal, from the government as defined in the preceding paragraph;

C) "Public works" includes, but is not limited to the following: streets, bridges,sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, public parks, sewage facilities, basketball courts, waiting sheds, and lampposts, which are funded, wholly or partly, though public funds released by the Government\ and (I?) "Signage" any form of writterl announcement, installed, posted, hanged, painted or otherwise displayed in a public place.

Finance: Time Value of Money

2011-10-31T16:14:00.003+08:00

When Jose received 200,000 pesos in full from a buyer of fruits. He was happy. Jose is the owner of an orchard and usually every year, he spent more than the amount of fruits he sold that varies from 30,000 pesos to 40,000 pesos. This is because of Climate Change, the change in temperature and weather determines the amount of fruits not to mention the calamities such as typhoon and earthquake, which is rampant in the Philippines.

Jose received 200,000 pesos for the fruits that will be harvested for each year within 5 years. This is his first time move and considering the cost of it today is different after 5 years. From the book Financial Management principles and applications, the amount of money today is worth more than a dollar received a year from now because for instance a peso today can be invested and earn interest. The economist calls an “opportunity cost” of passing up the earning potential of the peso today. The opportunity cost is the time value of money.

Compound Interest and future value is very important in realizing the significance of the value of peso today. Since Jose received 200,000 pesos today and that value on the other hand is not sure on the buyer who paid him in full because of Climate Change and the risk he took which could be favorable or not, the luck is with Jose and the opportunity cost if he will use it well will be resulting to an earnings. Say, Jose invested that money in full in a sure business, he could earn more, that is the opportunity we are talking about.

If that 200,000 pesos earns 10% every year, the compound interest will be 20,000 pesos and for the next year will be 22,000 pesos because we add the principal and the interest for the first year which became the principal on the second year or present value, and the interest we earned the first year, in effect we are now earning interest on interest, this is the concept of compound interest.

This is a discussion I have with my mother today, the “Time Value of Money” which is the money is more important today than in the future because of the “opportunity cost” and the value. This is to understand the best options if there are choices and decisions to make in terms of getting the money right now in full or wait for it every month. From this computation, I will stick to the full amount received today than a staggered payment that in five years, the risk is still there.

To make decisions, financial managers must compare the costs and benefits of alternatives that do not occur during the same period. Whether to make the profitable investments or to take advantage of favorable interest rates, financial decision-making requires an understanding of the time value of money. Managers who use the time value of money in all their financial calculations assure themselves of more logical decisions.

First Contest: Blogging for Advocacy

2011-10-27T10:57:00.000+08:00

For Advocacy, Political, Lifestyle and Empowered Blogger. My Blog is featured every week at the CALABARZON area newspaper “Kliping Times”. Topics are about Advocacy, Politics, Lifestyle and Empowerment. For this Christmas season, I am planning to feature 5 Blogs before the end of this year. For your opinion, news and advocacy to be heard and printed, I am opening slots and opportunities for you.

I will accept articles the whole month of November that will be published and printed every week up to the end of 2011. One article per person will be published but you could send up to 5 articles to choose from.

Planning to give also additional prize for the Blogger who will be chosen, ok, still thinking about what kind of prize, so stay tuned!

Send your articles to gracenicolas@yahoo.com

Thanks.

Again, but what is Filipino?

2011-10-24T17:32:00.002+08:00

In view with the recent attacks or crimes everywhere, I started to question again the mindset of our Filipino brothers and sisters. People are fighting because of misunderstanding. But in war, there are no winners but only casualties, children without parents or parents without children. Brothers are fighting with brothers or sisters are cursing one another. But why? Any reason for this? But what is Filipino?.

Filipinos are people from the Philippines. More than 92 Million Filipinos are living in the Philippines while 11 Million are living or working outside the country. Crimes are everywhere, whether Muslims killed Christians, Christians killed Muslims, Muslims to Muslims or Christians to Christians, It is not about Religion anymore, it’s about the character of a person and attitude towards morality, but what is morality? From the dictionary, Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good (or right) and bad (or wrong). A moral code is a system of morality (for example, according to a particular philosophy, religion, culture, etc.) and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code. The adjective moral is synonymous with "good" or "right." Immorality is the active opposition to morality (i.e. good or right), while amorality is variously defined as an unawareness of, indifference toward, or disbelief in any set of moral standards or principles.

But who and what is the basis of morality if people in one country have different points of view, set of standards or religion? What if the good to some religion are bad to some? Some even said that they are the only ones who will be saved in times of Armageddon. This is confusing, but our government is made of standards from diferent morality, the government is composed of different people with different moralities, they set the law and made it as the “Constitution”. In this case, everyone elected somebody who will lead us to what morality really means, here comes the President, the Senators and Congressmen. Let’s pretend that nobody disagree.

A great Filipino is one who has had the intellect and the courage to put more sense where the theologians and the politicians in cahoots together have put only nonsense making for our sick society. In the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines , only one rare Filipino had the courage and the intellect to stand up against great odds to be a great Filipino - Jose Rizal - a truth-seeker, a scientist, and a humanist. To keep the Filipino frightened of the truth, however, Rizal was publicly executed by those in church authority - the ecclesiastical liars gifted with a free will from divinity to promote in the Philippines social insanity.---Poch Suzara.

Thanks to Carlos Celdrans’ ceiling and mirror for this “But what is Filipino” and if you haven’t been to his 1930’s “The Living Room” apartment, you might never know what I am talking about here. Carlos is an artist, tour guide, Reproductive Health advocate and the one after Rizal and Ninoy and might face a 6 years inprisonment if found guilty of violating “Offending the religious feelings” and why Ninoy? " The Filipino is worth dying for" but then killed by fellow Filipinos? well some said it was CIA's, hearsay or not, I believe that using intellect, there must be love too. Rizal, Ninoy and Carlos for the country, not for their own benefits but for others. Ridiculed by fellow Filipinos or Pinoys for making a difference, to stand alone as long as for the righteousness and for the majority.

To ridicule is easy especially if the topic is religion, but what is religion? Sometimes, one forget that they are not attacking the religion but the individual alone. As I will repeat over and over again. It's not about religion, race or gender. It’s about the character of the individual, its who you are, Atheist or Theist, both have flaws, both have points but united as one we could reach the highest impossible goal. You think it would be much better if both are fighting for a common cause? Which is for the betterment of the next generation. Stop typing and start acting, stop the fighting and start to do something because in this lifetime, theres gonna be no UTOPIA.

Nurtured by Nature: A Dream

2011-10-24T08:50:00.003+08:00

When I had the beach house project at Batangas under Landco, my kids enjoyed the natural wonder of Calatagan and the virgin nature at it’s best. The Clubhouse at Ciudad De Calamba under Filinvest made them to enjoy the beauty of themed architectural designs. With the new developments at the South, with three big companies competing to make Santa Rosa City a nice place to live in, Nuvali under Ayala Land, Eton properties under Lucio Tan Group of Companies and Pramana Residential Park under Campos Greenfield Corporation are doing an Eco friendly subdivisions and developments at it’s maximum speed.

New Asian Tropical Designs are the showcase in these projects. Man Made Lake is located at the “Salk Late City” developments under Eton and is strategically located just after their own Eton Exit at the South Luzon Express way (SLEX) with cut of lot area from 70 square meters.

The architectural designs are from our top Filipino talents and could be seen the love for environment. Residential with patch of plants, roof with real grass and big windows to see the nature outside. Unlike any other subdivisions, these three developments have the same theme for the exterior of the house which is Asian Modern designs. Lot prices starting from 10,000 pesos, one could have their dream home build in this first class community.

The development in this city is just the proof of progress. Santa Rosa is a first class city in Laguna under Mayor Arlene Arcillias- Nazareno and the only city with these kinds of developments in Laguna. More than 3000 hectares of land has been transferred from agricultural to commercial and residential lots, proof that many people are employed for the developments.

Manufacturing Companies are located here too such as Coca Cola Bottlers Philippines, Toyota Motors Philippines and Asia Brewery among the others. Other notable developers are here too such as Manny Villar’s Crown Asia and Santa Rosa Estates. Xavier School, Miriam College and University of santo Tomas (UST) is on it’s way to give good quality education to the residents.

My kids enjoyed a lot the beauty of nature, they do fishing at Eton’s Salt Lake City’s man made lake, boating and Coi feeding at Nuvali and the trail at Pramana. It’s a dream come true for those who would like to escape the pollution from the city. The quiet place where the nature and progress collides is in these places. This is a dream that most active and busy people wants to live in.

Isdaan sa Calauan : Helping the Community

2011-10-20T20:33:00.008+08:00

First in Laguna and located at Barangay Hanggan, Calauan is the newly opened “Isdaan” Floating Resto- Fun Park. A sister company of Barrio Fiesta and owned by the Ongpauco’s. Gigantic statues of Monkeys, Crocodiles, Fishes and Mermaids are all around with singing cooks and waiters serenading you.

Affordable prices of Filipino cuisine and nice ambiance are the catch if one will drop by here. Everything is new. Lot’s of attraction in this 3 hectares place at “Isdaan” like a boat ride for only 20 pesos. The “Tacsiapo” is where one could release his anger with the minimum purchase of 25 pesos, you could remove your anger by throwing the plate to the wall.

The floating Nipa huts are everywhere catering from 10 people to 30 each. For more like an outdoor dine in, there’s that biggest Monkey and lot’s of Coi area for you. I love the lights at night.

The area is like a themed park with heroes such as Incredible hulk, Spiderman, the former President Cory Aquino and Erap?

with Mayor George Berris of Calauan, Laguna

Why the kids would love it? Because of these toys located at all the right places.

Overall, we went here because of the birthday of my Twins, yes! The food is great specially this Inihaw sa Bilao for only 500 pesos plus with assorted sea foods. I love the pitcher of Fresh Buco Juice, In Calauan though we have many from our farm, it is much easier to buy it than to ask someone to get from the tree.

Main point is the employees. The newly opened restaurant gives work to the population of 70,000. Brgy. Hanggan main means of living is gardening, one from the 17 Barangays of this 3rd class municipality. The business gives work and could help the community to be known in the whole Philippines as the biggest Floating Restaurant in Laguna. Tara!

Isdaan sa Calauan (Floating Themed Park)
Address: Brgy. bangyas, Calauan, Laguna
Direction: From Manila, SLEX exit to Calamba. Go straight to Los Banos. from Los Banos there's a crossing for Calauan town proper,Sta Cruz and Bay, Laguna. Go straight to Sta Cruz way instead, then on the right side will be the Isdaan just 1 Km away from the crossing. Barangay Bangyas is the first Barangay at Calauan, Laguna that way.

Some more pics:

More pictures: Day Tour

Occupy Wall Street: Filipinos, What number do you represent?

2011-10-17T07:11:00.004+08:00

Looks like the Filipinos are not talking about it. Not much in my timeline. But what is this Occupy Wall Street really means? From the groups website Occupy Wall Street is a people powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. #OWS is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations.The movement is inspired by popular uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Spain, Greece, Italy and the UK, and aims to expose how the richest 1% of people who are writing the rules of the global economy are imposing an agenda of neoliberalism and economic inequality that is foreclosing our future. Occupy Wall Street is leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants.

In the Philippines which is comprised of more than 90 Million in population and majority are poor with a lot of causes why. Here are some reasons:
According to the Asian Development Bank some reasons might be the Low Investor coming to the Philippines and Pork Barrel
On the expenditure side, the continued use of “pork barrel” spending
programs at all levels of government cripples the government’s ability to function
effectively, by putting a significant portion of these already limited resources
out of reach of those who are attempting to formulate serious plans for allocating
spending according to the right criteria.

The investment level in the Philippines has been low and falling since
the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s (see Table 29). Increasing investment
levels hinges on an attractive investment climate, something the Philippines
has not achieved. As a result, the country suffers from limited capital formation,
limited productivity improvements and limited competitiveness of firms. The
Government has a central role to play in shaping the investment climate,
which essentially comprises the macroeconomic fundamentals, infrastructure,
and governance and institutions (such as the legal and regulatory framework).

All of these combine to influence the costs and returns of doing business.
The highly educated, English-speaking workforce of the Philippines is
considered one of the most technically proficient in Asia, but the country
faces increasing pressure from heightened global competition for market
and capital. Without improvements in the investment climate, the country will continue to lose out. – ( http://www.adb.org/documents/books/poverty-in-the-philippines/chap6.pdf)

So how would a simple “Juan and Maria” could comprehend the inequality of distribution of wealth in the Philippines? Is it through the availability of basic needs for one family such as food, clothing, shelter, clean water, medicines and education? Scientist had this concept of inequality, which they are thinking is distinct from that of poverty and fairness. From the dictionary, “Income inequality metrics or income distribution metrics are used by social scientists to measure the distribution of income, and beconomic inequality among the participants in a particular economy, such as that of a specific country or of the world in general. While different theories may try to explain how income inequality comes about, income inequality metrics simply provide a system of measurement used to determine the dispersion of incomes.”

I checked last time that poor in the Philippines has a ph 9,000.00 ($200.00) in salary monthly and rich would have ph 200,000.00 ($4,650.00. The gap is so big and with the growing population plus not to mention the corruption and economic downfall, what will happen to the rest of us?. With the new administration, will and strategy to combat this problem is necessary and a must. We are not asking for rallies but if that will be the solution, why not. We are the 99%. If the government couldn’t help us, who will?.

Banks are raising their interest for loans and even the governments bank sometimes even wanted the Filipinos to be in squatter. What is their mission and vision? Some big companies are into monopoly, they could rise the cost of the services and the Filipinos doesn’t have any choice but to work hard or else will be in dark at an instant. What happened to “Bayanihan?” Does our morals lost because of profit?.

Justice for Given Grace

2011-10-14T17:48:00.001+08:00

October 14, 2011, Los Banos, Laguna- A name says it all for me like beauty queens Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup or Gwendolyn Ruais has all pretty and unusual names fit for a queen. Leaders like Benigno Aquino, Ferdinand Marcos or Gregorio Honasan has all brave, masculine and courageous names. When my mother and I talked one time about names, I told her it might be destiny. There’s always a story behind every name and who would think that someone name Venus which is a feminine name, pronounce as Vee-nas and has a history Means "love, sexual desire" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of love, equal to the Greek goddess Aphrodite. This is also the name of the second planet from the sun will become a beauty queen?

When I first heard that a 19 years old, University of the Philippines, Los Banos, Computer Science student has been raped and murdered inside the campus(rape and murder are like usual cases nowadays everywhere and I am everyday disappointed with the justice system) I was more surprised with her full name which is Given Grace Cebanico. She had a very beautiful name, Given Grace is a powerful one, A grace from above or a blessing. So why it happened?

The two suspects right now are in Police custody, they are PSBank security guard Lester Ivan Lopes Rivera and a trike driver Percieval De Guzman. A witness told the police that she saw Given Grace has been abducted along Diamond street in Umali Subdivision which is just meters away from the campus.
Given Grace body was found in a canal at IPB in Barangay Putho, Tuntungin, Los banos which is also a part of the campus.

Saw her Facebook account, her profile picture hugging a big bear, innocent and young. Her life wasted because of those two selfish, greedy and no conscience men. Even though those two suspects were in custody, I don’t think Justice will be easy and will be just like that. The community must be safe for everyone, the other suspect was a security guard, does he was supposed to be a hero? Los Banos is like my second community, I even stayed up to 2 am studying at one of their Coffee shop.

The students and administrators at UPLB are all asking for Justice for Given Grace. At this moment, a lot of media men and a vigil hailed this afternoon just after the main gate. For me justice will be given if the crime like that will not happen again, security in the area will be tight at all times, mind set of the people about sex will be different and respect for women must be increase.

150 Women Leaders nagpunta sa Senado para sa RH Bill.

2011-10-14T08:41:00.001+08:00

Photo from Senator Pia Cayetano Official Website

Dalawa sa pinagpipitagang Senadora ng sambayanang Filipino ang tumanggap sa 150 na kababaihang liders mula sa ibat ibang sulok ng Pilipinas. Sina Senadora Miriam Defensor Santiago at Senadora Pia Cayetano ay malugod na nakipag dayalogo mula sa pagoorganisa ng Reproductive Health Advocates Network (RHAN) at Likhaan ang mga kababaihan na nagmula pa sa malalyong lugar upang maipakita ang pagkakaisa sa pagsusulong ng RH Bill. Pinag usapan ang mga suhestyon at kung paano makukumbinse ang iba pang senador na di pa nakakapag bigay ng kani kanilang opinion sa agresibo at isyu tungkol sa Reproductive Health na isinusulong na maisabatas.

Suhestyon ni Senadora Santiago na mag email o sumulat sa mga Senador upang masabi kung ano ang nasa loobin ng mga kababaihang sumusuporta sa isinusulong na maisabatas. Kung maikwekwento rin ang mga pangyayari sa kani kanilang buhay na maipapakita ang pangagailangan ng RH Bill ay mas maganda upang malaman at maintindihang lubusan ng mga Senador na di sumasangayon ang kanilang kalagayan lalong lalo na para kina Senador Vicente Sotto at Senador Juan Ponce Enrile na tumutuligsa sa RH Bill.

Kilala si Senadora Santiago sa mga nakaktuwa ngunit totoong ma reaksyon at salitang binibitiwan. Ibahagi ko sa inyo ang mga binitiwang salita ni Senadora Santiago na sa tingin ko ay patungkol sa mga Pari at Senador na mga Anti RH Bill.:

1. “Not true that we are in favor of abortion.”
2. “ Not true na ang pills ay pang abort.”
3. “RH Bill is not only about education but empowering women.”
4. “ Ginawa ng Diyos ang Babae mula sa kanyang buto at hinipan, Ang Lalaki ay galling sa Putik kaya mas magaling talaga ang Babae.”
5. “Kung di makuha sa santong dasalan. Sapukin mo na.”
6. “Di nila maisip ang koneksyon ng kahirapan sa RH Bill.”
7. “ Di naman sinasabi na mag sex ng mag sex sa Bibliya pag kinasal, bakit ibang tao ang naguutos.”
8. “ Basta ako alam ko may karanasan sa pagtatalik, ang mga Pari wala.”
9. “ Walang block vote ang katoliko, so bakit sila matatakot sa katoliko?.”

Sa kasalukuyan ay hold ang session para sa RH Bill at magsisimula muli sa Nobyembre ngunit umaasa ang mga tagasuporta na maisasabatas na ito bago matapos ang taon lalong lalo na at naisama ito sa LEDAC ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino at ipinapakita nya ang kanyang suporta.

Marine Life and Reproductive Health

2011-10-13T10:49:00.001+08:00

October 11, 2011, A Press Conference was held at Sulo Riviera Hotel for the immediate voting and passage of the Reproductive Health Bill with the theme “ Sampung Taon na, pagbotohan na!.” And was organized by the Philippine Legislators Commission and Population Development Incorporated (PLCPD). Speakers are from different field and staunch supporters of the bill but speech from the environmental sector strikes me most. As we all know, the more the population, the more supplies of food that we need which is never or seldom mentioned for every RH debate.

Dr. Enrique Hernandez of Path Foundation Philippines complete speech are as follow: "The Philippines is recognized as the center of marine diversity and it’s coastal and marine resources are an important economic resource and food source, especially of protein. Yet, less tan 4 percent of the Philippine Coral reefs are in excellent condition and fisheries resources are overexploited. One reason for the decline in fisheries and degradation of coastal habitats is increased pressure on the resources for income, food and habitat. Sixty-two percent of Filipinos reside in coastal areas where population density is much higher than the national average in which already surpasses the average growth rate for the world as a whole. To keep pace with the current rate of population growth, it was estimated in 2002 hat fish stock must increase by 30 percent by 2010, a tall order given the overstressed state of the Philippine marine- coastal ecosystems. Human population density and growth drive unsustainable patterns of marine resource extraction that in turn undermine the biological diversity and productivity of coastal ecosystems and habitats.

From 2001 to 2007, PFPI conducted a study using a population-environment approach to address both rapid population growth and marine resource decline in an integrated manner. A quasi- experimental design was used to test the hypothesis that there will be a significant improvement in both coastal resource management (CRM) and Reproductive Health (RH) outcomes by delivering integrated services as compared to delivering either independently. The interventions were tested in three island municipalities of Palawan: CRM in Cuyo, RH in Busuanga, and the integrated CRM+RH in Culion. Pre- project and post- project biophysical and community household surveys were conducted.

Results indicate that the integrated CRM+RH intervention generated higher impacts on human ecosystem health outcomes compared to the independent CRM and RH interventions. The improvements in the conditions of the coastal resources are the effects of protective management by the peoples’ organizations who collaborated in the study. The same organizations managed RH activities that enabled contraceptive access and a significant decrease in the average number of children born to women in the study area. Other trends show a significant reduction in income-poverty among young adults. Given that poor individuals and households are more vulnerable to the impacts of Climate Change, the income- poverty outcome provides added value also in terms of the community’s ability to cope with future environment and climate change.

While RH interventions are likely to play only a limited role in the rehabilitation of Philippine marine resources, nevertheless it will be difficult to sustain CRM gains without simultaneous efforts to address population factors and related gender inequity issues, particularly the high rate of unintended pregnancy among women and teens and their lack of access to contraceptives services. This is particularly true in biodiversity rich coastal areas, such as those bordering marine protected areas, where communities lack access to RH services and unmet need for family planning is high due to either geographic remoteness or political and social opposition or some combination of both factors. By demonstrating the improved outcomes that result from delivering RH services integrated with marine conservation interventions, this study argues that integrating the population dimension into natural resource management agendas enhances and ultimately improves conservation objectives, while also addressing a root cause of resource degradation and poverty. The evidence also implies that to ensure long- term sustainability of conservation gains and prevent over- use of natural resources, family planning services are necessary."

For the Managers: When business becomes personal

2011-10-10T10:01:00.004+08:00

For 20 years in construction business, waking up early was a practice my father trained us to do and yes, even as a mother now, that is what I am teaching to my three daughters, this is to do and accomplish early all the works and to do some more if time permits. Discipline is a must for every individual that is beneficial in so many ways which is also one of the ingredients of success.

Dealing with different kinds of suppliers, talking with different attitudes of customers and managing a lot of people for one organization are just a common situation in every common business set up. Routine as it may be but to the owners or entrepreneurs who owns the business, a few did something different that only not made them satisfied for the result of the end product or services but can also make them fall at the same time. How it happened?

Traditional treatment or set up is only applicable for start up business, say with 5 employees, sale up to 100 thousand pesos a day and catering up to 3 to 4 communities. In this Traditional set up, the manager/owner is usually the one directly talking or contacting the consumers, the manager usually treat the customers as his long time friend, giving them freebies for expecting a long term relationship, sometimes one can give the product if it is about retail for a “break-even” price or “no-profit” at all which is against already of the law of business which is usually sum up to the basic price plus the profit.

Usually this Traditional set up is own by a single proprietorship where the manager is the owner itself. This is very effective approach but not applicable at all times especially if the organization or company is growing. In this case, a lot of business approach can be use and business is business policy must be implemented. It does not mean that the Traditional approach must be abolish completely but subtle. Business is business is an Idiom which according to the dictionary is something that you say which means the purpose of business is to make a profit, and that other things, such as personal feelings, must not be allowed to prevent this Business is business, and if your friend can't produce the work on time, I'll have to find someone else.

Let us start with the proposal to the client if the manger is offering a service like in a construction business where the service and the finish product are the one that must be in quality, standard and using a good engineering practice. In giving proposal, everything must be within the cost. It must be transparent from the start. All documents must be presented like Bill of materials, scope of work and contract. As the manager, one must know exactly the budget of the client, both must be honest or if not, everything will be under the “black and white” process.

In the beginning of the transaction until the end of the construction, both must have a harmonious relationship, forget about the smile and favor, at the end it will not count. The deal will be all about the legal documents so stick with it. In business even the manager have a passion to do it even without profit which is wrong but is still happening especially in a construction business due to the fluctuation of prices and natural delays, the end result from the contract will still be the final judge, not the favors of the manager just to help the client to have their dream home which is like even installing granite slabs to it’s countertop even what supposed to be is ceramics tiles. This a ‘no-no” to all managers, even one is very generous in giving it whether one bought it or an excess materials from the previous project.

In business, it is survival of the fittest, or in other words a company must have an operating capital, skilled manpower and overwhelming clients. From a successful entrepreneur in order to become successful, one must have 25% integrity, 25% hard work and the 50% will be luck which can be translated as 25% passion, 25% skilled manpower and lot’s of connections.

The complete example is when dealing with a bank. Banks will accept your funds or deposits with open arms, that’s what they do and practice. The bank will be the manager and you as the client. The manager will give you all the perks like a free gadget if you will avail this checking with a minimum cash deposits, always with a smile, you even made the manager the godfather for your daughter but once your check bounces, there is no favor from the manager but to closed the bank account. Business and process of the bank and only means that business is business.

In finance, the best partner of the firm is the loan agency. They could give the manager a big capital but only with a collateral and for a certain time. In retail such as selling gadgets or hardware materials, the time given for the managers from the suppliers are usually 30 to 120 days depending on the evaluation of the suppliers. This is in order for the manager to sell off all supplies within this time before its due date and because also of the quantity of the materials like bolts, nuts, paints, lumber, screws and the like are delivered in bulk. The loan agency could make the operating capital in full as long as the company is progressive but once the sales is declining which is also equivalent to bounced checks and not paying on time, the years of partnership will become a day of bailing out.

It is good if the manager has a will and passion to what he is doing like putting quality, extended services and extra effort to make the clients satisfied with the product or services but it is important also to remember that business is business specially to the clients who are there in front of you not to have a chit chat about clothes or fashion or even your advocacy but to get what is under the contract and the end product with satisfaction. Extending efforts that will kill the company like giving out materials or scope of work that is not included in the contract must be stop. The manager is in the loosing end every time he is giving out something from his own pocket.

No client will think that the manager is doing a charity work. Clients are always thinking that what you did is the amount they paid you. As an entrepreneur for more than a decade, it is better to stick with the contract and scope of work. Always be objective and rational to all decision making, communication is the key, forget text messages but instead a meet up or direct phone calls, this is to have a better understanding. In business, the formula must be strictly follow, based price plus profit.

In business there must be profit to survive and to continually grow the organization. This is doing what is right based on the computation of the cost, right for the organization and due for the client. Don’t forget that only few could appreciate the amount of time and the amount of passion the manager put in the project but many and most will only think that it is just part of the cost. For those without passion, to them it is just pure business.

For a builder, total quality management is a must, with careful budgeting, skilled manpower and financial formula are in place, and the company is growing. Clients are not asking for anything but only the expected result to be met. External forces might delay some actions but in communication, nothing is impossible.

In all kinds of business, there’s always disputes even between your suppliers friend and you, might be between the prices, quality or time of delivery but it is just part of business. No business in history can have everything or much politically correct to say, one cannot please everyone. Customers and Managers have their own mindset, as honest as one could give; some external forces who are playing god and expert are the culprits. To have a smooth transaction, just communicate, spread all the comments and meet in between, it might be business but to the manager and to the customer, everything is personal no matter what, it will be your dream home, better to have a good relationship with the builder, in the first place, that’s the person you will never forget for the rest of your life, no matter what.

Awareness Projects

2011-10-07T16:28:00.003+08:00

Good day!

.

My name is Grace Bondad- Nicolas. I have 4 projects right now for all communities in need and of course this is with the help of my fellow NGOs. Mine is for you to become aware about these opportunities.

1. I have a 4.5 hectares of land worth php 36M. Initially I am planning to give 1M for donations to all NGOs who could give me a successful client, all you just need to do is refer. My Dad told me to add 2M instead so it became php3M.

2. My group of environmentalist is looking for villages to grant more or less php500k. This is for communities that don't have access of water. We will survey the area and check for the free installation of pipings, tank etc for the community. Everything will be free together with the trainings about RA9003 or solid waste management, water management etc. We already have 13 communities, we still need 87 more.

3. Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) has 32 hectares of land in Calauan, Laguna. Only 6 hectares is productive. I talked with the head and told me that they will allow us to use the remaining 26 hectares. For more infor about this read here http://empoweredgrace.blogspot.com/2011/10/teacher-neric-acosta-teacher-and.html (Secretary Acosta article). We hate idle lands, a lot of farmers, fishermans are in need. Filipinos are in need.

4. "Looban" at Brgy. Silangan, Calauan, laguna is in need of two Solar Lamps. Looking for sponsors. For more info: http://empoweredgrace.blogspot.com/2011/09/light-for-looban.html

My group is compose of NGOs, environmentalist, politicians, bloggers, out of school youth and leaders who just want to help. We are here to do what is right. One of my advocacy is awareness, I dont want that I am the only one who knows opportunities like these.

We do free seminars, trainings and forums about environment, health, call center work, paintings, livelihood programs, feeding programs or all things that could help the Filipino people.

For any more questions: text, call or even tweet (@nobodybutgrace)me.

Thanks and have a nice day ahead.

Secretary Neric Acosta: Teacher and Environmentalist

2011-10-06T07:09:00.002+08:00

Hon. Juan Romeo Nereus Olaivar Acosta, popularly known as Teacher Neric Acosta, is the new General Manager of Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA). The former three-term congressman from Bukidnon was appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III as Presidential Adviser for Environment and as member of the board of LLDA last September 19, 2011.

Because of the involvement and being the author of some environmental laws, like Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749), Clean Water Act of 2004 (RA 9275), Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA 9003) and Biodiversity Protection Act, LLDA with their new General manager is looking forward for a better and overwhelming leadership to govern the biggest lake in the whole Asia.

October 5, 2011 at Barangay Bangyas, Calauan, Laguna LLDA facility, a lot of staunch environmentalist, NGO’s and Local Public officials came together to show their support and their programs with a PowerPoint presentations and discussed also some problems they encountered and on how they could implement some existing laws to their respective Barangays . Speakers and participants includes Dr. Robert Ranola (Vice Chancellor from University of the Philippines Los Banos), Bert Guevarra (Chairman of Earth Day Network Philippines), Lenn Berroya (Mother Earth Philippines), June Yasol (City Alternative Energy Consultant), Grace Bondad- Nicolas (Founder of Do It Right advocacy), Dr. Metodio Palaypay and Luz Sabas (Zero Waste Recycling Movement of the Philippines, Inc), Annie Guererro (Center for Culinary Arts Manila), Dr. Nina Galang (Green Convergence), Ofelia Panganiban (Zero Waste Philippines), Dr. Bam Razafindrabe (RHIN), Mayor Feliza Berris (Calauan, Laguna), Philippine Information Agency 4A (PIA) and Local government officials among others.

LLDA Calauan has 32 Hectares of land and only 6 hectares of it is productive. The remaining idle lot is open for those interested to cultivate it and which only needs a letter of intent address to the new General Manager for evaluation.

As an environmentalist, Secretary Acosta has many to offer and perfect to govern because of his background, he graduated college from the University of the Philippines, his master’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later on pursued doctorate at the University of Hawaii. He also attended special programs on Environmental Economics at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and he later became the first Filipino World Fellow at Yale University.

He shares the E’s to make the program successful for LLDA and communities surrounding the Laguna Lake such as Empowerment, Example, Enforcement and Engineering.

For years, he has worked with the academe as professor in various prominent universities in the country such as the Asian Institute of Management, and as environment advocate in non-government organizations. He went on to become a member of congress in 1998 where he pushed legislation for greater environment protection in the Philippines.

“Loving the Lake requires Demanding Action” he said to his speech; he also mentioned one of the battle cries of the Aquino administration: “Tuwid na Daan sa Berdeng Paraan” but to that event at Calauan his phrase that he wanted everyone to remember are “ Tuwid na daan, sa luntiang paraan.” Secretary Acista said also that this event is just the “Kick off” and that with his remaining tenure as the General Manager of LLDA, he will do his best to make the phrase happen. With an impressive academic background and remarkable experience in governance, Secretary Neric Acosta is perfect to govern over the country’s largest lake.

Additonal pictures:

To see is to believe: DPWH meme

2011-10-04T14:53:00.001+08:00

To see is to believe and well for me still what you see is what you get, only if you don’t know how to use the Photoshop. Most of you have probably heard or shocked about the DPWH photoshop incident already. I myself until now still don’t know how to use it actually but obviously, it is a fad to those officials who are just making us looks stupid or thinking that people nowadays can be duped. For those who haven’t heard about it yet or doesn’t concern you at all, let me quickly summarize. DPWH apparently posted an edited photo on their Facebook page showing several DPWH officials inspecting at the Roxas avenue after the typhoon Pedring.

Unfortunately for DPWH, people or the netizen right now are using also Photoshop or could I say, have an “eye” for such thing. The post became viral and even my friends do their own DPWHere meme. People are making their own versions of the DPWH execs imposed on different locations and yes I have the top ten I barrow from the internet, well I still don’t know how to photoshop ok. Only in the Philippines? No! before there’s some officials from China who did this too and now, here we go. Now, it’s not to see is to believe but well, Honesty is the best policy. This is Social Media and in 1 single click, you are a success or doomed.

This is the original and look clearly because honestly hard for me. Enjoy!

A lot of questions in my mind on who or what is the intention where the government officials could easily just go there for inspection. From them or not, the question is, d we still believe from what the eyes could see? Ok enjoy and go on!

Disiplina at Pamumuno

2011-10-03T08:16:00.003+08:00

Ilang dekada na ba ang nakakaraan ngunit paulit ulit pa rin nating nararanasan ang salot ng pagbaha na alam naman nating lahat kung saan nagmula tulad ng:

1. Pagtatapon ng basura sa ilog, kanal, lansangan at estero.
2. Pagpuputol ng puno ng kagubatan
3. Pagpapatag ng mga bundok upang gawing mga subdivisions

Ilan lamang sa mga halimbawa kung bakit nagkakaroon ng baha sa ating kapaligiran na nagdudulot sa karamihan ng isang kalamidad. Oo nga at di natin maiiwasan ang mga bagyong nadating sa ating kapuluan ngunit napagisip isip na ba natin na sa pagdaan ng mga araw ay bakit nag mamalma pa ang mga pagtaas ng tubig sa ilog at pag apaw nito papuntang kalye o lugar na ating tinitirhan.

Napakadali naming intindihin at gawin ngunit bakit pinag kikibit balikat lamang natin ang disiplina na atin dapat na ginagawa. Karamihan ba o mayorya ay hindi nakakaalam ng batas na isinusulong sa tamang pagtatapon at paglilinis ng basura na tinagurian nating Republic Act 9003 o Waste Management System? Ito ba ay naipamahagi na ng Lokal nating pamahalaan upang lubos malaman ng komyunidad?

Sa ibang bansa, ang lahat ng “wirings” ng mga utilities tulad ng ginagamit natin na mga kable ay nakabaon sa lupa. Mga utilities tulad ng sa kuryente, telepono at kung ano ano pa kahit nga ang gas na ginagamit sa mga lutuan ay nakabaon o “centralized” na rin sa lupa. Hindi tayo mawawalan o mapuputulan ng kuryente kung magiging ganito ang ating sistema sa Pilipinas. Alam kong mahal at mabusising gawain ngunit ang bilyon bilyon nating nagagastos kada taon sa delubyo at pagkukumpuni ay nagkakapatong patong lamang, sinosolusyunan natin ang salot na dinulot ng ating kapabayaan, ano kaka kung ating remedyuhan na agad upang sa pagdating ng kalamidad ay maiwasan ang pagbubuwis ng buhay.

Mayorya sa Pilipinas ang hindi nakapagtapos kahit sa high school kung kaya’t di natin maikukubli ang kahirapan. Tumaraas kada taon, dumarami ang ipinapanganak, ang nagugutom at ang mga naghihirap sa pamayanan. Ano ang solusyoin na dapat nating mailatag para sa ating pamahalaan? Sa pagdami ng populasyon ay pagtaas rin ng basura dahil sa “consumption”, “Law of supply and Demand” ika nga, mas marami ang nangangailangan ngunit ang trabaho ay hindi sapat. Marami ang nakakatapos ng kolehiyo ngunit kokonti ang papasukang trabaho o mga”investor” sa ating komyunidad, ano ang mga kadahilanan? Sa Pilipinas na napakaganda ng klima, marami pang tatayuan ng pabrika at mura ang pasahod sa manggagawa, ano ang dahilan sa hindi pagdami ng mga gusting mamuhunan sa ating bansa, bakit parang nagaalisan pa yata.

Kung susuriin nating mabuti, mayaman ang Pilipinas. Sa likas na yaman at sa taong makakapagbigay ng kaunlaran sa ating bansa. Magiliw ang mga bata sa pagkanta ng Lupang Hinirang, may damdaming Filipino. Kanilang pinagaaralan ang tamang pagmamahal sa bayan, bata pa lamang ay hinuhubog na ng eskwelahanan. Nasaan na ang ating mga mambabatas at mga opisyal ng pamahalaan, nalimutan na ba nila ang kanilang sinumpaan? Kantahin nating muli ang ating pambansang awit upang maalala nila ang pinaglaban ng ating mga bayani.

Hyrocephalus Foundation Inc. : Heart to help

2011-10-01T08:12:00.000+08:00

When I saw a post from a friend who works with the Hydrocephalus Foundation Incorporated, I suddenly recall that kid I saw a year ago. Guilt in my side though I don’t have any means before and doesn’t have anyone to ask anything about his sickness, I told myself that this is the time that I could help. I told to my friend that I saw a kid with this kind of condition. He was sleeping then like an angel but with this bigger head than any other kids.

From the Internet: “Hydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid inside the skull, leading to brain swelling. Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain."
Hydrocephalus is due to a problem with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. The fluid brings nutrients to the brain, takes away waste from the brain, and acts as a cushion.

CSF normally moves through areas of the brain called ventricles, then around the outside of the brain and the spinal cord. It is then reabsorbed into the bloodstream. Buildup of CSF can occur in the brain if its flow or absorption is blocked or if too much CSF is produced.
This buildup of fluid puts pressure on the brain, pushing the brain up against the skull and damaging or destroying brain tissues.
Hydrocephalus may start while the baby is growing in the womb. It is commonly present with myelomeningocele, a birth defect involving incomplete closure of the spinal column. Genetic defects and certain infections that occur during pregnancy may also cause hydrocephalus.
In young children, hydrocephalus may also be associated with the following conditions:
· Infections that affect the central nervous system (such as meningitis or encephalitis), especially in infants
· Bleeding in the brain during or soon after delivery (especially in premature babies)
· Injury before, during, or after childbirth, including subarachnoid hemorrhage
· Tumors of the central nervous system, including the brain or spinal cord
· Injury or trauma
-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002538/

It was September this year, 2011 when I got this invitation for a Tagaytay retreat, it was from Sister Jet of the Good Shepherd Sisters through my friend Wenchie Flores- Sabban. I asked my mother to come with me, a frustrated nun and she is choosing between a religious retreat or my aunt’s casino galore. She said she likes to pray and be with me, I love it when my mother joined me to my advocacy. It was 10 am in the morning and I know we are late, were supposed to be there at 8:30 am but my friends van wasn’t there yet, oh I am the first one apparently who arrived.

It was a joy meeting with five other members of the foundation. Two of them are with a Hydro kid and he other two lost their kids already because of this sickness. Sister Jet told us to see the scenery first, were at Tagaytay mountain, fresh air, colorful and pretty flowers, colder than Laguna and we could see from our place the famous Taal volcano. After that we took some pictures then sister Jet asked us to have a meal she prepared at the canteen.

After that delicious meal we headed to the prayer room, Sister Jet together with Sister Camilla and another novice started with a prayer and a song. She first shared some experience oh so wonderful experienced she had back at Madagascar, on how she thought it was her last day and telling us how filthy waste water in some parts in Africa where she spent some of her time. Then came the sharing part. She asked us why we are there and everything we thought lead us to where we are now. Somebody raised her hand and told her if she could start the sharing and that was me.

I told them that because of that one kid I saw a year ago in my place in Calauan, Laguna and because of the opportunity that the foundation could give to him, I think the reason why I am there, nothing stop me and it was Saturday, the busiest of all my days because of client meetings and project inspections. I even have my mother with me, I told everyone that even though we all have problems and I for one have a problem of my own, compare to the feelings and sorrow of a mother with hydro kids, m problem became nothing. I cried, I felt so lucky having three healthy daughters, I can relate because I am a mother too and will do everything for my children, even giving them my own life. I saw some mothers are crying too. Well that’s me.

I will not forget Michelle, when we were still at the canteen having our meals I asked her the age of her kid and she said more than one year old and very thankful about the foundation, the operation cost is free and feel more luckier than others. That was when we were at the canteen. Now it’s her time to share, the spotlight all to her, she said that she lost her kid already. We were all surprised. She still can’t accept that her kid is gone, she was crying even asking God why, why not to those parents who are not good in taking care of their kids, why not to those kids in he streets? Why not to those kids who are living in the esteros? Why with her kid, their first born and only child.

Everyone shared experiences. Another one told us that she did not expected that a retreat like this. She thought it’s more like a picnic. Her story I think is one of the difficult part for the decision she and her husband made. They adopted a healthy child who eventually got this kind of sickness. The question if they will return this baby or not was a painful part but because of love, they keep the baby.

That was last week, today September 29, 2011, My assistant and I went to this place at Baranggay Dayap known as “Kulong”, This Baranggay is the most populated among the 17 Barangays because of the “Bayan ni Juan sa Calauan, Binay Compound and Habitat for Humanity. From 2007 the population in Calauan went up from 54,000 to more or less 70,000.

I went to Kulong last year and I met this kid name Ronnie Bartolome, she is 5 years old now with four siblings. He doesn’t have a father anymore and his mother is working as “tagapag gapas ng palay” meaning, “kung walang aanihin, walang trabaho.

Her mom told me that his last check up was when he was still one year old, after that they didn’t go back to PGH, the doctor said last time that baby Ronie needs to have the operation but her mother knowing it will have a 50/50 chance and a big risk so she just settle for not doing anything to her kid without the help of the doctors even it is for free because of the big risk of surviving the operation.

The neighbors and the grandmother of baby Ronie are convincing the mother even for a general check up with me, I even told them, even healthy babies are having check ups, baby Ronnie need it most because of her condition. Kulong where they live will be reach by foot only from the Barangay road and is 3 kilometers long, there is no road there actually but you will find yourself walking “sa pilapil” at the rice fields. It was called KULONG cos they said “if bumagyo, para kang na kulong na at di makakalabas dahil baha ang buong palayan.”

Kulong doesn’t have any electricity and water supplied by a water company. It is composed of more or less 50 families. That is also one thing they ask for all local official, light to guide their way and for the children. My assistant and friend Robie said that it’s like you are living outside Calauan when you are at Kulong, like a different community, near but different. I wonder if the provincial government knows anything about this place, even something about our little Ronnie. The people there said that nobody dares to come back there after election and nobody from the provincial government campaigned there though they are legal residents already. I saw a lot of kids, they even showed me some documents from DSWD that they are indigents. For me no need for documents, I could see and feel that they are part of the majority. They wanted t be heard, they want baby Ronnie to play alongside other kids, he is a happy boy, I am just waiting for his mothers call or text, for her next health check up after four year.

Robie is here and told me that there’s another one, a girl with a hydrocephalus from “LOOBAN”, another place from Calauan under Barangay Silangan this time, our main town proper, I wonder if the Local government heard about her, all I know is we know now, we will go there next, it doesn’t cost to help, we just need to start and try.

Remembering Ondoy because of Pedring : May nabago na ba?

2011-09-27T14:18:00.000+08:00

I am from school, enjoying every minute even raining, well, meaning I could wear my new jacket. Even though the wind blows that hard, everyone in school didn’t think that it will be a wrath from the act of being no discipline at all, waste management is a must nowadays and a lot are still unaware about the disadvantage it will bring to us. “Tapon dito, tapon doon, as if the road is their own trash can.”

Joy was my client, she lives at Springhomes, Bucal, Calamba City and instead to go home, I am waiting for her, well maybe, to inspect also the house I am doing then for her which was just adjacent to the house she was living in that time. Ok she said were going after her meeting with this guy who was asking or inquiring about some course subject at Graduate School.

Because Pedring right now is giving us again this kind of wrath but mostly in different parts of this nation not in my place now, I remember again and would like to repost this article of mine from “Mulat Pinoy”. Until now, I still don’t know if our goernment is ready for another ondoy. With different executives now in the house, may nabago ba?h Enjoy reading.

In our effort to encourage discussion in all walks of society, Mulat Pinoy has been requesting messages, articles and commentary on popdev matters from various personalities.

Our contributors are a varied sort: some from NGOs, others from a more corporate background; some are well-known across the board while others lead quieter lives. Regardless of who they are and where they come from, they have something to say about our population, and we should all listen.

The following message is from Engr. Grace Nicolas, who is trying to increase awareness about popdev in her hometown of Calauan, Laguna:

It was 1 o’clock in the afternoon, and the refrigerator floating alongside my car was travelling much faster than me. I was stranded in Barangay Bucal, Calamba City. The flood was rushing around every car, and none of the cars were moving. It was September 26, 2009 and the word on the radio was “ONDOY.”

I was in the driver’s seat, and with me were three friends from Los Baños. We had just come from school. The water was brown. We thought the flood was caused by the new subdivision that was under development, soon to be home for those who can afford to live in the hills. The developers had removed all trees to make roads. I suddenly blamed the government for the approval they gave to progress they thought could help the community, a sprawling subdivision in a new city.

I finally made it home at 10 o’clock that night. Without the flood, my lovely Calauan would only have been one hour away. I kept on thinking about the causes: climate change, ignorant and careless human beings, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Laguna Lake Development Authority, subdivision developers, contractors and builders like me.

I became an environmentalist two years ago. My environmental technology professor—whom I consider my mentor—asked me why I wanted a master’s degree. I had my own company, so I didn’t really need a degree just to get a higher position at work. I told him that I didn’t plan for this. It just happened that I felt I needed to grow more as a person. I believed that continuing education is a must, whether it’s as formal as going to school or something as simple as reading a newspaper.

I heard on the radio that said the water levels in Laguna de Bay were exceptional. The last time this happened was a decade or two ago. I remembered that the decomposition of plastics, styrofoam and glass bottles take anywhere from 18 to 1 million years. I tried to illustrate this with a glass of water: if I add a small piece of plastic every minute, the water will overflow, and the decomposition of that plastic will take 18 years. So imagine that on a much larger scale in the bay, which is flanked by the capital city of Sta. Cruz and places like Bae, Los Baños, Calauan, Pila and Victoria.
I found myself asking my friends, classmates, and online contacts for donations. These were donations not for Calauan where I lived, but for the victims in bay area. The schools were used as relocation sites, the places where the victims once lived now empty and eerie. I went around with my secretary, going towards the Laguna de Bay. There were boats in a place that only tricycles and jeeps used to frequent. I saw a kid at a sari-sari store, clutching an umbrella, knee-deep in water. I took pictures of everything, and I was so confused. Why was this is happening? Was it the wrath of God? Or a man-made mistake?

I asked my professor to excuse me in the middle of our class, and I asked my classmates to help me distribute the goods that I had collected. The donations were placed in paper bags, because I didn’t want to add to all the plastic in the water. The donations were meant for barangays in the bay area, where it took the water three long months to subside. A few of my classmates came with me. They removed their shoes and folded their pants up, and we distributed the relief goods. They were students just like me, taking up a Master’s degree in Management, majoring in Engineering Management. I was so overwhelmed.

(September 26, 2009 pictures I took)

The experience taught me a lot about awareness. Most people don’t know the consequences of throwing a small piece of candy wrapper just anywhere. They don’t know that cigarette filters take 18 years to decompose. I started attending advocacy programs, DENR conferences, anything that would make me more knowledgeable, anything that I could share with my small community. Maybe, one step at a time, I can make a difference.
I started organizing seminars about climate change and the ozone layer. I wanted to develop a current events and awareness program. I started distributing walis tingting as a way to help the livelihood program of a local women’s cooperative. I am learning so much that I am often surprised.
My employees wonder why I am doing this. People like me have problems too, so why add more problems which are not really mine to solve? I just really want to help in my little way. Hopefully, one step at a time, I can make a difference.

(Donations I gathered from my friends for Bay, Laguna)

(My classmates and I from the Graduate School for Bay, Laguna.)

(Bay and Calamba Laguna after Ondoy)

Light for Looban

2011-09-26T07:40:00.004+08:00

Calauan, Laguna according to the 2007 survey has 54,000 in population. This is when “Bayan ni Juan sa Calauan”, Binay Compound and settlers or relocates from Manila are yet been transferred. Today, more than 70,000 are living in this 3rd class municipality that is headed by our Lady Mayor Feliza Berris. Booming of population is better to some grounds but only if the investors are coming in.

Crime rate went up and unemployment from the national survey for the Philippines is 7% right now, though I am still doubtful about the accuracy. Poor became poorer while the minority few became richer. Still in this place, a lot of people doesn’t have their own land, we have KASAKA at Brgy. Balayhangin and Lamot 2, also from these 17 Barangays, many are illegal settlers but have the right to vote already which made them legal residents.

“Looban” or from the English term “inside” is a place in Calauan, Laguna. It is located in the heart of Barangay Silangan, the town proper of Calauan. More than 50 families are living in this place illegally for more than 50 years which is own by the Catholic Church. The residents don’t have anything but this shelter where they are living almost all their life.

“Do it right” advocacy wants to help them by giving even at least two pieces of Solar Lamp Post to light their way, they are living there illegally but surely a legal residents of the community already. We are knocking once again to your good hearts, at any cost, if together, it will be enough.

At night and if one is not familiar with the place, you will surely have an accident with the slippery and concrete stairs going down to “Looban”, there is no othe way than that. Even some Calaueno doesn’t have any idea that a place like this exist, been there just last year and yet I am just living in the neighboring barangay. Whenever there’s typhoon, imagine them inside with a 3 x 3 square meters home. Some parents living here even have 8 kids without a permanent work that could protect all of them and these are all because of poverty and lack of education.

Blogapalooza: They came, we blog, we conquer.

2011-09-20T14:19:00.001+08:00

September 17, 2011 Almost 150 most influential blogger from all around the Philippines attended the first Blogapalooza event. Organized by “WheninManila” or most famously known as the Deejay Vince Golangco of 94.7 Mellow FM. Bloggers and Entrepreneurs all gathered at Fullybooked, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. Sponsors came with their products for the attendees and the loot bags after the event was overwhelming from foods, products to gift certificates.

Right now with 1 single click, most will be empowered, influenced and could encouraged the followers or supporters from the most advance influencer today, the social media. Bloggers are the one who are shaping the digital world with overwhelming energy to spread what gets their attention. Online shopping or online purchases of products are not new nowadays especially abroad but in this developing country we are living in, people are still asking about the safeties and accuracy of what we see in the cyberspace especially those that we are buying whether with the use of credit cards or payment through bank deposits.

Thanks to the first ever Blogapalooza where the 150 most influential bloggers has been chosen for their objective and influence level they are sharing in their website or blogsite. These are the people who can make you choose what they like because of the credentials and reputation they have online. A perfect combination with the sponsors of the event, the business sectors.

The event which was actually dubbed as the B2B or Business to Bloggers networking meet ups is for both sides to understand the following:

1. Product quality
2. Awareness
3. Uniqueness
4. Client satisfaction
5. Impact to the consumer
6. Cost difference
7. Effectiveness and efficiency
8. Impact to the environment
9. Impact to the community
10. Advantages

Sponsors/Presenters during the event:

Avira Antivirus
Aquabest
Beyond Beauty
Blue water day Spa
Budoir Dolls
Creative Voices
Lay Bare Waxing Salon
360 Degrees
Easy- Phamax
FART (Fashion Art)
Focus Ventures
Golden ABC (penshoppe, Regatta, memo, Forme)
Healthy First
Human Nature
HTC
Jap-Ok
Kamera World
Leslie Corporation
Matabungkay Beach Resort
Gallileo Enrichment learning Program
Sofitel Hotel
Sparkle Spa
Shopinas.com
TreeHugger
Lazer Extreme
Freestyle Ballers and Watch
Oryspa
Phiten
Polecats Manila
Size Matters Burgers
Tripologie
Unilever

Bloggers came not because of the giveaways but to share their passions and understand those with the same passions as they have, Bloggers came to meet the friends they have online in flesh and they came to check the businesses they think will help the community through social media. Businesses came to connect and meet the new influencers, right now because of passion. Bloggers could advertise their products/services without giving out big quid unlike in print/ tv or radio. Majority came to understand each other and to experience the first business to blogger (B2B) networking event for the first time.

As an advocacy blogger who tackles everything about life, community, environment, human rights, people, progress and change, some businesses or products took me by surprised. As an Environmentalist, TreeHugger got my attention, the presenter show to us a recycled body cover of the pen from corn husk. Magnificent indeed, a waste but still can be use and could help the environment. They also asked the attendees to write their own wish for the environment that will be posted at the Treehuggers website and yes mine is to spread the word about the Reproductive Act 9003 or known as the waste Management Act of the Philippines for people to become aware about the significance of recycling.. How cool! They did their part, how about you?

Because we also value life and good physical and mental health, Aquabest, Easy- Phamax, Healthy First juices and Lipton Tea are my choice to sustain our healthy body. They also gave samples for the bloggers to try. Yummy and healthy into one.

For physical wellness too, I like what the Polecats are offering, a different kind of exercise for me is dancing and having fun at the same time. They even did their great routine for the bloggers to see, how it feels like and how to arrive with the body like theirs. Healthy, Enjoy and must try with a lower cost for each session.

My blog watch family who are a group of independent minded advocate bloggers and social media users who are actively participating in all kinds of events attended Blogapalooza too, we write, we blog, we are conquering the social media and a finalist too at the Globe Tatt Awards which from that company are the best in social media. Blogwatch writers attended everything from travel, convention, rally, food congress to technology related affairs. We are composed of people in different fields like a housewife, entrepreneur, radio deejay, travel magazine editor, cyber wellness speaker, project engineers, club emcee, professional photographers, TV producer and even the best voice actor and food expert. Truly the event was amazing to see old and new acquaintances.

For our own Filipino made website for online shoppers, I am now aware about Shopinas.com, the CEO Sheila Lina is still young, maybe at her early 20’s but with high spirit and determined for her business to be known not only in the Philippines but worldwide with the use of FedEx and Air21. Shopinas.com even allotted a page/template in their website for the new products/business/services who are interested to join in their new but obviously growing company. Don’t forget that Shopinas.com also guarantee the security for the clients and checked the partner businesses about legalities. Truly amazing Pinoy and may I say, an empowered woman.

Because we would like to help the community in our own way, I appreciate Farmer John Premium Potato Chips and the Chicharone which are distributed by Leslie’s Corporation. Because they are the maker of my favorite “Clover chips” and truly a Filipino invention, I highly recommend to have these Pinoy products than to buy an imported one with the same taste, just like the movie Ratatoille, the food is an experience that you will never forget and will bring you back in time when you are still young. Don’t imagine that, taste it.

For our own Filipino Talent, Here comes Creative Voices with no other than Pocholo Gonzales, the voice behind so many productions. Giving you a quick review and yes from Wikipedia, see how talented he is: Pocholo THE VOICEMASTER Gonzales is a veteran in the art of Filipino voice acting. His voice was already used in a thousand characters in anime, hundreds of local commercials in radio and television, and various children's programs, films, foreign telenovelas, drama, and other TV shows.
Apart from being a voice director of Hero (TV Channel), a voice artist and coach, he is also busy with organizing events and voice acting workshops. Known as the Father of Philippine Podcasting, he is also voice talent producer. He also owns a talent agency known as(Creativoices Productions). At his age, Gonzales was already able to establish a standout career. He was also a board member of Advertising Suppliers Association of the Philippines and Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc.
Creative Voice is a company helping talented kids and individuals to achieved their dream using their voice. Creative Voices even gave everyone a gift check worth php 3,500.00 pesos for a session one will never forget. One never know, you will be the next voice master.

So far, that’s the review and the outstanding products and services that got my attention. We came and now we are blogging as objective as we are based on our actual experiences. Blogapalooza is a success with 150 bloggers and 50 businesses into one Fully booked place at The posh Fort Bonifacio area t Taguig, a history already and yep! Bloggers and entrepreneurs will never forget it and looking forward already for the next amazing 2nd Blogapalooza. Now we are ready to conquer the world..in just 1 single click.

Malabo ang liwanag ng buhay

2011-09-19T12:59:00.002+08:00

Sa hirap maghanap ng trabaho sa ngayon at sa hirap na nararanasan ng mayorya nating mga kababayan, hindi maisasaisang tabi ang pangangailanagang dapat na mabayaran katulad ng pagkaing dapat nasa hapag kainan upang manatiling busog ang mga anak, damit na kahit luma na iay pilit na isinusuot kahit na sa isang magarbong dadaluhan na ang mga kaklase ay may naggagandahan at bagong kasuotang naipararangya at tahanan na ating silungan at magpoprotekta sa mga anak upang makaiwas sa ulan, magkaroon ng panatag na pagtulog at kahit na hindi legal na pag aari ang lupang kinatitirikan ay nangangailangan pa rin ng liwanag upang sa gabi at sa pagaaral sa pang publikong paaralan ay matustusan ang tuloy tuloy na pagbasa sa librong makakatulong sa magandang kinabukasan.

Liwanag ay pangangailanagan na sa ngayon o bbukambibig ng karaniwan na ilaw na may kapalit na kabayaran. Ilang kilalang nag susuplay sa buong kapuluan tulad ng Meralco o Batelec ay isang pangalang halos lahat ng tao sa Pilipinas ay nasasambit. Hindi mawawala sa ating isipan kung araw na ng bayaran. Kailangan ng magtabi ng kaukulang pera upang dumaloy ang liwanag sa gabi o dilim na hindi mapigilan.

Sa hirap ng pamumuhay sa ngayon, halos lahat nadaing sa taas ng mga pinagbabayaran. Si Eloisa ay isa sa isang Filipina na dama ang hapdi ng kahirapan. Limang taon ang nakalipas ng siya ay nangailangan ng isang Transpormer upang magamit sa nasasakupan, nagkahalaga ito ng 119,000 pesos na ibabalik din daw or “refundable” na tinatawag sa ating usual na kaalaman. Malaking halaga ngunit kailangang mabayaran ng dumaloy ang liwanag at magamit sa pangangailangan. Hindi pwedeng patingi tingi o hulugan, ito ang ating nakasanayan sa mga “institusyon” na ating nakalakihan. Minsan nga kahit nagkulang ng bente singkong sentabo sa isang malaking “mall” o departamento sa ating pagbabayaran ay hindi papayag ang kaherang napag utusan rin lamang.

Limang taon ang nakalipas at kumukubra na si Eloisa upang makuha ang 119,000.00 pesos na sa kanilang paguusap ay dapat naibalik sa kanya ang ilang porsyento sa loob ng isang taon. Limang taon at ngayon kinakailangan nyang mabuti na makuha ang perang pawis at dugo ang pinangalingan. Ngunit paano kung ang sagot sa iyo ng bumungad ay wala ng makukuhang “refund?” nagsikip ang kanyang dibdib, napakalaking halaga at wala sa kanyang hinagap ang ganoong kasagutan. Ay! Nagkamali pala ang kaherang napagtanungan, hindi sya pamilyar sa kinukubra ni Eloisa kung kaya’t ipinasa nya sa ibang kasamahan ang hinaing ni Eloisa.

Muntik ng ma “stroke” ang dalaga sa napakinggang una, paano kung ang kukubrahin ay nagkakahalaga ng kalahating milyon at ang bungad agad ay pagkakamali ng mapagtanungan na dapat ay espesyalista at “skilled” sa kanyang inatas na tungkulin o trabaho, isa siyang edukado dahit hindi sya magkakaroon ng posisyon sa isang malaking “institution” kung siya ay di nakapag tapos ng pagaaral, sa Pilipinas pa, na sa sobrang dami ng tao ay 7% daw ang walang trabahong mamamayan. Sa Pilipinas pa na kahit nakapagtapos ka sa isang magandang paaralan ay napakarami naming kumpitensya sa aplayan ng pagtratrabahuhan.

Naalala ni Eloisa na hindi sya makakabitan ng kuryente kung hindi nya babayaran ang hinihingi ng “institution” na ito, kung kaya’t nangutang pa sya para lamang maibayad para ditto, ngunit bakit ngayong kubrahan na ng “refund” ay mukha yatang pahirapan na. Isang lingo na ang nakakalipas, ang sabi ng kausap nya ay hindi raw kasi “perpekto ang sistema nila.” Aba! Hindi perpekto ang sistema? E paano ang binabayaran ni Eloisa buwan buwan na sa kanyang palagay ay para syang naholdap sa laki ng kanyang pinagbabayaran? E paano kung hindi pala tama ang “computation” ng kumpanyang ito na sinisisngil sa kanya buwan buwan na kung hindi babayaran ay tiyak na puputulan sya sa loob ng ilang araw lamang, di makaya ang ganitong pangyayari sa pakiusapan, e bakit ngayon, pera na nya ay pahirapan pa sa pagbabalik sa kanya.

Sa hirap ng buhay sa ngayon na kahit isang butyl ng bigas ay ating pinanghihinayangan ay makakarinig kappa ng “Hindi perpekto ang sistema” kaya may “delay” o pagkakamali na sa halip taon taon ang pag “rerefund’ kay Eloisa ay dumating pa ang Limang taon na kung hindi nya naalala ay “Thank You” na pala ang kalalabasan.

Sa hirap ng buhay sa ngayon, sa hirap kumita ng pera na kailangang tumulo talaga ang pawis bago makuha ang sweldong inaasam ay makakarinig kappa ng “hindi perpektong sistema?” na sa ating lahat na palagay ay isang pagtatago na lamang ng talagang katotohanang nangyayari sa araw araw. Paano na ang mga taong hindi katulad ni Eloisa na may matatanggap pa pala ay nakalimutan na? Nangyayari ito kung minsa sa mga “Insurance” Company na may matatanggap pa pala ang naghuhilog ditto ay hindi napapabalik dahil sa isang ganap na kasinungalingan at pagka gahaman sa salapi. Mahirap talaga kung minsan ang maraming alam, sa halip na walang iniisip ay naging problema pa ang problema ng sambayanan, “aware” sa nangyayari sa bayan at komyunidad. Paano na ang mayorya na hindi alam ang alam ni Eloisa? Kaawa awing mga nilalang, ngayon, paano na ang 119,000.00 peosos na kinukubra nya, hanggang kailan mag aantay? Hanggang kailan maghihintay ng “ISANG PERPEKTONG SISTEMA?.”

How much is your worth?

2011-09-16T11:45:00.001+08:00

“Human Rights makes us Human” was the statement that I will never forget when I attended the premier night of “Kinse”, a film produced by ANC Channel for their 15 years in the public service. “Kinse” is composed of 15 short stories films about Human Rights such as the Reproductive Health, LGBT or Equality, Respect, Intolerance, Right to live, and Environmental awareness. The film shows almost all aspects or issues that the Philippines is facing today.

Based on the Internet, Human rights are "basic rights and freedoms that all people are entitled to regardless of nationality, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, language, or other status." Human rights are conceived as universal and egalitarian, with all people having equal rights by virtue of being human.These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national and international law. The doctrine of human rights in international practice, within international law, global and regional institutions, in the policies of states and the activities of non-governmental organisations has been a cornerstone of public policy around the world. It has been said that: "if the public discourse of peacetime global society can be said to have a common moral language, it is that of human rights." Despite this, the strong claims made by the doctrine of human rights continue to provoke considerable skepticism, debates about the content, nature and justifications of human rights continue to this day.-wiki

Because of poverty. Majority of the population lack of formal education and because of corruption from the greediness of some government officials, those who commited that sin of depriving the need of the poor people of what is due to them is a direct violation of human rights. The government is establish to protect, serve and ensure the health and security of it’s coutrymen. When some government officials right now were still campaigning, all flatporms, issues and arguments are always for the progress of the common people or constituents. Now they are in position, where are those promises?

In the states, people are disciplined, polite and I would say has a sense of honor. When some congressmen has been expose to some misconduct, they resigned or even commited suicide. For our experience right now, a lot of stories, a lot of public hearings about our former government executives and yet, untill now, there is no definite judgement. Is it about our culture? Is it about us giving them a chance to do it to us? Are we that stupid not to know what is right and wrong? Are we a nation which is only worth 500 pesos per election? Ask yourself….where is your human rights?

Dream

2011-09-16T10:35:00.002+08:00

Asian Tropical Design is suited in this climate in the Philippines. With oversize windows to see the enchanting scenery and natural stones for exterior wall cover and also will serve as the architectural design.

Newly start family likes a dream home though not enough yet with their financial capability. Andrew Grace Home Builders designs a conservative finish houses for the starters. Cost varies from 2M to 5M depends on the floor area, architectural finishes and scope of work. From drafts to turnover of the keys, we are ready to make your dream come true.

check our official website http://www.aghomebuilders.com

Parvenu

2011-09-16T09:58:00.002+08:00

A dictionary describe A Parvenu as a person who is a relative newcomer to a socioeconomic class. The word is borrowed from the French Language; it is the past participle of the verb parvenir (to reach, to arrive, to manage to do something) which for me is a positive one. The French word "arriviste" has a similar meaning and whether one like it or not is synonymous to “Social Climber” which apparently is an insult or negative attitude to many.

When Congressman and Boxing Champion Emmanuelle “Pacman” Pacquiao bought that more or less 388 Million pesos worth of residential house at the posh Forbes Park in Makati and then declined by the asociation to join the uber class world of Manila Polo Club allegedly due to his humble beginning or not classy enough from the association “pamantayan”, does it mean that even with his Billion Pesos empire, a singing sensation, international superstar and superboy like Manny is the perfect example of a Parvenu? It is an insult and to think his success came from his own talent and blood without the help of anyone.

But why such an insult for somebody who is successful enough? Why such crab mentality? Henry Sy of SM Shooemart and now a Real estate developer was from a humble beginning, Can we categorize him as a “Social Climber” or Parvenu or those people who are just telling them about that are only jealous from the state and wealth they have now thus the insult. From Wikipedia. The word parvenu typically describes a person who recently ascended the social ladder, especially a nouveau riche or "new money" individual. The famous Molly Brown, who survived the Titanic sinking in 1912, was portrayed as a "new money" individual in the "climbing social classes" musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown because of her impoverished Irish immigrant roots and lack of social pedigree.

Such insult is also heard from some gossip magazines such as the status of Gretchen Barretto right now or Ruffa Gutierres? Thus the words “Rags to Riches’ a negative one now which from my own definition is a person or status that because of ability, knowledge, talent or luck, one from his humble beginnings became rich because of his overwhelming and exceptional effort. (from wiki) If based from The Oxford English Dictionary defines a parvenu as: "A person from a humble background who has rapidly gained wealth or an influential social position; a nouveau riche; an upstart, a social climber. Also in extended use. Generally used with the implication that the person concerned is unsuited to the new social position, especially through lacking the necessary manners or accomplishments."
The term is an insult so why use it? Are we not the civilized enough to accept the success of others? Only few individuals or families came from richness. Based on history, more or less, everyone came from nothing but because of determination and will to succeed, they became successful and that is not one easy way to go up. Would be hard for a lot of us to accept those people from humble beginnings and just make way for them to fit in the society? Why such insult again? Why such mean words? Is it because of the culture or just a norm because of the term survival of the fittest. So if that will be the situation, Aple-de-Ap, Cinderella and Alladin are both Parvenu or may I include also Mulan?.

From wiki, The term designates individuals not socially accepted by individuals already established in their new class. It expresses a form of classism or may I say Elitism or discrimination? Several examples might include athletic and entertainment professionals born and raised in poverty and of course perfect example is Manny Pacqiuao and suddenly finding themselves with significantly higher sources of income due to their new-found celebrity status. The established old money factions of society often choose to exclude these individuals from their ranks, with the argument that such people are tasteless in their spending and use their wealth to flaunt their economic standing rather than practice philanthropy, maintain discretion, and otherwise acquiesce to the accepted behavior of the social class.

And because google and wiki are my bestfriends that are always helping me in terms of definition and to get examples, mostly but not all gave me an idea about this negative term “Parvenu.” But my friend and assistant Robi told me that it is free to dream, so dream high and for me there’s nothing wrong with it. If one will be successful and will get the luck from somebody else or opportunity? I think we need to be happy for that person, that person can be an inspiration and an example of getting out from misery to success. People always like to climb a ladder to check what’s on the other side of the fence and yes usually but not always a much greener pasture. Is there anything wrong with that? As long as there are still honesty, Integrity and the principle are still intack without taking advantage of others, I think going up to that ladder could help us also to succeed, remove that crab mentality and embrace acceptance.

My statement as New Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence at Bureau of Customs

2011-09-15T12:50:00.003+08:00

Brigadier General Danny Lim

(from http://gendannylim.org/?p=300)
September 15, 2011

Magandang araw sa ating lahat.
Kaninang umaga, ako ay pormal na nanumpa kay Pangulong Noynoy Aquino bilang Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence ng Bureau of Customs. Bilang isang dating sundalo na tapat sa kanyang tungkulin, hindi ako nag-dalawang isip na tanggapin ang atas na binigay sa akin, isang atas upang muling pagsilbihan ang mamamayan at ipagtanggol ang kanilang interes.
Ako ay nagagalak sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob sa akin ni Pangulong Aquino at Department of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. Gayundin, ako ay nalulugod sa suporta mula sa mga kawani ng Bureau of Customs at ng lahat ng mamamayan na naniniwala at sumusuporta sa akin; ako ay malugod na nagpapasalamat sa inyo at hindi ninyo tinipid ang inyong pagtitiwala. Makakaasa kayo na aking susuklian ang inyong tiwala ng tapat na paglilingkod upang makabuluhang makatulong sa paglilinis ng gobyerno ng mga tiwali at mandarambong.
Maliwanag po ang mandato at utos sa akin ni Pangulong Aquino—Una, tulungan ang gobyerno sa epektibong pangongolekta ng buwis, at pangalawa, labanan at sugpuin ang corruption at lahat ng porma ng smuggling sa customs bureau.
Hindi po ito madaling mga atas. Alam natin lahat ang mga hamon at panganib sa likod ng mga responsibilidad na ito. Ngunit buo po ang aking tiwala na nasa likod ko ang mamamayan, gayundin ang karamihan sa Bureau of Customs. Kaya kahit mahirap at masalimuot, matatag natin na tinatanggap at haharapin ang mga hamong ito.
Tunay na malala ang problema ng korapsyon sa ating bayan. At lalo pa itong naging malubha dahil na rin sa siyam na taon ng tiwaling pamumuno ng nakaraang administrasyon ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at ng kanyang asawang si Mike Arroyo. Isang repleksyon lamang dito ang mga problemang kinahaharap ngayon ng Bureau of Customs.
Dahil sa hindi masawatang corruption at smuggling lubhang napipinsala ang importanteng pangongolekta ng buwis na kailangan upang pondohan ang mga batayang serbisyo ng mamamayan. Mas malungkot, dahil sa salot na dulot ng smuggling, unti-unti nitong pinapatay ang ating mga lokal na industriya, at inaagaw ang pinagka-kabuhayan ng ating mga magbubukid at manggagawa.
Hindi tayo papayag na ganito palagi ang kalakaran.
Kaya’t ang mantsa ng korapsyon ng nakaraan ay kailangan nang burahin. Ang mga tiwaling kalakaran ng nakaraang administrasyon ay kailangang ituwid at baguhin. Sinisimulan na ito sa maraming mga departamento at ahensya. Ganito rin ang ating gagawin sa Bureau of Customs.
Kaya’t kung dati ang nawawalang parang bula ay mga container vans, ngayon pipilitin nating ang maglaho ay ang mga tiwaling gawain. Kung dati kotong ang motibasyon ng ilan upang magtrabaho sa ahensyang ito, ngayon, walang pag-iimbot na serbisyo ang ipapalit natin. Mula sa pagtingin na ang Bureau of Customs ay pugad ng mga manloloko at magnanakaw, pag-sisikapan natin na makilala ang bureau bilang isang lugar ng kagalingan at tapat na paglilingkod. Naniniwala ako na karamihan ng kawani sa BoC ay tapat sa bayan. Naniniwala ako na mananaig ang mabuti sa ilan na masasama.
At doon sa mga matitigas ang ulo kasama ng kanilang mga barkada sa labas ng Customs na nagnanais ipilit ang kanilang tiwaling mga gawain, binabalaan ko kayo, itigil na ninyo ang inyong mga kalakaran at iba pang masamang balakin.
We will not treat you with kid gloves. You will not enjoy undue favor and advantage in this bureau. We will not treat those who willfully rob the Filipino people and their government gently. To those who get their way through bribery and other inducements, don’t even think about it. The Arroyo government and the corrupt few in the military, which I have fought against, failed to seduce me with money or favors; so will you. Hindi kami papayag na mantsahan ng ilang bulok ang pangarap ng marami para sa tunay na pagbabago.
Kaya’t nananawagan ako sa lahat ng mamamayang muhing-muhi na sa korapsyon, pagtulungan nating sugpuin ang katiwalian at ituwid ang mga kamalian. Umaasa ako, kasama ni Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon na nasa likod namin ang sambayanan sa mahalagang gawaing ito.
Hindi ko kayo bibiguin.
Maraming salamat at mabuhay tayong lahat

When Reality bites…

2011-09-15T12:06:00.000+08:00

Just had a talked with my only male cousin. He is still young in his early twenties. A second year Hotel and Restaurant student but on leave for the meantime due to financial problem. His Dad died when he was still young. His mother, a widow now and he have a twin sisters both are working and graduated already in College unlike him because of friends and changing his course all the time stuck in Second Year.

I asked him to come with me this morning. I think this will be the first time that we will have this kind of talk, about reality. From the dictionary, reality is the state of things, as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observavle or comprehensible. A still more broad definition includes everything that has existed, exists, or will exist, not just in the mind, or even more broadly also including what is only in the mind.- wiki

I told him all the lessons I learned from this meaningful life so far and well with 1000 words I’ll summarized the four ours of that moment.

1. Honesty is the best policy
2. People will leave you, most probably in times of darkness.
3. Majority is corrupt but the minority few is still existing
4. In Calauan, there are still few who have integrity, principle and word of honor.
5. Discrimination in Philippines is much higher compare the ones abroad which is mostly racial.
6. People usually look about the status of life, much important if one is rich than no means at all.
7. Some Generals have lot’s of money because of corruption, instead they are using it to their subordinates, they are using the funds in personal use same as about that 500,000 pesos boots of the son.
8. Exceptional talent like Manny Pacquiao and Charice are amazing but is not applicable to the majority of the population, people still need to study and have proper education to succeed in life.
9. Love of Family usually remained than friends when in need.
10. Wisdom came from family such as parents.
11. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder
12. Miss Angola is the prettiest and the most talented female contestants, don’t judge her by the color of her skin.
13. A writer could only write because of her experiences.
14. Life is short, take the risk.
15. Crab mentality because of poverty.
16. Hard to find work nowadays due to over population with the same skills.
17. Need to be different
18. Charice is very respected in her field of choice, Americans respected her by asking her to sing in public their national anthem. Be proud Filipinos.
19. Time management is the key.
20. Success is 25% Integrity, 25% Hard work and the rest which is 50% is luck.
21. Opportunity knocks only once
22. One must know how to grab the opportunity
23. Try and try until you succeed
24. Choose your friends
25. Money is powerful but not all happiness can be solved with money.

We went home after some project inspection, I learned a lot.

When one doesn't have anything to give...

2011-09-15T08:09:00.000+08:00

As an observant as I am and based from the interviews I did, some conclusions arrived. Reality bites but these are the facts and yes, truth hurts.
" Proven, when people saw that you have lots to give, more are there to take advantage of you. A beach is one encouraging tool eventhough you dont like to swim, Boracay beach? you cannot resist it. Aqua color water with a striking sunrise plus a status symbol for just being there. Any chocolates from 'Bizu" eventhough its his first time to taste that so expensive one, with a room to destroy you or if you dont have anything to give after..they will leave you. I am calling them "Leach".
As one grow older, one must gained wisdom. 2010 is wonderful and amazing. The dissappointments only taught one to become stronger than ever. People have diferent character. People knows how to Blog..but what is blogging? (thanks Thor Nicolas)
When I saw the post of one " Out of School youth girl from a prominent school" with a status of being angry, foul words, unethical manner...the action does not follow the words..lack of integrity. It came to me like when one guy is drunk..he could say everything as if being drunk was an excuse for his manners...No, we are not dumb or unless few are..its the attitude and the silence that counts. No matter what school you are from, truly Family is the foundation of everything, the basis of our judgements, decisions and points of view. So does it mean without family theres something missing? (debate me on this)
"Our minds should not be empty because if they are not preoccupied by good, evil will break in upon them."
- Johnson
" Your world is a living expression of how you are using and have used your mind"
- Earl Nightingale

" Wicked people are always surprised to find ability in those that are good."
- marquis De vauvenargues

Now heres something for everyone.

Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive. The experience of gratitude has historically been a focus of several world religions and has been considered extensively by moral philosophers such as Adam Smith. The systematic study of gratitude within psychology only began around the year 2000, possibly because psychology has traditionally been focused more on understanding distress rather than understanding positive emotions. However, with the advent of the positive psychology movement, gratitude has become a mainstream focus of psychological research. The study of gratitude within psychology has focused on the understanding of the short term experience of the emotion of gratitude (state gratitude), individual differences in how frequently people feel gratitude (trait gratitude), and the relationship between these two aspects.--wiki

Truly Education gives power but action gives a louder impact than words. I don't believe that using text messages is more effective than calls unless the other person is hiding from you? text is better for surely he will read it. While email is one effective tool to hasten transaction, problem arises about electricity and connection.
For youngster, idealist but reality bites. Getting comfort with so called friends is temporary specially without money. Life is survival of the fittest. So I believe in a Total Quality of management where continous education and improvement for all parts of organization must be consider to get the better end result. If someone gave you the only money he has..treasure it for he is truly your friend. It's the quality not the quantity of friends you have.
As one became mature, synonym? Old and yes old, doing what is right based on morals is what one must do. Laws are written by men of knowledge and power but does it provides us wealth and peace? Maybe to some but not for the majority. As I knocked with so many hearts to give to many farmers a week ago, only few opened their doors and surprised for they were not the ones I expected.
If someone offers you something which you are not asking, treasure that someone..for they are only few. Now lets go back to GRATITUDE.

What I can do...

2011-09-13T20:05:00.001+08:00

I am just proud doing what I think I can do best which is designing. Oh nope! not for beauty queens but for the whole family as their dream home. Since I came back in the Philippines as this major lame years as a housewife living and yes! Enjoying too at the east coast and exposed with their different house styles, interiors and newest technology, I decided to pursue what I really think that I can do and that is constructing houses, preserving ancestral homes or even renovating a World War II building.

I love to play with colors, talk to people and managing an entire manpower. They said that it’s passion but for me I think it is destiny. Would love to share with you guys my not so finish products, my assistant just took some pictures today, this will be turnover maybe a week from now, enjoy and check what I am empowered to do.

A happy mother because of reproductive health.

2011-09-09T21:05:00.001+08:00

Got married at twenty two and the Catholic parish church from my hometown Calauan, Laguna asked us for the parents consent because apparently, only age twenty five and above was the “right age” to get married under the Catholic church which surprised me, I thought I am an adult already. I love my life with two responsible, loving and selfless parents who are giving us everything, their whole world and everything our hearts desire. My hubby had a good job, an I.T professional under the best school with a good health insurance from his work. Makati Medical Center is one of the best that time and that was 14 years ago, I remember my gynecologist name Dr. Grace Luna. How can I forget, we have the same first name. All I can remember for six months of getting us pregnant was a pill called "Clomid", she prescribed that fertility pill for me and Buco Juice? Laguna is two hours drive to that hospital and our expectations of getting pregnant till we both decided to moved to the land of green and honey never happened.

Life in the states was different, almost everyone are polite, first class service anywhere I go, no culture shock for me, everything or everyone is equal. Got the best health service provider from Aetna, the hubby was working for one of the biggest financial company located at Wall Street, New York City. I am living an American dream. For almost three years, we are still trying to have a baby till my Filipina American gynecologist referred me to one endocrinologist who little I knew would change my life forever.

Let me give you some background about this person who changed my life. He was Dr. Daniel Navot M.D. Has an illustrious career in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility spanning over 30 years. Dr. Navot, as early as 1977 was running the renowned 'infertility clinic' at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem Israel. He considers Professor Bruno Lunenfeld, the first physician to successfully employ complex ovulation induction as his mentor. By 1978 Dr. Navot was on the pioneering team of In Vitro Fertilization in Jerusalem Israel. Already an accomplished fertility specialist he became a visiting scientist at The Jones Institute of Reproductive Medicine in Norfolk, Virginia, then the preeminent center for IVF in the Nation. In 1987 he became the Director of In Vitro Fertilization Program at Mount Sinai Medical Center and subsequently Professor and Chief of Division of Reproductive Endocrinology in the same institution. During his tenor at Mount Sinai he has propelled the division to become one of the leading programs in the Nation in infertility treatment, in vitro fertilization, egg donation and cryopreservation. In 1994 Dr. Navot has established the Fertility Institute of New Jersey and New York in Bergen County, New Jersey, the first full service fertility center in northern New Jersey. Dr. Navot has Board Certifications from both the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American College of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. ( from his own website http://drnavot.net/).

My husband and I went to this city inside New Jersey where we live that time, the time that we both must be at the clinic was before Seven am in the morning. In the wall before the door, I read the name of the clinic and it’s “Reproductive Health Clinic”. Before that time we arrived, more than ten couples were there already, waiting and some are already browsing the picture album with all the babies and their families. I got a chance to browse the photo albums and I saw multiples of babies in one birth delivery from one mother. There were quadruplets, identical, fraternal and some till seven babies born at the same time in one mother. I felt somewhat jealous from those mommies who have bundles of joy, not only one but multiples. The clinic is a Reproductive Health Clinic, everyone here are trying to get pregnant just like me. I am so happy when the nurse called my name. it’s my time now to meet my endocrinologist.

He was sitting behind the table, writing something, white, he is a Jew I supposed, wearing eyeglasses and with a smile, he asked me and my husband to sit down for some interview first to know something about us. I told him I am taking "Clomid" to get pregnant and for almost three years that’s what I am taking, never been tested for some fertility issues and even my husband. He asked me what country where I am from and after some more question and answers with regards to my menstruation and body. He tells me that I need to have a test, like an X’ray but this time to check my ovary. I did the test and after that told me that I have a “Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome” (POS). This is why I have an irregular menstruation and ovulation where the fertilization of the egg will happen only that time. He told me also that "Clomid" must be taken with limitation like two months then if it will not result to pregnancy must be stopped. He told me all the procedure that we will do, there will be no pills, but all will be through injections. He took a three inches needle with water inside and told my husband what to do because everything for the estrogen level or points to become pregnant will be done even the injections by my husband in our home. My hubby tested the injection process on me with that three inches needle. After teaching us all the process or procedure, he prescribed the meds needed. That’s the start of everything for me.

Several injections for legs and arms, my husband as an I. T professional became a doctor of sort and figuring out the best way or angle of the needle before he injects. Several check up after some weeks about my blood level, blood pressure and estrogen level. Different meds prescribed and continuous injections at home. The time came when Dr. Navot told us that it’s time for us to do the insemination in which is after two to three days. We did the insemination. A lot of prayers, a lot of faith and hope that soon both of us will be going to have a baby, I don’t care about the gender as long as they are healthy. After a week, excited we are, we bought a pregnancy test, two boxes, I checked, waited then there’s a very blurry line, I’m confused though excited to show that to Troy, my husband, we don’t know what to think, the line is so light, we cannot even see it. We did the test every day, the line becomes darker and darker...we were pregnant at last after three long years.

A healthy baby girl was born. the joy of having a complete family is indescribable. We gave her lots of toys, all the books that I could read for her and as a newly made mom, everything came naturally. We never been happier, but much happier were both my husband’s parents and my parents, they are both first time grandmas and grandpas because Troy and I are both the eldest child.

After two years, 2002, we decided to consult Dr. Navot again, this time for another baby. We did the same process. I got gestational diabetes that time. Had a nutritionist too to monitor what kind of food I need to take and how much food for the health of my baby and me. We did the pregnancy test at the clinic. Dr. Navot shows to me six dark big spots. He told me to my surprised, six eggs have been fertilized. I am stunned with joy never thinking about the consequences. Dr. Navot told me that there was still no heartbeat and that some of the dots will perish in time but not always. I told that to my husband through phone, excited I am and as I recalled it, there’s a huge silence. He cannot believe it. That multiple result was the cause of the prescribed meds issued to me to make sure that there’s going to be a multiple fertilized egg. The process from the first try we did was the same, though the first baby is “single” or only one as they call it, it’s usually possible to have multiples when one use the process I did to get pregnant and they are calling it IVF or In Vitro Fertilization.

After a couple of weeks, I came back to the clinic, did the same process again to check the dark fertilized result, but this time, four got heartbeats. I'm going to have quadruplets. I suddenly called my husband and again, with long pause. We are all excited till after a couple of months, my new Korean gynecologist told me that because I am petit, with 5 ft height and weighing 90 pound, I need to choose between one or two babies only, not four due to my built and that I cannot literally can bear four babies in my tummy, our body has limitation and for me, must be one or two, that’s the most important choice and decision I ever did, to make a choice, meaning, my four babies inside my tummy, two of them must be gone in order for the other two to survive. No choice for me but instead of one, my doctor said but I chose two.

Yes, everything you heard about salt is true. At Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City is where going to do the procedure, the procedure I will never forget for the rest of my life. There were two three inches needles with salt. The doctors explained to us what will be the procedure, there’s a monitor where we could both see my four babies and the exact procedure that will be happened, that’s where the needle with salt will be put directly to the fetus heart and wait till the heartbeats gone and since they will removed two, it will be two times with different needles, no amnesia and that’s the hardest part of my pregnancy, literally, I feel the pain and felt hell. They are gone now and they will be just inside my body while I have two fetus with heartbeat with me. The doctor told me to rest for fifteen minutes then off we can go. I am so surprised, that simple? Though that time and experienced will never be forgotten.

Gave birth to my twins, they are both healthy though the weights were 3.9 pounds and 4.3 pounds respectively. Small but imagine combining both of their weights if singlet? 8.2 pounds, and that’s heavy. Another wonderful event in my life which only after seven months where I found out I am pregnant with multiples. Because of the technology in the states and a good hospital service, even though the babies were born at seven months, they are alive and healthy. Another woman doctor in the hospital where I gave birth was amazing. Maybe it’s her advocacy when she found out that for days I still don’t have milk. She lend me the automatic breast pump from the hospital, issued some meds and told me what to eat always, with soup and lot’s of protein. I followed her advised and unexpectedly, I have tons of milk for my twins.

Because of what happened to me, because of the great blessings I received and realization that if I stayed in the Philippines then, 12 years ago even with a good hospital, people will call me "Baog" or childless or without the capability to bore a child but with the new and modern technology and advanced education in the states nothing is impossible. What’s the difference? Both with good health insurance, good hospitals...you decide based from this story of my life. I have three healthy, pretty, smart and loving children now and without the help of Dr. Navot and my hubby’s work in the states, I will never be this super duper happy like now. My family is complete and I have three amazing children to teach good morals and values just like what my parents did.

The issue today "When does life begin?" from my experienced, it depends on the perception and background of an individual. A very sensitive question and different answers came from different authorities. When I had those six dark spots were the fertilized eggs can be seen with the use of the latest technology or Sonogram, does it mean there’s life already? With heartbeats, was it the beginning of life? Because we said that when somebody died, he lost the heartbeat. I asked Dr. Navot about this and this is his answer, the exact message he sent, which I received through email.

"Dear Maria,
Very happy to hear that all is well with you and your family. The
topic of "when does life begin" is on of the more complicated moral
and philosophical questions. Each moral, religious and Intellectual
authority would have a different definition. The most liberal concept
is that life begins with Fetal Viability, namely around the 24th week
of gestation. The strictest definition would define it at time of
unification of gametes, or in other words successful fertilization of
an egg by a sperm. Other landmark suggestions are at the time of
embryo implantation (7-8 days after ovulation), missed period or
observation of fetal heart beats on Ultrasound (4-5 weeks after
ovulation/fertilization).
Personally I tend to have a liberal view on this topic.
Hope this is somewhat helpful.Happy New Year,
Yours,Daniel Navot MD"

As a catholic or as a person, I know what is right and wrong which I based from my morals I know,we even learned it from school,we have a free choice and God gave us free will. We are all human who wanted to survive and have choices for the betterment of everyone. People could judge me for what I did, my husband and my dad don’t want me to share this because they are not proud for what happened but the choice from them is right. Saving the life of others while sacrificing the others is not a hard decision, we need to choose and I chose LIFE.

September 11 Attack- I will never forget

2011-09-08T07:38:00.001+08:00

(Reposting again from my May 2010 article for Blog Watch)

RIDGEFIELD, NEW JERSEY, USA, It’s September 11, 2001 at 8:30 in the morning, I am watching MTV but after a couple of minutes or more there’s a breaking news, I thought it’s a new movie and the title is “Breaking News”, who would think it’s really happening?. There’s smoke and the towering World Trade Center is collapsing like the sand without any solid columns and deform bars. I cannot believe it with my own two eyes specially that I know my husband Andrew is just working three blocks away.

Me and my Mom 1998 World Trade Center

All landline phones, beeper and cell phones are dead to give way to emergency calls. All tunnels and bridges are closed such as the George Washington Bridge, Holland Tunnel and Brooklyn Bridge to prevent further damage for a possible attack. My parents called me from the Philippines to check if we are all alright, my husband then was working at Wall Street in New York City as a consultant and for us we chose to live in a place where everyone is equal, where we thought there’s a greener pasture, where we thought it’s peaceful than any other countries and where Americans thought they were untouchables from terrorist attacks.

The whole Manhattan on TV was covered by dark smokes, Traffic outside, I got a call from my husband at around 5 in the afternoon, at last! He asked me to pick them up together with his Filipino officemates living also in New Jersey which is the neighboring state of New York City and just divided by the Hudson River. There was no safer transportation available but the ferries.

I brought my only child then, No house maid in the states because of the high labor cost, I put her on to the baby car seat then I started to drive going to Edgewater City, New Jersey where the ferries port is located. The only way I know to go there is going to Fort Lee City but there’s a lot of reroutes, some people told me it’s because some alleged terrorist live in Fort Lee so Investigation is taking place.

Jersey City with the Twin Towers at the background

The road is like forever. I don’t know any way leading to the port. There’s a red car in front of me and instinctively I just followed it. There are lots of police officers while I am in the driver’s seat and my one year old baby at the back was crying, I don’t know what to do but to focus on that red car I am following. With the help of so many forces I believe, the red car and I are both heading to the port. My husband Andrew and his officemates with free bottled water with them from the free ferry ride can’t stop talking about what just happened.

For months, there was no work. The United States of America is in mourning. Lot’s are dead, more than 3000 people and the devastation and the way of life of the people left behind will never be the same again. Everywhere even in the public laundry, people became aware, the patriotism is high with American flags showing in front of their houses. Pictures of Osama Bin Laden, the Al- Queda leader as the most wanted terrorist are pasted to some cars. Heard a lot of harassment from the news to some Muslims communities in the states. Truly the untouchable is not untouchable anymore.

Viewing Deck- World Trade Center, New York City

For months New York City is in pain. Employees don’t have work, Mayor Rudy Guilliani is doing his best to calm the city that once never sleeps. Hailed the heroes such as the firefighters who where amazingly braved and sacrificed their lives to go up while telling everyone to go out from the building and we hailed the ambulance drivers and all who helped for the rescue and operations.

For months we were waiting for the go signal on when to start the work again. A lot of lives had been lost, a lot of businesses had been closed surrounding the area and a lot of hope has been perished. Truly democracy has it toll. With years understanding the Americans and the infrastructure, the terrorist did it easily, with their understandings that they did it for the higher ups, nobody can do it without believing to something, without believing that what he will do is right and believing that they are the only one who can decide for what is right. I can’t believe that killing innocent people is right through their eyes. Till now the experienced and the tragedy I felt is still the same, I will never forget.

Attached is the article published in Manila Bulletin by my husband’s friend and officemate in New York City.

Manila Bulletin, Sept 18, 2001

11-hour nightmare in New York

By ALEXANDER ALAIN R. PRINCIPE (Editor's Note: The writer is a graduate of dela Salle College in Manila who works as a computer consultant at JP Morgan Chase in New York City. He was only three blocks away when the treacherous assault on the United States happened.)

LOWER MANHATTAN, NEW YORK - It was early Tuesday morning (September 11 US time) and I was already at the office a little after eight o'clock. It was sunny outside and was relatively a very nice day. I was at my desk and as usual was going through my routine of taking my breakfast of coffee and donut and reading through my emails.

One e-mail came from my manager asking me to expedite the report he was asking for since it had to be out early that day. Without much a do, I started working on the report needed by my boss. A little after 9:00 a.m., some of my colleagues were looking outside the window (we were on 16th floor of a 24-floor building of the JP Morgan, which is almost the last building on Wall Street). They noticed that burning papers were flying all around and there was a lot of smoke outside.

I heard someone say that a building must be on fire because a huge smoke can be seen from our vantage point but we really cannot tell which one it was. I went around our floor to get a better position to view the fire but all I saw was smoke.

While some of my colleagues decided to get out from our building to get a better view and probably first hand info on what is happening, I decided to return to my desk to finish my report.

It was also during this time I learned that an airplane crashed into the World Trade Center, which is approximately 3 blocks or 10 minutes walk from our building.

Immediately I logged into CNN.com to confirm the news and there it was, a picture of one of the towers of the World Trade Center with a huge hole in it. It was unbelievable I said to myself.

It was a major tragedy and an accident almost everybody thought (a bomber aircraft slammed through the empire state building decades ago so most of us assumed that it was an accident).

I called my wife to tell her about the accident and watch the TV for news. I assured her that I was fine. I never really place much thought about the incident after that and went back to finish my work.

A few minutes later, I heard a loud explosion and the building reverberated with an aftershock (much like a mild earthquake). Quickly, we learned that another airplane slammed into the other tower. Now this was more than a coincidence and definitely not an accident anymore. This is a terrorist attack!

Things changed from that time on. We were fixated to the news reports and at the same time awaiting information from the top management if we could go home already.

People were apprehensive and uneasy. Our floor was still heavily populated by a number of employees waiting for directives and yet no word from top management.

I stopped my work altogether. My report can wait for another day. Now there was an urgency to get out and go home. Thereafter, World Trade Center towers collapsed.. The whole area around Wall Street was covered with dust.

For a few minutes it looked like day turned into night because of the dust/ashes and smoke. I conferred with my Filipino colleagues Neil Ongoco (from Quezon City) and Andrew Nicolas (from Los Banos,Laguna.)

If we were let to go home, we'll go altogether, we all decided. Neil was panting as he just came from the World Trade Center and saw the second plane crashed into the other tower. Neil then hurriedly went to the other building of the JP Morgan on the 45th floor. He witnessed the collapse of one of the towers and the sight made him sick to the stomach.

Everybody in the building was being directed now to go to the 4th floor which was being set up as a command center for the JPMorgan Chase entire personnel. Together with my Filipino friends and some other American colleagues, we made our way to the 4th floor. On our way down, we met two of our other Filipino friends Roy Magsino and Alvin Firme.

At the 4th floor, I found myself glued to the radio. My pager was receiving "BREAKING NEWS" one after the other giving me details on the extent of terrorism which was far reaching than anyone could imagine. A woman beside me, partially covered with dust debris, was sobbing. Others in the room was dumb founded on what was happening all around. For all of us, it seemed so surreal.

By this time around, all public and private transportation in Manhattan was put to a hold. All commercial air flights anywhere in the USA was stopped.

There was no way in and out of Manhattan using any kind of vehicle or transportation and the financial district was being evacuated. My four Filipino friends and me live in New Jersey and the only way out of Manhattan was through the George Washington Bridge (GWB), which is approximately eight to 10 miles away from our place .

With great uncertainty as to up to when the public transportation ban will be imposed and the threat of further attacks, we decided to trek to GWB to reach New Jersey. I called my wife, Eloisa and told her I was OK and that I was going home soon.

It was already 11:00 a.m. when the five of us started to leave the office. It was a horrible sight outside much like the one when Mt. Pinatubo erupted. Smoke and ashes made breathing difficult so we needed to cover ourselves with our hankies to be able to breath.
Along the way, Neil and Roy picked-up slightly burned documents as a remembrance. Neil was feeding us news from the radio he had with him. We were handed out masks by New York City's emergency personnel who seemed to be everywhere.
We now have been walking for 2 hours and yet we were still far from the halfway mark. We were exhausted but each other's company made it bearable. Resting along the way, a woman pitied us and gave us bottled water. It was really a touching gesture.

Neil then got information that the ferries are now accessible to the public. We were glad when we heard that because we can ride the ferries to cross the Hudson River to New Jersey. Now, we don't need to trek to GWB.

We had another way out. We took our lunch at one of the opened McDonald's stores and then passed by the Times Square where a big screen TV was showing the tragedy as it happened.

It was my first sight of the gruesome disaster that took place not far away from where I was this morning. People were in awe and most of them were furious. Some were almost into tears and we could hear people sobbing everywhere.

It was already 1:45 p.m. when we reached the waterway on the west side of Manhattan. There were a lot of people lined up already. Looked like a mass exodus but everything was in order. By 4:15 p.m., we were on the ferry carrying us across the river - to New Jersey.

One could clearly see the New York buildings from thereon where the two mighty towers once stood. All we can see now was a huge smoke rising up from where the towers stood before.

It was a total waste and I felt so sad about it. Upon reaching New Jersey we felt really glad and thankful because finally we made it out of New York safely and now on our way back home. During those time when the tragedy was happening, in some moment of silence, I never did forget to pray for the innocent people who died. I also prayed that God would continuously guide and bless me and take care of my family just in case anything happens to me.

At the ferry dock, we were met by Andrew's wife with his daughter, who patiently waited for us for almost two hours. I saw a great relief on Andrew's spouse face when he saw us.

It was already 7:30 p.m. when I came home. Upon entering the door of our rented apartment, my eldest son AJ, who is four (4) years old came running to me, hugged and kissed me. I paid respect to my mother-in-law who happens to be visiting us from the Philippines. I kissed my youngest son Louis and embraced my wife tightly and lovingly with slight tears in my eyes. I was extremely glad I was at home with my family on that "fateful" day.

Why kids must not be push studying

2011-09-07T20:47:00.000+08:00

When I am still in elementary my mother was my first teacher, literally. She spent 15 years of her life teaching the kindergarten students. I can still recall the presents and gifts of all my classmates for her and she, as beautiful as ever with good speaking and literally skills always the host or emcee for all school activities.

I am not studious then, I am a kid, the eldest of three daughters. I like to paint flowers and to play with my best friend, Perla. We also cooked then, or more likely she cooked and I watched and eat after. My childhood days were filled with memories and yes, a lot of naughtiness. My father told me to be strong for all problems while my mom inspired me of her leadership skills.

I love to dance and with all the extra curricular activities even in singing contest I joined, though without any prize after, I am still happy because I tried. I don’t even feel embarrassed that time, it even gave me confidence and will to succeed. My parents were always taught us to behave, to respect elders and to do everything we want. I am the proudest daughter and I knew from the start that because my dad always a chess champion, I know that he is different. Graduation day, I’m not even an honor student or even best in dancing though I know I am good at it.

High School in Canossa was a different game, new school, new classmates and new policy. It was more like a disciplinary place than a place of knowledge for me. I will never forget the “keep right” attitude every time were going up or down using the stairs. In my third year, I realized that need to study, for me then if others can why can’t I? I decided to treat all exams as a challenge and would love to be an “achiever”. An achiever is a rank of an honor student where the lowest final grade is 85. I started to focus but still, looks like my effort was not yet enough, got a lowest final grade of 83.

I wanted to write in High School, though I am not that confident about my literally skills, I know I can, back then, I tried and one of my article got published in our school newspaper which right now, I forgot the title and even the whole article topic. My mind back then were full of everything, I have different kinds of friends, different in a sense that I could be with the much younger group of students or I could be with the graduating students, I can blend in. Graduation Day and my parents were all happy and yes I am not even an achiever then.

College, I really like to become a journalist. My parents doesn’t want me to enroll in Manila, they said there were many crimes, I might do drugs, get raped etc etc. In other words they enrolled me at Colegio De San Juan De Letran and yes still here in Laguna. I took an Engineering course, far from what I truly like to get. I had lots of genius classmates, I can still remember my Janitor seatmate and yes, even he was always absent, he still got the perfect score…in Math. There’s also Juliet, more like Senator Miriam Santiago to me, same accent, same way of talking and yes, I am calling her a robot most of the time. They were very studious and even after class I could see them studying. I am amazed with their skills.

One by one, like from 40 students in my Engineering classes, it became lower per semester. I don’t know if they cannot really comprehend or understand the lessons or was it because of the increasing tuition fees. A lot of my friends transferred to other schools or took Management in Commerce instead. They said that Engineering was not for them, for me I am thinking otherwise, as long as one is focus, no matter how difficult the subject or exam, she can survived and one thing also is I am not into leaving something that I actually chose already, I like to finish and I am determined to finished in this course and so I did. I even got the highest score in our subject Feasibility Study in which I am the one who chose the topic which was the “Cement Fiber Board” and even got exempted to many exams because of my way of oral reporting, maybe my professors were impressed, for all the reasons, all I could say is, I did and exerted an effort for everything. Well looks like I am starting to bloom.

After how many years, I decided that I would like to pursue a degree in Masters. I enrolled under the program Masters in Management major in Engineering Management. I am very confident then because of all the experiences I had from being an entrepreneur, project engineer and been to places where a lot of my classmates I am sure never been before. I was elected in the Graduate School Organization as Secretary and Public Relation Officer for two consecutive terms. Got more 1.00 flat grades to almost all of my subjects and even got the only student with flat 1.00 in some of the subjects. I am determined to become a Magna Cum Laude. I realized one thing, through experience and effort, one could achieved everything her heart desires. There were lot’s of events that the school administrators praised me for what I did like helping the Ondoy victims last time. I am very happy then and school was my stress free place. I am always looking forward to go to school. Right now I only have two minor subjects to accomplished to graduate. I know I am a late bloomer but with time and as long as one is alive, you could do things impossible.

My parents didn’t push me to study hard but to be satisfied for what God gave us. They always like us to be thankful and to be grateful that we have means to survive and to be satisfied for all the blessings. My parents taught us to always do the right thing even others aren’t. They are very confident with us. They know that with the help of God, we could achieve things. My dad is not really a religious person. He even didn’t go to church. My mom helped a lot of student priest and always go to church every Sunday, she told me that she wanted to be a nun before, till the time she met my father. Why I am telling these? This is to tell to all the parents that being good in school doesn’t mean always that one will be successful. Everyone grows and becoming a mature person, with the realization of so many things and wisdom plus guidance from the parents, a child can achieve everything. It is not about the participation in school that counts but the participation outside the school which we all called…Reality.

As much as I wanted to be an honor student back then in Elementary, High School or even in College, I am not and will never be, there’s no time machine then and yes I know till now and will never have? But everything is changing even a person can change. Through experience and the lessons learned outside and inside the school, it all comes up to knowledge. It gave us power, the experiences gave us good decision and the trials we had or having will make us all strong. Knowledge is power and that is not only coming from a formal school.

Credit Card: To have or To stop

2011-09-07T19:32:00.003+08:00

My mother gave me my first credit card when I was in my first year in high school. It was called an extension card where the primary cardholder is my mom while I have the same privilege as her about the amount that I could use which that time was php 25,000.00 and that was 1992. As time goes by, the amount I could use went up too from 25,000.00 to 200,000.00 pesos. It was like going on a shopping spree for me for free.

When I reached College, I still have that credit card, my mother was not complaining. She just paying all the expenses and I am always like into a shopping mode. I am working then too, being one of the freelancer sales personnel from Smart where there’s no pre- paid card yet but lines and I am also selling my uncles Issey Miyake perfumes from the states where he was working then. I could buy everything without using my credit card. It’s very addictive. There even comes a time where in one designer store like Armani or DKNY, even though there’s nothing else that I like, I can still keep on looking just to buy something even though that dress or pants will just sit or sleep in my closet for like centuries. My closet was still full of new jeans, shirts or bags with still have tags on them.

When I got married everything changed. My husband and I went to a whole new world where the grass is greener and they said, it’s the land of milk and honey. America is full of everything, from two door BMW cars which you could only buy for $10,000.00 or a speedy 35 monogram Louis Vuitton bag for $450.00. It’s like you are in heaven. Apples and oranges are everywhere. September is the apple picking season where the farm or apple orchard is open for the public to pick the apples.

The hubby gave me two credit cards, one is the American Express and the other one is a Visa. In the states, if the shopper doesn’t have a credit card, some stores or department stores like Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s could offer you a credit card that you could use right away after a couple of calls, on the spot. It’s like those shops will not let you go home without purchasing anything even you don’t have any cash on your wallet. Very tempting specially with all the good things around you and not to mention on “sale” products or mostly called as “clearance” products.

In the states there are four seasons like Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. For every season the department stores change also their stocks from dresses to shoes. That changes is the start of clearance sale, those old stocks from the Fall designs will be on sale if the season is Winter. That’s the time also that credit card users are maximizing their privilege without thinking the monthly payment at the end.

America is where almost all people around the world meet. Immigrants like from India, China and the Philippines are most high. They are coming in flocks that is why there is a limit for those countries that would like to immigrate every year. Thinking the relatives behind, sale products are most common gifts to them especially with the Filipino Community where the “Balikbayan” box that you could bought for a small amount with a shipping charge between $95.00 to $150.00 can be full and filled with a lot of sale items. I remember going to one New York State outlets store that day, then go back the next day because of the on sale Tommy Hilfigger Polo Shirt that cost only for $5.00 each and yes I am using then my credit cards. I bought the whole stock.

Here comes the sad part, though one can pay the credit cards with a minimum payment, if it files up, the heaven while shopping will turn into hell when paying. That was 1998, the hubby salary was $3,000.00 montly and comparing the amount of one burger from Mc Donalds which is 0.99 cents, you could imagine right away that his work is good. He was working then at Wall Street, New York City where we all know as the city that never sleeps, life then was different, the only problem I had is what will be the dinner which I could easily order at the Chinese food around the corner via phone call. That’s why I really cannot forget the “General Tso Chicken”. That spicy sweet and sour sauce, yes I am into food.

Excited and the same lifestyle I had while in the Philippines then, my life was like a dream. Never thought that one day, I’ll curse having a credit card. Time flies, after 7 years, my lifestyle is the same. Got plenty of designer’s bags, credit cards became 5 with all the department stores credit cards. Every year, I had a new car from Toyota two door sports car Celica to 4x4 Sports Utility vehicle from Dodge. I am living the American dream. That was the time also of realization when that September 11 attack stoned the nation.

The terrorist attack not only stopped all businesses in New York City but also the lives of more than 3000 fatalities and the lives of all workers in that area. All agencies especially the US government are monitoring everything and everyone. While the immigrants or those workers who had a temporary working permits were afraid about their future in which they thought, America was untouchable. I had one little girl that time and though even my husband company was still not functioning for almost 4 months, the US government gave them salaries though not in full.

Life became different, after that fateful event and everyone moves on, I got two more baby daughters and yes life with the twins was very different unlike with single. Diapers, milk and time became the priorities, even my parents were helping me in taking good care of them, financially, it’s different and while the hubby was still in shocked of what happened on that September 11 attack, we decided to come home, yes in the Philippines even though we are in an immigrant status already and no Visa anymore attached to our Philippine passports.

The three babies are all Americans and we are happy that they are, the economy in the states is still way far different in the Philippines. Food there is still different here specially the fresh produce. Hospital benefits or Health benefits are way too different, they will give you the best room and first class services in the states as long as you have a health card like Aetna.

In the Philippines, I continued my lifestyle. My mother was still that generous to buy us anything our heart desires even that Php 22,000.00 pesos Coach bag that I only used thrice till today. I still spent a lot even with three ready to go to school kids. That’s the time when the hardest part in my life became my own hell, when my dad decided to sell all his properties. Life in the Philippines even the employees salaries is different, a common manager in one company received only php 80,000.00 to 200,000.00 pesos which if we are going to check all the increase in prices like toll fees, meat, gasoline or even some basic products, they all go up but not the salaries. My credit card purchases went up and comes a time I cannot pay even the minimum amount. That’s when I decided to stop to use my plastic. I stop buying designers bags in the Philippines not to mention much costly than the cost of the same model bag in the states. I even tried to budget or check everything, to canvass the materials before buying or even stop going to big shops and department stores. I did everything and I succeeded. I paid all my credit cards and till now, nothing but cash. That’s one lesson, yes it’s for convenience but once you started to get away with one, it will be as addictive as smoking.

Based on the study. A person with a credit card is most likely to buy more than the person with only cash as a budget for shopping or buying. This is because using credit card is like shopping everything without thinking that at the end you will still paying for that without thinking the consequences or the money that you have from the bank or savings. That is why there are people, same as I am, learned this lesson in a hard way but succeeded because of determination to live again with good quality of life and for the future of the children.

Satisfaction is one that every Joes or Juan is expecting to gain. People are working to buy or get something for himself or his family. Sometimes they said that money could buy happiness, oh yes! maybe, can solve some problems but not all. Credit cards are there or invented for purchasing and convenience. Anything more than that is wrong and worst if not stopped. I am only talking about my experience and yes till now, even though I am using only cash, I still miss having a credit card.

PESANTE: Farmers are fighting for their rights

2011-09-05T08:19:00.006+08:00

The 2nd Agri/farmers Congress of PESANTE Pilipinas, a group of farmers from all around our nation was held last September 2-3, 2011 at the Covered Court of Brgy. Kanluran, Calauan, Laguna. It was attended by no other than the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines Jejomar Binay, Undersecretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform Rosalina Bistoyong, Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture Aniceto Nieto, Governor of Laguna E.R. Ejercito, Representatives from the Commission on Human Rights, Board Member Gary Estrada, Former Congressman Boy Aquino, Board Member Rey Paras, and local government officials from Calauan, Laguna.

PESANTE Pilipinas is composed of farmers from 12 provinces and 9 attended the congress from Palawan to Laguna. Almost 300 attendees came with their own stories to tell about the fight they are doing as tenants for more or less than 8500 hectares of land combined from different estate like Hacienda Yulo and Araneta-Roxas Estate.

Evangeline Mendoza is the National President of PESANTE Pilipinas, as a councilor from Brgy, Imok at Calauan, Laguna, as a mother and widow, being the national leader for these farmers need a lot of work and integrity. Together with Senator Antonio Trillanes before at Oakwood in Makati as the sole woman marching with him side by side with General Danilo Lim,Father Robert Reyes and Former Vice President of the Philippines Teofisto Guingona. A lot are looking up to her for her fight, activism, advocacy and courage for her cause. Mendoza lead the event for two consecutive days without wasting any time.

Vice President Jojo Binay seated with the different Presidents of PESANTE from Mindoro, Calauan, Cavite, Canlubang, Calamba, Sarangani and Palawan. Everyone told the Vice President their own fight against the landlords and pictures to prove that some land has been converted into golf course and some has been concreted even though their case is not yet finish. The Vice President promised to help them in his own way and set up a meeting with him again as soon as possible.

The group doesn’t have any budget for food and with the use of social media with the help of “Do it right” advocacy, even not enough yet, donors as far as Baguio City from Dr. Clinton Balud (@drclinton), Wenchie Flores Sabban(Wenchie318) and Sarah Heyesa (@zeeheehee) of Habitat for Humanity helped the group for their food. Some sardines, noodles, blanket and “Banig” came from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Blankets and “Banig” were use by the attendees from Palawan and Mindoro who had an overnight at the covered court to attend the two days event. Cold and with lots of mosquitos, the farmers stayed and enjoyed the night while watching the video that was provided by Governor E.R. Ejercito.

The 2nd PESANTE Congress is successful. Though the farmers are receiving death threats from what they are doing which is fighting for their rights to live at the same land their ancestors were living, they are determined to prove that they are deserving to have what is due to them. The oldest farmer who attended the event is 93 years old and yes, still fighting for his right.

Tunay na Filipino

2011-08-31T19:47:00.001+08:00

Agosto ay buwan ng wika sa kadahilanang sa buwan ding ito ipinanganak ang tinaguriang “Ama ng wika” na ating dating pangulong “Manuel Luis Quezon.” Sa pag gunita ay halos karamihan sa mga paaralan ang nag utos sa kani kanilang mga estudyante na magsuot ng pambansang damit na kapareho ng mga sinuot ng ating mga ninuno, tulad ng Filipiniana, Barong at Saya.

Nagkaroon din sa bawat paaralan ng tinatawag nilang “Lingo ng wika” na kung saan iba't ibang patimpalak sa wikang tagalog ang ipinakita at ipnamalas ng mga estudyante o mag aaral. Nagpakita ng galing sa pagtula ng tagalog, sa pagsayaw ng tinikling at ipinamalas rin ang talento sa pagkanta at pag gamit ng ating sariling wika.

Sa ibang pribadong eskwelahan kung saan ang mga mag aaral ay galing sa iba't ibang bansa o tinaguriang “International School”, ang wikang ingles ang karaniwang ginagamit dito upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng ibang dayuhan o ng ibang Filipino na lumaki sa ibang bansa na ang wikang nakasanayan ay ingles. Marami rin sa mga pribado at masasabi rin nating mamahaling eskwelahan na ang “Usual” o “medium” na pananalita ay sa wikang banyaga o ingles.

Natutuwa at humahanga ang iba nating mga kababayan sa mga batang nakapagsasalita ng tuwid na ingles kahit lumaki dito sa Pilipinas na ang karaniwang salita ng lahat ay tagalog. Ang iba ay nagiisip na maaring sa eskwelahan nakuha o natutunan ng ingleserang bata ang kanyang pananalita kung kaya't karaniwan ay naitatanong kung sa anong paaralan ito napasok.

May mga batang pinalaki ng magulang sa salitang ingles kahit na sa pilipinas naninirahan, ito ay hindi sa kadahilanang nandidiri o nilalait ng magulang ang sariling wika kundi upang sa paglaki ng bata ay hindi maging banyaga dito ang salitang ingles na karaniwang ginagamit sa pag aaplay ng trabaho lalo nat ang ninanais ay makapang ibang bansa upang magkaroon ng magandang buhay. Sa ngayon ang Pilipinas ay punong puno ng problema buhat sa Ekonomiya at Kurapsyon ng gobyerno. Makikita at maihahambing ang paninirahan ng ating ibang kababayan sa abroad na kahit na may tinatawag na “recession” sa kanila ay mas higit pa rin ang ganda ng mga benepisyong naibibigay sa kanila ng gobyerno tulad ng sa ospital, pagpapagamot, mga sariwang pagkain at maliit na porsyento ng krimen.

Sa Senado na ating napapakinggan sa ngayon kapag may mga paghaharap sa kaso, wikang ingles ay naririnig natin sa ating mga pinuno ng bayan kahit na nakakatawa ang kanilang mga “accent”. Kapag nakikinig tayo ng balita sa radyo o kaya ay makikinig sa mga “englishpokening dollar” na DJ, para ka na ring nakikinig ng radyo sa ibang bansa dahil sa kanilang “American accent” na sa aking pagmumuni muni at obserbasyon ay mga lumaki sa America ang karamihan. Maririnig rin natin ang pilit sa pag iingles na mga “callers” para lamang marinig sa himpapawid ang kanilang mga tanong o kwentong wala naming kabuluhan. Sa ibang komentaryo o programa ng ating lokal na mga istasyon, karamihan ay ingles rin ang kanilang pananalita at pagtatanong kahit Filipino rin ang kanilang kinakausap. Ano ang kadahilanan ng ganitong mga gawi? Ang pagsasalita ba ng ingles o banyagang salita ay isang kabawasan bilang Filipino? Naitanong mo na ba sa iyong sarili kung bakit salitang Espanyol ang orihinal na ginamit ng ating pambansang bayani na si Gat Jose P. Rizal ng isinulat nya ang Noli Me Tangere at El Filibusterismo na nagpaigting ng damdamin nila Andres Bonifacio at naging sindi naman ng kanyang kamatayan.

Bakit may Ingles na “subject” sa paaralan na ating sinasaulo at gusting matutunan? Bakit ang mga nakapag aral sa matas na kolehiyo o nakapagtapos ay nakakintindi ng salitang ingles o nakapagsasalita pa ng ibat ibang lengwahe? Sa pag aaral ni Dr. Jubin Abutalebi na ipinanganak sa Germany mula sa mga magulang na Persian na sa ngayon ay labing dalawang taon ng naninirahan sa Italy at nakapag asawa ng isang Filipina, masisisi moba kung ilang lengwahe ang kaya nyang bigkasin? Masisisi mo ba kung ang anak nya ay mas marami pang lengwahe ang kayang bigkasin ngunit masasabi ring isang Filipino na may pagmamahal sa bayan ng kanyang ina.

Maraming mga lumaki sa ibang bansa ang ating ipinagmamalaki sa ngayon na baluktot ang pananalita ng tagalog gaya ng magkapatid na sikat na sikat sa ngayon buhat sa manlalarong Azkals, proud na proud din tayo sa batang kasama ni Lady Gaga na may bilyong hits sa “youtube” na si Maria Aragon dahil masasbi nating kahit hindi nakakapagsalita ng tagalog ay nananalaytay pa rin sa mga ito ang dugong Filipino. Si Lea Salonga na ngayon ay tinagurian na Disney Legend ay may “accent” na sa pananalita na kung napanood nyo ang “That’s Entertainment” noon na tulad ko ay sadyang inglesera ng matatawag at sa ngayon ay ipinagbubunyi ang kanyang kasikatan na nauna pang tangkilikin ng mga dayuhan sa Broadway dahil sa pag ganap na “Miss Saigon” kesa tangkilikin nating una ditto sa sarili nyang bayan. Tunay ngang walang nauunang sumikat sa sariling bayan gaya ni Charisse na kung hindi napapunta sa show ni Oprah, naka duet si Celine Dion at Nakasama sa Glee ay hindi mapapansin sa lupang kanyang hinirang.

Ano ba ang Filipino? Paano ba maipapakita ang pagmamahal mo sa sarili mong bayan? Paano maging bayani? Paano ka itatangi? Paano mo maipapakita ang iyong pagka Filipino? Nang magsalita ng Tagalog na tuloy tuloy sa kanyang SONA ang maal na Pangulong NoyNoy Aquino ay marami pa ring kritiko ang nagsalita kung bakit tagalog ang kanyang ginamit sa kadahilanang hindi raw nila lubusang maintindihan ito. Sa aking palagay, kahit na anong gawin ng isang Filipino, magsalita man ng tagalog o ingles ay mayroon pa rin kritiko. Ikaw paano mo naipakita ang iyong pagiging tunay na Filipino?

Globe Tatt Awards: The greatest in Social Media

2011-08-28T10:18:00.008+08:00

"Great recap in your blog!..."- Maria Ressa

"Nicely written" - Hans Roxas- Chua

The Philippines has over 25 Million users and majority from this population shows that Pinoys actively tweet, Facebooking and blogging that’s why we the Philippines is called the Social networking Capital of the world. To recognize the greatness of some netizens who are making a difference in social media, Globe Telecom introduces the Globe Tatt awards.

The First Globe Tatt Awards objective is not to make the winners popular but for everyone to recognized the advocacies and difference not to mention the amount of time they spend online and offline not actually to save the world but to make an impact, be heard and to prove that with the use of social media, a person or organization can spread awareness, empower, convince, encourage and could be a tool for change.

There were 500 unique nominations and two weeks later of checking their won social media sites, Globe Tattoo has narrowed it down to 50 finalists across 10 categories for their first Tatt Awards. This is a different type of recognizing the talents and effectiveness of the words with passion that made and making an impression and awareness distributed around the net that change the mindset of the majority in the cyberspace. They think before they click.

There were 10 categories with five finalists per category. The winners exemplified the Tattoo ideals of “a life without limits,” said Tattoo Head of Nomadic Broadband Dong Ronquillo. "We would like to thank and recognize people who make social media relevant. These are people who make use of the net in a very relevant and impact way. It's not about statistics. It's not about how popular you are. It's about the impact."

The judges for this competition are also advocates and making a name in social media.. They are leaders and empowered individuals in different fields. These people are making a difference already. Let’s get to know them.

Dong Ronquillo is the Tatoo Head of Nomadic Broadband

Maria Ressa is a veteran award winning journalist

Gang Badoy is the Rock Ed Philippines founder

Cecille Zamora-Van Straten is a popular lifestyle blogger and entrepreneur

Rico Mossesgeld is a tech blogger and tattoo ambassador

Kring Elenzano is a director and video blogger

Chico Garcia is a radio Disk Jockey

Hans Roxas- Chua is the President of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP)

For weeks of online voting and mostly flooding the timeline in twitter, the waiting has ended. August 26, 2011 at Manila Peninsula, Rigodon Ballroom, the amazing awarding was held. The winners are:

For Wordslayer category which is showcasing the mastery of words through witty blog entries. Loi Reyes Landicho of professionalheckler.com
For his videos that shook the Filipino online community, Mike Bustos of youtube.com/MikeyBustosVideos got the Video Slinger award.

Celebrity-host, model and former Pinoy big brother housemate Bianca Gonzales of twitter.com/iamsuperbianca won the #Thought-Mover award for uniting people “around one thought in 140 characters or less” in the local Twitter scene.

For her style. Uniqueness and excellence in photography “that caught fire in the local online art scene,” Jin Joson of jinjoson.com won the award of The Artiste.

Elizabeth Angsioco of dswp.org.ph won The Advocate award. A heroin already for fighting the passage of the controversial Reproductive Health Bill.The tatt award is given to her in recognition for “improving the state of a societal cause in the Philippines through social media,”
As a musical band “who fought hard to claim their space in the hearts of the Filipino audience,” the Indie rocker award went to Up Dharma Down of updharmadown.com.

For many who thought that Devine Lee will bag the Stylisimo award for her many fierce followers and fans on Twitter not to mention the so many magazine cover she graced, some were surprised for Laureen Uy of breakmystyle.com who won the Stylisimo award for setting trends in fashion. She is the younger sister of Liz Uy. Derserving she is and wearing a nice dress that night with lot’s of arm accessories.
For her thought-provoking posts “that spread like a virus and took a life of its own,” International actress, Tony Award winner for her role in the Broadway musical “Miss Saigon and a Disney Legend, Lea Salonga bagged the Ball Breaker award.

Mark Macanas of techpinas.com won the Tech Junkie award for sharing the access to latest trends in technology.
A group of Atheist, non- believers and pushing for secularism, Filipino Freethinkers of filipinothinkers.org brought home The One award for leading the pack in terms of online popularity and shaping opinion the local online community. They are pushing secularism, equality and also an advocate of the Reproductive Health Bill and Human Rights.

Special Awards were also given to Divine Lee of divinemlee.com as Tatt Trending Personality, Youtube sensations Arjohn Gilbert and Maria Aragon as Tatt Viral Rookie, Vice Ganda as Tatt Most Likeable based on his Facebook fan page.

Though everyone were excited to greet all the winners and enjoyed the overflowing drinks from the bar after the announcement of winners, everyone until now are talking about the inspirational speech by this veteran and award winning journalist Maria Ressa who herself is always online.

(Keynote speech delivered during the Tatt Awards night on Aug. 26, 2011, Friday, at the Peninsula Manila. Maria Ressa was part of the Tatt Council, which selected the winners.) – Nina Terol Zialzita

The Power in Your Hands
By Maria A. Ressa
August 26, 2011

“Thank you for inviting me to speak to you tonight about the big ideas that have brought us all together. The Internet and new media technology is changing the way we think, changing and playing with the plasticity of our brains, actually rewiring our synapses – and, consequently, changing the way we act. It’s changing power structures around the world – I’ll give you both positive and negative examples. And finally, as many of you here already know, it is giving you power the generation before us never had. We live through it every day and take it for granted, but make no mistake. The changes are cataclysmic.

I’ll begin with you. The first change is physiological. How many of you have Facebook accounts, Twitter? How much time do you spend on social media? Are you addicted? Chances are to some degree, you are. Your dopamine levels, the chemical that causes addiction, increases when you’re using twitter or facebook. It’s proven in FMRI imaging studies. Remember, our emotions are really just chemical reactions and social media is tweaking your emotions by changing the chemical levels in your brain. Because your emotions are heightened, your expectations and the way you behave shifts. I first studied this because I wanted to know how people consumed news. Academics complain about tabloid journalism, but the reality is that it’s now become the norm globally. That’s largely because that’s the way people in general want to get their news.
Why? Because the technology we use has kept us on a perpetual emotional high. This is not just social media but all the interruptions in the modern day world – flooding our brains with dopamine - helping condition us to like “sensationalism” over “objectivity.”

Anyway, the way you think is different. The reason I’m writing a book now is because I wanted to find out how the Internet has affected my brain. And BOY, it has. As a reporter, you tend to live on adrenalin, but this constant dopamine fix of social media has a downside. We are creating a generation that can’t focus, is bad at multi-tasking and lacks concentration. The upside is we’re more engaged. We’re more social. We can decide – with minimal costs – to act TOGETHER. A recent study came out that showed that students on Facebook don’t do as well in school but they’re more developed socially.
So here you are - being changed by the media you consume. While one person can spark or tip towards meaningful change, one person can’t do much on his or her own. You need to harness a group. And for much of human history, scientists realized that the most number of people we could hold together socially or for any meaningful endeavor is 150. It’s called Dunbar’s number. Not coincidentally, that’s the average number of friends people have on Facebook. It requires effort and money to get beyond that number.
For most of human history, there only existed two ways we can harness human capabilities. You either create a company or a bureaucracy – which requires a lot of capital, money to hire, create a hierarchy and communicate internally so you can get the group to achieve a shared purpose. It’s the principle behind companies and governments.
The second way is to create markets, which also requires institutions to set rules, maintain and regulate. That also costs money.
The third way happened less than a decade ago. We now have the power to harness networks – at almost no cost. Let me give you two concrete examples of this: Wikipedia and A MILLION VOICES AGAINST FARC in Colombia.

The ability to harness networks and move people to action is called crowd-sourcing, and a development that will change businesses and institutions globally. James Surowieki wrote a book called THE WISDOM OF CROWDS where he wrote that “large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant – better at solving problems, fostering innovation, coming to wise decisions.” He listed the four criteria you needed to make that happen: diversity of opinion, independence, decentralization, aggregation.
This is the idea behind the citizen journalism program I led at ABS-CBN. Now every news organization in the Philippines has one, but when we started in 2005, it was a novel idea since most journalists were wary of mixing with non-professionals. Well, that’s another idea that’s been tossed out the window.
Professional journalists have to redefine their roles today because now everyone is a journalist. Everyone in this room has the power to publish – something only large organizations with money could afford to do in the generation before us.
Let me end with some big examples of the power of crowd-sourcing and social media, new ways of connecting networks of people. Let’s go to the phenomenon of the Arab spring, the huge protests in Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya. It set off a debate about Facebook and Twitter revolutions – with people saying yes it is, no it isn’t. Regardless of what we call it, the Internet – and social media in particular – ignited long-standing grievances, broke walls of fear, spread courage and fast-tracked what may have taken months and years without instant communications – all this leading to the downfall of dictators.
The medium that carries the message shapes and defines the message itself. Social media’s instantaneous nature pushed the speed at which these revolutions unraveled and spread discontent – and courage – virally across the region. The first messages created ripple effects, amplified and pushed further by countless, nameless people spreading not just the message itself but their emotions – what psychologists call emotional contagion. It’s extremely powerful, and it created protest movements that were difficult for authoritarian governments to control. Why? Because they were modeled on the networks of the web – loose, non-hierarchical, leaderless. You don’t know whom to arrest, no political parties to tear apart, no underground revolt to dismantle. This is the people, and any government that fights its people will ultimately fail.
On the flip side, it can also make it easier to organize looting and riots as we saw recently in London. British officials actually talked about controlling or shutting down social media.
Every powerful tool can be used positively and negatively. I think the earlier we focus on the positives, the sooner we can think of innovative applications. So the internet can bring down governments, empower its people, help spread democracy. What other things can it do? A lot more. It can help in governance. It can help change behavior and infuse new meaning into political processes. For countries like the Philippines, there’s a great opportunity for journalists and the people to come together and help identify needs and push for solutions. Many of you are doing this now in your areas of influence, but we are envisioning something that puts all our energies together. A group of friends and I are now working on a project that aims to evolve journalism and use new technology to harness citizens for nation-building. We are creating a pilot, scalable model that can be used in countries like ours with weak institutions and weak governance. I want to see change in my lifetime, and technology now gives us the ability to do it ourselves.
If you get a chance tonight, you can see a little of this conversation on Facebook. Visit Move.PH on Facebook and tell us what you think. Be part of the experiment and watch it evolve.
Let me end the way I began. It’s a time of cataclysmic change. The sooner we recognize that and embrace it, the sooner we can begin to think of new applications, new ways of doing things, new systems for harnessing collective efforts … the sooner we step into the future.
Thank you, Tatt Awards, for giving me the opportunity to see the work of so many talented Filipinos who have embraced this brave new digital world. I learned a lot by being part of this process. Remember, we should be at the forefront of this revolution because we are officially the social media capital of the world according to ComScore.
Every day, I wake up and try to assess how the world has changed since I fell asleep. Of course, the first thing I do is look at Twitter and see what others around the world have sent me. Social media connects us globally now. How many of you guys saw Inception? That’s my metaphor for our world today. The Internet is the second level of reality that is quickly changing reality. What we do in the virtual world is changing the real world.

Congratulations to the winners tonight! You all are amazing and already know first-hand the power you wield to influence people. Now we just have to make sure we use it wisely. May the Force be with you!"

PICTURES! PICTURES!