Yay, I’m number two.

February 3, 2010 · Filed under Life, People, Reality, Relationships · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I was already tipsy last night but I could swear I heard the song playing on TV right. The song goes, “Would you be my number two?” And even in the daze caused by too much vodka, I wondered who in his right mind would go outrightly asking a girl if she’d be willing to stand in for the one who probably isn’t there at the moment, or the one who got away, or the one who just sometimes makes him wonder why he’s with her at all. It’s just like having a favorite ice cream flavor but every once in a while trying out the flavor of the month.

And what girl in her right mind would say yes? More importantly, why?

“I love him.” Now that’s what we call, a classic. It is the greatest epitome of human’s superior rationalizing ability. It makes everything sound so sensible that you’d find her three months later in her room eating a tub of ice cream and watching One More Chance over and over on DVD thinking she could be Basha or she could be Trish, and Popoy would be forever.

It is not only because of human’s superior intellect that they engage and get away with cheating. The world’s a stage and now everybody is in show business. So everytime your guy or girl is with someone of the opposite sex (or the same sex, but then that’s a different story), just the two of them together, they’re most probably, “just friends”. And you believe him or her because yes, “I love him.” And yes, “I trust him.” Besides, he’s never really done anything before to make you suspicious, right? Well except this time that you actually saw it with your own two eyes.

Trusting is when you accept what your partner tells you to be true, even when you’re halfway around the world or simply just in another restaurant and cannot actually see for yourself. Didn’t Jesus say, “Blessed are those who did not see, but believed”? Yes, blessed are they who have the dark to keep them company, the illusions in their head as comfort and the unwavering belief that their Prince Charming’s horse is only for two. They missed the fact that Prince Charming could have another horse? Or better yet, a brand new car. Some people are just so lucky.

So it started with “Will you be my number two?” -Joe Jackson

Then came “Secret lovers, that’s what we are.”-Atlantic Starr

The more popular “These are my confessions.”-Usher, which even has a part II.

Then “My girl’s in the next room, sometimes I wish she was you. I guess we’ve never really moved on.”-Hinder

It ought to close with, “I don’t want to walk out that door. I don’t want to take away his life. I don’t want to be, a murderer.”-Rihanna

But as I said, people are smart.

That’s why now in the club they’re singing, “(Girl) Whatcha say, ooohh that you only meant well, well of course you did.  Whatcha say, that it’s all for the best?  Of course it is.  (Boy) Coz when the roof caved in and the truth came out, I just didn’t know what to do.  But when I become a star, we’ll be living so large.  I’ll do anything for you.  Whatcha say?”-Jason De Rulo

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Call Centers: The Sunshine Industry (Indeed.)

February 2, 2010 · Filed under Country, Government, Jobs, People · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

The Philippines ranks second to India when it comes to outsourcing in this side of the world.  In recent years, numerous call centers have sprung up in major cities nationwide offering jobs to thousands of Filipinos especially fresh graduates.  Together with the overwhelming phenomenon are a number of issues concerning health, ethics and sustainability.  Despite these however, I believe that the rise of the call center industry is the best thing that’s ever happened to the Filipinos and the Philippine economy in recent history.  In 2009, the call center industry incurred around $5 billion in revenues and is expected to double in the year 2010.

http://www.callcenterdirectory.biz/images/logo1.jpg

Call centers provide employment to more than 400,000 Filipinos.  Most call center agents or customer service representatives are fresh graduates, professionals and working students.  Call centers provide an opportunity for students to earn money to support their education and help their families.  This is due to flexible work schedules, perfect especially for college students who do not have a rigid school schedule.  The academic requirement of call centers allow these students to acquire employment while still in school.

Some argue that call centers become dump sites for unemployed professionals resulting in a brain drain or a displacement of skills.  Taking the thousands of unemployed nurses in the Philippines for example, the lack of opportunities for them to work in hospitals pushes them to go into call centers and earn money.  This seems a much better alternative than have our nurses stay home doing nothing and wasting their skills and time away.  Others may say they can go into volunteering in rural communities to increase their competence.  While this may be good and noble, we have to face the fact that Filipinos need money to support their daily needs and volunteering for little or no salary at all just doesn’t cut it for those families going hungry with children who can barely go to school.

Call centers bank on the English proficiency Filipinos have been known for.  Its people are resources just as important and useful to the Philippines as its natural bounty.  With English as a major language in the country, it is no wonder that call centers are a big hit with Filipinos.  This propelled the enhancement of the English curriculum in all levels of the academe.  The Commission on Higher Education claimed that such developments in the English programs are to increase competency of graduates in the global arena.  This is a motivation for students to maximize their full potentials because they are being equipped with skills that could ensure them employment after they graduate.  It is not merely learning, they are actually being prepared for the future, an earning future.

Call centers help in improving the Philippine economy.  The numerous call centers in the Philippines incurring revenues of more than $2 billion each every year affect significantly the country’s gross national product.  As of the moment, with the jobs it provides, taxes from thousands of Filipinos used to fund government projects come in bigger values.  (If these taxes actually go to government projects is a different paper altogether.)  Looking into its effects on the market, the employment it provides gives more people buying power.  With such power, goods and services do not remain stagnant in the market because more people can avail and have the means to pay for them.  In a nutshell, call centers do not only affect GNP but play a big part in ensuring the continuity in the flow of goods and services.

Among other industries in the Philippines, the reason why the call center industry is the most popular is because of high pay for minimal capital requirements.  It feeds on the Filipinos’ ability to adjust and to sacrifice for the sake of providing better for their loved ones.  There may be risks in call center jobs, more emotional and physical rather than situational, but these are no match to what one can get in his paycheck.  It is the easy way out, the immediate answer to the prayer of a better today.  What the Filipinos need at this time of crisis is something that will assure them food on their table everyday.  And knowing Filipinos ingenuity, they will be able to find a way to turn the hazards into even more opportunities.

For this government, seeing the benefits its people can get out of this industry, they could use this to their full potential.  Invest more and provide bigger, better benefits, improve the competency of their representatives, ensure a safe and healthy environment addressing any risks linked to health due to lifestyle.  They can improve a lot of lives by providing more jobs.  We are looking into a gateway to the future.  We cannot turn our backs now.

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A test on Haiti and the world

January 27, 2010 · Filed under Country, Life, Reality, Social Responsibility · Tagged , , , , , , ,

The running and wailing of people must have painted a dreadful picture on the 19th of January 2010 as a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Over a week after the tragedy, the death toll continue to rise and hope is slimmer and slimmer for families searching for missing members. Tears are the only resort to let out the hurt. It becomes even harder to feel better when you’re hungry and thirsty with no roof over your head or a bed and blanket to keep you warm.

A number of institutions including CARE International, governments and private businesses and individuals all over the world have contributed as much as they can to help the victims. Of the nine million population of Haiti, 1.5M is affected by the quake.

The poor countries of the world are probably the ones that can truly empathize with Haiti. Filipinos would probably remember the numerous typhoons that visited the country in the previous years (Frank, Ondoy and Pepeng to name a few) and the grave destruction they brought about. We remember the horror of losing family members and what little property we have. We remember the feeling of hopelessness, maybe even anger, at that nasty twist of fate. We remember exhausting all means possible to rebuild our livelihoods, our homes and our future. We remember the people who helped us get through the toughest of times.

For Haiti, this is the time to test the humanity of the world in which it is a part. For its people, it is a time to strengthen their faith in the Higher Being, in the people of the world, in their fellowmen, and in themselves. As it discovers the strength it has within its boundaries, may be then will it be able to pull through and become a better nation than before.

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Missing in tradition

January 25, 2010 · Filed under Country, Culture and Tradition · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

I do not have the slightest idea about what could possibly make someone go swimming in a sea of sweaty, sticky bodies under the scorching heat of the midday sun. it’s Dinagyang time, a time of celebration in honor of Sr. Sto. Nino. I ask then, of all the people in the streets, how many of them have gone to Church to thank the Big Daddy for giving us the Son? How many of them even remembered this is what the festival is about?

It’s entertaining to see different tribes in colorful costumes dancing to lively music–until I found it more difficult to find the one with the Sr. Sto. Nino than the supporters of various politicians running in the elections. There are actually more campaign shirts than Dinagyang shirts in most tribe supporters. The sight makes me not only lose interest but made me realize that Ilonggos made this festival and Ilonggos have put it to shame. We have stolen the limelight from Him who deserves it to the lords of the political scene.

This probably goes to show not the new generation’s lack of religious belief but its misguided priorities. We’ve been taught to appreciate Iloilo’s very own mardi gras but weren’t reminded to offer Thanksgiving in His very own home.



We take pride in being the biggest Catholic country in Asia but take a look at this province and its take on religiosity. We indulge in merrymaking on the streets without finding time to genuflect in front of the altar to show some respect. It’s not that the roads are closed to traffic. It’s the very traffic of priorities in our lives that’s clouding our memories.

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Cheating dilemma

January 20, 2010 · Filed under Corruption, Country, Politics, Reality, Social Responsibility · Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

(This post is a response to an article written by Conrado de Quiros entitled Interesting times in the Philippine Daily Inquirer dated January 20, 2010.)

The question of cheating in a fully automated elections is not as unimaginable as in the manual elections. Especially for Filipinos, the extent of discovery is merely the extent of one’s imagination. Coming up with results far different from the actual votes is a piece of cake with a number of computer-literate individuals in power and for hire.

It could not be the malfunctioning of machines that the people should be afraid of but rather the machines working perfectly leading the public to think that this time things will be different, this time Filipinos can get the elections right.

Machines are but machines no matter how brilliant they could be because still, it couldn’t perfect its operation without it being manhandled. Even with automation, cheating can exist and it will only be harder to prove.

The next question to answer after nailing this possible flaw in May 2010 is whether another EDSA is to be expected if the surveys’ champ Noynoy Aquino loses and claims cheated. Filipinos are indeed smart and more active in social issues than most people are willing to believe. I don’t believe however that the past EDSA revolutions could stand proof to it. The first one maybe but the thriving of the people power culture has ultimately become more of a habit than a necessity. It seems to have been abused, a last resort when there doesn’t seem to be any way out anymore.

(isangpanata.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/noy.jpg)

Is that all we can do?

Vote for a president and when something goes wrong, oust and vote again? If Noynoy Aquino ignites a People Power to reclaim what he lost if he doesn’t win as president claiming being cheated because surveys say he is at the top of the list, would we be serving justice or again tolerating a spoiled brat?  How assured are we anyway that politics is not powerful enough to fight against his idealism and good name?

I have lost faith in politicians and empty words because words will always just be so easy to say.  No matter who we put in power, corruption will exist.  We cannot rely on an unjust system, only on ourselves.

Mind our own lives, exercise our rights, take up our own responsibilities and just live right.

As for Noynoy, if he does lose and claim to have been cheated, he can choose to spend his money, time and energy fighting for that seat he lost, a fight that would probably be futile against this slowpoke of a justice system or continue to do what he can to keep his promises and make this nation better for the people he comes across.

It’s not like there’s nothing he can do if he is not president.  It would become a mockery of the value this country gave to the fight of his mom in 1986 if he merely uses it to ensure that he gets the seat he is vying for.

The presidency has added benefits but it would not and should not be the one to define him as a servant leader. Everyone can be servant leaders, we don’t need titles or recognition worldwide.

All we need is the heart which is lacking in the government. Given that, we, ordinary people, already have an advantage if we want to make our community better and then transform the world.

(Some insights formed from http://www.noynoy.ph/blog/2010/01/10/people-powered/)

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Ako Mismo

January 18, 2010 · Filed under Country, Life, Social Responsibility · Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

The Ako Mismo campaign was launched in 2009 with the thrust of encouraging Filipinos to do what they can in building a better nation.  it stems from the belief that change in the country starts with the change that its people effect in their lives.  The launch of the campaign started with television advertisements featuring prominent people in different fields like Arnel Pineda of Journey, Charice Pempengco, Chris Tiu and the late Francis M.’s daughter Maxine Magalona.  It was followed by the launch of the Ako Mismo site wherein people could put in their pledges of what they themselves can do to make life better for their fellow citizens.  As a symbol of support for the advocacy, dog tags became available both original and imitations.  It seemed remarkable that a lot of people especially the youth showed great fondness for such a campaign.

Standing on the the starting line of 2010, what has happened to Ako Mismo now? On a personal note, I hold the Ako Mismo belief fervently because I do think that by taking responsibility for our actions and doing things right on our own, we are working towards the change we want to see in the future.  It is the lack of hope and lack of motivation in people that made this country sink deeper in the quicksand of corruption and poverty.  As this campaign is launched nationwide and backed by big names in different industries, I feel that it has the potential to make more people aware and encourage them to recognize their talents and skills and use them to help others.

The Ako Mismo campaign as I see it could not just spark volunteerism in people but could open them to the idea that there is still hope and this hope is in each of us.  We can choose to take on the challenge or to just sit back and wait for whatever to befall on us.  We don’t have to wait for the next president, the next administration or the next technological advancement to have a better life.  We can start by doing our daily good deeds and making our corner of the world a livable place.  Then after putting this into practice, we can preach to others how easy it is to change the world.

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Looking into the sun

January 6, 2010 · Filed under Country, Energy, Social Responsibility, Solar Energy · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

With the depleting sources of energy in the Philippines and probably the world, the search for alternative sources are well under way.  Here then comes the solar-powered car, a vehicle that relies on an electric motor that gets its power from the sun through a solar array of photovoltaic cells that convert the sunlight into electricity.  The first solar-powered car in the Philippines called SINAG competed in the World Solar Challenge in 2007 and placed 11th overall.

Solar energy doesn’t seem so popular in the Philippines because the production and maintenance of solar panels are costly.  The idea of free power from the sun is deceiving because while the sun’s energy is free, conversion of such energy into electricity is way more than the normal Filipino household’s budget could afford.  In a tropical country like the Philippines, this venture could be very promising as we have most of the year sunny and even rainy days still get a little bit of sun.

I think it’s cool to drive around and not have to stop for gas.  I just discovered that the total energy the Earth gets from the sun in an hour is tantamount to the energy the world consumes in a year.  Solar power also reduces pollution as it is considered “clean” energy.  At home, is solar power is used, it would surely lessen those never-answered phone calls to the electric company when brownouts happen.  I bet my mom wouldn’t have to go red with fury every time her call is rejected or she’s given the standard “In a while, ma’am” response–”in a while” meaning six hours or more.

But probably the government of this country wouldn’t risk on pursuing such ventures because money is a tease and it’s always so much better if you gain from it rather than lose it on a trial-and-error method with the aim of making life better for others.  If we do spend more however developing materials that could help us make use of free power (like solar panels) instead of looking into methods that are cheap but harmful when fully developed (like the use of coal), we would benefit more in the long run.  But then again, logic doesn’t seem to figure in this country.

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Fighting for Food

December 11, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized

If we follow the Chinese mindset of income minus saving equals expense (instead of income minus expense equals savings),  I doubt we’d want to pay P20-P25 for a serving of minute chunks of potato and meat swimming in thick oil on orange colored water. For the record, that colored water with thick oil on top is also available in yellow and brown. Such is the case with a cafeteria that is everybody’s last resort on top of a hill. Basic economics–monopoly gives you unlimited rights to do, or in this case serve, whatever food you want by a cook with minimal skills at a 5-star price as far as cafeterias are concerned.

Food is always better when it’s free, but it’s no problem to pay a price for food that actually tastes like it should. With this, i mean cafeteria food that is not swimming in oil, real chicken curry and not merely chicken in yellow sauce or a twenty-peso fish as thin as my sony erricson w350i (and not even that wide). More importantly, I’d doubt with complain if the food is actually as clean as it looks.

For a student in this premiere university, time is of the essence—Bawal magkasakit. We can not afford to get sick from the only food available around the school building itself. It’s bad if we get sick because of it, and worse if we get sick of it because the only choice left to us then is starvation or poverty because we have to eat outside or somewhere else. It’s not so nice if it comes out on the news that the future hope of the mother land will perish because of dying appetite for cafeteria food.

I still believe however we can fight for our rights to good, clean and healthy choices for food. We can strike up conversations with the lunch lady, find out if they like the food too or not. Maybe we can even exchange culinary tips. Or ask the nice lady at the office in charge and talk about food quality and consumerism. We can become an empowered civil society and this is an issue of health which should be a major concern.

Rumble rumble your stomach is calling.

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That red-letter holiday

December 9, 2009 · Filed under Life, Reality · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Christmas is not about giving people what they want.  It’s about forcing what you want on people.

I’m not being evil or whatever.  I just realized this as I was out Christmas shopping with friends this afternoon until the evening.  Most of the time, we were arguing on whether or not the gift fits the person it will be given to, if it is somehow of his/her interest or if at all he/she would take it out of the box once he/she sees it.  I thought however that if the gift is what the person least expected, wouldn’t change be nice that way?  For all we know, we could be tools for them to discover a passion or interest that they never thought of before.

Forcing something on someone is not basically just to spite them.  It could be the extra push they need to take the risk and see what’s on the other side.  If it doesn’t work, then just charge it to experience.  At least we know better now.

Christmas as we’ve known since childhood is the season of love, forgiveness, peace and all the good things this world can offer.  So maybe we can take this to mean that this season, we can force out every bit of the good things we can offer and drown the rest of the world in it.

There’s just something about the season that makes people less grumpy, less bitter, less sad.  No matter how much we say that Christmas cheer is overrated, it still does have that effect on people.   Maybe it’s the cake, the gifts or the pretty decorations.  Maybe it’s the fact that a lot more people are gathered in the living room.  Maybe it’s because someone’s home for the holidays.  Christmas is Christmas no matter what and the very fact that people all over the world are celebrating tugs at the corner of your lips until you smile at all those silly people rushing about in the malls but enjoying the sight or the thought nevertheless.

Now I guess, this is the opportunity for everyone to just do what they can to make others happy whether it is welcomed or not.  Christmas gives us all the reason to go out of our way, to be extra sweet and caring and maybe even to profess our undying love.  Christmas is overrated as it is.  For sure, we couldn’t make much of a difference.  But then again, the people we love will always appreciate what we have to give.

If they don’t, then they’d just have to watch out.

They might not get a gift from Santa. :D

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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The ghost of the past

December 3, 2009 · Filed under Country, Politics

Not even the cool December air could dampen the spirits of the Philippines’ resident and most powerful Grinch as she filed her certificate of candidacy on the first of this month. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the first ever president in Philippine history to run for a lower seat after his/her term has ended. Her son Mikey Arroyo is the incumbent congressman of the province. Given his 92% share in the total number of votes cast in 2007, it is highly unlikely that PGMA will lose the congressional race in 2010.<br />

I don’t even want to begin questioning her reasons for doing what she did. I’d like to invite you however to recall the Hello Garci controversy, the NBN-ZTE deal, extrajudicial killings, grants of executive pardon, constant oil price hikes and the very recent election-related massacre so grave it shocked the world. Given all these and more that you’d probably have memories of, let us ponder if in the past nine years we’ve actually grown better as a nation or only callous as a people. We have become part of this government’s reality show: Survivor Philippines. Now, our lives and the lives of our loved ones are what we have to gain.

Having to fight villains and the wrath of nature in the treacherous episodes of this reality show have somehow made us immune to the good opportunities presented before us. Nine years have passed and now the choice to end the ruthless battle is again with us. The power to evict the villain and strip it of its powers and privileges lie in the hands of every Filipino , most especially the people of Pampanga. We can choose the lesser evil because politics could provide us with no angel anyway.

It is high time for us to use the past and learn from it. all the clichés we can remember about experience and getting wiser, we can no prove true. This is our show and we can paint our own reality. What do we have to lose anyway? Do we think that our situation today could actually get any worse? What do we have to fear? Surely, with everything we’ve gone through and with all the problems we’ve faced, nothing can faze us now.

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