My Parents are Off to Auckland

This is the farthest that my mother and father is able to go to. I wish I am with thm to see the experience one of the highlights of their life. Thanks to my Kuya Louie, they are now in New Zealand.

I have always wished that I can give my parants this kind of a gift. I envy Kuya Louie that it is him and not me who could provide them the luxury to travel. I remember when I was still in school, I told my parents that I will buy them a car and have the house gated. I have not fulfilled them yet and I am not sure if I can still.

My parents are the most wonderful people that I have been closed to. I love them and I miss them too. I hope they enjoy their stay in Auckland. And one day I hope to provide them such a travel also. How about a trip to Divisoria? I think they'd be happy about that also. They are such grateful people, I don't think they'd mind.

IT Opportunities : Philippine Jobs : Philippine Careers

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A global investment house is seeking for qualified individuals to join and strengthen their team in Manila. The client is a diversified international provider of banking, financial, advisory and investment services headquartered in Australia.

Operational Service Analyst - ITS – Manila
UNIX Administrator - ITS – Manila
Senior UNIX Administrator - ITS – Manila
Front Office Monitoring Analyst
Senior Test Analyst
Security Administrator - ITS – Manila
Systems Operator – ITS – Manila
.Net Developer
DMA Team QA Analyst
Algorithmic Trading Technology Team QA Analyst
Back Office Testing Team Analyst

Interested parties may send their updated CV at efabia@artemis-ra.com

You could leave a comment on this post for your inquiries...

Google Chrome: Where is the Homepage button

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Update: To show the homepage button (1) click the wrench icon and then (2) select options and then (3) check the show home page button option. Thanks to Eric Reid.

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Google's newest baby, Google Chrome, is out! (Beta that is)

One thing I immediately noticed (aside from noticing that the Chrome icon is like Firefox's) is that I was able to download it so quickly. Unlike Internet Explorer or Mozila Firefox, this one came in fast. I do not know if it is because it is not loaded yet with all the features that the first two browsers have as it is still in the beta stage, however it is simply a relief whenever a download comes in like a falling meteorite.. lightning fast. Impressive.

You wouldn't notice Chrome once you are browsing already. It is like, it is not there. In fact, I even forgot that I was testing the browser earlier. So unobtrusive. Unlike IE and Firefox and with all their colors. Chrome is like an invisible browser. It is as if you are browsing without a browser.

The only thing I had a hard time earlier, since there is no toolbar, is that I can't find a way to immediately switch to my homepage. Cmon! There is no homepage button. Or am I just being dumb? I do not know but as of this writing, I still can not find it.

Google I am waiting for your Chrome updates...

To download Chrome, click here!

Manny Vs De La Hoya : Mexico vs Philipines Pen-Ultimate Round

The Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao versus Oscar "The Golden Boy" De La Hoya tiff this coming December is on!!!

Reports are saying that both camps have agreed in principle to stage the fight at years end. Manny Pacquiao will go up another weight class while De La Hoya will go down his. Both fighters will sacrifice some thing just to make the terms meet.

The height issue is the main issue on this tiff. Surely it is De La Hoya who has an edge. But no matter what, we'll surely see some great counters from the Pacman. He is used to being the underdog anyways. So fight fans take your pick .

I go for Pacquiao, by left hook or by crook!!!

Old World vs New World: Spain and USA meet in Olympic Basketball Finals

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As yours truly predicted in an earlier post, the Americans and the Spaniards will face off in the Finals of Beijing Olympics Mens Basketball tournament.

The US team led by Carmelo Anthony who snatched 21 points won 101 - 81 over reigning Olympic Hoops Champion Argentina. On the other hand, Spain beat Lithuania in the first semi-final game 91-86.

I was able to watch the preliminary match between the US and Spain and I can't help but wonder what adjustments Pau Gasol and his brother Mark will put into play come game time. The US clobbered the Iberian matadors 119 - 82 during pool play, where the Americans showed thier quickness.

However, I think we ought to see a much tighter game this time around. Pau and the Spanish Crew I think learned their lesson the first time and they should never commit the same mistakes now that the Gold is up for reaping.

The US team led by NBA MVP Kobe "My Idol" Bryant showed how serious they are in the first game between them. Noticed how Kobe dismissed Pau by shoving him to the ground when the latter tried to set a pick for his teammate in the first few minutes of the game? Kobe just walked on, stoned-faced as if nothing happened while Pau just can't help but smile. To me, that is the difference.

So if this time Spain is still thinking of horse-play, they should just pack up and not attend the match. For the US of A means business... means vengeance... means Gold... and nothing less!

Scores by Quarter during the USA and Spain pool match-up:
Q1: 31 - 22
Q2: 61 - 45
Q3: 86 - 63
Q4: 119 - 82

Advocacy: Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health

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From this moment on, I plan on making this my personal advocacy. To influence as many people as possible, especially the people I know to stop smoking.

I tried smoking before, albeit briefly. It was never really a habit or an addiction for me. It was because of the people around me. Sometimes you have to do things just because your friends do so also. Well, I was young back then and I thought that that was the way to go. Good thing I met my future wife, and I stopped.

It is not really hard to stop smoking. It is just a matter of taking your mind to the right concept of how you are going to be able to show others that you have control of the things you do.

Take for example my dear father. He was an addictive smoker back in the days. He is able to take that bad habit away. From a tiny-thin man, my father became bigger. People who knew him before were always amazed at how much my fathers physique changed. It is all because he stopped smoking. He is healthier and more full of life.

I will be posting more about this advocacy in the future. Less smokers, less sorrow, less death.

How to Cook Noodles Correctly

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I just want to share this tip that I got through email. I am not really sure if this is a fact though. I will be researching about this later at work. ;-). Here is how the email goes:

CORRECT WAY OF COOKING NOODLES

The correct way to cook instant noodles without harming our bodies and health:

Normally, how we cook the instant noodles is to put the noodles into a pot with water, throw in the powder and let it cook for around 3 minutes and then it's ready to eat.

This is the WRONG method of cooking the instant noodles. By doing this, when we actually boil the ingredients in the powder, normally with MSG, it will change the molecular structures of the MSG causing it to be toxic. The other thing that you may or may not realize is that, the noodles are coated with wax (lilin) and it will take around 4 to 5 days for the body to excrete the wax after you have taken the noodles.


CORRECT METHOD:

1. Boil the noodles in a pot with water.

2. Once the noodles is cooked, take out the noodles, and throw away the water which contains wax (lilin).

3. Boil another pot of water till boiling point and put the noodles into the hot boiling water and then shut the fire.

4. Only at this stage when the fire is off, and while the water is very hot, put the ingredients with the powder into the water, to make noodle soup.

5. However, if you need dry noodles, take out the noodles and add the ingredients with the powder and toss it to get dry noodles.



Please share this info and help save a life.

USA vs Spain : Beijing Olympics

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I was planning of writing something about this after the game. But I just can't help myself as I am really so excited about it. But I have a very big problem: I might not be able to watch it live... BUMMER!!! BUMMMERRRR!!! BUMMMMEEEERRR!!!! lol

I am going to my future wife's place and staying there for the night. And they have no cable tv so I sure am going to be able to watch the game when it is replayed already, hopefully the next day.

Kobe has been talking about this game since the last NBA post-season. Remember those interviews when he constantly talked about meeting Pau Gasol in Beijing? Now is the preview of that matchup. A preview because I really think these two teams will meet up eventully in the Olympic Basketball Finals although they are on the same grouping.

The Spaniards are power packed also led by the Gasol brothers. Their height might will surely bring in some headaches for Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh. To me that is where the Spanish is going to have a little edge, the middle. However, we all know that Bosh and Chris can always try to stir things up their way. Whew! I can't help but be regretful that I am gonna miss it. I just love my girl so much that is why.

Enough of this.. see you later at the game. On replay that is...

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The Men's basketball game today Saturday will be as follows:

Game 1: Greece (1-2) vs. Angola (0-3)
Game 2: Russia (1-2) vs. Australia (1-2)
Game 3: Croatia (2-1) vs. Lithuania (3-0)
Game 4: Iran (0-3) vs. Argentina (2-1)
Game 5: China (1-2) vs. Germany (1-2)
Game 6: USA (3-0) vs. Spain (3-0)

Go Kobe!

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Education, Training and Employment Fair 2008

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Here is another public service announcement for those jobseekers out there. There is going to be an Employment, Training and Employment Fair this coming September 5 to 6, 2008. The fair will be held at SM Megatrade Hall 1, 5th Floor SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. This job fest is sponsored by JobQuest.Ph.

Job Fair: Festival Mall Alabang

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Jobstreet will be putting up a job fair in Alabang to end the month of August. Scheduled to happen at the Festival Mall , this serves as the third leg of the leading career agencys program dubbed as JOBSolutely Cool.

Click here for more details.

All Eyes on Harry Tañamor: Updated

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Update: Our very own Harry Tañamor lost his light flyweight match with Ghana's Mangyo Plange. The Filipino boxer lost 6 - 3 in a one sided match. Looks like our hopes for an Olympic glory are now pinned on the jins, and whoever is left standing. But with the opposition so much formidable, we can only close our fingers and pray.

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All eyes are now on Boxer Harry Tañamor. The man is in a very unenviable position being the only man in the lean Philippine contingent in the ongoing Beijing Olympic games who all Filipinos think should be able to win at least a bronze medal. The other members of the Philippine team does not enjoy the same such high expectations from his countrymen. So even right now, I am all praises to the Filipino flyweight veteran. His ability to handle such pressure is worth a medal already.

Tañamor will be going up against Ghana's Manyo Plange at 7pm Manila time. Too bad, I will be at work at that time. Surely, I will be following the match on the web.

Let us all pray for the sweet chance for Harry to bring home the chinese bacon that is made of Gold.

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A Filipina in the US Olympic Swimming team in Beijing? I read it from Miss Dine Racoma's blog. According to the respected blogger, the swimmer Natalie Coughlin is 25% Filipina who eats pancit and lumpia in Bay area gatherings. Read more about it in The D Spot.

Beijing Olympics 2008 ::: 8.8.08

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Simply the best ever Olympic Games opener!!!

That is how I am going to describe the Beijing Olympics 2008 Grand Opening! Imagine an Olypic torch bearer running in mid air??? And the finale, that is the lighting of the Olympic flame put the mythical Barcelona Olympic Archer shot to shame!

The fireworks capped the night. Remember the Bombing of Baghdad? Well, it is nothing to how the Beijing skyline lit up after the Olympic flame is in full view.

The Chinese are simply on top of the world right now. Even the US can not match the patriotism, the nationalistic fervor, the economic prowess and the total edge of the Awakened Dragon. The Beijing Olympic Games is the proof. Indescribable!!!

Whoever is the head of the Beijing Olympic organizing committee, Congratulations!!!

Globe iPhone 3G - August 22

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Come August 22, 2008 the Philippines is going to experience firsthand the magic of iPhone 3G. Globe announces that they are going to launch the much awaited sequel to the original iPhone. Happy? Excited?

The price is very affordable. It comes at a very cheap price of P41,899! Toinks!! What a bummer!!!


Well! The price matches the mobile experience. This includes faster connection, support for ActiveSync, built-in GPS and you can run hundreds of 3rd party applications through it.


Globe will be offering special post-paid plans to would be subscribers. Want to learn more? Want to subscribe? Click here!

GTA GTA'ed as in Get the Axe

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Swooping!!!! That's how I would call it!!!

After the deadly incident involving a GTA and a Thai teen where the 18 year old boy gets to re-live his online gaming illusion by killing a cab driver. The Thai authorities spearheaded by the only legal distributor of games and software in Thailand started to take off the game in Thailand. And they did not stop at that. They even warned people about the types of games they buy. For a company to do that at the behest of its own interest, I give my big props to them. This is such a big deal, not only to the gaming community in Thailand or anywhere else but also to those who are conducting businesses, especially here in Asia.

If only Philippine companies can do the same. Imagine the same thing happening here in the Philippines. Do you think these game distributors in the Philippines will have the conscience to do the same? I tend to think not!

Well!

Grand Thai Auto

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Ever heard of any direct link with playing GTA and violence? Check this out!

A Thai teenager robbed a cab driver and stabbed him to death because he could not afford toplay Grand Theft Auto. The young man even confessed that he copied it from the game. He used the $15 allowance given to him by his civil servnt parents two purchase two knives.

Now that is daaaaangerous!!!

If I am a parent, I will not let my kids play these kind of games. And so my next question. Is GTA liable in such cases wherein a game addict tends to copy the violence seen while playing and do things in real life? Is there enough rules and regulations concerning games? If movies and television and radio have content regulating body, why not games?

Calling our dear Philippine lawmakers...

2008 SONA

The following is the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's State of the Nation Address for the year 2008.




STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO DURING THE 2ND REGULAR SESSION OF THE 14TH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, 28 July 2008

Thank you, Speaker Nograles. Senate President Villar. Senators and Representatives. Vice President de Castro, President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, members of the diplomatic corps, ladies and gentlemen:

I address you today at a crucial moment in world history.
Just a few months ago, we ended 2007 with the strongest economic growth in a generation. Inflation was low, the peso strong and a million new jobs were created. We were all looking to a better, brighter future.

Because tough choices were made, kumikilos na ang bayan sa wakas. Malapit na sana tayo sa pagbalanse ng budget. We were retiring debts in great amounts, reducing the drag on our country's development, habang namumuhunan sa taong bayan.

Biglang-bigla, nabaligtad ang ekonomiya ng mundo. Ang pagtalon ng presyo ng langis at pagkain ay nagbunsod ng pandaigdigan krisis, the worst since the Great Depression and the end of World War II. Some blame speculators moving billions of dollars from subprime mortgages to commodities like fuel and food. Others point of the very real surge in demand as millions of Chinese and Indians move up to the middle class.

Whatever the reasons, we are on a roller coaster ride of oil price hikes, high food prices and looming economic recession in the US and other markets. Uncertainty has moved like a terrible tsunami around the globe, wiping away gains, erasing progress.

This is a complex time that defies simple and easy solutions. For starters, it is hard to identify villains, unlike in the 1997 financial crisis. Everyone seems to be a victim, rich countries and poor, though certainly some can take more punishment than others.

To address these global challenges, we must go on building and buttressing bridges to allies around the world: to bring in the rice to feed our people, investments to create jobs; and to keep the peace and maintain stability in our country and the rest of the world. Yet even as we reach out to those who need, and who may need us, we strive for greater self-reliance.

Because tough choices were made, the global crisis did not catch us helpless and unprepared. Through foresight, grit and political will, we built a shield around our country that has slowed down and somewhat softened the worst effects of the global crisis. We have the money to care for our people and pay for food when there are shortages; for fuel despite price spikes.

Neither we nor anyone else in the world expected this day to come so soon but we prepared for it. For the guts not to flinch in the face of tough choices, I thank God. For the wisdom to recognize how needed you are, I thank, you Congress. For footing the bill, I thank the taxpayers.
The result has been, on the one hand, ito ang nakasalba sa bayan; and, on the other, more unpopularity for myself in the opinion polls. Yet, even unfriendly polls show self-rated poverty down to its 20-year low in 2007.

My responsibility as President is to take care to solve the problems we are facing now and to provide a vision and direction for how our nation should advance in the future. Many in this great hall live privileged lives and exert great influence in public affairs. I am accessible to you, but I spend time every day with the underprivileged and under represented who cannot get a grip on their lives in the daily, all-consuming struggle to make ends meet.

Nag-aalala ako para sa naka-aawang maybahay na pasan ang pananagutan para sa buong pamilya. Nag-aalala ako para sa magsasakang nasa unang hanay ng pambansang produksyon ng pagkain ngunit nagsisikap pakanin ang pamilya. I care for hardworking students soon to graduate and wanting to see hope of good job and a career prospect here at home.

Nag-aalala ako para sa 41-year old na padre de pamilya na di araw-araw ang trabaho, at nag-aabala sa asawa at tatlong anak, at dapat bigyan ng higit pang pagkakakitaan at dangal. I care for our teachers who gave the greatest gift we ever received - a good education - still trying to pass on the same gift to succeeding generations. I care for our OFWs, famed for their skill, integrity and untiring labor, who send home their pay as the only way to touch loved ones so far away. Nagpupugay ako ngayon sa kanilang mga karaniwang Pilipino.

My critics say this is fiction, along with other facts and figures I cite today. I call it heroism though they don't need our praise. Each is already a hero to those who matter most, their families.

I said this is a global crisis where everyone is a victim. But only few can afford to avoid, or pay to delay, the worst effects. Many more have nothing to protect them from the immediate blunt force trauma of the global crisis. Tulad ninyo, nag-aalala ako para sa kanila. Ito ang mga taong bayan na dapat samahan natin. Not only because of their sacrifices for our country but because they are our countrymen.

How do we solve these many complex challenges?

Sa kanilang kalagayan, the answer must be special care and attention in this great hour of need.
First, we must have a targeted strategy with set of precise prescriptions to ease the price challenges we are facing.

Second, food self-sufficiency; less energy dependence; greater self-reliance in our attitude as a people and in our posture as a nation.

Third, short-term relief cannot be at the expense of long term reforms. These reforms will benefit not just the next generation of Filipinos, but the next President as well.

Napakahalaga ang Value Added Tax sa pagharap sa mga hamong ito. Itong programa ang sagot sa mga problemang namana natin. Una, mabawasan ang ating mga utang and shore up our fiscal independence. Pangalawa, higit na pamumuhunan para mamamayan at imprastraktura.
Pangatlo, sapat na pondo para sa mga programang pangmasa. Thus, the infrastructure links programmed for the our poorest provinces like Northern Samar: Lao-ang-Lapinig-Arteche, right now ay maputik, San Isidro-Lope de Vega; the rehabilitation of Maharlika in Samar. Take VAT away and you and I abdicate our responsibility as leaders and pull the rug from under our present and future progress, which may be compromised by the global crisis.

Lalong lumakas ang tiwala ng mga investor dahil sa VAT. Mula P56.50 kada dolyar, lumakas ang piso hanggang P40.20 bago bumalik sa P44 dahil sa mga pabigat ng pangdaigdigang ekonomiya. Kung alisin ang VAT, hihina ang kumpiyansa ng negosyo, lalong tataas ang interes, lalong bababa ang piso, lalong mamahal ang bilihin.

Kapag ibinasura ang VAT sa langis at kuryente, ang mas makikinabang ay ang mga may kaya na kumukonsumo ng 84% ng langis at 90% ng kuryente habang mas masasaktan ang mahihirap na mawawalan ng P80 billion para sa mga programang pinopondohan ngayon ng VAT. Take away VAT and we strip our people of the means to ride out the world food and energy crisis.

We have come too far and made too many sacrifices to turn back now on fiscal reforms. Leadership is not about doing the first easy thing that comes to mind; it is about doing what is necessary, however hard.

The government has persevered, without flip-flops, in its much-criticized but irreplaceable policies, including oil and power VAT and oil deregulation.

Patuloy na gagamitin ng pamahalaan ang lumalago nating yaman upang tulungan ang mga pamilyang naghihirap sa taas ng bilihin at hampas ng bagyo, habang nagpupundar upang sanggahan ang bayan sa mga krisis sa hinaharap.

Para sa mga namamasada at namamasahe sa dyip, sinusugpo natin ang kotong at colorum upang mapataas ang kita ng mga tsuper. Si Federico Alvarez kumikita ng P200 a day sa kaniyang rutang Cubao-Rosario. Tinaas ito ng anti-kotong, anti-colorum ngayon P500 na ang kita niya. Iyan ang paraan kung paano napananatili ang dagdag-pasahe sa piso lamang. Halaga lang ng isang text.

Texting is a way of life. I asked the telecoms to cut the cost of messages between networks. They responded. It is now down to 50 centavos.

Noong Hunyo, nagpalabas tayo ng apat na bilyong piso mula sa VAT sa langis-dalawang bilyong pambayad ng koryente ng apat na milyong mahihirap, isang bilyon para college scholarship o pautang sa 70,000 na estudyanteng maralita; kalahating bilyong pautang upang palitan ng mas matipid na LPG, CNG o biofuel ang motor ng libu-libong jeepney; at kalahating bilyong pampalit sa fluorescent sa mga pampublikong lugar.

Kung mapapalitan ng fluorescent ang lahat ng bumbilya, makatitipid tayo ng lampas P2 billion.
Sa sunod na katas ng VAT, may P1 billion na pambayad ng kuryente ng mahihirap; kalahating bilyon para sa matatandang di sakop ng SSS o GSIS; kalahating bilyong kapital para sa pamilya ng mga namamasada; kalahating bilyon upang mapataas ang kakayahan at equipment ng mga munting ospital sa mga lalawigan. At para sa mga kalamidad, angkop na halaga.

We released P1 billion for the victims of typhoon Frank. We support a supplemental Western Visayas calamity budget from VAT proceeds, as a tribute to the likes of Rodney Berdin, age 13, of Barangay Rombang, Belison, Antique, who saved his mother, brother and sister from the raging waters of Sibalom River.

Mula sa buwang ito, wala nang income tax ang sumusweldo ng P200,000 o mas mababa sa isang taon - P12 billion na bawas-buwis para sa maralita at middle class. Maraming salamat, Congress.
Ngayong may P32 na commercial rice, natugunan na natin ang problema sa pagkain sa kasalukuyan. Nagtagumpay tayo dahil sa pagtutulungan ng buong bayan sa pagsasaka, bantay-presyo at paghihigpit sa price manipulation, sa masipag na pamumuno ni Artie Yap.

Sa mga LGU at religious groups na tumutulong dalhin ang NFA rice sa mahihirap, maraming salamat sa inyo.

Dahil sa subsidy, NFA rice is among the region's cheapest. While we can take some comfort that our situation is better than many other nations, there is no substitute for solving the problem of rice and fuel here at home. In doing so, let us be honest and clear eyed - there has been a fundamental shift in global economics. The price of food and fuel will likely remain high. Nothing will be easy; the government cannot solve these problems over night. But, we can work to ease the near-term pain while investing in long-term solutions.

Since 2001, new irrigation systems for 146,000 hectares, including Malmar in Maguindanao and North Cotabato, Lower Agusan, Casecnan and Aulo in Nueva Ecija, Abulog-Apayao in Cagayan and Apayao, Addalam in Quirino and Isabela, among others, and the restoration of old systems on another 980,000 hectares have increased our nation's irrigated land to a historic 1.5 million hectares.

Edwin Bandila, 48 years old, of Ugalingan, Carmen, North Cotabato, cultivated one hectare and harvested 35 cavans. Thirteen years na ginawa iyong Malmar. In my first State of the Nation Address, sabi ko kung hindi matapos iyon sa Setyembre ay kakanselahin ko ang kontrata, papapasukin ko ang engineering brigade, natapos nila. With Malmar, now he cultivates five hectares and produces 97 cavans per hectare. Mabuhay, Edwin! VAT will complete the San Roque-Agno River project.

The Land Bank has quadrupled loans for farmers and fisherfolk. That is fact not fiction. Check it. For more effective credit utilization, I instructed DA to revitalize farmers cooperatives. We are providing seeds at subsidized prices to help our farmers.

Incremental Malampaya national revenues of P4 billion will go to our rice self-sufficiency program. Rice production since 2000 increased an average of 4.07% a year, twice the population growth rate. By promoting natural planning and female education, we have curbed population growth to 2.04% during our administration, down from the 2.36 in the 1990's, when artificial birth control was pushed. Our campaign spreads awareness of responsible parenthood regarding birth spacing. Long years of pushing contraceptives made it synonymous to family planning. Therefore informed choice should mean letting more couples, who are mostly Catholics, know about natural family planning.

From 1978 to 1981, nag-export tayo ng bigas. Hindi tumagal. But let's not be too hard on ourselves. Panahon pa ng Kastila bumibili na tayo ng bigas sa labas. While we may know how to grow rice well, topography doesn't always cooperate.

Nature did not gift us with a mighty Mekong like Thailand and Vietnam, with their vast and naturally fertile plains. Nature instead put our islands ahead of our neighbours in the path of typhoons from the Pacific. So, we import 10% of the rice we consume.

To meet the challenge of today, we will feed our people now, not later, and help them get through these hard times. To meet the challenges of tomorrow, we must become more self-reliant, self-sufficient and independent, relying on ourselves more than on the world.

Now we come to the future of agrarian reform.

There are those who say it is a failure, that our rice importations prove it. There are those who say it is a success-if only because anything is better than nothing. Indeed, people are happier owning the land they work, no matter what the difficulties.

Sa SONA noong 2001, sinabi ko, bawat taon, mamamahagi tayo ng dalawang daang libong ektarya sa reporma sa lupa: 100,000 hectares of private farmland and 100,000 of public farmland, including ancestral domains. Di hamak mahigit sa target ang naipamahagi natin sa nakaraang pitong taon: 854,000 hectares of private farmland, 797,000 of public farmland, and Certificates of Ancestral Domain for 525,000 hectares. Including, over a 100,000 hectares for Bugkalots in Quirino, Aurora, and Nueva Vizcaya. After the release of their CADT, Rosario Camma, Bugkalot chieftain, and now mayor of Nagtipunan, helped his 15,000-member tribe develop irrigation, plant vegetables and corn and achieve food sufficiency. Mabuhay, Chief!

Agrarian reform should not merely subdivide misery, it must raise living standards. Ownership raises the farmer from his but productivity will keep him on his feet.

Sinimula ng aking ama ang land reform noong 1963. Upang mabuo ito, the extension of CARP with reforms is top priority. I will continue to do all I can for the rural as well as urban poor. Ayaw natin na paglaya ng tenant sa landlord, mapapasa-ilalim naman sa usurero. Former tenants must be empowered to become agribusinessmen by allowing their land to be used as collateral.

Dapat mapalaya ng reporma sa lupa ang magsasaka sa pagiging alipin sa iba. Dapat bigyan ang magsasaka ng dangal bilang taong malaya at di hawak ninuman. We must curb the recklessness that gives land without the means to make it productive and bites off more than beneficiaries can chew.

At the same time, I want the rackets out of agrarian reform: the threats to take and therefore undervalue land, the conspiracies to overvalue it.

Be with me on this. There must be a path where justice and progress converge. Let us find it before Christmas. Dapat nating linisin ang landas para sa mga ibig magpursige sa pagsasaka, taglay ang pananalig na ang lupa ay sasagip sa atin sa huli kung gamitin natin ito nang maayos.
Along with massive rice production, we are cutting costs through more efficient transport. For our farm-to-market roads, we released P6 billion in 2007.

On our nautical highways. RORO boats carried 33 million metric tons of cargo and 31 million passengers in 2007. We have built 39 RORO ports during our administration, 12 more are slated to start within the next two years. In 2003, we inaugurated the Western Nautical Highway from Batangas through Mindoro, Panay and Negros to Mindanao. This year we launched the Central Nautical Highway from Bicol mainland, through Masbate, Cebu, Bohol and Camiguin to Mindanao mainland. These developments strengthen our competitiveness.

Leading multinational company Nestle cut transport costs and offset higher milk prices abroad. Salamat, RORO. Transport costs have become so reasonable for bakeries like Gardenia, a loaf of its bread in Iloilo is priced the same as in Laguna and Manila. Salamat muli sa RORO.

To the many LGUs who have stopped collecting fees from cargo vehicles, maraming, maraming salamat.

We are repaving airports that are useful for agriculture, like Zamboanga City Airport.
Producing rice and moving it cheaper addresses the supply side of our rice needs. On the demand side, we are boosting the people's buying power.

Ginagawa nating labor-intensive ang paggawa at pag-ayos ng kalsada at patubig. Noong SONA ng 2001, naglunsad tayo sa NCR ng patrabaho para sa 20,000 na out of school youth, na tinawag OYSTER. Ngayon, mahigit 20,000 ang ineempleyo ng OYSTER sa buong bansa. In disaster-stricken areas, we have a cash-for-work program.

In training, 7.74 million took technical and vocational courses over the last seven years, double the number in the previous 14 years. In 2007 alone, 1.7 million graduated. Among them are Jessica Barlomento now in Hanjin as supply officer, Shenve Catana, Marie Grace Comendador, and Marlyn Tusi, lady welders, congratulations.

In microfinance, loans have reached P102 billion or 30 times more than the P3 billion we started with in 2001, with a 98% repayment record, congratulations! Major lenders include the Land Bank with P69 billion, the Peoples' Credit and Finance Corporation P8 billion, the National Livelihood Support Fund P3 billion, DBP P1 billion and the DSWD's SEA-K P800 million. For partnering with us to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit, thank you, Go Negosyo and Joey Concepcion.

Upland development benefits farmers through agro-forestry initiatives. Rubber is especially strong in Zamboanga Sibugay and North Cotabato. Victoria Mindoro, 56 years old, used to earn P5,000 a month as farmer and factory worker. Now she owns 10 hectares in the Goodyear Agrarian Reform Community in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, she earns P10,000 a week. With one hectare, Pedro and Concordia Faviolas of Makilala, North Cotabato, they sent their six children to college, bought two more hectares, and earn P15,000 a month. Congratulations!
Jatropha estates are starting in 900 hectares in and around Tamlang Valley in Negros Oriental; 200 in CamSur; 300 in GenSan, 500 in Fort Magsaysay near the Cordero Dam and 700 in Samar, among others.

In our 2006 SONA, our food baskets were identified as North Luzon and Mindanao.

The sad irony of Mindanao as food basket is that it has some of the highest hunger in our nation. It has large fields of high productivity, yet also six of our ten poorest provinces. The prime reason is the endless Mindanao conflict. A comprehensive peace has eluded us for half a century. But last night, differences on the tough issue of ancestral domain were resolved. Yes, there are political dynamics among the people of Mindanao. Let us sort them out with the utmost sobriety, patience and restraint. I ask Congress to act on the legislative and political reforms that will lead to a just and lasting peace during our term of office.

The demands of decency and compassion urge dialogue. Better talk than fight, if nothing of sovereign value is anyway lost. Dialogue has achieved more than confrontation in many parts of the world. This was the message of the recent World Conference in Madrid organized by the King of Saudi Arabia, and the universal message of the Pope in Sydney.

Pope Benedict's encyclical Deus Caritas Est reminds us: "There will always be situations of material need where help in the form of concrete love for neighbour is indispensable."
Pinagsasama-sama natin ang mga programa ng DSWD, DOH, GSIS, SSS at iba pang lumalaban sa kahirapan sa isang National Social Welfare Program para proteksyonan ang pinaka-mahihirap mula sa pandaigdigang krisis, and to help those whose earnings are limited by illness, disability, loss of job, age and so on-through livelihood projects, microfinance, skills and technology transfer, emergency and temporary employment, pension funds, food aid and cash subsidies, child nutrition and adult health care, medical missions, salary loans, insurance, housing programs, educational and other savings schemes, and now cheaper medicine-Thanks to Congress.

The World Bank says that in Brazil, the income of the poorest 10% has grown 9% per year versus the 3% for the higher income levels due in large part to their family stipend program linking welfare checks to school attendance. We have introduced a similar program, Pantawid Pamilya.

Employers have funded the two increases in SSS benefits since 2005. Thank you, employers for paying the premiums.

GSIS pensions have been indexed to inflation and have increased every year since 2001. Its salary loan availments have increased from two months equivalent to 10 months, the highest of any system public or private-while repayments have been stretched out.

Pag-Ibig housing loans increased from P3.82 billion in 2001 to P22.6 billion in 2007. This year it experienced an 84% increase in the first four months alone. Super heating na. Dapat dagdagan ng GSIS at buksan muli ng SSS ang pautang sa pabahay. I ask Congress to pass a bill allowing SSS to do housing loans beyond the present 10% limitation.

Bago ako naging Pangulo, isa't kalahating milyong maralita lamang ang may health insurance. Noong 2001, sabi natin, dadagdagan pa ng kalahating milyon. Sa taong iyon, mahigit isang milyon ang nabigyan natin. Ngayon, 65 milyong Pilipino na ang may health insurance, mahigit doble ng 2000, kasama ang labinlimang milyong maralita. Philhealth has paid P100 billion for hospitalization. The indigent beneficiaries largely come from West and Central Visayas, Central Luzon, and Ilocos. Patuloy nating palalawakin itong napaka-importanted programa, lalo na sa Tawi-Tawi, Zambo Norte, Maguindanao, Apayao, Dinagat, Lanao Sur, Northern Samar, Masbate, Abra and Misamis Occidental. Lalo na sa kanilang mga magsasaka at mangingisda.
In these provinces and in Agusan Sur, Kalinga, Surigao Sur and calamity-stricken areas, we will launch a massive school feeding program at P10 per child every school day.

Bukod sa libreng edukasyon sa elementarya at high school, nadoble ang pondo para sa mga college scholarships, while private high school scholarship funds from the government have quadrupled.

I have started reforming and clustering the programs of the DepEd, CHED and TESDA.
As with fiscal and food challenges, the global energy crunch demands better and more focused resource mobilization, conservation and management.

Government agencies are reducing their energy and fuel bills by 10%, emulating Texas Instruments and Philippine Stock Exchange who did it last year. Congratulations, Justice Vitug and Francis Lim.

To reduce power system losses, we count on government regulators and also on EPIRA amendments.

We are successful in increasing energy self-sufficiency-56%, the highest in our history. We promote natural gas and biofuel; geothermal fields, among the world's largest; windmills like those in Ilocos and Batanes; and the solar cells lighting many communities in Mindanao. The new Galoc oil field can produce 17,000-22,000 barrels per day, 1/12 of our crude consumption.

The Renewable Energy Bill has passed the House. Thank you, Congressmen.

Our costly commodity imports like oil and rice should be offset by hard commodities exports like primary products, and soft ones like tourism and cyberservices, at which only India beats us.
Our P 350 million training partnership with the private sector should qualify 60,000 for call centers, medical transcription, animation and software development, which have a projected demand of one million workers generating $13 billion by 2010.

International finance agrees with our progress. Credit rating agencies have kept their positive or stable outlook on the country. Our world competitiveness ranking rose five notches. Congratulations to us. We are sticking to, and widening, the fiscal reforms that have earned us their respect.

To our investors, thank you for your valuable role in our development. I invite you to invest not only in factories and services, but in profitable infrastructure, following the formula for the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.

I ask business and civil society to continue to work for a socially equitable, economically viable balance of interests. Mining companies should ensure that host communities benefit substantively from their investments, and with no environmental damage from operations.

Our administration enacted the Solid Waste Management Act, Wildlife Act, Protection of Plant Varieties, Clean Water Act, Biofuels Act and various laws declaring protected areas.
For reforestation, for next year we have budgeted P2 billion. Not only do forests enhance the beauty of the land, they mitigate climate change, a key factor in increasing the frequency and intensity of typhoons and costing the country 0.5% of the GDP.

We have set up over 100 marine and fish sanctuaries since 2001. In the whaleshark sanctuary of Donsol, Sorsogon, Alan Amanse, 40-year-old college undergraduate and father of two, was earning P100 a day from fishing and driving a tricycle. Now as whaleshark-watching officer, he is earns P1,000 a day, ten times his former income.

For clean water, so important to health, there is P500 million this year and P1.5 billion for next year.

From just one sanitary landfill in 2001, we now have 21, with another 18 in the works.
We launched the Zero Basura Olympics to clear our communities of trash. Rather than more money, all that is needed is for each citizen to keep home and workplace clean, and for garbage officials to stop squabbling.

Our investments also include essential ways to strengthen our institutions of governance in order to fight the decades-old scourge of corruption. I will continue to fight this battle every single day. While others are happy with headlines through accusation without evidence and privilege speeches without accountability, we have allocated more than P3 billion - the largest anti-graft fund in our history - for real evidence gathering and vigorous prosecution.

From its dismal past record, the Ombudsman's conviction rate has increased 500%. Lifestyle checks, never seriously implemented before our time, have led to the dismissal and/or criminal prosecution of dozens of corrupt officials.

I recently met with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US agency that provides grants to countries based on governance. They have commended our gains, contributed P1 billion to our fight against graft, and declared us eligible for more grants. Thank you!

Last September, we created the Procurement Transparency Group in the DBM and linked it with business, academe, and the Church, to deter or catch anomalies in government contracts.
On my instruction, the BIR and Customs established similar government-civil society tie-ups for information gathering and tax evasion and smuggling monitoring.

More advanced corruption practices require a commensurate advances in legislative responses. Colleagues in Congress, we need a more stringent Anti-Graft Act.

Sa pagmahal ng bilihin, hirap na ang mamimili - tapos, dadayain pa. Dapat itong mahinto. Hinihiling ko sa Kongreso na magpasa ng Consumer Bill of Rights laban sa price gouging, false advertising at iba pang gawain kontra sa mamimili.

I call on all our government workers at the national and local levels to be more responsive and accountable to the people. Panahon ito ng pagsubok. Kung saan kayang tumulong at dapat tumulong ang pamahalaan, we must be there with a helping hand. Where government can contribute nothing useful, stay away. Let's be more helpful, more courteous, more quick.
Kaakibat ng ating mga adhikain ang tuloy na pagkalinga sa kapakanan ng bawat Pilipino. Iisa ang ating pangarap - maunlad at mapayapang lipunan, kung saan ang magandang kinabukasan ay hindi pangarap lamang, bagkus natutupad.

Sama-sama tayo sa tungkuling ito. May papel na gagampanan ang bawat mamamayan, negosyante, pinunong bayan at simbahan, sampu ng mga nasa lalawigan.

We are three branches but one government. We have our disagreements; we each have hopes, and ambitions that drive and divide us, be they personal, ethnic, religious and cultural. But we are one nation with one fate.

As your President, I care too much about this nation to let anyone stand in the way of our people's wellbeing. Hindi ko papayagang humadlang ang sinuman sa pag-unlad at pagsagana ng taong bayan. I will let no one - and no one's political plans - threaten our nation's survival. Our country and our people have never failed to be there for us. We must be there for them now.

Maraming salamat. Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

The Subtle Knife

When I started reading this book, I forgot that I have already partly watched the movie about the sequel before this book. The Subtle Knife is the continuation of Philip Pullmans The Golden Compass. Since, I did not realize that is the continuation of that story, I went on and read it. And I felt a tinge of dismay about how the author is trying to use his expert writing and great imagination to supply a very anti-Churh message.

I do not recommend this book to children and to those whose foundation to their faith is not settled yet. I am not sure if Brown (the author of the Da Vinci Code) and Pullman know each other. However, somehow it seem that they do not really believe in the Church and are total Anti-Church! It is that or they are just using this anti-Church plot to fuel a controversy that will allow their books to be controversial enough to be bought.

The story is really really good nonetheless. I just really hate how he used the church and the church based terms and then try to imbibe into the minds of the reader that the Authority (God) is the one who is bad. And that the cardinals and all that believe in the Church as the basis of evil and wrongdoings.

If only he didn't use the Church and the real God in his novel, I will say that he is a great writer. But he is not. He is an opportunistic delinquent whose aim is to earn money and nothing else.

Now that is a DNS Issue!!!

I just read from an online news about an exploit code allowing someone to attack the domain name system (DNS) in the internet.

They are saying that this flaw is so critical that those in the know could easily cause the flow of internet traffic to be controlled. The news said that a group of elite computer engineers even had to labor in secret in order to develop a patch that will secure this apparent DNS vulnerability.
According to the person who discovered the vulnerability:

"This attack is very good. This attack is being weaponized out in the field. Everyone needs to patch, please, This is a big deal"

Even if I am not sure as to what this bug is, I felt that somehow the risk in internet security. So I followed the instruction given to find out if my own personal internet access is at risk. And this is the result:

" Your name server, at xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, appears vulnerable to DNS Cache Poisoning. All requests came from the following source port: 53. Due to events outside our control, details of the vulnerability have been leaked. Please consider using a safe DNS server, such as OpenDNS. Note: Comcast users should not worry. "

Comcast customers are lucky. Their ISP has somewhat covered up the bases. But how about the other Internet Service Providers. Is the local ISP, PLDT concerned about this? Anybody got any idea?

UAAP FEU Cager Shot At!!!

Wow!!! The story about a UAAP basketball player, FEU Tamaraw forward Mac Baracael being shot at is truly huge!

But to add flavor to an already tasty news story, it seems that the motive behind the shooting is
related to the game of basketball. What?!!!!

Yes folks! The viral infection of what happened in the National Basketball Association (NBA)
concerning game fixing / cheating have reached the local shores. In this case, somehow cheaters in the game being played by FEU are said to be the suspects. Reports said that these cheaters are getting back at Baracael mainly because he 'squealed' about the involved individuals.

Now that is something!

The past few years, my interest in the local basketball leagues, (PBA, PBL, UAAP and NCAA
included) has really gone to a halt. No matter what the local basketball commentators and officials say, they can not hide the fact that the peoples interest in the game is at an all time low. Hell! even Ginebra chants sounds corny already.

It seem that the reason is coming to light. Could it be possible that these cheaters are not only
situated inside the walls of FEU? Could it be that even the amateur UAAP and the Pro-league games are affected? No wonder why Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas and the rotting Basketball Association of the Philippines BAP can not agree, if that is the case.

The game just got dirtier and boring... hmp!!!

manila Water : 2nd Edition

WHOAH!!! Prompt actions deserve the warmest applause and the loudest kudos!!!

Manila Water has responded, decisively about my previous blog about them! You see, that previous item about Manila Water is actually an email message that I sent to every email address that I googled ending with @manilawater.com.

Unknowingly, it reached the the highest echelon of the water world. And the Water God, according to my sources, watered them all who had something to do with the said issue.

Thanks to Google! Thanks to the Water God! Thanks to the Martyr (you know who you are madam)... I do apologize to those who were fried in water... I did not mean to cause harm...

Right now, I do not have to pay for a whole year of water consumption. I do not have to deal with a useless callcenter and their OIC. I can drink water from the faucet again.

But wait! Water from our faucet?? No way, man!!!

Calling Grandeur Pure Drinking Water... One gallon please!

See! We do not use Manila Water's water... So its just fair that I not give a year's pay!!!

Mindanao

In what could be the biggest breakthrough to date, the Philippine government and the Muslim separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front have agreed to dropping the word "Freedom" in the draft that would pave the way for the long-stalled peace talks to resume.

In a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Esperon stated that the agreement will now read, "The recognition and peaceful resolution of the conflict must involve consultations with the Bangsamoro people free of any imposition in order to provide chances of success and open new formulas that permanently respond to the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people."

Imagine how a seven letter word, which stands for nothing but rethoric, be of great value to achieving peace in Mindanao. Or is it?

One could easily put the kindest and most afable word in the context of that accord and yet still stray away from peace. The content of the mind and the motive of the heart does not always follow the warmth of a smile. For hidden desires will always be a stumbling block that should make it more harder for the proponents of this issue.

Not all Filipinos on both sides of the fence are excited about this development. There are those who have invested greatly in this conflict and would not want it to rightfully end. Remember that during the time of Erap, there are allegations that rouge elements of the military are the ones who themselves supplying arms and munitions to these rebels. Personal vendetta on both sides will not easily be bented as long as scores are not avenged. Some politicians who will lose grip of their turf once the BangsaMoro region is established will wholeheartedly desire that peace process fail. Sabotage, false accusations, deceit and lies will certainly come in handy for the shadows behind.

For all the hard hopes that we are pinning on this huge development, we should never ever forget that the real enemy of a peaceful Mindanao is cunning and much more evil. For now that freedom is not into play, comes the beginning of a whole new ballgame.

Manila Water

My sister and I are renting an apartment here in Mandaluyong. We have been here since the year 2003.Our monthly consumption at that time runs between 60 to 100 pesos.

One to two years ago (I am not sure of the exact date), Manila water had a project of replacing all water meters in our street. Before they replaced the water meters for our compound, the one for my rented apartment is located 3rd from the right. After the replacement, the water meter for my apartment was placed 2nd from the right.

After this, my consumption immediately spiked to almost 700 pesos. I called the company call center and was subsequently told that it will be investigated and that I am going to be contacted. No one did. SO I went to the local office here in Mandaluyong. Again, I was told that an investigation will happen. For some reason, it seems that the call center and the local office are not communicating properly as they are telling me different reasons why my bill went up so drastically. I had to go back to the local office, just to be told that it was not Manila Waters fault why the reading went up. I informed them that this happened after the replacement of the water meters. I informed them that they may be reading the wrong meter (As I have said earlier, my water meter had been placed from third in the row to second in the row). I was just told to just pay for at leatst half of the 700 or so billing.

To avoid any further waste of time and trouble, I agreed.

So it went for many months, my water billing stayed well above the 100 peso maximum that I used to have. Sometimes it would even go up to more than 300 pesos. For two working persons, spending only 1/8th of their time at home and yet be able to consume that much water! We must be drowning already!

Just last month, our neighbors water service was cut by Manila Water!

Just last month, the local meter reader (his ID says Ronald is his name), informed me that he has been reading the wrong meter all along!!

And so again, I was told by the Manila Water call center that it is going to be investigated. And so again, I had to go to the local office because their call center kept on saying that they can't do anything about and that I have to wait from someone from the local office. And so again I was told by the local office that the issue is going to be investigated. And then, when they talked to my sister, they said that the billing will be adjusted.

LO AND BEHOLD!!! My bill for the month of July 2008 just showed up!!! And here is what it says:

"Mahal Naming Katubig:

Nais po naming ipaalam na ang inyong bayarin sa tubig para sa buwan ng Hulyo ay P1,322.32. Maaari po lamang na bayaran ito bago mag-Hulyo 19, 2008 upang maiwasang maputulan ng serbisyo ng tubig.

Maraming Salamat po! "

WAT DA!!!?!?!?! Anak ng tokwa!! E lumaki pa ah!!!

So I called the call center again. Call center agent told me that his name is "something". Then he told me that someone from the local office (territory manager) is going to call me in a few minutes. No one called. So I called back. I talked to Kim. Kim told me that the person I talked to earliers name is actually is Mel P. Heck he gave me another name earlier. The guys are giving me the run arounds (except for kim, she is not really helpful but quite sympathetic to the cause, I should say.)! And so I talked to an OIC (How come they always say that they do not have a manager around and that they are always on a meeting..), the OIC kept telling me that according to the records there is nothing wrong with the reading as it was an actual reading.

Man!!! Who said that that was not actual reading??? It was an actual reading alright! And actual reading of somebody else's consumption!!! Why should I pay for someone else's thirst quenching!!!???

Now, I am putting my fate again to the utter brilliance of these investigators from Manila Water. And guess what? I think that they will be brilliant enough once again to tell me that something is going to be done for the benefit of their beloved customer.

Please, I want this to be fully investigated. Starting before the time the meters were replaced. And I want my refund to be computed. It has become a headache already. I wish there are other water carriers...

iPhone 3G

Folks! History has been made. Jonny Boy of Auckland is the very first earthling to own the new iPhone 3G at 8AM EST time zone in The Land Down Under The Land Down Under. As soon as I learned that the new iPhone is going to first come out in New Zealand, I immediately ask my brother who lives there if he can grab one for me. I would love to be the first one to get a hold of the newest ultimate gadget to hit the world. especially if I am here in the Philippines.

Now, I am not really a tech gadget fanatic. In fact the cellphone that I currently have is still my good old 2nd hand Nokia 6600 model which I got from my sister. However, so much talk has been focused on the new iPhone model, I started to crave for it. I thought it is either I will have it or I will give it as a gift to my lovely girlfriend of almost seven years as an anniversary gift this July.

The initial reviews however seem to be dampening the hype, and my craving. Somehow, server glitches are causing too much trouble for the new iPhone pioneer users that they could not even use it to make calls. There seems to be an activation problem. De javu! I thought this happened already before.

However, iPhone 3G is still better than the original iPhone. Features like support for third-party software from the iPhone Apps store, improved GPS capabilities, better 3G wireless network capability and Microsoft exchange server e-mail will sure attract more customers. And the price is really affordable that it is really becoming more of a reality to be bought by the mainstream guys.

The latest news in the country is that it may still take sometime for it to be released. According to Globe, it is still later in the year before iPhone lands at NAIA. So for now, I still am waiting for my big brother to get me one. Go Bro!!!

jOb oPening : Senior Call Center Associates : OAM

Open Access Marketing (OAM) is a leading global business process outsourcing (BPO) company that specializes in providing a wide range of front to back-office outsourcing solutions. The company's aim is to bridge the outsourcing gap by becoming an integral and integrated part of top organizations while delivering the cost savings of an outsourced solution. The company services include, but are not limited to:

• Inbound Technical Support
• Appointment Setting
• Lead Generation
• Telemarketing
• Inbound Direct Sales
• Customer Service
• Data Entry, Mining & Cleansing
• Research & Analysis
• eCommerce Management
• Search Engine Optimization and
• Management Virtual Workforce

Senior Call Center Associates

Open Access Marketing is seeking experienced and talented call center associates to work on a U.S.-based call center campaign. The associate will handle inbound and outbound calls from U.S. callers in order to qualify them for the client's services.The applicant must have an excellent command of the English language and a college degree. Previous call center experience is highly desired. Strong work ethic and desire to excel in a dynamic team based environment.


Location: Leviste Street, Makati City
Wage/Salary: Dependent on Experience
Company: Open Access Marketing Philippines Inc
Email: careers@openaccessmarketing.com

jOb oPening : Inbound Customer and Technical Support : OAM

Open Access Marketing (OAM) is a leading global business process outsourcing (BPO) company that specializes in providing a wide range of front to back-office outsourcing solutions. The company's aim is to bridge the outsourcing gap by becoming an integral and integrated part of top organizations while delivering the cost savings of an outsourced solution. The company services include, but are not limited to:

• Inbound Customer and Technical Support
• Appointment Setting
• Lead Generation
• Telemarketing
• Inbound Direct Sales
• Customer Service
• Data Entry, Mining & Cleansing
• Research & Analysis
• eCommerce Management
• Search Engine Optimization and
• Management Virtual Workforce

Open Access Marketing Philippines, Inc is seeking several experienced INBOUND CUSTOMER & TECHNICAL SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVES for a growing client in our Makati, Philippines headquarters.You will be working alongside a strong, American managed team with over 25 years of U.S. telemarketing experience and an experienced, dedicated and energetic domestic team of team leads and managers. You will be entering as Batch 2 for the client which leaves a tremendous amount of opportunity for growth.We are seeking those with 1-2 years of call center experience, preferably in an inbound technical support role with extensive customer service skills. Fluency on all aspects of the computer is required, specifically: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office (especially Excel), and the internet. English fluency (reading/writing/speaking) is a must. We prefer those with college degrees, but again, if you think you have the skills and talent, we encourage you to apply.Benefits include full Maxicare HMO coverage paid for by the company, bonus opportunities, paid time off, and a pleasant working environment. We guarantee that this will be the most enjoyable work environment you have ever been at. Please email us your resumes and make sure to put "Inbound CSR" in the subject field. We need to hire several people immediately. Please visit www.openaccessmarketing.com for more information about Open Access Marketing Philippines Inc.


City/Town: Leviste Street, Makati City
Wage/Salary: 24,000 - 26,000
Company: Open Access Marketing Philippines Inc
Email: careers@openaccessmarketing.com


Please leave a comment if you are interested and the best way to contact you.

Rice issue Or Price issue???

The world is in chaos. First the effects of global warming are causing nations to bow out and be subjected to displacements, death and total destructions. The war in Iraq and other Middle Eastern problems causes worldwide implications most specifically in oil prices.

In the Philippines, the never ending rift between pro and anti-glorias caused most Filipinos to be alienated altogether by the contending parties’ utter disregard for the REAL implications of their actions. Heck, even the Church which is supposed to be our last reliable pillar has been dragged and is continually dragging itself into the problem rather than become a source of the solution.

And now!!! Lo and Behold!!! They are saying that there is an issue about rice shortage!!! Yet about this one, I think I may have some reservations.

The first thing that came to my in when I heard this in the news: “For real???”.

I just can’t believe that this has become a problem in a country where the damned revered-worldwide International Rice Research Institute is based. I mean, who could believe such a thing??? Your country has the leading research group about rice and yet still loose rice!!! What a loser!!!

It just so happened I passed by a local dealers’ storage facility and guess what I saw? Two 16 wheeler trucks filled with sacks and sacks and sacks of rice. Is that shortage??? Nope!!! I call that oversupply!!!

So where did all this rice shortage fantasy come from?

It came from the shortage in Price not Rice!!! Simple example about how the Law of Supply and Demand works!!! Very much like oil!!! Now the hoarders are at work because all of these “rice shortage rumors”! Prices are going up just like what the ‘mongers hope would happen.

What can I do? Nothing!!! Why? Because the country is run by the few lucky ones who control the wheeling and dealing of everything nice in this country! Too bad I am in the unlucky group.

I hope these rice traders issue receipt whenever we buy a kilo of rice from them. That is so that there could be a tracking system on whether they really are selling their stacks. How many did they buy and how many did they sell?

They say that stoppage in land conversion is going to solve the issue. Do you think you can stop them land converters when the biggest beneficiary of land conversion is currently sitting as head of the Philippine Senate??? Pray on suckers!!!