Rainy Season: Every year a Problem

Every year, we experience heavy rains in the country, typhoon from A to Z, but every year we encounter same problem.  It makes me wonder if our government really making an effort to solve the problem of the country during rainy season, or if, there is one of the government official thought of this, or if there are, how of many of them thought of think of long term solution.

Few days ago, as I watched Philippine News through The Filipino Channel, no typhoon yet, just monsoon rain, but some parts of Metro Manila were flooded already.  This kind of scene was not new to me. Every year we experience this.  But the question is, why do we experience this every year?  Does any one of the government official has thought of this?

More often than not, rainy season ends in December.  Think, if the government has plan for the following year, do you think we will still experience this flood?  From January to May is a long time enough to clean the drainage system of each cities and municipalities.  If the government allocate budget for the excavation of creek, maybe we may not experience this, or if there is allocation, were did use properly?

Why not set aside the political interest?  Why not think of the interest of the Filipino people?  Why not stop pointing fingers?  Why not start acting today for the better tomorrow?

How may President, Vice President, Senators, Representatives, Mayors and Councilors do we need to elect?  How many more cabinet members need to be appointed just to have a concrete plan and proper execution for flood control in the rainy season?

Birthday email greeting to a brother from her sister

most of the times i am asking God, what did i do to deserve a brother like you.... what good did i bring to him to blessed me with such a loving and kind brother like you. you have always been there when i need you.... i can still remember when i was in grade four, we have these what they call workbooks. and you were then in your college years, and everytime we have assignments then even though you would come home late i will still wait for you to teach me. and even though you were so tired from your class and the long hour of ride going home, you will still teach me and even make my assignment. you were so patient then teaching me with all my homeworks even though i have this hot temper and hard headed attitude but still you set aside those and continued teaching me and helping me with all my homeworks and lessons. 

remember then when i was given a chance to take the test for sped section? am not quite sure if that lasted for a week, but still you stayed with me the whole day and the whole week to accompany me. 

and talk about my highschool years, you were the reason why i was the best in math from second year til fourth year. it was you that i become the best among all my competitors in the said subject. you were the reason why i'm loving algebra. you just know the right approach to teach me, the right words to tell me,. and the right attitude to help me understand the lesson. for me? even though you havent yet passed the board exam for CPA,  YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT. you are more than that. you are more than that!!

at ikaw yung taong isubu mu ne mu ibye me pa kaku. i am really greatful for your kindness and selfless attitude. minsan i am beginning to put pressure on myself to atleast return the kindness you are giving to me. isipan ku if ever umpisan kung bayaran ita, even a life time isnt enough to pay you. those are really priceless and it will take me a lifetime to think of a thing that could make things even. 

and for the listening ears, understanding mind, and uplifting words, i really really thank you for those, often times im thinking of detaching myself from the world that pressing me down and yet long before i reach the bottom you are already there carrying me...pushing me to the top.. you never let me feel that i am alone. you never let me feel that i am a mistake. you are such a wonderful person and a brother. as the song goes like this, 

You give me hope,
The strength, the will to keep on;
No one else can make me feel this way
And only you
Can bring out all the best I can do;
I believe you turn the tide
And make me feel real good inside.

You pushed me up
When I'm about to give up;
You're on my side when no one seems to listen
And if you go,
You know the tears can't help but show
You'll break this heart and tear it apart;

...

'Cause it's you
Who fills the emptiness in me;
It changes ev'rything, you see,
When I know I've got you with me

You pushed me up
When I'm about to give up;

koya, thank you for all the kindness you have shown to me... thank you for being a mentor, an adviser, a bestfriend, a financier, a critic, and  brother to me. 

take care of yourself kasi eku agyu kapag mewala ka tutu man. :(( it maybe somehow a selfish favor i am asking but still take care of yourself. 

i really pray eversince to God that may you have the happiness you are looking for, may you always be blessed with such abundance for you deserve it. kasi eku agyung pantayan ing lugud mu at ganaka, so everytime i pray i always begging God na sana ireward na naka king kaganakan mung tawu at kapatad. 

happy birthday koya! Godbless you! i love you so much!

Panawagan Para sa Ating Pangulo ng Pilipinas

Ayon sa pag-aaral na ginawa ng National Statistics Office, pumalo ng 2.2 milyong ang mga nag tatrabaho sa iba’t ibang bansa mula Abril hanggang Setyembre ng nakaraang taon.  Ang nangunguuna dito, Saudi ang pinaka maraming mga OFW.  Inabot na 156.3 bilyong piso ang inabot ng mga padala ng mga Filipino OFW na gaya ko, sa parehong buwan.  Napaka laking tulong na naidulot ng mga remittance naming mga OFW sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas.

Ayon sa ulat na nabasa ko, nais pang palakasin ang palitan peso kontra dollyar. Maganda ang layunin an gating Gobyerno mahal na Pangulo.  Ngunit kung napapansin natin, ang presyo ng basic commodities and hindi naman bumaba datapwat meron pagbaba pero madalas tumataas ang mga ito.  Sino ang unang apektado sa paglakas ng peso kontra dolyar at pag taas ng mga presyo ng bilihin? Kaming mga OFW na piniling mapalayo sa aming mga pamilya.

Bigyan nalang po natin ng halimbawa, noong 2007 ang palitan ng riyals ay di bumababa ng 11.20 kada riyals.  Mainam ito, kung nagpapadala ang isang OFW na 2000SR meron siyang halos 22,000 PHP.  Kumpara ngayon, ang palitan ay 10.80 kada riyals so ibig sabihin meron nalang 21,600 PHP ang isang OFW.  Paano pa kung lalakas pa ang Piso kontra dolyar lalong baba ang value ng pinapadala namin.  At kailangan na naming dagdagan ang padala para matustusan ang gastusin ng mga pamilya namin.  Paano na ang pag-aaral ng mga anak ng mga OFW na alam naman natin na hindi bumaba ang presyo ng tuition fee kung di pataas ng pataas, ibig sabihin kahit kaming mga OFW baka mahirapan ng patapusin mg anak namin?

Isang halimbawa lamang yan Mahal na Pangulo. Marami din sa aming mga OFW hindi nataasan ng sahod, minsan nababawasan pa yung mga Overtime namin na tanging panghatak para may malaking maipadala sa Pilipinas.

Nais lang naming mangyari, kung tinuturing ninyo kaming mga bagong bayani, sana matulungan kaming bigyan ng special exchange rate.  Malaking tulong ito lalo sa aming pamilya kung ang palitan ng riyal sa peso ay hindi na baba pa sa Php11.00 kada riyal o Php41.25 kada dolyar.

Message on Behalf of OFWs (Senator Manny Villar) – A Reaction

I was able to read your article in Manila Bulletin and Tempo dated April 10, 2013 entitled Message on Behalf of OFWs.  I am overwhelmed with your advocates with the concern of OFWs like me.

As I observed in the government, their “programs” for us were mostly right after our retirement as an OFW.  The current situations of the OFW were not being addressed or given the time to study in spite of the contribution of our remittances in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of our country.

As an OFW, one of the major problems we encounter right “NOW” which was not being given a priority to put a solution that needed “NOW” is the Peso-Dollar exchange rates.   The appreciation of Peso really affects us and needs a solution “NOW” for OFWs.

I would speak on behalf of my fellow OFW here in Saudi Arabia, where mostly are skilled workers, who work 11 hours under the heat of the sun.  Years ago, we need approximately 1,800 SAR to send at least more than Php 20,000 in the Philippines, and now the value of our 1,800 SAR is more or less Php 19,000.  This is because of the peso appreciation.

If you will analyze the scenario, we need more than 1,800 SAR “NOW” just to compensate the Php 20,000 that we send before few years ago.  Considering, prices of basic commodities in the Philippines increases, the cost of education increases and the cost of crude oil increases too despite of the peso appreciation.  Thus, the Php 20,000 few years ago doesn’t equal to the value of it “NOW”.

Further, the prices of basic commodities here in Saudi increase also.  Therefore, if the ordinary skilled worker like carpenter with a salary of approximately 1,800 SAR with overtime has to sacrifice his may be “miryenda” just to compensate the remittance to his family. 

In reality, more than 50% of my colleague here especially skilled worker do not have a raised from the time they work here in the kingdom.  The question if this skilled worker has children studying in High School or college? How he can sustain the education and off course basic needs?

My point is, before the government focus on the retirement of the OFW should focus first on “NOW” of the OFW.  Children of OFW are studying “NOW” not after the retirement.  Family of the OFW eats “NOW” not after the retirement.  How can and OFW think of his retirement if he can’t provide the necessities of his/her family “NOW”.

OFW needs help “NOW” retirement will follows.

Prevention is better than cure

Prevention is better than cure

I appreciate the effort of the Department of Health (DOH) in thinking and looking for better way on how they can stop dengue in our country nowadays where the number of victims continues to increase.

In the recent article I read in tabloids, DOH is planning to make genetic manipulation of insects and creating gay (hermaphrodite) mosquito to totally kill the female mosquito. How is that? Is this study has been proven? How much is the cost? How much time they need to finish the genetic manipulation? And the ultimate questions, is this will totally stops the dengue in our country or they are just creating another insect that will create another problem in the future?

As I said prevention is better than cure (tama?). Mostly, we Filipinos do not make prevention unless the dilemma is already there (tama, ulit?). I am not speaking in general. What I am saying is just my observation as an ordinary citizen.

Going back, if the government have a prevention plan for the future we may not experience such predicament. Like for example, the campaigned made by DOH, I think the ad was published last month or two months ago, to clean our environment. If this campaigned was made during summer time and initiated the cleaning of drainage and dengue suspect area during summer may be, we avoided this dengue cases nowadays. Unfortunately, may be, our government made campaigned but did not make an initiative to be the role model in following their campaigned if they did it is not thorough. The cases of dengue are already alarming.

Cure is not yet too late. In my opinion, planning to make genetic manipulation now is not a solution today, may be in the future. What the victims need are medicine and support from our government.

In general, preventions should be made ahead of time and preventions were not being planned and wrote in the peace of paper just to be kept in the book shelves or filling cabinets. But preventions need an action that will serve as cure.

Bro, Help Us

BRO, Help us.
By: Ang Bayan Ko, Filipinas

Mula ng magbukas ang third quarter ng taong kasalukuyan, marami ng di magandang nangyayari sa ating bansa na naranasan ng mag mamayang Filipino.

Una, ilang bus accident na rin ang nagyari sa iba’t-ibang parte ng ating bansa na kumitil na ilang buhay. Kasama na dyan ang pagka matay ng isang beauty queen ng Pilipinas. Mechanical problems ang kadalasan ang naging sanhi ng mga accidente ng mga busses.

Pangalawa, mga kaso ng dengue sa iba’t-ibang bahagi na ating bansa. Maraming mga bata na rin nag namatay ng dahil sa sakit na ito. Marami paring mga naka confine sa mga ibat ibang hospital sa buong Pilipinas. Ayon sa ulat ng DOH ay umaabot na ng mahigit 50,000 na dengue cases.

At ang pangatlo, ang nakakahabahalang pangyayari na ating bansa ay ang madugong hostage crisis na naganap noong August 23, 2010 na kumitil ng 8 walaong Hongkong Nationals na pawang mga turista sa ating bansa. Malaki ang naging epekto nito sa ating lahat.

Sa lahat ng mga pangyayaring ito, marami ang mga nagtuturuan kung sino ang dapat managot. Maraming nagiging “makapili” sa mga pangyayaring ganito. Puro hugas kamay ang karamihan lalo na pagka nagkakagipitan na. Pero ang pagiging “makapili” wala rin namang magandang naitutulong para masulusyunan ang mga suliraning hinaharap ng ating bansa.

Sa panahong mga ganito, isa lang pweding tumulong sa atin at tila nakakalimutan natin si, BRO. Mukhang nakakalimut na tayong lumapit sa kanya. Nakakalimutan na nating magdasal. Nakakalimutan na nating magpasalamat sa mga biyayang natatangap natin.

Minsan naisip ko yung isang email na natanggap ko tungkol sa mga trabaho ng mga anghel sa langit. Sa email, napakaraming mga kahilingan na natatangap ang mga anghel sa Receiving Department at busing busy sa pagtangap ng mga kahilingan. Ganun din ang mga nasa packaging department. Busing busy ang mga anghel na naka assign sa department upang I package at upang deliver sa mga tao ang kanilang kahilingan. At ng huling department, na tila walang natatangap ang anghel na naka assign ang Acknowledgement Department.

Ito ang problema nating mga tao, matapos nating matangap ang ating kahilangan kay BRO madalas di na natin naalalang magpasalamat sa biyayang binigay.

Malaking dagok sa mga mamamayan ang nangyayari sa ating bansa mapa ikaw ay maliit o may sinasabi sa lipunan. Si BRO lang naman ang makaka tulong sa atin.

Let us not forget, that only BRO can help us. Why not organize prayer rally. I urge everybody who could read this article to offer one day of prayer. I personally ask our religious leaders (Priest, Nuns, Parish Pastoral Council, etc) to organize a one day of prayer not for ourselves but for the whole country. Let us unite no matter who you are and what is your position. Let us pray for one cause.

Filipino Values and Attitude

Filipino Values and Attitude

 

How do you react on what you have seen in the television and read in the news paper?  Though I work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , I received a copy of tabloids through email everyday and what I have noticed? Mostly, bad news!  And the ways some of the journalist, writers and ordinary people respond even in good news? DAH………….

 

 I heard and read a lot of criticism to what happen last august 23, 2010.  I did not see the live coverage of the hostage drama, because I was in the office that time.  Partly, I’ve seen it because that night the only topic in the news was the incident which already covered almost the whole day.  Nevertheless, at least I got an idea of what really happen.

 

As expected, I heard nothing but reproach from our so called “critics”, the denunciation to the hostage taker, negotiator team, bystander and off course to the media. 

 

Another issue was the final question and answer of Ms. Philippines , Venus Raj, in the Ms. Universe pageant held in Las Vegas Nevada last August 24, 2010.  I thought since she ranks in the said pageant, the mood of the Filipino people will change.  Again, what I have read in the news paper and heard in the television, disapproval of her answer in the final question.

 

There is this writer in one of the tabloids, the title of his article “Venus Raj, bigo na ma-conquer ang Universe”. I ask my self “Did Venus loss in the pageant?” I don’t want to criticize.   But it took my attention while reading the tabloid.

 

            I want to challenge those people who criticize Venus Raj to audition in a pageant.  Let us see if you will be “qualified” as one of the “contestants”.  To realized if you really have the right to criticize. 

 

            Two different story and yet they got the same criticism.  Is this the kind of values and attitude Filipino have?  Instead of criticizing people in their act and in what’s happening in our country, why not speak of the positive things?  Think of its positive side.  Contribute instead of denunciation.

 

Philippines have a bad image nowadays especially in the tourism.  If we will not be responsible in our own little way, nothing will change in our country and we will be left behind by other Asian countries.