- 6:31 PM
- 0 Comments
Juan Manuel Marquez, a great fighter that he is must show
respect to the pound-for-pound king if ever he kiss the canvass or lose this
coming fight on November 13, 2011.
Marquez claims he won the two fights and this is an insult
to the wisdom of the judges. Marquez claims the people know who wins, and
indeed, the people know that during the first fight Pacquiao should have win;
and the second fight, is a close call that could go on any other way but the
knock-out of Pacquiao give him that win.
I am no boxing expert but all I can say that there is no
room for sour graping and the respect given by Pacquiao to Marquez must be
returned 100%. This is the only way boxing as a profession can continue to
live. Pugilists must practice a code of conduct that is worth emulating by the
public.
Manny Pacquiao has done this and that is why he is on top of
the boxing world.
Juan Manuel Marquez, if not equalize, follow this footstep.
After the fight he must declare and show his respect to Manny Pacquiao. Lastly,
he must admit that Pacquiao is the better man inside the ring.
- 1:00 AM
- 0 Comments
Are you professional if you accuse someone and cannot back
it up with documents or evidence?
Are you professional if you cannot even file a formal written
complaint to the group you are accusing of many wrong deeds?
Are you professional if you base your accusations on second
hand information?
Are you professional if you have already awarded the contract
and withdrew it without even citing the reasons for the withdrawal?
Are you professional if you ignore due process and acted in
haste in making your decisions based on peer pressure?
Professionalism as a word is becoming lonelier by the day
because of people who are supposed to be vanguard of professionalism not being
true to this word.
- 3:29 AM
- 0 Comments
Professional is a word given to a person that is licensed in a particular controlled and regulated industry. But beyond this, professional or professionalism carries gravity in terms of acting honorably and with integrity.
Thus if a professional forgets about this then his acquired skills and expertise thus not matter. For in the end what make a professional are not the skills but the character and values that comprise him.
For a skill given to an irresponsible person with no integrity is very dangerous. More so, when the person is entrusted to have authority to regulate his peers to follow and practice what is right.
A stricter penalties and stricter qualifications must be implemented to avoid selecting undeserving professionals hiding in the cloak of their acquired skills. Only when we do this or see these bad eggs punished can we uphold the true meaning of PROFESSIONALISM – a person that is skilled and character that imbues honor and integrity.
- 8:55 PM
- 0 Comments
No matter how many expensive cars you have. No matter how fat your wallet is. When the
world is angry with you and shake their head in disgust, then you have a very
big problem.
Even if the world is so materialistic and glorifies the
famous there is still this thin boundary that must never be crossed. Floyd
Mayweather Jr. just crossed that thin line of trying to show the world values
that do not deserve to be emulated. In fact, not only it is not to be copied
but it has to be extinguished and punished the one that flaunts it.
For someone who has been blessed a lot by boxing, he is a disappointment.
A sport is an arena where you need to show leadership with values. This important
value was thrown into the cesspool by Mayweather Jr.
Yes he is famous but respected definitely not!
There is a very large gap between being famous and being
respected. This gap Mayweather Jr. cannot bridge. As I saw him leave the ring
in his last fight with Victor Ortiz I saw in his eyes a soul tormented for
having lost the most precious thing a person can have – RESPECT.
- 6:58 PM
- 0 Comments
We wallop today the United Arab Emirates despite losing two important players due to technicalities. For sure, we will be at the thick of things in this FIBA ASIA qualifying match for London Olympics. For sure, many Filipino Basketball aficionados will be praying (including me) that the door of heaven opens and we catch the blessings so that our team clinched a slot for the Olympics.
However, history is not on our side. The possibilities of heart break are bigger than the possibilities of hubris. I cannot event remember the number of times my heart was broken because of the unmet expectations and what could have been scenarios that did not materialized.
As this FIBA Asia unfolds and the initial results are positive there is a sense of good things to come feelings that envelop me. Regardless of the percentage my positive mind is dominant and will not look on the past as benchmarks for the outcome that we will have in this contest.
The skeptics and those that have given-up will probably sneer at me and the many who are hoping for the impossible. The old cliché “Basketball is for the Giants” will again be thrown at those who believe. But we have adjusted and addressed this concern. Yes, we resorted in naturalizing a foreigner in order for us to compete at the 5 and 4 position, this do not make us a lesser man and team. Majority of the team are Filipinos and the team carries our flag. They represent us and it is only right that they get our full support.
Basketball is our country’s passion and it still is. Despite the emergence of football, basketball will never leave the hearts of the majority of our countrymen.
The bounce of the ball is music, the cross-over and other acrobatic shots are like a ballet dance number, the swish of the net because of a ringless shot is like a cold water poured in someone’s head, and the dunks and buzzer beaters are like a lotto number drawn where everybody shouts and jumps because they were declared as winners.
I believe in the SMART GILAS and I believe in the Philippine Basketball. Heck I don’t even care if we end up not entering the London Olympics. I just want to see the team fight for every ball possessions and represent the flag with pride and honor.
- 10:35 AM
- 0 Comments
An online whistleblower in Wikileaks revealed the
following reasons why our Tourism Industry is hobbling to keep up with our Asian
neighbors. They are:
Incompetent
officials
The changes in the leadership right now in the
department and the upcoming tourism congress hopefully address this concern.
It is not competence but the political will that
is lacking in order to leapfrog our tourism industry.
Unfavorable
financing options
Right
now the fewer ships that are plying our seas are caused by excessive leasing
fees National Maritime Leasing Corporation as perceived by local
operators. Studies
are needed in order to find solutions in lowering the rental fees.
Protectionist
policies
The open skies policy and elimination of unnecessary
tax in the airport will eradicate this perception of protectionism.
The former Secretary Alberto Lim pocket open sky policy started the
easing of protectionism. The ball is now at the hands of the present Secretary
to complete the task.
Others: Infrastructure
and Transportation link
There must be strong tourism cluster that focus
on improved infrastructure and transportation links will attract additional
tourists in the country. It will also give convenience that the tourists are
looking for to give a go in visiting our country.
If we can duplicate Hongkong and other countries
that have MRTs from Airport to Cities our tourism industry is in a good
position.
Modern Airports
Funds that will build Clark as the future
international airport of the country are underway. But the speed of realizing
it must be upped.
Time is of the essence because the present
administration’s transparent policies will help in promoting a speedy process
to achieve this goal.
The Challenge
is big but…
In one International Event which I will be
attending to promote our business and the country, majority of the buyers are
not choosing the Philippines as their future destination for the next two years
but still I am attending the event to promote the country and snatch some
accounts to favor and benefit our country.
The main reason is that we have no choice but to
continue and take the challenge head-on, continue to believe that the future
will be better if we take positive actions today.
- 8:05 AM
- 0 Comments
 |
| Yes to Fare Hike if Funds will Be Used Properly |
The announcement that the fares of MRT and LRT will increase as high as P60.00, a 300% increase to its original P15.00 elicited a lot of negative reactions.
I respect and understand the reactions however I agree with the reasoning that the MRT and LRTs are being subsidized by the whole country which should not be the case. Provinces outside Metro Manila need funds to develop and it will be best to share some of the subsidy that will be slash to the MRT and LRTs to these provinces.
If we take the long term view, the development of the provinces will decongest Metro Manila. Developed and progressive provinces will distribute wealth and jobs among all our countrymen. I would rather shoulder the increase if in the near future there will be positive effects in the rural areas.
I am born in Manila, a true blooded Manileno but I cannot be too barriotic in thinking that my city or region should be the only city that must benefit from the help of the government (of course I am exaggerating this line of argument, I know provinces have budget allotment, even if it is paltry).
However, my only requirement is that there must be a concrete and physical proof of the diverted budget.
Otherwise, it will be a case of another lost opportunity and lost benefit to the detriment of the country and the people.
Also, discounts should be given to students and senior citizens two sectors that need speed and comfort in their daily transportation.
Lastly, I believe that we have one of the lowest fares in Asia. See the MRT or MTR as they call it in Singapore, Hongkong and Japan – we can see that the fares there are high and ours too cheap to compare.
This stand is unpopular but it is what is right therefore it must be implemented. We cannot ignore the long term benefits and the reality that MRT and LRT's are business units of the government that must profit. Profit that can be use to maintain, upgrade and see it operational in a lot of years to come.
- 11:39 PM
- 0 Comments
Our new Secretary of Tourism Ramon Jimenez. knows how to communicate and communicate well. Earlier, he said that selling the country is as easy as selling Chickenjoy. Besides being a good sound byte he hit it right on the head of the nail. Indeed, the Philippines is easy to sell because it is beautiful. And I believe no Filipino will argue against it, not that we are Filipinos but it is an obvious truth.
I watch his interview with Jessica Soho in the program State of the Nation and read the transcript the GMA NEWS TV online and there are a lot of interesting remarks our Secretary of Tourism made. So here it is and be inspired.
“Ang magandang slogan ay buod ng isang napakalaking istorya”
I agree and the challenge is to get to the core of the story to serve as our battle cry that will unify us all.
“We have to develop an appetite for competition”
Calling business men and government PPP project creators we need you to create more so we can compete in terms of infrastructures and transportation facilities.
“Because money is only one vehicle for making a campaign work. In fact, it is the least important when you get right down to it. Ang pinakamagagandang kampanya sa buong mundo, hindi naman pera ang nagdala eh. Nasa isipan lang talaga yan eh. If you have less money, you think harder”.
A creative guy knows no boundary and our Secretary of Tourism is one heck of a man that can pull the job with this kind of statement.
“Pag kayo hindi na nag-uusap, lalaki ang problema. Ang lahat ng tao, especially mga Pilipino, kailangan lapitan mo, kailangan kausapin mo. Kailangan makita nila na ang pagkakataon na nasa labas ng bintana ay mas malaki kesa doon sa pinag-aawayan natin dito sa loob ng bahay”.
I guess the tourism congress conflict has a big chance to be solved because of this stance. However, the Secretary must also be cautious that some are in the congress just to grab power and use it to further their self interest.
“Tourism is the people’s business. Ang turismo ay negosyo ng taong bayan. My job will be to make that happen”.
This is the heart of matter and tourism will grow if the government will be serious in living with this dictum. Again, tourism is not a backyard industry. In fact, in a globalized economy it plays a major role in a country’s development. Case in point is Singapore, without tourism its many hotels and conventions center will fold-up and many people will lose their job.
“Ang turismo po ay confidence, kumpetisyon yan eh. ‘Pag halatang duda ka sa sarili mong kagandahan, lalabas yan”.
Indeed, we have to believe first in our country before other countries believe in us. Only by having this mindset can we compete.
Right now, I am all praises with our Secretary and I hope that this feeling remains the same until he finish his term.
So now, let us buckle down and make the vision a reality.
*Source: Interview of Jessica Soho State of the Nation and transcripts of interview on GMA NEWS TV online
- 11:10 PM
- 0 Comments
 |
| Are We Going To Sleep The Week Away? |
Last night the news made my eyes bulge and scratch my head. This is because I can’t believe somebody will propose that we have a four days work week.
Four days work week.
There are 5 reasons why I do not subscribe to this proposal:
Lack of Available Jobs
The proponents argue that four days work week will allow people to find additional jobs. But how can they get one if there is none available.
So Many Holidays
I check the government website and we have for the record 15 Holidays and adding additional one day will just create more holidays for the people. When in abroad the impression of other foreigners is that we are an Island of Holidays. Making the proposal legal, we will now have secured a tagline for our tourism – ironically with grave effects to our economy.
Inertia
More holidays will just make us lazy. In fact, we are already are. If you talk to OFWs that worked in Singapore and US they will tell you that we are still a country that moves in slow pace – a bucolic barrio that is the image that we still harbor in our psyche even if we have seen urbanization slowly crawling in our world.
Myopic Basis
I think that the proposal is based in what the proponent sees in Metro Manila but once implemented it will have a general impact in a country that has few developed cities. Provinces and municipalities wanting to urbanize and develop will see their aspirations go in slow motion, as if time has stood still – no need to explain why.
Productivity
In this globalize economy we need to be more competitive. Some of us are already working seven (7) or six (6) days a week just to keep phase with the demands and challenges of our neighboring countries. If we will plug this proposal into our system we will see a big drop of productivity. Actually, even in a six day work schedule, the productivity of our people can still be questioned. That is why there is a million peso industry in productivity training and seminars.
Well these are my 5 reasons. For now I am against it, but in the long term maybe yes if our country has a lot of high value assets that catapults us to being a developed nation. Right now, we can’t see anything high value being produced by our country, as we are pushed to the wall of providing OCWs and Call Center Agents just to support our economy and growing population.
- 10:22 PM
- 0 Comments
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) issued a reminder to students not to enroll on the following courses as this will give them a very small chance of landing a job.
The following courses are:
- Education
- Nursing
- Business Administration
- Information Technology
- Hotel and Restaurant Management
There are 37,000 plus graduating nursing students this year according to the Department of Labor and Employment. Not to enroll in this course I will bite into.
However, education, information technology and business administration and hotel and restaurant management, I think is very debatable for discouraging students not to enroll in these courses.
First, our education needs a lot of teachers as there are in depth reports that there are overworked and over tasked teachers assigned in our educational system - caused by lack of teachers!
Second, we are into the knowledge economy our information technology graduates can usher a new boom in terms maximizing the internet world to serve our economy. There are a lot of jobs in the net that is still untapped. I know an international company who is in big need of SEO specialists but can't or is hard pressed in finding one. This is just a starter.
Third, business administration and hotel and restaurant management, with the positive outlook of our tourism and boom in entrepreneurship, we will need these graduate to fill the need of business and organizations to perform supervisory tasks.
Market driven approach is the measurement used by TUCP in arriving on the conclusion to dissuade the graduating students to enroll on these four courses I am urging to be given a second look.
My basis is that in an economy where knowledge is the trend information technology experts will play a bigger part. And in a country that needs a fresh injection of talents in our educational system, teachers are very much needed. Lastly, strategically, if we are considering our tourism as a sunshine industry, then HRM and Business Management graduates will play the part to fill-up need in hotels, restaurants, new business establishments that will be opened by investors in our country.
Yes, No to increase nursing enrollment and yes, a big no to increase call center agents – not that I do not approve of this industry but I feel we need to create more high value industry not just become an outsourcing hub because of our cheap labor.
- 4:09 AM
- 0 Comments
I find this video very insightful. Ram Charan author of numerous best sellers is the main feature of this video and he discusses 5 Building Blocks in Running A Successful Business. The building blocks are:
Cash
Cash is king. In business this principle is very much true we have to have cash and know where in our business do we generate cash. A business model is only effective if all members of the organization know how to generate cash or source cash in this particular business.
Margin
You have to create a very good profit margin to make a profitable business. Profit margin is gross sales less cost, and a sustainable business creates a good Profit margin.
Velocity
This is about cash flow. Velocity dictates that the cash that goes in to your company must be faster and greater than the cash that goes out of your company. There are a lot of stories of failed business that show why even if the company has a great product and service if the cash going out is greater that the cash going in then it will eventually fold-up.
Growth
There must be a sustained growth every month and every year. But a caveat it must be a profitable growth, this can only happen if we innovate our products and services. If we become complacent this will spell the END OF OUR COMPANY.
Customers
You got to know your customers. If you do not know why the buy your products and services, you will not be able to create a repeat business out of it. This will give you a big problem in the long run. Successful companies understand their customers according to Ram.
If you want to understand more you may watch the video of Ram about shop keeper’s mentality. I guarantee you will like and learn big time from it. If you want to listen to Ram in person you may catch him this September 29, 2011 at New World Hotel, call tel. nol. 643-3887.
- 11:10 PM
- 0 Comments
A
recent article in Time magazine revealed that good-looking people will earn
more over their lifetime compared to those who are aesthetically
challenged. University of Texas Economist Daniel Hamermesh reported in
his book “Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful” that
“ugly people earn less than average looking people, and average-looking people
earn less than the beautiful.”
I
learned this from reading Alvin Tabanag’s blog discussing about this research.
First, I find this quite amusing but when I look around I saw a tinge of truth
in the findings of the study. However, it cannot be denied that there are a lot
of average looking and plain looking male and female enjoying quite an
immeasurable success in our society.
No
I am not defending the average and the plain looking to go that way will make
my point impish, What I am after is that who conducted and funded the study.
Oftentimes, a lot of studies are not about finding new realities but, some of
them, about re-creating realities.
This
is what I am afraid of. Companies that have overflowing cash using their
resources to serve their interest and propagate a lie.
Imagine
if the study is funded by a company engaged in health and beauty products, and
for those that think superficially they can be easily swayed to
think that only those with great looks deserve success in life.
There
now lies a vicious cycle.
My
take on this study published by TIME Magazine? Yes there are a lot of people
that gets away because of their good looks. But it is not a determining factor
whether we will be successful or not.
Humans
are meant to survive and adapt. Human Spirit is meant to triumph. The study
negates this by selecting a group based on superficial attributes.
I
still go with Charles Darwin’s research findings even though it was a finding
that was discovered a long, long time ago that is "In the struggle for survival, the fittest
win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting
themselves best to their environment."
This
is the strongest argument of who succeeds in life and who does not. After
saying this piece I guess what is left from the pages that the particular study
occupied in Time Magazine is in my arse because the tissue in my toilet has run
out. A best replacement methinks as I end this piece and prepares to rush to my holy throne.
- 9:16 AM
- 0 Comments
There is this
special situation that I am in. A situation that is full of lessons albeit I am
still undergoing it. Actually, it is not a personal situation if you will try
to categorize it. Yet I am so involved with it. My emotion and intellect is so
into it.
The
situation?
There is this
project that we are trying to launch and roll in a very niche industry. As we
are doing this, an established group in this industry is trying everything to
derail and make life difficult for this project. In short, they are throwing
sink and kitchen just to see that the project do not see the light .
Yet despite
of the many obstacles that this project is facing, particularly, the pressure
put by this group there is a sense of energy flowing into us. A positive energy
that I feel will see us through and prove to the naysayers that the project
will add value to the industry that it is targeted to serve.
Now the
question is how do we go on without being negative or affected by this
group. There are simple guideposts that we follow:
1. We
Believe on the Higher Purpose of the Project
The project was
created in forwarding the industry’s growth. This is sufficient enough for us
to keep on pushing forward.
2. We
Believe on the Added Value of the Project
The new call
of the times is to add value and the project was created using this as the
heart of its creation. Despite the negative perceptions hurled against us and
to the project, we are very passionate in seeing the project be with its
intended users.
Most
importantly,
3. We
Never Back Down Against Challenges
We are
warriors and we have the heart that never gives up. The more there are people
hurling negative energy and obstacles to the project the more we believe we
have to show them that this project will be successful.
A challenge
is an adrenaline that keeps us energized. We use it to fuel our passion. Having
said this, success is never far from us. In fact, I can smell the taste of
victory it is right at the tip of my tongue as I write this.
- 7:25 AM
- 0 Comments
It is the first time that I heard in the news of a signal 4
being announced to hit parts of our country. I saw the devastation and the
death toll despite the announcements and warnings given by the media and local
officials. It seems that despite the technological progress mankind has made we
still fall short of what needs to be done to safeguard life.
A case in point is Japan, with all the technological gadgets
to warn them of impending tsunami, still a tragedy took place that nobody can
stop or prevent.
Of course, we do not need to look farther. Now what is the
point of this discourse, I guess I just would like to make an appeal that we
try harder as a country of people. Nature’s wrath will always be there but we
can manage most of it. Typhoons are a regular thing in our country. We know the
implications of one hitting us again, if that is so let us:
1.
Take PROACTIVE Actions;
2.
Pour resources to what matter most;
3.
And for good measure, implement the best
practices that we have recorded for many years of experiencing this phenomenon.
It seems a very simplistic proposal but the heart of the
matter to make these things happen we have to have leadership and skills in execution.
- 8:04 AM
- 0 Comments
This is the average hours spent by Filipino Internet users in social networking sites. It is said that this is more than the average 2.5 hours spent in reading and sending emails.
In the study TNS Philippines conducted it also revealed that Filipinos spent an average of 9 hours a week on online.
There seems to be no stopping the increase patronage of Filipinos on the internet and social media sites. This change is now commonplace that I believe there are already habits and patterns that we use to do in the past that are no longer existing.
I am now quite interested to know what are those positive habits and patterns that we have lost.
In one of the events I attended, Prof. Jay Bernardo of Ateneo mentioned that Facebook, in their study, is mainly used as a means for peeping toms. What I mean by here is that users browse other profiles latest posted pictures - interesting right?
Also, on the question of focus and productivity. I am curious if we have increased our focus because of the technology boom. Also, has our productivity improved because of these changes.
I have a lot of questions than answers on the changes that has befell on us. I just hope that the open sharing of information among us will make our values stronger and better than the opposite.
In the study TNS Philippines conducted it also revealed that Filipinos spent an average of 9 hours a week on online.
There seems to be no stopping the increase patronage of Filipinos on the internet and social media sites. This change is now commonplace that I believe there are already habits and patterns that we use to do in the past that are no longer existing.
I am now quite interested to know what are those positive habits and patterns that we have lost.
In one of the events I attended, Prof. Jay Bernardo of Ateneo mentioned that Facebook, in their study, is mainly used as a means for peeping toms. What I mean by here is that users browse other profiles latest posted pictures - interesting right?
Also, on the question of focus and productivity. I am curious if we have increased our focus because of the technology boom. Also, has our productivity improved because of these changes.
I have a lot of questions than answers on the changes that has befell on us. I just hope that the open sharing of information among us will make our values stronger and better than the opposite.
- 1:38 AM
- 0 Comments