Yahoo! Number 5 ako sa PEBA!

This is what I have in mind right now....

(photo from ABS-CBN site)

I feel so proud this morning, kasi naka-received ako ng email from Servando Delen, ang nag iisang ka-batch ko sa Camp Taji, Iraq. Sabi niya " Wow pare number five ka sa PEBA!"

Natawa ako kasi kahit papaano, nasa top ako sa LISTAHAN... sa listahan lang po!

Just being a nominee actually is already a big deal to me, how much more being a finalist. Nung nasa showbiz nga ako, being a nominee for an award is more than enough to be a fulfillment for career move. Di ko lang talaga kaya ang intriga sa showbiz...madalas akong ma-link sa mga leading ladies ko....(ipapakasal ko kay Gloria ng hindi tumawa)

Nakakatuwa kasi magada ang exposure ng PEBA 2009 mukhang sobrang big event. I am so proud at naging part ako ng PEBA !

Visit nyo ang site ni Ellen Tordesillas, nakita ko roon si Pope nag comment...kaya nag sign-up rin ako para pasamalatan ang butihing si Ellen. Bukod sa magiginig judge sya ng PEBA, binigyan nya tayo ng exposure. I would like also to thank ABS CBN for the exposure na ginawa nila para sa atin.

Please visit these sites:

Ellen's blog:

http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=7974

ABS-CBN Website:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/11/07/09/blog-awards-pinoy-expats-ofws-set

Mabuhay po kayo!

SIDE BET:

Down below the news article sa ABS was a comment from fellow OFW from Sudan, Africa. And his sentiment was that PEBA, as he said, is after only for those in developed countries. He was telling PEBA to visit them and see their plight in that part of the world, so the world will know.

I think he misunderstood the cause of PEBA, the fact that we are really pro-OFWs but I think we cannot write about things we never personally experienced. I suggest somebody from that place should start blogging and tell the world how is it going in Sudan.

In my opinion, I cannot write something about a place that I don't have any knowledge about, baka tamaan ako ng kidlat, and if I wrote it wrong.. somebody will rebuke me and start hating me.

Now, if he could send us verified information, with links and really evidential, maybe I could write something for him..pero the best thing he should write it himself and join the PEBA next year.

Wala pong favoritism dito. Nais ng lahat maipalam ang tunay na kalagayan ng OFW sa lahat na sulok ng mundo, and it is up to us to relay the message through blogging.

Sana nga maging blogger din itong si Ed.

Here is his comment on ABS-CBN site:

Awards..?

Kabayan,

Nakalimutan yata nyo kami d2 sa Sudan Africa...? Mga kababayan nyo nagta-trabaho d2 sa gitna ng disyerto...? Napuna ako ang mga kandidato nyo ay puro na sa developed countries, maliban lang sa Afghanistan.?

Paano naman kami mare-recognized ng blog award na yan..?

Mahirap ang kalagayan namin d2. Bakit di kayo pumunta dito at magsuri ng kalagayan d2 sa Southern Sudan kaysa sa nakikita nyo ay yun lamang mga nasa developed countries. Pansinin nyo rin kami dito sa Africa

Salamat

Submitted by Ed Cuisa on Sun,11/08/2009 - 12:18.

SALAMAT DIN ED AT MABUHAY KAYO RIYAN.

Pietà- Historical Tweet (Ovi by Nokia)

This is what I have in mind right now....

One of the famous sculptures during the Renaissance period is the Pietà, depicting the scene of the Christ on Mary’s lap after He was brought down from the cross.

This is the only sculpture of Michelangelo that has his sign, announcing that he made it. His action was prompted by a comment he overheard from someone during the sculpture installation to its new place that Pietà was someone else’s piece. He regretted his outburst and promised that he would never do the same thing again to his artworks.

As you can see in the photo, Mary here wore sash across her chest with Michelangelo's sign (Source: Wikipedia)

However, on the technical aspect (dimension) of the sculpture, do you know?

If the chaste woman (Mary) carrying the dead body (Jesus Christ) would stand up, she will have un-proportioned anatomical body of that of a normal person? While seated, observe her torso and compare it to the legs carrying the dead body. If she is standing, she would have smaller head and shorter torso but longer thighs and would have legs that are almost of the same length as that of the man’s she is carrying.

Make your own analysis if this claim is true.

On-Screen:

In Philippine Cinema, Pietà was an action-drama movie of 1983 starring the late actor Ace Vergel, the original “Bad Boy” of Filipino showbiz, and the late multi-awarded actress Charito Solis who played his mother. Ironically, it is the story of a mother’s agony over her son’s crooked path of life.

Ryan Agoncillo and Cherry Gill starred in the latest version of Pietà in television series in 2008

DARNA-Anti-OFW ?

This is what I have in mind right now....

Chatting through internet between Overseas Filipino Workers and their families back home has become the cheapest and easy tool to combat homesickness. Old folks who have been here in abroad way ahead of us, talked about their dilemma during the early days. Letters took month to get replies that’s why they used to send more than five letters in one sending without waiting for reply. Writing letters had been the common past time of OFWs back then.

Also, they made once a month long distance call to the Philippines since it was extremely expensive, unlike these days where they are just few peso away from each other, wherever and whenever. Communication and staying connected with our families back home is top of the list in OFWs daily life, this helps us prevent experiences of overseas workers in the past, where attentions were diverted.

Today, we have email, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, Skype, MSN, Chikka and many more. Even as our company IT personnel will block these chat machines, we still find ways to get connected through chatting and video talk.

Recently, Astig Pinoys in Iraq were complaining about KBR in Camp Taji blocking their YM and Chikka, but still they found ways and manage to re-connect by themselves (pinoy talents talaga!) and other through soft-hearted IT guys. Staying connected with our families back home improves our performances, unless one will abuse the use of internet during working hours. I could say it is indispensible part of us to be able to overcome fear and loneliness here in abroad. It makes us less worry as we could monitor them all the times and we could even help the kids do their homework, or guide our spouse what is missing in her cooking.

The worse part of working abroad is having no peace of mind. Knowing what’s happening around our dear family back home is important and makes us inspired, which in return boosts up our quality work output. Doing away on this perspective and you are becoming anti-OFWs, as you are putting back the loneliness in our working consoles and it will have a "domino effect" to our decision to better be home and stay happy, which is actually sad ending.

BUT HERE IS THE THING!

These few weeks, as I observe, and it has been a discussion among my peers in the internet that something is eating up our chance to have time with our families online. And even among us OFWs, they don’t have time in the evening for important discussions through chatting, as they have something else focusing on.

It is getting my family’s time for me and makes me feel ignored, as if it is far more important than me. My friends complained the same thing, the same experience and they feel lonely during this time, and homesickness starts to envelope the entire surrounding waiting for them to come back in front of the webcam.

The top rated DARNA is becoming my wife’s "paramour" (lol!) during our chatting hours, even my kids can’t stay longer when the programs starts, they would hang me up until it is done airing. What is with Darna that we OFWs don’t have? Marianne Rivera’s oh-lalah body? Yeah I guess the ever-exciting run of events and suspended climax. Damn! Why GMA7 did not think about putting up a cable TV subscription here in Afghanistan.

Well, I really like Marianne when she hip-rolled in Marimar! Hehehehe! That’s why today, to get even with them, I subscribed to www.noypi-unlimited.com to see Darna.

The next time I face the webcam, I will be in my new two-piece Darna costume too, to get my family back!

“Ding ang bato!”

JACQUE BERMEJO AND HER ENGLISH LANGUAGE - Storm Ondoy Version

This is what I have in mind right now....

As the entire nation was sadden by that fateful day when storm Ondoy ravaged and caught the entire Luzon unprepared, it was really amazing that in midst of crying, yelling for help and extreme sobbing, and while unified voices and efforts of all the Filipinos back home and around the world to call for rescue, there was one soulless Filipina breaking her devilish laughs accusing the victims of Ondoy as being sinners, and even calling them as being well-deserved of the wrath.

While GMA Channel 7 used its Facebook Social Netweork to help the authorities in their rescue efforts, JACQUE BERMEJO has a different cry to get attention in the middle of the crisis. In her Facebook page, she bravely told right in the faces of those victims, VICTIMS who maybe our very own families, your families or my family, that they deserved what they’ve got from the storm as being sinners and added further that she was lucky enough to be in Dubai at the time.

“Kaya totoo nga ang kasabihan, ipinanganganak sa gitna ng unos ang mga demonyo.”

(Devils are born the midst of storm)

We bloggers used to stand firm to what is RIGHT.

We united to condemn those who lambasted the Overseas Filipino Workers and their families.

This time, JACQUE BERMEJO lambasted not only the OFWs’ families but the country as whole and I cannot let it pass without giving JACQUE BERMEJO her much needed attention as what I did to those others who seek a minute of popularity. As long as my blog exist, her statement will exist as a dire reminder about her intelligence. Her kind of specie is worse than those previous ones. What a rotten personality you have, Ms. Bermejo. (Alam ko palusot mo..na-hack ang Facebook mo)

Ipinagtanggol pa ang sarili nya in her reply and calling the victims as WALANG ASENSO?

Let me tell you this JACQUE BERMEJO, more than anything else that perished underwater, the lives of those Filipino victims were the most affected here in your insulting comment. Have you thought how it was, their trauma and their physical agony while waiting for help and rescue efforts? They don’t deserve you brainless opinion but I will never let it go without castigating you, by all means I know. Your irresponsible opinion will echo through generations. I wish your families and relatives would be able to read this and be ashamed of themselves as they had lapses on how they brought you up. As they search the Google on items related to you and the storm Ondoy, your name and this article will show up-forever.

ANOTHER AQUINO IN 2010

This is what I have in mind right now....

NOYNOY will be running for president in 2010.

Finally, the Liberal Party has presidential bid for next year's presidetial election, as Senator Benigno C. Aquino III made his announcement early morning on the 40th day after Gat Pres. Corazon C. Aquino's death, that he will face and accept the call of the people supporting him and to continue the fight for real democracy his parents have started.

Among other remaining presidentiables, I guess, no one has come to level with or get closed to, or even go over Noynoy's reputations a statesman and as a person. As far as I know, he has never been into any kind of anomaly with respect to his being a government servant and to his performance as such since he entered the politics.

He is the type of person who surely will not taint the good names and legacies his parents had devoted to the Filipino nation. He is spiritually motivated, low-profile, does his assignment without need of publicity, a real patriot, and most of all he is driven by will of the people and not by mere personal ambition.

Just like Gat President Cory, Noynoy never dream of and aspire for the presidency. It is his supporters, the People, who hoped for him to be their next president and that what makes him unique and really stands out from other presidential aspirants.

After the announcement, all we want to hear in the coming days, during the campaign period, are his platforms once become the next leader of the nation.

I wish you all the good luck, Sen. Noynoy Aquino and here are some wishes and expectations from me once you become the next Pres. Aquino, but not limited to:

May you not be eaten by current rotten political system once seated in Malacañang Palace.

May you declare your Statements of Assets and Liabilities Networth (SALN) honestly as ever.

May you live a modest life as expected from a government official, as ever.

May you be contented to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in a fine dining abroad without unreasonably spending our taxes.

May your spouse-to be, sisters and other relatives do not interfere or otherwise be brokers to all government transactions.

May you not call a COMELEC official at any time during election to ensure winning.

May you respect Human Rights as being your advocacy and not by mere media exposures.

May you consider the nation's plight when you travel abroad for states visit.

May you lessen the number of your visiting entourage when you visit other countries and not to allow unnecessary political personalities and their spouses, their dogs, their yaya, their amigas and their amigos...Baby James would be fine though.

May you not play golf in Wac-wac where "back-off" and "may 200 ka r'yan" are used as sports technical terms to win a game and government project.

May you, as being an economist yourself, be a blessing to Filipino economy as you don't need to be US Pres. Clinton's classmate, your being Atenista is enough.

May you be a true "Ekonomista", who is a Pro-Economy for the nation.

May you consider re-impositioning the death penalty to fight more crimes.

May you consider lifting the travel bans here in Afghanistan and in Iraq (personal wish of mine).

and MAY YOU LEAD US WHERE YOUR PARENTS WANT THE FILIPINOS TO BE.

FOREX ON STREETS OF KABUL

This is what I have in mind right now....

After the car bombing near the NATO facility and US Embassy few days before the national election here in Kabul, again I hit the street this morning to shop around for some personal necessities...syempre kasi nga nakakuha ako ng in-country payment e... the rest po ng sweldo ko goes to my wife...hu hu hu hu!

Although it is an ordinary sight here in Afghanistan seeing Afghan street vendors waving Afghani bills to get attention of their customers on the roads of Kabul, this morning I realized, it is actually an amazing view to see. Holding hundreds of thousands Afhgani bills without somebody watching your back? Afghan's currency is almost equal to our Philippine Peso in terms of US dollar exchange rate.

I could not help but to think and compare how we Filipinos usually negotiate our city street on a daily basis. Absolutely no one can do this trading in our streets in metropolitan areas, without someone or some organized small group snatch your money right from your very hands. As I understand, we even made cellphone snatching has as a specific crime now.

Aside from full-bearded majority, AK-47s, military vehicles, sandbags, soldiers and policemen, one thing that caught my attention the first time I travelled by road outside military base few months back was this scene. I remember seeing those guys doing street trading and holding bundles of papers as they ran back and forth across the highway looking for possible customers amongst motorists. You can see them selling cellphone cards, doing foreign currency exchange, selling fruits, selling clothes and other street tradings. I didn't realize that those were indeed real money amounting to tens of thousand to more than hundreds of thousand. One guy has even more than US$50,000 in his hand...hmmm nice objective for Salisi Gang!

As soon as I got back in the office, I asked my local colleagues, most of them are Pashtu, if this trading practice does not really pose danger to the vendors as they are really vulnerable to robbery, swindling, and other modus operandi of organized street criminals. Our project manager said he never heard of any incident of any street crime against these traders even during times when law enforcers were not around. He said this could be traced back during the Taliban regime where the extremists were so unforgiving to all forms of crimes and probably people had carried over the fear inculcated in them through the years, thus it has become a standing culture in all street business dealings, and of course this is largely part of the teachings in Holy Koran.

Afghan culture, as far as morality is concerned, is really influenced deeply by the strict implementation of Koran's law by the Taliban, where a woman could be killed by her own brothers, father or other relative by suspicion of cohabiting illicitly right on the street where they might meet her at anytime of the day, without persecution on the part of the her slayers. Afghanistan democratic law, however, does not recognize this kind of honor killing any more although still in practice in most provinces out side the cities.

After seeing this in Kabul, I wonder which place is safer? Philippines or Afghanistan...

Money trades in Kabul.

Afghans are trading with bundles of bills right on the street.

Currency Exchange?

You can find it here, sitting duck!

You will never be too afraid to get out from money exchange booth,

as there is no booth at all!

Old Bills Exchange

As the government printed new currency bills,

this Afghan is exchanging old bills with new ones..whew!

Bizjoker with street FOREX local

NO SORRY? THAT'S NOT RIGHT!

This is what I have in mind right now....

OBSERVATION FROM VANTAGE POINT:

After few days, less than a week I guess, all tensions had subsided and it seems like everything is back to normal, hopefully. It looks like nothing had happened while bleeding hearts and insulted dignity are the only evidences left, obviously everyone is sharing the same feelings until now.

This war is shorter than the Six-Day Arab-Israeli war in 1967 after its declaration to engage in the act of blog war against a single enemy but with a reckless and dangerous mind. In the name of peace, the supposed blog war was put to a sudden stop before the first shot was even fired. As I understand, there was actually no peace pact achieved or a formal ceasefire declared but only withdrawal of forces back into the jungle, and for sure his crooked ideology still remain. Is it a stalemate? I'm thinking who will wave the white flag first?

"As he hurt too many of our kind around world and he never even care to say SORRY even to only few, he is still at war in the area of Afghanistan and some areas of Iraq. In my opinion, there is a mistake in giving forgiveness so easily without clear term of "surrender" from this enemy. It may send a wrong signal to others of his kind. A manifestation of apology must be posted "- bizjoker

His psy-war operation is to weak. (or is he?) We should have engaged him first in "fierce fight" to show our might and let him cry for ceasefire, after all he's the one started all of this mess. We should have let him ASK for a talk for HIS surrender option before we offer it. Arrogant as he is, he did not even bother to mention about his intention to apologize, so he is not worthy of forgiveness. Otherwise this thing will be repeated again and again.

In his PEACE entry, in the Bilang panghuli paragraph he mentioned about him being not afraid of any legal responsibility since he believes it will never be accepted in court as a legal issue, which only shows his gross ignorance of the law and all the legal processes. Ironically, in this entry, is he really humbly offering a peace?

I would say ,"Yes sir, a class suit can be filed against you for your baseless and libelous entry and don't be so stupid to say that the judge will drop the case for it will hold no water before the court. The National Beaureu of Investigation recently filed a libel case and other cyber crimes against blogger Crazytolits before the Department of Justice. Crazytolits has been so ellusive that not even a single trace of his real identity can be found in his blog page, but the NBI agents are just smart enough to apprehend the real guy red handed. Crazytolits is way far intelligent than the you are, but not to the rule of law, how much more a specie like you. Bisitahin mo ang site niya nang malaman mo sino ang kinakalaban n'ya. He stopped posting entries as of June... for obvious reason."

Another point, PEBA has recently earned its SEC registration therefore making it a juridical entity with rigths duly recognized by law. As it protects and promotes Filipino bloggers' talents, I guess, it impliedly protects also the Filipino bloggers' welfares for being bloggers themselves. PEBA has the locus standi so why wave the white flag first? Correct me if I'm wrong at this point.

I have now a lots of "what ifs".

What if next time it will be the house of PEBA that will be directly under attack by this kind of specie of blogger? What course of action will be taken and how? What if he is just to hard to move and he will keep his libelous post? What if he will keep on insulting most of us, not in anybody's chat box but in his own webpage where he has all the advantages? What if this thing is repeated again by someone of the same specie? What if he strikes again but this time not against OFW but just against one of us? What if he just simply ignore our wishful thinking and go on with his stupidity around the blogosphere?

We need to protect the house and make it stronger in order it can protect us as well. I am not suggesting a class suit be filed immediately as there are hundred ways to kill a cat (kasabihan lang ha). If this will be repeated, we can boycott his blog, block him from our chatboxes, and promote a shame campaign until his inbox gets flooded by violent reactions from millions of readers for whatever article he will post and until he cries and beg for peace talk.

But of course the final solution, as always, is to file a class suit against the erring blogger for crime of libel and other criminal offenses arising from his blog entry. Once filed, let the course of law drag him around in his daily life..everyone knows it's hard to have pending case and derogatory record in our NBI and Police clearances.

The frog with croak of death will just leap from one blog page to another, annoying each and everyone of us and soon enough it will be a part of our daily blogging life until we get used to his irritating style.

Until an article of apology for OFWs is posted, he has no space in civil society, in society of matured and educated persons...ano akala niya..kunya-kunyarian?

OFW Remittances-Sulbabida ng Ekonomiya

This is what I have in mind right now....

Hundred percent siguro naman lahat ng bloggers marunong magbasa at makaunawa ng binabasa nya.

Ito na yung bendikasyon sa mga sinusulat na laban sa aming OFWs, mga naisulat na kulang sa tunay na impormasyon kundi punong-puno ng adhikaing sumikat sa maikling panahon. At palagay ko nasa ilalim ng kanyang kama at nagtatago sa kahihiyang napala so mundo ng blogs.

Ayun sa balitang 27 August 2009 na naisulat sa GMANews.TV, kung may time kayo basahin nyo..although nakakasawa na at alam na ng milyun-milyong Filipino, pero tila iilang nagmamatali-matalinuhan ang bulag sa katotohanang ito.

Mga kaibigan, ingles po ang balita,

OFW Remittances Kept RP Afloat, economist says

The World Bank had earlier projected a four percent drop in remittances this year but Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco said that signs of a global economic recovery "affirmed the positive outlook for steady remittances for 2009." (hango sa nasabing balita)

Nitong nakaraang June lang record high $1.5 billion ang ipinasok na salapi na itinuturing na nanatiling nagpapalutang sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas. Ang tinutukoy rito ay US Dollars, so gaano kalaki yan sa Philippine Peso mantakin na lang na ito ay kalagitnaan palang ng taon? Paano pa pag dating ng buwang ng aginaldo at kapaskuhan.

Dahil naging naughty kayo, wala kayong regalo sa Santa Clause na OFW hehehehe!

Maibahagi ko na rin, na kasama sa bilyon-bilyong pera na iyan ang remittance ng caregivers at nurses (at lahat na bloggers na OFWs) na patuloy na bumubuhay sa ekonomiya ng bansa. Kasama rin dito ang remittance ng tinatawanan nilang domestice helpers at yung mga gumagawa ng "extra" para kumita pa. Sige husgahan nila at ipakita nila ang kanilang KONTRIBUSYON sa malinis man o maruming paraan. Mabuhay tayo sa katotohan na mayroon talagang gumagawa ng di kagandahan. Accepted ko yan, so sino ba ang unang pupukol ng bato sabi nga ni Kristo?

At kung kaya may access pa ang magagaling ng bloggers sa internet, kung kaya may mga serbisyong gubyerno pa ang nakakarating sa kanila at kung kaya mas maalwan pa kahit paano ang kabuhayan sa gitna ng global crisis dahil yan sa OFW remittances. Sisigla ba ang kalakalan sa SM, sa Robinson, sa Divisoria, sa mga sinehan, sa airport, ang lokal na turismo, at iba pang negosyo kung hindi mamimili ang pamilya ng OFW na ipinalalagay na 10 percent ng populasyon ng Pilipinas? Do your Mathematics! At karamihan po sa mga pamilya ng OFWs ay mga negosyate na rin sa Pilipinas, tama ba o mali?

Aba sa text messages at overseas call na lang....panalo na!

So bago gumawa ng artikulo, magbasa nang matuto. Magsaliksik at magtanong-tanong para magkaroon ng sustansya ang laman ng entry sa blog. Minsan sa kagustuhang mag mukhang matalino lalong lumulutang ang kamang-mangan.

Alalahanin dapat..MAS MARAMING MATATALINO SA MUNDO NG BLOG.

Para sa akin, pasalamat ako dahil OFW ako kasama ako sa kahit paano nakakatulong at di ako kasama sa pasanin at pabigat sa lipunan.

OFW Topic - Ticket to Stardom

An entry of complex ideas, mixed up feelings or whatever. I don't know..nalito na rin ako

More often than not, I have encountered articles featuring Overseas Filipino Workers, their successes, failures and misfits. Some foreign writers touched and shared their personal stories, their momentous experiences with OFWs and their first encounter of the third kind with the Pinoys (parang alien 'no). Para bang kung maka-kwneto ay parang it was the most extraordinary encounter they had in their lives.

Mostly these stories talked about how a Filipino touches one's life, how an OFW rendered above-expectation kind of services, how a Filipino display heroic acts in extreme situation, or commendable no non-sense OFW's performance at the end of his every overseas day. These are all good stories. I am not saying no bad stories were written about us, yes, there are and plenty of them too!

Something about good stuff, however, I can call it "Isang paghanga in totality" to all OFWs by other nationalities in the country where an OFW is working. And mind you, as you go through the reading of these kind of articles, you can feel something inside yourself of some unexplainable of some sort of happiness and pride. The fact that you are not the one being talked about in the article... you can feel the sense of pride... probably you're even vocalizing your thought in soft tone.."ehem... that's us....I am Filipino too"

From those Fil-am Holywood stars, to Manny Pacquiao waving the Philippine flag in Las Vegas, to that Filipino nurse whose name was entered into the book of heroes of 9-11, to that honest OFW in Hongkong, to those extraordinary leadership exerted by Filipino communities in the Middle East which affects the region, to life-saving Pinoy doctors of the UK and the US, to all Filipino seamen and airmen, to all Pinoy desert-settlers working day and night, to all Fil-Am freedom fighters in Iraq and in Afghanistan...up to democratic icon - our very own Pres. Cory Aquino... as a Filipino.. what can you possibly feel...when someone uplifting the spirit of your being a Filipino?

Be honest...ang saya ng feeling di ba? Nakakasama ka sa papuri kahit di naman ikaw ang tinutukoy?

Ironically, while most of them posting articles praising and saluting OFWs, some "Filipinos" who are undeniably gifted in writing wrote non-sense and insulting entries to their blogs and columns about OFW just to shoot themselves to instant stardom. If you want to try it... write something stupid about us OFWs and see for yourself...you are a shooting star the next day. But where does a shooting star go...most of the time into the quite abyss of the ocean. Dun mag isa ka na lang!

One should undestand and this has been mentioned many times, that OFWs are not just those who do "kadiri" works, or those you guys see in your porn DVD, OFWs are not just women... mostly we are those wearing Levi's Maong jacket upon arrival at NAIA..sporting long hair and mustache... so why play on women OFWs?

In order to educate some little brains of some so-called writers, OFW are not just low-salaried overseas workers, there are those big bosses OFWs whom you used to run to borrow money without any intention of paying them back (kasi inisip mo balato na yun). OFWs are also those you are pretending as friends upon their arrival and you keep on asking them about the date of their arrival...the fact that everyone knows when..and you are actually trying to make an opening line before you will say " pare kelan ka pa dumating, painum ka na naman". Sila rin yung kinukuha mong ninong at ninang kahit wala sa sila Pinas. Pinapa-proxy-han mo pa (tapos ang lakas mong manlait).

OFWs are not just caregivers and nurses, there are scientists, researchers, eningeers, educators, ambassadors, company owners, actors and many more. As I understand, not all OFWs are OWWA members and the term is not limited to those members alone as there are those who entered the foreign countries as tourists before getting their overseas works, without getting through the POEA. So I believe OFW is generalized term of Filipino working abroad. Nonetheless, no one, absolutely NO ONE should judge an OFW on his or her reason of living the country nor about his or her long stay abroad, whether one is categorized as low-salary on not.

(see the photo sila ba yung tinutukoy mong OFWs?)

(or sila?)

Also I am so confused about this, is there any glorifying thing about OFWs' scandals, failures and other "Kapit sa Patalim" decisions made by them? Sino ba ang hindi kumapit sa patalim? Kaya nga ang iba pinupulutan ang OFW sa kwento nila kasi kapit sa patalim na sila para sumikat, I don't really appreciate this style. Although some of these really happened and I am witness to that, if I have my way I would tap and talk with them rather that writing and posting or publishing their stories flowered by vulgar words and made-up lies just to look better as presented. Where is the Protein in your brain? As blogger, we should be aware that all our entries, just like commercial ad posters, should be rated as For General Patronage. Just like sexy billboard, it leaves to your imagination the rest about it.. no need to show its total nudity. And for additional information, what happening abroad is also happening in the Philippines as far as illicit affair is concerned. Self-explanatory yan. Really, whatever you write reflects your personality which also reflects what morality you have in your family.

While it is true, that the good story about OFWs is an exhausting-type of reading material, well my opinion to this is that, we have to accept this a matter of fact and that is the way it is being an OFW.....we cannot go against it, it is cultural, it is in the blood and by that we cannot stop good stuff about OFWs. OFWs are basically best source of overflowing triumphant stories. So more and more write-ups will be written and published, can you stop it?

Why?

We are driven by dreams and of love for our family that lead to love of work and extreme display of skills, talents and sacrifices...up to the fact the we are being exploited by our neighbors across our office table..kasi nga masipag tayo kahit trabaho na nya ipapagawa sa 'yo. And this NOT only for OUR DREAMS and of BEING RESPONSIBLE to our families, para kay nanay, kay tatay, kay ate, kay kuya at mga anak... this is ALSO for their dreams that we want them to reach. Paano magiging engineer si Kuya, paano ang bubong ng bahay, paano ang baha sa kalsada na pumapasok hanggang kusina? Pinanganak ka ba para umasa gubyerno, nakanganga at hindi ka kikilos at gagawa ng paraan? Kaya ka nga nag aral so you will have a broader horizon. That is why we are here abroad. Not purely because of money but because other's dream and our immeasurable love we have for them. Kasi kami ang lupon ng hindi madadamot sa katuparan ng pangarap ng mahal namin sa buhay.

But other blogger-vultures see this as an oppurtiny and an enteresting piece of flesh and worth giving a reaction if made a blog entry, so they made stories without personal account.Their chosen way to popularity is a bad taste of pill without curing effect at the end. It's like marrying someone you don't really love by heart but by personal interest. Happiness is ungodly and you are somebody who cries all the time in your solitude... gusto mo ba yun? And easy for you to say sorry...whether you wrote it as only pahaging to OFWs.. masakit pa rin ang tumamang hangin sa amin.

And I tell you this... as we are entitled to our opinion in our blogspace...I am not as forgiving as the others as I live by principle that, "anuman ang sinabi mo sa hangin, di mo na kayang habulin at bawiin" by Nicanor Formilleza, my grandfather, teaching on being responsible to our words we are going to say to others.

(note all pictures are taken from internet)

"2009 Galing ng Blog Mo Awardee"

First of all, congatulations to all 2009 KaBlogs awardees on different categories. This blog was so fortunate to have been chosen as the right one to grab that "Galing ng Blog Mo" Award for this year. Each award was also categorized for Non-Overseas Filipino Worker and for Overseas Filipino Worker, and I won the OFW award for the galing ng blog mo.

Thanks to all those people behind this award body who had worked for this months ago and to all those who voted for Bizjoker, as they found my page fit for this category. Thanks you guys, I owe you one.

Just like the winners in 2004 Presidential Election, although I never called, "Hello, Kenji", I knew two days beforehand that I won an award since it was me and Jeesa who prepared the list and the badges to be distributed on Monday, 17 August 2009. Nevertheless, rest assured that all the winners are well-derserved for the awards as Garci was never a part of the reviewing committee who went on blog-hopping on all nominated blogs and bloggers.

On my part, the fact that I have been around in bloggershere for quite some times, I am still a neophyte in the field of blog-writing, I will continue writing sensible entries, timely, base on truth, justice and morality to live by the award that I have received.

I just hope that next time...may cash na kasama ang badge hehehehehe! (o kaya gift cheque) joke!

Ka-BLOG-kada - Friendship Badge ni Bizjoker

Ask ko si Lenzthedreamer, paano ako magkakaroon ng friendship badge mula sa ibang bloggers, nakakahiya naman basta lang ako mangga-grab at ilalagay ko sa page ko...tapos di naman pala kami BFF. Sabi ni Lenz gumagawa ako ng entry at mamigay ako ng badge ko...Hopefully..tama itong pinagagawa ko..

Isa pa wala akong maisip na entry e, kakatapos ko lang gawin ang badges na naka-assign kay Bomzz. Wala na kasi sa huwisyo si Bomzz dahil ang utak nya lumilipad na papuntang Pilipinas...bakasyon kasi si Bomzz. So dahil gawa ako ng gawa ng badges... gumawa na rin ako ng personal friendship badge ko.

At sya nga pala... Bomzz hind mo ako binigyan ng friendship badge mo dahil delay ang pinagagawa mo badge ha....kahit ganun.. hehehehe! ASTIG pa rin tayo.. pag di ko nakita sa page mo ang badge ko...ibig sabihin hindi mo ako love!

Sa mga kaibigan kong bloggers, I don't know if this badge looks appealing to you guys.. but it is my token of appreciation for you being around and connected to my blog. Pwede n'yong i-grab yang nasa side bar.

Thanks, guys! HOPYA like it...

Ito ay para sa lahat na naka-link sa akin at sa hindi naka link..

sa lahat na dumadaan at nakikibasa...

Ka-BLOG-kada kayo ni Bizjoker !

Barkada kayo ni RIO !

Goodbye, President Aquino

As former member of Philippine National Police and a full-blood Class Kaagapay 1996, PNP- Aviation Security Group I am rendering my last and most snappy salute to President Corazon C. Aquino. My condolences to her family and to the entire Filipino Nation for our great lost of a true freedom fighter and world icon of democracy.

Ten years before our Class passed through the portal of Camp Vicente Lim, in Calamba, Laguna as gradute and as part of full-pledge members of the Philippine National Police, Pres. Cory led the nation to a real democracy and this part of the history is her great gift to our generations.

She lived a great, meaningful and patriotic life. A true insperation to all freedom-lovers and freedom fighters around the world.

Thanks, Pres. Cory Aquino

Kaagapay, Tanghal... na!

Alisin ang Travel Ban -NOW na!

I don't know if most of you will agree with the idea of lifting the ban in war-torn countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Well of course iyong nakaisip ng travel ban will strongly oppose on this with a hard slam on her table. Immigration also will jump in to support her in her idea of continous imposition of travel ban, including hundreds of illegal recuiter based in Dubai and in Central Luzon (lalo na!)

Napapanahon na bang alisin ang ban na ito?

Ano ang mga parametro para malamin nating dapat na ngang alisin ang travel ban sa Iraq at Afghanistan?

Para sa akin ito ang mga parametro na dapat isaalang-alang, kundi man kalahatan, ito marahil ay iilan at dapat kunin nating ang pag bentahe at pag dehado sa bawat parametro:

Security Situation

Job Oppurtunities

Victims of Situation

Heavy Expenses

Welfare of Workers

Market Value

Direct Violence Against OFWs

Direct Violence Against Non-combatant Non-OFW

Ang nangyayari kasi dahil alam na ng marami na tahimik at condusive na to be a working environment ang dalawang bansang ito, alam na nilang bearable ang security situation sa halos lahat na lugar dito, hindi pa rin nirereview ang imposition ng ban. Although may kakaunting lugar na talagang maituturing na uncontrolled pa, ito ay nasa malalayong lugar. Parang kasing layo or mas malayo pa sa distansya ng Manila at Jolo, nakita ba nating nabahala tayo sa ganyang distansya? At naitakda na ang limit nito para mapangalagaan ang "sanitized areas" sa pagpapalaganap ng peace and order dito.

(iba na nagpinagkakaabalahan ng mga may baril dito e)

At dahil nga naituturing nang magtahimik ang karamihan sa lugar dito, ang job oppurtunity ay nasa labas na ng base militar, outside the wire ika nga. Ang mga opisina ng malalaking US-based companies ay nasa Kabul City na, nagkalat ang mga iba't-ibang lahi na patunay lamang na controlled na ang sitwasyon dito sa Afghanistan. Ang Iraq sa kabilang banda ay hindi na dapat ipaliwanag kung matahimik na at ligtas. Matatandaang ibinabalik na ng gubyerno ang embahada natin dito e..so sila na mismo ang nag-assessed nyan.

Ganito kasi yun, kung aalisin ang deployment ban, makikinabang ang maraming OFW sa mga bansang ito, maibababa ang unemployment rate sa Pilipinas sa gitna ng global crisis. Ayun sa prediction ng mga financial analysts, aabutin ng ilang taon ang global depression. Kung ganun bakit, di natin tingnan ulit ang puntong pag bibigay ng trabaho sa maraming nakatungangang Pinoy sa Pilipinas na nais mag trabaho pero walang mapasukan. Haayaan natin ang daan-daang Pinoy visit visa holders sa UAE na makarating sa mga lugar na ito.

Nandito ang pera ng UN, ng US at ng NATO at bilyun-bilong dolyares ang inilalaan sa re-construction ng Iraq at Afghanistan.

Habang may global crisis, patuloy ang paglustay ng tatlong ito para dito sa pagsasaayus ng sinira nila h'wag lang silang mapulaang nagkamali sila sa pag-sakop sa mga bansang ito. Nakaraan naglaan na naman ng mahigit na $17Billion ang US government kung saan nakuha ng Fluor at Dyncorp ang mga kontrata sa LOGCAP 4 or Logististics and Civil Augmentation Program -4 para suportahan ang mga GIs dito.

Kung napapansin nyo, mababa na ang market value ng OFW sa Saudi at UAE dahil sa mga pagdagsa ng Bangladeshis, Indians, Sri Lankans at Nepalis na pawang mga cheap labors. Dahil sa murang labor costs nila, naapektuhan ang Pinoy sa presyuhan at napipilitan tayong sumabay sa mababang pa-sweldo kundi mawawalan tayo ng pagkain sa mesa.

Iba dito sa Afghanistan at Iraq, nanatiling mataas ang market value natin. Pero dahil nagdagsaan ang Pinoy na dumarating at dito na naghahanap ng trabaho, ang iba ay napipilitang tumanggap ng sweldong mas mababa sa US$1500 para sa ordinaryong skilled worker. Pagnatili ito, baba na rin ang market value natin sa katagalan. Ito ay dahil sa nauubusan na ng budget ang mga naka-stand by dito at kailangan na nilang magpadala ng pera sa kanilang pamilya. Naka-standby po sila dahil namimili sila ng mas mataas na offer which is normal lang.

Sa pag alis ng travel ban, ang teribleng gastos ng OFW ay maiiwasan dahil di na nila need mag visit visa, mabibigyan sila ng terms sa pagbabayad ng placement fees ng mga placement agencies (well mas ok pa rin ang direct hire, ungas kasing maningil ang mga agencies e-ganid!). Sino pa ang mabibiktima ng illegal recuriters na mangangako ng trabaho tapos sila mismo mga wala ngang trabaho? Nagiging mabango ang mga OFW sa illegal recruiter dahil sa extreme na pangangailangan ng Pinoy, lalo na ang mga nagmamadaling makapagtrabaho. Alam nyo naman ang mga illegal recruiter, dati nasa Pinas lang ang mga yan..ngayun sa UAE na rin sila dahil nandun ang mga nagmamadaling magkatrabaho. And guess what? Ang mga lintek na illegal recuiters may mga doctorate degree na sa panggagancho...wtf! improving din..!

Sa pagpapaigting ng ban, isaalang-alang dapat sa evaluation ang mga nabibiktima ng kinakatatakutang gera, kunin ang statistics ng mga direct victims ng hostile fire versus direct victims ng illegal recruitment. Kumuha sila ng ng kaukulang data ng mga Pinoy na na-biktima ng karahasan dito at sa Iraq at ng iba pang migrant workers anuman ang lahi, saka nila sabihing delikado pa ang sitwasyon dito. Natural hindi kasali ang naaaksidente kundi yung namatay or nasaktan dahil sa hostile activities. Kung maalis ang travel ban mas lalong mapapangalagaan ang welfare namin dito, kasi may sumbungan kami. Lahat ng karapatan at benepsiyo ay mababatantayan at maipapatupad although naibibigay naman ang karamihan sa welfare benefits. May magko-caution na sa mga employers tungkol sa karapatan ng OFWs, at mamomonitor ang galaw ng deployment ng Pinoy. Kaso nga nangunguna sa kaduwagan ang opisyales natin..TV pa lang pinanonood nanginginig na sa takot. Ang tanging nakikita kong pagtaas ng panganib dito ay ang pagdami ng nagiging biktima ng illegal recruiters, dahil sa patuloy na pag exploit sa travel ban.

Nagpahayag nung 24 July 09 ang POEA tungkol sa pagkakasabi kong walang oppurtunity sa Pinas (ininterview nga ako ng GMA7...tinago pa ako sa tunay kung palayaw, damn!). Sabi ng POEA marami raw ang oppurtunities sa Pinas at di na dapat mag-abroad. Kami lang ba ang kausap nya sa pahayag nyang iyon or lahat ng OFW sa buong mundo? Kasi kinukumbinsi nya raw na mag-entrepreneur ang mga Filipino para di na mangibang-bansa at may mga success stories na raw sila...hehehehehe!

Inday, bago kami maging enterpreneur need muna naming mag OFW kasi awan ti kwarta..djay ti banger.. (tama ba ilokano ko poging(ilo)cano?). Kung di na need mag-abroad ng OFWs dahil sa sinasabi nyang upurtunidad..ala eh..gibain na yang POEA at yan ay inimbento para sa amin.

Uwian na!

Uwian na!

Ganito po ang pangarap ko

Kung aalisin ang ban, dapat magkaroon ang gubyernong Noy-pi ng ganito sa Iraq at Afghanistan:

Identification sa Airport

Registration ng OFWs

Monitoring ng Job site

Benefits under contract

Location of Accommodation

Employment Pre-Requisit Document from Consulate

Dahil mahilig na rin tayo sa imbensyon ng polisiya, e di eto imbentuhin natin ito.

Kunya-kunyarian lang ha... e di kunyari may kunsulado na tayo sa Kabul so maglalagay sila ng representative na may personalidad at walang balbas sa Kabul International Airport para sapul lahat na darating na Pinoy. Lahat na Pinoy na kararating lang imbis na salubungin ng banda, dadaan sila kay Mr. Personality para i-verify kung ano ba lakad nila sa Afghanistan o sa Iraq, " 'Tol ano atin?"

Sa ganitong paraan maaabisuhan sila na, "Repapips de-hins ka pwede dun...baka matsugi ka."

Mahalaga ang registration para sa dumarating at umaalis na OFW, need explanation?

Mahalagang malaman ang jobsite, baka ang tubero sa iba mapunta at sila matubo sa "ano".

Mahalagang malaman ang laman ng kontrata at ang mga benepisyong napapaloob dito, baka pasko na wala ka pang bonus e. Sino babasa ng contract? Sige ako na lang babasa, ako nakaisip e.

Mahalagang malaman ang mga pansamtalang tirahan nila dito baka hindi na sila naliligo e. Lalo ang mga Pinoy na naghahanap pa lang ng work. (dapat malaman ang bahay nila nang madalhan sila ng adobo pag tanghalian)

Gawing requirement sa employment ang pakikipag uganayan muna ng Pinoy at ng kaniyang magiging employer sa consulate. Makiki-coordinate ang kunsulada sa lahat na employers na gawing isa sa requirement ng pagtanggap ng OFW ang pagdaan kay Mr. Personality (kaya dapat si mr.personality ay mag-inarte sa pag approve kung walang tocinong suhol).

Sa totoong buhay lang ha, dapat lang magkaroon ng consulate dito ang Pinas dahil may Pinoy dito e pero ang nangyari iniwan tayo sa ere at iniasa tyo sa embassy sa Islamabad.

Ayaw sigurong nilang umupa dito, di naman need na malaking office e, kahit sa tabo na lang sila mag office ang mahalaga may "personal touch".

So di na need maglagay sa recuiter, mag visit visa, magpa-escort, di na need magtanong-tanong kung sino nagpapaalis sa Dubai papuntang Afghanistan at Iraq. In short less expenses, less worry, less creation of Task Force, less victims at less ang kalabaw na maibebenta sa walang katuturan. Napapanahon nang pag-isipan ang mga bagay na ito. Naaangkop pa ba ang trip nilang "tamang-hinala"? Sayang ang bilyones na budget para sa mga bansang ito ng US, NATO at UN.

Eto ang the best...at pwede nyo ring gawin kung nasaan man kayong bansa naroroon... Halleeer MS. POEA listen up, yo! Yung sinasabing entrepeneurship ay dito natin gawin dahil mas maganda ang cash flow sa abroad. Kumuha ka ng sponsor mo na local bolahin mo para makapagtayo ka ng negosyo, dito sa Afghansitan napakaraming gumagawa nya...so bakit nila iiwan ang Afghanistan?