MikeLigalig.com

Quote from: Ginger on January 25, 2008, 01:28:34 AM
Sorry, Sir Benne. I've no intention to inflict unpleasant feelings to the opposite sex when I posted this topic.
You are right, size doesn't matter to add an inch to happiness.

Hi Ginger,

No apologies needed... Odd tales add life to TB...

Quote from: -<GEC348>- on November 16, 2007, 02:44:12 PM
Very interesting topic.

Travel & Tours -- To be accredited with DOT, the minimum capital investment is P500,000.00.

Hi GEC,

Sorry for having allowed this thread to languish for a long time. Actually, during the whole time, I was doing some legwork, research and rehash of ideas... As I mentioned somewhere in this thread, no need to rush.

I checked with the Department of Tourism office in Tokyo about the P500,000 capital investment as a requirement for accreditation. I was referred to a DOT website where this was not explicitly stated. I was also told that DOT accreditation is an option and not a legal requirement to run the travel and tour business. They told me that the only advantage with accredited business entities is that DOT will actively promote and advertise the business in its materials.

Anyway, I will be starting another thread which is an offshoot of our inputs here. I appreciate receiving your inputs.

Quote from: Bambi on January 22, 2008, 03:30:29 AM

Sir, where is your lot located in Panglao? Magsilingan unja ta didto pohon ha?  I had bought a lot in Tabalong, Dauis 4 years ago and to my surprised while visited two weeks ago,  a Japanese couple is now building a very big house and guest accomodation possibilities  beside the area I acquired.  Na mora, ug magtukod kog gamay nga bakasyonan pohon didto mora na lang ug kasilyas sa ila (that is now my big problem).  At the moment, have a contractor  to build a perimeter fench around after being cheated from a nearest relative with a very unsatisfactory work 2 years ago (nangalyupo na ang kural).  Kayod pa ko diri Sir to save an amount to build a small rest house there  in time I will go to pension maybe in 6 - 8 years. God helps! Magpakabaskog lang una...bungtod raba tong yuta didto, basin ug dina ko kasaka pohon. Mokamang na lang.

When you are planning to start building a residential house in your lot? Pagdali diha kay nagkamahal na.

Bambi,

I think we are in the same neighborhood. Pwede ra unya ko mangayog asin ug suka kung mahutdan ko para sa inun-on. Last time I was in Bohol was 3 years ago, so I don't know how the place looks like. My mother, who used to work at DAR, bought it for me I believe at about the price you mentioned. The area is a little big for just a family house (I think about 2000 sqm), so I'm still thinking what to do with it. I will definitely check the place when I go home in April or June this year.

Ginger,

You're such an angel with immaculate looks, but have unholy thoughts...

Moral of the story: a man's size doesn't add an inch to his happiness.

Quote from: grazie7y on January 24, 2008, 03:51:04 PM
Sa Manga lang mi, Bene San kay aron duol sa akong mga ginikanan.  Pohon2x maluoy Ginoo. Sige lang, duol ra man pod ang Panglao pwede ra gihapon ta maghinatdanay ug sud-an pohon.

sige adlaw-adlaw ta EB...

Quote from: lindy on January 24, 2008, 03:38:40 PM
daghan bitaw mga husband nga gikulata ug asawa...

Mao ni ang away nga dili healthy kay pwede sa hospital matiwas.

Nganong bitaw dakung isyu ang wife-beating, pero ang husband-mauling way madungog bisag naa nay black eye ang bana?

Quote from: grazie7y on January 24, 2008, 03:14:33 PM
Thanks for this article, Bene San!  One thing for sure, we are going to make Bohol as our haven when we retire in the next 3 years or so.

Magsilingan ra unta ta Grazie. Kami diay ni Bambi murag tupad ra mi sa Panglao.

Quote from: benelynne on January 24, 2008, 02:30:56 PM

But high-profile scams could put some retirees off.

In December 2006, six elderly Japanese filed a lawsuit in Tokyo against a firm, saying it had reneged on promises to provide land for homes on the Philippine island of Cebu.

They said they wanted to "sound the alarm" after they paid up to $75,000 for homes with one-on-one health care, but found empty plots, Japanese media reported. When one tried to build a house, he found the consultancy firm had no land titles.

Daimon admitted his investment in Bali "was a kind of gamble", with the villa development just a field of white limestone when he first saw it. "But I trusted the developer and his story, and it paid off," he said.

Too bad we were mentioned here in a bad light.

Asia retirement idylls may be built on sand

Sun Jan 13, 2008

By Dominic Whiting

JIMBARAN, Indonesia (Reuters) - Go Daimon is 41 and without a grey hair, but the employee of the Tokyo Stock Exchange dreams only of retirement.

He already knows how it will be paid for -- by "baby boomers", children from a post-war birth spurt now on the cusp of retirement, who will seek villas like the one he snapped up in Bali two years ago.

Now worth more than double the $45,000 he paid, the two-bedroom villa and plunge pool in Bali's only self-proclaimed retirement resort is rented for $70 a night for about two-thirds of the year, mostly to elderly Europeans fleeing the cold.

With the first U.S. baby boomers due to get their first social security checks in February, and rapidly ageing and increasingly affluent populations in many developed nations, several Asian countries are stepping up marketing campaigns to attract investments from retirees.

Asia's lure of cheap living and sun is strong, especially at a time when developed nations fear the surge of retirees will buckle their health and pension systems.

But property experts say investors are taking big risks, although returns can compensate.

Few dream resorts stack up as solid investments for typical second-home buyers, who are in their 50s and keen on some returns in the run-up to retirement.

Daimon gets 65 percent of the income from renting his villa -- the developer takes the rest -- giving him an annual investment return of about 22 percent.

"Right now the profit is so-so, but in the future I expect much more," Daimon said, hoping a new spa and planned Balinese cooking classes will help push up occupancy and rents. "If I'm lucky I'll retire when I'm 55."

LEGAL OBSTACLES

The Thai island of Phuket, with its golf and beaches, has seen land prices in many areas shoot up five-fold in three years.

But although foreigners can own apartments, they must set up firms technically owned by Thai nationals if they want land, a tenuous legal loophole that politicians have been eager to close.

In Bali, villas are usually sold on 25-year renewable leases to skirt a law against foreign ownership. And with seafront villas going for $700,000, rental yields are often low.

"You talk to these people in the finance industry and they dream about having a house on the beach," said Tim Murphy, whose firm Intellectual Property has sourced $200 million worth of property for clients in Hong Kong and Singapore in two years.

"But then suddenly the left side of the brain kicks in, and they worry about rental yields and liquidity," he said. "People are really conflicted about whether to go for the retirement aspect or the investment aspect."

Murphy, a 37-year old former executive at British insurer Prudential and owner of more than 100 properties, said the main requirements for a good investment are secure land title, a liquid market, a favorable tax regime and the ability to borrow against a property to magnify returns.

"Malaysia ticks all the boxes," Murphy said, with Langkawi becoming particularly popular among Middle Eastern investors, while Vietnam is exciting because of its fast economic growth.

But for an off-beat choice, Murphy is touting four-bedroom chalets at the Japanese ski resort of Niseko for $350,000, with a rental yield of 6-7 percent and snow seven months of the year.

Among efforts to lure retirees, the Philippines cut retirement visa fees last year to help attract a million foreign retirees by 2015.

Thailand's "elite card" targets wealthy visitors who might retire in the country. In return for a $30,000 one-off fee, a member receives a lifetime of priority at immigration, golf memberships, health checks and spa treatments.

"We want friends of Thailand to come and to tell their friends it's a great place," said Natthaya Intarasud, head of the firm that runs the scheme, which now has 2,300 members. "If you love us and want to come to live with us, we're happy."

MUCH-ADRMIRED MALAYSIA

But Thailand faces stiff competition from its southern neighbor, whose "Malaysia My Second Home" program has drawn over 11,000 retirees in the last five years. The package includes a 10-year renewable multiple entry visa, tax exemption on pensions and permission to import domestic staff.

Malaysia, which lets foreigners own freehold property, overtook Australia as the most favored foreign retirement destination for Japanese this year, according to a recent survey.

Japan is likely to become a major exporter of retirees as it struggles to support pensioners.

The proportion of its population aged over 65 is expected to double to 40 percent by 2055. But with an average $100,000 in the bank, a Japanese pensioner can buy a two-bedroom apartment in central Kuala Lumpur.

A hip replacement costs $12,000 in Bangkok, compared to $17,000 in Japan, and living in Manila costs about a third of Tokyo.

But high-profile scams could put some retirees off.

In December 2006, six elderly Japanese filed a lawsuit in Tokyo against a firm, saying it had reneged on promises to provide land for homes on the Philippine island of Cebu.

They said they wanted to "sound the alarm" after they paid up to $75,000 for homes with one-on-one health care, but found empty plots, Japanese media reported. When one tried to build a house, he found the consultancy firm had no land titles.

Daimon admitted his investment in Bali "was a kind of gamble", with the villa development just a field of white limestone when he first saw it. "But I trusted the developer and his story, and it paid off," he said.

(Reporting by Dominic Whiting, editing by Anne Marie Roantree & Kim Coghill)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKHKG22955020080113?pageNumber=4&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true

Traders told to tap OFW skills, not foreigners’


By Margaux Ortiz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:11:00 01/24/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- Their skills are honed in some of the world’s most complex enterprises, but when they come home, these overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) engage in businesses far from their expertise and many end up losers.

The common lament is that there are just no opportunities here, or if there are, little is known about the places where these engineers and technicians may fit in.

A newly formed group calling itself the Global Filipino Nation (GFN) is seeking to address this problem.

Instead of spending for foreign consultants, the business sector can tap these OFWs, said GFN spokesperson Jun Aguilar. He said the government should begin gathering data on returning OFWs to harness their potential as specialists and experts.

Dairy desalination

Aguilar noted that the world’s biggest desalination plant in the industrial city of Jubail in Saudi Arabia and the largest integrated dairy farm in Riyadh, also in Saudi Arabia, were manned by Filipino engineers and technicians.

“Imagine how productive it would be if we could bring these Filipinos home to replicate the technology in the country,” he said.

Given the right opportunities, the returning workers could contribute their expertise to help the country, he said.

Aguilar gave as an example engineers in their 50s and 60s who have decided to come home from the Middle East upon their retirement.

“These engineers are often treated like they have nothing useful to contribute anymore,” said Aguilar, himself an engineer who worked in Saudi Arabia.

“Instead of paying thousands of dollars to hire foreign consultants, companies should seriously consider maximizing the use of these returning OFWs,” he said.

For more, check out http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080124-114397/Traders-told-to-tap-OFW-skills-not-foreigners

A fight with your spouse could be good for health: study

CHICAGO (AFP) - A good fight with your spouse could be good for the health, a new study has found.

Couples who suppressed their anger have a mortality rate twice as high as those in which at least one partner stands up for themselves, according to the study which tracked 192 US couples for 17 years.

"When couples get together, one of their main jobs is reconciliation about conflict," said lead author Ernest Harburg, an emeritus professor with the University of Michigan.

"The key matter is, when the conflict happens, how do you resolve it?" he said.

"When you don't, if you bury your anger, and you brood on it and you resent the other person or the attacker, and you don't try to resolve the problem, then you're in trouble."

Previous studies have shown that suppressing anger increases stress-related illnesses like heart disease and high blood pressure.

This study looks at how suppressed anger and the resulting buildup of resentment in a marriage affects overall mortality rates.

It adjusted for age, smoking, weight, blood pressure, bronchial problems, breathing, and cardiovascular risk.

Harburg and his colleagues used a questionnaire to determine how the spouses responded to behaviour that they perceived as unfair.

Both spouses suppressed their anger in 26 of the couples while at least one spouse expressed their anger in the remaining 166 couples.

At least one death was recorded in half the couples who suppressed their anger, whereas only 26 percent of the other couples suffered from the death of a spouse.

And the anger-supressing couples were nearly five times more likely to both be dead 17 years later, the study found.

Harburg cautioned that the results are still preliminary and do not constitute a representative sample of current marital relationships.

The study period covers couples interviewed in 1971 and measures survival through 1988.

It was carried out in a small, predominantly white and middle class town in Michigan and most of the women were "housewives" born before the sexual revolution.

An upcoming analysis of survival rates 30 years later will yield more reliable results, Harburg said.

The paper will appear in the January edition of the Journal of Family Communication.

Bakit may Jap and handle mo? You have any relation or connection to a Japanese or Japan? Am presently here in Japan. Orchids is also based here in Japan.

Bohol can be the residential, commercial and recreational suburbs with fresh air and green environ... Keep the industries in Cebu...

It seems to me that Cebu would benefit as much, if not more, from this project as Bohol, so why not ask imperial Cebu to look for funding as well? After all, Cebu's international PR machine is flaunting Bohol and Chocolate Hills and Panglao as part of Cebu? This land connection will give credence to such outlandish claims.

Congrats! I bragged to my wife, who is from Pangasinan, that I do not know of any group of Filipinos more hometown-loving than Boholanos... Thanks Mike for cementing our ties...

DOLE used to require repatriation cost to be borne by the employer as one of the clauses of the employment contract.

But now it's actually asking US$8,000 bond. We're pricing ourselves out of a very competitive market.

i've trailed your thoughts
pacing my breath verse by verse
wave after wave
imagining your last word
dissolving between shadow and light
in the bottomless deep

realizing you're actually perched
atop a stool before your laptop
i think you've taken me
for a (boat) ride



RV, nice poetry. This should go well with a photo background of the elements.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on January 22, 2008, 03:59:37 AM
Actually Blue, we are already in the top list. Actually, they are mentioning Cebu in terms of proximity and office location. Part of this area, reffered to as Cebu includes Panglao as part of the package. I discovered this fact last year and I even posted it in one of the threads here. While I was browsing one famous Europen Travel Magazine, I noticed that there was no Bohol mentioned. However, I was outraged that it mentioned Panglao as an Island of Cebu. Obviously, it was a sabotage made by the Cebu based travel agency who was the sponsor of that magazine page.
I further browsed another travel book and noticed a tour package that suggests the Chocolate Hills as part of Cebu.

I really smell something fishy about Cebu's PR machinery. In its overseas promotional publicity, it suggests Bohol as part of its landscape.

But when Bohol is cited positively in national or foreign media as a distinct place and entity of its own, Cebu is quick to find fault with us.

Tagbilaran police bungled the handling of bank robbers... The Bohol media had a conspiracy to hide the robbery incident victimizing Japanese tourists... Our lawmakers cajoled ATO and Manila International Airport Authority to divert funds for aviation safety upgrade to the Panglao Int'l airport...

Na-insecure ba ni sila sa ato?

At least the Singaporean government has the diplomatic good sense not to name names or give a breakdown of their haul by nationality.

I can remember when a joint Immigration and police raid was conducted in Tokyo's largest red light district, Kabukicho, in the mid-90s.

The Immigration Bureau chief then had the gumption to say, "I'm surprised no Filipinas were caught." The Philippine Embassy could not raise a howl because then, the Philippines was sending about 100,000 entertainers to Japan every year, a number of whom overstayed their visa to find Japanese spouses.

More than 5,000 foreign sex workers caught in Singapore: minister

Photo: AFP
Click to enlarge

SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore arrested more than 5,000 foreign prostitutes last year but it is unrealistic to expect vice to be eliminated, the Home Affairs Minister has told parliament.

Wong Kan Seng was responding to a question from an MP about efforts to curb "rampant gambling and prostitution" in Singapore's red-light Geylang district.

"The vice situation in Singapore is under control," Wong said in a written response released Tuesday.

He said police across the city-state last year conducted 950 vice-related operations, up from 890 the previous year. They arrested 5,400 foreign sex workers, a 25 percent increase over 2006, he said.

Despite its reputation as a straight-laced society, prostitution is legal in Singapore, where licensed brothels operate in designated areas such as Geylang. Pimping and public solicitation are illegal.

Foreign women working voluntarily in the sex trade cannot be arrested unless they are caught offering their services out in the street or violate immigration and other laws.

Wong, who is also a deputy prime minister, said installation of closed-circuit television cameras in Geylang has helped deter solicitation.

He said daily police operations to target gambling in the back alleys of Geylang led to 280 arrests last year and an improvement in the situation.

"Illegal gambling in Geylang is not rampant," Wong said.

"But I should add that it is not realistic to expect vice to be totally eliminated," he said, particularly as the city-state seeks to promote tourism.

"Among those who come, there will be a very small number who enter under the pretext of social visits but engage in vice activities. This is the reality which Singaporeans should face up to."

Researchers link lack of sleep with obesity in children
Kyodo News

A study tracking children over several years indicates that lack of sleep at a young age can lead to obesity as they get older.

According to the study, more children who had less than nine hours of sleep when they were 3 years old, compared with those who had more than 10 hours, became obese when they reached junior high and high school.

Among the academics involved in the study were Michikazu Sekine, an associate professor of public health at the University of Toyama, and Sadanobu Kagamimori, a professor of public health.

The study was launched in fiscal 1989 and targeted about 10,000 babies born that year. They discovered that relatively shorter sleep periods contributed to many of the children becoming obese.

Lack of exercise and an enriched diet are believed to be contributing factors to obesity in children. In the 1970s, the percentage of obese children was about 3 percent, but the figure has increased to more than 10 percent during and since the 1990s.

The babies in the study were all born in Toyama Prefecture and represented 1 percent of Japan's total that year. The children were assessed every three years until they became high school students.

The study is regarded as unusual because of its long duration and has gained attention as the "Toyama study."

It found that many 3-year-old children who had less than nine hours of sleep had become obese by the time they entered junior high and high school. By the time they reached junior high, the rate of obesity was 1.6 times more than among those who had more than 10 hours of sleep at age 3.

The study indicates that sleep deficiency in young children is linked to them becoming obese even if lack of exercise as a primary factor is excluded.

It also substantiates the importance of getting enough sleep on a daily basis. The professors compared changes in the hours of sleep among first-graders and fourth-graders.

Those who had more than eight hours of sleep every day were least likely to become obese, while 30 percent to 40 percent of the obese children were among those who had less than eight hours of sleep.

The saying "What youth is used to, age remembers" appears to apply to the children in the study. There was a tendency among some fourth-graders to go to sleep early, showing a habit obtained while they were 3 years old. Conversely, those who went to sleep late continued to do so.

Sekine said sleep affects the development of a child's mind, body and health through growth hormones and autonomic nerves.

Nevertheless, lack of sleep cannot be cited as the only cause of obesity. The first-graders in the study were asked such questions as whether their father and mother were overweight, whether they skipped breakfast, ate snacks once or twice a day, exercised, watched television for more than two hours, and had less than eight hours of sleep.

The professors gave one point for every affirmative answer. They learned that first-graders scoring zero stayed at 5 percent in the obesity rate when they advanced to fourth grade. Those scoring more than 4 points in the first grade rose to 22 percent in the obesity rate, indicating that many factors contribute to obesity.

Child obesity can lead to adult illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080122a3.html

A friendly warning to travelers to and from the US

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 04:43pm (Mla time) 01/21/2008

This information is very alarming. I think it's worth sharing to save you from trouble and embarrassment. This email came from a former U.S. Embassy employee and could be useful to all balikbayans (returning natives). His friend, who works for Homeland Security as Immigration Inspector at the Los Angeles International Airport called him yesterday to share this information on what happened last weekend.

A Fil-Am citizen flying to the Philippines for a vacation was apprehended by an Airport Immigration agent while she was checking in her baggage and going through the X-ray machine. For some reason, she was randomly checked and told to open all the envelopes inside her carry-on Coach bag.

They found 10 envelopes addressed to different people in the Philippines. When all the envelopes were opened, a total of $11,000 cash was discovered. They asked the traveler if she knew the contents of the envelope. She said no, because all the envelopes are just padala (objects carried as a favor) and the senders didn't tell her whether or not there was money inside.

Immigration agents showed her a policy and guidance stating that it’s illegal to import and export over $10,000 in any Asian country, to prevent the possibility of supporting terrorism. She was fined $500, her name was "red labeled" by Immigration (meaning every time she enters and exits the airport, she will be searched 100%), and she missed her scheduled flight to the Philippines by being held almost 5 hours. Hard to believe that passengers departing from the U.S. are also subject to the policy but looks like it is being strictly enforced now.

The lesson learned is that for your own safety, before you accept any padala , make sure the envelopes are open and you see the contents, or just plainly say, "Sorry but I can't accept any padala.”

Not only pirated VCDs/DVDs are on the hot list. Customs officials are also looking into fake bags like Louis Vuitton, Coach, etc. The American Association of Publishers (AAP) has also alerted the American customs officers to check for pirated books.

Please warn all nursing graduates who plan to take the NCLEX and CGF exams in the States not to bring in these pirated books because there will be a penalty of automatic deportation as violation of intellectual property rights. If you know anyone coming from the Philippines to the US with pasalubong (homecoming presents) and padala, please share this important advisory from the American Embassy in Manila.

US Embassy employees have been advised that US government employees should abide by US laws, including Intellectual Property Rights (anti-piracy) laws. Recently the Consular Section received a report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and searched the bag of a Filipino entering the U.S. on NW 72 in Detroit. 70-80 compact discs, 30-40 empty DVD jackets and 10-20 DVDs were found during the search.

Since the travelers were not American citizens, their visas were canceled and they had to return to the Philippines. If they had been Americans, they could have been subject to arrest and criminal prosecution in addition to civil fines and penalties.

Please remember: just ONE pirated item can jeopardize your trip. Also, the fingerprinting system has been successfully instituted in all port of entries. I suggest you bring extra identification cards in addition to your passport to facilitate your entry in the US Immigration. I hope this is helpful to you.

Forwarded by Peque Gallaga

I just can't help but wonder if DOLE's purpose is really to protect the welfare of OFW's or is just inventing a sweet-sounding revenue source whose burden will eventually be passed on to the OFW himself.

Overseas companies decide to hire workers directly to cut on the mediation or middleman cost of employment agencies. Do you think it will still be economical for them to hire workers directly if this hefty bond will be imposed on them? I am sure only the desperate companies will do this, but they will eventually charge this additional cost against the remuneration or welfare benefits of the OFW. In other words, this administrative cost will in the end not really safeguard the OFW's welfare but expose him to greater exploitation.

$8,000 bond required of direct hirers

THE Department of Labor and Employment is now requiring foreign employers to post a performance bond amounting to $8,000 per employee before they directly hire Filipino workers.

This requirement forms part of the new stricter rules formulated by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. The new rules took effect Jan. 15, according to Labor Secretary Arturo Brion who is chairman of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

Direct hiring of Filipinos by foreign employers has to be approved by the labor chief and the contract will be scrutinize and verified the labor attaché or the Philippine Embassy, Brion said.

“Direct hiring may be allowed only for members of the diplomatic corps and of international organizations, government officials of ministerial level, and employers who are hiring on one-time or trial basis,” Brion said.

However, the number of employees that can be hired directly by a company shall not exceed five, the labor department said.

The government decided to adopt a stricter policy on direct hires because it wanted to protect the Filipinos from abusive employers, according to Brion.

Under the new rules, the foreign employers who want to hire directly should post a repatriation bond in the amount of $5,000 per employee to guarantee the repatriation of the worker or of his remains, in the event of death, and a performance bond of $3,000 per employee to guarantee payment of the employee’s salary for the duration of the employment contract. The total bond amounts to $8,000 per employee. Arlie Calalo

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics4_jan21_2008

Quote from: Edgardo on January 21, 2008, 06:44:47 PM

The bulk of the funding for the Panglao Bohol International Airport will be coming from the Manila International Airport Authority. If there will be any funding coming from ATO, it will not be substantial that it will compromise ATO's budget for procurement of navigation equipment or increase its manpower for air traffic controllers.

If it can be established that airports in other provinces (proposed or undergoing construction) may have bleeded ATO's budget for upgrading of aviation safety mechanisms, I will not agree to the reports that the airport project in Bohol could be partly blamed for the debacle.

My gut feeling is that the Cebu media has rarely anything positive to say about Bohol, or ignores us altogether as though Bohol does not exist.

Although he did not name names, I am pretty sure the writer is referring to us when he said, "these congressmen just don’t want ordinary airports, but want the tag “international” to go with them, even if no international flights come or go to their airports."

However, I can't help but think he has a point if indeed, as a result of political horsetrading, we are allocating budget towards more airport construction at the expense of investment in maintenance and upgrade of safety standards of existing aviation facilities. It does not matter whether the budget comes from ATO or the Manila Airport Authority. Safety concerns are paramount.

As things stand, we are on the losing end. If the Philippines cannot recover its safety rating and scare foreign travelers, it is meaningless to build more airports.

It seems to me that this is what Bobit S. Avila, a Cebu-based writer, is driving at in his article, There’s money for airports, but none for radars? After all, the downgrade proclamation by the US came just a few weeks after Arroyo gave the green light on the construction of Panglao international airport. This writer's point is that instead of boosting our facilities to improve safety--such as airplanes to check pilot competence and radar--the Air Transportation Office is yielding to political pressures to build more airports. Congressman Edgar Chatto, is he right? Or is it just Cebu turning a green-eyed monster at the attention Bohol is getting?

So why is the ATO’s budget not enough? I gathered that one of the reasons for the lack of money is that many congressmen are asking the ATO to build new airports in their respective districts and worse, these congressmen just don’t want ordinary airports, but want the tag “international” to go with them, even if no international flights come or go to their airports. Call it a status symbol if you wish or plain “humbug,” but at the end of the day, there are no monies for radars and other vital navigation equipment as these funds are used to build the new status symbol airports.

How did congressmen allow this situation to happen? Simply whenever the budget for the ATO comes around, these congressmen “whisper” to the ATO their “desire” to build new airports so that the ATO budget would move smoothly. How do we know this? Just look at all the plans for new airports in ATO’s planning department and you’ll know what I mean. But there’s more to the ATO’s troubles than just building airports.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Nation&p=49&type=2&sec=28&aid=2008012037

Quote from: Bohol Bol-anon on January 21, 2008, 03:33:44 PM
The whole world is dependent on the US economy. When the mortgage sector in the US experienced turbulence late last year, stocks exchange in Thailand felt a slow down.

You're right. Even Japanese banks are putting up a face that they are not affected by the US subprime woes. But apparently, a good number of them have direct or indirect exposure. That's why business outlook this year for companies in all sectors is dismal.

Even if Japanese banks are not directly exposed, the impending recession in the US as a result of this mortgage debacle will certainly affect its economy since Japan, like most countries in the world, is highly dependent on the US market.

The Philippines is just a cluster of dots in the economic map. But if recession befalls the US, I think we are the most unbuffered. We need to integrate ourselves to markets other than the US so that we will not catch a cold everytime they sneeze.

Asia Markets Sink Amid Pessimism Over US
Monday January 21, 1:28 am ET
By Carl Freire, Associated Press Writer 
Asian Markets Sink Amid Pessimism Over US Stimulus Plan; Japan's Nikkei Tumbles 3.4 Percent


TOKYO (AP) -- Asian shares fell broadly Monday morning following declines on Wall Street last week amid investor pessimism over the U.S. government's plan to prevent a recession.
A contraction in the American economy would likely hurt profits at Asian exporters, although increased trade and investment within the region has made Asia less dependent on the U.S. than in the past.

ADVERTISEMENT


Investors sold off shares, appearing to be unimpressed by the economic stimulus plan President Bush announced Friday. The plan, which requires approval by Congress, calls for about $145 billion worth of tax relief to encourage consumer spending.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index slid 3.4 percent in morning trading to 13,395.28 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 2.3 percent at 24,624.14.

Markets in China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines were also down.

"People are certainly nervous about a potential recession in the U.S. spilling over to the rest of the world," said David Cohen, Director of Asian Economic Forecasting at Action Economics in Singapore.

"Maybe there's still some wariness about politicians are able to come up with a compromise and act sufficiently quickly" on a stimulus package, Cohen said. "I think the impact would be marginal anyway."

On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average slid 0.5 percent to 12,099.30, and some analysts warned that the U.S. market could be in for a period of protracted declines.

Investors also have shrugged assurances from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the central bank is ready to act aggressively -- which means a likely big interest rate cut later this month -- to help support an economy pummeled by devastation in the housing and credit markets.

Worries about the U.S. economy -- the world's biggest -- have dragged on Asian markets, many of which surged last year. Since the start of the year, Japan's benchmark index has declined more than 12 percent, while Hong Kong's blue-chip index is down more than 11 percent.

Still, increased trade and investment within Asia has made the region less reliant on the United States than in the past, prompting some analysts to predict that Asia won't suffer dramatically from a U.S. recession.

Excluding Japan, 43 percent of Asia's exports go to other nations in the region, Lehman Brothers calculates, up from 37 percent in 1995.

A drop of 1 percentage point in U.S. economic growth would shave 1.3 percentage points from China's growth rate due to lower exports, Citigroup estimates. But China's economy will still likely expand 11 percent this year, the investment bank predicts.

Also, some strategists say Asian markets are now oversold and will rebound as investors snatch up stocks that have fallen to attractive levels.

"We hold our view that the rapid correction in the past two weeks is offering a good opportunity to buy quality stocks," Taifook Research in Hong Kong said in a note.

Quote from: Bambi on January 21, 2008, 01:03:35 AM
Sir Benelynne,
Philippine island is abundant of nice/white undevelop beaches to visit other than Boracay.  Example on the photos  showed in Sta. Fe, Bantayan island, Cebu ..yes, as you have said, we need more promotions  and be serious to work for it. Ang naka problema lang sa ato kay.... gusto pod laging madato ug dali ning nag negosyo perti pong mahala nga motagam ang mga turista pun-an pod nga alibangohan sila sa mga mag-ilog nga kargador sa bisan asa. Sayuanan ka, the lowest rate sa BBC is 75 dollars per head and that  without breakfast! Whereas, you can have already in some beautiful beaches in Malaysia for 40 dollars including breakfast and excellent services.
So far, as above-stated,  I noticed in Thailand that they don't have these kind of laborers.  I think, our leaders/or so-called Politicians must have to do some changes in this connection to make our beautiful Philippines more popular and worthy to visit with.

I agree with you, Bambi, nga Bohol has the most beautiful beaches in the world but no one will be around to vote for us kay ang mga turista di man ka-afford sa rates. I think the reason that the opening of the Pusan-Tagbilaran direct flight was indefinitely postponed was because of the dispute on airfare and accommodation rates, which the Koreans said are sky-high.

According to Bohol Congressman Edgar Chatto, who chairs the house committee on tourism, the problem is really that of supply and demand kay 2,500 hotel and resort rooms ra man daw ang capacity sa Bohol ron. Kulang kaayo kumpara sa number of tourists which is expected to top 500,000 this year.

Would you believe that the Eskaya Beach Resort, which is scheduled to open in July this year in Panglao, will be charging US$300 TO US$2,100 overnight?

Bambi, patukuri na lang ug hotel ang akong gamayng yuta sa Panglao duol ra sa dagat para makabarato ta.

Quote from: Bambi on January 19, 2008, 07:18:34 AM
Grazie, you mean the Itlogs......he is now my number one suspect to be D.I.  Na, what you think?

Bambi,

G.I. ang lizard. Gamay Itlog.

Rising sea levels threaten Shanghai, other Chinese cities

January 17, 2008 20:59:00

Associated Press


BEIJING -- Sea levels off Shanghai and other Chinese coastal cities are rising at an alarming rate, leading to contamination of drinking water supplies and other threats, China's State Oceanic Administration reported Thursday.

Waters off the industrial port city of Tianjin, 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Beijing, rose by 196 millimeters (7.72 inches) over the past three decades, the administration said.

Seas off the business hub of Shanghai have risen by 115 millimeters (4.53 inches) over the same period, the report said.

Administration experts said global climate change and the sinking of coastal land due to the pumping of ground water were the major causes behind rising water levels.

"Sea level rises worldwide cannot be reversed, so Chinese city officials and planners must take measures to adapt to the change," Chen Manchun, an administration researcher, was quoted as saying on the central government's official Web site.

Globally, rising seas threaten to submerge low-lying island groups, erode coastlines and force the construction of vast new levees. Some scientists have warned that melting of the vast glaciers of Greenland could cause a four-meter (13-foot) rise in sea levels in coming centuries.

Higher sea levels and the sinking of coastal land complicate Shanghai's already difficult task of providing safe water supplies to its 20 million people due to salt water leaching into its aquifer, the administration said.

http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/theenvironmentreport/view.php?db=1&article=20080117-113095

This is by far a cooler response to a wayward husband... Para sa laki, mas sakit kantahan ug sayawan lang ka...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFtICBASrpY

The problem with the Senate being wishy-washy about this agreement is that Japan thinks we need them more than they need us. In fact, the Philippines was the first to broach the idea of sending health care trainees to Japan under this framework, but Indonesia has already sent trainees ahead of us because the Senate continues to drag its heels on the ratification. Meanwhile, Malaysia, Thailand and the rest of Asian countries are queuing up before Tokyo to clinch their own free-trade agreements.

Whereas economic integration is the way the globalized economy is moving towards, the Philippines, it seems, wants to remain its own island.

Proposed ‘conditional concurrence’ on JPEPA hit


By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:11:00 01/18/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- The proposal for a “conditional concurrence” of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) only means that as it stands, the treaty violates the Constitution, a coalition against the agreement said Friday.

Earlier, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said she would sponsor and defend on the Senate floor a resolution for “conditional concurrence” to the treaty to ensure that its enforcement would not violate the Constitution, particularly provisions explicitly giving preference to Filipino investments in certain sectors.

Santiago said she was drafting a resolution that "lists reservations and exceptions, constitutional provisions, and provisions on customs and duties," which will form part of the Senate ratification of the economic treaty.

“It does not make sense for the Senate to force the treaty's ratification even as it recognizes its serious flaws,” Santiago said.

“The fact that the Senate could not make an unconditional ratification of the JPEPA affirms what No Deal! has been saying all along -- that the JPEPA violates the Constitution, undermines the country's economic sovereignty and long-term development, and poses a serious threat to the livelihood of vulnerable social sectors,” the No Deal! JPEPA coalition said in a statement.

At the same time, the anti-JPEPA group doubts whether Japan will accept the proposal.

Such a resolution, the group argued, “defeats the primary purpose of...JPEPA to maximize its exploitation of the Philippines' resources and market.”

“The Most Favored Nation [MFN] and national treatment principles of the JPEPA, which violate the 1987 Constitution as admitted by Santiago, are the heart and soul of the treaty and therefore non-negotiable as far as Japan is concerned,” No Deal! said.

The coalition noted that the Japanese government has made a “take it or leave it” stance on the JPEPA, and repeatedly issued categorical statements that renegotiation was not an option.

“This means that any effort, including the resolution Santiago is drafting, that could compromise the substantial provisions of the JPEPA is not acceptable to Japan,” it said.

The anti-JPEPA coalition said that the best option would be to simply reject the economic treaty “not only to avoid a possible humiliation before the international community but more importantly because the JPEPA is unfavorable to the Philippines.”

Abi nakug Lacoste.

Quote from: Scott on January 17, 2008, 06:52:48 PM
poverty stricken people is everywhere. even in first world countries.

the question really is "did you have enough will power to fight against it?"
world peace. yes. world peace

You are so right. Tokyo's Ueno Park, a sprawling landmark in the heart of one the most prosperous cities in the world, is dotted with tents of blue vinyl sheets occupied by a growing caste of homeless Japanese.

Even the banks of Sumida River, which is a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo, are littered with the same blue sheets.

Quote from: BlueAngel on January 17, 2008, 07:58:25 PM
ja, time will come
nga ang Bohol Beaches
will be one of the toplist

Such opportunity will not be tossed on our lap. We have to work for it. We at TB are the best placed Boholanos to promote our island to the top of the list by inviting our friends to visit our island.

Will you give up a career, financial comfort and security at your prime age, uproot your children from the environment they're born to and grew up in overseas, to an uncertain future back to homeland Philippines?

Dr. Martin Bautista did...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik9XW3134c8&eurl=http://mbautistamd.blogspot.com/2008/01/pananagutan-and-fr-hontiveros.html

Quote from: PrincessSaDagat on January 17, 2008, 02:06:39 PM
Now we know why ..but don't let this beach beauty fools you.  Beyond the boundaries of Resorts and white beaches of Boracay it shows the reality of poverty and the very poor.
Boracay beach

Paradise and ghetto side by side... It's surreal.

I'd like to borrow RV's third eye to take a view of paradise from the ghetto or the ghetto from paradise.

This will certainly affect the flow of tourists to our country this year at such a crucial time when the government is projecting to breach the 5 million mark in tourist arrivals.

1. Boracay Island, Philippines
2. Nassau, The Bahamas
3. Cebu, Philippines
4. Phan Thiet, Vietnam
5. Montego Bay, Jamaica
6. Phuket, Thailand
7. Cozumel, Mexico
8. San Diego, CA
9. Honolulu, HI
10. San Juan, Puerto Rico

From Yahoo! Travel

Two Philippine beaches in the top three! Hey, TB members, let's help put our dear Bohol on the map this year! We're supposed to be Boracay Plus, so we should claim that place up there.

1. Married women are happier than single women

Perkins, on the other hand, drew attention to other research that describes married women as happier. "Research shows that adults are safer, happier, healthier, and wealthier in faithful, lifelong unions," he said. "In other words, if there is an anti-marriage trend afoot, a body of evidence demonstrates that it does not work to the benefit of women."

Single Women Outnumber Married; Happier Single?
By Audrey Barrick
Christian Post Reporter
Fri, Jan. 19 2007 11:00 AM ET

2. More singles are finding marriage partners on-line

A survey focusing on online matchmaking for the first time shows that more than 70% of the respondents believe the Internet can provide more opportunities for them to make friends, and over 80% accept the phenomenon of finding marriage partners online, 30% of whom would like to have a try.
Sponsored by the website www.yeeyoo.com, a survey on online matchmaking conducted by Shanghai iResearch Co. since June is approaching the end.

Half of the respondents think that there are not enough social activities for them to get to know friends of the opposite sex, while the Internet provides more chances and online chatting is more convenient.

30% ready to find marriage partners online
(chinanews.cn)
Updated: 2006-07-25 14:01

Quote from: Glen on January 16, 2008, 03:56:32 PM
Thank you Grace og Sir Benelyne lami bitaw sa Alaska maong nagdugay ko dire. Grace dile ka mahadlok mosakay og helicopter motan aw lang og mga bukid bukid? Kahadlok ba ana oy adto nalang sa Chocolate hills si Ms. A lagi kay nangutana og kamao ba kuno ko mag pilot og helicopter dire sa Alaska kay naa kuno me helicopter ambot kinsa ga ingon niya.....Naa me helicopter plastic toys ni Kyle nagkatawa lagi ko ni Ms A.

Murag tugnaw kaayo diha, siguro only warm people like you ang maka-survive. Heard a lot of good things about Alaska from a missionary couple, wife a Filipina, who lived there for sometime.

I know of artists who paint with bold strokes. But this one is really BOLD.

Ginger, murag gi-bookmark nimo ang "odd news." This one's not only odd, but explosive...

God's creation is awesome! From A (Alaska), B (Bohol) through Z (name it)!

Quote from: Bambi on January 15, 2008, 06:55:14 PM
Sayang....you were not there personally.  I was looking forward to meet all those "BANGIITAN" TB members gyod.  I  even missed Mike after he had promised to come over on that very day. Please try to come over this coming GRAND SUMMERTIME EB  2008 with Junayag and Co. Di gjod ka magmahay Sir! Bibo bisan morag kilat lang, time were too hesitant but memories lingers on.....


Hangover the whole life na usahay Sir....but kayod for the next vacation.  I miss home na pod oi

Na....nahibalo na bitaw ka nga mao god nay paborito sa mga high classes/politicians ug kanang duna poy ika-abot. The World might be too lonely without this kind of business. Unsaon....lami man

Hi Bambi,

I will very likely be spending more time in the Philippines (Bohol and Cebu) this year, God willing. My three kids will in fact be schooling in Tagbilaran from June to catch up on their English and immerse themselves in their Pinoy and Boholano roots... I am also exploring new career horizons in the Philippines using my overseas network and contacts. Definitely, not brokering 'appetizers' to Japanese, Chinese or Korean tourists.

Who knows, I'll be the one to meet you in the next Tagbilaran EB?

Despite charges of this free trade partnership being unequal, the Philippine Senate is close to finally giving this stalled agreement a nod. Among the benefits being played up is the widening of the overseas market for Filipino health care workers, including nurses and caregivers. With the stiff requirement for nurses and caregivers to take the Japanese national exams in Japanese before they would be admitted as regular workers, it seems the road to the US, Middle East and Europe for our health care professionals is closer still.

Roxas sees likely JPEPA ratification


By Veronica Uy
Agence France-Presse, INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:18:00 01/15/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- A controversial free trade deal with Japan opposed by environmentalists and nationalists is set to be ratified by the Senate later this month, Senator Manuel Roxas II said Tuesday.

The report of the Senate committee on trade and commerce on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) will be circulated by the end of January, said Roxas, the committee chairman.

Roxas said the report to be drafted by the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and on Trade and Commerce will be circulated shortly after session resumes on January 28 for the review and signature of both committees’ members before being reported out to plenary.

While the Philippines may end up losing when it opens up some protected sectors when the treaty is signed, it stood to lose much more if it failed to open up, Roxas said.

He admitted that “in and of itself, the treaty text of the JPEPA is not providing us so much” in terms of real gains.

He said that whatever potential gains there are in terms of increased market access for Philippine goods into Japan will “require behavior by Philippine businesses and the Philippine government that heretofore we have not seen.”

"I've concluded that there is not much gain that is inherent in the treaty thus far, but the loss is definitely calculable," he told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

“Without preempting our committee report, and based on the results of our hearings, I’ve concluded that there is not much gain that is inherent in the treaty, as negotiated, thus far. But the loss arising from not ratifying it is certainly calculable and definite,” he said.

“I will certainly be circulating it among my colleagues and trying to convince them to come along on board. With respect to the treaty, it’s a two-thirds [vote] requirement [in plenary]. We’ll see what happens, whether in fact the 16 [votes] are available,” he added.

Many of Manila's Asian neighbors have signed or are negotiating similar treaties with Tokyo.

Asked if the deal is to be ratified, he said: "I myself am advocating it."

The deal, which would immediately remove all tariffs on about 80 percent of Philippine exports to Japan by value, has already been signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and ratified by the Japanese parliament.

Critics want the Senate to kill the deal, saying any jobs created would be mostly low-paying entry-level positions, and that the agreement would allow Japan to dump toxic waste in the Philippines.

The allegation has been denied by Japan, which earlier said it considered the pact a "landmark" in bilateral relations.

Roxas launched a review of the proposed treaty amid the uproar.

As far as the issues concerning the Constitutionality and legality of the JPEPA treaty, he said he will defer final judgment to Senator Miriam Santiago, chair of the committee on foreign relations and a constitutional expert.

He said he has been consulting with Santiago, who, according to him, has so far said “she’s fairly comfortable the Constitutional issues have been surmounted.”

Among the disadvantages of not ratifying the JPEPA, said Roxas, would be the exclusion of the Philippines from the free trade area between Japan and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which will soon be formalized in a few months.

In the automotive sector, Roxas said whether or not the treaty is ratified, the Philippines would have to face greater competition in the manufacturing of completely built units (CBUs). The competition would include other ASEAN countries with EPAs with Japan.

For nurses and caregivers, he said although Filipinos would have to take an exam in Nihonggo, the government would aid through language seminars and training.

Roxas said that by itself, JPEPA will not cause the unbridled entry of toxic wastes and hazardous substances from Japan.

In an earlier interview with INQUIRER.net, an official of the Japanese embassy in Manila said Tokyo is unlikely to re-negotiate the treaty if Manila does not ratify it.

Even in Japan, Korean telenovelas have been the staple of TV-viewing Japanese housewives in the last few years. When Bae Yong Joon visited Japan for commercial shoots about two years ago after Winter Sonata became a mammoth hit here, he was welcomed by more than 5,000 female fans, mostly matrons, at the airport and accorded greater adulation than even Hollywood's demigods... But Filipinas, it seems, are altogether different. They are enamored to the Koreans more than just as starstruck fans. They are actually marrying Korean men!

Pinay wives living out Korean telenovellas


by JEREMAIAH M. OPINIANO
www.ofwjournalism.net


(Editor’s note: The identities of women interviewed are protected in this story.)

QUEZON CITY (OFW Journalism Consortium)â€"FOR nearly a decade, more than six thousand Filipino women are living out what’re usually depicted in Korean romance telenovellas.
It is life imitating art, according to the latest study on cross-border marital arrangements in Korea or inter-racial marriages between Koreans and other nationalities.
A 443-respondent survey done last September that covered various nationalities, including some 73 Filipina spouses, bared that “love” was the primary reason for the women acceding to marriage.
Nine women in a center here run by Catholic nuns reflect that survey’s notions.
The women were participating in a workshop to help them in their marriage to their Korean husbands.
On a brown Manila paper, they wrote that Koreans work hard, budget their money, save, and are conscious of their hygiene.
These they gathered from watching Korean soaps on local television stations.
A study by Hye Kyung-Lee of Pai Chai University says something different about their mates.
Hye’s study noted that “lower class” Korean men seek “more submissive, obedient, and traditional (foreign) wives to serve them and take care of their parents” â€"especially by Filipina and Vietnamese wives.
The Koreans’ motivations already contrast those of the Filipino women, Hye’s recent paper found.
When asked why marry foreign women, Korean spouses â€"including 91 Korean men who married Filipino womenâ€" ranked submissiveness and obedience to Korean parents as primary reason.
Since 1990, the Korean National Statistics Office recorded some 6,216 Filipino wives of Koreans. In the 16-year period, that means every year, an average 388 Filipino women were getting married to Koreans.
Among nationalities, such as Japanese, Vietnamese, and natives of mainland China, Koreans with Filipina spouses had the highest percentage of responses saying they married their foreign wives due to parental obedience.
Hye’s Korean male respondents bared that the submissiveness, obedience, and traditionalist family practices of their Filipino and Vietnamese wives are the “most important reasons” why they married them.

Soaps
THE numbers, however, don’t reflect the conflict running deep between the two cultures carried by the couple and the compromises they give to sustain their relationship.
The women interviewed by the OFW Journalism Consortium said they will rely on “love” to know their spouses better.
Commission on Filipinos Overseas director Minda Valencia, however, said love couldn’t conquer all.
Their entry into a society with a rich Confucian tradition â€"but which allows online matchmakingâ€" is seen to be a burden for the Filipino woman.
The women’s limited knowledge of Korean language and culture may cause some marital problems, Valencia said.
For some Korean men, such as those who are of lower social status and who come from the provinces, their marriage with Filipinos may “renegotiate their social status,” Valencia says.
But the husband as the primary breadwinner “is considerably lowered” as a consequence of their marriage, Valencia adds in a paper she wrote on Filipina marriages to Koreans.
CFO registration records show that the average age of the Filipino spouses is 28 and that of the Koreans’ is 35, as there are more Filipino women than Koreans who have completed college education.
Valencia said while Filipino women use tenacity and resolve to prove to Korean spouses they are no pushovers, Filipino women sometimes feel “they have to work doubly hard to have a successful marriage”.
This means not just additional responsibilities for the Filipino women; their Korean spouses and families-in-law find hope in these Filipino women.
These are women like Rita and Tricia. They were part of the nine women who said they only learned Koreans expect submissive wives during a pre-departure orientation seminar that the Religious of the Good Shepherd-run nonprofit Center for Overseas Workers organized.

To read more, check out http://www.philippinestoday.net/index.php?module=article&view=762

Quote from: Bambi on January 15, 2008, 04:47:22 PM
Well, as long as it is not a Phil-Porno Stars being sold out....no  comments.  By the way, do we have also this kind of erotic appetizer? I mean.....really legal in business sector?

Hello Benelynne!

Allow me to greet you lately "A happy-healthy start of the NEw Year -2008 to Fam. cirlcle!

Hi Bambi,

Gisundan ta baya ka sa Bohol, pero diri lang sa akong computer screen. Murag bibo jud kaayo mo. Belated happy new year too! Wa na ba ka'y holiday hangover? Ako naa pa!

Regarding your question, it is an open issue that some of our movie stars moonlight as appetizers for rich foreigners. Of course it's not legal! Na question man gani si Ruffa Gutierrez sa Senate bahin sa iyang pagbisita sa Brunei niadto, ug si Keanna Reeves, a Cebuana bold star, is vulgarly open about this side trade of hers.

It seems nothing can stop China from flexing its economic muscles to get back on its erstwhile oppressors. In a telltale sign of China reversing the tide of history, its nouveau riche men have already poised themselves to buy 'comfort women' or entertainers from Japan...

Japanese porn stars entertain Chinese rich

Japanese porn stars are now very popular in Asian countries. Wealthy Chinese seem the most fascinated. During the bubble economy in Japan from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, it was Japanese who were buying everything in the world, such as real estate properties, art masterpieces and brandname goods.

Now, the nouveau rich in China want it all and "all" includes Japanese porn stars. At the end of 2007, a popular Japanese porn star in her early 20s visited China to meet a rich Chinese guy called “Mr Lee.” She recalls her experience. “Everything I experienced there was gorgeous. I flew to China business class, and a Rolls-Royce picked me up at the airport. I was a bit nervous because I had never worked for Chinese before.”

“There are many Chinese who prefer Japanese porn, and are willing to pay as much as necessary to buy Japanese porn stars. As far as I know, there are at least five brokers in China who act as a go-between for their clients and Japanese porn stars,” said a Japanese porn industry insider.

The massive distribution of Japanese porn illegally copied in China seems to be creating a fantasy about Japanese women among some Chinese men. It’s now taken for granted among them that Japanese women are great at sex.

A Chinese guy in his 40s explains his admiration for Japanese women: “Although I’ve never dated Japanese girls, I often hear that their skin is better than that of Chinese. It’s also well known that sex with Japanese girls is better.” Another Chinese guy in his 30s says, “I feel superior when having sex with Japanese women because their country invaded China in the past. This is a kind of payback.”

“Yamada,” who brokered the Japanese porn star for Mr Lee, says: “I introduced two porn stars to him, suggesting 300,000 yen per girl. I was planning to send the girls to him while he was in Tokyo on business. But he suddenly canceled his trip. Then I took the girls to China upon his request. He promised he would pay for everything, including flight tickets and hotels.” He describes Mr Lee as a guy in his 40s, who likes to wear polo shirts and jeans, and sports a gold watch. Mr Lee paid for everything as he promised.

Author Ayumi Sakai, who used to run a porn agency, says demand from China comes at a time when profits are declining in the Japanese porn industry. “These days, many girls turn to porn partly because of the widening gap in income among people. While the competition among porn stars is becoming tougher, their salaries are decreasing. Unknown porn stars are paid only 50,000 yen per video and famous ones at most 500,000 yen. That’s why some porn stars and agents are fascinated about business opportunities abroad.”

Asked if his business could be considered human trafficking, Yamada says: “I’m not trafficking women. I just introduce famous porn stars to those who wish to make movies with them. I work worldwide. I know some of our clients only want the girls for sex, but that’s not my business.”

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/shukan/432

Your Siquijor photos are... bewitching, enchanting, spell-binding, pero di man siguro tinuod ang barang.

You have a third eye that sees the extraordinary in the mundane.

This beautiful piece was forwarded to me but I don't believe in sending chain letters to receive blessings. So let me just share the blessings of the message as well as the promised blessings by posting this here.

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray.

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time t o do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it .

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S.. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to Go d on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Hi Macky,

I fully understand what you're going through. Last year, my wife also had a miscarriage, and the child was supposed to be our fourth. When we found out that she was pregnant, we were initially overwhelmed with anxiety as my wife was already 42 then, our eldest daugter was 14, middle son was 13 and our youngest was 6... As it was an unexpected baby, we also had financial concerns. But just as the initial apprehension had turned into a celebration, with my only son hoping for a younger brother, my wife lost the baby. He cried the most... But even at his young age, he slowly came to understand that God has a reason for everything, including the untoward events that befall us... We just have to trust that He is in control and knows what is best for us.

Quote from: ligiah on January 14, 2008, 04:51:53 PM
you are very right Kuya Benelynne... i am always awed by Nong Lito and often visited him when i was still in college because i learned a lot of useful things from him, since i am a biology major. and besides, for a man who has not finished biology, he is utterly knowledgeable and i commend him for that.

Here's the thread I started earlier about the documentary program on the tarsiers and Nong Lito. http://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=5460.0

Flooding, pollution of city bay; nobody owns up responsibility!
FINGER POINTING?

“Kon naay kuarta, ihatag na, pero dili ang siyudad magpakalimos (if there is money, give it but the city won’t beg).”

City Mayor Dan Lim threw the challenge to Gov. Erico Aumentado and First District Congressman Edgar Chatto yesterday on the issue of completing the drainage outfall that is being constructed in San Jose Street, pouring down through Graham Avenue and into the Tagbilaran Bay.

“Butange ug apelyido nang inyong P15-million ug anus-a na ug hain ang kuarta, kay apelyidohan ko sad ning ako (make clear that funding and I will make mine also clear),” Mayor Lim added.

He was pointing to the clamor of constructing a water treatment facility that would ensure that the water flowing into the outfall from the city drainage are free from toxic and polluted contaminants before it flows to the sea.

The city mayor said the amount involved is “not peanuts” but the city is ready to put up such facility but the San Jose works must be completed first.


PUBLIC OUTCRY
Flooding in the city, aggravated by murky waters and foul odor coming out from the drainage canals that overflowed with the continuous rains experienced in the past two weeks, stirred public outcry.

Last Friday, Gov. Erico Aumentado reiterated his full support to the flooding problem encountered by the city, resulting from the still unfinished outfall from the new city drainage constructed along CPG Avenue.

Aumentado, however, made clear that these problems are responsibility of the city and the city mayor is fully responsible for these as the chief local executive of the city.

The new drainage canals along the CPG Avenue, a major thoroughfare of the city, was constructed alongside the concreting of the national road that is part of the P2.7-million Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project (BCRIP-2), a pet project of Gov. Aumentado.



NOT ME!
As the pollution and health concerns came into the open, authorities were noted skirting the issue while groping for solutions.

City health officer Antonio Porticos said the drainage problem is just the tip of the problem.

“There are other sources of pollutants that directly go into the sea, and we are almost helpless to prevent these,” Porticos said.

The mushrooming squatter shanties along the coast were seen as another problem.

He cited as example the flooding, drainage problem, pollution also encountered by the big metropolis of Manila.

“Waste water, including solid wastes are found in Pasig River and flowing to Manila Bay; and these problems are still there even with the many efforts done by government,” Porticos said.

“What is needed is the strict implementation of existing national laws; like sanitation code, highway, building and environmental laws that explicitly provides measures against pollution,” the health officer said.

Department of Public Works and Highway first district engineer Celestino Adlaon said the city road concreting project did not initially included the drainage. It was requested by City Mayor Dan Lim and was granted. Cutting those illegally connected sewerage lines into the drainage canals are city concerns and they should be the one (city) to cut these illegal connections,” Adlaon said.

City Engineer Pianicita Castolo also found excuse saying: “they cannot act on these connections since the project is still under DPWH and is not yet turned-over to the city.”

City Health Officer Porticos said though the drainage is related to sanitation and health, construction of drainage canals are engineering matters.

The city engineer and city health officer are supposedly tasked to lead implementation of a city ordinance (Ordinance No. C-205) prohibiting connections of sewerage lines from houses and business establishments in the city into the drainage canals, but until now the approved city ordinance remained dormant.

Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) provincial chief Nestor Canda said that his office will not allow waste water to flow into the San Jose outfall if the water treatment facility is not constructed.



DYING CITY BAY!
What is the condition of the Tagbilaran Bay with all these pollutants now seen pouring into the sea?

City sanitary inspectors Hospicio Almenia, Jr. and Edwin Mandin said based on their water sampling taken from the city bay, Mansasa is no longer safe for bathing.

The popular bathing area of Cainggit Beach is still safe, also the seas of Ubujan and Manga.

Dr. Porticos also said he personally inspected the reported illegal connections of funeral homes like Holy Name and Coop Funeral Homes and he had found that the reports are not true.

“Pathological waste from funeral homes, and also biological waste from hospitals are deposited in specially designed septic tanks and these are requirement provided before they were issued building permits,” Dr. Porticos clarified.

What was alarming, however, is the revelations of sanitary inspectors Almenia and Mandin that they only conduct seawater sampling during rainy seasons, and the regular frequency of sampling is at least quarterly (only once in every four months).

The last time the city sanitary inspectors conducted seawater sampling of Tagbilaran City Bay was in October 2007.

http://www.theboholstandard.com/fpage.php?issue=65&s1=1051&s2=1053&s3=1054&s4=&s5=1052&s6=&s7=433&s8=436&s9=&s10=&s11=1057&s12=435&s13=1055&s14=

Quote from: Scott on January 13, 2008, 07:13:16 PM
Oh I see. That would be awesome Sir. Amazing! One day....pohon when everything is in place.

Am planning to be in town about April this year... Maybe we can pursue these ideas sometime. Like preggy subjects, let's allow these ideas to gestate.

Mountains, beaches, preggies... all-terrain, all-contour ang imong photography da...

Quote from: Scott on January 13, 2008, 07:00:40 PM
Panganduy pa na Sir. Still gathering the photos needed. One day pohon...

I certainly look forward to a collaborative work, if possible, pohon. I used to edit a travel magazine in Tokyo. I thought overseas Boholanos should have a nice coffeetable book of their hometown to show to their friends, and then we can contribute to Bohol's tourism. Maybe we can get funding from DOT... Just a thought.

I'm honored to meet a renaissance man in this corner. Have you published a coffeetable book yet? With your brilliant lens and sharp pen, you owe Bohol, and the Philippines, an artistic legacy.

I got to know of Nong Lito through a TV documentary-cum-quiz program which I translated into Japanese and aired here last October 14, 2007. A Japanese actress named Miki had a one-week homestay with the Pizzaras family and she assisted Nong Lito in his daily routine at the sanctuary.

One of Nong Lito's unforgettable anecdotes was how he camouflaged himself with leaves in a kaingin to find out the truth about what the tarsiers eat. According to him, even in formal literature then about the little-known maumag, it was reported that tarsiers eat charcoal. The truth was that tarsiers frequent kaingins which have been burned about two weeks earlier because fresh sprouts of grass make these kaingins teem with grasshoppers, crickets and other insects which the tarsier feed on. People who chase them in these kaingins see them biting charcoal, but this was only a reflex reaction to fear. This wrong observation has greatly contributed to painting the tarsiers as other-worldly creatures that led to their neglect and near-extinction. Tarsiers are known to be so shy and fearful of predators that they sometimes hold their breath and die when cornered. For a man who is not formally trained in the sciences, Nong Lito impressed me as very observant and sharp.

According to him, tarsiers cannot be kept as pets at home or even in zoos because they are so delicate and live to their natural life span only in their natural habitat. He decried how the tarsiers are being kept in close contact with tourists in Loboc. A tourist guide said that they live up to 20 years in the cage. Nong Lito disputed this claim, saying that tarsiers live this long only in the natural environment.

Many of the Japanese who saw the program were as amazed by the tarsiers as by the enthusiasm and passion of Nong Lito. Such dedication and fervor for what one does is rarely seen among us who work only for a living in the urban jungle.

Tourism is one way to earn dollars for our country without Filipinos leaving the land and being far away from our families. But the benefits so far have not really filtered down to the ordinary people. If our government seriously pursues a masterplan to increase the number of tourists and encourage more investments in this field, we can generate more local employment and stem our brain drain. Look at Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand, Saipan, Guam. What natural endowments do they have that we are not more blessed with? But they have made tourism the engine of their economic growth.

Pardon for this unappetizing topic. But I've often wondered if a visit of at least three times a day is considered normal. I've read a medical opinion somewhere that ideally, one should empty as often as one eats--which is three times a day. Problem is, sometimes after a glass of really good-tasting red wine, I make more than three visits to the bathroom the next day.

In Japan, the secret is out that what unseated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last year was his toilet seat. Apparently, he spent as much time there as in his executive seat. No kidding, read this:

Illness, not policies, ended my time in office: Abe
By REIJI YOSHIDA
Staff writer
The abrupt and, at the time, inexplicable resignation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September stunned the nation, prompting criticism that he was an irresponsible and immature politician who couldn't even offer a convincing explanation as to why he quit the nation's top post.

Abe finally confessed publicly Thursday that fear of a recurrence of a malignant bowel disease â€" which forced him to visit the bathroom up to 30 times a day â€" prompted him to give up his prime minister's post.

Specifically, he suffers from ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes pain, diarrhea and often bleeding, and can lead to other serious complications. Its causes are still unknown and pose great physical and mental burdens on the patient.

"In August, relevant figures from a blood test exceeded a normal level. (The disease) could have broken out at any time," Abe wrote in his contribution to the latest issue of the monthly magazine Bungei Shunju, which hit bookshelves across the country Thursday.

"If it had recurred, (I) would have had to go to the bathroom 30 times a day. It would have been impossible to carry out the duties of a prime minister," Abe wrote in his article.

Abe abruptly announced his resignation at a hastily arranged news conference on Sept. 12, saying his exit was necessary to pass an antiterrorism law in the Diet.

Abe's doctors only explained that a "functional gastrointestinal disorder," a set of symptoms mainly caused by mental stress, and whole-body fatigue forced him to be hospitalized on Sept. 13.

For politicians, hiding illness is considered a matter of course to continue their careers.

But Abe's admission has also revealed the lack of crisis management of his government, as he said he almost lost his ability to make proper decisions and could not even think of asking his doctors to hospitalize him before announcing his intention to step down.

"When you can't eat meals, you become greatly weakened and you feel so heavy as if lead was poured into your body," Abe wrote.

"You lose spirit and your capacity to think is weakened. I might have been gradually coming to a point where it was difficult to make normal judgments," Abe wrote.

He said the disease first broke out when he was 17, when he experienced a bloody discharge during a bowel movement.

Since then, the disease recurred once a year and each time continued for about two weeks to a month. But with recent developments of new medicines, he experienced no recurrence for several years, Abe wrote.

Then, believing he had overcome the disease, he decided to run for the prime ministership in September 2006, he wrote.

But a crushing defeat in the Upper House election last year and a series of scandals that hit his Cabinet apparently caused Abe great mental stress and raised fears of a recurrence of his disease.

With his abrupt resignation, Abe, once the political star of conservative nationalists, disappointed even his strongest supporters and led to him being widely labeled as immature and irresponsible.

But in the article, Abe, 53, insisted there is nothing wrong with his policy proposals and he is not too young when compared with other world leaders.

"What I worry about the most is that because of my resignation, the conservative principles that my administration advocated may fall out of favor," he wrote.

He indicated he has never given up hope for his political career, saying his symptoms have become less serious and many new medicines have been developed.

"Now I, as a Diet member, would like to make sacrifices and devote all of my energy so that full-fledged conservatism will take root in Japan," he wrote.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080111a5.html

Tourism receipts hit $4.9b
By Roderick T. dela Cruz

The Philippines recorded some 3.092 million international visitor arrivals in 2007, with foreign tourists spending a total of $4.885 billion in the country to easily surpass the contribution of the business process outsourcing sector to the economy.

“2007 was a year of breakthroughs for Philippine tourism, as visitor traffic and tourist spending soared to unprecedented levels,” Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano said in a news briefing at the Coconut Palace in Manila.

Data show that foreign arrivals grew 8.7 percent in 2007 from 2.843 million in 2006 while tourist expenditure soared 41 percent from $3.782 billion.

Visitor receipts moved up with the substantial hike in the average length of stay from 12.06 nights in 2006 to 16.70 nights in 2007. The peso appreciation has made the cost of travel to the Philippines a little more expensive last year, but this was in line with the trend in Asia, Durano said

The international tourism receipts of $4.885 billion, on top of domestic travelers’ expenditures, accounted for 4 percent of the gross domestic product in 2007, surpassing the 3 to 4 percent contribution of the BPO and call center industry.

Tourism boomed despite a tense political period in the fourth quarter, when separate blasts hit a major shopping mall and the House of Representatives and a group of renegade soldiers laid siege on a luxury hotel in Makati.

Durano said the growth in tourist spending translated to the increase in revenues of hotels, restaurants, airlines and other establishments in the tourism sector that employ millions of Filipinos.

The tourism department expects foreign receipts to hit $5.8 billion this year, surpassing the medium-term goal of $5 billion in 2010.

Foreign arrivals are expected to rise 8 to 10 percent year-on-year to about 3.3 million in 2008, said Durano.

“Our ultimate goal is to attract not only more tourists, but also higher value visitors who stay longer and spend more, generating more opportunities for the country,” he said.

Korea emerged as the top tourist market for the Philippines in 2007, with arrivals from the East Asian country rising 14.2 percent to 653,310 accounting for about a fifth of the total arrivals.

Arrivals from the United States grew 2 percent to 578,983 but those from Japan fell 6.4 percent to 395,012.

Other top sources of tourists in the Philippines were China, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada and the United Kingdom.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business1_jan11_2008

Thursday January 10, 04:58 PM
Japanese Shipping Firms Forecast To Hire 10,000 Filipino Seamen

MANILA, Jan 10 Asia Pulse - Japanese shipping companies are expected to hire 10,000 Filipino seamen in the next three years, according to the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council (PJMCC).

Eduardo Manese, PJMCC president, said that at present there are about 30,000 Filipino seamen manning Japanese vessels, making them the biggest single nationality hired by Japanese ship firms. ADVERTISEMENT

Manese said that of the 12,000 seamen Japan needs to date until 2010, they prefer to hire 10,000 Filipinos.

PJMCC records show that 80 per cent of newly built Japanese vessels are manned by Filipino crew.

Japan has a total of 2,223 merchant fleet at the end of 2006 but this will increase to 3,000 ships and 4,000 vessels at the end of 2010 and 2015, respectively.

NYK Lines, one of the biggest shipping companies in Japan, will increase its fleet from the current 787 vessels to 938 by 2010, Mitsui OSK Lines will also increase its ships from 803 at present to 1,200 by 2013, and K-Line from 468 to 700.

Manese said that it was PJMCC's initiative to conduct an assessment exam among the second-year students of BS Maritime Transportation or BS Maritime Engineering, a measure that would encourage those weak ones to shift to other courses rather than continue and not be accommodated by the industry's standards.

"We have already started it last year. And hopefully, we can continue it in the coming years," Manese said.

Japan has been suffering from a scarcity of seafarers for ocean-going vessels as a result of its aging population.

From a peak of 56,833 in 1974, it reached an all-time low of 2,625 Japanese seamen in 2005, or just the same figure that the world's most populous countries, China and India can provide.

(PNA)

http://au.news.yahoo.com/080110/3/15hh9.html

Quote from: ms da binsi on January 11, 2008, 09:51:14 AM
Benelynne, your article is very very well written, i like it...a lot...

Thanks, ms da binsi...

NEDA Board approves P4.17-billion airport development project in Bohol


The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board recently approved the P4.17-billion Panglao Airport Development Project.

The Panglao Airport Development Project aims to develop a new facility on Panglao Island, Bohol that complies with domestic and international standards for operational safety and efficiency. It envisions opening up Central Visayas to more economic activities as well as enhancing the tourism potential of Bohol.

This supports the government’s thrust for the Central Philippines to become a major tourist destination, as it is expected to reduce travel time and cost of transporting goods and people. The project will also serve as a gateway for major tourist destinations in Bohol from other parts of the country and abroad.

The proposed airport on some 216 hectares of land will be built approximately 15 kilometers from Tagbilaran City, and will have a runway of 2,500 meters by 45 meters and passenger and cargo terminal buildings.

The project will be funded wholly by government from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and some of its attached agencies, and the Department of Tourism (DOT). It will be jointly implemented by the DOTC and the MIAA. The project hopes to start in July this year and to be finished by April 2010.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/jan/11/yehey/prov/20080111pro2.html

Mike, pasabot ani you can't make an excuse of being drunk as an excuse for not remembering what you did last night--if you gulped red wine.

As a red wine lover who drinks a glass every other day, I can testify to its salutary effects--smooth digestion, active mind (I think and write better after half a glass). Here's more on the health benefits of red wine from http://www.advance-health.com/redwine.html

There has been a lot of interest in the media about the health benefits of red wine. It isn't the alcohol in the wine that provides a health benefit but the anti-oxidants, the red wine polyphenols, anthrocyanidins and resveratrol.
      Resveratrol, in particular, has been demonstrated to be a potent anti-oxidant (about 20-50 times as effectively as vitamin C alone) and act synergistically with vitamin C enhancing the effects of each. Resveratrol has been demonstrated to have an anti-clotting effect that prevents the formation of thrombi or blood clots in the blood vessels. The formation of thrombi that block small blood vessels is believed to be a cause of heart attacks and strokes. Resveratrol has been demonstrated to have anti-cancer effects as well.

      The incidence of heart disease and cancer among populations who consume a lot of red wine is dramatically less than those that don't, even though they may also have a high fat diet. Resveratrol has also been demonstrated to promote the formation of new dendrites in the brain. Resveratrol and the other bioflavonoids and polyphenols are present in large amounts in the leaves, twigs, and bark of the grape vines. Thus, red wine, which is fermented with the skins, seeds, twigs, etc. tends to contain much larger quantities of the beneficial substances than white wine which is fermented only from the pressed juice of the grape.

It's like counting kittens and elephants together. Happiness and GNP per capita are two different measurements. Why can't the French move up the happiness scale? Because the Nigerians are the happiest people on earth!

Nigerians happiest people, Indians 21st
Agencies | October 11, 2003 16:58 IST


Money, says a study, may not have much to do with human happiness.

A survey of 65 countries, published by British magazine New Scientist, says that Nigerians are the happiest people on earth, followed by the Mexicans. Venezuela, El Salvador and Puerto Rico are close behind.

India has been ranked 21st in the world happiness index.

Nigeria, with an annual per capita gross national product of slightly over $300, ranks among the world's poorest as also the most corrupt countries.

Finland least-corrupt nation, India 83rd
By contrast Romanians, Russians, and Armenians are the unhappiest people of all the countries surveyed.

However, different countries and cultures give priority to varied factors while determining what constitutes happiness. For the Indians, family, society values and friends were the prime factors for being happy, while for the Americans, personal success, pride and self-esteem ranked topmost.

The Japanese, somewhat like the Indians, said that living up to family and society expectations constituted happiness.

The Pakistanis were just two slots behind the Indians and were ranked the 23rd happiest people.

Canada stood 11th, Australia 13th, the United States 15th, the United Kingdom 16th and Japan 20th.

The World Values Survey study was carried out in 1999-2001 and published for the first time by New Scientist. The survey is conducted once every four years, and tracks socio-cultural and political changes across the world.

The survey shows that natives of Latin America, western Europe and North America are much happier than their counterparts in Eastern Europe and Russia.

The survey fortifies the belief held by priests and monks that the desire for material goods suppresses happiness. In the developed world, happiness levels have more or less remained stagnant since the World War II, although there has been a tremendous rise in incomes in these nations. Except in Denmark, where people seem to have become more satisfied over the last thirty years.

The study says that the reason for the lack of rise in happiness levels in the developed world is linked to consumerism.

And yes, here's something more to think about. The survey shows that married people are happier than those who are single.

Quote from: st. agnes on January 10, 2008, 04:35:50 PM

Nasayran nga gikondenar ni Pimentel ug sa daghang mga bisaya ang pelikula tungod sa lenggua ni Ms. Gloria Diaz nga nagkanayon: "bakit pinapalaki  ninyong Bisaya ang apo ko?"

Naa'y unscripted quote gikan ni Gloria Diaz pagdaog niya sa Miss Universe kadtong 1969, "I speak Tagalog only to the maids."

Wa ko natingala nga siya'y gipasulti ani nga dialog sa SSS. At least Gloria is consistent for thinking she's the only sun-browned creature who deserves the glory in the universe.

Makasabot man gud ta nila, pero sila di kasabot sa ato, busa mura'g foreigner sila... Speaks more of the Tagalog's insecurity than the Bisdak's inferiority. Visayans are the largest ethnic group in the country, consisting of about 44% of the Filipinos.

A Bisdak friend, Jose Nilo G. Binongo, who hails from CDO, and was awarded as Rollins School of Public Health Professor of the Year in 2006 at the Emory University in Atlanta, has this to say:

After graduating from Xavier High School, I went to Ateneo de Manila as an academic scholar. This was my first time away from home, living in a place where the day-to-day language was different from my own. In my first few weeks in the Philippine capital, it was impressed upon me that Cebuano, as a language, doesn’t have the same level of sophistication as that of Tagalog. My friends in the dormitory were amused with my corruption of the Tagalog vowels. I would effortlessly change the ‘e’s to ‘i’s, and the ‘o’s to ‘u’s. Whenever I said ‘aku’ instead of ‘ako’ or ‘lalaki’ instead of ‘lalake’, my friends from southern Philippines were quick to point out, “Ka-Bisaya ba gyod nimo!” (You’re so hopelessly Bisaya!)

To this very day, I’ve never fully understood why it is such a bad thing to be Bisaya, as we deprecatingly call ourselves. Just like my short standing, I didn’t choose to be born, to be raised, or to be thrown into a community of heavily-accented Cebuano speakers. But did my Visayan-speaking friends realize that they were really discriminating against their own kind? Were they aware that they implicitly accepted our inferiority as people speaking a less refined language? Cebuano is not a dialect. Linguists have repeatedly told us that Cebuano is a bona fide language on its own. As languages, both Cebuano and Tagalog have a written form, and, to my knowledge, many literary works of quality have been written in both languages. Moreover, if we accept that Philippine languages belong to the Malayo-Polynesian family, then, surely, ‘aku’ or ‘lalaki’ is more faithful to the original pronunciation. Malaysians and Indonesians alike say ‘aku’, not ‘ako’, when referring to the first person singular; similarly, Malaysians say ‘lelaki’ (or ‘laki laki’ in Indonesian) when they refer to the male sex. As I went on and on, I realized my explanation was falling on deaf ears. Steve, a good friend from Davao, gently patted my back and suggested that I shouldn’t worry about matters of no importance.

To continue, check out http://www.philippinestoday.net/index.php?module=article&view=170

Since we're looking forward to Valentine, let me share some thoughts on this.

IS THERE love after marriage? In this season of love, perhaps more women readers quiz themselves with this question than enjoy a candle-lit dinner with their loved ones.

Just in case you're basking in the glory of love now and are looking forward to marriage, it won't harm you to know that life ahead is not a bed of roses.

Nothing kills love faster than unwarranted expectations of what it can do. The more levelheaded attitude is to ask yourself what you can do for love.

To continue, please check out http://www.philippinestoday.net/February2002/onbalance202.htm

If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay.

How you women look at men, and how men look at women, cut both ways. So let me add my two-cent's worth if only to promote a dialogue.

As John Gray wrote, men are from Mars and women are from Venus. This doesn't mean we can never ever understand each other. It simply means that we have to acknowledge our differences in terms of thinking, feeling and communicating before we can bridge them. Come to think of it, we'd never perhaps be attracted to each other if we were mirror images of each other.

No, men are not one-dimensional robots who are wired either to like or dislike a particular woman. We are complex beings with sensitivies that probe for response and reprocity...

A man who keeps pursuing a woman even if the response is "No" is a stalker who is pyschologically sick (as are women who likewise pursue men who don't like them)...

When a relationship fails, it's not because the man didn't want nor love the woman in the first place and just fooled her. A relationship is a dynamic process whose nurturance the two are responsible for...

Cebu is obviously trying to have it all--heavy industry, commerce, education, tourism...  I hope our leaders in Bohol would not pursue so diffuse a development track.

Since we are blessed with a paradise, will be better off taking advantage of our natural endowments.  To protect our fragile environment, which is our comparative advantage, we should pursue eco-, educational, medical tourism and service industry as the engine of growth...

Our biodiversity is one of the greatest in the world... I am afraid with the green lights now on for the Panglao International Airport, this rich marine life will be threatened.

Kampai! I'm part of a number of websites (mostly forums) but I naturally and unconsciously gravitate towards TB the moment I sit before my computer, even if only as unlogged guest. Mas una pa ko mobisita anhi usahay kaysa Inquirer. Many of the articles that interest me at Inquirer are immediately posted here anyway.

Mike, how I wish you could meet and exchange views with some friends who are running and maintaining websites one of these days. Someone thinks it's all a matter of content but I guess they could learn a thing or two about search engine optimization.

Amazing how you've achieved this position for TB in so short a span of time. Again, congratulations!

Quote from: bol-anon_ko on January 04, 2008, 06:24:23 AM
hmmmm.. interesting.. I just read the first page of this thread and skipped to the last to post my reply.. I will backtrack later on to read the rest of the pages... but so far so good..

My friends and I initially started something like this in Tagbilaran. Actually it was my idea.. it was more focused on TECHNICAL stuffs since thats my field.. unfortunately i had to leave the company to pursue something more impt.. but looking forward to get back into this type of business.. 

Just woke up from a long hibernation. I was down with flu during New Year. The cold is biting in this part of Japan. But I'm glad this thread is still up and about.

When all our ideas have gestated at the right time, we can further sift those that are workable and compatible to our competencies and financial resources.

But the experiences of those who have tried their hand at business in Tagbi would also be valuable input. I am just curious what opportunities and pitfalls we should be aware of...

If I remember correctly, Asianfairy had shared about her experience in travel & tour. What we can do is not to duplicate existing businesses and thereby be in competition but expand them through our TB network. In the case of travel & tour, if we do not have to reinvent the wheel and create the business infrastructure all over again with all its concomitant costs, we can be happy with a commission override on additional transactions from our own networks in the country we're based in.

Hi Scott,

This is like visual poetry... great composition and contrast of light and dark...

BTW, I've stumbled accidentally upon this recommended site of yours a few months ago and got amazing photographic updates of CDO, my second home.

Kudos, Mike. Your effort has re-configured the Philippine map and made Bohol the virtual capital of Pinoy cybercitizens... Just browsed through the posts and the outpouring of goodwill, as shown in the different EBs, is amazing... You've brought Boholanos closer together as one big family.

Thanks for sharing this song, Mike. I've always loved Hillsongs and sing them in our worship services. This is the first time I've heard this song, I suppose by the heavenly angel Darlene Zschech. The words tug at my heart.

When we are in pain, we just hold on to the assurance that we are being individually touched by Jesus to share in his own sufferings so that we can likewise comfort others in distress.

The title of the song may seem a bit off-season in these merry days. But as I mentioned in our sharing the other Sunday, the manger is meaningless without the cross. Jesus' birth shows us that God is not a distant being who simply looks at us from afar, but cares so much for us that he gave us His only son, born in flesh in our midst to redeem us from sin.

I think the lyrics have reference to Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb2FK77vJCE&feature=related

MY SAVIOR, MY GOD

VERSE 1

I am not skilled to understand
                     
What God has willed, what God has planned

I only know at His right hand
            
Stands One who is my Savior

VERSE 2
I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me this I read
And in my heart I find a need
For Him to be my Savior

PRE-CHORUS
                    
That He would leave His place on high
                     
And come for sinful man to die
               
You count it strange, so once did I
         
Before I knew my Savior

CHORUS
        
My Savior loves, my Savior lives
      
My Savior’s always there for me
      
My God He was, my God He is
      
My God He’s always gonna be

VERSE 3
Yes, living, dying; let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior  PRECHORUS, CHORUS 2X

Hi Ginger,

Didn't know we were born under the same star... Happy birthday to you... Approach the days ahead one step at a time. I pray that He will grant you the desires of your heart.

Sorry peeps, I just got the chance to sit in front of my computer today! Natabunan na pud ko ug out-of-town errands, then loads of papework and the coming snow! (actually wa pa jud snow but the cold air already stings!) What a pleasant surprise! Yummy cakes, fantastic artwork! Daghan kaayong salamat sa inyong tanan! Thank you, thank you, for remembering me. Thanks for the friendship. Hontoni arigato gozaimasu!

Quote from: Way Nada on November 23, 2007, 10:32:35 AM
So, you agree with Rayborze opinion that; "What we need is A LEADER THAT CAN TRULY BRING CHANGE> AND THAT IS JESUS CHRIST".

No, I don't agree with this. Bisag si Jesus mismo sa iyang panahon nibalibad sa suggestion of political role para sa iyang kaugalingon.

I think I clearly stated that what I agree on is the necessity of individual change from within.

If this will come about as a result of deep spiritual conversion that will make us more peace-loving, broad-minded, respectful of one another's beliefs and differences of opinion, cooperative, supportive of duly constituted government authority, then so be it. I believe that one of the marks of true spirituality is good citizenship.

The separation of Church and State is one of the pillars of our Constitution, and I think this should be upheld. I am against any form of religious fundamentalism or even theocracy. I have a lot of respect for people who have strong spiritual commitment irrespective of their professed religion but are also outstanding citizens and secular leaders.

Orchids,

And that's a beautiful kimono, too!

Quote from: orChids on November 22, 2007, 02:11:41 PM
Sir Benne...last 3 years ago ,there was a person we know nga nagbigti pod,..gamay ra may pasensya ning mga hapon bahin sa suliran ba...

Dinhi sa Tsukuba University kung asa nag-eskwela ko sa una, before the Tsukuba Express and the entertainment places started sprouting up, it was known for three S's--Science, Sports and Suicide. There's a 10-storey building within the campus that was a favorite jumping site, but they surrounded it now with a wire screen.

One day, while walking towards the library, I heard a loud thud on the flower bed just a few meters away from me. Pagtan-aw naku, a blood-bathed student who jumped off from the 8th floor. Couldn't look at it straight... Tinuod ka, dali ra mag-snap ang mga Hapon.

Life's beautiful! But sometimes it takes an effort to make it so...

Am so sorry to add to the overcast mood but this headline also stared me in the face today (after getting the sad news about Lorenzo's friend and this one). I believe we should go out and share our smile, lend our ears, extend our hand, offer a prayer...  It could make all the difference when someone has stepped the thin line between hope and despair.

SUICIDE
World's suicide capital â€" tough image to shake


By ERIC PRIDEAUX
Staff writer

Japan has attained a reputation as the suicide capital of the world. A 2007 international comparison of suicide rates (per 100,000 people) by the World Health Organization ranked Japan sixth for females, at 12.8, behind Sri Lanka, South Korea and Lithuania, and 11th for males, at 35.6, well below Lithuania, Belarus and the Russian Federation. Although total suicides actually dropped slightly last year, entrenched cultural mores, the pressures inherent to a modern economy and alarming rates of youth depression are likely to continue driving tens of thousands of citizens to self-destruct every year.

Following are questions and answers about Japan's struggle with suicides:



How does Japan's suicide rate compare with other industrialized countries?

Among the Group of Eight countries, Japan ranks top in the female category and behind only the Russian Federation for males, according to suicide rates announced by the WHO. Suicide rates are calculated by the number of suicides divided by population multiplied by 100,000.

What are characteristics of suicides in Japan?

Japanese culture has a history of condoning and even glorifying suicide.

During the Edo Period (1603-1867), a samurai was often forced to atone for wrongdoing by slicing open his belly in the highly formalized ritual of seppuku, or harakiri.

After Japan's surrender in 1945, suicide became an act of contrition when many people committed seppuku in front of the Imperial Palace. In 1970, novelist Yukio Mishima committed seppuku amid great fanfare in a vain effort to spark a revival of nationalism. The act secured his legacy among many rightwingers.

Star-crossed lovers in kabuki plays often resolve their tribulations with double-suicides. So, too, did the middle-aged, 20th century husband and his beautiful mistress in the 1997 film "Shitsurakuen" ("Lost Paradise").

To read more, check out http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20071120i1.html

Quote from: rayborze on November 21, 2007, 06:15:35 AM
what we should do though is change our way of thinking then maybe we can have a government that is for the people--- but again it seems like a plague..... what we need is A LEADER THAT CAN TRULY BRING CHANGE> AND THAT IS "JESUS CHRIST"... but we must do our part to repent and walk in newness of life and then we can live our lives responsible as citizens and leaders starting from our own households to our local community and beyond>> If we can start from their then we can see change from inside out.....changing our system doesn't do any better than changing our way of life/mentality.....we are all in it together even if i live in Canada, we have the same problem. the only difference is the place--- its the same spirit that is holding the world in bondage ---- peace...

Ang bahin ani nga mo-agree ko is the need for a change from within. As I mentioned in an earlier comment in this thread, the Constitution is just a piece of paper. It requires the integrity and fortitude of mind among those who bind themselves to it so that it can make a difference in our lives.

The example of Canada is a very relevant one, because it is a federal parliamentary system, the very same government prototype that the cha-cha proponents hereabouts want. A federal system seems just right for a huge country like Canada and yet as Rayborze has pointed out, it is far from perfect (foremost among the problems is the secessionist movement in Quebec).

But I simply can't imagine what a federal system will do to the very small Philippines. Even as a unitary state, we Filipinos can't even seem to overcome the regional, insular, ethnic and tribal divides in our minds and put our act together! Won't further cutting up ourselves politically into small, independent units worsen such internal divisions we are already suffering from?

But Rayborze is right to say that before we can change the world, we should change ourselves first. Jesus, however, has rejected any political role even when he was still on earth--asking to give unto Ceasar what is Ceasar's.

But I agree that we should allow our faith in God to change us from within and make us better persons. We can't govern this country if we can't even govern our individual lives.

Quote from: grazie7y on November 21, 2007, 03:52:47 PM
I would love to sit with you and Lumine in the same corner in an EB, Bene san, and they better not throw shots on your upaw because that's where the gem is!  hahahha

OT na kaayo ta. My apologies to Precious.

She meant this thread to be about the security of Bohol, not my insecurity.

Quote from: ben on November 21, 2007, 01:36:43 PM
Rather, the kettle is some shade of grey.  There are no absolutes in the affairs of human beings.
Such certainty that one in possession of 'God's honest truth' will foster negative responses.

When i was a child and used firewood to cook food, all our kettles at home were black. Black kettles were sooted by unmoderated fire.

Quote from: grazie7y on November 21, 2007, 02:54:05 PM
Thanks, Bene san for your enlightening statement.  I have to admit that it was really a struggle to stay cool when I see someone with so much negativity in her mind that is affecting our moods here.  But, I will leave it at that because it seems like we are going now in circle.  For awhile, I thought things were fine already.  People had calmed down and it seems like some who were "vehemently" reacting to the posts of Precious (including me) are starting to accept that things are just the way they are; we differ in opinions and judgement.  I knew some who, for the sake of peace, opted rather not to read her message so it couldn't elicit any "vehement" reactions anymore. And when we didn't, she cries again that she was taken for granted.  Whew! 

Today, I was happy that few persons had started to reach out to her again.  Then came her messages again of attack, of digging to old threads that she herself had stirred the sensitivities of most of the people here, particularly women. I wasn't a member yet when this controversial thread was being talked about and I chose not to directly comment on that because at that time I thought she was just one of those nuisance people.  And I was glad I kept my mouth shut in that issue because I was bound anyway of my own encounters with her.  I was not happy because it brought the worst in me but, just like Lorenzo, at that moment, I meant every words I said.  I will try my best though in the future, if there's any, not to vehemently react like that anymore.  Anyway, to cut the chase, I will try to be more patient to Precious and to other people here in TB who may have different views/opinions as mine. 

Thank you, Bene san, for your words of wisdom! 

Hi Grazie,

TB wouldn't be so interesting a place to hang out in without the diversity of views and opinions of the members. We can go ballistic with our responses as long as we are aiming at the issues, not persons. Personally, I always keep in mind that what I will say here is something that I can likewise say in front of you in an EB. And as far as expressive style is concerned, you, lumine and I will perhaps sit in the same corner in an EB but I don't mind receiving shots from the other side of the table as long as it's not about my bald pate (haha... honestly, I can take it with a helmet).

Quote from: junayag on November 21, 2007, 12:21:13 AM
bennelyne and all,

glad to be back after almost a week of absence... thanks for counting me among who could provide insights in setting and organizing a business for TB members.

Actually, a business is already in the pipeline and due for launching early or mid next year which covers all what you've discussed ( from A to Z ).  It is about events management, consultancy and outsourcing.  Basically it is total customer care.... providing products and services through a network of service providers that met quality standards.

Have initially discussed with some new bred of entrepreneurs who are also our colleagues in community and government service.  My intention of putting a thread relevant to business  here in TB (outsourcing is to gauge whom to tap and may have the interest to get involved or participate either as a provider or investor).

We may explore on the subject and I am more than willing to share ideas that would be mutually rewarding.  Those who are interested may send PM to my email addresses at: junayag@yahoo.com or junayag@jalinternational.com.sa.

Hi Jun,

I certainly look forward to exploring this subject with you and other interested people. I think most of the overseas Boholanos have developed and established community and business networks in their adopted places that they could utilize not only for profit but also for the economic development of Bohol. As soon as I am available, I'll communicate with you at greater length.

Quote from: preciousNpolite on October 14, 2007, 02:46:00 PM
In recent meetings this week with PSSUP Edgardo Inking and other PNP members had discussed that foreigners coming here to the now getting ever more popular Island of Bohol would receive an extra vigilance and protection while enjoying here in Bohol.
With the increasing rate of crimes in the Province of Bohol and with in it's towns and city the need was felt necessary to beef up on protecting of our international visitors coming here.
It was also mentioned any foreigner who felt that if he or she is at danger while visiting here of maybe being threatend by other's then what the foreigner must do as explained by the provincail PNP must blotter any dangerous, or criminalised harm that has been done unto them.
The case will be reviewed by the chief's and if the foreigner request he will be provided with a police protection escort as his right to avoid any danger from threats or other criminalised life threatening matter's.
The police escort will go to anywhere the tourist will be going to as if his own personal bodyguard service.
Foreigners arriving here look tempting to Philippine people who are hard up and desperate in times of crisis.
By, Precious

If the eventual result is a tourist-class security for the whole of Bohol, I don't mind giving our foreign tourists extra protection.

Let's face it, any incident of bodily harm done on a foreign visitor will reverberate to the far ends of the earth through media.

Quote from: preciousNpolite on November 20, 2007, 10:21:26 PM
Lets not forget the word "BIMBO" as well.

Lorenzo all I am asking for is a simple apology.

I was shocked to read the sentence you had written in Ex pats

I was shocked as I had been being kidded all along that you were an educated and polite kind person?

It is a personal attack on white people, and myself as well.

I know and my socail environment know as well as God also that those personal words of attack and you were not generalizing as
I was saying in ex pats but i am sure it sounds like it was taken wrong; All foreign men who marry and complain to me that the wives families expect the financial support out of his pockets as well.
I should be more carefull when wording things from persons.

My Filipino friends at home in the states told me str8 up that they came from poor families and married to have a better life then what Philippines had to offer.
Most my Filipino friends were beaten and abused by American men and later disregarded.

I am really working on trying to straighten out my grammar as I also at times  have a hard time understanding what I said myself?

Aaaaaaaaack! It comes out as if backwords.

I do not like saying bad things about persons, but I am fair in letting others know what are being said.

Many persons have feelings that are not always positive but they are way to shy to say how they really think out loud.

Sometimes its hard to read a persons mind but the guys are to friendly to say it to their wives in person.
Instead we (foreigners) meet at the corner table in BQ breadbasket and compare our notes. I talk about media events and they talk to me like I am DEAR ABBEY.

They whine and grind about their expenses and what not about the culture here comparing it to back home.
Other people can hear what they say I tell them to lower their voices as I look around to see who has been hurt from overhearing the conversation.
I am sort of the Dear Abbey, and sergeant of Arms in maintaining peace and harmony in our group.
Some times if they keep on talking bad about their Filipino wives, I eventually leave the table and find another one to sit at.

My husband is Pinoy' and an OFW and I am a surrogate mother of four kids here.

I do not know of any other foreign woman living here and taking care of their step Filipino kids?
I also will leave the table if the husbands are wound up about their wives and her family as I do not want my kids to hear their race being badly talked about.

Most f what i said in EXPATS is not words from my lips but from others just so you would know whats going on and and whats being said as well.

I am sorry personally if it had hurt anyone of you.

That is not what it was intended for.

As I have always said I love all kinds of people.

Why else am I here taking care of y husbands kids and I am not raised in this culture.

Marry for love, responsibility, and care, not for the material things.

I am an old fashioned gal and always have been.

Like most of us, I find the internet a very convenient place to exchange words--positive or negative. But I also find it an inadequate medium to see the intentions of the other person, especially when we are sharing opinions, thoughts, feelings... (not objective facts).

So I take the time to re-read what I write and take a long, deep breath before I react to anything I read. Oftentimes, we react to what we perceive as the intention of the other party. But words on our screen are digital images, inanimate representations of our thoughts, especially when they are expressed at the spur of the moment. We see none of the facial expression, the tone, the breathing pauses, the reflective silence of the other person.

So let's be more generous in reading the intentions of the other party. And right, let's avoid sweeping generalizations and name-calling under any circumstance.

There is a reason for calling our exchange of views in this forum a "thread." The "thread" is a communication in progress, an interactive unfolding of our thoughts. I expect knots and wrinkles, but I am happy when we finally end up understanding one another more. I'll be the first to say keep your Aaaaacks!, bwahahahas, ha ha ha... You become alive in front of me... They make you real persons and friends to me.

However, please cut out the expletives and cusses. Also, this is not a wall for graffitis. So let's cut out racial slurs and personal attacks.

I myself have on one occasion reacted vehemently to one of Precious' comments. But in subsequent exchanges, I find her warm, helpful, straightforward and congenial. Precious, to me, your choice to take up residence in Bohol speaks more than a positive article about Bohol on New York Times. I guess you just have to adapt some more to our cultural sensitivities. But you are right to bring our attention to things we need to improve on but we simply take for granted.

I am sure we'll know and like one another better if we all meet in an EB.

Keep your cool guys.

Quote from: preciousNpolite on November 20, 2007, 03:33:01 PM
I am sorry I forgot to mention that if anything does happen I hope my internet connection would be up to inform any of you of any new changes regarding this matter.

Love to all of you.

Thanks, Precious...?With such quick and active response, I think you'll also do well as the weather forecast person on radio or TV. Take care!

I saw footages of the typhoon this morning on TFCko's TV Patrol... I appreciate if you could provide more update.

Quote from: -<GEC348>- on November 16, 2007, 02:44:12 PM
Very interesting topic.

Call center based in Tagbilaran -- the government still needs to put in place the digital/broadband backbone to meet the technical requirements. I heard PLDT is one of those considered to install this. Globelines broadband is here but we are not sure this is already sufficient.

Travel & Tours -- To be accredited with DOT, the minimum capital investment is P500,000.00.

Thanks for the info, GEC. They're still falling over themselves to catch you, but I've framed you here in this thread, so I consider this lucky.

I hope you could get more specific info on the technical and cost requirements to have 10 IPphones installed. We are thinking here of a modest operation, which can be adjusted upward depending on the improvement of BB capacity as well as the market response.

I simply have the gut sense that a call center manned by Visayan telemarketers, serving a mostly Visayan-speaking market, will do well in Tagbilaran.

And of course, since our name is "global", that's only to kick off our foray into other markets...

Quote from: ben on November 16, 2007, 09:07:41 AM
Hi Benelynne,
  thanks for your interest in the subject!  Are you positioned to advocate better telecoms infrastructure to the powers that be?  Was thinking that this topic could be brought to the attention of said powers - perhaps by the elites of society that I find here in TB
  As for me, I haven't fully set up shop here yet.  I initially got bogged down with red tape, after which purchasing and extending a new office is taking far longer than expected.  Still, we'll get there eventually.
Cheers,
Ben

I think we are kindred brothers in more ways than our name, hairstyle and charm.

Sure, telecoms infra should be first on the economic agenda of the powers that be. You are there, so you probably have a good grasp of what to do first. I also believe our members here--Delaguna, Melrose and the many hidden others--can lend their voice to this advocacy. You can perhaps enumerate the specific concerns that need to be addressed, and we can draft the private sector position on Tagbilaran's economic blueprint that will justify such investment.

We should bring this to the level of our representatives to the national government thru House Rep. Edgar Chatto while the president is still enamored, politically and otherwise, to Bohol.

Quote from: ben on November 16, 2007, 09:21:53 AM
(about the call center) The fact that your operators can speak Visayan, that's what sticks out as the unique advantage.  If you have permission to use that client data to make sales calls - then definitely, go for it!
I'm sure you and your fellow OFWs in Japan could come up with the capital needed - but am I correct in thinking that you want to offer it as an opportunity to the wider Bohalano community - who may be in greater need of a good investment?

You're right, Ben. I will certainly encourage some of my friends to invest, but I am offering this to the Boholanos first because the operation base will be Tagbilaran.  I myself will invest in this company, but I don't want to overstretch myself by looking at the day-to-day operations. I think there are more Boholanos who are familiar with the local terrain and can handle this better. As Macky here says, we just have to maintain a high standard of corporate management.

I myself am running a small company in Japan, and most of the product providers are actually my clients whose documentary, translation and marketing collateral needs I service. In fact, ABS-CBN has designated my company as a dealer. There are three other companies--two in the telecom and one in the beauty product (interestingly, the Filipino market here is 80% female)--that are enthusiastically urging me to set up a call center to sell their products. But I am willing to subcontract all the marketing jobs they are giving me to GBI, should this entity indeed be realized.

I am in possession of a client database of 12,000 from my various clients--telecom, cargo, magazine and TV subscriptions. There will definitely be ethical considerations in the use of these data for marketing--but most of these data were openly volunteered by the clients in the various promotional events and campaigns I have done for my corporate clients. Moreover, to boost our sales activities of their products, my corporate clients themselves are willing to provide us with additional data. They would like to outsource their marketing operation to GBI.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on November 15, 2007, 07:42:54 PM
This is very interesting. We need brainstorming, more research, more analysis.

Potential Projects

Travel & Tour

It would certainly be fun to have EBs and travel around Bohol, but even more fun if we could do it in the best places in town at the best rates. As a corporate entity, Global Bohol Inc. (GBI) can serve as a booking agency. The discount we get depends on the number of quests we bring to the hotels and resorts... Bisag sa mga taga TB lang and their families, whose members go home at least once every three years, I think we can already gather the minimum number to get corporate rates. Count our friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Include those among us who want to actively promote Bohol as a tourist destination. GBI can add more value to the service by handling the ground logistics--the transportation and tour guide services.

The Department of Tourism (DOT), if you notice, is really pushing Bohol to the fore of its tourism campaign worldwide. I was told the Japanese are the most numerous visitors to our island, followed by Koreans. The DOT has created a special promotional unit called the "Japan Team" to give their campaign in Japan a more vigorous push. I am sure they are doing similar initiatives in North America, Europe and other major tourist markets. We are in the best position to take advantage of these opportunities. We just have to gel our ideas and put our act together.

Don't you think it's amazing how people like Michael V, Ai ai and Pokwang have capitalized on their physical imperfections to build successful careers?

Beauty also consists in what you do with what you have. Nakadungog bitaw ko sa sulti nga, "kung kinsa pay pangit maoy masungit." Some of the most impressive men and women I've met are far from being divinities of beauty.

If he hasn't asked yet, have you prepared for this moment? How do you intend to explain sex to him or her? Let me share with you this experience I had.

Breaking shells

“Do you have sex with Mommy,” my 11-year old daughter asked me out of the blue with a matter-of-fact expression, popping her head from her kanji practice books.

Caught off guard, I was struck speechless. When I finally regained my wits, all I could mutter was, “What do you mean by ‘sex’?”

She smirked mischievously but innocently, “Do you sometimes do something strange with Mom under the futon (Japanese quilted blanket)?”

I was even less prepared for the graphic illustration, and must have been so upset I flashed a signal that my children have come to recognize as a prelude to a sermon. But before falling over the edge, I managed to throw back the question, trying not to betray my unease, “Where did you see that?”

“On TV,” my 10-year old son butted in, followed by a giggle.

Read more at http://www.philippinestoday.net/2003/December/onbalance1203.htm

To discuss the mechanics of setting up the company in more concrete and simplified terms, those among us who are based in Tagbilaran can make a cost study of the initial investment. Offhand, I think Php 1 million is sufficient for the basic infrastructure--but I am not really sure.

We can then issue shares, perhaps at $50 or $100 per share or its peso equivalent. As this is an incorporation, we can then have a board of directors, which will decide on organizational and operational matters. Jun Ayag and our other corporate men can perhaps share their wisdom on financial and organizational matters. Our members in the legal sector and in the government can perhaps give us administrative guidance.

We who are based overseas can mobilize our marketing network to keep this company busy. Eventually, we look forward to timing our vacation during a payout of dividends.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on November 15, 2007, 01:33:50 AM
Call center is one nice idea Mr. Benelyne. It is lucrative, it needs only a minimum initial capital and it is a low risk venture. However, let us not forget that call centers have already reached its predominant stage. That means you are not alone, but you have to deal with lots of competition from various companies in order to grab a share in the market place.

So, this is just one of the idea and let us not limit our minds to existing businesses that we saw and heared. Think of something new, unique, something innovative, think outside the box. Think of something that yields exponential growth with less input, less effort and low risk.

Once you come up with an idea, you have to do the SWOT analysis(Strenth, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats).

Yes, a call centre could be something good to start with.

Over and above, a company has to be built first to host the business. This company must consist of strong leaders, must have a noble vision with policies built on ethics (pro-labor, pro-environment).

I am thinking of something and will come back on this thread soon.

The idea dawned on me at the dealers' conference called by ABS-CBN Japan in Tokyo last night in which it was disclosed that in the case of the IPTV product, more than 70% of sales last month were generated by Manila-based call centers. If you look at the data for this product, the market is really far from saturation, as the total penetration is still less than 5%.

And it's not only ABS-CBN that's dashing at the plum Japan market. GMA is also trying to make a homerun in the more traditional satellite broadcast market. Channel 7 has tied up with a Japanese company that has a call center in Ortigas Center (just imagine their operating cost).

On the other hand, telecom services are recurring consumer products whose demand--given the close-knit nature of Filipinos who love to talk long distance about anything--will never taper off. From my pulse of the market right here on the ground, Japan-bound call center industry can still accommodate players. Many of the marketing companies, like my Korean friend, here are still frenziedly looking for call-center partners.

You're right, Macky Ferniz, we need an initial project that is easy to set up, with manageable overhead and will generate immediate cash flow for us. Correct me if I am technologically naive, but if you have an internet cafe with ten terminals, you can easily convert it into a call center using IPphone. Paging Mari! The difference is that you will be earning foreign currency (yen). I can assure you, as soon as at least ten telephone lines are installed, we can immediately get the ball rolling as I have a client database and the suppliers' products. Payment cycle from point of sale is two to three months.

The Japan market is a good start for this company because we do not need intensive language training for telemarketers (no need for American or British accent) as the market we will be serving is the Japan-based Filipino, who is likely a Visayan 6 out of 10 times. So our training will be directed at marketing skills and product knowledge.

Once we get on the track, of course we can widen our market to the more sophisticated North American or perhaps British markets. And if we have the basic operating infrastructure and a regular cash flow, we can venture into more innovative fields you're thinking of.