MikeLigalig.com

Quote from: GEC348 on August 14, 2007, 05:19:42 AM
Lumine, if you have time to open tubag bohol when you will be in Bohol, hope you can chance to eyeball the members who are based in Bohol/Tagbilaran like:

snowhite
leoudtohan
sigbin II
ryan
fiel araoarao gabin
atty_van
delaguna
boholrepublic
atty salva diputado
olintaha (but maybe pirmi sa cebu)

Mao pa ni sila ako na gather... I think there are more pa jud nga based in Bohol.

Aha! GEC, this gives me an idea to have an "Annual Homecoming for all Tubag Bohol Members" just like the TBTK.... basta walay discrimination. Mangaligo tang tanan sa world famous Cainggit Beach. Atong adtoon ang Puntod Island, Sandingan River, Payao Terrace and all the un-marked beauty spots of Bohol. Pu-ol na kaayo ang Panglao, Chocolate hills ug Loboc River... Balik-balik na lang.

Lumine, one request.

I suggest you visit Payao, Duero Bohol (It's just a 5 minute trip uphill from the main highway). There is what they called a terrace overlooking a cliff. There you can see the blue sky and the blue sea converge without boundary or a horizontal line. Sky and sea seems connected. Please, I beg you to take picture of that place and post it here. I was still a high school student when I last saw that breathtaking view.

Quote from: udtohan on August 13, 2007, 06:00:37 PM
i don't believe it was out of hatred... jack is everyone's friend. the only problem was he fought for the suspects. and he was braved for that.

You may be right Leo, but the fact that point of entry is in the left abdomen, Jack might have confronted the perpetrator face-to-face, a brave man. Sadly, he is the only witness and the victim of the crime.

Actually, si Nemesio Monton ang atong hatagan ug dakong pasidungog kay sukad sa una, bata pa ko, siya ang nagpauso ug boxing sa Bohol pinaagi sa ABAP.

Quote from: Bohol on August 13, 2007, 10:16:42 AM
By the way, is it the governor's personal money that will be used for the road project?

If he promised his personal money for the prize, OK ra kung iyang cancelon. Tingale dako iyang pilde sa pustahanay, mao nga wala na siya ikabayad.

I am sad that our streets are'nt safe anymore. During my time, drunk people may sleep in the streets and only flies touch them in the morning.

Are there any witnesses?

Authorities may not find the perpetrator/s, but sooner I am pretty sure conscience will smoke them out of their burrows.

One analysis is that this is a planned hold-up robbery because why the suspect knew the scheduled arrival is 3:00am. Suspect must have been around Jack’s surroundings for quite some days to observe. Police must ask the neighbors for new faces who appeared recently. If this was a work of a robber, he must be an amateur who became tense and pulled the trigger.

On the other hand, I suspect that this is purely murder out of personal hate and to confuse authorities, the suspect took Jack’s personal belongings so it would appear to be a robbery. If the purpose is hold-up, why not ask the victim to open the door and get more money inside his house.

He is one creative soul.

Muhandis diay ka Ban-alam. Pareha diay ta, pero ang akong iqama Amal. Wala sila ka sabot sa atong gipanaghisgutan.

Happy, kaila ka mga Camacho? Akong kauban sa trabaho pa ko sa Bilar. Among silingan pod sa Tagbilaran ilang ig-agaw mga Camacho, si nong Cacay tag-iya sa Cacay Barber shop kilid ila ka Aumentado.

Samtang ako nag piyong ug gi lalik sa akong huna-huna ang matag pulong niini nga balak, akong masimhot ang nangalimyun nga kahumot sa unang ulan nga inanay mi saka gikan sa yuta ug ang nag sagol nga kainit sa inalisngaw ug kabugnaw sa huyuhoy nga mi hapak. Daw nahita ko ang mabulokon nga bangaw, usa ka panagminyo sa haring adlaw ug alindahaw.

Pagkahuman ug raid sa Melrose, gi abrihan after 1 month. Ang mga sine, super cheap, mga salin sa "Maharlika" ug "Pilipinas" theatre (Metro Center na karon) at 1 peso per 3 movies. Ang kataw-anan kay gi himong "tuldok" sa dakong sign board nga P1.00 is putot sa lubi.

Mga audience adto mga taga Bohol High mo cut ug class. Ang uban taga Dauis mabiyaan na sa jeepney ug magbaktas na lang kay pag sulod nila buntag pa, ug pag gawas gabii na unya ang uban mo review pa gyud.

Quote from: olintaha on August 11, 2007, 07:48:04 PM
A new bahog-bahog restaurant has just opened in Burgos - Butalid Sts.
It's named ACACIA DE BUBU, in-front of that big acacia in the corner of Burgos-Butalid St. 
You'll love the BBQ there. Timplang lapu-lapu, that's why its different from our usual taste there.
Busa, hala, suwadje ninjo diha!

Murag ikaw man siguro ang tag-iya ani nga restaurant. Ikaduha, ibedensya kaayo sa nawng sa imong anak nga lingin kaayo. Siguro siya ra makahurot sa sud-an, joke lang ha. Can you give special discount to all Tubag Bohol Members or bisan libre sabaw lang.

Sagdi akong timan-an kini nga lugar kay inig bakasyon nako mag party ko diha and that's a promise.

There was even one time in the 70's or 80's that they are licensed to operate in Tagbilaran. I even remembered when I was in high school that one complained to inyong alagad why her license is not renewed.

My young mind then was baffled why police enforced closure to Melrose Theater for showing adult movies, while they are giving license to the real one.

Tiguwang na diay gyud ko kay nag hisgot man ug Melrose Theater, kadtong atbang sa Holy Spirit sa una. Ironically, Mr. Marcojos our elementary teacher told us nga didto pod kuno sa Melrose primerong gisalida ang "The Ten Commandments" starred by Charlston Heston. Samot ka tiguwang.... but you can see my memory is very sharp.

That is of human nature to think nga kun unsa and ginadili, mao gyud ang lami.

I tried searching for pictures of Payao, Duero Bohol, but could not find anywhere in the internet. Perhaps one of our audience has it.

I think Payao is the most breath-taking veiw I've ever seen in my entire life. It is a barangay of Duero, sitting on a high cliff and over looking Mindanao sea. On a cloudless day, you can see the deep blue sea and the deep blue sky seemingly attached without a horizontal line. Mao nay giingon nga "panag-minyo sa dagat ug langit".

Looking at this scene, you will feel in another dimension, somewhere in space. Very few people knew about this and I recommend this place to be developed as one of the tourist destination aside from Chocolate hills, Panglao and Loboc River. The road to this place is very rugged, steep and you have to cross a knee high creek, so going by car is not advisable as engine may drown.

That must be a young Green Turtle because adult Green Turtle may weigh up to 200 Kg and measure up to 1.7 meters from head to tail. That is heavier than Shaquille O'neil.

"Arivada" - This is the term used in South America for arrival of sea turtles to lay eggs on thier beaches. In one of the protected beaches of Costa Rica, they will arrive by the hundreds. Most of them are Leatherbacks.

Sea turtles have constant mucus secretions in their eyes. So once out of the water, they seem like crying.

When I was a kid, I heard of several stories about fishermen stranded at sea and rescued by sea turtle. I don't know how true this is.

Quote from: Ban-alam on August 10, 2007, 03:34:59 AM
di ka pwede mag swimming diha dong! mangatol imong lawas!

Mike, akong i revise akong balak nga "Payaw sa tubig nga mabughaw" to "Payaw sa Tubig nga Makatol".....
...unya may usa ka nilalang,
inanay mipatin-aw ibabaw sa tubig,
Pinadunghay iyang buhok,
abot dapit sa ilok
hinapay murag buwad pinikas
lubos puti ang iyang saput,
usa ka white lady.....

Forget about this aid. It can only provoke human greed, whenever one talks about millions. Each one of us are accountable for our actions, may it be out of ignorance or neglect. It is our responsibility to restore our precious biodiversity back to its glory or if not, maintain its present state.

Unfortunately, this whole thing has become a tug-of-war instead of cooperation. So, let them fight and kill themselves for the greed for money! While we, the sane individuals must do our obligation, our own simple way for the safety of our biodiversity. Who are among us? One does not need higher education for this cause. The only requirements are love of nature, responsibility and accountability, plus you have to spread this habit to everyone you know.

Unfortunately, very few individuals are promoting environmental awareness these days. I barely find it in our media (TV, Radio, Newspaper..etc.). Ultimately, the future generations (our children) are paying the cost for our destructive action.

It is true that poverty causes environmental destruction and environmental destruction causes poverty. Its the chicken and egg thing.

Happy, can you say it in Lounanun' accent.

In my opinion, the main issue of this issue is not about funds nor who is the rightful party to handle this project. The main issue is that this park is the last frontier for creatures & plants who are now in near extinction due to our "ignorance", Boholanos. Most of the creatures and plants living in that area are listed in EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered). No amount of blame nor regret could be made to have this creatures flourish once more, but our collective efforts.

Unfortunately, the initiative of conservation must come from foreign countries and we the Boholanos who were supposed to be the protectors of our own biodiversity has done nothing.

This conflict is mere politics. This can not be resolved by human pride but the overall understanding of it's noble purpose.

This is a message to Fielangeli Araoarao Gabin & Leo Udtohan.

Appreciate if you could send some pictures of former Miss Bohol. Just randomly take from your collection and send to webmaster@mikeligalig.com (Even scanned copy will do). Or maybe any of the runner-ups. Just mention the name & which year the pageant was held. We might utilize it as cover or as a flashback.

This project will be the first in Bohol's history or if not in the Philippines and is viewed worlwide. Tanan makaapil.... walay registration fee and formalities. It's absolutely free.

"Atangi ang pag buka sa telon"

Mike, please don't mention my name... its a team effort, remember...

So far, this is the lesson I learned from rich dad book:

What do rich people buy?

1. Rich people buy assets; i.e. Bonds, real-estates, companies that are small and soon to become big, acquisitions, stocks, patents, intellectual properties and royalties.

2. Poor people are paying liabilities most of their life and unfortunately this is the truth.

3. The middle class buy liabilities which they thought are assets i.e.; car, credit cards, luxury things, taxable things, house, things that depreciate and do not generate value in long term, mutual funds. This is the reason why the middle class (the working class) keeps on working all of their lives and they are trapped in the "rat race". The more promotion they got, the more spending will increase.

Retire at a young age:
Definition of retirement means you don’t have to work anymore because the assets you bought have grown into a big tree and it’s roots are already anchored deep-down, this will generate income by itself. That’s the real meaning of retirement.

Moreover, the real measure of how rich you are is your "financial survivability" and not the amount of wealth that you have; i.e. if you stop working now, how long can you survive financially. Some people may be wealthy, but are not rich; i.e. a rich actor if he has no investment and stops working now, he will be like a lighted candle gradually consumed. Next month bills will come, he has to pay taxes, rent, plus his rich lifestyle. It is said that a fool with his money is a big party. No wonder why some people who won the lottery, the next year you will find them broke. Money will only beget liability if you don't have financial literacy, so more money begets more liability.

Thanks Mike for the compliment. I have studied English poetry in high school and this is the first time after years of hibernation.

Here in KSA, all government & private offices have thier site on the internet. You can pay through internet, you can do e-banking, e-commerce and use your cell phone to browse the internet and you dont need to buy a special SIM for that. You can down-load your files through cell phone...etc. Moreover, there is a free internet line incorporated in the phone land-line. If you want a high speed line, you can subscribe a DSL which is flat rate, paid on yearly basis and you can network this line among your friends using wi-fi at same cost. Like Ghost is doing. All people here, even labors and basureros have debit card for their salaries. You can even use this card for e-commerce.

Globe is capitalizing from lack of internet access and HNU act as an accomplice. Instead of formulating a cheaper way for students, they are capitalizing by not opening this facility on their website.

By the way, is it possible to download a transcript of records through this SIM? There must be some scheme for alumni to check their records.

Dear Mike,

I have a simple poetry in Visayan medium. It is about a fisherman living in a romantic nature; however, with a sad and tragic end. I avoid using rhymes so it may not sound comedy like Max Surban songs. It is a poem from the heart, I am serious this time.

(I dedicate this poem to fishermen affected by the Oil Exploration)

Ang Payaw sa Bughaw nga Tubig

Usa ka buwanon nga kagabhi-on,
ako nagabugsay paingon sa payaw
Buwan ra ang nag lamdag sa maitum nga langit,
usa ka hinulaman nga kahayag
Ang iyang hulagway milutaw didto sa tubig,
daw anino sa lapad nga salamin
Mabulokon ang kabitoonan,
daw mga mutya nga gi sabwag sa kawanangan
Bugnaw ang huyohoy ug walay timik ang nahikatulog nga mga balod
Huni sa bugsay nga mikutaw sa tubig, misagol sa akong panaghoy
Maoy bugtong mi lanog sa makabungol nga kalinaw.

Wala madugay, mi sugat ang mahumot nga alimyun
gikan sa baga nga katung-gan.
Sa unahan mi gitib ang mga tugsok sa payaw,
malign-on, magarbohon ug milungtad sa katuigan,
Mibalik sa akong panumduman, mga hulagway ug hagawhaw sa kanhi-ay
Sa gamay pa kami, kining payaw gitanom sa singot ug gugma,
Gasa, kabilin sa akong mahal nga amahan
Samtang kini gibarog, kami malipayon nga nag dula-dula sa tubig,
Ang among mga katawa, maoy bugtong makahupay sa iyang ka-kapoy

Ako nagasud-ong samtang nagahilak,
akong gi busog ang akong mga mata
tungod sa kamingaw sa bugtong handumanan,
kay gina-ihap na lamang ang mga takna
Pag-abot sa banag-banag, ang payaw, gugma sa akong amahan,
walay puangod nga pagabungkagon

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on August 03, 2007, 01:17:53 AM
O Inday,
Sa akong paglabay sa inyong balay, unahan sa Candijay,
Akong na aninaw ang maanindot nga silaw
Sa akong pag sipat, dakong du-ot sa aninipot
Usa ka dayan-dayan, gikan sa kinaiyahan.

Apan hikalimti ayaw, paglantaw
Samtang ako naglakaw sa dalan nga mamingaw
Ako masagipot, na-ugdok, nakakita ug daghang aninipot,

O inday, tungod sa inyong aninipot, ako nawad-an ug panimoot

Dili na nako tas-on, kining akong sugilanon,
Kanimo Mike, ako mapasalamaton,
Dinhi sa imong Tubag, ako naka-kaplag, maoy bugtong makahupay sa sakit sa among hubag.

Actually, this is a rhyme, as in nursery rhyme. But is a basic and most common form & style in Visayan Poetry. It is simple, symetric and mixed with comedy.

I will try writing a standard poetry using Visaya medium. This time, I will avoid using rhyme. I will incorporate some drama, irony and tragedy. It is quite sentimental.

Please check my new post and hope you'll like it.

O Inday,
Sa akong paglabay sa inyong balay, unahan sa Candijay,
Akong na aninaw ang maanindot nga silaw
Sa akong pag sipat, dakong du-ot sa aninipot
Usa ka dayan-dayan, gikan sa kinaiyahan.

Apan hikalimti ayaw, paglantaw
Samtang ako naglakaw sa dalan nga mamingaw
Ako masagipot, na-ugdok, nakakita ug daghang aninipot,

O inday, tungod sa inyong aninipot, ako nawad-an ug panimoot

Dili na nako tas-on, kining akong sugilanon,
Kanimo Mike, ako mapasalamaton,
Dinhi sa imong Tubag, ako naka-kaplag, maoy bugtong makahupay sa sakit sa among hubag.

Or activities "for a good cause" like blood-letting drive. We could be in the guinness world record for the "greatest volume of blood donated in a day", a good strategy to advertize Sandugo Festival.

Aids testing will follow later.

Tubag pod oi...

I am an advocate for eco-tourism and an airport in Panglao is the crowning glory of this whole endeavour.

Unfortunately, we are facing a potential ecologic catastrophe, a man made catastrophe by advancing the oil exploration into oil drilling. This is a big threat to eco-tourism and will jeopardize the whole plan. It is like killing a baby before it is born.

We are one nation, yet our departments are not in proper coordination. There is no clear sense of direction....

Once again, calling all hardline Ludabis and bisdaks of this planet, consider this a challenge.... Please translate the above in Bisaya...

You can not ignore this... I can feel your burning passion....I feel your urge to pull the trigger..... this is your chance to put your passion in good use... for a noble cause... dili lang kay gara'-gara'... you could be a hero...

This is your chance to beat the Shaolin Master of Bisaya, Engr. Jess B. Tirol.... proove yourself....

10. Bernie Fabiosa (During a fiesta speach):"Mga kababayan, pasensya na kayo, maglisod na ko sulti ug bisaya kay THUGAY na ko sa Manila".

......As narrated by Rocky Gatal

Remember that: A job is really a short-term solution to a long-term problem.

I think the best working environment is in France.... less hours, 3 day weekend holiday and more holidays in the year than any other country in the world.

However, I wonder why there are so many artist, designers, musicians, inventors, philosophers, scientist in France... these human assets are the main contributor of putting thier economy at the top...

I know why.... because they do not waste their time working in non-sense / boring jobs.... Instead, they used their holidays wisely by developing skills and talents or think of something creative... unlike Americans who are workaholics....I mean workaholic in real sense.... Some people work extra hours because they want to accomplish something, this is not workaholism, but passion...and doing your passion is not as stressful because you love and want it like a game, a personal recreation....

If you take recreation very seriously, your mind will be relaxed and a relaxed mind could think better...

It is also a fact that the greatest contributor of company losses in America are human errors, and this is blamed on work related stress and lack of sleep....

So, if you are caught browsing emails on working hours, just tell your boss ... "sir, I am just enhancing my skills, so your company could use it one day"....or "sir, I am just relaxing for a while so I could think better".... but if you're fired anyway, just pick up your shoes, dust it off and leave the workplace without saying a word....

Quote from: Capitan Berong on August 01, 2007, 11:25:42 PM

My two cents .....

This guy Granert, appears to have acquired the "ugly American" syndrome!

After having exploited the Boholanos for sometime, their natural resources, their social deprivations and the DENR's hospitality and accomodations thru his supposed developmental NGO (which actually is his private enterprise), he has NOW the gall to tell our paisanos (Inting, Elle, etc.) that they are the obstructionists in that New Zealand funded project at Bilar.

It wouldn't be a surprise that it is a case where a gov't agency (DENR) has not surrendered its prerogative over the implementation of a bilateral aid arrangement that displeased the guy. Quite unfortunate that the New Zealand contracted team that oversees local projects sided with this overbearing NGO.

Mao ba Cap.... Thanks for sharing me the information. I will make research regarding the background of this Granert.... What do you mean exploiting the Boholano?....I thought this Granert is a straight guy......I thought it would be helpful to concede... however, if this Granert is capitalizing from this project for personal interest and glory, then it is another story....

If proven that Granert is the troublemaker, then I would humbly swallow my words...

In my own view, I don't care who runs this project as long as it is properly implemented and end-result is excellent. I am from Bilar and I am deeply concerned that this noble project would crumble just because of politics.

Moreover, I have a negative impression about DENR due to their mishandling of Tanon strait oil survey and drilling project. Sorry if I am generalizing the whole department.

I will come back with my research about Granert... once again, appreciate your info Cap...

Yadz, Happy Birthday....Sorry I was late....naa pa bay sobra?...wish you happiness and longitivity...

Thanks Leo for the publicity of VIRTUAL MS BOHOL SANDUGO 2007 search... Appreciate...

My opinion:

This issue in my opinion is purely politics.

For gods sake, this is an aid and a blessing to us Boholanos; hence we should not mis-handle this case.

All I can suggest to Mr. Eduardo Inting / Leonardo Elle is to concede and give the floor to Mr. William Granert. We have read your rebuttal on this issue. You have your reasons, we understood your point and that is the only thing you can do for now. Being in control could not bring the aid back and your presence is hindering the flow.

But for god's sake gentlemen, you have to give way for the good of Bohol. Then let us see what this William Granert could do, if he could bring back the aid. Moreover, I believed they have a better team which is multinational with more advanced equiptments. These people are not just employees but volunteers and they are dedicated for the environment. Let's see what they can do.

Once again, please swallow your pride for the good of Bohol.

N.B.: My worries: DENR, if there is oil in this national park, will you allow drilling like you did in Loon to Panglao waters?.... you know, this has affected your reputation....

Nakakita bitaw ko ani niya sa UB, elementary hangtod na high school. Mo sayaw ni siya mura ni Michael Jackson.

You can see photos of his 2004 - 2005 Sanfrancisco concert at www.pbase.com  just go to search and type Luke Mejares.

This is a tip to all Boholanos.

I have a better web site that contains thousands of images of Bohol taken by professional photographers.... it's a motherlode...

It is www.pbase.com        just go to search and type: Bohol.... currently there are 1,069 directories, inside each picture is a tree view and you can see more pictures and story of the Photographer... most of them are foreigners who loved the beauty of Bohol.

Mike, I have downloaded some 300 pictures and made it a screensaver para ma wala ang homesick....

Proud Ann,

Actually, I am already doing it in my own small capacity. I bought batik shirts from one wholesaler here at SR5 a piece that is P60 + shipping cost nga SR7 per Kilo. Since it is a light material, 10 pieces of it would cover the shipping cost. Akong gi baligya ug tag P200, so mi ginansya ko ug P140 a pair and that is 230% profit.

Kaning akong gi himo maoy gi tawag ug re-export. Sanlabi na ug adto ka sa source mangompra like Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand....

Bay Ashton...... about the cel phone, we have only GSM here like the Philippines. Not like USA nga imong paliton ang line. Pero karon, daghan nang mo gamit ug GSM sa USA, kasagaran mga business traveller. GSM has more features & 4G na, pero ang sa US, 2-3 G pa lang ilang phone system like Verizon and AT&T. Sayang lagi kay wala pa koy pohonan. Also Video camera here is now very cheap, last year model pa…. sayang lagi..

Jun,

Akong mama is a Carolinian scholar. They were the first batch for Major in Home Economics.

Your idea of a reunion for Boholano Carolinians is a good one. This would be a first one in Bohol if realized.

How about a T-Shirt with a tie printed on it?....

Archbishop Leonardo Medroso has issued a Pastoral Statement opposing oil drilling in Bohol waters.

However, his statements were written in English and I am afraid the message is not effectively disseminated to the Bohol public, specially the less educated ones, who constitutes a substantial bulk on Bohol's population; i.e. Farmers and Fishermens...etc.. The reality of this whole issue is that they are the ones mostly affected...

Hence, I would appreciate your help to translate the below Pastoral Statement in "Bisaya Language" in order to accellerate the information drive.

To all hardline Ludabis and bisdaks of this planet, consider this a challenge....

Source:medroso.blogspot.com
Monday, July 23, 2007
Pastoral Statement on Oil Exploration in Bohol Strait
To our dear People of God and all men and women of good will.

Sometime in June to July 2007 a seismic survey was conducted in the seawaters of Panglao, Dauis, Maribojoc and Loon, Bohol. It is a procedure that determines the volume of oil deposit under the sea by the use of sounds and echoes. It was conducted by a foreign company named NorAsian Energy Ltd. (NAEL) with the approval of both the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). According to the contract awarded by our government to NAEL, the survey shall be followed by an extensive oil drilling program possibly next year.

For our part, we, the Clergy of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, have listened to the sentiments of our people, carefully studied the issues at hand and prayerfully reflected on them. Prodded by this we come out with this Pastoral Statement making a moral judgment on the seismic survey as well as provides moral guidance on the planned oil drilling project.

Our Moral Judgment on the Seismic Survey

1. We are appalled to learn that, given the nature of the seismic survey and its short and long term impact to human and marine life, the local communities and their officials as well as other groups who have a stake in the area were not duly consulted before the survey had been undertaken.

The DOE and NAEL simply disseminated information in their websites. As regards informing local people, they coursed it through the newly elected local officials on a very short notice. In view of this behavior, it is difficult not to conclude that right from the very start the DOE and NAEL did not intend a consultation but simply an information.

2. We are disappointed to learn that the seismic survey, conducted on an exploration site that had been officially declared by the national and local governments as a marine protected area (MPA), was suddenly granted by the DENR a Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC), thereby exempting it from stringent measures required by the laws of the land that seek to preserve the nation’s ecosystem.

Needless to say, the exploration site boasts of numerous marine sanctuaries and coastal based resource management programs. It is also home to a thriving and world-famous eco-tourism industry that provides livelihood to hundreds of families and a source of pride of every Boholano. Millions of pesos have been spent by local government units (LGUs) and non-government organizations (NGOs) for the establishment and maintenance of these projects, not to mention the amount of creativity and energy that the local people have invested into them.

What has happened to our laws such as the Philippine Environment Impact System Act (PD 1586) and the Local Government Code of 1991 (Sections 26-27) to name a few? If we use the recently concluded seismic survey as a litmus test of committed and responsible governance, we dread to see the day when the integrity of our ecosystem will again be put in harm’s way and the pertinent laws be arbitrarily shelved off in favor of an energy-hungry nation.

3. We are saddened to know that, given the adverse effects that the survey had on the livelihood of those dependent on either commercial or small-scale fishing, the DOE and the NAEL did not seek the participation of the local people and draw a clear and dependable mechanism of just compensation.

Why is it that in almost every government sponsored or approved project that has the prospect of good return of investment (ROI) for foreign corporations, it is our poor and marginalized brother and sister Filipinos who are asked to sacrifice? Granting, without admitting, that it is their turn yet again to forego for the greater good, isn’t it right that they be guaranteed with a just compensation?

Our Moral Stance on the Oil Drilling Program

Beyond the seismic survey, the risks of an oil drilling program are far greater. Lest there be a repeat of the mistakes, we wish that the decisions and conduct of all stakeholders shall abide by the following moral principles:

1. Activities meant to improve the economy should “not (to) be left to the judgment of individuals or groups who possess too much economic power, nor of the political community alone…It is only right that, in matters of general interest, as many people as possible…should participate actively in decision-making” (Gaudium et spes, 65).

In this light, let us exhaust all peaceful means to prevent the oil drilling program from proceeding unless the DOE and NAEL shall disclose to the public the details of the service contract and other agreements, conduct consultations that are wide in scope, accessible to all stakeholders, honest and transparent to affected communities, and broadly participative in working out decisions.

2. The defense and preservation of the common good such as the natural and human environments should not be left to the dictates of market forces but to a strong juridical or legal framework based on “the need to respect the integrity and cycles of nature”(Sollicitudo rei socialis, 26; Centesimus annus, 40).

In this light, we call on public officials concerned to courageously apply the full force of our environmental laws to the oil drilling program even as we urge all NGOs and other groups to take the lead in exercising vigilance on this regard.

3. “The fulfillment of the needs of the poor” and their “active participation in economic life” is a moral criteria that “must pervade all plans and legislation for development” (Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, 314).

In this light, and in view of the greater risks to both human and marine life, it is a serious moral obligation for those who will derive profit from the natural resource to set up a mechanism of just compensation before the oil drilling begins and with the participation and approval of those who may bear the possible harm or loss because of human error or accidents.

4. But over and above these moral imperatives, the principle of equitable sharing of revenues should be observed. The history of oil exploration is replete with examples of individual and corporate greed and insensitivity to the people in the locality. A repeat of this sad experience is possible if Section 29 of the Local Government Code shall not be honored: “Local government units shall have an equitable share in the proceeds derived from the utilization and development of national wealth within their respective areas, including sharing the same with the inhabitants by way of direct benefits.”

This law is in perfect accord with the church’s moral teaching: “The economic prosperity of any people is to be assessed not so much from the sum total of goods and wealth produced as from the distribution of goods according to the norms of justice.” Justice demands that, “with the growth of the economy, there should occur a corresponding social development so that all citizens will benefit equitably from an increase in national wealth” (Mater et Magistra, 73-74).

In this light, let us do everything we can to prevent the oil drilling program unless a mechanism of equitable sharing of revenues shall be in place so that, instead of dole-outs or piecemeal projects dependent on the whims and so-called charity of the corporation or the allied politician, the revenues accrued to the inhabitants of the localities shall be guaranteed by law and shall empower them to take the path of integral development. While the bounty of God’s creation in the Bohol Strait is a national wealth, it is however first and foremost a local wealth. Inasmuch as the local people are its primary stewards, they ought to be the first beneficiaries.

Conclusion

Will the blue sea of Bohol Strait remain the pure essence of life-giving water to the present and future generations, or will it degenerate into a murky water of non-life, an ugly reminder of our indifference and irresponsibility? Let us listen to God saying: “Today I offer you a choice of life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life and then you and your descendants will live” (Deut 30:19-20).

The choice is ours. With Mary, the patroness of our diocese, at our side, it is time to act on behalf of life so that “all may have life and have it in its fullness” (Jn 10:10).

Most Rev.Leonardo Medroso, DD, JCD
Bishop of Tagbilaran 17 July 2007

Ban-alam,

This is your part.... Matod daw ni Udtohan, taga Bohol iyang roots, so mura siya ni anhing Yoyoy Villame nga wala mo angkon nga taga Bohol siya. Kon ang iyang kasing-kasing naa pa sa Bohol, proud unta siya nga mo declare nga "My roots are from Bohol".

Fiel,

You are a great person and please do not put yourself down to Francines level. Do not belittle yourself by labeling yourself as ‘pobre’, because it is an attitude of the lazy … you have to show some authority here…

I made a research for you and I discovered that this Francine claims she is not from Bohol as below source:

Source: Bohol.Ph Guestbook
Francine Garcia-Campbelle | Sunday, 26 November 2006
Greetings to you! I read about Anda on your website. I am from New york city and my hometown is from Isabela. I work as a nurse here. My family plan to visit Bohol. How can I arrange my tour to Bohol? What travel agency can you recommend to us? I want also to see pictures in Anda because the description is very beautiful. Thank you! and God bless mr. webmaster!

As above, she claimed she's from Isabela. How dare!... she has no right to interfere with Boholano business.

Another thing I found. She used an article authored by Leo Udtohan in Living Asia Channel forum.

Source: Livingasiachannel.net
francine campbell   |  March 16th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Tim Tayag discovers the wonders of Siquijor
By Leo P. Udtohan
The Philippine Star 09/08/2006
We all know that Timothy “Tim” Nepomuceno Tayag is a naughty hunk and stand-up comedian at a Makati comedy club and in Men’s Room on Studio 23 (until he left the said show). He gives us an American-style, witty and observational stand-up comedy in English, featuring situations and opinions that the audience can relate to and laugh about. Tim gives a slick and riotous performance, right?

Meet her in the face at her friendster site...... http://www.friendster.com/5993870.

Cheers

Hi Ogie,

We are importing European European beauty products such as Sebamed and foot therapy products like Scholl. Also, we have Himalaya Herbals.

Why not Philippine Products?.... "patronize our own and help build our economy".... Actually this is what is missing in our Philippine Embassy worldwide. Since my 10 years of stay abroad, I have not seen anybody from the Embassy who is endorsing/promoting Philippine products to their host country. They are more on Party, delivering non-sense speaches, sosyalan....chibug, chibug and you can see the evidence through thier "bil-bils"...

Ogie, our company is only interested in non-food cosmetics. Hence, please send your business partnership proposal for your cosmetic products (with pictures and prices - C&F or FOB Manila to Jeddah) to our email: ho@gtcl.com.sa   or  purchase@gtcl.com.sa. Don't put my name, just attention to the Manager or Marketing Department.

I have seen your company's web site and it is good because now, the trend in cosmetics is herbal/natural/organic.

"e-services"

Mura ug piskay kini paminawon nga gi gahinan ug mako' nga luna ang ‘e-services’ sa SONA, ilabi na alang kanimo Mike, kay subay man kini ‘e-services’ sa imong kinaadman ug pagpaningpalad. Manghina-ut ako nga mapatuman kini sa atong pangagamhanan pinaagi sa patas nga paagi ug walay pinalabi.

Apan sa laing bahin, angay usab kita nga magpakabana, kay ang ‘e-business’ bag-o pa lamang. Hanap pa ang mga pamaagi ug dili pa hipno ang dagan niini. Hinumdumi nga dili pa dugay, nahiaguman niini ang pagka-hagsa, kadtong gi tawag sa iningles ug ‘Bubble burst’.

Tungod kay kini usa ka makabag-o ‘high-tech’ nga butang ug pipila lamang kanatong mga Pilipino ang may kinaadman kabahin niini, nabalaka ako nga kini mamahimog usa ka ganghaan sa pangurakot. O dili ba mamahimo kining kapasanginlan ‘escape-goat’ sa atong pangagamhanan kung pananglit may mahitabo nga pagka-kulang sa pondo (kwarta).

Nan karon, kinahanglan kanato ang pagpakabana ug angay lang nga magbaton kita ug pag duda, aron dili kita mahulog sa laang. Atong awhagon ang mga hanas, ingon sa atong igsoon nga si Mike, aron mo lantaw ug aron ilang isumbong sa katawhan kung pananglit naay mga pagpanglupig (lajo ra sa lawd) â€" Daghang salamat.

Nagpadayag lamang sa kaugalingon nga panglantaw….

Since, TBTK had been registered in the SEC, it is not a public property anymore but a corporation. Now, major shareholders have the right to boss around.... I suspect this Francine invest a lot of shares....why is she acting like that?...

As I have said, a water treatment plant and a garbage recycling plant is an investment and an essential part of every expanding city. If we are aiming to have an International Airport in Panglao, which would cost us Billions of peso in loans, then why can't we spend 80 MM for a water treatment plant?

Our beaches is what tourist came for. Without influx of tourists, building an international airport would be in vain. We have to have a reputation of clean water first in order to attract tourist. It is a cycle....

Moreover, we have to block this non-sense/dirty oil project that is treatening our livelihood.

Dear Mike,

I found the pastoral letter written in http://medroso.blogspot.com/search?q=oil

In Leonardo Medroso's blog spot itself...

But it is lengthy....

Dear Mike,

Actually, we can collaborate with your friend there in Thailand. Naa ko sa purchasing dept. nag trabaho. Naa mi textile business pod (home textile) like bed sheets, comforters, pillows, blankets, shower curtains, floor mats...etc. Usually, I am sourcing from Europe, China or USA (which is also made in China but branded in US).

I know that Thailand is world famous for Fabrics, but since Thailand is in South East, gi discourage ko sa akong boss/the owner, which is a (1st generation businessman) kay mahal kuno ang freight charges sa South East, which is I just believe him out of respect. Actually wala ko mo to-o. So what happens is that our collections are balik-balik lang, China, Italy, USA which comes from China.

Hence, I would appreciate if you could help me proove to my boss that he is wrong. I need 2 things from you. 1) Ask any forwarder how much is freight for 40ft, 20ft and 40ft(hi-cube) container from Bangkok to Dammam or Bangkok to Dubai. 2) Go to any Fabric Shop specializing in Bed Sheets and give me their export prices (FOB or Ex-works). Then I will compare it with China Prices. In this business division of our company, the volume of import per year is around 20 x 40ft containers in Saudi and 15 in Dubai.

I wonder, because the route from China to Dubai is via Singapore which is also South East. Basin barato na karon ang freight sa South East. If so, Philippines is also a prospect for sourcing. We have native products in Bohol that is a very hot item in Europe, USA and Middle East. Sadly, ang mga Philippine products is hoarded in Hong-kong and re-exported at high price. Taga Hong-kong ang nakaginansya ug dako. Actually, during my last vacation, I investigated this matter. Mi adto ko sa Antiquera para mangutana tagpila ilang basket. 5 pesos kuno kada usa ang ilang baligya sa Cebu based Chinese middleman. Nag inquire ko sa Alibaba.com (China based trading site) ug ang ilang presyo $1.3 / pcs which is more than 10 fold. So ang insik ra ang nabulahan.

Kining akong gipanulti sa taas, advance ra ni kaayo kay wala pa man tay kapital. Busa mag sugod una ta sa ginagmay. Actually ang usa ka lukay mabali lang, pero ang daghan nga lukay ug imong bugkoson, mahimo kining usa ka silhig ug makahinlo sa natad - that makes the difference.

Di lang hibaw-an taas na man diay ning akong gi sulat.... bye for now...

Yes at last, my prayers were heared.... you see what I told you Mike, our prayers here in my place are most heared...hehehe...

If you read all I wrote in my previous comments and objections about oil exploration / drilling, it is the same as in this pastoral statemet... everything perfectly the same.... I am glad that through this pastoral letter, the message will spread to all boholanos quickly during the mass.... I suggest Mike, that in fairness to our folks who are illiterate in English, ... will somebody translate the pastoral letter to "Bisaya"....

God is life....

Mike, these people are like trained monkeys, primitive. Bisan imong sininaan, bisan imong make-upan, unggoy lang gihapon... walay kaugalingon nga huna-huna, walay initiative.

Coming back to the topic. I remembered Engr. Jess Tirol asked us "unsa ang iningles sa - Ika pila nga Presidente si Cory Aquino", which nobody could answer during that time and until now, I am still puzzled.

Also he asked us that bisaya is a very sophisticated language where we can use a one sylable word, five times to form a complete sentence like "Ang ang-ang ang ang". Meaning the stairs are narrow.

Actually, the Quibol who owns the land of Caingget are fishing family. Most of them are tall and play basketball. They are reputed to have bronze curly hair and play in "liga-liga" bare-footed. One of them, my friend looks like Dennis Rodman. His grandfather who at old age still dives for 'Kuja' owns that banka with a name "Kuja Diver". That old man always will critisize Kuja sold in Agora Market saying "Dili man Pure nang ilang kuja"... kama-o pod mo iningles....

According to one of my old friend Adolfo Omos, a word-by-mouth historian of Cogon, the word Cainggit was derived from Inggit or Engget (depends on how you spell it), a fisherman who lives in that place. His house was on that cliff directly above where that freshwater pool meets the sea (tubod). Old folks used to wash clothes there during low tide. So, the place is called Kang Inggit or Kang Engget.

"Asa man mo padulung".... "adto mi sa kang Inggit, mang laba"....

In the history of Kainggit, this is the first incident of death by murder.... sa una dihay na lumos among silingan, taga Calceta St...

Dear Mike,

I am a member of the Dolotina Clan in my fathers side and the Sarmiento Clan on my mothers. On our coming reunion, I am planning to suggest of building a web site. I will just let you know once this plan is materialized.

Moreover, on the Ferniz side, we have lost relatives who were one of the first Filipino imigrants to the US. I hope that if I build a web site, we could be re-united .

I have seen some ads of family tree software and my question is it is possible to upload this family tree software in a web site?

During last year's TBTK mipa register ko pero wala ko ka uli.... maayo ra pud kay gubot....

Why won't we invite Google to have an office in Bohol. A programmer needs a peaceful atmosphere like Bohol. If most of the google staff prefers a simple lifestyle, then Bohol is a perfect place for them.... I am offering my inherited land in Bilar Bohol, just a couple of miles after Bilar Man-made Forest... they can stay as long as they want at FOC.

Dear Ashton,

I will give you a simple example: Last month, a Nike shoes distributor in our place went on a clearance sale. They made 3 categories on their shoes at $9, $15 & $26. In peso, it is P420(walking & kids shoes), P660 (Running/Training shoes) & P1,188 (Hi-cut for Basketball).

So, please tell me where in the Philippines could you buy as cheap as like that. Even if we impose a 100% mark-up, lets say the we will sell the basketball shoes at P2,000 to P2,500 still it would be cheaper than the cheapest Nike shoes sold in the Philippines (I mean this is original and not counterfeit).

Of course we have to send in bulk to save freight cost. Actually, we have in our place an owner of a forwarding company WRJ Mr. William Jao (of Tubigon Bohol). He charges $1.73 per Kg. on sea cargo at 1 month to 45 days duration from Saudi to Tagbilaran.

Also we have TV (Sony, JVC, Samsung) at a very low clearing price & Cell phone too.

Please give me a model no. of Cell Phone you would like to buy. Maybe it is cheaper here and you may compare it to prices there. Like we have Nokia N70 at $240 and Nokia Panda at $173. However, I will impose some margins + shipping fees and let me know if you are serious and we can compare prices there in the Philippines and we can start business.

Kinsa lagi mo apil...

Dear Mike,

I have seen an article from Jeroen Hellingman's web site about Panglao Airport. I will copy it as below just to share it with our audience. However, if posting this article contradicts your policy, then just feel free to remove it.

Proposed Panglao International Airport makes no Sense

IJsselstein, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 04:18:53

For many years, the possibility of an International Airport on Panglao has been under discussion, and it now seems closer to reality than ever before. The proposed airport has been promoted as a means to give Bohol an economic development boost, and in particular, to improve its attractiveness as a tourist destination. Since we exist to promote this wonderful island, it could be expected that this website applauds this project. However, this is not the case. We believe that there is no justification for a new international airport in Bohol: it would be a waste of resources that could be better spend otherwise, and that it will actually be a detraction for tourists and the development of Bohol.

Statistics are hard to get and not always reliable, but I'll try to summarize and estimate what tourism is bringing to Bohol. Currently, Bohol welcomes about 35.000 foreign visitors a year, and a similar number of domestic tourists. The total number of visitors in 2004 was 162.000, but that figure probably includes some business visits and family visits from Boholanos working in Cebu and Manila. Visitors stay on average 4 nights. Bohol has about 3000 beds available in about 60 hotels, resorts, inns, and guest houses. The occupancy rate (in 2003) was 46 percent, which means in that year we had about half a million visitor-nights. Assume that each visitor spends on average 100 US dollar per night (US 50 room rate, and about US 50 for meals, excursions, etc.). This leads to a gross income of 50 million dollar, of which roughly 30% will return to the government in shape of various taxes, that is, 15 million dollar per year.

Most tourists come to Bohol to enjoy its natural resources: in particular scuba divers come here to admire the underwater coral reefs. Another significant group are foreigners and former Filipinos who have relatives on the island.

The peak season is around Christmas, during which most resort class facilities are fully booked. Virtually all foreign tourist visit the Philippines by air, and the most likely ports of arrival are Manila and Cebu. Even though there is a domestic airport in Tagbilaran City, a large number of foreign tourists arrive by (fast) ferry from Cebu, especially those arriving via Mactan International Airport near Cebu. Most tourist currently arrive on regular flights. Tourists that currently arrive on charter flights (mainly from Japan) come on a package deal, and stay in one of the larger hotels on Mactan.

The trip to Bohol by boat from Manila takes about 25 hours, and is not a realistic option for tourists. The flight takes between one and two hours, depending on aircraft type. Transfer from NAIA in Manila to the domestic airport takes about one hour. Currently, there are one or two flights per day directly to Bohol, but a number of visitors may also choose to go via Cebu, which is served by numerous daily flights.

The trip by fast ferry from Cebu takes about one and a half hour. Unfortunately, transfer from Mactan Airport to the pier also takes about two hours, and requires dealing with the rather hectic traffic situation between Lapu-Lapu city and Cebu. Finally, the transfer from both the pier and the airport in Tagbilaran city to the resorts in Panglao takes about half an hour.

In conclusion, foreign tourists have to spend at least four to five hours after arriving in the Philippines to reach their destination in Bohol. This assumes schedules match perfectly. In practice, many visitors will be forced to spend a night in either Manila or Cebu before they can continue their trip to Bohol. Obviously, this delay is the main argument in favor of an International Airport on Bohol.

However, in this article, we will show that this is not enough justification for the considerable investments required.

An international airport in Panglao makes no economic sense
The construction of an international airport will costs something between 4 and 10 billion peso, or 80 to 200 million US dollar. For arguments sake, lets be optimistic and use the lower figure. At current interest rates, borrowing 80 million dollars will cost at least 5 million per year in capital costs. In addition, by my rough estimate, another 5 million dollar will be required every year for operation and maintenance of the facility. All in all, we are probably looking at running costs of about 10 million dollar per year (without paying back anything on the loan).

An international airport on Panglao will have little attraction to business travelers, so it is unlikely international airlines will set up regular business flights to Panglao. All revenues have to come from tourist arrivals. Income will have to come from landing fees, parking fees, per-passenger arrival and terminal fees, and income from the rent of facilities, such as restaurants, souvenir shops, catering and maintenance facilities. If we estimate such income at about USD 10 (PHP 520) per arriving or departing passenger, we will at least 500.000 visitors (one million movements) per year to break even, or about 12 daily departures and arrivals of medium size passenger jets.

Now assume half of all current visitors to Bohol will start to use the new airport. This will lead to about 80.000 visitors (160 000 movements) per year, or some 1.6 million dollar income. We are thus facing a yearly deficit of over 8 million dollars. To break even, we need to increase that number at least six-fold. Otherwise, huge yearly government subsidies will be required. This increase will have to come from charter flights bringing in new tourists, and to welcome them, the tourist facilities in Panglao have to increase similarly.

Tourism at Panglao cannot increase six-fold
It is an often heard cliché that tourism destroys what it seeks, but it will be very well applicable to Panglao if this airport project takes off. Tourists visit Panglao to relax. To break free from the hustle and bustle of their hectic lives, and leave behind their worries for a couple of days or weeks.

As argued above, to recoup the huge investment made in the airport, the number of arrivals and visitor-nights in Bohol, and thus the number of rooms, have to be increased at least six-fold. This means further considerable investment in touristic infrastructure, such as hotels, roads, and so on. This will cost at least as much as the airport itself.

What will this mean for Panglao? For a six-fold increase in visitors, we need to add about 5000 rooms. Consider Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort in Cebu. This huge complex has 547 rooms. Imagine 10 of these on Panglao. You get the picture. All these people also need to come and go, so imagine on average 12 flights per arriving and departing every day. Instead of peace and relaxation, visitors will enjoy low-flying noisy airplanes 24 times a day. Also consider at further infrastructure, such as roads, shopping centers, entertainment facilities, and so on, required to support this influx of tourists.
All this is clearly beyond the capacity of Panglao. To list just a few of the bottlenecks:
•   Water resources are already strained on Panglao. Most resorts can only offer brackish water for showers and baths. To resolve this issue, fresh water will need to be brought in (preferably by pipe) from the mainland, or a desalination facility will be required.
•   Although attractive, the beaches are limited in capacity. Even the largest beach on Panglao is not as long, and half as wide as the beach on Boracay. In size, they are certainly no match for the beaches along the Spanish Costas. Their charm lies much in not being too large.
•   The coral reefs can only handle a limited number of divers, snorkelers, and other water sports enthusiasts. Beyond that, they will irreparably be damaged, and loose their attraction for further visitors.
•   The number of whale-watching and dive operator boats currently take up half the available space on Alona beach. Increasing this six-fold will make the beach look like Manila harbor rather than a relaxing stretch of white sand.
•   Waste disposal is problematic. Just a few meters behind the beach, one can easily spot piles of rubbish. Stray waste and stray dogs flourish. Toilets, baths, and kitchen sinks need to empty somewhere, and cannot simply flow into the soil or sea.
This means most of all these new tourists will not be able to enjoy the peace and nature Panglao currently has to offer. So what will they do?
Problems also appear in other areas:
•   Already today, resort owners have trouble finding skilled employees. Not that there is a lack of unemployed people, but for many jobs considerable social as well as business skills are required. Receptionists and other employees in the resorts need a certain level of professionalism to create and maintain a friendly atmosphere. Dive masters, guides, and other instructors need to master their subjects, and language skills are essential to welcome guests who do not know English, just as well as to deal with agents from the countries the tourists will come from.
•   So far, Panglao has been reasonable successful to keep prostitution out. However, with a six-fold increase of tourists, this will become a real challenge. Some of the men among the visitors will seek this type of "entertainment," which, given the social conditions in the country will attract plenty of young girls who see no alternative to earn a living and support their families. However, the effects will be devastating. It should also be remembered also that sex-tourists drives out all other tourists, who do not want to be confronted with it.
•   Land prices in Panglao have sky-rocketed the last few years. Five years ago, a parcel not too far from Alona beach would fetch about 300 pesos per square meter. Today, asking prices are close to 2000 pesos, probably due to airport and tourism related speculation. This means that for locals, it is now virtually impossible to obtain land - and that some locals will be tempted to sell and consume ancestral lands, thereby giving up their source of livelihood for some short-lived luxury.
•   Beaches become inaccessible for local fishermen. Traditional fishing communities can be locked out from their access to sea by various means.
Note also that large resorts tend to monopolize all potential tourist income, as they organize their own tours, have their own sports and entertainment facilities, and so on, and expatriate most generated income, whereas small scale resorts generate much more spin-off opportunities for the local entrepreneurs, and thus result in more income for local companies.

The conclusion can only be: an international airport in Bohol makes no economic sense, and is also irresponsible from an environmental and social point of view.
Alternatives

After concluding that an airport in Panglao doesn't make sense, what alternatives can be proposed to develop tourism in Bohol in a economically, socially, and environmentally responsible way. I can think of a number of things that can better be done with the available funds.

Protect assets. The provincial government should guard its assets for future generations. It should not kill the goose with the golden eggs, nor allow commercial exploiters, or just sheer indifference or poverty to do the same. Support should given to grass-roots initiatives to protect the marine environment, such as the small marine sanctuaries that have started to appear around the coastline. Destructive fishing methods should be stopped. Historical buildings need proper attention and repairs to remain attractive. In tourist development zones, no buildings should be higher than the coconut trees.
Develop medium size resorts. Bohol can still offer space to a range of smaller and medium sized quality resorts, up to about 40 rooms, as long as each of these new resorts offer some unique selling points and a special atmosphere. Examples of such resorts with a special atmosphere may be Ananyana, or the Bohol Bee Farm. Such medium sized resorts offer much better opportunities for locals to be involved, and often offer better services to their customers.

Keep beaches free. Bohol should keep its beaches free. In all senses of the word: free for all visitors to enjoy, even if they cannot afford the high entrance prices of some of the resorts. This way, word-of-mouth advertising will have the widest reach. Even young backpackers traveling on a shoestring will grow older and return to stay in the better places. Beaches should also be free from stray waste, dirt and other annoyances. In particular, the province should create and strictly enforce a no-build zone for the first 50 or even better 100 meters from the high-water line on the beach. This will create a commons that can be enjoyed by all. It should also keep the beaches free from too many hawkers. People don't mind watching somebodies wares once or twice during a beach holiday, but if they constantly have to send away over-zealous sales people, they will not return.

Streamline transfer from Mactan. As discussed above, the transfer time from Mactan to Cebu is currently at least 5 hours. In practice, visitors may even be forced to stay in Cebu overnight to get a reasonable connection to Bohol. To improve this, a fast ferry should be set up to go directly from Lapu-Lapu city to Bohol, with departure and arrival times synchronized with the arrival of charter or regular flights on Mactan.
Develop Tagbilaran City. Tagbilaran City as it is today is very unattractive. Streets are congested and polluted, and the city lacks attractions for visitors. Unlike Panglao, Tagbilaran is the place to develop a night-life with restaurants, discos, and other urban attractions. It would be really wonderful if Tagbilaran would open-up its sea front, and create a boulevard similar to that in Dumaguete City (and many foreign tourist destinations).

Improve tourism education. New resorts and hotels need employees, from the management level all the way down to the janitor. These skills need to be learned. Probably it is wise here to seek cooperation with an international educational institutions in this field. Ultimately, the aim should be that all jobs in tourism can be filled with qualified people from the local communities.
Spread tourist influx. Bohol is not just Panglao. Many other areas of Bohol can be developed, on a small-scale environmentally and socially sound base. The western coastline has many attractive spots. Northern Bohol has many reefs and islets that may offer opportunities. The Anda peninsula in the east has a wonderful beach, and so on.
Increase visa-on-arrival duration. Currently, tourists from western countries receive a visa-on-arrival that is valid for 21 days. For most tourists from Europe, this is just a little too short, as holidays tend to last 4 to 6 weeks. Most people don't like having to apply for or to extend visa, and may choose another destination instead. By extending that period to 42 days, more visitors may choose to come to the Philippines, and the benefits will probably exceed the loss in income from visa fees. Naturally, this is not something Bohol can do, but should it be lobbied for with the central government.
Develop out-door activities. Bohol offers plenty of opportunities for trekking, biking, camping-out, sailing, canoing, spelunking, and other out-door sports activities. Unfortunately, except for scuba diving, nobody is currently developing or promoting such activities. Who is going to jump into this opportunity?
Promote the Region. Bohol is part of a larger area with tourism potential, and should be included in prearranged tour itineraries that also include Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and Camiguin, all easily reached by sea from Bohol. Together, these destinations can offer a varied set of attractions, both on the natural and cultural field, which will encourage visitors to come and stay longer in the Philippines.
When these recommendations are taken into account, tourism can develop gradually to levels that the island can sustain and absorb in its over-all development. This will also much better guaranty that economic benefits of tourism end up with the local population, and its ill-effects are avoided.

A new domestic airport in Bohol may make sense
One of the few valid arguments I heard for constructing a new airport in Bohol is that the current airport is reaching its limitations, and is being surrounded by residential buildings. The root cause of this problem is the lack of proper zonal planning, but that has already happened, and, with the current growth rate, is only expected to get worse.
Panglao may be a potential location for such a new airport, but other locations should also be considered, as long as they are within a reasonable distance from Tagbilaran. This way the domestic airport can serve as entry-point for domestic tourists, as well as foreign tourists who visit more places in the Philippines, without incurring the high costs of an international standard run-way and facilities for long-distance jet liners.

Status Update, 27 April 2006
In response to the issues raised by a number of opponents of the Airport project, including Panglao Municipal Tourism Council Vice Chair Agustin Cloribel and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Arius Ilano, Governor Erico Aumentado has hired a Japan-based infrastructure consulting firm to render feasibility studies. These studies should in particularly address the susceptibility of the airport to ground collapse on the karst soil of Panglao. (See the Bohol Times, 23 April 2006 issue.)
Although ground collapse is a potential risk when building on karst soil, I believe this can be addressed with technical measures, such as using an underground radar to locate cavities and re-enforce them where required, using concrete constructions. As a result, this study diverts the attention from the economical, environmental and social issues raised in this article, which are far more difficult to resolve.

Status Update, 25 May 2006
With some amazement, I read in the Bohol Sunday Post that just a meagre one percent of the Boholano's in the first district oppose the Panglao Airport Project, according to an opinion poll conducted by the HNU. To quote:
Only 1% was braved [sic] enough to register its opposition to the Panglao International Airport with a whooping 99% saying yes to the same project. Translated into the lowest terms, this means that Boholanos in the first district stood as one behind the planned airport in Panglao.
I can't say I'm impressed. Such results call into memory the former Soviet Union, were leaders too were elected with such unrealistic margins--and I hope we all remember how the Soviet Union ended. Curiously, the comments under this article give a completely different picture. Of course the people commenting here are self-selected, and, after reading through this rather lengthy article, they are probably more aware of the repercussions of the project--but still I would expect a few more comments by people in favor of this Airport. Hereby, people who are in favor of the Panglao Airport are invited to give their opinion here.

In the end, however, you can't decide on the sensibility of a project through an opinion poll with 200 people, who probably haven't studied the issue at hand. Before a democratic decision can be made, it is essential that all people who have a vote on the issue are well informed and can make an informed decision. This is exactly what is missing in this entire process: clear information and transparency.

Status Update, 14 March 2007
Not much news for the last half year or so on the airport front. However, the following article appeared on ABS-CBN Interactive:
President Arroyo announced Saturday that one of the world’s richest men, Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, is planning to build one of his Raffles resorts in Panglao, Bohol.
In a speech at the Bohol Youth Day celebration, the President said that Prince Alwaleed intends to bring in another $150 million for the project. Earlier, Prince Alwaleed’s Kingdom Hotel Investments forged a tie-up with Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) for a $153-million hotel project at the Makati Central Business District.

Mrs. Arroyo said that the "decision of Prince Alwaleed to invest in Panglao was a result of her discussions with the heads of the oil-rich Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during her state visit last year.

The President said the Saudi Prince has expressed interest in buying the entire property in Panglao held by the Fonaciers, with the help of ALI.
"They would like to buy the whole Fonacier property in Panglao to put up a six-star (luxury) resort," the President said.
The resort would carry the famous Raffles name of Kingdom Hotel Investments, which is chaired by Prince Alwaleed.
Panglao Island in Bohol is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, particularly for beach and diving enthusiasts.
The Arroyo administration has made the promotion and development of the tourism industry as among its priorities.
A bill that would provide fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for investments in tourism has been passed in the Senate but is still pending in the House of Representatives.
Once passed into law, the Tourism Act would pave the way for the establishment of tourist enterprise zones where investors would be given a package of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.

The original source for this is on the president's website, in Cebuano. The relevant paragraph:
[...] I wonder Ace if I can announce...? May I announce the Kingdom Holdings? Tungod kay gwapo kaayo ang inyong mga baybay, inyong mga coral reefs, inyong hospitality, mga katawhan, I would like to announce that as a result of my state visit to Saudi Arabia last year, when I had a talk with the fourth richest man in the world, Prince Al Waleed of Saudi Arabia who invest the money of the royal family. Kingdom holdings headed by Prince Al Waleed has entered into a partnership with Ayala land and they would like to buy the whole Fonacier property in Panglao to put up a six-star resort, Raffles family. Ang ilang investment 150 million dollars diri sa Pilipinas ug sa Bohol.
What such a huge project will mean for Bohol remains to be seen. I will try to obtain more information on this issue.

I am much in favor of further development of Bohol. The future generation of Boholano's do need employment and opportunities. But it remains wise to be skeptical. Just looking at the amount, being talked about. No investor will invest such amounts without a solid business plan and a good prospect of return on investment. An investment of $150M will require a return of at least $15M annually, as otherwise it would be better to put the money on the bank for interest. Translating that to reasonable business figures, that is a margin of about 20 percent of $75M turn-around, which, looking at a rate of $200 per night per person translates to a staggering 375000 paid-for nights per year. To accommodate this, you need, taking into account seasonal variations, at least 2500 beds, or five times the Sangri-La in Mactan. All these figures are very rough estimates at the least, and only provided to give some idea of the scale involved.

Sources of Information
Information on the project is very difficult to obtain. Plans and feasibility studies are not available to the public. As a result, I have to use various public sources not directly related to the Panglao Airport to base my conclusions on. Since I believe transparency is vital to make a good decision on this project, I call upon the authorities to release feasibility and technical studies, etc., to the public.
•   In spite of the above, The Medium Term Development Plan, 2004-2009 (PDF format) of the Bohol Provincial Government provides a wealth of background information.
•   Statistics on arrivals in 2002 from the Department of Tourism
•   Statistics on arrivals, nights and occupancy until 2004.
•   Transport Canada has an interesting article about financial aspects of airports.
•   It may also be worthwhile to look at the 2004 annual report of Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, which is of comparative size (this report uses CAD; 1 CAD = 0.88 USD).
•   This article gives lists AUD 22 income per passenger for Sydney Airport, which is about USD 16.
Jeroen Hellingman

(Continuation ……)

By not giving in to your emotions, you were able to delay your reactions and think. That is most important. We will always have emotions of fear and greed. From here on in, it is most important for you to use those emotions to your advantage and for the long term, and not simply let your emotions run you by controlling your thinking. Most people use fear and greed against themselves. That’s the start of ignorance. Most people live their lives chasing paychecks, pay raises and job security because of the emotions of desire and fear, not really questioning where those emotion-driven thoughts are leading them. It’s just like the picture of a donkey, dragging a cart, with its owner dangling a carrot just in front of the donkey’s nose. The donkey’s owner may be going where he wants to go, but the donkey is chasing an illusion. Tomorrow there will only be another carrot for he donkey.

And as you get older, your toys get more expensive. A new car, a boat and a big house to impress your friends. Fear pushes you out the door and desire calls you. Enticing you towards the rock. That’s the trap.

So what’s the answer, Mike asked.

What intensifies fear and ignorance. That is why rich people with lots of money often have more fear the richer they get. Money is the carrot, the illusion. If the donkey could see the whole picture, it might rethink its choice to chase the carrot. Rich dad went on to explain that a human’s life is a struggle between ignorance and illumination.

He explained that once a person stops searching for information and knowledge of one’s self, ignorance sets in. That struggle is moment-to-moment decision â€" to learn to open or close one’s mind.

Look school is very, very important. You go to school to learn a skill or profession so as to be a contributing member of society. Every culture needs teachers, doctors, mechanics, artists, cooks, business people, police officers…etc. Schools  train them so our culture can thrive and flourish. Unfortunately, for many people, school is the end, not the beginning.

Because it is ignorance about money that causes so much greed and so much fear. Let me give you some examples. A doctor, wanting more money to better provide for this family, raises his fees. By raising his fees, it makes health care more expensive for everyone. Now, it hurts poor people the most, so poor people have worse health than those with money.

Because the doctors raise their rates, the attorneys raise their rates., and the teachers….etc. which raise our taxes. Soon, there will be such horrifying gap between the rich and the poor that chaos will break out and another great civilization will collapse. Great civilizations collapsed when the gap between the haves and have-nots was too great. America is on the same course, proving once again that history repeats itself, because we do not learn from history. We only memorize historical dates and names, not the lesson.

Aren’t prices supposed to go up? The author asked.

Not in an educated society with a well-run government. Prices should actually come down. Of course that is often only true in theory. Prices go up because of greed and fear caused by ignorance. If schools taught people about money, there would be more money and lower prices, but schools focus only on teaching people to work for money, not how to harness money’s power.

But don’t we have business schools? Mike asked. Aren’t you encouraging me to go to business school for my master’s degree?

Yes, said rich dad. But all too often, business schools train employees who are sophisticated bean counters. Heaven forbid a bean counter takes over a business. All they do is look at the numbers, fire people and kill the business. I know because I hire bean counters. All they think about is cutting cost and raising prices, which cause more problems. Bean counting is important. I wish more people knew it, but it, too, is not the whole picture, added rich dad anglily.

So, is there an answer? Asked Mike.

Yes, learn to use your emotions to think, not think with your emotions. When you boys mastered your emotions, first by agreeing to work for free, I knew there was hope. When you again resisted your emotions when I tempted you with more money, you were again learning to think in spite of being emotionally charged. That’s the first step.

Choosing what we think rather than reacting to our emotions. Instead of just getting up and going to work to solve our problems, just because the fear of not having the money to pay your bills is scaring you. Thinking would be taking the time to ask yourself a question. A question like, “Is working harder at this the best solution to this problem?” Most people are so terrified at not telling themselves the truth â€" that fear is in control â€" that they can not think, and instead run out of the door. That’s what I mean by choosing your thoughts.

Remember what I said before: A Job is only a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Most people have only one problem in mind, and it’s short term. It’s the bills at the end of the month. Money now runs their lives. Or should I say the fear and ignorance about money. So they do as their parents did, get up every day and go work for money. Not having time to say “is there another way?’ Their emotions now control their thinking, not their heads.

Can you tell the difference between emotions thinking and the head thinking? Mike asked.

I hear things like, well everyone has to work, or the rich are crooks, or I’ll get another job, I deserve this raise, you can’t push me around or I’ll like this job because it’s secure.

Instead of “Is there something I’m missing here? Which breaks the emotional thought, and gives you time to think clearly.

Rich dad went on to explain that the rich know that money is an illusion, truly like the carrot for the donkey. It’s out of fear and greed that the illusion of money is held together by billions of people thinking that money is real. Money is really made up. It was only because of the illusion of confidence and the ignorance of the masses that the house of cards stood standing.

He talked about the gold standard in America was on, and each dollar bill is actually a silver certificate. What concerned him was the rumor that we would someday go off the gold standard and our dollars would no longer be silver certificates. When that happens, all hell is going to break loose. The poor, the middle class and the ignorant will have their lives ruined simply because they will continue to believe that money is real and that the company they work for, or the government, will look after them.

More to come.... (CHAPTER THREE  Lesson Two: Why Teach Financial Literacy?)

Hi guys!

Since to convey to you is harder than reading the book, I will just type it as I read and this is the easiest way to share with you while I am reading this book. I am fast in keyboard anyhow….but sometimes I will skip boring conversations….

Lesson 1: Rich Don’t work for money

Avoid One of Life’s Biggest Traps

Rich dad said, well, you boys had better start thinking. You’re starting at one of life’s biggest lessons. If you learn the lesson, you’ll enjoy a life of great freedom and security. If you don’t learn the lesson, you’ll wind up like Mrs. Martin (Mike’s dad’s employee) and most of the people playing softball in this park. They work very hard for little money, clinging to the illusion of job security, looking forward to a three-week vacation each year and a skimpy pension after forty-five years of work. If that excites you, I’ll give you a raise to 25 cents an hour….until he raised it to $5 an hour…in 1956 not too many grownups made $5 an hour….the offer was too big and had gotten ridiculous.
The temptation disappeared and a calm set in. The part of my soul that was weak and needy was silenced. The part of me that had no price took over. I knew Mike had gotten to that point also.

Good rich Dad said softly. Most people have a price. And they have a price because of human emotions named Fear and Greed. First, the fear of being without money motivates us to work hard, and then once we get the paychecks, greed or desire starts us thinking about all the wonderful things money can buy. The pattern is then set.

What pattern I asked.

The pattern of get up, go to work, pay bills,…. Their lives are then run forever by two emotions, fear and greed. Offer them more money and they continue the cycle by also increasing their spending. This is what I call the ‘Rat Race’.

There is another way? Mike asked. Yes said rich dad slowly. But only few people find it. And what is that way? Mike asked. That’s what I hope you boys will find out as you work and study with me. That is why I took away all forms of pay. Any hints? Mike asked. Were kind of tired of working hard for nothing.

Well the first step is telling the truth on how you’re feeling. They fear of not having money. Instead of confronting the fear, they react instead of think. They react emotionally instead of using their heads. Then they get a few bucks in their hands, and again emotion of joy and desire and greed take over, and again they react instead of think. So their emotions do their thinking. Instead of telling the truth about how they feel, they react to their feeling. They feel the fear, they go to work, hoping that money will soothe their fear, but it doesn’t. Fear has them in this trap of working, earning money pattern. For millions of people, that old fear keeps them awake all night. Money is running their lives and they refuse to tell the truth about that. Money is in control of their emotions and hence with their souls. I often wondered why grownups hurried off to work. It did not seem like much fun and they never looked that happy, but something kept them hurrying off to work.

Not just to be rich because being rich does not solve the problem. Let me finish the other emotion, which is desire. Some call it greed. It is perfectly normal to desire something better, prettier, more fun or exciting. So people also work for money because of desire. They desire money for the joy they think it can buy. But the joy money brings is often short lived. And they soon need more money for more joy, more pleasure, more comfort, more security. But money can not do that.

Rich people included. In fact, the reason many rich people are rich is not because of desire but because of fear. They actually think that money can eliminate that fear of not having money, of being poor, so they amass tons of it only to find out the fear gets worse. They now fear losing it. Many are emotionally desperate and neurotic, although they look rich and have more money.

So is a poor man happier?

No, I don’t think so, replied rich dad. The avoidance of money is just as psychotic as being attached to money. I’ve met so many people who say. Oh I’m not interested in money. Yet they’ll work at a job for eight hours a day. That’s a denial of truth. That kind of thinking is probably more psychotic than a person who hoards money.

Will a job be the best solution to this fear over the long run? In my opinion, the answer is no. Especially when you look over a person’s lifetime. A job is really a short-term solution to a long-term problem. You see we’re all employees ultimately. We just work at different levels. I just want you boys to avoid the trap. The trap caused by those two emotions, fear and desire.

If you don’t first handle fear and desire and you get rich, you’ll be a high-paid slave.

The main cause of poverty or financial struggle is fear and ignorance, not the economy or the government or the rich. It’s self inflicted fear and ignorance that keeps people trapped.

.... Well folks, hope you enjoy reading... meanwhile I will continue reading and type the rest of Chapter 1.... hope you learned good lessons....

Riva, matod sa akong mama, mang hiso' kuno sila ug kinudkod nga lubi para mo sinaw sa dili pa mo bayle.

Really Chinese people are really good in business and convincing power. Gidalhan ko sa akong representative ug external memory at very low price. Pag tan-aw nako sa quality akong huna-huna, maguba na lang siguro ni pero dili pa ma puno.

Mike, forget about a road trip to China, it is too dangerous and you have to pass by Vietnam or the golden triangle which would require another formality. Moreover, confined in a small seat for a long period would cause DVT in your leg. Mag Cruise ship ka na lang from Bankok to Hongkong.

Quote from: mfrandsen on July 19, 2007, 07:54:29 PM
unsa man sab ning kompanyaha ang itukod macky nga wala man intaawon akoy talent, moapil man unta ko 

Actually, ang pinaka-da' best nga kompanya nga akong na huna-hunaan mao ang Trading. Global man tang mga Boholano, ang uban naa sa Europe ang uban naa sa Middle East, uban sa USA ug sa Australia, Asia etc.... There are many things nga super barato sa uban nga lugar, pero super mahal sa uban nga lugar. So let's take opportunity of our position nga mag monitor ta sa mga butang nga barato ug atong i-broadcast kung naay mo ingon nga mahal dire, atong i-export adtong lugara.

I will give you one example and I will check kung mo click kini. Diri sa Saudi nag-trabaho ko sa comanya nga distributor ug Ray-Ban. Tungod kay ang mga tao diri dali ra pul-an sa fashion, naay mga model sa Ray-Ban nga barato na lang kaayo ang baligya pero mahal pa sa uban nga countries kay wala pa ma luma' kana nga model.

We will work on the principle of "a garbage to one person may be a treasure to another".

I will check which of our Ray-Ban Models we could sell for $50 to $70 a piece. I bet even in the Philippines nobody is selling Ray-Ban at this price. I will let you know which models later.

This is just one example. Many companies in Saudi Arabia are selling their items even lower than thier import price because they need the money to buy for latest models. This normally happens between ends of Summer or Winter, because fashion mostly has two seasons namely spring/summer and autumn/winter. Between these, I can find items with outrageously low price.

So, how about in your place?

Please list as below format items that are cheap in your place:
1. Country: _______ Brand: ________ description: _________ Model number: _______ unit cost:______

So, what is your opinion Mike?.... please set some rules and guidelines on this trading so that all could benefit.... should we form a company or shall we just make it as individual... like a yard sale....

Moreover, wala ni silay day-off for 2 years contract. Dili pareha sa mga DH sa Hong-kong nga Saturday - Sunday ilang day-off.

Ang uban pa tag 4:00 na sa kadlawon matulog kay mga Arabo mahilig sa party ug kadlawon na mahuman. Ang mga katulong manghugas pa sa mga plato.

This happens because applicants for DH are not informed of the actual situation. They have to be informed of the hardships and if they go for it, its their own personal choice. Naay uban nga dako ug expectation unya diha na mag mahay kung mi abot na sa Saudi. Wala na silay mahimo kay napasubo na man. Ang uban mo ingon, puslan man nga nabasa, maligo na lang... and they will will suffer for 2 years.

Quote from: Onicul85 on July 21, 2007, 06:52:03 AM
Good leaders become "bad" because of the desire to gain or maintain power. Men lust over the ability to control others and manifest their will unto the masses---

Power is the nectar of the Gods---and so is auspiciously desired by men. It is inevetible that good men turn bad--there are no "good" men. As the lust of power, greed for control of economics, politics and glorification of oneself is a universal opiate of the masses.  The only reason why some "good" men failed into manifesting into tyrrants is because fate cut them down before they could take advantage of their situation. And isnt it amazing that these so called "bad" men legitimize their actions as being 'benefactory for the state and people"--partial that may be--yet there is the inner lust for personal glory. The need to immortalize oneself---to be remembered---and power--is the means of divination.

History claims witness to this: Gaius Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Maximilien Robespierre, Franklin Theodore Roosevelt, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Francissco Franco, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong, Jiang Jie Xi, Tojo Hideki etc.

You forgot to mention Darth Vader....

Murag wala na may intresado niining tapika....

27. When "L" becomes "W" like Bagow for Bagol or Kubaw for Kubal... so why not call Bohow for Bohol...

28. Kung Mangihi or sa dili pa manablig mo sulti daan ug "Tabi" kay basin naay ma-igo nga ingkanto... Kining ingkanto-ingkanto ug barang, gi himo-an raba ni ug documentary sa BBC. Natingala sila nga manong pareha man ang procedure og Vodo practice or barang didto sa South America and Visayas... akong i-research sa internet kung naay article ani nga documentary.

I have an uncle there Mr. Rostico Dabatos, working in Philippine Embassy assigned somewhere in Borneo. He told me that there are some tribe there who is speaking almost perfectly same as Bisaya, pero some words are even deeper. Maybe they are the remnants of our ancestors the Sri Vijayan Kingdom who ruled southeast asian spice route in the 14th Century.

Quote from: GEC348 on July 19, 2007, 04:37:51 AM
There is a purpose why some people turn out to become bad leaders: To strenthen the mettle of good leaders.

There is a lesson why some good leaders turn bad: Relying solely on human virtues will not help to maintain one's innocence in a worldly environment.

And this is what I've learned: Sometimes things turn bad so people can rediscover the goodness within them.

To be a better Jedi, you must learn the power of the dark side

Jun,

Miembro na diay ka? Welcome.... daghang interesting things dire nga nagkinahanglan sa imong opinion, commentary, and expertise.

Welcome to Tubag Bohol...

Dear Onicul,

Good day to you.

I guess your family name is Lucino, inverted of onicul. How are you related to the Lucinos of Tamblot Street. I have a best friend there since high school named Rey Lucino. Is he your uncle?

How's life over there in states.

Just extend my warmest regards, to all fellow boholanos there... keep up the good work.

Best Regards,

Macky Ferniz

My profound thanks to you guys.... Honestly, you were the first ones to greet us.  I just wrote that topic just to greet myself and I was not expecting somebody would care 'like you all' to drop nice greetings.

You are trully my Boholano igsoons....

Once again we thank you...Macky & Johde...

Happy 11th Year Wedding Anniversary to:

Marcos Raymund Ferniz (Macky)
&
Johde Taray Ferniz

It all started at the one & only University of Bohol, where Macky & Johde both BS Civil Engineering Students. It was on 3rd October 1987 (the peak of Michael Jackson's career/Duran-duran/U2) after the school field trip that Macky said the magic word "Day Guma ko nimo, dili kini guma inat... guma kini puso, dili kini puso saging....and so on..." on that very moment our hearts were twined...

So dili na nato' tas-on pa ang sugilanon, gikasal mi sa simbahang lingin (Cogon) sa 20th of July, 1996 after 9 years of engagement.

Now, we were blessed with 3 Kids:
Jonah Pia - 8 Years Old (April 4, 1999)
Mark Sean - 7 Years Old (June 12, 2000)
Candice Mary - 4 Years Old (October 22, 2004)

Congratulations to me and my wife.....

Sakto ka Ban-alam,

We are indispensable to them. I am pretty sure not only their government will suffer kung mawala ang mga pinoy, kondi ang mga private entrepreneurs usab kay ang mga pinoy ikaduha sa pinaka dakug buying power sa Middle East. Kita himalit kaayo compared to Indians, Lebanese and Egyptians nga murag gi putos ug bawjot ilang kwarta. Di ba namatikdan nimo sa mga malls sa Saudi nga puro mga pinoy lang ang nag daghan.

Pero uyon ko nga i-ban ang mga domestic helpers and drivers sa middle east kay para pod mo taas ang dignity kanatong mga OFW. I am not discriminating here, but what I observed is true. "Slave" ang ilang translation sa domestic helpers. Some of them are even professionals and college graduates and they will call them slaves?

Domestic helper in real sense is like a Butler or a Nanny in the UK or a care-giver in the US. It should be a skilled/trained profession. But "Slave"?.... no way...

One time I went to a hospital and one Saudi woman had an argument with a Filipina head nurse. They were both raising their voices and finally, the Saudi woman shouted "My Housemaid is a Filipina".... You see what I mean mga igsoon.... ilang gi generalize ang tanang mga Filipino, ug ubos kaayo ang ilang pag tan-aw....

Actually, this plan of eradicating Filipinos in their work-place was long been done and unsuccessful. It was called localization, 10 years back. It was only 50% successful back then. After 2-3 years of implementation, Government agencies started hiring Filipinos again from private contractors, simply because they could not do it... they could not survive without us.

It is thier citizens that should be worried and not us.... We are the ones selling here....So, we must say to them "Take it or leave it"...

Dear Sigbin,

I guess if you do not invent your own program, you can apply as a cook or a yoga instructor....

Mike, as I've said, anything that might happen is in the hands of the elected chairman and the ones who elected him. If the youth elected a bad leader, its not the end of everything, but a lesson to be learned by all. Corruption will only prosper if one tolerates.

Mike, as I have said, I'm serious and this is first ever in our history.

How can I send my donation? Can I send from my Visa card or I suggest you contact the Bohol Chronicle and after you finalize, just ask what is there address and I will send the donation by money transfer. I will also ask solicitation from my friends here....

Mike, this is my suggestion:

Since most of our female members thinks that maybe they are not presentable (I'm saying this as a challenge), so they may indorse their relatives, daughters or friends whom they think is the rightful to be crowned the "First ever Virtual Miss Bohol 2007".

Just send one close up picture (face) and one whole body pictures with real names & vital statistics indicated + motto, goals in life, personal backgrounds....etc.. I suggest mike should gather all this information and keep it for the "day of presentation of candidates". This will avoid turn-offs, unwanted comments and redicules from the audience. Moreover, there should be age limits; i.e. from 16 - 30 for example.

Then mike will set a deadline for submission. On the day of presentation, Mike will show all the contestants with thier pictures (one close up and one full body) and contestant numbers.

Then mike will set a period of judgement (it may be a week to be fair, because some audience are only logging on weekends). They can use the facility of "Pakpak / toink". The more net "Pakpak" a contestant gets shall be declared a winner (Net means "pakpak" minus "toink"). Mike you are the expert on this. This must be explained by Mike clearly to the Audience.

I volunteer to design a virtual crown for the winner. Plus a free virtual trip to Hawaii (I volunteer to gather Hawaii photos for that). Also a free Scholarship/lesson from Wikepedia. And here is the most rewarding part. The winner shall be honorably anounced over DYRD as the first ever Virtual Miss Bohol with her picture printed on the Bohol Chronicle. I am serious and I will donate P1,500 for this posting in the Bohol Chronicle.

What do you think Mike.....

Dear Lumine,

I found one article about cost of raising a child as below:

Cost Of Raising Children - Rewards listed as well
     
The US government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up $160,140! That doesn’t even touch college tuition.

For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about all the money we could have banked if not for (insert your child or children’s name(s) here). For others, that number might confirm the decision to remain childless.But $160,140 isn’t so bad if you break it down. It translates into $8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week.That’s a mere $24.44 a day! Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice says don’t have children if you want to be “rich”. But, it is just the opposite.

What do your get for your $160,140?
• Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
• Glimpses of God every day.
• Giggles under the covers every night.
• More love than your heart can hold.
• Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
• Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
• A hand to hold, usually covered with jam.
• A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.
• Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
     
For $160,140:
• You never have to grow up.
• You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus.
• You have an excuse to keep: reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies, and wishing on stars.
• You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother’s Day, and cards with backward letters for Father’s Day.For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck.
• You get to be a hero just for retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off the bike, removing a splinter, filling the wading pool, coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
• You get a front row seat to history to witness the first step, first word, first bra, first date, and first time behind the wheel.
• You get to be immortal.
• You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you’re lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren.
• You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there with God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.
   
Enjoy your kids (and grandkids), and never, ever wish things were different, even for a moment! 

Dear Mike,

Everything in this beautiful web site is coincidental for me. Like I wrote something in the topic of "World Class Filipinos", where I wrote about creating a world OFW day (Holiday)… and I said there something like these OFW have no guts to tell their bosses about day-off…

Just last night I was reading this book and that same situation is explained here. But first I forgot to give you a highlight about the author’s life.

This book is about the life of Robert Kiyosaki is a son of a successful educator in Hawaii where he called his real father the poor dad. He have a best friend named Mike with a businessman father. The father of Mike will become his mentor, which he call his second dad, the rich dad. This is a real life story of a successful man.

Since his real dad is an educator and holds a high position in Hawaii, he is constantly lectured to go to school, earn a degree, work in a company and earn high salary. This will be proven wrong, later in this book.

Meanwhile, he was 9 years old at that time, his best friend Mike’s dad, a businessman who owns 2 restaurants, grocery store and warehouse, offers him a weekend job at their grocery store. From that time, his life changed to what he is now.

To make it short, Mike’s dad tested the author to work in his grocery store every weekend at a low salary of 10 cents an hour. Until our author was fed up and complained. Then Mike’s dad explained below:

Complaining is what they teach you in school. But that is not how life teaches you. I would say that life is the best teacher of all. Most of the time life does not talk to you. It just sort of pushes you around. Each push is life saying, “Wake up. There’s something I want you to learn”.

If you learn life’s lessons, you will do well. If not, life will just continue to push you around. People do two things. Some just let life push them around. Others get angry and push back. But they push back against their boss, or their job, or their husband or wife. They do not know it’s life that’s pushing.

If you learn this lesson, you will grow in to a wise, wealthy and happy young man. If you don’t, you will spend your life blaming a job, low pay or your boss for your problems. You’ll live life hoping for that big break that will solve all your money problems.

Or if you are the kind of person who has no guts, you just give up every time life pushes you. If you’re that kind of person, you’ll live life playing it safe, doing the right thing, saving yourself for some event that never happens. Then, you die a boring old man. You’ll have lots of friends who really like you because you were such a nice hard-working guy. You spent a life playing it safe, doing the right things. But the truth is, you let life push you into submission. Deep down, you were terrified of taking risks. You really wanted to win, but the fear of losing was greater than the excitement of winning. Deep inside, you and only you will know you didn’t go for it. You choose to play it safe.

So, our author asked, what is the lesson I learned from working for only 10 cents an hour? The rich dad replied ‘you’re cheap and exploit your workers?’

This means that it is a nature of every company to hire the cheapest workers. This is a lesson for all of us. We should value our talent and show up with a price when applying for a job. Everyone must dump companies who are offering low price and exploiting workers. However, someone is dumb enough to work for these companies and hopeful that life will give them a break. On the reality, companies don’t care. There are more people to hire around.

Mike, I totally disagree that SK is “way hinungdan”.

The budget allocated for SK is nothing compared to the budget of the town. So, don’t consider the budget as substantial. SK is made to develop the youth, the future leaders of our society to be responsible citizens. It is an interactive training ground for young guys to learn on how to handle life & reality. Life is good and evil mixed together, and if they choose a bad leader, it is not a failure, but a good lesson. Successful people learned from their own mistake. Life pushes you around, some will give up and some will fight and continue.

What will happen to our future society if all our leaders are un-trained and inexperienced in life? What is happening now in the real world is that everything is blamed on young people because they lack representation; they have no voice in the society.

You can see in the news like young people robbed a store, young people went on a shooting spree, young people caught on a drugs… this happens because there are very few young people in the media today. This includes Mike a young/brilliant journalist…hehehe. Nobody is there in the media who represents and defends young people and that’s why all the blames are focused on young people. How about the politicians, the teachers, the parents, who should be responsible for all these chaos? The media is not speaking a word against them… its unfair for the young people…

Quote from: Snowhite on July 18, 2007, 10:58:53 AM
Similar case here: While I was in China for an ASEAN youth leadership program, I was asked to handle an English class with Chinese grade school children. The children can read and write English well but they cannot converse using the language. They are learning English through the books but they don't have interaction with other English-speaking people. Even the teachers of the children do not speak fluent English. I was based in Nanning and English-speaking foreigners are scarce in the city. The only English-speaking people I met were the band members playing in a bar/resto. They turned out to be Filipinos.

We have one business partner in Guangzhou Province China, somewhere in Shenzhen. I sent one of our representatives there to do a business deal with this company we found in the business site: Alibaba.com. Since there is no airport in Shenzhen, I send him to Hong-kong so he will just ride a ferry boat. When he reached hong-kong, he is confident because all people there are fluent in English. However, when he reached Shenzhen, nobody in the port knows how to speak a single word of English. So he proceed walking to down-town and suddenly, he was surprised to hear a loud voice calling "Dito Pare... mura dito"... it was a Chinese inviting him to his bargain shop, where all counterfeit products are being sold.... our representative then realized that Filipinos in China are famous buyers of counterfeit products...

Honestly, I am a very lazy reader.

I am busy learning the piano from my 8 year old daughter Jonah, who is studying basic piano lesson... actually I am the one interested in learning the piano... it is like hitting two birds with one stone....hehehe...

By the way, here is the motto of the author:
"I don't work for money. Money works for me"

His favourite poem is the Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden back.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads onto way,
I doubt if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. (Robert Frost 1916)

The above poem means never to regret your decision. But the wise must choose the road less travelled by as there are more opportunities waiting... you have to be unique...

If you calculate the amount of damage caused by throwing waste water, it would be more than the expense you will spend for building a treatment facility. A treatment facility is just a very simple structure. It is composed of an open tank with aerators below it like used in Alabang. The theory of aerating the water is aerobic bacteria (bacteria that lives in air) will kill anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that lives in water). Then it will be filtered by sand filter in another tank to remove solid waste which can be utelized as fertelizers in our farms. It is as simple as that.

Not to mention the benefits from flocks of tourist that will appreciate a clean city....

Maybe when I become rich, I would book a ticket for that once in a life time opportunity. Maybe I will work in Russia for that....

If not, I will do what Ban-alam suggested, go to Google Earth ....akong gi sulayan.... really its great... I can see our house near coca-cola ... and the airport... pero wala ko kakita ug nanggi date.....hahaha...

Mike, it does'nt mean we will not work and stay home... The Filipino community must organize beneficial programs to show thier host society of what we are... Like in Bahrain, OFWs organized themselves to clean the beach and pick up garbage.... It was shown in Bahrain National TV....

Quote from: your servant on July 17, 2007, 10:45:43 PM
Read: Despite mass info dissemination, the absentee voting is but a failure. Only less than 2 or 3 percent of the more than 9 million Filipinos abroad did participate in a simple electoral exercise.

Mike about the above failure to vote, the information was well disseminated. However, most of our OFWs could not go out of their job and vote. The facility is there, but work related constraints prevented them. Moreover, facilities of the embassy are limited like in one city, there is only one voting center and some people need to travel for a long distance. Should it be by other means like voting through cell phone or internet, I am pretty sure the numbers would have reached at 90%.

Once again, one of the reasons why the absentee voting was only 3% success because some OFWs have no guts to tell their bosses "I will be absent tomorrow to Vote".... it is due to fear of being fired... sobra ra ta ka bootan to the extent that one of our basic rights as citizens are being sacrificed....

Dear Mike,

I believed that one day a year would not hurt your reputation. However, if you are a doctor and you purposely do not treat a patient because of Holiday, that is called abandoning of duty, but not abandoning of Job.

We should not worry of getting fired for being absent just one day a year? We have proven enough to the world and we are indispensable. According to international labor law a Foreign worker should be given 3 warning system prior to termination (this is applicable to minor offenses including AWOL).

Mike, if the world does not realize our importance, they will abuse and that is the reason why some of our unfortunate OFW's are abused, forced to work in sweat shops like slaves...because nobody dared to show power....

Mike... sorry but this is my own opinion.... & thanks for understanding....

Quote from: Onicul85 on July 11, 2007, 11:13:07 AM
Imagine if all the Fil-Am med workers decided not to go to work?

Talk about a medical nightmare, lol.

Hey, this gives me a big IDEA. Why not we assign a day called OFW Day and all of us will not go to work, no matter what.... This will show the world of our strength and our importance....united, we are powerful.... Once the world will realize this power, we can walk with head up high and respect....

Mike, you decide which day and we will spread this to all OFW.... Yes, lets show them our power.... and the world will kneal before us...

5. I want to see the whole Island of bohol from space.....

English is an essential tool required by all Filipinos to be competitive in the present world.

I had a Japanese visitor from Pigeon Brand (Baby Products) who used to correspond with me in perfect English. Strangely, he can not pronounce a single English word perfectly. Our meeting became lengthy because of that....

Lessons from Chapter I:

Money is not taught in Schools. Schools focus on scholastic and professional skills, but not on financial skills. This explains how smart bankers, doctors and accountants who earned excellent grades in school may still struggle financially all of thier lives.

Poor dad say: I cant afford it
Rich dad say: How can I afford it?
Once is a statement and the other is a question. The rich dad explains that by saying "I cant afford it" your brain stops working, it is a sign of mental laziness.

Poor dad thought that the rich should pay more taxes to take care of those less fortunate.
Rich dad said, Taxes punish those who produce and reward those who dont produce.

Poor dad recommended, Study hard so you can find a good company to work for.
Rich dad recommended, Study hard so you can find a good company to buy.

Poor dad said, "The reason I'm not rich is because I have you kids" (because of expenses)
Rich dad said, "The reason I must be rich is because I have you kids."

Poor dad said, when it comes to money, play it safe, dont take risk.
Rich dad said, "Learn to manage risk"

more to come....

Dear Mike,

I have a message to this columnist Mr. Joe Espiritu...

I do not understand why you, Mr. Joe Espiritu is very enthusiastic about this oil find. We have to ask if there is clear/transparent negotiation and if there is any assurance that Bohol in particular could benefit out of this. Mr. Joe Espiritu, please show the Boholano people some figures / revenues out of this oil find.

Mr. Espiritu, this is not a big news that we have to be exited about. We are drilling oil in Palawan since decades, which is a much bigger reserve, yet look at our economy now. Is there any progress since that time? Did Palawan become a huge metropolis?

Mr. Espiritu, why are you so excited? Is there a clear assurance that bohol could benefit? Do you know that an oil rig is just a small structure and it operates only on a maximum of 20 personnel? Do you think salaries of this 20 personnel (laborers) could make a difference in our province. From the initial press release of this project, only $3.99 per $100 oil value will be the share for LGUs in taxes. Is this fair Mr. Espiritu?

It is our oil and it is not for free. In any case, we have to say "NO" as an opening statement for every negotiation.

"No drilling must be made unless clear revenues to the Boholano people is reached through negotiation". Incase the revenues are only a fraction, then we have to say "No" as we have a better alternative which is eco-tourism revenues...

Kingahanglan atong ipaagi ang tanang waste water into a treatment facility, which is an essential part of a clean city. This is a wake-up call to our leaders... we are developing Bohol as a tourist hub. We must make our city clean to host our visitors. The more tourist we have, more business will benefit.  Ultimately, we the Boholanos benefit.

This facility is an investment and we must show to tourists that Bohol is diffrent from other filthy cities in the Philippines.

Also these treated water might be stored and used for irrigation during drought season....

Oil industry is a tricky game.... it is like playing poker.... Why is America depending on foreign oil while they have the biggest reserves in Texas and Alaska?.... the answer is very simple.... Oil is a non-renewable/exhaustable source or energy.... do you think 22 million that we have is a big reserve?...it is just a trickle compared to the 96 billion barrels in Kuwait, where it represents 10% of the worlds oil reserves. Do you think we could compete on that volume?

As I've said oil business is like a game of poker, where your opponents don't know how much you have..... USA has a policy that says unless the world’s reserves are exhausted, they are not going to touch their reserves…. You know it’s a very brilliant strategy…. So, when all the world reserves are exhausted, USA could sell their oil to sky-high prices.

Hence, while we Filipinos could still survive on 3 meals a day... let us not enter into this dirty game of oil business.... while we are not in famine, let us not allow foreign hands touch our oil…. why must we bother if China or India are desperately in need of oil? …We must not sell our oil at bargain price….its our own and our treasure…. Let us not give it just for free…let us keep it for future use… as last alternative….

It is a fact that we have no experience in dealing with this business…. We are a country blessed with natural wonders and beauty…. Let us develop eco-tourism and forget about this dirty oil business… tourism is a more profitable business and more private sector business could benefit, compared to oil business where only the share holders of the oil company could benefit. We will just end up as laborers and workers with all the pollution/oil slicks dumped in our beautiful beaches, turning it into black…

Sa akong na ubserbahan, ang usa sa nakaingon nga pobre ang Pilipinas tungod kay minos ta kaayo sa entrepreneurial skills. Maihap lang sa tudlo ang mga Filipino nga tag-iyahan ug dagkong kompanya sa International level. Kung duna may mi lampos nga Filipino, nagpa American, Canadian, European or Australian citizen na pod. Mabasahan na lang nato sa mga pamantalaan ang ilang mga ngalan pero kutob ra diha. Wala nay pulos kay ang kita sa ilang companya adto na sa ubang nasod mo sulod. Wala na silay huna-huna pa nga mobalik sa ilang yutang natawhan.

Tinuod ang nag buhi sa Pilipinas karon mao ang mga OFW. Pero ang kita sa OFW naay kinutuban hangtod ra sa iyang pag retire. Kadaghanan sa mga OFW mga trabahante lang ug mga impleyado. Kutob ra ba diay kita niini ang atong abilidad. Ang atong mga iskwelahan wala mag tudlo kanato para kita mamahimong mga entrepreneur. Kinahanglan ta ug reform sa atong educational system. Ang atong educational system, nag tudlo sa mga estudyante para mamahimong mga trabahante or mga empleyado. Pero wala nag tudlo kung unsaon nga kita mag himo ug dagkong companya para manguha ta ug mga Amerkano or mga British nga mahimong atong mga empleyado ug kita ang mga boss. Kung mo adto ka sa Hong-kong, ang mga locals didto, mga tag-iyahan ug mga companya ug ang ilang empleyado mga British. Mag lugos pa man gani ni sila ug sulti ug ininglis pero ang ilang mga empleyado mga hi-profile nga mga British.... pahuway una ko sa akong lecture...

So kinsay intresado nga mo apil... mag tukod ta ug kompanya... si Mike Ligalig akong ituboy nga presidente or chairman....

Please list your name below:
1. Mike Ligalig - Chairman
2. Macky Ferniz - Member / Adviser
3.
4.
5.

Wala pa nako ma human ug basa pero it seems the average mediocre dad would teach their children the same thing as the poor dad... to go to school, get high grades, work in a corporation ….  The author of this book called it a rat race… if you work in a corporation, you will end up in a never-ending loop, going round and round working for promotion and when promoted, you will end up working harder….. the author says you have to get out of this loop and go out to the fast track… In our present world, the employee is always at the loosing end and corporations are always the winners…. The author gave an example when a corporation is down-sizing (meaning reducing its workforce), consequently their price in the stock-market will go up…. because announcing a down-sizing means the company is modernizing and applying automation, that means less work force required… so corporations earn from stock market and employees get laid-off and jobless…

So, the author suggest that in present time, it is dangerous to advise your kids to go to school, get high grades and go to work….otherwise, they grow up like you & me …a poor or mediocre dad… working hard for money… He suggest to advise your kids to go to school to learn what they want to learn. He agrees that education is only a basic foundation to be successful in the real world.

Still I am only at the surface of this book and let me read further….

Unsa? ang math gihimon tagalog?..... grabe na man pod.... it must have sound funny in class.... so, instead of saying "what is the quare root of nine", the teacher would say "ano ang parehabang ugat nang siyam"... or if the teacher will say the formula of circle is Pie x Radius Squared : the teacher would say "ang sangkap sa paggawa (formula) nang bilog ay Puto or Bibingka (pie) sukat mula gitna (radius) parehaba (squared)"... yes it is true, there are certain words, which we could not possibly translate...

However, I still disagree that English literacy is a measure of good knowledge or education. I read one article about a tribe in a remote region of Central America where they are away from civilization, yet they have their own name of the nine planets and they have thier own calendar system....

Lets go back to China ..... so, if China would become a superpower, I could practice my Chinese knowledge....like "butay - takong - pawa" means coconut... or "do - wan - ting" (do one thing in English)... or "ching - kong - kwang" means you have to give me 5 peso change....