MikeLigalig.com

Inyong Alagad of DYRD can be accessed via www.dyrdam.com 8A.M. to 10A.M. Monday to Saturday.

published by The Bohol Standard

The cut-throat local broadcast rivalry here posted an upset this week as the lid of highly-secured, covert negotiation was blown open the other day.

Starting Monday (tomorrow) the main anchor of a top rated radio program from a rival radio station will now be heard in another frequency, handling another equally highly-rated public affairs format program from a competing radio station.

The iconic print and broadcast journalist Boy Guingguing of “Cuentas Claras” fame, Station DyTR’s flagship public affairs program, caught by surprise his legions of followers in his former home studio when he accepted the offer to handle as “top banana” of the famous “Inyong Alagad” radio program of the same format over rival Station DyRD.

There is no mention of the whooping amount involved in talent fee nor of the tempting perks and terms offered for the agreement reportedly sealed Friday afternoon.

Like the parable of the missing “prodigal son”, Guingguing is back in DyRD’s fold as anchor of Inyong Alagad after 26 years of wandering to a rival station to start the genesis of Cuentas Claras.

In six years, Guingguing managed to make DyTR Cuentas Claras into a sought-after radio program in a neck-and-neck fight for ratings with DyRD’s Inyong Alagad.

In the fierce competition of the two programs, Inyong Alagad proved the winner in a radio listeners’ survey conducted by the Holy Name Research Center.

DyRD now takes another assuming foot forward with Guingguing handling Inyong Alagad as top anchor. He is paired, with no less, by equally competent broadcasters whose impressive credentials are nothing to sneeze at-- the likes of the venerable Fred Araneta, Chito Visarra and Jerry Pabe.

Considered as one of the most durable anchors hereabouts, Guingguing’s return to his original station was a reprise of his early foray in radio 26 years ago at DYRD where he practically cut his teeth in broadcast journalism.

Colleagues recall Guingguing covering a city bank heist, just using an obsolete VHF hand-held two-way radio; but able to bring the action blow-by-blow to radio listeners, a feat no local reporter had ever done.

This guy is the same old familiar anchor who steered Inyong Alagad into a nominee as the Best Service Program of the Year in the late 80’s.

The re-entry of Guingguing to DyRD had spawned various speculations, including prognosis of self-proclaimed political analyst as to the real score in Guingguing’s somersault to a rival station.

It can be noted that Guingguing owns the Bohol Sunday POST, a weekly newspaper that had established a threatening position as the closest competitor of DyRD’s sister media outfit Bohol CHRONICLE.

Whether the new anchor, in a different surrounding, will leave up to its pompous billing with all the hype given to this new assignment at Inyong Alagad, is the big question the listening public eagerly awaits.

Guingging practically faces the pendulum of “make or break” in taking this crossroad of his media career.

A fan of Guingging (borrowing the same line that this prolific media icon had created) said: “Regardless of which side of the bread is buttered, we expect him to remain as Boy Guingging, the uncompromising, no holds barred print-broadcast journalist the public had known. That, he must do; no more, no less.”

thailand rice

nauso na ra ba karon sa mga restaurants ang unlimited rice. diri sa tagbilaran ang nag-offer ug unlimited rice are the following:

1. PAYAG Jo's Chicken Inato (BQ Mall Branch)
2. Bojol Grill (behind Aldea Photo Center)
3. Mang Inasal
4. Andok's (not sure)

source: PNA
By Jelly Musico

The Commission on Appointments confirmed Wednesday the nomination of Mar Roxas as Interior Secretary and Joseph Abaya as Roxas’ replacement as Transportation chief.

At the plenary, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago lived up to her threat and invoked Section 20 of the CA rules to veto the confirmation of Roxas whom she, nonetheless, described as honest, efficient and competent official.

Santiago said: “I deeply regret also I had to take counter action by announcing that as a member of the CA, I will exercise my power of one person veto over all the Cabinet members that I summoned but who did not appear.

"Unfortunately, first in the list is Sen. Mar Roxas of the DILG.”

Santiago was referring to the failure of Roxas and other Cabinet secretaries (Ramon Paje of environment and Leila de Lima of justice) to attend last Friday’s Senate inquiry into the case of resigned Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III called for five-minute suspension but it took him only less than one minute to convince Santiago to change heart.

”I’d like to appeal to the graciousness of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, may I move or ask that the invocation of Section 20 will be withdrawn?” asked Sotto.

Santiago conceded: “Mr. President, my high intelligence quotient dictates that I should reconsider and therefore withdraw my motion to suspend.”

Santiago then approached Roxas and congratulated the new DILG secretary who replaced Robredo who died in a plane crash off Masbate on Aug 18.

”I would like to thank Sen. Miriam for changing her mind and so it is now the reality because my nomination has been confirmed,” Roxas said after her confirmation.

”Our countrymen can expect that I will continue the kind of leadership that Secretary Robredo has shown that is transparent, honest and organized leadership at DILG,” Roxas added.

At the CA committee level, Sotto as chairman of the interior and local government committee, gave consent to the appointment of Roxas after the panel rejected oppositors from a group of airport employees.

He said the CA is not the proper forum to air their complaint against Roxas.

Buklod ng Kawani ng CID led by Atty. Henry Tubban complained Roxas’s order stopping private airline companies from paying overtime for airport government employees.

During the committee deliberations, Roxas said he explained in his reply to Santiago’s invitation that he cannot still attend any Senate inquiry into the DILG because he was just a nominee of the President.

Roxas explained: “I thought the prudent thing to do was to say I'm not in DILG and I'm unfamiliar with the Puno investigation...My non-appearance was not meant to snub or diminish the importance of the committee hearing.

"I am not yet DILG Secretary, have not assumed duty. I can't speak with authority on these matters.”

Roxas will be holding his third Cabinet portfolio after DOTC and the Dept. of Trade and Industry (2000-2003).

Santiago was the one who seconded the motion of committee on transportation and communication chairman Rep. Antonio Alvarez to confirm the nomination of Abaya.

Abaya, grandson of the country’s first President Emilio Aguinaldo, thanked the CA for his confirmation as DOTC secretary, his first Cabinet portfolio.

The congressman from Cavite vowed to implement all the programs that Roxas designed for the efficient, affordable and reliable transport system in the country.

”I’m lucky I’m the one who replaced Secretary Roxas because he had already put in order the system. What is important is for me to continue implementing these projects,” Abaya said.

Roxas said both he and Abaya will report to President Benigno Aquino III who was expected to officially appoint them and take their oath as new secretaries of DILG and DOTC, respectively.

source: PNA

A multinational technology firm expects continued business growth in the Philippines this year, underpinned by improving economic outlook that can boost spending on information technology (IT).

EMC Philippines country manager Ronnie Latinazo said company sales grew for the 10th straight quarter. It posted record-breaking revenue growth of 62.20 percent in the first half of 2012 over last year.

Latinazo said they are betting on two things --data virtualization and big data wave-- that will drive the market.

“Virtualization, which forms the foundation for Cloud Computing, is taking off in the Philippines,” he said in a press briefing. “Big Data, while in its infancy, is beginning to pick up in the country.”

Latinazo bared that the company is increasing its investments in virtualization initiatives in its bid to propel business growth in this market.

He also identified strong enterprise businesses that can offer huge market opportunities. These include telecommunication and media, banking, utilities, transport, government, real estate, gaming, business process outsourcing (BPO), retail and healthcare.

“We see resurgence in the high-end storage demand,” he noted.

EMC, an IT infrastructure company, cornered more than 50 percent of the total external disk storage market during the first quarter of 2012.

To sustain revenue growth during the second half of the year, Latinazo said the firm will further leverage and enable its channel network.

It will also support infrastructure for mid-tier and small and medium-sized business (SMB) segments, he said.

source: PNA
By Lilybeth G. Ison

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad Wednesday said the latest results of the Social Weather Station survey of the Enterprise on Corruption reflects the administration's success against corruption.

Abad said the results "testify to the significant strides made by the Aquino administration in combating public sector corruption, as well as to the positive impact of our anti-corruption initiatives on the business community."

The SWS said the Office of the President has led other government offices and agencies in making "radical progress" in the fight against corruption.

SWS president Mahar Mangahas, who presented the results of the 2012 Survey of Enterprises on Corruption to business leaders and other stakeholders of the Integrity Initiative, said the fight against corruption has radically progressed since 2009.

"It is a complete turnaround from bad to good," said Mangahas.

Mangahas said the biggest jump came from the Office of the President, whose rating soared from "bad" to "excellent."

The Aquino’s administration reportedly scored +81 in the category, while his predecessor scored -37 in 2009.

Respondents to the survey also rated specific offices and agencies for "net sincerity" in fighting corruption.

Abad said he also welcomed the higher net sincerity rating in fighting corruption given by the latest SWS survey to the DBM as it reaffirms the effectiveness of their reformed agenda.

"We in DBM also welcome our higher net sincerity rating in fighting corruption, which jumped to +22 this year, up from the 'Poor' rating of -17 posted in 2009," he said.

Abad said these figures "not only reaffirm the effectiveness of our reform agenda, they also push us to intensify our efforts at restoring public trust in the country’s fiscal management systems, especially with respect to budget oversight and fund expenditure."

"We extend our appreciation to our partners in and outside government -- particularly the private sector -- for their unwavering support to the Aquino administration’s campaign of instituting good governance and facilitating rapid, inclusive, and sustained economic growth," he said.

Ultimately, Abad said, "our continuing drive to transform the bureaucracy should translate not just to better business in the country -- it should also manifest in the improved delivery of public goods and services to all Filipinos, particularly the poor and marginalized."

By Musong R. Castillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

TOKYOâ€"Owning a perfect record against Chinese-Taipei, Smart Gilas-Pilipinas is still wary as it plunges into the quarterfinal action in the Fiba-Asia Cup Thursday at Ota Gymnasium here.

“This is the strongest Taiwanese team I’ve seen,” coach Chot Reyes said before leaving Wednesday morning to preside over a full PH team practice. “They have good shooters and good big men. They’re dangerous.”

The Taiwanese have never beaten the Philippines since Marcus Douthit joined the Gilas program,and the latest victory by the Filipinos was a 76-72 decision less than a month ago in the Jones Cup.

“They’re quick and they move around a lot,” Gabe Norwood said. “And they have big guys who really can play. They’re going to be a dangerous opponent for us and we have to come out and play our best.”

you can get in touch with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). This government agency has an office in every province of the Philippines.

source: PNA

The U.S. government is taking steps to attract more foreign visitors, aimed at job creation in the country's travel and tourism industry, the White House said on Wednesday in a statement, citing a report from the departments of state and homeland security.

The report, which outlines measures already or being taken, came after President Barack Obama in January directed federal agencies to expand the nation's ability to attract foreign visitors while maintaining high standards of security, the statement noted.

According to the report, U.S. visa processing has been much improved in key markets. In China, consular officers are keeping interview wait times to an average of five days in 2012 while managing a year-on-year 37-percent increase in visa demand.

The United States has established a pilot program that allows consular officers to waive in-person interviews for certain nonimmigrant visa renewal applicants in 28 countries.

Meanwhile, the State Department is investing millions of dollars to upgrade and expand its existing consular facilities. For example, a new consulate building will be opened in Guangzhou, China in Fiscal Year 2013, says the report.

The U.S. government is also building partnerships with Disney, American Express and other tourism industry stakeholders to attract international visitors, the report adds.

The travel and tourism industry is a substantial component of the U.S. GDP and employment, contributing 1.4 trillion dollars in economic activity and 7.5 million jobs according to 2011 figures.

It is projected that more than 1 million American jobs could be created over the next decade if the United States increases its share of the international travel market, noted the White House.

According to industry experts and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, international travel is particularly important as overseas or "long-haul" travelers spend on average 4,000 dollars per visit, which in turn supports and leads to additional travel and tourism-related jobs, the White House added.

source: PNA

The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that Moscow's decision to end the USAID activities in Russia was" regrettable.

"It is regrettable that Russia has taken this decision," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters at a regular briefing.

Russia confirmed Wednesday that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the primary U.S. official aid agency, will leave the country as of Oct. 1. Moscow accused the agency of trying to influence Russia's domestic political affairs.

"This decision (to shut down USAID) is made due to attempts of the agency to influence political processes, civil society institutions, and elections at various levels, through distribution of grants," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Wednesday.

Lukashevich cited "serious questions" that arose from USAID activities in Russia, "especially in the North Caucasus."

At the Wednesday briefing, Nuland dismissed such allegation.

"We completely reject the notion that our support for civil society, democracy, human rights in any way interferes with elections," she said.

Nuland's remarks marked a change of tone with her previous statement. During a briefing on Tuesday, when asked if she was disappointed by Russia's decision, Nuland said: "Obviously, this is a sovereign decision that any country makes."

USAID, founded in 1961, is America's primary government agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. The agency opened its office in Moscow in 1992, with some 60 Russians and 13 U.S. citizens working for it currently.

During the APEC summit early this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Moscow would ask USAID to leave the country shortly.

asa naman ni si melyn? basin walay internet connection.

Nestle Crunch

Total resources of the Philippines banking system rose to P7.72 trillion in the first seven months of this year from year-ago’s P7.16 trillion.

Central bank data showed that the bulk of the money remains with the universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) at P6.92 trillion, up from the P6.40 trillion of same period last year.

Thrift banks came in second at P612.37 billion, higher than the P575.37 billion in end-July 2011.

Rural banks account for the balance of P186.77 billion, which is the level as of December last year. This is higher than the P185.64 billion in end-July 2011.

Earlier, BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the country’s banking system remains strong contrary to its counterparts, particularly in Europe.

He traced this situation to the reforms on among others governance, risk management and stronger partnership with market players.

He earlier disclosed that deposits’ average growth between 1999 to 2007 is about eight percent but the level rose to about 13.40 percent from 2007 to last year.

Loans posted even higher expansion at about 10.62 percent on the average from 2007 to 2011 from around 3.67 annually from 1999 to 2007.

Also, banks’ capital adequacy ratio (CAR), which is the gauge of the financial health of banks, continues to remain strong at about 17 percent on consolidated basis, higher than the 10 percent regulatory requirement.

Similarly, U/KBs’ non-performing loan (NPL) ratio to date is 2.06 percent and the sector’s coverage ratio is 135 percent.

Tetangco admits that the country’s banking system is not immune from the deleveraging, economic slowdown and capital outflows from advanced economies.

He, however, stressed that because of the reforms put in place for some years,the domestic banking system is now more resilient to the negative developments overseas.

source: Reuters

Doctors in Sweden have performed the world’s first mother-to-daughter uterus transplants, a medical team said Tuesday. The University of Gothenburg said two Swedish women, both in their 30s, received wombs from their mothers in operations over the weekend at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg.

The identities of the women were not disclosed. More than 10 surgeons took part in the complicated operation, said Dr. Mats Brannstrom, the team leader and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the university. One of the women had her uterus removed because of cervical cancer, while the other was born without one, the university said.

Is there a cellphone model that plays AM radio station? Most mobile phone models only play FM radio stations.

source: PNA

The Department of Trade and Industry is organizing the Market Week Philippines, the biggest domestic trade event to showcase the products of more than 400 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the home, fashion and food sectors of the country’s 17 regions.

“We have organized this event not only to support the MSMEs in marketing their products but to promote entrepreneurship, and boost the economy in the countryside,” Undersecretary Merly M. Cruz said.

The fair will be held on September 19 to 23, 2012 at the Megatrade Halls 1 to 3, SM Megamall (Building B) in Mandaluyong City.

This fair will feature a wide array of products such as fresh and processed food, footwear, apparel, accessories, jewelry, furniture, furnishings, home décor, gifts and houseware, holiday décor and health and wellness products. It will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and admission is free.

The four-day fair will also set up special booths that will showcase the prototypes developed for selected MSMEs and two special settings featuring water hyacinth products and bayong.

“We have featured water hyacinth products from CALABARZON (the Region IVA, comprising Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon and Rizal) that was developed from the Water Lily Development Project conceptualized in 2009. The DTI in Laguna come up with emergency employment projects and livelihood programs to mitigate the adverse effect of the recent global financial crisis to the local economy,” Cruz said.

This project is a component of the Laguna Livelihood Emergency Accelerated Program (LEAP), which aims to clean up the Laguna Lake by producing value-added products from water hyacinth.

With the significant contribution to the economy of the nine coastal towns of Laguna, the Water Hyacinth Development Program was included as one of the national one town one product (OTOP) flagship programs of DTI in 2010.

This program also carried the advocacy to shift from the use of the traditional, non-biodegradable plastic materials to the eco-friendly water hyacinth.

From 2010 to the first half of 2012, the program created 3,021 jobs and recorded P13.77 million in investments and P21.12 million in domestic sales.

The products from water hyacinth include basket, fashion bags, file folder, wallet, gown, footwear, fruit tray, table mats and runners, furniture, fertilizer, and green charcoal.

source: PNA

The Philippine government pours its steadfast support to the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in recognition of its huge contribution to economic growth.

During President Benigno S. Aquino III's State-of-the-Nation Address last July, he mentioned the BPO industry as a vital driver to the growing economy.

In 2011, BPO companies recorded a total of US$ 11 billion in revenues, employing 638,000 workers, up 22 percent from year-ago level.

Not only does it contribute to the economy but creates jobs nationwide as BPO firms have set up offices outside Manila.

Benedict Hernandez, president of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines, said the industry has partnered with government institutions and schools to further boost the country's hold as the top destination of BPO firms.

"For the past 12 months, there is unprecedented levels of support between industry and government," he said.

"They want to get us to co-architect the K to 12 program. We're in the core on how to reform the educational system in the country," he added.

The industry trains TESDA scholars, most of whom eventually get hired by a BPO firm.

They have also partnered with the Commission on Higher Education where college students can enroll while in school and learn IT-BPO skills.

Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Louis Casambre said the agency has also implemented key programs to support the industry.

One of the programs include the promotion of the so-called "Next Wave cities" located in the provinces.

In a study conducted jointly by the DOST and the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, the "Next Wave BPO cities" are the following:

Davao City; Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Bacolod; Iloilo; Cavite; Lipa, Batangas; Cagayan de Oro; Malolos, Bulacan; Baguio City; and Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

These areas are seen to decongest the huge number of BPO hubs in Metro Manila.

In the next five years, Casambre said the most significant impact of the industry is on employment as government is focused on improving the quality of graduates and their chances of landing jobs.

The BPO industry has risen dramatically in the past decade and continues to be on the rise, said Hernandez.

He said they expect the number of BPO workers to reach 500,000 at the end of the year.

"We did a recent survey and according to the survey, we forecast a 19 percent growth rate at the end of the year," he said.

By 2016, he said they hope to generate 862,000 jobs and earn billions.

By Honor Blanco Cabie

Grace, a young woman in her 20s, is among massage therapists who visit monthly a tension-filled news organization, whose management has religiously scheduled a free four-hour massage session, on official time, monthly for its rank-and-file employees.

Elsewhere in the metropolis, litigation lawyer Amador lies face down on a massage bed while his tired muscles are given the workout by a young therapist while his wife has her re-bonding schedule in a nearby saloon.

In an upscale subdivision east of the capital, Rosanna, a recently retired high school guidance counselor, gets her weekend massage session â€" a full 60 minutes at what she calls very affordable price â€" from the hands of Aling Vicky who has been in the business for nearly 40 years after her husband died when she was in her early 30s.

Aling Vicky, although she has had no formal training in massage therapy, echoes what her formally educated counterparts have repeatedly said: that massage, among others, is a stress buster and lessens depression and anxiety.

Grace, sought out by many in the news organization for her silken but firm touch and hold, adds massage therapy can also relieve migraine pain, increase blood circulation, reduce fatigue and enhance sleep.

Beneficiaries of this activity in the city say there are other benefits they have derived from the one-hour session each week, which they say is good enough for the price they pay â€" including some hefty tip if they enjoy the session.

Some massage therapists refer to studies funded by the National Institutes of Health in the United States which have found massage to be beneficial in improving weight gain in HIV-exposed infants and facilitating recovery in patients who underwent abdominal surgery.

At the University of Miami School of Medicine's Touch Research Institute, researchers have found massage is helpful in decreasing blood pressure in people with hypertension, alleviating pain in migraine sufferers and improving alertness and performance in office workers.

Other therapists say an increasing number of research studies show massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion, and increases endorphins (enhancing medical treatment).

Although therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and, thus, partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.

Some massage therapists say research has verified that:

* Office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged.

* Massage therapy decreased the effects of anxiety, tension, depression, pain, and itching in burn patients.

* Abdominal surgery patients recovered more quickly after massage.

* Premature infants who were massaged gained more weight and fared better than those who weren't.

* Autistic children showed less erratic behavior after massage therapy.

Other massage therapists say massage can also alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion; assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays; ease medication dependence; enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flowâ€"the body's natural defense system; exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles; and increase joint flexibility.

According to them, massage can also lessen depression and anxiety; promote tissue regeneration; reduce scar tissue and stretch marks; pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs; and improve blood circulation.

They add that massage can also reduce post-surgery adhesions and swelling; reduce spasms and cramping; relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles; and release endorphins â€" the amino acids that work as the body's natural painkiller.

Some sources in the health care industry claim massage therapy, also called by other names as stress reliever or pain manager, can be a powerful ally in a compulsive worker’s healthcare regimen.

They say up to 90 percent of contracted disease is stress-related, adding high stress can contribute to faster aging, internally and externally.

Massage, they say, can doubtless help manage stress which translates into decreased anxiety, enhanced sleep quality, improved mental concentration, increased blood circulation, greater physical and mental energy and reduced debility or burnout.

Some of those who suffer from arthritis and have undergone massage therapy â€" like Wenceslao and Anselmo â€" claim feeling some physiological and chemical changes cascading throughout their bodies, with esoteric effects.

Some researches have shown that with massage, arthritis sufferers have noted lesser aches and less stiffness and pain; asthmatic children have shown better pulmonary function and increased peak air flow.

Burn injury patients have themselves reported reduced pain, itching, and anxiety while high blood pressure patients have demonstrated lower diastolic blood pressure, anxiety, and stress hormones.

Premenstrual syndrome sufferers have decreased water retention and cramping while pre-term infants have improved weight gain, according to these researches.

Other researches say massage therapy has been effective in helping alleviate the tensions of modern lifestyles.

At the same time, many hospitals are also incorporating on-site massage practitioners and even spas to treat post-surgery or pain patients as part of the recovery process.

By Alex Osei-Boateng

Ghana is about to launch an electronic agriculture extension project in 50 out of its 178 district assemblies using six of its local dialects by the end of the year.

Emmanuel Odame, a director with the Department of Agriculture Extension Services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, told Xinhua here Tuesday.

The e-extension system, he said, would offer key extension officers the opportunity to use the internet and mobile phones to give quality advisory service to farmers in every part of the country to improve agriculture productivity.

Ghana ranks among leading countries in Sub-Sahara Africa in the use of computers and internet services, with more than six percent of the population having access to the internet.

To take advantage of these information and communication technologies (ICTs), Odame said the department was setting up e-extension services within the ministry to enhance qualitative extension service delivery to farmers and other stakeholders.

"We as a department of the ministry of food and agriculture are positioning ourselves to incorporate ICT into the traditional extension methods we are currently practicing," he said.

"The technology we are adopting in Ghana is not too complicated to follow, or too risky to try within limited resources of farmers and other stakeholders since most of them already have access to mobile phones and internet services," he said.

Ghana has some 2,600 agricultural extension staff working with the country's over four million farmers. This translates to a ratio of one extension agent to 1,700 farmers, which falls short of the Food and Agricultural Organization standard of 1:1,000.

Under the pilot e-extension project, which is being funded by the World Bank through the West Africa Agriculture Productivity Program, over 200 Agricultural Extension Agents or field officers will be trained on how to use the new technology to disseminate information to farmers in the first phase of the project.

The project has a long-term plan to train and build the capacity of farmer-based organizations, NGOs working in farming communities, as well as farmers on innovations to enable them to access information via the web and also assist in updating information.

The electronic service will slot in e-conferencing facility which will have the advantage of travel time reduction and thereby enable farmers to talk to field officers on regular basis, everywhere and anytime across the country.

Innovative ICT-based approaches that utilize internet connection have the advantage of providing advice to farmers on-line while mobile phones help farmers to access information instantly via SMS, according to agriculture experts.

Agriculture plays an important role in economic growth, food security, poverty reduction, livelihoods, rural development and environment in Ghana, where some 60 percent of the population lives in rural areas and depends either directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihood and survival.

The agricultural sector in Ghana is made up mainly of smallholder farmers who are disadvantaged in accessing inputs, credit, extension services and markets for their produce. They therefore rely on extension service officers to provide them with vital information to increase their yields.

Agricultural extension service in Ghana, which dated back to the 19th century, is defined as the entire set of organizations that support and facilitate people engaged in agriculture to solve problems and obtain information, skills, and technologies to improve productivity, their livelihoods and well-being.

The program is being undertaken by governments across the world to employ science-based approaches, and local indigenous knowledge, while undertaking research and development to improve plant variety, livestock and soil fertility.

Although ICTs are used in extension in countries such as China, India, and Chile, Africa has lagged behind in harnessing this potential to improve productivity, with the exception of countries like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, where mobile phone services are used to provide inexpensive text messages about crop price information and "market spy" farmers visit local markets and remain in contact with villages through mobile phones.

By Mulyanda Djohan

Developing countries need a more integrated water management or a "water balance" that should be adhered to by all stakeholders worldwide.

This is aimed at preserving the previous but perishable resource, according to Jae So, manager of World Bank Water and Sanitation Program.

"A 'water balance' is a detailed calculation of water demand from agriculture, industry, to household level as well as water supply and resources," Jae told Xinhua by email before delivering a keynote speech at the IWA World Water Congress in Busan, South Korea.

"Developing countries also have to deal with a high rate of non- revenue water or water loss, river pollution and decreasing quality of water resources due to poor sanitation," Jae said.

The high rate of non-revenue water, which in countries such as Indonesia tops 40 percent, affects financial viability of water utilities as well as the quality of water itself.

Governments are expected to deal with the two main factors behind the high rate of unaccounted-for water: both commercial and physical aspects.

River pollution and decreasing quality of water resources also pose serious problems such as increasing water treatment costs and water-borne diseases.

On potentials for conflicts over water resources, Jae suggested to shift the economy to green economic growth that pays more attention on the sustainability of the growth.

"Water is one of the world's most essential resources, and it is getting scarcer. Economic growth is important, but the world's current growth patterns are not only unsustainable, they are also inefficient and inequitable. That is why inclusive green growth is necessary and urgent," Jae said.

"It is far more affordable for countries to act now than to grow dirty and expect to clean up later when growth patterns may be irreversible and will certainly be expensive and socially disruptive to change.Water is the common denominator across all aspects of human dignity,poverty reduction, food security, energy security, industrial growth, and protection of ecosystems," she said.

Jae's keynote speech also touched on public-private partnerships in water.

Jae said while the usage of science and technology, along with the change of people behavior, would give a great benefit on the water management, it is public-private partnerships that are expected to make real improvement on the ground.

According to Jae, there is a tremendous role that both science and technology can play in the provision of safe water.

"There are many innovative technologies which can help to improve the quality of water.However, we think that the sector needs to know better how to motivate people to use the knowledge available in the world," she said.

Jae bewailed the fact that there are still 2.5 billion people in the world who currently do not have access to sanitation.

In some countries, despite the availability of toilets, people were not using them, and instead, defecating in the open.

"This has an impact on the environmental quality of water resources, as well as impact on the diarrheal and other diseases which affect people,"she said.

A study on Public-Private Partnerships for Urban Water Utilities,carried out by the World Bank three years ago, showed that private sector involvement could create very positive outcomes for the service.

"But what's needed for this strong partnership is not always well known, which is why there was still a perception of a debate," she said.

Jae said the world needs both the public and private sectors to work together to produce the best outcomes for the sector, adding that one of the key ingredients for successful public-private collaboration is a strong public sector.

Some of the most successful public private partnerships had produced dramatic improvements for the service.

For example, the Manila Water Company in the Philippines was able to improve services and access to the East Zone of Metropolitan Manila from 26 percent to 99 percent between 1997 and 2009.

According to Jae, effectiveness is not only limited to the large companies because the domestic private sector is equally capable of bringing in efficiencies.

Throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, governments had been working with the domestic private sector to professionalize water service delivery in rural communities with great results, she said.

By Marwa Yahia

Analysts expected an "investment boom" in Egypt following the country's intensified efforts to attract foreign investments as a way out of its economic crisis.

"An influx of economic delegations' visits to Cairo reflected optimistic outlook for Egypt's economy due to the restoring stability in political conditions, and improvement in security status," said the analysts.

The budget deficit is likely to continue to be Egypt's toughest challenge in the coming years.

It has reached 22.13 billion U.S. dollars, and the state resources can only cover 74 percent of the government's expenses.

The Finance Ministry reports said the government's debts grew by 3 billion U.S. dollars from July 1 to Sept. 12, which have stirred a panic and fears that it would take years for the economy to revive, Hamdy Abdel Azeim, professor of economic at Sadat Academy told Xinhua.

However, Abdel Azeim expects an influx of investments, from Arab or other countries, to come in the coming years.

Recently, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi met several foreign delegations, led by officials and heads of mega companies, to attract more investments.

Morsi received officials from British Gas Company which announced to inject Egypt with investments ranged from 3 to 5 billion U.S. dollars.

Also, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani announced that Qatar will pump 18 billion U.S. dollars in forms of investment into Egypt in the next five years.

Meanwhile, other meetings with foreign ministers from United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Britain have focused on promoting bilateral investment and economic cooperation.

Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Qandil said "the government has set the target for this year at 4.4 percent in growth rate," which requires 45.2 billion U.S. dollars worth of investments in national private sector or foreign investments.

Moreover, on Saturday, Turkey will provide Egypt with a 2- billion-U.S.-dollar package to help Egypt boost its foreign currency reserves and fund its infrastructure projects, Egyptian Finance Minister Momtaz al-Saeid said.

"If the donor countries and the international leaders are true to their initiatives, Egypt may receive around 50 billion U.S. dollars over the coming five years," said Mohsen Adel, chief of the Egyptian Association for Investments and Funding Studies.

Several visits by investment delegations explored the opportunities to invest in Egypt and tried to study the new government's policy to see whether it grants incentives to investors or puts restrictions on investment in certain fields, like tourism and banking, added Abdel Azeim.

He reiterated the investors bet on Egypt as it boosts 90 million consumers, cheap labors and raw materials which form a good base for establishing projects needed in Egypt, especially in agriculture, animal production, petrochemicals, gas, cement and iron and steel.

Abdel Azeim praised the promotional visits by Morsi to China, the European Union and Italy, which will lead to more investments coming in Egypt.

He added political reasons stayed behind the Gulf initiative to invest Egypt, saying "The investments will increase as long as the Muslim Brotherhood does not export the unrest to its lands."

"Qatari investments in Egypt mean more influence as it searches for a political role in the region," added Abdel Azeim.

Sharing Abdel Azeim's optimism, Adel said "visits aimed at making investment in Egypt will positively influence its economy, but there is a need for tangible indications which can confirm a favorable environment for investments after the turmoil."

He asserted Egypt needs to diversify its investments and consider the foreign investment as an essential help for the national economy to achieve high growth rates.

Egypt should maximize the benefits from visits of businessmen because they will be considered as a good indication for the Asian and European countries of good opportunities in Egypt, which has passed its transition period after the unrest, Adel said.

He added the Egyptian economy is likely to make progress in light of the newly-formed democratic political system.

Meanwhile, Farag Abdel Fatah, professor of economics at Cairo University, said investors always look for stable political atmosphere and economic environment of low inflation, in addition to educated manpower.

However, in Egypt, there is a political uncertainty, especially the constitution has not been drafted, said Fatah, noting "we don' t know if there will be a new presidential election after referring the constitution to public referendum."

source: PNA

Amid constant confirmations by the Syrian government it is still able to withstand the economic crunch thanks to its self-reliance policy, new financial figures showed the government is in trouble that is cumulatively damaging its economy.

An economic report released Monday by the pro-government al- Watan newspaper said the country's oil sector has been unable, till the end of July, to repay its incremental financial burdens in foreign currencies.

At the same time, the report pointed out that the oil sector's debt to the Central Bank of Syria has risen to about 233 million U. S. dollars in July.

Last September, the European Union slapped a partial ban on the country's oil exports as part of a bid to intensify pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The sanctions were later reinforced to include several governmental oil trade and oil-field discovery entities, forcing major energy companies to close their operations in Syria.

The 18-month-old crisis has tightened the screw on the country' s economy and caused widespread fuel shortages. Supplies of diesel and cooking gas were running short because of the sanctions.

The government has recently raised the price of a liter of diesel again and the prices of cooking gas have also more than doubled.

There have been repetitive calls by government officials in recent weeks to conserve fuel and to use other energy sources, like electricity, whenever possible.

The Syrian oil minister unveiled that the losses of the oil sector in Syria have exceeded 3 billion dollars since the start of the sanctions.

Recent financial data predicted that the Syrian foreign debt will amount to 11.1 billion dollars in 2012, an increase from last year of about 1.2 percent.

The data, based on the International Monetary Fund's information, said that the Syrian foreign debt was 8.3 billion dollars in 2009, and rose in 2010 to reach 9 billion dollars and then to 9.9 billion dollars in 2011.

The figure suggests that the government's policy of self- sufficiency is no more workable as its oil and tourism sectors, the main lifelines of the country, are suffocating.

The government is also facing another overwhelming burden; the reconstruction of damaged areas that, according to recent unofficial assessment, would cost the government more than 45 billion dollars.

This sum goes beyond the potentials of the Syrian government that faces internal and external pressures.

Ammar Yousef, a researcher at the real estate affairs, said that Syria might need more than this figure had the crisis dragged on for longer time.

He indicated that the government ought to rehabilitate the infrastructure and bring matters back to what they were before the crisis.

by Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com

Senator Tito Sotto inserted in the last minute a libel clause in the anti-cybercrime law, according to Senate records and his chief of staff.

Journalist and blogger Raïssa Robles revealed that Sotto's chief of staff, Atty. Hector Villacorta, confirmed that his boss added libel as a "content-related offense" in Republic Act No. 10175 that was signed last week by President Benigno Aquino.

“I can verify that,” Villacorta told Robles.

He did not tell her why Sotto inserted the provision found in the law's Section 4-C(4), which declares that online libel is now considered a cybercrime that can be punished under the Revised Penal Code.

Sotto, who has received flak online for allegedly plagiarizing the work of several people, including US bloggers and even the late Senator Robert Kennedy, earlier warned his critics to be wary of the anti-cybercrime law.

He claimed that he was "cyberbullied" on the Internet.

"Ako na po yata ang kauna-unahang opisyal na naging biktima ng cyberbullying. Buti na lang mayroon na tayong batas na tinatalakay diyan," he said in a privilege speech against his critics online.

Robles also revealed that the original versions of the anti-cybercrime law, House Bill 5808 and Senate Bill 2796, did not mention either "libel" or "cyberbullying."

Sotto's insertion of libel into the proposed legislation also did not undergo congressional public hearing.

Senate records show that Sotto added the libel amendment on January 24, 2012 (see pages 12-13 on embedded Senate journal below).

Sotto specifically targetted users of social media websites.

"Senator Sotto stated that there are numerous abuses in technology, particularly the video and photo uploading and unnecessary write-ups and comments in social networking systems," the Senate journal said.

mao niy gugma nga kamatayon lang ang utlanan...

Recent work by Dr. David Lohman, assistant professor of biology at The City College of New York, suggests the Philippines, considered by biologists to be a "biodiversity hotspot," could have more unique species of birds than previously thought. If that proves to be the case, it could have important ramifications for conservation practices there.

Many of the animal species found in the Philippines are endemic to this nation, which is made up of more than 7,100 islands. For example, 64 percent of its land mammal species and 77 percent of its amphibians are not found anywhere else. However, only 31 percent of its bird species are considered Philippines-only. - source: China Weekly News

Naturalized center Marcus Douthit showed exactly why he’s such an important member of the SMART-Gilas national team as he dominated on the floor to help the Philippines defeat Lebanon, 78-68, in their Group A clash in the 4th FIBA Asia Cup in Tokyo, Japan.

Douthit posted 25 points, 21 rebounds and one crucial block on longtime Lebanon star Fadi El-Khatib with under a minute to play as SMART-Gilas notched its first win of the tournament.

Gilas trailed Lebanon after a very tight first half that saw neither team lead by more than five points. Behind El-Khatib, who had 15 points and six rebounds in the first two periods, and their own naturalized player Garnett Thompson, who had 13 and seven, the Lebanese held a slim three-point edge, 41-38, at the halftime break.

But Douthit turned things around in the third period, crashing the offensive glass to score eight of his 10 points in the quarter off of second chance putbacks. His last two points, a pair of free throws with 23 seconds remaining in the third, gave Gilas a 59-53 lead, the largest for either team at that point. - source: Interkaksyon.com

MTV Revelations, part of the Awesome Philippines campaign to promote the Philippines as a destination for young adults and music lovers, has set up an island on Second Life, the popular 3D virtual world, to engage and encourage young travelers to visit the Philippines. Complementing the 8 May launch of the online campaign on Second Life will be the Philippines Department of Tourism (PDOT) animated television commercial, to air on MTV around the world beginning in early June.

Visitors may utilize the virtual island to view and explore a multitude of destinations. On the island, visitors can dive virtually with whale sharks at the mouth of Donsol River, Sorsogon; go windsurfing on a beach modeled after the famous white sands of Boracay; fly above the majestic 1,268 Chocolate Hills of Bohol; and visit Mount Mayon, The Philippines' most active volcano... - source: China Weekly News

The Philippines is more competitive this year - for the first time in several years - according to the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2011-2012 released last week. The GCR itself and news reports noted an impressive increase in the Philippines' rank from 85 to 75, a 10-point jump. But it also acknowledged that much work remains to be done if the Philippines is to become truly and highly competitive.

Much of that work remains very fundamental. As I wrote last week, without a strong base, the Philippines cannot hope to attain its potential. While many celebrated the Philippines' improved ranking - understandably so - most overlooked the fact that the Philippines actually slipped a notch in basic requirements, which include the economic competitiveness. - Manila Bulletin

THE Philippines is calling out to the Arab travellers with its new marketing representative in Dubai, UAE launched last year for the first time.

In 2011, the Philippines attracted 55,829 tourists from the Middle East posting a growth rate of 14.6 per cent from 2010 arrivals.

The first quarter of 2012 continued to register positive growth at 12.24 per cent. Key travel markets in the region are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar.

Mohamad Ibrahim Masri, director for the Middle East representative office of the Republic of Philippines Department of Tourism said, "Philippines has been participating at trade shows like Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in the past... - source: Travel and Tourism News

By FLOYD WHALEY

Times are pretty good in the Philippines if you are young, skilled and live in the city. According to economists, young urban workers are helping to give the country its brightest prospects in decades.

In the upscale business district of Manila, a midweek crowd spills out into the street. The New York-themed Borough restaurant is pulsating to the beat of a Bon Jovi song, while young, hip Filipinos take shots of tequila from a passing tray and sing in …
= source: International Herald Tribune

Entering the grand-prix of BPO space is India's neighbour, the Philippines. Today, there are over 450,000 BPO workers operating in the Philippines. Many global BPO suppliers already have a presence in the Philippines and those who don't are quickly moving in before it's too late.

In addition, many multi-nationals have already set up their own captive centres.

Telecommunications and other infrastructures in the Philippines are comparatively cheaper and more advanced compared to other offshoring destinations.

In fact, the Philippines was the first nation in Asia to de-regulate the telecommunication sector and appear to present a more stable, robust and a highly scalable telecoms - Wires

The Philippines may not be a very competitive place, but boy is it friendly. In the Heritage Foundation's 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, the Philippines improved its standing slightly, ranking 107 out of 179 countries. That rank puts the Philippines solidly in the category of "mostly unfree," five places behind Cambodia and eight rungs ahead of Indonesia. Vietnam, the current darling of investment analysts, sits at 136.

There is cause for cheers, however. The Philippines is the eighth friendliest country in the world for expatriates, according to a quality of expatriate lifestyle survey conducted last year by HSBC. The survey covered just 31 countries, and another mostly democratic Asian country-Thailand-came out on top. - Manila Bulletin

Thailand is the leader in medical tourist arrivals holding more than 40% share in Asia medical tourist arrivals in 2011. Its medical tourism market was around US$ 2 Billion in 2011 and it is expected to be more than double by 2015. Thailand has world-class medical facilities with its high-profile private hospitals and clinics. Thailand has been one of the favorite medical tourism destinations for all over the world. source: researchandmarkets.com

South Korea is a fast-growing medical tourism destination. It is home to some of the best hospitals and specialty clinics in the world, offering world-class expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and warm hospitality. South Korea was holding more than 6% in Asia medical tourism market in 2011. It is foreseen that South Korea will desperately looking forward to... source: researchandmarket.com

The Indian medical tourism market is growing at an excellent rate and currently witnessing a high inflow of international patients who come to India for medical treatments due to the country's lower healthcare costs and various other advantages. With this rapid increase in the target base of consumers, the market will exhibit steady growth in future, thus providing players the opportunity to increase profitability. - source: researchandmarket.com

By George Friedman | Sept. 18, 2012

Last week, four American diplomats were killed when armed men attacked the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The attackers' apparent motivation was that someone, apparently American but with an uncertain identity, posted a video on YouTube several months ago that deliberately defamed the Prophet Mohammed. The attack in Benghazi was portrayed as retribution for the defamation, with the attackers holding all Americans equally guilty for the video, though it was likely a pretext for deeper grievances. The riots spread to other countries, including Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen, although no American casualties were reported in the other riots. The unrest appears to have subsided over the weekend.

In beginning to make sense of these attacks, one must observe that they took place in Benghazi, the city that had been most opposed to Moammar Gadhafi. Indeed, Gadhafi had promised to slaughter his opponents in Benghazi, and it was that threat that triggered the NATO intervention in Libya. Many conspiracy theories have been devised to explain the intervention, but, like Haiti and Kosovo before it, none of the theories holds up. The intervention occurred because it was believed that Gadhafi would carry out his threats in Benghazi and because it was assumed that he would quickly capitulate in the face of NATO air power, opening the door to democracy.

source: Press Release

Youth as heritage champions

To promote heritage awareness among the youth, especially in preserving Cebu's
culture and history, youth participation should be linked in the process of creating this
awareness.

“As what Dr. Jose Rizal said, the youth is the hope of the nation. To realize this, we
should educate and let our youth understand their role in preserving our culture and heritage,”
Karl Hegel Damayo, Exhibitions and Museum Collections officer of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation
Inc.'s (RAFI) Casa Gorodo Museum, said.

During the Sept. 15 episode of “Pagtuki”, the official radio program of RAFI, Damayo
stressed out that knowing one’s culture is the first step to working for a better community.
“The more we are proud of our culture and heritage, the more we are encouraged to
contribute to community development,” he added.

Max Capatan, a History student from University of San Carlos (USC), said that contrary
to people’s perception, today’s youth are more interested of the past. He said that the youth
have a role to perform in promoting Cebuano culture locally or nationally.

“When we see pictures of old streets in Cebu City, we are curious on the origin of the
names of the streets as well as the stories behind their names. To know our culture contributes
on how we see ourselves and with whom we identify with,” Capatan said.

“As I study Cebuano culture, observable aspects of culture―such as food, celebrations,
religion, and language―are only part of cultural identity. The values, customs, and the histories
are also an important part of our culture,” he added.

According to Capatan, in the age of internet, social networking sites like Facebook and
Twitter can widen the promotion of Cebuano culture and heritage.

“These online sites are good venues for the youth to engage themselves in the
promotion of our culture and heritage, especially to fellow young people,” he said.
This Sept. 29, RAFI's Culture & Heritage unit, in partnership with the Cebu City
Government and University of San Carlos-Department of Anthropology, Sociology and History
(USC-DASH), will hold the fourth run of Kabataan, Kultura, Kabilin (KKK), which aims to expand
the youth’s learning on cultures from different periods by visiting local museums and heritage
sites.

For more information on KKK, please contact 418-7234 loc. 703 and look for Karl Hegel
Damayo.

“Pagtuki” is aired over dyLA every Saturday at 10 a.m.-11 a.m. The program, which is
one of the Knowledge Sharing & Advocacy capabilities of RAFI, tackles timely and relevant
issues affecting the Cebuano community.

For more information about RAFI’s radio program please contact Fatrick Tabada at 418-
7234 loc. 542, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.

basin tambal ni sa AIDS like our tuko.

command responsibility man kini ni Oebanda. she is the president/founder. wala siyay ipsot. bisan pag moingon siya nga ang iyang accountant ang nag-fake sa receipt, it must be noted that all financial transactions had to pass through her review and approval. syaro ug dili siya aware. hinuon, kinsa may k******n nga moangkon akoy nangawat?

Clickability: A Skill for Life by Dr. Rick Kirschner

“Whether the times are great, or the economy is in the tank, the people who do the best, who prosper and advance, are the people who know how to connect with other people and have it matter.”

Success or Suckcess: It’s Up to Senior Management to Decide by Dan Hill

“Over the past 25 years, the breakthroughs in brain science have systematically documented that thought and emotion can’t be artificially separated and that, in fact, the capacity for emotion proceeded thought in evolutionary terms and continues to do so with every deliberation and act an employee makes.”

Crime and (the Lack of) Punishment by Neil Senturia

“I am passionate about great crimes and the criminals who commit them. But, I often wonder if the long arm of our law, the finest justice system in the world, is at times deeply corrupt, especially with regard to the most recent financial meltdown of 2008.”

Innovation You: Creating Growth By Jeff DeGraff

“Growth comes from developing a deeper understanding of the interplay of the forces and how to manage the tensions of conflict and cooperation. … Our opportunities to become better and newâ€"to become wholeâ€"to succeed, are discovered in the places where the world around us is growing and calls us to do the same.”

Innovate or Perish! What’s Your Strategy? by Kevin & Jackie Freiberg and Dain Dunston

“It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, someone, somewhere right now is building a product, process or business model designed to kick your butt. If it’s you, then you define the rules by which others must play the game. If it’s NOT you, then you had better get comfortable playing by someone else’s rules.”

The 5,000 Year History of How We Lost Half Our Mind (Or How Blah-Blah-Blah Has Gradually Taken Over Our Lives) by Dan Roam

“Over the millenia, we have gradually purged our visual mind from our understanding of language, communications, and intelligence. Just when we need pictures the most, we no longer have the ability to think visually. It’s time to bring our visual mind back.”

The Way of Identity by Larry Ackerman

“The order in life that affects us all is contained in a code, the identity code. Much like our biological genetic code, our identity code is born into each of us, providing a complete map of how we, as human beings, are designed to functionâ€"of how we are supposed to liveâ€"when we are living according to who we are.”

How to Get Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level by Joel A. Garfinkle

“By studying, researching, and observing over a thousand clients, I discovered three things the most successful do that others don’t. … When used together, these three powerful principles will catapult you to the next level in your career and ensure future success.”

Can You Call It a Business If It Isn’t Making Sales? Why So Many Business Owners Find Selling Difficult and What To Do About It. by Jenan Mujkic

“No matter what your first job is, your second job is self-promotion. … To do this effectively, you need to have ALL of your touch points mapped out, and they need to be designed and actively managed.”

How to Spread Ideas: Think Like an Entrepreneur, Not Like a Crusader by John Vespasian

“The fact that most philosophers and innovators have acted like crusaders does not prove that this is the right way to live. In fact, the opposite if true. … When it comes to practical wisdom, entrepreneurs are light-years ahead of crusaders.”

The Collaborative Organization by Jacob Morgan

“I believe that collaborative organizations can make the world a better place. … I believe that for the first time in history organizations are able to deploy technologies and strategies that not only impact the lives of employees in the workplace but also outside of the workplace, and both for the better.”

The Secret to Self-Discipline By Rory Vaden

“Today’s work environment has been dubbed everything from the Age of Distraction and the Age of Inattention … The bottom line is this: regardless of your job title, we are all trying to accomplish increasingly more with increasingly less resourcesâ€"whether those resources are money, time, focus, or energy.”

Cure the (Self-Inflicted) Chaos First Cure the (Self-Inflicted) Chaos First by Karen Martin

“More than 80 percent of improvement efforts fail to make a discernible difference in overall business performance, regardless of the improvement methodology in use. The reason isn’t a flaw in the methodologies, but a flaw inside of companies.”

How Perceptions Shape Realities by Baldev Seekri

“Whereas methodology, milestones and measurements are extremely important for any journey of achievement and they have their place in the execution stage of the journey, what is required in the earliest stage of the journey is to make the participants of the journey perceive the worthiness of the task at hand.”

The Failure to Engage: Understanding the Mechanism that Determines Employee Engagement and Micro-Innovation by John Bernard

“Employee engagement remains low because fear kills innovation and fear continues as the dominant management mechanism. … Fear blocks employees’ ability to say ‘yes’ to customer needs [and] to act on opportunities to innovate.”

The Art of Not Knowing by Craig Coggle

“Innovation and creativity can only exist with the wonder of not knowing. I wonder what will happen if I mix this thing here with this thing over here. I don’t know but would love to find out. Curiosity is born from not knowing. Not knowing therefore can help us change and grow.”

The Finch Effect: How Adaptability Will Save Your Career (and Happiness) by Nacie Carson

“As humans, we have the power to direct our response. We can consciously choose how to change the shape of our beaks… or at least consciously choose how we respond to the changes in our environment. And that environmental change we face now, today, is an economic one.”

The How Manifesto: Why How Business Gets Done Around the World is the New Competitive Advantage, and New Metrics for a New Reality by Dov Seidman

“HOW. We’ll see that word a lot in this manifesto. Simply stated, HOW is the belief that in our more interconnected and interdependent world, we rise and fall together. The way to forge a better, more sustainable path of growth and progress lies in the realm of human behaviorâ€"HOW we do what we do.”

How to Tell a Story: 10 Simple Strategies by Jonah Sachs

“Maybe it’s because we’re all so overloaded with information. Maybe it’s because we’re all so starved for meaning. Or maybe it’s because, thanks to social media, everyone’s become a broadcaster these days. Whatever the reason, we’re all getting the same memo at the same time: if you want to be heard, you’d better learn to tell better stories.”

The Personal MBA, Updated & Expanded: Mastering Business Without Spending a Fortune by Josh Kaufman

“MBA programs don’t have a monopoly on advanced business knowledge. You can teach yourself everything you need to know to succeed in life and at work. … So skip business school and the suffocating student loans: you can get a world-class business education simply by reading these books.”

Taking Higher Education Higher: How to Cut College Costs and Increase Degree Value by Sharla Berry

“With college costs rising, student loan debt skyrocketing and average starting salaries falling, the following questions must be asked. Is college for everybody? Who is college for? … This manifesto is for those who are willing to begin the work of change.”

El Sistema Comes to the USA: Playing the Mambo and Other Transformations By Jamie Bernstein

“El Sistema’s founder, the visionary musician and economist Jose Antonio Abreu, has said, ‘If you put a violin in a child’s hands, that child will never hold a gun.’ It is a profound idea … And now this idea is spreading around the world”

How “Helpful” Systems Extinguish Career Development (and What You Can Do to Reignite It) by Beverly Kaye & Julie Winkle Giulioni

“Career development appears at the top of many lists. Unfortunately, the lists tend to be those focused on what employees desperately want but are not getting from their managers.”

8 Tips for Managing Your Personal Brand 8 Tips for Managing Your Personal Brand by Rodger Dean Duncan

“Face it. For good or ill, you have a personal brand. In fact, in the eyes of others, you are your personal brand. … Your reputation is your brand. Your brand is your reputation. And it makes a world of difference in every relationship you have.”

Fighting liver cancer

In line with the observance of Liver Cancer Awareness Month this September, the
Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI)
encourages the public to have a complete vaccination for hepatitis B as a primary preventive
measure for liver cancer.

Ronald delos Reyes, program coordinator of EJACC, said that 80 percent of patients
diagnosed with liver cancer in Metro Cebu are infected with Hepatitis B while the remaining
percent is due to excessive alcohol intake.

EJACC’s 2003-2007 data shows that there are 1,267 deaths from the 1,612 liver cancer
cases.

“People will soon see the benefits of the vaccination. There will be a decrease in number
of liver cancer cases, particularly in Metro Cebu, if all people will be vaccinated,” delos Reyes
said, pointing out that Lapu-Lapu City has the highest number of liver cancer cases in Metro
Cebu.

During the September 8 episode of “Pagtuki”, the official radio program of RAFI, delos
Reyes said that Hepatitis B and C are the primary causes of liver cancer followed by cirrhosis of
the liver, which is characterized as scarring of the liver caused by sustained alcohol intake.

He added that patients with diabetes, especially with hepatitis, people whose mother or
father with liver cancer, and obese people are the ones at risk of developing liver cancer.
Dr. Monen Sarabosing, internal medicine doctor of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical
Center, also encourages the public to take preventive measures to reduce one’s risk of liver
cancer.

These measures include vaccination for hepatitis B, avoidance of excessive alcohol
intake, sex with multiple partners, and smoking.

“Liver cancer has a poor prognosis because it is often diagnosed very late in its course.
It usually presents no symptoms not until the disease has already spread in the liver. Some
visible symptoms include abdominal pain, especially in the upper-right part, yellow skin or eyes
(jaundice), and loss of appetite,” she stressed out.

Sarabosing added that people should take care of their livers for it performs vital
functions in the body. The liver stores nutrients that are absorbed from the intestine and filters
out and breaks down toxic wastes in the blood, which are then removed from the body.

“Healthy lifestyle always tops our list of preventive measures. We should eat the right
food with the right amount, an exercise for at least 30 minutes daily, and strive for a lessstressed life,” she added.
For more information on liver cancer and EJACC and its services, please contact 254-
6351 and look for Gina Mariquit, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.oph.

source: Associated Press

Manny Pacquiao scribbled intently on a piece of paper Monday while promoters and managers hyped his fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez from the dais in a posh hotel ballroom.

Pacquiao eventually showed the paper to his trainer, Freddie Roach.

"He wrote, 'I need a knockout,' " Roach said with a gleam in his eye.

Three compelling bouts in the past eight years still haven't resolved the rivalry between Pacquiao and Marquez, so they're stepping in the ring together for a fourth bout on Dec. 8 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

And this time, they're both looking for the only decisive ending to any fight: a stone-cold KO.

"I want to erase the doubt of the last three fights," Pacquiao said. "There's so many people still asking if I won the fights. I think to myself, 'Something is wrong. I have to do it again.' This time, I will train hard to put this fight up in the history of boxing. I want to make this fight short. I want to knock him out."

By Honor Blanco Cabie

This month, employees of a government news organization have been assigned dates within which to have an appointment with doctors at the Philippine Cancer Society in Manila’s San Miguel district â€" for detection of prostate and breast cancer.

Many have started queuing up for the appointment â€" but as many, chiefly those in their 50s, 60s and some employment extendees, refused to meet up with the doctors for fear they might learn they had something literally “bellow their belt.”

But registered medical technologist Joy Luz Roque echoed what urologist Renato Tongol of San Fernando City, Pampanga and other medical experts have said that early detection of cancer was “still the best cure. “

And this is particularly important for those who have a highly processed diet, smokers, compulsive drinkers and journalists who have a sedentary lifestyle in an eminently stress-filled newsroom.

The first batch of employees had a similar observation on how the doctors began the examination: they were separately asked for their medical history, precisely to find out what possible symptoms might have been experienced by the patient in the near- or even long-term.

The rectal exam, which lasts less than a minute, may be chased by an ultrasound or a prostate-specific antigen test, which measures, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the blood level of PSA, a protein that is produced by the prostate gland.

According to NCI, the higher a man’s PSA level, the more likely it is that he has prostate cancer although there are other reasons for having an elevated PSA level, and some men who have prostate cancer do not have elevated PSA.

NCI says the PSA test has been widely used to screen men for prostate cancer. It is also used to monitor men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer to see if their cancer has recurred (come back) after initial treatment or is responding to therapy.

But some advisory groups now recommend against the use of the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer because the benefits, if any, are small and the harms can be substantial. None recommend its use without a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of using the test.

But what is the PSA test?

Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland, measures the level of PSA in a man’s blood.

According to cancer experts, for this test, a blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The results are usually reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood.

NCI says the blood level of PSA is often elevated in men with prostate cancer, and the PSA test was originally approved by the FDA in 1986 to monitor the progression of prostate cancer in men who had already been diagnosed with the disease.

In 1994, the Federal Drug Association approved the use of the PSA test in conjunction with a digital rectal exam (DRE) to test asymptomatic men for prostate cancer.

Men who report prostate symptoms often undergo PSA testing (along with a DRE) to help doctors determine the nature of the problem, according to NCI.

In addition to prostate cancer, several benign (not cancerous) conditions can cause a man’s PSA level to rise. The most frequent benign prostate conditions that cause an elevation in PSA level are prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlargement of the prostate).

There is no evidence that prostatitis or BPH leads to prostate cancer, but it is possible for a man to have one or both of these conditions and to develop prostate cancer as well, according to NCI.

Until recently, many doctors and professional organizations encouraged yearly PSA screening for men beginning at age 50. Some organizations recommended that men who are at higher risk of prostate cancer, and men whose father or brother had prostate cancer, begin screening at age 40 or 45.

However, as more has been learned about both the benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening, some organizations have begun to caution against routine population screening.

Although some organizations continue to recommend PSA screening, there is widespread agreement that any man who is considering getting tested should first be informed in detail about the potential harms and benefits.

What is a normal PSA test result?

According to cancer specialists, there is no specific normal or abnormal level of PSA in the blood. In the past, most doctors considered PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower as normal.

If a man had a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL, doctors would often recommend a prostate biopsy to determine whether prostate cancer was present, according to experts.

Roque, who arranged the appointments for the government news organization employees, said people should have themselves checked at the first signs of the problem, the symptoms, including but are not limited to blood in the stool, changes in bowel movement, unexplained weight loss, unexplained anemia, and frequent abdominal pain.

She says that given the present fast pace and ever changing lifestyles, particularly those in the metropolis, early detection of cancer, among the top leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines, remains the best weapon against the disease.

According to cancer specialists, leading cancer sites or types are lung, breast, cervix, liver, colon and rectum, prostate, stomach, oral cavity, ovary and leukemia.

Figures from the Philippine Cancer Society show deaths in year 2010 in the different cancer types as: lung, 9,184; liver, 6,819; breast, 4,371; intestines, 3,060; leukemia, 2,609; stomach, 2,274; cervix, 1,984; brain, 1,855; prostate, 1,410; and pharynx, 1,326.

By Maria Young

There’s no more hiding behind your Happy Meal. On Monday, McDonald’s started listing calorie content at its more than 14,000 restaurants and drive-through windows across the United States.

“We are rolling out national menu boards featuring calorie information, because it’s the right thing to do for our customers and our brand,” said Danya Proud, spokesperson for McDonald’s USA. “Polls show about 80 percent of Americans favor having nutrition information listed on menu boards, and as the industry leader we believe we can help play a role in bringing greater attention to the importance of calories and nutrition overall for customers.”

McDonald’s has already posted calories in New York City and Philadelphia, and in states like, California and Vermont, where the information is required by law, as well as in South Korea, Australia and the UK, with plans to expand to Latin America next year.

McDonald’s decision to post calorie information in the U.S. comes ahead of regulations that are part of the federal health care overhaul, requiring restaurant chains and retail food establishments with 20 or more locations across the nation to post calories in their stores. The exact time frame for all this to happen is still unclear.

In the past McDonald’s has come under fire for not offering enough healthy menu items, as obesity rates rise in the U.S.

McDonald’s said its new menu items include more fruits and vegetables, as well as more grilled chicken items.

The calorie counts are designed to offer some food for thought that may help consumers make wiser, healthier choices. For example, a lunch consisting of a regular hamburger, a small order of fries and an iced tea has 480 calories, according to McDonald’s. An Angus Bacon Cheeseburger, large fries and a medium coke total 1,500 calories.

Experts say the calorie postings may have a domino effect on smaller businesses â€" and could encourage health regulators to encourage new requirements for other food sellers.

“If the biggest restaurant chain on earth can cheerfully announce that it’ll put calorie counts on menu boards, the Food and Drug Administration should take notice,” said Margo Wootan, Director of Nutrition Police at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

“The Administration should issue final menu labeling rules that include vending machines, restaurant-style foods sold at supermarkets, convenience stores and movie theaters, and not give in to every special interest that doesn’t want to play by the same rule,” said Wootan.

source: PNA

U.S. President Barack Obama has called U.S. diplomats at a number of American missions in the Arab world in an effort to reassure them amid the latest wave of anti-American protests in the region, a White House spokesman said on Monday.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that over the weekend, Obama called American chiefs of mission in Sudan, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen to let them know that he was thinking about them and reassure them that the security of the U.S. diplomats is his " top priority."

"This is something that's on his mind even as he has some responsibilities as a candidate for reelection," he said during a press gaggle en route to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Anti-American protests broke out in the Arab world recently over an alleged U.S.-made movie that insults Prophet Mohammed.

On Tuesday, protesters and gunmen stormed the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya and set fire to the U.S. mission building, which led to the killings of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other embassy staffers.

source: PNA

By Joann Santiago

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is maintaining its five percent 2012 growth forecast for remittances as expansion of inflows from overseas Filipinos has been registering above target since January.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., in a briefing for the government’s mid-year economic briefing at Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), said actual inflows are “on track” for this year’s target.

In the first seven months this year, total inflows coursed through banks rose by 5.2 percent to US$ 11.94 billion while last July’s level increased by 5.4 percent to US$ 1.81 billion.

Relatively, personal remittances, which is the net compensation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have work contracts of less than a year, went up by 5.3 percent year-on-year in end-July this year to US$ 13.28 billion while last July’s figure rose by 5.4 percent to US$ 2 billion.

Tetangco explained that “it would be more realistic to stick to the five percent” target.

“Even if the growth is slightly above, it is not significantly above the forecast,” he said.

“In terms of the growth rate, it may pick up but it will not pick up that much,” he pointed out.

On the other hand, the central bank chief said monetary officials are currently reviewing the targets for the gross international reserves (GIR), the balance of payment (BOP) and its components particularly in the capital account.

As of last August, the country’s foreign reserves hit US$ 80.8 billion, already way ahead of the US$ 77.5-78 billion target for the year.

“It is already higher than what is projected so we have to also adjust GIR target upward,” he said.

Relatively, the BOP registered a surplus of US$ 4.5 billion as of last July, also ahead of this year’s US$ 2.6 billion target.

Tetangco said actual figures for both the foreign reserves and the BOP are already ahead of the targets, thus, the targets have to be adjusted.

source: PNA
By Saul E. Pa-a

President Benigno Aquino III assured Monday that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be provided its arms requirements 100 percent or even more despite the tedious process under the government procurement system, as long as these processes undergo thorough review following his instructions for “the biggest bond for the bulk.”

President Aquino was in this city Monday to lead the awarding of the Seal of Good Housekeeping for Barangay Governance and the oath taking of new Liberal Party members in Quezon province.

In a press interview, the President explained that “kung ano po yung budget natin ay maparami yung makukuha para yung dinatnan kong kakulangan ay mapunan.”

The Chief Executive said the winning bidder can deliver the supply of some 60,000 to 70,000 pistols in about a year and a half.

He also ordered to expedite the review and evaluation on the rifles so these could be delivered as soon as the winning bid is awarded.

Responding to the press query, President Aquino pushed for the arms acquisition for the police force after a Quezon newsman reported to the President on the shortage of firearms at the Quezon Provincial Police Office which has some 1,465 personnel.

Police sources said that as of the 2nd quarter of this year, even the Calabarzon Police Regional Office listed a shortage of some 1,156 short firearms and 704 long firearms.

Under the Capability Enhancement Programs (CEPs) for 2011 and 2012, the regional police office is expected to receive some 3,400 short firearms and 180 long firearms.

The PNP leadership issued the directive for the PNP procurement of the 74,600 firearms under the CEPs to address the shortage by 100 percent, thereby benefiting the Quezon Police Provincial Office.

By Saul E. Pa-a
PNA

President Benigno Aquino III ordered Monday the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to look into reports of illegal quarrying at the foot of Mt. Banahaw in Sariaya, Quezon.

Mt. Banahaw is one of the country’s protected landscapes along with Mt. Makiling and Mt. San Cristobal and the Taal Volcano landscape in the Calabarzon Region.

Addressing the newsmen’s interview, the President said the DENR has conducted monitoring on Mt. Banahaw’s reported quarrying activities but the multi-partite monitoring team only conducts the surveillance on a quarterly basis.

Aquino directed the DENR to conduct the probe on quarrying within the purview of the provincial or local government in accordance with the local government code.

The DENR denied illegal quarry at the foot of the protected mountain saying there is only one active and legal gravel operations along the Lagnas and Janagdong Rivers in Sariaya.

The extraction permits were issued by the Quezon Provincial Government through the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) and the DENR Calabarzon.

According to the report, the Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee (MRFC) and the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) covering the sand and gravel extraction and crushing plant operations were already operationalized.

Besides monitoring on a quarterly basis, the MRFC also meets quarterly to tackle issues and concerns arising from the findings of the MMT.

source: PNA

The southwest monsoon continues to weaken but will still bring rains to most parts of Luzon and the Visayas while another low pressure area was seen northeast of Basco, Batanes, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

Weather Forecaster Fernando Cada said as of 2 p.m. Monday, the LPA was spotted at 1,000 km northeast of Basco Batanes (23.0°N ,132.5°E) and will bring rains in Northern Luzon but has a small chance to turn into a tropical cyclone.

“Itong LPA na ito bago na yung kaninang umaga na nasa 400 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes (22.0°N ,126.0°E) na dissipate still has small chance to turn into tropical depression but we (weather agency) still continue to monitor the LPA and once it develops into tropical depression, it will be named “Lawin”, the 12th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year,” Cada said.

He said that Luzon, particularly its western sections, including Metro Manila will have partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies with the possibility of light to moderate rains due to the presence of the “weakening” southwest monsoon.

Cada said the southwest monsoon started to weaken on Monday as typhoon “Karen” moves farther away from the country.

In its advisory, PAGASA said that occasional light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced in Mimaropa (Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol region and Western Visayas.

source: PNA

The Philippines’ insurance sector is targeted to be at par with counterparts overseas with the latest rule requiring companies to meet a P1 billion minimum capital.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the insurance sector is among the industries expected to benefit from targeted integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) by 2015.

“That’s part of the recognition that they have to do battle with other insurance companies from other countries,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the government’s mid-year economic briefing at Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Monday.

Purisima explained that premium of life and non-life insurance products in the country remain “quite high” but once the regional integration kicks in insurance companies in the country will face greater competition, thus, the need to keep up with the competition.

“If they get together our consumers will benefit because the cost of insurance will go down,” he said.

To date, the minimum paid-up capital is P250 million but insurance companies are required to increase this every other year until it reaches P1 billion by 2020.

For reinsurers, they are required to have a P2 billion paid up capital by 2020 while entities involved in micro-insurance are required to meet a P500 million minimum capital.

Purisima said the domestic capital market needs to meet the demand of integration with other economies.

“What is important is since cross border trading is increasing then our disclosure requirement standard should follow suit,” he said.

The Finance chief said the ASEAN 2015 integration will push through as programmed but admits that “there may be areas that may have to be adjusted.”

“There will always be industries that might not be ready but what we’ve seen so far in the industries that have been integrated ahead of the 2015 schedule is they actually benefit,” he said citing as example the electronics sector.

Purisima said the country’s electronics sector was expected to die a few years back due to several reasons like lacklustre performance and size-related issue.

source: PNA

A group of Filipino American hospital employees in California have won in a case of national origin discrimination and harassment, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) announced here Monday.

The settlement is the largest for a workplace language discrimination case both in the U.S. west coast and the country's healthcare service. It is also the largest language rights settlement ever secured by APALC.

The landmark victory was achieved by APALC, a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of 69 Filipino American hospital employees who were subject to national origin discrimination and harassment when the hospital singled them out for enforcement of an unlawful English only policy in violation of federal and state law.

The Delano Regional Medical Center (DRMC), a hospital in California's Central Valley, agreed to settle the case by paying the victims a total of 975,000 dollars.

"We believe DRMC enforced an overly restrictive English only policy against its Filipino American employees and created a workplace environment that was hostile toward them," said Laboni Hoq, litigation director at APALC.

"This settlement will send a strong message to employers that it is illegal to target workers based on their national origin and will hopefully encourage more Asian American and immigrant workers to speak out when their rights are violated, like our brave clients did," Hoq added.

The settlement also imposes on the hospital a three-year Consent Decree which prohibits it from engaging in the kind of alleged discrimination and harassment that gave rise to the lawsuit and institutes a new Language Policy that acknowledges the value of the hospital's diverse work force and allows employees the dignity to speak the language of their choice in appropriate circumstances.

The Consent Decree also requires the hospital to hire an external Equal Employment Opportunity monitor to ensure compliance with its terms, as well as train all staff to comply with equal employment laws and the new Language Policy.

The federal lawsuit began in August 2010 when the EEOC sued Defendants Central California Foundation for Health/Delano Regional Medical Center and Delano Health Associates, Inc. for harassment and discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

In January 2011, APALC intervened in the suit on behalf of more than 40 plaintiff-intervenors who filed additional claims under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act, including a claim that the hospital's English only policy was unlawful.

Beginning in 2006 the hospital singled out Filipino American employees and prohibited them from speaking Tagalog and other Filipino languages at the hospital - including in break rooms, the cafeteria and in hallways - but did not impose the same requirements on other bilingual staff, according to the lawsuit.

Despite having an ethnically diverse workforce, Defendants allegedly required only Filipino American employees to attend mandatory meetings where DRMC management told them that they were prohibited from speaking Tagalog and other Filipino languages at the workplace, threatened to monitor them with audio surveillance, deputized all hospital employees to prevent them from speaking Tagalog, and threatened to discipline and suspend employees who were cited for speaking Tagalog.

The lawsuit alleged that the hospital's selective and discriminatory enforcement of the policy created an intolerable work environment for Filipino staff, who were monitored and chastised by supervisors and co-workers who constantly told them to speak English, ridiculed their accents, and humiliated them in front of their fellow employees.

source: PNA

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) announced a scheduled 12-hour power outage on Tuesday (Sept. 18), to occur within the franchise area of Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO).

Lilibeth Gaydowen, North Luzon Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Officer, said the power interruption will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and would be due to the replacement of selected wood poles along Beckel-Kias 23 kV transmission line.

Over in the Visayas, a series of 20-minute power interruptions will be experienced by electric consumers in some parts of Leyte province on Wednesday, according to the power transmission firm.

Elmer Cruz, Visayas Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Officer, said the scheduled power interruptions will affect the area covered by Leyte IV Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LEYECO IV) franchise and portions of Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DORELCO) franchise area.

Cruz said that the outages will occur on Wednesday for a brief period of 20 minutes, between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and another 20 minutes between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The NGCP said the reason for the temporary shutdown of its transmission facilities is the shifting of load, which is in line with the maintenance activity along Baybay-Maasin 69 kilovolt (kV) transmission line.

Also on Wednesday, portions of Leyte V Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LEYECO V) franchise area will experience a 20-minute outage between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. upon the normalization of load along the same transmission line.

The NGCP said the electric cooperatives -- serving as the Distribution Utilities (DUs) of their respective areas -- will determine the specific cities and municipalities to be affected by the power interruptions.

barack obama is in favor of abortion. america is cursed.

Bourne Legacy Starring Vilma Santos?

ug silay magjaga-jaga ug magbugal-bugal against the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, pailob ug hilom lang intawon ang mga Kristyano.

Naa Bay Salingasag Imong Ngipon?

Lover for Life

World Population

Fighters and Spectators

Nakatulog Intawon sa Kabusog

Bad Wish

What is the jeepney doing here?

Chinese Parade

Chinese government plans to encourage more private investment in the country's hospitals, Health Minister Chen Zhu said Monday.

In 2011, there were 3.81 hospital beds for every 1,000 Chinese people, which is a high rate among developing countries, Chen told a press conference.

He said public hospitals would see moderate development while more room would be made for growth of private investment in the sector.

Qualified private investors would be given priority to new hospital constructions, he said.

Efforts should be made in planning and management of medical resources to secure orderly development for private health care institutions, Chen said.

The minister pointed out that the government would also encourage private funds to invest in construction of rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes, geriatric and chronic disease hospitals. Chen also called on private hospitals to improve their service quality and efficiency.

At the end of 2011, there were around 22,000 hospitals and 918,000 grassroots-level clinics across the country. The number of medical practitioners for every 1,000 residents increased from 1.47 in 2002 to 1.82 last year, Chen said.

The accessibility of health care services for residents has improved, the minister said, noting that hospitals and clinics nationwide had received 6.27 billion outpatients and 150 million inpatients in 2011.

China currently has more than 6,000 private hospitals, making up one third of the country's total, but the numbers of beds and patients received at these hospitals only account for 10 percent and 9 percent, respectively, of the total, he said.

The proportion rates of hospital beds and patient volume provided at private hospitals should double by the end of 2015, as the country pledged for both rates to reach 20 percent during the 12th Five Year Plan period (2011-2015), according to Chen.

At the press conference, the minister expressed his appreciation over the commitment of medical workers of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the mainland.

Enticing Beer

si chicogon ray pari nga maampingon nagpalayo sa mga makabibihag nga binuhat.

source: Bohol Standard

Bohol again becomes the hub of activity for those in the information technology as it hosts two major events at the Cultural center this September 13-14, 2012.

The activities include the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Roadshow on the 13th and an ICT-Business Process Outsourcing Jobs Fair on the 14th, said Bohol ICT Council (BICT) chairman Leah Tirol-Magno.

BICT bring the activities this year together with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Information and Communications Technology Office, she said.

The roadshow provides the proper venue for the government, industry players and stakeholders to present and discuss prospects of the IT BPO industry in providing job opportunities in the next wave cities.

The roadshow adopts theme: Harnessing ICT for Smarter Country sides.

Organizers aim to bring into the roadshow a venue for sharing of experiences among industry key influential factors like parents, mentors, student leaders, advisers and local government officials to work on these to bring the local industry forward, on to newer heights and attain renewed vigor.

Since some of our fellow Boholanos are still not so aware of what ICT BPO industry is all about, this roadshow also gears to build positive image and perception on the IT-BPO industry and convey clearly the key messages, according to Tirol-Magno in a prepared press material.

BICT and the DOST ICTO are positive that the IT-BPO is among the best choices for entrepreneurship, career development and workforce skills upgrading.

The gathering also presents itself as a unique venue for skills matching and partnership forging between and among private and public sectors to provide job opportunities and trainings for students and ICT skilled graduates, the Department of Trade and Industry in Bohol added.

This is through the ICT-BPO Jobs Fair set September 14 beginning 9:00 AM at the Bohol Cultural Center.

As a BICT activity, the council then invites graduates and ICT skilled job-seekers to meet up with Cebu and Manila ICT-BPO representatives during the fair.

According to the BICT, interested individuals joining the fair need to pre-registered at the Bohol Employment and Placement Office or city and municipal employment centers.

In Bohol, Governor Edgar Chatto has identified the ICT-BPO as one of the biggest potential economic drivers.

This is also based on the $11 billon revenues the country gathers in 2011, an astounding second biggest contributor to the national economy, next to overseas workers’ remittances.

source: Prnewswire.com

Lee Abramson, 42, has announced that he is an Independent candidate for the 2012 Presidential election.

Political expertise: His father, Paul Abramson, is a member of the American Political Science Association Hall of Fame, and is widely known as an expert in presidential politics.

Entrepreneurial experience: He is the first person to sell pork rinds on the Internet, and he sold 1000 CD's out of the back of a truck in the two years he was a bass player in a rock band.

Leadership experience: In college, he ran an industrial kitchen, planning meals and stocking food supplies. Later, he became the leader of the Web applications support team at Lotus Development Corporation.

Other credentials: Abramson is arguably the greatest musician since King David, and his two best friends Eric and Elliott (who have the same Hebrew name), and all of his other friends and family say that he brings clarity to contentious issues with the wisdom of Solomon.

Abramson's first act as President will be to move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. His second act will be the immediate removal of all troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. He will use those resources to seal the border with Mexico, but only to combat drug trafficking. Abramson will reform immigration policies on the advice of his head of DHS. Abramson supports the use of MDMA in a controlled setting for treating veterans with PTSD.

Defense policy: Nuclear submarines will be the first expenditure to be cut. All employees and military personnel involved in running military nuclear reactors will be shifted into new domestic nuclear power plants. Strategic bombers and fighter planes will comprise the next program to be scaled back. All spending cuts from those programs, specifically research on military aerospace engineering, will be redirected towards establishing more advanced domestic light rail systems and space tourism. The third program to be cut will be tanks and armored personnel carriers because conflicts we are involved in specifically in Afghanistan require foot patrols to engage with civilians, making tanks and armored personnel carriers irrelevant to the conflict there.

Tax policy: Abramson feels that we need to implement a more progressive tax policy. People with higher incomes will pay a higher percentage of their income tax than the middle class.

Healthcare policy: Abramson favors the creation of a new healthcare program called "Americare." Americare will be a cradle-to-grave medical coverage program that will pay for the needs of all United States citizens and allow healthcare providers to be compensated according to their skill set. Americare will replace Medicare, Medicaid and the need for private insurance or supplemental insurance. Abramson feels that private insurance companies are criminal organizations because they profit by delaying and denying care, which could in some instances cause unnecessary deaths and suffering to people who rely on private insurance. Abramson feels that all private insurance companies should be liquidated and all employees should be assigned to positions within the Americare apparatus. Furthermore, Abramson proposes a retroactive inception of the Americare policy that will bring about a "Jubilee year" where any low-income person with medical debt will have that debt forgiven. This policy will be paid for by implementing the tax and defense policies. Abramson will also increase federal spending on medical research, particularly ALS research.

Filipina Beauty - Carmina Saguin

Filipina - Ashley Rivera

Pinay Loves Snake

Breakfast Ready

Blend 45 Coffee

source: PNA

By end of June 2012, 343,641 rural Chinese had been covered by a medical insurance program designed to provide financial aid to seriously ill patients, new data revealed Monday have shown.

Among them are more than 4,000 children suffering leukemia and over 14,000 children suffering congenital heart disease.

The reimbursement rate of the two diseases has risen to 74.1 percent and 77 percent respectively, according to figures released at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office to introduce developments in the country's health system.

The program started operating in June 2010, covering two diseases: childhood leukemia and congenital heart disease, expanded to covering eight diseases in 2011, and further rising to 20 this year.

Liu Qian, the vice health minister, said the inclusion of a further 12 diseases this year has already helped 93,181 patients, with total subsidies amounting to 388 million yuan (61.4 million U.S. dollars).

However, health minister Chen Zhu added that financial support is not the answer to everything, and strengthening the entire medical system, at grass-roots levels in particular, is also critical to keeping the severely ill away from bankruptcy.

He pointed out, for example, that of roughly 2,800 county-level hospitals, over 800 do not have a single nephrology specialist; as a result, rural patients on dialysis have to travel long distances to big cities.

By Ma. Teresa Yosores

Pneumococcal Diseases (PD) and memory loss may already come to extinction. But one must remember first the importance of vaccination if you don’t want PD beat you into expiration.

Target vaccine recipients of this generation are indeed lucky for the new advancement developed to what is now considered as the wonder drug that fights the most common causes of morbidity and mortality for many generations among children below five years old and adults 65 years old and above.

Pfizer public affairs and communications director Patricia J. Pascual said the new advanced PD vaccine can now be given to infants as early as six weeks and adults 50 years old and above.

Pascual said that aside from protection from PD, the vaccine contains memory cells that prevent â€" what else â€" memory loss in old ages. Another advantage is that it can be administered only once and the protection is lifetime, he said.

In the recently-held second leg of the Prevent PD (Pneumococcal Disease) Campaign at the Alabang Town Center, Pfizer Philippines emphasized the importance of awareness in curbing the onslaught of this preventable disease.

Ironic, according to the guest speakers, specialists Dr. Tom Realiza and Dr. Glenda Pereira. Both doctors lamented that lack of awareness is the reason why the disease proliferates. Dr. Realiza revealed that even some doctors do lack awareness on the prevention of the disease.

So aside from proliferating awareness on the disease, the event was also aimed to convince senior citizens about the importance of keeping a healthy lifestyle and they were given tips on how to practice this. Likewise, they were given free medical tests including blood tests for cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as consultations with doctors.

Dr. Realiza and Dr. Pereira discussed the severity of pneumococcal disease and the importance of recognizing its symptoms. They both agree that if the symptoms are treated early on, the patient has a good chance of surviving PD.

It would be best though to have the vaccination right away than procrastinate it until the symptoms show up, according to them. They said that the treatment can be burdensome physically and financially and there are always benefits with preventive care.

“In the Philippines, pneumonia is the most common type of pneumococcal disease. It is also among the top-ranking diseases for both morbidity and mortality. With its high societal burden to health, there is a need for an effective preventive measure, specifically vaccination,” Dr. Realiza said.

They strongly advised people to maintain good health especially when one is already at an old age because a weak immune system means he/she can be more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Celebrity advocate Pilita Corales also graced the event. Aside from rendering her singing prowess, she also shared to the crowd her own experience with pneumonia that landed her in the hospital.

“We have to make an extra effort to maintain good health, because it’s hard to get sick these days, not to mention that it is so expensive. Staying in the hospital is never easy. If it can be avoided, do so,” she pointed out.

She added that had she known about the vaccine, she could have spared herself the physical and financial tolls of the disease.

“Having said that, I believe that this campaign is a great way to encourage seniors to have themselves checked up, as they have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” Corales stressed.

Meanwhile, Pascual said that the company’s campaign through information and education about PD and teaching effective preventive measures would empower the Filipinos to evade the burdens of this highly-invasive disease.

“Although to some, maintaining a healthy lifestyle may be as simple as having balanced diet and regular exercise, but experts recognize health education as an important part of good health,” Pascual said.

Records show that pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and the 5th leading cause of mortality in the Philippines.

Data released by Philhealth states that in-patient claims for pneumonia totalled 295,390, which amounts to over 2 billion pesos in 2010. In 2011, Philhealth claims rose to 327, 515, amounting to P2.5 billion.

Against this backdrop,Pfizer Philippines is inviting Filipinos aged 50 years and above to be a PD-prevention advocate by joining the Pfizer Life Club. For those interested, you may call the Pfizer

By Janice M. Cave

Marikina City, in the eastern outskirts of the capital, launched Monday its 166-day Sapatos Festival aimed at brushing up its multi-million peso shoe industry.

The city, a tourism and cultural hub, produces nearly 70 per cent of the country's shoes -- some of which are made for export.

The Sapatos festival 2012, themed "Walk This Way!" Gawang Marikina, Gawang Kinikilala, is also aimed at recognizing Marikina-made shoes whose craftmanship and quality local authorities say have earned for the city the appellation as the country's shoe capital.

The celebration actually started on Sept. 10 but the launching was made only Sept 17 -- with activities and events lined up during the festival.

Ryan Salvador, chairman of the Festival, said Marikina's shoe industry is considered as the city's treasure and pride, noting Marikina remains unrivalled in producing quality and durable shoes at an affordable price.

"We're trying to prove to the country that we are still the shoe capital," Salvador said in an interview with the Philippines News Agency.

He said the event aims to help shoemakers and revive the industry which has been on a decline since 2000 due to the entry of imported products from other countries especially China.

Since then, city officials have been doubling their efforts to revitalize the industry.

Salvador said: "Most of us may mga relatives na involved sa shoe industry.

"In recognition of the ancestors of the city, we are holding this event. Second, part na siya ng kultura ng taga-Marikina, bahagi na ng kasaysayan at ito pagkakakilanlan o pride na natin.

It is incumbent upon us to promote the industry kahit na 'di na tayo shoemaker."

Augustinian friars arrived in the area in 1570, but it was not until 1787 when the area was named "Mariquina," after Felix Berenguer de Marquina who was the governor-general at that time.

This year, the city is celebrating the shoe industry's quasicentennial or 125th anniversary.

Marikina's shoe industry started in 1887 through the efforts of Laureano Guevarra, popularly known in the city as Kapitan Moy.

Salvador said from more than 1,000 shoemakers in its heyday during the 1970s, the number is now down to 123.

On Sept. 10, the city government opened the Sapatos Festival at Patio Del Zapateros (Courtyard of the Shoemakers) in Barangay San Roque.

Salvador said owners of popular shoe brands such as "Rusty Lopez", "Otto", and "Valentino" -- all based in Marikina -- are helping the city government in their goal to help shoemakers.

Since it opened last week, revenues of Marikina shoemakers now reached P2 million, Salvador said.

"The city is pushing for the promotion of the shoemakers kaya the P2 million is purely their revenue, walang share ang city diyan," he said.

Salvador invites everyone to visit the Patio del Zapateros where footwear made by Marikina shoemakers are on display until Dec. 31.

"For the 2012 campaign, we coined the festival theme as "Walk this Way". So if you are looking for durable shoes, walk this way to Marikina," he said.