Thoughtskoto

Project Salmos and Operation: Let's Bring Mang Fred Home!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 05 May 2012 06:40:00 +0000

Let’s Bring Mang Fred Home!

Alfredo Salmos, 52, an overseas Filipino worker in Jeddah Saudi Arabia is appealing for help after he was accidentally electrocuted about two years ago in his work. According to Salmos, he was sucked into a 14,000 volts breaker that he was trying to shut down.

PEBA Worldwide launched a Project Salmos to appeal for global support and monetary donations with the consolidated efforts of the different organizations in bringing home our brother, our kabayan, ALFREDO ‘Mang Fred’ SALMOS.

PEBA's Kenji along with ABS-CBN Correspondent Frank Resma, and Marlene of Lakambini Group, Roy and Aaron of Elite Guardians, and Patnubay Riyadh and the owner of La Parilla Restaurant in a roundtable meeting to help Mang Alfredo Salmos.

PEBA has been engage in several project before, Project Twitch, Project Nealshai, and now we are starting Project Salmos. There are many, oh so many good people working behind the scene for Mang Alfred. We are activating our contacts from 56 countries and territories and asking to solicit donation and engage causes to help this Kabayan. If you wish to be a part of PEBA's Global effort to help, please message us using the FB message above. We will consolidate all donations into one account, preferably in a foundation. We hope you will share and reach out to others and hope to touch their heart as well.

Support the

Operation: Bring Him Home

For donations and details, please contact or email

contact@pinoyblogawards.com

To VP Jejomar Binay: OFW Pag-ibig Pay at POEA

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:25:00 +0000

When we went home for vacation last December 2011, I went to POEA to pay for my Balik-Manggagawa payment to avoid any hassles that we might encounter, thinking about the things I've read and heard from other vacationing OFW's.

I prepared for my normal P1,200 fee, and then was surprised that I am required to fill up a Pag-ibig form. I heard that we will all be require to pay as mandatory to OFW's. This bother's me with another "Required for OFW's" so I went to Pag-Ibig booth and inquired about it. He said it is indeed mandatory. I told him I am paying monthly contribution amounting to P400+. I showed him my POP (Pag-ibig Overseas Program). He said, I am okay, I am no longer required to fill up the form and pay.

I remember a couple of OFW friends recounting their experiences to me about Pag-ibig mandatory payment. A friend from Bahrain:

"Sir Kenji, please check this out too. Umuwi ako July 2010. Ayaw kong magbayad ng PAG-IBIG but then sabi sa Phil embassy compulsory daw. So I paid for 4months in advance yet official receipt and print out of TEMPORARY PAG-IBIG NUMBER lang yung binigay sa akin. When I checked with my colleagues na nagbabayad dito for more than 2yrs, TEMPORARY number pa rin ang binibigay. I got discouraged and didn't pay thereafter.

Tanong: How can we monitor if na-register ang payment ko sa Pinas?

May ID ba silang ibibigay like SSS ID card which is more convenient to slip inside our wallet and for easy monitoring wherever we go?

From another:

I remember, I have on process PAG-IBIG membership before I left Muntinlupa Medical Center where I worked for years. A representative from embassy here told me that it is different since I'm gonna pay now in dollars. I didn't mind paying here coz I didn't even know if they started cutting it from my salary when I was in Muntinlupa.

Anyway, if there's a chance, please check specifically my ID if they remit what I paid there, TOP is 000000000. Your help is highly appreciated. Thanks a lot!

I requested a courtesy visit to Vice President Jejomar Binay through Mr. Benjie Martinez his Chief of Staff so we can ask several questions and discuss about this concerns from OFW's. Unfortunately, they are out of town that week prior to my flight back here in Saudi Arabia. You see if every vacationing OFW will pay P400 pesos, and there are 1,000 OFWs paying everyday, you have P10,000,000 (10M) every month and a whooping P120M every year, and we know more than a thousand OFWs are paying to POEA everyday.

A couple of question to somehow clarify this matter.

1. Why OFW have to keep filling the form if they don't have the POP card or they don't have the FINAL Pag-ibig Number?

2. Can Pag-ibig issue a POP card to all OFW's paying at the POEA para maiwasan ang padoble-dobleng bayad and issuance of several Pag-ibig numbers?

Below is the memo of the Mandatory Coverage and Membership of Overseas Filipino Workers

********************************************

Department of Labor and Employment

BFO Building, Ortigas Avenue cor. EDSA, Mandaluyong City 1501

Website: www.poea.gov.ph E-mail: info@poea.gov.ph

Hotlines: 722-1144, 722-1155

Memorandum Circular No. 06

Series of 2010

To: ALL CONCERNED

Subject: Mandatory Coverage and Membership of Overseas Filipino Workers under the Home Development Mutual Fund otherwise known as Pag-IBIG (Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industriya at Gobyerno)

Date: 7 July 2010

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9679, or the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009, otherwise known as Pag-IBIG Fund, whick took effect on 27 August 2009, the following guidelines are hereby issued.

Coverage. All Overseas Filipino Workers are covered by the Pag-IBIG Fund whether landbased or seabased.
Implementation. POEA implementation of the mandatory coverage shall start on 01 August 2010.
Contribution. Upon registration and deployment of an OFW, an initial membership contribution of six hundred pesos (P600.00) representing six (6) months contribution shall be paid by the worker. The OFW may however, opt to contribute a higher amount as provided under Rule VI of the same law.
Procedure for Membership Registration of OFWs at the POEA and Issuance of POEA exit clearance/Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC). The following procedures for the membership registration and issuance of the POEA exit clearance/OEC shall be observed.

a.) OFWs processed through the POEA Name Hire Facility, the Government Placement Branch and the Balik-Manggagawa Center shall register with the Fund by submitting to POEA a Member Data Form (MDF) in addition to the existing documentary requirements, as a requirement for the processing of their documents and issuance of the POEA exit clearance/OEC.

b.) For OFWs hired through POEA-licensed recruitment agencies, the recruitment agency shall submit to POEA the individual MDF of their hired OFWs in addition to the existing documentary requirements as a requirement for the processing of the workers’ documents and issuance of the POEA exit clearance/OEC.

For compliance effective immediately.

Jennifer Jardin-Manalili

Administrator

********************************************************************************

Some Thoughts About Communication and Filipino’s Abroad (OFWs)

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 09:13:00 +0000

I’ve been here for quite long and a few times I will receive inquiry or asking support from families and love ones back home para sa kanilang minamahal na nandito sa abroad.

“Ano na po ang balita sa nanay ko dyan?”

“Pwede po bang matawagan ang tatay ko, kasi di na po siya nagtetext sa amin.”

“Kuya, yung nanay po namin, nag-aalala, di na po kasi nagtetext ang Ate na Domestic Helper sa Kuwait.”

“Kenji ito daw yung employer ni Mang Pat, pakitawagan naman at kumustahin siya.”

“Kabayan, kilala niyo po ba si Tomas E. Alba?(Fiction lang yan ha, alam ko alam niyo siya yung nakaimbento ng light bulb, hahaha) Pakitawagan naman oh, pakisabi naniningil na ako ng pinautang ko sa kanya, di na kasi nagtetext at nagpapakita ang misis niya.

The example goes on and on and on.

I have been suggesting ever since Filipino’s are text addict in the world, and the Philippines is texting capital of the world, to initiate a regulation or a law that each departing OFW must have a number, email address/YM, even Facebook account if talagang kelangan na para makeep track ang bawat OFW kahit saan man silang panig ng mundo. This info must be stored sa POEA at OWWA and even sa mga recruiting agencies at mailagay sa isang microchip where all the names and contact info’s of OFWs is stored for easier access.

Naalala ko lang nung Day of Rage, or nung Arab Spring, last year when there were protests actions in the Middle East. I heard that European and American national receive a constant SMS of update about the situation and what to do and where to go in case the protest escalates. Well, oo nga naman, 12 Million OFWs, paano mo matetext yun but sa galing ng Pinoy sa IT, can we make a system where we can override the system and send important and emergency updates to all our OFWs?

Nung nagkaroon ng Earthquake and Tsunami sa Japan, the social media is buzzing with contact details of embassies and consulates, how can victim be able to call or locate them, but if we have a systematic way of sending those contact details to the registered SMART/Globe Roaming of each and every OFWs, chances that we can convey the message to a lot of people.

During emergency, people will still hold their mobile phones, true? Of course.

Sa mga OFW naman, there is a distance sa mga OFW and sa kanilang pamilya na naiwan sa Pinas because of lack of communication. Despite of the easy of way communicating through mobile phones and internet chatting, wala na tayong communication except once a month sa pamilya natin ng mga ganitong linya,

“Oh, ayan nagpadala na ako ng P20,000, ikaw na bahala magbudget dyan para sa mga anak natin”

Yan na lang, and then tapos na, next month na lang ulit. Perhaps we cannot blame the poor OFW also. Pagkatanggap ng pera or pagsabi ng padala na naideposito na, wala man lang sasabihing Thank You, kundi

“Bakit P20K lang, kulang yan, may bayaran sa ganito, sa ganyan, etc etc etc”

I know so many OFW’s nagtitiis ng de lata, tuyo, itlog, noodles, and kung minsan, tinitipid ang pagkain para lang may malaking maipdala sa Pinas, and yet wala man lang thank you or text messages galing sa Pinas. Ang text messages or tawag or chatting ay yun na nga lang ang nagbibigay ng lakas ng loob sa mga OFW na tinitiis ang lungkot at pangungulila para lang magkaroon ng maayos na kinabukasan ang mga anak at mahal sa buhay.

Another suggestion, bakit kaya hindi nila gawing requirement na ang mga OFW na paaalis ay dapat magkaroon ng PC or laptop at internet sa bahay sa Pinas, para kahit papaano ay magkaroon ng chance ng chatting at communication sa Pinas ang Tatay or Nanay or Anak na umalis at nangibang bansa?

Anyway, mukhang napahaba, ang suggestion ko lang sa mga OFW saan mang panig ng mundo, magparamdam kayo sa mga mahal niyo sa buhay sa Pinas, hindi lang sa pera kundi kahit sa text man lang kahit isang beses sa isang linggo para di sila masyadong magworry.

Sa mga kababayan naman sa Pinas, please lang, wag naman kada text sa OFW ay hingi ng pera, minsan kaunting text sa isang araw or sa isang linggo na nakakainspire, nakakatuwa, nakakataba ng puso, is enough for an OFW to carry on.

Dun sa may mga utang, or talagang ayaw ng magparamdam, wala na po akong masabi.

To the Ladies and to the Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:31:00 +0000

I've talked to a lovely lady, a good friend of me and Mrs. Thoughtskoto. She told me about a guy she loved dearly and faithfully until she found out he has loved another girl. She was in despair, devastated, and heartbroken. Sad to say we've known several stories related to this, and often, most often, the one left wallowing in self pity, and sometimes, even remorse, are the girls and women who gave almost all to the guys they loved.

When we went home, Mrs. Thoughtskoto and I were talking about the scarcity of men that women can rely and depend on, that women can trust and love, and offer the best that they've got and who will love them, faithfully and truthfully. This prompted me to comment and counsel, Mhel and William, bachelor friend of ours, who are riding with us on the way home, "to be good and be responsible, for they are "endangered men". Kung meron man words na ganyan. J

I am not a perfect husband and partner, but I am trying my best to make my wife and family happy. I love my wife, and though I fail so many times, I am trying my best to show that love in word and deed.

I am thinking about my sister, our single friends out there, single classmates and acquaintances here in Facebook. I know most of them, they are beautiful ladies, most of them are trying to be the best that they can be, and yes, all of them are waiting for that 'knight in shining armor'. Desperately hoping that one day they will find that love, they can have a family of their own, and they can live happily ever after. Though love stories and marriages are far from the fairytales and movies we watched, the reality is a combination of bitter and sweet part of learning experiences, growing love, and progressing relationship.

Below are some of the random thoughts I have right now while sitting in my desk at the laboratory with regards to choosing the man to love, to marry and to spend the rest of your life, even forever, in a perspective of a man who was once looking for a princess, and gratefully found and now, proudly bound with.

This is not by priority;

1. Choose a man who loves you so much, that he will do anything good for your happiness and safety.

2. Choose a man that is responsible and respectful.

3. A man can be personable without being a head turner, a hunky or a celebrity

4. Oftentimes, men like and attracted to simple women and girls. Make-up and nail polish, and lipsticks are fine, but sometimes, women are more beautiful without them.

5. Men like na magpaimpress, and we are often given hope if a woman/girl laugh or smile over our OA or corny na patawa.

6. The man/guy who may look like nothing now, but with love and inspiration he can be successful and be more handsome than your Mr. Right fantasy.

7. If you are looking for a good looking or very handsome prince, you might end up an old maid forever, and remember lahat tayo nagkakawrinkles and kukulubot, so balewala pa rin ang kapogian and kagwapuhan.

8. Love sometimes is mysterious, kumbaga, kung ukol, bubukol. We keep on loving and loving because as our love grows, our desire is not so much what can make us happy but what can we do to make the one we love more happier.

9. Character is the most important thing in love and life. A man can be good looking and rich, but without character, right values, and correct principles, you will never be happy.

10. Sabi nga sa Desiderata:

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Well, that’s it for now. I have some sample preparation and analysis to do, so I will just post this and will be back to add some of my thoughts later.

Some Inspiring Photos from Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:06:00 +0000

This is a quick posts from Facebook photos I saw the past few days that literally moved me, makes me laugh and smile.

On Technology and Laptop and Facebook and Blogging, knows no background or status.

A man, probably in his 70's, holding a laptop while tending the rice fields.

A girl can't leave the laptop while peeing. :) I find this amusing and funny because she reminds me of my little girl, Hevyn.

Obviosly a Photoshopped photo but nevertheless funny!

Dogs are Fun!

Some heartwarming and moving photos that will definitely touch the heart

The love of a mother.

An unidentified foreigner giving his slipper to a poor woman without slipper. A kind act that worth a million thank you.

A group of young African kids sitting in a circle with their feet stretching forward that looks like a flower.

We all complain of having not too much, when in some part of the world, they all need a clean drinking water.

LUIS LAZARTE vs. JOHN REIL CASIMERO - FULL FIGHT REPLAY and the ARGENTINA RIOT

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:46:00 +0000

"Newly crowned IBF light flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero, his promoter Sammy Gello-ani and the members of Team Casimero have one simple message after the 22 year old Filipino won the title but was viciously attacked by thugs masquerading as fans and even members of badly beaten former champion Luis Lazarte – “Don’t cry for me Argentina!” reported by Ronnie Nathanielsz of PhilBoxing.com.

An emotional but joyful Gello-ani told us in the end it was all worthwhile because Casimero “ did his best to get the title back to Philippines the hard way and this is his best gift to our countrymen. Besides, the title victory was dedicated to his younger brother who died of a heart problem just one day before Johnriel left Cebu for the fight in Argentina. It’s Casimero’s birthday on February 13 and there could be no better gift to share with his family and his countrymen.”

Gello-ani in an overseas telephone conversation with the Manila Standard said the announced gameplan of working to the body and wearing down the former champion who is 40 years old worked, but as the bout progressed points were deducted for head-butting from both Lazarte and Casimero.

Gello-ani said that “a first round slip by Casimero was ruled a knockdown but it did not bother Casimero.”

He said American referee Eddie Claudio was able to control the fight most of the way. Gello-ani told us “Casimero dropped Lazarte with a right cross in the 9th round. Lazarte stood up before the count of 8 and continued fighting but Casimero caught him again in the dying seconds of the round sending the Argentine to the canvas. Referee Claudio started the count and Lazarte stood up but was saved by the bell.”

In the 10th round Casimero dropped Lazarte again but the game former world champion beat the count one more time before Casimero caught him on the ropes and pounced on the hapless Lazarte with a series of punches and as he was going down again referee Claudio stopped the fight.

While both fighters were waiting for the announcement Gello-ani said “all of a sudden debris including cups and water bottles were thrown into the ring along with plastic chairs.”

Gello-ani and the other members of Casimero’s team pulled the new champion who was celebrating on top of the ropes in one corner and took him to the center of the ring since people from the camp of Lazarte who were mostly members of a Truckers group were all around the ring apron.

He said “some of them climbed into the ring and started hitting and kicking members of Casimero’s team. We decided to go nearer the police officers around the ring but people kept throwing anything even hitting the police injuring some of them.”

It was at this point that Gello-ani said he “lost sight of Casimero.” He discovered later that “referee Claudio took the fighter down the ring where one of our friends Osvaldo Prado hid him under the ring until the riot was over. Prado told me not to worry because Casimero was safe under the ring.”

Police escorted Team Casimero to their dressing room and stood guard. Referee Claudio was taken to hospital with an injury and although the members of Team Casimero had bruises they did not agree to go to the hospital but instead remained in their hotel where they were protected.

Gello-ani reported that Sean Gibbon of Top Rank was likewise hurt when he received a low blow along with Casimero’s trainer Christopher "Pingping" Tepora while the well-known promoter himself was hit on the back with a chair.

An hour after the tumultuous events Gello-ani told us that Lazarte arrived in Casimero’s dressing room and apologized to him for what happened. He said “We politely accepted his apology and I even give my Red uniform jacket to Lazarte for his eldest son Diego who had asked me during the weigh in for a souvenir.”

The police escorted Casimero and his team to the hotel and stood guard until morning to make sure that they were safe. The promoter Mr. Osvaldo Rivero arrived at the hotel and also apologized to the Filipino team as well as the IBF officials who are billeted in the same Primacy Hotel.

11 Minutes a Stick

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:44:00 +0000

According to the research conducted by the expert from University of Bristol in England, your precious 11 minutes of life is wasted every stick of cigarette you smoke!

One year of smoking 5 cigarettes per day will reduce your life for 14 days!

Even the richest person in the world will trade all his fortune to be able to get that extra 14 days of life...

11 minutes

Click here to find out how much smoking affects your lifespan.

Iba't ibang Mukha ng mga OFW's an ABS-CBN Patrol ng Pilipino 10 January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:37:00 +0000

We were lucky to be featured in an ABS-CBN documentary when we went home last December 2011. Here is the 10th of January 2012 Patrol ng Pilipino PR issue and video below.

PATROL NG PILIPINO

10 January 2012

PRESS RELEASE: ‘The Faces of OFWs’

Many Filipinos have traveled abroad to seek greener pastures but, not all who have successfully left the country have succeeded in reaching their dreams.

On Patrol ng Pilipino this Tuesday, get to meet some of the faces that make up the big number of Overseas Filipino Workers. There is Laarni Passion or Ate Leny who worked for nine months in Jeddah as a Domestic Helper. Last Christmas, she was able to come home to her family. After the holidays, despite her chance to work abroad, she and her family decided that she will not return to Jeddah and apply for a job here in the country instead.

While most of us will understand Ate Leny’s difficulty in working abroad, far away from her loved ones, the Solis Family all live in Saudi Arabia. Kenji Solis and wife Shiela have two kids. Last November, they traveled to the Philippines to have their 4 year old daughter Sophia experience Christmas in the Philippines because Christmas is not celebrated in Saudi.

Coming to work abroad is always a gamble. Some like Leny and the Solis Family are lucky but there are those who are not. Like the son of Edith Langamin, Jonard; he is only 28 years old. Jonard is on his 5th year in death row in Saudi Arabia.

His mother Edith recounted that on June 7 2007, Jonard accidentally killed a fellow Filipino Citizen on board the ship. While Jonard was forgiven by the family of his victim Robertson Mendoza, the law in Saudi territory still applies. The family has to produce 5 million pesos as blood money for Jonard to be freed. They were given 5 years lee way to gather the amount and if they were not able to raise the money by May, Jonard will be hanged.

They all leave the country in tears but with a hopeful heart. Some make it big while the others are met with bad luck. But no matter the turn of their fate will be, it is always the Filipino’s love for their family that will push them to leave their nest and hope for the best.

Catch Jeff Canoy on Patrol ng Pilipino as he shows the varied struggles being faced by some of the Overseas Filipino Workers, Tuesday night at 9:15 over DZMM Teleradyo and after Bandila on ABS-CBN Channel 2.

Here is the PR of this at the national daily,

I Don't Need to Pay Philhealth 3 Times the Amount I Am Paying Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:45:00 +0000

The reason why I opposed this is that I've been paying my premium every time I come home for vacation but I didn't benefit from it. Why do I need to pay almost three (3) times the amount now from P900 to P2,400? This is effective January 2, 2012 as per the Circular here.

News Release

Blas F. Ople Policy Center

December 20, 2011

NGOs, OFW bloggers oppose Philhealth circular raising premiums of OFW members

Several non-government organizations involved in overseas employment issues banded together to oppose Philhealth Circular No. 022 that would nearly triple the amount of premiums to be paid by overseas Filipino workers by next year.

Philhealth convened a consultative meeting with a handful of non-profit organizations representing overseas Filipino workers this morning. Walter Bacareza, vice-president of its Member Management Group presented the agency's plans to increase membership rates including that of OFWs as well as the Board's intention to "revolutionize" healthcare services in the country. Philhealth vice-president for corporate affairs Gregorio Rulloda was also present in the meeting.

Former labor undersecretary Susan Ople of the Blas F. Ople Center, Luther Calderon, president of the Kabalikat ng Migranteng Pilipino, Inc., Apostol Gratela, chairman of the Kalahi-Advocate for Overseas Filipinos and Jun Aguilar of the Filipino Migrant Workers' Group objected to the planned increases citing the lack of consultations with the labor and overseas workers' sectors. With two weeks to go before the new rates are imposed, the health agency issued the invitations for today's consultative meeting to a handful of OFW sector representatives only yesterday. The circular itself was issued on December 15.

"On January 2, unless the Philhealth Board withdraws its circular, all overseas workers would be paying 300 pesos more for their Philhealth premium and for those unable to pay that amount within the first six months of 2012, they would have to pay 2,400 pesos as annual premium from July onwards, a huge amount compared to the current 900 pesos being shelled out by every OFW. These new rates are being imposed without consultations, without clear explanations, and without consideration given the heavy financial burdens already being experienced by our migrant workers' given the series of calamities and continued slowdown in the world economy," the leaders of the said NGOs said.

During the consultative meeting, Philhealth officials explained that the higher premiums would allow the agency to meet its performance targets as well as attain the country's Millennium Development Goals and aspiration for universal health care coverage. Vice-President Bacareza also cited the GOCC Governance Act of 2011 that includes a performance evaluation of all GOCCs.

"It is unfortunate that the Philhealth Board of Directors decided to issue and release this new circular while the nation is grieving over the deaths of so many of our compatriots in Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and other parts of the Visayans and Mindanao regions. We question the timing, the lack of consultations, and the inexplicable haste by which this new circular is now being imposed not only on our OFWs but on all workers covered by Philhealth," Susan Ople said.

Jun Aguilar of the Filipino Migrant Workers' Group who was a former OFW in Saudi Arabia said that most OFWs are not even aware of the benefits due them as Philhealth members. "My son is an OFW and he relies on the more efficient health care system in Saudi Arabia rather than Philhealth because that is where he is situated. Why should he now pay triple the cost of premium to enable Philhealth to meet its own internal targets?"

Aguilar also cited a provision in the Amendments to the Migrant Workers' Act otherwise known as Republic Act No. 10022 that prohibits any increases in government fees for services rendered to OFWs.

Another OFW advocate, Luther Custodio, objected to the planned increase and called for a more intensified information campaign from Philhealth about its "revolutionary" changes to the current national health program.

Moves to oppose the Philhealth premium increases are set to snowball with the participation of OFW bloggers that founded the annual Philippine Expat/OFW Bloggers Award (PEBA). PEBA founder Jebee Solis who is based in Saudi Arabia said his group will blog against the new Philhealth circular citing the fact that most foreign companies obtain health insurance for foreign workers.

Philhealth officials who were present during the consultative meeting with the NGOs promised to report to the Board the concerns of the OFW sector on the impact of the abrupt increase in Philhealth premiums on the expenses of every departing worker, and on those wanting to renew their memberships.

"We are appealing to the Philhealth leadership to be more considerate given these extraordinarily difficult times. Every OFW with relatives in calamity-stricken areas will be relied upon to help defray the rebuilding of homes, and the sustenance of their surviving kin. We seek a deferment of Philhealth Circular No. 022 pending more extensive consultations and so that all of us can focus our efforts and attention in helping out those devastated by the floods in Mindanao," the civil society leaders said.

Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Miguel Marquez 3 Replay!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:23:00 +0000

DOWNLOAD THE FULL FIGHT HERE

and

HERE

REPLAY VIDEO HERE

LINK HERE
to watch full match

Watch Manny Pacquiao Vs. Juan Miguel Marquez Boxing Match here!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:20:00 +0000

WATCH THE FULL REPLAY HERE

Tomorrow, Sunday 5am Saudi time, 10am Phil time, witness a history or an end.

Bookmark Thoughtskoto

We will continually update thìs post.

We've been streaming Manny Pacquiao boxing match for the last 5 years -uninterrupted, through the help and support of our US based friends.

Tomorrow, Sunday 5am Saudi time, 10am Phil time, witness a history or an end.

Bookmark Thoughtskoto as we bring to you via live streaming the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Miguel Marquez boxing match. The final episode of a trilogy match!

We will continually update thìs post.

video 1 video 2 video 3 video 4 video 5 video 6 video 7 video 8

You will need to download the video/tv VEETLE plug-in to watch the streaming from this sites;

LINK 1
LINK 2
LINK 3
LINK 4
LINK 5

OFFICAL LISTS of the PEBA 2011 NOMINEES

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:39:00 +0000

Here are the lists of the OFFICIAL PEBA NOMINEE LIST PER DIVISION

OFW DIVISION, BLOG ENTRY

1. OFW Chronicles, Pinoy Abroad, Doha, Qatar

2. El Stupendo Files, Alberta Canada

3. Buhay OFW, Doha, Qatar

4. Field of Dreams: Abdul Hakeem , London, UK

5. BlogEoz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

6. JP Quidores' Window, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

7. Kuya Poklong, OFW Ako, Kuwait City, Kuwait

8. Pinoy Samut-Sari, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

9. Diary Ni Gracia, Kuwait City, Kuwait

10. Ang Blog Ni Ana Banana, Abu Dhabi, UAE

11. The Backpack Man, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

12. blissfully RICH, Abu Dhabi, UAE

13. When She Cries, She Writes, Dubai, UAE

14. Paghahanda sa Pag-uwi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

15. KrisJewel, It's All About My Daily Life, Abu Dhabi UAE

16. BulakBolero, Singapore

17. CARLO MAGNO, Life Beneath the Desert Sun, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

18. First Time in KOREA, South Korea

19. The Gasoline Dude, Singapore, Singapore

20. Alohagems Online, Lihue, Hawaii

21. About OFWs, , Riyadh, KSA

22. PinkDiaries, Thailand

23. My Yellow Bells, Dubai, UAE

24. Michael's Shades of Blue, Riyadh, KSA

25. Applefunks12, Maidan Hawalli Kuwait

HOME BASED DIVISION, BLOG ENTRY

1. My World is Getting Smaller, Quezon City

2. Kwentong Makulit... Tanauan City Batangas

3. PSYCHABLES, Davao City

4. CuteBerl, Quiapo, Manila

5. Oh My Doodles!, Cavite

6. A Boy Named Xander, Makati

7. +dreamland+, Meycauayan, Bulacan

8. Jay Rulez, Cabuyao, Laguna

9. Hiram na Kaligayahan , Las Pinas City

10. Blessed Zyra, San Pedro, Laguna

11. aspectos de hitokiriHOSHI, Quezon City MM

12. Kol Mi Empi, Quezon City, MM

13. The Filipino-Japanese Journal, Quezon City, MM

14. Tuyong Tinta ng Bolpen, Padre Garcia, Batangas

15. Japan Style, Pasig City

16. Ang Alingawngaw ng Taribong, Makati

17. Ako.Ian.Tamad, Rizal Phils.

NOKIA ESSAY CONTEST

Nokia Family

Somewhere in the World there is an OFW

Nokia and My Sister

Ang Kasaysayan ng Nokia Cellphone sa ating Buhay

My First Cellphone

The Operation: Snakes

Magic

Nokia: My Inheritance

STANDARD o SPECIAL?

TUTUTUT-TUTUT-TUTUTUT

My Nokia Shining Moment

Si Blue

Salamat sa Lahat - Isa Kang Alamat

Most Memorable Experience with my Nokia Phone

NOKIA "re-Connecting People"

Kahit na NOKIA N70 lang ang Cellphone Ko

The Virtual Handkerchief

aNO KIA Memory? 3210!

Pinaglumaang Nokia

I Own a Nokia and I Own a Destiny

Tarti-triten: Simbolo ng Tagumpay

The Amazing Grace of Nokia

ANYWHERE, ANY BLOGGER CATEGORY

Personal Blog

Kwentong Makulit, Parang Ulay Sa Puwet

Dose of Influence

+dreamland+

A Boy Named Xander

Blissfully RICH

Mary Jane’s Niche

Cuteberl’s World: Panibagong Simula

X-SPOT

Carlo Magno

My So-Called Life

My Yellow Bells

Jay Rulez

Semidoppel’s Reports

Anything Under the Sun

I Conquer

Blessed Zyra

aspectos de hitokiriHOSHI

Ghillcorner.com

Psychables

Ako.Ian.Tamad

L Abad

Picture! Picture! Blog

Me,Mice- Self and I

Camera ni Cabrera

Al Ain City Daily Photo

Photo Craft

A Little Bitof Something

Trabyaheng Blog (Travel Blog)

Pusang Kalye

No Spam No Virus No Kiddin’!

The Backpack Man

RichardDiongson.Com

Digifotoblog.com

The Travel Teller

Confessions of a Pinay Travel Junkie

From Nasugbu to the World

Dream World Travel

Lakwatsera de Primera

www.juanderfulpinoy.com

OFW Advocacy Blog

Diary ni Gracia

OFW Ako!

Buhay OFW

The Filipino-Japanese Journal

The Hotdog Stand

myphotographics

Flavours of Iloilo

Pinoy Food Recipes: Lutong Pinoy na Pinoy

Pinoy Tsibog

Food and Health

MOKONG

Tech At Hand Dot Net

AskHideki.com

The Visual Merchandising

Tuyong Tinta ng Bolpen

Tula, Kwentula at Opinyon ni “Dregm”

Window Lad

Momsicle

PEBA 2011 to Honor the OFWs and Bloggers

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:23:00 +0000

News from the ABSCBN News

Contest for OFW bloggers launched

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 10/11/2011 9:06 AM | Updated as of 10/11/2011 9:06 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino bloggers from all over the world are invited to participate in the 2011 Pinoy Expats/ OFW Blog Awards (PEBA).
Interested Filipino expats and OFWs are asked to submit blog entries on this year's theme is "Ako'y Magbabalik, Hatid Ko'y Pagbabago" (I Will Return, I Will Bring Change.)

Organizers said the contest will look into how returning Filipino expats and OFWs make use and share "social remittance" or their talents and skills to bring change to their families, communities and country. Social remittance is defined by PEBA as ideas and practices that are brought from an overseas country to the Philippines.

To qualify for the contest, the blog must be managed by an OFW, Filipino expat or half-Filipino who is living temporarily or permanently in a country other than the Philippines.

The PEBA is also introducing a new blog search called "Any Blogger, Anywhere" for Filipinos, whether based in the Philippines or abroad, who write about different topics such as politics, health well-being, finance and travel.

For more details, visit PEBA website http://www.pinoyblogawards.com.
PEBA is a non-profit, non-stock organization of international Filipino bloggers from different parts of the world.

News from the Philippine Star:

Int'l Blog Awards to honor homecoming of Pinoys worldwide

Home Updated October 11, 2011 05:14 PM 0 comment to this post

Pinoy Expats OFW Blog Awards (PEBA), Inc., an international alliance of Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and Pinoy Expatriate Bloggers will put to center stage the return of Philippines modern-day heroes as PEBA 2011 celebrates the “homecoming” of OFWs and Filipino Expatriates.  Joining this year’s celebration are Ayala Malls, Nokia and Globe Telecoms.
PEBA is on its fourth year of recognizing blogs written from all over the world by Filipino workers and expatriates.  This year is unique from the previous awards night as it will also honor the talent of Filipinos abroad in the field of photography.

“We wanted to bring a message to the world that despite the hardship experienced by our fellow Filipinos working or residing abroad, we continuously think of returning to the Philippines with honor and our dignity intact.” according to Mr. Segre, Director of Global Affairs.  The focus this year is to promote the beauty of the Philippines and declare that OFWs and Filipino expatriates are returning home to effect positives changes learned from their respective host countries.  The theme, "Ako’y Magbabalik, Hatid Ko’y Pagbabago" (I Will Return, I Will Bring Change) brings to life the aspiration of Filipino workers abroad.

PEBA is going back to the basic; it will bring the advocacy to a wider audience by increasing PEBA’s visibility in the shopping malls. We want to come closer to the hearts of Filipino people, including to those who do not blog, to the mall-going Filipinos and help us campaign for change and support the blogging Filipinos abroad.

We would like to promote the importance of blogging because it enable and empower Filipinos in various parts of the world, encouraging them to express their thoughts, ideas and share their individual experiences.

The PEBA 2011 awards night will be held in Trinoma Activity Center on Dec. 9, 2011 at 5pm.  The winning entries of PEBA 2011 Photo Contest will be exhibited in Market Market Mall and will be attended by OFW advocates in the government, diplomatic corps and NGOs.

Contact Information:
Pete E. Rahon | PEBA 2011 Chairman
Mobile: +63917-733-7152 | Email: peterahon@pinoyblogawards.com
OR
Mark Aethen Agana | Head of Public Relations and Media Affairs
Mobile: +63927.339.1454 | E-mail: mark.agana@pinoyblogawards.com
OR
F. Jigs G. Segre | Director of Global Affairs & Strategic Initiatives
U.S. Contact No.: +1510.589.2950 | E-mail: jigsegre@pinoyblogawards.com

Visit www.pinoyblogawards.com for more media resources.

PEBA Any Blogger Anywhere Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:32:00 +0000

We always believe that we have the obligation to honor bloggers, OFW and supporters of our cause. We conceived the idea of honoring bloggers in different categories two years ago, and we recognize the fact that not all can relate to our yearly theme, or that not all are good in writing essays and stories or conveying their message through words. We hope our friends and fellow bloggers will support this idea and join this unique PEBA 2011 Awards!

Read and nominate now!

ANY BLOGGER, ANYWHERE!

General Guidelines

1. Overseas and local (home based or Philippine bloggers) can join the contest. PEBA nominees in the blog entry division can still be nominated in the category division.

2. At least 6 months presence in the blogging world with at least one post per month.

3. Blog should be 60% personal in nature and not more than 40% commercial or paid ads blog posts. To qualify for a specific blog category, the blog site must contain at least 60% posts related to the category it is intending to join/participate from the 6 months of his blogging career.

4. In the event that a blog has been nominated by friends to different categories, the Nominated Blogger will be contacted by the Contest Secretariat through a Verification Form to confirm his/her PREFERRED CHOICE in the blog category that he/she intends to join.

5. During the Pre-Selection stage, the Contest Secretariat will assess and review the blog contents of all nominees and determine if each Nominee’s blog are properly classified in the correct blog group category (e.g. If a blog contains a multi or combination of personal, photo blog articles and travel blogs, for the last 6 months, his blog posts/articles will be re-assessed from the last 6 months on which category he/she has written most. If 6 months is not enough to determine the site categorization requirement, we can go further within the last 12 months of their blog career.)

6. All nominees shall be informed of their nomination for acceptance and the correct category that their blog will be entered into the contest as determined by the Secretariat.

7. Blogger who maintained various blog sites can have his/her site nominated at different categories however, he is only entitled to one blog per category. (i.e. A blogger has 3 blog sites, one is dedicated to photo blog and the remaining two sites are both for travel blogs. In the contest, he is only allowed to enter one blog for the photo blog category, and he/she has to choose on his/her remaining two sites on which one to enter for the travel blog)

8. Previous PEBA winners, except for current PEBA volunteers/bloggers are allowed to be nominated and to join in the contest.

9. Blog posts that contains sexually explicit, extreme violence or offensive languages which are not suitable for Age Group "below 18 years old" MUST BE properly declared, tagged and labeled before joining to warn the general public that the blog contents is suitable for adult and mature readers only.

10 Blog posts that contain articles that directly invoke racism (discrimination based on race and ethnic belief & skin color, religious belief, sex and sexual preferences including articles that demean the Overseas Filipino Workers) are prohibited to join this event.

11 If you find your friends or even yourself and your blog qualified for this event -Fill up the Nomination Form and read the Nomination Process.

12 FAQ will be presented in the contest page and subject items will be introduced as necessary as we meet new queries that warrant posting on the FAQ page.

Nomination
Process to the Category Division

1. PEBA invites blog writers, readers and followers to fill up the nomination form to endorse and nominate their favorite blog sites for the PEBA 2011.

2. Blog sites that are endorsed and nominated by bloggers, readers and followers must meet the PEBA General Eligibility Requirements of the PEBA 2011.

3. All blog site owners/authors who are endorsed and nominated shall be contacted by the PEBA Secretariat through email for confirmation purposes within the next few days.

4. Nominated (endorsed) blogger are requested to review the Nomination Form data given by his/her endorser for any changes and fill up other missing information’s that maybe required by the Secretariat and subsequently, nominee must submit their confirmation of their nomination by forwarding the e-mail back to the PEBA Secretariat.

5. Nominated blogger who meets all the requirements and accepts their nomination will receive a
Nominee Badge from the PEBA Secretariat through e-mail and it must be displayed in his/her blog sidebar linking to PEBA Awards, www.pinoyblogawards.com as a verification requirement throughout the contest.

A. AWARDS
CATEGORIES

1. Personal Blog - Blogs written by individuals about themselves which does not necessarily adhere to a specific theme but must be specifically be about the blogger's life, his first hand account on events and his personal experiences.

2. Showbiz and Sports Blog - An entertainment blog that discuss or promote entertainment industry ranging from TV shows, theater acts, and movie films, musical shows, concerts and popular music. Sports blog discuss or analyze anything sports-related, including professional sports team, sports players and other related content.

3. Food Blog - Blog which focuses on food and recipes and its preparations which may also include restaurants reviews.

4. Fun and Entertainment Blog- Lighthearted and funny blog about life and everything that will make a reader smile or laugh.

5. Gadgets and Tech Blog - This category discusses about electronic gadgets, mobiles and computers, tablets and video game consoles and other electronic machine and new gadget inventions.

6. Negosyo, Entrepreneurship and Investment Blog - Blog that focuses on world commerce which covers the modern business trends such as marketing & finance and advertising. It also discusses about remittances, rates and OFW opportunities for entrepreneurship.

7. Wellness, Beauty and Kakikayan Blog - Blog topics on beauty, fashion, personal styling, clothing, cosmetics and accessories and other related contents for men and women.

8. Literary Blog - Blogs on contemporary and modern prose and poetry where style, narrative forms and literrary merits are shared. This includes literary reviews on reviews on literary books and poems from popular authors.

9. Family and/or Inspirational Blog - This category is for blogs which center around the topics of family, raising children, marriages and relationship and inspirational, any religious and spiritual content.

10. Picture! Picture! Blog - Blog which present and feature photographs taken by the author or others and post or shared as a blog.

11. Biyaheng Blog (Travel Blog) - This category is for blog which explore world travel, tourism, travel writings which include personal account and experiences of country's culture and visited sites.

B. CRITERIA
and JUDGING PROCESS

1. There will be two phases of judging process.

Selection of Finalist based on the following - A PEBA
pre-selection committee (Finalists Jurors) will review all the blogs based on
the following criteria’s in each category:

• Form
(30%) (Element, Blog Layout, Theme, Design)

• Substance
(50%) (Total Impact and Over All Blog
Content)

• Originality
(20%) (Uniqueness among other nominees in a particular category)

(A single or few nominees on a particular category does
not guarantee a win. PEBA has certain criteria’s and standard that will be
used to assess blog entries.)

2. PEBA General Board of Trustees and other selected judges
will determine the final winner in each category. All the BOT and judges
decisions are final, protests or reconsideration is not allowed.

3. The PEBA BOT will pick the blog winner in each category
that they all believe has made a greater
impact to the Filipino’s at home and abroad than the rest of the
finalists.

4. Each winner in every category will receive an online
badge, and a framed PEBA Certificate. Other awards and prizes, if there’s any
will be announced later.

5. Deadline of nomination will be on October 31st 2011,
11:59 P.M. Philippine time.

For more details regarding the contest, email us at

nominees@pinoyblogawards.com

The Nomination Form:

The nomination can be found here

Wounds Heal When We Serve

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 04:01:00 +0000

Everyday, all through out our lives, we encountered trials, and challenges that besets us, occupy much of our time, effort, and sometimes, resources. They are in our work place, in our circle of friends, in our community and civic activities, and they are within the bonds of family and relationships.

Sometimes we struggle to overcome them. Most of the time we needs others, especially the ones that we love the most to understand us, strengthen us, show the love and support, and thereby win the battle.

Me and my Mrs. Thoughtskoto was watching last night a feel good movie entitled "A Walk in my Shoes"

"Ever judge someone just by looking at them? Of course, weve all made snap judgments about people. But what if we really got to know them? How would our opinions change? And what if we were forced to become them how would the shoes fit then? Stressed-out high school teacher Trish Fahey cant understand her students lack of effort and why their parents dont seem to care. This is especially true of Justin Kremer, a popular, skateboard-loving, basketball star who is underperforming in her class. Trish has him suspended from the team and quickly chalks up the situation as a case of bad parenting. This perspective dramatically changes when Trish meets Molly, a mysterious stranger intent on helping her see things differently. When Trish wrecks her car, Molly is there as Trish wakes to find herself living the life of Cindy Kremer, the woman she has personally judged and criticized. Trish discovers that there is often more to the story and learns a powerful lesson that affects everyone she interacts with. Her husband, her daughter, the ex-Marine next door No one is left unchanged."

Wounds heal when we serve others. Pain is gone when we serve others too. In fact, it is the truth that as we serve others, we realize our worries, our problems, our challenges are lighter compared to others. We need to let go of that selfish behavior, and don't have to harbor that feeling of hatred, vanity, jealousy, and selfishness because it creates a negative feeling and makes us old.

I've said here one time in my post, that when you worry too much, when you only think of yourself, you will look old, you will have so much wrinkles, you'll become ugly. Now if you find so many ugly people everyday, try to look at yourself and the way you look through others, and the way you conduct your life, or handle your problems, and challenges, and see in the mirror, how you too look like.

I believe that service to others is also serving serving Him. He said a long long time ago, that if you have done it to the least of my fellows, you've done it unto Me. As we serve others, our wounds, or whatever feeling or memory that we keep and weighing heavily upon us, we lighten the load, and we feel better, much happier and eventually healed.

PEBA PROJECT NealShai

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:57:00 +0000

ORIGINALLY posted from

PEBA WEBSITE

NealShai, from Sharon Flores Facebook account, a jargon name of her 9 years old son and her name.

Who is she? She was a caregiver in Haifa, Israel. Her story was brought to PEBA's attention a few days ago by some of her concerned friends, fellow caregivers Mush and Mazelle.

They been doing everything they could to support Sharon and send her home. Why?

She is 32 years old single mom, and is working for 5 years as caregiver in Haifa. For more than one month, she had been hospitalized, and her friends and family learned from the doctor taking care of her, that she needs immediate medication and treatment for stomach cancer.

Her friends had been persistently asking the support of the embassy in Israel to repatriate Sharon so she can spend most of her remaining days with her son. The embassy said they can't help her because she was UNDOCUMENTED after her employer died of old age, and she decided to stay even without documents so she can support her son and family.

We found out that the embassy wanted Sharon to stay and stabilize at the hospital before flying home. The doctor advised otherwise because chemotherapy could weaken her more.

The letter below was from Mush, Sharon's friend and also a caregiver. We forwarded this letter to The Ople Center through the effort of Ms. Susan Ople, and the Patnubay who knew well the rules regarding this situation.

The Ople Center contacted the embassy in Israel, and do more of the contacting in Manila.

As of this writing, Sharon is being flown from Haifa to Manila.
We would like to plead for support moral and financial and donation, or even sponsorship of her son's education.

Sharon and her son

Here is the letter from Mush:

Magandang araw po sa inyong lahat.

Si Sharon Flores po, 32 years old, ay isang caregiver dito sa Israel. Mahigit isang buwan na po ang nakakaraan ng mag umpisang sumakit ang kanyang tyan, ayon po sa mga doktor, ang pananakit daw po ng kaniyang tyan ay sanhi ng appendicitis, kung kaya madalian po siyang inoperahan upang alisin ang knyang appendix. Ilang araw siyang tumagal sa hospital, hanggang pauwiin na sa kanyang bahay. Pagkaraan ng ilang araw, tumawag muli ang doktor sa kanya upang pabalikin sya sa hospital dahil may nakita silang iregularidad sa knyang sikmura. Mula noon ay ini confine sya sa hospital at sumailalalim sa iba't ibang tests. Pagkatapos ng ilang araw, lumabas ang findings ng doktor at nadiagnose sya na merong STOMACH CANCER, STAGE 4, at ipinayo ng mga doktor na iuwi na sya upang sa Pilipinas sumailalim ng chemotherapy. Sa kasalukuyan po ay naka confine pa din sya sa hospital habang hinihintay ang mga dokumentong kailangan nya sa kanyang pag uwi, at inaasahan po namin na makakauwi sya sa susunod na linggo.

Siya po ay isa lamang sa napakaraming Pilipino na nakikipagsapalaran sa bansang ito at nagtatrabaho kahit walang dokumento. Siya po ay nasa ilalim ng kategoryang UNDOCUMENTED WORKER, at sinabi po ng DFA na wala syang matatanggap na kahit na anong benipisyo mula sa gobyerno. Wala din pong maibigay na tulong pinansyal ang Philippine Embassy dito sa Israel o kahit na po sa OWWA ay di sya entitled sa kahit anong benifits dahil sa status nya . Bilang isang breadwinner ng pamilya, sya po ay walang ipon na pera at meron po syang 9 na taong gulang na anak na lalaki na nangangailangan ng suporta at pagmamahal nya. Sinubukan na po namin na makakolekta ng kaunting pera mula sa mga malalapit na kaibigan pero alam ko po na hindi yun sasapat para sa pagpapagamot nya.

Siya po ay isang mabuting halimbawa ng isang mabuting mamamayan, na handang ibigay ang lahat para sa mga mahal nya sa buhay, at sya din po ay kabilang sa mga bagong bayani ng ating bayan. Sayang po kung basta na lamang isusuko ang laban kung dahil lamang sa kakulangang pinansyal. Kaya po bilang isang kaibigan, na nakakita at nakasaksi sa kanyng kahirapan, idinudulog ko po sa inyo, at nagmamakaawa po ako, na sana ay tulungan nyo sya na madugtungan pa ang kanyang buhay, para sa kanyang anak na umaasa na sa paglaki nya ay may ina sya na makakatuwang sa buhay.

If you wish to donate or offer prayers and support for Sharon, contact and bank details here

Mobile No. +639474773934

Bank Details

Name: Banco De Oro

Savings Account Name: Sharon Flores

Savings Account No.: 6320062362

or for more details please email at contact@pinoyblogawards.com

PEBA would like to thank again Maricel and Mazelle for their courage and unfaltering support to Sharon at the lowest times of her life, as well as the Ople Center and Patnubay Riyadh for helping our distressed Kababayans. Mabuhay po kayo!

We ask that you will repost this in your blogs as a way of support or share the link in your Facebook walls. Thank you.

Kaif Alhal

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 04:30:00 +0000

That's Arabic for "How Are You?" or "Kumusta" :)

Since I transferred to my new job, it seems to me that I don't have that much time to update my blog, for several reasons.

One, other than my powerful Nokia mobile phone that I bought to access FB, Twitter and Gmail and PEBA matters, (powerful talaga, haha N8 or C7 or E7, you guess?) I don't have access to laptop or PC in the laboratory. At first I wonder how I and PEBA was able to survive the set up. But then, I am so grateful for so many volunteers, hardworking and with out pay that fill my lack of time to update and make the system work.

Secondly, after work, we have this ever active 3 years old PEBA baby named Hevyn that takes most of my time, plus Mrs. Thoughtskoto is having our second baby, a boy, but so difficult is her pregnancy especially during the first two trimester that she suffers so much and so I have to tend almost all of the chores in the house.

I managed to update my Facebook because anywhere and anytime you can have the mobile phone. The rest of my free time is divided with either chatting or having conference meeting with the officers and volunteers of PEBA or attending to some distress OFW situations or cases and other social project of PEBA or doing groceries or having dates with my two girls.

If I have ample time after that, I have to update the PEBA website.

So that's how my life 24 hours almost everyday.

I will have to draft my Friendship entry for THE KABLOGS JOURNAL so bye for now. I will update it again tomorrow or the next day as I wanted to post more and more of my thoughts

Music and the Spoken Word: Father's Day Message

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 15:47:00 +0000

Renaissance Men

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

"From time to time we hear great artists or athletes described as “Renaissance men.” Society marvels at the variety of their accomplishments—a football player who also excels as a musician or a writer who can also paint.

We admire people who can switch hats and shine in more than one arena. But in our quest to find the next celebrity multitasker, we often overlook countless Renaissance men who are closer to home.

The real treasures of our society are the dads who wear multiple hats every day of their lives, even when they’re tired after a long day at work. Our world is made better by these kinds of men—men who can work a jackhammer one minute and caress a baby the next. Men who can split a log yet mend a heart. Men who can be tenacious at the office in the morning, yet be found teetering on a tiny chair and sipping from a tiny cup at their young daughter’s teddy bear tea party that evening.

Great fathers listen, guide, love, and laugh, forging a sacred bond with their children that will last for generations. Such men put family first and understand that their role extends far beyond providing. In the process, they show their families what it means to be a real man. No one can fill this heroic role quite like a loving father.

If you ask them how they do it, they’ll simply say they’re average guys with average lives. But in the eyes of their children, they are heroes, men who can stand as strong as mighty oaks yet share a gentle breeze and the squeeze of a little hand. These are the real Renaissance men, and they are all around us: fathers whose children matter most of all."

Thanks to Kirk for the reference. Taken from here.

PEBA, Globe Kababayan and the Pink Tarha Photo Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:17:00 +0000

Hello everyone, we're The Pink Tarha and we're proud to be a part of this year's PEBA and GLOBE Kababayan SIM by Globe Telecom Photo Contest! We'll put the girly, light factor in this competition, lol. Let's start with this:

Rain, clouds, more colors, vintage effect? What happened? Don't fret, it's still the PEBA 2011 Photo Contest. We just added a fun, very colorful side to it. Of course, it's hand-in-hand with the theme of the PEBA 2011 Blogging Contest. This is our first major project as a blog, and the first tie-up we have of PEBA Inc... please support us! Grab your cameras and shoot!

Here's the gist: All Filipinos living and residing abroad and of legal age are eligible to join this photo contest. Think of a subject/subjects that will show us where your heart is, what you consider "home." A home is not just a place, right? Capture your interpretation of the theme with the use of your cameras! We don't discriminate so you can use whatever camera you have, as long as you pour lots of creativity and mix in passion. :) Submit your photos (a maximum of 2) at pc@pinoyblogawards.com starting today until August 1, 2011. Worthy judges will be taking a look at your photographs and your family and friend can support you through the Facebook pages of PEBA, The Pink Tarha, and the Globe Kababayan. Winners will be receiving electronic gadgets and more prizes from our wonderful sponsors. For more information, please read THIS. (If that doesn't work because sometimes Google Docs is choosy aka nagiinarte, haha, then you can also click here. ;)

We'll be giving away Globe TipIDD cards worth P300 each for the first 50 participants. We'll be awaiting, rather eagerly, your wonderful photos! :)

Again, don't forget to read the full mechanics and rules HERE (It's a must!). It's just four pages and font 12 so it won't be stressful to read. If you have more questions such as why there are clouds and rain in the poster above or who's that guy holding the camera or why you should join, don't hesitate to email us at pc@pinoyblogawards.com or thepinktarha@gmail.com. Don't be shy now. :)

Kindly share this to your family, friends, and fellow photographers. More photos, more happiness shared. :)

My Apology

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:15:00 +0000

It's been a while since the Pacquiao-Mosley boxing match that I haven't updated my blog. PEBA and the Sayangtist (trying hard chemist) in me, as well as being a full time father and husband is taking so much of my time. I am not complaining anyway. I love it. I love my family more than anything.

Anyway, this will only be short. An apology post. I had this experience before in WAYN or the Where Are You Now, where it send to my hundreds of contacts and keep sending annoying invitation and emails.

Now it happened again to LinkedIn, and even posted an invitation to my blogs. I have to delete my LinkedIn account for reasons that firstly, I didn't see any benefit to it, and secondly, it's purely annoying that they send a thousand of my contacts in my email with annoying invitations that I am inviting them to join my network.

I may have clicked somewhere using my mobile phone that I am authorizing them to do it, so it's my fault, and so I am asking apology to all who received the email invitation and reinvitation. For LINKEDIN sake, can you just send one email? It's enough! Pero nanaykupo dalawang email na, and who knows hanggang ilang libo iyan. Mark it as a Spam, please.

****************************

And dahil bihira ako makapost, susulitin ko na. Sali po tayo sa PEBA Awards 2011. Blogging and Photography po na pakontest, and we hope all nominees will enjoy this season. Let me share a few of our ads here.

MORE CONTEST at the PEBA WEBSITE

PACQUIAO VS MOSLEY LIVE FREE STREAMING and LINKS

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 07 May 2011 21:26:00 +0000

DOWNLOAD HERE

Click on the links and videos below, and keep on refreshing the page to get the minute by minute updates of links and fresh and clearer live streamed videos!

In any case that you can't watch at any of the embedded videos, click the alternative mirrors here and more down below

1

2

3

Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley

WBO welterweight title

Undercard

Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. vs. Jorge Arce
WBO junior featherweight title

LINKS HERE

A
B
C

Manny Pacquiao Vs. Shane Mosley Live Streaming!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Thu, 05 May 2011 05:32:00 +0000

Photo grab from Showtime

For six (6) years we faithfully bring you the live stream of the Manny Pacquaio boxing matches. This time, he will be sparing on top of the arena, the Sugar, Shane Mosley for their World Welterweight Championship match up on Saturday, May 7, 6PM ET/PT on Sho Extreme.

(Sunday, May 08, around 4-5 AM Saudi time or 9-10AM Philippine time)

Watch the pre-fights 360 Fight Camp courtesy of Showtime.

Bookmark our page now, and see you Sunday courtesy of our US friends. We are all on this together, rallying with Manny "the Pacman" Pacquiao against Shane Mosley.

Nonito Agana "Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao is the first billionaire member of Congress. And perhaps, the first and only multimillionaire solon who acquired his fortune through honest means"

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton Live Streaming Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 06:11:00 +0000

The Royal Wedding in 3 Hours! LIVE HERE!

Bookmark and watch out for more updates and links here!

Memorandum from God (Lenten 2011 Repost)

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:36:00 +0000

MEMORANDUM
By Og Mandino

Take counsel. I hear your cry. It passes through the darkness, filters through the clouds, mingles with starlight, and finds its way to my heart on the path of a sunbeam. I have anguished over the cry of a hare choked in the noose of a snare, a sparrow tumbled from the nest of its mother, a child thrashing helplessly in a pond, and a son shredding his blood on a cross. Know that I hear you, also. Be at peace. Be calm . I bring thee relief for your sorrow for I know its cause ... and its cure. You weep for all your childhood dreams that have vanished with the years. You weep for all your self-esteem that has been corrupted by failure. You weep for all your potential that has been bartered for security. You weep for all your talent that has been wasted through misuse. You look upon yourself with disgrace and you turn in terror from the image you see in the pool. Who is this mockery of humanity staring back at you with bloodless eyes of shame? Where is the grace of your manner, the beauty of your figure, the quickness of your movement, the clarity of your mind, the brilliance of your tongue? Who stole your goods? Is the thief's identity known to you, as it is to me? Once you placed your head in a pillow of grass in your father's field, looked up at a cathedral of clouds, and knew that all the gold of Babylon would be yours in time. Once you read from many books and wrote on many tablets, convinced beyond any doubt that all the wisdom of Solomon would be equaled and surpassed by you. And the seasons would flow into years until lo, you would reign supreme in your own garden of Eden. Dost thou remember who implanted those plans and dreams and seeds of hope within you? You cannot. You have no memory of that moment when first you emerged from your mother's womb and I placed my hand on your soft brow. And the secret I whispered in your small ear when I bestowed my blessings upon you? Remember our secret? You cannot. The passing years have destroyed your recollection, for they have filled your mind with fear and doubt and anxiety and remorse and hate and there is no room for joyful memories where these beasts habitate. Weep no more. I am with you ... and this moment is the dividing line of your life. All that has gone before is like unto no more than that time you slept within your mother's womb. What is past is dead. Let the dead bury the dead. This day you return from the living dead. This day, like unto Elijah with the widow's son, I stretch myself upon thee three times and you live again. This day, like unto Elisha with the Shunammite's son, I put my mouth upon your mouth and my eyes upon your eyes and my hands upon your hands and your flesh is warm again. This day, like unto Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, I command you to come forth and you will walk from your cave of doom to begin a new life. This is your birthday. This is your new date of birth. Your first life, like unto a play of the theatre, was only a rehearsal. This time the curtain is up. This time the world watches and waits to applaud. This time you will not fail. Light your candles. Share your cake. Pour the wine. You have been reborn. Like a butterfly from its chrysalis you will fly ... fly as high as you wish, and neither the wasps nor dragonflies nor mantids of mankind shall obstruct your mission or your search for the true riches of life. Feel my hand upon thy head. Attend to my wisdom. Let me share with you, again, the secret you heard at your birth and forgot. You are my greatest miracle. You are the greatest miracle in the world. Those were the first words you ever heard. Then you cried. They all cry ... You did not believe me then ... and nothing has happened in the intervening years to correct your disbelief. For how could you be a miracle when you consider yourself a failure at the most menial of tasks? How can you be a miracle when you have little confidence in dealing with the most trivial of responsibilities? How can you be a miracle when you are shackled by debt and lie awake in torment over whence will come tomorrow's bread? Enough. The milk that is spilled is sour. Yet, how many prophets, how many wise men, how many poets, how many artists, how many composers, how many scientists, how many philosophers and messengers have I sent with word of your divinity, your potential for godliness, and the secrets of achievement? How did you treat them?

Still I love you and I am with you now, through these words, to fulfill the prophet who announced that the Lord shall set his hand again, the second time, to recover the remnant of his people. I have set my hand again. This is the second time. You are my remnant. It is of no avail to ask, haven't you known, haven't you heard, hasn't it been told to you from the beginning; haven't you understood from the foundations of the earth? You have not known; you have not heard; you have not understood. You have been told that you are a divinity in disguise, a god playing a fool. You have been told that you a special piece of work, noble in reason, infinite in faculties, express and admirable in form and moving, like an angel in action, like a god in apprehension. You have been told that you are the salt of the earth. You were given the secret even of moving mountains, of performing the impossible. You believed no one. You burned your map to happiness, you abandoned your claim to peace of mind, you snuffed out the candles that had been placed along your destined path of glory, and then you stumbled, lost and frightened, in the darkness of futility and self-pity, until you fell into a hell of your own creation. Then you cried and beat your breast and cursed the luck that had befallen you. You refused to accept the consequences of your own petty thoughts and lazy deeds and you searched for a scapegoat on which to blame your failure. How quickly you found one. You blamed me! You cried that your handicaps, your mediocrity, your lack of opportunity, your failures ... were the will of God! You were wrong! Let us take inventory. Let us, first, call a roll of your handicaps. For how can I ask you to build a new life lest you have the tools? Are you blind? Does the sun rise and fall without your witness?
No. You can see ... and the hundred million receptors I have placed in your eyes enable you to enjoy the magic of a leaf, a snowflake, a pond, an eagle, a child, a cloud, a star, a rose, a rainbow ... and the look of love. Count one blessing. Are you deaf? Can a baby laugh or cry without your attention? No. You can hear ... and the twenty-four thousand fibers I have built in each of your ears vibrate to the wind in the trees, the tides on the rocks, the majesty of an opera, a robin's plea, children at play ... and the words I love you. Count another blessing. Are you mute? Do your lips move and bring forth only spittle? No. You can speak ... as can no other of my creatures, and your words can calm the angry, uplift the despondent, goad the quitter, cheer the unhappy, warm the lonely, praise the worthy, encourage the defeated, teach the ignorant ... and say I love you. Count another blessing. Are you paralyzed? Does your helpless form despoil the land? No. You can move. You are not a tree condemned to a small plot while the wind and world abuses you. You can stretch and run and dance and work, for within you I have designed five hundred muscles, two hundred bones, and seven miles of nerve fiber all synchronized by me to do your bidding. Count another blessing.

Are you unloved and unloving? Does loneliness engulf you, night and day? No. No more. For now you know love's secret, that to receive love it must be given with no thought of its return. To love for fulfillment, satisfaction, or pride is no love. Love is a gift on which no return is demanded. Now you know that to love unselfishly is its own reward. And even should love not be returned it is not lost, for love not reciprocated will flow back to you and soften and purify your heart. Count another blessing. Count twice. Is your heart stricken? Does it leak and strain to maintain your life? No. Your heart is strong. Touch your chest and feel its rhythm, pulsating, hour after hour, day and night, thirty-six million beats each year, year after year, asleep or awake, pumping your blood through more than sixty thousand miles of veins, arteries, and tubing ... pumping more than six hundred thousand gallons each year. Man has never created such a machine. Count another blessing. Are you diseased of skin? Do people turn in horror when you approach? No. Your skin is clear and a marvel of creation, needing only that you tend it with soap and oil and brush and care. In time all steels will tarnish and rust, but not your skin. Eventually the strongest of metals will wear, with use, but not that layer that I have constructed around you. Constantly it renews itself, old cells replaced by new, just as the old you is now replaced by the new. Count another blessing. Are your lungs befouled? Does your breath of life struggle to enter your body? No. Your portholes to life support you even in the vilest of environments of your own making, and they labor always to filter life-giving oxygen through six hundred million pockets of folded flesh while they rid your body of gaseous wastes. Count another blessing. Is your blood poisoned? Is it diluted with water and pus? No. Within your five quarts of blood are twenty-two trillion blood cells and within each cell are millions of molecules and within each molecule is an atom oscillating at more than ten million times each second. Each second, two million of your blood cells die to be replaced by two million more in a resurrection that has continued since your first birth. As it has always been inside, so now it is on your outside. Count another blessing. Are you feeble of mind? Can you no longer think for yourself? No. Your brain is the most complex structure in the universe. I know. Within its three pounds are thirteen billion nerve cells, more than three times as many cells as there are people on your earth. To help you file away every perception, every sound, every taste, every smell, every action you have experienced since the day of your birth, I have implanted, within your cells, more than one thousand billion billion protein molecules. Every incident in your life is there waiting only your recall. And, to assist your brain in the control of your body I have dispersed, throughout your form, four million pain-sensitive structures, five hundred thousand touch detectors, and more than two hundred thousand temperature detectors. No nation's gold is better protected than you. None of your ancient wonders are greater than you.

You are my finest creation. Within you is enough atomic energy to destroy any of the world's great cities ... and rebuild it. Are you poor? Is there no gold or silver in your purse? No. You are rich! Together we have just counted your wealth. Study the list. Count them again. Tally your assets! Why have you betrayed yourself? Why have you cried that all the blessings of humanity were removed from you? Why did you deceive yourself that you were powerless to change your life? Are you without talent, senses, abilities, pleasures, instincts, sensations, and pride? Are you without hope? Why do you cringe in the shadows, a giant defeated, awaiting only sympathetic transport into the welcome void and dampness of hell? You have so much. Your blessings overflow your cup ... and you have been unmindful of them, like a child spoiled in luxury, since I have bestowed them upon you with generosity and regularity. Answer me. Answer yourself. What rich man, old and sick, feeble and helpless, would not exchange all the gold in his vault for the blessings you have treated so lightly. Know then the first secret to happiness and success - that you possess, even now, every blessing necessary to achieve great glory. They are your treasure, your tools with which to build, starting today, the foundation for a new and better life. Therefore, I say unto you, count your blessings and know that you already are my greatest creation. This is the first law you must obey in order to perform the greatest miracle in the world, the return of your humanity from living death.

And be grateful for your lessons learned in poverty. For he is not poor who has little; only he that desires much ... and true security lies not in the things one has but in the things one can do without. Where are the handicaps that produced your failure? They existed only in your mind. Count your blessings. And the second law is like unto the first. Proclaim your rarity.
You had condemned yourself to a potter's field, and there you lay, unable to forgive your own failure, destroying yourself with self-hate, self-incrimination, and revulsion at your crimes against yourself and others. Are you not perplexed? Do you not wonder why I am able to forgive your failures, your transgressions, your pitiful demeanor ... when you cannot forgive yourself?

I address you now, for three reasons. You need me. You are not one of a herd heading for destruction in a gray mass of mediocrity. And ... you are a great rarity. Consider a painting by Rembrandt or a bronze by Degas or a violin by Stradivarius or a play by Shakespeare. They have great value for two reasons: their creators were masters and they are few in number. Yet there are more than one of each of these. On that reasoning you are the most valuable treasure on the face of the earth, for you know who created you and there is only one of you. Never, in all the seventy billion humans who have walked this planet since the beginning of time has there been anyone exactly like you. Never, until the end of time, will there be another such as you. You have shown no knowledge or appreciation of your uniqueness. Yet, you are the rarest thing in the world From your father, in his moment of supreme love, flowed countless seeds of love, more than four hundred million in number. All of them, as they swam within your mother, gave up the ghost and died. All except one! You. You alone persevered within the loving warmth of your mother's body, searching for your other half, a single cell from your mother so small that more than two million would be necessary to fill an acorn shell. Yet, despite impossible odds, in that vast ocean of darkness and disaster, you persevered, found that infinitesimal cell, joined with it, and began a new life. Your life. You arrived, bringing with you, as does every child, the message that I was not yet discouraged of man. Two cells now united in a miracle. Two cells, each containing twenty-three chromosomes and within each chromosome hundreds of genes, which would govern every characteristic about you, from the color of your eyes to the charm of your manner, to the size of your brain. With all the combinations at my command, beginning with that single sperm from your father's four hundred million, through the hundreds of genes in each of the chromosomes from your mother and father, I could have created three hundred thousand billion humans, each different from the other.

But who did I bring forth? You! One of a kind. Rarest of the rare. A priceless treasure, possessed of qualities in mind and speech and movement and appearance and actions as no other who has ever lived, lives, or shall live. Why have you valued yourself in pennies when you are worth a king's ransom? Why did you listen to those who demeaned you ... and far worse, why did you believe them? Take counsel. No longer hide your rarity in the dark. Bring it forth. Show the world. Strive not to walk as your brother walks, nor talk as your leader talks, nor labor as do the mediocre. Never do as another. Never imitate. For how do you know that you may not imitate evil; and he who imitates evil always goes beyond the example set, while he who imitates what is good always falls short. Imitate no one. Be yourself. Show your rarity to the world and they will shower you with gold. This then is the second law. Proclaim your rarity.
And now you have received two laws.
Count your blessings! Proclaim your rarity!

You have no handicaps. You are not mediocre. You nod. You force a smile. You admit your self-deception. What of your next complaint? Opportunity never seeks thee? Take counsel and it shall come to pass, for now I give you the law of success in every venture. Many centuries ago this law was given to your forefathers from a mountain top. Some heeded the law and lo, their life was filled with the fruit of happiness, accomplishment, gold, and peace of mind. Most listened not, for they sought magic means, devious routes, or waited for the devil called luck to deliver to them the riches of life. They waited in vain ... just as you waited, and then they wept, blaming their lack of fortune. The law is simple. Young or old, pauper or king, white or black, male or female ... all can use the secret to their advantage; for all the rules and speeches and scriptures of success and how to attain it, only one method has never failed ... whomsoever shall compel ye to go with him one mile ... go with him two.

This then is the third law ... the secret that will produce riches and acclaim beyond your dreams. Go another mile! The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be. This is a habit followed by all successful people since the beginning of time. Therefore I saith the surest way to doom yourself to mediocrity is to perform only the work for which you are paid. Think not ye are being cheated if you deliver more than the silver you receive. For there is a pendulum to all life and the sweat you deliver, if not rewarded today, will swing back tomorrow, tenfold. The mediocre never goes another mile, for why should he cheat himself, he thinks. But you are not mediocre. To go another mile is a privilege you must appropriate by your own initiative. You cannot, you must not avoid it. Neglect it, do only as little as the others, and the responsibility for your failure is yours alone. You can no more render service without receiving just compensation than you can withhold the rendering of it without suffering the loss of reward. Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit, these cannot be separated. The effect already blooms in the cause, the end pre-exists in the means, and the fruit is always in the seed.
Go another mile.
Concern yourself not, should you serve an ungrateful master. Serve him more. And instead of him, let it be me who is in your debt, for then you will know that every minute, every stroke of extra service will be repaid. And worry not, should your reward not come soon. For the longer payment is withheld, the better for you ... and compound interest on compound interest is this law's greatest benefit. You cannot command success, you can only deserve it ... and now you know the great secret necessary in order to merit its rare reward. Go another mile! Where is this field whence you cried there was no opportunity? Look! Look around thee. See, where only yesterday you wallowed on the refuse of self-pity, you now walk tall on a carpet of gold. Nothing has changed ... except you, but you are everything You are my greatest miracle. You are the greatest miracle in the world And now the laws of happiness and success are three. Count your blessings! Proclaim your rarity! Go another mile!
Be patient with your progress. To count your blessings with gratitude, to proclaim your rarity with pride, to go an extra mile and then another, these acts are not accomplished in the blinking of an eye. Yet, that which you acquire with most difficulty you retain the longest; as those who have earned a fortune are more careful of it than those by whom it was inherited.
And fear not as you enter your new life. Every noble acquisition is attended with its risks. He who fears to encounter the one must not expect to obtain the other. Now you know you are a miracle. And there is no fear in a miracle. Be proud. You are not the momentary whim of a careless creator experimenting in the laboratory of life. You are not a slave of forces that you cannot comprehend. You are a free manifestation of no force but mine, of no love but mine. You were made with a purpose. Feel my hand. Hear my words. You need me ... and I need you. We have a world to rebuild ... and if it requireth a miracle what is that to us? We are both miracles and now we have each other. Never have I lost faith in you since that day when I first spun you from a giant wave and tossed you helplessly on the sands. As you measure time that was more than five hundred million years ago. There were many models, many shapes, many sizes, before I reached perfection in you more than thirty thousand years ago. I have made no further effort to improve on you in all these years. For how could one improve on a miracle? You were a marvel to behold and I was pleased. I gave you this world and dominion over it. Then, to enable you to reach your full potential I placed my hand upon you, once more, and endowed you with powers unknown to any other creature in the universe, even unto this day.

I gave you the power to think.
I gave you the power to love.
I gave you the power to will.
I gave you the power to laugh.
I gave you the power to imagine.
I gave you the power to create.
I gave you the power to plan.
I gave you the power to speak.
I gave you the power to pray.
I gave you the power to heal.

My pride in you knew no bounds. You were my ultimate creation, my greatest miracle. A complete living being. One who can adjust to any climate, any hardship, any challenge. One who can manage his own destiny without any interference from me. One who can translate a sensation or perception, not by instinct, but by thought and deliberation into whatever action is best for himself and all humanity. Thus we come to the fourth law of success and happiness ... for I gave you one more power, a power so great that not even my angels possess it. I gave you ... the power to choose.
With this gift I placed you even above my angels ... for angels are not free to choose sin. I gave you complete control over your destiny. I told you to determine, for yourself, your own nature in accordance with your own free will. Neither heavenly nor earthly in nature, you were free to fashion yourself in whatever form you preferred. You had the power to choose to degenerate into the lowest forms of life, but you also had the power, out of your soul's judgment, to be reborn into the higher forms, which are divine I have never withdrawn your great power, the power to choose. What have you done with this tremendous force? Look at yourself. Think of the choices you have made in your life and recall, now, those bitter moments when you would fall to your knees if only you had the opportunity to choose again.
What is past is past ... and now you know the fourth great law of happiness and success ... Use wisely, your power of choice.

Choose to love ... rather than hate.
Choose to laugh ... rather than cry.
Choose to create ... rather than destroy.
Choose to persevere ... rather than quit.
Choose to praise ... rather than gossip.
Choose to heal ... rather than wound.
Choose to give ... rather than steal.
Choose to act ... rather than procrastinate.
Choose to grow ... rather than rot.
Choose to pray ... rather than curse.
Choose to live ... rather than die.

Now you know that your misfortunes were not my will, for all power was vested in you, and the accumulation of deeds and thoughts which placed you on the refuse of humanity were your doing, not mine. My gifts of power were too large for your small nature. Now you have grown tall and wise and the fruits of the land will be yours You are more than a human being, you are a human becoming.

You are capable of great wonders. Your potential is unlimited. Who else, among my creatures, has mastered fire? Who else, among my creatures, has conquered gravity, has pierced the heavens, has conquered disease and pestilence and drought? Never demean yourself again! Never settle for the crumbs of life! Never hide your talents, from this day hence! Remember the child who says, "when I am big boy." But what is that? For the big boy says. "when I grow up." And then the grown up, he says, "when I am wed." But to be wed, what is that, after all? The thought then changes to "when I retire." And then, retirement comes, and he looks back over it and somehow he has missed it all and it is gone. Enjoy this day, today ... and tomorrow, tomorrow. You have performed the greatest miracle in the world. You have returned from a living death. You will feel self-pity no more and each new day will be a challenge and a joy. You have been born again ... but just as before, you can choose failure and despair or success and happiness. The choice is yours. The choice is exclusively yours. I can only watch, as before ... in pride ... or sorrow. Remember, then, the four laws of happiness and success.

Count your blessings.
Proclaim your rarity.
Go another mile.
Use wisely your power of choice.
And one more, to fulfill the other four. Do all things with love ... love for yourself, love for all others, and love for me. Wipe away your tears. Reach out, grasp my hand, and stand straight. Let me cut the grave cloths that have bound you.

This day you have been notified.

Leaving Is Not A Matter of Choice, Coming Back Is

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Thoughtskoto) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 14:35:00 +0000

PEBA’S 2011 THEME RALLIES ON HEROES HOMECOMING TOWARDS CHANGE

Note: The photo of a boy holding a flag is an official entry of AnalinDenhann from Copenhagen Denmark to the 2010 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards International Photo Contest

The First Quarter Storm

The first quarter of 2011 is perhaps the most turbulent days of the Overseas Filipino Workers as they witness the political revolution in the Middle East and North Africa where thousands of OFWs were caught in the middle of domestic conflicts in countries such as Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Libya.

Even with these appalling events, Filipinos remain determined to continue following their dreams through migration in order to survive domestic poverty. The world could be cruel and unforgiving but also highly rewarding... because in every struggle, heroes emerge.

Leaving Is Not A Matter of Choice, Coming Back Is

Despite the varied reasons why Filipinos go abroad, nationalism is still evident on the narratives of the 12 million Filipinos scattered all over the world. PEBA has witnessed how OFWs take pride of our Filipino roots, our culture and our race. Filipinos abroad, after they have followed their dreams, have chosen to return, evident on how we are called... "Balikbayan." They return to share their talents, skills and fortunes in an effort to bring change to the families left behind, communities and country. Thus, PEBA 2011 is dedicated to our "balikbayans", the unsung heroes of our time. Their homecoming brings a spark of change to the lives of their loved ones and their homeland. PEBA 2011 honor them with the theme,

"Ako'y Magbabalik, Hatid Ko'y Pagbabago." (I Will Return, I Will Bring Change.)

The PEBA 2011 Challenge

PEBA 2011 will attempt to remind the P-Noy administration to solicit, listen and heed the advice our OFWs who have been the forefront of finding solutions on the world’s most powerful economies. It's about time that instead of concentrating on labor-export policy, this administration start tapping the professional services of OFWs in various areas of expertise in rebuilding our country's infrastructures and basic services by offering them job positions in government offices to be administration partners in nation-building.

We call on our Filipino expatriates around the world to continue their roles as Global Ambassadors of our country in foreign lands by promoting and patronizing our locally-made products, making the Philippines the first stop destination for holidays and investing in the home country. We ask them to teach their children and their foreign spouses on the positive Filipino values and the Filipino language. Let’s be proud of our race, for nationalism knows no time and bounderies.

Expats, OFWs and Bloggers, They’re Heroes That Multiplies

To our Global Filipino bloggers, as the curtain rises for PEBA 2011 in celebration of our nation’s historic "Araw ng Kagitingan"; let us look back on the heroes of La Solidaridad - Rizal, Del Pilar, Ponce, Paterno, Jacinto, Lopez-Jaena , etc. who were the Filipinos reformists in Spain who used instead of the sword to campaign for changes in the Spanish-governed Philippine islands through essays, speeches, news articles, and other literary and journalistic forms. Their efforts ultimately led to the Philippine independence from Spain. Today, PEBA invites our bloggers to write and post topics on "Balikbayan" (Returnees), "Homecoming" and the positive "changes" and benefits it brings to their families, relatives and friends, to the community and to our country, the Philippines.

We call on our bloggers worldwide to share their stories - through essays and anecdotes, literary and journalistic forms, videos and photos on their quest for the real change that they want to be - for their own selves, for their families, communities and country on their plan homecoming or recent “balikbayan” experiences that bring positive change to the lives of their love ones. And to our non-OFW bloggers, we seek your talents to share with us your expectations and memorable experiences gained during the homecoming events of your returning family members, relatives or friends.

Like Rizal, Luna and Ninoy, 12 million OFWs have crossed borders to work, learn culture and technologies abroad in their effort to battle poverty in our courtyard; soon they will return and apply their knowledge and wealth to bring the change they want for their families, relatives, communities and country - for heroes never die, they just multiply.

This season will put a challenge to our Global Filipinos to flex its muscles to show that with the unity of its great numbers, it can be a potent force for political change, that OFWs can stop this culture of corruption, exploitation, and fraud and steer our country to greater heights by participating in a mature political exercise by participating in the Overseas Absentee Voting and joining forums and social organizations abroad that promote Filipino values and socio-economic assistance to OFWs and kababayans back home.

To the private sectors that have economically benefited on the remittances and homecoming spending of the OFW and their families; PEBA calls for your support on the advocacy programs and projects of the Government, LGUs and NGOs that promote values and welfare of the OFWs.

PEBA calls on POEA and OWWA to improve its reintegration program for returning, retiring and displaced OFWs. We ask this administration to restore an estimated 46 percent budget cut to the Department of Foreign Affairs 2012 budget and to increase funds to assist OFWs in Japan and the Middle East countries.

As the quarter storm closes, we prayed and mourned for the loss of our OFW compatriots, Sally, Ramon and Elizabeth who were executed in China. A painful lesson for every Filipinos to be careful and not to allow ourselves to be used as drug couriers.

Hundreds of OFWs are still missing in New Zealand after a devastating earthquake hit the country. In Japan, the horrifying series of earthquakes and tsunami that swept the Japanese shores where hundreds of OFWs are still unaccounted for and the continuing threat of radiation exposure remain an unending nightmare to the survivors.