Proudly Pinoy

Withstanding Recession

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:49:00 +0000

Year 2009 will be challenging for all Filipinos. As the year starts, we were overwhelmed by the following news:

Accenture Manila cuts hundreds of jobs
Intel closed its Philippine operations
FedEx relocated its operation from Subic to Guangzhou, China
and news regarding jobless Filipinos either overseas or nationwide.

As we experience and face the effect of the global financial crisis, I am still optimistic that we Filipinos will endure this challenge.

Being dependent to the global economy, the current recession brings stormy days to our economy. US companies are closing and some people lost their jobs. But as a local TV show said; instead of counting the bad things, count the good things that we have.

As American and western companies experience the challenge, they tend to expand their operations in nations where the cost of operations are cheaper, such as the Philippines. As such, we can expect more jobs not only in the Contact Center Businesses but also in the BPO industry.

Some companies are now moving their back office operations in Manila. This includes and is not limited to the following: human resources, accounting, consulting, transcriptionist, document encoder and more.

For those who lost their job, we all know how hard to find a new job nowadays. But remember, you are still entitled for your separation and back pay. Now, why not use it to establish your own business?

We go on after the Filipino-Spanish war. We gained respect during the US occupation and survive the 2nd World War. We gained independence and now a sovereign nation. We live.

So the Filipinos became known for their patience, dedication to work and hard labor. And as this economic storm pass, we can expect that a brighter and lighter days will be next.

Please Boycott Panay News

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:08:00 +0000

This blog is posted to support a fellow blogger and a friend whose pictures has been published online and on a daily sheet without his permission. Shame to the management of Panay News as they continue to ignore his messages.

Though a bit unrelated to my blog, this might happen to me or to anyone so I thought sharing will be beneficial for all bloggers. Also, this is a clear view of unethical and unprofessional journalism. Let us help Eric and their victims by spreading this article.

Links:

http://travelpinoytravel.multiply.com/journal/item/260

http://www.byahilo.com/2009/01/28/panay-news-used-my-photos-without-my-permission/

Here is the unedited blog entry:

Panay News is a local newspapaer based in Iloilo City.

As a newspaper, it is just expected from them to provide news reportage that is fair honest and credible.

But how can Panay News become fair and honest when in the first place all they do is just copy imaes on the internet and use it on their paper without even giving credit to the rightful owners of the photograph?

I myself is a victim of this. Last January 25 issue of the newspaper, I was apalled to see that not one but four of my photos were used in this newspaper without even mentioning my name or Byahilo.com

This is not the first time that Panay News did this to me.

Last year HUBLAS, their Ilonggo paper also used my two photos.

Now, when I sent them email, demanding for compensation for the images they used, they just simply ignored it. Until now the manangement has not responded to my email. Only the writer has contacted me, which I told him to ask his boss to contact me.

How dare this news paper make income by selling this newspaper while grabbing copyrighted materials. This is not fair. What they did is stealing. And this is against the journalistic ethics which they all are bound to abide to.

IF YOU BELIEVE IN MY FIGHT, PLEASE REPOST THIS IN YOUR FRIENDSTER, MULTIPLY, MYSPACE OR FACEBOOK OR FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO YOUR FRIEND.

It’s time to tell the world that Panay News is not worthy of being called a newspaper.

IT IS TRASH.

Enrico Dee
byahilo.com

Racist Show @ BBC

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:52:00 +0000

I've been terribly busy in the past few months and was not able to update my blog as promised. In fact, I'm just relying on RSS feed on my phone and Google reader for daily updates.

Today, I was disappointed to check the details of the RSS feed from Inquirer.net about the racist portrayal of an actor in a sitcom at BBC. Details of the news is posted here: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20081006-164875/BBC-apology-demanded-for-racist-show and part of the sitcom can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL9KrTGx28E .

After seeing the video, I can’t help myself to protest and thought that it might be helpful if I’ll post this in my site and let everyone know how insensitive the show was. Also, I think this is my share to help the public convince BBC make a public apology about their mistake in airing such act.

Though I know that this news should not be placed in this blog, this is the only place where I can share this information and maybe get some help.

Uso pa ba ang Harana?

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:45:00 +0000

Before the month ends, I need to share this dying Filipino tradition, “Harana.” Harana first gained popularity in the early part of the Spanish Period. It is the traditional form of courtship of Filipinos and is done by young men, usually with companions and guitars, when visiting a maiden at night to court her. The man will sing love songs in front of the maiden’s window until the maiden opens the window and appear there. But this gesture of the maiden doesn’t mean that the maiden will accept the young man in her house. She must have the consent of her parent to do that and even ask for their consent if they will be allowed to talk in private.

Harana is often associated with “Kundiman.” Kundiman is considered as an art song due to its musical structure that may contain poetry in the lyrics, blending verse and music in equal parts. Most kundiman songs are also categorized as love songs.

Unfortunately, urbanization and new technologies caused this tradition to disappear. Young men today would propose his intentions via SMS or chat. Also, it’s impossible for you to go with your friends in the cities for a Harana due to the fact that the city environment is too noisy making it impossible for your maiden to hear your voice. (Just imagine if your girl is living on the 20th floor on a condo unit in Makati)

Anyway, below is a sample of a kundiman song used to be sung in a harana.

Bituing Marikit
By Nicanor Abelardo

Bituing marikit sa gabi ng buhay

Ang bawat kislap mo'y ligaya ang taglay

Yaring aking palad iyong patnubayan

At kahit na sinag, ako'y bahaginan

Natanim sa puso ko yaong isang pag-ibig

Napinakasasamba sa loob ng dibdib

Sa iyong luningning, laging nasasabik

Ikaw ang pangarap, Bituing marikit

Lapitan mo ako, halina Bituin!

At ating pag-isahin ang mga damdamin

Ang sabik kong diwa'y huwag mong uhawin

Sa batis na iyong wagas na paggiliw

Tubbataha - The New 7 Wonders of Nature

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:56:00 +0000

July 7, 2007, Lisbon, Portugal - the new Seven (7) Wonders of the World was officially announced. These are The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) of Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico; Christ Redeemer (1931) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) of Rome, Italy; Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) of China; Machu Picchu (1460-1470) of Peru; Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.) of Jordan and Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) of Agra, India.

Following the declaration is the search for the New Seven Wonders of Nature. In this search, Tubbataha Reef in Sulu Sea has been nominated. Known as the Tubbataha Reef National MarinePark (proclaimed as a National Marine Park on August 11, 1988 through Presidential Proclamation No. 306), is designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 1993. As a protected area, the reef has been a sanctuary to marine life and a heaven for divers and nature lovers.

Currently, Tubbataha is considered as one of the richest ecosystems on the planet. In this reef, you can see at least 85 percent of the hard coral reefs in the Philippines. Also, you’ll see the largest marine specie (whale shark) to the smallest (planktons) in this ecosystem.

However, conservation of the site has been a major challenge for the Philippines. Due to the lack of government funding and sudden increase of publicity, tourists started to visit the reef exposing it to abuse and exploitation. To resolve this, a “no-take” policy has been implemented. Only activities related to tourism, research and conservation are allowed in the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park (TRNMP). Catching or collecting anything is strictly prohibited.

The nomination of Tubbataha in the search will increase awareness of the people visiting the park. Further, conservation for this gift will be an international concern.

As of posting time, our “candidate” is on the 34th place. And as a Filipino, we must be proud of this gift and help by casting our vote. Voting is up until December 31, 2008. You can vote online by visiting this site: http://www.new7wonders.com/classic/en/n7w/register/

*Images courtesy of tubbatahareef.org.

Family Ties

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:27:00 +0000

Close family ties is a unique nature in the typical Filipino family. This is common since most Filipino families are following the extended family structure. In this setup, the children are living with their parent even after their marriage. This may continue until they have their own children. In the provinces, you can see three families living in the same house together with their parents.

If the new family is already capable of having their own house, its normal that they will buy a lot and build their home on the same compound or village with their parents or relatives. As such, they are not really isolated from their family or clan.

This practice can be seen in all rural areas in the Philippines. In some areas, you can locate the person that you’re looking for by looking for his family name, (e.g. Villanueva) and for sure, you can find that person living in an area where most of the neighbors are part of the Villanueva clan.

With this setup, members of the clan retain their values and closeness. Siblings, nieces, and other relatives consider each as part of their family and circle of friends. A strong rapport is established among the members of the family which makes every Filipino family special and ideal.

Some say that living in such setup is also disadvantageous since it encourages dependence among family members. Still, it’s a debatable topic since family members opt to adopt such setup.

This setup has been adopted for centuries, even before the Spaniards came. Living in an extended family can mold the values of young Filipinos, by allowing them to see how their parents and other relatives live their life.

Po and Opo

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:26:00 +0000

Before the week ends, of course, I need to post a new article for this blog. Since I already posted the “pagmamano” thing last time, this post will also focus on the family values of the common Pinoy.

It’s a distinct tradition of every Filipino family is their respect with the elders. As mentioned in my previous post, pagmamano is a form how Filipinos show their respect to the elders.

Aside from pagmamano, you can hear them saying “po” and “opo.” These are the words that Filipinos use to show their respect when talking to elders and/or to someone that they respect. They usually punctuate or end a usual sentence in a conversation. Also, “opo” is sometimes equivalent to “yes” when answering questions from a respected person or from an elder.

The use of “po” and “opo” is common in the Philippine Capital and in the Southern tagalong region. Due to the geographical setup of the Philippines, the use of po and opo is rarely seen in other provinces, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao. Still, it has been a trademark in showing respect in the Philippines.

Here are some basic Filipino words that uses po and opo with its English translation:

Kumusta po kayo? – How are you?
Magandang gabi po! – Good evening!
Opo, tapos na ako sa aking takdang aralin. – Yes, I’m done with my homework.
Maupo po kayo. – Please have a seat.

The Feast of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:42:00 +0000

(Image courtesy of Sunstar.com.ph)

The feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, (Feast of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo) is considered as one of the most impressive religious event in the Catholic community in the country according to the Archdiocese of Manila. The feast is held every January 9 and millions of devotees come to visit the image.

The image was brought to Manila from Mexico in 1607 by the Spanish friars aboard a ship. It is said that the ship caught fire that burned the image. Fortunately, the image survived the fire and since then, it became the Black Nazarene.

This devotion of millions of Filipinos to the Black Nazarene shows the influence of their religion, specifically of the Roman Catholic Church, to their life. Devotees or the image believes that their wish will be granted if they will make a vow (“panata”) to the image. So even believes that if you are lucky to hold or just touch the rope holding the carriage of the image during procession, your wish will be granted and/or your illnesses will be cured. Because of these beliefs, they considered the image to be miraculous, causing more and more people to check the image. The Catholic Church did not deny nor confirm these “miraculous” events.

Because of the overwhelming number of devotees attending the procession annually, and the desire of every one to touch the image, the supposedly peaceful and solemn procession has been also a scene of tragedy for some. This year, as of writing, 2 fatalities have been recorded and more than 40 devotees have been injured due to a stampede.

Still, this major event is a must seen for every Filipino. You can see how festive a Pinoy can be and how people from all walks of life gathered together to rejoice (and not to evict a president) for the Lord.

If you missed the January 9 festival, you can also see the image on procession on Good Friday.

Isang Malaking Pasasalamat

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:44:00 +0000

I'm a newbie in blogging and I'm happy to say that in less than 2 weeks, this blog has been viewed in 39 cities worldwide. Also, I appreciate those people from the US and UK for checking the site regularly for updates.

Thanks also for the words of appreciation sent via email. As such, I am inspired to post more articles about the Filipino culture and about the Philippines. As much as possible, I'll b posting 2 articles every week. Please continue sending your suggestions if there's any or questions abut the Philippines and I'm happy to do some research work for you.

Respecting the Elders

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 08:23:00 +0000

This is my first post for 2008 and to start the year, I would like to focus on the Filipino tradition that is being observed by the basic unit of society. I’m referring to “pagmamano.” There is no English translation for this tradition or action. But if you’ll search the internet, “Pagmamano” is a Filipino gesture often done by young people to the elders as a sign or respect. This is done by gently striking the elder’s right hand to the young’s forehead. Usually, especially in the provinces, the elder will say “Kaawaan ka ng Diyos” (May God have mercy on you). In highly urbanized areas like in Manila, elders usually say “Bless you” or “God Bless You.”

Mano, the root work of pagmamano, is the Spanish word for hand. Historians say that this tradition started when the Catholic friars during the Spanish colonization (check your history notes…, Magellan arrived in Mactan in 1521) insisted that the natives, who were already converted into Christians, to kiss their hand as a sign of power over them. (A similar ritual is being done by the Pope. As he gave his blessings to people, they kiss the Pope’s ring.) Being a Catholic dominant country, the tradition has been adopted by the Filipinos as a mean of showing respect to the elders.

As a tradition, a young person usually asks blessings to their parents before going to bed and when they will leave the house for school. Unfortunately, in this technology dependent era where most young people are more attached to PS2 or Nintendo rather to their parents, this tradition is rarely seen in urban areas (unless it is Christmas). You can only see the kids asking for blessings or doing “pagmamano” during Christmas when they’re asking gifts from their godparents and relatives.

Still, let’s be optimistic. It’s a great thing that the tradition survived the American and Japanese wars. And since you’ve read this short article, I think it’s not too much for you to at least do it tonight, or whenever there’s a chance. Let us keep this tradition that our ancestors adopted and nurtured. Just remember, Pagmamano is a tradition that is only practiced in the Philippines. it's up to us to keep and nurture it.

Note: Image courtesy of www.wacom-asia.com

Pinoy Christmas Symbols

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:50:00 +0000

Now that we know that Christmas in the Philippines has earned its distinction to be the world's longest Christmas Season. As part of the celebration, the Filipinos used some symbols that are uniquely and proudly Pinoy.

PAROL (Christmas Lantern)

During Christmas season, Filipinos decorate their house and workplace with beautiful star lanterns called parol. These lanterns represent the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three Wise Men or 3 Kings in finding the birthplace of Christ in Bethlehem.

Aside from the traditional Christmas lanterns that we see, Filipinos was able to create an annual Lantern Festival. This is the Giant lantern Festival of San Fernando, Pampanga, which is also known as the Christmas Capital of the Philippines. Old folks say that the first lantern festival was held in 1928, to honor President Manuel L. Quezon, who was made an adopted son of Pampanga.

Today, the Celebration is a major tourist attraction for the province and considered as one of the major events for tourism in the country during December. Related post from Byahilo

BELEN (Nativity Scene)

Another typical Filipino Christmas symbol is the Belen - a tableau or graphic representation of the Nativity scene. During Christmas season, you can see different versions of the Belen at malls, office buildings, churches and homes. The largest Belen are said to be found in Tarlac, where they hold the annual Belenismo festival.

Longest Festival

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 07:20:00 +0000

2008 is just few days away and before we bid goodbye to 2k7, I'll promise to post and share the longest festival in the Philippines, the Christmas season.

Christmas celebration in the Philippines is unique with it's culture, traditions and symbols. Pinoy, as we call the locals in the Philippines starts the celebration on the "ber" month. They usually start decorating their houses with lights and elaborate Christmas decors in September. An example of these can be seen at Policarpio Street, Mandaluyong City.

(Image courtesy of Enrico Dee of Byahilo.com)

Aside from the traditional decorations, the common Pinoy is looking forward in the celebration of Misa de Gallo.

*Misa de Gallo is the Spanish phrase for Midnight mass. This tradition lasts for nine days, starting on December 16 up to December 24,and usually starting at around 4:00-5:00 a.m. This practice started during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines when priests held early dawn masses for the farmers who wanted to attend Christmas mass but could not leave their fields. These masses were held before daybreak, hence the Filipino term "Simbang Gabi" (Midnight Mass). Today, Filipinos wake up very early in the morning to attend the Misa de Gallo as an expression of devotion to God.

The Christmas Celebration in the Philippines does not end on the 25th of December. For the Filipinos, the Christmas season ends on the first Sunday of January after the celebration of the feast for the Three Kings. As such, the traditional Philippine Christmas celebration can be technically known as one of the longest festival or event in the world.

I'll be posting more about Christmas in the Philippines soon.

*Source: Wikipeda.com

It all started here...

noreply@blogger.com (val) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:45:00 +0000

I’ve been thinking of creating a new blog since I have adequate time to post stuffs. Unfortunately, upon checking the local blogs, I wasn’t able to get any idea where and what to do to make my blog more attractive.

Suddenly, an event in Makati last November 29 gave me some idea. During that day, the Manila Peninsula was occupied by renegade soldiers together with Sen. Antonio Trillanes. And as expected, the event was covered by all news organizations in the country providing marathon coverage for their viewers. The coverage and discussion about it lasted for more than three (3) days.

After that, I realized that while most are focusing on tragedies and political issues, it would be helpful and fun for me to do articles and listings about the Filipino culture, traits, events and other good things that make us truly Pinoy.

And now, four days before Christmas, Galing Pinoy - Proudly Pinoy blog is officially live.