Continue reading »]]> Tomorrow, the United States will choose their President for the next 4 years. Will it still be Pres. Barack Obama for a second term? Or will the next President be Gov. Mitt Romney?

Together with a few other blogger friends, Noemi and Juned, I got a sampling of activities and issues in the run-up to the November 6 U.S. elections when we attended the “Kapihan sa Embahada”, the second in a series of coffee talk and open fora organized by the U.S. Embassy of Manila.

U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. opened the Kapihan by describing this election as something you would not have seen in his childhood days. He specifically said that back when he was a child, no one would ever have imagined someone from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints going up against an African-American for the Presidency. He calls this a “positive change” and wished his father was still alive to see the state of U.S. elections.

Another change, Amb. Thomas said, is that there are many Filipino-Americans in California and Hawaii who are running for office. In fact in Nevada, where there are very large Filipino communities, he said you can find ballots in Tagalog (a major Philippine national dialect)! Filipinos are the 2nd largest Asian-American group in the U.S. Imagine the kind of influence they wield!

Social Media: a Growing Campaign Strategy

Cynthia Cook, Deputy Press Attache and head of the social media group in the U.S. Embassy of Manila, described how social media has transformed the political landscape in this election. It’s been called the Social Media Campaign and actually started with Obama’s previous campaign. Here are some numbers she threw out:

On Facebook, Romney had 10M followers while Obama had 31M; on Twitter, Romney had 1.5M followers while Obama had 21M. But…engagement of Romney followers was observed to be more engaged than Obama followers. Social media is used by the candidates to spread their message, raise money, and get out the votes. In the first Presidential debate, there were 10.4M tweets.

She also stated that a recent Gallup poll in the U.S. showed that citizens trusted most their friends’ opinions compared to the mass media’s reporting on the candidates, making it natural then for candidates to be on social media and engage the voting public.

I found it interesting how hashtags were being used to by the Obama and Romney camps to poke at each other. Cynthia Cook said that Romney followers used #CantAfford4More on their tweets while Obama followers used #Romneysia. I wonder what black ops hashtags will start appearing in the Philippine social media scene over the next few months. FB pages show their personal sides, showing them in normal, day-to-day activities. Campaign apps also used.

Fundraising via social media seemed to work. Obama’s 4M donors, in his first campaign, donated an average of $80. Theoretically, Cook said, if each supporter were to make even 20 tweets, it was likely you could convince someone to donate $1, $20, $100 or even $200.

Social media users are also the political candidate’s ideal audience. Studies show that they are 6 times more likely to attend meeting, 3 times more likely to influence someone’s vote, and 2 times more likely to vote. In 2010, innovative apps were used so voters could say they voted and share this with friends. As a result, a modest increase in voter turnout was observed and it is being attributed to this influencing social feature.

Meeting Democrat and Republican Reps

The highlight of our kapihan was listening to 2 representatives of each party. John Boyd (representing Democrats Abroad Philippines) campaigned for then Presidential nominee Barack Obama and other candidates during the weekend before the 2008 election. He knocked on doors in Las Vegas, Nevada, urging citizens to vote.

Doyle Stout (representing Republicans Abroad Philippines) is an American businessman and a retired US Marine officer. His long term experience and residency overseas is primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.

Republican Stout and Democrat Boyd at open forum

The issues that were asked at the open forum centered on both the China-Philippine issue over the Spratlys as well as each candidate’s view on the labor issue, particularly business process outsourcing (BPO). I had actually texted the BPO question to the moderator as U.S. policy on this would greatly affect the Asian region.

Are you watching the U.S. elections? If not, you probably should because many foreign policies of the next President will have far-reaching impact globally. One of our BlogWatchers, Cocoy Dayao, is now embedded with the Washington Foreign Press, covering the U.S. elections. He was lucky to have seen former Pres. Bill Clinton and Pres. Obama up close at a rally yesterday. Check out his photos and follow links to his posts by following Blog Watch’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/blogwatchph

Tomorrow, Nov. 7, Filipinos can participate in some way in the U.S. elections. SM North EDSA and SM Cebu malls will host an Election Watch from 10 AM to about 3PM. Invited guests will get to participate in a mock election. Some Democrat and Republican reps will be around to answer questions from the public and they’ll have many more activities including a photo booth. Catch them there!

Continue reading »]]> Is your kid reluctant to go to school every day? Does he/she feign illness at times?

Do you find missing school stuff, broken pencils or damaged school items?

Does your child come home always hungry or always asking you for more pocket money?

Watch out because your child might be the victim of bullying in school.

I was always told, in my younger days: “Sticks and stones can hurt my bones but words will never hurt me”. Never has a cliche been so wrong because spiteful words CAN hurt. Glaring looks can hurt. Destruction of one’s property can hurt. A person’s self-esteem can be impaired for life.

Bullying has long existed but I think it has gotten worse, judging from the growing number of bullying-related suicides whose victims are growing younger and younger. What makes matters worse, I think, is the almost dismissive, non-serious attention given to reported bullying incidents. Guidance counselors in schools don’t seem trained to handle these kinds of situations.

“Boys will be boys” (Bullying is NOT normal boys’ play)

“Just tell your child to avoid the bully” (You can’t avoid a bully who chooses to come up to you even if you try to stay away)

“Don’t worry. I will speak with him/her (the bully)” (Most times this strategy doesn’t really resolve the issue and the bullying sometimes gets even worse.)

Bullying is a reflection, I think, of the ills of society. The bully himself is a victim. Oftentimes, he is bullied at home and his only outlet is to turn into one himself with hapless victims in school. But of course, the real victims are the bullied children. Oftentimes, they choose to keep this to themselves, ashamed to let others know they are being subjected to abuse and harassment daily in school. Parents are oftentimes the last to know. And in some cases, the only time they find out is when their child takes the ultimate escape from the torture – suicide.

Well, I am finally happy that bullying in schools is getting its well-deserved attention with an anti-bullying campaign that is about to go nationwide and I hope it is eventually going to be nipped for good.

“Bully” the Movie

The Jesuit Basic Education Commission (JBEC) in cooperation with Solar Entertainment, is bringing in an acclaimed documentary film ”Bully” to the Philippines. The film features actual experiences of bully victims in high schools in Georgia, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma. Two of the boys featured, Tyler Long and Ty Smalley), committed suicide after enduring taunts and physical assault.

Alex, one of the 5 bullied kids in the movie

What looks like an innocent bus ride became a torturous experience for Alex

A by-invitation premiere of “Bully” will happen at Robinsons Galleria Cinema 4 on November 13, 2012 at 6:30pm. That will be followed by a theatrical run, also in November, through several Saturday block screenings in Robinsons Galleria for schools that want to show the film for their communities. Campus screenings can also be arranged for a minimal fee. Teachers and parents will be provided with discussion guides to properly process the movie’s message.

Directed by Sundance and Emmy award-winning filmmaker Lee Hirsch, Bully documents the real stories of 5 bullied kids and their families. Filmed over the course of schoolyears 2009/2010, Bully shows us the painful experiences of bullied American kids, revealing problems that cross geographical, racial, ethnic and economic borders. The movie also shows how the affected parents began a growing movement to change how incidents of bullying are handled in their schools, communities and society as a whole.

The Stories

Here are summaries of the 5 bullying stories as taken from the movie’s production notes:

Alex, 12
For 12-year-old Alex of Sioux City, Iowa, the slurs, curses and threats begin before he even
boards the school bus. A sweet-natured kid just starting middle school and wanting more than
anything to fit in, Alex assures his worried parents that the kids who taunt and hit him are only
“messing with him.” But bullying has trailed Alex thorough life like a shadow, and as his
seventh grade year unfolds, the bullying only escalates.

Kelby, 16
Since 16-year-old Kelby came out as a lesbian, she and her family have been treated as pariahs in
their small town of Tuttle, Oklahoma. The onetime all-star athlete, Kelby has faced an
outpouring of hatred from classmates as well as teachers, and has been forced to leave her sports
teams by attacks. Refusing her parents’ offers to leave Tuttle, the gutsy teenager is bolstered by
her adoring girlfriend and a few staunch friends, resolving to stay in her town and change a few
minds.

Ja’Meya, 14
In Yazoo County, Mississippi, 14-year-old Ja’Meya was picked on every morning and afternoon
of the hour-long bus ride between home and school. On the morning of September 1st, the quiet,
unassuming girl had had enough and brandished a loaded handgun she’d taken from her mother’s
closet to scare off her tormentors. Incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility and charged with
multiple felony coloving mother.

David and Tina Long
In October 2009, 17-year-old Tyler Long of Murray County, Georgia, hanged himself after years
of abuse at the hands of his classmates and indifference from school officials. As his parents,
David and Tina Long, mourn the loss of the son they tried to protect, and demand accountability
from the school that failed him so miserably, his death has sparked a war in a community forced
to face its bullying demons.

Kirk and Laura Smalley
Following the bullying-related suicide of their 11 year-old son, Kirk and Laura Smalley are
determined to prevent other children from suffering Ty’s fate. As schools around the country
prepare for the start of a new academic year, Kirk launches an anti-bullying organization, Stand
for the Silent, coordinating a series of vigils that underscore the high stakes of America’s
bullying crisis.

“Not in Our School” Campaign Launches

Taking inspiration from the growing anti-bullying movement, JBEC is also using this documentary to launch its own anti-bullying campaign, “Not in Our School” and Xavier School is leading the pack in the campaign.

Chris Tiu is the poster boy of the campaign

This campaign is aligned with DepEd’s Child Protection Policy which seeks to defend any student from all forms of abuse, including bullying. Fr Johnny Go, SJ, JBEC Chair, hopes that this campaign spurs schools to proactively take a stand against bullying so that every school becomes a nurturing, bully-free one. Fr. Johnny says: “We hope this movie can reach as wide an audience as possible, especially among our students. At the very least, it should heighten awareness of this issue and begin productive discussions and reflections about a real problem that can no longer be ignored”.

At a media preview of “Bully” recently, Mrs. Jane Cacacho, high school principal of Xavier School, spoke about the “Not in Our School” campaign. It aims to get everyone to buy into the campaign and pledge 3 things:

1. “I will not be a bully”
2. “I will help the bullied”
3. “I will speak up about bullying”

Guest psychiatrists and a psychologist at the media preview also confirmed how damaging it indeed is for a bullied child.
When a student knows that his/her school won’t tolerate bullying and will take immediate action, it empowers the child.

Parents should NOT feel helpless about protecting their children from bullies while in school. Most of all, our children MUST NOT feel unprotected from such ‘torture’ in their very schools, where they spend a big chunk of their hours in a day. This campaign hits me right at the core because I know that even in the best private schools, bullying exists. I will personally do whatever I can to spread the word of this anti-bullying campaign.

BULLYING MUST NOT BE TOLERATED IN SCHOOLS.

SCHOOLS MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PREVENT (AND STOP) ANY BULLYING INCIDENTS REPORTED.

STUDENTS MUST BE EMPOWERED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR SCHOOLS ARE BEHIND THEM IF THEY ARE EVER BULLIED.

NO KID MUST EVER COMMIT SUICIDE AS A RESULT OF BULLYING.

After the media preview, I lined up to sign the pledge to support anti-bullying. Here’s me, pointing to what I wrote on the pledge (photo courtesy of Zsa Zsa Yu of Xavier School).

If you have ever been bullied, if you have any children who have been bullied, if you were ever the bully (hopefully not!), or if you teach/work in a school where you think bullying incidents happen, watch “Bully”, the movie.

Follow The Bully Project on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheBullyProjectPH
Check out the “Not in Our School” website and share any bullying stories: http://notinourschool.weebly.com

Got any thoughts about bullying in schools? Do share your thoughts with me here.

Continue reading »]]> I am one who believes that education is so important to lifting those below and right at the poverty levels from their unfortunate circumstances. That is why, despite often busy schedules, I always try to make time to support causes related to academe.

Recently, HSBC invited me to witness their awarding ceremonies for 5 outstanding public high school principals who had effectively transformed their elementary schools through the HSBC Principals Leadership Enhancement and Development (LEAD) Program (PLP).

Brief Background on HSBC’s PLP

HSBC PLP is the first of its kind in the Philippines. It is an undertaking taken with SAS, a non-government organization (NGO) whose aim is to bridge the education gap. SAS was founded in 2001 by philanthropist Lizzie Zobel and Margarita Delgado.

In 2009, SAS and HSBC launched PLP in response to Republic Act 9155 which gave principals full authority and responsibility for effectively managing their schools. PLP helps principals identify the needs and problems of their schools and community and equips them with necessary tools to revise the standard curriculum to address such needs/problems.

After a 3-year educator training program, HSBC chose five outstanding principals who, in their own ways, transformed their elementary schools.

Since its inception PLP has already trained about 200 principals nationwide. Through this progoram, a Principal’s Handbook was developed by SAS and distributed to guide principals in their daily work as leaders in their own communities.

Meet the Honorees

Aurora Marcelino of P. Manalo Elementary School

Zenaida S. Penafuerte of Rizal Elementary School

Marciana De Guzman of Nangka Elementary School

Marilyn C. Macalma of Cembo Elementary School

Dr. Elita T. Lopez of Comembo Elementary School

HSBC President and CEO Tony Cripps himself gave the awards to each of the five outstanding principals.

I was particularly impressed with the story of one principal, Ms. Marilyn Macalma, whose students won in the International Robot Olympiad in their category. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to hear of a public school offering robotics classes and topping a competition. Imagine, they even bested those from private schools.

Stories like these reaffirm that if given the chance, many students in public schools will excel and achieve beyond what we think they can do. It is laudable that companies like HSBC do try to give public school students these opportunities.

Another program: Teach for the Philippines (TFP)

HSBC and SAS are going to undertake another program called Teach for the Philippines (TFP). This program will help address the scale and magnitude of the crisis in education by recruiting and training top students from universities, then field them in public schools. For this program, HSBC is donating PhP 3 million — 1 million from local fund and 2 million through a grant awarded by the HSBC Global Education Program.

I hope this encourages more companies and private individuals to put up similar educational opportunities for the less privileged ones and give their future a fighting chance.

Continue reading »]]> I have this beautiful computer table made of synthetic wood. When I bought it, it was just perfect for me. It had a pullout drawer for the keyboard and mouse, a recessed stand for my CRT monitor, and an eye-level shelf for the printer. On the left side was a small area where CD covers could be slotted in and on the lower right side was space for the CPU. Directly below the keyboard area was another shelf for other stuff like my CDs.

But when I moved to a laptop, there was no need for the table. And yet I needed a decent work area instead of my bed converted into my working table. Of course there are days when I opt to sit on my floor and work from a collapsible low table (sitting on the floor is a great yoga hip-opener). But on other days, I want to sit properly. After all, right over my computer table is a very bright fluorescent light and a computer chair that had not been used in ages.

I was thinking of donating the table but the thought of plunking down money to buy yet another table did not really appeal to me. So today, I tried something different. I decided to recycle the computer table.

This is how it looks now.

The printer was moved to the top of my filing cabinet. A scanner used to be there but it was no longer compatible with my Macbook so it moved out. Where the printer used to be, I placed my pen holders, memo and post-it-note holder. Also put a small electric fan there.

The keyboard area became an area for storing press kits and papers that I needed to write about. The mouse area still served its purpose. Where the CPU used to be is a free space so for now, I drop the bag I regularly use there so that I can just pick it up when I leave to go out (I do not change bag often). And the lowest shelf near my feet houses my external hard drives, a UPS and a few folders.

My next move is to rearrange some stuff so I do not have too many wires and cables going here and there. But that requires a trip to CD-R King to check on their cable organizers. And I still do not know what to do with the recessed stand for the CRT monitor since it is slanted. I have to check to see if I can raise it so that instead of being slanted, it is level with the floor. That can become another place for my papers and stuff.

There, I saved myself some money and put to use a space that has remained unusable for some time now.

How do you like my recycling attempt? Got any other ideas to reuse what seems to be obsolete stuff around your home?

Continue reading »]]> I met an amazing U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, Sgt. Winston Fiore, a few weeks back and his story is amazing because he is on a 5,000-mile trek across Southeast Asia to raise awareness (and funds) for corrective facial surgery on children, young adults and even adults in the developing world.

Sgt. Fiore’s trek is taking him through countries such as Vietnam, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Laos. He has never been to this part of the world. This trek was an idea born in 2007 in Senegal where he was stationed for 3 weeks. He got the idea of dedicating a year off from military service to see parts of the world he still hadn’t seen and do this on foot. And walk for a cause.

Back in New York, he began searching for a cause. His father sent him a newspaper clipping of Dr. Jeff Williams who had a comfortable lifestyle as a plastic surgeon but who would volunteer 1-2 weeks in a year with volunteer groups. Dr. Williams had grown disappointed with some of these volunteer groups so he decided to found International Children’s Surgical Foundation (ICSF)  in 2005. Sgt. Fiore took a closer look at ICSF and decided to work with Dr. Williams.

His cause became children with cleft palates.

I am sure you have seen children and adults with cleft palates. The first thing that strikes you is that this disfigurement attracts attention of the wrong kind and deals a severe blow on the self-esteem of anyone afflicted with it. But beyond that, Sgt. Fiore told us that there are other problems associated with facial deformities.

#1: They have feeding problems

A child won’t form a proper seal around bottle or nipple so they lose a lot of weight instead of gaining weight.

#2: They have hearing problems

Build-up of fluid in middle ear occurs because clefts affect a tube in ear that regulates flow of fluid in the middle ear. If not drained, it can get the ears affected and lead to permanent hearing loss.

#3: They have speaking difficulties

Mouth deformities affect speech. On top of that if they have hearing loss, it adds to inability to hear sounds and therefore are often unable to mimic these.

#4: They have socializing issues

Facial deformities contribute to low social life and oftentimes, ridicule and bullying result as well.

Sgt. Fiore said that ICSF also does surgery on those with burn injuries because oftentimes, these injuries are not given priority by plastic surgery missions. They work with a lot of Rotary Clubs who help sponsor them.

Sgt. Fiore is nearing the end of his trek. He began in Singapore and other SEA countries, made his way to China and Taiwan and came to the Philippines. Here, he started his Philippine trek in Laoag, went to San Fernando, then Batangas, Mindoro and will cap it in Palawan before walking through Manila again or Cebu. We can follow his journey online at smiletrek.org

People like Sgt. Fiore are valuable finds in times like these when pleasure and self satisfying activities fill man’s time. And even more commendable — he is not even Asian. To see the world while walking for a cause is something that so many others who travel for pleasure only can emulate. I am indeed very privileged to have met Sgt. Winston Fiore. May he inspire others to take up causes as well for many who need help in this part of the world.

Continue reading »]]> I never imagined it would come to this but it brings me such delight to find out that the university where I earned my MBA degree, University of Pennsylvania, is one of several leading Ivy League schools in the U.S. that signed up with Coursera, a new venture that offers online classes for free. Yes…FREE!

So far, here is the list of top universities signed up with Coursera. Imagine, you can take a course from, let’s say, Stanford University, then take another course with John Hopkins or University of Michigan.

And here are the general course topics. Under each of these general categories are specific classes you can choose to take.

In their About Us page, the Coursera team describes themselves this way:

We are a social entrepreneurship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. We envision a future where the top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions. Our technology enables the best professors to teach tens or hundreds of thousands of students.

Through this, we hope to give everyone access to the world-class education that has so far been available only to a select few. We want to empower people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities they live in.

The methodology being employed by Coursera is adapted to today’s busy lifestyle. Unlike a classroom approach where you need to be physically away from your work and devote time to class work, the Coursera approach, which by the way, is developed and taught by world-class professors, allows you to learn at your own pace, taking into consideration that you can only study in bits of time. The lessons are designed in such a way that you can read and reread till you master the course material. Interactive exercises will test your knowledge as well as reinforce concepts. And, you can monitor your own progress so you know exactly when you are considered to have mastered the subject.

With topnotch education now open to netizens, knowledge becomes available to anyone willing to invest some time to learn something new or improve on one’s base education.

Of course, since these are simply classes that can be taken individually, they do not add up to a bachelor’s degree or diploma. But who cares? One can pick and choose according to one’s interest and get reading materials and listen to videos from some of the best minds combined. And best of all, because all these are offered online, there is no class size limit!

I’m really excited. In fact, I’m all signed up for my 1st course, Securing Digital Democracy, which will come in handy as my advocacy group, Blog Watch, gears up once more for our coverage of the upcoming 2013 Philippine elections.

Woohoo! I will be a student of the University of Michigan!

Course description for Securing Digital Democracy

I’m a student all over again. And I am thrilled to bits! If anyone I know decides to take the same course as me, give me a heads-up and we can share our experience offline!

Here’s personal development at its best and free-est. Come on, jump in and pick a Coursera class…

You can also find Coursera on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and on their blog.

Continue reading »]]> Who or what is a modern-day Filipina?

I am a Filipina and yet it is so difficult to quite put into words what the Filipina of today really is because she is many things. We see her in our female overseas foreign workers in all corners of the world, working as nannies, teachers, scientists, physical therapists, factory workers and even executives. We see her as an advocate, an artist, a mother, a social worker. The Filipina is in her elements in the 21st century.

Human Nature, in an effort to showcase the different facets of today’s Filipina, came up with the Pinay & Proud campaign to give tribute to the uniqueness of the Filipina woman.

They identified 4 traits that embody the Filipina:

1. Nurturing – one who encourages others to reach the full potential of their God-given talents

2. Courageous – one whose inner strength goes beyond selflessness and enables her to make sacrifices for family and country

3. Inspiring – a role model

4. Beautiful – not just outside but inside as well and who shines her light on everything and everyone around her

The result of the Pinay & Proud campaign was a roster of 15 outstanding women who have shown these 4 traits. The 15 women chosen came from different backgrounds (and ages). They had different skills, causes and goals. But they were all proud to be a Filipina.

But beyond just showcasing these admirable women, I think the message that we should all be taking in here is this: Every Filipina has the capacity to be like them. EVERY FILIPINA. No matter what age we’re at, it’s never too late to give of ourselves for others. These women never went out seeking recognition or reward. They just went out and did it when they discovered the need. We, too, just need to become sensitive to our surroundings because where we’re needed may be just there. We just are not SEEING.

From June 26 to August 5, 2012, the portraits of these 15 Filipinas will be found in different mall exhibits throughout the Metro. Try to catch it when you go shopping. The mall exhibits are:

Powerplant, Rockwell (June 26-30)
Trinoma Mall (July 2-8)
Shangri-la Mall (July 9-15)
Greenbelt 5 Mall (July 16-22)
Eastwood Mall (july 23-29)
Alabang Town Center (July 30-Aug 5)

But even before then, meet them here. I will not be able to aptly describe all their accomplishments and dreams so I am using the captions provided by Human Nature.

THE NATION-BUILDERS

Many people get stunned upon learning that Bail Linda Eman, now the Gawad Kalinga Regional Coordinator for Southern Luzon and Muslim Affairs Coordinator was formerly an MILF Commander. A painful childhood encounter led her to believe the war between Christians and Muslims would never cease. However, through her courage and immense love for country, she was able to overcome her pain and become an instrument of peace.

“My dream is to walk anywhere with my hijam, without being judged as a terrorist; to show to the world that I am a Muslim-Filipina. I can help anyone, I’m free to walk and I can be a friend to anyone. I can love any person in the Philippines; they will accept me who I am, being a Muslim-Filipino.”

Maricel Valderama (The Tireless Provider)

If the value of living a life for your children could be embodied, it would be through Maricel. Simple though she may be, her life revolves around providing her family with only the best that she can give them. Despite hardships, challenges and difficulties encountered, the fire within her to be a mother and role model to her children will never cease to burn.

“Gagawin [ng Pilipina] ang lahat ng mga bagay para sa pamilya niya. Kahit na napapagod na siya, hindi pa rin niya iindahin kasi nandiyan pa rin yung inspirasyon niya”.

Rose Cabrera (The Homecoming Patriot)

Rose was well on her way to becoming the first Filipina judge in the USA when she felt God’s gentle nudge to share her blessings and help uplift fellow Filipinos from poverty. She sold her Mercedes, left her lucrative career and took on the leadership of Gawad Kalinga USA instead. With her husband, she then built GK Cambodia, one of the first overseas GK communities. She has since come home to the Philippines and helped start GKonomics, turning her back on a life of plenty for herself to bring hope and plenty to thousands of poor Filipinos instead.

“My dream for the Philippines is for us to be a light to the world and be able to show them how simple caring can bring them out of poverty.”

Isabel Cuevas-Santos (The Wounded Healer)

After witnessing the murder of her father at 13 years old, a traumatized Issa grew up with questions in her heart and deep-seated anger against the world. It was only upon entering Gawad Kalinga years later that she learned how to heal, forgive and live again. Now a full-time GK employee, Issa says it’s in the very fabric of our Filipino humanity simply, love… and be loved in return.

“Many of the things we stand for in Gawad Kalinga are Filipino values like bayanihan, things that are very uniquely us. And that’s what I love. We were born with the DNA of a good heart and that has always come across, because it was born from a very Filipino spirit.

I’m proud to know that when things get tough – even in the life of our country, in the toughest of times – it was always a woman that needed to come forward and really bring our country forward. I love being Filipina.”

Xilca Alvarez-Protacio (Defender of the Poor)

It wasn’t an easy decision for Xilca to give up her role as a lawyer to become a full-time social entrepreneur, but the calling to help provide jobs to unemployed youths was impossible to ignore. Now the founder of Gourmet Keso and Café de Sug Sulu Coffee, she’s found fulfillment in her job by helping communities in need, in ways she never did before.

“My dream for the communities I help, for instance, the community in Sulu – is for them to be able to dream. And to dream for something other than living in a war-torn society. To dream of a Philippines that they really belong to that they really enjoy.

I think what’s unique to the Filipina is that she’s one person who has balls meaning you have this Filipina, this woman who can take on everything, even a male’s job and still have the love, compassion, care and understanding, that’s enigmatic to a Filipina.”

SOCIAL ARTISTS

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde (The Devoted Dancer)

Perhaps one of the most recognizable faces in the country in the world of ballet is that of the graceful Lisa Macuja-Elizalde whose extreme talent and perfect ballet movements shot her to global acclaim. Today, with a heart burning with love for the craft, Lisa’s efforts are now to serve her country and countrymen, this time, by bringing ballet to the Filipino masses.

“Filipinas have an innate sense of musicality and artistry, and they are very, very emotional. A lot of Filipinos, they perform as if it’s the last performance of their life… and that really adds a lot of magic to the performance.”

Eugene Domingo (The Joyful Artist)

You see her face, you recognize the name, but what you don’t know is that Eugene’s passion for the arts goes beyond giving you an exceptional movie experience with her hilarious antics. Pride for both her craft and Filipino roots are the fuel to doing her best and making a mark in the local and international filmmaking scene. With numerous awards and honors under her belt, that’s just the beginning of Act 1. Eugene is full speed ahead and making a name for the Philippines, one comedy at a time.

“Even if you are not famous or even if you are not an actor, wherever you go, you should be giving a good picture of how a Filipino should look like, be proud of where you came from.”

Akiko Thomson-Guevara (Heart of a Champion)

Known for her powerful kicks and flawless strokes, Southeast Asian Games and Olympic medalist Akiko Thomson-Guevara has brought much pride to the country. Despite not having a drop of Filipino blood in her (she is actually half Japanese and half American, and was naturalized as a Filipina citizen by the age of 12), her love for the Philippines is what drives her to be the best, making her a true Filipina at heart.

“I don’t have Filipino blood, my father was American, my mother is Japanese and we moved to the Philippines when I was six months old and I was naturalized a Filipino for sporting reasons by presidential decree and I feel like I’m an adopted Filipino and although I have no blood, my heart is Filipino… I feel most Filipino…

When I think of Filipina women, they’re strong and very resilient. I’d like to think that I am too. And that’s what kept me in the sport as long as I was.”

Rachel Grant (The Compassionate Beauty)

British-Filipina Bond girl, fearless international adventurer, actress, martial arts enthusiast and avid humanitarian. Most people associate these glamorous words with Rachel Grant. What many don’t realize is that this beauty has an overwhelming love for the poor, and together with her mom, run the Padua Charitable Fund to give help and hope to Filipinos in need.

“To see lives of my fellow Filipinos change is so rewarding and it gives me so much happiness. I will continue to do that for the rest of my life. I know that for sure.

Filipina women are very caring…it’s nice to be able to touch other people’s live with that quality, and I’ve seen Filipino women do that. To me that’s very precious and special, and I hold that very close to my heart.”

Noreen Bautista (Young Innovator)

“Life is so short, and if you have the opportunity to create change, why wait?” These very words pushed Noreen to pursue her dream and co-found Jacinto & Lirio. A social enterprise creating high-fashion bags made from water hyacinth leather, it empowers community partners all across the Philippines through sustainable livelihood.

“I wanted to really do something for the Philippines… I was a business major, but I was always thinking: in what way could I really contribute with this background in business but also change the country? Social entrepreneurship was really the bull’s eye.

[Filipinas are] so creative and we’re so resourceful that we could really create amazing products for enterprises that will eventually help our country.”

PASSIONATE BELIEVERS

Maria Montelibano (The Herald of Good News)

From arranging Cory Aquino’s famous speech at the US Congress in 1986 to handling Gawad Kalinga’s communications, perfectionism, a meticulous eye for detail and the drive for nothing less than excellence have always propelled Maria forward. This sought-after TV, radio, film stage and events producer and director turned her back on running political campaigns, giving up a much more lucrative and financially-rewarding path to instead serve Gawad Kalinga almost a decade ago. Her self-sacrifice and infectious, unquenchable passion for nation building has been a beacon of inspiration for countless thousands of Filipinos volunteering for GK.

“I dream of a Philippines where poverty is rooted out, where corruption is finally dismantled, where dignity is returned and the Filipino stands proud before the world, where honesty is the dominant virtue, where justice is a constant reality, where dreams can come true because there is opportunity for all.

Long before the word multi-tasking was the operative word for the youth today, the Filipina had already been one. She is mother, she is partner, she is martyr, she is provider, she’s also the nurturer of every home they make.”

Cheche Lazaro (Pillar of Integrity)

You’ve seen her on TV, in the news, on the quest to uncover the next big truth. Chche Lazaro has become an institution in the field of Philippine broadcast journalism for her unwavering integrity and her fearless exposés on the hard realities in society. She believed her job meant more than finding a “good” story, it meant giving the Filipino the truth the way it should be – unbiased and honest.

“I am so convinced that the Filipino is excellent. I have seen many, many examples of heroism, of nationalism, of love of country, of loving families which is essentially at the very root of what it means to be a person, and in a larger scale, to be a Filipino.”

The Filipino is empathetic. When they sing a song, everybody says, there is something unique about the way Filipino sings a song, when they dance, there is something unique about the way Filipino expresses himself. What is that uniqueness? The uniqueness is that we feel it, we’re not only technically good, we feel what we are doing and that permeates everything that we do.”

Aliah Dimaporo (Trailblazing Leader)

Why would a successful New York-based Executive Director of the World Youth Alliance want to move back to the Philippines? Aliah Dimaporo, Congresswoman of the 2nd district of Lanao del Norte, shows us that going back to her Maranao roots (of which she has royal blood) fueled her return to her motherland to serve both the country and her countrymen.

“At that time, I was Executive Director of the World Youth Alliance Foundation, and they were more than willing to sponsor my green card. And I just said, “I can’t. I have to go back to the Philippines and do my part. I’ve been championing the dignity of the person for other countries. This is an opportunity for me to directly champion the dignity of the Filipino.

Resilience is the perfect word to describe a Filipina. We’ve seen this among mothers and women who are rebuilding their communities after Typhoon Sendong or Typhoon Ondoy… we see this in our daily lives where the modern Filipina is caring for her family and at the same time working.”

Ditsi Carolino (Hope of the Forgotten)

One of the most powerful instruments in the world is the camera; it can bring you to tears, make you laugh with joy, even move you to become a believer. This is why filmmaker Ditsi chose the camera as her weapon of choice in fighting for the human rights of the Filipino. Ditsi uses the power of film to show what’s not usually seen, expose truths that are kept hidden and fight tirelessly for what’s right.

“I think it’s our exposure here in a country where so much struggle still happens…even if we have so many problems that we face, we just have this really unique way of celebrating life. It’s this really interesting combination of social problems and the way the Pinoy spirit just shines through despite all of that.”

Anna Oposa (Ambassador of the Seas)

Can you ever be too young to make a difference in the world? 24 year-old Anna proves that age is but a number when it comes to pursuing your passion and the advocacy closest to your heart. In her case, it would be the Philippine seas. No, it’s not about being noble or gallant. For Anna, it was always the most natural thing to care for something she loved dearly. In our eyes, that makes her a hero in every way.

“One of the greatest compliments I ever got was [when] I was in Japan and I had just given a presentation about the Philippine waste management, and one Singaporean went up to me after and said, “You know, you make me wish I was a Filipino.” And I ended up crying because I was so moved.

The Filipina is always the life of the party; we’re always the ones singing, we’re always the ones getting people to go to the dance floor. I think it’s really in our culture to be very affectionate and very happy and very humorous.”

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We spent Christmas Day 2011 in the hospital with our youngest son. The ordeal started out with excruciating pain. When M pointed out where his pain was coming from, I had a bad feeling it would be kidney stones. I knew. Because years ago, I also had the same pain. In that same area. I felt so helpless seeing him writhing in pain in the emergency room, knowing exactly what kind of pain he was going through. I wouldn’t wish it on my enemy.

Hospital personnel who attended to my son often had the same reaction upon finding out he was just a teen. “Ang bata pa!” (“So young!”). And I would agree because during my time, only people past their prime and approaching senior years were diagnosed with kidney stones.

To make the long story short, M had a stent placed inside him for months. His physical activities in school were cut down to barest minimum. We had to finish his graduation and summer classes before going for a procedure called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) which used sound waves to blast the stones lodged in his ureter. A month later, he underwent another ESWL – this time to target the 2 stones in his kidney.

(photo courtesy of Kidney Stone 911)

I’m relating our story after reading this article that talks about more American teens also being diagnosed with kidney stones.  Those who followed the most recent American Idol on cable TV also know that its latest winner, 21-year old Philip Phillips, also suffered from kidney stones and in fact missed several rehearsals to get medical attention. All these made me start to realize that today’s youth lifestyle and diet have a lot to do with the possible formation of kidney stones.

Fast food as well as chips are the food choices of the youth these days. Imagine how heavily laden with salt these stuff are. Combine that with a preference for soda over water and you have an almost perfect formula for stone formation.

But as a parent, should you be concerned? I say, YES. We need to be conscious of what our kids eat (at home, in school and elsewhere). Let’s not wait for our kids to suffer this pain because it is easily prevented. Reduced salt intake, awareness of other foods that contribute to kidney stone formation, and sufficient water intake.

Here are some things parents can do:

* Cut soda from your family’s diet. I was a heavy softdrinks person before. Now, I rarely take it and instead opt for water or fresh juice. At home, we no longer serve soda on the family table. Even our “Sundays only” for soda has been stopped. It may be hard for you to wean your family from soda initially especially if it has been part of your lifestyle but slow withdrawal might help until everyone. My kids were heavy soda drinkers but now I find them choosing juice or milk products over soda when we eat out.

* Increase water intake. As long as the stone isn’t large enough to block the ureter, it can be passed out with sufficient water intake. Since we live in a tropical country, water intake is even more important as we sweat a lot. Kids have to slowly learn to drink water. I think plain water is better than sports drinks (which contain sodium) or flavored water (these have sugar). Juices should preferably be fresh than out of a bottle or can.

* Become more aware of what you put into your grocery cart. I have began to read labels, taking note of sodium content. Food with a lot of preservatives and canned goods are at the lower end of my shopping priority.

* Research on the foods to avoid to prevent stone formation. I continue to do this because I sometimes get conflicting information on the web. However, being better educated on which foods have been known to increase chances of stones is important so you can plan the dishes you can serve at home.

* Teach your child to make healthy food choices. We can only do so much when our child is at home or with us at parties and gatherings. But what about those occasions when they are in school or in a party by themselves. Do they know how to choose food that won’t aggravate stone formation? The only way is to educate them, teaching them which dishes to avoid and which are okay.

* Have your child checked for kidney stones even before the onset of pain. Early detection can save everyone the expense and your child the excruciating pain. He/she may already have stones but the size could still be passable. The urologist may ask for an ultrasound of the kidney. If the ultrasound confirms the presence of stones, at least you can take immediate action.

I’m glad my boy has taken to drinking water. I guess that extreme pain was enough for him not to want to go through it again. I sure don’t want to experience it myself ever again. The pain is almost akin to childbirth. One of the worst pains ever.

Has anyone in your family experienced pain from kidney stones? Please share your story with me and how you addressed it.

Continue reading »]]> Since Manila joined Sydney and the rest of the world a few years back in turning lights off for an hour, my family has been doing the same at home.

In the last few years, the signs of climate change have become more obvious and scary. Severe flooding and landslides, more dangerous typhoons, weird weather patterns. So many lives have been lost unnecessarily and sadly. No one can turn a blind eye to the immediate need to do something in one’s own backyard. NOW. Earth Hour is one way of showing the world that an hour of darkness can save that much energy. So we’re trying to do our share…

Yes, the kids get fidgety about tuning out of the internet but after a few minutes around a dark living room with just candles giving out light, conversation starts up and before we know it, we have reclaimed our lives offline.

Today we will continue tradition but with a twist. I will join a free yoga class by Rianna Gatus as part of her birthday celebration. We will do 26 Surya Namaskars or Sun Salutations to celebrate her 26 years of life. Afterwards some lady bloggers and I are heading off to a restaurant nearby which is observing Earth Hour to celebrate another birthday – fellow yogini Ria.

I will post some photos later.

How about you? How are you observing Earth Hour?

Continue reading »]]> Let me just start out by saying that TED talks have really caught on with me. I enjoy watching talks on various topics, especially talks that have to do with life, technology and health. I even have the TED app on my iPad!

Recently, a blogger friend, Jay Jaboneta, was invited to speak at TEDxMontpellier on his Yellow Boat Project – providing yellow boats for children in villages isolated by bodies of water and where children had to SWIM just to get to school. It was quite an experience for me to listen via livestreaming to someone I actually knew who was in the company of other illustrious speakers as well.

A few days after TEDxMontpellier, I got wind of a TEDx talk even closer to my heart. Xavier School, my boys’ school, was going to host its own TEDx talk in just a few weeks. I quickly registered for the talk which happened last Feb. 18, 2012.

Six (6) speakers were lined up for TEDxXavierSchool (click on their names to view their TEDx talks posted on YouTube):

• Raynard Raphael Lao — a Xavier High School student, who is also a champion public speaker at both local and regional competitions
• Brian Maraña — International Programs Coordinator of Xavier School who has transformed the way students learn from the world
• Tony Meloto — Founder of Gawad Kalinga, providing countless homes to the homeless and building them into communities, and speaker at the World Economic Forum
• Dodie Ng — Games and apps creator who also founded a robotics organization and team for the youth while also being a Xavier High School student
• Mark Ruiz — Co-Founder of Hapinoy and Founder of Rags2Riches, providing social business enterprise and microenterprise development as a living means to some of the poorest people
• Brian Tenorio — Internationally-acclaimed, New York-based designer who has altered the way development is done through Design

With Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga and Mark Ruiz of Hapinoy

Xavier School has always been one of the educational institutions in the forefront of innovation when it comes to integrating academe and technology. For some years now, the high school students and teachers have been using Macbooks inside the classroom for internet-integrated learning. This coming schoolyear (2012-13), all the high school sophomores will be moving to using iPads in school. There are many more things I can write about but that is probably for another post.

I was able to interview the two movers behind TEDxXavierSchool. Fr. Johnny Go, S.J. is Xavier School’s School Director and Martin Gomez is a Xavier alumnus who brought up the idea of doing a TEDx talk in the school.

With Fr. Johnny, Martin Gomez and XS' Next Team

Some of the speakers and team members behind TEDxXavierSchool

Congratulations to Fr. Johnny, Xavier School, the speakers, and everyone who made the first TEDx Xavier School talks a big success. On to the next one!