Category: Philippines

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Blog Watch Launches for the 2010 Elections

The 2010 elections will be the most interesting election as far as my voting career goes.

This one sees the most number of voters actually interested in participating and exercise their right of suffrage. In our home alone, our yayas and driver actually voluntarily registered without my knowledge when my kids went to register. And 3 of my 4 kids are first-time registered voters.

The list of possible presidentiables has been one surprise after another — the Noynoy factor arose only after Tita Cory’s death; Mar Roxas, a strong presidential contender slides down to be Noynoy’s VP running mate; Erap declares he will run again; Chiz Escudero pulls the rug from under everyone’s feet by suddenly announcing he is leaving NPC (and is now keeping everyone guessing if he will run for President or not).

This is the first time that elections will be conducted using an automated process.

As of this time, major online news sites have created sections just for posts on the upcoming elections and many bloggers have either written about election-related issues on their own blogs or have come together to put up blogs dedicated solely to 2010.

A group of us are writing for the Philippine Online Chronicles’ election section, called Blog Watch.

Blog Watch will contain features, commentaries, news, voters’ education and election awareness campaigns, videos, informal polls and similar informative items.

Do visit Blog Watch regularly and be thoroughly informed before 2010.

Not only is it our right to vote. It is also our right to see to it that our votes are properly counted. And in order to vote properly, we must know all the issues as well as the backgrounds and platforms of all those running for office.

You may also follow Blog Watch on Facebook, Twitter, Plurk and subscribe to its YouTube channel.

Below are the blog links of the Blog Watch writers (list updated 11/16/09):

A Filipina Mom Blogger

Here’s to Life!

Sonnie’s Porch

The D Spot

When in Manila

New Media Philippines

The Marocharim Experiment

Hearty’s Haven

Baratillo @ Cubao

Fritzified

Undertow / Leslie Bocobo

The Philippines and Beyond

Bikoy.Net

Philippine Commentary

Jester-in-Exile




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How You Can Help Victims of Tropical Storm Ketsana/Ondoy

UPDATE AS OF SEPT. 30: Due to rapid developments, I will no longer update this blog as there is now a centralized Google document (OndoyManila: List of Places to Donate). Pls. refer to that as it is updated on a real-time basis. I would like to thank all my readers who responded with generous hearts and donated/volunteered in whatever way. May God bless you abundantly.

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As a public service for anyone who comes across my blog, I am posting below ways by which you can send money or goods in kind or volunteer to help in packing goods to assist the victims of the massive flooding that Tropical Storm Ketsana/Ondoy brought to residents of Metro Manila and surrounding provinces. This was my post on the flooding that took place yesterday, Sept. 26.

This post will be constantly updated on a day-to-day basis until the crisis passes. When some information needs verification, I will post this in RED while we look into it. While we will try to make the info as accurate as possible, pls bear with us if there are some logistics problems or wrong information as this is a list compiled from various sources. Feel free to post in the Comment Section any additional donation centers you may know of. Thanks!


MALLS AND COMMERCIAL OUTLETS

Aranaz Stores (Rockwell & Greenbelt) – accepting donations of any kind for Payatas communities

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (all branches) – canned goods, water, clothes, blankets, towels, medicine, and emergency supplies (no cash)

LUCA stores (Rockwell, Shangri-la, Eastwood, or GA Towers) – Send your old clothes & donations (no cash pls)

Mail & More, FedEx & Air21 outlets – now accepting donations. For locations, pls call +6328794789 or log to www.mailandmore.com.ph

McDonald’s (all branches in MM) – accepting donations as of Sept. 28, 12NN

MOONSHINE boutique (Rockwell) –  accepting relief goods to help Ondoy victims in Marikina and Cainta.

Papemelroti stores (91 Roces Ave. / Ali Mall Cubao / SM City North EDSA / SM Fairview / SM Megamall / Glorietta 3 in Makati / SM Centerpoint / SM Southmall) – accepting relief goods (canned goods / milk / bottled water / clothes – NO CASH pls.)

PowerPlant Mall – accepting donations for ABS-CBN Foundation. Drop-off at Admin Office, P1 level.

7-Eleven (all branches) – serve as drop-off points for relief supplies such as ready-to-eat goods, mats, mosquito nets and water jugs.

Starbucks – accepting blankets, rice, instant noodles and bottled water. These items will be delivered to Ateneo de Manila University.

Team Manila stores in Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Bel-Air and Rockwell shall be accepting relief goods (Canned Goods, Ready-to-drink Milk,Bottled Water and Clothes) for distribution by Veritas.

GOVERNMENT/RELIEF AGENCIES/ OTHERS

AKBAYAN – taking donations, call 433-69-33/433-68-31 to donate or volunteer.

BAYAN MUNA – bring donations to 45 K-7th St.. Bgy. West Kamias, QC. Tel 921-3473

Move for Chiz – asking for volunteers at Bay Park Tent, along Roxas Blvd., beside Max Restaurant and Diamond Hotel in Manila, or at Gilas Minipark at Unang Hakbang St., Gilas Q.C.

Worldvision Foundation – accepting donations/volunteers to pack relief goods in QC. For $ donations, BPI: USD acct #4254-0050-08

Philippine National Red Cross – visit their site HERE for various ways to donate.

Sen. Kiko Pangilinan is accepting donations @ AGS Bldg Annex, 446 EDSA Guadalupe Viejo. Contact Vina Vargas at +632917-8081247

WITHIN METRO MANILA

Cavite

NCST (Dasmarinas Cavite) – Volunteers/donations welcome. Call (046)416-6278 Ms. Angie

Makati

Assumption College (San Lorenzo Village) – Please drop donations off at the AC guardhouse.

Binalot (Greenbelt 1) – call Tetchie Bundalian at +632922-8573277

Whitespace (2314 Chino Roces Ave Ext) – Makati drop-off for relief goods

Mandaluyong/San Juan

CFC Center Ortigas (349 Ortigas Ave. Greenhills East, underneath EDSA-Ortigas flyover) – open for donations in cash or kind. Call +632-7270682 to 87 or text +632922-2542819

La Salle Greenhills – drop off your donations (clothes, food, etc) at Gate 2 on Monday, Sept. 28, or volunteer from 9am to receive, sort, repack the donations.

Xavier School – canned goods, bread, noodles. Please bring to Multipurpose Center (MPC). Accepted till Monday, Sept. 28.

Manila

Caritas Manila Office (Jesus St., Pandacan Manila near Nagtahan Bridge) – call +632-5639298, +632-5639308

CREST, 1235 Trece Agosto St., Paco, Manila -drop-off pt for donations

MINISTOP IBARRA (Espana cor. Blumentritt, Sampaloc Manila) – Food (non-perishable goods only) Clothing, Medicines, Beds, Pillows, Blankets, Emergency Supplies

Muntinlupa

Hillsborough Village Chapel – Water, blankets, shoes, and clothes. These will go to families whose houses were washed out in the nearby sitios.

Paranaque

Alabang Town Center Concierge – acts as drop-off point for donations

Operation Rainbow (Zac Faelnar Camara) at Ayala Alabang Village – needs Canned Goods, Ready-To-Eat Food, Bottled Water, Ready-To-Drink Milk/ Juice, Clothing, Blankets, contact (+632-4687991)

Playschool International (47 Ghana St., Better Living Subd., Paranaque) – open to receive donations (NO CASH, PLS) for relief goods. Please feel free to send your donations there. Teachers/staff will coordinate sending these to the centers.

Pasig

Miriam Quiambao – drop off point: One Orchard Road Building in Eastwood, or message http://www.twitter.com/miriamq for more details.

Relief Efforts for Pasig at Valle Verde 1 Village Park – contact +632916-4945000, +632917-5273616

RENAISSANCE FITNESS CENTER (2nd Floor, Bramante Building, Renaissance Towers Ortigas, Meralco Avenue) – Donations can be brought starting Monday, Sept. 28/9am – 7pm. Contact Person: Warren Habaluyas (+632929-8713488) or email at luzonrelief@gmail.com

RFM Gym (Pioneer) – donations are being requested by GAWAD KALINGA. Call/text +63917-8888109 /+63917-8888304

Quezon City

ABS-CBN through Banco de Oro account number 56300-20111; account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Incorporation (NOTE: This account # needs verification because on the ABS-CBN Foundation website, the account # is 5630060113)

Ateneo de Manila University – cooked or ready-to-eat food, clothes, medicine, blankets, water. Donations may be dropped off at the MVP, University Dorm, or Cervini lobbies.

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health – accepting donations of medicines. A center in Pasig has more than 1,000 evacuees, mostly kids suffering from colds and fever. Call Louie Montalbo: (0918) 936-2095.

Bantayog ng mga Bayani, Quezon Ave. corner EDSA, QC – drop-off center for donations

Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC) – Relief goods for typhoon victims being accepted at 72-A Times St., West Triangle, QC. Tel (+632-9299820/22)

CONTEND-UP, UP Diliman Faculty Center -drop-off point for donations

Erica Paredes (Katipunan), +63917-4741930 – they need bread, packed juice, sandwich filling (tuna, chicken, anything) You can help her make them, deliver the sandwiches to her house, or help her distribute!  Call for more details.

Kabataan Partylist, 118-B Scout Rallos, QC) – drop-off point for donations

KADAMAY (Urban Poor Group) – accepts donations of relief goods at 12-A Kasiyahan St, Bgy Holy Spirit, Commonwealth, QC Tel 427-4315

Manor Superclub (Eastwood City) – will accept goods and other emergency items starting Sunday, Sept. 27, at 10 am.

National City United Church, Times St., Q.C. -drop-off pt for donations

NoyMar Relief Operations – contact Clare Amador (+63928 520 5508) or Jana Vicente (+63928 520 5499). Drop-off for relief donations is at Balay Expo Center across Farmers Market Cubao. 8am – 9pm throughout the week until further notice. Donate drinking water, old medicines, clothing, blankets, canned goods, noodles. Volunteer to man stations and repack food.

Our Lady of Pentecost Parish (12 F. Dela Rosa corner C. Salvador Sts., Loyola Heights, Quezon City) – call +632-4342397, +632-9290665

Philippine Army Gym (inside Fort Bonifacio) or GHQ Gym (Camp Aguinaldo) – now distributing donations for Ondoy Victims.

Radio Veritas (Veritas Tower West Ave. cor EDSA) – call +632-9257931 to 40

Tulong Bayan, Cubao – needs clothes, salt and cooking oil in sachets: 0908-6579998, 0939-3633436, 9137122

UP College of Arts and Letters (Diliman) – Hotline: 09296454102 (Prof. Roselle Pineda). Look for: Guard on Duty (in UP CAL). Operations: 24 hours until Wednesday, Sept. 30, tentatively. Donate medicines, clothes, blankets, food to be distributed by Citizens’ Disaster Response Center.

UP College of Law – Kindly drop off goods at Student Lounge or contact Dean’s Office

UPD- University Student Council, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, Q.C. -drop-off pt for donations

Taguig

Enderun Colleges (The Fort) – needs volunteers to chop, cook and pack food. They are on 24-hour duty.

PROVINCIAL

Bacolod

CAFE BREIZH – drop off center for donations. Text 09193651101 for details.

ONLINE DONATIONS OR VIA MOBILE

Ayala Foundation USA – click on their DONATION PAGE. Look for the link “partners’ profile and projects“, look for “Browse Organizations” dropdown menu and choose PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS.

MyAyala.com site for Jesuits (from Fr. Johnny Go) – You can use your CREDIT CARD and donate ONLINE. Go to www.myayala.com/sjph/. On the line “I would like to donate to:”, write “xs4ondoy“.

Red Cross Load Donations – Right now the easiest way to make donations from the seat of your chair is via mobile phone load. The Red Cross Rescue and Relief Operations. To donate, text RED<space><amount> and send to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart). You can donate 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 300 pesos. (Update as of 9/28/09: Globe has waived transaction fee for donations to Red Cross)

TxtPower – now accepts donations via SmartMoney 5577514418667103, GCash 09179751092 and Paypal.

Via www.philippineaid.com – some of the people behind this site are blogger friends. Donations are via Paypal or credit card. The ChipIn widget visible on the site tracks all donations.

Worldvision Foundation – For $ donations, BPI: USD acct #4254-0050-08

IN THE USA

New York

Ondoy New York Disaster Relief drop off center – @ Pandayan Center, 406 W 40th St. Between 9th and 10th Aves.

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Sources of information above taken from:

1. Sour Politics

2. Ondoy Places to Donate Relief Goods

3. Plurk, Twitter and Facebook messages from contacts

4. adayinthelifeofrj.com

5. Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC)

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Tropical Storm Ketsana/Ondoy Inundates Metro Manila

Tropical Storm Ketsana (locally called Ondoy) was not a very strong storm. It was gusting at about 65-75kph only. An average tropical storm in a country that has known typhoons with strengths more than double that. But what set Ondoy apart from most of the storms was its enormous rain bands. The amount of rain it dumped on Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. In just 6 hours, Ondoy dumped rains equivalent to one month.

Typhoon Ondoy

The entire Metro was caught unprepared for the deluge. In our case, the day started out rainy but my kids had places to go. Our youngest had spent the night with other teeners for a fellowship at Taguig, almost across The Fort. My 2 girls set out for school: for classes and for one of them, community service in Sta. Mesa. Our oldest boy also left for his school bringing different sets of clothes for his graduation pictorial. My hubby was on a business trip in Bangkok and was set to return in the late afternoon.

By midday, the rains were pouring like the heavens just opened its arms and released its entire contents. Our driver who had just dropped my girls off at Ateneo, texted me that he could not get to where our youngest was as the area around Tiendesitas Ortigas was too deep for the van to get through. I learned later that he was able to turn around but again had to stop at the Ortigas-C5 junction due to floods in the Libis area.

My brother who responded to my request to pick up our son at school failed even at that because Ermitano Creek near our house had overflowed and suddenly flooded the surrounding areas. Our barangay, which is considered one of the highest spots in San Juan, was underwater! Here are some pictures posted by people whose identities remain unknown to me but who I would like to thank for posting these online.

Gen. de Jesus St.
Gen. de Jesus St.
Another view of Gen. De Jesus with Xavier Gym in background
Another view of Gen. De Jesus with Xavier Gym in background
Wilson St.
Wilson St.

The afternoon was a stressful one. I kept calling my girls, my sons, the driver and several people trying to get everyone coordinated so they get home safe. It was a great relief to me when the girls were finally fetched by the driver in school after several hours of braving traffic and floods. They passed for our older son in school and got home by early evening. A kind family at our community also took our youngest son home. A couple of hours later, hubby called me. His plane had safely landed in NAIA but he had to spend a night at a hotel as the driver slated to pick them up was also stranded somewhere in the Pasay area.

Even now, the entire metro is reeling from the devastation wrought by Ondoy. Friends of mine have lost everything. Some are still staying at friends’ houses. My mom’s boarders on the first floor hardly saved anything as waters rushed into the house as the San Juan river overflowed. I was getting ready to evacuate my Mom, 2 siblings and the boarders last night as the water was just 2 steps short of reaching them on the 2nd floor. My sister and 2 of her kids were stranded in Makati and had to stay at a hotel while my BIL and another of their kids was somewhere in St. Scholastica area. No one has been spared rich, or poor.

The news say that this is the worst flood in 40 years. WOW!

While this seems like a major calamity on our hands, there are pockets of sunshine that always pop through in times of disaster. This is what Filipino bayanihan spirit is all about. Neighbors are helping each other. The internet is being widely used to act as a communication center for public service. Many bloggers on Twitter, Facebook, Plurk and other social networking media continue passing on telephone numbers of government agencies, reposting cries for rescue from families of bloggers, friends and strangers caught in places like Marikina and Cainta.

The relief and rescue operations are ongoing as I write this. In another post, I will put up as much info on donations (local and international) that I can find and I hope you, my readers, can respond to the wave of humanity in Metro Manila, Philippines needing a little of your compassion. We thank you in advance for any generosity and prayers.

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The Proposed P500 Cory-Ninoy Peso Bill (a peek behind the scenes)

The unofficial (but very popular) proposed design of the P500 bill

A day Pres. Corazon Aquino passed away last Aug. 1, a website (peaceloveandrevolution.com) was put up on the web by a very young graphic designer. Within a week, the site got more than 20,000 hits, the idea of the couple on one yellow bill caught the attention of the newspapers, became the talk of social networking sites, landed on a Facebook page and snowballed. The graphic designer was Rev Naval.

At about the same time, a former Cabinet Secretary, who happens to be a good friend, stumbled on the same idea, proposed it to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and got positive feedback that it was going to be considered in the next redesign of the Philippine currency. This person was former Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez.

Vince Perez(taken from www.vinceperez.net)

At the recent Manila Design Week, I sought Rev Naval out, borne out of a curiosity and desire to meet the guy behind the popular P500 design. He graciously spoke with me for a short while then gifted me with a facsimile of his P500 bill.

On the other hand, I caught Vince enroute to South Korea and asked if he could relate how he brought his idea to the BSP. Luck of lucks, both guys agreed to share their thoughts with me so here it is: Continue reading “The Proposed P500 Cory-Ninoy Peso Bill (a peek behind the scenes)”

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The Biggest Loser Comes to Asia

The Biggest Loser Asia is coming to Asia for the first time and Fitness First is its major sponsor.  Fitness First clubs around Asia (Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia) will be exclusive venues for the live screen test auditions for participants who want to be part of the show. In the Philippines, LIVE screen test auditions were held at Fitness First at SM Megamall from August 15-16, 2009.

Since its debut in 2004 in the US by NBC reality television, The Biggest Loser has become a worldwide hit viewed by millions, airing in over 90 countries and produced in 25 countries. This is the first reality show where obese contestants are challenged and encouraged under guided expert supervision to undergo strenuous physical and mental training in order to shed kilos. The one who loses the most weight not only wins a grand cash prize of USD 100, 000 but also gains a healthier and better quality life!

Produced by Imagine Omnimedia (producers of Contender Asia) for the Hallmark Channel in Asia, Biggest Loser Asia will help change the lives of obese Filipinos who want to take up the challenge of shedding bad lifestyle habits and embracing healthier ones. The Biggest Loser Asia will not just look into the physical challenges of the contestants’ personal journeys but also their emotional and psychological trials and tribulations as they lose the kilos while inspiring and empowering others to do the same.

When my girl C2 and I got to Fitness First, we were met by a long line of applicants, all looking like they really could lose all that extra weight but looking hopeful as well that they would be chosen as one of the wanna-be losers.

img_8743-medres

Applicants were ushered into THE screen test room in batches of 6. They were told that the panel of judges could ask them any questions like  why they joined The Biggest Loser or even personal questions that could have contributed to their obesity or desire to lose weight.

Simon Flint and Mark Ellis of Fitness First brief the applicants
Simon Flint and Mark Ellis of Fitness First brief the applicants

Here are some snippets from a jolly group of guys who I thought were friends since they were very animated as they sat around waiting for their turn.  But they all just met each other on that day.

And I did an ambush interview with actress Ruby Rodriguez, who I chanced upon also lining up:

The show is expected to come out on TV by end of this year. Watch for it and see who becomes the biggest Asian LOSER!

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Technology: A Tool for Schools in the Wake of A(H1N1)

Many mothers like me here in the Philippines are growing more and more worried by the day as the number of people becoming sick with the A(H1N1) virus increases. Classes have just began in our part of the world and in the first week, some students were found positive resulting in classes being suspended and moved by about 10 days.

In the university where my girls go to school, there were initially 3 high school cases but another case was confirmed yesterday. So far, the school where my boys study has been virus-free but as more and more schools confirm cases of their students getting sick, I worry.

However, I have suggestions for school administrators and teachers especially in schools that are well-equipped to use technology and the internet. You can have a back-up plan to ensure that in the event you will be forced to suspend classes, your students do not lose too many days out of school. This will require a paradigm shift in the way you conduct classes but it can work.

You can shift to the web.

Of course, many of these moves may require coordination with DECS but just think of the possibilities:

1. Email addresses and mobile numbers serve as point-to-point contact – Many schools, as part of information sheets during enrollment, ask for the email addresses and mobile numbers of parents & students. Take this to the next level. Use your database of email addresses of all your students/teachers/administrators/parents and create mailing lists now. One mailing list for faculty, another for parents, another for students (by level). This will be one of your ways to disseminate information.

2. School websites are not just for information; they can be transformed into online classrooms. – A few days ago, the boys’ school held parent orientations. I did not go. I was feeling under the weather and chose to stay away from crowds. But I heard that the orientations did not last long. The class advisers went through powerpoint presentations to introduce the line-up of teachers as well as answer a few questions from the attending parents.

Now this got me thinking. If that was all it took during orientations, why could we not have put this same information up on the website of the school, giving access to parents via some form of security code?

I remember the inauguration of Pres. Barack Obama. CNN created a Facebook page linked to its website. Any Facebook users who subscribed to the page could literally jump into a chatroom as the inauguration was going on and add his/her comments to the global community. Bring that down to a school community.

Could we  create a smaller version of a chatroom so that parents could do conferencing with the school administrators/faculty as they are viewing a presentation?

Could Powerpoint presentations be simply uploaded to the website for parents to access?

Could the teachers have made podcasts/videos of what they wanted to say to parents as well?

Can lessons be broadcast via podcasts or YouTube?

3. Think ONLINE QUIZZES!!! – Yes, there will be issues like: Do we really know if it is the student answering the quiz or not since he is not visible to the teacher? But maybe with proper sanctions in place for those found cheating, or with appropriate security codes/log-in requirements, students can take quizzes online. Cheap webcams can be required so that a student would be visible via webcam to his teacher while taking an exam. Grading would be a cinch too since the correct answers can be keyed into a program that does instantaneous checking of papers.

4. Collaborative tools make team-based projects easy online. – Google Docs is one example of a collaborative tool. Word documents, spreadsheets and presentations can be created and shared online. Team members can all view the same document, make changes, chat online about it and essentially, collaborate. No need for face-to-face interaction.

5. Use Mobile broadcasting for important announcements – Many schools in Metro Manila utilize this tool already. Parents/students/faculty subscribe to the service and important announcements from the school are pushed via SMS to the subscribers. While mobile broadcasting nowadays is in the form of school cancellations, event announcements and the like, this can be used also to alert parents and students to check the school website for newly posted classroom activities.

This internet mode of schooling is, of course, a temporary measure and can be utilized only in extreme cases when the school is forced to suspend classes for long stretches. But if the DECS accepts this as an alternate mode of schooling, cases like the A(H1N1) pandemic need not interrupt school days drastically.

At the moment, I also realize that it is the private schools that would have the advantage in implementing this over public schools due to their access to technology and computers but we can start from here.

Leave a comment if you have other ideas as to how classes can be conducted online to reduce the interruptions.