The Canonization of St. Josemaria Escriva: Another October 6 Celebration

Today is the anniversary of St. Josemaria Escriva's canonization. Every time there's a big feast day, we always turn to prayer as our Founder taught us. Prayers of thanksgiving for the many undeserved favors and graces granted to us. Prayers of petition for what we need materially and spiritually. Prayers of contrition for what we have committed which hurt Our Lord and the ones around us. Prayers for our own conversion and transformation, because we want to merit to stay with God forever in heaven.

With the deep spiritual life of St. Josemaria, he managed to transmit to us the love of God in more ways than one. I highlight here the kind of fraternity and family spirit he wants everyone to live --- full of warmth, affection, service and attention to what others need. We may have come from different families and backgrounds, but as we all share one baptism in Christ, we belong to one big supernatural family, the Church.

Our Father was a happy man --- always cheerful --- according to his successor, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo. He was always happy because he lived like a child before God always. While it is true that we are plagued with our own wretchedness, imperfections and sins, St. Josemaria taught us to have confidence! Because for a Christian, a son or daughter of God, we can always rise from our miseries provided we are contrite and humble --- that we struggle to rid ourselves of pride which is the main obstacle we must battle against if we want to grow closer to God. Pride is our enemy because it is the devil's nature to be proud. And the enemy of our soul wants us to be proud so as not to let the light and strength of grace from God enter our soul. Each time we fall into sin, after a good examination of conscience, we are taught to go running to confession and show our wounds. For the Lord comes to heal us --- always, if we allow Him.

Today, as we celebrate the canonization of this holy man, may we resolve to live as true children of God, always happy and optimistic because, even with our miseries, we are assured of true joy and peace as long as we are contrite and humble of heart. What is more, along with this, we enjoy the freedom that the children of God possess --- free to love all mankind and free to direct ourselves on the path of righteousness.

For more information about Opus Dei and St. Josemaria Escriva, please visit: www.opusdei.org and http://josemariaescriva.info/   

Braving the Heat and the Cold in West and Central Java, Indonesia

Arriving at Villa Deogratias, Lembang, Bandung, Indonesia

As early as July this year, eight ladies who frequent our study center here in Cebu have already booked themselves to fly from here to Manila to Jakarta and to Lembang, Bandung in the province of West Java, Indonesia, to attend a yearly activity. I never expected  that I'd be joining them since I only received word that I'd be making this trip, too, in early August!

We were delighted to travel together, but not without any hitches, that is. I could well chronicle here the difficulties we all went through together. But more than that, what stands out are the positive events that unfolded during our trip. 

I was with the following participants from the Philippines: Beth L., Joy B., Nenette M., Jenny C., Rorie S., Evita L., Girlie R., Chi-Chi R., Iris B., Maricar L., Angelyn L., Gold V., Tina E., Miho P. . From Jakarta: Bea Z., Nancy T., Ivy T., Maricel P., Marivic T.,  Riza J., Lucia H., Lusyanti H., Geline B., Septiana, Suyi, Katiana, Tina, Erna, and Colette. I am so grateful to Christine for facilitating our trip via regular coordination through email and Viber. Thanks to Pak Udin, Pak Imam, Pak Deni who helped us with the transportation and hotel stay.

It was such a good experience to travel and meet and talk to the locals. Plus eat their kind of food, too! What's more, I never thought I'd be learning Bahasa quite fast. Maybe I was just so receptive so as not to get lost and for me to be able to know my way around. During our visit to Plaza Indonesia in Central Jakarta, I made sure to buy a post card for my parents. And thanks to Nenette, we found the post office (Filateli) where I happily sent the post card bound for Canada! I thought it was a good and creative way to remember the trip and share it with my loved ones.

The Gereja Katedral in Central Jakarta

If given another chance next year, I think I will be glad to go back to Indonesia and learn Bahasa more and better. We all look like Indonesians anyway, and can live as one more person among the locals --- be it in Surabaya, where we now have a center, or in Jakarta, where we hope to soon have one. 

Even with the delayed flight schedules, this trip is still worth it! I can only look back and be grateful. As they say in Bahasa, "Terima kasih!"

The 1st National Quality TVET Forum in Cebu City

With Ma'am Paulette and Sir Steve

The JCentre Convention Hall in Mandaue City, Cebu was jampacked with local and foreign delegates who participated in TESDA Region VII's 1st National Quality TVET Forum last September 9, 2015, Wednesday, an activity which ran from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. There were more than 500 people who filled the hall: technical-vocational program professionals, practitioners from the academe and students from several universities and colleges here in Cebu. There were special guest participants from Southeast Asia, from countries like Malaysia, India, and China, who shared with us their best practices in advancing tech-voc education through accreditation. TESDA Director General Sec. Joel J. Villanueva also graced the whole day event.

PSEFI-SKILLS was privileged to have an information booth which showcased the different training programs the school is offering. Several delegates and representatives of other educational foundations graced our table to inquire about how they can partner with us and how we can widen our reach to help more out-of-school youth and adults and less privileged women not just here in Cebu but all over the Philippines. I am grateful to attend this forum together with Ma’am Paulette D. Liu, our COO, Dr. Maritess H. Requina, our Executive Director, Dr. Bryant C. Acar, our Academic Director, Engr. Steve Y. Banzon, our Technical Training Director and Ms. Rhea Cedeño, our school Registrar.

It was good to be introduced to the rigor of having one’s foundation be accredited and recognized by professional institutions in the country. Striving for excellence has been stressed in this forum. It is no wonder that establishments espousing any advocacy which have committed themselves to quality performance in all their training programs will be recognized highly in the long run. We hope that this forum drove home the point that everyone i.e. all major stakeholders in the academe and in business, has a hand in making sure that complying with accreditation requirements is done conscientiously. It is worthwhile to go through difficulties for the sake of advancing all our educational programs.

With all the best practices we have heard, it is now a challenge for us to apply all the lessons learned in this forum. As our Malaysian speaker said, we must not get tired of always asking deeply about the what, why and how of things as we engage ourselves in our respective advocacies. 

PSEFI-SKILLS Promoted at RPN's DYKC Cebu

Primary Structures Educational Foundation's technical and vocational training and assessment center, SKILLS, was fortunate to have been promoted live last week at RPN's DYKC, 675 KHz of the AM band. With a wide range of listeners in Central and Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and in the Bicol region, the radio program dubbed as, "Tinubdan sa Kalamboan," (Spring of Success), ran from 1-3 pm. I was happy to represent our foundation and inform the public about our various training programs for the construction and hospitality industries.

We would like to thank Engr. Berty Neil M. Lerios, for making the radio interview possible. Thanks also to Mr. Jefferson Cal and Mr. Rey Ramos, the 2 broadcasters who helped me through the 2-hour interview, especially so since I am not yet well-versed in Cebuano. 

We hope that all those who listened and showed interest in our training programs will translate their plans into action as this will redound to the improvement of their lives. We believe that with technical know-how, good attitude and an employment break, those who take the chance to be trained in SKILLS will, in no time, become successful in the career they have chosen, the runway which they will use to make their dreams take off from poverty.

TESDA Region VII Scholarship: Trainers Methodology I

With some of my classmates in Trainers Methodology I

Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc. (PSEFI), under the trade name, School of Knowledge for Industrial Labor, Leadership and Service (SKILLS), was awarded 291 scholarship slots by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Region VII this year, all pegged for the course known as, "Trainers Methodology 1 (TM I)." This is a course open to all NC II holders i.e. technical-vocational courses in various trades, and for would-be trainers in other courses that are not dependent on any Training Regulation i.e. English as a Second Language course offerings, etc.

Reviewing for the Trainers Methodology I Assessment Exam

           The scholars of the program come from some academic institutions here in Cebu City, and from at least 2 tech-voc institutes offering construction-related courses. Twelve (12) of us enrolled in the course, the 3rd batch of the TM 1 scholarship for this year. Those who manage to get a National Certificate of the Trainers Methodology course will be eligible to teach technical-vocational courses in their respective schools and could even be accredited TESDA trainers not just here in the Philippines but abroad. 

The Institutional Assessment Examination will be scheduled as soon as our portfolios have been approved and checked by TESDA representatives here in Region VII. 

Thank you to TESDA for the generous TM 1 scholarship. We continue to look for more teachers who can avail of the TM 1 scholarship before the year ends. 

Cebu City Soon to Host APEC 2015 International Meetings

Cebu City’s skyline continues to showcase more and more buildings, imposing and grand, each time more sophisticated --- attesting to the flourishing economic climate here in Cebu province. I could say that I have witnessed how the business climate has rapidly grown and steadily developed since I moved here in 2013. It was inconceivable to see heavy traffic then. But now, the streets are really getting smaller and narrower, with a big number of new vehicles plying the streets. What used to be a 15-minute ride via a cab or a jeepney now takes about 45 minutes to an hour! That’s such a long time to spend out on the streets!

As the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) 2015 meetings are fast approaching, beginning in August through October, the provincial and local governments here have been so busy with the external preparations --- you’ll see sidewalks being beautified, the roads being leveled more neatly, and buildings, hotels and condominiums, being constructed and renovated.

The LGU of Cebu is sure that hosting the APEC 2015 meetings will not be successful without the help and support of the locals. That is why, the city government, through the Cebu Organizing Committee, has called on some 300 student-volunteers for the hosting of meetings in Cebu this August to October. The preparation meetings started in June. The volunteers will be tasked to assist or guide the delegates starting from their arrival, meetings, and until they leave for their hotels. In the conference management services committee, 100 volunteers are needed as conference or documentation officers, for socials, and logistics.

According to a news article from Sun Star Cebu, “The APEC hosting is expected to help boost the tourism industry in Cebu as delegates can spread the word on their fantastic experience during their stay. Being able to showcase Cebu’s products and industries will open the opportunity for businessmen in the Asia-Pacific region to invest in Cebu.”

I recently met several Human Resources Managers of some leading hotels here and they told me that their hotel occupancy has doubled and even tripled come August. After October, many, many more are  even expected to arrive with the upcoming International Eucharistic Congress happening here also in Cebu in January 2016.

There are indeed so many blessings to count here in the province. I think we just have to learn how to manage ourselves and our resources, to ensure that even if there is thriving tourism, the tourist attractions that people want to see here are preserved in their original beauty. And as we see our strength in our people, the Cebuanos and non-Cebuanos alike who are residing here, must try to make a difference in terms of their congeniality and warm hospitality to everyone who comes to visit this island that is Cebu.

APEC has 21 member economies: the United States; Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; The Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Republic of Korea; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; and Vietnam.

Special Feature: 8 Travelers We Definitely Don’t Want In Town

Many establishments all over the world are fond of tourists and travelers as they are sure sources of steady income. They cause local businesses to expand and it gets these businesses thinking of creative activities to engage in while staying in their place. It also enlivens a healthy competition among local tourism establishments. These make travel, leisure and food business owners to hire more people, thus creating jobs in any particular country. But truth of the matter is, even with these positive notes come the negative ones. Much as local tourism would like to accommodate all sorts of tourists and travelers, I have singled out here top 8 attitudes of travelers we can all be on the lookout for and be wary of, lest they wreak havoc to the beauty and calm of our country’s unique and A-class tourism enterprise.

Loud Travelers

While it’s all right to drink and have a good time in a bar or restaurant, what we don’t like to see in our establishments are guests who start creating loud noises after getting drunk, acting as if they own the whole place! Maybe if these guests rent a more private and enclosed function area, their loud noises can be ‘tolerated’ somehow. But noise, bordering on rowdiness, raucousness and rudeness that already affect the peace and privacy of other guests should not be handled sitting down. If the place has a security in-charge, which all business establishments must have, then maybe you can easily keep this kind of guests out, much to your relief!  

Wasteful

We all seem to enjoy all things bottomless and unlimited in different consumer products lately, but what could seem enjoyable to some consumer items may not be so in majority of hotel establishments. Have you ever heard of flowing, unlimited water in the bath tub or shower? There could well be flooding in no time!

And if the shower facilities aren't working as they should, then the room where the defective facilities are should not be occupied in the first place. It might also be excusable to have wasteful travelers around if your hotel has an unlimited budget, which is perhaps only possible for million-dollar earning hotels. Or what about food splurging in a restaurant, ordering food items more than one can consume? As we go global, we are strangers no longer to hunger and what our fellowmen in many poor countries are going through. So it will really be a welcome thing for us to have guests who have an eye and concern for others' difficult life situations --- these are guests who keep an eye on their own lifestyle. 

Disrespectful

Who wants to feel like you’re being taken advantage of and being hurt one’s dignity? Nobody. Knowing the culture of a place before visiting will be worth your while as it will show you how to survive the ins and outs of the place and be familiar with what is taboo or not in the local community you will be journeying to. And what’s more, you will be endeared to the locals and would love to have you keep on visiting their place, as they ask you to bring your friends the next time you go on holiday. 

Vandalizers

The clean and pretty walls of your hotel and restaurant which you have invested on with expenses that were the result of your blood, sweat and tears and which you have dreamt of maintaining for future generations to enjoy are sometimes being threatened by not-so-well-meaning guests. These could be mistakenly be seen by them as a graffiti wall! Vandalizers of tables, chairs, walls, benches, even tree trunks in your mini-park can really get to you sometimes. It does help to shoot up your blood pressure. Yes, we know how happy these tourists can be for having visited a particular place, but they don’t have to seek ways and means to have their visit immortalized through a scribble that says, “Tom was here!” Ruining tourist sites in this manner could be very disheartening since tourists directly attack the beauty of the location which is the main attribute why people are drawn to visit these well-maintained tourist attractions in the first place.  

Packrats

If you happen to be a hotel housekeeper and needed to check on rooms that have just been vacated, you might have the surprise of your life when you find out that some items have gone missing! Blow dryers, towels, hangers, even some decorative figurines on the night table and dresser, are just some things that guests might take a fancy on and they could have happily checked out with them. In restaurants likewise, if food servers are not vigilant, they can lose some silverware they invested on i.e. teaspoons, pretty glass holders and coasters, napkin holders , etc. What could possibly lessen losing hotel and restaurant property is to have some witty reminder signage posted on walls, neatly put on nice small, upright table frames with notes about maintaining the beauty and order of the room. This could perhaps be effective unless they're also taken away!

   

Know-it-alls

After a three-year stint in a resort-hotel, I have come across several guests who can really make you wonder why they left their homes to go on vacation only to give other people a hard time. I'm talking about hard-to-please guests who maintain that they deserve more than what they are getting. Our poor front desk personnel have to always consult our hotel’s officer-in-charge when appeasing guests who demand that their hotel room lacks this and that, forgetting that some amenities go with the kind of hotel room they booked! If you ever come across this type of guests, better make sure you employ the H.E.A.T. method in handling sensitive situations they could stir up. H.E.A.T. is an acronym for

Hear them out, Empathize with the guest, Address the problem, and Thank the guest for letting you know of their concern.

Racists

There has been much talk about equality since the turn of the 20^th century, and we can say that somehow, much has already been achieved along this line. Wikipedia says that, “Racism is generally defined as actions, practices, or beliefs that consider the human species to be divided into races with shared traits, abilities, or qualities, such as personality, intellect, morality, or other cultural behavioral characteristics, and especially the belief that races can be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to others, or that members of different races should be treated differently”. So be on the lookout for guests who treat your staff, through their words and actions, with not enough spirit of good will as to say demeaning things just because their skin is white or yellow and yours is black or brown. We live in a world without borders now, and everyone has the right to be proud of their cultural heritage as it is theirs and theirs alone.

Scrooge Travelers

If we mentioned some wasteful types of guests earlier, we can also encounter guests who don't seem to shell out any funds for some extra service they are requesting. Yes, scrooge travelers can be found even among wealthy-looking foreign travelers. However, this is understandable since we all want to save up as much as we could when we travel. But this doesn't mean refusing to pay for a price that demanded labor on the part of our hotel and restaurant personnel. While it's good to have discounts and promos in service establishments, these can be done occasionally as come-ons or perks for our regular guests for them to enjoy a good time on holiday.    

So there you have it, our 8 kinds of travelers we wish we wouldn't encounter in our hotel, restaurant or service establishment! Be on your toes and prepare yourself and your staff to deal with them should they appear right on your doorstep. There is nothing to fear if you equip yourself with the right words, always mindful of your tone of voice since these pointers will help keep you in control of the situation. Arm yourself with a ready smile and confront these types of people with charming calm, elegance and grace. Only then will you see how effective you will be under pressure.

Gearing Up for the International Eucharistic Congress 2016 in Cebu City

The IEC 2016 app which can be used by all the participants.

Today is exactly 31 weeks and 5 days before the kick-off of the much-awaited 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) set here in Cebu City on January 24-31, 2016. The last time the IEC was held in the country was on February 3-7, 1937 in Manila, a good 79 years ago. The theme for IEC 2016 is, "Christ in You, our Hope of Glory," from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, chapter 1, verse 27.

The Holy Eucharist, Christ with us in sacramental form i.e. in the form of bread, is suffering from neglect and disrespect, committed by people who do not know what our faith teaches us about the sacrament. We can look into what we know about our Catholic doctrine and perhaps review a bit more about the extreme value the Holy Eucharist has.When we receive Holy Communion, after having gone for a good confession --- the tribunal of mercy and compassion --- we receive the Author of Grace Himself --- God. He grants us profound peace which only the person who experiences it can understand.

There are a lot of initiatives surrounding the preparations for the IEC 2016 here in Cebu. By just visiting their website, one will be led to get the pertinent details of the event. Whether or not one will participate actively in this big celebration, not just here in the Philippines but in the entire Christian world, I think only one thing is needed. Our Lord wants to see how attentive we are to what He wants to tell us. He wants to tell us
something through His words in Sacred Scriptures. He wants to tell us something through the events that He allows to happen in our lives. He wants to tell us something in the spiritual advice we seek from those who are truly concerned about our welfare. He wants to tell us something through our relationships with family and friends.

With the last visit of the Holy Father in January this year, I think the Lord only wants to tell us one message that ought to resound and ring continuously in our interior life.

He wants to tell us that He Himself is Love. For that reason, we ought to be the protagonists and catalysts of love in our own families, our circle of friends, our place of work, and in our communities.    
 

Cebu Business Month 2015: Showcasing a Glocalized Cebu

The local business scene here in Cebu City is very much busy these days since the Cebu Business Month was launched last May 29, 2015. Organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) annually every month of June, this event is a much-awaited activity that enjoins all entrepreneurs and businessmen from various industries --- tourism, information and communication technology, business process outsourcing, creative/furniture, and more, to showcase their strengths and engage the consumer market to pay attention to the services and products they are offering.   

This year’s theme is GLOCALIZED CEBU. CCCI’s main objective is to inspire, promote and grow Cebu business by gathering industry stakeholders in month-long activities and events, to open possibilities for more networking and linkages that will redound to the overall improvement of the local economy.

The CCCI is helping to strengthen Cebu’s economy, making itself equipped for the ongoing ASEAN Economic Integration which was launched in the entire country this year.

According to its website, CBM 2015 is now on its 19^th year. GLOCALIZED CEBU, CBM 2015 programs shall provide a platform to establish networks of local interactions and global connections to stimulate a trans-national business community.

CBM 2015 Line-up of Events 

4th Cebu International Documentary Film Festival

June 11, 2015, Cinema One, SM City Cebu

A platform for filmmakers, producers, artists, media practitioners and film enthusiasts to develop and share creative talents and socially-inclined film-making experience through documentary films.

Business-in-Golf Tournament

June 12, 2015, Cebu Country Club

The Business-in-Golf Tournament is designed to promote camaraderie and healthy competition among participating entrepreneurs.

The event lets the entrepreneurs practice their skills not just in playing golf, but in playing by the rules as well. It exhibits balance, coordination and cooperation which are necessary skills needed to sustain every entrepreneur’s business.

Techno-Tour Amazing Adventure Challenge (TTAAC 2015)

June 16, 2015 – June 17, 2015, Southern and Mid-west of Cebu

This 3-day-2-night EXPERIENTIAL TOURISM adventure race will promote and showcase Cebu’s tourism, culture and heritage through technology and adventure.

TTAAC 2015 will bring participants from the designated starting points in the city of Cebu to the south and southwest municipalities of the Cebu Province in search of historical sites and familiarize themselves with the culture and products of the respective municipalities.

Entrepreneurship Grand Expo 

June 18, 2015 – June 21, 2015, Radisson Blu Cebu

This event shall provide a platform to showcase and strengthen the capabilities of local companies and resources, which in turn become a competitive advantage to attract more foreign companies, thereby, fostering new linkages and partnership with global key players.

International Travel Fiesta

June 19, 2015 – June 21, 2015, SM City Cebu Trade Hall, Northwing Atrium

The International Travel Fiesta is one of the major events of CBM 2015 under the Tourism thrust, which aims to provide a platform to launch all of Cebu’s new destinations through showcasing, interactions and business matching. This event shall also serve as a knowledge-sharing platform to discuss relevant tourism-related issues/concerns, opportunities and experiences and be able to come up with a concrete plan. This will gather both public and private sectors.

CBM 2015 is now attracting a bigger number of out-of-Cebu local and international participants, aside from the province's local patrons.

For more event line-ups, please visit http://www.cebubusinessmonth.net/.

Ours is the Earth and Everything in It: June is Philippine Environment Month

It is high time for us to step up in our personal and collective efforts to promote sustainable and ecological programs that will contribute to nature conservation and regeneration.

The month of June is celebrated in the country as Philippine Environment Month. Yesterday, June 5, we commemorated World Environment Day, joining all the nations of the world in spreading awareness about what our planet Earth needs so badly --- our commitment to care for her in many more ways than one. According to the website write-up on the environment month, this year's theme is, "Green Economy: Does It Include You?" which emphasizes the need of the communities to shift into more environment-friendly, low-carbon and resource-efficient approach such as using biodegradable products and avoiding the use of harmful chemicals.

Coastal clean-ups organized by different communities

We could recall that when we were still studying, perhaps our respective schools would think of different ways to celebrate and promote environment consciousness. Newspaper drives, recycling items such as water bottles, tin cans, plastic straws, yellow and white pages transformed into useful baskets, colored paper magazines turned into bags and creative accessories, not to mention eco-practices like using tumblers or glasses when we brush our teeth to conserve water. Or being alert about refraining from using

Corals at Verde Island, Philippines

 electric lights when natural light can well brighten the place where we are staying. Or joining coastal clean-ups, mangrove and tree-planting, being disciplined as not to throw non-biodegradable trash in the sea or in forests whenever we go out to swim or hike respectively.

There are also several foundations that have been put up to specifically address the need to protect the environment: Haribon Foundation, Mother Earth Foundation, or online clubs such as Eco-Club and Sustainable Tourism.

We can think of so many more examples of helping in the promotion of protecting the environment. What we just need to work on now is to persevere in our resolve to think and preserve the environment at any cost. Since we know that it will do us and our surroundings a lot of good, then it is but logical to support this advocacy as long as we are cared for by the Earth. Much like when you are presented with so many advocacies to root for, the cause of environment protection is worth backing up as we see its relevance in upholding the common good of all mankind. It promises to preserve our bodily health, and our spiritual health at the same time.

The Banaue Rice Terraces at Ifugao, Mt. Province

We enjoin everyone to think of ways on how we can personally celebrate Philippine Environment Month in the schools, work institutions, and communities where we live. After all, we are the first recipients of the wonderful good which environment conservation can do not just for the country but for the whole world.

Reunited with Middlemarch and Silas Marner: Aboard M/V Logos Hope in Cebu City

M/V Logos Hope at the Malacañang sa Sugbo

Books can either do us a lot of harm or a lot of good.

M/V Logos Hope, operated by the German charity group, Good Books for All (GBA), the world’s largest floating bookstore, is committed to promote books that nourish minds to inspire good works for humankind.

The last time that M/V Logos Hope docked at the Malacañang sa Sugbo berth at Pier 1 of Cebu City was in 2012. In its last visit here, M/V Logos Hope attracted 115,000 visitors. According to a report from Sun Star, it carries some 5,000 titles of books sold at very affordable prices. The books up for sale cover a range of subjects including science, sports, hobbies, cookery, arts, medicine, languages, philosophy, and more! After staying here for a month, the ship will then proceed to Subic Bay and La Union.

With (from l-r): Niña, Judy Ann, Hya and Alexa

Since 1970, the organization has welcomed over 44 million visitors in over 150 countries and territories around the world.

I was fortunate to visit this floating bookstore with Hya, our long-time catechist. There were really so many people, children and adults alike, who came to visit --- to purchase a book, to watch the cultural presentation of the international crew on board, or to simply bond with family and friends in the midst of a sea of books!

I was also glad to be reunited with the books of my adolescent years: Middlemarch and Silas Marner, both considered classics in their own right. Written by George Eliot, these two books made a great impact on me as I was growing up. The story lines of these books made me see the world as a place that is in great need of kindness and gentleness, virtues of a refined and sensitive soul who understands the healing value of reaching out to others in need.

About Middlemarch

Middlemarch is written as a third-person narrative, centering on the lives of the residents of Middlemarch, a fictitious Midlands town, from 1829 onwards — the years preceding the 1832 Reform Act of England and Wales. The narrative is variably considered to consist of three or four plots of unequal emphasis: the life of Dorothea Brooke; the career of Tertius Lydgate; the courtship of Mary Garth by Fred Vincy; and the disgrace of Bulstrode.

The "Finale" details the eventual fortunes of the main characters. Fred and Mary marry and live contently with their three sons. Lydgate operates a practice outside of Middlemarch but never finds fulfilment and dies aged fifty; after he dies, Rosamond marries a wealthy physician. Ladislaw engages in public reform and Dorothea proves to be contented as a wife and mother; their son inherits Arthur Brooke's estate.

About  Silas Marner

The novel is set in the early years of the 19th century. Silas Marner, a weaver, is a member of a small Calvinist congregation in Lantern Yard, a slum street in an unnamed city in Northern England. He is falsely accused of stealing the congregation's funds while watching over the very ill deacon. Two clues are given against Silas: a pocket-knife and the discovery in his own house of the bag formerly containing the money. There is the strong suggestion that Silas' best friend, William Dane, has framed him, since Silas had lent his pocket-knife to William shortly before the crime was committed. Silas is proclaimed guilty. The woman he was to marry casts him off, and later marries William Dane. With his life shattered and his heart broken, Silas leaves Lantern Yard and the city.

Silas is never able to clear up the details of the robbery that caused his exile from Lantern Yard, as his old neighbourhood has been "swept away" and replaced by a large factory. No one seems to know what happened to Lantern Yard's inhabitants. However, Silas contentedly resigns himself to the fact that he now leads a happier existence among his family and friends. In the end, Eppie, the child Silas brought up, marries a local boy, Aaron, son of Marner's helpful neighbour Dolly. Aaron and Eppie move into Silas' new house, courtesy of Godfrey. Silas' actions through the years in caring for Eppie have provided joy for everyone and the extended family celebrates its happiness.

 M/V Logos Hope’s last full day here in Cebu is today, May 28.

Local and Overseas Job Fair 2015: A Job Bridging Activity in Cebu

Sir Bryant giving the Welcome Remarks for the Job Fair

While studying the causes of poverty in the Philippines in the light of Development Communication, one of the principal factors that contribute to its being deep-seated in our culture is unemployment. There are no work opportunities being given to our countrymen that match the skills they have acquired with their educational attainment. It is something that major industries have been trying to address for more than 20 years now. And it is something that the government must continue to address, whether or not we are nearing election season.

It is just good that private companies are somehow taking the lead in making sure that work opportunities are not wanting in the country.     

Interested applicants at the job shopping area

Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc. (PSEFI), under the trade name School of Knowledge for Industrial Labor, Leadership and Service (SKILLS) held a LOCAL AND OVERSEAS JOB FAIR last May 16, 2015, Saturday, from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm at the SKILLS Campus (Old Sacred Heart School for Boys-Ateneo de Cebu), along General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City. This job fair is a yearly Job Bridging activity organized by Primary Structures Corporation (PSC) in partnership with Cebu City’s Department of Manpower Development and Placement (DMDP). 

There were 50 different companies who joined this event, and more than 200 applicants came. All the local government units in Cebu City and in neighboring towns and municipalities were invited to this activity. What was good about this job fair was that it was not limited to the construction and hospitality industries. Hence, all kinds of jobs --- tourism-related, BPO, admin/managerial, sales and marketing, clerical, medical and occupational health jobs, etc. for both local and international companies, were up for grabs.

At the registration area with the DMDP and PSC staff

We are grateful for the following who gave their support and words of inspiration and encouragement to all those who attended the job fair: Atty. Rhett Casinio, the Overseas Employment Adjudicator of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Ms. Suzanne Ordosa, the Officer-in-Charge of Cebu City’s Department of Manpower Development and Placement (DMDP), Ms. Arlyn Hamoy of Region VII’s Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Engr. Rainero Tomas Jayme of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Region VII. 

 Mayline, PSEFI staff, assisting an applicant

I have always been for creating job opportunities in the country. However, aside from big corporations taking the lead, I would like to look into the wide panorama that creating business could do in our society. This is neatly tied in to the possibility of pushing social entrepreneurship to thrive. Our people, with their resilience and creativity, can become entrepreneurs in their own right. Given the right break and the right resources to start a business, the initiatives of each Filipino entrepreneur can become a success story waiting to be written. 

We hope that all those who came to give their resumés and were interviewed on-the-spot will be able to land a job soon. This job bridging activity is our concrete way of lessening the percentage of unemployment here in Metro Cebu.

Primary Homes, Inc. (PHI) Home Run 2015: Running to Build Our Students’ Future

Sumilon Road: Gun start for the 12K category at 4:30 am

We recently had a good experience running to build the future of our student-beneficiaries by participating in Home Run 2015 organized by Primary Homes, Inc. (PHI), an affiliate of the Primary Group of Builders. The proceeds of this fun run went to the scholarships of our students here at Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc. (PSEFI), under the trade name School of Knowledge for Industrial Labor, Leadership and Service (SKILLS). 

After the run: With our HR from the head office

Call time at Sumilon Road, Cebu Business Park was set at 3:00 am last Sunday. Our school trainees from Cebu Technological University assisted in the preparations. From our center, Tinsay joined me and shared the fun run experience. We were in Sumilon Road while the stars were still out!  

Our PHI organizers at the Pinoy Games area

Here is a chronicle of the events of the fun run:

When we reached Sumilon Road a little before 4:00 am, we met Ms. Gladys Cabañero, Senior Marketing Supervisor of PHI. After a bit of chit-chat, we claimed our respective singlets. From our foundation, there were around 5 of us who ran. The route of all 3 categories, which included 12K as the longest running distance, had to pass the completed and ongoing projects of Primary Homes: 2 Quad, Avalon, Mabolo Garden Flats, and The Courtyards at Banawa.  Warm-up exercises were done before gun start for each category. Upon reaching the finish line, which was also the starting point, we received our freebies from the different stations. It was fun to see our colleagues from the head office running with us. They will be our team mates for the upcoming Primary Structures Sportsfest set early this June, to be held near our NAVA Project down south. Some of us also participated in the Pinoy Games set-up in front of the Home Run 2015 stage.

During the Pinoy Games 

With Doc Belle of Don Bosco-Pasil

During this run, I was also glad to meet new friends at the Don Bosco Technical Institute, Ms. Dahlia and Doc Belle, who were equally enthused by the event. Doc Belle brought along her daughter, Issa, who also joined the fun run. I lost them after they got their freebies. We just hope to see one another again in the upcoming months as we progress through our course campaigns for scholarships in our respective schools.

Kudos to Primary Homes, Inc. (PHI) for organizing this successful event! We hope to see more participants in next year's fun run!

The UP System-wide Academic Leadership Conference: Good Practices, Successful Models

Having subscribed from the University of the Philippines’ newsfeed, I was sure to get interesting updates about the current academic climate in all of UP’s constituent universities. I subscribed to primarily get fresh news from my alma mater, UP Manila, and secondarily, to know what is happening at UPOU, where I started taking my Master’s in Development Communication, and to know what the other UP units are initiating.

This piece of news about the recently held Academic Leadership Conference (ALC) is worth posting in this blog as it gives us an overview on what the country’s leading academic experts are working on to continue upholding its commitment to national development, provide academic excellence,  and inspire social responsibility among its students and alumnae.

True to the UP slogan, “Shaping Minds that Shape the Nation,” this Academic Leadership Conference (ALC) is a simple testimony of the university’s resoluteness in maintaining its stature as the country’s premier state university.

You may access the original article below from this link.

A system-wide Academic Leadership Conference (ALC) was organized by the University of the Philippines’ Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) and the Office of International Linkages (OIL)  towards the end of the first quarter of this year. There were presentations and discussions on some successful models and good practices from UP and other foreign universities. External resource persons such as leadership and change management experts have been invited for global insight.

Given the rapidly evolving internationalized landscape coupled with the rise and infusion of technology in education, it has become imperative for the University of the Philippines (UP) to implement infrastructural and cultural changes in major aspects of academic life. Such changes, including shifts in skill requirements, attitudes and knowledge, are necessary to promote and enhance academic excellence and institutional relevance in the 21st century.

The Constituent Universities (CUs) have been inspired to revisit their curricula and programs vis-à-vis their niches and UP’s role in national development as well as to examine new technology-enhanced pedagogy that would improve teaching, learning, research, creative work and public service.

Also reviewed were policies that directly affect the faculty and research staff: criteria for promotion and tenure, schemes for compensation, awards and incentives, and strategies for continuity and invigoration of academic leaders/leadership.

This conference was attended by the UP System officials headed by President Alfredo E. Pascual, OVPAA-affiliated office directors, chancellors, vice chancellors (for academic affairs, for research, development and extension, and for administration), deans, institute directors and department chairs.

After the conference, academic leaders were encouraged to share with their CUs new knowledge gained so that they can assist in the completion and possible implementation of enrichments on academic course content, pedagogical methods, and rules regarding promotion, tenure, compensation, incentives and awards.

The ALC was inspired by the ongoing Temasek Foundation-National University of Singapore Programme on Developing University Leaders and Educators (TF-NUS DULE) and by the discussions it prompted. Partly funded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and carried out by TF-NUS jointly with the OVPAA, the program involves UP academic leaders at four levels (UP System academic officials as well as chancellors, vice chancellors and deans of four CUs) plus six leading higher education institutions and state universities and colleges selected by CHED.

For more information, visit www.up.edu.ph or email the Office of International Linkages (OIL) at oil@up.edu.ph.

Linked In Article by Adam Goldstein: Don’t Overlook Volunteering as a Networking Opportunity

I bumped into this linkedin.com article which I found most helpful for those of us very much into the thick of things in our big organizations. It is worth noting that amidst the hustle and bustle involved in the daily grind and in the seeming 'rat race' culture developing among corporate organizations, we can and must not lose sight of social responsibility as a powerful element to make the jobs we hold meaningful and purposeful. After all, no one lives for himself or herself.

Publishing this featured linkedin.com article in this blog hopes to reach out to corporate communities to invite them, once and for all, to look into a neglected aspect in corporate life: volunteering for worthwhile social causes, in order to widen the corporation's social impact and inject a bit more of goodness, hope and sense of worth and purpose among all the people we meet in our lifetime.  

The article begins this way:

It's extraordinary how much help people, communities and countries need. Many people who are succeeding at business are in a perfect position to help in some meaningful way. If you choose to help, you're likely to find that you are receiving as well as giving assistance.

I'm not talking about receiving psychic value, not that there's anything wrong with that. I mean tangible career-building opportunities.

At a local level, there are inevitably people who have devoted themselves to creating a charitable cause in either social services or the arts. In my experience, it's not unusual that their passion for the cause exceeds their business acumen to achieve and sustain success. That may give you the opportunity to contribute the skills that the social entrepreneur lacks. The basic functional aspects of business such as operations, accounting, marketing or PR are often not where they should be in these organizations. If you are willing to commit a percentage of your time to the charity, you will be able to apply your skills to a new set of business challenges and spur real improvement in the effectiveness of the charity.

Besides the functional opportunities, there may be helpful networking opportunities.The ability to meet community influencers or major benefactors may be easier to achieve in the 501 environment than in your actual business.

A third element of opportunity may emerge from the diversity of people involved in a charitable cause. Most of the people you're likely to meet on the job are — surprise! — business people. But depending on the charitable environment you may gain access to and experience with whole new sectors of your community. 

Very fortunately for me, I have experienced all of the above benefits over my years of involvement with Our Kids, Inc. of Miami-Dade & Monroe Counties. Our Kids is the lead agency for child welfare and related services in the two counties. Over the last 10 years it's hard to think of a challenge we have not confronted in seeking to provide effective foster care and other services to thousands of children in need.

Another approach is to pursue your own charitable passion and see where it leads, utilizing your existing business skills and learning new ones. This has been our family's experience in advocating for improved prevention and treatment of concussions in youth athletes.

A third approach is to work within your business to generate community service activity. At Royal Caribbean, our GIVE (as in Get Involved Volunteer Everywhere) Days have become a pillar of our corporate culture and have enabled our employees to transform schools, neighborhoods and beaches over the years. This effort may enable you to work with colleagues you may not otherwise have had the chance to do, in a very positive context.

As with many subjects, the possibilities are primarily limited by one's imagination and the ability to think and act beyond the constraints of the daily fray.

See what you can do for others and don't be surprised if you are one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Training the Deaf: Our Gualandi and LINK Center for the Deaf Scholars

Our first batch of Gualandi-LINK Center scholars.

In partnership with Gualandi Mission for the Deaf-Cebu and LINK Center for the Deaf-Manila, Primary Structures Educational Foundation’s Housekeeping NC II training program opened its doors to the Deaf of the province, the first in Cebu, and most probably, in the entire Philippines.

On the last week of January this year, Bro. Dennis of the Gualandi Mission House came to introduce fourteen (14) of their Deaf beneficiaries. I received them in the school board room and got to learn how to greet them “Good morning,” in sign language. They introduced themselves to me showing their ‘sign name.’ I was surprised that they made a sign name for me, something which I must always recall considering that ‘that sign name’ is what they will use to refer to me whenever I see them around campus.

MOA Signing with Ma'am Paulette and Gualandi-LINK partners

Back in high school, I remember learning the alphabet sign language. So then, in communicating with our Gualandi students since January, I tried remembering the sign of all the letters but could only reach up to letter ‘P’. I needed to recall all of them. Richard, one of the Deaf clerical staff I worked with at the head office, gave me a copy of the sign language alphabet which I have completely memorized now. What is more, I am growing my sign language vocabulary since we will be accepting the 2^nd batch of Deaf scholars this June.

Visit to Quest Hotel's Housekeeping Department 

In the course of our partnership with Gualandi and LINK Center for the Deaf, we got to meet Fr. Savino Castiglione, Vicar General of Gualandi Mission for the Deaf here in Cebu, Ms. Carol Ui, Ms. Marical Ui and Mrs. Bernadette Gallego, the Management Team of LINK Center for the Deaf-Manila. I must say these people are the true-blue, staunch supporters and advocates of the educational advancement of the Deaf in the country. They are committed to the cause of empowering the Deaf through scholarships in skills and values training, and gainful employment. Our educational foundation is really happy to partner with them.  

We are now deep into negotiations with several hotels, condominiums and commercial establishments to take in our Deaf scholars for on-the-job training and eventual employment. We are glad to count the following as our partners in this endeavor: The Quest Hotel, La Guardia Flats 1 and 2, Primary Structures’ commercial buildings at I.T. Park --- i1, i2 and i3, Avalon at the Ayala Center-Cebu Business Park, Portal Restaurant of 2Quad and Circa 1900 of Primary Properties Corporation. We are excited with the upcoming negotiations for more establishments around Cebu City.

Chef Steve orienting Perlita at Circa 1900

We want to dream big for our Deaf scholars knowing that they embraced studying a technical course such as Housekeeping NC II in order to be certified by TESDA, the technical-vocational arm of the government, so they can get employment and be given a decent source of livelihood. They have families to support, and we feel honored to be part of realizing their goal to uplift the economic condition of their respective families through the opportunity for skills training granted to them by Gualandi and LINK in partnership with our foundation.

Our Gualandi-LINK scholars are all set to graduate before the year ends.