ShedSpot

Flood

2011-10-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

On my way home yesterday afternoon from work I have seen how Davao City has changed this recent years from good to worst. Since my early childhood my family has lived in our house in Matina, Davao city. I have never encountered flooding in major roads going south of the city except for road parts in Bangkal and Ulas. Just yesterday wherein the rain started early around 3 p.m. I have seen that roads leading to GSIS is now being flooded and traffic jam is getting worse by the minute. I was also amazed by what I saw in Quimpo boulevard wherein traffic was extended from SM south to John Paul college. Although the flooding in major parts of the city easily subsides after the rain this is a sign that no infrastrature support is feasible if people will not help in minimizing the garbage output of every household. The effects of climate change will definitely hit Davao City sooner or later as waterways in our city are being redirected or clogged by the on going infrastructure developments around the city but if engineering intervention will be planned properly together with an efficient system of garbage collection and control this may be able to help minimize flooding in our city. As citizens of our beloved Davao City we are duty bound to help alleviate the problems of our city in any simple way we can.

2011-10-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

I have 2 vehicles in my disposal to aid me with the performance of my job in the plantation. My first vehicle is a 4x4 Suzuki Samurai, which in my own opinion is the best 4x4 unit in the Philippines today. This vehicle is very tough and can surpass any commercial high end 4x4 in the market today. Unlike other high end 4x4 that are very high maintenance and too “beautiful” to really use in the off road terrain the Samurai is built to withstand the harshest punishment from any upland terrain. Its gasoline engine gives you unlimited torque and power during mud stuck up and manoeuvring a steep portion of my plantation. In my 10 year experience managing a plantation in the mountainous regions of Davao City, my samurai vehicle has never failed to bring me home even during the hardest season of the year. The vehicle gives me a sort of confidence that given a good set of tires, under chassis and top condition engine it can definitely give you an assurance that there is not road, river and mountain impossible to pass as long as there are roads established for vehicles.

The major setback of this design is that it has only 2 doors which make it difficult for passengers to ride at the back portion of the cabin. It has also a shorter wheel base that creates a strong bump during off road and highway travels. Although it could be easily maintained due to its cheap parts the Samurai also consumes a great deal of fuel on my experience this vehicle has a fuel efficiency of 1 litre unleaded gasoline fuel is to 6 kilometres. Over all durability and strength of this vehicle is a force to be reckon with but considering the economic times this vehicle should only be limited to short distance travels.

Our Little House

2011-10-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

My buddy and I will be forming a family next year and we have been looking for a place where we could settle our future family. We have been canvassing for a house and lot around Davao City and for quiet a time we have failed to choose the house that suits our requirements. After some time we found a house that is located south of the city and the developer offers a great deal of amenities that ensures quality and comfortable leaving. Our future house will be near a school and church which is conducive for a business venture. We are very excited of our own little palace and we will be filling it with love for our family and our incoming children with the guidance of our Almighty God.

Bananas everywhere

2011-09-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

The banana industry in Mindanao started during the 1960's and only a few companies developed Abaca and corn areas into banana plantations. As time goes on more and more tract of lands are being converted into banana plantations. In the first few years of the banana business in Mindanao a lot of positive things came along with the development of plantations. In areas where a plantation is being established, employment and economic growth was felt as more people help circulate money in the local economy in terms of purchases and other services. A number of landed people also greatly benefited as there lands are legally leased by companies giving them a chance to hold large amounts of money that covers the rent of a certain land for a number of years. As time pass by many companies also come in as new players bringing along with them different ideas that will entice land owners to convert their lands into banana plantation such as growership and lease to growership schemes. This situation greatly increased the hectarage of banana plantations throughout Mindanao.

The situation of the banana industry nowadays has greatly changed. Majority of the landowners that owns more than 1 hectare of land are now keen on engaging different companies through growership and direct selling methods. The business has now greatly matured which means that everybody knows his way around the business thus greatly liberating the process. Although this situation has greatly increased the income potential of small farmers it can also affect the entire banana industry of the Philippines as scrupulous land owners and other middle men are willing to risk the quality image of our bananas in the world market to gain money on a short term basis.
Our quality image as a country that exports bananas is very important for the survival of the banana industry and we Filipinos must understand that profit is one side of the business and the other side is QUALITY…..

Working hard

2011-09-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

I have been working hard for the past few weeks for a certain goal that will greatly affect my future and the future of my family. Although everything is not clear as of the moment, I can see that everything is now being being aligned into becoming a great success. I have been working for this company for the past 10 years and I think the time has come to be my own man.

Threat to livelihood

2011-09-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

In the Philippines particularly in the island of Mindanao, the banana industry is considered to be one of the major income generating sector of the business industry. In the last decade alone the banana industry has injected millions of dollars in exports sales to our gross domestic product. It also employs thousands of workers as large tracts of land are being converted to banana plantations throughout the island of Mindanao. This means that a number of people depends its livelihood to the growth and survival of the banana business. On the year 2004, a disease was discovered in a plantation in Wines, Calinan, Davao City, which has the capability to wipe out the banana industry in a span of 50 years if not properly addressed by our authorities and the major players of the banana industry. This disease is a fungus that is soil borne and it has a scientific name Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense unlike the common disease encountered before by the banana industry this type of fungus can survive in the soil without any source of food thus rendering any area useless for banana production in many years. As of the moment experts in the field of Agriculture has not found any breakthrough to control such a disease but has found ways of slowing down its spread through cultural practices and strict disinfection. This disease is greatly threatening the livelihood of many people and their dependents what is also depressing is that some people do not understand the implications of not treating such a disease using the most effective method as of the moment which is soil disinfection through slow burning using rice hulls. There are many ways introduced to local farmers on how to "control" the dreaded this but all of this are not supported by any scientific studies and are all found out be the source of the increase of land that is now affected by the disease. I hope our government will intervene as soon as possible because such a disease has already wiped out the banana industry of many tropical countries in Asia.

I'm Back !!!

2011-09-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

I am back after a long rest from blogging and I am very excited to be in the blogging community again. As of today, my outlook in life is slowly changing and I am beginning to see things on a different perspective. My plans are now starting to fall into it's places and I hope that everything will be alright with God's help. I am very happy nowadays because my buddy and I was able to find ways to secure a house of our own for our family next year. I hope God will continue to bless us always with good health and prosperity. :)

Frustrations

2011-03-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

I can never describe how frustrated I am with what is happening nowadays. It seems that everything is engulfing me and it seems that I am in a losing battle. The only thing that is not allowing me to give up is that sense that there will be "light" at the end of the tunnel. I am a person that calculate my every move in life but I can see now that everything must not be planned and a little risk must be taken in-order to come out of any situation in my life. I just hope that God will continue to carry me during this hard times in my life and will rescue me during times when I feel that my back is against the wall.....

Rainy Days

2009-01-14T15:23:00.000-08:00

It has been raining for a few days this January 2009 and it seems that the year has opened with calamity. The floods that are experienced in Cagayan de Oro City has been very destructive. Nature has damaged the homes of 7,000 families living near the Cagayan de Oro River. The local government of the city has pin pointed the bad weather condition brought about by a low pressure area is responsible for the flash floods that damaged properties. It is a combination of the force of nature and the destructiveness of men that made this calamity a greater weapon of mass destruction. For decades the forest trees surrounding the city has been a victim of illegal logging. This activity has been flourishing anywhere in the Philippines without objection from our national government why? … It is because some owners of the logging firms are the law makers themselves. They cannot afford to hurt their comrades and make their source of living stop. I think this destructive cycle will never end. In the end many people are affected by the wrong doing of a small number of rich and powerful people. Life is unfair and it will only stop if we can get this greedy people to wake up and help solve the problem.

Integrity

2009-01-08T15:18:00.000-08:00

For the past few days the headlines of National and local news networks has been centered on the drug bribery scandal between PDEA and the DOJ. The situation has blown in a massive proportion that high ranking officers of the AFP and the DOJ has been accusing each other of their wrong doing. Among the people that are part of this grand circus one man stands out. He is a marine officer that is loyal to his sworn duty to serve and protect the people and the constitution. Major Marcelino is a model soldier and a true citizen of our country. He has shown to us how to live life fairly and that how important is honesty for him. On the lifestyle checks conducted by the media it is said that this officer is living a simple and meager life compared to other officers with the same rank. It is a common fact that with his rank and in this country he must live like a “king”. He chose to live life fairly for the reason that he still believes that there is a chance to reform our country if we are serious about it. It is a sign for us Filipinos that if we do what Major Marcelino does maybe, we can help make our country a better place.

Alabang Boys

2009-01-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

Last December 26, 2008, A buy bust operation was conducted by the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) to capture 3 men that is reportedly selling drugs in Alabang. The 3 young men are siblings of rich and well connected families that have the capacity to influence some government officials. After a few days in the detention cell a resolution was reached that is ordering the PDEA to release the “Alabang boys” due to technicalities. It is truly amazing how this people in our judicial branch of the government abuse their authority that was given to them by the people. They were entrusted with this authority to make sure the interest and welfare of the country towards righteousness is protected. How sad it is that even our justice system has been corrupted by few individuals that offer millions of pesos just to overturn a case that is seemingly impossible to win. The situation is getting worse everyday and the ordinary person that has no money has nowhere to run. I hope that our government will change because we are now in a quicksand that is slowly swallowing us towards our death.

Abuse of Authority

2009-01-02T18:06:00.000-08:00

The recent headlines on news papers today shows us how a big political clan from Maguindanao mauls the family of 56 year old man on a golf course somewhere in Luzon. The alleged perpetrators of the crime are a town mayor, his body guards and the secretary of Agrarian Reform Department. It is quiet disturbing to see how high ranking officials and elected officials of our government abuse the mandate they were given by the people. These people are not supposed to be in the seat of government because they could not even manage to be humble and professional with their dealings toward ordinary citizens. In my opinion this is why our beloved Philippines do not have the capability to “leap towards progress” but instead our country is now very far away from progress. It is due to officials such as these people that we are likened to some countries in Africa. The warlords of the African continent take control using force while our government officials take control through elections and executive appointments at least the African warlords are not hypocrite people as they show their true color and intentions. Comparing to our sheep like government officials who acts like a saint but performs like the devil. If the government of the Philippines will continue to make mistakes appointing the same public officials in the future our country will always in poverty and hunger. The time is near this 2010 to make the right choice and to remove these abusive people from power.

Spaghetti

2008-12-28T18:08:00.000-08:00

Whenever I was sick during my childhood days my mother would comfort and tell me that she will cook my favorite food. As a child I feel very excited and happy to hear that I will be eating spaghetti when my mother arrives from the office. That is how spaghetti has been part of my life every since. I can survive with spaghetti everyday even for a week or more. I don't know why I love spaghetti. I think it is because the food is complete. The pasta is a source of carbohydrates needed for energy and the beef is a source of protein. One plate full of spaghetti can more or less fill a very hungry stomach. I am also happy that my buddy is trying to perfect her spaghetti cooking skills in that way she can cook for me whenever I crave for my favorite food.

Commitments 2009

2008-12-28T17:36:00.000-08:00

The year 2009 is a big challenge for me and my plantation. Our top management has given us the go ahead signal to further increase our planted area with the premise of producing the same number of boxes per hectare per year. For me this is quiet difficult due to the reason that export quality bananas are very hard to grow with no chemicals and every new employee hired must be trained and constantly monitored. The number of coaches and support personnel in my plantation stays the same while the number of field employees increases by an average of 22% every year. I am expecting with the current number of hectares we are developing our direct field employee will outnumber a supervisor with a ratio of (1: 73). I hope that our team can still be very competitive next year and still achieve the same productivity and maintain our cost per hectare.

Year 2009

2008-12-25T17:46:00.000-08:00

The year 2009 is fast approaching and the world is clueless of what will happen with the current economic slowdown the major economies are experiencing. The forecast for the Philippine economy is that the effects of the slowdown will hit us hard by 2nd or 3rd quarter next year. It is quiet alarming for workers in the textile and automobile industry as it is expected that these industries are going to be hit of the first wave. It is also sad that while other economies in the world are working hard to avert the crisis our government is still boasting that we can survive this problem. It is just a signal to us that our leaders are not willing to lead us through the wilderness but are just positioning themselves for the 2010 elections. For a small country like us that relies on our trading partners it is quiet impossible that we can go through smoothly against the storm. I think that we must be prepared for any eventuality that might come our way. We must continue to work hard and improve our productivity and make sure that the companies we are working for give their money's worth.

Tyson

2008-12-23T16:56:00.000-08:00

I have an American Pit bull pet named Tyson. He weighs around 35 kilos and he is very gentle and friendly dog. A lot of people that see my dog liked him very much and wanted to have his breed for a pet. Last Sunday a friend of mine who also owns a pit bull requested me to have Tyson breed with his 1 year old pit bull named Brandy. When I got my dog out of his cage which is only being done 3 times a month due to my busy schedule Tyson got excited and happy to play around. When he saw the female pit bull outside our house Tyson immediately rushed to the dog to play with Brandy. Unfortunately Brand felt threaten by the actions of my dog and Brandy ferociously attacked Tyson and bit his leg. Tyson got hurt and retaliated and attacked Brandy with a strong bite. He caught her on the back and I saw blood gushing out from Tyson’s mouth. I immediately came and pulled Tyson away but he would not leg go I hit his mouth hard and I was afraid that He would attacked me instead. I prepared myself for an impending bite but instead of getting mad at me my dog played with me and allowed me to put his restrain. I was very happy that my dog is very loyal to me as his master and now I can prove to anybody that pit bull’s are very gently dogs but when provoked by anybody it finishes the fight undoubtedly with a destructive blow.

CARP (Successful??)

2008-12-19T00:03:00.000-08:00

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform program was initiated 2 decades ago. It was seen as the formula that will free the ordinary farmers from the bondage of poverty. Since 1988 up to the present year the program was never put into full swing due to the loop holes that provides land owners to get away with the law. Ten years ago, many observers of the political battle over land reform in the Philippines predicted that the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) would go the way of most past government reforms -- nowhere. Nothing substantial could possibly be achieved, it was widely believed, by such a flawed program as CARP. It was simply too loophole-ridden to effectively cover even a fraction of the land ripe for reform. The government of Aquino and Ramos presidency tended to focus on the less contentious components of CARP, though it was under the latter that the more contentious private estates were increasingly confronted with compulsory acquisition (CA), the more social justice-oriented of CARP's different modes of acquisition and distribution. But as a result of this implementation "delay," only about 127,000 hectares of the reported 4.619 million hectare accomplishment as of the end of 1997 actually involved CA. The bulk involved the more landowner-friendly modes of voluntary-offer-to-sell (VOS) and voluntary land transfer (VLT). The Aquino administration consciously avoided private estates. By June 1992, only 475 thousand hectares of private lands, but 1.217 million hectares of public lands had been distributed. Of these private lands distributed, 75 percent (or 355 thousand hectares) merely involved the continuation of Marcos' land reform in rice and corn lands, while the rest comprised voluntarily offered lands and government-sequestered estates. P17 billion was spent on CARP implementation, of which only P3.129 billion (or 18.37 percent) went to land acquisition and distribution, while P8.6 billion (or 50.53 percent) went to support services. Marked by successive scandals involving anomalous deals between landlords and DAR officials, the Aquino period left a bitter taste around CARP implementation, further undermining already weak public support for the program.

The people are now tasked to evaluate if the program really succeed or not. What is noticeable is that the CARP as a program on paper is very good. IT is on the implementation stage that the past administration failed. Is it because we lack the logistics and the financial support to carry the program or someone’s vested interest are being protected? …

Children in Armed Conflict

2008-12-15T18:46:00.000-08:00

I have read a recent news clip from a local newspaper in Davao stating that “MILF agrees to end use of kids in war”. This statement means that this rebel group has been engaging our government troops that are employing professional soldiers using children for their “noble cause”. If we really look at things in different angle we would see that these kids were enticed to join the rebel group due to the misleading information of supposedly leaders of their communities. Personally I thought that these situation is only common in the African continent wherein kids that are supposedly going to school are being ordered to carry AK-47’s and work as foot soldiers of different warlords. The current situation of children in Mindanao is very alarming for us Filipinos. Central Mindanao lands are very suitable for agriculture that could sustain many generations of Filipinos if tilled properly. If the Philippine Government will not do something about the situation of these children in Central Mindanao the current problem of hatred and misunderstanding among our people will continue to grow and will cost us many lives.

Our children must be protected against violence and they must be educated to be leaders of the future. We must find ways to help these kids lead a normal and peaceful life. Our government must find a way to help these children and protect them against misleading information that aims to waste their lives and lay damage to their bright future.

Years in Service

2008-12-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

Seniority is a common notion among employees in many corporations. It is commonly used as a shield by insecure people. In my opinion the word “seniority” must not be given emphasis by anybody that deals with work “professionally”. In the corporate jungle where employees are being measured with their “output” and competence the term seniority will not apply. An employee can be promoted any given moment if the company feels that he can be a good leader that can motivate his staff to attain their goals. I just don’t understand why certain person thinks that as a “senior” employee (number of years in service) he has more right and privilege to get any promotion before the “junior” employee can get the fruits of his labor. For me what matters in life most is how we play our cards and deal with our present situation to the fullest of our capacities. In the end God is always above us and he will determine what blessing is rightfully ours and what is not for us. We must be happy for those people that are beginning to show progress in their career and work hard for our own advancement.

Shootout

2008-12-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

For the past few days the Philippine National Police was again on the headlines. The police force has been engaged in the shootout with criminal elements that left scores of casualties in their ranks and the criminal groups. In the event of this fire fight the civilian population also had casualties. What bothers me most is that a child also died in the crossfire. Lawless elements are now more daring with their criminal activities that sometimes our police force are out gunned by these people who are willing to kill for money. It has always been difficult for our authorities to combat crime for the past few years. The police force has been always criticized by members of society that have not seen anything “good” with the Philippine National Police. We should always think these police men are also capable of dying and even with their sworn duties to serve and protect the society these people have also families to feed and children that need to go to school. Although it is also true that some of its member abuse and corrupt we must also respect its members that are loyal and willing to serve the people. In the end we must realize that during tactical operations people get killed and operatives of the police force also commit mistakes. What our government must do is to investigate and properly account who are the people responsible for the grave mistakes that killed innocent people. Let us not pre judged our policeman they may have committed mistakes but let us look at the circumstances that made them act on human instincts.

Pacquiao

2008-12-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

December 7, 2008 marked a significant event for the Philippines. Its fighting pride the “pacman” has successfully defeated the boxing icon Oscar dela hoya in a lopsided fight. The initial analysis points out to the “golden boy” as the winner of the match. Every single boxing expert has pointed out to the advantages of the much bigger and power packed opponent of Manny Pacquiao. They have totally shown that the “pacman” made a mistake accepting the fight against Oscar dela hoya. What these boxing experts forgot is that Manny Pacquiao is hungry for a victory and he wants to prove to his critics that his victory to Juan Manuel Marquez and his claim to be the number 1 “pound for pound” king of boxing is rightful and undoubtedly right. Oscar dela hoya refused to let go his claim to the boxing throne. He was never willing to give the center age to much young and sharper fighters and now he tasted the most embarrassing defeat of his epic journey to immortality. He fell to a rugged and seemingly unworthy opponent who proved that a Filipino heart can conquer anything..

Leadership

2008-12-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

Leadership is a commonly used term in the 20th century. It is a word that is often abused by many and its meaning distorted by people. Everybody wants to become leaders it is because of the perks and other benefits leadership can offer to somebody with a position. What other people don’t see is the price people pay for being a leader. Leadership comes with a responsibility often forgotten by people that holds a rank and they forget that the position was given to them not for their personal satisfaction but for the company and the workers welfare.

First of all there are levels of leadership that a certain person belongs. The first level is leadership through position. It is an entry level leadership that is given to all supervisors, department head and managers. This kind of leadership has a principle of “do what you are told” or if simply put your subordinates follow you just because you are their superior. This is a level that is common among managers nowadays. Everybody that is task to lead a group begins with this kind of leadership. The second level of leadership is leadership through results. This kind of leadership is considered to be the “productivity” leadership. It is a situation when people follow you because of the positive results you have shown for the company that is beneficial for them. This kind of leadership instills influence of hard work and diligence towards subordinates and this is a much sought after situation for any supervisor or manager in a company. It will take some time for a leader to reach this level but being connected to your workers is the best way to get to this kind of leadership. To connect with your workers leaders must know what is the situation of his family or what is his problem that needs attention. It is a relationship that must be developed with mutual respect and boundaries for leaders to be effective that would be the best effort among his workers.

In the end leaders are also people and they commit mistakes. It is only how they act that identifies their level of leadership. Leadership is never a right but it is a duty that every leader must do not for himself but for the people that depends on him.

Expansion Areas

2008-12-02T21:57:00.000-08:00

For the past 2 months I was concentrating on my expansion sites. My plantation has been rapidly expanding in 3 barangays. Our land acquisition head is targeting an area of 200 hectares net planted next year and with the rate we are going I think we will achieve our goals. Honestly , I have been frustrated with the logistical support of my company especially our engineering department. I have observed that lapses with this department starting from the manager down to its field supervisors are too much to bare. I am an advocate of a centralized type of management but now I have seen the disadvantages of this kind of management. If the leader is weak and disorganized everybody in his department sinks with him. It is likened to a ship without any direction or an airplane without a pilot. I am not putting any biases on this people but with just plain observation I believe that these people are not doing their job. I know that it is not easy to act with a budget constraint but it is much difficult if people don't act on the things they need to do. I hope our higher management will recognize and help this department with their goals.

Giving

2008-12-01T00:54:00.000-08:00

Giving for me is always good. It is a gesture that shows your gratitude to God for the countless blessing we receive everyday of our lives. It is a sign of love and kindness towards those people that needs help from us. I think we should give and help other people that truly needs help . We must be able to identify people that needs guidance and care from the people that scrupulously take advantage of what we have. Living life today is not easy and we need to continuously work hard in-order for us to survive and live a decent life. I think giving or sharing to someone that can work is just a temporary solution but the long term solution for this is for people to realize that life is not always easy. They must work for every meal that they eat and must struggle for every penny that they have. I am always happy to give and share what God has given me and I hope that my gestures will help make a little change in this unfair world.

Affordable relaxation

2008-11-30T23:11:00.000-08:00

For the working class of the society today the word relaxation is not always a commodity. People have to work hard due to the high cost of living and the economic turmoil that affects the global community. During the holidays the working class spend their time at home doing chores and other things they need to do because this is only the time they have to spend it at home. If a person does not have time to relax stress usually comes in and sometimes completely takes over the human body. When this situation comes the person will be weak and unable to efficiently deliver his duties and responsibilities at work and at home.

A company that offers an alternative way to relax at home through affordable and high quality infrared saunas that delivers health benefits such as pain relief and joint stiffness due to wrong ergonomic position while working. These saunas also offers relief on Asthma, menstruation pains, sore throats and sunburns. The carbon wave 360 degrees technology is considered to be the best and affordable way to beat stress. It is quiet affordable and easy to maintain compared to the relief it offers. As a worker we should consider relaxing and detoxifying ourselves and far infrared saunas are the best alternative. It helps the working class relax and detoxify at the pleasure of their own homes. This will allow them to spend more quality time with their own family and help them maintain a good and healthy body.

Affordable travel entertainment

2008-11-29T00:44:00.000-08:00

Today's car designs are designed for riding comfort and durability for long road travels. Majority of the major car makers are concentrating on aspects related to driving comfort and engine power. Traveling today with this major changes on car design makes an adult comfortable and satisfied with each brand of cars. A segment in the auto market that is not been fully developed is the entertainment for children as well as adults alike. Automakers usually provides the standard 3 way speakers and car stereo as form of entertainment for long travels. For some adults having these kind of entertainment system for cars is not enough. An alternative entertainment system is made available in the market today for those car owners that requires more that the standard car features. Some examples of these alternative entertainment systems are CD players and Portable DVD which allows children to watch their favorite movies while traveling with their parents. Although having portable DVD are dangerous during driving it has also its positive side if these entertainment system are being utilized properly. To put the concept of safety while traveling the portable DVD should be placed at the back portion of the vehicle where the children rides.

Their are various choices when buying a DVD. It depends on the requirement of the user and his budget. Their are units that are design to satisfy the simple requirements of customers. A DVD unit is also design to meet the requirements of the advance users which requires more that what the conventional entertainment system can offer like players for SUV vehicles. The last option would be the players for the most sophisticated users in the market. It is considered to be the most expensive but these advance players can provide the outermost needs of the advance market segment. For the consumers it will always be what they need and how they will use these beneficial entertainment system. It should be quality and efficiency that is important among all aspects of the purchase.

Terror

2008-11-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

Terrorism is commonly linked to people like Osama bin Laden or the Abu Sayaff. It is a commonly use word by powerful government to justify its acts that can also be considered as terrorism. If we deeply look into society nowadays we could see a lot of perception about leadership and struggle among people to take control of the most coveted thing in Earth and it is called " power". It is a sad reality that everywhere around the globe people are fighting for control of the government and the resources it "owns". The great example of this are countries in Africa and the Southeast Asia where military leaders and politicians crush each other using the mandate the people has given them through election. It seems that there is a never ending vicious cycle of violence and distrust among leaders that leads to acts of terrorism. If we only looked at thing as it is we can see terrorism as an act of violence but if we look at things beyond we can see that terrorism is commonly done on emerging economies.Then we start to wonder if this things are done to manipulate an economy and let it submit to the "most powerful ones". Whatever the reason is for this people to do things that waste human life in the end time will catch up with them and maybe they will realize that everything we do in this life is always counted and will be rewarded for the good deeds and be punished with those deeds that are bad.

Music in a touch

2008-11-28T18:34:00.000-08:00

Today’s technological advancement has made almost everything available for use. It is quiet amazing to see how constant research and advancement has been providing mankind with equipment that can make almost everything efficient and handy. One great example is the transistor. It started out as an invention that transmitted sound waves then eventually evolved in a radio. On the early 1900’s American homes are filled with radios as the main source of entertainment through music. The transistor has evolved from a big and bulky machine into a small and powerful source of entertainment with increase efficiency and quality.

detailed source of personal entertainment
sophisticated and advance material the market can offer for people that requires a very

In the 20th century society has become more complicated and requires a great deal of personalized products. Although radio have continually worked on better programs some people requires for “personal touch” with their entertainment with this requirement a company ventured into providing customers with personalized entertainment with a bigger capacity for storing information. The IPOD touch is a product that is produced to cater a market segment that requires a personalized music choice and together with a great capacity for information storage.The Ipod Nano is one of the example of a small and powerful object is the most sophisticated and advance material the market can offer for people that requires a very detailed source of personal entertainment.It is also quite affordable and a great gift ideas and gifts for young people that is always active. In the end what matters most is the satisfaction of the user and that is why the IPOD was created. It 's vision is to be in the forefront of the market providing customers with high quality information storage and entertainment affordable and easy to use. There are a wide array of IPod the market can choose from and it varies on prices and capabilities and the company has an online Prices comparison sites for customers that has no time going to stores.

Rain out

2008-11-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

For the past few days it has been raining on the plantation and it seems hopeless to continue our operations when this event happens. Agriculture needs rain and we are thankful when it comes. The only problem is that our worker’s efficiency and health are affected when it rains. Their movement is restricted due to the muddy terrain of the area. They cannot perform their duties well due to the fear of getting sick and losing a day of work due to economic reasons. If these things happen the quality of our fruits go bad. There is a direct relationship between quality and workers in relation to efficiency and absences. As a plantation man I am usually in a dilemma when it rains. It is for the reason that I am afraid that our quality will not be acceptable for the export market when our workers miss a day of critical operations. On the other side I am also bent on calling a “rain out” this means that all workers may leave the work site and they will be paid without doing any work for the company. It may sound easy but in the field you get to choose between to evils. You get to choose between a company loss amounting to millions or the feelings of your subordinates and their health. In this situation I usually find the middle ground and make the ends meet. Export quality fruits are very hard to achieve and it takes careful planning, a good amount of rain plus workers efficient and healthy workers.

Quality and Accurate Translation

2008-11-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

India is a vast and highly populated country. It is considered to be a major economic hub and trading partner of the major economies of the world. India as a continent plays a major role in industry such as manufacturing. Its heritage and unique people comes from an ancient culture and language. As a major economic player companies in India must communicate globally to other business partners abroad. The Indian language is quite popular but to understand it properly a need for a language translator is necessary.

A company that is considered the best in India specializes in culturally accurate language translations. IAFL translation & Interpretation services is a translation company that specializes on Sanskrit translation http://www.blogsvertise.com/page1.php?u=2 on Indian and west Asian market segments. As a company its major assets is its responsiveness to it clients whether it is a major or minor request in terms of its offered services. The company is proud to of its 95 % responsive rate in just one hour for all emails and inquiries from its customers.

The company offers subtitling, DTP, in Indian and other language and offers its clients a very competitive edge to survive in their respective business. IAFL translation & Interpretation services exist due to its never ending commitment to high quality translation and its goal for customer satisfactions.

Sanskrit Translation

2008-11-25T16:26:00.001-08:00

A company that is considered the best in India specializes in culturally accurate Sanskrit Translation offers a wide array of services customized for its clients and customers .IAFL translation & Interpretation services is a translation company that specializes on Sanskrit language translations on Indian and west Asian market segments. As a company its major assets is its responsiveness to it clients whether it is a major or minor request in terms of its offered services. The company is proud to of its 95 % responsive rate in just one hour for all emails and inquiries from its customers.

The company offers subtitling, DTP, in Indian and other language and offers its clients a very competitive edge to survive in their respective business. IAFL translation & Interpretation services exist due to its never ending commitment to high quality translation and its goal for customer satisfactions.

Passion

2008-11-19T19:55:00.000-08:00

The year 2008 has ended for us in the banana industry and we are now reconciling what we have achieved for the past year. What was really fascinating is that some of our farms achieved their commitments in a very easy way and some fought for their commitments hard. My farm had the biggest deficit in the beginning of the year but we managed to close the gap by the end of the year. When I think about our struggle this year I have realized that in this job having an experience maybe a plus but it can never be the only weapon to succeed. In every job we also need passion and commitment towards our work and the goal of the company. We need to inculcate in ourselves that the only way to survive the harsh corporate jungle is to adopt and extend our imagination. Everybody in the corporate jungle are equipped with the basic weapon to survive but the person who is passionate and smart will eventually lead the pack and become the leaders of their own groups.

Discrimination

2008-11-13T01:45:00.001-08:00

A company that has discriminating officers will never succeed. A team will never be complete if one player is missing. The sacred duty of a company officer is to see to it that all his subordinates are accounted for and he must know the functions of everyone. It is the duty of an officer to look after everyone and weigh everybody in terms of his task and the quality of his task. As a middle manager level man I have seen high ranking and first level supervisors discriminate a subordinate just because he does not like him. I too fell to the same mistakes sometimes but what I have learned is that being impartial will always help us succeed in every task that we do. As leaders we should be professionals and we must always look at things and analyze before we judge. Emotions must never be a tool for managers. Leaders must act according to what is right and lawful. A leader must realize that discrimination should never be allowed in his group or department. I have been assigned to different plantations before and I have dealt with different kinds of people and I have brought the best out of them. My best secret is " love the unlovable, open your eyes". This principles have guided me and showed me the path to success. I hope that we should realize that as leaders we must always be impartial.

Management Succession

2008-11-11T23:08:00.000-08:00

I had a brief conversation with my boss about the management succession for our company for the next few years. We started to review the supervisors of different operations with regards to their potential and educational attainment. Upon reviewing the line up of supervisors from different plantation we saw the disparity of the distribution of front liners for every plantation. We immediately noticed that some of our plantations had a very old line up with limited educational background. We call this people “old timers”. These supervisors are considered to be very experience in terms of technical knowledge gained from their long stint in banana plantations. We also noticed that some plantations have literally less experienced supervisors but has the expected minimum requirement of a college degree to become first level supervisors.

If we really analyze the situation of our company we can really see that our manpower pool is very weak. It is likened to a basketball team that has a good first five but has a very shallow bench. The potential problem now is the next generations of supervisors. Our management failed to realize that training and development of people is a major component of a company. I hope that they will realize that we need people that plans and implements. What we have now as of the moment are implementers only. A short term plan should be installed to beef up the knowledge, skills and attitude of our middle management team our else the boat will slowly sink.

Doing things right all the time

2008-11-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

The year 2008 has come to a near end. For us “bananeros” our production reckoning ends by October. For the past three years my plantation has achieved its production commitments to the market and this year it has made a 12% increase in production. We have been preparing extensively for our commitments next year and I was trying to review our management strategies that proved to be useful for our organization. I immediately noticed that we never changed anything for the past three years. I realized that our principles as a team and our values as employees are the things that helped us achieved such a feat. The greatest secret of our team is the principle of “doing things right on the first time and all the time”. The said strategy has made our goal easier to achieve and our team a cohesive one. Also a factor that needs to be looked at is communication and consistency. Our team is composed of very young people and lack experience is a common factor but we tried to communicate and carefully implemented plans and monitored our progress every week. On one of our management meeting I was asked by our big boss what is the strategy that we are doing in the field and I promptly replied we are just following one principle of “doing things right on the first time and all the time and a lot of common sense will do sir”

Managing the essentials

2008-11-06T23:48:00.000-08:00

For the past 2 days I have been extensively walking around my plantation and reviewing my supervisors strategies and work plan for our production next year. On the first few blocks of the farm that I have visited I noticed a lot of small things that needs to be corrected. I saw a great urgency on correcting everything immediately because I was worried that it might affect the quality of my fruits for next year's harvest. I called up the supervisor in-charge plus the foreman and discussed to them what are my observations about their farm. As I was talking to my subordinates I was amazed by the way they react. It seems to me that they were surprised when I talked to them about the petty things inside the farm. After the meeting I called up my supervisors and we talked about other things outside of work. One of my trusted man open up to me that they were surprised of what I was talking about. He told me that it was the first time that I have discussed small matters to them. I just smiled and realized that maybe he was right. It has never been my management principle to touch on small things that supervisors could handle. It seems so tiring when you look at very small things inside an agricultural plantation. It is like a maze with no end. I realized that my strategy before was working fine. I just look at things that is essential for production and leave the rest to my subordinates. After all everybody in the team must do their jobs.

Financial Storm

2008-11-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

The financial storm has arrived in great fashion. It shook the world with tenacity that it spared no one that came against its tide. On September 2008 the most shocking news came and was heard around the globe. Lehman Brothers, a company that has been in existence for more than a hundred years has declared bankruptcy. This investment bank has been ranked 4th biggest in the United States was rocked by the financial storm and was never able to recover. AIG also announced that it will be selling some assets to pay its ballooning debts causing panic among its investors. Merrill Lynch was rescued and sold to the Bank of America. The major banks in Europe have signaled that they are also in trouble and Iceland nearly went into bankruptcy. How did this happen? Will this global phenomenon affect the Philippines? How can we as ordinary worker survive this storm?

An initial study shows that the primary reason for the financial bubble can be attributed to the relaxed banking system of the US and the UK. The current policies of easy credit (1 % US Fed rates) and the commercial banks (Zero down payments) policies are encouraging sub prime borrowers (minimum wage earners) to borrow money and invest on sub urban homes on the premise that home prices will forever increase. Home ownership has been always the dream of the American middle class families. It has been part of the becoming “rich” dream together with a bad financial management concept. Americans are considered to be the world’s biggest consumer of cheap products making China its biggest supplier of cheap goods.

The Philippines is a small country, it is considered to have a stiff regulations on its banking and financial system. Its investors are more cautious due to the erratic situation in the west. Liquidity and Solvency should be manageable for as long as Filipinos continue to Trust the banking system to function normally. The asset of the Philippines is the contribution of OFW’s which help sustain the dollar fund strain. A fearful situation would be a trade cut offs of our trade partner countries that will cause mass lay off of workers on our side.

For the ordinary workers the best thing to do is to control spending and save money as of the moment. The storm has just begun and we don’t know what lies ahead. Our country depends on the financial policies of the west to survive. We must be careful on spending our cash and think a lot of times before buying something we don’t need.

Zero Defects

2008-11-04T20:51:00.000-08:00

I have attended a quality meeting with Sumifru Philippines officers last November 4-5, 2008 at Marco Polo Davao. The entire meeting was focused on Quality and with the theme “Strengthening the Basics”. Sumifru as a company is handling about 30 million boxes a year and it exports to many markets such as Japan, Middle East, Korea, China and New Zealand. The company that I am working for is producing around 3 million boxes per year. We are concentrating on the chem.-less market segment. The top man of Sumifru stressed it to us that Quality is the most important thing in the market today. As part of the food business our customers always demands for good quality in terms of food safety, taste and appearance. He emphasized that with the current financial crisis today our customers or the general consumer are withholding their spending and they will prioritize only their basic needs. The banana market has many competitors and we need to protect our market chunk for us to be able to pass thru this storm. It is always a practice for big corporations to put a tolerable level of mistakes for any operations but he told us that his philosophy is that one supermarket is equally important to a single consumer. He does not want to lose any of our customers in all our markets as he personally goes through every single complaint from our market sponsors. In the end we realized why a culture of Quality must be installed in our respective companies as it is most likely that a company with good management foundations will survive the big waves of the financial storm.

ECO Banana

2008-10-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

I am currently working for a banana exporting company that puts its thrust on growing chem.-less bananas. It is quiet ironic for the reason that majority of the large agricultural companies that are into banana export uses a variety of chemicals to boost its production. Our company is the only successful company that produces bananas without any chemicals that touches its fruits. The conventional bud injection and bud spray were replaced by a method that has been proven to eliminate the damages to fruits caused by insects. Also as part of our marketing strategy we have eliminated the use of herbicides to control weeds instead we employ manual weeding. Our Research and Development Department has only devised a way to cut into 50% the use of synthetic fertilizers. We are also strictly adhering to ISO standards and we are planning to upgrade it into IMS which covers 4 management system. Our company vision is for a sustainable business together with social, environment accountabilities. We are currently trying to eliminate the use of fertilizers and concentrate more on organic fertilizers and other nitrogen fixing plants. We are hopeful that our efforts can greatly help our environment without sacrificing our business sustainability.

GMA- Gininto ang Masaganang Ani.

2008-10-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

The program of the Arroyo Administration named Gininto ang Masagnang Ani is a fundamentally sound program with the farmers as the beneficiaries. It seems like a very noble project from a government that is rocked by scandals everywhere. The government agency that spearheaded that said project presented a very detailed program that only needed the proper execution. A funding of 700 million was taken out from the treasury of the Philippines to finance the noble program. Its basic goal is to aid the local farmers in increasing their productivity through fertilizers. The recent home coming of the celebrated Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture will shed light to the anomalies surrounding the project. It will open the eyes of the common Filipino and give them the information on how their elected government squandered away the money intended for a noble cause. If the allegations are true it now sends a signal to us that we need to be vigilant these coming 2010 elections. We have the power to change our system to the election of the proper government officials. In the end what are needed are not brilliant guys with a tongue but honest man that works from the mind and the heart.

Money

2008-10-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

The current wage for a minimum wage earner for agricultural firms is around 251 pesos per. day. The prices of our basic commodities are very high due to the volatile world markets and other speculations of selfish businessman. Whenever I talk to my subordinates in the field I would normally ask them about their lifestyle. I inquire from them what are their basic priorities in spending their hard earned salaries. I know that deep inside them they cry out for more income but I make them understand that the only way we are going to survive is through "belt tightening". When I started with my current company I was earning around 181 pesos per day as a clerk and I told my mother that I was frustrated about my salary. Her response was "even if you earn 1 million a day if you don't know how to spend your money your are going to lose it". Now I am earning far more better compared before and I still keep in my mind what my mother told me. It is better to save and be ready than to work for something when you only need it most.

Export market

2008-10-27T21:16:00.000-07:00

I am currently employed in an exporting company. We are selling bananas and Japan is our major market. The current situation of our exchange rate plus the plunging of the oil prices somewhat makes me feel happy. Our company is selling in Dollars and we spend in Peso this means that nowadays we are very liquid. It is quite ironic that some local firms are now closing due to the high cost of production and our company together with other export firms are expanding. As an employee I feel happy that we can still have our jobs for the next few years but as a Filipino I am sad because our economy and other workers are being laid off. In the end I still feel lucky that our management has strong management fundamentals and they are capable of leading us in the years to come.

Peso depreciation

2008-10-27T21:02:00.001-07:00

The current situation of our Philippine Peso is quite alarming from a high of 38 pesos vs the dollar it now stands at 49 pesos to a dollar. The forecast shows that for next month the change rate will be at 52 pesos to a dollar. It means that more Filipinos are going to bad times. Our financial institution tells us that we are safe but the truth is we are not. To describe it better the Philippine Economy is already in an Intensive Care Unit. The current cost of production by producers of basic commodities such as canned goods, noodles and other household products is high as they import raw materials for the production of these goods.The only positive sign nowadays is the plunging of the cost of oil at around $60 per barrel. This positive sign may not reach the normal consumers due to taxes and other production cost such as wage increases and other non monetary benefits for workers that will be covered by employers. The average inflation rate now stand at 12% this means that the worst is yet to come. Our only hope is that our biggest trade partner the United States will slowly recover from its economic woes. For us the common people the show must go on and the only secret that we have is to live by the principles " live life 1 day at a time" .

Motorcycle

2008-10-27T20:59:00.001-07:00

Motorcycle is a very useful machine if you are a responsible operator. It is a very handy and cheap way for transportation. A small engine motorcycle has an average efficiency of 1 liter: 50 kilometers. Compared to 4 wheeled vehicles the highest efficiency is around 1 liter: 21 kilometers. The maintenance of the motorcycle is quite cheap compared to a 4 wheeled vehicles. The best thing about the motorcycle is that you can park it anywhere and it needs a very little space. The parts from the engine down to the tires are very cheap and can be sourced out to any motor parts dealer in the country. The negative side of the motorcycle is the rising incidence of motorcycle related accidents in the country. It has brought much death and suffering in our highways that our government needs to review the policies covering this type of vehicles. Motorcycle dealers should be regulated by the government and be punished by stiff penalties for releasing motorcycles even without the proper education to buyers. Our highways must be safe and we need to be vigilant against irresponsible drivers and those selling motorcycles.

Euro Generals

2008-10-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

The recent scandal surrounding our PNP is the “Euro Generals” high ranking officers of the police force are allegedly squandering the money of the Filipinos. It is surprising that NIA airport officials did not monitor the said money going out of the country. The VIP treatment of officials leaving the airport is the cause of the problem. It is very shameful that our own local officials did not catch the money going out of the country. The big question is who pays for these official trips abroad? Probably the answer is the common people. The fixed income earners that are being taxed heavily to give pleasure for these corrupt officials to go on leisure trips and squander the money in trusted to them by the Philippines. It is painful to know that our government has been amassing revenues from taxes and other income generating centers with great success and yet our basic services does not show any improvements. When will these scandals end? Will the PNP really change? The PNP as an institution has a noble goal but the people in the seat of power are blinded by greed and self satisfaction. The saying maybe is true that “you will only know the character of a man when you give him power”.

Insurgency

2008-10-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

The present regime has been declaring that it will crush the maoist-sytle insurgency in 2010. This promise has been part of the goals of every elected government of our country. Our armed forces has been trained and equipped to fight an internal threat that saw its rise during the dictatorship of the late strong man Ferdinand Marcos. The communist rebellion has been lurking behind the shadows of the present government waiting to strike hard and inflict damage in a guerilla type of warfare. The current situation of our beloved Mindanao Island is now alarming army soldiers waste their lives to fight against fellow Filipinos. A military action is part of the solution but it is not a long term answer to the problem. A long term solution is poverty alleviation of people in the country side and the education of the masses to give them a chance towards a decent livelihood. A government of transparency and decency must be installed to lessen the drift of the people. Ideologies and principle may always vary in a society but what is common is that we are all Filipinos and we are in the same country. Our goal is to be united and march towards progress.

Pick Up

2008-10-27T01:43:00.000-07:00

I recently received my new vehicle assignment from my company. It is a well maintained white ford ranger pick up truck. I always wanted an S.U.V. for the reason that I thought it looks good to drive one plus it can carry more people in it without sacrificing their safety and comforts. When I received the vehicle I had some reservation about it because of my biases for the said vehicle type. It carries rather a small number of people plus I did not appreciate the use of the carrier. When I started to use the pick up for long trips out of town I realize that it runs quiet stable and the power is really good. Compared to an S.U.V. on its engine class the pick up responded well to my needs while cruising through zig-zag roads. The pick up also allows me to buy livestock or any other cheap things along the road without being afraid that it might smell bad inside the cabin. The best thing about driving a pick up such as mine is the versatility of the vehicle. It could be use on a rugged outdoor trip and also it can blend into the city. Now I understand the value of pick ups and I would not trade mine for an S.U.V.

Boss

2008-10-27T00:14:00.000-07:00

A boss is a person with authority and the trust of the management. It is quiet good to be called a boss but to act like one is different. A boss is a model to his subordinates. He fuels the minds of his people and guides them towards achieving their goals. He must be responsible enough as a person for him to be trusted and followed by his subordinates. A boss that does not show the courage to accept that he failed is not a boss but an actor. He is an actor for the reason that he pretends that he does not commit mistakes. A boss does not accept mediocrity for it does not make anybody productive. His goal is to keep everybody work and his job will be measured through the results of others. He needs to think and working at the same time. It is hard to be a boss but it is easy to be called a boss.

Mothers

2008-10-27T00:03:00.001-07:00

In the course of our life from childhood to adulthood our mother’s will always be at our side. She will always guide us and help us undertake every single part of our life whenever we need her. A mother’s love is the best gift for all of us. The pain of giving birth and the sacrifices they made just to give us a chance to see the beauty of the world is the most notable deed amongst humans. Mothers are worthy to be called heroes they are the person who we can trust to be with us during the darkest moments of our lives. We as children must love and care for our mother’s as she has loved and cared for us. We must express to them how important they are and accept them for what they are. We may think that our mother’s are not always right but we must weigh what they will be telling us after all no mother would want their own children get hurt.

Rifle

2008-10-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

The rifle is the basic weapon of any armed forces in the world. It is used a source of fire power for the common foot soldiers. If used properly it can create a tactical advantage to opposing units. The rifle evolved from its humble beginning in the 1800 were metal balls were first used as bullets. Its firing range was near and its capability of damage was small thus bows, arrows and swords could evenly match the rifle especially when it is raining. The rifle evolved during World War 1 wherein bolt action rifles were manufactured with increase range and accuracy was achieved compared to early models. It was enhanced by new tactics of the “trench” wars and other maneuvers done by opposing countries. The rifle then became the back bone of the infantry units of the armed forces of western countries. When World War 2 started the rifle then evolved from bolt action to gas operated rifles with clip thus increasing its load and fire power capabilities. The introduction of the US made M1 Garand and the German sub machine guns enhanced the capabilities of the infantry into unprecedented proportions. Today the rifle is still being used as the primary weapon of the infantry. Research and development of countries are now aiming for more powerful rifles that will match the need of the future of peace making and law enforcement requirements.

Organic Farming

2008-10-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

The Agriculture sector today employs a lot of people. It also provides a big chunk of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product. The sector also helps lower the cost of living of our country due to the goods it provides for domestic consumption. As of the moment the Philippine Agriculture relies on pesticides and other synthetic materials to increase its productivity. It is mainly anchored on exported chemicals which in turns increase the cost of production of farmers. The latest problem that our community and the world are facing nowadays is Global warming. This phenomenon has hit our Agriculture sector as a whole. Rains and prolonged dry spell affects the productivity of our plants and also increases the population of pest that causes damage to crops. Our government must make a move geared towards organic farming. It‘s principle must be based on how to reduced slowly the use of pesticides and other synthetic fertilizer and still maintain the desired productivity of a farm. Our government should craft a law with a “teeth” that aims to subsidize farmers that goes into organic production. This should entice farmers to try the organic way of farming. We should seriously consider this move today as it would be one of the deciding factors of our nation and the world. It should also review the method of large multinational companies and penalize the excessive use of harmful chemicals that will contaminate our water and soil rendering it useless for the future generations.

Battle Tanks

2008-10-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

Battle tanks are the most effective tool for infantry cover during an assault. It is considered to be a vital force that usually changes the tide of battle due to its strong fire power and armor capability. The Philippine problem on insurgency is considered to be the longest internal security threat of the nation. The rugged terrain of the country side where armed confrontations between the government and it enemies takes place needs a type of tanks that is mobile and at least armed with high power weapons such .30 caliber and .50 caliber machine guns. The enemy has only small rifle weapons and limited resources but has mastery of the terrain. The government troops are well equipped compared to its enemies but terrain mastery is a problem. The role of battle tanks in the field is to give a concentrated fire and armor capability for troops to maneuver and set up a position of advantage during combat. It is an advantage that has long been enjoyed by troops of the government against its enemies. The only problem is its maintenance and proper distribution wherein majority of the governments light armored tanks are located in Mindanao. The Armed forces of the Philippines has a variety of battle tanks that serves along side the infantry as support units these are V-300 commandos, V150 commandos, Scorpion tanks, M-113 APC and the newest addition the SIMBA tanks .

Fighter Planes

2008-10-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

The “Shock and Awe” operations lead by the United States to topple down the regime of Saddam Hussein the dictator of Iraq is considered to be a well coordinated plan of surgical air strikes. The mission was to inflict much damage on Saddam’s power centers such as his Presidential Palaces and communication centers without sacrificing the human population of central Iraq. It is a tactical offensive that requires overwhelming air power, dominant battlefield awareness, dominant maneuvers, and spectacular displays of force to paralyze an adversary's perception of the battlefield and destroy its will to fight. The strategy was air dominance through the use of the modern warplanes from strategic points around the world. The United States Air force is the most modern and well equipped unit around the world. Its aircraft is capable of crippling enemy defenses with much precision with optimal damage. The components of the American Air force are a variety of planes such as F-14 tomcats, F22 raptors, B2 spirit bombers, F-16 Falcon and F-15 Eagles. The planes are considered to be the back bone of the United States air force.

The F-18 Hornet was first used in the 1970's. The most used US Navy plane is the all-around F-18 which can carry bombs, missiles and fuel tanks. The top speed of the F-18 is Mach 1.8, about 1,000 miles per hour.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the best selling fighter plane in the world. In 1975 the F-16 was the top performing fighter plane, but the F-18 was chosen for use in the navy instead. It is said to be the BMW of planes, because of its agility.

The F-15 Eagle is the most powerful of the USA planes. It was designed in the 1960's and had very good success in the Middle East, with almost 100 kills and no F-15's lost. The F-15 is primarily an air to air fighter with a secondary option for air to ground.

The F-14 Tomcat first went into service in 1972. The F-14 was first upgraded so that it could fire at six targets all at once each over 100 miles away. The most recent upgrade allows it to use laser guided bombs at night.

The F-22 Raptor was built to replace the F-15 Eagle. The F-22 has almost the same engine as the F-15 and is able to go up to Mach 2.5, the same as the F-15. The difference between the F-15 and F-22 is that the wing is moved back on the F-22.

Mindanao

2008-10-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

The island of Mindanao is considered to be the back bone of the Philippine Economy. It is for the reason that the island provides at least a total of 60% of the total food requirement of the country. It ‘s agricultural land is suitable for growing everything from rice to bananas and other root crop can serve as food for the ordinary people. The island is also blessed because it is not plagued by typhoons unlike some other parts of the Philippines. The only problem of the island is the volatile Peace and order situation of Central Mindanao that has anchored through generations. The recent attacks of renegade MILF commanders in central Mindanao Island has put the island on the limelight of journalism that delivers negative impact for Mindanao as a whole. We as Mindanawons have a sacred duty to tell the world that war is not equal to Mindanao it just like any other place such as Thailand and Indonesia that has people with different principles and ideology. Mindanao is a magnificent Island with beautiful beaches and mystical wonders that is left undiscovered as of the moment. We should be thankful that Mindanao is a great provider for all of us. In return we must protect and be vigilant in stopping or correcting the views that Mindanao is a dangerous place to live in.

Final Resting place

2008-10-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to Compostela Valley to join the burial rites of a man that touched mylife. We are not relatives and our only connection is that he was our neighbor when I was young. My father died when I was very young and it came on a time least expected. He suffered a heart attack while watching T.V. after dinner. We were very confused during the moment ,my mother was afraid during the incident and we cried out for help. Upon hearing our cries manong Boy immediately went to our house and offered to bring my father to the hospital. I was praying to God to save my father while looking at him board at the back of his pick up and they sped away towards the hospital. I am happy even though my father did not survive that incident a person whole heartedly helped us in our efforts to save the life of my father. I realized from that moment that if you plant good deeds to your neighbor you will also harvest good fruits from it . When I knew about his death I mourned silently and prayed for his soul. We arrived in Compostela and we directly went to his house and accompanied the march toward the church and his grave. I stood in front of his grave and thanked him for what he did to us 13 years ago and I thank his wife and told him that your husband touched my life during its darkest moment.

I'm joining the MBS2 ..Yohoo!

2008-10-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

I have been informed through YM about the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit that will be held in General Santos City this October 25-26,2008. In a way I felt excited to join this activity and be able to mingle with other bloggers from Mindanao. Blogging for me before is just a way of expressing once self but as time goes on it also stimulates my mind and in other ways help me with some of my finances. I am optimistic that even if there are only 100 slots , I would be given a chance to join and be part of this unforgettable activity.

Thank you to the following for making 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit possible:

CO-PRESENTERS:
City Mayor Pedro B. Acharon, Jr.
Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio
NOKIA
Department of Tourism XII
ABS-CBN Regional Network Group
Bariles Republic
Gen. Santos City Tourism Association
SOCCSKSARGEN Blogers

GOLD SPONSORS:
Friendster
Globe
AMA Computer Learning Center
Grab A Crab Restaurant and Coffee Club 101
Gregoria Printing Press

SILVER SPONSORS:
Nokiahost.Com
Asia United Bank
Family Country Hotel & Convention Center
East Asia Royale Hotel
Fine Pixel Advertising
IDEAS

BRONZE SPONSORS
GenSan Sale.Com
Blogging from Home Book
Pacific Seas Seafood Market
Generals Logimark Exponent
Prints and You
Writing Edge.Com
Forest Lake San Carlos Park
Rolee Bakery & Cafe
Jehzlau Concepts
Techykid.Com
Jaypee Online.Net
Blue Media Communications
International Container Terminal Services, Inc
Shalom Wizard Academy
Dreamworld Travel and Tours
Sta. Cruz Seafoods, Inc.
Dellosa Design Build Services
Kristan Bookstore
DOLE Philippines
Husky Bus Lines
Shakey's Pizza
Family Brand Sardines
Gaisano Mall of GenSan
Chowking - KCC
Jollibee National Highway
Procter & Gamble Philis., Inc
Mega Sardinesc

.

For more details check this out : Mindanao Blogger Summit

Opportunity

2008-10-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday around 9 a.m. a man visited our house unexpectedly. My mother was first to see him as she was doing some chores around our store. He was the former big boss of my father and he is a very known man in the banana industry.My mother was surprised to see the man in front of our house. It has been quite sometime that she saw him. The man asked my mother if I am around and that he needs to talk to me. He was accompanied by one of our neighbor, his former subordinate and a close friend to us. After some talking he told me the real reason why needs to talk to me. He was offering me a juicy job that would immediately double my earnings as of the moment. Honestly, I felt excited and good, I cannot believe that this man trust me even if I am very young in terms of experience. He told me that if I accept his offer he would also get a few people in my present company and he would double their salary. For me I think this is an opportunity to help some of my trusted people to uplift their financial security in life. I am now again experiencing a burden of making a very heavy decision. A decision that will completely change the course of my career and the lives of my trusted men.

Mistakes

2008-09-15T01:34:00.000-07:00

In our daily activities in life we often commit mistakes that sometimes leads to injury. It is so fast that we only realize it after we think about it during the next few hours of the incident. Mistakes often make us think that we are worthless and stupid people. Usually if a person has a weak character, he would categorize it as a punishment from God for his sins or sometimes his incapability to do what he is intended to do. For me mistakes are made because of the lack of foresight it is usually said that when a person plans he usually succeeds. Planning and careful attention to detail and to the plan as a whole is one of the key to limit mistakes. Flexibility on every situation is also needed for a plan to succeed. A person must be focused to the "goal" and must try to achieve it what ever it takes under the principle of fairness. In the end mistakes are always part of our lives these things makes us humans, what is important is how we react on it. It may take us back to the start but it may also teach us the virtue of humility under the fire of defeat.

Decision

2008-09-12T21:20:00.000-07:00

A person that holds authority needs to make quick and intelligent decisions during the performance of his duties. The ability to decide on problems must be a combination of guts and experience. A person that cannot decide on small matters is not fit to command or my hamper the movement of the group. It is a common thing in the corporate jungle that middle management men are afraid to make decisions that will address problems of his people in relation to the performance of their duties. It becomes worst if a known management man "washes his hands" if a problem arises that angers his superiors. A line manager acts as a shepherd to his subordinates. His duty is to make sure that "all" are moving towards the same direction and the flock knows what is the goal. He should know the weaknesses and strengths of his flock for him to match each worker with a corresponding job that maximizes his skills. The burden of command must always lie on his shoulder, he should always remember that his reaction time is a vital thing for the company. It will determine the success and failure of his group and will decide what fate awaits them in the future.

Allocate Resources

2008-09-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Allocating resources is a vital goal for a fixed income earner like me. As an employee we are paid through a scheme that computes our daily rate multiplied to the number of days per month. This formula will more or less give us the idea of how much take home pay we will get every quincena. A human person has no satisfaction because of the never ending need to cope up with the surroundings. Consumerism has engulfed our society that we employees forget about our priorities because we look at the things that we want and not the things we need. This scenario is mostly common among household nowadays. The budget is usually not followed because of “Midnight sales” and other scheme of discounted purchase by malls. If we forget to do our basic mathematics we will soon be buried in debts from financial institutions that offer credit cards or spot cash loans. Thus a person will no longer have the freedom and the peace of mind because as if the meaning of his existence is for him to work for the “bank”. Although it is quite hard to be thrifty for a person that is an impulsive buyer we should practice to allocate our resources to make ends meet. By doing this we can avoid to be like a drowning person grasping for every breath that he needs for survival. A basic principle should be applied to avoid this problem compute what is needed then what is left is for saving or buying the “wants”.

Samurai

2008-09-05T23:41:00.000-07:00

As an employee of an agricultural firm located 300 meters above sea level a 4x4 vehicle will come in handy. The rough terrain and steep slope offers a difficult situation for drivers and other motorist that traverses through the plantation roads. I have been traveling along these kind of roads for more than 5 years now and I have experienced how hard it is to maneuver and reach the designated site using a vehicle. Among all vehicle that I have used to perform my daily duties the Suzuki Samurai proved to be a worthy partner. My 5 year old Samurai can traverse through any kind of road with its sleek body and shorter wheelbase. It's gasoline engine provides it with a muscle and quick response compared to diesel vehicles. I have seen bigger pick up trucks got stuck on the same roads that I passed through everyday which my Samurai can maneuver easily. For me this only proves that the big trucks with all its big engines are not the most reliable vehicles for rough terrains. The Samurai is a "small car" that can compete with big trucks on a rough terrain.

Early Morning

2008-09-05T01:53:00.000-07:00

My job requires me to get up around 5 a.m. everyday even during holidays. It is very tiring to imagine how I managed to stay with it for the past 6 years. Honestly I have some doubtful moments before and I made a decision to quit my job and find something new. I made attempts to quit but for some other reason I stayed and continued to be with the same company. Others say I was given a big fat raise but for me I have slowly realized that I am " happy" with my current job. I usually come to the office first and usually live last but the thing is I am happy to work with people that understands and respects each other for what they are and what they are capable of doing. I now understand that it is not all about money but also satisfaction. I don't know what will happen in the future but as of now I am definitely staying and hoping that I will retire with my current company.

Discipline

2008-09-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

I am currently working for a labor intensive agricultural company. Usually I encounter different kind of people with different cultural and educational background. It is quiet difficult to deal with people and adapt to his or her capacity. I have a formula that has been working for quiet sometime now it is called "Discipline". From Supervisor to field worker I make sure that discipline is well instilled among its ranks. It is a very difficult thing to do in the beginning because usually "grown ups" are more resistant to change than children. In order to maintain such a thing a healthy relationship to everybody must be achieved. A leader must be firm but willing to listen and impartial to every decision he makes. Lastly the best way to control people is to begin with a "grip" that is so tight that they are always on their toes then slowly set them free but always maintain a boundary then you will see how wonderful it is to have control.

My trip to Japan

2008-09-05T00:27:00.000-07:00

Japan is a very advance country. It is considered a tiger economy among its neighbor in Asia. Its people are very industrious and disciplined. I went to Japan last year with some of my colleagues and I personally saw how the Japanese managed every single inch of their country and turned it into something productive. Comparing Japan to the Philippines in terms of land availability and resources Japan can never match what we have but I was truly amazed how industrialized and efficient the country is compared to the Philippines. We went to different places from the southern part of the country upto its capital Tokyo and we saw that its surroundings are very clean and the motorist are very much disciplined. We also visited big and small estabilishments and we saw the same thing the merchandise on display are well arranged and prepared for the consumers. Lastly what I observed upon entering in Kansai Airport were islets that were converted into ricefields. I could not help but compare the vacant islets upon entering the Philippines through Manila. I now see why a small country outdid us on every single aspect in terms of economic growth.

Rain

2008-09-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

Rain is one of the most essential ingredient for a farm or any plant. Together with sunlight, fertilizer plus managment a farm could become very productive. Rain or water is commonly known as the source of life. It gives plants the needed moisture for a good nutrient uptake. The Philippines is considered to be a tropical country which means that we have enough rainfall for agriculture. It also means that we could be self sufficient as a country in terms of the basic food that we need to feed our population. We need to be self sufficient so that we could compete with other economies in the Asian region. We should take thank God for the rain and always value this gift the gives life to our surroundings.

The Filipino Life

2008-09-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

The Filipino has been constantly under the grip of the economic turmoil for decades. He has always dreamed of being at par with the so called " developing countries" in southeast asia but he has failed constantly. Leadership in our political arena has changed through a "People Power Revolt" and a " Clean Election" but it has failed to uplift the life of the common fiipino. The hardship has been commonly expressed through the vast slums and depressed areas even among our most progressive cities. In Mindanao a long problem with communist insurgency and the Moro struggle has plagued the " food basket" of the country. THe filipino farmers are having a hard time competing with exported products due to his high production cost. He is constantly being forced to innovate on his cultural practices for him to survive. This usually ends with low production and the farmer is buried in debts. The filipino life is considered to be adventurous it is full of challenges and hardship which makes us a survivor. The ability to survive has brought the filipinos in every part of the world the some succeeded beyond expectations. For Filipinos faith to God and his abilities to innovate is his greatest weapon in this never ending struggle.