Opportunity, the energy untapped in the Philippines . . .
Manufacturing in the Philippines [Photo credit: Rappler]
Passion is an energy, a kind of motivational inspiration, not much different than electricity and it can be used to electrocute or empower.
The Philippines is today more like a battery than a generator. The passions are deep and powerful but crammed into a little box, called a barangay, and they are not really used for much other than:
- Fiesta’s and other blow-outs, to let off excess pressure. Karaoke works well if loud enough and played deep into the night. Complaining about traffic and government stupidity are other ways. Cheering for boxers and stars helps as well.
- Slogging away at a subsistence job with no opportunities at all on the horizon.
Well, when you have a social-economic structure that has only two classes, the entitled who operate with impunity and break rules if it is to their advantage to do so, and the poor who will do anything to get by, including break the rules, then you get what you’ve got: a social-economic structure of little discipline or productive output.
There are a lot of people trying to get the battery plugged in, but it’s hard when you can’t tell the anode from the cathode and sparks keep flying. The Department of Education and TESDA represent two output lines, and the energy flowing outward is called “opportunity”.
That, then is the key to Philippine success.
Opportunity, the energy untapped in the Philippines . . .
If opportunity can be brought to the local level, the passions will have a place to go, a positive place, a place that can generate the kind of power we all want to see. Common sense. Problem solving. Productivity. Inclusion. Kindness. Care of the environment and our neighbors.
The need for blow-outs and dysfunctional behaviors will diminish when millions of people can raise their heads from the daily slog, look about and see . . . opportunity, a door, a way out and up . . . if not for them, at least for their children.
So the challenge becomes simpler. Release the opportunity. Set it free.
We can count the ways to do this on one hand and have the thumb left over:
- Improve education
- Build TESDA
- Manufacture jobs
- Install a career mentality
I’ll short-form the explanations and let you fill in the missing parts from your own knowledge or research:
Improve education
A lot is being done to build the educational infrastructure, adding classrooms and teachers, going K-12 (“sit down and shut up with thy objections, Senator Trillanes“), and improving the curriculum. What needs to be added is a passion for computers, for automation, for lessons generated in the cloud and tapped in the cloud and graded in the cloud. Do that, and critical thinking will become a natural part of day to day lesson work.
Build TESDA
TESDA is a fast track from the field to a salaried job that can be a platform for family opportunity. Technical skills are so much more important than literary skills for much of the productive workforce. The better this force, the more powerful the flow of opportunity out and up. TESDA needs classrooms, skilled teachers, and functioning labs with equipment that works. Invest generously.
Manufacture jobs
The Philippines needs to become obsessed about manufacturing. Buying finished goods from other nations ought to be considered a cut below traitorous, particularly if that nation is the Big Thief, China. You mean the Philippines can’t manufacture cheap toys? “Give me a break!” The Philippines can manufacture anything it chooses because its labor force comes cheap and materials are just an e-mail or two away. You mean the Philippines can’t do a small-scale defense industry? “Give me a break!” The Philippines can manufacture anything it chooses. For every manufacturing job created, two to five jobs are created in supporting fields.
Install a career mentality
A career is the line upon which passion directs itself constructively and productively. We each have a desire for self-fulfillment, and today the Philippines does a lousy job of giving it a place to go. Nepotism and favors rule, rather than hiring and promotions based on skill and achievement. The nation’s human resources are not pushing up the career line, as a force, seeking to better themselves. National achievement is therefore weak . . .
I keep saying that the Philippines needs a Fair Employment Law to energize capitalistic powers of innovation and problem-solving, and it falls on deaf or resistant ears. Am I the only guy in the Philippines who sees this as THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT KEY to energizing the nation? Make it a requirement that jobs be filled by people of capability, rather than friends, and the newly created OPPORTUNITIES will energize the nation.
If these four steps are taken to unleash opportunity as a way to deploy the considerable passions of Filipinos toward good ends, we won’t have to discuss corruption or judicial negligence or lack of critical thinking because these deficiencies will fall aside like water off a duck’s back. The nation will flourish as Filipinos focus on the opportunities set before them by a National Government that “gets it”: opportunity is how the nation’s stored human energy can be tapped. It is the way to unleash the passions of a people too long held back, and put them on the right track. A unified, disciplined track. A productive, enriching track.
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The Society of Honor by Joe America 
then there is the comment box,used for releasing steam.
so we wont be just full of potential we need tesda for manufacturing.
more roadmaps needed so we would not be on a trip to nowhere.
http://www.manila.diplo.de/Vertretung/manila/en/06/best_20practices_20companies.html – Dual Training is now being promoted by TESDA as well:
In the Philippines, dual vocational education is a virtually unfamiliar concept. Very few Philippine companies offer dual vocational training programs, and seldom are local companies engaged in active partnerships with the government for dual vocational training projects.
While a multi-stakeholder project supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is in the works to develop an established dual training system in the Philippines, German companies have taken the first steps in adopting the dual system of vocational education in the country. Here, we elaborate on the innovative measures for dual training taken by these companies
Five companies are shown as examples for dual training – combining work and theoretical training – the theopractical approach which is the best for skilled workers.
http://tesda.gov.ph/about/tesda/91
Adaptation from the German model
One of the more preferred training modality for enterprise-based training in the Philippines today is the dual training system (DTS) being implemented by TESDA.
The DTS, as its name suggests, is a training modality that combines theoretical and practical training. It is called dual training because learning takes place alternately in two venues: the school or training center and the company or workshop.
In DTS, the school and workplace share the responsibility of providing trainees with well-coordinated learning experiences and opportunities.
This close cooperation between the school and the company ensures that the trainees are fully equipped with employable skills, work knowledge, and attitudes at the end of the training.
The general and occupation-related theoretical instruction provided by the school is complemented by on-the-job training in the workplace. Trainees under the DTS spend at least 40 percent of the training/learning time in school and 60 percent for practical training in the company.
I usually interview young people in our province about job opportunities there or elsewhere. It’s where I learned of a term endo. I ask, what’s endo? They look at me as if I’m from another planet and explains, end of contract.
That’s a major problem nowadays on the part of our work force. There is no security of tenure. I thought about this later and came to a realization that the left leaning groups and their members who are professional agitators that are oftentimes disturbing the production lines by their call for strikes and boycotts addressed to employees pf a certain company. Some manufacturers simply close down or forever be hassled by them. On the other hand, their solution bordered on the extreme. They resorted to contractual workers – five months contract to go around the DOLE’s rule on mandatory regularization of employees who completed their 6-months probation. You try and look around, SM chains, and other malls, manufacturing companies, all employed by contractual employees.
Those province mates I mentioned above? They had to rest for 1 or 2 months before applying again for another contract in the same company or try their luck at another. Job hunting every five months, that’s their sorry lot in life.
“the left leaning groups and their members who are professional agitators that are oftentimes disturbing the production lines by their call for strikes and boycotts addressed to employees pf a certain company.” Germany had that problem as well before.
The postwar system is one of collective bargaining. That means you have NORMAL unions that represent the interests of workers, but have to negotiate with management first before they strike. In fact the union members have to majority vote to start a strike – this is LAW. So you don’t have the Communist agitation that made a lot of problems for industry in the period before World War 2. Plus workers can form a worker’s council within factories.
The laws governing worker’s councils are very precise. They have to cooperate with management and have at least one mandatory representative in the company board. Sounds Communist but it was made that way to keep communist agitators away. The workers can go to someone who represents their needs and there is a procedure for dealing with grievances that avoids strikes and agitators. It makes a lot of sense to me. In fact worker’s councils are instrumental in complaints related to anti-discrimination laws – both in terms of career and minorities. Also health, safety and educational concerns. These kind of things are important to keep qualified workers motivated within the company.
don’t look far it is also like that in the BPO call center industry….endo
some like accenture wants a fresh pool so they get rid of old people and only hire fresh grads…good and bad at the same time
before we compare Sm saleslady and Rustans. we say sm has lousy service because they are just temps, and rustans are permanents.. sooner than we think pareho na silang endo
That is an excellent example of the kind of dysfunction that holds the Philippines back. Good rules for employment practices and that knee-jerk behavior by both unions and employers would end.
I wonder too, why the legislative and executive departments (DOLE) allowed this to be practiced for quite sometime. Why are our Senators and Congressmen, even the DOLE Sec not doing anything to help out our workers and employers alike? Are they leaning more on the moneyed employers?
SMEs have no way of competing against giant mall owners. I remember a neighbor in our subdivision who looked down on us when we first got there, as we are not car owners then like them, – they have a thriving carinderia in our market. They were forced to close it when fast foods like Jollibee and MacDonald put up branches near the market. Their poor, but permanent staff were forced to be contractual workers in the said fast food chains.
Same thing with small department stores, they had to close shop when a giant mall was constructed in their locality. Their sales ladies and other staff are now contractual workers in the malls. The owners? They retired.
That’s a problem around the world, I think. Malls and freeways destroyed a lot of small towns in America. I’m not sure how to prevent that.
This is also happening in parts of Germany – but zoning laws prohibit too many malls.
Meaning in downtown areas, there is a rich mix of small- and medium-sized shops – yes they also have a problem competing against chain stores. Cities like Oberhausen where the first mall in Germany was constructed – CentrO where people even come from Holland to shop – have experienced firsthand that their city centres became very dead because everybody especially young people and migrants like to go to malls – which were after all an invention of a Hungarian-American architect who wanted to simulate European cities with their rich pedestrian zones in the USA. It is also a question of cultural preferences.
Starbucks, McDonalds is strong in Europe as well, but the taste of many people prefers small Italian espresso joints which have an original flair and are run by Italian migrants. OK you have Segafredo and Illy’s which is are Italian franchise chains but also individuals. Or San Francisco Coffee Company which is a Munich-based Starbucks clone. Small stores are also dying out here or in niche markets. Chain supermarkets pay their employees very little – like I already mentioned once a wage that leaves, after taxes and rent, the same amount of spending money as jobless people get. So some poor prefer to pretend they are unable to find a job, even if the unemployment office forces them to, there are tricks.
Irineo, I remember there is a German town they call the University town (the population of bicycles is more than mars), forgot the name …but I remember the shopping area. There is no mall and it’s so fun strolling through those rows of shops in the commercial area. Somewhat like West End in London.
Münster… one of the two cities where 1648 Peace of Westphalia was negotiated.
Germany started focussing on sustainability and quality of life very early for two reasons – one was that it did not have access to many sources of fuel during WW2, forcing technical advances to be able to run the war machine efficiently against both Russia and the USA, second Germany did NOT find “Lebensraum” because it lost WW2. 80 million people living in a country the size of Ohio, slightly bigger than the Philippines in total area but with less mountains so more living space, made sustainable solutions (emphasis on public transport instead of only Hitler’s Autobahns which were ALSO extended and enhanced) imperative to not choke on progress. Car sharing using smartphone rental apps the latest.
This is not exactly the same place as the area around Hannover, but the place where Joe’s folks came from could look very similar… http://bilder.wanted.de/b/49/77/87/18/id_49778718/tid_da/muenster-ist-ein-paradies-fuer-sportbegeisterte-.jpg
To a large degree that whole endo practice exists because we’re in a situation where the power in the labor market is tilted towards employers, not employees. I don’t know if more rules (as Joe suggests) would help, not when the balance of power is heavily against labor.
Where other countries operate on the basis of building up their employees, Philippine companies (both local and MNC subsidiaries) operate on a “there’s more where that came from” basis when it comes to labor. IMO it’s a local corporate culture problem.
Thanks for the instructive point, Jonathan.
I think the reason why this is the case, is because the labor force is disproportionately larger than the job market. Just like in the law of supply and demand, there is too much supply and not enough demand. I guess it is also what makes our salaries lower compared to other countries.
On the short- to mid-term, improving education and manufacturing will definitely help. But long-term solution, I think, should be focused on the population growth.
I’m speaking as someone without knowledge of what labour laws or union laws you have here. Just based on my observation and experience :
1. The practice of an auto severance pay of 1 months for every year worked is a bad one. Severance pay in other countries is something that kicks in only when we let employees go due to restructuring or down-sizing. The quantum is discretionary, based on company’s capability and compassion. If unionised, this is often on negotiated basis.
The practice here is its automatically paid out on employee’s resignation or termination. If it’s auto, then simply structure this into their normal salary, that’s all to it. By not structuring this severance pay into the salary, 2 problems are created :
(a) Employers seize the opportunity. Use labour agencies. Can terminate any time with no additional financial cost. Thus these workers are taken advantage of. The govt does not see this at all. Is there any wonder SM use agencies?
(b) The severance sum is often hefty so employers tend to try to delay or renege. Employees have no choice but to claim through Govt. I have seen lots of such cases. Just imagine the unnecessary cost expended.
From accounting standpoint, I’m surprised many companies do not acrrue and carry a provision for this severance payments.
That’s eye-opening, chempo, and for sure speaks to the need for a Fair Employment Law that ends the employment of Filipinos as a commodity to be used and abused rather than a human resource to be invested in.
” as a commodity to be used and abused rather than a human resource” in this vein and continuing the discussion LCPL_X started, a Prostitution Law similar to the one in Germany would be a good thing in the Philippines as well – but difficult to get through.
Legalized prostitution got the business out of the underworld – not completely – and made it a source of tax money. Medical insurance and medical exams, plus police protection.
Agree on the difficulty of such law, Ireneo.
That’s why it’s the banks that have to woo the sex workers, and you motivate them to save and use their money wisely (investing/borrowing), create vibrancy in the sex-industry with hope/love, instead of shame/despair (which leads to drugs, unhealthy practices, depression) , and focus on escaping the poverty cycle by using their hard earned money.
This can’t be legislated in the Philippines, too much holier-than-thou sentiments and salvation crap (ie. saving these girls from themselves). But the energy is there, it just needs to be diverted from all the negative aspect of the work.
Philippine banks are not exactly service-oriented from what I have heard so far, OK ATMs and stuff but otherwise hardly a change from the nearly government-office type attitude I experience there before. And government offices in the Philippines are not so great.
Don’t think most poor people use banks at all, and prostitutes act and look “poor” so I doubt that the bank employees will treat them well, but I am not up to date on banks…
I can confirm that. And I’ve asked plenty of sex-workers what they do with their money, and yes, it doesn’t go to banks. Mainly, because the head of the bank, who sits behind a cage, looks too much like a mamasan (matrona), only more educated and meaner, and in business attire.
But I’m hoping the finance sector there, will recognize and do a proper study of the sex sector, and adjust their efforts accordingly. There’s way too much of that money either going to China, going to Church and in Pyramid schemes. The banks should see that opportunity wasted, and do something about it.
http://www.k-12plus.org/index.php/2015-01-16-13-33-41/finance-cluster – this is about building a truly efficient banking sector in the Philippines, starting with the Partido area in Bikol as a pilot project – Partido and Sorsogon being the poorer parts of the region:
Last November 6, 2014, SBFIC partnered with Sorsogon State College in the promotion of technical vocational education and training through the program called “Shaping Tomorrow’s World Class Bicolano Workers Today Through Practice-Oriented Education and Training Program”. The program will provide dual approaches to career and technical education training to cultivate competitive world class Bicolano workers with flexible high level skills and competencies specifically in information, media and technology. More information click here.
SBFIC also entered a joint understanding last November 11, 2014 with the Partido State University, Camarines Sur. The University is entering a collaborative effort with Sparkassenstiftung fur Internationale Kopperation ( a German Technical Cooperation Project) to implement their project called “Engaging the Partido Area Young People and the Families in Practice-Oriented Technical Vocational Education and Training”. This program aims to assist technical vocational learners in acquiring National Certificates of Competency.
Now back to your intuition that Germany wants migrant workers… yes it does, too few young people over here to fund the pension systems, too few qualified workers, and Christian Democratic politicians, conservative unlike the Social Democrats, say that it would be better to get Asians because of their work attitude, or Christians for the cultural fit. Who fit the bill best for both criteria? Filipinos. Filipina nurses have recently arrived.
Second aspect is that Germany may want to have a manufacturing and services hub for the Asian market. German BPO companies working in Manila – I know the heads of some – have said that Filipinos are the best for working with Germans BECAUSE of their mentality is partly Westernized due to long colonization. Now I know a PMA grad who was my batchmate in Pisay who was at Bayer for years, two years in Cologne HQ to gain experience, learn from German colleagues, and then back to the Philippines again. So I guess you will have a mixture of all three scenarios: offshore, on-the-job training in Germany to return and run the offshore stuff better, and some who migrate to Germany.
Our company resorts only to severance pay when terminating abusive or insubordinate personnel. Their justification is – they would rather spend for severance pay than suffer the presence of unproductive and unruly staff. But all these are done after undergoing due process.
Retirement pay is given to those who reached 60 or above, no force retirement, There’s a bookkeeper in a sister company (one of my sidelines) – she’s already 75 and still working as she has a lot of scholars from poor relatives, although she has already availed of the accrued retirement pay. The policy of their group of companies is – there’s a place for everyone who wants to work as long as he/she want to and is strong enough to still render service.
I remember a driver who opted to seek a stall in their market place and be a self employed guy, he received a substantial separation pay from our employer for the long, good years of service although he is not yet on retirement age.
You need https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Works_council to implement that – they are like an ACLU for workers here in Germany and have prevented the Communists from returning.
A works council is a “shop-floor” organization representing workers, which functions as local/firm-level complement to national labour negotiations. Works councils exist with different names in a variety of related forms in a number of European countries, including Britain (Joint Consultative Committee); Germany and Austria (Betriebsrat);[1] Luxembourg (Comité Mixte, Délégation du Personel); the Netherlands and Flanders in Belgium (Ondernemingsraad); France (Comité d’entreprise); Wallonia in Belgium (Délégués du Personnel); in Italy (Comitato aziendale europeo) and Spain (Comité de empresa).
One of the most commonly examined (and arguably most successful) implementations of these institutions is found in Germany. The model is basically as follows: general labour agreements are made at the national level by national unions (e.g. IG Metall) and national employer associations (e.g. Gesamtmetall), and local plants and firms then meet with works councils to adjust these national agreements to local circumstances. Works council members are elected by the company workforce for a four-year term. They don’t have to be union members; works councils can also be formed in companies where neither the employer nor the employees are organized.
*******
The Oz way goes something like this:
1. There is no severance pay on resignation or retirement.
2. A severance pay, based on years of service, is paid out on termination due to restructuring or downsizing.
3. Included in an employee’s salary package is a mandatory “superannuation contribution” paid, not to the government, but to credited private financial institutions that manage these “super” funds.
3.1. The superannuation contribution rate is a percentage of salary. Over the years, it started out at 7%, then 9 %, and I believe it’s now 10%.
3.2. As denoted by the term, the superannuation fund is a retirement fund. The fund cannot be accessed until the employee reaches retirement age (60 for women, 65 for men). (The government has mandated an increase in the retirement age.)
3.3. Thus in effect, the superannuation fund is forced savings.
3.4. Upon retirement, the employee receives the fund as a monthly pension. There are min-max limits to how much can be withdrawn, computed according to the prevailing expected lifespan.
3.5. The fund is paid out until what the employee has put in (plus returns) is exhausted. Thus it may run out before his death.
3.6. A minimal tax is applied during the accumulation phase (the employee’s working years) but not the pay-out phase.
4. In addition to this “super” scheme, the government supports an aged pension scheme which is non-contributory, and is paid out until death. The pension amount is dependent on either an assets test or income test. The top pension rate is about AU$750 per fortnight ($1500 per month, roughly P50K). People with assets of roughly more than AU$1M are not eligible for the government pension.
*****
I beg to disagree. workers can only be terminated for cause. so if he resigns, he gets nothing. if he gets terminated w/o cause, that’s when you pay.
You are right DAginas, my mistake, voluntary resignations – no severance pay.
My experience is this — both parties the game.
– Employees will cause problems to get the sack, thus get severance pay.
– Employers cause problems — such as delayed payment of salaries, break the payments into instalments feigning liquidity problems — thus forcing employees to seek employment elsewhere and resign.
http://www.tesda.gov.ph/News/Details/2445 – Germany is helping with that, just recently I found out that they are also sponsoring “Dual Training” in the Philippines – vocational theory and practice which is the German way and has made it’s industry strong with highly qualified workers.
20 September 2014
The governments of Philippines and Germany vowed to increase cooperation and intensify their technical vocational education and training (TVET) program to prep skilled graduates for employment.
In Europe with President Benigno Aquino III, Secretary Joel Villanueva, Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) signed a Cooperation Agreement with Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) for collaborative research and development of TVET and further promotion of the dual training system (DTS).
Villanueva also witnessed the signing of a joint declaration of intent between the Philippines and Germany focused on “furthering technical vocational education and training through consultancy, technical assistance, exchange of information, experiences, best practices, joint research, study tours and expert meetings.
Both initiatives are seen to boost TVET so that it could provide the skills needed by the graduates and make them eligible for work, thereby reducing unemployment and underemployment.
“In Germany, many students take vocational training, and for those not yet ready, an intensive pre-apprenticeship program backs the youth. Their government has been investing massive amounts of talent and money on TVET, and it is paying off,” VIllanueva said.
Point 4) of Joe is very important. There has been good vocational training in the Philippines, however it can easily happen that those not coming from the right pedigree do not get jobs or are treated coldly by the entitled. UP was an attempt to establish a meritocracy. The public school system left by the Americans was excellent. The elites formed then closed the door after they went in. The public school system deteriorated. U.P became more of a closed shop with professorial dynasties. Laws and measures are good, but the openness of Philippine society still has to increase. Of course new blood moving up will help. Because inbred elites tend to think in a too reactionary manner, in addition to genetic defects like haemophilia in 19th century Europe. Why do they think reactionary? Because they know they are unable to compete in a real market.
Philippine Science High School was established in 1964. However, only four children from a public school passed the entrance exam. The divergence between public and private schools was huge. So improving the public school system is also an imperative. CCT a beginning. Philippine public schools were great just after the Americans left, it was not shameful to come from a public school at that time. In Marcos times they were already degenerated, you did not even have to pass to move to the next grade so many Balara kids I knew just dropped out. I wonder how it is today.
it is good that many are going back to high school or taking alternative learnng program due to tesda’s requirement of a high school diploma.
Alternative Learning System
What is Alternative Learning System or ALS?
It is a parallel learning system in the Philippines that provides a practical option to the existing formal instruction. When one does not have or cannot access formal education in schools, ALS is an alternate or substitute. ALS includes both the non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills.
Why is there a need for Alternative Learning System in the Philippines?
Many Filipinos do not have a chance to attend and finish formal basic education (Grades 1-6 and Year 1-4) due to many reasons. Some drop out from schools while some do not have schools in their communities. Since every Filipino has a right to free basic education, the Government establishes ALS to provide all Filipinos the chance to have access to and complete basic education in a mode that fits their distinct situations and needs.
http://www.deped.gov.ph/als
And the group in the middle? The hard working such as OFWs, BPO employees, engineers…? Or the farmers and their back breaking work, or the 24/7 helpers, our shared gardener working 7 days a week, starting before sunrise until long after sunset? They all go home with little energy left.
Energy is grounded, a lot seeping away through inefficiencies in the system. Habal-habal versus efficient busses, caribou versus tractor, power drill versus worn-out screwdriver, control on control on control instead of trust, lack of infrastructure…
Saving, micro-finance and capital investment, understanding of numbers and basic “abstract” math, education leading to application, more than repeating, even more than understanding.
Filipino strength is service, service industries are needed: healthcare, education, banking, insurance, entertainment, tourism…
http://www.hss.de/southeastasia/en/philippines/our-work-in-the-philippines/micro-finance-and-micro-enterprise-development.html – Germany i.e. Bavaria is helping there as well:
In pursuit of HSF’s commitment to help contribute to poverty reduction in the country, HSF embarked on a pioneering program in 2008 to provide support to the microfinance sector in the Philippines. In partnership with the PinoyME Consortium (PinoyME) and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF), and with the support of the Microfinance Council of the Philippines (MCPI), the “Microfinance Capacity Building Program” was jointly initiated. The purpose of the Program is to develop the capacity of microfinance institutions (MFIs) to enhance access of marginal sectors to innovative products, markets and services. The program has 4 components: i) curriculum development and standardization for MFI personnel; ii) organization of a training faculty for microfinance courses; iii) research and development for new microfinance loan products and services; and iv) organization/ networking of training institutions/service providers for micro-enterprise development.
The Program implementers, together with microfinance industry (MFI) partners and the academe, focus their efforts in completing the requirements for the full implementation of the Dual Training System (DTS) Competency-based Curriculum (CBC) for the Microfinance Sector. The Program has two offerings namely, one-year training under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and a 4-year ladderized degree program under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Both, the short-one-year training and the 4-year ladderized degree program, adopt the Dual Training System (DTS) through a standardized competency-focused learning process. The Program addresses the lack of entry-level loan officers (frontline staff) needed by the MFIs for their expansion. It provides an option for those who are interested to build their career in the microfinance sector, as well as for those currently employed, to continue their studies and earn a degree while working with an MFI. The DTS-CBC for Microfinance will follow the career path of the loan officer to higher positions. The pilot program is being offered by three schools (located in the provinces), which will run the initial 2-year Associate Course (certificate) in Microfinance for loan officers (in-school), and the MFIs based in these areas will provide the on-the-job training (in-plant). Those interested on further studies can proceed to the 3-year Diploma Course in Microfinance up to the 4-year Bachelor of Science in Microfinance, in close cooperation with MFIs.
Research studies, specifically on Agricultural Microfinance, on Business Development Services and on the State of the Art of Microfinance and Microenterprise Development in the Philippines have been completed to assess the current situation in these fields of interest and explore opportunities to expand access, not only to credit, but also to innovative products and services to microfinance clients.
This is important to go against the Bombays and other loansharks in the Philippines.
A Fair Employment Law would energize the middle class, and build it dramatically. It would become the weatherproofing on the duck’s back that would impel corruption and bad practices to “get outta here, you’re messin’ with my career opportunities.”
As someone who’s been on the wrong end of corporate politics, I like the idea of a Fair Employment Law. I fully expect all the “corporate culture” types to yell very loudly, though.
It’s somewhat off-topic (sorry for the thread hijack), but I do find it curious how the modern corporate culture is becoming less objective and more subjective (the amazingly vague “culture fit” being bandied about).Flies in the face of science and progress, no?
http://makezine.com/2012/05/29/how-to-start-a-tool-lending-library/
On manufacturing, I would add that you guys make this entrepreneurial and not just work for big int’l corporations, like BPO.
Instead of libraries (with books, though I think there should be more of these in the Philippines) since Filipinos are more visual and hands-on, the gov’t should set up tool libraries (and shops) in every barangay hall, and cultivate the DIY, “maker” revolution.
Then have people be versed in patents.
Samples of shops, or makerspaces…
Click to access Dual_Training_in_the_Philippines_K-12_Plus_Project.pdf
http://philippinen.ahk.de/dual-training/ – supported by the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry which is also supporting the K to 12 project.
GPCCI supports the K-12 education reform in the Philippines!
The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.
I am personally surprised at the level of German involvement in all of this… 🙂
http://philippinen.ahk.de/dual-training/ses-senior-expert-service/ – this could even be something I might be interested in taking part in for a stint, why not…
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“I am personally surprised at the level of German involvement in all of this…”
Makes sense to me, man. Base on your reporting on the Germans’ view of Syrian refugees, looks like the Germans just want more people to migrate to the Fatherland, and if they can control the migrants’ level of skills the better. Looks to me like a win-win policy, everybody benefits.
that could be, and most German firms in the Philippines are manufacturing companies – except for SAP which is in software. What they are doing is tapping a huge pool of labor that is there and just needs to qualified. Dual system is a mixture of school + on-the-job.
Those who get trained in those skills usually become full-time employees after finishing. Guess business-wise it is still cheaper for German firms to train people in the Philippines – especially if a part is subsidized somehow – and employ them, than to find them elsewhere.
Reminds me a reward winning lecture on TED, adults helping kids after school and another about teaching science hands-on. Look at http://www.ted.com/
Miss the 3D printer in the shop 🙂
Local suppliers for giant malls – RTW clothing apparel (those which are not exported to other countries), toys, artificial flowers, fruits and veggies (those which are not pushed out by smuggled Chinese produce). I hope nails and plastic home fixtures are locally made too, I observe that even bathroom tissue dispensers are imported from Malaysia.
Excellent idea, LCpl.
Part of the barangay budget could be used to build and equip a LENDING DEPOT based on implements needed by the barangay population.
In farming communities, farming implements could be “lent” for a minimal fee to cover depreciation, maintenance and replacement value of said implement.
As for “maker” spaces, an equipped professional kitchen to produce value added products from farmers’ harvests could lead to a new beverage and food cottage industry. It will level the field for those whose challenges to entrepreneurship is the system, driving them to reliance in shadow banking and resorting to illegal and substandard production.
“It will level the field for those whose challenges to entrepreneurship is the system, driving them to reliance in shadow banking and resorting to illegal and substandard production.”
Exactly, it also encourages self-reliance and community.
Putting together an IKEA closet was one my first catastrophic experiences in Germany.
The boards fell on my head of this spoiled-by-maids brat – who made his own bed for the first time when he was 17 in Germany – several times. But I got the hang of it after some tables, chairs, sofas from IKEA. My sister painted the chairs with Keith Haring motives later.
When I announced that I wanted to study Informatik = Computer Science, my father, the professor told me THAT IS ONLY A TOOL, not even looking at me like many government officials often do when they speak to underlings, I mean citizens. Well, this is all about the attitude of the entitled, used to having maids and looking down on stuff that makes you dirty. The theoretical-practical gap in the Philippines is a product of this – nice Constitution in theory, beautiful in fact, but in practice not lived. Clean and dirty kitchens, lots of denial.
No denial among Swedes who produced IKEA – much openness about sex and everything. No shame in “menial” work – I remember a Swedish head of accounting who proudly showed me a photo of her daughter – a driver of the underground in Stockholm.
Can you imagine a Filipina accounting head showing a picture of an MRT driver daughter?
Love this idea. (didn’t see tool rental shops so far, is it out of fear for a pawn chop just beside)
http://philippinen.ahk.de/dual-training/partner-schools-and-institutions/ – this would be an example that it already exists:
With the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum, which includes Senior High School, a major objective of ensuring that graduates will have the skills necessary to have realistic chances of landing jobs immediately after graduation without need of tertiary education called for “Dual Training” or “Dualized Training”. This refers to a combination of practical, on-the-job, enterprise-based training and theoretical education in school, thus ensuring a proper balance of theory and practice and maximizing the potentials of students to be employed immediately after graduation.
The German Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Metalworking Industries Association Of The Philippines Inc. ( Miap ), Metro Manila Chapter, have been working together to facilitate the development and implementation of programs designed to increase the knowledge and capabilities of the Philippines on Dual Training.
San Pedro National Relocation Center High School is the pilot school wherein these programs related to the Metal Cluster of the Technical Vocational Track are implemented.
They also have a training going on in Tondo with Grohe (Germany company).
Irineo, I would ask that you limit the volume of your comments and be more selective as to where you respond. You need not respond to every comment.. The effect of dumping reams of copy/paste is that people who wish to use original thought get drowned out by your tsunami of information, or stop reading.
Thank you.
Perhaps use your energy to compile a follow-up blog at your site, which I would be happy to peer, and consider here how to elaborate on what others have said, with some degree of selectivity as to what can help the Philippines the most.
Good idea… I definitely will. Well the stuff I have posted is happening now – so it is helping already in terms of giving especially the underprivileged a chance. It is definitely the German approach – what they say here is “they are hungrier” and work a lot harder…
OK get it… not much more information to add in this context anyway. Carry on.
“Love this idea. (didn’t see tool rental shops so far, is it out of fear for a pawn chop just beside)”
josephivo,
Americans are starting to see through all the corporate crap, the DIY makers, urban homesteading, and cooperatives are on the rise. It is kinda like the #AlDub phenomena but with people actually getting out and making stuff, and with others.
As for the borrowing/lending of tools, this is why it has to happen at the smallest level– the barangay. In rural barangays this will work, in urban barangays, where there’s too many shabu addicts who’ll just sell tools to support their habit, maybe just focus on makerspaces and ensure they build their stuff there and the tools stay.
Even Pres. Obama’s tapping into the DIY movement, Pres. Bush simply instructed us to buy more crap, so this is different, a game change, make stuff instead of buying crap– like Joe‘s whitening products over necessary survival items choice.
And use the AFP to enable the DIY movement over there, using this cost-effective, people-centric model: https://joeam.com/2015/10/22/binay-and-marcos-dumbing-down-the-philippines/#comment-142663
Yes, but in the US every man calling himself a man has an overflowing toolbox with grinders, routers, chain saw, you call it. Here they only have some tools made from steel bar and the results are accordingly. The idea of public “libraries” for tools is very appealing.
That’s so true, man.
Here is old Clint’s garage in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Torino , can you imagine a barangay hall or a small portion of the local public elem. school re-purposed as a makerspace? The sky’s the limit.
This was my frustration growing up.
We don’t have a maker culture here.
There are pockets of Maker groups but none when I was growing up.
Would love to have had one of these places to learn from people who can make stuff.
I used to send household tools in balikbayan boxes there but in the past few years, Ace Hardwares had been cropping up all over the place so I stopped and started telling them where the nearest branch is.
ON THE RELEASE OF THAT FILIPINO ENERGY OF METAPHORICAL NUCLEAR PROPORTION
Employment of ideas such as contained in this blog and the associated comments; the environment of the NOW continuing to 2028; the removing of the constraints and putting in its place the positive counter to the constraints — the biggest being the bureaucratic constraints — is a virtual guarantee that that “energy” will be released.
Let us start with the ONE GREAT, IMMEDIATE CONSTRAINT-AND-ENERGY RELEASER — MAKE POSSIBLE in May 2016:
– Voting the President-Vice President combination that will best make that concept possible; a President with his vast, impactful power on putting in place 11 SC Justices and thousand other officials in both JUDICIARY and the EXECUTIVE;
– Voting in place reasonable number of associated helpers of the P: Senators, Congressmen, Governors and Mayors.
Q.E.D. or shall I say EUREKA!
That is indeed the crucial step 1.
I believe the pent-up energy is indeed of nuclear proportion.
Education and training (TESDA etc) all these are of course very important. But the govt must never dive in and start going off in all directions. All these effort must dove-tail with some grand plan for the country. You got to have an idea of what you want in terms of the economy, then you plan the edu and train to support the economic plan. The planners need to have vision because it’s a long term thing — edu and training cannot happen in a week or a month.
Let me give 2 contradictory example:
Let me share Spore’s experience — sometime ago we knew we had to move ahead of other countries in what we want to do. So we identified high-value added end economy — high tech, medical, robotics etc.. We set the laws in place, we set the academic curriculums, we modify academic institutions, do the maths on quantity for headcounts required, the levels of technicians/professions etc…then we encourage or create incentives for kids so enrollment is there. Probably require a cycle of at least 6 years before these kids get energised and enter the labour market with the skills the specific industry. By the time the industries kick off, the right labour is there. That’s how we succeed.
Malaysia had a different experience. They seem to always take the cue from Spore and set out to do what we want to do, always on a grander scale (they have the land to do that. There are many times they could have worked with us on a win-win basis but they chose not to. That’s another story). So they came up with the idea of a Information Technology Corridor (forgot the name) that will be like Silicon Valley. They started preparing the land, the roads etc and got international companies to come. Several came, and then what? They did not have the techie people to take up the jobs. It was disastrous, from a business stand point.
Edu system cannot just churn out whatever numbers you want. They need to be of the skills required for the industry, the the right numbers.
If it’s my way, I closed down all those law schools in Philippines. Why do you want so many of them?
Probably the development plan of the Philippine Government is foreign investment based.
BPO was first, now I see that German companies are investing like hell in the Philippines – and the dual training / TESDA / K-12 is being helped by the German government, which always helps with the intention of growing business for its own companies abroad, normal. Good thing for the Philippines, because the manufacturing sector will grow – just like with the Japanese car plant the Aquino inaugurated, which is known because of Mamasapano.
So money is coming in now and development. But a master plan for own industrial development is not yet there – maybe it can be done after a qualified pool is present due to foreign investment and better training. At least with BPO Roxas already kept people from leaving the country to get work elsewhere. Manufacturing same thing, German firms are doing on-the-job training in poor areas helped by foreign aid money. It is at least a start.
We also have German Institute in Spore. They do good work.
Foreign investment does not mean the govt surrenders the industry choice we want. We can be selective too and encourage first those that we have identified that we want.
Gian mentioned the high-end part of the the spectrum. My opinion is entirely opposite. Go for those that other countries don’t want and which are low end and labour intensive. Our priority is employment. Leave out the ego.
Some years ago then Indonesian VP Habibie went for super high-end aviation industry. Company formed, funded and went into operation. Me thinks its to let his son, an Aviation degree holder, the opportunity. Any foo can see — who’s gonna buy a jet plane made in Indonesia?. He opted so high end when there are millions unemployed. Don’y take this same path.
So they can do notary work and other rigamarole required by the various agencies and courts.
“If it’s my way, I closed down all those law schools in Philippines. Why do you want so many of them?”
I disagree, the more law schools the better.
But bring down the status of being a lawyer a notch or two, ie. they’ll be BPO fodder for big law firms in the West doing transactional and research crap. But a solid foundation in Law, even one not so solid, will help the nation, ie. with the DIY movement, there would be focus on patents and business contracts, etc.
A training in law won’t be a stand alone, the cream of the crop will rise, they’ll have their niche protecting the rich, so there should be scholarships set up to encourage more Ralph Nader and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Serra principled-type lawyers. But the rest of those legally trained will use that legal training to venture into entrepreneurial stuff, there are already plenty of realtor/lawyers in the Philippines.
I’m with josephivo on this, focus on entrepreneur and service, and not factory work.
The tourism industry could really take off if more was made out of it. Enough people come even if the Philippines is not the first choice in the area. Even hospitals and clinics that cater to foreigners, or retirement homes close to the beach would be good business.
Aside from tourism, they can target US military retirees and vets. The VA already has a system in place, though only in Manila (I don’t know if Joe‘s using the VA over there), but from this video it seems like it’s a good deal.
Philippine consulates over here can work their Filipino magic (since most clerks and nurses in the VA are Filipino) ID the folks getting 60-100% disability (who invariably will be having a hard time making ends meet in the US), and convince them that it’s more Fun in the Philippines.
http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/resources_comp01.asp
Just make sure you vet out the crazies, instead target vets that have something to offer. Like I’ve said before these guys just need a cause to fight for, if the Philippines can give them that “ikigai”, that reason to get up in the morning, the better– it’s a win-win.
These guys are value-added resources.
I don’t use VA.
many take up law because they like it. just for the title. you know, part of the culture. there is some benefit to it if they know you are ATTY. they know you will not be cowed by anybody. many wont practice. I for one, when I was a minor bureaucrat, took classes at night. instead of braving the traffic, why not just go to law school? you meet other people, more network. and you socialize after the class hehehe and also its cheap unless you take it from Ateneo or SAn BEda.
but the govt should not be subsidizing the law students at UP. they should pay market rate. look at what we got from that law school? Binay, Miriam, JPE. Marcos. they maybe brilliant but “no benefit” to society. pabigat lang
I don’t think you made a comment on my ACLU article, DAgimas, but you’re right on status, ease of study (depending on school) and networking, here’s my article:
https://joeam.com/2015/05/21/a-filipino-aclu-and-lawyering-in-the-philippines/
The question is, you having attended law school (did you ever take the bar?), can you de-mystify the Legal profession over there. That’s the biggest hurdle, you guys treat your lawyers too much like pastors and priests, in many cases better.
Over here, we make ’em work.
Sure the big shots are held in awe, but as a whole, the profession, is seen as very utilitarian– basically, they’re simply technicians who can read the fine print and find loopholes, nothing mystical in what they do. And now that there’s the internet, they are not as important.
Especially in transactional and research aspect of law. The creativity aspect of law should still be held in awe, much like watching an artist ply his trade.
I took up law when I was with a govt agency. a univ opened a campus in our agency head office. the profs came, not for the money, of course,but for networking and to make pasikat. some also teach at ADMU, UP or other law schools. since we are working, they have different expectations than the full time students they teach at their main campus.
they could not bluff or scare us the way they do with the young full time students. its just professionals trying to broaden their knowledge or to add another title to their titles already. and of course, its in , our “territory”. the profs don’t expect us to recite everyday coz some might have worked the night before.
I don’t know if the profs tell the same story to their younger students as they told us but you learn a lot of inside stories regarding politicians, businessmen. one prof proudly tells how this govt PPP contract was made by his law office. this PPP is the subject of a long running dispute, until now. this lawyer made his principal very happy I think to the detriment of the public. another who is a resident of a city tells how corrupt really this politician (a national figure)
there is really nothing special about lawyers or the law profession. you can read the law by yourself but like any other profession, you maybe knowledgeable about law but you don’t have the gravitas to discuss it if your are not an ATTY
the courts are faster now in resolving cases except if you don’t have a lawyer and your case doesn’t involved a lot of controversies. its really the estafa cases that clogged the dockets. its the parties that make it really difficult to resolve the case. some parties just delay the proceedings just to spite the other party. but for those who wants the cases to be resolved fast, they can. most judges now are young so they don’t like the shenanigans involved
Last paragraph is encouraging.
like all govt services, the court system is just overwhelmed. my classmate was already appointed MTC judge and he is not yet 40..he needed no ninongs..he just worked to meet the needed 10 year practice and of course he accepted a position far from Metro Manila..where another classmate of mine said..your entertainment at night is to count the stars hahahah
Dagimas, would you know by any chance when the Register of Deeds was centralized and I think even computerized? I find that a very good thing, taking it away from the LGUs.
Land cases are one of the most annoying aspects of the Philippine legal system I know of.
Mr Salazar, im not familiar with the dates but according to Wikipedia, it was 1982. if that was bar question, everybody would not be able to answer it
Irineo is OK… legal and administrative complexity seems to be one of the major things in the way of business opportunities in the Philippines. All kinds of permits I have read and ambiguities that can cause trouble for businessmen. Multinationals can afford the lawyers.
Land is one aspect that I have heard is troublesome, because you can have land cases that stretch for decades and remain unsettled. I am asking myself how many businesses do manage to get by with that kind of situation. OK now there is TCT but still it is complex.
High paid technicians.
“can you de-mystify the Legal profession over there. That’s the biggest hurdle, you guys treat your lawyers too much like pastors and priests, in many cases better. ”
My father told me that law was the first profession that the Spaniards allowed natives to learn and practice, after that medicine – think Rizal – so these professions are revered.
Spanish civil code was introduced to the Philippines in the late 19th century, before that no real rights at all for natives just the state and the church. I have old land papers from my folks that show the transition to codified law – affidavits by neighbors that testify that someone tilled the land for at least 30 years and therefore is the rightful owner – possibly the old native customary law. Written beautifully by village scribes in ornate lettering.
Signed by peasants who could barely write their names. With the Spanish documentary stamp of the respective year on them for authenticity – but only starting with certain years.
Guess in that situation a good lawyer was like a voodoo priest for many simple folks.
all Spanish colonies have high regard for the law profession..even the british colonies..think india and America
But more to my point, how were you able to leverage your knowledge in law in all other facets of your life, professional & personal, DAgimas? ie., were you a better bureaucrat because of legal training?
if you are conscientious, which I think I am..you think twice before you do dubious things like filing my taxes..i just close my eyes and follow what is required, never mind if I have to pay instead of receiving refund
Careful, you are starting to sound like MRP ahahaha. What’s next, an attack on Korina? 🙂
Manpower allocation is the word. Education has to churn out the right numbers and the right skills the economy needs. At the moment, there is a great mismatch. None more pronounced that the legal people. I think the legal profession is very very public in Philippines. They are everywhere holding positions not in relation to their special skills and they make headlines. The publicity tends to generate in the minds of the young wow that’s what I want to get into — see the power they have? Over here, folks address the guy who does notary work ATTORNEY, they use car plates ATTORNEY. Elsewhere, we call them Mr or Miss or Mrs and they are mostly quietly working in some offices.
Most of the poorest of the poor in this country are landless tenants in the rural-agricultural areas. Agrarian reform is supposed to have converted them into entrepreneurial farmers. But implementation as usual could do better and little if any has been accomplished. Moreover the raging conflict between government forces and the communist insurgency movement has further complicated their lives. Thus these desperate landless farmers have started migrating to the urban centers hoping for a better deal. But uneducated and lacking in technical skills, they’ve ended up as underpaid casual workers in various urban sweat shops and residing in squalid squatter colonies. The hope is that they’re able to improve their technical skills through state interventions such as TESDA and industry is able to expand and accommodate them. The state can also do more to improve implementation of agrarian reform so that otherwise landless farmers may improve their economic situation, become viable consumers and stay where they are. I’ve seen this happen in the Davao del Norte where implementation of agrarian reform seems to have gone well. Formerly desperate, these new landowning farmers have since become entrepreneurial farmers. A bank manager in Davao del Norte who used to be my employee has told me that the bank is dong brisk business in crop financing with agrarian reform beneficiaries Now the challenge is for the state to improve and expand these success areas.
Thank you for adding agrarian reform to the “solutions” list to build opportunity into the nation’s employment practices.
“…uneducated and lacking in technical skills, they ended up as underpaid casual workers in various urban sweat shops and residing in squalid squatter colonies.”
This is so true , Gico.
We have a number of kasambahays who came from these urban sweat shops in Valenzuela City, these places are so crowded, do not enough ventillation, and some unlucky ones became victims of fire. She’s 26 and already has 3 kids to feed and provide education and other basic needs. She’s moonlighting as manicurist on weekends, my niece is taking care of my hair needs, so I no longer visit the beauty parlor. Salvation be austerity, and all that.
Am not that clear on the K-12 educatioanl system in its birth pain stage, meaning on its first year of implementation. As an example, I am citing the daughter of a cousin, the one I keep making an example of cousins still belongin to the poorest of the poor. They are among the beneficiaries of the CCT program of the government, the cash loans, the health insurance, aside from free meds and consultations in the rural health centers. A son was a beneficiary of the TESDA vocational schools but could not finish the course due to lack of transportation allowance, I have provided the uniforms and shoes but was not informed of the lack of other needs, learned about it when he had already stopped going to the school….haaaiiissst…
Back to TESDA and the daughter, on her fourth year in the national public high school, has attended a seminar so the process of how to go about the 11th and 12th level can be discussed fully. Am not sure if she got it right but according to her, technological schools have been identified as government partners, the students get to select where they want to enroll to. The government will shoulder 17K per student, the balance will be care of the parents. STI quoted 23K per annum, so the parents will have to shell out 600 per month for 10 months on the 11th and, the same on the 12th year. I thought of surprising them, will foot the 2 years balance and do my best to have her employed in our office after she graduated, that is, if her grades are maintained to the standard needed for a minor accountancy subject, and if her understanding of what was discussed to them is accurate.
Still thinking about how to confirm the accuracy of the figures and methodology. If this is true, then I am impressed with this government program.
You’re an angel Mary
Nope, am not. Just giving back or sharing my blessings…but thanks, chempo
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But… but, Mary, even from afar i can see your wings.
*****
Humbled by this, sir edgar…if you could only see the family, all emaciated, willing to work but lacking in opportunity, all we could do is assist in our small way, the nonagenarian granny and the septuagenarian aunt had to be prioritized….the PNOY government is to be commended for helping more of such families.
My question on K-12 education is: Is it possible to make a Filipino hybrid program?
My proposal is to incorporate TESDA training in the curriculum. Maintain the 6 years elementary and 4 years high school of education. In the last year of high school, identify those who will go to college and put them in advanced placement classes/college prep for two years. Likewise, those identified for vocational courses will go to TESDA for training. Every student get twelve years of education. The college prep track kids will go on to college and the vocational track kids will have marketable skills and will be job ready by the 12th year.
I have not done a thorough reading on the proposed k-12 program there so I need to. I’ll be back…
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Eminent suggestion. My impression is that is how it’s done in some Oz states. K-10 is the end of High School, and K-11 and K-12 are considered College. At K-10, students stand at the fork in the road, and can choose the vocational TESDA path (called TAFE here) or the academic path.
Some kids are simply not academically inclined.
*****
That’s how it is being done in Batangas, JP. Students are being screened already in the last year of high school, they are given exams to determine if they are college (the full 4-or more year course) material. My intended scholar is great in Math, hopefully she can start with a two year accountancy course, get employed as an office assistant, then we’ll plan for additional education, and see if she can advance herself from then on. It will depend on her.
I tried to do it to her elder sister but as sir edgar says, “some kids are simply not academically inclined.” We provided the tuition, uniforms, books, computer, but she did not attend the classes, played hooky, just wasted our money.
JP, I agree there is much to be said and thought about the configuration of the K-12 education, such as: financing of programs (gov & personal), philosophy/vision overarching the implementations of the program, the professional & technical personnel to populate the pedagogies adopted, the quality educational standards formulated along the way, etc. These questions really bugged me, even if I only invested 2 years teaching in the old educational systems. When FM declared martial law, I thought then, at last the consolidation of financial and expert resources could be centralized from a common vision for the overall good of the Filipino mind. Those were my Polyanna dreams and we know what happens to those kind of dreams. Don Quixote comes to mind. So I will follow your studies with much interest and wish all who pick up the baton much blessings.
That is the plan JP,
Essentially the last two years would either be vocational education or what the first two years of college were supposed to teach.
The K-12 program should eliminate:
College Algebra
English 1 and 2
Filipino 1 and 2
History 1 and 2
if you are from UP the GE courses should either be eliminated or halved.
Yes, gian. Looks like the curriculum mapping have the same essence as my proposal. I just got reading the pertinent info from Department of Education, GOVPH, RA10533 and some articles about the pro and cons of K-12 implementation in PH.
I am not clear about the keeping the 11-12 graders in the same school. There will be no loss of employment for college teachers if the colleges over there establish a junior college curriculum for the college tracked kids and TESDA absorb the vocational tracked ones. Aren’t state colleges and universities funded by the government already?
You introduced me to the Iskolar ng Bayan (RA10648). Maybe the top 10 students of each school could skip senior high (11-12) and go straight to college? Bright kids in the US are accepted in college/university early placement curriculum after the 10th year.
What would you suggest?
While waiting for Gian’s response. may I butt in:
I think TESDA should really be expanded to absorb the 11th and 12th level. In the meantime, the government has partnered with other technological schools, STI for example. Unfortunately, they are private entities, not government, so the the government would spend more.
See my example on https://joeam.com/2015/10/29/opportunity-the-energy-untapped-in-the-philippines/#comment-144049 (above)
and the parents have to shoulder around 6K minimum, still a lot and way over the poorest of the poor’s capability.
UP, PUP and UPLB are funded by the government already, and they have levels of scholarship for iskolar ng bayan. Most children of the wealthy couples are also there, availing of the state’s generosity just because they are bright enough to meet the scholastic requirement, they are in another class, I think, where they have to pay something, but much lower than in private universities and colleges. I hope this iskolar ng bayan will not be influenced by and join the left leaning groups who are forever maligning the government that pays for their education.
The K-12 curricula are sensitive to non-academic careers as early as grades 9 and 10, where the following course tracks are available:
AGRI-FISHERY ARTS
HOME ECONOMICS
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
INDUSTRIAL ARTS
The senior high program (Grades 11 and 12)also offers vocational subjects which I can’t elaborate on because it is in Filipino. Here’s the link: http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/page/2014/SHS%20Applied_Filipino%20%28Tech-Voc%29%20CG!_0.pdf
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JP: The dress should be loosened at the top.
Others: Yeah, it should show more cleavage.
JoeAm: It already is that way.
*****
Yes, I checked out the cleavage. So did Irineo, I might add.
Yeah, I did look at the confident smiles of the Filipina trainees… 🙂 For the women in this blog: http://www.k-12plus.org/index.php/2015-01-16-13-33-41/manufactoring The Mechanic/Manufacturing Cluster is supervised by the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) which is part of the globally active German Chambers of Commerce Abroad network (AHKs).
As of autumn 2015 we together with our partners are going to provide needed skills for industrial mechanics and machine tool makers. Milling, drilling, and filing are going to be taught to name just a few examples. One such partner will be San Pedro Relocation Center National High School. GPPCI and K-12Plus has partnered with them to launch the pilot for the Mechanic/Manufacturing Cluster. (See courses offered below).
I’m looking for the uber-adult classes for repatriates. help, anybody?
http://www.hss.de/southeastasia/en/philippines/news-events/2014/german-senior-expert-service-police-training-expert-assists-police-instructors-in-developing-practical-case-based-training-materials-for-police-training.html – Sonny, if the USA has anything like the German SES – senior expert service, you could go home and help our folks. This is something I might even do soon, I will ask them if they take 50 year old freelancers…
“Practical-case based training in the Philippines is showing a leadership role in reference to police work and will put benchmarks for police training and policing in the ASEAN Region,” said German Senior Expert Service (SES) Police Training Expert Peter Dietz in the course of his assignment with the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC). Mr. Dietz, a retired senior police officer with over forty-two (42) years of service with the Bavarian Police is supporting and advising police instructors by providing technical/mentoring services in the development of case-based material. Primary beneficiaries are police instructors from the PPSC’s constitutive units namely, the National Police Training Institute (NPTI) national and regional training centers, the National Forensic Science Training Institute (NFSTI), the National Police College (NPC), and the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA). The NPTI is responsible for the one-year mandatory, and on-the-job training of police cadets in its seventeen (17) regional training centers nationwide. The NFSTI conducts senior-level police officer training in forensics and crime scene investigation. The NPC provides senior police officer training. Finally, the PNPA is responsible for training cadets who, after a four-year training period, complete a bachelor’s degree in public safety and are commissioned as police inspectors and assigned to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
During training sessions, police instructors worked from an agreed case structure developed together with Bavarian Police Officers and worked on additional case materials on police training subjects such as first responder procedures, vehicle collision, arrest and seizure, custodial investigation, crime-scene investigation, and evidence handling. Then they presented how they will manage the teaching process and had to demonstrate how the cases are to be simulated. Documentation of the exercise and the conduct of a post-simulation evaluation between the instructors and the students were emphasized throughout.
Sonny my unc,
do you mean for high school completion?
http://www.lsgh.edu.ph/ans/
or college
https://www.mc.edu.ph/AcademicPrograms/BasicEducation/MiriamCollegeAdultEducation.aspx
@ Karl
College for me and not-so-uber for a relative. This is are retro-fit scenarios, nephew. Reading Joe’s link, I realized how much time I have been absent from the motherland. The Filipino-written document on K-12 “plan” is a project itself for deep thought in a DepEd seminar/workshop.
@ Karl
Ah, nephew, you came through again. The two examples/levels you linked to fit a large segment of our educable/trainable young. My sad taste from my own municipality was an unforgettable sight: youth (men/women) 3, 4 years out of high school languishing aimlessly it appears surrounded by financial incapability to move forward or as fruits for the plucking by avaricious Filipino middlemen for “employment placements” to points unknown and join the migration herds to the inhospitable meat markets of the world! And this is just one town in the 1000+ towns of our country.
@Sonny, this is where the German aspect comes in again… many German companies do engineering work in the Middle East.. worked for the German branch of a Filipino recruiter firm once that sent entire teams to build oil rigs, did the computation program for them…
Germany and German firms doing Dual Training for Filipinos also makes sense, they may have seen that Filipinos are very good workers and have decided to train them in the Philippines – for their local branches, but also for Middle Eastern projects and global projects that German companies do.. building entire airports like NAIA3 is a regular thing and the more skilled Filipino workers are there the better for Hochtief and other firms. The moldability of the Filipino is probably also an advantage that German managers consider.
Put a young Ilocano into the US Armed Forces and you have a GI = Genuine Ilocano who is a perfect soldier after a short time. Train a young Filipino the German way, great results.
“The Filipino-written document on K-12 “plan” is a project itself for deep thought in a DepEd seminar/workshop.” I wonder how much German model or advice was involved.
The German system has very similar tracks – and as I mentioned Japan and Korea modelled many of their institutions on 19th century Prussia, especially the court system. The new Philippine Penal Code draft of 2014 was also advised by the Bavarian HSS.
There are really not any subjects listed in that link, Joe. It just narrates the “skills” that will be taught in the curriculum such as critical and strategic thinking among others but it does not tell how they will do it in specific vo-tech track such as agri-fishery.
Don’t worry, Joe. Even I had a nosebleed from reading that link.
🙂
I’ve always wondered the need for that Sports and Arts/Design tracks. What exactly will that look like on the ground, and is there really a need for those tracks?
Is the Philippines expecting to be a powerhouse in the Olympics soon?
I can understand, Arts and Design, but shouldn’t this be reserved for college?
Here’s Design in action: http://disruptivethinkers.blogspot.com/2012/05/navy-and-sanctioned-class-divide.html But I still think, focus on Academic or Vocational should take priority over Sports & Arts– you can stick arts in the humanities sub-track under Academic, it just doesn’t warrant a separate track.
I was amused by the sports track, too, but it is more forthright than in the US where colleges compete to hire (via scholarships) athletes who dream of becoming big time stars and end up being drunks and druggies. The Philippine Olympics movement has been a total failure, but from time to time individuals emerge to shine (ice skating, oddly enough). Of course, the country is obsessed about basketball and boxing. Also, volleyball is growing, and soccer. I think every barangay should have a hired coach to set up youth sports, myself. Basketball is just the wrong sport to go nuts over because no one here can dunk. The Phils ought to dominate in baseball and soccer, if the admin of these programs is good. Filipinos are quick and highly athletic. Dynamite fishermen might be able to compete in the shot put, who knows. Thinking like Irineo now . . .
https://joeam.com/2015/10/29/opportunity-the-energy-untapped-in-the-philippines/#comment-144333 – LCPL_X, wrote about the Arts thing here…
Sports could be useful to create good soldiers.
As for putting some college stuff into Grade 11-12 – that is a European/German thing. Don’t overload the colleges with people who don’t really need to go there. Actually Grade 11-12 is very similar to senior high – or to American junior college, in its curriculum.
Sports guys could go to PMA or PNPA. Philippines needs a lot of soldiers, and good cops.
The civic service thing we talked about – making barangays work, could be done by teams of civic service people, soldiers and cops. Strong, small teams with highly trained roles.
“Sports guys could go to PMA or PNPA. Philippines needs a lot of soldiers, and good cops.”
You’ll do so much better if you focus on legal training in high school (as per my ACLU article) for police and history/politics for military (Greek, Classics…), than sports, Ireneo.
Sports shouldn’t be the focus, it’s an add on. No doubt there are plenty of values associated with the Arts and Sports, but they are better suited for extracurricular activities, than the center of study.
There should be lots of arts and sports happening in schools, I get that, but it shouldn’t be seen as an end all– in college you can major in PT or Kinesiology, etc.
I’d feel better about the Tracks outlined above, if they put out the suggested curriculum. What’s it gonna look like, Basketball history, Basketball theory, Guest speaker Allen Iverson, Play basketball, Learn to sign your autographs, Couching basics, etc. Then maybe a select sub-track for boxing.
Sports can be a science… liked watching German sports science documentaries by experts, shown on morning TV in the Philippines while I was a child. Afternoon class so I had the whole morning to watch TV, either that or Fernando Poe movies, or play outside.
Vitali Klitschko has a Doctorate in Sports Science – which is why he is called Dr. Steel Hammer. But he is actually part of the Hamburg boxing group, his coach is German. Hamburg and Berlin are the rough cities with a culture of pro boxing here in Germany.
A lot of German soldiers – and Olympic athletes – studied sports on military scholarships. Filipinos are extremely good sports material, just look at what the US Army makes out of Filipinos who join. Compare that to what typical Filipinos, same material, make themselves.
@Edgar
Nah. It is more like:
JP: Let’s do more digging.
Others: Yeah, go for the gold.
Joe: The gold is already deposited at Central Bank.
Edgar: Hahaha! Don’t look at me. I am enjoying this spectacle of Filipinos trying to dig a deeper ditch.
🙂
🙂 🙂 🙂
I hear ya on the science aspect of Sports, man. If it gets translated on the ground, actual implementation, as something similar to the U.S. Marine Raiders (MARSOC)’ PER RES program,
http://archive.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20110228/NEWS/102280324/MARSOC-program-targets-physical-mental-health …
then I’d agree, but I think when this gets implemented, people will be shooting for the stars– ie. like what Steve said below, the shallow end of the pool — but if it can be applied as a science, then more reason to place it under the STEM sub-track of the Academic track, IMHO– giving it the weight it deserves.
I would add that I think peeling 11/12 off to TESDA would be jerking around the K-12 program which has been given a lot of thought and a lot of work, and we ought to let it mature. The curricula are well worth studying. The issue to me is finding the teachers who can actually teach what the curricula envision, because I think they’ll have trouble hiring in a lot of provincial schools, and so the courses won’t be available.
TVET is already part of the K-12 curriculum and TESDA is fully integrated from what I see.
http://www.k-12plus.org/index.php/2015-01-16-13-33-41/food-manufacturing-cluster – just to give another example of what is really going on in that area right now:
The Food Manufacturing Cluster for the K to 12 Plus Project was formed by AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development together with its primary project partner Cebu Chamber of Commerce, Inc. Food Manufacturing is a very important industry in Cebu, from dried mangoes to bottled preservatives, canned goods and processed meat. Cebu food manufacturing firms cater to a local and global market. It consists of companies who contribute a significant amount in the country’s GDP. The food manufacturing firm involved in the cluster include Magic Melt, Inc.; Anita’s Bakeshop; San Jose Bakeshop; Central Seafood Cebu, Inc. and Virginia Foods, Inc. These firms worked together with the teachers of Barrio Luz National High School and the TVI Philippine School for Culinary Arts to design the curriculum for Grade 11 and 12 Technical Vocational track under the Food Manufacturing strand. The students will train under the Food Processing NC I and NC II program that will prepare them for work under HACCP standards and give them skills important for food manufacturing. Additional subjects like Cookery NC II and Baking and Pastry NC II will give them a holistic set of skills that will shape them into world class food processing experts.
Joe, you are very right – look at the ENERGY these young people have!
And the links show that teacher training is already taking place for the new tracks.
Ah, thank you for that clarification, Irineo. You clearly read faster than me. I think the framework of the K-12 program is excellent. The success will be in the doing, to make sure the courses (some work on critical thinking, even) get made available far and wide.
I will write an article on K-12 Plus. As a German-assisted project, I am sure it already has plans to march (not goose-step that has been abolished) into every island… 🙂
Will write to the organizers (in German of course) and request more details so that the article is really well-researched – and I am sure they will answer, being service-oriented.
There is one initiative I am aware of that is doing TESDA-plus training. The features include certification via 2-year complete immersion in the program of choice and board & lodging, post-curriculum coop programs with partners in appropriate industry. This is in typhoon-devastated-Leyte.
http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_lyrics_of_ang_bagong_lipunan- Manong Sonny, the dreams of a “New Society” are being realized, not as fake propaganda and prestige projects like the Marcos era suggested, but as reality being worked on everywhere now:
Ang gabi’y nagmaliw nang ganap
At lumipas na ang magdamag
Madaling araw/ ay nagdiriwang
May umagang namasdan
The night is truly over, the “magdamag” in Filipino or “madrugada” in Spanish, the wee hours of the morning are over, sunrise is celebrating the morning that has come.
Eat that, neo-Marcos propagandists – the reality of accomplishments is NOW, not Cultural Centers built for Imeldific while keeping people in growing slums, not Film Centers where cement was poured on dead, even living workers so that Imelda could make pasosyal.
The Marcos dream was bullshit. The work being done now is reality. It is our job to show the Philippines what is being done and that patience pays off, not another dictatorship by the spoiled brat son of the dictator who did not even finish the course he claimed to have – every HR manager will tell you that not finishing what you started is a sign that this person will do the same with every assignment he is given on the job. Let’s shine the light of truth!
The program is young and well-meaning and thought of and with partners from industry. I have contributed to the program a little and am watching with much interest. I know for a fact it is not a neo-Marcos initiative, PiE.
Definitely not… my message to the neo-Marcos people is that during the term of Noynoy, something like a New Society is being realized, but in reality not propaganda. Daang Matuwid is truly successful and should be continued – and the successes are posted here!
https://joeam.com/2015/10/29/opportunity-the-energy-untapped-in-the-philippines/#comment-144285 – Karl, I meant the kitchen above. It may seem unreal to Filipinos, but these kinds of kitchens are real in Germany and I think K to 12 is doing real TQM…
One of Cory’s staff in the 1989 German state visit had me accompany him to a village near the German federal guest house because he wanted to buy something. The Embassy driver took us there. He was surprised that streets were clean even in the areas not officially passed through by the convoys. Maybe he was testing if the streets were really that clean because he could not believe it. Maybe he told Noynoy about that?
I think the academic curriculum is well fleshed out but the problem is with the implementation. You are right about the human resources deficiency but there are a lot more problematic factors. I am beginnning to symphatize with Trillanes who sees the importance of k-12 but has qualms about the manner of its implementation. Hence, the suggestion about broadening TESDA to run the vo-tech track and existing college/universities for the higher education track. TESDA training centers already have the some maker spaces. It is just a matter of addition of more. The colleges have all the necessary laboratories for college education. Why make a simple solution complex?
And my response would be, you may be right, but the train is roaring down the track, and if you try to turn it, the whole thing will crash. That sets educational advancement back five years.
Correct, Juana, using university human resources, especially the type of “professors” – some don’t even have doctorates or masters in the Philippines even at UP – to teach Grades 11 and 12 makes a lot of sense. When my father came to Paris to study, the French told him that his U.P. Bachelor, summa cum laude and all, was only worth a French high school diploma plus 1-2 years of real studying. The curriculum of the first two years of Philippine university IS the same as senior high in Germany, Grade 11 to 13. Grade 13 is about being thorough and reviewing stuff before the exams, East German states have K-12 which is more efficient, some West German states have gone K-12 recently as well.
Trillanes is partly right but is raising his objections a little bit late, where was he when K-12 was being planned? The truth is, many university teachers are moving to the Grade 11-12 bracket now where they belong. And K-12 means less people study useless theory, they do stuff that combines theoretical and practical applications which is what the Philippines needs, while less people will go to universities. Trillanes has a bit of a one-track mind, focusing mainly on the concerns of civil servants, being one himself. It would have been more constructive if he had been involved in planning, but he is “wrong” political party. Well now I think K-12 will push through, and with some bumps it will be working very soon.
LCPL_X, I guess the arts thing is the specific Filipino adaptation. Filipinos can be very good at arts and handicrafts, just look at what the native tribes make. This is definitely an area where the country can great high-quality export goods – and is partly doing already.
There is a large variance on public schools particularly between regions, but even between municipalities of the same province.
If we have a high enough bar to keep students with holes in their education I fully agree with giving talented students a go straight to college pass.
During GMA’s term to goose the statistics about classrooms, student ratios some schools instituted multiple shift schools. lucky schools got AM and PM shift some schools had 3 and anecdotal evidence points that some even had 4 shifts. The worst schools had 2 grade classes being thought by one teacher.
The quality of teaching and education sucks but as the infrastructure catches up it is improving.
That said in order to cram lots of subjects with limited time and resources hybrid subjects were created and some subjects were removed.
This created a batch of students that as stated earlier with holes in their education.
If Education is a focus of the next admin I believe that we can have fast tracks such as you suggested.
JP, found this interesting link. I’m parking it here for reference. dios ti agngina, kabsat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocational_education
What in particular do you want to know, Manong?
I know you know about what I am going to say below. I want write to it down here for those wanting to do a compare/contrast study.
There are several avenues for dropouts to be productive in the US. There are high school equivalencies in different modes: classroom, online, self-study. One is given a completion diploma after passing the equivalency test. He could then choose his path: college or vo-tech. Some kids who are fed up of going to school can do an equivalency test review and try to pass the equivalency test after their 16th birthday.
The US also have 2- year community colleges that are geared to handle both college prep and vo-tech tracks. College prep is the general education track, which in 2+2 programs meaning 2 years at a community college plus 2 years in a 4 year college = bachelors degree. These community colleges offer a variety of choices for vo-tech studies ranging from 1 semester (6 months) certificates of proficiency up to 4 semesters (2 years) culminating in an associate degree: AA for arts or AS for science). Associate degree holders can go on to college if they choose to and use 2+2 or change career direction in college and be given credits for the general education part the community college education.
When Joe talks about opportunity, this is how educational opportunity is mapped out in the US. There are many avenues open for self fulfillment. There is no excuse for being an uneducated American.
I am no longer correcting my typos because I know you’ll ask questions if you did not get the gist of what I have written. Let’s go beyond the nitpicking of grammar and writing mechanics. Let us focus on ideas and refrain from getting too personal.
“When Joe talks about opportunity, this is how educational opportunity is mapped out in the US. There are many avenues open for self fulfillment. There is no excuse for being an uneducated American.”
Agree with all the above, Juana,
I’d just add the preponderance of public (and private) libraries over here also. Eric Hoffer, who became widely read after 9/11 (True Believer), went to school in the library, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_True_Believer .
http://www.deadendfollies.com/2012/12/book-review-edward-bunker-education-of.html This guy too, though in a prison library.
In addition to Citizen Service Centres in barangays, there should be barangay libraries.
Could be that the AlDub libraries financed by the AlDub show are a step in this direction.
The presently useless kagawads and councillors as well as the SK could be tapped to deal with this instead of just feeling important and acting so, also there could be free Internet access for citizens in the libraries. And there could be tool shops + maker spaces.
I often donate books I no longer want to have to the Munich public library. Or there is an “open bookshelf” where I put old books and can get any I want, have done this as well.
I benefitted a lot from public libraries when I was in Bonn and didn’t have much money.
And from my father’s extensive library in the Philippines when we were there – 10,000 books, decimated by his students “borrowing” them, around 8,000 are now part of the La Salle University Library he donated them to. Lots of history, language and ethnology stuff.
http://tagaloglang.com/The-Philippines/History/ang-dekalogo-ni-apolinario-mabini.html
«Palusugín mo ang mg̃a piling̃ kayamanan na ipinagkaloób sa iyó ni Bathalà.
Cultivate the special talents given to you by God – from Mabini’s Decalogue… he cultivated his brain…
I was not sure where or who could use most information on Voc-Tech in the US that is most adaptable to the PH needs, JP. Your sub-thread is the nearest I could connect to for those Society readers interested in this field for FYI purposes and beyond. You and I are familiar with the American landscape for Voc-Tech Ed. Obviously Society members have a wide and deep diversity of opinion and experience to lend. Our DepEd as the primary triage agent for our education needs seems swamped to the point of ineffectivity. Just my opinion. The US HEW configuration (mass public education) seems applicable to the PH.
I mention HEW because our school children need food, clothing and sleep really bad.
Juana, what you are saying makes a lot of sense, In Singapore we call this streaming. Our edu system streams or channels the kids into the fields according to their skill sets. No coercion — they have choices. We have Vocational Institutes which are schools doing like TESDA but its 2 or 3 years that churn out diploma holders…these will form the technician pool.
Yes, chempo. All they really need to do is study the successful neighbors’ educational system and apply the lessons learned. The senators over there have researchers and consultants expense accounts, the money will be well spent if they use it in looking for best practices that could be applied in PH. I’d say look around Asia because PH culture has more similarities to its neighbors’ than to Western countries’ PH often want to emulate.
http://www.gov.ph/k-12/ – it already is that way:
TRACKS
Each student in Senior High School can choose among three tracks: Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM).
Students undergo immersion, which may include earn-while-you-learn opportunities, to provide them relevant exposure and actual experience in their chosen track.
TVET (TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING) NATIONAL CERTIFICATE
After finishing Grade 10, a student can obtain Certificates of Competency (COC) or a National Certificate Level I (NC I). After finishing a Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track in Grade 12, a student may obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II), provided he/she passes the competency-based assessment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
NC I and NC II improves employability of graduates in fields like Agriculture, Electronics, and Trade.
I haven’t looked into the “Dual Training” + K-12+ stuff Germany is sponsoring in detail yet, but it probably is also in Grade 11-12 – the German Dual Training is 3 years.
BTW your idea of looking at neighboring Asian countries will lead you back to the German model – the Japanese and Korean systems ARE mainly based on Prussia for example.
http://www.k-12plus.org/index.php/2015-01-16-13-33-41/tourism-hospitality-cluster
The K to 12 TechVoc Home Economics Curriculum in Laiya, Batangas, the local “Association of Laiya Resort Owners (ALRO)” and the Laiya National Senior High School, PCCI, TESDA, DepEd, DoT have partnered together to help teachers gain confidence, deeper knowledge and skills to enable them to implement and manage the new tourism curriculum and prepare them for NCII qualifications
The Laiya National High School (LNHS) was chosen July 2014 as a pilot institution under the “K to 12” education sector reform. The project aims to prepare teachers for the transition from traditional high school teaching subjects towards implementing tech-voc subjects in theory and practice. There will be a need to liaise with the private sector for work experience placements in Home Economic tracks such as Cookery, Housekeeping, F&B Services, Front Office, Bread & Pastry and Wellness.
So this is the services aspect josephivo has been talking about.
And TVET is already the TESDA Integration everybody is asking for. Dual Training adds to the advantage because both theory and practice are learned, making theopractitioners.
who’s that girl? random Hrm or tourism grad?
From the K-12 Plus page… so probably a trainee.
I wish you well, my fair lady. You have that early-employment smile.
i thought crookery is thought in UP as per MRP
And K-12 Plus teaches real cookery instead of Lutong Makao.
Look at the kitchen, it is really clean. Germans advising K to 12 do serious audits, I can assure you of that, my mother was in the German NGO Konrad Adenauer foundation.
In Sri Lanka and Russia, the Pinoy experience helped her see through local bullshit.
Indeed, K12 has more dimensions than subjects and curriculum alone. What about capacity building the thousands and thousands of new classrooms, teachers, materials, budgets… to accommodate K11 and K12? What about spreading part of the old 4 year curriculum over 6 years to create space to do exercises, to apply what is learned? The promotion of new teaching styles? What about the “hype”, the study groups, the experiments, the benchmarking…. the attention education gets because someone rocks the boat?
And on the other hand, for the majority that do not go to college today, are there enough meaningful jobs available for 16, 17 year old kids? Or do just wait to turn 18 and become habal-habal driver? Or get in the bad habit of feeling superfluous in a menial employment? Or start a career as a servant? What is Trillianes take about this?
Baranggay is the smallest government unit lead by elected barangay elder who knows everybody in the barrio so are they. The Barangay captain handles domestic violence, family dispute to burned out lamp post. Elected Barangay councilors are under him so are barangay unpaid volunteer security forces called Tanud consisting of drunks, unemployed, unemployables and misfits.
Under the Barangay are gated communities they, too, have their own government run by a President and board members. They have their own paid security forces contracted from security agencies. These security guards are professionals. They have CCTVs, hand-held radios, barricades, checkpoints, bicycles to rove hour after hour and give tickets to cars parked improperly.
Their slaves wear uniforms and identification cards. They are required to have police and NBI clearance very unlike Grace and Mar that applied for President without NBI&Police clearance and audited SALNs.
These gated communities are professionally run than the Baranggay. People in these gated communities are gainlyfully employed than their big brother of Baranggay. They either go directly to gas&power companies to complain of mesh-mash chaotic powerlines or to the Baranggay.
The gated communities presence is more palpable than the barangay they are situated in. It is clean and orderly. They have their own curfew. Dogs are to stop barking at 10:00. No vehicles are to park by the street after certain hours. Of course, they have community clubhouxe, swimming pools and children park.
They stop Jejo Binay for passing thru because they do not have community sticker. It is the safest micro-government in the Philippines. Of course, there are crooks among them but they do not show their crookedness here. All our books are balanced and audited better than the Philippine Government. Our budget is simple that can easily be understood.
Residents of these gated communities are encouraged to donate their trash-bound magazines to the clubhouse. Clubhouse has old National Geographics, Time Magazines and newspapers. Teens can hang-out with their wi-fi enabled tablet. They have free wi-fi paid for by the association. Basketball court convertible to tennis court.
Of course, we do have problems! Like next door developer wanted their 7-dash-lines! Instead of running to Papa we send our Association ambassador to talk to their management. While we talk it over a glass of water, our teens plays with their teens. No threats. No violence.
Why can’t Barangay be managed like gated communities? Why can’t constituents act like we do?
When I hang my clothes out on the windo ledge at the 8th floor, I got fined Php500.00
Aha! ha! Ha! condo dwellers are subject to condo rules. No drying of clothes outside the window sill. Buy your own clothes dryer.
nobody gives free services anymore. that’s why barangay elections are fiercely contested. theres manna in the barangay due to the IRA. they don’t have to raise their own budget. they received IRA. these IRA funds all the tanods, kagawads, chairman, officers, and what have you. don’t know if they even follow the LGU law that requires a certain percentage to capital outlay.
even the youth or SK have their own IRA.
don’t know if anybody want to serve in the barangay or city or province if they are required to raise their own funds?
What do they need so many officers for?
What do they do all day?
I know and that’s infuriating really. maybe the chairman and the treas and sec should be paid for their services but the kagawads? they are just there to vote for the budget prepared by the treas and the chairman
the tanods should be paid too but they should be part time only
that’s why I really don’t like the IRA. it makes LGUs lazy and corrupt and even the residents indifferent. all LGUs should raise their own funds.
it also makes national planning useless because the constitution mandates 40% of internal revenue be given to LGUs and yet they public safety, education are still national govt concern
The BIR could still collect, but the IRA should depend on what is raised in the LGU. Meaning LGUs have an incentive to attract businesses and get people work.
should be like that to give incentive to LGUs to develop and they shuold be given mandate like public safety and education to relieved the national govt and just focus on national concerns like defense, foreign affairs
PNP should stay national because if you give that to the local level it might be misused. Much stuff can be decentralized, I think adult education at barangay level is important.
The are authoritarian, unless you have P500,000 or more. Then some strain to crack a smile.
I am shocked that the Marcos version of the barangay system was kept. OK before Makoy the barangay captain was the barrio captain – American-era institution. Before that he was the cabeza de barangay, who had the same role as a datu in neighborhood conflicts.
Kagawad is a Marcos-era term but maybe it was a councillor in the Old Republic, while the SK is what used to be the KB – the organization Imee Marcos was the head of… whew…
im also not in favor of the barangay system. just another layer of govt without a clear mandate. they should have provided in the Local Govt Code a system to consolidate like corporations instead of the LGUs keep on dividing into smaller units albeit with bigger population
*******
This is my objection to the barangay structure: you have petty tyrants in the neighborhood.
The counter argument is that Filipinos are immature and undisciplined, so they require micromanagement.
My counter-counter argument is that if you treat people like children, they will remain children. There is too much coddling, too much interdependency.
*****
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabeza_de_Barangay – then barangays must be abolished and replaced by Citizen Service Centers… that is cultural DNA that is bad and must be extinguished. It will hurt as much as the root canal I had today which I chose to go through without anesthesia – but if you have bacteria at the root you have to drill through, put in the chlorine to remove them (I howled in pain at the point) and then medicine to sooth.
In a law signed on 11 June 1594, Philip II ordered that the honor and privilege to rule pertaining to this native Filipino nobles should be retained and protected. He also ordered the Spanish governors in the islands to show these native nobles good treatment, and even ordered the natives to pay respect and tribute due to these nobles as they did before the conquest without prejudice to the things that pertain to King himself or to the encomenderos.[α][1](título vii, ley xvi) Also v.[2](pp155–156)
The royal decree says: “It is not right that the Indian chiefs of Filipinas be in a worse condition after conversion; rather they should have such treatment that would gain their affection and keep them loyal, so that with the spiritual blessings that God has communicated to them by calling them to His true knowledge, the temporal blessings may be added, and they may live contentedly and comfortably. Therefore, we order the governors of those islands to show them good treatment and entrust them, in our name, with the government of the Indians, of whom they were formerly lords. In all else the governors shall see that the chiefs are benefited justly, and the Indians shall pay them something as a recognition, as they did during the period of their paganism, provided it be without prejudice to the tributes that are to be paid us, or prejudicial to that which pertains to their encomenderos.”
Damn it goes back to old King Philipp, just 73 years after Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan… Spanish way of keeping the lid on the natives and keeping the lid on them until today – those who live in gated communities like MRP said – or in UP I know – were effectively never subject to that system and therefore were not “masa” or natives anymore really. That system is really in the way and should finally be abolished after 421 years – wow…
The most prominent former “cabeza de barangay” in history was… Aguinaldo.
*******
Bingo! But I would say Spanish colonization exacerbated the weakness of the native culture.
*****
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_of_the_Maharlikas – yes, the native culture already had the same weaknesses evidenced in the Philippine Revolution much later:
On the way to meet with the Sultan of Brunei, Magat Salámat, Juan Banál, and Augustín Manuguit stopped at Cuyo, Calamianes, to meet with its chief, Datu Sumaclob. The datu was swayed to join the conspiracy and pledged to contribute 2,000 of his men for the cause. However, Salámat made an error in judgement by recruiting another Cuyo native, Antonio Surabao (Susabao). Upon learning of the secret plan, Surabao rushed to expose it to his master, Captain Pedro Sarmiento, the Spanish encomiendero of Calamianes. Once Salámat, Banál and Manuguit were apprehended, Sarmiento hastily traveled to Manila on October 26, 1588 and informed Governor-General Santiago de Vera of a brewing conspiracy against Spanish rule.
#TRAITORSAREGOOD – to quote MRP once again…
Governor-General De Vera immediately ordered the arrest of all the rebels. Tried and found guilty of treason, Augustín de Legazpi and Martin Pangan were hanged, their heads cut off and exposed on the gibbet in iron cages. Their properties were seized by the Spanish authorities and their lands plowed and sown with salt so that they would remain barren. Dionisio Fernández was hanged and his property confiscated. Dionisio Capolo (Kapulong), the lord of Candaba, Pampanga, was exiled from his town and paid a heavy fine. De Vera eventually pardoned him. Later, he served as a guide and interpreter for two Spanish expeditions into Igorot country in 1591 and 1594.
The other five leading members were exiled to Mexico — Pedro Balinguit (lord of Pandacan), Pitongatan (a prince of Tondo), Felipe Salonga (lord of Polo), Calao (a commander-in-chief of Tondo), and Agustín Manuguit (Minister of Tondo). They were the very first natives of the Philippines to settle in Mexico.
This was 1587-1588. And the leader of the rebellion was a mestizo, grandson of Legazpi.
Examples made like that made collaboration part of the cultural DNA because the price to be paid for resistance was steep. But the native chief culture was already based on “Raiding, Trading and Feasting” – a book have left unread for months, must have a look.
No need to pull out teeth anymore like before. But root canal. Because as long as the bacteria of impunity are there, capable people will either leave, or live behind gates.
We used to have rural constables and borough constables, elderly policemen responsible for a geographic area. They intervened in family feuds, barking dogs, uncut thistles, urinating… solving problems with their natural authority, knowing the people, approachable (stopping in every pub for a free drink :-), giving warnings, respected and feared. One men responsible for everything in a small area.
Today we have large police districts covering several cities and everything in between. They are highly specialized with family advisors for domestic problems, addiction specialists, violence prevention experts… , you call it. One specialist for every situation in a large area.
What is the better solution? I don’t know. I feared the constables and they knew well how to deal with a brash teenager. I appreciate the experts looking more at prevention than at disciplining, confronted with much less respect for authority.
Isn’t the Barangay discussion similar? Local “authority” versus regional “expertise”?
if the Philippines will follow the New Deal in the 1930s, where the US govt stimulated the US economy by spending on everything they can think of..like the dams they built in California that made it the most productive farm in the world.. some of these projects during this era are still existing
the debt level is around 40%..maybe if they increase that to 60% just to fund needed infrastructure by using mostly manual labor..for sure a lot can be employed which will stimulate the economy..
there seems to be debt aversion in the policy makers..they should act now when the interest are very low
Opposition candidates (to LP) are arguing that they will drive the debt even lower while increasing infrastructure spending. I laugh.
or that CCT program, I think its better if they require the man of the house (im sure he is stambay) to work, maybe digging drainage or dikes around malabon and navotas in exchange for the money. at least, an infrastructure is made which will last maybe 30 years
That’s a good idea, and perhaps as the economy improves, those kinds of requirements will be added, along with more generous payouts in return. Certification/enforcement is the big problem.
My relatives who are under the CCT program are part time construction workers, if the neighborhood requires a house renovation or new house construction, they have jobs, most times they were istambay. (standby for future work opportunities) on the look out for free meals on birthdays, anniversaries, fiestas, lamay sa patay (wakes). They converge there to help out in putting up tents, in the endless cooking, later join in the videoke singing and of course, the ever present drinking and card playing. They do that until they are old while the young watch, who in turn start drinking and smoking when they are barely teens, marry while young, and life goes on.
A never ending cycle of life in the poor baranggays, with election and vote selling every three years.
This is particularly hard now because of the much maligned GMA food for work program.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/391643/gma-creates-anti-hunger-task-force
That said I agree that it can and should be done especially with a 300 Billion PHP underspending.
That’s “un-critical(ist, the mostest)” thinking. Thinking 101 urgently needed. Or going back to kindergarten will do. I am glad you just laugh — not become hysterical.
No disrespect to TESDA for it is doing a great job of helping a lot of unemployed Filipinos gain marketable skills. My research brought out one flaw to TESDA’s present approach of gearing a lot of the job skills training towards filling overseas jobs. I say this because I have interviewed some TESDA graduates who are OFWs and undergraduates whose goal is to secure a job elsewhere but the PH. I stand to be corrected.
In my present locality, the local government makes the town attractive for big businesses to relocate their production by building infrastructures and giving them incentives for hiring locals. There is also a very strong partnership between the local government and local educational institutions. Part of the attractive package is telling the business that it will be assisted in its manpower needs. An example is the invitation of Airbus or Toyota in a certain locality. The LGU research the infrastructure, human resources and other factors needed by the business, then they work on producing them. Only then would they invite the business honchos for a visit and tell them we can provide assistance for your operational needs so if you chose our town for your business, you will hit the ground running.
“My research brought out one flaw to TESDA’s present approach of gearing a lot of the job skills training towards filling overseas jobs.”
That’s a lot of tax money wasted, if these grads will just add to the brain drain, Juana. At least BPOs exploit their workers locally, keeping the money they earn stay local. So yeah, if this TESDA thing is more balance negative than positive, then more study needs to be done with this DIY thing, and spread best-practices to keep it going. Give the tools and resources to the people and see what they do with it– this is the whole point to the information revolution after all.
If they send 15% of their wages back home, they are contributing generously, and by eating off-island, they are saving Phil resources. So it is rather like accepting dividend income for the investment. ahahaha I’m going to start advising Micha on economics next.
D’Agimas, I have been talking to myself here and on facebook that some national laws like naming of streets should not be the job of congress, why not give the local council that job and that job not to elevate to congress.What say you?
i live in barangay bf in paranaque said to be the biggest, I see that aside from traffic and stopping quarrels and street fights the bloated personnel of the baranggay can channel their energy somewhere else. i also suggested on more cleaning the estero and river projects other than street sweeping and plant watering.
How can congress function having to attend to such trivalites as street naming? Surely that should be DOT or LGU responsibility?
yes,Surely!
i went back to this comment because i might have typed Shirley by mistake.
since no thought is original unless that guy’s never read or heard of anything, i think this post is the right place for this article.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/59319/vertical-integration-do-it-all
No wonder y’all made him a citizen. He thinks right.
when we are still alive after thirty years let us petition for Joe’s citizenship, or to make it faster Joe join the philipine basketball or soccer team.
THIS:
“Integrated industries still make sense and the Department of Trade and Industry is reviewing them with “Roadmaps,” some 50 of them. Not all cover the full line from start to finish; some are just those where potential advantage is seen that can be developed. And it’s a good idea. But what the Philippine government has never been short of is ideas; what it has been very short of is the ability to convert these ideas into working reality.
I’m willing to withhold judgment this time, but with considerable skepticism. Already the DTI has said it can’t proceed with further studies because it has no funds. Here we are talking of concepts that could add billions of dollars to the Philippine economy, and we’re quibbling over spending a million or two.”
Karl – You can tell them that Society of Honor’s Research and Development team could assist. 🙂
for free. 🙂
OFF TOPIC:
http://www.rappler.com/nation/111142-philippines-china-case-tribunal-jurisdiction-award
This is for the China Trolls!!!!
What I am fearful is the strong arm tactics that China could employ against the members of the Tribunal.
It is not everyday that a Country advances international law. Good Job to the Philippines’ legal team.
This is an issue not being considered important by the Media right now but I believe it is the real 30 year issue in our current elections.
All candidates must state their positions here clearly.
Gian, that’s a very welcome Off topic post… a first round win against China – this is a feel good news, very uplifting, will savor this on this weekend while in Himlayan…
Thanks, Gian…
A UN-backed arbitral tribunal rejects China’s strongest argument against the Philippines: that the tribunal has no right to hear the Philippines’ case over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea)
A troll named “Patsy” replied. Patsy has about four or five or more different names that he or she trolls under. I won’t give them the right to post here, but here is what he/she said, verbatim:
1. UN court decision will not be forthcoming until US-China reach some sort of understanding, negotiated for the most acceptable outcome to US-China (I’m sorry, PH don’t carry weight here, not behind UN close door).
No UN judges want to bear the responsibility of creating ‘confrontations’ between the two biggest powers. In fact, I won’t be surprised both China and US are putting undue pressure to these judges to: NOT to make any decision until told otherwise.
2. UN security council will not request China to vacate due to China/Russia veto power.
3. Europe will stay out; UK already cast large part of its economic future to China. UK will do everything to damp down any rising temperature due to its pocketbook interest. Same with Germany, its industrial economy is heavily China involved also. Russia will butt in on China’s side; China is Russia’s realpolitik strategic depth.
4. In E.Asia, Australia will also try to damp down the temperature. China’s Westpac hegemonic ambition does not extend to Australia. And Australia’s biggest economic interest is China. Japan/SK/Taiwan will also demur because they are geographically too near to the cross fire, economically too involved with China, and lastly they are not about to ‘get hurt’ for a bunch of SCS rocks.
5. And lastly, the US will not war because of ‘a bunch of rocks in SCS’.
My guess: the coming UN decision will be a decision-to-further-look-into-the-matter (or see you in the indefinite future.)
I’d recommend you not respond, as it would only descend to argument, as there is no earnest interest in discussion from their side of things. Or you can respond, writing to me rather than them.
ouch…. I hope that what this troll says will not come about.
I read about a nuclear plant being put up by China in the UK, and the silk road networks, etc. she is investing in so many other countries, seemingly buying their sympathy and alliance with the use of their daunted dollar reserves. Economic and military weapons are being bandied about, no wonder they are confident and arrogant.
I still trust in the basic goodness of the rest of mankind. To see a nation intent on bullying a smaller one so she can dip into the rich resources (maritime and oil) underneath those contested waters which they do not own, to the point of limiting the navigational routes being used for centuries by other nations.
Bear in mind that this gaggle of trolls has an agenda. A part of it is to turn Filipinos against their government, and toward Binay, Marcos and other “friendlies”. They seek to drive a wedge between the Philippines and the US, and sow seeds of mistrust toward other allies. They seek to show that China has the moral and legal high road. And they seek to portray Filipinos as lesser beings. Give absolutely zero analytical credence to the predictions. They are filled with sweeping statements that sound impressive but are absolutely propaganda.
Thanks for the reassuring words, so propaganda, they are. I’ll bear that in mind and continue to savor our first round victory in the Hague.
More prayers are needed before and after the next round. If and when we win the case, it will show with finality to the world that it is the Philippines that has the moral and legal high road, to declare China as a rogue nation that she is. Diplomatic and negotiated solution should ensue based on the final ruling, hopefully war of any kind will be averted.
we should not be scared of these clowns even if they look scary.
Had these scary clowns over at my blog as well… similar statements I moved to spam and “hey you must be wasting time at Joe’s when is you article coming out”… thanks for the summary. My article is coming out tomorrow, Halloween is the best day for that topic.
Finally the article will prove that Aquino’s delaying and stand-your-ground tactics are the best – in whatever scenario – similar how West Berlin held out Soviet blockade, wall etc. – imagine what would have happened there without US airlift, Kennedy and Willy Brandt?
My oldest son went through the Philippine education system, with some additions here and there. He graduated from UP Los Banos last July with a degree in Applied Physics. Less than 20 people graduated with the same degree; in the communications and humanities courses there were hundreds. The entire Applied Physics class was employed basically as soon as they wanted to be… my son is now working as a Process Engineer for an American company making high end solar panels. It’s modern manufacturing: he says it’s a great place to work, they pay well, the benefit package is excellent… but they have zero need for unskilled labor.
Manufacturing is a more complicated solution than it initialls seems to be. If companies follow the laws and employ regular workers, Philippine labor is too expensive to compete in the really low cost/labor intensive market, like garments and shoes. That stuff is going to Bangladesh and Pakistan. If you’re looking at higher end labor, the Philippine labor force remains undertrained and lacking in appropriate skills… some companies can thrive, but there’s a shortage of really skilled workers. Modern construction and manufacturing have very little need for unskilled labor.
Obviously TESDA needs to be expanded and upgraded, and education needs to be drastically improved… but there also needs to be a change in emphasis and priority. There needs to be a conscious effort to get people to value and look up to scientists and engineers, not singers and dancers. If you look at the results of National Achievement Tests given to high school students, science scores are consistently lowest among the subjects. Survey high school students and ask how many want to take science courses in college, and be prepared to be depressed.
The impact cuts across the board, even in the military. Even if you go out and buy high tech weapons, who is going to maintain and operate them?
To get kids interested in science is not that difficult if you have the right teacher (e.g. http://www.ted.com/talks/cesar_harada_how_i_teach_kids_to_love_science). But where to find a principal that is willing to find such a teacher and a schoolboard willing to appreciate such a principal?
Solutions are everywhere, but recognition or acknowledgement of the problems and the courage to invest energy are often missing.
It would also help the break the stereotype of scientists as socially and physically awkward nerds. It’s inaccurate to begin with, but it is deeply rooted in the culture.
Let me start with Dr. Mahar Lagmay of Project NOAH – the living proof that being yourself is not an impediment to success. We hung out together in Germany with masa Filipinos – and I can see from Facebook that Mahar still likes San Mig and the stuff that goes with it – after the work is done of course, and Project NOAH is doing a lot of good work. Lots of UP parents told their children “don’t talk to Mahar” because of the “wild” way he was younger – not was wild as me but wild enough for Filipino holier-than-though standards which LCPL_X has mentioned. Now those parents will be eating their words, Mahar is there… Project Noah is doing a lot to be proactive against natural disasters, Lando especially was the proof that it has succeeded, building up things slowly. A scientist who does not deny his inner Wild Man, a theopractician, a man who applies things when rubber meets road…
Not the chicks that go with San Mig don’t get me wrong… he is happily married.
Although I have not forgotten how he asked our common friend “Ate Shirley” of Albay, a migrant who though older than Leni is as beautiful and strong as her, for romantic advice…
Yes. There is an ingrained anti-intellectualism in the culture. I read several articles about “smart-shaming” in PH that explains why.
The blacks do the same thing here.
Many aspects of Filipino dysfunctionality are similar to those of blacks: crab mentality, male machismo, anti-intellectualism, color discrimination (Alicia Keys) and non-achievement – they are products of a long slave tradition. Gian noted the similarity quite a while ago, you were not yet in this blog at that time. Binay is similar to some so-called blaxploitation types – I’m your nigger, but in the end screws his own folks.
I’m just realizing it now.
You ever notice, when there’s riots and unrest here among the blacks, it’s the black churches and black pastors that go on TV. Well, those guys are notorious for scams, embezzlement, adultery, driving high end Escalades, etc. Yet the media and politicians consistently seek them out to for legitimacy. It’s crazy.
Same with Church powers and cults over there.
In once put this video into a Society blog. Filipinos need to find confidence – similar to what is shown in this video. I am Whoopie – being Filipino no problem with cross-dressing, Karl is the boy who does the solo, Joe is the white-haired priest with glasses, josephivo is the other priest beside him, Edgar the priest in the white hat, Mary Grace is the nun who starts to smile, Juana is the nun who starts to clap, the choir is the rest of the Society.
@ Irineo — another similarity is the irresponsibility of the male head in the family, just product the rabbits and disappear.
@ Lcpl — you are right, after every black/white shooting incident, Mr Jesse Jackson is always there.
Good for your son, Steve…you guided him well.
I tried to enroll in UPLB, was accepted as a scholar but there were so many buildings for the various subjects, was told I had to commute from one to another about 6 times a day if I have to catch up and not be late…that was the end of my dream to pursue a science centered course. That’s how poor we were before, so poor that we cannot even afford the daily transportation expenses, the lodging. The one whom we have pinned our hope to by being his scholar died while flying his helicopter.
These days, poor bur deserving students are being given by the state the chance, the opportunities to finish their chosen course. I hope the newly enacted law will be implemented judiciously in coordination with studies and researches that will ensure top economic returns for the youth and the country as well.
In other instances, some banks and private organizations in our province are sponsoring students belonging to the top ten of their respective class as long as they meet their criteria. Once a student does, all expenses are paid, including tuition fee, with monthly allowances to boot. I remember hearing with pleasure about the kids of our pastor who are beneficiaries of these programs. Their 2 intelligent and studious kids receive their monthly checks on a regular basis, and will continue to do so as long as their grades will be maintained.
Truly, the youth of today has better chances than their counterpart before.
That is a most interesting perspective on “low cost” limitations, and on TESDA’s “best use”.
Human resources,human capital for those with jobs and for those without they are called non performing assets.
Talk about opportunity —
OPPORTUNITY seized by the economically and militarily weak Philippines — to challenge a Bully through critical thinking; and going rightly to the UN for arbitration — BEARS FIRST FRUIT and:
– Shows ASEAN that it does not have to cower in fear from the Bully;
– Puts to shame some local Presidential wannabes who pandered to this Bully;
– Shows that the present Administration has the rightful claim to continue the governance of the country.
This good news from the Hague is rather a perfectly-timed (coincidence?) complement to the news about the US “sail-through” in the WPS/SCS.
poor hague tribunal,their website has been hacked a few days ago…maybe that was what made them decide against the Chinese
maybe those who hacked the hague has been here.
Hey Joe,
Please be very vigilant with your online security.
They will definitely try to hack you.
I recommend Trend Micro products for protecting one’s PC. European defense companies use it as well, I have the same stuff on my PCs and Android gadgets inspite of expense.
Better safe than sorry – since I also work with critical data at customers I am very careful.
I am somewhat amused that they dedicate so much effort to a Colorado farm boy with a typewriter. Visits from Germany, Tokyo, Singapore, and Great Britain, if we can believe the source e-mail addresses. Really intelligent people. Top-flight propagandists. That’s what happens when you get nominated for a Bloggy I guess.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymizer – they are probably using this kind of stuff:
An anonymizer or an anonymous proxy is a tool that attempts to make activity on the Internet untraceable. It is a proxy server computer that acts as an intermediary and privacy shield between a client computer and the rest of the Internet. It accesses the Internet on the user’s behalf, protecting personal information by hiding the client computer’s identifying information
I have one of those, actually. I’m actually in New York, upstate, by Woodstock. Little town called Accord. But don’t tell anyone.
You were at Woodstock? The Philippine equivalent of that was the Diliman Commune.
Will was there, no wonder you two get along very well, similar generation too.
No, I was not at the festival, as I returned from Viet Nam and turned left, to Los Angeles. It was later that I spent time in upstate New York and became steeped in the music and musicians of the folk/rock era through a friend who lived the business. We drove across the countryside listening to Dire Straits (and others) and hunting rare LP albums for her collection. Will and I are similar of artistic spirit, I suppose, but he is for sure one of a kind.
http://xiaochua.net/2013/02/02/xiaotime-1-february-2013-diliman-commune/
42 years ago rin ngayong araw, February 1, 1971, nagsimula ang Diliman Commune kung saan sa loob ng siyam na araw ang kampus ng Unibersdad ng Pilipinas ay binarikadahan ng mga estudyante at ginawang pinalayang pook mula sa mga awtoridad.
Translation: 42 years ago on this day, February 1, 1971, the Diliman commune started, during which within 9 days the Campus of the University of the Philippines was barricaded by students and made into a liberated zone from authority.
I was 6 years old then, so no memories of that – my first memory was of Martial Law being declared by Marcos on TV after no normal programs came, just comics. I hated Marcos for interrupting the comics being shown, just like a later hated him for banning Voltes V… but older folks told me the atmosphere was like a political equivalent of Woodstock, but with police from outside coming in to break it. Unprecedented because UP has its own police.
Will, are you by any chance in the picture?
lance and Irineo,
the debate of legalizing prostitution is as difficult as giving salaries to bus drivers and conductors.
in the philippines everything becomes rocket science.
leader in the its complicated status.
Exactly – like having streets named by Congress instead of giving that to LGUs which is the normal way it is done… that it is city council work in Germany, they even have specialists for house numbering in the city administrations so vacant lots have number ready for them.
I would not be surprised if even dogs have to be named by Congress, and as a result there are so many street dogs because Congress is too busy to give all Filipino dogs names.
with k 12 will Tesda be no more?
https://joeam.com/2015/10/29/opportunity-the-energy-untapped-in-the-philippines/#comment-144221 – TESDA is integrated via the TVET program. K to 12 plus addresses combining theory with practice to create theopractitioners which the country sorely needs.
wata relief.
TESDA will remain important and be built up, I would think. There is no conflict in aims, and TESDA is being looked at as a certifying agency for high school technical programs.
Totally agree, Joe. TESDA, I feel, fulfills an important role at where the rubber meets the road. Even though the country is at this stage, we will keep on “building and the leaders will come” to tie all these stanches together.
That is very good.
My disparage thoughts on harnessing this energy :
1. Mar has expressed that Education will be his prime focus. That’s a good sign. He sees the long term rather than short term gains.
2. Philippines has a young population (maybe 60% is below 24 years I think). Every country that has made the economic take off did it at a time when they had a large young population demographic. Imagine a plane running speeding down the runway. At a certain speed and distance it suddenly lifted and take-off. That’s the economic take-off. Philippines better seize the opportunity.
3. In order to get this burst of energy to push the country forward economically, Philippines has to identify and focu on one of 2 sectors where it has the economic advantage, than build on that. BPO is the best example. Now find 2 more sectors, and concentrate on that. In Spore we had a few over the years — finance at one time, when we made it as a financial centre, oil processing (we have no oil, but it big as a processing centre, electronics (tiny Spore was once the world’s biggest manufacturer of disk drives).
we still need to give jobs to those who will never set foot on school like safeway to recycle waste like e waste… current papractice even destroying tv screens with bare hands is instant cancer.
ewaste can give you gold,silver,palladium if we extract that we could make our own chips,without importting anything, silicon can be sourced from sand where else?
scrap like nails are salvaged from dumps,rivers,and estuaries
we can pay those scavengers and give them hazard pay for tetanus,etc
those landfills must be reclaimed and put to good use.
landfill mining
plastic to diesel, plasma gasification, rdf
——-
scrap lina law ,it might even make relocation faster.
———
community service instead of prison for very minor crimes
this will unclog prisons
—–
bpo stuff cAn be done by prisoners , lets see maybe credit card collections in the philippines to be done by tough voiced inmates…maybe not.
Modernize recycling to be similar to what we have in München, and train them to work the same way as the workers there. Many of those working in German recycling are jobless and are given so-called 1-Euro jobs. I know one he is a drunkard but not when working, he is hardly literate he always loses his papers I told him to make a folder, Jürgen the next time the Unemployment Office writes you be ready. You will have folks like that anywhere.
we dont have unemployment offices here,or do we?
Maybe you should have Employment Offices where slum people can apply for jobs.
Or be given work like recycling, environmental, based on computerized vacancies.
In front of the Munich Wholesale Market (fruits, vegetables, plants) the Unemployment Office has a jobseekers extension center. Companies that need people to carry fruit cartons, man forklifts or unload trucks can get their worker their from jobless, daily.
The other side of it is the food distribution office for jobless people. People get ration cards, families with children are first priority, old men second etc. so the sequence of the line is already defined, no jostling or singit. They get the stuff that is close to expiration.
I would not be a freelancer now if not for the “founder’s subsidy” of the Unemployment Office – and the training they gave me. I drank for 3 straight months when I lost my job. Little sister told me get up and do something and I did, that was back in October 2007.
you drank for three straight months ,check your liver and kidney if it is still there.
My doctor warned me about my liver values when I did a full checkup in 2009.
My liver values are perfect now, kicked drinking in 2012. My lipids are still too high because of my eating habits, and my blood pressure is regulated but being monitored.
A friend of mine from the drinking days died of liver cirhossis just this year… It is a bit eerie when I still see him as active in Facebook, just like the Ilocano journalist who got shot.
you took sylimarine supplements?
No, I just googled sylimarine and never needed that… para akong kalabaw, I have strong constitution – but I reduced drinking from 2008 onwards because I was back to work and totally stopped drinking in 2012 – except during rare occassions where I get drunk quickly because I am no longer used to the alcohol. Even with a strong constitution there are things one should not do to oneself, so I have been reconstituting myself for 8 years now.
Fitness is better, eating habits OK but needs improvement, blood pressure controlled, the meds I took against my pituitary tumor since 2005 are being reduced – good thing because they are chemically related to shabu, affect brain chemistry, Step by step…
that can cause giantism right?
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/cabergoline-side-effects.html – I have had these side effects in different degrees, especially when I took a dose that is now prohibited from 2006-2009:
– Bloody nose (nosebleed!)
– difficulty in concentrating
– increased interest in sexual intercourse
– Attack, assault, or force
– pathological gambling
– severe mood or mental changes
– unusual behavior
Cabergoline is not available directly in any pharmacy, they have to get it from the wholesaler and it arrives the same day – probably it is not allowed to stock it because of the potential use as a drug. Endocrinologist reduced my dose this October, feeling better.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolactinoma – this was what I had…
A prolactinoma is a benign tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland that produces a hormone called prolactin. It is the most common type of pituitary tumor.[1] Symptoms of prolactinoma are too much prolactin in the blood (hyperprolactinemia), or those caused by pressure of the tumor on surrounding tissues.
flashback flashes…we had this conversation before, I just remembered.
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2015/10/27/Public-Employment-Service-Office-Act.html
thanks Gian, have you completed your meme?
not yet, BBM is really not FM. Can’t find the hook
irineo, you dont know what we are talking about because you left the conversation.Gian is completing a meme comparing bbm to fm…fyi
Invite me in again like I offered in case you need me… weekend is coming, I have more time… but better invite me when my China article is out in my blog and here tomorrow.
I have to finalize it and factor in the latest The Hague developments.
ok…we are distracting you? no just kidding ok lang
Just managing my time… I am enjoying the conversation at the moment but I have to guard against my own weaknesses kaya diniretso ko na… my cash flow Excel sheet tells me that I have to watch my billable hours to not fall into a trap months from now…
Starting next week very much work to do until end of November… so I will have to really take a break from the stuff here. Maybe the K-12+ article I will still write in that month depends if the Germans answer my mails. Anyway I am quite satisfied that there are things moving now in this blog and in the Philippines… and for that Marcos meme I will help tomorrow. Gian maybe the dropout thing could be an idea, I posted something above.
Is the “ang sinungaling ay anak ng magnanakaw” too cliched? BBM is living in the world of lies. For him, everything is hunky-dory during Martial Law and his father’s regime. He was 15 years old during the proclamation of Martial Law and 29 years old during EDSA People Power. He knew and knows the truth. He is also on TV just this week still saying that the diploma from Oxford is equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree. (See 10:03 to 10:17 of video below) It is equivalent to a community college’s Associate of Arts degree or 2 years of college prep. Rappler has all the evidence to back this.
Thank you. That was just last Monday. It shows the many, many constructive deeds being done, as Irineo has pointed out.
due to crab mentality, the program of meloto is now demonized thanks to his sexist remarks recently.
but he is not marcos,he is in the short term memory shelf…he will be forgiven ,unless he decides to run for presidency.
his sweat equity thingy might work well,imagine you just sunbathe and sweat you will have equity.
There was a similar program like that in 1930s Germany, yes it was a Nazi program but a good one in the original sense of what “National Socialism” really meant…
People who wanted to build a house where sold materials at low cost or even low interest by the government and built the houses themselves with tools the government provided.
The grandson of one who built his house that way is now a very rich independent consultant who plays golf with top bankers and has moved to Switzerland for low taxes.
I get the idea in the four ways formula to improve the situation to maximize opportunity. No argument, those are the ideal steps to make towards creating substantive change in our un/employment problem.
I just hope we’re not skipping/forgetting other details of the process towards addressing the problem which are also important if not more important than the four ways proposed. Off hand I can site two factors that must be done first or could go hand in hand with the four ways: population and honest people in government.
I consider the population problem as one issue that needs to be taken care of before we proceed with the four ways. We have to control the growth in our population to minimize competition and increase productivity. Lots of people with few jobs and opportunity. Lots of educated people standing around doing nothing. That’s how basic the reality is.
Having honest leaders makes for effective governance. And that goes as well with ordinary gov’t. employees. The gov’t. is one of the biggest if not the biggest employer we have. It should not be the case. Lots of people stealing from gov’t. coffer while we scrape for money to help a large segment of the population who are in poverty. Doesn’t make sense.
If we seriously address those two factors we’ll have an easier time unraveling the four ways. 👲
I agree with you, jameboy, with population and “honest” leadership,
although honesty in gov’t is a given, over here we know there’s no such thing as honesty in the capitalist process, so having watchdogs (ie. gov’t or ACLU type operations) is a lot more effective than striving for “honesty”. Every idea under the sun’s already been presented re honesty in gov’t, just needs implementation.
Now for population, I have a totally different take. I say have as many kids, Pope Francis would canonize me for saying this, but at the end of the day the West is having less babies, creating lack of resources. All the gold in the world’s already been made, the Philippines can make lots of babies still.
The babies represent needed supply (for the world, the 1st World in dire demand), and making them just feels oh so good, so you can’t stop poor people from making them, and frankly, it’s offensive when you go to them and tell them to stop making babies.
But at the other end of the age spectrum, I think you’ll be more successful. That is culling old people. There needs to be some serious talk over there about Right to Die. Read this: http://www.deadatnoon.com/ Right now you have laws restricting euthanasia and the Church threatening Hell for suicide. So there are a bunch of old people,
basically draining their family’s resources for 1 yr or more, just in the process of dying. If this process isn’t taking place in the hospital, you’ll be saving money, but still if they are dying at home you are paying for medical, pain mitigation, etc. and prayers, last rites, etc. from the Church, it’s a money pit.
So why not put into affect a solid Final Exit for those who want to go and need to go. Focus on the old folks, not babies.
careers happen when you do not pump babies out thinking they come from god…
china is now scrapping the one child policy and in place is the two children directive. Maybe they hate odd numbers.
Hahaha! The chinese love odd numbers. I think they did that because more and more people are doing it already. The government lost a lot of its power to dictate to its populace when it joined the capitalistic and industrial revolution. More middle class = more liberalization and craving for democracy.
I’m sure Germany and other Northern European countries, rues the day they started thinking like this,
“careers happen when you do not pump babies out thinking they come from god…”
The younger generation is getting married again over here, and having on average 2 kids.
Has there been a gov’t push or cultural nudge to encourage this? I know over here, it’s mostly the White supremacists that promote having lots of kids (albeit white).
It did start with the right-wing crowd over here, but became the new thing for hipsters.
So you have a lot of young mothers proudly pushing their prams, and taking their kids to private schools in their SUVs. And their manager husbands screw their secretaries… 🙂
“And their manager husbands screw their secretaries…”
HaHahahaha… That’s the best excuse! “It’s for the nation, honey.”
I think it is more about that many men go for other opportunities when the wife is pregnant. And when kids are there they become the focus for the wife who used to be just there for “The Man”. Managers are often ego-driven so some look for other opportunities to feed it.
You guys are bias and got it backward. This the modern world, maybe the secretaries screw the husbands who knows.
what’s the problem if it is the husband of the secretary.
india is a mixed bag. lots of rich, lots of poor ;lots of educated,lots of uneducated
paradigm shift must happen. church must not interfere with government. they can do guilt trips to the max,but must be treated just as suggestions. RH law is a must. Sex education is a must..it is a must for church not to interfere,influence government affairs.
irineo,
aside from computerization of the bureacracy,how do we reduce it and provide jobs to those affected.
some squatters might relocate,because for sure some are bureaucrats
maybe dole should have a program.
some teachers remain as temps just to make the plantilla look small,because non plantilla staff can be hidden.
if you add non plantilla staff, a can of worms will open up.
I would suggest the following:
1. Citizen Service Offices in every barangay to provide the front-end for the masa.
1.a. one-stop shops for all government services except land titles, BIR and COMELEC.
1.b. incorporate the barangay people to professionalize them, while reducing them slowly.
2. Utilize some government workers to teach in barangays – democracy, legal system etc.
3. Early retirement packages for the older ones. Lalo na iyong mga luma pa ang attitude.
4. Government-owned BPO company for all that remain – total office workers na sila di ba?
4.a. make them render services similar to what they already know like paralegal stuff.
4.b. 60% work, 40% compulsory retraining to do other jobs so that they can look for them.
5. Use DOLE and PESO to find jobs for those that are in 4).
So you have a phased approach, will cost more money but hopefully 4) will help earn it. Finally you will have a lean and mean bureacracy with direct service to citizens ready, the initial costs of restructuring will be worth it. This is similar to what I have already seen in accounting departments restructured to become SSCs – with the consent of German work councils, or in a difficult environment like a Romanian ex-socialist firm with old contracts…
Fallacies, confusion and foolies of some bible passages that saps Filipinos energy:
1. Truth sets you free! FALSE! Nobody was set free because of the truth. Ejemplo: The personal butler of the Pope Herr Ratzinger was sent to the gallows to telling the truth of in-house fighting, fiscal crookery that makes Binay’s a drop in the bucket and sexual philandering. Ejemplo dos: Filipinos knows the truth do not set them free, that is why Filipinos lie all the time anytime. Lying is etched in their DNA they cannot even know it is lying at all. On the other side of the Pacific, Americans believe that TRUTH DO NOT SET THEM FREE BUT A GOOT LAWYER DOES.
2. God help those who help themselves. WRONG! If you are a student in U.P. and you study WHAT PERCENT GOD HELPED and what percent is from the student? Here is a PREMISE: Philippines is the only Roman Catholic. Each Filipinos believe in government sanctioned religion. They believe in God help those who help themselves. NOW, STEP BACK! Read the economic numbers. DID GOD REALLY HELP THE FILIPINOS? It is still a sickman in Asia, therefore, God is totally sick! So are the believers.
3. Aha! ha! ha! ha! Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to … give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; and come, follow me. That is why there are no browned skin colored filipinos who are wealthy. because they work to share their wealth. I live in New York, We live to work while in Los Angeles they work to live and in the Philippines they work to share and those who do not work wait for their shares. That is why Filipinos have these lazy tendencies.
4. An eye for an Eye. IT IS ILLEGAL IN 1ST WORLD COUNTRY SO ARE IN 3RDWORLD COUNTRY. No more “An eye for an Eye” or you go to jail. Bwa ha ha ha ha ha !!!!
5. God gives FREE WILL. FALSE !!!! This “Free Will” thingie is because god has no power over the Filipinos. God is inutile. Because if God really has power, God will have intervened and punish these goot for nothing Filipinos. “Free Will” contradicts “God help those who help themelves”
YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! I KNOW ! I KNOW ! HERE IS THE DEADLY CIRCUMSTANCE OF “DO NOT INTERPRET LITERALLY ….” SO WHY BOTHER READ THE BIBLE AT ALL?
DO NOT INTERPRET THE BIBLE LITERALLY the most common excuse. SO WHY BOTHER READ AT ALL? So, people, divert energy from reading the bible to real books like mathematics for instance. DO NOT READ BIBLE. YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT. WHAT YOU THOUGHTING IT MEANT IS NOT REALLY MEANT WHAT IT IS SAID. SO GIVE IT UP. CONSERVE ENERGY.
HEINOUS CRIMES OF IMAGINED GOD:
1. The Great Flood. The first ever recorded cruel and unusual mass punishment by waterboarding. children, infants, toodlers, old men, old women, pregnant women everybody were waterboarded.
2. Forever long lasting no probation punishment in fiery hell. Good behaviour will not forgive you. It is forever !!!!
3. Hand-me-down sins. Adam and Eve sinnned, therefore, you sinned. REDICULOUS ! Filipinos believe in this.
4. Yolanda Victims. God spared the wealthy because they give the most to the Church. Those who only gave five pesos were massacred, waterboarded, fed to the dogs.
5. PROTECTION MONEY and BRIBERY. Tithing is religious form of corruption. God protects those who tithe the most. If you give God will protect you including the Binays.
God is on the run. God has not returned. God will not return. Because God is wanted by Human Rights Group and United Nations of Human Rights. It is a huge ponzi scheme.
ORIGIN OF GOD
God sayed to Adam and Eve “Go out and MULTIPLY”. God was invented in the days when MULTIPLICATION was found. Multiplication Table was invented in China. GOD COULD BE CHINESE. So, be kind to Chinese. They maybe descendants of God.
JUDAS. Every Holyweek, Filipinos burn Judas at the stake. If Judas did not traitorize Jesus Christ would not have died to redeem all of you believers sins. Please do not burn Judas the next time. He is your hero.
FERDINAND MAGELLAN. Oh, I just love this. Filipinos celebrate the killing of Ferdinand the messenger of God. Please stop celebrating the killing of Ferdinand. God will not stop cursing you until you stop celebrating the messenger of God.
As you all know, it takes lust to have sex to bear children. Thank Satan for tempting Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of tree of knowledge which symbolizes The Apple. If Adam and Eve did not eat the Apple, they would not have felt lust, there would not have sex and they wouldn’t have bear children and not multiplied. Thank Satan for that.
As you all know, God loves ignorance. That is why God forbid Adam and Eve from the tree of knowledge. The more you know the less you go to heaven. TRY IGNORANCE. IT IS GOOT.
OK; MRP; time to jam…
Opportunities do not exist in the Philippines. Opportunism does. Filipinos are sipsip.
If you work hard and want to become something, no chance. You must suck up to them.
If you are too proud, like some OFWs coming home, they will put a bullet in your luggage.
How dare you rise above what God has given you? The Bible teaches us to be humble.
Beati pauperes spiritu. Blessed are the poor if they stay poor. Blessed are the ignorant.
What are the Germans doing? They are helping poor make something out of their lives.
I must tell them to be very careful, be ready to run for their lives. I posted too much here.
Filipinos must think, they are worse than Communists. Communists just use the poor.
Germans think they can give poor, hardworking people opportunities. That is un-Filipino.
With their outdated history books, Filipinos must think the Nazi invasion has started.
They will rather sell the country to the Chinese. Good business for the entitled.
I think each stereotype fits a portion of the population, or an aspect of the culture, but you miss the good, of the OFW’s returning home to build, or the good works being done by many agencies and private institutions, and the people earnestly trying to break down or through the dysfunctional mindsets. I suspect the number of people who would rather sell the country to the Chinese is limited to a few politicians, maybe a hand full. The oligarchs don’t want that kind of control over their businesses. One must take care not to disparage a nation for the faults of the few. As for broad social trends, curing poverty will help a lot.
Very true Joe, I see the hopeful signs, and the positivity… just doing an MRP simulation, this is the style of sarcastic humor that I have, and I do like being a bit mean when I have my doubts that the New Dawn we are seeing now is going to be permanent. This is from someone who has seen a lot of hopeful awakenings, and a new falling asleep – and the oligarchs making sure it stays that way like it has been hundreds of years. The Philippines was more like that 20 years ago, and I hope the number of people who see K-12 Plus as something like the actually very funny (at least here in Europe it was a hit, fully crowdfunded, Finnish) movie whose trailer I am posting are few – I know my sarcasm is as painful as the root canal without anesthesia, especially the chlorine that kills bacteria. 🙂
This was not really about the Filipinos or Germans Joe… just needed to get primed up, like boxers do before fights start… The China article is OUT now!
http://filipinogerman.blogsport.eu/the-chinese-challenge/
I hope the trolls spend their time at your blog rather than my referral article. 🙂
Hehe.. WordPress has a better Spam filter against such folks than my hoster which has a lot of ATTAC and other groups, so it might be “Trick or Treat” at my blog this Halloween… scary-looking clowns.
Actually dealing with them in the past few days has given me some perspective about how it feels to run a blog and be trolled… in fact I engage them much less than you do, and admire your patience. 🙂
I’ve entertained a few to give people a sense of the line they take, what I would called sweeping opinion mongering and misleading interpretations. But I’d guess the spam filter has caught 20 or so comments from five or six different names (some from the same person, most likely). When they are dumped to spam, the WP spam filter attaches a flag to their name so that when they visit other WP sites, the host is properly alerted that these are suspicious characters.
Well, they kept saying the Hague will not entertain the case and were proven wrong – so far none of them in my blog. That is actually a typical Filipino way of intimidating people and with some their kind of English is obviously Filipino, so I suspect a pro-China group.
My article hopes to give readers a better grasp of the dimensions involved so that they are informed and cannot be misinformed or dumbed down by such folks in an easy way – and it also raises the question of what “The Filipino Dream” really is, something you have already asked in on of your blog articles. Will the country just spread its legs for the next colonizer and spend the money on shabu? Or will it define its own identity to have mature relationships with mature countries like United States, Germany, Spain, Japan, Vietnam?
I was reading the arbitration panel’s dissection of the issues and it is very clear that the Philippines hired top-notch experts who could present the arguments in a way to avoid various legal mines and negate the Chinese arguments. China tried a lot of arguments to convince the court that it had no jurisdiction, including such ploys as saying that, by other agreements, the Philippines was bound to bilateral negotiations. The Philippine attorneys took the arguments apart by looking at the specific wording of those agreements and showing that there was no conflict with the arbitration case. I suspect Justice Carpio is spending considerable time wading through the document, which is well over 100 pages long. He probably grasps the concepts easier than I do though.
Which goes to show that the Aquino government is very mature in its politics.
I criticized BBL, but I admit I have not read the UNCLOS filing like I read the whole BBL.
Now imagine how the Philippines would backtrack under Poe, Binay or Santiago?
Santiago’s mindset is still caught in outdated Filipino nationalist Anti-Americanism, which was valid around the time her political party was founded in the early 20th century.
Leftists have a mindset from the time the United States supported Marcos – also outdated. Which is why I put an accent on differentiating NOW and BEFORE – I do have empathy with that, knowing how it is to be called Mr. Hitler by the more ignorant among my folks… 🙂
Irineo wrote:
“Land cases are one of the most annoying aspects of the Philippine legal system I know of.”
JoeAm wrote (in a previous thread):
https://joeam.com/2015/10/27/thinking-critically-vs-critical-thinking/#comment-143487
“Roxas is an analytical thinker and I think would push this out further, like with measurement of LGU performance that has moved to the forefront under the Competitive Council.”
Using Mauban, Quezon, as an example, I shared just now with some people (including Sen. Saguisag) in another forum what JoeAm had said – with the hope that they will employ critical thinking on the matter.
Here is the shortcut to the Mauban site, that I set up almost three years ago:
http://j.mp/rp-mauban
Why did I choose Mauban? For one thing, Sen. Saguisag was born there.
For another, it happens that I had included in the site a link to the
LGPMS (Local Governance Performance Management System).
Perhaps Sen. Roxas and Sen. Saguisag will look at the situation at Mauban as an opportunity for improvement.
1. It seems the official website of the municipality is not working.
2. Is the provincial website any helpful? Let the reader try to open it and share his/her findings.
3. The latest LGPMS data seems to be dated 2012 (yes, 2012).
I hope we will be able to get to the land cases at Mauban very soon – with the help of the senators.
(I have no idea what it is like, by the way – but it is probably not good.)
how is the sharp one?
Thanks for asking, Karl.
How am I? I am still hoping I will be truly “sharp.”
Am also waiting for Irineo and JoeAm to chime in on “LGPMS.”
(It is probably the very first time the term was mentioned in the blog site. What do you think?)
btw, the official website of Sen. Saguisag’s municipality of birth, Mauban, is stilll not working.
So, I guess, the site I have set up for Mauban is better, by comparison. 🙂
The official website of the province of Quezon is accessible. But you will probably get more information about Quezon here:
http://j.mp/rp-12qz
I had time to get the latest NSCB info on the province.
You can find it stitched together here:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/RP-12QZ/files/Folder-1/
One of the things I noticed (and it probably should be expected?) is that the number of registered voters for Mauban are based on 2010 data, five years old.
Salamat.
It would be nice if Joe America and Irineo comment on this.
Probably they have not seen it?
When I flip to your links, I usually find a local yahoo group without much useful information, so I’ve stopped flipping to them. I am aware of the Competitive Council’s ranking of LGU performance by certain criteria, and the granting of large budget supplements to those units doing well, but I haven’t explored it in detail. The program was set up by Jesse Robredo to incent LGU’s toward good governance, and Mar Roxas continued the effort. One of these day’s I’ll dig into the program to examine the specifics, but for now I can only cheer the idea of standardized performance criteria, and competition, aimed at best practices.
@JoeAmerica
“When I flip to your links, I usually find a local yahoo group without much useful information, so I’ve stopped flipping to them.”
JoeAm, can you kindly cite an example?
I would gladly use it as an exhibit.
Or, perhaps you can conveniently use the Mauban site I had set up as an example?
(btw, I looked just now; the official website seems to be still down.)
Why not visit the official website of Quezon and see if you can find, for example, LGPMS in it?
I hope you will not call me “argumentative” (again) for trying to make things clear
and for diligently addressing the points that you and Irineo have raised (LGU and land cases, respectively).
To Irineo:
Let us take this opportunity to zero in on “land cases.” Who knows you could help get Sen. Saguisag’s attention on it – he being a lawyer (Harvard grad at that).
Salamat.
Thanks for the invite, but I’m not really interested.
If you wish to make yourself clear, you might state the point that you seek to make and use links for a specific and stated purpose to support that argument. That way readers do not have to click on links that lead to mysteries with no idea of why exactly they are there. In other words, you might do the work to make your readers’ job easier, rather than imposing a burden on them to try to figure it out.
I don’t really know how LGPMS can help with the “land case” question. The intractability of land cases in the Philippines is one of many hindrances to doing proper business. What many of these lawyers may not feel in their daily lives are the difficulties for example a small talyer shop can have if the land title they own is not an assurance that it will not be contested, especially by the entitled. But it is only one dimension of the many problems that those face who do not have money and connections, hindering their opportunities.
@Joe America
“If you wish to make yourself clear, you might state the point that you seek to make and use links for a specific and stated purpose to support that argument.”
JoeAm, you have every opportunity to make yourself clear. After all, you own this blog.
What can be easier for you to do to make clear this comment from you
x-
“When I flip to your links, I usually find a local yahoo group without much useful information, so I’ve stopped flipping to them.”
-x
than by pointing to a particular link.
Anyway, what do you think of this?
http://j.mp/rp-mauban
Perhaps you (or other regulars here) can point to a site that gives more or better information about Mauban, Quezon.
Salamat.
oh, btw, given the context of what we are talking about, what do you think of this:
http://j.mp/wfa-mauban
Salamat ulit.
@Ireneo
“I don’t really know how LGPMS can help with the “land case” question. The intractability of land cases in the Philippines is one of many hindrances to doing proper business.”
Irineo, did I say “land case”?
Did I not say “land cases”?
(Am just keeping things clear or making sure of what I have written.)
I tried to address with one comment what you and JoeAm have said separately.
Now that I have your attention on LGPMS let me put on my thinking cap to address your question.
In the meantime, can you please address this (here in this thread or in the other thread)?
http://j.mp/ja-rote
Salamat.
we want our own navy ships,but where are the naval architects? we don’t have the means to be self reliant in defense. When can we have our indigenous submarine? we can’t even have our own drones, we started one in late 90s but failure to launch because ningas kugon.
our situation with our jeepney is the grand example: from great to pathetic.
before we cant make cars because of detroit.
now detroit is in the too big to fail bailout artificial respiratory machine, we must start to make cars of our own.
that so called car that ran on water could be realized and be made safe, as soon as the oil wells run dry
inventions can only be for magazine covers if we don’t plan to do anything with it.
when can we build complete cars,complete electronics all indigenous.
we need a roadmap that answers the question of are we there yet?
these upcoming asean integration…do we see our giants fall? if the giants fall,what will happen to the smes?
do we see more rotten vegetables,and fruits?
lot of things to happen we must prepare.
karl,
We can build our cars and probably a modest battle ship but it doesn’t have to start 100% indigenous.
I agree.
lots of vacant lots and rooftops means lots of space for uban farming.
food waste can be used as composte…we can add urban farmed vegetables to supply our convenience stires at first,then the malls.
MRP,
if we should take things literally,that means to take you literally?ok Joe straight from the horse’s mouth,he means what he says.
When he says that, of course, he means don’t take him literally. MRP is smoke and mirrors, and and I am reminded of my own words somewhere in a profile above, not to take anything seriously here because the goal is to provoke thinking. If we take MRP in that same vein, it is we the reader who gets to find the constructive and helpful ideas and discard those that may be for (trolling) effect or are confusing. There are no limits to our own thinking, and no restrictions on his. I’ve found his recent posts to be original and thought provoking, one almost poetical, and not so much the repetitive harping on Korina and UP.
yes,thought provoking it is.
It’s off topic, but let me dump this here, as it is an excellent visual of the parties and senate candidates, and saves me the trouble of writing a blog.
*******
There was a bill against turncoatism. Now this is not turncoatism. This is the wearing of the coats of many colors.
This Venn diagram represents the Filipino mindset of “no limits” which Binay epitomizes — no ideological distinctions, no differences in party platforms, no principles, no loyalty. The only thing that matters is victory — victory at all costs.
*****
Yes, indeed. No way would a principled party accept a candidate signing on to another party’s principles. I think if LP truly believes it has an exceptional platform and approach, it should give Lacson and Recto a choice, in or out. No sharing. Otherwise, LP is just another unprincipled bunch of opportunists. The UNA and Poe sharing make more sense because, for sure, they have no aim but personal win. Public need is irrelevant.
The sad part is that most of those showbiz folks are probably going to be sworn in as senators in June. (As if Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla don’t matter at all).
That will be sad. I do note that the LP slate offers more technical appeal than popularity appeal. Binay and Poe are both populist parties. So is Santiago/Marcos.
Is it true that Marcos is no.1 in the VP race?
I believe it may be true. But that would not factor in Leni Robredo as a competing candidate. She is like Mar Roxas was a few months ago, basically out of the picture. But there is no doubt that Marcos has a well-funded, well-organized campaign program. Grass roots.
If voters make Marcos their VP, the country is beyond redemption.
I must say, I am not all that optimistic that the Philippine voter base has much awareness of the things we discuss here. It is a young nation, and from all I can tell, the youth are interested in things we olds would consider superficial. They are into dancing and fame and money for nothing, chicks for free. And they don’t even have to play the guitar or beat any drums to get them. I made the mistake of watching my wife’s afternoon entertainment, and all the youthful audience going crazy about dancers doing explicitly sexual material that, if done at an LP function, would bring out calls for resignations and impeachment of the president. There are two different worlds here . . . three actually, if we consider the poor laboring class . . . and we moralizing, intellectually proficient, critically thinking olds are mostly talking to ourselves, I think.
Color me discouraged on a rainy Sunday afternoon . . .
“We can either have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.”
–Louis Brandeis
U.S. Supreme Court Justice (1856-1941)
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/the-grim-reality-behind-the-philippines-economic-growth/275597/
Economist J. Stiglitz contends that an economy that benefits the very few is a failed economy….
There are approximately 18 million families in the Philippines. 100 families divided by 18m families equates to 0.00000556% reap almost 80% of economic expansion…Between 1-2 % of families reap the rest…The rest either leaves the country either makes do or sing and dance to forget their misery…
The African American slaves created the only original art form from the U.S , the blues, the forerunner of jazz and rock and roll as they sang and danced as no one could enslave their souls.
We all share a common human makeup…
In spite of the most favorable macroeconomic conditions brought about by remittances and a world depression keeping lending rates below normal the government of Pnoy has failed miserably on the economic front.
May I know why you discourage economic charter change,if this might mean that the oligarchs will have competition?
from the page of KME, your group
Will has shown us by statistics on spending for AlDub that there is a new middle class and that there is money being earned right now… BPO outfits and some offshore manufacturing – a few German companies are in Manila and Cavite – are giving jobs to people right now.
What I have not found until now are conclusive statistics on income distribution in the Philippines, especially how many people are really middle class, meaning their purchasing power is enough to have some extra money at the end of the month for more than survival.
What I suspect is that Binay supporters are mostly lower class, Santiago supporters lower middle class which has its head high enough to see what is above the water but mostly has to gasp for air, Duterte supporters up-and-coming provincial middle class for whom protection against crime is a priority no matter who gets hurt in the process, Roxas supporters urban middle class who are reaping the gains of the present administration. What I also suspect is that purchasing power statistics will correspond to poll results.
Do you still maintain the same position,RHiro,
Below is an excerpt from Ka Mentong’s article
Last week we focused on the incontrovertible fact that the Philippines is fully equipped to achieve success in its national economic recovery aspirations, particularly in the availability of domestic capital, as the idle P1.22-trillion Special Deposit Account managed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shows. Hiro Vaswani, forensic finance process consultant and research chief of KME (Kilusan para sa Makabansang Ekonomiya), pointed this out–something that we shared in our last column. Well, Hiro just sent us another e-mail on the subject of competitiveness and the Cha-cha:
“Maintaining nationalist (partial bars to foreign ownership) provisions in the Constitution in some sectors of the economy and qualified restrictions of land ownership for foreigners is not a bar to economic development. The present 1987 Constitution in many ways calls for a developmental state model that has not been clearly established by the government itself. The calls for changes to the Constitution, in the alleged face of the emergence of a borderless economy, are stupid and insane at best. Firstly, countries do not and cannot compete like corporations. Countries do not have a bottom line that, if not achieved, they die like corporations. Furthermore, the recent financial crisis has already put the lie to the ideas of this so-called borderless world economy led by the more developed economies of the world.
“Countries all over the world today are putting in place domestic policy measures to grow their domestic economies. Amongst the emerging market economies, strong state developmental policy paradigms are driving their economic development. The problem in the Philippines remains with the policy of importing demand (i.e. export market dependence) deeply imbedded in the Filipino psyche. The economist Simon Kuznets who is credited with the creation of national income accounts (such as GDP or Gross Domestic Product) warned the government then that this measurement does not measure the general welfare of the people in the country. He further warned that there will be a huge disparity in income with developing economies as they transition from agrarian economies… (which) can only be avoided if an industrialization process happens…
Click to access BSP_8b_paderanga.pdf
C. Paderanga was the first NEDA Director of Pnoy. In his paper dated Feb. 2010 he pointed to the sea change brought about by the remittances of foreign workers on the macroeconomic fundamentals of the country… An accidental effect of our labor export program…The volume of peso creation forced the BSP to create a fourth level of reserves the Special Deposit Account separate from the Foreign Currency Deposit Account.
The world moved to fiat currencies at the turn of the last century (19th) as the world entered the realm of monetary or financial economics.
The workers of this country have long been crucified on the continuing incompetence of governments since Marcos to this present government who still has not learned how to spend effectively…Marcos economic blunders together with his bright boys then continues to affect how government operates in this country.
We have been under IMF/WB scriptures since 1962. We have been victimized by the neo liberal economic wahhabism of these institutions that have created this completely dysfunctional political system…
Now that the direct victims of this story have turned out to be the very ones that is keeping the economy afloat it is time to use their incomes to reverse the doctrinaire policy programs……
you are a bright boy,what did you do to put a stop to this.You do not seem to be just a voice in the wilderness.
If the Philippines were completely neoliberal, then the foreign ownership rules – which date back to President Carlos P. Garcia – would not still be there. The problem of the country is that it’s law, policies and practices are a mixed bag of stuff, like a crazy legacy software system running on different programming languages and implemented by different programmers who left and then others took over without any real documentation…
The present admin is trying to modernize and streamline parts of the software without shutting down the whole system this something you cannot do with a running nation… very hard to do but at least they are working on it… a revamp of many things can come later.
the tagay tagay means the drinking habits of the people and that includes the poor, I don’t know if the sin taxes stopped the vices. People still smoke and drink. Good for the economy bad for the individual. bad healthwise and money wise.
same with gambling and gaming. country gets rich,more poor people.
if takuza is genuine, no drinking,no gambling and no vices.
i still advocate for a single tax but the richer you are the higher you pay, don’t know what you call that,but that sounds nice.
flat tax I think… Romania it’s 20% on all income for all with almost no deductions possible.
i was thinking a 20 percent consumption tax for all may not be affordable so 10 percent for middle to low then 20 percent from upper middle onwards.
a national id would be presented to show income bracket.
but how will housewives with no income and others with no income be taxed?
if they will be exempt then the breadwinner will just give all the money to them.
so a 15 percent tax with no id needed might be a compromise.
globalization is here to stay,no matter how loud we cry, so better improve our products not just for export but also for domestic consumption.
Make local companies competitive and then open the markets for foreign competition.
Strong local industry with strong domestic consumption is the key to stability and sucess for countries like Germany and Japan, winds from outside cannot hit you that hard then.
our electricity rates are the highest. they say the chinese control the power sector. conspiracy theory or not,we should do something. alternative power sources,alternative to fossil fuels, like what I said somewhere above, if it is garbage from canada,then so be it.
mvp says we are not ready for asean integration.
an except from the article.
“For instance, does Jollibee have a big presence in Thailand? None.Why? Because there are Thai companies already in that business. Are there significant number of Filipino lawyers or accountants or nurses in Singapore? No. Why? Because the doctors, lawyers, nurses in Singapore will complain that Filipinos are taking over their job. Naturally the government will protect their people. So where is the integration happening?” Pangilinan said.
plus farmers must find something else to do,if more sugar,rice,veggies,fruits,etc come in.
ok more rotten fuits,veggies,and even flowers
Those are interesting points. So does he suggest the Philippines back out of ASEAN, or what is the recommendation that goes with the complaint? As I understand it, the integration is in stages with banking upcoming. I also noticed that in Singapore and Malaysia, the Immigration check-in has a special set of counters for ASEAN member citizens. I would suspect other nations also worry about the Philippines undercutting their production costs or swamping their own agricultural markets. It will take time and I suspect there will be a lot of individual fires to be fought.
It is also amusing to me that the Philippines cannot integrate its own population into the Philippines, and now “the Vietnamese are coming, the Vietnamese are coming”.. and Malaysians and Indonesians . . .
But I wonder, will the banking business be better or worse when Malaysian banks have offices across the Philippines? I’m guessing better, for consumers.
Maybe that latter point is Pangilinan’s real concern. Competition against his businesses.
The people who fear competition hide in the dark. Those who hide in the dark will never see the light.
Without competition, in a million years, Philippine cities will never get rid of those ugly electrical wires dangling along all both sides of the streets. MVP would prefer to let the wires dangle lower over time to be used as convenient wires for the laundry.
“Fear not those who argue,
but those who dodge.”
— Dale Carnegie
Ouch. Someone needs to do a profile of the man and his methods.
yes, maybe he is spreading the news that the Aussies backed out. Maybe he fears SingTel
for the banking sector, maybe bdo,metrobank and bpi will merge to fend off the Malaysians.