The Quirino Grandstand hostage drama

I was supposed to write about the Quirino Grandstand hostage drama that took place last Monday. It killed 8 Hongkong nationals and the hostage taker himself. It was a sad day not only for the victims and their kin but also for each one of the us Filipinos here and abroad. It was evil and there are no words to console every one involved. “Condolence” and “Sorry” won’t bring back the lives lost. And the lives scarred by what happened.

I am just praying that the Philippine government have learned their lesson. Firstly, on the case of the hostage taker Capt. Rolando Mendoza. How come a decorated cop, said to be a really good and clean one, turned to a hostage taker? How come his extortion case wasn’t given the attention it needed and now that he’s dead it will be reviewed upon the president’s order?!? We all know good cops are so few and they are the ones neglected by our government! I hope the president will do something about this.

Secondly, on the case of our hostage negotiators. I heard from the news that one of the two who negotiated with Capt. Mendoza even trained in Australia. How come he wasn’t able to do something in those hours he was talking to the hostage taker? They were seen laughing and calm the whole time. And nothing?!? Have you, guys, seen the movie The Negotiator? Are you, guys, watching those cop series in the US like NCIS? Our negotiators should be trained regardless whether hostage taking in our country are far and few between.

Lastly, on our president. Sure, the Quirino Grandstand hostage drama was an isolated incident. But he should know what to do in situations like that. Have you heard the news that HK Chief Executive Donald Tsang was calling him up and the whole time Phil. President Noynoy Aquino couldn’t be reached? And then the flak he got regarding the videos taken wherein he was seen smiling all the time. I noticed that, too! He was even laughing while he was beside the window where the bus driver got out. Considering what happened, he should have worn a very serious facial expression. He said smiling was his way of dealing with the gloom of the situation. I don’t know, I just feel he could have been more mindful of his actions in my opinion. He could have intervened during the hostage taking, calling up Capt. Mendoza or even sending an emissary. He said in his press conference 5 hours after the hostage taking that he will have Capt. Mendoza’s case reviewed. If he could have told that to the man while the hostages were still alive, it could have made a HUGE difference! But no, he was just monitoring the situation during that time. Darn!

Everything could have been handled differently. The hostage drama could have ended without any casualty. But the policemen, the media with their incessant coverage, and the government officials who could have intervened…

Jobs for those who need it

I have friends who are in the health field. Some of them are still waiting for job openings locally. I found out there are healthcare jobs ready for those who are in the health field like my friends. And they can be found at Job.com!

There are jobs waiting for those who need it. All that’s needed to be done is to look for one, assess your qualifications if you meet the criteria for the job, and then apply for the job. If you don’t get the job, then apply for another one. Determination is needed to be able to achieve something you want. Like getting the job you want.

ABS-CBN news programs and the torture video

I am really starting to get annoyed with ABS-CBN news programs need for sensationalism. They are going overboard on their “exclusives”! I understand that it’s their way of attracting viewers aside from providing “information”. But I do think it’s overkill most of the time!

There’s the torture video that they kept on showing again and again. Half of TV Patrol‘s newscast for the past two days was dedicated to showing the torture scene. And what is that torture scene, you might ask (esp. to those who are non-Filipinos)? It is of a man being tortured by the police. He was an alleged snatcher caught and in the process of interrogating the man, making him confess, he was stripped naked and his genitals was tied with a string and being pulled again and again by a policeman! It was allegedly done by Sr. Inspector Joselito Binayug who was already suspended pending investigation of the case. The Commission on Human Rights already stepped in and is conducting investigations of their own.

I know, I KNOW, that injustices like these need to be shown to the masses for awareness and for it to be squashed. But in my opinion, ABS-CBN should not show the clip of the torture scene again and again. There are kids watching the news with their parents! I am a grown woman and I cringed the first time I saw the video. I stopped watching after the first pull. Kids should not see that video. But TV Patrol showed the video a number of times within their news program!

I don’t know but have you noticed how ABS-CBN news programs have gone the route of tabloid journalism already? Watch even one TV Patrol ep and you will see what I’m talking about now.

And please, enough of the torture video please!

Brochures for the seminar

Brochures will be given out during the seminar. It will be conducted by a training officer from the headquarters. As early as today, there will be a business printing to be done. A custom design with the information about the seminar in the inside of the brochure and copies will be given away to potential participants within the organization.

It will surely be a hit! Now the only thing left to do after all the information and graphics are done is to find a business printing company who can help them.

Dealing with government agencies

Government offices tend to give you a headache when you try to call them up for information. Most of the personnel are either grouchy or just plain rude! I’ve encountered my fair share in some of the popular government agencies and GOCC’s for the past couple of years and I must say that with three presidents (P-Noy being the current one), there are no changes at all!

The only government agency (a GOCC, am I right?) that has pleasant personnel and one that you can really commend is PEZA. Oliver Reyes of PEZA, if he’s still there, was one of the most pleasant and helpful personnel I’ve dealt with while I was still working for a call center company. I took care of the company’s PEZA registration and periodic PEZA reports and every question I’ve asked of the guy was answered with as much information as he could inject in our conversation. See, I really remembered the guy’s name! That’s because he’s one of the few people who works (worked?) for the government who knows how to deal properly with those seeking their assistance. I must say that even their department head and co-workers were as pleasant as him. I just remembered Oliver’s name the most because he was the one assigned with the periodic PEZA reports.

To government personnel: There is nothing wrong with being pleasant, especially to those who approached you with courtesy and respect. I understand that persons working for the government are overworked and underpaid. But why stay if you are unhappy with your work? And since you are unhappy, you are annoyed at people seeking your assistance? There are even some of you who are downright rude!

Of course, let me say that there are a couple of government people I’ve dealt with who were very accommodating. Anyway…

If these two old women I’m dealing with in a government agency will continue to sit on my grandma’s death benefits, I will really write their names here, their commanding officer’s name, and their whole department in the Air Force! I will detail here how rude they are to me and how lazy they are!

I kept wondering what happens to those people dealing with this kind of government personnel who are timid. I guess it takes them months and months to get a benefit that should be processed in a day or two.

Reaction to ipad

A friend of mine bought an ipad complete with ipad accessories. I am curious so I met up with him to check it out. I have mixed reactions to the gadget. I am impressed at the mobility, the lightness of it. But not so much with what’s in it. Or I guess I need more time to make a much more thorough assessment of the ipad.

But being a gadget freak, I still want one. I hope someone gives me one soon. Hahaha! Wishful thinking!

The danger of being a co-maker in a loan

I did a stupid thing five years ago: I became a co-maker in a co-worker’s loan. It was an act of kindness. Loans were extended to the employees of the company I was working for and since we’re in the Finance department, we were prioritized by the bank. So to race ahead of other employees, we signed loan forms right away. Since there were only four of us in Finance back then, we asked one another to become co-makers of each other. I was just unlucky to become the co-maker of this former staff of mine.

I, along with the other two of my Finance team, already paid the loan within the payment period given to us. Only one is still unpaid to date. My former staff, the one whose loan I was the co-maker of.

I thought she was able to pay off the loan two years ago. Apparently, after the last time I saw her, she stopped paying. Until I got a call yesterday from a lawyer handling her loan. This time around, I was lucky because my former staff is now working for one of my good friends. I was able to track her down easily. Today, she paid a percentage of her loan. I am monitoring her payments this time around. I was stupid not to have done this a long time ago. This time around, I won’t be the stupid one anymore.

I have an unsolicited advise to all of you (one I know most of you already know way back when): don’t be a co-maker to a loan! Because chances are, you will end up the loser in the whole deal. Unless, of course, you know the capacity of the person you are co-making a loan with. Otherwise, save yourself the headache and DON’T!

When not in use…

An establishment near our residence bought a couple of spa covers. I saw it while having coffee the other day. The covers were delivered really early. I heard that the spa had a problem when a typhoon damaged some stuff they have so they bought the spa covers for that very purpose. When their things are not in use, it will be covered.

Typhoons in this country can be devastating. A creative mind is needed to find a solution to avoid your stuff being damaged.

Minors in conflict with the law

According to the news, more and more minors are getting involved in crimes. The Alabang Boys, Jason Ivler, Ivan Padilla and his gang, Snake gang and so many others. Most of the kids involved in high profile crimes are even kids from rich families.

An expert was interviewed about it and she said that this is caused by many factors foremost of which is seeing these things from the elders around them. My take on this is… media and the lack of proper guidance by an authoritative figure in these kids’ lives. Add to it poverty and peer pressure.

It is actually very alarming considering these kids should have been the blessed ones, the ones who wouldn’t even think of committing crimes just for easy money. But they are and the gravity and frequency of these crimes are increasing.

I think parents, guardians, elders in the family and school authorities should double their efforts in monitoring kids. They now start young. And we can prevent this from happening if we are only open and more aware of what our kids are getting themselves into.

SONA of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III in English

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay, Chief Justice Renato Corona, Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps;

My beloved countrymen:

Our administration is facing a forked road. On one direction, decisions are made to protect the welfare of our people; to look after the interest of the majority; to have a firm grip on principles; and to be faithful to the public servant’s sworn oath to serve the country honestly.

This is the straight path. Read more

P-Noy’s SONA

The new president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s very first State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be held on July 26, 2010 at the Batasan Pambansa.

Are you excited to hear what P-Noy has to say to the nation?

Intermittent DSL connection

I am getting so darn irritated with my DSL provider! My internet connection since the typhoon Basyang is intermittent! I can connect but after a minute or two, I will get disconnected. I reported it already but there’s no action yet. I think they want another first page bad write up Google search about them!

I swear your patience will ran out!

Calling Bayantel DSL!!!