Sunday, March 20, 2011

Strange Filipino Behaviors

1. Sobrang mapamahiin.
2. Ginagamit ang nguso, kilay, baba at siko sa pagtuturo ng direksyon.
3. Nakataas ang isang paa kapag kumakain.
4. Sinasawsaw ang tinapay (madalas pandesal) sa kape.
5. Pinapartner ang tuyo' sa champorado.
6. Inuulam ang kape, gatas, o tsokolate sa kanin.
7. Mahilig umihi sa pader, poste, gilid ng sasakyan, at madidilim na bangketa.
8. Sumisitsit kapag may tatawagin.
9. Sinisiksik ang bus tickets sa upuan at kung saan-saan.
10. Illogical sumagot. (e.g. Kumain ka na ba?Busog pa ko eh. Nasaan ka na?Malapit na.)
11. Kapag nagkukuwento laging magsisimula sa "Oi alam mo ba?".
12. Filipino time.
13. Mahilig magjay walking (Kahit may nakalagay ng "Bawal tumawid may namatay na dito")
14. Kapag may nakaharang sa daraanan "mag-eexcuse me" habang yuyuko at maghahand gesture (pointing hands) sabay dadaan.
15. Mahilig magtake out sa mga handaang pinupuntahan.
16. Laging brand name ang nasasabi kapag bibili (e.g Bibili: "Pabili ngang colgate", Tindera: "anung brand?" Bibili: "yong close up!")
17. Mahilig ipaframe ang certificates at ididisplay sa sala.
18. Mahilig sa imported goods.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Be the Change You Want to Be : A Transformational Leaders Guide to Metamorphosis

For the past decades, Philippines has undergone various types of rulership from the 14 presidents who governed it – from Aguinaldo’s revolutionary dominance to former PGMA’s prolonged supremacy. Today, as we all indulge ourselves to another leap for a change through PNoy’s administration, we ask: “Is he the one?”

Is he the transformational leader we have all been clamoring for years now? Will he be able to transform or if not alleviate the disturbing predicament we are all in?

Is he the one?

I made mention of the words transformational leader, but first how is such defined? Is he just someone who could do changes, be it in a small or large scale of his electorate?

Definitely NOT – as for my 7 years of experience in the enigmatic yet perky realm of leadership, I believe there are traits which one must possess to be deemed as a transformational leader.

A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER IS PROACTIVE. As someone who intends to move mountains, one must have the initiative to start action. Noliver Barrido, PLM’s former Supreme Student Council President and a good friend of mine, always tells me to be a doer because once you become active in something and acquire experiences from it, be it good or bad; you learn something and you grow as a person.

If you get to know Kuya Noli you will be dumbfounded by how broad his knowledge is. From what I understood in my major – Psychology: “you cannot give what you do not have”, likewise; it is essential that you are knowledgeable in order to make things happen. For knowledge is a premise of progress. However, knowledge should be coupled with untainted understanding.

Be intuitive, ask questions, seek for answers and don’t just rely and adapt to what lies before your eyes.

A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER DOESN’T INCLUDE TO HIS VOCABULARY THE WORD IMPOSSIBLE. Emerald Amurao, founder of one of Manila’s Boses ng Kabataan Chapter taught me this trick of being extremely optimistic – of not entertaining and being frightened by the possibilities of defeat. The worst thing one can do is not to try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something could have materialized – never knowing. I’ve acclimatized myself so much to this that, whenever I’m subjected to dense circumstances, I tend to just push and push until I achieve my or our team’s goal.

With this comes the notion of being bold on piloting. One must be dominant enough and at the same time submissive to his elements depending of course on the situation at hand. Taking risks and engaging to the uncertain comes with this too. Erroneous it may sound at first but in doing so, one learns. Yearning for the seemingly impossible is a step to human progress. Be it a win-lose situation, you acquire something so why not try, right? In role of the person in charge, as they put it in debates, you should “set the parameters”.

A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER LISTENS AND HAS AN OPEN-MIND. Stereotypical it may seem, but in reality, such qualities of a good leader are often overlooked. They assume they are listening already but not to the right voices; that they hear both sides yet they are being biased. For someone who aspires to alter lives, it must be an automatic inclination to be able to ascertain the misleading from the authentic ones. In actuality though, as they say: it is easier said than done.

I myself am still learning the art of listening to the right voices and weighing sides of what I encounter. It may seem a cunning task yet worth all the effort for without silence words lose their meaning; without listening, speaking no longer heals. Having mastered this, one could easily communicate with others. He’ll not have a hard time dealing with them for he knows their issues consequently building a harmonious relationship.

A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER AFFECTS. Francis Montero, our Parish priest never fails to exercise this. Every time he conducts masses, he preaches God. Indefatigably reminding everyone to do well and be good. Studies show that short term memory is much more prevalent in a person’s everyday living. Therefore, it’s a must that periodically one is reminded of what to do. That is exactly what he does. Having my fair share of waywardness, hearing those sermons affect me. He influences me to become a morally upright person. He indirectly causes waves of inspiration as I take my life’s course in becoming someone who will defy the norms and follow a culture of intact core values and solid spiritual foundation.

As a transformational leader, a lot of patience is needed as we, little by little, strive for meaningful changes. Like Father Montero, aside from the fact that he never stops on believing that a change will transpire eventually, he stands out of the crowd and leads the way to righteousness. He walks his talk. The influence he exerted is through his own life and what he became of himself. He motivates me. And that is, I believe, the true measure of one’s influence. With that, he lives out the saying: “big things come from small packages”.

We don’t need dramatic events or big people to shake us from our apathy. By just opening our eyes to our surroundings, learning from the people in our immediate circle, sharing what we know and having the enduring initiative to be the best that we can be, we can become persons who will definitely make a difference.

And lastly, about President Aquino’s administration: LET’S KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT HE IS THE ONE. However, we should earnestly do our part, for seeking change is not just PNoy’s fight, it should be a collective struggle of every Filipino.
To borrow a line from John C. Maxwell – “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

By Joyce Colmenar Lansang, posted on August 29, 2010 in Jef Menguin's Website

Hinggil sa Anomalya sa Pera ng Yearbook: Lumutang at Managot ang Dapat Managot

(Posted at the BSA-ISO website last April 19, 2009)

Abril na naman, ang buwan ng pagtatapos ng mga magaaral mula sa kanilang mga kurso. Ito’y isang yugto ng buhay ng isang estudyante na dapat pahalagahan. Ngunit mukhang hindi lahat ng mga estudyante ng Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila ay magtatapos ng maluwag ang kalooban dahil sa walang kamatayang yearbook na mukhang hindi nanaman maiibibigay. Ano na naman ang nangyari?!

Humigit kumulang kalahating milyon ang nawawala mula sa College of Management and Entrepreneurship na pambayad para sa yearbook. Ang impormasyong ito ay nagmula kay ginoong Petalver na miyembro ng Editorial Board at pangulo din nasabing kolehiyo. Ayon sa kanya ay napasailalim siya sa hipnotismo sa loob ng LRT isang araw at natangay ang lahat ng perang kanyang dala. Ito ay ang perang ibinayad ng mga estudyante ng CME para sa kanilang yearbook. Ngunit nasaan na siya ngayon? Bakit wala man lamang police report o kahit anong katibayan ng nasabing insidente siyang ipinapakita? Totoo nga bang nawala ang pera ng mga estudyante? At bakit lumobo ng ganun kalaki ang pera sa kanya? Ito’y nangangahulugang hindi niya kaagad ibinayad ang pera sa Relans at hinayaang lumaki na ganoon.

Dahil sa pangyayaring ito, marami ang mamomroblema, marami ang madadamay. Isa nanaman pangkat ng mga mag-aaral na magsisipagtapos ang hindi nanaman makatatanggap ng kanikanilang yearbook. May paraan na naiiisip ang ilang nakatataas, ito ay pahabain ang kontrata sa Relans hanggang sa mabayaran ni ginoong Petalver ang halagang kanyang nawala. Ito ay nangangahulugang hindi makukuha, hindi lamang ng mga estudyante ng CME kundi ng buong pangkat ng mga magsisipagtapos ang kanikanilang yearbook hangga’t hindi nababayaran ang nawalng halaga. Ngunit upang hindi madamay ang nakararami, may dalawang paraan. Ang una’y tatanggalin ang buong CME sa yearbook at ang pangalawa nama’y magbabayad ang bawat estudyante ng halagang Php 1,000 upang makuha ang kanilang yearbook. Ang halagang ito ay sinasabing “refundable” o maaarng maibalik sa mga estudyante ngunit ano ang kasiguraduhan nila na ang halagang ibabayad sa kanila ay babalik pa sa mga kamay ng mga estudyante? Ito’y nangangahulugang kahit alin sa dalawang paraan na nabanggit ang piliin ay parehong lugi ang mga estudyante! Hindi makatarungang alisin sa yearbook ang CME sapagkat sila ay bayad! Pumayag ang Relans na maging kinatawan nila si ginoong Petalver kaya kung ang mga estudyante ng CME ay nagbayad sa kanya, nangangahulugang bayad sila sa Relans. Kung may anumalya mang nangyari sa pagitan ng Relans at ni ginoong Petalver ay HINDI DAPAT MASAGASAAN ANG MGA ESTUDYANTE. Ilan din sa mga madadamay ay ang ilang miyembro ng Editorial Board na hindi naman dapat dahil sa pagkakabukod ng kontrata nito sa orihinal na editorial board.

Ang panawagan ng BUKLURAN hinggil sa suliraning ito ay lumutang ang taong responsible dito maipataw ng nakatataas ang karapatdapat na parusa. Nagdesisyon din ang ilang estudyante ng CME na iparating ang suliranin kay Ginoong Tamano at ipahayag ang kanilang pagtutol sa pagbabayad muli ng halagang Php 1,000. Sana lang ay aksyunan kaagad ito ng nakatataas bago pa mamatay ang init ng issue. Anong kasiraan na lamang, hindi lang sa nakatataas kundi sa buong pamantasan, ang maaaring makita kung hindi ito maaayos sa madaling panahon.

Ang pinakamahalaga ay ang kapakanan at mga karapatan ng mga estudyante kung kaya’t hindi makatarungan na pagbayaring muli ng anumang halaga ang mga ito sapagkat, sa ano pa mang dahilan, sila ay bayad na.*

*This is the statement released by Bukluran Student Alliance regarding the CME Yearbook Anomaly. A signature campaign among the graduating students of the College of Management and Entrepreneurship was done by Bukluran members on their Graduation Day. They were able to gather about a hundred signatures and BSA-ISO President Noliver F. Barrido personally gave the said document to PLM President Adel Tamano during his turn at the stage on the said Commencement Exercise.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Awit ng Mortal

Ano ang sukat ng halaga ng isang buhay
Kayamanan ba o di kaya ang pangalan
Ano ang titimbang sa husto o kulang
Ng katuparan ng adhikain at paninindigan
May gantimpala bang dapat pang asahan
Upang kumilos nang tama’t makatuwiran

Saglit lamang ang ating buhay
Tilamsik sa dakilang apoy
Ang bukas na nais mong makita
Ngayumpama’y simulan mo na

Ang bawa’t tibok ng iyong puso
Minsan lamang madarama
Ito ang kumpas ng ating awit
Na sadyang may hangganan

May gantimpala bang dapat pang asahan
Upang kumilos nang tama’t makatuwiran

Kat’wan at isipa’y kukupas
Sa lupa’y yayakap din
Subali’t ang bunga ng iyong pamana’y
Higit pa sa pinagmulan

Saglit lamang ang ating buhay
Tilamsik sa dakilang apoy
Ang bukas na nais mong makita
Ngayumpama’y simulan mo na