LOVE AND DISCIPLINE – INSEPARABLE DUO IN PARENTING (Part 2)

My Own Upbringing

I consider it a great personal misfortune to lose my father on the eve of my first birthday. I was told by my mother and uncles that my father, a USAFEE soldier, was killed in a military encounter with the Japanese forces a couple of years before the end of World War II in 1945. 

“Being a single parent, my mother was forced to work on 2 jobs to put food on the table for me and her orphaned nephew and nieces.” This would greatly affect my childhood and my future life.

Without a father and with a mother whom I seldom see because of her work, I was left literally on my own.  The lack of the basic material things in life was made worse by the lack of parental guidance and discipline on my part.

Under these circumstances, while I became independent at an early age while trying to solve my own problems, I made many blunders that would affect my later life because of the frailties of a young mind and the absence of guidance and discipline.  

LOVE AND DISCIPLINE – INSEPARABLE DUO IN PARENTING (Part 1)

Unconditional Love

Every mother and father will unequivocally agree that the most important thing parents can give their children is love. However an essential matter should be appropriately considered. Does this mean unconditional love? That is, just giving everything a child wants without any restraint or set of parameters to learn and follow?

Oftentimes, parents ask themselves this question. Do we need to discipline the children whom we dearly love? For most if not all of us, children are precious gifts from God. When a child is born to a family, this “bundle of joy” becomes the focus of total attention of both the parents and the entire family. 

More importantly however, parents have to realize and assume a new extremely critical role, an immense responsibility to bring up their child as a respectable and responsible individual. We have learned how many fathers and mothers have accepted with remorse their failure as good parents because of the unconditional love sans appropriate discipline they gave to their children.

THE MANY FACES OF MANNY PACQUIAO: World’s Boxing Icon (Part 1)

The Golden Eras of Philippine Boxing

Photo courtesy of inquirere.net

Undoubtedly, the name of Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao will remain in the world’s sports history as one of the most revered and exciting prizefighter in the field of boxing. 

Before the surge of Manny Pacquiao, boxing history books has recorded 2 other prominent Filipino pugilists who made their niches in the international boxing scene.

A Resurgence of Dictatorship

“Is the President a virtual dictator?” 

In his column “To the Point” posted in The Manila Standard on Oct. 24, 2013, this is the question that reputable columnist writer Emil Jurado posts to the Filipino people.

 Jurado then proceeds to add salient points;

“President Aquino appears to be a virtual dictator, having both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and now the Judiciary, under his control. With the House of Representatives ruled by the administration majority under Speaker Sonny Belmonte, and Senate President Frank Drilon acting like an extension of Malacañang protecting the President from allegations of abuse and misuse of public funds, with the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, and with most junior anti-graft court Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang as Presiding Justice of Sandiganbayan, the President now appears to rule over the three branches of government.”

The NBA Is Back (Part1)

Courtesy of nba.com

The long wait and enduring anticipation of millions of basketball NBA fans all over the world is finally over. Last night, (Tuesday, Oct. 29 USA) the opening of the 2013-2014 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA)  ushered the games between the 2012 Champion Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls followed by the games between 2 Los Angeles teams, the Lakers and Clippers.  

2013 BEST WOMEN TENNIS PLAYERS IN THE WORLD

The 8 best women tennis players (singles and doubles) in the world gathered to compete for the 2013 TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championship which kicked of today in the Turkish capital, Istanbul.

The first year-ending WTA championship tournament was held in Houston, Texas in 1971 and was won by Billie Jean King of the U.S., Martina Navratilova won the tournament 8 times, more than any other woman tennis player. Navratilova, initially representing Czechoslovakia, played under the flag of the United States in later tournaments.

Learning Curve Theory - An Effective Management Tool

The Learning Curve

Many definitions have been given to describe the learning curve theory. Although most, if not all delineations are closely similar, their interpretations would provide clearly the same essence on the subject. 

A learning curve can be defined as a graphical representation of the changing rate of learning of an average person for a given work activity, whether physical or mental. Typically, the increase in retention of information is sharpest after the initial efforts, and then gradually evens out, meaning that less and less new information is retained after each repetition of the process. To put it simply, a learning curve is a graphical representation of the increase of learning (vertical axis) with experience (horizontal axis). 

See graph below:

The learning curve can also represent at a glance the initial complexity of learning a certain work activity and, to an extent, how much there is to learn after initial familiarity.

The UAAP HOOP WARS

Courtesy of humblebola.com

There is no doubt that the 76th UAAP basketball championship contested by the University of Santo Tomas UST and De La Salle University (DLSU) is one for the sports history books. The 3-game series between the DLSU Green Archers and the UST Growling Tigers displayed the best of Philippine collegiate basketball.

Although I have not personally watched the games being thousand miles away from the MOA Arena, the screaming sports headlines in the Philippine national dailies told it all. With UST winning the first game and DLSU fighting back in the second game, with the third and deciding game was one that was expectedly entertaining and explosive and considered to be  “anybody’s ballgame”. 

After a classic Game 3, only one team remained “standing” though.  After trailing by 15 points in the mid-third quarter of the highly emotional and spectacular game, the DLSU Green Archers captured the much coveted UAAP men’s basketball with a score of 71-69, before more than 23,000 basketball fanatics at the MOA Arena. What was theatrical was the fact that DLSU won the blockbuster final game by only 2 points and this after an overtime play after the regulation period with both teams having identical scores. 

Are Regrets Quantifiable?

Courtesy of en.hcht.org

Before I deal with the substance of the subject, it would be appropriate to have a common understanding of the term regret through its definition. As defined by Wikipedia, “regret is a negative conscious and emotional reaction to personal past acts and behaviors. Regret is often expressed by the term "sorry." Regret is often a feeling of sadness, shame, embarrassment, depression, annoyance, or guilt, after one acts in a manner and later wishes not to have done so.

Wikipedia further explains that “regret is distinct from guilt, which is a deeply emotional form of regret; one which may be difficult to comprehend in an objective or conceptual way. It is also distinct from remorse, which is a more direct and emotional form of regret over a past action that is considered by society to be hurtful, shameful, or violent. Unlike regret, it includes a strong element of desire for apology to others rather than an internal reflection on one's actions, and may be expressed (sincerely or not) in order to reduce the punishment one receives.”

“Quo Vadis” Philippines ? - A Frightful Forethought Of The Future

As I finished reading Ricardo Saludo’s  column “The Mounting Pile of Aquinomalies” in the Manila Times issue of  Oct. 3, 2013, I was overwhelmed with ambivalent reactions, that of anxiety and exasperation. 

  

In the initial part of his article Mr Saludo stated; “Believe it or not, the Aquino administration has surpassed its predecessor in corruption. Between pork barrel trebling under President Benigno Aquino III to about P25 billion a year, his unaudited, unlegislated and unprecedented releases under the so-called Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP, P137 billion as of October 1), and smuggling hitting nearly $20 billion or some P860 billion a year, plus undiminished jueteng, these ‘Aquinomalies’ may already swell to over P200 billion a year.”

A Dysfunctional Philippine Government

For the past few weeks, the incessant and appalling anomalies in the Philippine Legislature has reached its apex after the bombshell expose’ of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam popularly known as the “pork barrel” fund. By now, the spiraling effect of the far-reaching and irreparable glitches of the people’s money rip-off had created a dysfunctional Philippine government.

Efficiency and Effectivenes

Having taught for almost 12 years in the Business Graduate School at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City, the terms efficiency and effectiveness have always generated lively and intriguing discussions in Operations/Production Management and Human Resource Management courses.

The adjectives efficient and effective are very common terms related not only to productivity and work performances of managers and employees but also to work plans, systems and procedures.  However, most of us tend to mix their usages and meanings occasionally, so that maybe writing on this subject would be valuable to most of the readers specifically those who are in the management and labor sectors of both public and private organizations. 

But first thing first, let’s start with the definition of the terms efficient and effective.

MAKING DECISIONS – A Crucial Phase in Life

Image courtesy of www.useoftechnology.com

An essential part of life is making decisions. We make decisions on a daily occurrence; from the food we choose to eat, the dress that we buy, the friends that we keep and many other daily activities that we do. In many of these cases, decision making is something that we do without much thought, without hesitation, without much concern. However, in important issues we tend to think twice assessing the situation giving us moments of hesitation, doubts and fears on the outcome of a bad decision. Choosing a career, life partner and business ventures are classic example of critical concerns that necessitate careful study and assessment before making decisions. Matters that will significantly affect our lives and our families are subjects that are included in this type.

Bizarre Political Election - Only in the Philippines

The Philippine mid-term election race has finally culminated with the proclamation of the 12 winners for the Senate from among the more than 33 candidates who filed their candidacies for the national posts.  Nonetheless, the election campaign was still dominated by traditional politics where dirty tactics are employed such as character assassination, voter’s intimidation, religious sector intervention, vote buying and fraud.

Obviously, the dispute and junking of party-mates at the provincial and local levels worsened from bad to worse where powerful personalities and political clans dominated the local election. The national alliance of the Liberal and NPC parties is definitely self-serving for the Aquino administration. Consequently, the temporary coalition sowed confusion among the national and local candidates that resulted in the defiance of local LP parties to respect the partnership since most opponents for local positions come from the NPC party.

It is without doubt that the 2013 mid-term election is not only an acid test for the sustainability of the Aquino administration in its economic achievements but most importantly serves as a prelude to the next presidential derby in 2016. The formidable victories of the administration and coalition candidates in the Senate  definitively assures President Benigno Aquino III of a majority in the legislature needed to pass legislation for his programs legacy before he leaves office in 2016.

The domination of both the Senate and House of Representatives by the President’s allies may serve as too strong a temptation for the President to amend the Constitution in lifting the Presidential term limits in order to extend his term of office to access to absolute power. While this is only a food for thought, it is dreadful to even contemplate on the realization of this event which is not impossible.

The Revenge of Grace Poe –“Anak ni Panday “

Aftermath of the 2013 Philippine Mid-term Election  

By this time, both local and senatorial winners in the last Philippine mid-term election has been declared  by the Commission On Elections but the smoke of politics has not completely vanished and still hovers in the air. Election winners are still reeling with euphoria while there are some losers who are hell bent on pursuing election protests with different reasons such as cheating,  vote-buying and the questionable reliability of the PCOS units used in the canvassing of votes.

While most election outcomes affirmed the enduring existence of political dynasties, there were a few political families that suffered its worst defeat in the last election.

Marcelo B. del Pilar: Another Victim of Injustice and Philippine Bureaucracy

In the May 22, 2013 issue of a Bacolod City local daily, Visayan Daily Star, Editor Carla P. Gomez wrote;

DOJ Finally Paying Dead Prosecutor, 84 Others To Get Retirement Differentials Too

“The family of a retired government prosecutor in Negros Occidental, who had pleaded with the Department of Justice for the release of his retirement pay so he could have a heart bypass operation before he passed away, will finally be paid.”

“Marcelo B. del Pilar, 66, who retired as OIC city prosecutor of Cadiz City in Negros on July 15, 2011, succumbed to a heart attack on April 4 without getting what was due him, and what he needed to save his life, his wife, Teresa, said. The DOJ, on its website, yesterday announced that 85 DOJ prosecutors, including del Pilar, who retired since 2010 to 2012 can now claim their retirement gratuity differential.”

“His family is now entitled to receive P4,135,167.68 representing his unpaid retirement benefits, the DOJ announcement said. Teresa  del Pilar said it is sad that the money due her husband that could have saved his life, is being released only now. She said she is thankful to Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda for following up the release after being informed by the DAILY STAR of the plight of her husband in March before he died. She received a letter from Lacierda on the efforts made to help them, Teresa said.”

“DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima also sent her a letter dated April 8 after her husband had died, which she received in the last week of April, explaining to her the delay in the release of his benefits, Teresa said. She said she wept because de Lima had written only then, when her husband had written to the secretary in October 2012 yet, seeking her help and did not get an answer until the day he died. It was too late, she said.”

“Del Pilar suffered heart attacks in 2007 and 2010, and his cardiologist, Dr. Jose Joel Yap, had recommended that he undergo a heart bypass operation to prolong his life. He was hoping that with his lump sum benefit, he could afford that operation.”

“In March, Del Pilar said he had to live on money borrowed from his children after he retired, because the law states that a prosecutor cannot engage in private practice for a year after retirement. Last year, he was able to earn again from his private practice as a lawyer, but on March 16, he suffered another heart attack and was hospitalized in Bacolod.”

“He was released from the hospital on Holy Week, and we thought he was better, but he just suddenly succumbed to a heart attack,” Teresa said. She said her husband did not want government to give him money for his operation. “We wanted what was due him, so he could pay for it himself,” she said.

The “Padrino” System - A Menace to Philippine Society (Final Part and Conclusion )

Public Procurement of Goods and Services

Public procurement in the Philippines is governed by the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB). Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise as the Government Procurement Reform Act, was enacted by Congress to provide guidelines in the procurement of goods and services in government. The law declared a policy to promote the ideals of good governance in all its branches, departments, agencies, subdivisions, and instrumentalities, including government-owned and/or -controlled corporations and local government units. All procurement of the national government, its departments, bureaus, offices and agencies, including state universities and colleges, government -owned and/or-controlled corporations, government financial institutions and local government units LGU’s, shall, in all cases, be governed by the following principles:

Transparency in the procurement process and in the implementation of procurement contracts.

Competitiveness by extending equal opportunity to enable private contracting parties who are eligible and qualified to participate in public bidding.

Streamlined procurement process that will uniformly apply to all government procurement. The procurement process shall simple and made adaptable to advances in modern technology in order to ensure an effective and efficient method.

System of accountability where both the public officials directly or indirectly involved in the procurement process as well as in the implementation of procurement contracts and the private parties that deal with government are, when warranted by circumstances, investigated and held liable for their actions relative thereto.

Public monitoring of the procurement process and the implementation of awarded contracts with the end in view of guaranteeing that these contracts are awarded pursuant to the provisions of this Act and its implementing rules and regulations, and that all these contracts are performed strictly according to specifications.

The “Padrino” System - A Menace to Philippine Society (Part II)

The Political “Patronage” in Human Resource Management

Although favoritism is occurring in private organizations to a certain extent, efforts have been made by private companies to curb down this immoral practice. Today, successful and well organized private corporations utilize private Human Resource Consulting firms, (such as John Clements and Guthrie-Jensen Consultants) to do the recruitment and selection of work applicants for vacant positions in their organizations, thereby minimizing if not completely eliminating favoritism. More than that, private organizations nowadays give more emphasis on regular Work Performance Evaluations that become the basis for promotions and salary increases of their employees. 

However, with resignation, we have to accept the sad reality that favoritism in the government service is and will always be in full throttle. This malpractice has always been a source of grumble and criticism in most if not all local government units. The mere knowledge that favoritism is practiced in a government office is more than enough for competent and efficient employees to breed the sentiment of “indifference” in their work, in response to a question, “Why would I care with my work when performance is not a consideration for promotion”, for them a reminder of an old saying; “it’s not what you know but whom you know”.

The "Padrino" System - A Menace To Philippine Society (Part 1)

Photo courtesy of www.thebloggingjuan.blogspot.com

Introduction

The Filipinos are proud people with many positive and negative values as well. Some of their positive values include being religious, hospitable, respectful, family oriented, friendly, with high sense of fraternity or “pakikisama”, among others.

The prominent negative Filipino values include being fatalistic, crab mentality (Ma-inggitin), “maῆana” habit (wait for tomorrow), “niῆgas-kugon” (Procrastination), bashful (Mahiyain) and high reliance on the “Padrino  (Godfather)  system”, and many more.

Among the aforementioned negative values, this text will focus on the “Padrino” system which is prevalent in the country.  While there are many factors that hinder the progress of any country or community for that matter, the “Padrino” system in the Philippines, proved to be a major deterrent in the country’s sustainable development.

The dominant practice of the “Padrino” system is highly associated with the incessant corruption in the country, it being one Filipino value that permits and reinforces the prevalence and continuance of corrupt practices in the country.

Manfredo P. Alipala - Forgotten And Unheralded Bacolod Hero.

I am dedicating this article to an old friend and fellow Bacolod native, the late MANFREDO P. ALIPALA. Although his achievements in amateur boxing in the Philippines and Asia have brought pride and fame to Bacolod City, it pains me to think that there was not even a recognition and appropriate honor bestowed by the city to a forgotten Bacolod hero. I am filled with regrets that, having been a high ranking city government official for almost 8 years, I failed to initiate a move to acknowledge a friend and fellow Bacoleno’s outstanding contribution to the fields of both amateur and professional boxing. For appeasement, I cannot convince myself that my failure to do so was due to my hectic and heavy workloads as a former Secretary to the Mayor and later City Administrator with concurrent job positions.  Even as a private citizen based in a foreign land, I will try my best to make this right by seeking the help of current Bacolod City officials to distinguish the first Bacolod native to win the (only) Gold Medal in amateur boxing in the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia and the first Olympian from Bacolod to represent the Philippines in amateur boxing to the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.