Philippine Economy improving?

News about the Philippine economy is improving does not seem right.  Small businesses should be thriving but it does not seem so.  In the past year, so many internet cafes and shops closed down in Baguio's CBD.  A month ago an eatery cum sari-sari store near my computer shop closed down, then another nearby sari-sari store that virtually had no overhead costs closed down two days ago.

QuadMen NetShop

For my internet shop business, it has been down by more than 50% since late 2012.  It is marginally getting over break-even in most of the days.  Below break-even days in a month is around 60%.  Early this morning, my niece who lives nearby, asked if we could sell school supplies in the shop.  She's also feeling not well with whatever income she's making.

It's a wonder where the economy is making good in the Philippines. Maybe it would be just the big businesses.

Deuterium - Philippines has the largest resource

Thanks to a post on Facebook that tells about Deuterium that can make the Philippines one of the most richest country in the world. The details about this deposit mentions that the Philippines has the largest because of the deep trenches in its seas.

Deuterium is alternative fuel that is now being used by some countries.  It said the Philippines can earn $30 billion dollars a year from this fuel.

It is said that this could be the reason why other Asian countries are interested in staking claims on islands and seas that are rightfully within the territory of the Philippines.  Also, a reason why politicians want to keep their positions in the government.

http://www.thecontroversialfiles.net/2013/05/deuterium-in-philippines-may-generate.html

Pinoy TV soaps making people stupid

Why are so many Filipinos so gullible when it comes to Pinoy soap operas that come up?  The reason for them to follow a TV show is the feelings they have on the stories.  They don't think and analyze anymore!  When one TV show had a star having amnesia in the plot, almost every soap that followed had stars having amnesia in the show!

Then there are the look-alike or twins where other characters are confused from one to the other.  The stories hardly happen in real life!  The latest on GMA 7 is one entitled "Temptation of Wife" that has a following at home.  Having watched it twice or thrice with them, I said the show is stupid.  They have a female star who is believed to have perished then came a look-alike girl who is also herself.

The stupid thing there is, some of the characters suspect her to be one and the same.  The show makes it so difficult for them to prove she is one and the same when it is so simple!  Lift off a fingerprint of the new girl and match it with the fingerprint the one who is supposed to be dead!  Filipino TV networks are making big money and making viewers stupid.

Junk and Scrap street buyers

Baguio City has so many junk and scrap street buyers called originally "magbo-bote" (empty bottle buyers).  Early in the morning, around 7 a.m., they start plying their trade.  What they actually buy now are empty plastic bottles, scrap iron and junked appliances.  On our residential street alone, there could be at least five or more of them that pass in intervals of about an hour shouting "plastik, bakal, bote".  

Late in the morning, they would be seen walking down with their fully filled bamboo baskets suspended from both ends of  thick bamboo stick plat.  Both baskets could weigh at least 30 kilos or more at each end.  From the cash they pay out for the junk and scrap, they would have at least 1,000.00 pesos as capital everyday.  

I had the chance to talk to one of them who bought my junk printers for 130.00 from my internet shop.  Curiously, after paying me, he asked if I heard about the "Piso Net" computers where one peso coins are drop in a slot like juke box.  He said that for each peso, one could go on the internet for five minutes.  I told him I've read about it somewhere but the computers are too expensive costing 20,000.00 each.

He told me he has 3 units of those "Piso Net"  computers in Manila (250 kilometers south of Baguio City) that earns him an average of 1,000.00 pesos a week.  This made me realize that these junk and scrap street buyers are well educated and making good profit out of their trade. I see him almost everyday passing by our place for not more than 2 years.

That means that he could have saved at least 60,000.00 in a year or so and invested those earnings in the Piso Net computers.  So, for people who see them, don't think lowly of their trade.  They know how to do business and invest in high-tech.  Unemployment made these guys think and ply a trade where there is money in it.

New Year's Luck - Filipino Style

Towards the coming of every New Year, Filipinos always look for what would be lucky for them for the coming year.  When Feng Shui became famous, Filipino-Chinese saw the opportunity of making lucky charms out of the practice.  Round objects like coins, fruits and crystals were used in given sets of numbers, said to be lucky.

Prominent TV shows in the Philippines invite people who preach or promote Feng Shui to show viewers what could be or would be lucky for them.  One presenter at the +GMA Unang Hirit show said a door was passive because it is located on the left.  On the left of what?  Then, said that seven (7) coins of various denominations should be kept in a pouch as number 7 is a lucky number.

He proceeded next to the dining table and said there should be a fruit basket that should hold eight (8) round fruits!  Saying 8 is also a lucky number.  (More Chinese, I believe, go for the number 8 as luckier than 7)

It is noticeable that every year, these so called Feng Shui "experts" change what will be needed to prepare for New Year as lucky.  Okay so the Chinese zodiac changes every year - that might be their contention.  The bottom line is, the supposedly 'lucky' things do not make them any more prosperous.

Those who did not have that much luck can ask the "experts" why.  This is where their sales talk comes in.  They will ask for the birth date and time of the unlucky person.  That's when they tell the person he or she needs this and that to get lucky.  For the gullible, they spend or buy more of what the "expert" offers.

Top 3 Filipino Boxers

Filipino boxers have had a good showing from the year 2000.  No doubt many would pick Manny Pacquiao as number one because of the several weight divisions he is champion.  On a personal choice, I pick Nonito Donaire for the top Filipino boxer followed by Brian Viloria and third, Manny Pacquiao.

Why?  Nonito Donaire has successfully defended his title and very convincingly won over his opponents.  Most, I believe, did not go the distance.  Brian Viloria lost his one or two earlier 2000 fights but did a very convincing comeback defeating almost all, if not all, that were favored against him.  

Manny Pacquiao holds several titles but his recent fights from 2011 to the present were not convincing, even if he won some of them.  The big difference comparing Donaire and Viloria to Pacquiao is, he (Pacquiao) is too "politicized" and "religionized".  Political and religious people were too quick to pounce on Manny Pacquiao for the money he was making, knocking him out of his focus in boxing.

What politics and religion did to Manny Pacquiao is not crab mentality but actual crab actions pulling down Manny from his achievements.  They made him believe that politics and religion did him well in boxing.

Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez IV

The natural body of Pacquiao vs. Marquez' not-normal body

Juan Manuel Marquez might be showing off his muscles.  One thing he does not know is big muscles will drain his energy.  He might be strong enough until the 5th or 6th round but after that he will start losing power.  Another thing, he never fought with those kinds of muscles and does not even know if it will work for him or against him.

Manny Pacquiao still has the same built.  So his energy and power will last until the 12th round.  What we do not know is, if he can take the punches of Marquez in the early rounds.  If Manny is not knocked-out by the 5th round, it will be Marquez who will be knocked-out between the 6th and 8th round.  That is, if he is not knocked-out by Pacquiao in the earlier rounds.

Good examples are the bodies of Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard that not too muscular.  Their muscular opponents became punching bags after the first few rounds and many were knocked-out on later rounds. 

Pacquiao vs. Marquez 4

Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will be going at each other for the 4th time on December 8, 2012.  This will hopefully be the deciding match for them to prove who is the better boxer.  All their previous matches were not very convincing although Pacquiao floored Marquez on several occasions.

Anyone of them who wins will have to win convincingly via a knockout or show complete dominance in the ring.  Marquez is said to have beefed up his muscles while Pacquiao, on the other hand, is said to have gone back to his original street fighting style.  The counter-punching of Marquez will not work much if Pacquiao fights like his old form.

Quite surely, there will no more be a rematch after this Pacquiao vs Marquez 4.

PNoy on RP as Tiger economy

Since President P-Noy was elected, there were so many criticisms on how he works and that he did nothing in the Senate when he was still a senator.  Now that he has done a turn around for the country, hardly can you find any criticisms on how he works.

What was admirable with P-Noy was he did not bother about the criticisms said or thrown against him.  Sometimes we look at people for their achievements and expect them to do the same for the country.  Many, if not most, of those people simply had the breaks, connections and luck to get things done.

It seems P-Noy has something different in mind when it comes to doing good for the country.  Recent Philippine presidents before him had so much to say and had so little done.  Maybe P-Noy does not talk back to his critics and just let them see the results.

A person could only be good for a small scope described area of authority that has the right resources.  Binay did good for Makati but his promise in his campaign seems to have no effect yet at all for the country.  He should have finally realized that thePhilippines does not have the proportionate resources as what Makati has.

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/p-noy-phl-becoming-tiger-economy-trick-going-160448661.html

Thought about it and wrote this . . . it's like - friends are good but some should not be kept. - rbnstr08

Philippine Jeepney public transport

The popular jeepney of the Philippines is a common public transportation all over the country.  The jeepney started as a rear two-row-seater at the back converted from WWII MacArthur type Willy's jeeps.  Only three persons can be seated on each row.  In front, beside the driver, two passengers can be accommodated.
 
Two known manufacturers, Sarao and Francisco Motors, started making longer jeepneys that have either 10 or 12-seaters in the mid-1950s.  This meant larger income from more passengers in a single trip.  Some small motor shops followed suit fabricating longer jeepneys and one big automaker started making the Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV), the Ford Fiera.

From thereon, other major automotive makers joined a government program, Progressive Car Manufacturing Program (PCMP), to manufacture vehicles with high local content.  AUVs were easier and cheaper to manufacture than sedans that started in the mid 1970s.  The passenger capacity of jeepneys were just alright between 12 to 14 passengers.

Now 16 to 20-passengers, or even more, dominate the jeepney transportation lines.  Paying for your fare and getting your change from the driver, passes from one hand to another especially for those who are seated near the entrance.  The sickening thing about having so many "seaters", the jeepney does not leave its terminal until it's full. For jeepneys without terminals, they make frequent stops at loading areas to take on more passengers.  What happens with this is a short trip takes much longer time because of that.

The government, DOTC, are able to regulate taxi cabs' passenger capacity.  But why can't they do this with jeepneys?  Because the top government officials do not ride jeepneys and they don't even bother to take a look at what's happening.  

Sen. Tito Sotto's plagiarisms

Senator Tito Sotto should have his speech writing staff check on their knowledge about doing speeches.  They admitted that the RH speech was indeed plagiarized and it was even a lawyer, his Chief of  Staff. It seemed after that Senator Sotto just shrugged off their mistake and asked them for a next speech in Tagalog.

So, came his speech in the Pilipino language, that according to him, will no longer be plagiarism.   However, comparing his Pilipino rendition of the speech compared to the original versions, it was obviously a direct translation almost verbatim!  His staff made a fool of him again and he himself to himself.  The speech is known to many as parts of Robert F. Kennedy's speech.

If Senator Tito was not aware that the speeches were just copied, then his staff might be on to something to embarrass him.  His Chief of Staff claims it's a common practice.  He should have cited speeches that were plagiarized to prove his point!

Philippine Banks & banking laws

Banks are mostly recognized for their roles in a country's economy just like in the Philippines.  It seems that banks all over the world are concerned about loans that are unpaid and go relentlessly after those who owe them.  But, and that is a big but, if they are closed down for mismanagement and inappropriate banking practices, depositors who go after them will have to bear months to know if they can get their money back!

Not only that, the stupid Philippine government does not have anything in its laws to protect the employees of those closed banks!  The rank and file employees simply get a severance pay of one month or a little bit more.  They become jobless after several years of service expecting to retire.  Yes, what about employees who are about to retire in 5 years or less?  The Bangko Sentral and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) just stick their tongue to them, as if saying "that's what you get for having imbecile employers!"

Employment in the Philippines is still as bad as it was before.  There's very little chance for employees of closed banks to get another job a.s.a.p.  What about those who are about to retire?  They have lost almost everything and would hardly be employed again!  Executives of the closed banks have no worry as they get paid by hiding their bank's secrets and even get employed with sister companies of the banks.

This is one thing that Congress and Senate have to consider because those banks have laundered money that should be take home pays or retirement benefits of their employees!

Oil prospects claimed by China is offered up by Philippines

Finally the Philippine government has done something wise about the claims of China.  It has offered out the oil prospects claimed by China that is within the territorial waters of the Philippines.  Oil exploration here would be done by foreign oil exploration companies because hardly any local company could do it.  If China interferes or harasses these companies they will have to deal with the country of these nationalities.

The countries of these nationalities will defend them and the Philippines. The exploration is well within the territorial limits of the Philippines, recognized and accepted by the companies' countries.  Should China meddle with their exploration and threaten them, it would obviously be an aggressive act against those nationalities provoking their countries and the Philippines.

Heavy rains, Typhoon & suspension of classes

The Philippines is said to be hit by at least 20 typhoons every year.  Stupidly, school year starts on the onset of the rainy season right after summer.  The idiotic Dept. of Education does not change the start of the school year even it is obvious that rains and typhoons will cause suspension of classes.


Okay, so school starts and students are informed that classes will be suspended for high school and lower levels for typhoon signal number 2.  All school level classes are suspended when it is typhoon signal number 3.  For or during heavy rains, it depends on the schools to suspend classes.  Does the government think that college students are immune to the weather at typhoon signal number 2?  We have been students and it is very uncomfortable to attend classes when you are all wet or even when just your shoes are soaking wet!

Can anyone from PAG-ASA or DepEd rationalize the selective suspension of classes at different school levels for those typhoon signals?  Do not reason out that older, taller or more mature people can protect themselves better from inclement weather.  This is a very simple issue that can easily be resolved.  Why make it difficult for Filipinos?  Don't also excuse that it has been a "tradition" because it is one tradition that makes things bad for children going to school.  This is one government stupidity that makes the Philippines having no logic in addressing issues.