Category Archives: Opinions

How Do You Comprehend Death?

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Brown Pinay| 1 Comment

I have been out of sync for a while. It is by choice that I choose to hybernate in the blogospere for a while. I have so many things coming into my life this past few months (since my last blog post).

My younger brother in law died of heart attack and his sudden demise affected our family. Indeed it only proved that life is too short and we have to make the most out of it. His death also make me fear about death all the more. Yes I am afraid of death not because I am not ready for it but because I am afraid of living my kids at this age in time.

This just come into passing into my thoughts since my brother in law died so young with an equally young 4 years old daughter left behind.

I know that heaven is our home and all of us will go back to our Dear lord’s loving arms. But as a Mom whenever I came to fathom how it can come like a thief in the night then the more that it saddened me. But I know that it is life’s reality, for now I have to make the most out of my life and live according to God’s will and design. By doing so, I know that all good things will follow. The fear of dying coz of my kids will always be there all I can do is to be prepared at all times emotionally, spiritually and also work hard to giveour kids a much brigther future ahead of them.

How about you – How do you comprehend death? Do you also fear about it at this point in time?

Posted in Opinions

Simple Thank You and a Ready Smile

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Brown Pinay| 1 Comment

Apart from the logistics and admin function, I am currently handling the management of security and janitorial services for our company. I love interacting with them, listening to the janitors and guards woes and appreciating them for a job well done. They are just some of the most ignored and appreciated persons that we would meet in our lifetime.

I just happened to watch a video done by la Salle students in honor of the guards. I am touched since in our office the janitors and security guards are just contracted services and just like in la Salle, anytime that their mother company lost the bidding, it follows that their contract with our company will also be expired.

Most of them are minimum wage earner and although another minimum wage increase has been approved, there are still much that the government can do. A workers comp insurance will also be greatly appreciated if imposed.

Janitors and Security guards are already part of our daily life in the office or in school. Just a simple thank you and a ready smile will surely make their day.

Posted in Opinions, Working Mom

First Day in School – First Day of +K12 Implementation

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Brown Pinay| 2 Comments

Classes have just started in public schools and in some private schools yesterday. It is also the kick off of the newly implemented +K12 project of the government through the Department of Education Culture and Sports.

Unfortunately, not much has change, students surged in their schools, there is still room shortage, books are still being shared (the sad part is that at some schools there is a ration of 1:10), under board teachers are still being allowed to teach and worst there is a shortage in manpower. Students still have to walk kilometers away just to reach their schools. This is actually the sad face of the Philippine educational system.

While +K12 is a good project and its goal is really promising. Although it is already implemented, I believe that we should have not adapted it yet, not for the wrong reason that we are just one of the countries implementing it. We cannot just implement a project haphazardly.

I have said this before in My Point of View Blog, it will be hard to see the outcome of the success of the K12 project, unless that the problem in the logistics side of the educational system are addressed. How can we provide quality education when the students have no rooms or they are attending classes in the corridors, libraries (areas which are not conducive as classroom), how can they be studying if they are sharing their books with 5 to 10 more others, how can they learn when there are shortage of efficient teachers to teach them.

The teachers’ problem should also be addressed to. Are they given enough materials, enough knowledge based support on how to effectively implement K12. A week seminar may not give its desired output, there should be follow through. {Read about: K12′s Challenge to Teachers}

As a parent, I am not against K12 if and only if we are really ready for it in all aspect. The existing should have been addressed before it was even considered. The DECS secretary was seen pleading to the public to give K12 a chance, but as parents we are also pleading that while your objective is ideal, our kids should not be part of an experiment. Implement a project when everything including the logistics side is all set and conducive to learning. Those in the remote areas should be visited to further this assessment of mine.

There are many other successful professionals in the industry all are products of 4 years education. Many engineers, doctors, nurses and other OFWs thriving abroad are product of the 4 years education. I stand firm that it is not in the number of years but in the quality of education given to our students that really matters. You may have added 2 years but it is still not an assurance that it will yield quality education more so if there are shortages in the most basic educational needs such as classrooms, teachers and books.

How about you, what is your opinion on this issue?

Please see my other post about K12: My Take on K+12 – Additional Year in the Philippine Educational System

Posted in Opinions

On Wedding and Wedding Preparations

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Brown Pinay| 6 Comments

I took the initiative to help my dear best friend in her wedding day. I walked down the aisle 19 years ago and I had discovered that much has really changed in the wedding scene. While our wedding was more conventional and traditional as well, many weddings held in this current time have really evolved. Apart from the color, they also have their set of themes (i.e. beach wedding, Filipiniana, Victorian, butterfly, rose, oriental, tropical and a whole lot of other themes). Apart from the actual celebration, weddings today have also been an artistic venue where the bride and the grooms vent out their artistic touch. As usual, every celebrants would want it to be the most memorable and unforgettable wedding ever.

Some who opts for grandiose celebration really invest on it. You can just imagine the money, time and effort invested into the wedding. Some really splurge and lucky are those who have stayed on their working budget.

Others have their gimmick enough to get the re-call and attention, or just to be different. I have seen in the Internet a wedding in where they hire Minneapolis wedding DJs. I also know of a wedding where the reception venue was held at McDonalds. A bride and a groom also wears a Chuck Taylor shoes and not the typical heels and shiny black shoes.

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Apart from the fun fare of the wedding, we also must agree that during the actual wedding ceremony, there should be solemnity – free from all the gimmicks, attention grabbing tricks and other fun-fare.

But for me, apart from the actual wedding celebration one should invest in a good wedding photographer. After all wedding day, everyone heads to their own individual lives; it is the memory of your wedding stored in photographs is all you have. It is important to invest on a professional who has in-depth knowledge on wedding photography mn.

A wedding photographer should not only be your listed supplier but they should be there to capture every important moment, expecting every minute details that could happen on The Day. An experience photographer should be able to capture priceless smiles, unexpected tears, funny and joyous moment on your wedding day. They should know what to expect even in an unexpected and unsuspecting moment.

At the end of it all we should be reminded that wedding is just the start of your life as a couple. It is the Relationships that should be worked on and focused. At the end of the day everyone who had celebrated with you will be distant apart from you…It will just be between the two of you.

Photo Credit

Posted in Celebrations, Opinions, Tips

The Sad Plight and State of The Aviation Industry in the Philippines

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Brown Pinay| 2 Comments

The news and entertainment industry has been so immersed with the Santiago-Tulfo NAIA3 brawling incident. Many are star struck with the incident, that it has already turned into a comedic zarzuela. The Santiago-Tulfo brawl has been trending in local forums, twitter tweets, Facebook and all other social networking sites several days now.

But behind this controversial brawl – the sad fate of our aviation services and airport has been de-faced:

- That the CCTV in NAIA 3 is not functioning.

- The question of competency of the subcontracted security services of NAIA3 – are they really capable in handling such situation which has transpired like this squabble?

- The issue of BAGGAGE OFF-LOADING was not well communicated to the passengers. The airline management should at least inform the passengers before hand that their baggage are subjected into this internal procedure so that the passengers will not be caught off guard when they found out about it.

BAGGAGE OFFLOADING – where passenger’s luggage had to be offloaded from the plane from due to problems with excess plane load. It will be boarded on the second next available flight whereas the owner can wait for it, or as per CebuPac spokesperson Candice Iyog – it will be delivered to the passenger’s residence at the airline’s expense.

These are just some to name a few. Of course our aviation has other problems like:

- Flight delays

- Insufficient facilities – It was also previously discussed that our local airports cannot cope with the rapid expansion of the airline companies – meaning the airline companies acquire airplanes but there is not enough run way to accommodate the flights.

- Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 (NAIA 1)was also cited as the 2nd worst airport in the world by Frommers, one of the leading brands for travel guides in the world – coming from a trusted brand of travel authority this surely has a negative effect in our tourism. (New York JFK Airport Terminal 3 – rank as 1st worst airport in the world as of 2012). Frommer’s results based on the four C’s – comfort, conveniences, cleanliness and customer service.”

- United States Federal Aviation Administration down graded the Philippines to Category 2 safety status in January 2008, effectively banning local carriers from expanding their operations in the US. This dversely affects tourism growth. Under Category 2 status it prevents local carriers from expanding their flights to the US, has hampered tourism growth.

But still I am never losing hope that above issues can be resolve. We need a good public servants to address the problems – someone who is driven and has real concern to help our country. We also need to have a realistic rehabilitation plan for Philippine Aviation nationwide.

Aviation Industry may not directly affect each and every Filipino but it can have an impact in our economy – a good aviation system and facilities can translate to a good feedback to foreigners and tourist which can also translate to a growth in the tourism industry.

As a tax payer, I hope that I can really see where the taxes go….