MICA (P) 199/01/2011
Vol. 1, No. 7 Free Copy
The Tie ThaT Binds: TogeTher We sTand exclusive ndP 2011: a shoWcase of MighT and hisTory nus sTudenTs, filiPino ofWs Tie uP To fighT PoverTy
WhaT i love aBouT singaPore congress rePorTs: senaTe WelcoMes PiMenTel, Bids fareWell To ZuBiri
PERLITA
GABRIEL TIRO: Filipino ExcEllEncE in SingaporE, ThEn and now
Publisher’s Note
T
o be grateful is divine. Gratitude is a virtue that best exemplifies the man whose success is defined by a genuine effort to achieve through rightful means. According to Albert Schweitzer, “at times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” Simply put, each one is the totality of what we have been taught by those who have mentored us. It is therefore wrong to say that we owe it just to ourselves all the success we have gained in the past. As how the Filipino saying goes, “ang hindi marunong tumingin sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan” (He who does not know to look back from whence he came from will never reach his destination). This may not just apply to the individual since goals and aspirations transcend the person and may very well affect the society in which he belongs in particular and the global community in general. The action of one person may affect that of his community for now, but as it gains strength, it may grow bigger to affect in a larger scale to eventually change the world itself. All it takes is for the first step to be taken. The impact of social progress and economic development in the world today unnecessarily creates insensitivity amongst the fainthearted. Nobody is spared as this is a universal consequence of modernization. It applies to all. But let us not be consumed by it. Rather, let us concentrate in improving ourselves. As how our President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino’s puts it, long term success comes only if you traverse the right path – “daang matuwid.” True to the legacy of his iconic parents who championed democracy even at the point of making the ultimate sacrifice, Ninoy and Cory Aquino, his administration has given hope to all Filipinos at home and abroad as the Philippine economy continues to stabilize and strenghten through the promising partnership that now exists between the government and the private business sector, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The real challenge for the Filipinos overseas is to sustain the gains attained in living in this
small city state and instill that very notion of order and discipline that Singapore has shared with us and the promise of a new beginning of the administration in the Philippines. The legacy of the men and women who took the mantle of leadership and ably captained the ship has now anchored to the shore while the other continues to battle the raging seas. It is now up to us to continue the journey and embark on another quest for more success. It is the only way we can remember great leaders and those before them to express our deepest gratitude. This issue hopes to highlight the Filipinos’ reverence for life. It is this will to rise above every challenge that makes us a grateful people in every sense. We are more than willing to sacrifice in order to show our gratitude. We all know that the only thing to do it is through humility. I am especially grateful to the Secretariat of the 2011 National Day Parade for allowing us, the ONLY Filipino magazine to be given the opportunity, to cover the 46th birthday of Singapore. It was a historical event as it also coincides with the last year in office of President S.R. Nathan as the head of state of Singapore. It was his last appearance at the NDP as president of the Republic of Singapore.The Filipinos who are working and living in Singapore will surely miss a president as gracious as President S.R. Nathan. Because of his unwavering support and genuine admiration for the Filipinos, the Dr. Jose Rizal marker was finally erected in 2008 in Singapore. Thank you and well done, Mr. President! Let me end this by reminding everyone to continue the legacy of Filipino excellence in every field of endeavor and in every thing that we do. Let us show our gratitude to Singapore by being real partners for change and development. Together, we will stand. God bless us all, God bless the Philippines, and Mabuhay po tayong lahat!
contents
6 NDP 2011: A Showcase of Might and History
10 Congress Reports: Senate Welcomes Pimentel, Bids Farewell to Zubiri
25
Cover Story: PERLITA GABRIEL TIRO
32
Friends of Bagong Bayani
36NUS students,
Filipino OFWs tie up to fight poverty
41
THE TIE THAT BINDS: TOGETHER WE STAND
46
Snapshots 4 Bagong Bayani APRIL 2011
EDITORIAL BOARD Publisher MARYJANE SALOMON (Singapore) Editorial Consultants DEtCh P. NONAN-MERCADO (Singapore) SANkiE SiMbuLAN (Philippines) tALA MARALit (Philippines) OMAR SiERvO (uk) Editor bhENJAR ROSALES tOOR (Philippines) Columnists CRiStY viCENtiNA (Singapore) AttY. hAzEL RiguERA (Philippines) PAMSY L. tiOSECO (Philippines) DR. MARigLO viCENtE CAMERO (Philippines) Contributors CAShMER DiRAMPAtEN (Singapore) ANNE LuiSA viLLARiCO (Singapore) PROfESSOR ALbERt C.Y. tEO (Singapore) ChEw bAN SENg (Singapore) SREYAShi SEN (Singapore) EDMuND ChEw tEE khiANg (Singapore) MARiCRiS NubLA (Singapore) gERARD MONtALbO (Singapore) JOhN NOhAY (Singapore) DR. MARiLYN SuRiO (Philippines) MONiCA guERRA (Philippines) Art Director LANCE SiSON of Ars Nova Designs (Singapore) Creative Consultant CESA fRAMiL (Singapore) Circulation Manager ANDEE bARCO (Singapore) Photographers JO bENNEtt (Singapore) PiNOYgRAPhERS (Singapore) CgD (Singapore) ERiC PARRENO (Singapore) Advertising Enquiries: Email: info@iambagongbayani.com | info@salomonandassociates.com Mobile: +65 9388 6515 | Office: +65 6235 8153 Published monthly by Salomon Publishing Singapore Pte Ltd. 304 Orchard Road, #04-65 Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863 www.iambagongbayani.com the Publisher uses due care and diligence in the preparation of this magazine but is not liable for any mistake, misprint, omission or typographical error. the Publisher prints the advertisement provided by the advertisers but gives no warranty and makes no representations as to the truth, accuracy or sufficiency of any description, photograph or statement. the Publisher accepts no liability for any loss that may be suffered by any person who relies either in whole or in part upon any description, photograph or statement contained therein. the Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. No part of this publication may be copied either in whole or in part without prior permission from the Publisher.
MiCA (P) 199/01/2011 Printing by: SuN RiSE PRiNtiNg & SuPPLiES PtE LtD
feature
NDP 2011: A Showcase of Might and History By Anne Luisa Villarico
I
t was a sea of red and white flag-waving Singaporeans and guests as Singapore celebrates its 46th year of independence at the Marina Bay Floating Platform. The spectacle was attended by all the cabinet members headed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Mr. Goh Chok Tong and President SR Nathan. The programme started early evening with a drum and bugle display and a song-medley led by comedian and host Gurmit Singh along with other MediaCorpe artists Belinda Lee, Denise and Zuhaidi to pump up the crowd. The celebration included yearly favourites Red Lions parachuting and swooping down the stage at the giant floating stage at Marina Bay. A visual spectacle ensued with various presentations from more than 500 participants who showcased Singapore’s growth through a heartwarming musical act which was divided into five. With a theme “Majulah! The Singapore Spirit," the organizers showed Singapore’s transformation from its humble beginnings as a kampung village to one of the most progressive countries in the world. It represents the Singaporean’s strength, energy and dynamism to continually strive towards building a better Singapore. "Majulah!" means "Onward!"
6 Bagong Bayani august 2011
The Singapore story revolves on the history of Singapore through the eyes of a mother and her son who was born on the same year as Singapore gained full independence, and later
feature
through her grandson, who sees the Singapore of today as well as in the coming future. An array of spectacular dances, floats such as the giant steamed buns mascots, roti pratas, an elephant and a typewriter was paraded in the grounds. The music video of NDP’s Official Theme Song, “In A Heartbeat,” which was sung by Sylvia Ratonel also gave the celebration a poignant feel. Ratonel who is half-Filipino, having a Filipino father and a Eurasian mother is a Singapore Idol Runner Up in 2009, losing to Sezairi Sezali. She is also the first female alum (and third overall) from Singapore Idol to record an original national theme song, and the first non-winner to do so. The parade and ceremony was also complete with fifes and drums. Singapore’s Defense Department, which included the Singapore Civil Defense Force, Armed Forces and Navy, also paraded and thrilled the crowd with a display of advanced artilleries; tanks with a Sea Hawk appeared as divers emerged from the waters while playing out scenarios in ensuring that the nation
8 Bagong Bayani august 2011
is prepared to neutralize any threat that may come to its shores. The event also marked President Nathan’s last NDP appearance as it coincides with his last National Day Parade as a President of Singapore. Also, for the first time, the national flag was raised during the singing of the national anthem while the state flag was flown past on aCH-47 Chinook at the same time. The presidential 21-gun salute was held on water in Marina Bay for the second time. The evening was capped by Singaporeans reciting the National Pledge while the Giant Screen flashed some Singaporeans from Manchester to Perth taking the pledge. The spectacle was ended by a majestic display of pyrotechnics with fireworks illuminating the sky witnessed by Singaporeans young and old, permanent residents, and visitors with the Marina Bay once again serving as a backdrop for this momentous occasion.
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congress reports
CONGRESS REPORTS By Pamsy L. Tioseco
Senate Welcomes Pimentel, Bids Farewell to Zubiri A first in the Philippine Legislative History was the resignation of an incumbent Philippine Senator, Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, a few weeks ago. The new Administration of President Noynoy Aquino has opened a once tightly sealed can of poll fraud woes and concerns. Among them was the alleged vote padding and vote-shaving of “operators” to favor pro-Arroyo candidates. The Senate Electoral Tribunal declared Aquilino Martin “Koko” Pimentel III as the winning 12th senator after a 75% recount of the 73, 000.00 precincts nationwide. This established that Koko actually won by more than 257, 000 votes over Migz a few days after the latter has announced his resignation.
In the spirit of national interest, this column is printing the excerpts of the historic resignation speech of Senator Zubiri and the excerpts of the first speech at the Senate Floor of newly-proclaimed Senator -Pimentel. Both Senators hail from Mindanao.
Honor And Integrity By Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri (Delivered at the Senate Floor August 3, 2011)
Mr. President, My Distinguished Colleagues in this August Chamber, Mga Minamahal kong Kababayan: On several occasions, I rose in this August Chamber, in defense of the environment and other issues affecting our country and our countrymen. Today, I rise on a personal privilege in defense of my and my family’s honor, integrity and dignity. And I address this speech to reach our people to whom I owe my present position.
My election as senator: In the May 2007 elections, I was elected and duly proclaimed as Senator of the Republic with more than 11 million votes. My proclamation was affirmed by the Supreme Court without prejudice to filing any case with the Senate Electoral Tribunal. This chamber and our people may take judicial notice that my proclamation was assailed through the filing of an election protest before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) alleging fraud and irregularities in some areas covered by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
10 Bagong Bayani AUGUST 2011
It was his right to do so just as the law and the rules on election gave me all the rights to file a counter protest in areas where I also believe I was also a victim of similar circumstances which also affected the actual number of votes I obtained in the said election. While the esteemed protestant claimed that he had recovered substantial number of votes from the areas he protested, the records of the Senate Electoral Tribunal will also reveal that an equally substantial number of votes were recovered in my favor in the areas which I counter protested. And as a result, the Senate Electoral Tribunal, in its July and August 2010 Resolutions, directed the completion of the 100% revision of all the ballots from the precincts I contested.
Present controversies affecting My Position: While my counter-protest is still pending before the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the revision and recounting of the ballots are going on smoothly to find out the truth on the parties’ allegations, a number of highly suspect “personalities” suddenly cropped up recently, claiming that they were allegedly “witnesses” to the alleged frauds and irregularities during the 2007 elections. .
congress reports My rival took advantage of this political situation. He and his supporters are now asking for my resignation as a duly elected Senator, despite the pendency of his election protest at the Senate Electoral Tribunal.
my vehement denial of the alleged electoral fraud hurled against me, I am submitting my RESIGNATION as a duly elected Senator of the Republic of the Philippines in the election for which I am FALSELY accused without mercy and compassion.
My political detractors began calling me ugly names and dragging the name of my family in entirety.
I am resigning, not because I am exhausted from the demands of my calling as a legislator. I am resigning, not because I wish to evade the decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Rather, I am resigning because of these unfounded accusations against me and these issues has systematically divided our nation and has casted doubts in our electoral system which has affected not only myself, this Institution but the public as well.
In other words, Mr. President, the trial by publicity has begun. The trial at the Senate Electoral Tribunal where this issue could have been properly ventilated and resolved has been practically set aside. SA HARAP NG DIYOS AT SA HARAP NG TAO AY NAIS KONG PAGTIBAYIN NA HINDI AKO NANDAYA AT WALA AKONG KINAUSAP UPANG MANDAYA PARA SA AKIN SA HALALAN. Ang lahat ng akusasyon laban sa akin ay pawang walang katotohanan. I DID NOT CHEAT NOR ASK ANYONE TO CHEAT FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. WE WOULD NEVER TOLERATE ANY FORM OF ELECTORAL FRAUD. In my family’s almost thirty (30) years of public service in Bukidnon, not once has our name been dragged in any election controversy, not once has an election protest ever been filed against us. This you can ask the people of Bukidnon.
Baseless accusations compel me to leave: I would be doing an injustice to my fellowmen and to this great and honored Institution if I continue working half-heartedly and without full concentration and devotion. For this reason, I have directed my lawyers to make proper and immediate representation before the Senate Electoral Tribunal and convey my actuations today, with the end in view of expediting the proceedings and with the prayer that the Tribunal come up with a decision at the soonest possible time. And in this August Chamber, without admitting any fault and with
“All’s Well That Ends Well” First Privilege Speech of Senator Aquilino “Koko” PIMENTEL III on the floor of the Senate, August 15, 2011. Mr. President, my dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen: Let me thank you, all, for this privilege of addressing this chamber. As a neophyte, I am awed by the thought that the voices of some
And as a legislator, who is being referred to in the Senate as “Your Honor”, I believe that my honor is something that should never be subject to taint. NO AMOUNT OF POWER, POSITION OR WEALTH IS WORTH SACRIFICING ONE’S HONOR AND INTEGRITY. I now go to live in happiness and peace with my family. I will leave the Senate with my head held up high, knowing that despite all endeavors that came my way, I was able to survive and perform, and I did so with the support of those who believed in me and my advocacies. But let me just emphasize to my detractors, as I paraphrase a quote from General Douglas Macarthur that: I am not actually retreating; I am merely advancing in another direction. And as I now pronounce my joining the civil society, it is my humble prayer that this Institution allow me to RESIGN WITH HONOR AND DIGNITY. Marami pong Salamat...Pagpalain tayo ng Poong Maykapal...lalong lalo na ang ating Bansa at ang ating mga Kababayan.
of the country’s leading political figures - Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmena, Manuel Roxas, Jose P. Laurel, Claro M. Recto, Lorenzo Tanada, Jose Diokno, Jovito Salonga, and Ninoy Aquino, to name just a few, had in their times reverberated in the halls of the Senate. Humbly, however, I am determined to do whatever is needed to advance the cause of freedom, peace, justice, and the development of our country and people who expect no less from me.
AUGUST 2011 Bagong Bayani 11
congress reports For if there is any virtue that I can claim it is that I am an optimist. I was born to be an optimist, not a defeatist. My parents reared me to be one, to look at human life in the raw but still see the creature of God in it.
“My Nanay is my most valuable prayer warrior. My Tatay gave me my DNA. And it is the DNA of a democrat and freedom fighter, a person who is willing to suffer and struggle for the promotion and protection of democracy, truth, justice, and what is right.”
In our growing up years as the third child of six siblings, I went through privations that other youngsters from the masses of our people experience to this very day. That said, as I stand before you, today, I put on record my thanks to the God of the Universe, first of all, for making this event possible.
Who would have thought that the Protest that I had filed four years ago against the massive electoral cheating in the 2007 senatorial polls especially in the Province of Maguindanao would be resolved in the manner that we and the people of the country have just witnessed recently? Pessimists had told me to give up the Protest. They were of the pragmatic view that I should just run for senator in the 2010 elections and that I would surely win. Had I acceded, I would have turned out to be a real life incarnation of the boy who cried wolf. That would have been fantastic stuff of which fables are made. But it would have been at the expense not only of my sense of integrity but at the expense of the truth and the people’s right to demand truly free, clean, and honest elections. Upon prayerful reflection, then, I decided not to fall for that easier way out. Instead, I tried to follow the example of the boy who plugged the leak in the dike; some of the loopholes, actually, in the electoral processes of our country. In hindsight, it looks like recent developments have proven me right. For it is now clear that the Almighty was unfolding His presence in the circumstances that led to this joyful occasion. I submit, however, that God did not do it all by his lonesome. For as the saying goes, God works his miracles through people. And they are, however, too many to enumerate in this brief statement. 12 Bagong Bayani AUGUST 2011
They not only did what all other mortals had done to help me get to the finish line but in the course of which, they made me realize that in this world, God works his wonders in terms that are truly divine. And as has been proven in my political fight, in the end, virtue does trump evil, truth wins over lies, and, justice prevails over injustice. I end this brief message with my commitment to work with similarly-minded colleagues to make the electoral process more resistant to corruption and cause the prosecution and jailing of those who corrupted the electoral expression of the sovereignty of our people; to make justice a little more speedily responsive especially to the legitimate grievances of the masses of our people, and, to ensure that more powers, not less, will be devolved to the local government units, especially, the Barangay. Youth and OFW urgent concerns likewise must be attended to. I know it will be difficult to accomplish the ambitious agenda I have just laid out before you in the year and the few months that the law allows me to function as a legislator. But I will try. With the help of God and the support of our more experienced brethren here in the Senate, who knows what pluck and determination can do? My dear colleagues and friends, I have no wish to consume too much of your time. Lest I be misunderstood, let me say that I bear no one any ill-will. Or personal hatred. Or desire for vengeance. I merely sought the truth and found it. I fought for justice and got it. It is said that victory has many fathers. And so it is with my Protest. There so many fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters in the victory that collectively we had won because in truth there were many fighters involved in the cause that we fought for. Now, it is time for me to pay back all our people who fought for and for whom the Protest was filed in the first place. Let me end this speech of privilege on a high note of optimism. The Bard of the Avon famously said: ‘All’s well, that ends well.’ With that, I beg that we will all continue to pray as if everything depends on the Almighty and work as if everything depends on us for the wellbeing of our country and people. God bless and thank you for your patience.
HAND-IN-HAND By CHEW Ban Seng, MBA(Hull), GMC(Henley), MSID
Assistant Governor, Rotary International District 3310, Charter President, Rotary E-Club of 3310, Distinguished Toastmaster, Founding President, University of Hull Alumni (Singapore), Stockbroker, Mentor, Coach, Family Life Educator, Trainer and Facilitator, Licensed Marriage Solemniser.
T
he estimated number of Filipinos living in Singapore from an unofficial source is 180,000. Of this, every two out of three is a female!
I must admit that I was rather surprised with the low numbers. I would have thought that there were more, wouldn’t you? If you walk along Orchard Road, or many places in Singapore and into the heartlands, close your eyes and you could hear a distinct voice (most probably female) that has the typical “Tagalog-English” accent. If you phone a call centre to make an enquiry, you are likely to hear a male voice at the other end of the line. He is probably Filipino. So, the impact of this small community on Singapore is huge. Huge because we can see them visually in large number every weekend at Lucky Plaza Orchard. In fact, a large portion of the whole complex is catered specially for their needs. Huge because these Filipinos have a shared growth with Singapore’s economy. My first exposure to Filipinos was back at Citibank in the early 1970s. American educated and English speaking, they rose quickly through the ranks. They were young studs ready to go places in the world. In those early years, I was raising a growing family. My wife and I went through five maids – three Filipinos, one from Indonesia and the other from Thailand. Of the 5, only the Filipinos stayed long enough to become part of the family. With the savings they had, they bought properties back home and returned as wealthy landlords. Perhaps, they had little distractions back then with less consumerism. Only 40 percent of the Filipino here are employed as domestic helpers. Amongst the professionals, about 25,000 are in IT as
14 Bagong Bayani august 2011
computer programers and analysts. Engineers and architect/ draftsmen represent 18,000 and 13,000, respectively. Another 8,000 are employed as managers and bank executives. The Filipino professionals complement our workforce and have made a direct contribution towards Singapore’s growth and development. Many of them are now Permanent Residents of Singapore... or converting to citizenship. Filipinos are known for their smiles and friendliness. So, many of them are involved in the service sector -- in hotels, F&B outlets, casinos, hospitals, and entertainment joints. They are a class act as their work attitude is most suited to the service industry. Until recently, most of the nurses coming to work in Singapore are female. But the trend is changing. More and more male nurses are getting approval to work here due to our aging population. They are expected to do the heavy work which the female nurses can’t do. The integration of the Filipino in our community is quite seamless. As a solemniser, I have married Filipino couples who are happy to make Singapore their new home. I have also married Filipinos whose other half is still very much committed to their homeland. Perhaps my experience is isolated, but mixed marriages between Singaporeans and Filipinos are fairly limited. In other words, the Filipinos prefer to marry within their own community which remains closely knitted. My involvement in Rotary has broadened my horizon. Today, I have many Filipino friends. We get involved in many humanitarian efforts. Back in 2004 when I was Club President of Rotary E-Club of 3310, we sent relief and assistance when the country was hit with a very bad typhoon and most of the country was immersed in water. Yes, Singapore-Philippines is indeed the tie that binds. Together, we serve one another for a common good!
Photo: stock.xchng/svilen001
feature
usapang legal
Travelling To The Philippines Atty. Hazel R. Riguera
I
t is a truism that facilitating and encouraging travel and trade leads to better relations between countries. Nothing fosters a better understanding of a country and its people and culture than traveling to and staying in that country. Travel and trade between Singapore and the Philippines has led to greater and stronger ties between these two nations. Countless Filipinos have journeyed to Singapore in search of employment opportunities, and also to enjoy the unique beauty of the cosmopolitan city-state. The traffic is not one-way. Many Singaporeans have also traveled to the Philippines as tourists and in search of business and investment opportunities. This brief article provides basic information for Singaporeans as well as other people who may wish to travel to and do business in the Philippines. Nationals from certain countries, including Singapore, who are travelling to the Philippines for business and tourism purposes are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas provided the total number of days of stay does not exceed twenty-one (21) days. However, it is required that they hold valid tickets for their return journey to port of origin or next port of destination, and that their passports are valid for a period of at least six (6) months beyond the period of stay in the Philippines. Foreign students who wish to take up a short-term non-degree course must apply for a temporary visitor’s visa. Upon arrival in the Philippines and acceptance by the school/institution authorized by the Bureau of Immigration to accept foreign students, the student should apply for a Special Study Permit together with the following documents: letter-request, Certificate of Acceptance from the school accredited by the Bureau of Immigration to accept foreign students, photocopy of passport reflecting the applicant’s authorized period of stay, affidavit of support and proof of financial capacity, and birth certificate. Aliens departing from any place outside of the Philippines who
16 Bagong Bayani august 2011
are otherwise admissible may be admitted as non-immigrants if they qualify within any of the following categories: a. A temporary visitor coming for business or for pleasure or for reasons of health; b.
A person in transit to a destination outside the Philippines;
c.
A seaman serving as such on a vessel arriving at a port of the Philippines;
d.
An alien entitled to enter the Philippines under and in pursuant of the provisions of a treaty of commerce and navigation (1) solely to carry on substantial trade principally between the Philippines and the foreign state of which he is a national or (2) solely to develop and direct the operations of an enterprise in which, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Philippines, he has invested or of an enterprise in which he is actively in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital; and his wife, and his unmarried children under twentyone years of age, if accompanying or following to join him, subject to the condition that citizens of the Philippines are accorded like privileges in the foreign state of which such alien is a national; [As amended by Republic Act No. 5171]
e.
An accredited official of a foreign government recognized by the Government of the Philippines, his family, attendants, servants, and employees;
f.
A student, having means sufficient for his education and support in the Philippines, who is at least fifteen years of age and who seeks to enter the Philippines temporarily and solely for the purpose of taking up a course of study higher than high school at a university, seminary, academy, college or school approved for such alien students by the Commissioner of Immigration; and
usapang legal g.
An alien coming to pre-arranged employment, for whom the issuance of a visa has been authorized , and his wife and his unmarried children under twenty-one years of age, if accompanying him or if following to join him within a period of six months from the date of his admission into the Philippines as a non-immigrant . (Section 9, Commonwealth Act 613)
An alien admitted as a non-immigrant cannot permanently remain in the Philippines. To obtain permanent admission, a nonimmigrant alien must depart voluntarily to a foreign country and procure from the appropriate Philippine consul the proper visa.
Special ViSa to NoN-immigraNt for employmeNt geNeratioN Per Executive Order No. 758, those foreigners who want to maintain a lawful presence in the Philippines by actually, directly, or exclusively engaging in lawful, viable, and sustainable trade, business, industry, or activity offering local employment may apply for SVEG. This is because public interest, particularly on the aspect of employment generation for Filipinos warrants the admission of these foreigners as special non-immigrants. .
provide actual employment to at least ten (10) Filipinos in accordance with Philippine labor laws and other applicable special laws. The Commissioner of Immigration shall revoke the SVEG granted: (i) If the SVEG holder fails to maintain compliance of any of the conditions set forth; (ii) If it was obtained through fraud or willful misrepresentation of material facts; (iii) Upon conviction of the foreigner by final judgment for a crime or offense in the Philippines; or (iv) A final determination by competent authority that the foreigner poses a risk to national security. A foreigner whose special non-immigrant status is revoked shall be deported via summary proceedings. However, in case of revocation due to the conviction of the foreigner by final judgment for a crime or offense in the Philippines, the foreigner shall be deported after the service of sentence for that crime or offense.
typeS of immigraNt ViSaS •
13(A) The wife or the husband or the unmarried child under twenty-one years of age of a Philippine citizen, if accompanying or following to join such citizen;
The SVEG is a special visa issued to a qualified non-immigrant foreigner who shall actually employ at least ten (10) Filipinos in a lawful and sustainable enterprise, trade or industry. Qualified foreigners who are granted the SVEG shall be considered special non-immigrants with multiply entry privileges and conditional extended stay, without need of prior departure from the Philippines. The privileges may extend to the qualified foreigner’s spouse and dependent unmarried child/children below eighteen (18) years of age whether legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted. The following are the conditions to be complied with by the non-immigrant foreigner who wish to avail of the SVEG. These must be satisfied continuously by the foreigner if he desires to continue being a holder of SVG: a.
The foreigner shall actually, directly or exclusively engage in a viable and sustainable commercial investment/ enterprise in the Philippines, or exercises/performs management acts or has the authority to hire, promote and dismiss employees;
b.
He evinces a genuine intention to indefinitely remain in the Philippines;
c.
He is not a risk to national security; and
d.
The foreigner’s commercial investment/enterprise must
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 17
usapang legal •
13(B) A child of alien parents born during the temporary visit abroad of the mother, the mother having been previously lawfully admitted into the Philippines for permanent residence, if the child is accompanying or coming to join a parent and applies for admission within five years from the date of its birth;
•
13(F) The wife or the husband or the unmarried child under twenty-one years of age, of an alien lawfully admitted in the Philippines for permanent residence prior to August 26, 1940 and who is a resident therein, if such wife, husband, or child applies for admission within a period of two years following August 26, 1940.
•
13(C) A child born subsequent to the issuance of the immigration visa of the accompanying parent, the visa not having expired;
•
•
13(D) A woman who was a citizen of the Philippines and who lost her citizenship because of her marriage to an alien or by reason of the loss of Philippine citizenship by her husband, and her unmarried child under twenty-one, if accompanying or following to join her;
13(G) A natural born citizen of the Philippines, who has been naturalized in foreign country, and is returning to the Philippines for permanent residence, including his spouse and minor children shall be considered a non-quota immigrant for purposes of entering the Philippines.
13(E) A person previously lawfully admitted into the Philippines for permanent residence, who is returning from a temporary visit abroad to an unrelinquished residence in the Philippines;
PHOTO: STOCK.XCHNG/brimSParK
•
With the impending emergence of Asia, particularly the Far East, as the new economic center and growth driver of the world, it is expected that there will be greater travel and trade between Singapore and the Philippines. This could only lead to greater understanding and a strengthening of the relations between these two already close neighbors.
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feature
The Changing Faces of Filipinos in Singapore By Edmund Chew Tee Khiang Founder of a third party logistic business, Astrans (S) Pte Ltd. He also served as President of Rotary E-Club of 3310. In 2003, he received recognitions through the 1st Spirit of Enterprise Entrepreneurs Award as well as the Merits Entrepreneurs E-Global Awards. In the Year 2007/2008 he was voted the e club Rotarian of the Year.
Mabuhay ang Pinoy! To me, Filipinos are like brothers. We work together in service and in business. Filipinos make up 20% of the world’s seafarers. In fact, there are more than 1.2 million Filipino sailors all over the world! What makes them unique is their ability to speak good English as well as the technical training they receive in the early stages of their education. This is due mainly to several specialized training institutes in the Philippines. Such training background makes them highly competent in vital areas. Back in Philippines, there are over 190 accredited nursing colleges and institutions. Each year, more than 9,000 students graduate as nurses. Many of these Filipino nurses work in the US, UK, Middle East and Singapore. Since there is a fairly large community of Filipino workers in Singapore, with many of them congregating at Lucky Plaza over the weekends, they do not feel home sick. In fact, they even have their own support groups and found a home away from home! Back in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the Philippines was the top economy in Asia, second only to Japan. Roxas Boulevard was constructed ten years before Malaysia’s Putrajaya complex. When Singapore structured its economy to become the leader in Southeast Asia, the Filipinos were silent partners – by providing architects, engineers, nurses and IT specialists who were part of the team that helped to lead the development. After the initial decades when Filipinos in Singapore were associated mainly with domestic helpers, we see a changing profile of Filipinos in Singapore. Tycoons and business leaders include John Gokongwei Jr, Lucio Tan Jr and Marco Yuchengco Santos, Lito Camacho of Credit Suisse Investment Banking, Bing de Guzman, CEO of ING Private Bank and Raymundo Yu of Merryll Lynch AsiaPacific among others. Singapore has been creating more and more jobs because of its booming economy. The Filipinos are highly sought due to their English proficiency and relatively lower cost compared to Singaporeans. Though they were employed initially in industries shunned by locals such as nursing, an increasing number is coming
on S-passes to compete directly with Singaporeans for jobs such as administrative executives, account executives and mid-level managerial positions. Even state-linked companies such as Singpost and POSB are employing Filipinos as their front-line staff. They continue to flock to Singapore to work especially with the opening of the Resort World Sentosa Integrated Resort. When fully operational, this is expected to create more than 5,000 new jobs for Filipinos in hotels, casino and as performers. Yes, times have certainly changed. The Filipinos have become a part of our daily lives. Over the last 40 years, together, we have built Singapore into a more cosmopolitan city. Maraming salamat po!
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE PHILIPPINES? Debating Its National Territory by Rodolfo C Severino Soft cover S$29.90/US$25.90 Hard cover S$39.90/US$35.90
REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT Jose Rizal in Southeast Asia by John Nery Soft cover S$39.90/US$35.90 Hard cover S$59.90/US$54.90
GETTING A DIAL TONE Telecommunications Liberalisation in Malaysia and the Philippines by Lorraine Carlos Salazar Soft cover S$39.90/US$25.90 Hard cover S$49.90/US$34.90
INSTITUTE OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES
30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Pasir Panjang, Singapore 119614 Tel: 68702447 Fax: 67756259 E-mail: pubsunit@iseas.edu.sg http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 19
feature
M
Adora By Sreyashi Sen
Sreyashi Sen is the President of CREEED ( CReative Expressions Empowering Dreams ) a Singapore non profit set up to help marginalised women find a platform for their talents and creativity.
any are the faces in crowds of migrants that come for a better tomorrow to our little island nation. Among them, the Filipino community is one that I have closely interacted with, and despite the many faces I have seen, Adora (name changed) is someone I can never forget. What I remember the most are the hugs that Adora would give be it to greet me with a “Good Morning” or to say “Hope you had a great day” when I return home. They were warm and welcoming reassuring hugs. I met Adora while I was looking for a place to stay in between two houses, a broken relationship, and some hurdles that life has posed. She was the housekeeper for the place I was to rent. With so much going on and a lot of things behind me, I needed a room that will offer me peace and tranquillity - a sort of haven from the whirling world around me. Adora was a motherly figure from day one (even though she wasn’t much older than me). She became a friend. She would share about her family and her hurdles, too. She had moved to Singapore as a domestic helper six to seven years ago and has been in the same job ever since. What made her stand out was her poise and her ability to calm any stressful situation. This became apparent when she would talk to anyone of us during stressful moments and we will feel much better already. While we may be a group of professionals sharing a common space, coming from different backgrounds and even nations, with our own levels of stress and bundles of life stories, we were fascinated with how Adora can draw us to talk to her as she gives us her “magic hug” and the words “It will all be fine”. They weren’t magic words, but somehow, they had a magical effect. Perhaps, the way she said it or just the fact that somehow we felt she understood made things better for us.
She had her story too. Hers was a story of poverty, of needs, of responsibility and duty; of a call to move beyond her borders and help serve a different land. She had not had an easy life, nor were her growing up years sheltered in luxury. She had a troubled childhood and had struggled to be as educated as she was. Adora’s story, and her struggles back home is not what am here to tell, but the chapter that she began here, as a foreign domestic worker like many others is what I hold close to my heart. She made me take a second look at migration and the whole notion of downgrading of work. She got me thinking on the issues of recognizing skills and talent and the undermining of qualifications at times of emerging economies. What she always got me thinking, too, was the notion of respect and the whole futility of hierarchies and the importance of a culture of sharing and giving. Populations, people, and cultures that travel beyond borders in hope of a better tomorrow and to help us live our daily lives with ease. They carry with them skills, knowledge and a heart that’s willing to listen and share. They carry with them a gracious culture that we in Singapore are talking about everyday. Adora and many like her, come from a country that talk of graciousness and giving, of accommodating, of adjusting and of sharing. They bring with them that gift of being aware of struggles and rising above it every day, which are facets of social community living that are fast disappearing from the generations X and Y. We have much to learn from a multicultural community and imbibe the feelings within our fast growing economies. When we open doors for jobs, what we also need to realize is that we open doors to much more than that. We welcome cultures that teach us much more than we can offer. Adora taught me that. She made me realize that no matter how difficult life can get, we always have the capacity to give. As the saying goes “the more you give the more you receive.”
So here was a woman in her 40’s who had left her children and family back home to take care of other people’s children. She had a degree in Humanities and had been a teacher in Manila. It is a story that we have heard several times in Singapore.
Coming from Philippines, a nation that has a mix of cultures inherent in its history, these groups of people can teach us much. The blending of diversity in a nation that they carry with themselves is something we as Singaporeans can learn from.
But here she was away from her home, in a distant land doing something entirely different from what she had planned in life, yet completely at peace and at times even revelling in her solitude.
While I wrote this on one Sunday afternoon, flashes of images come across my eyes. The image and sound of Adora and her friend singing the song ... “Anak” (“Child”) remained vivid in my
20 Bagong Bayani august 2011
feature memory. As they sang one of my favourite Freddie Aguilera songs over a lunch that they had carefully prepared for me, it took on a new meaning in today’s social space. The whole backdrop of a father talking to a child and of filial piety, something that’s again fast disappearing as we move ahead in the name of “progress”. A simple song whose lyrics go somewhat like this when translated: When you were born into this world Your mom and dad saw a dream fulfilled A dream come true, The answer to their prayers You were to them a special child Gave them joy every time you smiled Each time you cried, They're at your side to care Child, you don't know You'll never know how far they'd go To give you all their love can give To see you through and it's true They'd die for you, if they must, to see you here... The song moves on to talk of how the child has moved on, blamed his parents and never looked back as he walked on in life and yet the parents still look towards a better tomorrow with the
fervent hope of her return because they would die to give her life. As Adora sang she had tears and so did I. The song told a story a story of love and care, of parental love and care. It was not an easy journey for Adora, but even in her struggles she smiled showing that she is strong and shed a tear at the same time for a family she left behind. I met her children and husband once when they visited her in Singapore. Those few days she lived a lifetime. A lifetime yes, but never forgetting her daily chores. I have since moved from that house we shared, but what Adora taught me has lived on. And as I meet many more like her, through my work and at various junctures, I see a common culture in this migrant community that is common to all; that of appreciation, gratitude, and of helping anyone in whatever simple way they can. We need people like Adora, who not only make living in Singapore much more cushioned but also bring with them values of cultural integration, appreciation, cohesiveness and gratitude. Something we in Singapore constantly need as we move onward as a nation that appreciates diversity and unity among the many faces that call this island home.
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PHOTO: sTOCK.XCHNG/TIMOBALK
Things I Love About
SINGAP RE By Detch Nonan-Mercado
O
ver the last few weeks I have been spending so much time and a great deal of avid consciousness thinking about this article. Since National Day celebrations were just around the corner when I started to conceptualize my outline, I initially wanted to write about Filipino families with PR status and their good reports about Singapore. But as my story slowly played out in my head I was surprised to sense an inner discomfort at the kind of article that was taking shape. Something was not quite right. I did not like the literature that I was mentally writing. A voice within me whispered: SAY SOMETHING FROM YOUR OWN HEART. So, what do I love about Singapore?
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT & ECP
PHOTO: sTOCK.XCHNG/ANJsAND
It was many summers ago when I first came here. The soft passage of time is now clouding my memory of the day I allowed myself to look silly inside Terminal two. Picture this. I actually went from one plant to another to see whether their leaves were real foliage. “Totoo ba ang mga halaman na iyan?” I asked Ferdy, my husband. He said, “ yes, they are real, not plastic.” But curiosity got the better of me. That was when I rushed to the first boxed plant that came to view. I touched it. Then – my apologies to the airport gardener – I pinched it. Not satisfied with that, I went from one plant to the next and so on and so forth.
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That got me. I mean the experience. That was my first time to see so much greenery inside a building! I was mesmerized to say the least. I could not leave the airport. Meanwhile, Ferdy did not realize how affected I was. His business was to take care of my baggage, get a cab, and haul the two of us out of the airport. He was on another sphere while I was floating, because my senses were arrested by the sheer beauty of nature around me. We took a cab at the taxi bay, and started our travel to Tampines. As the car made its turn to East Coast Parkway (ECP), a more or less 20-kilometer expressway featuring colorful landscapes guaranteed to stir the heart of even non-nature lovers, the panoramic view of highway islands bedecked with loud-colored flowers took my breath away. I could only mutter, “God is good. God is beautiful. He created all these good and beautiful things!”
CITY IN A JUNGLE Another thing that I really love about Singapore is the fact that you don’t have to go far to connect with nature. Even in Orchard, supposed to be one of the busiest commercial places, countless trees line the avenues and roads, making you feel like you are in the woods while shopping for branded dry goods. In my place, Sembawang, there is a stretch of road that looks like a part of the highway linking Agusan del Norte to Daval del Norte in Mindanao, Philippines. A little hill is covered from top to bottom with ferns of all types, big and small. Morning joggers love this place because of the dewy fragrance let off by the plants. Just being there could well be the easiest nature trip. To think that this particular spot is literally a stone’s throw away from both my block
feature EAST COAST PARK AND PASIR RIS PARK In other parts of the world, the serenity and exquisiteness of these parks could only be enjoyed at the payment of an entrance fee. In Singapore, it is for all to see and to experience free of charge. So go, explore these two parks. I am personally recommending this. It does a lot for me being there. It balances me, and increases my gratefulness quotient.
MRT AND BUSES Punctuality and efficiency would be the twin words I would use to describe the transport system here in Singapore. No one can routinely use delays in the MRT or bus services as an excuse for tardiness. Except for very rare incidents, MRT and bus trips are
usually on schedule and it would be a shame if you habitually come late for your appointments.
LUCKY PLAZA Some believe in luck, others believe in blessings, and still some believe in both. I myself believe in blessings. So I call this building “Blessed Plaza” and thank God for it because it serves as the meeting place of Filipino kababayans. At least there is a place in all of Singapore where we could buy bagoong and sinigang mix, etc. Also, I love “Blessed Plaza” because this establishment has seen the unfolding of countless stories of sadness, joys, victories and failures among Filipinos here.
NATIONAL LIBRARY BRANCHES I love to read. It matters to me that Singapore factored into its city planning the seriousness of having libraries at almost all big malls, which, by the way, are usually located right beside MRT stations. I could not ask for more!
PHOTO: PINOYGRAPHERS
and the Sembawang Shopping Center!
Hortaliza PHOTO: STOCK.XCHNG/ATHEWMA
Specializes in ladies/gents/children wears; Range of Philippine Products & Barong Tagalog,Top-Up Cards, Calling Cards and Nipper Sharpening.
#04-08 Tel: 6333 6239
#03-82/83 Tel: 6735 2257
#03-84 Tel: 6737 7417
304 Orchard Road Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863august 2011 Bagong Bayani 23 Owned and Managed By: NARCISA P. LIM
feature “COMPLETENESS” OF EACH ESTATE In every estate, basic services could be had. You don’t have to go to another location for schools, clinics, wet markets, or malls (and libraries, for that matter). Each estate has these and other basic services for the community. Moreover, food centers are to be found in all the right places.
NATIONAL ORCHID GARDEN INSIDE BOTANIC GARDENS
own conviction) it is doing its job for its people and it is able to maintain peace and order. When I hear a Singaporean complain against the government, I do not waste time in telling him off. No government is ever perfect because man’s needs and requirement evolve every single time. Singapore’s government is good to its constituents, well-organized, competent and efficient. Moreover, I take note of the fact that the government even goes to the small detail of providing shelters so pedestrians could be shielded from harsh elements on their way to MRT stations.
PHOTO: sTOCK.XCHNG/INsAINT
For months after I brought my sister there, she could not stop talking about it. Everybody that I ever brought there has been singing its praises, months, even years after visiting the gorgeous orchids at the Orchid Garden. I am of the firmest belief that this is one of the must-see’s in Singapore whether you love flowers or not.
CK TANG’S IN DECEMBER
PHOTO: sTOCK.XCHNG/ANJsAND
What else do I love about Singapore? The Christmas window dressing of CK Tang’s in Orchard takes a high position in my list. Every Christmas, without fail, CK Tang’s windows enchant me. I hope this article conveys my message: Whoever does the design concept, please accept my thanks. Your Christmas displays somehow make Christmas in Singapore seem like Christmas in the Philippines and it eases my December homesickness.
TAP WATER AND TOILETS I have been to many countries and would always exercise caution when drinking water. In Singapore, I feel safe drinking straight from the faucet. Another plus point for Singapore is that toilets are scattered all over the island. Any time nature calls, clean toilets are available – at MRT stations, hawker (food) centers, and malls, among many other locations.
COIN PHONES
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: FOOD
I lost my mobile phone before. Thank God coin phones were present where I was then. For 10 cents, I was able to make a very important call. Even today, coin phones are built into walls of residential block void decks, bus terminals, MRT stations, schools, etc.
Chicken rice, fish head curry, hor fan, roti prata – these are just some of the many dishes I learned to eat and love. When I travel abroad, I daydream about chicken rice, doodle ,hor fan and roti prata. I salivate just seeing in my mind’s eye a plate of kangkong with chilli padi! How could I not love Singapore? If only for its food, I would take Singapore any day, baby!
PLAYGROUNDS AND EXERCISE CENTERS When Nang Inday, my sister, was here, she went with me on one of my morning walks, and out of the blue she expressed, “Tamad na lang talaga ang di lulusog dito, dahil meron kayong mga outdoor gym at ang ganda ganda maglakad dahil maraming puno.” Yes, no one has an excuse to neglect exercise. As for kids, they, too, are given their share in Singapore’s limited land space. Playgrounds have state-of-the art, safe recreational equipment.
THE GOVERNMENT AND PEACE AND ORDER I love the Singapore government because in my opinion (this is my
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MAY GOD BLESS YOU, SINGAPORE I love my own native land, the Philippines. However, my affection for my country does not disarm me from appreciating the nation that has been kind not only to me but also to other foreigners like me. I believe that what the Bible says is right, that we should give honor to whom it is due (Book of Romans 13:7). And so with this piece I pay tribute to Singapore, its leaders and its people. May God bless and prosper you! May peace reign in your borders! May unity be in your diversity! Blessed Birthday, Singapore!
cover story
PERLITA GABRIEL TIRO: Filipino Excellence in Singapore Then and Now By Cashmer Dirampaten
P
erlita Tiro (nee Gabriel) welcomed us into her home with a ready smile. She graciously offered, coffee, tea, juice and water. Having been away from the Philippines for months now, Mrs. Tiro’s home reminded me of my own house in Manila. Her home is filled with pictures of herself at various stages of her life, her late husband, her only daughter, and her grandchildren. The latter considering her as their “No. 1 Lola.” This penchant for displaying family pictures, some say, is “Pinoy na Pinoy.”
Early yEars in singaporE
When Mrs. Tiro first arrived in Singapore four decades ago on November 28, 1970, Singapore was just laying the foundation for it to become one of the most, if not the most, progressive countries in Southeast Asia today. Before Mrs. Tiro came to Singapore, she had a thriving career with the Management Services Division of SGV & Co, then representing 6 out of the biggest 8 audit firms in the world. SGV sent her to Singapore for a two-year contract with SGV Goh Tan Pte Ltd, the Management Services arm of Goh Tan Foo & Kon, the local partner of SGV in Singapore. “I was trying to bargain for a one-year contract, as I found two years to be too long to be away from home,” Mrs. Tiro said. But God had other plans for Mrs. Tiro. Barely four months after arriving in Singapore, she met the man who she eventually married on August 28, 1971. Mr. Robert Tiro is an Indonesian national and served as a lecturer at the University of Singapore and a management consultant with an Australian Consulting firm when Mrs. Tiro met him. They were blessed with a daughter, Marise, who now lives in the United States with husband Doug and Mrs. Tiro’s grandchildren, Gabrielle and Emily. Sixteen years her senior, Mr. Tiro has always supported Mrs. Tiro in her quest for career excellence. Mr. Tiro probably knew all along that once Mrs. Tiro sets her mind and heart into achieving something, there is no stopping her.
CloCkwiSe from top: At women’S BuSineSS ConneCtion CinderellA BAll w JAne itogi wife of dpm thArmAn, wBC preSident JAnnie tAy, former miniSter of StAte mCyS yu-foo yee Shoon; eArly yeArS room At ywCA, now fort CAnning lodge 12.1970; eArly yeArS -room At ywCA, note to mom Behind piC
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 25
cover story and assignments in the Philippines and our life back home was easier, unlike here where we had to do everything on our own or with part-time help – doing our own household work, cooking, staying in a small place, sharing a common bath, among others.” Mrs. Tiro intimated.
Family - Christmas 2010 at st Peter's Cathedral in Columbia, sC with daughter marise, husband doug and my aPos gabrielle and emily
“He was always telling me to go ahead and reach for my goals. I also felt confident that whatever I decided to do, he would always support me. But he was always there also to remind me of possible pitfalls,” recalls Mrs. Tiro about her late husband. Seeing Singapore now, with its progress not failing to impress any foreigner that comes here, it is surprising to know from Mrs. Tiro that there was a time when being assigned to Singapore was not considered a plum posting. She and her colleagues at SGV were brought in to undertake assignments that the staff of the local partner company of SGV lacked qualification and expertise to do and to introduce and provide training on management principles and practices already being carried out in the Philippines. She also organized public courses such as Finance for non-finance managers and Accounting for non-accountants with practically no competition. Accountants like Mrs. Tiro were not the only ones then flocking to Singapore to share their talent and know-how to Singaporeans. According to her, even the pilots of Philippine Airlines provided training to the pilots of Malaysia Singapore Airlines followed by Singapore Airlines (after the split) back then. Her Division also initiated the recruitment consultancy within the SGV Group to cater to the growing need for capable people in various companies. “When I first came here, the Philippines was more advanced than Singapore in terms of education, infrastructure, technology, and management practices. The University of Singapore (now National University of Singapore) had just started producing graduates with business administration degrees – I think we hired from the second batch of graduates – as it was customary then to obtain business degrees from abroad, on-site or off-site,” Mrs. Tiro said. “My colleagues and I felt that we had more challenging roles
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"In order to spare ourselves from cooking, we often ate dinner and learned how to use chopsticks while eating at the “Car Park.” Now occupied by Orchard Central, it was a Car Park by day but after office hours, the Car Park became filled with food stalls, pretty much like Boon Tat Street these days,” Mrs. Tiro recalled while sharing with us the picture with note that she sent to her mother, which read in part: “This is how my room at the YWCA looks. It has another bed but I’d rather not share it with anyone so I can turn the radio as loud as I want anytime. Walls are double, so I don’t worry about my neighbors. I share a bath with the next room occupant who is also alone and working so we have no problem on using the bath. I’m not as big as this anymore. Taken Dec 23/70.” But despite their qualifications and the demand for their talent, Mrs. Tiro and her colleagues were not readily given employment passes by the Singaporean government. “My application got rejected four times. Even then, Singapore was very careful in granting employment passes. But probably the reason was not the same. Back then, I think the government was more concerned on ensuring that the resources of the country were enough to serve the needs of all residents here – that there were enough housing, public transport, public places, etc.”, Mrs. Tiro surmised. Singapore was determined to catch up and in five years since she first came to Singapore, Mrs. Tiro saw Singapore match the expertise that she and her colleagues first introduced to Singaporeans. In ten years time, the situation got reversed. Developments in infrastructure, technology, telecommunications, education and even fashion simply accelerated, with Family - last Family PiCture with Singapore overtaking the husband bob and daughter marise, at Coke Plant in atlanta, georgia Philippines. oCt 1994
cover story “Singapore just grew very fast, overtaking the Philippines across all fields. The government went all out to woo investors from the West and created policies that ensured certainty for businesses. The government always kept its promises, particularly tax-breaks for preferred industries. And now everything just works here!” Mrs. Tiro remarked. She recalled standing on the table of her Singaporean part-time domestic help once to avoid being wet by the floods that came into the house of her help somewhere in Bukit Timah. But all the flooding simply disappeared, save the couple of floods we experienced here recently three decades later.
A CAreer in Finding TAlenT And reTAining PeoPle
A Certified Public Accountant by profession, on top of her MBA, Mrs. Tiro ended up specializing in a career in executive search and recruitment consultancy by stroke of luck. When she decided to leave The SGV Group as manager in 1980, she went to a competitor - the UK-based consulting firm PA Consulting Group to seek a financial controller’s position with one of its clients. Instead, she was offered the position of Senior Consultant “as they could not find a better man for the job,” recalled Mrs Tiro with a chuckle. Only four years after joining the company, she had the opportunity to take over her Australian boss’ role as chief executive of Personnel Services to become the first woman head of PA worldwide. Being the first woman chief executive of the British company is just the beginning of the many “firsts” in Mrs. Tiro’s life.
SeTTing her own CourSe
After a rewarding experience running the operations of a consulting company for nine years, Mrs. Tiro decided that it was time to set-up her own company and do things her way and in the manner she knows how without pressure from headquarters. Together with her husband, Tiro Consulting Services Pte.Ltd was born in January 1989. She envisioned Tiro Consulting as a company that shapes the future of individuals who have the desire and competence to achieve greater heights in their careers. Mrs. Tiro also wanted to build on her experience advising management of various companies on the type of people they should recruit who were appropriate for their respective operations, the remuneration package to be offered, the incentives they needed to offer, and the career track that would attract the right people. Her experience and track record put her at a vantage position to
RotaRy - Receiving RotaRian of yeaR awaRd fR PResident nathan June 2004
search for and spot the individual that would match the needs of a company, especially vacancies in the top-tier positions. Even with an experienced career executive behind Tiro Consulting, the company had to struggle during the early years of its operations. “At the beginning, I went to a supplier to buy a photocopying machine on hire-purchase. The supplier thought we were not credit worthy as we were a new and small company. I admit though that at that time, such high-ticket item purchase was tricky. We only had S$10,000 as capital and the machine I was buying was worth S$3,000 at that time, with multi-copy and collation features. But we had to have the machine if we wanted to give quick quality service. There was no internet then, so all reports were in beautifully bound hard copy,” Mrs. Tiro said “But I managed to get another machine within a day from a supplier who had known me,” she added. It is this constant quest for excellence and quality that made Tiro Consulting thrive for more than twenty years. And it appeared that Mrs. Tiro is just getting warmed up even if she has already divested her interest in the company.
The mAny FirSTS
Mrs. Tiro is the first woman to be elected as Board of Director in Rotary Club of Singapore, the oldest club in the city-state. She again made history when the Club, on its 75th year, awarded Mrs. Tiro as the Rotarian of the Year in 2004, the first award of such nature ever bestowed to a woman. Was there a conscious effort on the part of Mrs. Tiro to be the first to achieve what she has accomplished?
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 27
cover story
“None, really. I am blessed to be where I am now, as I have been through the years. I have been raised by my parents to be confident of my abilities so I am not easily intimidated. They also gave me the education I need to back up my desire to advance my career. My father, especially, pushed me to try to be ahead of the pack. He has always supported me. He even helped fund my first year for a masters degree just as an incentive to better myself,” Mrs. Tiro remembered with fondness.
HER two HomEs
Mrs. Tiro holds a Singapore passport now but is very much a Filipino at heart. While it took her twenty six years to apply for Singapore citizenship, it was in Singapore where she had her own family and built her career going to the top. And because she remains grateful to the country that was her home before Singapore, and to whom she owes her culture and heritage, she continues to carry out projects and activities that help her kababayans back in the Philippines to this day through her work with the Rotary Club of Singapore as well as her active involvement in the locally organized Filipino activities. To date, she has built a school building in Infanta, Quezon and participated in numerous medical and dental mission benefitting poor children and their families. “I remember when we inaugurated the school building in Quezon, there was a little girl who approached me and while referring to the school, she sheepishly asked, ‘Amin na po ba ito?’ (Is this ours already?). ‘Of course,’ I told the girl. I was so touched, overwhelmed, and deeply gratified by her question,” Mrs. Tiro said.
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Mrs. Tiro is delighted by the fact that at present, there are more Filipinos in white collar jobs in Singapore than in the past. “Despite the recent restriction over foreign talent in Singapore, after the General Election, the tremendous demand for Filipino talent continues to exist in Singapore. In certain professions, Filipinos are preferred. Filipinos are mainstays among architects, engineers and nurses. Filipinos are also dominant, versus other foreign talents, in positions in the food and beverage, hospitality and entertainment sectors,” Mrs. Tiro observed. But Filipinos should not be complacent as other foreign talents are also looking at Singapore with keen interest and desire to penetrate the thriving labor market. And Singapore has also produced and continues to produce its own stellar career performers.
HigHs and lows
As with any bilateral relations, The Singapore - Philippine relationship had been tested. Mrs. Tiro considers the Flor Contemplacion case as a low point in the relationship of her two homes. “I think both countries learned from (the) said experience. For the
RotaRy - Infanta, Quezon, the new buIldIng
RotaRy - Infanta, Quezon, school kIds showIng theIR appRecIatIon
cover story movement of goods and exchange of money in the domestic market which then translates to income for both government and businesses with the later providing the jobs for the local labor market.
Tiro ConsulTing -CelebraTing our 20Th anniversary January 2009, wiTh Phil ambassador minda Cruz and irish ambassador riChard o'brien
Philippines, it was a wake-up call to make a more conscious effort to promote the welfare and protect the rights and safety of Filipinos working abroad early enough. For the Singapore government, my gut feel is that had they known the extent of public reaction and outrage over the case, they would probably acceded to the request to delay the execution of Flor Contemplacion (without commuting the sentence), simply to keep the Filipinos from losing face,” Mrs. Tiro opines. It was a delight to hear Mrs. Tiro recall a proud moment for Filipinos. “The first and the only time that any Prime Minister went to the airport to welcome a visiting Philippine President at the airport was in the early 1970s when the late President Ferdinand Marcos and Madame Imelda Marcos arrived. Then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and the late Mrs. Lee were both at the airport to welcome them as they arrived in two separate aircrafts! It was a shining moment for Filipinos in Singapore. We were so proud of that visit and the importance given to our President and the First Lady,” Mrs. Tiro proudly shared. With more and more Filipinos working and studying in Singapore, Mrs. Tiro hopes that we learn from the Singaporeans to be more business-like in our dealings and have the constant desire to ensure that we get the value for our money and investments. “In turn, aside from our expertise, Singaporeans should learn from us Filipinos how to relax and enjoy life. It is indeed commendable to work hard, but one should try to achieve worklife balance as well”, Mrs. Tiro says with a smile.
“OFWs are indeed bagong bayani (modern-day heroes) because they sacrifice the comforts of home and a familiar environment to seek greener pastures for himself/herself as well as for his/her family members back home. He/She shares with the needy back home and/or the local community whatever fortune he/she amasses. He/She is generous yet has the wisdom to discern that whether the request is a real need or someone is just trying to take advantage of him/her,” Mrs. Tiro said. Having lived in Singapore for 40 years and having been a pioneer in her field, Mrs. Tiro is a true example of a person who used her education and inherent drive for excellence to achieve success and bring success to other people as well through her mentoring skills. Thus, we should seriously take the following advice from her to heart as we work to advance in our respective careers here in Singapore or in other parts of the world: 1. Wherever you are in the globe and whatever position you hold and role you take, remember that YOU are an AMBASSADOR for your country. Whatever good you achieve or bad you commit, big or small, is not just yours but a reflection of the Filipino people as a whole. Do a decent living and don’t ever succumb to deceit or vice, just to earn more money – I promise you it is not worth it. 2.
Be passionate and do your best in whatever you do. Try to excel in every piece of work that you do, regardless of how much you are paid for it. Never restrict your performance even if you feel you are underpaid. Pretty soon you will be recognized.
Advice to overseAs Filipino Workers in singApore And Around the World
Mrs. Tiro recognizes the contribution of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to the Philippine economy. The remittances from OFWs not only provide support for their families back home but also create
Tiro ConsulTing offiCe ChrisTmas ParTy deC 1993 w laTe he amb aliCia ramos, Tanglin Club
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 29
cover story to enjoy better living or even for medical reasons. Always put aside reserves from your monthly salary, not to be touched unless for emergency. Remember that when it is time for you to go home, you should be able to set up your own small business or build your own house. 7.
Continue your education. The various Filipino communities offer a wide variety of courses such as cooking, baking, hairdressing, dressmaking, accountancy, managing small businesses, etc. Take advantage of such offers to improve yourself, instead of just socializing with others all the time. Maintain a good work balance. You can use the additional expertise for your employer or open your small business when you get back home.
8.
Be a good influence to others. Particularly for those who have been in the place longer, help the newcomers build up their lives and set a good example for them. Take responsibility for your actions.
With SgV Founder and noW adViSer, 90 year old mr. WaShington SyciP – Photo taken at SgV 65th alumni homecoming, 21 July 2011
3.
Find the opportunity to give back to the community – the community you live in as well as back home. Whatever you achieve, you owe it to the Lord who has blessed you with the opportunity. Hence, you should repay the Lord by sharing your fortune with others in the form of money, goods or time, according to your means. I know of some who even support boys to priesthood.
4.
“When in Rome, do what the Romans do.” Keep in mind that you are the visitor in the country, and should adjust to the local practices and do not insist on doing what you have been used to. You need to be flexible. Some learn the local language too, which is good. Treat it as an added education for you. Of course, adopt good practices but discard those which are not right according to your conscience.
5.
Keep closely in touch with your family. Most of you would support your family members back home, your objective in seeking greener pastures, to start with. However, that should not stop at financial support. Be genuinely interested in what is going on with your parents, siblings, spouses and children. Many cases of spouses taking on mistresses occur due to the reduced communication with the family. Also, children might neglect their studies.
6.
Save money for the rainy day and for investments back home. You become a major breadwinner as a foreign talent. Your family members might be asking you more and more $ As we ended our delightful afternoon with Mrs. Tiro, I recall with MJ the anecdotes shared to us by Mrs. Tiro. Here is to hoping you find them amusing and refreshing as we did: Scenario: While attending a party, Mrs. Tiro was having a light exchange with a Singaporean Singaporean: So you are a Filipina. I do have maid who is Filipina as well?
30 Bagong Bayani august 2011
Mrs. Tiro is a living example of Filipino excellence in Singapore then and at present. Due to her values, work ethics, skills and talents, she and Filipinos like her paved the way for those like us who are here now in Singapore for work. It is up to us who are working in Singapore now to meet the expectations of quality, dedicated and reliable service that Singaporeans and other employers have come to know and expect from Filipinos due to the precedents that had been set by Mrs. Tiro and Filipinos like her.
With Finance Secretary ceSar V. PuriSima at the SingaPore BuSineSS Federation (SBF) PhiliPPine BuSineSS Seminar & BrieFing SeSSion, 19 auguSt 2011
Mrs. Tiro: Oh that is good. How many (maids) do you have? Singaporean: One Mrs. Tiro: Oh normally, we (Filipinos) have three back home.
Scenario: During coffee break at a seminar, Mrs. Tiro struck a conversation with a Singaporean. Singaporean: You have been here for so long. How come you still have your Filipino accent? Mrs. Tiro: You still have your Singaporean accent, right? The British have theirs as well! And so do the Americans. Why should I be different?
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BAGONG
IREMIT EMployEEs (TEssa, JEnny, ChaRo, nEly, MITCh, MElanIE, Jo ann, lIzza, MIChEllE, Joy, aIlyn, aRlEEn, MEyshEl and lETTy) ThE ChEERful and aCCoMModaTIng sTaff of IREMIT sIngapoRE EMbodIEs ThEIR oRganIzaTIon’s TaglInE, “Kung saan May ngITI sa bawaT padala!” offICE Is loCaTEd aT unIT 03-69 luCKy plaza Mall, 304 oRChaRd Road, sIngapoRE.
buddy Is a CIvIl EngInEER, a faThER To hIs fouR adoRablE KIds saM, Jb, pRInCEss, and pRECIous and a lovIng husband To MaRITEss RayMundo. hE pREvIously woRKEd In QaTaR and now baTTlIng ThE woRKs In sIngapoRE. a CERTIfIEd ‘bagong bayanI’.
gIl and saRah dEsEpEda – an ouTlInE of a CouplE blEssEd In all aspECTs of lIfE as ThEy vEnTuRE InTo ThE RIChnEss of god’s pRoMIsEs In ThEIR lIfE. lovablE and suppoRTIvE paREnTs To gIllIan & hIllaRy, ThEIR gEnERosITy gavE bIRTh To woodlands CaREgRoup as ThEy shaRE ThEIR blEssIngs wITh ovERflowIng Joy.
32 Bagong Bayani JULY 2011
Tlwf g12 woodlands CaRE gRoup: suppoRTERs of bagong bayanI MagazInE aT ThE IsTana.
CaRTER and EIREEn las – a ChaRMIng CouplE RIsIng In ThE MIdsT of sToRMs In lIfE and sTREngThEnEd by god’s ConTInuous sanCTIon In ThEIR ChRIsTIan walK. ThEIR lovEly sMIlEs REflECT ThE abundanCE of whaT Is good In ThEIR hEaRTs.
fERdIE and RuTh uRsua – a god-fEaRIng CouplE wITh ThE hEaRTfElT passIon To shaRE ThE god’s woRd To all. ThE bEauTIful CouplE Is a paREnT To hadassah, pRECIlla, JusTInE & baby boy naThan. a REal-lIfE fIguRE of ThE sayIng “ThE faMIly ThaT pRay’s TogEThER, sTay’s TogEThER.“
MaRIbETh Endozo - a TRuE bagong bayanI and a TRusTwoRThy aIdE To MR. and MRs. dEsEpEda In TaKIng CaRE of gIllIan & hIllaRy dEsEpEda.
nanay REbECCa saCayanan and nanay MaRIa – RolE ModEls of lovIng MoThERs To ThEIR daughTERs saRah and JEanETTE ThRough ThEIR CoMMITMEnT To suppoRTIng ThEM In all walKs of lIfE. “MoThER REally Knows bEsT.”
G BAYANI SHIRT feature
Nay Maria with JacqueliNe Garcia-SuSa aSSiStiNG iN takiNG care of the cute aNd cuddly SaMuel.
roilaN aNd JeNNy GeNSaya – a SyMbol of a relatioNShip fouNded by faith aNd the word of God. the couple believeS iN the power of prayer iN everyoNe’S life throuGh which oNe will overcoMe obStacle of aNy heiGhtS. truly it doeS.
Zaldy aNd cho aNdaya – waS iNSpired by the aSpiratioNS of baGoNG bayaNi aNd SupporterS of itS worthy cauSe. “chody” believeS iN the power of the Media aS a tool iN reachiNG out to the filipiNo coMMuNity froM the differeNt raNkS of life by bridGiNG the Gap of the So-called Middle claSS to eStabliSh a coMMoN GrouNd with our fellow kababayaNS. “freely we have received, freely we Give.”
fraNciSco aNd JeaNette uri with their cute SoN SaMuel. kiko workS aS a Software architect aNd JeaNette aS a teSt eNGiNeer.
MrS. eMy leoNG plaNS to Support a charity iN the philippiNeS SoMeday. She iS curreNtly aSSiStiNG the build of a local church back hoMe. She eNJoyS cookiNG, plaNtiNG, aNd doiNG reGular exerciSeS to MaiNtaiN her healthy fiGure.
Mr. eddie liMJoco loveS StrolliNG duriNG hiS free tiMe. he dreaMS of becoMiNG a billioNaire SoMeday.
MS. eleNe MacioN likeS to Go daNciNG aNd have fuN with her frieNdS duriNG her free tiMe. She dreaMS of becoMiNG a loviNG wife aNd Mother iN the future.
MS. iriSh roNGdueN eNJoyS outdoor activitieS Such aS Golf aNd SwiMMiNG. She hopeS to Settle dowN SoMeday aNd build a woNderful faMily.
MS. SoNia caoayaN eNJoyS readiNG recipe bookS aNd watchiNG t.v. She dreaMS of travelliNG the world aNd experieNce differeNt cultureS.
JULY 2011 Bagong Bayani 33
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Ms. EMily Cordon Happy to bE in singaporE. soMEtiME sHE goEs out witH friEnds to unwind. sHE aiMs to bE suCCEssful soMEday.
Ms. ElizabEtH aCollador lovEs strolling and danCing during HEr frEE tiME. sHE drEaMs of finally rEClaiMing tHEir land baCk HoME in iloilo.
Ms. luCia Cuanan is vEry fortunatE to bE witH onE EMployEr for 13 yEars. sHE is singlE and tHE brEadwinnEr of HEr faMily. sHE diligEntly works to support all HEr rElativEs baCk HoME.
Ms. MaE Colago aspirEs to bE a suCCEssful CoMputEr EnginEEr soMEday. sHE CaME froM iloilo and wEnt to singaporE to savE up and support HEr faMily.
Ms. nEnE baldovE works in singaporE to bE ablE to sEnd HEr siblings to sCHool. to CoMbat HoMEsiCknEss, sHE goEs to CHurCH EvEry sunday, MEEt witH friEnds, and Eat out.
Ms. nEnita CHangCo Has stayEd in singaporE for a good tEn yEars. sHE lovEs going to piCniCs during HEr frEE tiME. sHE drEaMs of sEnding all HEr kids to sCHool and for tHEM to finisH tHEir studiEs
Ms. lilibEtH palEnzuEla Has stayEd in singaporE for tHrEE yEars alrEady. sHE lovEs danCing and attEnding Mass EvEry sunday. sHE works in singaporE to bE ablE to sEnd HEr kids to sCHool baCk HoME in biCol.
34 Bagong Bayani JULY 2011
Ms. ElizabEtH CoMEndador froM CEbu City drEaMs of bECoMing a suCCEssful businEsswoMan soMEday. sHE lovEs rEading books and spEnding tiME witH HEr friEnds during HEr frEE tiME.
Ms. lorna dungCa is vEry Happy to work for 14 yEars undEr onE EMployEr in singaporE
Ms. analiza CoMEndador HopEs to finisH HEr studiEs and support HEr faMily in CEbu. sHE Enjoys rEading poCkEt books and is Constantly onlinE to spEak witH HEr faMily baCk HoME.
psyche me up
A Beautiful Life Dr. Mariglo Vicente Camero, RGC,CCI,DAAETS hired into the workforce).
Morning. Afternoon. Evening. Many would agree, even those who work on a night shift, that the morning is the most beautiful part of the day. Why? Mornings almost always represent what is glowing and beauty starts from the discovery of something astonishing. It catches one’s attention and maintains it through selective attention. Some may not agree because we all have our preferences. In my case, however, I find the afternoon a very hot and “lazy” period of the day while the evening is a time for rest and sleep. Sometimes it adds to the pressure I feel. I am not really a morning person; more of not an early morning person to be more specific. It takes a big, rather a “beautiful” reason and a wonderful environment for me to wake up in the mornings. And waking up in a beautiful setting such as Singapore and the Philippines is such a pleasant way to start the day right. Both countries have their geographical and demographical similarities as well as differences, but what unites them is the rising of the sun that turns each day into a one filled with much hope. “Simple yet elegant.”This is apt in describing Singapore as a place which is frequently ascribed or attributed to something related to fashion, cleanliness, and fabulous styles. If you will look around, one might wonder what makes Singapore a “haven;” a place that is close to the hearts of the Filipinos. Its high quality or standard of living is also something to be admired about. Its emphasis for aesthetics is beyond doubt unquestionable that is why one can still find himself “at home” even in a foreign land like Singapore. Huge and gigantic; that is how Singapore is to the eyes of most Filipinos. The massive and numerous shopping malls are obviously noticeable. The dirt-free surroundings (Butterfly park, Little India, Japanese park etc), wide-spaced land, state-of-the-art gadgets, and lucidity of the place are truly remarkable and admirable. Its capacity to sustain a provision for higher pay is also lucrative or rewarding to the Filipinos who work abroad (that is once you get
Near yet far. Its geographical location makes Singapore one of the nearest progressive countries outside the Philippines. Another is that the climate which is mostly sunny is similar to what we have in the Philippines that is why I guess most Filipinos also feel “at home” to be here. Amidst the few similarities and contiguities that we can observe, there are also some contrasting qualities that we can find; such as their upbeat modern stylish ways, their financial expenditures (where they invest and spend their financial resources), their ultra pro-health practices, and their unique and quiet personalities while Filipinos like sharing a lot of their sad and happy stories to loved ones and friends. Self-determination theory (SDT) of motivation will tell us that our behavior and ways are contributions from intertwined factors such as existence, relatedness and growth. Our need for affiliation or friendship is overly highlighted in our culture. Appreciation and need for beauty and something aesthetic are what also make Singapore an attractive spot to be and to work in. This is one of the growth or being needs (cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization and transcendence). Nevertheless, Singapore can respond as well to the deficiency needs of its inhabitants and visitors, such as being able to attend to the physical/physiological needs, security/safety needs (Singapore is one of the safest place to be in), belongingness and love needs (I think, most Filipinos will not be able to stand it for long in this country if the feeling of belongingness is not found; besides many other Filipinos are also within the other corners in Singapore). Living, staying, or even visiting a place like the Philippines and Singapore is an experience like no other. What is wonderful and sought after about Singapore and what is missed most about the Philippines? Both epitomize beauty at its best. Yours truly has been to different parts of the world but what is it that makes Singapore close to the hearts of the Filipinos? A life filled with beauty and a lot more to be thankful for are perhaps just one of the many reasons that makes Singapore a second home for those looking for a home next to home. And it won't be bad if where we live is where we feel most at home. After all, it is living that makes things beautiful.
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 35
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NUS students, Filipino OFWs tie up to fight poverty By Professor Albert C.Y. Teo
F
or the past few years, National University of Singapore (NUS) students and I have had many opportunities to work with Filipino Non-government Organizations (NGOs) Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI) and Gawad Kalinga (GK) along with their respective sister organizations in Singapore, ASKI Global and GK Hope Initiative (GKHi). These collaborations enabled me and the students to develop insights into the great work that these organizations carry out on a daily basis: restoring dignity and hope to the Filipino people, alleviating poverty, and providing training and livelihood opportunities to Filipinos. Under the guidance of ASKI and ASKI Global, a group of NUS Business School students studied ASKI’s microfinance model, conducted a study to determine the feasibility of introducing microfinance to Singapore, and developed a microfinance prototype model based on the Singaporean context. Another group of NUS Business School students have been helping ASKI Global to develop training materials for a Financial Education program, and conducting a series of Financial Education classes for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Singapore. As for myself, I have been conducting a class on Social Entrepreneurship for the OFWs. Through our interactions with the OFWs, my students and I have come away impressed with their passion and enthusiasm to learn, and their strong aspiration to pursue enterprise opportunities that can generate livelihood opportunities for themselves and their families back in the Philippines. This summer, a group of NUS University Scholars Programme (USP) students spent a week with ASKI staff in the Philippines to study ASKI’s microfinance services and community development efforts in northern Luzon. Upon their return to Singapore, some of the USP students have expressed their interest in supporting ASKI Global’s training programs. In particular, one of the students
36 Bagong Bayani august 2011
is keen to help translate ASKI Global’s Basic Entrepreneurship and Financial Education training materials into Bahasa Indonesia, and another student is keen to help translate these materials into Malay. These translation efforts would enable ASKI Global to conduct training programs for the overseas Indonesian workers in Singapore, as well as members of the Malay community in Singapore, in the near future. Within the past two years, various groups of NUS Business School students have undertaken their consulting practicums with GKHi and GK. One student group developed branding and marketing strategies and plans for two GK villages in Camarines Sur. Another group of students helped GKHi to develop the prototype for an online volunteer management system. A third student group developed a series of marketing collaterals, as well as volunteer training manuals, for GKHi. A fourth group of students conceptualized, planned and implemented GKHi’s Goodbye Gutom project, an initiative to raise awareness among Singapore youth of GK’s hunger eradication efforts in the Philippines as well
feature as raise funds for the purchase of farmland in the Philippines through a charity run in Singapore. Last summer and this summer, groups of USP students embarked on study trips to the Philippines. They visited various GK villages to better appreciate GK’s poverty alleviation and community building efforts. Upon their return to Singapore, a number of these students were inspired to sign up as interns with GKHi. In fact, a couple of these students were quite involved in the organization of the 2nd GK Global Summit in Singapore last year. The collaborative opportunities with Filipino NGOs that have been available to NUS students and me have indeed been a real blessing to us. Through our work with these NGOs, and our interactions with Filipinos in the Philippines and the OFWs in Singapore, we now have a deeper appreciation of the true meaning of human dignity and hope, of the aspirations and passion of the Filipino people, and of the outstanding efforts of NGOs in poverty alleviation, community building and livelihood creation. And in our own small way, the students and I have contributed to the building of bridges of friendship, breaking down of barriers, and fostering of mutual understanding between Filipinos and Singaporeans.
About the author Albert C.Y. Teo is an associate professor in the National University of Singapore Business School. He has a joint appointment with the NUS University Scholars Programme, and serves as the programme’s Deputy Director for Student Life. He served as the director of the Asia Centre for Social Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy for the past 3 years. He is currently helping NUS to set up a new initiative: the Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme. Albert has been actively involved in community service. He serves as a volunteer programme coordinator at Patient Care Centre (a social service organization that runs various support programmes for people living with HIV/AIDS). He is also a member of the management committee of Catholic AIDS Response Effort (a charity which runs a shelter for homeless people living with HIV/AIDS).
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 37
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Singapore: A Helping Hand, Not A Foreign Land By Maricris Nubla
“Singapore is not just a country; it is a paradise destined to shape future aspirations and hone people to the fullest.” These simple, yet meaningful statements, best epitomize my heartfelt gratitude to a country that opens its doors to Filipinos and uplifts the spirit and quality of our lives. Most professional Filipinos leaving their mother country for “greener” pastures opt to try their luck in Singapore for many obvious reasons. I, looking back at the encapsulated account of my journey to Singapore, was steadfast in my belief that I made the right choice right before I stepped my feet on this foreign land. Although my first few weeks were inclined to be a roller coaster ride as expected from someone adjusting to a and staying in a foreign country for the first time, I persevered and took my chances and endeavored not only for myself but also for my youngest sibling and relatives (in Philippines) whom I wanted to support financially. During the first two weeks of my stay in Singapore, I realized that looking for a job was not as easy as falling off a log. Thus, I did not limit myself to sending applications to other fields, which were mostly unrelated to my profession and entailed a different job description and scope. Feeling that some companies and private schools prefer to hire Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents almost gave me frustrations, yet I still carried on with my plan to pursue a career that I love most and have been passionate for ever since. Fortunately after three months of working in a different field, I was employed as an English trainer. Lady luck has subsequently embraced me in God’s grace. I initially taught international students in a prestigious polytechnic school, which outsourced personnel from the private company where I was working, and got the chance to travel overseas to handle English Proficiency programs. This was indeed one of the greatest experiences that I will treasure for the rest of my life not only because of the first batch of affectionate and zealous students that I had, but also because of my Singaporean colleagues who have been considerate and supportive to me and most especially, my Singaporean manager who has inspired, guided, and mentored me throughout.
38 Bagong Bayani august 2011
Photo: © Ally lAurente 2010
However, in my pursuit of a better and a more versatile career prospect, I tried my luck in another company after two years, bringing in me the positive qualities that I have cultivated through the help and presence of my former Singaporean manager and colleagues. I was employed by a private institution (where I am currently working) as English lecturer cum curriculum writer in which I am able to use and express both my passion for teaching and interest in writing. My Singaporean superiors are all enthusiastic, accommodating, supportive, focused, and determined. Their professionalism and dedication to work are truly admirable. Not only are they women of power, but also a perfect epitome of modern heroines who have distinguished qualities and are endowed with noble personalities worth-emulating. Working with them and my other Singaporean colleagues is indeed a privilege and a pride. In my four years of stay in Singapore, I have never encountered any scenario that stirs discrimination, which according to my countrymen working overseas, is a common phenomenon in other foreign countries that apparently ignore the valuable contribution and overlook the extraordinary talents and abilities we Filipinos have. Singapore has never shown any drop of racial intolerance and discrimination. This, besides the numerous advantages, recognition, and opportunities that Singapore continuously provides and extends to Filipinos, is more than enough for us to express our gratefulness to Singapore, which I will reiterate, is “not just a country but a paradise destined to shape future aspirations and hone people to the fullest”. About the Author: Miss Maricris Nubla, a graduate of Bachelor of Secondary Education with Distinction, is currently working as Lecturer cum Curriculum Writer in East Asia Institute of Management and taking up preparatory course for Diploma in TESOL accredited by London Teacher Training College, UK (LTTC). For over 9 years, she has consecutively worked as English Teacher in Philippines and Singapore respectively and gained valuable experiences in curriculum development and in training international students both in Singapore and overseas. Her passion in teaching and indubitable zeal for writing has broadened her horizon in nurturing young minds and touching students’ lives.
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The ability to bounce By Sankie Simbulan
O
NE of the most vivid stories of resilience in the inspirational booklet published by the Society of St. Paul “365 Days with the Lord” was that of Thomas Edison, a great scientist and a man ahead of his time.
well as documented by her entries in her diary.
The story shares that in December 1914, Thomas Edison's laboratory went up in flames. At the height of the fire that destroyed much of his life's work, the 67-year old scientist calmly watched the scene, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind. He asked his wife to join him in viewing the spectacle, saying that she would never again see anything like it.
The classic tale of Cinderella, the famous Disney heroine who captivated children's hearts, offers a riveting story of hope and persistence, of kindness and goodness, as necessary attributes for one to engender that instinctive trait of resiliency.
The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and declared, "There is a great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God, we can start anew." Three weeks after the fire, Edison gave the world the first phonograph.
Going through extreme conditions, she and her family made the most out of everything in order for them to survive.
After being subjected to the worst forms of humiliation at the hands of her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella retained her good inner qualities, which were eventually recognized and rewarded. She was married to her prince and they lived happily ever after. It was a nice ending to an equally nice story, but real stories seldom end nicely.
Resilience as an instinctive human natuRe
Perhaps, the best example of resiliency is best depicted by the children of Payatas who live by scavenging the refuse found in the dumpsites, which may be recycled, just so they can live on their extremely meager income with no assurance that the next day will offer a better one.
Aside from Thomas Edison, another model of resilience is Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who became famous after her diary was found. In the world of fairytales, Cinderella would be a familiar fixture while in our very own backyard, we may consider the children of Payatas who work as scavengers just to survive each day.
This glaring depiction of survival in the midst of destructive poverty shows that being resilient is not just a trait that enables them to go on, but a must if they want to survive to see the dawn of another day.
What do these people have in common? Edison, Frank, Cinderella, and the children of Payatas all possessed the remarkable trait of resiliency. Edison’s positive outlook presents an alternative approach to tragedies that we encounter. He was optimistic rather than pessimistic in the face of an overwhelming setback that would have been completely debilitating if experienced by others.
In the research that has been done about the children, it is amazing to learn that despite the need to toil under the most demeaning and unsanitary conditions, they still possess that admirable sense of hope that through perseverance and hard work, which they call “sariling sikap,” they will somehow finish their schooling and attain a better life.
Resilience defines the filipino Elastic. Flexible. Pliable.
On the other hand, Frank’s experience during the Second World War highlighted the strength of the human spirit. Despite having to hide in the secret annex of a house to escape the persecution of the Germans for over two years, the 12-year old Anne was able to develop her skills and share her life through the pen remarkably
These are the usual synonyms of the word resilience. We can picture resilience as a rubber ball. No matter how hard you throw it against a wall, it will not break. It will just bounce back and unleash its inner energy.
august 2011 Bagong Bayani 39
feature If applied to people, developmental psychologists defined resilience as “the capacity to do well in spite of some form of stress or adversity which carries a high risk of negative outcome” or “the capacity to resist destruction in difficult situations, protection of one’s integrity under pressure, and the capacity to construct a positive life in spite of difficult circumstances.” Taking this into account, it presents a vivid imagery of the Filipino. Filipinos are regarded as a people of unwavering resilience. They have survived the worst of politics and politicians, economic turmoils, and natural disasters. The Filipinos have grown more mature in dealing with challenges and hopeful for positive change.
Resilience factoRs What makes a person resilient when faced with failure, poverty, humiliation, loss and tragedy? Psychologists have found that among the factors that contribute to an individual’s resiliency are the following:
Divine GRace anD its healinG poweR Resiliency is a concept as old as mankind. Adam and Eve were broken after their fall, but they picked themselves up and started all over again, but not without the grace of God. Our first parents may have lost the earthly paradise of Eden, but by corresponding to God's grace they found their way back, this time to a heavenly paradise - their destined home. The resilience factor of all resilience factors is still the grace of God. It is a lifeline He continually sends at every moment. We only have to open our hearts to receive it, for in our brokenness it is God’s grace that makes us spring back to life. It is grace that makes us bounce! (The author obtained her M.A.in Psychology at the University of the Philippines. Her master’s thesis on the resilience of scavenger children is entitled “The Dumpsite is their Playground: A Study of the Self-Concept, View of Work, Problems and Coping
Social support networks and unconditional acceptance. Edison had his wife by his side through thick and thin, Cinderella had her fairy godmother and mice friends coming to the rescue, Anne Frank turned to her diary, which served as a cathartic channel for expressing her emotions, and the scavenger children of Payatas turned to their family and community for unconditional acceptance whenever the greater society tends to treat them with ridicule and disdain. Self-esteem and the feeling of having some control over life. A resilient individual is able to maintain a positive outlook in life because of the knowledge that he or she has the ability to transcend difficulties. He or she can control his or her life as well as her surroundings in a positive way. Humor. Laughter is the best medicine, and by this, we do not mean an escapist tendency to drown one’s problems with superficial but fleeting palliatives without ever really dealing with the pain. The humor we refer to is characterized by a tenderness towards imperfection, a mature acceptance of failure, a sense of confidence even when things go wrong, and an ability to remain creative or cheerful while embracing life’s many contradictions. Capacity to discover meaning in life. This is related to spiritual life and religion. While we may not maintain a diary, have a spouse, a fairy godmother, a family, and friends to provide us with unconditional love, the good news remains that we are never alone. Our faith assures us that we can fling ourselves to the powerful arms of our Creator who said, "I will be with you until the end of time" and "I will never forsake you." We only have to trustingly abandon ourselves and put our lives in His hands.
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Strategies of Child Scavengers”. For further reading, view the thesis abstract at: http://web.kssp.upd.edu.ph/abstracts/psych_simbulan.html)
feature
THE TIE THAT BINDS: TOGETHER WE STAND By Mary Jane Salomon
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or all its economic prosperity and unmatched security, Singapore is a market leader par excellence. But it is more than just a first world country to me. This is my second home; a place where I will always have a soft heart almost comparable to my beloved homeland, the Philippines. Coming to this country was a matter of choice for me. And thanks to Mr. Ong, a Singaporean diplomat from the Singapore Embassy in the Philippines half a decade ago. He was the one who marketed and made me consider visiting Singapore. Like the majority of my generation and the generations before us, I used to think of America as the realization of the so-called "American dream" and the ultimate destination of every Filipino. And I have proven that notion to be untrue, in my case at least. Looking back, I am grateful to Mr. Ong whom I have lost contact with months after I arrived in Singapore. But I will always be reminded of his enormous influence on me. He is partly responsible in my choice of a country to emigrate and the impact that it had created in my life thereafter. I will be forever grateful to a Singaporean who paved the way for a challenging life ahead and the rest is history. As a proud Filipino aware of my long history and cultural heritage and boasts of hundreds of years of struggles and triumphs, not to mention coming from a country which is inherently rich in natural and human resources, Singapore contrasts to the Philippines in so many ways. Nevertheless, it is still home away from home. This year, the Philippines celebrated its 113th Independence Day last June 12 while Singapore just relived its 46th year of freedom last August 9. The former became acquainted with the words freedom and democracy more than a century ago while the latter is on track in its preparation to welcome its Jubilee Year four years from now. And while the Philippines concentrated in exporting world class talents and in turn have been a direct beneficiary, with its 11 million Overseas Filipino Workers worldwide and almost 19B US dollars remittance to the country last year, Singapore successfully transformed itself into a first world country in a record breaking 46 year struggle; and until now still keeps the world in awe. Singapore has set a precedent for all the world to see and emulate. Singaporeans walk the talk and talk the walk. This small city state is a very young republic yet it is in a class by itself. Res Ipsa Loquitor!
The auThor is flanked by (l-r) hosTs suhaimi yusof, mediaCorp arTisTe GurmiT sinGh, media Corp arTisTe belinda lee and denise keller durinG The 2011 naTional day parade CelebraTion aT marina bay, sinGapore.
Together we stand. Unity is what we should aim for. Our invaluable contribution to this country as evidenced by the influx of Filipino foreign talents in recent years to fill in the demand for various positions across all industries is a concrete testimony of our mutual admiration arising from almost 50 years of bilateral relations. It is by no accident. Filipinos are in Singapore for a purpose. As Singapore's economy grew by leaps and bounds, so did the Filipino population in the city-state. There are approximately 180,000 Filipinos working and living here with a ratio of 40% working as domestic helpers and the remaining 60% working as IT experts, engineers, service industry workers, architects, healthcare specialists, banking and finance personnel, airline industry employees, and personalities in the entertainment world. Singapore welcomed us with open arms and provided us a safe haven. We are grateful, but it’s not enough. We have to be responsible as well. Being a patriot does not mean that one cannot patronize another country. I support Singapore in as much as I love the Philippines. Simply stated, both countries mean a lot to me; the former for giving me the opportunity of discovering my purpose and passion in life and the latter for providing me the right foundation of how to stand tall and be proud of my being simply a Filipino. They say, we say. What do Singaporeans and Filipinos think of each other?
Maria Boey Yuet Mei, President of Institute of Parks and Recreation in Singapore “I have always admired the Filipinos who are
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feature so talented. In my Institute, we have Filipinos who are architects and horticulturists. They are artistic, friendly, and helpful. They are always smiling and cheerful.” Sammy Mark Zulueta Galarpe Jr, Day Rehabilitation Therapist and First Aid Volunteer of Singapore Red Cross Adult Volunteer Division – Unit Delta “Singapore is one of the cornerstones of business capital cities in the whole world which brought complex identities linking to different nationalities like China , India , Malaysia and Indonesia . This has opened a very wide door of working opportunities to the inhabitants of the nearby lands. And of course, our country, the Philippines, which is also near this country, has shared the sanction of good welfare towards our own citizens through their thousands of job offers to Filipinos, and I’m so lucky that I was given the chance to savor this opportunity. Through the years of my stay as an alien in this country working as a therapist in a day rehabilitation centre, I can say that in my own experiences dealing with different people each day, this country has introduced me to different facets of their culture and vice-versa. I was able to show the unique and distinctive nature of Filipinos like the most famous attributes we have- being hardworking, hospitable, respectful and polite. I’m so proud to say that we Filipinos have our own way to keep those people around us look up to who Filipinos really are.” Jenny Lim, Owner of HAYASHI souvenir shop and is doing business for 19 years in Lucky Plaza “In my line of business which is in the retail industry, I am happy to serve foreign customers like the Americans, Europeans, Japanese, and especially the Filipinos. Like the other non-Singaporean customers, they are big spenders when it comes to buying souvenir items in my shop to bring to the Philippines or even to other parts of the world as presents or gifts for their loved ones. Filipinos are everywhere. I admire them for their thoughtfulness and kindness in remembering every special occasion of their families and friends. Filipinos will always have something to give and are always ready to give. And this willingness to give makes them a very special and unique people. Due to the influx of Filipino professionals in recent years, my shop in lucky plaza has also benefited. I have been running a souvenir shop 19 years, and now 60% of my customers are Filipinos. So, I welcome and thank Filipinos for coming to Singapore.”
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Flavio Padillo, Pipeline Engineer in an Oil and Gas company “I am so thankful that I’ve been employed here in Singapore and I consider this as one of the best things that ever happened in my life. My wife and I have wonderful times here and we shared many good memories with our children when they visit Singapore during school vacation. As a person, I learned more about Asian cultures and the roots of our people in the Philippines. I realized more that we should respect other’s culture and that racial harmony will drive our country to progress. Filipino’s in Singapore are working hard to give themselves a chance and their family to have a better future. I believe that transposes in helping Singapore to build its economy, as what Singaporean’s have done to us.” Malcolm Chen, Category Support Officer, Blogger and Student of Communications and Relations. “Filipinos are a great bunch of people. They are friendly, can speak and understand English, and share some similar culture and identity with us as Southeast Asians. I think that Singaporeans do not give them or any other nationalities enough respect just because the very first group of overseas Pinoys in Singapore worked as domestic helpers. They tend to label the rest of Filipino professionals as second-class as well. I have many wonderful Filipino friends and colleagues in my workplace as well.” Joy Marie P. Garcia, Clinic Nurse “I always believed the only difference between Singapore and the Philippines is the OPPORTUNITY to have peace of mind when it comes to safety, career advancement, and to fulfill some dreams through better earnings. That’s how grateful I am to this country. I have a talent and compassion to deliver my care as a nurse to the needy. Nursing people who lack understanding when it comes to health is on top of my priority.” Ruth Soh, Director of Mandarin Orchard Singapore and highly regarded Marketing and PR Practitioner. “There has been an increasing influx of Filipino professionals over the years and we see them as an added value to the Singaporean workforce, especially with their sincerity and commitment to work
feature specifically in the hospitality and service industries.” Ricardo Rico, CEO and Founder of Pinoy Business Club Pte Ltd and PinoyBusinessClub, Inc. “We are so grateful to Singapore for welcoming Filipinos to co-exist in this foreign land and by allowing our people to be inspired by the achievements of this great country. We are grateful for allowing us to contribute our creativity in the entire workforce of Singapore, learn in the process, and become better individuals.” Hargie Dongoya, Marketing Manager of Manila Stylist House and a Business Economics graduate. “I am so blessed to work here in Singapore since only a few are fortunate to land a job here. I cannot say that I am now sitting on a pedestal, but this is the beginning of my giving back to my parents and siblings for everything they did for me. The importance of Filipinos in this country is based on the fact that we are more skillful than most foreign workers. When it comes to manpower, we can supply workers that suit the qualifications set.” Sarah Michelle Cairo, Ophthalmic Technologist and Entrepreneur. “I consider myself lucky enough to be working in the “New York of SEA” with its multiracial society. I admire the meritocracy of their government that keeps their economy strong despite the economic crisis in the West. As a healthcare professional, our innate warmth and compassion speak for itself. But it’s our tenacity and positive outlook in life that makes Singaporeans in awe and smile despite their health problem.” Faris Basharahil, Founder and Director of Social Creatives that does community art and public murals. “I feel that Philippines has a rich culture and traditions which Singaporeans can learn from. They are also a creative people. However, foreigners should not be used for purposes such as “economical gain” because of cheaper labour. It’s a simple relation of demand and supply. When there is too much supply,
demand will be lesser or even negative. I feel there is too much concentration of Filipinos in sectors such as nursing, hospitality, and retail which causes too much attention. If I’m not mistaken, only a small percentage of employees from a certain company can be foreigners. However, the retail, nursing and hospitality are eligible and have the most foreigners. Perhaps, there should be more diversity of opportunities and maximize the quality of professionals and just the usage of labour such as non-profits and arts sector. I have met many Filipino professionals such as an Arts Lecturer as well as in the finance industry. However, they are very rare.” Iris Garcia, HR Manager of a multinational company. She has been living in Singapore since 2000 with her husband Chito and daughters Blu and Ice. “Singapore has been a wonderful home to me and my family for the past 11 years. We continue to enjoy our life here as this has been a good place to raise our two daughters. The Filipino Community has grown in great proportion from the time we arrived here 11 years ago. I think the reason why we flourish in Singapore is because we have a lot of skills that we are able to contribute, and we are able to assimilate well into this environment. I would like to think that Filipinos have added an additional mix of flavor into Singapore’s already flavorful melting pot”. Alan Tan, Director of Global Business Division in Singapore Business Federation. His comment is purely from a personal standpoint and not reflective of SBF policy or position “The influx of Filipino professionals in Singapore is definitely contributing in no small part to the continuing economic growth and expansion of Singapore. Filipino professionals in the manufacturing and engineering clusters who have worked in Singapore, and are now residents in Singapore are often seen commuting to cities in the Asia-pacific region for on-going projects. Without this Filipino talent pool, Singapore-based companies will not have better their chances of securing and delivering such projects beyond Singapore. Looking at the domestic economic landscape, Filipino professionals in the healthcare and retail sector, two important business clusters from a national economic standpoint, play a crucial part in promoting Singapore as an international business city.” Singapore and the Philippines have so much to be thankful for to each other. This is the unspoken truth. For whatever reason, for whatever purpose, and whether we like it or not, to the Filipinos and the Singaporeans, there is always the tie that binds.
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feature
10th Anniversary of Batangas Varsitarian International Singapore A Decade of Celebrating Social Achievements… Written by Gerard Montalbo • Researcher: John Nohay
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atangas Varsitarian Singapore International was founded in 2001 by a group of expatriates from Batangas Varsitarian Fraternity who came together to chart a charitable cause for the benefit of the Filipino Community. The association grew in numbers after a few months of its incepti2on. We collect dues monthly and levy ourselves to effect positively to the causes we fight for. Members also notify the forum if there are opportunities for our organization to help. We have also embarked on numerous charitable causes in the Philippines, e.g.; scholarship grants, Relief goods distribution during calamities and Flip-flops for poor kids, and have members participate in fundraising activities and volunteer to speak to people in need of motivation. The mission of Batangas Varsitarian International Singapore is to maintain its Fraternal existence by instilling values that nurture and perpetuate the continual growth and development of the individual through career advancement, cultural awareness, righteousness, friendship and loyalty while fostering ethical behavior, leadership, and philanthropy. BVI Singapore was founded on these principles to help promote charity awareness amongst ourselves and throughout the community. We envisioned this to be possible by going out of the boundaries of an organization and creating a fraternity on the basis of common goals and ideals. We believe that our call to action will set forth as a guide that empowers each member to better himself, the Brotherhood, community, and society as a whole. BVI Singapore is committed in supporting the betterment of our countrymen to provide support, care and opportunity to those people that are in the greatest of need, helping them to lower the barriers to opportunity so that they may acquire the self-confidence,
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and self-worth to realise their full potential as individuals through the promotion of independence, dignity and choice through their right to education, health, welfare, and meaningful employment, leading to their betterment and personal growth. Our efforts are directed towards the most marginalized section of the less fortunate Filipinos. With investment we aim to secure them a better future by developing their social environment, and by giving them access to basic and advanced education. With the provision of services, we provide free medical services for the people in different areas in the Philippines. Our aim is to connect business organizations and charities in a meaningful way to the mutual benefit of both. ‘Connect’ provides a platform for charities to raise funds and to create awareness of their cause, while businesses can promote their company and support the charity and also get something in return through effective networking. This year our Anniversary will be a 4-day event with a finedining on September 9, 2011 at Le Danz, Suntec City. This will be a big event because some of our Fraternity brothers from different International chapters around the globe will be flying in to Singapore to attend this event. Our brothers from USA, CANADA, The Middle East, Europe, Hongkong, Japan, Angola, Australia and Taiwan will send their delegations to pledge their allegiance to the mother of all international chapters, the Batangas Varsitarian International Singapore. Join us as we celebrate this event. The Author: Gerard Montalbo is a communications consultant specializing in public relation, opinion and speech writing. He recently headed the Media and Communications of the Philippine Independence Day Council (Singapore). He is a philosophy buff currently based in Singapore.
travel
Tour Pilipinas By Kristina Monica Guerra
Naimbag nga aldaw! Good day! That is how our fellow Ilocanos will greet us if we happen to visit Ilocos Norte. Hello everyone! My name is Monica and I will be sharing with you your monthly dose of enticing, exciting, and beguiling adventures in our native country, Ang Perlas ng Silangan, Philippines. Starting this month, I will be showcasing Philippines’ different provinces and all the good things about it that will surely make YOU want to revisit, experience, and explore our homeland. From the must-try and must-see tourist attractions, these would definitely charm your way back into our dear Pinas. PHOTO: NASA - PUBLIC DOMAIN
First stop: ilocos Norte
More than being home to the Marcoses, Ilocos Norte boasts several historical, cultural, natural, religious and man-made attractions and sites that will surely make your visit very much worth your while. Our friends from the Regional Development Council of Region 1 have outlined some of these tourist attractions to help you decide with your itinerary.
cape Bojeador lighthouse
Built in 1892, the lighthouse, which is the highest in the country, still sends out signals to ships passing by the Cape.
Marcos MuseuM
The ancestral house of the Marcoses in Batac showcases the memorabilia of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
MalacañaNg oF the North
Built as the official residence of then President Marcos in Ilocos Norte, overlooking the legendary Paoay Lake, this imposing structure is now a museum.
paoay church
is a unique combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental. Paoay Church is included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
BaNgui WiNdMills
Also known as the NorthWind Bangui Bay Project. The windmills help reduce the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
pagudpud Beach
This stretch of beach in the two municipalities is earmarked for development as tourism estates.
soMethiNg NeW iN ilocos While most tourists frequent the said destinations above, there are some who crave for more off-beaten paths. Travellers who desire to go beyond the usual sightseeing tour and intends to get more active is recommended to try the following breathtaking, adrenaline pumping, heart stopping activities. Kapurpurawan rocK Formation What was once underwater has revealed and now became a majestic and unbelievable creation. Kapurpurawan means “white” in Ilocano. The amazing formation is made of rocks shaped like waves in the sea. Sandboarding at La paz Sand duneS You don’t have to go to Dubai anymore to experience surfing along sand dunes. Ilocos Norte proudly boasts its exciting sand dunes for thrill-seekers. The sand dunes range from 10-30 meters in height. Anyone can enjoy sandboarding and feel an instant blood rush! 4x4 ride at La paz Sand duneS Aside from sandboarding, adrenaline junkie can also try the 4x4 ride through the sand dunes. It will definitely feel like Dubai, but cheaper. To know more about Ilocos Norte, you can visit the following sites: http://ilocos.net.ph • http://www.tarabitab.com CALLING ALL BAGONG BAYANI We’re constantly on the look-out for exciting and interesting topics to feature. We hope to make your reading pleasurable. As such, do send us an e-mail for your suggestions and recommendations for this section. Email us at info@iambagongbayani.com
Built of coral blocks and stucco-plastered bricks, the architecture
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snapshots
we bid you Farewell, President s. r. nathan
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