Join The Online Petition to End Modern Day Slavery

Although slavery may be illegal in almost every country, determined offenders continue to find many loopholes. As news media uncover shocking stories of modern day slavery, more and more people are waking up to the need to take action.

The reasons why slavery still exists are complex. In many countries the fight against slavery is not a priority. In some countries, existing laws are not being enforced. In some countries, certain forms of slavery are so common that they are almost considered normal.

Walk Free is determined to change this. Walk Free's goal is to be the generation that ends modern slavery.

There are many groups around the world working on the front line against slavery. Walk Free aims to amplify and extend their efforts. By gathering a global membership, using social networks and new technologies, and organizing campaigns and communities online and on the ground, we can make the fight against slavery a real priority across the world.

Slavery has no place in the modern world. Together, we can build a world without it. A world where it is unthinkable to be treated like someone else's property. A world where those who steal other people's freedoms are brought to justice. A world where everyone can walk free. (Source: Walk Free)

Sign-up The Petition Now

Filipinos are the face of domestic work all around the world. More girls and women leave from the Philippines to find jobs as maids or nannies than from any other country.
But when they show up for their first day of work, many find out they’ve been deceived. Locked inside the homes of strangers, their passports taken away, often beaten and sexually abused, Filipino girls as young as 9 years old are caught in the nightmare of modern slavery.
For the first time ever, there’s a global standard to protect domestic workers. If the Philippines becomes the second country to ratify it, the standard will go into effect globally, protecting millions of women and girls.
Right now, the Philippines Senate is considering a vote on this new standard.
Ask the Philippines Senate to support the legislation and Walk Free.org will deliver our letters of support from all over the world.  

Click HERE to sign-up the petition now.

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Monetizing a Blog

I was not a blogger at all, but now I am a blogger. Or should I say, I am trying be like one. Not three months ago, I started blogging. Though this is not my first time to blog, this is really the time that I started blogging seriously. At first, I just write irrelevant stuffs that makes no sense. It was kinda personal sharing.

I'm not saying that I blog more than as hobby because in fact it's not. I blog to have a venue expressing my humble opinions on my personal take on subjects as diverse as "Filipino Clam Mentality" (I'm allergic on crabs) and "Why makahiya has a good reflex?".

When I started blogging, I also immediately monetize my blog. Its not the money that motivates me to put ads. Monetizing a new blog means not having to bother with redesigning it later to accommodate the banner ads and other forms of moneymaking strategies that may affect the overall look and feel of my blog when traffic started pouring in. Though it is a risky move, it can pay off later on as you are introducing your blog to the world already monetized. This way, readers will not be surprised or upset that you have added some forms of advertising to your blog later on down the road.

So I signed up on Nuffnang for my ads and to see the effect and feel on my template and I kinda like it. Imagine my surprise when I started getting campaign ads after only a month of blogging. 

In this world, we all need money. Who says he doesn't? I believe that if you monetize your blog, you will not only make money from it but you take it as your business too.
That's all I can about monetizing a blog. I blog because I love it and this way I have a voice on this deafening world of opinions, and I monetize my blog because I need it.
So go ahead mate, monetize your blog and make your life a little bit easier.

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House Bill 6195: $50 Contribution From Every OFW Leaving The Country

The News

Manila Representative Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David authored House Bill 6195 seeking to amend Republic Act (RA) 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995. The House measure provides that for every worker recruited or deployed overseas, the recruitment agency or its employer shall be required to pay $50 or around P2,100 as contribution to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) Emergency Repatriation Fund before leaving the country.

"The bill intends to provide the necessary measures for the government to carry out its responsibilities to assist distressed OFWs in cases of war, epidemic, disaster or calamities, natural or man-made, and other similar events, and promote their general welfare," Bonoan-David said.

RA 8042 has already created and established an Emergency Repatriation Fund under the administration, control and supervision of Owwa with an initial funding of P1 million.

"There are millions of OFWs all over the world which the Philippine government is mandated to protect and safeguard under RA 8042 but it seems incapable to efficiently help distressed OFWs due to financial constraints," Bonoan-David said.

The Opposition

Overseas Filipino workers (OFW) group Migrante-Middle East (M-ME) voiced out its strong opposition against the bill proposed by a Manila congresswoman that imposes an additional fee of $50 to sustain the government’s emergency repatriation funds.

“Rep. Bonoan-David’s proposal is ill-advised. She may be misinformed because the issue is not about lack of fund,” said John Leonard Monterona, M-ME regional coordinator.

Monterona said that OFW funds held in trust by OWWA is now about P13 billion. “And yet the OWWA does not have enough programs and welfare services for OFWs and their dependents,” he said.

Monterona also questioned whether the OWWA is using the Emergency Repatriation Fund properly. “The OWWA has not been transparent on the real status of the OFWs trust fund and where it is being spent,” he said.

He said David’s proposal is clearly anti-OFW.

“For one, it is just an added burden to the already overburdened OFWs. The proposal is also against the mandate of the Migrant Workers Act of 2010 or R.A. 10022,” he said.

Instead of imposing additional fees or charges on Filipino migrant workers, Bonoan-David should channel her “pork barrel” to OWWA’s Emergency Repatriation Fund, said Monterona said.

“Pro-OFW lawmakers should do the same,” Monterona said.

“We, through our Migrante International leaders in Manila might seek a dialog with Rep. Bonoan-David to hear our side and position. If she will insist, then we have no choice but to intensify our campaign against her proposal. We are not milking cows. We will campaign against her anti-OFW bill,” he said.

M-ME likewise underscored the OFW’s huge contribution to the government in terms of cash remittance, which for April alone reached $1.7 billion.

My Verdict

Filipinos applying for a work abroad are being buried in debts even before they flew out of the country for seeking a greener pasture or just because of the lack of job opportunities in the Philippines. Most of them are applying for a loan from lending companies to pay for their placement fees which could amount up to $1,700.

And now, a member of the congress filed a bill requiring our OFW's to pay an additional of $50. I know, it was specifically stipulated on that bill that the additional payment will not be shouldered by OFW themselves but will be paid by recruitment agencies or their employer.

How would she plan to enforce it? I'm 100% sure that that additional payment will be pass on to our OFW. Another burden for our already burdened "heroes".

According to POEA, there are 4,500 OFW leaving the country every day. And if we do the math, the government could collect $225,000 a day or $82,125,000 in a year.

I have to agree with the proposal of the Migrante for our congressmen to channel a portion [or at least 5%] of their Php 70 million pork barrel to OWWA’s Emergency Repatriation Fund. The government could easily get $23,800,000 additional funding from 286 congressmen.

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Araw ng Pahinga

Nakakabingi ang katahimikan. Ako na lang yata ang gising. Ilang oras na lang at magbubukang-liwayway na. Napapagod na akong basta na lang nakahiga sa aking kama. Gusto kong bumangon ngunit naisip ko, wala naman akong gagawin. Manuod na nga lang ako ng dvd. Ngunit anong panunuorin ko? Kung ilang ulit ko na rin kasing napanuod mga cd ko. Sa katunayan nga, puro gasgas na at tumatalon na kung pinapanuod ko. Palibhasa kasi, pinirata lng na dvd movies ang binibili ko. Yun bang tatlo singkwenta sa Quiapo. Magpapatugtog na nga lang ako. Love songs na mga Malaysian singers ang kumanta. Lintek naman o, di pa natapos ung unang kanta, namatay na mp3 player ko. Lowbat na pala. Hinanap ko yung charger. Sa bag ko, sa kabinet, sa ilalim ng kama, sa sala, sa kusina, sa banyo. Haist, wala. Halos nahalughog ko na ang bawat sulok ng bahay namin, hindi ko talaga makita. Nakakabwiset, ang liit ng bahay namin, charger lng hndi ko pa makita. Nang bigla kong maalala, iniiwan ko pala sa opisina dahil dun ako nagchacharge para makatipid sa kuryente. Wala tuloy ako magawa. Makahiga na nga lang, ipikit ko na lang mga mata ko baka sakaling makatulog ako at mapahinga naman ng kaunti. Ayan, pakiramdam ko tulog na ako. Wala na akong maramdaman sa paligid ko. Yung mga tilaok ng manok ng kapit-bahay namin ay hindi ko na marinig. Pati yung huni ng mga kuliglig na nakapugad sa punong mangga na katabi lang ng kwarto ko, wala na rin. Siguro nakatulog na nga ako. O baka naman napagud na sila sa pakikiramay nila sa akin na magpuyat kaya tinulugan na nila ako. Pero mas gusto kong isipin na nakatulog na nga ako.Bigla akong napabalikwas dahil tumunog na ang alarm ng celphone ko. Umaga na pala. Kelangan ko ng bumangon para makapaghanda sa pagpasok.Dumiretso ako sa banyo para magsipilyo. Asan yung toothbrush ko? Nawawala na naman! Malamang itinakbo na naman ng daga na sinlaki ng pusa. Pati ba naman daga kasi eh nagsisipilyo na? Kaysa hanapin ko pa at bawiin, bili na lang ako ng bago. Meron namang tigsampu sa tindahan ni Vermon, yung dating girlfriend ko.Pagkatapos ko maligo, diretso ako sa kusina para magkape. Kopiko brown ang paborito ko. Halos isang minuto ko nang hinahalo ayaw pa ring matunaw yung kape. Nakalutang lng. Yun pala malamig na yung tubig sa thermos. Hindi na namang natakpang mabuti kaya lumamig. Ano pa nga ba, napilitan akong magkape ng malamig. Isang lagok lng, ubos ko na. Diretso na ako sa kwarto para magbihis. Naks naman, bagong plantsa ung polo ko na black at slacks n kulay gray. Plinantsa ng ermats ko kagabi gamit ung deuling na plantsa. Pati medyas ko, plinantsa din. Hahaha. Pagkabihis ko, dali-dali akong bumaba ng bahay. Muntik pa akong mahulog sa hagdanan namin dahil sa pagmamadali at late na naman ako. Nauntog pa nga ako sa nakasabit na kaldero sa may hagdanan. Haist, naku naman. Ang swerte ng araw ko ngaun. Paglabas ko ng bahay, nandun na naman yung mga tambay na adik. Binati ako ng isang tambay sabay tanong kung saan ako pupunta at ang aga pa eh nakabihis na ako. Pak! Linggo pala ngaun. Wala akong pasok.

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Public-Private Partnership to Combat Dengue

Marking the second Asean Dengue Day, the World Health Organization on Friday  urged its member countries to curb the prevalence of dengue fever by boosting partnership with the private and public sector, saying that the disease continues to be a public health threat.

The organization said the Asia Pacific Region accounted for 75 percent of the current global disease burden. Globally, the mosquito-borne disease claims about 20,000 deaths every year.

“Dengue cannot be defeated by the health sector alone. It needs the involvement of both private and public sector stakeholders. Member states need to work together as one community to fight it,” said the WHO in a statement.

June 15 was declared Asean Dengue Day during the 10th Asean Health Ministers Meeting in Singapore on July 22, 2010. The event is supported by a community of experts calling for a shift from reactionary strategies to forward planning and long-term prevention programs.

The Department of Health also joined its Asean neighboring countries Friday in commemorating the event as nationwide dengue cases increased over the last six months.

From January to June 2, the health agency monitored 32,193 cases. The figure is 3.89 percent higher compared to the same period last year. Most of the cases were attributed to Metro Manila, which registered 7,670 incidents.

Central Luzon accounted for the second highest number of incidents (5,552 cases) followed by Calabarzon (4,508 cases). So far, 195 deaths due to the disease have been recorded in the last six months.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said his office was looking at boosting community action against dengue by tapping information technology to implement “specific targeting” of the disease in communities.

This process would allow real-time reporting of dengue cases from rural health units and hospitals, he said.

Under the system, rural health units or hospitals are expected to immediately report suspected dengue cases to a dengue coordinator, who would forward the message to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and to the barangay-based health team.

The health team will then conduct investigation to the affected area and visit the patient on the same day while the PIA will conduct a “text blast” about dengue prevention, according to the DOH. The team will also be responsible for identifying other possible patients in the neighborhood.

The new tack in curbing the incidence of dengue cases will be pilot-tested in San Fernando, Pampanga, which registered a high number of dengue incidents last year, the DOH said. 

Related Post:

Dengue Awareness Month

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