A Maiden Voyage ...

... towards a prosperous ComVal

By: Gerne Boja

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the province of Compostela Valley officially opened its 8th Sanggunian last Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at the new Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall.

In attendance during the maiden session is Vice-Governor Maria Carmen S. Zamora, Senior Board Member Arturo T. Uy, Hon. Nena G. Atamosa, Hon. Kristine Mae T. Caballero-Rañon, Hon. Adolfo C. Ang, Hon. Raul B. Caballero, Hon. Marie Jude M. Fuentes-Lopoz, Hon. Vivencia L. Secuya, Hon. Renato B. Basañes, Hon. Macario T. Humol, and Hon. Joseph T. Jauod, Ex-Officio Members Hon. Raul C. Timogtimog, Hon. Christopher L. Jovita, Hon. Felipe B. Masambo, and Hon. Charlemagne B. Bautista.

Each member laid out their plans and legislative direction for the next three years, highlighting on the partnership between both the executive and legislative branch.

 “The glory and progress of our province should depend on our unified visions and efforts,” said Senior Board Member Arturo T. Uy in his privilege speech.

Part of the strategy of the 8th Sanggunian is to not only create new legislation in support to the administration’s programs but to also review older laws to better fit the current situation of the people.

 “I think it’s about time to revisit all our laws and implement post-legislative review. The purpose of which is to determine whether the piece of legislation is working as it was intended to. If it’s not, to discover why and to address any gap as quickly as effectively as possible,” shared Vice-Governor Maricar S. Zamora.

Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy, First District Congressman Manual E. Zamora, Municipal Mayors and Vice-Mayors, as well as the head of offices of the executive branch were present to show their support to the Legislative Branch.

 The success of the maiden session is a reflection of the commitment of the leaders in both the executive and legislative branch to lead with as single vision, and that is to excellence in the service to the people.

Photo Caption: Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy and Vice-Governor Marcar S. Zamora with the new set of Board Members during the maiden session of the 8th Sanggunian of the province of Compostela Valley.

Just Wild Weather?

My column in Mindanao Daily, BusinessWeek Mindanao and Cagayan de Oro Times

In the Philippines, we experience the rainy season right now. "Breakthrough" insights into atmospheric dynamics are emerging from "high-maths" —scrutiny of satellite data, say scientists. Their Nature magazine article identifies "significant connections" between extreme rain events, often far apart. Their premise: global rainfall distribution stems "probably" from planetary waves named after the late Swedish-born American meteorologist Carl-Gustaf Rossby. Just wild weather or is it a climate disruption?

Normally, monsoon rains over northern Queensland last a "few days," says Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. Unprecedented downpours began a week ago, with more forecast and troops sent to a disaster zone. Evacuations have included these residents of Rossela, near Townsville, and German and Swiss tourists plucked from the Diamantina River catchment by a local farmer using his private helicopter.

Indonesia, like much of Asia including the Philippines i.e., weathers annual monsoon rains. Last weekend, the Sulawesi islands counted its toll: at least 70 people were killed as rivers burst their banks and landslides buried village homes. Authorities said a state of emergency would remain in place.

My home country Germany experiences records all-time hottest June temperature. Imagine: the last day of June 2019 has beaten all previous temperature highs for the month. Heat-related deaths have been reported in several European countries. Yes, whole Europe is melting.

A pharmacy sign in Carpentras, a village in southeastern France, which shortly held the country's all-time heat record of 44.3 degrees on Friday. The record was topped again later in the afternoon in the southern village of Villevieille, 100 kilometers (60 miles) to the east, which measured a thermometer-busting 45.1 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit).

Germany set its all-time highest June temperature on last Sunday, with 38.9 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) recorded in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The country has been baking in an early summer heat wave; however, Germany's all-time high of 40.3 degrees Celsius still stands.

Fifty-seven runners at Hamburg's half marathon were hospitalized on Sunday after many collapsed in temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius, officials said. Some 141 runners needed treatment in what fire service officials described as "an emergency with mass casualties."

Temperatures in the country's central Rhine-Main region and into eastern Germany were expected to reach up to 39 degrees on Sunday, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

Organizers of Sunday's Frankfurt Ironman event made contingency plans to keep athletes from overheating.

As huge crowds gathered in Paris for the annual gay pride parade, firefighters sprayed water on revelers, some of whom used rainbow-colored fans and umbrellas to counter the heat, which was expected to hit 38 degrees.

Heat-related deaths have been reported in Germany and France, mainly among the elderly. At least eight people drowned in bathing accidents across the two countries.

France's new record temperature of 45.9 degrees was set on Friday near the southern city of Montpellier, the Meteo-France weather service said. It is just the seventh European nation — along with Bulgaria, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Greece and North Macedonia — to record temperatures above 45 degrees.

During Sunday prayers in Rome, Pope Francis said he was praying "for those who have suffered the most from the consequences of this heat."

Meteorologists blamed a blast of hot air from northern Africa for the scorching early European summer, but temperatures are set to drop for the remainder of the week over much of Europe.

Drownings and wildfires - the amazing side effects of climate change.The heatwave sparked large blazes including in Spain, where firefighters on Saturday fought wildfires just as they finally contained another inferno after nearly 72 hours.Wildfires burned down several houses and at least 550 hectares (1,359 acres) of land in the south of France as temperatures hit upwards of 45 degrees on Saturday.The blistering heat also claimed the lives of a 17-year-old harvest worker in Spain and a 72-year-old homeless man in Italy.

Just wild weather or climate change? Do you know the answer, my dear readers?

Taking Oath

Comval Gov. Uy and other elected government officials take oath

Compostela Valley Province--- ComVal Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy together with the newly elected government officials took their oath of office during the conduct of the oath-taking ceremony of elected government officials on June 30, 2019 at the Capitol Grounds, Provincial Capitol, Cabidianan, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province.

The oath-taking ceremony was officiated by Hon. Judge Cresenciana DC. Cruz of Regional Trial Court (RTC) 11, Branch 3 in Nabunturan and assisted by Hon. Judge Leah Garnett Solde – Annogui of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC).

Second termer Congressman of District – II Hon. Ruwel Peter S. Gonzaga, and first termer Congressman Hon. Manuel E. Zamora of District-I of the province together with the new Vice Governor of the province Hon. Maricar S. Zamora also took their oath of office.


Governor Uy in his message said that his aspirations of a good life for all is embodied in his working platform- "the Bayanihan 4Ps Plus" where the Provincial Government will be divided into five clusters- the Planet or Environment Cluster, People or the Social Protection Cluster, the Prosperity or Economic Growth, Peace or the Peace and Security Cluster and Plus or the Good Governance Cluster.

 He further explain that "it will take a paradigm shift, from being office-focused in terms of programs and projects; the EO mandates the creation of convergence clusters, reminiscent of the bayanihan way we take pride as a province. The clusters will be the primary mechanism in attaining the development goals and thrusts we will set."

Attending the ceremony were the municipal mayors, vice mayors, councilors, barangay officials, heads of National Government Agencies, the men and women in uniform- from the AFP and PNP, friends from the business community, members of non-government and civil society organizations, family and friends of the government officials, and the workers of the provincial government.

 On the other hand, the newly elected board members of District – I, namely: Honorables Nena G. Atamosa, Adolfo C. Ang, Atty. Marie Jude Fuentes-Lopoz, Dr. Renato Basañes, and Joseph Jaoud. While the board members of District-II, are: Honorables Arturo T. Uy, Kristine Mae T. Caballero, Raul B. Caballero, Vivencia L. Secuya and Macario T. Humol who also took their oath of office during the celebration.



“Allow me to thank you for all your help in the last years. No words can perfectly describe how grateful I am... The next three years will be indeed difficult, considering the amount of task we have to fulfill. Brighter and better days are ahead of us. The future is for us to seize, it is for us to claim. The future is here and it is definitely ours,” Gov. Uy ended. (Rey Antibo, ID Comval)

World-renowned curator workshop in ComVal

The Provincial Government of Compostela Valley thru the Provincial Women Development Council (PWDC), led by Ms. Sholai Lim, spearheads a workshop on Mindanao Traditional Art on June 24, 2019 at The Big 8 Hotel, Tagum City.

The workshop was conducted by Independent Curator Marian Pastor Roces who introduced the participant to the categories of art created by peoples of Mindanao in centuries past. The workshop also draws from knowledge gained in museum collections all over the world that hold Philippine materials and covered discussions on types, materials, techniques and systems of meaning, among others. She also addressed questions and challenges facing designers and challenged them about making an identity in general.  

Ms. Roces is a famed Filipino curator, author, and founder and president of TAO, Inc., the sole museum development corporation in the Philippines, according to her online profile. She currently heads the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA). Among others, she curated the Philippine Pavilions for World Expos in 2006, 2008, and 2010--- with the first two Expos awarded with Gold Prizes for Best Designed Pavilion.

The one-day event was attended by the PLGU Comval offices from the Tourism, Information, Office of the IP Mandatory Representative (IPMR), national agencies of the Department of Trade and Industry, National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP),  IP Mandaya Work of New Bataan, Mandaya Council of Elders, Comval Artisan, Davao Fashion and Design Council, Inc (DFDC), and Comval’s pride—designer Cheri-Lou Rabanoz Aranjuez.   

“The workshop is an eye-opener, not knowing that we are Austronesians. It made me realize that we are all one. We are brothers and we must treat each other as one. That if we work with each other we must do the Austronesian way of maintaining the balance, “ said Dodjie Batu, President of the DFDC.

He appreciated much the workshop, most especially that the activity was able to extend, not only participants from the province, but also coming from their area in Davao. “This will benefit me in such a way that I understand now how to deal with our brothers and sisters in doing the designs and how to put it in contemporary designs,” he added. (fe maestre/id comval)

Photo captions:

(art workshop)

The Provincial Government of Compostela Valley thru the Provincial Women Development Council (PWDC), led by Ms. Sholai Lim, spearheads a workshop on Mindanao Traditional Art on June 24, 2019 at The Big 8 Hotel, Tagum City. The workshop was conducted by Independent Curator Marian Pastor Roces. (ID Comval) 

The Honorary Consulate of Hungary in Davao opens

By

 Kenneth Irvin Ong

 - EdgeDavao

Suddenly, Durianburg is closer to the world with the establishment of the Honorary Consulate of Hungary in Davao in a simple reception last October 12 at the function room of Verdon Parc.

The third Honorary Consulate of Hungary of the Philippines after the establishment of Honorary Consulates in Angeles and Cebu, the new office provides a live local connection between Hungary and the Mindanao region of the Philippines. The establishment of the new Honorary Consulate is part of  The Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines thrust to be closer to the Filipino. Reopened in March 2017, The Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines is bridging a gap of more than 21 years since the closing of the Embassy back in 1995.

Appointed as the new Honorary Consul of Hungary is businesswoman, advocate, mentor, and tourism advocate Mary Ann “Baby” Montemayor.  Well known in local circles, Baby holds several managing director positions in hospitality and tourism industry, supports local and regional arts and crafts, mentors indigenous initiatives and eagerly participates in the bustling business and tourism activities of Davao.

Officiating the ceremony was Ambassador to of Hungary to the Philippines H.E. Ambassador Dr. József Bencze, who previously served as Ambassador of Hungary to Skopje, Macedonia between 2011-2016 and was Hungary’s National Chief of Police between 2007-2010. Ambassador Bencze presented his credentials to President Rodrigo Duterte on 6 December 2016.

In attendance were members of the diplomatic corps including Hon. Li Lin of China, Hon. Endah Yuliarti Farry of Indonesia, Hon. Maria Lourdes Monteverde of Mexico, Hon. Guilbert Go of the Czech Republic, Hon. Klaus Doring of Germany, Hon. Joji Ilagan-Bian of Bangladesh, Hon. Vicente Lao of New Zealand, and Mr. Ariel Decena representing the honorary consul of South Korea; business leaders; friends from the tourism industry; as well as members of the local government unit with Assistant City Administrator Atty. Tristan Dwight Domingo representing Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

A toast to warmer Hungary-Philippine relationships and congratulations!

Davao's DS Foundation joins 2019 APAAF in Macau

Tabula Rasa | 

BY CONTRIBUTOR ON JUNE 22, 2019 in Mindanao times

After months of preparation and fundraising activities, 31 delegates from the DS Foundation for the Differently-abled Inc (DS Foundation), including members, parents and workshop facilitators, flew to Macau and attended the 2019 Asia Pacific International Accessible Arts Festival (APAAF) last June 3-5, 2019. The 2019 APAAF was co-sponsored by Caritas Macau and Macau’s University of Saint Joseph, and was attended by 41 organizations across 15 countries along with 19 rehabilitation groups in Macau.

The three-day art festival saw the gathering of various non-profit organizations and support groups from Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Australia, Thailand, Korea, Japan and Philippines in an effort to strengthen ties and relations among each other in pursuit of creating a world of inclusion and equal opportunity for the differently-abled people.

Over 150 pieces of art works in different forms were displayed at University of Saint Joseph, including cultural paintings, patchwork, hand-made pieces, rice paintings, community music, and more. This is the first time that Philippines attended APAAF and the DS Foundation of Davao City is the first Philippine delegation to this year’s festival.

The DS Foundation is composed of persons with Down Syndrome, persons in the autism spectrum disorder, persons who have a physical disability such as hearing impairment and people who have other types of intellectual disability. The members who attended the 2019 APAAF are Ronace Coprada, Benrafii Omar, Michael Redoloza, Noben Montederamos, Niño Responso, Jenilyne Tadle, Jose Angelo Patal, Luis Raphael Gumban, Ranuel Nobleza, Louiselynn Sevilla and David Jason Lim. They were accompanied by their parents and siblings and by Mrs. Diana Cuison-Sipaco, the foundation’s Executive Director and Ms. Dayenne Sipaco, 2019 APAAF Project Coordinator. Ms. Febe Lybai A. Matthews, Sectoral Council Member of the Parents of Children with Disability under the National Anti-Poverty Commission – PWD sector, also attended the event.

DS Foundation’s Executive Director Diane Sipaco said that it is the group’s aim to undertake socio-cultural activities that will promote wholesome living with differently-abled persons in the community. This trip is a practice of inclusion and mainstreaming at its best.

“I enjoyed it because it was my first time to travel abroad and I was able to see the Ruins of St. Paul plus the very beautiful and tall buildings of the city,” beams 18 year-old Luis Raphael Gumban, who is a person with autism. Benrafii Omar, 27-year-old person with Down Syndrome, also shared his happiness during the trip. “Happy and enjoy [sa laag]. Na amaze ako sa Macau kasi madami lights ang building pag gabi and free foods kaya parati busog.” (I felt happy because I was amazed by the city lights at night and there were many free foods, so I never felt hungry).

“As a parent, I am thankful to APAAF and its organizers for providing an avenue for people committed to helping PWDs learn from each other. It was a great learning experience, especially for us parents, as this opened our minds to the opportunities we could create for our children to make them independent and self-sustaining in the future,” said another parent, Ms. Betty Redoloza, who attended together with her 32-year-old son with Down Syndrome, Michael.

It has been a dream for the DS Foundation to bring their members to international activities to widen their horizons and enable them to meet people from all walks of life. The 2019 APAAF definitely made that dream possible for everyone. We look forward to next year’s Asia Pacific Accessible Art Festival in Bangkok, Thailand! By Izza Aima Montederamos

Photos from top clockwise: Mrs Diana Sipaco, 9th from right, along with other co-organizers of the event receives an appreciation token during the opening ceremony. Ronace Coprada, Michael Redoloza, Benrafii Omar and Louiselyn Sevilla performed a neo-ethnic dance during the event’s Welcome Dinner. The eleven members of the DS Foundation with the officers of the organizing group, Caritas Macau.

Splendid Isolation

My column in BusinessWeek Mindanao, Mindanao Daily and Cagayan de Oro Times

Social anxiety is the single most common psychological problem according to innumerable survey results worldwide. The magnificent, gorgeous and excellent isolation, resulting out of being nervous when meeting people is really the opposite. The state of being isolated reminds me of being in a hospital with an infectious disease.

Does the project of giving a speech or going to a social gathering give you the willies?

Relax, there are always ways and solutions to help you by teaching you "never to be nervous again". 

During the last weeks, I experienced several situations meeting new people, asking questions, replying to questions delivering speeches. 

I have been always the most silent pupil in elementary and high school. I was ashamed even to talk to or with my teachers. Several terrible school records have been the result. But, I wanted to become a journalist. I am still one. And, I am teaching in Davao in the University of Southeastern Philippines, as some of you might know already. 

During college times and while writing my first articles, I learned from my first boss, a daily news publisher, to avoid being nervous while meeting people. I was always prepared. Preparation for any communicating situation is a must. I have been invited to many parties and gatherings. I always asked for the guest list. I scanned all newspapers and browsed in the net. 

"In your opinion, who..." or "What do you think of....?" kept the momentum going. That was sometime during the 1960s. Since that time I was just very lucky to meet always the right people at the right time and place, which kept on teaching me how to avoid splendid isolation. Whether you're delivering a speech, approaching your boss, or joining an important social occasion, do at first your homework.

The most polished, smoothly delivered and spontaneous soundings talks are the result of many hours of work and years long experiences. The memorable one-liners and moving phrases that went down in history didn't come from the last minute bursts of inspiration.

I also learned from Harvard University historian Richard Marius, "that good writing is a kind of wresting with thought". Or, as New York Times columnist William Safire expressed before: "To communicate, put your thoughts in order, give them a purpose, use them to persuade, to instruct, to discover, to seduce!"

Let's don't forget, that everyone of us has something to be proud of, and that everyone enjoys talking about it. But, you have to make it happen!

Kalayaan - Independence Day Celebration 2019

Scene City

BY MARILYN ROQUE ON JUNE 20, 2019 in MINDANAO TIMES

It was the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, 2019. Being an official holiday, it was a day to gather the members of the Diplomatic Corps and heads of government agencies to offer a toast to our country on this occasion.

Ambassador Uriel Norman R. Garibay, Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary, DFA Mindanao hosted the reception held at the Pinnacle Hotel in Davao City. Mr. Ebrahim T. Zailon, Officer-in-Charge of the DFA Consular Office read the message of DFA Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. and offered a toast and led the cutting of the cake.

Representing Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio was Vice Mayor Bernard E. Al-ag who delivered the message of the Mayor.

KORO Dabawenyo entertained the guests with Filipino songs.

Theme for the celebration was “Tapang ng Bayan, Malasakit sa Mamamayan” (Courage of the Nation, Compassion for the People”).

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The First Hungarian Film Festival in Davao

Cultural Potpourri 

BY MICHAEL EBRO DAKUDAO ON JUNE 21, 2019 in MINDANAO TIMES

Davao’s cinemaphiles had a good introduction to Hungarian cinema when the Embassy of Hungary in cooperation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and SM Lanang Premier presented the Davao edition of the 3rd Hungarian Film Festival (HUFF) in the Philippines last June 19, 2019. This was the first time that HUFF was held in Davao City. Welcoming the guests, which included Mindanao’s diplomatic corps, were H.E. Hungarian Ambassador Jozsef Bencze, the Hungary Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission David Ambrus, and of course, our beloved Honorary Consul of Hungary in Mindanao, Mary Ann Maceda-Montemayor.

H.E. Hungarian Ambassador Jozsef Bencze and Deputy Chief of Mission David Ambrus

The Hungarian Film Festival is already on its third year in Manila but is expanding to cover both the Visayas and Mindanao regions “to present the essence of Hungarian cinema to more and more Filipinos” as explained by Ambassador Bencze. The good Ambassador said, “The Hungarian Film Festival set its insights in Mindanao in order to fulfill its original goal to bring Hungarian cinemas closer to all Filipinos and not just the residents of the capital.” Although it is a week-long event in Manila, Davao and Cebu will have one-day screenings of the best Hungarian films from June to November of this year.

Hungary’s Honorary Consul in Mindanao Mary Ann Maceda-Montemayor with Ambassador Jozsef Bencze, Deputy Chief of Mission David Ambrus, Foreign Affairs Assist. Sec. Norman Garibay

At the HUFF launch at SM Cinema 6 last Wednesday, Hungarian director Gabor Herendi’s “Kincsem–Bet on Revenge” was screened. Director Herendi’s homegrown blockbuster is a lavish 19th century melodrama based on the true story of a legendary racehorse named Kincsem. This movie is Hungary’s most expensive local production to date and the biggest box office hit of the last 10 years. Kincsem was the most successful thoroughbred racehorse in history. The mare won all 54 of her races before she was retired in 1879. Even Budapest’s main horse racing track bears Kincsem’s name to date. The interesting two-hour long film is set against the backdrop of the 19th century political turmoil in Hungary complete with elements of love, revenge, relationships and sportsmanship which Filipino moviegoers could easily relate to. The lead actor, Nagy Ervin, a handsome and talented hunk, will definitely win the hearts of Pinays.

Representatives from the Indonesian General Consulate in Davao

According to Ambassador Bencze, the other films to be shown in Davao will include “Brazilok,” (Brazils), a surprise hit in the year 2017 in Hungary. The funny and entertaining film is about a gypsy football team named “Brazilok” which takes part in a village football championship game. The winning team’s prize is a trip to Rio de Janiero, Brazil. “Genezis” (2018) is a dramatic depiction of sin, catharsis and rebirth with biblical roots. The story is told through the journey of different individuals coming from completely varying sectors of society whose fates become intertwined in the midst of a terrible crime.

Davao’s cinemaphiles in attendance

“Moszkva Ter” (Moscow Square) is a film set in April of 1989 during the period which saw the collapse of Communist regimes in Europe. Four friends spend their evenings hanging around the clock tower in Moscow Square while all around them, the old regime is on its edge. Everyone knows that something is bound to happen; but the question is whether they make it happen or they just wait for whatever is going to happen. Lastly, the film “Tales from the Lakeside” is an animation film meant for the younger audience. Dubbed in English, Lakeside introduces a wonderful microcosm around a small lake where inspiring creatures defend their quiet corner of the world from outsiders.

Mindanao’s Consular Corps headed by Consuls Baby M. Montemayor and Joji I. Bian with the Ambassador of Hungary, Dr. Jozsef Bencze

The history of the Hungarian cinema dates back to 1896 when the first screening of the film by the Lumiere brothers was held; and the first Hungarian movie theater named Okonograph was opened to the public. By August 1911, more than a hundred movie theaters operated in Budapest. Oh yes, the Hungarian Ambassador pointed out to me that the history of the Hungarian cinema is older than that of the Philippines’ which is celebrating its 100th year this year.

(l-r): Betbet Pichon, Neneng R. de la Paz, Consul Joji I. Bian, Tisay Torres and Co.

For more information or updates on the film showing, please visit the Embassy of Hungary facebook page. Congratulations to H.E. Ambassador Jozsef Bencze, Deputy Chief of Mission David Ambrus and Hon. Hungarian Consul in Mindanao, Mary Ann Maceda-del Rosario. Thank you for sharing with us, Davaoenos, your interesting Hungarian films. And thank you, Ambassador Bencze, for the story on Hungarians in our midst since the turn of the 20th century that we know so little about. Oh yes, I love those Hungarian sausages definitely.

Hi! Hope you're well!

A short article of Emily Torres of BBC London caught my attention. And yes, the lady is so very right.

Great to hear from you!

As former Managing Editor of several law magazines, published in Berlin, Amsterdam, and New York, my job has been also editing a lot of articles. Every time, I met an exclamation mark, I felt an alarming signal.

Yes, even until today, I’m well-known for my cheerfulness. Even on my worst days, I put on a happy face to communicate with people outside my immediate friends and colleagues. In my emails, this behavior manifests itself as exclamation marks. And being honest, I experience the same feelings as Emily Torres.

Honestly, allow me to quote Emily: preoccupied with appearing nice, I used to catch myself using exclamations at the end of every other sentence. And I’m not ashamed to admit it because, chances are, you’ve sent those emails too.

And now, let's stick together: Take a look at the last few messages you sent. If you’re like me/us, you’ll see exclamations and other niceties peppered throughout: “Looking forward to seeing the end result!” and “I’m excited to hear from you!” and “I’m happy to help out!”

But are you?

I like the example of Emily Torres at this point: former US presidential candidate Jeb Bush's use of an excitable exclamation mark in his logo during his 2016 campagin drew some mocking from the media.
Whether you send off a few – or a few dozen – emails a day, you’re making these micro-decisions about how to accommodate your recipient when you address, punctuate, and clarify your ideas in real time. And this is where decades of conditioning creep in, and that anxiety-driven need to be liked emerges.

Especially for women, who use exclamation marks more often than men do. In a 2006 study, researchers analysed 200 exclamations used in professional discussion groups, and found that females used 73% of the exclamation marks. The study concluded that women use these marks more often than men do in order to convey friendliness in their professional interactions.

How is your opinion? The scourge of the exclamation mark is this: I use it excessively because of the pressure I feel to manage the recipient’s feelings. My default tone is enthusiastic, even when the situation doesn’t call for it, says Emily Torres. How about you?

Exclamation marks can sometimes be jarring or convey strong emotion. The European Parliament used them to protest changes to Hungary's constitution in 2013. Have you seen another example during last days or weeks?

I strongly agree with emily in saying, that women tend to overemphasize our kindness at work, and not without good reason. According to McKinsey’s 2018 Women in the Workplace report, we are still less likely to be hired in or promoted to senior positions, and there’s pressure to provide more evidence of our competence than our male colleagues. And, unsurprising to many women, we’re more likely to have our judgement questioned in our area of expertise.

Allow me to ask: is this why I overcompensate with enthusiasm?

This goes beyond my emails, too. In mixed company - maybe you too my dear reader... . I’m not always the loudest voice in the room and I used to be hesitant to interject. I used to fear speaking up and standing up for my ideas and expertise in an effort to let others take the credit they demanded. That meant my contributions went unshared in the name of politeness.

Well, next time you're planing to use exclamation marks think about, that we are often found in warning signs. Using them in your writing to convey enthusiasm too often could warn others to not take you seriously.

When I started paring back my punctuation, I noticed how that same inauthentic enthusiasm was showing up in my day-to-day. I discovered that the time I spend adjusting my tone takes a toll on my energy.

Managing other people’s feelings is exhausting. And what’s worse, it’s unnecessary.

Because an exclamation mark, like kindness, is a valuable resource. And I will use it properly. Full stop. And now let's count, how many exclamation marks I used in this column! Thank you!!! Period.