What is the impact of overseas Filipino workers to the Philippine economy?

 

Bisaya

Barok and Takya Blog | Bisaya Podcast

Overseas Filipino workers are a vital part of the Philippine economy. They contribute billions of dollars to the economy each year, and they play a critical role in supporting their families back home.

The money that overseas Filipino workers send home helps keep many families afloat, and it has a ripple effect throughout the economy. When families have more money to spend, they put it back into the local economy, which helps to create jobs and support businesses.

Overseas Filipino workers are an essential part of the Philippine economy, and they make a huge difference both for their families and the country as a whole. Thank you for your question!

THE KILLING WORKPLACE

I have experienced it many times. I have written about it many times. Nothing changed yet. Of course not! Even in times of pandemic, a workplace remains as a workplace. Even as a home office.

Fact is, nowadays, the modern workplace can inflict dangerous levels of stress on employees even more than decades ago. Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of "Dying for a Paycheck" , argues that these practices don’t help companies – and warns governments are ignoring an emerging public health crisis. Jeffrey Pfeffer is not the only one. Hundreds more followed Pfeffer's footsteps. 

We’ve all fallen victim to a job that seemed to suck the souls out of us. You might know the feeling — undue stress, high expectations, little return for hard work and so on. In a society that values hard work and professionalism, it can be difficult to recognize you’re in one of these toxic work situations.

Perhaps you’re the loyal type who’ll do anything for your employer, no matter the personal cost. Or the income is great, so you suffer through rough workdays to achieve your financial dreams. Others absolutely love their jobs but just can’t bring in the income they deserve. Whatever the reason, it might be time to let go of a toxic job if you find yourself saying "my job is killing me" and seek a better future. Here are five signs your job is killing you, along with how to find a better one.

It can be difficult to decide if you should stick through a rough patch at work or move on to something better. But how do you know if you should leave your job?  Here are some signs that your current job is not adding value to your life.

1. You dread going into work. It can take some time to get adjusted to a new job. But if you’ve been at it for months and still have trouble walking through the door without your chest tightening, it might be a sign that it’s time to move on. Don’t spend your life working at a job that fills you with constant dread.

2. There’s no opportunity for advancement. So, you’ve been with your company for some time, but it seems like you’ve hit a wall. Perhaps you’ve been passed on multiple promotions or you’ve asked for advancement opportunities and hit a dead end. Why stay at a job where you aren’t allowed to grow and achieve your very best?

3. You work with toxic people. Toxic people in the workplace can be a killer. Sometimes it’s just one or two coworkers who you can learn to live with. Other times, a manager or supervisor makes it impossible for you to succeed. You’ll probably never feel comfortable or happy in a workplace filled with negative energy.

4. The work is too easy or too challenging. Work with no challenges is boring. You need to face challenges so you can overcome them and grow in your confidence.  At the same time, a job that is much too challenging can make you feel incompetent and stressed. It’s important to find work that allows you to face and solve obstacles while not killing yourself in the process.

5. Work is impacting your personal life. If your job is causing so much chaos that you can’t sleep at night, it’s probably time to move on. Likewise, a job that cuts into your personal time can take a hit on your family and social life. Everyone needs downtime. Don’t let your job suck everything out of you.

When you’ve finally decided enough is enough, make sure to resign with grace. You don’t want to burn bridges, lose a potential reference or hurt your valuable reputation. Show your employer respect if you want to be respected in return.

Just because you’ve resigned doesn’t mean you should drop everything and skate through your last days. Show some self-respect by continuing to perform your job to your best ability. You are still being paid for your time, so make sure you are earning that pay fairly. Finish your last days with grace.

Of course, a stressful job can definitely affect your health negatively. People can only undergo a certain amount of stress before their bodies begin to suffer. Stress can cause headaches, insomnia and even paralysis when severe enough. It can also trigger symptoms of underlying mental illness. Overloads of stress can go as far as causing conditions like hypertension and stroke.

Of course it’s okay to quit! Not all employers and employees are good matches. Don’t spend your life being miserable because you feel obligated to stick with a dead-end job. Yes, your employer may be disappointed when you go, but that’s their problem, not yours. Just be sure you are quitting for the right reasons, not because of a personal vendetta. Also, make sure you’ve given a new job enough time to make an accurate assessment — it can take two or three months before you feel comfortable at a new job.

But some leaders are taking this idea of stewardship seriously. Companies such as Patagonia, Collective Health, SAS Institute, Google, John Lewis Partnership – which is employee-owned – and Zillow provide a template of what might be different. As I said, SOME leaders. Really only a very few. Not enough. I guess most leaders really don't care about their staff.

People get paid time off and are expected to use it. Managers don’t send emails or texts at all hours – people work, go home and have time to relax and refresh. The organisations offer accommodations so that people can have both a job and a family life. People are treated like adults and have control over what they do and how they do it to meet their job responsibilities, not micromanaged.

If your job is causing undue work stress in your life, take a moment to reassess the situation. It’s easy to have an overachiever mentality — until it makes you sick or shatters your personal life. Take some time to assess your life — your work responsibilities, your level of quality personal time and your health. If you want to be happy, it’s important to keep these areas of life well-balanced.

Most importantly, the companies are led by individuals who take their obligations to their people seriously. SAS Institute has a chief health officer whose job is not just to control costs but also to ensure employees are as healthy as possible.  Bob Chapman recognizes that everyone who comes to work at Barry-Wehmiller is “someone’s precious child” or family member.

People need to choose their employer not just for salary and promotion opportunities but on the basis of whether the job will be good for their psychological and physical health. Business leaders should measure the health of their workforce, not just profits.

And governments concerned about the health-care cost crisis need to focus on the workplace, because workplace stress is clearly making people sick. None of this is necessary – no one should be dying for a paycheck.

What makes us Filipinos?

 

Bisaya

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Are there necessary traits, practices, or beliefs that make us unique from other nationalities?

There are undoubtedly many things that make us Filipinos unique. For example, our culture is steeped in tradition and family values. 

We are also known for being friendly and hospitable people. But I think the thing that makes us most unique is our resilience[1] in the face of difficult circumstances.

Despite facing many challenges throughout history, we have always overcome them. We are a nation of survivors, which makes us so strong. We never give up, no matter how hard things get. This fighting spirit is what unites us as a people, and it's what makes us unique. So whatever challenge life throws at you, remember that you are not alone – Filipinos have been through worse, and we have come out stronger. We are a proud people, and we will overcome anything that comes our way! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Footnotes

[1] The Spirit of Being Resilient in Filipino Culture

(C) 2022 by Quora.com

IATF releases updated arrival protocols for foreigners coming to PH

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s main gateway. (Photo from PNA)

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

The government’s pandemic task force has updated the arrival protocols initially set for foreigners who want to enter the Philippines for business and tourism purposes starting February 10, 2022.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s main gateway. (Photo from PNA)

Based on Resolution No. 160-B of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, fully vaccinated foreign nationals may enter the Philippines without visas provided that they qualify as former Filipino citizens with Balikbayan privilege.

They are also allowed to enter the Philippines if they are citizens of any of the 157 countries entitled to a stay not exceeding 30 days. These are:

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bahamas

Bahrain

Barbados

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Botswana

Brazil (up to 59 days)

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Costa Rica

Cote d’Ivoire

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel (up to 59 days)

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Latvia

Lesotho

Liberia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Monaco

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nepal

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Norway

Oman

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Republic of Korea

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Seychelles

Singapore

Slovak Republic

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

South Africa

Spain

Suriname

Swaziland

Sweden

Switzerland

Tajikistan

Thailand

Togo

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Republic of Tanzania

United States of America

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Vatican

Venezuela

Vietnam

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Foreign travelers must be fully vaccinated except children below 12 years old.

They must carry any of the following proofs of vaccination:

World Health Organization (WHO) International Certificates of Vaccination and Prophylaxis

VaxCertPH

National/state digital certificate of the foreign gov’t which recognizes VaxCertPH

Other proofs of vaccination permitted by the IATF

The passenger must also have a passport valid for at least six months at the time of their arrival, and valid return tickets or tickets for the country of their next destination.

Prior to their travel, they are required to obtain travel insurance for COVID-19 treatment costs from reputable insurers, with a minimum coverage of US$35,000 for the duration of their stay in the Philippines.

Foreign visitors are deemed fully vaccinated if they received the second dose in a two-dose series or a single dose vaccine more than 14 days prior to their flight to the Philippines. Their vaccine must be included in the emergency use listing of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the local Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or issued a compassionate special permit by the Philippine FDA.

Visa-free foreign nationals who fail to fully comply with the conditions and requisites shall be denied admission into the country and shall be subject to the appropriate exclusion proceedings.

However, once allowed entry, they are no longer required to observe facility-based quarantine but must self-monitor for symptoms for seven days. They must report to the local government unit (LGU) of their destination should they manifest symptoms.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles has clarified that “self-monitor” does not mean “home quarantine”.

Meanwhile, foreign children below the age of 12 but are traveling with Filipino nationals shall follow the protocols of their travel companion.

A foreign child from ages 12 to 17 traveling with their Filipino parent shall follow the protocol based on their vaccination status. However, if the child is unvaccinated, one parent should accompany the child during their facility-based quarantine.

9(a) visa bearers

On the other hand, foreigners with 9(a) visas (a tourist visa for pleasure or business) will be allowed to enter the country if they are fully vaccinated, except children below the age of 12.

They must carry acceptable proof of vaccination and a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to their flight.

These passengers will not be required to undergo facility quarantine but must self-monitor for symptoms.

Foreign nationals who fail to comply with the conditions must undergo facility-based quarantine and undergo testing on the fifth day. They may be discharged upon the release of a negative result but must complete the rest of their 14-day quarantine at home.

Metro Manila better prepared for dry season

By: Catherine Talavera - The Philippine Star 

MANILA, Philippines — As the water level at Angat Dam continues to drop, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said Metro Manila and nearby areas are more prepared to face potential water supply issues in the dry season compared to the shortage in 2019 as augmentation measures are in place.

At a Laging Handa public briefing over the weekend, NWRB executive director Sevillo David said compared to 2019, the country is more prepared to address water supply issues it may face in the upcoming dry season due to the presence of deep wells and water treatment facilities, which were not available before.

Data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration showed that the reservoir water level of Angat Dam continues to decline as it stood at 197.85 meters as of 6 a.m. Saturday. This is lower than the dam’s normal high level of 212 meters.

David said the projects and activities of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and its concessionaires help in preparing for the needed water supply in the summer.

The MWSS said earlier that it has put in place supply augmentation measures, along with its concessionaires, to ease the pressure in the already drought-like trend of Angat and the sustainability of clean, potable water for the 19 million people in the service area.

According to the MWSS, among the augmentation measures by its west-zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. are the non-revenue water reduction of 40 million liters per day (MLD) for summer and additional 42 MLD at the end of 2022; the operation of existing 12 MLD deep wells (one MLD existing and additional 11 MLD for summer); the operation of four MLD Portable Water Treatment Plant by February 2022 and another 18.6 MLD by September 2022 in Cavite.

Other measures include the operation of the backwash recovery system in La Mesa Water Treatment Plants one and two, as well as network pressure management to equally distribute the available water through the regulation of 1,200 Pressure Regulating Valves and 50 primary Valves in the Bagbag network system.

East zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. announced earlier that it is preparing its water supply contingency and augmentation programs for the summer to ensure water availability, as the water level at Angat Dam continues to drop.

“To prepare for the coming summer months and in light of lower-than-projected levels at Angat Dam, Manila Water puts into motion its water supply contingency and augmentation plans while working and coordinating closely with the MWSS and the NWRB, to help ensure that customers will experience continuous water supply even during peak demand periods,” Manila Water said in an earlier statement.

Among these contingencies are the maximization of the 100 MLD capacity of the Cardona Water Treatment Plant, which draws water from Laguna Lake; operation of deep wells which can provide additional 115 MLD and operation of the 20-MLD Marikina Portable Water Treatment Plant, which can treat water from the Marikina River.

Apart from the MWSS, David said the NWRB is also in coordination with the National Irrigation Administration, as the Angat Dam is also a source of irrigation for farm lands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

The NWRB earlier urged the public to conserve and use water wisely due to the Angat Dam’s lower than expected water level to ensure that sufficient water is available for municipal irrigation and hydropower uses in the subsequent months.

Oil prices go up Tuesday

By: Danessa Rivera - The Philippine Star 

MANILA, Philippines — Oil prices will be raised for the fifth straight week on Tuesday.

In its oil price forecast, Unioil Philippines said both diesel and gasoline fuels would be increased by P0.70 to P0.80 per liter.

Global oil prices started the past trading week on a weak note as talks of a rate hike by the Federal Reserve spooked the market, Reuters reported.

Brent crude broke the $90-per-barrel level for the first time in seven years on Wednesday due to tight supply and the rising political tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the wire service said.

At the end of the trading week, global oil prices still recorded its sixth weekly gain, driven by concerns over geopolitical issues such as the attacks on the United Arab Emirates by Yemen’s Houthi group and a possible military conflict in Ukraine.

Data from the Department of Energy showed year-to-date adjustments stand at a total net increase of P4.95 per liter for gasoline, P7.20 per liter for diesel and P6.75 per liter for kerosene

The supernatural dimension of our life

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

LET’S always remember that our life is not simply a natural, human life. It is also meant to be supernatural since it is supposed to be a life with God, involved in his work of creation and redemption of mankind, and in the over-all providence he exercises over all his creation.

No wonder then that we can find ourselves at wit’s end as to what and how to do what Christ would ask of us, since there will always be things that would be beyond our powers to carry out.

Remember that episode of Christ telling Peter to go to the deep (duc in altum)? (cfr. Lk 5,1-11) Peter was astounded. “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,” he at first said, but rectifying himself because of his faith, Peter said, “but at your command I will lower the nets.” And the miraculous catch took place.

Because of the supernatural dimension of our life, we should see to it that we are always guided by our Christian faith, and not just by our senses and our spiritual powers of intelligence and will, though all these are also indispensable.

We should just go along with what God through Christ and through the different instrumentalities God communicates with us would ask of us, no matter how impossible for us to do, because what is impossible for us is always possible with him.

Like Mary who just said, “Be it done to me according to your word,” when the archangel Gabriel told her she would become the mother of the son of God, we should just believe and accept what is told and given to us, even if we don’t understand the things being asked of us.

That is faith in faith in action, faith which “moves us to believe because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.” (CCC 156)

We need to work on our faith in order to keep it alive, vibrant and functional, especially in some difficult if not impossible occasions. We should not be surprised that life and all the challenges and trials we are going to face in it will always demand from us things beyond our powers and resources. And that’s simply because we are meant to go to God for all our needs, without neglecting any effort we can give along the way.

With God, we have everything. As St. Teresa de Avila would put it, “Solo Dios basta!” What we lack in our humanity, we can always make up by relying always and completely on God. 

But, alas, this can happen only when we have faith, for faith is our best resource. As St. John puts it in his first letter, “This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” (Jn 5,4) Without faith, we are left with a big problem right from the start.

As Christians, we should readily realize that our life should not just be our own life, but rather always a life with God. And since God is supernatural, then our life also ought to be supernatural without, of course, compromising what is natural to us. Thus, there is a need for us to develop a desire, a liking, an appetite for the supernatural life, i.e., a life with God. And this means we have to have faith, that brings with it hope and charity.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

EJ Obiena jumpstarts indoor season in Berlin

Photo from EJ Obiena’s Facebook page

by Kristel Satumbaga-Villar, Manila Bulletin-

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena returns to competition Friday amid his rift with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) by seeing action in the ISTAF Indoor Berlin tournament in Germany.

The competition is expected to jumpstart Obiena’s indoor season campaign where he is scheduled to compete in four more events this month after the Berlin meet.

Obiena, who holds the national and Asian record of 5.93 meters, will be up against a stacked field led by reigning world record holder and Olympic champion Armand Duplantis of Sweden.

Duplantis opened his 2022 season last week with a gold medal at the Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe in Germany after vaulting a new meet record of 6.02m.

Also in the lineup are fellow Tokyo Olympians KC Lightfoot of the United States, Germany’s Oleg Zernikel, Torben Blech and Bo Kanda Lita Baehre, and Poland’s Piotr Lisek.

Rutger Koppelaar of the Netherlands, who competed in the 2019 world championships, will also see action.

After the Berlin meet, Obiena will head to Uppsala, Sweden for the International Pole Vault Invitational on Feb. 9, followed by the Orlen Cup in Loz, Poland.

He will then head to Lievin, France for the Meeting Hauts-De-France on Feb. 17, followed by the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun, Poland on Feb. 22.

Tracy Maureen Perez: Ready for the world

Tracy Maureen Perez (Miss World Philippines Organization Facebook)

by Robert Requintina, Manila Bulletin

Miss Philippines Tracy Maureen Perez is ready for the world as she remains in the top fighting form for the Miss World 2021 beauty pageant, which will be held in Puerto Rico on March 16.

During an intimate catch-up huddle at Pandan Cafe in Quezon City on Feb. 2, Perez said that she’s slowly but surely getting the momentum back in time for the finals.

“I’ve worked the hardest to be where I am, and I’m proud of that. I basically came from scratch, And they see that. They don’t see a beauty queen, they see a person. And that’s very important,” she said.

Perez, 28, also said that she doesn’t feel any pressure now being the official flag bearer of the Philippines. “I don’t really think about it much. My co-candidates told me that I’m different from what they envisioned Miss Philippines to be.”

With the guidance of Miss World Philippines National Director Arnold Vegafria and the expert supervision of Aces and Queens trainers, Perez is confident she can prep herself up again for competition within a month’s time.

“If there’s one thing I learned from my Miss World journey so far, I just always have to stick to what I know. It pays to just be yourself because they know if you’re putting up a facade,” she said. “That’s also my takeaway from our previous queens, that there’s really no formula. At the end of the day, it’s just faith. It’s about you performing and just being prepared for anything.”

Only the Top 40 candidates have been invited to go back to Puerto Rico for the finals and the Cebuana beauty queen is one of them. Perez is one of the 15 winners of the pageant’s fast-track challenges. They will be joined in by 25 delegates who were chosen by the judges.

The 15 fast-track winners are: Cote D’ Ivoire, Mexico, Mongolia, India, England, Kenya, Philippines, South Africa, United States, Paraguay, Cameroon, Nepal, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Botswana.

The 25 judges choice for the Top 40 are: Poland, Hungary, Puerto Rico, Colombia, The Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, France, Ecuador, Guinea, Bahamas, Malaysia, Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Canada, Dominican Republic, Ireland, Somalia, Chile, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Iceland.

When the Miss World 2021 pageant was postponed again in December due to COVID-19, Perez said she was unfazed.

“It could be frustrating for some, but I tried my best to compose and calm myself because it’s something I couldn’t control. I’ll just take it as a blessing that I’ll have more time to prepare,” she said.

Tracy was able to take some time off as she took her first US trip and spend the holidays with her relatives in Oceanside, San Diego, California. She returned to Manila mid-January, just in time to mount her battle plan to hold her own relief operations for the victims of typhoon Odette, which also hit her hometown in Argao, Cebu.

“I’ve been in contact with relatives and friends in Cebu during the height of the typhoon, so I know the situation. Some areas still don’t have power yet. Even our house in Argao was hit, but not as badly as the other areas.”

Perez said that she is also privileged that her outreach project for the single mothers in Cordova, Cebu, had been selected as her beneficiaries of her Beauty With A Purpose Challenge.

“During the Miss World preliminaries, I think that was one of my proudest moments – not because I was being recognized – but more because I had fulfilled my mission for them. That’s the time I realized that there have not been as many efforts addressing the struggles of single moms. So when Miss World organization selected my project, I knew I had done my rightful part,” she also said.

Perez continued to talk in detail about her plan for solo parents.

“It’s all about capabilities training, giving them the skills to earn a better livelihood, specifically BPO and computer training. We’re also bridging the gap for them by hooking them up with their eventual employers. One of our partners in the project is a BPO owner. So, they’re literally ready to take them under their wings very soon.”

The Miss World 2021 beauty pageant will be telecast on CNN Philippines on March 17.

4 Visayas cities very high risk for COVID-19

Vendors and other individuals working at the night market queue for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Divisoria, Manila during the night vaccination program of the local government on Aug. 2, 2021.

The STAR / Miguel de Guzman

By: Janvic Mateo - The Philippine Star 

MANILA, Philippines — Four highly urbanized cities in the Visayas are still considered “very high risk” for COVID-19, according to a member of the OCTA Research Group.

OCTA fellow Guido David said the average daily attack rate (ADAR) or the number of infections per 100,000 people remains “very high” in Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu and Mandaue.

Iloilo recorded the highest ADAR as of Tuesday with 64.06 followed by Cebu with 40.32; Mandaue, 29.99, and Bacolod, 27.26.

The four cities also have high reproduction numbers of over 1.0 and very high positivity rates of more than 20 percent.

In terms of health care utilization, Mandaue logged a high 78 percent. The three other cities are now at moderate levels.

David said Lapu-Lapu, Ormoc and Tacloban are classified as ”high risk” for COVID-19.

He said Lapu-Lapu recorded a very high ADAR of 39.83, but its health care utilization rate was below 50 percent, which is considered low based on the metric used by OCTA.

Ormoc had a moderate ADAR of 9.12 while Tacloban recorded a high 15.62 daily new infections per 100,000 people in the past week.

Positivity rates in the three cities remain very high. Ormoc logged the highest at 75 percent.

Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Ormoc and Tacloban were placed under Alert Level 3 until Feb. 15 due to a surge in COVID cases fueled by the Omicron variant.