...a way of expressing, from internal to external, new thoughts that can encourage the mind to explore... leading to new avenues of thoughts... maybe new paradigms, moving from mental doldrums into new paths of exploration.
The idiom which refers to the notion that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single still image, or that an image of a subject conveys its meaning and essence more effectively than a description does, was made real when a Louisiana-based photographer posted a family photo she took in her Hannah Hawkes Photography Facebook Page. As soon as the photo was posted, it quickly went viral that not only a thousand words, but tens of thousand words were contributed by netizens about the controversial Holiday-duct photo.
The family photo shows the girls and the mom bound by Christmas lights and their mouths taped shut with neon green duct tape, as the dad holds 'Peace on Earth' sign while the little boy stands next to him, giving the camera a thumbs up.
The photographer faced a big backlash for this holiday picture in a way that critics reportedly took issue with the picture, calling it sexist and promoting the idea of domestic violence and silencing women while others apparently thought the photo was just a harmless joke.
On December 15, Hawkes defended the photo and wrote on her Facebook page status, saying it was requested by the family pictured and in no way meant to promote abuse.
"After being silent, now isn't that ironic, I would like to speak!
I have been called every name in the book, and have received some very hateful and vulgar comments and messages. I would like to say that as a female I do NOT and have never promoted violence to women!
I do not support abuse, or the degradation of women. My controversial photo was taken by request by the family, and was in no way meant to promote abuse.
This photo was taken with humor in mind, and was meant as a comical Christmas photo. I personally know this family, and have known them for many years. They are not abusive to their children in any shape or form. Also, I would like to add that no one was harmed during the process! So everyone have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and MAY GOD BLESS you and yours!"
This defense fell on deaf ears. With hundreds of shares, the company’s Facebook page has been shut down.
I love Photography. I even would like to be a Photographer because pictures and images speak louder than words. So much can be extracted and communicated from a single photo. I am a visual-type of person for that reason. But even with the same photo, it may be perceived differently by others. It may mean differently to other viewers.
Since the time of Hippocrates, researchers and experts in the field of personality and human behavior have been seeking ways to understand how different personality and behavioral styles perceive things and impact others. It was found out that what is inside, what is hidden, what is not seen by others is what usually comes out when a person reacts. The thing inside of us is what comes out when we're asked how we perceive things and images.
So what is the intent of this photo? The photograph very loudly speaks what it intends to convey.
It was obviously meant as a joke. Maybe done in jest? To some it may have been done in poor taste. Others find it funny. To some it may be insensitive and disturbing. To others it could be degrading. Still others see it as artistic.
We cannot put judgment on the sentiment of the photo. The family meant it the way to be.
The value of the photo lies on how it is received.
How do you look at this photo? What are your thoughts about it?
The judgment is yours!
Here are two other photos that could have been taken together during the photo shot of that now controversial photo with the green duct tape
"Yes. A Muslim man blew me up, and I lost my leg." ~ Chris Herbert
This is the opening line of Chris Herbert's Facebook rant.Chris is a British veteran from Portsmouth who served with the Yorkshire Regiment in Iraq. He lost his leg in 2007 in a roadside bombing in Basra. Many expected him and assumed him to be racist and anti-Muslim. He says in one of hisFacebook post that an Islamophobic group tried to recruit him as a poster boy.
Frustrated with the false assumptions, he shared a powerful anti-Islamophobic message in his Facebook status last Tuesday, December 8th 2015. Instead of sowing hatred against Islam and Muslims, he goes on to praise many of them.
Getting frustrated by some people expecting racism from me, because I got blown up. Here it is:
Yes. A Muslim man blew me up, and I lost my leg. A Muslim man also lost his arm that day wearing a British Uniform. A Muslim medic was in the helicopter that took me from the field A Muslim surgeon performed the surgery that saved my life A Muslim Nurse was part of the team that helped me when I returned to the UK A Muslim Healthcare Assistant was part of the team that sorted out my day to day needs in rehabilitation when I was learning to walk A Muslim taxi driver gave me a free ride the first time I went for a beer with my Dad after I came home. A Muslim doctor offered my Dad comfort and advice in a pub, when he didnt know how to deal with my medicines and side effects.
Contrary to that, A white Brit spat in my girlfriends face for 'fucking a cripple when you could have me [him]' A white Brit pushed my wheelchair away from a lift so he could use it first. A white Brit screamed at my Dad for parking in a disabled bay when I was in the services coming home (Although, alot of people helped in my recovery! I don't hate white Brits either! Hahaha)
Point is, fuck off. I know who I dislike, and I know who I don't. I know who I appreciate, and I know who I don't. If you want to hate an entire race of men and women for the actions of a few dickheads feel free, but don't push your views on me, thinking I am an easy target because one douche bag decided it was my day to die.
Blaming all Muslims for the actions of groups like Daeshe and the Taliban, is like blaming all Christians for the actions of the KKK or Westboro Baptist Church. Get a grip of your lives, hug your family and get back to work
In less than two days, at the time of this writing, the post has been shared over 117,000+ times.
What are your thoughts about the message of Chris Herbert?
In today's fast-paced workplace, whatever our level, we are always under pressure to act now, rather than spend time thinking, reasoning things through, thinking about the facts, and seeing the bigger picture. Chances are our primary focus is what’s directly in front of us.
Too frequently, people jump to conclusions. The other person at the end of the table in the meeting room has not finished talking yet and the conclusion is drawn. Hearing only the manager's complaint about a low performing employee and people jump to conclusions. They hear an alleged accusation of one employee and they jump to conclusions. They hear a rumor of a decision the boss has made and jump to conclusions. People do so because they are impulsive and impatient in many areas of their life. This leads into jumping to conclusions.
Proverbs 25:8 (MSG) says, “Don’t jump to conclusions—there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.”
The ability to see the bigger picture is a positive quality that is oftentimes forgotten. It is in fact a leadership quality that should be at the top of the list but is so often not exercised and practiced.
The short video clip below is a very good illustration for us to wait, to be patient, and to see first the bigger picture before making any comment. Otherwise, all you will see are only boobs, asses and dicks.
The trick to forgetting the big picture is to look at everything close-up. ~ Chuck Palahniuk
Having the big picture in mind enables us to overcome the day to day routines that attempt to distract us from pursuing our dream.” ~ Assegid Habtewold, The 9 Cardinal Building Blocks: For Continued Success in Leadership
Yesterday, I saw from my Facebook Newsfeed an article about an employee who trained a new hire in their Company. Since "Training" is a subject very close to my heart, I clicked the link to supposedly learn and know more about training of new hires and to check how the induction and orientation program was being carried out in their company. In less than a minute, I finished reading the 5 short paragraph-article and saw two video clips in the article - a 7.5 minute video clip and another one about 43 minutes. I wanted to skip watching the videos but since it was a weekend, I decided to go for just one, the shorter clip.
It wasn't what I expected. Although the clip covered a story about training, it was more of Angel's story, an Associate at the Modell's Sporting Goods (Apparel Department at Washington, DC).
Angel thought that it was just another regular day at work. She thought she just was training a new associate at Modell’s. She welcomed "Joey", the "new trainee" to the store and taught him the best she can. I saw that Angel was a "passionate" trainer. She may be doing and teaching her regular tasks and duties very casually but you could see the passion in what she was doing. Although she was told that she was being filmed for a documentary, she did not know that it was for the Undercover Boss Reality Show. She didn't suspect a thing. What she didn't know was that the trainee was actually Modell’s CEO Mitchell Modell in disguise. The CEO shaved his head and put on a walrus-like mustache so it would be hard for anyone to recognize him. He even had to change his voice tone.
During one of their conversations, "Joey," told her that he was a former pizza restaurant owner who closed his shop 6 months ago because of competition. He joined a reality show so he can win the prize and start business again. Angel encouraged Joey to have that drive and never to give up. She told Joe her story: “I love this job… but it hasn’t always been this way.” Angel confessed that when she turned 25, she became pregnant and lost her old job as restaurant manager. “We’ve been homeless for a long time. We live in a shelter now,” the single mother said. “It doesn’t matter, though. I don’t want you to feel sad for me.” Joey is brought to tears when Angel gives him a pep talk. He was touched and moved to tears by Angel’s story.
The Reward of a Passionate & Engaged Trainer
Angel didn't know she was confessing to the one man who had the power to change everything in the Company. Mitchell was absolutely appalled and struck by Angel’s story. He realized that his company had associates who did not earn much, living in shelters and cannot afford to buy a home.
At the end of the episode, Mitchell revealed to Angel who he was and rewarded her with a $14,000 raise and a tax-free $250,000 check for her to buy a house. Angel was also promoted from being an Associate to Assistant Manager. Angel’s reaction is one of the most powerful one that I’ve seen. The shocking news from the boss caused Angel to collapse.
After watching the video, I felt something rolling down my eyes. It was divine connection that Angel and Mitchell's paths crossed. They met at a time that both needed what the other has to offer. I would believe that it was God's perfect timing.
It was such an inspiring and powerful video that I proceeded to watch the next 43-minute video.
The Undercover Boss
Undercover Boss is a two-time Emmy Award-winning reality series that follows high-level executives as they slip anonymously into the rank-and-file of their own organizations. Each week, a different leader will sacrifice the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their operation.
What is the goal of Undercover Boss? It is for the CEOs to know what the employees feel while working for them. If employees have poor behavior, they may even get fired. How about those who are found to be committed and hardworking? They get rewarded!
This primetime Reality Show on CBS follows the top-ranking officials of major American companies and corporations as they go undercover to learn more about the challenges facing their businesses, and meet employees who help them gain a new perspective on working life.
Each episode features a high-ranking executive or the owner of a corporation going undercover as an entry-level employee in their own company. The executives alter their appearance and assume an alias and fictional back-story in order to blend in. The fictitious explanation given for the accompanying camera crew is that the executives are being filmed as part of a documentary about entry-level workers in a particular industry (in the second season, the employees are told the filming is for a contest). They spend approximately one week undercover, working in various areas of their company operations, with a different job and in most cases a different location each day. They are exposed to a series of predicaments with amusing results, and invariably spend time getting to know the people who work in the company, learning about their professional and personal challenges.
At the end of their week undercover, the executives return to their true identity and request the employees they worked with individually to corporate headquarters. The bosses reveals their identity, and reward hard-working employees through campaign, promotion, or financial rewards, while other employees are given training or better working conditions.
Undercover Boss Season 4 Episode 1 (Modell's Sporting Goods)
Aired on November 22, 2012, the premiere episode of Season 4 featured Long Island-raised Mitchell Modell, CEO of Modell's Sporting Goods, one of the nation's largest retail chains in the US.
Modell's approach as "Your Hometown Sporting Goods Store" through local specialized offerings, community relationships, and programs such as Team Weeks, which assists local schools, leagues, and non-profit organizations has made it a very successful company through the years.
Its #1 mission statement is "Listen, Respect, and Respond"to the needs of their customers, associates, and vendors.
CEO of Modell's Sporting Goods, Mitchell Modell
Why the Boss wants to go undercover:
Modell's has always been a successful family owned business, but since his brother and co-CEO passed away, Mitchell has felt much more pressure in running the company. In order to make sure that Modell's stays in the family and continues to grow and expand, Mitchell wants to make sure that the values that have been passed down during the last four generations continue to be passed on for the next 100 years
Photo Credit | www.samuel-warde.com Mitchell Modell, CEO, was featured on Season 4 Episode 1 of the Undercover Boss. It was aired on November 2, 2012
Watch the full episode of the video to check if the Undercover Boss fulfilled the company's Mission Statement.
This You Tube video is the full episode -----> -----> ---->
Undercover Boss Season 4 Episode 1 - Mitchell as "Joey Glick"
In the video, you will see how he has undergone a transformation to keep his identity under wraps. The video spinned off with the CEO getting some major league advice from New York Yankee's pitcher CC Sabathia before beginning his undercover mission.
As always in "Undercover Boss," the boss has to pretend to be somebody else. So Mitchell shaved his head and pretended to be "Joey Glick," a former pizza restaurant owner competing in a reality show.
Photo Credit | www.s.wsj.net
Mitchell Modell, the CEO of the 153-store chain Modell’s, shaved his head, donned an oversized walrus mustache and transformed into “Joey Glick,” a worker inside the company’s warehouse and at Modell’s Sporting Goods locations in Washington, DC and Connecticut.
Job Assignment #1 with James, Assistant Manager
Assistant Manager – Connecticut is a newer market for Modell's and in the Milford location and sales have been continually slipping. Mitchell wants to see if there's anyway to save the store or if it might be time to call it quits. What will happen though, when he finds the store isn't even receiving the proper merchandise?
"Joey's" first assignment was to see why the store in Milford, Connecticutbis under performing . He worked with James, the brutally frank assistant manager. James, called the store the “red-headed stepchild” of Modell’s. The store was understocked and James felt frustrated by upper management’s lack of attention to the problems happening in his store. James confronts Joey when suspicions swell about his true identity.
With James' feedback, Modell got on his cell phone and started complaining to the COO that district managers were not doing their part.
Screen Grab from You Tube Video
Job Assignment #2 with Christopher, Shipping Associate
Shipping Associate – In order to make sure Modell's continues to grow, Mitchell is very aware of how every dollar is spent. After being put through the wringer in the shipping department, how will the boss feel when he learns an average weekly paycheck from an associate can barely pay for a new pair of sneakers?
His next assignment was at the Bronx distribution hub where he worked with Christopher, the Shipping Associate. He tried to figure out a forklift with Christopher, who thought Joey was drunk and was drinking all night.
Chris' tip to Joey, when he learned that Joey plans to put up a sports store --- pay your associates fairly and decently. He said that he was only receiving $230 weekly paycheck.
Screen Grab from You Tube Video
Job Assignment #3 with Kirk, Truck Driver
Truck Driver – Mitchell knows that the truck drivers are the key to getting merchandise to the stores but he's quick to realize that without his brother around he's lost the connection and communication with the drivers. Will Mitchell be able to find a way to fix this broken relationship and honor his brother's memory?
His journey in the Bronx led him to his 3rd assignment with a truck driver named Kirk. Kirk thinks of Joey like a clown because he looks funny. yet he thinks of him like a genius. Kirk told Joey that the upper management was clueless. “They only look at the bottom line and when they only look at the bottom line they lose focus of what really happens”
Screen Grab from You Tube Video
Job Assignment #4 with Angel, Apparel Department Associate
Apparel Department, Associate – Mitchell wants all his stores to have a "hometown community sporting goods store" feel and is beyond proud at what he finds in D.C. However, he's shocked to discover a personal struggle greater than he could ever imagine. Can the boss find a way to fix a problem that he may have helped to create?
"Things are gonna get better. You're gonna be fine!" These were the words that broke Joey's heart.
Screen Grab from You Tube Video
What can we learn from the Undercover Boss?
Mitchell Modell's brief "excursion" to the "field" may not have been exhaustive so as to look at the whole problem of the Company but the show clearly portrayed that as the CEO, he actually listened and cared about the concerns of his associates.
We may not be CEO's who live in some Ivory Towers. We don't need to disguise ourselves by shaving our heads and wearing oversized-walrus mustaches just to be able to learn, see and hear what is happening around us. We could be living right at the Concrete Jungle. But have we really taken some time listening and learning how to fix the little problems that happen daily with our customers, associates, and colleagues?
Our Staff and Associates are People, not Numbers!
Managers who strive for harmony between concern for results and concern for employees are more likely to inspire engagement.
So what is the message of the Undercover Boss? Many will think that the CEO's disguise themselves to "catch people doing something wrong" in order to improve the processes in their business. Rather, the message i get is: "catching people doing something right".
In "The One Minute Manager", the author Ken Blanchard originated the concept of of catching people doing something right which is aimed to increase employee engagement. The undercover Boss has clearly aimed at catching people doing something right.
What can we do differently with our customers, associates, and colleagues while struggling it out at the concrete jungle?
Have a first hand experience with what our customers, associates, and colleagues feel in the job
Spend more time to get to know them, not just for work related things but personal matters as well.
Share your ideas and listen to their feedback
Listen to their ideas and give an honest feedback.
Come up with possible solutions and action plans to issues and problems
Appreciate them!
Value them!
Develop their potentials and talents.
Weave and nurture dreams.
It would really be great to "Listen, Respect, and Respond" to the needs of our customers, associates, and colleagues.
It may be an unorthodox way of fixing things at the workplace but it's going to be very effective because it is personal and uses a humane approach!
"It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor."~ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
A Giggle a Day Keeps the Doctor at Bay... My friend Khokon in a giggle :-)
Laughter and humor enlightens our soul. No matter how down, weary or sick we may be, we begin to feel better once we release that chuckle from the depth of our recesses. Some researchers think that laughter might just be the best medicine. It helps us feel better and it puts that spring back to our pace.
Laughing is healthy!
There's a change that happens when we laugh. That physiological change stretches our facial muscles and the effect of that laughter even moves throughout our body. Our pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues. It can be a quick work out. People who believe in the benefits of laughter say it can be like a mild workout -- and may offer some of the same advantages as a workout.
One laughter researcher, Dr. Wlliam Fry from Stanford University has published a number of studies of the physiological processes that occur during laughter and is often cited by people claiming that laughter is equivalent to exercise. Dr. Fry states, "I believe that we do not laugh merely with our lungs, or chest muscles, or diaphragm, or as a result of a stimulation of our cardiovascular activity. I believe that we laugh with our whole physical being. I expect that this total participation will eventually be recognized." He goes on to say, " . . . it is appropriate to conclude that humor, mirth and laughter are on the side of contributing positively to the maintenance of health and survival, from the standpoint of their physiologic effects"
Laughter is the best medicine!
There is something a Baby boomer like me have, aside from just being so mystified by Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Traditionalists who until now seem not interested in retiring, have also lived with it. Some Millennials may have scanned through back issues from their parents' bookshelves. But I guess, the cynical Gen Xers never cared about it, nor the Gen 2020ers who seemed to be surgically attached to their smartphones, may not even have heard about it.
It's could still be there in your grandparents' bookshelves because it's considered a treasure. It was a sort of coffee book during our time. And who would ever forget every time the postman would deliver it in your doorsteps, it seemed to look like you've won a big-shot lottery. Hahaha.
I am referring to that little A5 magazine, with its pre-chewed articles and uplifting stories. It was the magazine that introduced us at very tender years to the world of grown-up reading.
There is one article for each day of the month and the articles are expected to have enduring value and interest. It carried original articles as well as condensed articles reprinted from other magazines. They also have book excerpts, collections of jokes, Anecdotes, Quotation, Cartoons, and other short pieces. Articles are usually short to allow busy readers to keep up with a variety of topics without investing too much time.
Among its regulars are True Stories, National Interests, Health, Games, Family, Food, Home & Garden. I can't remember well if its "Life in These Islands" that had a collection of humorous or profound reader-submitted anecdotes. All the articles are interesting reads but my all time favorites are the "Word Power" - a vocabulary-building quiz and "Laughter, the Best Medicine, a collection of jokes submitted by readers.
Laughter the best medicine” is a term coined by Reader’s Digest and it delivered small doses in every issue of the magazine. It guarantees to keep you in good humor for a long time. It's offered free of cost to selected readers (yes those who read it) of Reader’s Digest. It cannot be sold by any party, nor displayed in any bookshop, stall or retail to come. But don’t keep its benefits to yourself, — tell them to your outlet, and use it for any commercial purposes whatsoever: family, friends and colleagues. You'’ll become their favorite physician.
Growing up with "Reader's Digest" is something my kids and the rest of their age have missed. But even if you missed out that great A5 Magazine, it is no excuse for you not to enjoy laughter. After all, Laughter is the best medicine!
It's usually not a good sign when someone starts laughing maniacally on the subway. Why did Coca-Cola hire this man to laugh really, really rard on a crowded Subway Train? This Soda brand's latest stunt from Belgium By Tim Nudd show that riders in Belgium seem to take it pretty well in this new Coca-Cola ad. The agency, Gonzales in Brussels—working off the insight that "happiness starts with a smile"—wanted to make people laugh in an environment where they rarely do. So, they hired a guy to get things started. See how it went below.
Know the lingo
From Journal of Nursing Jocularity we have a complete introduction to the language of laughter (Kuhn, 1994 as adapted by Berk, 2001).
1. Smirk: Slight, often fleeting upturning of the corners of the mouth, completely voluntary and controllable.
2. Smile: Silent, voluntary and controllable, more perceptible than a smirk; begins to release endorphins.
3. Grin: Silent, controllable, but uses more facial muscles (e.g., eyes begin to narrow).
4. Snicker: First emergence of sound with facial muscles, but still controllable (if you hold in a snicker, it builds up gas).
5. Giggle: Has a 50 percent chance of reversal to avoid a full laugh; sound of giggling is amusing; efforts to suppress it tend to increase its strength.
6. Chuckle: Involves chest muscles with deeper pitch.
7. Chortle: originates even deeper in the chest and involves muscles of torso; usually provokes laughter in others.
8. Laugh: Involves facial and thoracic muscles as well as abdomen and extremities; sound of barking or snorting.
9. Cackle: First involuntary stage; pitch is higher and body begins to rock, spine extends and flexes, with an upturning of head.
10. Guffaw: Full body response; feet stomp, arms wave, thighs slapped, torso rocks, sound is deep and loud; may result in free flowing of tears, increased heart rate, and breathlessness; strongest
solitary laughter experience.
11. Howl: Volume and pitch rise higher and higher and body becomes more animated.
12. Shriek: Greater intensity than howl; sense of helplessness and vulnerability.
13. Roar: Lose individuality; i.e., the audience roars!
14. Convulse: Body is completely out of control in a fit of laughter resembling a seizure; extremities flail aimlessly, balance is lost, gasp for breath, collapse or fall off chair.
15. Die laughing: Instant of total helplessness; a brief, physically intense, transcendent experience; having died, we thereafter report a refreshing moment of breathlessness and exhaustion with colors more vivid and everything sparkling; everything is renewed.
Humor really is good for you…
15 psychological and physiological benefits of humor
Reference: Berk, R. (2001). The active ingredients in humor: psycho physiological benefits and risks for older adults. Educational Gerontology
Eight psychological benefits of humor:
1. Reduces anxiety
2. Reduces tension
3. Reduces stress
4. Reduces depression
5. Reduces loneliness
6. Improves self-esteem
7. Restores hope and energy
8. Provides a sense of empowerment and control
Seven physiological benefits of laughter:
1. Improves mental functioning
2. Exercises and relaxes muscles
3. Improves respiration
4. Stimulates circulation
5. Decreases stress hormones
6. Increases immune system defenses
7. Increases production of endorphins
L a u g h t e r i s c o n t a g i o u s !
Photo Credit | HubPages
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Gelotology (from the Greek root gelos (to laugh), is a term coined to describe the scientific study of laughter.
Inspired by the alleged “tanim-bala” (bullet-planting) extortion scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Kulit Games, a mobile game app developer created recently “Bullet Planter.” The 15-megabyte game can be downloaded by Android users through the Google Play Store.
The Philippines is a hotbed for disasters, natural and otherwise. Apart from that, poverty, unemployment, graft and corruption, weak leadership in the government, excessive politicking, and the like could be reasons enough to be a depressed nation. But we have demonstrated time and again that we can always bounce back. In the middle of catastrophes and tragedies, we can still manage to smile and be hopeful for a new hope that tomorrow brings.
While the alleged "Tanim Bala" continues to damage the already ailing reputation of the Ninoy International Airport in Manila, and has removed the smiles from our faces, Kulit Games, a mobile app developer, brought that smile to a temporary level. The game app developer very well knows knows that there is nothing funny and good about "these greedy administrators [who] want to plant a bullet in your bag". The app developer very well know that it is the prayer of the ordinary 'Juans' like OFWs, balikbayans and other travelers to stop this Tanim Bala Scam ASAP. But PNoy and his administration, including his political party lacked the political will to solve this and failed big-time on this snafu. So Kulit Games (really Kulit :-) ) made a light and entertaining game in order for these administrator not to succeed in their schemes so the passenger and would-be victim don't "end up paying $1,000. Of course you would not let them do that!”
Kulit Games brought Tanim Bala to Google Play Store and lets you control and help a possible victim of the ‘administrators’ from becoming prey and avoid the bullets landing in his luggage. Unlike the complicated and intricate real-life version of the scam, Tanim Bala is simple and easy game where users will only have to move their cursor from left to right to avoid the bullets from being dropped by airport security officials in their luggage. The 15 mb game can be downloaded by Android users from the Google Play Store.
There’s really nothing fun about this Laglag Bala scam because our government leadership continues to remain blind, deaf, clueless and is kaput in taking a strong resolve on the issue. (though everyone else knows, including the global citizens)!
I hope the game app developer makes another game app where the players (passengers) will take the bullets and do "in a Duterte-like fashion" feed the bullets straight to the mouth of the Rolex-wearing "administrators".
The only fun for now is this mobile game played in front of our mobile screens! This is a good break, a temporary respite while waiting for the long overdue axing of Honrado's head from NAIA!
If Tanim Bala is only a game... many people will put the law in their hands!
TanimBala Si Nanay Gloria Ortinez ay naging biktima nitong nakaraang linggo, at di na mabilang na iba pa, Baka bukas makalawa, pinsan mo, kaibigan o ikaw na mismo ang maging biktima ng tanim-bala o laglag-bala sa NAIA. Segundo lang daw na malingat ka, ISANG BALA KA LANG, SIRA ANG KINABUKASAN, KUNG WALA KANG P80,000 IKAW AY NASA KULUNGAN, WASAK ANG PAMILYA, MAY RECORD KA SA NBI KAHIT ANG KATOTOHANAN WALA KANG KASALANAN.
Hindi natin hahayaang magpapatuloy itong KASAKIMAN na ito ng iilang tao, kapwa pa man din Pilipino! Sigaw ng mga OFW at mga kapamilya, kamag-anak ng mga OFW at ng sambayang Pilipino, WAKASAN NA ANG TANIM-BALA! Ngayon na! Ito ang aming rally sa social media at hinihikayat namin ang mga nakakabasa nito na ISHARE, KOPYAHIN O IDOWNLOAD AT GAWING PROFILE PICTURE HANGGANG SA MATAUHAN SILA at makita ang ating galit, ngitngit, takot at pangamba!
Once again, to show my support and in unity with the online call #NoToTanimBala #NoToLaglagBala of many OFW groups, I have changed my Facebook profile picture.
The call is addressed to the leadership of our government to act now and to act quick before the remaining reputation and respect for the Filipinos be fully eroded! The government has obviously failed to reform and address the alleged accusations that it is the Airport Security Officers who have been dropping bullets into the bags of unsuspecting passengers afterwards threatening to charge or arrest them for carrying illegal ammunition in exchange of a settlement.
The best that our government has done so far is to allay the fears of passengers by downplaying the number of cases involving a scam. Communications Secretary Coloma described the cases as just isolated and assured the public using the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) they have nothing to worry about. “We need to place these in the proper context,” he said. “Thousands use the airport everyday and only a few of them are found with bullets.”
In my disappointment to the government's inaction, the flak and the negative publicity our country is getting, I posted a hurriedly written but coming from my heart note in my Facebook profile picture.
Dear PNoy,
Walang undas-undas sa aming mga OFW ngayon! Sobra-sobrang kahihiyan na ang naidulot ng mga pangyayari sa ating bansa at yan ay nagpapakita ng uri ng iyong liderato sa ating bansa. Kami ang iyong boss, di ba? Di ako mahiyang magsabi nito sa iyo dahil binoto kita. Bilang isang OFW, ako ay nakikiisa sa milyon-milyong mga OFW saan mang dako ng mundo upang ipaabot sa iyong liderato na dapat ng wakasan ang drama at kalokohan ng Tanim Bala na ito.
The recent outrage in social media alleging that airport security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila have been putting bullets in luggage of passengers to accuse them of violating Section 28 of R.A. 10591, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act” must be STOPPED NOW!
It is now becoming an international embarrassment and a big disgrace to NAIA as an institution, and to the whole country! Nakapangalan pa naman sa iyong ama ang paliparan. Pakisabi na rin pala kay Coloma na hindi isolated cases and laglag bala. How can it be an isolated case when the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) reported that thousands of bullets were found in passengers' baggage at the NAIA this 2015? Tsaka di naman sa numero ang kahihiyan, di ba? Kaunti man o maraming insidente ng Laglag Bala, ang kapalit ay ang kahihiyang naidudulot nito sa bawa't mamayang Pilipino (kung meron pang naiwang hiya).
Wawasakin na ng #LaglagBala Syndicates ang pangarap ng mga OFW, di pa rin nangangamba ang ating pamahalaan? Mawawala na ang industriya ng Turismo sa ating bansa, di pa rin nangangamba? Pinagtatawanan na tayo ng mga ibang mga lahi dahil sa corruption sa ating mga institusyon at agensya ng pamahalaan, di pa rin nababahala ang ating pamahalaan?
President Noynoy, kung meron ka pang naiwang malasakit para sa mga mamayang Pilipino at sa kapakanan ng Pilipinas, panahon na upang mapatunayan mo ito! Your swift action may mean cutting off your ties with friends that you have appointed especially those at the corrupt institutions and agencies of the government, including the leadership at MIAA. We want to see an immediate closure of the issue which means many friends' heads will roll! We give you the honors to do a roll call now!
Isang Bala Ka Lang is no longer a threat from a good cop regarded as the champion of the poor and downtrodden. It is now the literal bullet, allegedly "planted/dropped", and remains even a bigger threat to one's dreams of having a good life. Photo Credit | www.mentalfloss.com
Isang Bala Ka Lang is a famous line and title of a 1983 Box Office Hit where "The King" of Philippine Movies Fernando Poe, Jr. and matinee idol Julie Vega teamed up as father and daughter.
Berting (played by FPJ) was a good cop who tries his best to keep the oath that he has made to his duty. He was convicted and jailed for twelve years for avenging the death of his wife. When he was released from prison, he swore to evade trouble and to lead a peaceful life with his daughter Angela (played by Julie Vega). But how long can a good person be blind and deaf to the reality that surrounds him? How long can one remain to be inaction if the supposedly "good people" and the law do nothing to avert criminal elements from continuously victimizing innocent people?
Eight years later in 1991, the sequel Isang Bala Ka Lang 2 was made. The story followed the events where Part 1 had left off.
How long can he remain to be inaction if the supposedly "good people" and the law do nothing to avert criminal elements from continuously victimizing innocent people? Photo Credits | Left Photo - Juice.ph; Right Photo - s.ecrater.com
Isang Bala Ka Lang! A story of a child's fear of bullets...
I grew up in a small town of Upi in the Tiruray Highlands south of Cotabato City. My father used to tell us that many Ilocano farmers migrated to the Upi Valley in the 1920s and coexisted peacefully with the Tirurays. In postwar period, they were joined by many Ilonggo homesteaders and many Maguindanaons. The coexistence only lasted for around half a century.
I was a young boy when a series of violence occurred in early to mid 1970s, regarded as intense sectarian conflict. There were clashes between outlaws, armed bands, and Muslim gangs. That was the time the legendary Feliciano Luces, alias "Toothpick" became notoriously "popular". It was in a barrio south of Upi where he established his stronghold.
The outbreak of a series of violence in Upi scared off many inhabitants. The violence cost lives and property damages, with scores of farms and houses burned and farmers killed, and many hundreds were made refugees. It is a common sight to see stalk mortar bombings, ambushes along deserted highways, robberies, killings of innocent civilians.
I will not forget the day in 1974 when my father came running back home and instructed everyone to pack up the most important things that we need to take. That was the first time I heard the word - "travel light". My mother was already in her teacher's uniform ready to go to school, My older brother and I had our OOTD - our school uniform of Khaki shorts, white shirt, and Bata shoes. In a wink of an eye, we were all ready. I could hear my grandmother utter several prayers. Then the action began! We had to get out of our house from the back gate leading to our farm. We were instructed to move very cautiously and carefully so as not to attract attention. We were to move fast to avoid stray bullets. We were evacuees, evacuating from a once safe place to another supposedly safe-place, moving at night to avoid being seen by rebels who occupied the town poblacion. After some few days of hiding in river banks, coffee and corn plantation, we became refugees in a primary school in a nearby barrio for some few days.
Victory came when the military was able to successfully force out the rebels to retreat from our hometown. I saw my father weeping, comparing our experience as worst than what he went through during the Japanese Occupation of World War II. Tears of joy freely flowed from his eyes when we got back to our house. Though fully ransacked, we were all thankful that it was not burned to the ground, as some other houses in the neighborhood. After checking the house, we went to look for food and went to check our two small grocery stores that were full of supplies and inventory a day before the rebel occupation. Both were totally wiped out.
God is faithful! He was able to deliver us from harm and was able to see us through.
The past is now nothing but a memory very much far from the present-day Upi.Upi may still be a long way to go as a premier rural eco-tourism and agricultural town enjoying the amenities of an urban center but what is good is that it is already on its way! The mountainous terrain with distributed valleys and plains, is an idyllic place and worthy of its title as the the summer capital of Maguindanao. Photo taken of the sunset along the Cotabato City - Upi Highway while we were travelling home to Upi on December 29, 2012.
Isang Bala Ka Lang! From fear to fascination...
I was a child of war! I grew up in a war-torn province. A province associated with images of violence and conflict. I learned to live in a society where kidnapping, robbery and assault were typical. Ambushes along the highway going to Cotabato City were very common. Residents stayed away from the streets after dusk. So when the town was placed under military control, the military became our friends. They became our role models. Many of the ladies in our place ended up marrying soldiers assigned in the area. It could be the reason why if ever asked about my childhood dream, I would right away give a straight response - to be a soldier, a military officer. Hahaha. It will be fast to find a wife when you're a soldier. My father wants me to be a lawyer. So to compromise, a military-lawyer, would how I would answer later.
While growing up, we got hooked up with a hobby. A hobby that cannot be easily learned elsewhere, by other boys our age. Bullet collecting has become a popular hobby. There were different kinds of bullets and many of us got fascinated by it. We got to learn about the rim, the extractor groove, the body, the shoulder, the neck and the mouth. Hahaha. They're not parts of the human body, they're parts of the cartridge or the casing. I also learned about shotguns, armalites, pistols, machine guns, rifles, launchers, etc. People became creative how to use the cartidges. They were made into necklaces, bracelets, ashtrays, decors, artworks, and even made-to-believe amulets. That hobby was kinda' weird but I grew up seeing a bullet, a cartridge, harmless without the trigger and a pointing gun.
From a "No Man's Land", Upi has now become a haven of an empowered tri-people and agro-industrial center in South Central Mindanao where the community now lives in a healthy and peaceful environment with an innovative and responsive local government. From a 4th Class Municipality, it is now classified as a 1st Class MunicipalityPhoto taken on December 23, 2014 on our way from Upi after a short visit to my mother and sister
A clenched-fist with a "Makibaka" cry is stronger than a bullet...
I went to Manila for my university studies and forgot all about my bullet-collection hobby. I begun to have a change of mindset - not to be afraid, not to be fascinated by bullets, as well. I begun to have a different perception of the military. I saw that the bullet can't change. People can! The voice of the people can! By the voice of the people, I don't mean a change through an electoral process. I saw elections as another fraud. My thinking redefined Abraham Lincoln's “the ballot is stronger than the bullet”. "Boycott" was such a nice-sounding and a better cry.
I finished my degree. Thanks to my scholarship grant sponsor. Got a job. I never fulfilled my childhood dream of becoming a military man. I almost got close to that dream when an opportunity to become a US Navy came knocking one day. But I said to myself, I have a girlfriend whom I can't leave behind and who was willing to marry me even if I am not a soldier. :-) A thought crossed that day - can I see myself in a military uniform? And more words just popped out... patriotism, nationalism, allegiance.
So I got married and was blessed with a family. Had an opportunity to become an OFW earlier but I backed off. I was on my way to fulfill my father's dream for me, which has now become my dream. But then the same opportunity, offered from the same employer came knocking again. This time more loudly. This time I saw not just my dream. I saw the dreams and the future of my children and my family!
Isang Bala Ka Lang! Not just a movie line but a grave threat to the OFW dreams and a big disgrace for Daang Matuwid.
I became an OFW 12 years ago. The story of my journey is the same story shared by many OFWs like me. It's a story of dreams... a story of a bright future... a story of a better life!
Dreams may vary a bit when you drill down to specifics - paying off a family loan, to own a house, save for investments, help other siblings in the family, start up a business, provide good and best education for children, help in the medical treatment for sick family members, but all ultimately boils down to having a better and comfortable life.
Everyone knows that to work away from your family to find greener pastures abroad is a bitter pill to swallow. But the present economic and financial conditions and the limited opportunities available in our country leaves us no better option but to swallow that pill.
Many are lucky to pursue their dreams, but many more failed. Those who failed, as long as they are still alive and healthy, keep on trying again and again. The pursue for a good life for our families is a lifetime chase, no matter how hard it could be. It's not easy. We miss out a lot of special days, occasions, and celebrations but those are some of the exchanges for a greener grass.
To ease homesickness, the OFWs take on to social media and the internet to update their loved ones. Watching Filipino movies, teleseryes, kalyeserye, and the like could be among those homesickness-busters hat are very often resorted to. Among the Pinoy favorites lately are #AlDub, #OTWOL, and romantic movies of Pinoy young actors and actresses. Some oldies but goodies enjoy archived movies of Pinoy legends. FPJ movies are also popular among OFWs and Isang Bala Ka Lang Part 1 & 2 may have been watched over and over again by many of them. Till now, I haven't.
Very recently, Isang Bala Ka Langmade rounds in social media. It's not about Da King's box-office hit. I'm referring to the Laglag/Tanim Bala at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Where? At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport! Sometimes it's not good to immortalize dead men, more so, if it is associated to a notorious place. Well, NAIA 1 was consecutively tagged at the top of the world's worst airport and improved to 4th worst airport in 2014. Just this month it was reported to be out of the 10 worst airports in the world. The news was a good relief and people started to forget that NAIA was also once labeled as Asia’s largest public sauna when its air conditioning bogged down in April 2014. But it seemed that it was not contented with all the bad publicity. It still wanted to add another sash to its already disreputable image. Now the "Home of the Laglag Bala Extortion Syndicates!" is a new title. Such a big disgrace to NAIA as an institution, and to the whole Philippines in general!
99.9% of bullet-related airport arrests in the entire planet! Congrats Nionoy Aquino International Airport.
Laglag Bala or bullet planting is a shameful extortion racket by "some" NAIA airport security personnel. They allegedly extort money from passengers by planting ammunition in the passenger's baggage in exchange of a settlement. It is now popularly called with the hashtags #LaglagBala #TanimBala.
In mid September, two bullets were mysteriously found at the luggage of a balikbayan. The wheelchair-bound balikbayan said she paid P500 to the airport security personnel to allow her to depart the country.
On September 18, according to a report on GMA 7 news program “24 Oras”, a Filipino-American passenger, Rhed Austria de Guzman was also one of the victims of the alleged scam but agreed to pay P500 to get things done quickly and to avoid delay and trouble.
On September 23, Lane Michael White, 20, a first time tourist was travelling to Palawan with his father and stepmother when they were stopped at the X-ray scanner area of NAIA Terminal 4. He was detained for five days by airport police at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for allegedly concealing a .22 caliber bullet from the pocket of his checked-in baggage.
Early this week, a 33 yer old Japanese tourist was charged with illegal possession of ammunition when two 9mm bullets were found hidden inside the breast pocket of a long-sleeved shirt in his luggage.
Tonight I read about the 68-year-old woman who going to Boracay who was arrested at NAIA after a bullet was found in her hand carry bag. As I'm writing this, a netizen, posted about his seaman friend who almost became a victim of Laglag Bala while on his way to NAIA. He alleged that a taxi driver planted a bullet in his friend's baggage. It could probably part of the ploy to divert the attention from NAIA and to establish that the the Laglag and Tanim is not from the NAIA Security Officers. Hmmm... just thinking out loud.
When will all of these end?
Let's take a look at the significance of smuggling one to a few pieces of bullets. What could be the reason of a tourist, a balikbayan, an OFW or any ordinary person in smuggling these bullets in or out of NAIA? What purpose will these bullets serve? It's simply absurd and preposterous! It's stupid and idiotic for anyone to smuggle a piece or two of those bullets. The accusation is a violation of Section 28 of R.A. 10591, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.” Let the courts of law decide that while we brace ourselves for the 2016 elections to choose a new set of elected officials to sit in Congress (not really called a group of baboons) to amend this Act.
There's simply no good reason for a person to smuggle a piece or two bullets. I've been cracking my head to find out why? Yet, there are still cases that happen more frequently though Palace says that the laglag bala cases reported were only isolated. How can it be isolated cases when Office of Transportation Security (OTS) reported that 3,325 bullets were found in passengers' baggage at the NAIA from January to August 2015?
The most recent incident that involved Gloria Ortinez, a 56-year-old OFW who works in Hongkong, caused a big outrage in social media, mostly coming from the ranks of the OFWs. She was reportedly arrested and prevented from leaving the country after the authorities at NAIA 2 claimed that they have found a bullet wrapped in red cloth inside her bag.
With the involvement of an OFW as a victim in the so-called NAIA Laglag Bala Syndicate, netizens were quick to react and found social media as a very effective platform to vent out their disappointments and anger on the issue and how it is being handled. It was a similar reaction or may even be to a higher degree of outcry as that of the #BalikbayanBox issue.
This may seem to be a petty issue for some but why are OFWs so emotional and intense about this? Because it has become a threat to their dreams! The syndicate(s) [most likely in plural form as the possibility a widespread operation all over the different NAIA Terminals], can, at anytime, put a hindrance to the fulfillment of the OFWs lifelong dream and ambition of a good life for their families. At anytime, these predators can get more innocent preys if no corrective and preventive actions are taken by NAIA management and our country's leaders.
There are hundreds of graphic posts on the #LaglagBala issue but here are some creative works shared in social media that made me smile, made me cry, made me laugh, made me sad, and even gave me hope to fight for my dreams!
Nananawagan kaming mga OFW ng HUSTISYA! Bakit kung may mga nahuhuling nagnanakaw o nagtatanim-bala dyan sa NAIA, sibak lang sa pwesto, tapos na, pero ang OFW na walang ginawang masama, nakukulong, pinagpipiyansa, kinakasuhan, wasak ang pangarap, sira ang kinabukasan ng pamilya? Asan ang hustisya. Tanggalin ang mga empleyado sa NAIA, balasahin, palitan ang mga namumuno! Ang daming problema hindi pa rin naaayos yan?Photo Credit | PEBA, Inc. Facebook Page
"Ito po ay beterana nang OFW. Alam niya na bawal magdala ng ammunition sa Hong Kong. Na-destroy na 'yung buhay ng tao. May potential na baka hindi pa siya maka-pasok ng Hong Kong not because of the employer but because naging security risk siya.” -Susan Ople, OFW Advocate sa Kaso ni Gloria Ortinez, biktima ng laglag-bala Photo Credit | PEBA, Inc. Facebook Page
Karaniwang gamit ng mga biktima ng laglag bala at laslas na maleta ay mga bag na gawa sa canvass o tela.
Kung kayo ay bibili ng maleta piliin ang hard shell at may secure lock- hindi de-zipper.
PEBA, Inc. Facebook Page even came up with tips to remember if one becomes a victim of this Laglag/Tanim Bala Scammers and Extortion syndicates, a post that has gone viral lately.
1. If a request is made to open your luggage, don't give your consent unless you are in the presence of a lawyer. If no lawyer is available, ask a relative/friend to immediately bring along a lawyer or anyone who can to act as witness in the opening of the luggage. Never open the bag yourself. Let them do the "honors!" 2. If your lawyer-witness is around, let the Airport Security Officers do the honors of handling the bullet in order to avoid touching the bullet. This will protect you from leaving fingerprints on the bullet. 3. If a bullet is found in your luggage, ask your lawyer to challenge the apprehending officer to a fingerprint test to verify and validate the handling of the bullet. 4. If no finger print is traced to you, sue the Airport Apprehending Officers for lawsuit, demand for damages for delay, mental anguish, and waste of time. Other additional demands can be be raised accordingly.
"Isang Bala Ka Lang!" can still be re-written to become a story of hope and fulfilled dreams...
The darkness of hopelessness only comes when there is no escape from the intolerable. That may be true at the stage we are in as a country at the moment. But as Filipinos, we carry a virtue handed down by our forefathers to always long for freedom and liberation. That intolerable place was where our dreams began, That's where thousands upon thousands of OFWs were at, at one point in time. And yes, that is where a lot more Filipinos are at, at the moment. The #LaglagBala Extortionists are at that intolerable state at the moment. But that is not where we are destined to be!
Note this exchange between Aragorn and Eowyn, two of the principle "forces of light" in the film version of J.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers:
Aragorn: What do you fear, my lady?
Eowyn: A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accepts them, and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall and desire.
Aragorn: I do not think that will be your fate.
That corner where the extortionists are pushed to surreptitiously drop or plant that bullet in the luggage of a passenger is the corner of hopelessness and desperation. That is not their fate! Have you ever wondered why we OFWs will take up arms using the social media every time we become threatened by the attacks of the current government's missiles? Because we don't want to be pushed to the corner of the intolerable. We don't want to be surrounded by clouds of darkness and hopelessness. That's why we cried when PhilHealth increased their premium payment. That's why we barraged the social media with #NoTo550 hashtags. That's why we went wild when the Bureau of Customs fired their stalk mortars to clear the field but were counter attacked by the dreaded virus from the #BalikbayanBoxes viral posts. Why did we do that? Because we know that is not our fate!
The investigations being conducted, the arrests and suspensions of the suspects will just remain a placebo, just a simulation, an ineffectual treatment of a disease which is intended to deceive the system as well as the Filipino people. It will be business as usual, a status quo of the intolerable state of governance. That is not the fate of NAIA even if it's currently the "Home of the Laglag Bala Extortion Syndicates!"
We deserve more than this because we don't want to once again be placed in that boxing corner! If OFWs were brave enough to swallow the bitter pill in exchange for a greener pasture, so as not to get stuck in the corner of the intolerable, a much more bitter pill is required to straighten out the rotten system at NAIA! We badly need a system that forces and obliges NAIA officials, our government and elected officials to do their jobs the right way so as not to be acclimatized and consider themselves comfortable and trapped in that intolerable situation.
The story of Isang Bala Ka Lang! is the story of the cop who did not tolerate to be cornered in a place of hopelessness. That's why he didn't allow himself to remain apathetic and non committal. He took that bitter pill. He hoped, he dreamed to see liberation because the supposedly "good people" and the law did nothing to avert criminal elements from continuously victimizing the innocent people.
The story of my hometown is a story of hope and dreams. From a place associated with images of violence and conflict, a society where kidnapping, robbery, ambush, and assault were typical to a haven of an empowered tri-people and agro-industrial center in South Central Mindanao where the community now lives in a healthy and peaceful environment with an innovative and responsive local government. The past is now nothing but a memory very much far from the present-day Upi.
Government isn't suppose to be bad! It's a government of the people, for the people, and by the people. The story of the Filipina-American citizen traveling to the US, who was allegedly found to have two bullets in her luggage paid P500 out of fear. She had the fear of the government officials who were supposed to protect her. That was not her fate if there was a strong leader at NAIA. Leadership has a big responsibility in the journey from hopelessness and shattered dreams to liberation. For my hometown, it took one from among the Lumads to carry on that mantle of leadership to where it is now.
We OFWs are in that stage of disrupted hope. We're caught in the middle of motivational disruptions and conflicts and we begin to entertain dream abandonment, fear-based hopelessness, alienated despair and hopeless rage. We often hear this sentiment of fellow OFW, "Tayo na naman ang pinuntirya ng gobyerno!", a clear indication of a looming conflict between our dreams and our government. That's not our fate.
Come 2016, we have the opportunity to have one from among us represent our sector in the Senate. Someone who can fight for the liberation of the OFWs. The developments on the senate bid of Susan "Toots" Ople is a good indication on the focus given to the OFWs. It is an affirmation of what the OFWs are fighting for and the different parties are embracing the cause for the protection of the migrant workers. It was reported that all the different political parties have invited her to be their guest candidate. She was first offered by Secretary Mar Roxas to run for Senate which she declined because of issues with our OFW sector. Mayor Duterte had endorsed her. Senator Miriam Santiago had endorsed her. Vice President Binay had adopter her to UNA without any conditions. Today, Senator Grace Poe also adopted her. This proves that the OFW is getting the long-overdue attention it deserves. It also points out that among the Senatorial Candidates, she is the only one with a solid program and platform for our sector. Why? Because for OFWs to be forever "orphans" in the Senate is not our fate.
A month ago she didn't even know she was going to run for the Senate. As of today Susan Ople is now endorsed by Grace Poe, Chiz Escudero, Mayor Duterte, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Vice President Binay, and the Villar family. It's a strong affirmation of her heart for the labor and OFW sectors. #ople2016
Our candidate is not running for on behalf of any of the Presidentiables but for the causes and general welfare of OFWs and their families and local workers who has been left treated as mere positive economic data in national governance because of their Trillion Peso remittances every year. In fact our OFWs are required to pay a deposit an amount to be spent by their government for their protection overseas.
MANILA - Senatorial candidate Susan "Toots" Ople on Wednesday admitted that she is having a hard time choosing who to support between Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago in the 2016 presidential election.
Rappler also reported that Migrant workers’ advocate Toots Ople is a guest candidate of both the Poe and Binay slates. She replaces Senator Ping Lacson who was earlier invited to join the lineup. You can watch the video here.
I may not be able to give step by step recommendations on how to eradiate the Laglag Bala problem at NAIA but the best starting point could be the transformation of the behavior and principles of the unscrupulous people (though widespread, not all who work at NAIA are involved.in this scam) can help much in creating NAIA a center of excellence. This may mean a total revamp of the leadership there and let the rule of law prevail! Next to be addressed is to focus in making the inspection and the screening process transparent and to screen their own ranks to ensure that only persons with high level of honesty and integrity are allowed at the inspection area. It will be best to upgrade the professionalism of the staff and improve the level of services and support.
The pursuit of a good life and happiness for our families continues to be our lifetime dream and endeavor. It doesn't come that easy to us as OFWs. Struggles and sacrifices will always be there but we will continue to search for breaks and opportunities. May God continue to bless us, giving us the grace and the ability to continue to hope and fulfill our dreams for our families. That is where our fate lies! Isang Bala Ka Lang can't put our dreams to oblivion!
