ROBERTO BACASONG'S BLOG

Brian Gorrell on Gucci Gang

2008-04-10T02:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Guys!!!

First of all, I did not incorporate this 'sensationalize' topic in my blog to gain attention. No matter how it goes, I hope the controversial issue will be given a final period signifying the end of Mr. Brian Gorrell's battle against the famous Gucci Gang!

if you want to read more information: please visit the link below:

http://delfindjmontano.blogspot.com/2008/03/dj-montano-delfin-justiniano-ocampo.html

Detailed content:

Tuesday, March 4, 2008
DJ Montano: Delfin Justiniano Ocampo Montano II

DJ Montano and I were lovers for almost a year and for five months of that, I was in Australia making and sending him money for our Portuguese restaurant called Bonza, in the new Greenbelt phase which is yet to becompleted.

The owner Antonio was kept away from me. And now I know why. Any meeting that we were to have have to discuss progress, was cancelled at the last minute due to Antonio's 'schedule'.

Antonio does, not or has never known about me, or the money that is helping to open his establishment. But he will know soon enough. As will every person attached to the money that has been taken from me in the name of their business's, by DJ Montano.

I have found out that DJ actually used part of my money to pay off a debt of his own making that his family was being threatened over.

It was his debt from his previous restaurant that he had shunned responsibility for, for over three years. Finally, the guy got fed up and threatened to sue his family. This made DJ jump like a roo. He begged me for fifty thousand dollars while I was still in Australia preparing to move to Boracay. But I had not sold my house yet and could not raise such lofty sums on such short notice.

He was cross with me. Hung up the phone and would not speak to me until I sent the money. And soon enough, he got his devious little hands directly into my bank account.

I know this debt to be factual as I know the man he owed the money to and eventually paid. He introduced himself to me on Boracay because a mate told him who I was and what I had been through with DJ.

DJ and I shared our time together until our relationship ended at the end of last year due to an altercation we had at the Intercontinental hotel after I demanded to know where all my money had gone.

My mother had become concerned at the amounts I was transferring and triggered my own fears. I still trusted him and loved him at this point. Stupid stupid man I was.

He changed in the hotel room after I demanded to see proof of the bank accounts he said he had opened in both of our names. He transformed within seconds into a person i had never met before.

He threw himself at me and I was stunned. I begged him to calm down, but he knew this was it. Make or break for him. My money was in the balance and he did NOT want or have it to give back to me. It was gone gone gone, not unlike his morals, dignity and self respect. Just plain gone!

At one point, I pushed him off me and he hit the corner of the bed falling to the floor, where he literally screamed like a little girl. It was truly pathetic to watch. I was shocked because he immediately started to scream assault. Evil little creature. I believe in my heart of hearts, he pre-planned the entire thing. He had to get rid of me... but somehow keep my money. Clever little critter.

Post altercation, he tried (with the help of his Celine Lopez's ex-fiance to have me fitted up with anassault charge which was bogus and dismissed by the police without a mention.

When he left my hotel roomafter I left for gym, he stole many things from myroom.

1. Brand new Yogi shoes which I had yet to wear.
2. 2 new Tsubi tops
3. Brand new Tom Ford Sunglasses
4. Three bottles on duty free scent.
5. Teeth whitening kit.
6. Very expensive necklace
7. Plane ticket to Bora
8. 160,000 pesos

He was trying his hardest to revive it and bring a charge against me which has failed.

He is only doing this to counter the truth coming from me and my friends in an attempt to illicit sympathy from his own stable of so called 'friends'.

Panic attacks my ass. Lay off the drugs mate. And cut down your anti d intake mate.

But his reputation is shocking because of what he has done to me and for what he has done to others.

And the majority of the group know it. But some choose to look the other way therefore enabling him to continue along his path of destruction and total disregard for the concern of others.

On Bora, he owes so many people money for cocaine. I know four people he owes a total of about 240,000 pesos to. And they are pissed. They look for him always.

Even the police know he is a liar. I told them on Boracay that he was threatening to have me thrown off the island. They laughed.

Thankfully for me, the ex fiance of Celine is a wonderful guy and was basically duped into doing DJ's dirty work by assisting him in his endeavours to have me fitted up last year with a bogus assault charge.

He deserves so much better then that carnival of sideshow freaks and illusionists he was around for awhile.

Trick mirrors everywhere in their world.

Poor Celine Lopez. The girl needs major rehab. Its why they think they are superior to others. When in fact, they cannot function without coke.

My Yaya runs circles around them all when it comes to honesty and integrity.

DJ wanted me deported so he could just take every penny from me. I am not prepared to tell all until I am out of the country as DJ many times told me his family had the power to make people 'disappear'.

And I plan to tell all and everything.

It really will shock so many people to find out what is really walking amongst them.

Or then again, maybe it won't.

Its all up to the individual. but many people will be blown away when i reveal all.

I am in the final stages of leaving the country mostly due to his immoral and constant attempts to undermine what was once a beautiful dream for me here.

Its dead.

I have tried to recover, but the memories are everywhere, and his lies and lies and lies still rip me apart inside. To bloody shreds.

His 'best' girlfriend told me to be a man about it not that long ago.

This coming from a person who can barely stand upright in the morning without a big fat bump of cocaine. Tragic figure she cuts. But she got hers when her ex fiance dumped her ass because of her shocking addiction to cocaine.

But more about her later.

And Iwill spill the lot!

She thinks I don't know her.

But she us as transparent as a piece of dripping tissue after a nose blow.

Cruelty is his middle name. All very one dimensional and incredibly unforgiving to those whose eye's may not be fully open to the sheer audacity of it all.

He enlisted his mother at one point to fight his battles for him with me. She called me a liar and threatened to have me deported if I went after my money.

I told her her son stole my money but she replied. " my son is a god fearing man".

What a joke.

He has not one Christian bone in his little deformed body. I asked her why she is so concerned about our situation when she really should feel guilty about never having his teeth fixed.

Gnarly little jabberjaw!

The lies that came out of that jagged toothed orface still shocks me. Thousands of lies.

His threats of deportation if I pursue the money have left me a shadow of my former self. I love this country but he has snatched away this particular part of my life journey.

Its just too much now and I need a fresh start. He wanted my money, and now he has it.

Not all of thank the lord.

He almost got me to transfer eighty thousand dollars to him the DAY BEFORE THE BREAK UP WHICH I AM CONVINCED HE PLANNED FOR WEEKS BECAUSE AS SOON AS I QUESTIONED WHERE ALL THE FUNDS HAD GONE, IT WAS ALL OVER FOR US.

My prince turned ack into a frog. A fat slippery poisonious thieving little toad.

The pain has proved to be too much of a hurdle to jumpover... even here on beautiful Boracay.

Although my gorgeous amazing friends have stood beside me through the whole sordid ordeal, its is just not enough.

He has put so much fear into me with regards to the country and its people. Convinced me my Yaya was stealing from me which was a filthy lie. My Yaya ROCKS!!!!

It was him who was going through my wallet pinching a thousand here and there.

Meanwhile, the entire time, its him who was stealing from me. I will provide details regarding items he took from me in my hotel room and other shocking revelations. For a while, I was sure I was going to be bundled away and never heard from again due to the disgusting rumours that reached me through his 'camp'.

I hired two security guards for three weeks because he was telling people he was going to have me thrown outof the Philippines.

His family is actually powerless and poor. They fear me more now then i fear them. All smoke and mirrors. DJ is from a family long littered with corruption and thievery. The grandfather was a crook and the father a mere mercenary. Killed because of his treachery and deception. His uncle is being chased by money people due to his corruption.

You could not even imagine what he and this has done to me. No one could. Unless you have been dragged through the quagmire of 'DJ's makebelieveland' with its razor lined cul de sacs, glass infested playgrounds and transparent hollow suburbs.

This Australian boy has been well and truly fucked over by this disastrous conniving little Pinoy.

From absolute day one, I was being finessed for my cash. I am not an idiot, but after my time with DJ Montano, I have been left embarrassed and humiliated and sixty five thousand dollars poorer.

Not to mention the rest..... which is another fifteen to twenty thousand dollars for our other travel business whichwas to be called Montage Travels, a tourism booking agency for Boracay which i was to operate due to myexperience in this industry back home in Australia.

I gave him this cash hand to hand mostly therefore i can't prove that I gave it to him at all. He knew this and planned it in advance. He knows and uses the system in this country over and over for his corrupt behaviour. DJ knows that going to court is timely and costly to a foreigner and we are unwilling to go through even more torture in a system so foreign to us.

He is the worst type of person. A disgrace to thiscountry. Common criminal. He should be full of shame but he is a unrepentant, psychopathic. Not meek or reserved or genteel. The exact opposite of that. Cruel and actually quite ignorant.

He told me that his connections with the DOT was sure to launch our business on Boracay. He said over and over until i was convinced. I have contacted the DOT and they were stunned by my story.

They did not have any record of DJ being involved with the DOT.

More lies. Lies, lies, lies.

But I was blinded by his deceptive brilliance and unconscionable trickery. He is a master at the sell and the close.

He used my money to fly back and forth to Singapore to be with his other boyfriend who I only found out about because he has one friend in particular who has helped me come to terms with what he turned out to be.

But he told me it was official DOT work.

Rubbish.

My heart is broken because of the deception. I loved him entirely and he did nothing but use and abuse me.

When I am safely out of the Philippines, I plan on telling everything I know about him and his enablers.

"One hundred and one things you did not know about the'Gucci' Group" from an intimate insider.

I would be most pleased if you would post my list and help shed some light on the toxic issue of 'self entitlement' which is so so prevalent in your Manila 'society', not to mention plain old fashion greed, fearof poverty and chronic dishonesty and the lack of truth that plagues certain people in it.

Not to mention the cocaine addiction and abuse.

I had to pay Dj's driver once in Manila because he would not move the car until he had money. DJ owed him three months salary. I gave him eighteen thousand pesos. Never got it back. But that's ok, because I really liked the driver.

Poor thing, working for a wannabee socialite with a crap car with no air con. But that night he had loads of coke. So I paid his bills but he still had coke money.

His close girlfriends (both of them) knew he had another boyfriend in Singapore the entire time we were together.

They have denied it. I know the truth. But I know now, that they are nothing but mold on the stinkiest piece of cheese on this particular platter of faux decadence and privilege.

I have zero empathy for these wild and woolly creatures who will be exposed for what they are. Irrelevant nothings struggling for definition in a world where there is no true place of value for them to rest their swollen over indulged air-heads.

Just a bunch of insecure coke snorting goblins who objectify their entire environment due to their lack of moral compass and directional focus. Poor things and the gift bags they get.

Its the only reason they show up. Amass amass amass. I feel so sorry for them. Therefore I will not only, never forgive them for their callous disregard for my feelings, but I will show them how it feels to be blindsided in such a brutal fashion.

DJ is on so many drugs. Several anti depressants. I battled constantly with his fluctuating moods. Tons of sleeping pills, not to mention the copious amounts of cocaine he does.

When we were together, I begged him to stop snorting drugs. He told me many times he had, but I always knew he was lying because he would sniffle and snort constantly.

When i confronted him about his addiction, he simply denied it and told me i was crazy. But one time I found nine baggies of coke in his bag. I asked his what it was and he told me it was vitamin powder from his 'healer'.

I was so stupid, I believed him.

But that night I caught him and his partner in crime snorting lines at Embassy. I was devastated. If I knew he was a drug addict, I NEVER would have looked at him let alone dated him.

--
Brian Gorrell

at 11:55 PM

Labels: brian gorrell, celine lopez, dj montano

300 comments:

The Prophet said...

this is so The Mysterious Yearning Secretive Sad Lonely Troubled Confused Loving Musical Gifted Intelligent Beautiful Tender Sensitive Haunted Passionate Talented Mr. Ripley!

be well, Brian!

The things we are afraid of seem to be like high mountains to climb.
When we have gone through them they were in fact very small hills.
Tricky mind.
- Tishan
March 7, 2008 4:51 AM
karen blix said...

I think that "power" to make people disappear waned by the 70s, it is all there in abook called "the Anarchy of Filipino Families", one chapter dedicated to the notorious Montano clan of Cavite... have a read!
March 7, 2008 10:04 AM
Anonymous said...

why don't you just work with the local police and plan a sting to bust his sorry drug-filled ass!!

I think you better think revenge now...
March 7, 2008 7:52 PM
Anonymous said...

so sorry to hear of your story. i pray that you heal soon and that you may still give love and this country a chance. as for your devil-incarnate of an ex... hmm, his punishment is already in implementation.
March 8, 2008 12:07 AM
Anonymous said...

and this is why the philippines has such a bad reputation. because of bitches like DJ and CELINE, thank you to the both of you, youre making this country suuuuccch a better a place..

and dear dear brian, im mourning with you, precious money put to waste with a guy who just used you and is so far from being gorgeous.. what did you see in him anyways? lolz
March 8, 2008 1:22 AM
Anonymous said...

DJ Montano is a criminal and should rot in jail.

Celine Lopez... wow. she's satan incarnate.

What a joke these two people are.
March 8, 2008 2:54 AM
ritzy said...

do you have naked/nude pics of DJ Montano? a sextape maybe? pls. send it to me at itchosa@yahoo.com...thanks
March 8, 2008 3:15 AM
Anonymous said...

(SPEECHLESS)
i dont know if this comment can help of what you feel.. just wanna let you know that i feel for you. i am a filipino gay guy here in the philippines and it just disgust me reading all of these things about these people. i hope that someday (time can only tell), you can be back here strong from the storm of the past and be able to see better things in our country.
March 8, 2008 1:11 PM
Anonymous said...

Oh my God... this DJ Montano guy is a teacher of some sorts in the school Endrun here... how disturbing that a coke addict should be teaching children... or have anything to do with the shaping of minds... He should be fired instantly!!!
March 8, 2008 3:44 PM
Losangelesriver said...

I feel sad that this happened to you. I hate that you were victimized by social climbing pretenders. Though they are my people, i feel so embarrassed by their actions. I hope that more than recovering your money, i hope you recover the spirit abused by your lowly ex.
March 8, 2008 4:18 PM
Anonymous said...

Who is the other girlfriend of dj? Best friend of celine? Is her initials W.P.H?
March 8, 2008 6:04 PM
abbie said...

Hello, Brian.

My heart goes out to you. This phase in your life is a very hard lesson and an expensive one. Shame on this DJ and Celine person. I too was wondering if these people still sleep at night.
March 8, 2008 8:49 PM
anonymous said...

celine, it's time for atonement. do the right thing. tell your criminal social climber friend to give the aussie's money back.
and to you delfin, why don't you just return his money?
it's not yours!
do you know deflin that it feels wonderful if the money you're spending is hard-earned? that it is a fruit of your labor?
you're shameless!
you're no different from the dreaded pickpockets, hold-upers and other criminals in the streets of manila...except you do your crimes inside posh hotels.

brian, i think you're a nice guy. i really do.and there's just one thing that i don't understand about you. why the hell did you spend that enormous sum on a gay who is not even goodlooking?
did you not look around manila?
did you not see any cute guys here?
you could have spotted real cute and much cheaper guys had you wandered your eyes around.
this delfin montano is just a big piece of shit!
shame on you!
brian, i think you're really a nice guy. i do. i wish you could have your money back from this thief! i'm so sorry for the ordeal this vermin has put you through.
you know what brian, i used to dream of having the lives these people have. i thought they had good ones, as what i saw from their pictures in the pages of magazines.
i thought i was unfotunate and miserable for not being like or being one of them. now, i've realized that i am and i can't be like them because i don't steal other people's money and designer stuffs and i'm not a drug addict.
thank you brian, for your story.
it has made me realize, that there's no reason for me to dream of their dirty and ugly lives.
March 8, 2008 9:31 PM
Anonymous said...

social climbers. take care brian..
March 9, 2008 7:27 AM
Anonymous said...

sigh, if you only looked around for more interesting guys...

nakakahiya naman to, nayurakan na naman reputation ng mga baklang pinoy sa mga foreigners, bigtime pa kung humuthot ng pera. sana ako na lang brian, cute mo pa naman...

(this is a shame, a big smut for all gay pinoy potato queens.)
March 9, 2008 5:03 PM
Anonymous said...

brian are you serious he's my good friend! i cant believe it!!
March 9, 2008 6:15 PM
Anonymous said...

i don't understand how people can actually be shocked about this. he's been screwing people out of money since such a long time ago! considering how so many people were already bitching about it from way back, i'm surprised people did not know what he was (not talking about you brian, you were a foreigner and am sure had no clue).
March 9, 2008 6:30 PM
Anonymous said...

I don't understand, maybe he dumped you and you are making up all these things...

On the other hand, you may be telling the truth, and you are really hurt...

But how the hell should we know?
March 9, 2008 6:43 PM
ronald said...

you know whaT IM REALLY SURPRIse that this thing happened to you. no offense meant but i guess you really fall in love with this guy.but still it is not the end of the world for you dear.you might lose your money to him but one thing for sure you still have your dignity to stand up and face the world with honor.I know it is easier to say than done. but in the end you will be vindicated.KARMA OR THE LAW OF NATURE.IS A SPLIT SECONDS AWAY. TAKE CARE.
March 10, 2008 12:43 AM
Silent Gay Community said...

hahaha!!! ang kapal ng mukha mo DJ! isa kang malaking magnanakaw! magbayad ka! linisin mo pangalan mo! puweh! hoy huwag kang magpakita sa malate at kukutusan ka namin...FREELOADER!

OH eto dito nagtatrabaho ang balahura!

http://www.enderuncolleges.com/faculty_culinaryarts.asp
March 10, 2008 3:19 AM
Anonymous said...

The first time I heard the name DJ Montano was about four months ago. My best friend told me to be careful of this guy because an Aunt's friend lost money to this crook.

Second time I heard his name was when I was introduced to him at Embassy two months ago. Didn't ring a bell then until a friend quickly pulled me to the side and said "that's "Mr Kacheapan!"

Now, this Blog.

I feel for you, Brian. People advise you here to move on or "find piece". But how does anyone move on with his life's saving (which was suppose to be an investment) stolen from him?

I hope you get your money back one way or the other. I hope DJ rots in jail or 'disappear' himself, and dude, have better taste is guys!
March 10, 2008 3:34 PM
Anonymous said...

More dirt pls brian .... keep it comin .... bwahahahahaha
March 10, 2008 4:59 PM
Anonymous said...

its so bad...but its true...i wish you the best..
March 10, 2008 10:53 PM
Anonymous said...

Celine swallows for a snort..... hahahaha
March 10, 2008 11:41 PM
Anonymous said...

BRIAN,

TRUST ME, RELEASE IT ALL!!! WE SUPPORT YOU ALL THE WAY..THAT IS THE TRASH THAT DOESNT KNOW HOW TO EDUCATE...
March 10, 2008 11:46 PM
Anonymous said...

go gay guy go gay guy go gay guy....destroyyyy themmmmmm.....the truth shall set you/them free.... we want more ....we want more..
March 10, 2008 11:53 PM
Anonymous said...

Oh my heart goes out to you brian. I hope you wont think all filipino's are like dj and his friends. I'll help you spread the word. i posted the link for your blog on my site. You take care brian. Godbless
March 11, 2008 12:34 AM
Anonymous said...

Go Brian! Please dont stop spilling. THOSE SOCIAL CLIMBING ASSHOLES DESERVE THIS! Name more! Speak up for the ones who were also insulted and used by these wannabes. There are more FAGS in the closet out there... and very RUDE bitchy AIR HEADS. People..just review the lifestyle pages. The same faces we see are the same assholes who are still yet to be exposed!
March 11, 2008 12:54 AM
Anonymous said...

ok for me celine hay she's a nice girl trust me client ko siya nung nag work ako sa gbelt d na ako mag mention ng store kung san yun basta she's not a bitch kasi judge kais kayo ng judge eh tsk tsk
March 11, 2008 2:05 AM
Anonymous said...

I feel for you Brian... It's just so sad that the last image you have of the Philippines is a cheat. Well, These incidents just prove how scary it is to transact/do business here. If it's not the government who will cheat you, it'll be the people who you least expect. You should've made some paper trails. Can't blame you though, the guy went straight to every gay man's weakness. They're so evil! I will pray for a swift karmic twist on them. Keep this up and I'm sure, soon, you'll have justice. God Bless You!
March 11, 2008 3:20 AM
Ryan said...

wow! now I know that a scum of the earth really exists, this DJ person.

--
Be well brian
March 11, 2008 3:54 AM
Anonymous said...

i know this person dj montano and celine and many of their friends, not personally.... but we know wat der are doing wen der walk in on our bussiness not to mention. they go to the c.r. 2 at a time or maybe more samtime snipping coke we wer laughping bec der r high. samtyms dey 4got 2 swipe sam coke in der nose u can c sam white powder left... ha!ha!ha! dey r lyk clowns! bunch of adiik!!!
March 11, 2008 6:17 AM
Anonymous said...

adiik!!!!
March 11, 2008 6:18 AM
Chemical Boy said...

Talk about dirty laundry... now who's gonna remove the stubborn stains eh?
March 11, 2008 8:03 AM
Anonymous said...

Sorry that you had a bad experience with a Filipino. I mean, I am not rich, but I know that I grew up with people who value honesty, integrity and hardwork and love regardless of race, faith and sexual orientation. and I am a Filipino. Hope you will find it in your heart to come back here and make friends again with real people.

Good luck in everything and God bless. Will share your blog with my friends if it helps.
March 11, 2008 1:36 PM
Anonymous said...

Your experience is truly sad and unfortunate Brian. My heart goes out to you as i understand the trauma it can leave with you. Know that not all Pinoys are like that, you just got involved with the wrong crowd that happens to be a miniscule and pathetic part of the population. You gotta understand that whatever has happened, you're paying the price for having taken a MAJOR RISK of getting involved in business with people who are doing drugs, and LARGE amounts of it at that! How can that ever be expansive for you? There's no future in that ugly dark world, which only breeds lies. If you've been around people doing coke you would know its all just so false and full of 'crap' talk, gossip and LIES. There's no way you could've trusted people like that, with your life savings no less. Choosing to do so is the part you need to take responsibility for. I commend you for your courage in speaking up. This year will be one of major changes, thank you for having been a catalyst of it. The upside is that it forces people to look within themselves. I hope that this experience brings to Light the lessons that each individual needs to learn, and compels each one to do what is right and One with the Universe. Remember - What we do to others we also do to ourselves!! Bless you!
March 11, 2008 3:31 PM
Anonymous said...

I feel for you, Brian. I'm just ashamed that someone did this to you.

All I can say is: DOWN WITH "HIGH SOCIETY" TRASH.
March 11, 2008 3:47 PM
Anonymous said...

Ah, the social elite of Manila are the social dregs of the world.

It's a shame you're a foreigner in the RP, Brian, without any friends outside the miasma that constantly surrounds the likes of Celine, because they would have told you to run the fuck away from those leeches.

Everyone here knows that the higher you are on the social ladder, the less money you actually possess. Having zero to negative financial assets of their own, these rubes merely peddle (imagined) influence to wannabes in order to survive/fund their coke addiction. Which is to say, they know which people they can use.

I'm sure that some of the locals wisened up to their game after a bad encounter or two, which is probably why DJ sourced from other countries. And that country was Australia.

I feel for you, however, yours isn't an unusual story by any stretch of the imagination. There are tons of posers here. You couldn't swing a cat in Embassy without thwacking 4 or 5 of them in head.

As for DJ's threats of making you "disappear"... how Marcos-ian of him. Had you been exposed to Manila a bit longer, you would have figured out that it's just a favorite line of powerless Filipinos.

Anyway, some advice: don't be afraid to initiate legal action. Use the media against them. Good luck.
March 11, 2008 10:23 PM
Anonymous said...

i don't know you but i sympathize with you, get that fucking bastard... he's the type of person that i hate the most, hurting innocent people for self-gain, he's just as bad as our most corrupt politicians, actually he's probably worse, friggin drug addict... "Gucci Group" may ass
March 12, 2008 4:53 AM
dj montano said...

i'm sorry.. i'll give you your money back. email me - dj
March 12, 2008 11:42 AM
Anonymous said...

How can that TRYING HARD, never done this never been there afford to chip in to pay you back Brian? They are all trying hards and wannabees!!! They pretend to be rich.... THE REAL RICH IN MANILA DON'T GO OUT WITH THESE PEOPLE AND REFUSE TO KNOW THEM, SO LET ME PLEASE CORRECT YOU... THEY ARE NOT HIGHT SOCIETY IN THE PHILIPPINES... THEY WANT TO BUT THEY WILL NEVER ARRIVE! HAHAHAHAA! MIGUEL ROSALES IS A SON OF A SOLDIER... A SIMPLE NOBODY SOLDIER! HOW CAN HE CHIP IN? PATRICK REYNO'S FAMILY IS IN THE RED, READY TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY SO INVESTING ON WHATEVER THEY CAN TO GET AWAY FROM ALL THEIR DEBTS WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO PAY! JUST LIKE DJ, PATRICK IS THE SAME... WANTS TO BE IN THE LIMELIGHT... TILL WHEN? THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY BACK THEIR DEBTS! THEY'RE ALL POOOOOR! PRETENDING TO BE RICH! THEY THINK IT'S GLAMOUROUS.... GUCCI GANG???? THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT..... GET SOME CLASS!!!
March 12, 2008 2:07 PM
Anonymous said...

How can that TRYING HARD, never done this never been there afford to chip in to pay you back Brian? They are all trying hards and wannabees!!! They pretend to be rich.... THE REAL RICH IN MANILA DON'T GO OUT WITH THESE PEOPLE AND REFUSE TO KNOW THEM, SO LET ME PLEASE CORRECT YOU... THEY ARE NOT HIGHT SOCIETY IN THE PHILIPPINES... THEY WANT TO BUT THEY WILL NEVER ARRIVE! HAHAHAHAA! MIGUEL ROSALES IS A SON OF A SOLDIER... A SIMPLE NOBODY SOLDIER! HOW CAN HE CHIP IN? PATRICK REYNO'S FAMILY IS IN THE RED, READY TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY SO INVESTING ON WHATEVER THEY CAN TO GET AWAY FROM ALL THEIR DEBTS WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO PAY! JUST LIKE DJ, PATRICK IS THE SAME... WANTS TO BE IN THE LIMELIGHT... TILL WHEN? THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY BACK THEIR DEBTS! THEY'RE ALL POOOOOR! PRETENDING TO BE RICH! THEY THINK IT'S GLAMOUROUS.... GUCCI GANG???? THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT..... GET SOME CLASS!!!
March 12, 2008 2:08 PM
Anonymous said...

How can that TRYING HARD, never done this never been there afford to chip in to pay you back Brian? They are all trying hards and wannabees!!! They pretend to be rich.... THE REAL RICH IN MANILA DON'T GO OUT WITH THESE PEOPLE AND REFUSE TO KNOW THEM, SO LET ME PLEASE CORRECT YOU... THEY ARE NOT HIGHT SOCIETY IN THE PHILIPPINES... THEY WANT TO BUT THEY WILL NEVER ARRIVE! HAHAHAHAA! MIGUEL ROSALES IS A SON OF A SOLDIER... A SIMPLE NOBODY SOLDIER! HOW CAN HE CHIP IN? PATRICK REYNO'S FAMILY IS IN THE RED, READY TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY SO INVESTING ON WHATEVER THEY CAN TO GET AWAY FROM ALL THEIR DEBTS WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO PAY! JUST LIKE DJ, PATRICK IS THE SAME... WANTS TO BE IN THE LIMELIGHT... TILL WHEN? THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY BACK THEIR DEBTS! THEY'RE ALL POOOOOR! PRETENDING TO BE RICH! THEY THINK IT'S GLAMOUROUS.... GUCCI GANG???? THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT..... GET SOME CLASS!!!
March 12, 2008 2:09 PM
Anonymous said...

Brian,

You go boy! Seriously. Everybody knows Celine Lopez is a crack addict. What else is there to expect from the bastard grandchild of former Vice President Fernando Lopez? Eeek! Like mother, like daughter. Both trying to be models, trying to be accepted. Both with no respect at the very least to the name they carry. Both wanna be socialites with fake baubles and skimming off of the Lopez wealth.

Lopez-Roy
March 12, 2008 2:21 PM
Anonymous said...

And by the way Brian. Make sure you inform your embassy of what is going on with you fore safety precautions. You know, that branch of the Lopezes play dirty. Bloody dirty. If you know whan I mean.

As for DJ Montano, I have heard of him but thank heavens I have not seen him in the flesh. It's been a wide fact that he's just a rat dropping in bowl of black pepper. No money. No connections. Nothing. Do not be afraid of him. For 80,000 dollars he would dupe a person, a friend, a boyfriend? I hate to sound too off track but hey, I wouldn't do that myself for such a small amount...and to a friend at that.

I hope all turns out for the best Brian. Manila Society especially in Boracay is a smokescreen. There's so many people pretending somebody else just because they are far away from Manila--- far away from the place where wealth is far more evident, far more concrete, far more measurable.

Lopez-Roy
March 12, 2008 2:30 PM
Cris (without an 'h') said...

i didn't know you look so good, Brian.
LOL.
March 12, 2008 2:30 PM
Anonymous said...

I am a Malaysian and I've chose to live with two Filipinos for 4-5 months during my stay in Singapore. And they've seriously changed from supposedly nice to horrible.

I TOTALLY understand what you mean.

Thank god for me ive moved out and am happily living with some Thai and Indonesian friends.

All the best, Brian.
March 12, 2008 2:45 PM
The Purple Phoenix said...

Wow. That's all I can say. Keep these stories and COMMENTS coming. I've been sick and tired of the so-called high society. Big broadsheets spend precious ink and paper for their parties and events but they look like a bunch of over-botoxed and over-drugged Third World social climbers.
March 12, 2008 4:32 PM
Anonymous said...

i just wanna say that I feel for you. you're such a nice guy to just be used by them.But not all Filipinos are like them.I'm just sad knowing these people who the younger generations look up to as role models, (gracing pages from the magazines and newspapers, modelling and writing articles about them)are not really ROLE MODELS.
You write very well, very well said. Time heals all wounds. There's bad KARMA for them.
March 12, 2008 5:34 PM

http://delfindjmontano.blogspot.com/2008/03/dj-montano-delfin-justiniano-ocampo.html

A Young Fil-Am Genius in Florida

2008-04-10T02:09:00.000-07:00

I found this interesting article from inquirer.net about a Fil-Am boy who excelled both in academics and sciences in his current home in Florida.

This is very exciting piece proving the best of the Filipinos both here and abroad!

kudos!!!

Article body:

A Young Fil-Am Genius in Florida

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:46:00 04/07/2008

Florida, US- When her three-year old son started reading signs on stores and restaurants, Gwen de Leon figured it was just logo recognition from watching television.

But when young Nicolas, aka Nico, next read "Questions to ask the pharmacist" from the back of a prescription bag, Gwen and her husband were shocked.

Ten years later, 13-year-old Nico is a seventh-grader at Green Cove Springs Junior High in Jacksonville and is being celebrated for several impressive academic accomplishments.

"He can do whatever he sets his mind to," says Nico's sixth-grade reading teacher Debra Pope at Paterson Elementary School. "The sky is the limit for him."

Nico is Northeast Florida's top speller, poised to represent the region in May at the Scripps National Bee spell-off in Washington, D.C., the first representative from Clay County in more than 30 years of the spelling bee competition.

"Pantomime" was the winning word for Nico in the regional bee last February. The bee went 21 rounds with children in the fifth to eighth grades who had won spelling county bees all over Florida.

Nico won a six-day trip to the national spelling bee in Washington, a new dictionary, a $100 savings bond, a $200 check and a year’s subscription to Brittanica Online Student Edition. His name is now inscribed on a plaque displayed in his school for the year.

One of Clay's brightest

Weeks before the Washington trip, Nico will go to Lakeland, Florida as a Clay County qualifier for the state science fair. In between the contests, he will be honored at Duke University in North Carolina for scoring 31 out of 36 in the ACT college entrance exam, topping 99 percent of test takers, including high school students, in Florida and 98 percent in the U.S.

Proudly cheering him on, former teachers say they adore the quiet, self-driven, disciplined and friendly child considered one of Clay County's brightest students.

Shy and introspective, Nico says he's not sure he likes all the attention. He received a standing ovation at a recent School Board meeting where the chairperson Carol Studdard presented him with a suitcase for his spring travels.

"It's like meeting my match, so to speak," says Nico's science teacher Howard Katz, who has welcomed Nico's thoughtful challenges and observations in class.

For his science fair project, Nico tested the effectiveness of soup can reflectors to channel a wireless Internet signal. He used a soup can reflector to channel the wireless Internet signal from his living room to the laptop computer in his bedroom and found that a can, cut open and fanned out like a flower, was most effective because it enabled the computer to download files fastest.

Teacher Diane Matthews credits Nico with recovering a valuable document she had lost in her computer, adding that he won both the school-wide spelling bee and the school geography bee last year.

Nico's sixth-grade English teacher at Paterson, Sue Middleton, considers him one of her all-time favorite students."His eyes sparkled, and you could see him absorb lessons. There was never a groan or a moan about assignments. He has a brain that won't quit. He makes you remember why you do this [teaching]."

From the Philippines

Nico's parents, Gwen, a pharmacist, and Ron, a software analyst, moved to the U.S. from the Philippines in the late 1980s. Ron worked for the military at Jacksonville Naval Air Station. Gwen works at Publix in Fleming Island.

Nico is their only child and he’s spent most of his time with his parents, aunts and uncles reading to him. They never baby-talked to him, says his mother.

"I guess we just treated him like an adult. Not sure if that's good or bad," Gwen said, adding that she didn't quite realize how unusual it was for him to read so well at age three. "He was the only child. I never even baby sat. It was never really a conscious thing, nothing on purpose. It's not like we planned to have him reading before kindergarten."

Public librarians tried to discourage the de Leons from checking out particular books for Nico, saying they were over his head, like the first three Harry Potter books he devoured in first grade before moving on to his father's college text books on computers and then adult science fiction novels.

Giftedness shows up early

Tests in kindergarten proved that Nico is gifted and he's been in exceptional education classes ever since.

"I worried he'd be nerdy and bullied and get wedgies," his mother said recently.

"Wedgies?" Nico replied. "Kids don't do wedgies at school. Let's just say I haven't been ostracized at school, but I don't have a ton of friends either." He's not interested in sports, but loves games of strategy. He was on the chess team for a while.

"He's just always been smart. He was never a bratty kid," said Saldajeno. "And this is his year."

Nico’s favorite subject is math and is currently reading science fiction series by Naomi Novik. His favorite movie is Lord of the Rings, his favorite games, Age of Empires and Launchball on PC and Geometry Wars Galaxies on Nintendo DS.

Not surprisingly, this young Fil-American wants to become a web designer.

Rewritten from a report in My Clay Sun, Jacksonville, Fla

Copyright 2008 INQUIRER.net. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Philippines - Leader in the Outsourcing

2008-03-25T00:52:00.000-07:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines

Proving that the Philippines is the best in the world when it comes to the outsourcing industry, three of its cities were identified as among the "Top 50 Emerging Outsourcing Cities" worldwide by the Global Services and Tholons.

Making it to the big wave are the cities of Cebu (No. 4) Pasay (23), and Baguio (36). Tholons said they evaluated the viability of existing and potential outsourcing destinations consists of a host of measurable and pre-determined metrics and variables that impact a location's services landscape.

In this city selection criteria, an exhaustive set of data points add up to a broad set of categories, which ultimately provide an aggregate city score. The selection process was based on scale and quality of workforce, business catalyst, financial, infrastructure, risk environment and quality of life.

It is highly recognized that the Filipino BPO city provides services such as customer services, technical support, help desk, data entry and processing, medical transcription, insurance processing, book keeping and accounting, legal, taxation and back-office transaction processing.

To date, 80,000 sq. meters are presently occupied by at least 17 BPO companies in Cebu. Office lease rates in the city on an average are $6.7 per sq. meter per month. Cebu City is also known as an education center. It has 68 public elementary schools, 23 national high schools and 28 night high schools. Literacy rate in the city stands at 97 percent. Many foreign students, mostly Iranians, Koreans and Nepalese, also come to this city to study since education is relatively cheaper. Infrastructure in the city is quite strong which include Cebu City's Mactan-Cebu International Airport has direct flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Qatar and South Korea.

The excellent quality of life (cost of living around 75 percent lower than the U.S.A.) in Cebu city translates into better quality of workers and low employee turnover.

The facilities found in Cebu can host enough contact centers making as prime destination of the contact center companies outside Metro Manila. The city can produce higher number of graduates and the place is friendly to investor.

Beth Lui, the Philippine Country Manager for Accenture, rationalized their expansion to Cebu City, a significantly smaller city yet equally capable labor force as compared to Manila. "Cebu alone is a small province. We will have to draw from the neighboring provinces as well. There is a need to create a hub of talent," says Ms. Lui.

In a separate development, Manila garnered as Top 5 Outsourcing Cities along with the cities of Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, all in India; and the city of Dublin in Ireland.

"We don't see these mature, well-established cities that have been servicing the global corporate world for over a decade, going away from the outsourcing map. But we do see them as Western companies' obvious choices for sourcing IT and BPO services," Tholons said.

The study cited that Metro Manila and Cebu City were among the top choices for contact center services as well as finance and accounting. Manila excelled mostly in legal services while Cebu City was recognized in human resources.*

Overcoming Call Center Stress

2008-03-25T00:44:00.000-07:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

Working in a call center environment can be hurled with so much stress. Call center agents worldwide especially in the Philippines mostly complain this manic behavior which they encounter from their customers. If you ever worked in any call center, stress is always on top of their concerns on how to handle it on a daily basis. Customers, especially the Americans are very hard to deal with. They often display their rudeness to the agents, and unfortunately, racism is typically high.

According to the web, stress is defined as: constraining force or influence: as a: a force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another body or body part; especially : the intensity of this mutual force commonly expressed in pounds per square inch b: the deformation caused in a body by such a force c: a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation d: a state resulting from a stress; especially : one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium (job-related stress).

In another simple definition, stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. Common stress reactions include tension, irritability, inability to concentrate, and a variety of physical symptoms that include headache and a fast heartbeat.

Many of us are suffering from stress. This can be triggered with a lot of factors in which our job related activity is one of the many causes of this psychological behavior. Call center agents both inbound and outbound services will encounter a lot of insulting comments from their customers. The agents are also berated and questioned their incapacity to give technical solutions demanded by the irate clients. Not contented, the foreign customers will say: "You Filipinos fu**!!", or, "You Filipinos suck!" This is the reality in the call center and beyond. Though call center employees in the Philippines are receiving attractive benefits, they are bombarded with heavy psychological problems especially stress.

The greater number of unhappy customers that the agents may receive in their 8-hour working period is considered stressful to them. Why? The agents may get tired of taking calls of thinking that the next customer might also have the same scenario with their previous customers.

Interestingly, stress can be given immediate attention in order not to make the situation worst. Many call center companies offer various solution to relieve their agents from stress caused by their angry customers. Facilities like fitness clinic, yoga, sporting room, entertainment room, and massages can help agents overcome stress.

In addition, there are certain reminders to the customer service people to fight stress in order not to affect their job. Handling stress properly can bring progress and change in the landscape of the outsourcing industry in the Philippines. The following tips can help you avoid stress:

* Smile and be happy.
* Don't take the bad comments personal.
* Don't involve in an argument.
* Try to fix the problem of the customers.
* Understand the root of the issue

Smile and be happy

Though you can't see the expression of your customers because of the basis of telephoning system, giving your best smile and happy with the job you have can help you make a difference. Call centers agents are trained to practice their good values and proper phone etiquette especially when talking to the customers. Greet them politely, and listen attentively to their concerns.

Don't take the bad comments personal

Although customers may sometime attack you too much, remember that they are disappointed to the products and not with you. The customers may need someone to fix the problem because they don't have the chance to speak in a face-to-face conversation. Most of them have been waiting on the line for almost 30 minutes to one hour which pissed them off. They may throw unnecessary words on you, but as soon as you help them, the situation will change from rough conversation to friendly approach. Being a call center agent, always have the patient in understanding the characteristics of each of the customers they encounter.

Don't involve in an argument

Never enter in an argument with your customer. Avoid giving your personal opinion telling your customers that they've done wrong many times. This will not help solve the customers' problem; instead this may be the start of having a bad argument which might affect the credentials of the agents. The customers may feel that they are ignorant because of the inappropriate and unfriendly approach. Always think of better response when talking to the customers all the time.

Try to fix the problem of the customers

It is better that when the agents listen to the problem of the customers. The agents must always ready to troubleshoot any inquiry that the customers ask. However, if the agents have a hard time in fixing the problem, they can ask their team leaders or their supervisors for the solution. But before doing that, the agents should ask permission to put them on hold for quick seconds. We are not perfect; we may have the skills in oral communication which needed in call center industry but lack of technical experience in other approaches. Many contact centers set up a separate department that specializes in troubleshooting. When the agents told the customers to call them back make sure that they need to do it in order to avoid disappointment from the customers.

Understand the root of the issue

Understanding the root of the issue will answer the problem of the customers. Don't be over reacted when the customers expressed their rudeness to the agents. Again, they are not directly mad at the agents but to the product itself. Let the customers talk and relay all the problems to the agents. In return, the agents should listen to it and take down some of the vital points related to the issue. The agent may politely say: "I empathize with you Sir. Don't worry 'coz I can help you fixing the problem..." Giving the hope that the problem will be fixed right away can avoid difficulty in arising the stressful situation.

These are few of the friendly tips that may help call center agents overcoming stress in their job. Call center is a unique industry giving a promising career to people worldwide.*

The 'Dos' and 'Don'ts' in Call Center

2008-03-25T00:41:00.000-07:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

Call center is a terrific job. Many young professionals work in call center because of higher chances of boosting their career to the maximum level. Customers are expanding their channel in contact in which call centers are on top of the list. It is a challenge to every contact center to integrate strategic planning in order to maintain its presence towards the global trend in this industry.

Working in a call center is not only aiming to receive higher pay. There are dos and don'ts in order to set limitation to the workers. If you are one of the millions of people connected in customer service, you should know the guidelines to avoid committing violation. Call center companies always make sure to deliver efficient services to their clients worldwide as possible. Because call center is a promising industry, keeping the best employees and hiring more service representatives should always set part of expanding the business. Hiring the right people is very important. The call centers should provide ongoing training to the agents and employees; practice the transparency like communicating openly with the agents and managers, discovering the quality performance of the best people, investing to the state-of-the-art technology to increase customer satisfaction.

Any contact center should have a strong organization in achieving the long-term goal of the company. Making the call center dynamic and flexible can promote better output all the time. The call center management should always strengthen the relationship with the customer. Maintaining customer relationship is important above anything else.

There are many good things you can do to support the call center industry. Avoiding the don'ts in this industry can lessen the burden that may bring to the customers and the company you work for. The following are the don'ts that call center employees should do:

Avoid Tardiness

Time is precious. Never be late in your duty. Though you are one of the best agents in the company but with your constant tardiness will give you the honor to be recognized by your team leaders or supervisors. Also, you are not the asset of the company because call center is a fast paced regulated industry that time is important. Your tardiness can affect the operation of your company.

Don't Slack Off

Do your job promptly. Slacking off the floor by letting other people do the job which is supposed to you is simply a bad impression to you not only as a person but to your job performance. Be productive always and serve as role model to your fellow agents. Show them the real you that you are happy with what you are doing. There are many call center agents who were terminated because of this bad impression despite several times of IR (incidental report) issued to them.

Avoid Obscene Behavior

Displaying your obscene behavior while you are inside your company's premises is a big NO. When taking to the customer, talk with them with pleasure and with care. Never throw seducing words which sounds like you are doing phone sex to your customer. If caught, this may the end of your promising career in your in the call center. And worst, this may left bad wound in your previous job and to your co-workers.

Stop horsing around

Think of your responsibility as an employee of the company. While you are on duty, avoid playing around and horsing with other agents. Respect their privacy while they are on call and focusing on their job. This behavior can cause immediate violation because you are disturbing your co-workers instantly. Always put the fun in the right time. Implementing self-discipline is the best way to get rid of this disturbing behavior.

There are so many don'ts that you we need to implement. This can make the job easier if everybody is following the simple orders stated under the rules and regulations. It is important that the discipline must start on our own. Later on, other people who are new in the call center will learn the virtue that you showed. If you love your job then keep it.

The call center industry continues to give outstanding opportunity to everybody. It helps the economy prosper and lower the unemployment rate in the world.*

Call Center Etiquette

2008-02-22T05:12:00.001-08:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

The outsourcing industry is kicking and alive in the Philippines. There are so many reasons why this industry continues to gain reputation in which the Filipino excellent in customer service is a plus factor.

If you talk on the phone, the first thing you need to observe is your etiquette. If you defined this word from the dictionary refers to the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life. No matter what we do we need to show respect to people we encounter every day. We need to show dignity to our family, friends, coworkers, and acquainted individuals.

Good breeding in talking to customers especially in the voice account (or call center) is the reason why outsourcing industry is famous in the Philippines. The industry rapidly grown and the number of employment reach to thousands of opportunities to every Filipino. Perhaps, a call center in the Philippines cannot survive without partnership with the customers. The smooth relationship between the agents and the customers will bring success and development to every contact centers operating in any parts of the world.

If you own a contact center, you need to make sure that you are monitoring the way your agents deal your customers over the phone. A simple expression of happiness when your agent is talking to your customers is a way that he or she deals accordingly with their clients. Establishing rapport to your customers can express in so many ways like saying: "Thank you for calling...", "You have a great day..." "May I put you on hold for a quick sec..." and many other rapport your agents build.

Saying these simple lines when talking to customer is paying great respect, and how important are they in your business. The tone of your agents' voice should be calm and well balance when they start receiving calls from the customers. Call center managers, team leaders, and quality analysts see to it that they monitor the calls coming in everyday. Customers are usually upset because they'd been on the phone for 30 minutes and worst to one-hour of waiting. Sometimes we can't avoid that we will be receiving volume of calls in just a day including number of call waiting. As much as possible, imposed the policy of call handling time which is minimum to 10 minutes per customer.

Customers who are showing expression of irate on the phone is not a good indication from start talking to the customer up to the end. This is a stressful situation especially to a new agent. However, in due time your agent will going to learn effective way of giving solution to every customer they encounter. We oftentimes received negative comment from the customers that the agents did not help them because of language or accent problem. Clarity on the phone is also a plus factor. The agents should speak clearly, as they could to avoid negative remarks from the customers.

If your agent cannot handle the situation, better call the attention of the supervisor to let the call handle properly. Showing sensitive care like empathy and putting yourself on their shoes will lessen the tension between you and the customer. Customers like to be pleased because they are frustrated with the product or they discovered overcharged in their billing. They need explanation and solution to the problem they have. Attention and better approach will cause fantastic resolution to the conflict.

Treating your customers above the rest will always put your business up and running. Proper etiquette will build trust to your customers that your customer service people are the best in the world. Valuing your career in contact centers is very important. An ideal contact center is a model in solving the communication barrier between your skilled people and your customers.

Teach your people to smile all the time whenever they are on the phone. Encourage them to avoid slacking off on the floor, instead make them useful and effective at the end of the day.*

Choosing The Best Clients In The Outsourcing Business

2008-02-22T05:11:00.000-08:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

ANY type of business is weak without the support of the customers or your clients. The customers or the clients are the lifeblood for your company's to survive in the high demand of competition. At the same time, your business is ineffective if you have a hard time dealing with your clients.

Because outsourcing is word of mouth today, as a company owner you need to have a client whom you can deal smoothly in terms of business proposals, planning and development. There should be a symbiotic relationship between the owner, the lessees, and the employees.

If you own a small type of outsourcing offering flexible services like seat leasing, inbound and outbound, chat support, and web content writing, you need to have a primordial plan in which your clients will able to understand the terms and conditions if they're interested to use your facilities. A lot of outsourcing companies are suffering tremendously because they partnered to weak clients.

In the Philippines, for instance, several outsourcing companies are providing services to their clients in a way of helping their account to survive. In choosing for the clients, every businessman who has call Center Company must do a strict background check on the type of client you have.

It means that it is important that the owner should ask for the locator's type of account whether it is genuine and really existing. Avoid dealing with clients who refused to cooperate with you in terms of asking some important documents that you need to look over. This is only to make sure that you are dealing with the right client.

If you're done verifying the information of your customer, it's time for you to explain to your client about the type of services you have. Give the website of your company and let your client browse it and if he or she has question, explain it to make it clear and understanding.

As a businessman, you need to be sensitive with the needs of your clients. Don't forget to conduct follow-up report on the proposal and the update of your clients need. Making a business deal is not a joke, it entails serious effort and deeper analysis especially on the policies that your clients to understand. You also need to bring your clients to your company and let them discover for themselves that you have great facilities and equipment needed in their call center business. Do your best to convince you clients that your services are one of a kind and operating better.

Frustrations are common in all types of business. Sometimes this happen if the owner of the company failed to assist and help their clients. Always stay open communication with your clients and ask them if they have concerns. If the business is officially sealed, make sure that your clients should understand that they have obligations like paying the services they are using.

Your company should always serve as model to your clients. By implementing effective policies and regulations will serve as backbone in strengthening your company. The relationship between you and your client must only deal with business only and not involve private matters.

If you are searching for clients to work in your company, you can advertise it in your website using effective advertising strategy to allow your potential clients arrange a business proposal.*

You Have A Problem? Dial Customer Service Hotline Number

2008-02-22T05:10:00.001-08:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

TODAY, the simple and effective way of solving problems of the customers is through telephoning system. People are now aware of the importance of a particular customer service hotline number. If you have complained about defective products, the best way to approach is to call the customer hotline number and get connected with the friendly customer service representative.

The hotline number is a toll free and operates 24 hours to allow clients access it anytime. Because of the demand of customer service, outsourcing companies depend mostly on their clients. They can't live without their clients. They can't survive from the competition without the support of their customers. If you purchase a product online, or prefer to update your billings such as your credit cards, cable television, and other support services, dialing the customer service airing your concerns are the meaningful step to do.

The American consumers are very vocal in complaining if they found out they purchased defective products. They pissed because they bought the product and paid huge amount of dollars but in return the products failed to meet their expectations. This is the reason why a lot of customer service representatives are receiving American callers handling different concerns, and almost 90 percent of these customers are irate. Off-shoring business through the lucrative BPO (business process outsourcing) provides highly affordable services. The high rate in the United States prompted international investors to prefer off-shoring their company in different country.

The Philippines is the preferred target of the investors because of the viable facilities with talented pool of people to cater the concerns of the customers. The ability of every Filipino to blend with the angry customers received recommendable approval from the investors.

Training to speak like American way is not a problem. Filipinos can speak English fluently. English is the first language in the country and preferred to be as priority language in every school institutions in the Philippines. A call center in the Philippines provides the best in the world of outsourcing. The agents are trained on handling friendly and difficult customers anytime.

As a client, they'll experience the treatment they want. Their concerned is always put on priority list no matter what happen. Customers from all walks of life value the importance of a contact center because it gives them the opportunity to be heard right away. Even in a very simple case to case problem, Filipino agents are polite, courteous and know how to empathize with their customer they encountered.

Talking and giving feedback to every customer is no joke. This is a job which the agents must equip with values and respect to his or her customer. In the span of few years, the outsourcing industry in the Philippines is now fast developing with billions of pesos revenue contributed to the country's revenue. The supports from the Philippine government also help the investors and contact center companies expand their businesses in the country. The growth of the customer service is attributed to wonderful use of advanced technology, the agents, and the strong guidance from the government agencies.

The next time you have a problem. Get your telephone and dial the hotline numbers of a certain company and let your information be heard and given fair solution. Customer service oriented people are reachable anytime with no hassle and waste of time.*

Call Center 101 - How To Be Effective Telemarketers

2008-02-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

The success of your outbound company will not only depend in your customers, but a great portion of it will depend on how effective your telemarketers in selling and promoting your business.

The company is weak if your agents are incompetent in handling their customers. At the end of the day, there's no potential sales reach by your agents this may lead to the termination of your account. There's lot of outbound companies survived from strong competition despite the ups and downs of the business.

Outbound call center companies should provide proper training to their hired applicants. Products knowledge is very important in helping your trainees evaluate their skills. Since telemarketers are entirely depending on the script, you need to make a script which is very reliable including active rebuttals which allow your agents to reply with their customers immediately.

If you'd been working in call center both inbound and outbound, you then have the potentials because you have substantial idea about the ins and outs of the industry. You have the edge from the other applicants because you can speak fluently with good intonation, accent, and sentence construction.

As a telemarketer, you need to be polite with your customers. Try to deliver your sweetest "hi" and "hello" as part of your delightful opening pitch. Get their attention with your strong communication skills combined with respectful intonation. In talking to your customers, be sure to introduce yourself first and address them in their first name or last name and not calling them "sir" or "ma'am."

Proper timing is necessary in building rapport with your customers. It is unpleasant to hear that your agents are hunger to get sales during their shift. Their performance depend mostly on how effective are they in promoting the products of your company. If they failed to get sales within a week, contact centers usually end their terms of service.

However, we need to acknowledge that the goal of the outbound which is synonymous to telemarketing is not only selling the value of their product. Contact center companies offering outbound should see to it that they have great line qualities, equipment, and good leads all the time. No matter they've got the best agents but the operation will be affected due to the poor communication barrier.

The agents should know how to explain to their customers on the benefits of the products their customers are going to avail. Avoid giving them false information because it will lead to serious dilemma and affects the welfare of your company. No more customers will listen to your agents if this horrible negative information will not be resolved right away.

Explain to your customers that they're going to enjoy the products they'll purchase from your company. If your company is offering vacation package, tell your customers nicely that exploring the paradise in Caribbean regions, Paris, Las Vegas, Mexico and other destinations are the best in the world. People born to be a marketer enjoy the privilege that they receive from working in a call center.

Meanwhile, not all customers will like the package you offer. Sometimes despite you give your best foot forward in convincing your customers, they're bit apprehensive, as they need to consult their wife or husband for the approval. If the scenario goes like this, you may approach your customers if when would be the best time for you to call back. As an agent, you need to listen very carefully while your customers are talking to you.

Active listening is very important in a telephoning technology. The common problem of the agents is their failure to listen to the welfare of their customers. Be sensitive enough in dealing with your customers all the time. If they declined your call, you can still wait for the next row of your customers. Don't throw invective words and berate your customers if they refused to receive your service. Always maintain your politeness by saying "Thank you for taking my call", and also, you can include "have nice day!"

Further, don't forget to smile and exercise your energetic voice because a lot of customers out there are waiting for you. You need to be positive all the time in achieving your goal. Avoid slacking off, instead try to handle your customers as if you're just talking with them in a face to face basis.*

Outbound Outsourcing In The Philippines

2008-02-22T05:03:00.000-08:00

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

Aside from inbound call center, the best effective way of promoting your product on the phone is using the technology of outbound call center, which is widely operational in the Philippines outsourcing industry. Outbound calling may refers to phone calls made by a contact center company to a specified list of contacts. This dimensional telephoning system is commonly used in selling, telemarketing, and other wonderful benefits using the state-of-the-art technology.

In the Philippines BPO (business process outsourcing) sectors, contact center companies are offering outbound services to help people across the world choosing the best products in the convenient and easiest way without hassle. How is this usually done? Some homeowners as far as the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, and Canada are receiving unexpected calls wondering how their home phone numbers included to a certain contact list of the telemarketing companies.

Basically, your number usually included in the list once it was placed to numerous phone directories. Numerous phone books are generated by the telemarketing companies getting the names of the possible customers. There are also called Internet-based phone directories in which contains private numbers of the customers. And also, some customers provide their phone numbers on a subscription form or mail order coupon, which in return their number is classified as future leads.

Telemarketing is the fastest technology offering online services to the customers. The trained and qualified outbound agents are responsible for convincing the customers to purchase the products. Usually if the customers are interested to the offer, the conversation will be intimately sealed to a deal, which is referred as legitimate sale. Outbound agents are offering different types of services such as travel package, mobile phones, mortgage, medical assistance, financial processing, home securities, and a lot more.

The persons hired as agents are placed in cocoon training for a week, or maybe a month before they deployed to take calls. Selling on the phone requires magical effort. Oftentimes, homeowners are pissed off because they are not interested in the products they offered to them. However, effective rebuttals and conversationalist agents got the customers positive thumbs up sign.

According to Kristine Yvette Jocson, team leader of an outbound Australian mortgage account disclosed that language barrier is the common problem why the customers are not interested in purchasing the products.

The 20-year-old Jocson is one of the top sellers in their account before she was promoted for the position. "Communications skills of the agents are very important in getting the interest of the customers. Many potential customers turned down the offer because they have a hard time understanding the accents of the agents." In order to achieve our target, we explain to the customers about the benefits of our product which are not offered in their current mortgage. We help them (customers) understand that our mortgage is much better compared to their current one, Ms. Jocson. She further said that they respect the welfare of the customers once they are not interested in the product they offered.

Aside from the basic salary, the agents are receiving spiffs if the agents got the first sale from the start of the shift. Bigger commissions which are sometimes higher to their basic pay are the most beneficial things offered to the agents. Some companies provide freebies and awards by recognizing the best telemarketers in a monthly basis.

Meanwhile, largest contact centers prefer to employ Filipino telemarketers because of their etiquette and good accent in dealing with the customers. To date, thousands of outbound call centers transformed this industry into cost-saving promotional sales using telephoning communication. Filipino agents are the best customer service in the world because of their multi-cultural background from the past.*

Call Center 101 - How To Get Hired Immediately

2008-02-11T03:14:00.000-08:00

By Roberto L. Bacasong,
Company writer for Call Center Philippines Unique Interaction

IT'S nice to work in a highly regulated company like call center. Discovering the world of call center is interesting because you get to learn maintaining your stamina in talking to customers over the phone for at least 8 hours. Call Center 101 will help you understands the real picture of call center works. This article will provide informative insights of what is really happening inside the call center industry.

For those people who have interest in working to call center must know first some helpful guidelines. When you're looking for a job, yuppie workers preferred the call center it offers a high paying job. This is true because majority of contact centers operating in the Philippines offers competitive salary and benefits to thousands of their employees. The attractive package compelled new graduates or professional workers to apply and leave their current job to shift for a new career.

Call Center 101 will help the applicants passing the interview with flying colors and get the job in just a day. The first stage is usually the interview process. This is a fundamental and standard operating procedure which every applicant should undergo. Every call center in the Philippines has very keen human resource officers responsible for screening all the applicants in the initial interview. When the HRO is conducting an interview, you as applicant should answer the questions directly. Since your goal is to flawlessly get the job, you need to speak fluently as you can. You don't need to slang your intonation and diction which hampers you to speak thoroughly. The applicants must need to have focus and concentrations and listen very carefully to the questions being asked from you. Say anything you want to say provided your response is related to the main topic asked by the interviewee. Most o the applicants failed to make it in the initial interview because they are intimidated and nervous when the HR started asking questions on them. If you maintain your coolness and appearance, no doubt you'll move on to the next stage which is examination.

After the initial interview, the successful passers will proceed directly to take a written examination. The examinations mainly focused on vocabulary, English grammar, little of math, and computer test. If you have a scheduled interview, you need to review or better buy a grammar book catering English subject. This is very important because the applicants must pass the test before moving again to the next level. No matter how intelligent we are, it's better that somehow we need to be prepared all the time.

If you pass the exam, there are call center companies that the applicants should undergo call simulation. In call simulation, the applicants must answer the call from the company's representative and carefully listen and address the concerns of the caller. This stage is crucial, if you make it to the first and second stage of the exam, you should try your best to pass the call simulation test, otherwise, your application will not endorse to the final stage. Basically, in call simulation the caller will provide a situation and test your ability in giving quick and substantial tips in solving the situation. The applicants should observe courtesy, politeness and courteous like talking to the real customers. Always make sure to empathize with your customers no matter how angry they are. When the customers are irate, don't shout at them. Listen to every detail because they are looking for someone who will understand them. And also, learn from your friends. I'm sure you have couple of friends working in call center.

After the tough stage, your application having good remarks will be endorsed to the final interview in which a couple of managers will grill and test your ability. This stage is considered a near hire process, however, be aware of the words you replied to the interviewers. Show your willingness and your desire that you are the best candidate which the company should employ. In addition, don't be surprised if you found out that these managers are around your age bracket. In call center, every employee has future and promising career. These people are promoted because their skills are exceptional and their performances are amazing. In the final stage, usually the managers are going to ask you about little information about yourself, and they're going to test your speaking ability.

When you pass the hiring process, you are going to sign a contract and definitely scheduled for training. The training usually involves Basic English and product training in which the hired agents will learn the background of a particular account. Learning all these pieces of information help you stay in this industry. Sooner or later, you found yourself in the list of the supervisors or managers because of your outstanding performance in handling the customers.

Learning the Call Center 101 is the best way for you to get hired easily. Always put your best foot forward in achieving your goal in life. Help yourself move on to the supervisory level by avoid slacking off the floor.*

Negros doctors take nursing courses to go abroad

2007-11-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

Good day! I have a previous article about doctors who are now taking nursing course because the demand of nurses abroad. This is a sad news, however, we have nothing to do with it. Doctors want the best for their families....

Negros doctors take nursing courses to go abroad
By Robert Leonoras
BusinessWorld
March 13, 2004

BACOLOD CITY -- Almost 400 doctors here have been taking up nursing courses in the hope of landing jobs overseas.

Negros Occidental Provincial Health officer Luisa Efren said 33 would graduate this year. She estimated that 76% of the 380 doctors taking up nursing courses were employed by the government.

"This is a great loss for our public health system," she said.

Government health workers in Negros have demanded 100% salary increases to prevent them from seeking better-paying jobs overseas. Government doctors receive an average of PhP15,000 a month while nurses get between PhP6,000 and PhP7,000 a month.

To mitigate the impact of a brain drain among public health workers, the Negros Occidental provincial government will launch the Negros Occidental Provincial Medical and Nursing Scholarship (NOPMaNS).

Ms. Efren said the program would provide opportunities for the Negrense youth to acquire free tertiary education in the fields of medicine and nursing.

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Default Re: Negros doctors...
A similar article was also published in another local newspaper here in Bacolod. On Sunday, March 14, 2004...will be graduation day here at West Negros College. MDs who will graduate from Nursing course are not only from Bacolod City & neighboring towns/cities, but also from Dumaguete & Iloilo Cities. Those who will graduate on Sunday belong to the 2nd & 3rd batches of MDs & allied Medical professionals (dentists, physical therapists, pharmacists, med techs), plus the 1st batch of 2nd coursers (graduates of Commerce, Engr'ng, computer science, etc.). I think there will be about 207 of us who will be graduating on Sunday (basing on the temporary list posted in school).

It's sad that it's only now that a demand for salary increase for gov't doctors is being proposed to the President. They should've done this years ago! I've been a gov't physician for almost 10 years already and as far as I can remember, there was an increase in salary only once....the other increases I got every 3 years (step increment) was just a little more than 100 pesos each time. But the increase in gasoline & other commodities are becoming more frequent. I know that gov't doctors are becoming scarce. One reason in our case at the Bacolod City Health is this: Last year (2003), 9 Medical Officers retired....therefore, lots of health centers didn't have doctors....but the city gov't only hired 4! How then can we cope w/ the workload? And now, the banning for hiring is coming....so I guess the vacancies will be filled up after the election yet! So now, the existing Medical Officers have to cover for the health centers vacated by the retirees....I know that as MDs, one has to serve unselfishly! But sometimes, one has to consider that in order to be efficient, one has to take care of oneself & I just pray that we won't get to the point of being "burned out"!

March 14, 2004....I will finally graduate from Nursing course! I'm excited, but I'm also apprehensive....will this change in career really give me the same satisfaction & elation I get every time I hear the baby's cry when I deliver this tiny being into this crazy world of ours? Oh well...I can't say for now! So, abangan ang susunod na kabanata....
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Old Mar 13, 2004, 11:20 AM

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Default Re: Negros doctors...
Joy,

Congratulations. After reading your post, I had the same mixed feelings that you probably have. Happy that you are graduating and sad at the same time why you have to go through this. The same sentiments go to the others. The same sentiments I had for myself years ago.

It's a tough choice that some of us have to make, albeit reluctantly. We get bad presses for it. But you know what, that's why we don't write editorials for the Inquirer, because we have a lot more choices than they have and it's our choice to make.

Good luck.

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Default Re: Negros doctors...
It is really sad that even security guards working for the GSIS are payed more than a government doctor. I am not looking down on security guards but just exactly how many years of studying do you need in order to become a security guard? I was once a government doctor and at least during my time it was comforting to know that I was payed more than a security guard For those doctors who made the decision to take up nursing for employment abroad I say "more power to you all."

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Old Mar 23, 2004, 12:20 PM

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Default Re: Negros doctors...
Last Sunday afternoon, while I was in school waiting for our Disaster Management training to start, I was surprised to see a camera-man & a reporter from the GMA channel. I asked my Nursing classmates what's going on & I was told that these people were in school to interview MDs who took up Nursing. So far, I know of 2 MDs that they had already interviewed & one of them is my classmate who is currently a resident physician in a gov't hospital. I was told that the interview will be shown in the Jessica Soho show. I don't know when that will be aired but I'm curious as to what they will be portraying in that show.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was in Bacolod just recently & according to some friends, she was asked for any comment about Filipino doctors all over the country taking up Nursing in order to land a job abroad. I was told that she said, she couldn't do anything about it coz even one of her nieces or nephews who was taking up Medicine also stopped schooling & took up Nursing instead. I'm not really sure if this is accurate coz I'm just quoting a friend who heard about the interview. I think the one who asked the President was expecting an answer that has something to do with the salary increase the gov't doctors are petitioning for. But basing on the President's comment, I guess a salary increase for gov't doctors seems to be doomed

BBC and CNN Comments

2007-11-14T10:30:00.000-08:00

Hello guys,

I am posting some of the comments I posted on World Have Your Say managed by Ros Atkins
and CNN Political Tickler

Life in Burma

* Ros Atkins
* 22 Aug 07, 05:45 PM

I've just added all of you who asked to be added to the Daily Email list while I was away. So thanks for your patience while I sorted that. A special hello to Uzondu in Monrovia who's just signed up and who runs an Internet center where he plays WHYS on the radio, forcing his customers to listen. There's really no excuse for not posting on the blog if you're there.

We're a one subject programme today....

I can't recall us ever talking about Burma (or Myanmar as lots of you will call it) on WHYS and we've decided to give over the whole show to trying to understand what life is like there. We've been prompted by the authorities' crackdown on people protesting at a sharp hike in fuel prices.

If you have a question or comment about Burma please post it here. We'll have a wide range of guests ready to respond. I know a lot of them want to talk about what the relationship between Burma and the rest of the world, but we're also going to make sure that we get as detailed a description of what life is like there.

Speak to you later.

This is my published comment:

* 33.
* At 09:40 PM on 22 Aug 2007,
* Roberto Bacasong from Manila wrote:

Hi Ros,

First of all, I would like to thank you first for adding me to your list. I am flattered that I am maybe the first from the Philippines who made into your list. The situation in Burma is similar to the Philippines. Many Burmese suffer from too much political bickering and it is also happening in my country. If Burmese wants to get rid those dictator officials like what the Filipino did through the first People Power Revoulution in 1986, which became the most significant event in the Philippine history, then they should start to do it before its too late. Burma and the Philippines belong to the third world. The development in these countries are slowly compared to the other neighboring Asian countries. I just hope that political leaders should continue to serve their people and those corrupt officials be punished!

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*********

Here's another one:

Should we talk about the 9/11 conspiracies?

* Ros Atkins
* 27 Jul 07, 02:53 PM

I was reading the BBC editors blog the other day and this post stuck out . They normally get tens of comments after each post, and this one has over 400. It's about the way the BBC covered 9/11 and the collapse of WTC7.

I'm in two minds about whether we should talk about it on WHYS....

On the one side we can be pretty sure it'd get a big response. So is that reason enough to do it? On the flip side, some would argue we're being persuaded by a very vocal minority.

I think conspiracy theories start becoming legitimate points of discussion when they can so much currency that they have a real impact on what people think about an event and those involved in it. I don't know if that's true in the case of 9/11 but my hunch that is what's happened.

Anyway, have a read. Let us know if you'd like to hear this on WHYS.

My published comment:

* 68.
* At 11:34 PM on 27 Aug 2007,
* Roberto Bacasong, Manila, Philippines wrote:

Hi Ros,

I am reading your topic about 9/11, it actually a pain to my heart everytime I remember that. I was actually a college student when that tragedy happened. I focused on the updates and reports if how many people killed and if how many people wounded. Those innocent people suffered from the violence perpetrated by the terrorist group allegedly led by Osama Bin Laden. The tragedy brought unwanted heroes for the nation, too. I admired how American and other cultural raises all over the world united together paying respect to the dead people. In the Philippines, political leaders condoled those who victimized by the abusive terrorist group especially there are innocent Filipinos who were also killed.

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*************

CNN Political Tickler

August 17, 2007
Gays jab at Giuliani over mayoral record

Watch CNN's Jeanne Moos report on Giuliani's latest "endorsement."

WASHINGTON (CNN) – It may not be an endorsement Rudy Giuliani will embrace with open arms as he campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination.

"Gays for Giuliani," a satirical organization aiming to highlight the New York Republican's support of gay rights when he was mayor, is the creator of a popular YouTube video that features testimonials from gay New Yorkers on why they "support" the former mayor's White House bid.

"If Rudy Giuliani were here right now I'd want to take his hand and thank him for supporting civil unions because without that I wouldn't have a domestic partner right now," a man says in the video.

"I'm also grateful for domestic partnership plan he implemented in the city cause I've had no less than 5 domestic partners," another man says.

Ryan Davis, a gay New York City theater director and the creator of "Gays for Giuliani," told CNN he wants to highlight, in Davis' view, how Giuliani has backtracked on gay issues.

"He's completely done a 180 on his beliefs," Davis told CNN. "I'm just trying to remind people, hey this is the guy I knew when he was my mayor in NY."

"I would be hard pressed to think of any conservative politician who embraces the gay community like Giuliani does," he added. "I don't know how he can connect that with new persona as friend of the Christian Right."

Giuliani has said he is opposed to same-sex marriage, but supports domestic partnerships and legal benefits for same-sex couples.

Filed under Rudy Giuliani
Posted 8/17/2007 02:59:57 PM | Permalink
73 Comments comment | Add a comment

I believe that LGBT should also live with equal rights. We are here to live and helping the nation to progress. Any LGBT who plans of entering into politics should not be restricted. In the Philippines, we have gay people who were occupying seats in the government. Instead, we question their sexuality we focus on their capacity and skills in handling any position in the government.
Posted By Roberto Bacasong, Manila, Philippines : August 17, 2007 5:33 pm

Away From Home

2007-11-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

I felt sad today. Maybe this is something about my family. I'm away from home for couple of months now. Nostalgia. Yes, honestly, I can't focus writing the topics from the clients of Omnisite Builder. Being the eldest entails a lot of responsibilities. I don't have the chance to enjoy my salary because I sent it to my mom for the expenses. In addition, I did not regret it because I want to help them as long as I can.
My mom is clamoring because our house, which was gutten down by fire a couple of years ago was not reconstructed until today. I sometimes joked that the only way for me to save my family from poverty is going abroad. I actually consider it if the right time comes.

Meanwhile, my half-sister Gemela, is pregnant and presently in Toledo City, Cebu. We only meet once when she had a one day break from her job during the 2005 New Year's celebration. Following that year, and another year, still we have no chance to meet. My youngest half-sister, Mary Grace, went to Bohol to work. I was shocked when I learned from my neighbor that she stopped attending her school. I just sent her the money for her mid-term exam. And after that, she then proceeded to Bohol. Until now, I kept texting to her, to no avail. I wish for the best of my brothers and sisters. Soon I will come home and patch up the things I missed...

God Bless my family...

Protecting the Visayan Sea

2007-11-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

I like this article I co-wrote with my fellow correspondents. I learned about the importance of the Visayan Sea...

Protecting the Visayan Sea
By Jun P. Tagalog, Robert Leonoras and Jeehan V. Fernandez
April 2, 2005 | Businessworld

[Visayan Sea]
TF! Editorial Comment: The continued depletion of marine resources around the country, a negative trend in many of the world's coastal areas, stands in stark contrast to the general assumption of the limitless bounty of the seas. The article describes the considerable efforts that need to be undertaken by civil society organizations, local governments and indeed all stakeholders in order to ensure that coastal resources are not irretrievably lost, with consequent loss of livelihood, nutrition and environmental services among others. As an archipelago, the Philippines needs more groups like the Visayan Sea Squadron to stand up in defense of coastal ecology both for the present and future generations.

The Visayan Sea Squadron, which has drawn support from the provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo, was created to protect and preserve the Visayan Sea, a major fishing ground.

"We will dive in their waters and we'll show them what is deep inside," said environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr.

The Visayan Sea used to be rich in sardines, herrings, and mackerel, but rampant blast fishing, unabated commercial fishing, cyanide fishing, over-fishing, and other destructive forms of fishing depleted the marine resources in the area.
Mr. Oposa, who initiated the creation of the squadron, said section 81 of the 1998 Fisheries Code requires local government units in coastal areas to devote 15% of their waters for a marine sanctuary.

Sonia Seville, Western Visayas regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), said there are more than 20 cities and municipalities with around one million people on the coastlines of the Visayan Sea.

Mr. Oposa also said the squadron will help local officials pass an ordinance regulating fishing activities in their waters.

Under the Local Government Code, local government units (LGUs) are required to manage coastal zones up to 15 kilometers from the shoreline.
The squadron, which has drawn support from the provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo, was created to protect and preserve the Visayan Sea, a major fishing ground.

"Once the richest marine waters in the world, but now the hottest of all hotspots," Mr. Oposa described the Visayan Sea. If managed well, this fishing ground could feed a whole nation, he added.

Initially, Mr. Oposa said he heads a core group of four, with members who include a fish warden, police officer and a reformed fisherman. Through an information dissemination campaign, Mr. Oposa was optimistic they will be able convince the youth sector to participate in the conservation effort.

They also hope to solicit the help of the maritime police in catching fishermen who use dynamite and other illegal fishing methods, the BFAR in conducting an underwater survey, and the National Bureau of Investigation in tracing the source of blasting caps.

The squadron is based in Sta. Fe, Bantayan island north of Cebu. Mr. Oposa said they only have one pump boat, a speedboat, three dive sets, a laptop and an LCD (liquid crystal display) projector for audiovisual presentations to solicit public support.

The squadron, which is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has been conducting environmental awareness seminars among the youth.
The group is proposing a five-year ban on commercial fishing in the Visayan Sea to "let the marine life rest" and restore its wealth. If not, Mr. Oposa warned that the fishing industry will face total collapse.

The Visayan Sea used to be rich in sardines, herrings, and mackerel, but rampant blast fishing, unabated commercial fishing, cyanide fishing, over-fishing, and other destructive forms of fishing depleted the marine resources in the area, the group said in its petition filed before the BFAR.

Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon said he was supporting the five-year ban.

The Visayan Sea, which covers about a million hectares at the heart of the Sulu-Sulawesi eco-region, stretches from the mouth of Danao River in Negros Occidental to the northeastern tip of Bantayan island and Madridejos in Cebu through the lighthouse on Gigantes island in Iloilo and further to Olutaya island and Culasi Point in Capiz.

It extends along the northern coast of Capiz to Bulacaue point in Carles, Iloilo to the mouth of the Talisay river, westward across the Guimaras strait to Tomonton point in Negros Occidental, eastward along the northern coast of Negros island and back to the mouth of Danao river in Escalante, Negros Occidental.

In Iloilo City, BFAR's Ms. Seville said efforts are being taken to protect the Visayan Sea through the Visayan Sea Coastal Resources and Fisheries Management Project. The project is assisted by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).

The project aims to avert problems like decreasing productivity, widespread over-fishing, reduced fish sizes and catches, dwindling resources, illegal fishing gears and methods and difficulties in implementing fishing regulations.
Through the project, the improved coastal resources management practices are implemented by the local government units and communities.

These are marine protected areas, mangrove reforestation, fishing gear regulations, pollution control, improved post-harvest handling and aquaculture.
"Alternative business opportunities are also promoted," Ms. Seville said.

BFAR-6 assistant director Juliet B. Demo-os said the Visayan Sea Squadron would "strengthen law enforcement against illegal fishing in the area." But she said the local government units should also come up with the same strategy.

Dynamite Fishing
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro City officials of the city are concerned over the over rampant dynamite fishing in three shoreline barangays.

During a city council session, Councilor Annie Daba, chairman of the committee on agriculture and fishery, said fishermen in Bulua, Bayabas, and Bonbon are employing dynamite fishing.

She said there is a need to stop the use of dynamite in fishing as this destroys the coral reefs and the marine ecology, which takes decades to restore.

She said the maritime police are helpless in stopping the illegal activity due to lack of gasoline for their pump boat.

Councilor Edgar Cabanlas said rather than relying on Republic Act No. 8550, or the Fisheries Code, as basis for catching the culprits, it was suggested that the city should adopt an ordinance on the matter.

Mr. Cabanlas said under the Fisheries Code, it is difficult to prosecute those who employ dynamite fishing due to evidentiary requirements such as chemical or forensic proof.

With a city ordinance, evidentiary requirements will not be as stringent, he added.

Earlier, a coalition of 11 nongovernmental organizations seeking reforms in the fishery sector, called for the amendment of the Fisheries Code.

In a statement, the National Coalition for Fisheries and Aquatic Reform proposed to amend section 4, paragraph 58 of article I "to rectify inappropriateness of the current definition by adopting the archipelagic principle in the definition or procedure in the delineation of municipal waters."

RA 8550 defines municipal waters to include not only streams, lakes, inland bodies of water and tidal waters within the municipality which are not included within the protected areas as defined under RA 7586 (National Integrated Protected Areas System law), public forest, timber lands, forest reserves or fishery reserves, but also marine waters included between two lines drawn perpendicular to the general coastline from points where the boundary lines of the municipality touch the sea at low tide and a third line parallel with the general coastline including offshore islands and 15 kilometers from such coastline.

Where two municipalities are situated on opposite shores that there is less than 30 kilometers of marine waters between them, the third line shall be equally distant from opposite shore of the respective municipalities.

The coalition also proposed as amendment to RA 8550 the total prohibition of commercial fishing in the whole 15-kilometer municipal waters, total ban on the use of "super lights" and the increase of fines and period of imprisonment for coral exploitation and exportation, conversion of mangroves into other uses, and illegal fishing. -- with a report from Ellen P. Red in Cagayan de Oro

202 'Ati' up for eviction in Boracay Island

2007-11-13T14:58:00.000-08:00

Ati as we called are peacefully living in Boracay. They became tourist attraction and they are charming people and friendly, too...

Thursday, May 26, 2005
202 'Ati' up for eviction in Boracay Island
By Roberto L. Bacasong
Sun.Star Bacolod

BORACAY ISLAND -- Here in the world's renown tourism destination are found the more than 200 "Ati" indigenous families who continue fighting for their right to live -- insofar as social acceptability and the place to call their "home" are concerned.

Ati families in Sitio Bolabog, Barangay Balabag in this island paradise have been tagged "dirty," blame it to their tradition and their manner of living.

Boracay Island has three barangays, namely, Balabag, Manoc-manoc and Yapak.

Humiliation, said 29-year-old Maria Tambu-on was what her family and members of their community suffer from "people in the island."

Tambu-on has four children, namely, Olimar and Loimar, both 4; Marlo, 2; and Marjon, two months.

Together with husband Oliver, 26, they find shelter in an unfinished old shanty located inside the fenced property owned by Aniceto Yap.

Speaking in the native Malay dialect, the mother said they belong to a very poor class as her husband is just a construction worker, depending on a temporary source of income.

Tambu-on said her primary source of living is by helping run the livelihood store of the Boracay Multi-Purpose Cooperative, of which she is a board member.

She further said her family does not have a permanent place in which to live.

"I used to accept laundry jobs just to help my husband," she said.

The property of Yap houses 42 Ati families that has increased from last year's 187 households.

"We are asking for respect from the people. I know that this is what they call the other side of the paradise," she stressed.

Sister Victoria Ostan of the Daughters of Charity under the Diocese of Aklan said she received the order of demolition against the Ati community.

Ostan said this does not stop them from advancing the improvement of the Ati families, specifically the sending of Ati children to school.

Schooling for the Ati members here are in two categories, namely, formal and non-formal.

In formal education, some Ati children finished secondary education with assistance from the government of Aklan and the help of non-government organizations.

"They (Ati children) should be given formal education. They deserve education because of their low status in life," said Ostan.

Students from the College of Archeology from the University of the Philippines-Diliman are presently conducting their study in tracing the history of the Ati families.

"The UP students are dedicated to trace back the history of the Ati family," said Ostan.

She said the notice of demolition cannot be implemented until such time the study is not yet finished, and until the government give these Ati families permanent resettlement.

"They are the first people in our history. They should be given enough attention because of so much history they gave to the country," said Ostan.

We are all created by God, they should be resettled properly if the demolition will take effect, Ostan added.

Ostan said in Barangay Balabag the face of poverty, hunger and deprivation of mankind can be found while the luxurious hotels, foods, among others were in the Manoc-manoc and Yapak.

Delsa Husto, 42, president of the Ati's cooperative said they are fighting for their rights to live.

Husto, who has six children, said her husband is working as a house help and construction worker.

"The main source of income here is fishing and construction, among others while women used to accept laundry to help their partners," said Delsa.

Delsa who has been called as "nanay" (mother) in the community said she is angry with people who discriminate them and their status.

"We are still human beings; all we need is understanding and respect from our fellows," said Delsa.

"We are very happy that (Sister) Ostan is here to help us fight for our rights."
Ostan said foreign tourists were visiting the community and are occasionally giving assistance in the form of clothing, and cash that ranges from P200, P300, P500 and P1,000.

2007-11-13T14:55:00.000-08:00

My lovely article during my first visit to Boracay....

Friday, May 27, 2005
Boracay: A sanctuary of Philippine butterflies
By Roberto L. Bacasong
Sun.Star Bacolod

BORACAY ISLAND -- Nature lovers who spend time discovering various species of Philippine butterflies frequent the Boracay Butterfly Garden located at Barangay Bolabog in this powdered sand paradise island here.

What started as a hobby metamorphosed into the creation of a sanctuary of butterfly varieties, a sight to behold, and a unique business venture inculcating educational and environmental awareness. The unique breeding and cycle of these wonderful creatures, a must-see for travelers.

Adela Jaudian, who hails from Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental said her husband, Patrick Manion, a retired chemist from New Zealand developed a hobby of collecting butterflies.

"He likes to play with butterflies and wondered with these God's creatures," said Jaudian. At first, said the wife, Manion just used the garden to relieve himself from daily stress.

Manion is environment friendly that he later decided to open the garden to the public only last month. The garden has existed in year 2001 yet.

Aside from owning a resort and various stalls, Jaudian said her husband put up the butterfly garden to also impart knowledge on children about these species.

The Boracay Butterfly Garden is one of the often-visited eco-tourism areas in this island with visitors including English, Danish, Chinese, Koreans and Americans, among others.

Domestic visitors won't be outnumbered, too. Jaudian said her husband carefully studies the host-plants in which the butterfly could nest their eggs and also the creatures' source of food.

"Because of thorough study, butterflies are protected from attacks of predators," she explains. Lizards, ants and spiders are the main enemies of butterflies. Their ravenous attacks trigger the decreasing number of butterflies preserved in the garden.

Butterfly Class

The classes of butterfly that could be found in the garden are Papilionidae, Danaidae, Nymphalidae and Pieridae.

Butterflies belonging to the Papilionidae include graphium argamemnon, graphium sarpedon, papilio demoleus (Citrus/Lime Swallowtail), Papilio Polytes (Common Mormon), papilio rumanzovia (Scarlet Mormon), papilio (chilasa), clytia (Common Mime) and papilio (triodes rhadamantus).

The Danaidae class: danaus chrysippus (Plain Tiger) and idea leuconoe (White Tree Nymp); Nymphalidae class, namely, cethosia bibles (Red Lacewing), doleschallia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf), hipolimnas bolina jacintha (Spotted Black Crow) and eupolea multiciber (Stripped Blue Crow).

Butterflies and moths are a group of insects called lepidoptera, derived from the Latin word "lepido" (scale) and "plera" (wings). Like all insects, butterflies and moths have a head, thorax, abdomen, two antennae and six legs.

(May 27, 2005 issue)

Task force formed to protect Capiz shells

2007-11-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

These capiz shells provide a living to the villagers living near the sea....

Task force formed to protect Capiz shells
By: Robert Leonoras
BusinessWorld
1/24/2006 8:56:14 AM

San Enrique, Negros Occidental -- The municipal government has formed a task force to protect marine mollusks that are the source of Capiz shells, locally known as lampirong.

San Enrique Mayor Jilson D. Tubillara ordered the creation of the task force after a huge reserve of these mollusks was found in the shallow waters of this town. The mollusks were reported to have almost covered the seabed.

"This is a gift from Mother Nature. I hope that the people of San Enrique will help our fellow policemen in protecting these shells," Mr. Tubillara said.

The mollusk (scientific name: Placuna placenta) is also known as windowpane oyster because its outer shell was used to make windows in colonial times.

The shell is translucent and allows daylight to filter through. The shell came to be known as Capiz shell because these were originally harvested near the town of Capiz on Panay island.

Task Force Lampirong will educate the people on the importance of the shells, regulate the gathering and distribution of the shells and ensure that no shells are gathered within a 25-hectare protected area. The task force is headed by the town’s police chief, Senior Inspector Raymund Maningo.

Municipal agriculturist Marilou Peñafiel said about 100 tons of shells have already been fished out of the sea. "In just five days, it already brought an income of P71,000 for the municipality."

Mr. Tubillara said the shells are sold for P12 per kilogram. Of this amount, P1 goes to the municipal government and another P1 goes to the barangay and P10 to the seller. The meat is also sold. This may be served as buttered with garlic bits or adobo-style.

The shells are used as raw materials for handicraft, including lamp shades, flower vases, chandeliers, chessboards, glass covers and coasters, wind chimes, wall panels and ash trays. Products made from Capiz shell are among the export winners from the Visayas.

Mr. Tubillara said divers from the neighboring cities and towns like Hinigaran, Pontevedra and Valladolid have arrived in this town to gather the shells.

"You enjoy gathering them because they shine and millions of these shells cover the seabed," he said. But he warned the people not to go into the 25-hectare protected area.

Just recently, Mr. Tubillara said the task force apprehended two pump boats with 12 fishermen who ventured into the protected area. They were released after they promised to stay out of the reserve.

Bacolod preserves Tindalo tree planted by Quezon

2007-11-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

An old landmark in Bacolod, which was never been recognized...

Bacolod preserves Tindalo tree planted by Quezon
By: Robert Leonoras
BusinessWorld
1/30/2006 9:53:43 AM

Bacolod City -- Often ignored, the 67-year-old Tindalo tree at the Bacolod public plaza stands as a silent witness to this city’s history.

The tree was planted by President Manuel L. Quezon on Oct. 19, 1938 to mark the inauguration of Bacolod as a chartered city. Because of its historical value, the tree is being preserved at the plaza.

Tindalo, the common name for Afzelia romboidea, is noted for its valuable timber. Extensive logging has dwindled its number such that it is now considered among the country’s native rare species.

The city government allocates an annual budget for the maintenance of the Tindalo and other trees at the plaza through the general services office (GSO).

GSO officer-in-charge Jose Solilapsi said he hoped to discuss soon with Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia this year’s budget for the maintenance and preservation of the trees and other facilities of the plaza.

"We should not limit our projects to maintaining the cleanliness of the city park but the preservation of its rare trees as well," Mr. Solilapsi said.

Dan Villalobos, supervisor for the maintenance of the plaza, successfully transplanted a sapling from the mother tree eight to 10 years ago.

The second Tindalo tree is heavy with fruits, each about 12 centimeters long and six centimeters wide with a thick, black and woody pod and two to three large seeds.

Mr. Villalobos said he transplated a sapling to prove that the Tindalo can grow well at the plaza. An official of the Negros Forest Ecological Foundation, Inc. earlier urged the city government to remove the tree and plant this in the forest because it was prone to stress at the plaza, which is frequently visited by people.

The soil there is also not as fertile as that in the forest. The official, who asked not to be named, said there’s room for natural regeneration in the forest.

He added that the Tindalo should be relocated to a lowland near the coast, which is its natural habitat.

Mr. Villalobos, who has been maintaining the tree for the past 23 years, brushed this aside. He said the tree is well taken cared of. At times, he said it may appear to be dying because it sheds off leaves.

He said pruning, a common tree maintenance procedure and is done regularly. Pruning is done to remove dead branches, crowded or rubbing limbs and to eliminate hazards.

Mt. Kanlaon at losing end in budget scramble

2007-11-13T14:36:00.000-08:00

And another one...Mt Kanlaon is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines. Many local and foreign tourists captured their heart when they saw the beauty of this natural wonder

Mt. Kanlaon at losing end in budget scramble
By: Roberto Leonoras
BusinessWorld
6/23/2006 9:18:14 AM

Bacolod City -- Not a single centavo has been allocated for forest protection and law enforcement at the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park in the proposed 2006 budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), a park official said.

Photo from WOW Philippines Web site.

"Just when we need it the most, there isn’t a single centavo to work on," said Julie Rex Molavin, park superintendent of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park. The volcano has been acting up and has spewed grayish steam with ash eight times in the last two weeks.

Negros Occidental Rep. Carlos Cojuangco had proposed a P3.8-million budget for the park, but this was ignored by the members of the bicameral committee, Mr. Molavin said.

The park, however, expects assistance from the DENR Western Visayas regional office, which promised to provide P25,000 for park operations for the rest of the year despite the lack of a budget in the national office. Pledges of financial assistance were also made by the Negros Occidental provincial government and other local government units in the vicinity of the park.

But Mr. Molavin said this is not enough. Of the P25,000, he said only P18,000 will be left for the park since P7,000 will go to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-Negros Occidental to cover administrative expenses. The amount is less than half of the P59,000 that they received from the DENR regional office last year, he added.

"The P18,000 is not enough for our maintenance and operating expenses. This amount will easily be eaten up by the Protected Area Management Board meetings. Only a few thousands of pesos will be left to cover management concerns of the park," he said.

There would be no amount left for forest protection, information and education system as well as socioeconomic programs of the agency, he added.

Hinahon and Suplada: An eagle owl love story

2007-11-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

I also like this article, I wrote. I am so delightful that I was able to search it on the net.

Hinahon and Suplada: An eagle owl love story
By: Robert Leonoras
BusinessWorld
7/5/2006 10:03:05 AM

Bacolod City -- Veterinarians here played matchmaker to Philippine eagle owls, Hinahon and Suplada, in hopes the the two would hit it off and make babies and give a much-needed lift to a captive-breeding program to boost the number of the endangered eagle owls in the wild.

The Philippine eagle owl, Bubo philippensis, is locally known as kuwago or bukao and is among the largest species of owls in the world. Massive deforestation and hunting caused a rapid decline in its population, putting it in the endangered list of animals.

In fact, the Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation, Inc. plans to develop a genetic bank to increase the Philippine eagle owl population.

Wildlife veterinarian Cristina Georgii, who was sent by the German government to the foundation’s Biodiversity Conservation Center to lend management and technical expertise to the project, said they will continue to breed Philippine eagle owls in captivity to develop the genetic bank.

"Our end goal is to release the birds into the wild. But currently, we are focusing our efforts on breeding the eagle owl in captivity and increase their population," she said.

The Negros foundation pioneered a captive breeding program for the Philippine eagle owl, Bubo philippensis, and other owl species endemic to the Philippines. The eagle owl is locally known as kuwago or bukao and is among the largest species of owls in the world. But massive deforestation and hunting caused a rapid decline in its population. The first eagle owl hatched in captivity, Bubo, is the offspring of Hinahon and Suplada. He was hatched in November 2005, said curator Leo Jonathan Suarez.

The foundation secured a loan that allowed it to acquire three pairs of eagle owls from the Avilon Montalban Zoological Park in Montalban, Rizal.

The German Development Service, which also supports the program, has sent Ms. Georgii to help manage the Biodiversity Conservation Center.

Silk Capital

2007-11-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I am sharing to you my previous article published on BusinessWorld and Sun.Star Bacolod. This is a very old story, and I just want to compile some of the articles I wrote before.

Thanks

By Robert Leonoras, Correspondent
August 27-28, 2004 | BusinessWorld

TF! Editorial Comment: Agricultural production is still a primary activity in much of the countryside. Initiatives which build on the agricultural base with proper linkages can leverage resources for building sustainable local economies. In the article below, an entrepreneur in Negros is using silk production to create livelihoods and support silk-based handicraft and garment production.

Negros island is pitching to become the country's silk capital, and it has empirical data to back up its claim.

Not everybody knows that sericulture farms on Negros island produce between 85% and 90% of the raw materials for silk in the country.

Silkworms: Negros' claim to fame
These farms are found in Bago City and Sagay City in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

"We are the biggest producers of silk in the country, wherein 85% to 90% are being distributed in the other cities and provinces. We supply 90% of silk to Aklan weavers. They are our major buyer," said Thelma Watanabe, president of Mayu Silk Industry.

She and husband Shigimi are working to make Negros the silk capital.
Mr. Watanabe is a director of the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual & Cultural Advancement (OISCA), which operates a 26-hectare silk farm in Bago City.

OISCA is a non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by the late Dr. Yonosuke Nakano in Japan on Oct. 6, 1961.

When the silk farm started, silkworms were imported from Japan. Today, Mrs. Watanabe said they produce their own silkworms, the result of crossbreeding the Japanese and Chinese silkworms.

"The sericulture industry is now the biggest livelihood in Negros Occidental," she said.

OISCA-Bago has a reeling center, silk center, rearing house, and breeding center.

"Reeling is the process of taking the thread from the cocoon to make it into yarn while rearing is the process of growing the silkworm until it transforms into a cocoon," Mrs. Watanabe explained.

The training center offers major services such as an agricultural training course, which is a live-in training for youth interested in farming. The trainees not only learn farming and other related technologies but also healthful living.

The center also maintains an area for rice cultivation, vegetable production, a piggery, a seedling nursery, mulberry plantations, silkworm nursery, rearing houses, and a silk reeling plant. OISCA-Bago also provides scholarship, training program for women, reforestation program, tie-up programs and day care program.

Salutation to our war Veteran Heroes

2007-11-12T07:59:00.000-08:00

The Philippines and the United States have just earlier celebrated the Veterans Day. This is not just an ordinary celebration for Filipino and American soldiers. I thanked the support of the two nations for continue to remember the heroes during the World War II.

Our Filipino soldiers deserve total respect. I admired their nationalism and patriotism for risking their lives for the sake that our beloved Land will be freed against the Japanese Emperial circle. This can't be done successfully without the help of the American soldiers. Of course, it was written in the Philippine History that the Americans have strong interest in our country.

However, our country preferred to stand by its own, while the American government offered the freedom to the Filipino people.

My great great grandfather was known to be the soldier who had joined the Filipino soldiers whose mission is to dismantle the Japanese elite forces during the war. I am happy to say that my grandfather was used to be a hero, too. My respect and salutation to the war veterans who remains alive, and continue to reminisce the old days of war.

Congratulations to our veteran heroes!

Remembering Our Dead

2007-11-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

EARLY in the morning I received an SMS message from my mother that she and the rest of my family members are proceeding to Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, to visit the tomb of my late grandfather. I only remember that my first and last visit to my grandfather's tomb was in 2005 (if I'm not mistaken). My mother constantly offers prayer and burned candle to his tomb.

By the way, Cadiz is one of the cities situated in the northern portion of Negros Occidental. I'd never seen my lolo (grandfather) alive because he died when I'm not born in this world. I don't even seen his photograph and even my lola (grandmother) don't have a photograph of her late husband. How funny isn't it? This does not mean that I hate my lolo or my lola. I remember that my grandma always kissed me when I was a toddler. Her warmth love and affection I felt from her motivates me, how loving mother she is to her children and her grandchildren.

At first, I really hate going to the cemeteries, however, I opted to go as it requires to my job as journalist-photographer during my Sun.Star Bacolod days. Since I covered police beat, part of my assignment was to monitor the event if it is celebrated peacefully or not. Luckily, no major incidents usually transpired because the Bacolodnons and the Negrenses are very cooperative to the local police officers.

I left no choice to quit my job, as I felt the urge to shift to another career -- main reason is the low salary scheme I received. I did not regret leaving my job. Now, I work here in Metro Manila in a call center company, being away from my family is pretty sad, but I learned to move on and depend on myself.

We, Filipinos are very sentimental in remembering our dead loved ones. I read on a national daily newspaper that the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines issued a statement that the All Saints and All Souls Day -- are not a time for fiesta. I agree to the statement of the CBCP reminding our Filipino people about the true essence of this holy event. Our demise loved ones deserve respect and care, too. This is not the time to drink (liquor substance), sing-along, and gamble inside the cemeteries. We celebrate this event because the Church wants us to offer prayers to our departed brothers and sisters. The Church wants us to be responsible enough in our role human being.

******

Wayback in Bacolod, when I used of covering this event for five years, me and my fellas went together inside the cemeteries and joined thousands of revelers bringing flowers and other paraphernalia. Not just we mingled with other people, but we learned the true meaning of this celebration.

So even if it is not the All Saints and All Souls Day, let's continue to offer prayers to them. Our prayer is one of the most effective tools in making their souls at peace!

Happy Halloween!

Four Years of Love

2007-10-29T12:12:00.001-07:00

I have to stop writing about call center, and congratulate my good friend and former co-worker Fernelle C. Rodriguez on his four year anniversary with David Smith. Fernelle was the chief Copy Editor of Sun.Star Bacolod, while I was one of the reporters.

Fernelle is now happily based in Rochester, New York, wherein he is presently taking up his Masters in Journalism. You can read his majestic articles at http://fernellerodriguez.blogspot.com

His message to me:

My friends,

It is 10:10 p.m. David picked me up downtown (I came from school) and we both went to dinner to celebrate our 4th year anniversary. You are all part of this wonderful moment.

Love you all and thank you for all your support.

Fernelle

I hope to see you my friend in the near future!

Robert

Hello Is This Call Center?

2007-10-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L. Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction

'PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT'

SOUNDS FAMILIAR? isn't it?
Yes, this is call center. Relatively young but considered as vibrant industry in the Philippines. Wanna be part of this industry? Definitely, the answer is always yes.

Why would that be? This is a workplace where dominated by yuppie Filipinos. So it means that Filipino men and women ages 18 to 25 have the huge number of this elite circle in the world of customer service. Employers also welcomed elder people to apply. Age does not matter, according to one of the call center executives whom he preferred to keep his identity. In general, call center does not require you to be young. The important factor for you to get employed is your capability of speaking English. Of course, this is an obvious requirement because the clients are from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. An off-shore industry like call center cannot be just ignored right away.

Call center is not only required to speaking excellent English all the time. There's so much opportunity to be offered by the call center companies despite the high attrition rate. The expertise in keeping the posture of professionalism, politeness and can stay longer in a shift schedule is a plus factor. An agent should quick to adopt the changes in a fast-paced environment in call center.

Some says that many are quiting call center job because of its hazardous effect on the humans health. Others point of view, on the other hand, want to be in the industry because of the attractive benefits it may offer to the successful candidates. Both are true, everyone of us are entitled to one's opinion. But the meat of the matter is, the flourishing business process outsourcing generate millions of pesos to the Philippine Government.

Influential sector like the business group very much excited on how call center industry lift up the lives of every Filipino people. The business group expressed their gratitude to outsourcing locators for choosing the Philippines against its neighboring Asian countries.

Customer service is a tough job. But to people who learned to value the culture of this career contributed to the amazing improvement on their lifestyle. Many agents succeeded from the harsh good and bad interpretation of this industry. That's why the Philippines is always a top choice nation by the outsourcers'. Impressive characteristics such learning how to sympathized and emphatized won the heart of the clients against other competing countries.

We have so much things to be proud of being a Filipino. Our history will tell us why. Our ancestors who were known to be patriotic, brave, intelligent, creative, religious and English speaker, are among the strong reasons written from the past.

The country not only as a tourism hub, call center became a word of mouth which is very familiar now to the younger generation. Now, the parents need not to worry that their children can afford to pass the trials in a very keen process of applying for a call center job.

So the industry must go on. Its a good thing because we dominated this aside over a decade years now. The interest of the national government is welcome as long as it will not involve politicking and personal interest. Working together for the progress of the nation is the number factor.

So are you ready to be a call center agent now? Practice English everyday because “practice makes perfect”.*

The Wonders of Live Chat Support in Outsourcing

2007-10-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L. Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction

ANOTHER way of doing customer service is through the use of live chat support which is now gaining positive response aside from the famous inbound and outbound customer service management. This is a simple way of assisting clients worldwide because it requires the agents to be proficient in grammar, can type at least an average of 25 words per minute and most importantly, can respond quickly to the concerns of the customers.

Unlike with voice support, a customer service representative often encountered irate clients and sometime being discriminated on their race identification, among others. But regardless on how they help their customers, Filipinos customer service was proven and tested in telephoning communication. Clients from the United States easily pissed them if they failed to receive enough services they wanted. If this will continue, no wonder that the next move would end up in cancellation the program they purchased.

The introduction of chat support is a great wonder to the outsourcing because it gives the opportunity for the customers to deal one-on-one coaching with the agent using this technology. In many contact centers today in the Philippines, live chat support are now offered because call center locators believe that customers are their lifeblood and no matter what happen addressing the customers' problem should be listed a top priority.

Meanwhile, Melanie Mae P. Lagasca, a chat operator for Unique Interaction, disclosed that she is now accustomed using the live chat support services. Previously, Ms. Lagasca came from the inbound account but was transferred to chat account, as part of the company's way of giving quality help to the customers.

“I encountered angry customers on live chat support but the thing is, I can fully address their concerns after looking on the customers' account. Chat support service is broad and in general this is fun,” said the 24-year-old lass from Bulacan province.

Speaking in Filipino and English, she said: “Chat support improves my skills in typing and I become more conscious of my grammar and I also learned how to handle the HTML code. I learned new things everyday and I treasure this opportunity to work in call center which greatly help me in supporting my family.”

Agents assigned for a chat support were trained the workings of this services. First, they were brief about the background of the program. Once they know everything, then they started to explore some basic jargons related on this account. Since the account is complicated to learn at the beginning but later on the knowledge will continue to spark the chat operators.

If the customers were satisfied with the service offered by a chat agent, usually they give good remarks to the agent's performance. This is true, because the agents were also evaluate how they deal with the customers. If their remarks “NI” (needs improvement) this is something to give continuous coaching and reorientation to the agents to avoid getting this remark again and again. Everything can be sorted out properly through proper forum.

Today, ecommerce sites improve their sales because of the live chat software as a standard way of customer service. Call center executives interpret that this technology is a powerful customer interaction and support solution that offers substantial advantages to clients. Because online shoppers or Internet users rapidly increasing, chat tool gives positive outcome by helping the customers decide which is the best pick to choose. This tool can help strengthen upselling and generate loyalty by enabling live, person-to-person communication.

A survey conducted by eMarketer in 2000 showed that retail revenues from online shopping worldwide will increase to 35.3 billion by 2002. However, according to Yankelovich Partners, there is a problem: Nearly two-thirds of Web users are unwilling to purchase products without human interaction.

Another research from Andersen consulting, revealed that 63% of consumers surveyed did not compete an online transaction because they could not find necessary informal. With less than adequate information, they frequently don't buy at all or end up buying the wrong product and ultimately, return it.

Ecommerce companies especially outsourcing, lead the customers in a way that they will learn and earn the benefits from the products they bought. This is not only for the purpose of doing sales but giving accurate information not to mislead the customers are the responsible of the provider.

HOW TO USE CHAT SUPPORT

Most of the ebusiness companies now have window section for live chat support. They provide few snippets information, along with a button, to their pages in which the customer may have the chance to browse it. If the customer will click on a button then it will alert the live chat server, hosted by the service that a visitor is popping up and wants to talk to the available chat support agent. In this highly regulated outsourcing industry, everything is compact and the information is stored ready to give a quick response to the visitors. And at the end, this visitor will enable to learn about the services and possibly turned out to be an up sell.

No wonder that in the next following years, live chat support services will give the outsourcing a remarkable journey in the online marketing scheme.*

New Culture Develops in the Philippine Call Centers

2007-09-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction Philippines

IN A DAZZLING city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines is described to be as busy as as an anthill, thousands of call center agents are trooping to their respective workplaces not minding the bad weather condition due to rainy season and tropical cyclone that is commonly a normal event in the country's geographic condition. When the clock strikes from 8 pm until wee hours is officially the starts of the day for the Filipino customer service representatives. This is the scene which you will observe in the Philippines brought about by the fast growing outsourcing industry occupying the gleaming towers in metro Manila. Largest call center operators also brought development and new culture to the Filipino agents in a way of uplifting their lives and be fitted in a fast-paced environment like of this one.

These workers are dealing with clients from all walks of life in which some were using pseudonym American names, donning with their headsets and placed phone calls to their clients as far as from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia in promoting products like Timeshare travel, collecting billings, credit cards, among others. Even on special holidays, call agents workers are required to appear on their schedule on time since their holidays are based in the US.

This is another culture which practiced in the outsourcing industry. For instance, there were numbers legal and non-legal holidays celebrated in this country, but if you work in a call center, there's no break because you are dealing with 24/7 US office operations. Of course, the compensation is much different compared to the other field of professions. Even though you are required to render overtime or during holidays, everything is paid off, according to Florena V. Abanilla, a call center agent of Unique Interaction.

“It is hard at first but the continuous learning process I acquired from the training gives me the opportunity to improve my communication skills. Working in a highly regulated company is enjoyable,” the 30-year-old live chat support agent opined.

Ms. Abanilla disclosed that since the job requires a night shift schedule, she left her house in Bulacan, a province in the Northern Luzon at 5 pm in order for her to be at the office before her shift starts at 8 pm until 4 am.

“We are like nocturnal animals because we are awake in the evening and definitely sleeping in the morning. I am used to it and I am very happy with my job,” she said.

The former works previously as an area managers secretary at Prudential Life Plans Inc. for four years but quit her job and changed her career path to call center. She also narrated that she was chosen as the “best agent” wherein she was awarded the newest model Nokia cellphone.

The Philippines is considered to be one of the multi-cultural country in Asia. Its chronicle reflects the complexity of every Filipino because of its rich in cultural background, which is widely known in the world. The fragmented structure of the country because of its divided provinces in terms of island to island is also unique in some other countries. The country is also logging its best practices in terms of information technology which boost the country's economy. Not only the country is known for its sweet hospitality in treating their visitors, customer service is also a way of showing the Filipino values in a telephony technology.

PHONE ATTITUDE

The outstanding call center management expertise of the Filipino agents have been recognized in the call center phenomenon. Showing concerns and putting ones shoes to another is a way of emphatizing the customers. Filipinos are carried away with their emotions especially if the customers are affected with the poor service they got from the package they purchased. If the worst scenario came, American customers showed uncomfortable by being irate and angry if still the concerns were not addressed thoroughly. This is something what makes Filipino proud because of their patients and flexibility many customers were happy on how they assist help to the customers' concern. In a call center in the Philippines, the agents were trained the value of dealing all types of customers. The call center companies informed them that the customers are not angry with them, instead to the program they got. No matter the rudeness they showed, Filipinos still do their best to maintain the smooth conversation with them.

The trend of outsourcing is remarkable in the country because it now part of the government drive to maintain this industry. Every call center locators offered a world class facilities which makes their agents and employees feel the ambiance like that in their respective homes. The culture of working in a call center is inevitable. Many benefits also shared by 24-hour convenience stores circulated outside the skyscrapers offering different kinds of services. Young and older call center agents like hanging the finest resto and coffee shops spending their breaks together with other agents from different companies.

BROUGHT WEALTH

Call center brought wealth to the Philippines because of its tremendous success for a decade of its presence to the country. This was proved by the national government because they huge amount of revenues aside from the share being delivered continuously by the overseas Filipino workers (OFW). The world class facilities make the workers proud to work in an owned American company. This is only part of a burgeoning industry known as business process outsourcing (BPO) in which call centers is part of. The application of a Western management is delectable way because workers complies the US standards. Learning the American speech music is very interesting in dealing with clients. This cultural trend strengthen the relationship between the Philippines and the US in continue to provide hope for every Filipino from poverty. The good thing, most contact centers offer attractive pacemaker in terms of benefits to their employees. World class facilities like spa and fitness gym, gaming area, sleeping quarters and freebies are some of the rewards which make their workers stay on their company. The agents also enjoy the getaway vacation award they received and discounts to movie houses and malls. Filipinos are also known for its multi-lingual skills aside from English, they can speak Spanish, Australian and British accent and others.

This culture will continue to grow in the next following years because of the excessive performance in the outsourcing industry. The Philippine government still believes that they achieve their goals by collaborating with other investors and convince them to forge deal with them.*

Philippine Outsourcing the Ideal in the World

2007-09-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L. Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction Philippines

HOW can we say that the Philippine outsourcing is ideal in the world? There are so many reasons why the Philippines is considered. This industry is truly amazing because the way it help the Filipino workers in terms of contribution to the large scale of development for the country. Working in a call center in the Philippines is worthy enough in helping the Filipino families boost up their morale and the level of their competent in terms of adopting English language.

Beyond expectation, contact center is widely known today in the Philippines. It is a word of mouth which now became a common trend setting for yuppie Filipinos strongly agreeing that there’s better future on working in call center. For instance, once they have graduated from their respective bachelor’s degree thousands of them employed easily to different world class contact centers in the country. It is with great knowledge that call center companies offer great package such as salary scheme and benefits which attract Filipinos workers grabbing the opportunity with no doubt. Despite the high attrition rate in this industry, looking for staffing and manpower services have never been a problem to the call center locators in the Philippines. Most of them, received volumes of applicants everyday in which the shortlisted applicants were thoroughly screened upon reaching the job offer. The ratio goes this way, only three out of ten successful applicants qualified were mployed in the call center arena. But this does not mean that the level of competency is affected, this only reflect how the human resources team of hundreds of call center companies in the Philippines doing stiff hiring process to fill in their vacant position.

Outsourcing in the Philippines is very ideal in the world, as what most commented by some international call center owners published nationally and internationally in different medium especially in the newspapers. In Asia, along with the Philippines that is known for outsourcing are India, China, Thailand, among others. With strong command in English is a great advantage among other competitors. The country has huge number of graduates from reputable colleges and universities which is also a factor to consider.

In a research entitled: “Outsourcing to the Philippines: Metro Manila and Beyond” by neoIT highlighted some economic activity which contributed by this industry. The report noted that Metro Manila is considered as the most popular destination for outsourcing. This is because that Manila has a large skilled resource based that assures smooth operation scale-ups. The city houses 81 institutions of higher education and 1,600 other schools, boast a literacy rate of 92.4, and is home to institutions such as the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Ateneo de Manila, De La Salle University, the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas. But not only this, the research further showed that not only Manila is the focus of call centers, it is also incubating other provinces such as Pampanga, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro. It further revealed that as an offshore outsourcing enters its next phase of evolution, the competitiveness of offshore nations will rest on their ability to develop multiple centers of excellence within their boarders – centers that satisfy the skill requirements, delivery capabilities,and risk appetite of outsourcing organizations.

Outsourcing continue to gather crowd of interest in the country. It opened opportunities to the Filipinos and combat the war against unemployment which is one of the major problems of the Philippine Government. The increasing demand in this industry has been given attention by the national government in order to attract other investors to stay in the country. It is no doubt that truly the Philippines is not only the land for its bountiful rich in tourism but also the home for the growing outsourcing industry.*

Outsourcing the First Choice for Career Shifters in the Philippines

2007-09-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction Philippines

For Filipinos who wants to earn high paying jobs found their home in vibrant outsourcing industry. This is because any contact centers in the Philippines offer attractive package and benefits which awaken the interest of the Filipinos to be part in this booming sunshine industry.

Career shifters from different fields of professions enrolled themselves in the call center industry because of the higher chances to be promoted and most importantly the benefits they will receive, which is far different from their previous employers. There are so many reasons behind on the continuing increase of Filipino workers changing their jobs to the outsourcing business. Frustrations from their previous employers is one of the many reasons why there are so many career shifters in the Philippines. They found new home in the business process outsourcing (BPO) with variety of fields include call centers, medical transcription, animation, litigation support, back-office operation or shared services and software development. It appeared that cyberservices now employs 250,000 workers and generates millions of pesos to the revenue of the country.

If you are articulate in English even if you did not finish your college degree, call centers have opened doors for career shifters, as well as to some people who previously could not find jobs. The good thing in working in a call center is that it caters without age limit. Despite the high attrition rate in working in contact centers many in the call center executives believe that staffing is not the problem. Everyday almost an average of 100 applicants or more than this were applying in call center companies. The advantage of the industry is that the recruitment process takes only 24 hours and once the applicants passed, they will then proceed to the contract signing. After the contract signing they are scheduled for a month-long training before they will allowed to take calls.

The Philippine Government is expecting the total number of BPO workers to reach the target by 2010. In a research conducted by one of the national daily newspapers in the Philippines since June 2006, about 27 percent of the 199,000 job advertisements from June to December 2006 were for cyberservices. The survey was based on the job advertisement monitored to the three national daily newspapers and three jobs online companies. It appeared that in terms of ranking, cyberservices occupy the top spot, followed by construction and engineering; manufacturing; wholesale and retail; hotels, resorts and restaurants; media and entertainment; transportation, storage and communication; financial intermediation; health and social work; and advertising and promotions. Consistently, job ads from the cyberservices sector have been growing at double-digit rates from its base in June in the last five months, an indication of the growth in job creation in the sector.

The education sector in the Philippines produce about 400,000 graduates every year which is higher compared to the other Asian countries. For the industry to grow into a million workers by 2010, the industry needs to recruit an average of 200,000 additional workers each year, a figure some industry experts say is probably not achievable. Even if the industry achieves half that target, recruiting about 100,000 new workers each year for the industry would mean that a significant number will have to come from career shifters. To achieve this goal, many call center and BPO companies designed specific programs for their employees to stay on the business. These graduates produce every year can speak English and have fair level of competency to be employed easily in a call center in the Philippines.

For instance, Beau Rudd, chief executive officer of Unique Interaction, disclosed that most of his employees in the inbound and outbound call centers and live support chat are career shifters. Mr. Rudd said that they welcome the fresh graduates to apply for the position and applicants who have experience in the call centers are advantage.

“Our goal is to provide unique solutions to our business associates. We value our clients and providing proper training to the agents should be given top priority,” Mr. Rudd said. So far, there is no statistics on the number of career shifters in outsourcing. But it is no doubt that in the Philippine call center arena, it continue to grow.

Among of the basic reasons why career shifters continue to expand because the agents learned new things in American way and they were able to financially help their respective families. Some considered the environment as progressive and organizational structure is rather flat, which provides doors of opportunities. Moreover, an employee doesn’t need to wait for an official appointment to get promoted. He/she can apply for the post aspired for. Many of the managers are young, and have equally progressive management style. They encourage direct interactions with subordinates. The company’s work ethic for managers requires them to provide support to their subordinates. Also, the work environment is fun and informal, while remaining professional in terms of delivering results.

EFFECTS

The survey further revealed that its effect on other firms will probably have a limited effect. It noted that those who shift are those with technical skills for specialized accounts and are paid very well. In addition, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) expects on achieving the country’s job targets in the cyberservices industry. CICT believes that more than 40,000 career shifters are going this industry from 2006 until 2010. CICT also expects career shifters to make up 30 percent of new employees in the medical transcription business from 2006 to 2010.*

Philippine Call Center Stable

2007-08-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction Philippines

THE Call centers industry in the Philippines is stable according to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last July 2007. Mrs. Arroyo, clad in a red terno expressed the significant on how call center industry is helping the country in terms of providing jobs to the Filipino people especially to the fresh graduates. This industry is distinct from information technology (IT) outsourcing, which focuses on hiring a third-party company or service provider to do IT-related activities, such as application management and application development, data center operations, or testing and quality assurance.

Mrs. Arroyo is taking cognizance of the importance of call center industry because of the ability of the Filipinos to speak fluently in English. She even said in her speech: “The Philippines ranks among top off-shoring hubs in the world because of cost competitiveness and more importantly our highly trainable, English proficient, IT-enabled management and manpower”

It only shows that call center industry in the Philippines has been called the “New India” as the country offers an abundance of inexpensive, English speaking labor. This was according to the 2003 Philippines Call Centre Industry Benchmark Study conducted by call centres net. Our country is very viable alternative to other locations in the Asia Pacific and hence many local and multinational organizations have set up contact centers. This trend is set to continue as numerous companies progressively seek an Asian presence to service customers both regionally and globally.

“Information technology will help the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) bring in more taxes in the coming months,” she stressed.

It means to say that more investments are likely to happen in the following years because of the presence of this industry. The country has approximately 200 call centers and 20,000 seats. It is estimated that 80% of these seats are operated by call center outsourcing bureaus.

She further said: “While our strength in contact centers is well-established, we are now focused on growing the higher value-added services, including accounting, legal, human resources and administrative services.”

She stressed: “The business services sector has become the fastest growing in the economy providing 400,000 jobs compared to 8,000 in 2000. By 2010 the forecast is one million jobs earning $12 billion, the same amount remitted by our overseas Filipinos today.”

If the government will unite and continue to promote the country as an investor-friendly in Asia many foreign multinational firms will choose Philippines to put up their contact centers here. The political bickering will not help the country in stabilizing the economy. If political noise continue to exist especially most of the newly elect senators and solons are from the opposition parties. Let’s hope and pray that the last election should serve as lesson to the entire nation.

Many factors should be prioritized if the government is serious in keeping this industry. First, is to focus on education. Knowledge is the greatest creator of wealth. Without knowledge we cannot move on and do the things we want. With this development, the President said that the nation is investing more for education: PhP150 billion, PhP29 billion more than last year. In 2006, the government and private sector built 15,000 classrooms instead of the usual 6,000. Since call center industry wants their employees to be computer literate. The government reported that one third of the public high schools now have Internet access, with private sector support.

The President quoted in her speech: “We have a scarcity of public high schools but a surplus of private high schools. So instead of building more high schools, we give more high school scholarships - 600,000 scholars this year.”

Aside from education, terrorism should be the top priority because it will scare the investors on putting their businesses in the country. The President herself is aware of the presence of the terrorists, which threatens the sovereign, democratic, compassionate and decent way of life. “Therefore, in the fight against lawless violence, we must uphold these values. It is never right and always wrong to fight terror with terro.”

I welcome the development that Human Security Act, a new anti-terror law that took effect last July 15, underscored the resolve to deal with terrorism and contribute to regional security. Due to the continuous conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the More Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao, it is a good thing that she asked the Congress to enact laws to transform state response to political violence: First, laws to protect witnesses from lawbreakers and law enforcers. Second, laws to guarantee swift justice from more empowered special courts. Third, laws to impose harsher penalties for political killings. Fourth, laws reserving the harshest penalties for the rogue elements in the uniformed services who betray public trust and bring shame to the greater number of their colleagues who are patriotic.

“It is my ardent wish that most of the vision I have outlined will be fully achieved when I step down. It is my unshakeable resolve that the fundamentals of this vision will by then be permanently rooted, its progress well advanced and its direction firmly fixed with our reforms already bearing fruit. All that will remain for my successor is to gather the harvest. He or she will have an easier time of it than I did.”

No matter what happen, the Philippine call centers will continue to be part of Mrs. Arroyo's strong republic campaign. The Sona lasted 56 minutes to deliver and was interrupted by 102 rounds of applause, including the standing ovation at the end.*

Valuing the Philippine Call Centers

2007-08-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L. Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction Philippines

THE recent State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo highlighted the booming business process outsourcing industry in the Philippines. Mrs. Arroyo, clad in a red terno expressed the significant on how BPO is helping the country in terms of providing jobs to the Filipino people especially to the fresh graduates. BPO is distinct from information technology (IT) outsourcing, which focuses on hiring a third-party company or service provider to do IT-related activities, such as application management and application development, data center operations, or testing and quality assurance.
When I was practicing my media profession, I recalled that my former Editor-in-Chief from Sun.Star Bacolod stationed me at the Fountain of Justice in front of the Bacolod City Hall where the rallyists from the local level were staging their sentiment on Sona. These groups are handling different materials such as placards, streamers and effigy portraying Mrs. Arroyo in a very ugly creature, among others. I also have the chance to interview their respective secretary-generals on how they reacted as the President was receiving claps including numerous standing ovations while she was outlining her achievements and plans for the country. Of course, I already anticipated their message that they want to oust Mrs. Arroyo. As a faithful journalist, I see to it that everything I wrote was fair and not judgmental in order to have a balance story at the end of the day. I also reminisced that my former Visayas Bureau Chief from BusinessWorld also prepared assignments that I need to accomplish by asking comments to the local businessmen, politicians and public figures on how they interpret Sona. Just a quick background of my previous employment, I covered politics and governance for Sun.Star Bacolod (www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod) and also a correspondent for BusinessWorld (www.bworld.com.ph), a Manila-based newspaper. I started my career in journalism right after I finished my degree in Mass Communication in 2002.
From the time I completed my data, I wasted no time writing my article for tomorrow’s issue. This is my usual routine writing article to inspire our local readers and our online subscribers. My experienced in journalism gave me the opportunity to learn what is BPO and call center industry is all about. Bacolod at that time was struggling to have at least one contact center compared in the cities of Cebu, Iloilo and Dumaguete, which have their call centers operating in their respective business districts in Visayas region. It was only in 2006 where US-based firms from Manila decided to establish contact centers in my hometown. This is because of the positive feedback that the city produced competitive graduates in terms of speaking English language. Another factor is the participation of the academes and private sectors. Incumbent Bacolod City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia welcomes the development of BPO industry which really improve the collection of the City’s revenues.
It’s so hard for me to quit my job because writing is really my passion. I know that I have so many things to be done and my four years in the media is not enough. Media is known as the watchdog in the society because we promote peace and brings development to the nation. I thank Mr. Beau Rudd and Mr. Rommel Sarmiento for giving me the opportunity to write again. Rest assured that this significant event in my life will always be treasured.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Arroyo is taking cognizance of the importance of call center industry because of the ability of the Filipinos to speak fluently in English. She even said in her speech: “The Philippines ranks among top off-shoring hubs in the world because of cost competitiveness and more importantly our highly trainable, English proficient, IT-enabled management and manpower…”
It only shows that call center industry in the Philippines has been called the “New India” as the country offers an abundance of inexpensive, English speaking labor. This was according to the 2003 Philippines Call Centre Industry Benchmark Study conducted by callcentres.net. Our country is very viable alternative to other locations in the Asia Pacific and hence many local and multinational organizations have set up contact centers. This trend is set to continue as numerous companies progressively seek an Asian presence to service customers both regionally and globally.
Mrs. Arroyo also said: “Information technology will help the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) bring in more taxes in the coming months…”
It means to say that more investments are likely to happen in the following years because of the presence of this industry. The country has approximately 200 call centers and 20,000 seats. It is estimated that 80% of these seats are operated by call center outsourcing bureaus.
She further said: “While our strength in contact centers is well-established, we are now focused on growing the higher value-added services, including accounting, legal, human resources and administrative services…”
She stressed: “The business services sector has become the fastest growing in the economy providing 400,000 jobs compared to 8,000 in 2000. By 2010 the forecast is one million jobs earning $12 billion, the same amount remitted by our overseas Filipinos today…”
If the government will unite and continue to promote the country as an investor-friendly in Asia many foreign multinational firms will choose Philippines to put up their business here. The political bickering will not help the country in stabilizing the economy. If political noise continue to exist especially most of the newly elect senators and solons are from the opposition parties. Let’s hope and pray that the last election should serve as lesson to the entire nation. But until when are we able to suffer from hunger and poverty if the rift of the lawmakers continue to exist?
Nevertheless, many factors should be prioritized if the government is serious in keeping this industry. First, is on education. Knowledge is the greatest creator of wealth. Without knowledge we cannot move on and do the things we want. With this development, the President said that the nation is investing more for education: P150 billion, P29 billion more than last year. In 2006, the government and private sector built 15,000 classrooms instead of the usual 6,000. Since call center industry wants their employees to be computer literate. The government reported that one third of the public high schools now have Internet access, with private sector support.
The President quoted in her speech: “We have a scarcity of public high schools but a surplus of private high schools. So instead of building more high schools, we give more high school scholarships - 600,000 scholars this year…” These are the developments that will surely strengthen the BPO industry in the country.
Aside from education, terrorism should be the top priority because it will scare the investors on putting their businesses in the country. The President herself is aware of the presence of the terrorists, which threatens the sovereign, democratic, compassionate and decent way of life. “Therefore, in the fight against lawless violence, we must uphold these values. It is never right and always wrong to fight terror with terror…”
I welcome the development that Human Security Act, a new anti-terror law that took effect last July 15, underscored the resolve to deal with terrorism and contribute to regional security. Because of the continuous rival of the military and the More Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mindanao, it is a good thing that she asked the Congress to enact laws to transform state response to political violence: First, laws to protect witnesses from lawbreakers and law enforcers. Second, laws to guarantee swift justice from more empowered special courts. Third, laws to impose harsher penalties for political killings. Fourth, laws reserving the harshest penalties for the rogue elements in the uniformed services who betray public trust and bring shame to the greater number of their colleagues who are patriotic.
“It is my ardent wish that most of the vision I have outlined will be fully achieved when I step down. It is my unshakeable resolve that the fundamentals of this vision will by then be permanently rooted, its progress well advanced and its direction firmly fixed with our reforms already bearing fruit. All that will remain for my successor is to gather the harvest. He or she will have an easier time of it than I did…”
No matter what happen, the Philippines will continue to be a strong republic. The Sona lasted 56 minutes to deliver and was interrupted by 102 rounds of applause, including the standing ovation at the end. Till the next Sona!!!

Are you looking for a call center in the Philippines?
Check out Unique Interaction Inc

Poor English: A Threat to the Philippine Call Centers?

2007-08-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction Philippines

DESPITE the Philippines is considered as one of the third largest English speaking countries in Asia yet the report released by the US State Department, in its “2007 Investment Climate Statement” this month cited that the “English language proficiency, while still better than in other Southeast Asian nations, is declining in the Philippines.”

This report is a ticking bomb that caused alarm to the Philippine Government, the business sectors and especially the business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, which serves as a foundation of call centers in the Philippines.

“High levels of corruption, ongoing efforts to reform the judicial system, weak but improving protection of intellectual property rights, the slow pace of energy sector reform and privatization, the need for further fiscal reforms to boost depressed spending levels for infrastructure and social services, and political uncertainties combined to dampen investor interest,” are the major considerations highlighted by the US Government on basing their statement.

I learned that various sectors put the pressure to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on how she will address the report. She kept on saying that English should use as primary medium of instruction in all schools nationwide. In fact, Mrs. Arroyo highlighted stressed that “knowledge is the greatest creator of wealth”. With this development, the President allocated PhP150 billion, which is PhP29 billion increased last year in education budget. She stressed that that almost young Filipino professionals are employed in a call center in the Philippines and received enjoyable salary package from the different contact centers they are working for. She also reported that most schools in the country have accessed to the Internet because of the program designed by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The report alarmed the business councils both foreign and domestic because it might cause panic to our call center industry, which one of the vibrant industries in the country today. The business council noted that the Philippines is the home of the world largest call center companies aside from India, China, Singapore and among others.

The US State Department noted that “the comparative advantages the Philippines once enjoyed vis-à-vis its neighbors in attracting foreign investment need to be restored in order to attract more investment and support higher growth.”

Meanwhile, Beau Rudd, chief executive officer of Unique Interaction encourage his call center agents to always use English as the first language. Mr. Rudd said that there are so many big call centers in the Philippines and they have a strict policy about English only when you come into the office.

“I have been trying to figure it out for a long time and the only reason I thought it was for is because the customer might hear Tagalog in the background. The reason these company have put this in place is because of this, when you are always taking in English you will always think in English,” he stressed.

It sounds funny but all Filipinos may speak good English but they are converting it in the mind from Tagalog and the problem with them is Tagalog is all backwards, he added.

In a call center in the Philippines, it employed about 200,000 call center representatives working in different companies. This is according to one of the executives in a call center in the Philippines reported during the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) roadmap conference held last July 11 and 12 this year. Call center managers relayed that this business remained to be a sunshine industry and continue to grow faster. The CCAP further revealed that the industry needs at least 500,000 contact center agent professionals by 2010, a target the organization has come up with after extrapolating its current demand but considering the 19-percent yearly attrition. CCAP is now composed of 34 contact center companies based in the Philippines.

This is no joke. Losing employees for call centers will only reflect that we, Filipinos failed to implement the English program policy. Or shall I say, the government is incompetent enough to improve the country’s learning English skills. The good focal point, however, that we Filipinos are dedicated to learn this language in order for us to have edge especially when applying for jobs. Even call center companies expressed their statement that deterioration of English sounds “painful”. These call center leaders blamed the soap operas dubbed in Pilipino, and too much focusing on cell phone text messaging. The education sector blamed the influence of pop culture and the domestic media, where the dominant language is Taglish, a combination of Tagalog and English.

The US government further outlined that the country’s fiscal conditions, helped recently by new revenue legislation, seem nonetheless to be improving and the general economic outlook is cautiously optimistic for 2007. The figures indicates that the Philippines’ GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth accelerated from 5% in 2005 to 5.4 percent as of September 2006, spurred by a recovery in post-drought agricultural harvests, more robust export growth, the continued strength of remittances from Filipinos overseas, and a vibrant call center business.*

Call Center Lifestyle in the Philippines

2007-08-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

By Roberto L Bacasong
Company Writer
Unique Interaction Philippines

Yuppie Filipinos get the chance to be employed easily once they obtained their bachelor or diploma degrees because of the emergence of contact centers everywhere in the Philippines. These workers started to fill the 24-hour skyscrapers that gives a colorful background to metro Manila’s financial districts at nighttime.This only shows that people employed in this job for a couple of years were used to on their ticking biological sleeping habit. They slept all day long just to regain their strength and wake up again at the wee hours to prepare themselves for a nightlong work. Clad in casual attire with matching fashionable coats are the most common props if you are a customer service representative. During break time some even used to occupy the al fresco various dining areas in Manila. In Ortigas for instance, call center agents enjoy their 30-minute to 1 hour break at McDonald’s, Starbucks, among others. For those who have extra pennies, they enjoy the hot aroma of Brazilian coffee in various blend. Others may sit on the corner and lit up their cigarette in a way of releasing their stress from work. It is enjoying isn’t it?

At 8 pm. about 100 people, most 25 younger, sit in a room of enclosed cubicles outfitted with phones and computers. They’ll be working until 4 am. or depends on the schedule of their shifts. As their shifts starts, it is usually morning in the US. These contact centers are following US standard zones such as Pacific, Eastern, Mountain and Central.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Luisa Geneta disclosed that call center is her first job when she finished her bachelor’s degree on May 4, 2007. At 12 am., Geneta left her house in Tondo, a suburb village in Manila, as her shift starts at 2 am. This Banking and Finance graduate from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is one of the top caliber representatives for Unique Interaction, an American call center based in Ortigas.

“Working in a call center in the Philippines is really a big challenge for me especially that I’m new to this business. I spent most of my time and energy on this job,” she said, who handles an inbound account.

It is a very risky to leave my house at midnight for a young lady like me. However, I consider that this is the most rewarding career that we have nowadays and this will be a big help in creating another means of livelihood for us Filipinos especially for fresh graduates like me, she claimed.

On the other hand, Margaret Estanislao, 19, a team leader of the same company, disclosed that placing the agents into action challenge her in keeping her job.

Estanislao, who started as an agent added that they tried everything in sorting out the problem of the customers. “We need to maintain our empathy if the customer is upset. They are pissed and upset not because of the representatives but to the products itself”.

Both Geneta and Estanislao agreed that this job has given them the opportunity to enhance their skills and boost their confidence when it comes of interaction with their clients in a phone-to-phone conversation.

“Not to mention the financial aid that it gives to me and my family. I think this industry will continue to prosper in the succeeding years and it will continue to be one of the leading providers of career opportunities for Filipinos,” Geneta further said.

It cannot be denied that outsourcing business is one of the most flavored industries in the Philippines and other Asian countries. It appears that contact center executives preferred this country because of the number of students produced every year, which can speak English in American way. As the third largest English-speaking country in Asia no doubt that business process outsourcing is in demand today.

BPO companies provides a state-of-the-art equipment in outsourcing their business in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. These companies trained their employees to speak like American way. In Unique Interaction, they provide fundamental call center training before the call center trainees will be allowed to take calls. The trainees has to learn account information first. Once they know the account then they are deployed ready on the floor and receive as many calls as they want. The company also teach their employees on how to handle their customers well. It is so hard to lose a customer, we know that they are considered as the lifeblood that gives full stream of support to make the company up and running and stay on the business for long.

The fact is call centers are part of the Philippine economic activity. Almost half of the 86.2 million people in the Philippines are younger than 20 years old. So don’t be surprised if you will be able to meet supervisors, team leaders, managers below 25. This is because that call center has the fastest way of promoting a career development. If the agent is performing better and receiving good CSAT ratings then no doubt that within six months or less than, this certain employee is entitled to move to another level in his or her career path. The Philippines is also one of the potential factors for outsourcing. It has been also forecast by the XMG Inc., Manila-based research and advisory firm that the nation will surpass India by 2008 as home to the world’s largest call center companies.

The Philippines offers attractive environment for the BPO companies, which is one of the key requirements by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) in applying for this business. Even now big contact center firms also expanded their centers not only in Manila but targeting the provincial levels. So it means, the revenues will not only take place within the National Capital Region (NCR) but it will also circulate to the provincial areas after passing the standard set by the Peza. Largest call centers are also found operating in Pampanga, Laguna and Baguio in Luzon; Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete and Iloilo in the Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro and Davao in Mindanao.

The Philippine Government is very supportive to this. Under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she said that BPO companies will generate billions of pesos in the country with target by 2010. When it starts to operate in 2000, now off-shore call center industry estimates to employs 60,000 people.*