Hinahon and Suplada: An eagle owl love story

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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.*