Paul Young asked:


Growing at 46% annually since 2004, the US$6.8 billion Philippines’ offshore market today employs over 450,000 people, mostly for voice-based services. The Everest study, The Silent Knight: The Philippines’ Emerging Non-Voice BPO Capability, which includes contributions from the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), shows that the Philippines is now poised to emerge as an important destination for non-voice offshore BPO work for buyers looking beyond India to grow their offshoring footprint. It is noteworthy here that by 2012, the offshore BPO market will have an addressable opportunity of $220-280 billion, and as much as 90 percent of this addressable market opportunity will be in non-voice BPO services.

The Everest Research Institute study shows that while the scale of work is currently low, a number of providers are already leveraging the Philippines for a vast scope of non-voice functions. However, there remains limited awareness of the Philippines’ real capability in non-voice services, which has grown significantly over the past three years.

Says Nikhil Rajpal, Principal, Everest Group, “Success in voice-based BPO services has positioned the Philippines as the second largest low-cost BPO destination after India, and both countries combined account for 50 percent of the offshore BPO market in revenue terms. In non-voice BPO, most current activity and scale in the Philippines is concentrated on transactional services. Whereas almost all types of non-voice BPO functions are now being delivered from the Philippines, their maturity varies, so while we see relatively high activity and maturity in Finance & Accounting and transcription services, there has been only some activity recently in HRO, with even lesser in Procurement Services. Further, while there has been an increased traction in judgment-intensive knowledge services such as research, analytics and legal services, the scale and maturity remains low.”

The Filipino government is focused on development of the non-voice BPO industry, providing incentive programs to attract investors as well as providing grants and infrastructure developments.

Says Jimit Arora, Research Director, Everest Research Institute, “A number of factors are favoring the growth of non-voice BPO in the Philippines. These include acceptance as a key destination for customer service and support; competitive costs; sizable pool of English speaking talent; and a starting base of captives and suppliers. There is strong cultural similarity between the Philippines and the United States, making it easier for Filipino agents to relate toU.S. customers.”

“In terms of operating cost per employee for transactional back-office work, the Philippines offers about 75% and 70% respective savings over tier-II cities in UK and US, which is somewhat lesser savings as compared to India, but sizably more than other offshoring destinations like Monterrey (Mexico) and Prague (Czech Republic). Again, in terms of graduates per annum, at 480, 000, Philippines lags behind India’s 30, 00, 000, but is much ahead of Egypt, Argentina, South Africa and Mexico”, adds Jimit.

However, according to Nikhil, managing talent-related constraints will be critical to ensure operational success in the Philippines. He says, “Philippines will need to address four key talent-related challenges – scalability of entry-level talent; availability of specialized skills; availability and quality of managers; and migration of skilled talent.” Challenges regarding shortage of entry-level talent exist in India as well as the Philippines. According to the NASSCOM-Everest study, “Roadmap 2012 – Capitalizing on the Expanding BPO Landscape”, released last year, while the number of people required to support impending growth of BPO in India are available, unless the current focus on “ready-to-eat” talent is altered, the future growth may lead to a shortage of approximately one million entry-level graduates by 2012. However, availability of specialized skills, access to quality management talent, and talent migration are challenges that are much more pronounced in thePhilippines as compared to India.

Concludes Nikhil, “Given the nascent stage of the Philippines’ non-voice BPO market and prevailing talent-related challenges, the Philippines is unlikely to replace India as the leading non-voice BPO delivery location.” However, the Philippines can still serve as an important satellite delivery location for such services, and it is time the world starts taking note of its non-voice BPO delivery capabilities, he adds.

Ruel Hinaloc asked:


Explore Paradise Philippines. Take a peek at Filipino’s culture and history as mirrored in century-old churches, ancient forts and modern museums. Paradise Philippines have the top of nature’s paradise pictured thru white-sand beaches and three-layered virgin forests.

Paradise Philippines is blessed with an extensive coastline, ringed with unspoiled beaches and first-class resort facilities. Paradise Philippines’ deep-blue, crystal-clear waters offers about 40,000 square kilometers of coastal reefs teeming with a variety of marine life.

Top Philippine Destination and Paradise Spots

Paradise Philippines is endowed amid a tropical climate offering perfect paradise treat to enjoy the sunlight. Lying in Southeast Asia and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Paradise Philippines boasts of unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands, cool mountain weather, brilliant man-made paradise resorts, and dazzling 7,000+ islands.

Paradise Philippines boasts of one or two of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world. Witness the vast expanse of nature’s paradise Philippines’ splendor underneath the spell of cool paradise Philippines mountain breeze.

Here are some featured destinations and paradise regions that is living proof of Paradise Philippines reputation of being referred to as Paradise Philippines.

Alona Beach, Paradise Philippines

Panglao Island, Bohol (May 6, 2007) – The Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano has inaugurated the first age of a P600-million upscale resort complex that is riding on the tourism boom in this province. Durano said, referring to the 16-hectare Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa, which is making 70 luxurious villas catering to the rich Filipino tourists and visitors from Europe, the United States, Australia, Japan and Korea.

Donsol, Whale Shark Capital, Paradise Philippines

Once a sleepy coastal village located at the northwestern tip of Sorsogon province, this town now eyes to be a first-class municipality, thanks to giant sea creatures that are now attracting hordes of foreign and local tourists who infuse millions of pesos to the local economy.

Boracay Paradise, Paradise Philippines

Widely known as one of the best swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal simple waters are best for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay in addition boasts of sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees line up along the beaches. Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea.

Captivating Guimaras, Paradise Philippines

Nueva Valencia, Guimaras – An Italian couple on a two-month holiday in the Philippines chose to include the present paradise in this itinerary and stayed at the Raymen Beach Resort in December 2006, unperturbed by to know about the oil spill that brought the island province to world attention in August of the same year. “We are just here to see good beaches,” said the Boldo couple, who are just among the hundreds of intercontinental guests who kept coming to Guimaras even in the aftermath of the infamous oil spill.

Wonderful Palawan, Paradise Philippines

The exotic beauty of Palawan remains undefiled. Branded as the country’s survive frontier, Palawan is a sanctuary to an amazing variety of exotic flora and fauna which are found nowhere else. With more as opposed to a thousand islands and islets, Palawan boasts of white-sand beaches, scenic rock formations, underwater rivers and magnificent caves. Palawan is additionally structure to Tubbataha Reef, the only nationwide marine park that made it to the World Heritage List and whose grandeur is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

Banaue Rice Terraces, Paradise Philippines

Traversing the rugged terrains of Cordillera highlands in a duration of one week is an adventure in itself and could be an immense learning experience for someone who has the guts to be on the look down to the depths of mountain cliffs to get a good view of the rice terraces. With tall rice terraces at the backdrop and cool breeze shuttling between mountain peaks, a journey across the Cordillera heap ranges exposes one to an atmosphere strangely different from the daily offering of Manila and its suburbs.

Amazing Coron, Paradise Philippines

Coron, a town in the Busuanga Island in Northern Palawan, can charm much the most insensitive amongst men. Its natural beauty can only be described as seductive, giving first-time visitors and repeaters alike a sense of wonder so is hard to shake off.

Cebu City, Paradise Philippines

Cebu City drew 403,326 worldwide visitors in 2005, making the “queen city of the south” the top provincial destination of worldwide travelers. Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) also showed such a Cebu City attracted 1,813 distant Filipinos and 712,938 domestic travelers.

Pagudpud, Paradise Philippines

If Aklan has Boracay, Ilocos has Pagudpud, its northernmost town bordering the South China Sea. The coastal town of Pagudpud is the perfect setting for panoramic movies and photoshoot for travel magazines cover. The town’s main attractions are Saud Beach, famous for its fine white sand stretching for hundreds of meters and Maira-Ira Point, which hides a secluded beach called Blue Lagoon. Other breathtaking landscapes in Pagudpud include Bantay Abot-abot, a natural sculpture carved by the wind and sea, the Mabogabog Falls and the Patapat viaduct that treats motorists to a scenic view of red lushes and green waters of South China Sea.

Bohol, Paradise Philippines

Bohol is one of the loveliest islands in southern Philippines. It is situated at the heart of Visayas and with coastline skimmed by gentle coves and white-sand beaches. Many highways snake along sparkling beaches or leafy rivers where one can stop at any point and jump in. With its rolling hills and plateaus, crystal springs and beaches, the province of Bohol is a picturesque province replete amidst ancestral structures and centuries-old churches.

Business Local Listings asked:


Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. is the official web site developer of Amnesty International Philippines.

Amnesty International is a global movement of people campaigning actively for the protection of human rights and taking action against human rights abuses. Such action comes in the form of information campaigns through communication and media channels, as well as public pressure through mass demonstrations, vigils and lobbying.

Amnesty International Philippines was officially recognized as an Amnesty International section on January 27, 1987. Among its many accomplishments is its role in the repeal of the Death Penalty Law in the Philippines in 2005 and its participation in the successful campaign to get UN approval for a moratorium on executions in 2007, with the Philippines as co-author and signatory of the resolution.

The Amnesty International Philippines web site developed by Web Dot Com is packed with information that is systematically categorized and labeled. Despite the huge amount of data on the entire site, the visitor is not overwhelmed. Perhaps this is because the landing pages are bright and feature a clean layout which clearly displays the various sections. Navigation is definitely not a problem since links are properly labeled.

Given a prominent position is the link to the Amnesty International Report of 2009. There are Spotlights on Human Rights and Poverty, Violence against Women, Counter Terror with Justice, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). There is a section on News and Updates alongside a section on Appeals for Action. There is a special link to Good News and another one to CampAIgn, the Amnesty International newsletter.

There are buttons labeled Donate to Amnesty International, Join Amnesty International, and More ways to get involved.

There are also several search buttons. One is to select a country where Amnesty International is active and another is to select a country with human rights abuses.

There are buttons leading to the sections on Amnesty International in the Philippines, Act Now, Join Us, Activities and Publications.

The Amnesty International Philippines section is comprised of subsections titled Who We Are, explaining Amnesty International; AI Philippines; Networks, Statute of AI, AIPh ByLaws, UDHR and FAQ.

The Act Now section is comprised of subsections titled Direct Appeals, Urgent Actions and Donate.

The Join Us sections has subsections titled Members, Local Groups, Form a Group and Volunteers.

The Activities section has a list of AI Philippines activities since 1998, categorized by year.

The Publications section contains downloadable materials as well as subsections for the Newsletter, Reports, Library and Archives.

Indeed, the Amnesty International Philippines is a fitting showcase of the web development and design skills of Web Dot Com.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. has been successfully serving an international clientele from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Korea, the British Virgin Islands and the Philippines for the last ten years. From Manila, Web Dot Com offers various business process outsourcing (BPO) services, including outsourcing web development and contact center services.

In the area of web development, the web hosting provider also offers domain name registration and low cost advanced web site development packages. Depending on the client’s needs, this may include advanced interactive database driven web site development, advanced portal development, heavy web based programming, web application development, content management systems, good website design, graphic design and multimedia components including flash animation development, e-commerce site solutions including a shopping cart using osCommerce, web site maintenance and support, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and social media marketing. Its programmers and developers are highly skilled at php, mysql, JavaScript and other internet languages and tools.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. is your One Stop Shop Internet and Contact Center Solutions Vendor for the Global Market. Make it your own web site developer, as well.

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Roberto L. Bacasong asked:


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.*

Ivi asked:


I received a copy of ‘The Philippines Through the Eyes of a Foreigner’ through an email last June 2007. Why did I not react then? First, I did not have my own blog yet. Second, and more importantly, I did not see the need to do so as it was one man’s sentiment and there was some truth to it. So why am I reacting now? Well, yesterday as I was sorting out my email I chance upon the letter again and then later on as I was doing some research on Filipino culture I chance upon the same essay. This time though, I was surprised to see a lot of reactions from my kababayans, ranging from defensive to violent rections. Why be so harsh on the guy when he is merely voicing out his sentiments as he is entitled to in the first place.

Although there are some truths in his essay, there are also some overstatements.

Let me start with the sad truths:

1. Yes, it is true that we do have streets lined with street people, beggars and squatters.

But, let me remind you that those people did not dominate our sidestreets overnight.

Once upon a time, those people used to live happily in the rural areas. Then one day, a politician named Mr. Trapo arrives in a shiny limo and promises them the sun, the moon and the stars. But there is a catch, they have to go to his town to help him win elections by becoming ‘flying voters’. They were pledged mammoth promises, given a few measly bucks and picked up by huge Sarao jeepneys bound for Zion. After Mr. Trapo wins his election, he leaves all the necessitous folk behind. With their families still with them, hungry, broke and exhausted, where do they go now? With very little money left from Mr. Trapo, they begin building shanties along the sidestreets. And the rest as they say is history……..

2. Yes, it is true that our roads are cursed with pollution and our public utility vehicles are in disreputable states of repair. Yes, we have streets full of potholes and unrepaired streets.

Then one day, after Mr. Trapo is sworn into office, he becomes Congressman Trapo. He decrees that the roads be repaired and lined with asphalt. Since he has the power to pick the contractor, he selects the one who offers him the most proceeds. And because the contractor has to give a huge chunk of his earnings to Congressman Trapo, he figures that to earn more he could probably gain more by using substandard materials. That explains the potholes.

Congressman Trapo runs for the Senate and wins. Senator Trapo is now even more jaded by all his power. He does not care (or he has been bribed enough) to overlook that the other government subsidiaries are allowing bus comapnies to import buses that are really old and dilapidated. So that explains the disintegrating vehicles and the pollution that comes with it.

3. Yes, it is true that our educational system allows children to attend schools without desks or books to accommodate them. Yes, it also true that teachers, even college professors, are paid salaries so disgracefully low that it’s a wonder that anyone would want to go into the teaching profession in the first place.

Senator Trapo has his share of the The Pork Barrel, A.K.A. Pork, Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). These are funds given to both members of the Senate and Congress, these are discretionary in nature so it is up to Senator Trapo to identify the projects that will be funded from these funds. Senators get P 200 million each while the congressmen are allotted about P 70 million each. To have something to show for, Senator Trapo builds small waiting sheds with a huge picture of his face and his name in large fonts to advertise what he has done. He forgets about the public schools that cannot accommodate half the school’s population. Senator Trapo also needs more funds to help him in his re-election bid. He forgets about the teachers who, aside from a meager salary, work long, grueling hours.

There are a lot of Mr. Trapos all around us. He could very well be holding office at your Barangay Hall, the City Hall, the House of Representatives, the Senate, maybe even in Malacañang. Who knows?

There is no ending to my fairy (goblin) tale. The rest is up to you.

As for the overstatements, here’s my take on that:

1. Filipinos do not worship, almost slavishly, everything foreign. Foreigners are not looked up to and idolized.

Filipinos are essentially warm, nurturing, and tolerant to a fault.

Do not mistake Filipino hospitality for worship. Having said that, it is but natural for Filipinos, even Asians in particular to be generous givers. Luxury goods, more often than not, imported brands flatter not just the giver but the receiver as well. Isn’t that what it’s about, status quo?

Case in point, last week my husband & I were in Greenhills for an errand. In case you don’t know, it is a shopping mecca for everything faked or copied. We traverse the tiangges as I wanted to do some research on the demographics of people who patronize fakes. Surprise, surprise. In one corner, we saw 2 Americans (males) searching for an ‘authentic looking fake’ briefcase. We walk some more and more and we see 3 foriegners (they sounded British but I wasn’t sure) looking for ‘authentic looking fake’ Mont Blanc pen. We walk a bit more and we see 2 foreigners (males) looking for ‘authentic looking fake’ Louis Vuitton bags for their girlfriends. Is that what character is to you? I’m not even making this up.

Allow me to spill another anecdote. A few months ago I was at Louis Vuitton in Greenbelt waiting for my purchase to be wrapped when I was approached by a man in his 60′s (about my Dad’s age) asking my impression on 4 LV bags laid out in front of him. He said he was having a hard time deciding which one to pick as an anniversary present for his wife and the SA(sales associate) wasn’t much help. I gladly oblige. Mind you, he was Filipino, very simply and unostentastiously dressed. He didn’t look like a fashion victim nor did he look uber rich. Maybe just like the rest of us, he appreciates a little luxury. Don’t you think?

Even in HongKong, walk around and you’ll see about 60% of the locals are carrying LV bags. Real ones, I’m sure. We went to all 3 stores and all of them were packed. In one store, we had to wait in a long queue just to get in. You wouldn’t call them slaves to foreigners, would you?

2. Filipinos are not itching to leave the country.

It’s just that sometimes, for some people, there seems to be no other choice.

Do you think our OFWs would still leave the country if they were given the same rate here as they are given abroad? Domestic helpers abroad are paid more than thrice over than what our teachers are paid here.

In the United States for instance, the minimum wage (average) is about $6.00 an hour. Did you know that that same amount is the minimum wage here BUT for a full day’s labor? I **** it when I hear foreigners say, ‘Oh, the gasoline prices here are the same as in the US’ or whatever country. No matter how the numbers match, it’s still not the same. No matter how our government rubs all sorts of figures on our faces, they mean nothing. Absolutely nothing. Why? Because we, the Filipinos, feel nothing. The government has nothing to offer. The jobs they claim to have are mediocre compared to what we as parents have to pay for in tuition fees. What jobs await U.P., Ateneo and La Salle graduates? Jobs at call centers?

To strive for something better is no shortcoming on our part. We will always strive for the best, not just for ourselves, but for our families and our nation.

The government claims that it is helping boost tourism in our country. How exactly?

When we went to Bangkok just a few weeks ago, I wanted to visit Siam Paragon. We could’ve walked as the mall was only about 5 kilometers from our hotel, I merely wanted to ride a tuk tuk so we hail one to take us there. Since the cab and tuk tuk drivers there understood very little English I brought a map, a picture of the mall and a copy of the exact address. About 15 minutes and many kilometers later, still no mall in sight. He brings us to a jewelry store, when we asked why, he said that he’s bringing us there at no extra charge to us. It’s just that everytime they bring in tourists, they get a coupon for free LPG (their petrol) from the government. We aren’t under any obligation to buy, just come in for a visit. He then takes us to another shop (and thus my asthma was triggered by the stench of LPG). We ended up buying some goodies as he says he will get a small commission if we do so (yes, we were that gullible, but to us it was being helpful). Even during the temple tour, the tour guide told us that it was compulsory for them to bring tourists to particular spots. That is because their government encourages exactly that. Do you think the tricycle drivers here would get an incentive if they bring you to Luneta? I don’t think so.

But what about tourism in the Philippines. My husband & I were surprised to see on a cable channel that some of our museums are still open. Note that it was on a cable channel and not even a local channel. Up until that moment we thought all our museums have closed down. Is that the government’s definiton of ‘boosting’ tourism?

We are a free country. We are free people. We are entitled to our own opinion. In the same way that each of us is free to voice that opinion. If you’d want to block or edit everything negative you hear just to make it favorable to you, won’t that be the start of censorship?

The reason behind my poking fun at Filipino drivers (in my blog) isn’t to insult, ridicule or degrade them but maybe, just maybe with those little insights I could reach out to someone to do something about it, be it by doing better at it (it is a skill after all) or by at least implementing the laws that are there for a reason.

Hats off to Mr. Barth Suretsky. I do believe that it was in his best intention to put a little perspective into our culture and I take no offense whatsoever. I thank him for taking the time to analyze the things that somehow puzzle me as well.

To all foreigners, always remember this, we Filipinos have managed to unseat 2 presidents in the last 2 decades. It is my belief that we can do so again. It’s just that at this point, there is no one person who could penetrate the system and not be spoiled by it. It will take time, discipline, and the will to change in each of us. Like I said, probably not in my lifetime. But soon, I hope.

I am a Filipino and I am proud to be one. I love my country and it is here that I will spend my old age until the rest of my days.

I hope you can say the same for yourselves.

Sharon Bell asked:


If there’s one problem most people won’t take sitting down, it’s hemor¬rhoids. They’re itchy, pain¬ful, and annoying. They’re also a lot more common than you think.

The French emperor Napo¬leon had hemorrhoids which led to his downfall at Water¬loo. Because he was in so much pain, he couldn’t mount his horse to survey the battlefield. This prevented him from getting a clear view of the situation and cost him his empire.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Fumimaro Komoye also suffered from hemorrhoids and was unable to attend an important cabinet meeting where a United States peace proposal was to be discussed. His absence eventually led to Japan’s entry into World War II.

Statistics show that about half of all Americans or four out of five people have hemorrhoids. Many others are unaware of this mainly because there are no symptoms.

“About 15 to 20 percent of the population have hemorrhoids. That’s probably at the low end of my speculation. By experience, however, I see a lot of people with hemorrhoids,” according to Dr. Ed T. Corpus Jr., a general and vascular surgeon at the Vein Care Clinic at Ferosa Condominium in Manila.

Hemorrhoids or piles are varicose veins of the rec¬tum. They usually appear after the age of 30 and are more common in women than in men. They can be found either inside or outside the **** canal. External hemorrhoids protrude and are visible. They’re also painful since they’re located in one of the body’s most sensitive areas – the skin in and around the ****. Internal hemorrhoids, on the other hand, can’t be seen and are often painless since there are no nerve endings where they’re at.

“There’s a specific line of distinction or demarcation at the **** region. It’s called the pectinate line and it separates the veins. Those that originate below that line are classified as external hemorrhoids. Those that are above it are called internal hemorrhoids,” explained Corpus who trained in New York and Philadelphia.

What causes the rectal veins to become swollen and inflamed? Aging appears to be a factor in the development of hemorrhoids. As we grow older, the blood vessels and connective tissue in the lower rectum become looser and weaker, gradually descending toward the ****.

This is further aggravated by chronic constipation (which is common in those who lack dietary fiber and don’t consume plenty of fluids), bad habits such as postponing bowel habits, straining during elimination, and recurrent diarrhea – all of which put a lot of pressure on the veins.

Who are more susceptible to hemorrhoids? Find out in the second part of this series. Don’t miss it!

Since obesity is a factor in hemorrhoids, it pays to lose weight. You can do this with the help of Zyroxin, a safe and natural supplement that will maximize your weight loss through its unique fat-burning ingredients. For details, visit http://www.zyroxin.com/.

Coddie Adwar asked:


In October of 2000, al-Qaeda managed to blow a 40 ft by 40 ft hole in the side of USS Cole while it was at port in Yemen. The terrorists were seeking a military confrontation with the United States, but the Cole bombing did not bring that result. Less than a year later, al-Qaeda operatives were positioning themselves inside the United States, preparing an attack of much larger scale. Al-Qaeda’s plans were partially intercepted by US intelligence through the chatter of electronic intercepts. An al-Qaeda operative, referring to the failure of the Yemeni attack to produce the desired reaction, was overheard saying: “Don’t worry; we’re planning something so big now that the U.S. will have to respond…”

At the time, Judith Miller, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter then employed by New York Times, was working on an in-depth article about the al-Qaeda network. She says that during the weekend immediately preceding July 4th 2001 (two months before the 9/11 attacks) officials within the White House’s Counter-terrorism Agency were trying to alert the president and other senior officials, but had decided to leak their concerns since they were being listened to.

CBS News reported, on July 26 2001, that the FBI had determined that the threat was serious enough to prompt enhanced security measures for certain officials. By August, the FBI knew that the pending attack would involve airplanes.

By early August 2001, the CIA had developed enough clarity about the threat to specifically warn the President. They titled their Presidential Daily Briefing for August 6, 2001 “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S” in the hope that the president would be concerned enough to energize the governmental agencies responsible for security and head off the attack. President Bush, who spent an estimated 42% of his first year vacationing in his ranch in Crawford, Texas, was not pleased by the in-person intrusion of the CIA agent who was sent to present the analysis. Bush glared at the CIA briefer and the snapped: “All right, you have covered your ass”. When the agent cleared out, the President went back to fishing and working on a speech about the stem-cell research, putting the CIA’s warning in the distant back of his mind. Source: Ron Suskind, “The One Percent Solution”.

As far back as 1995, Philippine police in Manila had uncovered an al Qaeda related plot to hijack commercial airliners and fly them into American buildings. The plan was named “Project Bojinka” and the World Trade Center was specifically mentioned as a target. This information was turned over to U.S. Intelligence, but no preventive measures were ever ordered, even though the CIA was informed the attack would involve airplanes…

The attacks of 9/11 have helped authoritarian countries increase their control over their people and countries they are fighting, under the pretext of defending themselves against terror. It also helped the Bush administration impose measures that greatly expanded the Federal government’s control over the American population. The attacks also provided an excuse to start the desired war on Iraq. But as the American people became aware that the Bush administration had misrepresented the facts used to take America into that Iraq war, they lost a significant degree of trust in their own government. That led to further questions about the 9/11 attacks and fueled the 9/11 conspiracy movement at the heart of which are the lies of the Bush Administration and the reasonably resulting distrust of the American people.

It was George W. Bush’s incompetence, not clever design, that allowed the 9/11 attacks to take place. The tragedy could likely have been prevented had his administration attended to the numerous danger signals preceding those attacks by mustering the surveillance already in place and increasing the airport security measures. There certainly remain a number of strange coincidences and unexplained phenomena relevant to the 9/11 attacks, but the assertion that they could have been an inside government job strains credibility. It would have been insane, even for an administration as misguided as that of George W. Bush’s, for the neocons to have orchestrated such an event, because the level of organization necessary for such acts would inevitably have leaked and led to the destruction of the Republican Party forever. Although George W. Bush did manage to implode Republican prospects in general, it is important for the country as a whole to focus its attention on the serious challenges left his wake. Toward that end, Congressional investigations of the Bush/Cheney years would be most appropriate.

A. Hathaway asked:


Where to go when you need Answers

The Philippines has been, and continues to be, a major exporter of brides. What drives this exportation of women is not exactly known, but clearly the corruption, poverty and limited amount of opportunity in the Philippines is a factor. The supply and demand continue to be strong, with the women choosing men in Western Europe, the United States, Australia and Canada. With this international match making, has come some problems.

International marriages and relationships begun on the Internet have contributed to a sharp rise in fraud cases and relationship scams. In addition to the unknown factor of getting to know a Filipina on the Internet, the fact is that the Philippine culture is one where many things are for sale, including love. That is to say in a poor country like the Philippines, opportunity and money talks. The problem for the Western men in the United States, Canada and Western Europe is how to know if it’s love or money talking. To be sure, in most cases, it pays to hire a PI.

Whether you’re looking for a background check to confirm her story, or if you suspect infidelity and require surveillance for clear evidence, we recommend hiring a reputable firm like Wymoo International. Wymoo and its subsidiary, Philippine PI, have offices in Manila and Cebu with years of experience assisting clients in uncovering the truth. You can view their commercial at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkopyZK3P1o. Depending on your specific needs, you might need surveillance on the subject or a comprehensive background check to verify claims of education, employment, marital status, address, etc.

Surveillance and professional investigations can be somewhat costly. However, not knowing the truth about a relationship in the Philippines can be even more expensive. Find out the truth by contacting a professional. In the Philippines, a land of fraud and scams, one cannot afford to simply hope for the best.

Best of luck,

A. Hathaway Copyright

© 2005-2007 Wymoo International, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Brian Garvin asked:


If you had the choice between waiting to go live in an inner city ghetto, a retirement home, a nursing home or retiring to the Philippines, which would you choose? Follow your dreams and retire to the Philippines and live a life of luxury depending upon your resources. The Philippine Dreams Home Study Travel Guide which you can use in place of a Philippine Travel Agency is the secret discovered by Perry Gamsby, who has lived the dream for the last 6 years. Although he spent many vacations there for 13 years before making the final move, he is now a permanent resident and would have it no other way. The Philippines is the only Asian country that the language spoken is English.

The call of the Philippines allows you to live in happiness for much cheaper than almost any place else in the world. Way below average rents, live in maids, and about any category of pleasure that you can think of – golf, fishing, night life – is ready and waiting for you in the country of the Philippines and it can be your very own way of living if you choose Filipino Travel.

The number of folks who Travel In The Philippines and retiring to the Philippines is increasing as more retirees understand Philippine Dreams. If you are a divorcee or haven’t married yet the options for a new living with a Filipino girl is an option that many men are finding that Philippines and Travel is exactly what they want. The beauty of the country and the beaches have a magnetic attraction that you do not want to leave behind after spending any substantial amount of time in this amazing country.

Philippines Travel Information

Some of the hot topics of this course include how to mingle with cool singles, what to say and to make sure you don’t mingle with the wrong ones. It’s easy to get lost in a country like this only if you don’t know where to go. This guide will not only show you all the hot spots, it will let you know what places to avoid as well. If you need income assuming you don’t have a fixed source of income, you’ll find out how you can start your own business out there, and if needbe, you’ll find out how to get a job as well. It’s all included in this Filipino Travel Guide.

The folks of the Philippines are beyond polite and soft-spoken folks who are some of the nicest folks you will ever meet. To realize their politeness you need to live amongst them and realize how ecstatic they are to have you for their neighbor and colleague. If you are sick and tired of the rat race and want to live where living is much simpler and a colleague is truly a colleague, you definitely need to at least take part in Philippine Air Travel and visit the Philippines to get an idea of what you are missing.

This guide to the Philippine Dreams will show you how to Travel to Philippine any time you need to and why you don’t need a Filipino Travel Center and is yours for a small fee that includes updates for life. Their free monthly newsletter will keep you in the know about events and you will get a 100% money back warranty if you are not fundamentally ecstatic. All the information that you will want about the hospitals, schools, and where to find domiciled help is all contained in the guide.

Travel In Philippines

When you are ready to take charge of your life and live a life of dignity and independence, reading the Philippine Dreams Travel Guide instead of using a Philippine Travel Agency might just be the right solution for you. This manual is loaded with different Website URL’s, that will teach you everything you need to know about the country. Whether you need a helper, driver, cook or maid, you can get them all for about $30.00 a month each. For just a grand or two per month, you can live like a king would out in the United States. Whatever your decision is, we wish you the best of luck in your travels and in your life.

Business Local Listings asked:


It could have been a daunting task designing a website for the Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the Philippines (WPPP) considering the fact that this organization is comprised of masters of aesthetics. Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc., did not, however, flinch from the task. Its web developers and web designers stood up to the challenge and produced wppp.ph. Indeed, the flash website displays the breathtaking photographs of WPPP members at their best.

Founded on March 31, 2001 and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the WPPP is an organization of professional wedding photographers. With a mere ten members in the original group, the organization has now grown to include 78 active members from Metro Manila, Baguio, Boracay, Bulacan, Cavite, Davao, Iloilo, Laguna, Batangas, La Union, Pampanga, Vigan, Bacolod, Legazpi City and Sorsogon.

The WPPP goal is to be the leading organization of wedding photographers locally to represent Philippine wedding photographers internationally. Its mission and vision encompasses the upliftment of photography and production work in order to shape the future of the industry. It aims to develop artistic and technical proficiency, competence and dedication among professional wedding photographers.

As part of its program, the WPPP fosters knowledge and idea sharing and learning among its members, upgrading skills and techniques through technical trainings, seminars and symposia. Networking is encouraged so that the most number of members benefit from resources.

All these are directed toward continually improving services to clients so as to gain their trust and respect, and to build and nurture lasting relationships with them. The WPPP believes that only such level of quality service will create a truly positive public perception of the industry.

Part of the image building efforts of the WPPP is its website. Aside from showcasing some of the stunning photographs of members, it features news on WPPP events and activities. The website also contains information on membership requirements and application to the organization.

It is not surprising that Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. would deliver excellent results on the WPPP website. After all, Web Dot Com has been providing full and advanced website development services to corporate and individual clients around the world for the past ten years. Its clientele comes from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Korea and the British Virgin Islands, aside from the Philippines.

Web Dot Com has in-house programmers and designers highly skilled in advanced interactive database driven web site development, advanced portal development, heavy web based programming, web application development, content management systems, web site design, graphic design and multimedia components including flash animation development, e-commerce site solutions, web site maintenance and support, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and social media marketing.

The partnership between the WPPP and Web Dot Com led to the conceptualization and actualization of a Philippine-based site providing individual websites that could stand as online portfolios for professional photographers. This was envisioned to enable professional Filipino photographers to promote their world class talent to the world market. The result is azuldomain.com. It offers free hosting, free domain name registration and free email accounts, as well as a choice of unique and beautiful templates that are ideal frames for exquisite photographs. Each template is customizable and unlimited updates can be done any time through intuitive website creation tools and easy web management tools.

Azuldomain.com stands as a concrete testimony to the unified goals of the WPPP and Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. to highlight and endorse the capabilities of Filipinos globally. With azuldomain.com, the bond between these two organizations is affirmed.