"Pauwi Na!"

“Pauwi Na!”
(Music and Lyrics by Noel Cabangon
From the Album Medjas, 2004)

Pauwi na ako. For good.

I have been an overseas Filipino worker since 2000. I’ve completed a 10-year period of living and working as an ‘alien’ in Taiwan and as a ‘foreign talent’ in Singapore.

While I was working in Taiwan, foreign workers were issued an Alien Registration Certificate or ARC. My nephew, Bon, always teased me about being an ‘alien.’ In Singapore, foreign workers are called ‘foreign talents” and we are issued an employment pass.

“Why are you giving up a good-paying overseas job?” I’ve been asked this question many times ever since I made it known that I’m going home for good.

Here are my answers:

First, when I left to work as an OFW in 2000, it was my intention to go back home. For good. I just didn’t know when.

Second, money isn’t everything. Family and country are more important. When my grandson was seven years old, he told his Daddy:

“Di bale walang bahay. (I don't care for a house.) Di bale walang kotse. (I don't care for a car.) Basta may pamilya. (What matters most is our family.)”

My son was considering an overseas job for himself then, and this was the counsel to him by his young son.

Third, I want to invest time in an earnest relationship with my grandkids. They weren’t born yet when I left the Philippines. I’d go home every now and then, and each time, we’ll have to get re-acquainted.

Fourth, metaphorically speaking, I want to dig in my own backyard and discover the ‘acres of diamonds’ (Russell Conwell, 1890) which have been there all along.
I don’t think there’s a literal ‘acres of diamonds’ in my backyard. In the first place, I don’t have a backyard. I want to go the route of entrepreneurship.

I know that I will need a different set of skills and competencies as a businessperson. I’ve been preparing myself over the years. Most importantly, I will need a different mindset.

Having a job from an employer who gives me a regular paycheck every month is certainly comfortable. But I’d like to stop being an employee, and I’d like to start being my own boss.

I will need a different mindset when I go home. For good.

I have a colleague and friend who’s been insisting that I lay out my plans in black and white, each step of the way. She’s concerned that I might be jobless and penniless. I tell her that God has always provided for me and my family, and He always will.

Last Monday, October 25, Noel Cabangon was featured in a noontime concert in the university where I teach (National Institute of Education, Singapore). He is the singer-songwriter who performed at President Noynoy Aquino’s inauguration at the Rizal Park, Manila on June 30. I went to the noontime concert, of course.

Noel sang nine songs during a one-hour show in the performance room of our music majors. In-between songs, he told us vignettes about himself and his journey as a musician.
Let me share with you the one song which spoke to my heart. It’s the best reason why I’m going home. For good. Here’s the youtube link, in case you want to listen to it.

Ako'y pauwi na sa ating bayan
Lupang sinisinta, bayang sinilangan
Ako'y nananabik na ika'y masilayan
Pagkat malaon din akong nawalay
Sa ating inang bayan

Ang aking dala-dala'y
“Sang maleta ng karanasan
Bitbit ko sa ‘king balikat
Ang binuno sa ibang bayan

Hawak ko sa ‘king kamay
Ang pag-asang inaasam
Na sana'y matupad na rin ang pangarap
Na magandang kinabukasan

Bayan ko ako'y pauwi na
Ako'y sabik na ika'y makasama
Bayan ko ako ay nariyan na
Ating pagsaluhan…
Ang pag-asang dala-dala

Ako'y pauwi na sa aming tahanan
Sa mahal kong asawa, mga anak at kaibigan
Ako'y nananabik na kayo ay mahagkan
Pagkat tunay ang pangungulila
Dito sa ibang bayan

Ang aking dala-dala'y
‘Sang maleta ng pagmamahal
Bitbit ko sa ‘king balikat
Ang pangakong matibay

Hawak ko sa ‘king kamay
Ang pag-asang inaasam
Na sana'y matupad na rin ang pangarap
Na magandang kinabukasan

Mahal ko ako'y pauwi na
Ako'y sabik na kayo ay makasama
Mahal ko ako ay nariyan na
Ating pagsaluhan ang pag-asang dala-dala

Voting as an OFW in Singapore

by Carmelita C. Ballesteros

The last time I voted in the Philippines was in 1992. So it has been 18 years of nonparticipation in the electoral process for me. This year, I am taking part in the process again.

This is a historic election year for me for several reasons. First, I am voting as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Singapore. Second, I am taking part in the very first automated Philippine elections. Third, I am making my small voice heard in the clamor for a return to decency, honesty, and integrity in Philippine politics and governance. Fourth, I want my grandchildren to know that I care for their future.

Where and When to Vote

All registered voters in Singapore must go to the Philippine Embassy on Nassim Road. It is a road with several embassies and condominium towers and it is a walking distance from the Orchard MRT Station.

Overseas absentee voters (OAV) may vote in Singapore from April 10 to May 10, 2010. The Embassy is open for voting on a daily basis, Monday to Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

As I walked closer towards the Philippine Embassy, I noticed that white tents had been put up on its grounds.

Voter's ID?

There's no need for a voter's ID. I did not receive any. After verifying my name in the list of OAVs in the Comelec website, I took my Philippine passport and Singapore employment pass with me to the embassy.

The Voting Process

17 April 2010, 10:45 - 10:55 a.m.

1. At the embassy gate. There was no queue. I walked in all by myself. A female guard made a cursory inspection of my handbag. I was neither asked for identification nor was I asked to sign in the log book.

2. A smiling male volunteer immediately welcomed me, steered me toward the holding area, and gave me a registration number.

3. The holding area is an enclosed, air-conditioned tent. Having experienced long and sweat- inducing queues at the Philippine Embassy, the holding area was like a dream.

Another smiling male volunteer offered me a seat in front of a computer manned by another volunteer. He took my registration number and asked for my passport. He verified my name in his computer.

After a few seconds, he asked me to write my passport number as well as Singapore ID number, then sign a registration log book. Then he gave me a number which said "P-1."

While I was doing this, I noticed that someone with a camera was videotaping the process (not me). He was obviously part of the team.

4. An alert volunteer steered me towards a door which led to P-1 or Voting Precinct 1. This was also an enclosed, air-conditioned tent. The dream isn't a dream. Another volunteer took my P-1 number, then led me to the registration table. The female volunteer asked me for any ID, then verified my name.

After a few seconds, she asked me to sign a registration log book.

5. I was immediately given a very long folder containing my ballot. A volunteer explained to me that I should shade the oval opposite the name of the candidate I have chosen. He said I may under-vote, but not over-vote. It means voting for only 1 president, 1 vice-president, 12 senators, and 1 party-list representative. Over-voting would mean the disqualification of my ballot.

"Is there a time limit?" I asked. "No," he said.

"What will I use for shading?" I asked again. "There's a marker on each desk," he said.

The ballot was 26 inches long. I did not have a ruler at the time so I used my hand to measure it. Apat na dangkal ang haba. The folder, which was supposed to cost Php370.00 each till a whistle-blower exposed the scam, was made of two ordinary long folders taped together.

6. I sat down at the back. There were 15 ordinary school tablet arm chairs in three rows. Each tablet had been fastened with a cardboard shield to prevent one's seatmates from 'copying.' A felt-tipped marker with black ink was tied to the tablet with a string.

As suggested in some voters' education flyers, I brought my list of candidates with me. I fished it out from my handbag and started shading the little ovals.

Before giving back my ballot tucked inside the folder to a poll volunteer, I made sure that I had voted for 12 senators. I wrote down my ballot ID number in my list of candidates . I noticed that my ballot had been pre-signed by the Board of Election Inspection registrar(?).

There was only one voter before me. He was already seated when I came in. I watched him feed his ballot into the PCOS or scanning machine.

7. The poll volunteer asked me to remove my ballot from the folder. Then he asked me to feed the ballot into the PCOS machine. It snapped up my ballot, then sucked it in. After a few seconds, it said, "Congratulations."

I took note that I was voter number 189 in that PCOS machine.

8. Another voted had come in. While the female volunteer at the table attended to her, a male volunteer asked me to thumb mark (right thumb) the same registration log book I had signed earlier. Then he applied indelible ink on my right index finger.

Done!

I sat down near the door of P-1 to take another look. There were four volunteers in all. The door was made of steel and glass.

Automated Voting Was a Breeze!

It helped, of course, that my voting precinct was air-conditioned and the volunteers were warm, welcoming, and helpful.

I went to the back of the embassy to look around. There are seven air-conditioned precincts altogether. There was a friendly volunteer stationed at the corner with a sign saying, "To P3 - P7." He asked me if he could help me. I said I was done and was just looking around.

I felt a sense of well-being and optimism as I left the embassy grounds.

Simbang-Gabi Singapore 2009: Wardens Needed

What are you doing after office hours on the 17th of December 2009? Do you live in the Jurong area? Please lend your presence to the observance of Simbang Gabi Singapore 2009 as a church warden at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Boon Lay.

As a volunteer church warden, you will help manage human traffic before, during, and after the Simbang Gabi Mass on December 17.

Please get in touch with Mr. Manny Resmeros through mobile phone +65-9277 2863. He's the conductor of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Choir and he will brief the volunteer wardens on December 13. Thirty (30) wardens are needed.

This is the eleventh (11th) year that Rev. Father Angel Luciano, CICM, a Filipino priest based at the Church of St. Michael, has tirelessly spearheaded the observance of Simbang Gabi in Singapore since 1999.

Maligayang Pasko po sa ating lahat!

Filipino Teachers: Beware of US Recruitment

Dear fellow teachers from the Philippines,

I am teaching overseas right now. Please do not allow yourselves to be victimized by recruiters. Please read the article about Filipino teachers held in 'servitude' in the USA in the link below.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-10-27-filipino-teachers_N.htm

You don't need recruiters. You don't need middlemen/middlewomen. You can take control of your job search.

Let me share with you how I applied for my overseas job.

As an Overseas Filipino Worker, my first overseas job was a teaching position at the Da-Yeh University in Changhua, Taiwan. I taught there for 5 1/2 years. I applied online by posting my resume on Dave's ESL Cafe. It was free. Afterwards, Dave's ESL Cafe sent me job ads posted by schools and language centers.

I sent my application portfolio to several universities in different countries. After considering the offers, I chose to sign up with Da-Yeh University in Taiwan. Everything was free in the sense that I didn't have to pay any middleman/woman (the recruiter). Of course, I paid for my passport at the Department of Foreigh Affairs and my visa at the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Makati City.

I applied personally for my passport and my visa. I didn't allow any recruiters or travel agents to make money off me. I was a direct hire.

Right now, I am teaching at the National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore. How did I apply for this job? I surfed the web, found advertised job openings for academic staff in reputable institutions, and sent my application documents in 2007 to some.

After going through the usual interviews and waiting for several months, in November of the same year, I received from NIE an air parcel sent through a 24-hour courier. It contained my letter of appointment and other relevant documents. I signed an acceptance letter which I sent back through a 24-hour courier, too. A notice was e-mailed to me to pick up my air ticket from the nearest Philippine Airline sales office.

On Nov. 30, 2007, I flew to Singapore. I checked into the university's executive centre for free, then transferred to a faculty flat on Dec. 3, 2007. I received my first paycheck on Dec. 15, 2007.

I was a direct hire. I didn't allow any recruiters or travel agents to make money off me.

It breaks my heart when I hear of fellow teachers who are victimized by recruiters. I understand the dream that you dream. For heaven's sake, don't let it become a nightmare!

Concerned,

Carmelita C. Ballesteros

MONEY Management Seminar at Insular Life, Makati

by Jaime G. Seculles, Jr.

Magandang araw po!

Once again, Insular Life would like to invite OFWs and their family members to a Forum/Orientation session entitled, "Money Management", in our Makati Office at 6781 Makati Avenue, Makati City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

"Money Management" is designed for OFWs and their families to make them aware of the opportunities Insular Life is offering, and maybe help them in financial management.

There is no cost or obligation. Spouses and grown-up children of OFWs are encouraged to attend. Slots are limited, so please reserve a seat by calling Cell No. +63-917-5028310 or dropping an e-mail at juneseculles@yahoo.com

Mabuhay!

Tita Cory's Funeral

by Ma. Lourdes S. Bautista

A friend of mine in the Philippines sent me this e-mail about Tita Cory’s funeral. It describes how Filipinos from all walks of life took part in Tita Cory's historic funeral spontaneously. The writer has given Barangay OFW permission to publish her e-mail.

Dear all,

Last Wednesday, August 5, 2009, the Filipino people laid Tita Cory to rest. Ton, Nina, Yumi, Ma and I accepted Gigi's invitation to join her and her family in their place which was near the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). It offered a good vantage point of Tita Cory's funeral.

Ma and I arrived at Gigi’s place before 9:00 a.m. and so there was no traffic at all. Ton, Nina, and Yumi arrived after a few minutes. We were able to watch the funeral Mass on TV and it was a great experience being able to see it with family.

Iyakin ako, as you know, so there were several times umiyak ako. All of us found Fr. Arevalo's homily beautiful and we were not turned off (as some were, according to the Inquirer) by the celebrities singing songs -- they were all good (especially Dulce and Lea Salonga) and the songs chosen had great meaning in Cory's life.

At 2:30 p.m., when we thought the cortege was approaching Gigi’s place, we went to SLEX. Ay naku, the wait lasted two hours. It was a very mixed group -- peninsulares who lived in posh villages and ordinary Filipinos. There were the usual vendors of bottled water and peanuts and fish crackers.

When the advance party of the cortege came in view, we flashed the L sign and shouted, “Cory, Cory!” several times. We saw Gina Lopez and then Judy and Mar Roxas drive by. We saw Butch Abad, Aurora Pijuan, and Jun Lozada walk by.

Finally! The flatbed truck with Cory's flag-draped coffin surrounded by flowers and the four honor guards standing tall!

Shouting, “Cory, Cory,” we were again teary-eyed. It was an emotional moment. Nina was shocked that Ma, who’s in her 80s, clambered on top of a monobloc chair to get a better view.

The vans and buses carrying the Aquino family followed. But because of the tinted windows, we only glimpsed Jiggy Aquino-Cruz holding a placard with the pentel-pen inked message: "WE LOVE U. SALAMAT."

Then the rain poured and the wind blew -- and even though we were protected by the Skyway overhang -- we got really wet. The rain came in horizontal torrents.

Ma and I took EDSA back to the house and there was no traffic. We passed by Tita Cory's house on Times Street and we saw the orchids that we had left the day before. At home, we caught the tail-end of the funeral on TV.

A memorable day indeed -- thanks to Gigi and family for the idea and for the great hospitality.

Tish

Images of Tita Cory's Funeral Cortege

I chanced upon this blog which features pictures and video clips of Tita Cory's funeral cortege from La Salle Green Hills to Manila Cathedral on 3 August 2009.

Do check it out.
http://aboutmyrecovery.com/2009/08/03/cory-aquino-memorial-services/

Tita Cory's Wake... Incandescent Smile

by Felix Bautista

A friend of mine in the Philippines forwarded to me another e-mail about Tita Cory’s wake at the La Salle Green Hills Gymnasium. The original writer of the email has given Barangay OFW his permission to publish his email.


From: Felix Bautista ______________________
Date: Wed, Aug 5, 2009 at 6:56 AM
Subject: Tita Cory's Wake
To: tish bautista ___________________________


Folks,


Tato, Joville, Nina and I went to the wake Sunday night. It was raining while we were in the car, but mercifully, the rains stopped when we left Robinson's Galleria parking. We stopped over at the EDSA Shrine and took the elevated walkway to Ortigas.

We got to the line at around 7:30 PM, near the tire shop on Ortigas and the line was just two deep. We settled in for a long wait, observing people, listening to hawkers plying their trade, and hearing Nina talk about her experiences as a high school teacher at La Salle Green Hills in 1986.

It took us several hours to get inside the gym, but we were offered Nestea juice and iced tea, Hersheys kisses, San Mig coffee. The only thing missing were the biscuits, a constant in Philippine wakes.

On the long ramp up to the gym, we saw two of Tita Cory's grandsons, as they worked the line apologizing to the people for the long wait.

Finally, we got inside the gym, and my first impression was that it looked like a giant TV studio, with all the lights and equipment. What struck me next was that even with all the people, the gym was almost quiet.

Soon, we were facing the coffin, and we only had enough time to make the sign of the cross. I only saw the heavily made-up face, not the brown hands and the rosary.

I also saw Ninoy during his wake at the Sto. Domingo Church -- Ninoy in his bloodied clothes. The two images from the two wakes were like night and day.

And then I remembered what Kris said during the Boy Abunda interview earlier. Kris said that she promised Tita Cory that she will make sure that Tita Cory will look good in her wake, so she was present the whole time, during the transfer of the remains from Makati Medical Center to the Heritage Mortuary, the embalming and preparation. And then in typical showbiz fashion, she thanked people who did Tita Cory's hair, makeup and clothes...

It was Kris's showbiz tribute to her mom.

I prefer to retain an image of Cory when she lit up in her incandescent smile, which I am now indelibly reminded watching all of the tributes to her on television. I will remember her for her transparency, her sincerity, her lack of pretence.

We stayed a while, sitting on the bleachers. Joville and Nina signed our names in the visitor's book. We received yellow pins; I will keep mine as a memento. For some minutes, we watched as people viewed Cory, trying to recognize Important People, drinking in the atmosphere.

Nearing 11 pm, we left the wake. On the way out, we caught a glimpse of Dolphy and Zsa Zsa. Dolphy looked stooped and was heavily made- up. So was Zsa Zsa.

As we walked back to Robinson’s Galleria, the line had grown four- tiers thick. The visit to the wake was, for me, a perfect ending to a truly happy day when I celebrated my birthday.

Ton

OFWs and Tita Cory

by Noslen Sonnel

August 5, 2009 12:45 a.m.

Far from the land of our birth

We thrive on this one land called earth

To be back home our constant dearth

Our fatherland, our countrymen, our mirth.

Adopted, yet unwanted.

Paid yet unneeded.

Seen yet unseen.

Here yet keen.

Keen to see the day of our return.

Hoping and weeping, graceful and silent

Struggling, striving and always benevolent.

Sending our dollars like we've tons to burn.

Keen to see our nation's rebirth.

See Happy Pinoys with none so poor.

Humble leaders with diminished girth.

'Tis what we'd like to see at the end of our tour.

The death of Cory increased our sorrow.

Yet we struggle on ‘cuz there’s still tomorrow.

She was the mother who wouldn’t let us leave
A fellow Pinoy who wanted us not to cleave.

She believed what many of us abandoned
The road she travelled, we scorned and disowned.

Yet in the depths of our hearts we are brown.

We knew then and we know now that we can.

That we Pinoys can never be let down.

And we may yet prove that we are her avid fan!

The death of Cory increased our sorrow.

Yet we struggle on ‘cuz there’s still tomorrow.

Tita Cory's Wake

by Ms. Juliet Guanlao

A friend of mine in the Philippines forwarded to me an e-mail about Tita Cory’s wake at the La Salle Greenhills. The original writer of the email has given Barangay OFW her permission to publish her email.

From: Juliet Guanlao _________________

To: usths80@_______________________

Sent: Sunday, August 2, 2009 10:35:31 PM

Subject: [usths80] Tita Cory's Wake

I was there last night. It took me, a friend, and three nieces more than three hours to get to Tita Cory's coffin, where we were able to spend a few seconds to say thank you.

I could not pass up on this chance to feel "People Power" all over again. I went there with the hope of witnessing and feeling the same fever that gripped all of us 23 years ago. I was at EDSA (it happened three months after I came home from an 8-year stay in NY). I was squeezed at the gates of Malacañang with the passionate mob who rushed there after hearing the news that the Marcoses had fled. I was in Luneta during the rally after the dictator was ousted.

I just felt that this is the last chance to feel Tita Cory's fervent hope to unite us, even up to her death.

I was not disappointed. The unity of our people and the desire to be with Tita Cory for the last time are very much alive. The line started from Gate 5 and extended all the way to the corner of EDSA and Ortigas, and snaked 4 times. Four layers of people peacefully and orderly lined up along Ortigas, in the midst of traffic and the smoke-belching vehicles. But there were no complaints, no rowdiness among the crowd, just the usual noise of people chatting, waiting patiently in line.

There were a lot of smiles, nods and short comments exchanged among strangers, as we passed by or faced each other in our respective spots. As expected, there were a lot of entrepreneurs who were able to produce yellow shirts and yellow ribbons in such a short time.

We arrived at around 8:30 pm and were able to join the 2nd layer of the line. Those who were in the first line had been there since 4 o'clock. There was a mass at 8pm and they stopped letting people in at 7.

We were feeling impatient at around 10:30 pm when, to our surprise, there was activity behind us. Tita Cory's grandsons, Jiggy (the one who looks like Ninoy) and the other one (we didn't get his name but I think he was the other one who was frequently seen with Jiggy, but this time without his Ninoy glasses), were walking through the lines, shaking people's hands, profusely thanking and apologizing to everyone about the long wait.

Of course there were a lot of posing and picture-taking, and these two young lads were game! It was probably a nightmare for the two security personnel who tailed Tita Cory’s grandsons. Their presence gave everyone the much-needed boost, and we were able to keep our spirits up for the next 2 hours. There was even one lady behind us who shouted, "Iho, ano nga bang pangalan mo? Iboboto kita!" It was indeed an unexpected but heartwarming gesture from those two young men.

When we had gone through the gates, we saw young people handing out Kopiko candies and Hershey's Kisses chocolates. Feeling nasa wake talaga! Kulang na lang Boy Bawang, Happy peanuts, butong pakwan and Zest-o. But there were water dispensers and cups in different spots inside the campus.

Flowers lined up the corridors, and Tita Cory's enlarged portraits were placed along the hallway leading to the coffin. Inside the gym, celebrities were everywhere. But despite the fact that there were showbiz stars and politicos everywhere, I didn't think it replaced the feelings of the people that they were there to pay their respects to Tita Cory. The mood was calm and solemn.

In two's, we were allowed only a few seconds in front of the coffin. Not enough to digest and take in the minute details of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. I was there with a friend and my three nieces, and when we were back in the car, we pieced together all that we were able to store in our memories.

Tita Cory was wearing a simple bright yellow dress with sparkling stones. Brownish hands folded clutching a rosary. Jet black hair combed back, bright red lips, heavily-foundationed face. She looked very different... she looked like a Chinese mestiza but decades younger... The face was different from the Tita Cory we are all familiar with. But her expression was very serene... very peaceful...

The way she looked in the coffin got us distracted. We were hoping to see the sweet, motherly face of Tita Cory. We walked back to the car pensive, and disturbed. We did not want this to be the last memory we will have of her.

My initial feeling was, I wish I did not go.... But now, the morning after, things are clearer in my mind. She must have suffered so much in her ordeal that they had to hide the pain.. The face may have masked the sufferings but the color of her hands exposed them anyway... Now I feel that even up to her death, she wanted us to see her strength, not her sufferings. And for that, I admire her more...

Tita Cory suffered so much in her life....as a wife, as a mother, as a person...We are the ones who benefited from those sufferings. As a nation, we are free. But, as a people, we have a lot more to do. My fervent prayer is for all of us to show the same unity that we showed Tita Cory and do our share in addressing the ills of our country.

Twenty-six years ago, I was marching in the streets of New York City, together with the members of the anti-Marcos movement, because Ninoy had been assassinated. I live now in Manila, but for the 26 years that I have lived here, my sense of obligation has centered around myself and my loved ones. Other than doing my best to be a law-abiding citizen, the occasional bouts of nationalism demonstrated during the People Power and now for Tita Cory, I have not really done much. I hope now, I can start...

I have been a silent reader in our e-group for the past 8 years.. Now I cannot resist na magparamdam because I want to share this experience with all of you.

To those who are overseas and cannot make it to the wake, I hope this gives you a glimpse of what it was like to be there, from my perspective. To those who can make it to the Manila Cathedral, you still have a chance.

Let's pay our respects to Tita Cory. It's the least we can do. And let's hope that the spark that this visit rekindles will stay and ignite us to move.

Yeng

Thank you, Tita Cory!

Tribute to Tita Cory

25 January 1933 - 1 August 2009

Maria Corazon C. Aquino
11th President of the Philippines

Thank you, with all our hearts, for your:

C- ourage and dedication

O-verwhelming simplicity and sincerity

R- esolute commitment to democracy

A-mazing and audacious faith

Z-ealous love of country

O-verflowing kindness and love

N-ever-ending legacy of freedom!

OFWs at NAIA Terminal 3

by Carmelita C. Ballesteros

Singapore

Dear readers: Please share your observations of international airports and/or any airport in the Philippines, domestic or international, by e-mailing barangay.ofw@gmail.com

Terminal 1
Are you ashamed of Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila? Compared to other international airports, it is dilapidated and shabby. However, it is a functional airport, although its toilets don’t work all the time.

According to Wikipedia, it handled 22 million passengers in 2008.Wasn’t that a feat? Supposedly, it was built to handle only 4.5 million passengers.

The most significant thing about Terminal 1 is its historic value. It was where Ninoy Aquino was assassinated in 1983, moments after he was escorted out of a China Airlines flight by Marcos’ soldiers. So consider it a unique privilege to arrive and depart from such a rare and aging airport. It’s like time travel. On top of that, it’s an airport where a modern-day hero was assassinated.

Terminal 2
It is a little newer and its toilets seem to work all right. It is used exclusively by the Philippine Airlines for all of its domestic and international flights. However, the last time I arrived at Terminal 2 in 2007, I remember a really awful experience.

There were very few trolleys for the passengers’ baggage. I remember that there were at least 500 passengers fighting for about 20 trolleys. My family was worried sick because it took me more than an hour to get out of the airport.

I advised a colleague who was flying to Manila after me, and also flying via Philippine Airlines, not to check in any baggage so that he could get out of the airport fast.

Terminal 3
What about the newest terminal of NAIA? With its tattered reputation of being at the center of legal disputes and charges of corruption, I wanted to find out for myself how Terminal 3 compares with its older siblings.

Having heard that Cebu Pacific uses it exclusively, I used this airline for my trip from Singapore to Manila and back last June. I was pleased that Cebu Pacific already offers day flights. It used to offer flights only on graveyard shifts – late evening, midnight, and wee hours of the morning.

My flight from Singapore to Manila on June 18 was at 10:35 a.m. I flew out of Changi’s Budget Terminal which is miles better than Terminals 1 and 2 of NAIA. My plane touched down at 2:05 p.m. in Manila and I was out of Terminal 3 by 2:45 p.m. It was a breeze!

I was in a hurry to get home, and didn’t look around. The only impression I got was that there were no crowds and the airport was quite cold and quite bare.

Time flew, literally. Two weeks were gone and I had to head back to Singapore on July 1. My flight being at 1:30 p.m., my family dropped me off at Terminal 3 at 10:30 a.m.

Check-in Process
Unlike the annoying, multiple layers of security checks at Terminals 1 and 2, I got the pleasant, but ‘uneasy’ feeling that security at Terminal 3 was lax. I remember only one security check before I queued up to the airline counter check-in.

The Security Profiler Queue

On my way to the airline counter, there was a security profiler from a private agency. He looked only at passengers’ tickets and passports. He was not from POEA, and I wasn’t sure what his ultimate aim was. He didn’t ask to see my OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) Certificate nor my OEC (Overseas Exit Clearance). Anyway, it took only a few minutes.

The Airline Counter Check-in

There were several flights en route to Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taipei but there was no crowd. The airline counter clerk asked me if I was an OFW. I said yes and offered her my green OEC. She took one sheet from the set of four copies, then returned the remaining three to me.

(By the way, I didn’t need to pay the Philippine travel tax of Php1,620.00 as an OFW privilege. My OEC, which cost me SGD5.50, is the proof that I am a documented OFW. If you are an OFW in Singapore, you must go to the Philippine Embassy on Nassim Road and pay the equivalent of USD25.00 to get an OWWA certificate. Only then will you be allowed to purchase an OEC.

Cebu Pacific, for its part, collects the travel tax from departing non-OFW Filipinos when they buy their airline tickets. Thus, Cebu Pacific has cut down a usually slow and disorderly step from the check-in process of passengers at Terminals 1 and 2.)

On my way to the Immigration Counter, I passed by the booths which collect the terminal fee of Php750.00. I approached the booth for OFWs and gave my OEC to the clerk. She tore off one copy and returned the remaining two to me. I didn’t need to pay anything. Altogether, I was spared from spending Php2,370.00 in exchange for the OEC which cost the equivalent of Php180.00.

Finally, I walked in towards the immigration counter through the terminal fee counter. There were only two immigration counters and there were only three of us international passengers.

The immigration officer waved me through. I was a little disappointed that my transaction was so ordinary and uneventful.

Airport Amenities
I walked farther inside Terminal 3 and had lunch in one of its cafes. It was a 90-peso lunch of rice and chicken. There were pricier choices but I wasn’t interested.

I checked out the wash room, of course. It’s almost as good as Singapore’s. That’s a big improvement.

Was there a duty-free shop? I don’t remember any. For the second time, I noticed that Terminal 3 was quite bare. With nothing to while away my time, I looked for my boarding gate. The clerk ripped off half of my boarding pass using the cover of my passport. Without even looking at me, he waved me in.

There was hardly anybody in the departure lounge. People started streaming in only at 12:45 p.m. After 10 minutes, we were asked to board through a short tube. The plane was probably two-thirds full. We took off promptly at 1:30 p.m. and landed at Changi Airport at 4:40 p.m., 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

Both Cebu Pacific pilots who captained my return flights were great landers. The landing was so soft and gentle that I didn’t feel the landing gears touching the ground at all.

An OFW’s Impression
So what’s the verdict? NAIA Terminal 3 is efficient and Cebu Pacific is using it effectively. OFWs, aside from the submission of the green OEC, are inconspicuous. It means that OFWs at NAIA Terminal 3 are treated decently just like any other passenger, whether Filipino or foreigner.

I sure hope the decent treatment of OFWs remains that way. On a different note, I hope some sprucing up of Terminal 3 will be done to make it look friendlier and more attractive.

MONEY Management Seminar at Insular Life, Imus, Cavite

by Jaime G. Seculles, Jr.

Insular Life would like to invite OFWs and their family members to a Forum/Orientation session entitled, "Money Management", in our Imus District Office in Cavite on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

"Money Management" is designed for OFWs and their families to make them aware of the opportunities Insular Life is offering, and maybe help them in financial management.

The Insular Life's Imus District Office is located on the 2nd Floor of Sayoc-Abella Building (atop Allied Bank), Aguinaldo Highway corner Tamsui Avenue, Imus, Cavite.

There is no cost or obligation. Spouses and grown-up children of OFWs are encouraged to attend. Slots are limited, so please reserve a seat by calling Cell No. +63-917-5028310 or

Tel. No. 63-46-5020151.

Deserving Grace

by Sonny Coloma

This article was originally published in Mr. Sonny Coloma's column, VECTOR, in the Business World Online on May 22, 2009 (Manila time). He has given Barangay OFW his kind permission to re-publish this article. You may reach him at sonny_coloma@yahoo.com

newshopper.sulekha.com

"The people deserve the kind of government they want" is a timeless maxim on democracy. If we choose wisely and well, we may yet deserve to have a national leader like Isabela Gov. Ma. Grace Cielo Magno Padaca who was honored by the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Foundation as its 2008 awardee for outstanding public service.

"When I was elected governor in 2004," she told members of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) the other day, "I thanked God, saying, ‘Lord I was only joking. I did not expect you to take me seriously!’ "

But after 40 years of the Dy family’s hegemony, voters in Isabela chose wisely and well. Against the three Gs — guns, goons, and gold — they elected a polio-stricken broadcaster as their new leader.

Thus did Ms. Grace complete the transition from 1) CPA -- Certified Public Accountant (she graduated magna cum laude in BS Accountancy from Lyceum University) to 2) CPA -- Courageous Public Announcer (14 years as a broadcaster with Radio Bombo), and finally, to 3) CPA -- Competent Public Administrator (second-term governor of Isabela and Magsaysay laureate).

She was reelected in 2007, with a slimmer winning margin, but she felt vindicated. "This was sweeter than when I first won," she said, "because the people reelected me on the basis of my performance, and not anymore on my promises."

With prudent fiscal management, Isabela was able to pay off more than 80% of its more than half-billion-peso debts to the Land Bank, Philippine National Bank, and DBP.

She increased farm productivity by providing subsidies to rice and corn farmers. Isabela is the largest corn-producing province and the second largest rice producer. Her administration was also able to enroll more than 100,000 Isabelinos in PhilHealth so that they now enjoy medical insurance benefits.

She has introduced transparency and accountability. Awards of contracts and release of checks to contractors are publicized in the provincial capitol. Businesspersons and investors have found it profitable to do business and invest in the province because they need not pay bribes or incur unnecessary costs due to corrupt practices of government officials. She urged people to report to her directly any anomalies in government transactions.

But the road to the governorship was rough, bumpy, and fraught with danger. She was immobilized by polio at the age of three.

Her parents, both educators, gave her many books to read. She recalls reading stories about honesty, industry, truth, and fairness — and these filled her mind with positive thoughts and inspired her to dream of an auspicious future.

One of her dreams was to be a radio announcer, a job where she could be heard even if not seen. She went on to join Bombo Radyo where she had a daily three-hour program from Monday to Saturday. Her focus was "the abusive way by which resources of government were being squandered" by political "gremlins" that "seemed to forget that power is not theirs as a birthright."

Instead of being frustrated about not being able to do anything about irregularities that were being committed openly, she decided to seek public office.

"At least," she mused, "even if I lose, I will have peace of mind." She lost in 2001 and ran again in 2004, aware that she could lose then and probably lose two or three more elections before making significant headway in her crusade for good government.

She had an epiphany: "If fear is contagious, courage is also contagious." She urged her province mates to overcome their fear:

"Huwag kayong maawa sa akin dahil ako’y isang pilay at mahina. Maawa kayo sa inyong mga sarili at sa inyong mga anak kung wala kayong magawa kahit mas malakas at masigla ang inyong katawan kaysa sa akin."

("Don’t pity me because I am paralyzed and weak. Have mercy on yourselves and on your children if you can’t do anything despite the fact that you are healthier than I am.")

"What they saw in me was not my weakness, but my strength," she recalls.

Another important realization on her part is that, "People in government wield tremendous power. With just one signature, I could mobilize millions in pesos in resources. If used judiciously, political power may be harnessed to empower people and lift them from poverty."

Thus, she urged the executives in the audience to go into public service themselves, or encourage those who they know can become competent public servants.

Her speech followed a pitch for voter education especially among the youth. "But if the educated voters do not have credible choices among the candidates, even your best efforts may come to naught," she said.

"Those who think themselves to be too smart to run for public office are doomed to be governed by those who are too dumb. Elect the right people," was her spirited pitch. "Look at me," she said, "I am the embodiment of the power of the people expressed through the ballot."

When asked about her biggest asset and her worst liability, her replies elicited warm applause. She said that her staffers call her "Excel Governor" because she always required spreadsheets depicting relevant information and figures, especially when she deals with requests for assistance from barangay officials. Her attention to details (a discipline she acquired as an accountant) enables her to allocate scarce resources judiciously according to the real needs of her constituents.

But she longs for the gentler and kinder days when, as a private citizen, she received abundant care and attention from friends.

She plods on with great courage and determination. When she first won, only three out of 36 mayors supported her; now, the ratio is reversed. Only three have not reached out to her and two of these are members of the political dynasty that she ousted from power.

She is mindful of the need to build common ground even among erstwhile adversaries. "Maybe my being a dispassionate accountant is also one of my strengths; I never take differences personally against anyone." Instead of wooing political rivals, she said she would rather focus on serving the needs of her province mates.

When will we ever deserve the grace of having a national leader (president, vice president or senator) in the mold of Governor Grace Padaca?

Only when we have the courage to elect competent and dedicated public servants like her — and reject the empty enticements of well-entrenched politicians who have all brought our country and us on the road to perdition.

Comments may be sent to sonny_coloma@yahoo.com

If you would like to send a message to Gov. Grace Padaca you can text her at +63-919-3533-222 or send an email to kayanatin@yahoo.com