Waterworld

Posted by Mimi de Jesus on You Tube.

This is what Gloria Arroyo said in her State of the Nation Address last July:

As a country in the path of typhoons and in the Pacific Rim of Fire, we must be prepared as the latest technology permits to anticipate natural calamities when that is possible; to extend immediate and effective relief when it is not; the mapping of flood-and-landslide-prone areas is almost complete. Early warning, forecasting and monitoring systems have been improved, with weather-tracking facilities in Subic, Tagaytay, Mactan, Mindanao, Pampanga.

We have worked on flood control infrastructure like those for Pinatubo, Agno, Laoag, and Abucay, which will pump the run off waters from Quezon City and Tondo flooding Sampaloc. This will help relieve hundreds of hectares in this old city of its age-old woe.

Patuloy naman yung sa CAMANAVA, dagdag sa Pinatubo, Iloilo, Pasig- Marikina, Bicol River Basin, at saka river basin ng Mindanao.

* * *

Seeing many areas in Metro Manila turned into an ocean, I remember the 1995 futuristic movie “Waterworld”.

“Waterworld” starring kevin Coster as the mutant mariner (he has webbed feet and gills behind the ears) is about the earth when polar ice caps melted . The earth is submerged in water. The survivors didn’t know that; they thought that somewhere at the end of the vast body of water is dry land.

Among the survivors is a girl named Enola, who doesn’t know how to swim because she had always lived in a place of high altitude, far away from the water. She is fond of drawing trees which gives an idea of a place she had once lived. She is under the care of Helen, another survivor.

Helen and Enola asked the mariner to bring them to what they referred as “Dryland”. The mariner disabused their mind about “Dryland” by giving them a tour of the bottom of the ocean. There they saw the earth as prominently represented by New York and the statue of Liberty. There is no dry land, the two are made to see reality.

A group of pirates called “Smokers” are after Enola because the tattoo on her back is supposed to be a map to the dry land. The tattooed characters looked like Sanskrit. The action in the film is provided in the encounters between the Mariner and the Smokers.

The movie’s ending is Enola, Helen and Mariner finding an uninhabited patch of dry land, which turns out to be the girl’s home. The movie doesn’t say it but it suggests that it’s the summit of Mount Everest, in the border of Tibet and Nepal, the highest peak in the world at 8,848 meters (29,029 ft) above sea level.

The movie was shown at the time when climate change was still not the buzzword that it is today. Fast melting glaciers have been reported in recent years which environmentalists attribute to global warming.

Weather scientists say that what happened last Saturday when storm Ondoy dumped a month’s worth of rainfall (391.7 millimeters) in just six hours was a manifestation of climate change. We had been seeing signs of it in rains during summer and searing heat during the usually rainy month of July.

I’m thankful that the meeting for the Council of Advocates of the International Visitors Program which was originally scheduled last Saturday morning was canceled the night before. That saved me from being stranded in the storm.

My nephew, who is working in one of IT companies in Global City, called up late evening Saturday that his boarding house was submerged in water and all his things as well as that of his house mates are gone including their cars. But we are thankful, they were safe. Their landlady sheltered them.

Yvonne Chua, a colleague in VERA Files and her daughter swam five blocks in New Manila to get her brother who was trapped on the second floor of his townhouse. Yvonne brought kick board for her brother.

There were many areas not considered flood-prone were submerged under Ondong’s onslaught. That tells us that our disaster-preparation should include having a ready rubber boat, life jacket and kick board in our house. Rubber boats should now be a must in companies, just like fire extinguishers in buildings.

And, we should all learn how to swim.

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Stark images of Typhoon Ondoy, the morning after….

The following pictures are reprinted with permission from Ateneo de Manila graduate student Savann Ouerm who snapped these pictures at 6.am. in Marikina City today (September 27) – a day after Storm Ondoy ravaged Metro Manila. Apart from all the videos and pics that have been uploaded on social networking sites, these images truly moved me. Me and my family managed to stay dry throughout this whole event, but I can never imagine the hardship that everyone in flooded areas had to go through, with the waters threatening to go up their roofs, or even those left to struggle on the roads… and the many who went hungry, thirsty, sleepless, and hanging on to dear life.

In the meantime, there’s a massive drive to help families and victims who continue to suffer from the effects of the typhoon. Please show your support by volunteering, getting in touch with your favorite charity ( contact numbers are at the end of this post) or donating to Barrio Siete’s Bayanihan Fund Drive. God bless the Philippines!

Storm ondoy

Storm Ondoy

Storm ondoy

Storm ondoy

Storm ondoy

These people were certainly glad to be on higher ground!

Storm Ondoy

Where to donate to victims of Storm Ondoy:

Barrio Bayanihan

Philippine National Red Cross – visit www.redcross.org.ph. Updates at http://twitter.com/philredcross

Relief supplies accepted in all branches of 7-11 in cooperation with NDCC and DSWD . Examples of needed supplies: canned goods, mats, mosquito nets and water jugs

Donations in cash and in kind are accepted in the following SMART Wireless Centers: SM Fairview, SM North EDSA, Gateway Mall Cubao, AliMall Cubao, SM Megamall, SM Muntinlupa, SM Bicutan, SM Sucat, Festival Mall Alabang, Alabang Town Center and SM Southmall.

Caritas Manila Office in Jesus St. Pandacan now accepting donations. Good can also be brought to Radio Veritas at Veritas Tower West Ave cor EDSA (tel no. 9257931-40).

World Vision Development Foundation in need of volunteers for repacking & distribution of relief goods. Please call Pam Millora 0917862320. Accepting donations at BPI Savings Account # 4251002415 or BDO #270043411. One family pack is worth P2,000.We need 12 noodles, 5 liter bottles of mineral water, 1 pack biscuits or crackers, 6 cans corned beef, 1 pack 500g brown suger, 2 cans pork & beans. This is the package per family.
Accepting donations 24 hours at the Worldvision ofc in Quezon Ave or at the lobby of One Orchard Road Bldg., Eastwood until Tuesday midnight.

Relief goods accepted in Jollibee branches.

More in quezon.ph

ABS-CBN’s Rated K Used my photo without permission!

Korina Sanchez’s popular magazine show in ABS CBN has used my Dinagyang photo last September 6 episode without permission. The photo featuring a Dinagyang Festival tribe sitting on the street first appeared on this blogpost in 2007.

dinagyang 2010

It took me a while to post this because, I was optimistic that this issue can be resolved even without spilling this to the public.

I first contacted Joseph Aquino. I am not sure if he is the same Joseph Aquino listed here. I tried to explained my side and he did too. He apologized for the incident but since this is not the first time that this has happened to me. I told him to just follow what’s on the Bill I sent.

Every day I keep on texting him what’s the update or feedback, and hell just rpely words like “I’ll give you feedback tomorrow” or “I’ll uodate you at the end of this day”. To which he never does. It is I who does making “kulit” to him regarding the status of my request.

They keep on promising that theyll update me or give feedback, pero wala.

Remember that it was them who used my photos without permission, ako pa ang nangungulit sa kanila.

I tried to text since Friday, got no reply. So I tried to call today. Both number are turned off.

Nakakahiya ang ABS CBN. A giant in broadcast industry, simply allows its people to work the easy way. Copy photos over the internet and not informing the owners that they’re going to use it.

How can ABS CBN, Korina Sanchez and Rated K remain credible if their shows contain materials stolen off the Internet.

Do they know that not all the materials over the internet is free for taking?

Nakahiya. You can check the episode video here My photo appeared on the first portion where Korina greeted the residents of Iloilo.

You like reading this blog post? You might also be interested in BYAHILO's other adventures at Sugarloaded!

ABS-CBN’s Rated K Used my photo without permission!

ECommerce Summit 2009

From Ms Janette Toral:
The DigitalFilipino E-Commerce Summit 2009 is an intensive 2-day educational seminar on e-commerce strategies scheduled to take place on November 12 & 13, 2009 at the Hotel Intercontinental, Makati City.

We hope to make this an annual event that will provide an additional venue for learning among DigitalFilipino club members (http://www.e-commercephilippines.com).

The event will focus on best practices (what to do, what not to do, execution, measurement) and we would like to have a great roster of resource persons who can share their insight & lessons learned.

We requested speakers to deliver talks on a big-picture perspective (keynote-style) discussing findings and insight that they haven’t mostly shared before but still reflective of their respective experiences.

We are targeting 150 to 200 participants for this event. Main audience will be DigitalFilipino club members, DigitalFilipino Web Awards past and current entries/winners, DigitalFilipino Social Networking Awards winners, SMEs, enterprises, and entrepreneurs at large.

Conference Program

Attendees to this event can expect a highly-interactive session with e-commerce players and industry practitioners. Topics in the agenda includes (subject to change):

November 12 (Day 1):
7:30 to 9:00 Registration & morning snacks

9:00 to 9:30 Welcome & Big Picture theme introduction

State of Internet and Mobile Commerce Market Growth
Speaker: Donald Patrick Lim, President and CEO of Yehey! Corporation 9:30 to 10:00

Has Internet and Mobile Commerce taken off in the Philippines? What are the numbers? Are the Filipinos today really buying online? A look into the latest market study with cross analysis on the technographic and psychographic behavior of our new generation of digital sellers and buyers.

Building and Managing an E-Commerce, Internet Gaming, and Outsourcing Business during a Global Economic Crisis
Speaker: Enrique Gonzalez, CEO of IPVG Corp.
10:15 to 10:45

Creating a Niche and Identifying Your Online Target Market
Speaker: Stephanie Caragos, President and CEO of Syntactics Inc.
11:00 to 11:30

Creating an e-commerce website is not merely the act of having the site developed and launched. Careful study and analysis plays an important role in identifying the target market and knowing how to attract it. Insight on potential customers helps in strategic positioning of your products and services.

Lunch break

Search Engine Friendly Web Design: Making Site Visitors Click!
Speakers:
Jan Alvin Pabellon, Vice President for Business Development at IT Group, Inc.
Arnold Alvarez, General Manager, BF Homes Properties 1:00 to 1:30

Improve your rankings, increase your visits, and make more money by building a web site that is attractive to both automated search engines and real live people. Discover how “search engine friendly” web design can help you get more traffic from search engines. Speakers will share experience in making their sites search engine friendly, launching additional websites to improve rankings, get more visits, and consequently improved revenues and bottom line.

The End of Faceless Brands: How the Internet has Forced Brand Marketing to Personalize
Speaker: Brad Geiser, Co-Founder, GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications
1:45 to 2:15

One of the reasons why there are few companies in the Philippines who invest in e-Commerce is due to the perception that it is just a business structure and has not yet explored the idea of e-Commerce as a marketing tool. This discussion gives an overview on how some social marketing experiments have turned in groundbreaking results.

(Other topics with speakers to be finalized)

- Payment programs and platforms catering from mainstream to unbanked market segments.
- Making self-service advertising platforms work for you.
- Improving e-commerce website performance
- Tracking website analytics & e-commerce sales performance

November 13 (Day 2):
7:30 to 9:00 Registration & morning snacks

9:00 to 9:30 Welcome & Day 1 Summary

E-Commerce Policies and E-Government Growth in the Philippines
Speaker: Dir. Maria Lourdes Yaptinchay, Supervising Director, Department of Trade and Industry E-Commerce Office 9:30 to 10:00

An update on e-commerce policies approved and for ratification to push the growth of e-commerce in the Philippines. Government e-commerce transaction growth in dealing with stakeholders, citizens, customers, and businesses shall also be discussed.

Building Online Trust: Making E-Commerce Secure Against Fraud
Speakers:
Jovel Cipriano, CEO, PinoyDelikasi
Mannix Pabalan, General Manager, AyosDito.ph
10:15 to 10:45

The intricacies of E-commerce have provided merchants with a host of interesting challenges. Perhaps the biggest challenge is establishing and maintaining trust. Spam, fraud, identity theft and fly-by-night e-retailers threaten consumers’ fragile trust in online marketplaces, particularly those in which they are asked to provide credit card information. Trust becomes a key issue in the buying process. Winning the customers’ trust and increasing their confidence is essential for E-commerce success.

E-Commerce as a viable retail market outlet for SMEs
Speakers:
- Ma. Regina Bundang, CEO, RegaloService.com
- Russell Ri, CEO, e-Philippines Adventure Travel and Destinations 11:00 to 11:30

Entrepreneurs will share their experience in putting up an e-commerce site, working with partners, challenges, lessons learned, market changes, and tips to aspiring entrepreneurs who would like to expand their business online.

(Other topics with speakers to be finalized)

- Internet and mobile banking growth.
- New technologies to make e-commerce easier

PLUS! The summit will be the venue for recognition of the top Philippine E-Commerce sites as DigitalFilipino.com opens the nomination for the 3rd DigitalFilipino Web Awards (http://digitalfilipinowebawards.blogspot.com).

Free conference pass to DigitalFilipino Club members: (to become a club member, visit http://www.e-commercephilippines.com and process the membership fee online)

- individual members (1 day, participate themselves, no proxy)
- SME members (1 representative per day)
- Corporate members (2 representatives per day)

Additional club member and sponsor delegates are entitled to 15% discount. Register today to confirm your seat at http://www.e-commercephilippines.com/digitalfilipino-e-commerce-summit.html

Nauubusan na ng gimik

Officials with Arroyo include Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita (to Arroyo's right),Labor Secretary Marianito Roque behind Ermita), Foreign Undersecretaty Esteban Conejos (in barong,third guy first row)

Officials with Arroyo include Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita (to Arroyo's right),Labor Secretary Marianito Roque behind Ermita), Foreign Undersecretaty Esteban Conejos (in barong . first row)

Nakita nyo ba ang litrato ni Gloria Arroyo kasama ang mga Overseas Filipino Workers na nag-eskapo sa kanilang mga malulupit na among Arabo nang siya ay dumating mula Saudi Arabia noong Huwebes?

Hindi ko alam kung ako ay maawa o maiinis.

Binigyan, siguro ng mga Labor officials, ang mga OFW ng miniature flag at kanila yun winawagayway na para bang Olympic team na na nanalo sa kompetisyun sa ibang bansa. Ano namang medalya ang kanilang dala? Luha sa kanilang malupit na karanasan?

Hilaw ang tawa ni Arroyo. Paano nang ininterbyu ng mga reporter ang mga OFW, panay pasakit ang kuwento.

Gusto ng Malacañang na palakpakan si Arroyo sa pagsagip ng mga kawawang OFW sa trahedya na kanilang napasukan.

Pwede ba, naibenta na ang ganyang gimik. Ginawa na yan ni Sen. Manny Villar at dating Pangulong Estrada.

Hindi pwedeng uubra kay Arroyo ang ganyang gimik dahil siya ang naka-upong pangulo (kahit ninakaw lang niya ang pwestong yun). Di ba programa niya ang magpadala ng mga Pilipino na sa ibang bansa bilang katulong? Mismo ang pamahalaan, ang TESDA, ang nagbibigay ng training para magiging supermaids. Kaya, ayan ang inabot ng marami nating kababaihan na OFW.

Hilong-hilo na siguro ang mga nakapaligid kay Arroyo sa kanilang gagawin para bumango si Arroyo sa taumbayan lalo pa ngayon na isa-isa nang naglulundagan ang kanilang mga kasamahan sa kanilang lumulubog na barko. Katulad ng ginawa ni Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo na nagsabi na si Sen. Noynoy Aquino ang kanyang bobotohin. Ibig sabihin noon, hindi siya sususportahan ang kandidato ng administrasyon na si Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

Sa House of Representatives, kung saan binusog na binusog ni Arroyo ng pork barrel ang mga buwaya doon kaya hindi siya na-impeach, sabi ng isa niyang tuta, si Rep. Antonio Cuenco ng Cebu na nag-survey raw siya sa kanyang mga kasamahan at ang resulta daw ay mga 100 raw sa kanila ang susuporta kay Noynoy Aquino para presidente. Ibig sabihin nun, ang bilang ng Malacañang na 145 na kongresista na susuporta kay Teodoro ay 45 na lang ang natira.

Sabi pa ni Cuenco, ayaw lang daw lumabas muna ang mga 100 na yan dahil inaala-ala pa nila ang kanilang pork barrel. Aba, milyun-milyun din yun at kailanganin nila yun sa eleksyun.

Siyempre sinabi ni House Speaker Propero Nograles na hindi raw totoo ang sinabi ni Cuenco. Ngunit ito ang nakakatawa sa sinabi ni Nograles: “A great majority of our members are highly principled and I don’t think their choice of Gibo was plainly based on what Congressman Cuenco describes as pork barrel considerations.”

Sige na kung yan ilusyon mo.

Ito namang isang paboritong cabinet member ni Arroyo, si Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane ay gusto raw tumakbong presidente.

Naku, kanya-kanyang labada na yan ha.

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