Teens as Entrepreneurs

High-School students developes business ideas together with experts and successful businessmen / entrepreneurs, then they test their products in Gawad Kalinga Communities.


Read the full article at www.entrepreneur.com.ph click here

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Rags to Riches Stories

Rags to riches stories are always inspiring. It gives us hopes that even at the lowest point in our life, all is not really lost. Such is the story of Manny Pacqiao, a Filipino boxer from Gen. Santos, Mindanao. He was the surprised champion at World Boxing Championship, where he defeated famous boxers like Barrera and Morales, a win that earn him a millions which made him an instant millionaire.

Read Full Story Click Here

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Pacman vs. Golden Boy

The most awaited Dream Match is now set on Dec. 6, 2008, Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Is it De La Hoya or Pacqiao? Regardless who will win, this awaited match will turn the whole world full of excitement. For sure, people around the world will take their day-off for this match. In UAE, Filipinos are lining up in TFC centers just to make sure they have their PPV or Pay-Per-Vier subscription on this day.

Who will you bet? Mine of course I'll go for Filipino Many Pacqiao.

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Kerygma Family: The Katinas LIVE in Manila

The Katinas are coming to worship in Manila! With their smooth R&B voices singing in perfect harmony, they will perform their well known songs at the Araneta Coliseum. Come and worship with them on the Sunday of Nov. 30th. Show starts promptly at 8:00PM.

The Katinas is a Contemporary Christian group of five (5) brothers who have devoted their lives to the worship ministry. The Katinas has become a favorite among concert audiences in the United States, averaging nearly 200 performances annually for the past eight years. They have toured with BeBe and CeCe Winans, Andrae Crouch, Kenny Rogers, Michael W. Smith's 2003 'Christmastime Tour', and have been featured on three of Amy Grant's popular Christmas tours.

The Katinas’ hits include: Thank You, Lord I Give You My Heart, Arms Of Love, Draw Me Close, Lord I Lift Your Name on High, and many more.

Tickets available at all SM Ticketnet outlets or call 9115555.

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A truely HERO: Man of courage, Man of honor

Yes, this is the life young Fil-Am, David Poarch, who packed his bag and travel all the to Philippines to find meaning of life. Setting aside all the thing that makes almost all people contented.

Almost all Filipinos wanted to go abroad and will die to go to have a better job and a better life... But for David Poarch "a.k.a" "Coconuter". He came from United State, from a good family to search and look for a meaning. And to a place where no one could expect for a guy like him to stay.

Now, for people at the same age like him, this is a question for all of you?

WOULD YOU DO THE SAME?
CAN YOU MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS?
ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO GO OUT AND FIND HAPPINESS?

If you have the same story, you can share it here so people could get inspired and follow your footsteps..

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The Adventures of "Coconuter" : David Poarch

The Simple Life of "Coconuter"

David Poarch. David Poarch is a freelance writer/blogger and a web designer. The first time I communicate ( thru email ) with him was last June 2006. And that time he was just starting to find and explore his life in the Philippines. I read his first article about his journey to the Philippines and how he love to live and stay there for the rest of his life.

Well, I dont need to tell his whole story here. You can visit his blog at coconuter.

Meanwhile you can watch his video :

The Coconuter David Poarch at Nagmamahal, Kapamily!

CLICK HERE


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Developing Teamwork in the Workplace

Source: Bayt.com

Effective teamwork can take an organization a long way towards meeting its objectives. In this article, the Career Experts at Bayt.com explore the building blocks of effective teams.

Fortune Magazine and Leadership author Max De Pree defines “teamwork as an art. The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict and how to reach our potential. The needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individual persons.”

“Teamwork” is a much flouted term in the workplace today, but it is actually only a few organizations that are really committed to fostering and nurturing this important commodity. For employees to become part of a team, it is necessary for them to feel engaged in something that is larger than their everyday job function, in something that identifies them as individually integral parts and unifies their efforts towards reaching organizational goals and ensuring overall strategic success.

Creating teamwork is a daunting task at its early stages, but it can definitely be achieved through good leadership skills and a sound commitment and the results are worth the hard work. Team building requires time and persistence.

* Time: Time is an essential component to successful team building as people need a fair amount of time to get to know each other and to learn to know, trust and respect their leader.
* Persistence: Cohesive functional teams can not be developed overnight. A leader should commit to being patient and persistent in order to ensure consistent progress and truly reap the rewards of effective teamwork.

The Stages of Team Development:

Every leader needs to be on familiar terms with how to walk his team through the different stages of team development in order to avoid stress, chaos and uncertainty. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman developed his team development model in the 1970s and it has been a great success so far. Here are the 5 essential phases of team development:

* Stage 1: Forming: This is the initial phase when the team first gets together. It is usually a stressful period, as team members do not necessarily know each other well and might approach each other with caution and trepidation. The leader’s primary task at this stage is to give them the best possible start and make them feel at ease. Bayt’s leadership tips at this stage:

1. Be as clear and open as can be about your goals.
2. State specifically what the exact tasks of the team will be before moving on to explain the specific task for each team member.
3. Shed light on the rules and the guidelines to be abided by.
4. Maintain an open communication channel: this will encourage team members to share their queries and concerns, if any.

* Stage 2: Storming: This is a tricky phase that usually results because rules and roles become somewhat unclear to team members despite the fact that they have been briefed during the forming stage. The actual truth is that every team member is now looking for a way to link the team’s goals to his own individual goals and agenda. The leader’s skills are put to test here as the team is in need of clear direction and support. Bayt’s leadership tips at this stage:

1. Gather the team together and get things out in the open.
2. Make sure to go over the overall team goals with individuals and understand what this means to every individual.
3. Clarify once again every team member’s individual tasks and responsibilities in regards of those overriding goals.

* Stage 3: Norming: This is the “acceptance” phase: goals are now comprehended, responsibilities are clarified and relationships have solidified. The leader’s role at this stage is to ensure the smooth continuity of the process and the avoidance of any potential challenges. Bayt’s leadership tips at this stage:
1. Provide guidance to team members, one on one, to help them see where they stand in relation to the team’s goals and their individual goals.
2. Once they feel confident of their capabilities, start allocating additional tasks in anticipation of the “performing” phase.

* Stage 4: Performing: This is the “concentration” phase: team members have set their minds to work towards team goals in order to reap the benefits of getting there. They can now identify their strong and their weak points and can focus on developing themselves. All members who have made it to this stage will witness the birth of “team loyalty”. The leader’s role at this stage is to grant team members the opportunity to become self-directive while he focuses on the next step forward. Bayt’s leadership tips at this stage:

1. Give team members space and be more of a coach than a director.
2. Encourage greater responsibilities that entail leadership roles.
3. Recognize a team job well done and reward both team and individuals.

* Stage 5: Adjourning: This represents the final stage of the development process. Tasks have been completed, goals have been reached and this is sometimes considered as a “mourning” stage for both team members and leaders, but is actually the start of a new beginning.

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Make Money with Affiliates

Writing about what you love, whatever interest you have there, you might as well make extra money if it’s only going to take a few extra steps.

Affiliate Programs can work, if you know how to use them. If I share a little when it comes to affiliate programs, as I used them up on my blog for months and only bring in a few cents. It took some time before I was able to figure out ways to make money off them, without comprising editorial content.

Be sure to have some place on your site which affiliate programs you use. Affiliate Programs give lots of choices of links to put on your site, so use them. You can put a big ad, or a text link in the side bar. Doing this will give some amount of transparency with your readers.

Personally I’ve never had much luck with static ads in the sidebar. Making commissions are easier by integrating affiliate links in the content. This is best achieved by writing useful posts for your readers. On The Coveted, I created a list of eBay shops to help my readers find the good things on eBay. It not only helped my readers, but the post generated links to my site.

Integrity is vital, integrating affiliate links with content will register with your readers in a bad way if you post things you really don’t believe in, or wouldn’t buy yourself. A year ago, I decided to make a pledge to myself to be more conscious with my shopping. Though, I love shopping, and I love clothes, there are certain parameters I allow myself to indulge in. Posting links to that would go against the personal pledge and breach my integrity.

How to Join Affiliate Programs
There are loads of different sites out there. The best way to go about finding which ones would work for you, is to look at the sites you love and to find out how to sign up, usually you can find the links at the bottom of the home page. Programs vary greatly on the kind of commissions they use, I’ve seen a low as 5% to 50%, and some are easier to manage than others.

eBay Partner Network- This is the one program I’ve been able to use efficiently. Though I have had bad experiences with some eBay sellers upset at my posts (which I still stand by) eBay has been very good to me, the commission structure starts at 50% and gets better. The links are easy to set up, and they have some very advanced widgets to integrate with your site.

Amazon Associates- Has loads of different payment structures and link options, and since they sell just about everything on earth… it’s good to be just signed up with them. Especially if you refer to books and music a lot in your posts.

LinkWorth- Also has a lot of great accounts, I’ve not had very much luck with them personally, but they are mentioned a lot in affiliate conversations.

Connect Commerce- Google’s Affiliate program

So that should be enough to get you started! What are some of your experiences with affiliate programs.

There are also some affiliates that can generates you income atleast:
1. Bidvertiser
2. Text Link Ads
3. Widget Bucks
4. Performancing Ads
5. Chitika
6. LinkShare
7. MagzNetwork

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How to travel, Grow your business and Take your Family with you.

by: Yaro Starak http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/

" I was reading this article about How to travel, Grow your business and Take your Family with you. Its true that most people can go around the world taking their business with them. Unfortunately, not all of them are successful. Also true that I think today maybe the right time to do this because of the economic crisis.

I just came from Bangkok and Hongkong one month ago doing Real Estate business. I know that RE today is experiencing downside turmoil but still I'm on this business. On the other side, I use this "blogging" medium to update my itineraries and business. Knowing the situation, having difficulties with real estate, I find time just to post my blog. I'm not a profesional blogger or blog as a source of living, but I've been blogging for quite some time. Im not a good writer either. I just write whatever i comes to my mind. So when I was in Bangkok and Hongkong, I went around, checking some tourist spots, took some photos, and posting it to the internet. I've been doing this everyday and every time I travel. - after quite some time, about 5 months I can see results. I realized I've been monetizing my blog. Of course you have to follow, not exactly follow but learn the art of blogging or how to monetized from your blog. You can learn from the articles of Yaro Starak and some successful bloggers out there.

That's why today, blogging is one way to get out of the danger situation. Becasue the majority of our work is over the internet.

It’s interesting that we can meet a lot of people during your trip doing the same business as you do. We meet them in the restaurant, coffee shops or because they’re the other person working on a laptop at a pool lounge. They too have taken their business on the road, figuring out ways to not be tied to any particular place. Today the internet, plays a big role i everyone business. Having the email, laptops, mobile phones, Paypal and ATM’s, everything is just so easy.

You can read the full How to travel, Grow your business and Take your Family with you by Yaro Starak at www.entrepreneurs-journey.com. Also find some interesting articles that might be useful for your business.

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Manny Pacqiao: Rags to Riches

by: Unofre Pili socyberty.com

Born of typical poverty-stricken Filipino family, Manny Pacquiao abandoned his elementary school when his father eloped with another woman, forcing the schoolboy to abandon his studies to help out his mother support the deserted family. He peddled breads and homemade doughnuts most of the days in the streets of General Santos City, Philippines - his hometown, and at times he had to brave the excruciating heat of the Philippine sun in order to sold out his poor merchandise.

When not peddling he would wander around neighboring villages looking for boxing matches during town fiestas for a reward of around $ 3.0 for the winner and $2.0 for the loser. Win or lose, Manny would return home with his reward intact and turned it over to his mother for rice and fish for a good meal together with his siblings.

Manny, however kept on winning his fights that it did not take long for boxing aficionados of this maritime city in Southern Philippines to take notice of his boxing talent. His agility and power that kept on knocking out his opponents enamored many boxing personalities. Invited by one of them that he would be brought to the capital city of Manila to hone his sport, he did not hesitate and eagerly asked permission of his mother. Mother Dionisia, a pious woman coaxed her son that she delivered on December 17,1978 instead for the priesthood, and though a religious boy himself, Manny refused until he sailed one day for Manila without the poor old woman's consent for she was adamant as most mothers in the world in disallowing their sons from joining the brutal, yet honorable sport of boxing.

Arriving at the big city, the young Manny was entered into a prominent boxing gymnasium and trained with consummate dedication. He kept on winning his early professional fights, but just like any other beginner and unknown fighter, his prize was no more than with what a drudger receives that he could hardly send extra amount back home. To augment his income, he employed himself in the gymnasium where he trained. He did the gardening and cleaning and occasionally a construction laborer while pursuing his early boxing career.

Despite his sidelines, the young Pacquiao trained like there was no tomorrow; comparing to the work ethic of his fellow prizefighters, each day he would train earliest and stop when all were gone resting. No wonder and as expected, he raked eleven straight wins before collecting his first professional loss to Rustico Torrecampo on February 9, 1996, barely a year after he joined the professional ranks. Torrecampo was the only fellow Filipino to have defeated the future great champion. Pacquiao was forced though, to wear a pair of heavier gloves in that fight for not making the weight limit of the flyweight division that he must have grown. Still heavyhearted, he had invited thoughts of giving up boxing, but as destiny would have it, he chose to continue, leaving behind the haunting memory of his first knockout defeat, and with much ease he was able to resume his usual winning ways by knocking out adversaries from Japan, Thailand and South Korea.

It did not take long until he traveled to Thailand again for the World Boxing Council(WBC) world flyweight crown of one of the country's all-time great champions-Chatchai Sasakul. The equally talented Thai opponent was giving him a good boxing lesson until he caught him up with a well-placed solitary punch, sending the reigning champion to the ring floor grimacing in pain and, unable to beat the referee's count, his Filipino adversary became a world champion at the youthful age of nineteen on December 24, 1998.

Still growing up, the new champion barely made weight for his second title defense and climbed the ring dehydrated. Consequently, he lost by knockout in the third canto of the fight against a Thai challenger in Medgoen Singsurat on September 17, 1999 at the Pakpanag Metropolitan Stadium, Nikhon Si Thammarat in Thailand. The loss embittered Pacquiao for some of his handlers became reluctant to provide him another good fight because of his decline in marketability. Nevertheless, he was given the benefit of the doubt; unbowed, Manny Pacquiao (32-2-0,23KO's) trained more harder and re-launched his career a division higher and went on to capture the super bantamweight International Boxing Federation(IBF) world belt via an impressive 6th round knockout victory against the then dreaded South African world champion, Lehlohonolo Ledwaba (33-1-1,22KO's; Win-Loss-Draw, Knockouts record), in June 2001 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, United States. He did receive a small purse though, but the victory had made much noise that reverberated in the consciousness of the mainstream American fans.

Pacquiao went on to defend his title impressively four times before he voluntarily relinquished it in 2003 for monetary and legacy reasons. He moved a division higher once more to issue a challenge on the great Marco Antonio Barrera (57-3-0, 40KO's). The legendary figure of the sport from the boxing world power - Mexico, casually accepted the challenge, claiming it a tune-up for a forthcoming difficult fight; a statement least questioned by experienced analysts, writers and the majority of the boxing community. Instead, the fighter known as the Baby-Faced Assassin fought helpless against the fire power, blinding speed and ferocity of the Filipino fighting demon. Barerra's corner came to his rescue by throwing the towel in the 11th round when he went down and was receiving too much punishment. The victory earn the distinction as a huge upset of the year, for the vast majority except his corner believed Pacquiao stood a chance against a rival whose name was already heading to the Boxing Hall of Fame. Pacquiao became an instant superstar in that fateful day of November 15, 2003 at the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, United States. His post-Barrera fights would later empty the busy streets of Manila and all other cities across the Philippine archipelago while insurgents and misguided elements in society would take a break from their crook activities to watch Pacquiao in action, making zero criminal-related incidence in the entire country during the duration of the fight. Not that the Philippines is scarce of boxing talents, but Pacquiao is truly the world's most exciting contemporary fighter as claimed by boxing writers and both diehard and casual boxing fans around the world.

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Pinoy sa DUBAI : Buhay Abroad Talaga

HAY BUHAY ABROAD TALAGA

Akala ng mga tao na nasa Pilipinas kapag nasa DUBAI ka akala nila madami ka ng pera ng langis. Ang totoo, madami kang utang, dahil credit card lahat ang gamit mo sa pagbili mo ng mga gamit mo. Kailangan mo gumamit ng credit card Kasi naubus na ang cash pinadala sa pinas, kase pag hindi ka nagpadala, iisipin nila nakalimutan mo na sila.

Akala nila mayaman ka at marami kang pera kasi buwan-buwan libo-libo padala mo walang palya at kapag pumalya iisipin nila baka nagbisyo ka na o may sinusustentuhang iba. Hindi nila alam food allowance na lang ang natitira sayo at pag kinulang pa umuutang pa at lista muna sa malapit na bakala.

Pag may okasyon sa pinas birthday, fiesta, anniversary, pasko, new year, at iba pa, padala ka agad panghanda sarap ng kainan nila, di nila alam ikaw tiyaga sa budget meal, kapsa, noodles o de lata at itlog na nakakabutlig na ng balat, hay naku!

Akala ni Tatay, Nanay, Ate, Kuya, anak, mga pamangkin at iba pa namumulot ka ng pera sa Dubai kada may problema text kaagad, kumusta sa una sa bandang huli kelangan ng ng pera! Hay naku…nakaka-alergic na ang text sa roaming puro gastos…minsan padala ka pa ng load! Load mo nga utang pa Pana! Hay naku bakit ba nauso pa yan dagdag gastos lang talaga at pag di ka pa reply aawayin ka pa!

Akala nila masarap maging OFW at tinatawag na bagong bayani…..naku mas masarap pa yong nasa pinas na sa katas ni bagong bayani ay syang umaani! Utang sa DUBAI lalong dumarami.

Akala nila masarap sa DUBAI di nila alam di ka na nga makauwi kasi roundtrip tiket kina-cash pa mapadala lang at ibayad sa utang.

Akala nila sosyal ka na kulay ng buhok mo uso pa at naka-highlight pa, di nila alam buhok mo namumuti na sa stress at problema at pag minalas pa nalalagas pa!

Akala nila masarap sa DUBAI kasi pag-uwi mo mestiso ka, maputi at mamula-mula ang balat mo, di nila alam babad ka sa opisina at kulong sa bahay mo dahil no choice ka, mga kapit bahay mo di mo kaano-ano, walang paki-alaman at kung lalabas ka sunog ang balat mo, init ng araw sobra!

Akala nila mayaman ka na kase may kotse ka na. Di nila alam hulugan pa ito! Ang totoo, kapag hindi ka bumili ng kotse sa dubai maglalakad ka ng milya-milya sa ilalim ng init ng araw o kaya sa winter na kasama ang asawa mo dito sa dubai .. O kaya naman tiyaga kang mag -abang ng RTA Bus or Coaster na ubod ng babaho ng mga pasahero at pagbaba mo amoy putok ka na rin, grabe! Walang jeepney, tricycle o padyak sa dubai .. madami mga indianao, Bangladesh na driver na ubod ng baho. Pag minalas ka paskitani na taxi driver na rapist pa!

Akala nila masaya ka kase nagpadala ka ng picture mo sa Burj Al Arab, Desert Safari, mall of emirates, Atlantis, Al Mamzar Beach, at iba pang attractions. Ang totoo, kailangan mo ngumiti kase minsan minsan ka lang makakapicture para mapadala mo sa mga mahal mo sa buhay.

Akala nila malaki na ang kinikita mo kase dirham na sweldo mo. Ang totoo, medyo malaki pagpinalit mo ng peso, pero dirham din ang gastos mo sa dubai . Ibig sabihin ang dirham mong kinita sa presyong dirham mo din gagastusin.

Ang P15.00 na sardinas sa Pilipinas AED3.00 sa Dubai , ang isang pakete ng sigarilyo sa pilipinas P40.00, sa Dubai AED 6.50, alangan namang puro cafeteria food ang kakainin mo aba mamatay ka sa highblood o heap nyan kasi nga umaapaw na sa mantika madumi pa! Mga kadiri , kaya lang pag naubusan ka ng pera no choice you have to take the risk .

Akala nila buhay milyonaryo ka na kase ang ganda ng bahay at kotse mo.nag pa-lypo kay calayan at nagparetoke kay vicky belo, Ang totoo nag loan ka lang sa Mashreq ,HSBC o CITIbank na huhulugan mo ng limang taon. Ibig sabihin, alipin ka ng bahay at kotse mo at ng luho mo at ng bansang ito !!kasi nga magloan ba naman dahil sa luho bwahahaha!

Madaming naghahangad na makarating sa Dubai . Lalo na mga nurses at mga medsec at eto pa pati cleaners, mahirap maging normal na manggagawa sa Pilipinas. Madalas pagod ka sa trabaho. Pag dating ng sweldo mo, kulang pa sa pagkain mo. Pero ganun din sa ibang bansa katulad lalo na kaya sa Dubai madaming outlet ng stress mo !kasi walang bawal!!! .

Hindi ibig sabihin dirham na ang sweldo mo, yayaman ka na, kailangan mo ding magbanat ng buto para mabuhay ka sa ibang bansa.

Isang malaking sakripisyo ang pag alis mo sa bansang pinagsilangan at malungkot iwanan ang
mga mahal mo sa buhay.Hindi pinupulot ang pera dito o pinipitas o iniigib. Hindi ako naninira ng pangarap, gusto ko lang buksan ang bintana ng katotohanan.

Mahirap mangibang bayan…sino ba ang may kasalanan na iwan sariling bayan? Manilbihan sa dayuhan at malayo sa pamilya ay may kahirapan. Hangga´t may pinay DH na nangingibang bayan na simbolo ng ating kahirapan, kawawang bayan ni Juan patuloy na mapag-iiwanan. Kaya Juan iwan ka ng pera para sayo, para sa kinabukasan mo!

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Expat Life in the UAE: Working in Dubai

If you're coming to live in Dubai, you, your husband, wife or partner are most probably coming to work. With so much competition for jobs at home, you have many more opportunities to do what you want in Dubai than elsewhere, especially if you have a university degree and know the right people, because there's such a shortage of quality individuals in the workforce.

However, if you're used to Western, staff-friendly working conditions, employment in Dubai may come as something of a shock. With so much cheap labour from Asia and Eastern Europe, certain jobs are, in effect, closed to Westerners, including many "trade" occupations, such as carpenters and plumbers; petrol-pump attendants, shop assistants, construction workers and waiters and waitresses.

There are also several crucial points with which you need to be aware. Once you sign a contract (which may be fixed-term or open), the company for which you work has to sponsor you. As part of the process of acquiring sponsorship and obtaining your residence visa, you must provide a blood sample, which is tested for communicable diseases. If you show any indications of disease, you'll be deported straight away.

Your life is, for the most part, dictated by the company for which you work, whether you need to rent a villa or apartment, want a bank loan to purchase a car, want to subscribe to some mobile-phone services or obtain a liquor licence; all well and good if you work for a respectable company; but what happens if you don't?

(Source: expatexchange.com by Pippa Sanderson)

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"Yes we can" - song!

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Career or Family

By: JBJC
Submitted Article

Ano kayang halaga ng tagumpay sa career if it has been achieved at the expense of the family. What profit does a man have kung mawawala naman ang kanyang pamilya? OO nga, meron siyang salapi na milyon ang halaga, magandang mansyon, travels around the world, and cavorts with an array of girls, women, and ladies, pero naman ang kapalit kung ikaw naman ay being hated by your daughters and is the mortal enemy of your sons. Can success in career really make up for failure at home? Which then is more important, wealth or family. A great number of us would readily say family. Pero totoo kaya na ang ating sinasabi ay ating ginagawa. But do we walk our talk ika nga? Are we willing to translate our mindsets into concrete actions? Day by day, we are bombarded by 52 million dollar questions, Sino ba ang mahalaga ang mga anak ko o ang trabaho ko.

To my fellow employees, I don't know how you react out there or would Answer my questions. In my case, as an accountant who always spend overtime in the office to be able to submit deadline reports come month-end or cut-off period, I have made unforgivable mistakes. If I have to live my life again, I would need to overhaul my priorities, to rechannel the efforts that I Have been exerting with passions and commitment . I thought all along na ang Lahat ng ginagawa kong pagpapahirap at pagtratrabaho to the max to get a promotion, I am doing it all for the family. But I was wrong . Today I know better. When my wife or daughter is on the phone I make sure that I attend to them first, never mind if there are urgent things to attend or papers to submit to my superior, after all they can wait for 10! minutes..... but if I deny the 10 minutes that is so important to them, it would have a lasting effect than to my Boss who might be replaced in a couple of years.

My family is my top priority , period. It is not a choice between my family and my career. MY FAMILY IS THE REASON WHY I NEED A CAREER. My career will come and go, employers can come and go but one's family Will remain even beyond the grave . They even take care of our graves. Noon kahit mayroon affairs sa school ang aking mga anak, I'd tend to preponderate toward the official duty and delegate the affairs of my kids to my wife. I used to operate on the paradigm that I should focus on the duty first before pleasure . Now I know that MY first duty is toward my loved ones. I should put my time where my heart belongs.

Today if I will to do it all over again, I'd reverse my priorities . My son will only graduate once in elementary and only once in high school, I will make sure I will be there, I will file my vacation leave and if my Boss rejected it because I need to attend to a company function where I am required to attend, I would still go to my kids graduation no matter what the consequences are. This time I am willing to become an average corporate officer, a so-so business executive but a great father. I'm willing to be reprimanded by my Boss for a late report but not hated by a daughter for not remembering her birthday every year.....na ilalabas ko siya the whole day and cherish the moments every minute dahil alam ko hindi ko na maibabalik ito kapag lumaki na siya at kung gawin ko man later, baka huli na. There are more important matters compared to corporate business meetings, Family peace and love- these are the ones that matter most.

BUT I SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF. I DO NOT IMPOSE VALUES ON YOU GUYS OUT THERE.

If you think possessions are more important than family, go ahead. Spend 20 hours in the office, bring home your corporate work. Neglect your wife.. don't spend quality time with your kids. Don't attend important family gatherings. Find work that you are away for a week and only meet your family every week-ends, oh what a waste. Delegate raising the children to your spouse. Leave the young kids to the nanny. Let the driver brings your kids to school. Ask someone to represent in your son college graduation. If you find something wrong at home, don't mind it, anyway your concentration is in your job. You have your career remember? Don't greet your father and mother on their anniversary. Spend all your time in the company. Baka mawala ang tiwala ng Boss mo sa iyo sayang ang pinagpaguran mo ng matagal. If you have aging parents, don't visit them. enjoy your career in isolation. Drink, dance, be merry, But in the end, you lose all the love ones who love you more, after neglecting! them. No wife, no kids, no family. you are alone and pretending to be happy. don't blame your company. don't lay the Burden on your Boss. Hindi ba, You made the choice? You opted to put more value on your career. Dahil sabi mo pinaghirapan mo lahat ito and pangarap mo na ito simula pagkabata dahil mahirap ka lang ikamu...gusto mong yumaman. You gambled and you lost.

I know of an executive na masyadong depressed... every week lang siyang umuwi sa pamilya niya. Week-ends lang niya nalalaro ang mga bata kung minsan required pa mag-stay ng sabado sa office, who finds no meaning in his life, he's got the money, a beautiful wife who according to him might be hiding something from him (you know what I mean) and the kids are not genuinely closed to him, for no apparent reason he had pulled the trigger to his head. He's got everything and he lost everything. that is the tragedy of it all.

As for me, I know better. After all the pains, the burdens of mistaken priorities, I have made my choice. Anytime, anywhere, my family comes first. My career, my business, my outside clients, all my other pursuits are only means to the end of all my sacrifices, my wife, my sons, my daughters, my family. I shall thus manage my various objectives well. there shall not be conflicting objective anymore. For I now know clearly my prioroties and shall be faithful to them. I shall be willing to give them up; excess money, much comfort, travels, and girls for and in the name of the family. That is simple and straightforward.

PS. Are you aware that if we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think? And we often treat strangers and coworkers better than members of our family.

Pass this on to everyone that you care about.

I just did..

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"Change has come to America"

By: JBJC

"Change has come to America" - This is the statement given by Elected President Barack Obama during his speech at Chicago, Illinoi.

Will there be a change or just another "God Bless America's - trademark speech" ?

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Historic win for Obama!

by: TERENCE HUNT, Associated Press Write

YAHOO NEWS

WASHINGTON – His name etched in history as America's first black president, Barack Obama turned from the jubilation of victory to the sober challenge of leading a nation worried about economic crisis, two unfinished wars and global uncertainty.

"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep," Obama cautioned.

Young and charismatic but with little experience on the national level, Obama smashed through racial barriers and easily defeated Republican John McCain to become the first African-American destined to sit in the Oval Office, America's 44th president. He was the first Democrat to receive more than 50 percent of the popular vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

"It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America," Obama told a victory rally of 125,000 people jammed into Chicago's Grant Park.

Obama scored an Electoral College landslide that redrew America's political map. He won states that reliably voted Republican in presidential elections, like Indiana and Virginia, which hadn't supported the Democratic candidate in 44 years. Ohio and Florida, key to Bush's twin victories, also went for Obama, as did Pennsylvania, which McCain had deemed crucial for his election hopes.

With just 76 days until the inauguration, Obama is expected to move quickly to begin assembling a White House staff and selecting Cabinet nominees.

Campaign officials said Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel was the front-runner to be Obama's chief of staff. The advisers spoke on a condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.

Obama's victory was sweetened by Democratic gains in both houses of Congress. In the Senate, Democrats ousted Republicans Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John Sununu of New Hampshire and captured seats held by retiring GOP senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado. Democrats scored big gains in the House, as well.

When Obama and running mate Joe Biden take their oath of office on Jan. 20, Democrats will control both the White House and Congress for the first time since 1994.

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