Put Smokers In Jail

Smokers should be placed in jail. The violators, that is.

It is every person's right to fill his lungs with poisonous smoke but such right is also subject to existing LAWS and other people's right to live.

I am live blogging straight from the Smart-sponsored tennis clinic being held at the SIR Tennis Court. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Smoking Ordinance violators here who smoke even if there are kids (their own kids included) around.

The Tennis Court has a canteen or mini clubhouse where the spectators and even the kids stay. Even without the ordinance banning smoking in public places, these people should have the decency and the common sense to inhibit from smoking in public especially when there are kids around and there are possibly asthmatic people around.

With the increasing number of violators around, the City government of Davao should perhaps set up Anti-Smoking Centers where concerned citizens can easily report smokers who violate the ordinance. Another idea is to appoint civilian or non-government agents who can apprehend violators.

Senators In The Wrong Job?

I was raring to write about this since last month but just did not have the time as I was awashed with other writing jobs. But hey, haven't you noticed how some of our senators seems to be holding the wrong jobs? I don't know how to say this with grammatical persuasion but take the case of these senators.

Mr. Palengke Mar Roxas seems to be at a dilemma if he continues to be Mr. Palengke or a labandera. His Tide commercial has outdone his image as the market man when he was still DTI secretary. He might be holding a business degree from Wharton but wouldn't he be better off as a labandera using Tide?

Senator Pia Cayetano may have started her political career right with her concern for sports and health but look at where she is now---selling Downy para bumango ang labada nyo!

Senator Ping Lacson admitted he does not drink alcoholic beverage so why is he endorsing this alcoholic drink the name of which escapes me? His website tags his priorities as HOPE--Health, Order, Progress, Education. he has always been a man of conflict or a conflicting man (whichever you prefer) and this time this is evident with his thrust in politics and his endorsement of an alcoholic drink which is generally bad for the health. Lacson is also endorsing a beauty clinic which is better since he does look nice and clean considering his age.

I admire Loren Legarda for her guts but I have never personally liked her. Maybe because she uses Ariel and I use Mr. Clean?

Senator Chiz Escudero should have lived up to his name by selling cheez whiz and not Chantra or whatever herbal supplement he is selling.

Senatory Manny Villar's advertising strategy is noticeable because he does not sell a product. He sells himself. Just like the S&T or Sipag and Tyaga advertisement before which personified his rise to wealth and power (I was able to interview him several years back and his business acumen is admirable). Nowadays, he sells the idea of helping the OFWs, the unsung heroes of our generation. But wouldn't it be better if he helped workers get better jobs and legal opportunities abroad rather than helping them when they have already been duped by illegal recruiters?

The 2010 national elections is still two years away but it seems our politicos have already prepared for the fight early on.

RP's Deteriorating Healthcare Industry

We recently had a medical emergency in the family and the whole experience was really an eye opener. I have started compiling materials for a special report on the country's healthcare industry and it sucks even from the government side.

The realities I have been exposed to have urged me to start another blog, as if I can still cope up with additional writing demands but nevertheless I believe it is important to spread the word about some of the inadequacies (in fact there are plenty) and stupidity of the Philippine healthcare industry.

Now I understand thsoe who have gone ahead and decided to settle in foreign countries for good not because they do not love their country but because they are more concerned with the quality of healthcare their family will get.

SpeedRacer Is On!

The much-awaited film SpeedRacer (not because of any award-winning acting or production but because of the hype it has generated among kids and race-loving guys and gals) is finally showing at SM City Davao Cinemas and at Gaisano Mall Cinema. I'm not sure if NCCC Cinema will junk one of the scheduled films for this week but I also doubt they are willing to be left behind the guaranteed income from this fabulous movie.

I've watched the cartoon version of the Speedracer but the movie has definitely taken a new angle. In the cartoon version, a famous racer has been missing for a long time. He has a speed racer son named X who was already doing good in a racing school owned by his brother. here comes a neophyte racer named Speed who was apparently the missing racer's youngest son who was placed in an orphanage for his own safety. The two brothers finally meet not only in the racing line.

The movie version carries an entirely different version but this you have to find out by watching the movie.

SpeedRacer

SM Cinema 6 10:40/1:15/3:50/6:25.9:00

Movie Guide: IronMan On a 2-Week Roll

IronMan has managed to snag movie sales tickets of up to $210 million since it opened in cinemas worldwide last week. In Davao City, the Red and Gold clad modern hero is on its second week in both SM City Davao Cinema and NCCC Cinema. IronMan's boxoffice love affair maybe shortlived though as SpeedRacer is expected to open in US and other Cinemas worldwide.

Davao moviegoers will definitely have a busy time this week even sans the opening of SpeedRacer considering that Ploning (filmed in Cuyo, Palawan and starring Judy Ann Santos as a spinster waiting for the return of her man) and The Other Boleyn Girl (starring World's sexiest Scarlett Johannson and Star Wars' Queen Amidala---Natalie Portman).

The Other Boleyn Girl is a must-see for those who are yearning for very good and not just entertaining movies. It is a movie that explains how Queen Elizabeth became what she is---the other Boleyn Girl here, Portman, turns out to be the mother of Queen Elizabeth. It reveals how greed and treachery can creep even within a family even to the extent of destroying everyone in that family. Johannson's role is that of a meek sister who became King Henry's other woman. In her quest for power, Portman becomes successful in her demands to King Henry: declare his marriage null and void (as the Queen could not bear a son) and marry Portman to legalize his heir. In the end, it's all about lust, greed and the power of a woman to make a man digress from his principles.

Ploning GP

SM Cinema 2 11:50/1:40/3:30/5:20/7:10

The Other Boleyn Girl PG13

SM Cinema 5 11:40/2:00/4:20/6:40/9:00

Trying My New SmartBro Prepaid

Writing this post via SmartBro Prepaid's USB connection. It is easy to install, it took me no less than 5 minutes to install the CD installer and then voila! I got connected to SmartBro instantly. This is a very good investment for those online entrepreneurs like me who could not live without access to the whole world. At least, even if I'll be out of town for a couple of days I won't be missed by my clients. But let's see how this works in the next few days when I am out of the city.

Eyeing The Smart Bro Pre-Paid

I've been eyeing the SmartBro wireles sbroadband connection since news of it came out. However, several blogs ago, I gave a negatvie review of the product not because of usability nr functionality but because of the impractical 2-year lock out period as well as the P799 monthly fee. True enough, Smart found it hard to market such a very useful gadget but at a very unwise and impratical terms so to speak.

Now, Smart came up with the SmartBro Prepaid, the same product but this time with a much smarter offer. You get the USB plus a free 1 hour and a half Internet usage for a one-tiem fee of P4,500. After that you can just reload in denominations of P100 or P300 at P10 per minute. There are other reloading options but I'll save that for later.

For now, I am off to looking at the actual product and decide if this is feasible for my online business given the fact that school will start soon and I will once again be off to neverland on a daily basis which means goodbyt to my Broadband connection for a few hours which is a no-no considering the virtual work I have to accomplish each and every hour.

Will update you when I finally decide on getting the PrePaid SmartBro.

Ateneo Still Center Of Excellence In SM

Ateneo, UIC: Two Schools in Southern Mindanao Enjoying Autonomous Status

There are 85 private and public higher education institutions in Southern Mindanao and only two of them---the Ateneo de Davao University and the University of Immaculate Conception are enjoying the Autonomous Status.

“The autonomous and deregulated status is given by the Commission on Higher Education to private HEI’s that have shown exemplary performance in their education program including research and extension services,” CHED XI Education Supervisor Engr, Luis Perez said.

Ateneo, a private Sectarian institution, was the first higher education institution to have been given an Autonomous Status in the region for 5 years. The status was renewed last November 2007 and will last up to November 14, 2012 after ADDU once again proved it was qualified to be deregulated. The University of Immaculate Concepcion has just been given the Autonomous status.

Perez said a school with Autonomous status is no longer directly supervised by CHED administrative-wise. The school can open new programs without getting approval from CHED. Schools with Autonomous status enjoy a lot of perks aside from independence since they are the priority in case of financial assistance from CHED. These schools also get the first chance when there are scholarship programs like the Faculty Development Programs.

One of the most obvious benefits of being an Autonomous School is that they are no longer required to get a Special Order or SO. This is an order required by the CHED to certify that the school’s educational program is already certified. Autonomous schools like Ateneo and UIC are no longer required to get an SO since they are no longer regulated by CHED.

There are certain criteria before an institution is given an Autonomous Status and one of this is that most of the school’s programs are already accredited by PAASCU or the other private accreditation agencies which signifies that the institution is offering quality education. The institution should also prove that it is a center of excellence, a status also given by CHED to schools that meet certain criteria. “A high percentage in Board results is a big factor in granting the center of excellence status to an institution,” he said.

The State Universities like the University of the Philippines and the University of Southeastern Philippines are however a different story since these are chartered institutions created by law and financially supported by the government. State universities also enjoy administrative freedom so they can operate as many programs without CHED intervention. The state universities are governed by a Board of Regents which is headed by the CHED Chairman,

“Schools that enjoy an Autonomous Status are schools that are over and above the minimum standards set by the government,” Perez said. Thus, you can always rely on these schools to provide quality education.(published, THE EDGE, April 2008)

Will Cheap Medicine Bill Trickle To The Masses?

The hypertension medicine Norvasc is priced at P8 in India and a startling P80 in the Philippines. The price difference is expected to disappear with the approval by Congress the other day of the Cheap Medicine Bill sans the provision on generic prescription.

But will the supposedly drug lowering effects of the new law trickle down to the poorest of the poor in Philippine Society? Healthcare in the Philippines sucks and in the local parlance, if you are poor "higa ka na lang sa semento at hintayin mo mamatay ka."

Take the case of former president Corazon Aquino who has colon cancer. She's one of the lucky few because aside from hundreds (if not thousands) of people praying for her recovery, she does not have to concern herself with the costs of her chemo or her medication. What about Mang Juan who is even scared to have himself tested for fear of getting a portion of the family budget that is not even enough to buy the family 3 kilos of rice for a day?

Commuting Is A Pain

Commuting can be a pain that's why I always thank my lucky stars for affording me a chance to work at home in my own time. This eliminates several hours of commute time which can be a big waste of time, money and effort. Even in Davao City, commuting can already be a pain especially with the Bankerohan Bridge still being repaired. The opening of classes this June will surely add to the congestion.