Weather in Ilagan City, Isabela, Philippines

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Why I don't followback: Instagram 101

The question of why I don't follow back my followers often arises, prompting this post to shed light on my stance and reasoning behind it.

Firstly, the number of followers holds little significance to me. In the ever-changing landscape of social media, follower counts fluctuate constantly as people come and go. I prioritize genuine connections and meaningful interactions over mere numerical metrics that don't necessarily reflect the quality of engagement.


Secondly, I prefer to highlight and prioritize following personalities who inspire and resonate with me. My loyalty lies with those whose content and messages align with my values and interests. On platforms like Twitter and Facebook, I limit my follows to a select few individuals and pages, namely Bro. Eli Soriano and Kuya Daniel Razon, whose insights and teachings I deeply respect and admire.

Furthermore, I refrain from following back others to avoid comparisons and the desire for validation on social media. My focus remains on staying true to myself and my beliefs without seeking external validation or approval from others.

Lastly, maintaining a selective following helps me filter out unnecessary noise and distractions, allowing me to concentrate on what truly matters to me. By curating my social media feed to include only content that inspires and uplifts me, I ensure that my online experience remains positive and enriching.

In essence, my decision not to follow back is a deliberate choice to channel my energies and attention towards sources of inspiration, aspiration, and creativity, particularly those embodied by Bro. Eli and Kuya Daniel. It's about quality over quantity, and prioritizing meaningful connections that align with my values and goals. If this approach resonates with you, I encourage you to consider adopting a similar mindset and unfollow those who don't add value to your online experience.

This is Instagram 101: The Gerry Yabes way.

Tuesday, November 06, 2018

Believe it or not, we, Filipinos witness how serious President Duterte in his campaign for change. Even the World Bank declared our country, the Philippines as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Therefore, we should no longer a third-world country. Such label remains to some of us, Filipinos who are still stupid, therefore, I am writing this blog to tell some suggestions:Stop this constant defense to anything such as "ganito talaga dito". That's very unacceptable.

  1. Being professional has nothing to do with your race, skin color, wealth, religion, health, work and age.
  2. Never be late! Most of us are coming late like 30 minutes without even notifying other people. That's very rude. Remember that time is gold.
  3. Be capable of answering "yes" or "no". Most of us answer "maybe". It's either you can or cannot. To decide is not hard.
  4. Be good in keeping commitments. Read the number three above. We agreed to have meeting at 4pm on October 18. It was already 5pm and still waiting. I sent text, no reply. I called, no answer.
  5. Always be specific. If you are sending a report to via email and your boss asked you what time, be specific regarding what time are you sending an email. (What time in the afternoon? Baka mga 3 or 4 pm. What time 3 or 4 pm? 4pm.). No need to go through back and forth!
  6. Reply or confirm via chat, email, text messages, etc. I tried to send email, text messages to people I know personally, I got no replies at all. Listen, if you don't have access to Internet, it's not a problem. But, we are the Social Media capital of the world. We have the most number of Facebook users in the world, 67 million! Start replying!
If we are dreaming to be one of the developed countries, our professional values, ways of doing business, interactions must be equally developed, too. We are a very rich country but stupid poor.

Hate me or not, I don't care.

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Thirty-five

Today, I turn thirty-five years old of existence since birth. At one hand, it is an age that I cannot believe I have already reached. Few years ago, 35 was just light years away. Still the feeling of being young incredibly lives on. Being on adulthood, with privileges and benefits, feel like still fresh!

As I reflect, I remember the day when I heard the Christian doctrine being broadcast over local radio station in Tuguegarao City. It was Ang Dating Daan, I heard the voice of Bro. Eli Soriano who preaches the truth in the Bible. That was year 2000 when I was in fourth year high school. Eventually I was baptized in March 12, 2002.

Ten years ago, I was closer to 30s, now I'm getting close to 40s which seem a lot of blessings from God. It's a blessing because I still exist under His mercy and guidance. I can confidently say that it is one of the best years of life, if not the best. Here are a few highlights and things I have learned.

Now that I am 35, I have decided to stay where I should be.

Living in Manila

I have been living here in Metro Manila since July, 2015. My first job was a field researcher for more than a year until December 2016. Thanks for EB Research Service Corporation for the chance to visit places in Luzon islands from Cagayan province down to Iriga City.

Then the year 2017 pave the way for my career in BPO, my first company was West Contact Services, Inc. which is headquartered in Maka City for almost six months. I had the chance to meet the 24 fellow call center agent, figuratively call center virgins because most of use were first timers working in a call center company.

My current company, which I cannot disclose for now, is located in Ortigas Center, Pasig City as my second job as a call center agent. And I am earning five-digits salary. I was able to get a housing loan with the help of God through this company.

Future Goals

With my futures goals are to finish my studies in mass communication someday, and to get a master's degree in library science. Hoping to land a job at a famous government library someday in the Philippines or elsewhere. With God's help and permission.

Saturday, August 25, 2018

The truth about the Spanish language in the Philippines

Written by Don Guillermo Gómez Rivera Member, Academia Filipina de la Lengua

Though it is true that all the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands never had Spanish as their mother tongue, it is however unjust to state that this language was never spoken in the Philippines on a national scale. The mere fact that Spanish began to be the official language of the Philippine Islands from 24 June 1571 – day of the founding of Manila as the capital city of the Filipino State under the Spanish Crown – until 1987, the year of the promulgation of then-president Corazon ("Cory") C. Aquino’s questionable constitution – puts in an absurd light all those who say this language was never spoken in the Philippines. It was the official language for so many centuries, which means that it was the language of the judiciary, of the legislature, and of the public writs and official and judicial publications in this Archipelago

It is likewise undeniable that there exists a body of literary works, in effect, a literary tradition, by Filipino authors written from 1593, the year the first printing press was founded in these islands, until the present. All the above is proof that the Spanish language was spoken in the Philippines – and not to the disputed extent that the questionable North American documentation has told us. We say "questionable" because it is a fact that the U.S. colonialists have had a "language agenda" in favor of English since 1898 and against the Spanish language, which they look upon as a latent obstacle to their linguistic objectives and economic empire to this day.


 Let us now examine the statistics. It is true that when the Philippines had a population of just a little over four million and a half (4,500,000 persons), Agustín de la Cavada y Méndez de Vigo pointed out that those who spoke Spanish did not exceed 2.8% of the cited population. However, this book of statistics was published in 1870, just seven years after Queen Isabel II had decreed (1863) the establishment of the public school system in all the Islands, whose medium of instruction was predominantly Spanish, with the most important languages of the Archipelago serving as auxiliary educational vehicles. By the year 1898, when the Philippines separated from Spain, the percentage of Spanish-speaking Filipinos must have already increased considerably. And if, in fact, the increase in the number of Spanish speakers had not grown in greater proportions and with a larger extension in all these islands >from the extant 2.8% in 1870, the Filipino delegates at the constitutional convention in Malolos, Bulacán in 1898 would not have declared Spanish as the first official language of the Philippine Republic, just as was established by the Malolos Constitution. Neither would the Filipinos in the Aguinaldo government have used Spanish in all their proclamations and official publications, including the newspaper "La Independencia."

José Rizal, a polyglot who knew seven languages including Tagalog, would not have written his most important works in Spanish; he would have written them in English and Tagalog – but no, José Rizal wrote it all in Spanish for his countrymen who, naturally, could read him in this same language. In a book published in 1908 by the Typographic College of Santo Tomás in Manila, entitled General Geography of the Philippine Islands, whose author is the Very Reverend Father Fray Manuel Arellano Remondo, the following information is found on page 15:

"The population decreased due to the wars, in the five-year period from 1895 to 1900, since, at the start of the first insurrection, the population was estimated at 9,000,000, and at present (1908), the inhabitants of the Archipelago do not exceed 8,000,000 in number."

The referenced "first insurrection" was the one that took place on August 29, 1896 against the Spanish government. In that case, the population of the Philippines totaled nine million inhabitants. The North American census of 1903 and of 1905 mention that the Spanish speakers of this archipelago have never exceeded in number 10% of the population during the final decade of the 1800’s. This means that 900,000 Filipinos – 10% of the nine million cited by Fr. Manuel Arellano Remondo – spoke Spanish as their first and only tongue. Aside from these 900,000, Don Luciano de la Rosa, the defense lawyer of those who were taken to court for libel because of the editorial in the newspaper El Renacimiento entitled "Aves de Rapiña" (Birds of Prey), published in 1907, concluded – in a study we cited in the book Filipino: Origin and Connotations (Manila 1960), "...that 60% of the Filipinos" in his time "had the Spanish language as their second tongue." If we add to this 60% the preceding 10%, we have 70% of the Filipino population as making daily use of the Spanish language between 1890 and 1940. Recent studies by Dr. José Rodríguez Ponga indicate that at the time of the withdrawal of peninsular Spaniards from the country, a total of 14% of the population were Spanish-speaking Filipinos (i.e., 14% of 9,000,000 or 1,260,000). Fray Manuel Arellano Remondo, upon informing us that "the population was reduced due to the wars," undoubtedly refers to the casualties of the war between the First Philippine Republic of 1898 and the United States of America.

This reduction of the Filipino population is pointed out by another source, this time North America, as representing "one-sixth of the Filipino population." (1.5 million). The historian James B. Goodno, author of the Philippines: Land of Broken Promises (New York, 1998), provides us with this important figure on page 31. If we are to believe that a sixth of the Filipino population perished as a result of the massacres perpetrated by the U.S. military invasion between 1898 and 1902, the victims would in fact be equivalent to one and a half million. This historical fact is nothing less than genocide committed against the Filipino people, precisely those who were Spanish speaking. If today it can even be said that Spanish was never spoken in the Philippines, that result is the very evidence of the genocide perpetrated during the Filipino-American War which lasted until 1907 – including the armed resistance against the U.S. led by the second president and general of the Filipino Republic of 1898, Macario Sakay de León.

President Sakay assumed the leadership after the capture and house arrest of President Aguinaldo, but in 1906 he was deceived through the false offers by Filipino politicians (who began to believe in North American "benevolence"), of amnesty and a seat in the future National Assembly. He was quietly hanged in 1907 in a manner that was unfair and totally criminal, in comparison to the Spaniards’ treatment of the case of José Rizal. The second president of the Philippine Republic was criminally hanged. The above-mentioned Don Luciano de la Rosa informs us that "it is no surprise that a huge percentage of these casualties should have been Spanish-speaking Filipinos, since they were the ones who best understood the concepts of independence and freedom and those who wrote works in the Spanish language on said ideas." This is why Padre Arellano Remondo’s book is the one that provides us with the following statistical data for the first decade of the 1900’s, in these terms: "6th. Population. The official census of 1903 resulted in the following global figures: 7,635,426. Of these, the civilized or Christians were some 7,000,000, and 647,000 were uncivilized or non-Christians" (op. cit., p. 15). The same 1903 Census states that Spanish mestizos comprised 75,000 or scarcely 1% of the population. The implication was that the latter were those who predominantly spoke Spanish; "Spanish mestizo" was understood to mean that the father was a peninsular Spaniard and the mother a native. Not counted as Spanish-speaking were the children of marriages between Spanish mestizos and natives, who in fact were twice as many as the cited 75,000 mestizos.

Neither were the descendants of Christianized Chinese accounted for, many of them mestizos who were a mixture of Spanish, native and Chinese, and who made up the most numerous group and spoke Spanish as their primary language. The natives who made up the creole-speaking communities (Chabacano) of Cavite and the suburbs of Manila’s Extramuros (Ermita, Pacô, Binondo, San Miguel and Quiapo), as well as in Zamboanga, Cotabato, Davao, Joló and Basilan in Mindanao, very easily would have added another 500,000 persons. In 1916, writer and lawyer Don Tirso de Irrureta Goyena made the following observation in his book, Por el Idioma y Cultura Hispanos (For Hispanic Language and Culture), Santo Tomás University Press, Manila, 1917:

"There is a minority of Filipinos, descendants of Spaniards, for whom Spanish is naturally their own and -- one would almost say -- their only language. There are a few localities where pure-blooded native Filipinos, for example Cavite, San Roque, Caridad, Zamboanga, and even many of those who live in Manila and in other important capital cities, that likewise [sic] speak no other language apart from a more-or-less adulterated Spanish.” "And the North American mestizos are a miniscule minority, in many of whose descendants one finds a curious phenomenon, of their having adopted Spanish or one of the native languages, leaving English completely aside." (Op. cit., p. 30)."

In the Eighth Annual Report of the Director of Education David P. Barrows, dated 1 August 1908 (published by the Bureau of Printing, 1957), one finds the following observations regarding the Spanish language:

"Of the adult population, including persons of mature years and social influence, the number speaking English is relatively small. This class speaks Spanish, and as it is the most prominent and important class of people in the Islands, Spanish continues to be the most important language spoken in political, journalistic and commercial circles" (p. 94). This observation points out that the country’s adult population, which included persons of mature age and social influence, "had Spanish as their language, and thus Spanish continues to be the most important language spoken in all business, political and journalistic circles."

This observation confirms the statement by the attorney Don Luciano de la Rosa on Spanish being the second language of 60% of the total Filipino population during the first four decades of the 1900’s. What is most curiously significant is that the alleged alphabetization or education in English in the public schools established by the North Americans beginning in 1900 tended to produce a larger number of Spanish-speaking – not English-speaking -- Filipinos. For this reason, the Director of Instruction Mr. David P. Barrows himself, alarmed and almost indignant, wrote the following (Emphasis ours): "It is to be noted that with the increased study and use of English, there has been an increased study of Spanish. I think it is a fact that many more people in these islands have a knowledge of Spanish now than they did when the American Occupation occurred" (op. cit., p. 96)."

After asking for more funds to be allocated to a budget item for "night schools," which meant redoubling the teaching and imposition of English on Filipino children and adults in order to not leave them under the influence of the predominant language which was Spanish, Mr. Barrows, much in the manner of consolation for himself and his superiors in Washington, D.C., wrote that Spanish, through certain measures adopted against it, would tend to disappear in the long run because the Filipinos would be far from the Spanish-speaking countries and therefore would have no support from the latter in their desire to preserve their Spanish language:

"But in spite of these facts, it is believed that the use of Spanish will wane. It is unsupported by Spanish-speaking countries adjacent to us" (op. cit., p. 96). From this observation one may well glean the white Anglo-Saxon policy of deliberately isolating the Filipinos from the Hispanic world that they belonged to.

On the other hand, the aide memoir – report submitted by Don Carlos Palanca to the Schurmann Commission in 1906 -- indicates the following:

"...apart from the eight Tagalog provinces described as Spanish-speaking, there are another eight provinces which are equally Spanish speaking." (From Tulay, a weekly publication of the Chinese-Filipino community in Manila, 10 October 1999, article by historian Pío Andrade.) Aside from these 16 Spanish-speaking provinces, the referenced article states, Don Carlos Palanca mentions five other provinces where "Spanish is little spoken." The data provided by don Carlos Palanca were considered "of great weight" by the Schurmann Investigative and Legislative Commission because they came from the wealthiest Chinese Filipino in the Islands who was the head of the powerful Chinese Businessmen’s Association, which in turn had an up-to-date compilation of data on the local market it served. Another revealing source on the extent to which Spanish was spoken in the country is the Report of Henry Ford in 1916 to the United States president.

Although the 1903 Census prepared by the U.S. government gave it to understand that Spanish "is spoken only by 10% of the Filipinos," the observations of the referenced Ford Report give the lie to this statement. It states:

"There is, however, another aspect in this case which should be considered. This aspect became evident to me as I traveled through the islands, using ordinary transportation and mixing with all classes of people under all conditions. Although based on the school statistics it is said that more Filipinos speak English than any other language, no one can be in agreement with this declaration if they base their assessment on what they hear...Spanish is everywhere the language of business and social intercourse...In order for anyone to obtain prompt service from anyone, Spanish turns out to be more useful than English...And outside of Manila it is almost indispensable. The Americans who travel around all the islands customarily use it." (The Ford Report of 1916. No. 3. The Use of English, 365-366.) As we have already pointed out through the observations in 1908 of Education Director Mr. Barrows, the preponderance of Spanish continued to alarm the Americans since their agenda of imposing the English language on the Filipino people was in danger of failing. They had been quite certain that it would be possible to impose English in just ten more years after 1916, the year the alleged Jones Independence Law was passed. But Henry Ford himself, in 1916, was the second voice to sound the alarm. He did so in the following terms:

"In the meantime, the use of Spanish, instead of declining in the face of the propaganda promoting English, seems to spread by itself. This fact has merited the attention of the government. The Education Director’s report for 1908 says in page 9: Spanish continues to be the most prominent and important one spoken in political, journalistic and commercial circles. English has active rivals as the language of trade and instruction. It is equally probable that the adult population has lost interest in learning English. I believe it is a fact that many more people now know the Spanish language than when the North Americans sailed for these islands and their occupation took place...The customary prerequisite for dispatchers is for them to know English and Spanish. Through the great upsurge in numbers and circulation of newspapers and publications, there is much more reading matter in Spanish than before... "There is an uncontestable meaning behind that fact that in all these islands there is not one Filipino newspaper published in English. All the native newspapers are published in Spanish and in the vernacular. La Vanguardia, the Manila newspaper with the largest circulation, has its section in Spanish and in the vernacular, and the majority of the island newspapers follow this practice. The Philippine Free Press, the newspaper with the largest circulation under North American control, is printed in English and in Spanish, and all the rest of the North American newspapers use Spanish in conjunction with English. The only newspaper that is under total Filipino control that also uses English is the revolutionary organ, The Philippine Republic, which is published in Hong Kong. It is in English and in Spanish, its objective being to reach North American readers in the interest of promoting Filipino independence.

"The report of the Education Director in 1908 attributes the obstacle in the propagation of English to the action of the government in extending the time during which the use of Spanish in official documents would continue to be allowed. The Director says on page 30 of his report: ...The date set for English to become the language of the courts was rolled back to January 1, 1911. This measure, though recommended by the fact that a larger number of judges and lawyers are insufficiently trained in English, has had an unfortunate effect on public confidence in the final adoption of English as the government’s official language. "Nevertheless, the Education Director expresses the belief that the ascendancy of Spanish is only temporary. He said, The new generation, which will take over the affairs of these islands within the next ten years, will not use Spanish for its day to day purposes and its influence shall be decisive. Spanish will cease to be the language of the courts on January 1, 1911. It is quickly ceasing to be the vehicle for administrative correspondence. It is probable that its use as the language of the legislators will be delayed even further...”

This was said five years ago, but the events since then have not confirmed the forecast. The use of Spanish as the official language has been extended up to January 1, 1920. Its generalized use seems to be spreading even more.

"The natives acquire it as a living language. They hear it spoken by those who lead in the community, and their hearing is accustomed to its pronunciation. On the other hand, these people have practically no phonetic basis for acquiring English, and the result is that they learn it as a language of books instead of learning it as a living language. English becomes valued as an important qualification for getting employment, particularly in the government service, but it is certain that to date it does not show the least tendency of becoming more important than Spanish or the vernacular language of daily use" (op. cit.). One of the important aspects of the Ford Report is the desperation on the part of the white Anglo-Saxon Protestants before the continuing use of the Spanish language in the Philippines. This desperation is the reason behind the following "legal" measures that were taken against the Spanish language in these islands. The Ford Report continues:

"The archive on the official action as regards language demonstrates a series of steps of surrendering before the continued use of Spanish, brought on by the stress, or the difficulties of necessity. The original intention was to impose [its] rapid substitution by English.

"Law No. 190 of the Commission made provision for English to be imposed as the official language of all the courts and their archives after January 1, 1906. Law No. 1427 extended that period to the 1st of January, 1911. "Law No. 1946 extended that period to January 1, 1913. By Executive Order No. 44, dated 8 August 1912, the legal prerequisite was amended and ended up being nothing more than an expression of preference for English. This instructional document is included herein (Annex B). "The impossibility of substituting Spanish with English in the judicial process and the provincial and municipal governments is such that there even exists the probability that, even if the English language is declared as the official one on January 1, 1913, Spanish will continue to be used because of official connivance. "This abnormal situation was terminated by a law passed on February 11, 1913. This law provided that, while English is the official language, Spanish shall also be an official language until 1 January 1920. (See Annex C.) "No indications exist at present that Spanish can be discarded in 1920 or in another future year, since, as has been seen, its position as an official language is most certainly established." (Ford Report of 1916, No. 4. Increasing use of Spanish, pp. 366 and 368; No. 5. Legislation as to Language. Pages 368-369.)

These complaints against the preponderant use of Spanish by the Filipino people confirm what was always an evident agenda on the part of the North Americans to quietly exterminate the Spanish-speaking Filipino population of Manila and outlying areas, under the pretext of a "war of liberation" in 1945 against the Japanese.

Two veritable instances of genocide occurred (1899-1907 and another in 1945, whose subsequent results we can still see in Circular No. 59, Series of 1996, issued by the current "Commission on Higher Education" (CHED), which denies the most minimal provision for a regular curriculum of Spanish instruction, making this language optional together with Arabic in the university "education" canon of the Philippines today.

The preponderance of the Spanish language does not merely constitute proof of its daily and official use by the immense majority of the Filipinos in the 1900’s and the 1920’s, but until the 1930’s, when the Hollywood movie industry found an important Filipino market for its Spanish-language movies. The Manila magazine Excelsior in its July 1930 issue criticized the practice adopted by the offices of Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer in Manila of returning to the U.S. the Hollywood movies produced in Spanish. The return was done to support the U.S. authorities in Manila in their genocidal campaign to suppress Spanish in the Philippines. The article entitled "Talkies in Spanish" of the referenced monthly magazine published on Potenciana Street in Intramuros says:

"...with respect to the cultivation and diffusion of Spanish in the Philippines, a vigorous protest from the Círculo Cervantino, Círculo Escénico, Asociación Talía, Cultura Hispánica, Peña Ibérica and other institutions and centers of learning whose names are not mentioned here, against the practice of Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer of not showing Spanish-language movies and returning them (that is, without premiering them in the Philippines first, as was the objective of their dispatch to these Islands) to the United States. "They describe this procedure as unfair, since, in view of the fact that 40% of the older and young generations speak the language of Cervantes much better than that of Shakespeare, there is no reason whatsoever to impose only English on them, against all the rules of equality. Even more, forgetting that the Company in question, forgetting that Spanish culture and civilization in this country have put down deep roots in the Filipino soul and that it can easily, without harm to itself, satisfy this respectable percentage of the island populace. [MGM is] moved by misguided egoism or by an even more faulty concept of economy, if it considered that Spanish-language movies are enthusiastically accepted by the Filipino public, as was demonstrated, according to the protesters, by the recent film from MGM entitled "Gay Madrid," shown in Cine Ideal, which had a run of several weeks, to full audiences, setting a new record."

After commenting on MGM’s violation of the "so noisily vaunted Democracy" the article ends with the following paragraph (Emphases ours):

"We trust that [the Company] will bring them back and we shall once more see movies in the Cine Ideal that are completely filmed and spoken in Spanish, as happens in other moviehouses that are not so exclusivist, but that cater to the public’s desire to see Spanish-language pictures" (op. cit., p. 11). After the terrible Second World War, through the American bombing of Manila and the provincial capitals, the 1950 Census still stated that the Spanish-speaking Filipinos made up 6% of the population, for which reason the legislature passed two laws providing for 24 units of Spanish and Filipino literature as part of the university curriculum, since Spanish continued to be official, together with English and Tagalog. But then came the ominous 1987 Constitution of President Cory Aquino that suppressed the official status and regular teaching of this language in Filipino schools. Despite these measures, there are still almost 500,000 Filipinos who speak Spanish, outside of those who speak creole, who number over a million people in the provinces of Zamboanga, Basilan, Cotabato and Cavite. These Spanish-speaking survivors could be strengthened through a well-thought-out program to restore Spanish on the part of the Spanish government, through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and the Instituto Cervantes of Manila.

Will they do it? Because if they do, Spain and Latin America will have a new friendship base in the Asia of the future.

Revised and corrected in Metro Manila, 14 November 2000.

We would appreciate your comments. Join our campaign for restoration. Email us at: ggr_flamenco@hotmail.com

Original article was in Spanish, free translation from the Spanish by Elizabeth Medina. This English version of the article was emailed by Mr. Andreas Herbig, andreas-herbig@gmx.de

Post by Gerry Yabes, 2018 in celebration of the Language Month in the Philippines.

Monday, August 06, 2018

Learning the Spanish language

It was on June 9, 2018 that I am able to secure my slot for the Spanish class at Hola Amigos. The branch is located in Boni, Mandaluyong City along with other branches which are located in Quezon Avenue in Quezon City and Alabang in Muntinlupa City.


The class was very extensive study of the Spanish language for one month. We started our class last June 11, 2018 and everyone successfully graduated the course last July 6, 2018. There were eight of us who are hopeful to land a job in a bilingual call center here in the Philippines. The course covered levels 1 to 4 which is enough to be fluent and be knowledgeable in the Spanish language. Everyone of us are entitled for free review classes every Saturday after graduation.

Gracias por tu amor to our maestras Gracia and Francia (insert photos). Madel and I serve as person of contact for our group with while searching for local jobs here. Made was the one who got the first job and followed by Rowena, Vanessa and Queenie.

For more information about Hola Amigos Spanish Bilingual Education, please call: 02-875-5201 and look for Ms. Trixie. Gracias!

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Three months after the launching of Omega DigiBible app

For the straight three months since Aprill 22nd, I am able to post on my Instagram account the VOTD of Omega DigiBible App. Down load the app. It's available to download on Play and Apple Stores online.


Don't forget to follow my Instagram and Twitter accounts at this handle @GerryYabesPH and like my Facebook page on this link: https://www.facebook.com/GerryYabesPH thank you. All the best.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Monday, June 25, 2018

Dutertards

Your first mistake was to call us stupid. Your second was to underestimate how many of us there are in our country.

We, the people you call 'Dutertards', come from all walks of life. Many of us are professionals: doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers among many others. Many of us are from the provinces, but there are also many of us are in Metro Manila, or living and working abroad. Contrary to your belief, we are not ignoramuses who believe every word that comes out of Mocha Uson's blog. Contrary to your presumptions, we do not see the President as an infallible god.

What we have in common is our love for the country, our frustration over the way things have been in the government, and our hope that with better, stronger leadership, change is possible.

Did we wince when he made that infamous rape joke? Yes of course. And so too, did we cringe at his cursing Pope Francis? Of course we do. But for all his faults, Duterte was not self-righteous. He owned up to his mistakes, and we accepted him for who he is. It was not that joking about women wasn't bad, but actually betraying our country's interests was much worse. The national and international media, we felt, was quick to highlight his faults and provoke him into saying scandalous remarks, even as they were slow to point out his sensible even revolutionary statements. Tired of being told what to think by the media, the Church, and the so-called "civil society", we gravitated towards Digong.

What we are tired of are those, self-proclaimed decency and self-righteous politicians who proved nothing during their time in the government. We don't hate PNoy, in fact we are thankful for some improvements he has done. But we are not blind to all his shortcomings and negligence he did. 

Our sentiments are shared by the majority of the Filipinos. 

//ctto

Monday, May 28, 2018

On financial literacy

We, Filipinos are almost best at everything: music, entertainment, talents, tourism, etc. Except for financial literacy. Gustong kumita pero ayaw mag-invest. Magkapera man, walang masyadong interest sa magka-savings at magkaroon ng investments. Three of 10 Filipinos lang ang may bank account. Mas-marami pang Facebook accounts kaysa bank account niya. Who's to blame? Our banking system sucks, kung anu-anong IDs at required documents, haba ng pila, pati initial deposit eh hindi kaya ng isang ordinaryong Filipino.

Pinag-uusapan ngayon ng Senado ang tungkol sa pundo ng SSS o Social Security System. It seems like they are raising again monthly pension for its pensioners without even checking its financial  viability for the future years. Kawawa ang private sectors and its members Kung mauubos na ang pondo nito due to its limited investment powers.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Isabela March

We're Isabelan's true and loyal children
And we take pride in her great name
We're marching out to tell all men
Of our lovely province's fame



From old San Pablo to Cordon town
Mallig Plains to Palanan
Blest with bountiful wealth
Mental and body health
Other blessings from above

So come join this happy throng
Come Isabelan's, come
Sing and shout her glories won
And love her till years to come

Were Isabelan's true and loyal children
And we take pride in her great name
We're marching out to tell all men
Of our lovely province's fame

Our number swells as we march along
As it was in yesteryears
We're decided to make the heavens resound
With the echo of our cheers

So come, join this happy throng
Come Isabelan's, come
Sing and shout her glories won
And love her till years to come

Sing and shout her glories won
And love her till years to come

Isabela Hymn

Isabela a home endeared by man upright and free
A land were peace and love abide where man of truth reside

Endowed with rich and glorious past
A heritage known and vast

From Palanan to Jones they stood
For freedom and for truth.

Her shining rivers teem with fish and mountain slush with trees
Her fertile fields abode with yields are blessings for our needs

Bless Isabela precious Lord!
And keep her in your fold

In unison we all proclaim
Her providential fame.

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

Barangay elections 2018

With barangay elections coming up, and student council election campaigns ongoing in some universities, it is worthwhile to look back at how campaigns are conducted in the past.

Here is a campaign pamphlet, written in Filipino and Spanish, endorsing Dr. Galicano Apacible when he ran for governor of Batangas in 1908. Notice how his credentials as an active nationalist are cited as a major reason why voters should select him.


Visit the Museo nina Leon at Galicano Apacible (Taal, Batangas) and Museo Ng Kasaysayang Pampulitika Ng Pilipinas, Casa Real (Malolos, Bulacan) to see more historic campaign paraphernalia.

Campaigning. #MakeItHistoric

On Facebook Scandal

Collect all the data you want. When I signed up for Facebook and added my real name,  email address,  phone number,  address,  job and photos, I was intentionally giving up my privacy. If one is afraid about his/her privacy then why would you do it. I don't see any issues of having my data online. As long as my bank details and credit card numbers are safe I am totally okay with it.

Google is doing a really good job with collecting people's data. You will be surprised about how much Google knows about you: the places you go, the food you eat, the shows you watch, each and everything you do in your life is recorded by Google. And it uses these data very well in helping you. Google let's you know that it has all your data and it helps to make you life easier. And I am ok with that.

Same goes with Facebook. They deliver the best service. So always have a review of their privacy terms from time to time. Keep that in mind. 

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

What's in Federalism for Filipinos?

With Duterte administration's effort to bring in developments in the countryside, Federalism is one of the answer that will end poverty. Here are the benefits once the Philippines become a Federal government:

  1. Local government can decide for themselves. Hence, regions or states are no long rely on Metro Manila to solve problems, address concerns, make improvements a lot more. So no more blaming the national government if projects were not finish on time.
  2. More power on resources. Regions/States resources will strictly for the development of the regions/states. No longer needed the go signal of the national government.
  3.  Independence. Regions/states will no longer dependent on Metro Manila hence, residents will no longer stay in the capital to find jobs. Economic conditions will improve, too.
Source: https://kami.com.ph/18544-3-benefits-dutertes-federalism.html#1854

Friday, February 16, 2018

People living long these days

We are living longer these days. That's because of medical care has advanced so significantly. Filipino's life expectancy rate is around 75 years old and above according to some sources. But in reality, one can live a longer because of faith in God, not for anything else.

In our modern era, we are witnessing remarkable advancements in medical care and technology that have significantly contributed to increased life expectancy worldwide. These advancements have revolutionized healthcare practices, enabling earlier detection, more effective treatments, and improved overall quality of life. As a result, Filipinos, like many others around the globe, are experiencing longer lifespans, with the average life expectancy reaching approximately 75 years and above, according to some sources. This trend reflects the positive impact of medical progress on population health and well-being.

However, beyond the realm of medical science, there exists a profound and often overlooked factor that influences longevity: faith in God. For many individuals, faith serves as a source of strength, resilience, and hope in the face of life's challenges and uncertainties. It provides a sense of purpose, meaning, and belonging that transcends physical health and material possessions. In times of adversity or illness, faith can offer solace, comfort, and the courage to endure, fostering emotional and spiritual well-being.

While medical advancements undoubtedly play a crucial role in extending life expectancy, the power of faith should not be underestimated. Numerous studies have explored the relationship between spirituality, religious beliefs, and health outcomes, highlighting the potential benefits of a strong faith in promoting longevity and overall wellness. From reduced stress and anxiety to enhanced immune function and faster recovery rates, the positive effects of faith on physical and mental health are increasingly recognized by healthcare professionals and researchers alike.

In the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country, faith holds a central place in the lives of many individuals and communities. The strong religious traditions and practices embedded in Filipino culture provide a framework for spiritual growth, moral guidance, and social cohesion. Whether through prayer, meditation, or participation in religious rituals and ceremonies, Filipinos draw strength from their faith to navigate life's joys and sorrows, fostering resilience and a sense of interconnectedness with the divine.

In conclusion, while medical advancements have undoubtedly contributed to increased life expectancy in the Philippines and beyond, the role of faith in promoting longevity should not be overlooked. For many individuals, faith serves as a cornerstone of their existence, providing a sense of purpose, hope, and inner peace that transcends the physical realm. As we celebrate longer lifespans and improved healthcare outcomes, let us also recognize and honor the profound influence of faith in shaping our lives and well-being.

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Dear anti-Duterte group

Noong namatay ang ilang HongKong nationals sa hostage crisis, at galit na galit ang Hong Kong government sa atin, pinaparesign ba si Purisima? Noong sumikat sa kahihiyan ang Pilipinas dahil sa laglag bala, pinaparesign niyo ba ang MIA chief? Noong nabulok ang mga gamot at bigas para sa Yolanda victims dahil hindi pinamigay, pinaparesign ba ninyo ang Secretary ng DSWD? Never, wala kayong ginawa!

Singil ng singil si Henares sa tax ng maliliit tapos iyon pala hindi niya sinisingil si Lucio Tan at ang PAL na ngayon ay ginawa ni Duterte, nalinlang pala kayo ng amo niyong si PNoy? Ano yung ginawa nila sa Lumad? Mga patayan sa Hacienda Luisita during PNoy's term, pinagresign niyo ba sya?

Noong pumalpak ang forecast at management ni Mar Roxas sa Yolanda, pinaparesign ba siya? Noong ginamit nila ang world donations ng Yolanda sa sarili nilang interest at naubos na raw, ni walang pinakitang liquidation report, pinagresign nyo ba si PNoy? Ni hindi nga natupad magpasagasa sa tren dahil hindi niya nagawa ang MRT sa Cavite? Hindi niyo pa rin pinagresign?
Noong magkasira-sira kada araw ang mga tren, pinaparesign niyo ba si Abaya?
Noog mag-leak ang personal info niyo sa COMELEC, pinaresign niyo ba si Andy Bautista?

Noong nadisgrasya ang SAF 44 dahil sa desisyon nila ni Purisima, pinagresign niyo ba si PNoy? Noong nabubuwisit na ang mga Pilipino sa kapalpakan ni PNoy, pinaparesign nyo ba amo niyo? Alam niyo ba kung sino lang pinaresign niyo? Bukod tanging si Chief Justice Renato Corona dahil pumanig siya sa mga pobreng magsasaka noong nagdesisyon siya sa kaso ng Hacienda Luicita. Ang kakapal ng mga pagmumukha niyo talaga? Resign DU30 kuno, eh yung mga sabwat sa krimen sa panahon ni PNoy, bakit tameme kayo? Kasi para kumbinsihin sarili niyo na karapatdapat sya sa pagkapangulo dahil nagpakatanga kayo noon sa EDSA 1, pinanindigan niyo pa ang katangahan ninyo na binoto niyo ang incompetent na taong ito na kayang kaya niyong utuin na namatay yung nanay niyang tinawag nyong Santo? Ang galing niyo rin ano, pero sablay.

Huwag na kayo ng mangdamay ng kamalasan. Mahiya kayo uy! Ang dilawan ay puro sangkot sa mga kabulastugan at mga korapsiyon, tahimik lang kayong mga taga Ombudsman. Yung mga walang kasalanan at hadlang sa mga dilawan iyon naman ang ginagawan niyo ng mga ppropaganda pra mapagtakpan ang ka-walang hiyaan ng mga dilawan

Sabik na ako sa pagbabago ng ating mahal na bansang Pilipinas.

Thursday, February 08, 2018

Federalism – A threat against self-preservation for the anti-Dutertards

As the administration accelerates the pace of charter change initiative en-route to Federalism, several groups opposed to it have started to mushroom everywhere and made their negative positions known at this early. Among those on the other side of the fence are the framers of the 1987 Constitution, e.g. Christian Monsod and ex CJ of the Supreme Court Hilario Davide who proudly claimed that the present constitution is "the best in the world" despite its imperfections. And he warned the people that Federalism is anti-poor because of 2 taxations and that the shift to such form of government is a 'lethal experiment, fatal leap, plunge to death and leap to hell' without providing any sound argument that would support such a sweeping and hasty generalization.


With due respect to the esteemed former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, I find his assertion as a grave insult to the intelligence of the Filipino people for being bereft of any iota of logic, common sense and intelligence. Simply put, it is idiotic, to say the least. He should be reminded that under the 1987 Constitution, the Filipino people have already been "tortured" (to borrow his own word), by various taxes imposed both by the National and local governments and the same constitution allows these taxes to be siphoned off to the Central government controlled by the elite politicians at the expense of the local folks who get in return a measly token share of the resources (after much begging from the national government) hardly enough to help develop themselves as local governments. Under the Federal form of government, this system will be reversed as the huge chunk of these taxes will now go to the federal states to fund their own development sans any dictate from the central government which is the real essence of regional autonomy that promotes country-wide development for which the present constitution has long denied under the unitary system of government. 

After 31 years of embracing it, the current constitution has miserably failed to mitigate our problems of mass poverty, graft and corruption, unemployment, social inequality, injustices, rebellion, and the destruction of our environment and other ills of the society. On the contrary, it helps contribute to increasing the gap between the rich and the poor in our country and the cementing of the oligarch's control of the country's wealth via their cabal of corrupt politicians conniving with them in cornering all major businesses including the coffers of our government. Calling this constitution as the "best in the world" therefore, smacks of hypocrisy, ignorance of the brazen realities around and a grave lie being peddled to protect the oligarch's interest in perpetuating their control on our country's well-being and suck its blood dry. With all the shitholes we are in right now as a country being stuck in an oligarch-controlled unitary form of governance,  Davide and his minions should be slapped with the fact that this constitution is anti-poor, to say the least. At best, adopting it was a 'lethal experiment, fatal leap, a plunge to death and leap to hell' which the current generation of this country wants to be emancipated from.

Shifting to federal form of government is one of the election campaign promises of Duterte which catapulted him to the Presidency. With the people's continued support to his administration based on recent surveys, its realization is therefore inevitable. Doing otherwise will be a grave betrayal on the mandate reposed by the people on his shoulder. Thus, anti Dutertards should realize that it is not Duterte who wants Federalism. It is the overwhelming majority of the Filipino people who are sick and tired of being relegated as victims of the systemic problems of the current form of government.

Duterte has religiously followed every procedure set forth in the constitution and even walked an extra mile to ensure that the sentiments of the people including the opposition are faithfully considered in drafting the new charter. Instead of rushing it by using his immense control over both houses of congress and the people's backing, he created a consultative body composed of constitutional experts whose credibility are beyond reproach to study and recommend what provisions of the 1987 constitution should be amended to shift to the federal form of government which Congress may consider. Such an act defies any allegation of railroading and a black propaganda that Digong is bent on perpetuating himself in power under a federal set up of government. But why are the reds marching against charter change? Why are the political elites, the oligarchs, the religious, the activists and the opposition are against charter change? Why are the anti Dutertards for that matter against federalism?

While the kind and system of federal set up of government to be adopted is still being discussed, any campaign launched against it at this early is therefore considered premature, black propaganda and pure idiotic political grandstanding which stands on hollow ground. But the fear of the antagonists of federalism has basis in fact because federalism will soon bring to an end of their malevolent scheme in placing this country in stagnation for the last more than 3 decades or so.

Federalism is anti-oligarchs. It seeks to destroy the backbone of the oligarch's manipulative control and greed over our country's governance in protecting their business interests. In the current unitary system, there are laws passed at the behest of the rich elites of the country who control roughly 80 percent of the country's wealth including those at the regions. They also fund the campaign kitties of those who want to run as President and legislators to ensure the protection of their interests. Duterte shun the practice during the last elections by declining offers of financial support from the Imperial Manila businessmen. Under the federal set up, these ills and malpractices will finally be put to end as the rules of the games will be changed. The federal states are empowered to determine their own investment and business policies including taxes to be imposed and therefore the oligarchs will be constrained to deal directly with the states government in competition with local businessmen and foreigners under an even playing field where the usual corrupt practices of favoring Manila businessmen in exchange of bribe money will become a thing of the past. This would mean more funds for the federal states, local businessmen will sprout and foreign investments will be poured in finally at the federal state level which would cause massive employment for the local folks and eventually help alleviate poverty in the country sides. How can one call it anti poor, then?

Federalism is anti-Political Elites. It seeks to liberate the local folks from the control and influence of elite politicians of the imperial Manila who have been dominating the country's seat of power for several decades at the expense of local politicians and countrywide development. In order for the latter to get projects, they have to befriend politicians from the central government, begging for their support for funds. And when these political elites go to the regions, they are treated like gods by the local folks who usually bow to their wishes sometimes under duress. In the federal set up of government, the political elites from the Central government will have no more influence over the state governments as the latter will have their own power of the purse and are absolutely free in implementing their own programs and projects funded by the own state government's resources.

Federalism is anti-Imperial Manila. It liberates the regional government agencies from the control of central agencies which are all located in Metro Manila. Local government folks usually migrate to Metro manila for jockeying of job promotions and positions and where great employment promises abound. Under the federal set up of government, central agencies of which have direct impact to state government will cease to have control over state departments which will be created by the state folks themselves, funded by their own resources and run them according to their own state laws sans any dictate and influence from the central government. Central offices in Metro Manila will soon become ghost buildings as migrants will now go back to their own states for better employment, thereby decongesting Manila and eventually kills the stigma of "imperialism" it has been undesirably known for in the eyes of state folks.

Federalism is anti-traditional activism. It diminishes, if not wipe out, the role of the traditional activists in fighting against government on national issues. Under a federal set up of governance, most national issues will be regionalized as each state can make its own position independent from one another and even from the central government. Such a scenario will eventually lead to the demise of the traditional activism in this country which explains Joma's opposition to such move.

Folks, the foregoing are just few among the many consequences of federalism to the lives of the Anti Dutertards. While trying to camouflage their arguments on pure sugar quoted rhetoric signifying nothing, the crux of their fear is that federalism threatens their existence and would therefore work tooth and nail to block it for the sake of their self-preservation and aggrandizement. But the tide is turning against the interest of the anti Dutertards and their reluctance to come out expressing their opposition in the open signals the capitulation of their own lost cause – an admission that Federalism is indeed inevitable.

But what is preposterously disturbing here is the fact that when Joma Sison calls for the youth to launch mass mobilization against Duterte and the charter change initiatives, a few students from UP and other legal youth fronts of the CPP/NPA/NDF have responded immediately. Their idiocy however is evident on the placards they carry which erroneously painted Digong as pro US, fascist and they cannot even articulate their grounds for opposing charter change other than the usual idiotic propaganda slogans which people no longer buy these days.  In the ultimate analysis, the Duterte Administration is the one fighting for real change by destroying the status quo and other societal ills brought about by the current problematic form of governance. The traditional street activists however are resisting such struggle for reform by trying to block its realization through charter change. History will then judge that the real activists here is Duterte himself and those who support him while those who march against charter change are the ones who want to keep the status quo for their own self vested interest and preservation. 

In this digital age, street activism is no longer relevant. Real activism has shifted in the social media. It is one's ability to write, criticize government, support its move for change, argue and generate support as you seek societal reform. Mass mobilizations these days are now a thing of the past. It is left for those who cannot write and garner support by making and presenting sound arguments to prove their point. Street activists are just like brainless political zombies who find solace and gratification licking the wounds of the past, thus trying to pull this country back to the era of Marcos dictatorship so they can find relevance to their idiotic existence. People look at them with disdain as they are considered vandals of the society who have not done anything at all to move this country forward other than consistently pulling it down. Theirs is blind submission to ideological dogmatism as propagated by their idiotic god in Utrecht who continue to tickle their balls remotely from afar to keep them afloat like brainless street trolls moving according to the wishes of Joma Sison. And they are proud calling themselves "activists".  – Sanamagan! 

When federalism is set in place, these morons will finally find themselves flushed out in the dustbin of our country's political history where they can continue to tickle and lick their own balls in total seclusion. It's a different world which former Sol Gen Hilbay imagined for all anti Dutertards to live in which they deserve... a world where political orgyism is the name of the game. – Jun Avelino

Tuesday, February 06, 2018

Working at Nigh Shift

I'm happy to be employed by my second BPO company. The company is right now with office address at Ortigas Center in Pasig City, Metro Manila. It's not because the account is pioneer, but it's very relax account. Kudos to all pioneering agents who made it and manage to get in. Here are some tips for newbies on how to be in BPO industry, read the article about advantages working at a call center here.



Sunday, January 28, 2018

Rich Americans are not interested in creating jobs

The rich are NOT interested in creating jobs, they're interested in making money. The rich make money in two ways:
  • Raise prices.
  • Cut costs (labor is a big part of costs, so are taxes).
In the United States of America (USA), rich land owners used African slaves (free labor) to make money. Then came emancipation (the end of slavery). Costs went up and profits went down. The rich then exploited workers, offering poor wages, few benefits and deplorable working conditions. Then came unions. Costs went up and profits went down. The rich then moved production overseas to exploit cheap labor there, offering poor wages, few benefits and deplorable working conditions. The American worker at home was left without a job. The rich aren't interested in creating jobs, they're interested in making money.

It is a common misconception that the rich are primarily concerned with creating jobs. In reality, their primary focus is on maximizing their profits and increasing their wealth through various means. One of the main ways in which the rich generate income is by raising prices on goods and services, thereby increasing their profit margins. Additionally, they often seek to cut costs, with labor being a significant expense. By reducing labor costs and minimizing taxes, the rich can further boost their profits.

Throughout history, the wealthy have employed different strategies to maintain their financial advantage. In the United States, for example, wealthy landowners historically relied on African slaves to provide free labor and maximize their profits. However, with the abolition of slavery, labor costs increased, leading to a decrease in profits for the wealthy elite. Similarly, the rise of labor unions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries posed a challenge to the wealthy, as workers demanded better wages, benefits, and working conditions, thereby increasing costs for employers and reducing profits.

In response to these challenges, the wealthy have often sought alternative methods to maintain their profits. This has included outsourcing production to countries with lower labor costs, where workers are often paid low wages and subjected to poor working conditions. This shift in production has contributed to job losses and economic insecurity for workers in the United States, as jobs are moved overseas in pursuit of cheaper labor. Ultimately, while the rich may claim to create jobs, their primary objective remains maximizing profits, often at the expense of workers' livelihoods and well-being.

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To Amend or Not To Amend: That is the Question. A Debate on Charter Change.