Roger Pe, an advertising creative, sent some of his Facebook colleagues a link to an OP-ED at Inquirer.net today. The opinion editorial’s title was OLD CRONE.

Here are some snippets from this OP-ED.

FOR OLD timers nostalgic over the old Manila Hotel, its management’s tussle with the Government Service Insurance System over alleged unpaid loans, said to have ballooned to P17 billion because of interest, seems like a mere quibble when compared to the more worrisome reality: the Old Glory is gone; all that remains of the Grand Dame is a pitiable shell of her old self – an old crone going the way of history in the most dejected of exits.

Then, the OP-ED apprised us about the latest development.

But the first sacrilege committed against the Grand Dame was not the pollution but the defacement of her façade. On the corner of the green tropical roof of the hotel facing the walls of Intramuros is her name in quite ungraceful graphics. As if that were not enough, the graphics appear again at the side of the roof fronting the Quirino Grandstand. The redundancy antedated – and, perhaps, presaged – the manic passion for billboard construction around Metro Manila: it reinforces the fact that much of the loss of the quality of life in the metropolis owes to crass commercialism, slapdash development, and the regulated chaos that makes up for urban planning in the otherwise overly regulated and bureaucratized regime obtaining in the Philippines.

I searched Youtube to see if there were any old photos from the grand old days of The Manila Hotel — and I found one about a “Manila Hotel Family Reunion” held at the home of Connie and John Santos at the Hacienda Heights, California, on June 30, 2007. I hope these friends don’t mind that I’m including them in my blog entry to validate what I’m talking about — the Manila Hotel’s family spirit! (Thank you in advance!)

Here is my reply to Roger’s letter to us, his Facebook friends.

Roger, et.al.

I am so sad to hear about the way The Manila Hotel is being treated today. There is still hope, you know.

I am a direct witness to the rebuilding of the old Manila Hotel back to its old “glamour charm” in 1977. Although I missed the actual day of the grand reopening — when methuselah bottles of champagne were poured like water for its guests — I was an intern for my final semester (practicum student) there, a requirement for the B.S. Hotel and Restaurant Administration degree I was pursuing at UP Diliman. There were only five UP students chosen among the graduating class. We had to go through interviews like any other potential employee. All of the employees were practically new, taken from “the best of the best” from all over the hotel industry. Noemi Javier, Guia Sason, Desiree Obana, Violeta Albulario, and I were the chosen few, which meant that we had to work harder to prove that students from the University of the Philippines could handle the pressure. I remember that Mrs. Cruz from Human Resources somehow took a liking to me — maybe because I was this wide-eyed Cebuana who spoke impeccable English with an inquisitive, learning mindset.

The “old crone,” Manila Hotel, was definitely a grand lady. Do you remember the way the movie “Titanic” was filmed, as if you felt you were entering a wondrous world of delight? The Manila Hotel, in 1977, was just like that — and more. There was a revered history. Employees would share with me that, oftentimes, ghosts still haunted the old part of the hotel.

The first person who made a distinct impression on how I would evolve as a customer service professional was The Manila Hotel’s General Manager, Franz Schutzman, one of the most distinguished hoteliers in Asia. I recall that he told the practicum students that it was a standard practice for him to allow a hotel guest’s shoes to be left outside his room for overnight shoe polishing. I was totally awed by Mr. Schutzman’s presence because he was considered an icon in the hotel industry. Plucked from Singapore’s Raffles Hotel, this legendary, engaging, witty, wiry-haired older gentleman had known the likes of my literary heroes such as W. Somerset Maugham. Franz had also concocted the popular cocktail, the Singapore Sling. Thus, I knew I was directly experiencing his expectations about how a true five star hotel should be managed.

Since I came by bus from the UP Balara stop in Katipunan Road every day, I had to be awake by 4:00 am so I could catch the 5:00 am bus. The Philippines was experimenting on its first-ever Daylight Savings Time (and its only time to do it) so you can imagine how dark my early mornings were. I was a fearless young woman, bringing my clothes and make-up in a satchel bag, who endured a dusty, non-air conditioned ride to Luneta (Rizal Park). My efforts to put as little attention to myself during these rides were successful. No one bothered me inside and outside the bus.

As a practicum student, we had to stay at least three or four days — or even a week — in a department. An employee would be assigned to train us and guide us through our responsibilities. The final result of our practicum was my written final report that had to be submitted so we could be considered for graduation.

My most humbling two-day experience was with the Housekeeping Department. When I took a look at the housekeeping department’s arsenal of supplies, I was struck by the hotel’s superior attention to detail regarding the items found inside hotel rooms. Souvenir items were definitely well thought out. I remember that there were replica cigar pipes for VIP guests, probably similar to the ones General Douglas MacArthur, one of Manila Hotel’s most famous residents during World War II era, used.

I accompanied one of the housekeeping staff so I could help her clean a guest room. This was where I learned that I had to start my systematic cleaning at the door — and end at the door, treating the room like a circle. When it came to changing the sheets, I had no clue that bed-making (for superior hotel standards) was so difficult. I swear that there were nine layers of an assortment — sheets and blankets — before a Manila Hotel bed could be called “a made-up bed.” I could only imagine that each housekeeper had to be very physically fit to handle these responsibilities.

I remember visiting the MacArthur Suite. White. The rugs were white. I felt that I was stepping into one of the most luxurious rooms inside the hotel.

Then, Mrs. Cruz took the time to proudly show the Penthouse Suites to the practicum students. Some of the Philippines top designers had been in charge of transforming each penthouse suite to a one-of-a-kind residence, with an in-house butler included.

Another memorable experience was the way the housemen cleaned the crystals of the Spanish-style chandelier in the grand ballroom. These individual crystals had to be brought down and cleaned one by one. Thus, the sparkling presence of The Manila Hotel Ballroom was for real.

The front doors of the hotel seemed like sparkling glass jewels. The white uniforms (and white gloves) of the bell captains made every person who entered the hotel feel special.

My duties at the Front Desk, Concierge, Airport Representatives, and Night Audit were supervised by Lorraine Forbes, who would eventually teach at UP. Who wouldn’t want to work at the Front Desk? The guests were like a “Who’s Who” from all over the world. My first real experiences in customer service were done at this Front Desk. I watched and learned how objection handling was done, too.

The Lobby Lounge evoked such a genteel charm because a young, handsome pianist — Joselito Pascual — transformed this cavernous area into an intimate gathering place, tinkling those ivory keys with passion. Many years later, in 2005, Joselito and I made our acquaintance in San Jose, California at a benefit dinner where Stephanie Reese and he were the headliners. We had a good time recalling our Manila Hotel days.

I had hosting duties at the main formal dining room — The Champagne Room. I had to wear my burgundy formal gown (the only formal I owned) so I could qualify for host duties. There was a rack full of jackets for the men guests to choose from, in case they entered the dining room without the proper attire. Imagine that!

Yet, it was the Jungle Bar next door that captivated me. The women wait staff wore tiger-striped, sexy outfits. The ceiling was full of emerald, glass-like leaves. One night, when there were no hotel executives in sight, in the dark, I crawled my way to the bar and asked for a complimentary Pina Colada. Of course, the obliging bartender humored me.

I remember that I spent more than a week in the kitchen. From the garde manger to the pastry department, I worked the way any intern did: guided by one of the chefs. Marcos Marcos, a Spanish chef who only spoke Spanish, must have thought I was charming or naive that he would greet me by literally lifting me off the floor and swinging me around a few times before landing me gently on my feet. Would this have been misconstrued as inappropriate employee behavior? Absolutely not. Manila Hotel’s employees were the most professionally-trained yet likeable people in my student world. They treated each other like family members.They shared their knowledge and wisdom — and took us under their wings.

Some of the things I learned at the Manila Hotel’s kitchen are indispensable: how to debone a Lapu-Lapu (fish) without cutting the skin and how to make little animals out of almond paste. I never did get to learn how to debone a chicken properly.

It was the hotel’s cafeteria where we all gathered during our breaks. We were happy to be served the hotel buffet’s leftovers-of-the day. Everything had to be made fresh for the guests. Here we were, feasting on gourmet delights for free.

The stress was there, all right. I know this well because many employees smoked — and so did I. My first cigarettes were smoked right there at the cafeteria, HOPE cigarettes. My friend-in-crime was Charlie Barcelona from the Concierge department. Charlie and other group members I hung out with, like Punch Martinez of the Airport Representatives department, would gather at Violeta Albulario’s home in Quezon City, where we would chat, sing, and play the guitar, through the late night.

Working with the airport representatives made me realize how interconnected each department was in making a hotel guest’s stay the perfect one. If you had met Punch then, a guest would think that this huge, mestizo, fast-talking man was one of the hotel’s sales executives meeting him — and he was clearly the hotel’s ambassador, definitely formidable and likeable.

The Sales Department was another department that I remember fondly. While I waited for the assistant sales manager to work with me, I remember seeing Elsa Payumo walk in, bringing in the same air of confidence that was prevalent all over the hotel. After all, she was the sales manager. Every day was a nice fashion show in front of my face. Yet, I was shocked that when they were stressed, the words “fuck” and “shit” were expressions they used in the office — wiithout customers in sight, of course.

These are a few of my favorite memories of The Manila Hotel. Sophisticated. Superior Customer Service. Clean, clean, clean. Beautiful gardens. A green roof.

I hope that the owners, its employees, and the hotel’s future investors can bring back The Manila Hotel’s old glory, now that they are getting a practicum student’s memories.

Let the wise crone of The Manila Hotel evoke its wisdom and old world charm!

I found some YouTube videos that reminded me about the stuff that I know or the products that I need to check out. This is for my nieces to enjoy — and for my nephews to understand the intricacies of Beauty Basics.

My Skin Care Routine for “flawless looking” skin (by Kandee)

I found this video particularly fascinating. A lot of the products can be found at General Nutrition Stores or Whole Foods. Since Kandee is much younger, she definitely doesn’t need any Hormone Replacement Therapy, so she avoids soy products that had caused her skin break-outs.

Skin Care Using Drugstore Products

*

Make Up For Ever (at Sephora)

My sister, Noemi Dado, introduced me to this brand. She has been doing a lot of TV interviews lately so this has been known to be HD compatible, meaning, the camera is quite forgiving about showing our wrinkles and face-imperfect flaws. This is going to be perfect for future photo and video shoots.

Here is one review:

Make Up For Ever HD Powder

*

From Everyday to Wedding Day Makeup Part 1

*

From Everyday to Wedding Day Makeup Part 2

*

Blush

*

How To Appy False / Fake Individual Eyelashes by Kandee

*

Threading Eyebrows

*

Blow-Dry Your Hair

*

Romantic Hair-Do’s

*

Quick Easy Hair Up-Do

In Facebook, the name of the cause is DEFEND UP.

On the internet, it’s UP Naming Mahal.

Here’s some snippets that I found from the Facebook group.

Positions:

1. U.P. Cebu High School is threatened for closure.
2. The threat is more palpable and pressing as ever, as the Executive Committee recently voted for the downsizing of the high school.
3. The Dean has even proposed closure.
4. Please pledge your support for this cause by filling up the form at the website indicated below:

I PLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CEBU HIGH SCHOOL.

FROM SUNSTAR Cebu

UP high school students, alumni protest closure
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

“We stand firm and united against the persistent threats to close UP Cebu High School as this is an apparent violation of the mandate of the University of the Philippines to provide service to the Filipino people. It is likewise a disservice to the Cebu community as the UP Cebu High School stands as the only school in Central Visayas to provide a democratized admission policy giving preferential admission to underprivileged but intellectually deserving students.”

My comments: I would imagine that the administration, faculty, students, and alumni can find common ground by working together AND not antagonizing each other. (If President Emer Roman reads this, she would know that I’m here to help out and that I am writing this from my personal perspective and professional assessment as a public relations practitioner.)

Maybe it would be a good idea to share with you why I feel so strongly about defending the continued existence of UP Cebu High School.

I may not have been a UP Cebu High School student but I had many friends there. Many of the students, after the high school opened its doors in 1972, were like my “kids” because I was their “den mother.” I was also the older sister of Noemi, Oscar, Myrna, Reuben, Belen, and David (the Lardizabal kids) — who all went to UP Cebu. Trivia: I was one of the first UP College Cebu freshmen who re-opened the College department in 1973.

If someone can visit Thelma Gallardo at Cebu Medical Supply, please convince her to find the movie (yes, an actual movie, not a video) of our first UP Cebu college intramural games. A copy should really be made for the archives.

The spirit of UP lived within us.

Our batch of students lobbied to pay for a quonset hut in the grounds so it could be used as our outdoor classroom but we were denied the rustic environment but praised for our initiative and enthusiasm. Wilson Gaw had the blueprints, I recall.

The acclaimed Freddie Santos and I were classmates in the first semester. Freddie had just arrived from the United States. He tried to teach me tennis but I kept getting a Love Set. After two weeks, I lost 10 lbs. A benefit of Freddie’s tennis lesson was that I was able to sashay in between the columns of the main building’s entrance during a Christmas Play that I wrote and Freddie directed. I’m sure he was not happy with my script — but hey, at least he did teach me how to do a Va-Va-Va-Voom prostitute’s dance toward the pearly gates of heaven (Freddie played the role of St. Peter).

Some of the boys in my class used the main building’s classroom walls as their pelota court, yes we did. We were the first CRAZY DAY people. Alex Arnado and I made a parody of Dolphy and Nida Blanca’s roles in the popular TV sitcom, “John and Marsha.” Philip Rodriguez was Sluggo. Wilson Gaw came as a transvestite with a long-haired wig. If I can find my photos, I’ll post them, not to make fun of my classmates, but to show people that UP Cebu was vibrant as a “well-rounded place of learning” even if we had to work with limited resources.

We knew how to study hard and play hard.

Then came “Up the Down Staircase” musical, the mastermind of Allan Jayme Rabaya, which was based on the book and movie of the same title BUT with original compositions by Allan. Danny Alfonso played the “bad boy” student, Ester Ceniza Isberto was the teacher. Jocelyn Lim Borromeo (a Masters degree student) and I alternated in the secondary lead role of Bea, a fellow teacher. I seem to remember Nelson Fuentes, Allan Dolores, and Alvin Alazas being a dance trio in this production. Mind you, at that time, we didn’t have those fancy microphones attached to one of our ears so we could sing. We had to be good singers and dancers — and make sure our voices could carry to the last row of the Sacred Heart Girls High School auditorium. After all, this showed everyone that all of the UP Cebu’s departments could work together.

UP Cebu even became a movie set. There was this Visayan movie that Gloria Sevilla produced about a Filipino “Tarzan and Jane” filmed at the back of the old main building. We were fascinated by Chanda Romero who played “Jane.”

To this day, I will always remember that it was Helen Banez who made sure we could communicate well in the English language. “Keep it short, concise, and effective!” Mrs. Banez would say to us when we wrote our essays and short stories. “Always revise, revise, and revise!” was another piece of advice she would intone.

Former UP President Dodong Nemenzo and my managing editor at Filipinas Magazine, Gemma Nemenzo, had “a class act” for a father. He taught Biology without any books. Professor Nemenzo also walked from his home to the college campus, wearing a loose, tunic-style, long-sleeved white shirt, black pants, and his almost-Fedora hat. “Epiglottis” and “corpus luteum” were some of the words I remember from his classes.

The late Mr. Perez taught us Spanish while Mr. Manuel made sure we understood our Chemistry. Agnes Brigoli flunked me in Math 11 (Basic Math). Yet it was the late Migs Enriquez who delighted us with the history of the Philippines, according to him. Mig’s words (and a vision of him smoking a cigarette) would later on reverberate in my head when many students from UP Diliman attended a peaceful IMF rally outside St. Theresa’s College-Manila sometime in 1976, watching nuns and priests fly into the air from the force of the water cannons (not colored pink at that time). It was my first real taste of terror as many of us hid inside a nearby public parking garage. There was Mrs. Yap, always wanting us to mind our manners and get our share of Physical Education. And it was the artistic Lucille Aguas who taught our Humanities class the best way she knew how. She made us paint and she made us analyze the themes of the music scores that we chose. I loved Wagner so it was easy determining what the main theme of the composition was. Lucille also taught us to appreciate the various artistic genres. So, yes, I know the difference between an Impressionist and a Cubist (Picasso) painting. I understood what “chiaroscurro” was all about.

Sharing these intimate details about some of my experiences at UP Cebu is really meant to ask all of the students and alumni, as well as its supporters, to share their own stories. People will not help in a fundraising campaign if they cannot find an EMOTIONAL CONNECTION to the cause. So, start sharing your stories. There’s a blog just for you. For Facebook users, there’s this discussion board that’s available.

Last year was UP’s Centennial Celebration. I think it is timely, once again, for us to review where UP has been and where it’s going.

And if any of you happen to be in the US this early September, do join us at the UP Alumni Association in America biennial Convention and Grand Reunion. GIVE VOICE TO YOUR CAUSE!

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 1 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 2 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 3 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 4 of 5

Media In Focus – January 15, 2009 PART 5 of 5

Greg B. Macabenta, our NaFFAA National Chair who was elected in September, 2008 recently appointed me as NaFFAA’s Online Coordinator. This appointment clearly acknowledges the evolving power of cyberspace. With this appointment also comes great responsibility. As a coordinator, I am both in a position of support and front-line activity in advocacy empowerment and online reputation. Since I have always publicly stated that I am a community publicist for the Filipino community — and not a journalist — then it is the community’s experiences that mandate my overt efforts in making this constituency understood to the community-at-large.

I believe I am the first person to use the label, “community publicist,” to distinguish it from its more entertaining cousin, the “celebrity publicist.” I recall that sometime in 2005, during a radio talk show that Caroline Ocampo, Jacquie Lingad-Ricci, and I co-hosted on Saturday mornings, California State Senator Leland Yee (Assemblymember Yee at that time), called in — and upon recognizing my voice, exclaimed, “Lorna, you’re all over the place!” He was referring to just having met me the night before at a Filipino community event. And I replied, “But of course, Mr. Yee, I’m a community publicist. I’m all over the place!” (Something to this effect.)

As a community publicist, my goal is to highlight my community’s triumphs, achievements, trials, and tribulations to the larger communities — with one major aspect: I believe that I am being a “town crier” for the right reasons. It is not a paid position because the effects of my actions cannot be quantified right away. It is qualified by inter-linked and enhanced relationships that weather storm after storm — after storm.

Since I started maintaining and expanding my relationships via e-mail in 1996, I could not have imagined how viral my methods have become in announcing our events and activities to our Filipino American community. Thus, in 2004, I asked my sister to host my website, www.RadiantView.com. At that time, WordPress was just gaining its notoriety for its simple content management system — except that I wasn’t comfortable with HTML. I would just send Noemi the articles I wrote and she would put it inside my website. It would take me another three years to finally make the time to “teach myself” (with my sister, Noemi Dado, coaching me on yahoo messenger) the basics of blogging.

And here I am today, extremely grateful for the learnings I got from my patient sister. She is truly a major inspiration in my growth process. If it weren’t for Noemi’s guidance, I wouldn’t have reconciled (in my mind) the similarities between a journalist’s ethics and a blogger’s ethics. I would never have thought of pushing my friends at NaFFAA to focus on documenting and archiving our programs and activities online so that media would have an easier time fact-checking their news and views about us. I would never have been featured by Jeremy Zilar, the design technologist of The New York Times (in his blog), for announcing to the 350-plus attendees of the WordCamp 2007 (for Wordpress users) that “My sister has this online campaign to take back the word ‘Filipina.’” I was startled by the resounding claps after I made my one-line statement. I had just announced that we were using blogging as a medium to impact social change. Imagine that.

I begged Noemi to come with me to the 8th NaFFAA Empowerment Conference last September in Seattle, Washington. Her account of her experiences can be found here: Future Bloggers, My Blogging Goals.

As a board member of the Philippine American Press Club-USA, I am an active proponent of using new media to complement traditional media. Our Philippine-based Filipino journalists are wa-a-a-a-ay more sophisticated and knowledgeable — and our Fil-Am media has a lot of catching up to do.

I found the January 15, 2009 Media In Focus quite provocative. I was emotionally involved. I could relate to the heartaches of maintaining a blog. I remembered my fearlessness in defending a good friend when he was crucified by online critics and pseudo-journalists (and you know who you are).

I am mystified by many of my peers’ nonchalance in pursuing digital literacy.

We will persevere!

I can only appeal to my media and NaFFAA colleagues to “start somewhere today!” Thank you to Nanette Alcaro, my “partner in crime” at FilipinoVillage.com, for understanding what a bumpy road we have to traverse, with lots of detours along the way.

My initial comments after Noemi alerted us about the TV segment were:

Noems, I had so much fun viewing this segment because I could truly relate to the dilemma of journalists, bloggers, and pseudo-journalists who truly use the blogosphere to destroy the credibility of our Fil-Am community leaders. I can validate that you did try to contact the Pangandamans to get their story because I also used my own resources to help you. But no one wanted to speak out… The part about editing ONE WORD OR PHRASE really spoke to me. You see, bloggers can self-edit, especially the typos that they missed or crazily-arranged words that don’t express the message clearly. In my world wherein we use a blog’s easy content management system to have a website that archives or documents our programs and projects that impact social change, we try to self-edit responsibly. So, there are times that we can’t always disclose every typo when we’re very busy advocating for change . My conclusion: Do Your Best. Be accountable in public forums. And use The Bloggers’ Code of Ethics.

I have a long journey ahead this year as I struggle to stay 20 steps ahead of my colleagues in helping them become the “Techy Non-Techie” in using new technology and internet tools for effective communications.

It’s going to be a wild ride!

Time to rock the vote!!! Truly, every vote counts!

I’ve listed some of these wonderful people who are running for public office in the San Francisco Greater Bay Area! Some of them are my friends who actively sought my support and who I’ve worked with (and I asked them more than 20 questions, of course!) Some are people I have watched and admired through the years. Others are members of the multi-ethnic coalition that helped FilAmSODC at Northside Community Center through thick-and-thin (thanks to Ben Menor’s introduction to the likes of community leaders, Mohinder Mann and Annie Dandavati) in San Jose, CA…

You will see some of them in the KGO’s NextGenPolitics.com’s political coverage videos. Feel feel to browse!

Here they are!

Rodel Rodis, in his re-election bid for Board of Trustees of City College of San Francisco, is largely instrumental in proving that Filipino Americans have made a mark in the development and expansion of one of the top 10 educational institutions in the US. There’s an interesting column that he wrote here: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/mindfeeds/mindfeeds/view/20081022-167811/Boss-Dalys-revenge (check out his blog at http://Rodel50.Blogspot.com).

Myrna Lim (running for Board of Supervisors, District 11, in San Francisco, see http://myrnalim.com/).

Paul Fong , Democrat candidate for California’s 22nd State Assembly District in Santa Clara County; a member of the strongest multi-ethnic coalitions I’ve ever volunteered in (see http://PaulFong.org/).

Otto Lee , current mayor of Sunnyvale who is preparing for a run-off elections for a seat at the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and who is well-known for his astute managerial style and diplomacy. He is one of the multi-ethnic coalition members who I admire and respect. (see http://www.ottolee.org/).

Ash Kalra , running for City Council of San Jose, whose opponent just recently endorsed him; He is one of the first multi-ethnic coalition members I met many years ago — and I am so happy to see him manifesting his intention; (see http://www.ashkalra.com/).

Kalvin Gill (a member of our volunteer-San Jose Punjabi Mela group who is running for Board of Directors of the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority representing District 7; see http://www.drkalvingillforopenspace.com/).

I’m happy to inform you that an old friend (who helped me understand the ins-and-outs of phone banking for political empowerment) is running for the Daly City Council, David Canepa (see http://davidcanepa.com/).

Hermy B. Almonte, who is currently serving as Consumer Affairs Commissioner at Alameda County, CA, is running for a San Leandro School Board position. (see http://www.almonteforschoolboard.com/).

Noelani Sallings (yes, a Filipina American!) is running for the Santa Clara Unified School District Board of Education (see http://noelani.sallings.org/). I met Noelani at a Kapihan sponsored by the Philippine American Press Club, USA.

Ed Balico wants to do more for the dynamic city of Hercules, thus his re-election bid for a City Council seat. He had previously served a term as the city’s mayor, based on the highest number of votes. (Check out http://edbalico.com/).

Don Kuehne, a community activist who is running for a City Council seat in the City of Hercules, has proven that an outstanding record in community service (volunteerism rocks!) is a necessary step for political office wanna-be’s. His professorial manner is quite compelling! I met Don through my sister, Myrna de Vera. (See http://www.smartvoter.org/2004/11/02/ca/cc/vote/kuehne_d/)

These are the people I’ve been interacting with these past few months! If I haven’t mentioned some of the people you know who are running for public office, that’s because I haven’t heard a peep from them. Thus, I don’t know where they are coming from…

It is 2008 — and Timothy Ferriss is only 31 years old and living the life of the New Rich (or RH, as he calls it). I have finished half of the book and I am convinced that he has given my right brain some of the answers I have been looking for.

For instance, I am a slave to my e-mails, responding to them promptly. Nothing wrong with that except that by 5:00 p.m., I realize that I haven’t finished my priorities of the day because I was so involved and dedicated in answering my e-mails. I also check my blackberry once every few minutes. With some of Tim’s sage advice, I have resolved to free up my time so I can work on the more productive activities in my life that provide abundance. This means that I’ve resolved to dedicate two time slots, one in the morning, and one in the late afternoon, to answering all my e-mails. So, if you hear me saying “No!” more often when I would normally say “yes,” please don’t take it personally. I want to be able to be of service to many people who deserve my talents and skills BUT I have to take better care of myself first.

I’m still finishing this book — which really speaks a language I understand. I’m more forgiving now since I haven’t beaten myself up for all the unproductive mistakes I’ve made in my life. “Focus on the critical few,” Timothy Ferriss says.

Here are some videos I found about Timothy Ferriss. I can really see that he is truly living the life of “The New Rich.” We can then compare notes when you read his book and apply some of the principles he believes in.

From masterlock77 at YouTube.com, showing the highlights of The 4-Hour WorkWeek program:

From masterlock77 at Youtube.com, at a press meeting:

From masterlock77 at YouTube.com, from a TV interview:

Tim Ferriss and a sample of his lifestyle: Surviving a Physical Attack: Chokes

Tim Ferriss and his World Travel Packing Tips:

Tim Ferriss and How to Tie the Perfect Tie… Every Time:

And here’s a bonus — What Every American Needs to Know (and Do) About FISA, aka Federal Information and Surveillance Act, Today — an interview Tim Ferriss had with Daniel Ellsberg, famous for releasing the Pentagon Papers.

For more about Timothy Ferriss, check out his website, FourHourWorkWeek.com.

This song is the MDG Anthem composed and sung by Filipinos. You can find it here, too: UN.org.ph. 2015 is the magical year. Spread the word!

Click here to go directly to YouTube.com.

For the past four months, I have been a low-key internet personality. You see, I got involved with a group of Filipinos I had met in Utrecht, The Netherlands for a Filipino Experts Meeting and a European-Filipino Migrants Conference in late October of 2007. It had been a very busy time for me. It started with a trip to Hercules, California where Ed Balico, the mayor, honored me with a “Congratulations” recognition during a City Council meeting. The next day, I left for Washington DC where I was honored as one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the US” for the category of “Behind The Scenes Leadership.” My sister, Myrna de Vera, joined me for a night of festivities which reminded me of an “All Girls Night Out” affair. At the same FWN Summit, I joined my co-panelists in the “Crafting the Filipina Image” session where I explained how to craft an online campaign to take back the keyword “Filipina” from its dating and marriage SERPs entries.

While my sister packed my award inside her suitcase, I had two more days at the summit before I left for Amsterdam, then on to Utrecht, The Netherlands. Since I am more involved with Filipino American community-based organizations devoted to helping each other in the United States, bonding with 20 other people from Europe, Middle East, and the Philippines (who specialized in advocacy work benefiting migrant Filipinos) was quite overwhelming — and really, a dream come true. I didn’t even realize that my Euro-Pinoy friends were aware about the volunteer work that I do. Yet, here I was, breaking new ground in Utrecht. I even joined the IT group within the caucus. I’m still trying to figure this one out because people know I’m a non-techie.

For a detailed report about my adventures in The Netherlands, go to NaFFAAR8.com.

Here I am, deeply involved in the planning and implementation of our Caucus’s initiatives. We look forward to the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development that will be held in October 2008 in Manila, Philippines. Do take the time to check out what our Overseas Filipinos worldwide are doing. It ain’t easy.

What are the Millennium Development Goals?

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.

Check out this video about StandAgainstPoverty.org.

Last year, 23.5 million people stood up against poverty and set a new Guinness World Record. They stood up to remind their governments to keep their promises. The promises they made seven years ago with the Millennium Development Goals.

The promise to end poverty inequality and hunger. The promise to stop children dying from preventable diseases. The promise to ensure basic education for all children, particularly girls. The promise to stop women dying during pregnancy and childbirth. The promise to provide water and sanitation and to protect the environment. The promise to provide more and better aid, fair trade and debt cancellation. The promise to achieve these goals by 2015. The promises that some of them have not kept.

Stand Up and Speak Out is the growing movement of people no longer prepared to stay seated or silent in the face of poverty and inequality. On October 16th and 17th, Stand Up and Speak Out for the Millennium Development Goals. Help us break the world record. So we can break the record of broken promises.

THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS ALBUM
Sing the Songs. Find your Voice. Change the World. It’s your Choice.

The MDG Artists: Ai-Ai delas Alas, Aiza Seguerra, Bayang Barrios, Buboy of APO Hiking Society, Christian Bautista, Danny of APO Hiking Society, Fredie Aguilar, Gary Valenciano, Janno Gibbs, Jaya, Jim of APO Hiking Society, Joey Ayala, Joey G. of Side A Band Julia Abueva, Kitchie Nada, Kuh Ledesma, Lea Salonga, Martin Nievera, Papa Dom, Pops Fernandez, Rico Blanco of Rivermaya, Sarah Geronimo, Sharon Cuneta,
Spy Band

TAYO-TAYO RIN (Lyrics)

Sino pang magdadamayan kundi tayo-tayo rin
Kung may pagkakataong tumulong
Huwag palampasin

Simulan na ang magtanim
Ng mabuting gawain
Dahil sino pang aani
Kundi tayo-tayo rin

Kung dumaraing ka
Masdan mo ang musmos
Gusto sanang mag-aral
Ngunit nanlilimos

Kung nagigipit ka
Masdan mo ang dalaga
Dahil babae siya

Chorus:
Bawat tayo’y may problema
Ngunit bawat tao’y may lakas
Magsikap ka, magsama-sama
Lahat ng iya’y may lunas

Kung nalulungkot ka
Masdan ang isang ina
Di mabigyang buhay
Ang sanggol nyang dala

Kung nangungulila
Masdan ang may sakit
Hangad nya ay unawa
Ngunit walang lumalapit

(chorus)

Bridge:
Halika, kumilos na
Sabay tayo
Tara may oras pa
Tulungan tayo (less)

Thank you to Joy Puyat for sharing the Philippine MDG Anthem and the “Stand Up” video with us.