And so it ends...

My 2008 summer has been the longest ever.  Ever heard of a six month long summer?

Summer began the day the kids ended school in March.  After the week and a half of seeing the kids just bum around at home, the early part of April was highlighted by my birthday march into 40.  Following that, two weeks of daily travel down to Cavite for Joaquin's elimination rounds for the Junior World Golf Championships.  108 holes in total.

After golf, it was swimming lessons for the kids.  Just when we had forgotten about golf, we were surprised to have the notice come that Oaui would be taking the slot for the Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego.  The already frenetic summer became more hectic as we had to obtain the visas as well as raise the finances for the trip.

In scheduling for an appointment at the US Embassy for the July 15-18 tournament, the online appointment system stated that the next available appointment would be in August - practically a month past the tournament date.  Thankfully, through the diligence of the travel agent, they were able to obtain a June 13 interview appointment at the Embassy.  While queueing at the embassy, I heard this amusing note by others waiting for their turn that the reason why there were sudden openings in the appointment schedule was because many had backed out on this appointment date because it was Friday the 13th. Hmmmm....

School opened in mid-June.  But this was not after spending a good one month of pondering where to enroll the kids.  We finally had our eyes trained on a small Christian academy located in Makati City.  

Also in June, my wife, Regina and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.  We thank God for this union which has brought us two wonderful kids and lots of precious memories.

In July, half of the month was spent in San Diego and LA.  This was already an extension of summer since summer in the Philippines had officially ended as soon as school started in June 9.

Upon returning to Manila, I had assumed summer was really over as I got back into the grind of my former job.  No, I didn't go back to my former employment.  I just had to carry out some new tasks doing the same old routine when I was still with the agency.

Then on August 8, 2008, my father-in-law passed away in Bacolod.  This led the entire family to fly to back to Bac.  It all came in perfect timing as my wife had to consume her forced leave for this half of the year and the kids had a one week break after the first quarter of school.

After a one week respite in Bacolod, we are now back in Manila and I, I surely hope to get some overdue work going.

As I click away on my keyboard, and after all these highlights to a long summer across continents, I now take the initiative to declare with finality, "Summer is really over".

New things await.

And so it begins...

BACOLOD- 6:00 am.  I took an early morning stroll in the neighborhood and passed by a simple two storey house.  It is the Bacolod address of an alleged Jose Pidal.  The property is simple.  The property is rented.  Quite out of sync to the personality of a person who stepped out to claim that he posseses oodles and oodles of money and owns various properties in the US.  It is all the more out of sync with the Negrense decadence I last wrote about.

When Jose Pidal came out in 2003 claiming he was so, the planters in Negros were laughing.  It was so unbelievable.  There were even some comments about actually doing a backtrack on Jose Pidal's previous income tax returns.

So, may we please ask the real Jose Pidal to step forward?

A few months ago, over a round of golf, I had this interesting discussion with investment banker, Richard Dalao, who told the story of their family's "reverse migration" from Negros to Manila.  It was the mid 1960's and Richard's dad opted to move back to Manila as in Richard's words, "my dad couldn't take the lifestyle in Negros.  Being an Ilocano, he found the life too decadent.  So back to Manila it was".

The same impression lives on until today.  For those who are not familiar with the inner trappings of the sugar culture, the flamboyance displayed is easily misconstrued as outright arrogance.

How did it get to this point?  What triggered such behavior?  If you still have these lingering questions, allow me to take the first step in breaking apart the mystery.

There is a saying that the people from Davao spend yesterday's money today, the people from Cebu spend today's money today, but the people from Bacolod spend ...well, tomorrow's money today.

Spending versus one's future earnings comes naturally to the Negrense.  This was triggered before the turn of the 20th century when sugar as a product was picking up in terms of price in the world market.  Demand was beginning to grow among the Commonwealth domains in South East Asia including Australia and New Zealand.

The principal catalyst in this little "Story of Sugar" is a man by the name of Nicholas Loney.  He was the son of a British admiral, born in the naval town of Plymouth, and well-educated.  He left England at the age of 24 to seek his fortune and travelled to South America, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and finally to the Philippines in 1852.  He became a clerk in Manila of the British firm Ker & Co.

In 1856, Loney was assigned to Iloilo and became a vice-consul and eventually opened the firm of Loney & Ker & Co.  In those days, British ships came to the Negros and Panay region to be loaded up with sugar for export to Australia and the other states in the region under the British flag.  Once docked in the ports of Negros and Iloilo, the ships would be stationed for some time until it was fully loaded with sugar for export.  Precious days were lost in this exercise.

To arrest the situation, sugar crops and produce were paid for in advance the year before so as not to hamper the loading of sugar on British vessels.  This is where the practice of receiving money against standing crops began in the Philippines.  From those days, the crop loan had entrenched its way into Negrense lifestyle.  This was further fortified by the sugar quota system under the Jones-Costigan Act of 1934 wherein year on year, the Philippines had a great quota to fill, not only for the British but for the almighty US of A.

Imagine receiving the bumper reward of money months before the crops were to be harvested!  Loney even convinced the American financial house of Russel & Sturgis to open a branch in the Negros-Panay region in order give crop loans to planters.

Now with cash on hand to spend long before the harvest has actually come, I guess I need not elaborate how Negrense decadence came about and how the phenomenon has become legendary.

More about Negros soon ;-)

Not that any of us are superstitious, we just thought that today would be the best day to come out as a newly formed partnership.

Today, 08.08.08, Dep de Pasion and I embark on Visibility (full name : mediavisibility) .  Visibility is born out of the growing need of ad agencies to have specialized strategists and planners in the realm of out-of-home media without having to staff up and increase headcount.

Dep and I worked together for a few years in UniversalMcCann as the Out-Of-Home media specialists on accounts as Globe Telecom, Coca-Cola, Unilab and Philip Morris.

We bring to the table the experience drawn from handling these clients as well as all the dealings we've had with various Out-Of-Home media suppliers who own the numerous billboard sites in the metropolis. 

We are not another OOH supplier.  Neither are we an OOH media agency.  I have to admit that I have not found the right term to describe the partnership as the word "consultants" does not exactly fit the bill.  I would like to believe that we are in a "Category of One" if I may use that McCann cliche.  At its most basic, I guess we are a partnership to whom media agencies may "outsource" their "outdoor".

For the friends in brand and advertising on multiply who are in search of that "needed-yesterday-billboard-site-on-EDSA-Guadalupe", here are our addresses :  dep@mediavisibility.com and lloyd@mediavisibility.com

Make Your Brand Obvious.

Saw this as one of the clickables on my web-email account.

"Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas."
                                                                 -Marie Curie

There are a lot of tips on how to save money in books, magazines, and newspapers.  One of my friends here on Multiply, Randell Tiongson, is a Registered Financial Planner.  He has a column in the Business Mirror which provides insight on how to save for the future.

This small post I have is merely a practical tip on how to apply what Randell advocates.  Consider this a rejoinder on the item in my last post wherein the advise was:

Force Yourself to Save

One way to save more is to trick yourself. Transfer money automatically from paychecks into savings or investment accounts. With less available in your checking account, you'll be more careful about your spending. Gradually increase your automatic savings rate over time.

My practical tip is:  Exploit Available Technology

Use Internet Banking Services.  Use your internet banking account to manage two (2) separate accounts.  Tag one account as your ("alkansiya" or "piggy bank" account).  Transfer money into that account every now and then using the fund transfer facility AND, most of all, have the willpower not to take anything out of it!  Cut the ATM card of that account if you wish.

Don't you dare transfer money out of that "piggy bank" account too!

NO.

When a man says NO - it is the end of a discussion.

When a woman says NO - it is actually the beginning of a negotiation.  This explains how all these sales ladies at cosmetic shops eventually get to bag a new customer for the product being promoted.  Be it a moisturizer, perfume, concealer, or wrinkle erasing cream, they first invite the unwilling shopper to try out the product.  Female shopper says NO....and then it all begins from there :-)

I was doing my email when all of a sudden I was drawn to am Adsense clickable which said, "Three Cheers for The Cheapskate!".  I clicked on to it and I was led to an article in Business Week entitled,

Three Cheers for the Cheapskate

Spending money now can be fun, but it can hurt your future financial well-being if you don't save enough. Here's how to cut back...

It contained a slideshow which, although applies in general to those based in the US, provides more than enough nuggets of financial wisdom.

I painstakingly copied all the details for blindsided readers' appreciation.

Here it goes:

Track Every Expense

Financial advisors say the best way to control your spending is to know precisely where all your cash is going each month. There are several options: Make a budget; keep a spreadsheet of all spending; or buy a computer program designed to help manage your finances.

Vacation in the Off-season

Reston (Va.)-based financial planner Frank Boucher says he is taking his beach vacation in early September, when he found a luxury condo for half its cost during July and August. Vacationers can also save by staying with friends or visiting low-cost locations like developing countries.

Cut Out Investment Charges and Fees

Jeff Seymour of Triangle Wealth Management in Cary, N.C., points out that many investors end up paying 2% to 3% off the top each year for investing costs. Lower-cost mutual funds and index funds can slash that bill, savings that compound over several decades of investing.

Also, save more by taking full advantage of your employer's matching contribution to your 401(k) account.

Cut Back on Eating Out

Food is a daily expense that can add up quickly over time, so office workers can save a lot just by bringing their lunches to work rather than buying every day. Meals eaten at home almost always cost less than evenings out, even at more casual restaurants.

Downsize Your Car

Drivers stuck with a gas-guzzling SUV might consider selling it and finding more fuel-efficient wheels. (Of course, that could mean a financial hit given falling prices for the behemoths.) You can save on fuel and also on auto loan payments. High car payments are a frequent budget-buster, financial advisors say.

Cut Utility Bills, Especially Electricity

Experts are full of advice on lowering electricity and heating bills: Buy efficient light bulbs; lower the thermostat; turn off the air conditioning whenever possible; turn off lights and unplug appliances when not needed.

Make Sure You Don't Have Too Much Insurance

Life insurance can be a bad deal if you don't have dependents. For auto and home insurance, deductibles are often too low, advisors say. "You can save quite a bit by going from a $250 to $1,000 deductible," says Kirk Kinder of Picket Fence Financial in Bel Air, Md. "Also, shopping these for prices every couple years is important."

Find Cheaper Beverages to Drink

If you can break your addiction to fancy coffee, the free office coffee can be a money-saver over time. Unwilling to give up out-of-office coffee breaks, some thrifty consumers switch to a cheaper drink at their local Starbucks (SBUX) or other coffee shop. For alcoholic drinks, quality wines, beers, and liquor can be found at lower prices with a little research.

Examine Your Phone Service

Do you need both a landline and a mobile phone? If you have a cell phone, do you need long-distance service on your home phone? Canceling one line could mean one less bill every month. Many people have phone packages that are too expensive for their needs, so read your bill carefully.

Stop Paying for Premium Cable

Some penny-pinchers cancel cable service entirely to save $100 or more each month. Others lower their bills by cutting out premium movie channels.

Drive Less; Consolidate Trips

Think before jumping in the car. By planning and running many errands on the same car trip, you cut your fuel usage. Rather than driving, consider using public transportation, or walk, bike, or rollerblade somewhere nearby.

Use Warehouse Stores Wisely

Warehouse stores like Costco (COST) or Wal-Mart's (WMT) Sam's Club can be great places to get deals, but they can also encourage over-spending. "Just make sure you go with a list and only buy those things that you are actually going to consume," financial planner Frank Boucher says. "It makes no sense to get a 'bargain' on a bulk item if you are going to throw half of it away."

Lay Down the Law with Your Free-Spending Friends

It can be hard to keep up with wealthier or less thrifty friends. Some financial planners advise cash-strapped clients to seek out social companions with similar budgets. However, if you're honest about your spending limits, true friends should be willing to adjust their plans by, for example, choosing a less pricey restaurant.

Find Free Entertainment

Movie rentals, cable TV packages, book purchases, concert tickets—it can all add up. Use your local public library to read books and rent films for free. Depending on where you live, it might also be possible to find free concerts, performances, and readings.

Consider Alternatives to a Gym Membership

The health benefits of a fitness club membership are only worthwhile if you go often. But there are other options: Exercise at home, outside, or at a local parks facility. Or, sign up for individual exercise or yoga classes rather than a full membership.

Cut Your Own Lawn

Michelle Goldstein of Goldstein Financial Future in Dallas estimates her family saves $40 each time they mow their own lawn instead of calling a lawn service.

Be Smart with Credit Cards

Financial advisors admonish clients to pay off their bills each month to avoid interest and finance charges. For those stuck with debt, move cash to cards with low interest rates. Some find they spend less on impulse purchases if they cut up their credit cards and use only cash instead.

Annualize Your Expenses

When reviewing your spending habits, roughly calculate how much they're costing over the course of a year. "Realizing how much things cost over the course of a year can really help put things in perspective," says Bob Nusbaum of Middle America Planning in Pittsburgh. For example, if you spend $10 for snacks and lunch each weekday, that adds up to $2,500 in a year.

Force Yourself to Save

One way to save more is to trick yourself. Transfer money automatically from paychecks into savings or investment accounts. With less available in your checking account, you'll be more careful about your spending. Gradually increase your automatic savings rate over time.

Institute a Waiting Period for Major Purchases

Wait at least 48 hours before deciding to buy anything over a certain price limit—$50 for example. After the waiting period is over, "You may decide that the object desired really isn't worth the price," says Jennifer Hartman of Greenleaf Financial Group in Los Angeles.

Pay Bills Online—Save on Stamps, Avoid Late Fees

Set up your finances so bills are paid automatically or online at the click of a mouse. "There's no reason to pay for stamps and envelopes and run the risk of a late-payment fee when bill-pay programs are usually free," says Walt Mozdzer of Syverson Strege & Co.

Make Sure You're Deducting All Business Expenses

Chris Long of Long & Associates in Chicago says clients often make the mistake of mixing personal and business expenses on one credit card. That makes them less likely to get reimbursed for expenses by employers or to deduct expenses from taxes.

Buy Generic Drugs and Groceries

Store-brand products in grocery stores are often made by the same manufacturers as the brand-name items. If you take prescription drugs, ask your pharmacist if a cheaper, generic version is available.

Buy Used

Cars, books, furniture, and even clothing can be bought used for a fraction of their original cost. New cars in particular often aren't worth the extra cost; a lightly used vehicle can save you thousands of dollars with little or no extra maintenance expenses.

Shop Smart

Coupons are a classic way for shoppers to get great deals. Supermarkets vying for shoppers will frequently run "double coupon" promotions. Comparison-shopping on the Internet is easy thanks to a variety of sites designed to help shoppers find the best deals. When retail Web sites ask for "coupon codes," try to find one by using a search engine. But whether online or in person, avoid the temptation of bargain-hunting for items you don't really need. "Most of the time if an item is 20% off, we waste $8 to save that $2," says Neerja Bhutani of Bhutani-Palmin Financial Planning in Walnut Creek, Calif.


----- That's what the books say.  What the books don't tell you about beating the high cost of living in the succeeding post ;-)

Believe it or not, one of the easiest things to do these days is raising capital for a small and medium business venture.

From the time my wife and I were out last year in Europe, up until a few weeks ago in the US, practically three quarters of all foreign-based Pinoys I bumped into had this oft recurring question : "Ano ba ang magandang business na mapag-imbesan ("investan") sa atin?" .

My answer:  Marami.

Follow up question:  Ano?

This is where I started my discourse.  Number one, you have to find something that will match your character.  After all, this business you will invest your hard-earned money in will eventually require your active participation in the years when reverse migration begins.

I told one person, I am working on something new right now but I wouldn't want to invite you in it.  Asking me why, I told the person, "You are too structured.  You want to see a plan laid out before you and build it like a house until completion".  I continued to say, "This is not for you.  There are too many twists and turns along the way that the active verb in this venture is not "management" but "navigation".  The bumps and hops along the way may give you a heart attack :-)". 

Number two, you have to find partners who are willing to see the business through come hell or high water.

In a separate discussion at LAX airport while waiting for a flight, a Filipina lady from Boise, Idaho says, "It's hard for Filipinos to start a business because of the lack of capital".  I said, "On the contrary, the lack of capital is not the problem.  The lack of a person's passion and persistance in a specific venture is".  We've heard of so many stories of OFWs and Fil-Ams sending money back home for their relatives to start a business.  All told, the business folds up after a few months.  Was there a problem with capital?  No!  Problem was the passion, drive, and the persistence of the relatives back here in the P.I. who viewed the supposed capital as another form of a dole-out.

Got a great idea for a business?  Let's hear it out.  Then perhaps I could help you get the start-up funding, IF...

Just read this article from Inquirer.net .  Just shows the value of being prepared for the final appointment.

How about you?  Are you prepared for your final appointment?

As a retirement strategist, this is perhaps the most important aspect of retirement strategy. ;)

Qantas jet lands with 'gaping hole' at NAIA

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 13:35:00 07/25/2008

MANILA, Philippines - A Qantas Boeing 747 flying to Melbourne made an emergency landing in Manila on Friday after a dramatic mid-air rupture that punched a "gaping hole" in its fuselage, officials and passengers said.

Stunned passengers reported how the jumbo, which had taken off from London and made a stopover in Hong Kong, plunged nearly 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) in what one said was an "absolutely terrifying" ordeal.

An urgent investigation is underway into what punched a hole of about three meters (10 feet) in diameter into the fuselage near the right wing.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the plane, carrying 346 passengers and 19 crew, was now undergoing an inspection on the ground in Manila, where luggage could be clearly seen jutting out of the hole.

"There was a terrific boom, and bits of wood and debris just flew forward into first [class] and the oxygen masks dropped down," June Kane, a passenger from Melbourne, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"We were told that one of the rear doors, a hole had blown into it, but I've since looked at the plane and there's a gigantic gaping hole in the plane."

"It was absolutely terrifying, but I have to say everyone was very calm," she added, speaking from Manila.

Qantas chief executive officer Geoff Dixon said initial inspections showed the aircraft had sustained a hole in its fuselage, and it was being inspected by engineers.

He said the flight crew performed emergency procedures after oxygen masks were deployed and there were no reports of any injuries.

Qantas Airways boasts of its safety record, having never lost a jet to an accident.

In the 1988 film "Rain Man," an autistic character played by Dustin Hoffman insists on flying with the airline precisely for that reason.

In a statement, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the plane had been flying at 29,000 feet when the crew were forced into an emergency descent after a section of the fuselage separated and resulted in rapid decompression of the cabin.

It said the crew descended the aircraft to 10,000 feet "in accordance with established procedures" and diverted the plane safely to Manila.

The bureau said it was sending four investigators to Manila to assist local authorities with the investigation.

Qantas flight QF30, which took off from Hong Kong at 9:00 a.m. (0100 GMT), had been due to arrive in Melbourne at 1145 GMT, according to the Qantas website.
June Kane said the problem appeared to centre on the baggage compartment of the plane.

"I'm looking at the plane now and just forward of the wing, there's a gaping hole from the wing to the underbody," she said.

"It's about two meters by four meters and there's baggage hanging out so you assume that there's a few bags that may have gone missing."

Passengers praised the crew for landing the plane safely.

"We heard a very large bang, the oxygen masks came out. But the crew was very calm and everything was fine," said Phil Rescall, a 40-year-old man from England traveling to Australia for work.

"The shock came when many got off the plane and saw the hole," he told Agence France-Presse. "You see the hole and you realize we were very lucky."

"Some people were crying, some people were pretty shaken when they saw the hole."

"The crew were terrific, they did a great job," another passenger, Brendan McClements, said. "Everyone gave them a round of applause as we landed."

Qantas said a replacement plane would collect the passengers and crew later Friday and fly them overnight to Melbourne.

It said the 747-400 involved in the scare was not the one used to fly Pope Benedict XVI out of Australia earlier this month after his visit to Sydney.

Tarra V. Quismundo, Phil Daily Inquirer

It was just a few months ago that we were on our daily trek to Cavite to do the qualifying rounds.  Now we're on our way home.  Not from Cavite, but from San Diego.

Though the effort didn't too well as we were up against 6 year olds, overall, there could be no pricetag to the experience of caddying one's own son. 

I am thankful to God for providing this very enriching experience to me and Oaui.

We shall surely be back for more.

One thousand and twenty eight contestants.  More than fifty countries represented.  Forty-one junior golfers comprising the contingent from the Philippines.  Loads of parents, grandparents, and relatives.

This was the scene at the weekend registration of participants to the 2008 Callaway Junior World Golf Championships.  The 40 year old competition has drawn junior golfers to San Diego, CA year after year since 1968 producing so many golf greats including Eldrick "Tiger" Woods and current lady golfer superstar, Lorena Ochoa.

It numbs the mind to actually think that the future golf superstars are in the lot of the 1,028 contestants.  Raw talent waiting to be discovered.

We are glad to have made it this far to bring honor to our national colors.

July 2007.  I walked up to one of the best golf pros in Makati Golf Club and talked to the person about training my son, Joaquin to prepare for the local qualifying rounds which would lead up to a slot for the 2008 Callaway Junior World Golf Championships (the "Olympics" of Junior Golf) .

Golf pro says (in my own paraphrase), "Hmmm, San Diego?  If I were you, don't set your hopes too high".  It was obviously short of saying, "you can't do it".  Either that or, "Huwag ka na'ng umasa at baka masaktan ka lang".

I have to be honest.  I was disturbed a bit.  But deep down inside I knew that there was a form of positive defiance brewing in my gut.

As the post title goes, NEVER let them tell you "You Can't Do It!!!".  Dads, Moms,....this goes for us too, NEVER let them tell you "Your son/daughter Can't Do It!!!"

Well, about a year later, here we are on the eve of boarding a plane to San Diego.  It won't be easy because as I said in the prelude post (San Diego Awaits), Oaui may be up against those who are 6 years and 11 months old.  In that category, there is a big difference between a 5 year old like him and another who is on the verge of turning seven.  Driving power is different, pitching more accurate, putting skills more sensitive.

Whatever the outcome is next week, I think we've won already.  Joaquin marches this Sunday behind the Philippine colors with the rest of the kuyas and ates of Team Philippines at Torrey Pines (scene of the historic battle for this year's US Open between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate).

NEVER let them tell you, "You Can't Do It !!!"

A rejoinder to my earlier post "It's so easy to put the blame on someone else"

The Inquirer online edition now states in its headline, House Grills PAGASA Over Ferry Disaster .

What?!!!!

You mean to tell me that PAGASA is now at fault?  Egads!!!  Guys where have you been?  PAGASA is prone to err in their reports.  This has been the case for so many years since Tessie Tomas spoofed PAGASA by being Amanda Pineda in the early eighties.

Guys, you should have done your research by checking other weather websites.  Or, are you just blind and not being able to see the entire Typhoon Frank eclipsing 1/3 of the archipelago in the satellite picture of June 20?

Who were they waiting for to give the correct weather report?  Ernie Baron?

Yesterday I wrote : "The perk of not having a payslip is being able to trust God more.  He is after all, the great Provider.  There is no room for me to make a financial decision based on what's coming in the middle of the month and at the end of the month.

In being unemployed, one will begin to feel the intensity when praying the Lord's Prayer as one approaches the line "Give us this day, our  DAILY bread".  The fact that there is no other source apart from God's blessing drives me closer to His bosom."

The day hadn't ended when I was at the driving range while my son was doing his practice when a very unexpected call comes in.  It was from the office of our City Mayor, Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr.  The Mayor will make a financial contribution towards Joaquin's trip to San Diego next week!

The perk of being unemployed...drawing closer to God for dear life and seeing the miracles take place before one's eyes.

My posts in this blog have been off topic for some time now.  It has been quite awhile since I last posted something on "Retirement" and "Retirement Strategy".

Here's my first "Retirement" post for the 2nd half of 2008 :

The Perks of Being Unemployed

It has been more than three years now since I last received a payslip under an employer-employee arrangement.  For a large number of working Filipinos, the payslip which comes on the 15th and 30th of the month is a very comfortable security blanket to have.  In actuality, most decisions made by heads of families are tied up to the figures printed on the payslip.  This either frees them to make the decision to make a purchase or to withold the urge to spend and wait for a better day.

This is not the case for people who are unemployed like me.  I do not have a payslip to fall back on.  Nothing to expect at mid-month and at the end of the month.  The perk of not having a payslip is being able to trust God more.  He is after all, the great Provider.  There is no room for me to make a financial decision based on what's coming in the middle of the month and at the end of the month.

In being unemployed, one will begin to feel the intensity when praying the Lord's Prayer as one approaches the line "Give us this day, our  DAILY bread".  The fact that there is no other source apart from God's blessing drives me closer to His bosom.

I look back to the past few days and stand in amazement at how a Loving Heavenly Father has provided for this unemployed bloke.  I look back at the first half of this year with all the tumultuos happenings in the financial and economic arena taking place. All I can say now is, "Whoaaa!  Thank You Dad!  Indeed you never let your sons and daughters down"

I cannot help but be appalled at the reaction of shipping firm Sulpicio Lines Inc. concerning the tragedy of the ill-fated vessel, M/V Princess of the Stars.  The latest news is that Sulpicio Lines is pinning the blame on the government's weather agency, PAGASA, for not coming up with an accurate weather report and thus they had allowed the vessel to sail.

WHAT?!!!!!!



As early as Friday, June 20, my operations people in Cebu had already advised me that they would roll down the billboards in the area because of the strong gusts already buffeting the area.  Typhoon Frank was coming in from the East and headed Northwest to Manila in an upward motion which was the exact opposite of the M/V Princess of the Stars' voyage path to Cebu.

In simple terms, the M/V Princess of the Stars was really sailing into death's chambers.

People in the outdoor advertising business are not meteorologists.  However, we have enough common sense though to feel the strong gusts of wind and can sense when danger approaches.  So we roll down the billboards.  Moreover, having learned a bitter lesson from Typhoon Milenyo in 2006, we have relied on multiple websites which show satellite pictures of the oncoming storm.  As such, if PAGASA was wrong as Sulpicio alleges, couldn't the ship's owners have counterchecked with the U.S. Navy's Weather Satellite feeds?  These are all online on the World Wide Web and surprisingly, simple folk as billboard operators know how to check this website. ( click : http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/TC.html ).  Then there's the Japanese Weather Satellite, etc. etc. etc.

Now in the wake of more than 800 lives lost at sea, I ask, "Where are the folk who have vehemently accused the outdoor advertising industry of endangering life and property because of the growing number of billboards in the metropolis?".

It is clear.  The maritime industry has endangered more lives, property, and..the environment, than the outdoor advertising industry.  So it goes... it is so easy to put the blame on someone else.

Now I ask, where is my favorite Senator Miriam Santiago, the author of the Anti-Billboard Blight bill?  I sincerely hope she would elevate this oft recurring matter of maritime mishaps to the level of a Senate inquiry in what we've always heard - "in the aid of legislation".  Or have we become too desensitized that we feel that the levels of Transportation Undersecretary Lhen Bautista can just take care of it?

Where is our respected opinion columnist, Randy David and the Anti-Billboard Coalition?  I comend the latter's effort in stimulating regulation in the billboard industry but, can we come up with a coalition too which spurns the recklessness of maritime operators who court disaster by sailing right into a storm?

Could Ma. Ceres Doyo please come up with an opus at parity with her famous "Billboards from Hell" and "Billboards from Hell part 2" opinions to eloquently state that "the shipping industry -- big or small -- should be banned altogether." ?

Just before we start ranting about the billboards, let us make this clear - from the aftermath of Typhoon Milenyo, numerous steps have been taken to regulate outdoor advertising.  Implementing rules and guidelines are now in place at various levels spanning the lowly barangay way up to the Department of Public Works and Highways.  An Administrative Order has also been enacted by the President GMA.

To my colleagues in the industry, whenever somebody starts talking ill about Out-Of-Home media in general, here's a line which you may always want to have in your pocket :  "It's so easy to put the blame on someone else....but did you know that more people have been killed by the maritime industry than the billboard industry?"

So now I await Senator Miriam Santiago's next privilege speech.

I just leafed through Media Magazine's June 12, 2008 issue and was stunned by the fact that in their traditional list of Asia's Top 100 Creatives, the first Filipino weighs in at number 57.  Everyone else who precedes Joel Limchoc, ECD of BBDO Philippines is either Singaporean, Thai, Malaysian or Chinese.  If it's any consolation, the Pinoy (note, the Pinoy meaning only 1) weighs in ahead of Indians and Japanese.  Still, he's outnumbered.

As usual, just like Philippine basketball where we enjoy the participation of imports and the Philippine Olympic Team which openly embraces Fil-Ams, the Philippines chalks up an additional name through Simon Welsh, Executive Copywriter for BBDO Philippines.

Does this actually mean that we are less creative than our regional neighbors?

I don't think so.  I've worked with the best of them creatives.  You know who you are (you're on Multiply too!).  Thing is I've seen our best ideas often shot down by clients who are too scared to toe the line when it comes to revolutionary ideas.

No, we don't have a creative drought.  We only have clients who are.....

...o sige nga,...creatives, you supply the words :-)

I just texted the organizer of my son's tournament for today, "Tuloy ba ang tournament? It's signal number 1".  Some advisories even declare a direct hit to Manila at signal no. 2 strength.

Response : "Tuloy po, walang advise si ma'am sa akin na cancelled ang tournament".

To this I smiled and exclaimed in my mind, "Indeed, golfers are always optimists!"