Siquijor Island, Paradise

Siquijor Island is located in Central Visayas, Philippines. The island is also tagged Isla Del Fuego or 'Island of Fire' because long ago, as Spanish Colonizers approached the island, they saw that it was glowing. The island then seemed to be on fire caused by multitude of fireflies that gathered together around the island.

The island maintains its rich culture and traditions. It is famous for its traditions of folk healing using different kinds of herbal medicines, sorcery(witchcraft), supernatural beliefs and the like. In fact, Siquijodnons celebrate the 'Healing Festival' every Easter.

Siquijor is well-known for its people's ability in sorcery, but with all the bad connotations the island have, tourists and backpackers have fallen in love with the island.

Picturesque in every corner, this paradise offers a lot of beautiful scenery and well-preserved natural resources.

Siquijor has so much to offer, but let me share to you a few. The following pictures are not mine, and I am giving full credit to the owners.

1. THE WELCOMING VIEW

Siquijor, Siquijor

Dazzling white sand beach will welcome you right after you arrive in Siquijor. This is not a part of a beach resort. This is just the beach you will see as you step out of that sea vessel.

2. CENTURIES OLD BALITE TREE

Lazi, Siquijor

Yes, this is a big tree that springs. This 400- year old tree is not something that tourists fear. Here, people come and go to experience a fish spa. Mind you, they only ask 5PhP per person for the maintenance of the area.

3. LUGNASON FALLS

San Juan, Siquijor

Feel the nature and experience this  man-developed falls located in San Juan, Siquijor.Unlike other falls, this one is very easy to locate. You don't have to climb a very high mountain to reach here.

3. CAMBUGAHAY FALLS

Lazi, Siquijor

This is the most visited waterfalls in Siquijor Province. As you can see, the area is very well protected and still preserved.

4. SALAGDUONG BEACH RESORT

Maria, Siquijor

Experience Cliff Diving and Witness this beautiful White sand beach. This is a public beach resort, so expect that the entrance fee is very very very low.
5. PALITON BEACH 

San Juan, Siquijor

This is not a picture taken in a beach resort. This is just the beach area in Paliton, San Juan, Siquijor. You can always witness this beauty anytime for free. Paliton has the cleanest and most beautiful stretch of beach in the entire island. An international event called Hobbie Challenge was recently held in this very beach.

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Watch Self Parking Robot Chairs

Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer NISSAN developed an AI robot office chairs that automatically arrange themselves when people clap their hands.

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Good News: Salary Increase for Phils. Public Servants

Photo credit: www.inquirer.net

Philippines - Official Website of Philippine Government www.gov.ph  release good news stating that there will be a salary increase for the public servants of Philippine Government.

According to Department and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio B. Abad, “the compensation package is composed of a salary increase, a mid-year 14th month pay, and an enhanced performance-based bonus (PBB) system. The bill seeks to increase the basic salary of covered employees on the average by 27%, while the 14th month pay will further raise compensation by 8%. The enhanced PBB is equivalent to 1 to 2 months’ salary or an average 10% increase in salary. Government personnel who play a greater role and carry a heavier responsibility in improving government performance, will receive a higher bonus.

“At the end of the four tranches,” according to Abad, “government compensation, on a weighted average basis, is estimated to increase by 45% and should be around 84% of private sector pay. The lowest salary grade, Salary Grade 1, will be about 154% of the market, while the highest, Salary Grade 33, which is the President, will be about 70% of the market.” Currently, government pay, on the average, is only 55% of market rates.

“The adjustment,” Abad added, “is mandated by the Joint Resolution No 4 of Congress of 2009, which provided for a review of the compensation and position classification system after three years from the last year of the adjustment (which was June 1, 2012) to determine “the competitiveness of government pay in relation to the private sector” and “the compensation strategy to bring government pay closer to market rates”. Accordingly, with the help of private sector consultants, Towers Watson, the DBM undertook and completed the study in July 2015. 

“In structuring the compensation adjustment, we were guided by five parameters: (1) The minimum basic salary—Salary Grade 1—shall be raised from P9,000 to P11,068 a month; (2) To attract and retain competent and committed personnel, the new compensation level for all salary grades shall be at least 70% of the market; (3) To recognize differences in duties and responsibilities, there shall be no salary overlaps; (4) The link between pay and performance shall be strengthened, especially for those in the higher salary grades, and (5) The structure of the adjustment should temper the cost of benefits (i.e. GSIS premiums and PhilHealth contributions) and allow for higher take home pay, especially for those in the lower salary grades,” Abad clarified.

As a consequence of Republic Act 10653, which raised the amount of benefits exempted from tax to P82,000, for majority of civilian employees, those belonging to Salary Grades 1-11, and who are only receiving the existing tax-exempt 13th month pay, the cash gift and the productivity enhancement incentive (PEI), their full 14th month pay and full PBB will also be exempt from tax. For those belonging to Salary Grades 12-16, who also are only receiving the existing tax-exempt 13th month pay, cash gift and PEI, only their full 14th month pay will be exempt from tax.

“The first tranche of the adjustment will take effect on January 1, 2016, and the subsequent three tranches on everyJanuary 1 thereafter until the final tranche in 2019,” Abad added.

Abad further clarified that “under the Constitution, no increase in the compensation of the President and the Vice-President shall take effect until after the expiration of the term of the incumbent during which such increase was approved. Similarly, no increase in compensation shall take effect until after the expiration of the full term of all the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives approving such increase.”

For the regular members of the Cabinet, Abad said, “the compensation adjustment shall take effect only on July 1, 2016.”

– From the Department of Budget and Management 

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Philippines, Let us Bid Goodbye to Our Lousy Internet

Photo from:http://videohive.net/

Philippines is one of the countries with the slowest, yet highly costing internet connection. The country's slow-speed internet has always been a burden to students and professionals alike. If an internet provider who could assure us of a better performance is available at a reasonable cost, why not grab it? Well, I guess we will have to say goodbye to lousy internet with this good news - Telstra!

Telstra is Australia's leading and largest  telecommunications and media company which builds and operates telecommunications networks and  markets voice, mobile, internet access and many  services.

Australian telco Telstra will spend up to US$1 billion for a planned wireless joint venture with San Miguel Corporation in the Philippines, the company’s chief Andy Penn told investors today.

That’s just Telstra’s share in the JV. Partner San Miguel, a conglomerate with diversified interests in the Philippines, will also put money in the business, along with some banks that will provide financing.

“We are not expecting it to be more than US$1 billion. That would be essentially Telstra’s equity investment. We could own 40 percent of the venture, which would also have external financing as well,” Andy was quoted as saying by The Australian.

Telstra and San Miguel haven’t reached a deal yet, but talks are ongoing.

If it pushes through, the pair is expected to shake up the duopoly of telcos PLDT and Globe Telecom in the archipelago.

“Frankly, let’s face it, go to the Philippines and experience the lousy service you get from the incumbent operators and you will see that [there’s] opportunity for a new operator to provide a much better quality service … I think there’s a significant opportunity,” Andy was again quoted as saying.

San Miguel is rolling out its mobile telecommunications network in the Philippines through unit Bell Telecommunications.

The conglomerate had wanted to enter the mobile business for years, but this was delayed because of other acquisition opportunities, its president Ramon Ang previously said.

Over the past years, San Miguel has aggressively moved away from its traditional food and beer businesses and into heavy industries such as infrastructure, power, oil refining, and telecommunications.

For Telstra’s part, it won’t be its first time to break into Asia. It acquiredSingapore- and Hong Kong-based internet services company Pacnet for US$697 million early this year. That deal was part of a A$5 billion (US$3.56 billion) budget it allotted for Asian ventures.

-Judith Balea/www.techinasia.com

No doubt Telstra will be the solution for our lousy, slow internet connection or provider.

Haze? How Should You Manage the Situation?

The haze from the forest fires of Indonesia has spread to the Visayas and Mindanao Region of the Philippines, disrupting air traffic and spreading warnings for residents to wear face masks. Typhoon Koppu which recently hit Philippines in October 18 has played a major part in blowing the haze towards the country.

Whatever the news said, the haze has reached the Philippines, and it poses harm to affected individuals. So, what can we do in times of haze?

Haze - what can we do?   

The haze contains smoke and dust particles and lingers in the air resulting in reduced visibility. When it comes into contact with the body, it can produce symptoms to the eyes, skin and breathing systems. The way haze is measured is by using an index called Air Pollution Index (API) or Pollution Standards Index (PSI) in other countries. The higher the number, the worse the haze and the implications to our health. 

Symptoms that can occur when in contact with haze: 

• Eye irritation

• Skin irritation

• Breathing problems: cough, shortness of breath, chest discomfort or tightness

• Throat discomfort and dryness

In people who are susceptible, the haze may cause worse symptoms or aggravation of pre-existing conditions.People who are susceptible: 

• Known to have respiratory illnesses such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• Known to have heart disease such as heart failure or coronary artery disease

• Small children, babies and the elderly

• Smokers

• Pregnant ladies

• People with allergies   

 Ways to minimize effects of haze to our body: 

• Drink plenty of plain water and wash our faces frequently

• Minimise outdoor activities

• Avoid smoking and cigarette smoke

• When driving, close all windows and activate recycle air mode

• Close all house windows

• Use a mask that can cover the mouth and nose properly if there is a need to be outdoors  

People who develop breathing difficulties or excessive cough should seek prompt medical attention.  Patients who are known to have medical illnesses should take their medications as prescribed by their doctors. Patients who are on inhalers should continue taking their preventative medications and carry their reliever medication with them at all times. This is a good time for smokers to stop smoking completely. 

Who is recommended to use N95..? 

• Those working outside PCMC building eg. Concierge, Auxillary Police, facilities staff working outside, gardeners and others.

• Those stationed near entrance with sliding doors (main lobby, ER entrance) eg. ER PSAs, Paramedics, Nurses, Patient Relation Officers and others.

• Staff with past medical problems such as:

• Any respiratory conditions especially those with asthma, chronic obstructive lung diseases.

• Any heart diseases especially those with coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure.

• Any history of ear, nose and throat problems such as allergic nasal conditions or problem with sinusitis.

• Chronic diseases such as diabetes as patients with diabetes are more prone to cardiac conditions. 

 When do we need to wear a mask..? 

• The general recommendation is for healthy people to minimise outdoor activities when the API is greater than 100 or when the PM2.5 is greater than 40.

• For those who are of higher risk, you should minimise outdoor activities when the API is greater than 80 or when the PM2.5 is greater than 15.

• When the 24-h API level exceeds 150 in the ‘Unhealthy’ range or when PM2.5 is greater than 40, people with existing heart or respiratory ailments or those who are more susceptible to smoke haze are advised to wear a respiratory mask such as N95 masks (designed to keep out fine particulate matter) when they go outdoors.

• People with respiratory diseases should consult their doctors on the use of respirator masks if they intend to use them.

• Surgical masks and paper masks do not provide adequate protection from the haze particles.

• It is recommended for anyone experiencing any symptoms relating to irritation of the eye, nose and throat or any chest symptoms such as difficulty breathing or chest pain to consult their doctors.

For quick access of the FAQs regarding haze, use this chart:
-Prince Court Medical Center

API	Air Pollution Level	Health Implications
0 – 50	Excellent	1. No health implications
51 – 100	Good	1. No health implications
101 – 150	Slightly Polluted	1. Slight irritations may occur, individuals with breathing or heart problems should reduce outdoor exercise.
151 – 200	Lightly Polluted	1. Slight irritations may occur, individuals with breathing or heart problems should reduce outdoor exercise.
201 – 250	Moderately Polluted	1. Healthy people will be noticeably affected. 2. People with breathing or heart problems will experience reduced endurance in activities. 3. These individuals and elders should remain indoors and restrict activities.
251 – 300	Heavily Polluted	1. Healthy people will be noticeably affected. 2. People with breathing or heart problems will experience reduced endurance in activities. 3. These individuals and elders should remain indoors and restrict activities.
300+	Severely Polluted	1. Healthy people will experience reduced endurance in activities. 2. There may be strong irritations and symptoms and may trigger other illnesses. 3. Elders and the sick should remain indoors and avoid exercise. 4. Healthy individuals should avoid outdoor activities.

-Prince Court Medical Center 

As of this writing, the haze has not greatly impacted the Philippines yet; however, I suggest you keep yourself updated with the situation through watching the daily news. The seasonal northeast monsoons are expected around this time of the year, but any storm hitting the Philippines the rest of the year could maximize the problem. Keep yourself safe and healthy!

Facebook to State-Sponsored Hackers: "We are Eyeing On You"

Facebook is a social networking website that was created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg while he was enrolled at Harvard University. The site was originally designed for college students; however, with its wide acceptance by the whole internet community, it has grown with a large scale of active users.

Through Facebook's wide coverage across the world, many people were reunited to their friends and family. It has become a basic tool for searching people throughout the web. In spite of that fact, we cannot deny that Facebook's security had been subject to scrutiny when it became a spying device by many individuals who have criminal designs.

Because of that, Facebook has implemented many strategies to strengthen their security. One of these is quoted in this news article by Alyssa Newcomb that I found in Yahoo News.

Facebook Will Now Warn You If Another Country Is Spying on You

Facebook will now issue alerts to users who the social network believes are being targeted by state-sponsored hackers, according to a message posted by Alex Stamos, Facebook's chief security officer.

"While we have always taken steps to secure accounts that we believe to have been compromised, we decided to show this additional warning if we have a strong suspicion that an attack could be government-sponsored. We do this because these types of attacks tend to be more advanced and dangerous than others, and we strongly encourage affected people to take the actions necessary to secure all of their online accounts," Stamos wrote. 

Facebook isn't revealing its methods for attributing certain attacks but Stamos said the company will "use this warning only in situations where the evidence strongly supports our conclusion." 

While Facebook said it constantly "monitor[s] for potentially malicious activity," the social network also provides preventative tools users can take advantage of to protect their accounts. Going to security settings and turning on "Login Approvals" will send a code to the user's smartphone anytime someone tries to access their account from a new device or browser. -Alyssa Newcomb

Philippines: Why Street Children Population Growth is Gradual

In year 2015, the Philippine population has grew even more with 101,802,706 people which is 1.39 % of the entire world population compared to the previous years. The Philippines has ranked 12th worldwide in terms of population, so it isn't surprising if there are also a significant growth in the country's number of street children.

This video documentary asks the question "Hindi Napapansin o Hindi Pinapansin?". Why is the street children's population not slowing down? What is the government doing to control its population? Haven't the ones on top notice these or do they intentionally just doesn't seem to care? Watch this and tell us, Hindi Napapansin o Hindi Pinapansin?

#DuterteZoned is the new "paasa"

If you are from the Philippines, you sure know who Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte is. He was a presidentiable that stirred the nation's hopes up for finally having a changed Philippines. The pinoys urge to have him as a president maybe because of how he handles Davao City and probably because of his association with Davao Death Squad that made the city a safe place to be even situated in the Mindanao Region.

However, all the hopes were gone after Duterte's chief-of-staff Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go on Thursday, October 15, filed his certificate of candidacy for Davao mayor in Davao City. Duterte is not running for president.

After all the speculations that scattered throughout the media and social networking, Duterte's filing of COC for mayor gave rise to the term DuterteZoned which means paasa (someone who gives false hopes) in Filipino.

Here are some of the netizens post who were DuterteZoned:

1. A few minutes after the closing of filing of COC, SunStar Davao FB page announced the absence of both Duterte father and daughter in their expected posts.

2. A satirical way to express rejection.

3. This netizen even used the country being DuterteZoned, which is really close to reality. 

4. Another summarizes all that happened pretty well though.

5. DuterteZoned is now being associated with #whogoat lines.

6. One user was glad he didn't shave his head after being DuterteZoned referring to #TakboParaSaPagbabago propaganda

7. This netizen bids for Sen. Mirriam Defensor Santiago as president after he was DuterteZoned

8. Duterte Serye part 2 is beginning as some netizens specualate 'again'

9. Famous social media page Marcelo Santos III even shared its disappointment. 

10. This one funnily asks Adam Levine if he was also DuterteZoned.

 11. Time to burn his Duterte baller!

 12. But if someone loves you, that someone will be back for you right?