Computing for Service

Like most working professionals, I can only conduct my banking activities during lunch hour (from 12nn to 1pm). Two weeks ago, I had the misfortune of waiting inside the BPI Buendia Pasong Tamo branch.

Let me briefly describe the scenario for you.

Fourteen people were lined up ahead of me. We were facing five service counters, two of which were unmanned.

After approximately 15 minutes at the queue, I decided to make good use of the waiting period and compute for the Bank’s turn-around-time (TAT) for transactions. I figured that if I knew the TAT, I would be able to project the average amount of time needed for all my BPI banking transactions – not to mention efficiently manage my lunch break.

It took me another 30 “exhausting” minutes to finally reach the teller, calculating an average processing time of 9 minutes per person for all 3 tellers. Below are the computations for your reference.

Average Transactions = 15 people / 3 tellers = 5 people per teller
Average Time = 45 minutes / 5 people = 9 minutes per person

Teller # 3 (my apologies, I forgot her name) was seated beside a trainee who diligently observed everything that she did. Based on the last 4 customers she serviced, Teller # 3 clocked an average of 3 minutes and 30 seconds. I was her fifth. Upon arriving at the counter, she smiled sweetly, greeted me, "Good Morning!", took my deposit slip and completed my transaction in just a little over four minutes.

I was partly to blame for her "delay" because I handed her the piece of paper where I did my calculations. Puzzled, she asked what they were and I said that it contained the computation for her average TAT for bank transactions. I told her to hand it to the trainee so she can always be reminded of how efficient Teller # 3 was. Why did I say she was efficient?

Because, if Teller # 3’s average transaction time is 3.5 minutes then the two available tellers were each transacting at 11.75 minutes each or 11 minutes and 45 seconds.

Teller 3’s average handling time = 3.5 minutes
Teller 2’s average handling time = 11.75 minutes
Teller 1’s average handling time = 11.75 minutes
--------------------------
Average Time = 9 minutes

In my humble opinion, 9 minutes is quite a long time to process one transaction. Imagine my surprise when Teller # 3 informed me that the average TAT was actually 15 minutes. Wow!

BPI recently implemented a customer satisfaction survey, where after your transaction, the teller hands you a stub that you can deposit in a box that has two slots: one with a ‘smiley’ and the other, with a ‘frowney’. I inserted my stub into the unhappy face.

Before leaving the bank, I also slipped a note inside the box, with some suggestions on how the branch can improve the customer service experience, namely:

• Faster turnaround time for transactions
• Full manning on all counters during lunch hour
• Dedicated counters for specific transactions and products (i.e. credit card payments, check encashments, time deposits)

Later that evening, I received a phone call from the Buendia Pasong Tamo Branch Manager, apologizing for the inconveniences that transpired and thanking me for the suggestions. She explained that the delays were due to:

1. A shortage of seasoned manpower. Apparently, four tellers resigned last month; justifying the presence of the trainee and the two unoccupied counters.
2. The fact that some transactions took longer than others because they were dependent on the nature of the transactions (e.g. multiple transactions by a customer who can be depositing money and encashing checks at the same time)

The Branch Manager was very pleasant and even advised me to freely approach her should I have any future banking concerns. After speaking in great length about my credit card application and possible investments that I may avail from BPI, I ended the conversation with a simple request that the branch improve their transaction times. She assured me that they would.

I returned to the bank today to deposit my paycheck and, “Lo and behold!,” I was greeted by a longer queue. There were 21 customers before me. Four out of the five counters were now occupied but two of them had “offline” signs on top of them. The trainee sat in one of the “offline” counters.

I left 5 minutes after I came in because I already felt that I was going to be there for more than 45 minutes. Minutes later, I found myself inside the Legaspi Village Branch (?) near Shell House.

Here’s the second scenario:

Like my first visit to Pasong Tamo, there were 3 manned counters but all counters were occupied (this was, in fact, a smaller operation). Again, I was the 15th customer in line but surprisingly, I finished my transaction in exactly 20 minutes. That’s an average transaction time of 5 minutes – a little over half the TAT of Pasong Tamo. What did the Legaspi branch do right?

The biggest difference was Abi, a lady at the Customer Service area on the right side, who was calling out to the queue. She was asking who among the customers were making deposits, thereby, raising the actual number of available service counters to four. What a difference one person makes!

Because of the prompt service, I didn’t feel the need to compute for the TAT for this branch. However, out of curiosity I asked Donna, the teller who processed my transaction, what the average transaction time was. She replied, “Sir, it’s usually 10 minutes.”

On my way out, I slipped my stub inside the smiley.

The Pandacan Oil Depot: A Threat to Whose Security? (Part 3 of 3)

Allaying misunderstood notions

In light of the prevailing calm surrounding the scale-down and relocation of the Pandacan depot, Station Commander Osit believes that the petitioners of Ordinance No. 8027 may have had sufficient cause to push for the legislation. “May bearing kasi pag may mangyari hindi natin macalculate ang magiging damage at magiging effect. (It has bearing because if something happened, we would not be able to calculate the resulting damage and the possible effect),” noted Osit.

Even Kagawad Pacing echoes a similar statement albeit his reservations that the local community will support a terrorist action, “Iba na ang takbo ng panahon ngayon. Pero ang Pandacan wala pa namang nangyayari dito sa amin. E yung mga depot na yan nakatutulong pa sa tao yan. Wala silang hangad na pasabugin yan dahil madaming tao dito sa Pandacan ang nakikinabang yan. (The times are different now. But here in Pandacan, nothing bad has happened to us. Those depots help the residents. They don’t have any intention of bombing the facility because a lot of people in Pandacan benefit from them.”

The Shell Executive believes that, “After 9-11, they (the residents) were fed with the information that an explosion in the oil depot … will cause a lot of death, which could include Malacanang … after we were able to show at the City Hall and the courts that there are studies made that it will not happen … that with everything on fire, it will not make a very, very big impact on the community.” The studies were made by EQE International, a third-party group that was commissioned by the three oil companies to conduct a security and safety assessment of the whole facility.

The results of the assessment were presented to the petitioners at the City council who were also invited to visit the facility. But even the Executive thinks that an inspection is enough. “Then again, when you see an oil depot, it’s a bunch of tanks and pipes … the impression of whether its safe or secure is not secure is not really strong … they will see that we have a very strong personal protective safety policy but that is not an anti-terrorist sort of thing … that’s when the security experts come in,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the 7-year relocation will continue to take place. “Pilipinas Shell has addressed safety and security by scaling-down the Pandacan oil depot, as agreed with the Manila Mayor and the Energy Secretary,” said Mich Cruz. “Several storage tanks have been removed or decommissioned as fuel tanks i.e. one tank converted to water storage tank, during scale-down, including the LPG spheres and others previously located near the perimeter walls and residential areas. As a result, what was once part of the site, has been converted into a community park (also called a linear park), which serves as a green buffer zone between the site and the community.”

“We believe that the Pandacan oil depot scale-down project is the most viable approach to balance the safety and security concerns of the City Council of Manila with the need for a safe and secure supply of petroleum products for Metro Manila and parts of Luzon,” concluded Cruz.

Conclusion

There are a number of reasons why Pandacan will continue to become an interesting case study for experts in the field of businesses, politics, safety & security; and a greater number of compelling reasons why it will continue to have advocates and detractors.

Ultimately, speculations abound as to why the Ordinances were originally pursued. Some believe that the motives lean towards certain political agendas.

“E nagbabago ang generation natin … yung nagrereklamo dyan e di naman taga rito … siguro naman matutuwa sya dahil dun malilipat malapit sa kanila … ung nakukuha na taxes dito makukuha din dun … nagkakaroon ng share ang barangay. (Our generation is changing … the complainants are not from here … they will probably be happy that the (depot) will be transferred near them … they will get the taxes … their barangays will earn their share (of taxes),” aired Kagawad Pacing.

For others, the belief stems from an uninformed audience.

“The public has very little to do with this,” according to the Shell Executive. “It’s the city hall or the regulators that have a perception about where the oil depot should be located. Everywhere in the world, where an oil depot is located in a populated area, it becomes a target for the residents to question why it is there … they will always question the reason because of a fear … that there might be a conflagration … The councilors who made the ordinance are not from the immediate area. They are not technically qualified to make an assessment. They are very qualified, however, to feel the pulse of the people and then to make it into a regulation,” he continued.

Another View of the Depot in the Pandacan District

Shell Philippines, according to the Executive, is ready for the decision of the Courts. “We are a company that follows the law. So whatever comes out of the deliberation, if they say that we have to move, then we will move … We will follow the law. Oil companies will always follow the law. Whatever the local and national government desire, we will follow. It may cost money but we will follow the law,” reiterated the top Executive.

The Executive believes that Ordinance No. 8027 was prematurely enforced by the Supreme Court based on procedures and not on the content hence their intervention. “Yes, as per procedural that may be valid but whether the content is really correct – that you can say to anybody especially an oil company (to go away) – that is the question. Are you willing to put chaos in the country to execute what is not feasible? That’s why they are figuring out how to make a ruling that will respect the rights of everybody and still look at national interests.”

In a world engulfed by a fear of terrorist attacks, the Pandacan Oil Depot will continually be a disputed territory. What remains to be seen is if the measures undertaken to protect the facility today will alleviate the lives of those who will live with it tomorrow.

The Pandacan Oil Depot: A Threat to Whose Security? (Part 2 of 3)

An impending disaster?

A defining statement from the Supreme Court defends Ordinance No. 8027 saying that, “(the ordinance) was enacted right after the Philippines, along with the rest of the world, witnessed the horror of the September 11, 2001 attack on the Twin Towers … (and the objective) is to protect the residents of Manila from the catastrophic devastation that will surely occur in the case of a terrorist attack on the Pandacan Terminals.”

An official report prepared by Pandacan Police Station (PS-10) Commander P.Supt. Abad Hesito Osit states that the Pandacan District has a total land area of 3.93 square kilometers and is made up of 5 zones with a population of approximately half a million during the daytime and 200,000 at nighttime. Three PCPs or substations can be found in the areas of Beata, Zamora and Labores and when combined, have a total combined strength of 116 policemen. This means that there is one policeman for every 4,300 individuals during the daytime and one policeman for every 1,700 individuals in the evening.

The police forces are further augmented by “friendly forces” composed by a Regional Special Action Unit, the Presidential Security Group at the Malacanang Park, Civil Military Operations, and the Philippine Coast Guard that regularly patrols the Pasig River. Vital installations mentioned in the report include the oil depot of Shell, Petron and Chevron (Caltex) - each maintaining its own private security force.

Although Osit is confident about the current safety situation of the depot in Pandacan saying that, “Kung pag-uusapan ang safety, wala namang masyadong risk kung sa pagkaroon ng pagsabog (If we talk about safety, there’s not much risk involved if there is an explosion),” in the same breath, he mentions that the risk of an explosion is different “unless (the bombing) is initiated by terrorist acts.”

Any imminent threat to the Pandacan oil terminal has to pass through three layers of security. The outer layer is made up of the members of the Philippine National Police who maintain three checkpoints in Caritas, Laura-Carreon and Zamora Interlink. The checkpoints are located along the main routes where all vehicle approaches leading to the oil depot are covered by the local policemen.

The second layer is comprised of 21 individuals from the Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU) of the Philippine National Police. Most officers in the RSAU are trained in counter-terrorism and urban warfare in the United States and provide Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training for key police units in the Philippines. The innermost layer is made up of the oil companies’ security guards.

According to Osit, the level of security inside the depot is something that he cannot completely comment on because some critical areas inside the facilities are off-limits, even to the Philippine National Police. “Nagkaroon kami ng ugnayan dyan with the PDSI (Pandacan Depot Services, Inc.) … ang sabi nila ang area na to may mga buffer zone yan … may mga restricted areas dyan even kami di makapasok. (We have a coordination with the PDSI … and they said that the area has buffer zones … there are restricted areas that even we cannot enter), shares the Station Commander.

A View of the Buffer Zones inside the Fence-line Community

‘Table drills’ or simulations are regularly conducted between the security forces and the oil companies to minimize the likelihood of a widespread disaster. A high-ranking executive from Shell explained that, “The NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) has made games … where they make sure that a lot of government agencies that are attached to it … if there’s something that happens (NICA and the agencies will know) how they play it out … they’ve already quite a number of these scenario planning, in terms of what happens, when there are terrorist attacks and the like.”

Although safety and security are the top concerns of the Department of Energy (DOE), the government agency that supervises the Pandacan installation, the Executive is quick to point out that the oil companies that operate the depot are not there for security but for operational practices. “We move products in and out in a very efficient way since that is required by the industry. The security (that we provide) around the depot is the ingress and egress. That’s the only thing we do. We check the people and vehicles that go in and out … if some (armed) people come in … it will then go to the government and they will take action. There is a RSAU beside Pandacan where we have close communication and they will then respond in case of a terrorist activity … (NICA) takes care of all the coordination.”

Col. Osit however clarified that, “Wala namang specific threat pero hindi natin maiwasan na maging isa sa mga target ito dahil sa nature ng business … malaki ang implication kasi dito nangagaling ang supply ng buong Metro Manila (There is no specific threat but we cannot avoid that this (the installation) can be one of the targets due to the nature of the business … there’s a huge implication because this is where Metro Manila gets its whole fuel supply).”

This view is shared by Shell Philippines Issues Manager Mich Cruz. “The Pandacan oil depot have been supplying the needs of Metro Manila and Luzon for the past 90 years. Currently, it supplies about 50% of the total demand for fuel, 90% of lubricants requirements and 25% of chemical needs nationwide. If the Pandacan oil depot is closed, there would be a significant impact on the supply of fuels and lubricants,” notes Cruz.

Another View of the Buffer Zones inside the Fence-line Community

Interestingly, the petroleum facilities were built in the 1910s before people from the different areas of the Country came in droves and settled around the borders of the installations, eager to find opportunities for livelihood and employment. Anthony Gamo, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) Project Manager shares that Shell, for example, employs residents from the communities on a regular basis for contract-based projects inside the Pandacan facility and with business partners.

Ordinance No. 8027’s objective to reclassify the Pandacan terminals’ territory from industrial to commercial zones and to relocate the depot presents several implications for both the community and the oil companies. For example, a number of residents along the fence-line barangays of 830, 833 and 834 benefit from the existing corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. These programs include skills development and training, environmental, educational and health campaigns, to name a few.

For the major oil players, the relocation of the depot, which was initially ordered to take place within six (6) months of the implementation of the Ordinance was impossible. “The airport will run dry in 3 days … the port, North Harbor, will probably cease operations in 2 to 3 days also … practically 80-90% of gas stations will run dry in 3 days also, so you can imagine the chaos … that’s why they eventually pulled out the Ordinance (No. 8027),” expressed the Shell Executive.

A City’s change of heart

In July 1, 2006, the City Council of Manila passed Ordinance 8119 classifying Pandacan as a Planned Unit Development and Overlay Zone (O-PUD). Specifically, “O-PUD Zones are identified specific sites in the City of Manila wherein the project site is comprehensively planned as an entity via unitary site plan which permits flexibility in planning/design, building siting, complementarily of building types and land uses, usable open spaces and the preservation of significant natural land features, pursuant to regulations specified for each particular PUD.” The Pandacan Oil Depot Area was listed as ‘item number 6’ along with Chinatown and Intramuros, among others.

However, since the Pandacan Depot was serving industrial functions, the facility did not conform to the zoning regulations that were implemented by the City Planning & Development Office (CPDO) through Ordinance No. 8119, which stipulates that for non-conforming uses that are industrial in nature, “The land use classified as non-conforming shall program the phase-out and relocation of the non-conforming use within seven (7) years from the date of effectivity (of the Ordinance).” In effect, the oil companies were now given a grace period of 7 years instead of the original 6 months stipulated by Ordinance No. 8027.

“They themselves superseded it (because) they did not realize it … no one knew what the extent of the operations was at the start… but when (the City Council) realized there’s no viable alternative up to now … (and) they needed time, then they came out with (Ordinance NO.) 8119,” stressed the Shell Executive.

The fact that the two ordinances run in opposite directions with the zoning classification of the Pandacan Oil Depot, including the periods for the relocation of the businesses presents an interesting insight. According to Mich Cruz, “This (new ordinance) superseded Ordinance 8027. We have also questioned the validity of Ordinance 8119 in the Regional Trial Court of Manila and the two cases are still being actively litigated.”

While the public patiently waits for the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the two ordinances, the greater question on everyone’s minds is the impending effect of the relocation. The cost for relocating the Pandacan depot is pegged at Php42 billion. Until now, the oil companies are still studying alternative sites for the transfer of the facility.

The Shell Executive goes further in explaining that the effects of the relocation can be mitigated through the support of the government. “If the government does not give the incentives to the oil companies then obviously the oil companies will pass on the costs to the consumer. There will be a reaction from the consumer … if the government asks the companies (to lower the oil prices) then we will start questioning how to recover the capital … we can build a depot in Antipolo but does the Filipino people have the money to make that alternative which is very far away from everybody? Who’s going to pay for the (infrastructure) … its not viable,” expressed the top Executive.

- Concluded in Part 3 -

The Pandacan Oil Depot: A Threat to Whose Security? (Part 1 of 3)

After I posted Project No. 4: Some thoughts on fuel price hike, I realized that last year, I actually wrote a paper for Investigative Journalism, an elective in my masters in communications program.

For my final project, I wrote about the relocation of the controversial Pandacan oil depots; an issue that was resolved early this year by the Supreme Court, ordering the the three major oil companies (Caltex, Petron & Shell) to move out of Metro Manila.

Although I am not as (emotionally) affected by the fuel price hikes, since I sold my car two years ago, I am still concerned with the imminent effects that the relocation of the oil depots will have on the general populace - some of which are discussed below.

I would like to share this paper with you, dear reader, because I believe that everyone has the right to know the arguments involved in this issue. Because the document is lengthy, I broke it down to three parts, which you can also find under Commentary on the right side of the page.

Special thanks go out to the people who gave their precious time for the interviews. This paper would not have been possible without you.

*****

Pacifico Eugenio is the oldest resident of Barangay 834, a fence-line community of Shell Philippines in Pandacan, Manila. Kagawad Pacing, 82, as the 3-term local official is fondly called, lives a few meters beside one of the largest depot facilities in the country, but he insists that these infrastructures pose no eminent danger to his residence or that of his neighbors.

“Alam mo, dito na ako ipinanganak. Yan ang original naming bahay nung araw. Walang nangyari sa aming gulo dito … Yung mga depot na yan nakakatulong pa sa tao yan. Wala silang hangad na pasabugin yan dahil madaming tao dito sa Pandacan ang nakikinabang dyan. (I’ve lived here all my life. That’s my original house. Nothing bad has ever happened to us here … the depot help the people in the community. They have no desire to bomb them because a lot of people in Pandacan benefit from them),” claims Kagawad Pacing.

Kagawad Pacing holding a press release where
he was recognized as one of the original Pandacan residents

The old man’s reaction comes in light of the ongoing dispute between three major oil companies and the authors of Metro Manila City Ordinance No. 8027 that calls for the reclassification of the Pandacan industrial zones – where the major players are located – into commercial zones.

The long-drawn territorial dispute

Ordinance No. 8027, which was approved in November 28, 2001 by then Mayor Jose “Lito” L. Atienza, Jr. and became effective on December 28 of the same year, gave the owners or business operators a period of six (6) months “to cease and desist from the operation of businesses, which are hereby, in consequence, disallowed” in the “land bounded by the Pasig River in the north, PNR Railroad Track in the east, Beata St. in the south, Palumpong St. in the southwest, Estero de Pandacan in the west, PNR Railroad in the northwest area, Estero de Pandacan in the northeast, Pasig River in the southeast and Dr. M. L. Carreon in the southwest, the area of Punta, Sta. Ana bounded by the Pasig River, Marelino Obrero St, Mayo 28 St., and F. Manalo St.”

Shell Philippines Depot along the Pasig River

Through Ordinance No. 8027, the City of Manila and the Department of Energy (DOE) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the oil companies on June 26, 2002, and resulted in a “scaling down of the Pandacan Terminals,” which at the time, was deemed as the “most viable and practicable option.”

The commitments from the major oil companies included: the decommissioning or removal of twenty-eight (28) tanks starting with the LPG spheres; the creation of safety buffer and green zones; and the joint operations and management of the oil companies, consistent with international and domestic technical, safety, environmental and economic considerations and standards.

Eventually, these efforts later led to the formation of the Pandacan Depot Services, Inc. (PDSI) in October 15, 2004. The PDSI manages the 24-hour operation of the entire Pandacan terminal including the “receipt, storage, and loading of fuel products, maintenance and engineering of the shared facilities, and the health, safety, security, and environmental concerns.”

The City Council then ratified the MOU in Resolution No. 97 declaring it effective only for a period of six (6) months starting July 25, 2002. During this time, the City of Manila and the DOE worked closely together with the conditions that:

1. The City Mayor endorses the MOU to the City Council;
2. Enable oil companies to continuously operate in compliance with legal requirements;
3. Monitor oil companies’ compliance with the MOU provisions; and
4. Protect the safety buffer and green zones by preventing the occupation and encroachment into these areas by illegal settlers and other unauthorized parties.

Thereafter, on January 30, 2003, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 13 extending the validity of Resolution No. 97 to April 30, 2003 and authorizing Mayor Atienza to issue special business permits to the oil companies. Resolution No. 13 called for a reassessment of Ordinance No. 8027 that was objected by the petitioners who filed an original action for mandamus with the Supreme Court (SC) on December 4, 2002 for Mayor Atienza to enforce the ordinance and order the immediate removal of the terminals.

A View of the Depot from the Fence-line Community

In legal terms, “a petition for mandamus may be filed when any tribunal, corporation, board, officer or person unlawfully neglects the performance of an act which the law specifically enjoins as a duty resulting from an office, trust or station … an extraordinary writ that is employed to compel the performance, when refused, of a ministerial duty that is already imposed on the respondent and there is no plain, speedy and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law.”

In March 7, 2007, the SC decision imposed and reinforced the writ of mandamus officially stating that, “the terms of the MOU were inconsistent with Ordinance No. 8027, the resolutions which ratified it and made it binding on the City of Manila expressly gave it full force and effect only until April 30, 2003.”

- Continued on Part 2 -

Some thoughts on the PERA law

The PERA bill, signed into law by the President yesterday, brings new hope for Filipino professionals who look forward to a comfortable retirement. PERA is the Personal Equity and Retirement Account Act of 2008, or Republic Act 9505.

In a nutshell, the PERA law "aims to set up private pension schemes that would allow workers to save money for their retirement."

Below are excerpts from the BusinessWorld:

• Contributors can open up to five accounts to be managed by one administrator, which can be a bank or a financial company. There will be separate custodians of funds and a designated investment manager. Administrators can be investment managers.
• The contributions can be invested in mutual or unit investment trust funds, stocks, and other financial products.
• A contributor may make a total maximum annual contribution of P100,000 or its equivalent in any convertible foreign currency. If the contributor is married, each of the spouses can make a contribution of P100,000. The contribution can be as high as P400,000 for an OFW and his or her spouse.
• Income and interest from contributions will be tax-exempt provided the contributor does not withdraw the funds before reaching the age of 55. A contributor can also claim an income tax credit equivalent to 5% of the total PERA contribution.
• A contributor may choose to contribute beyond the maximum account but the excess would no longer be entitled to the tax credit.

While the authors of the bill say that the pooled funds will help create new "investments" that will generate more jobs for our countrymen, I remain skeptical about how this will be effectively brought about.

For starters, to simply state that pooled funds will generate "investments" is to be vague about the usage of the term. There are several types of investments ranging from securities, properties, direct, indirect, etc. What specific investments vehicles - particularly those that will generate employment - are most likely to be involved?

To its credit, the government together with the private sector, has done fairly well in generating foreign investments. From a Machiavellian viewpoint, adult entertainment (a.k.a casinos) and BPO-locators that have set up shop in the country have been providing steady employment to a significant number of locals, especially in the first-class towns outside the National Capital Region.

More so, the multiplier effect has spawned small- to medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) such as 24/7 cafes and convenience stores around these locators. However, some establishments such as those from the gaming industry have already drawn flak from the religious, the left- and the right-wing groups, and I - not wanting to draw myself into the muck - am merely stated the point for argument's sake.

In the greater scheme of things, what counts most to an investor is the image of stability conveyed by a potential investment destination. Businessmen - beyond market profitability - look for peace & order (evidenced by a law-abiding citizenry) and laws that will protect protect their businesses and - yes - their interests. Protecting businesses means ensuring the general populace of jobs leading to a better standard of living. This is nothing new and the recurring themes are reminders for us to revisit our investment fundamentals, which lead me back to the original topic: the PERA law.

What our government should focus on is to educate Filipinos about the PERA law and to stress the amount of security and peace of mind that retirement savings offers - notwithstanding the potential earning benefits. Education is especially vital to those who are not keen on investment vehicles. In the meantime, as we wait for the rollout of the implementing guidelines to the PERA law, most of us will have to depend on and contend with our daily and monthly salaries to secure our not so distant futures.

Proj. No. 4 - Some thoughts on the fuel price hike

A speaker is like a painter. He uses words to paint pictures in the minds of his audience such that when he leaves the stage, these images continue to resonate in the hearts of his listeners. If he fails to do this, his speech merely becomes a bunch of words.

In the Toastmasters Competent Communicator (CC) Manual, Speech No. 4 is aptly titled, “How to Say it” and the speaker is encouraged to use words that will distinctly illustrate his viewpoints. For this project, I decided to talk about a recent event - involving the global fuel price increase - that I read about in the papers. Click on the links below to know more:

Angry protesters raid oil firm in Makati
Saksi: Protesters storm Shell headquarters in Makati

I’ve always delivered my speeches in a light, humorous manner but since this was a sensitive topic, I decided to take a more serious and somewhat provocative tone. I hope that it makes sense to you, as much as it did to me, when I first wrote it.

*****

I am alarmed by what I read and by what I see on the news. And I distinctly remember this vivid image of a group of protesters storming and defiling the corporate office of a petroleum company – in protest of high fuel prices.

Bulilit Marquez / AP Photo

What are some of our countrymen coming to? Do they actually think that their violent reactions will trigger a price rollback? Generally speaking, the prices of petroleum worldwide are determined by several factors like consumption, distribution, import taxes, even wars, to name a few. Most of all, fuel prices are greatly affected by market speculation – a perception of the global supply and demand relationship based on the fearless forecasts of international economic experts.

I am not one of these economic gurus nor do I believe that there are economic experts in this room.

Because, if one of us is an expert, we would have trooped to that corporate office and faced that “angry mob” to explain why the fuel prices have gone up, wouldn’t we?

I know I would, because I am tired of sitting on the bleachers and watching the mindless spectacle – the baseless finger-pointing. And I am sick of the violent demonstrations where people lose all accountability.

You know why there is strength in numbers? I believe that it’s not the collaborative effort at all, but the faceless mask that this group collectively creates for every individual participant. People hide behind this mask – this sea of people – because they know they can get away with anything. Almost anything – until they are singled out.

And when they do, what usually happens? There’s always a convenient one-liner that they pull out of their pockets — “I’m only human.”

If you sincerely acknowledge your mistakes then it’s time to stop blaming other people for your own failures. It’s bad enough to know you’re at the bottom of the barrel. It’s worse when you don’t put in the effort to move up or out of your horrible situation.

Filipinos are a lazy lot, aren’t they? It’s all about the weather. The heat encourages us to move and think a little slower. Put it this way, if we had winter, would Filipinos be sitting their romps all year-round? Guess not.

But this hypothesis doesn’t hold true for all warm countries, does it? We have Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong doing really well in spite of the heat. And this, my friends is the last piece of the puzzle. Most of our countrymen are content to be where they are and for the answers to be provided in front of them.

The ladies and gentlemen who trooped to and bastardized that unfortunate corporate office did not have the answers with them. They didn’t know the whole story behind the price increases. But someone told them that the solution was to pelt the building with black, blue and red paint.

I didn’t have the answers that day either. Perhaps not tomorrow, the next day … not even next year. But, I will try to find them and when I do, only then can I reason with unreasonable people. Yes, I can always resort to violence but I believe that fundamentally, respect begets respect.

If, in this lifetime, I never find the answers to life’s more difficult questions – like fuel price increases, then that’s the day that I would take the fight to the streets and appeal to emotion. Maybe, that’s what actually happened to our desperate countrymen. I just hope that someone - hopefully, someone in this room - stops me from making a fool of myself and from becoming part of the larger mindless spectacle we now call Philippine society.

Proj. No. 3 - The Greatest Gift

A speech should have a purpose and once you know your purpose, everything else that you say has to lead to that purpose - to that point, if you will. And that’s what Project No. 3 was all about - to get to the point. So, without further ado, I present to you: Speech No. 3.

*****

What’s the greatest gift you’ve given someone you love?

Was it something that he/she wanted most in life? A dress? A car? The most expensive jewelry piece that took you two jobs, 5 bank loans, 10 years, and 3 loan sharks to pay?

Was it the beach wedding and then the family or families he/she always wanted. Or what is the four letter word that you always avoided saying but always did during your time together — L - O - V - E.

Two days ago i had an online conversation with a friend who lamented that she was a lousy girlfriend. I asked her why and she said that she didn’t attend to her boyfriend’s needs. Surely, I had the biggest grin. In my naughty mind, I felt that the conversation was becoming more interesting so I prodded her to open up. I was all ears.

She said her boyfriend always wanted to know where she was, what she was doing and who she was with - 24/7. For lack of better terms, he always wanted to “be in the loop.”

"Your boyfriend is just probably concerned," I said, thinking that the concern stemmed from the four letter word — L - O - V - E. But I held back because I realized, through his actions, that what he was showing her wasn’t really love. It was insecurity, selfishness and pride wrapped in a very nice package and a disclaimer that says, "I trust you but I don't trust the people around you."

Most men have this natural instinct to protect others; to be the champion protector from all that is harmful: real or imagined. Is it hardwired into our DNA? I don't know.

However, I believe that the greatest gift you can give someone you truly care for is not "overprotectiveness" nor is it love or any of the material things I previously mentioned.

The greatest gift you can give is space. The space for the other person to grow and be himself/herself.

Space is the imaginary shield that protects us. It is everyone’s first line of defense. Breaking this bubble leads to the loss of their personal security, even worse - lawsuits.

As difficult as it may be for us to accept, it is this space that makes us breathe, that makes us live. When we impose our beliefs on others, we deprive them of their right to be inspired, to think for themselves and be free.

Like fine sand in our hand, the more we clench our fist, the more it seeps away. Nature has to take its course. Keep your significant other chained or under tight watch and I’m certain that someday he/she will prove how independent he/she can really be — without us in their lives.

I told my friend to see her situation from the other side of the fence. Maybe he didn't understand her needs. Maybe he needed to give her space. Only time will tell, if they are really meant for each other and I hope that she soon realizes how she wants her relationship with her boyfriend to grow.

So, the next time someone you love asks for space, do so. Next to that most expensive piece of jewelry that took you 2 jobs, 5 bank loans, 10 years, and 3 loan sharks to pay, it is probably the greatest gift you can ever give.

Proj. No. 2 - Running Away

Project No. 2 calls for organizing the speech; making the message clear with supporting material directly contributing to the message. This speech project entails constructing an appropriate outline that enables listeners to easily follow and understand the speech. Therefore, what you will see on this page is what it is - an outline composed of an Opening, Body and Conclusion.

I deliberately did this to sharpen my impromptu speaking skills. Initially, it probably will not make a lot of sense to you. But, I encourage you to feed your own experiences into the outline and find out if you can create strong points that will effectively deliver your message. And no, you don’t have to use ‘running’ as the topic of your discussion.

I would like to thank Ririan of the ririanproject. Most of the information on running you will see on this page was borrowed from his article entitled, 10 Benefits of Running, and How to Do It.

*****

Opening

• Capture the audience: The other day, I had a problem …
• Lead the audience: Then it hit me, why not run away?

Body

• The Benefits of Running
  • Wins the battle of the bulge
  • Prevents muscle and bone loss
  • Fights disease
  • Maintains and improves general health
  • Builds confidence
  • Relieves stress
  • Increases happiness
  • Trains your mind
  • Improves coordination
  • Develops versatility
• Getting Started
  • Equipment
  • Route plan
  • Schedule
  • Proper form
• Things to Remember
  • Warm up
  • Cool down
  • Hydration
  • Socialization

Conclusion

• Review: Running is a wonderful sport …
• Call to Action: When in doubt … run!

Proj. No. 1 - The Icebreaker

Project No. 1 is the introduction or “ice breaker” speech given by new club members. It initiates the new Toastmaster to his first official audience, allowing him and the evaluators to discover his strong and weak speaking and presentation skills. More so, the “ice breaker” speech enables other members to get to know the new member better - in his own words.

For my first speech, I decided to talk about my experience as a cancer patient and survivor. I wanted my club members to understand that despite life’s difficulties, people should be motivated to live, in the best possible way that they believe they can.

*****

What if, during one of your visits to your doctor, he tells you, “I’m sorry but you have cancer”.

What would you do? Well, would you simply believe it. Would you blame yourself or blame God? Or would you just accept it and say, “So what? So, I’ll die.” As hard as it seems, I did all of these in one day. And that was the one day that I will never forget.

Surely, he could be kidding, right? There’s no way that could happen to him. Ladies and gentlemen, six cycles of chemotherapy, thirty-three sessions of radiotherapy and two major surgeries were what it took for me to be here – in front of all of you – and deliver this intro speech.

So, what did I do? How did I survive?

I became a fighter.

Do you know what happens to you when your body goes through chemotherapy? The light hurts your eyes, the food - no matter how great - stinks. You can’t eat. You can’t sleep. Everything sucks. And you have to live with the fact that tomorrow may be your last day. There I was, helpless, too weak to even move out of my own bed.

I lost my faith. I felt like I lost my mind. And the only thoughts that kept me strong – that kept me alive – were the memories of a loved one and a daughter I could have been without. There’s truth in knowing the real value of those who matter most, when you’re on the brink of losing them.

But more than being just a fighter, I had to become something more.

I became a lover.

I learned to love life despite its cruelties, notwithstanding the injustices. And how I loved unconditionally! Love and give the world all you’ve got and you can get hurt. But love and give the world all you’ve got anyways because that’s what life is all about. Isn’t it?

You can’t stop the world from spinning, the rain from falling or a flower from blooming. Well, not if you end its life. But who are we to end another’s, much more our own? If one day, you find yourself in that spot, where all hope is gone, please remember me – someone who’s been in the dumps. Once a loser, once an alcoholic … but that story is for another time.

Remember … To fight for yourself and fight for those you love. Love those you fight for, and most of all, love yourself because that’s where it all begins – from within. That’s what you do and should do. It doesn’t have to take your doctor or anybody else to say, “I’m sorry. You have cancer.”

Hello! My name is Louie: a fighter, a lover, a survivor. It was a pleasure meeting you.

About Toastmasters

I am a Toastmaster. No, I don't make toasters.

Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps people learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking - vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential and foster human understanding.

The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

Butter ‘N Toast, the club that I belong to, is one of the funniest, most dynamic and fastest growing clubs in the Philippines.

The Toastmasters program is basically divided into two separate development tracks in Communication and Leadership. Progress in each track is dependent on the presentation of speeches (also called projects) and taking on roles within the club.

As part of a Toastmaster's development towards the Competent Communicator level, he/she is required to deliver 10 basic speeches, each with its own set of goals & objectives. The basic level of project or role completion for new members leads to the entitlement of the Competent Communicator and the Competent Leader awards, respectively.

I will be sharing my speech projects with you, which you can also find by clicking on the Speeches link on the right side of this page. Feel free to share your thoughts about the speech projects or to get in touch with me, if you are interested in attending our bi-monthly meetings, which are held every other Thursday evening in the Penthouse of the Old Manila Stock Exchange Building starting at 7PM.

Admission to the meetings is free and we invite everyone who is interested in developing their leadership and communication skills to drop by, participate and just have a great time with other Toastmastes and guests.

See you there! Cheers!

In Memoriam

I wrote this last April 13, the day after my good friend was laid to rest. The article was previously posted in my first blog and as a tribute to my friend, I am relocating it here. RIP Michael Maglente.

---

Michael, one of my closest friends passed away.

A tumor, discovered in his nasal cavity a year ago, metastasized to his brain. Despite treatments and his will to live, his weakened body succumbed to organ failure. He was buried yesterday.

Some people would say that Michael lived an unfortunate life. Shortly, after being diagnosed with cancer, his wife left him for another man. As his condition worsened, he lost his job and - eventually - sight in his left eye.

Yet throughout his suffering, he persevered with his treatments because he wanted to live for his son. In spite of his family’s shame and disgust, he forgave his unfaithful wife - not just once - but three times.

In one of our conversations, he said that to love is to forgive and that he will always forgive his wife because he loved her. True enough, Michael proved it three weeks before he died.

His wife called to say goodbye because she was leaving the country with her new lover. My friend’s first words as he spoke to the receiver were, “I forgive you for everything.” Nothing else that followed really mattered because, after all that has happened, he still wanted her back in his life.

Faith in the impossible was a virtue that Michael possessed. When I too, was diagnosed with cancer seven years ago, Michael cheerfully told me to have faith in God and in myself - things I lost along the way - because he knew that I would survive. To this day, I have no doubt in my mind that he prayed hard for me during those trying times.

Now, seven years after my ordeal, I can only cry; knowing that I could never give him the same courage he showed me. Since last year’s reunion, when he announced the disease, Michael’s family kept his deteriorating condition a secret from everyone. My friends and I never saw him suffer. All this time, we thought he got better. We were so wrong.

Yesterday, a single picture frame stood on top of his coffin. In that frame was a photo of the most beautiful smile anyone could have ever seen. We will always remember Michael that way - the boy with the brave smile and the fearless heart.

Thank you, Michael, for giving us the gift of your life and your friendship. Until we meet again …

Rest in peace, my friend - my brother.

I hold it true, whate’er befall;

I feel it when I sorrow most;

‘Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all.

- In Memoriam A.H.H by Lord Alfred Tennyson

When the guns stop firing

It's liberating to know that we hold in our hands the power to create and to destroy a nation.

In the past few days, renegade members of the armed separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) butchered several civilians & soldiers, bombed commercial establishments and torched a number of houses & vehicles, in retaliation to a failed peace agreement - the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) - with the government.

In the BusinessWorld article titled, "Moro rebels step up attacks on civilians in Lanao del Norte," Geefe L. Alba and Darwin T. Wee write, "the agreement reportedly provides the possibility of reclassifying 80% of the city's land area under the proposed Muslim homeland or Bangasmoro Juridicial Entity." To the layperson such as myself, this easily translates to a "state within a state". Mindanao, with its rich culture, heritage and natural resources, has always been a land of promise - and it's no wonder why everyone is interested in harnessing this dormant wellspring.

However, while I feel for our Moslem brothers and sisters, I begin to wonder what 'state' they will live in, assuming that the MOA-AD is executed by the two parties. How will the MILF or the Bangsamoro Juridicial Entity (BJE) be able to offer a better alternative for Mindanao? How will they make the renegade factions accountable for their criminal acts?

For the commoner like myself, a better awareness or education of the economic/developmental platform would be immensely helpful. How this platform (and the necessary action steps) is shared with the rest of our countrymen is probably the biggest challenge that the BJE or MILF should face.

The development of Mindanao, and the rest of the Philippines, lie within each of us as we play our significant, little parts in achieving this dream of national progress; be it delivering our work "on time & in full", properly disposing of the garbage in our streets, following traffic rules, or paying our taxes correctly. In the end, liberation is a choice that we must make and we must do so understanding the full consequences of our actions.

But for the war in Mindanao, most of us are merely spectators to the events as they unfold. With the government enjoying the support of the major dailies and television networks (almost all of them anyways), the President's vision - of a shift from "armed groups to communities" - of developing appears to be a better (public relations?) alternative - notwithstanding her unpopularity at the recent polls. The proclamation resounds even more because it is taken from the stance of tranquility and levelheadedness amidst the turmoil.

As the fighting rages on, I expect the the unaccounted number of missing and dead people - from both sides - to continue rising. While I do not agree with the forceful actions taken by some of the MILF insurgents, I believe that everyone deserves to be heard.

When the guns stop firing, only then will we clearly understand what everyone is saying and the healing can truly take place.