Liberal International 57th Congress Teaser

Launched last 10 February 2011 at Dusit Thani Hotel
Credits: 
Made by: Narwin Espiritu
Clips: National Geographic
GMA 7
Song : “Manila” by Hotdogs

RYLI at Davao City

Liberalis with Mr. Emmanuel Herbosa,
descendant from Lucia-Rizal-Herbosa

Last October 28, the Order of the Knights of Rizal and the Kabataang Pangangap ni Rizal have convened at the Pinnacle Hotel & Suites in Davao City to celebrate the Joint 9th Visayas anf 10th Mindanao Rizal Youth Leadership Institute.  

The highlight of the activity is the determination of each participant's Dapitan.  What is my Dapitan?  This question was answered by Mr. Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV when he shared how their Microventures business dealt with small entrepreneurs of the country.  He also added how Rags to Riches of Payatas has developed from mere "garbage collector" to a fashionable makers of trendy bags and accessories.

As for Liberalis, "What is my Dapitan?"   For me, I can say that my Dapitan is my own initiative to bring our the advocates in each part of the island in fighting the diseases of poverty through governance and volunteerism.  Simple act maybe, but the extent of the act may seem to be difficult to achieve.  This is therefore a Dapitan, a not-so-easy advocacy to bring development among people.

Two New Cellphone Scam! Beware!

FIRST:

Please be informed of a new cellphone scam as follows: 
1. You will receive a call from somebody who would introduce himself/herself to be alledgedly from the customer service of your network provider. 
2. He/she would then ask you to turn off your phone for two to three hours for system update. 
3. They would then call your relatives that you have been kidnapped, and ask them to deposit money to a certain bank account. 
4. Since your relatives cannot contact you, they may be frantic and panic and would do as instructed. 

As a precaution, do not give any personal information over the phone without positively identifying the caller. Contact your network provider to verify calls received from alledged customer service. 

Kindly share this information with your relatives and friends in order that they may not be victimized.

SECOND:
Someone sent this story to me and now feel obliged to forward it to others as it is. 

A lady has changed her habit of how she lists her names in her cell phone directory after her handbag was stolen.Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, purse, etc was stolen. 

Twenty minutes later she called her husband, from a pay telephone telling him what had happened. Her husband said, 'I just received your text message asking about our pin number and I replied a little while ago.' When they rushed down to the bank, the staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text her husband listed in the directory and got a hold of their pin number. Within twenty minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account. 

Moral of the lesson: 
Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people on your call list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Mom, Dad, etc., and very importantly, when sensitive information is being asked for through text messages, CONFIRM by calling back. 

Also, when you are being texted (SMS-ed) by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you do not reach them, be very careful about going to places to meet 'family and friends' who text you. 

Statement of the ADB President

In my previous blog entry, I have mentioned that the world is nearing the realization of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.  Similarly, with my latest reading of the ADB Review, I would like to quote ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda to the High-Level Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly last 22 September 2010 in New York.

“No global effort to achieve the MDGs will succeed unless our region succeeds.”

Asia and the Pacific comprises 3/5 of the world population and 2/3 of the world’s poor is in this region.  With this populace, ADB President Kuroda is definitely right when he assessed that there could be no success in achieving the MDGs eventhough the global community desires or efforts so not unless our region, the Asia and the Pacific succeed in the realization of the goals.  Therefore, the best hope to achieve the MDG is the Asia and the Pacific.

Moreover, the target to reduce extreme income poverty is in sight as more than 500 million people had overcame poverty since 1990.  Additionally, Pres. Kuroda emphasized that the region is likely to achieve universal primary school enrolment by 2015, attain gender parity in education, meet the target on access to safe drinking water and halt the spread of the deadly diseases such as TB and HIV.

For more information and detailed copy of the Statement of President Kuroda, please download at ADB website.

Ilocos Sur's Preparedness with Typhoon Juan [Megi]

The province of Ilocos Sur has prepared for the entry of Typhoon Juan (internationally known as Megi).  Yesterday (Sunday, October 17), the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) convened and tackled on the province' preparedness, response and rehabilitation.  Provincial departments and national agencies has specifically defined their responsibilities.  Philippine Army on the other hand has already placed their equipment in front of the Capitol in anticipation of rescue.

According to PAGASA, the province of Ilocos Sur is the exit point of Typhoon Juan.  Its maximum winds is 225 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 260 kph at 19 kph and estimated to bring 20 mm of rainfall, half of Typhoon Ondoy last September 26, 2009.  Figure below shows the forecast of the agency.

The image below shows the satellite shot of Typhoon Megi from Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).