Tag Archives: Philippines

Human Interest, International, Politics, The Media

WHY PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT AQUINO WILL NOT BE NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE THIS YEAR

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imageManila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The rumor mill in Manila has started to rock and roll, thanks to allegations that the Aquino government has lobbied for the Philippine president’s nomination for the prestigious 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.  Naturally, the presidential palace went into full gear: deny, deny, deny.

Among previous Nobel Prize winners were Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and of course, Barack Obama. According to sources, Aquino is being nominated for his consistent policy of rhetoric over the use of force – military and otherwise – in dealing with the country’s territorial dispute with China, the Muslim rebel movement, the pork barrel scandal, and yes, even his decision on naming National Artists.

The Adobo Chronicles can now confirm that indeed, Aquino will NOT be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize this year. The reason? His staff were late in submitting his nomination which was due on January 31.

According to the Nobel Prize rules:

“Nomination forms are sent by the Nobel Committee to about 3,000 individuals, usually in September the year before the prizes are awarded. These individuals are often academics working in a relevant area. For the Peace Prize, inquiries are sent to governments, members of international courts, professors and rectors, former Peace Prize laureates and current or former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The deadline for the return of the nomination forms is 31 January of the year of the award.”

So blame it on Filipino time. Or, maybe, Aquino’s staff were too busy preparing statements and press releases denying every single allegation or criticism lodged at the president.

Till next year.

 

Business, Economy, Health & Medicine, Human Interest, International, Language, Technology, Travel

PHILIPPINES OVERTAKES INDIA AS CALL CENTER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, THANKS TO NURSES

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imageManila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – If you try to call customer service to inquire about your credit card or online product orders, chances are you will be speaking to someone from India or the Philippines, the top countries where U.S.-based companies have outsourced their phone services via call centers.

Until recently, India was considered the call center capital of the world. Not anymore. With an estimated 400,000 Filipinos working in call centers, the Philippines has displaced India from the top spot, thanks to Filipino nurses. Say what?

Nursing has become one of top courses and professions in the Philippines, with local universities graduating anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 every year.

With the very limited number of local hospitals and more stringent requirements for nursing graduates seeking employment in the U.S., it is now estimated that close to half a million licensed Filipino nurses are unemployed or underemployed.

But no worries. Filipino nurses are now being hired by the growing number of call centers in the country, and this has attracted many foreign companies to outsource their services to the Philippines. The reason? Customers who are connected to the Philippine call centers get an extra perk: free medical advice.  Calling the centers is like calling Kaiser Permanente or Blue Cross Blue Shield and speaking to an advice nurse.

After answering customer queries about their credit card or online orders, Filipino call center representatives will ask, “and how are you doing today, healthwise?” The caller can then proceed to ask health-related questions.

So the next time you are connected to a call center in the Philippines, don’t forget to ask about the side effects of your medication or what over-the-counter drug you should be taking for your allergies.

 

 

Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Politics, The Media

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PHILIPPINE JAIL INMATES GO ON HUNGER STRIKE

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Philippine jail inmates in the viral YouTube video "Thriller"
Philippine jail inmates in the viral YouTube video “Thriller”

Cebu City, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Chances are you’ve seen the viral YouTube video featuring hundreds of jail inmates dancing to a choreographed version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

Now these same Cebu City inmates, joined by tens of thousands of others incarcerated in Philippine jails and prisons, have gone into a hunger strike. Their demands?  Larger jail cells, airconditioning and free wi-fi access.

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) estimate the total prisoners at 80,000.  BuCor has jurisdiction over national prisons while BJMP oversees jails in cities, towns and provinces.

The striking inmates were emboldened upon learning that two senators who are now in jail in connection with plunder charges arising from the Ten Billion pork barrerl scam, have demanded more comfortable jail conditions, including airconditioning, gourmet meals, refrigerators, television sets and Internet access, among others.  The two senators are Bong Revilla, Jr., and Jinggoy Estrada.

“If our leaders can demand better conditions in their jail cells – or bungalows – why can’t we?”  the strikers said.

President NoyNoy Aquino was reported  to be under severe stress as a result of the national hunger strike, especially because he has always proclaimed that under the law, every Filipino will be treated equally. Witnesses observed that Aquino has been continuously puffing cigarettes as a result of the stress.