12 Little Things You Can Do For Your Country- Alex Lacson

This is lifted from the book written by Alex Lacson, which was published in 2005. Read
on………..
1. Follow traffic rules. Follow the law.
2. Whenever you buy or pay for anything, always ask for an official receipt
3. Don’t buy smuggled goods. Buy Filipino. Buy local.
4. When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak positively about us and our country.
5. Respect your traffic officer, policeman, and soldier.
6. Do not litter. Dispose your garbage properly. Segregate. Recycle. Conserve.
7. Support your church.
8. During elections, do your solemn duty.
9. Pay your employees well.
10. Pay your taxes.
11. Adopt a scholar or a poor child.
12. Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and love our country.
The list may seem so simple but doing these little things individually can really add up to great
things collectively.
Kudos to my fellow Filipinos who have followed the above by heart. For those who have not yet,
it’s time to start the change we seek ………with ourselves………….now.

What's one thing Filipino motorists have mastered over years upon years of plying Manila's
traffic-infested streets? It's not maneuvering in and out of jam-packed lanes, finding alternate
routes, or squeezing into claustrophobic parking spaces—though you do get points for these
answers. It's the art of complaining.

Not a day goes by where we don’t hear a fellow motorist gripe and moan about the lethargic flow
of metal on our streets. Whether it's on social media or over a couple of beers at wherever's
happening at the moment (after an hour or two stuck in a sea of red lights, of course), it doesn't
matter. It's painfully obvious that complaining about traffic has become a Filipino pastime.
We have every right to express our frustrations. For years, government agencies have attempted
to mask the issue with band-aid solutions and nonsensical traffic plans. In fact, they still do. It
doesn't help that the Philippines has one of the most pitiful excuses for a public transportation
system in the region, too. But before you grab a pitchfork and light a torch—or do the modern
equivalent and bang at your keyboard—you should ask yourself: Are you doing your part?

Now hold that thought. Below are a handful of traffic rules—very simple ones, might we add—
which have fallen off most motorists' radars either due to lack of enforcement or a general sense
of apathy. Ask yourself if you're disregarding any of them, and refrain from passing the buck to
buses, jeepneys, incompetent traffic enforcers and the like. If you tick more than a couple of
boxes down there, it might be time to reassess the role you play in all this.
1) The yellow lane rule. You know how everyone loves to hate on buses for swerving in and out
of their designated lane? Well, private cars aren't supposed to use it for getting ahead of traffic
either. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is currently trying to sort
things out regarding this, so let's wait and see how things pan out.
2) The yellow box. This is a big one. Please, for the love of God, when you see that you have
nowhere to go on the other side of the intersection, just stay put and wait. If you push on through
and end up stuck in the center as the light turns red, you're going to look like an idiot—that's if
you still even care at this point.

3) The Anti-Distracted Driving Act. It seems like only yesterday everybody was up in arms
over this. Fast forward a couple of months into its implementation and it seems like almost
everyone is back to using their smartphones behind the wheel. Although if you ask us the
implementation was poorly thought of to begin with.
4) You're supposed to stop at stop signs. Yes. Who would've thought those big red signs with
the word STOP on them served an actual purpose? Outside of Subic and a few other select areas,
it's as if the four-letter word doesn't exist. You're supposed to actually stop a few seconds when
you come across it. Now to be fair, the signs aren't always visible, so hopefully concerned
agencies can work on addressing this.
5) Don't block pedestrians. You see those white stripes on the street? You know, the one where
people walk across. It's there so people without cars can get to the other side of the street—it's
not supposed to serve as a waiting area while you anticipate a green light. Make it a point not to
block it at intersections.

6) Jaywalking is still a thing. Speaking of the pedestrian lane, you don't necessarily need to be
behind the wheel to muck up the flow of traffic. Just as cars should sometimes give way, so
should pedestrians. Know when and, more important, where you should cross. This is one of the
simplest of rules, yet also one of the least followed.
7) Loading and unloading zones. This should be pretty self-explanatory. If you're waiting for a
PUV to pick you up, please do so at a designated loading area. We can't stress how important
this is. During rush hour, mobs of commuters can take up even a good portion of the road.
Likewise, only get off at designated unloading areas—it doesn't matter where the bus stops. If
the vehicle isn't stopped where it's supposed to, do not get off.

Filipinos cannot progress if they cannot follow even simple guidelines

March 21, 2011 - by Ilda - 810 Comments.

A noted blog commentator once made an assertion that the Philippines will never be a great
nation unless Filipinos learn to live by the principle of the “rule of law”. Indeed, some people
even insist that none of the calls by certain sectors of Philippine society for a system change like
a shift from a Presidential to a Parliamentary system or even constitutional amendments will
work to uplift the status of the nation because most Filipinos simply cannot follow the “rule of
law.”
It is quite certain that the success of any nation depends on the character of the head of state and
the character of the people in general. A strong leader will put the interest of the nation first
before anything else. A strong leader supported by strong institutions can work towards
achieving social and economic stability for the people.
However, a weak leader in a country like the Philippines, which has weak institutions will tend
to succumb to the world-renowned Filipino “padrino” system — a system that trumps any other
system in place. Worse, such a leader will mask his weakness or understanding of the law by
acting like he is above the law.
A weak leader, whether he is leading a country or a small community tends to let praises or
expressions of adoration from the public get to his head. Because he is easily impressed by such
accolades, he also tends to become arrogant and will see criticism of him as a mere non-
constructive annoyance. Such a leader will not work towards unity and harmony in Philippine
society. Unfortunately, weak systems tend to harbor weak leaders.

What is with Filipinos and following the rule of law?

There is very little evidence that Filipinos are capable of living by the “rule of law”. The society
is quite extraordinary in the sense that simple rules and regulations whether on the road or in the
work place are for the most part ignored. This is because each individual has this baseless sense
of being more important than everybody else. It is why you see people cutting you off on
highway lanes on the road or pushing their way in lines ahead of the rest in a queue. In other
words, Filipinos in general tend to put their own interest first before other people.
As a blogger, I quite often come across commentators who cannot even follow simple
commenting guidelines. There are some participants in the blogosphere who constantly violate
the guidelines by consistently writing obscenities and foul language on forums just to give the
impression that they are above the guidelines. The funny thing is, being moderated does not even
stop them from misbehaving. They even cry foul for being moderated instead of conforming to
the guidelines.
This brings us to another world-renowned Filipino mentality — the “victim” mentality. Filipinos
are good at playing the “victim card” because they are very sensitive and emotional people. They
play the victim card in front of the public to get as much attention as possible. Filipinos always
try to get around following any rules and regulations or even simple guidelines by appealing to
emotion.
Filipino victim mentality was quite evident in the case of a group of nurses in the US who
reportedly filed a discrimination complaint when their employer called their attention
for speaking too much in their native Tagalog at work. Victim mentality was also quite evident
in the way the Philippine government tried to intervene and stop the execution of three drug
mules that were sentenced to death in China for violating their anti-drug rule. Likewise, victim
mentality is definitely evident in the way the incumbent President, Noynoy Aquino (PNoy) cries
foul whenever he is criticized for decisions that were obviously not thought through very well.
It is quite interesting to note that some Filipinos would rather act like idiots than follow the rules.
They always want to find an easy way out of a situation. They want to make uncomplicated
things complicated. This brings us to another world-renowned Filipino trait: “lack of discipline.”
Filipinos in general are incapable of any form of discipline because they focus more on form
rather than substance. In short, they want to stand out. They lack the discipline to engage in
discussions in a civilized way and lack the discipline to not turn a public forum into a circus.
This is why issues do not get resolved. This is a consistent observation — from every Senate
inquiry being broadcast to the Filipino public down to the most benign discussions in the
blogosphere, Filipinos love honking their horns.
Worse, Filipinos in general feel a strong sense of entitlement to relax or “chill-out” even when
there is still so much to do to move the country forward. Instead of discussing solutions
seriously and in detail during their spare time, Filipinos would rather spend it fooling around —
never mind that societies from great nations like China, Japan and South Korea have historically
shown that being more serious and devoting more of their time to solving problems yields better
results in the long term.
From the top guys and gals sitting behind desks at the Presidential office down to the tricycle
driver down the road, everyone just wants to have “fun” in the Philippines first before tackling
the problems of the land in a more serious manner. You can be forgiven for thinking that one hit
wonder Wang Chung probably wrote the song “Everybody have fun tonight” for Filipinos. It can
absolutely boggle the mind to wonder why Filipinos cannot limit switching to party mode when
they are at an actual party.
As discussed in my previous article, Filipinos are proud of being a happy-go-lucky society and
make it a point to show the rest of the world that they are coping with smiling faces despite the
dire circumstances they face. This mentality shows that Filipinos are satisfied with mediocrity
and find striving for excellence too daunting. A few remaining Filipinos who want to engage in a
more serious discussions are even labeled “kill-joy” or “librarians.” Aside from their penchant
for bullying when others don’t engage in “pakikisama,” Filipinos indeed, have a tendency to
discriminate against more sober ways of tackling solutions.
Unfortunately, a 90 year old study by psychologist Dr Leslie Martin and his colleagues in
California suggested that “too much of a sense that everything will be fine can be dangerous
because it can lead one to be careless about things that are important to long life.” Likewise, the
study also showed that those who are always optimistic take more gambles with their health.
They were more likely to drink, smoke and eat badly, which is a typical characteristic of a
Filipino. While prudent and persistent individuals are more cautious with their health and overall
wellbeing – characteristics that are less likely to be found in Filipinos.
Filipinos have so much to learn from the Japanese. Despite the devastation that the people of
Japan experienced due to the magnitude 8.9 earthquake that hit country and the killer tsunami
that followed immediately after, people around the world admired the stoicism and orderly
reaction of the Japanese. People in most societies would have found themselves wailing in
misery and chaos after such destruction.
Maia Szalavitz in an article she wrote for TIME magazine aptly described how it works for the
Japanese — they follow the belief that “others are at least on par with the self, if not more
important.” Here’s an excerpt:
“In restaurants, you never pour your own sake, you have to notice whose glass is empty and you
serve them. It’s these little rituals [that have prepared them for this crisis] so that even if you
have one bowl of rice, you share it with a stranger.
The wonderful thing about the Japanese is that they are presenting an example of the pro-social
power of the group. The group as a whole is saying explicitly or implicitly, this is what we do:
no looting, no horn honking even if you’re in a 12 mile traffic jam, no complaining. [CNN’s]
Anderson Cooper said he’d never seen such calm in the face of such adversity.”
Not that Filipinos need copy what the Japanese do to a tee, but the most interesting thing to note
about societies like Japan is that nobody has the desire to grandstand. Individuals do not want to
show that they are more important than everybody else. This is in stark contrast to people in
societies like the Philippines where people in general want to be the “star.” And this is the reason
why some Filipinos think that they are above the “law” or above even just simple “guidelines.”
Discipline should be inculcated at an early age. If people are not taught how to follow rules and
regulations when they are still young, they will be shocked to realize once they enter the “adult”
world that they will have a hard time coping with life if they keep deviating from the rules that
put order in society. Which is what is happening to most Filipinos now.

1. 1st : Follow traffic rules. Follow the law ▪ Traffic rules are the most basic of our
country’s laws. If we learn to follow them, it could be the lowest form of national
discipline we can develop as a people. A culture of discipline is crucial to our destiny as a
nation. ▪ Whenever we follow traffic rules, we show our love for our neighbor, our love
for the Filipino.
2. 3. 2nd : Always ask for an official receipt ▪ Asking for ORs leads to higher tax
collections, which means more funds for our government, which could strengthen our
economy and lead us to progress. ▪ Whenever we help our government in helping our
people, we show our love for our neighbor.

Why It's Important to Ask for a Receipt

By Karen Godsaint | Submitted On January 11, 2011

Sometimes we get so busy or preoccupied with important things that we tend to overlook the tiny
ones that matter more. For instance, parking in a restricted area that cost you a day's meal, failing
to throw your trash in the bin that resulted you to a month-long community service, or just
plainly forgetting to ask for your receipt that prompted you to be contented of a product that's not
so satisfying.
Yes, we often do that, and we can do something to prevent it from even happening.
I'll take the forgetting-to-ask-for-a-receipt scenario.
Receipts, what are they? Why are these little pieces of paper that has an ink erasable in a week's
time so valuable for consumers? Receipts are proof of purchases. It contains important
information such as the establishment's name and contact details, goods or services ordered,
individual product price, and the total amount paid. It's extremely important, both for the
consumers, and for the government.
For the consumers:
First, it is the sole proof of your purchase. If you are dissatisfied with your product, say, a pair of
pants that does not fit well on the person you just gave it to, you can use the receipt to change the
item to your desired size or you can find another fabulous pair. Some establishments has limited
number of days in which you're allowed to return the item, and some has no restrictions at all.
Just make sure to return the item in good condition.
Next, you can use it for warranty purposes. If you have used the product in a month's time before
it presented with a problem, then you can just show the receipt and avail of free repair services or
change broken parts that are included in the warranty policy.
Third, it can be used to monitor your expenses. It's important to know where your money goes,
so that you can control your spending. Most of the paper receipts nowadays have inks that are
easily wiped out so it's important to always keep a copy of it immediately. You can photocopy it
or keep an electronic duplicate by using a receipt scanner.
For the authority:
One of the things that ensures the registration of a business establishment is through its ability to
issue an official receipt. To make sure that companies are declaring the correct amount of income
and that they are paying the right amount of taxes, they are required to give an official receipt
and the consumer has the right to always ask for one.
So the next time you go for a manicure or order a cake, demand a receipt, and if the
establishment denies you one, you are always welcome to report them to the authorities.
Karen Godsaint has created several reviews regarding receipt scanners
[http://www.receiptscannerhq.com/shoeboxed-plus-freshbooks-%E2%80%93-the-perfect-
combination] and receipt scanning software. For more information, go to her online receipt
scanner [http://www.receiptscannerhq.com/] site now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5701688

BY INLIFE Insular life

September 07, 2016
ADOPT-A- SCHOLAR PROGRAM: SUSTAINING THE FUTURE ONE STEP AT A
TIME
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Aside from their names, we often ask children what they want to become in the future. Usual
answers include being a teacher, doctor, policeman, nurse, engineer, even the president of the
country. Children begin dreaming at a young age. It is important, then, to sustain this through
proper education. But in a country besieged by poverty, education can be quite expensive, even
with the presence of the public educational system. After all, attending one’s classes is just one
thing. There are other needs that must be met: school supplies, uniforms, bag, shoes, packed
food, and transportation to and from school.

Believing that small steps may be taken to make these children’s future better, Insular Life
embarked on an employee-volunteerism program in 2009 called “Adopt-A- Scholar,” where
employees voluntarily adopted more than a hundred Grade One students from Itaas Elementary
School (IES), located inside the New Bilibid Compound in Muntinlupa City. In 2011, a new
batch of 113 grade one students was adopted by employees. Those adopted in 2009 have
graduated from grade school in 2015, while those in 2011 will graduate in March next year. The
scholars come from the poorest families in the community and some of them are even children of
prisoners and prison guards. Their sponsors pledged to support their schooling by providing each
scholar a year’s supply of school supplies, a set of uniform, a bag or a pair of shoes, and
storybooks.

These children look forward to the yearly turnover ceremonies where they would receive their
school things from their sponsors. Scholar Mujahida Mikee Udal shares how the Program has
helped her and her family, “Nakakatulong po ito sa pagtitipid sa gastos dahil po si papa ay hindi
lubos makapagbigay ng financial support kasi po ang papa ko ay walang trabaho.” (It helps
lessen our expenses because my father cannot give us financial support because he is
unemployed.) This is echoed by scholar Mariel Bautista, “Malaking-malaki ang tulong na mga
school supplies upang magamit ko ito sa aking pag-aaral. Ang mga bag, uniform, at shoes ay
malaking tulong din sa akin at sa mga gastusin ng aking mga magulang.” (The school supplies
are a very big help in my studies. The bags, uniforms and shoes are also a big help in lessening
my parents’ expenses).

The sponsors benefit from the Program, too. Their experiences of hardships and trials early in
life prompted them to be part of the program, help the less fortunate, and have kept them
grounded. Metchie Narciso, a customer service assistant of Insular Life’s Davao office shares, “I
am the youngest in a brood of 8, and the first child to graduate from College. It is my big pride
and honor to have done so despite not having much in life. If you really have the desire to go to
school, you can make it. God will provide as long as we also do our part.”

For Maricor Baron, a supervisor of Corporate Accounts Department who has been a long-time
volunteer of the Big Brother, Big Sister Philippines since 2006, the Adopt-A- Scholar Program is
another avenue for sharing her blessings. “In Big Brother, Big Sister Phils., every year in
May, we distribute school bags and school supplies to remote mountainous areas. While the
government usually provides free education in those remote areas, most often, parents
cannot send their kids to school because they cannot provide the school supplies. I was very
happy when Insular Life initiated the Adopt-A- Scholar Program because it will help the
kids achieve their dreams.”

And yet, again, for some, being a part of the Program is a commitment they have made between
themselves and God. “I have made a commitment to God that 10% of my bonuses will be
offered back to Him, so by sponsoring 5 children, I have partly fulfilled my promise to
Him,” says Rey Ealdama, Senior Manager and Head of the Customer Information Management
Department.

Aside from the school materials, the top 3 scholars are also given cash awards at the end of each
school year. Samuel Bryan Daduya, who has been the top student for the last 4 years, and who
dreams of becoming an engineer someday, vows to weather the hardships, come what
may. “Minsan po kulang ang baon at pamasahe ko kaya tinitipid ko na lang po ang baon
ko upang makapasok sa eskwela pero magsisikap at magsisipag pa rin po ako sa aking pag-
aaral upang maabot ko ang aking mga pangarap.” (Sometimes, I do not have enough money
for food and transportation so I try to be thrifty so I can go to school, but I will still strive hard in
my studies so I can reach my dreams.)

Nation-building through education, is a responsibility that should be shared by every Filipino.

We do our part in ensuring that our children have a good future if we sustain their need for
education. Insular Life’s Adopt-A- Scholar Program aims to accomplish this, little by little, so
that these children can achieve their dreams and become productive citizens of our country
someday.