Street Parade Breaks Quietude in Roads Bored in Quaint

CATHOLIC PROCESSION  DAY BEFORE MAY

Glaring lights, colorful garbs, deck props, standees, and flower garlands, upped the colorful parade/  procession held on the roads of a private subdivision in Las Pinas City, just a day before May. As if it heralds the beginning of the season of celebrations and festivals, the simple community fete featured music and hordes of locals in different attire,  walking in lit-hyped fashion along with traditional Catholic faith representations. The parade was a welcome breather from watching the usuals-- still uneventful streets, that are usually associated with the city of Las Pinas.

DON’T MAX OUT YOUR MICRO-CREDIT “MISIS" THRIFTER!

 For those who’d like everything in small packages, here are some “little bundle” tips that can help you avoid the word “budol”
 

Not everyone can afford to buy in bulk. Spend all luxe. And loan in max-out fashion.

For the ordinary "misis", “sky is limited.”

These days, even micro-financing companies acknowledge this “tingi” (in Filipino speak this refers to buying things in small packages) philosophy, when shoppers and loaners get only a “minimum”,  and balk at making purchases in big spend fashion.

They are the “wais loaners”. If you’re one of them, you probably know by this time that:

Most digital wallets available these days, which have spawned the digital transformation in the new normal, have been offering micro-loans to their customers.

Name your microloan and they have it—from 2,000-5,000 without documents needed. However, there are sparkling differences to micro loan services that you have to know before jumping in:

MICRO LOANS NOT JUST FROM DIGITAL WALLETS OR MOBILE SERVICE COMPANIES ARE FOR SHORT-TERM LOANS ONLY. THAT MEANS YOU CANNOT FOREGO THE SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT, UNLIKE THAT OF CREDIT CARDS, WHERE THERE USED TO BE FLEXIBILITY IN PAYMENT TERMS AND SCHEDULES.

MICROLOANS HAVE THAT CHARACTERISTIC OF IMMEDIACY. If your need for a microloan is A.S.A.P, (as soon as possible), you also have to know that in terms of debt collection, microloans do not follow the schedule to the dot. Sometimes, microloan providers follow up on payments way in advance of the deadline and ask you VIA  MOBILE APP AND TEXT PROMPTS to fill up your e-wallets when your load is down.

MICRO-LOANS, JUST LIKE THE NAME SUGGESTS, ARE NOT FOR THE BIG SPENDER BUT FOR THE THRIFTERS. If you have a need for big-time loans, a microloan from your favorite digital services and micro-financing company may not do the right product for you.

 

SO MISIS THRIFTER, PUT A BREAK INTO YOUR PEDAL AND HAVE A HOLD OF YOUR DIGITAL WALLETS, even if the age of digital transformation has come.

 

NEWSREVIEWPH 2023

posted by the writer on April 28, 2023, 5:42pm

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WHEN IT’S ABOVE HOT, HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR SKIN?

This article is all about not taking the hot weather's effects for granted.

In my own language of body temp, upon observing how the weather affects my own, I noticed that 29 degrees is already too hot a weather for my body to absorb. 

So when Pag-Asa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration)  warns about 40 degrees weather hot, I can’t simply imagine what the sun's heat can do to the ordinary human body, knowing for a fact we cannot literally block the sunrays like a superhero in the urban scape.

But starting with the simple, we can minimize our exposure to the sun. Here are some uncomplicated ways of keeping ourselves aptly covered during the summer:

1.      Stay covered. Best to be indoors when you’re not on the beach for a vacation. This is a fool-proof way of keeping one's self safe. It is the most preemptive way to avoid heatstroke.

2.      Bring a UV umbrella. An ordinary umbrella would not be enough to keep the sun's glare out. The best one to use is that which gives the widest shade no matter how heavy it is to lounge around.  At home, try these many ways to keep the sunlight bearable even when it permeates into the house :

PLACE A CANTILEVER UMBRELLA THAT GIVES ENOUGH OUTDOOR SPACE AND MAKES WAY FOR LESS CLUTTER EVEN IF YOUR OUTDOORS ARE SHADED. It is a practical home accessory to own especially during the peak of summer.

 For portable use, try the black tone umbrella or anything that has a double lining, UV filter umbrella. Do not use the transparent kind of umbrella for summer, even if it's for aesthetic purposes. Umbrellas must be of dark color and made of thick fabric to use for sun-protect.  

3.       ENOUGH WITH THE STEREOTYPED CLOTHING. If you’ve always associated skimpy, light, and short clothing as better styles for summer, think again. This type of clothing exposes your body to a lot of sunrays whether you’re going out for a short run-of-the-mill task or want to be trendy for summer. Put on enough cover for your skin, say "no" to: [Filipino speak] "tinipid na manipis na fabric" (translation: thin fabrics that suggest cheap material used for clothing), which is a popular buy as clothes for the season. Avoid being sunburnt with proper clothing.

4.       Refreshen with drinks that will meet the bare minimum of your water requirements. A doctor once told me that one should have at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day.  So go for plenty, not less- water, juice, fresh fruit shakes, or those pretty common roadside refreshments. A combination of any of these, or simply gulping on plain water,  can help one toe the line of summer heat.

5.       Don't forget to wear the right shoes, too.  Sometimes we tend to neglect the health of our feet because we are just raring to go out and enjoy the outdoors for summer. But getting your feet the right wear is also a secret to surviving the summer, at a time when the roads could be intensely hot, and unbearable to walk on.  A pair of thin flip-flops may not be smart for outdoor use.

So Just be mindful of your summer accessories and OTDs; and make sure to have enough shade for sunny 40-ish temp weather. 

 

NEWSREVIEW PHILIPPINES

>>>LIFESTYLE

Copyright 2023

 

IS AI THE NEXT WAVE OF THE FUTURE AFTER DIGITAL WALLETS?

AI IS A TWO-LETTER WORD THAT CAN THROW ANOTHER PERSON ASKING, “ROBOT”?

The Crammy Bullet List for Late Sim Registrants

1 OUT OF 3 INTERACTIONS IN THIS CITY CAN EXPOSE YOU TO SLIGHT SHAMING

"Shaded with "slighted"

 There is a better will

 that drives one to move out  of  a city and pursue a phase in his/her life in another. But when it  comes  to the fairness of interactions, some cities may  not impress as expected.  In this city, 1 out of 3 interactions/conversations per day with the locals, in this case, those done in public and  commercial establishments, could expose one to earshot or direct experience of slight shaming.  In a place where there are far more subdivisions than in any other country, this is a surprising sign of backsliding to the bygone years of patronage, bias, and alliances. Slight shaming can occur in sharing conversations and daily tasks that one may value as essential, routine, or trivial. Polite or cordial responses, from staff of business establishments may not always be a norm or a standard. Because in this city, almost everything seems to have a person-to-person reference to a bias, an impression, or a total neglect of business courtesy. Even though there is much room for improvement in this city when it comes to the conduct of business and person-to-person convo, it is ironic that this is happening in an urban location where affluents abound.  When in this city, expect low courtesy; a high risk of bias, and a preferential attitude toward the old residents, locals, and upscale-income  residents. Or to be patronized and have fair treatment when you have old connections and friendships in place.

SSS LasPinas Branch Goes Offline for Walk In Clients

If you have any business at all, in any windows of the SSS (Social Security Service) Laspinas City branch at SM Southmall, then you may be in for a lot of time waste and hassle.  The branch advised its walk-in patrons that it is offline at the moment. Inquiries for customer complaints, membership benefits, and other matters were dispelled and were not allowed to pass through right from the guard's station. However, the SSS branch was available to entertain questions with regard to concern-specific SSS services. There was available personnel seen in front of the local branch, but seats were vacant except for the frontline staff and the handful of SSS customers queueing for claims and member-related inquiries. When prompted for the date of resumption of service, the guard-on-duty advised that customers can come back after 10 days. No immediate validation can be reached from official SSS authorities regarding the offline disruption today.

Posted: April 24, 2023@ 2:47pm 

UPSKILLING IN YOUR FORTIES: THE WHYS OF LEARNING IN MIDDLE AGE

 Career shifting for middle-aged women may not be as easy as in the younger years. 

But women in their forties who may want to have a second wind in their profession can surely go back and retrain, just like a newbie. 

Given the continuing development in many industries when it comes to adopting a new norm of lifestyle, technology drives the change further by introducing new systems and ways of doing things. Thus the need to catch up is quite quintessential for every working mom.

It is not too late even in one's forties to gain new insights and knowledge that can help one move forward to a different phase in one's career whether as an office worker or as a home-based employee. 

The forties can be a golden era for change and relearning how one's skills and proficiencies can be made better. A middle-aged mom need not be unproductive from a career perspective, even when one has settled for a different life phase as a parent.

Also, working for an upskill can assure one of the renewed insights that are profession-centric or trend-geared. Upskilling may also be necessary for an industry that is always on the hunt for dynamic improvements.

If you’re barely remembering the lessons you’ve had from way back in school, maybe, it’s time to enroll in the many training/webinars available on-site or online.

Entertain no hesitancy to include yourself in online training or class because you may not be on par with the rest of the younger set who are much more eager to learn and dominate the workforce.  

Here are some helpful tips for upskilling goalers:

ZERO IN ON WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN AT YOUR AGE. Maybe you want to update your grasp of technology. Or abandon your pen and paper writing skills and make better creatives. This can be good to spark your upskill objectives. 

IDENTIFY YOUR NEEDS AS A PROFESSIONAL. If it is a career reinvention you want, maybe you can count on your previous training and workshops. Do you want an “upgrade” of your industry knowledge? Or is it a career shift training that you’re after? Many local companies have been offering free training online, especially in the realm of entrepreneurship. For those who’d like to imbibe a new wave of education, they can also try the paid training that gives certificates after the many hours of lessons or modular-based instructions. Most of the training is geared towards technological updating and fluency. And is often delivered by an expert with a global perspective.  Take advantage of your time to get more lessons even when you don’t have the time to attend the training on-site.

LEARN TO INTEGRATE BASIC ONLINE APPLICATIONS INTO YOUR GADGET OR PHONE.  Choose at least a widely-used app that would allow you to join your online training or seminar.  The most common is Google’s Workspace and Zoom. But there are other apps out there that you might have to learn as well when venturing into an upskill. The applications used for online training may very per company.

CATCH UP IF YOU’RE LATE OR INATTENTIVE. Some companies upload their training on social media sites as well even after the seminar/ workshop has culminated. Find your interest or niche to take advantage of the training uploaded online. THERE IS NO REASON NOT TO MAKE YOUR NEW CHAPTER FOR LEARNING POSSIBLE.

ONCE YOU’RE LOGGED IN TO ATTEND A WEBINAR, HAVE THE PATIENCE TO FINISH THE TRAINING. When you find the topic or lessons not interesting enough for your time, promise not to quit. The time of the speaker or resource person is valuable. One does not have to be told that a company goes through a lot of trouble-- devoting time, energy, and resources to make training possible. So go appreciate your learning time.

 

With patience for learning from webinars and online training, upskilling can be effortless!

 

 NEWSREVIEWPHILIPPINES

COPYRIGHT 2023

 

There is a need to restructure. But it's not all about changing the school calendar.

  

by Anna Liza VB

 

***The writer is a former full-time media practitioner prior to being a full-time mom and freelance writer. She was also a former part-time teacher, and had a brief stint at a private school in the Philippines, at the turn of the Y2K decade.

 

The article below is an opinion on the challenges of current changes made in the education calendar and with inputs on the other changes on what can be done to make education more liberal, accepting, and democratic to all families enrolling their kids for basic education in the country.

2^nd of a series

 

In 2019, the country adopted an education platform never tried before on such an intensive scale.  Parents were compelled to jump in without much preparation and prior knowledge on how online education would ensue in times of pandemic.

General information was given and an ordinary parent, wanting to continue the schooling for her/his child/ren could only adjust to the new situation.

The first leap to ONLINE EDUCATION is learning from the fragmented resources available that would guide one through the essentials of a basic homeschool setup. Some of the resources available regarding online schooling, specifically the methods and specifics of instructions, may not be comprehensive, concise, or fully consistent with the ones that were actually used and implemented. But for the basics, the common ground was as follows:

THE ROAD TO HOMESCHOOL/ BLENDED LEARNING (the equipment that had to be acquired to make  online learning viable for Filipino parents and students):

                                                                                     

§  A camera meant for web learning that is suggested with HD lenses to make the viewing clear and undimmed.

§  A professional quality headset. This must not be an ordinary headset but one of heavy-duty quality to ensure the student and teacher has no background noise; and the voice quality during the learning session would be audible enough to be heard by either party.

§  A  not-too-old computer updated with software that can be used for lessons and with antivirus preferably.

§  A homeschool desk that would be sufficient to hold the student’s books and computer during the online session.

§   A study area devoid of clutter and preferably with a clear or white backdrop.

Surveying on the initial expenses, it could fetch an average of Php 20,000-Php 50,000 initially depending on the specifications of the equipment bought.

The thing with having a homeschooling setup is, even if it makes easy a standardized learning environment for the student, the equipment that must be sourced during the pandemic may not be readily available. Considering the right specs and the budget availability at the time of the pandemic, the homeschool setup may not be a fair expense to have, and such costs could directly impact a usual family budget of a simple household.

Two years after the new approach to education was affected, the following weaknesses could be felt in terms of, learning effectiveness, method of instruction and homeschool vulnerabilities:

In terms of learning effectiveness, a kid initially would have to learn in a very speedy manner the hows and the whys of the keyboard and other computer paraphernalia== a skill that must be learned in time, even by adults. Thankfully the current modern attitudes toward gadget use proved to be beneficial in “adjusting” to the homeschool setup but not with a few difficulties in place such as:

o   THE UNRELIABLE COMPUTER PARAPHERNALIA THAT CAN EASILY BREAK DOWN OR FAIL;

o   THE INTERNET CONNECTION THAT CAN HAVE A LOT OF LAGS AND DELAYS TO CONNECTION DESPITE THE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE ONE AVAIL;

o   THE LENGTHY ONLINE LESSONS OR THE DURATION OF A SCHOOL DAY’S WORTH THAT CAN AFFECT THE INTEREST OF THE CHILD; AND PRESENT SOME POSTURE PROBLEMS FOR THE KID SITTED LONG IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER;

o   THE INTRODUCTION TO ADDITIONAL COMPUTER APPLICATIONS THAT PROVE TO BE DIFFICULT TO LEARN BY A YOUNG LEARNER  WITHOUT PROPER PREPARATION.

SUFFICE IT TO SAY THE EARLY MONTHS OF THE ONLINE LEARNING HAD A LOT OF ADJUSTMENTS TAKING IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE LEARNER, AND EVEN A LEARNER HAD TO COPE WITH SUCH ADJUSTMENTS AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.

The disparity in the conveniences of such an online learning environment for the parent aside from the one that it presents to a learner against that of the traditional learning one has been accustomed to, includes: that of the spending requirements necessitated by such school setup. 

Also, to push such a schooling path, the introduction of new software and computer applications that are not usually used other than for work and creative use are almost obligatory for the parent of the learner.

The unequal access to affordable and reliable computer equipment, accessories, and gadgets can result in inconsistent school performance; delay in the submission of requirements and assignments. Moreover, the lengthy school hours can further add to the inconveniences of the usual home chores and daily routine adjustments that had to be made in times of the pandemic for a simple household.

Bottomline a change in the schedule of the opening of classes had a minimum bearing and was much more dispensible, compared to the adjustments that had to be made in terms of spending essentials and coping with the demands for computer proficiency. But the adjustments nevertheless were a necessary struggle a normal parent would bite into to make way for proper education in times of the pandemic.

To be continued…

 

NEWSREVIEWPHILIPPINES

copyright 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why the Philippine Educational System Is Unfair to Housewives and Simple Structure Families

 There is a need to restructure. But it's not all about changing the school calendar.

by Anna Liza VB

***The writer is a former full-time media practitioner prior to being a full-time mom and freelance writer. She was also a former part-time teacher, and had a brief stint at a private school in the Philippines, at the turn of the Y2K decade.

The article below is an opinion on the challenges of current changes made in the education calendar and with inputs on the other changes on what can be done to make education more liberal, accepting, and democratic to all families enrolling their kids for basic education in the country.

***

There is nothing that compels a full-time mom to push her strength further in house chores and work, but the need to give her child the best education possible. 

Complementary to food as essential in life, a mom always posits to make sure her kid, no matter what economic status she is in, is given a time-worthy education.

In the Philippines, there are only two choices for these to happen: to enroll a child in a public school where all things are free and subsidized by the government, excluding the daily miscellaneous expenses of the schooler.

Another option would be to enroll a kid at a private school, where rates are different, and far fetching from public education; a more stifled approach for those who want to gain it free in life.

In the eighties up to the nineties era, public school education was mostly chosen by those coming from lower-income families.  And also by families who may not necessarily live below the poverty line, but those who work for the government as employees. At that time, public school education was THE ONLY way, a certain economic class like (C-D-E), can afford an education without the worries of paying.

THE SCHOOL SETTING

The pavement to learning was well-structured. School buildings may not necessarily be as complete and as presentable as a private school, but the structures were there to accommodate students who mostly inculcated the importance of studying. The books were also free, but they were not necessarily complete.  Public learners still have to buy a book; photocopy lectures and manuals; submit projects and commute to school, all of which entail additional costs for parents.  

It's different in private schools where kids were afforded better amenities and has access to well-trained faculty that conforms to a specific curriculum that may not necessarily be a replica of a public school curriculum; but a more tailored one that adapts to students' capacities, special talents, needs and trends at a given time.

Aside from the above differences in public versus private school education, there was also a cultural consideration for parents of learners when it comes to choosing the right education. 

These can be a factor in gauging whether to put their kid at a public school or spend for a more expensive education. The notable disparity is punctuated by a diaspora of settings and adjustments that learners have to contend with.

These include attitudinal and behavioral differences between learners in a public school versus those from a private school. The differences were plenty not just countable, but well-defined.

THE CALENDAR CHANGE

When the blended learning system kicked in during the pandemic, Philippine schools had to embrace a new school calendar that let past the summer days and jumped right into the months of the rainy season.

The new school calendar was raved about as early as June, but classes began in August. There were variations on the exact first school day opening because some opted to start weeks earlier in July; while some opted for an August opening.

What this meant for students was a different timeline that gave them a breather during the hot summer months and a continual learning that got resuscitated in the rainy season--August to September after all, are still months when heavy rains and typhoons come to our country. However, a change in the school calendar may not have spelled an outright change in the dynamics of learning. But the mode of delivery, for the instruction to culminate, turned a new leaf for the Philippine educational system.

THE ESSENTIALS OF BLENDED LEARNING AND HOMESCHOOL 

Whereas face-to-face classes were the stimulus for socialization for students, the change in the delivery of instruction incapacitated this benefit.

Students have to be "situated" fairly for a good number of hours at their desks initially at 3 hours minimum even for primary school students.  They also had to be given access to a computer, and all the hardware accessories that help facilitate online studies- like a camera, a mouse, and available ports and USB drives to serve as external memory for lectures and homework, printables and school to parent memos.

Teachers adjusted fairly to the introduction of web instructional mode, a concept unknown in the eighties to the nineties when the traditional way is by "chalk and blackboard". And never through the route of digital learning.

Fairly well, both students from public schools and private schools had to shoulder these new challenges of learning fast, and ably the ways of digital learning. Like how to use the keyboard, operate the mouse, and use the camera to be seen by the online teacher at the other end of the learning channel. These skills took hours and months, to be learned by adults. And the young learners could only gasp and learn fast and exacted frustration as well when the connection interrupted their studies online.

But young kids had to join the digital space of education unless the parents were brave to stop the continuity of learning.

THE HURDLES

For a housewife, continuing her child's education during the time of pandemic can be rewarding in such a way that her child would not feel the sudden socialization deprivation brought about by the new normal. But she has to learn as well the basic amenities needed to set up an appropriate homeschool, blended learning student desk. 

Not only must she have to research the intricacies of a homeschooling setup, but she must also have a stable internet connection to make certain of the learning realities.

To be continued here on News Review Philippines