It’s clear OFWs can’t depend on gov’t
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I wrote about this earlier: http://reynaelena.com/?p=393 and I really did not understand why the nurses walked out nor did I understand what must be in their mind for doing so. Here’s an email I picked up on the Inquirer to offer us some insights. Whether these are true, who knows. But what we know is the title above. Correct?
HERE:
I am a Filipino living in the United States. I was disheartened when I saw on New York TV that the Filipino nurses who made headlines by courageously fighting back against their abusive recruiter/employer (Sentosa Health Care) are now the ones being haled to court on charges of abandoning and endangering patients under their care.
What made the newscast disgusting was that it was one-sided. It reported that the patients were chronically ill children, and that the nurses quit because they wanted more money. The prosecutor who was interviewed portrayed the nurses as irresponsible and greedy. Nothing was mentioned about the subhuman living and working conditions these nurses suffered because of their employer’s insensitivity. These nurses are fighting a losing cause since their employer knows influential people in New York, among them an influential senator.
I would love to see our politicians in the Philippines helping them and doing something to prevent a similar situation happening to other Filipinos. I would love to see the candidates in the May elections to include OFW welfare in their campaign platforms. I know this is wishful thinking.
I guess we overseas Filipino workers should accept the reality that, while our government depends so much on our remittances, we cannot depend on our government.
DENNIS DY (via e-mail)
Viewed 138 times by 69 viewers
Weird and bizarre! Only in the Philippines!
I can’t help talking about this news once more. I thought it’s really bizarre. You have the parents of those 26 children held hostage aboard a bus by Ducat demanding better education for the youngsters, right? Now, they have refused to press charges and instead praise the captors as champions of the poor!
On one hand I seem to sympathize with Ducat because everything that he was asking for seems noble enough, however, I can’t seem to reconcile the fact that he’s got kids, a grenage and hold them hostage. Add to this the photo op by Ramon Revilla and Chavit Singson.
Others have it that this whole drama was being directed from some far movie studio to put some attention to these politicians. Others have it that what Ducat is doing is solely his own initiative.
As noble as it is, or however you explain it, I am so not a fan of what Ducat has done! The end simply does not justify the means! Fk! This was exactly the word of someone who…. wag na lang nga!
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It’s the government, not the Balikbayan boxes
Here’s an article and a commentary I picked up on the Inquirer that’s worth reading. It’s all about our plight and balikbayan boxes.
It’s the government, not the Balikbayan boxes
INQUIRER.net
Posted date: March 13, 2007
Randy Castro’s cricitism is out of this world. He said, “What’s wrong with going abroad to work?” There is absolutely nothing wrong with going abroad to work, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with BALIKBAYAN BOXES either.
The bishop’s point is to challenge the government to do something for the Filipino people and for our OFW’s. I have been to many countries, and the Catholic Church is doing a great job by the helping these poor OFW’s. If ONLY, the Philippine government had created job for these people, the family would have been united.
It’s sad to hear that many Filipinos are being abused by their employer in the Middle East and even in Hong Kong because of our government’s failure to provide jobs. They are mentally, psychologically, morally and emotionally broken. Does the government help them? Absolutely no help at all. The government’s concern is to boast themselves and the economy, but they don’t realize that our economy’s good performance is due to OFW remittances.
The government says, “OFW’s are modern heroes.” My questions: How do you treat your modern heroes? Why is it that most of the OFW’s are not given professional treatment by government workers? Try to go to the office of the DFA, POEA, DOLE, BIR, SSS, NBI, LTO, etc. Shame on these people.
Therefore, I urge the Philippine government to do something. Stop collecting airport fees, replace/change arrogant government workers or give them additional training on how to deal with people professionally.
Finally, many thanks for the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines for their pastoral care of the OFW’s/migrants both in the Philippines and abroad, to the priest in Lebanon who took care of the OFW’s during and after the war, to different Catholic and non-Catholic organizations who give their lives for the welfare of the Filipino people. Also, thanks to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops who gave 24 million dollars for typhoon victims. God Bless!
Ruben Primor
New Iberia, LA, CA70560
Balikbayan box a scary sign of RP situation, says bishop
MANILA, Philippines — A Balikbayan box is not just a simple container of goodies from abroad but a frightening reminder that Filipinos have to go abroad to find work so that they and their families could survive hard times in the Philippines.The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) has this in mind as the country marks the National Migrants’ Day on Sunday, which is also the first Sunday of Lent.
“The Balikbayan box could very well be seen as the strongest symbol of Filipino migration; it continues to project the hope of many Filipinos that migration is the only way to improve their economic condition and that of their families,” said Bishop Precioso Cantillas of Maasin, Leyte who also heads ECMI.
Approximately eight million Filipinos work or live overseas; between 2,500 and 3,000 overseas Filipino workers leave the country every day.
ECMI highlighted the Roman Catholic Church’s “deep concern” over the different social ills of overseas employment and migration, “believing that until this time, the issues are not yet being given much attention in our society.”
Cantillas pointed to the “new face of feminization” in the deployment of OFWs, as more and more women leave their homes to become nurses, teachers, maids, and entertainers, thus posing challenges to some family and social values.
“The absence of the mother in the family has great ill effects in the upbringing of children,” the bishop said. “As more Balikbayan boxes appear at our airports, our concern for the welfare of the migrants and their families especially the children left behind becomes more frightening.”
The commission called on the Church, society, and the government to face the social effects of migration with “greater concern and dedication,” particularly in providing more awareness programs, direct paralegal services, and counseling support to OFWs and the families they left behind, and strengthening the economic capacity of the families.
“ECMI continues to hope with the Filipino people for a socio-political and economic change in our country which would provide better work opportunities for every Filipino worker here in our very own country so that our countrymen will not be forced to leave their homes at the expense of the proper growth of their families and children,” it said.
Such social change could happen if the Filipinos vote wisely in the coming May elections, ECMI added.
ECMI also appealed to the government for “quality legislation and programs” that would promote the welfare of OFWs and their families.
“After all, they are doing our country and society significant economic support through their work and sacrifices,” it said.
ECMI executive secretary Fr. Edwin Corros said the theme of this year’s National Migrants’ Sunday was “Social Costs of Migration: A Deep Concern for the Church” to point out that migration issues are not yet being given much attention by the society.
The host of the 2007 celebration is the Diocese of Antipolo, which is ranked third nationwide with the highest number of OFWs.
The event would be celebrated at the Assumption College of Antipolo City and would be preceded by an advocacy parade and a procession of the Birhen ng Antipolo icon.
Around 4,000 OFW families from different parishes of Rizal province and Marikina City are expected to participate.
The Church has also organized parades, motorcades, releasing of balloons, and film-showings in the dioceses of Manila, Novaliches, Caloocan, Bayombong in Nueva Vizcaya, Lipa, Cebu, San Fernando in La Union, Alaminos in Pangasinan, and Bangued in Abra.
Corros said Cagayan Valley is one concern for ECMI because the region had the most number of OFW returnees from strife-ridden Lebanon. The returnees were still waiting for the care of and the promised assistance by the government, he added.
ECMI invited government agencies dealing with migrant workers such as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to take part in the events by opening information and assistance desks.
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Behind the scenes: hostage drama in Manila
I’m sure, karamihan senyo have seen the hostage drama that unfolded dun sa Manila City Hall which was beamed live all over the world. For some reason, this morning nong makita ko yong mga senators, nag-iba ang kutob ko. But I have to work, kaya iniwan ko ang news. I’m reading my fave blog, Ellen Tordesillas at naloka ako sa ginawang script nang isang avid reader. Eto, I’d like to share it with you all…
TonGuE-tWisTeD
Says:
Tangna talaga, kung hindi lang na-trapik si Dato Arroyo sa South Superhighway, malamang nadoon din sa loob ng bus iyon!
Sa headquarters ng mga TUTA, tanghali ng March 28:
Mike Defensor: Sayang yun mga ‘tol, yung mga holdaper nga nakipaghabulan ako, diyan pa, hindi naman tumatakbo yung bus!
Ed Angara: Ang yabang naman nito, nakipaghabulan daw e yung backup car lang naman ang humabol, siya nandun sa tabi ng cameraman para laging kasama sa picture.
Vic Magsaysay: Swapang naman iyan si Chavit, kanina pa doon ayaw pa umalis. Ako na ang susunod, diba Direk?
Direk: Hindi ikaw, si Kiram muna.
Raffy Recto: Sabi ko kay Vi sa cellphone, dadalhin ko siya doon para dramahan niya si Ducat, ako ang kukuha nga mga granada at baril, natunugan yata yung tawag ko, ayun inunahan tuloy ako ni Chavit.
Direk: Eto pala ang swapang, pasok ka na sa Minagic 12, aagawan mo pa si Gov. Teka, Bakit ka naman hindi dumating Datu Kiram?
Jamalul Kiram: Pisti kasi trapik sa Quiapo, nagdasal man kami sa muske duon, piro dili man kami nakasakay papunta siti hol. Wala taksi, apat nga uras kami hintay wala man datong.
Joker Arroyo: Kung hindi ba naman engot na Datu Puti itong si Kiram, apat na oras naghintay ng taksi, wala pang beinte minutos nandoon na siya kung naglakad siya, nakapag kamay pa siya sa maraming tao.
Tessie Oreta: Buti na lang hindi tumakbong senador si Ducat dahil talo ang plataporma ko. Ako gagawa pa lang nng batas, si Ducat nagbibigay na ng libreng pre-school. Buti na lang pinalitan ko na yung campaign ad ko, ginawa ko nang “I Am Shorry, Oreta version”.
Migz Zubiri: Eeew, yoko nga umepal sa mga ganyang scenes, no. Pleeze, bawal yang mga ganyan sa beauty ko. Yung pa-boxing-boxing, sa campaign ad lang yun! Mahirap mapasubo sa ganun, baka makalmot ko yang matandang Ducat na yan.
Prospero Pichay: Hey, Como esta! Anon’g nabalitaan kong merong pinagkakaguluhan sa City Hall? The Cut ang tawag sa radyo. Pagkakaperahan siguro dahil nandoon si Bong at Chavit.
Tito Sotto: Pare, talagang tanga ka, hindi The Cut..Dakot!
Cesar Montano: Tito Sen, Ducat po. Tinututukan na ni Direk Carlo Caparas. Baka isama sa gagawing sequel ng bio ni Gov Chavit. Ganado nga siya, kasi baka magkakaroon na ng ending ang buhay ni Gov. ng di inaasahan. Kaya dual ang role ko bilang Ducat at si Gov.
Direk: Tangna nyong lahat, kung lahat kayo papapel doon, halatang halata na pakana natin iyun. Puro kayo mga tanga, mga bobo.
Gloria: Hep, hep, dahan-dahan ka sa pagsasalita!
Pangilinan: Noted, ma’am.
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An sarap nang araw ko!!!
He! He! He!
An saya nan lola nyo! I’m sure alam nyo na na sa laki nung na-save ko sa kompanya namin, kahit yong deductible ko sa insurance eh ayaw akong tulungan samantalang nag-kabangga-bangga na me papasok sa work di ba? Lunes hanggang ngayong Mierkoles, trinabahu namin yong mga papeles para umabot sa mga me kapangyarihan para makuha namin yong mga biyaya na yon di ba?
Ang siste nito, merong seminar chuvalais yong dalwang ehekutibong nagmamando sa kin kung ano ang gagawin di ba? Eh di ako kasama dun sa seminar. Ako’y isang muchachang naiwan dun sa pisina. Linsyak! Ring ang telepono galing sa ehekutibong nagmamando number 1! Ring naman ang aking itimberry, galing sa ehekutibong nagmamando number 2! Ring naman ang aking personal cellphone, eto galing sa investor namin sa West Coast! Nyeta! Nababaliw na talaga ako!!! Nag-mistulang call center operations ang pisina ko!! Yong dalwang nag-mamando sakin eh every hour by the hour yata tumatawag! Feel ko tumatawag lang para kunyari meron silang importanteng kausap! Alam nyo ba yon? Yong tipong tatawagan ka lang, wala namang laman yong sinasabi, dahil kelangan magamit nila itimnaberry sa gitna nung seminar, sa paligid nang people para talagang feel nila na busy at talagang importante sila. Pwe! Ganyan ang buhay ko bilang isang reynang muchacha.
In the end, yong mga serious na mga problema ako pa rin ang umaasikaso at wala naman silang tinanong “ok na ba”? Alam nyo ba kung magkano ang sweldo nang mga taong ganun lang ang tanong?! @#$%^&*blag!!! Tapos pa naayos ko eh wala man lang papuri?! Mga cute talaga!!!
Hapon na, pagod na pagod na ang lola nyo. Merong dalwang boxes na puro binder ang laman na ni-review, hinimas na ang laman eh yon ngang mga papeles importantes pati na yong me mga signatura nang mga kontador publico (cpa’s), pati na palengke studio (market studies) at kung ano ano pang dokumentos na dapat makarating sa me mga kapangyarihan bukas. Dalwang deal pa naman yon! Ganito ang zero na kasama dun sa biyayang darating 00,000,000.00
Eto ang siste. Tumawag yong bida nang proyekto sakin nang alas singko kinse, humihingi nam pera. Say ko, “Watttt?” Sabi nya, kasi ala daw silang pambayad sa pagpadala sa ere. (Kausap ko investor namin sa Boston. Sabi ko, tatawagan ko uli sya’t me problema.) Well, sabi ko, huli ka na amang, alas singko bente na ngayon, ala na yong secretary ko na humahawak nang petty cash. Tawagan mo si ehekutibo baka me pera sya. Nagmakaawa sya na kung pede pera ko. Ano? Hindi ako bangko nang pisina natin ano?!
~~TOING~~ Abot tenga ang ngiti ko. He He He! Nagmadali akong umalis. Nag ring ang phone, inabot ako ni Chuva sa parking lot. Sabi ko mamaya na tayo mag-usap. Kelangang maka-alis kaagad ako. He He He! Ini-off ko bigla ang aking itimnaberry. Nilayasan ko pisina. Baka kasi dumating pa yong isang nagmamando at ako ay makita! Aba, tutal alas singko medya na eh! Manigas sila! Mga cute nanay nilaaa!!!
Eto ako, nag-ba-blag. He He! An saya! WEEEEEEEEEEE!
AND BY THE WAY:
It’s about 8:03pm now and I’m watching CNN: Lou Dobbs - A War From Within and it’s live from my old school, the George Washington University!!!
Viewed 136 times by 65 viewers
Election na talaga! An saya saya nila!
Eto palang si Duque eh hi-nay-jacked yong Medicare fund of overseas workers for PhilHealth months before the 2004 elections ayun sa Malaya. Eto namang si Gloria namigay nung PhilHealth cards during her campaign noon. So, yong PhilHealth membership rose from around 3 million to 5 million in 2004. The new members promptly lost their health insurance the following year because the government would (what for?) no longer subsidize their premiums. Ang galing nang strategy di ba? Eh, tapos na election kasi eh.
Ngayon, we have this battle hunger drama chuva ek ek right? Ba’t kaya ang lakas nang kutob kong mukhang electioneering na naman to?
Teka, di ba laswik eh nag-give nang proclamasyon chuvalais sila na me dagdag sweldo ang mga engkanto sa pinas? Hmm.. Ba’t kaya ang lakas nang kutob kong mukhang electioneering na naman to?
Ei… basahin nyo ang binabasa ko… eto…
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Philippine economic growth comes from OFW’s!!!
Read this news from the Inquirer. Alam nyo bang tayong mga OFW’s at mga immigrants na nag-tatrabaho outside of our turd world kawntri ang bumubuhay sa ating bayang pilipit na? Tayo ang nagpapadala nang pera para yong ibang mga tao dyan so gobyerno who are earning Php35,000 eh umani nang about bilyones na pera? Kelan kaya tayong mga OFW makauwi’t gumanda ang buhay para tayo naman eh lumigaya. ADB na mismo ang nag-sasabing kung hindi dahil saatin, eh bangkarote na ang ating madir land yet, ni wala man lang tulong sa mga taong kagaya kong nag-negosyo sa flippines!
Can you imagine that our economy is now very much dependent on us? No wonder the Flippines is the biggest recruitment and placement agency in the world! Di baleng magkahiwa-hiwalay tayong lahat sa mga pamilya natin basta’t mapalayas tayo to send mo’ money home, ok lang sa mga politicos natin! Hudas talaga!
Phil Economy will expand by 5.4% to 5.7%
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine economy is expected to expand by 5.4 percent this year and 5.7 percent in 2008, but the growth is not strong enough to lift employment sufficiently, the Asian Development Bank said. It said the
economic expansion in the next two years would continue to be driven by the steady flow of cash remittances from the swelling ranks of Filipinos looking for jobs abroad, as well as by low interest rates. These remittances, which last year hit a record $12.8 billion and helped pushed overall growth to 5.4 percent, will shield the economy from any external shocks, the ADB said in its latest Asian Development Outlook.
Moving to a higher growth trajectory and creating more and higher-quality jobs for the unemployed, underemployed and new entrants into the labor force, is the key challenge for the Philippines, the bank said in the report released Tuesday. “Growth and employment have lagged behind the government’s medium-term targets of 6.8 to 7.8 percent in 2008 and seven to eight percent by 2010. Expanding at close to these targets, with the associated increase in employment by an average of 1.4 million to 1.6 million annually, will require sustained efforts to improve the investment climate,” the ADB said.
The ADB’s gross domestic product growth forecast for the Philippines this year is below the government’s target of 6.1 to 6.7 percent, which is also anchored on those remittances that are projected to hit a new record of $14.7 billion this year. Improving the investment climate, the bank said, will require steady progress on reforms that will help boost revenue and reduce debt, and attract more investments in key sectors including agriculture.
“Improvements in the investment climate are needed to spur economic expansion, increase employment generation, and provide public resources for social programs,” it said.
The ADB said its growth projections for the Philippines this year and in 2008 are also based on the assumptions that fiscal reforms remain broadly on track, and that the current El Nino dry spell remains mild. The Philippine government hopes to limit this year’s budget deficit to P63 billion, from 64.8 billion last year, and achieve a balanced budget by next year.
($1 = P48.07)
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I saved the company roughly $14 million!
At ang sabi sakin kanina nang tyanak kong boss, alam nyo ba?! alam nyo ba?! Pinagalitan pa ako’t we should have seen this error before!!! Nag-init ako! Ang huditas! Eh kung hindi ko pa tinanong ang tangang oditor namin, di pa malaman na palpak pala ang report na inissue and to think na nagkabanga-banga na ako nong Saturday at ayaw pa bayaran ang deductible ko! Hudas na buhay to oo!!! EEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
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State of Philippine Economy: 2 Views
I hope you guys are following the recent news in the Philippines. First, let me tell you this, the Philippine Census just released their research that 9 out of 10 Filipinos are employed.
Ok, now let’s see. I have here two opposing views of our economy. Let’s start with Gloria:
Economic surge amid pending polls proves critics wrong!
MANILA, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday said the surge in investments in the first two months of the year has disproven claims that the economy was headed for a slowdown because of the May elections.
Arroyo said that in fact, investments doubled for January and February “when some doomsayers were expressing a lag due to the forthcoming elections.”
“The trend is now clear that political stability and democratic continuity is a given for the Philippines, and investors are putting their stake in our vision for the future,” she said in a statement.
“The trend can no longer be bucked, even by the din of political noise that has largely been bypassed by the investment community,” she added.
Arroyo said her administration was working hard “to clean up the mess of the past and forge ahead with integrity, excellence, and productivity.”
“We have crossed the sound barrier and have entered the frontier of peace, development, solidarity, and prosperity,” she said. Arroyo acknowledged the Filipinos working abroad for keeping the economy steady and growing.
Not enough jobs, wages!
INDEPENDENT think-tank IBON Foundation belies Malacañang’s claim of an improving economy, and asks why the palace does not dare to hype the economic figures that really matter to the majority of Filipinos.
According to IBON research head Sonny Africa, the economic numbers that can best illustrate the economy and that matter most to Filipinos are the rising jobless rate and deficient wage levels, and not macroeconomic indicators that the administration hypes such as rising stock markets, credit ratings, strengthening peso and the like.
Africa said that the biggest failure of the Arroyo government is the unprecedented lack of jobs, even amid so-called continued economic growth. According to IBON estimates, close to a third of the labor force is jobless or looking for additional work. Aggravating the jobs crisis is how legislated incomes chronically fall short of the amount needed for decent living, Africa added, pointing out that President Arroyo had vowed to veto the bill passed by the House and Senate granting an across-the-board P125 hike in workers’ pay. He said that the amount needed for a decent standard of living in the National Capital Region (NCR) has already reached P766 a day, just 46 percent of the daily legislated minimum wage, and a 50 percent increase from the P509 per day needed in 2001.
Compounding the problem further, Africa added, is that the real value of wages in Metro Manila has been falling since 2002. From a real value of P252.36 in 2002, the real value of daily wages in the NCR has fallen to just P239.28 as of November 2006.
Africa pointed out that the economic values most sensitive to “politicking” have little bearing on the people’s welfare. The short-term movements of exchange rates and portfolio flows that the government hype are meaningful mainly to speculators who gamble in financial instruments.
But the economic figures that the Arroyo government loves to proclaim as proof of its good economic stewardship are meaningless to the majority of Filipinos struggling to make ends meet, Africa said. -IBON Foundation
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A lettah from Haydee
Here’s the full contents of the letter:
mahal na reyna elena!
bago ang lahat ay gusto kng sabihing, mabuhay ka, aking reyna!
ang tagal kitang hinanap sa cyberworld dahil ako sayo ay hanga.
unang nabasa post sa OFW portion ng gov.ph sa isang pisi
binalikbalikan, nagbakasaling ikaw ay machambahan muli.
pero wala, dehins kita nakita, huhuhu.
kay minabuti, pareng google konsultahin na.
ang saya saya kasi habang forum ulit ay binabasa.
nahagip yun website mo ng aking mga mata.
binasa ko blog mo, grabeh, sumakit mga mata ko.
pero ayos lang, dahil very helpful at informative mga sinusulat mo.
pasensya sa munting tulang ito,
natuwa lang kasi talaga ko kasi ang galing galing mo.
yun… hello ulit. natuwa kasi ko sa post mo dati dun sa bakit ka nangibang bansa, basta something like that na thread sa OFW portion, tumatawa ko dun sa post mo pero ang galing galing mo. ikaw din ba si composed gentleman?
nabasa ko rin pala yun entry mo na nagfifix ka ng broken resumes. hehe. ano ba kelangan para mapaayos ko yun resume ko? tulad ng ibang pinoy, gusto ko rin lumayas ng pinas. kasi naman wala yata ko pag-asa dito. kaya sige ang kuha ko ng info sa kung saan-saang websites at forums. pero nahihirapan pa rin ako makagetching ng employer. huhuhu. papatulong sana ko pa-revise ng resume ko, sabihin mo lang kung ano kapalit, ginto, pilak? hehe.
isa ko sa mga taga-hanga mo. tagal nga kitang hinanap eh. natutuwa akong malaman na tumutulong ka sa mga kapwa pinoy mo. di tulad ng iba, nakaalis lang ng bansa, akala mo na ay kung sino.
sige, mahal na reyna, hanggang dito na lamang muna. ask ko muna ang terms and conditions nun sa pagrebisa ng resume kung pano, saka kung ok lang sayo.
salamat sa pagbabasa ng email ko. mabuhay ka!
- grace
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I was in a car accident today!
I was on call today at work (3/24/07 Saturday). We were trying to assist our auditors from Boston, Massachusetts such that they could re-issue a very important report that we need to have by Tuesday, this coming week. We were basically burning the phone lines between Boston and Philadelphia for the past two days because of the risk involved of losing some very important credits running into several millions of dollars. Investors will certainly not be happy with this news. So, that’ s the reason why I was on call today.
Our auditor from Boston called me this morning and asked me to send back some of the audited reports (today!) they sent me two weeks ago, which is a must such that they would be able to re-issue the same report.
I showered, changed clothes and did my regular routine, jumped to my car and head to the city where my office is. Got out of our driveway and onto Nottingham Lane, I did the regular stop at the corner of Nottingham and East Crown - look left-look right ceremonies, inching my way to make a left turn because it was a blind spot and because of this car parked right at the corner and should have not parked there in the first place!
Here’s another view:
I’m glad I was not running like crazy, instead I was just inching like a centipede because I don’t see anything and it’s just impossible to see just about anything. When suddenly, out of the blue came this car and booommm! It was really nothing more than a kiss on my front passenger side hood but because he was driving fast, the impact ripped my flood light.
It’s a 1998 Bonneville, a husband and a wife (probably in their mid-20’s) with 2 kids. Nobody was hurt and the kid, which I think is less than a year old is still sleeping and probably has no idea what had just happened. He was still sleeping when the wife got out of the car and thanks God! I am so thankful that no one was hurt!
The couple were very nice and we all chatted and exchanged pleasantries and everything (my brother-in-law came over). They live 2 blocks away from where we live. We called the cops that took about an hour or more than an hour to arrive. Their son stepped out of the car and started playing and I checked the baby at the back of the car and he or she is still very much asleep. We exchanged insurance information, driver license and all those regular information that you need to get when involved in an accident. I’m glad they were also with State Farm, so hopefully we would all not have any problem. Even the cops who arrived seemed very nice. She gave me a number to call (which I have just called a few minutes ago) to get the DC number, the number that I have to give to my insurance company. Since I didn’t get that number because the accident report was not online yet, I was told to call around 5pm today, I left a message with my insurance company and essentially told them about the accident and I left all of my insurance information to them.
In any case, what a day. I really hope everything is ok because, just like what Chris said, you never know. Sometimes, people change stories as in the case of his friend who was involved in a car accident, everything and everybody were ok, until he got a $1.5 million dollar subpoena or something. So, yes, I am still nervous about this whole thing given the fact that there was a baby at the back, which I made sure I get to visually check.
Here’s them impact on my car:
I decided to push the floodlight in, it was basically damaged and you could basically notice the lifting on the side.
Here’s a close up:
More closeup:
More…
Although from afar, you would hardly notice the damage. Essentially, my car is ok. I am still nervous about the whole thing and more nervous now because I’m sure my insurance is going to spike in the next month!
The cop did not gave me a police report. I was told to call the precinct. I’ll probably stop by either Sunday to get a copy. Here’s my car. It still looks fine.
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10 RP nurses plead not guilty in New York case
RIVERHEAD, New York—Ten Filipino nurses who resigned without notice from a medical facility that cares for the physically disabled pleaded not guilty on Thursday to conspiracy and child endangerment charges, prosecutors said.
The nurses, recruited in the Philippines to work in the United States for a three-year commitment, sought to break that commitment by walking out on their jobs, Suffolk County prosecutors charged.
An indictment says the nurses’ Manhattan attorney, Felix Vinluan, instructed them to resign without notice last April. The lawyer was also charged and pleaded not guilty.
Although none of the children at the facility suffered ill effects from the walkout, criminal charges were filed because the children were endangered, Assistant District Attorney Leonard Lato said.
“It’s just like if a parent leaves a child in a car with the windows up in the summertime,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if nothing happens to the child; the fact that [the child was] left in a dangerous situation is the crime.”
The nurses face up to six years in prison if convicted, and they could face deportation.
Defensor
In Manila, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday attributed the nurses’ plight to Michael Defensor, President Macapagal-Arroyo’s former chief of staff and now a senatorial candidate of the administration’s Team Unity.
Pimentel said Defensor had intervened in the case in favor of the American recruiting firm, Sentosa Care.
The senator also said Philippine Consulate officials in New York had failed to protect the nurses.
“It’s really sad how our overseas workers like these nurses are not getting support from the Philippine government,” he said, adding:
“Somehow I cannot disassociate Defensor from their plight. It has nothing to do with his campaign. It has everything to do with his intervention. He intervened in favor of Sentosa.
“I challenge him to prove where his loyalty lies. Is it for our oppressed nurses or for the American recruiter? In effect, he put these nurses in a bind. Now that they’re getting the brunt of the retaliatory acts of Sentosa, he should show his true color.”
Reached for comment in Naga City, Defensor disclaimed culpability.
“I already denied it before, when Senator Pimentel first raised it,” Defensor said.
He said the committee chaired by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada had indicated that it would conduct an investigation, but it did not push through and he was not summoned to explain.
“It’s an old issue. Now they’re raising it again in the middle of the campaign. Wala akong kinalaman dyan (I have nothing to do with the case),” he said.
Keeping tabs
Consul General Cecilia Rebong told the Inquirer that the Philippine Consulate in New York, as well as the labor and foreign affairs departments here, was keeping tabs on the case.
“This happened [Thursday] night so today [Friday], I am getting in touch with people in New York and see what they have talked about, and I’ll see what I’ll do with authorities here,” Rebong said when reached by phone late yesterday afternoon.
The consul is in Manila for the three-day policy consultation among Philippine mission heads and top officials, which closed last night at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City. She is scheduled to fly back to New York on April 2.
Rebong said the consulate’s legal officers were present when the accused nurses appeared in court on Thursday.
“Since the case started, we have been in touch with them. I am going back April 2, but we have people there attending to this,” she said. “We have submitted our report [to the government] and we will provide help to assist our nurses.”
Financial help
Rebong also said she had discussed the matter with Foreign Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Esteban Conejos Jr.
She said there was an agreement to provide financial aid to the nurses for their legal expenses, and that the consulate would “find ways” to provide the aid.
“Undersecretary Conejos assured us that we will provide assistance. What’s left to determine is the specifics,” she said
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