DoLE issues National Heroes’ Day holiday pay rules

DoLE issues National Heroes’ Day holiday pay rules - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Yup! One of my fave topics indeed... holidays and holiday pay! LOL ^_^ It's not a working day for me today; well, not technically, that is. I didn't have to go to the office, but I did have a tutorial earlier today. Plus there's another one later tonight. Ahh I love holidays. These are days I can bum around during the day and sleep endlessly for many hours! However, since I got caught up in this earning online thing, I'd rather click away the hours than sleep them away. LOL! :D For those who are working today, it would be good to check out the guidelines such as the article on the Inquirer or you can also visit the website of the Department of Labor & Employment.

National Heroes' Day (Araw ng mga Bayani) is a public holiday in the Philippines, celebrated yearly on the last Monday in August. The country, on the 30th day of August, commemorates the "Cry of Pugad Lawin" by Filipino revolutionaries called the Katipunan led by its leader (Supremo) Andres Bonifacio. For history enthusiasts, just click through the links I've provided to read more about the terms. 

I believe though that more than the historical value, there is a need to spread the true meaning of heroism, not just in the country but throughout the world. Locally, there is a need for more vigilance on the part of the citizens to ensure that there is good governance of the nation. We've known this for a long time, but what have we actually done about it? There is a need for more helping hands in various sectors of the country as the nation's underprivileged abound. I do hope that something is already being done to improve this. So, I hope that in addition to enjoying the holiday, you're also thinking of ways of helping the country on its way to progress. After all, great things start from small beginnings. Enjoy your day! Till next blog.. ta-tah! ^_^

Venus of the Universe

Yup! You guessed it right. If you're up-to-date with the latest headlines, I'm referring to none other than 2010 Miss Universe 4th Runner-up Venus Raj. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of beauty pageants. So why am I blogging about it? LOL! Well, for one thing it has been a while since a Philippine representative ever made it to the finals of an international beauty contest, esp. one as prestigious as the Miss Universe pageant. The news actually came as a breather from Monday's tragic hostage taking event in Manila. I didn't get to watch the pageant per se, but I read news articles about it. I've also seen a few clips from the news. 

Raj was asked by American actor William Baldwin during the question-and-answer portion about the biggest mistake she made in her life and what she did to correct it. Her reply may not have been the most brilliant one, but what do you actually expect from a 22-year old who hasn't lived her life to the fullest? To me, questions like that require deeper thought, if you want an intelligent answer, that is. On t.v. last night, several clips were shown about public personalities who were asked the same question in the past. That included former President George W. Bush. Even he commented to the press that they should have written that question and handed it to him in advance so that he could answer it well. One t.v. personality said he wouldn't answer it in front of the camera. LOL! ^_^ Tough huh? It was made even more difficulty by the fact that the whole world is watching. 

Venus Raj's reply to the question: "You know what, sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say that there's nothing major, major problem that I've done in my life because I'm very confident with my family, with the love that they are giving to me." 

One thing for sure, Venus's reply caught on. "Major, major" is talk of the town. Even I find myself using the expression sometimes. LOL! ^_^ She's back in the country early today. I would expect there would be a 'major, major' welcome for her in her hometown in Bicol! :p With that said, till another blogging day! Ta-tah! :D

Pet Peeves

I've been debating with myself on whether to blog about this topic. I haven't focused much on negativities that I don't really want to start. Sometimes, however, you gotta face some stuff that really annoy you. Perhaps then you'll find a way to curb that annoyance. LOL! ^_^

For those who aren't familiar with the term, 'pet peeve' is defined as 'a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.' I'm sure we all have one, one way or the other. So what drives you up the wall? For me, here's a short list of my pet peeves (in random order):

Fatigue

Have you ever felt like that guy in the picture? I have from time to time. In fact, that's exactly how I've felt since the week started. Even I can't explain it sometimes. I know that  it has been a busy week for me since last week. Still I don't usually feel so tired. 

Fatigue (also called exhaustion, lethargy, languidness, languor, lassitude, and listlessness) is a state of awareness describing a range of afflictions, usually associated with physical and/or mental weakness, though varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles.

Now, could this be fatigue I'm feeling? Well, there's physical fatigue or muscle weakness. I'm not totally exhausted but there are moments of weakness. Like I wish I could get the day off and spend the whole day in bed doing nothing. LOL! ^_^ Or this could simply be laziness setting in. I guess I might still be adjusting to my busy schedule which started just last week. I sure hope the feeling gets better. 

Then there's mental fatigue which manifests in sleepiness. That would be me yesterday. I was basically just plain sleepy and lethargic. Sure, I'm some kinda late sleeper. But I still somehow manage to wake up feeling refreshed. Yesterday, I was a bit too exhausted to think. You'll notice I have skipped a few days in between blogging. :p Perhaps I just need multivitamins. Anyway, I purchased some last night. I'm feeling better when I woke up this morning. It must be working! LOL! ^_^ So for you people out there having the same symptoms, it must be telling you to slow down a bit with activities. Take lotsa rest & remember your vitamins! Till next time.. Ta-tah! 

Aquino launches presidential website to get feedback from people

Aquino launches presidential website to get feedback from people - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Honestly, I would rather that my blog site be apolitical. However, from time to time, I can't help but comment on interesting stuff in the headlines that catch my attention. I think that's in line with my intention of being random. I saw the article on the paper about the launching of the presidential website. It's not the first time that I have checked it out. I've done so a few times during the past administration. But today was the first time I revisited it, mainly due to the news article. I wanted to know if indeed it was true that citizens of the country can now post their views and suggestions on the site. I was struck by how seemingly simple the new site looks, compared to the previous one. For me, it now looks more user friendly. The part I like most is the link that reads 'Transparent Government.' Clicking on it takes you to a page where there are comments from various posters. At the bottom is where you can send in your own comments/ suggestions. That's pretty interesting if you ask me. I commend the government's efforts of reaching out to the people. I only hope that this would pave the way for better governance of the nation. After all, the people of the Philippines truly deserve a better life. 

Screen shot from the President's website

Mobility and Disability

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I hear the word mobility, what comes to my mind is movement. One that involves going from one place to another. Clearly, this is an easy thing to do for a regular person like me. A person with mobility impairment, however, may have difficulty with walking, standing, or even traveling about. We all know that in this day and age, it is hard to engage in activities that don't somehow involve some traveling about.This could be tough for people with mobility impairment. It's a good thing that there is a non-profit trade association as NMEDA. NMEDA is an acronym for The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association. It is an association of mobility equipment dealers, manufacturers and rehabilitation professionals dedicated to provide safe, reliable vehicles and modifications to enable people with disabilities to travel about safely.

No two people with a disability are the same. It is best to consult with your local NMEDA mobility dealer before you even consider buying the ideal vehicle or modifications for your special needs. Buying only from a NMEDA dealer assures you of quality purchase. To make things even better, NMEDA has a Quality Assurance Program (QAP), a nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. NMEDA dealers who participate in the QAP are held to extremely high standards of quality assurance for consumers. The public is then assured of the highest level of quality when purchasing vehicles or modifications for their specialized needs.

Caregivers have one of the toughest jobs in terms of taking care of their patients. They may even be required to take their patients wherever and whenever required like regular visits to the hospital or health care facilities. As such, they need to be able to transport their patients safely. Having the proper equipment can help a lot in assuring the patients' safety. It can also prevent injury to caregivers, esp. if they need to transport heavy and bulky wheelchairs or scooters.

Finding a local NMEDA dealer is quite simple and easy. Just check out their website, click on locate a dealer, and input your ZIP/Postal Code. You can even search by State/Province. So if you are in need of mobility assistance or know anyone who is, visit the NMEDA site today and find a dealer near you. A NMEDA dealer can greatly help persons with disabilities get back onto the road to independence.

King of the Jungle

(credits to the owner of the picture)

Tonight my daughter and I had one of those bonding nights again. The last time was probably a month ago wherein she asked me to watch with her a vcd of Barbie and the Three Musketeers. That was part of her collection. As it turned out, the movie wasn't so bad. Being young at heart, I actually enjoyed it. But I guess what was more fun was the fact that it was a mother-daughter bonding night. Going back, tonight she asked me to watch Lion King II with her. I don't know why she suddenly developed this fascination for the Lion King movies. I know I've seen the movies a long time ago. But it would be fun to enjoy another bonding night so I agreed.