May mga Iskolar ng Bayan tayo sa TF?

[Tonyang]

Kung YES... kailangan ka kabayan ng Bayan para iangat ito sa kinababagsakan nito ngayon.

A very inspirational message forwarded by a Iskolar ng Bayan herself, Dr. Elvira Galang...
The brightest minds will help rebuild our nation but where are they now? We need them now, wherever they are...
--------------------

ISKOLAR NG BAYAN, BAYANI PARA SA BAYAN
By Antonio P. Meloto, Gawad Kalinga
U.P. Commencement Exercises
National College of Public Administration and Governance
22 April 2006

Maraming salamat sa inyong paanyaya na magsalita ngayon sa napakahalagang araw ng inyong buhay. Hindi po ako nag-aral dito sa UP, pero dalawang tao na malapit sa puso ko ang nagtapos dito. Yong ama ko was a graduate 68 years ago in Business Administration, at ang pangalawang anak ko ay nagtapos sa Theater Arts in 2003. Ako’y tuwang-tuwa dahil ito ang pinakaunang UP graduation na napuntahan ko and it somehow lessens the guilt of not attending my daughter’s graduation dahil pinahalagahan ko ang misyon ko para sa mahirap.

***the rest of his speech is here (http://www.goodnewspilipina s.com/docs/inspirational_views/archived/iskolar.html)***

[puting tainga]

What Dr. Galan said was very, very good for young people who just graduated from UP.
I agree with her mostly.
Because these young people will be the foundation for changing this country, it is important to make sure they will not use their power selfishly, seeking only for their own glory.

So called brain drain (and beauty drain, too?) is reality, though humble TF members are reluctant to publicly admit their own brightness or beauty, or both. (biro lang)

But as she mentioned, all these healthy and competent people working abroad have never deserted people back in home, and every TF member knows that, I believe.

Perhaps a bit of more love, and all of a sudden, it will start changing dramatically.

[adechan]

naiyak naman ako dito:cry:

[risingsun300]

Lahat naman tayo ay maituturing na iskolar ng bayan marahi. MApalad na tayong nakapag-aral elementarya o sekondya maging kolehiyo na dapt sanay naibigay pa sa iba nating mga kababayan. Base sa istatistika ng MOnbukagakusho meron ng halos 5,000 Pilipino ngayon ang naging ISkolar ng Bayan.. Bayang Hapon hindi bayang PIlipinas.. KAya marahil karamihan sa kanila ay naninilbihan na sa Bayang Hapon....

[Tonyang]

Wow 5000 na! Ang dami na pala! I am sure may mga Iskolar ng Bayan ng UP tayo sa list at mga grad ng Pisay... sila iyung mga pinondohan ng gobyerno natin para mag-aral ng siyensya para sa pagasa ng bayan sa darating na panahon sa pamamagitan ng kanilang katalinuhan. Kailangang kailangan natin sila ngayon.

I am sure kahit malayo ang karamihan sa Pinas, may paraan paano kung paano natin puwedeng maiahon ang bagsak nang bayan nila.

After all, dito tayo lahat nagmula... sa ating inang laya!

[Paul]

Tony Meloto's commencement speech at the College of Public Ad is a good one but I think the speech of Dr. Paco Sandejas at the commencement exercises of the College of Science has a more practical message for the Iskolar ng Bayan here at TF.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Uncompromising Excellence
UP College of Science Commencement Speech 2006 (April 23)
by Paco Sandejas, Ph.D. (UP Applied Physics 1989)

******************** ********************
Disclaimer: the speaker has no personal grudge nor a negative view of any other school departments, disciplines, nor of other Universities. In fact, he serves on the Board of De La Salle Canlubang. A school he poked fun at to keep the UP graduates awake and entertained. He also helps many other schools, including Ateneo, whenever asked. The message is littered with jokes so be careful not to take the jokes too seriously. This speech could be used in other schools, just swap the names of schools being joked about. Please, don’t shoot the speaker, he still has a lot of financial debts to pay. But, do please take seriously the suggestions to keep learning, work hard and serve without moral compromise.
******************** ********************

Dean Azanza, Professors and Officials of the College and University Systems, Proud Parents, Relatives, Friends and Graduates, Good afternoon.

I must say that among all the people mentioned just now the VIPs today are all of you graduates. Congratulations!

I can’t believe that 17 years ago I was here in this exact same spot giving a very similar speech on behalf of the graduating class of 1989 for the CS. It seems like it was just yesterday. I hope today I do a better job because when I emailed my 6 physics classmates (we were only 8 then - not like your 30 today - and one dear friend, Noel Urmeneta, has already passed to the next life)… unfortunately, no one could remember exactly what I said. Hopefully, I can leave a better impression today.

Nowadays, I consider myself more as an electrical engineer rather than a physicist. And I work more as business investor in engineering companies. Nonetheless, I am honored and excited to speak to you, the graduating class of the UP Diliman College of Science, because I – together with many other friends – share a dream for this beloved motherland of ours and you are the elite young scientific minds of this country that can work with us to make these a reality.

These dreams have to do with Science and Engineering helping improve our socio-economic status among our world peers. The second dream is more general. Whether you remain a scientist or not, you are smart people that I’d like to inspire to help insure that our nation’s future leaders be competent and morally courageous. And of course, I would be glad if the parents, friends and older alumni here join us in this mission.
But Before talking about dreams, I’d like to share a bit of my personal experience after graduation from the College of Science. After all this seems to be what is expected of most commencement speakers. So here goes.

ENJOYING LIFE AS IT COMES
A wise philosopher once said, “Life is a box of chocolates. You never know which one you get.” It is hard to know what really awaits us: what the future will bring. Please, bear with me as I try and describe this process from my personal career experience.
I must say that I think I was one of those in my class who knew what he or she wanted to achieve in life. I said I wanted to go abroad, get a PhD, learn some trade, get good at it, bring back a business to this country while helping the country as a business leader and technocrat. I thought I’d be happy to do this before I was 50.
More or less people might say I am on track with my career plan. However, if you spent a lot of time having coffee with me, you’d realize quickly that many of the details happened NOT as I planned.

For example, at the time of graduation in 1989 BS Applied Physics was not able to describe to me very well how semiconductors are made and designed. I had to do my own research by reading introductory books and visiting the few companies I that were engaged in related businesses. One happened to be an excellent company called Integrated Microelectronics, Inc or IMI of Ayala. IMI at that time was doing some chip packaging.
Anyway, my simplistic view of the world at that time was very similar to the naïve view of semiconductors shared by some of our government economic leaders of the last 20 years. If we package chips here we can do better by manufacturing the chips at the wafer level in the Philippines. Tama nga naman, diba? We can create more value in this country if we also make the raw material.

So naïve pinoy I was, with a scholarship at Stanford and changing to an MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering so I could learn semiconductor manufacturing processes. I spent 5 years getting my PhD and doing quite well at it and even earned 4 patents in the process. But lo and behold, after 5 years I learned that we probably don’t have the resources to do that kind of work in the Philippines. At least not for the next 15 years. To run a wafer fab business in a sustainable fashion takes about $3 Billion dollars, (I am guessing) about 100 trained professionals in the field with a lot of M.S. and Ph.D. types and a whole lot of very experienced technicians. We don’t have that kind of resource here. So, I had to adjust and find another career if I wanted to come back to the Philippines one day.

As I was graduating, Yahoo was being born in a trailer office across the street from my lab. In my first two years working in Silicon Valley, Netscape was founded and a friend was one of the co-founders. I thus logically thought that the internet was something I could make money building in the Philippines. This was 1997 and I started to explore doing this. To make the story short, I am doing this today only indirectly as a venture capital investor and incubator/mentor to entrepreneurs. SHAMELESS PLUG: We are invested in a software application services company called Stratpoint Technologies – those of you who want to do software R&D and are not sure of your jobs should look this company up.

Anyway, the bottom line is clear: things didn’t go exactly as planned. I certainly am not running a manufacturing business as I thought I’d be doing, but I am running a bigger and enjoyable business financing and incubating other technology entrepreneurs and assisting the government whenever possible. Life is good.

To drive this point home even more strongly, when I graduated from here with honors my friends used to tease me that I was a MEGANERD. I am serious, if you look at Agham of 1989 that is my write up. And many people thought I would never get married because I was so involved in my studies and religious/charitable activities. Don’t get me wrong I knew some beautiful women, but some of them thought I’d end up in the priesthood so they had no interest in me.

Fast forward to today, I am now married and ironically with all the credentials read by Henry who introduced me, I am guessing that for the majority of the Filipino “masa” my biggest claim to fame is being Mr. Christine Jacob. Okay lang, at least before Christine and I started dating exclusively I had my chance to hang out with FHM models. Not bad for a MEGANERD. Hah! And belat to my friends that teased me.

CHARACTER TRAITS THAT REALLY HELPED
Anyway, thinking about my short personal experiences so far and also learning from others much more successful than I am, I thought I’d share some character traits that I think will be very useful for all of us to cultivate as we embark on our lives after college.

Number 1. Be curious. Keep learning. Keep studying. And hopefully now you can enjoy it more because you don’t need to worry about grades and passing. Enjoy TRULY learning more about how the things you love really work.

Two. Be confident. You might not know everything but you are the smartest of the Philippines. And beyond the Philippines, the world is on average the same, regardless of race, so as long as you work hard and do your homework, you can be confident that you are reasonably worth listening to.

Three. Love what you do. Get good at it. Competence is a rare commodity in this day and age.

Fourth. Be passionate and entrepreneurial. Don’t rely on others too much to get things done. Make things happen.

Finally, meet as many people as you can. Learn from them. This is the joy of life. Even the jerks are worth learning from. Maybe… just don’t hang around them too much. They’re no fun.

DREAMS FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING IN THE PHILIPPINES
Okay, let’s stop talking about my boring life and start dreaming. Let’s dream about science, technology and engineering. I include engineering now because I find it most valuable as the application of science and technology to our daily lives. A field I think some of you should consider for graduate school because in a poor country, our sponsors often ask us about the returns on their investment in science and technology.

Science and Engineering are now essential ingredients and economic driving forces in industrialized economies. Our Asian neighbors that invested heavily in industrialization have now over-taken us in wealth and prosperity: Taiwan, Korea, now even India and China. We have to spend a few minutes talking about this because UP is the premier institution and source of science and technology in this country, and we have in this hall some of the most respected experts in science.

WE – professors, business people, and graduates (soon to be graduate researchers or professionals) – WE HAVE TO ALL WORK TOGETHER TO HELP THE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES BECOME MORE RELEVANT TO OUR NATION. WE HAVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT INDUSTRIALIZATION. NOT AS USERS BUT AS CREATORS OF TECHNOLOGY.

As Dado Banatao, my firm’s partner and one of the most successful technology entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and the world, said last month when he visited the country, “Industrialization is the profitable creation of competitive, sustainable, and leading-edge industries through the development of state of the art and globally competitive technology based products and services.”

To make this happen we have to lobby together for a greater budget for science and technology. We need to improve basic science and engineering EDUCATION. We need to fund research and development. We have to enlighten our business leaders, congress and the executive branch that technology is a good place to invest and where high dividends will be paid in the long-term. Expertise in technology and the ability to create comes from a solid fundamental understanding of the scientific and engineering principles of how things work, thus research and education have to be supported.

The Philippines should get REALLY SERIOUS about the business of industrialization.
On a more personal note, since we can’t rely on government solely. How do we get serious about investing in science and engineering in our personal lives?

Keep studying science or engineering. But this time, again, worry less about grades and requirements but focus on learning how things work in the fields you enjoy. Get at least one graduate degree.

Earlier I mentioned that most of my speech 17 years ago was forgotten, but one thing I remember is I gave this same exact suggestion. If you have the chance, through the many scholarships available (they are there if you look hard enough) or through a rich relative, go abroad to study and become world-class. Don’t go abroad to escape.

Why abroad? Are not our UP professors a good-looking bunch – especially this afternoon?… or moreover aren’t they world-class, too. True, but it is just that the resources are limited in our country. Both human and physical. Access to world’s experts - Nobel Prize winners, state of the art equipment, latest technologies and inventions allows you to create that much faster.

For example, personally I don’t believe my patents and inventions were due to my being smarter. Rather I think it helped me a lot to be in the right environment, with all the resources needed and, of course, having the chance to exploit the unique opportunity.
But after going abroad and getting the experience you think you need to succeed in life, please do your best to come back and help out. This is still your home and it so badly needs the support of a few good men and women. And that’s you. There’s no one else. From experience, I can tell you doing this is more fulfilling personally than making a gazillion bucks in a foreign land. More on helping out later.

On the other hand, if you opt to or are forced to stay in the Philippines. Whether in academe or industry. You can still get your graduate degree in UP.

Involve industry partners in conducting your research and development – wherever you conduct this. Always keep in mind your potential market and customers.
Learn business and economics… and even politics. I believe that if our leading scientists and engineers where better at politics they’d have gotten bigger budgets for us by now.
If you join the academe, share ideas with your colleagues. Publish.

DREAM OF A BETTER PHILIPPINES
Another common theme of commencement speakers – I am told by the elders - is to forewarn graduates about the so-called REAL WORLD.

What does that mean? Studying, falling in love in college, etc, is that not real? I think REAL WORLD means the rest of the world beyond our individual scope of experience. Well, I am sure Pinoy Big Brother’s Keanna Reeves and everyone else has told you that the world isn’t that rosy always and it is also littered with nastiness. Of course, with roses, too, if you know how to notice and appreciate them.

But I am not going to dwell too much on that. I want to dwell on our poor beloved country, the Philippines. Kawawa naman the Philippines, or should I say kawawa naman the majority of the Filipino people. We are still a very poor country left behind by our neighbors when not long ago we were one of the most prosperous nations in Asia. Today, the world has a poor image of us as superstitious fatalists, maids, seamen, terrorists, prostitutes. Sure the call center industry is a bright spot and improves our image quite a bit. Cool! Now the rest of the world has realized that our maid, Manang Inday also knows how to answer the phone with a newly acquired American Twang.

Please don't blame me for the mess of our country. Being good students of science and technology – together with the smart guys from engineering we can of course blame our country’s state on the graduates of… Ateneo and La Salle… and in the worst cases on the UP Graduates from the other colleges like CSSP (College of Social Science and Philosophy), Humanities, Law, MassCom and even Human Kinetics. That's where congress and the corrupt branches of government seem to pick up their athletes, celebrities and failed lousy lawyers. God save us! The bottom line is: the previous generation has kind of let us down.
Don’t get me wrong. Of course there are some good public servants in government - people who mean well and know what they are doing - but by and large these are a minority… I might be exaggerating a bit to drive home a point…. Or maybe I am NOT exaggerating.

Seriously this last portion of my speech may apply to all UP graduates, past, present and future. And we can all do something to effect change. This country badly needs young, idealistic and uncompromising professionals. My wife and I just became parents 5 years ago and like us, I am sure you all realize that our future children and grandchildren need us to do a better job for this poor country. As we can see from our present and past leadership, the graduates of UP – AGAIN, MOSTLY FROM OTHER COLLEGES - have let us down. I saw a number of them in school here and they were the types that didn’t study (I was also in the UP Student Council, by the way). Rally lang ng rally. While the majority of the students studied hard – in the College of Science we studied hard because we worried about getting into medical school or other graduate programs abroad). Our UP Alumni in government today might have been equally idealistic in their youth – much like you and I - but they did not stick to their ideals. I contend that they did not have a firm moral foundation of values.

The leaders we need have to possess three qualities: 1) brains or competence, 2) a culture of diligent hard work and 3) moral strength. I know that on average you graduates of CS have the advantage in first two: superior brains and ability to gain competence to lead in whatever areas you end up choosing whether in science, business, academe or politics.

But NO ONE HAS A LOCK ON MORAL FIBRE. There were, of course, also many good and smart people from the other departments but once the lure of quick money and great power was presented to them in their roles as political or business leaders their morals were left by the wayside.

I hope and I pray that maybe those of you who lead in science & technology and those of you who choose non-science paths – including politics – will show the older generations that you can do a much better job. With the benefit of hindsight and history you know full well that corruption ruins the lives of so many people. And when the day comes and you are tempted, try and remember these days and how all of us DESPISE – or dare I say “hate” – the many corrupt leaders we see in the papers everyday. We don’t want to be despised like them, no matter how rich you might get from stealing people’s money or how beautiful the sexy starlet on your arms!

Please, maintain your idealism and do not allow ourselves to be sucked into the “old corrupt system”. Do not allow mediocrity, selfishness and the most evil "puede na yan" attitude to take the better of you. “Puede na ‘yan” is a very sad compromise and if we keep that attitude our beloved Philippines will forever be the sick old man of Asia.
From tomorrow onwards the world is yours. Seize the opportunity to make your mark and make this a better place for all of us and our children. Thank you.

[puting tainga]

>Tony Meloto's commencement speech

Oops!
Tama.
Dr. Galan is the person who forwarded this speech, not the one who made it.

Machigae mashita. Moushiwake gozaimasen.

[Tonyang]

Thanks for sharing that one, Paul. I know Agham (the summa cum laude) from 1989 and I had worked with him to build migrant training programs. Agham helped a lot to build our migrant training programs in the late 90s here in Tokyo.

Both speeches have messages that are converging to one idea... we need those Iskolar ng Bayan who once promised (?) to help the country by studying very well and I hope they will respond to this call. Please correct me if that should be a compulsory responsibility since the government had invested a lot of money for their studies that made them experts now. Otherwise, such speeches or "reminders" will be good as reading materials only.

Are you one of them or do you know of anyone, Paul?

Cheers.

[puting tainga]

>since the government had invested a lot of money for their studies that made them experts now.

You're right.
Taxpayer's money..
Think about that a large proportion of them has never had a chance to have higher education.
Poverty prevented them from doing so, yet they had to pay tax in one way or another, directly or indirectly.

Neglecting this call is betraying the honest taxpayers.
(I even wanted to use the word "traitor", but stopped short of it.)

Yet, I want these bright guys to respond to this call not by compulsion, but out of love and conscience.

Anata tachi niwa kitai shite imasu. Ganbatte kudasai.

[Tonyang]

Puting Tainga, may ilan akong kilala na tumutulong... like si Agham na ka-batch ni Paco Sandejas noong 1989 at narinig ko na ang gumawa ng Timog Forum ay mga Pisay grad. Di ko lang kumpirmado pa. Tsismis pa ngayon kasi di ko sila kilala. Well through TF, nagkakakilala tayo kahit walang mukha hehe! May kilala pa akong ka-batch nila na nasa Geneva. May ginawa siyang migrant training program din doon.

I am sure may ginagawa ang ilan (kaso ilan lang kumpara sa dami nila) na gusto nating malaman para di naman natin tawaging traydor siguro... di lang natin alam siguro ang mga ginagawa natin ngayon kung para sa bayan o para pansarili lang. I do think kung kaya nating gumawa ng Timog Forum, mas mataas pa ang level na makakaya o magagawa ng mga genius natin na gumawa ng TF. Right, TF geniuses?

Puting Tainga, baka may kilala ka na Iskolar ng Bayan?

Which reminds me... baka siguro may paraan para pumili ng mga dapat na iskolar ng bayan. Baka kahit di matalino pero iaangat ang bayan, puwede na siguro.

What do you think?

[d_southpaw]

Which reminds me... baka siguro may paraan para pumili ng mga dapat na iskolar ng bayan. Baka kahit di matalino pero iaangat ang bayan, puwede na siguro.


Pasali. I agree, kahit din matalino, talagang pwede na. Baka nga pwedeng sabihin na mas mahalaga yong ibang qualities katulad ng tamang attitude. Anong tamang attitude ?
May pagmamalasakit sa sarili, sa sariling pamilya, sa sariling komunidad. May tamang attitude para ang sarili ay lumago sa anumang larangan na pinili nya. Mas maganda nga kung lalago sa negosyo o sa posisyon sa korporasyon, dahil syempre habang lumalago o tumataas, uunlad rin yong tao, at mas marami at mas malaki pa ang kaya niyang gawin, sa pagtulong halimbawa.

[ayumi]

@ ka tonyang,
grabe na to-touch mo lagi ang puso ko,hindi ko man nabasa lahat ng speech nya,pero,akala ko wala ng ganyang klaseng personality sa atin ngayon,meron pa pala.i remembered the exact words from my father,INTEGRITY....
...saan ba galing ang "hunger or eagerness to help" nyo ka tonyang? saan nyo hinuhugot ang lakas para makatulong sa kapwa pilipino? kase ako,likas na matulungin pero pinipili ko ang tinutulungan ko?....pero sa inyo,talagang you reach out from someone to help someone?
saludo ako sa inyo ka tonyang...:tiphat:

[Tonyang]

Pag simple, mas ok, Dsouthpaw. Di yata nauso sa bansa natin na ang mga iskolar ng bayan ang siyang nag-aangat nito. Iyan ang nakakalungkot talaga.

Ayumi, salamat sa iyong recognition.. basta inspirasyon mo ang nasa Itaas, malakas ka palagi para sa mga gusto Niyang ipagawa sa iyo.

[goodsensei]

I was moved by the speech. Thanks, Tonyang, for sharing it. I just like to share my reflection: "I know its really hard for a person to sacrifice oneself and live for the sake of others, but the happiness that we get from that sacrifice is fulfilling and eternal. I think that's the only purpose of our existence: living for the sake of others ( and I called it true love). We need food, shelter, clothing, knowledge, power, money and so on, but our foremost need is for love. The desire to help is motivated by this love. Without this desire of living for others, our love is just a selfish love. For me, selfishness means sacrificing others for your own benefit. This is where almost all the problems come. But I don't think that the general Filipinos are selfish. We have been trained to live for the sake of our families. Our hardworks and sacrifices here in Japan and other countries are for them. You know how big our remittances are! Its not just for money, though. Its a sign of how much we love our family and therefore our homeland. That's why OFW/OCWs are called modern heroes. And how much more if we extend this love for the world. We may be called a saint. We are trained to live for others and that's why we are happy people. Do we live for the purpose of eating three meals a day? Or only care about sleeping 8 hours a night? No, it is for the sake of love that we live.That is how God created us, therefore, our men and women are willing to sacrifice their own lives for the sake of their loved ones. We love our family, right? That's why we can sacrifice for them. We also love our country, right? Our nation needs men and women with true love in order to prosper. I think we posses it but we haven't practiced it yet to the fullest. And I'm really glad that there are people who can breakthrough with this principle of living for the sake of others. They are my heroes. Let us rather be an ordinary man who can do extraordinary things than an extraordinary man who can only do ordinary things".

[ayumi]

goodsensei HI! another good speech!! ..:thumb: I feed my spirit by hearing holy mass,listening opera music and now reading words of wisdom like this......

[Tonyang]

Gusto ko lang i-share iyung appreciation ko rin tulad ng isinulat ni Ayumi kay Goodsensei. Tama lahat iyon, no doubt. Sa takbo nga lang ng panahon natin ngayon at para sa ating generation ngayon... kailangan natin ng mas malalaking hakbang para mas maraming madamay na nahihirapan sa ating bayan. Totoo na pamilya natin ang rason para sa nakararami sa atin kung bakit tayo nandito. Pero sa aking palagay, sana bukod sa pamilya natin, may magawa pa tayong paraan para sa mga isyu ng bayan. Ang mga matatalinong iskolar ng bayan... kailangan natin ang talino nila para maiahon ang bayan kasi nag-invest ang gobyerno natin sa kanila para sa kinabukasan ng bayan. Kung nagkamali man tayo sa pagpili sa kanila, kailangan pa rin nating dumiretso at humanap ng paraan dahil nagmu-multiply lang ang mga problema natin sa Pinas. Nasaan sila? Pls help.

Kasi konektado tayong lahat... kahit wala tayong pakialamanan sa isa't isa o kanya-kanya tayo. Iisa lang iyung nirerepresenta natin... ang lahing Pinoy. So kung may palpak o gagawa ng kalokohan, damay tayong lahat. Kung may gagawa ng maganda at maayos, damay tayong lahat. Kung may masasaktan, damay tayong lahat. Aminin man natin na damay tayo o hindi, maliit man o hindi, may epekto sa ating kabuuan. So ang punto ko lang dito, bakit di tayo magkaisa at kumilos para may magawa tayong mas maganda para maiangat naman natin ang Pinas? Anong puwedeng gawin? Marami at kulang na lang iyung willingness natin para mabuksan ang isip natin sa daming pagkakataon na makabuo ng mekanismo para maiahon tayong lahat.

I do believe ang mga iskolar ng bayan natin, alam ang mga problema natin at anu-ano ang dapat gawin pero bakit di nila ginagawa? Sayang kasi talaga... marami tayong magagaling pero pagdating sa applications o sariling initiative, nawawala ang loob o hindi dumidiretso. Kapag kumausap tayo ng iskolar, alam nila ang rason bakit A at hindi B pero pag inimbita na sila na gawin natin iyung A, takot... bakit kaya? Gusto lang nilang gawin iyung nasa trabaho at tutok sa pag-aaral. Respect of choices of course pero bakit sila tinawag na "iskolar ng bayan" pa kung ganoon? Siguro "iskolar" na lang at alisin na iyung "ng bayan". Baka mali iyung titulo. Pls help correct this notion.

Di ba nga sa bayanihan... ang pagbubuhat ng isang bahay, di kaya ng isang tao lamang pero nakakaya ng maraming tao kahit gaano kabigat. O sa patak patak na pag-iipon, may nabubuong malaking ipon pagdating ng panahon.

[goodsensei]

Thanks, Tonyang and Ayumi for the appreciation and for bringing that reality...The following may not immediately solve the problems confronting our nation and the so-called scholars but it has a long effect in the future. Let's start: I think, one problem is our education system. We lost the ground for the education of the character in our school system nowadays. The focus has been concentrated on the education of the intellect. That's why we are producing geniuses without a "heart" and the "will" to do what is good. And therefore producing intellectual leaders with lack of character and right discipline. And if they make even a small mistake, damay tayong lahat tulad ng sabi mo. I think we need to strengthen the moral fiber of our scholars to be assured of good tomorrow. They need to be exposed to some NGO activities like Gawad or Red cross or any services for the nation before and even after graduation. Or some experience na makapagtuturo sa kanila ng pagmamahal sa bayan at sa tao. Baka sa graduation ceremony lang sila nakakarinig ng mga magagandang lecture or speech. It should have been the responsibility of the teachers to mold not only the intellect but more importantly the character of their students, though, parents should have been responsible, too, to raise-up their kids with a good standard of morality and love for the people and the nation. A scholar who has received and learned good "things" from his parents will likely to succeed in the service of the nation like the commencement speaker. Priests and pastors of different Christian denominations can help, too. But they need to learn how to love each other first by resolving their disunity. And for us, who are working abroad, ano sa palagay ninyo ang puede nating i-share (aside from financial) to strengthen the moral fiber of our scholars. Yes, you're right when you said that we need to come together to do something for the nation but if our young people and leaders loose the moral foundation, they may fail us while the nation declines. And I really don't know how many of us will come forward and be ready to do some sacrificial work for the sake of our country. If that is possible, we can set-up a good plan. One is external plan by using our technical expertise, finance and materials. And one is internal plan to safeguard the morals of our people. Its a kind of bayanihan spirit as you've said. External and internal bayanihan. We don't need to blame each other for the situation of our country. Somebody has to take the initiative to be responsible and ask ourselves of what we can do for our country. And this responsibility requires an extra amount of effort and determination. Responsible people is the miracle that our nation needs! Above statement is just my idea. Yours are good. And there maybe some better ideas out there. Please share.

[ayumi]

@ka tonyang.
maybe this is the right time,to lead all TF members sa pagtayo ng TF charity group,siguro nga tama na ang salita,sabi nga ni GOODSENSEI...PLAN... so siguro kailangan nyo nang i-plano kung papano makabuo ng charity group dito,eto kung OK lang naman sa may-ari ng bahay (boss NICK) at sa mga moderators and ALL the members.....
...isama nyo na ako sa isa sa mga miembro....para mas malalim na kabuluhan naman ang pag-log-in natin sa TF.....opinion ko lang po ito....sorry po sa hindi sumasang-ayon...
kahit naman yata hindi mga scholar ng bayan...me magagawang maganda para sa bayan...
no need to search the scholar ng bayan...siguro lang po.

[Tonyang]

Goodsensei, good points and I hope they will materialize and become actual fruits of success. Are we proceeding to anything definite from this kind of exchange? How do you want to start any undertaking and what could be the specific sector that you want to focus on? Let's go down to the basics in order to meet a definite and doable target. First is.. after our reminders, where are these scholars who want to do something now? I am sure walang sasagot kasi forum lang po ito at baka mapagalitan lang po ako sa ginagawa ko.

Goodsensei, the scholars are very aware of the problems in the country because they are very intelligent. Pls ask any scholar you know and he/she could articulate those problems. Very intellectually stimulating if you are dealing with them. Ang daming alam. I am proud of meeting those folks though but at the end of the day, I realized that it's all show and at individual performance level only because that will not solve our crisis in the country. What is really sad about it is that they could only articulate those problems and proceed to intellectual discussions. They are very good discussants quoting theories and proscons analysis, left and right, using very technical words that only intellectuals could fathom. Unfortunately, such acts are good only for a one-day gathering and after such a gathering, every idea will be floated in the air. There might be risk takers at the end of the day but they will just give up for whatever reasons without hitting the actual targets.

Based on your message.. should we depend on the responses first? Worst case, no one will respond and best case, few or many will respond. These are true scenarios in a Philippine situation or setup. Therefore? Is this a dead-end or we have more takers like Ayumi, you and myself?

If we want to help the country in its broadest and simplest sense is not all about putting money into it because there's ability, effort and time to consider too. Thus, you don't have to be rich to help. You just have to be willing to share you time and effort to make ends meet. Because if we put our ability, time and effort, money will be secondary.

Ayumi, salamat sa iyong initiative. Kahit ayaw ng TF boss, I hope tuloy-tuloy ka. Anong sector ang gusto mong tulungan?

[ayumi]

we do charity works from time to time in our own simple way.next anihan ng palay ng elder sister ko we'll gonna feed the hungry kababayan in Cebu near six churches,one sack of rice everyday for one year.aabot din sya ng more or less 2,000,000mang yen......kase me kasamang ulam,tsaka hindi sya lugaw,talagang rice.sabe nga kase ni ERAP..."hungry man knows no lord" correct me if i'm wrong...yun lang ang kaya ko....gusto ko silang busugin para hindi makapag-isip ng masama,sana makatulong kahit papano...

[Tonyang]

Maganda iyang ginagawa ninyo, Ayumi. Please continue.

Mayroon lang akong mensahe sa iyo at sigurado ako na alam mo na rin:

Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you'll feed him for life, the saying goes.

Tayo kasi Ayumi may kanya-kanyang impulse pag naaawa tayo o gusto nating makatulong. Karamihan, naniniwala sa DOLE-OUT bilang short-term solution. Iyung buhos ng extra cash nila sa mahihirap o pag may humingi na tulong. Di iyan masama pero kung gusto nating pagtulong para maiahon sila sa kahirapan, turuan natin silang magsaka o mangisda bilang mid-term o long-term solution.

Kasi pag puro doleout, nakaabang lang sila at walang gagawin. Tulad ng mga beneficiary natin sa remittance na pinapadala natin... nakaabang na lang sila at di na nagtatrabaho. Ofcourse, case by case iyan. Maaaring nag-aalaga ng bata o may pinapaasikaso tayo sa bahay kaya tayo na lang ang magbibigay ng allowance. Kanya-kanyang decision... kanya-kanyang responsibilidad.

Alam mo sis... iyung mga nagi-sponsor kong kaibigan o kakilala, pinapaalam ko sa kanila kung anong mangyayari at nangyari sa perang pinadala nila. Karamihan ayaw nang makinig... basta inabot na lang nila. I think mali iyun... dapat alamin kung para saan, bakit doon ginamit at anong kabutihan ang naidulot ng contribution iyong contribution.

Kaya kailangan natin ng mga iskolar ng bayan para sa mga proyekto nilang naiisip na puwedeng gawin ng mga mahihirap at popondohan ng mga gustong tumulong.

Alam mo sis... nagkamali lang nga tayo ng pagpili ng mga tutulungang scholar na tutulong sa bayan sa tingin ko. Kasi iyung measure natin, intellectual level na pang-Einstein na sa trend o lipas ng panahon, di matched sa social consciousness. Tingnan mo sa mga naging teacher na tulad nila, matatapang o salbahe sa mga estudyante. Di na marunong magturo, grabe pang mambagsak ng estudyante. Kaya magandang gawin ng gobyerno natin, gawing scholar iyung mga aktibo na sa community at kahit may average level lamang ng IQ. Enough iyung matagal na experience na nagi-invest tayo sa mga kabataang di rin tutulong sa bayan pagdating ng panahon.

[japphi]

Oppss....Tonyang and Ayumi...makikisabat sandali.....

Tama ka Tonyang sa nasabi mo na....tulungan silang mangisda....pero hindi yung ibibigay na lang sa harapan nila yung Esa na dapat kainin.....I agree.Dapat ituro sa kanila kung papaano mangisda....at alalayan.

Few years ago....mga elementary pa ang dalawang anak namin....at medyo bata pa ang asawa ko.Naisipan naming mag-paaral nang 5 high school students doon sa bayan namin.Karamihan sa mga nag-papaaral o gustong magpa-aral ay pinipili nila ay scholar o matatalino,para daw hindi masayang ang perang pinapadala nila.....sabagay...: rolleyes:

Kaya lang para sa akin....ang dapat talagang tulungan ay ang mga batang gustong mag-aral na hindi kaya nang kanilang mga magulang...correct me, maybe I'm wrong.Dahil kahit na bobo sila ay may karapatan din namang matuto 'di ba?
Andito kami nang asawa ko kaya nakiusap kami sa may kinauukulan nang school na pumili sila nang students na talagang mahirap pero gusto talagang makapag-aral.Na kung pwede ay tingnan ang background nang mga parents financially.Ganoon nga ang nangyari....pero mahirap nga yata ang wala doon para ikaw mismo ang tumingin sa mga gusto mong papag-aralin.Huli na nang malaman ko mismo sa mga bata na andyan na ang tatay nya ay nasa Saudi o nasa abroad...pero matalino ang bata.Yung iba ay talagang mahirap.....na ang naging labas naman ay naging pabaya ang mga parents.Dahil sa alam nila na every month ay bayad na ang anak nila sa school....ultimo libro,uniforms,acces ories ay libre.Nang malaman ko yon....pinasya ko na i-pull out yung scholarship at ibigay sa iba.Find more qualified student....mali kaya ang ginawa ko?:rolleyes:
Marami akong narinig sa mga kamag-anak namin....dahil marami akong pamangkin o anak nang kamag-anakan namin na nilampasan ko at anak nang ibang tao ang pinag-aral namin hanggang makatapos nang HS.Mali din kaya ang ginawa ko?

Honestly speaking.....I came from a very poor family of 13....napakahirap sa amin ang makatungtong sa HS.Na kalimitan sa mga nakatatanda kong kapatid ay hindi nakapag-HS man lang dahil sa kahirapan.Not even me....opo...ang Lola ay hindi nakatapos nang HS ...pero nilagay ko sa isip ko na kahit hindi na elementary graduate lang ako ay sisikapin kong mag-aral nang English man lang para hindi maiwan o kahit papaano ay makaintindi nang English.
Ginamit ko ang mga libro nang 2 Kuya ko at nag-self study para mai-train ang utak ko kahit na konting English lang.Sin-werte ang Kuya ko na makapag navy at hinikayat akong mag-aral ng HS...pero may mga nakababata pa akong kapatid na dapat kong iuna....sila ang tinustusan.

Bilang isang mahirap na anak....ginawa ko ang makakaya ko para makatulong,pero gusto ko talagang mag-aral dahil na-iinggit ako sa mga naging kaklase ko.Hanggang sa napasukan ko rin ang maging entertainer pero once lang yon....Mabuti na lang at nag bukas ang Ministry of Education sa atin nang Adult Education na tinatawag o Philippine Educational Placement Test o PEPT.Na kung saan ay pwedeng mag-aral ang sino man na gustong ipag patuloy ang kanilang nahintong edukasyon...na kahit na anong idad pa sila ay pwede...at makikipag-test sila at malalaman doon kung anong grade ang maipapasa at maipag-papatuloy ito at makakakuha nang diploma or recognition.

Opo..isa ako sa binhi nang PEPT na nakipag test...from elementary graduate...pumasok ako nang pang-gabi na class for 6 months,na ang mga kaklase ko ay mga lolas o tyahin na,may mga bata-bata rin naman.Sa simula ay talagang nahihiya kami pero sa kagustuhang matuto ay nagtiis kami.May 35 katao kami na sa bandang huli ay back out halos sila na ang natira ay 3 na lang kaming nakipag-test.Ang hiya at tyaga ko ay napalitan nang saya nang sabihan kami na dalawa kaming nakapasa for 4th year high School.Aba...ang Lola biglang laking hakbang ang nangyari.....ba't nagkaganoon??:rolley es:

That few weeks lang ay nasa fourth year high school na ako at nung kaibigan kong nakapasa din.Laking pagtataka nung mga kasama namin sa 1st year na pinasukan namin for a month habang naghihintay sa resulta...bakit daw nagkaganoon?Na kahit kami ay hindi namin maintindihan....na kakaba-kaba kami sa klase...dahil hindi kami nakatuntong nang 1st,2nd at 3rd year ay 4th year na kaagad.....??!!At naka-graduate the same year.Hindi ko alam kung magiging masaya ako sa nangyari o naging kawawa ako/kami.Dahil sa naka-graduate kami nang hindi pinag-aralan yung ibang subjects....at akala sa bayan namin ay scholar ang Lola:p .

Hindi ko pinagyayabang ang pagkakapasa ko....ang tutoo nyan ay may lungkot din...dahil naka-graduate nang walang laman ang utak ko....empty yung 1st,2nd at 3rd year na dapat na pinasukan o pinag-aralan ko.Ang tuwa ko lang ay may diploma ako o recognition na tutoong naka-graduate ako.

Sorry....story ko na pala ang naisulat ko:p ....nakakahiya mang malaman dito...pero naglakas loob na rin ako na ilahad dito......dahil sa education ang topic.At gusto ko rin sanang magbigay halimbawa doon sa mga kababayan natin na gustong mag-aral pa.Dahil alam ko na hindi lang ako ang nakaranas nang kahirapan at nangagailangan din nang edukasyon....na kadalasan ay nahihiyang malaman na under-graduate sila.Na ine-encourage ko sila na huwag mawalan nang pag-asa...andyan ang project nang Min.Eduacation para matuto.1980's pa ang naikwento kong ito...pero sa iba ay hindi pa rin naman huli.

Last year ay may nakita ako sa homepage nang embassy natin na naglulunsad din sila nang PEPT para doon sa mga kababayan natin na gustong magpatuloy nang pag-aaral nila na sana ay huwag mahiya.Hindi ko lang alam kung mayroon pa nito sa Tokyo embassy natin.Goodluck sa gustong sumali.

[goodsensei]

[quote=Tonyang]Goodsensei, good points and I hope they will materialize and become actual fruits of success. Are we proceeding to anything definite from this kind of exchange? ...

I would be very happy if we proceed to something that can help our country.

I am involved in an activity called "self-help scholarship program". Its an educational program which aims to train high school as well as college students to be responsible not only for their family but for our nation. We are providing them a good moral education and training them to be an ethical and upright person in and out our workshop sites; and at the same time we are helping and training them find their own resources to pay their tuition fees (teaching them how to fish as you've mentioned). That's why its "self-help".

Another project that I'm in is the "service for peace" project. It involves youth and leaders of different sectors and religions in our country working together in the spirit of community service like tree planting, relief activity, medical service, etc. There maybe some differences in belief but we just talk about one common thing: service, love and peace.

And if we can come-up with something good from this forum, that would be great!

If we want to help the country in its broadest and simplest sense is not all about putting money into it because there's ability, effort and time to consider too. Thus, you don't have to be rich to help. You just have to be willing to share you time and effort to make ends meet. Because if we put our ability, time and effort, money will be secondary.

I agree with this. And to add, our character will determine the fate of our nation.

[goodsensei]

Sorry....story ko na pala ang naisulat ko:p ....nakakahiya mang malaman dito...pero naglakas loob na rin ako na ilahad dito......dahil sa education ang topic.At gusto ko rin sanang magbigay halimbawa doon sa mga kababayan natin na gustong mag-aral pa.Dahil alam ko na hindi lang ako ang nakaranas nang kahirapan at nangagailangan din nang edukasyon....na kadalasan ay nahihiyang malaman na under-graduate sila.Na ine-encourage ko sila na huwag mawalan nang pag-asa...andyan ang project nang Min.Eduacation para matuto.1980's pa ang naikwento kong ito...pero sa iba ay hindi pa rin naman huli.

Hello japphi...gusto ko ang kuwento mo. Mula sa puso at tapat. Kailangan ng bayan natin ang tulad mo. Di natin dapat ikahiya kung mababa man ang ating grado. Ang importante ay ang pagpupursige nating makapagtapos at ang mas mahalaga ay kung paano gamitin ang ating pinag-aralan sa kapakanan ng iba. For me, education is not just to acquire some knowledge but educating myself to be of service to my family, my country and perhaps the world.

[goodsensei]

we do charity works from time to time in our own simple way.next anihan ng palay ng elder sister ko we'll gonna feed the hungry kababayan in Cebu near six churches,one sack of rice everyday for one year.aabot din sya ng more or less 2,000,000mang yen......kase me kasamang ulam,tsaka hindi sya lugaw,talagang rice.sabe nga kase ni ERAP..."hungry man knows no lord" correct me if i'm wrong...yun lang ang kaya ko....gusto ko silang busugin para hindi makapag-isip ng masama,sana makatulong kahit papano...

Ayumi, thanks for doing some charity work to our less fortunate people. I like the way you give for there is no sounds of expecting something in return and you want something best to be given. That's great! Ang iba kaya nagbibigay dahil hindi na nila kailangan ang isang bagay o napagsawaan na. I hope you will continue to give and provide something better that can educate our people to stand and be responsible. ( I think Tonyang has something with this).

[Tonyang]

Oppss....Tonyang and Ayumi...makikisabat sandali.....

Tama ka Tonyang sa nasabi mo na....tulungan silang mangisda....pero hindi yung ibibigay na lang sa harapan nila yung Esa na dapat kainin.....I agree.Dapat ituro sa kanila kung papaano mangisda....at alalayan.

Few years ago....mga elementary pa ang dalawang anak namin....at medyo bata pa ang asawa ko.Naisipan naming mag-paaral nang 5 high school students doon sa bayan namin.Karamihan sa mga nag-papaaral o gustong magpa-aral ay pinipili nila ay scholar o matatalino,para daw hindi masayang ang perang pinapadala nila.....sabagay...: rolleyes:

Kaya lang para sa akin....ang dapat talagang tulungan ay ang mga batang gustong mag-aral na hindi kaya nang kanilang mga magulang...correct me, maybe I'm wrong.Dahil kahit na bobo sila ay may karapatan din namang matuto 'di ba?
Andito kami nang asawa ko kaya nakiusap kami sa may kinauukulan nang school na pumili sila nang students na talagang mahirap pero gusto talagang makapag-aral.Na kung pwede ay tingnan ang background nang mga parents financially.Ganoon nga ang nangyari....pero mahirap nga yata ang wala doon para ikaw mismo ang tumingin sa mga gusto mong papag-aralin.Huli na nang malaman ko mismo sa mga bata na andyan na ang tatay nya ay nasa Saudi o nasa abroad...pero matalino ang bata.Yung iba ay talagang mahirap.....na ang naging labas naman ay naging pabaya ang mga parents.Dahil sa alam nila na every month ay bayad na ang anak nila sa school....ultimo libro,uniforms,acces ories ay libre.Nang malaman ko yon....pinasya ko na i-pull out yung scholarship at ibigay sa iba.Find more qualified student....mali kaya ang ginawa ko?:rolleyes:
Marami akong narinig sa mga kamag-anak namin....dahil marami akong pamangkin o anak nang kamag-anakan namin na nilampasan ko at anak nang ibang tao ang pinag-aral namin hanggang makatapos nang HS.Mali din kaya ang ginawa ko?

Honestly speaking.....I came from a very poor family of 13....napakahirap sa amin ang makatungtong sa HS.Na kalimitan sa mga nakatatanda kong kapatid ay hindi nakapag-HS man lang dahil sa kahirapan.Not even me....opo...ang Lola ay hindi nakatapos nang HS ...pero nilagay ko sa isip ko na kahit hindi na elementary graduate lang ako ay sisikapin kong mag-aral nang English man lang para hindi maiwan o kahit papaano ay makaintindi nang English.
Ginamit ko ang mga libro nang 2 Kuya ko at nag-self study para mai-train ang utak ko kahit na konting English lang.Sin-werte ang Kuya ko na makapag navy at hinikayat akong mag-aral ng HS...pero may mga nakababata pa akong kapatid na dapat kong iuna....sila ang tinustusan.

Bilang isang mahirap na anak....ginawa ko ang makakaya ko para makatulong,pero gusto ko talagang mag-aral dahil na-iinggit ako sa mga naging kaklase ko.Hanggang sa napasukan ko rin ang maging entertainer pero once lang yon....Mabuti na lang at nag bukas ang Ministry of Education sa atin nang Adult Education na tinatawag o Philippine Educational Placement Test o PEPT.Na kung saan ay pwedeng mag-aral ang sino man na gustong ipag patuloy ang kanilang nahintong edukasyon...na kahit na anong idad pa sila ay pwede...at makikipag-test sila at malalaman doon kung anong grade ang maipapasa at maipag-papatuloy ito at makakakuha nang diploma or recognition.

Opo..isa ako sa binhi nang PEPT na nakipag test...from elementary graduate...pumasok ako nang pang-gabi na class for 6 months,na ang mga kaklase ko ay mga lolas o tyahin na,may mga bata-bata rin naman.Sa simula ay talagang nahihiya kami pero sa kagustuhang matuto ay nagtiis kami.May 35 katao kami na sa bandang huli ay back out halos sila na ang natira ay 3 na lang kaming nakipag-test.Ang hiya at tyaga ko ay napalitan nang saya nang sabihan kami na dalawa kaming nakapasa for 4th year high School.Aba...ang Lola biglang laking hakbang ang nangyari.....ba't nagkaganoon??:rolley es:

That few weeks lang ay nasa fourth year high school na ako at nung kaibigan kong nakapasa din.Laking pagtataka nung mga kasama namin sa 1st year na pinasukan namin for a month habang naghihintay sa resulta...bakit daw nagkaganoon?Na kahit kami ay hindi namin maintindihan....na kakaba-kaba kami sa klase...dahil hindi kami nakatuntong nang 1st,2nd at 3rd year ay 4th year na kaagad.....??!!At naka-graduate the same year.Hindi ko alam kung magiging masaya ako sa nangyari o naging kawawa ako/kami.Dahil sa naka-graduate kami nang hindi pinag-aralan yung ibang subjects....at akala sa bayan namin ay scholar ang Lola:p .

Hindi ko pinagyayabang ang pagkakapasa ko....ang tutoo nyan ay may lungkot din...dahil naka-graduate nang walang laman ang utak ko....empty yung 1st,2nd at 3rd year na dapat na pinasukan o pinag-aralan ko.Ang tuwa ko lang ay may diploma ako o recognition na tutoong naka-graduate ako.

Sorry....story ko na pala ang naisulat ko:p ....nakakahiya mang malaman dito...pero naglakas loob na rin ako na ilahad dito......dahil sa education ang topic.At gusto ko rin sanang magbigay halimbawa doon sa mga kababayan natin na gustong mag-aral pa.Dahil alam ko na hindi lang ako ang nakaranas nang kahirapan at nangagailangan din nang edukasyon....na kadalasan ay nahihiyang malaman na under-graduate sila.Na ine-encourage ko sila na huwag mawalan nang pag-asa...andyan ang project nang Min.Eduacation para matuto.1980's pa ang naikwento kong ito...pero sa iba ay hindi pa rin naman huli.

Last year ay may nakita ako sa homepage nang embassy natin na naglulunsad din sila nang PEPT para doon sa mga kababayan natin na gustong magpatuloy nang pag-aaral nila na sana ay huwag mahiya.Hindi ko lang alam kung mayroon pa nito sa Tokyo embassy natin.Goodluck sa gustong sumali.


Japphi, may naging paraan ka para matutunan ang mga naging interes mo sa buhay. Experience is your best teacher and the world became your university. Kaya nagkaganoon.

[Tonyang]

[quote=Tonyang]Goodsensei, good points and I hope they will materialize and become actual fruits of success. Are we proceeding to anything definite from this kind of exchange? ...

I would be very happy if we proceed to something that can help our country.

I am involved in an activity called "self-help scholarship program". Its an educational program which aims to train high school as well as college students to be responsible not only for their family but for our nation. We are providing them a good moral education and training them to be an ethical and upright person in and out our workshop sites; and at the same time we are helping and training them find their own resources to pay their tuition fees (teaching them how to fish as you've mentioned). That's why its "self-help".

Another project that I'm in is the "service for peace" project. It involves youth and leaders of different sectors and religions in our country working together in the spirit of community service like tree planting, relief activity, medical service, etc. There maybe some differences in belief but we just talk about one common thing: service, love and peace.

And if we can come-up with something good from this forum, that would be great!

If we want to help the country in its broadest and simplest sense is not all about putting money into it because there's ability, effort and time to consider too. Thus, you don't have to be rich to help. You just have to be willing to share you time and effort to make ends meet. Because if we put our ability, time and effort, money will be secondary.

I agree with this. And to add, our character will determine the fate of our nation.


Hi Good Sensei! Thanks for your sharing.

What is the demography of the sector that you are helping in the service for peace project?

In your last statement, you wrote about character. Could you elaborate, Good Sensei? Thanks.

[honeybunny]

tungkol po sa mga homeless dito sa japan....sabi po ng sempai kong haponesa,tinutulunga n din daw po sila ng japanese government,kaya lang po ay may pagka matigas daw ang mga ulo at ayaw daw pong sundin ang mga instructions ng mga government officials,gaya ng bibigyan sila ng shelter etc.etc.yung iba naman daw mas pinili daw nila ang ganung buhay....tinutulunga n na daw sila kung saan sila dapat,sila daw ang umaayaw:O

[honeybunny]

tungkol po sa mga homeless dito sa japan....sabi po ng sempai kong haponesa,tinutulunga n din daw po sila ng japanese government,kaya lang po ay may pagka matigas daw ang mga ulo at ayaw daw pong sundin ang mga instructions ng mga government officials,gaya ng bibigyan sila ng shelter etc.etc.yung iba naman daw mas pinili daw nila ang ganung buhay....tinutulunga n na daw sila kung saan sila dapat,sila daw ang umaayaw:O ay sori po:O :doh: :doh: :doh: off topic:( ...sa community news ko pala dapat i post ito:eek: again paumanhin po:O

[halloween]

Thanks for sharing the speech Paul. It's very inspiring.

Pasalamat na lang si Christine Jacob at di nag-cross ang landas namin ni Paco, kung hindi...... kung hindi..... napako ako sa kaka pangarap, hehehehe.

PS
Just curious, di ba yung brother ni Paco ay husband naman ni Agot Isidro? Meron pa kayang isa pang brother? Hahaha, talagang nagpupumilit eh. Joke lang po.

[Tonyang]

Halloween, nasaan na nga kaya ang mga iskolar ng bayan? May kakilala ka ba o isa ka ring scholar?

[cheburashka]

Hello po. Bago lang po ako dito sa TF. UP grad din ako...kadarating ko lang noong Agosto...nagturo ako sa UP simula noong 1998. Nakaka-miss ang pinas, lalo na ang UP...haaaaay. Ano bang magagawa natin? :)

[Tonyang]

Hello Cheburashka! Nice meeting you here. Saang college ka nagturo sa UP at I am sure well versed ka sa mga balita sa Pinas?

[autumn_in_oki]

Magandang araw mga ka-TF! Bago lang din ako dito, isa ding iskolar ng bayan na nangibang bayan.

Nakakamiss nga ang UP cheburashka... Rodics, Isaw, Sunken Garden, UP fair, Shopping Center, AS, lahat!

[Tonyang]

Wow ang dami talagang iskolar ng bayan sa TF!

[purpletablet]

elo po! isa rin po ako sa isko bayan. grad ako sa up college of pharma, sana meron akong mameet na mga ex professors or skulmates dito.

in due time babalik ulit ako sa pinas para doon na manatili.


mabuhay po isko ng bayan!

kakamiss ang college! waaah

[yeba!]

Hi, makikigulo. Peyups din ako. Fave building ko ang UP Carillion. Kahit di siya hi-tech tuwang-tuwa ako sa kanya. Miss ko pagkain sa UP. Myrna's dirty ice cream, isaw, squid balls, taho, pagkain sa lutong bahay, footlong at makipag-session sa may Sarah's. *sigh*.

Share ko na din. An little something about the most successful Pinoy in Silicon Valley. Sana maging inspiration sa lahat ng Pinoy. At sa mga successful na to bring something back. Kasi kelangan talaga ng Pilipinas ng tulong. And I still believe time will come na aangat din ang Pinas.

Memoirs of a Banatao Fellow
Joel Marciano
Apr 17, 2006

On March 21, 2006, The Brain Gain Network in cooperation with De La Salle Graduate School of Business and Narra Venture Capital organized a get-together with Dado Banatao, the most successful Filipino technology entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. The event was attended by more than a hundred people eagerly absorbing the wisdom densely packed in Dado’s words. They didn’t mind delaying dinner nor standing up just to get a glimpse of the silicon valley legend.

In an effort to share the rich experience of Dado’s numerous interviews this month, various materials will be posted in the Brain Gain Network (www.bgn.org (http://www.bgn.org/)) And as a foretaste, we will share with you below the introduction given by Dr. Joel Marciano (http://www.upd.edu.ph/%7Eeee/faculty/jmarciano.html), the officer-in-charge of the UP Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (UP-EEE) and the third recipient of the Banatao Fellowship. This fellowship is annual grant award for Post-doctoral research at any University of California Campus to deserving Electrical Engineering professors in the University of the Philippines at Diliman. This is part of the Banatao Family’s effort to deepen the knowledge base of science and engineering in our country. Please, enjoy the “sharing” of Dr. Joel Marciano.

Good evening.
I have the honor of introducing our distinguished guest today. However, I am also supposed to share with you my experiences as a recipient of the Banatao Fellowship. This way, perhaps, I could probably offer a more unconventional way of introducing the man, whose significant contributions in the realm of computing technology and legendary exploits in entrepreneurship, I am sure, we have all heard about. For those who have not, our distinguished resource person is regarded as a Silicon Valley visionary. He developed the first Ethernet controller on a chip and pioneered the PC chipset, local bus and graphics accelerator - thereby making computers cheaper, faster, easier-to-use and less boring. So I beg your indulgence, for some parts of this spiel might be a bit on the anecdotal side.
The UP-Banatao Fellowship supported my postdoctoral appointment at the Berkeley Wireless Research Center (BWRC) of UC Berkeley and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of UC San Diego from June 2004 to April 2005.
The intense immersions in advanced laboratories broadened my horizon and is contributing significantly to the development of our research roadmap in the academe, as well as how we relate with local industry. In particular, we have been addressing the need for the further development of our local graduate programs, and to do so in a way that translates to tangible benefits for local industry in the long term. As I have seen in Berkeley, UCSD and throughout Silicon Valley, this army of engineers and PhDs, more likely than not, is the fountainhead of innovation. To remain competitive, we all agree that we need to continually innovate. Our innovation must be differentiated, however, and to find substantial differentiators – we need to delve deeper into technology. Thus the need to train ourselves in research by investing more in advanced degrees.
After my very technical Post-Doc immersion in UC-Berkeley and UCSD, I was to spend one month as a visitor in Tallwood Venture Capital in Palo Alto, where Mr. Banatao is the managing partner. Tallwood includes among its portfolio companies the likes of SiRF, Marvell, T-Ram, Inphi to name a few. Mr. Banatao sits as Chairman of the Board in these companies. In Mr. Banatao's words, my activities were to “shadow” or “tail” him, as some form of immersion in venture capital. At that time, I couldn't quite figure out what to expect and how to approach this - this was something entirely new to me. So I remember the nervous 1-hour Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego to San Jose. “Do not even think about impressing the man", I thought. In the end, as I stepped out of that plane, I had formulated my mantra, and that was to "be like a sponge". So I was going to relish this experience and dig out every single nugget that I could from the gold mine that lay ahead of me, which was Dado Banatao and Tallwood (nuggets of wisdom, that is..). I was going to get the ride of a lifetime – figuratively and literally.
On my first day in Tallwood, I saw THE Mr. Banatao in action right away - we had the due diligence meeting. In these weekly internal meetings the team goes over each company that had made pitches, updates the schedule on any follow-up activities and, on occasion, decides which ones to “close”.
Mr. Banatao introduced me as a "visiting Professor from UP" to the team. There was one time, however, when I was introduced to Chris Adams, an Executive-in-Residence at Tallwood, who thought I had "intern" written all over me. He was very ready to offload heaps of work to me, and I quote, "Well, let's get you going right away". I was stunned. It's not that I didn't look forward to the work, nor would I shirk from it, but it can be all too overwhelming especially for somebody like me who was new to the Valley. It was not too long before the thought really sunk in - this IS Silicon Valley and I WAS IN IT. I had to think it, feel it and live it – if I were to create substance in this place. Such is the culture – forget about your holidays and shortcuts - you make your own luck in Silicon Valley and you need to solve the extra problems in the back of the book in order to get that competitive edge. These words from Mr. Banatao himself. I would compare one month in Tallwood to an intense, unrelenting techie camp. To this day I still keep the itinerary that they emailed me. In Tallwood I was rounded up with fellow engineers - people who told the same jokes and appreciated the same punchlines. I found myself in the midst of technology movers and surrounded by ideas, and people with the capability to validate and transform those ideas into high-tech products.
After the due diligence meeting, I had a one-on-one with Mr. Banatao. I gave him an update on UP-EEE and my activities in Berkeley and UCSD. I remember telling him how UCSD had offered me a full-time postdoctoral job. I haven't even finished my sentence when I noticed how Mr. Banatao straightened his posture and how his eyes widened (which, I was to learn later, I was to avoid doing at all costs). “What did you tell them? No, you have to go back to the Philippines". Of course this was just a matter of FYI, and told him I had refused the offer but I was going to leverage on it to explore more sustainable collaboration with UCSD, with his help – of course.
As we talked I learned about his passions. Not many could be bigger than his desire to address the digital divide. In particular, he talked about bringing the Internet to more people - “Imagine if we could bring the Internet to them – those in the provinces, in the rural schools, by golly..”, he said. For majority of our countrymen as well as billions of people around the world - the Internet revolution has NOT happened. More specifically, he mentioned how we would like to see us develop thin clients and the wireless infrastructure to provide the underlying connectivity. I thought that this was his challenge to us. And since my return we had somewhat taken steps to studying this problem. “Scope the problem, and cost it”, he said, “and I will try to help you”.
During the many board meetings I had “tailed” Mr. Banatao to, and we had on one occasion made about four landings in one day (talk about being spoiled on the Tallwood jet), I saw his dedication, hands-on approach, thought process and sense of humor. I've seen his enthusiasm and how excited he gets, like a college student out on Spring Break, when a chip design is presented for scrutiny by the design engineers and when the results come through. I've also seen how intense he can be, in terms of setting goals, developing the plans to meet those goals and his expectations on the people to deliver. The stuff of Silicon Valley folklore, I thought. I wish I could tell you more but I had to wait outside the board room during the closed door sessions. Besides, there is that matter of the NDA.
On more than one occasion, I have also seen how easy it is logistically to turn ideas into concrete products in Silicon Valley. As an example, before one board meeting I was given a tour of the facility and I had asked one of the engineers about a certain piece of equipment. I exclaimed, “Wow, this must be expensive- we're just dying to get one of these in our lab. How much does it cost and where did you get it?” The guy nonchalantly replied, "Oh, we got it from a start-up in the Valley that was being liquidated - it was on e-Bay for a thousand bucks."
Through Ron Yara, one of Mr. Banatao's partners in Tallwood, I was able to witness how important it is to keep engineers motivated and how to separate ideas from the person. Ideas are very vulnerable in the Valley and that they may be attacked or put down any time due to the sheer pace of innovation there – but at the end of the day people tend to stick together as a community. I also remember telling Ron as we boarded his Toyota Prius after a board meeting, “You know, Ron, that was my very first corporate board meeting, a mere spectator at the age of 32. ”. With a smile on his face, he replied, "When I was 32, Dado and I were running the board meeting".
I also remember George Pavlov, another Tallwood partner, who gave me a crash course in strategic planning. It could be very much summed up this way - “What would the guy who would be replacing you as CEO do tomorrow? That's what you do today”. I cannot forget the time when, in a closed door session following a technical due diligence, he swung around in his swivel chair, and, despite the many techie heavyweights in the room, faced me and asked pointblank - "So what do you think about the company, Joel? Should we fund them?" I remember giving gave such a long-winded, verbose response until somebody fortunately interrupted and summed up what he thought I was saying. I thank George for that, for I had picked up yet a nugget of wisdom as to the workings in Silicon Valley - "You learn to make quick decisions, use your training and speak your mind or be like a 'dot-com' and forever hold your peace." By the way, my answer was 'yes'.
All in all, these experiences in Silicon Valley cemented in my mind the value of our chosen profession. Engineers should multiply in number and be goaded into grad school. We simply do not have enough of them, nor do we, as a society, give them the credit they deserve. Give the engineers and scientists opportunities and they will create the opportunities for others. They bring about technology - the ultimate differentiating factor. While we in the Philippines may not yet have all the ingredients for innovation, we must continue to put priority on the skills that truly enable us as a country. We thank Mr. Banatao for espousing such a cause.
My experience in Silicon Valley has also convinced me of another thing – and that is regarding the ultimate exit strategy for somebody like me who has been in the academe for some time. For me, and I speak also for the past Banatao Fellows as well, we all agree that the only way we are ever going to leave this place - the University of the Philippines - is to build our own technology companies.
Friends and colleagues, the man responsible for that vision – Mr. Dado Banatao.

[Tonyang]

Yeba, thanks. This is inspiring. What's next after reading this?

Purpletablet, you can join the Association of Filipino Students in Japan (AFSJ) and Science and Technology Advisory Council - Japan Chapter (STAC-Japan). Those 2 organizations have many members who were former Iskolar ng Bayan from UP. I am sure you're active in outreach activities too... like Pahinungod?

[purpletablet]

Yeba, thanks. This is inspiring. What's next after reading this?

Purpletablet, you can join the Association of Filipino Students in Japan (AFSJ) and Science and Technology Advisory Council - Japan Chapter (STAC-Japan). Those 2 organizations have many members who were former Iskolar ng Bayan from UP. I am sure you're active in outreach activities too... like Pahinungod?


>>thnx for informing tonyang, open lang po ata ang AFSJ sa mga students dito sa japan kasi po ako nagwowork dito at pumasok dahil sa aking lola..nag-aaccept po kaya sila kahit nde ako nag-aaral dito sa jp?

ang org po sa sinalihan ko during my college days was UP Sandigan sa college of pharmacy, may mga outreach programs/ med missions rin po kami.

sana nga po may matrace akong mga dati kong skulmates dito:D lalo na si miss weng monton, isa sa mga pinakamagaling na teacher sa UPCP.

salamat po sa suggestion! God bless!:)

[yeba!]

Yeba, thanks. This is inspiring. What's next after reading this?

Purpletablet, you can join the Association of Filipino Students in Japan (AFSJ) and Science and Technology Advisory Council - Japan Chapter (STAC-Japan). Those 2 organizations have many members who were former Iskolar ng Bayan from UP. I am sure you're active in outreach activities too... like Pahinungod?

Sadly, wala nang pahinungod sa UP Diliman. Di ko lang alam sa ibang campus.

What's next... change and improvement does not happen overnight. but it has to start somewhere. If I can't do something to improve my country then atleast do not do something to destroy it.

Request lang po sa mga taga-TF. If put on a spot, asked about Pinas, please don't diss the Philippines specially in front of foreigners. I know and you know Manila is ghastly. But that is not the Philippines. There are safe places still, and beautiful places to visit. There are people trying to improve the Philippines and trying to uplift its technological capability. Wag po nating sayangin efforts nila. Depressing nga talaga ang mga clowns na nagpapatakbo ng gobyerno pero meron pa rin pong mga tao na umaasa at gumagawa ng paraan para maayos ang Pinas.

Backgrounder. From what I know Dado Banatao was either the inventor or one of the pioneers of video cards and graphics accelerators. And that is how he hit it big in Silicon valley.

[houseboy]

Backgrounder. From what I know Dado Banatao was either the inventor or one of the pioneers of video cards and graphics accelerators. And that is how he hit it big in Silicon valley.

Hindi po ako Iskolar ng Bayan pero eto po ay isang link na nauugnay kay Dado Banatao.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dado_Banatao

[purpletablet]

ang alam ko po sa UPManila may Ugnayan ng Pahinungod sa pagkakaalam ko active ang org na yun..subgroup ata nila ang lingkod er, mga volunteers sa emergency room ng PGH.

[Tonyang]

Purpletablet, di ba may kasunduan sa DOST o UP basta iskolar ng bayan?

[purpletablet]

Purpletablet, di ba may kasunduan sa DOST o UP basta iskolar ng bayan?


hindi po ako aware don pero karamihan po ng mga batchmates pati ung ibang instructors ko nasa canada or US na nagwowork as pharmacists. ako nga lang po ang nalihis ng landas dahil sa kaisha lang po ako work, nag iipon para makapagpatayo ng sariling bisnes sa pinas.

[Tonyang]

Hi Purpletablet, why don' t you try to apply in medical and pharmaceutical companies here? You must be qualified to work too as QA. Also, you have the chance to be a medical interpreter by attending a training program by SHARE NGO. If you're interested, I could provide you the details.

Sa iyong mga ka-batch, anong tingin nila sa scholarship nila sa UP, di ba may obligation pagkatapos sa UP?

So you mean, noong iskolar ng bayan sila, alam lang nila iskolar sila at walang obligation pagkatapos ng graduation sa UP?

Nakapaloob iyun sa contract di ba?

[purpletablet]

thnx po sa info at offer nyo, gusto ko nga po sana magwork in line of my profession, ang problema po kasi nde pa ako masyado marunong magnihongo kya hesistant ako mag-apply sa mga pharmaceutical companies and besides wala rin po akong kakilalang may contact sa mga pharma companies dito kaya eto trabaho sa factory, kaya nga ini-encourage ako ng tatay ko na pumunta ng US para daw magamit pinag-aralan ko pero sa totoo lang ayaw ko talaga pumunta ng US gusto ko sa pinas lang, tsaka kaya pinili ko na rin dito work kahit na non-practicing pharma ako para makasama mga magulang ko, since since high school ako hindi ko sila nakasama. pero ang plan ko po kasi dito magwork lang pansamantala para makaipon ng pampuhunan then magtatayo na lang ako ng botika sa pinas, mas masarap kasi sa sariling bansa.:)

pwede po ba malaman yung offer nyo? ;)


salamat po ulit ng maraming marami!

[yeba!]

Sa iyong mga ka-batch, anong tingin nila sa scholarship nila sa UP, di ba may obligation pagkatapos sa UP?

So you mean, noong iskolar ng bayan sila, alam lang nila iskolar sila at walang obligation pagkatapos ng graduation sa UP?

Nakapaloob iyun sa contract di ba?
DOST scholars po yung may contract na they have to work in the Philippines for the same duration na naging scholars sila or they have to pay a certain fee. But DOST scholars could still go out of the Philippines if they can get a permit from DOST and if them being away is no more than a year.

DOST scholarship are offered for Engineering and Science (ie. Physics, Bio,...) Courses.

Mahirap lang with this is after graduation wala ka naman mapuntahan sa Pilipinas to enhance your craft. Unless you go back to school, mabubulok yung alam mo at di mapapakinabangan. Few companies in the Philippines take risks with R&D in the Philippines. At kung meron man, compensation are not that good. DOST's ASTI could not offer a good career. Yung trabaho dun ay mostly contractual with 6 months duration. Maganda lang sa simula to gain some experience pero not in the long run. Remember yung talagang scholar ng bayan e mahihirap. Kelangan rin nila i-ahon muna ang sarili nilang kalagayan bago muna nila maisip to give back.
Madaming nagke-claim sa Pilipinas na R&D sila pero walang pure R&D sa Pilipinas. Mostly software eto eh. I'd say more D&D (Develop and Debug) sila. Kaya sabi ng Dean namin na OK lang sa kanya saan man kami mapadpad after graduation. As long as when we already make it big we give back to the University and the country. Or else ha-hunting-in nya daw kami :D

[Tonyang]

thnx po sa info at offer nyo, gusto ko nga po sana magwork in line of my profession, ang problema po kasi nde pa ako masyado marunong magnihongo kya hesistant ako mag-apply sa mga pharmaceutical companies and besides wala rin po akong kakilalang may contact sa mga pharma companies dito kaya eto trabaho sa factory, kaya nga ini-encourage ako ng tatay ko na pumunta ng US para daw magamit pinag-aralan ko pero sa totoo lang ayaw ko talaga pumunta ng US gusto ko sa pinas lang, tsaka kaya pinili ko na rin dito work kahit na non-practicing pharma ako para makasama mga magulang ko, since since high school ako hindi ko sila nakasama. pero ang plan ko po kasi dito magwork lang pansamantala para makaipon ng pampuhunan then magtatayo na lang ako ng botika sa pinas, mas masarap kasi sa sariling bansa.:)

pwede po ba malaman yung offer nyo? ;)


salamat po ulit ng maraming marami!


Nasa Aichi ka pala, Purpletablet. Nandito sa Tokyo iyung Medical Interpreters' Training tapos may ilang pharma companies din dito. Balitaan tayo if ever. Good luck sa iyo riyan.

[Tonyang]

DOST scholars po yung may contract na they have to work in the Philippines for the same duration na naging scholars sila or they have to pay a certain fee. But DOST scholars could still go out of the Philippines if they can get a permit from DOST and if them being away is no more than a year.

DOST scholarship are offered for Engineering and Science (ie. Physics, Bio,...) Courses.

Mahirap lang with this is after graduation wala ka naman mapuntahan sa Pilipinas to enhance your craft. Unless you go back to school, mabubulok yung alam mo at di mapapakinabangan. Few companies in the Philippines take risks with R&D in the Philippines. At kung meron man, compensation are not that good. DOST's ASTI could not offer a good career. Yung trabaho dun ay mostly contractual with 6 months duration. Maganda lang sa simula to gain some experience pero not in the long run. Remember yung talagang scholar ng bayan e mahihirap. Kelangan rin nila i-ahon muna ang sarili nilang kalagayan bago muna nila maisip to give back.
Madaming nagke-claim sa Pilipinas na R&D sila pero walang pure R&D sa Pilipinas. Mostly software eto eh. I'd say more D&D (Develop and Debug) sila. Kaya sabi ng Dean namin na OK lang sa kanya saan man kami mapadpad after graduation. As long as when we already make it big we give back to the University and the country. Or else ha-hunting-in nya daw kami :D

Yeba, thanks sa info. Alam mo kapatid, ang pagkakaiba ng matatalino, maabilidad. You will agree with me for sure. Kahit saan mo sila ipasok na gusot, magagawan nila ng paraan. They could associate theories to explain realities. Pambihira ang galing nila... pero sana di lang sa libro o pang-research. Let's choose at least one problem in the country and try to help solve it.

May isang bagay na pinagtataka ako sa karamihan ng iskolar kapatid... bihira iyung nagi-initiate ng move. Karamiihan, sumasali na lang o kung anong mayroong oportunidad, doon lang sila sasali. Bakit di kaya gamitin iyung abilidad nila para makabuo ng mas maraming oportunidad? Tanong ko lang ito ha kapatid.

Iyung halimbawa tungkol sa good career mula sa DOST o ASTI... I don't think dapat tayong umasa sa ipapasuweldo ng mga ganoong institusyon dahil kung suweldo lang mula roon ay talagang mababa. I think sana may ibang paraan na puwedeng pasukan pa tulad ng consultancy o pagtuturo ng skills like tutorial o kaya part-time teaching o pagsusulat ng libro, article sa diyaryo etc. We have to prove our worth.

I had friends who wanted to go back as balik-scientists... relying on what DOST could offer could be very discouraging. We could build motivational forces to make our comeback more challenging and welcoming for us. Build tayo ng enterprise o gawa tayo ng sariling driving force para di tayo kawawa pagbalik sa bansa.

Isa pang pinagtataka ko iyung pagbuo ng mga funding o granting agency Kapatid. Kasi karamihan sa mga matatalino sa atin o mga educator, naga-apply lamang sa mga existing agency para mabigyan ng scholarship... sa mga naging scholar o naging asensado na sa buhay, bakit di kaya magkaroon ng ripple effect? Tayo naman ang magkatipon-tipon at gumawa ng mga granting institution na ganito tulad ng Filipino Monbusho Scholars' Science and Technology Support Program o Filipino Monbusho Scholarship Program? O kundiman, advisory council establishment para maging linkage o connection between Phil at Japan. Actually mayroon nang ganyang mga grupo kaso di functional bilang support arm ng ating bansa dahil naging sosyalan o barkadahan lang ang grupo o naging outlet lamang para less stress ang buhay sa Japan. Pinakamalaking project na karaniwan iyung pagkakaroon ng conference o seminar lamang. Sana functional o may mga project na ini-initiate tayo at hindi doleout o pagbigay ng donation lamang! Di masama pero we can do more than that... that goes with the abilities and exemplary skills. Sayang talaga ang nangyayari! Kasi, may abilidad ang mga iskolar... more than providing donations, they could provide mechanisms for change to help improve the society.

I don't believe na hindi natin magagawa o kayang gawin ito kapatid... problema kung ayaw o give up na sa pagtulong sa bayan. Palibhasa siguro, iba iyung naging orientation o motivation sa pagtulong sa bayan. Sayang talaga pero di pa huli ang lahat. Pasensya ka na ha... kasi kung ang mga matatalino ng bayan natin, give up na, ano pang mangyayari sa bayan natin di ba?

Kung di pa tayo ang kikilos para harapin ang mga problema ng bayan, bukas o makalawa siguro, magmu-multiply na naman ang mga problemang ito.

[purpletablet]

salamat po sir/maam tonyang! kaya lang po medyo malayo po kasi kami sa tokyo.

di bale po pagbubutihin ko na lang maigi ang trabaho ko dito para mas mabilis makaipon upang makapagtayo na ako ng sarili kong botika sa pinas.

salamat po ng marami! more power!

[Tonyang]

salamat po sir/maam tonyang! kaya lang po medyo malayo po kasi kami sa tokyo.

di bale po pagbubutihin ko na lang maigi ang trabaho ko dito para mas mabilis makaipon upang makapagtayo na ako ng sarili kong botika sa pinas.

salamat po ng marami! more power!

Pag may nabalitaan ako sa bandang Aichi-ken, isusulat ko sa iyo, Purpletablet. Good luck sa iyong mga plano sa buhay. Tama na mag-ipon lamang tapos magbuo ka rin ng sarili mong botika sa Pinas. :D

[mOtt_erU]

....I was moved naman sa thread na to.....
sa mga Iskolar na ito..Omedetoo...

[Tonyang]

....I was moved naman sa thread na to.....
sa mga Iskolar na ito..Omedetoo...

Bakit ka namove, mOtt_erU?:)

[tarci]

Bakit ka namove, mOtt_erU?:)

I read the graduation speech of Tonny Moleto a long time ago. I think I have to air out what is deep in the hearts of Iskolar ng Bayan. Yes I had been a scholar through the taxpayer's money. That is why I felt some urgings to react on this thread.

Sa mga nakausap ko naman po na grumaduate ng UP, di pa rin naalis sa kanila ang ibalik ang lahat nang ibinigay ng bayan sa amin. Majority po sa amin, wala sa Pinas at nagpapakadalubhasa sa ibang bansa. It seems that some of us tried to find a better life outside of the Philippines. But when you check out where our money goes, half of which are given as remittances to our families, na natulong naman po sa pagpapaandar ng ekonomiya ng bansa. Kahit nung nasa Pinas pa po ako, more than 25% ng sweldo ko, pumupunta sa taxes. Wala pa po dun ang VAT, EVAT at consumption taxes kung bibili ka ng kahit anong produkto sa Pinas. I paid my taxes correctly to return what the masses had given me.

Sa mga kabatch ko naman po, ala pa naman akong nakikilala na nilamon na ng sistema. Pinipilit pa rin naman pong itama at hindi maging corrupt kahit sa gitna ng corruption. Marami sa amin, nagnanasang magvolunteer sa mga NGOs. Pero sa tamang panahon po yun. Kailangan pa rin naming tulungang pagyamanin ang aming pamilya, ieeducate ang kakilala at pagyamanin ang sarili.

I came to Japan with a personal mission of creating a new life for myself. But my pastor told me to come back to help the Philippines build a better society.

Brain drain in the Philippines is somewhat inevitable. We cant create jobs there that is why we seek jobs outside of our comfort zone. In my field, Japan is young for IT industry. And Philippines is ripe for it. We have the long term goal of bringing jobs in the Philippines. Because of the cheap labor. Language is a barrier though, that is why we are here to bridge the gap. I hope this will happen. When I go back to the Philippines and have the chance to stay longer, I am thinking of having free IT/programming tutorials for highschool which will start in my home province. I would like to be an active agent of change.

Volunteerism has a positive effect in our young minds. They aspire to give more and to reach out for more. Even if some are skeptical about it, I dont care though. I will just do what my heart and my morals tell me.

We never forget what our Alma Mater had commissioned us. It is already written in our hearts and already in our own consciousness. In our own little ways, we give back more than we had received.

[Tonyang]

Tarci, thanks for articulating your feelings. Waiting for the right time to help the country - is this the message of your reactions? Good luck in your tutorial project! That will help a lot of students in your hometown.:D You will be an inspiration to many there. We need more scholars like you who wants to do something now or later. We would like to hear from them too.