Where is our economy headed?

I hate criticizing my government unless I can offer an alternative or viable solution. However, I cannot simply go deaf or blind at what is happening around me.

I came home from the US believing that the economy is vibrant and is now conducive for investments and new business, but now the daily news prove the contrary. Where is our economy headed? Oh, yeah. I remember the 2006 SONA (State of the Nation Address by the President) clearly:

In summary, I named only a few priorities to illustrate that on many fronts, your government is working, and working well. Our economy is now growing over the longest period in the last quarter-century: 22 consecutive quarters of growth. Umakyat ng mahigit tatlumpung porsyento (30% increase in income?) ang kita ng pinakamahihirap na pamilya sa unang tatlong taon ng ating panunungkulan, at bumaba ang dami ng maralita (decrease in the number of poor families? Hello? Look around you please.) sa 25% ng mga pamilya, mula 28%, katumbas ng dalawang milyong katao na lumaya sa kahirapan (hello again? juan dela Cruz can't afford the pandesal anymore!). According to Thornton and Punongbayan, 70% of medium-sized business owners are optimistic, the fifth most optimistic (I think that what really remained –our people’s optimism huh) among 30 countries, just behind India, Ireland, South Africa and China. (note: italics mine)

Sannamagan! Where are those figures coming from? The government is sinking in debt than any other period in its existence, in fact to exaggerate, worst than the Martial Law days. Have a look at the data released by the National census recently:

The 11.4 percent acceleration in the annual adjustments in the prices of the heavily weighted food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) items raised the year-on-year headline inflation rate in the Philippines to 8.3 percent in April from 6.4 percent in March. This was the highest inflation rate since May 2005 (8.5%). All the other commodity groups recorded higher inflation rates during the month. Inflation a year ago was 2.3 percent.

How do you reconcile the figures? The transport group is clamoring for a fare increase, while the workers are clamoring for another wage hike, and then MERALCO is overbilling us? Where is our economy headed?

Although the US recession is taking its toll, it seems that it is more feasible to fight my way to make a living in the US than here. Oh, c’mon. Lay down your patriotism crap. What matters to Juan dela Cruz is filling his and his family’s bellies three times a day. Think that. Or, think what? Where is our economy headed?

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Education that helps you create wealth?

Ignorance is bliss they say, but ignorance could also spell poverty. Although I also believe that education does not guarantee success or riches, it is however a necessary factor for success in making a living. The right education and the application thereof could make the possibility of making a living, or to put it bluntly, making money a true success.

Nouveau Riche University offers that kind education. In fact,

“Nouveau Riche provides an educational environment that teaches adults the way to CREATE WEALTH using the time-tested, foundational principles adhered to by all higher-education institutions.”

No need to take a leave of absence from your work or leave the comforts of your home, because they offer quality real estate training online that can boost your sales and business skills. Courses cover areas in Bookkeeping, Building your Sales Team, Mortgage and Financing Issues, Computer Property Analysis, Business Finance Management, and more. Whether you are an experienced investor or property consultants, a novice businessman or plain housewife, with your ardent desire to learn, there is a right course for you at Nouveau Riche.

More, with competitive tuition fees, you can actually take any course at your own pacing. Their ultimate aim is you get more out of the training so that you are better prepared when you take on your business with your newly- honed sets of knowledge and skills. Now, why wait? Take this learning opportunity and refine your wealth-creating skills!

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The US Recession and My Worries

As early as the last quarter last year, while traders speculate, the US is actually slipping into recession. Obvious indication of which is the devaluation of real estates properties, diminishing GDP compared to 2006 performance, surge in the unemployment rates, and the continued rise of petrol prices.

My worry then is that if Bush will not take a decisive act to aver the impending economic catastrophe, and shift his right foot's weight from Anti-Terrorist War into an Anti-Recession War, the recession will take the world flatfooted. But he acted too late. We cannot blame the Clintons if they are campaigning with a banner highlighting the Clinton Economic Legacy; for by comparison Bush seems to be an epic failure in that arena.

My other worry is that, my home country's government while riddled with controversies and scandals, is still boasting of a stable economy and prided itself that it is more prepared to face the US recession than its ASEAN counterparts. Sannnamagan! They could not even assure the steady supply of rice! Or, as I said in my previous post, they were simply hiding or evading the real issues.

While checking my dollar account with UnionBank, here's what I read instead on their website:

The peso continued to weaken against the greenback after the BSP opted to maintain rates yesterday and receding expectation of another Federal Reserve interest rate cut next week. The local unit finally broke the Php42-figure resistance as it established a new YTD low (peso) at Php42.100. It opened at the day's high (peso) at Php41.980 and closed at Php42.040. Volume of dollars traded went up to $937.70mn compared from the previous volume of $324.50mn.

Goodness! Is this what the government calls a vibrant economy? Poor Juan delaCruz. He is clamoring now for another wage hike thinking that this would alleviate his suffering. Ahh! When will we learn?

I should be happy with the devaluation of the peso, right? Why? Because I get more for my hard earned dollars. Frankly, am not!

Petrol prices are seen to increase by 0.50 php this weekend. I am opting to take the jeepney for my client calls.

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Is there really a Rice Crisis in the Philippines? Or it is but a smoke screen?

In one of my fave movies, The American President, I first heard the axiom: Politics is a matter of perception. It is. And I wonder if the present government is simply creating a perception of a Rice Crisis in order to sway the people’s attention to the real issues that really matter like: the truth behind the ZTE scandal; global warming where our copycat laws (i.e., Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Solid Waste Act, etc.) remained in letter and are in fact inutile for lack of or no concrete enforcement; the growing National Government debt (7.8% GDP growth! Huh! Where the heck they got that number?!? We are wallowing in debt! Hello?); the growing poverty stricken population, etc.

Today’s issue of the Philippine Star Business Section’s Headline reads:

The National Government’s debt went up by 0.5 percent to P3.732 trillion as of January this year from the end-December level of P3.712 trillion following the issuance of debt papers during the month, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) reported yesterday.

Of the amount, P1.505 trillion or 40 percent is owed to foreign creditors while P2.227 trillion or 60 percent is owed to domestic creditors.

At P3.732 trillion, theoretically, each of the 88 million Filipinos is indebted by P41,910.

Shouldn’t the government look into that?

And yet, the ever gallant SOG Justice Secretary has even the gall to suggest a Rice & Corn Emergency Power to the President. Who are they trying to fool? Juan Dela Cruz is suffering and is slowly dying, not because there is a shortage of rice but because the government remains inutile to provide him the means to make a decent living and enjoy a quality life before he hits the ground 6 feet under.

Rice shortage is not the real issue. Listen to what our IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) Scientists have to say for Christ sake, instead of creating a panic among our people. IMO, the real issue is the US recession is sweeping the world, and the Philippines is caught flat footed.

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A Yuppie Advise: How to play the Interviewer’s game and get hired

Why do the smartest and the most confident candidates do not get the job offer? Let me proffer a simplistic answer, coming from a HR professional’s perspective: Because job interviewing is a very subjective exercise. There. Therefore, do not take it personal if you were not given the preference and the other person (whom you think you are more qualified with) gets the job.

You may probably reason:

• I have better credentials.
• I have better work experiences.
• I have better referrals.
• I have better education (or grades).
• I have better looks. (lol)

So, why not me? Again, because the interviewing process is very subjective yet its result is usually the basis for hiring.

Play the interviewer’s game.

While most organization has a set of questionnaires that they typically asked a candidate, they are in fact assessing the suitability of the candidate on the following hierarchy and weight*:

• Representation (+/- 50%). Some call this personal branding or packaging. This is how you project and sell yourself. Remember the axiom: First impression lasts.
• Responsiveness (+/- 30%). How you satisfied their questions.
• Relevant Experience (+/- 10%).
• Relevant Education or Degree (+/- 10%). This includes special training courses you have taken.

So, before you come for a job interview take an inventory of the above, formulate your game plan, play it, and get hired!

*Note: I may be subjective here. ^^

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College’s Hard Work and Free Essays

College life is never fun, at least for me. It was pure hard work. Unlike most college students, I never had the luxury of coming to college with a full financial backing on my tail. I have to maintain at least a B+ average in order to retain my scholarship and work part time on the side to fend for myself. The scholarship covers only the university fees and books. It was tough.

Okey, why the heck am I telling this?

I mentioned about hard work. Underscore that please. College is. Because if you want to get the best out of it, you have to be serious about your course works. During my freshmen days, I never had the chance to use the internet to source for materials for any term paper that I have to write. I have to spend many hours at the library reading and digesting materials.

Unlike today, a university student has virtually an access to thousands of free essays over the net. Therefore, writing college papers is easier. While plagiarism is still an unpardonable sin in the world of the academe, but with a vast resource of free essays on the net, you do not have any reason why you can’t write a good one instead of just “copying and pasting.” Those papers can be good launching pads for your own unique topic/s.

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