An Income Boosting Program by Filipinos for Filipinos

When I was in college, I kept hearing people say, and what irritated me was that even people in the government would say that the biggest asset of the Philippines and our biggest export is manpower. That is why going abroad to work was encouraged. Schools offer courses that are in demand abroad. Consequently, our skilled Filipino workers go abroad. Our hospitals lack doctors and nurses. Our engineers leave our country. Teachers migrate somewhere else. Even farmers go to Japan. Families are left behind. All because they could not find opportunities in the Philippines. Goodness!. Brain drain.
Lately, however, small groups of successful Filipinos make it their mission to lure these OFWs  back to the Philippines. And I think this has become a trend which, if propagated, will finally catch on.
One of these is Ignition Marketing. This is an online training about using the internet to generate extra income. The creators of this program (three of them) are all true blue Filipinos actually living in the Philippines. In fact, the training is in Tagalog. The three of them are experienced in the industry, and they share their experiences to their students in a simpliest way possible. And their instructions are easy to follow. For one, it is in Filipino (so if you are a foreigner who don't speak Filipino, this isn't for you), and two, they patiently lead their students through every step of the way. And because it is Filipino-made, it is very affordable. I've searched the internet about trainings of this nature, and they are asking ridiculously huge amounts. Plus what they are teaching in this program are also useful in some other internet businesses.

Now, this gets better. While you are learning the system you can already earn.

So, if you are staying at home and have a computer, or even if you have work, but have access to computer and want additional income, you might want to check out Ignition Marketing.

Of Debts and Loans 2

Debts and loans. Basically same thing. Utang. Teachers seem to have some kind of a love-hate relationship with it. It seems like a necessary evil, though. For some reasons (see part 1). But do we have to maintain this kind of relationship? Well, it's really up to an individual. But of course if one were determined to, one could avoid it.

1. Teacher’S salary.  Just last night, I saw on the news that teachers are still waiting for the increase of their salary. So there definitely is still a problem with the amount of salary. In this case, some  would apply the age old ‘teaching’ “Pag maliit ang kumot, mamaluktot.” This is good, because we have to lieve within  our means. But, a modern teacher would say: “Pag maliit ang kumot, maghanap ng mas malaking kumot.” But where do we get the bigger blanket? We could steal, ask, borrow, or buy. The first one is morally and legally wrong. The second would prove to be a temporary solution because we can’t always depend on other people to give us our necessities. The third would pose another problem in the long run: how do we pay it back? Especially if an interest comes into play. The last one again would need resources. Where would we find money to buy?  Or maybe we can just make another bigger blanket. But we need skill for that. What to do? Learn. Yes, it could take more time and energy, but, hey, that’s what life gives us. Time and energy. In financial setting, we need to have more funds to fit our lifestyle. Our salary won’t suffice. When I was in grade school, I saw teachers selling different stuff—tocino, chorizo, avon, Tupperware, insurance and other things. This is just the teacher’s way of complementing the insufficient income. Good for those who do, but not so good for those who loan these stuff.
2. Poor school facilities. This should be primarily the government’s concern but since the teachers are the ones in the frontlines, and they are the ones dealing with the students and they personally feel the problem, they can’t help it but take matters in their own hands. Some schools would organize fund raising activities. Although this is also tricky since parents might shout foul. Others solicit from big companies and politician. For the big companies, this might be a boost to their name, but I am not very fond of the latter. After all, the pork barrel is still an ongoing issue nowadays.
3. Poor students. Now, the government has feeding programs. And then there are companies who also donate to schools.
4.  Lack of Information. This can be remedied because this is something that the teacher himself/herself can control. A teacher should know her/his personal finance. A teacher should have financial goals. If this were the case, then it wouldn’t matter if the neighbor would build a golden palace, the teacher would focus on his/her own finances and goals. ‘Do I need a palace? Or a tv? Or two refrigerators? Or a new bag or shoes? It doesn’t matter if she/he is called “kuripot” by peers. He/She has a financial goal. A teacher researches and find out facts. Checks these facts and acts accordingly. So even if the school’s bookkeeper told her to get a loan, the teacher could stand her ground and stay away from the temptation.

The late Ernie Baron popularized the saying: “Knowledge is power.” Indeed, it is. But becomes meaningful only if it is applied to improve one's life. 

Of Debts and Loans

It was in my assignment at a public school that I heard this inside joke among teachers: "Lon diri, lon didto. Porlon na lang ang kulang." Loan here, loan there. All that's lacking is [por-loan] a hearse."
In all the schools I've been to--first, as a student, and later, as a teacher-- I have become familiar of this word: Loan. It seems to me that this has become part of a teacher's life. Although in private schools, (at least those that I went to), this does not seem very prevalent. Or maybe it was just hush hush because the Sisters preach "Live a simple life" principle. In the public school, this is more openly used. Teachers would get excited when they hear that some entity would offer loan. Even a calamity loan would cause frenzy. It's not that we enjoy calamities. NO NO madam. That would be sick. But it's the loan that gets the buzz. NOT the calamity.
It's not just loan, though. Utang, --debt-- of Avon, Personal Collection, Tupperware, and some Vietnamese goods like shoes, folding beds, bags seem to be always present.
Why this penchant for loans? A lot of reasons, apparently.

1. Teachers' salary. It is undeniable that teachers have one of the lower-paying jobs in the country. It used to be one of the lowest-paying, (or is it still?) but with the increase, well... it increased. But apparently, to many, the increase came lacking. 
2. Poor school facilities. The Dep Ed would claim that they have made new classrooms, provided school facilities, teaching and learning materials. Teachers know and experience worse. Even schools in the city lack chairs and classrooms, let alone books for the students. Many times, teachers would take from their salary the expenses to improve facilities and teaching materials. Sure, not all teachers do this but many do. And this is especially true in the lower grade levels. Try putting grade school pupils in a bare classroom, and good luck to you, teacher. You are going to need more than you normally do.Teachers have to be creative. And that creativity would sometimes cost some. Okay... a lot. 
3. Poor students. When I was a teacher in this public school, I had students who could not go to school because they could not have breakfast, and no baon for lunch. Some do not have anything to wear to school. Yeah. I know. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't witnessed it myself. I used to visit my students at their homes. (Yes, I was a bit conscientious one.) When a teacher sees her/his student in class, so pale and about to faint, what would s/he do? Wait for some miracle? or the school's food ration? No. S/He wouldn't wait that long! She or he would feed the child. Or take the student to a doctor. Or give medicine. Or something. I'm okay. Not panicking here. Of course, one has to tap into stored knowledge about first aid before doing anything drastic in times like this. But you get the idea. Anyway, great if the school could and would refund or shoulder the expenses. Otherwise, it's another one charged to experience. Lista sa tubig. [Write it down on the water.]
4. Nature/nurture. When you are in a system where debts and loans are parts of the culture, then you wouldn't find anything wrong with it. Or maybe you  would, but you'd be the odd one out. So even if you don't need the money, or the bag, or the shoes, or whatever is available for lending, you tend to go with the flow. 
5. Vanity. Teachers are not perfect individuals. Sometimes, just like the rest of humanity, they also tend to get envious of their neighbors, and sometimes give in to the temptation of showing off. So that when Mr. A got a new 21 inch tv, Mr. B also had to buy an even bigger of the latest model of the tv even if tv is not in the budget.
6. Lack of information. Some teachers would tell some green ones: You need to get a loan at the co-op (teachers' cooperative) so that you can receive dividends. Or you need to get a loan from your GSIS, or else some other people might do it in your name and you will be the one to pay for it. These are good incentives. If you don't know better. 

With all these bombarding a teacher at work and at home, how could loan not be an essential part of a teacher's life? 

One word: Financial Literacy. Oh, wait... that's two words -- one phrase. But that is a whole new post later.