By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) launched a book on legal philosophy, featuring contemporary Filipino thinkers.

Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said the book “Grow in Grace and Govern in Wisdom” is a compilation of readings and articles of “great Filipino thinkers” together with classical philosophers, such as Plato.

“I want our Filipino students to read about the local indigenous Filipino philosophers who have great intentions for our country, who love our country and have shown noble acts of patriotism,” said Sarmiento.

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UPDATE: Nursing Board topnotcher Jovie Ann Decoyna, a graduate of Baguio Central University, urges her peers to take the initiative amid the financial crisis that has affected job opportunities even for nurses.

She got a rating of 89 percent. She is one of over 88,000 examinees that took the Nursing Licensure Exams in November 2008.

“We should take the initiative to look for the job rather than being idle. It is our responsibility to uplift nursing as a field,” she says.

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THE results are out.

Here’s the story from our breaking news:

At least 39,455 or 44.51% out of 88,649 examinees that took the November 2008 Nursing Board have passed, the Professional Regulatory Commission has announced.

Jovie Ann Alawas Decoyna of the Baguio Central University topped the board, with 89 percent, the PRC said.

The Nursing Regulatory Board (NRB) is headed by Carmencita Abaquin. Members of the NRB include Yolanda Arugay, Betty Merritt, Leonila Faire, Perla Po, Marco Antonio Sto.Tomas, and Amelia Rosales.

INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Maria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda has been awarded the first Iqbal Masih award for the elimination of exploitative child labor, according to the United States Department of Labor.

Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Charlotte M. Ponticelli said the US agency is giving this award to acknowledge Flores-Oebanda’s lifetime battle against the use of child domestic workers and the trafficking of women and children for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation in the Philippines and internationally.

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By Quay Evano

FOR the first time in the history of overseas employment for Filipinos and perhaps a first in the Middle East and the rest of the world, a foundation has been created by the OFWs (in the UAE) for the OFWs (in the Middle East) — to aid them during harsh financial times.

The foundation was also created to promote entrepreneurship, to engage in fundraising activities, to give scholarships to children of low-income Filipino families and provide money to Filipinos stricken with life-threatening illnesses or who are victims of calamities and natural disasters.

“The Filipino Expatriates in the UAE Foundation Inc., also known as FILEX Foundation was established so that in our own moments of personal need, we have a foundation we Filipino expats can easily go to for help. No one else can really help the OFWs but the OFWs themselves, so it is high time we start preparing ourselves for our future and supporting ourselves. Even if we are abroad, or back home in the Philippines, the foundation will become the common interest we will work for, to gather and to sustain and proudly say that it is our own charitable organization. There are so many charitable organizations in the Philippines but there is really none for the OFWs. Finally, there is one now,” Dick Orense, Chairman of the Interim Board of Trustees, said.

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By Yong B. Chavez

There’s a good chance Filipino-flavored food will stay in the Obama White House menu.

Though change is coming in the White House this January, there’s one area where Obama’s new administration isn’t likely to change, reports say.

Walter Scheib, White House executive chef for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, says in an AP interview that “there’s a 90 percent chance the new administration will stick with his successor, Cristeta Comerford.”

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By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

YOU often see crocheted bags made of threads and yarn. But have you seen one using plastic?

The Invisible Institute, a non-government organization (NGO), is now using plastics as material for their homegrown crocheted bags.

“As we all know, we have many poor women who really need more income generating activities because they have so many people depending on them. What we’ve done is to take those people whom I call ‘invisible’ or ‘unseen’ and put them together with invisible waste, which I consider factory waste,” Invisible Institute founder and artist Ann Wizer said.

The group uses “clean trash and garbage bags” as materials to teach poor women to crochet.

“It’s a very simple skill. And we’re also teaching any men who are willing,” said Wizer.

Crochet is a French term that literally means “hook.” It describes a “series of interlocking loops onto a chain using a slender rod with a hook at the end,” according to CrochetDoilies website.

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By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

TAGUIG City, Philippines — United States Ambassador Kristie Kenney together with some American and Filipino military dignitaries celebrated the Veteran’s Day at American Cemetery.

“If not for their sacrifices, our nations will never be free. They are the reason why we can vote peacefully, freely and with excitement actually,” said Kenney who joined the honoring of the war veterans.

Kenney said she appreciated the enduring friendship between Filipino and Americans, as she acknowledged Filipinos who served the Americans during the World War II.

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By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

MAE Paner has been in advertising industry for 25 years.

Her debut in directing commercials came in 1997 when she came out with “Black and White.” Since then, she has found herself drowned in a career of “selling” soap, political personalities and products appealing to a certain target market.

Paner is a stage actor in the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Aside from directing, she has been a commercial talent, appearing in a funny Boysen paint commercial as the nagging mother-in-law to a man painting his home. In the commercial, the nonchalant son-in-law keeps painting the wall white until he decides to paint over Paner who continues nagging him.

For years, Paner thought she was doing okay with her chosen career as an artist until she saw Rodolfo Noel Lozada, Jr.’s expose on the controversial National Broadband Network project during a Senate investigation.

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By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

PASIG CITY, Philippines — High school and college students from across the Philippines unfolded at the Mall of Asia bayside a 173.65-meter cloth containing messages of gratitude for teachers.

This is the Philippines attempt to win an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The banner is set to break China’s current record for the longest thank you banner for teachers at 100 meters unfolded at Fuyang Square.

The Philippines also attempts to set the record for the most number of thank you messages addressed to teachers, said Michaela Muñoz, chairperson of the educational leadership and management department of De La Salle University.

DLSU is assigned to submit to the Guinness body the measurement and count the total number of messages written in the sewn cloth banner. At present, the number of messages is estimated to average at 150 to 200 per 10-meter cloth.

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By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

“Experience excellence, experience Philippines.”

This is the new tagline of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP). It now aims to get the world to recognize Filipino excellence in outsourcing services and achieve clear strategies to ensure better business environment and wide opportunities in this competitive industry.

BPAP CEO Oscar Sañez said the Philippines has a secret weapon to propel it to the top: excellence.

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