Hosting for a Severed Co-Worker

A tambayan was the venue for a co-workers’ social gathering who has recently received a modest severance pay.

Usually, separated employees upon receiving compensation disappear for good to cut off discretely and quickly. Not the consultant on septage haulage. He willingly sponsored social gatherings for colleagues for the chance to reminisce the good and the challenging times.

Change management practitioners put importance to a symbolic closing which in this case is a drinking binge.

Psychologically, a deliberate gathering signals a closure to the past paving way for a transition to a new tomorrow. Much like celebrating a victory with a party to share success and to reinforce a winning mindset, a gathering to mark a severance neutralizes the negative association with the change.

The night was fun-filled attended by a handful of co-workers. Wine and tapas were served. Concerts transmitted from online YouTube set the vibrant mood on that rainy evening. With minimal discussion on work, conversations were mainly on music, singers and concerts.

Night closed thanking the sponsor for the generosity and our appreciation for the shared resources hoping that the next one will be a victory and not on goodbyes.

Social Work and Act of Kindness

Today I did social work for a construction worker who is an elementary graduate secure a valid government ID.

His roots are in San Jose Occidental Mindoro and has been working for about 5 years without an ID except for an expired postal ID and an NBI clearance. There was a major hitch though, he is an illegitimate child and been using his unknown fathers' surname since then.

The worker who asked for my help while we were on our way to NSO's East Venue office (as we were both mistaken that their office was still in Pureza) laid down his situation: no ID has bothered him since 5 years ago, he took a leave today to see what can be done, he is lost as to the processes, he has an NSO certified birth certificate, he has SSS, Philhealth, PAGIBIG accounts but does not have the membership numbers, he dreads traveling to San Jose without a clear and guaranteed plan.

5 years ago, he had his birth certificate corrected at the City Registrar in San Jose so he can present the required document at the SSS office in Guadelupe. The frontliner then found his document defective which disillussioned him. Since then he has not acted on getting the correct advice until now.

His lack of a valid ID was a deterrent for him to enrol in advanced vocational certification courses, send money, apply for a loan, travel by boat, exercise suffrage, drive his company issued motorcycle and open a bank account.

He was not aware that he asked a process mapping expert for both private and government bureaucratic firms willing to help the marginalized welcoming trouble shooting and problem solving.
I presented the necessary and important steps and coached him on how to face the government frontliners. He agreed.

From Pureza, we went to SSS East Avenue, NBI Center in QC Hall and government centers in Ali Mall. From 11AM to about 6PM, the cross he was carrying for about 5 years was finally taken out.
He was pleased to see validated that his company has been religiously remitting SSS, Philhealth and PAGIBIG contributions. Relieved that his official name can be corrected. And with IDs for processing, they can vouch now for his identity.

I was fulfilled, I was able to help him foregoing momentarily my own agenda. I was touched when he told me that when he gets his Php 536.00 minimum wage pay, he will buy me lunch at Jollibee someday.

Kindness and service orientation of civil servants made the accomplishments possible: the E-online staff at SSS who diagnosed the situation, the respectful lady at the Amendment counter who referred him to the proper authorities, the lawyer who patiently listened to formulate the salaysay, the baggage staff at QC library who checked if late processing can be accommodated, the OJT staff who operated the online registration as the applicant was not computer literate, the PAGIBIG staff who drew the necessary steps,  the PhilHealth lady who recognized the mutilated, expired NBI clearance as as ID resulting in the issuance of a PhilHealth green ID, the LTO staff who was closing the steel gate yet answered all queries on the steps the applicant needed to go through.

Grabbed from Phil Star

This Wednesday afternoon, it was like the gates opened for the good angels to guide the hardworking and industrious applicant who can now dream of raising his family now that the biggest obstacle to move on, a valid ID with his corrected name has been addressed. "Ang daming naayos sir ng kalahating araw dahil sa iyo na sa tantsa ko, ilang buwan ko magagawa." "Nakatulong lang" was my modest reply.

This chance encounter provided me an opportunity to test servant leadership. I was more than pleased that even outside of a corporate structure, I was able to.

Welcome to your Life

Friends visit your hub. They say openly what they like and what else they want to do to it.

One D.I.Y. hobbyist brought his power tools to install organizers. One sculptor/ engineer transformed whatever he spotted as discards into a multi-media art work. The kitchen was refurnished with more cooking equipment to be more practical.

Additional used outdoors and kitchen accessories were donated to improve functionality. Sound system was calibrated for enhanced sounds. Online SMART TV was connected to link the outdoors with YouTube concerts.

Eventually, the mancave meant to be just a recluse from day-to-day chores turned into a social hub for professionals and students operating and studying within the vicinity.

Provisions for food and drinks were maintained for the unannounced visits, whether on sunny or rainy days, day or night even up to early mornings.

Guests strike conversations. Frustrated chefs cook up hot meals. Compulsive for cleanliness frequenters clear the tables, sort and dispose garbage and manually dish wash the plates and glasses. Regardless of contributed functions, all tell their stores. All also stay for the company and the positive experience of the place and the gathering.

The recent gathering closed with BBC Concert Tears for Fears’ 1985 pop song “Welcome to your life!” What perhaps is a more appropriate closing is Jim Reeves’ 1963 ballad "Welcome to my World!” . . . won't you come on in/ miracles I guess still happen/ now and then step into my heart/ leave your cares behind/ welcome to my world built with you in mind”

It is no longer mine as there are now shared holders. Welcome to my world with you in mind. Leave your cares behind.  Tuloy po kayo. Magdala rin ng toka!

Play on Lights

Loss as Themes for Cinemalaya 2019 Shorts A and B

Shorts dealt with loss. What were lost in the themes of #Cinemalaya2019 A and B? How did the filmaker develop the theme?

#SaAmongAgwat-Brother
#KontroladoNiGirlyAngBuhayNiya-Dignity
#HeleNgMaharlika-Family and Identity
#DisconnectionNotice-Brotherhood
#WagMoAkongKausapin-Fatherhood
#TheShoemaker-Memories
#SaGabingTangingLiwanagAyPaniniwala-Life and Fatherhood
#Tembong-Mother and Heritage
#HeistSchool-Honor
#Gatilyo-Normalcy and Self

Which story was executed well as a film? My Matrix in assessing the Shorts: Story, Execution, Social Relevance, Ending, New Insight, Local, Universality, Impact

Photo from My Movie  World

Bonding Pain Child Struggle Derailment Loss Cinemalaya2019

The start of the movie cinema festival #cinemalaya2019, my favourite festival. Entries narrate a Filipino story said differently. Like a Shakespearian play, it calls for patience as it takes time to establish the characters and the situation story-wise and technically. When the story unfolds and you get into the groove, you are engaged and hooked until it jolts and hurts you.  The hurt lingers as it is a relatable pinoy story dramatising a universal pain of being human. You move on only when you sit for the next screening.

Children of the River- the joy of authentic children's friendship growing up in a small river side community whose bonding is a continuing influence of their parent's solidarity. What binds them together and how will face the future are reinforced with a tragedy all of them faced. Enviable to be a member of their circle

Bell Douleur, A Beautiful Pain- the difficulty of letting go of objects, memories and dedicated romantic relationship. Dramatizes in a slick execution the thrill, pleasure and the accompanying pain of a casual exclusive relationship. Presents self-love as the trigger to move on. Mylene Dizon essays sensitively well the struggle and the realisations.

Ani The Harvest - the struggle of an orphan who in the final separation moments with the father and eventually the mother was seeded with mindset and power in coping. Set in the future in Philippine farm setting the sci-fi genre follows the boy's development until he is empowered after going through various rough and tough tests under the care of his grandfather. Story is told in tales, animation in a sci fi setting with a robot as a character in a remote farmland

F#*@ Bois- raises a moral question who committed the greater crime? Who is the victim? A well crafted movie on the fun, thrill, aspiration and adventures of appealing young males. Two fun loving good looking boys joining pageants who love what they do projecting well on social media. One with a strong showbiz aspiration (which may or may not happen) and the other just chilling out.  Not until there was a perceived derailer to their celebrity-like life. Fun and the contemporary use of social media are effortlessly executed at the start effectively establishing their characters. Ending in tragedy, movie poses a moral question on who committed the deadlier crime. Great performance by the two newbie leads and the veteran actor. While story has been told before, it is the friendship of the two seen on social media and in their shared scheme that injects a new perspective

#BelleDouleur #Fuccbois #ChildrenOfTheRiver #AniTheHarvest #edwardmovie #johndenvertrending

John Denver Trending- a moment of indiscretion, a lifetime of regret. A high schooler in a small town blamed for the loss of an iPad is attacked on social media and pre judged until the pain and the shame have become unbearable. A boy with a strength of character, tenacity to face pressure, a loving son to a mother and with intregity did not get any help to support him during his weakest moment resulted in a tragic ultimate surrender. Drained, saddened, angered that not one of us is able to help him.

Each time I see Jansen’s face on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, it triggers sadness thinking of the scene he as John Denver cried alone with cloth covering his eyes affected by the pain and perhaps shame his mother is going through.
Jansen’s face now whether smiling or casual, is marked with despair and helplessness of a victim.

Edward- the public hospital in its current
sorry state as Edward's stage as a young adult in discovering thrill, joy, attention, appreciation, love, friendship disillusionment, pain and loss. As he matures, he gradually is shocked by the reality of a harsh life

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Why should we watch #Edwardmovie a cinemalaya full length movie? This was asked from actor Elijah Canlas @elijahcanlas_ in an interview at CNN Philippines. First he mentions about the reality of the health care system in the Philippines, then he talks about other messages of the film.

The public hospital is a backdrop to the greater message the movie wishes to convey. It is about a human being.

Films mirror the complexity of what man is. It dramatizes in sounds and sights the sensual and visceral excitement of what he is. Hospital setting is a backdrop to the inner struggle Edward is going through with his interaction with ailing father, half-brother, nurse Daisy, vendor, new friend Agnes, friend and partner Renz. Like a normal playful kid, Edward is imperfect; he is mischievous, restless, responsible, a minor with personal angst and laziness. Edward expedites the realization that beyond the temporal and of what he is, he has a greater mission to perform and to experience. To discover that, in the real world can be a painful process. Edward unfolds that seamlessly, lightly yet pokes at you to inspect deeper about yourself.

It’s a movie that resonates with anyone going through self-searching in life. That to me is a compelling reason we should watch Edward.

Pinanindigan ang Iskedul

The storm rage that was contained

The bus with 49 seater only had 3 passengers on the way back and the company honored its schedule

Sudden Meets

Drix and Henrik, one a recent Metallurgical Engineering graduate preparing for his board, another a graduating Materials Engineering student took a risk to attend an unscheduled, out of the blue social event in the vicinity of their campus. Time could have been spent resting after a board review or chilling out with dorm mates on a rainy Friday night. One is an introvert who recharges by isolating himself; the other is an extrovert who draws more energy engaging in active conversations.

They were not drawn to the place because they were required to as students but simply out of curiosity perhaps not expecting anything but to discover something new in a company of working and retired professionals whose only distinct commonality is sharing the same campus as theirs but on different eras.

While they can claim they learned about wine, wine drinking, meats and music in that marathon social gathering, we too learned from them.

That failing several classes may now be a norm. That school life is really not all ups as there are down moments too. That they have a deep appreciation for history and music, both Asian and the world.
Millennials can be active listeners even outside of their groups. They can appreciate good food and wine and the factual support behind them. They have patience. And they can relate with seniors on an equal footing.

Both have expressed different paths post college. One will pursue a masteral degree after taking and passing the board, the other to get employed. We wish them the best for the endeavors they chose to pursue.

Drix only dragged Henrik to the gathering initially with hesitancy. In the about 10 hours of social exchanges, Henrik must have thanked Drix 7 times.

Leaving the place not knowing if ever we will meet again, the only message we leave is, to take risk. As Paulo Coelho wrote, “we will only understand the miracle of life when we allow the unexpected to happen.

Dealing with change. Minsan (dating sa iyo, nawala o nadagdagan)

Change. We face it regularly and more frequently now at all levels, professionally, governance, personally.


I recall while working for the leading beverage company the various changes that we face monthly, quarterly and the major ones annually. Politically, we face drastic changes daily.  We get devastated on a personal level with loss of friends, loved ones, properties, artifacts, pets or even gadgets.

Without grit, we get disillusioned and desperate. What helped in coping with change was the understanding and acknowledgement of Kurt Lewin’s change model.

Kurt Lewin’s model involves three steps: Unfreezing, Changing and Refreezing . . .  "The process of change entails creating the perception that a change is needed, then moving toward the new, desired level of behavior and finally, solidifying that new behavior as the norm."

Paraphrasing managing change, help let go of the past and prepare for the future. What will change? What will remain the same? What is the new beginning?


Some proven steps for me which have been helpful in transitioning to change: Prepare for the change. Acknowledge change openly. Compensate for the loss. Take a part of the old. Say info over and over. Elaborate on the ending. Mark endings-show how it ensures continuity. Treat the past with respect.

"Iba ang ang mga bossing ngayon. Mababawasan na/Madaragdagan na . . . Nandoon pa rin ang . . . Nandito pa rin tayo. Pero malamang hanggang sa katapusan na lang. Kita kita na lang tayo." "Bilog ang bola." Winter, spring, sumner and fall. When a door is closed, another one opens."

Ely Buendia’s “Minsan” translates the dynamics well in a song particularly in treating the past with respect:

“Minsan tayo ay naging tunay na magkaibigan
minsan ay hindi ko na alam ang nangyayari kahit na anong gawin lahat ng bagay ay merong hangganan
ngunit ngayon tayo ay nilimot ng kahapon di na mapipilitang buhayin ang ating pinagsamahan
ngunit kung sakaling mapadaan baka ikaw ay aking tawagan
dahil minsan tayo ay naging tunay na magkaibigan”

Changes are evidently happening progressively now. Unfreeze (picture the ending). Change (which is inevitable). Refreeze (move on with a new beginning).