Save our call center workers
I think the Aquino administration should heed the call of some members of the Congress to form a lobby group against the bill of President Barack Obama of the United States of America that encourages the insourcing of business process outsourcing and penalizes US companies that outsource workers as it would be detrimental to at least 50,000 Filipinos employed in the BPO industry.
I think we should be aggressive in protecting our interests then point that American companies enjoy an advantage with Filipino call center agents who speak English fluently and incur less labor cost than their American counterparts.
The paramount interest of the lobby group is to protect Filipinos from laws that may eventually be detrimental to their employment and income-earning capability.
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Pit Señor to all our visitors and fellow Cebuanos. This week will be very busy for Cebuanos as we prepare for the celebration of the Feast of the Sto. Niño.
Saturday will be the high point of religious activities with the solemn procession of the image of the Sto. Niño in the streets of the city in the afternoon and the fluvial procession in the morning that would bring the image back to Cebu City from an overnight stay in Mandaue City.
This Sunday we will hold the Sinulog grand parade, which is a cultural show sponsored by the Cebu City government and participated in by millions of people from all walks of life and from all over the world.
This year we shall be seeing about 40 contingents joining the Sinulog parade that will culminate with a grand display of fireworks in the evening.
This Wednesday, Jan. 11, will be the Miss Cebu Coronation Night, a display of the beauty and brains of selected Cebuanas. Thursday night Ayala Center will host once again the Balik Cebu where balikbayans will be treated with Cebuano food and local entertainment.
Let us brace ourselves for traffic in Cebu City that would be at its worst. Patience and perseverance are needed to enjoy and survive the very busy Sinulog week. As a Cebuano, I would give preference to our visitors from the other parts of the country and the world to enjoy our yearly feast and support the city government’s effort to maintain peace and order during the feast of the Sto. Niño.
Let us all pray for a peaceful Sinulog day.
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This year 2012 will be an election year for the United States of America with President Obama seeking reelection as a Democrat and the Republican party seeking to grab the presidency from him.
Today, the Republicans are trying to find a candidate who can grab the White House from Obama. That is why there is a series of debates among Republicans who want to run for president.
As far as the Democrats are concerned, there might be some nominees who would go head-to-head against Obama, but practice would always tell us that it is the incumbent who has the edge.
Whoever gets elected as US president will have an impact on our country through their policies in dealing with us Filipinos. So far, Obama has been good to us Filipinos, and I have not heard much complaints against the US’ dealings with our country.
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What is the nature of the impeachment trial in our country? Is it legal or political? This is the question that confronts members of the Senate as legislator-jurors.
Are the senators required to observe strictly the rules of evidence? Or should they also take into consideration the pulse of the people in deciding on the case, impeachment being a political process.
