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The Philippines still rank as one of the top countries to offer outsourcing solutions. As a matter of fact, outsourcing has become a mainstream business strategy that’s been fully embraced in our country. One of the predictions regarding the movements in the outsourcing industry is its major shift in outsourcing Information Technology (IT) development as well. More entrepreneurs are gaining confidence in outsourcing their IT. What’s more, a good number of businesses are so much better off not operating their own IT.

Small and medium enterprises (SME) are slowly contemplating on fully outsourcing their IT department in order to get more highly skilled and experienced specialists, who can produce high quality solutions. Must a company decide to outsource its IT, it must make sure to find a reliable IT provider that is genuinely interested in their business. With someone else to take care of the IT development, not only is the company able to save money, it is also able to focus on its core business. Finding the perfect IT provider can largely benefit the entrepreneur as he can have more time to follow the latest trends and technologies and take care of the other important aspects of his business as well, such as marketing and sales.

Outsourcing your IT development may be a big risk and a hard decision to make for any entrepreneur or business entity. There may be advantages along with it, but the fear of losing control over your IT structure is understandable. One thing’s certain though; the shift in outsourcing IT development is inevitable and is bound to happen.

If you decide to outsource your IT, here are the top ten good reasons why you should do so:

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1.   Cost Reduction

Even though it was predicted that cost saving would eventually not be the no. 1 factor for outsourcing in the future, still at present, it proves to be the main reason for outsourcing due to the economic crisis that’s affecting most nations. The economic recovery is still uncertain, which makes cost reduction ever important at this point. Through outsourcing, you can expect your business to reduce your costs up to 50% or more. Outsourcing is still considered as a clever way to cut unnecessary costs that pose a big advantage to any outsourcing business.

2.   Knowledgeable Resources

SME’s are gradually considering fully outsourcing their IT department in order to gain access to other resources and get the best people on the market. Small businesses are experiencing difficulty in retaining or recruiting IT specialists, thus they need to have access to more skilled and experienced IT experts who can take care of their IT structure. Likewise, IT outsourcing allows the entrepreneur to gain knowledge from other IT specialists who are better equipped to handle and produce high quality solutions.

3.  Work Continuity

This is one aspect that should be seriously tackled by any company. When your IT expert is unavailable, or worse, decides to leave your company, you must be prepared for it. Partnering with a good IT provider that you can fully trust can ensure continuity in your resources. It is wise not to rely on just one specialist to deliver IT knowledge to your company.

4.  Latest Trends and Technologies

You can never be sure of how well-informed or up-to-date your current IT workforce is. That is the reason why engaging in IT outsourcing could be advantageous for your business because you can gain a wide range of ideas regarding the latest trends and technologies in the IT field from a different perspective. Employee turnover issues are also unavoidable so grooming new employees will definitely cost a fortune. This is where IT outsourcing becomes handy. You just need to choose a responsible IT service provider.

5. Time-Saving Benefits

In any business, time is gold. That is true because as businessmen the value of time is precious and must not be wasted. Initially, you may have to pay close attention to your outsourcing scheme. That is okay because later on you will be able to save time as you don’t have to take care of all your remote working IT partners.

6.   Core Business

Employers or businesses need to focus their attention on other core tasks as well, aside from IT matters. The content, marketing plans and sales schemes of a company are some of the equally important aspects of a business that needs thorough attention. Through IT outsourcing, there’s a lesser need to closely watch your IT matters so that you can devote more time to your core business and your clients.

7.  Flexibility

It’s quite expensive to maintain your own IT staff and most companies think that it is costly to be prepared for the highest possible demand.  It is then a good idea to extend your development team with skilled outsourced resources so you will be more flexible in handling other aspects of your business.

8.  Efficiency and Productivity

The advantage of IT outsourcing is that service providers are able to fully focus on the project at hand because they are not involved in the internal affairs of their outsourcer. Thus, the productivity rate of the IT specialists is much higher.

9.  Reliable Services

IT experts within a committed IT company are bound to develop faster because of better career prospects. They are able to gain more knowledge and access to their colleagues’ expertise and are able to impart their strengths as well for the betterment of their IT structure. Generally, this will result in a more secure, stable, and reliable service delivery.

10. Expertise

Outsourcing does make you think twice, but there’s a pretty big chance you cut your costs considerably, especially in software development. The software development team usually goes through many modification requests while developing an in-house application. It is then very important to point out in detail your specification needs. This is where a good IT provider can be of help as they can specify your needs and share their expertise in order to get to the core of the solution.

//rina-alcantara.com

The Philippines is one of the ten most vulnerable countries cited to be affected by severe weather conditions due to climate change. Our country not only sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it is also susceptible to typhoon disasters as it lies on the path of storms that are formed in the western Pacific every year. Last December 17 and 18, 2011, villages in eight provinces in Southern Mindanao witnessed typhoon Sendong’s wrath. The heavy rains brought by Sendong severely devastated Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City the most. Massive landslides and flash floods swept the villages, raising the death toll to more than 900 dead bodies, with hundreds more missing.

Survivors of the tragedy and thousands of affected families are housed in various evacuation centers. They are in need of food, clothing, water, medicine, and other basic necessities. In cooperation with Everything Cebu, I am urging my fellow Cebuanos to help our brothers and sisters in Mindanao.

If you want to aid our kababayans in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, here‘s what you can do:

(1)    Donate in kind. You can bring your donations to assigned drop-off centers.

What you can donate:

• Non-perishable goods/food: rice, canned goods, instant noodles, milk.
• bottled drinking water
• clothing, shoes, slippers, underwear
• baby supplies, diapers
• Personal hygiene products: shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, soap, sanitary napkins, etc.
• blankets, mats, sleeping bags, mosquito nets
• body bags, formalin, body caskets
• medical supplies/medicines: Antibiotics (broad spectrum for adults and children), Anti-tetanus, Paracetamol, Cephalexin, Oral Rehydration Salts, Agua Oxenada, Antacid tablets and suspension, Metronidazole suspension, Erythromycin suspension, Isopropyl and Ethyl alcohol, Salbutamol, Cotrimoxazole, gauze pads and bandages.

(2)    Donate money through banks and other designated centers.

(3)    Aid in packing and distributing relief goods and bundles of joy.

You can course your donations (in kind or cash) through the following centers:

1. Philippine Red Cross(Cash and check donations via bank deposit must be payable to The Philippine Red Cross.)

a. Bank Accounts:

Banco De Oro

Peso: 00-453-0018647

Dollar: 10-453-0039482

Swift Code: BNORPHMM

Bank of the Philippine Islands

Peso: 4991-0036-52

Dollar: 004994-0103-15

Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

Metrobank

Peso: 151-3-041631228

Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2

Swift Code: MBTCPHMM

Philippine National Bank

Peso: 3752 8350 0034

Dollar: 3752 8350 0042

Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

Unionbank of the Philippines

Peso: 1015 4000 0201

Dollar: 1315 4000 0090

Swift Code: UNPHPHMM

Note: Please fax the bank transaction slip to these Telefax Nos. (+63) (32) 527-0575 or (+63) (32) 404-0979 with your name, address and contact number for receipt confirmation.

b.      SMS

Text RED (space) AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4143 (Smart)

You can donate the following denominations:

Globe: 5, 25, 100, 300, 500 or 1000

Smart: 10, 25, 50, 100, 300, 500 or 1000

2.       Globe Subscribers

Globe subscribers can donate through GCASH. Just text DONATE and send to 2882.

3.       Smart Subscribers

Smart subscribers can send their donations through Smart Money. Donations can instantly be transferred to the official Baha Fund account number, which is 5577 5130 6822 1104. Cash deposits can be coursed through the same Smart Money account number in any Banco De Oro branch or through Hapinoy and Cebuana Lhuiller outlets.

4.       ONE FOR ILIGAN Campaign by Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc.

You can drop your donations at Seawalk Trading, A.S. Fortuna, Mandaue City, Cebu. For more details, visit http://iliganbloggers.com.

Money donations are also accepted via:

Union Bank

Account Name: Revilla N. Carbonell-Noel

Account Number: 109451077611

PayPal.com

Account name: Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc.

5.       GMA KAPUSO FOUNDATION

GMA Kapuso Foundation has launched “Tabang Para sa Mindanao.” You can drop your donations (in kind or cash) until December 23, 2011 at Plaza Sugbo, near the Cebu City Hall. Donations are also accepted at the GMA Network Complex, in Nivel Hills, Apas, Cebu City.

Money donations are also accepted via these bank accounts:

Metro Bank (Peso Savings)

Account Name: GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.

Account Number: 3-098-51034-7

Metro Bank (Dollar Savings)

Account Name:GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.

Account Number:2-098-00244-2

Code: MBTC PH MM

United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB Peso Savings)

Account Name: GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.

Account Number:115-184777-2 or 160-111277-7

United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB Dollar Savings)

Account Name: GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc.

Account Number: 01-115-301177-9 or 01-160-300427-6

6.       ABS-CBN SAGIP KAPAMILYA

You can bring your donations to the ABS CBN Cebu Head Office located at the National Highway, in Jagobiao, Mandaue City, Cebu or at the Fuente Police Station.

Money donations can be deposited through these bank accounts:

BDO (Peso Account)
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 39301-14199
Swift Code: BNORPHMM

BDO (Dollar Account)
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 39300-81622
Swift Code: BNORPHMM

PNB (Peso Account)
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 419-539-5000-13
Swift Code: PNBMPHMM

BPI (Peso Account)
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 3051-1127-75
Branch: West Triangle, Quezon City
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

BPI (Dollar Account)
Account name: ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.-Sagip Kapamilya
Account Number: 3054-0270-35
Branch: West Triangle, Quezon City
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

7. iSTORYA.NET

The Visayan online community, in partnership with the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals in Cagayan de Oro, will ensure that donations from Cebu are properly distributed.

You can drop your donations at the following outlets:

• iSTORYA.NET office located at Rm. 201 MIT Building, Gorordo Ave., Lahug, Cebu City (beside Jollibee J.Y. Square)
• PRG Photoshop at Baseline Complex, Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City (Monday-Saturday 10AM-6PM)
• Alberto’s Pizza at A.S. Fortuna (near the Banilad Flyover), Mandaue City (Sunday-Saturday 9AM-2AM)
• Insotec Computers at 2900 Osmena St., Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City (Monday-Saturday 9AM-6PM)

Cash donations can be deposited through PayPal account: paypal@istorya.net. Make sure to specify that the deposited amount is for “Operation Sendong”.

8.       HelpCDO by CDO Bloggers

Cash donations can be deposited through PayPal account: francis.siason@gmail.com

9.       Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

Cash donations may be dropped at the DSWD Office VII, which is located at MJ Cuenco Avenue Corner Gen. Maxilom Avenue, Brgy. Carreta, Cebu City.

10. SM City Cebu

SM City Cebu and SM Foundation, Inc. launched “Operation Tulong” for typhoon Sendong victims. You may drop your donations in kind at the lower ground floor of the main mall (between Air Philippines and Country Crafts). SM City Cebu is located at the North Reclamation Area, Cebu City.

11. Ayala Center Cebu

Donations are accepted at The Terraces (in front of Lemon Grass). Ayala Center Cebu is located at Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

12. Parkmall

Parkmall’s drop-off center is located at the West Atrium (near Electrolux/Family Appliance). Parkmall is located at Ouano Avenue, Mandaue Reclamation Area, Cebu.

13. One for Iligan Cebu

One for Iligan Cebu will also help deliver assistance to Iligan City. You may bring your donations to these drop off centers:

(a)    Manila Bulletin-Cebu branch at Jakosalem cir. Zamora Sts., Parian, Cebu City;

(b)   Echavez Dental Clinic at Room 208-209 of the Medalle Building in Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City (beside McDonalds and Watsons); and

Warehouse Gate 1, W.B. Seno St., North Reclamation, Tipolo, Mandaue City (at the back of Parkmall).

14. The following establishments will ship your donations for free:

• Bigby’s Café & Restaurant (Ayala Center Cebu branch)
• any McDonald’s branch
• any LBC branch
• any JRS Express branch
• any Air 21 and Mail and More branch
• any Cebuana Lhuillier branch

Information for Cagayan de Oro residents

-Free Water

• Rainsoft in NHA highway (beside Mazda)
• Balulang Booster Station
• Production well 3a near Macasandig
• COWD Kauswagan Office
• Faucet near MUST
• some fire hydrants near GSIS Carmen and other areas with BFP coordination
• Pepsi Cola Philippines in Tin-ao, Agusan, Cagayan de Oro

-Free Tawag Centers

• GLOBE

Cagayan de Oro: Xavier University and City Central School

Iligan: MSU-IIT, Iligan City National High School

• Smart Libre Tawag, Internet and Cellphone Charging

Philcom Office at Max Suniel St., Carmen, Cagayan de Oro.

-Free outpatient consultation and tetanus shots at the Polymedic Medical Plaza for flood-related injuries. The doctor will be there daily.

For International Donors:            

All LBC branches in the following countries are accepting donations:

• US
• Canada
• KSA
• Singapore
• UAE
• HK
• Taiwan
• Malaysia
• Taiwan
• UK
• Spain
• Brunei
• Australia
• Italy

//seasite.niu.edu

Does the closing in of the “ber” months ring a nostalgic bell? If so, you must be a Filipino by heart. Filipinos, a.k.a Pinoys, can’t help but feel the Christmas spirit as the first day of September arrives and the countdown to Christmas cheerfully begins. You will start seeing homes or tree branches along the roads glittering with Christmas lights and decorations, Christmas songs played over the radio, and even kids hopping from one house to another singing Christmas carols as early as October.

Pinoys, for the most part, are a very lively and happy people. These two distinct traits are much noticeable, especially during the Christmas season. The Philippines, being one of the biggest Catholic countries in Asia, celebrates Christmas for a longer span of time compared to other countries that observe Christmas as well. In fact, the country is known to celebrate the world’s longest Christmas season, which starts as early as September and ends during the Epiphany or commonly known as Three Kings’ Day.

What distinguishes the Pinoys’ ways of celebrating the Yuletide season from other Christian nations are the unique Christmas traditions they observe that have stood against the test of time and have been passed on from one generation to another. Allow me to talk about the impressive Christmas traditions I’ve witnessed throughout my stay in Cebu.

Misa de Gallo or Early-Morning Mass

Misa de Gallo, otherwise known as Simbang Gabi, is a series of dawn masses that begins every 16^th of December and ends on the 24^th of December. This tradition traces back to the Spanish-colonial regime when priests celebrate early morning masses so that farmers, who work all day long, can still have time to rest in the evening. Since then, this tradition has continued in all parts of the country and in every parish. For Filipinos, completing the nine masses not only heightens the anticipation of Jesus’ birth but also shows the believer’s deep devotion towards God. More and more generations are also inclined to practice this tradition in the belief that their special wishes will be granted upon the completion of the nine-day dawn mass. Nevertheless, it’s quite impressive to see devotees stick to this tradition of waking up early for nine straight days to complete the Christmas novena.      

//365greatpinoystuff

Christmas Eve and Noche Buena

For the Filipino Catholics, the Christmas Eve (Bisperas ng Pasko) is always celebrated with a Midnight Mass, which is unsurprisingly flocked by devotees. They feel that their Christmas would not be complete unless they are able to attend the Christmas Eve Mass. The mass usually starts around 8:00-10:00 in the evening of December 24, and sometimes lasts until an hour before December 25. Families then go back to their houses to celebrate and feast on their Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner). A combination of western and Filipino cuisine is usually prepared, such as roasted pig (lechon baboy) or roasted chicken, queso de bola, ham, pizza, ice cream, barbeque, and other Filipino delicacies that goes well with wine and beer. Christmas gifts are also exchanged among family members. This is relatively the time for families to bond and have fun.

Misa de Aguinaldo

Many families attend the Misa de Aguinaldo or the mass of Thanksgiving for the Birth of Christ on December 25. Most Filipinos perceive Christmas Day as a family affair, thus they take the time to visit their relatives and loved ones. Children usually visit their godparents, hoping to receive Christmas gifts.

Panunuluyan

This is the traditional reenactment of pregnant Mary and Joseph’s journey to find a place where Mary could give birth to Jesus. The actors portraying Joseph and Mary will be visiting pre-designated homes, whose owners will cruelly reject them. They eventually find their way to the church where a small stable is being set up.

Christmas Parties

Pinoys are fond of celebrating the Yuletide season by holding office or school parties before the Christmas holidays. Fun activities, such as parlor games, musical performances and dance numbers, are apparent during the party. Of course, the traditional exchange of gifts through Manito-Manita or Kris Kringle is almost always present in every Christmas party. These parties usually take place during the second week of December, or just before the schools and offices go on holiday.

Niños Inocentes

Niños Inocentes, also known as Holy Innocents’ Day, is observed on the 28^th of December. Never be fooled by anyone on this day as this is the December version of the April Fools Day. Most Filipinos celebrate this day by playing pranks on one another.

New Year’s Eve Feast

Filipino families gather for their Media Noche (midnight meal) on the 31^st of December. This feast symbolizes their hopes for a prosperous New Year. Loud noises can be heard at the strike of 12 midnight and firework displays can be seen in the night skies. Others opt for the safer way of merrymaking like toy horns (torotot), banging pots, blowing car horns, or clashing kitchen utensils.

Family Reunions

For Pinoys, Christmas is the best time to gather around and be reunited with other family members and relatives. It’s also the time to get reacquainted with distant relatives. Most Filipinos make this season as an annual tradition for gathering families and relatives.

Three Kings

The Epiphany or the Three Kings is celebrated every first Sunday after the New Year. This day officially ends the Christmas season for the Filipinos.

Parols

//nyclovesnyc.blogspot.com //flicker.com

Filipinos have also retained their traditional Christmas decorations in the form of parols. These star-shaped lanterns are as recognized to Filipinos as Christmas trees are to Westerners. The Christmas parols signify the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Three Kings to Jesus’ manger. Today, the original star-shaped parol has evolved to various shapes and forms that are more catchy and vibrant in appearance.

Belen

Aside from the traditional Filipino Christmas parol, the belen is another distinct Christmas symbol for the Filipinos. The belen is a representation of the Birth of Christ in the manger. A lot of outdoor belens can be seen in church or school surroundings. Several belen-making contests are held annually where residents or establishment of a baranggay may participate.

Caroling

Christmas in the Philippines is not complete without kids or even grown-ups going from one house to another to sing Christmas carols. This tradition is called caroling or “panaygon” in the Cebuano dialect. Some carolers make use of tambourines made of tansan that are flattened aluminum bottle caps. Every caroling ends with the chant “Maayong Pasko!,” which is a cue for the homeowners to reward them with money. If not for pure fun, this tradition is also a way for some Filipinos to raise funds that they can use for future goodwill projects.

http://nearshoreamericas.com/global-sourcing/

Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) companies are fast emerging as viable businesses in the Philippines. In fact, Cebu is considered as one of the major hubs for BPO companies. Since 2006, the Philippine BPO growth rate has increased to 46 percent annually. Mainly, this was driven due to the demand for offshore call centers.

In the Philippines, the growth spurt of the outsourcing industry comes in various services, with the call center industry at the top of the pack. Other outsourcing businesses range from legal and medical transcription services, corporate backroom operations, or software development services. Undeniably, all of these offshore services are being embraced by the Filipino community in the hopes of having a better income and an improved way of living.

With Philippines as the top global BPO destination, there’s no doubt that the Philippine BPO companies are earning billions of dollars. Given that, you might ask, are these big businesses giving back something in return to society? Are they doing proactive steps to help others, especially the poor, or are they just busy making money?

This leads me to think whether you’ve ever heard of the acronym CSR at some point. If you are employed in a call center, you’d probably say that CSR means Customer Service Representative.  Actually, you are right. But, there is also another meaning for CSR that I would like to tackle – and that is Corporate Social Responsibility.

I have high regard for businesses that take time to give back to their local communities in big or small ways. Increasingly, BPO companies are embracing CSR initiatives to help impoverished communities, especially the indigent families by introducing livelihood programs or trainings.

//www.kofc.org/un/en/columbia/detail/2010_08_homes.html

It’s a good feeling to know that high revenue-generating companies, such as call centers, also thrive to impart their blessings to others. The growing social awareness of premiere companies in being able to extend something good to their communities in which they work and serve is very inspiring. Take for example, the initiatives taken by one of the top call centers in the Philippines who led the construction of 70 homes in TELUS GK Village way back in 2007. This outreach program made a significant impact to hundreds of homeless families.

I believe that making CSR a key component in BPO companies would set a good example to their workforce in promoting social consciousness. Here are a few ideas that can motivate your employees to participate in CSR efforts while boosting your company morale:

(1)    Community Events Participation. Engage your company to participate in local charities by volunteering at fund raising events or loaning your products and services. There are a lot of charity events that allow companies to donate products or services, which will be auctioned in order to raise money. Not only will you be able to help charities by doing this, you get to spend only small amounts of money.

(2)    Volunteerism. Encourage your people to volunteer at local charities in your community. You can allow your employees to render an hour off from work, maybe once a month to go and volunteer in charity works.

(3)    Sponsorship. You could sponsor your employees to participate in charitable events. You could schedule a group from your team to take part in a charity Fun Run event or bike race. You may be shedding a certain amount of money, but what is that compared to the happiness you’ll bring to those who need help.

(4)    Book Sale/Garage Sale. Another idea is to have a book or garage sale, with part of the proceeds going to your outreach programs. Encourage your employees to donate or sell their old books and other stuff for a cheap price.

(5)    Competition for a Cause. You can host an inter-departmental competition in your company by having a fun contest in the form of food or school supplies that will in the end benefit the poor. Initiate a food drive competition wherein each department will compete on who collects the largest quantity of dry goods in terms of weight. This can be a fun and rewarding competition that will boost the morale of the participants for doing something good for the poor.

(6)     Charitable Donations. Encourage your employees to donate for charitable causes. Even though money is tight, you can match employee contributions to charities to a certain amount, no matter how small that amount might be. As long as your employees see their contributions coming to fruition, I’m sure they will feel better about the help they’ve extended.

The idea of corporate social responsibility is now gaining wide acceptance and is becoming part of the global business agenda. There will definitely be obstacles along the way that you will need to overcome. The key challenge is to be able to disseminate your CSR strategies in a way that will convince your employees to be involved in your CSR initiatives and to make your efforts appear trustworthy. The rewards could be vast and satisfying once these initiatives are realized, benefitting not just you and your company’s image, but your employees as well.

It’s uplifting to see that call centers are not just concerned about maintaining their service metrics, such as Key Performance Indicators, Average Handling Time or First Call Resolution. They are taking positive steps to be good corporate citizens too. I’m sure there are a lot of other companies practicing CSR that are not known to the public. Hopefully, the move towards social consciousness in providing assistance to those in need would infect all business sectors.

CSR not only has a lot of advantages to offer to the business. It actually gives your company a competitive edge once linked to the strengths of your business organization. In fact, CSR strengthens your brand and company reputation. You will gain the respect of your employees and more likely inspire them to be socially involved in helping out the society. Not only that, you will also earn the trust of your customers and promote more business partnerships and dealings with other vendors in the future.

http://www.kinkybluefairy.net/2010/10/how-to-choose-a-car/

Looking back, that was so much fun. But, now that I’m all grown up and drive my own car, I have come to realize that it’s no fun to be traveling on such rough roads. There’s nothing amusing about it at all. Driving through coarse terrains and merciless potholes not only leaves your body all worn out, but also lessens the life of your car, so to speak.

Just recently, I’ve witnessed new pavements and potholes being fixed. I am left wondering if the election is just around the corner or if these road projects are part of an early campaign for aspiring political candidates. This may sound funny, but sadly there’s some truth to my out-of-the-blue sentiments. Road repairs and developments are apparent once elections draw near. Not only that, you can see huge signs and big tarpaulins over such roads reminding everyone who paid for it and who did it.

I guess by now you’re getting what I mean. It’s just unfortunate that somehow this tactic still works in most cases. It’s almost like a defeated mindset. Of course, there are still honest ones who are doing their duties as public officials without hidden agendas at the back of their minds. I just wish there are more dedicated officials looking out for the betterment of the community and not for their own sakes. These thoughts often come to mind every time I see roads being fixed or developed.

In my years of living in Cebu, which I proudly call my home, I’ve realized that driving here is also quite different. Allow me to share some of the insights I’ve learned about the “rules of the road” that other expats might find useful in adapting with the driving styles in the Philippines.

• Speed Limit. If you are driving in the Philippines, there’s actually no need to worry about speed limits. In fact, speed limits are slightly enforced, if at all, so are other rules of the road. It’s like the traffic and road conditions dictate the rate of your speed, more than any speed limit sign or law. Here, the general speed limits are 60 km/hr as the minimum speed and 100 km/hr as the maximum rate. However, you’ll notice that most cars are actually driving over speed limit.
• Road Quality. Urban areas mostly have well-paved roads. However, some rural areas could have problems with potholes, lack of visible road signs and poor lighting. Road block signage or warning signs during road repairs are sometimes vaguely indicated by putting big rocks on the road. Mountain roads often don’t have guardrails and extra caution must be observed, especially when driving at night.
• Checkpoints. Various checkpoints can be set up during police operations. In such cases, you just need to slow down unless you are asked to pull over. Numerous government agencies, such as PNP, AFP or DENR, conduct checkpoints when looking for illegal loggers, poachers or guerilla members of NPA, Abu Sayyaf or MILF.
• Driving Style. Driving here could be nerve-racking for first-time drivers. You will experience being cut off frequently. Some drivers routinely pull into traffic without so much care at other oncoming vehicles. Driving precautions are regarded lightly and not strictly enforced. In fact, most drivers don’t have their seatbelts or helmets on. Drivers of passenger buses, taxis, or trucks can drive for 24 hours straight, as long as their body can tolerate. If DUI is strictly observed in the States, here it’s almost unenforced. Driving in the Philippines can be stressful, especially for foreigners, who are not used to the traffic flow and unpredictable driving situations. You have to pay close attention to your driving, and nothing else.
• Driver Liability. The driver is nearly always 100% accountable during collisions or road accidents, regardless of fault. You can be in deep trouble if you hit a pedestrian, more so if it’s a child, who perhaps crossed the street out of the blue. You can face a long strenuous court case and even a possible deportation.
• Pedestrians. You’ll see a lot of jaywalking here. Some people are way too undisciplined to wait for their turn to cross the street. People also have a curious habit of sitting idly on the side of the road, or worse, putting up stalls or “pongko-pongko” tables for their mini eatery business. During happy occasions like fiesta or holidays, you can expect jolly people walking at the streets. You must SOUND your horn should you see anyone not paying attention, lest you hit them, and it’s still going to be your fault.
• Vehicles. You are lucky if you are not caught by traffic enforcers while driving a car without headlights or taillights during the night. If you are driving at night, you can also expect some drivers not dimming their bright lights for incoming traffic. I have also witnessed some taxi drivers using the handbrakes to stop their car. Overloading is common, especially on commercial vehicles like public utility jeepneys. In very remote areas, you’ll be amazed to see commuters sitting on top of the bus or jeepney.
• Driving Attitude. Show aggressiveness when driving, but don’t be a jerk. If you’re driving in the Philippines, you are expected to follow closely, enter traffic and be fairly aggressive. There’s no time for hesitation as it might only cause accidents. You need to learn to decide quickly and commit.

Driving in the Philippines can be daunting at first, but you’ll get used to it. There are definitely many interesting things you’ll learn and discover while traversing the roads and highways of my motherland. With all the not-so-pleasant road encounters I’ve shared, I hope my fellow expats would still learn to love the country I consider my home. After all, Philippines is not just filled with warm and exuberant people, it is also endowed with numerous must-see tourist attractions.

The Philippines first received the prestigious award in 2007, then in 2009. This is the third time the country was cited as the “world’s leading global outsourcing center.”

The country has definitely made its mark in the global outsourcing industry after beating other nominees that included Sri Lanka, Egypt and Ukraine.

According to a report by Manila Bulletin, NOA said that the Philippines is becoming an absolute offshore giant for the UK Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) market because of its abundant graduate workforce.

NOA also recognized the country’s 92 percent literary rate and 36- million labor force with 450,000 university level graduates per year, with about 100,000 finance and accounting graduates. The Filipinos’ ability to understand and speak English with a neutral and understandable accent was also given importance.

What contributed to the country’s winning chances are the world-class telecommunications infrastructure and unparalleled government support in the form of income tax holidays of up to six years, and other fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, which also boosted the country’s chances in bagging the title. Also, the judges recognized the flat 5 percent income tax rate on gross income for locators of office buildings and installations accredited as Philippine information technology (IT) economic zones, after the initial 4-6 years of income tax holiday has passed.

The Board of Investments, in cooperation with the Philippine Outsourcing Industry, Business Process Association Philippines and other major players prepared and submitted this year’s outstanding winning entry.

The NOA is the only well-established and recognized outsourcing trade association in the United Kingdom that has been operating for over 20 years.

Among the commonly outsourced jobs by these companies are the IT services being offered by many agencies and freelancers.  Many companies resort to this option since outsourcing allows these businesses to save on operating costs and expenses as against hiring and training employees on their own.  Moreover, getting their own employees would also mean that they have to spend on establishing and maintaining a company department within which those employees will be placed.

But with outsourcing, these companies are relieved from the burden of maintaining a regular workforce.  Rather than looking after their employees, they could focus their efforts on the company’s main objectives while these outsourcing agencies and freelancers do the job for them.

With outsourcing, companies are able to reduce their operating costs; thus, expanding their resources to other business areas.  Accordingly, businesses can re-focus their money and investments on higher-value opportunities, as well as simplify management.

Outsourcing is the best business leverage for these growing times because it dramatically improves the efficiency of the company.  By hiring outsourcing professionals, companies are liberated from the burden of handling employees.  It simplifies day-to-day management and reduces business risks.  With outsourcing, companies can focus their efforts towards more important matters and other strategic business goals.

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The best thing there is about outsourcing is that it frees one’s hands from dabbling with the particular outsourced job. In addition, it frees up company resources by allowing it to minimize IT expenditures. Accordingly, there is no need to spend for equipment since one does not need to set up an in-house personnel or department for that matter.

By simply letting others do the job, one can redirect its resources into the core business of the company. It relieves the executive and administrative team from dealing with human-resource problems as well as issues that deal with manpower.

Among the best things about outsourcing is that one can save on expenses relating to training. In addition, outsourcing also allows companies to gain access to an unlimited pool of talented individuals that possess specialized IT skills.

Outsourcing is the intelligent choice for companies who seek to save on operating expenses, and focus on its core business. Through this medium, one can significantly improve the business by being able to focus on providing the best quality products and services.

Why drain your resources when you can use it on matters that really count? Relieve yourself from the burden of costly operational expenses by simply outsourcing your IT needs. Visit Outsourcing Truths for more information.