http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/423595
When I heard this, I was a bit enraged. Why do most guys think that they can avoid dealing with “first-meeting awkward situations” by sending virtual messages? I don’t know about most girls, but I think the mere fact that a guy has mustered enough courage to gather his balls and approach a girl, no matter how shy he is, shows a lot about his sincerity in meeting her. Why should you feel shy if you have nothing but the purest or the most platonic of intentions?

Yesterday, I just read an article about how the internet is transforming the youth into a “dumb generation”. According to the author, more young people lack social skills, and the internet has managed to turn them into a bunch of narcissists. I do disagree with that man’s findings but to some extent, I think he made a point. The onset of text messaging and social networking sites like Friendster and MySpace, while giving people a venue for free expression or a platform to the world, obviously has varied effects. And some of them aren't so good.

I was carrying these thoughts in my head on my way home. Suddenly, my friend texted me that maybe we were just overanalyzing things. I figured that it would indeed be pointless to think about something that was so unimportant. So there, case closed. “Okay, maybe he's really shy.” Whatever.

A few minutes later, I boarded a jeepney. It was already close to being full so I had no choice but to sit beside the driver and his companion. Everything was going fine but suddenly, halfway along the trip, the driver’s companion started making small talk.

“Ay, akala ko bababa ka na.” (I thought you were about to get off.)

“Te, inaantok ka yata. Bakit naman?” (You seem sleepy. Why?)

“Te, ‘san ka ba nag-aaral?” (Where are you studying?)

“San ka ba bababa?” (Where are you gonna get off?)

I really wanted to be nice but the smirk on his face told me that if I tried answering his questions, or if I came up with a bunch of sarcastic comebacks, it would have done nothing but please him. He kept on smiling and glancing at the driver and then back at me. Clearly, this guy wanted to irritate me.

I managed to get off the jeepney unscathed, but not without the memory of that horrid guy saying “goodbye” to me in the lousiest of tones. I took a deep breath, and just strangled him in my thoughts.

I then recalled the lack of confidence of the guy who wanted to meet my friend. It’s a little ironic. Earlier, I just wished men were more confident, and after that jeepney ride, I kind of wished they weren’t.

It would of course be pointless to compare the two. One was educated, a college graduate to be exact, and the other was probably wasn't. But hey, confidence and sincerity aren’t taught in school.

I wonder who could be better off?]]> Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:03:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/423595 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/364281
Here are some facts about the 1500s:

These are interesting. ..

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence , the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The m an of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water..

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying . It's raining cats and dogs.

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, Dirt poor.

The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh
until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a thresh hold.

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and
then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridg cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the
fat..

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would
gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up.
Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the
wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a .dead ringer..

And that's the truth...Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !

Educate someone. Share these facts with a friend (I just did! --sandy)
]]> Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:08:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/364281 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/361411
He was just in his mid-20's.

He apparently had an attack due to hypertension.

His name is Rodriner. I met him during a Civil Engineering Student's Conference a couple of years ago. His classmates were placed in the same hotel room I was in and so, we got to share a few stories together. He was an over-all friendly guy, and I saw the way he took care of his female classmates. He was like the dad of the group.

Anyway, we met again on the conferences that followed and of course, we treated each other as if we were old friends. During one of the conferences, I brought a cd which contained my favorite disco songs just in case the music wouldn't be dance-worthy during the fellowship night. He thought it was hilarious and even expressed his sympathy for me (in a joking manner) when the fellowship night turned out be a major bore with only dinner and a raffle draw. Our groups ended up satisfying our cravings for dance at a nearby disco and amidst the dance steps and the sweat, we all had a good time.

I didnt know it at first, but he was the president of his student chapter. He was also a nominee to the Most Outstanding Civil Engineering Student award and judging from his personality, I knew he had the makings of a good leader.

We weren't really close but the sadness I feel for his loss is unimaginable. I feel sad for the things that he has yet to do, for his family that never got to see him during his defining moments, and for his friends, classmates, and teachers who have shared small but memorable moments with him. It is hard to lose someone instantly and pain from that loss is more difficult to bear, if not impossible to ease.

This brings me to reflecting on my own life, to the opportunities that I let pass me by, to the words I leave unsaid, to the gestures I fail to acknowledge. Again, as much as a surprise Rodz death was to all of us, we cannot deny that the possibility of our own deaths cannot be predicted.

As Randy Pausch said, "We cannot choose the cards we are dealt, we can only choose how to play them." So I hope we all play our cards well. I pray for Rodz and I hope that his memory lives on in the hearts of the people he touched.]]> Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:13:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/361411 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/360871
Yes, just this week. And i believe I have matured a lot because of it.

Allow me to share:

First, I realized that I am very talented. All this time, I guess I have been comparing myself with other people and somehow, I became depressed at the thought that I do not possess certain skills, or am not better at some things.

For a while, I forgot that we were all created differently, and that we have our own strengths. So it wasnt until I really embraced this fact that I was able to decide what is best for me, and that I should live by my own standards.

Second, you should never put off work, no matter how small it is. One of my struggles as a student was laziness. Oftentimes, I wanted to postpone the small things that I had to o. Because they werent important anyway. I realize now that even if things are becoming easier for me, I am not teaching myself to become a disciplined person.

Third, be patient with other people. I realize now that we live in this world also for others. So we should try to help each other as much as we can. Humility is very important. "It is not thing less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less."

Fourth, really have faith in God. I am a Catholic and I know all about faith and God's overwhelming power. But why do I succumb myself to worrying? Has he ever let me down before?

Fifth, whatever you are, be a good one. Abraham Lincoln said that. Sometimes, we may have given our best and yet we still fail. Nevertheless, if we try to think of our mistakes and failures as valuable lessons, then we will become better people. I realize now that excellence should reflect in all aspects of ourselves. Whether we are just doing the laundry or even washing dishes.

I just graduated and now, Im a bit anxious about the future that lies ahead of me. But I know that this is a journey to self-discovery which I should take and with proper guidance and lots of prayers, God will lead me to the path which is right for me.

By the way,if you have read my previous blog entries, I am a bit closer to achieving my lifelong passion to teach. For now, I am teaching Japanese to speak English. Not bad, eh? =)]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:52:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/360871 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/360331
In college, Sabriye studied the history of Tibet. Afterwards, she packed her suitcase, took her white cane, and flew off to Tibet. There she bought a horse. With guide, she rode along mountain cliffs to distant villages, looking for blind children for her school. She found many who were desperate to study. She teaches her students so that they can do anything. They recently went white-water rafting and will soon attempt to climb one of Tibet’s high mountains. Sabriye believes everyone has special gifts. Blind children, she says, will never be able to drive. “But they can read and write in the dark, and who can do that?”

(I think this is a wonderful story. Got it from my sister's files.)]]> Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:37:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/360331 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/357519
But of course these aren't the "get rich quick" types. I use the internet almost everyday and what's a few minutes to click some ads if it'll make you earn money? =) Anyway, one of my long term goals is to earn enough money for my youth foundation. If I keep this up for the next few weeks, months, or even years, who knows? I may surprise myself.

Anyway, if you're bored and you wish to try to earn money on the internet, try these sites:

http://bux.to/?r=sand3e
This site lets you earn .10cents if you click 10 advertisements for 30 seconds each. So you'll be spending a total of 3 minutes every day. The trick here is to try to get as many referrals as you can so your earnings will grow faster. Im sure there are many people out there who are also interested.You can even tell your friends about it and you can share the earnings. =)

http://mylot.com/sandygaspay
This site pays you just to be active. There are lots of discussions which you can participate in and although you earn at quite a slow rate, it's better than nothing. =)]]> Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:59:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/357519 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/357097 Here’s The Truth: You’re Only Limited By Your Love Imagination!

By Bo Sanchez

Many people ask me how I’m able to do all that I do.

Let me give you an idea of my responsibilities… (Warning: Some people actually feel tired just reading this list, so take a deep breath…)

I lead 4 ministry organizations. I speak in a daily Radio show, a weekly TV program, and a daily video show at www.preacherinbluejeans.com Each year, I churn out 3 books, produce 4 audio/video teaching series, and write more than 200+ articles. I publish 7 magazines, maintain 4 websites, send out my online newsletter and write my blog at this website. I lead a “virtual” community called the Kerygma Family and oversee an incredible “sales force” called the Kerygma Ambassadors. I also travel extensively, preaching 300+ times a year all over the Philippines and around the world—leading retreats, seminars, and prayer rallies. I also am proud to say that I read all my email and respond to most of them.

As if these aren’t enough, there are a “few” personal things that I do…

I run a homeschool center to help parents learn how to homeschool their kids (If you’re interested, log onto www.catholicfilipinoacademy.com) I lead a financial consultancy organization to teach Filipinos how to save for their future. I operate a tiny organic farm, a real estate business, and manage a few more small businesses. (Plus, my 7-year old boy still has his Bangus business, and he’s hired me to be his marketing consultant.)

Of course, I’m fanatical about spending time with my family. I play with my sons everyday and still bring my beautiful wife once a week in a romantic date. We also have 4 family vacations every year, and 2 of those vacations are long 2-week trips!

And each year, I read 3 books a week, listen to the same number of audio books, and each year read thousands of magazine and internet articles.

Oh, before I forget, let me mention that I hop on a stationary bike one hour a day.

How do I do all these things?

Let me share with you five principles…

Key #1:
Believe You’re Bigger

It’s common fact that we only use 10% of our brain’s capacity.

Can you believe that? We’re wasting 90% of what God has given to us!

I believe God has given us more capacities than we think we have.

The ultimate crime is that we belittle ourselves.

We think we’re insects, so we live an insect life, but actually—we’re giants!

Because of this, I believe you can earn a ten times more than whatever you’re earning right now. You can help ten times the number of people you’re helping now. You can serve ten times more than whatever service you’re doing now.

Don’t limit yourself.

You’re bigger than you think you are.

Key #2:
Be Consistent With The Fundamentals

Every morning, I enjoy time with God.

Every morning, I chew on His Word—the Bible.

Every morning, I pray, “Lord, let me love every person I meet today.”

Every morning, I read my life mission, my list of dreams, and my annual goals.

And throughout the day, instead of exposing myself to bad news, I digest good news available around me: I voraciously read inspiring books and listen to inspiring audio talks.

Every night, like a little boy, I kneel beside my bed and thank God for His blessings of that day.

In other words, the reason why I live such an exciting life is because I’m boring.

I’m monotonous.

I’m repetitive.

I do the same basic things again and again and again and again…

I now realize that the reason I can do all those thrilling, exciting, exhilarating stuff is because I do the boring basics every single day of my life. Everyday, I’m grateful. Everyday, I think positive. Everyday, I love. Everyday, I select what I watch, what I read, what I listen to—and stick to what can make me grow. Every single day.

The more I live on planet earth, the more I agree with Jim Rohn when he said that “There’s really nothing mysterious or magical about success. Success is simply the consistent application of fundamentals.”

Be boringly consistent when it comes to the basics.

And in time, you’ll find exciting success knocking at your door.

Key #3:
Focus On Your Core Gift

I have very few talents. Honest!

I don’t know how to cook, how to dance, how to write a computer program, and how to solve the Rubix cube. I don’t know how to do geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. I’m totally lost in chemistry, physics, and biology. I also can’t fix a leaking faucet or do carpentry or repair my car.

But this is what I can do very well: Communicate.

So I focus my entire life on that one thing.

I write well and I speak well. Period.

And I delegate everything to people who are better than I am.

Ask yourself now: What is my core gift?

I have a general rule I follow in my life: I don’t like complicating things just to impress you. So instead of giving you 329 psychological questions filled with scientific babble to discover your core gift (so I could impress you on how intelligent I am), let me just boil it down to 2 very simple questions. Stop reading this book until you answered both of these questions.

· What do you enjoy doing?

· What are you good at

For some of you, it’s technology.

For some of you, it’s teaching.

For some of you, it’s selling stuff.

For some of you, it’s cooking.

For some of you, it’s music.

For some of you, it’s advanced trigonometry. (Yes, I’ve heard there are such strange creatures walking on the face of the earth.)

Key #4:
Build Your Network

My wealth isn’t my money.

My real wealth is my network of friends.

Personally, I don’t think anything great is accomplished without a team.

Even Jesus had a team around him.

A few months ago, I was reading about the interesting world of horse-pulling competitions.

That’s where huge horses the size of elephants pull massive concrete blocks behind them.

Did you know that the grand champion horse could pull the incredible weight of 4,500 pounds? If the average weight of a Filipino is 140 pounds (which happens to be my weight before I eat my breakfast), that means this super horse could carry 32 Filipinos—without wheels! That monster could pull me, my wife, my kids, my parents, my siblings, their spouses, their kids, and all my in-laws combined.

And the second placer horse can pull only slightly lower than the first placer: 4,400 pounds.

That was when the organizers got curious. If these two horses pulled together, how many pounds could they carry? Could they pull 8,900 pounds?

They harnessed both horses and were shocked with the results.

Both horses, when pulling together, carried the mind-blowing weight of 12,000 pounds. That’s 85 Filipinos.

My message? Teams are powerful.

Alone, I can do a lot of things. But with my team, I don’t add but multiply what I can do.

I keep networking. I circulate. I meet people. I build bridges.

So I surround myself with a bunch of people who have impeccable character and fantastic skills. I network with Mentors, Preachers, Administrators, Accountants, Programmers, Lawyers, Financial Wizards, Multi-millionaires, Media Experts, Businessmen, Architects, Engineers, etc…

And everyday, I constantly expand my team.

Key #5:
Create An Autopilot System

Every time I enter into a project, I always do it with a team around me. Never alone. And I choose my team well.

I have a very simple criteria: I choose men and women who are humble (teamplayers) and who are experts in their field. In other words, I search for impeccable character and fantastic skills.

And together, we create a system for the project that’s replicable and duplicable.

In other words, it’s got to run on autopilot without my direct supervision.

Here’s my ideal leader: If I appoint someone to be project head (or organization director or business manager), and after six months, I don’t want him to bother me anymore except for major directional issues. If he still bothers me for tiny matters, I’ve chosen the wrong leader—or I trained him wrongly.

If You Love, The Universe Opens Up To You

Here’s what I’ve learned: Love is limitless! It has no boundaries.

I do what I do because I want to love people.

Each morning, I wake up and ask myself, “How can I bless people today?”

And so I stretch. I go just a teensy bit beyond what I think is my limit—and my capacities expand—because I want to bless the world.]]> Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:20:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/357097 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/355081
My friend asked me this once and I was stumped. I will be graduating soon and when you feel like you’re running out of time, you suddenly discover the many things that you should be thankful for. As a young student, I complained more about everything rather than appreciate and look for the positive things in them. Our school didn’t have enough facilities, our professors expected too much from us, blah blah blah. It wasn’t until the end of the semester when I finally appreciated all the hardships that the university has put me through.

I have become tougher, stronger, a fighter. I have become a better leader and a better person. I will be entering the “real” world in a few months and I have realized that my school has properly equipped me with the values and morals that I need in order to survive, and ultimately succeed.

I have indeed become a better person. But what about the university? What will I leave behind? As a student leader, what legacy will I leave?
These questions got me thinking. There are a lot of things that I wish I had learned at an earlier age and as a start, I began sharing these with the young people in my organization. They received my “words of wisdom” with open arms. They thanked me for my advice on handling student life.

“Always do your best.”
“Don’t be a mediocre student.”
“Never doubt your capacity to accomplish difficult tasks.”

I figured that they were very useful but I felt like I should do more. Suddenly, an opportunity presented itself. Another colleague offered to facilitate a fund raising seminar for the young members of our organization and asked if I wanted to join her. I was once head of the finance committee and after my successful term, I realized that I haven’t really tried to pass on the things I have learned to the younger members. This was the opportune time to do something about it.

Only a small fraction of the organization attended. We discussed several marketing strategies and fund raising tips which were easy to remember. We also shared our previous experiences and problems that we encountered in handling events. The young people were very interested. I realized that in our organization, we don’t talk much about the problems of our events and how to improve them. We most of the time delve on how successful it was, how glorious our organization will yet be again. So what we shared that day opened their eyes and hopefully, since they will be the future leaders of the organization, they will start a new culture that will work towards the improvement of the organization. More importantly, mistakes from the past will also be avoided.

I really didn’t prepare much for this event. I just spent a few hours organizing my thoughts. Most of what I shared in the seminar came from my memory and my heart. I guess this is a testament to how small things for you may become big things for others.

Someone once said that knowledge is the only thing you can share whose value does not diminish. I encourage everyone to be true to their commitment to sharing their knowledge with others. You may not know it yet, but that simple act may have been the start of something incredible.]]> Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:25:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/355081 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/355063
One day, a chapter in the book I was reading gave me a 360 turn on my understanding of the phrase. The author said that most of us have the tendency to plan, and plan, and plan... and do absolutely nothing else. Most of us use this formula: "Ready, Aim, Fire" but in reality, all we do is "Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim...". Up until everything just dies down.

This really struck me. I have been committing to doing many things in the past but over-planning always got the better of me. I would always stop to think of the advantages and disadvantages until I end up creating a list of disadvantages long enough that thinking about them just wears me out.

Colin Powell advised that if you're sure that what you're about to do has a 40-60% chance of succeeding, DO IT!

That's how it all started. I committed to having a bias for action. Whenever I would think of something, I would do it immediately. I was able to apply this in one of my classes.

My favorite subject of all time is my leadership 101 class. It's being taught by the president of an international corporation here in the Philippines. The university doesn't pay him to teach. He's just volunteering.

One day, the class administrator announced that the last day of class was approaching and if we wanted to give our teacher some sort of tribute or thanksgiving to show him how much we appreciate his spending his valuable time to teach us, we should do so at our last meeting.

I really appreciated everything that this teacher taught me. When he taught us leadership, he did not give us specific instructions on how to conquer office politics or get ahead with the rest of the crew. He focused on building our integrity and our principles. He stressed the importance of being moral and doing what is right no matter what the price. He doesn't do this in a preacher-type of way. He gives us concrete examples from his personal experiences.

He once mentioned that whenever he gives a lecture, he worries whether what he says will inspire us because he believes that he has this huge message to impart. So, I had this idea. As a sign of gratitude, everyone in our class should write a letter which contains an account of how he was able to touch our lives, or change us for the better. I believe that knowing that you made a difference in your students is one of the reasons why teaching is such a fulfilling job and i think that's the least we can do to thank him.

With "Bias for action" still fresh in my head, I sent an email to the class yahoo group with my suggestion. A few people responded (by a few, i mean three) and encouraged me that it was a good idea. Some people also discouraged me and told me that others might think that I'm trying to suck up to our teacher by assuming the leadership role.

I didn't let anyone stop me. I was so passionate about this project that I went through extraordinary lengths to accomplish it. I would approach my classmates when I bumped into them in the building (even if they didn't know me), I sent more emails, I sent them text messages, I devised ways to make it easy for them to submit their letters. I even spent my own money to buy scrapbook materials. (The letters would be compiled in a scrapbook).

At that time, I was also trying to work on my thesis manuscript and studying for an exam. I wasn't getting enough sleep for many days already and every time I would close my eyes to rest, thoughts of accomplishing the scrapbook project would run through my head and I would get excited and not be tired anymore. On those moments, I realized that being tired is just a state of mind, and I learned to stretch my limits and become a more productive person.

To cut the long story short, the project was a success. Towards the last day of our class, everyone was finally able to submit a letter. A few classmates also helped out and we were able to order food and drinks for the whole class. My reward was that I was able to personally present the scrapbook to our teacher and I got to see the look of gratitude on his face. He told me that I did a good job in our class. That was priceless. =)

What if I didn't have a bias for action? What if I gave up when only three of my classmates responded? What if I convinced myself that all the effort to make one person happy wouldn't be worth much anyway?

That class would have probably ended like any other class. Our teacher would probably say, "Well I hope you guys learned something." And that would be it. As for me? I would forever be wondering what would have happened if I did something about it.]]> Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:48:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/355063 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/340403
I never really wanted to become an engineer. Although I enjoyed it at times, I just wasnt was passionate about it as I was with other things. When I was in a building, I would admire its beauty, but not in a civil engineer's perspective. I feel as if there is something wrong, something lacking.

This semester, I attended a lot of seminars and a leadership class so I would be equipped to enter the "REAL WORLD." I have been having this strange feeling that the world I would be entering would be something empty and lonely. I have recently embarked on a journey to self discovery. A speaker once told us that if we should strive to answer two questions:
1. What is your core gift?
2. What is your passion?

If you find the answers to these two, then you will know what you're made for. He said that doing what God designed you to do will make you happy. You dont have to work a dayin your life, you would just be playing.

At that point, it struck me. I know what I want to be: I want to teach. I was soo full of my realization that tears started flowing from my eyes. I didnt know what came over me. It was a mixture of joy, of amazement, of satisfaction. After all this time, I finally knew what I was made for.

I told my friends about it. They were happy for me. I said that it was in line with my vision to change my country. That I would influence as many young people as I can so they can be better people and eventually better leaders. I was fired up. I even talked to my thesis adviser and she was very happy for me.

Then, I told my family. My brother promised me his support but my mom and sisters gave me weird looks. My mother said that I would be a waste of my U.P. education. I shouldnt have taken engineering. I should have taken education. She wants me to become the daughter she would love to brag about. She wants to tell her friends that her daughter, who graduated from UP, is working in some bigshot company and earning a huge paycheck.

This disheartens me. The people here think I'm being too idealistic. My sister chides me for wanting to be a "hero". They keep on talking about how I'll eventually come to my senses. They do not want me to meddle with the world's problems. They want me to take the road always taken which is, for me, the road to misery.

I never realized how weak I was. I wanted to please them badly. I wanted everyone to agree with my plans.

"You can do anything you want but dont expect me to like it", says mom.

Okay, maybe its about time I made my own decisions. We all have to make sacrifices at one point. I know what's best for me. I know teaching will make me happy. I know that I can do something to make this world a better place. Most of all, someday, I know they will understand.]]> Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:32:00 EST http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/340403 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/332909
This was one of the first things Jim Lafferty, the General Manager of Procter and Gamble Philippines told the dean of our college. Jim's the type of guy who will tell you the brutal truth upfront and you can just imagine the shock on our dean's face when she heard this!

And that's where it all started. Jim extended an offer to teach leadership to the university and our dean took him up on the offer. Our class is composed of a little over 70 students, a mixture of those who needed to fulfill an academic requirement, those who wanted to become better leaders, and those who wanted to know if they could become leaders.

The first time Jim spoke in class, he asked:
"Does anybody here know anything about me? Or my background?"

I initially found him arrogant. I thought he was trying to be self- important.

Then, he said: "When I first got into PG, I was a fitness trainer."

Jim talked to us in length about his personal background, how he lost his parents at a young age, and how he struggled to make it on his own until he finally rose through the ranks. HE ended it with:
"If I did it. So can you."

He has been giving us lectures on his leadership principles and the biggest lesson I have learned so far is "Great leaders always do the right thing." Jim told us that one day, we will all be faced with the temptation to cheat on our work or to cheat on our spouses and if we do not have a principle of morality or a sense of doing the right thing, we will surely succumb to this temptation.

"A principle isn't a principle unless it costs you something."

We can all talk and write about the things that we stand for in life but until we get to practice and fight for them, they remain a bunch of words. We should all try to reflect on who we want to be and become that.

"You should always practice it in your mind so when the time comes, you'll know what to do."

He emphasized that most of us have a tendency to justify the wrong things that we do. We are so good at coming up with reasons to make a bad thing seem "reasonable".

" I stole from my company because I wasnt getting my just compensation."
"I'm not really cheating on my wife, Im doing this to strengthen our relationship."

We can "sugarcoat" all we want but at the end of the day it always boils down to this: Is it the right thing?

It's pretty easy once you think about it. What's hard is dealing with the consequences of our actions and taking responsibility for them. We are not perfect people. We make mistakes even at our best times. Failures do not make us lesser people if we learn from them and adapt the necessary measures to correct our mistakes.

Im sure I have much more to learn as far as leadership is concerned. Jim ceratinly does not have the answers to everything. I just feel so blessed to have met someone who decided to share what he knew, despite his busy schedule.=)]]> Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:58:00 EST http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/332909 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/322349
This is the major premise of the bestselling book, "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. According to it, we attract everything that happens to us through our thoughts so in order for us to live the lives that we want, we just have to generate positive thoughts and the universe will find a way for it to happen!

I never realized how negative I've been my entire life. No wonder I was always in a state of worry or despair over little things. Now that I have adapted positivity, things have taken a 180 degree turn for me. I now see and feel only the positive attributes of a person or an event and really, I am happier!

It seems as if there's this "magic" that's following me around. I feel free and yes, happy. Very happy. I talk to my mother everyday and we always exchange stories about how the secret has worked for us during the day.

I want to share this with everyone and I hope that we will all try to become positive in everything that we do. We are indeed defined by the quality of our thoughts. As Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or you cannot, you're right."

Visit www.thesecret.tv to download some of the videos for free. =)]]> Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:52:00 EST http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/322349 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/280191
Yes.

I am allergic to chicken.

It might not be a big deal to you, but to me it is. Since I can remember, I have always loved chicken. It has always been chicken over pork, over beef, over spaghetti. A party isn’t a party without it. When I got operated on a few years back, I looked forward to going home and eating a whole piece of chicken (that incident led to the end of my “slim” days, hehe).

So you could just imagine my dismay when, after a series of skin-reddening incidents, I found out that I was allergic to chicken (actually, it’s not only chicken. I’m also allergic to fish, peanuts, cheese, extremely hot and cold temperatures, foods with preservatives, and many more). When you really really really love something, it’s difficult to get it out of your system.

So here I am now, trying to play it safe everyday. Pork nalang ng pork. I do eat chicken occasionally, when my blotches are at no risk of public exposure, or when chicken presents itself to me in a very irresistible manner. =) According to my friend Kathleen, eating allergen-containing foods from time to time gets your body used to it again. I am sooo counting on that.

Meanwhile, as I continue living my sinusoidally exciting life, I will stop worrying about my countless allergies, my mind- boggling exams, the numerous people hiding behind their beautiful masks, my fluctuating weight, my stress- induced pimples, and even Teri Hatcher’s mockery of the Philippine Medical profession. Instead, I will take life’s blows as they come.

One chicken at a time.]]> Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:45:00 EST http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/280191 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/241007
"Thinking positive" can be, and often is, the most negative thing in the world. What we lack today is not more things to dwell on to be happy about. What we lack today is more rejection of things we shouldn't be.

I'm all for hope. But not the kind of hope that comes from burying our heads in the sand in the belief that what we don't see can't hurt us. Or in the belief that if we pat ourselves in the back and think long and hard that things will get better, things will somehow be better. I believe in the hope that comes from realizing that however dark the world has become, the power to bring light to it lies in our hands. If we only have the wits to see it, if only we have the will to do it, if only we retain enough conscience, or sense of right and wrong, left to want to do it.”

Most of us have this “happy-go-lucky” attitude on things. We think that things are bound to get better, because they have become worse far too long. We expect other people to save us, as if it’s a part of one great plan, that’s why we just stop and watch things happen.

In this world full of injustices, how can one just close his/her eyes and not do anything about it?

Some people tell me I’m too critical.

Sure they would. It will always be easier to “go with the flow” and not just say anything even when you know something’s wrong. It’s always better to have everyone approve of you. No conflicts, no hassles.

Come to think of it, it’s the other way around. Being critical (reasonably, of course) should be considered positive, because it is geared towards annihilating what is incorrect and unjust.
]]> Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:01:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/241007 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/234977
About what, you say?

Well, everything! Life, school, my family, friends, my future. Just about anything. I try to weigh things out and that's where I formulate my many "realizations". Come to think of it, most of the essays I make contain the words "I realized".

But it frustrates me that while I am someone capable of producing good insights on life, I still cant seem to keep things right. I still mess up, commit the same mistakes, fall into the same traps. Grr.

Of course I have realized (see what I mean????) that Im all realizations and no application so I decided to change a few things in my routine and expand my horizons.

This semester, I am proud to say that:
1. I am trying to learn how to play tennis
2. I finally joined a university- wide organization (a very good one, i must add)
3. I finally pursued my promise to do something good for the environment (via our thesis, and many thanks to Char)
4. I am finally fighting my consistency problems (still struggling, syempre)
5. I joined a photography contest!

During the UProject orientation, the speaker Ana Teresa Licaros the Miss Universe contestant told us that most of the problems of UP students is that they want to become a lot of things. Thats really true for me. I want to become an engineer, a lawyer, an environmentalist, a peace corps volunteer, an advertising executive, a stockbroker, a social entrepreneur, and a teacher! Whew, that's a lot.

But Im still young, and I prefer to take things slowly and listen to my innermost desires before I jump into another responsibility. I want to be able to
determine what it is I want before I flow with the tides. I want to run at my own pace. Who would have known that I would graduate with a CE degree?

Dean Guevarra (the College of Engg Dean) faced a similar problem. She wanted to become an engineer but her heart also had passion for music. Now, she found a university which catered to both of her interests. She was able to do a thesis on music and electronics. Who would have known?

I personally have no idea what my future would really be. I guess for now, the best thing I can do is to try out a few different stuff, finish all my "things to do before i graduate" list, and to listen, listen really hard to my heart. (Naks!)

=)
]]> Sat, 21 Jul 2007 08:13:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/234977 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/218809
I thought that she was going to show me a photo of her latest adventure or maybe her new boyfriend, but I was so shocked to see pictures of a baby.

She's already a mom!

I found a hard time getting over the news. I havent even graduated yet, much less had a boyfriend (I'm one of those people who are in search of the "right one") and most of my classmates are already having kids.

I am now 21and it really frustrates me how at this age, my purpose in this world is still unclear to me. I know I want to help others and to make change, but as to how I am going to actually implement the changes I want to see, I am still clueless and currently on the process of trying out new things. I want to plan my life carefully because I dont want to end up in a profession where I am not going to be happy. I want to be driven by passion, and not by marital or financial obligations.

I am not condemning my friend for having a child at a young age. I guess I am just saddened by the fact that most young mothers' dreams are hindered by their new-found responsibilities.]]> Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:01:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/218809 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/218275
After four years of dorm life, I will officially be a full-time member of the commuting public and with this, I know that the possibility of riding with a “scumbag” is extremely high.

Paranoia sets in.

A friend once told me, “doubt everything except the process of doubting”. Heck, I think I will.

CASE IN POINT:

Sunday (Fairview jeep from Cherry’s place)…

Upon boarding the jeep, I immediately checked the passengers:

Two lovebirds at the front, SAFE.

Old lady with a bayong, SAFE.

Teenage guy with very tired eyes, SAFE.

What a relief. I have this “thing” about looking outside while riding a jeep. Come on, why would I want the city’s pollutants to enter my facial pores? So I sat straight, made mental notes to myself regarding my unfinished tasks, and made a heavy sigh.

“Haaay, finals week na naman”. (*sigh*, It's finals week again.)

Suddenly, the jeepney stopped. Three drunken men boarded.

At the instant smell of cheap liquor, I became worried. The filthiest guy was laughing so hard. The other two were just quiet. Okay, I know I’ll get pimples if I gear my head towards the highway but I obviously had no choice.

“Try to look as if you’re not scared”.

“Look busy”.

“Don’t look at them. Okay, look at them. But just take short glances”.

“Don’t do anything to attract their attention”.

I was occasionally glancing at them from the corner of my eye when suddenly, one of the silent guys let out this long “itak” (a sharp knife-like tool) and started to stab the seat cushions.

I became hysterical. Internally, of course.

“I did NOT see that”.

“Do not react, he might talk to you”.

“Be cool. You might hyperventilate.”.

"There are only a few people here, how can I lie about not having a cellphone?"

“Gosh, my cellphone has a lot of important contacts”.

“What if they also takes my Chowking meal?” (Chowking is a fastfood chain here in the Philippines)

"Can I hit his crotch hard enough to disable him?

"Oh yeah, there's 3 of them. Fat guy might grab you by the hair and strangle you with it"

“He can’t stab me with that rusty old thing, I’ll die of shame!”

“Lord, why me? WHYYY?”

Silent guy hid the “itak”. Then, he took off his shirt, and wore it again. Now that was freaky. They were speaking in a dialect which I couldn’t make out, until I heard three very familiar letters, “NPA”.

“Oh my gosh, they’re fugitives!”

“What if they kidnap us and bring us to a deserted forest?”

“Man, I can’t take a bath there...”

“Dugyot!”

"Then again, I could write a book if i survive. I'll be famous!"

"What am I saying???"

I got home safely that night. Turns out, those guys were too wasted to successfully stage a hold-up. Then it occurred to me, from my various conversations with “experienced’ people, hold uppers don’t look like the ones you usually doubt. Just like the time that I didn’t notice or suspect:

-the guy who slashed my bag

- the guy who slashed my other bag

-the guy who used his elbow to “feel” my pocket and used his large fat frame to keep me from moving inside the jeep

-the guy who attempted to snatch my bracelet

and

-the guy who kept on shoving me along a passenger line until I caught his hand inside my bag.

Do you know what they look like? Simple. They look like me and you. In this time and age where money can drive people to do crazy things, it’s hard to trust anybody. This may sound silly, but looking at the potential everyday dangers that I face on my 45- minute trip home, I think I have more than enough reason to “doubt everything”.

(This article was from my other blog, written before i joined TIG)]]> Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:09:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/218275 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/197831
As I was telling this to my sister and justifying my actions, she told me, "Sandy, be the better person". It doesnt matter what that person has done. Someday, he will learn his lesson.

I realize now that revenge, no matter how sweet it may be, will also leave you damaged. You may feel better about teaching someone a lesson but at the end of the day, you also feel bad about doing exactly the thing that he did to you. You have suddenly done something that you've despised. And for that, you're just as awful as he is.

In life, we always have choices. Let's not blame things on our parents, the environment, or even the government. We still decide what's best. We are the drivers of our own destiny.

I hope we will never forget that.]]> Sat, 05 May 2007 10:40:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/197831 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/183541
***********
Speed
********
Whoosh!

I sailed by person after person on the track.

Whoosh - Whoosh - Whoosh!

I am a runner. Well, technically a jogger. I often run at the
track near my home. Most on the track walk, therefore my speed,
however meager in running terms, is far faster than walking.

So it's whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, as I pass the walkers over and
over around the track.

My speed and endurance seem amazing to the walkers. Some will
come and walk for an hour. I am running when they come and
still running when they leave. I have whooshed by them twenty
or more times.

I got several lessons in life today on the track.

As I circled the track with my long steady strides passing the
walkers like lamp poles, I got to feeling superior. I know you
shouldn't, you don't have to tell me, but after the constant
whooshing past far younger people, it goes to your head.

Then he came.

He was short, perhaps five feet three. He didn't look like much
of a runner. I saw him get out of the car and stretch as I
whooshed by a couple holding hands.

He started running a few feet ahead of me.

He was fast. I sped up to keep up. At last, I had someone to
pace myself against. After half a lap I was on his heels but
my breath was coming harder and heavier. After the first lap I
was gasping but still on his heels. After a lap and a half my
foot started hurting.

I was hurting; I was gasping for breath.
I had a MountainWings Moment.

I slowed up and got back to my pace. The pain in my foot went
away. I could breathe again without sounding like I had a lung
disease. He sped away.

In a fairly short time, Whoosh! He went past me.
Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh!

In life, there will always be those slower and faster.
Some have natural ability; some have trained harder. For some,
speed is simply their destiny.

The point is, we each have our own speed, and we often end up
hurting ourselves and pushing ourselves to the point where the
breath is knocked out of us...

because we are trying to keep up.

I learned several lessons that day.

Don't get puffed up because you are faster than some.
Don't feel inferior because some are faster than you.
Don't judge the capabilities of others by how they look.

How much of your breath (spirit) is knocked out because you are
running someone else's race?

Are you trying to outrun someone's car, house, clothes, looks,
job title, etc.?

How much pain are you in trying to keep up with someone who may
be running for an entirely different reason, heading to an
entirely different place, with entirely different muscles?

Slow down or maybe speed up,
but run your race to the best of your ability.

Whether you realize it or not, you are the real pace setter.

Don't run fast when you should be running slowly.
Don't run at all when you should be walking,
and don't walk when you should be running. ]]> Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:40:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/183541 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/181869
I was very disappointed with what I saw. Teenagers dancing wildly, smoking and drinking. I was staring at them and thinking if those handsome guys and sexy girls knew anything about the millenium development goals or if they have actually given serious thought to what a lifestyle of continued partying and booze would amount to in a few years. I suddenly remembered Britney Spears and what a waste of talent she has become.

I have countless dreams not only for myself but also for the world. The thing that's bothering me is most of the young people are getting the wrong impression of what "cool" should be and have their priorities jumbled up into a mess.

I have noticed that a little attention has been given to this problem. Thus, I am planning to make it my mission to influence as many young people as I can to become more involved in the world's problems and to set meaningful goals which I know will lead to a better, more progressive world.]]> Sat, 14 Apr 2007 10:11:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/181869 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/181867 When we graduate, most of us will be working in posh buildings with carpeted floors and state-of-the-art equipment. Some may even be dreaming of having their own buildings with their company names displayed in big bold letters at the front. Whatever the case may be, buildings are here to stay. In fact, they are rapidly growing in numbers, each building rising higher than the last one.
But these buildings come at a cost to us. The growth of the construction industry not only entails the depletion of our resources but new studies have identified several harmful effects of buildings on human health.
Just how big is a building?
Did you know that in the United States alone, buildings are responsible for:
36% of total energy use and 65% of electricity consumption
30% of greenhouse gas emissions
30% of raw materials use
30% of waste output (136 million tons annually)
12% of potable water consumption
I can just imagine these figures increasing with time. With the rising population and the higher demand for offices and residential structures, buildings are indeed larger than we think. Now, it is difficult to believe that the structures that we built to protect us are now causing us harm.
:: A NEW SOLUTION
The growing concern over the tremendous energy consumption of buildings gave way to the conception of a new solution called “Green Building”. Also known as sustainable building, this solution plans to mitigate the harmful effects of construction through the use of energy- saving, renewable, and easily maintainable materials. This has been a growing trend in many countries abroad and has been recently introduced to our country through the Philippine Green Building Council (PGBC). The PGBC formally defines a green building as a structure that is designed, built, renovated, operated, or reused in an ecological and resource-efficient manner.
In ordinary building design, only its environmental impact during its construction and demolition phase is considered. On the other hand, green buildings are designed to minimize the consumption of energy and resources in its operational phase. These conservation methods go hand in hand with the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, the improvement of air quality, and the reduction of solid waste.
:: WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TYPICAL GREEN BUILDING?

There are no “templates” when it comes to designing green buildings. Each design is unique and created with the goal of preserving and restoring the natural state of the building’s surrounding ecosystem. At most times, they are even integrated into the building’s design to give it a more “natural” look. Locally available planting materials which require minimal amounts of water and pesticide are used for decoration.

A preferable location for a green building is in a site which is accessible to mass transportation. Transportation to offices located in relatively inaccessible areas consumes more energy. In turn, the vehicles used by the building’s users contribute to carbon and nitrogen emissions, among others.

Construction materials
The use of steel and concrete are not environment- friendly because they carry a lot of embodied energy. This means that the preliminary processes which were undertaken in order to manufacture these materials summed up to a large environmental impact. At present, no alternatives have been developed which parallel the high performance of these two materials but the use of recycled construction debris as fillers and base materials can help reduce the environmental impact of construction works. For the building’s interior, paints with low- VOCs (Volatile organic compounds) are preferred because they are usually odor-free.

Water efficiency
Recycling of water is a major feature of green buildings. An example is the use of “dual plumbing” which uses recycled water for flushes in toilets. Rainwater recovery systems are also implemented for cleaning and irrigation purposes.

Lighting
The major lighting mechanism in green buildings is sunlight. The structure is designed in a way such that the entry of sunlight is maximized. For other parts of the building, systems that control the intensity of light are also used.

Cooling system
Extremely high and low temperatures have been proven undesirable when it comes to worker productivity. Most buildings in the Philippines make use of high- energy air conditioners to combat heat. For green buildings, the use of more energy- efficient systems are deemed favorable. Examples are the orientation of windows to maximize natural ventilation and the use of light colors to reflect solar radiation.

Electricity
The use of renewable energy sources like solar panels has been a growing trend in green buildings. These provide an alternative energy source and can even serve as a safety measure in case of power shortages.

:: BETTER BUILDINGS = BETTER HEALTH

A number of studies have shown that there is a significant relationship between the design attributes of a building (e.g., lighting, ventilation, humidity and temperature) and the productivity of its inhabitants. In separate studies made in over 107 European buildings with around 11,000 workers, it was found that a decrease in illness symptoms, reduced absenteeism, and an increase in productivity were observed in buildings where temperature and ventilation could be controlled. Likewise, different studies also found an average of 41% improvement in the prevalence of illness symptoms.

:: HOW MUCH DOES A GREEN BUILDING COST?

One of the roadblocks to the proliferation of green buildings is its high production cost compared to conventional buildings. A report made by California’s Sustainable Building Task Force found that on the average green buildings cost around 2% more than conventional ones.
Another study which compared the costs between green and conventional schools in the US found a 70- dollar saving per square foot for usual schools, making green schools 20 times more costly. The extra cost can be attributed to the procurement of expensive sustainable materials, the installation of renewable energy sources, and other features. Another factor is the cost of its design which requires a substantial amount of analysis for greater efficiency and environment integration.

:: IS IT OKAY TO INVEST ON GREEN BUILDINGS?

Of course. Green buildings may be expensive at the beginning, but it will save you a lot in the long run. Because recycled materials are used in constructing, the owner can save tons of money in soil and cement. This also entails a reduction in construction waste which in turn reduces the sanitary expenses of the project.

Most green buildings are said to have a 40% return of investment coming from the reduction in operating costs. How does this happen? The installation of energy saving mechanisms helps lessen a building’s electricity and water bill. For example, the users don’t have to switch on the lights during daytime or their air-conditioners wont be used 24/7 when there’s fresh air circulating in the building. Moreover, the owners can also save in maintenance costs over time with the utilization of durable, flexible and low- maintenance materials as well as a reduction in costs due to waste management and sanitation. They can even use their “greenness” as a marketing strategy to attract tenants and clients (e.g. residential buildings) or even turn it into a tourist landmark where visitors can enter for a fee.

:: HOW DO YOU SPOT A GREEN BUILDING?
Definitely not by its color. A building can be classified as “green” once it has been certified by an authorized organization. These organizations provide the standards which classify whether a building is green or not. In the US, the LEED (Leadership in Energy Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is used. Developed by the US Green Building Council, this comes in the form of a checklist made in accordance with five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Points correspond to every item on the checklist and the total score of a building will determine its green status. The highest rating for LEED is Platinum followed by GOLD, SILVER, and BRONZE.
The concept of green buildings can be likened to the use of flash drives. Although they are much more expensive than diskettes and cd’s, they have better features, higher durability, and they even last longer. Furthermore, disks are non- biodegradable materials and their short life- cycles contribute to the growing amount of solid waste which takes many years to decompose. As future engineers, we have the knowledge and means to utilize the world’s resources to create products that will improve the lives of many. I hope that we will not forget our responsibility to preserve, maintain, and improve the existing environmental conditions for future generations. We don’t have to wait ‘til graduation to start taking care of our environment. Simple day to day decisions like keeping your bubblegum wrapper in your pocket when there’s no trash can in sight or not smoking can go a long way . Mother Nature is faithfully doing her part of the bargain, shouldn’t we be doing ours?

Sources:
http://www.usgbc.org
http://greenbuilding-philippines.blogspot.com
http://www.buildings.com/Articles/detailBuildings.asp?ArticleID=3029
http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/enviro-issues.htm
http://www.cap-e.com
Kats, Gregory “Greening America’s Schools, Costs and Benefits”
]]> Sat, 14 Apr 2007 10:07:00 EDT http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/181867 http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/165411
I am a very active member of my college organization. In fact, I became its executive treasurer and marketing officer. My job was mainly to raise funds for its activities usually by asking for sponsorships from several companies. As the treasurer, i was also directly involved in almost all major decision-making activities since almost every event entailed the use of money. Since we really did not have much to start with, my knowledge on the organization's finances always played a key role.

As civil engineering students, most of my colleagues have difficulties when it comes to communication. I also did, but I managed to overcome my weaknesses and encourage myself as well as my committee members to overcome our fears of communicating with company officers, managers, and the like.

To cut the long story short, my term was a success. We were able to get a considerable number of sponsors and sufficient funds were left for the next term. I was of course filled with an intense desire to serve my organization more and so I decided to run for a higher position. I believed that my achievements and service track record would have been an advantage.

But I lost.

I could not believe that I wasnt the better choice. After the election results got out, I found out that somebody had been campaigning against me. That somebody spread false rumors denoting that I really wasnt doing my job(which really hurt the most) but merely passing them on to others and claiming the credit for myself. I also found out that a group of people have been telling others that "Credentials do not matter" and that chances should be given to others. I was even informed by an orgmate that I shouldnt have posted all my achievements because it gave the impression that I was being too proud of myself. The worst part is some people voted for a certain candidate because they were promised prestigious positions in our organization.

In the national elections, this happens. People vote for the highest bidder. People disregard your credentials. People do not stop to think about the consequences.

People do not vote based on merits.

At the University of the Philippines, we have always been taught to "make a difference". We are put to school by taxpayers' money and so we should repay them by influencing other people in order to build a stronger, more dignified nation.

Im just sad that reality got to my orgmates first. Part of the reason why I loved my organization was because you were voted according to your potentials. There were no smear campaigns. Everything was done in an honest and orderly fashion. Now, these people have started a culture of ignoring the means just to get the desired end.

Overnight, the organization that I have worked hard for became a microcosm of the Philippine government. People became power hungry. People became blind. And i am stuck in the middle of it all, wondering if I am on the right side or if there is no right side.

Some people tell me, "That's life".
"Move on."
"That's water under the bridge now."

Easy for them to say.

I do not mind losing battles, if i lost in the just way.

I have no intentions of letting the status quo prevail. I will not become a blind voter. I will not sit and wait until another clown sits in public office. I will equip myself with knowledge and I will influence others to do the same.

I suggest you do the same thing.]]> Wed, 07 Mar 2007 02:25:00 EST http://sandygaspay.tigblog.org/post/165411