This is not my “expertise”, but why did they hire me?

After seven months working as communications officer of De La Salle Philippines, I moved out to a Filipino company in Makati.

The day when I resigned from my work last May 14, I tried my luck in Eon Stakeholders Relations Firm. Mau, the company’s employee engagement officer, asked me if I know something about blogging. That same week, we were scheduled to give a talk on the relevance of blogging in education. I told Mau about our Baguio talk.

With bulging eyes, Mau was curious to know about the content of my talk. He told me to return next week for an interview with Eon employees.

This is not my expertise

When I presented my case to Junie del Mundo, the general director of Eon (I don’t know why he isn’t called a CEO), and to other Eon employees, I discussed the relevance of corporate blogging and internet marketing.

Connect the dots. Last February 2007, I was invited by Eon to participate in a focused group discussion on social media, which involves blogging and internet marketing. Now, I returned to the company to present an idea I learned from them – with a more knowledgeable background I guess.

That day, I was immediately hired. God truly works in mysterious ways. Buti nalang hindi nakita ang Transcript of Record ko. Kung makilatis man nila, may relasyon ba ang mga engineering at mathematics subject ko sa gagawin ko?

I am not an “expert” on corporate blogging or digital marketing. If I am an expert, that’s just a “level 1″ rating.

My understanding of the field only deepened when I incorporated it in our journalism talks. I only know the theoretical side. During the interview, I exemplified to them that I am passionate and willing to learn this field. Basically, I was assigned to develop a product for online conversation audit or – in other words – implement activities that will make brands popular in the online community. Call it “word-of-mouth” marketing. Sounds challenging?

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand this online marketing. (More details about my job in my future blogs).

This blog thread may be taken against me. Hehe.

Here’s a tip: For those who are looking for a job, make sure that you do not just express yourself. Be passionate about the job description. Make them feel that you are fit for the position. Make them realize that you are an expert.

Of coarse, you have to ensure that you can deliver tasks that you are asked to deliver.

What about the engineering degree?

Though I told Jay of DLSP that I am already venturing into an engineering firm, I sensed that God is still leading me to a different career track and I believe this is much interesting than the hard core engineering.

Although I agree that the only engineering part that I do is the discipline of research and, perhaps, the review on alternative energy, what is more important is that I am learning skills in marketing, public relations, basic project management, and online communications in one good position. I hope they will give me environmental related issues.

Take the case of Dr. Manuel Belino, the present dean of MIT Mechanical Engineering (MEE) and former chair of DLSU MEE. Though he is an engineer by profession, Dr. Belino has a heart for theology. That’s why he finished his doctorate degree in religious studies in Harvard University. He always encourages me to engage in research and communications – something that will beef up my engineering profession (Want to hear more justifications, refer to this blog).

Baptism of fire

My first week immediately immersed me to the pressures and rigors of corporate life, marketplace, workforce industry – whatever you want to call it. The Friday last week was a D-Day. I have to finish two reports and a research work, a draft of work plan, and answer dozens of email transactions.

Junie also called me to attend a meeting with a client. When Junie asked me how the client can become a buzzword in the online community, I shared we have to open Youtube account for videos, upload photos showing their rehearsals, and blog more about their services…I hope that will be substantial.

On a Saturday, I had to render an overtime to perform a simple research for a special project. I was late for two hours because I have to report by 11am. Hope first impression doesn’t last.

As of the moment, I will read books on marketing, PR, and communications. Of course, I have to learn from the real “experts” too.

But I love to face pressures, solve problems, and calculate risks. Time to embrace the corporate world.

Ateneo-DLSU rivalry generates thousands, even million pesos (From Game flow to cash flow)

Lasallians around the world stop together at this very moment to witness the clash of the blood rivals. Students, together with their professors are bracing for war. The alumni are stealing time from work. Because it is the climax of the Archer- Eagle season 70 chapter. With the Archers having the most favorable twice-to-beat advantage in this series, they know that they simply cannot let this go to waste. I have never seen them train so well the past few practices. Their sweats, perseverance and the Lasallian community’s togetherness exude one thing: That in this fateful day, it’s time to finish business right away. UAAP Courtside reporter Sharon Yu observed the intensity of the Ateneo-DLSU rivalry. Whenever the Green Archers and Blue Eagles clash in Araneta Coliseum, the whole world stops to watch the sought-after rivalry in Philippine sports.  We witnessed how each school exchange cheers and jeers. We saw how some alumni react impulsively inside the court. But more than watching the game and observing the attitude of UAAP fans, there are parties who benefit a lot from the “rivalry”.  Let’s set aside the ballgame analysis and discuss the social dimension of Ateneo-DLSU rivalry. Here are six main groups who turn the game flow into cash flows:   

1.                  The Scalpers 

Around 50 to 60 scalpers are roaming around Taft, Katipunan, and Cubao just to find students and alumni who really love to watch the games live. The joy of the fans is an income for the scalpers.    

In a The LaSallian October 2002 issue, Christopher Chua wrote, “Scalpers exhaust their voices and exert extra effort in order to sell their tickets. Most buyers continuously bargain for a lower price, but in the end the scalpers still dictate the ticket’s price…For scalpers, selling overpriced tickets is their way of living. It has already been, and will still be part of their lives. For them every sale is vital.”

 Meet Kuya “Jimmy”, a scalper for more than eight years. All the way from Cavite, Jimmy travels to DLSU to contact students and professors who have spare tickets. Then, Jimmy sells these tickets during the game. Sometimes, he delivers the tickets to houses of alumni, just like a door-to-door service.  Jimmy gave an estimation of the scalped prices:  

UAAP Ticket	Regular price (UAAP school)	Araneta Coliseum Price	Scalped Price
General Admission	20	25	300 – 400
Upper Box B	50	70	1,200 – 1,500
Upper Box A	100	120	2,000 – 2,500
Lower Box	150	250	3,000 – 4,000
Patron	200	350	5,000 – 10,000

When DLSU and Ateneo met during the 2002 championship, Jimmy profited more than P20,000 just from scalping tickets. Last season, he did not gain much because of Green Archer’s suspension. “Malakas talaga ako kumita kapag game ng Ateneo-La Salle. Bawi na ako,” he said.

DLSU security guards cannot allow the scalpers to stay in front of the South Gate, and so they can only convince students who are passing the McDonalds area. The Safety and Security Office (SSO) cannot bring them to police stations, because this is not part of their duties. All the guards can do is to call the attention of policemen assigned in the area. SSO Director Dionisio Escarez said that they could easily bribe some authorities; so they can wander around and sell scalped tickets again.

Despite the challenges and restrictions they encounter, scalpers strive to live to fight another day. See them in Araneta. 

 2.                  The Media 

Yes, particularly the Studio 23 (one of the stations handled by ABS-CBN). Accenture, Samsung Electronics Philippines Inc., PSBank, and Smart Communications are a few ads aired in Studio 23. Imagine that for every 30 second commercial, the network can earn as high as 200,000. The whole coverage of UAAP Basketball alone can already produce a lot of money for the network.

 According to a reliable source, the audience share of the network increases whenever Ateneo and DLSU are contending. In fact, ABS-CBN also airs the game in ANC Global for alumni who are watching abroad.  Aside from Studio 23, radio and broadsheets are also benefiting from the rivalry. UAAP games – particularly the match of two top universities – are the most read articles in inquirer.net and other online broadsheets. There is one radio program (107.8 FM) that talks about the rivalry. The program partners with a food company. While the company is serving food in the dome, the program tallies the number of students who buy the fries. Ateneo or La Salle? Of course, the program also conducts game analysis.  Some websites like Yehey, Archerpride, Inboundpass, and Pinoyexchange also talk much about the rivalry. This means an increase in their hits.      

3.                  Advertisers

 Whenever you go to games, you will be given cheering paraphernalia courtesy of advertisers – the sponsors who take full advantage of the UAAP season.  In my view, Accenture signed a contract with the prestigious league to attract graduates from UAAP schools. On the other hand, Samsung is a technology-based company that wants to reach the “techie” young people.   DLSU’s suspension last season has prompted advertisers to back-out. It can be recalled that a one-year ban was slapped against DLSU, because the institution admitted that two of its Green Archers are ineligible students.  In an Inquirer article, “According to an official from ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., the television network that doubles as the UAAP’s marketing arm, approximately half of the league’s top advertisers have pulled out this season. The percentage as to how much La Salle’s absence has to do with it is even greater.” Jojo Garcia, ABS-CBN’s customer development head for Sports, admitted: “the game venues for last season – Ninoy Aquino Stadium and Rizal Coliseum – also had a hand in turning away some of the UAAP’s top advertisers.”  Among the missing notable sponsors last Season 69 were Globe Telecom, Nestle Philippines, and Samsung. Other top advertisers like Mentos, Milo, Polo, and Close-up also pulled out their slots.   Although the UAAP board said that their absence was coincidental, this is still a big loss for the league. When DLSU returned this Season, some of these advertisers were back. Is this still coincidental?  4.      Restaurants and recreations

Those who cannot watch the game live in Araneta Coliseum just go to restaurants and other food establishments.

 Alumni from DLSU and Ateneo gather in different restaurants, of course, with big white screens (Makati, Ortigas, Cubao, and Libis).  In National Sports Grill in Makati, the executives and employees stop from their works and watch the game. Even customers of the Oyster Boy in Cubao (a restaurant co-owned by Marvin Agustin) also tuned in to the game. A waiter shared that alumni from Ateneo and DLSU are distinctly separated when they watch the rivalry. Naturally, the number of customers will increase.  The phenomenon reaches as far as Cebu and Davao.     

5.                  The Bookies

 Bookies are the point persons who gamble during basketball games, particularly during the UAAP matches.  My friend “Bart” has been a bookie for many years. He said that he gambles only during Ateneo-La Salle rivalry and championship matches. He can spend around 20,000 to 50,000 and he is lucky to win in most of his bets.  But gambling is prohibited both in school and the society. In 2004, the Discipline Office caught a bookie who is operating inside the campus. Through an email, a student informed the office that a student is a bookie. After confirming the report, an entrapment operation was set up to catch the bookie. He faced a major offense delivered by the Discipline Board.    

 6. UAAP and the Araneta Coliseum  

Administrators from Araneta Coliseum revealed that 16,000 people watched the 4^th Ateneo-DLSU game. With a maximum of 20,000 people, the Coliseum can generate more than million pesos using the standard prices. Both the UAAP and basketball venues share from the tickets they sell during games.  Since DLSU is back this season and it will face Ateneo for the fifth time, UAAP and the rest of benefactors are not only enjoying to watch the game but also increasing their profits.   Sources: 

1. Money photo is a Google image.
2. The LaSallian, October 2002 and August 2004 issues.   
3. July 20,2006 issue of Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Euphemisms for call center

Call centers are continuously proliferating the industries. They are the major members of the so-called BPO or Business Processing Outsourcing. Since our country is now one of Asia’s outsourcing hubs, workers are continuously attracted to apply as agents. In fact, the government has been highlighting that job opportunities in the country are increasing – all because of call centers. Interestingly, call center has many euphemisms – “the substitution of agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend something unpleasant to the listener.” I’ve searched a number of positions that are actually misnomers. The title is interesting to hear, but once you read the job description you can definitely identify that it is a “call center”. Here are some good substitutes for the name “call center”.

 1. Technical /analyst position. The job of a technical analyst is to sell products to customers abroad. Sykes-Emerson, for instance, is selling technical products (e.g. gas analyzers and mechanical instruments). So they need “technical analysts” or agents to explain the specifications of the products.

2. Fraud Inbound Analyst. Sounds interesting. Also a technical agent, the job of fraud inbound analysts is to detect – as the name suggests – fraud issues, particularly involving credit card accounts. But you must be well versed on credit card accounts. JP Morgan Chase (an outsourcing firm in the country) use this term.

3. Technical support representative. You manage calls related to PC and electronic troubleshooting. This is the most common form of agents.

4. Customer service representative. Of course, you are dealing with many customers everyday. You serve them (and love them?)

Now, here are general requirements for call center agents: · Above average English communication skills. In other companies, they use the term “excellent” · Applicants must work on shifting schedules including graveyard.

· Computer literate and proficient in keyboarding.

· Filipino citizens or holder of relevant residence.

There is one confidential article I found being used by a certain company. The article states that BPOs have no longer the luxury to get new graduates from top universities. So they are challenging the tier tertiary levels to upgrade the English and general subjects of schools. In reality, the BPOs have the luxury to get these “Ivy school” graduates.

However, such new workers want jobs that will fit their personality and will accelerate them to their career paths. Since they came from top schools, they believe they will qualify for the best jobs in the workplace. On the other hand, the “campus-based call center is just one of the President’s flagship projects in tertiary education, and said the development of call centers in the country could be an alternative lucrative job that could discourage new graduate from seeking greener pastures abroad.” At least 300 million pesos were allocated for call center buildings. The government, I believe, is really tailor fitting the new graduates to such industries. Why not invest a bigger portion of the fund to innovative ideas? If this will be allocated MORE for innovative projects such as entrepreneurship and agricultural technology, the government will be able to maximize the potential talents of young people. While the risks are greater, the return is worth it.

Add value to you…

As of now, having call centers is an inevitable phenomenon. If you’ll work in a call center, do not be overwhelmed by the highly competitive salary. Be more concerned with your career. Master English. Observe the industries you are serving. I have friends, who worked for call centers first, while their visas are being processed. One church worker wanted to improve his communication skills and confidence, and so he tried the call center. After one year in the industry, he enrolled in DLSU to take up masters in IT. This is under government scholarship. Here’s the catch: Don’t stay here the rest of your life; make sure that you are doing this only to add value to yourself.

A second chance for Green Archers

Just to attend the crucial playoff between DLSU and Ateneo yesterday, I cancelled an interview with the DHL hiring manager, which is scheduled in the afternoon. The other day, I took the exam for management trainee position.

This is not to spur envy to anyone who also wanted the job. One factor I realized is that the company is really far…far away from my hometown in Sampaloc Manila. Imagine, traveling to Alabang everyday takes two and a half hours of ride. Though I passed the written and screening interview, I dropped my application. I would consider other job applications…

Yesterday morning, I decided to call an administrator to purchase a ticket. Tickets for Upper A and Lower box were already sold out; but using my connections inside, I was able to get two tickets for my brother and I. While scalpers and other alumni sell tickets around P700-800, I only bought it for a hundred. Now, I realized the power of acquaintances. 

Before the game, I had the chance to chat with my friends who are both students and alumni. I learned that some alumni either excused or escaped from their work just to watch the crucial game. But some who stormed the gates of Araneta were permitted to leave early, because their senior managers also watched the game. Some students, on the other hand, cut classes. 

***

Though we lost twice against Ateneo, we were able to win the most crucial game of the season. As Tony Atayde described it: “There is a mathematical anomaly where two is better than one.” 

After the NU-ADMU game, Franz read his Daily Bread with the topic on Second Chance. In an interview with inboundpass.com, he said:” I don’t know if this is really destined on our part. But we were given the second chance. The opportunity was open to us so might as well enter and grab it.” Coach Franz furthered that he has coached for 120 games, but this “was the most relaxed experience.” 

 

The game between Ateneo and National University last Saturday was important on the part of Ateneo. If the Katipunan-based squad wins the match, the team will enjoy the twice-to-beat match and they will advance to the second place. So Franz and company maximized the opportunity, which I believe has a Divine blessing.

Green Archers were down by few points in the first half, but the boys of Franz didn’t give up. As Inquirer reported:

Instead of popping out a pass to anyone or stepping back beyond the arc for a bucket that would tie the count, Laterre took — and made — a meaningless teardrop shot that left a tenth of a second on the clock and the Eagles with no chance to get the ball back.
“I was really confident coming into this game,” said La Salle coach Franz Pumaren, surprisingly cool and emotionless despite coming off a thriller of a ballgame. “The manner in which we lost our last two games showed the character of this team.

 

JV Casio is the star player of the game as he scored 21 points (JV happened to be my school mate in San Beda before. When he was still part of San Beda Red Cubs, I used to interview him for our HS publication).

Compared to his performances during previous games against Ateneo, Casio made the most of his time inside the court.

Date (games against Ateneo)	Minutes	Points	3PM-A	Free throws
07/26	29 minutes	21	1-7	2-3
09/09	26 minutes	5	0-3	3-3
09/18	35 minutes	21	3-7	2-2

 

His performance, no doubt, made Green Archers into the final-four. Rico Maierhofer’s 13 points and 12 rebounds also contributed well for the team’s victory. Thank God, he was spared from a possible injury.

 

***

 

Deciding to watch the game than to attend the job interview was worth it. The experience can never be replaced by an offer far away from my hometown. (Going to Araneta Cubao only takes 15 minutes from our place).

While walking along the Araneta after the game, my phone rang: An Ortigas-based company called me. Wow, a job interview again. An exam and interview are scheduled in the afternoon. I think I will like the job because it involves technical writing for manuals. And this is my Second Chance.

 

Sources:

1. http://www.inboundpass.com/2007/09/18/green-archers-gain-2x-to-beat-advantage
2. http://www.pbfantasy.com/uaap/player/0000000030
3. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/sports/view_article.php?article_id=89382

  

   

 

Advocacy rings a bell

Rep. Gilbert Remulla’s talk on Youth and Politics enlightened and motivated the audience to participate in politics. He was invited to speak by the AIESEC, the world’s largest student organization. Remulla was president of AIESEC for two years.

At the beginning of his forum, he asked the young Lasallians if they are already registered voters. Unfortunately, not even half of the room is registered. (Perhaps, most of the participants are 17 years old and below). Remulla said “You have no right to criticize the government if you do not register to vote.”

Throughout the course of the discussion, Remulla was keep on saying the word “advocacy”. He challenged the youth to advocate for something. While he was explaining this, I heard students at the back that they encountered the word for the first time. One even whispered,”I don’t even know what advocacy means.”

The term advocacy became part of my value system when I run for news editor in 2004. Although I encountered the word in grade school as “adhikain” (the Filipino version), I only understood it’s essence when I lobby and fight for something in the University: to strengthen the student rights and make decisions in favor of students. Later, Economics professor Bombit Largoza explained that advocacy is something that you lobby for to improve the systems in an institution. It may comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted.

When I served as editor in chief of The LaSallian, my advocacy became more stronger and communal. I participate in student leadership conventions and suggest programs to improve relationships and programs in the University. Upon internalizing the meaning of advocacy, I made my own definition of the word:” It is a working vision that is tuned to fight for a cause.” It doesn’t simply take a reactive but a pro-active stand in a given issue.

Going back to the forum, the congressman asked again the students if they have advocacies for the country. Modesty aside, I was the only participant who raised a hand to proudly tell that I am into the protection of environment. Though I have no formal affiliation with environmental organizations, I study the effects of global warming and the implication of this in our country. (But I joined an organization of artists who cleaned the map relief in Luneta).

His challenge turned stronger when he realized the seemingly silent mode of the audience. Does this reflect the apathy of Lasallians or are they too young to participate in political discussions? When he asked if the audience are aware of current issues such as Hello Garci, the political killings, and the Fertilizer scam, the audience responded with conviction. Lasallians are aware, but do they discuss these issues and do something? Looking back, Remulla wished he has been more active in politics when he was in college – the formative stage of the young.

Having an advocacy doesn’t necessarily mean that we join the left or right quadrant of politics. There are non-political affiliations such as environment agencies, women’s rights, animal care, business institutions and any other social spheres that may interest the youth. If one is into business, he/she may advocate for social entrepreneurship. The list goes on…

These are the last words of Remulla: “Start coming in. Bring new ideas and we welcome it. Find your advocacy. Get involved in government and know what you want. Hopefully, you become responsible citizens of the country.” Hopefully…

Preventing classroom cheating?

Is social epidemics possible? In Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell cited scenarios that show the sudden increase in demand of Hush Puppies and Airwalk and dramatic decrease of crime rate in New York. All social epidemics can reach its tipping point – the critical point that can bring positive changes in our society.

After reading the book, I thought examples of bad practices like classroom cheating and “under-the-table” operations could also be reduced and reach its tipping point. Is it really possible?

In terms of classroom cheating, DLSU before applied the Honor System in which students are left by professors while taking the exams. Full trust is given to them.. But the idea was forgotten by the University, since most students seemed to be naturally dishonest. Instead for the system to uphold honesty, students may view it as a tempting environment to cheat. The “Big brother” view was still the most effective way to fight academic cheating. In this manner, the professor acts like a police officers who monitors all the examinees during the course of the exam. Major sanctions can be imposed to the student who may be caught cheating. But this one makes the lives of professors inconvenient. The problem is that most of them don’t care whether their students are cheating or not.

In combating cheating, professors must take the full responsibility of considering the way they give exams that can discourage students to cheat. As Gladwell pointed out, Epidemics are sensitive to the circumstances and conditions of the time and places in which they occur. This is the power of understanding the context.

Because of tolerant environment to cheat, more and more students are attracted to find answers left and right and even receive different hand gestures from others. If the professor will focus on the context, he must make an environment in which students cannot be able to see the papers of others. For instance, multiple choice exams can be categorized into two to four different sets. The questions may not be different for all students, but they can be jumbled for the different rows. The student will find it inconvenient to cheat, or if he cheats he may get wrong answers because he/she may look to the wrong item based on the reshuffled questions. The professor will find it hassle-free to spot cheaters too. After finishing the exam, students will no longer prioritize strategies for cheating but instead focus on studying the lessons. The cheating epidemics is then prevented.

Blogging for 2007

My opening salvo for this new year is a blog for WordPress. Since then, I have internally acquired the thought process of writing my views, anything under the sun. They may either pertain to an interesting event or an anecdote of my life. Writing column and other related articles in our news paper has perhaps convinced me to continue writing, this time an opportunity offered by blog sites like this one. May this blog unleash the animal insticts in me: to blog not just for the sake of blogging but for the cause of sharing my worldiews to people from all walks of life.My initial step is to find other bloggers who I can connect with, and I hope to find them along the way.

This is not the first time that I get engaged in blogging. My Friendster blog is dedicated to Filipino language much as it depicts the native culture and humorous stories that I have. My Multiply account, on the other hand, also includes blogs but seems to be given lesser attention since the site is focused more on photo albums. In the past two years, we have witnessed how the Internet has shaped the lives of civilization. More than an avenue of information dissemination, it has turned into an avenue of personalized stuff and virtual society: friendship connection brought by Friendster, photo sharing and other entertainment features by Multiply, video uplaoding by Youtube, art appreciation by Deviant art, and many more segments that cater to the different interests of peopleware. Even the significant world events are not spared from the virtual eye, like for example, videos of Saddam execution were uploaded in the youtube.

Much is in store for 2007. May this blog serve as a witness to capture the great moments and interesting events that will shape my individuality day-by-day. May God be glorified through this trade.