Senate federalism plan, constituent assembly same banana

MANILA, Philippines – They’re just the “same banana.” Speaker Prospero Nograles yesterday insisted that Joint Resolution 10 authored by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. calling for a shift to a federalist form of government is no different from House Resolution 1109 calling for a constituent assembly (con-ass).

Nograles pointed out that the public – particularly civil society, militant groups, the Catholic Church and the political opposition – tends to oppose the efforts of the House but not the opposition-dominated Senate “because the House is an administration ally.”

“These personalities were eerily quiet and unconcerned when in fact, the Joint Congressional Resolution 10 has the same purpose, which is to amend the Constitution, and it was overwhelmingly signed by 15 senators,” Nograles said.

He said the critics were nowhere to be found when the Senate approved Pimentel’s Joint Congressional Resolution 10.

Former Surigao del Sur congressman Prospero Pichay made the same observation, saying both resolutions are about the same issue.

“When Senator Pimentel made the proposal for federalism, no one opposed. It’s the same issue. Does it mean that it is proper for a member of the opposition to propose changes in the Constitution (but) not one from the administration?” he asked.

Pichay said the anti-Charter change rally held in Makati City last Wednesday was not about the sentiments against constituent assembly.

“It’s all about the 2010 elections. It’s nothing more than a political exercise. Politicians will ride on free publicity,” he said.

Pichay, chairman of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), said the opposition “failed miserably in their duty to fiscalize.”

“Their role is to come out with a counter-proposal… they have not really come up with a counter-proposal,” he said.

Fear of the unknown

On the other hand, lawmakers like Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. said the primary reason why many from the opposition voted against HR 1109 is because of the apparent move to extend President Arroyo’s term of office.

“They (administration congressmen) just wanted to extend her (Mrs. Arroyo’s) term beyond June 30, 2010,” De Venecia said.

“The Cha-cha they are flaunting before the Filipino people is a charade, to fool us so that Gloria can become president again or prime minister,” the former Speaker told a prayer rally in Dagupan City yesterday.

De Venecia urged the rallyists led by government critic Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz to be more vigilant.

Cruz, for his part, said majority of the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) would soon speak up against Charter change.

Cruz admitted most of his bishop colleagues have been silent on the issue “but if they will speak their mind, I think they will follow the other bishops who speak out.”

Cruz said “the silent majority” of the member-bishops of the CBCP share the sentiments of those opposing Cha-Cha, as against a few of them supporting the cause of the administration.

“They are few (pro-administration) and usually they are not as vocal as the more active bishops. They are by and large quiet and if they talk, that is their right but I don’t think they make an impact,” Cruz said.

He reiterated the CBCP’s official stand on the issue is that Cha-cha initiatives should take place after the 2010 elections.

While the Constitution may not be perfect, Cruz said moves to amend its provisions should be made through a constitutional convention.

Cruz said one of the principal concerns over Cha-cha is the fear of President Arroyo extending her term of office.

Cruz shared the concerns of many sectors against Cha-cha at this time when elections are fast approaching.

If Nograles and the administration congressmen succeed in amending the Constitution, Cruz pointed out, it would be an opportunity to lift the term limits of elected officials, including Mrs. Arroyo.

Nograles, on the other hand, said the arguments on Cha-cha would never end.

“These protests (against Charter change) will go on forever in the Philippines because even while we all agree that we need to amend the Constitution, partisan politics always gets in the way,” he said.

“Some of the people who are instigating these protests are the very same people who are staunchly defending Charter change when they were the ones who are still in power. When will this end?” he asked.

At the same time, Nograles urged the Supreme Court to step in and give a clear interpretation of the constitutional provisions on the modes of amending the Charter.

Nograles said he would take the congressional recess as an opportunity to exchange ideas with key leaders of Congress on the issue.

The Speaker admitted that he is still at a loss on what to do next with the controversial HR 1109.

Nograles also clarified the approval of HR 1109 does not mean that the House can already convene itself into a constituent assembly in late July, when Congress will resume session after President Arroyo delivers her last State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).

“I am not going to convene anything,” Nograles said.

“We need the period for consultations with House and Senate leaders and other sectors to get a clear picture of what to do next. Frankly, we are still in legal disagreement as to the procedures to follow after the approval of Resolution 1109. I therefore need to clear the air as to the legal procedure,” he said. – With Evelyn Macairan and Eva Visperas – By Delon Porcalla (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

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Stock market attracts higher hot money inflows

MANILA, Philippines – Hot money inflows in May turned around as the local stock market showed to be an attractive investment for foreigners, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said.

BSP data showed that in May, there were over $498-million worth of funds coming into the country compared with $276-million funds which flowed out of the country in April.

Foreign portfolio investments looked for opportunities in the emerging markets, leading to the significant increase in gross inflows in May.

The BSP said registered foreign portfolio investments more than doubled to $978 million in May from April’s $435 million. Total outflows, on the other hand, slipped by a third to $480 million

The BSP reported that 91 percent of gross portfolio inflows were invested in shares listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange while nine percent went to peso-denominated government securities.

On the other hand, 97 percent of the portfolio funds that left the country were investments taken out of interim peso deposits or IPDs.

Despite the dismal 0.4-percent economic expansion for the Philippines in the first three months of the year, investors were also bullish on the local economy as shown by a substantial Japanese investment in the country’s food, beverage and tobacco sector, said central bank governor Amando Tetangco.

Elsewhere in the globe, confidence in the world economy rose for the third straight month as job losses in the U.S. continued to slow down and global production improved.

Tetangco said this supported the emerging consensus that the crisis was bottoming out.

The May net inflows brought the five-month net inflow at $276 million, a contrast to the net outflow of $461 million for the comparable period in 2008.

Gross investment inflows during the five-month period totaled nearly $2.7 billion, 43-percent lower than the recent $4.7-billion posted last year as cautiousness lingered among investors.

The BSP reported that investments in PSE-listed shares amounted to $1.9 billion, making up 73 percent of total inflows. These inflows, however, were 35-percent lower than the $3-billion level in 2008.

The BSP said about 30 percent of these went to food, beverage and tobacco companies, and 28 percent to telecommunication firms. Similarly, combined investments in peso GS and peso bank deposits with minimum maturity of 90 days dropped to $673 million from last years $1.7 billion.

Meanwhile, placements in money market instruments marginally rose by $49 million.

The United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the Netherlands were the top investor countries, collectively contributing 84 percent of total investments during the period.

Gross investment outflows, on the other hand, amounted to $2.4 billion, a 53-percent slide than last years $5.1 billion, signaling improving investor sentiment. GMANews.TV

10 Small Business You Can Start

Most of us have god given talents. Your friends might praise your ability to do something. You can turn that skill into a small business to make extra income. If you are affected by the downturn or you would like to have a small business on the side, as insurance against future downsizing, here are 10 ideas you can consider.

Catering – if you like to cook and your friends praise you for the wonderful dish, you might want to give this one a go. It is rather flexible since catering tend to be on the weekends. You don’t need to think about a high level of catering but supplying a portion of a party is a good start. This can scale up with help from family members in the future.

Prepare Meals – slight modification to the above but instead of preparing food an special occasions, you cook extra and charge your busy neighbors who don’t have time to cook. Suitable if you life in an area with working couples.

Computer troubleshooting – most homes have several computers nowadays. If your geek skills are up to mark, then dealing with hardware and troublesome viruses can be a source of income. Don’t expect too much since this service don’t scale up well.

Gardening services – green thumbs can help provide for good side income as well. Many want a nice garden but don’t have the time or the skills to have a healthy garden. People pay around RM 80 or more (depending on size of the garden) to trim grass, get rid of weeds, dead leaves and fertilize the lawn. If you can serve 2 to 3 homes on a Saturday, that could be an extra RM 1,000 per month.

Handy man services – similar to gardening but this could be repairing pipes, painting and other odd jobs for those who really good skills to fix things around the home.

Master of Ceremony – have the gift of the gap and can’t stop talking? Then, use your gift for cash. Be the MC for functions and dinners and perhaps get a free meal too.

Teaching music – you might not have a diploma in music, but some instruments don’t require teaching certificate. Guitar, drums, flute etc comes to mind.

Tutoring – if you have a knack for maths, physics, languages, etc this can be a source of good part time income. If you are a really good teacher, you might even make it full time down the road.

Web site design – you been blogging and helping your friends set up their website. Why not market your services to small business owners who need a web site to help boost their business? Charge a reasonable fee and I’m sure this can be a well paying hobby.

Wedding planner – good at organizing events? Then consider planning a wedding for some extra cash. Could be a hectic day and people expect you to do a great job. I reckon the ability to remain cool under stress is a prerequisite if you are considering this.

If your skills are not that polished at the moment, then grab any opportunity to polish up your skills. It will come handy in the future. I think there are a lot more small business opportunities you can think off.

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Think about all these stuffs you can do to earn extra income.  Get moving guys!  I know you have something creative in mind. There are more things that you can get from your own talent up to some useless stuffs you got there that may be of use to others.

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Please visit the new pages of HR CAREER HUB and its forum LET’s TALK HR!

Visit the following sites for the latest job openings, updates, hr and business discussions.

HR Career Hub is now accepting Ads to be placed in our web pages. For inquiries on how to place ads, email the webmaster: it@hrcareerhub.com

For businesses, employers, and clients – we are accepting new clients who would like us, HR CAREER HUB, to provide them with our quality staffing and recruitment services.

For applicants and job hunters – HR CAREER HUB has an updated list of job openings for you! You may visit http://www.hrcareerhub.com/openings.html for the list of the job offers. You can also apply online by clicking on this link APPLY ONLINE at HRCH

See you at the forum and let us hear your thoughts.

Good Recruitment Practice

Step 1 – Identify the needs of your business Consider the needs of the business and how the position fits into your business:

• what needs to be done in the business?
• is the need short-term or long-term?
• how will the position help the business now, and in the future?

This will help you determine if you need someone on a full-time, part-time or casual basis.

Step 2 – Define the job In defining the job you need to:

• identify the purpose of the position and what it does
• understand how the job contributes to the business
• document elements of the job.

Step 3 – Write a job description A well-prepared job description describes your expectations of the position. It will guide your selection and also help your new employee understand what is expected of them. The length of a job description varies depending on the nature and complexity of the job. A good job description identifies the:

• position title which clearly reflects the nature of the job
• main purpose of the position in a sentence (or two), that is, what the person does and why, for example, will they review, monitor, co-ordinate, deliver
• business context, that is, the objectives of the business, strategies, the operating environment, and the role of the position in the business
• major accountabilities, which are the three to six major areas of work performed by the position and include important activities undertaken from time to time
• outcomes to be achieved for each of the identified accountabilities
• key communications with key positions, organisations, or groups, both inside and outside the business
• decisions made by the position holder, those made in consultation with the employer/manager and those referred to the employer/manager
• challenging aspects of the job, including short or long-term challenges, such as, client demands, use of technology, heavy workload, or tight deadlines
• knowledge, skills and experience, which are essential for the effective or competent performance of the job, including formal qualifications, certification, licence or equivalent experience required
• resources for which the person is responsible, for example, staff and/or budget
• tasks/duties performed by the position holder.

Step 4 – Determine your selection criteria Create a profile of the ideal applicant by considering the personal qualities needed to perform the job successfully. This may include personal attributes such as the ability to work under stress, maintain confidentiality, adaptability and flexibility. Decide which attributes are essential and which are desirable.

Essential criteria are skills and attributes essential to the ability to perform the job, for example, trade qualifications, driver’s licence, ability to prepare spreadsheets. Desirable criteria are those skills or attributes which make the candidate a more valuable asset to your business. The essential criteria are used as the focus in your job advertisement.

Step 5 – Check award coverage Determine if the position is covered by a state or federal award.

Step 6 – Write a job advertisement To ensure that your job advertisement is effective:

• write in clear and non-discriminatory language
• quote a salary or a salary range to help filter out unwanted responses
• provide information to help potential applicants decide whether the job is suitable for them
• use the job description to identify required skills, qualifications, experience and desired attributes
• don’t use too many words
• include special requirements, for example, driver’s licence, trade qualification
• don’t exaggerate the job as this will attract applicants who are not suited to the position.

What can’t I say? Your advertisement cannot discriminate on the grounds of:

• sex
• marital status
• pregnancy
• race
• ethnic or ethno-religious background
• disability
• age
• homosexuality
• transgender status
• family and carer’s responsibilities.

It is against the law to target jobs or services towards people of one particular group.

Step 7 – Prepare for the interview In preparing for an interview you need to:

• decide if you would like to hold the interview with a second person
• decide/agree on a date
• organise a quiet and comfortable room to hold the interview
• organise a waiting area for applicants to sit comfortably
• schedule enough time for each interview so that you are not rushed or interrupted
• contact applicants to be interviewed with details of their interview
• provide your receptionist with the names of the applicants and interview times
• prepare the interview questions
• organise equipment, for example, computer or machinery, if testing is required
• review each applicant’s résumé or application before their interview
• make notes during each interview so that you can refer to them later.

Step 8 – Conduct the interview Some useful interview tips include:

• ask one question at a time
• use short sentences and speak clearly
• use simple and appropriate words to make the questions easy to understand
• use open-ended questions which allow applicants to express themselves
• avoid leading questions which imply the correct answer
• let the applicant do most of the talking and listen carefully to their responses
• if answers are vague or inconsistent, probe for more specific and accurate information
• keep the conversation under control and don’t let answers become long-winded
• ask to see any qualifications, certificates, special licences or other essentials required for the position.

Conduct a reference check. Speak to referees to help you verify information given at the interview, or gather more information about the applicant’s performance and behaviour at work.

Step 9 – Make your decision Make your decision based on an assessment of the information gathered against each of the selection criteria. Create a short list ranking applicants in order of their suitability for the job. This identifies other possible candidates for the job if the selected candidate declines the job offer.

Step 10 – Make the job offer Prepare a letter of offer for the successful candidate for the position. This outlines important information that they need to know before starting work.

Step 11 – Induction Have the employee complete necessary forms and documentation before starting work, including:

• tax declaration form
• salary banking form
• superannuation contribution form
• approved deductions
• issue of uniforms.

What should induction cover? Your induction should cover:

• a description of the business, its goals and strategies and how the employee fits into the overall picture
• a review of the job description to clarify duties and responsibilities of the job
• terms of employment including award coverage
• basic work rules and work conditions
• method of payment
• a tour of the workplace and amenities
• an introduction to key personnel, particularly the new employee’s supervisor and immediate work colleagues
• who to contact with any questions or problems relating to the job
• grievance procedures, including who to contact and what to do
• leave provisions, including annual, sick and other leave
• car parking or travel arrangements
• after-hours access and security requirements
• information on company policies and procedures
• occupational health and safety policies and procedures.

Step 12 – Monitor performance and provide feedback Monitor and assess the new employee’s performance during the first few months of their employment. Provide them with feedback about how they’re performing against set performance targets.

This ensures that you address any performance deficiencies early and facilitate the employee’s integration into the workplace. Regular performance monitoring and feedback ensures that performance is sustained.

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