Before October ends, the Philippines will open its first ever call center that only employs blind persons, a milestone in the struggle of disabled people to cross the digital divide.

GMANews.TV reported that with eight training rooms and three desks dedicated for outbound calls, the call center facility will be equipped with adaptive hardware and software customized to the needs and abilities of the blind.

Six totally blind, low vision and sighted graduates are currently being trained as trainers in Taipei, Taiwan, the headquarters of the the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC).

ADOC provided funds for the facility, a project of the Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration, and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired (ATRIEV) Inc.

The six trainers all came from ATRIEV, an organization that pioneered computer training for the blind in the country, the Resources for the Blind, National Council on Disability Affairs, Philippine National School for the Blind, and the Department of Education.

The facility’s customized outbound call center software and refreshable Braille display as hardware will allow totally blind individuals to provide customer assistance while listening to the client on the phone and reading the responses in Braille.

With the technology, the blind will hopefully gain the same speed and efficiency as the sighted call center agent, ATRIEV said.

ATRIEV has provided IT-related training for the blind for the last 15 years, with the use of a screen reader – a software application that translates text to speech – and a screen magnification software.

ATRIEV also provides on-the-job training in voicemail transcription to its qualified IT-related training graduates, in partnership with Gallop IT Solutions, a local transcription company.

The launching ceremony for the project was held last 20 October 2009 at the ATRIEV’s Training Center for the Blind in Quezon City. The project is expected to be presented at the APEC Conference to be held in Singapore in November 2009.

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Historical journals and academic references describe the traditional roles of men and woman in relationships as very rigid and well defined. Because of these twin observations, it is not surprising that many believed that traditional relationships has many advantages and disadvantages to different sexes, but, in the end, they still support the societal goals of marriage very well.

The Traditional Relationship Model can be summarized as strictly structured and gender rigid. The role of husband was the "King of the Castle", an independent decision maker who protected and provided for his family. The wife is usually labeled as the devoted "Queen". She is usually financially dependent upon her husband and subordinate to his decisions. Her mission was to make him happy, care for their children and administer their home.

In a less civilized society, the strict regiment provided by patriarchal social control may have been a necessary evil in the social evolution of human-kind. However, as technology, education and freedoms have changed the world's political and socio-economic landscape, so has the view about the ideal society and many of its 'belief institutions'.

Some possibilities that were not explored during the 'Dark Ages' came to the fore and raised questions such as can a person really love two people equally at the same time? If yes, is it wrong? Is there a difference between having a closed committed relationship between three people and having an open relationship?

These are just some of the questions that Split-Self, a new serial put out by F.S. Publishing, will try to answer as it tries to reinvents the chicklit genre with wit, humor and a slight touch of cynicism. Split-Self is a novel of a romance between three. Not a threesome, not a love triangle, a polyamorous relationship between one girl and two guys. Boy likes girl, boy also likes boy ... girl thinks that's hot.

To better understand the confusion surrounding the newly emerging roles of men and woman in relationships, it might be worth looking at what Split-Self has already explored.

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Reports coming from GMANews.TV will probably be considered by many as good news because it implies that Philippines may no longer sell so-called Reconstruction Bonds. This development came after two multilateral lenders offered to speed up the process of giving loans to rebuild the country’s ruined infrastructure.

An estimated US$ 280 million worth of program loans are expected to be granted faster than usual by the Washington-based World Bank and the Manila-based Asian Development Bank.

Worth PhP 12.8 billion, these loans – to be used for the rehabilitation of roads and highways damaged by typhoons – may no longer require government to sell bonds, Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves said.

The country may no longer "focus on PhP 50 billion in reconstruction bonds if there are other options readily and immediately available instead of waiting for this original concept of reconstruction bonds," Teves said on Monday.

Both multilateral agencies have offered to realigning some of program loans to fit the spending requirements needed in the aftermath of storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng.

Of the total $280 million figure, US$ 200 million, or PhP 9.2 billion, will come from the World Bank while the remaining US$ 80 million, or PhP 3.68 billion, will be sourced from the ADB.

"These loans can be reprogrammed to support our reconstruction and rehabilitation effort," Teves said.

Both agencies presented a menu of options that will allow government to secure funds that will immediately enable the reconstruction/rehabilitation process, Teves said.

‘Ondoy’ and ‘Pepeng’ have damaged billions of pesos in public infrastructure, forcing government – which is already expecting a deficit – to spend more than it previously forecast.

Since tax collections have fallen – owing to slower economic activity brought about by the global slowdown – the government has earlier decided to borrow from foreign or local sources.

Funds from these cash-raising activities are expected to supplement proceeds from the sale of government assets such as the 103-hectare Food Terminal Complex in Taguig City, among others.

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Entrepreneurs should think of ways to provide more value to customer and be better in what they are doing if they want to survive the challenging environment brought about by the global economic slowdown.

This was the call made by speaker Francis J. Kong during the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME)Speaker Series sponsored and organized by Planters Development Bank (Plantersbank) held at the Tierra Montana Hotel in General Santos City.

"SMEs should have a determined approach to improve, be better and provide more value to the customer," Kong said.

He adde that entrepreneurs should come up with strategies to manage difficulties caused by the recent crisis. They should, however, remain alert for opportunities which could turn around their business.

The series is set to visit key cities throughout the country to help address issues faced by a growing number of Filipino entrepreneurs and more so help them realize the important role they have in shaping the landscape of the economy.

This advocacy program by Plantersbank is aligned with the bank's goal to promote SME enablement and hopes to provide Filipino entrepreneurs with a venue to equip themselves with the latest management trends and valuable tips from business gurus. Entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to expand their networks and build possible partnerships.

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Not a few entrepreneurs are aware that one way to attract customers and let them know more about the products and services being offered is to have the enterprise listed in a business directory. It acts as their gateway to online services for businesses by providing easy and convenient access to information. It also allows the business owner to conduct transactions in a secure online environment.

However, gathering information to have a site listed in a credible Business Web Directory can be time consuming, confusing, and very tedious. In some cases, the business owner needs to hire an information technology consultant just to get started.

Fortunately, Webdir Biz allows individual users to easily update directory information and manage distribution lists through any web browser, thereby reducing the burden on administrators. This online Business Portal places more control on what users can update and changes without needing prior approval from site administrator. In short, users are more empowered without significant increase in costs.

Webdir Biz also provides other information to the user such as:

• Various job opportunities available in the market.


• A link to consultants that give advice on the appropriate job opportunities that can be acquired within the reach.


• Good interview tips by learned professionals.


• A complete list of the available job vacancies in various fields.


• Acess to the executive recruiters.

At present, regular links cost only US$ 29.00, while featured links is valued at US$ 79.00. Given the rates charged by other web directory, the cost of submitting a site to Webdir Biz is fairly reasonable.

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When Tropical Storm 'Ondoy' hit the Philippines on 26 September 2009, hundreds of Filipinos had to leave their cars behind as they scrambled for safety and helplessly watch as their cars are submerged in floodwaters. Now, they are scratching their heads and wondering what to do with their vehicles and how much to pay to have them repaired.

There is no estimate yet on the number of cars damaged by Ondoy’s floods, although the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has pegged the overall damage to all property at PhP 1.5 billion all over the country.

Art Mallari, a fleet manager from a pharmaceutical company, said in an interview with The Philippine Star that car owners would have to spend some PhP 150,000 to get their vehicles repaired. Based on experience (he was in Nissan during the 1999 great flood that hit eastern Metro Manila), he said an average sedan would require replacement of the following parts:

• Electronic Control Unit (ECU), more popularly known as the computer box, which costs PhP 40,000 on average.


• Radio and sound system. Basic types easily cost PhP 10,000.


• Instrument panel. Most cars today have digital speedometers and tachometers. These are all electronic and get damaged once soaked in water. This could cost at least PhP 20,000.


• Power windows’ motor and regulator. A car has four of these and they cost at least PhP 2,000 each.


• Power lock motor and regulator. Again, you multiply this by four in a four-door sedan. They cost about PhP 2,000 each also.


• Headlamps and tail lights. If mud gets into these, they are very difficult to clean. Replacing them would cost about PhP 20,000 per pair.


• Aircon compressor. This would cost about PhP 20,000.


• Fan motors. Though they are designed to get wet, they are not designed to be soaked for long periods. They eventually get corroded. They cost about PhP 4,000 each.


• Brake calipers also get corroded from floods. Replacing all four would cost about PhP 10,000.

All in all, the parts alone would already reach about PhP 140,000. Add the PhP 5,000 detailing cost of cleaning the carpet and seats plus another PhP 5,000 to drain the fuel, oil and other fluids and the cost already runs up to PhP 150,000.

It is important to note that these costs do not yet include body repair, painting or engine overhaul, which could also be required depending on the damage sustained by the car.

Mallari said car owners with Acts of God cover in their insurance policies are assured that their insurer would shoulder the repair.

However, insurance companies require a participation fee or deductible which usually ranges from PhP 5,000 to PhP 10,000. For cars over three years old, insurers would also compute for the depreciation of the parts to be replaced. The depreciation is usually computed at 10 percent per year.

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