My Philosophy in Life

University of Saint La Salle

Bacolod City

Jim Austin M. Tolentino

AB1 - B

Logic Assignment: My Philosophy in Life

If there is one thing happening in the background of people's lives I believe in, it is the very powerful effect of change in the life of a human and in his behavior. This is something you can't turn your back from, since you, or in this case, me, is its haunt. Change is everywhere, happens all the time, and is inevitable.

After turning my back from the people who send me to school studying nursing for free, I realized in myself that the main thing I'm here on earth for is to live as long as I could, as simply as I could, and learn as much as I possibly could. I believe that whether I'm a CEO or a lowly member of the workforce, I can grow into contentment and still be the best in whatever I do.

Life is certainly not easy. It's no wonder nobody gets out of it alive. You want out? You die. That's all there is to it. If you don't love it, then you don't love anything at all. That's the main reason why sometimes I feel like I shouldn't take it very hard, instead, focus on the pleasures offered by the simplicities of the manner with which life is lived.

To be more specific, I take my eyes off the glamorous city life and corporate setting the world offers me. Instead, I try to look into the bounty and the benefits of a professional life even in the countryside. Quiting nursing is tantamount to giving up worldly pursuits of working abroad and earning dollars and living a good life in my case of course. But just having what you need and just a little for more than that is just perfect for me. We live in a fast-paced world today, where everything can be obtained on a whim. But taking our eyes off those, living peacefully, simply, and naturally is still living, minus all the complications the fast-paced world has to offer.

Fast-paced business transations, fastfoods, high speed internet connections, 30-second TV ads, they're really quick. But what it offers along with it is quick aging as well, usually minus the wisdom life experiences have with them.

It's not bad to aspire for a corporate condo life. It's just not me. A private firm to work for, business proposal presentations, nightlife and shopping - that's what we see people in this part of the world do. Wouldn't it be better, make you more content, to wake up in the morning, not late at night, filling your lungs with cold, fresh air, go to your teaching job maybe, cook your own food with vegetables from the market or your own garden, and ultimately, live healthy and longer? See life more than the average man. Experience more, learn more, be a better person.

thoughts on the movie the Gospel of John (RS4)

Coming out alive and rich in high end Christology, the Gospel of John poses into the world one more purpose than what the other Gospel writers said about the life and earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, which is to counter-attack criticisms or unorthodoz belief of the Jews, saying that Jesus' existence is mainly spirit and not flesh. This defies the 100% humankind and 100% God-nature that Christians regarded Jesus to be, throwing away all the edges of reason and embracing the majesty and infallibility of Heaven.

As a gospel, John is a story about the life of Jesus. The Gospel can be divided into four parts: the Prologue, the Book of Signs, the Passion narrative, his version of the story and the Epilogue.

The prologue hightened Jesus as God, in all His deeds and power across the earth. The signs mirrored Jesus' earthly ministries, his teachings and the signs He set for the world to see. John's version of the Passion told of the events in the Upper Room (the Last Supper) as He discoursed the events of the following day and the farewell He gave, along with the arrest, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. On the epilogue, Jesus was showcased after He resurrected Himself from the dead and revealed Himself to the disciples.

Logos, as it was called, was John's forefront on Jesus' mission on earth, and the way He conversed with the disciples at length about Himself. John uplifted Jesus more than any of the Gospel Writers ever did. He put Jesus, the person, the God above His message, in contrary to what the other gospel writers.

In summary, the inspiration the writer held as he wrote his version of the story of the owner of the face and heart he was very close to, was infallibly beautiful. Showcasing the caster, and not the casted, something for a change, made the whole world loving Him and His word more and more, now knowing the power from where it's all from, and still fully clinging to learning more about Him everyday.

University of Saint La Salle

Bacolod City

TOLENTINO, Jim Austin M.

AB1 - B

General Sociology Research

Programs and projects of the government in alleviating poverty in the Philippines

NEDA's Search for the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Youth Champions

According to NEDA, the follwing factors contribute to the decline in poverty incidence for the period of 2000-2006: The sustained growth of real gross domestic production (GDP), driven by private sector participation. There also are national policies spelled out in the mid-term Philippine development plan (MTPDP) 2001-2004 and 2004-2010, which have prioritized anti-poverty strategies. The two plans espouse poverty reduction as an overarching goal, while sectoral thrusts fully support poverty-reduction targets and priorities,” NEDA further stated.

The national government is fully committed to pursue an integrated and comprehensive national anti-poverty strategy called the “Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan” (Linking Arms Against Poverty) which focuses on asset reform, human development services, employment and livelihood, social protection and participatory governance.

Aside from the above mentioned programs, the government has been implementing major foreign-assisted programs and projects designed to fast-track poverty-reduction efforts which include:

a) KALAHI-CIDSS or Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)/World Bank (WB)

b) Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)/WB/Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC); c) Development of Poor Urban Communities Sector Project (Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC)/Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)/Asian Development Bank (ADB) and

d) Achieving the MDGs and Reducing Human Poverty (NEDA/United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The Philippines pledged the poverty and hunger eradication; universal primary education achievement; gender equality promotion and women empowerment; child mortality reduction; maternal health improvement; combat against HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; environmentally sustainability assurance and a global partnership development. (Barriga, 2009)

Probable solutions and programs of the NGOs in minimizing poverty in the Philippines

Microfinancing is the process of provision of financial services to poor or low-income clients, including consumers and the self-employed. The term also refers to the practice of sustainably delivering those services. The non-governmental units that engage in this movement include:

a) Bangko Kabayan (a rural bank) offers loans like:

KAPITAN group lending program (Kapisanan ng mga Ilaw ng Tahanan), which finances micro-enterprise businesses that generate daily income to augment additional household support and for businesses with long gestating period like livestock raising, provided, the secondary income can pay the weekly amortization payment;

KABAYAN individual lending program (Kaakibat ng Bangko sa Pag-unlad sa Kabuhayan), which finances loans for working capital or acquisition of fixed assets for existing business;

KABAYAN Educational Loan (Kaakibat ng Bangko sa Pag-unlad sa Kabuhayan)Microfinance Individual Lending Program which offers an incentive credit window for existing class "A" microfinance clients to finance: Tuition and/or entrance fees, Graduation fees, Board review, Books, school and uniforms and Educational plan - premium; and

KABAYAN PLUS Program which offers transitory special financing schemes providing credit assistance for loans above P150,000 up to a maximum of P300,000. (Bangko Kabayan Official Website)

b) Ateneo de Manila's Educational Microfinance Capacity Building Services:

Regular Microfinance Training Courses - Microfinance training courses will be offered by the Development Studies program. Such courses respond to market needs. Adult learning techniques and structured learning experiences that enhance the knowledge and skills of participants are employed.

Off-Site Microfinance Training - Microfinance institutions (MFIs) usually need training interventions specifically tailored to the peculiarities of their operations in the short term. Off-site training courses target MFIs that have a human resource base adequate enough to run a training course (at least 15 management staff). Cost is also reduced on the part of the MFI without sacrificing income streams from the activity.

Microfinance Management Development Program - The microfinance management development program caters to microfinance institutions that need capacity building interventions in the long term. A combination of various capacity building interventions will be offered that depend on the specific needs of the MFI. These may be in the form of training, mentoring, technical assistance, facilitation and experts’ advice, on the job training, strategic planning and other consulting services.

Microfinance Knowledge Resource Hub - Most microfinance institutions have the necessary human resource base but lack the right policies, systems and procedures. Information that could be used to enhance policies, systems and procedures should be disseminated. This offers access to secondary sources of information such as books, microfinance journals, case studies and the like. Also included are multimedia resources such as CD-ROM databases, audio and visual materials. The website will offer publications that could be downloaded, trends and news/updates in the microfinance industry. (Ateneo de Manila official website: www.admu.edu.ph/index.php?p=1052)