Bus Conductor Working at a Call center in the Philippines

Working at a call center in the Philippines is not easy. There are many challenges that need to be met. There are also a lot of things that one needs to learn in order to pull through the usual work day. But after one gets through the day right, so many things can be learned. Here are just some thoughts that I would like to share as I go through the work week working at a call center in the Philippines.

There are times when getting up every morning has become more of a challenge everyday. It seems to me that the thought of going through all those customers that each had their problems about the service was such a headache. This was a very bad sign. I was losing interest in my work because it was just so repetitive. But I knew that all work is hard and that I was very lucky with having this good paying job that I could rely on. I keep reminding myself of how I got this job.

Before going to this call center in the Philippines, I was working as a bus conductor. In the Philippines, buses were manned by two people: the bus driver and the conductor. The conductor was the one who went from seat to seat collecting the passenger’s fares and handing out tickets. That’s the primitive bus system in our country and it’s been that way since before I was born because labor is cheap. My pay as a bus conductor is dirt cheap. Anyway, I was out of the job, and looking to apply to a bigger bus company when I got near a call center. They were having immediate hiring so I thought to myself “Why not give it a shot? You really don’t have anything to lose.” So I gave them my resume, I went to the initial screening and they told me to wait for their call. At home, I already forgot about the whole call center application because I was so sure that there was no chance in hell that a guy like me who works as a bus conductor would get hired in a call center in the Philippines. Then to my surprise, they actually called me and no here I am, working at a prestigious and high paying call center job.

Remembering that gives me back the strength to wake up everyday and be cheerful as I answer the call of irate customers everyday. I must keep reminding myself that not everyone gets hired in a call center in the Philippines.

GK Expo 09: The Legacy of the EDSA Revolution

I encourage everyone out there to join in the Gawad Kalinga GK Expo 09. It is "themed” Anong Taya Mo Para Sa Bayan? And it will have a special tribute to our former president Corazon Aquino.

I suppose by now Cory Aquino might have resigned to the idea that she is not fated for an ordinary existence. Even if she always says that she, as opposed to Ninoy, does not like the thrill ride of noisy politics, she has become a significantly political person.
Cory’s marriage the already politically strong young Ninoy changed the way her life would go forever. In some twist of fate, the more Mrs. Corazon Aquino tries to leave or renounce the political seat and position that is called on her to fill the more she gets entangled into this very same political network. The death of her husband, the hole that he left behind, this call to duty, became a gaping vacuum that is inevitably sucking her life.

That is how things came to be. She was forced towards this responsibility. This political life she never wanted. That was her legacy of courage. Fueled by the anger from the assassination of her husband, and backed by the anger of the Filipino people themselves, Ms. Cory Aquino decided to be a leader. She decided to be the beacon of the revolution. And this is the same revolution that Gawad Kalinga is which is why she will be given tribute to in this coming Gk Expo 09.

And it was a very peculiar revolution indeed. The news from our country was being broadcasted all over the world. The intense political drama between the powerful and dictator that plunged the country into martial law, Ferdinand Marcos, and the opposing voice that alone stood up and dared speak against the president, Senator Ninoy Aquino made for some dramatic news material with the high stakes all the human interest that jazzed it up. Then the senator was assassinated and finally the anger of the people grew to a fever pitch that they were no longer afraid of the dictator and his cronies that picked up people in the streets and salvaged them for little reason.

We shall never let our country be this way again. In the legacy of the Edsa revolution, we as a country must unite to uplift our fellow men. Join the GK expo 09 on October 10, 2009, 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Gawad Kalinga Foundation – Building a Better Nation One Community at a Time

Poverty has been a perennial problem in the Philippines. In a recent survey, it was said that more than half of the whole Philippine population are sinking below the poverty line. What is even more alarming is that economists and financial analysts are projecting that this year will mark skyrocketing unemployment rates, which would automatically intensify the country’s bout to combat poverty. It takes the help of organizations like Gawad Kalinga Foundation to launch a massive campaign to help solve this predicament.

It is an active and renowned socio-religious organization in the Philippines that aims to build a slum-free and squatter-free nation. Founded by humanitarian, Tony Meloto, the organization had its humble beginnings way back in 1995 through the initiatives of Couples for Christ in rehabilitating juvenile delinquents in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City. The aftermath of its initial program was a success and readily produced positive changes in the lives of those who took part in the project. Since then, GK has evolved into a prime mover in nation building. To date, GK has 900 communities all over the Philippines and in other countries.

Joining the GK cause is also a great act for schools to develop their students’ social awareness. Having students immersed in the core values and objectives of the organization will develop in them a sense of patriotism and love for others. Some of the schools and universities that have collaborated with GK are the Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Miriam College, University of Santo Tomas, University of Asia and the Pacific, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Saint Paul College, and the Philippine Normal University among others.

Providing homes is only part of the efforts of GK. More than building and improving poverty-stricken communities, Gawad Kalinga Foundation is after transforming lives of its beneficiaries. Soon, with the help of various sectors in the society, GK would be able to improve the living conditions of 5 million poor Filipinos in the country.

Gawad Kalinga Foundation and Philippine Universities - From Schools and Out into the Communities

Gawad Kalinga Foundation has established strong ties with different universities in the Philippines in its goal to build a slum-free nation. Students are encouraged to attend immersions and do volunteer work in various GK communities in the country. Aside from taking part in site construction projects, students are also involved in programs such as child and youth development. One of their tasks in the said GK program is to act as teachers in community schools. While they aid their fellow youth in academic work and learning, they also develop their characters, and harness their concern for others.

Gawad Kalinga Builders Institute, better known as GKBI, is the official movement of GK to involve schools and learning institutions in materializing the humanitarian goal of uplifting the living conditions of thousands of poor communities in the country. The movement believes that schools have a very important role in opening the eyes of the youth and academic sector to their role in building our nation. It brings students from schools and into the communities while inculcating in them values such as nationalism and patriotism.

Many schools, colleges, and universities have already heeded the call of GKBI. They are some of the biggest and most influential schools in the country like Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, University of Makati, University of Asia and the Pacific, University of the Philippines, and more.

Universities involved in materializing the GK goals are doing a great job in making their students part of this huge patriotic movement to drive social transformation. While the transformative characteristic of Gawad Kalinga Foundation continues to grow, it continues to uplift our nation one community at a time. The movement also touches not only the beneficiaries of GK communities but also the universities, volunteers, and donors who take part in carrying out the humanitarian mission.

Gawad Kalinga 2009

Gawad Kalinga had a busy year this year. This year, during the GK1MB youth summit, various projects and new developments were revealed. A lot of these new developments have been a direct result of GK’s partnership with Voncore Philippines, an outsourcing company that is offering its services.

GK1MB
Gawad Kalinga unveiled some of its new goals during the historic Boston GK summit. It is aiming at getting a hold of one billion volunteer workers. This battalion of workers and volunteers aims is to destroy poverty forever. Gawad Kalinga, after removing poverty in the Philippines, plans to go global as the template third world countries should follow.

GK1world
The GK1world website has been launched and unveiled during the Boston GK Global Summit this year. The old GK website had many problems regarding the organization of GK sources and the transparency of fund allocation. Voncore created GK1world, and the results were so good that GK decided to migrate all the content from the old site to the new GK 1 world site. Now, it is already the official online portal of the organization. All updates are uploaded on GK1world website so it is the best source of information about the latest events and programs of Gawad Kalinga.

GK Unity
This new, Voncore project is going to revolutionize the way GK operates. This online software platform will enable volunteers from anywhere in the world register online and be a part of Gawad kalinga. It also promises to change the way pledges and donors are managed meaning more ease in donations and more transparency as to how the funds are allocated.

I believe that Gawad Kalinga Philippines is in the right track as a Global movement. It is very exciting for me to watch how all of its projects unfold especially in its quest to totally eradicate the problem of poverty in the Philippines and usher in the country into the first world.

Driving Social Transformation: The GK's Way

The face of poverty is seen all over the world. It is a serious global problem. The only way to combat this problem is if people all over the globe would heed the call to take action and lend a helping hand in bringing dignity back to the poor. This will not only solve the problem, but will pave the way for social transformation. In the Philippines, the movement has started because of Gawad Kalinga.

Through the help of Gawad Kalinga (which means “to give care” in English), a socio-religious organization that aims to bring dignity back to the poor and build a slum-free nation, poverty-stricken citizens in the Philippines and other parts of the world now have homes to call their own and are living more decent lives. Poor Filipino families are now given hope to rise up from the difficulties of their living condition.

By building homes for the homeless, giving food to the hungry, and equipping poor people with skills to leverage their lives, the socio-religious organization is slowly materializing its goal of building a slum-free nation. GK programs go beyond constructing houses. More importantly, Gawad Kalinga helps people build better lives. The GK movement is known to build communities for the poor, but the goal of the movement goes beyond site building and feeding programs. More importantly, Gawad Kalinga helps people hone their spirituality and outlook in life.

Massive volunteerism is what keeps the GK movement alive. Many have heeded the cry to help the movement achieve its humanitarian goals. Gawad Kalinga’s call for massive volunteerism has created a ripple effect that transforms the lives of volunteers and beneficiaries alike. Many have become living witnesses of how simple acts of kindness become the fuel of the movement towards social transformation. With ordinary people doing extraordinary feats of generosity and altruism towards achieving the GK vision, more and more lives would be transformed.

My Hopes for the Gawad Kalinga Philippines Vision

Will Gawad Kalinga Philippines succeed? I sincerely hope so.

There are environmental concerns, and there are social injustices such as poverty. Most people think that poverty is not the problem of society. Most people think that poverty is something that cannot be conquered because it will always be present. In the first world, you can still see slums and ghettos. But these places are not as bad as the slums in the third world. The Slums in Europe and the United states would look like paradise compared to dirty slums of the third world where small shanties made of thin mismatched boards and wood are built under bridges of extremely polluted rivers and canals. That is the reality of third world poverty. It’s not trailer parks or projects. It’s much worse.

This is why the Gawad Kalinga Foundation is such a big thing. It offers a way for this kind of poverty to be fought. If so, then perhaps this will slowly but surely usher in the company into the first world. During the Gawad Kalinga Global summit, the new vision of GK was announced. The GK1MB Youth Summit is aimed to pull one million volunteers to help build sturdy housing and sustainable communities for the future.

The Gawad Kalinga Foundation is going to change the world. If it succeeds, the project will be recreated in other Asian countries that have such a massive population living below the poverty line.

I hope things will go well for the future of Gawad Kalinga Philippines. I truly hope that this continues onto the future. I hope the communities are able to sustain themselves and produce new, hardworking and just men and women who will continue to strive for the future of their families.

Gawad Kalinga Founder - Gawad Kalinga pioneer sidesteps rift in ‘Couples for Christ’

Tony Meloto --- “We also provide the principles; we also provide the spirit. But anyone can come in.”

Antonio Tony Meloto “Gawad Kalinga Founder” is downplaying a split in the Catholic Church lay group Couples for Christ (CfC) that underpinned his highly successful Gawad Kalinga (GK) housing program to build a nation without slums, declaring “we are working more, talking less.”

The influential Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines was set to discuss the issue sometime this week, Church sources said, highlighting the gravity of the division in the movement established in the Philippines in 1981 and now has more than one million members in 160 countries.
Meloto, 57, whose work in Gawad Kalinga won for him and his organization the Ramon Magsaysay Award -- Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize -- for community leadership in 2006, spoke to the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Saturday, a week after CfC co-founder Frank Padilla announced his breakaway.

Padilla has formed the Restoration Movement, also called the Easter Group, according to a letter circulated in the United States by Ricky Cuenca, US coordinator of CfC, one of the world’s largest Catholic lay organizations.
“Couples for Christ and Gawad Kalinga are very much together. Gawad Kalinga remains a project of the Couples for Christ,” said Meloto, who stepped aside as executive director of GK in February purportedly to become an international ambassador of goodwill.
The February announcement then said GK was going global to improve the lives of the countless poor in other countries and that Meloto was to join Padilla, who also was GK chair, in the initiative.

“Walang iwanan (Nobody leaves),” Meloto then said.

Padilla in February resigned as member of the CfC council, the organization’s governing body, along with two other officials, according to the Cuenca report.

Over the weekend, during the launch of the two-day GK Township Development Summit at University of the Philippines, Meloto acknowledged the rift in the CfC and GK, CfC’s flagship housing and development project, that he attempted to keep under wraps.
Asked about Padilla’s claim that GK was veering away from CfC’s primary work of evangelization, Meloto said: “Our work in Gawad Kalinga is not a deviation but an expansion into the fullness of life and mission as CfC. The reason that some think that GK is taking a different direction is because we may be disrupting conventions. We are working more, talking less.”
He spoke about Padilla’s accusations that the GK was accepting donations even from corporations manufacturing artificial birth control products, contradicting the CfC’s pro-life stance.

On July 30, Padilla formed his faction, dubbed the Easter Group or sometimes the “Easter or Playboy Bunnies.” Apart from lashing out at the change of direction of GK “from spiritual to social,” Padilla and his group challenged the manner of choosing leaders in the CfC.
“If not for the love of God, the GK will not be doing this,” Meloto said. “There are groups who believe that there are other priorities and this work may not be their priority,” he said. “I do not want to speak about him, about what happened. Frank is a great friend. He has just now taken his own direction.”

In 2006, the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation cited GK for “harnessing the faith and generosity of Filipinos the world over to confront poverty in their homeland and to provide every Filipino the dignity of a decent home and neighborhood.”
Meloto was recognized for “inspiring Filipinos to believe with pride that theirs can be a nation without slums.”
Meloto’s encounter with CfC led him to leave a successful business career and devote his life full time to its work in 1985.
In 1995, he launched a work-with-the-poor ministry in Bagong Silang, a huge squatter relocation site in the Philippine capital and called it Gawad Kalinga -- “to give care.”

Drawing support and volunteers from CfC, Meloto decided to build houses and transformed the neediest area of Bagong Silang into a viable neighborhood with safe, sturdy and attractive homes -- the first GK village.

For more read: online inquirer