Wanted: Good Ideas
This cat was sitting near the corner of Roxas Boulevard and Quirino Avenue during President Cory Aquino’s funeral procession last Wednesday, August 5, 2009. Photograph by Ige Ramos.
A large part of the problem is that we know what we don’t want, but we don’t know what we want. We will protest against something and demand its removal, but we aren’t sure what to replace it with. We desire real change, it’s the particulars that elude us.
What we need are Good Ideas.
Do you have a useful, workable idea that would benefit large numbers of Filipinos? It could have something to do with Politics and Government, or Traffic Management, or The Environment, or Science and Technology, or Arts and Culture. Anything. If it’s a sound idea, we will help you pitch it to the people who might be able to make it happen. At the very least, we will give your good idea a good airing.
Post your Good Idea here. If it’s someone else’s idea, don’t forget to credit the originator. We like to think of ourselves as intelligent people; there must be something useful we can do to fix this country. Start thinking.
* * * * *
Carlson says the Chinese newspapers carried this report. During the funeral march from Manila Cathedral to the memorial park, there was a crowd of people walking behind the truck bearing the casket. It was raining, so the people nearest the truck opened their umbrellas. But because of the umbrellas, the people in the back could not see the truck. So the people in front put down their umbrellas.
We can be considerate to each other.
Keep the good ideas coming.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
August 10th, 2009 at 00:21
Why do we have such crappy drivers? Because no one knows what the rules are. The driver’s test is a joke – you get questions with the answers already encircled for you. My proposal? Automate the testing so no one can cheat – randomized list of 40 questions from a pool of thousand questions, so that each test is custom per applicant. It all starts with whom we allow to drive.
August 10th, 2009 at 00:36
For one thing, limit, if not cease the exporting of rice. We should first let Filipinos consume their own rice before we decided to sell it outside. We can export rice again if our own supply is stable.
Clean the rivers, lakes, streams and other bodies of water. We get our drinking water from these things, it’s only natural that we focus our attention on them. There might be laws that ensure this, but it isn’t being enforced properly.
Promote, through Mass Media and Educational Institutions, a positive (rather than an elitist) notion of the Arts and Culture. Instead of telling kids “Mahirap yan. Hindi mo maiintindihan.” we should say “Enjoy yan. Kayang kaya mo yang intindihin.” For starters, we could use Filipino Literature as bases for (decent) Teleserye adaptions.
We have a lot of good laws. The main problem is implementation, so I think a good system of Bureaucracy would benefit the country. I always said a system like China’s Imperial Examinations would be good. members of the different Departments, from city employee to Secretary, must pass an examination which is designed for the particular department. Also, appointment of Secretaries must be based on nominees from the Bureaucracy. This way, we don’t get Generals for Public Works or Energy Secretaries.
I’m sure other people have thought of this, but I came up with them on my own.
August 10th, 2009 at 08:25
Ako po ay mayroong modest proposal (pasintabi po kay G. J. Swift) na pagbawalan ang pagbebenta ng toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss at toothpick. Pagbawalan na rin ang pagmumog sa paggising sa umaga. Minumungkahi ko po ito kasi napansin ko ang Pinoy ay likas na madaldal. Napansin ko rin na pag bad breath ang isang tao, iniiwasan niyang magsalita. Magiging mas subsob sa trabaho ang lahat. Wala ng dakdakan sa mga Senate at Congressional hearings; ang mga MetroAides ay hindi na magtsitsismisan; ang mga trabahador sa opisina ay magtatrabaho na. Kung ang aking mungkahi ay matutupad, isa na lang ang ating problema; si Wowwowee na lang.
August 10th, 2009 at 08:36
we always complain that metro manila never runs out of traffic when we don’t follow street rules…why don’t we go back to the basics before we start sending new laws of orders…it saves a lot of trouble and a pail of saliva.
August 10th, 2009 at 09:09
we should have a uniformed “tongpats” system regardles of who will step into office, so that we dont need to moderate greed anymore and it will be attractive to our foreign investors, imagine if this becomes a reality, you’ll know already what to shell out if your caught beating the red light, either you have a dead presidents face or somebodies calling card
and the filipino minds has a whole lot of wonderful ideas alot of great inventions, its just that we are good at exporting them, hey! i could not blame them for doing this, being an OFW is the best option, rather than die hungry
August 10th, 2009 at 09:14
I think that a total overhaul of the education system is one of the first steps we need to take if we want to see some change here. We need to fix corruption and bureaucracy by making the bid process for books and other educational materials more transparent and easier to understand than it is now. By doing this, more private sector participants will be encouraged to be part of the bidding and procurement process and more high quality resources will be available to more students.
We need to give our teachers better salaries – enough so that they can lead dignified lives and not resort to activities like asking for briberies from publishing companies when choosing which book the school will adopt or giving grades like INC (in need of cash). We also need to train them to use technology so that they know the difference between a book report copy-pasted from sharetermpapers.com and actual proprietary work.
We need to overhaul the curriculum and take out the outdated / irrelevant ideas (i.e. wave of migration theory, memorizing the 77++ provinces and kabisera of the whole Philippines, place values, multiplying 7 digit numbers manually etc). We need to make students do less but more meaningful work. We also need to train them to use technology properly so they don’t grow up with the idea that the internet is just good for online hookups and instant homeworks c/o wikipedia and (again) sharetermpapers.com
Someone just has to lead this massive effort of working from the top down and at the same time, be able to entice young people who have the energy and drive to be part of the reform process and enforce the changes from bottom up. I really think that if we just spent a bit more time and effort in improving the level and quality of education here in the country, we will see long term change in our society’s structure and value system.
Okay, so all those motherhood statements aside, my idea (which is not that original) is this – why don’t we get some private sector groups and pool their resources to start a program similar to the one in the US where fresh grads go to various parts of the country and teach for 1 or 2 years and help change things up (is this called Teach for America)?. It’s similar to Gurong Pahinungod but it will be private-sector funded (i.e. the volunteers will not have to shell out to avoid starving to death and will be paid well, maybe the equivalent of a good call center’s starting salary) and done on a wider scale so that there could also be a cultural exchange component (i.e. kids from Mt. Province teaching in Sultan Kudarat). That should make use of our thousands of graduates who are undecided about what to do but have the energy and enthusiasm to work and do a bit of good for their country. It should also help bridge the divide amongst the various ethnic groups in the Phils and give us a better idea what others are instead of just relying on poorly drawn pictures in Sibika books and postcards from National Bookstore.
August 10th, 2009 at 09:57
Let’s simplify and improve the elections:
1) Elect senators by region instead of electing 12 of them at a time.
2) To prevent a repeat of 1992, where Ramos won the presidency with only 25% of the vote, have a presidential runoff.
3) Buy one take one. If you vote for a prez candidate, you get his VP too.
August 10th, 2009 at 10:44
Off the top of my head..
EDUCATE!
Teach the teachers! Improve the current system for the education of new teachers; teach them, not only the subjects they are to teach, but the methods to impart the knowledge to their students. No more talking to the chalkboards please! show them how to talk, how to stand, how to teach. teach them to inspire!
TEACHERS INSPIRE!
Be a teacher to your kids, your friends’ kids, your neighborhood kids, your pamangkins, pinsans, and any kid you encounter. Encourage reading, and throw out the television. Have your kids read for 2 hours after school; provide age-relevant reading material instead of parking them in front of the current teleserye. No books, encourage constructive play; patintero and luksong-tinik encourage physical development, while encouraging teamwork and laying the groundwork for social dynamics.
MAKE FRIENDS!
Kids learn from adults, and from their peers. Be a friend. Lead by example. Encourage good behavior, reward it even! Reprimand cheaters (kahit patintero lang, bawal ang madaya!) and make sure everyone knows it. Extend this outside your home.
CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!!
When you go out and eat, clean up the table when you’re done. Sure the fastfood chains all have clean-up crews, but why not do it yourself? It takes a minute to wipe up the table with your excess napkins and bring the tray to the stacking area.
WAIT IN LINE :)
Show some discipline; the elevator isn’t going to leave you behind, and if it gets too full, there’s another one coming. Same goes for the jeepney, and the taxi and the bus, and yes, even the MRT. You don’t want to be late? Wake up earlier then! And smile that you have another day to live :)
SAY PLEASE AND THANK YOU!!
Don’t forget the common courtesies your Mother taught you. May pinag-aralan ka naman, bakit hindi mo ipakita. Say please, say thank you. Be nice and smile at security guards when they inspect your bags. They’re doing their job.
DO YOUR JOB!!
Don’t spend the first half hour at your office putting on your face, or catching up with the latest chismis while standing around the water dispenser in the pantry. Deliver what you are being paid to do. Be professional. Don’t settle for puede na ‘yan in anything you do. Strive always to exceed expectations. Don’t rely on who you know to get by; learn, observe, and deliver to the best of your abilities.
LEARN SOMETHING NEW!!
Don’t be content with what you’re doing; learn something new. Expand your horizons. Teach yourself how to create an Excel file, or a Powerpoint presentation. People are only as good as their last achievement. Don’t become a redundancy.
More to come..
August 10th, 2009 at 10:49
I realized after I hyper-typed that these aren’t big ideas, but I think they can help if we all do them.
August 10th, 2009 at 11:34
There’s something about this prevalent “showbiz” culture that bothers me a bit. We end up with kids just wanting to be actors/singers/tvfolk or become doctors/athletes/lawyers who in turn transform into actors/singers/tvfolk mid-career.
I dunno. Must be the glamour and the money bit making ’em look cool.
Maybe if we portray Pinoys who practice actual viable crafts, from mechanics to carpenters to chefs, and to artists (the ones who work with their hands) and model-builders and computer programmers……. as people who are actually pretty cool. Not glamorous, but badass. Put ’em in situations where they would really shine and display their awesomeness.
Doesn’t have to be all Discovery Channel reality stuff. Even in fiction. Local TV shows that portray smart people as awesome because they prefer to use logical problem solving over their emotions in an environment teeming with crazy drama. These are the “bagong bayani” that I can depend on.
Oh and we need more epic metal. Less whiny brat music and “revivalism”, and do more songs about ancestral Pinoy warriors kicking butt in the name of good and justice.
August 10th, 2009 at 12:09
I posted this elsewhere, but can someone convince Juan Flavier to run for President next year?
I think he’s the only person in national politics who has his integrity intact (ignoring that clash on condoms with cbcp). Not a single bit of accusation on mismanaged funds, not coming from any dynasty, statements of assets and liabilities in single-digit million pesos (poorest senator by a mile), etc. etc.
August 10th, 2009 at 12:12
My friend came up with this idea..
We have lots of support groups for the environment, women, children, human rights..so why not an advocacy with unemployed men in their 30-40’s?
His rationale is simple. You see, more often than not, they are the ones who end up as criminals (or socio-paths), the ones stealing, robbing banks, kidnapping, and other illegal activities, all because of poverty. If we generate opportunities for them, afford them jobs for their security, they would not involve themselves in organized crime syndicates, force their children or wives to beg in the streets, or engage in all-day drinking or gambling.
At least, we empower them. Make them “real men” :)
August 10th, 2009 at 12:26
Change is overdue.
From People Power to Will Power.
It’s a new kind of revolution.
A revolution of the heart and mind.
A revolution that will uphold the values that Cory embodied.
A revolution that will prove that the Filipino is “worth living forâ€.
It’s time for Will Power.
Change that starts from within.
This is the ultimate tribute that we can give Cory.
So that her death will not be for naught.
1. I will be brave.
2. I will be gracious.
3. I will be faithful.
4. I will be hopeful.
5. I will be responsible.
6. I will be dutiful.
7. I will be honest.
8. I will be modest.
9. I will be others-oriented.
10. I will be good.
I will be Cory.
August 10th, 2009 at 13:17
Stop trying to solve the Metro’s traffic problems by building more flyovers, underpasses, tunnels, and all that. Use that money instead for countryside development. Use it help farmers produce more. We city folk are so darn spoiled. Traffic is the least of this country’s problems but we complain about it like our life depended on it.
August 10th, 2009 at 13:22
(1) Make quality education more affordable. Make it a right, not privilege.
(2) Make the electoral system work.
(3) Reduce number of political parties to 2 (ie, Good vs Better)
(4) Help make politics be about public service, not business.
(5) Live within means. Reduce bad debt.
(6) Put tax on cigarettes. Make it more expensive. Kids, don’t smoke until you’re capable enough to afford the stick. Don’t waste your parents’ hard-earned money over a silly vice. By the time you can afford it, you’ll realize that you don’t need a stick in the first place, that it’s difficult to earn money, and that second-hand smoke is annoying.
(7) Encourage each other to read. Be informed.
(8) Make TV sets more affordable. If every home has a TV set, and that couples have more programs to watch (or at least something to do) at night, then overpopulation can be solved.
(9) Reduce the number of telenovelas. We don’t need drama anymore. And please ban Willie Revillame.
(10) Put a tax on prostitution. They always say it’s just “work”. So let’s tax them like we would other workers.
August 10th, 2009 at 13:34
How about this for a start:
Getting rid of all these golf courses and using the land for something else; something a greater number of Filipinos can benefit from.
August 10th, 2009 at 15:23
Green home program which assists homeowners make their houses greener. Solar Panels, green roofs, etc.
Financial assistance to achieve this would be good too.
August 10th, 2009 at 16:53
I agree with all the great comments above. I just want to add some things.
Can we focus more on the other parts of the Philippines? We have more provinces and 7,106 more islands to be concerned with. Sure, Metro Manila is one big problem, but that doesn’t mean that we should leave the other provinces into the hands of politicos and their private armies. We have to encourage provinces to develop jobs that would help improve the citizens’ lives, than having those workers shipped to Manila on false pretenses of a better life. We have to encourage better communications and interaction with the provinces – they might need each other, they just don’t know it. Provinces should aspire to be the next Palawan.
I think we should revive agriculture. Why do we frown upon it? Because it’s less glamorous than an office job (fine, you took up BA or computer tech or fine arts, but you can still do something for this sector)? Because all the rich people/industries bought these huge tracts of lands for IT parks anyway? Because it’s outdated? We have the soil, the skills, and research data that says that it is economically viable – yet we’re importing rice. We just have to improve our medieval labor laws on this so that more could benefit. Development is not limited to building factories, malls, and pollution, and we should encourage investors to support it.
Also, from someone designing things, I think we should teach people how to appreciate art, culture, and design, and how it affects their lives without even knowing it. People deserve to know and understand these things. I like the suggestion above about cultural knowledge trading – by sharing these things, the individual would be encouraged to look upon and appreciate their own culture.
We should change the way we look at excellence – in school, work, family. Tama na yung “mahirap/masa lang ako, hindi ko abot yan.” Tama na yang mga palakasan na yan – our examples of success are limited to dirty government officials na “wais.” All this argument about class and Carlo J pains me.
Ang dami nating ideas pero tinatamad tayo. Kailangan talaga natin ng tiyaga. Let’s do our jobs and do them well. Maganda sana kung mula planning stage hanggang evaluation stage, sama-sama tayo sa pagbabago.
August 10th, 2009 at 16:57
Just a thought.
If money serves as stimulus for criminals to launch a career, then we must do something to dissuade them in pursuing what they believe as a lucrative profession. What we have to do is to reinvent the economic cycle, to devise a new way of acquiring things without the use of real, tangible dough — hence, a virtual replacement for it. Without cash and access to it crimes against person and property could be limited, if not totally eradicated. Who would steal your car or your jewels if there will be no buyer with cold cash to grab them? The only motive left for a potential thief to steal is just to trade his loot for his personal or immediate need, but that’s going to be tedious and complicated.
The question will be how everyone then shall earn for a living? How they’ll be compensated at work?
There is this point-earning scheme that credit card companies have been using for years to lure card holders to spend more than they should. These points are almost as good as cash. Earning enough points will enable a card holder to get a desired product in exchange. Why can’t this idea of point accumulation be applied to the work force and entrepreneurs then, in lieu of wages and profits? Besides, this could save the government a lot for printing and minting costs of real money.
It could work like this:
First, of course, is the law for the idea before the implementation.
• The Peso Point (PP) shall now be the existing currency, say PP50 to a US Dollar Point ($P), based on the existing exchange rates.
• The DTI, as expected, shall assign and monitor the corresponding price in points for all goods in the market.
• A job applicant shall be offered by the hiring company amount in points for a job, which the applicant will take into consideration, say, “We offer you PP20,000 a month with PP10,000 signing bonus plus other perks, what do you think?†For the minimum wage workers they shall get the minimum wage points as mandated by law.
• Every working personnel shall be assigned a personal account number and a corresponding card where earned points shall be stored. This card shall be tamper-proof — fraught with security features only the respective owner can use. Even those without jobs yet can apply for their own cards, just like having an SSS card.
• The said card is what the holder shall use in every buying transaction, and all commercial establishments shall honor and recognize it as the only mode of payment in the market.
• Transfer of said points to another account must undergo a legal process only through accredited point banks and this will be closely monitored by the Central Points Agency, a government agency under close scrutiny by the World Points Bank, thus ‘points laundering’ will be a deterrent for crooks.
These points then become intangible and steal-proof. To get points for yourself you have to work for it. It’s something based on merits well deserved not otherwise. Criminals cannot have them by sheer force or intimidation—that’s going to be a ‘pointless’ idea. They have to think of lawful jobs because THIEVES and HOLD-UPPERS are not included in jobs fair lists. This will result to a hard-working society of decent citizens, earning a living through legal means not resorting to crime.
Our law enforcers, eventually, will be focusing more on the so-called crimes of passion, crimes of advocacy (ironically, of religion), and other related cases, which are not as rampant as those motivated by greed. There will be no bank robberies (what’s to rob?), no more kidnappings (unless they’ll take a bagful of imaginary points as ransom), and no more drug or gun trafficking, etc. We just have to expect some of its downsides, particularly to the private sector. Those to be greatly hit will be the vault and duffle bag manufacturers — and piggy bank saving is going to be a sentimental lost art for kids. We will also be missing the printed images of our beloved heroes and ex-Presidents, same with the bulge the bills create in our wallets — and no more toss-coins to resolve disagreements.
I think the government will just have to provide prostitutes their own plastic swipers, too — to check a client’s points card for available balance before any ‘transaction’; of course that’s unless prostitution becomes a legit trade like fastfood.
If finally in effect, it could elicit envious enunciations like, “Hey look, here comes that pointy dude.â€
August 10th, 2009 at 17:14
Eep. Editing errors.
*these for “all this”
*his for “their own culture.”
August 10th, 2009 at 17:57
1. Mandatory Hardcore Reading since 5th grade. Let the students devour fiction literature books every day, I don’t care what it takes. Just a system to make this happen can ultimately achieve a Heidegerrian kind of good being, and make all Friedman’s Utility Theory and Culture of Innovation and Green Revolution surprisingly well-predicted by Marx’s successful plan to achieve perfect society happen. The perfect non-postmodern world starts here.
–Just about to finish a LeCarre novel. I doubt I get it the way I’m expected to, but I feel I decide better now that I’ve been consistently reading and finishing a book at least once a week.
2. Make J.D. Salinger a required reading for elementary public school students; something done only on private school institutions. Or any book Palanca Winners, The New York Review of Books, The Guardian or Nobel Institute recommend. Heck, make sixth grade pupils read F. Sionil’s Mass, I don’t care. This way, the kids would not have the chance to plagiarize their book report or pay for a downloaded custom-made essay. Unless their parents help them do it. A great system of managing this balance should be done.
3. Stop all this Public Grade School and High School award-giving pageantry manure.
This is serious, and I appreciate a counter-comment to clarify this. Here’s why:
As a kid, I was always under the impression of being one of the intelligent ones, what with all the ridiculous giving of awards and phony condescending Recognition for Leadership pageantry I was getting. Not until I got my first copy of a Harper Lee novel in college and reread some of the essays I did way back and realized the unbelievably hideous syntax and paltry grammar of a writing the entire Public Educational System rooted for and based all their given recognition by, did I realize I was one of the dumbest kids I know. Worse, I’ve been made oblivious about it all along, all the more making me stupider. The effect of this realization to my morale was unbelievably shocking, I dropped out of school. Of course, I may have been just ungrateful and it could also have been blamed on the phony bastards in college, but still…i don’t know what I am anymore intellect-wise.
And I realized, this is the case mostly with all those public school “valedictorians, et. al” who got all those government raves about how smart they seem to be. They’re mostly plaguing law studies, publicly declaring their plans to be politicians and continue their politician parents’ oblivious goal of serving the people while serving themselves first. And by that time, it’s all too late for them to doubt their intelligence. Since with the help of their God and their self-professed calling of their greatness, their ego-changing is as possible as a blind kid appreciating a .JPG image. These people are then contributing to the cycle of that manure. And then the maintenance of apartheid-supporting culture continues.
I can’t stress this reading enough.
3. Teach all high school students how to use torrents to download stuff legally. Or otherwise, whatever. (An article in The Guardian showed that those movies illegally downloaded are mostly blockbuster hits that eat a large chunk of the movie-watching population that should have watched those non-postmodernly plot-driven insightful productive films; thus, more great films are going to be brought to mainstream since the balance is made.)
4. Reading everything this blog recommends like crazy, until it gives you eye-floaters. In fact, I think Christianity only really works in this nation because people have not been reading stuff like this enough, or they’ve been reading the wrong stuff (e.g. the 1987 Constitution as a source book to declare what rights should be universalized).
But the sad question is, to paraphrase Holden, how can we know if all this really works? Truth is, there’s really no way of knowing.
August 10th, 2009 at 18:40
A truly national broadband. Democratize technology. Allow people to telecommute whenever possible. Build classrooms in malls and in internet cafes. The goal is to keep everyone in their hometown. This will solve two of our major problems: traffic and dependency on oil.
Replace the tandem of Pitoy Moreno and Stella Marquez de Araneta with more pageant astute (preferrably gay men) people to head Binibining Pilipinas Charities.
August 10th, 2009 at 20:22
The government should really exert its utmost effort to resolve the issue of Terminal 3 so that all airline tenants of the dilapidated Terminal 1 can move to Terminal 3. Close Terminal 1 or make it just a cargo terminal. I believe Terminal 3 is good enough to make a good impression to the tourists and hopefully help to boost our tourism earnings. And what about extending the Baclaran MRT station to service the airport terminals too?
By the way, can’t the government buy lands around NAIA to create another runway? What’s the use of new terminals if airlines frequencies are hindered by the lone airstrip?!!
If this can’t be done then close all of NAIA terminals, and move all flights to DMIA and build high speed train connection from there to the city centers.
August 10th, 2009 at 20:22
1) Encourage college or high school students to volunteer their time in tutoring younger, less fortunate kids (like the Big Brother / Big Sister program in the US). It must be a continuing program where they are expected to deliver results (they can get credits for every child that shows improvement in academic performance).
2) Feature a Gawad Kalinga story or update in every church service, and require church leaders (priests, nuns, lay ministers) to volunteer a certain amount of time to a GK community. This can set an example for other church-goers.
3) Make LGUs accountable for their community’s public school performance, i.e. they can only get a percentage of their funding if the public schools achieve certain benchmarks that are at par with private school ratings.
4) Re-educate gov’t employees on what public service really means. “Incentivise” good performance with a comprehensive rewards and recognition program.
5) Have the balls to implement a TRUE population management program.
6) Encourage micro-financing.
7) Ban the practice of putting gov’t officals’ names on billboards and posters for public works projects. Why should they get credit for something that taxpayers paid for?
8) Re-define early campaigning to include infomercials and the like even BEFORE the Certificate of Candidacy is filed. There must be a way to prevent these scheming trapos from circumventing the law.
9) Use the Phil Information Agency (PIA) or the Office of the Press Secretary to create a widespread information campaign highlighting the best of Filipino values and traits. Give incentives to artists who use patriotic themes (ala Francis M) in their works.
10) Implement a “Filipino Pride” day every month. People can go out and wear a patriotic dress/shirt/decal and get discounts / freebies in popular establishments.
August 10th, 2009 at 22:34
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——– MANDATORY TREE PLANTING —————
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A tree should be sponsored/planted for every Filipino. So if you are 10 in the family, that’s equal to 10 additional trees.
More trees, cleaner air. Cleaner air, better health for everyone.
More trees, fewer flood. Fewer flood, less hassle during rainy season.
More trees, cooler weather. Cooler weather, everyone’s in a better mood.
More trees, less greenhouse effect. Less greenhouse effect, incessant ice from the poles. Ergo, more land (or ice) area for polar bears to walk on to hunt.
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——– PLASTIC BAG-FREE SHOPPING ————–
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Groceries and shopping centers should promote plastic bag-free purchasing. Whenever in a mall, I make sure I have my messenger bag with me to put all my purchases in.
Some establishments are already making the move. This should be made mandatory.
Less plastic, less garbage, greener Philippines.
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——– TRASH BIN IN EVERY STREET CORNER —-
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If that’s not enough, install two, make it three, trash bins in every block, Have these colored in every shocking color imaginable, so nobody would miss it.
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——– ENFORCE WASTE SEGREGATION —-
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I can’t say this enough, but proper waste management should be made known to everyone, and I mean every single, Filipino living and breathing and contributing to the immense metropolitan garbage.
There should be 2 hours worth of television airtime everyday alloted to comprehensive information dissemination re this.
August 11th, 2009 at 01:43
Educate…Educate…Educate.
So we can give rise to a better informed electorate and stop voting movie stars into office just because they looked “cool” on the celluloid.
So we may have the discretion to not blindly follow the Catholic Church’s sometimes ultra-conservative (and not all too practical) pull on the way we live our lives and run our government.
So we can stop going to the streets to depose president after president only to replace them with another one of the exact same make and model.
So we can perhaps be more original with our ideas instead of mimmicking everything and anything foreign.
So we can grow a spine and help ourselves.
August 11th, 2009 at 01:49
Mabuhay ang pusang may dilaw na tali sa leeg! I have some ideas I would like to share with people in the coming days. There are so many that I have been keeping in my mind for years that I don’t know where to begin. Soon!
August 11th, 2009 at 06:07
The Philippines has a lot of problems, but in my opinion, one of the bigger ones that slow down productivity is really the heavy traffic in Metro Manila. What I would suggest is remove the traffic lights in major intersections, and introduce roundabouts (rotonda). There have been several studies (I assume a quick Google would do) showing less traffic accidents and smoother traffic when roundabouts have replaced traffic lights. To be optimized, this of course presumes discipline and basic road courtesy, but I believe those will eventually follow from strict rule implementation – see Subic. Baby steps are key.
August 11th, 2009 at 06:59
A fully subsidised or funded national health system (doctors, hospitals and vital medication) and fully funded education – from elementary through to tertiary with entry strictly limited only by merit and effort.
That would be a good start.
August 11th, 2009 at 10:57
Amen on the traffic/driver’s ed suggestions.
Me: BOOST AGRICULTURE. Develop it, support it, subsidize it, R & D it, focus on it, make it a priority, make it a profit center, put it in the limelight!
We do not want for land, we do not want for people to till land. Let’s make use of what we have and be damn good at it. This will not only put food on our tables but more importantly put food on the tables of people who produce the food we put on our tables.
Imagine a self-sufficient countryside and a self-sufficient Philippines. People need not leave for the city centers to survive, people need not leave for other countries to earn.
August 11th, 2009 at 11:55
1. More libraries.
Get big corporations to each establish community libraries. Our public school system is not enough to educate our kids. We need Filipino kids to discover books, get into the habit of reading, and figure things out for themselves–and they can do all this if they’re exposed to a wider world via reading, and yes, if there is more money, access to better technology and the Internet.
I know this isn’t a new idea and there are many NGOs as well as concerned individuals who are doing book drives to benefit poor communities, but we need to involve the big companies in this.
My scheme is simple: Get the big companies to build and sponsor community libraries where they have a strong presence. For example, JOllibee is practically in every block in the archipelago. Can’t they make it a requirement for franchise holders to build/establish a library in the area where they’re opening a fast-food outlet?
The malls are also good venues. I think Robinsons Galleria did this before though I’m not sure if the library in that mall still exists. There are practically many SMs and Robinsons throughout the country, why can’t they build or sponsor libraries?
As to what to put in them, the books need not be new (although better if they are). I’m sure there are a lot of people who will want to donate their old books.
2. More cooperatives and micro-lending facilities.
We have to help people help themselves. This isn’t a new idea but I think communities would benefit more if there were more options for them to raise money for small businesses. The banks all need a lot of requirements and paperwork. I say cut down the paperwork and make the loan terms easier on the pocket so that more people can avail of seed money to start businesses with. I know that there’s a risk the money won’t come back, but many studies have shown that there’s a high rate of payments for small loans. People know the value of paying off debts, just give them better incentives and rates for doing so.
3. More green-based initiatives. I like what maccoy said about mandatory tree-planting. I’d go one step further and say that there should be a mandatory parks act. Each LGU is required to have at least one area designated as a park. That way our cities maintain their greenness. I’ve been in a lot of places abroad and one thing I’ve always noticed about Metro Manila is that it’s dusty and gray! We need more green spaces. As for places outside Metro Manila, they should maintain their greenery so a law like this should be mandatory.
Of course, the size and number of parks should be proportionate to how big your city/minicipality is.
Aside from lessening pollution, more green will make us all less stressed.
3. Ban signages from politicians saying, “This stretch of the highway was brought to you by Congressman Kurakot (or insert “favorite” politician’s name here). This really ticks me off coz in the first place, it’s not his money he’s using, it’s the people’s money. In the second place, why put a sign when fixing the highway/waiting shed/etc is part of your job!
4. Concentrate on urban/national planning. We should have plans for where we want our country to be in, say, 20 years from now–in terms of infrastructure, roads, number of graduates–what kind of graduates, what jobs are available to give these graduates, population control, etc.–like what other advanced countries are doing. We have to make projections and work toward these goals.
For instance, say we do the math and find out we need more engineers in 2030. What are we doing now to make this a reality? We can’t always have a knee-jerk reaction toward education and job generation, like what’s happening with the call center culture.
Nothing wrong with call centers–they’re serving a need and bringing in much-needed revenues. But what’s the overall impact of these companies? There are health issues here taht haven’t been looked into. The constant pressure to generate sales/quotas, etc., the inverted day/night work environment, not to mention the habits that accompany this (a beer-drinking session at 8am, anyone?) will have lasting effects on these kids–and we’re talking about the generation that’s going to be our leaders 20-30 years down the line.
There’s also the effect the call-center culture has on kids’ psyches. They’ll learn to speak really good English (or at least, faux American-accented English, which is considered good in these parts), but because their jobs require them to do things by rote and to follow the collective, there’s not much avenue for original thinking. We’re encouraging a herd mentality and this can’t be good for our future.
5. Let’s all learn how to do things via due process and not cut corners. I know this isn’t a concrete idea, but we need a change in attitude to the way we do things. We’re so used to cutting corners, making pakiusap, or, as in the case of the government, staging another “people power” if we don’t like the current situation. We need to bite the bullet, people and (wo)man up.
Get caught in a traffic violation? Man up and get your ticket. PRocess it the right way instead of paying off the traffic cop. Sure, it’s more hassle, but somewhere somehow, we need to start respecting due process or we’ll never get anywhere.
There’s a time for cutting corners and a time for falling in line. Now is the time for falling in line.
August 11th, 2009 at 13:15
1) There are some micro finance agencies/ cooperatives in the Philippines that are utilising KIVA as a way to get more funds to lend to their members. I hope that more cooperatives/NGOs/micro finance groups can get accredited thru KIVA. It opens up access to capital for our micro entrepreneurs. I have lent money to a filipina entrepreneur in Mindanao who needs just a small amount to expand her sari sari store.
2) My sister is a school teacher. Every year, she spends money on her classroom: fresh coat of paint, curtains, school display materials etc. She does that becase that’s one of the main criteria in her evaluation. I think such outmoded evaluation of teacher performance should be done away with. To whoever it was that suggested that teacher pay be improved, I heartily agree with you!
3) The government should invest in its teachers and doctors. There should be a scholarship scheme instituted wherein in exchange for the scholarship, the teachers/doctors will serve the country (either publicly or privately, id prefer publicly though) for a minimum of four years.
4) Government bidding processes, especially for foreign funded infrastructure projects, must be made more transparent. More representation from civic organisations is necessary. Also, public must be involved in the bidding process and it should be made out in the open.
5) For Gawad Kalinga and other charities in the Philippines: I;m one of those Pinoys abroad that would like to donate but just find it hard to do so. Can’t you set up an online portal for that? donations made via credit card would make it easier for you guys to access funds. Please do so. Or why not set up an integrated website for all charities, making it easier for us to donate?
6) I hope they do a film adaptation of Katy the musical. :)
7) Government should make art accessible to the masses. I propose that selected cinemalaya entries be toured around the country. Hopefully the government will recognise the economic contributions of the creative arts community by giving it the attention it deserves.
8) For all Filipinos: this coming election, let’s not sell our votes. We’ve done that previously and look where it got us.
August 11th, 2009 at 13:30
1. Transportation (specifically public transportion) – most people ‘want’ to drive because of the hideous state of public transportation all over the country. Metro Manila just has it worse. Faster/more trains, and cleaner, (MRT/LRT) will help ease the decongestion. Fix the franchising of the jeepneys/buses by taking the 10year old vehicles off the road. Do a ‘trade-in’ program if necessary. Fund it using the franchising fees. Better public transpo (see Europe) will encourage more to take it (less hassle, cheaper) instead of private cars.
2. Communication – fiber(-optic) to the home. Let the ISP’s compete on services. Have the infrastructure constructed by government, and usage licensed to private service providers or LGU’s. Treat internet connectivity as a utility like electricity and water. Get information/knowledge to the people. And NO CENSORSHIP. We all know the ‘Net has a low signal-to-noise ratio and there is a boatload of sh*t out there. Teach the users on how to determine the good from the bad, then leave them alone to decide what’s good for themselves. Censorship/filtering is bad for the users. The ‘net treats censorship/filtering as damage and will route around it, so it’s pointless.
3. Intellectual Property – fix the state of copyright. Right now we have death+50 years copyright for content creators. No one needs that much. A writer/musician/artist shouldn’t hold our ‘collective culture’ hostage to his desire for wealth. One of the reasons a lot of people want to become actors/musicians is because of this. Artists should earn their living by continuing to provide quality art, not create a one-hit wonder then retire for life. After an artist earns compensation for a piece of art (music, painting, writing) for a reasonable period of time (15-20 years, expires 5 years after death, whichever comes first), release it to the public domain so the people can use it to further enrich our culture. Patents should be 15-20 years also. Patents should apply to execution of ideas, not the ideas themselves. We need to fix this before other countries impose their own broken models on us (USA is prime example with their RIAA).
4. Education – SEPARATE religion from science/education in general. Public/government operated schools/universities should not teach religion. Lower education (grade/high school) should focus on teaching ‘critical thinking’ and basic science/math/communication skills. University level should focus on general field education on the first 2 years then field specialization on the later parts. Encourage post-graduate research. Fund R&D in state universities and encourage private universities to engage in R&D.
5. Prohibited/Restricted substances/activities – legalize and heavily tax low-impact drugs (alcohol, nicotine, marijuana). Set up “legitimate” areas for “red-light” activities. Most big crime organizations traffic in the currently illegal, but high margin, activities. They are high margin because of the risk involve. Lower the risk, and the barriers to entry, let the free market take over, but tax/regulate those activities/substances.
August 11th, 2009 at 18:10
change the name of the country to manila. this way, the man from the province will stop longing to go to manila (and further congest its traffic) because, hey, he’s already there.
August 12th, 2009 at 05:52
type format c: (a real revolution where millions will die and start a government from scratch, like the french revolution)
August 12th, 2009 at 21:12
Mine’s simple: renovate and use the Manila Film Center as a national theater for film. Admit it, it’s a magnificent building that blends beautifully with the brutalist architecture of the entire CCP complex. And hasn’t it occurred to the government that we have no real national film center?
“Ghosts” is not a good enough answer why we don’t use the building. Enough urban legend! There’s nothing as backward and embarrassing as a superstitious nation. Besides, the tragic accident happened decades ago. For heaven’s sake, let’s move on.
August 14th, 2009 at 04:14
OK, here’s my Idea: we make everyone who’s gotten a masters degree required to teach at least one graduate school class for one semester for free. This means giving just two or three hours a week tops. The savings the schools make can be translated into cheaper tuition or scholarships for poor but deserving students. This can have a multiplier effect, because the cheaper grad school is, the more people can get them. I’m taking my MBA now, and I while I realize why schools make this degree so expensive, I think it’s wrong that only people with money (or, in my case, fathers who want them to get the degree they themselves weren’t able to finish when they were younger) can afford it. I say we give graduate education to the masses.
August 14th, 2009 at 22:35
I think the top 3 problems of the Philippines are: 1. overpopulation 2. graft and corruption 3. poor educational system. Most other problems somehow stem from this big 3.
One small thing I’d like to see is the outlawing of those advertisement trucks (I dunno what they’re called but the ones that bear no other load or cargo save for large ads for TV shows or products, and do nothing but drive around all day. They burden our already heavy traffic, not to mention add to pollution.
Another thing we can do is invest in recycling facilities, wastewater treatment plants (or “pollution control plants”) that most other big cities–like London for instance–have. We are staggering under the immense pollution we ourselves are generating. Time will come when we will be overwhelmed by garbage. This would cost a lot of money, I know, but we should adopt better sewage systems, and make the poso negro system obsolete. Dumping it all on landfills, canals or dead rivers is simply not a solution. We need more institutional support and mechanisms for nationwide recycling.
August 16th, 2009 at 18:27
An effective family planning program that appeals to the “What’s in it for me?” mentality prevalent in our society these days. Inasmuch as the, I presume, the poor rears children mostly on the hope that these kids would bring them out of the state they are currently in, why not incentivize them having lesser children along that line of thinking? Why not, for a family that promises to bring up only one child, that child gets a free education plus all additional expenses needed for him to finish that education i.e. food, shelter and clothing. The works. Of course, certain conditions should be agreed upon e.g. vasectomy for the father and ligation for the mother (the two, just to be sure), no criminal records nor future criminal cases for the parents, no failing grades, etc. A lot can be tied into this program that I think will benefit a lot of individuals and our society as whole, but careful and thorough thinking should be made to ensure the sustainability and success of the program.
August 20th, 2009 at 18:32
The Philippines needs better leadership. I’m sure no one disputes this fact. People respond to good leaders and we’re a nation starved of quality leaders to lead our people.
The upcoming election has the potential to be a great platform to address the above points. If we want a better system and a better governing body to move the country forward, one of the most important initial steps is to choose the right leader. Since we want something more for our country, don’t we have the right to demand more from the person who will become our potential leader?
In my opinion, the idea to address this concern has to be practical and relatively simple to implement where the most number of people will easily be able to lend support.
This is my idea: let’s start a movement for better leadership that every concerned individual can participate in.
Imagine this scenario: All presidential aspirants must put together a list of ten things they will do to make our nation great if they become president. Furthermore, they will provide a tangible form of measurement for each of the ten points. Then, they will state how they will be held accountable for the success or failure to accomplish the things on their list.
How do we do it: This is where the movement comes in. A lot of people have great ideas for how to improve our country. Why don’t we all make our own lists on 10 Things I Will Do To Make the Nation Great If I Become President of the Philippines. We setup a website for it, then advertise this movement so that everybody knows about it and can submit their own lists. We feature the best lists or combine the best ideas. We’ll hold a contest and post the best idea lists on all major newspapers.
If the movement becomes big enough, people start talking. Once people talk, the nation starts to know about it. Once the nation knows about it, presidential aspirants will know about it and be forced to make out their own lists and state how they will be accountable for it. We’ll require them to:
• Talk about their lists
• Put the list on the front page of their campaign website
• Put it on a billboard so everyone knows their plans
• Insert it in their campaign stickers.
• Make a commercial out of it
• Tell us how they’ll do it
• Be accountable for the list: tell us what they’ll sacrifice if they don’t achieve it
• The one elected president will, every SONA, we go back to the list and give us a status report on its progress
Several people have already contributed ideas to this blog, Why not ask people to elaborate, make their plans tangible, compile them into a list, and submit the list to the movement. That way we increase awareness of both the importance of choosing a leader who’s campaigning with a clear set of goals in mind and who’s just out there for a popularity contest.
September 2nd, 2009 at 20:58
I know that in one way or the other, all Filipinos would have that desire to go to our beloved city – Baguio City. Well, I am from Baguio City. I was born here, grew up, and lived… and still living. Those of you who came to Baguio City lately, you would agree that we have garbage problem. I am proposing a Waste to Energy project in the city and in all other cities in our country. Its a lot better than any landfill technology (old or new). Its high time that we give emphasis on taking care of our environment – its our country, the only Philippines we have.
Right now, I am doing a very small part in trying to reduce the abuse that we ourselves had and has been giving the Earth. I process used cooking oil or waste vegetable oil into biodiesel. This biodiesel is being used by the public transport office for their member jeeps and cabs. I can only produce 500 liters per day. Used Cooking oil is expensive here. I have been asking the DOH to categorically declare that the re-use of used cooking oil for cooking or as extender for animal (pigs and chickens) feeds is hazardous to us who eat the food from it. This way, restaurants and food chains can either give it to us or sell it at a very low price. Where do we dispose our used cooking oil at home? Down the drain… anywhere… garbage (that goes anywhere)… Please give it to us. Some household and community organizations (religious) are trying their best to give us what ever they collected. We need more waste cooking oil. This way we can make more biodiesel and more jeeps and cabs can avail of it at a price lower than its petroleum counterpart. With 20% blend, its already a big big help in reducing cancer causing particulate matters and hydrocarbons. I want to make more than enough biodiesel that once its over the required allotment for the public transport sector, we can begin to use it for cooking our everyday food at home. This will really reduce the toxic gases that are in our homes every time we open our gas stoves (before our stoves get ignited, it releases a lot of the toxic gas first, then the fire catches it. Our time is now. Let us not allow the dependence of imported oil to dictate how we live our lives.
September 2nd, 2009 at 21:52
“Crabs in a barrel.” I’m sure once upon a time in our lives we’ve heard this phrase as a description to the people of our country. I remember hearing this when I was in elementary. As the analogy goes: Each time one is nearly out of the barrel, one of our own will pull us back in.
If that is what we teach children, how do we expect them to aspire for more? To work within their means and bring better to our country? We’ve trained them to think that life in another country as a blue collar employee is far better than any middle class citizen here.
How could we blame them? This country treats our graduates like produce, ripe and ready to be exported and just like produce, the best are exported and the not so good apples remain. (Remember the Nursing Boom/Brain Drain? Doctors in the Philippines taking night classes/crash courses for a diploma in nursing to leave the country?)
The best that want to stay need to go because they are not provided by the country to expand what they know or given the means to do something in their field of expertise in fear of losing foreign funding. (Think: the water car not being funded in fear of losing the big three [Petron, Caltex and Shell]; call center agents that hold cumlaudes)
My idea? Take care of these people. How?
1. Politically: Have the graduates work in the country for at least five years after graduation before they are allowed to leave. Of course you’re not suppose to force them to work, add good details like insurance and incentives for their families so that they’ll like to stay here. A decree? A bill?
2. Government: Set your priorities. Foreign investment is well and good, but it should not matter more than the Filipino people. Every good idea counts, and every idea has potential. Do not turn down good ideas for the fact that they may cost us foreign investors. The only thing this is teaching us is to wait for the fish instead of fishing ourselves.
3. Exchange programs and lots of it. After all, what better way to learn but from experience. Why not give our college students a chance to experience what we aim to do? Send college students to apprenticeships and intern ships abroad in their fields of interest and study. Give them something to dream about, give goals and encourage them to aim high. Then when they graduate they already have experience to help the country.
4. Lastly, bring home the great minds. Just like having the graduates work here for five years before they leave, those that have been out of the country for so long should come home and share what they’ve learned. Then send the graduates that have just served us out. It keeps both our country growing and keeps the wells of knowledge full.
At the end of it all, people would stay if there was a reason to stay. It’s time the government make that reason a priority.
September 7th, 2009 at 14:23
To promote the following:
a. Brown is beautiful campaign. Yeah, it sounds like a commercial for a beauty ad, but I’ve had enough of these pampaputi products. Though not exactly a retaliation for that, the intention is to really boost the confidence of mostly moreno Filipinos. There is nothing with being brown.In fact, we have to celebrate it. We should be proud of our skin color.
b.Be responsible people. We should promote a community that is responsible for their action. Let us stop asking for so much from our government. They can not solve all of our problems. If we want to have a better life, instead of voting for someone that promises you a rose garden, vote for someone who would give you opportunities to make your life better, by providing accessible but quality education, good health care and cheaper medicines etc.
c. Promote multilingualism in the country.Since we have a knack for languages, I suggest that it is mandatory for students to learn filipino, english, one foreign language and 1 regional language. we do not aim to master all of them. the key is communication and reaching out, not necessarily fluency.
September 11th, 2009 at 23:09
(Reposting from your other entry, just in case it gets missed.)
Civilians can apply for a license to be a cabbie deputy. A cabbie deputy will be trained to report offenses of cabbies to the MMDA.
Cabbies will be required to post their license details in their cabs and cab windows (visible from the outside), all tagged by an easily recalled alpha-numeric code (something like a plate number for drivers with a professional driver’s license).
Rude cabbies can be reported to MMDA via call, text, or email (whatever is cost-efficient and achievable). When MMDA receives ten unique reports on a cabbie, the cabbie will be tagged as an errant. The cabbie will be fined when he renews his driver’s license.
The ten unique deputy reports may not remove reasonable doubt, but it puts into question the cabbie’s pattern. (Ten unique offenses reported by ten unique licensed deputies is difficult to fake.)
===
Either we do this, or we sell spikes to civilians. The spikes can be thrown under the cab’s wheel just as the cabbie tries to speed away. The cabbie will be too scared to risk a flat tire, so he/she will be generally nice to everyone.
October 27th, 2009 at 14:21
1. To help in feeding the marginalized within a community. Each barangay may assign public spaces like along the community basketball court, the sidewalks etc to be planted with edible plants (paco, talinong, malunggay etc). Each barangay or cluster of barangay may take the responsibility of tending these gardens. It should be made open for people specially the poor who can just harvest some for their daily meals. Their barangay leaders in partnership with other groups in the community (like the parish pastoral council, NGOs etc) can organize short seminars on what food can be prepared from these gardens.
2. On continuing worthwhile accomplishments of present crop of local leaders. A most lamentable practice among our politicians is once they get into position and if their predecessors are not their friends, chances are that whatever good that may have been accomplished by their predecessors are readily and easily discontinued. I, therefore, suggest for creation of a bill that will “Propose for the Continuance of Good Governance”. We need to institutionalize those good practices and obligate / challenge future leaders to build on what has been previously accomplished. It is always cost effective, more efficient and worthwhile to continue what is already working well and improve it rather than tear down practices and start from scratch.
November 4th, 2009 at 16:59
1. THE NEXT TECHNOLOGY – I believe cellphones are one of the recent technologies that benefits almost everyone. I see the next technology with the same magnitude of results with that of cellphones and other revolutionary inventions, will be like a SPACE RECORDER. It records every space in the universe with the aid of a signal. If materialize, I thought a somewhat like perfect universe will be at hand. I hope this will be made by Filipinos, otherwise any individual around the world that sees logic about this.
2. USE OF EXCEPTIONAL INTELLIGENCE BY FILIPINOS – A.) World Science & Math champions, B.) Masters & Doctors of Engineering, Science and Technology, C.) Anyone with excellent IQs and ordinary beings with million dollar worth of Ideas. Tap all these individuals to design and come into reality the next technology (not necessarily the one stated above), that are with similar benefits to what the World has because of Computers, Cars, etc. If in reality these were made by Filipinos, maybe Phils. won’t be exporting OFWs to clean houses and be maltreated, instead a traffic of finest product a World to grab. Respect to anyone sometimes have something to do with what you do and not always because you are doing the right thing. The saying “MAGALING ANG PINOY” has to be hoisted to higher echelon in terms of Products not just be limited to usual small and redundant things.
3. BAYANIHAN TO CLEAN PASIG RIVER – Clean Pasig river by assigning water space to clean up to its riverbed at least maybe 5 meters wide from one side to the other side of the water area, per Barangay (depending on No. of population) of Municipalities and Cities in Metro Manila. Each area has to be maintain its cleanliness.
4. More to come.
December 2nd, 2010 at 20:24
We need an internal moral revolution where we do not seek to glorify ourselves or make our family proud but humbly contribute to the wellbeing of Philippine society. We need to change our ways of thinking. Pwede na, ningas cogon, Filipino time, bahala na and other superstitions must be shunned by friends and family alike making those who follow it social pariahs so that they will be forced to change themselves if they want to take part in social interactions.