…i LiVe by MY RuLes..

n. a manner of being extremely controversial, loud, or attention-grabbing . The term is commonly used to refer to the media, and the notion that media outlets often choose to report heavily on stories with shock value or attention-grabbing names or events, rather than reporting on more pressing issues to the general public.

This is exactly what The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) just did with their story dated Jan. 28, 2009. I understand  every media outlet has an agenda. With all the competition in the counntry’s leading newspapers, there has to be some financial engineering going on to achieve top-rank, right? But compromising responsible journalism isn’t something this nation would appreciate, especially during these troublesome times. Going as far as writing headlines like “Cement giant closes 4 plants” when your story tells something entirely different is way out of line. The labor sector already has enough jitters nowadays; making us squirm through false headlines is entirely unnecessary. If other papers can get it straight without being so controversial, then why can’t PDI do so, too?

So, just for the record, Holcim Philippines isn’t closing. To quote HPHI’s COO, Ian Thackwray: “To be clear: at this time, we have no need to shut plants or retrench people. We will adapt to market demand by having small, short, shutdowns, as needed, where needed - without laying off people.”

———————————————————–

Media Release

No shutdown for Holcim Philippines

Makati City, Philippines, 27 January 2009 — Leading cement company Holcim Philippines said today that it has no plans to cease operations in any of its cement plants. 

Holcim Philippines Chief Operating Officer Ian Thackwray said, “We will continue to run our plants and, in fact, expect improvements in our manufacturing efficiencies again this year.”

A report earlier had said that Holcim Philippines is considering a plant shutdown.

“Short shutdowns of a specific production line are always an option for any manufacturer when supply outpaces demand in a particular market”, explained Thackwray. “This might happen more often when demand is soft, but it’s a normal occurrence. Since these are temporary, they will not result in any job losses. We have no intention of closing a plant.”

Holcim Philippines has a workforce of 1,500 employees with strategically located cement plants in La Union, Bulacan, Davao, and Misamis Oriental.  These plants enable the company to ensure stable supply in all its markets, accounting for a clinker production capacity of 6.5 million metric tons and cement production capacity of 7.7 million metric tons per year.

Thackwray said that Holcim continued to invest in its production systems and facilities last year, consistent with its objective of ensuring superior product quality while faithfully complying with strict environmental standards. “These investments show that we’re here to stay, and that we remain committed to doing everything we can to maintain our position as market leader.”

* * * * * * *

About Holcim

Holcim is one of the world’s leading suppliers of cement and aggregates (crushed stone, gravel and sand) as well as downstream activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt. The Group holds majority and minority interests in more than 70 countries on all continents.  Holcim Philippines, Inc. (HPHI) is a Philippines-based cement manufacturer and a member of Holcim Group. Holcim Philippines is involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of cement to the domestic and export markets. The Company produces four cement products: Holcim Excel, Holcim WallRight, Holcim Premium Bulk and Holcim Duracem. Its products are sold in bags, jumbo bags and in bulk. Holcim Philippines operates four cement plants in La Union, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental, and Davao.  It currently has 1,500 employees in the Philippines.  Its CSR Flagship programs include WIWAG® Business Weeks and Holcim ‘galing Mason Program.

I don’t know exactly how the Job-Love equation would look like.

Job²θ+ Love²θ =1 ?

Job (2 θ) = 2 Job θ Love θ ?

Nah. It’s not like it’s based on a Pythagorean identity or a double-angle formula. It’s not even directly proportional. But there certainly is a great deal of similarity between the 2. You see, finding the right job is very much like finding “the one”. You set qualifications and expectations for this dream job, but in the real world, you don’t really have much of an option, do you?

Indeed, lucky are those who are able to get it right the first time. Some couples actually end up with their first sweethearts. Although it is less likely for our generation to stick with the first company for our entire lifetime, those who get to stay with their first company for at least 5 years are very blessed. Imagine coming out fresh from the university and joining the workforce without any idea of what truly matters in a job.Salary? Even compensation packages must be dealt with great scrutiny. Relevance to course and interests? If the ideal mate must pass standards in appearance (or at least some qualities identifiable in the early stages of dating), there are jobs that actually look handsome on the onset: multi-national, excellent remuneration, good geographic location, etc. But alas, like personal traits and habits, some qualities that matter to you in the long run can only be discovered once you get involved. The working environment, management styles, corporate politics, career advancement are just some of the things you’ll have to see for yourself when you’re already there. Word always goes around, and if you have the right connections, you can always get inside information beforehand. You can be forewarned, or you can be encouraged, but then again, what matters to them might not be the same things that matter to you. In the end, you’ll still have to decide for yourself.

So, do we go for the big shots? Or do we settle for the ones within our reach? They say that the problem with ideal mates is that they’re just that: ideal. They don’t exist in real life. And throughout my 15 months of being an employee, all I’ve ever heard from other people, both tenured and not, is that there is no perfect company. The funniest advice I have received is that you should work like you don’t need the money. Hah? Who doesn’t need money?! But that probably means you should work as passionately as you can. Since you are going to spend at least 5 days of your week at work (my, that’s already 71% of your life), you might as well find a job you can honestly enjoy. Then try to map out a list of what matters to you, and well, compromise what you can have with the things that are impossible to put together. I think that’s how true love (or relationships) is supposed to work. (I say ‘I think’ because obviously… well, it’s obvious. Haha. ) I guess I’ve been trying to do that—deciding what I want and what matters to me, then making compromises because I know I can’t have them all. I tried going for the big shot, knowing in the back of my mind that all I’d really enjoy there is the financial reward.Thanks to my still intact sanity, I went for the one wherein I could actually see myself growing both personally and professionally.

A good friend told me, “ Minsan kasi may gusto ka, pero di ka naman gusto nun. Minsan naman, merong may gusto sa iyo, pero ayaw mo naman dun.” Of course we were talking about which company to join. We were laughing at how difficult it is to decide on the right company, and how similarly hard it is to find the right person. Haha. Perhaps a line from a song can actually describe it better. “Are you gonna stay with the one who loves you, or are you going back to the one you love?” Ngek, san naman nanggaling yun? Haha. I guess that’s why you wait for this certain kind of spark, this magic that actually happens when you find the one that “fits just right”—maybe not perfectly, but just right—and this applies to both, Job and Love.

*Friends, my last day at Kraft Foods is on October 24. I will be joining Holcim on October 27. That’s all I really wanted to say.Hee-ha. Why do I always make things so complicated?

don’t normally do this, but since I’ve been tagged twice already, I
might as well go ahead and try to consolidate random facts and weird
things (that probably most people, save for family and best buds, don’t
know) about me.

Rob and Lui,
you might want to kill me, but I’m modifying the rules. 8 facts + 6
weird things = 14 don’t know’s. And I’m not tagging anyone so that I
can put an end to this mania. Haha.

1. I’m
a lefty. The only things I do with the right hand are: holding a spoon,
controlling a (pc) mouse, and handling a flat iron. Well, when I learn
how to drive, I’ll have to do so using my right hand for shifting
gears, too..

2. I
peed in my undies back in kindergarten. Haha. I was really shy back
then, so I couldn’t raise my hand to tell the teacher that I needed to
go to the lavatory. The embarrassing part really, is when the janitress
and your guardian/elder sister are paged through the school’s PA
system. Argh. But they say, we’ll soon look back and laugh at the
embarassing moments in life. I’m so glad I’m past grade school.

3. I
don’t know exactly when I finally figured it out, but until
kindergarten, I couldn’t determine which shoe is supposed to be for the
right or left. I remember how my elder brother’s eyes would widen in
disbelief every time I came out of my room, supposedly ready for
school.

4. I learned how to commute all by myself at the age of 5. My school was 45mins away from my house back then.

5. I’ve been a cheerleader in high school and college, but I never learned to cartwheel. Tsk.

6. I
grew up living 10 minutes away from the beach, but I never learned to
swim. I know it sounds pathetic, and believe me, I tried. But yeah, I
should try taking formal lessons.

7. When I go home to

Cebu

, I need my sister/brother to help me get around the metro. I’ve never had the chance to really learn my way around the city.

8. I secretly read other people’s blogs, too.

9. I’ve had at least 3 crushes who have been rumored to be gay.

10. I
dislike mustard, so when I order cheeseburgers, I tell the crew to take
it out. If I forget, I’ll eat my cheeseburger anyway, but I surely
won’t enjoy it. And oh, I take out the pickles, too.

11. I love ampalaya, but mostly if it’s served at home.

12. Once
when I was home alone as a kid, I was munching on raisins while
watching tv. I don’t know how much I actually ate. All I know is that I
felt really queasy after that, and until now, the mere sight of raisins
is enough to make me feel woozy.

13. I almost fell from our house’s balcony because of a cockroach. *hides-my-face*

14. My ex-boyfriend usually marries the girl after me. 3 out of 4 is just too weird.

So I owe you one? I can’t think of anything else. I guess I’m a pretty normal person.

It is man’s ability
to remember that sets us apart. We are the only species concerned with
the past. Our memories give us voice and they bear witness to history
so that others might learn, so they might celebrate our triumphs and be
warned of our failures.

There are many ways to define our fragile existence, many ways to give it meaning. But it is our memories
that shape its purpose and give it context — the private assortment of
images, fears, loves, regrets. For it is the cruel irony of life that
we are destined to hold the dark with the light, the good with the
evil, success with disappointment. This is what separates us, what
makes us human, and in the end, we must fight to hold on to..

——————————————

Four Months Ago
Heroes Episode 8, Season 2

03.23-24.2008

it’s a luxurious 5-star resort hotel, no question about it. the food and facilities available are truly worth the label, but you’ll be surprised at how affordable it actually is to book an overnight stay at plantation bay!

didn’t they say cebu is home of among the best hotels and resorts in the philippines? oh yes, our sun-kissed beaches are great. but how they transformed everything at plantation bay makes me even more proud to be a cebuana.

must see pics.

i run like crazy towards the entrance gates and the check-in counters,
cutting through surprisingly long lines. geez, it’s only 3.40 in the
morning. oh wait.

cebu pacific agent: i’m sorry miss, the 4am flight has been closed. and we’ve given your seat to a chance passenger already.

me: really?

haha. really. that was all i could muster. i had to turn back to let it
all sink in: i just missed my flight. it’s a monday succeeding the
easter holiday, that’s why all these people were here. and all the
chance passengers looked like vultures waiting for the next dead meat–
silly people like me who come to the airport 20 minutes before the
flight, still hoping to make it. then i turned towards the agent to ask
for the next available flight. wednesday.

wednesday?! she must be kidding! well, she probably thought i’d bargain
for an earlier flight. hah, she should have known. i was screaming with
glee inside! hahaha. alright miss, you go ahead and book me on that
flight!

and i walked away. then i realized how many people were actually behind
me, and how silly i must have seemed to them. i looked at myself and
saw how much of a mess i was: straight from bed. now, that’s
embarassing. nah. who cares? missing my flight means i get to stay two
more days in cebu. or two more days off from work. that’s definitely
worth all that trouble at the airport.

hey. i didn’t mean to be late. i just wasn’t able to wake up at the right time. haha.

because neither cameras nor phones are allowed inside the facility, let
me just rant about this amazing hydrotherapy experience.

first,
we hit the hot herbal pools. i didn’t think i’d ever love water with
temperatures ranging from 36-40C. (i know exactly what cooking until
90C feels like, i deal with it everyday :c) the alternating dip from
cold to hot pools does the trick. the mint, jasmine and lavander scents
are surely invigorating. the foot and back massages make me want to
stay in the pool forever. but one can stay only a max of 3mins per hot
pool.

that’s not so bad, really. because the other
hydrotherapy spa services must be experienced, too.there’s a bubble
bed, bubble massage,  and hydro acupunture bed that lets you lay back
and enjoy bubbles that give prickling sensations from shoulders to
legs. I couldn’t help but laugh at the note which says: "Benefits
include relief from emotional strain.. "  haha.

then there’s
the rainfall acupuncture and the waterfall bath which reminds me so
much of my kawasan falls experiences during childhood. they’ve made it
so real! and it feels really good!

the jet massages targeting
different parts of the body like the head, chest, abdomen, buttocks and
legs completed the massage experience. it’s reviving and refreshing at
the same time.

and,AND,  because i am so ticklish, i kept
laughing the whole time! hahaha. that’s means i burned double the
calories. right? right? hee.

i am a lousy swimmer. heck, i am
NOT a swimmer at all. so yeah, i didn’t enjoy the lapping pool. so my
favorite part of the facility is.. tada.. the LAZY river. haha. i think
i spent an hour there. i just grabbed a board and floated..and
floated.. round and round the lazy river. very relaxing indeed.

oh
wait. did i say that was my favorite part of the facility? i haven’t
mentioned, the name of the lifeguard is Adonis. well, he doesn’t
exactly look mythical and all, but yeah, he could pass.

i think i’m still feeling all giddy from the spa. i should shut up now.

do you know what it feels like when you finally get something you’ve
been waiting for so long? it’s exhilarating. almost indescribable.
especially when it’s everything you expected it to be. sometimes, the
pain of waiting becomes excruciating, but when it finally arrives, you
seem to forget you even waited.

oh.i can’t believe a new phone can bring out all this drama. haha.

i
was never really a phone fanatic. any phone which i could use to call
and text would do. but then i needed a camera, an organizer, an mp3
player.. and i wanted all these in one gadget. cheers to the w960i, i
got all of the things i wanted in one slim package.

i’ve waited long. but now, i realized it’s so much worth the wait.

i’m happy that in this life, sometimes, you can actually buy happiness. it’s another temporary relief.

as for the other things i’m waiting to arrive, i continue to wait… patiently.

and i celebrate. no wine nor some special dinner, nothing fancy like
that.but i celebrate because good days remain good days even if they
belong to the past. there are a million whys, what ifs, and could have beens,
but there really is no turning back time. i should say that where we
are now is partly because this is how we wanted it to be, and partly
because certain circumstances are way beyond our control.

——————————————————————————————————————————

there
are names and faces that change everything like cyclones in a field,
that leave us with scars, beautiful and memorable. and we are never the
same ever since.

——————————————————————————————————————————

it was exactly a year ago today. 

can’t help but share.
this week has been amazing. if i get a weekly dosage of the following
things for the rest of the year, oh, 2008 will be great, great, great!

• mass+dinner+movie
• pleasant wake-up calls
• heart-to-heart talk with mom
• meaningful career dialogue      with my boss
• spa session
• free office lunches. yum!
• dinner treats
• surprise visits
• chocolates!

i mustn’t get too spoiled, eh? but i thank God for these temporary reliefs, no matter how shortlived they may be.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

PETER: (He raises his glass.) To destiny.

SIMONE: Mmm.

PETER: May we recognize it when we see it.

SIMONE: To love. May we stay away from it when it’s no good for us.

(They clink glasses.)

SIMONE: You know earlier today, when you were telling me how you’d changed?

PETER: Yeah.

SIMONE: I noticed it. There’s just something different. It’s like a look in your eye. A confidence.

PETER:
There’s something I should tell you. Something, uh … I didn’t think
was right to say when I still worked for your father. Something I
wouldn’t have even said to you two days ago. I’ve been in love with you
since the minute I first laid eyes on you.

 
**

SIMONE: I just need time to catch my breath before you take it away again, okay?

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

tomorrow
i’m going to attend a friend’s wedding. it’s going to be my second one
for this year, and it’s still january. they say  2007 was breakup year,
and 2008 is wedding year. hmm.

i am looking forward to sunday.
and monday. i don’t really dread friday. it’s going to be bittersweet.
oh, i need alot of things to look forward to. march, may, july. may
temporary reliefs keep coming my way