Lost In Translation: Tagalized Cartoons

I love watching cartoons, before it was Voltes V, Daimos and Macross.  Now I refused to watch it.  Why?  Because of a stupid thing called “tagalized version“.

I admit that I learned English from Sesame Street.  I learned about pronunciation and intonation by watching English dubbed Japanese animes.  But now, everything is dubbed in Filipino that it really gives me a hard time watching it.  The worst part of it, the Filipino language is so very complicated.  The result?  The country’s students are having a hard time in conversing in English.  When I was young, my parents specially my mom, would allow us to watch U.S. made programs to harness our English speaking skills.  I’m proud to say that me and my brothers never had a hard time conversing with foreigners who’s first language is English.  Speaking in English became natural for us, because of the exposure that we were given.  Now Filipino children are being expose to Filipino dubbed cartoons to expose them more of Filipino?  Now that’s the dumbest thing I had ever heard!  It’s sad really.    Why expose children to Filipino, when they are exposed to it everyday?  They speak it at home, outside and now even in schools.  I was very upset when this stupid government of ours change the curriculum to make all subjects in elementary and high school be taught in Filipino?  Why can’t get enough of it?  The results?

Good students who can’t converse in English.

When English is almost always the medium for getting a job.  I, in my entire life never experienced being interview in Filipino, even before I joined the Call Center Industry.  English is the key to get a good job around here and anywhere else in the world.  And the government is not exposing the young people to it.  We can also thank the Local Networks! ABS-CBN and GMA removed all English based programing in their trademark stations 2 and 7 respectively.  You can only get English in their affiliate stations, Studio 23 which is not accessible to some Filipinos and QTV 11, which I believe is not as accessible to all as well because of it’s frequency. Thanks a lot for making most Filipinos sound dumb when talking in English.   I commend RPN 9, because almost everything is in English, even the local news! At least somebody is trying to rectify the mistake that put the Philippines in a nose dive.

Let’s face it!  Tagalog dubbed programs won’t help anybody at all.  It will just dumb down everything.  No wonder Russel Peters included the Filipino accent in his comedy routines!  Because it is very laughable.

Just thinking out loud!

Educational and/or Underage Violence

I was watching “Kapuso Mo: Jessica” last Saturday, and it featured Filipino Gangs as one of their topics.  I was appalled by what I saw.  A kid which I’m sure a minor was being given an initiation by one gang members, the initiation?  Being beaten for thirty seconds, and if you saw how he is being beaten you heart wil bleed.  Although the guys having a go him avoids hitting his face, but I’m pretty sure that his entire body is already black and blue from that beating.  It also showed a girl who admitted to sleep with 4 members of that same gang in succession, because she doesn’t want to get beaten up.

Once again my apprehension in sending my son to school crept back.  I would never allow my son to join a gang or a fraternity, where violence is there means to show their brotherhood.

When I was in secondary school the major problem of our school was fraternities, now I heard it’s gangs.  When the leader was asked what’s the difference between gangs and fraternities, his answer was one for the books, he said that in fraternities, you’ll often see “class A” people, meaning there are rich kids in fraternities, and in gangs almost all members came from the streets.  But! Violence seems to be a common thing with these guys.

I never joined a fraternity because I was afraid that I might die young, now as I said earlier I’m afraid for my boy.  Why can’t violence in any way be avoided?  I’m sure there are other groups out there that one can join and keep himself from being hurt.  Is today’s society need to be filled with violence, that some people, seek to get hurt rather than seek a way to better themselves?

Let’s think about the children who resort to these sort of thing, the bleeding hearts of their mothers, and the effects on our society.

Your Questions Answered: West Contact Services Inc.

Ever since I started this blog site.  I get lots of questions regarding West Contact Services Inc.. So since I’m don’t have anything to write about for a couple of days, I decided to answer the questions.  The answers are from my own experiences at West and not the experience of others.  My opinions is mine entirely and I have no intention to “slam” West Contact Services in anyway.  I justr want to clear some facts regarding this company and I don’t want nasty rumors to swell.

Question from Enrico Sevilla of Malabon via email:

Is it true that West don’t give Vacation leaves and sick leaves?

Answer:

Absolutely 100% untrue.  West Contact Services give Vacation Leaves and  Sick leaves of course.  Although unlike the usual 15 day VL and 10 SL they have have a different system.  Every pay day an individual employee earns 3 hours of Vacation leave and 1.5 Hours of Sick leaves.  So if you want to take a 1 day vacation then 3 pay days should have passed, before you can earn it.  It ain’t really that bad.  I’ve been with West for 4 years and I never had a problem with it.

Question from Mark Cunanan of Caloocan via email:

Is it true that West doesn’t give Christmas parties to it’s agents?

Answer:

This is a little bit harder to explain.  During my first year in 2004, We had a Christmas party, 2nd year the company opted to raffle out a car instead of giving a party to it’s agents, the raffle is open to ALL West Employees.  That means even the security guards have a crack at it.  Fortunately the car was won by a good friend of mine.  Last year there was no party again, because the company opted to give a Christmas party for the indigent. I don’t know what the company’s plans are for this year, but I hope the agents get a party.

Question from Liezl Lacasaman of Makati City via email: (This is a Stupid Question)

Is it true that the company is very strict with attendances?

Answer:

Give the name of a company who’s not?  Drink some milk babe, it’s not yet late to grow a brain.

Question from “Memet” from Manila via email:

They say that you are paid by the hour at West.

Answer:

Yes it’s true, agents are paid by the hour.

And that’s it.  Those are the common questions that I received.  West Contact Services Inc.  Is a company with a different style on it’s own.  Whether the employees are happy with this style depends on the employee’s perspective.  Was I happy?  I was OK with it.  I stayed with West for 4 years.  From 2004 to 2008.  If I’m not happy with the company, how do you think I was able to stay that long, right?

Do They Really Need To Brag?

I was watching the news the other night, and for some strange reason my wife and I always watch GMA 7’s “24 Oras“.  I remember when I still live in my parents house we would watch The news programs of ABS-CBN.  Any way, so there I was listening to the news anchor deliver the news when I suddenly realized…… that politicians and Television Networks here in the Philippines have one thing in common.  They love to brag!

Think about it.   When politician suddenly had the urged to fix a road, or put street lights up.  There’s a 100% chance of seeing a banner or a billboard next to that project with the damn politician’s face smiling and with along with it an announcement which usually starts with:  “A Quality Project of Hon. Mayor Juan Dela Cruz with the participation of Cong.  Juan Tamad“.  Am I right or Am I wrong?  Hell, even the President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can’t stop plastering her ‘noggin everywhere.  Specially if the street lights (which will last only a until the lights burn-out, then being forgotten until the next election) were put up because of her own initiative.  And this is a person who’s not running on the next election anymore.  Imagine, what will happen during election time.  But the worst grandstanding of all are the Tarpaulins used during the wake of some unfortunate dead person.  You’ll see it there on the side of the large tent-like tarpaulin “Tulong ni Konsehal Juana Katamara“.  Now, that really makes me puke.

In the case of the T.V. Networks here in the Philippines of course.  (Where else, really?)  The grandstanding is made by the news anchor, normally the female anchor.  They would show and tell how they have helped a hundred or so indigent school children, by donating a schoolbag complete with papers and pencils, maybe a box of crayons thrown in for good measure.  Of course the damn school bags won’t see the light of day if it doesn’t have the Networks logo, boldly emblazoned on the bag for the whole world to see.  I ask again, do they really need to brag about it?  Even the feeding programs can’t deny T.V. coverage.  So what if they feed a bunch of school children a bowl of rice porridge?  Every time I see this kind of segment I can’t help but turn off the television, or go to the restroom for awhile until their announcements of their heavenly acts are broadcast.  I say Bullshit!

Let’s get something straight, I am a kind person.  I’m happy for those kids.  I’m happy for those people who are being helped by their elected officials.  But what I can’t stand is the grandstanding of these officials and networks who gave their “help” to these poor people.  I remember what my mother taught me., “If you help a person, do so without expecting any reward or praise“.  Now that’s what I’m taliking about.  Why can’t they just give something, without broadcasting it to the whole world?  Of course they need it to get re elected and raised their ratings. But it’s way too much. It’s not helping anymore.  It’s bragging, and grandstanding to the lowest degree. Showing off their kindness, so that most people will elect them or tuned in to their network instead of the other.

Why don’t they try to help people, without those announcements?  It may not be good for them, politically or it will not make them more famous, but it will be great for their souls.

Just Thinking Out Loud!

Hairspray (2007)

I love movies!  I said it a hundred times!   The latest movie that I saw on DVD is Hairspray.  Based on a musical with same name, it stars Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad, Amanda Bynes, Christopher Walken, and John Travolta as Tracy’s mother! Yes, her MOTHER!

The story is about a young “plump” girl whose dream to dance in a hit TV Show becomes a reality.  It also focuses on Segregation during the ’60’s in the U.S.A..

It’s a well made musical which is the best one yet.  It earned $27,605,000on it’s opening weekend which is a record for a musical, until “Mama Mia” was released.

The songs are great, the plot although a bit overused was re imagined in this wonderful film and who can’t forget John Travolta in drag!  The songs are top notch and very enjoyable as a whole.  My three year old son absolutely love and already damaged my DVD from overused. 

The movei also paid tribute to some great musicals too:

• The film’s opening shot — a bird’s eye view of Baltimore that eventually descends from the clouds to ground level — is a combination of the opening shots of West Side Story and The Sound of Music.
• The dress that Penny wears during the “You Can’t Stop the Beat” musical number is made from her bedroom curtains, which can be seen during “Without Love”. This is an homage to The Sound of Music, where Maria uses old curtains to make play clothes for the Von Trapp children.
• Several scenes involving Tracy, such as her ride atop the garbage truck during the “Good Morning Baltimore” number and her new hairstyle during “Welcome to the 60’s”, are directly inspired by the Barbra Streisand musical film version of Funny Girl (1968).
• During “Without Love”, Link sings to a photograph of Tracy, which comes to life and sings harmony with him. This is directly inspired from the MGM musical The Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937), in which a young Judy Garland swoons over a photo of actor Clark Gable as she sings “You Made Me Love You”.

If you want to have a great movie night experience with your family, this is the film to watch!

Young Love, Sweet Love!

Who can forget their first love? I can’t, my wife can’t. I believe the readers of this post can’t. You may remember it as romantic, comedic, hurtful or down right disastrous! Remember when your young? In love for the first time? do you remember gazing out, starring at nothing? Just reminiscing the days you spent together and you can’t wait for the two of you to be together again? I remember when I was 14 years old the time. I was being teased to this girl who has just moved in to our neighborhood. To be very honest with you; I don’t know squat about courting a girl during those times. I was known to be a 100% definitive wimp (that’s tsope to you my filipino readers)! My friends called me a wimp, my cousins and hell even my mom calls me a wimp! So I really don’t know what I’m doing at that time. Although I’m attracted to the girl. Courting her was the last thing in my mind, because as I’ve said I’m a WIMP!

Then my friends step in. They introduced me to her. She said: “Hi! How are you?” Mine was “Hi. I’m ok.” with a blush effect. Since her house was only a few doors from where I live; I get to see her everyday. Summer was just starting and school’s out for two months! Every day we would see each other, and everyday we would talk to each other, taking walks around the village. Watching movies at home. I find myself staring out the window of our home starring at the general direction of their house, waiting for her to go out. I was reprimanded several times by my mom. She told me that it’s ok to be in love. But not to the pint that you will forget your chores at home, not eating…etc. blah..blah..blah! I really don’t care what other people think of me back then. I was 100% in love! Infatuated actually but let’s not get too technical;  And all I ever wanted to do back then was to be with this girl. I also remember what our laundry woman told me. “There will come a time in the future, that you will remember this situation and laugh your heart out.” I didn’t believe her back then. In fact I only believed my heart.

It was May when we became “official” That’s the time I experienced my first hug, first kiss I dreaded the the time when summer will be over and we sill only see each other in the afternoons when we get home from school. Of course, that exactly what happen. But the most surprising thing is, I only missed her during the first few days after that I don’t miss her that often. We stopped seeing each other after a while.

That’s the time I started believing the things that the laundry woman told me before. And it never fails to make me laugh. Here’s the kicker. I just recently found out that the girl was a maid in that house! No wonder she never let me visit her there, and most of the time. The people that she lives with almost always ask her on errands. and my friends knew about it.

Love is one of the precious emotions that we humans have. We might not know how to do with it, when we were young. But one will always learn from one’s mistakes. My first love was pleasant although it’s seems comedic when you think about it. Hilarious when I found out that she was a maid. (no offense to the maids out there.)  But that experience taught me that love can be found in anybody, anytime, anywhere.

That’s why I thank God everyday for giving me my dear wife Princess.  Without her my life will be miserable.  I love you theart!

Things I Miss and I Don’t Miss, When Working in a Call Center

Call centers are the fastest growing industry here in the Philippines.  Some college graduates apply for a job directly after school most of the time it doesn’t apply to their degrees, but who can’t blame them?  I won’t, because there things that can really help them “arrive” when they work for a call center.  Some of them I miss a lot, others I can do without.

I miss the following:

• Nice Salary – Call centers offers top dollar salaries, even for newly Grads.  For those without call center experience the average start up is around fifteen thousand excluding allowances some even have commissions, monetary incentives even appliances to give away to their employees.  There was a time in West Contact Services Inc. gave trips to other countries and a car .  If you start in a bank most of the time the starting is the current minimum wage, without allowances.
• The Job – Let’s face it.  The job is not rocket science.  You answer the phone, you either help the customer with their technical or billing problem or sell a product if you happen to be a telemarketer.  But it does take skill to be a good agent.  Specially patience.  Most first time agents don’t last because they lack either they lack the technical skill or the people skills needed for the job.
• Environment – Working in a call center is like going out with your friends every night (if you happen to be in the night shift) the camaraderie is enjoyable and most are really friendly.
• Fast promotions – Most call centers only require an agent 3 months of continues employment so that a person can apply for a hire position.
• The After Work Activities – after work most of the time some agents would go out and have a drink or two.  Reliving call experiences getting and sharing some tips to make the job easier.
• The Life style – Let’s face it. the large salaries give the person the right to buy all the things they want and need.  Rarely do you see an agent without the latest gadgets and clothes.

The items that I mention above is the things I miss and I’m excited  to get it back into my system.  Now let’s take a look the things I can’t do without:

• Missing one’s family – The drawback of working during nights and has taken a toll on most agents is not being able to be with their families.  You work nights so you sleep in the day, when the rest of your family is awake.  Most call centers requires agents to report for work during the holidays, so imagine spending Christmas eve in the office.  Holy weeks too.  So goodbye to family outings most of the time.  So if you got a weekend shift, cherish it.  Spend time with the people, who loes you the most.
• Large Taxes – Large salaries is equal to large tax deductions, specially if your single.  if you are, your average tax deductions makes the government happy.
• Missing Good TV – I’m a couch potato, I love watching T.V. and going to the moivies.  One of my frustrations is missing episodes of my favorite programs.
• Missing neighborhood friends – Everybody in this world have two or three sets of friends, there’s the friends that you see everyday at work, and then there are friends that you get to hang out with out home.  Working in a call center can make you miss out on your neighborhood friends, specially if they don’t work in a call center.  Take me for example. My friends works in banks, or in other industries.  So I only get to see them during my rest days.  If I’m lucky.
• The Pressure – The job may be easy, but retaining it is another matter.  There are metrics to be passed and some of them are really strict.  But if I can do it so can you.

That’s it mainly, other call center employees have different things they miss, but I think I can assume they will all agree with the second list.

Working for a BPO needs lots of sacrifices.  But it also has it’s advantages.  It’s really up to the person if he has the fortitude to stay long in this industry.  Which by the way I can’t live without.