Qualities of a Good Call Center Agent

To be able to get a good call center job, prospective contact center agents need to have the right qualities. Here are tips on the qualities and skills agents should have:

Call centers remain central to the success of businesses because they are the nerve center of customer care, an essential requirement for maintaining existing customers while attracting new ones. A study by Ernan Roman Direct Marketing, a customer relations and marketing firm, on the impact of call center services on business fortunes indicated that damage to businesses resulting from poor contact center experiences among consumers can be devastating.

The study published in issue no.14 of the company’s marketing bulletin and carried on its website revealed that poor service from a company's customer service facility negatively affects customers' willingness to buy from the company, their perception about the company and the possibility of recommending the company to others.

As a result of the central role of call centers in the activities of businesses, employers always look for agents with the requisite skills and qualities capable of turning a center into a dynamic sales point, customer care center and a facility for business growth. The following are some of the unique but interrelated qualities of good agents that top companies look for.


Good Customer Care Skills

Call agents are supposed to be people who possess the requisite customer care skills necessary for meeting the objective of maximising sales and productivity through excellent customer relations. Having an outgoing and friendly personality is an asset in the field of customer relations contact centers. A good agent must have a people-oriented attitude that enables him or her to handle customers as though they are the most important people in their (the agents) lives.
Agents need to be always mindful of the fact that no matter how difficult existing customers may be, it is easier to maintain them than attracting new ones. Good agents are those who are able to use their unique customer relations qualities to turn every inbound or outbound call into an opportunity for having another customer. Adequate knowledge of phone etiquette is crucial for excellent customer care. A good agent therefore needs to be a master of phone manners.


Understanding Individual Differences of Customers

Different customers behave differently. Good agents are those capable of demonstrating their understanding of the diversity in customer behaviour. Operators have to appreciate the uniqueness of each customer. Some consumers can be difficult to handle, some could be furious over a previous transaction they are not satisfied with, while others could even be abusive while on the phone with an agent. But good call center operators are those who will always appreciate the fact that business success (and the survival of their job, for that matter) depends on consumer satisfaction and will thus do their best to satisfy the consumer.


Good Communication and Listening Skills

Contact center jobs mainly involve communicating with consumers. Effective communication skills is therefore an essential attribute that agents seeking to work with good call centers should possess. A good communicator is also a good listener. Professional agents are those who are good communicators and listeners. Findings of a study by US-based Beta Research Corporation and published on its website of March 14, 2007 underscored the need for effective communication skills on the part of consumer center operators.
The study, titled: “Customer Satisfaction as it Relates to Call Center experience,” revealed that most customers prefer to speak to live agents who communicate with them effectively rather than with an automated system. Effective communication skills is therefore required of every good customer relations person.


Language Abilities of Agents

Telephone communication between agents and customers involves the use of language. Contact center agents should therefore have good command over the particular language or languages used for transacting business in the geographical areas companies are located. Due to the globalisation of business transaction as well as the practice of call center outsourcing, multilingual agents are usually preferred.
As much as possible, agents should strive to learn a second or third major language to boost their chances of working with global or multinational customer care centers. English remains the dominant language for business transactions but being fluent in an additional major language such as French and/or Spanish becomes a great asset.


Computer Literacy

Computer literary is an important requirement for working with modern customer service facilities. Most centers now use web-based software like predictive dialers. Operators would have to be computer-savvy, particularly in Word processing, and use the internet to be able to work efficiently.
The qualities of a good agent therefore include: customer care skills, understanding customer differences, good communication skills, language proficiency and computer literacy.

Call Center, VOIP companies in Muntinlupa Philippines

Call Center Directory is categorized by geographical location, so it should be easy to locate a call center, VOIP company that is of interest to you. Here's the list of call centers, contact centers, BPO, VOIP companies in the Muntinlupa, Metro Manila Philippines . You can also check the other call centers, contact centers, BPO, VOIP companies in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila Philippines containing all information about call centers and job career opportunities.

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3i: Interaction, Innovation, Inspiration Muntinlupa
3i: Interaction, Innovation, Inspiration
Unit 502, Southgate Building
Blk. 6 Lot 5 Finance Avenue
Madrigal Business Park Ayala Alabang
Muntinlupa City, Philippines

AIG Business Processing Services, Inc. Muntinlupa
AIG Business Processing Services, Inc.
8th Floor Philam Bldg.
1207 Acacia Ave. Madrigal Business Park
Alabang Muntinlupa
Philippines



APAC Customer Services Inc. Muntinlupa
APAC Customer Services, Inc.
Northgate Cyberzone, Building C
Filinvest Corporate City with Alabang area
Muntinlupa City, Manila, Philippines
Telephone: 7576500

ASECAsia Inc. Muntinlupa
ASECAsia Inc.
12/f Asian Star Bldg., Asean Drive
cor Singapura Lane Filinvest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Philippines

Castech Data Services Muntinlupa
Castech Data Services, Inc.
12th Floor, Ayala Life-FGU Center Bldg.
Alabang-Zapote Road cor. Acacia Ave.
Madrigal Business Park
Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1790
Philippines

Chartis Technology and Operations Management Corporation (Muntinlupa)
Chartis Technology and Operations Management Corporation (CTOM)
Ground Flr., The Paragon Corporate Center,
Industry Drive, Madrigal Business Park,
Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Convergys Corporation Muntinlupa
Convergys Alabang
Block 44, North Bridgeway
Northgate Cyberzone
Fillinvest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1770
Philippines

Datasearch Muntinlupa
Datasearch
Ground Floor Corporate Center Bldg.
Finance Rd Madrigal Business Park
Ayala Alabang Muntinlupa city
Philippines
Phone: 8504339

Digitext Asia Muntinlupa
Digitext Asia Corp.
Northgate Cyber Zone
Alabang, Muntinlupa
Philippines

e-An Philippines Corporation Muntinlupa
e-An Philippines Corporation
5A Westgate Tower Condominium,
Investment drive, Madrigal Buss. Park,
Ayala Alabang Muntinlipa City
Philippines

e-Resource IT Consultancy Corporation Muntinlupa
e-Resource IT Consultancy Corporation Suite 406 Page1 Building
Madrigal Business Park
Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines

eTelecare Global Solutions Muntinlupa
eTelecare Alabang
Ground to 3rd Floors, Plaza Building A
Northgate Cyberzone, Filinvest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1781
Metro Manila, Philippines

ExcelAsia Muntinlupa
Excel Asia Alabang
8 Antonio Centre, Prime St., Madrigal Business Park 2
Alabang, Muntinpula
Philippines

Facilities Managers Inc. (Muntinlupa)
U-bix Compound, Km. 21 East Service Road Alabang, Muntinlupa
Philippines
Tel. No.: (632) 850.1517
(632) 817.2655
Fax No.: (632) 850.0879

FuturePerfect Business English Specialists Muntinlupa
FuturePerfect Business English Specialists
8/F Philam IT Bldg., Acacia Ave.
Madrigal Business Park, Alabang
Muntinlupa Philippines

GlobalReach eBusiness Networks Inc., Muntinlupa
GlobalReach eBusiness Networks, Incorporated
7th Floor ALPAP II Building
Trade Street corner Investment Drive
Madrigal Business Park, Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1707
Philippines

HSBC Global Resourcing Muntinlupa
HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines) Inc.
5150 North Bridgeway corner Northgate Avenue
Northgate Cyberzone, Fil-Invest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Philippines

I-Merge Online (Muntinlupa)
I-Merge Online
301 Aurora Bldg.
Alabang-Zapote Rd,
Alabang, Muntinlupa

iCall Global Services Corporation Muntinlupa
iCall Global Services Corporation
8 and 9th Floors Insular Life Corporate Center
Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang
Muntinlupa City Philippines

Integra Business Processing Solutions (Muntinlupa)
Integra Business Processing Solutions Inc.
The Paragon Corporate Centre, Industry St.,
Madrigal Business Park, Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1770
(632) 876.8888 tel l (632) 876.8890 fax

INFONXX Muntinlupa
Infonxx
Unit 102 Ground Floor Kennedy Center
Prime Street Madrigal Business Park Plaza
Alabang Muntinlupa City
Philippines

International Data Solutions, Inc. Muntinlupa
International Data Solutions, Inc. (Philippines)
12th Floor, Ayala Life-FGU Building
Madrigal Business Park
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Philippines

MagiNet Corporation Muntinlupa
MagiNet Corporation
8/F Alabang Corporate Center
West Service Road
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
1770 Philippines
Tel: (632) 772-2501
Fax: (632) 772-2484


NextFocus (Muntinlupa)
Unioil Center
1222 Acacia Avenue
Corner Commerce Avenue
Ayala Alabang Village
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
1780, Philippines

RealData Systems, Inc. Muntinlupa
RealData Systems, Inc.
Muntinlupa City
Philippines

Salmat Corporation Muntinlupa
Salmat Corporation
Warehouse No. 9
Sunblest Realty Compound
Km 23, West Service Road,
South Superhighway, Bo Cupang,
City of Muntinlupa, Metro Manila,
Philippines
Ph: (+632) 809 7192
Fax: (+632) 809 3759

TeamAsia Muntinlupa
TeamAsia
Unit 308, Building B, The Plaz@
Northgate Cyberzone
Filinvest Corporate City
Alabang, 1781 Muntinlupa City
Metro Manila, Philippines

Teamspan Asia (Muntinlupa)
Teamspan Asia
Unit 7A Unioil Center
Madrigal Business Park
Muntinlupa

Terra Firma Resources Corporation Muntinlupa
Terra Firma Resources Corporation
Unit 903, Alpap II Bldg.
Madrigal Business Park
Ayala Alabang Muntinlupa
Philippines

World Premiere Telecoms Inc. Muntinlupa
World Premiere Telecoms Inc.
402 Common Goal Tower
Madrigal Business Business Park
Alabang Muntinlupa City
Philippines

Call Center, VOIP companies in Laguna Philippines

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Call Center Directory is categorized by geographical location, so it should be easy to locate a call center, VOIP company that is of interest to you. Here's the list of call centers, contact centers, BPO, VOIP companies in the Laguna Philippines . You can also check the other call centers, contact centers, BPO, VOIP companies in Laguna Philippines containing all information about call centers and job career opportunities.


Advanced Contact Solutions, Inc.
Location: Laguna

Advanced Contact Solutions, Inc. Laguna
Advanced Contact Solutions, Inc.
Building 1, LSL Compound, Diode Street,
Light Industry and Science Park
Laguna, Philippines

Allianz Solutions
Location: Laguna

Allianz Solutions Philippines Inc.
Sta. Rosa, Laguna,
Philippines


Ascendas Pte Ltd.
Location: Laguna

Ascendas Pte Ltd. Laguna
Ascendas (Philippines) Corporation
C4-1 Carmelray Industrial Park II,
Brgy. Punta, Calamba City, Laguna 4027, Philippines

Digital Telecommunications Phils., Inc. (DIGITEL)
Location: Laguna

Digital Telecommunications Phils., Inc. (DIGITEL) Laguna
Digital Telecommunications Phils., Inc. (DIGITEL)
Brgy Labas J.P.Rizal Street Sta. Rosa,
Laguna Philippines

eSYNERGYplus
Location: Laguna

GF Theresa Arcade
BRB Building, San Antonio
Biñan, Laguna
Philippines, 4024


FilWeb Systems Technology
Location: Laguna

FilWeb Systems Technology Laguna
FilWeb Systems Technology
Aurora Ave., Aurora
San Pedro, Laguna
Philippines 4023

HealthRecord Solutions Inc. HSI
Location: Laguna

HealthRecord Solutions Inc. HSI Laguna
HealthRecord Solutions Inc. HSI
Carmelray 2 Administration Bldg.,
Carmelray Industrial Park II
Km 54 Calamba Laguna
Philippines

Infinite Links
Location: Laguna

g/F Franco Bldg
#73 Lopez Avenue
College, Los Baños
Laguna, Philippines 4030

INFONXX
Location: Laguna

BTS Facility, SRE 2a Commercial
Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay National Road
Bo. Don Jose Sta. Rosa
Laguna Philippines
Telephone: 632-756-7500


Precision Response Corporation (PRC)
Location: Laguna

Precision Response Corporation (PRC) Laguna
PRC Philippines
Building 1 LSL Compound,
Diode St.
Cabuyao, Laguna, Philippines

SunPower Shared Services Organization
Location: Laguna

100 East Main Ave. Phase 4
Special Economic Zone
Laguna Tachno Park
Binan, Laguna
Philippines 4024

TeleTech Customer Care Management Philippines, Inc.
Location: Laguna

Teletech Sta. Rosa
Level 2, Robinsons Place - Sta. Rosa
Old National Highway, Barangay Tagapo
Sta. Rosa, Laguna

TransCall Global
Location: Laguna

4460 A. Mabini St. JAM Building
San Pedro, Laguna
Philippines 4023

The asteroid that could end the world

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Tariq Malik
SPACE.com Managing Editor
SPACE.com


A large asteroid in space that has a remote chance of slamming into the Earth would be most likely hit in 2182, if it crashed into our planet at all, a new study suggests.

The asteroid, called 1999 RQ36, has about a 1-in-1,000 chance of actually hitting the Earth, but half of that risk corresponds to potential impacts in the year 2182, said study co-author María Eugenia Sansaturio of the Universidad de Valladolid in Spain.

Sansaturio and her colleagues used mathematical models to determine the risk of asteroid 1999 RQ36 impacting the Earth through the year 2200. They found two potential opportunities for the asteroid to hit Earth in 2182.

The research is detailed in the science journal Icarus.

The asteroid was discovered in 1999 and is about 1,837 feet (560 meters) across. A space rock this size could cause widespread devastation at an impact site in the remote chance that it hit Earth, according to a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences.

Scientists have tracked asteroid 1999 RQ36's orbit through 290 optical observations and 13 radar surveys, but there is still some uncertainty because of the gentle push it receives from the so-called Yarkovsky effect, researchers said.

The Yarkovsky effect, named after the Russian engineer I.O. Yarkovsky who proposed it around 1900, describes how an asteroid gains momentum from thermal radiation that it emits from its night side. Over hundreds of years, the effect's influence on an asteroid's orbit could be substantial.

Sansaturio and her colleagues found that through 2060, the chances of Earth impacts from 1999 RQ36 are remote, but the odds increase by a magnitude of four by 2080 as the asteroid's orbit brings it closer to the Earth.

The odds of impact then dip as the asteroid would move away, and rise in 2162 and 2182, when it swings back near Earth, the researchers found. It's a tricky orbital dance that makes it difficult to pin down the odds of impact, they said.

"The consequence of this complex dynamic is not just the likelihood of a comparatively large impact, but also that a realistic deflection procedure (path deviation) could only be made before the impact in 2080, and more easily, before 2060," Sansaturio said in a statement.

After 2080, she added, it would be more difficult to deflect the asteroid.

"If this object had been discovered after 2080, the deflection would require a technology that is not currently available," Sansaturio said. "Therefore, this example suggests that impact monitoring, which up to date does not cover more than 80 or 100 years, may need to encompass more than one century."

By expanding the timeframe for potential impacts, researchers would potentially identify the most threatening space rocks with enough time to mount deflection campaigns that are both technologically and financially feasible, Sansaturio said.

1st SONA of President Benigno S. Aquino III

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:courteousy of PHILSTAR.COM

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay, Chief Justice Renato Corona, Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps;

My beloved countrymen:

Our administration is facing a forked road. On one direction, decisions are made to protect the welfare of our people; to look after the interest of the majority; to have a firm grip on principles; and to be faithful to the public servant’s sworn oath to serve the country honestly.

This is the straight path.

On the other side, personal interest is the priority, and where one becomes a slave to political considerations to the detriment of our nation.

This is the crooked path.

For a long time, our country lost its way in the crooked path. As days go by (since I became President), the massive scope of the problems we have inherited becomes much clearer. I could almost feel the weight of my responsibilities.

In the first three weeks of our administration, we discovered many things, and I will report to you some of the problems we have uncovered, and the steps we are taking to solve them.

This report is merely a glimpse of our situation. It is not the entire picture of the crises we are facing. The reality was hidden from our people, who seem to have been deliberately obfuscated on the real state of our nation.

In the first six years of this year, government expenditure exceeded our revenues. Our deficit further increased to PhP196.7 billion. Our collection targets, which lack PhP23.8 billion, were not fully met, while we went beyond our spending by PhP45.1 billion.

Our budget for 2010 is PhP1.54 trillion. Of this, only PhP100 billion - or 6.5% of the total budget – can be used for the remaining six months of the current year. Roughly 1% of the total budget is left for each of the remaining month.

Where did the funds go?

A calamity fund worth PhP2 billion was reserved in preparation for anticipated calamities. Of this already miniscule amount, at a time when the rainy season has yet to set in, PhP1.4 billion or 70% was already spent.

The entire province of Pampanga received PhP108 million. Of this, PhP105 million went to only one district. On the other hand, the province of Pangasinan, which was severely affected by Typhoon Pepeng, received a mere PhP5 million, which had to be used to fix damages inflicted not even by Pepeng, but by a previous typhoon, Cosme.

The funds were released on election month, which was seven months after the typhoon. What will happen if a typhoon arrives tomorrow? The fund has been used up to repair damage from typhoons that hit us last year. Our future will pay for the greed of yesterday.

This is also what happened to the funds of the MWSS. Just recently, people lined up for water while the leadership of the MWSS rewarded itself even though the pensions of retired employees remain unpaid.

The entire payroll of the MWSS amounts to 51.4 million pesos annually. But this isn’t the full extent of what they receive: they receive additional allowances and benefits amounting to 81.1 million pesos. In short, they receive 211.5 million pesos annually. Twenty four percent of this is for normal salaries, and sixty six percent is added on.

The average worker receives up to 13th month pay plus a cash gift. In the MWSS, they receive the equivalent of over thirty months pay if you include all their additional bonuses and allowances.

What we discovered in the case of the salaries of their board of trustees is even more shocking. Let’s take a look at the allowances they receive:

Attending board of trustees and board committee meetings, and you get fourteen thousands pesos. This totals ninety eight thousand pesos a month. They also get an annual grocery incentive of eighty thousand pesos.

And that’s not all. They get a mid-year bonus, productivity bonus, anniversary bonus, year-end bonus, and financial assistance. They not only get a Christmas bonus, but an additional Christmas package as well. Each of these amounts to eighty thousand pesos. All in all, each member of the board receives two and a half million pesos a year exclusive of car service, technical assistance, and loans. Let me repeat. They award themselves all of these while being in arrears for the pensions of their retired employees.

Even the La Mesa watershed wasn’t spared. In order to ensure an adequate supply of water, we need to protect our watersheds. In watersheds, trees are needed. Where there should be trees, they built homes for the top officials of the MWSS.

We cannot remove them from their positions quickly because they are among the midnight appointees of former president Arroyo. We are investigating all of these things. But if they have any shame left, they should voluntarily relinquish their positions.

Now let’s discuss funds for infrastructure. The DPWH identified two hundred forty six priority safety projects to be funded by the motor vehicle user’s charge. This needs a budget of 425 million pesos. What they ended up funding were only 28 projects. They disregarded 218 projects and replaced these with seventy projects that weren’t in the plans. The 425 million pesos originally asked for became 480 million pesos, increasing because of projects allocated for a favored few.

These projects make no sense: unstudied and unprepared for, sprouting like mushrooms.

The era of such projects is at an end. Under our administration, there will be no quotas, there will be no overpricing, the funds of the people will be spent for the people.

There’s more. Five days before the term of the previous administration ended, they ordered 3.5 billion pesos to be released for the rehabilitation of those affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. This was supposed to fund eighty-nine projects. But nineteen of these projects amounting to 981 million pesos didn’t go through public bidding. Special Allotment Release Orders hadn’t even been released and yet the contracts were already signed. It’s a good thing Secretary Rogelio Singson spotted and stopped them. Instead, they will all go through the proper bidding, and the funds will be used to provide relief to those who lost their homes due to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

Let’s discuss what happened in Napocor. From 2001 to 2004, the government forced Napocor to sell electricity at a loss to prevent increases in electricity rates. The real motivation for this is that they were preparing for the election.

As a result, in 2004, NAPOCOR slumped deeply in debt. The government was obligated to shoulder the 200 billion pesos it owed.

What the public thought they saved from electricity, we are now paying for using public coffers. Not only are we paying for the cost of electricity; we are also paying for the interest arising from the debt.

If the money we borrowed was used properly, then there would be added assurance that constant supply of electricity is available. However, this decision was based on bad politics, not on the true needs of the people. The people, after having to sacrifice, suffered even more.

This is also what happened to the MRT. The government tried again to buy the people’s love. The operator was forced to keep the rates low.

In effect, the guarantee given to the operator that he will still be able to recoup his investment was not fulfilled. Because of this, Landbank and the Development Bank of the Philippines were ordered to purchase the MRT.

The money of the people was used in exchange for an operation that was losing money.

Let us now move on to the funds of the National Food Authority (NFA).

In 2004: 117,000 metric tons (of rice) was the shortage in the supply of the Philippines. What they (the government) bought were 900,000 metric tons. Even if you multiply for more than seven times the amount of shortage, they still bought more than what was needed.

In 2007: 589,000 metric tons was the shortage in the supply of the Philippines. What they bought were 1.827 million metric tons. Even if you multiply for more than three times the amount of shortage, they again bought more than what was needed.

What hurts is, because they keep purchasing more than what they need year after year, the excess rice that had to be stored in warehouses ended up rotting, just like what happened in 2008.

Is this not a crime, letting rice rot, despite the fact that there are 4 million Filipinos who do not eat three times a day?

The result is NFA’s current debt of 177 billion pesos.

This money that was wasted could have funded the following:

- The budget of the entire judiciary, which is at 12.7 billion pesos this year.

- The Conditional Cash Transfers for the following year, which cost 29.6 billion pesos.

- All the classrooms that our country needs, which cost 130 billion pesos.

This way of doing things is revolting. Money was there only to be wasted.

You have heard how the public coffers were squandered. This is what is clear to me now: change can only come from our determination to stamp out this extravagance and profligacy.

That is why starting now: we will stop the wasteful use of government funds. We will eradicate projects that are wrong.

This is the point of what we call the zero-based approach in our budget. What used to be the norm was every year, the budget merely gets re-enacted without plugging the holes.

Next month we will be submitting a budget that accurately identifies the problem and gives much attention on the right solution.

Those that I have mentioned were only some of the problems we have discovered. Here now are examples of the steps we are undertaking to solve them.

There is a case of one pawnshop owner. He purchased a vehicle at an estimated cost of 26 million pesos.

If he can afford to buy a Lamborghini, why can’t he pay his taxes?

A case has already been filed against him. Through the leadership of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares, Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez, and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, every week we have new cases filed against smugglers and against those who do not pay the right taxes.

We have also already identified the suspects of the cases of Francisco Baldomero, Jose Daguio and Miguel Belen, 3 of the 6 incidents of extralegal killings since we assumed the Presidency.

Fifty percent (50%) of these incidents of extralegal killings are now on their way to being resolved.

We will not stop the pursuit of the remaining half of these killings until justice has been achieved.

We will hold murderers accountable. We will also hold those who are corrupt that work in government accountable for their actions.

We have begun forming our Truth Commission, through the leadership of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide. We will search for the truth on the alleged wrongdoing committed in the last nine years.

This week, I will sign the first ever Executive Order on the formation of this Truth Commission.

If the answer to justice is accountability, the answer to the dearth in funds is a new and creative approach to our long-standing problems.

We have so many needs: from education, infrastructure, health, military, police and more. Our funds will not be enough to meet them.

No matter how massive the deficit is that may keep us from paying for this list of needs, I am heartened because many have already expressed renewed interest and confidence in the Philippines.

Our solution: public-private partnerships. Although no contract has been signed yet, I can say that ongoing talks with interested investors will yield fruitful outcomes.

There are some who have already shown interest and want to build an expressway from Manila that will pass through Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, until the end of Cagayan Valley, without the government having to spend a single peso.

On national defense:

We have 36,000 nautical miles of shoreline, but we only have 32 boats. These boats are as old as the time of (US General Douglas) MacArthur.

Some had this proposition: they will rent the Navy headquarters on Roxas Boulevard and the Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio.

They will take care of the funding necessary to transfer the Navy Headquarters to Camp Aguinaldo. Immediately, we will be given 100 million dollars. Furthermore, they will give us a portion of their profits from their businesses that would occupy the land they will rent.

In short, we will meet our needs without spending, and we will also earn.

There have already been many proposals from local to foreign investors to provide for our various needs.

From these public-private partnerships, our economy will grow and every Filipino will be the beneficiary. There are so many sectors that could benefit from this.

We will be able to construct the needed infrastructure in order to help tourism grow.

In agriculture, we will be able to have access to grains terminals, refrigeration facilities, orderly road networks and post-harvest facilities.

If we can fix out food supply chain with the help of the private sector, instead of importing, we will hopefully be able to supply for the needs of the global market.

The prices of commodities will go down if we are able to make this efficient railway system a reality. It will be cheaper and faster, and it will be easier for travelers to avoid crooked cops and rebels.

A reminder to all: creating jobs is foremost on our agenda, and the creation of jobs will come from the growth of our industries. Growth will only be possible if we streamline processes to make them predictable, reliable and efficient for those who want to invest.

We make sure that the Build-Operate-and-Transfer projects will undergo quick and efficient processes. With the help of all government agencies concerned and the people, a process that used to take as short as a year and as long as a decade will now only take six months.

The Department of Trade and Industry has already taken steps to effect this change, under the leadership of Secretary Gregory Domingo:

The never-ending horror story of registering business names, which used to take a minimum of four to eight hours depending on the day, will be cut down drastically to fifteen minutes.

What used to be a check list of thirty-six documents will be shortened to a list of six, and the old eight-page application form will be whittled down to one page.

I call on our local government units to review its own procedures. While we look for more ways to streamline our processes to make business start-ups easier, I hope the LGUs can also find ways to implement reforms that will be consistent with the ones we have already started.

All will certainly benefit from this streamlining -- be it businessmen, soldiers, rebels and ordinary Filipinos. As long as the interests of Filipinos will not be jeopardized, we will explore all available avenues to make this a reality. We must start now, and we should all help achieve this and not stand in each other’s way.

The time when we will no longer be made to choose between our people’s security and the future of our children is upon us now.

Once we implement these public-private partnerships, we will be able to fund public service in accordance with our platform.

This will enable us to fund our plans for education.

We will be able to expand our basic education cycle from seven years to the global standard of twelve years.

We can build more classrooms, and we will fund service contracting under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Program (GASTPE).

Conditional cash transfers that aim to lessen the burden of education on parents will also be funded if this partnership becomes a reality.

Our plans for improving PhilHealth can now be within reach.

First, we will identify the correct number of Filipinos who sorely need PhilHealth coverage, as current data is conflicting on this matter. On one hand, PhilHealth says that eighty-seven percent (87%) of Filipinos are covered, then lowers the number to only fifty-three percent (53%). On the other hand, the National Statistics Office says that only thirty-eight percent (38%) of Filipinos are covered by Philhealth.

Even as we speak, Secretary Dinky Soliman and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are moving to implement the National Household Targeting System that will identify the families that most urgently need assistance. An estimated 9 billion pesos is needed in order to provide coverage for five million poor Filipinos.

Our country is beginning to see better days ahead. The private sector, the League of Provinces headed by Governor Alfonso Umali, together with Governors L-Ray Villafuerte and Icot Petilla, are now ready to do their share when it comes to shouldering the financial burden. I know that the League of Cities under the leadership of Mayor Oscar Rodriguez will not be far behind.

If the local governments share in our goals, I know that I can surely count on Congress, the institution where I began public service, to push for our agenda for change.

Our Cabinet has already showed it skill by identifying not just problems but also proposing solutions in a matter of three weeks.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Basyang, we were told by those in the power sector that we would be without electricity for four days. The quick action of Secretary Rene Almendras and the Department of Energy resulted in the restoration of power to almost all those affected within twenty-four hours.

The so-called water shortage in Metro Manila was quickly attended to by Secretary Rogelio Singson and the Department of Public Works and Highways. Secretary Singson did it without prodding, which alleviated the suffering of those affected.

We also witnessed the competence and initiative of those we appointed to be part of our Cabinet. It is but just that they not be forced to go through the eye of a needle to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments. Should this happen, competent Filipinos will be encouraged to help our country by becoming public servants.

In the soonest possible time, we will convene the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) to discuss the important bills that need to be addressed. Rest assured that I will keep an open mind and treat you honorably.

We will push for the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, which will limit spending bills only for appropriations that have identified a source of funding. We need 104.1 billion pesos to fund those laws already passed but whose implementation remains pending because of lack of funds.

We will re-evaluate fiscal incentives given in the past. Now that we are tightening our purse strings, we need to identify those incentives that will remain and those that need to be done away with.

We will not allow another NBN-ZTE scandal to happen again. Whether from local or foreign sources, all proposed contracts must undergo the scrutiny of correct procedures. I now ask for your help with amending our Procurement Law.

According to our Constitution, it is the government’s duty to ensure that the market is fair for all. No monopolies, no cartels that kill competition. We need an Anti-Trust Law that will give life to these principles, to afford Small- and Medium-Scale Enterprises the opportunity to participate in the growth of our economy.

Let us pass into law the National Land Use Bill.

It was in 1935, during the Commonwealth, that the National Defense Act was passed. There is a need to amend for a new law that is more responsive to the current needs of national security.

I appeal to our legislators to pass the Whistleblower’s Bill to eradicate the prevalent culture of fear and silence that has hounded our system.

We will strengthen the Witness Protection Program. We must remember that from 2009 to 2010 alone, cases which involved the participation of witnesses under the program resulted in a ninety-five percent conviction.

There is a need to review our laws. I call on our lawmakers to begin a re-codification of our laws to ensure harmony in legislation and eliminate contradictions.

These laws serve as the basis of order in our land, but the foundation of all rests on the principle that we cannot grow without peace and order.

We face two obstacles on our road to peace: the situation in Mindanao and the continued revolt of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Our view has not changed when it comes to the situation in Mindanao. We will only achieve lasting peace if all stakeholders engage in an honest dialogue: may they be Moro, Lumad, or Christian. We have asked Dean Marvic Leonen to head our efforts to talk to the MILF.

We will learn from the mistakes of the past administration, that suddenly announced an agreement reached without consultations from all concerned. We are not blind to the fact that it was done with political motivation, and that the interest behind it was not that of the people.

We recognize the efforts of the MILF to discipline those within its ranks. We are hopeful that the negotiations will begin after Ramadan.

To the CPP-NPA-NDF: are you prepared to put forth concrete solutions rather than pure criticism and finger-pointing?

If it is peace you truly desire, then we are ready for an immediate cease-fire. Let us go back to the table and begin talking again.

It is difficult to begin discussions in earnest if the smell of gun powder still hangs in the air. I call on everyone concerned not to waste a good opportunity to rally behind our common aspiration for peace.

Our foundation for growth is peace. We will continue to be shackled by poverty if the crossfire persists.

We must understand that now is a time for sacrifice. It is this sacrifice that will pave the way for a better future. With our freedom comes our responsibility to do good unto our fellows and to our country.

To our friends in media, especially those in radio and print, to the block-timers and those in our community newspapers, I trust that you will take up the cudgels to police your own ranks.

May you give new meaning to the principles of your vocation: to provide clarity to pressing issues; to be fair and truthful in your reporting, and to raise the level of public discourse.

It is every Filipino’s duty to closely watch the leaders that you have elected. I encourage everyone to take a step towards participation rather than fault-finding. The former takes part in finding a solution; from the latter, never-ending complaints.

We have always known that the key to growth is putting the interest of others beyond one’s own. One thing is clear: how do we move forward if we keep putting others down?

How will those without education secure quality jobs? How will the unemployed become consumers? How will they save money for their future needs?

If we change all this, if we prioritize enabling others, we will open a world of opportunities not just for ourselves but for those who direly need it.

We have already begun the process of change, and we are now able to dream of better things for our country. Let us not forget that there are those who wish us to fail, so that they will once again reclaim power to do as they please at the expense of our people.

My firm belief is that our fate is in the hands of God and our people. While we focus on uplifting the lives of our fellow men, I have an unshakeable faith that Almighty God will give us His blessings and support. If we remain firm in our belief that God is on our side, is there anything impossible for us to achieve?

The mandate we received last May 10 is testament to the fact that the Filipino continues to hope for true change. The situation is not what it was before; we can all dream again. Let us all become one in achieving a fulfilment of our hopes and aspirations for our country.

Maraming Salamat Po!

1st SONA of President Benigno S. Aquino III

FILIPINO TRANSLATION: courteousy of PHILSTAR.COM

Mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Sa bawat sandali po ng pamamahala ay nahaharap tayo sa isang sangandaan.

Sa isang banda po ay ang pagpili para sa ikabubuti ng taumbayan. Ang pagtanaw sa interes ng nakakarami; ang pagkapit sa prinsipyo; at ang pagiging tapat sa sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang lingkod-bayan. Ito po ang tuwid na daan.

Sa kabilang banda ay ang pag-una sa pansariling interes. Ang pagpapaalipin sa pulitikal na konsiderasyon, at pagsasakripisyo ng kapakanan ng taumbayan. Ito po ang baluktot na daan.

Matagal pong naligaw ang pamahalaan sa daang baluktot. Araw-araw po, lalong lumilinaw sa akin ang lawak ng problemang ating namana. Damang-dama ko ang bigat ng aking responsibilidad.

Sa unang tatlong linggo ng aming panunungkulan, marami po kaming natuklasan. Nais ko pong ipahayag sa inyo ang iilan lamang sa mga namana nating suliranin at ang ginagawa naming hakbang para lutasin ang mga ito.

Sulyap lamang po ito; hindi pa ito ang lahat ng problemang haharapin natin. Inilihim at sadyang iniligaw ang sambayanan sa totoong kalagayan ng ating bansa.

Sa unang anim na buwan ng taon, mas malaki ang ginastos ng gobyerno kaysa sa pumasok na kita. Lalong lumaki ang deficit natin, na umakyat na sa 196.7 billion pesos. Sa target na kuleksyon, kinapos tayo ng 23.8 billion pesos; ang tinataya namang gastos, nalagpasan natin ng 45.1 billion pesos.

Ang budget po sa 2010 ay 1.54 trillion pesos.

Nasa isandaang bilyong piso o anim at kalahating porsyento na lang ng kabuuan ang malaya nating magagamit para sa nalalabing anim na buwan ng taong ito.

Halos isang porsyento na lang po ng kabuuang budget ang natitira para sa bawat buwan.

Saan naman po dinala ang pera?

Naglaan ng dalawang bilyong piso na Calamity Fund bilang paghahanda para sa mga kalamidad na hindi pa nangyayari. Napakaliit na nga po ng pondong ito, ngunit kapapasok pa lang natin sa panahon ng baha at bagyo, 1.4 billion pesos o sitenta porsyento na ang nagastos.

Sa kabuuan ng 108 million pesos para sa lalawigan ng Pampanga, 105 million pesos nito ay napunta sa iisang distrito lamang. Samantala, ang lalawigan ng Pangasinan na sinalanta ng Pepeng ay nakatanggap ng limang milyong piso lamang para sa pinsalang idinulot ng bagyong Cosme, na nangyari noong 2008 pa.

Ibinigay po ang pondo ng Pampanga sa buwan ng eleksyon, pitong buwan pagkatapos ng Ondoy at Pepeng. Paano kung bumagyo bukas? Inubos na ang pondo nito para sa bagyong nangyari noong isang taon pa. Pagbabayaran ng kinabukasan ang kasakiman ng nakaraan.

Ganyan din po ang nangyari sa pondo ng MWSS. Kamakailan lamang, pumipila ang mga tao para lang makakuha ng tubig. Sa kabila nito, minabuti pa ng liderato ng MWSS na magbigay ng gantimpala sa sarili kahit hindi pa nababayaran ang pensyon ng mga retiradong empleyado.

Noong 2009, ang buong payroll ng MWSS ay 51.4 million pesos. Pero hindi lang naman po ito ang sahod nila; may mga additional allowances at benefits pa sila na aabot sa 160.1 million pesos. Sa madaling sabi, nakatanggap sila ng 211.5 million pesos noong nakaraang taon. Beinte-kuwatro porsyento lang nito ang normal na sahod, at sitenta’y sais porsyento ang dagdag.

Ang karaniwang manggagawa hanggang 13th month pay plus cash gift lang ang nakukuha. Sa MWSS, aabot sa katumbas ng mahigit sa tatlumpung buwan ang sahod kasama na ang lahat ng mga bonuses at allowances na nakuha nila.

Mas matindi po ang natuklasan natin sa pasahod ng kanilang Board of Trustees. Tingnan po natin ang mga allowances na tinatanggap nila:

Umupo ka lang sa Board of Trustees at Board Committee meeting, katorse mil na. Aabot ng nobenta’y otso mil ito kada buwan. May grocery incentive pa sila na otsenta mil kada taon.

Hindi lang iyon: may mid-year bonus, productivity bonus, anniversary bonus, year-end bonus, at Financial Assistance. May Christmas bonus na, may Additional Christmas Package pa. Kada isa sa mga ito, nobenta’y otso mil.

Sa sumatotal po, aabot ang lahat ng dalawa’t kalahating milyong piso kada taon sa bawat miyembro ng Board maliban sa pakotse, technical assistance, at pautang. Uulitin ko po. Lahat ng ito ay ibinibigay nila sa kanilang mga sarili habang hindi pa nababayaran ang mga pensyon ng kanilang mga retirees.

Pati po ang La Mesa Watershed ay hindi nila pinatawad. Para magkaroon ng tamang supply ng tubig, kailangang alagaan ang mga watershed. Sa watershed, puno ang kailangan. Pati po iyon na dapat puno ang nakatayo, tinayuan nila ng bahay para sa matataas na opisyal ng MWSS.

Hindi naman sila agad maaalis sa puwesto dahil kabilang sila sa mga Midnight Appointees ni dating Pangulong Arroyo. Iniimbestigahan na natin ang lahat nang ito. Kung mayroon pa silang kahit kaunting hiya na natitira – sana kusa na lang silang magbitiw sa puwesto.

Pag-usapan naman po natin ang pondo para sa imprastruktura. Tumukoy ang DPWH ng dalawandaan apatnapu’t anim na priority safety projects na popondohan ng Motor Vehicle Users Charge. Mangangailangan po ito ng budget na 425 million pesos.

Ang pinondohan po, dalawampu’t walong proyekto lang. Kinalimutan po ang dalawandaan at labing walong proyekto at pinalitan ng pitumpung proyekto na wala naman sa plano. Ang hininging 425 million pesos, naging 480 million pesos pa, lumaki lalo dahil sa mga proyektong sa piling-piling mga benepisyaryo lang napunta.

Mga proyekto po itong walang saysay, hindi pinag-aralan at hindi pinaghandaan, kaya parang kabuteng sumusulpot.

Tapos na po ang panahon para dito. Sa administrasyon po natin, walang kota-kota, walang tongpats, ang pera ng taumbayan ay gagastusin para sa taumbayan lamang.

Meron pa po tayong natuklasan. Limang araw bago matapos ang termino ng nakaraang administrasyon, nagpautos silang maglabas ng 3.5 billion pesos para sa rehabilitasyon ng mga nasalanta nina Ondoy at Pepeng.

Walumpu’t anim na proyekto ang paglalaanan dapat nito na hindi na sana idadaan sa public bidding. Labingsiyam sa mga ito na nagkakahalaga ng 981 million pesos ang muntik nang makalusot. Hindi pa nailalabas ang Special Allotment Release Order ay pirmado na ang mga kontrata.

Buti na lang po ay natuklasan at pinigilan ito ni Secretary Rogelio Singson ng DPWH. Ngayon po ay dadaan na ang kabuuan ng 3.5 billion pesos sa tapat na bidding, at magagamit na ang pondo na ito sa pagbibigay ng lingap sa mga nawalan ng tahanan dahil kina Ondoy at Pepeng.

Pag-usapan naman natin ang nangyari sa NAPOCOR. Noong 2001 hanggang 2004, pinilit ng gobyerno ang NAPOCOR na magbenta ng kuryente nang palugi para hindi tumaas ang presyo. Tila ang dahilan: pinaghahandaan na nila ang eleksyon.

Dahil dito, noong 2004, sumagad ang pagkakabaon sa utang ng NAPOCOR. Napilitan ang pambansang gobyerno na sagutin ang dalawandaang bilyong pisong utang nito.

Ang inakala ng taumbayan na natipid nila sa kuryente ay binabayaran din natin mula sa kaban ng bayan. May gastos na tayo sa kuryente, binabayaran pa natin ang dagdag na pagkakautang ng gobyerno.

Kung naging matino ang pag-utang, sana’y nadagdagan ang ating kasiguruhan sa supply ng kuryente. Pero ang desisyon ay ibinatay sa maling pulitika, at hindi sa pangangailangan ng taumbayan. Ang taumbayan, matapos pinagsakripisyo ay lalo pang pinahirapan.

Ganito rin po ang nangyari sa MRT. Sinubukan na namang bilhin ang ating pagmamahal. Pinilit ang operator na panatilihing mababa ang pamasahe.

Hindi tuloy nagampanan ang garantiyang ibinigay sa operator na mababawi nila ang kanilang puhunan. Dahil dito, inutusan ang Landbank at Development Bank of the Philippines na bilhin ang MRT.

Ang pera ng taumbayan, ipinagpalit sa isang naluluging operasyon.

Dumako naman po tayo sa pondo ng NFA.

Noong 2004: 117,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply ng Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 900,000 metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit pitong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra pa rin ang binili nila.

Noong 2007: 589,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply sa Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 1.827 million metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit tatlong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra na naman ang binili nila.

Ang masakit nito, dahil sobra-sobra ang binibili nila taun-taon, nabubulok lang pala sa mga kamalig ang bigas, kagaya ng nangyari noong 2008.

Hindi po ba krimen ito, na hinahayaan nilang mabulok ang bigas, sa kabila ng apat na milyong Pilipinong hindi kumakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw?

Ang resulta nito, umabot na sa 171.6 billion pesos ang utang ng NFA noong Mayo ng taong ito.

Ang tinapon na ito, halos puwede na sanang pondohan ang mga sumusunod:

Ang budget ng buong Hudikatura, na 12.7 billion pesos sa taong ito.

Ang Conditional Cash Transfers para sa susunod na taon, na nagkakahalaga ng 29.6 billion pesos.

Ang lahat ng classroom na kailangan ng ating bansa, na nagkakahalaga ng 130 billion pesos.

Kasuklam-suklam ang kalakarang ito. Pera na, naging bato pa.

Narinig po ninyo kung paano nilustay ang kaban ng bayan. Ang malinaw po sa ngayon: ang anumang pagbabago ay magmumula sa pagsiguro natin na magwawakas na ang pagiging maluho at pagwawaldas.

Kaya nga po mula ngayon: ititigil na natin ang paglulustay sa salapi ng bayan. Tatanggalin natin ang mga proyektong mali.

Ito po ang punto ng tinatawag nating zero-based approach sa ating budget. Ang naging kalakaran po, taun-taon ay inuulit lamang ang budget na puno ng tagas. Dadagdagan lang nang konti, puwede na.

Sa susunod na buwan ay maghahain tayo ng budget na kumikilala nang tama sa mga problema, at magtutuon din ng pansin sa tamang solusyon.

Ilan lang ito sa mga natuklasan nating problema. Heto naman po ang ilang halimbawa ng mga hakbang na ginagawa natin.

Nandiyan po ang kaso ng isang may-ari ng sanglaan. Bumili siya ng sasakyang tinatayang nasa dalawampu’t anim na milyong piso ang halaga.

Kung kaya mong bumili ng Lamborghini, bakit hindi mo kayang magbayad ng buwis?

Nasampahan na po ito ng kaso. Sa pangunguna nina Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares at Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez, bawat linggo po ay may bago tayong kasong isinasampa kontra sa mga smuggler at sa mga hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis.

Natukoy na rin po ang salarin sa mga kaso nina Francisco Baldomero, Jose Daguio at Miguel Belen, tatlo sa anim na insidente ng extralegal killings mula nang umupo tayo.

Singkuwenta porsyento po ng mga insidente ng extralegal killings ang patungo na sa kanilang resolusyon.

Ang natitira pong kalahati ay hindi natin tatantanan ang pag-usig hanggang makamit ang katarungan.

Pananagutin natin ang mga mamamatay-tao. Pananagutin din natin ang mga corrupt sa gobyerno.

Nagsimula nang mabuo ang ating Truth Commission, sa pangunguna ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide. Hahanapin natin ang katotohanan sa mga nangyari diumanong katiwalian noong nakaraang siyam na taon.

Sa loob ng linggong ito, pipirmahan ko ang kauna-unahang Executive Order na nagtatalaga sa pagbuo nitong Truth Commission.

Kung ang sagot sa kawalan ng katarungan ay pananagutan, ang sagot naman sa kakulangan natin sa pondo ay mga makabago at malikhaing paraan para tugunan ang mga pagkatagal-tagal nang problema.

Napakarami po ng ating pangangailangan: mula sa edukasyon, imprastruktura, pangkalusugan, pangangailangan ng militar at kapulisan, at marami pang iba. Hindi kakasya ang pondo para mapunan ang lahat ng ito.

Kahit gaano po kalaki ang kakulangan para mapunan ang mga listahan ng ating pangangailangan, ganado pa rin ako dahil marami nang nagpakita ng panibagong interes at kumpyansa sa Pilipinas.

Ito ang magiging solusyon: mga Public-Private Partnerships. Kahit wala pa pong pirmahang nangyayari dito, masasabi kong maganda ang magiging bunga ng maraming usapin ukol dito.

May mga nagpakita na po ng interes, gustong magtayo ng expressway na mula Maynila, tatahak ng Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, hanggang sa dulo ng Cagayan Valley nang hindi gugugol ang estado kahit na po piso.

Sa larangan ng ating Sandatahang Lakas:

Mayroon po tayong 36,000 nautical miles ng baybayin. Ang mayroon lamang tayo: tatlumpu’t dalawang barko. Itong mga barkong ito, panahon pa ni MacArthur.

May nagmungkahi sa atin, ito ang proposisyon: uupahan po nila ang headquarters ng Navy sa Roxas Boulevard at ang Naval Station sa Fort Bonifacio.

Sagot po nila ang paglipat ng Navy Headquarters sa Camp Aguinaldo. Agaran, bibigyan tayo ng isandaang milyong dolyar. At dagdag pa sa lahat nang iyan, magsusubi pa sila sa atin ng kita mula sa mga negosyong itatayo nila sa uupahan nilang lupa.

Sa madali pong sabi: Makukuha natin ang kailangan natin, hindi tatayo gagastos, kikita pa tayo.

Marami na pong nag-alok at nagmungkahi sa atin, mula lokal hanggang dayuhang negosyante, na magpuno ng iba’t ibang pangangailangan.

Mula sa mga public-private partnerships na ito, lalago ang ating ekonomiya, at bawat Pilipino makikinabang. Napakaraming sektor na matutulungan nito.

Maipapatayo na po ang imprastrukturang kailangan natin para palaguin ang turismo.

Sa agrikultura, makapagtatayo na tayo ng mga grains terminals, refrigeration facilities, maayos na road networks at post-harvest facilities.

Kung maisasaayos natin ang ating food supply chain sa tulong ng pribadong sektor, sa halip na mag-angkat tayo ay maari na sana tayong mangarap na mag-supply sa pandaigdigang merkado.

Kung maitatayo ang minumungkahi sa ating railway system, bababa ang presyo ng bilihin. Mas mura, mas mabilis, mas maginhawa, at makakaiwas pa sa kotong cops at mga kumokotong na rebelde ang mga bumibiyahe.

Paalala lang po: una sa ating plataporma ang paglikha ng mga trabaho, at nanggagaling ang trabaho sa paglago ng industriya. Lalago lamang ang industriya kung gagawin nating mas malinis, mas mabilis, at mas maginhawa ang proseso para sa mga gustong magnegosyo.

Pabibilisin natin ang proseso ng mga proyektong sumasailalim sa Build-Operate-Transfer. Sa tulong ng lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno at ng mga mamamayan, pabababain natin sa anim na buwan ang proseso na noon ay inaabot ng taon kung hindi dekada.

May mga hakbang na rin pong sinisimulan ang DTI, sa pamumuno ni Secretary Gregory Domingo:

Ang walang-katapusang pabalik-balik sa proseso ng pagrehistro ng pangalan ng kumpanya, na kada dalaw ay umaabot ng apat hanggang walong oras, ibababa na natin sa labinlimang minuto.

Ang dating listahan ng tatlumpu’t anim na dokumento, ibababa natin sa anim. Ang dating walong pahinang application form, ibababa natin sa isang pahina.

Nananawagan ako sa ating mga LGUs. Habang naghahanap tayo ng paraan para gawing mas mabilis ang pagbubukas ng mga negosyo, pag-aralan din sana nila ang kanilang mga proseso. Kailangan itong gawing mas mabilis, at kailangan itong itugma sa mga sinisumulan nating reporma.

Negosyante, sundalo, rebelde, at karaniwang Pilipino, lahat po makikinabang dito. Basta po hindi dehado ang Pilipino, papasukin po natin lahat iyan. Kailangan na po nating simulan ang pagtutulungan para makamit ito. Huwag nating pahirapan ang isa’t isa.

Parating na po ang panahon na hindi na natin kailangang mamili sa pagitan ng seguridad ng ating mamamayan o sa kinabukasan ng inyong mga anak.

Oras na maipatupad ang public-private partnerships na ito, mapopondohan ang mga serbisyong panlipunan, alinsunod sa ating plataporma.

Magkakapondo na po para maipatupad ang mga plano natin sa edukasyon.

Mapapalawak natin ang basic education cycle mula sa napakaikling sampung taon tungo sa global standard na labindalawang taon.

Madadagdagan natin ang mga classroom. Mapopondohan natin ang service contracting sa ilalim ng GASTPE.

Pati ang conditional cash transfers, na magbabawas ng pabigat sa bulsa ng mga pamilya, madadagdan na rin ng pondo.

Maipapatupad ang plano natin sa PhilHealth.

Una, tutukuyin natin ang tunay na bilang ng mga nangangailangan nito. Sa ngayon, hindi magkakatugma ang datos. Sabi ng PhilHealth sa isang bibig, walumpu’t pitong porsyento na raw ang merong coverage. Sa kabilang bibig naman, singkuwenta’y tres porsyento naman. Ayon naman sa National Statistics Office, tatlumpu’t walong porsyento ang may coverage.

Ngayon pa lang, kumikilos na si Secretary Dinky Soliman at ang DSWD upang ipatupad ang National Household Targetting System, na magtutukoy sa mga pamilyang higit na nagangailangan ng tulong. Tinatayang siyam na bilyon ang kailangan para mabigyan ng PhilHealth ang limang milyong pinakamaralitang pamilyang Pilipino.

Napakaganda po ng hinaharap natin. Kasama na po natin ang pribadong sektor, at kasama na rin natin ang League of Provinces, sa pangunguna nina Governor Alfonso Umali kasama sina Governor L-Ray Villafuerte at Governor Icot Petilla. Handa na pong makipagtulungan para makibahagi sa pagtustos ng mga gastusin. Alam ko rin pong hindi magpapahuli ang League of Cities sa pangunguna ni Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.

Kung ang mga gobyernong lokal ay nakikiramay na sa ating mga adhikain, ang Kongreso namang pinanggalingan ko, siguro naman maasahan ko din.

Nagpakitang-gilas na po ang gabinete sa pagtukoy ng ating mga problema at sa paglulunsad ng mga solusyon sa loob lamang ng tatlong linggo.

Nang bagyo pong Basyang, ang sabi sa atin ng mga may prangkisa sa kuryente, apat na araw na walang kuryente. Dahil sa mabilis na pagkilos ni Secretary Rene Almendras at ng Department of Energy, naibalik ang kuryente sa halos lahat sa loob lamang ng beinte-kwatro oras.

Ito pong sinasabing kakulangan sa tubig sa Metro Manila, kinilusan agad ni Secretary Rogelio Singson at ng DPWH. Hindi na siya naghintay ng utos, kaya nabawasan ang perwisyo.

Nakita na rin natin ang gilas ng mga hinirang nating makatulong sa Gabinete. Makatuwiran naman po sigurong umasa na hindi na sila padadaanin sa butas ng karayom para makumpirma ng Commission on Appointments. Kung mangyayari po ito, marami pa sa mga mahuhusay na Pilipino ang maeengganyong magsilbi sa gobyerno.

Sa lalong madaling panahon po, uupo na tayo sa LEDAC at pag-uusapan ang mga mahahalagang batas na kailangan nating ipasa. Makakaasa kayo na mananatiling bukas ang aking isipan, at ang ating ugnayan ay mananatiling tapat.

Isinusulong po natin ang Fiscal Responsibility Bill, kung saan hindi tayo magpapasa ng batas na mangangailangan ng pondo kung hindi pa natukoy ang panggagalingan nito. May 104.1 billion pesos tayong kailangan para pondohan ang mga batas na naipasa na, ngunit hindi maipatupad.

Kailangan din nating isaayos ang mga insentibong piskal na ibinigay noong nakaraan. Ngayong naghihigpit tayo ng sinturon, kailangang balikan kung alin sa mga ito ang dapat manatili at kung ano ang dapat nang itigil.

Huwag po tayong pumayag na magkaroon ng isa pang NBN-ZTE. Sa lokal man o dayuhan manggagaling ang pondo, dapat dumaan ito sa tamang proseso. Hinihingi ko po ang tulong ninyo upang amiyendahan ang ating Procurement Law.

Ayon po sa Saligang Batas, tungkulin ng estado ang siguruhing walang lamangan sa merkado. Bawal ang monopolya, bawal ang mga cartel na sasakal sa kumpetisyon. Kailangan po natin ng isang Anti-Trust Law na magbibigay-buhay sa mga prinsipyong ito. Ito ang magbibigay ng pagkakataon sa mga Small- at Medium-scale Enterprises na makilahok at tumulong sa paglago ng ating ekonomiya.

Ipasa na po natin ang National Land Use Bill.

Una rin pong naging batas ng Commonwealth ang National Defense Act, na ipinasa noon pang 1935. Kailangan nang palitan ito ng batas na tutugon sa pangangailangan ng pambansang seguridad sa kasalukuyan.

Nakikiusap po akong isulong ang Whistleblower’s Bill upang patuloy nang iwaksi ang kultura ng takot at pananahimik.

Palalakasin pa lalo ang Witness Protection Program. Alalahanin po natin na noong taong 2009 hanggang 2010, may nahatulan sa 95% ng mga kaso kung saan may witness na sumailalim sa programang ito.

Kailangang repasuhin ang ating mga batas. Nanawagan po akong umpisahan na ang rekodipikasyon ng ating mga batas, upang siguruhing magkakatugma sila at hindi salu-salungat.

Ito pong mga batas na ito ang batayan ng kaayusan, ngunit ang pundasyon ng lahat ng ginagawa natin ay ang prinsipyong wala tayong mararating kung walang kapayapaan at katahimikan.

Dalawa ang hinaharap nating suliranin sa usapin ng kapayapaan: ang situwasyon sa Mindanao, at ang patuloy na pag-aaklas ng CPP-NPA-NDF.

Tungkol sa situwasyon sa Mindanao: Hindi po nagbabago ang ating pananaw. Mararating lamang ang kapayapaan at katahimikan kung mag-uusap ang lahat ng apektado: Moro, Lumad, at Kristiyano. Inatasan na natin si Dean Marvic Leonen na mangasiwa sa ginagawa nating pakikipag-usap sa MILF.

Iiwasan natin ang mga pagkakamaling nangyari sa nakaraang administrasyon, kung saan binulaga na lang ang mga mamamayan ng Mindanao. Hindi tayo puwedeng magbulag-bulagan sa mga dudang may kulay ng pulitika ang proseso, at hindi ang kapakanan ng taumbayan ang tanging interes.

Kinikilala natin ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng MILF sa pamamagitan ng pagdidisplina sa kanilang hanay. Inaasahan natin na muling magsisimula ang negosasyon pagkatapos ng Ramadan.

Tungkol naman po sa CPP-NPA-NDF: handa na ba kayong maglaan ng kongkretong mungkahi, sa halip na pawang batikos lamang?

Kung kapayapaan din ang hangad ninyo, handa po kami sa malawakang tigil-putukan. Mag-usap tayo.

Mahirap magsimula ang usapan habang mayroon pang amoy ng pulbura sa hangin. Nananawagan ako: huwag po natin hayaang masayang ang napakagandang pagkakataong ito upang magtipon sa ilalim ng iisang adhikain.

Kapayapaan at katahimikan po ang pundasyon ng kaunlaran. Habang nagpapatuloy ang barilan, patuloy din ang pagkakagapos natin sa kahirapan.

Dapat din po nating mabatid: ito ay panahon ng sakripisyo. At ang sakripisyong ito ay magiging puhunan para sa ating kinabukasan. Kaakibat ng ating mga karapatan at kalayaan ay ang tungkulin natin sa kapwa at sa bayan.

Inaasahan ko po ang ating mga kaibigan sa media, lalo na sa radyo at sa print, sa mga nagbablock-time, at sa community newspapers, kayo na po mismo ang magbantay sa inyong hanay.

Mabigyang-buhay sana ang mga batayang prinsipyo ng inyong bokasyon: ang magbigay-linaw sa mahahalagang isyu; ang maging patas at makatotohanan, at ang itaas ang antas ng pampublikong diskurso.

Tungkulin po ng bawat Pilipino na tutukan ang mga pinunong tayo rin naman ang nagluklok sa puwesto. Humakbang mula sa pakikialam tungo sa pakikilahok. Dahil ang nakikialam, walang-hanggan ang reklamo. Ang nakikilahok, nakikibahagi sa solusyon.

Napakatagal na pong namamayani ang pananaw na ang susi sa asenso ay ang intindihin ang sarili kaysa intindihin ang kapwa. Malinaw po sa akin: paano tayo aasenso habang nilalamangan ang kapwa?

Ang hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataong mag-aral, paanong makakakuha ng trabaho? Kung walang trabaho, paanong magiging konsumer? Paanong mag-iimpok sa bangko?

Ngunit kung babaliktarin natin ang pananaw—kung iisipin nating “Dadagdagan ko ang kakayahan ng aking kapwa”—magbubunga po ito, at ang lahat ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataon.

Maganda na po ang nasimulan natin. At mas lalong maganda po ang mararating natin. Ngunit huwag nating kalimutan na mayroong mga nagnanasang hindi tayo magtagumpay. Dahil kapag hindi tayo nagtagumpay, makakabalik na naman sila sa kapangyarihan, at sa pagsasamantala sa taumbayan.

Akin pong paniwala na Diyos at taumbayan ang nagdala sa ating kinalalagyan ngayon. Habang nakatutok tayo sa kapakanan ng ating kapwa, bendisyon at patnubay ay tiyak na maaasahan natin sa Poong Maykapal. At kapag nanalig tayo na ang kasangga natin ay ang Diyos, mayroon ba tayong hindi kakayanin?

Ang mandato nating nakuha sa huling eleksyon ay patunay na umaasa pa rin ang Pilipino sa pagbabago. Iba na talaga ang situwasyon. Puwede na muling mangarap. Tayo nang tumungo sa katuparan ng ating mga pinangarap.

Maraming salamat po.

SMART REWARDS OF SMART COMMUNICATION IS NOT REAL!

i got the chance to know this promo right after the globe communication made the busting promotion of globe rewards (txt REWARDS send to 4438)..until i got the chance to call a smart costumer service representative and she inform me about that promo together with the TST to be watch on TV5..
for the said smart promo...(REWARDS send to 9800) or (POINTS to 9800) i learned that i have almost 17,500 points i purchase the regular 15 load and kindly monitor it within 48 hours,,,points have been charge 2days past the regular load is not yet received! until today i purchased the LAHATTEXT20 points have been charge and yet i will monitor it again!
hoping that its for real now...because if its not real i do recommend the globe promo rather than this

Sky Flakes TVC with Jovit Baldovino

July 24, 2010: Showtime Grand Finals at Ynares Center, Antipolo City.

XB GenSan is Showtime's Grand Winner.

The wildcard winner and the only group from Mindanao went home with the P1 million cash prize.

XB (Extreme Boyz) GenSan, the only grand finalist from Mindanao, is the first grand champion of ABS-CBN's talent variety program "Showtime." The group won P1 million pesos cash prize during the grand finals this morning which was held at Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Here is the final result:

1st -- XB GenSan (General Santos City) -- 9.875
2nd -- Philippine Islands Assasin (Marikina City) -- 9.7
3rd -- Boyz Unlimited (Pangasinan)- 9.625
4th -- Enlighten Black Theatre Group (San Juan, Metro Manila) -- 9.425
5th -- Mortal Combat and the Showgays (Brgy. Holy Spirit, Quezon City) -- 9.3
6th -- Savannah Kids Ballroom Dancers (Antipolo City) -- 8.775
7th -- Perlas ng Silangan (Olongapo City) and E-Crew (Paete, Laguna) -- 8.575
8th -- Sensei (Roxas City, Capiz) -- 8.1
9th -- Kasibulan (Muntinlupa City) -- 7.375
10th -- Beat Guys (Fairview, Quezon City) -- 7.325

Resident judge Vice ganda were joined by 39 other celebrities who served as guest judge on the show's first season including Alessandra De Rossi, Andrew E, Archie Alemania, Alfie Lorenzo, Ayannah, Jhong Hilario, Christopher Roxas, Tutti Caringal, Manny Castañeda, Jobert Sucaldito, Precious Lara Quigaman, Priscilla Meirelles, Assunta De Rossi, Will Devaughn, Angge, Jon Avila, Nikki Valdez, Jet Pangan, Dennis Padilla, Robert Seña, Kean Cipriano, Marc Abaya, Bianca Manalo, Carlene Aguilar, Karla Henry, Joy Viado, Jay Justiniani, Gab Valenciano, Mahal, Jocelyn Oxlade, Brod Pete, Keanna Reeves, Led Sobrepeña III, Ruther Urquia, Yayo Aguila and Gladys Reyes.

It's interesting to note that XB Gensan was only a wildcard winner but they bested 9 other grand finalists who won during the monthly finals.

Showtime Season 2 will start this Monday, July 26.

Credits: http://www.starmometer.com/2010/07/24...




























]

XB Gensan 1st showtime grand champion - SHOWTIME the Finals

Sykes Enterprises

Type Public (NASDAQ: SYKE

Industry Business Process Outsourcing

Founded 1977

Founder(s) John H. Sykes

Headquarters United States Tampa, Florida, USA

Key people Charles E. Sykes
(President & CEO)
David L. Pearson
Jenna R. Nelson
Daniel L. Hernandez
W. Michael Kipphut
Lawrence Zingale
James C. Hobby
James T. Holder

Services Customer Service and Technical Support

Revenue 2008: $819.2 Millon

Employees 51,000

Website http://www.sykes.com

Sykes Enterprises is a multinational corporation which provides business process outsourcing services, such as technical support and customer service. Sykes has over 51,000 employees at 80+ locations in 24 countries operating in 30 languages.

History

The following are key milestones in Sykes' history as a company.[2]

1977 - SYKES begins as a small engineering firm with three employees in Charlotte, North Carolina

1979-1982 - The technical writing group begins in Charlotte marking the beginning of the Information Services branch

1992 - SYKES purchases Jones Technologies, Inc. in Sterling, Colorado and enters into customer support business

1993 - Company reorganizes, moves corporate office from Charlotte to Tampa, Florida

1996 - SYKES goes public – stock begins trading on NASDAQ First international presence with acquisition of Datasvar Support AB of Sweden

1997 - Several acquisitions including McQueen International Limited with multiple locations including operations in The Philippines

1999 - SYKES inducted into the Software Support Professional Association (SSPA) Hall of Fame

2003 - SYKES expands global footprint to El Salvador

2004 - Chuck Sykes appointed to President and CEO

2006 - SYKES acquires Argentina-based Apex America SYKES has more than 26,000 employees at year-end

2007 - SYKES expands to Perry County, Kentucky

2008 - SYKES opens three centers in the U.S. – Kingstree, South Carolina; Greenwood, South Carolina and Malvern, Arkansas - as well as new centers in Brazil, Costa Rica and Denmark.

2009 - SYKES and ICT Group have begun integration after the proposed merger of the two

2010 - SYKES acquires ICT Group

Locations

Sykes' headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida. As of 2010, the company has operations in the following countries:[3]

* United States of America
* Canada
* Argentina
* Australia
* Brazil
* Costa Rica
* Egypt
* El Salvador
* India
* Philippines
* People's Republic of China
* Denmark
* Finland
* Germany
* South Africa
* Spain
* Sweden
* Hungary
* Ireland
* Italy
* Mexico
* United Kingdom
* Slovakia
* The Netherlands
* Romania

Services

SYKES provides customer contact management solutions and services in the business process outsourcing (BPO) arena. The company provides an array of customer contact management solutions to Fortune 1000 companies around the world, primarily in the communications, financial services, healthcare, technology and transportation and leisure industries.[4]

SYKES' services are categorized into three lines of business: Contact Center Services, TeleHealth, and Assistance Services.[5]

Contact Center Services

* Credit Card Services
* Retail Banking
* Consumer Electronics
* High-Tech
* PCs and Peripherals
* Broadband
* Managed Services
* Wireless

TeleHealth

* Health Information
* Symptom Management
* Acute and Chronic Care
* Wellness and Prevention

Assistance Services

* Roadside Assistance
* Home Assistance
* Legal Assistance
* Identity Theft Assistance
* Business Support
Awards and recognition

Sykes has received a number of prestigious awards.[6] These awards are:

* Sykes in the Philippines (Sykes Asia, Inc.) was given recognition by the Philippine Government as the pioneer for Call Center Industry in the country.
* Excellence Award in Human Resources and Client Satisfaction
* Excellent Award for Human Resources - Costa Rican Chamber of Industries
* SPPA STAR Hall of Fame - Software Support Professionals Association
* SPPA STAR Award Sustained Performance (three times) - Software Support Professionals Association
* SPPA STAR Award High Call Volume - Software Support Professionals Association
* Technology Fast 500 (three times) - Deloitte & Touche
* Information Technology Partner Award (six times) - Monsanto
* Entrepreneur of the Year - Ernst & Young
* 2005 International Business of the Year - Evening News Business Excellence Awards
* 2005 China Best Outsourcing Call Center Service Provider - China Call Center & CRM Association

[edit] See also
Factory 1b.svg Companies portal

* Business Process Outsourcing
* Call center
* Technical support
* Customer service
* Telemarketing

References

* The New York Times, May 1, 1996 – Shares of Sykes Enterprises Nearly Double on Day One
* Sykes Donates $28 Million To University of Tampa

1. ^ http://www.sykes.com/ourcompany/quickfacts.aspx
2. ^ http://www.sykes.com/ourcompany/history.aspx
3. ^ http://www.sykes.com/ourcompany/locations.aspx
4. ^ http://www.sykes.com/OurCompany.aspx
5. ^ http://www.sykes.com/Solutions.aspx>
6. ^ http://www.sykes.com/ourcompany/quickfacts.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sykes_Enterprises

waiting for call....

its a new day for me..but a great new day...i woke up and took a bath without any plan where to go to be able to find work..


i having a cough and colds, so im not okey...until i notice the job fair of Sykes Philippines here in city hall of Calamba..i went there, not prepared,, and no idea for what kind of english i can speaks since im not okey..

until the interview ends well with a bang...thumbs up for the interview..gonna wait for it,,,

life of a bed spacer

all i can say is what kind of life and adjustment should i have to made?how can i say "im okey mom" even though im having cough and colds due to unstable weather conditon...

im here again in calamba laguna 4 monhts after i left this town of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal where i stays for almost 6 years, i stays to a family, where i experience a great great time with a perfect mom and dad and a brother too..

i have to be back here to be able to find myself being an independent, being a master of myself without someone in the morning letting u do house hold chores and everything....

the most improtant thing is i have to find work,,,any kind of work!!! i do try to inquire this afternoon to TELETECH STAROSA BRANCH ...and wow,,,what a requirements,, (pagibig,philhealth,,etc..)

providing a lot of requirements was to exppensive but sooner or later for sure that would be needed too...

until my landlady allows me to pay may rental fee (i thought they will allow me to pay only half a month since its too late to paid the whole one month,,,but they regret it,,,yeah,,have to pay it,,,,

its too difficult to pay attention on how to budget the money since its not as big amount as it is,,but,,,how,,haha,,,my foods my things,,and everything...

a life of being a bedspacer was too different as before for what i experience!

wish me luck for tomorrow,,,gonna go to ALABANG MUNTINLUPA,,,as MS KAY ANNE FLORES says,,not GOODLUCK but GOODBLESS.....

gonna slip now.............ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales on ABS-CBN’s ‘Green Rose’

/greenrosekoreanver.jpg">


Plot: The role of Jericho works for a large corporation he falls in love with Anne Curits, who portrays the daughter of the company’s chairman. Being framed for a murder case, Jericho escapes to another country where he meets a powerful tycoon and becomes his right-hand man. Jericho will return to the country to take revenge on those who have once set him up.

After their successful team-up in the historical movie “Baler”, Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales will be paired again for the Philippine adaptation of the koreanovela “Green Rose.”

Jericho Rosales and Anne Curtis will portray the lead roles in the series. Supporting them are Alessandra de Rossi, Tyron Perez, Gardo Versoza, and Ricardo Cepeda.
The Tagalized Korean version of Green Rose was aired last 2005 also in ABS-CBN. The series was starred by Korean stars Go Soo (My Fair Lady, Marrying a Millionaire) and Lee Da Hae (My Girl) as a couple.
The role of Go Soo (the male lead) was first assigned to Sam Milby until the management decided to give it to Jericho Rosales. The the role in Impostor opposite Maja Salvador was given to Sam instead.


starmometer.com

Spain beats Netherlands 1-0 for World Cup

Spain's David Villa, center, kisses the World Cup trophy at the end of the World Cup final soccer match between the Netherlands and Spain at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa. AP

(UPDATE) JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Spain rules the soccer world, winning the World Cup at long, long last.

It came after an exhausting 1-0 victory in extra time over the Netherlands on Sunday. Two years after winning the European title, the stylish Spaniards did even better.

This was a physical test of attrition that sometimes turned dirty—a finals-record 13 yellow cards were handed out and the Dutch finished with 10 men. In the end, it was Andres Iniesta breaking free in the penalty area, taking a pass from Cesc Fabregas and putting a right-footed shot from 8 yards just past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

For the Dutch and their legions of orange-clad fans wearing everything from jerseys to jumpsuits to clown gear to pajamas, it was yet another crushing disappointment.

Their first World Cup title tantalizingly within reach, they failed in the final for the third time. This one might have been the most bitter because, unlike in 1974 and 1978, the Netherlands was unbeaten not only in this tournament, but in qualifying for the first World Cup staged in South Africa.

Soccer City was soaked in Oranje, from the seats painted in that hue throughout the stadium to pretty much everyone seated in them. Unlike when they lost to hosts West Germany and Argentina in previous finals, the Dutch were something of a home team this time.

The Spaniards, though, were the winners.

They had pockets of supporters, too, to be sure, dressed in red and scattered around the stadium. They might have been the minority, but when the final whistle blew, they were tooting their vuvuzelas loudest in tribute to their champions.

Iniesta tore off his jersey after the goal and raced to the corner where he was mobbed by his teammates. Several Dutch players wiped away tears as they received their medals as runners-up—yet again. They won every qualifying match and all six previous games in South Africa before the bitter ending.

The Netherlands now has more victories in World Cup games without a title than any nation: 19. Spain held that dubious record with 24.

The Spaniards saluted their fans with arms raised high, then lifted their coach, Vicente Del Bosque, in the air in celebration.

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, the captain, accepted the trophy from FIFA president Sepp Blatter, kissed it and raised it for all to see while cameras flashed and confetti flew throughout the still-full stadium.

Soon, the entire team and staff gathered at midfield for a group photo. The players bounced up and down to the World Cup theme song, then took a victory lap as the trophy was passed to each member of the squad.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=592622&publicationSubCategoryId=200