Pepe & Pia Conversations

Pepe!!!!

2010-06-19T11:01:00.002+08:00

Huy kamusta ka na ba? Ano nang balita sa iyo? Naghihingalo na ang blog na ito ng masilip ko. Sabagay meron pa siyang entry hanggang nitong Marso. Paano namang di matitigil to e, "conversations" nga pero walang conversations na nagaganap. Haha. Paumanhin ha, nalunod ako sa samu't saring gampanin, kaya hindi na nagkarun pa ng panahong makipagtalastasan (nice ang lalim haha).

Balik natin 'to. Tama nang LQ. haha. Joke. Ano, game?

---Pia

A Picture of Unemployment

2010-03-22T10:46:00.000+08:00

credits to www.tlc-systems.com for the image.

Immortaltxt ng Globe Expired Na!

2010-02-22T23:08:00.001+08:00

Sorry, the IMMORTALTXT promo has ended effective 02/16/2010. You are not charged for this transaction. You can also try SULITXT, P15 for 100 texts to Globe/TM valid for one day. Just text SULITXT 15 to 8888 to register.

Iyan ang inabot ko nang isend ko ang keyword ng Immortaltxt sa 8888.

Ewan ko sa inyo pero nanghihinayang ako at wala na ang promo na 'to. Hindi ba naman magexpire ang text messages mo eh. Sayang, hindi nga nag expire yung text message allocation, yung promo naman ang nag expire.

Nagkakasya na lang ako ngayon sa Immortaltxt+. Ayus dahil may calls pero walang inter-network texts.

Kayo, anung pananaw niyo dito?

Agent at 45 years old

2009-10-20T01:39:00.000+08:00

November 30th, 2008

I’ve always wanted to try the then-new-thing call center industry. It was some years back when our country experienced this boom that came with the continued rise of demand for medical practitioners and teachers abroad. I was a graduating student already when I had my first taste of this job. Together with some of my friends, we applied to one of these call centers which had a Holiday-Temp promo then. I believe call centers still have these holiday-temp promos. They hired us for five days to answer calls and make sure that none of their calls won’t get unanswered. Yes, you read it right, it was only for five days, two for training and the rest was all for production. I didn’t get it then. As for myself and my friends, we had a couple of days free and earning while not getting tied to a months-long contract was a good deal for us. For if the company will benefit from this deal? We didn’t really care.

It was great experience. Finally, I’ve got my wish granted. I tried whatever could be tried then. I brought food then tried eating outside, slept for a couple of minutes stretched to a number of hours in the quarters, gone to work at 9pm for a shift starting at 3am, ending a shift and going home at noon, brought spill-proof containers and drank couple of cups of free caffeine-rich products, wore jackets as if it weren’t just the humid of Manila, spoke English over the phone, in the pantry, on the elevator, on our bus ride then back in the classroom when everything was over, laughing at our great experience in this industry that has, I say, changed our society at least a bit.

We were engineering students and everyone was either frustrated or amused with what our barkada tried out. For one, it was so far from what we are supposed to be trained for. Being Electronics Engineering students and all made it as if impossible for us to even try to consider. That is at least for some people’s point of view. But we had our reasons. Some of us need the money, some had different reasons but as for me, I was really interested and I hoped to try and I had it.

My next call center stints weren’t shocking anymore. I had tried answering calls for people who would wish to have their satellite radios activated. I am not really sure if we already have it here in Manila. These radios receive information through Satellites and are pretty much advanced than what we currently have. I had tried answering calls for people who needs help with their laptop units in terms of hardware, software and networking. This one’s my first technically-inclined post which made it difficult. I almost tried answering calls about billing concerns. I already experienced calls from Americans of various accents. I have tried speaking with people from different countries. Let’s say more than 20 countries.

Looking back, I remembered myself delved in argument with my own thoughts regarding people entering this industry. I could remember how I felt people who looked down on call center agents (or however these people are called) are. I thought they were sort of judgmental about it. To some, it is commendable to belong in this industry, concluding that it’s a feat to survive speaking in Conversational English all-day, all week as a profession. But to most, considering if you have already graduated, more so an Engineering course, or any somewhat-unrelated-course for that matter, being a part of a call center, is a disappointment. I consider that notion valid, though. That is considering the dogma stating the industry is but an alternative, an option. The ‘agents’ can’t blame the society, though for having this thinking. Besides, even some of those who are also a part of this industry has denied their participation to this industry.

The society has to know more in this industry. For one, people who are called call center agents are called such because their work is related to answering phone calls. This has quickly evolved, though, as agents also receive emails and chat messages from the end users as an alternative to the usual phone calls. Also, agents do outbound calls instead of just waiting for their phone to ring. Now, the question of what these agents and their end users talk about over any of these media must also be clarified. Contrary to most people’s belief, over the phone a huge variety of things could be the topic. It could range from directory assistance, technical inquiry about a faulty internet connection, credit card bills concern, sales, password reset, and a whole lot more. People thinking that it is a complete waste to be part of this answer-the-phone job and forgetting all what one person’s technical know-how might have to think twice. It is but hard to fix a networking issue of a certain office of 10 computers. Fixing this is definitely commendable. Now, I fail to see the logic in thinking that doing that same task plus the language barrier of speaking to probably a non-native English speaker by a non-native English speaking Pinoy, over the phone hundreds of miles away, literally not seeing the computers and cables, what some call center agents do, is at all not commendable.

The call center industry and the call center agents are called as such because they share the same job description of helping somebody over a medium, usually a phone. The lines of business are varied, but wherever one might be a part of, it must not really matter. For as long as your happy with it, why not? As the saying goes, “to each his own”.

I am currently working for a call center. I was hired as an agent. We were called Level 2 IT Help Desk agents of an account catering to more than 80 countries. Fortunately, I am now part of our account’s Incident Management. I have been an agent and not at all ashamed of it. My current job makes me not want to be an agent anymore. I am enjoying this. Definitely a lot harder, but more suited to what I wanted.

I am part of the industry. How about you?

~Fin

a thought from a conversation with a 45-year old mother of four who has been a tutor for 2 decades and decided to venture into this new industry:

This industry is good because it gives chances for people who would usually won’t get accepted. From people way younger than 18, way older than 40, non-high school grads, non-conversant English speaker, non-technical, of any gender, to those of any race, religion, political or social inclination. For as long as you know how to answer the phone and address the other person’s concern, you are good to go.

if you can’t do it, just TEACH it.

2009-10-18T01:39:00.001+08:00

"THOSE WHO CAN, DO; THOSE WHO CAN’T, TEACH "
August 9th, 2007

I was held in a ‘conversation’ with and by this girl, Gretchen, after I posted a bit controversial bulletin post about this statement which I read from an article of a mayor in Metro Manila. Here is an edited version of my reply.

‘Pag kaya mo, gawin mo. ‘Pag di mo kaya, magturo ka. Related sya sa pag-aaral. Halimbawa, ikaw, engineering student. After graduating, you most probably could already gauge if you really learned enough to actually practice it. In your case, to practice the ECE STUFF. Ang sabi nung statement, kung kaya mo talaga, practice your chosen profession, kung kinulang at di kaya, magturo ka na lang.

In an ideal perception, weird yung statement. HOW CAN YOU BE ABLE TO TEACH IF YOU EVEN CAN’T. paano mo ituturo ang pagdedesign ng circuits, pagpaplano ng network systems, etc if in the first place, you, yourself, can’t.

But that’s the aim of the statement. To give an opinion by telling a should-have-been scenario then stating the current scene. It’s an insult - if this word fits what I mean best. It says that “Teachers ARE teachers because they were not studying well when they were students, because their teachers weren’t teaching enough, because the school facilities aren’t sufficient, etc. In short, they are not equipped. They CHOSE to become teachers, because it is easier to say ‘the things’ in class than to actually ‘do’ it.

There’s a lot more to say but I know you already get my point. I think this a good way of using BULLETIN BOARD. You’re great GRETCHEN! Keep it up.

You may request for an all-english version of any of the post here. Just inform the moderator by shouting out. There, to the right! ^_^

Self-Study Academy

2009-10-15T01:36:00.000+08:00

AnO ngA bA tAgAlOg ng lEAkAge?
October 25th, 2006

Mga
gurong hindi nagtuturo. Exam tungkol sa isang paksang hindi naman
tinuro. Exam na pag di mo pinasa’y dahilan upang umulit pa ng isang
taon. Exam na pati iyong guro’y aminadong di niya tinuro.

Sir paano na yung exam namin?
“Mag-aral na lang kayo. Matuto naman kayong magself-study.”

Oo nga pala. Nag-aaral nga pala ako sa Self-Study Academy.
Di na lang pala sana ako nag-enroll. Pasok ka pa ng pasok sa skul,
pagse-self-study-hin ka rin pala ng ng guro mo. Hindi na lang sana ako
nag-aral. Hindi na lang sana pumasok sa paaralan. Nagself-study na lang
sana ako sa bahay.

Ah ganun po ba sir? Hanggang saan po ba exam? Chapter 1 lang po itinuro niyo.
“Hanggang Grooving Toads, Chapter 5.”

AECD AECD AEE

Yan na ba yun?
“Oo kaso yung 1-11 pa lang.”, sabi ng kaibigan ko.

Sir
paano na yan sir, wala pa po kaming alam. Isang buwan lang po kayong
pumasok. Napakahirap po ng subject niyo. Di sapat ang self-study ng
tulad ko.

Para
saan pa ang guro kung self-study rin pala. Anu ang ginagawa nila sa
skul? May meeting? Nag-oorganize ng events? Hindi pala sana pagiging
guro tinahak nila.

“Ah ganun ba? Sige ako na bahala sa inyo…”
Wow naman si sir na daw bahala. I thought
“Pero mag-aral pa rin kayo. Basta hanggang Chapter 5, Grooving Toads.

AECD AECD AEE BFCC BFCC DBB

Kaya tuloy mas pipiliin ko na lang umasa, sa leakage ng bayan mula sa aking kaibigan. Kaso, ayoko niyan. Di ba masama yan?

Hindi.. Hindi totoo yun…. Si Mr. Top 1 nga e… Si Mr. President nga e… Si Father, Brother at Sister nga may leakage e…

LEAKAGE. Ano nga ba tagalog ng leakage?

P.S. (Pahabol na mga Salita)

Cheating Arrangement po?

Proctor: Hindi. Bawal mangopya. Kundi pareparehas tayong mananagot.

Ganun? Buti pa mga guro, magulang!, este, hindi lagot kahit di sila magturo.

Did I really went to Korea last August?

2009-10-13T08:29:00.001+08:00

September 26th, 2006 by luckyorblessed

Whoa. It seemed only like a dream, but is actually true. As I have always asked my friends here in the Philippines, "Did I really went to Korea last August?",

"Mainit!(Hot!)."

It was always my answer everytime anyone would ask me, "So, how’s Korea?" But it is not all that I could say of my SoKor (South Korean) experience. It is actually an expression that I choose over a ‘long, never-ending story’ I could tell of my grande experience back there. If they just know how…uhmm.. how happy was I, how fun was it, how privileged I thought I was, how new every experience was, how thankful I am up to now, they would not have taken "Mainit" as an answer.

It was a 21-day camp in Korea participated in by 250 delegates from 18 different countries all over Asia.

Great thanks to VOTY wherein I knew of the opportunity. One of the staff from NYC interviewed me of how I knew of the camp. I answered, "from VOTY", an answer she did not accept and just insisted "You got these because you were previous TAYO participants, right?" Well anyways, what I know is that I got this thru VOTY mail.

15 representatives from our country as the Official Philippine Delegation to the Youth Camp for Asia’s Future

Whoa! Is there anything as great as that. 15 people of different ages, coming from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao coming together as one.

Like what often say to people, “It’s work when it’s work But when it’s fun, it’s fun.”

It’s work when it’s work…

The first half was almost all work. We had to stay up listening to three Korean lectures, a speech we won’t understand if not because of high-tech translator-radio device. The opening ceremonies also had a number of Korean speakers. We also were asked to wear traditional costumes. We had to prepare cultural performances in which we will present, as part of the Asian Youth Festival, to a publicly open stage. We stayed up until 4am everyday prior to that day. We also prepared the Philippine Booth for the Festival wherein it features the native prides of our country, like the Tinikling, a feature of our booth that people loved. We also went into a LOT of museums, palaces and other historical places. And it was really a lot. The places were enormous, so we were all exhausted halfway every trip.

It’s fun when it’s fun…

Who said Koreans have a bad taste for food? The food was greeeaaat! Buffet for every meals for almost everyday. There were just days that were supposed to travel Seoul and find a place to eat with our own money which also came from them. We stayed in a 5-star hotel for almost the whole duration of the event. We had private buses for transportation. We travelled trhough SoKor and stayed in 4 venues, the Tower Hotel in Seoul, the traditional Gyeoungju Youth Hostel, the magnificent Pyeongchang National Youth Center and a Korean house in which I was chosen to stay in Suwon. We had a Song Festival. We had a Mini-Olympics. We even went to tehir own version of Disneyland, the Everland. “I had never been to Enchanted Kingdom, but look am I now, I am in Korea’s Everland!”

Everything was really fun. Like what I often say to people, “The first airplane trip experience was even enough for me to go home and tell to people, ‘It was great!’.”

I have always dreamt of going abroad, like most does, but I never thought it to be as early as now, as BIG as that, as fun and take note: all-expense paid!

Team Manila equals Willie Revillame?

2009-09-21T13:51:00.000+08:00

Team Manila is becoming the Willie Revillame of graphic design—feeding the masses with false information and instant gratification because it’s what they want, not necessarily what they need to know and understand.

-Dwight of badbullfrog.com

That's an excerpt from an interesting article I chanced upon about Team Manila and reshaping the Graphic Design Industry. What got me was this excerpt which includes Dwight's, the blogger, comparison of Team Manila to Willie Revillame.

What do you think?

FLASHMOB: Ang Bagong Uso!

2009-09-19T04:04:00.002+08:00

Ang bagong uso, FLASH MOB!

An entry in Wikipedia defines it as

a group of people who converge on a spot at a specific time, perform some action, and disperse. quickly

Una akong nakapanuod nung sa ginawa ng staff ni Oprah para i-surprise siya sa celebration ng 24th Season ng kanyang hit Talk Show. OPRAH FLASHMOB

Pinagmulan daw ng ideya nito ang mga flash mob commercial ng T-Mobile na isang TeleCommunications Company sa ibang bansa, tulad nang Smart at Globe sa Pilipinas. T-MOBILE FLASHMOB

Although an entry in our much-trusted Wikipedia also say that

the term is generally not applied to events organized by public relations firms or as publicity stunts.

nagagamit ang konsepto na ito para sa promosyon, tulad ng sa T-Mobile at tulad na rin sa show ni Beyonce. BEYONCE SINGLE LADIES FLASHMOB

Pahuhuli ba naman ang mga Pinoy? Meron na ring flash mob attempt ang ating mga Pinoy. Ito ay isang nakakatuwang performance sa pinakamalaking Mall sa Asia, SM Mall of Asia para sa ating pinakamahal na si Jollibee! JOLLIBEE FLASHMOB

Ayan ang bagong uso, ang FLASHMOB!

Ang Pinaka-nakakaINIS na Video sa araw na 'to

2009-09-17T17:36:00.001+08:00

Kakagaling ko lang sa 7th Birthday party ng pamangkin ko. We decided to go especially that the mother of this little girl is abroad and we believe our presence would be very much appreciated. We were right about it. We had a lot of fun. Andun pa si Jollibee at si Twirly!

Nakakaaliw ang epekto ng mga mascot sa party na yun. Bata man o matanda ay galak na galak sa bawat minutong andun ang dalawang karakter na ito mula sa Jollyland. Share ko sa inyo minsan ang ilang picture mula sa party na yan.

Ngayon, share ko muna senyo ang isang nakakainis na video. Kung kanina ay nakakaaliw ang mga mascot, eto naman ay nakakainis na video.

No Expiry

2009-09-17T09:21:00.002+08:00

Globe Tattoo gives you the new IMMORTALTXT, the first and only text offer with NO EXPIRY. For just P10, enjoy 50 texts to Globe/TM and 10 texts to other networks that will never expire*.
To register, simply text IMMORTAL10 to 8888. Also available to Globe Prepaid subscribers.
*Subject to SIM validity.

Heto at masubukan natin itong promo ng Globe para makita natin kung epektib ang pagiging 'no expiry' niya. Sabi nga ni Jayvee Fernandez ng everyjoe.com, "does prepaid load really need to expire?"

Hmmm... Pwede naman na hindi na eh, pero syempre mas makatarungan na kahit papano ay mayroong expiry. More people know this better than me, but let me say that business cashflow suggests that the load expire. That will ensure that 'cash' is 'moving', which is rudimentary in any business. Pero muli, kung sa pwedeng wag na mag-expire, Pwede naman. Political will made the Telcos make these adjustments. Thanks to Sen. Emrile. Political Will will make even more things happen. Tignan natin kung kaya nila, ng Telcos at ng mga taong dapat nagpapakita ng Political Will.

Busy pa si Pia kaya ako muna

2009-09-17T04:28:00.001+08:00

Busy pa si Pia sa Nomination ng kanyang Multiply Account, kaya hayaan niyong ako muna uli ang mag bigay ng mga bagay ng pwede nating pagdiskusyunan.

Nag-usap kami ni Pia at napag-usapan namin ang tungkol sa kung Tagalog ba o Ingles ang mamamayani dito, dito sa blog natin. Asahan niyong, maghahalo ang Ingles at Tagalog ko. Asahan niyo rin ang malalim na Tagalog ni Pia at ang kanyang malupit na Ingles.

Tungkol uli sa nominasyon ni Pia, totoo namang nakakatuwa ang pangyayaring ito sa buhay-blogger ni Pia. Tignan niyo na lang ang Multiply Account niya at makikita niyo ang dedikasyon at puso niya sa paggawa ng bawat post at artikulo dun. Ako, hmmm, minsan minsan ko na lang bisitahin ang akin. Nagustuhan ko ang Multiply dati kaso mahirap siyang hanapin ng mga search engine tulad ng Google kaya maliit ang posibilidad na mahanap ang Multiply mo ng isang taong nagse-search kahit pa yung mga topics na sini-search niya ay meron sa Account mo. Ang maganda naman sa Multiply ay meron siyang friends system tulad ng mga Social Networking Sites o SNS. So, kahit na maliit ang chance na ma-search ka ng anonymous human being, siguradong meron kang audience at kakilala mo pa malamang.

So babalik pa ba ako sa Multiply? Hindi na. Hindi pa naman ako umaalis eh. Pero hayaan na lang muna siya dun. Suportahan na lang natin si Pia. Dito ay pwede niyong iboto si Pia. Huli kong balita, leading siya eh. Woot Woot! Pa-burger ka naman!

Don't Let Others Speak For You

2009-09-15T07:56:00.002+08:00

Nakatutuwang video ito mula sa isang nakakatuwang tao. Nakilala ko itong ibang klaseng taong ito online. Nakita ko sa personal website niya ang kanyang portfolio ang video na ito.

Inisip ko na dati na gumawa ng video tulad nito, ng isang kampanyang tulad nito para sa ating election na darating sa 2010, ngunit, iba talaga kung in-born ang galing mo sa paggawa ng ganitong creative na bagay. Kaya't nung nakita ko 'tong video na ito, nakipag-ugnayan agad ako sa may-ari, at kinausap siya kung maaring hiramin. Buong puso niyang pinahiram.

Thanks to you Notch. Catch him at www.OutOfWorkAdGuy.com.

Tingin mo?