Digital Divide : Your Right to Internet Access, A Global Concern

Ever since the internet became available, people use it as the fastest way to gain information, entertainment and do business. With internet you can do almost anything possible either for your personal use or business. However, not everybody has access to internet which has now become one of our right and necessity. This  is now called global digital divide.

Some countries would have the limitation of not having a decent computer systems and connections at all. Global digital divide is characterized by lack of connectivity, means of connectivity and purpose of connectivity.

IHG Baguio Goes “Clean and Green” with the community – What for?

InterContinental Hotels Group Baguio has been involved with the community service for almost 4 years already like what we had recently done – Tree Planting in Bayan Park Circle, Baguio City, Philippines.

Many were called to participate in this privilege to help our community though it is a tough, strenuous but fun and fulfilling activity. There are the same faces in most of our company photos but it is so wonderful seeing new people that eagerly went out after their shifts just to be involved with nature.

In 2008, PHPRO commenced the community service with clean up drive and tree planting activities where we started to own Loakan Road and PEZA area as part of our community. A sign board bearing our company name was placed along Loakan Road, where our first babies were planted, to announce our pride in taking care of nature.

On October 9, 2009, year two of the tree planting activity, spearheaded by the environment committee, the participants went on to a drizzling weather wearing yellow disposable raincoats as they march along Loakan Road and plant the seedlings in the designated areas.

On July 12, 2010, year three of the tree planting activity now reached the Busol Watershed in East Bayan, Aurora Hill. Participants were briefed about the watershed’s current condition and reminded us why we have to plant. They were also educated on the planting process so the seedlings will grow better and faster. In line with the theme of recycling, SM Supermarket Judith Herrin gave out green bags to all participants as a gift of appreciation and also to encourage all citizens to reuse, reduce and recycle.

On April 28, 2011, we revisited PEZA area in our next clean up drive community service starting from Scout Barrio up to DENR. Combing all the nooks and crannies of the road made the participants feel they made a great difference in the environment. After the day’s hard work, PEZA provided free lunch for everybody who took part in this community service. As they go home passing along the same road, a new perspective came to them and they could tell themselves “Hey, I cleaned this road and now it’s so good to see it looking fresh!”

In July 9, 2011, which is our most recent event where we are trying to rehabilitate Bayan Park Circle in Aurora Hill. Participants are thrilled to do the another community service participation as they carefully followed the instructions on how far the plants should be situated. The work was done in no time because everybody did their own job!

Looking at this timeline, you may wonder about what we get in doing all these being involved with the community. This can not only build the character and image of the company we belong to but also ours as individuals. It is not just all about promoting our company as a commodity but marketing ourselves as individuals who the community would be proud of.

“I’ve seen the camaraderie of all the people that time. This was my first tree-planting participation and it was fun. This shows that we are socially responsible and we possess environmental awareness. It’s also one way of showing we care.”

- Mike Aromin, PB

“Being a part of this community service for 4 years now made me feel that I’m a responsible citizen. It’s a great feeling to do things voluntarily when you know that it is for our benefit as well.”

- Francis Caliguiran

We show our community that we are the people, one company, who are here to help in making our community a better place. We are not those people who “vandalize” waiting sheds or fill all posts with banners just to get publicity. We will be known through our works and these silently give a good image of our company and the people in it. So if you haven’t got a chance to take part in these inspiring and self-fulfilling events, then you can start your own experience on the next clean up drive and tree planting event!

Company Newsletter: What It Takes To Be Read

A company newsletter is one way of disseminating information on who, what, when, where, why and how's in a firm on a regular circulation. Most employees are focused in doing their jobs while inside the office and would most of the time just brushing over the bulletin board or info board for updates. The job of a company newsletter comes in after a day's work where they could take time and read the totality of information fragments they've picked up from work. So in order to give a good impression to those people in the company, a good newsletter lies in the hands of the editor and his team.

Dead Poets Society - A Recognized Inspiration

"Sucking all the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone." - John Keating (Dead Poets Society)

Dead Poets Society is a drama film made in 1989, just six years after I was born, brought me inspiration that no other movies did. The movie, starred by Robin Williams as the non-conformist unconventional teacher, has influenced me to do something out of the ordinary and value every moment of your life. True in most part of the movie, the teaching strategies have opened up ways to make teaching more impressive, influential and challenging than the old-fashioned education. John Keating (Williams) sees teaching as a way of introducing something new to his students in a fashion that deviates from the normal. Tearing up pages of a book is a crime for most educators but for Keating it is nonsense to believe in everything a book says. We are all different species with wide array of thinking so " No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world (Keating)."

Mentioned at the onset quotation, Keating also encouraged his students to pursue what their "real" dreams are but with caution. You can do whatever it takes to reach and grab your success however do not screw up and make everything worse that would result to your painful downfall. Once you've choked on the bone, it can leave you a deep cut on your throat that could make you suffer for the rest of your life or it can slow down your breathing till you turn gray and even kill you in the end. This is what great failure, desperation and devastation would look like. Every action leads to a consequence whether good or bad.