End of the 4-day work week
It's over. This week will end the 2-month period of the 4-day work week. From now on, Fridays will revert back to being normal working days... although there is this arising proposal from the government of implementing 9 work days for every half (1/2) of the month. So that after every week, there will be a day of no work (I hope it'll be Friday too). But this 1 free day will be compensated by an extension to the working hours of the remaining days.
FYI: Did you know how much savings it benefited the government for implementing this 4-day work week (summer 2005)?
Last Thursday, I was invited (along with 3 others, including my boss) to attend a presentation/meeting in Malacañang to discuss company performance, budget, etc. Other agencies such as BIR, DOF, BOC, DBM and NAPOCOR were also the participants of the event. In one of the presentations, the DBM who is in charge of monitoring/surveying the effect of the 4-day work week, reported a stunning and dishearting discovery:
A cutback of only Php 3 Million was saved for executing the 4-day work week. Of course, this amount is pretty low than expected. This little output is mainly caused by the non-participation (in the 4-day work week) of big agencies, which are responsible for huge expenses in the government. One example would be the GSIS.
But what the heck... at least there were savings. Hehe.
For some reason, the media is saying that it has reached it's goal of saving more than Php 100 Million (Php 144 Million to be exact) with the 4-day work week. This is way beyond the amount we heard during the report by a DBM representative in Malacañang. Hmm... confusing indeed... Now who's telling the truth? It's for you to find out...(Added on May 30, 2005, 8:30 PM)
Yes Master
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS ALREADY INAPPLICABLE. I'VE MOVED TO ANOTHER GRADUATE SCHOOL. I'M NOW TAKING AN MBA (MY REAL LINE). Updated: 24 May 2007Yey! I finally got in to the Masteral Program in Economics of the Loyola Schools. Hopefully by June '05, I'll go back to being a student once again... well, a "working student" for that matter, since I am already working. Hehe.
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Moving on, let me share to you my personal essay (basically explaining the reason I enrolled in the said program), which I submitted when I applied for the Master's Degree in Ateneo earlier this year. It goes,
"Pursuing graduate studies will be a potent revenue for a career growth. This access to higher learning will enable me to develop a more professional competence, specifically in the field of Economics. In the same way, the graduate programs will also be an adequate preparation for a doctoral degree.
In relation, I am taking the graduate programs in Economics to gain skills necessary for my job (Finance Analyst; Power Sector Assets & Liabilities Management Corp.) in the Energy Sector, where keen understanding about how market participants trade and compete for electricity is essential; and where specialized work in policy analysis, market research, financial management and forecasting are required. Pursuing this degree will allow me to be aware of contemporary and empirical economic theories and their applications to short-run and long-run problems arising not only in the Philippine Electric Power Industry, but also in society as a whole.
Furthermore, I am confident to say that my personal qualities and abilities will help me do well in my chosen program of study. In college, I was already immersed in the fundamentals of Economics. This knowledge will enable me to adapt well in the course I am applying for. Moreover, I can combine my field of expertise in Business Management with Economics. This twofold orientation will equip me in using important business fields, particularly in finance, accounting, quantitative methods and policy-making, for effective economic analysis. As a final point, my experiences in working for both the Private Sector and the Government will provide me a flexible viewpoint on the market behavior of different industries.
On a different note, there are two main constraints that I anticipate to encounter while taking graduate studies: time constraint and financial assistance. Primarily there is time constraint. Combining work and studies would entail managing my time more efficiently. This does not only mean coming to school (from Makati to Katipunan) on time. Above this is how I will organize and squeeze-in my study/review time while at work. The next hindrance is financial constraint. Although most of the funding for my masteral studies will be supported by my parents, a portion of it will still come from my personal savings. Thus, it would be necessary for me to cut my spending pattern in order to compensate for my education.
Despite the hindrances, I believe that the learning I will gain from taking a graduate course in Economics will have a more important bearing, since the degree will mold me into a better and more effective finance analyst; well-trained in gathering information, analyzing financial reports, industry projections, economic forecasts and investment decisions. With this, I can better monitor economic trends with respect to the Philippine Energy Sector, and hopefully assist in the development of policies based on these findings." (Jan. 24 '05) ---I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my recommenders for my application:> Ms. Lourdes Alzona> Mr. Fructuoso Sabug, Jr.> Mr. Mike TanA million thanks to all of you!!! Rest assured that I'll do my best in my further studies.
Eye you wear
Ok, now I'm wearing eye glasses. Yesterday, I went to an optometrist and consulted about my straining eyes and blurred distance vision. Doctor told me I have astigmatism (most probably due to long hours in front of the computer). With that, I was adviced to wear the dreaded eye glasses. I'll be using these for half a year. I just hope my eyes get corrected in that span of months. I will definitely miss the normal vision.
