BusinessWeek MINDANAO
Opinion
Best in Business and Economic Reporting
6
Philippine Press Institute Civic Journalism Community Press Awards 2013
monday|OCTOBER 27, 2014
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Problems Mean Progress
T
hink a minute…What’s your problem? You know that not all problems are bad? In fact, having problems sometimes means you’re making progress. A big hardware business moved into the same building with another, small hardware store. The big hardware competitor posted signs all over the building that read: “Grand Opening.” So not to be beat, the owner of the small hardware business posted a big sign over his store that read: “Main Entrance.” It’s successful people who know that their biggest obstacles often become their biggest opportunities. As one smart man said: “The same big stone that’s an obstacle to a weak person is a steppingstone to success for a stronger person.” The difference is in their attitude and response. R e m e m b e r, y o u a r e not the only person with problems. Even the lion has to fight off flies! So “Don’t be afraid to face the music just because you don’t like the tune.” Many years ago, American farmers carried their potatoes in wagons to the market. As their wagons bounced along on the rough, bumpy roads, the big potatoes were always the ones that ended up on top. And it’s usually the
Courageously Coping With Cancer
R
obert T. Rivera, or Usec Robert to his close friends and associates, first caught public attention in the mid-70’s via television. While working as Disco and Television Coordinator of Dyna Records (owned by the venerable Dr. James Dy), Robert demonstrated the latest dance crazes. Flyers of his easy-to-follow dance instructions were printed and sold together with popular Dyna record albums. Soon he was dancing on nationwide TV with a bevy of movie and television stars and celebrities, among them 1975 Miss World Wilnelia Merced of Puerto Rico. He became a frequent guest in the shows of Archie Lacson (Penthouse 7) and Joe Quirino (Seeing Stars). Because of his inimitable dance interpretation of “You should be dancing” (originally performed in 1977 movie hit Saturday Night Fever), he earned the sobriquet as “Teenage John Travolta of the Philippines”. Years later, Usec Robert had a very successful stint in the private sector for which, he said, he would forever be grateful to his late fatherin-law, Mr. Ernie Paje. Mr. Paje was the patriarch of the Integral group of companies, which during its time was consistently among the top 800 corporations. Usec Robert became President of Integral Properties, VP/ Director of Integral Chemical Corporation, and President of the influential Mandaluyong Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
THINK
same with people. It’s the people with bigger hearts of faith and perseverance who end up on top, after getting over their life’s bumps and problems. There’s a saying: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Yes, problems may detour you and take you off course for a little while, but only you can choose to stop moving ahead. Sometimes we think that our temporary problems are permanent. But if you stay patient and positive, then the end of your problem will become the beginning of your new season of success. So why not ask Jesus Christ to take charge of your heart every day. It’s only with Him on your side, and His peace and power in your life, that you can turn every problem into progress. Just Think a Minute…
Then came the call of public service. Usec Robert accepted a position as Director VI (with the rank of Undersecretary) at the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson. Later he became Undersecretary for Operations at the Office of Press Secretary. His vibrant personality made him a natural for the tasks at hand. In his veins runs the same blood as that of movie and entertainment personalities, Mila del Sol, Gloria Imperial, Jeanne Young and OneMig Bondoc. Usec Robert frequently appeared as moderator during the daily briefings at the Malacanan press briefing room. He also hosted a longrunning weekly public service program called “Pilipinas, Ngayon Na” in PTV 4. On t he side, as his personal contribution to then President Arroyo’s job-generation program, he organized in 2005 the first Philippine Call Center Jobs Fair with Manila Bulletin as media partner. The fair provided opportunities to around 2,500 new graduates, including persons with disabilities. He first became director and later President of RPN 9. During his stint, he presided over a “very painful but necessar y retrenchment process to stop the company’s financial hemorrhage.” As a result, he was able to make RPN 9 once-again an attractive candidate for takeover by a white knight. A glossy lifestyle magazine dubbed him “The Comeback
Kid” for his efforts. Ironically, his career which was propelled by television may have also been cut short by television. One June 2, 2014, a family friend, Dr. Ricky Quinones suggested ultrasound to check on a suspicious lump in his left armpit. Another family friend Dr. Andrew Gonzales noticed that the lump was getting bigger and appeared to be multiplying. Dr. Rouel Azores of Asian Hospital, who performed the biopsy ruled that it was “non-hodgkins lymphoma B-cell, also known as cancer of the immune system, stage 3.” Dr. Azores recommended immediate chemotherapy procedure with his chemotherapist partner and oncologist Dr. Gerry Cornelio of St. Luke’s Global City “as the lumps have already metastasized quickly into the other lymph nodes of the body”. Robert sought second and third opinions from Dr. Florante Gonzaga of Medical City and alternative medicine expert and Oncologist Dr. Rey Viloria. They confirmed the earlier findings. “ T h e abn or m a l c e l l formation in his (Usec Robert’s) body was the result of electro-magnetic radiation drench.” It was explained that, one way or the other, all of us are exposed to electro magnetic radiation or EMR. We get EMR all the time from television and computers screens, from cellphones, and from micro wave ovens.
SPEAKING
O ut
By Ignacio Bunye
But the adverse effects of electro magnetic radiation are amplified by the frequency and severity of exposure. Doctors surmised that Usec Robert may have gotten a frequent and severe dose of radiation when RPN 9 moved its executive office in Broadcast City to the RPN 9 TV tower in Panay Avenue two years ago. USec Robert just completed his first set of chemotherapy treatment last week. He is very thankful for the love and support of his family – his son Ernest and Ernest’s Mom Charie, his younger children RC, RJ, his wife Elyza, and sister Lolly Acosta, friends Wilson and Pauline Tieng and church mates Shoddy Chase and Ryan. Like a true survivor who braved hardships early in life, he now faces his biggest challenge with supreme confidence. He said he has entrusted himself to “our Great Healer and with the help of Jesus, the Great Physician..,. I shall overcome.” For feedback, email us at totingbunye2000@gmail. com.
Do Video Games Really Mean Something?
A Minute
By Jhan Tiafau Hurst
Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Allan Mediante
A
re video games really starting -gasp!- to mean something for you? Actually, I planned to entitle today’s column with something like “The Art of the Virtual” or so. Virtual... Mmmh! Sounds very stilted! On the other side, my dear readers, I really get tired writing about political crisis, anti- or pro-rallies, impeachments, who is against whom, statements, etcetera, etcetera. Of course, eternal vigilance is needed always, but today I like to share my tears regarding another thing with you. The force of habit, makes me turn on my television every night just to feel (again) updated about everything, and what’s going on in the whole world. When I again started to utter innumerable groans, my 16 years old
nephew invited me to join him playing video games. So far so good - I tried my very best. I also had Steven Spielberg in mind, who spoke out on video games almost ten years ago at the EA Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California. “I think the real indicator, “he said, “will be when somebody confesses that they cried at Level 17.” Spielberg was indeed talking about video games, and the less absurd question of are-they-or-aren’t-they. I was here to accept Spielberg’s challenge and come clean. I confess: yes, the video game made me cry. And my nephew watched at me and asked me, if I didn’t feel well... . I forgot the game’s name, and it wasn’t actually Level 17 or even Level 10. I guess, it has been only Level 5. I had
been slugging it out for what it seemed like - and probably was - hours with a bunch of aliens in an icy canyon. Just, as all hope was fading, I chose an alien aircraft and made by escape. Moody music, like something “Carmina Burana”, which I used to bring on air several times in my classic music radio show, swelled in the background. It was like the end of “Platoon”, and I was Charlie Sheen. But then, the waterworks started. My cellphone features Snake II, Space Impact, Bantumi, Pairs II and other nice games. I forgot my tears and started smiling: Sounds on, light on, shakes on, Space Impact - new game, top score: 3,615! Great, isn’t it? Are video games art? Nobody knows yet, but the cool thing is, we are the ones who get to decide. So grab a joy-
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H ave M y Say
By Klaus Doring
stick, sit back and relax (yes, relax!) and get it on with Level 1. I promise, nobody has to know. And just in case, keep some tissues handy... . +++ Email: doringklaus@ gmail.com or follow me in Facebook or Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www. klausdoringsclassicalmusic. blogspot.com.