OFFBEAT MAIL

It may not be known as the place where one can find the Fountain of Youth in mythology. But it can surely be dubbed as a tourism paradise and is the biggest and reliable source of sweet water in the Philippines, if not the world over. If you try to look at the map of eastern Visayas in the Philippines, it is likely that you will miss the opportunity to find a group of islands ringed by the provinces of Masbate, Biliran, Samar and Leyte. These islands are identified as Maripipi, Almagro, Santo Nino, Tagapul-an, Capul and other islets. Commonly known as remote places, the natural environment of these islands are well protected and preserved by the local folks, similar to that in the Batanes Islands. And it is no wonder why the island of Maripipi, one of the biggest in the group, and part of the Biliran province, is home to a rich source of sweet water that has existed for many centuries. It is located in barrio Viga, just 15 kilometers away from the town proper. And what is puzzling abou...

If you try to look it up in the map, Dubai, one of the federal emirates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is just a speck on the small desert kingdom developed and once held under the protectorate of Great Britain. Once known as a tiny enclave, whose economic survival depended much on fishing and pearl diving, the City of Dubai now beckons as one of the most ambitious places in the world, with its skylines dotting with mega-modern high rises that serve as visible epitome' of a backward emirate slowly metamorphosed into a veritable hub for international tourism. And one of the futuristic architectural influences that attracts visitors to discover for themselves what Dubai is all about is its exotic-looking Burj Al Arab hotel, which glistens as dusk comes to feed the hungry souls. Not only that, this desert city is slowly gaining the envy of other Middle Eastern cities in so far as comfort and conveniences are concerned. But why come to Dubai in the first place? Well, the answers ar...

Would you believe that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) controls the world's economy? And that nobody, even the technologically advanced nations like the United States, can impose its will on these oil-producing countries. A case in point is Venezuela, an OPEC member and one of the biggest oil producers in South America. In that country, President Hugo Chavez wields power more than any leaders in that region do. On the contrary, what he does to his constituents and the Venezuelan economy are far-reaching and redounds to the benefits of the people in so far as economic benefits and privileges are concerned. Like the rest of the OPEC members, mostly located in the Middle East, Venezuelan consumers are extremely happy as to the way huge profits from oil exports are being distributed to the people themselves. With the price of gasoline so cheap, almost all Venezuelans enjoy the fruits of the natural resource God has endowed to them. And in some ways, Venezuela k...

In the Aug. 25 th issue of The Economist, the United Nations Secretariat placed a one-fourth advertisement, seeking for highly qualified individuals for employment as junior professional officers. But applicants are required to take a competitive examination to be held on Feb. 26, 2008. Among the disciplines covered are on environment, finance, human rights, information technology, political affairs, program evaluation and statistics. However, it is disheartening to note that the competitive examination is only open to nationals of at least 52 countries, including the U.S. In Asia, the countries included in the list are Brunei, Cambodia, South Korea and Vietnam. Surprisingly, the Philippines was again left out for reasons nobody knows. What's so special about Cambodia, Korea and Vietnam that they were included in the list? From here, as if the color of discrimination reins within the walls of the United Nations, knowing that the Philippines is a bonafide -member of the United Na...

Congressman Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is doing all he could to recover at least 60% of his late father's shares in groups of businesses run by tycoon Lucion Tan, believed to be a protege' of the late dictator when he was still an ordinary tobacco salesman in Ilocos province. That's when the two met and got acquainted to each other. Now Lucio Tan owns many big businesses that include the Philippine Airlines, Fortune Tobacco Corporation, Allied Bank, Philippine National Bank, among others. And many wouldn't agree that these businesses are his alone. While others believed, most of them are owned by the Marcoses with Tan as dummy. From a mere tobacco salesman, Tan rose to become one of the hotshot government revenue examiners, a feat that some people said could be the handiwork of the late dictator. Probably, it's a long range plan that only a select few knew exactly the truth behind it. A dead man tells no tales. But there must be something that the you...

Good public relations strategies don't work well at the Bureau of Customs in Manila. After being criticized for its failure to stop graft and corruption, the customs bureau has continued to tarnish its image by doing things that are lousy and impractical. Nobody knows for what reason? But it's common knowledge that like the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the customs bureau is believed to be remiss in its task to collect the right taxes and duties levied on imported items that enter the Philippine ports. Seriously, the BOC can be an effective revenue collector of the government. But there are instances when higher government officials dip their hands to influence the decision of the good customs commissioner and his examiners. The case of Manny Pacquiao's recent publicity stunt was an exception. After his Porsche Cayenne landed at the South Harbor in Manila, the customs bureau immediately assessed its value and required the international boxer to pay what was due the government...

What a great news for many overseas Filipino workers to work in Australia. This came after an employer's group there opened the idea of subsidizing the deployment of professionals and skilled workers to Down Under. The move would surely create a great relief for many Filipinos who have been hankering to leave the Philippines to look for greener pastures elsewhere. And this is an opportunity for them to prove their mettle in Australia, in partnership with MAB International Services, a manpower agency duly registered with the Philippine Overseas Employment Adminstration (POEA). With this, professionals and skilled workers, who don't have the opportunity to advance or improve their lives in the country may now the choice to bank their luck on seeking jobs that fit their qualifications and experiences. For sure, the exodus of medical professionals will be hard to prevent. At least, the immigration intricacies and the licensing requirements to practice in that country are not so te...