2011 Update on Philippine Government Employees' Salary Increase

Executive Order No. 40 - Implementation of the Third Tranche of the Modified Salary Schedule for Civilian Personnel and Base Pay Schedule for Military and Uniformed Personnel in the National Government

EO No. 40

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Annex A - Third Tranche Modified Salary Schedule for Civilian Personnel

Annex B - Third Tranche Modified Salary Schedule for Military and Uniformed Personnel

Source: Official Gazette - Office of the President of the Philippines

Meetings: 13 Guide Questions to Save Time

Meetings are necessary to keep things going in an organization. Badly managed meetings, however, are counterproductive and are time wasters.

The following guide questions in conducting meetings have to be borne in mind to make full use of meetings. These guide questions cover both those who call for meetings and for those who attend meetings who can be empowered to change the course of a meeting to make it more productive.

For Those Who Call the Meeting or the Bosses

1. Do you really need to call the meeting?

Is there really a need for you to call the meeting? Chances are, there are many instances you can make the decision yourself without involving others. Or you may just have to call some concerned people or hold a tele-conference. In the information age, using technologies that do not require physical presence can save a lot on commute time and transportation costs.

2. Do you write specifically the agenda for the meeting?

Some people do not provide an agenda for the meeting. And if they do, there are just too many agenda to tackle. Two or three clear agenda for a two-hour meeting would do and keep participants at their optimum energy to discuss.

3. Do you start and end the meeting on time?

Almost always, meetings are ridden with this great time waster. Those who call the meetings sometimes are the ones who come late. If ever the meeting is started on time, it seems the discussion has no end in sight. Stick to the agenda and end the meeting on prescribed time or even earlier if the issues discussed have been resolved. End it with clear statements like "Meeting adjourned", "Thank you everyone for coming", "Have a good day", etc.

4. Are there problems to be resolved in the meeting?

If people are invited to "talk or discuss" about business matters, in effect you are asking them to come and chat. Be specific on what you intend the meeting to achieve. Is it to cut on production costs of a certain product or come up with ways on how to save electricity?

5. Do you moderate your meetings?

During discussions, the presider sometimes do most of the talking himself. If you are the one conducting the meeting, there should be a clear understanding of your role as moderator and/or decision maker. While others present their ideas, these must not be questioned but listed down and taken for consideration by the group. In the first place, why did you call the meeting? Is it not because you want to hear other’s ideas? Stopping people midway (unless those ideas are really obviously irrelevant) from sharing their ideas right when they start to share them will discourage participation. You may assign somebody to serve as moderator during the discussion.

6. Do you ensure that you have a common understanding of what you are discussing?

 A common understanding of the issues discussed at hand must be ensured. A visible picture of say, a product line, or a clear definition of terms used during the meeting must be provided. Never use acronyms in notices of meetings, unless everybody is familiar with those acronyms. Besides, who can recall what that acronym stands for after some time has elapsed, say a year?

7. Is the meeting scheduled at least several days before it is called?

Calling emergency meetings may be needed once in a while. But if you call many meetings this way most of the time, it may be exasperating for some who have time schedules and appointments to get by. People are not also ready to respond their best in unscheduled, verbally issued notices of meetings. Invite the people in writing specifying what you hope to decide and make sure they receive it.

8. Do you ensure that everybody understood their tasks and confirmed what you have agreed on after the meeting?

Sending a memo to the participants confirming what was decided during the meeting, who are responsible and the specific schedules for tasks to be accomplished will clinch the assignment and establish responsibility. This will also serve as indication of accomplishment.

For Those Who Attend Meetings

1. Do you let the meeting proceed even if you know people are discussing out of topic?

You can always do something about people who discuss out of topic. Volunteering yourself to write down the minutes of the meeting will do the trick. This gives you are reason to interrupt and ask something like "Excuse me, but I’d like to make sure I have written my notes right. Have we reached a decision about what we are talking about?".

2. Do you come on time?

Being on time during the meeting will save not only your time but others who may have come earlier than you. Every minute wasted is multiplied by the people in attendance. Some other important things may have been accomplished instead of waiting and wondering if the meeting pushes through or not.

3. Do you just sit there while waiting for others to come?

Since you cannot start the meeting yourself because you are a participant, it pays to bring in some paper to write down "things to do" for the day. Or you can erase your old messages in your cellphone. Be creative.

4. Did you prepare your assigned task for presentation during the meeting?

A thoroughly prepared task can save time during meetings. If you are presenting a new idea, remember the 5Ws and one H: What, When, Where, Why, Who, and How.

5. Do you just keep quiet when somebody talks too much and dominate the meeting?

Assert yourself once in a while especially if someone talks too much rubbish and out of topic. In any meeting, the 80-20 rule normally occurs. This is the so-called Pareto Principle. The principle asserts that 20 percent of something are always responsible for 80 percent of the results. Be part of the 20 percent. Share your bright ideas and make the quality of the outcome better. A live dog is better than a dead lion.

You can also suggest that the meeting be held at 11:30 or 4:30 in order to keep the "very intelligent" and talkative ones from getting carried away.

It will be much more satisfying for people if they recognize the above questions in conducting and attending meetings. When they do so, appropriate actions can be taken to avoid the pitfalls associated with poorly planned or poorly managed meetings. This will lead to higher productivity in the work place. Using these tips will help you get out of the rut.

Reference

Bliss, E. C., 1976. Getting things done. New York: Bantam Books. 198 pp.

Source: 13 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Conducting or Attending Meetings

12 Reasons Why We Should Not Drink Colas, Power Drinks, and Artificial Juice Drinks

Many people are not watchful of things they ingest to nourish their bodies. This is partly due to the hype placed on many of commercial food and drinks that are easily available today. It has become a common practice to go with the trend, but are you aware of the harm that artificial drinks can do to your body? What ingredients are found in those nice to drink colas, power drinks and articificial juice drinks?

Let's see what these drinks contain. Hereunder is a list of the ingredients found in colas, power drinks, and artificial juice drinks.

1. Sugar and/or high fructose in corn syrup
In the last decade or so, the consumption of fructose such as those derived from softdrinks or juice drinks has been linked to a rise in obesity and metabolic disorders. In laboratory experiments, scientists found out that fructose stimulates fat production that leads to insulin resistance in the liver and other organs, abnormal concentrations of fats in the blood and high blood pressure (Le KA, 2006). This suggests that it is possible that too much consumption of high sugar foods can lead to a high concentration of fats in the blood thus raise blood pressure.
2. Citric acid
The Academy of General Dentistry cautions cola and commercial juice drinkers that many of the beverages today have very high acidity. Very high acidity from citric acid in drinks can destroy the hard enamel of the teeth that will lead to tooth decay and eventual loss.
3. Vitamin C
Although drinks with Vitamin C are purported by advertisers to have some health benefits, in reality these are not natural. Synthetic Vitamin C can cause kidney stones, gout, arthritis and ulcers, and can even cause heart disease.  Natural Vitamin C in fruits and vegetables are much better because these do not have detrimental side-effects.
4. Artificial flavors and/or sodium benzoate
Dr. Jim Stevenson and his team from the University of Southampton, United Kingdom determined that artificial colors and/or sodium benzoate increased levels of hyperactivity in preschool aged and 8-9 year old children within the general population. This means that children's behavior are influenced by their fancy of colorful and sweet, junk foods.
5. Tartrazine
Tartrazine is used to provide color to drinks. Studies show that it can cause asthma, migraines, hyperactivity and skin rashes. It has also been found to cause a deficiency in other vitamins and minerals. New research indicates that it may play a role in heart disease
6. Flavorants
Flavorants are usually not specifically indicated. Flavorants may contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), a controversial substance which has many side effects among which is its toxicity. There is still an on-going debate regarding its safety as a flavor enhancer. But this author notes that in his place, it is common practice to get rid of feral dogs with meat containing a lot of MSG. This effectively poisons them.
7. Sodium Saccharin.
Studies showed clearly that sodium saccharin can contribute to bladder cancer and tumours in the urinary tract.
8. Sodium Cyclamate
Sodium cyclamate is considered to be carcinogenic and has similar effects to saccharin.
9. Sorbic Acid
High levels of sorbic acid can irritate the nose, eyes and throat.
10. Benzoic Acid
Benzoic acid is a preservative that causes allergies and intolerances. This results to asthma, itchy skin eruptions and hyperactivity.
11. Sodium Hexametaphosphate
Sodium hexametaphosphate can lead to a loss of calcium and cause kidney damage.
12. Potassium Benzoate
Potassium benzoate can can trigger asthma, itchy skin eruptions and hyperactivity just like benzoic acid.
So good, old, simple water is the best drink to take. But avoid distilled ones because bottled distilled water has an acid pH. High ph results to a loss of alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, distilled water is essentially mineral free so it dissolves substances with which it comes into contact. Trace minerals found in plain water are important in regulating heart beat and normalizing blood pressure.


References

Academy of General Dentistry
Le KA, T., 2006. Metabolic effects of fructose. Retrieved on April 15, 2010 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16778579.
Mary-Ann Shearer and The Shearer Family Trust

Source: 12 Harmful Ingredients in Power Drinks, Colas and Artificial Juice Drinks

Global Climate Change: Two Agricultural Causes

One of the foremost issues discussed in environmental circles nowadays is global climate change. Scientists are divided on the issue of climate change; whether there is really global warming or cooling and if man is a significant contributor. This may be the reason why instead of favoring one possibility to another, the term climate change became a compromise stand to define what is currently going on with the global climate. Climate change is a better term because it combines both possibilities.

Human influences to either direction require a thorough understanding and synthesis of scientific literature. Current global climate events appear to confirm that man, indeed, can cause global climate change. Apparently, more emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane arising from human activities in quest of economic development, hurricanes become more damaging to lives and properties. The global climate seems unlike what it was before.

Agricultural Causes of Climate Change


Agricultural practices are among those culprits identified by scientists as responsible for the apparent global climate change scenario as evidenced by severe storms or typhoons, abnormal distribution of precipitation worldwide, melting of ice caps, among others. While agriculture is an indispensable activity to sustain modern human society since man decided to abandon nomadic approaches in producing his food, it has some negative externalities that impact on global climate condition. Externalities are by-products of activities that affect the well-being of people or damage the environment.

Here are two externalities associated with current agricultural practices that are associated with global climate change:

1. Methane emissions.


Animal husbandry, rice cultivation and biomass burning are among those agricultural practices that contribute methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. In animal husbandry, enteric fermentation takes place.
Enteric fermentation is fermentation that takes place in ruminant animals like cows and carabaos. Rice production account for at least 30% of the global annual emission of methane in the atmosphere. As the population keeps on increasing, global demand for just rice alone will mean intensified global fertilizer application. Ammonium-based fertilizers can enhance methane emission (Bodelier et al., 2000). Biomass burning is the burning of vegetation for land clearing prior to land use. It also includes those instances where fires can be induced by lightning. Most of biomass burning is due to man. Scientists estimate this at 90% (Earth Observatory, 2010).

2. Carbon emissions.


Carbon emissions from extensive forest fires contribute to the pool of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is common practice in tropical countries to burn the vegetation before planting. Indigenous peoples, and even migrating farmers who settle in unexplored lands, practice slash-and-burn farming. Although the indigenous peoples burn only a small portion of the forest in order to produce food enough for subsistence, the latter burn forests mainly to produce more than is needed. Sometimes, burning gets out of control. Thus, extensive forest fires occur.

Source: Earth Observatory (2010)

Plants serve as natural storage areas for carbon dioxide through the process of photosynthesis. When forests are burned, hundreds of years of stored carbon dioxide will be liberated into the atmosphere in just a matter of hours. If vegetation is not replaced, carbon in the atmosphere will not be brought back as biomass in plants (Earth Observatory, 2010).

Fossil-fueled farm machineries also add to the amount of carbon emitted globally. This is especially true in countries which extensively use agricultural machines in preparing land for planting, weeding, harvesting, winnowing, among others.

Therefore, government policies aimed towards regulating or minimizing the effect of the two major agricultural causes of global climate change must be formulated and implemented. Man needs to ensure food security, but balance must be achieved such that agricultural production processes and technologies do not impact negatively to the environment.


References

Earth Observatory, 2010. Biomass burning. Retrieved on March 23, 2010 at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/BiomassBurning/.

Paul L. E. Bodelier, P.L., Roslev, P., and P. Frenzel, 2000. Stimulation by ammonium-based fertilizers of methane oxidation in soil around rice roots. Retrieved on March 23, 2010 athttp://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v403/n6768/abs/403421a0.html.

United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2010. Methane: sources and emissions. Retrieved on March 23, 2010 at http://epa.gov/methane/sources.html.

Related Articles:

8 Doable Agricultural Practices to Mitigate the Impacts of Global Climate Change

5 Agricultural Consequences of Global Climate Change

Source: Two Major Agricultural Causes of Global Climate Change

10 Good Health Tips

When you practice a healthy lifestyle, you achieve that young look. But what is a healthy lifestyle that will bring back youthfulness to your looks?
Here are ten healthy lifestyle tips that many used to shrug but which have been found effective in living life at its best and help people look young. These healthy lifestyle practices are not arranged necessarily according to importance.

Good Health Tip # 1. Drink more water than usual.


The rule "drink eight glasses of water everyday" is a debunked myth. It has no scientific basis. According to Valtin, professor emeritus of physiology and a kidney specialist, drinking eight glasses of water may even lead to "water intoxication". Let your body dictate the time you should drink. Just be sensitive when the need arises.

However, it also pays to drink more than usual. Water can burn more calories because it increases a person’s metabolism by 30% (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2003). A healthy lifestyle like this will go a long way and make you look young. Water makes your face look supple. A young look is not possible with a dehydrated face and body. You will get that shriveled look instead.

Good Health Tip # 2. Eat healthy.


A healthy lifestyle of eating good, nutritious food can add years to your life and keep you young. Follow the age-old recommendation of eating fruits and vegetables every day. Avoid foods high in cholesterol like those you find in fast foods. A study in the 2002 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine found out that young adults are getting obese faster.

Good Health Tip # 3. Avoid the sun.


The heat of the sun can lead to premature ageing (American Academy of Dermatology, 2010). Those who spend their lives working exposed to the sun tend to age faster than those who work inside buildings. This is why many people who do not expose themselves much to the sun look young than those who do.

Good Health Tip # 4. Don’t smoke cigarettes or tobacco.


Smoking is never part of a healthy lifestyle. Cigarettes or tobacco has a lot of oxidants in them aside from carcinogenic substances. Don’t be fooled into thinking that smoking is cool. Cigarette advertisement appeals to the vanity of people just to sell their products. If you want to get stimulated, there are many other ways of doing it. Are you willing to trade off health for the sake of a few minutes of relaxation that will threaten your life?

Good Health Tip # 5. Find a work that you like.


Why work hard if you can do it with pleasure? When it becomes a pleasure, then it’s not work. And you enjoy it more. You should be glad you have work while a lot are unemployed. Always complaining about your job is never part of a healthy lifestyle.

Good Health Tip # 6. Get enough sleep.


Sleep is a very important ingredient of a healthy lifestyle. Sleep energizes the body and provides rest to the brain from its conscious processes. Tamakoshi and Ohno (2004) found out that sleeping seven hours at night showed the lowest mortality risk. A good sleep can help you look young overnight.

Good Health Tip # 7. Exercise.


There are many literature and studies concerning the importance of exercise in keeping the body healthy. A healthy body means a younger look. Just don’t overdo it. Walking 30 minutes a day will do the trick. A new approach to make sure you do some exercise is to integrate it in your daily routine.

While sitting in the office, do some stretching. While typing, turn your heads both to the left and to the right. That gives you a break from staring at the monitor and relieves you of eye strain. Walk briskly to a nearby office. Exercise is a healthy lifestyle habit. A young body is supple which can be maintained by exercise.

Good Health Tip # 8. Think positive.


If you have an optimistic attitude, it reflects on your countenance. You will look more relaxed, thus wrinkling of your facial muscles will be prevented. You will definitely look young.

Good Health Tip # 9. Avoid stress.


Why worry when you can be happy? This will just give you undue stress. According to a Dr. Elissa Epel, a health psychologist, stress is known to speed up the aging process. Live free of stress, look young.

Good Health Tip # 10. Act and do what the young ones do.


People who think they are still young get their bodies up to the challenge. Have you heard about the winner of a marathon who’s a forty-fiver? When you do things that young people do, your body keeps up. Clarence DeMar won the Boston Marathon at age 41 despite a heart problem.

Keeping these healthy lifestyle tips in mind will undoubtedly bring back the young look in you. A healthy lifestyle change is all you need. If you do not keep an open mind about tthis, then maybe you are already getting old.

Source: 10 Tips to a Healthy Lifestyle Thus Younger Look 

Plastic Bags Can Kill Geckos

Sando plastic bags can kill geckos. So what, you may say, but geckos play a very important role in your home that might change your attitude towards this friendly reptile. Here are facts about geckos that are worth pondering.

Geckos in Homes


Many people dislike the presence of geckos in their homes. They would do anything to shoo off the animal away or get rid of them by killing them. Some animal enthusiasts keep them as pets, however, and enjoy the cold feet and rough skin of the geckos.

What many people don't know is that geckos play a very important role in the house. They get rid of pests in the house because of their feeding habits. They feed on cockroaches, swarmers (these insects are the flying precursors of termite colonies), mosquitoes, centipedes and even rodents. Of course, they could not prey on the big rats; rather, on rat litter. These animals, therefore, should be treated as a friendly member of the house to keep the pests at bay. You just have to be sure that no gecko is on the ceiling when you eat because they might suddenly unload their poop. It also takes patience to sweep their exrements from hidden places they like to stay.

Sando Plastic Bags Can Kill Geckos


Sando plastic bags can kill geckos. How? They mistake sando plastic bags for something else because these plastic bags produce a sound similar to that of a struggling moth.
Just this morning, the author noticed a gecko struggling with a white sando plastic bag. Thinking this would likely kill the animal upon ingesting its "prey", the author tried and eventually removed the plastic bag from the gecko's grasp successfully after a few minutes of chasing and struggling.

 
The photo on the right showed that one end of the sando plastic bag has already made its way into the gecko's gut as evidenced by the soiled portion. As it escaped, the plastic bag was actually gradually ingested by the gecko but the author forced it out of the gecko's mouth.

What Does This Small Incident Mean?


This incident may mean nothing to the non-observant and those who take things lightly and shrug their shoulders about how wastes are being disposed. But there is wisdom in this incident that might have some implications on what is going on in our planet.

Plastics can make its way not only into the diet of geckos but many animals as well. Many sea turtles die due to the ingestion of plastics. Marine animals like the leatherback turtles mistake floating plastic bags for their natural food, the jellyfishes. Just like the geckos, ingestion of plastics can obstruct the gut, lead to absorption of toxins and reduce the absorption of nutrients from their real food (Turtles.org, 2004). According to Earth Resource Foundation, 100,000 marine animals die every year from plastic entanglement.

Banning Plastics


Plastics have already become an integral part of modern society. Many countries have banned the use of plastics. Other countries, however, dislike the idea of banning plastics as a measure to prevent environmental problems associated its use. Plastics which take many forms, are very useful inventions of man which can make life more convenient. It can even save human lives.
Therefore, the real issue that should be dealt with along this concern may not really be to undertake the extreme action of banning all plastics. There are always ways to manage this important product of human innovation.

Source: Plastic Bags Can Kill Geckos: So What?

7 Health and Fitness Tips

Many people unconsciously do things without considering the potential undesirable lifestyle may pose to their health. Eating foods without looking at the labels or what they contain can take a toll on one's health through time. It therefore pays to be vigilant about what you eat in order to live a long life.

Here are seven health and fitness tips on food and lifestyle habits that will make a difference in your health thus enable you to live a long life.

Health and Fitness Tip # 1. Avoid power drinks, sofdrinks, or artificial juice drinks.


Do you know that power drinks, softdrinks, and artificial juice drinks contain harmful ingredients that can weaken your bones and make you age faster? Phosphoric acid contained has been correlated to osteoporosis or brittle bones.

Aside from this, artificial drinks contain caffeine, artificial flavoring or sweeteners, preservatives, among others. Caffeine has been known to cause insomnia and increased risk of having kidney stones. It is also linked to miscarriage and low-birth weight among infants. Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, can cause migraines, dizziness and forgetfulness. Preservatives can be carcinogenic. There are at least 12 harmful ingredients that can be found in power drinks, colas, and artificial juice drinks.

Health and Fitness Tip # 2. Watch out the fish in your diet.


Through the process of bioaccumulation and biomagnification or the gradual build-up of toxic elements like mercury in organisms, fishes that make their way into human diet through the food chain, can cause irreversible paralysis. Fishes like tuna tend to accumulate high levels of mercury. Mercury destroys the nervous system that can cause deformities in developing animals and ultimately, death.

Health and Fitness Tip # 3. Eat fruits and vegetables.


Hypertensive people can adopt a diet of fruits like potato, apple, vegetables like okra, tomato, cucumber, and eggplant to normalize blood pressure. Also, pineapple and lemon grass juice work wonders that keep blood pressure down. Eating life-giving fruits and vegetables would ensure that you live a long life with vigor.

Health and Fitness Tip # 4. Consume apples but watch out for preservatives.


Apples are known to contain antioxidants that will help prevent many diseases including cancer; unless these fruits are laced with toxic preservatives. Some resellers or market vendors use formalin, a toxic chemical, in preserving apples to maintain fruit “freshness”. In tropical countries, this practice is all too common.

Health and Fitness Tip # 5. Don't be a couch potato. Find out why you tend to be lazy.


Diabetes can cause laziness because of lack of insulin in the body. This results to fatigue. Laziness is also a symptom of lack of motivation, sleep, and exercise. Laziness runs in the family, too. When a person is lazy, he/she procrastinates. Procrastination further worsens the condition because inability to complete a job on time will lead to other negative outcomes like low self-esteem.

Health and Fitness Tip # 6. Don't worry.


Although worrying serves as the body's defensive mechanism to cope up with stress, studies point out that excessive worrying can cause many undesirable bodily reactions like dizziness, fatigue, head and body aches, nausea and shortness of breath. Worrying also increases the tendency of people to commit suicide due to depression. Why worry when you don't need to. Life is short. Why would you wish to live a long life when all you do is worry each day.

Health and Fitness Tip # 7. Avoid using cheap skincare products.


Cheap skincare products may contain mercury that can be absorbed through the skin and pass through the bloodstream. The kidneys sustain damage first and foremost because of the organ's blood-filtration function. Damaged kidneys will require either frequent dialysis or a kidney transplant that will be very costly.
Being mindful of these health tips will enable you to live a long life free of debilitating disease.

Source: Seven Health Tips on How to Live a Long Life