Fire Safety Definition of Terms (Part 1 of 4)

Under Republic Act No. 9514, otherwise known as the "Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008," there are over 50 terms on fire safety defined. Most of the definitions from the old Fire Code (PD 1185) were carried over in the new Fire Code. The definition of terms is placed under Section 3 of the code. Here are the most important definition of terms:

• Abatement - any act that would remove or neutralize a fire hazard.
• Administrator - any person who acts as agent of the owner and manages the use of a building for him.
• Blasting Agent - any material of mixture consisting of a fuel and oxidizer used to set off explosives.
• Cellulose Nitrate or Nitro Cellulose - a highly combustible and explosive compound produced by the reaction of nitric acid with a cellulose material.
• Cellulose Nitrate Plastic (Pyroxylin) - any plastic substance, materials or compound having cellulose nitrate (nitro cellulose) as base.
• Combustible Flammable or Inflammable - descriptive of materials that are easily set on fire.
• Combustible Fiber - any readily ignitable and free burning fiber such as cotton, oakum, rags, waste cloth, waste paper, kapok, hay, straw, Spanish moss, excelsior and other similar materials commonly used in commerce.
• Combustible Liquid - any liquid having a flash point at or above 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Corrosive Liquid - any liquid which causes fire when in contact with organic matter or with certain chemicals.
• Curtain Board - a vertical panel of non-combustible or fire-resistive materials attached to and extending below the bottom chord of the roof trusses, to divide the underside of the roof into separate compartments so that heat and smoke will be directed upwards to a roof vent.
• Cryogenic - descriptive of any material which by its nature or as a result of its reaction with other elements produces a rapid drop in temperature of the immediate surroundings.
• Damper - a normally open device installed inside air duct system which automatically closes to restrict the passage of smoke or fire.
• Distillation - the process of first raising the temperature in separating the more volatile from the less volatile parts and then cooling and condensing the resulting vapor so as to produce a nearly purified substance.
• Duct System - a continuous passageway for the transmission of air.
• Dust - a finely powdered substance which, when mixed with air in the proper proportion and ignited, will cause an explosion.

Ten Reasons to Retire in the Philippines

Why retire in the Philippines?

After writing something about a question on leaving for greener pastures abroad, I am sharing a page taken from the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA). The texts belong to PRA while I put numbers in it.

Smile is Life in the Philippines. 

This is our (PRA's) invitation to our former Filipino citizens and foreign nationals to choose the Philippines as their second home. Famous for our vibrant culture, hospitality, friendly English-speaking population, natural attractions, and tropical climate, retirees can expect the good life in the Philippines at an affordable cost.

1. Geography. The Philippines is an archipelagic nation made up of 7, 107 islands spanning 1, 840 kilometers north to south. It is part of the Southeast Asian region and is bordered by Taiwan to the north, Indonesia and Malaysian Borneo to the south,  the South China Sea (or West Philippine Sea) on the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. The three main Philippine island groups are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The capital is Manila. Time zone is GMT +8 hours.

2. Climate. Generally, Philippines has a tropical climate. March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy. November to February is cool. Average temperatures: 78F/25C to 90F/32C; humidity is 77 percent.

3. Language. Understanding each other will not be a problem between the retirees and our people. Almost every Filipino can understand and speak some English. In fact, we are the third largest English-speaking nation in terms of population. Two official languages are Filipino and English. Filipino, which is based on Tagalog, is the national language. English is widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education. Eight (8) major dialects spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango and Pangasinense.

4. Religions. Some 83 percent of Filipinos are Catholic. About five percent are Muslim. The rest are made up of similar smaller Christian denominations and Buddhist.

5. Cost of living. The principal appeal for retirement in the Philippines is the lower cost of living. Housing, food and labor costs are quite reasonable. Global Filipinos and foreign retirees can retire in the Philippines and enjoy not only the lower cost of living but also the very favorable currency exchange rate.

The Philippines' monetary unit is Peso. Foreign currency may be exchanged at any hotels, most large department stores, banks and authorized money changing shops accredited by the Central Bank of the Philippines. International credit cards such as Visa, Diners Club, Bank Americard, Master Card and American Express are accepted in major establishments.

6. World-class medical and health services. In terms of medical services, our facilities are comparable to the best anywhere else. Our highly trained medical personnel and caregivers are in demand all over the world not only for their competence and expertise but most especially for the care and compassion they show to their wards. Healthcare, a top priority of the senior market, is an expertise of the Filipino who is world-renowned for his excellent healthcare practitioners.

7. Filipino hospitality. Filipinos are naturally warm, friendly and hospitable. We have a ready smile for everybody and our religious background that is predominantly Catholic makes service to others an innate trait.

8. Telecommunication edge. Every retiree can avail of the country's continuously improving telecommunication facilities. They can keep abreast of what is happening around the world and keep in touch  with their relatives and friends back home.

9. Eco-tourism destination. Philippines can provide the retirees with endless choices of world-class destinations that will bring them closer to Mother Nature with clear air and beautiful sceneries. The white sand beach of Boracay and Panglao and the virgin islands of Palawan, often referred to as "the last frontier" are truly unforgettable places that entice the visitors to come back in the Philippines.

10. PRA service. The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) prides itself on the after-membership service that it provides to the retirees. During their stay in the country, they can consider PRA as their second family. PRA helps them to address their needs. If and when they encounter any problem, PRA is with them every inch of the way.

Thinking about retiring in the Philippines now? For more information, visit the website of Philippine Retirement Authority at www.pra.gov.ph. 

Source: Philippine Retirement Authority website

Greener Pastures Abroad: To Leave or to Stay in the Philippines?

We hear about the Philippines promoting the country as a retirement capital. We also heard about meteorologists of the government's Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) leaving the country in favor of high-paying jobs abroad. In the Bureau of Fire Protection, some firefighters leave in favor of public safety jobs (as firefighters too) in Qatar and other Middle East countries. What about you? What about me? Shall I stay or shall I leave the country for good?

I was once asked with a very powerful question" "if you will be given the chance to live abroad for life, will you be able to make it?" I paused for a moment before my reply. I answered: maybe....provided my family is with me - people so important in my life should be with me. Then I continued with...howevers. "However, I will always go back home and nobody can prevent me from doing that." My home is the Philippines.

Going back to the question, "if you will be given the chance to live abroad for life, will you be able to make it?", it is really a difficult one to answer. Yes, I may live in other countries but what about the pain of renouncing my citizenship in favor of another citizenship? My cousin left her Filipino citizenship in favor of citizenship in a North American country. She told me she was crying when she did it and then she had to cry a lot.

My cousin was a long-time breadwinner for her family here in the Philippines. She worked abroad for a very long time and had her dollars sent back home. She had lived in several countries as young as in her early 20's before finally choosing Canada. She shed her tears in bidding goodbye to her original country in favor of a new state to be her home. If she he had shed lots of tears, how much more for me? How much more for a uniformed officer like me who vowed my loyalty to the Filipino people? I took oath not just once but several times in my career. My oath says to protect and serve the Filipino people even if at the cause of my life. I vowed allegiance to the Philippine Constitution. 

Whenever I have to go out of the country to represent the Philippines, there is always that very strong sense of pride in me. That makes me remember that I should be at my best always just like making my mama proud. Every Monday during our flag raising ceremonies, I always have that unexplained feeling whenever Lupang Hinirang is being played. There are times when I noticed my teary eyes after lowering my hands from a salute rendered during the singing of the Philippine National Anthem. I suppressed tears when not so long after singing Lupang Hinirang, a part of a following audio visual presentation gave a tribute in honor of our fallen government firefighters who lost their lives saving children in the middle of typhoon Haiyan (Philippine name is Yolanda). Indeed, there is honor in serving this country at the cause of our lives.

It is the pride that keeps me going - of serving our people, of serving the public in my own little way as an officer. I feel that pride that of the the millions of Filipinos looking for jobs, I had landed in the government. Not everyone deserves to be here and not everyone is destined to be here. For me, I have the honor to serve my country with dignity and pride. I should do my job amid the noise of government issues. I always feel the urge of helping the Filipino people - though in my little humble way. 

There is a growing "unimaginable opulence that can be found side by side with poverty." We always thought of a better life. Who else does not want it anyway? We sometimes think of greener pastures outside the country. Literally, there could indeed be greener pastures outside than here in our country nowadays when our forests are denuded, where mining is allowed, where land use conversion is unavoidable, when peat lands are opened. However, why  seek for lands greener than ours? To reach financial freedom. To have our ends met. To get away from poverty. Many other reasons. What about the many Filipinos who are poor and live below the poverty line? What about the shrinking middle class? What about us? 

For the beginning and end of riches is charity; let us not forget to serve and help others in our own little (or big ways), whichever we can, whether we choose to leave the country or stay here in the Philippines for good in our lifetime.

Special thanks for some quotes: 
Rev. Fr. Philip Bernabe for his talk on The Holy Use of Money
Merriam-Webster dictionary

If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?

"Every second of volunteering, every peso, every drop of perspiration counts. But no matter how much we give, there is always a feeling that it does not seem enough. There is a dream to give bigger and to make a difference."

In January, Globe Telecom gives an early gift to bloggers for an opportunity to express what they think of under #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014. It seeks to answer the question:

"If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?"

In my own little way, let me answer the beauty-queen  question. However, I do not have to be a beauty queen to be able to answer the question. I only have to be a simple working single mom to dream of impossibility of giving a huge gift for the Philippines as what foreign countries had given for Yolanda victims. I only have a dream that you too might dream of one day in the future.

If there is one thing that I can give to the Philippines, that is an insurance policy contract for every family's breadwinner from a reputable insurance company. Sounds funny? I don't care but that is my dream.

To be able to have a solid financial foundation, one must have healthcare and insurance. Insurance serves as replacement in case the breadwinner is gone. Unluckily not every sane Filipino is aware of the importance of insurance. Others are simply cynical about it including my most beloved brother. 

While each breadwinner is striving to work, earn and increase cash flow;  he or she must be protected by insurance. Thanks that the government have a healthcare program for every Filipino under the Philhealth. However, not every family is protected by Philhealth because not everyone is employed - others, underemployed or unemployed. 

I, for myself, am employed which makes me and my kid qualified for Philhealth. Since I cannot have my parents as among my dependents then, I had to pay monthly voluntarily their premium for Philhealth. For this year, the premium has increased and luckily, I paid it in cash until the end of December 2014. While having this as basic protection, it is never enough. The rest, I have to prepare for an emergency fund for obvious reasons - emergencies.

Insurance seems like a wheel chock lock in case the breadwinner dies. On the other hand, while rich people also buy insurance, there are more reasons for the middle income earners like me to obtain an insurance policy. If the middle income earners have to leave for their family a parcel of lot, who will pay for estate tax? Good if the breadwinner is protected by insurance.

We have a lot (or few?) financial advisors in the land. They keep on saying that we should have insurance. Have you read Pisobilities: Gabay sa Buhay Pinansyal by Francisco J. Colayco? Written in Filipino, I find it as the cheapest yet most comprehensive practical guide to financial planning. Or have you heard about a maid or family driver who invests in the stock market? There is one like that, ask Bo Sanchez about it. 

Supposing someone have five thousand pesos, wants to invest in the stock market and then he opens an account. Yes, it is good to invest and at the same time buy shares in mutual fund companies and reputable companies that trade with the Philippine Stock Exchange. Yet it is not good to sell shares when the market is down. What if after six months of investing, the investor breadwinner dies of an accident, what will the family receive? Isn't it five thousand pesos? Had he bought an insurance, his or her family will receive not just five thousand pesos but more than that. 

Photo source: Rappler (see full article here)

"...and if according to my fate, I am to lose my life
please bless with your protecting hand,
my loving family from strife." - Fireman's Prayer

I for myself have more than three life insurance including an accident insurance. However, these are not yet enough to serve as replacement for my income in case I die too soon. Aside from that, while others may think that being a member of the Red Cross means sharing a part some money, they may not be aware that each member is already protected. Apart from helping the needy, a Red Cross member is at the same time protected by insurance.

From having protection of healthcare and insurance, one can move forward to getting out of the debt trap. I thank those banks for disapproving all my application for credit card. It taught me to live a life of cash and e-purse - not a life of monthly credit card bills. With debt management, it is good to set aside emergency fund and then proceed to investment.

We invest for long term or short term reasons. For long term purposes, my ultimate reasons are retirement and child's college education. Others belong to want list - brand new car or house and lot.

With all these things in mind, financial freedom is a dream. Having a solid financial foundation is a key for having peace of mind. Ask me more. If I'd have a dream, I would dream that every breadwinner in every Filipino family be protected by insurance. If there is one thing that I can give to the Philippines, then that gift would be an insurance policy for every person who earns money to support a family.

We may have distinct roles to play in life. You may be a mother, a father, a daughter, son or a single mom like me. You too have dreams that you want to achieve. Having goals in life does not limit your imagination to aim high and dream once for your native land. It does not hinder you from doing little acts of thoughtfulness that contribute to massive acts of love for our country. What if confronted with the same question: if there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?

GMOs place Philippines on global research map in 2013

#YearEnder: GMOs place Phl on global research map in 2013 | http://t.co/GtNhrJ8xkj pic.twitter.com/Ft8YCDSE3o
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) January 2, 2014

GENERAL SANTOS CITY FISH PORT

it is where one can see larger-than-man tuna, large fishing boats; where no one is allowed to enter in shorts, sleepers and sandos. INDEED, world-class!