“Kabilang Ka” is the slogan of the Philippines National Statistics Office  (NSO) in conducting the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) beginning May 17 to June 14, 2010. This aims to take an inventory of the country’s total population and characteristics as well as living quarters in the country.

This up- to- date statistics will serve as a guide for our government planners and policy makers in terms of budget allotment and future local government development projects. Census questionnaires will include demographic and socio-economic characteristics, plus housing variables.

About 67, 000 personnel will be sent to the field as enumerators (Data collectors) to implement 2010 Census of Population and Housing with a budget of a little over 2.0 billion pesos.

Our outmost cooperation is necessary for the success of the Philippines 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH). The data collectors wearing official 2010 CPH identification cards will knock on every housing unit and interview each household. The interview will take only about 15 to 30 minutes. All information from the census will be held strictly confidential as guaranteed by Section 4 of Commonwealth Act No. 591 and Section 9 of BP 72.

Let us welcome the data collectors in our homes; this is a very simple way of being involved and helping our country.

I have been a voter in Caloocan City for the past 25 years.  I am at the voting precinct at 7 am, to avoid the rush and the heat of the sun since voting time is summer time. On May 2010 I will vote with 2 of my kids as first time voters. I must admit we have different choices in the presidentiable race; I let them speak their own mind.

I always vote with what my heart and conscience tell me. I do look at their credentials and track record. For sure promises are made to be broken. When you are already at the position, a lot of things have to be taken into consideration when decision time comes.

Here in the local elections in Caloocan City, the Asistio family has always been candidates for mayor. The incumbent mayor Recom Echiverri has one more term to go, before maybe he bequeaths the position to his son RJ Echiverri who is at present a councilor and president of the Natonal Liga ng mga Barangay.

Baby Asistio, the former congressman of District 2 for 12 years is challenging Mayor Recom Echiverri. He claimed that high taxes in Caloocan City drove businesses away and that nothing spectacular in terms of infrastructure has happened.  We have been paying property taxes in Caloocan and I must admit it has tripled during the time of the incumbent mayor. I live near the Monumento area; nothing has really changed except that there are no more sidewalk vendors in front of MCU hospital. There is the construction of the LRT Loop but that is not the project of the local government. Garbage is collected Monday, Wednesday and Friday in our area Morning Breeze Subdivision and this is the barangay of the incumbent mayor, I don’t know what is the situation in other areas of the city.

I hope the next mayor would really make Caloocan City a clean place specially the Monumento area. Can you not drive the sidewalk vendors away near the LRT station? Really the Grand Central area is in chaos between 6 to 8 pm. So many people are at this area as they alight the LRT trains.

A basic need that I want our next mayor to fulfill is a clean  and orderly Monumento area, which is the showcase of Caloocan City. Please candidates don’t hold your “miting de avance “ in the place. That can cause monstrous traffic!

May 10,2010, Election Day, Morning Breeze Elemetary School. Barangay 84

It took me two hours to cast my vote, its worth the wait. The “PCOS machine count” gave me a good feeling that I have done something for my country today. People were so enthusiastic to vote. It was orderly inside the classroom. I felt the election officers and teachers were at ease. Only 10 voters were allowed inside the classroom. Its so easy to fill up the ballot, the design was easy to read.

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) of the Sacred Heart Parish was a big help in the conduct of the elections. Kudos to their organizers and officials!

...Teacher Anna...

Pocketful of Kids , the very first toy village in the Philippines is opening on October 25, 2008. The toy store carries only top-of-the-line developmental toys from reputable American and European brands.

Learning Resources, Educational Insights (Hot Dots pens, Playfoam and GeoSafari), Alex, Tatiri,

Melissa & Doug (Number One in wooden educational toys in the US)

Pocketful of Kids allows children to try out and experience the featured branded toys; there are also books (from Fully Booked), health food section, and playground with a “Know It All Tree” (a lighted talking tree).

From 0 to 99 years old, from simple colorful blocks to complex puzzles, Pocketful of Kids would have something for you! Pocketful of Kids toys can enhance a child to be :

Word Smart , People Smart, Music Smart, Nature Smart, Picture Smart, Number Smart, Body Smart

POCKETFUL OF KIDS encourages children to wonder, discover and learn through play.
POCKETFUL OF KIDS PLAYING AND LEARNING PUT TOGETHER!
Visit 15th Floor Strata 2000, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas
Tel # (02) 634-7888 or (02) 634-2888.

Store Hours: 10:00 AM – 7 :00 pm
email : pocketfulofkids@yahoo.com

Notes on Play:

Play, often described as “ the work of children”… is any voluntary activity engaged in for the purpose of enjoyment… it is not something a child does when he or she has nothing else to do , it is something the child has to do.
-Adele Pillitteri, PhD, RN, PNP
Author of the Maternal and Child Health Nursing

From being an infant, toddler, preschooler and school-age children, play is as an integral part of their life. Even if one reached adulthood, we want to play, we always feel at ease after we play. How can one forget his or her first toy? I will always remember my first “walking doll” given to me by my “lola”. Up to this time I would always recall how I played with it, how I used to change her dresses, combed her curly hair etc.

“PEKENG PASSPORT: PROBLEMA ANG DULOT”
“DFA lang ang nagbibigay ng tunay na passport.
Wag sayangin ang sinakrispisyo nila. Siguraduhing tunay ang iyong passport.”

I got my new Philippine passport in 25 minutes! Kudos to DFA for their new system in passport renewal! First, one has to set an appointment with the DFA through the internet http://www.dfa.gov.ph/form/app/index.htm .

Download the passport application form http://www.dfa.gov.ph/download/index.htm , accomplish it completely, bring your passport pictures with you (blue background) . On appointment date, bring your appointment letter, passport form, pictures and 500 pesos as application fee. You don’t’ need to come back to claim your passport, courier service is available at 99 pesos. The courier service will deliver the passport within two weeks at your doorstep.

If you are also renewing the passport of your minor children, be sure the mother’s passport is up to date or she is renewing it together with her children’s passport at the same time. If not current, her children’s passport cannot be renewed. Remember that the mother’s passport should be up to date or current if she wants to renew her children’s passport. The children’s passport application form should have a Xerox copy of the mother’s passport.

There are many people outside of the DFA gate claiming they have DFA forms, no long queues etc. Never mind these people just go ahead and enter the DFA compound, and you will have everything inside. Photo copying machines and picture studio are available inside the DFA compound. Do not entertain these people even if they claim to be DFA employees, even if they have their ID’s. Its better to ask people inside the DFA compound rather than people outside of the DFA premises. There are security personnels inside the DFA compound that would help and guide you where you need to go in order to process your papers.

Do not forget to bring a pen, water and fan. There are portions in the area that is little hot! How to get to the DFA? If you are accessible to the LRT. its at the LIBERTAD station, then ride a jeep going to the DFA. It’s advisable to go by public transport, parking is a problem.

Visit the Department of Foreign Affairs Website: http://www.dfa.gov.ph

Census Serbilis Centers under the National Statistics Office have been opened for the convenience of the public applying for copies of birth, marriage, death certificates and certificate of no marriage record (CENOMAR) for local and foreign use.

Because of visa requirements, I had a chance of going to a Census Serbilis Center at the Ground Floor, Lifestyle I Building Hobbies of Asia, at Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard. I requested for 4 birth certificates and 1 marriage certificate. Really. it’s a long queue, it took me 3 hours to complete the processing and another 2 hours to wait for the release of the said original copies. It was a long wait at screening area since only 2-3 persons are staffing the screening booth. The fee is around 140 pesos per document.

I wonder why they are showing an Indian variety show and something about a Chinese war, which show some form of brutality at the TV monitors in the area. Maybe they could show some historical Filipino films about Rizal or something that is very Filipino.

I decided to get the documents some other day, and when I came back 3 days after to claim the documents, it took me 20 minutes to do so. At the back of the building, is the where you can claim the documents. It is more convenient in terms of less people at the waiting area, air conditioning system is cold, but maybe because it was 8:30 AM.

Do not forget to bring a pen, a valid ID, water to drink and something to kill the boredom. You will also provide some basic information (address, birtdate,birthplace etc )to facilitate verification and issuance of your needed document. It s better for you to bring an old copy of the document or “kodigo” so as to prevent errors in your application.

But if you are too busy going through this process, getting documents from NSO is just a phone call away. You can DIAL 737-111 “ isang tawag na lang ang birth certificate”. NSO Birth Certificate delivery 24 hours. The fee is 300 pesos to be paid at Metro, Bancnet or any Bayad center, document will be delivered right at your doorstep.

For more information about Civil Registration log on to:
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/civilreg/csc_location.html
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/civilreg/civapfaq.html#birth

For more information about fee collection visit:
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/civilreg/ocrgrevfees.html