Call for help and rescue

Here are some important contact details and numbers we can use during these times after Typhoon Ondoy and any future emergencies. Note, that I have deleted details of any politician or personalities.

1. National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
(+632-9125668, +632-9111406, +632-9115061, +632-9122665),
Help hotlines: (+65 734-2118, 734-2120),
Email: ndcchelpdesk@gmail.com

Click this link for their website.

2. Philippine Coast Guard (+632-5276136)

3. Air Force (+63908-1126976, +632-8535023)

4. Metro Manila Development Authority (136)

5. Marikina City Rescue (+632-6462436, +632-6462423, +632920-9072902)

6. Pasig Rescue Emergency Number (+632-6310099)

7. Quezon City Rescue (161)

8. San Juan City Hall Command Post (+632-4681697)

9. Bureau of Fire Protection Region III (Central Luzon) Hotline: (+63245-9634376)

10. Philippine National Red Cross (143, +632-5270000)

11. Philippine National Red Cross Rizal Chapter operations center hotline: (+632-6350922, +632-6347824)

12. ABS-CBN Typhoon Ondoy Hotline: (+632-4163641)

13. GMA Kapuso Helpline: (+632-9811950-59)

Blogger at 10

Belated Happy birthday, Blogger!

According to the Official Google Blog, when Google acquired Blogger in February of 2003, there were about 250,000 visitors per month. Today, more than 300 million!

The blogging phenomena has grown and risen beyond expectations of many internet enthusiasts and media experts. Am not a social media expert, but in the course of the story, tentatively titled, “The Business of Blogging” for the Philippine Business Magazine, I have realized many insights about this blogging phenomena!

While I knew that Blogger had been acquired by Google in 2003, I learned that Evan Williams, one of co-founders of Blogger, is now with Twitter! Really a small industry.

I shall discovered that Justine Hall is recognized by the New York Times Magazine as "the founding father of personal blogging."

The Official Google Blog says, "Blogs are a global self-publishing phenomenon that connect Internet users with dynamic, diverse points of view while also enabling comment and participation." We're proud that Blogger continues to be a force for free expression worldwide and that it is growing quickly despite its maturity. In the past two years alone, the number of people contributing to a blog has more than doubled, and every second of every day, a new blog is created on Blogger.

As part of a series of “birthday presents” to users, an application called “Blogpress” developed by InfoThinker can be used on one’s iPhone. Now, that brings blogging to more connectivity on the road. For me, with still an expensive costs of mobile connectivity, Globe Visibility and a cold Starbucks Mocha Frappe works well.

Again, happy birthday Blogger! You continue to change the way the world thinks and share life’s experiences!

Free! Insights for Search

Search takes a whole new meaning with the launch of Google Insights for Search. Attending the media briefing held at the Ascott Hotel in Makati City, Jay Trinidad and Therese Lim, described to media how “Insights for Search” works.

Jay who is Regional Product Marketing Manager, Consumer Products, Google Asia Pacific, showed a comparative search between today’s presidentiables. He described how off-line activities help create spikes in online search. Guess who led the spikes this month?
The results showed a clear visual trend of spikes and leads of one presidentiable over another candidate.

With an expensive cost of research, a media colleague asked if “Insights for Search” was free, Jay says, “ It is free because it is what is right for the users.” That is good as many companies can’t afford the cost of research. “If people have more information, they could spend more money,” adds Jay.

While “Insights for Search” provides interesting comparative data, it is NOT stand alone data. It doesn’t show actual number of hits. This figure is rounded off in “hundreds.” Brand managers would still need other qualitative research data to analyze results from “Insights for Search.” Therese says, “It helps provides trends.”

Jay adds that “Insights for Search” is available in 40 languages and is part of Google’s commitment to its users.

Another concern raised by another colleague was “artificial search.” This could be true for presidentiables who would want their online presence rise by simply asking X amount of staff to do nothing all day but type the presidentiable’s name. That is possible but the Google team assured media that it had in place tools that would detect “artificial search.” Guess, Google could always track down these fake searches through the IP address where the query is coming from.

What I find interesting and valuable is that “Insights for Search” allows you multiple comparative searches, like search for three brands at the time. Also allows you a focused geographic search, like if you want to see trends in Luzon or Cebu.

“Insights for Search offers a glimpse into the spirit of the times,” says Jay. “What the world is searching for offers an insight into what’s interesting to people around the world.”

I shared “Insights for Search” later with my Chief, comparing queries for her brand and a competitive brand. She found the tool interesting and has also shared the tool with her client and agency team. Of course, client confidentiality prohibits me from identifying which brands we googled. But you try this tool and find out how technology works for a brand audit. And try it in Filipino!

Twitter on the court?

Shaq with 2.1 million followers is probably the biggest user of Twitter among the NBA players. Even the NBA has its own Twitter account with more than 1 million followers. But can you imagine an NBA player, sitting on the bench and sending out tweets as the game is in progress? It has been done before.

And now NBA commissioner David Stern is following the lead of the NFL and will soon issue guidelines on how professional players use social media tools inside and outside a game. NFL had recently announced its guidelines on the use of social media. It now prohibits players, coaches and football operations personnel from using social media networks like Twitter and Facebook 90 minutes before kickoff to the end of traditional media interviews after games. And NFL game officials are banned from using social media at all times. ESPN is also developing stricter guidelines.

According to a Yahoo! Sports story, Stern says, “Obviously, there is a happy medium between tweeting before the game and tweeting from our bench during the game.”

Stern says players need to stay focused on their game. “It would look unusual for a guy sitting on the bench to pick up his cell phone, and I think we can agree that he probably shouldn’t be writing e-mails. It’s not about Twitter; it’s about the line of communication. That’s what we’re focusing on.”

Yes, Twitter and other social media platforms help players connect to fans, but using these tools during games is definitely taboo! And if I was a coach, I would also restrict mobile phones in the locker rooms or on the bench. Like students inside a classroom, players need to focus and concentrate on their game. That is already tough with thousands of screaming fans.

Already, players and even coaches are on YouTube, facebook and Twitter. They all videos and profiles which keep fans updated. And they are just like you and me, fascinated on how technoloft works, in real time, 24/7.

There is always the right time and place for technology to work. And the court or the bench isn’t one of these places. You are either looking to get fired or get benched throughout the season!

Standard Chartered works!

We all have heard stories of how some of our friends have lost their credit cards to thieves and within hours, have their credit limit maxed out.

My friend once had her credit card stolen by conniving staff of a famous karaoke bar in Greenbelt. Fortunately, she had reported the card stolen and the police and mall security caught up with the thieves at a Lacoste store. The thieves were caught red-handed with several bags of expensive Lacoste shirts.

Someone we also know had her credit card stolen from her bag, inside her office. The thieves went on a shopping spree.

Last weekend, Chief and I went on a mini-shopping spree at Rustan's Makati. Partially, in preparation for the wedding on Celine and Rocky next Saturday. We had bought a dress for Chief using my Standard Chartered credit card. We have their “picture-type” credit card! Our picture shows Chief and I at a Taco Bell restaurant in New York, during our first trip to the States last December 2003. With a picture, there was no way a thief could use our credit card.

Then, we went to the concierge to apply for the new Rustan’s FSP. As I was filling up the form, Chief went to jewelry section looking at the bracelet she had long been wishing for.

But without second though as she pulled me over to look at it again, I said, “Sige, kunin mo na!” She was surprised with my quick approval. My credit card was swiped and credit approved.

A few minutes later, another surprise came!


My iPhone rung. It was an unlisted number. An overseas call as the lady had a Chinese accent. She introduced herself as Lei-ping of Standard Chartered and asked one question, “Sir, are you using your card now?” I said, “Yes.”

The conversation, or rather the credit check was quick and short. No small talk or pleasantries.

This is another example of how technology works.

Standard Chartered surely would have a “mechanism” in place that sends out a red flag when a client’s spending pattern goes beyond normal. And that Sunday my pattern was “abnormal.”

Thanks to Standard Chartered for their credit check! It is very assuring that you guys are on your toes and quick to react!

Twitting from Tehran

With the government media censorship and crackdown on Iranian protestors and Internet sites, Iranian are finding ways and means to get news and images out to the world. Photo by AFP/Mehdi Fedouach.

The government has blocked many sites. Facebook and YouTube are being monitored. Service is reportedly much slower than normal. Even mobile phone service has been affected. Slower service provides the opportunity for security forces and the police increased ability to filter data. Note Iran's telecommunications industry is a monopoly.

Remote proxy servers have been set up so Iranians can access blocked websites from inside their country. Other Internet companies and individuals around the world have stepped in and maximizing technology to help Iranians communicate and organize.

Twitter users are using an application that allows users to tint their profile pictures green. Not the La Salle color but the trademark color of the opposition. This application was developed by a man from Israel. In fact, Twitter re-scheduled maintenance shutdown so that users could continue to access the microblogging site.


Other Twitter users outside Iran have also shown support by changing their listed locations and time zones to Tehran. This is meant to make it more difficult to see just how many people were tweeting from Iran. Photo was uploaded on Twitter last June 21, 2009.

Mousavi’s Facebook account now has 66,000 supporters who have organized protests through his public page.

Google's video sharing site, YouTube, has seen an increase of video that relates to the Tehran crisis. Try searching for "Iran election protest" video and see how many results you will get. CNN’s iReport gets news video from Iranians on the streets.

Both Google and Facebook have responded to the need for Iranians to be able to to communicate in their own language. They have launched Farsi services. There are more Farsi speakers working on translations on Facebook. Farsi also refers to the Persian language. It refers to the language spoken in Iran.

I remember back in February 1986, on my when Filipinos marched and protested in EDSA against the rule of the late Ferdinand Marcos. News spread fast through radio and pagers. Now, Blackberries and Twitter help spread the message and news. Definitely, more proof that technology works for people, specially, for Iranians, who are calling for change.

Project Natal

I really couldn’t believe it when I saw it on TV. And further searched it on the Internet. Yup, am talking about the Project Natal.


“Project Natal" is Microsoft's no-controller 3D motion and voice recognition technology for Xbox 360. Photo by David Sprague shows Kudo Tsunoda, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios, demonstrating the new motion-sensing technology for controlling games called Project Natal. Sources say that Natal will be sold as a “stand alone” peripheral. This means you can use it with your existing Xbox 360.

According to a Microsoft story, the user is the “controller.” What does this mean? No cables. No joysticks. Only your body and your voice. The new Xbox 360 has a motion-sensing device that follows or mimics your movements and actions. It’s camera and sound sensors can detect a players movements as well as voice commands.

"We want Xbox to be the next-generation social and entertainment network," said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of strategy and business development for interactive entertainment. This new technology was unveiled this month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, in Los Angeles


One of my favorite directors, Steven Spielberg, who also attended the E3 Event said, "This is a pivotal moment that will carry with it a wave of change, the ripples of which will reach far beyond video games." Photo by David Sprague shows Don Matrick, senior vice president of entertainment and devices, with Steven Spielberg.

Coming from Spielberg, then, must admit, this new technology would get most kids and gamers like me excited.

This is proof that technology works as it definitely takes games to a totally new level of experience.

Here's a video courtesy of YouTube:



Until this technology comes out in 2010, the gun controllers for my Sony PlayStation's Time Crisis will continue to be a part of my gaming experience Soon, they would be jurassic.