Happy New Year to everyone!

Happy New Year 2007 to all! It's the year of the pig.

I also would like also to greet you with the Philippines' 3 Major Languages --

Manigong Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat!
Malipayong Bag-ong Tuig sa inyong tanan!
Narang-ay nga Baro nga Tawen kanyayo amin!

Of course we'd include a little lesson in Mandarin. In Mandarin, it is written as

The characters are read: Hsin Nyen Kuai Le ; and translated as Hsin=New, Nyen=Year, Kuai Le=Happy. So roughly it is said New Year Happy. Got it?

Hsin Nyen Kuai Le! May each and everyone be blessed with a prosperous New Year!

Cannot Call to the Philippines? Here's why...

The quake in Southern Taiwan yesterday, Dec.26, caused only 2 fatalities and 42 injured but Taiwan and the rest of the world now face disrupted telecommunications. The quake damaged almost 60% of undersea telecommunication cables; call handling capabilities in and out of Taiwan has been reduced to almost 50%. The impact is being felt in Japan, china, Hongkong, Phils, US, Europe, Middle East, India, Korea and other SE Asian countries. Internet connection has been impacted and it's doing a deal of delays to companies utilizing internet connectivity in their business activities.

Now you know why your overseas call is not getting through.

Repair is estimated to take 3 weeks, but Taiwan's major telecom players are looking for satellite alternatives to alleviate the bottleneck.

Let's cross our fingers. Although indirect, the effect of calamities like this will find it's way to each of us.

Post Christmas Quick News: THSRC and 1226 Quake

First: On Dec.24, THSRC has been given the green light to operate commercially. Fares are not officially anounced yet. There are speculations that tickets will cost 30% cheaper than air ticket, and 50% more expensive than bus fare. That rounds to about NT$1200.

Second: Two strong quakes hit Taiwan between 8:00 and 9:00 PM yesterday, Dec.26. There are two major tremors measuring 7.1 and 7.0 respectively on the Richter Scale. Occurence is in that order. The epicenters are located undersea, a little South of Kaoshiung, Taiwan. No major damage and no fatality was reported. No Pinoy was hurt.

OFW Christmas in Taiwan

It would have been a real Merry Christmas but I was just a witness of an incomprehensible manner of a "kapwa Pinoy" AGAINST another a few minutes before Noche Buena.

I just witnessed how some Dormitory Matrons repressively treat OFWs. Many OFW's in Taiwan has to endure some difficult treatment sometimes (many times?). I don't know if I am at the wrong place at the wrong time. But I guess I was at the right place at the right time to witness it and write it for others to read and ponder.

My head is a mess right now. It's disturbing. I am boiling inside. Hope tomorrow, Christmas Day, I could get over it and write some coherent thoughts so I can share how most Pinoy's "endure" Christmas in Taiwan. I may be posting it after Christmas.

I don't want to wish that everyone's Christmas will be ruined just the same, but I can't wish you'd have delightful Christmas anymore. Pardon me, it ruined mine.

Bless You All!

Less fingerprints required from Pinoys in securing ARC

Finger printing for Pinoys (all foreigners actually) for their Alien Residence Certificate (ARC) will be reduced to left and right thumbs only. The old rule is to finger print all of the left and right hand fingers, much like the Philippine's NBI does.

We knew that Taiwanese government workers are efficient and quick people (much the opposite of what we have in the Philippines) and they're still making it even faster.That sounds good, although we hope they remove that requirement totally soon. It does not compensate recent delays of releasing visa in the Philippines due to tighter demand on validations, but It helps. At least. Think about the lines in the police stations, and that dreaded mess and stains you endure after all those pre-departure rush you've just been before landing in Taiwan.

I just have a thought (I'm not praying it happens to anyone) : what if a foreigner losses a thumb while in Taiwan, worse both thumbs? He's untraceable anymore? Or does it matter at all? If not, hope they just take it all out. Taiwan is the only country requiring finger prints from foreigners anyway.

Make that a Christmas Wish ^-^...
----------

On other news:

A fews back I wrote about the upcoming commercial operation of THSR. Well it looks like it will drag on indefinitely.

On the last week of November, THSRC received the long-awaited Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) conducted by Lloyd's Register Rail of London,United Kingdom. We didn't know if the safety inspection passed, but it seems like the IV&V report was likewise questioned again because it did not address concerns about the highspeed train control systems. Inspite of that, there were news that THSRC slated operation on Dec.7. Taiwan's Consumer's Foundation continued it's stern warning to boycott if THSRC pushes operation without clearance of some 33 safety concerns.

The news almost sound like dead for the last two weeks.

Then on 12/21, THSRC's CEO Ou Chin-Der issued a statement guaranteeing the safety of the train. Until today, there is no publicly accessible document from the independent British and Japanese experts who audited the THSR, which usually the case is with controversial projects like this.

Taiwan's Ministry Of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) will hold again a meeting with THSRC and the inpectors on 12/24 to finally decide whether Taiwan's bullet train will start rolling (MOTC required THSRC to have 0% accident until 12/23 on their safety tests).

Hope to hear THSRC blowing the bells on 12/24 Noche Buena.

Sen Tan Jie Kuai Le!

Sen Tan Jie Kuai Le! That's Merry Christmas in Mandarin, the most widely spoken language in the world. I could sense your eyebrow raising on that claim. Yes, English is only second to Mandarin in the number of speakers. If ever your teacher once told you that English is the most widely spoken language, not really. Well, not necessarily false. It may be, if we count the number of countries with a considerable number in their respective population that speak and read/write English. But if you count the raw number of mouth speaking, Mandarin reign number-1. That said, and considering the ever growing economic clout of Chinese or Chinese-origin people, some Mandarin could prove to be advantageous.

Sen Tan Jie Kuai Le! It is written in Chinese as
Read the characters Sen-Tan-Jie-Kuai-Le, in the same order. It roughly means "Happy Festival for Birth of Saint". That translation is mine, and I took it from individual meaning of each character which goes

Sen = Saint , Tan = Born, Jie = Festival, Kuai Le = Happy

Saint + Born + Festival + Happy. Figure it out, re-arrange to make sense.

Others do not use Sen, they use Ye which means Jesus. The 1st character will change, so in Mandarin it will beRead as Ye-Tan-Jie-Kuai-Le, it will mean Jesus + Born + Festival + Happy. The meaning isn't too hard to decipher.

One very important thing to remember in speaking Mandarin is the delicate inflection of tone in each syllable. There are 5 tones necessary to master speaking Mandarin, but it would take too long to write in here. You can make the tone natural though, pronounce the e in Sen and Le in the lower-heavy tone just like the 1st e in "where" (sounds like combined e-a). Alright?

Make it sound more authentic, use a little more personal greeting like

Merry Christmas to you : Tsu Ni Sen Tan Jie Kuai Le
Merry Christmas to all : Tsu Ni Men Sen Tan Jie Kuai Le

Easy, right? Goodluck! Try it to your Chinese,Taiwanese or Singaporean associates. If they respond with a bewildered look, say it once more. If the puzzled look persists, you can always say you just mumbled a greetings from some little-known dialect in the Philippines! Lusot :)

Merry Christmas everyone! We wish all Pinoy in Taiwan, in the Philippines and everywhere in the world a happy, blessed and abundant Christmas Season! Maligaya at mapayapang Pasko sa inyong lahat! Maayong Pasko sa inyong tanan! Naragsak nga Paskua yo amin! Ye Tan Jie Kuai Le!


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Destination Taipei 101 Observatory Deck

A few days back we visited Taipei 101 yet again. But we didn't settle on the outside taking shots and straining our necks looking up and down. This time we have to bid goodbye to $US100 for a ticket on the earth's fastest elevator ever (well, at least for now), and shot up to the buildings 89th floor where the Observatory Deck is. And yes, shot up, literally.

Taipei 101 has the world's fastest elevator. Yet again, at least for now, because someday soon someone somewhere is gonna beat that. That's "soon", my friend. Now it's the fastest, and we'll relish the experience as long as it lasts. It's really fast. From the 5th floor to the 89th floor, it took only a minute. It turns out to be one of the most expensive ride I ever had, at $US50 each minute. I'm not whining, it's worth it, even though you'd get that strange sensation in your ears due to abrupt change in athmospheric pressure on your way up and down later.

Up in the 89th floor, you'd get stunning view of Taipei 101, a change to get close to magnificent million-$ gold sculptures, and a close view of the famous "damper" that keeps Taipei 101 stable agains swaying.

We're having a very hectic schedule now. Christmas and New Year holidays are coming pretty soon and we have tons of photos for uploads, plus, it's rush time on the job. You know, end-of-year rush.

We're going to bring you those photos for sure dear friends, we'll live to TaiwanPinoy's promise. We're sure you want them. I'm inserting sample here, watch out for more in TaiwanPinoy!

Taiwan High-Speed Rail

Last week there was a flurry of news of the about-to-be operation of Taiwan's High-Speed Rail. It was said that THSR will finally open to the public on the last week of December, this year. But, commonplace with high-risk public utilities like it, some safety concerns are raised (by the Taiwan Government) because of some derailment accidents during the trial runs. The Taiwan Government imposed a battery of tests that the THSR operators has to comply to, and of course pass, before the bullet train can finally open to the public. Taiwan's Consumer Foundation (CF) is on the lookout and has released stern threat to boycott THSRC (that C is for Corporation) if THSRC operates the High-Speed Train before all potential safety issues are resolved (Full Story: CF urges THSRC not to hastily launch high-speed rail system). That means we might have to wait a little bit more before we get a ride, it's for our best interest anyway.

Furthermore complicating the issue, it was said that THSRC requires taxi operators to pay them a monthly premium if they are to service THSRC commuters, for "using THSRC facilities". That aroused ires from some civic groups. Way the before the THSRC project officially broke ground, there has been a war between High-Speed train parts suppliers (Full Story: High Speed Train Gets Derailed ); and now that THSRC is knee deep into debt, it looks like they're going to extend their money losing days.

Well, all of those news of red tape and everything does not interest us to the least. We're interested how this THSRC is going to affect the day-to-day life of OFWs in Taiwan. The way we see it, it's going to be a boon to Pinoys although the effect is not going to be directly affecting their jobs.

First, we all know that most Pinoys particularly those employed in huge factories has to comply with curfews imposed by their respective dormitory managers. This is quite dehumanizing on the grounds that you are required to stay inside a predefined area for a certain period of time while you are not at work. Of all countries host to OFW, Taiwan is the only country we knew imposing this kind of control to Pinoys. Let's stop here, we reserve separate discussion on this subject. So we know it: Pinoys can't leave their "camps" before a predefined time, and has to be back later to that same "camp" on or before a specified time. Otherwise, you're grounded.

Because of that, Pinoys can explore Taiwan very limitedly. They can't travel away too far from their "camps" because they have to make sure they have to have ample time to get back. It is realy very limiting. It's much worse than a curfew imposed by your mother when you are at your teens. If your location is on the extreme North (Taipei) or on the extreme South ( Pingtung/Kaoshiung) and you want to travel to the opposite end, you'd need 4~5 hrs. Dorm managements usually allow Pinoys only 14 hrs to stay out of their dorms during non-working days. Deduct 10 hrs travel-time and you're left with only 4 hrs time to spend on your destination! Now, with THSRC enabling just 90 minutes Taipei-to-Kaoshiung, it will open a whole new world for Pinoy's in Taiwan. It should be an exciting news to Pinoy spouses in Taiwan, particularly those located cities apart.

Second, and the last I can think of now, THSRC will be a boon to Pinoys traveling to and from the Philippines.

There are two international airports in Taiwan, Chiang Kai-Shek (CKS) International Airport in Taoyuan and Kaoshiung International Airport in Kaoshiung. If a Pinoy is taking a leave from work for a "home leave" it usually is just 10 days (Yes, that's the standard leave granted to Pinoys). If you can't avail of flight on one airport, you can avail on the other but you have to take into account your travel time from end-to-end which is again 4~5 hrs. Bottom line, you have 10 days leave and 1 days surely goes to travel time. With THSRC, it would not matter much which airport I depart and arrive. It will be of much interest to Pinoys going to the extreme Northern Philippines because they could simply catch planes bound to Laoag, Ilocos Norte departing from Kaoshiung City, and it will not matter if their worksite is in Taipei.

Looking at the pics here, it looks like THSR is set to open really soon. There are already signs all over Taipei Main Station showing directions to the HSR Line. Let's wait and see...