Remarks from Senator John McCain: A Message of Conceding

It is wonderful and inspiring to see a man like Sen. John MacCain who easily conceded just like in our beloved country where defeated politicians always cry that they were cheated. Let us learn from Sen. MacCain who instead of instigating political bickering among his supporters rallied instead to support the president elect Obama who defeated him. How I wish that our politicians could be like him. Let us learn from his speech . . .

November 4, 2008

Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.
My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer in my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day, though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural tonight to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again. We fought as hard as we could.  And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends. The road was a difficult one from the outset. But your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I am especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign. I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.
You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign. All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude, and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I have ever seen and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength. Her husband Todd and their five beautiful children with their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign. We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly month after month in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life. And my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.
I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century. Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.
Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history, we make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.

Edukasyon at Kamulatang Pulitikal

By Gilbert M. Forbes
 
Sa naganap na eleksyon sa America kung saan nailuklok ang ika-44 at kauna-unahang itim na pangulo, marami ang nainggit at nangarap na nawa ay mangyari rin ang ganun sa atin.

Mabilis, malinis at walang bangayan sa pagitan ng nagwagi at natalo. Anumang naging tunggalian ay agad na natapos sa pagsasara ng tabing ng halalan. Agad na tinatanggap ng natalo ang kanyang kapalaran at binabati ang mapalad kasabay ang pangangako ng suporta.

Marahil ito ay dahil sa mataas na antas ng pulitikal na kamalayan ng mga mamamayang Amerikano na di tulad natin. Isa ito sa dapat na tutukan ng lahat ng nagnanais ng pagbabago at pag-unlad ng ating bansa, ang pagkakapit bisig upang mabigyang pansin ang pagpapataas sa pulitikal na kamalayan ng mamamayan.

Kung magkakaroon ng mataas na pulitikal na kamalayan ang bawat isa, matuto na tayong pumili at maghalal ng tangi at s’yang nararapat. Sa puntong ito, hindi na magkakaroon ng puwang ang mga pulitikong mangmang at personal na interes lamang ang hangad na isulong kundi pulitikong may sapat na kakayahan at tunay na pagnanais na maging lingkod bayan.

Malaki ang papel dito ng paaralan. Matagal na ring bigo ang paaralan na makahubog ng mamamayang may mataas na antas ng oryentasyon o kamulatang pulitikal. Pero nararapat ba itong magpatuloy?

Napapanahon na upang ang paaralan ay maging kabahagi ng lipunan. Sa pamamagitan lamang nito matutuldukan ang krisis na pampulitika sa ating bansa.

Ang Pagsasaka at Kagutuman

By Gilbert M. Forbes
 
Para sa isang bansang pagsasaka ang pangunahing ikinabubuhay, nakapagtataka na maging ikaapat sa may pinakamaraming nagugutom sa buong mundo ang Pilipinas lalo na at napakalalawak ng lupang sakahan at napakaraming nakatiwangwang. Mataba ang lupa na sagana sa dilig ng ulan at klimang katamtaman di tulad sa bansang Rusya at mga bansa sa Africa na tulad ng Somalia.

Marahil, maituturing na may kinalaman ito sa nagbabagong pananaw natin hinggil sa pagsasaka at kapabayaan na rin ng ating pamahalaan. Katunayan, dahil mas mura ang umangkat kaysa likhain o anihin ang pagkain dito sa atin, 85% ng ating pagkain ay imported. Di nga ba’t ang bigas natin ay imported? Pati ng karne at gulay eh,

Sana, imbes na mamudmod ng bilyon-bilyong pera, ay gamitin na lamang ito sa industriya ng paglikha ng pagkain kahit di kasingmura ng angkat upang ang ating mga magsasaka ang makinabang sa gayon lalo silang magsusumikap. Mapipigilan din ng tuluyan ang migrasyon mula sa mga kanayunan patungo sa kalunsuran at magaganyak ang mga nagugutom at naghihirap sa lunsod na bumalik na sa kani-kanilang probinsiya.
Tulad sa Thailand, lalaki ang produksyon at bababa ang presyo nito at maaari pang tayo naman ang mag-export. Panahon na rin upang baguhin natin ang pagtingin sa manwal na paggawa tulad ng pagsasaka.

Huwag na sana na nating hintayin na dumating ang pagkakataon na meron nga tayong pambili, ngunit wala namang mabibili sapagkat mas mahusay pa rin na kahit walang pambili ay busog at hindi gutom!

What to do with 13th month pay

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 06:15:00 11/04/2008

Common Pnoy psychology when receiving additional money or the money itself is to think of what he can buy out of it. Very few think of saving or doing the things that experts will advise. The following are the things that we could do with our 13th month pay and of course, to our bonus.

1. Pay off debt. If you have substantial credit card debt or other forms of debt, use your 13th month pay to pare down this debt. This will help you shorten the paying period and lower your interest expense. Being debt-free is liberating and will improve your financial standing.

2. Save. If you haven’t started a savings fund at all, this is the time to do so. We’re up for uncertain times ahead financially because of the global financial slowdown, so save when you can. Use the full amount of your 13th month pay to jumpstart your savings fund, or if you have other needs to meet, save at least 10 to 20 percent of your 13th month pay.

3. Invest. Saving is putting away money for the future. Investing is making that money work for you. If you put your money in investment vehicles, it is possible to earn interest or yield on it without you having to put extra work in. Examples of investments you can go into using the amount received as your 13th month pay include: time deposits, mutual funds, unit investment trust funds, and equities or stocks. Time deposits give a higher rate of return than savings accounts, but your money will have to be locked up for the entire term (e.g., 30 days, 60 days, 360 days, etc.). You can have a more diversified investment portfolio using mutual funds and UITFs which are available through financial institutions and banks, respectively. With these, you can invest for as little as P5,000. Mutual funds and UITFs come in different forms and may invest in fixed income instruments, bonds, or stocks, or a combination of these. With direct investment in stocks, on the other hand, you may take your pick of a company stock and invest for the long haul even with just the minimum board lot (minimum investment required). Investments come with certain risks, so study the matter thoroughly before jumping in. We recommend consulting with an investment specialist that can help you determine your risk appetite and investment horizon – two critical things to know before you get started.

4. Start a small business. Yes, you can do this even with just a small capital. Use your 13th month pay, for instance, in buying ingredients and start a cupcake business you can attend to during the weekends. If you like fashion, buy clothes wholesale in bargain centers or have clothing apparel subcontracted then sell these to your friends and officemates. You may be surprised that some businesses can be started with just P5,000 to P30,000 in capital. Even at P500 one could start a small business.

5. Share. The Christmas season is a time for giving and sharing, so why not share your blessings? Many orphanages would be happy to receive a donation for orphaned kids. Some organizations like World Vision and UNICEF also let you sponsor a child’s education for as little as P450 a month or meet their needs in other ways. There are also a lot of people needing medical help, and it will be a blessing to them if funds can be coursed through organizations like Kythe, among others. Those are already five wise ways to spend your 13th month pay, and we haven’t included shopping yet. Think about it and decide wisely.

Related Site:
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Aiming High and Hitting the Mark as a Concept of Educational Management

By Gilbert M. Forbes

According to Ralph Waldo Emerson “ we aim above to hit the mark”.

The new management under the context of the academe is that those who lead are attuned to the changing natures of teachers, students and its environs. Hence, The leadership styles of academic institutions must blend with the demands of the times. Our concern, in general is creating a new culture, more specifically, designing a high performance environment with in your school, community and related avenues.The job of every school is education…quality education. Faculty, staff and administrators must be educated to keep their skills current, increase their responsibilities, and cooperate in achieving common goals. Education is not by lecture but by policies and practices that reinforce planning, self evaluation and self development.

Transformational educational leaders can provide extra ordinary effort among faculty and staff in a certain educational set up. Leaders who have personal approach to people and can instill in them a sense of larger mission create a higher performance atmosphere one in which the school manager becomes the coach, cheerleader, facilitator, and consultant. Transformational leaders got visions and expectations that encourage them to work for hours, produce outstanding results and express total commitment. This type of leaders gives followers a sense of autonomy and fosters their self development. Further, this type of leadership provides a model of integrity, fairness, and high standards while being capable of formality and firmness and of reprimanding or correcting inappropriate.

When people clearly understand what is expected of them and are held accountable for fulfilling these expectations, performance improves and productivity increases. Clarifying roles and relationships among faculty and staff is a continuing responsibility of leadership.

Academic administrators often despair of managing their school to their own satisfaction, knowing the impossibility of managing the institution satisfactorily from everyone else’s point of view. The approach to academic management can provide principals greater self-satisfaction while increasing acceptance of academic management by others. It emphasizes creativity rather than constraint, continuity rather than conformity, achievement rather than protocol.

Calm Renee (Prof. Reneecilia Paz De Leon as she gave her feedback on one of my reflections on Feb. 24, 2008 in my course DepEd eXCELS Batch 2 Class 22)

Making School Leadership Effective

By Gilbert M. Forbes
DepED Quezon
Region IV-A CALABARZON 

Reading different leadership and Management Books from my personal collection of well known authors as Covey, Maxwell, Waitley, Oswald, and the likes of Filipino educators as Franco, Nebres, Gonzales, Sibayan, Trespeces, Nemenzo and Luz, aside from various readings both conventional and novel (through the use of the internet), is simply not enough if school principals really wanted to make a difference particularly in the public school system and of the future thousands of school children.  For if one would just reflect on the thoughts of the first post apartheid president and the first black president South Africa had, Nelson Mandela who said, “Education is the great engine of personal development.   It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that a son of a mine-worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.  It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

It is a fact that countries with excellent education like Japan, South Korea and Singapore enjoy significant levels of economic success. A former colonial country like that of the US became of what it is today, the lone super power because of education. US later on, learning from the very power that education can do, used it to further and maintain its interest in various countries of the world through its neo-colonial policies.

To this end, school head plays a very significant role in ensuring that our schools, our next generation of workers and citizens will find their way at least in the fiercely competitive, knowledge-based economy. School principals therefore must be totally sensitive to the expectations of his stakeholders which is actually zeroed in on the demonstration of leadership. It is a leadership which is anchored on bringing a group or institution towards a clear objective. Since, we are principal, instructional leadership is what fits in to us. Other literature called it learning leaders or learning-centered leadership. The demands of 21st century life and work call for principals with a deep understanding of how students learn and at what levels they need to learn. Principals therefore should be able to provide teachers with the leadership and support they need to help students gain the skills and knowledge now identified as important for success in a “flat” world filled with uncertainty and constant changes.

This is the very essence of instructional leadership. To make this happen, as Marsh puts it, as an instructional leader, he is characterized as being a resource provider, an instructional coach, an effective communicator; and has visible presence.Along this line as an instructional leader is that of being a curriculum manager. Since the curriculum is basically what students are expected to learn in the classroom and how the lessons are taught (Farris,1996), the principal must ensure that it is being followed by teachers as the prime basis of their daily teaching.

This is curriculum leadership defined as the exercise of functions that enable the achievement of a school’s goal of providing quality education to learners. It is not only implementation that matters but ensuring curriculum quality and applicability, alignment and integration of the curriculum, regular evaluation, enrichment, update and revitalization of the curriculum.In the public school system, curriculum is developed by curriculum experts and subject specialists and after testing and validation is handed down to all schools for implementation. This doesn’t mean however that the curriculum is absolute for the department encourages localization, enrichment and revitalization considering and understanding local settings, needs, cultural diversity and values. For this reason, principals must really have at least a basic understanding of curriculum development in general and the various models therein like Tyler. Obvious reason is that the given curriculum is not enough to make sure that maximum learning could be achieved. Enrichment and Mastery Curriculum enters and no other person is in the best position to lead in its formulation other than the principal.

In the course of all these, it is very important to know the factors that may affect curriculum implementation success as explained by Parsons (1987, cited in Marsh, 1992) and these are the need for time, technology for change, recognition of the school culture, incentives and rewards, sharing of burden in the workplace, releasing of energy for innovation, collaborative framework, leadership, recognition of the system-level culture, incentives and rewards, the need for political perspective, the need to win allies and the recognition of the role of individuals. Moreover, in monitoring curriculum implementation, it is important to: place more emphasis on mutual accomplishments rather than total fidelity (faithfulness or similarity to the source); strive for the development of a teacher-friendly and change-simple curriculum in the beginning; and promote a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement in the school.When all these are accomplished, we could now gauge the effectiveness of curriculum implementation following the three basic domains: use of curriculum materials, student activities and achievements and teacher activities.

While there could be clear limitations that most principals face in assuming their instructional leadership roles particularly financial resources, this must not discourage them in anyway for instructional leader is tasked to spearhead activities that address the educational shortcomings identified within his/her power. Strengthening one’s emotional quotient EQ will help a lot. Studies say that people with high EQ have the AURA of leadership, meaning they are able to appreciate, understand, respond and adapt to the challenges that face them.Effective school management is observed or measured in many ways. And that some of the indicators of good management in schools are the following: 1) Instructional supplies are ordered and arrive on time (for those schools where MOOE is released directly), 2) Teachers come to school on time, 3)Teacher absenteeism is low, 4) School facilities are in good repair, 5) Teachers have copies of syllabi, 6) Teachers receive instructional supervision, 7) Each school has a functional parent teacher association, and 8) Parents know how their children are progressing in their studies.This time that School Based Management is being emphasized among schools as part of the School First Initiative and Basic Education Reform Agenda, principals need to have leadership qualities in attempting school improvement.

Working towards overall improvement in our school will really requires that we AFFIRM our leadership role in the school’s “domains for improvement.” which includes: curriculum and instruction, performance and development of students, professional-personal performance of teachers and staff, administration/organization, school facilities and supplies and external relations. These could be attained not only by influencing and managing, just a school manager or CEO but an educational LEADER, a transformational leader who act as strong role models (idealized influence), communicate high expectation and provide inspiration (inspirational motivation), encourage creativity and innovation (intellectual stimulation) and provide support to others (individualized consideration).In the absence of continuous flow of knowledge that need to fill a vacuum due to schools which are not effectively organized to support and encourage continuous learning, the quest for coming up with educational research and new information as made stronger and prompted by the changing demands of the society, a principal plays a pivotal role in this regard. He must emphasize the value of research and of lifelong learning and should be the role model of it.

Sound and effective leadership will help a lot and will be the primary key. I am happy to know that effective leadership is characterize by the following indicators (Marsh, 1992): facilitating the development, implementation and monitoring of shared visions and mission; advocating and sustaining a school culture; promoting and sustaining an effective instructional program; Managing operations and resources in the learning environment; collaborating with community stakeholders; involving others and acting with integrity fairness and in an ethical manner.

Reference: Innotech Flexible Learning Management System Learning Modules 1 and 2.