SALAYSAY. Back to work if you re lucky

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1 SALAYSAY is a monthly newsletter printed and published by Filippinska Kultur- & Fritidsföreningen i Botkyrka, c/o Zeny Abbaspour Agdam, Tomtbergavägen 30, Norsborg, SWEDEN Org no E-post: filipinobotkyrka@hotmail.com Mobile no Membership fee per year: 75 kr per person fr 26 yrs old, 125 kr/couple, 150 kr/family with kid/s under 16 yrs old, 25 kr for yrs old, payable to Filippinska Kultur- & Fritidsföreningen i Botkyrka PG or BG SALAYSAY s committee welcomes manuscripts from freelance writers. The publisher assumes no responsibility to unsolicited manuscripts. SALAYSAY archives Back to work if you re lucky Summer s over! It s time to get back to work. That is, if you have any. Job-hunting in the current economic climate sucks. Companies are not hiring especially in areas: multimedia, IT, advertising, etc. There are just no vacancies to gainfully employ many. For foreigners, things can be harder still. There are plenty of jobs where you wouldn t actually need to speak Swedish, especially if you re not dealing with the public but as usual, language issues create 1

2 difficulties, as many employers demand considerable language skills from their workers. Most jobs in Sweden require that you speak and understand Swedish, even low skilled jobs. You will have greater chance in finding part time or full time jobs if you know Swedish. Networking skills are key to a successful job search in Sweden. Over forty percent of Swedes find their jobs through friends, family, colleagues, former or present business contacts. Potential applicants can also register with some of the larger Swedish head hunters/recruitment agencies, or contact a local Employment Office for further advice. GOOD LUCK! Why few Filipinos abroad register for 2010 Elections Most of the Filipinos overseas have not bothered to register for the 2010 elections despite the massive government campaign abroad. Some felt sad of the prevailing apathy among overseas Filipinos toward their right of suffrage. Why Filipinos abroad didn t register? Because it is due to worries that it is just waste of their precious time since their votes won t be counted properly anyway. Also many Filipinos in different countries don t want to register and vote because they are uncertain whether their votes will be counted. The apprehension was perhaps stemmed from the massive fraud that tainted the 2004 presidential election in the aftermath of the so-called Hello Garci controversy where the President allegedly influenced a poll official in the counting of votes. Of the estimated more than 4 million qualified overseas Filipinos, only 360,000 registered for the 2004 elections, of whom only 65 percent or 233,092 cast their votes. In the 2007 elections, records show that 503,000 overseas Filipinos registered but a mere 21 percent or 8l,732 cast their ballots. The sharp decline in the actual voting was partly explained by the fact that the last political exercise did not entail voting for the president and vice president. EU offers food aid for southern Philippines The European Commission confirmed that it is giving a grant of 6.4 million euros (9.2 million dollars) to support food security in areas of the southern Philippines wracked by Muslim extremism. The grant would be implemented by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which has been helping thousands of residents displaced by fighting between government forces and Muslim rebels in Mindanao. The grant will help address high food prices and assure food security in five provinces of the southern island of Mindanao inhabited by the country's Muslim minority, the European Union's executive arm said in a statement. Part of the programme includes restoring agricultural infrastructure and assisting the government in identifying vulnerable areas so that aid can be extended there more effectively, it said. The grant will also be used to provide rice and beans to some 1.1 million rural residents under a system whereby people who build local infrastructure or attend training courses will be paid in food, the statement said. Violence in such areas has often displaced thousands of people, making food security a major issue. 2

3 INFORMATION LETTER Dear Sir/Madam, The Philippine Embassy in Sweden is pleased to inform you that the Center for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) includes the Philippines as one of the target countries of the Export Coaching Program for the tourism sector. Philippine tour operators who apply under this program will have a chance to receive technical assistance on how to become successful in the European market. They will improve marketing their tour packages and find suitable business partners in Europe. Details of this program may be found in Kindly forward this information to those who may be interested including your business partners, Philippine tour operators and travel agencies, and members and friends of your association. Please note that only Philippine tourism service providers may apply for the coaching program. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact stockholm@philembassy.se. Thank you very much. Sincerely yours, Lilibeth P. Almonte Third Secretary and Vice Consul Philippine Embassy INVITATION TO UPCOMING ACTIVITIES September 6 (Sun) 12:00 16:00 BOTKYRKADAGEN, Family activities in Hågelby Parken: Cultural shows, games. Exhibit, bazaar, karaoke, etc. FREE ENTRANCE! September 20 (Sunday 14:00 18:00 ) Continuation of our study circles at KundCenter,.Krögarvägen 4. T-Fittja pls feel free to come and present your ideas..new project? September 26 (Saturdayday 10:00 15:00, Hallunda Centrum) Associations Day in Hallunda- Norsborg, with cultural shows, exhibit, bazaar, activities for kids, etc.. For further information and participation, pls contact Zeny or any other board member. 3

4 Filippinska Kultur- & Fritidsföreningen i Botkyrka TEAMBUILDING and LEADERSHIP TRAINING at RÖSJÖN, SOLLENTUNA on August 7-9, 2009 PROJECT CONSULTANT SEMINAR August 15-16, 2009 SUMMER ACTIVITIES

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