WE ARE…”ONE VOTE PH!”

The 19th of March is not just an ordinary Friday, where one is excited for because it serves as a cue to end work days prepping for weekend, a time to rest and special time spent for loved-ones and family.

At this very day, marks the grand launch of One Vote PH and the Keystrat Campaign Hub a central command located at the 29th floor, One Corporate Center in Julia Vargas Corner in Meralco Avenue in Ortigas, Pasig City.

Several friends from the media came in to witness this very much anticipated and monumental event of the year.

We have the following visitors from the Department of Education (DepEd), representatives from the QC-LGU IT department, guests from the multimedia office, Philippine Star Global, and Fundnest.

ONE VOTE PH ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME ACCUSATIONS, THE AGENCY ADVOCACY, TOOLS, CANDIDATE SUPPORTS, ON ABSENTEE VOTING, ACCREDITATIONS, AND MORE

Mitch Isip, The Chief Executive Officer, denies accusations that One Vote PH is competing with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and reiterated that the agency, do exist to provide help for the Filipino voters.

“We are helping the COMELEC and not competing with them. Even with a disclaimer, we are really here to help.”

On the other hand, Mr. Christian Gabriel C. Cruz, spokesperson of One Vote PH, said that it was established to provide an advocacy and to educate more the Filipino people on election matters.

Cruz in his recorded interview said, 

"It’s more on advocacy po eh para maging active para ma-educate.

Meron na po kasing tayong mga area leaders and coordinators.

Meron po kasi talagang mga taong hindi alam kung paano magparehistro, hindi nila alam ang kanilang gagawin. Pati rin po yung mga dokumentong hindi nila alam na ipi-present para magparehistro.

So doon po papasok ang One Vote PH. We inform and at the same time, kami na rin po ang nagbabantay na rin po. Wala pa naman pong election process pero yun pre- election po natin.”

One of the invited press that attended the said launching was Ric Ryan L. De Leon, a representative from Department of Education (DepEd). De Leon asked a question  particularly on how One Vote PH escalate calls regarding election related concerns.

“Di ba tumatangap kayo ng calls? Paano i-escalate ang mga concerns regarding sa mga concerns sa election?”

Mitch Isip, CEO for One Vote PH, answered the question by giving an emphasis on the help of the call center that offers helpful hotline numbers that will soon to be released before the end of March 2021.

Isip said, 

“Actually may call center na kami we have hotline numbers na ipo-post na namin siguro before the end of the month. So yung mga ganung concerns po ibabato po namin lahat yan sa COMELEC with documentations. 

Since, recorded naman yung bawat tawag, yung nga recordings na yun pwede naming ibigay kay COMELEC. At the same time, kapag nakita nila yung mga pages namin, meron ding mga email addresses.”

“We want to make sure that everything is documented. Ito yung complaint ng isang netizen na ipapasa namin lahat kay COMELEC.

Dahil ayaw naman naming sabihin nila na gawa-gawa lang namin, sinisiraan namin sila. Talagang kami, we wanted to make sure that everything is well-documented and well-recorded,” Isip added.

Meanwhile, Cruz also gave an emphasis on the active and passive role of One Vote PH.

Cruz said, 

“Mino-monitor po natin and at the same time dini-disseminate din natin yung information. Yung active role po natin is to disseminate. Yung passive role naman po natin is to monitor naman po.”

We also have visitors who came in from the IT department of the Quezon City Government namely; Mr. Roberto M. Germio and Mr. Edmund F. De Guzman. 

One of them was then curious if One Vote PH has a master list copy of Voters in the Philippines.

“Do you have master list of our voters?”

Cruz, said that One Vote PH are gathering a nationwide information with the help of “Area Leaders,” including “Area Coordinators.”

“Sa ngayon po ay we are gathering the masterlist of our voters through our area leaders which is really reported na po sa mga area coordinators natin. This is a nationwide campaign naman po siya. 

Isip also clarified that most of the information the agency is getting was from the COMELEC that became available as public documents. And reiterated that immediately after the erection of the call center “AADI,” comes the launching of One Vote PH’s mobile app.

Isip said, "Most of the information naman ay nanggaling sa COMELEC kasi it’s a public document din naman. Though, hinihingi din po namin yung mga nag-parehistro para po in case na may magtanong sa amin. Kasi po, after ng call center we're going to launch our mobile app na rin po natin. In case, mga press finders. Dahil ang kumpleto may listahan ng mga voters ay si COMELEC lang naman po. So we are still requesting it with them. And also yung updated one. Kasi what we have is baka hindi na rin updated. Usually may mga nire-remove at may mga bagong mga voters. 

The QC-LGU visitors did a follow-up question and asked on how far the agency will go when it comes to election-related concerns regarding the COMELEC.

“Yung tolerance o length ng pakikialaman ng One Vote PH? 

Cruz said, "Lahat po pwede po nating pakielaman since independent po tayo."

Another question from the QC-LGU was if the agency was allowed to have someone trending? Which particularly pertains on giving a support on election candidate/s.

Cruz said, 

"For that particular matter po, I think hindi po dahil non-partisan po tayo. Though kung lahatan po, I think pwede po iyon.

Most likely naman po pagdating ng election, nakalatag na po ang lahat ng kandidato diyan. Sa part po ng One Vote PH kung lahat po ng available na kandidato nakapost sa atin. Wala naman pong nakikitang masama doon.”

Isip gave concerns and emphasis on this very important question and answered it as…

"Wala tayong ipo-promote na kandidato. Even in our call center that's our requirement. Kung meron silang nabanggit na kung sino ang iboboto nila, it’s really a prompt for termination. That's how we keep the integrity of One Vote PH. 

Naka-disclaimer naman even sa aming mga area coordinators na kapag tumanggap sila ng kahit candy, and everyone can report from us naman po, we can definitely terminate them and also they are legally bounded with us.” 

"Actually wala naman pong perfect na system, the good thing with us since nakita na namin ang mga mali at kakulangan ng mga nauna sa amin, yun ang inipon namin. 

And kung ano naman po ang nakita naming maganda sa mga nauna sa amin ina-adopt namin at ini-improve namin. Kasi iba na po yung mundo natin ngayon eh.”

One Vote PH team was also prompted with a question if it has a stand-alone watcher when the election officially begins? 

“Pagdating ng botohan may sariling watcher si One Vote PH?”

Cruz said it comprises mainly with area leaders and area coordinators and that it will soon launch satellite offices in several regions in the Philippines.

“Yung ating area leaders and area coordinators, nagsisilbing parang training nila pagdating ng election. 

After a hard work and busy schedule launching AADI call center, One Vote PH will soon launch satellite offices from Region 1 to ARMM.”

The challenging question thrown so far by the press people was knowing the limitations of the agency as to how far it can go? 

“Hanggang saan ang One Vote PH?” 

"Siyempre po ayaw naman nating direktang makialam kay COMELEC, hindi na tayo non- partisan kung ganun. Nangingialam kami. Nawawala po tayo sa mission and vision ng organization. 

“Monitoring, reporting, siyempre po to the proper authorities po. Since hindi naman po tayo endorsed o directly under ng COMELEC wala po tayong jurisdiction na pakielaman o i-enforce na nandaya ka, ganito ka, hindi po kasi namin pwedeng gawin yun.”

Pero at least, may nakakakita rin at nakakapanood kaya supported din siya ng documents. Kasi may mga previous na tanong diyan na mayroon daw pong pulitiko na na nagpo-post na po ng mga banners, is that considered campaign na po ba? 

Sa election code po kasi natin ang isang kandidato, considered na kandidato kapag nakapag-file na po ng certificate of candidacy. Habang wala pa pong certificate of candidacy, isang normal na citizen lang po yun. Gray area po, sa kabilang kampo po eh nagpapakilala na, sa kabilang kampo ay may nagsasabing... 

Ganundin yung mga nagbibigay ng pagkain, namimigay ng relief goods. COVID ho naman ngayon baka gusto lang tumulong, on the other side po, nagpapakilala po. Depende po eh sa mga makukuha nating mga evidence.”

 

Cruz also added…

“Sa absentee voting naman po may toll free numbers naman tayo. Sa ngayon po wala tayong area leaders at area coordinators abroad. May campaign naman tayo via social media, dun po sa Facebook. Meron din tayo sa website natin na pwede naman po silang maglog-in doon at magcheck kung ano ang mga info na kailangan nila."

So far, according to Cruz, he explained the current status of its accreditation that was placed on hold due to the wide-spread of COVID-19.

“Boss Mitch (referring to Mitch Isip as the CEO), is still meeting with the COMELEC. As of today, everything is placed on hold due to the recent developments in the cases of the covid virus.

Rest assured, we will comply with all the mandatory requirements needed by One Vote PH to function independently in the upcoming elections.”

The election period is very near now, in a couple of months and after 2021, marks the official year where we get to know candidates who would want to serve our country.

Like any other organizations and agencies, One Vote PH will be playing a very special role in helping Filipinos here and abroad to know about the latest information on the progress of the election in the Philippines. Be it good or bad, whatever information the agency will gather, it will be following the strictest rule implemented as non-partisan and independent body.

As it can be recalled with the strongest battle cry, “One Voice, One Vote, One Nation!”

One Vote PH related information:

https://onevoteph.wordpress.com/

https://www.instagram.com/itrustonevoteph/

https://www.facebook.com/onevoteph/

AADI GLOBAL SOLUTIONS INC., THE BEGINNING OF ENDLESS OPPORTUNITY

Have you been to Ortigas City in Pasig? Particularly in Meralco Avenue?

This is where AADI Global Solutions Inc., is erected. One of the strongest and most reliable Business Processing Outsource (BPO) that was established October 2017.

AADI itself is not an acronym that would translates into something. In Sanskrit language the word “ADDI” simply means first or beginning.

Looking back, AADI Global Solutions Inc., its mother company originated in India in 2009. The birth of it rooted from the need to open a back office support such as settlements, clearances, record maintenance, regulatory compliance, accounting, and IT services. In short, the back office is the portion of the company made up of administration and support personnel who are not client-facing.

From AADI’s current figure it has more than 100 workforce in the Philippines now. With international clients from United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States of America.

AADI’s back office support offers services such as chat and email support, billing, claims processing, and also handles company audits.

In the US, for example they offer services in E-commerce projects such as order processing, refunds, and cancelations. 

In UK, AADI is handling outbound sales, offering services and company products on start-up or first-time in outsource business. Unlike other mainstream BPO companies which requires 500 headcounts to offer their services.

AADI is excited to share the news to everyone that on the 1st quarter of 2021, they will launch a 2-3 clients on retail, this will multiply the number of workforce. This only translates to opening of more job opportunities for aspiring job seekers in the Philippines.

Surprisingly, 40 percent of their workforce are from the South. Knowing that there are so many existing giant BPO’s on the said area and location. 

WHAT MAKES AADI A GREAT CHOICE?

We have to know this from Mr. Arnel Stiaga, AADI Site Director, who’s been in the BPO industry for more than two decades now. Thought it seems that Sir Arnel was just more than a year in the company leading its workforce to achieve their goal was never impossible to him. 

Sir Arnel is proud to say that he memorizes all his 100 plus workforce names. Isn’t that incredible?

For him it is AADI’s way of saying they are not just part of the company’s workforce, they consider their employees as part of their family too.

Sir Arnel looks at their “work relationship as priceless and more than the money.”

He also added, “We manage people as human beings not just numbers on their stations.”

A living proof to this is Jezarene Riano, 21, a universal agent who just came in to AADI on the 19th of January. 

Literally a 3-month-old employee but has so many exciting reasons to tell why Jezarene chose AADI.

Jezarene said, “Feeling ko magtatagal ako dito. Hindi mabigat dahil marami ang pwedeng tumulong. A Stress-free environment. Every month may activity na ginagawa.”

Jezarene was referring to a recently held “fashion show,” in line with the commemoration of International Women’s Day. This was where everyone put-up their own costumes and ramp like a model in a runway.

Jezarene is a coming third-year student who took up Bachelor of Science in Architecture from University of the East in Caloocan City but she stop studying due to financial related concerns. So when her eldest sister’s co-worker referred her at AADI and got the job, she immediately accepted it. 

Like Jezarene, if you are an undergraduate student who stop studying, a 2nd-year college level is welcome to apply at AADI.

AADI is giving a salary ranging from Php 22, 000/month minimum. Excluding…

• 10% night differential

• Holiday pays

• Fixed two days off

• 40-hours work for week

• Remaining hours are for over-time

The hiring process involves in AADI happens when you start visiting their official website http://www.aadiglobalsolutions.com/ and by applying online, you will receive a call for a telephone interview, followed by an online assessment test. If you’ll get lucky, you will be called for a face-to-face interview and instantly gets hired as certified AADI family.

In addition to this, employee stays with them because of the chance of getting the promotion. AADI do this by choosing organic employees that are coming from their own workforce too.

AADI Global Solutions Inc., will always be “The Right Choice,” and it stands with a very powerful tagline…”Improving Business, Improving Lives.”

Why should we hire you?

 

The bottom line of all the procedure you’ve gone through but considered as the very important question to be answered by an applicant in able for him/her to be successfully hired in the company.

I was thinking before that the most rigorous process was to undergo an offline examination. I had it before the year 2021 approaches. But believe me, there was more mind boggling process than that. Allow me to share this unforgettable experience I just had recently.

Coming from a different companies whom from a past experience rightsizing in the 1st quarter of 2018 from CNN Philippines as an Associate Producer; suspension of the operation from The Manila Times Television acting as an Executive Producer in the 2019; a supposedly game show terminated before it even went to air as Segment Producer/Assistant Head-Writer; and if the mentioned experiences aren’t enough to show to everyone how I became so unlucky, the last job I was with Tony New Network as News Reporter/News Presenter stopped its operation due to lack of funding on the 1st quarter of 2021.

LIFE MUST GO ON

Like any other applicant, I’ve signed-in to numbers of job application sites available in the internet. Browsing for any available post that suits my credentials are some of the many jobs I applied for previously. But just like the rest of you there, I have received many job rejections. 

Like there was also a time, I wanted to delete/inactivate some of the job sites, I joined in, for I came to the point that I found them unreliable, useless, and outdated.

Recently also, I have been seeing myself on the computer, often times updating my resume for the job experiences I acquired previously for their life-span never lasted that long.

Aside from the usual browsing of available jobs, I think I’m qualified for, I have been sending email to my former boss for possible work opportunity, sending messages through friends in Facebook via messenger, and also checking my email almost every day.

Not most of the applications I sent and applied for was a story of failures. Some of it, after being submitted had a direct invitation to have an examination. I remember, I had an examination for the Social Media Manager post I applied in the city where I was currently residing. But the result, was not favourable on me.

I even had an interview through Viber for the same post in a different company, but again it never gave me a favourable result I’ve been longing for.

THE NEW JOB OPPORTUNITY

I was recently approached via messenger by a former co-worker in one of my mentioned work that never take-off sometime in 2019. It was an invitation to teach online for Chinese students with an age duration of 5 to 12-years-old. I was interviewed using Skype and luckily passed the initial assessment stage. I was instructed to do the technical examination but failed to move to the next level due to a very slow internet connectivity. 

As to my assessment, no matter how hard I try, as long as I do not have a wired connection at home, the possibility of being hired would be very impossible. 

After that event, I must say that my moral was really down. The clock is ticking and literally monthly responsibilities and other financial obligations are hunting me.

I don’t know, maybe out of desperation, or maybe from my determination, I heard my wife telling me to try to apply in one of the job posted in one of our common friend in Facebook. I just said send me details and right then and there, 14th of February, I sent them my resume including the letter of intent.

It fell on Saturday, weekend, I just had a mind-set that if ever they’ll find me suitable for the post, they will reply on my email. It was noon of Monday, 16th of February there was an email invitation that was asking me to attend the initial interview screening.

I was then very mindful of the day and time, getting too excited went to the interview venue. Never knew that the invitation was for a video conference via Microsoft teams. The beauty of coming there was mainly to have an ocular of the venue, to check also for the time that I will consume and the travel expenses. Another advantage was coming prepared two hours before the interview, gave me more time to look for a better venue for the job interview.

THE STRUGGLE AND SUCCESS

Literally, I was then situated at Manila. I wanted to look for something very much convenient for me for the interview. I thought of QC. Yes Quezon City!

I rode a train for convenient, affordability, and most of all for speed. Imagine, I commuted from Recto to Cubao. Quite unsure about where exactly I would settle for an interview, a strong voice from within said, why not in Cubao? 

From there, what I had in mind was my favorite coffee shop. Stayed and settled there. I was then inside at the beginning but noticed that when they were preparing for drinks, there was so much noise they were making. So, I moved in outside. Thinking that I already found a perfect area for interview, a group of adults who gathered around also chose the outside coffee venue. They were having a meeting and eventually making noise out of their conversation exchange. Again, I went back inside the coffee shop and finally settled there.

I remember, I was told to be online 10-minutes prior to the interview proper. A bit nervous but when I finally heard the voice of the person who will interview me, later on,  I became relax and answered every questions she was throwing me at the time. As the interview progresses, I found myself comfortable and was laughing at her. I think at this very time we were able to develop the so called rapport with each other. 

I was never given the privilege to see her, while she has a window for the audio-visual component on my end. But I never mind at all. That was Tuesday, I concluded that it went well for the following day, I received a notice on my email for another interview.

Wednesday, 18th of February, on another venue this time inside a mall’s food court in Quezon City. I just spotted a specific corner in the area where there was a cosy look and feel, but very much free from noise barriers and other unnecessary movement from the public.

I remember, one question that lingered on my mind and it was regarding how will I treat a supervisor younger than me? I just cited a real work experience I had before, where I worked mostly for people who was older than me. I told him that this was a normal thing for their ages would probably translates the number of years they were in the broadcast industry. Then went back to his question and answered, I don’t mind at all working with people younger than me. And reiterated that age don’t matter for me at all.

Then, that was the signal to end the interview and were told to check on my email. That also gave me the same conclusion that it went well as well. After a few minutes, there was another interview scheduled Friday, 20th of February.

From the very first interview, I remembered, I was cross-examined with the question of why most of the jobs I had before were for short tenure only. This made say, I was the bread winner of the family, and my primary obligation was to provide for them and meet daily ends. But also added, that the previous jobs thought me many things like discovering new skills and performed also many multi-tasked jobs.

I went to the same venue and exact same spot where I had my 2nd interview. This time I think the toughest question I had was what will be my plans if I will be considered for the post I applied for?

I answered, the institution I was applying for was an established one. We will then focus on the strength of the organization especially at this time of pandemic. We will be using the power of the internet to make a very good impression. We will concentrate on what we can offer, and what makes us different from the rest of the other organizations. Right then and there, I was told that there was also another candidate qualified for the same post I have applied. And that I have to wait for their email if I will be moving on for another (fourth) interview.

It was Friday, I understand that weekend was approaching. I was checking for email on Monday then came Tuesday there was none. I personally send them an email about the status of my application but were told that I should be checking my email regularly for updates.

The days that I was having no response at all, was comparable to a song that was entitled… “Killing me softly.” Whatever the result, I told myself I should be ready. But really no matter how I convince myself, I still have so many questions at the back of my mind including maybe I wasn’t hired.

And even on Friday, February 26, there was no email yet from the said institution. I tried convincing myself maybe they will send me notice on Monday instead. This particular thought also entered my mind, that another candidate they were saying also qualified for the post was being interviewed, the very week, I don’t get any feedback from them.

I think that I was overthinking the whole scenario at this time. But I believe that this experience I’m going through is just normal to feel. 

Should I be starting looking at new job again? On my end now, I feel that I am in a very hard situation. If just intuition would be enough to answer all the questions bothering me. But that one, even do not give me a precise feeling about this thing.

Then, came in another week, still no response until 5th of March. And by looking at this very day, Friday, it marks the 2nd week of my application, after I was scheduled and interviewed for the third time.

I am a very optimistic person, I do not give up easily. I wanted to think that whatever it is I put into, every tiny or big effort will be bringing me the same outcome.

But on the other hand, what if the way I wanted it to be, do not manifest? I have to admit that I do not have a direct control of everything that’s going on right now.

I remember a certain message I received from God when I attended the mass to ask for prayer. I was told from the scriptures that He was testing my faith. 

But no matter how strong I am, at some point I have to accept that maybe this post I applied for wasn’t for me. I will soon discern the reason why, for now everything is left unanswered.