BOTTOMS UP

The recently held special course on microfinance was a big success! Held on January 13-15, 2003, the course was attended by 148 examiners from the Supervision and Examination Departments (SED) III and IV and the Department of Loans and Credit.

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Deputy Governor Alberto V. Reyes, who is also the Chairman of the Microfinance Committee, stressed during the opening ceremonies of the course the importance of the examiners’ exposure to microfinance in the light of a plan to create a group of examiners “who will do nothing but examine microfinance operations”.

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Monetary Board Member Antonino Alindogan, Microfinance Committee Consultant, aptly closed the microfinance course on January 15, 2003 by underscoring the point that microfinance has been identified by the BSP as its flagship project for poverty alleviation and informing the participants of BSP’s on-going promotion and advocacy of microfinance to regions of the country.

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In a short talk on January 15, 2003, during the discussion of the examination procedures for microfinance loans, SED IV Director Wilfredo B. Domo-ong, who is a member of the Microfinance Committee, highlighted the need for the examiners’ understanding of microfinance operations and their familiarity with the examination procedures for microfinance.

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Nagging and tobacco cause impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED) – news items.

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Overbearing wives can nag husbands into impotence (The Philippine Star, Sunday, January 19, 2003). The news item further says that top urologist Dr. Juliano Panganiban said that wife’s endless nagging and fault-finding can play a large role in her husband’s developing ED. Lucky are the men with deaf-mute wives?

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According to cardiologist Dr. Joselito Atabug (Manila Bulletin, Sunday, January 19, 2003), most men think of smoking as only causing the extreme – like cancer and emphysema – overlooking their sexual health. Atabug said that smoking alter men’s ability to perform sexually. There is a deluge of protest! Men believe that sex goes better with smoking. Or the other way around?

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The election of directors and committee members of the BSP:DRB Credit Cooperative was a record! There was heavy turnout of candidates!

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The cooperative is always in good hands. Always in the hands of seasoned and experienced bank officers. In short, oldies!

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A Miami, Florida travel agency offers nude flights for tourists between Miami and a nudist resort in Cancun, Mexico. Nude etiquette, however, requires a nude passenger boarding the flight to carry a towel and put the towel between him/her . . . . . and his/her seat.

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Two psychoanalysts, Martin Voracek of the University of Vienna Medical School and Maryanne Fisher of York University, Toronto, who reviewed Playboy magazines from December 1953 onwards and “calculated the body mass index of every centerfold” concluded that modern men prefer skinny women. Mag-exercise tayo tuwing umaga, tuwing umaga….. Para ma-centerfold ng ARBEXpress!

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The election of officers of the Association of Rural Bank Examiners (ARBEX) was likewise a success. An amiable lady, Ms. Cholay Ocampo, was elected president. But only after a good fight put up by Speaker Ernie Villareal. I have yet to see the battle royale between Manong Ernie and Brau for ARBEX presidency. Abangan!

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A study released by Harvard University’s Center for Risk Analysis revealed that cell phones are killing more drivers in the US. It estimated a rate of 2,600 cell phoned-related road accidents/deaths per year, compared to about 1,000 such incidents just two years ago. In the Philippines, a study may show more Filipinos bumping another individual, a lamp post, a wall or ran over by a car because of texting while walking.

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Considering that at present only New York has enacted partial legislation, at least 22 other states in the US are considering legislation to restrict cell-phone use while driving. Simple lang naman iyan, eh – Don’t use cell phone while driving and don’t drive while using cell phone.

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A news item says that the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) warned the public against the latest James Bond movie, Die Another Day, for its casual sex and large-scale violence. It says the British agent 007 has not mended his womanizing ways. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Hoy, magbago na kayo (tayo?)!

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Here are signs/notices posted to enlighten (confused?) our day:

In some pubs: “We have an agreement with the banks. They don’t serve beer and we don’t cash checks.”

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Headline in a local newspaper: “Passengers hit by cancelled trains.”

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Sign outside a church: “Next week’s preacher will be pinned on the notice board.”

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