Mar 10, 2016
2
Back in 1983, 4 years after the United Bayani‐
han Foundation was officially launched and a year af‐
ter the UBF office was
organized, the need
for a UBF logo became
apparent. We looked
for an icon that would
quickly tell the nature
of the organization
and moreover identify
it with Unilab, its prin‐
cipal benefactor. The
assignment went to
the late Romy Jocson,
resident artist from
Corporate Affairs. The
product was two
hands clasping in a “ritual embrace of help and sup‐
port…” Since then, the logo has faithfully served to
symbolize the mandate of the Foundation, the two
clasped hands an expression of duty beyond the inter‐
pretation of common speech.
Today, 27 years later, the old logo gives way to
a new one. The original concept of hands is retained
but the clasping hands are orientated upwards, which
is more expressive of the real Bayanihan, that is to raise
a fellow to an improved state of being yet in a way that
speaks of a partnership rather than of charity flowing
from the privileged to one who is not quite so. The
hands too are centered now in a circle instead of a
square box to portray more passion, more fervor and a
deeper commitment to each other in an unbroken,
seamless stream. Maybe in another 27 years when the
realities of the times shall have nuanced further, we
shall think of something else. Who knows?
The revamped logo, with a circle and colors of the mother company’s logo
The original logo artwork
SILVER THREADS
Silver Threads is a quarterly publication of The United Bayanihan Foundation for Unilab retirees and their families. Comments, suggestions or contributions can be sent to the Editor‐In‐Chief, care of UBF Secretariat, United Street, Mandaluyong City or emailed to [email protected] or faxed to 8581835 . Tel No: 858‐1000 Loc.7264
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Jocelyn Campos‐Hess
PRESIDENT AND CEO Clinton Campos Hess
PUBLISHER
Lamberto S. Lara
EDITOR‐IN‐CHIEF Gonzalo E. Perez
ASSOCIATE EDITOR George J. Mañalac
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Guillermo C. Gastrock Eduardo S. Alcaraz
Virgilio M. Ofiana, M.D.
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Carlos T. Ardosa
LAYOUT & ART DIRECTION
Spot On Productions
PUBLICATION COORDINATOR Marisa M. Cayabyab
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
AJ Lumpan Arvin C. Bailey Miguel Hidalgo
CONTRIBUTORS
Danilo A. Kagahastian Aurora G. Macaspac
CIRCULATION Miguel Hidalgo Genaline Binsol
Note Editor’s
Volunteering knows no age, sex, creed or religion. On the Cover: Ruben Magboo, 70 years old, Engineering Department. Roof repair, Lual-
hati ng Maynila Photography by : AJ Lumpan
3
Myth 1. Old People Become Senile Society’s propensity to label elders as
senile (having memory and reasoning disor‐
ders) or victims of AD has become so pervasive
that, tragically, many older adults have started
to believe the labels and internalize them.
The fact is that IQ and cognitive functions
don’t decline with age. In the absence of real
disease or organic brain damage, intellectual
decline is only minor and not progressive.
Myth 2. Older workers are not produc-tive Older workers are not as effective as
younger ones. They are a liability. But the fact
is that, as research has shown, compared with
younger workers, older employees are more
productive, are absent less frequently, and
have fewer accidents on the job.
Bear in mind this partial list of famous
people who were still productive in their eight‐
ies and beyond:
THOMAS EDISON was in his eighties
when he invented the Dictaphone and dupli‐
cating machine. He had already invented the
light bulb and phonograph. At 89, ALBERT
Schweitzer was running a hospital in Africa.
GRANDMA MOSES was still an active artist at
100. PABLO PICASSO was still painting at 92.
MICHELANGELO who painted the Sistine
Chapel ceiling continued his art at 88. SOPHO‐
CLES wrote Oedipus at Colonus at 92. LEO
TOLSTOY wrote another novel at 82; earlier he
wrote War and Peace and Anna Karenina. He
was 81, when BENJAMIN FRANKLIN medi‐
ated in the adoption of the US Constitution.
FRANK SINATRA was already 80 when he
came to Manila and gave a concert. GEORGE
BURNS became a dramatic actor at age 79; he
would live up to a 100.
Myth 3. Older People Are Always Sick The noted gerontologist Alex Comfort
who is famous for his advice “never retire”
points to statistics in his book,. A Good Age,
5 AGING MYTHS DEBUNKED
that people over 65 have only half as many of the
acute illnesses per year as do people of all ages. This
is supported by studies that older employees have
better attendance records than their younger counter‐
parts.
Myth 4. Sex Is Unenjoyable After 60 People who are very active sexually in their
middle years are more likely to have a comparatively
vigorous sex life well into their 70s. A weak sex drive
or loss of sexual confidence at midlife is unlikely to
improve in the golden years. It should be noted that
older adults have a fuller appreciation of the many
dimensions of love and sexual expression, with inter‐
course being only one aspect of that fullness. Touch‐
ing, hugging and kissing reflect sexual expression as
well.
Myth 5. Older People Are Sedentary In the absence of active disease, there is no
reason older adults can’t be active. FRED KNOLLER,
at 86 was declared by a sports magazine as one of the
top athletes of 1981; he was a bicyclist. He took up
climbing lessons at age 90; TESICKI TAGARASHI
climbed Mt. Fugi at age 100! Hereabouts, CON‐
SUELO “Lola Elong” DANCEL ‐SISON, at age 89,
graduated April 2010 from the Lyceum of the Philip‐
pines with a master’sdegree in educational manage‐
ment.
4
n the old
days at least,
many of the
p i o n e e r s
who hired
out to Unilab
d i d s o
t h r o u g h
word of
mouth, that
is, a friend, a relative, or a neighbor
who’d joined the company earlier
would tell the job‐seeker that there was
a vacancy or a scheduled mass inter‐
view and “why don’t you try your
luck, you’ll never regret it.” The sub‐
text was that the person making the
recommendation felt enough about the
company to boldly make the assertion
that, “Pare, ‘di ako mapapahiya sayo!” On
the other hand the company, in a subtle
way, encouraged employees bringing in
friends, even relatives, knowing that nobody
would vouch for anyone who obviously was
unfit; this was a long time before campus re‐
cruitment, headhunters and online job applica‐
tion.
It was pretty much the same with Jose
“Pepe” Baradas. His classmate from UP days,
Rene Lirio (retired SVP‐GM, Greenfield Dev.,
Corp.) then a UAP‐ PSR, told him about a forth‐
coming mass interview and Pepe lined up, sur‐
prised that 800 other people had exactly the
same thing in mind: to get into Unilab. Mass
interviews were a merciless bloodbath then and
at the end of the day in this particular one, only
8 remained standing, Pepe being one of them.
It was 1965. And began a 30‐year Unilab (UAP)
career for Pepe.
It was not as if Pepe desperately
needed to find work. His family ran a very suc‐
cessful self‐serve cafeteria at the old DBP office
in Escolta, with a turn‐over of 700 meals a day.
It was here too where Pepe who with his sisters
managed the business, met his wife, Zeny, a
fresh Nutrition graduate from UP hired by the
Baradases to work in the cafeteria.
Perhaps Pepe looked at Unilab as a pit
stop or a stepping stone before jumping into something
more serious and substantial. Famous last words! As
with many of the same frame of mind upon joining the
company, pit stop for Pepe became final stop and step‐
ping stone, his personal monument to his efforts and suc‐
cesses in UAP‐Promotions. The new guy on the team
garnered his 1st of 4 TODUAP Award in his first year in
UAP; the award is the most prestigious in the division
and to earn one is like going through the proverbial eye
of the needle. Fleeting between field assignments in Ma‐
nila and Central Luzon, Pepe was promoted to PSS in
1975, winning awards for himself and the areas that he
managed. One of the highpoints of his career was bag‐
ging an all‐expense employee and spouse Trip‐to‐ Hong
Kong in the 90s, peanuts by today’s standards but more
memorable because the culminating activity was a dinner
tendered by JY. “It was here that I fully realized how JY
loved his people. He mingled with us and the wives, all
2000 of us, exchanging pleasantries and passing out little
red envelopes that contained shopping money.”
Running parallel to Pepe’s career was Zeny’s
own, in itself an engrossing story that needs telling at
some appropriate time. Suffice it to say that one day,
Bert Santos, Pepe’s supervisor in UAP, having heard of
Zeny’s background in food preparation, asked to her
cook for a beach outing of resident physicians of St.
I Text by | Long Perez
Couple Zeny and Pepe Baradas, center, surrounded by children, daugh-ters-in-law and seven grandchildren.
5 Luke’s. From that day on, Zeny was off and run‐
ning, parlaying her UP course and cafeteria experi‐
ence for a fulfilling and materially rewarding food
catering business that spanned more than 3 dec‐
ades. Zeny’s customer list reads like a who’s who
in the pharma and medical circles: divisions of
Unilab, Abbott and other drug companies, the Phil.
Med. Asso. and its component societies like the
PPS, POGS, and hospitals like the Heart Center, the
Quezon Institute and the PAF Hospital, to name a
few.
The union of Pepe and Zeny is blessed
with 3 boys and 1 girl, all grown‐ups now with
families of their own, except for the youngest,
Karen Joy. Karen holds an MBA from Ateneo de
Manila and works at the Jollibee corporate office as
Executive Secretary. The eldest son Joel is a BS
Mgt. Eng’g graduate from the Ateneo with an
MBA from AIM. Joel is the country head of a large
global chemical company. The middle son Jason
finished BS Marketing at De La Salle and has un‐
dergone Mgt. training in the US, in Europe and in
the Asia Pacific region. He is the President and
CEO of Sika Philippines. Sika is a 100 year old
Swiss company producing and marketing con‐
struction chemicals. Last son Jonas Joseph is a BS
Architecture Graduate from UST who trained ex‐
tensively in the US, London and in the AsPac re‐
gion. He is employed with Citibank as Asia Pacific
Regional Space & Occupancy
Analyst with the rank of AVP.
The sons have gifted Pepe and Zeny with 7 won‐
derful grandchildren.
One wonders at how richly blessed the
Baradas family is. The answer undoubtedly lies in
the strong religious faith of the family which has
adopted Psalm 128: 1‐2, as its scriptural inspira‐
tion: “Blessed are all
who fear the Lord,
who walk in His
ways. You will eat
the fruit of your la‐
bor. Blessing and
prosperity will be
yours.” That, cou‐
pled with unshake‐
able family core
values of loving
and serving the
Lord, academic
preparation, family
unity, humility and
integrity. Even
now, Pepe and
Zeny continue
their old practice of
gathering the chil‐
dren as often as
they can for some
quality time to‐
gether be it for
sports, outing or
the family favorite,
culinary sessions. The get‐togethers are now just
more exciting and lively with 7 grandchildren run‐
ning all over the place.
The Baradas couple has been members of
the Couples for Chirst Foundation for over 20
years, immersed in such activities as evangeliza‐
tion, social action, cooperatives, medical missions
and environment protection. “It is just our way to
serve the Lord and return the many blessings,”
says Pepe, a perennial volunteer in UBF Bayanihan
Agad free clinics. The Baradas children have fol‐
lowed in their parents’ footstep doing their share
as members of Youth for Christ and Singles for
Christ Ministry.
Pepe sums it up: “We believe that to
achieve one’s aspiration, he has to invest the nec‐
essary effort, dedication and passion to what he is
doing, not only relying on his human capacity but
especially on the Lord’s guidance and will.” Who
can argue with that?
Pepe, right, and Gabby Sta Maria, with his perennial clutch bag, join chest specialists in a Unilab –
sponsored Philippine College of Chest Physician seminar in Cebu City in 1990.
6
IMPORTANT TRAFFIC INFORMATION 1. MMDA officers are not allowed to group together
in order to apprehend. They are not even allowed
to stand together in groups of 2 or more. The only
time they are allowed to work together is for spe‐
cial operations (probably when they apprehend
groups of buses for smoke belching)
2. Swerving IS NOT a traffic violation. Moving one
lane to the left or right is not swerving, no matter
where on the road you do it. And, it is even less of
a violation when you do it with a signal. Swerv‐
ing is defined as shifting 2 or more lanes very
quickly. So, you can argue your way out of this,
and call the Metro Base for help.
3. Sadly, using the yellow lane is a traffic violation
and will get you a ticket. However, buses are not
allowed to go out of the yellow lane, so if you see
selective apprehension of private cars only, you
may complain.
4. MMDA has confirmed that your license MAY
NOT BE CONFISCATED at a traffic apprehension.
The only time they can do so is if you are part of
an accident, or it is your third violation and you
have not settled your fines yet. They are only al‐
lowed to give you a ticket, which you can contest.
He recommends actually receiving the ticket in
some instances, so that you can report the officer
who did it.
5. Also, you are free to ask any of these officers for
their ʺmission orderʺ, which is written by their
supervisor. If they apprehend you for a violation
that is not in their mission order for the day, you
can report them and they will receive disciplinary
action.
(Note: If you are issued a legitimate ticket, go to the nearest Metro Bank to pay the fine. Keep your de-posit slip of the fine with your driver’s license to avoid problems when you renew it. The records of MMDA and LTO may differ.)
CAR CODING INFO SHEET 1. No window hours: Makati, Malabon, and Las
Piñas. Number Coding is in effect from 7am to 7pm!
2. No number coding: Taguig, Marikina and
Parañaque. So, feel free to roam around these cities anytime.
3. Pasig City has window hours of 9am to 4pm
(note the 1 hour additional to the normal 10‐3pm window).
4. San Juan has window hours now according to
MMDA website. 5. Pasay City is implementing Number Coding ex‐
cept on the following roads: Ninoy Aquino Ave‐nue, MIA Road, Domestic Road, Portions of Air‐port Road, Sales Road, and Tramo.
6. EDSA, C5, Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Avenue,
Roxas Blvd (Pasay have window hours regard‐less of the city) (meaning one can drive via EDSA in Makati any day).
7. For the rest of Metro Manila (Caloocan, Manda‐
luyong, Manila, Muntinlupa, Navotas, parts of Pasay, Pateros, Quezon City, Taguig, and Valenzuela) number coding is in effect (window hours of 10am‐3pm is also observed).
If any of the following abuses seem familiar to you, Mr. Antonio Pagulayan (Personnel Officer) has asked that you call either the MMDA hotline (136 local 2) or call the METRO BASE at 0920 9389861 or 0920 9389875 and ask for ask for an Inspectorate. They will send inspectors to the place where these MMDA offi-cers are extorting, even while you are arguing out of your apprehension.
Courtesy of Pepito “JP” Pascual
7
Ask a hundred households about how
they do the Filipino national dish and you will
probably get 100 different answers. Indeed adobo,
that pungent fare that eludes description is ren‐
dered in as many ways as there are Pinoy kitch‐
ens, here and abroad. Locals visiting Filipino
homes in the US have been known to exclaim,
when the tight blend of pork, garlic, vinegar, pep‐
per and soy sauce cooking begins to suffuse the
air: “What the hell’s that smell, man?” And when
they get a taste of it: “Man, this is sooo good!”
Filipino cluster communities in the States are in‐
variably tagged as adobo alley, in the same depre‐
cating tone that white trash and rednecks use on
us noodle‐slurping, frog and dog‐eating Orien‐
tals.
In Unilab, the adobo that comes out of the
Food Service Department kitchen under the
watchful eye of Pam Romasanta, manager, has
drawn a cult following of all the FSD culinary
creations as it makes its way to the various com‐
pany cafeterias and the Executive Dining Room.
And beyond, for it has become the “special re‐
quest” in divisional meetings, medical symposi‐
ums and sundry company gatherings. Its appear‐
ance on any dining table elicits reverential com‐
ments from those who appreciate food as work of
art and lip‐smacking anticipation from those sim‐
ply love to eat.
And yet it was not always so. As the story
goes, once in the early days of Doc Sonny Sam‐
son’s presidency, adobo was the entree at the EDR.
It was a mess of chopped indiscriminate pork
parts swimming in a soupy dark sauce. We can
only imagine how it must have tasted but how‐
ever it had, it was enough for Doc Sonny to call
Maurice, permanent fixture at the EDR, to
his presence. Then and there, Maurice got
a crash course on the finer points of doing
adobo from DBS, no less. Since then, adobo
in Unilab was never the same again and when be‐
fore the dish merited only neutral reaction if at all,
it has become the subject of conversation, academic
discussion and even debate, and any pre‐
announcement that it was going on the menu, en‐
sured perfect attendance at lunch or dinner. The
adobo version was easily traced to Doc Samson, its
veracity corroborated by Maurice: “This is how
Doc Samson likes his adobo.” For better or for
worse the dish came to be known as Adobong DBS,
or more properly, Adobo, DBS‐style.
On the dining table, the viand is invariably the first
to disappear, the target of repeated assault from the
slavering mob, amidst loud but insincere vows to start taking
Vidastat again, to exercise beginning tomorrow or to have
just one more tiny bite, promise pa! In the meantime, 2 heap‐
ing plates of steaming rice are put away, for what is adobo
without its handmaiden, rice? Forget the bum who said we
eat to live. Wrong! We live to eat, period.
Surprisingly, the recipe for adobo, DBS‐style is decep‐
tively simple, although caveats accompany it: Use only pork
liempo (layered belly meat up to the lower rib portion) and no
‐no to MSG. The cooking liquid or sauce is evaporated thor‐
oughly until the fat starts to flow. The meat is then fried in
its own fat until slightly tostado.
Adobo, DBS-Style Recipe Marinate 1 kg pork liempo in a mix of 1 cup soy sauce, I
cup vinegar, freshly ground black pepper(to taste), 2 pieces crushed dried laurel leaves, ½ cup brown sugar, 3 pieces chopped siling labuyo and 1 tablespoon melted margarine.
1 hour marinating time is sufficient although longer is better.
Bring to a boil then simmer until tender If meat is tough, add soup stock and continue to cook until the desired “tenderness” is achieved.
Allow the sauce to evaporate completely and finish by slightly frying the meat in its own fat.
As Maurice tells it, the siling labuyo was not always there, being a recent insertion suggested by Polly Matic. Actually it adds zing to the pot, making it all the more mouth-watering. I have also seen versions of it where the geniuses from FSD throw in uncooked siling haba and small bits of banana leaves cut in geometric patterns just to make the serving dish look refreshing.
Here, grab a bite. It’s quite unlike any adobo you have tasted.
By Long Perez
8
Other than Unilab, I am not aware of any
company in the Philippines that has organ‐
ized and funds a foundation committed to
improve the quality of life of its retirees and
their families. UBF is arguably one of its
kind and the Founders’ deep concern and
unwavering support for the company’s retirees have made it
possible.
Employees and retirees of other companies who have heard
about Unilab’s assistance program for retirees are simply awe‐
struck, sometimes even incredulous. Not a few remark,
“ang swerte naman ninyo” or “ang bait naman ng
Unilab.” We are sure that many of you
have personally experienced this.
There are times though, because
retirees become automatic recipients
of UBF’s assistance programs, that the
context of a UBF type foundation, from
its intention, creation and implementa‐
tion seems distant and its true meaning is
often given less the importance and appre‐
ciation it deserves.
A few of us seem to harbor the impression that
whatever retirees receive from UBF are benefits
rather than assistance.
What is it really: assistance or benefits?
Apparently some sort of confusion exists maybe be‐
cause of the similarity between what retirees now receive
and the benefits they were entitled to while still actively
employed in Unilab. That is not surprising, for in truth,
many of UBF’s assistance programs for retirees are based on
Unilab’s Employee Welfare and Benefit Programs. How‐
ever, the similarity ends there. Assistance to retirees is
8
By L. S. Lara, UBF Executive Director Ang United Bayanihan Foundation- Isang Pananaw
O
9 not, by any measure, the same as employee benefits.
The latter is an entitlement; the former is wholly de‐
pendent on the benevolence of the giver. Sa totoo lang,
dahil na nga ang ibinibigay ay pawang tulong, ito ay nangan‐
gahulugang maaring itigil kung talagang nanaisin at kalian
man naisin ng donor. The same cannot be said of em‐
ployee
benefits.
The deci‐
sion to ex‐
tend assis‐
tance
(tulong) to
retirees
rests solely
on the
goodwill
and the
willingness
of the giver
‐ in this
case, the
stockhold‐
ers –to un‐
dertake
such an
activity.
They are
under no
compul‐
sion or obligation to provide assistance other than their
own desire to help those who served the company in the
past. Unilab retirees are fortunate and blessed to have
had someone in the person of Mr. JY Campos who envi‐
sioned the role that UBF would play in the lives of retir‐
ees. It is no less this noble act and moral commitment on
the part of the Founder that allow us to enjoy what we
now partake in.
Dahil dito nararapat lamang na maliwanag sa atin na
ang pagtanggap ng tulong sa UBF ay may kaakibat na
responsibilidad. Our loyalty to Unilab should not cease
even after retirement. In short, it is still our solemn re‐
sponsibility to uphold and protect the values and inter‐
ests of the company and its good name.
Assistance can never be demanded the way a benefit can.
An employee has the right to demand and expect a bene‐
fit, it being part of his employment package. On the
other hand, the same cannot be said of assistance. We
cannot and should not try to second guess the motives of
the founders of the company. We can just surmise that
we as retirees continue to be recipients of the stockhold‐
ers’ benevolence and generosity through UBF, because of
the great value the owners put on past services rende‐
red. Para sa mga may‐ari, ito ay pagpapahalaga at pagtan‐
aw ng isang malaking utang na loob. Nararapat lang na
ang ganitong walang kaparis na pag‐aaruga ng may‐ari sa mga
retirees ay tapatan naman ng kaukulang pagpapahalaga galing
sa retirees. Nakakalungkot isipin na patuloy ang pagtanggap
natin ng mga tulong nguni’t ang ating isipan at puso,
pananalita at gawa ay salungat sa ikabubuti at ikaaasenso ng
Unilab at ng kulturang Bayanihan.
Lubos na mahalaga na maliwanag ang ating pananaw sa bagay
na ito. Putting things in perspective hopefully shall result
in a better appreciation of the magnitude and impact that
this single act of the stockholder to create a foundation for
the avowed purpose, has in our lives as retired individu‐
als. Knowing the difference is also essential in under‐
standing UBF’s humble role in ensuring that every retiree
is properly assisted in his time of need. . Moreover, it
should also change the way we deal with UBF and its
staff. Kung kulang tayo sa pang‐unawa, malamang na maging
dahilan ito ng samaan ng loob dahil sa maling akala na ang mga
tulong ay isa ring “benefit” at dapat lang na ipagpilitan.
We have had occasions when some retirees became very
edgy and overly sensitive to the point that they could not
make allowances for even the slightest mistake from the
staff. We had a personal experience with one who angrily
accosted us because he claimed that he was being given
the runaround on his loan application. Others intimidate
the staff by throwing their weight around with words like
“hindi mo ba ako kilala?”
All this we have learned to take in stride although it is not
an unreasonable wish on our part that if somehow we
have failed to rise to anyone’s full expectations, please let
us know of it in a kinder and more gentle manner. Isa
lang po ang aming hiling sa lahat ng ating mga kasamang retir‐
ees, ang kaukulang respeto at paggalang sa lahat ng staff tulad
ng pagrespeto at paggalang naming lahat sa inyo.
UBF is committed to serve everyone in the best possible
way. Everyone gets the same quality of service regardless
of past position in Unilab. After all, no one carries his pre‐
vious rank or position in the company upon retirement. .
Walang dahilan upang hindi namin kayo pagsilbihan at lalong
walang ring dahilan para aming ipagkait sa inyo ang mga tu‐
long galing sa stockholders. Remember that UBF, just like
any other unit in Unilab, works on a budget and must
exercise extreme prudence to operate within that budget.
We should all be thankful for assistance, in whatever form
we are receiving now through UBF. Many if not all will
agree that we are much, much better off than most retired
and senior citizens who have not had the good fortune to
have worked with a company such as Unilab.
The Author at the Bayanihan Day Cele-bration at the Ultra.
10
ow beautiful then to start out
in life with full expectations
and an eagerness rarely seen!
The world, viewed through
dark, limpid eyes, is a wonder‐
land, pregnant with the sweet
promise of grand tomorrows waiting to be dis‐
covered, every step an adventure, every misstep
a lesson learned and added to a growing store‐
house of knowledge and experience.
This is the aura that seems to surround
Chanda Orozco nee Garcia, UBF staffer. Watch‐
ing her going cheerfully about her work, one gets
the feeling that she is actually getting more from
any interaction and transaction than the recipient
of her services, which are by no means insignifi‐
cant, dealing as they do with the most elemental
needs of retirees. These could come in the form
of medicine purchase, the encoding and issue of
maintenance medicine, the distribution of Ba‐
yanihan Saving Plan statements, and the release
of reimbursement and claim checks.
Even as Chanda develops the necessary
economy in time and motion (to be able to serve
the daily stream of retirees) one can sense that
each interview teaches her about life from those
who’ve been there and done that. Seniors, as
voluble as they are, are only too willing to share
if quickly, their own view of the general state of
affairs and matters as disparate as love, children,
politics or their 30 or so years in Unilab.
In all possibility this impression is mere
conjecture and Chanda may not even be aware
that as she serves, she gains. She says with obvi‐
ous sincerity: “I am happy to serve the retirees.
It gives me feeling of satisfaction to see them
happy.” The simple, uncomplicated lass from
the eastern Rizal town of Morong wraps her days
around a rigid work‐week schedule that entails
commuting daily from Guiguinto, Bulacan,
where she lives now with her husband of 1 year
and 4 months, Michael John ( an agency encoder
at Unilab Distribution) , to Crossing , Manda‐
luyong and vice versa. That’s a 5:30 am start and
a 10:00 pm return. Just to be democratic, the
couple alternately spends 2 weeks in Morong,
which is just as daunting a destination travel‐wise,
coming and going.
Understandably, such routine leaves
Chanda with nothing much else in the way of lei‐
sure and diversion. Weekends are more likely to
find her laid up, recuperating from the rigors of the
week. But she tries to make time for a bit of garden‐
ing and cooking …“just simple home dishes,
really.” She would like to have 3 children and we
can all rest assured that husband and wife are work‐
ing hard on the first one.
Even this early ‐ she joined UBF as a casual
employee in 2004 and was “regularized” in 2007‐
Chanda shows all the earmarks of an ideal em‐
ployee, if such a creature ever exists. She is grateful
for the job and thankful to Marissa (Cayabyab) and
Boss Kit (Pamintuan) for recommending and ac‐
cepting her to regular status. In Boss Bert (Lara) she
sees a fair and understanding leader, low‐keyed but
focused on results. She finds true joy and fulfillment
in working for and with retirees. Her personal
goals are unassailably family, home, and job secu‐
rity, the type of motivation that tells you you have a
keeper from whom you can expect a full 100 percent
all the time, every time, as opposed to the other type
who promises 100 percent and delivers 10 % on
Monday, 30 % on Tuesday, 30 % on Wednesday, 20
% on Thursday, and 10 % on Friday.
Taken from another point of view, it is the
joy of being a retiree‐ward of UBF and having some‐
one like Chanda looking after you.
H TEXT BY LONG PEREZ
Chanda, right, going quietly about her work.
11
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
What: Free Anti-flu injection
Where: Health First
When: May 27 – June 30, 2010
A little knowledge goes a long way What: Anti-Flu and First Aid Seminar in cooperation with Health First and the Phil. National Red Cross (Mandaluyong Chapter) Where: JYC Hall B, Bayanihan Center When: May 27, 2010
UBF ACTIVITIES IN PICTURES Compiled by Marisa Cayabyab
Greening tips for green thumbed retirees What: Urban Gardening by Harbest Where: UBF Conference room When: April 29, 2010
HDSI – (Health First) partnering with UBF
in humanitarian activities
What: Medical Mission
Where: Rizal High School, Pasig
When: June 29, 2010
12
Magtanim ay di biro! What: Bayanihan Agad Greening Project Where: Lualhati ng Maynila When: 2nd quarter, 2010
Take care of your bones before osteoporo-
sis breaks them down!
What: Free Bone Density Test courtesy of Bio-
femme and Health First
Where: Health First
When: All Fridays of June, 2010
And the winners are…..
What: Awarding of Bayanihan Photo Contest & Fun
Run winners during Bayanihan Day
Where: ULTRA, Pasig
When: May 14, 2010
Performance without tears What: Values Formation and Stress Management for UBF College Scholars and Grantees Where: JYC Hall B, Bayanihan Center When: June 2, 2010
13
I would like to thank UBF for
bringing Atty. Ariel Martinez to
share his expertise about Estate Planning. I
liked what he mentioned that “after all that has been
said, the best legacy that we can leave our children is good
education. Go sell your possessions and go around the world.” And if I may add, share your blessings with the less fortunate. Be generous! – Abbai Basilla The seminar was very pleasant and enjoyable, aside from enrich-ing our knowledge about estate planning. Thank you to UBF par-ticularly Mr. Bert Lara and his wonderful staff for looking after our welfare even up to the remaining days of our golden years to give us retirees a peaceful and tranquil life. - Ralph Santa Ana The presentation was done exhaustively. It was very informative and Atty. Martinez’ side remarks and witty adlibs aroused much interest from his retiree-audience. Kudos to UBF and to the re-source speaker as well! - Many Cordeta The seminar was informative. It was a well prepared presentation and the speaker was humorous in his own way. He’s great. - Mercy Bayani It broadened my knowledge, more so with the details, e.g., the valuation aspect, parts of the estate, factors to consider, deducti-ble expenses, where to get the money, among others. It was very timely and useful. Kudos and more power to UBF for your unend-ing support and concern for retirees. Thank you. - Rene Barona Atty. Martinez is no doubt a very knowledgeable and effective presentor. It would have been wonderful if we’d started earlier to accommodate all the concerns, questions, and clarifications from retirees.Thanks and God bless. –Jess Jimenez Ah yes, it gave me enlightenment especially as I am a single per-son. I finally decided to sell my house here in Q.C. and get a smaller place, since I have an ancestral house in Ilocos anyway. I have nephews and nieces but I don’t expect them to repay me etc., so I’ll enjoy what I have now to the fullest. – Lita Tilan All retirees must attend such a seminar. It’s a requirement before they knock at St Peter’s door! – Ed Alcaraz
As a retiree, I now look for a significant purpose and meaning in life. Life is not simply about material success. There should be value in life. I have realized this with the joy and fulfillment I have when I help others. I believe we are all part of one big community, a brother-hood. In essence, this is what has been instilled in us - the Bayanihan spirit - even beyond Unilab. Antolin M. Silva 38 years, Biomedis Among other things – Bayanihan is a give and take relationship. This is what life is in Unilab. Our activities in UBF sus-tain commitment to Bayanihan, a never ending feeling of mutual respect and shared vision. We cherish the opportu-nity of serving UBF. In short, dahil yan kay Maris, the UBF Staff and Boss Bert! Vicente S. Alcaraz 38 years, UAP/Westmont Volunteerism for me is a trait that comes from within the inner soul of an individ-ual. I’m happy to be a part of any activity of UBF that benefits the less fortunate members of our company and society as well. I’m closer to God whenever I render service to His people. Ricardo C. Mariano 37 years, Manufacturing Though joining the activities of the UBF is not an obligation, I honestly feel that it’s my responsibility as a true Unilab warrior to give my share of Bayanihan in serving our countrymen. As a long-time sales, marketing, & support serviceman of Biomedis (37 years), quality service & bayanihan are an ingrained part of my system. And so, I agree with everyone that once a Unilab warrior always a Unilab warrior. Many thanks to UBF for taking care of its retirees! Alex M. Floro 37 years, Biomedis
ESTATE PLANNING
VOLUNTEERISM
14
2010 CALENDAR OF EVENTS UBF CHRISTMAS PARTY December 3 at UL Main gym Health seminar on Dementia and Cancer August Values Formation and Stress Management seminar II (for UBF college scholars and grant-ees who missed the 1st Batch last June 2) August 21 or 23 Outstanding Youth Awarding August 21 or 23 Estate Planning (2nd batch) 3rd week of September Estate Planning Follow-Up for 2nd batch 3rd week of October Medical Mission – August 11 and September 15 YOU’RE IT! UBF is in need of volunteers for its medical missions, Lualhati ng Maynila gardening and other corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. Please register with any UBF staffer. JOIN WORTHWHILE, HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE! New Policy on Cash Medical Assistance All official receipts, prescriptions and other sup-porting documents filed for cash medical assis-tance MUST be submitted within TWO (2) MONTHS from the date of payment. The new policy shall be strictly enforced starting October 1, 2010. Policy on Non-Accredited Doctors and Hospitals Retirees who opt to for the services of a non-accredited physician or hospital during confinement shall shoulder the expenses thereof. They may request for hospitalization assistance by submitting to UBF the official receipts, medi-cal certificate and statement of account.
COMPILED BY MARISA CAYABYAB HELLO! This is your Telephone Brigade Leader! Don’t be surprise if one of these days your caller or texter is a fellow retiree. UBF has selected retirees who will serve as telephone brigade leaders. They are assigned to coordinate with fellow retirees on UBF activities such as birthday and Christmas get-togethers, seminars, and other important announcements. The Foundation re-grouped the retirees based on their location, e.g. subdivisions like Cainta Greenland, Pasig Greenpark and Greenwoods will have one or two coordinators, depending on the number of retirees residing in the area. Provincial retirees are grouped according to the province where they reside. This project will generate faster communication among retirees and promote closer ties among them. Likewise, car pools can be organized when attending UBF activities.. These are but a few of the benefits of a Telephone Brigade Team. Sama-sama tayo sa Ba-yanihan!
Obituary February Arturo “Art” Digdigan – Distribution March Rodolfo “Roy” Buñag – PR&D, Reynaldo “Rey” Rosales – Medichem April Rene “Rene” Antonio - Westmont May Emiliano “Emil” Ocampo – Manufacturing June Atty. Francisco “Paquito” de Guzman Bernarda “Minda” Arcaya – UAP
15
MY FIRST DAY AT WORK So after landing my new job as a Wal-Mart greeter, a good find for many retirees, I lasted less than a day. About two hours into my first day on the job a very loud, unattractive, mean-acting woman walked into the store with her two kids, yelling obscenities at them all the way through the entrance. I said pleasantly, 'Good morning and welcome to Wal-Mart! Nice children you have there. Are they twins?' The ugly woman stopped yelling long enough to say, 'Hell no, they ain't twins. The oldest one's 9, and the other one's 7. Why the hell would you think they're twins? Are you blind, or stupid?' So I replied, 'I'm neither blind nor stupid, Ma'am, I just couldn't believe someone slept with you twice. Have a good day and thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart.' My supervisor said I probably wasn't cut out for this line of work.
16
“Corporate Social Responsibility or simply CSR is
about conducting business in ways that provide so‐
cial, environmental and economic benefits for the
communities where businesses operate.” It makes
sense for corporations to engage in CSR programs
because of the many perceived benefits it brings.
Improved relations with the government and good
public reputation and acceptance are two of the ma‐
jor benefits that corporations gain. Ultimately the
end result of such involvement is improved business
profitability.
UBF is now taking on CSR with programs in Luwal‐
hati ng Maynila (LNM), which is a home for the
aged; and Rizal High School (RHS), the biggest high
school in the Philippines.
LNM provides shelter to about 200 neglected senior
citizens, most of whom have been abandoned by
their own families. Some chose to stay in LNM be‐
cause they find more comfort and peace in that
stolid and extremely lonesome place.
RHS, on the other hand is populated by close to
10,000 high school students, 70% of whom belongs to
the D&E economic class. One cannot help but be
emotionally touched by their own life stories and
struggles.
Right now, we only have few retiree‐
volunteers who willingly get out of
their comfort zones to serve, at times
even under the searing heat of the
noonday sun. Truly outstanding and
dedicated individuals, if I may say.
After a year, our line‐up of volunteers
though has not changed much in
terms of total numbers. There is so
much to be done but so few volun‐
teers. UBF is seeking more kind‐
hearted individuals who see in these
CSR programs, the chance to serve
the least fortunate and the under‐
privileged without any reservations
or reward. I encourage you to sign up
and be a significant part of this at‐
tempt to make a difference in the lives
of the many who have less.
As retirees, we can perhaps use more
of our time creatively by joining UBF
in CSR projects. In so doing, we are
in a way, repaying without being
asked, our mother company for the
generous assistance the stockholders
have been extending to all of us.
Unilab will, in time, be the ultimate
beneficiary of the positive impact that
an expanded volunteerism among
UBF retirees can bring. Volunteering
should result in sustaining people’s
awareness and affinity to the brand
name Unilab. And down the road, it
will strengthen consumers’ trust and
loyalty to the company.
Retirees doing volunteer work in fact,
is a very strong image building tool in
sustaining and projecting Unilab’s
Bayanihan values.
Let us share of ourselves and our
time. Let us share as a way of giving
back something to the community
that has supported us all this while.