TR EMERITUS

Somehow August elicits patriotism. It is inevitable because the whole island is decorated with the national flag everywhere you look. From Pasir Ris to Pasir Panjang, from Bedok to Bishan, we are reminded that this country has amazingly survived independence for 45 years. From the moment you arrive to the day you depart, red and white flags greet you. There is no escaping because it is simply ubiquitous, Singapore's birthday bash. At this age, it is still considered a young nation by international standard since Singapore is not even half a century old. But our impeccable clean image, our rapid progress and our prosperity belie our age. On a per capita income basis, we are the richest among our fellow neighbours. And our economic prowess and sovereign wealth alone makes the Singapore Story standing out and standing tall among our envy neighbours. Sadly, not one of them even come close. Like our latest F-15 fighter jet, this unique Singapore story is hard to match and impossible to catch. So by simple logic every citizen in this country should count themselves a contented and proud group of populace in Asia. Surely a majority must be in this category since this same majority returns the government to power in successive election after election. You just can't ask for a more compatible union to celebrate a nation's 45th birthday. But somehow, in 2010, one gets the feeling something has jolted the equation of co-existence. Like the Eurasian plate below us, this political plate is undergoing some sort of momentary adjustment if not shift. If you are net savvy enough, you feel it from the thousands of netizens yelling complaints and clamoring for changes almost on a daily basis. Whatever it is, they are screaming at the top of their voices to be heard. And they have two main issues to bellow out their hearts out. Favorite among them is the rising skyrocketing houses which is fast becoming a necessity beyond the reach of normal young working people. Public housing starts from 6-digits and the COV is set at 5-digits. Forget about condos. They are beyond reach unless you have something to trade in. And there are severe implications than just the question of astronomical property prices. If young couples can't own a house, they can't get married and if they can't get married, there won't be enough of Singaporean babies. Without these children, who will serve National Service in 2030? Sounds logical because I know foreigners are not allowed to enlist in National Service. Then they turned their fury and objections to the influx of foreign workers who threaten their jobs, compete for space and houses and affect their livelihood. Suddenly there is a perceived threat and a rude awakening to the status quo. From every corner of the globe they descend on Singapore in drove; from Europe, India, China, Bangla, Philippine just to name a few. Why Singapore? Because we make this place such a fertile ground for opportunities, for employment, for business, for leisure, for attraction, for relocation, for starting a family, Singapore has inadvertently become the Big Apple of Asia. You name it we have it! Business enterprise, Financial services, Formula One, Casino, Universal Studio, Clarke Quay, Orchard Road Shopping belt, Singapore Flyer, Sentosa Tower, Night Safari. Incredibly we are such a small entity but we managed to create so much more than we can handle at the shortest possible time. Against all odds you may say. Hence, it is not surprising that the plate is full and we need help to manage the spillover. And the result is we just need more people to manage the place, especially professional people in the resorts and the casino. To be fair, it is not necessarily our fault to welcome people to manage our place. And on the 9th of August, these foreign people will also be there to celebrate National Day as one big diverse people gathered on this small island. They may not be true blue Singaporeans but they are part of this entity over time. So under all this cloud of unease, do we still have the mood to celebrate? Well, the bash is for and about the country we were born and grew into.  We celebrate, we party, because we are part of this land we call home and country. We should be proud because this place belongs to us. So long as we feel that this place belongs to us, this place is where we call home, this place is where we live with family and friends, this place is where our roots originally took place, we have every moral right to shout for Singapore. And be genuinely patriotic about it. There is no doubt this place is unique and liveable. If you have been to many other countries in the world, you would realise that most of it is devoid of life, devoid of people and devoid of purpose. You will appreciate why Singapore is such a magnet for attraction for all sorts of people seeking a better, brighter and even a safer life. Yes this is a whole lot better. It is nothing short of a miracle that we have come so far, offered so much in such a short time to all our fellow Singaporeans and then some. And in August, we should all feel the tempo of patriotism greater than ever before. Douglas Chua  Read More →

With National Day a few days away, the PAP's Resident Committees (RC) are busy hanging flags in the HDB heartlands to generate a sense of fake patriotism among Singaporeans - another classic example of "astroturfing" by the increasingly unpopular PAP regime. According to a Channel News Asia report, RCs have been decorating their estates with the Singapore flags and "competing" with one another to see who can put up more flats. "We're going door-to-door to remind them to get them to fly the flag. And if they don't have the flag, we will supply them, give them the flag to put up. And from downstairs, we'll look up - if the flag is not hung in the right way, we'll go up to them and tell them to arrange it the right way," a RC Chairman was quoted as saying in Channel News Asia. The number of flags put up voluntarily by Singaporeans has declined steadily for the last few years, a sign of decreasing support for the ruling PAP and a form of silent protest against its policies. As such, RCs have to resort to giving out free flags for Singaporeans to hang. The source of funding used to purchase the flags in the first place remains unknown. This "astroturfing" by the RCs leads to an unique phenomenon which is easily observable - flats along the main roads are usually decorated with the Singapore flags while those located deep inside the estate are often undecorated. With National Day only a few days away, the PAP RCs may have to employ Bangladeshi workers to put up more flags to prevent their political masters from being embarrassed by the lack of show of patriotism among the citizenry.     Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →

Singapore is one of the best destinations for Filipinos seeking greener pastures. Top reason for working here is the higher salary compared in our country. It is located 3 hours away from the Philippines and air fare is ranging only from Php 2000 to Php 5000. Climate here is same as in our country so you don’t need to adjust. How much can you earn here? If you are a degree holder of any course, you are entitled to earn a monthly income of USD1,800 (exchange rate of USD1=Php29) minimum. Salary has no limit and you can earn up to several thousand depending on your expertise and position. They have a government branch called ‘Ministry of Manpower’ who sees to it that you are well compensated. Otherwise, they will not allow you to be employed. Salary also can vary depending on the company that will hire you and the degree that you have. The IT personnel have the advantage of having the highest salary in all the fields. With this salary, for sure you can go back home every month. How to go to Singapore? As mentioned earlier, air fare is ranging only from Php 2000 to Php 5000. Since Singapore is an ASEAN member country, you don’t need a visa. Passport and a plane ticket are that two things that you must have. There are two options that I will discuss on how to go to Singapore fast. First is by using a tourist pass. Once you are here, the immigration personnel will grant you 14 to 30 days pass to stay. In most cases, they will grant you 30 days. After that, you can ask for an extension for another 30 days for a total of almost 2 months. You can use that to look and apply for a job. Another option is by applying for a long term social visit pas or the EPEC. If you have this pass, you are allowed to stay in Singapore for a year to look and apply for a job. Applying for EPEC is online and free. However, there are only few accredited schools in the Philippines. Try this link to apply for an EPEC online. http://epec.mom.gov.sg/epec/index.do;jsessionid=HCPV26PLJy1YVkmGf6qJ1cCXPx2s4pvrCZ6rGTYSrkvtnvBnNWpj!1475350604 or visit the MOM website http://www.mom.gov.sg/ How to apply jobs? Here in Singapore, 95% of jobs are posted online. All you need is a resume with attached photo. Although application is done online, you need to be here before you start emailing them or it will be wasted. They will only entertain applicants who are in Singapore. How to work in Singapore? Unlike other countries, you are not binded by a contract once you are working. You will receive same privileges and benefits as the local personnel. Probationary period is ranging from 3 months up to 6 months before you become a regular employee. There are different work passes that you can have depending on the salary. The S Pass is given for workers with salary of USD 1800 up to USD 2499 while E Pass is given for workers with salary of USD 2500 or more. Do you have a future in Singapore? After working for 6 months, you can apply for a Permanent Residence pass. Once approved, you can now bring your immediate family to stay in Singapore. Having this pass also entitles you to buy and own a house at a very affordable price. Singapore Citizenship can be attained if you stay for straight 2 years as Permanent Resident. Taken from: http://howtoworkinsingapore.blogspot.com/  Read More →