H:\ saves the day!

by Elai Cruz

The World Wide Web has immense power in bringing the encoded word to netizens scattered all over the world. Unfortunately, you need access to the web to harness this awesome power.

At CLDH, this power remains largely untapped; only 20 computers are connected to the web. Defeats the purpose of having an online newsletter, you might say. Not so!

Emma Espino of ITMD has solved that problem. Most of us may not have access to the net, but almost all of us within the hospital premises have access to the local area network, or what is commonly known as H.

Ah, yes! The wonders of the digital age!

It's simply saving each and every article on the newsletter as an individual file and placing it in a folder on H:\. It's a bit circumferential, I know, but access to the newsletter is granted to anyone who has access to the network.

There is this: you can't interact with the document as you would were you accessing it on the web. So should you click on the links on the page, it's not going to take you anywhere, except this page on Internet Explorer that says that the page cannot be accessed. Why? Because you have no internet connection! Which means that to leave comments or email any of the contributors to the newsletter, you'll have to access the newsletter online.

Where to look for H:\?

1. Go to My Computer. There is an icon on your desktop that calls itself My Computer. Click on that.
2. Look for H:\. Click on that.
3. Enter your password, if you have one. If you don't and need one to access the network, call Emma at local 308 to register.
4. Once in H:\, look for the folder PINTIG Online! Click on that.
5. You're in! Choose an article to read. Click on that.

Enjoy!

Competition winners

by Elai Cruz

The annual Christmas competition among the hospital employees was held on 15 Decemer 2006 during the Christmas party.

The NSO presented first, with an Arabian-inspired number complete with Jinns, fairies, and a Fairy Queen played by Dette Tadena, NSO supervisor. Reminiscent of childhood fairy tales, the number reminds us that innocence is a vital ingredient for a truly magical Christmas. Kristine Calugay choreographed the very colorful and lively number.

The Admin group presented its version of Harry Potter's world, showcasing a ballroom sequence. Very well presented were Professor Albus Dumbldore, played by Jun Candelaria of Admitting, and Rubeus Hagrid, played by Marco Aleño of Budget. Harry Potter himself was played by Henry Maomay. Emma Espino played a very charming Hermione Granger while Jerome Taruc took on the role of best friend Ron Weasley. The entire number was set in a dream while a child slept, played by the diminutive and ageless Nitz Duran.


The Ancillary group presented an interesting number in the half-light, with an angel perched on high. The number started with "enchanters," men in white soutane, envisioned to be the prophets paving the way for the Messiah. The angel then appears as light pierces the darkness, covering the prophets with a bluish glow. She heralds the coming of the Messiah: The prophecy is to be fulfilled! The fantasy element is represented by fairies who emerge from a cocoon. Overall, the presentation evokes the timeless concept of Biblical creation: all are created by one God.

In the end, the Admin group won first prize, follwoed by the NSO in second place, and the Ancillary in third.

Congratulations everyone!

The President's Christmas Greeting

The following is the Christmas greeting of our President and Chairman of the Board, Benjamin S. Paz, M.D., to everyone!

A very merry Christmas to you all.

This season of carols and Christmas trees is a time to take stock; a time to reflect on the events of the past year and to make resolutions for the new year ahead. This December, we are looking back not just on one year, but on the past 41 years of our hospital’s history. More than ever, we are aware of being a tiny part of the infinite sweep of time when we move from one era to another.

And as I look to the future, I have no doubt at all that the one certainty is change - and the pace of that change will only seem to increase.

This is true for all of us - young and old. I am struck by how the inevitability of change affects us all, and how different were my father's early years compared with those of my grandchildren.

For many of their generation, the future is a source of excitement, hope, and challenge. For others, however, the future is a cause of understandable anxiety. There are many, for example, of my age or among the more vulnerable in society who worry that they will be left behind. The sheer rate of change seems to be sweeping away so much that is familiar and comforting.

But I do not think that we should be over-anxious. We can make sense of the future - if we understand the lessons of the past. Winston Churchill said that "the farther backward you look, the farther forward you can see".

The many and varied events that have happened in the last 41 years of CLDH remind us of the importance of bringing the lessons of the past to bear on the aspirations for a better future.

To do this we need to draw from our history those constant and unchanging values which have stood the test of time and experience. Fairness and compassion, justice and tolerance; these are the landmarks from the past which can guide us through the years ahead.

These timeless values tell us, above all, about the way we should relate to people rather than to things; thinking of others, not just of ourselves.

The future is not only about new gadgets, modern technology, or the latest fashion, important as these may be. At the center of all our lives - today and tomorrow - must be the message of caring for others, the message at the heart of Christianity and of all the great religions.

This message - love thy neighbor as thyself - may be for Christians two thousand years old. But it is as relevant today as it ever was. I believe it gives us the guidance and the reassurance we need as we continue into the next 41 years.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

CLDH Invitational Cup 2006

by Elai Cruz

There is no explanation for the immense popularity of basketball in this country. And I am perpetually amazed at how passionate we as a people can get about this sport.

As a follow-up to Rage Dela Cruz’s article on the ongoing basketball tournament, I interviewed Paul Osongco on a few details of the event.

The tournament started with two separate groups. The Admin people, headed by Randy De Guzman, our Finance Manager, wanted to start a league. Paul Osongco of the Eye Center, also with the group, heard that people from the OR wanted to start one as well. The meeting between Paul and Dr. Chuck Pascual, head of OR, resulted in a joint effort which produced the present double round-robin liga.

What really surprises me is that this event does not have a sponsor. The funding came from the teams themselves. And what exactly do they need funding for? The referee’s fee. They actually have a referee and a professional one, at that.

The games started on 23 November 2006. With 23 games in all and seven teams competing, the championship is tentatively scheduled on 13 February 2007.

The teams are composed mainly of CLDH employees, with the participation of CLDH-EI employees, some of the medical representatives, and even doctors. Some of the doctors playing are Mario Tañedo, George Martinez, RJ Remandaban, and Chuck Pascual.

Prizes at stake include a trophy for first to third placers, with a cash prize for the champion. As of this writing, Paul tells me that they are still hunting around for sponsors for the prizes.

The games are played at the CLDH gym every Tuesday and Thursday. The schedules are posted everywhere, if you care to look. I'm not a big fan of basketball (I like billiards!) but I'll drop by one time and see what everyone's raving about.

Pasiklaban sa Palakasan '06

by Rage Dela Cruz

Kung ang Oktober Fest ay may Musiklaban, sa CLDH ay may “sports pasiklaban!”

Sa ating bansa, ang sports ay maituturing na isa sa mga alternatibo kung saan ay, kahit papaano, maibsan o kundi man tuluyang mapawi ang mga problema at suliranin ng mga mamamayan, gaya ng kawalan ng pagkaka-isa, kalumbayan, at mga suliraning personal.

Sa pamamagitan ng sportsfest, ang CLDH ay naglalayon na humubog ng mga empleyadong nagkakaisa, epektibo, at may tunay na damayan sa isa't isa.

Sa mga nagdaang taon, natunghayan at nasaksihan sa CLDH ang mga kaganapan sa iba't ibang larangan ng sports. Isa na namang napipintong labanan ang inorganisa sa larangang ito ang magaganap sa mga nalalabing buwan ng taon. Lalahukan ito ng mga magigiting na empleyado ng CLDH, mapa-administrasyon man o medikal.

Pangunahin dito ang paboritong laro sa buong mundo: ang basketbol.

Sa pangunguna ni Dr. Richard Pascual at mga katulong na nag-organisa, partikular ang CLDH 4 na siyang grupo na binuo ni Paulo Osongco ng Eye Center, muling magpapasiklaban ang mga kalalakihang empleyado na magpapamalas ng galing, gilas, at sportsmanship sa paglalaro. Ang larong ito ay isa sa mga mabisang paraan upang maipakita ang pagkakaisa, pagbibigayan at diskarte o sa isang salita, “teamwork.”

Ang mga sumusunod ay ang pangalan ng mga kuponan na maglalaban-laban:

• CLDH 1: NSO
• CLDH 2: Admin
• CLDH 3: Eye Center
• CLDH 4: OR
• CLDH 5: MedRep 1
• CLDH 6: CLDH-EI
• CLDH 7: MedRep 2

Kadalasan, dinadayo din ang CLDH ng mga empleyado na galing pa sa ibang katulad na ospital gaya ng Provincial Hospital, Talon, Ramos, at Jecson. Bukod sa mga tao at pasilidad, nabibigyang kasiguruhan ng ospital ang tahimik, malinis, at ligtas na lugar sa paglalaro. Kaya naman hindi na nagdadalawang-isip ang mga manlalaro na taga-labas na makisali at magpakita ng kagalingan sa paglalaro.

Sa pamamagitan ng sports, magkakakilanlan at malaki ang posibilidad na magkaroon ng ugnayan at magandang samahan ang mga mangagawa ng ospital. Mapaglalapit nito ang loob ng bawat isa. Sa madaling salita, ang “teamwork” ay maipapakita di lang sa paglalaro, bagkus ito’y mahalaga sa mainam na paghahanap-buhay.

LMTP draws to a close

The sixth and last seminar- workshop of the Leadership & Management Training Program (LMTP) was held recently in Baguio City. As the last in a series, the seminar-workshop closed the program with an assessment of individual gains and deep personal realizations.

Workshop 6 was held at Villa Consolacion, a retreat house of the sisters of the Order of St. Augustine in Fairview, Baguio City. Orett Felipe, the hospital’s assistant HR manager, facilitated.

There were two batches: the first one arrived via Victory Liner on 20 November 2006, followed by the second on the 23rd. It was a week-long endeavor for the project handlers. Fortunately, meals were attended to by a very able stay-in kitchen crew: Mrs. Pia Ojeda who was assisted by Manang Juana of La Trinidad Valley.

The participants graduate in full ceremony on 6 December 2006 at the CLDH AVR. Top management representatives are expected to attend.

Supes missing?

by Jana Rimando

Have you ever noticed the department heads missing from their units two days at a time since June 2006? Well, fear not. They are not missing in action or taking vacation leaves or whatever it is that you may be thinking. Actually, they are working their butts off to improve themselves and ultimately, to improve CLDH. At least, that’s the objective. So, what have they been up to? Well, they have been undergoing the Leadership and Management Training Program or what is more commonly known as the LMTP.

The LMTP was initiated because the Quality Assurance – Improving Performance (QA-IP) subcommittee requested from our HR Training Officer, Ms. Aurora Felipe, a program of mentoring and coaching skills for the NSO. Ms. Felipe did a training needs analysis and her study showed that the employees were not yet ready for such an advanced program. Instead, they needed a basic skills and personal development program. And so, a program was designed and proposed to the QA Committee. The QA, together with top management and some department heads discussed the proposal and suggested that the program cover all middle managers of the hospital. And so, the LMTP came into existence.

It is a six-month program that started in June 2006 and ended in November 2006. The participants attended a two-day workshop per month. The first workshop, “The Person of the Manager,” dealt with developing self-awareness and overcoming personal barriers to leadership and management. The second workshop, “Managing with Confidence,” tackled management styles and assertion strategies. Workshop 3 enhanced communication skills in all aspects -- written and oral -- which caused panic attacks for some of the participants. The fourth workshop was on understanding and managing conflict. The fifth, facilitated by Ms. Leah Vidal who has a Ph.D. in Anthropology, helped the participants in identifying and understanding the culture of CLDH as an organization. And the last one brought closure to all the knowledge gained in the past five months with a personal assessment of what has been learned and gained.

Consequently, with the forthcoming developments of the CLDH, it is very apt to train its heads to become more assertive to be able to instill a professional following among the departments in preparation for this growth .

LMTP does not guarantee change; it introduces change. For as long as the knowledge and skills remain inside each individual participant, suppressed and unused, no change will take place. As unit heads, these individual participants have a responsibility to the company to change for the better . A better leader is followed by a better following. A better following is followed by a better foundation. A better foundation is followed by a better CLDH.

Quoting Carl Jung, “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”

Welcome!

Pintig is the Filipino word for heartbeat. It is also the official publication of the employees of CLDH. It has a print version as well as an online version: Pintig Online! That it appears on a blog site is something that I have to interpret yet. In the meantime...

The usual purpose for having a company publication is to spread information across all sectors and all levels in the organization. A noble undertaking, of course. But most employee publications die a natural death because they’re simply not fun to read. They’re boring and straitlaced. No such thing with Pintig.

The editorial staff has only one thing in mind in undertaking this project: fun. Our motto: Life’s too short; eat dessert first!

Pintig Online! is our version of dessert. The kind you get only at CLDH.

You can look at life in CLDH like it were some kind of buffet; you have appetizers, salads, soups, main courses. And dessert! I think you’ll agree with me when I say that there is just too little of dessert that comes our way in life -- anywhere. Which is a shame, really. Personally, I’d rather have an entire room filled with dessert! All kinds! Maybe with a little sprinkling of pizza on the side. And some sushi. But I digress.

The staff of Pintig envisions the stuff of Pintig to be a lot of fun while it informs. It aims to show the humorous along with the serious, even the humorous in the serious. It seeks to make meaning out of the commotion, confloption, distraction, and hodgepodge of information out there. Because you’d be surprised at the amount of information that surrounds you as a member of an organization, and CLDH is not a simple, nor is it a small, organization.

We at Pintig, online and offline, believe that information is key to a stronger workforce. We hope that with this publication, this workforce will not only grow in mutual respect and understanding but, as well, in learning how to laugh at the absurdities that life throws our way. In short, how to pick the sweet from the not-so-sweet.

The online version will have mostly the same articles that will appear in the print, with some web-exclusive items now and again. The cool thing with this version is that it allows comments. See those links down there at the bottom of the post (this article) that says, "Comments? " All you have to do is click on that and post your comments! Comments are, however, regulated. This means all comments pass through me first.

Can you contribute articles? Sure. All you have to do is email me. See the narrow column at the left hand side of this page? Just click on "Pester the Editor" to open your email client. (Scroll up if you can't see the link.) Or, to make things easier for the web-challenged, send your articles to elai.cruz at yahoo.com.ph.

Can you send other things to the editor aside from comments? Sure. It is, after all, a free country.

Enjoy!