Dolefil: Leader in Halal Quality Assurance

Another reason to be proud of! The Islamic Da'wah Council of the Philippines Inc., (IDCP), has awarded Dolefil the prestigious HALAL Leadership award in the Fruit Products Category. Dolefil is one of the few selected companies to receive the award during the International Halal Assurance Seminar (IHAS) held last June 3, 2011 at the Hotel Inter-continental Manila, Makati City. The award was proudly accepted by Dr. Leo P. Balito and Jasmin Sodusta, both managers of Quality Assurance Division.

The HALAL Leadership Award is given to companies who consistently complies with the requirements and passed the rigid inspection and audit by IDCP. The company should also consistently maintain and sustain the Halal-approved production process and procurement of Halal-certified raw materials. The award, then, is a confirmation that Dolefil products are guaranteed, spiritually and scientifically, for genuineness, best quality, wholesomeness and cleanliness, and best fit for human consumption.

Halal Certified Products are known for human consumption with no unlawful component and uncontaminated against filth. Critical Control Points of and Compliance Criteria of Halal are compatible in Dolefil's food safety and health programs. The alignment of the two programs reinforces one another to produce an outstanding Halal Quality Management System in Dolefil.

The underlying principle of the Halal Quality Assurance is that the production of Halal Food is an integrated process involving several interconnected stages; each production stage should comply with the Halal requirements and guidelines set by the accrediting body, and packaging materials should prevent any chance of contamination of the Halal product.

IDCP is a Halal certification authority duly recognized by the World Halal Council to issue halal certificate to all products including halal food manufacturers, processed foods, meat and poultry, ingredients and flavors, cosmetics and other non-food products including packaging.

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Source: Dolefil News Vol. X Issue No. 4

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Christmas in the Philippines

A Parol (Christmas Lantern)

Alright, since Christmas season is in the air, I will give you (readers) some interesting trivias and facts on why Christmas in the Philippines is unique among other Christian/Catholic Countries in the world.

As early as September, we Filipinos are starting to hear Christmas carols on radios and televisions as a part of our culture, we consider this season as one of the largest holidays in every year.

Philippine Christmas usually starts from what we call the '-ber months' starting from September until the Epiphany (January).

Parols and Belens are commonly seen in every houses in the Philippines during this season.

Parol a.k.a. Christmas Lantern is traditionally made of lacquered paper and bamboo, but others are made of cellophane, plastic, rope, capiz shell and a wide variety of materials.

A Belen (Nativity Scene)

Belen a.k.a. The Nativity Scene is a Filipino Christmas symbol that depicts the infant Jesus Christ in the manger, surrounded by the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the shepherds, their flock, the Magi and some stable animals and angels. It can be seen in homes, churches, schools and even office buildings; the ones on office buildings can be extravagant, using different materials for the figures and using Christmas lights, parols, and painted background scenery.

So, why does Christmas very important to us Filipinos?

In my personal opinion, this is the time where the family, whether extended or the family itself, gather in a house, resort and/or any other places to celebrate the birth of our beloved Father, Jesus Christ. In Urban areas, such as Metro Manila and other urban Areas, they celebrate it by having Christmas parties in their offices or in a place of a co-worker/s. And the unique thing is, we have activities like exchanging gifts were every person who are in the place will give their gifts to the person which they have picked during the draw-lots, parlor games, sing and dance competitions, and many other Filipino-related games.

Another thing that other Christmas celebrations around the world do not have is the Dawn Masses/Misa de Gallo or in vernacular the Simbang Gabi. Simbang gabi is an event which will start 9 days before the birth of Christ or in every 16th of December. These nine dawn Masses are also considered as a Novena by the Catholic and Aglipayan faithful. This refers to the practice of performing nine days of private or public devotion to obtain special graces. After the mass has been celebrated, we usually eat bibingkas (rice cake), putò bumbóng (a purple, sticky rice delicacy steamed in bamboo tubes, with brown sugar and shredded dried coconut meat served as condiments) and partnered with tsokolate (hot cocoa) to retain the heat of our body.

During the Christmas Eve, we usually go to chapels/churches to celebrate the Midnight Mass and witness the re-enactment of the journey of Joseph and Blessed Virgin Mary in search of lodging in the middle of the unknown. The Panunulúyan is performed after dark, with the actors portraying Joseph and the Virgin Mary going to pre-designated houses.

We also consider Christmas as primarily a family affair. On Christmas Day, we celebrate a Misa de Aguinaldo which the main means of this is the celebration of the birth of Christ.

As of extension of the Christmas season, we also celebrate the New Year's Eve or the Media Noche, a feast that is also supposed to symbolize their hopes for a prosperous New Year.

Christmas season officially ends on the Feast of the Three Kings a.k.a. the Feast of the Epiphany. It is celebrated in every 1st Sunday of the New Year.

So this is it! I was suppose to blog this last week, but I am so busy that I can't even touch my PC.

Enjoy reading and Happy Holidays! ☺

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15 Ways To Keep Relationship Working

As of my personal experience and as what I had observed on other intimate relationships, here are some of the things you should consider to be able to keep you relationship working:

• First, LOVE EACH OTHER - Of course, you cannot be in a serious relationship if both of you don't have the same feelings in each other.
• Second, DO NOT LIE - Lying in your partner would mean a lot if we discuss how loyal you are in each other. As much as possible, do not make lies especially when you want to comfort him/her.
• Third, KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN - Well, you may notice most of the relationships today may start to be intimate by texting him/her love quotes and other love messages or even calling him/her. When you are in a long distance relationship, this thing is the most important.
• Fourth, STAY SWEET - Staying sweet despite of all the terrible things that may happen in the duration of your relationship makes your partner more comfortable when they are with him/her.
• Fifth, WHEN YOU GET HURT JUST FORGIVE AND FORGET - I may have experience this once in my life and this way is the best way to just understand him/her whatever tragic happens in your relationship. Simply forgive and forget what had just happened.
• Sixth, NEVER TALK ABOUT BREAKUPS - Never never never mention things such as break ups! Especially when both of you are in the middle of your lover's quarrel, he/she may get it seriously! Believe me, it hurts!
• Seventh, NEVER SAY IT'S OKAY WHEN IT'S NOT - Definitely, don't try to be a hypocrite to your partner. Just say what you have in mind. If it's not okay, then it's not. Actually, he/she may comfort or find ways to make you feel okay.
• Eighth, FORGET ABOUT PRIDE - Hell yeah, just remove the word 'Pride' in your vocabulary when you're talking about relationships. It will make your relationship complicated.
• Ninth, IF YOU SAY SORRY MEAN IT - As what I have experienced, I may say I'm sorry but I actually didn't mean it. Well I guess next I will be saying sorry to my partner, I'm gonna mean it!
• Tenth, DON'T COMPARE YOUR PAST TO YOUR PRESENT - It will just make your partner to be your past, soon. Just get satisfied of what he/she have, remember, every human being is unique, there may be some similarities, but not all.
• Eleventh, DON'T TALK ABOUT YOUR EX'S - Duh, what the heck by the way, personally I get irritated when I'm talking about my ex's.
• Twelfth, GIVE AND TAKE PROCESS - Don't expect everything you gave to him/her has a return in exchange, well if it does, good; hence if does not, that's fine.
• Thirteenth, BEWARE OF HIS/HER FEELINGS - Caution! Read his/her actions because sometimes they express it by their moves. Be sensitive, do not get numb.
• Fourteenth, WHEN YOU HAD A FIGHT DON'T LET THE DAY PASS - Definitely, if it does, then he/she may think things more complicated and you can't hardly apologize as if you are toddlers.
• Fifteenth, DON'T BE THE PERFECT ONE BE THE RIGHT ONE - Well obviously there's no perfect human being in this mortal world. And never will be, just be happy of what you have both, just continue loving each other and someday, you may find that you don't need to be perfect, just right.

I hope I have shared my thoughts and observations on how we can preserve the relationship you have now or soon. Just remember, stay happy, be contented.

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Dolefil Chairs for Trees Program

POLOMOLOK, SOUTH COTABATO - The Chairs for Trees Program is a part of Community Development Reciprocating Action Project of Dolefil, it started in the year 2003 in the partnership  between the company, the cooperative and the community itself. It utilizes the process of reciprocation, designed to protect the environment and sustain the available resources for future requirement of chairs in the community.

The chairs are manufactured by Unified Engineering and Manpower Services Multi-Purpose Cooperative from the company's wooden pallets, which are turned over by the company. Dolefil pays the cooperative 270.00PHP per chair fabricated. With the help of the Mahintana Foundaiton Inc., these chairs are evenly distributed to their beneficiaries, who are obliged - as a reciprocating action - to plant and grow one tree for every 10.00PHP worth of company assistance.

Dolefil also continues to use wooden pallets in its operation, and recycling these into useful school chairs in a relatively cheap production cost reinforces Dolefil's internal solid waste management scheme.

Dolefil, through Mahintana Foundation Inc., also regularly visit the planted trees; hence, the beneficiary may no longer request for additional chairs unless replanting is done to replace lost number of hills. As of this date, Dolefil's CSR Program released for about 1.4 million chairs and tables to it's beneficiaries which are the public schools and churches around the South Cotabato Province.

Of course, we cannot plant trees if there are no hills (other term for seedlings) coming from Mt. Matutum Federation of Marginal Farmers Association (MMFMFA), a cooperative which provides hills in different varieties of hills such as native guava, hagimit, jackfruit, yellow acacia, ilang-ilang, golden shower, balete, narra, avocado, bamboo and Norfolk pine trees. Though Norfolk pine trees are exclusively for Kalsangi Village purposes only. The cooperative are paid 1.75PHP for each hill and with this Dolefil helps the cooperative as well as the community.

 Furthermore, this project provides a sustainable source of income for the cooperative that manufactures the chairs and sells the seedlings for reforestation. This present a long-term benefit to the members of the cooperatives and their families who now have a steady income to meet their day-to-day needs.

Since 2003, Dolefil's Chairs-for-trees has served as a versatile and vital community development program that provides holistic progress in Dolefil's social landscape.

Thanks to Dolefil for aiding the community and for supporting South Cotabato Province as part of their corporate social responsibility.

Thanks to the following persons who made this Dolefil CSR Tour a successful one:

• Gwyn Ann Marie Ebol - Dolefil Communications Superintendent
• Mel Hernandez - Dolefil Human Resource Manager
• Kinmark Deypalan - UEMSMPC Representative

Thanks also to my SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers family for inviting me to come to the Dolefil CSR Tour.

Photos by Rs Dee

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Brgy. Gumasa, Glan: The paradise of SOCSARGEN

Me and my super friends

Brgy. Gumasa is a village of the Town of Glan in the Province of Sarangani. Getting there is not hard, from General Santos City, you can reach Gumasa by passing to the Towns of Alabel and Malapatan which is located from the west coast of the province. To give you a summary about the Town of Glan, it is a 1st class Municipality in the Province of Sarangani and has an estimated population (as of 2010) of  105,537. Their primary source of income is 'Copra', a dried coconut meat which is primarily used as feeds for livestock.

Gumasa lies at the southern portion of the Town for about 7 km. from the Town Proper. I can name some of the Resorts located at Gumasa, the Rosal Beach Resort, Coco Beach Resort and Isla Jardin del Mar.

A glimpse of the white sand beaches of Glan

Sarangani is pursuing Glan's Tourism Industry and truly, SOCSARGEN is truly a beautiful place to live and visit! 

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A Vision: City of Polomolok

Rumors had it that my hometown, Polomolok, is now preparing for it's City-hood. And then I suddenly think about what future lies ahead in my Town maybe 20 to 30 years from now. In my imagination, there are about hundreds of futuristic things I want the City of Polomolok shall have, and I'll mention some of them. I want the City of Polomolok to be the Pineapple Capital of the Philippines, though the province of Bukidnon is considered as the Pineapple Capital of the World, but still, Polomolok can have the title sooner or later. I am envisioning that there would be Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Companies which will be rising along the National Highway of Brgy. Poblacion and much more Agricultural Companies in the Barangays of Silway-8 and Glamang. Since Dole Food Company resided here for a lone time, Dolefil will be more productive and give more jobs to thousands of Filipinos. Polomolok is one of the coolest Towns in the Philippines which has the average temperature of 23.5°C to 25.6°C, so hopefully there would be a lot of investments in the City, SOON. 

There would be more and more tourists visiting some spots here in the Town and will make our City to be one of the tourists destination in the country. Given a chance, I want my beloved City to have it's own Airport or Integrated Land Transport Terminal. I also envisioned that someday, Polomolok City will be able to have two political districts, the North District and the South District, if ever the population of the City is dense enough to divide it into two districts. Maybe 1 to 3 years from now, the Congress will pass the RA which contains the move for City-hood of Polomolok, then I shall be happy to hear that. Thus, I want to make this clear to you guys that I am envisioning my town in my own perspective.

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Mayor Sara Duterte punches a Regional Trial Court Sheriff

Property of ABS CBN News. Copyright 2011.

DAVAO CITY - July 1, 2011 in the midst of the calamity came in the City, Sara Duterte, Mayor of Davao City, got frustrated to a sheriff.

Mayor Duterte says that "everything's gonna go smoothly" because the day after that incident happened, Mayor Duterte together with the City Housing, the residents of the property and the owner of the property sat down and talked. But the day after it, Mayor Duterte called the Sheriff-in-charge of the demolition to please wait for at least two hours because she was on the relief operations and she cant manage to go to the demolition site and ask the residents to calm down. Thus, the sheriff didn't comply and instead, he did the demolition. So when she arrived in the area, a riot has been started and one police has been sent to the hospital due to the incident. As cited on a video coverage of a TV Network, a police stated that "everything's gonna go smoothly, but the sheriff's stubborn and succeeded the demolition." that's when Mayor Sara got frustrated and started to look for the sheriff, after a minute, policemen approached Mayor Sara with them is the sheriff. Then out of frustration, Mayor Sara punched the sheriff two times and started to confront him.

After the incident, she sent the sheriff to the hospital, that serves as sorry for Mayor Sara's part. Instead, she apologized to the people who was hurt in the riot. Afterwhich, the sheriff says that he's okay despite of what Mayor Duterte did to him. He didn't even get himself an admission to the hospital as recommended by Mayor Duterte. Thus, he even stated that he's okay despite of his injury.

- = o O o = -

My stand on this incident is that, I am in the side of Mayor Duterte, it is because what she did is for the people, though, she acted barbaric, yet it is justifiable. I am not saying that her act is good, but my point is, why did the sheriff disobey or granted that request of the mayor? Did he wanted to be approached violently just like what happened to him? He is to blame for the riot. Well, that's a fact.

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About Me

He's the blogger behind this page. He was born in the province of South Cotabato and a proud constituent to the province. He is currently working in an international private company as a full-time IT Professional. He's been into blogging since 2011 with exposure with a group of local bloggers. He's interested in everything under the sun, he does have interests in western TV series, international movies, reading books and apparently into current affairs.

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