Employed!

In a span of two days, the number of valid IDs that I have jumped from one to four. Aside from my Driver's License, i now have my BIR TIN ID, PhilHealth ID and of course my Professional License! wohooo! aside from that, i also now have my SSS number and my very own LandBank account. I  underwent medical check-ups and filled-up many forms as well.

And all that happened because of one very important thing - i'm EMPLOYED! yohooo! I'll be working with and for the DSWD Field Office V and i'm hoping for simply the best of the things to come with a little bit of extra challenge and opportunities to prove my worth as a person and as a professional. As a tribute to my status as a newly employed as a challenge to myself, i decided to change my twitter bio with words that fit my eagerness, excitement and enthusiasm for my job and my practice of profession. ;))))))

Proud Bueño!

That proud moment when your university - Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, is being given recognition by the Professional Regulations Commission and the Board for Social Workers as the Top Performing Social Work School in the Philippines. :)

#2013RegisteredSocialWorkers

Some of the newly registered social workers from Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy!

MnT, RSWs

Reaching a life achievement is waaaaaaaayyyy merrier with friends who happen to be true friends! I'll miss my MnT friends! :)

#OneProudBueñoHere

The Placers from Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy together with Professor Tania Lana, Professor Annelyn Mendoza and Board for Social Workers Member Mr. Jesus Far.

Russ, RSW

 Am now a truly Registered Social Worker! Hooray! :)

Ang aking kalokalike. Bow.

A former classmate who is fond of calling me JL which is short for John Lloyd made this and she uploaded and shared it in facebook with my permission. HAHA. She calls me JL because during our sophomore years, i would always claim that I look like John Lloyd. Ayun, nasanay na ata siya kaya yun na ang tawag niya sakin. hoho.

Hmm. Regarding the pic, nag-expect pa naman ako dahil sabi niya sa text katulad daw ng picture ko. Yun pala, kakulay ng damit ko. hohoho. anyway, sayang lang at lamang pa rin sakin ng kalahating paligo ang totoong JL. I was that close pero ang layo pa rin! HAHAHAHA. Salamat nalang kay Argelyn na nag-abala. :)

BucketList 1

I just thought of starting listing down some things that i would love to accomplish before I die of whatever causes here in my blog so that it can be kept here and will always be available for me to see.

Well, earlier today, i watched a video about kissing in the rain and poof! I said to myself that i would want to experience that with her. Thus, kissing in the rain is my first entry in my bucket list. Of course, her would refer to someone i love. I find it really romantic and intimate. HAHA. Madali ko ata magagawa 'to and let's just see. :)))))

Original Picture was taken from: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm65crWGwr1qfq8ubo1_500.jpg

Unemployment Series

Unemployed like me? I found available jobs at Molino! Hahahaha. Ang masasabi ko lang, mahirap talaga ang buhay umemployed. :))))

This series is inspired by Alekkss' Unemployment Series.

Cheers! :)

I dreamed of reaching the top and i failed. Not only did i dreamed but i also gave my best shot but my efforts were somehow futile. I was disappointed with myself and i have no one and nothing to blame except myself. I was scared about what other people might say. About their expectations that i failed to meet and about what they will be saying. That was my initial reaction.

But now, i'm over it. I accepted things as they were and as they are. Perhaps there's something greater that is waiting to be realized. The horizon is wide and far ranging and instead of flooding myself with disappointment, fear and ill-feelings, there are countless reasons why i need to celebrate what had happened like the fact that BUCSSP remains as the Top Performing School of Social Work in the Philippines and of course, the fact that almost all of my friends (of course including me) passed. 

So sa lahat ng nagturo, gumabay, umagapay, dumamay, tumulong, nagmahal, nagpasaya, nagpangiti, nagbigay ng inspirasyon, naghatid ng motibasyon, umasa, nagdasal, nagpamisa, nagpakain, nagtweet, nagmessage, bumati, nakiramay, nakibahagi at nagpugay sa akin -- SALAMAT at SALAMAT ng marami!

With love na may halong pagmamahal,

Russ Daniel Oliva Baldoza, RSW

#12.01

my first post for december and i wish everyone a meaningful month especially that t'is a season to be jolly. falalalalalalalalala.

MERRY CHRISTMAS PIPS! :)

my 2011 Christmas Wishlist

Christmas is fast approaching. it's actually just less than a month before the celebration of the birth of Jesus. personally, isa ang pasko sa mga bagay na pinakahihintay ko. masaya, makulay, kumukutikutitap ang mga ilaw, people on a Christmas rush, Christmas songs, priceless smiles and happiness of the people around, cold air at napakarami pang mga bagay na kahit anong liit ay sapat ng rason para maging maligaya.

at dahil pasko, i deem it timely to produce my 2011 Christmas Wishlist. baka may makabasa at magdecide na i-fulfill kahit isa lang. i'll be presenting it in no particular order or preference basta nasa lista gusto ko! haha. walang kokontra. gawa ka din ng wishlist mo besides hindi masama magwish. also, this includes some unrealistic things pero yun na yun. haha. let's start!

NUMBER ONE: BAG or BACK PACK preferrably

matagal-tagal na rin akong hindi nakaka-experience ng back pack of my own. gusto ko lang matry ulit pero wag lang yung masyadong malaki pero wag din namang masyadong maliit. mas maganda kung kasya ang laptop. haha.

NUMBER TWO: CELLPHONE

my current cellphone which happens to be a china phone is now three years old. way beyond the normal "life expectancy" of a china phone which is one year. mama said she will buy me a new cellphone and i am excited over that fact. however, perhaps it is still unrealistic for the moment given our current financial situation. anyway, gusto ko pa rin. i don't care kung anong brand pero mas feel ko ang nokia or samsung wag lang china phone. :)

NUMBER THREE: HANKY LOTS OF HANKIES

i am a person who is uncomfortable without having a handkerchief with me. i guess my explanation is enough. haha.

NUMBER FOUR: TUMBLER

para mas makatipid na ako ng pera dahil hindi ko na kelangan bumili ng mineral water everday. instead, hihingi na lang ako sa department. haha. :)

NUMBER FIVE: UNDERWEARS

i'm not being scandalous here and i think there is nothing wrong having underwear in my wishlist. eh may mga pangyayaring hindi inaasahan and besides magtotour kami this summer for 11 days at walang labahan. share lang. :)

NUMBER SIX: MALETA

isang maletang kasing laki ng picture on the right would do. haha. pang-adik lang. pero pwede rin naman ang maleta in anticipation for our summer tour as part of the curriculum and for my future travels as well

NUMBER SEVEN: TEEs

gusto ko din ng bagong t-shirts or anything that i could wear. size: medium or large depending on the brand. :)

NUMBER EIGHT: TEAM MANILA WALLET or

ANY KIND OF WALLET


i'm dedicating this item for lekks. haha. anyway, i will also appreciate wallet (not necessarily that of team manila. kay alekks lang yun). pero mas appreciated kung may laman. :p

NUMBER NINE: SAPATOS (vans, toms or kahit rubber shoes)


sapatos, eto ata ang isang bagay na mahirap hanapin para sa akin. marami akong gustong bilihing sapatos noon pa. ang problema, walang kasya sa paa ko. gusto ko ito! sapatos! sapatos! sapatos!

NUMBER TEN: DSLR CAMERA


isa sa mga pangarap ko at isa din sa mga unrealistic things that i included here. haha. share lang. :)

LASTLY,

ANYTHING FROM THE HEART ♥

personally, kino-consider ko ang sarili ko bilang isang taong hindi maarte pagdating sa mga regalo. i mean, anything na magagamit basta binuhusan ng effort, oras at panahon, at anything na galing sa puso ng nagbigay ay maaappreciate ko. hindi ko man maipakita ang appreciation towards sa taong yun dahil hindi ko alam kung paano magrereact eh appreciated ko. Christmas is the time of sharing and gift-giving and i believe it's not the time to demand things from other people. i created this list not to demand from people who is considering giving a gift to me but to give them a clue as to what i prefer. but let me reiterate it again, i appreciate anything from anyone basta galing sa puso. :p

Six Odd Ideas That Are Not Really Odd for BU

i've been a BUeño for almost six semesters now or three academic years. since the first year of my stay in BU, i've been exposed to a lot of things, both good and bad, admirable and disgusting things about the regarded premier state university in the Bicol Region. good thing such as the drive of the administration, staffs and students to make things better for BU despite its limited resources and bad things such as the mentality to only fix and beautify things when there is accreditation or a visiting VIP and the lack of facilities that still hounds the university in fully attaining its vision as an excellent academic institution.

i can say that in my case, i don't have anything to say about the kind of education my department is giving me and all the social work students. though the funds for books acquisition which is needed to update sources for social work courses is not being given by the administration, the department was able to find ways to do such things. plus, i believe that most of my professors are utmost competent in teaching the courses which is the very reason why the BUCSSP Social Work Department is one of the top social work school in the country today with the Mindanao State University as its prime competitor. anyway, my satisfaction about my department is not in anyway related to this post because this post is about some of my ideas that are not really odd which i can say might help BU and the BUeños in some little or perhaps big way. however, most of it are extra-curricular related. let me start!

first, if there is one part that BU continuously failing, i think it will be the part where BU inculcate to its students the love for their university. for instance, i find it very disgusting that during the four year stay of BUeños in the university, 90% - 95% is ignorant about the hymn of the university. worst, i find it very very disgusting that even some of the staff (both teaching and non-teaching) are also ignorant about the university hymn. i don't know, but i guess it's more than the VMGO that matters which i think is just included in the curriculum for accreditation matters. i mean, unlike other student from other universities, if they can, they will shout to the bottom of their lungs that they are from their university and that is not happening in BU. students are being apathetic and they do not develop the love for the university. is it the attitude of the students alone or it is also the system to blame? the system where the students (though we are supposedly being regarded as the most important part of the university) cannot feel that they are an important piece of the university puzzle. i dream of the day that BU and BUeños will do the things that the students of UP, ADMU, other Manila universities and even ADNU does when their school emerge victorious from competitions, that is to shout and sing their school hymn or march while raising their right hands. i dream of the day when BUeños would shout in chorus Go BU! Go BU! Go BU! i dream of the day when BUeños will be very proud wearing their school shirts or shirts inspired by being a BUeño. and here my first idea enters, why not create a 3 or 2 unit course, Know your University during first year where students will be taught with the VMGO (instead of having it every start of the semester), hymn and all other BU things that can help the students get more understanding about their university. i know it will not develop the student's love for their university 100% but somehow, i know something might be changed. (This idea was inspired by UNC's Know your University course given to their freshmen students)

second, i suggested informally to a USC officer whom i know personally about an event which can be called BUnyag which is very much the same with UST Freshmen Walk wherein their freshmen students will pass through the Arch of the Centuries on the start of their UST and college life. well, BU doesn't have an Arch of the Centuries but BU now have its four pillars. why not create an event that will serve as a ceremonial baptism to all the freshmen students of Bicol University through passing under the four pillars. Its one way of welcoming aside from the usual welcome party for freshmen. (picture below taken from the official website of the university)

third, NCF is Tigers, STI is Olympians, ADNU is Golden Knights, AUL is Phoenix, DWCL is Falcons, BC is Maroons, ICCA is Cardinals, Sorsogon State College (SSC) is Whale sharks (if i am right) and BU is unidentified. though having a team nickname or moniker is not in anyway a requirement for a university, it doesn't mean that BU cannot adopt such. my idea is that BU to adopt a team moniker because in one way it can engender the team or school spirit that BU obviously lacks. i think for originality and rareness sake, why not adopt BU Volcanoes (though it is the name of the PH Rugby National Team) inspired by the presence of the majestic Mt. Mayon.


fourth, Fun Run for Social Work Department which i am preparing to make things happen. naisip ko lang idagdag. anyway, perhaps the better idea is that conduct activities that will promote the university more. :)


fifth, since it Christmas, this one is Christmas related. hmm. Christmas in BU is simple but is also a color-filled one because of the different Christmas decorations of the different colleges in Bicol University. however, i think why not BU make a Christmas related activity aimed at promoting the advocacy and expertise of the different departments or colleges in the university. however, this suggestion is for the BU Daraga Campus only where my college is located. hm. why not conduct a Paskuhan sa BUDC which will be filled with inter-college Christmas activities highlighted by Christmas displays to be located in the vacant land in stretching from the front of Arcilla Hall up to CBEM which can be seen from Rizal St. and can bear the different departmental advocacy and expertise just like what i mentioned awhile ago. plus, maximizing the vacant lots and an opportunity for IGP for the two colleges, it would be better if booths selling different merchandise and foods as well will be put in place along with the Christmas displays.

sixth, etong last ang isa sa sinuggest ko talaga while i am a csc representative last academic year at tinawanan ako ng mga kasama ko. sabi ko, bakit hindi tayo gumawa ng Dr. Ricardo Arcilla Student Excellence Award to be given to the top student of the college at tinawanan nga nila. anyway, ang iniisip ko lang naman ay since one of the very few things that the CSSP is known is the Arcilla Hall, why not name an award or recognition after the first BU President. After all, it's during his term that the roots of CSSP was started through BUCAS. one way din yun ng pag-encourage ng students to aspire in coveting the award.


well, yan lang naman po ang naiisip ko for now. i believe there is nothing wrong with sharing ideas. sayang naman kung mananatili lang sa utak ko. after all, i am a BUeño and in my own little way, i want to help BU become a better university. :)

#IveAlwaysWantedTo

♥ enough is said. bow. ♥

photographic dream

PHOTOGRAPHY
picture paints a thousand words

i always believe that picture paints a thousand words that's why i would want to become a photographer someday or let me just say it, i have with me my photographic dream. haha. so from photography 101 session we had after dinner at jollibee albay which i also blogged about, this time, we're out in the field to take pictures on different subjects and these are the pictures i taken. comment ko sa sarili ko, not bad for an amateur though i know that there's more to improve.  :)

TEN YEARS

let me share to you one part of my 'published' book of myself. this part is entitled 10 years from now. basically, this part should be the part wherein i should describe and state what, where and who i am after 10 years but i decided to do it with a little bit of twist by narrating what happened during the ten years. simply, this is my dream. this is the Russ i would want to become after ten years (atleast for now). haha. btw, some parts with gramatical errors were improved though i can say that this article still contains grammatical errors. enjoy reading. :)

***

Its 2021 now and it was exactly ten years ago when I submitted a book of myself to Prof. Vida Sales as one of our major requirements in the Personal Growth and Processes course. I enjoyed the process of coming up a book of myself but at the same time I felt problematic about how my book of myself would look like when I submitted it. Well, it was ten years ago. Many things changed and many are still changing. I can still remember what Ms. Teran, one of my favorite high school teachers said to us, “When you dream, dream BIG! Because everything starts in dreaming.” Today, I'm 28 years old now but then going back to what had happened (focusing on the highlights) after ten years is quite an exciting and thrilling one.

Well, it was in March 2011 that I was elected as the Human Welfare Advocates President and I was very excited and I was really looking forward to start my one year stint as the HWA President to usher in what I called ‘a year of changes for the years to come’ for the student organization of the social work students. Two months later, I passed the Battery Exam which signaled the continuation of my journey to graduation with a degree in Social Work even though my mother asked me if I am really sure in finishing social work. If I can remember it right, I was in the Top 5 when the over-all results were posted and I was very happy with that. All my friends passed and since we passed, a hike at the foot of Mayon Volcano and a road trip to the north is our prize to ourselves. What a fun time!

2012. During my third year, I was very challenged with Thesis Writing just like any other third year and former third year social work students. Plus challenge was my position with Human Welfare Advocates and my longing to make HWA a better, if not the best, organization aimed in developing the student’s potentials and facilitating holistic development. Moreover, it was a great year, though really challenging (with my love life involve).

2013. My last year in college was the most challenging one. Being in a community is not that easy for me especially that I had been used in urban setting. However, I enjoyed the stay much for it was very relax and serene in the community as if my connection with nature is at its maximum. Nonetheless, a great last year marked by another experience that I am treasuring up to now. To end my four long (though I felt that it was short due to the fact that I enjoyed every piece of it) years of college was the graduation. I graduated in Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy with a degree in Social Work as Cum Laude which is of course, my tribute not only to myself but also to my friends, mentors and of course my parents.

Reviewing for the board was never easy. There are a lot of distractions that should be dealt with accordingly. It was in June 2013 that I finally took the board exam to add an RSW (Registered Social Worker not the other one) and become a duly registered Social Worker and to be able to practice my profession at full. When results came, I made it to the Top 10. Actually, I was the 2013 Social Work Licensure Examination Topnotcher and our batch made another milestone in the history of the department by having a 100% passing rate. All the efforts (which includes mine and of others) paved off and I’m very thankful to God, my parents, my mentors and my friends. After the testimonial rites, I had my one month vacation before starting my career.

After passing the Board, I was really confused on what setting and agency to apply for. Of course during that time and for some reasons, I would want to apply at the DSWD or at the Naga City Social Welfare and Development Office (which Sir Jim keeps on telling me) because of job security compared to applying in an NGO. However, I said to myself that my social work experience will never be complete if I will not apply in an NGO. So I finally decided to apply as social worker in an NGO in Naga, then eventually in Manila. I even reached Masbate, Leyte, Maguindanao and other poverty stricken provinces in the country as part of my duty in my Manila-based NGO. Since, I am in Manila and I would want to improve I decided to take my Masters at the University of the Philippines. Gladly, after two years, I already finished my masters with flying colors.

Well, basically the years 2013 – 2015 were my work years where I started my social work career with 2015 as the year when I finally got my Masters. After getting my masters, I went back to Bicol and worked for a Legazpi-based NGO. Also, it was in 2013 that my love life started to sprung and add colors to my life. It was in 2016 that I finally got one of my wishes came true, my wish to be a part of the academe. It was in this year that I started teaching (on a contractual basis) at the social work department where I pay homage of what and where I am now. It was also in 2016 that I started to pursue a law degree to become a social lawyer (social worker plus lawyer). In 2018, after a two year stay in the academe, I decided to leave to focus on earning my law degree and on working as social worker. It was on 2019 that I finally graduated and and earned my law degree and eventually I passed the Bar Exams with flying colors.

On 2020, after passing the bar, I decided to start my doctoral studies to further boost my learning. On the next year, I was hired at UNICEF (one of my greatest dream) and was assigned to war torn and poverty stricken countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Korea, and Egypt depending on the needs of UNICEF personnel. While working UNICEF, the honorarium I received was being allotted in the construction of my dream house in the Philippines which at that time was supervised by my parents. After a year (2021) of working with UNICEF, I decided to render my resignation and went home to my most beloved Philippines in my new house.

After going back to the Philippines, I applied at Department of Social Welfare and Development and was luckily hired. Today, aside from having a stable job at DSWD and rich experiences that I have had, I am now starting my business ventures with my friends, Christina Alexia Castro and Trixia Mae Felix, and another business venture with Mara Erika Dela Cruz and Marc Daryll Queng to suffice my financial needs at present and in the future (especially my plans of going around the world). I am also helping my parents, little by little, to put into reality their dream retirement home and farm at uptown Naga City and another dream retirement home and resort at Sipocot. But the major event that will be happening in my life this year is my marriage to my loved one next year and thus, signaling the start of my family life. I and my loved one is starting to save money to be used in starting our family. But before that, I remember that MnT will have a African and European Cruise Reunion sponsored by Kuya Bjorn Oropesa. Excited na ako! Which will be followed by another international reunion with me and my bestfriends group (Alex, Trixia, Rica and Rufo).

Well, ten years seem short and I miss a lot of moments but I’m thankful I met a lot of people and I meet my friends whom up to now stayed. By the way, the MnT is planning to start a foundation little by little and I hope we will be successful in this endeavor. Furthermore, I am also an active advocate for our environment now lobbying for a greener and cleaner Philippines and the World. Perhaps, i can say that i am successful in my career and hopefully will also become successful in my personal/family life. I reached a distance with a short 10 years but i am very sure that i can and i will go further within the next 10 years. :)

RUSS DANIEL OLIVA BALDOZA, Ph.D., J.D.

"It is better to aim high and miss than to aim low and hit" - Martin Vanbee

meet my new 'unrealistic' crush

ang ganda ni Alodia. crush ko na siya. nyahahaha. sayang! i miss the opportunity to see the goddess of cosplay during her visit in Albay for the Magayon Cosplay. huhu. sayang na sayang!

no2mininginpalawan

i've never been to Palawan. i only saw Palawan and it's beautiful places through the internet, television shows and tourism ads plus the pictures that my mama have when she went to Palawan and went home not just with a bunch of photos but also with a rainmaker courtesy of the good mayor of Puerto Princesa, Mayor Hagedorn. and certainly, Palawan is in my list of MY TO MUST VISITED PLACES SOMEDAY. well, just after the CSC election (or maybe before), ate aubrey gave me two signature/petition forms saying NO TO MINING IN PALAWAN. of course, since i am a green warrior and environmental advocate in my own capacity i asked my classmates to sign and affix their name if they also believe that the Philippines Last Frontier should be protected against environmental destruction and . most of them signed, but sadly not all. perhaps they were attacked by apathy which was the long running disease of many (not all) students of bicol university for the last few years but it's another story. going back to Palawan and mining in palawan, here in Bicol, movement against mining corporations is also strong especially the one that can be found in Rapu-Rapu Island in the province of albay. even Gov. Salceda, a green economist approved a resolution or a provincial ordinance (i forgot) stating strong opposition against mining. the good governor himself stated that mining gets more yet it returns very little. well, we have seen the bad effects of mining but why we are still allowing them? Below is a screenshot of the GIF found in no2mininginpalawan.com wherein i also signed an online petition against mining in palawan.

the bottomline of this is that while it is true that mining is an investment and it provides cash perhaps to the people around the area and revenue to the government, mining destroys the environment. OUR ENVIRONMENT. palawan is such a treasure of the country in terms of biodiversity and we should not dare destroy it in exchange of some coins which mostly will just go in the hands of the crook politicians and rich owners of mining firms. perhaps we can gain money in millions but the destruction it can bring to Palawan's natural resources is priceless for no amount of money can replace the destroyed Fauna and Flora. Palawan is a gift for us and we should not let irresponsible people lead it to the path of destruction. NO TO MINING IN PALAWAN! better yet, NO TO MINING IN THE PHILIPPINES!

if it happened that you have the same sentiments against mining and for the environment, sign the petition online at no2mininginpalawan.com. it's a little step and quite of little effort but it signifies your intention and conviction for environmental conservation. :)

wowBATANES

during the holy week, the television was packed with different shows which are mostly replayed. it just happened that i became interested with GMA NewsTV's Pitong Paglalakbay which i thought was made some three to four years ago. well, because of that i just added BATANES, the northermost islands of the Philippines to the Places that i want to visit. it's quite preserved bahay na bato and very simple style of life plus the fresh winds blowing from the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean and the Ivatans and their unique Ivatan Hats being used to protect themselves against the sun and rain and their lush mountainsides along with their preserved lighthouses. wohooo! i think Batanes is just the perfect destination if you want to reflect.

MARARATING DIN KITA BATANES!

SOMEDAY WE'LL MEET! :D