Instead of job hunting, overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who were affected by the global financial downturn can engage in franchising and create more jobs in the process.

According to Mr. Samie Lim, chairman of the Philippine Franchise Association, (PFA) in an interview with ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau during the World Franchise Council (WFC) meeting and Franchise Expo Paris in Paris last March 12, there are three specific businesses that Filipinos can engage in, which would not require huge capital. These are food, fashion, and service sectors such as health and beauty salons. Furthermore, Mr. Lim said that expanded franchising businesses in the Philippines can create an estimate of 100,000 jobs this year.

Aside from OFWs, displaced workers who have enough savings and good network with potential business partners may also consider venturing in the franchising business.

Meanwhile, a week before the WFC, OFWs in Paris attended the Financial Literacy and Wise Investment Seminar organized by the Philippine Embassy, in cooperation with PFA and sponsored by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center, the representative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in France. The event taught the participants on how to start their business and basic information on franchising.

As a way to further teach Filipinos on the benefits of franchising and as an alternative for OFW, he PFA will spearhead the 17th Philippine International Franchise Conference & Expo slated on July 1 – 5, 2009. For more information, visit the PFA website at http://www.pfa.org.ph/

I finally got to my appointment of informal hearing at Court 20th District of Michigan today. As you may remember I was pulled over 2days after Christmas last year for not treating a totally dead light a four way stop.

I originally pleaded not guilty and the magistrate scheduled me for a hearing. I had to wait almost 3 months for this hearing.

I realized right after I stepped out of the court the first time I faced the magistrate last year that I made a mistake. I regreted why I stood ground and want to be pardoned for whatever I did. I want the fines and penalty gone as well as the points gone but not as desperate as this.

I realized that the law is the law and nobody wins against the court when it comes to traffic violations. Well 90 percent of the time anyways.

So when it was my time earlier today to face the judge and when I was standing in front of the court room, the judge gave me two options to settle my case. First is to take an impeeding ticket and just pay the fine and no points goes to my record. Or face the judge to an informal hearing and defend my case against the cop the pulled me over.

What did I choose? Of course I chose to pay the fine of $120US and went home.

I definitely made the right choice and I felt satisfied with the verdict. :)

Case dismissed.