Pinoy Expat's Christmas Evening

 There never really was much event during these past few Christmas days except that me and the rest of the people in the house had a small Christmas party. Just a typical and very  simple Filipino party where hard -liquor is not part of the occasion. With the Black Label out of the closet, it would have but everybody's not apt for a drink tonight because the next day is still work for most of us. Well, at least just few cans of San Miguel Beer added a little bit of zest to the night I guess.

Everyone contributed something to the occasion. The foods were great. There were more than enough. We had some little exchange gift too and everyone's happy with what they received. This is a camaraderie of people whose respective families are back home doing their best to cope with the economy and trying to be happy despite our absence.

 Today, I spent some phone calls back home multiple times. And, again wished I was there to spent Christmas season with them. Nevertheless, thanks to the Internet and some little cell-phone credits, I was able to keep in touch with my wife and daughters very often to check what was going on right those moments. :o) Just hearing their laughter was enough to make me happy.

Technorati Tags: Pinoy Christmas Party in Dubai 2008

UAE National ID Program Proposed to Seize

A Federal National Council committee has recommended that identity cards be issued only to Emiratis only. Not to include the general expatriate population of UAE. The Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) have been struggling its efforts to issue cards to all of the five million population that is currently and legally living inside the UAE. Thus came this recommendation that the program shall be applied just for all the national citizens instead.

There had been a surmountable panic in the UAE this past few months because of the mandatory ID system that will supposedly contain all the individuals personal information. It was said that failure to compliance would result to salary bank accounts being freezed among other sanctions.

Just recently came this news about the program to be altered. The FNC committee has suggested that the Government should only issue Labor Cards to foreign workers and individuals living in the country for an expireable two years as reported in the local news paper, the National last Thursday.

According to the paper, the committee members wrote a brief report regarding the change of plan to push the ID program. To wit:

"The goal is to have a comprehensive database about those who work in the country. The ID card should only be given to citizens," said Mohammed al Zaabi, a member of the specialised labour committee.

The FNC is expected to take up the recommendation at its next meeting in January. If the FNC, which is an advisory body, passes the committee recommendation, it will be submitted to the Cabinet. They will then decide whether to adopt it or not.

Now this is important, EIDA on Tuesday released a new definitive time guideline in a bid to avoid confusion for ID card registration in the UAE during 2009. UAE residents and professionals working in the government and private sectors will have until Feb. 28, 2009 to apply for the card, it said.

According to the schedule, residents working in the federal and local government sector, and professional residents including their family members can register for the new national ID card from this month to the
end of February.

This news is still not certain since the issue is at its proposal period only so lets be guided accordingly.

Technorati Tags: UAE and Labor Laws,Pinoy Expatriates,Career Guidelines,UAE National ID System