Who wants to own an Evo X?

While getting a haircut at my fave barbershop Bruno's Salcedo Village, I read the latest C! (car) magazine where they featured the latest Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. When asked what do you drive- "I drive an Evo!" a regular Juan dela Cruz would probably say, it's just a commom Lancer family sedan on steroids but for a car fan like me, owning an Evo is like driving a Japanese version Porsche 911. It probably retails for half the price of a brand new Stuttgart, Germany made sports car but will probably beat it in the drag strip. Now if I only can get one on my birthday this year, that would be fun!!!

(Created on December 6, 2008 using my Nokia celfone)

Golden Boy gets Promoted - to Smithereens!

Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao wins via 9th round Technical Knock Out over the Golden Boy Oscar Dela Hoya. Before today, everybody said it was a mismatch and that the future hall of famer will clobber our pambansang kamao. As it turned out, Manny made mince meat of Oscar.

At the end of it all, it was still a win-win situation for Dela Hoya. While he lost officially in the boxing ring, his paycheck in this fight is said to be in the neighborhood of $30 million to $40 million compared to PacMan's $15 million.

The dream match turned out to be a nightmare for the tarnished Golden Boy.

Upskirt and Personal (Part 2)

Part 2

# 6 - Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite taken in September 2007
during a family escapade. Taken from a Nikon DSLR.


#7 - Singapore Hall of Justice (looks like a UFO)
taken in June 2008 using a Nikon DSLR.

#8 - Coconut upskirt in Dakak Beach Resort taken in

February 2008 using a Nikon DSLR.

#9 - Taken in Tarlac Penal Colony in December 2007,

a basketball ring and board upskirt using a Nikon DSLR.

#10 - Bamban Grotto taken in March 2008
using a Nikon DSLR.

DYK? Did you know that it is illegal to take upskirt photos of a person's intimate body parts (without the subject's consent) in Australia, New Zealand and United States?

Upskirt and Personal

I learned recently that there is a photography classification called UPSKIRT. Wikipedia defines upskirt as a slang term usually referring to up skirt photography, images of the view up a woman's skirt (as seen from underneath). Alternatively, an "upskirt" may be a video, an illustration or simply a view.

I've been taking a lot of "legal" upskirt shots mostly buildings and trees since I got hooked into photagraphy. Here are my TOP TEN UPSKIRT SHOTS:

#1 - Disneyland Hollywood Hotel in HK. Taken using
a Sony Cybershot during a family trip in 2007.

# 2 - Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila taken in October

2008 during a family weekend escapade using a Nikon DSLR.

#3 - Empire State Building in NY during my

trip in May 2006 using a Sony Cybershot.

#4 - San Francisco CA City Hall dome taken in

June 2006 using a Sony Cybershot.

#5 - Petronas Twin Tower in MY taken last April 2008

using a Nikon DSLR.

Who is Tenzing Norgay?

I'm pretty sure at least 75% of the world's population knows who is Barack Obama. Yes, he is the 44th U.S. president elect who will start his term on January 20, 2009. Yes, he beat Senator John McCain in the presidential race via landslide. Yes, he also beat former first lady and NY senator Hillary Clinton. And did I mention that he is the first black U.S. president?

So much for the introduction for this entry. The question actually is- who is Tenzing Norgay? My estimate is that 25% or less of the world's population know who the heck is this man. At least in Nepal, this man is reveared and a statue built in his honor. Ask a mountaineer or an outdoor guy and there's a high probability they know or even idolize this fellow. Tenzing Norgay is arguably the first man to step in the peak of Mount Everest. He was a sherpa by profession and the trusty sidekick of Sir Edmund Hillary. Sir Edmund is known as the first man to plant his foot in Mount Everest's peak. Wikipedia said they stepped on the peak at the same time. Both of them have now passed away so we actually won't know the real story. Tenzing Norgay's undisputed claim to fame is the first human being photographed on the peak of the highest mountain in the world. Not bad for an accolade. I'd trade that anytime for a model region.

Happy Birthday Papa!

Hi Papa,

Sheng ri kuai le! That is Happy Birthday in Mandarin. You should have turned 62 years old today. I wonder if the age meter goes back to zero once you’re in eternal life. Judy went to mass today at Don Bosco Chapel in Makati. Of course, the mass was intended for you. We supposed to attend it after bringing Chloe to school however I was dead tired so she attended mass alone. I know in my heart that you were a good man during your mortal life and I hope that it gets acknowledged in your present dwelling place. I will continue to pray for your soul as long as I live. Please continue to watch over us and whisper to the BIG BOSS to guide us, keep us healthy, free from harm’s way and continue throwing us trials and challenges to make us better persons. Do visit us in our dreams so we’d know how you’re doing.

We love you and we miss you so much!

Your son, DyLac

Introduction to Intramuros

The plan today was to introduce the family to Intramuros, Manila where the famous landmark Fort Santiago is located. Our P150 escapade (w/o fuel) brought us to the following sites:

1- Baluartillo de San Francisco Javier

2- The Rizal Shrine

3- Baluarte de Santa Barbara

4- Almacenes Reales

5- Dulaang Rajah Soliman

.

SIGE KUHA

A family escapade won't be complete without our precious pictures. Three hundred pictures were taken from 3pm to 5pm which was a combination of portrait and landscape. The Nikon D40 again proved its worth and an opportunity for me to practice my skill as well as a de-stress exercise.

DI KO NAGAWA

We wanted to ride a calesa (horse drawn carriage) but cost prevented us. The price was p50 per head and you'd go around a single 400 meter loop. We felt it was not worth it. We also wanted to watch a film show scheduled at 430pm but we stayed there until 5pm but the show didn't materialize. We just thought the operator was late but apparently he was absent.

The cost to bond with the family is inexpensive. You just have to invest in time and effort. The return on investment is priceless.

The Gathering Place

O'ahu, Hawaii
Location 21°28′N 157°59′W / 21.467°N 157.983°W / 21.467; -157.983
Area 596.7 sq. mi.
Rank 3rd largest Hawaiian Island
Highest point: Mount Ka'ala 4,003 ft (1,220.1 m)
Population 905,034 (as of 2008)
Density 1,468/sq. mi. (567/km²)

My mother, CSL is now in O'ahu, Hawaii. She's been there for the past 3 months staying with my Aunt Lu. (If you're reading this entry Aunt Lu and Unc Dong, words are not enough to say how grateful we are for your support to Mama during this period of adjustment). She currently works for a Catholic Pre-school which is about 10 minute walk from Aunt Lu's place.

Anima Christi

(This is my wife JML's fave gospel song. I like it too that's why it is an entry in my site)

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, give me strength

Hear me Jesus, hide me in Thy wounds
That I may never leave Thy side
From all the evil that surrounds me, defend me
And when the call of death arrives, bid me come to Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints forever

Mandarin Lessons, Take Two

After 6 months in hiatus, I've started attending Mandarin (Chinese) lessons again. The lessons had to stop because of unexpected changes in my life. So unexpected that I'm still trying to cope up with the loss. I reckon I already paid 25% of the total enrollment fee amounting to P3,500 for 21 hours. The school is called Luke and Wendy's Language school located in Legaspi Village. It's about a 15 minute walk from our office in Salcedo Village. Better to walk than take the car becasue of the traffic, if you have the energy to do so.

LAO TZE
My new teacher is a Chinese native. The real one, probably born in mainland China. Not like me, a fake Chinese, with strong Chi physical features but don't speak a word of Chinese, that is before attending Mandarin class. Lao Tze's name is Iris. She gave me her Chinese name but it didn't register in my mind. I was surprised to attend her 3rd session because I was just warming up my seat when she already gave a seatwork!

YI-ER-SAN-ZI-WU (1-2-3-4-5)
We were supposed to study numbers yesterday but she was not around so classes had to be cancelled. I just wish they texted me so I didn't have to go to school. I saw a classmate, a white female who's name I learned was Natalie. I have 5 more classmates so this should be fun!

There are 7 more sessions to go and I'm hoping to learn more basic Mandarin words and phrases. The whole Mandarin course consists of 6 modules and I shall assess after the first module if I should proceed further. This is exciting. It's actually a breather for me as well as a for of networking.

SBC tromps JRC

Hi Papa!

.

Your alma mater San Beda College completed a historic 3 peat at the expense of Jose Rizal College. They trounced JRC 3 games to 1. I didn't get to watch any of the games but your grandson B5 watched some of the games and kept me abreast. In fact, he gave me the usual blow-by-blow account.

.

Their dynasty is about to expire though as their prized center Sam Ekwe played his last game as a Red Lion. There's no player in their current roster who can fill in the big shoes that the Nigerian will vacate. My assessment is that at the very least, they'll make it to the final four.

.

Keep reading my site!

Ateneo is it!

(September 26, 2008)

It's official, Ateneo de Manila University is the 71st UAAP season king of men's basketball senior edition. The basketball team trounced defending champions De La Salle University two game to none. They were the best candidate to win the award and proved that not even their arch rival can get in the way.

SO STRONG
The Blue Eange team is so strong that they can probably beat a UAAP star player selection. In their player roster is Most Valuable Player Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Mythical 5 guard Chris Tiu, Defensive Player of the year Nonoy Baclao, Rookie of the Year Ryan Buenafe, some non awardee players capable of scoring double digits night after night and then a couple of effective role players.

BACK-TO-BACK
After the euphoria from the celebration has subsided, the next big question is if they can make it back to back. In Y2009, the core team is still intact save for 23 year old superstar Chris Tiu hence they can still power their way to a repeat and probably even a three peat.

Go La Salle!!!

Is Armstrong's arm still strong?

(September 17, 2008)

I'm talking about cycling god's Lance Armstrong who recently announced that he's going out of retirement and attempt to seek his 8th Tour de France title. At age 37, he's no spring chicken anymore. He'll be battling it out with men at least a decade younger than him.

Can he make a comeback in the sport that he dominated? Let's stay tuned and we'll know by during the year of the Ox (Y2009).

The Donut Story

(September 19, 2008)

We just learned today that Go Nuts donuts set up a 4 sq.m space at the second floor of WalterMart Mall in Makati. They started early this week. The big question is - will they be able to recoup their investment?

Around July 2007, we explored the possibility of franchising a Mister Donut store and place it is WalterMart Mall in Makati. We submitted the necessary requirements and passed all the required interviews only to be advised that the location is NOT profitable. At best, we've be earning P10,000 a month for almost half a million investment. The mall gets P27,000 a month for the rent so they make more money. If it were the other way around, we'd probably be celebrating our first year anniversary. The 2% return on investment is actually good however the return on investment pegged at 5 years is bad reason why we abandoned the idea.

Going back to the question, will Go Nuts recoup their investment? If they are still in WM Mall 3 years from now then they probably made money.

Cherry Cute Cute

(September 12, 2008)

Imagine going around Tarlac City on a cute front wheel drive 3 banger that definitely contains melamine but won't pose as a hazard to the passengers. Today we bought a booklet of tickets at the local parish raffle were the grand prize is a 2008 Cherry QQ subcompact car. The cute China made car retails for P318,000.

I read a book in college which says if you really, really want something, you should plan as if you already have it. So if we win this car, we'd sell the Chinese made auto, keep our Jap made auto, invest the amount is stocks or mutual funds - 30% allot for MC's college education, 30% for B5's education, 20% for the family travel next year and the balance goes back to the church.

If we don't win, at the very least we were able to help the church with their projects. It's a win win situation and that gives us more reasons to buy more tickets.

My Fourth Dream about Papa

That I miss my father is an understatement to the infinite power. I dreamt about him again last night. It was the usual dream - I was talking to him and he was flashing his winning smile, the difference this time is that I got to hug him REAL TIGHT! He's always happy in all my dreams which makes me wonder if this is a sign that he's in heaven. I guess he is. I know he is. I pray that he is. I love you, Papa.

Ilocano 101

Ti ayat ti masya nga baro

Ken balasang nataina

Uray man uray man uray man

Haan unay nga nadonya

The lyrics came from the Eraserheads hit song titled Toyang. One paragraph of the song is in Ilocano and not sure what it exactly means. Here are some of the Ilocano words that I learned:

Greetings

Naimbag nga malen - Good Morning

Naimbag na adlaw - Good Afternoon

Naimbag nga rabii - Good Evening

Courtesy

Agngina ak la unay - Maraming Salamat

Intayon mangan - Halika na kumain

Pasensya kayon apo - Pasensya na po

Basic Questions

Anya iti nagan mo? - What is your name?

Manu iti tawen mon? - How old are you?

Paggigyan nam? - Where do you live?

Directions

Idiay - Doon

Ditoy - Dito

Dita - Diyan

It would be good to learn a new dialect aside from Tagalog and Kapampangan. Learning Ilocano completes the three dialects that the province of Tarlac uses. This would be a good preparation for my ambition in life - to join Tarlac's political foray.

Month of Subscription

They say that impulse buying is not good and I completely agree. When I was single and even until my early years in marriage, I was a self confessed impulse buyer. I bought a sub compact handgun that I actually didn't need almost a decade ago. If I opted to save the amount, placed it in mutual funds, the figure would have at least doubled. In my recent international trip, the impulse buying spree became active again and bought some stuff which I actually haven't used like a bluetooth handsfree kit, a camera cleaner, bike jersey (my 6th jersey), bike gloves (my 3rd pair) and a Honda Civic EX emblem. Sayang pero nag enjoy ako nung binili ko. Reality struck when we were paying the credit card bills.

MONEY SENSE

This month, we subscribed to2 magazines on impulse - Money Sense and Reader's Digest. For Money Sense, we just renewed our subscription. Early this month, I was wondering why they haven't sent the July-August issue and when I checked, I learned that my subscription has already ended. I sent an email to the publisher and this kind man in the person of Mr. Nonoy Torrijos called me and told me that my subscription had expired. He went to my office to give the July-Aug issue and collected almost P700 for the renewal. That's what I call personalized service.

READER'S DIGEST

When we were growing up, we had an RD subscription at home. We had a bookshelf filled to the brim with RD magazines. I used to read All in a day's work, Campus Comedy, Points to Ponder, Drama in Real Life and challenge myself in the vocabulary. I recently learned that my wife belongs to an RD family as well so it didn't take a lot of convincing for us to shell out almost P1600 for an annual subscription. It comes with an alarm clock and a chance to win a Volvo S40.

I wonder how much I'd be able to sell the Volvo S40 so I can get a BMW 320i, on impulse!

Retirement: 20 / 20 Rule

Finance gurus say that the retirement rule is 20 - 20. This means that 20 years before your target retirement date, you should be saving for THE DAY.
.

TARGET DATE
My target age for retirement is 55 years old and that's 19 years from now. We've started saving last year and have various "small" sources. Most are forced savings therefore we can't touch them until a certain period. By the time I retire, the kids would have graduated from college and would be on their own. My last day at work should be December 31, 2027.
.

TARGET AMOUNT
When I was in college, during my finaman or financial management subject, I computed that I need P10 million to retire comfortably. I guess I made a mistake in computing as I didn't foresee that inflation would hit 14%. Besides, back then, I didn't give a hoot about inflation. Inflation for me then was a term used to fix a basketball that needed some air. :) My new target is to have P40 million in liquid assets or a monthly income of P200 thousand from various sources by 2027.
.

It's a huge amount indeed and I actually haven't even scratched the surface. Add to that is the fact that our family is just starting so there are tons of bills to pay, insurance, children's education, the list goes on. Will I meet the goal? Only time can tell.

Arriva Avida!

Avida Land is making headway with their Makati West project. Located between Yakal and Mayapis street and covering one block, tower one's foundation is complete and they've already started with the ground floor.
.
When we purchased our units via pre-selling mid last year, we were told that the 300 something unit tower one is 70% sold out. It was initially offered to Ayala Corp employees. Lucky them! We got a 10th floor unit with a Manila Bay view. It was not an ideal floor for us (currently living on the 18th floor of a condo in Salcedo Village) but what we got is acceptable.
.
Our loan in BPI should kick in this month. Seems like they're a bit delayed. Not sure if it's the sales agent's fault or the bank. How much does this delay cost? I was recently told that the annual interest increased from 10.99% to 11.75%. Somebody didn't do their job properly and we were charged additional 0.76%. Only in the Philippines. And the messenger of the bad news even had the gall to lecture me about inflation reason why the interest went up. Anyway, I knew that the situation was similar to a hostage taking (since Avida Land and BPI both belong to the Ayala Corp) and there was no recourse but to pay the ransom.
.
The turnover is Y2010. That's 2 full years from now. We're excited to move to our own home. As for now, home sweet home will be at a rented condo in Salcedo Village.

Will this be my next UV project?

Last Sunday on the way to the farm, I chanced upon an 80s Toyota Mini Cruiser at a vehicle lot. It's called a mini cruiser because it's big brother is the mighty late 70s Toyota Land Cruiser (first generation). Based on my assessment, the vehicle used to be a Philippine Army service vehicle hence that the utility vehicle (UV) is used is an understatement.

My novice analysis on cars tells me that I'll be spending in the the neighborhood of P70,000 to make the vehicle serviceable. Here's the list of possible expenses:
1. New Toyota 12R engine = P15,000
2. New set of all terrain tires = P15,000
3. Body works & painting = P15,000
4. Seat upholstery & canvas top = P 6,000
5. Registration = P 6,000
6. Miscellaneous expenses = P10,000
TOTAL EXPENSES = P67,000

I called the owner through his celfone and he said he'd sell the junk jeep to me for P50,000. Therefore the project would cost about P120,000 without airconditioning and unforeseen expenses which only a real mechanic can tell. I therefore conclude that it is not a wise project. A better option would be to get a 90s Suzuki Samurai or a 90s Mitsubishi Pajero which would cost in the neighborhood of P130,000.

Meet Tatang Carlos

Carlos Bautista is a second generation farmer in Barangay Balanti. He and his children plant corn, tomato, eggplant and other vegetables in our farm. Our landowner-tenant relationship started more than 5 years ago. I like our relationship because his accounting of income and expenses, though not scientific, is clear and accurate. He values integrity and one of the few tenants who takes care of the expenses. Normally, the landowner pays in advance the expenses - seeds and fertilizer.

Today, he told me that he's going to retire from farming and endorsed his children - Dado, Dhod and Nick to deal with the family. I just hope that the children are as trust worthy as the old man. Tatang Carlos turned 73 years old this year.

Meet Cong Cenon

Cenon Mendiola is a 61 year old male from Barangay Balanti, Tarlac City. He is happily married with 12 children (or more) and 36 grand children. He is a boatman in Brgy. Tibag which is an adjacent barangay from where he lives. Everyday, he ferries people across a 400 meter wide river and the passengers pay P5 per person. His boat can carry up to 6 passengers and the ride will take about 2 minutes. On a good day he earns P200 but on the average only earns P100.

I've known him since my teenage years because he used to drive our jeep and does alot of errands for my parents. He together with his ka-barrio attended my father's wake in May. Everytime I see him, I'd give him pang merienda as advised by my father. Last Sunday, I gave him more than pang merienda so he'd have a hearty meal with his family that day. I told him not to use the money to buy alcohol to which he obliged. He told me that my old man knows him better than I do because he doesn't drink.

This is my small way of giving back to the less fortunate. The next time I see him, I'll give him pang merienda and some clothes.

FN: Cong is a Kapampangan word for an older brother. It is used as a sign of respect.

Death Becomes Him

Everybody is saying how year 2008 is a very lucky year. Olympics opened 8-8-08 and in the Chinese way of life, eight is a lucky number. Months in advance, event sites are booked because everybody wants a piece of triple 8.

While there are four and a half months before the lucky year 2008 ends and a lot of things may still happen, I've already concluded that it is a sad year for me. The untimely demise of my father due to a natural cause is a big blow to a closely knit family like ours. We relatively live a simple life, just enough monetary resource but overwhelming with love. I pray that the love strengthens with the loss of a pillar.

Long Time No Post

It's been almost 2 weeks since I last posted an entry in my blog. I'm at a challenging phase in my life were I have to sacrifice certain things that I enjoy doing for a greater good or at least that's how I view it. Mountain biking has to take a back seat. My blog entry is suffering in consistency. Web surfing is limited and no time to practice taking my precious pictures. Practically all my sources of anti stress are taking a breather. As a result, the stress level is at an all time high. Admittedly, I am outside my comfy zone right now and just surviving on a day-to-day basis. I hope months down the road, I can look back at this day at this blog entry and say that - I SURVIVED!!!

Addicted to Cars!

As the song goes "Might as well admit it, I'm addicted to love." In my case, I admit that I'm addicted to cars. Imagine going to Singapore, walk for 10 mins. from the hotel to the train station, travel 5 stops, walk almost 1 kilometer just to see Honda Cars in Alexandra Road. That was one lang walk under the heat of the sun. I did all of that this year to check out this mags...

In His Time

In His time (2x)

He makes all things beautiful;

In His time.

Lord, please show me every day

As You're teaching me Your way,

That You do just what You say;

In Your time.

(In Your time;) (2x)
You make all things beautiful;
In Your time.
Lord, my life to You I bring
May each song I have to sing,
Be to You a lovely thing;
In Your time

Bridge Over Troubled Water

When you're weary, feelin' small
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all.
I'm on your side, Oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
When you're down and out, when you're on the street
When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you.
I'll take your part, Oh when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Sail on children, sail on by
Your time has come to shine, all their dreams are on their way
See how they shine, Oh when you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled waters,
I will ease your mind.I'll ease your mind.

2012 SMT Car Plan?

Our 2007 Honda CRV is celebrating her first year anniversary this month. Being a true blue car buff, days after getting our first real SUV, I've been dreaming what car to get next. My next car pla is scheduled in 2012 and I'd be 40 years old by then. They say that life begins at 40 so what ride should I get while I approach mid life?

By 2012, the plan is to keep the Vee ('07 Honda CRV), sell the '02 H. Civic and get a new vehicle. Currently, there are 4 candidates:

(1) Toyota RAV 4. I like the design of the 1st gen and the 2nd gen cute-ute. The 3rd gen looks like a very slight modification of the 2nd gen hence it didn't appeal to me that much. Add to that is the fact that the base model cost P1,4M which was out of our budget and was not worth it. But it bears a Toyota badge and it's always worth considering.

(2) Toyota Prius. One of my life targets is to THINK GREEN and one big way is to get a hybrid car. In a nutshell, a hybrid car uses 2 engines, a gasoline and an electric motor. From 0 to 45 kph, it uses the electric motor and any speed over that uses the gas engine. Currently, the 1st gen Prius retails at P1,7M and grapevine talks say that it might be reduced to P1,3M once an environment act is passed into law.

(3) Honda CRV. Not again! That we're driving 2 Hondas is just a coincidence, it is not by design. To drive another one in 2012 is just loyalty to the max. Then again, if the price is right and Honda offers a 4th gen CRV which has a hybrid engine priced at P1,3M, we would go for it.

(4) Subaru Forester. This is an odd choice. The choice is: do you want to be a face in the crowd or do you want to deviate? In 2007, we choose the former. The 2nd gen Forester was an option in 2007 but a 3rd one. I like the design of this cute-ute but the timing is just not right. They introduced the 3rd gen just this year so by 2012, the body & chassis will be practically the same.

I have a full 4 years to assess. A lot of things might change, for better or for worse, hopefully for better. At any rate, there's no charge for dreaming.

Would you like a Cherry Tiggo?

Would you like a Cherry Tiggo? The car sounds like an upsell by a McDonald's crew. It looks like a rebirth of a 2nd generation Toyota RAV 4. The engine sounds like a 1.6 liter sedan undergoing extreme punishment.

Chinese Invasion

This pretty much sums up my comments on the 2008 Cherry Tiggo. Cherry is a Chinese car manufacturer who recently set up a distributor in the Philippines. They're pretty aggressive - a sales outlet in Tarlac City at a prime location, sales blitzes in metro manila malls. They really mean business and their message is that they want to slug it out with the big boys.

Cheapest SUV
Priced at under P800,000 I'd say it is the cheapest SUV in the market. At under a million, you get dual airbags, anti lock braking system, roll bars and a 1.6 liter engine! Well you can't have everthing. Another model, QQ is the cheapest hatchback in the market. In the early 90s Kia Pride CD5 was introduced at around P350th. Fast forward to almost 2 decades, the Cherry QQ is offered at P318th. It goes without saying that the company's differentiator is the price.

So would I get a Cherry Tiggo? It depends, if it is given for free or at least sold with a 50% discount, I'll definitely grab the offer.

One Seventy in my Vee!

We tested the all new Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway last Saturday Dau, Pampanga to Luisita, Tarlac leg. That portion opened midnight of July 25. On the way, there were only 3 cars northbound hence ideal for high speed driving.

The car of choice that weekend was our '07 CRV which will be celebrating it's 1st birthday in 3 weeks time. Our Vee is equipped with a 2.0 liter gasoline engine producing 150 horsepower. The speedometer allots 220 kilometer per hour but my target then was just to bring it to 180 kph. The speed rush in me pushed the vehicle to 170 kph. I could have brought it up to 180 kph but I remembered my Papa's advice - speed drive only when alone and don't do it with your family.

Drive safely.

Our Ayala Museum Adventure

July 19, 2008 - The plan this weekend was to see the National Museum in Manila. It was not meant to be as we learned that the museum is undergoing renovation. The back up plan was to go to Ayala Museum which was just 5 minutes from our place. Funny, we've been living in Makati for the past 4 years but we haven't seen the "new" museum. One of the perks of being a Makati resident is a big discount in museum entrances. We only had to pay P150 for adults and P75 for children. Museums in the Phils are relatively cheap as museums abroad cost in the neighborhood of P500 to P1000.

T'was my second time to see Ayala Museum. The last time was over 2 decades ago during a school field trip in my elementary days. While the building is new, the location and the concept are the same. It's located at the corner of Dela Rosa St. and Makati Ave. The concept - dioramas depicting the history of the Philippines, miniature galleons and paintings from famous Filipinos.

The difference lies withe the company - my wife, my 10 year old son and my 4 year old daughter. My wife was amazed, it was learning filled for my son and my daughter saw it as space freedom (compared to our 65 sq.m. condo). In all, it was mega bonding time for the four of us.

Not Short on Leadership

Carlos P. Romulo - 5'1"
Jose P. Rizal - 5'2"
Emilio Aguinaldo - 5'3"
Andres Bonifacio - 5'4"

Philippine history declares that in the late 19th century to the early 20th century, these were the people that we look up to. These people fought eye to eye with towering Spaniards, Brits and Americans who stood at 5'10".

This is what I learned or relearned during our 2 hour field trip with my family in Ayala Museum last Saturday.

Budget Four Wheel Drive

We are based in Central Business District, Makati City. Sounds cool, huh? Well, not entirely true! For a simple provincial lad like me, the magnet of a cosmopolitan city is not that strong. I'm only here for thefinancial benefits, the future of my children and preparation for retirement.

As soon as I retire from the hustle and bustle of the corporate world, the first thing I'm going to do is get myself a four wheel drive vehicle. ATV? UV (pick up)? SUV? The acronym doesn't matter as long as all four wheels engage on demand.

If retirement were today, budget would be in the range of P150,000 to P200,000. For that budget, candidates would be early 90s Suzuki Samurai SJ10 or early 90s Mitsubishi Pajero 1st gen. It's just a utility vehicle, just needs to get the job done, no flares, no fanfare. My ideal set up includes- clean (red) paint, stock all terrain tires, decent sound system, cool air conditioning and well maintained.

And where will I use it? The most logical answer would be an agricultural farm. The family currently has agri farms in Tarlac City and Bamban, Tarlac. I also dream of purchasing my own farm in Tarlac. It should be an integrated farm with a lake or a pond, rice pods, corn field, some eggplants and tomato and lots of trees, preferrably mango so they would be income earning.

So when is retirement? It's 20 years from now when our children have graduated from college and should be working by that time.

Bisita Iglesia, SG

When I was a newbie manager handling Central Luzon region, one of my religious commitments was to visit a town's cathedral and say a little pray. I did that consistently while assigned in Central Luzon and continued the commitment when I handled South Luzon region.

I am now based in Metro Manila handling a newly formed group. Recently, the company sent me to SG to attend a telco convention and I just had to continue my pledge and visited St. Andrew's Cathedral.

That visit felt good.

Happy Father's Day

Hi Papa,

I was in SG during the 3rd week of June, just a week after Father's day. This adage used as a window ad in Suntec City Mall caught my attention. It reads "My father taught me about life not with words but by how he lived his."

I wish I could say Happy Father's Day directly to you but I know you're in another universe right now. I hope they have internet in heaven and that you're reading this web log. I read in your diary that you consistently read my blog entries.

I miss you and I love you. Happy Father's day!

Your son, DyLac

A Bad Dream

When I was a teenager, I had a bad dream that my father passed away. I was bothered by that dream and the first thing that I did after waking up was call him. I was in college then in Manila and he was in Tarlac so I had to make a long distance call. While on the line, he said that it was just a bad dream, he was okay and that I should pray and everthing will be fine.

Fast forward to April 24, 2008, I received a text from Mama that Papa was in ICU because he had a stroke. After 12 days in the hospital, my almost 2 decade old dream became a very sad reality. I'll still hold on to Papa's bilin - that he's okay, I should pray and everything will be fine.

BoyLac's Stampita : A Perfect Match

While searching through a dozen choices for Papa's stampita, we chanced upon this very apt content. For me it was almost perfect. As if it was created specially for Papa and the situation.

Thank you God for lending to us my father BoyLac. We sorely miss him but we know he is in good hands.

**********

In Loving Memory Of Jose "BoyLac" Pasion Lacsamana, Jr.
November 27, 1946 - May 5, 2008

God saw you were getting tired,
And a cure was not to be.
So He put His arms around you
And whispered, "Come to Me."

With tearful eyes we watched you,
And saw you pass away.
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.

Your golden heart stopped beating,
Your hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes the best.

DeLand, Florida, USA

Asian Tour Day 7: The Orchard Road, May 24

Our City Tour was still in effect but we opted not to use it anymore and instead decided to explore Orchard Road. I acted as the “advance party” as I decided to leave the hotel early to do some chores such as – mailed postcards to my parents, my in laws and my superior (Funny, it was a Malaysian postcard mailed in Singapore.), buy some groceries, transfer pix from my camera to another memory card, check out Smart Pinoy Center in Lucky Plaza and look for Takashimaya S.C. (Shopping Center). It was raining cats and dogs in the morning and it was just right that I went ahead and checked out where we can pass without getting wet.

Afterwards, I went back to the hotel, checked out then my family and I were off to SG’s most prominent street – Orchard Road. Lunch was at the Takashimaya foodcourt while dinner was at McDo. More shopping today for clothes particularly Bossini since the prices where rock bottom compared to Pinas. Not much pictures taken today as I’ve already taken almost 2000 pictures during our 7 day trip. BTW, 2000 is not an exaggeration as I consumed 2 full 2 GB cards using my SLR digicam. Taking pictures is the cheapest form of tourist memento hence I’m investing on it. My motto: any figure close to zero without loosing the quality is always the best option. I have everything planned in my mind – landscape pix using flickrs.com, portrait pix using friendster.com and combo pix and stories using blogger.com.

Asian Tour Day 6: City Tour by Hippo, May 23

My day actually started early. While my family were still resting, I took the opportunity and took the MRT from Somerset to Redhill station to check out the Honda showroom in Alexandra Road. The plan was to canvas a 2002 Civic EX emblem (which they didn’t have) and 2007 CRV 18in mag wheels (which cost an arm and a leg at P114,000 for 4 pieces and excluding shipping). In the showroom, I saw their version of the Civic, CRV and Accord and models not offered in the Phils like the Stream, Oddessey and ultra sporty Civic Type R. Along the way I saw Euro Cars showrooms of Peugeot, Volkswagen, Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, Citroen and Jap Cars showrooms of Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, Subaru and Nissan.

Around lunchtime, we took the City Tour which cost SG$23 per person but it was well worth it and valid for 2 days. The guided tour took us to more than 20 stops with different points of interest. We rode on a double decker and it had an open top. We had late lunch at Suntec City, which was actually the tour company’s main base and considered the second largest mall in SG. In the afternoon, we took the river boat ride on an authentic bum boat and this tour gave a great view of Boat Quay, Clark Quay, Esplanade and the landmark Merlion fountain. Rain was a kill joy but lo and behold, it was only isolated rain showers as there was not a spec of rain in lower part of Orchard Road. We capped our day by splurging in Bossini’s close out sale where we spent more than P10K.

Asian Tour Day 5: Let there be Lloyd’s Inn, May 22

The internet reviews says the hotel personnel were rude. James was not rude. Nor was Peter. I won’t hesitate a bit to go back to that place. The hotac was at Lloyd’s Inn located in #2 Lloyd road within the vicinity of Orchard road and very near Somerset MRT. And yes, it was not a pretty hotel - the inn was almost 4 decades old, the bed sheets were not white as I wished them to be or the carpet needed cleaning pronto but we only paid P3,600 a night for the almost perfect location. A perfect location cost in the neighborhood of P9,000 a night and that’s something we’re not ready to embrace.

The plan today was to explore Sentosa Island. Getting there was a cinch- hello MRT! We took the MRT from Somerset to Harbourfront station. The MRT station was linked to VivoCity, the largest mall in SG. Then we took the cable car in Harbourfront. I was not actually enthusiastic about the cable car ride being acrophobic but I know the kids will enjoy it (just like in Hong Kong) that’s why we didn’t miss it. In Sentosa, first up was a skyride by JML and B5, then more pix taken in Images of SG, B5 checked out SG through a telescope, then B5 and I entered the Merlion and watched a short film, had merienda at Delifrance (Trixie a Filipina as one of the staff), walked all the way to the beach front, rode the eastbound and westbound trams and capped the day by watching the Songs of the Sea fireworks and lights display. Going back to the mainland, we rode the Sentosa Express then took the convenient MRT back to Somerset. Lunch and Dinner was in the same carinderia along Killeney Road near Lloyd’s inn.

Asian Tour Day 4: Meeting of Two Rivers, May 21

Our best decision in MY was probably the half day city tour. Everybody in the family enjoyed it. Our ten year old boy had a grand time during the tour. Our personal tour guide Did Din provided the entertainment. Riding a BUS PERISAN which actually means tourist bus we toured around the city from 9AM to 12NN and taking us to the following points of interest: another view of the Petronas Twin Towers, showed the location of the Phil and US Embassy, the new tunnel whose construction was featured in Discovery Channel, passed by Merdeka Square and the actual location of the two rivers, the King’s Palace, the parliament, the old train station, the Freedom Park, a tour of a batik factory, a souvenir shop and a locally made chocolate shop.

INFO DUMP
This is just pure information dumping. Things that we learned during the trip:
Kuala Lumpur actually means meeting of two rivers.
Malaysia’s killer natural disastrous elements are water and earth (soil). They have frequent floods and landslides but through the years, the government has implemented measures to minimize this such as an efficient flood protection system and land management system.
Recently, they bore four big tunnels within the city limits, 2 used for vehicles and 2 for flood waters. Traffic is bad in KL especially during rush hours. It’s like a virtual parking lot similar to EDSA between 7 to 9AM during weekdays.
Putra Jaya is a newly created city less than an hour from the CBD (Central Biz District) whose zoning is idea. It’s a new age wonder hence a must see in the next visit.

NEXT TIME
We’ve realized that 1 full day in Malaysia is simply not enough. In KL alone, we missed going to Bintang Walk, KL Tower and other points of interest. Putra Jaya will be part of our itinerary in future visits. I was told we need half a day to explore it. Then there’s Sepang where you’ll find the only international formula one racing circuit in Asia. Genting highland is also a must see as it’s a Tagaytay with Enchanted Kingdom type park and up the ante a few notches higher.

AEROLINE BUS
Here’s a great way to fly…ride the bus! Our 28 hour trip to MY was capped by a 5 hour bus ride from MY to SG via Aeroline Bus. It’s a no brainer that taking the bus is a lot cheaper compared to an airplane. To be more precise, it’s 50% cheaper. An airplane trip would cost us P12,000 while the bus trip only amounted to P6,000. And I’d say the experience was even better. Imagine riding a double deck bus and getting seats 1A and 1B – the best view in the house. You are right on top of the driver!

The quote for the day comes from my lovely wife JML “ Nalungkot ako para sa Pilipinas.” In our 4 day old trip which brought us to Jakarta & Kuala Lumpur, we’ve realized that Makati City was behind in a lot of things. This comment comes from a family whose been living in Makati Central Business District officially for nearly 4 years now.

Asian Tour Day 3: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 20

Our flight from ID to MY via Air Asia was at 8AM. Time was not on our side during this trip so that ends our 32 hour visit in this city that is officially a few scales better than Makati. We rode an LCC or Low Cost Carrier in the guise of Air Asia but it actually didn’t mean a thing. Included in the Malaysia package was an airport to hotel transfer and that’s when we met our eventual tour guide Din Din. He was of Malaysia and Chinese decent and was the perfect tour guide, knows the country like the palm of his hand, mixes touristy stuff with business and economics. The hotac was provided by Corus Hotel whose location was simply the best – a stone’s throw away from Petronas Twin Towers. As mentioned earlier, the hotel was a bit pricey but the package included breakfast, land transfer, a city tour so that justifies the cost. The target itinerary for the day was to explore and take precious pictures of the 4th tallest building in the world. Lunch was at Nando’s resto whose specialty was chicken. Pork is not actually a star in this side of the globe. They had a 5 point spice meter but I was only good for entry level. My wife JML could have passed level 3 if she wanted to but I’m no spice boy. Dinner was chicken rice at Suria Mall’s foodcourt. Aside from taking tons of pictures of the twin towers, we explored the depths of the mall and was not actually successful at keeping expenses in check. Our learning point during these international escapades- avoid going to the malls.

Asian Tour Day 2: Jakarta, Indonesia, May 19

PLAZA SENAYAN
Our day started a bit late as we had to recover from the late night travel. Our official tour guides for the day were SLS’ pretty wife Eve and their li’l boy Joshua. First up was at a foreign exchange center called Dua Sisi in Plaza Senayan. The exchange rate was about US$ 100 for IDR 900,000+. There’s not much coins in this side of the globe, mostly paper money. Lunch was at an Indonesian resto called Waroeng Kita (which means our small store). Their specialty was ox’s tail cooked fried and with soup and nasi goreng or lemak which was actually their variant of fried rice.

PACIFIC PLACE
Next we went to Pacific Place where Kidzania was located. I will not be able to give justice to the Kidzania experience just by telling you a story but every parent should have their children experience this totally different concept. It’s one of a kind, at least from my punto de vista. It’s like a small community, to name a few establishment- a gas station, an automobile dealers, a race track, a hospital, an electric company all in a small scale just right for kids. They have practically everything covered. The kids get paid salary for the experience and whatever they earn, they can use for some rides and buy stuff. If only I had the resources and time, I’d copy the concept and bring to Pinas. Dinner was in Y&Y resto with SLS and family. Imagine having dinner on a sailboat placed inside the mall. It was a totally different experience for the touristas.

SENAYAN CITY, ET. AL
All visitors from Jakarta have great things to say about J.CO Donuts so it was my time to try it and they were so right. The donut literally melts in your mouth. The donut show was led by J.Co in ID with Mister Donut, Dunkin’ Donut relegated as supporting casts. After some donuts and coffee at 11PM, we had a couple of drinks at Pure Resto and Bar. The bar’s name sounds pretty mundane but it offers a commanding view of the Jakarta skyline at night and revolves in certain times during the day hence giving you a 360 degree view of the city.

Asian Tour Day 1: S-I-M “Asian” Tour, May 18

Finally after a year of preparation, the whole family went on an Asian tour which covered Indonesia (ID), Malaysia (MY) and Singapore (SG). My friend went to SG recently and spent exactly the same amount (about P120,000) for the same number of people. Our tour covered 3 key cities in Asia for the same cost but we had to sacrifice on some expenses. I may have used the term sacrifice but a more apt term is adventure. In ID, accommodation was through a very, very good friend SLS. In MY, the accommodation killed our budget BUT the package included land transfers, breakfast and a city tour so that sort of off set it. In SG, our hotac was a measly P3600 a night at Lloyd’s Inn, ate meals at carinderia’s, rode the MRT a lot and walked a lot.

Our airline of choice was PAL (Phil Airlines). It was not exactly a maiden flight but the Manila to Jakarta route was just 20 days old. The lone flight was scheduled at 9PM and we arrived in Jakarta a few minutes past midnight. We were picked up at the airport by my friend SLS. The airport wasn’t as impressive as the relatively new NAIA but the “not so nice” perception about ID practically ended there. Day 2 is a totally different picture of Jakarta.