Nag DH kami sa HK.

Nag DH kami as in DISNEYLAND and island HOPPING visiting the following Hong Kong islands: Lantau, Tsing Yi, Hong Kong Island and Kowloon last April 22 to April 26, 2007. While it was my 3rd trip to the crown colony, this one was quite special as it was the first time we're traveling abroad as a family and the first time the kids rode an airplane.

Keep Walking!

Did you know that the walking pace of a person is an average of 5 kilometers per hour (about 3 miles per hour).

I live about 600 meters from my office which is roughly a 10 minute walk. Health advisories say it is beneficial to walk 10,000 steps a day. In fact, there are dozen of companies that advocate walking to their employees. Walking 10,000 steps which would take 240 minutes is equivalent to burning 12080 calories. In more mortal terms, walking 10,000 steps a day can burn enough calories to trim off 35 pounds in a year.

When I'm in the mood (or even when out of it), I engage in alot of pedo exercise. Probably the longest and most recent walk for me was in NYC when I walked almost the length of 5th avenue. I walked from Empire State bldg to Central Park. That's in excess of 5 kilometers (3 miles). In the Philippines, one of the longest walk I can recall is about 4 kilometers which was a walk from Tiara hotel in Malugay st., Makati to Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati. That's more than the length of Ayala Avenue.

Top Ten Travel Tips (International)

I’m not actually considered a frequent traveler, internationally speaking as I’ve only been to 3 countries in my lifetime: Hong Kong, Macau and the United States of America. I’m writing this entry because I’m considered on a roll for the past 3 years because of my yearly trip out of the country and these tips have guided me:

1- NO ID, NO ENTRY. Bring your passport everywhere go and I mean everywhere. Just guard it with your life. As a supplement, it would be good to bring your driver's license. You'll never know when you'll need these IDs.

2- MORE MONEY. I'm pretty sure you'll bring a handsome sum of money since you're in a foreign land but make sure you bring small amounts (read as coins) as well. You may need it for parking meters, make a phone call (mayroon pa ba nun) or whatever.

3- ANG PLASTIC MO! For non credit card fans like me, it's a must that you bring a card as well. The reality is that there are transactions that can best be handled by this payment method. And if you run out of cash, you can always use the cash advance feature of the card.

4- LIGHTER IS BETTER. This is more of a choice and I choose to travel light. Bring only what's necessary. There are some items that will be available in the hotels or you can buy disposable hence no need to bring from your country of origin. Another tip is not to bring BIG items like a toothpaste. You won't completely consume it anyway.

5- DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Just like during our school days, do your assignment. Although this time nobody's going to check. Must have information include: plot your itinerary, know the important contact numbers & address (hotel, airport, the Philippine embassy, your bank or its affiliate, your cellular phone network provider or its affiliate) and detailed directions per leg.

6- COMFY. Wear comfortable but appropriate clothes. If you’re going to a forever summer state like Florida, lose the fur coat. If you’re going to Canada or somewhere in northern US, a thermal undergarment will be your best friend. Also expect a lot of walking (tricycles are non existent in the countries that I’ve visited) hence I’d go for a comfortable pair of shoes over a stylish one. Sneakers are still the best!

7- DISPENSABLE. While it’s required to bring nice clothes for the endless photo shoots, bring clothes that you can let go. You'll never know if you'll need to leave some to free space for the new stuff.

8- WEIGHT WEENIE. You have to watch your weight referring to your baggage weight. Most international flights allow 70 lbs. maximum. It’s best that you check with your airline. Domestic flights usually allow 50 lbs. maximum. I learned it the hard way when I paid $50 during a flight from LAX to JFK. And we were only talking here about a 5 lbs. excess.

9- MEDICINE. The last thing you want to check out during time pressed travel is a drug store. Make sure you have enough medicine during your travel. It would help if you have a doctor’s certification stating why you need such medicines.

10- BEST BUY. Buy only stuff that you need, can't buy in your home base and cheaper if bought abroad. Else, just buy it at home especially if the difference is below 10%.

The Answer

The pessimist in me says "life is unfair" while the optimist in me says "bring it on!"

What is life about?

Is it about the wealth that you amass?

How popular you are?

The number of people you are able to help?

How you raised your children?

The number of countries you have visited?

Your impact on other people’s career?

Is it a combination of all?

I don't know the answer yet.

My biggest fear is how much time I have to find the answer.

Araw ng Kagitingan in Bataan

It was a perfect day in February 2004 when the ultimate mountain bike ride happened. The trail is called Mt Samat Bataan. The jump off point was Total gas station in Roman Highway in Hermosa, Bataan. As early as 6am, mt bikers started converging and setting up for this ride. Close to forty mt bikers from Manila, Angeles, Bataan and Tarlac joined forces to make this ride special.

It was already around 8am when we started rolling. The trail actually covered 3 towns: Hermosa, Pilar and Bagac. It was a misnomer in a sense because it was called Mount Samat but you won't actually traverse it but instead make it a trail marker. The trail goes around Mt Samat and throughout the ride, the big cross will ALWAYS be on your left.

The trail is about 60 kilometers long, 70% off road and 80% of the ride time is uphill. The highlights of the trail include: a refrigerator cool potable spring, picturesque view of the Bataan Peninsula and a chance to view the natural habitat of our friendly leftist group (NPAs).
The trail is composed of single tracks, fire roads and mini rock climbs, canopy of trees and dig this - a one hour plus downhill. Good thing I was riding a full suspension bike.

I know what you did last Holy Week

Holy Week is probably the most awaited period every year. This is the only time where you would love Metro Manila’s traffic situation since at least 70% of the metro dwellers would be vacationing in the provinces. Top destinations include Boracay, Puerto Gallera and Baguio. For my family, the long vacation will be spent in our hometown Tarlac City. Topping my things to do list is sleep followed by sleep and sleep some more. Then if I get enough sleep, I’d probably sleep some more. Pretty mundane you say? This is actually exciting for me. This is a chance for me to recharge my aging body. Here’s how I kept myself busy the whole week:

Monday:
I went to HSBC which was a stone’s throw away from our place to get my free laptop bag. T’was a neat black and gray back pack. It was time to replace my old laptop carrier so the new one was a product of loyalty points that I accumulated. In my excitement to get my new toy, I was a bit late for a meeting which is a no-no. It was the birthday of a good friend and officemate, the plump Tony E. He’d be one of the friends that I’ll keep after my life in SMT.

Tuesday:
I went on leave on this day. Morning was spent in St. Luke’s hospital for a periodic medical exam. The med exam cost P60,000! Whew! Good thing the company shouldered it else I would have succumbed to a disease called gastos dikokayatos. In the afternoon, we were practically running after time as we lined up 3 things to do but was only able to do 2, more like 1.5. Judy as able to complete her passport processing in DFA Pasay while the kids and I bonded at SM Mall of Asia. I don’t like the mall, it’s just too big! The next to do was claim my PAL Mabuhay Miles in their Legaspi Village office. Too bad there wasn’t any Hkg morning flights available.

Wednesday:
It was supposed to be a half day work today but I wanted to do a lot so I don’t have to carry the burden come Holy week hence poured on some more hours. I finally completed the performance appraisal exercise and proudly announced to my SLuz teammates that 4 of them were either upgraded or promoted during the Y2006 appraisal period. In the afternoon, we brought the kids to the park then in the evening, we checked out Tiendesitas in Pasig. We ate dinner at the Pride of Tarlac, Bonnie’s barbeque grille. The food was great especially their specialty which is ??? You guessed it, barbeque! Now guess what her name is? The fact that the owner is my first cousin is just a bonus.

Thursday:
En route to Tarlac City, we passed by Tiendesitas to pick up my cousin Jay S. who hitched a ride. Good thing he was around because we blew up a tire in North Luzon expressway and he helped me change the tire. That was not his only contribution though because he loaded us with tons of words of wisdoms and stories. I especially like the “Bad luck, good luck, who knows.” story. When we reached Tarlac in the afternoon, that was the queue of my sleep mode. ZZZ

Friday:
Morning was spent planning for HKG trip. I fixed our itinerary, list of possible expenses and other related stuff. It would be my 3rd trip to the crown colony in my lifetime. In the afternoon, my family and I attended a procession in honor of the Santo Entiero. The 1 hour walking procession took us around downtown Tarlac. This is probably the 17th straight year that I’ve attended the procession. In the evening, we had dinner at my Lolo’s place in Mabini where we usually have Good Friday dinner. We also had the chance to speak to our parents via an IDD call.

Saturday:
Today, we were originally scheduled to test drive our soon to be SUV the 3G Honda CR-V but that won’t happen because they too were on vacation. The tire stores in Tarlac too are on vacation. The day was spent practically lazing around the house doing what I originally set to do – sleep! After dinner, we went to my good friend Tikyo’s house. Tikyo has been a very good friend since 5th grade. That’s more that 2 decade of friendship.

Sunday:
Morning was spent watching Sponge Bob, Dora the Explorer and Cinderella 3 with my daughter. We heard mass in the afternoon at the church near my in-laws place. The church had an easter egg hunt afterwards but we weren’t too lucky in that exercise. Dinner was a treat at Hon Kee Tea House by my cousin Pipo who was celebrating his birthday. My only exercise for the week happened when we played basketball with my cousins and nephews after dinner and until 2 in the morning.

Monday:
Still no work today because it is Araw ng Kagitingan. I think this day is equivalent to US’s 4th of July. I wonder if Filipino producer’s will do a movie entitled AK 9 similar to Will Smith’s ID 4. They have a knack of copying American movies anyways. It’s back to reality for me. I wanted to leave Tarlac for Manila early so I could avoid the traffic. But the plan wouldn’t materialize because we had to replace my Asian Ute’s tires. It was actually scheduled for replacement as soon as we get back from Hkg but my trusty Toyota sent me clear message that his shoes need to be replaced pronto! I had to fork out P5,000 plus of unexpected expense. I just made HSBC 3.5% richer and I say I’m happy that they gave me a laptop bag? Sheesh! I should have asked for brand new tires instead of that bag. Hey HSBC, please include Pirelli tires in your loyalty points line up.

During the Holy Week, I originally planned to sleep a lot, attend a procession, play with the kids, ride my bike, go to the farm and finish reading 3 books. That I was able to do 50% was good enough. Until the next Holy Week!

Top Ten Car Tips

I am an individual who has an above average knowledge in automobiles. The tips that I’d like to share with you in this entry are highlights of my three and a half decades experience with cars. Yes, I’ve been a car lover ever since I was an infant. You may ask my parents if my claim is true. Here’s my contribution:

1. BLOWGAS. This should be done at least once a month or every time you have a long trip. BLOWGAS stands for:
a. Battery – A car battery should be replaced ideally every 2 years. Don’t wait for it to run dry before you replace it. In between those two years have the water solution checked.
b. Lights – Just like your house’s light bulb, there’s actually no standard period on when to replace it. It really depends on how often you use it. Logic dictates that the more often you use it, the faster is its lifespan. Hence, it is important that you constantly check if your lights (headlights both dim and bright, park lights, turn lights, brake lights and high mount brake lights or third brake light) are in good condition.
c. Oil – There are generally 3 types of oil; engine motor oil, transmission oil and differential oil. The first two are easily accessible via the engine. Just pop the hood and look for the labels. The 3rd one should be checked by a qualified mechanic.
d. Water – You must check the radiator water level and the wiper washer. These are two different containers that service two different systems. For the radiator, it helps to use a radiator coolant while for the wiper washer, you may use a solution. Don’t interchange these two additives.
e. GAS – Have gas, will run…this is the most basic requirement of any automobile. In this day and age, aside from fuel tank indicators, we have cars that tell you how many miles or kilometers to go before your fuel runs out. The best exercise is to often have your tank in full. Most people wait for the gas gauge to indicate empty before filling up.
The easier way to check this is to visit your friendly neighborhood gasoline station and have the gasoline attendant check it out.

2. TIRES – Having the correct tire pressure would equate to fuel efficiency. You can check out the owner’s manual or driver’s side door for the prescribed tire pressure. Tires should be replaced every two years. Don’t wait for it to get worn out. Here’s a tipid tip; replace only two tires, usually the front. After 6 months, replace the two old ones. To get equal tire exposure, you should ideally rotate the tires every 6 months.

3. AIRCON – Imagine, riding your car without air conditioning in this ultra hot summer season…to borrow my daughter’s line, “it’s the worse ever!” Make sure you have your aircon checked once ever 2 years. The aircon accumulates dust as fast as you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

4. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE – Nothing beats PM or preventive maintenance. PM is usually done by your car manufacturer’s after sales service department every 5,000 and/or 10,000 kilometers. The PM normally has a 100 point check which includes most of the car’s mechanical and electonic parts. Preventive Maintenance is a lot better practice that the very inconvenient and less economical Reactive Maintenance.

5. GET AWAY MODE – When parking, always aim to park on a get a way mode. This means your car’s rear should be facing the wall. The advantage of this is that you can easily leave the site (no need to back off) and it saves time. Just take note of the “Park facing the wall” instructions.

6. AUTO DETAIL – For car lover’s like me who have no time (and no patience) to splurge in regular car wax, here’s a solution. There’s a car capricho called Perma Shine which can be done once a year. What it does is it maintains the luster of your car. With this, you don’t have to wax your car monthly. It might cost an arm and a leg though but look at the long term benefits. You will definitely get verbatim such as “Your car looks as shiny as the day it left the casa.”

7. MUST HAVE TOOLS – Here are the tools that you must have in your car’s trunk: tire wrench, hydraulic jack, air compressor, jumper cable, cable ties, tow cable, spare fan belts, ample volume of brake fluid, motor oil, radiator coolant, and a mineral water. It’s best to adopt the Boy Scout tenet “Laging Handa.” As important as having the resources ready, make sure you know how to apply or use them.

8. MUST HAVE ACCESSORIES – Here are the accessories that you must have in your car: fog lamps and back up sensor. Most high end cars have these as standard equipment. In case you car budget only allows for a base model, have these installed. Fog lamps cost from $50 to $150 depending on the brand but the cost outweighs the benefits especially if you’re having difficulty driving at night. Back up sensor cost $150 to $300 again depending on the brand. Nothing beats OEM or Original Equipment from the Manufacturer. This is the ultimate rear bumper saver and parking aide. If they were to give an award for the most innovative car accessory, this product gets my vote.

9. NEW CAR – The reality is there is no perfect car for an individual. The next best thing is to narrow the gap between your requirements and what the car companies can offer. I’ve given advices to families and friends about what car to purchase; some are happy, some sad and some don’t talk to me anymore :) My advice is follow a 2 step approach: 1- Use factor rating (which can be found in one of my earlier blog entries) and 2- Follow your heart.

10. PRE-OWNED CAR – So your current budget can only get you a segunda mano. Thou shall not fret, some pre-owned cars are even better than brand new ones if we are talking about value for money. I’d get a slightly used 2002 Honda Civic LXi any day over a 2007 Hyundai Getz. Just remember that the mechanical and electronic parts are more important that the car paint. A big misnomer is that if the exterior is nice (original paint or nicely done paint job) the car is automatically branded as sariwa.

A car is like a living thing, treat it well and it’ll give you the service you that invest on.

The 3peat according to MJ

What's the similarity between MPJ (Michael Peoples Jordan) and DSL? They both delivered a 3peat in their 7th year of service. While Air Jordan did in on the basketball court, DieSeL did it in the corporate setting. MJ delivered the first world basketball champion 3peat in 91, 92 and 93 for the Chicago Bulls. DSL helped deliver an outstanding region 3peat in '04, '05 and '06 for the South Luzon WC operation.

I've always idolized Air Jordan. I have tons of MJ stuff like a complete DVD collection of his documentaries, numerous posters, a Jordan 5 shoe, basketball magazines like Sports Illustrated and Basketball Digest with him on cover. In basketball, the closest accolade was champion medal in college in a streetball (3 on 3) competition. We didn't repeat though.

MJs formula for success: 1- he constantly creates CHALLENGES for himself and the team. 2- While he was a good individual ball player, it was TEAMWORK that brought home the bacon. 3- he was very PASSIONATE with the game or his profession. This pretty much sums up our similarities.

TOP TEN Quotes

What's the difference between a quote, a maxim, a saying, a proverb, an adage? Practically nothing! They're basically inspirational thoughts and may have multiple interpretations. Here's my top ten list:

1- Strategies will only remain as strategies unless implemented. – DSL
2- The squeaky wheel gets the oil – First heard from ARM, my former superior.
3- As your career progresses, people will always talk about you. Your aim is that they'll always say something good. - DSL
4- The problem is not what we know but how we use it. - Steven Lesser
5- The Golden Rule : "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." - Confucius
6- In this day and age, what's important is who you know, not what you know. – First heard from my mother
7- Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you'll feed him for life. – a Chinese proverb
8- How can you win against someone who doesn't even know the rules of the game - Garfield (the lovable feline)
9- Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country - JFK

10- It is not how much you save but when you start to save that determines your wealth - Francisco Colayco (the author of Wealth within your reach)

TOP TEN

This blog entry jumpstarts a series of TOP TEN according to DSL. My aim is to release two entries every month. I hope this will further spur interest in my blogsite and be able to help the readers in my own little way. Feedback are welcome; you may email (dslhummer2002@yahoo.com), send an sms, ym, telegram, a snail mail, use whatever medium as long as the message reaches me. And thank you for constantly reading my blog.

The Sun @ TSU

One of my dream things to do is to be a guest speaker during Tarlac State University's commencement exercise. When I used to head Tarlac City wireless center in my early twenties, I was invited to speak in a conference of college of business & economics graduating students. The topic was about careers after college. I recall speaking about how I got the job, my job responsibilities and my advice to these people who were about to join the workforce. During the Q&A portion, the funny question that was asked and was not a bit related to the topic is if I'm already married. The answer then was I was "young, free and single." If asked now, the answer would be "happily."

My 100th Blog Entry

I celebrate today my 100th blog entry. I've been posting blogs which is short for web log since July 2006. A blog is like an online journal or a diary which I used to have when I was in college. No people, diaries are not limited to ladies only. Real men write diaries or blogs too. Besides, I'm secure about my sexuality.

I decided to join the blog foray when I got back from my US trip. Most of my friends and family were asking me for stories about my trip and wanted to see my precious pictures. At first I tried to email the stories and pictures but later decided that it would be more convenient if I just posted the entries. My blog consultant Sherwin Mendoza was also a big help. So Shobe, if you're reading this, I thank you.

Some of my friends wonder how I find time out of my schedule to maintain a blog. The answer is time management and the power of technology. Here are the simple steps:
Step 1- It goes without saying that blogs should not be created during office hours hence word entries are done using my celfone. Ideas knows no boundaries and like my mother always say, write down your thoughts, don't rely on memory.
Step 2- Using MMS, email the word entry from your phone to your pc email.
Step 3- Copy and paste using Bill Gates' software to your blog site.
Step 4- Download a pix from the net or upload a picture from your database.

And voila! You have a blog entry. It's easy as one, two, three.

Hult!

I got a pleasant surprise tonight (March 27) though not much what I had hoped for. I got an international call from a representative of Hult International Business school, based in Boston, MA and they were following up 'my application.' They said they reviewed my profile and it fits their requirement. They asked some questions like if I took my GMAT already and when I plan to take my MBA. I sensed that they were a bit disappointed when I told them in 3 to 4 yrs time. They said that tuition fee is $70,000 and I can apply for a loan if I have a US based relative.

I'm definite they got my name from the World Tour MBA exhibit and seminar which I attended in July last year. I was shopping for something to do and their newspaper ad lured me to check it out. The tour had about 14 exhibitors and one of them was Hult. They have an intense one year MBA program. A typical MBA class is composed of: South America 25%, North Asia 25%, Europe 20%, Southeast Asia 20%, North America 8% and Africa and Middle East 2%. One of their known alumnus include Moon Yong Kwon, the mayor of Gangnam district, Seoul, South Korea. They are top ranked one-year MBA in the USA ranked by the economist.

It sounds grand but the ultimate dream killer is the $70,000 (P3,5M) pricetag. They said you can apply for a loan but a loan is a financial obligation that you have to pay within an agreed timeline. I was hoping that the call was to tell me that I was qualified for their scholarship program. Earth calling DieSeL!

Concert at the Park

Salcedo Park sponsored a concert last Saturday, March 24. An orchestra played from 8pm until about 11pm. Coffee talk says the conductor was even an Italian. So my question is: how many cities or towns in the Philippines have a concert with an orchestra led by an Italian conductor?

Jaime C. Velasquez park a.k.a. Salcedo park is located in salcedo village, brgy. Bel air. It's inside the famed central business district (Makati CBD). Led by brgy chairwoman Constancia Lichauco, it is one of the high profile barangays in the Philippines. I reckon the barangay's funding is greater than my hometown Tarlac City. Brgy Bel Air has a number of projects such as:
1- an ID system
2- free stuff and services for constituents like first aid kit, dental and blood pressure check
3- seminars such as martial arts, proper ethics for maid servants
4- their own set of security guards and
5- the 3 yr old salcedo saturday market.

Heck, they have their own ambulance built on a new Ford van typical of what you see in the movies. Like Metrobank's tagline, we're in good hands.

The Birth of Pampanga Trail Riders

Last 15th of February Y2004, fifty five mountain bikers from all over Pampanga converged in the parking lot of Clark parade grounds. Riders started building up around 6:00AM and rolled around 7:30AM. An intermediate trail called Manikayo would provide the venue for the event. It was a 25 kilometer trail which is 40% off road. The road part was a slow 15 kph cruise along the backyards of Clark: Centennial park, True North golf course, Expo, Centennial bridge to Sacobia. The off road part was a dusty uphill climb to Manikayo in Sacobia also inside Clark. The peak of the trail will give you a clear 180 degree view of the south side of Clark.

The mountain bikers came from all walks of life - students, medical and sales representatives, expats, businessmen, managers, doctors and retirees. Age range was from a young 11 year old to a still young at heart late 50s. Would you believe my father is even younger than these late 50s mt bikers. The average age was 32 years old. A good 80% of the riders are married (not only to their bikes but also to their spouses). A great majority of the riders are males and these gentlemen took good care of the 2 roses among the thorns. The bikes range from low end department store bikes to average priced GT Aggressor hard tails to high end Giant dual suspension bikes. All of the riders were in full battle gear and wearing the basic safety required helmets and gloves.

Usually, mt bike group rides range only from 5 to 20+ riders but this was a special day because we had a 55 rider strong trail ride. What makes it extra special is that Infomax cable tv from San Fernando Pampanga will feature the trail ride in one of their shows. They are one with us in promoting the sport in Pampanga and tagging it a mountain biker’s haven.

Although the demographics varies, the common denominator among these 55 individuals is the love for the sport of mountain biking and the genuine thought of unifying the mountain bike riders in Pampanga hence the birth of Pampanga Trail Riders.

During these times when politics is a hot topic in our country, coalition does not only happen in the political scene, it also happens in the mountain biking scene in Pampanga.

Ride on!

Postscript: This article was posted in a number of websites and published in Urge sports magazine in Y2004. Three months after writing this article in March 2004, I was a re-assigned in our Makati head office hence the mountain biking had to take a back seat. The plan is to be active in mountain biking again starting April 2007. Tuloy ang ligaya!

REFERENCE:
Pls. click here to view the video # 1.
Pls. click here to view the video # 2.

The Honda Badge

Finally, the 3rd generation Honda Comfortable Runabout Vehicle and I meet. It was more than a year of waiting; from endlessly surfing the net to have a glimpse of what it looks like and have an idea how much it cost to seeing the actual unit in Honda Cars Makati today. The 3G CR-V was officially launched March 23 at Bonifacio High Street at the fort. The 2.4L 4x4 automatic transmission variant cost P1,450M while our preferred 2.0L 4x2 auto tranny cost P1,250M.

Though I must admit I was not really impressed with the radical design, it still carries the Honda badge so that alone is a big factor. Feature-wise, it is a so-so vehicle. It doesn't have the fully automatic aircon system of the Toyota RAV4, the 4-mode 4X4 system (4 hi, 4 hi lock and 4 lo lock) of the Suzuki Grand Vitara or the paddle shifting feature of the Mitsubishi Outlander the but again, it still carries the Honda badge.

Our decision to get this vehicle by July this year is largely because of THE BADGE. Once we get it, the first things to do are:
1- Remove the http://www.hondamakati.com.ph/ sticker
2- Remove the i-vtec sticker
3- Install 3M magic tint
4- Install back up sensors [Part No: 08V67-SWA-131K]
5- Install a finisher exhaust pipe [Part No: 02F53-SWE-700]

Future projects include the ffg:
1- Install fog lamps [Part No: 08V31-SWE-700A]
2- Replace mags with 10 spoke 17in (European Version)
3- Steering wheel stereo control
4- Install a roof rack [Part No: 08L02-SWE-700X]
5- Install a bike attachment [Part No: 08L07-TA1-203]

For a certified car nut like me, the day after I got my Toyota Revo in July 2002, I was already shopping for a replacement. Hence, being excited is an understatement.

MAFIA : Managerial Finance by Aesod.

"Mr. DSL, This is not Philosophy. Finance is an exact science so please don't wiggle your way out of your predicament." This line was delivered by my professor when I was trying to justify a wrong answer. I just completed a course called FINANCE FOR NON FINANCE MANAGERS run by AESOD trainer Porky Calaquian. It was my 4th managerial finance course in my three and a half decade existence.

The first was in college since it was a major subject for my management degree at DLSU. While I did relatively well in math in college, I had trouble then with business analysis. Probably because I didn't take it seriously since getting drunk and playing basketball occupied my mind then.

The second encounter was horrible. As a then newbie manager, the company sent me to a Manager's Development Program at AIM. The professor was very good, a respected person in the academe. Unfortunately, his name escapes me right now. We were loaded with tons of case studies. It was a brain frying experience.

The third bout with managerial finance was during my masters in management days in UP. I was an average student who had average knowledge of the principles. I was focused in class 50% of the time and the other half was spent day dreaming. The class was then scheduled from 2 to 5pm hence considered the most challenging part of the day.

This is the fourth meeting. In all honesty, this is the managerial finance course were I learned a lot. I surmise that this can be due to the following: (1) this is my Nth encounter, (2) I have more than half a decade experience as a manager and (3) the facilitator is a good teacher first then a good accountant.

The AESOD trainer said she has 27 years of managerial finance experience. It seems like I have 20 more years to go to reach her stature. Happy computing!

Package Delivered

"One man's thrash is another one's treasure."

As promised, I gave my gift to the angels of Children's Joy Foundation today (March 19) which qualifies for within the month timeline. It's difficult to describe the delight of the children after seeing the present a.k.a. a balikbayan box neatly wrapped with a birthday theme. It was a labor of love because I packed and wrapped it myself. As pledged, the box contained used and new toys, used and new clothes, used books, new slippers and old but new premium items. I had mixed emotions; sad to see their current state, babies and toddler left by their parents because they can't take care of them; felt blessed because we are the ones helping and not the other way around and happy because this is my first birthday were I was the one who gave a surprise. I love the feeling, let’s have more of these!

Plate Number Fever

"Dad, How come it's called plate number when it has letters? It should be called plate letter and number." said my then 4 year old son referring to Philippine license plates which normally have 3 letter and 3 numbers. I like to check out vehicle plates. That's probably part of my being a car buff.

During my US vacation, I saw plates such as:
SAY CHS - I reckon this is not owned by senatoriable Chiz Escudero.
TURTLE - I'm sure the owner loves pets other than dogs.
MOMONEY - I not sure if he meant he wants more because he's already driving a Mercedes Benz coupe.
BICOL – Can you guess where the owner is from?
HUSTLER - Is he the owner of the men's magazine or this tells how he conducts business?

In the local scene, I chanced upon the following:
JVE 777 matched with a black Range Rover owned by San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito.
HMR 222 on a bright yellow first generation Hummer.
FUK 222 on a spruced up Honda Civic. I hope this is not owned by a whore.
LLL 777 on Loren Legarda Leviste's Mercedez Benz 190e
BMW 320 which is most definitely not on a Toyota.

My dream ride is a black BMW X5 with matching DSL 315 plate. Too bad that won't become a reality because I already saw that license plate on a stainless steel owner type jeep. Oh well. Ü

Honda CR-V : The suspense is killing me!

Paging Honda Philippines, it's time to release the 3rd generation Honda CR-V. Most of our neighbors in Asia have already launched the much awaited SUV. Internet forum talks show that 3 variants will be released; a 2.0liter 6 speed manual, a 2.0liter 5 speed automatic and the top of the line 2.4liter 5 speed automatic.

Since our budget is only P1,3M, we're eyeing the base model auto tranny. Here's a result of an internet research that I did about list price of our neighbors of the base model variant converted in Philippine peso:
Singapore P2,784,662
Malaysia P1,973,845
Thailand P1,726,960
Indonesia P1,485,000
Australia P1,292,964.

On the other side of the globe, US retails it for P1,119,650. I went to Honda Tarlac last month and they said that the price increase is only P150th from the 2nd gen models hence that would be sub P1,3M. Then again, I'd rather be killed by the suspense than the price.

Happy Birthday to me!

I’m celebrating my 35th birthday today. I want my birthday this year to be extra special! My plan is that I’ll give a gift to the angels of Children’s Joy Foundation (CJF) located in Calamba City, Laguna. Just a brief profile, CJF Laguna branch is a sub-branch of a better funded CJF in Metro Manila. They have about 30 less fortunate children. The youngest is just a baby while the eldest is about 15 years old. During our last visit to them in January this year, I told them that I’ll pool my personal resources and give them a gift this year. The gift will contain used children’s clothes, new and used toys, new and used school items and new slippers for everybody. I’ll wrap the box, place my note which you’ll find below and personally deliver it within the month. I hope this will make them happy…

Dear Angels of Children’s Joy Foundation,

It's my birthday today. I'm turning 35 years. I'm pretty sure that is more than double your age. When I was about your age, I used to look at 30+ year old people as very old. I now realize that I'm just halfway to an expected lifespan of a Filipino.

When you grow older, a birthday just becomes a regular day in your life. To make my 35th birthday special, instead of 'receiving,' I shall be 'giving' a gift to you. Like any present, it is neatly wrapped complete with a birthday card. I hope this will truly surprise you and you find the things useful.

My five wishes for you on my birthday are: 1- that you be able to finish your studies, 2- you find a job you enjoy doing, 3- earn to live comfortably, 4- be responsible citizens of our society and 5- help the less fortunate in your own little way.

My only request is that you pray for me especially my health, that I'd live long enough to see my children (aged 9 and 3 years old) graduate from college and be able to help more people.

Happy Birthday to me!

Kuya DSL

M.I.3 Becomes a Reality

The South Luzon wireless operations team recently won Model Region of the year (2006). This is the 3rd year in a row as they won the award in Y2004 and Y2005.

Critics says the first award in Y2004 was a fluke because this "whining" team was perceived to be a group of old dogs who ran out of new tricks. The second model region award in Y2005 proved that the accolades received were products of the region's vision which reads: T4 - Teamwork, Trust and Target Focused equals Top Region within the next 2 years (until Y2005).

The recent award was given during the Rewards & Recognition in Baguio Country Club. This 3peat only proved that the perceived whiners just needed the right direction to show that they are actually winners. The vision that guides this team says: To be the model region with the most significant contributions to Customer Care organization by Y2007. Now who ever said it's hard to teach old dog new tricks? Mission accomplished!

Dy's Ride : The difference between ACTUAL and TARGET

The utility vehicle on right is my ACTUAL ride while the one on the left is my TARGET ride. I just hope the vehicle is still in production when the time comes and I can afford one already. Swap tayo, auntie LST? :)

A Taste of Macau in San Jose, Tarlac

We went to hear mass in San Jose, Tarlac today with my parents, my family and my sister's new family. The new place which was inaugurated last January 31, 2007 is called Monasterio De Tarlac, Servants of the Risen Christ Monastic Community located in Eco-Tourism Park, Brgy. Lubigan, San Jose, Tarlac. It is about 30 kilometers west of Tarlac city and 308 meters above sea level. It literally sits on top of a mountain.

The church reminds me of St. Dominic church in Macau which I saw in Y2005. St. Dominic is a baroque Filipino style church built by the Spanish Dominican friars in the mid 16th century. The facade, color of the exterior, the altar and the grounds surrounding the church justify the similarities. I hope they can maintain Monasterio de Tarlac as well as St. Dominic church. My I take my hat off to Gov Aping Yap! Seems like the good governor found his purpose in life.

The HURT by Kalapana

"Are you hurt, Daddy?" my little girl asked me when she woke up this Friday morning. She was referring to the wound on my right ankle which I got last Thursday morning. I told her that Daddy's hurt but didn't further elaborate. I was actually hurt emotionally, a result of a Thursday meeting. Who wouldn't be, our team was supposed to win 7 out of 10 individual and group awards but now they are changing the rules of the game (two months after the buzzer has sounded) so that the awards will be equally spread among other groups. So much for a consistent whole year performance.

Magic 3-2

Two weeks ago, our little boy B5 recently placed 3rd in their department’s Quiz Bee. Too bad I wasn’t able to watch the contest because of work requirements. He was chosen because he is rank no. 2 in class as of the 2nd quarter. His partner was the class’ rank no. 1.

Just last week, we got his 3rd quarter grades and we’re happy that he maintained his ranking. This despite sliding a bit from an academic average of 94.50 to 93.83.

Way to go, B5!

My tip to the newly married couple : C.U.R.E

My only sister got married last Saturday. The groom and I have a number of things in common; he's a Tarlaqueno, a Bosconian, loves cars and basketball, about the same height and physique. It was a beautiful wedding, en grande in Tarlac’s standards: very organized, cool venue, great food and well attended. It helped that my sister works for the Coconut Grill Resort in Capas, Tarlac where the reception was held. The venue is very memorable for me as this was where I surprised my parents 10 yrs ago and told them that I was going to get married. There were guests who came from Tarlac, Laguna, Metro Manila and a number of US based relatives. It was also a "show of force" because of the local politicians who attended the affair: Tarlac Gov Aping Yap & VGov Bogs Aganon, Board Member Amado Go and Pura Tarlac Mayor Boying Sawit who are close friends of my parents even before they joined politics. Here's my message to the couple:

To my little sister Boopie, I still remember the when you were 17 years old and you first told me that you had a boyfriend, it came as a surprise to me and I realized that my little sister is now a little girlfriend. You are now almost 31 years old and officially married. Thank God! We were worried that you idolized Lola Bukid and Lola Ondek so much that you wanted to be a spinster.

To my younger brother Mark, welcome to the family. This may seem like a small family but let me assure you it’s one BIG family. You actually married four barangays; Barangay Soliman, Brgy. Gococo, Brgy. Pasion and Brgy. Lacsamana.

To Mark & Boopie, there is no such thing as a perfect marriage. My wife can attest to that. From a 10 year veteran in marriage, my tips can be summed up in C.U.R.E. The acronym C.U.R.E. means COMMUNICATION, UNDERSTANDING, RESPECT and ENCOURAGEMENT. Congratulations and Best Wishes!

Box Type Wonder : Life in a Condo

We've been living in a condo for the past two and half years. The reason why we choose a condo over a house is primarily because of proximity. We don't actually fancy living in this type of structure but if we had a chance, we'd still repeat the same process. In my perspective, let me share the advantages and disadvantages of living in a box.

The Advantages:
* Brown out free (even during a nasty typhoon like milenyo)
* Great view of the metropolis (at least our unit)
* Guarded 24 hrs a day
* Amenities like a gym, swimming pool and a helipad (yes, a helipad, where a helicopter lands).

The Disadvantages:
* Limited or no green (plants)
* You have to carry the grocery and luggage from the parking area to your unit. (Even though there’s an elevator to assist you, this is the part that I hate most)
* You know when your neighbors are 'doing it'
* Place is too cramped hence it will test your creativity.

Budget dictates that the place will suffice for now. We still dream of living in a real house with a big garden and a 4 car garage. In the end, we'd rather have a 4 car garage which is fully maximized than have an underutilized helipad!

Is he for real?

This is the third time I heard Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos being interviewed over the phone in the past two weeks. Now that "election fever" is up, he is considered to be THE MAN. In his interview today over DZMM, my favorite AM station, he said that he threatened to sue for libel a newspaper journalist for writing maliciously that “Comelec requested to print 49 million ballots when there are only 45 million voters.” The article seems to imply that the 4 million “buffer” ballot will be used for election fraud. Though I haven't read the newspaper today, the fact that the good chairman was bothered by the article and wanted to clear his name through legal or amicable means says well of his intentions.

In one of the interviews last week, he talked about wanting to leave a legacy. This coming mid term election is his last election and he wants to change the public's view about Philippine election. Election in Pinas is viewed to dirty both literally and figuratively. On the literal side, during the campaign period, election paraphernalia abound. I'd love to own a printing press before every election because I'd sure make a handsome profit. During election day, sample ballots practically changes the landscape in the polling venues. On the figurative-side, election is characterized by massive vote buying (before, during and after the election) and dagdag bawas or vote adding - shaving. That’s why nobody loses in a Pinoy election because everybody claims to be cheated.

Chairman Abalos was a 3 term Mayor of Mandaluyong City. He ran for Congressman but lost or rather, was cheated. He has the experience and the competence to put his planned legacy in action. Madali lang ang maglinis, Mister Chairman, hanapin mo lang ang madumi. The best cleaning agent…political will.

Farewell to CL

CENTRAL LUZON MONTHLY TEAM MEETING
Angelique Bldg., Dau, Mabalacat, Pampanga
May 2004

This may be my last time to address you as a member of the Central Luzon team. I have an opportunity that suits me too well to say no but I hope nobody thinks I am being disloyal to the team by making this move. The 5 years working with you was like a roller coaster ride, full of ups and downs. I will continue to apply the positive lessons that I learned from you and will take careful note of the negative lessons and try not to apply them.

Thank you for the lessons learned and for making me as tough as a nail. This team prepared me for the challenges that will come my way as I enter a new chapter in my life in Smart. Thank you for the unending support and please extend that level of support to our Central Luzon teammate Lhaydee who will now lead you to the realization of the company vision, the departmental vision and our team’s vision – to be the model region in 2004.

Run Rudy Run!

Ex-New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani declared recently his intention to run for US President. One of his closest rival is New York Senator and ex-First Lady Hillary Clinton. This is part two of the Guiliani - Clinton showdown because in Y2000, they almost squared off for the NY senate seat. Giuliani backed out for health reasons.

I read his Leadership by Giuliani book and learned a handful. He concocted a management strategy called T.E.A.M.S. or Total Efficiency Accountability Management System. In simple lingo, it encourages his department heads to look into the affairs of other departments and not limit himself to intra department business. For example, the Department of Education head shouldn't have qualms about giving his thoughts to the Department of Motor Vehicles. It's like an inter department affair whose vision is the betterment of the city. It sounds simple however teamwork is something that's difficult to achieve especially in a political environment.

We have 3 things in common or at least I'm forcing that we have these in common; we both have health problems (or at least used to), he's a lawyer by profession while I wanted to become one when I was younger and he became a NYC mayor (on his second attempt) while I want to become one in the distant future.

If given a chance, I'd vote for him. I believe in him, his capabilities and that he can deliver. However, I don't think he stands a chance against Clinton. It's a timing issue. Clinton is at the peak of her political career. She’s on a roll and it seems like she’s doing everything right. Y2001 was the height of Guiliani's popularity thanks in part to 9/11 which boosted him to worldwide fame and in the processed earned him TIME’s Person of the Year in 2001. If only his health conspired.

Comverse All Star

One little two, little three little Indians, four little five little six little Indians...plus an Asian lady and an American red head. This completes the Comverse All Stars. We'll be working with them directly (or indirectly) to deliver the requirements of K&N not later than end Y2007. I’ve always wanted to experience working with foreigners. Though this was not exactly how I want it but this will suffice. At least after the end of the project, I won’t be limited to working with Pinoys. It’s practically been that way all my professional life.

Busy Bee (1H 2007)

The first month of the new year just ended...Whew! That was fast! JANUARY started with me doing my regular branch visits, attending a conference and being tapped to handle a project which was good for a year. On the personal side, preparations for my sister's wedding next month, prep for my parents 'vacation' to their homeland and our kids birthday party. By the looks of it, we'll be breezing through the whole first half of 2007 as well.

In the love month of FEBRUARY, my sister and her fiancée Mark will be getting married in Tarlac reason why my parents, an auntie and my godmother will be in town. On the business side, we'll be preoccupied with appraisal preparations, national conference and the critical first month of project K&N.

In graduation filled month of MARCH, I will be graduating from the early 30s title and move to mid 30s. Happy Birthday to me! Related to that, I need to have my driver's license renewed. Work-wise, we should be wrapping up the appraisal requirements and build up steam for the project K&N.

APRIL fools day leads this month. I won't be fooling you if I tell you it will be a busy year. My measure is my notebook; I'm old school, PDAs don't work for me. I used only one notebook last year when my average is 3. I see another 3 notebook year. We're planning to go to HKG this month and look for hidden Mickey’s in Disneyland.

The summer month of MAY will hopefully bring us closer to owning our new home. This is the month that we're targeting to apply for a housing loan. The location has been chosen, we're happy living in Salcedo village so we're looking at getting a place here. On the business side, this marks the start of project K&Ns phase 2.

The rainy month of JUNE would mean a getting our dream machine. It's time to replace our trusty ol' Toyota Revo and welcome our first real SUV Honda CRV. We're also targeting to franchise a business this month. Donuts anyone?

Through it all, I hope that my health will conspire. These opportunities will be put to a standstill if something unexpected happens. Remember, GIGO - Garbage In, Garbage Out.

DSLs VL from SL

After using the 'First Time Last Year' as the title for the RM portion of the bulletin board for the month of January, my February title is 'DSL’s Vacation Leave from South Luzon.' I was tapped to work on a temporary however critical responsibility called Project K&N. In broad terms, K&N will replace the aging ICMS. How temporary is temporary? Chances are, this will be until end of the year. In the meantime, our winning South Luzon team will be under the care of ABV. She will handle the region starting Feb 2, 2007.

Please extend to ABV the same level of support you gave me in the last 2 1/2 years. Good Luck to all of us.

Show me the Money!

This may sound funny but last January 24, 2007 was the first time I watched Jerry Maguire. It is a circa 1996 movie starring Tom Cruise, angelic looking Renee Zellweger as Dorothy Boyd and Cuba Gooding Jr. as Rod Tidwell. It was playing in Cinemax that night and that got me glued to the tube. I especially like the lines; some funny and some are inspiring. I’m determined to invest in an original DVD copy.

For the inactive movie buffs like me, here’s the plot outline: When sports agent Jerry Maguire has a moral epiphany (to advocate better service, fewer clients, and less focus on the bottom line) and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent with Arizona football player Rod Tidwell as the only athlete who stays with him.

Here are some of the lines that I like in the movie:
Jerry Maguire: "What can I do for YOU, Rod? "
Rod Tidwell: "It's a very personal, very important thing. Hell, it's a family motto. Now are you ready? Just checking to make sure you're ready (Rod turns his boom box real low) here it is -- show me the money. (He now blasts the boom box at full level) OHHH!!!! SHOW! ME! THE! MONEY! Doesn't it make you feel good just to say that, Jerry? Say it with me one time brother! "
Maguire: "Show you the money. "
Tidwell: "Oh, come on, you can do better than that! I want you to say it brother with meaning! Hey, I got Bob Sugar on the other line I better hear you say it! "
Maguire: "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

Dicky Fox: "The key to this business is personal relationships."

Dicky Fox: "If this [points to heart] is empty, this [points to head] doesn't matter."

Dicky Fox: "Hey... I don't have all the answers. In life, to be honest, I have failed as much as I have succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. And I wish you my kind of success."

I have a new job in the same company, same department. Though it’s a temporary job, good for about 12 months max, I find it extremely challenging and happy that I was chosen to lead it at least for our department. Unlike Rod Tidwell, I didn’t tell my superior to “show me the money.” I was looking for a new challenge, something that this new job presents. IF this new job eventually “shows me the money” then I’d be grateful, ELSE I’ll just continue to work hard and smart as I know eventually my contributions will be appreciated. That’s the optimist in me talking.

Possession Obsession

My daughter is fixated with cats. She likes to play cat around our place and say meow. She can do that practically the whole day. She'd say "I'm not a MC, I'm a cat." On the other hand, my son is obsessed with cows. While he does not mimic a cow nor say moo to us, he has a collection of cow paraphernalia; a mug, picture frame, candle, t-shirt, throw pillow, pencil case, stuffed and plastic cow toys. Just like most women, my wife is obsessed with shoes and handbags. She can last more than a week without changing shoes and handbags. I'm obsessed with cars and mountain bikes. If the topic of a conversation was about cars or bikes, the discussion would be endless.

Everybody should have a form of obsession. Obsession in moderation presents as an alternative, a stress reliever, a temporary respite from the routine, a form of relaxation. What is your obsession?

Customer Service 101 : Ten Tips to Win Customers

Customer Service is an integral part of a customer life cycle. Normally, sales handle the customer acquisition part while customer service answers the customer management/ retention side. Our company cultivates a culture of multi-tasking hence everybody chips in on both functions. An informal survey shows that 60% of cellphone subscribers visit the business centers at least once a year, while 80% of cellphone users call their service provider annually.

This article aims to share with you some tips on customer service which I have learned through my 11 years of customer service experience.

1. Service with a Smile. Greeting with a smile is a very simple act but may dictate the tempo of the whole conversation. A limp “Good Morning” greeting may send a wrong signal and might earn the ire of a customer. Conversely, a jolly “Good Morning” bundled with a smile will make even Mr. Scrooge smile a bit.
2. Eye to Eye. It is important that you maintain eye contact. This shows respect to the customer. In fact, maintaining eye contact is not limited to customer service but also must in any conversation.
3. Stop, Look and LISTEN. God gave us a pair of ears and a mouth. You can best resolve a customer’s concern if you hear them out and gather sufficient information. Ask questions to clarify and get the facts straight. This will help you come up with the appropriate action.
4. The customer is always right. Right or wrong? In our culture, this statement needs thorough validation. A customer, as in any negotiation, the objective for a customer in any transaction is to get a favorable decision. Facts that can be found in a company database can change their stance. It is important that the decision be properly and clearly explained to the customer regardless if it is aligned to his concept of right or wrong.
5. Don’t judge the book by its cover. Mr. Willie Soong, the dealer of European sports cars Jaguar, Ferrari and Maserati in the Philippines shares his experience: “people who come to their showroom in double-breasted suits never buy a car, they just pretend. The real buyers are the most unassuming and simply dressed. They come in jeans and sneakers.” While a cellphone costs a fraction of a Jaguar, the lesson is to treat every customer with respect and not to discriminate.
6. It’s who you know not what you know. – In our country, one of the reasons why people buy a product or engage in service is partly because of the “who you know” rule. Kilala ko si ganito or si ganyan kaya nag company X ako. If that’s the case, the entire workforce of your company can become your customer service army.
7. Word of Mouth. One of the buzz words in the ad world today is WOM or word of mouth advertisement. Arguably, “word of mouth” is still the most effective form of advertisement. If used properly, it can save a company millions in ad expense. In your own way, sell your company’s products and services.
8. Accuracy is the best policy. If you are the resourceful type, you may browse our company website and share the information to our customers. I’ll let you in on a little secret of a typical Customer Care Frontliner – they often refer to the company website for information. It is important that you arm your self with useful information and know where to get the information.
9. The Golden Rule. Do unto others what you want others to do unto you. If your company is into customer service, you may not have realized it but your taste for customer service increased a few notches higher. You tend to be more critical of the service that is rendered to you. The key here is to think like a customer. How do YOU want to be treated?
10. Say Thank You. This should be automatic just like the greeting with a smile but should be delivered with sincerity and enthusiasm. It puts a proper cap to a transaction.

These tips can make a big difference. Follow them and customers will follow us.

LSC Basketball Tournament, SY 1992-93

Reprinted from The La Sallian Center GLIMPSE Newsletter
January – April 1993
Written by DyLac

“Taga amo! Taga amo!” cheers the Brgy. Cebu as Brian connects on a “poster shot” as in you don’t want to be the guy standing on the floor, looking in the sky, in one of those basketball posters.

It all started when LSC Sports Commissioner Phel Jara decided to organize this sports event with the big help from Mrs. Macaraeg. She pledged for the medals and the cash prize.

Fourteen teams with three players each were formed. The fourteen teams were, in bracket A: The Bodyguards (Bongers, Mao and Erwin), Fish Lips Gang (Bong Cute, Bruce and Junjun), Lacoste Boys (Walter, Marky B and Joseph), New kids on the Black (Brian, Arvin and Anthony), Princepe “K” (Reymont, Melvin and Michael), Chris-Tiyan and the Callboys (Christian, Randy and Magic) and Ja Cool Kids (Jigger, Johnny and Jolly). In bracket B: Beijing All Stars (Dennis, Awi and Warren), Phel Jam (Phel, John and Abe), No Noise (Dean, Jumbo and Atik), Ok Kabuto Ko (Tony, Carlo and Cromwell), Ani-Anino (Yancy, Martin and Rommel), Baca-Rats (Gio, Genmar and Erick) and Gene’s Chonggos (Francis, Gene and Dylan).

LSC Basketball junkies believed that the tournament would be a repeat of last years championship between 1992 MVP Dennis Que and All-Star Forward Christian Relova. They felt that the two best teams were Beijings and Chris-Tiyan powered by the guys mentioned above. This was proven wrong by the performances of some surprisingly good teams.

The eight best teams in both brackets who survived the eliminations advanced to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, New Kids defeated Kabuto; Chris-Tiyan overpowered Phel Jam; Beijing whipped Lacoste Boys and the Chonggos rolled over Princepe “K.” As we move on to further action in the semifinals, the New Kids outshot Chris-Tiyan while the Chonggos upset Beijing.

The finals featured a battle of two very lucky teams. The down and dirty defensive Chonggos and the crowd-fave New Kids used up the length of the best of three series for the finals. The Chonggos won Game 1, 50 – 49 via Francis’ free throw despite 26 points by Brian. The New Kids and the Brgy. Cebu took Game 2 and leveled the series at one game a piece with a 51 – 49 win behind Arvin’s 24 points. The momentum was on the New Kids’ side but the Francis-Gene-Dylan trio wouldn’t give up. They put some “heavy D” and poured in the points needed to take the final game and win the series, 51 – 46 with Francis and Dylan scoring 20 points a piece and Gene taking care of the rebounds. He pulled down more rebounds than points.

The Most Valuable Player award went to Brian while Genmar bagged the Rookie of the Year. Now the Chonggos know how other teams in the PBA would feel if they were playing against crowd-fave Ginebra.

Life in the Dorm

Reprinted from The La Sallian Center GLIMPSE Newsletter
January – April 1993
Written by Christian Relova

Wake up at 12:00PM. Eat lunch. Go to class at 2:30, come back at 3:30. Sleep until 5:00. Play basketball. Eat dinner at 7:00. Do crazy things like eat, gamble, drink, pillow and water pistol fights, wet the birthday celebrant, Rockma on Tuesdays, movies on Thursdays, Wendy’s everyday. Sleep at 4:00 in the morning. Life goes on!

Jollibee for President

B5 recently celebrated his 9th birthday while my MC celebrated her 3rd birthday. We prepared a simple party at Jollibee Luisita Tarlac for 50 plus guests. The kids had fun and that's all that matters. It was relatively simple compared to the slightly bongga party that we prepared in Y2005 at Greenville Dau Pampanga when we had 200 plus guests. In both parties the common denominator aside from the children having fun, was the Jollibee mascot who stole the limelight from the birthday celebrators.

You have to give it to the big red guy… he exudes an aura of happiness that brings out the child in everyone. When he entered the room, everybody dropped what they were doing and raced to touch him, see him up close and take a picture. Both children and adult had to be restrained by Jollibee's 'security' (the crew) so that he can continue with the program and strut his stuff. Everybody, and I mean everybody wanted their picture taken with the Bee-man. If the election was held that day, this character would hands down win. And he does even have to result to vote buying and election fraud to ensure victory.

Back 2 Back

Pinoy Dream Academy grand champ Yeng Constantino won P75,000.00 in last January 18's Deal or no Deal show. The prize money went to CHILDREN'S JOY FOUNDATION (CJF). What a coincidence. Last January 15, the South Luzon Wireless Center team went to CJF in Calamba, Laguna to fulfill our promise. The promise to CJF underprivileged children is that we'll visit them as long as we win the model region award.

When we won the award in Y2004, part of the prize money went to CJF. That plus donation from the team summed up to P14,000.00. We also donated a used but in perfect condition refrigerator. With a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, our team won the award in Y2005 so we kept our promise and visited them again. This time we donated tiles and materials that can be used to renovate their 3 comfort rooms and some used toys and books.

What a fitting end to a stellar year. We renewed our promise to visit them if we win the model region award in Y2006. Maybe the secret of the South Luzon team lies in the CJF
angels that they are able to help.

Pacific Surfliner

My first real train ride was last May 2006. I've ridden pseudo trains in the Philippines (LRT & MRT) and Hongkong (MTR) but these electric powered trains are just not the real thing. The electric train is like riding a 100cc scooter while the real train, the Amtrak, is like riding a 1000cc Harley Davidson. It's a different kind of experience.

My date with destiny started in April when my parents advised me not to ride a train and instead have a friend or relative pick me up. I appreciate their concern but my mind was set, a trip to the US won't be complete without a real train ride. Finally it happened last May 17: I rode the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Solana Beach, California to Irvine, California. It was a short 1 hour train ride but the experience was worth it. The view was, as the train line suggest, the Pacific coast line. My friend Celine brought me to the Solana station while my Uncle Pong picked me up at Irvine station.

The original plan was to take the Silver Service / Palmetto line from New York to Orlando, Florida but that didn't materialize. Time was not on my side. That would've been a day (and night) trip passing through 9 states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The cost is the same as riding a budget airplane. The trip would've been fun and will give you a different view of the country. When I have another opportunity, I won't miss that train.

The Dollar Tree

There are 2 million Filipinos all over the United States of America. If each one remits $1000 monthly, that gives us $24 billion in annual remittance. That's a large sum of money, about 50% of the Philippines national debt. Actually, the annual remittance amounts to $12 billion from all over the world and the figure increases 12% yearly. No wonder the money remittance is big business.

During my trip last year to the USA, most of my friend's concern is the extra remittances to their extended families. They don't mind sending money to their parents and in fact see the act as a lifelong obligation however sending to siblings and their children who are capable of working is a totally different story. The tendency is their dependent family members relax and leave the working to the dollar earners. While in Union Square, SanFo, I overheard a thirty-ish neatly dressed lady saying in tagalog "Kakapadala ko pa lang ng $1000 two weeks ago, kailangan ninyo naman! Saan ninyo ba ginagamit ang pera?!?! Ano akala ninyo pinipitas lang sa puno ang pera dito?" Translation: I just sent $1000 two weeks ago, you need more money! Where do you use the money?!?! Do you think that money grows on trees here? The lady was obviously irritated. Who wouldn't be especially if the money was not spent wisely, not properly accounted and the thought that you'll do this for life.

Let us learn from a Chinese Proverb which says "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." Money doesn't grow on trees in the US. The Filipino migrants work their behinds off to earn a living. They can only do this until they reach 65 (the mandatory age for retirement). After that, they rely on their savings and their pension which usually is just enough for them. So if you're reading this and dependent on somebody, it's time to find an alternative as your current financial income has an expiry date.

A Chip off the Block

My first sport was soccer. I started playing basketball at a rather late age of 14 yrs old. Throughout my teenage days, the only time I beat my father in a basketball game was after I turned 18 yrs old. That's easily 4 yrs of mostly driving to the hoop on my way to victory or rather defeat. My father stands 5'9" while I'm 3 inches below his height. So for the most part, it was posting down low that did the job for him. It's been a while since my father and I played basketball but my guess is I can easily beat him on endurance alone. My son is turning 9 this year and by the looks of it, he's going to beat me sooner than I did my father.

After doing some research, thanks to the power of the internet, I found out that there are at least 26 father and some appearances in the NBA. The famous names include: Bill & Luke Walton, Joe & Kobe Bryant, Mike Sr. & Jr. Dunleavy, Rick, Jon & Brent Barry. In the local scene, we have the ff. PBA players: Caloy, Chito & Joey Loyzaga, Sonny & Dudut Jaworski, Freddie & Paolo Hubalde, Sonny & Junjun Cabatu, Romy & John Billy Mamaril, Freddie & Jason Webb. So who did better? There's actually no established trend. Kobe Bryant is definitely greater than his father. Easily, he can make the list of 60 greatest players if they award one in this year, the 60th year of the NBA. The Big J, my idol Robert Jaworski is incomparable to Junior. I recall the only spectacular shot that the good congressman Dudut made as a player was a back to back 3 pointer reminiscent of his father then I never heard from him again.

So who's better, BoyLac or DyLac? We probably wouldn't know unless we get a time machine and set both age at our prime.

Unraveling the Secret of Salcedo Saturday Market

Jaime C. Velasquez park better known as Salcedo park located in between L.P. Leviste and Tordesillas St. is one of the greenest parks in the whole metropolis albeit small. On weekday mornings, it serves as a tambayan to mostly expat children and their guardians. On weekday evenings, the jogging paths are filled with health buffs while the benches are turned into an inexpensive form of dating venue. Then on Saturdays, it transforms into a high end tambayan. It’s a virtual who’s who from the business sector, showbiz and government. Here are some of the interesting personalities who I’ve seen visiting the Saturday market: Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Gloria Diaz, Celeste Legaspi, Dominic Ochoa, Cong. Teddy Locsin, Gina de Venecia, et al. It also serves as a meeting place for business deals. It’s also like a reunion of sorts: I saw my Tita Letty who I’ve always wanted to visit, my mother’s high school barkada Tita Lucille who I only see in pictures, my relatives who I haven’t seen in ages and those that I’ve seen just weeks ago, my college friends and officemates. I guess almost everybody goes there.

The merchandise are pretty much what you can see in a supermarket or shopping mall. And the prices almost are the same. They have live plants, dairy products (especially hard to find ones like carabao’s milk and kesong puti), ready to eat food, fruit shakes, fruits, small handicrafts, seafood, lechon baka and a list of other stuff. You must try the inihaw na bangus, inihaw na tilapia and Ineng’s barbeque.

I believe the secret is in the frequency. It’s like a club meet where you meet only once a week and almost everybody looks forward to that day…no qualms about the heat, sales personnel that discriminates, slight difficulty in parking and finding a seat. The good food, the star gazing and the chance to be out of the box like condo are reasons why you look forward to this respite from the fast paced city life.

See you in Salcedo Park!

'The First Time' Last Year

Here is my New Year’s Message to the South Luzon Wireless Center Team. I'll give you a recap of year 2006 in under 3 minutes. Here are ‘The First Time’ experiences of our teammates:

The first time Naga WC was awarded Model WC in Y2005. Technically a back to back for the region as Lipa WC won the award in Y2004. Also in Y2005, the runner ups were Calapan & San Pablo WCs.

The first time a region won back to back Model Region award. The South Luzon team won the award in Y2004 and Y2005. It will take the next region 3 years to top that feat.

The first time the WC Sups/OICs prepared the region's vision in a team meeting early this year. The vision states: To be the Model Region with the Most Significant contributions to Customer Care organization by Y2007. The tagline: M:I:III – Taking the Model Region a notch higher.

The first time the South Luzon core team (your WC Sups/OICs) had their regional team meeting outside Makati and Tagaytay. Meeting last November was in Naga and Legaspi.

The first time your WC Sups/OICs practiced their critiquing skills legally and officially. During the WC visit in Lucena, Daet, Naga & Legaspi, they played auditors by scrutinizing their peers' WCs.

The first time the Wireless Center Head visited 60% of the South Luzon WCs, visited all Bicol region WCs and attended the regional meeting twice.

The first time to have an integrated wired and wireless operation in a mall based office in SM Lipa. By the way, let me mention that we outdid Globe in the inauguration last November. It started with our mancom arriving with a statement - on a helicopter, we gave away a free 21 inch TV and celfone to lucky subscribers and to cap it off, pretty teen star Jacky Rice and “Kiss Me” star Alyssa Alano joining us on that special day.

The first time three “in housed developed” WC Sups/OIC tied the knot; Richard of Lipa in June, Jun B of Daet in August and Cathy of San Pablo in December.

The first time three key WC Sups left their positions for various reasons; Poly of Batangas transferred to S&D Merchandizing, Betty of Bacoor is migrating to Canada and Benson of Naga migrated to the US. Not all first time items are beneficial to the team. We wish all of them well.

The first time an Inter-department Christmas party was organized. S&D, NSD, CCare & AMMD joined forces to organize this hopefully annual affair at classy The Orchard Golf & Country Club in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

In conclusion, it was a banner year for South Luzon team as it was peppered with a lot of significant firsts. I hope that this New Year 2007 brings us equal or greater accomplishments. Happy New Year to everybody!

The fire cracker is the fire starter

The tradition of ushering the new year with fireworks has been here since time immemorial. Like any tradition, it's near impossible to correct. However, there are certain traditions like this one, that should be modified due to the present scenario.

Let me share the reasons why something has to be done:
1- The raw materials used for the firecrackers have a negative effect on the environment and our health. It's like raising the pollution level to the 10th power.
2- If you love your fingers, then using firecrackers is not a good idea. The news says over 900 firecracker related injuries were reported countrywide last December 31 alone. And the figure increases annually.
3- Firecrackers own the top reason for fires (and explosions) in December.
4- A typical Filipino family spends P2,000.00 for firecrackers. If we just allocate
the amount on food, clothes or basic necessities, then that gives more value to your hard earned money.

My suggestion is that the government should totally ban selling firecrackers and as an alternative centralize the exercise to the local government either on a town/city or barangay level. What we can do is identify the sites where the community can
converge and watch the fireworks. The funds can be solicited from patrons or the unit can allot a budget for this activity. This is already being practiced in some urbanized areas like The Fort and Roxas Blvd. though sponsored by established companies therefore budget is not an issue.

Given this suggestion, we maintain our tradition of greeting the New Year
with an earth friendly bang. Happy New Year!