MRT: Most Reliable Tips (for MRT commuters)

Living just 5 blocks away from the MRT Boni Avenue station makes it very convenient for me to travel along EDSA. Below are the tips that I can share to newbies in the metropolis who also plan to use the MRT:

1) If you are riding the MRT more than twice very week, it would be better for you to buy a stored value ticket worth P100 instead of falling in line to buy one-way ticket. Doing so saves you a lot of time and effort.

2) If you are mobility challenged or just simply lazy to walk within the station, if you are going south bound (Taft Avenue) take the first coaches and if you are heading north bound (North Avenue/TriNoma), take the last couches since it is both nearer to the escalator and elevator inside the station.

3) If you don’t want to get “tight-touchy moments” whenever you get off the train during peak hours, be familiarized with the loading and unloading ramp of the station of your destination. For example, both Buendia and Boni stations has the center ramp for both southbound and north bound trains while Ayala and Guadalupe stations has separate ramps on the opposite sides. It will be best for you to position yourself upon riding the train nearest to the doors which the ramp will face.

4) To support the advisory of the DOTC to MRT passengers to always watch out for pickpockets, my advise is to always to keep your bag closest to you with the zippers closed facing your torso and avoid unnecessary opening of your bag as well as using mobile phones while inside the train.

5) Last but not the least, no matter what your religion is, prayer is always advised before you travel. Presence of mind is always necessary whenever you ride public transportation such as the MRT. As my twin, John Lloyd, always says, “Ingat!”

McLesson in Life

I was so touched by the article below that I have to blog it stat and share it with you:


Breakfast at McDonald's

This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!):

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.

The last class I had to take was Sociology.

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.

Her last project of the term was called, "Smile."

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.

I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So I thought this would be a piece of cake.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then
even my husband did.

I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling".

His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.

He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you."

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope."

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope."

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

We are not church goers, but we are believers.

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it.

Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?"

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to

LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

There is an Angel sent to watch over you.

In order for her to work, you must pass this on to the people you want watched over.

An Angel wrote:

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head.

To handle others, use your heart.

God Gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest.

Send it back, you'll see why !

A Box of gold

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With a secret inside that has never been told

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This box is priceless but as I see

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The treasure inside is precious to me

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Today I share this treasure with thee

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It's the treasure of friendship you've given me.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Project Runway Virus

It is very contagious, pandemic even!

Project Runway Philippines is raising the temperature of the country's fashion front.

This show really proves that Filipinos are indeed talented and creative if only given the right exposure and opportunity to fluant such couture masterpieces.

Among the 14 designers, my bet is Mara Reyes of Pasig City.

I really liked her edgy style and I was really amazed when she made a "hoodie" gown for Sara Meier.

Project Runway Philippines is shown every wednesday at 10 pm on ETC Channel 21.

After Decade Masquerade Ball

August 10, 2008 starts the countdown to the 10th Homecoming Party in 2010.


Title: After Decade Masquerade Ball
Concept: tin/aluminum (tenth anniversary)
Attire: white dress/attire with tin/aluminum mask


Tentative Date: December 2010
Tentative Venue: Hotel Alejandro (Tacloban City)


Organizer: Jeffrey Robin Avorque
For inquiry and please send SMS at the following mobile numbers:
Globe - 09159002350
Smart - 09293654655

Corporate Rip-off

I've been applying for a job here in Metro Manila for quite sometime already and below are the common responses by human resources that an applicant won't get hired:


Victor Potenciano

HR: Sir, may nag-refer po ba sa inyo?
Applicant: Wala po pero I got the hiring information online.
HR: online po?
Applicant: Opo, sa internet, sa website ninyo.
HR: (pretending to flip the papers inside the applicant's folder) Wala po pala kayong IV Therapy, priority po kasi namin yung may IV Therapy na.
Applicant: "At referral di ba?"
HR: Mismo!
(Buking! Nepotismo yun ah!hahaha!)


Medical Center Manila

Applicant: Saan po ilalagay yung resume at mga requirements ko?
HR: Dun sa box katabi ng trash can.

(Prangkahan na! hahaha!)


Manila Doctors

HR: Saan ka graduate?
Applicant: Sa Leyte po.
HR: Ganun ba? Punta ka muna sa Nursing Service, tanong mo kung may hiring sila.
Applicant: Ok po.

(At the Nursing Service)
Applicant: Pinapunta po ako dito ng HR para magtanong kung may hiring.
Nursing Service: Tumawag nga lang yung HR, pinasasabi na wala na daw hiring.

(Pakisabi rin sa HR na MARAMING SALAMAT ah!hahaha!)


Cardinal Santos

HR: Madali lang yung hiring process, once you pass the written exam, interview ka agad. Mas mabilis kesa sa ibang hospitals.
Applicant: Kelan po yung written exam?
HR: Sa April 2009, 9:00 AM, please be here early and bring black ballpen.

(Early ba kamo! Pwede bukas nandito na ako, ok ba? hahaha!)

Ten Commandments for Nurses to Avoid Illegal Recruitment

1. Do not apply at recruitment agencies not "currently" licensed by POEA.

2. Do not deal with licensed agencies without job orders.

3. Do not deal with any person who is not an authorized representative of a licensed agency.

4. Do not transact business outside the registered address of the agency. If recruitment is conducted in the province, check if the agency has a provincial recruitment authority.

5. Do not pay more that the equivalent of one month salary as placement fee, exclusive of documentation and processing costs. For some countries in Europe, the placement fee is paid by the employer, not the worker.

6. Do not pay any placement fee unless you have a valid employment contract and an official receipt.

7. Do not be enticed by ads or brochures requiring you to reply to a Post Office (P.O.) Box, and to enclose payment for processing of papers.

8. Do not deal with agents of training centers and travel agencies who promise overseas employment.

9. Do not accept a tourist visa for overseas employment.

10. Do not deal with fixers or entrust your money and documents to them.

Reposted from Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) website.

In Memory of Jeremy

This photo of Jeremy was taken last May 2008. Jeremy doesn't want to have his picture taken. This was just a stolen shot by his mother.

I never personally met Jeremy but I think he will definitely call me "kuya".

Jeremy was born on September 16, 1988. Let us just say he wasn't really expected like most conceptions are. My uncle impregnated the "yaya" of my sister who was just few months old then. A very "telenovela" beginning for Jeremy.

After birth, Jeremy was left in the care of his maternal grandmother in our hometown since his mother has to work in Manila just to raise him alone.

Basically, Jeremy was recognized by our family despite his illegitimacy though he wasn't really accepted by his own father which got worse when it had a shotgun wedding and four offsprings came after that.

When Jeremy was in grade 3, he was under the advisory of our paternal grandmother. He several times before told his mother that he can recall that "lola" used to fetch him riding a pedicab and gave him few pesos for snacks. Lola was very fond of him, perhaps because he is just nearby and almost the rest of her grandchildren were raised in the city which an hour away from our hometown.

From Grade 4 up to the time he graduated from elementary and first two years in high school, Jeremy spent it with his mother's relatives in Antipolo. Here, he got close with his cousins, which now I envy a lot.

It was in his junior year that Jeremy returned to our hometown but his studies was put into halt after a humiliation incident occurred that involved a classmate of him pulling down his trousers and teased him as faggot. After then, it seemed quite hard for Jeremy to stay in school. It even got heavy on Jeremy when his beloved maternal grandmother who raised him passed away.

Jeremy did not finish his senior year after several attempts and motivations.

It was until recently that after years of separation, Jeremy was able to spend longer time with his mother who was always away working abroad for him. Everything was fine for the first two months. His mother acquired a house for the both them. The two of them helped in painting the walls and slowly furnishing of the house that they would call home from then on.

It was just last week that Jeremy's mother has started to work on her papers to leave once again since all her savings is already slowly depleting. She even requested him to postpone plans to going back to school to next year.

On the night of July 1, 2008, Jeremy's mother arrived at their home noticing that all the lights were off and the music is turned on. She turned on the lights first as well as turned on the television to check the news. Then she was really wondering where Jeremy might be. It was when she opened the door to the comfort room that she saw her only child lifeless. She was screaming and asking for help from her relatives who were just staying next door. She was hugging Jeremy by the torso telling to herself that wasn't happening. Afterwards, a letter was found on her bed. It was from Jeremy.

Today, July 9, 2008, Jeremy was brought to his final resting place. He was buried where her maternal grandmother was buried before. Me and my sister was there to see him for the last time yet his memory lives on with us and those who love him though he thought that nobody did. And up to the last minute, his father was a coward and didn't see him just even for the last time.

Jeremy at age 19, left us with a lot of questions and lesson that I want to share to whoever might be reading this. This is to never abandon nor neglect any family member no matter what.

During the wake, I was able to get hold of Jeremy's mobile phone and I found out that we have something in common. We are fond of red Ferrari cars. That's why during the interment, I dropped a die cast model of a red Ferrari car on top of his white coffin to let him know his kuya will surely miss him and he will not be forgotten.