The World of Second Chances

Recommendation: Belo Kojic Soap

June 1, 2018

Career, Finance & Product

I was never a fan of whitening soap and lotion because I had bad experience with anything that contained papaya enzyme. There are two reasons why I tried the kojic soap by Belo:

1. Hiyang ako kay Belo.

2. Na-sunburn ako nang todo some two weeks ago.

During the first three days of my sunburn, I actually fell in love with my tan. It just felt healthy and different. I felt like an active beach girl! But on the 4th day, my skin started to feel dry so I decided to try kojic soap to hasten the peeling. On the 3rd day after using Belo kojic soap, my skin started to peel without the discomfort and pain. This was good because my skin used to react with papaya soap. On the 10th day after using kojic soap by Belo, you can notice that my sunburned skin is lighter.

If papaya soap is not for you, then you might want to try using kojic soap by Belo. It’s cheap, it’s affordable and it’s effective. Just don’t forget to use a sunblock during the process.

Product Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Organic: Then and Now

May 29, 2018

Career, Finance & Product

I’ve been wondering what’s the big deal about organic foods and products when we had so much of them during the 80’s.

My grandmother had native chickens that provided us with brown eggs for breakfast. She gave us a hen and a rooster that became the ancestors of our brood. Our chicken supplied us with eggs for breakfast. The hassle was, it was like Easter Sunday everyday because some of them had the habit of laying eggs just anywhere! One time, my classmate saw me picking some eggs and innocently asked, “You don’t buy eggs from the grocery?” Don’t get me started about how life was in the 80’s because the grocery that she mentioned about was no Savemore but a little grocery near the Balanga Water District.

There was also a time when tomatoes and snow cabbages were harvested straight from the garden plot because our teachers required us to grow our own vegetables. Tea time meant boiling some dried leaves from the following trees: guava, banana, mango, pandan, alagao and avocado. Now, my tea time is getting a pack of Lipton from the box.We had bottles of fresh carabao milk every Saturday; powdered milk was considered expensive. We had powdered corns for snack and sugarcane for dessert. We climbed trees to pick fruits, picked sampaguita flowers to make a potpourri, used alum as deodorant and coconut oil as hair conditioner.

Looking back, I equated backyard farming to being penniless because instead of buying from the market, there we were cultivating soil. If not for the grades, we wouldn’t do that. Looking back when most of what I mentioned above were still free, I felt that there was a better way of doing or gettting things. I grew up in the age of commercialism when using a sanitary pad was more practical than a cloth pad. I grew up watching children eating cornflakes and other cereals. I salivated over imported chocolates because they were only available whenever a relative would come home from abroad. I asked my mother to buy an air-freshener because my sampaguita potpourri was too old-fashioned. I started using commercial deodorants when I was a teenager because that was what my classmates did and I didn’t want to feel left-out. My first hair conditioner was a green Cream Silk because coconut oil smelled funny. In short, I shied away from anything organic because I was too brainwashed about commercialism and being “in.”

Three decades later, organic is back and the concept is even supported by celebrities and famous personalities. Me as a mature person now realize that what we were doing in the 80’s was on the right track until commercialism distracted us from it. Well, promoting organic maybe another marketing ploy unless a person resorts to growing his own food. The important thing now is some people are campaigning about a healthy alternative to the foods that our current market is offering.

Three decades ago, organic was uncool, unsophisticated and backward. Now, organic means embracing the healthy lifestyle. To some extent, it is even a status symbol. 😉
Huwag Mong Buhayin Ang Bangkay is a Mother’s Day Movie (seriously!)

May 26, 2018

That’s Entertainment

Okay, so this is so 80’s because the movie was shown in the late 80’s. I used to be very scared of this movie!

Disclaimer to those who still want to watch: Spoiler alert!

The story is just the usual plot; a mother (Charito Solis) who favors the younger son (Jestoni Alarcon) over the elder son (Ricky Davao) resulting to sibling rivalry. The rivalry thickens when both brothers fall in love with the same girl (Pinky Suarez).

Helen (Pinky Suarez) uses Robertito (Jestoni) for her personal gain so it is easy for her to dump him in favor of his elder brother (Ricky). Heartbroken, Robertito tries to end his life but is stopped by his mother (Charito) and Julie (Rita Avila) just in time. Robertito and Julie start dating much to the chagrin of Julie’s suitor (Jojo Alejar) and reveals that Julie is just playing with his feelings.

Believing that Julie (Rita) is just playing, he leaves the house and meets a fatal road accident. The doctors cannot do anything to save his life so his mother resorts to the mysterious Lucio (Ruben Rustia) to repair his damaged body.

Unable to cope up with his demise, his mother brings his corpse home and lets herself to believe that a miracle will happen. Her relationship with his elder son (Ricky) worsens because she blames him for Robertito’s death. She shuns away visitors to keep her secret that she is hiding her son’s corpse; only her loyal servants and Julie are allowed inside the house.

Her faith in God is tested when despite her pleadings that God brings back to life her son yet he decomposes, she resorts to evil faith. Satan grants her wish but her son is no longer the meek child she knows. Robertito turns into a zombie-monster and starts to attack all those that will either expose him or hurt him in the past. He kills their male servant and Helen (Pinky) in a series of attacks.

During a sacrificial ritual, Lucio (Ruben) instructs Robertito (Jestoni) to kill Julie (Rita) but his mom (Charito Solis) attacks one of Lucio’s men, thus giving way for Julie to escape.

The final scene in the cemetery is the fighting of both brothers and Gabriel (Ricky) being saved by his mom Aurora (Charito) from Robertito’s attack. Robertito weakens from “crucifix exposure” and goes to Aurora for that final good-bye. Wounded, Aurora dies with Robertito on her lap.

Gabriel, who has always felt insecure about his brother, asks the priest why his mother saved him. The priest replies that it is because he (Gabriel) is her (Aurora) son as if telling us that in the end, Aurora finally treated her sons fairly.

Movie Review:

As I mentioned earlier, this is just the usual sibling rivalry plot and the movie is even low-budgeted. The saving grace of this movie are the actors.

Charito Solis is excellent in her role and you can feel her pain when Robertito dies. Ricky Davao is supposed to be the antagonist here but you can also feel his pain and longing for his mother’s love. Jestoni Alarcon looks vulnerable as Robertito and somewhat funny as the zombie-monster. Of course, this is the 80’s so expect Rita Avila as his leading lady.

Ironically, I found the second half of the movie boring when Robertito turned into a zombie-monster. Why can’t they realize that Robertito is afraid of the crucifix? Julie could have survived had she realized that the reason why Robertito fell down during the first attack was because of the crucifix on the wall. Even the parish priest did little to help realize that.

Without looking at the inconsistencies, well, this movie is all about motherly love and how an unequal love can lead to sibling rivalry. This movie is also about a mother’s repent when she realizes that too much motherly love is toxic. This movie is about reminding mothers that there is little that we can do about our children’s behavior later in life because the formative years are the most important. In the case of Robertito, Aurora probably shielded him from pain and rejection when he was small so he grew up weak and dependent.

From a point of view of a sister, the movie reminds us that while unequal love is not okay, sometimes we just have to understand that our parents give love to our siblings who need it the most but it doesn’t mean that we are not important.

Conclusion: 4 out of 5 stars
When I Own My Own Business

May 18, 2018

Career, Finance & Product

As they say, one of the perks of owning a business is getting a better hold of your time. You can sleep, eat and wake up anytime you want. You can go on vacation without worrying about whether your boss will approve your vacation leave or not. You won’t face the hassle of trying to be friends with your meanest co-worker. You won’t need to obey rules and regulations. After all, you only live once, right?

To each his own but I don’t think that I’m gonna do all of the things that I mentioned above. I think owning a business, specially during the start-up, requires more time and sacrifice. Owning a business means being more responsible and determined to produce profit and gain more customers. Running a business means taking into consideration the customers’ needs. Therefore, you can’t just open and close your business unless you are ready for non-repeating customers.

I therefore conclude that whether I am working or owning a business, my dedication will just be the same (or even greater because that’s my investment). A dedicated businessman delays pleasure over hard work.
DFA in Robinson’s Pampanga

May 17, 2018

Travel

I got my first passport in DFA-Aseana (Macapagal) and it took me 2 hours to finish from verification to processing to payment to encoding. The reason why I chose DFA-Pampanga as my place of renewal was because of logistics advantage.

The Good:

DFA Pampanga is just an hour drive from our house. DFA is located at the second floor of the Robinson’s Starmills so you don’t have to worry about getting hungry or buying food. I am not sure if Aseana has food stalls that are within reach because the closest that I can remember is crossing the highway to get to Mc Donald’s.

Robinson’s is not as crowded as SM Pampanga. If you will bring a car, you need to park near the Candaba entrance because that’s the nearest parking lot to DFA. Photocopying service is available at the site; just make sure that you bring your original documents.

Passports with 20-days lead time to process cost PhP950 while a 10-days lead time (express) is at PhP1,200. LBC service is available inside at PhP150 for delivery fee.

Pregnant, senior citizens, minors and persons with disability are allowed for walk-in application while those who are not must apply for an appointment online. Pregnant, seniors, minors and persons with disability are allowed to go through the fast lane. Take note that for minors, it seems that the rule does not apply to all ages (0-7 yrs old) because only those aged 3 and below are accommodated through the fast lane.

The DFA staff are generally polite and approachable. They also practice a continuous operation (no noon break) from 9AM to 5:00 PM.

For Improvement:

Passport application process starts with the verification at the information area. You won’t notice this area when there are applicants blocking the one in charge. Consider moving the information area near the photocopying area because the 2nd step (Processing) area is closer to it.

Step 2 at the processing area is fast and as well as step 3 which is payment. Step 4 or the last part of the application is where the bottleneck is because only 3 out of 8 stations are staffed. I am not sure if this is the normal practice because if it is, they need to consider manning up all the 8 stations so that the long queue of applicants for biometrics and data encoding will be lessened significantly.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

If you live in Pampanga, Bataan and Bulacan, DFA-Pampanga is the best place to renew or apply for a new passport. There is a nearby-transport terminal, there are restaurants inside the mall, the area is mall-ish so you just think of shopping or dining after the long queue at the encoding area.

Will I renew my passport in DFA-Pampanga in 2028? Well, the answer is definitely YES!
Resort Review: Malamig Park Resort

May 15, 2018

Travel

Well, as the name implies, this resort is simply cool! If you feel that its rival resorts in Pandi, Bulacan like Sitio Antonio and Amana Water Park are just too crowded, you must try Malamig Park Resort in Malamig, Bustos, Bulacan. It is just a 15-20 minutes drive from Amana and it is said to be one of the pioneer resorts in the area.

The Good:

Pushcarts are available at the ticket area so you won’t worry about carrying your things around. Entrance fee for adult is only PhP 180 and PhP 150 for the children. The path going to the cottages has some slope so the idea of providing pushcart is good unless getting tired carrying your things is your type. Corkage fee applies to liquor and soda so don’t attempt to sneak one in. Don’t worry, prices of goods inside are lower as compared to the other resorts.

There are many cottages to choose from so if you’re in a budget, you can try the lowest cottage at PhP 300. It can accommodate up to 8 people. Sinks are available nearby and as well as barbecue grill for free! There are garbage bins per cottage.

There are several restrooms and shower rooms available; it’s up to you to choose which part of the resort you want to take your shower.

The pools are big and plenty to choose from. I believe that this is a child-friendly resort because most of the pools cater to the children. I’ve only seen one pool with up to 7-feet deep. The swimming pools do not smell of strong chlorine and the water is freely flowing. There are at least 3 jacuzzi pools for those who wish to just relax in an area. The wave pool is enjoyable and safe.

There are many trees on the area and it gives you that provincial vibe. The staff are courteous and approachable.

For Improvement:

When I said that the staff are courteous and approachable, I meant it for the young lady at the ticket booth and for the staff who assisted us going to the cottage. The rest of the staff like the lifeguard were unknown to me simply because nobody seemed to wear any uniform so it was hard to tell if that person sitting on the lifeguard chair was an employee or simply one of us who got tired and sit down to rest. There is a disclaimer, by the way, that people should not be swimming alone so I assume that the lack of lifeguards is compensated by this very bold warning.

While garbage bins are everywhere at the cottage area, the same cannot be said for the shower area. The shower area near the Octopus pool and the one near the River pool do not have available garbage bins. The shower areas look secluded and the paranoid in me imagine somebody is on the next shower cubicle!

There is moss accumulation on the slides at the River pool that makes it unsanitary. Consider cleaning the slides during the pool’s next clean up.

Don’t expect henna tattoo booth, massage booth and even an ice cream booth inside the resort because they don’t have it in there. Anyway, these are just nice-to-haves but the resort can survive with the basics like a store selling some snacks, water and other basic things.

The Review: 3 out of 5 star

For a price of PhP180, don’t expect too many nice-to-haves. The resort has a certain old and provincial appeal that makes it worth your next trip. Don’t swim alone and enjoy the resort in group.
Amana Waterparks Review

May 1, 2018

Travel

The Good:

Amana Waterparks is very accessible either by car, jeepney, tricycle or bus. If you’re coming from NLEX, just go through the Bocaue exit and then drive straightly to Pandi. You know you’re in the right direction the moment you see Waltermart on the right. From the crossing near the Waltermart, just turn left and then right, where Pandi is located.

The area is not isolated so you won’t worry about flat tires or refuelling. Fruits, water, drinks and take outs are available along the way. Take note that bringing alcoholic beverages and soda are not allowed in Amana as there as stores inside where you can buy soda. The parking lot is spacious. The ticket booth opens at 8:00 AM ; you need to come there earlier during the peak season to avoid the long queue of customers. Tickets cost PhP200 for children and PhP250 for adult.

The pools are generally safe for young children and there are at least two life guards per pool. There are life-sized characters for added attraction like the superheroes, robots, minions etc. The pools do not smell of too much chlorine.

The cottages are spacious and clean. There are thrash bins per cottage and there are roving housekeepers for garbage collection.

We brought some fruits with us and to my delight, we did not experience flies flying around our food. There are available barbecue grills for rent (PhP100), too.

The restrooms are clean and well-maintained. There are sinks per cottage area for washing the utensils and food.

For Improvement:

Because we’re just four in a group, (2 adults and 2 children) we availed of the Boracay Nipa Hut and the cottage assigned to us was number 18. The cottage is PhP600 and can accommodate 8 people. Cottage #18 is very near the sink but the problem is the open canal where all the water from the sink falls. The open canal stinks and is an eyesore.

At 1:30 PM last April 25th, it rained hard and to our disappointment, all the water coming from the upper part of the cottage went down to the part of the cottage (#18) where we were staying. The open canal near our cottage was flooded with rainwater so it overflowed.

Recommendation:

If you’re looking for a place that is near and affordable, try Amana but please avoid the #11 area on the map because I’m telling you, this area is not comfortable when raining hard.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars