The World of Second Chances

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
Must Try: Browipes Masculine Wipe

April 25, 2018

Career, Finance & Product

Going to the grocery has always been assigned to me since I can’t remember when. When I was young, I was always careful when it comes to buying grocery items for my father.

“Tet (my nickname at the province), why did you buy this shampoo? It’s too feminine! Tet, why did you choose this powder? I smell funny! Tet, I’d rather use Perla than these fragrant soaps!” —- my father!

Secretly, I hated his being demanding. What’s so different with soap, shampoo or even powder aside from their scent?

Fast-forward to married life, nothing has changed much because I’m still the one going to the grocery to buy items for the family.

At home, we have three sets of items: my grocery items, the kids’ and my husband’s. When we were just starting, I had the same secret resentment because what’s so different with soap, shampoo and even powder, anyway?

The answer is, our men need to celebrate their masculinity, too in the same way that we, women are encouraging girl power. It is the same analogy when it comes to buying other products that have a unisex availability like wipes or more popularly referred to as baby wipes. If a man wants to smell manly, he wouldn’t use baby wipes. Hey, there’s a masculine wipe available in the market, in case you don’t know!

So I ordered a box of Browipes and there comes 30 individually-wrapped wipes. Each wipe costs PhP10.00 and some might wonder why it costs almost thrice the leading baby wipes brand. It all boils down to the type of material used in the production. Browipes is flushable, hence, environment-friendly. It is as soft as a tissue so I recommend to use some layers of dry tissue when using the toilet to avoid the risk of germ contamination.

It is perfect for travellers and it leaves a mild masculine scent on the skin. When water and soap are not available, one can just wipe away facial dirt to refresh one’s aura.

Browipes is inclined to target men who are confidently handsome with a heart. I likened it to Pia Wurtzbach’s famous line because I believe that it is time that we let our men to explore products that will make them happy. It is just like this: a woman can choose to use oil-absorbing film versus plain tissue to remove excess oil on her face. In choosing to use an oil-absorbing film, that woman prioritizes style over practicality and there’s no harm done especially if she’s economically secure. Now, why can’t we let our men find their sense of style as long as he can afford it?

See that logo?

30 sachets in a box.

Back of the sachet.

Front of the sachet.

Soooo soft!

Yes, it is flushable!
Jealousy Kills

April 21, 2018

Life & Love

An employee of SM Marilao was killed by her husband in fit of jealousy over a text message. The victim was severely beaten that caused her death. The suspect is still at large.

I do not know them personally and I don’t care if there’s some truth to the cause of his jealousy because killing (paricide, at that!) someone is not the solution to one’s damaged ego! I bet that this was not the first time he ever laid his hand on his wife.

Jealousy is a powerful emotion just like envy. A jealous person has no peace of mind, actually. He often thinks that his partner is cheating even when there is nothing to be worried of. His self-esteem is below zero that’s why he needs constant assurance of her love. Younger women blush at the sight of their lover’s jealousy because they equate it to true love. True love is never suffocating; it is even liberating. A woman with a jealous partner always walks on thin ice.

A jealous person’s insecurity is like a bottomless pit. No matter what the woman does for her jealous partner, she can never take his insecurity away especially if the man like in the story above is a jobless or unproductive bum. But there are some who are so successful and yet so jealous. When jealousy strikes, they take another woman to compensate for their low self-esteem.

If a man hits you the first time and asks for forgiveness, maybe you can forgive. If he hits you the second time, prepare an escape plan. Do not wait for the third time because the third time can be your last moment.

For the neighbors and other family members, when too much is too much, remember RA9262. You might be ruining a relationship but at least you’re saving a life.
From Moment to Memory

April 1, 2018

Life & Love

A moment becomes valuable when it comes a memory.

All of us are guilty of it, one way or another.

When somebody tried to reconnect with us, we become paranoid, defensive and accusatory that that person just need something from us. This is most of the time correct but they need us in terms of emotional connection and not the usual financial assistance that all of us are allergic to.

One of our production workers passed away last night due to motorcycle accident. Some of his friends felt sorry about neglecting his chat messages when he was still alive. It made me go back to the time when my grandmother passed away while I was in another place instead of being with her and my family. I should have stayed but I had other priorities back then.

I also miss talking with my mother. When she was alive, we would start discussing anything under the sun while eating breakfast at 6:30 AM until 9:00 AM. It was just the usual “chikahan at chismisan” between mother and daughter. Whenever I miss her terribly, I go back to the times when she was still with us; a happy reminiscing.

This is the reason why I try hard to connect or reconnect with people; I do not want to miss an opportunity and regret it later. I try so hard to the point of really TRYING so hard; it becomes weird to some of them! Later, I learned that those who want to stay will stay so I should just be cool about it.
It All Goes Back to Sharon Cuneta!

March 29, 2018

That’s Entertainment

I may not be a big fan of Sharon Cuneta but I have always admired her as an actress and as a singer. Her “Sana’y Wala Ng Wakas” never fails to bring tears to my eyes; her rendition will always be the best for me. I grew up watching her movies, too because my mother and my aunt were a big fan of her! Before Jadine and Kathniel, there was ShaGab and their phenomenal loveteam would always be the benchmark for all loveteams; present or future.

Nowadays, bashers are too busy finding faults in her social media posts. Her transparency and frankness are pointed out and as well as her love for posting memories about her ex-flames. Her exes were all good-looking and interesting and they inspired (LOL) me to create this sort of connection arrows just to check somehow if some of them were related or close.

Let’s start with her first boyfriend, Rowell Santiago. He seems to be the most serious and straight-forward among her exes. He has that mysterious appeal and if you are into the silent type of guy, Rowell is the perfect fit. Rowell’s brother is Raymart Santiago who is the estranged husband of Claudine Baretto. Claudine’s sister is Gretchen Baretto who is the ex-girlfriend of Aga Muhlach. Aga is Albert Martinez’ cousin-in-law and Albert is said to be one of Sharon’s ex. In addition, Aga Muhlach is one of Sharon’s male BFF and also the father of Janice De Belen’s firstborn. Janice is Gabby Concepcion’s ex-girlfriend and Gabby is the ex-husband of who else but Sharon Cuneta!

Gabby’s physical attributes never seem to fade. With five beautiful daughters from four different ladies, some would ask why he didn’t make it 15 or 50 to spread the good genes. Gabby is Kris Aquino’s ex-boyfriend and for those who are not yet updated, Kris and Sharon are BFFs lately. Kris used to be a die-hard fan of Randy Santiago who is Rowell’s brother and as I mentioned above, Rowell is Sharon’s ex-boyfriend. Small world! Back to Kris, she is Charlie Cojuangco’s cousin and Charlie is also the Megastar’s ex-boyfriend. Charlie married the late Rio Diaz who used to be a regular cast in the longest-running noontime show, Eat Bulaga where Senator Tito Sotto is one of the main hosts. Tito is married to Helen Gamboa who is the sister of Elaine Gamboa-Cuneta, Sharon’s mom.

As if Kris and Sharon are destined to be BFFs later in life, the same cannot be said during the 90s when both women became involve with the charming Robin Padilla! Calm down, there was no overlapping there. If I remember it right, it was Kris first before Sharon. Robin was the reel and real bad boy during those days and despite Rudy Fernandez’ effort as a peacemaker between him and Richard Gomez, he still threw a punch on the latter’s handsome face! Yes, Richard became one of Sharon’s exes and they made beautiful movies together. Tall, dark and handsome, Sharon hit the jackpot again in the looks department!

Back to Rudy Fernandez, he was one of Sharon’s leading men and hey, he looked so concerned about Robin Padilla. Why? Because the two were relatives and so with Sharon’s BFF, Zsa Zsa Padilla! Zsa Zsa’s great love was Dolphy who was Claudine’s co-star in Home Along the Riles. Eric Quizon was his son and during her teenage years, Kris Aquino was infatuated with him!

The world is a small place after all! (LOL)