Getting NBI Clearance in the Philippines

If they tell you its only a 3 step process getting NBI clearance, dont believe them.

Actually it takes probably a hundred steps and 2 to 4 hours waiting to get your NBI clearance. I've heard that there has been partnership with globe telecom already to automate the application process. Nevertheless, the actual application is a gruelsome process. However one must endure this kind of process that the Philippine government has to offer since the one offered by globe involves only the payment process. The government should find a way to integrate data encoding process thru online infrastructure so that they can focus only on the approval or verification process. They say we cant do anything about it but I think one of the reason why there is a slow progress in Philippine economy is because of all these lines. People can have better things they can do rather than waste a day in their life because of this application.

For foreigners who need to get NBI or clearance ftom the national bureau of investigation you should proceed to NBI taft avenue.

I still have to wait a lot of hours but what the hell, right now i have no choice.

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Journey towards Self-Realization

We are the summation of our past experiences and the product of our hopes and desires.

Life is like playing a board game. All of us wants to get to the finish line. Sometimes we play snake and ladder game, bitten by situations of bad luck causing us to move backward or inspired by ladders of success allowing us to elevate higher and nearer to our goals. Sometimes however we play a millionaires' game, monopoly. We just roll our dice and just buy anything we want, roll a dice and get to the finish line and roll the dice once more and defeat all the people whom we see as obstruction to our path. I guess like board games, we win at times and we lose most of the times. However somehow we get tired of playing but we can't end this game of life. We are bound to wake up each day and rush to work and kiss someone else ass. We are bound to make money and make more and more money. We are not allowed to get sick but somehow sickness is good for it gives us an excuse to stop, pause for awhile and take care of ourselves. This is the same with every defeat or failures in life. It allows us to reflect what we have done so that we can move   ahead faster and with greater vigor.

When I was younger I used to help old ladies crossing the street. There was one time that I helped an old lady then after she thanked me right after crossing the street in a blink of an eye she disappeared or maybe its just my vivid imagination when I was young. I also helped this old man cross the street and he asked me from  what school I am studying and when I said University of the Philippines, he exclaimed "ah! that's why your good". Truth be told, I never consider myself good. I have always had my share of shame or atleast society's dictate push me to be the villain in the eyes of all my classmates from elementary until high school but I don't blame them, way back in those days I really didn't care much about my classmates, I only care to get high grades and please our professor. When everyone don't want to attend class, I will always stay in class. When everyone cheats in assignments I refused to cheat let alone share my answers to others. I was an outcast when I was young which somehow shadows the way I look at myself in the present... but I learn.

Adult world is not very different from the growing up years. We don't compete for grades but we compete for performance. I was a Valedictorian before and I pushed myself to be the sales manager of the year back in 2007. I always push myself forward and really don't care of anyone else except my parents until some Delilah came to my life. My values was contested so as my conviction on what is wrong and what is right. Deeper and deeper I dug a whole burying all the things, the thoughts that I hold once dear. I never realize the power of Delilah, I never realized how Cleopatra subdued Mark Anthony nor Romeo killed himself for his Juliet until I saw it happening to me and I can't blame anyone but myself for being vulnerable for such human emotions.

But I guess everything is but a journey. I don't know if these Delilah's are like snakes in the board game, who knows I think they can be ladders at times helping us to reach our goals in life. If only I was like a Noynoy Aquino or a Manny Pangilinan being able to sacrifice my admiration to such beautiful creations for the good of the country or a business empire, but I'm not like them. You cannot feel warmth of the cabinet nor scratch your balls in spreadsheets everytime. I guess like Shakespeare, Im inspired by Juliets of this world allowing a better flow of ink to blank paper thereby creating a masterpiece. I guess Im also like a Leonardo Da Vinci painting a Monalisa even not completing her eyebrows because of either time constraint or other preoccupations but such still becomes a perfect work of art. I do agree with Abraham Lincoln when he rose from the ranks from a lowly post to being the President of America because he was inspired by his love.

So when will the story ever end? Only in fairy tales do they end stories with happily ever after. In real life stories are usually ended tragic or with grief. I guess the story ends each day. For each new day is another story to be written and another journey of oneself to be realized. It is up to us how we end each story.

Shop like a "Millionaire" in Vietnam

There is a saying that if you are in Vietnam you are a millionaire.
This can be taken literally as 100usd there is already 2 million "dong" in their currency.

However, if you want to maximize your "millions" you have to understand that best places to shop in Vietnam is not where the foreigners usually go. Don't go to Ben Thanh Market if you want to bargain for more discounts. Even if there are a lot of Saigon Square, don't go there. So where do you go you ask?

Go to Nguyen Trai street. There are not a lot of foreigners there so you will expect the price a little low. When going there as a foreigner you must learn some few words like "mua" which means buy or "Bao nhiu tieng?"(bow new ten) which means how much. You should also not look dumb as Vietnamese sellers are known to trick customers of the real value of the price. You should also familiarize yourself with numbers and currency so that it is easier for you to understand the price of the goods. Below is an example:
1= mot
2= hai
3= ba
4= bon
5= nam
6= sau
7= bay
8= tam
9= chin
10= moi
11= moi mot
12= moi hai
21= hai mot
100= mot cham
200= hai cham
2M= hai trieu

(If you want to learn more you can always download a language translator in your phone. If you also find your way lost in Vietnam never trust the police there because not everyone of them understands your English and they will just laugh at you. The best way is still to travel with a local or you should go with a friend in travelling. I also know some trusted agencies and people who can assist foreigner so if ever you plan of going there you can just send an email to ccbernardo9@gmail.com so I can help you plan your shopping travel.)

Aside from Nguyen Trai, there is alos a very good night market in District 4. Even some local Vietnamese does not know this but it is very cheap there. Probably 20% of the cost you will spend in Ben Thanh Market. They sell clothes and all kinds of apparels. They also sell bag.

If you go to Go Vap Market its also very affordable. An additional add on will be the very delicious food served in that area. You can also do your shopping in An Dong Market in District 5 or in the China Town Market in District 11.

Only when you shop wisely can you can really call yourself a "millionaire" shopper in Vietnam. Otherwise, you will just be likely throwing your "dong" like dung.

Certified Shoppers Haven: DIVISORIA

Something that fascinates me about women... their inability to get tired in shopping.

However, if they have gone to Divisoria market they will literally drop. There are 2 Main malls in Divisioria, the Tutuban Mall and 168 Mall. For beginners, one should only try the mall. In going there avoid looking rich so you can still bargain to lower the price. For foreigners going there, it is better to go with a local otherwise there is no way for you to bargain.

Normally, it is better to go there during weekdays so its less crowded. During weekends its really jam packed. So why is it a haven for shoppers? Two things, its very affordable and the fashion is one of the best you've seen, it is even better than what you can see in Singapore or even Vietnam.

Most of the products sold came from either China or Thailand. Since Philippines is situated nearer China than other countries, the prices of the products sold here are cheaper. You can also be more comfortable speaking in English with local sellers in Philippines. All of them service you with a smile. Unlike some countries that you are obliged to buy immediately, here you can bargain and try to fit everything even if you will not buy, just say "Salamat" or thank you since Filipinos are very courteous people.

To illustate, some clothes or dress will sell for as low as 1.75USD. You can also buy jeans at 6USD. Accessories like semi-precious stones can be bought for as low as less than a dollar. Shoes can be bought at  11USD.

To go to Divisoria, simply ride the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Ayala station then you can drop to MRT-Cubao then walk towards LRT- Cubao Station and drop to LRT- Recto Station (last station). From there you just ride a jeep (Php8) going to Divisoria.

General rule for women:
- Its ok to look beautiful but don't look sexy. You don't want to catch a lot of attention or do you?
- Always place your wallet where it is visible to you and hold on to it. Since its a crowded area you would meet different kinds of people so just be careful.
- Just bring enough money to shop for a day. You can always come back if you want to.

For more information about Divisoria Market, do give us a call at +639471261513. We will be very happy to be of service to you.

Best Way to See Metro Manila

The best way to travel around the Metro is thru the MRT and LRT.

From LRT Santolan, in less than 15 minutes you can go to Cubao or Gilmore. In Farmer's Cubao you can shop for a very reasonable price. Gateway Mall and Araneta Colliseum are also located in this area.
In Gilmore you can have laptop for Php6,000. You can also buy here one of the lowest electronic gadget.
From Gilmore Station another 10 minutes and you are already in Recto Station. You can shop in Isetann mall for affordable clothes, shoes, accessories and gadgets. For people who would like to maximize their budget the best way is to ride a jeepney that will cost you Php8 and in just 10minutes you are already in one of the best shopping heaven, DIVISORIA. You can choose to shop in the street or go to 168 or Tutuban Mall.

From North Ave there are several places you can explore. If you stop in Ortigas you can see Robinsons Mall or SM Megamall. You can also ride a jeep from there going to Green Hills. If you stop in Shaw you can visit Star Mall. Continuing your travel the best mall to visit is in Pasay Station. From there you just ride Php8 jeep and you can visit Mall of Asia.

The most exciting trip for me is visiting Quiapo market and Baclaran. If you come from Pasay (EDSA) LRT Station you can drop directly to Baclaran or to Carriedo so you can shop in Quiapo. In Quiapo you can shop for several accessories. In Baclaran, you can shop for clothes, shoes and other accessories.

So why spend 3 hours in traffic just to see Mall of Asia, when you can see more than 3 malls in different locations?