Explore Manila

To all Pinoys who lost hope after the tragedy, here’s a nice read by Alex Lacson. Yes, it’s long but definitely worth your time.

After the August 23 hostage drama, there is just too much negativity about and against the Filipino.

“It is difficult to be a Filipino these days”, says a friend who works in Hongkong. “Nakakahiya tayo”, “Only in the Philippines” were some of the comments lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles received in her Facebook. There is this email supposedly written by a Dutch married to a Filipina, with 2 kids, making a litany of the supposed stupidity or idiocy of Filipinos in general. There was also this statement by Fermi Wong, founder of Unison HongKong, where she said – “Filipino maids have a very low status in our city”. Then there is this article from a certain Daniel Wagner of Huffington Post, wherein he said he sees nothing good in our country’s future.

Clearly, the hostage crisis has spawned another crisis – a crisis of faith in the Filipino, one that exists in the minds of a significant number of Filipinos and some quarters in the world.

It is important for us Filipinos to take stock of ourselves as a people – of who we truly are as a people. It is important that we remind ourselves who the Filipino really is, before our young children believe all this negativity that they hear and read about the Filipino.

We have to protect and defend the Filipino in each one of us.

Read the rest of this entry »

…to our next getaway that is.

I’m actually torn.

I wanted to bring our laptop because I may have a sudden task that I need to finish while we are out. But it is too heavy that I don’t want to bring it anymore. My laptop has been with me for years now. As much as I want to avail of the laptop deals now, it’s just not one of our priorities. But soon it will be. We need to upgrade one day and I’m definitely getting a netbook instead.

I love how this small wonder can be as powerful as our current lappy. The Compaq Mini 102 WH243UT Netbook packs an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, 1GB of DDR2 memory and a 160GB hard drive into a chassis that weighs less than three pounds! How handy can that be? Definitely perfect for traveling!

I know some people when they travel they leave their houses unattended. Nobody is left behind since the whole family is traveling. These are the times when you wish you hired a security guard to watch your house. But I guess you don’t need that security person anymore if you have security cameras installed over your place. With this, you are assured that every move or every person will be recorded in your cameras. Of course security cameras are also an advantage when you leave your kids at home. You get to record their everyday activities without them knowing.

Hey, folks! Are you enjoying the long weekend so far? Here are more reasons to enjoy it! Cebu Pacific’s major, major low fares!

Avail of seat sale to China which starts today! Travel period is from December 1 to 31, 2010.

Seat Sale to Hongkong starts today! Travel period is from October 1 to November 30, 2010.

Cebu’s International Seat Sale ends today!

I’ve always wondered when would be the best time to invest. I believe, the best time would be now. I’ve read that when you buy gold now, the value will go up higher everyday. If you don’t have time like me to monitor stocks then gold is the best option for you. I’ve read that you can buy gold at US Gold Bureau. It can be in coin and ingot form. Ingots are generally gold ingots of pure bullion cast. It has different sizes and shapes. This made me want to see what it looks like. I haven’t really seen this in person and it would be a joy to be able to see or hold it. Now, since the value goes up everyday, today is indeed the perfect time to invest in gold.

Since I’m in the mood for looking for the perfect traveling shoes, I kept on looking for more options when I came across Christian Louboutin shoes. These are so nice for walking.

These are really cute. I bet it is comfortable too. At least with this, I can be comfortable and yet look very stylish. I can wear this with shorts or skirt or even with jeans.

After browsing for walking and comfortable shoes, I realized that I also need something to wear for night outs! So I chose these two online and hoping there are still available stocks.

I am not very adventurous when it comes to shoes, I noticed. Probably because my feet is quite big that I don’t find my size in every shoe that I like. When I was younger, I used to wear closed shoes and now that I’ve somehow “matured”, I find myself loving the open toe shoes.

I have a couple of planned travels for the next few months that’s why I’m looking for the perfect shoes that I can wear. I’ve came across a lot of options but this one caught my attention – the red ecco shoes I found online.

This is a casual bouillon red leather shoes. Love it! Other features include:

* Cemented, one component rubber sole

* Flexible sole for comfortable, relaxed walking

* Metallic leather lining

* Metallic sock lining

* This flat goes from day to night

* Uppers made of leather

* Model # 94593-04183

Every travel entails a lot of walking. You even walk while you shop, right? So I need durable yet comfortable shoes. I hope this one is the one that I’ve been looking for. I better try it and see.

Even if we watched the Broadway shows 9 years ago, that memory is still fresh in my mind. Up to now, I can still hear the music and the voices. The feeling of being able to watch in NY is still in my heart. That day will never be forgotten.

Two Broadway shows in one day.

No wonder I can still feel the excitement. Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables are my favorites. My Mom surprised me by buying tickets for me, my Mom and my Uncle. We watched the whole day! It’s ok if I missed a few tourist spots in NY, at least I was able to pursue my dream of being able to watch these two plays.

Who knows, I might be able to catch these plays in London!? Who knows!

For the fourth runner-up position in the Miss Universe pageant earlier!

A quick history about her…

Maria Venus Raj was previously dethroned by the pageant’s organizers (BPCI) citing alleged inconsistencies between her birth certificate and the personal account of her birth. During which, Maria Venus Raj was briefly replaced by second runner-up Helen Nicolette Henson. A first runner-up candidate Diane Elaine S. Necio was only 17 years old and did not yet meet the age requirement policies of Miss Universe. Raj’s sudden dethronement and also the questionable ineligibility of the first runner up candidate caused a heavy uproar among her Filipino supporters. Some fans conducted online petitions, signature campaigns, Facebook fan pages, blogs, forums and petition letters to BPCI Miss Universe Organization to report the irregularities. In April 10, 2010, the Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) reversed their decision.

Citing “humanitarian reasons” the BPCI allowed Maria Venus Raj to reclaim her title pending correction of her birth certificate. It was also an additional requirement that Maria Venus Raj legally obtain of a valid Philippine passport as proof of her true citizenship. In May 19, 2010, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a Philippine passport to Maria Venus Raj thereby attesting to her Filipino citizenship. The Department of Foreign Ministry stated that Maria Venus Raj is a Philippine citizen by virtue of the jus sanguinis principle (“right of blood”), a basic right provided by the Philippine Constitution which bestows upon a person the citizenship of his father or mother regardless of where the person was born.

Such a pretty face. No wonder she made it! We, Filipinos are so proud of you!

Cebu Pacific’s Seat Sale to Osaka and other destinations starts NOW! Check out these low fares!

DOMESTIC:
Manila to Calbayog, Catarman or Tacloban
Cebu to Tacloban
P599

INTERNATIONAL:
Manila to Osaka
P3999

Manila to Kota Kinabalu
P999

Travel from Oct 1 – Nov 30, 2010. Hurry, sale is only until Aug 25 or until seats last!