Time = life; therefore, waste your time and waste of your life, or master your time and master your life. Alan Lakein

My first job as a Production Supervisor at a candy factory was to undertake a study on the time and motion activities which I used later on for implementing a production schedule. The techniques I learned as Production Supervisor came in really handy when I became a parent 5 years later. As moms, we learned to multi-task and set priorities in our child-rearing activities not to mention work, couple and me time!

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff that life is made of.”

If there is one thing I am proud of my kids (even my departed son), they knew time management. Never were they tardy for school. Never did I ever have to yell at them “Come on, hurry up”. Sure, sometimes it was hard to wake them up but they knew the schedule of each school day and their play time. Their dad may not be a prompt person but you know the kids didn’t have to follow their father’s footsteps. There is no such thing as inherited trait of “being late”. Teaching my children the values early on in life , particularly the important lesson of time management was crucial part of their growing years. I prepared them for a lifetime of self-discipline helped them in their adulthood.

Time management is not necessarily about getting lots of stuff done, because much more important than that is making sure that you are working on the right things, the things that truly need to be done.

1. Set clear priorities on daily activities.

This means give a daily schedule. There was a time for schoolwork, naps and play time. By the time, the girls ate solid food, I gave them an hour to finish their lunch. If they weren’t done, I removed the plate. The consequence of getting hungry is not eating their lunch properly. They learned that one has to eat at the proper time. Bedtime was also strictly followed. No late nights for my kids up to their pre-teen years. As they reached their teen years, I gave more allowances for them to arrange their schedules but still the bedtime and waking up rule was followed.

2. There are consequences if time is not managed properly.

Of course they knew this very clearly once they were at school. Tardiness had consequences. In fact, I remember as a kid, the tardy were listed in the blackboard.

3. Give them an idea on the possible duration of an activity.

As young kids, I didn’t want them to study long hours so I told them that the maximum is only 2 hours, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. They had to finish their homework really quickly or their assigned tasks. It worked quite well and by the time they reached their fourth grade, the kids studied on their own. I reminded them though when bedtime was coming soon, “It’s almost bedtime. Ten minutes more so wrap things up”.

I learned to adjust the lesson of time management at every stage of my kids’ life. I gave them more leeway to make decisions on their own and handle their schedules properly. It helped that I installed time-telling tools such as clocks in every room of the house and gave them watches to monitor their time.

I often told them that if they didn’t manage their time well, they will be far less productive than they could be and get a lot less done. They will also feel much more stressed and overwhelmed, and struggle to find time to spend with the people they care about and to do the things they enjoy.

My two girls are not little girls anymore. In fact, they are adults, working and busy managing their work and social life. Lauren knows when to work hard, and play hard that she even took the time off to New York for a short vacation. Marielle is devoted to her new job but takes the weekend off to socialize with her friends.

Without doubt, parents should give their children an early head start on the lesson of time management. With proper guidance and the right tools , kids will definitely learn this important lesson well.

As a treat, I am having a contest for mommies out there in cooperation with Kids Watch Central (KWC)

KWC Time Management for Mom and Kids

1. Please share the most effective time management techniques that you give out to your kids via the comment section below.

2. Share short anecdotes on how you implement these techniques and what was the outcome of these to your children.

Place it in the comment section.

Aside from managing your time for the different activities that they undertake, teaching kids how to tell time also gives kids a head start on the virtue of discipline.

The three (3) most unique and interesting comments will be given one (1) Kids Watch Central Watch.

Deadline for Submission of Entries is until July 20, 2009. I will edit this entry to announce the 3 winners. Please note that I reserve to change the winners if I find out that you also won in Teacher Julie, Imomonline, Yoga Jane or from Jenn Tan. Good luck!

Winners may claim their prizes at GeiserMaclang c/o Arbee Panga at Unit 7D Tuscan Building, 114 V.A. Rufino St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.
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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

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There is no truth to the rumor that Lauren is now a homeless person begging and living in the streets of Manhattan.

There is also no truth to the rumor that she is selling her UkayManila.com wares to earn her keep.

Most of all, there is no truth to the rumor that she flew all the way to New York in search of branded ukay-ukay selections for her Ukay Ukay Store

I am just kidding of course, but I felt sad when I saw this photo. Even her dad “oh poor girl!” I wish I were there to hug her and say “it’s okay”. Apparently, the handle of her luggage broke in transit and she had difficulty traversing during Manhattan’s Gay Pride festivity with a broken baggage. She ended up buying a new one.

Lauren has now been a week in New York and like any mother, I worry about her safety. Sure, she has traveled alone in the past but the destination always had my sibling within driving distance and that surely gave me comfort. I was around her age when I first toured New York and I didn’t really like the bustle and hassle of the city. Maybe I am transferring negative vibes to her because we both love San Francisco. Despite my apprehensions, I also know she is a responsible adult who should be able to take care of herself. Our children need to be taught how to help themselves from the start….from tying their shoes to making social plans to fixing a problem and planning vacations. So when she told us she would leave for New York, I suddenly got reminded of the song…New York New York

Start spreading the news, Im leaving today
I want to be a part of it – new york, new york
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it – new york, new york

She wants to see the city that never sleeps. Oh well.

Driving Lauren to the airport last week left an an ache in my chest, a dark shadow looming where the sun once shone…I suddenly felt an empty nest in my home , now that Marielle is also at work. I know I have let go already but still I will always be a mother.

Her dad’s only advice: “Don’t look like a tourist”.

Transferring clothes in the streets of New York may not a big deal but it must have been stressful for her. Just like the song,

if I can make it there, Im gonna make it anywhere

It up to you – new york new york

Now why do I imagine Lauren humming that song now?

Happy Fourth of July to all those celebrating it in the USA.

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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

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What better way to show off the Pink theme for Photo Hunt than a girl’s 18th Birthday celebration?

Okay fine, my daughter’s 18th birthday debut celebration was over 5 years ago and she’ll never know I posted this (yes she might get a bit peeved) because she is in New York right now for a three week vacation. She wrote about her Fairy Tale debut party in her old blog. Much as my daughter dislikes the pink color, I (the stage mother) ended up using it as the main debut’s color theme. Even her tulips were almost pink.

I did use multiple shades of pink and light purple and other pastels to maintain the soft, delicate, and playful nature of pink. There were also touches of the darker shades of pinks and purple and burgundy in the flowers and her dress.

So it wasn’t cotton candy , bubble gum and sugar and spice and everything nice. The combination of the pastel and the stronger shades of pink symbolized the wonderful transition from little girl to an adult.

Of course you know that the pink color is the universal color of Love, which makes it a perfect feng shui color to soothe the energy. Its gentle and delicate feng shui vibrations have a proven comforting effect on one’s behavior like soothing the heart and filling it with love.

Asides…5 years ago, I was twenty pounds heavier even though it isn’t too obvious in this photo below because I hid half of my body behind Lauren.

Is pink your favorite color? Variations of pink colors are Salmon, coral, hot pink, fuschia, blush, flesh, flush, fuchsia and rose.

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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

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When you retire, think and act as if you were still working; when you’re still working, think and act a bit as if you were already retired. ~Author Unknown

(Photo Credit)

“If I can provide a good future for my children they will look after me during my old age.”

This has been referred by some as “Filipino retirement planning”. Truth is, I have never heard of this practice. My daddy old boy, bless his soul, never gave that impression to us, 7 siblings. Even at his semi-retirement at 55 years old till his death at 73, he supported himself and still left enough income for us even after death. He prepared for his retirement the moment he graduated college.

I am following dad’s plan but I am not as liquid as he once was at my age. I have been busy saving for my kids’ college education and paying off two home mortgages that it’s about time I rebuild my liquidity. Ever since the kids left college, I see myself working even past the age of 70. I don’t have a retirement age. My work is fun. The only factor going against me is my health, the diabetes and my spastic heart condition and that’s the future I am concerned about. I need to save up for contingencies like that.

In “Retirement Planning, Pinoy-Style” written by Randell Tiongson, a financial planner and writer for Money Sense Magazine, a short survey of average middle class Filipinos was done to look into Filipinos’ view towards retirement planning. Most of the respondents prefer to retire earlier than the usual 60 or 65 years old. It seems many do not see themselves working very long and would like to get out of the rat race earlier than most. I think these are the employees and not someone like me who enjoys work at home. Here’s an interesting revelation from that survey. While most wanted to retire early, many of them do not have any retirement program in place. It makes me wonder how serious they are in early retirement. It might just be wishful thinking.

Most agree that they may not have enough money to retire comfortably. As to the best time to start planning, most were unanimous in saying that “the earlier, the better”, from the time one earns income or at least when one hits 30 years old. That’s the practice I am inculcating to my children. Start saving for your retirement today. The best investments for retirement are real estate, time deposits and savings. Few mentioned sophisticated instruments like life insurance, mutual funds, unit investment trust funds, socks, bonds or structured notes. Fortunately, my father exposed me to all these type of investments but on a more conservative approach.

On the reason why retirement planning is not taken seriously, respondents talked about immediate gratification, mañana habit, lack of funds, low income, increasing expenses, wrong priorities, short-term thinking, lack of knowledge. One respondent even added that “Filipinos are not too keen on preparing for their retirement maybe because of what we call the extended family.” Most parents, including myself, are too busy preparing for their children’s future and they tend to forget their old age which brings me back now to the Pinoy-style Retirement Planning.

I cannot imagine my children supporting me in my old age especially if they have families already which is one reason that I stopped giving them financial support once they started work so I could rebuild my savings. My kids often say that they will help us in our old age but I don’t want them to think that is our plan. If they want to give us gifts, well and good. It is not an imposition but more out of love.

I do have a retirement plan and it starts with a goal and an action plan that started in our first year of marriage.

Each of us today, has a financial future. There are few future aspects of my life I can control, but one part I can play is to assist our family’s future is setting goals. I dont have to obsess about my goals. I don’t have to constantly watch and mark our progress toward them. But it is beneficial to think about my goals and write them down. What do I want to happen in our financial future? What financial problems would I like to solve? What bills would I like to be rid of? What would I like to be earning at the end of this year? The end of next year? Five years froom now? Twenty years from now? I know I am willing to work for these goals and trust God to guide me.

Taking responsibility for my retirement plan enables me to take focus off money. It frees me to do my work and live the life I want. I deserve to have the self-esteem and peace that accompanies financial responsibility.

Do you have a retirement plan?

The question isn’t at what age I want to retire, it’s at what income. ~George Foreman——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

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Death leaves a heartache no one can heal,
love leaves a memory no one can steal.
~From a headstone in Ireland

14 years later I am sitting here watching on the news an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the Cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears.

A predicted ending by him, by loved ones and by me, but what I didn’t predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened.

The person I failed to help is being transferred right now to the LA County Coroners office for his Autopsy.

All of my indifference and detachment that I worked so hard to achieve over the years has just gone into the bowels of hell and right now I am gutted.

I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once.

Our relationship was not “a sham” as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a “Normal life” found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much.

I wanted to “save him” I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened.

His family and his loved ones also wanted to save him from this as well but didn’t know how and this was 14 years ago. We all worried that this would be the outcome then.

At that time, In trying to save him, I almost lost myself.

One of her readers hit the nail when she commented on ” No matter how much you love someone, you cannot control them. I’m sure you have learned that just from being a parent. People are going to do what they are going to do. If you throw a rope to a drowning man, he still must grab it. You threw a rope, and you kept it there for a long time. He could have grabbed it if he wanted to; for whatever reason he didn’t take it. I’m sure many threw him ropes, some wanting to help him, some wanting to hang him. You did what you could, and of course your children must come first. If you chose otherwise, then you would be suspect”

Leslie did all she could. Sometimes people we love do things we don’t approve of. We react. They react. Before long, we are all reacting to each other and the problem just gets worse. Leslie did the right thing to detach with love. When we get hooked into an attempt to control or force others to do something they don’t want to do, it is hurting us. When the way we’re reacting isn’t helping the person or solving the person, it is time to detach. And she did detach for her sake and that of her children.

We are not in control of people, places and the past. The only thing we can control is our own person, our attitude. At that point in time, I believe Leslie did the right choice.

Today, her entry shows the searing pain of grief and questions now filling her mind. Regretful statements uttered so commonly by the bereaved are “If only”… I , too, have asked the same. I have heard other bereaved ask many questions, echoed by my own, of ‘why’, ‘what if”, the “would’ve-should’ve-could’ve’s’, and hundreds of other cries of grief that burn inside each of us.

As soon as one receives the news of a loved one, shock, numbness, denial, and disbelief are often experienced. The gamut of emotions is a cushion against the full impact of the loss. As time passes and these emotions wear off, others emerge, often including guilt, anger, loneliness, despair, sadness, and regret. These feelings are all part of the emotional reaction called “grief” and may be so overwhelming that one often does not understand what they are experiencing.

It is good that Lisa expressed her grief in a blog entry. It is healthy for newly bereaved to express their grief in a positive way.

Newly bereaved shouldn’t take the advice of those around to “get hold of yourself.” On the contrary, one should surrender to their pain. The newly bereaved are not limited to Michael Jackson’s family or close friends. As fans, Michael Jackson’s music entered our lives and is part of our treasured memories. Even if fans didn’t really know him personally, there is a connection and naturally one also grieves the loss of someone who touched their lives. It is okay to grieve too.

I hope those are also grieving a loss or death of a loved one release their grief and know that it is normal.

Cry. Wail. Rant. Wring your hands. Voice your anger, your guilts, your regrets. Expend your pent-up emotions. You will feel much better afterwards.

I am sure Lisa feels better now after she voiced out her grief.——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Screaming headlines are plastered all over. Michael Jackson, pop music legend, dead at 50. Michael Jackson, an icon of my generation. How we often played the music of the Jackson 5 during high school parties in the Martial Law years. I had all his records from Got To Be There, Ben, Music and Me, Forever Michael and even played some songs in the Yamaha organ or piano. I am one of his fans. The Michael Jackson in the seventies. I am saddened of his death because he played an important role in my youth, you know those moments when his music just lifted my spirits. They were my comfort songs during those days when being a teen was just rough ranging from unrequited (puppy) love, strict parents and snooty high school batchmates.

I’m aware that Michael Jackson has been known to be a weirdo and child molester who changed his skin color and appearance into that of a white woman. I don’t fully understand the circumstances of this strange shift in his looks. His looks have changed indeed but his music is there for keeps.

Never Can Say Good Bye is a Classic. His fans are all going to have a difficult time saying Goodbye.  One of the greatest voices on earth is now in heaven. His music touched so many lives that we’ll never forget his music. It may be good bye to most of us but his music lives forever in our hearts and memories. Thank you for the music and the wonderful memories of my youth.

Chorus:
Never can say goodbye
No no no no, I
Never can say goodbye

I keep thinkin that our problems
Soon are all gonna work out
But there’s that same unhappy feeling and there’s that anguish, there’s that doubt
*It’s that same old dizzy hang up
*Can’t live with you or without

Tell me why
Is it so
Don’t wanna let you go

Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean you will be missed.

And with that, I end this entry with Gone too Soon

Born To Amuse, To Inspire, To Delight
Here One Day
Gone One Night

Like A Sunset
Dying With The Rising Of The Moon
Gone Too Soon

Gone Too Soon

This song is about you…

Michael Jackson, Gone too Soon.

I honor his legacy by listening to his music.

Good Bye Farrah Fawcett

Good bye Farrah Fawcett. You were also pop-culture phenomenon during my youth.

The legacy of love that Farrah had with Ryan and their son Redmond will live forever in the hearts of her friends and family and fans all over the world.

Thank you Farrah, for showing us the meaning of true courage and compassion.

Other Versions of Never Can Say Goodbye

1975

1977
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How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

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Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.
Donald Porter V.P., British Airways

As bloggers, sometimes it is so easy to bitch and rant when something displeases us. I myself, am sorely tempted to blog whenever bad service or experience hits me. As a rule, I blog only after I exhausted every means to resolve an issue or resolve it amicably with the person concerned. Wearing the hat of a small business owner with an online business, I’m going to be unhappy if my customer blogged about my services without having gone through the help desk or given me a chance to resolve the issue in a timely manner. It is one reason I am patient with customer service because I know how it feels to be on the other end.

Now, I also know my consumer rights and am quite assertive. My daughter calls it my bitch powers. Don’t think bitch power is about being mean or demanding. I’ve used it before with MERALCO. It means knowing my rights and being assertive. Let me cite three recent examples that started with a complaint and ended with a positive resolution.

1. Amazon purchase and DHL

Last December 2008, I ordered two sacred songs CDs and a DVD for the Candle Light ceremonies of my grief support group. Since I wanted it to arrive within 5 days, I chose the express mail.

1 CD Angel Voices (Libera) $13.99
1 DVD Angel Voices: Libera in Concert $14.99
1 CD New Dawn (Libera) $16.98

Item Subtotal: $45.96
Shipping and handling: $41.96
Total: $87.92

Here is that Custom duties statement

As you can see, my bill was $87.92 where half of it went to express mail expenses. Sure enough, the package arrived in 3 days but I couldn’t get it unless I paid the custom duties of 1,976.60 pesos or roughly $41.16.. I turned livid. Why would I pay 100% taxes? I pleaded my case to DHL to reduce the taxes. Nothing could persuade them to reduce it because that’s how Customs tax Amazon purchase. Not about to give up, I turned to Amazon and submitted this request:

1. I am not satisfied with your choice of courier.

2. I expected to use it at least 1 week upon arrival in the Philippines.

3. I call DHL daily to followup the custom re-assessment and until now, there is no word.

4. The checkout did not clearly state that I would pay a possibility of 100% duties and taxes

I love the CDs and DVDs. These contain sacred songs that I wish to use during the holidays but it is useless if I don’t use it now. I paid over $40 dollars in shipment because I wanted to use the product asap.

My final request is a refund. Talking to DHL is useless. I hope you will grant me this request.

That was my third email to them since my first request was to help me reduce the taxes which was beyond their powers.

What do you know? Amazon agreed to refund me and the good news was I could get the CDs and DVD but I would have to pay the custom duties.

Guess what? I didn’t get the CDs and DVDs because I refused to pay the custom duties which would just go to the pockets of corrupt custom officers. Last I heard, DHL returned my package to Amazon.

As to the CDs and DVD, I will buy them once again and have it sent through a relative in time for the Candle light ceremony on December.

I love Amazon! and as to DHL, goodbye, I am never going to avail of your services.

2. Globe Telecom and Data/3G Billing problems

Globe has been my cellphone provider since April 1999. I don’t rely on globe gprs as my internet connection. I am subscribed to 3 major ISP: Globe Broadband (2mbps), PLDT Mydsl (1 mbps), Smart Bro and another mobile internet connection from Smart 3g. Yes, my internet connection is very redundant. Another thing is I am also their landlord in one of their cell sites in Cebu. In all those years, I never encountered a billing problem with them. I pay my usage as they appear in my bill because I know I actually used them. One day, I got my statement of account and my eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

GPRS usage of 11 thousand pesos for two billing period from February to March. I called Customer service immediately and I explained that their statement was impossible. In one bill, it shows that that I used 24,000 minutes in one month, equivalent to 13 hours a day. napakaimpossible naman. Another thing worth mentioning is that I know how to use my iPhone and prevent the internet from going live. I even edit out the APN just so my internet connection won’t activate.

They tried to pacify me by saying that they will just charge me half the bill or 5,500 pesos. I refused. I told them that my past 6 months of GPRS usage averaged at 700 pesos and my highest bill was 1,000 pesos.

My final request: I CONTEST THE BILL.

I also requested for an extraction of usage to prove that it was impossible for me to use 13 hours of internet a day. They gave me an extraction of usage and my gut feeling was right! The number of hours is legitimate but something went wrong with the billing. Take a look at this example.

on the date January 11, I connected at 13:00 and was charged 870 minutes (14.5 hours) costing 258.68 pesos.

This is just one example . How could I possibly be using 14.5 hours internet in a span of 1 hour and 27 minutes.

The same goes on for the improbable usage of gprs at the times allocated.

I asked help from a fellow blogger who knew someone in the customer service to facilitate my case or at least vouch that I am not some lunatic trying to get away with my bills. Every week, I bugged them to update me and two months later, they agreed to waive my fees to just 1,000 pesos.

I really have no idea behind the over-billing. I have a feeling that whenever their GPRS connection dies (which is often), and it reconnects, I get billed 5 pesos once again.

It took them two months to resolve this but still, I was patient. Why? Because I knew I was in the right track and that the truth will set me free.

3. Philamcare refusal to pay for emergency anti-rabies treatment

Customer Care of Philamcare insisted “Vaccines are not covered in Individual Health Plan of Philamcare.”

Marielle was bitten by Lady, her pet cat last March without provocation. Maybe Lady thought her hand dangling from afar was some delicious prey or Lady sniffed a catnip on her palms. Whatever that stupid cat was thinking, Marielle’s right hand got bitten in many places. Our cats are vaccinated against rabies every year but since they are outdoor cats, I am not absolutely sure that they don’t have rabies since a stray cat might have attacked them at some point. I rushed her to the Emergency room of Medical City for wound treatment not thinking that she would need Rabies Emergency treatment. The bite was deep, painful and swollen. I did not want to take my chances. Gian Carlo, a 5 year old boy died of rabies virus last Christmas. It was just a superficial dog scratch on Gian Carlo’s back. Nothing is more unimaginable as suffering than for a parent to watch a child slowly succumb to death from rabies. The victim struggles against the onset of respiratory arrest. Panic shows in his eyes. And you can do nothing. Imagine the helpless parent as he watched his son die

People continue to die from rabies because it is easy to confuse its early flu-like symptoms with ordinary ailments. The subsequent appearance of its distinct symptoms—delirium, hyperactivity, furious agitation, hydrophobia, foaming around the mouth, and gradual paralysis—always signals the advanced stage of the infection.

The doctor’s diagnosis was Cat bite, Category III on the right hand with multiple punctures/abrasions. She prescribed Rabies immunoglobulins and Rabies vaccine. Since the medicines alone cost 15,000 pesos, I needed to get clearance from Philamcare.

But no…they insisted that vaccines were not covered even as I protested that this was an emergency case.

Since I did not have the contract with me and due to the emergency nature, I said I will contest the non-coverage of the anti-rabies medication once I got home.

True, vaccines are not covered by my individual health plan but I believe we are talking of elective vaccines like Hepatitis B, or Influenza virus.

I checked the Philamcare’s Standard Health Care Provisions of the Health Care Agreement of Marielle and and Under Page 5 :

“1. “Emergency” shall mean the sudden, unexpected onset of illness or injury which at the time of contract reasonably appeared as having the potential of causing immediate disability or death requiring the immediate alleviation of severe pain and discomfort.”

I believe that the incident falls squarely within the definition of “Emergency” which is covered by our health care policy. It is a sudden, unexpected injury which has the potential of causing death if left untreated. It also requires the immediate alleviation of severe pain and discomfort. The victim of an animal bite has no choice but to endure a course of anti-rabies medications to preclude the possibility of developing fatal symptoms. Hence, the anti-rabies medications indicated above was absolutely necessary to prevent death.

The customer service representative said there was nothing she could do. “It is our policy”.

So I told her “I know you can’t do much more at your level so could you please elevate my case to your superiors?”.

I filed my request for reimbursement on April 15 and with the help of friendly Customer service representatives and their superiors, I received the reimbursement a few days ago. The customer service was excellent.

How To Complain then?

I know it can be so disconcerting to file these complaints but the amount is nothing to sneeze at. These are my savings to the above examples:

Amazon: 6,196.00
Globe: 10,000.00
Philamcare: 15,000
Total 31,196.00 pesos or $650.00

I saved $650.00, money that would have gone down the drain if I didn’t act on it diligently.

Before you complain, make sure you are not trying to get away from your obligations or looking for a way out. Be honest with yourself. The truth will set you free.

Now that is clear, these tips are for honest consumers with a valid and justifiable case who need some advice on how to file a customer complaint and aim for a positive resolution. If you are a chronic whiner and just wants to be bitchy and difficult, then you have no business asking for customer service.

Now that is clear, let’s move on. Please note that this is applicable to private companies as Government entities is a force to reckon with.

1. Read up on their Service or Help Desk procedure.

It’s important that you follow these steps so that your query is documented. Avoid using text messages to follow-up on your complaint unless it is standard operating procedure.

2. Get the reference number or confirmation email that your complaint has been filed.

If calling by phone, jot down the reference number.
If via email, keep a copy of the confirmation email.

3. Never, ever lost your cool.

You can sound angry, dissatisfied and assertive but keep your voice down. Customer reps have feelings too and if you appeal to them nicely, you will receive the same gentle treatment.

4. Appeal your case to higher authorities of the company.

I believe not everything is black and white. Take the case of my Philamcare example, it is clear that rabies vaccine is not covered. Customer reps have no authority to decide on gray areas like that. I appealed and sent a letter of reconsideration. Not all cases may be like mine and I was granted this refund because of good track record as a customer who did not abuse their services.

5. Be patient.

If you notice, it took two months for a positive resolution of my complaints. I knew that may case was being worked on and it was just a matter of time. I could wait. It also pays to follow up every now and then to see where the progress is.

I was not patient with the TV Patrol Copyright violation because not one of them replied to my query except for a blogger/friend working there and who did it outside of her official duties. I am patient once the complaint is processed because somehow I know there is progress.

What a long entry but I didn’t want to blog each case separately. The important thing to remember is that if you try hard enough, positive results are possible.

See. I am one happy customer.

Amazon, thank you.

Philamcare, Thank you.

DHL, Boo (though I know it is not entirely your fault)

If I had blogged about this without going through the proper steps, you would have read my rants with NO positive outcome.

Now what good will that do to you, my dear readers?

Where to get Rabies Treatment in Metro Manila

Thought I’d like to inform you about places to get anti-rabies treatment in case your Health Care provider does not cover it.

You don’t have to go far to PGH or San Lazaro to get rabies treatment, there are clinics in Metro Manila that can give emergency treatment for Animal Bites.

1. Animal Bite Center (Sanofi)- check their website at Animal Bite Center or call Emergency Hotline , call +632-816-1111

2. Family Vaccines and Specialty Clinics- Check their website at Family Vaccines and Specialty Clinic or Call ++63 2 976-4784

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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Every man ought to be a macho macho man,
To live a life of freedom, machos make a stand,
Have their own life style and ideals,
Possess the strength and confidence, life’s a steal,
You can best believe that he’s a macho man
He’s a special person in anybody’s land. (Village People – Macho Man)

Dad dancing Village People “Macho Man” at a Christmas Party in the late seventies

It’s the booming laughter I remember the most. It’s a laughter that runs across the room that never failed to cheer me up. My father may have passed away six years ago but his sense of humor, the laughter and the positive attitude remains alive in me.

My earliest memory of dad was his round belly that looked like a pillow stuffed under his polo-shirt. I was convinced that fathers also got pregnant just like mom. As I grew a little older and a little wiser I realized his paunch stayed the same way, and no baby would ever come out of it. That often puzzled me. I often laid my head on his soft paunch but only just for a minute because dad would find it uncomfortable.

My sister , Myrna believes that dad’s legacy is his example of strength and perseverance to us, the seven children and eighteen grandchildren. I learned by watching him suffer from the ravages of Stroke, that I should never give up on life, and to hold on to every precious moment with my loved ones, fully aware that, like a candle’s flame, life can flicker out in an instant.

Above all these, the best thing dad gave us is his legacy of true love and family devotion. Even though he is gone, that love and strength of character live on as we now pass these to my daughters, to our grandaughters’ children, and so forth down the generation line.

Today, I want to remember my Daddy old boy, round and pudgy, full of life, his voice confidently booming across a room, his loud laughter rising above a crowd. He may not have the body of a muscled macho man but he lived the style, the ideals, the strength and confidence of a true-blue macho man.

Dad is a special person in anybody’s land. He is alive and well in my treasured box of memories.

I miss you, dad.

For all those celebrating Father’s Day, here is a special treat from me to you. A Box of 12 dozen Krispy Kreme Doughnuts a day to each lucky commenter till June 30. Just comment here.——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Image courtesy of Pedestrian Observer

Ruby Rose’s death was just so shocking that it took me many days before I woke up from my stupor to blog about it. Her death was just too gruesome that even a seasoned police investigator found it difficult to describe the circumstances on how Ruby Rose was handcuffed and gagged with packaging tape before being strangled with a steel wire and cemented in a drum, which was then sealed in a steel case and dropped in the waters off Navotas. Now how disturbing and horrifying can that description ever get? Yesterday, Ruby Rose was finally laid to rest. Her dad’s message just tore my heart out.

The grieving father, Roberto Barrameda, promised Ruby Rose that the family would continue to seek justice.

“We’re sorry that your daughters are not here to see you. But you must understand their situation right now,” Barrameda said in the direction of his daughter’s casket.

Hours before the burial, Judge Gloria Aglugub of Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 254 denied the Barramedas’ petition to allow Ruby Rose’s children to visit the wake.

Judge Gloria Aglugub released a resolution denying the motion of Ruby Rose Barrameda-Jimenez kin to allow the children of the deceased to visit the wake based on ridiculous notion that the children were not willing to go to the wake. Oh come on!

I am so angry at the violent nature of her death and more so, when the judge denied her children from attending their mom’s funeral. Why are there so many legalities surrounding the custody of the children even at the time of the final resting rites? Despite the family rift, I know these kids love their mother and are grieving. Does taking away the kids’ right to their mom’s funeral protect them from further trauma? Sooner or later, Rose’s kids will know the real story behind their mom’s death.

The poor grieving children may not appear to be traumatized yet but they will surely re-experience or re-visit the loss every time they pass through a developmental stage. Grief and loss, when it takes place, cannot just be swept under the rug. Losing a mother is a real occurrence in a child’s world and we must allow that child to grieve. As adults and caregivers, we must do everything in our power to help them navigate that journey from sadness to hope. But does Rose’s father know that? or the judge?

The totally unacceptable reasoning behind this denial is that Ruby Rose will never know if her children went to the wake or not. Let me tell you all that the burial rites are meant for the grieving family and not just for respecting the dead. How ignorant are they!

Now that Rose is finally at her resting place, I can only pray that justice be given to Rose and the others involved in the same manner of death. In the Pedestrian Observer, Rose’s sister, Rochelle mentioned that Rose knew something of the murder of a tabloid reporter in Malabon Alberto Orsolino in 2006, to quote:

“I remember she was talking about the death of Alberto Orsolino in one of our conversations,” she said when asked what her sister had shared with her.

Based on police records, Orsolino was shot and killed not far from his house in Malabon on May 16, 2006.

Orsolino was an employee of the Jimenezes before he became a reporter. The gunman, Rommel Lirazan, who was later arrested, stated in an affidavit submitted to the police that Jimenez had ordered the killing of Orsolino.

Lirazan is now in jail for the murder of Orsolino.

I ask the same question:

With that murder, why are the police not investigating the other 5 murders in Manuel Montero’s affidavit? Was there a case filed against Lope Jimenez or are the police and the prosecutors buying Aguinaldo’s usual “frame-up” conspiracy theory?

Related Blogs

The gruesome Mafia style cold blooded murder of Ruby Rose Barrameda-Jimenez By the Pedestrian Observer

Join the Facebook Cause – Justice for Ruby Rose
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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

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Two days ago, I turned 52 years old and the first thing I received at the stroke of midnight was a wet kiss on the cheeks from my husband. Wiping the wet imprint from my face, I could only smile and hug my husband back. Turning 52 means that I need to encode 52 under age settings during a treadmill workout at the gym but other than that, I feel great. I’ve never felt so wonderfully blessed. If you know the “Dancing Queen”, I live by the motto

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen

I have been having the time of my life since I turned 50 and will continue to have the time of my life even beyond 52 years old.

Anyway, I could not blog the past two days because of technical issues.

My birthday started off with a brunch with my family before I headed off to Singapore for the Nokia Connection 2009 upon the invitation of Nokia Philippines. My dear husband was supposed to go along with me so we could meet up with his sister there after the Nokia event only to find out that they were coming over to the Philippines for a vacation. So it was just me who left for Singapore.

As soon as I checked in, I discovered to my dismay that internet connection in my hotel room costs $SG 28 a day. Now I don’t mind paying $28 because I need internet access for my online business but if it conks out on me every 10 minutes, it gets annoying especially if an online transaction billed me twice. Not about to ruin my day, I summoned my bitch powers for a refund and got it! The birthday blog entry will have to wait.

Today as I woke up, I walk over to the balcony and smile at the glorious weather. An adventure awaits me today. I turned on my macbook hoping that I could try one more paid connection. Lo and behold, I get 1 hour complimentary use. Then it became two hours. Maybe luck is on my side so I decided to write this birthday post before my complimentary connection gets cut off.

I am still here in Singapore and I should be getting dressed for that adventure then head off to some retail therapy.

Nokia Ovi Adventure (Amazing Race)

Remember how I survived an amazing race at Island Cove? Today, I experienced another amazing race aka Nokia Ovi Adventure using cellphones like the Nokia N97 . I wrote a more detailed entry of my Ovi Adventure by Nokia in Singapore.

The 8 member Philippines delegation was divided into two groups.

Our team needed to create an ovi email account and show the text confirmation to our Clue master.

And we ran off to the Marina Square across our hotel, The Swissotel The Stamford. It was quite a distance and fortunately I wore rubber shoes. We were supposed to show a video to the Clue Master at the Golden Village Marina.

Then a creative shot with the Merlion at the Esplanade.

The problem was that it took a long time for our photo to upload to ovi share so it took some time for us to get our next clue.

Next stop was Dempsey Hill. We were given money for a cab ride.

At the Dempsey Hill, we were supposed to buy a latte and get our next clue at Jones The Grocer.

Getting our latte and it was quite a refreshing drink since we were all sweaty after the run.

But first a mystery task before proceeding to our last stop. Solve a mathematical equation in the Nokia N97.

Our last stop is a restaurant in Dempsey Hill called the Au Petit Salut which was just a few meters down Jones the Grocer. And off my team mates took off as fast as they could.

They were all just waiting for me. I couldn’t run any faster anymore at this point but still….

We made it to third place. Not bad at all.

And finally lunch with the rest of the Philippine team.

It felt good to win third place out of the eleven teams composed of media delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia. My feet and knees are aching but no worries….I had the time of my life today.

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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets.

How about visiting my daughter’s ukay-ukay blog at ukaymanila.com?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

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