scribbles...

Harassed by a Credit Card CSR..

2012-02-01T20:06:00.002+08:00

It first happened just two months ago - December 4, 2011 to be exact. I got this call from a certain Alvin Paredes of Collections Department demanding payment from me for an allegedly unsettled bill from my Citibank credit card. He was so arrogant that up to this day, every time I recall those incidents, I would clench my fist in anger. (Actually, I rather prefer a hair-grabbing match with Mr. Paredes)

Accordingly, my previous requests for reversal of surcharges were disapproved, hence, I still have unpaid balance even if I already had my credit card closed. I asked, how could that be? My card was deactivated for more than three months already and during those period, nobody called me about my unsettled bill, knowing Citibank's reputation for being too aggressive in their collection efforts.

I should know this aggressiveness because I already witnessed my officemates being bullied and threatened over the phone by these collection agents. But that's another story...

Don't get me wrong. Citibank, is one of the few companies that I highly recommend for those who intend to get a credit card because of their perks and privileges. In fact, I blogged (click this link) about that irresistible offer that I now regret I didn't grab. :(

Further, of all the credit card companies that I transact with, only Citibank would take the time to call me few days after my due date (talking again about aggressiveness..) to remind me should I fail to pay on time. That again, is another story. But let me explain briefly, lest some negative conclusions might be formed. I usually don't receive my bills from Citibank. I would know that I have dues at such date only when I get a call from Citibank. Such an inconvenience.. Tsk! Tsk!

Below is what remains of my poor memory of my conversation with Mr. Paredes, which goes something like this:

Paredes: Gusto ko lang naman malaman kung magbabayad ka o hindi.
Me: Bakit ako magbabayad? Hindi ko nga alam na may unpaid bill pa pala ako. Tsaka, ang tagal ko na pina-close ang credit card ko.
Paredes: Ok. Pero inform lang kita, tatawag uli ako sa'yo dyan in the next few days.

Considering that he would be bombarding me with his calls, I told him to contact me thru my cellphone instead of office phone. He said he can't.

One reason why I would want Mr. Paredes to call me thru my mobile phone instead of the office phone is that, I do not want anybody in the office complaining why I spend so much time on the office phone for my personal business. But actually, the more important reason behind is that, I could record on my cellphone all the snide remarks he made and perhaps make a formal complaint about it.

And yes, Mr. Paredes was so true to his word, he called me up many times again, and yes, thru my office phone, with the obvious malicious intention of embarrassing me to my officemates. You can just imagine what I went through. Grrr!

About two weeks later, I got another call from Citibank, fortunately, it was not Mr. Paredes. Bad thing, I was not able to get his name. He was polite while talking to me. He even apologized for the behavior of Mr. Paredes. Everything went on smoothly while we were discussing about the details of my dues. (Mr. Paredes, why can't you do that?) Later, it was found out that my due was only P427.50 and not P2000+, as previously demanded.

Today, weeks after payment of P427.50 (imagine, I was being harassed for not paying this amount. I must be poor, Mr. Paredes!), I got this bill showing that I overpaid in the amount of P1,939.12:

Tsk! Tsk! again..

Bourne Legacy Madness

2012-01-25T13:30:00.001+08:00

I thought I would not have been affected at all by the Bourne Legacy brouhaha. But then just this morning, as I was already on my way to the office, the heavy traffic took me years before I was able to pass by Pasay Taft-Rotonda wherein I saw at least two trailer trucks parked infront of Metropoint Mall. I later learned that it cause the traffic to stretch all the way to Timog area.

It was reported over DZMM that the schedule shoot would still be during the weekend yet. But as early as today, the crew was already busy setting up the area. And accordingly, they did not inform the MMDA. I don't know if I heard it right but it was said that as a consequence, they were forced to pack up.

And I hope so. Although I would have wanted to catch a glimpse of Rachel Weisz and get a feel of Hollywood craze, still, I don't want to go to office for the next two days spending at least 15-30 minutes more on the road. Anyway, good luck to me. :(

December Weather

2011-12-04T19:15:00.001+08:00

I woke up to a cloudy morning today. Few minutes after, rain poured. I wondered then if there was an approaching typhoon. So, I checked online for a weather update, and here's what I got (see the image on the right side of this post):

I just love this cool weather.. especially on a weekend.. when I get to stay and enjoy home. The soft gentle breeze blowing thru my window just hit me that Christmas season is now here to stay for at least a month.

I guess I should now start my Christmas countdown. Merry Christmas!!! :)

My 2nd Pasay Day Celebration

2011-12-03T23:07:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, December 2, 2011, would have been my 4th time to celebrate Pasay Day (a.k.a non-working holiday) had it not for my special audit engagements in 2008 and 2010, which period of field work also covered Pasay Day. :(

Hence, I was so happy when I found out that I would be able to enjoy December 2 away from work. In fact, days before that, I already listed in my mind the things that I would do on that much-awaited day. I should say, 80% of what I've planned were successfully accomplished. :)

So, when is the next non-working holiday? I wish PNoy would declare December 23 as such.. :(

My Lowest.. Ever..

2011-12-01T05:21:00.000+08:00

I was supposed to make an updated post (please click this for my September post) about my electric bill which I received in October. But due to sudden turn of events, obviously, I was not able to do so.. :(

Anyway, the table above showed that my bill dropped to P264.15 in October. And because I was away from home for two weeks (which, by the way, was the reason why I wasn't able to attend my cousin's wedding), my bill further plummeted to P205.20.

Actually, I was expecting my November due to be much lower than that. Considering that I did not use the electricity for half month, based on my October due, my bill should have been somewhere near P150 or about 50% of P264.15. :(

Well, a variance of P50, I can say, is negligible. I would not waste my time fussing over such menial matter but rather, I should still be grateful for that blessing.

I have another plan. To find out if the Extreme Power Saver I bought is really working, starting this January, I won't be using it anymore. If my power consumption would suddenly surge up, then you and I already know why. ;)

Popo's 100th

2011-11-30T22:51:00.002+08:00

Today is not just Andres Bonifacio's birthday. Today would have marked the 100th birthday of my paternal grandfather also named Andres, whom we, the grandchildren, fondly called him as our "popo".

When I googled popo's name just to try to check out his year of birth, I was surprised to find it online, considering that, when popo passed away more than a decade ago already, internet was still not popular then. If my memory serves me right, I was still in college then. Internet was something that was foreign to me that I was trying hard to explore when I already started working. So, you just can imagine..

Popo lived with us during my childhood years. I remember him as soft-spoken, silent, and good-natured person. When he died, it was the first time that I saw my father cried.. :(

To popo, happy birthday! Please take care of papa.. :)

Lazy Mode..

2011-11-30T14:03:00.001+08:00

After I recently finished my International Audit training, I have been splurging my time on things that I generally deprived myself of for almost a year - surfing the net, watching movies, and sleeping. I should say that, now that I am on leave from school, I should have all the time in the world. :)

Unfortunately, there's one task that I failed to do, and that is, to keep my blogs updated, at least daily. Today, November 30, 2011, is the last day of the month, and I am so guilty that I've only written four posts for this blog for this whole month. Now, compare that to my 13 articles posted just last August when I recall, at that time, I was busy studying for the midterm exams, catching up with my office workload, and spending sleepless nights with hubby. How's that?! :(

I just hope this realization will stop me from procastinating, and instead, nudge me to roll up my sleeves and get moving. :)

Miles..

2011-11-14T19:27:00.005+08:00

I have mentioned in my other blog that due to unbelievably peak-season ticket fares, I might just take a RORO or SuperFerry just to reach my hometown in time for Christmas. (I'm not kidding! Maybe a little adventure is what I really need..)

Well, I've thought of another option. That is, to use the Mabuhay Miles I earned from riding PAL planes. It wasn't that much though considering that I rarely travel nowadays and if I do travel, PAL is no longer a practical choice.

Thus, without further delay I dialed the customer service and the first problem (take note, it's just FIRST of many) I encountered was that there is no PAL plane servicing Surigao. In other words, I do not have any recourse but to take the Butuan route.

Next problem: they no longer have slots for economy class, only for business class. As I was wondering what a smaller plane could provide to business class passengers, I innocently asked, what's the difference? Accordingly, I will have a special seat and more leg room. I thought to myself, who cares? And I would be using an additional 2,000 miles for that? Not worth it. If only they would at least offer a front view of the horizon, say, a seat at the cockpit. Hehehe

3rd problem: I am short of almost 3,000 miles! How's that? I almost fell from my chair. How could that be? When I checked my latest statement of account sent to my email about four months ago, here's what I found out:

I lost 728 miles! I would not have allowed it to happen had it not that at that time, I was so busy with everything. Tsk! Tsk!

It's only 728 miles anyway, I consoled myself. But when I checked my account online, I realized I did not only lose 728 miles but a total of 2,767 miles! Whooa! That's more than enough to cover my shortage of miles!

There's no use crying over spilled milk. And so, I told the customer service representative that I will just have the points, earned from using my HSBC credit card, converted to Mabuhay Miles.

Now for the 4th problem, I can't have the reservation made not unless I have enough miles from my account. In other words, they will have to wait for the points-to-miles conversion.

5th problem: Processing of conversion will take at least ten days.

6th problem: They cannot assure me if there will still be available slots after ten days.

Now, therefore, I, Gay, might... just... take... the RORO! Huhuhu! Hehehe! ;)

Almost...

2011-11-13T20:21:00.002+08:00

I dreamed this morning that Juan Manuel Marquez won... Don't get me wrong but I wasn't that obsessed with the boxing match, mind you. It's just that, I blogged about them right before I hit the bed at 5 o'clock in the morning. That explains..

Anyways, in my dream, he accordingly stepped down from the ring.. on a stretcher, lying down. He didn't look terribly injured but just bad enough to declare his opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez, the winner by the time they reached the 10th round.

As of this writing, I still haven't seen the replay, thanks to my non-functional tv. Maybe I'll just check it online later. But according to my mother (good for her, she saw the fight on tv), Marquez could have won had it not for the majority decision of the judges in favor of Pacman.

Now, why am I making a fuss about this whole thing? It is because I dreamed about it. Silly as it may sound, but I do believe that my dreams would come true. And this one, okay this one, sort of deviated and gone out of way. But it almost happened, don't you think?

Zero Crime Rate

2011-11-13T04:24:00.001+08:00

Few hours from now, Manny Pacquiao will once again dominate the tv screens for his boxing fight, this time, with Manuel Marquez. Sad for me, my 11-year old, 14-inch tv is no longer working (that, I hope to blog about sometime in the future). I could have the option of going to the office and watch it at the casino. Or just perhaps monitor the fight online. But then, I am not a sports buff that I would want myself to be. I just watch it, out of curiousity's sake.

I remember, while I was still assigned at Tagaytay, I went malling one Sunday morning. I noticed the mall wasn't usually packed with people. Then I realized, when I heard over the radio played at one of the boutiques, that Manny Pacquiao was on the ring at that moment.

Since I've been planning to buy some christmas presents at 168 shopping mall, today would have been the perfect time. There would be less shoppers bumping each other at the narrow aisles of the mall. There would be no traffic on the road. And the best of it all, pickpocketers would be off-duty from practicing their profession.

The problem now, however, is that I just had my face treated at Slimmer's World. The doctor says that I can't wash the treated area for at least 24 hours. Hence, needless to say that I must stay away from dust and dirt. To sum it all, I would just stay home all day. :(

Back to Blogging...

2011-11-09T19:23:00.001+08:00

I have been out of the blogger world for almost a month now. Blame it on the fact that I was so engrossed with too many activities lately that I had no other choice but to give up my blogging moments.. momentarily. Anyway, there's so much to blog about. It's just that I am at a loss on how to answer the question, "where do I begin?". Now, that reminds me of the classic song entitled, "Love Story". Hmmm...

Until the next post! ;)

Truly A Miracle Worker!

2011-10-15T21:16:00.000+08:00

I have been a devotee of St. Anthony de Padua for a few months already. I admit, I didn't really believe in saints. In fact, I don't even consider myself as religious at all. But the recent blessings in my life led me to realize that saints do intercede for us, if we pray for it.

St. Anthony de Padua is said to be the saint of miracles. Many times, he has proven himself to be one when I prayed for his intercession and was subsequently granted with, but not limited to, the following petitions:

heal my broken heart;
guidance in my studies;
pass the UN audit qualifying exam;
pass the UN audit panel interview; and
hubby to allow me to take the UN audit training.

It was in the last petition that I shed buckets of tears and spent sleepless nights for it was near to impossible for hubby to relent on to my request. But God, thru the intercession of St. Anthony de Padua, as well as Mother of Perpetual Help and St. Joseph, made it possible!

Indeed, God is good. :)

Praying to Fail...

2011-10-11T09:14:00.001+08:00

Ironic it may seem but failing is what I have been praying for nowadays. Don't get me wrong but I have waited for that opportunity for almost twelve years now. And now that it is almost within reach, I have decided, with eyes closed, that I will be backing out.. if ever..

I would rather choose to fail than passing that final stage of selection process. In that way, I won't feel bad for just letting it pass right before my very eyes... and missing out that long-awaited chance of being included in the pool of auditors who will be auditing international organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization.(FAO).

I hope they will understand.. The reason behind is too personal... and more important enough for me to turn my back away from that dream, a dream which my father and I once shared.. not so long time ago..

Finally, after 2 years...

2011-09-23T15:03:00.002+08:00

It came as a surprise to me.. I thought it was a mistake.. But no, the MERALCO online bill notification could not be mistaken..

My bill has significantly reduced to a measly amount of P395. Could it be that the Extreme Power Saver I bought about a year ago is finally working? I swear I still use my airconditioning unit as frequent as I can. My refrigerator seems doing fine although lately I don't stuff it as much as before, which should have consumed more power, according to a study made which I read somewhere. And since I rarely cook my own meal nowadays, I have been utilizing the microwave oven for reheating purposes more than ever before.

As far as I can remember, my average monthly bill for the last two years was around P1,500. There were even two instances before when it reached P2,500. Well, I still have my washing machine and flat iron then. However, I let go of it just last May of this year. If those appliances were the culprit for my high electric bill, my power consumption should have significantly reduced as early as June yet.

Nevertheless, few days after I received my current bill, I made an experiment as to the cause of the sudden drop in my utility bill. Hopefully, I will be able to draw a conclusion once I get hold of my next bill by next month.

For the meantime, I would just like to rejoice over my new-found savings. :)

Goodbye Food... :(

2011-09-15T02:45:00.002+08:00

Few hours ago, when hubby reminded me again to watch my diet, I already suspected something.. that he must have seen my recent pictures in Facebook.. :(

At that time, I didn't see yet those pictures taken at TGIF, SM Mall of Asia. Hence, after we talked, I hurriedly opened my FB account, and there it was! Que Horror! I was caught in my most unglamorous pose! And to add salt to the injury, in that picture, I looked FAT!

Well, I guess I made the right decision into joining my other classmates in buying that slimming coffee from another classmate. Who wouldn't be convinced? We have this chubby classmate who significantly trimmed down her bulges (sorry for my profanity) after a number of weeks of drinking that wonder coffee plus banana and.. (I fogot the other one)

Will I be able achieve my ideal body figure? (Not body weight as according to my weighing scale, my weight is within the normal range). And the saga continues..

Forgiveness...

2011-09-08T10:41:00.004+08:00

I just got this text message from an officemate:

Forgiveness means, "I give up my right to hurt you because you hurt me."

It means, "I can trust GOD to note the wrong that has been done to me and trust that GOD in His own time, and in His own way, will deal with the one who has wronged me."

It practices what JESUS taught, "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you". (Luke 67:2728)

Morning Blues...

2011-09-07T11:59:00.000+08:00

I began the day by waking up at 8am this morning. I literally dragged myself to the bathroom but decided to have breakfast first instead. My mind was not ready to think yet.. :(

On my way to office, I realized I wasn't feeling well... emotionally. Moments? Tantrums? Or simply not in the mood? I don't know. I guess this is just NOT my day..

And now here in the office, infront of the pc, my mind is still blank.. In an attempt to perk myself up, I chose christmas songs in my playlist... to no avail..

Because of this, I got curious and searched online what the horoscope says about the Gemini mood. But nothing in the article I read gave me an answer as to why I am acting this way..

I guess I'll just go home... :(

Gift Check

2011-09-06T12:46:00.005+08:00

Just this morning, the courier handed me an envelope containing my two-P500 gift check. Let me tell you why:

I recently got a bill from my Metrobank credit card charging me of the annual fee (please see my related post on this). Sad to say, unlike citibank's, the customer service representative did not offer me anything to entice me (perhaps an all-expense paid trip to Hongkong would do. hehehe) to keep my card active. waaah!

Hence, I did not have any choice but to cancel my card. But not before I redeem the reward points I earned from using the card. I was surprised that I was still able to earn points just enough to have it exchanged for a reward item considering that I rarely use my Metrobank credit card.

I was torn between getting a flat iron, an oven toaster, and a P1,000 gift certificate. If I chose the latter, I would not be able to maximize the points I earned which is a little higher than the equivalent points for said item. But still, I opted for it. Never mind the missed points, I said to myself. I have a better use for a gift check rather than those other items.

Lesson learned: To accumulate higher rewards points, I should have maintained only one credit card. Huh?!

I'm In A Dilemma

2011-08-30T01:36:00.003+08:00

I only have until today, August 30, to decide. This is about my credit card which I was recently charged an annual fee of P1500. Normally, I would cancel credit cards when they charge me that. This time though, the customer service representative offered me something which I would have a hard time to refuse. In exchange for my payment of the annual fee, I would be given an overnight stay good for two + spa treatment + reward products at Nurture Spa Village in Tagaytay.

That customer service representative must have known that indulging in spa is one of my weaknesses. Hahaha! I still recall when I was still in Butuan, I would frequently visit spa salons to have a body scrub and/or massage. When I transferred to Tagaytay, I did the same at Touchpoint. And when I started to settle in Manila, I availed the promo packages of Fitness First at SM Mall of Asia. And oh, how can I forget my recent trip to Slimmer's World for a complimentary slimming massage treatment?

Now back to that tempting offer, I am unsure if I'll be able to avail that considering the geographical distance. Two years ago, I was given a free hotel accommodation in Cebu which unfortunately I was not able to take it. You see, I already had a plane ticket to Cebu then and from there I would fly to Singapore. But due to sudden turn of events, I didn't push through. It would have been the best time for me to indulge. Yeah, it would have been...

Although Tagaytay is just an hour away from Manila, going there would still take a lot of my time.. and effort. My cousin's upcoming wedding at Caleruega would be a great excuse for me to stay at Nurture Spa Village. But who knows, just like that Cebu vacation, my plans might change.. again..

Whatever my decision will be, I just hope I would still have the time and energy to act on it when I get back from my rescheduled date in Intramuros later...

Taking a Break...

2011-08-28T23:25:00.002+08:00

I so love my life now! As of this writing, I'm watching Vice Ganda on tv and at the same time surfing the net. Outside my window, the cold wind is blowing softly as if luring me to sleep... zzzzz

But not so fast! I would just like to enjoy this moment.. free from law books and cases. Besides, I still have to watch "Dear John" movie later, if my sleepy eyes still permit. That movie is long overdue, my 2010 planner said so.

Before ending this post, let me just share a few of what I found out (a.k.a. my discoveries) this evening:

maja salvador is so beautiful and sexy;
margie holmes, a sex therapist, had 30 boyfriends;
margie holmes is already 60+ years old;
pops fernandez, at her age, is still sexy;
"don't let me be the last to know" was sung by the nolans;
the same group was also the one who sang "i'll never love this way again"

That's all, for now! Gotta go. Sissy is now on skype...

It Won't Be A Long Weekend After All

2011-08-26T02:01:00.003+08:00

Just this afternoon, my boss asked me if I'll go home this coming four-day holiday. She must have totally forgotten that I have classes on weekends. I can't blame her. Everybody is already excited for the long weekend ahead. And I'm not. :(

On Monday, I still have to wake up early for the scheduled video recording, which my groupmates and I are going to present to the class in early September. We were previously considering Batangas as our location shoot, but then, due to geographical distance, we might just settle for Intramuros instead.

Hence, I only have one day all for myself. And that is Tuesday. No plans. Maybe I will just doze off and try to make up for my sleepless nights. Or maybe, I will just watch some movies from my player. Or perhaps, read a book.

If only I had more time...

Help!

2011-08-24T20:15:00.004+08:00

I don't know what happened. But I guess, it all started when I linked my Facebook account to my yahoo account just a few weeks ago. I was glad I did that because now, I get to check FB updates straight from my Yahoo account. On the other hand, long before that, I had my mobile no. registered thru yahoo messenger so that, even when I am offline, I can still receive and retrieve messages from my cellphone.

However, I first noticed that something went wrong when i was awaken by a message alarm from my cellphone at around 4 o'clock in the morning. It was from a classmate asking me, "Gising ka pa?" (Still awake?). What a question... I was awaken just to be asked if I'm still awake? Hahaha! I reread the message again and to my horror, she texted thru FB! And it was not only from her that I got FB messages at wee hours of the morning... at DIFFERENT days.

Few days ago, another classmate teased me that he always see me online at FB. Not only that, hubby commented that I was online in Yahoo when I was supposed to be mobile. I swear, I signed out of my account PROPERLY. This incident happened a number of times already, that's why I am little bit bothered.

It only means one thing: I have been online ALL the time. Why? What have I done? Will somebody explain what's going on?

Septic Review

2011-08-23T20:09:00.004+08:00

Before I totally forget about what my classmates and I watched on the big screen almost a month ago, let me just blog about it. (I hope the grimy look of the ticket, shown at the left side of this post, achieved its purpose of being an effective visual aid. LOL)

The film entitled, "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" was the first indie movie that I watched. I got curious about it when I saw its banner being prominently displayed at CCP where hubby and I happened to pass by on our our way to Malate one Saturday evening. I learned later that entry films for the 7th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival were featured at CCP during that week.

Since our professor was not around that Sunday morning, my classmates and I trooped to SM Manila and waited for its 1st showing. Thanks to She-Ann, we had free popcorns, which my other classmates stopped munching when the camera started rolling and focused towards yucky scenes. Hahaha!

This film is not a typical Filipino movie, it does not lead to the usual happy ending. After the show, it will just leave everybody thinking. Also, I must say, Eugene Domingo is so amazing! She really deserves that Best Actress award.

That film is a whole new experience for me. A movie buff that I once was, I just wonder, when would my next indie movie-watching be?

Office's Song for the Week

2011-08-22T00:17:00.002+08:00

I first took notice of this song few days ago while I was riding a taxi on my way home. It was played over a local FM radio and according to the deejay, the song hit no. 1 on their charts. Featuring the song in the "Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin" teleserye must have helped boost its ratings.

To appreciate the song and to avoid distraction, I suggest one listens to it sans the music video. What made me personally like the song is the way the singer poured her heart and soul into it. One could feel the heaviness of her melancholic heart while singing it. It's as if she was crying while begging for somebody to spare her love..

Fortunately, my officemates like the song too that I could play it over and over again from my pc without them complaining it. In fact, to please my older officemate, once in a while, I also played Imelda Papin's "Bakit" and "Hindi Ako Isang Laruan". Hehehe. But of course, that's another story...

And So I Thought...

2011-08-20T14:25:00.002+08:00

According to the Official Gazette, tomorrow, August 21, 2011, is declared as a Ninoy Aquino Day and as such, it is listed under the nationwide regular holidays and special non-working holidays thereat. My classmates and I recently found out however that the school has not made any announcements, up to this moment, that there will be no classes tomorrow.

That's sad... I thought tomorrow will be my free day. I thought tomorrow would have been my rare chance to stay at home and just laze around..

Now, for plan B... :(