Just Passing Through

Registering a Small Business in Mandaluyong, Philippines

2013-03-18T20:38:00.001+08:00

I initially did not want to register at all because I just wanted to have an online presence. Registration in Sulit.com and ayosdito plus other free listing sites was enough for me. BUT, because I intend to offer services to high-income individuals and companies that demand receipts, I had no choice but go through the business registration process. Registration was not easy and not free! Although I've read through enough Philippines business blogs to get overall directions and tips, some of the fees I had to pay still caught me by surprise.

What's more annoying is that there is no policy on "online business" in the country. There is no online anything business classification in this country. If Facebook had been built in the Philippines, they would have had no idea how to classify it. On hindsight, I don't regret going through the registration process. Being equipped with permits and official receipts make what I'm doing more credible and "real" to my individual and corporate clients.

The process for single proprietorship involves four institutions in the following order: Department of Trade and Imdustry (DTI), Barangay Hall, City Hall, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Here's the breakdown of what I did in each institution, the forms, and the fees.

Venue: Department of Trade and Industry
Time Spent: less than one hour

Registered my business name. I did it online but I still had to go there for payment. They asked for 2 valid IDs.
Paid fees:

             Php 2,000 - for National scope (territorial validity of the business name)
             Php 15 - Documentary Stamp Tax
             Total: Php 2,015
3. Claimed DTI Certificate of Registration

    Note: I registered in DTI in December 2011, but only registered in BIR in 2013 because the business didn't operate in 2012. It didn't matter to BIR that the business was not functioning yet, I got fined Php1,000 by BIR for every year I didn't register with BIR. Apparently, a business name can't just be "parked."

Venue: Barangay Hall
Time Spent: less than one hour

Submitted copy of DTI certificate
Paid fees:

            Php 200 - Clearance
        Php 150 - Plate fee
        Php 15 - Documentary Stamp Tax
         Total: Php 365
      3. Claimed plate and Barangay Business Clearance

Mandaluyong City Hall Business registration filing

Venue: Mandaluyong City Hall
Time Spent: 3 days (I had to go back once for the photos and twice for my apartment's permit)

1. Submitted copy of DTI certificate
2. Submitted copy of Barangay Business Clearance
3. Submitted pictures of the "establishment"
    Since my business is online-based, I gave them a photo of my desk, the corridor of my floor, the apartment, and the left and right neighbors of my apartment. The photos had to be printed on photopaper.
4. Submitted copy of lease contract*
5. Showed current year cedula (available from city hall too)
6. Submitted a duly accomplished "Application Form for Business"
5. Paid Fees:
    Php 1,000 - Insurance (I contested this because it's not included in the list of requirements. The "officers of the day" just pushed it on us. I only paid because I didn't want the headache of complaining straight to the Mayor's office.)
   Php 20 - Cedula (for voluntary payors)
   Php 50 - Notary (This is the only application fee that had to be notarized.)
   Php 3,076.30 - Mayor's permit, utilities, tax based on capitalization (I said it was just 5,000 because there aren't a lot of capitalization for online businesses, but the pesky officers wouldn't believe it, and instead put in 250,000 as capitalization. The know-it-alls insisted on that huge amount. They said that's the base value anyway. This sheer ignorance worsened by arrogance is why I think there should be a clear policy on how to go about classifying and charging online businesses.)
   Php 198.10 - Fire fee (paid to the Fire Department)
   Total: Php 4,344.4
6. Claimed Business plate and Mayor's Permit (which is not a certificate, but a receipt)

    * Note about the lease contract: The contract had to be current and notarized. The apartment also had to have a current mayor's permit. If not, they would not release the permit. I would still be able to operate, but I wouldn't have a certificate and a plate. The whole thing was crazy because the Certificate of Mayor's Permit was what I needed to show that my business is legitimate. Companies ask for that!
     The problem was that city hall's system could not see my apartment's registration. I had to ask my landlord for her copy of the apartment's mayor's permit which she promptly gave me. I brought the permit to city hall. The staff there asked me to give them a day to verify it because it was not showing up in their system. When I returned the next day, they still did some double-checking before finally admitting that the system was messed up. That was the only time I got my permit.

Venue: Bureau of Internal Revenue in Mandaluyong
Time Spent: 3 days (I had to go back once because i missed the bank's 2pm cut off, one more because they ran out of paper for the certificate, another day to get the official receipts)

1. Submitted the following copies to the officer receiving business registration applications:
    a. DTI certificate
    b. Barangay Business Clearance
    c. Notarized Application for Mayor's Permit (it should've been the mayor's permit but mine was delayed because the city system couldn't find my lessor's permit)
2. Accomplished the following forms and submitted them to the Officer in Charge:
   a. BIR form No. 1905 - Application for Registration Information Update (I had to move my RDO from Makati where I previously worked to Mandaluyong)
   b. BIR form No. 1901 - Application for Registration
   c. BIR form No. 0605 - Payment Form (for tax dues and penalties like non-BIR registration within 60 days of getting the DTI certificate and missing the January deadline for filing taxes; in BIR, ignorance of deadlines is not an excuse)
   d. BIR form No. 2000 - Documentary Stamp Tax/Declaration Return
3. Went to a BIR accredited bank to pay the amounts indicated in BIR form No. 0605 and 2000
Total: Php 2,251.97
    Note: BIR payments have a 2pm cut-off in BIR accredited banks.
4. Submitted copies of the following:
a. bank receipt of BIR form No. 0605
b. bank receipt of BIR form No. 2000
5. Bought and submitted for stamping the following accounting records also known as "books" (bookstores have these):
   a. Columnar Notebook 14 columns (2 pieces)

   b. Ledger
   c. Journal
6. Claimed BIR Certificate; an officer also returned the "books" that have already been approved, and paid Php 15 for Documentary Stamp
7. Requested for Official Receipts
    a. Submit BIR form No. 1906 - Authority to Print Invoices and Receipts
    b. Submit copy of BIR Certificate
c. Paid Php 1,000 for the printing of 10 pads of receipts (that's already the minimum)
    d. Claimed the official receipts after 2 weeks

GRAND TOTAL for fees of Business Registration of Single Proprietorship: Php9991.37

I'm not sure if the fees you will pay are similar to mine. I regret not having fought the Php1,000 business insurance fee in city hall harder. I hope you get it cheaper and finish faster than I did.

This is just the initial cost for doing business in the real world. Spending almost 10,000 pesos might be discouraging for some online entrepreneurs, but I think it will pay off because it will help us win more clients. I've convinced managers and CEOs to consider the services I offer only to be frowned at by their accountants and finance personnel. It's not fun when that happens. NOW though, when I'm asked for documentation, I present my legally acquired permits with a flourish :)

Tea 101

2013-02-12T14:37:00.001+08:00

Tea 101 in California Gardens, Libertad Ave., is one of my new favorite spots. Their milk tea comes in two humongous sizes and both equally affordable, just Php75 (tall) and Php85 (skyscraper). I enjoy all their tea flavors, with wintermelon milk tea as my most ordered drink.

And like all my fave spots, they have free stable wifi and outlets to plug into which make Tea 101 a convenient place to hang out and work a little.

Size Matters

2013-02-10T17:33:00.001+08:00

My friends and I found this burger place called Size Matters in Shaw Zentrum. They make really good burgers and buffalo wings. And true to their name, their drinks come in gargantuan mugs.

But what I like about them most are their decent-speed free wifi and availability of sockets to plug into. It's a haven for those who wanna have a burger and work on the side.

Mila's Driftwood

2012-11-25T19:05:00.001+08:00

A driftwood is a haunting and wild object but when tamed into a piece of furniture, it is captivating. That's probably what people from Brgy Matawe in Dingalan, Aurora thought of when they made candleholders, lamps, chairs, and tables out of driftwoods. Almost everyone passing by their booth at the Central Luzon Fair looked. Not one of their products were alike.

Pasig Palengke vs Puregold Grocery

2012-09-03T17:00:00.000+08:00

Veggies at Pasig Palengke

I overheard helpers talking in the elevator about the price of kangkong a few days ago. According to the ate who was holding the vegetable up to her friend's face, water cabbage had only cost her 10 pesos the week before but this one was 20 pesos. Grabe, double the price! She got it from Robinson's supermarket. Her friend seemed to wonder at the ate's naivete. Of course, everybody knows that items in Robinson's are gold.

My curiosity and concern for my wallet piqued, I decided to compare food prices of the two places I usually go to: Puregold (along Shaw Blvd), which before this blog post I thought had reasonable prices, and Pasig Palengke (Pasig Public Market), which is known for cheap prices. (Commuting to both places costs me the same so fare doesn't really have any bearing on this comparison.)

ITEMS               PUREGOLD (Sept 1, 2012)               PASIG PALENGKE (Sept 2, 2012)
1. Papaya           28 pesos / kilogram                             20 pesos / kilogram
2. Tomato          58 pesos / kilogram                             35 pesos / kilogram
3. Potato            90 pesos / kilogram                             60 pesos / kilogram
4. Garlic            105 pesos / kilogram                           70 pesos / kilogram
5. Onions (red) 117 pesos / kilogram                           80 pesos / kilogram
6. Cabbage        95 pesos / kilogram                             60 pesos / kilogram
7. Cucumber     75 pesos / kilogram                              25 pesos / kilogram
8. Carrots          117 pesos / kilogram                            60 pesos / kilogram
9. Lettuce          208 pesos / kilogram                            160 pesos / kilogram
10. Snow Cabbage 157 pesos / kilogram                      60 pesos / kilogram
11. Green beans    95 pesos / kilogram                          48 pesos / kilogram
12. Apple            122 pesos / kilogram                          20 pesos / piece

Fruits at Pasig Palengke

To be honest, I don't know which items in these markets were imported but they look similar in quality, size, and color. Needless to say, I won't be buying fruits and vegetables from Puregold, unless Pasig market gets flooded again.

Book Reflections: Mockingjay

2012-03-20T10:07:00.000+08:00

Mockingjay (Book 3 of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins

I could not have been more wrong when I had thought that the books were the usual YA fare of love triangles in weird settings. The romance took the last seat on the bus in Book 1, got a bit to the front in Book 2, and then, for me, almost left the bus in Book 3. The trilogy is so not about romance at all, but it's there. It's crazy, brave, and thoughtful. It shows the author's belief that romance or the idea of it is not the sole driving force of young adults. There's caring for your family, survival, and sacrifice depite all odds -- odds like war and madness. Collins respected kids enough to know they must be shown these things.

Although it took only two days for me to go through all three books becuase they were riveting, it took me quite some time to write about them. I think it's because the disturbing issues the book presented are very relevant and distressing. And Mockingjay is the most disturbing of them all.

Mockingjay comes out throwing the darkest issues to light. As the Capitol's thirst for dominance doesn't end in the bloodshed of children, it seeks to make victims of the victors as well. We learn of the reasons behind Haymitch's inebriation, hear of the prostitution of Finnick, and discover the tortures done on Peeta and Johanna. The rebels also have their own drunken lust for power, which prompts the fear that one tyrant will just be replaced by another. This almost becomes a reality in the book if not for an exciting wtf moment.

As I was reading through them, I couldn't help but guess if the writer would see the story to a logical but horrifying end. And she did. Collins plunged the lead characters into madness head on. And Katniss, poor Katniss, becomes the tribute of all of Panem. She becomes the face of the revolution and comes out scarred (if not damaged) for life when the sister she sacrificed everything for dies a gruesome, violent, senseless death. Because, truly, war takes its toll on the youth. What remains is the faint glimmer of hope for our hero in the torch that Peeta carries for her. The guy simply loves Katniss and comes out of his own madness to reach out to her. I was a sobbing wreck after this.

But there is hope as the story culminates in the new generation of Panem -- not a shining ray of light kind of hope, more like a muted fragile glow of a very early dawn. It is enough to move on but not enough to completely heal. I'm still a bit distraught with what happened to Katniss.

The whole series is a powerful read. It is something I would recommend to kids, but somebody will have to be there when children reach the last pages, and ask "Why did it have to end that way?"

Book Reflections: Catching Fire

2012-03-13T08:49:00.000+08:00

Catching Fire (Book 2 of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins

Just when Katniss thinks the horror of being in The 74th Hunger Games is over, she gets thrown in yet another Game: the 75th Hunger Games or the Quarter Quell. In this special edition of the Games, she is pitted against other victors. This sucks because victors are supposed to get immunity for life. We learn something of how they won their own games: some by sheer brutality, others through ingenuity, and by out-starving the other tributes. Many of the victors are young but some are old like senior-citizen-old. So how does Katniss find it in her to kill, let's say, Mags, an 80-year-old victor from District 4? If Book 1 has kids killing kids, Book 2 has kids killing anyone.

Outside the Games, the sequel shows the effect that Katniss's courage has on all the districts. People are standing up for what they believe in which of course the totalitarian government hates. Katniss is also turned into the unwitting symbol of the riots -- everyone knows it but her. When she's flung back into the Games, she discovers hidden and surprising allies as well as powerful enemies. Amidst the many character standouts here, Cinna's actions are the most inspiring because he makes revolutionary art come alive. Kudos to the author for taking stylists to a whole new level of relevance and depth.

Catching Fire slams the brutality of entertainment squarely in the realm of politics and ideology. The Games have been used by the Capitol for decades to strong-arm the districts into submission. But because of Katniss, this propaganda device is being turned on its head to be used against the government instead. On live TV, people see how the victors succeed in not becoming a piece in the Games.

I think Catching Fire holds up the series's torch very well. It's as good as the first book and in some cases, particularly in how the victors team up, does even better.

Book Reflections: The Hunger Games

2012-03-06T07:58:00.000+08:00

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Book 1 (The Hunger Games) shows us Panem, a post-apocalyptic North America and the central characters. Every year the ruthless totalitarian government picks a girl and a boy, ala-The Lottery, to fight to the death in a televised extreme reality survival game called The Hunger Games. When despite the odds being in their favor, Katniss Everdeen's 12-year-old sister gets picked, she pushes through the crowd and volunteers to take her place. This is the first time District 12 ever had a tribute prompting the entire district population to put three fingers of their right hand to their lips and stretch it out to her as their most respectful funeral salute (equivalent to a 21-gun salute). For me, "I volunteer as tribute!" is right up there with "Not my daughter you bitch!" as one of the most unforgettable lines in contemporary YA literature.

Katniss is joined by a very scared Peeta, who even as a young boy already held a soft spot for her. To him, Katniss is the girl who when she sings, birds stop to listen. To Katniss, Peeta is the boy with the bread. Once, when she was on the brink of starvation, he gave her bread. That became a symbol of hope for her that her family would be able to survive. Speaking of symbols, she also carries with her to the games a mockingjay pin which for the districts mean freedom and survival. With the help of her stylist and Peeta's confession of his love for her on national TV, she quickly becomes a star even before the games began. Her mockingjay pin, her survival instincts, the brokenness she showed when little Rue died, and as the game ends, her unwillingness to kill Peeta and going for a move that wrenches control out of the gamemakers' hands are on display for all of Panem to see.

This book launches the dystopian trilogy of The Hunger Games and as the series progresses, the story becomes darker and darker. This is not your typical YA fare. Yes, there's love story, action and drama but the social commentaries alone that the book makes on entertainment today and the way the author brings it to a terrible end will grip many adult readers.

Book Reflections: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

2012-02-28T17:32:00.001+08:00

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

No doubt this is a controversial book that would anger a lot of parents who treat their kids as friends. As I leafed through the pages, I swear I could hear dozens of Korean moms' sentiments echoed in them. Like the author, they believe that it's a mother's job to be strong (super strong) for their children, that a kid's success almost solely depends (99%) on whether the mom does her job right, that it's ok for the children to hate them now because they would appreciate what has been done for them later, and that the Western style (i.e. American) of raising a child is almost a joke (no kidding). I know this because I've heard them repeat it like a mantra in the 14 or so years I've been teaching their kids. Their sentiments of course varies in degrees but the heart of it is the same: the Tiger Mother is in a constant battle to rear their cubs to be the fiercest, strongest, and most cunning Asian tigers on the planet. If you're Asian, you know in the pit of your stomach you'll beat a regular white kid anytime at Math, anytime. It's Asian domination everybody! Hurrah for the Jeremy Lins of the world!

BUT, as much as the book is filled with bravado so is it lined with doubt as if the author is seeking affirmation of her methods (5 hours of non-stop violin practice while on holiday, anyone?) or trying to get justification of her brutality (calling her daughter "garbage"). I've seen many parents (Filipinos included) cringe with regret over hitting their kid too much (a kid I know couldn't walk right a few days) or know that the punishments they've meted out were done in anger (grabbing a daughter by the hair and whirling her til her nose bled).

It's a tough tough world for parents. And every decision you make might be the decision your kid will remember you for, for the rest of her life. It seems like an oversimplification of things but from what I've observed in parents, it's those actions that are done in love (a light pat on the shoulder or a heavy smack on the bottom) that have the best chances of getting the results they want or maybe even later appreciated and fondly remembered by their children.

Real Cost of Cars?

2012-02-10T09:05:00.002+08:00

Buying cars has never been easier than right now -- or so it seems. For example, you can get a Hyundai Elantra at Sulit.com for a down payment of only Php28,000 (US$700) with the balance payable in 5 years at Php22,728 per month. At any given time, one of the big car brands has a sale be it in their main or affiliate dealerships.

But do buyers really get their cars at a cheaper price? I have an inkling that they don't. I hadn't really bothered with the numbers though, not until I wrote this post. What you'll read below is just my amateurish way of grappling with the economics of buying a car in the Philippines (i.e. I'm no accountant). I just wanted to see approximately how much more people really pay for cars at "promo prices".

For this post, I looked into the Elantra promo at sulit.com and got the following numbers.

The suggested retail price (SRP) of the car on Hyundai's website is Php868,000. That's a great price, especially now that Elantra won the North America Car of the Year award.

The promo I mentioned earlier has an initial shell out of just Php 28,000, which just leaves the buyer a balance of Php840,000 that ought to be paid in the next 5 years or 60 months. But it's not just simply 840,000/60=14,000 monthly payments. The dealers must contend with interest rates and so the monthly payments are at 22,728.

So,
Php22,728 x 60months = Php1,263,680 (Total monthly payments to be made in 5 years)

That's Php523,680 more than the retail price! Every year, the buyer pays an additional Php104,736. You can buy a brand new car with all the interest rate payments.

When we factor in Philippine inflation at 5% for the next 5 years (compounded), it gets worse.
Year 1 payout: 272,736 (22,728 x 12 months)
Year 2 payout: 286,372.8
Year 3 payout: 300,691.4
Year 4 payout: 315,726
Year 5 payout: 331,512.3
Total: 1,507,039 + 28,000 downpayment = Php1,535,039 (the cost a buyer will pay for his Elantra)

By 2017, a buyer will have spent Php1.5 million for a car priced at only Php868,000. That's almost double the price.

And then there's depreciation cost, which I won't get into because it's too depressing.

So what should Filipinos do to get the most bang for the buck for a brand new car? Pay it all in cash? Get a used car instead? I haven't really figured it out.

Bohol Tropics Resort Review

2012-01-15T11:13:00.001+08:00

For my post-holiday break, I stayed at Bohol Tropics Resort's Deluxe room with an expansive view of the sea for two nights. Aside from the fantastic view, the resort also had 3 pools (a kiddie pool, an adult pool, and a night pool) that were a lot of fun! We couldn't really get into the sea and swim because there was no easy access to it -- well maybe it was possible but the only entry was through the dive shops which means that the water would be immediately deep (and I cant swim!).

We were supposed to stay at one of the Terrace Garden rooms (we got it for free from Astoria) but I had our room upgraded to a Deluxe and just paid Php800 for a night to make up for the difference. Not bad!

Breakfast was a set meal of the usual American/Filipino fare of eggs, bacon, beef tapa, juice, etc., which cost Php100 per person. I kind of regret having breakfast in the hotel. It would have been better if breakfast had been at Caingit Fish grill, a quick 5-min tricycle ride away. I heard that place had fresh seafood especially in the morning. And well, when in Bohol, it's seafoods and fruitshakes galore.

It was good that Bohol Tropics was a short distance from everything in Tagbilaran. We used it more as a base for our comings and goings in the city and the nearby municipalities. However, it wouldnt be a good base anymore if more of the trips are in the northern part of Bohol. It took us 3 hours to commute on public transpo to Danao EAT from Bohol Tropics.

Immortals

2011-12-21T22:59:00.001+08:00

It looked like a prettier Clash of the Titans. Sam Worthington and Henry Cavill even exuded the same reluctance in giving more than 3 facial expressions: brooding, angry, stoic. Maybe I'll give Cavill an edge because he could certainly round his eyes more than Worthington.

The first and last movie I had ever seen Cavill in was as a young protaganist in the Count of Monte Cristo. A quick internet research yielded that he was only 19 when he did that. I remember thinking of him as a young actor who could convey a lot of emotions in not-a-lot-of-screen-time. Alhtough I hear that he did very well in Tudors, I unfortunately think that Cavill was a much better big screen actor at 19 than at 28 (his age now).

I wonder how he would do in Superman: The Man of Steel. It's a movie I'm looking forward to seeing and it's my fiercest hope that he delivers better than in the forgettable Immortals.

Blogger/Blogspot's New Look

2011-10-19T09:39:00.001+08:00

My first thought: Nice!

My first problem: Where are the widgets?!

It was a wonderful surprise that aside from updating the owner dashboard, Blogger also updated the overall look of the blogs. The Dynamic Views is enjoyable. The blog just seems easier to read because they got rid of all the clutter and the layout brings readers straight to the blog posts. Plus, loading is way faster than before.

But I got to be honest, I miss my widgets.

More People than Fish

2010-12-27T17:20:00.002+08:00

Oceanarium
Originally uploaded by catblox

Shoving, pushing, hundreds of people crowding into a small entrance - it's not an MRT rush hour scenario, but a Manila Ocean Park holiday madness. But I'm not one to complain since I got there on a free ride ^^

It would be nice to go there again, but on a non-holiday so there would be more time to look around and appreciate the marine life on display because it was amazing. The fishes and corals were so pretty, colorful and very much alive! Corals are not at all white. They're white only when they're dead.

With hundreds of people pouring in and millions of pesos in holiday ticket sales, I hope the Ocean Park management are taking steps to more actively preserve our marine resources. There's an area near the ocenarium's exit that has displays on how to save marine life - a great idea! The owners can even take it a step further though. Maybe make another huge aquarium that looks currently like the underwater of Manila Bay and put it beside one of the aquariums brimming with life, with nothing but glass separating them. This will make the contrast more evident, graphic and poignant. And then for no fee at all, arrange for a 30 minute trip to Manila Bay and have guests pick up garbage. I heard something on the news that Greenpeace had done that before. So maybe the two of them can strike up a deal?

After the Oceanarium trip, we queued for the Musical Fountain Show, but there was no queue at all! Sardines in a can have much better space than us as the whole crowd squeezed through the entrance. The management should do something about that. Put some ropes or something to guide the queue, even hire a bouncer. It was horrible.

The show was short, just 30 minutes, but very entertaining. I could do without seeing the starfish-costumed performances again though. I heard comments like " Starfishes again?" all around when the starfishes entered for their 3rd performance. By the 5th performance, people were groaning.

All in all, the P500 spent for the Oceanarium and the Musical Fountain Show was worth it. But I wouldn't pay higher than that, well at least not on a holiday.

First Prezi Presentation English 158

2010-09-22T23:24:00.000+08:00

My English 158 prezi report

Styling The Worker on Prezi

The other side of Boracay

2010-08-25T10:08:00.001+08:00

I was thankful that Al-Jazeera covered this issue. I hope the local media would too because the plight of the original Boracay residents is just heart-breaking.

Credit Card Rewards Points Comparison

2010-08-25T07:43:00.000+08:00

I have had an HSBC Red card for a few years now and I've immensely enjoyed the rewards program that it has. I'm not a big spender and don't like debt, so I keep an eye out for discounts and freebies I can get from using my card.
I've been thinking about switching to other card providers recently, not because I'm disappointed; I guess it's just out of boredom. So i took a cursory look at the rewards program of other cards and compared them to HSBC's.

The data on the table came from the "Terms and Conditions" found on all of their websites. I tried looking for BDO's on the net but it seems that it doesn't have the usual rewards points program. What it does seem to have is similar to SM Advantage. I've got to ask around first because based on the impression I got from their website, BDO provides a different card called BDO Rewards Card and without presenting that during purchases, a client won't be able to get points.

Prof. Bumatay-Cruz

2010-08-21T19:33:00.000+08:00

This is one of the light moments in our Research class. Prof Bumatay-Cruz was letting her hair down. :)

Mentoring the Mentors

2010-04-21T15:24:00.000+08:00

Kudos to the pioneering teachers involved in Mentoring the Mentors. Despite our teachers' passion for teaching, there really is a great need to re-train our existing English teachers: first in fluency and then in actual ELT. Many Filipino students will greatly benefit from this. At the same time, I hope that quality training be restarted in universities and colleges offering English Education courses since that's where we get our teachers in the first place.

RP English Teachers to attend US convention

by Claudeth Mocon (Business Mirror, 4/18/2010)

Selected elementary and high school teachers will represent the Philippines in the prestigious International Reading Association to be held from April 25 to 28 in Chicago, Illinois, after winning a presentation slot for its "Mentoring the Mentors," an international model for effective English teaching.

The Department of Education said the selected teachers will present the Philippine model on English teaching during the 55th IRA Annual Convention in Chicago.

The delegation, which will be headed by Education Undersecretary Vilma Labrador, is composed of five elementary, five secondary and four consultants from the National English Proficiency Program (NEPP).

"This is another source of pride for us: That our best practices have gained notice in other parts of the world," said Education Secretary Mona Valisno.

The country has been chosen as presenter at the IRA convention due to the successful implementation of its "Mentoring the Mentors: The Philippine DepEd Model to Enhance Teaching and Learning," which has sufficiently shown effectiveness through increased English literacy in pilot areas.

The success of the mentoring program is attributed to its comprehensive one-on-one training of teachers so that they can train other teachers who can become excellent teachers of more nonnative English speaking Filipino pupils.

The complete mentoring program is implemented over three years. The first is on basic training on English communication skills. The second year is an enhancement of the first year program, and the third year is a further deepening of the skills or "broadening the horizon."

"This helps develop teachers' skills and self-confidence," Dr. Rosalina Villaneza, head of the NEPP.

The move to improve English teaching in public schools was supported by Executive Order 210, which gave birth to the NEPP.

The training tor mentors has three programs: Teachers as Learners, Teachers as Facilitators and Teachers as Mentors.

The program's target is to develop at least two mentors in elementary schools. One is a mentor for teachers in Grades 1 to 3, and the other mentor is for teachers in Grades 4 to 6. To be effective, each mentor trains a maximum of 10 teachers or mentees in a school-based mentoring program.

The DepEd piloted the mentoring program in Zamboanga Peninsula, Socsargen, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and in the Ilocos region and Mimaropa for the national pilot. It subsequently found out that Grade 6 pupils who took the National Achievement Test in English subjects had improved performance after the mentoring program.

"We are looking forward to contributing to making a difference not only here, but internationally," Villaneza said.

From an average grade of only 54.05% in school year 2005-06, achievement scores rose to 60.78% in SY 2006-07, up to 61.62% in SY 2007-08 and to 61.81% in SY 2008-09.

Our approach here is school-based training or school-based management, because this is an effective way that delivers results," she said.

License Examination for Teachers April 2010

2010-04-18T07:38:00.001+08:00

I woke up early to accompany my best friend to the University of the East. That's where she is now taking her License Examination for Teachers (LET).

We got there pretty early and hung out at the nearby Mcdonald's, which was chock full of people in white - the required shirt/blouse color of the examinees. Not all of our aspiring teachers followed the dress code though. Some were in orange, green, pink, blue. I guess you can't beat having your own lucky color.

She, looking calm and collected, went inside promptly at 6:30 am. I think I was more nervous for her. She wasnt able to review enough because of work. Sigh, c'est la vie! I just hope to God she makes it because I'm quite sure that she'll be one wonderful teacher.

Badminton

2010-04-11T12:05:00.000+08:00

Some of my friends and I spent our Araw ng Kagitingan holiday afternoon playing badminton at Centro Atletico, located on North Road, Cubao, Quezon City. It wasn't our first time to play there, but we were all surprised by how full of people the courts were. Is badminton finally regaining its lost popularity?

Maybe. I first began playing in 2005 primarily because of convenience. The building I worked in (Philamlife UN) had two badminton courts which were exclusive for employees' use. So why not? After all, it was for free! At that time, badminton was or near its peak; there were tournaments all over Manila every weekend. In fact, our company even had two badminton tournaments in a single year. I got hooked real quick, but then I resigned, hehehe. So no more badminton for me.

To play badminton, one would need a racket, several shuttlecocks, a badminton court, and people to play with. That's why after leaving Philam, I stopped playing altogether. It was taking too much effort and money to play (joining a tournament would cost P700+ per player and court hourly rental was P200+).

I don't think I was alone in feeling that. Starting around 2008, there were fewer badminton tournaments. And last year, badminton courts closed left and right. I know of two courts in Pasig that shut down - Smashroom and Sheridan. Players who frequented Sheridan were shocked. They said that there were always a lot of players there. Well, may be not enough to maintain the place.

The courts that are still in operation seem to have weathered the storm. Since I started playing again last year (thank God I found a group) some of the courts I've seen - Yonex, Centro Atletico, Battledore, Smashville - have healthy patronage. Others like Greenpark, Ultimate Impact, and PRC are only full on certain days of the week. I've never seen Greenpark full.

Wow, this entry is long. Anyway, the fact that Centro Atletico was overflowing with players on a holiday is a good sign that badminton is coming back. This might also be in part due to the increasing health awareness of the last few years, plus the massive popularity of running, which tends to rekindle interest in any and all physical activities.

As a badminton fan, even if it doesn't reach the same level of popularity it once have, I'm just hoping that the sport is kept alive, nourished and produce excellent players.

Sugbutel

2010-04-05T09:05:00.000+08:00

This is where I am staying right now in Cebu. It's ridiculously cheap at P350 ($8) a night, and i hope their fees stay that way for a long time.

Sugbutel is the first i've seen in Cebu and in Manila that offers a hostel type of lodging. Rooms have bunks, and there is one common toilet for females and another for males. It's not crowded because they can only accommodate a maximum of 50 people. And so far today, i've only seen 4.

The only problem here is the noise the traffic makes outside. My bunk is right by the window so I hear everything making it difficult to get some needed shut eye.

I think I'll stay here for the rest of my short visit.

Check out their website for more details: http://www.sugbutel.com/

Losing Weight

2010-02-25T17:44:00.001+08:00

My continual battle with losing weight is a losing cause. I've tried and tried to do it but I just don't have enough discipline to stick to a program. I've lost some weight, true, but in a matter of months, I'll get them back with an additional pound or two.

I'm not overweight today. Just on the brink of it. Again.

I refuse to give up though. I'm gonna start tomorrow by facing the weighing scale.

so after a long time of not posting

2010-02-25T17:38:00.000+08:00

The vintage car i got was Rolls Royce: 15,000 for the first 6 hours and 500 for every hour thereafter.

Judging from how many wedding guests took photos of themselves with the car, it was a hit. And it helped make the wedding all the more fun.

Getting a Bridal Car: Vintage Style

2010-01-02T21:04:00.000+08:00

I'm in the process of securing a bridal car for my sister's wedding on Jan 16. My initial idea was to get a stretched limo because it looked so elegant, rich, and looong. But as I got to know my sister and my future brother-in-law as a couple, I realized that they're not elegant, hahahhaah. Ok, ok, well they are but not in wealthy way -- ok, ok, backtrack again -- not in a snobbish way. Hopefully they'll be so freaking rich in the future that they could buy their own stretched limo but well, they're not there yet. What they are -- young and fun and wholesome.

I thought more... So they're having a wedding in a garden with the location for the reception party just a flight of stairs away. That must mean they're avers to moving themselves and their guests from place to place. They have a limited budget. That must mean they're like me. But they have 200 guests. That means they want to celebrate with their family, friends, and god-knows-who-else despite the cost to feed each one. They got Starbucks to sponsor their wedding, which tells me they have a thing for brands and comfort. Honestly, I don't know how to add them up.

Oh well, let me just get them a vintage car. I haven't seen many newlyweds use that as their bridal car. And anyway, the overall look of vintages just scream garden weddings.

Getting a vintage car requires very little internet research since Kasal.com conveniently has a list of bridal car rental companies. However, there are only quite a few companies with vintages on their list. The photos here are not that of the actual cars to be used; they're all from google :)

Vintage Cars
address: 5032 P Burgos Makati (8903252)
where the vintage cars are actually located: 673 Boni Avenue Mandaluyong (5322110)

Mercedes Benz 170D 1952
Php 12,000 for 6 hours
with driver and gas, no flowers

Rolls Royce 1936
Php 15,000 for 6 hours
with driver and gas, no flowers

Vintage Bridal
address: Greenland 2, Nangka Subdivision, Marikina (9416444)