Thanks to Angie...

At around 10pm the other night, I made a last-minute call to Air Philippines.  You see, days before that, I had already decided not to go home in time for the All Saints' Day.  But that night, out of the blue, I changed my mind.

I talked to Angie (sorry Angie, I forgot what your surname is).  I tried to negotiate for a change of flight schedule.  Since it was already late then and the approving official was no longer around, Angie advised me to call Air Philippines the following morning.  She was even accommodating enough to offer me that she'll be the one to call me instead.

True enough, she called me yesterday morning.  It was a series of calls as she was trying to update me from time to time of the status of my request.  I was already a bit panicky then as my flight to Surigao was at 1130 that morning.  Good thing, Angie was so patient with me.

In the end, my request was not granted.  Surprisingly,  I wasn't bitter.  Must be because I already expected the remote probability that it will turn out in my favor.  And/or, Angie gave me another option, that is, a full refund of my two-way ticket.

If only all customer service representatives were like Angie, the world would have been a better place to live by...

All Saint's Day Woes

I might not be able to go home next week in time for All Saints' Day.  I already bought my round-trip ticket as early as May.  However, due to circumstances beyond my control as we will be having a meeting anytime next week in preparation for another special audit engagement, I might just let go of my chance to take a short vacation in Surigao.

The problem now is, I don't want to be away from home during either All Saints' Day or All Souls' Day.  I had tried that once when I was still based in Cebu City.  It was eerie.  It seemed that the souls had their way of letting their presence known during their special day.

In my case, it was thru a nightmare.  When I woke up, all I could remember in my dream was "a message  needs to be relayed to Rose".  I don't know who Rose is.  It turned out that "Rose" actually lived in the house where I was residing at.  Until this day, the mystery has not been solved.

 On the other hand, just last year, exactly a day after All Souls' Day, the utility woman assigned in our building suddenly changed her schedule from night time to day time of collecting trash from unit owners.  We found out later that somebody poke her on the night of All Souls' Day at the 3rd floor of the building.  Nobody was around then...   It has been said that a white lady was frequently seen at the 3rd and 4th floors of our building.

Although I live at the 2nd floor, who knows that white lady might want to explore and try the lower floors?  Yay!  I guess I should now think seriously about going home...

Exercising My Right

It's almost three hours already since the Barangay Elections started.  Until now, I am still contemplating whether to go out and vote or just stay at home.  Actually, the reason why I am hesitant to go to the polling precinct is because I do not know yet if I am already a registered voter.  If you had read my last year's post, I mentioned about my struggle and even to the point of braving the typhoon just to make it to the last night (err day) of registration.

Anyway, I checked the COMELEC website and searched for name.  And I found nada.  But, I'm still hopeful.  I'm giving myself the benefit of the doubt that maybe, just maybe, COMELEC has not updated its database of registered voters.

I was told that my neighbors, with whom I was with during that fateful registration night, found their names in the list of voters and hence, they were able to vote during the May 2010 elections.  With that small piece of information, there's a spark of hope that, just like them, I might have already been successfully registered.

I guess I'll just give it a try and march to the voting center anytime before three o'clock in the afternoon. :)

By the way, should you want to verify your name at the COMELEC website, please click this.

More of Ondoy... and Hopefully the Last of It...

Before I shift to another topic, let me just finish what I started about my Ondoy experience.  Here it is:

While walking away from KFC-Guadalupe, I noticed a few public utility vehicles passing by.  This is unusual, I thought to myself.  And I started to get worried...

After about half an hour of waiting, I was able to board the first jeepney that came around.  The driver promptly informed his passengers that he would only drive as far as Market! Market! only as the road halfway to FTI was already flooded.  And I didn't have any choice...

At Market! Market!, I was already wondering why no taxicab driver would take me to my destination.  It took me another hour to find another jeepney.  And I was so glad when I was already seated, but that gladness was short-lived... 'coz we found ourselves in the middle of a heavy traffic upon entering the C5 route.

The driver returned our fares and shooed us from his jeep.  I could already hear other cars turning off their engine as traffic was no longer moving.  I followed other passengers when they alighted from the jeepney and started to walk their way home.  I guess I walked about three kilometers while making sure that the laptop I was carrying won't get wet.  I was finally relieved when I realized I was already near my residence but que horror!  I saw a body of water in front of me!  It was about waist-deep!

Scared that the laptop might get wet should I decide to cross the flood and possibly stumble upon something and do a dyesebel underwater, I opted to ride in that black rubber wheel instead and paid P20 for it.  Just when I thought that my nightmare had already ended as I was about to enter the compound, I saw another body of water in front of me.  This time it was neck-deep!

Good thing, I bumped into a neighbor.  We decided to take an improvised boat, which I later on found out that it was made of a large trash bin covered with a weak plywood.  That boat was maneuvered by a group of teens, whom I was afraid, might take advantage of the situation and do something bad to us.  We were so helpless then.  And I was already hysterical.  Our life was literally left in their bare hands..

But lo and behold!  Those streetkids safely delivered us straight to our condominium!  It surprised me that I misjudged those people who turned out to be heroes that I desperately needed that day.

Indeed, what an experience it was!

Will It Be Another Ondoy?

I was asking that question when I woke up to a rainy and dark morning a couple of hours ago.  I would have taken a hot bath then had I not thought that I might be tempted to go back to sleep thereafter.  FYI, I have been nursing my cough and colds since Saturday.  Hence, the bad weather would have been a good excuse for me to be tucked at home.  But still, I reported for work...

My hopes were high that office will be eventually suspended today.  But then, up to now I heard nothing of such news.  The online weather monitor says temperature is at 26 degrees celcius with "light rain".  From where I am sitting now, I could not see if it is still raining outside.  I don't want to underestimate light rains that's why I am a little bit worried.  I should have brought a life jacket instead of just an ordinary rain gear.

But what the heck.  This is another adventure... and I wonder what awaits me on my way home later... :)

Reminiscing Pre-Ondoy...

Exactly a year ago, Metro Manila residents woke up to a rainy morning not knowing that something extraordinary will happen later that day.  I, on the other hand, was almost tempted not to attend my 7am class that day.  But then, just thinking of my favorite teacher (hi Mr. Jovy! harharhar!), made me jumped from my bed, rushed to school and took my teacher's challenge (well, that's another story).

It was almost 1130am when we received an announcement that classes will be suspended effective 12nn.  Since our teacher gave all kinds of lame alibis he could think of just to excuse him from giving us a lecture, we were idle for more than an hour while impatiently waiting for class dismissal.

At noontime, I decided to take my lunch at KFC-Guadalupe before going home.  I was supposed to meet a friend at SM Mall of Asia but at the last minute, I backed out.  Aside from the bad weather, I was restless as I slept late the night before and woke up so early that morning.  Hence, what I desperately needed at that moment was, SLEEP.

Guess what happened on my way home? Stay tuned! :)

Looking Forward To It

Just yesterday, my officemate announced that this coming weekend, SM Mall of Asia (MOA) will be having a big sale.  I was sad that I wouldn't be around to splurge, and at the same time, enjoy the adrenaline rush of finding great bargains.  Because of that, I wasn't even interested last night to check on the print ad conspicuously posted at the activity area of MOA.

However, this morning I found out that the sale is scheduled next week yet.  Hmm... I'll make sure I (and my credit cards, of course! hahaha!) will be available by then. :)