Miles..

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! ;)

Tsunami Scare

BE ON ALERT FOR UNUSUAL WAVES - This was the advisory issued by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council at around 3 o'clock this afternoon.  This was after Japan was struck by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and thereafter hit by a 4-meter tsunami.  The coastlines of around nineteen (19) provinces (including Surigao) facing the Pacific Ocean are currently under watch especially between 5pm to 7pm tonight.

Although Metro Manila is not listed among those provinces mentioned, my officemates still counted the possibility that something bad might also happen here knowing that we are just a few kilometers away from Manila Bay.

Accordingly, employees of GSIS, which is located at the reclamation area, were advised to go home early.  Hmm.. I just wish I could go home early too...

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...

So, Is It Effective?

I was surprised when Ann, my beautiful cousin (next to me, of course! hahaha!), asked me if the Extreme Power Saver, which I previously posted in this blog, is really effective.  I didn't realize somebody is interested to know about it.  Anyway, shown below is the screenshot of my recent billing history and consumption graph.  You be the judge:

Well, here's a short explanation of my consumption.  Since I bought the Extreme Power Saver sometime after I received my May 2010 bill, I decided to maximize the use of my aircon.  There my power usage increased to 101 kilowatt hours in June 2010.  Just when I decided to start saving energy, my mama visited me and stayed for three weeks at home. Of course, I gave her all the convenience that she needed even if it means increased electric cost.

It was only after mama left for Surigao that I was able to lessen my electric consumption.  Hence, that explains the sudden drop of my MERALCO due in August.  Now, I don't know if the Extreme Power Saver has something to do with it.  Again, you be the judge... :)

Lost and Found Bag

Before I could even blog about mama’s recent vacation and our escapades here in Manila, something happened on her way back home.  When she arrived at the Surigao airport, she found out that her black bag was lost!

I was so disappointed when I learned about the incident.  Few months ago, I booked her a round-trip Cebu Pacific ticket and disregarded the go-lite discount just to ensure that she won’t be inconvenienced with the necessity of accounting for all her carry-on baggage while on travel.  I even accompanied her all the way to the check-in counter at the Terminal 3 airport just to spare her from carrying and lifting the bags from/to trolley.  I also instructed the lady at the check-in counter to mark the three bags with the “FRAGILE” stickers.

Fast forward, my mama learned that should the bag be declared lost and irretrievable, my mama would be paid P100 for every kilo of the bag lost.  Since that bag weighed only a little above 5kgs, my mother would receive a measly amount of P500 only!  That’s adding salt to the injury!

Mama almost fainted.  The value of the contents in the bag costs no less than P10,000.  It was not about the items lost, it was about the fun memories my mama and I shared while acquiring those items for herself and for my niece.

In fairness however to Cebu Pacific, the Surigao staff properly handled the situation and nicely treated my mother.

My mama didn’t bother to claim the “refund”.  Until exactly one week after that incident, she got another call from Cebu Pacific.  This time, she was told that the black bag has finally been found.  Accordingly, it was wrongly-picked up by another passenger. Hmmm... something is fishy here…

So many speculations have been playing in our minds as to what and how it really happened.  But what the heck!  What matters most is that, the bag that was lost… is now found.

My Little Girl...

It had been almost seven (7) months already since I last saw my baby.  My recent visit to Surigao gave me the chance to bond again with my Zhea, who just turned five (5) years old today, August 3.  She is growing so fast that I find it hard to catch up with what I missed while I was away.

Just like what happened few minutes after we met again.  My little girl couldn't wait for us to reach home from the airport that she excitedly gave me her sketch of a plain house with my name written underneath.  I was trying not to be emotional by asking her where I was in the drawing.  She immediately replied that I was inside that house since it was night time already.  Isn't she smart?

Nah!  It must be in the genes!  :)

Attention Surigaonons!

I recently posted thru my other blog, surigao1.blogspot.com, (to check the blog, please click this) a survey of candidates for mayor of surigao city.

I am requesting Surigaonons out there to cast your votes and together, we'll see who would likely to win for the mayoralty race for our beloved hometown.

Should you also have comments about the political arena in Surigao, please don't hesitate to post it here.

Salamat karajaw!  :)

Oh my Mama!

While Surigaonons were in panic for the Tsunami alert, my mama still managed to crack a joke when I called her up yesterday. She said she was about to recite the Mi Ultimo Adios when her phone rang. And my cousin Ann, according to my mama, was afraid that she might lose her most beautiful aunt that Ann kept on calling her, prodding her to join them.

Well, knowing my mama, she won't just give in to such scare. She has always maintained her composure and of course, her sense of humor. And that's just two things that I admire about her.

I must say, i'm so lucky to be her daughter! :)

Voters' Registration Bruhaha

Weeks before the deadline of voters' registration, I was already considering transferring my registration from Surigao to Taguig since I might not be able to go to my hometown on election day, anyway.  But then, I hesitated as I got feedbacks that the process of registering would not be easy.  On the eve of typhoon Santi (October 30), I found out too late that, just the night before, the barangay accommodated most of my neighbors at the Police Station for their Police Clearance and they were already scheduled to march to COMELEC the following night.

Knowing my dilemma, the President (of our homeowners' association) took pity on me and accompanied me to the zone leader.  I was lucky enough that I was able to secure the needed Police Clearance without too much effort.  I was relieved further when I saw some of my neigbors as it was already about nine o'clock in the evening then.  The problem started when we were ferried to the barangay hall and waited for (censored!) while I could hear the rain threatening to pour flood-potential water in the area.  Right after we got we wanted, we were advised to proceed directly to COMELEC.  And it was almost midnight!

My neighbors and I (all are beautiful ladies! hehehe) decided to go home as we were already afraid that Santi might join us at the COMELEC office.  Nevertheless, we agreed to meet at seven o'clock the following day.  But then when I woke up that morning, the wind was making scary sounds outside.  Hence, I let Santi do his job while I nestled in bed and slept.  At almost noontime, my neighbors and I trooped to the barangay hall and proceeded immediately to COMELEC office.

There, we were greeted with bad news from acquaintances who just survived the recent Taguig COMELEC stampede.  Good thing, all their bones and skins remained intact.  Hehehe.  Anyway, we were informed that the COMELEC decided to defer the registration to November 3 due to power interruption..

Well, i should say, my registration efforts were swept away by typhoon Santi just like that.  The following day, November 1, I was on my way to my hometown for a week-long vacation.  I guess, I am meant to be in Surigao City on Election Day.  :)

I Was There!

Yesterday marked another milestone in the pages of Philippine history. The first female president of the Philippines, Cory Aquino, who succumed to colon cancer on August 1, 2009, was finally laid to rest at the Manila Memorial Park, Sucat, Parañaque.

Seeing the Laban sign flashed by thousands of Filipinos on TV gave me goosebumps as it brought me back to my childhood memories when my neighbors, along with my siblings, acted like bullies at the streets, in our little town of Surigao. We did not necessarily know what we were fighting for (or shall we say, shouting for) nor we were aware of danger then as we saw helicopters flying above us and military vehicles passing by.

So much with the good ol' times (sigh!).. I decided to go to Magallanes yesterday and there I waited for Cory's funeral march to walk by. Check out the pictures which me and my colleagues captured:


I. people were already crowding the foot of flyover at the south superhighway corner edsa:




II. after the rain stopped: brrr! so cold!




III. the Laban sign!




IV. grabeh!
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V. malapit na si tita cory!




VI. ayan na!




VII. ayan na talaga!




VIII. goodbye tita!


IX. ako yan pagkatapos manood :)

Buhay Coke Bloggers Party

Hi! I am back in manila again! But before i could tell you all about my vacation at my beloved hometown, surigao, let me share with you an e-invitation i got from jomar hilario.

There will be a Coke Bloggers Party tomorrow, August 8, 2008 at Taste Asia (beside SM Hypermart), Mall of Asia, Pasay City. The party will start rolling at 6pm and will end at 12noon the following day.

I am so excited! Free-flowing food, drinks (especially my favorite, coke zero!), and more surprises awaits partygoers! What else can you ask for in this great event?!

Interested? Join me!!!

(inset shows the recent party held at the same venue. for more pics, please click these links: Pinoy Life at Large and Aethen.