Virtual Card

I received by mail my BDO virtual credit card early this year.  I skimmed the cover letter.  It says it’s recommended to use this card for my internet transactions for more security.  I don’t shop via internet but I use my credit cards in the internet for plane ticket purchases and watching dramas online [for those really, really, good asian dramas, hahaha].

Anyway, in layman’s terms, it’s virtual because it may have a credit card number and a validation code but in truth, the same are non-existent, as the card is just a sub-account of my BDO Mastercard.  It’s supposed to be safer because the recipients cannot access my real account information .  Aside from this, the virtual card has a certain limit and thus, minimizing the risk of loss.  While it is solely for internet transactions, the virtual card is not allowed if one is still required to present the card later on — like what our airline companies do upon check in in case of e-tickets.  It is the nature of the virtual card that in does not physically exist, but I’m baffled why I have a physical card with my name and [virtual] account number on it.

I was in a buying frenzy for a couple of airline tickets in the last week of January for my mother, my aunt, my hubby, and hubby’s and mine’s ticket for the coming holy week.  I know I’m not supposed to use the virtual card for airline tickets because  PAL expressly prohibits using such cards in their website.  Unfortunately, I mistakenly used my virtual credit card to buy the airline tickets.

I found out later while I was printing hubby’s e-ticket for his travel and preparing to photocopy the card that the purchase was made via virtual credit card.  I frantically called the PAL hotline [via long distance because the office here has not heard of a virtual card!].  The customer service advised me to just secure a certification from BDO that the virtual account is a sub-account of my existing credit card account.

So I went to BDO and gave them my letter of request.  Gosh, they don’t even know what a virtual credit card is.  They asked me where I got my virtual credit card and I told them I received it through the mail.  The bank officer had to make several calls and since I was in a hurry, I told her I’d follow it up later that day.

It was almost bank closing hours when I called to inquire on the said certification.  I was told that they have already referred the matter to the credit card department and was advised to wait further.  Less than an hour later, I received a call from BDO and was informed that they will not issue such certification because the BDO Virtual Card has a physical card which may be presented upon check in.  BDO further said that I just show the welcome pack cover letter as it already mentions that my virtual credit card is only a sub-account of my credit card account.

When I got home that day, I rushed to the drawer where I keep my credit card bills, hoping to find such cover letter but it wasn’t there anymore.  For this reason, I called PAL hotline again and told them BDO won’t make the certification they wanted.  I did not mention about that welcome pack cover letter but I insisted telling them that BDO’s virtual card has a tangible card which may be shown when required to verify the purchase.  The customer service officer told me to hold the line [for a very long time] because she had to refer the matter.  When she finally came back, she made sure she heard me correctly that my virtual card had a physical card with my name on it and my virtual account number.  I said yes.  Then, she said it wasn’t a problem then – I just photocopy a copy of my card and my identification card and attach it to the e-ticket of my husband.

Our PAL office here is not that strict and they hardly check the copies of the credit card and valid ID for e-tickets so it was not a problem.  What I was apprehensive about was the return trip from Manila to BXU.  Fortunately, my hubby was able to check in without any question on that virtual card purchase.

Thus, I guess one can still purchase airline tickets thru the virtual card provided the virtual card has a physical card with the virtual card number and one’s name on the card.  What the airline companies are after is only to check whether or not that ticket was not fraudulently purchased that is why they need to see the card and the ID upon check in.

Ravaged

How could they unceremoniously cut this tree for no obvious reason?

I was so shocked when I arrived at my usual parking space last week.  The place is a little far from the immediate street where I hold office but I always hurry everyday to this area so that I can park underneath this tree and its massive leaves.  In fact, a lot of us race every morning to this spot because of this natural canopy.

This tree’s thick leaves shield my car from the scorching heat and every time I enter the vehicle at high noon, I don’t feel the heat inside because the leaves always provided enough shade to maintain a cool temperature indoor.

That’s why I was so mad to see my favorite tree down in sheds early morning of Monday.  It’s branches were scattered, the leaves flooded the street, it’s trunk was brutally cut.  I looked up to check if there were electric lines nearby that would have been the reason for its uprooting, but there were none.  The tree was not even standing along the street but inside the fenced property of the public elementary school – and it was not in the way there too.

That day, it took all of my self control not to approach the workers who were still there, cutting the tree, and demand the reason for the unjust cutting of the tree.  I just let the incident pass and reluctantly walked away and headed to the office.  Nevertheless, everyday I still park in that area and the only thing reminiscent of the tree is its lifeless trunk.

I wonder how long it will take for man to respect and take mother nature seriously – this city certainly needs all the trees it can get to help hold the water and avoid flooding this rainy season.

What Christmas means to me

personalized couple mugs i got from Clavel

Was it in grade school when the teacher wanted us to write about “what Christmas means to me”?  I don’t know about then, but this year, I reflected that aside from it being mainly a celebration of the birth of our savior, Christmas, for me, is rejoicing in the company of family and friends.

I may just be getting older because this year, I paid a conscious attention to everything.  In the gatherings, every friend and family member I spent time with, I kept a mental note and thanked God for the time.  Even the laughs and games I had with my nephews and nieces, I savored.  I took effort to talk to the elders in the family, mindful that they will not always be there in the future.  We even prepared for the family pictorials to capture the moment.

I have learned not to take things for granted this recent Christmas.  It may be because through the years, Christmas after Christmas, there were already family members and friends who were not there anymore.  Be it because they have migrated to another country, or that their circumstances do not warrant them to come home or the sad reality that they have left this world.

This past Christmas, I am most thankful to God for the priceless gift He gave me — the precious time spent with my family and friends.  Time is the ultimate gift we can give to our loved ones.  Time is likewise the best gift we can receive from them.  We might not give it much thought amidst all the hoopla of Christmas but I’m sure you would agree that without them, Christmas would not be the same.

I’m sure we all had a merry Christmas!

Our bone

My mother’s latest check up revealed that the suspicious “hot spots” on her bone scan are not metastatic lesions (thank God!).  Instead, it’s a bone disease consistent with age and since its asymptomatic, she will not be taking medications for it.

Last December, my mother-in-law slipped and there was no improvement on the condition of the damage to her bones that today, she successfully underwent surgery to put another steel brace in her other leg.

This got me thinking that we rarely pay attention to our bone health.  Emphasis is more given to controlling cholesterol count, blood sugar count, etc., but we just neglect examining our bones.  I only started drinking milk a few years back.

About ten years ago, I visited a bone specialist because of my consistent back pain.  After a series of tests, I was diagnosed with scholiosis.  According to my doctor, there wasn’t anything I can do about it because with my age that time, my bones were not growing anymore to correct the disorder.  Then, he said, since the span of time was quite long already with only a slight disfigure of my spine, I could live with it since the disorder was not progressive.  Even then, he instructed me and showed me some back exercises to do to make my spine stronger [which I did not follow, unless my back ached].

Due to the bone issues in the family, I read around on the matter of bone health.  I saw this post at supermarketguru informative:

You’ve heard it before – but taking care of your bones is critical; and while we all know the bone strengthening benefits from consuming lots of dairy products, and fruits and vegetables, there is a lot more you should know.Diets that are significantly high in protein (like many low-carb diets) can lead to loss of calcium in the body’s system. It was shown in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that vegetable protein helps to retain more calcium in the bones than animal protein. While fish and reduced fat dairy products don’t seem to be a problem, other animal protein should be limited to 10 to 20 percent of your daily calories from protein if you are concerned about your bone health.

Diets that are high in sodium can also lead to a loss of sodium in the urine, especially in postmenopausal women. A good rule to follow is to avoid adding salt to your foods and try to avoid as much high sodium fast food and processed foods that you can – and always read that label to see just how much sodium is in the foods you are eating. The new recommended guideline for most healthy Americans is to consume less than 2,400 mg a day of sodium.

The European Journal of Nutrition recently found that two glasses of soymilk a day was protective in preventing bone loss. This is thought to occur because the phytoestrogen compounds in soy known as isoflavones prevent the loss of bone. Soy of course can be obtained from other soy foods such as tempeh, edamame (green soybeans), tofu, and soy nuts. Soy supplements from a synthetic isoflavone have not shown any bone benefit though, and may reduce the number of white blood cells in some people.

Moderate consumption of alcohol has also been shown to increase bone density, although drinking too much leads to lower than normal bone density and fractures. That is because high alcohol intake can inhibit your ability to absorb calcium. In the elderly, drinking causes a loss of balance and can therefore increase the risk of falling. So moderation is key, and that means no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

Caffeine should be consumed in moderation if you are concerned about bone density. The consumption of more than 400 mg of caffeine (the equivalent of four 6-ounce cups of coffee) has been linked to lower bone density in women and a higher fracture risk. This may be caused by caffeine blocking calcium absorption. A good alternative is tea, because it has less caffeine and may actually increase your bone density. Tea (black, green, or oolong) may strengthen bones because of flavonoids and fluoride that naturally occur in tea.

And for those heavy soda drinkers – here’s a warning – many studies report that carbonated soft drinks also increase the loss of bone.

Hope this post will get you thinking about your bone health too!

THE PILGRIM: In Barcelona

Our group arrived in Barcelona around eight o’clock in the evening.  The first group took an earlier flight and was already there by lunch.

Our driver, Pedro Luis, welcomed us and led the way to the parking lot. When we boarded the bus, Chiqui (our pilgrim-ate who is Filipino-Spanish), in fluent Spanish, asked Pedro how far our hotel was.  He said it was just near and we will be there in thirty minutes.  That thirty minutes became almost two hours!  It turned out there were actually three Novotels in Barcelona, and believe it or not, Pedro brought us to all three,  the last being the right one.

Very, very tired, the four of us went straight to the rooms without our luggage.  Less than twenty minutes after we settled, the room boy delivered our things.

We only had two sites to visit in Barcelona – Montserrat (and the Black Madonna) and Sagrada Familia.

After breakfast in the morning (which included frozen rice!!!), we set off to climb the Montserrat mountain by bus.  Our guide told us about Catalona and Barcelona (the capital of Catalona) during the one hour ride.  Riding up the 4,000 foot mountain, I noticed that there was also a cable car to take the pilgrims to Montserrat mountain.  A lot of private vehicles were on their way up and according to our guide, this was a usual occurrence as locals also go up frequently.  There were also a number of bikers on their way up.

It was so green and peaceful on the way up.  Halfway to the Montserrat, we passed by a monastery…which had a swimming pool by the way (we saw it on our way down).

The parking lot was so full as we reached the summit. Pedro Luis dropped us at the entrance after saying he will wait for us at the bus parking lot by 1pm which was almost three hours away.

Our guide told us that he will first show us around Montserrat and give us a background of the place before we can go our separate ways.  As we walked to the direction of the Basilica of the Black Madonna, our guide (I already forgot his name!) stopped by the statue of St. John (Sant Joan) and told those who wanted to find their partners in life to ask for the saint’s intercession.  He relayed that in Barcelona, they do not celebrate Valentine’s day on February 14 but in April 15 – the feast day of St. John.  I prayed to the saint and requested him to help my sister and my friends find theirs ^_^ (you know who you are).

It was so serene up there (and very cold too!).  The clouds actually hovered so near to us and we were so close to the sky.  A thought even entered my mind, “is there a short ladder to heaven here?”.  It was literally “touch the sky” for me.  Up there and looking below, around, above, it was truly, truly a “what a beautiful world” feeling!

The structures up the mountain were comparable to the ones in Italy — especially inside the Basilica.  Our guide shed light on some of the artworks there and left us to ourselves.  Most of us proceeded to hear mass in the Basilica.

The basilica was so full of pilgrims and we were lucky to have found seats in the last pews.  Some of our companions stood for the whole hour.  The mass was in Spanish but it did not matter.  One thing I observed was that there were no kneelers attached to the pews.  In fact, the faithful did not kneel during the appropriate time for kneeling and instead remained standing.

Up front, high in the altar was the original statue of the Black Madonna(otherwise known as Our Lady of Montserrat)  and the Child .  It’s a very old image, made in the earliest centuries.  It’s said that the Black Madonna was carved by St. Luke and brought to Spain. Some say that due to the passage of time, it’s color turned to black.  They also say that back in the old days, a great fire consumed the basilica but the Black Madonna was spared, although it blackened.  St. Ignatius of Loyola made a pilgrimage here too.

After the mass, we roamed around the vast and beautiful Montserrat mountain.  There were a lot of souvenir shops and restaurants up there.  The locals were also selling their own products and we tried their homemade cheese and fig pie (from the fig tree).

By one o’clock, we went back to the bus to get our lunch and spotted a shady place to eat.

Lunch done, we headed down on our way to the world famous Sagrada Familia.  We did not go straight to the said church but toured Barcelona along the way.  We got off the bus several times to check out some sites in the center of Barcelona.  It looked like Rome to me, warmer though both the weather and the people.

When we reached the Sagrada Familia, whoaaaaa!  I had to pinch myself that I was in front of it!  I only saw it on TV and I’m finally T-H-E-R-E.  Gaudi designed the church in the 5th century.  Before I got there, I thought the Sagrada Familia was a functioning church.  I knew it was unfinished but I thought masses were actually held there.  I thought wrong.  It was totally unfinished inside.  When we got in, the interior of the church was still constructed.  It is said it will finally be finished on 2030.  We kidded that we’d be back in time to hear mass there.

We did not stay long in Sagrada Familia because there was nothing else to see there.  Our guide then dropped us at La Rambla to hang out (read:  shop).

There were a lot of tourists in the area and the four of us raided the shops.  Still the same, the items for sale were for winter apparel so we ended up shop hopping until our feet could not walk anymore.  Then, we settled in the park and people watched until our bus picked us up.

We arrived at Novotel around seven in time for dinner.  I loved the buffet dinner and thank God, the rice was hot this time.

I tried the free internet in the lobby of the hotel after eating dinner.  My gosh, the internet speed was like lightning.  I have not even finished clicking a 10 minute video and it completed downloading already.

Before sleeping, we were reminded that the Daylight Saving Time would commence the following day and we were advised to turn back our watches one hour.  It was because the following day was officially the first day of winter.

Glad that I will be sleeping an hour more, I happily went to bed that night.  Next on the itinerary is France ^_^.

The Montserrat Mountain in Catalona, Spain

Up, up, we rode up to Montserrat

A view from the top of Montserrat

Sant Joan

one of the artworks in Monsterrat

The Basilica of Our Lady of Montserrat

inside the basilica

exploring barcelona

La Sagrada Familia (front view)

Inside La Sagrada Familia

ongoing work scattered inside the church

backview of church

La Rambla

Bypassing WGA

The new online streaming asian dramas site I recently bumped required a Window Media Player 10 or 11 to watch the dramas.  I tinkered with my computers and then discovered that both my desktop and my laptop have only Windows Media Player 9.

I did not see it as a problem.  I went to the Microsoft site for free download of the most recent version.  I downloaded it just fine, but when I proceeded to use it, a Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) anti-piracy validation window pops up before I could install the downloaded program.  When I ran the test,  my desktop failed its validation and says that I might be a victim of a counterfeit software.

I tried installing the latest version of WMP with the laptop and I did not have any problem whatsoever – it passed the WGA validation.  I got the laptop less than a year ago and I know the software installed there was genuine.  The desktop?  I have it for almost four years now and although I update it from time to time, I’m not so sure the operating system was genuine [it wasn't important that time I bought it, hehehe].

Anyway, I cannot rely on my laptop for my daily dose of dramas because of its LCD problem (thanks, HP) so I had to install that latest version of WMP to my desktop.

Thus, I searched the internet and when I googled “install windows media player 11 without validation” a lot of articles flashed on how to bypass the validation and install the program without the automatic WGA.

I tried a lot of the tips but some were already ancient – as late as 2006 and that was probably why the crack to the validation did not work anymore.   I sampled some more until I chanced upon clipmarks.com.  The instructions laid there were simple to follow and it finally worked.  I was able to access WMP11 without any validation check.

Those who are having the same problem with me, you can install windows media player 11 without validation here.

Shade

I was surfing the tv channels today and I ran into this election ad of GMA 7.

The video is only less than three minutes but it did not appear so rushed and cramped.  In fact I find it concise and effective to get the message across.

Thanks to GMA 7 for this.

My sister, the hero

START:

My sister, my brother-in-law and my niece left their condo at half past five in the morning yesterday for their 8:30 AM mnl-bxu flight.  She called me the night before to inquire about the weather and I told her that although it was always raining, I was sure the flight will push through because when her yayas arrived two days before, it was in dark, heavy downpour conditions.

Yesterday morning, it was slightly raining and a little cloudy.  Still, I was confident Cebu Pacific would make the flight judging from the yayas’ experience earlier.  I heaved a sigh of relief when my sister texted me at 8AM to say they were already boarding.  I was so happy, I hurriedly did my mother’s errands so that I can pick them up an hour and a half later.

WHAT HAPPENED:

Shortly before 9AM, my sister’s message said to help pray that the weather conditions in Bxu improve because they were currently on hold in the aircraft and will be waiting only one hour for the weather to get better.   I cast a glance at the sky and I was positive they will make it because it was getting brighter and the rain had already stopped.

When I arrived home at 9:15AM, I called my sister and she relayed the flight was finally canceled.  I wondered why, when it was evident the weather had certainly lightened up.  I then sent a message to my friend who was leaving on board PAL at 10:50AM, inquiring if PAL had made announcements on possible delay because of the weather.  He told me there was none.

My sister called me to ask our local Air Transportation Office on the truthfulness of the airline’s allegation.  When I contacted ATO, the lady told me to contact the tower directly because it was the latter’s concern.  I followed her advise and after answering that it was Atty. Y speaking, the officer politely told me that he just got off the phone speaking to PAL and that he informed PAL visibility was already 11 kilometers.  I asked him why the Cebu Pacific 8:30 AM flight was canceled.  He answered that when CEBPAC contacted the tower for advise at 8AM, he relayed the information that there was currently intermittent rain shower in bxu and recommended the airline to wait for weather conditions to improve.  He concluded by telling me that it was ultimately the airlines which decides whether to heed the advice.

Upon relaying the information to my lawyer-sister, she led the group to the counters in CEBPAC located in the arrival area to demand that they be transported to bxu because there were no weather problems already.  She did this because she pitied the passengers, some of whom are OFWs and who were stranded since the previous day.  She said the customer relations personnel of CEBPAC were rude and did not even listen to them.  They went up to the departure and again talked with some low ranking personnel who were equally adamant and quick in saying that there will be no flight and to just come back the following day for their special trip at 10AM.

My sister and her HS classmate fellow lady lawyer decided to picket there before the CEBPAC, together with the rest of the passengers, shouting foul play.  My sister’s friend had contacts with the media and called the latter to compel the airline to hear their pleas.  Amid submitting to their fate that there will be no flight for them that day, they were demanding that CEBPAC provide all the passengers with free meals and accommodations until the trip the day after.

When the media arrived, personnel of CEBPAC fled the area, only to be back with free lollipops (!) a few minutes later when my sister and some passengers already aired their sentiments against the airline company.

At first, CEBPAC did not give in because according to them, bad weather condition is a fortuitous event and the airline is not liable for accommodations in this case.

NAKED, UGLY TRUTH:

My sister forcefully argued at the top of her lungs that it was a blatant lie because:

• The airlines decided too soon to cancel the flight, despite the fact that when the flight was put on hold, CEBPAC said visibility was 2KM and when it was canceled, CEBPAC said because visibility was only 3KM (said my sister:  didn’t you see it was improving?  do you know that less than 30 minutes after you canceled, visibility was already 11Kms?)
• While waiting in the runway, CEBPAC, deceitly and in bad faith, directed the pilot to advise all on board to deplane because they will be switching planes with the plane bound for Puerto Princesa.  My sister said the pilots and the stewards were all confused that when they got down, there weren’t any assistance which plane to transfer to — then they were told, the flight just got canceled. (WHAAATTTT????)
• Having learned from me that the weather was already fine, my sister demanded they be flown to Bxu but was told it was not possible because there was no aircraft available.  (said my sister:  then where is that plane that we were supposed to switch with?  CEBPAC:  that plane had technical problems. (WTF!)
  
• Since that trip to Puerto Princesa would have been canceled because of technical problems for which the airline would have been liable for free accommodations, CEBPAC grabbed the opportunity —> abandoned the bxu flight allegedly for fortuitous event and used the plane intended for bxu for the Puerto Princesa flight.
• Said my sister:  would you have decided in the same manner had your plane bound for puerto princesa been perfectly fine? CEBPAC:  speechless.

ENDING:  Cebu Pacific finally gave in to the demands of the passengers and gave them free shuttle service and free hotel accommodations at Nichols Airport Hotel until they board today’s flight.

Aja, aja to my sister!

PS.  When my sister and my other sister were still in college, their flight to bxu was canceled due to weather conditions too (which was really true).  The two of them did not have a place to stay the night because the dorms in UP Diliman were already closed.  With only their guts, they argued their way and demanded they be given free accommations.  After a few threats (including: we have no more money for fare, hotel and food), CEBPAC provided free accomodations for them and some of their friends too.  HAHAHA.  Bleh!

When you’re in town

A few weeks ago, my friend asked me what Butuan has to offer during the holidays.  She will be spending Christmas in a nearby province one hour and a half away from Butuan.  I told her it’s always the (very) wet season here in December so there isn’t any thing better to do than spend time with family and friends (and be thankful there is no flood).

Then, somebody else asked me for suggestions what to do in the city for nightlife.  I’m really not in the position to suggest Butuan’s night life because I don’t have a nightlife, lol.  My part time job takes my nights that when I do get them free, I prefer to stay at home and watch my dramas rather than go out.

If I do wander around the city during the night, it’s usually to sit down and talk, and not to party.  You’ll probably see me in the following places, where I also take my balikbayan friends when they’re in town:

1. True Brew. Age has sank in that I no longer enjoy loud and dark places.  If I do go out, I look forward to a long happy clatter with my friends, food being only secondary.  Meeting them at True Brew is always a treat for me.  I think True Brew pioneered its kind here that I’ve grown so attached to it.  True Brew has been featured in some magazines and you can’t be in Butuan without dropping there.  The food is delicious and the ambiance is homey.  It’s located at JC Aquino Avenue.  I think it’s open around lunch and closes by midnight.
2. Margie’s. Margie’s boasts of the best cakes in town.  I even receive requests from friends to bring some of its famous “Cookie Monster” every time I visit them.  Its main store is located at M. Calo Street, Butuan City.  Less than two years ago, they opened Margie’s restaurant in J. C. Aquino Avenue.  The food is also tasteful but their cakes are excellent.  Margie’s is the place to hang out until very late at night [those who are at True Brew proceed to Margie's after closing time since it's a walking distance]. Almost everybody comes here that you’ll surely run into someone you know.
3. Pan De Pugon. This is only a step away from Margie’s – it’s immediately beside it that you cannot distinguish where Margie’s ends and Pan De Pugon begins.  For those who would rather enjoy the night with cheap baked goodies  and instant beverages, this is it [Margie's is rather expensive].  People usually flock here to hang out and rarely for food.  I only come to Pan De Pugon to buy wheat bread, lol.
4. Woodstock Resto Bar. This is just a stone away from Margie’s and Pan De Pugon [just across the street].  I’ve only been here twice but if you’re on a drinking spree, go check out Woodstock Bar.  This has been recently renovated so I cannot elaborate more – I’m not so familiar if there are regular live bands playing nightly [sometimes there are].  Before it was renovated, there were also private karaoke rooms  aside from the main bar.  While you’re in Woodstock, you might also want to check out “Four of a Kind Boutique” which is in the same building.  This boutique usually sells imported goods but lately, they released their “Butuan Shirts”, so you can buy your souvenir shirts here.
5. Uncle Sam’s. This is located near City Hall Compound and is also one of the few nightspots in town.  My balikbayan friend enjoyed coming here because of the live band which plays regularly on certain nights [i don't know the exact days].  The food is also good but it takes forever for it to be served [based on my experience].  Anyway, never mind the food, the live music is better.

Apart from my personal choices above, you guys might want to crash at:

1. Priscilla’s. This is relatively new and I have been there only once.  Priscilla’s has the same atmosphere with Trew Brew, but this one has ample parking area with security guard [parking is difficult in True Brew, btw].  It’s located at 10th Street, Guingona Subdivision.  I have only tasted a spicy tuna pasta dish and it was quite pleasant.  I’m sure this will shortly turn into a personal choice.
2. Cafe Caliente. I will be eating lunch here this coming Saturday yet so I don’t have much to say.  I’ve heard good reviews about this restaurant though, mostly on how the food is delectable.  It’s located at South Montilla Boulevard [across Rainbow of Angels School].  {update:  I was in Cafe Caliente yesterday and yes, indeed the food was delicious – and a little cheaper than its counterparts.  Outside the cafe, there is also a bar where those who want some drinking can get their doze of light alcohol}.
3. Calda Pizza. This is the newest home cooked pizza parlor in town.  I haven’t been here too [i don't eat pizza], but my friends say the giant sized pizza is a must.  So, go!  It’s at Capitol drive corner Balagtas Street.
4. Alicia’s Resto. This is located at Imadejas Subdivision and is equally a hang out for night people.  Alicia’s is secluded, with individual huts surrounding the artificial lake in the center.  I have never been here because the idea of an outdoor restaurant with simulated lake makes me think of the many mosquito bites I’ll be getting when I eat.  Rumor has it that those who do not want to be seen together hang out here [read:  forbidden, unlawful relationships, hehe].
5. Moff’s Restobar. This bar is located at J.C. Aquino Avenue, a few meters from Gaisano Mall.  I have never been here too but I hear a younger crowd assemble here for drinks.
6. Caraga Square. I haven’t been here either but I have a friend who frequents this place.  He says it’s fun.  It’s not expensive too.  The small square has several small “bars” [small stalls actually] for drinks and there is a local band playing while people dance to the beat in the center of the square.  The crowd is also younger, mostly made up of college students.   A lot of drinking goes around here so better stay away from drunkards because they might get rowdy and start a fight.  This is located at JC Aquino Avenue, a few buildings before Otis Superstore.
7. GSubd. Bar. Oops, I forgot this bar.  You can play pool here.  There’s also a dancing area.  There’s even a Karaoke room.  The food did not make any impression on me, but this bar’s also not bad when you want some night activity.  When I came here with my balikbayan friend who wanted some dancing, we found the dance floor empty.  We made a quick dance and eventually stopped because it was not fun without any crowd.

How to do Christmas shopping in less than a day

It’s less than two weeks to Christmas.  I finished shopping for gifts this week, which I did in less than four hours [only for 41 persons : )].

If you’re busy and time pressed, you can accomplish this yearly holiday chore by doing what I did:

1. Make a list. If you have a ready list, you’re more than 50% finish of your task.  You just can’t go around and think of your loved ones at random as you wander in the mall because aside from the fact that it is a waste of time, you’re likely to forget somebody too.  Hence, before heading to the mall, write the list of persons whom you want to give presents to.  Start with your immediate family, then your extended family, your closest friends, your godchildren, and so on and so forth.  Make this list permanent – because you’ll be needing this again in the next Christmas.
2. Pick a theme. Personalized gifts are ideal – if one has the time to ponder and go around leisurely around the mall.  For lazy occupied bodies like me, just pick a gift motif for the holidays.  Before I go to my yearly holiday shopping, I’d think of a generic theme, e.g. “underwear”, “books”, “sleep wear”, “toiletries” so that I will just be making a one-stop shop.  When I had “underwear” for my theme before, I just headed to the underwear section and bought undies for everybody.  This year’s theme is “books” and I just headed to the bookstore and picked books for all ages.  Of course, there will be a few gifts which will not be generic but carefully handpicked depending on your relationship to the recipient – like when my theme was “undies” I got everybody in the family undies, but I didn’t get my office mates the same for obvious reasons.  Anyway, the general rule is to go generic because it’s more likely that most of the gifts will be given to those persons who are closest to you which you are very comfortable giving “undies” to, hehehe.  Or go the easiest way and pick a safe theme – like “books”.
3. Estimate the cost. Having decided on a particular theme, move further and select which kinds or brands will you be buying to suit your budget.  If you want, just allot a particular amount per person per gift like P 350.00 per person or something to that effect – you can take or add as you go along.  This is just so you’ll be prepared how much money to bring.
4. Carry enough cash. Since you are going to do one time Christmas shopping, make sure you have enough cash for what you will be spending.  This would be easy considering you had previously estimated the cost.  So, withdraw enough money, or to be safe, bring along your credit card.
5. Don’t forget the bare necessities. By this I mean to purchase enough Christmas wrappers, gift tags, scotch tape, ribbons.  You can’t make another trip to the mall just to buy them.  To save money, go and look for the ones sold in bulk because it’s not only cheaper, it eats little time – never mind if they have the same design, the recipients won’t know anyway.
6. Timing is everything. Don’t go and buy gifts on paydays and weekends.  Go when the mall will be less crowded so that the lines won’t be long.  Take off during weekdays, especially after paydays because the malls will be almost empty.  If you have to go on a weekend, go early when the malls open or really late when the malls are about to close.  It’s also better to go on a Sunday than a Saturday – Saturday is likely a “mall day” while Sunday is “mass day”.  I did mine on a weekday on working hours so I had the mall to myself.

Have fun and good luck!