Singapore Lah!

Last June 16, my friends Blanca, Tiny, together with Tiny's friend Liza, and I boarded AirPhil Express' 3:20PM flight to Singapore from Cebu. We were to spend 6 days in Singapore for a holiday.

I must say, the immigration officers at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) are tough! They asked for a lot of documents from my friends (aside from the usual company ID that we know will be checked). After a few minutes of delay at the immigration counter, we breezed through the last security check before we settled in the waiting lounge.

When we got to Singapore's immigration counter, the only thing the immigration officer said to me was 'Good evening,' as a reply to my greeting. He did not even ask a single question!

Another college friend, Kirk, and his brother Don met us at the airport. Despite their suggestion, we chose to take the MRT instead of a taxi (or two taxis). Ha! We lugged our suitcases around as we moved from one train to the next, one station to the other.

We have already anticipated that we will be walking a lot around Singapore. In fact, I brought along some sneakers and flip flops just so I can go around Singapore comfortably.

For a Filipino earning in the Philippines, Singapore is just so expensive. But I had a lot of fun going around the different sights and attractions, meeting friends who have already called Singapore home, and just exploring a completely new place and culture with close friends.

We will definitely go back to Singapore. By then there will definitely be another new attraction to check out (Singapore Zoo's River Cruise, for one).

I'm sharing some pictures from our trip. Enjoy!

A Pushover

There has been some unneeded drama in my life recently. The highs of my recent Singapore trip were replaced by a lot of heartache and tears.

My closest of friends know the reason for the negativity in my life these days. In fact, I have always felt so helpless and trapped. I cannot even share these with the people we assume will always be there to support us for the reason that they are the cause.

I have cried buckets before and thought I have run out of tears. Boy was I wrong!

I was in the middle of my cry-a-thon when one of my good friends sent me a message on Facebook about a comment on one of our photos from our Singapore trip. She made me laugh. And for a while, I forgot about how down I was feeling. Even if I didn't want to unload my problems on her, she insisted that she can be a friend who'll listen. So I spilled my guts to her. At first, she didn't say much except to urge me along with my story. However, after I have told her everything, she told me that she'll be brutally honest and let me know that I have always been a martyr and pushover when it comes to my family. She apologized for being blunt, probably fearing I might get offended. I assured her that she shouldn't apologize because she just voiced what I had been feeling all along. And she was right, 101%.

Yes, I admit that I always accommodate the wishes and decisions of my family for me. Not anymore. From then on, I said to myself that I will have to stand up for myself. That day, my friend was just the person I needed. I didn't need another lecture on how I should think of my family, or that maybe they just care so much about me. Nor did I need a friend with the usual 'okay ra na' (it will be okay). I needed that wake-up call.

Getting My Barangay Clearance

I have been super, and I really mean super, busy for the past week. I had job interviews, meetings, appointments, and 60 essays to grade. Whew! Add to that, I had to secure some requirements for my agent's license. Yes, I've decided to take on a new career.

One of the requirements was to get either an NBI clearance or a barangay clearance. I already have my NBI clearance, which I already submitted to that one company I was supposed to start working for in July. I could get another, but that would mean another P115 for something I already have. So, I decided to get a barangay clearance. Easy enough, right?

The only obstacle I had though was finding the barangay hall of Barangay Calamba, where we belong. That is another story.

I called ahead to make sure there were still open since it was almost 10:30AM. I know offices close for lunch, but lunch can mean as early as 11AM for government offices. The lady I spoke with assured me that they will be open till noon. Good.

Requirements:
Nothing. Nothing except for the P20 for the clearance. The barangay secretary handed me a pen and a piece of paper and asked me to write down my name, address, and the purpose for the barangay clearance. I just wrote Employment as my purpose.

Total amount I spent? Twenty Pesos. Although, I must warn you that I am writing specifically only for my barangay, Barangay Calamba, Cebu City. Requirements and fees may differ from one barangay to another. I know this because I looked up some of the requirements online before I went to my barangay. It's better you call your own barangay hall ahead and inquire about requirements and fees before going there.

Too Much Hatred

A very unfortunate incident happened in Manila recently. This did not only involve the Philippines, but Hong Kong as well. An ex-policeman hijacked a tourist bus full of Hong Kong tourists. Along with the Hong Kong tourists were three Filipinos (photographers and a driver).

The hostage situation lasted for 12 hours, and tragically, eight of the Hong Kong tourists were killed. This isn't the first bus hijacking in Manila. Years back, a man also hijacked a bus full of children on an educational tour. The standoff should have made our police re-think their tactical approach to such situations. Should have, but didn't.

Public outrage escalated in Hong Kong. Demonstrations were frequently made at the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong. There was even a Filipina domestic worker who was allegedly fired after and because of the incident. A lot of the Hong Kong people took to the social networking sites and posted their hateful messages, mostly to the Filipino people and the Philippines itself. Some cursed the Philippines and even vowed to never go to the Philippines and to forbid their family and friends from going to the country as well.

I tweeted my feelings about the whole outcome of the recent incident in Manila. And since twitter puts a limit on posts, I'll copy the tweet here, and explain more on it.

My tweet:

"I understand the Hong Kong people's sentiments and outrage for the Manila hostage-taking incident. I would also be angered if it happened to any innocent Filipino abroad. And I believe that the Filipinos are not exempt from such incidents. However, the way this is going, it seems like the only way for the HK people to feel "avenged" is for 8 Filipinos to die the same way. I don't think this is the way to go. The action of one individual, and the incompetence of some do not equate to the entire Philippine population. Yes, it's true that the situation could have been handled differently. And it's true that lives were lost. But there's just too much hatred. The Filipinos should still stand proud and stand by its country. Let us all stop blaming others. Our country needs us now more than ever. I don't want to start enumerating the incidents where innocent Filipinos were killed in other countries, and some are still awaiting justice. And I know there are so many. I hope the HK people won't take it against the Filipinos working in their country. I appreciate non-Filipinos saying good things about the Philippines. The Filipinos should do the same. Wherever we may be, we are FILIPINOS. It doesn't matter who the present leader is, we are still FILIPINOS. Be proud."

It is normal and expected for a country to feel what Hong Kong is feeling after having such a tragic incident happen to not one, but eight of their countrymen. The people came together to rally behind the loss of eight innocent lives in such a senseless way.

What is not normal is for the Filipinos to ridicule, laugh at, and curse its own nation, the Philippines. We should be the first to stand by our country. Yes, our police are ill-equipped to handle such critical situations, and yes, there are a lot of factors that contributed to the outcome of the hostage crisis, but we as a nation should work together to help the Philippines out of this situation. It is so easy to lay blame at the police or the President even, but this is not helping our country's current situation.

As a result of the incident, tourism will surely go down, especially from Hong Kong. One news report stated that there are about 500 canceled flights to the Philippines from Hong Kong. Tourism is one of the bigger source of jobs for our people in the country. When the industry goes down, the demand for tourism-related jobs goes down with it, and so will the jobs of many of the Filipinos. So, this is not the time to post anything in Facebook or Twitter that will degrade the integrity of the Philippines and the Filipino people.

Don't get me wrong. I was scared for the hostages and was glued to the TV almost the entire time. I prayed for the remaining hostages, and cried when I saw the bodies being carried out of the bus after. I got mad at the hostage-taker and for the means he carried out his cry for "help", by involving innocent people, including children! I felt embarrassed with the comments and the news reports on the "blunders" committed by the authorities in the situation. But I never wanted to badmouth the Philippines. I am still proud to be a Filipino.

I just hope and pray that the Hong Kong people do not take the Philippines and the Filipinos as their enemy. I also pray that we, the Filipinos come together as a nation in support of our country. There's just too much hatred that it breaks my heart to read Filipinos bashing fellow Filipinos in social networking sites.

Inactive SIM

I have two postpaid lines under my aunt's name. I have had my SMART Gold number for almost 4 years now, and my Sun Cell number for 2 years. My aunt got the former as a corporate deal with her airline, while the latter was her personal number, until she gave up due to Sun's unreliable network signal in Parañaque.

Just this March, my manager asked to borrow my phone so she can insert her SIM card. Her phone's battery was dead and she said she needed to reach our boss. I obliged and removed my SIM card myself. I had done this before, and I wasn't worried that I would lose any contacts. I had returned my SIM card when I got an 'Invalid SIM' error. I tried to enter my PIN code, but I still got the same error.

I went to SMART's wireless center and asked them what the problem was. The customer service rep said that the card is damaged and needs replacement. They told me that I had to pay P320.40 or something. The problem is, I would need my aunt's letter of authorization and a valid ID. Well, my chances of getting those was slim to none. My aunt hates my guts, as I hate hers. XD So I did not do anything, and for 2 months now, I have not had the chance to use my SMART number again.

Then, just this Saturday, my SUN number showed 'INACTIVE SIM'. OMG! I was hoping my line just got disconnected for going over my credit limit or something. Although, I know I didn't since I never got any warning message from Sun about it, but that can easily be fixed by paying my bill.

Yesterday, I went to the Sun Shop to pay my bill and ask about my account's status at the same time. I waited for so long until a representative checked out my account and was told that it was 'Active'. Conclusion: My SIM's broken. I need to have it replaced and will have to pay P150. Again, they told me that I would need my aunt's letter of authorization and valid ID. BINGO! That's two-for-two.

So, as you may have guessed, I am without a phone. I will have to get my OWN line. It's just about time.

Watch Your Back

I have been working since summer of 2001. I started as a part-time waitress at this smart-casual restaurant. I have had a lot of different roles or work after that. I was once a sales clerk working at a wine store, a management trainee, a call center agent, a QA specialist, and now, a virtual personal assistant.

As you may have guessed, I have worked for different industries as well. Aside from food and beverage, I also worked for a prominent BPO, a global hotel chain, and even a startup company such as my present employer.

I have met different people with different personalities - good and bad. That's one thing I am grateful for: that I am able to determine a person's attitude/personality. I guess I have developed this skill over time.

Ever since I experienced my first conflict at work, I have experimented on ways to deal with it. I have tried ignoring the issue, confronting the issue and the other party, and quitting my job as soon as it got unhealthy.

In any company setting, people with varying personalities and background will surely clash one way or another. How you deal with it and prevent it is completely up to you.

I have learned to always watch my back. You always have to look out for yourself. Trust no one but yourself.

It angers me that some people go to great lengths to bring misery to others. Right now, I do not wish to involve myself with people who are too selfish to think of the welfare of others. But what hurts me more is the feeling of 'betrayal' I get from people I have considered my friends. I do not like the feeling of paranoia.

I'd like to think that I have done no harm to others to deserve this. If they are doing this to me because they'd like to get my job, then success wouldn't be as sweet to them. I have worked my butt off to get to where I am, without stepping on others and without deceiving anybody. Why couldn't they do the same?

Letter of Complaint

I got this as an attachment of a forwarded email. The addressee is a local hotel in Cebu and the sender of the email is one of the heads of a college in Butuan City. He seems very angry in the said email (as you can see for yourself), yet I find it very amusing. The grammar and spelling in his email does not match that of a person in the academe with several doctorate and masteral degrees under his belt. (Yes, he enumerated all his degrees in the letter. Even when it was not relevant to the subject of the complaint.)

Here's the mail (note: I replaced the email addresses with 'x'. The letter itself is in its original form, including capitalization and emphasis.)

From: Dennis Mxxxxxxxx

Subject: Complaints of a VERY VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

To: “XXX International Hotel”

Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010, 7:03PM

February 15, 2010

TO: THE MANAGEMENT OF XXX HOTEL

Being the Academic Director and Head of the Planning and Development Center of Sxxxx Xxxxxxx College of Xxxxxx, lead school of the 26 schools of the Diocese of Xxxxx in Xxxxxx Region, I am very much disappointed with the services and treatment given to us by your establishment. Let me say this in vernacular so that things and issues be more clear.

1.) We are your guests regardless they are students or not they must be treated with utmost respect and care.

2.) Your operations head is not professional when he called the attention of the student who trigger the fire alarm. It must be me who has the SOLE responsibility to call his attention not the HOTEL since you have no jurisdiction to them to discipline since they are NOT your students.

3.) I don’t care the amount of your carpet among others as what the owner said during our meeting. To hell with that amount. Ang tama sana if meron mang damage sa room then you bill us the damage prior to our check out. Other hotels do that. Pag meron damage

Then bill nyo sa guest but nyo pa ipaalam the rate amount sa gastos nyo. Nakatawa lang ko ninyo kay mura mo ug NATAGAW sa nyo ninyo nga hotel nga poor ang services.

4.) Yung mga staff nyo sa restaurant na naka white uniform pa gang aming students musakay sa elevator kataw an ug tan awn. UNSA man NAKA MINOS mo?

5.) During the orientation sa hotel nyo with my HRM students. A student of ours asked a question regarding your hotel’s vision and mission statement. Ang sagot nyo the “Vision and Mission of the Hotel is CONFIDENTIAL”. How come naging confidential

vision and mission na in management ruling kailangan yung vision and mission has to be posted in a place where it is visible to all Hindi po confidential yan correct lang po kayo kasi not nice to here na ang isang hotel like you dont know that.

6.) Hotels are part of the hospitality industry. I was one of the delegate in the Canada training for tourism industry representing our region in the academe sector and i know what dapat gawin in a hotel industry. I was sadden because napaka poor ng customer service nyo. it seems na yung comfort ng owner or heads and concern nyo not the comfort of the guests. Be reminded na the strategy to follow supposedly is that the guests must feel they are at home para naman balik balikan kayo. Yung ibang hotels nga kahit naiinis na sila sa guests nila smile pa rin kasi yun talaga ang customer service essence. Dapata yun ang treatment not na mura ta NAGKINTO kay masuko ang mga heads sa hotel.

7.) WATER is one of the basic services in a hotel but sad to say from day 1 to day 3 the same problem. Yung mga students naligo on the middle biglang nawala water dami pa soap sa katawan. Yung iba nag cr hindi ma flush yung waste. napaka IRRESPONSIBLE and shameful for a hotel na walang tubig. You keep on looking the faults of our students but you never asked with regards to the quality of your services. Yung nag meeting tayo I waited na tanungin nyo ako HOWS are services pero walang nag ask sa akin. That means focus lang kayo sa self nyo where in fact maling mali kayo if you are a customer service centered hotel the first question nyo dapat is How’s our hotel? then the rest follows.

8.) I was shocked also when you told us na sana yung schedule namin sa tour ng students pag uwi sa hotel dapat pagod na students para sleep nalang sila no time to move na sa hotel. Napaka IRRESPONSIBLE naman na statement nay an. We all have the rights na gumamit sa hotel wt time we want ano paki alam nyo we are paying for it. If your concern baka meron masira or ma damage ang mga students sa room or sa hotel e di e bill nyo sa amin kailangan pa ba e inform kami sa gastos nyo nakakatawa naman kayo mura man gud mo NATAGAWAN sa inyo new kunohay nga hotel.

9.) Yes it is important na maganda ang facilities pero mas important ang customer service sana sa management nyo meron kayo training on how to deal with customers regardless of their color, status, religion, among others. Mura man gud ug naka MINOS mo namo. E remind tamo nga ang major nako sa Doctoral nako is Organizational Development and Transformation. I am a registered nurse and a master in nursing and master in organizational development and doctor in organizational development. My staff na sumama sa tour is a doctor in business administration, yung dalawa master in information technology at yung isa is a master in hotel and restaurant management. Kaya during our meeting after our talk last friday nakatawa me ninyo kay mura man tawn mo walay mga training sa management.

A piece of advice lang po, treat all your guests with utmost respect that is full of care and be hospitable because that is what is your business all about. You belong to hospitality industry and i believe you firmly understand what that means. Nice to have a new facilities wherein dapat naman talaga so dat you will be more competitive but first and foremost the way you treat and care your guests is the most important one. Water as a basic service, warm welcome and treatment and most of all sana ma feel namin na we are welcome and we are at home na we fill comfortable and ease while staying in your hotel. SANA GANUN KAYO!

Also, try to look your venue restaurant napaka walang privacy pag kakain ka daming tao na pass by. wrong placement sana meron inclusion naman while kakain tayo at least meron man lang privacy ng kunti. Also provide the rooms with directories like front desk, house keeping, etc, also provide menu in the room so that those who want to order food room service meron kami ma tingnan yan ginawa ng ibang hotels.

Next time also, if takot talaga kayo then wag na kayo accept students or better if put them in the garage or pull out the carpets kasi natatakot kayo ma damage sana di nalang mo nag carpet kay mura man mo ug tagaw. Makatawa man lang ta ninyo.

Hoping you will be more open to comments.

Thanks for a NOT NICE ACCOMMODATION to us we truly treasure it.

Dennis P. Mxxxxx, RN, MN, MAOD, DODT

Director for Academic Affairs and

Head, Planning and Development Center