Normally on Sundays, I join the Techo family in hearing the morning mass at St. Jude Shrine-Malacañang. It is followed by a breakfast either at their house or at McDonald's-Mendiola Branch, the nearest fast food from the church. It's been like this since 2004. There are times when we don't get to do this together due to conflicts of schedule. But as much as possible, we try to hear mass together. Below are the schedule of Sunday masses at St. Jude Shrine-Malacañang:

Sunday Morning:
6:30 a.m.
8:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.

Sunday Afternoon:
5:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.

Just like the St. Nazarene Bsilica in Quiapo, St. Jude Shrine-Malacañang has many devotees. St. Jude the Thaddeus is the patron of hopeless cases. Thursday is called St. Jude Day. When you go to St. Jude Shrine-Malacañang on a Thursday, don't get shock to see hundreds, if not thousands, of people visiting the shrine to pray and perform novena in honor of St. Jude the Thaddeus.

It is the Chinese Catholic community that founded and administers the affairs at St. Jude Shrine-Malacañang today.


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Over the years, credit cards or plastic money has revolutionized the way people manage and spend money. Now, you don't have to bring lots of cash with you when shopping. All you need is a functioning credit card and one swipe is all it takes. Shopping, may it be online or offline, has never been this convenient. Applying for a credit card, on the other hand, is another thing. Before you fill up the very tempting application form, do a quick reality check.

First, you have to choose wisely when it comes to comparing the perks and privileges offered by the different credit cards (e.g. Visa, American Express, Discover, Mastercard, Diner's Club, etc.). It is important that you choose a credit card that would suit your lifestyle. If you travel frequently for business or for pleasure, why not get a credit card that earns air mileages? If you drive a lot, why not get a gas credit card instead? And if you’re a shopaholic, why not get a discount credit card? This way, you get to maximize the benefits from your credit card usage.

Interest rates and membership fees on credit cards vary which usually depends on your credit limit. The higher your credit limit, the higher the interest rates and the membership fees. Never apply for a credit card with only the credit limit in mind. Find out about the interest rates and membership fees and make sure your finances can handle them. Remember that aside from unmindful spending, credit card related problems arise from unfamiliarity on how the credit card system really works.


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My day job requires me to report in the office from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon on weekdays. This is normal in the Philippines. They call it an 8-5 job. We work eight hours a day. While a considerable number of workers receive an above minimum wage, a big part of the working population doesn't. Which is sad. I belong to the former. Is it something I should be happy about? Of course, it is. But with the nature of our work, we get to work on a Saturday on occasions. This is never welcome to me because of the many jobs I'm in. But since I accepted this job, I think I have to get used to it.

Now, let me try to tell you the reasons why working on a Saturday can still be fun:

1. You don't have to dress up properly. Unless we're preparing for an event, we can just wear slacks and a decent top. Comfortable, isn't it? No blazers and high heels. I like it!

2. There's free meals for everyone. We get free breakfast, lunch or dinner on a working Saturday. Sometimes we get two meals, depending on the schedule we are required to report. The office pays for it. This is cheaper than when I'm home because there, I get to buy food for everyone. I'm a breadwinner, remember? At least when I'm in the office, I get to stick to my budget and even save some bucks.

3. There's free Internet. I have to check my mails. I have to check my blogs. I have to know what's going on online. I stopped buying prepaid cards for my Bayantel Wireless Landline Prepaid a long time ago because it sucks big time! I get back every good thing I said in that review. Slow internet connection makes me roar like a mad lion. Oooops, I'm exaggerating.

4. Less noise. There are no other people in the office building except for one office that works 24/7, the guards and us. That means I won't have to keep my mouth low while chatting with my officemates. When I'm on the mood, I can be the most talkative person you'll ever meet.

5. There's offsetting. We may not get paid for our overtime, but we get to take back the hours we spend in the office on weekends through a system called offsetting. Instead of availing a leave, we avail of the hours we have collected in the past. Fair enough, isn't it? There are times when my offset amounts to five days. That translates to one week of paid vacation, right? Happiness.

So far, that's all I can think of. If you have more reasons why working on a Saturday is fun, don't be shy to share it here. :)


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"Is the person lying next to you lying to you?"

Directed by Maryo J. Delos Reyes and written by Jun Lana, Torotot is a Tagalog digital film that belongs to the sexy-drama genre. It was graded R-18 by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). Basically, the story revolves around two married couples whose marriages would eventually come to a tragic end due to infidelity and sexual differences.


The word "torotot" has a deeply-rooted negative meaning in Philippine society. When you say a man is "tinotorotot," it means he's being cheated on by his wife. The same is true in this movie. The two bestfriends, Gabby (Baron Geisler) and Leo (Yul Servo), were cheated on by their wives Marie (Mauie Taylor) and Rita (Precious Adona), respectively. But the circumstances surrounding the infidelity of the two wives are different and are depicted intelligently in the movie.

Technically speaking, I think the cinematography was okay. I liked the blur effects on some scenes as it succeeded in giving them a dreamlike quality. It also helps that the story goes back to a particular scene (the birthday party, that is) whenever there's a need for it, like when the first marriage comes to a tragic end and the story of the second marriage unfolds next. As viewer, I found the plot easy to understand and follow with this style. Some scenes were also repeated but with more details shown. I guess the director wanted to emphasize things which were omitted the first time the scenes were shown. Certainly, it's effective as it allows for better appreciation and understanding of the plot.

I particularly liked how the movie ends. I think everything's appropriate. I have to admit I was reduced to tears by the conversation between Rita and Gabby. It made me realize that while forgiveness is possible, some things are never forgotten. Which is very true in real life.

While all the actors did good, I think it was Precious Adona who shone the most in this movie. She had depth and acted effortlessly. She's a revelation as she'd never acted before. It was her first film but she nailed it. Definitely, she overshadowed Mauie Taylor whose acting was just so-so.

If you're looking for quality digital film that has themes of violence, sex, betrayal and friendship all rolled into one, Torotot has them all.

Torotot is topbilled by Baron Geisler, Yul Servo, FHM Philippines Cover Girl Precious Adona and Viva Hot Babe Maui Taylor. It is distributed locally by Viva Films.

Image Source: http://dvdbh.blogspot.com


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The eyes are probably the most important and functional among the five senses given to man. I can still remember that when I was a kid, my mom would force me everyday to eat dairy products and yellow vegetables to ensure I get enough supply of Vitamin A, which is the eye vitamin. The obedient kid that was me would eat what I was told to eat, especially if it was for my personal eye care. As I grew up, I never had any major eye problems. It only goes to show that obedience pays.

Eye care becomes more vital in our adult years because as we grow old, our eyesight becomes weak and prone to eye disorders. My parents, for instance, are now using prescription glasses because their vision has started to fail. And speaking of prescription glasses, I think my mom needs a new pair. The last time I checked on her, I noticed that her glasses are worn out already. Her birthday is fast approaching (she’ll turn 51 on the 31st!) and I’ve been thinking of getting her a new pair of prescription glasses as present. My online shopping skills will be put to good use again. I’m sure there are lots of optical shops that offer a wide selection of eyeglasses online. As much as possible, I want a stylish set of prescription glasses for mom, complete with a nice frame, case and cleaning cloth. It won’t hurt, too if it has anti-scratch feature, UV protection and is priced below 10 bucks.


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When I was a still a student, I would always dream about my life as a professional. I would also wish for time to pass swiftly so I could have a job and earn money already. Back then, I wanted not just one but two or more jobs. Perhaps, that was a sign of things to come for me. Because as a breadwinner, I had to get more than one job to support my family.

Aside from my day job, I also have two part-time jobs at present. Do I enjoy them? The answer is yes. Though sometimes I am deprived of sleep and leisure time, I'm grateful that my employers continue to trust me. I'm not much of a workaholic but whenever I do my work, I do it well and ahead of time so I can prepare myself for more work. That has been my work habit the past years and I think it serves me well.

For those who are thinking about applying for a part-time job, before you submit your resume to your prospective employer, ask yourself these four important questions first:

1. Can I do it? Identify the nature of the part-time job. If it is in line with your work, or you have the skill to do it, it is important to know that you can do it well. Otherwise, you'll just run the risk of ruining your reputation and getting bad feedback from your employer.

2. Do I need it? In my case, one of the factors I considered before getting a part-time job was the need for it. As I've said, I'm a breadwinner and money is my constant problem. I have to make sure I make enough money to support the needs of my 6-member family. I have mouths to feed and bills to pay. This realization inspires me to do well always in my part-time work.

3. Will it fit in my schedule? Time management is very important is you want to get a part-time job. if you day job is already eating up your time, why bother to get another job that's sure to get a big slice of your time pie? But, if you're like me, who is challenged by complicated things like this, go for it. Just make sure to strike a balance on everything. Make a proper scheduling of your tasks. This way, you won't be cramming or have an I-have-a-deadline-in-a-minute kind of feeling.

4. Do I want it? If you think you'll enjoy the job as much as you enjoy your full-time job at present, go on with your plan. Remember that happiness is a good motivator in everything we do. Our part-time job should challenge us to be better workers and not deprive us of the things normal people do.

In closing, keep in mind that part-time jobs need not steal your 'me' time. If you think you're job is making you a living dead already and you literally don't have a social life anymore, don't aggravate the problem by getting a part-time job just so you can show to the world that you are more responsible than they think. A part-time job should help you financially and professionally and not take away the things you enjoy in life.


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While I can't be considered obese at any point in my life, I have had and will always have weight issues. For instance, I've been trying real hard to achieve my desired weight of 110 pounds. So far, I was able to shed off 10 pounds and presently enjoys a weight of 120 pounds. Given that, I'm 10 pounds away from my goal. Did it affect my self-esteem? The answer is a big and resounding yes.

Weight is just one of the many factors that affect a person's self esteem. This is very true with women. Women tend to be obsessed of their weight. Generally, we want to be slim for the rest of our lives. It could be the society we live in but I'd like to think it's the standards set by media that aggravates the problem. Thin people are branded by the media with all the positive qualities one can ever compose (e.g. beautiful, sexy, fashionable, stylish, smart, go-getter, etc.) Their weight is set as the ideal that everyone should work to achieve. That's why you see thin people in everything media, from the Internet and TV down to fashion magazines and gossip tabloids.

The psychological impact of excess weight is most felt by women. This is because we are treated by society as its most valuable commodity, perhaps to ensure its continued existence. Women reproduce and fill the world, breathing life into civilizations. In most societies, women are pursued, therefore, we should be appealing. Also, we are more vain than men. We want acceptance more than them. Actually, there's a lot of interconnected aspects in our system responsible for this. Our hormones is just one of them. Given all that, it seems we can't do something about the fact that weight is a big factor that affects our self-esteem.

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Have you ever went out of your way to attend a wedding in a distant city? I haven't. But this August, I'm going to attend one. It's a Cebu wedding. Edwin and I will be serving as groomsman and bridesmaid, respectively to the big day of our dear friend Merfs. I'm so excited.

To tell you honestly, this is just the second time I'm going to be a bridesmaid. The first was during my best friend's wedding a few years ago. Being a bridesmaid is always fun. This time around, it's very flattering on my part because I was entrusted to play a significant role on the wedding ceremony itself. I'd like to think I'm special to the wedding couple that's why they chose me, not just to serve as one of the witnesses to their union but to take part as they exchange wedding vows before God, the Roman Catholic Church and their families and friends.

So yeah, the breadwinner is going to Cebu again next month for an intimate Cebu wedding. I'm sure it's going to be a blast. The location is just perfect. I'm sure you'll agree when I say Cebu is a romantic city. For one, it boasts of its scenic hotels and venues, beautiful beaches and lush greens. Traffic is also never a problem in Cebu. All of that makes for a perfect wedding.

How about you, what do you think about Cebu weddings?

To know more why the Queen City of the South is a great venue for a wedding, read the 10 Things I Love About Cebu City (link can be found on the right side bar of this blog, under 'Popular Posts').

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If there's something that differentiates Globe Telecoms from the other players in the multi-billion peso telecommunications industry, it's the mobile giant's innovative spirit and initiative to reach out to its clients on a personal level. Just like what they did on their latest project in partnership with Pelicola.tv dubbed as "Kada Kwento." It's a series of short films (five, actually) that seeks to reinforce the spirit of friendship or "barkada" among Filipino youth.

Watch the five short films that celebrate the real meaning of friendship over at http://www.globe.com.ph/kadakwento. I've watched the first two installments (took 3 to 5 minutes only) during the official launch (and advance screening) last night at Fully Booked-Bonifacio High Street. I found them cute and well-conceptualized. I especially liked the second one because it was smartly funny. Oh and because of that, I'm craving for a "shuriken bar" right now. Lol.

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Building a website or a blog is a challenge for many people, especially those who are not much into html and CSS codes. Before one can even start making his own website, he should at least familiarize himself first with these concepts. The Internet contains a wealth of information that can help anyone build a website from scratch. But before you click your mouse and start exploring the net for tips and ideas, the first thing you should think is the design of the website, or the kind of look you want your website to achieve.

Web design serves as the framework of your website. The saying that people judge a book through its cover rings true when it comes to websites. Do people get interested in a website that is plain-looking? Unless you know the person or company behind that website and you have faith in its abilities, you won’t bother spending time browsing through it. That leads us to the fact that plain-looking websites are boring.

To get people visit your site, which is what your primary goal is, your web design should dare to be different. It should be unique and attractive. It should also be flexible and expandable for easy editing and theme upgrades. These are just some of the web design tips that you should know before creating your own website. Remember that your website is going to be a reflection of who you are online, and possibly of who you are in real life.


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Natural and man-made hazards have been and will always be a part of our daily existence. They come in many forms and affect our lives in more ways than one. Of the many natural hazards we face, I'm scared of earthquakes the most. May it be tectonic or volcanic earthquake, my heart beats doubly fast just thinking about them. Until I attended a disaster management control seminar in preparation for an earthquake drill scheduled in one of our office buildings.

Evacuation. This is what we are going to practice during the earthquake drill. We won't be doing more than that. The National Disaster and Coordinating Council (NDCC) and the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs) want to make sure our office has a disaster control plan (and can implement it properly!) and this is one great way of testing it. This is very timely since I heard we are expecting a couple of earthquakes this year. No, I don't wanna scare the hell out of you but we all know the Philippines has many active faults and volcanoes that makes earthquake inevitable. Oh and, I learned from the seminar that we cannot predict the exact time the earthquake will happen, but, we can know the magnitude of it and lessen its harmful effects through disaster preparedness.

Disasters are really a part of life. Somehow I'm glad our life span is not that long anymore because if it still is, we'll surely experience a lot of disasters caused by natural and man-made hazards. The devastation these calamities bring to life and property cannot be overstated. That I think is scary enough to make me feel grateful I won't reach the age of 100.

For more information about disaster control and disaster preparedness, or how you can volunteer to be part of the disaster control plan of your locality, visit http:www.ndcc.gov.ph.

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Newbie blogger or not, it really comes to a point when you lose hope trying to figure out how you can effectively drive traffic to your blog and get people to read your posts. Most of you will agree when I say that blog promotion is no easy task. A blogger must know how to do it properly, otherwise he’ll run out of reasons to continue blogging.

Blog promotion is a subject that every blogger can relate to. To keep your blog alive and yourself blogging, you have to assure yourself that someone out there is interested to visit your site or even look at your posts. Aside from telling your circle of friends about your blog, there are many ways that can help you in blog promotion. One of the easiest yet most effective ways to get your blog known to the world is by submitting it to web directories. There are thousands of web directories online so the chance of driving more traffic (and money!) to your blog is big.

Web directories are sites that store networks of blogs in their system and promote them to their visitors. Web directories can be a paid or a free service depending on its nature. Normally, if it’s a business web directory, there’s a fee involved. What they do is not only promote your blog but link them to potential clients and related businesses. On the other hand, a free web directory compiles blogs and divide them into main and sub-categories without asking anything in return from the blogger.

Below are some of the best web directories I found while researching on the topic:

1.Yahoo Directory
2. DMOZ.org
3. Business.com
4. BOTW.org

I had submitted this blog to these directories and so far, the results are okay. My blog traffic continues to improve the past weeks and I noticed that some visitors return on a regular basis. That means they are getting interested in this blog or are finding something of value here. While I cannot attribute this improvement solely to the power of web directories, I believe that they really help promote this blog on an international scale.


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