i might not be able to go home on all saints' day..

i'll be writing the 2nd part of my post entitled, "my recent journey", next time.

for now, i am in great dilemma. i received an office order just this afternoon that I will be part of a team organized for the special audit of a controversial agency. (for now, the media has not smelled blood on it yet. thank God!). audit period is on october 6 - 17 and november 3 -7, 2008.

that means, my scheduled trip to surigao city via butuan city on all saint's day is at risk. it might not push through.. huhuhu! what am i gonna do? whaaaaa!!!

let's wait and see!!! :)

my recent journey (part 1 of 2)

Last August 1 of this year, I arrived in Butuan at 2pm, which is about 45 minutes behind from its original schedule. As I was already late for my 2pm appointment with my dentist, Dr. Grace Yee, I immediately called up her secretary informing her of my dilemma. It took me 30minutes to claim for my checked-in baggage and fortunately, I was given until 3pm to show up at the clinic.

Since I no longer have a place to stay in Butuan (remember, I have my house rented at present), I decided to check in at a hotel. It was when I spotted a woman inside the arrival area of the airport. She was holding a signage with Dottie's Place written on it. I immediately approached her and asked her if I could still get a room considering that Butuan is packed with guests at that time since the following day, August 2, marked the city's Adlaw Hong Butuan annual celebration.

That lady a.k.a Debbie immediately contacted the hotel and reserved a room for me. Whew! Still, lucky me! But as the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. Debbie offered to drop me to Dr. Yee's clinic before heading to the hotel. She even volunteered to bring my bag right into my room. God bless her!

I got to Dr. Yee's clinic just in time, i mean, at 3pm (hehehe). She conducted a thorough examination on my teeth with so much expertise and grace, as expected. When we were through, Congresswoman Angel Amante and a companion were waiting at the lounge. Needless to say, Angel is still stunningly beautiful!

to be continued..

I am also a mindanao blogger..

I just recently registered my blog in the website of Mindanao Bloggers. I hope my application will be accepted..

I did not know that such website existed until I accidentally bumped into benjie's website entitled, A Lianga Diary. His site contains a link to Mindanao Bloggers. Thanks to benjie! :)

Mindanao Bloggers currently features the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit which will be held at the Family Country Hotel and Convention Center at the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, General Santos City on October 25-26, 2008.

Sounds exciting right? (sigh..) How I wish I could attend that event.. (sigh again..)

Are You A TV Buff?

When I was still in Butuan, I used to watch Saturday Night Live (SNL) a lot on TV. However, when I transferred to Manila, things were a bit different here. I have my eyes fixed on Early Edition while briskly walking on treadmill at Fitness First on weeknights.

At home, I have a collection of DVDs for my fave movies and TV series. In fact, I just finished watching Season 4 of Desperate Housewives. It was addicting! I must be a TV buff!

While looking forward for the showing of Series 5, I came across with this survey which I hope you'll also find time to get your hands on:

Passport office in Butuan, soon!

Yeah, you heard it right! Tita glo has signed Executive Order No. 748 dated August 28, 2008 for the immediate opening of additional regional consular offices in Butuan, among others.

For details, click this!

My tita (not tita glo) won't have to travel all the way to Cagayan de Oro City, which by the way is 7-8 hours away from home, just to get her passport. This is really good news! :)

Bachelor's Pad for Rent

My tenant informed me just this morning that she'll be transferring to her sister's house soon.. for personal reasons.

With her permission, i am posting this ad as early as now.

The unit is ideal for single working professionals.

It is located near the intersection of Santan Street and Villa Kanangga Road.

Nearest landmarks: Immaculate Concepcion Church, NAPOLCOM, Provincial Capitol, Commission on Audit, Gaisano Mall, among others.

One ride to schools e.g, FSUU, and other places in Butuan.

Interested? Please call or text me at +63-918-367-3455 or email me at guiamadelo@gmail.com

Talk It Up!

I am so glad that somebody left a "passionate" comment on my previous post entitled, "Federal Type of Government, Is this Good?".

But before I publish my own view on that topic, i would like to introduce you to Visual Talking (VT) by giving you this survey:

Federal Type of Government, Is this Good?

Take a closer look into Senate Resolution # 10, Senator Aquilino Pimentel’s Blueprint for the Federal Republic of the Philippines (FRP).

Resisting any premature comment, here first are the main points:

* The FRP will have a 425-Member unicameral Federal Congress with the legislature headquartered in Bohol
* The declared National Territory encompasses the areas to which the Philippine has pending and unresolved historical claims, meaning the Spratlys and Sabah.
* GMA is mandated to step down in 2010 and is prohibited from seeking election in the new government.

Read on:

* The 63-page annex of SR 10 contains 154 proposed revisions of the Constitution.
* Only two articles, the Bill of Rights and Citizenship, are untouched.
* Federal House of Representatives will have 75 senators and not more than 350 congressmen, or a total of 425 members.
* Rationale:

1. “Whereas, the highly centralized system of government has brought about a spotty development of the nation where preferential treatment has been given to localities whose officials are friendly with or have easy access to an incumbent administration;

2. Whereas, this lopsided arrangement has spawned a host of problems including massive nationwide poverty to runaway insurgencies and rebellions that feed on the societal inequalities in the nation;

3. Whereas, creating eleven States out of the Republic would establish 11 centers of finance and development in the archipelago as follows:

* The 11 Federal States:

1. The State of Northern Luzon;

2. The State of Central Luzon;

3. The State of Southern Tagalog;

4. The State of Bicol;

5. The State of Minparom;

6. The State of Eastern Visayas;

7. The State of Central Visayas;

8. The State of Western Visayas;

9. The State of Northern Mindanao;

10. The State of Southern Mindanao; and

11. The State of BangsaMoro”

* GMA’s Term Limit:

“Unless the incumbent President is removed from office, dies, or resigns, the Incumbent shall serve until 2010, the year her constitutional term of office ends. She is, however, not qualified to run again for office under the Constitution.”

SR10 does not have any proposal to switch from the presidential to the parliamentary form of government.

* Longer term limits:

SR10 extends the term limits for members of the House of Representatives, by setting four years, instead of the present three years, as the length of one term, and allowing a maximum of three consecutive terms.

Under SR10, provincial, city, and municipal officials, and also the governor and vice governor of the proposed new states, would all get up to three terms of four years each, longer than at present. Senators would stay within their present limit of two terms of six years each.

* The State of Bangsamoro:

SR10’s proposed State of Bangsamoro only includes the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, with capital at Marawi City. The areas that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is bargaining for overlap with portions of SR10’s proposed States of Northern Mindanao and Southern Mindanao.

* SR10’s proposed State of Northern Mindanao (capital at Cagayan de Oro City):

Covers the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboangay Sibugay, and all cities, municipalities and villages therein.

* SR10’s proposed State of Southern Mindanao (capital at Davao City) :

Covers the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Compostela Valley, Davao, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and all local entities therein.

SR10 seeks to transfer major portions of national government operations to the Visayas and Mindanao. It would keep Manila as the seat of the Executive Branch, but proposes to transfer the Legislative Branch to Tagbilaran City. It would require the Supreme Court to transfer to Cagayan de Oro City within 10 years.

* The Seat of the unicameral Federal Congress:

The Federal Congress shall hold office and its sessions in the City of Tagbilaran in the State of Central Visayas. Congress may authorize its committees to hold public hearings in aid of legislation or conduct investigations in furtherance of its oversight functions in any part of the Republic.

How the Constituent Assembly will vote:

“NOW, THEREFORE, Be it resolved as it is hereby resolved by the Senate with the House of Representatives concurring, upon a vote of three-fourths of all the Members of both Houses voting separately, to convene Congress into a constituent assembly pursuant to Section 1, paragraph 1 of Article XVll of the Constitution, and revise the Constitution for the purpose of adopting a federal system of government that will create 11 States, constitute Metro-Manila as the Federal Administrative Region, and convert the nation into the Federal Republic of the Philippines.”

Key Revisions Proposed in SR 10:

Revision No. 1.

Section 1. Article 1. National Territory.

The scope of the national territory is hereby revised by adding a new paragraph as follows: The national territory shall likewise include all islands occupied or claimed by the Republic out of historic title, by discovery or other means recognized under international law and its exclusive economic zone as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Revenues and Taxes

(2) All revenues and taxes collected by the local government units or by national government agencies in accordance with the Local Government Code of 1991, Republic Act No. 7160, shall be divided in the following manner: twenty percent (20%) shall accrue to the Federal Government and eighty percent

(80%) to the States. (3) Of the share accruing to the States, thirty percent (30%) shall pertain to the

State concerned and seventy percent (70%) shall be apportioned among the provinces, cities, municipalities and barangay according to the formula stated in the Local Government Code of 1991.

Revision No. 2.

New Section. Article XIV. Utilization of Local Resources.

States may pursue local development in the utilization of mineral, marine and aquatic, forest and other natural resources. They may engage in local and international trade and commerce to attain self sufficiency and progress within their respective territories subject to the limitations imposed by the Constitution.

Revision No. 3.

New Section. Article XIV. Small-Scale Utilization and Development of Natural Resources.

The right of citizens to engage in the small-scale utilization and development of natural resources, as well as cooperative fish farming, with priority to the right of the subsistence fishermen and fish workers in rivers, lakes, bays, and lagoons as provided in the Local Government Code of 1991 shall not be abridged.

(Note: Senators Rodolfo Biazon and Panfilo Lacson have withdrawn their signatures from the resolution.)

Source: sabahthephilippineborneo

HammeRuler!

Hi! Please spare a few minutes of your time to take this survey! Thank you!

aerial view of butuan

i have already submitted my letter-complaint to cebu pacific.

i am still thinking whether or not to send also a letter to concerned government agencies and/or post it in this blog.

well, that depends on how cebu pacific would handle my situation.

i'll just wait until early next week.

for now, i would just like to share with you my journey to butuan last august 1 (friday).

our cebu pacific plane was one hour delayed but i didn't mind. it happens. thank God my dentist in butuan did not cancel my appointment upon learning that i would be late.

few minutes before landing, i happened to glance thru the window. i was surprised to see butuan at bird's eyeview!

armed with an enthusiasm of a child, i tried to identify the landmarks of butuan such as the magsaysay bridge, the new macapagal bridge, etc. when i saw the blue roof of immaculate concepcion church, i got so excited knowing that my house is just a few meters away.

if only i had a camera with me to capture those breath-taking sights.. (sigh!)

well, i could have used my cellphone but of course, i would not want to jeopardize our safety just to give in to my caprice.

i'll just try to note in my mind to bring a camera with me everytime a travel.

i'm just unsure if i will still ride a cebu pacific plane again..

poor customer service at cebu pacific

as you've noticed in my prior posts, i'd been promoting the low fares of cebu pacific. but i didn't realize that the phrase, "you get what you pay for" also applies to them. i found it the hard, excruciatingly painful way.

but before i narrate to you my own horrible experience at cebu pacific butuan airport office last august 5, 2008, let me just share to you what i witnessed at butuan airport the day after.

at around 2pm+, passengers were instructed to form two lines in preparation for boarding. i did not immediately stand up from where i was seated. instead, i looked around and.. there i saw a group of decent-looking foreigners who queued thru a 3rd line. to my horror, the station officer almost shouted at them for their mistake. that commotion attracted the attention of other passengers at the lounge. i took pity at these foreigners as they were filled with embarrassment..

i would leave it all up to you to make a conclusion.. but i could not help wondering why that station officer is so rude and arrogant... must it be that such attitude is already innate in her?

what is cebu pacific doing to improve the customer service efficiency of its employees? that station officer needs help..

cebu pacific transfers to terminal 3

i just read from the newspaper this morning that cebu pacific is going to use naia terminal 3 for all its domestic and international operations starting august 1, 2008. some of its domestic operations were already operating at the same terminal as early as july 22. this is a welcome development for passengers like me who were paying the standard terminal fee of P200 at the too-congested Manila Domestic Airport which facilities are not as competitive as that of the Centennial Airport.

i wonder if the terminal 3 is already accessible to public utility vehicles (PUVs) especially air-conditioned buses. i have already passed by the terminal twice already but i don't remember even a single bus plying that route.

i will be travelling soon. i need to know these things so that i would have information on what my options are. i guess i just have to do a little more research on this..

wanted: pet dog!

in a few weeks, i'll be going home to my hometown via butuan. i am planning to give my feisty-yet-adorable little niece a birthday gift. since i already have a brown male mini pinscher at home, i want to buy her a female mini pinscher, this time, color black.

considering it would be a hassle for me to transport a pet dog from manila, not to mention too costly, i prefer buying it at butuan or surigao. unfortunately, i lost the contact no. of my dog's veterinarian. her clinic is located somewhere along pili drive, butuan city.

will somebody please help me find a mini pinscher for sale or give me the contact no. of the veterinarian? reach me at (63)918-367-3455. thanks..

last day of Cebu Pacific promo sale

july 20 is the last day of Cebu Pacific's promo on its low airfare. i have been thinking if i have to rebook my previously-purchased ticket since i am planning to stay longer in surigao city by just another day on my upcoming vacation there. in that case, i will have to add a rebooking fee of P400 for that. i am still weighing the pros and cons considering also that i would be absent from office for additional day. i have to decide today or else if i defer it, i would be paying difference between the regular fare and promo fare on top of the rebooking fee.

well, i have until midnight to think this over..

the extended cebu pacific promo fare is further extended!

oh my gosh! cebu pacific once again extends its promo fare. its sale period which would have ended yesterday, july 15, is further stretched to july 20. i am oh so tempted to book for another flight and visit surigao via butuan! wanna join me? please click this.

extended cebu pacific promo fare

you heard it right! cebu pacific has again extended its promo fare. sale period is from july 10 - july 15, 2008 while travel period will be from july 22 - october 15, 2008. for more details, please click this.

i am hoping they would stretch the travel period to november 3, 2008 so that i could go home and visit my father who is now resting in peace..

CDO disputes AIM survey results..

The mayor of Cagayan de Oro, the Honorable Constantino Jaraula, reacted on the study conducted by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) saying that it was basically flawed. He questioned why the city was classified as a medium-sized city when its population already reached 561,000 in 2006. As a consequence, CDO ranked 11th which surprisingly, was 2 points lower than Butuan City. For more details, please click this.

cebu pacific promo fare

Tomorrow, July 9, is the last day of cebu pacific's promo of its airline fare.  One way ticket to Butuan costs at P1,499 only, which is about P1,000 lower than its lowest regular fare.  If my memory serves me right, cebu pacific has extended its promo period for twice already.  Maybe this will be their last..  Wih the rising commodity prices, you should take advantage of this!  For details, click on this.

Most Child Friendly City Awarded to Butuan

Here's another good news! Butuan City garnered the 2007 Presidential Award for the Most Child Friendly City under the Highly Urbanized City Category. A cash prize of P50,000 was received by the Honorable Mayor Democrito Plaza from the Council for the Welfare of Children. For more information, please get the news from the Philippine Information Agency by clicking this link.

butuan placed no. 9 among the top 10 livable cities

Butuan City, a.k.a Timber City, is slowly regaining its strength in terms of development. According to the assessment made by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) policy center in 2007, Butuan City ranked no. 9 among the top 10 livable cities in the Philippines. It beat Cagayan de Oro City which placed only no. 11 among those mid-sized competitive cities. To read more, click this.

FYI, my hometown, Surigao City, placed no. 3 among those most competitive small sized cities in the country. How's that? :)

i could not access my house photos..

before i left butuan city, i managed to store my photos in my friendster account. among those i uploaded in my private album were photographs of my house in butuan.

due to demand of prospective buyers, i decided to download such photos from friendster. to my dismay, i could no longer access my private photos! i just don't know what happened!

will somebody please help me?

i am earning over P100 thousand a year without doing anything

I didn't realize it! not until now.. I've been earning P100 thousand a year from house rentals. Right now, i collect P9 thousand each month, although not much, but that's what i still call it as LOI - living on interest. I could have earned as much as P15 thousand a month, however, it would take a lot of effort due to circumstances beyond my control (for one, i live a thousand miles away from butuan city, hence i could not personally manage it).

Speaking of Living on Interest a.k.a. passive income, i am now hesitant whether it is still wise for me to push through with the selling of my property. In 10 years, i would have accumulated a total of P1 million worth of revenues. But if i invest such earnings to a high-yield investment undertaking, it would double its value in just six years (at least).

Please help me decide.. should i still sell my property?

another butuanon website

Hello! Here's another butuanon website which you could visit and log in: butuancity.net. The difference between the two websites (the other one i mentioned in my previous post)? Butuanon.net mainly caters to the teens while the other one.. hmm.. still caters to the teens. Hehehe. So, what are you waiting for? Check it out! :)

butuanon website

hey butuanons! check out the website butuanon.net and be a member by signing up! that is if you want to be updated of the what's hot and what's not in butuan.

have fun interacting online with fellow butuanons! ato ini! kadyawon ta! :)

markdown! rush!

hi guys! due to personal reasons (actually i am in haste to buy a condo here in manila), i am lowering the selling price of my house. bid price starts at P1.5M. hurry up! call me before someone else does. i assure you this is really VALUE FOR MONEY! :}

investment opportunity

The location of my property is considered an investment already. Sources told me that there is a plan to make the Villa Kanangga Road a national highway connecting from the new 2nd bridge and Bukidnon alternate road, way past the Provincial Capitol and Gaisano Mall to the existing national highway. Also, rumor has it that Limketkai Mall (the biggest mall in Cagayan de Oro City) has purchased a huge lot somewhere in Villa Kanannga. Aside from the fact that my property is near the church, Gaisano Mall, and Provincial Capitol, it is very accessible to the downtown area as compared to those low-quality housing subdivisions that are mushrooming miles farther from the city proper. You see, in the near future, the cost of real properties in that area will surge high.

Butuan Bridge is Falling.. Up!

Hey! The property i am selling is near this bridge! For details, please read this article:

Do you know that the Philippines is building a P2Billion Cable-Stayed Steel Bridge in Butuan City--The first of its kind in the whole of Mindanao and Second ... To read more, please click this link.

location of the property

oh?! have i not told you where my property is? it is strategically located along santan street corner villa kanangga road. it is very accessible particularly to immaculate concepcion church, gaisano mall, provincial capitol, and downtown area.

house for sale in butuan city, philippines

i am selling my house and lot in butuan city, philippines. this property is ideal for foreigners who would like to settle down and retire in the philippines.

The house has four rooms: master bedroom, 2 guest rooms, and maid's room. it has also a garage and an outdoor dirty kitchen. It is already semi-furnished, inclusive of electrical appliances and furniture like aircon, refrigerator, 3 double decks, cabinets, etc.

The lawn has growing fruit trees particularly indian mango, coconut, and guava. The lawn is landscaped with korean grass and plants. The pathway is cemented. The master bedroom has its own bathroom and mini-kitchen. It has also a separate entrance/exit door to the lawn/garage.the two guest rooms share one bathroom while the other bathroom is located near the maid's room. The servant's quarter is composed of the following: maid's room, bathroom, dirty kitchen, pantry, and laundry area. It has its own entrance/exit door to the lawn. If the house is too big for you and if you want to earn additional income, you may have the master's bedroom and the servant's quarter rented out to others as two bachelor's pads.

my property is priced at P2 million (negotiable).

by the way, i am also selling my toyota vios 1.3E car (color: silver metallic) 2004 model, casa-maintained, all-power (power windows, power locks, power steering), state-of-the art interior design. the car is priced at P400,000. if you check however the internet, particularly the autolink.ph website, the lowest price that you can get for that car is P438,000.if you are also interested to buy my car, i can give you a package price of P2.35M (house and lot plus car).

should you have further questions, please let me know. you may contact me thru this email: guiamadelo@gmail.com or thru my mobile no. at +63-918-367-3455.

God bless!