Thank You Wendy’s Shopwise!

I almost lost my phone last Monday. Yup, my newly-purchased BlackBerry, I almost lost it.

I came from a friend's house in QC and I visited Aerous at Cubao. I barely slept and a bit tipsy because of the Red Horse beer we had at QC. I have my DSLR with me, my BlackBerry and 2 bags of SM items.

Aerous works at Telus and he prefers to eat at Wendy's Shopwise. This is our second time at this Wendy's branch. The first time we dine here was about a year ago.

So we sat down on the table near the toilet. I left my items with Aerous on the table and went to pee. After that, we went to the counter and ordered our dinner. I then asked Aerous for my BlackBerry and I was surprised that he doesn't have it. I'm pretty sure I didn't bring it with me at the toilet which means we have left it at our table.

So we went to our table and there were a lot of people in the nearby tables. Our table was clean. No sign of my unit. Then a male supervisor or manager asked us if we left something and I said I left my BlackBerry. He then handed to me my BlackBerry and I felt relieve. I thank him and we went back to the counter to order our food.

Aerous and I enjoyed our dinner, I took pictures of him with my DSLR, had a nice chat and finally said goodbye because he's late for his 10PM shift. I went straight home and catch a sleep because I was very sleepy.

The next day, when I feel better and no effects of alcohol, I've realized that I almost lost my BlackBerry which I just purchased a few weeks ago! I realized I've been very lucky that a manager/supervisor of Wendy's saw my BlackBerry first. So I emailed Wendy's and thank them for having such an employee.

Wendy's replied back and said:

Thank you also for commending our Assistant Manager of Shopwise Cubao branch, Mr. Dante Sarraga for the good deed that he done.

We hope that you will continue to patronize our product and services.

Well, I would certainly continue to patronize them for having such honest employees. I can't thank them enough for the good deed that they did so I wrote this blog post.

Again, my gratitude to the whole staff of Wendy's Shopwise for having my BlackBerry back and for having an outstanding customer service!

BuzzNet Tags: Wendy's Shopwise,Thank You!

2012 Plans

If I would write down my weaknesses right now, I would probably list down as #1 my ability to break plans. I’m so good at making plans and not fulfilling it. Nevertheless, I still make plans.

I tried to review my 2007 and 2008 plans and so far, I have fulfilled half of what I plan. Not bad. So I’m doing this again. It may be a bit late, but I’ve been making this list since December 2011. Finally, I decided to write down my plans for this year.

I’ve been making this plans a.k.a. New Year’s Resolution since I was a college student. At one time, I’ve written a plan to “have a wife and kids by the age of 25”. Well, I’m a late bloomer and just realized I’m gay a few months before my college graduation.

Also, I’ve realized that I’m not hitting my plans because it’s not within the scope of S.M.A.R.T: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. So as much as I can, I tried to list down my 2012 plans with this in mind.

It also helps by the way, if I could print this list and post it on my wall. Plus, it would be an additional help if I could share it with you guys. In that way, you could probably ask me once in a while how I’m doing with my plans. So, without further ado, here are my plans for this year:

1. Be a competitive Ragnarok Player. Make Cadbury an “imba” Arch-Bishop. Buy 500 RO Load every payday.

2. Level my novice, Jan Sef, to level 99 Ninja before the release of the Samurai Patch (mid-year).

3. Change my mindset about Sales and learn the craft. Be a Sales Agent. There are extra compensations for Sales Agent.

4. Buy more books, preferably Nicholas Sparks and John Grisham. 1 book a month.

5. Buy Greatest Hits DVDs of favorite singers and bands. Support the music industry. 1 DVD a month.

6. Watch a movie every payday. It’s always great to watch movies at the cinema.

7. Join a religious or civic organization. Preferably World Vision or Habitat for Humanity.

8. Be a devout Catholic. Attend mass every Sunday and participate with the festivities. Continue visiting different churches once in a while.

9. Continue sending resumes to jobs posted via Jobstreet. Who knows, a foreign recruiter would finally notice. (every rest day)

10. Subscribe to Reader’s Digest and Men’s Health.

11. Update my blogs three times a week.

12. Use my clothing allowance for its intended purpose.

13. Rediscover the love for swimming and be Sef’s swimming buddy.

14. Pay my bills every 15^th of the month.

15. Meet up with Sef at least once a week (preferably Saturday).

16. Open another BPI Savings Account by February 15, 2012, preferably at BPI-PCC.

17. Attend the Panagbenga Festival with Sef on February 24-26.

18. Enroll in a photography class by March.

19. Join my high school Cooperative. It’s a good investment. (March 15)

20. Take advantage of the free use of our company gym by March.

21. Purchase a mountain bike and rediscover the love for biking (April).

22. Have a vacation in Cebu with Erik and Sef (May).

23. Replace my current laptop with a desktop PC. Play StarCraft II. (June)

24. Enroll in a Creative Writing class by June.

25. Be active in Facebook and Twitter. Login every day after work.

26. Visit Boracay Island with Sef (November).

27. Use my 13^th month pay to buy a camera lens (December).

28. Have a photowalk with Sef every week.

29. Buy another external hard disk whose capacity is 1 terabyte or more (June).

30. Finish items 1-29 before the world ends (December 21, 2012) :)

BuzzNet Tags: 2012 Plans,New Year's Resolution,End of the World

Sandiganbayan and Ombudsman

MANDATE OF THE SANDIGANBAYAN:
SEC. 5. The Batasang Pambansa shall create a special court, to be known as Sandiganbayan, which shall have jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involving graft and corrupt practices and such other offenses committed by public officers and employees, including those in government-owned or controlled corporations, in relation to their office as may be determined by law. (Art. XIII), 1973 Constitution.

MANDATE OF THE OMBUDSMAN:

THE OMBUDSMAN AND HIS DEPUTIES, as protectors of the people shall act promptly on complaints filed in any form or manner against officers or employees of the Government, or of any subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, including government-owned or controlled corporations, and enforce their administrative, civil and criminal liability in every case where the evidence warrants in order to promote efficient service by the Government to the people (Section 13, R.A. No. 6770; see also Section 12 Article XI of the 1987 Constitution).

The Ombudsman shall give priority to complaints filed against high ranking government officials and/or those occupying supervisory positions, complaints involving grave offenses as well as complaints involving large sums of money and/or properties (Sec. 15, R.A. No. 6770).

Isn’t it that the Office of the Ombudsman superseded the Sandiganbayan since it was created by the 1987 constitution while the latter was created by Marcos? With all these news about the trial of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona on TV, and updates of ANC via Twitter, I’m interested to review my lessons in Philippine Constitution.

It seems that I was absent (or asleep) in class when our professor discussed the difference between the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan. I review the mandate of both government offices and they both have jurisdictions over charges filed against government officials. However, it seems that the Sandiganbayan specializes with cases involving graft and corruption. Is it the main difference between the two?

Enlighten me my readers.

BuzzNet Tags: Sandiganbayan,Ombudsman

Town of Baliwag 1733

Baliwag is a first-class municipality in the province of Bulacan. It’s well-known for the buntal hat, the Baliwag Lechon, the Baliwag Transit, SM Baliwag and the birthplace of hero Mariano Ponce.

Baliwag is the Tagalog spelling. Its English spelling is Baliuag. It was founded in 1733 and was known as the venue for the first municipal election done in viva voce (public acclamation or raising of the hands).

Baliwag is also my boyhood town. I was a transferee pupil in elementary and spent my grade 5-6 in this town. I also studied high school here. I live here all throughout my college years as well. I know this town very well and I certainly love this town.

I was at Baliwag yesterday when I attended a wake. I took some pictures of the famous Glorietta (Rotonda) in the town proper in front of the Saint Augustine Parish church. Unfortunately, our parish church is close during weekends. I hope to have a break from work and take some pictures of my boyhood town with my DSLR.

It always feels good to be home.

Rizal’s Monument in front of the Saint Augustine church

 

The newly-installed fountain at the heart of Glorietta.

 

Our version of “Big Ben”.

 

The first fast-food chain in town.

 

BuzzNet Tags: Baliwag,Bulacan,Mariano Ponce,SM Baliwag

San Sebastian Parish, Pasig City

I attended a baptismal this morning at the San Sebastian Parish in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City. I was shocked because I thought it was San Juan Day. People are all wet in Pinagbuhatan (myself included).

I really felt idiotic today. First, I’m a resident of Pinagbuhatan and I’m not aware when our fiesta is. Second, I don’t know that San Sebastian is the patron saint of Pinagbuhatan and that today is his feast day. Third, I never knew that there is a parish church in Pinagbuhatan and that a mass was held here 440 years ago (January 20, 1572). Lastly, I never heard of the school Escuela Catolica de San Sebastian until this day. Wow, some revealing information about my barangay! To add insult to myself, I’ve been living in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City since 2001.

So this evening, I Google about this parish church and found this information:

The first chapel established by the Spaniards prior to the establishment of the present-day PASIG SIMBAHAN. It comprises the entire barangay of Pinagbuhatan, being a parish under the Diocese of Pasig. Its parochial erection was on May 31, 1990, with Fr. David Colong as its parish priest. At present, Fr. Emmanuel Hipolito is the parish priest. San Sebastian Parish is adjacent to its parochial school, the ESCUELA CATOLICA DE SAN SEBASTIAN. (Wikimapia).

The Chapel of Pinagbuhatan was the first visita constructed by the Augustinians in Pasig, prior to the establishment of the present Pasig Cathedral. It is said that the reason for the transfer of the church is that this place was occasionally ravaged by floods, due to its proximity to the river. The chapel remained under the Parish of the Immaculate Conception until 1990, when Bishop Manuel Sobrevinas, then Parish Priest of Immaculate Conception, proposed to the Cardinal Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Sin, to create a new parish in this barangay of Pinagbuhatan, due to the increasing number of faithful in the vicinity of the barangay. The Decree of Erection of the Parish was signed and on May 31, 1990. Pinagbuhatan was proclaimed a parish under the patronage of Saint Sebastian and Fr. David Colong was installed as its First Parish Priest. (Wikipedia)

   

BuzzNet Tags: San Sebastian Parish,Pasig City

I’m Now A BB User

Yup, I’m now a happy BlackBerry user. I purchased the BlackBerry 8520 (Curve) last Tuesday and I’ve been busy lately trying to figure out its basic functions.

I purchased my BlackBerry unit from Mobile World in SM Megamall. I’ve asked almost all stores in the Cyberzone area about the price of this BB unit and they offered the lowest price at P8,900.00. It comes with 2 years warranty and 2-gig memory card. I wanted to purchase the next BB unit (9300) but it’s price was around P12,000.00 and it’s beyond my budget.

They next day, I added Globe’s BlackBerry Social (P299.00/month) to my subscription plus the SUPER ONE promo (P175.00/month). The BlackBerry Social includes the use of Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger (and other messengers like Windows Live, AOL messenger, and Google Talk). Unfortunately, the BB Social promo doesn’t come with email access.

The SUPER ONE promo on the other hand is for Sef so that I could call and text him unlimited. He’s my current SUPER ONE and I often call him My Sweet Cornetto Boy. Tomorrow by the way, we’ll be watching the Azkals match versus Korea at the Rizal Memorial Stadium at 7PM.

So far, I’ve been enjoying my BlackBerry and I’m rediscovering Twitter because of this unit. I also post Facebook status every once in a while using my BB. It’s nice to see that some of my FB posts were posted via BlackBerry.

Who among you are using BlackBerry? Care to post your PIN here?

BuzzNet Tags: My Sweet Cornetto Boy,BlackBerry Curve,BB 8520

Chief Justice on Trial

I watched the opening remarks on the trial of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona earlier. Legal counsel Serafin Cuevas stated that the articles of impeachment filed against his client is already null and void because it didn’t follow a certain procedure in notifying Chief Justice Renato C. Corona of the charges against him.

The Defense Panel is being too defensive of their client and it seems to me that they will look into all the technicalities of the charges so that their client is dismissed of all charges. I pity the Defense Panel as early as now. They would surely do everything to prevent evidences from being presented.

If I were to sit as one of the Senate Juror, I’ll give Chief Justice Renato C. Corona a guilty charge as early as now. Just my two cents.

BuzzNet Tags: Renato C. Corona,Chief Justice on Trial

Kamay Kainan Foods

It’s my second time to dine at Kamay Kainan in Market! Market!. This time, I was with my current team mates and I brought along my Canon EOS 1100D. The first time I took pictures of the foods here, I was using my Canon digital camera.

Without further ado, here are the foods being serve at this wonderful restaurant.

BuzzNet Tags: Kamay Kainan,Market! Market!