BLOGGED PHILIPPINES

As a supplement to the list of holidays provided in the previous article, I have here a downloadable calendar for the year 2010 . The holidays are shaded for easy distinction. To view the calendar, click the following links: JPEG format PDF Format To download the file, click the following links: JPEG format PDF Format

Image via Wikipedia Planning ahead is a difficult job. For one simple reason…no knows the exact future! Yes, if you could only see few years from now or even just few days from now, then you can plan your activities well to maximize your benefit and avoid bad things that may happen. Well, this article is not about fortune telling or any kind of divination, this article will just present to you the CURRENT schedule of national holidays in the Philippines . The schedule of holidays varies as the year goes so the dates presented here are not fixed. There are also region-specific holidays like provincial foundation days, festivals, and other events that may be declared by the local government. Also, please take note that December 24 and 31 are not really special occasions but usually declared as non-working day to give people time to prepare for the next day’s celebration. The current government administration has a policy of moving some holidays to Monday . I don’t know if this policy...

Image via Wikipedia Have you tried to transfer funds between two different banks in the Philippines? Well, most people do especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on their remittances . How much does it cost you? In my case, when I transferred 600 pesos from my Union Bank (UBP) account to my BPI account through online banking, it took me three days before knowing that only 450 pesos reached my BPI account. My reaction was a feeling of slight stupidity. I just lost 25% of my deposited amount! From that moment on, I promised myself not to do that again (charge to experience). I will take the effort to personally do the transfer. Good News on 2010 But now, I think I have to break my promise in the coming year! Why? Because next year, Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in agreement with the Association of Bank Remittance Officers Inc. (ABROI) will lower the interbank transfer charges from the current rate of 100-550 pesos down to only 50 pesos.

It started as a hobby, a source of fun and excitement. Now, your online diary, your blog, can now be a source of income. Advertising industry is moving towards the internet to reach more people. It’s a great opportunity for everyone who likes sharing information to others across the world wide web. Paid advertisements to your webpage or blogs can be a potential source of income for you . Still not convinced? Well, watch this video from YouTube.

Image via CrunchBase AN EARLY NOTE: This is article is not against Craigslist but a warning to everyone that might encounter this type of scam on any other website like craigslist.org. WHAT’STHE SCAM? Craigslist is one of the major advertising websites in the world. But just like any other network, it can also be infiltrated by scammers. Have you seen job post on craigslist looking for writers who could write web content? We’ll if it is your talent to write, and you really enjoy, then this can be a good opportunity for you. You can earn extra money from these. You can be a freelance writer! I myself have tried and I got a payment of 2 dollars for each 400-word article on a particular subject. Well, I think I got the good one because I got paid but recently, there have been reports that there are job posters looking for content writers and to be able to apply for job , you have to submit…SAMPLE ARTICLES.

Image via Wikipedia Are you looking for a job? Whether you like it here in the Philippines or outside abroad, it’s always good to have fast and credible sources of information about job vacancies and opportunities. So where are you getting the news? The Classical Way—Friends Probably the oldest method of trying to have the information about job vacancies is through friends and acquaintances. Though much slower than the modern web-based information dissemination, friendly referrals are still effective today. In fact, many people agree that they even trust more the information coming from a friend than in the newspaper and on the internet. The Semi-Classical Way—Newspaper Classified Ads Most of us today still cling to our old method of finding job opportunities by scanning through the “ Classified Ads ” section of our favorite newspaper. We’ll, just like the “friendly referral way”, newspapers still proved to be an effective source of information. And personally, nest to “f...

" Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet has free access to the sum of all human knowledge." Above is the banner statement I saw at Wikipedia . And I can’t deny the fact that Wikipedia has really done the big part in sharing tremendous amounts of knowledge through their user-edited free online encyclopedia. Wikipedia has been part of our lives indeed. Students, professionals, businessmen, and almost everyone who has an access to the internet have benefited to the free information it provides. Now, Wikipedia’s founder Jimmy Wales appeals to everyone. Due to the increasing cost of website maintenance and other costs that keep it going and growing, Wikipedia needs funds to keep it the way it is…an advertising free website whose mission is to contribute for mankind’s education. They are accepting donations of any amount. Wikipedia changed the world and you can also do so. For more information about Wikipedia's appeal , visit their site at www.wikim...

Here are interesting facts I found yesterday while I was surfing the internet. I came across the Forbes website. For those who are not familiar with Forbes, Forbes is an American publishing and media company made famous by their leading magazine bearing the same name. Okay, back to the trivia! Annually, Forbes lists down the largest companies in the world in their famous Global 2000 List. The ranking are based on the following criteria: 1. Sales 2. Profits 3. Assets 4. Market Value

Image via Wikipedia As we get deeper into the information age where the cyber world is expanding ever faster, numerous opportunities to earn online abounds us. One of these opportunities is by making a KNOL . What is a Knol? The immediate question that pops out is: what is a knol? As per Google’s definition, Knol is a unit of knowledge. It’s like shorthand for KNOLedge. Google Inc, worlds leading internet marketer, advertiser, search engine, etc has launched its new online service—Knol. Knol is Google's version of Wikipedia . We’ll I think I don’t have to go further about Wikipedia . In simple terms, Knol, like Wikipedia , is a user-generated free online encyclopedia. How can I join Knol? The simplest way is to sign-up using your Google account. I’m not so sure if you can use other email accounts. What to do with Knol? Are you an expert on something? Maybe you are a teacher of Science? Then write a Science Knol! Are you are computer geek? Write a knol about computer...

Just this afternoon, I tried to open my twitter account to see my latest twits and here's what I saw. Yes, worlds leading microblogging network hangs out because of heavy traffic. Twitter has proven itself as the fastest way of getting the latest news around the world. It's real-time microblogging capability has enabled many to send out news faster and in a more efficient manner than conventional methods. Now, twitter has grown so big, so as the twits that it carry. Social networking has changed the face of the internet. We getting deeper into the Information Age!

As promised from the previous article, here is the step-by-step procedure on how to book tickets at Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) official website at www.philippineairlines.com . On the homepage of their website, you can see the form below. Fill up the necessary information then proceed to the next step by clicking the search button. Step 2 Immediately after clicking the search button, the website will take you to the page in which you will choose what specific date and time you will need to fly. Take note that prices of ticket varies depending on the day and time of the flight. You will see the form below. After selecting the day and time of the flight, you may now proceed to the next step.

Cheap airfare is really a must for me to get because it’s the only opportunity I could go back home and spend vacation with my family. And I know that many people have the same situation as mine. In this time of economic crisis, spending more than 4000 pesos traveling from Manila to Cebu is a big “No no” for me. To be able to avail of the cheap airfare though, you have to get the news fast and you have to book your ticket online. I have already written an article on how you could get the news fast. This time, I’m writing a comprehensive step-by step procedure on how you could do online-booking at Cebu Pacific’s official website . This procedure is based on their CURRENT system and may change after sometime. I am hoping that this will help many. Step 1 At the homepage of www.cebupacificair.com , you could see this form at the left side of the webpage. Fill up ALL the needed information here. Choose between “round trip and one-way”. Choose the flight date that you want. Check t...

One of my previous articles mentioned ways to keep you safe from the “goons” of the web. I mentioned there five tips: 1. Transact only on your trusted web sites. 2. Look for valid web certificates. 3. Install an antivirus. 4. Do not transact at pubic internet connections . 5. Have a good internet browser. I have here additional safety tips that can help you minimize the risk of being a victim of cyber crime . EMAILS 1. Do not open attachments to emails that you do not expect . Sometimes, you may receive emails from a person you do not know and asks you to see the attached files. BEWARE of this! There is a big risk that these attachments contain malicious programs designed to harm you or your computer. Some malicious programs can steal your private information and use it to commit cyber crime. 2.  No to Phishing Do you sometimes receive emails from someone you do not know containing links to a familiar website? If you do, then you are at risk of being a victim of ...

Image via Wikipedia Econolight is the cheapest seat Philippine Airlines (PAL) is selling. Some econolight seats can go down to as low as 800 pesos. Three days ago, I was surfing their website to look for promos for the coming holidays. Then I came across a very interesting announcement: Philippine airlines version of Cebu Pacific’s “Go Lite” has a very good update. I’m not sure when it was first announced, but it was good news to everyone who loves to fly on PAL . Effective for bookings made on or after November 18 and for those whose travel is on or after December 1, the following changes will take effect. SEAT SELECTION Before, Econolight seats are located at the rear of the plane. For me, it’s OK because it’s nearer to the comfort rooms. But for some, it was not a good position. Now, they already removed this policy. You can now seat other than at the rear of the aircraft. MEALS Before, Econolight seats have no free “merienda” or meals. They will distinguish you because...

PayPal is the world’s leading alternative for using credit and debit cards directly into internet transactions. It’s also relatively safe since you will not need to expose your credit card number and some important personal information. PayPal is also used for receiving payment online. I remember myself when I applied for an online job; I was required to have a PayPal account. The problem before is no bank here in the Philippines allows direct transfer of funds. Anyway, that was BEFORE! NOW you can easily add and withdraw funds to your PayPal account using a local (Philippines) bank account. As far as I know, only Unionbank offers direct fund transfer from your credit card or debit account to your PayPal account. It’s very easy, just set up an account with Unionbank. For debit cards, you can either have an e-wallet or an EON account . I recommend EON account since it requires zero maintaining balance and just 350 maintaining fee per year. How to connect to your Union (EON) Accoun...

Image via Wikipedia I really love Cebu Pacific promos . It saves me a lot of money. For example, this December, I am travelling to Manila only for 200 pesos. Wow! Before, I used to spend more or less 2000 pesos (one-way) just for the airfare. This marketing strategy of Cebu Pacific caused them to win the competition regarding long distance transportation. It not only dethroned the former market leader Philippine Airlines (PAL) , but it also stole the market of passenger shipping lines. And the best thing about these promotions is that the end consumers are the ones who benefit the most because it drives down the prices of travel via airplane. Promos Are Lasting Earlier Than Before To avail these promotions though, you have to book during the allowed booking period scheduled by them. So this requires you to know firsthand whether there’s a promo. Although the news about their promos is spreading crazily fast like viral infection, you can’t guarantee that the news will reach you in t...

As I always mention in this blog, “everything is moving into the web”. And as I mentioned in my last article about PayPal, “the crooks are following the trend”. Yes, many evil-minded people are surfing the net looking for opportunity to do harm to others. So how can you avoid being a victim? Here are some simple tips on how you can surf and transact safely in the web. Safety Tip Number 1 DO NOT transact on a website you do not trust. There are many fraud online stores offering extremely attractive offers at a very low price. Some of this are true but beware of those “many” that are not. Transact only in a website that you trust. Safety Tip Number 2 Look for Valid Web Certificates

PSE in Makati. Image via Wikipedia Are you interested in stock trading ? Well, nowadays, more and more people are getting interested in the topic of personal finance . In the Philippines, though, many people are still uneducated in this very important topic. Probably, one of the “benefits” of the recent economic recession is the increase in awareness in how people should manage their finances. Yes, before, words such as “ stocks ”, “ mutual funds ”, and “ bonds ” are rare topics of discussion and are only mentioned by business savvy people. Now, even kids know about it and even talk about it. Among the many ways you can invest is through stock trading . In simple terms it’s like a buy-and-sell business. You buy stocks when they are at low price then sold them when it already increased in value. The hard part is: stocks are fluctuating . It changes in value from time to time and many factors are affecting it. It’s of higher risk compared to mutual funds and bonds. I will admit that ...

Image by liewcf via Flickr It was almost a year now since I first used my credit card . Although I already received it months before, I only used it several months later. The main reason behind my reluctance is a mix of skepticism and fear that I may misuse the card and mismanage my debts. Anyway, almost one year after my first use, I have learned many things from it. I have learned some of the GOOD and some of the BAD sides of it. I wrote this article especially for those who are not using credit cards, for those who are planning to use credit cards, and for those who have just started using credit cards . Here are some of the things I have learned. 1. Credit Card is a great convenience! Yeah, probably one of the greatest advantages of having a credit card is the convenience it may give you. You don't need to bring cash all the time when you do shopping, all you need is your card. Also, credit cards are good for emergency cases. There are situations when you badly nee...

Internet has changed the way we do business today! Everything is going into the web. Now you can purchase virtually everything you need in just a click of the mouse. Online stores enable us to shop without actually stepping into the store! We can now send and receive money by electronic fund transfer which most banks today can already provide. We can pay our utility bills like telephone, water and electricity through online payments. Even our monthly credit statements may now come in digital format thus saving paper for our environment. Business and personal transactions has never been this easy, convenient and efficient as ever before. Image via Wikipedia Although the danger of physical robbery has been minimized by online methods of transaction, the need to be vigilant is also a must when it comes to web based transactions. Along with the development of ecommerce technology, the crooks are also developing their “web-based” theft. Viruses and other malicious programs designed to...

Image via Wikipedia WHAT’S IN YOUR NICHE? The one-million-worth question in niche marketing business is “what’s your niche?” This is the fundamental requirements before starting your business. Here are some advices from expert marketers. 1. Your interest or hobby - Doing the things you like to do or the things you really enjoy will greatly reduce the effort you needed to exert. - When the niche business that you choose is in-line with your interest, you can treat it as a hobby, not work and of course you can generate a lot of ideas. Also, you may already have an access to the market, because basically, you actually belong to that niche. 2. Hot Niches - Choosing a hot niche or a niche market that is fast growing can be your gateway to success. How many of us will have the idea that social networking will be a big boom in the internet? Facebook did realized early, and look at it now, a billion dollar worth company. Yes, choosing a niche market that align with your interest an...

Image via Wikipedia No matter how big a company was and no matter how focused it was towards their desired market, there will still be segments of the population with unmet needs. These small portions of the population have unique needs but because of their size, main stream providers don’t bother to serve them. As a result, members of these groups usually become desperate buyers. They have the capability to buy but there’s no available product for them. It is understandable why large providers do not enter their market. It is because it’s not practical for big companies to do so. However, for those desiring to earn cash from home, these small markets can be the opportunity. Marketing on the unique needs of a small group of hungry buyers is what is commonly referred to as niche marketing . The Advantages One of the advantages of niche marketing over mass or mainstream marketing is that because of its size, there are usually no or just small competition. Also since it was small...

Do you have a credit card? Well, if you do, your just one of the millions of people around the world who wants to avail the advantages of having one. A credit card is a piece of plastic card that can be used to purchase goods and services. It looks like an ATM, usually with your name and card number inscribed on it. The only difference between the two is that credit cards can be used for buying things based on the sole promise of the holder to pay his debts under an agreed terms and conditions. You can buy as much as you want until you reach your credit limit within a month. Credit limit is the maximum allowed debt in a given month. Credit limit varies depending on the type of credit card (Classic, Premiere, etc) and also varies depending on the paying capacity of the person applying for it. Credit Card Advantages Credit card makes money transactions a lot more convenient. You don’t have to bring a lot of cash. All you need is to present your credit card on merchants that accept...

Have you heard about the so called General Motors’ diet ? It has been circulating in the internet for quite a long time now and stimulated variety of reactions. Some say that it’s true and effective and some say that it was just a hoax. We’ll if haven’t heard of it, let me explain a little summary of it. The General Motors’ diet is a seven day diet program that claims to reduce a person’s weight by at least 10 lbs. Each day within that seven-day period you will be eating different kinds of food from fruits to vegetables and grains. The sequence is very important as explained in the document. It says there that it was a program that will help your body to smoothly undergo the process of weight reduction. Here’s a copy of that document. General Motors Diet General Motors Diet, a Hoax? Many people are doubting the authenticity of this diet program especially its claim that it was developed for General Motors' employees and their dependents...

The internet has been a great opportunity for many to earn extra cash. Here are some ways of earning money online. Blogging Blogging is one of the best way to earn money online. Aside from the fact that it's virtually free because there's so many websites offering free blog space, some free blogging services like Blogger.com allows you to hold advertisements on your pages. Some of the advertisement program you can use are: Google Adsense Bidvertiser Nuffnang Adbrite Aside from ads, you can also earn by participating in the so called PayPerPost (PPP) campaign. You will just post a blog article about a specific topic or product that was sponsored by a an advertiser. Similar to PayPerPost is Blogitive. You just have to post an article about sponsored topics. You can also try affiliate programs. One good example is by Amazon. You will just allow them to display a specific product on your site. If someone bought it through your site, you will receive incentives. ...

I really appreciate when someone put comments on my blog. It’s a sign that I caught some interest from my visitors. It is also a way where my readers can freely suggest anything he wants with regards to the blog post. But I made a decision to moderate the comments. For the sake of those who are not familiar with blogging, comment moderation is an option where you can decide whether allow comments to appear immediately on your blog or wait for your approval. In my case I opt to choose the latter. I have reasons why I did so. Avoiding Spam Like most bloggers, I don’t like the idea that someone will put comments unrelated to the blog posts. Some people use blog commenting to promote their products. This is not entirely bad, for me it’s OK if someone will promote his or her product but I want it to be related to my blog posts. Inappropriate Words As the owner of the blog, I have full responsibility regarding what will appear on my website. I personally choose not to include com...

Image via Wikipedia Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is really cool! I've watched it and I laughed all the way from the beginning to end. Just like the previous Ice Age movies, the adventure is full of fun. The movie will take you in the world of animals that behave like humans. Emotions...sarcasm...jokes...fun! Problem arises but was conquered by being together as friends. I guess, if we just imitate these "animals", the world would have been a better place. Interesting things to look at: -New friends (Buck, Scratte & Mommy Dinosaur and her babies) -Ellie and Manfred will have their first baby. -The world beneath the layers of ice. I am an ever loyal fan of cartoon movies. Though far from reality, they convey lessons worthwhile to ponder at. Some of my favorites are the following: 1. Finding Nemo -Learn a lot of lesson about parenthood...being balance regarding the freedom the children should have. 2. Ice Age series - Friends are great assets...no matt...

Image via Wikipedia Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is officially the hottest movie today! Grossing over $200 Million in the US box office on its first five days, it ranked second and very close to the all time highest first five-day earnings, the 2008 block buster Dark Knight which earned 203 Million. Amidst the criticism from movie reviews, the movie still made its way to the top. Indeed, director Michael Bay is the happiest man in the world at this moment. I personally witnessed the incredible reception to this movie. Last weekend, Saturday (June 29, 2 009), I decided to watch the movie in my hope that the movie goes had slowed down already since it was first shown a few days ago. To my surprise and annoyance, I have to line up to the ticket booth for almost an hour just to secure a lower seat because that’s all that was left. All four theaters are filled with people anticipating the display of advanced special effects and the action packed story that was first manifest...