Electrified Parameter

Gabi na. Tahimik na ang buong bahay. Wala na akong ibang naririnig kundi ang ingay ng aircon naming mahigit dalawang taon ng hindi nalilinis. Gusto ko nang magpahinga ngunit ayaw pa rin akong dalawin ng antok. Marami akong naiisip. Marami akong naalala. Things of the past na dapat lang kalimutan.

Ilang beses ko nang tinatanong sa sarili ko kung bakit kailangan ko pang iisipin ang taong minsan ko nang minahal. Naglaho ngunit nagpakitang muli. Sa kanyang muling paglitaw baon ang bagong pag-asa - na dugtungan ang naudlot naming relasyon. Subalit, paano pa ako maniniwala na siya'y tuluyan ng nagbago? Paano niya maitutuwid ang mga pagkakamaling siya ang may akda? Paano ko malalaman na ang lahat ng mga sinasabi niya'y totoo?

Mahirap na'ng magtiwalang muli lalo na't minsan na akong nasaktan, nawasak, lumuha. Minahal ko siya noon ngunit hindi ko siya kayang mahalin ngayon. Hindi ibig sabihin na hindi ko siya pinatawad. Ayaw ko lang siyang mahaling muli dahil ayaw kong masaktan sa pangalawang pagkakataon.

Ngunit hanggang kailan kaya siya mawawala sa aking isipan kung hanggang ngayon siya pa rin ang laman nito?

Read More

Finally, I'm back!

In my last post sabi ko busy ako kaya medyo mawawala muna ako sa mundo ng blogosperyo. Noong una akala ko ayoko nang balikan ang bisyong ito. Tama ba ako? Bisyo nga ba ang pagba-blogging? Siguro. Marahil. Hindi ko kasi maiwasang balikan ang isang bagay na nakapagpasaya sa akin. Dito lang ako masaya. Siguro nga writing is my passion. Hindi naman ako magaling na writer. At di ko naman binalak na maging isang John Grisham. Gusto ko lang magkwento. Mga kwentong kahit walang puwang sa puso ng mga mambabasa pero may kabuluhan sa akin.

Nami-miss ko na rin kayong lahat. Nami-miss ko ang aking mga kaibigan dito sa blogosperyo (see those links?) na naging bahagi na ng aking buhay. Sana muli ako'y inyong tanggapin at papasukin sa inyong mga tahanan.

See you guys!

Read More

Happy New Year! Welcome 2010!

The Perfect Square would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year! May the Year 2010 enter your lives bringing you all the best of health, wealth, prosperity, love and happiness. May all your resolutions and wishes come true in 2010! One more year has gone by and another year has come with new challenges.

We are not certain what is in store for us in 2010. Will 2010 really give us stability in our world economy? Will America can recover its losses and bring back its strength? Will there be more wars, massacre and killings in the Philippines? Will there more car accidents that take many lives of expatriates in Dubai? Will there be more natural disasters in Indonesia?

No one knows. But, whatever challenges this year brings us, we must be ready to face them with more courage.

Happy New Year!

Read More

Saluting Sheryll

Perfect Square would like to congratulate Sheryl Mariano Juan - the first ever and the only passer of special CPA examinations held in Abu Dhabi on December 2,3 and 4, 2009.

The examination was conducted by representatives of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) of the Philippines, an agency responsible for regulating and supervising the practice of professional individuals according to knowledge base and practice, who were in the region to carry out board examinations for Filipino professionals at Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Sheryll was one of the 97 examinees in the Middle East, of which, 44 were from the UAE. She last took the CPA examinations in the year 2006 when she was still in the Philippines but was not able to make it.

To Sheryll, CONGRATULATIONS! 

Note: This special examination gives hopes to OFW's who are aspiring to become Certified Public Accountants. Hindi na po kailangang umuwi pa sa Pinas para kumuha ng board exams. Maraming salamat kay Pangulong Arroyo sa programang ito!

Read More

Merry Christmas..

Sa lahat ng Kristiyanos

Sa lahat ng naniniwala kay Hesus

Sa lahat ng nagmamahal

Sa lahat ng mga asawa

Sa lahat ng mga ama

Sa lahat ng mga anak

Sa lahat ng mga bloggers

Sa lahat ng mga Kablogs

Sa lahat ng mga PEBA nominees

Sa mga pamilya ng mga OFW

Sa mga luhaan at malamig ang pasko, katulad ko..

Isang Maligayang Pasko mula sa Perfect Square.

Read More

Reason

Ayoko ko na sanang balikan pa ang bahay na 'to. Marami kasing mga bagay na nandito at gusto ko nang ibaon  sa limot. Mga bagay na walang silbi. Mga paratang sa likod ng katotohanan.

Inaamin ko. Nagsinungaling ako noong una. Sinabi kong mawawala ako ng isang tao't kalahati o mas mahigit pa dyan. Gusto ko lang bigyan ng katahimikan ang lahat. Alam kong mahirap ang ginagawa ko pero hindi n'yo ako masisisi. Normal lang to sa lahat ng taong nagmahal at nawalan.

Nagmahal ako at nawalan ng minamahal. Umamin na siyang nagkabalikan na sila ng ex n'ya. Isang taon na daw. Pinilit kong ituwid ang kamaliang hindi sa akin nagsimula. Nagmakaawa ako. Lumuhod at humingi ng isang pagkakataon pero bigo ako. Malakas ang kanyang paninindigan na hindi na niya ako mahal. Ilang taon na rin daw na hindi niya ako kapiling. Ito daw ang dahilan kung bakit niya ito ginawa. Ayaw na niya akong mahalin dahil daw ayaw na niya akong masaktan.

Ano ba ang magagawa ng isang taong inaayawan na? Sa bagay hindi ko naman siya masisisi. Tanggap kong isa akong OFW. And, long distance relationship does not work without cooperation of both parties.

Note: The main reason why I find back my world in the blogosphere is dahil sa request niya. 

Para sa'yo: I respect your decision at hangad ko ang iyong walang kupas na kaligayahan sa piling niya. You know how much I love you. If you decided to come back to me I am very willing  to accept you. Because of you, I got to put my shoes on and start to live my life again.

Read More

Back into life

In a few days, Perfect Square starts to blog again.

Reasons? 

I'll tell you later.

See you guys! 

Miss ko na kayo lahat!

Read More

Chat tayo!

Naalala ko noong una kong punta sa isang internet café dito sa Dubai. Noong bago pa lang ako dito. Kasama ko ang kapatid ko noon. Maaga pa yon. Alas otso pa ng umaga. Kunti pa lang ang tao sa internet café.

May isang Pinoy na agaw pansin. Ang laki ng boses. Nakikipag-chat sa asawa niya. Parang pagmamay-ari niya ang café. Dinig na dinig namin ang usapan nilang mag-asawa. Si kabayan parang walang pakialam. Akala siguro niya hindi kami mga bisaya kaya hayon walang preno-preno ang bibig.

Ito ang usapan nila. Pasensya na, Bisaya ito pero subukan kung i-translate sa Tagalog.

Lalake : Unsa na? Nadawat na nimo ang kwarta?
(Kumusta na? Natanggap mo na ba ang pera?)

Babae : Oo uy. Unsa man to imong gipadala nga gamay raman kaayo?
(Opo. Bakit ang liit ng padala mo?)

Lalake : Kabalo ka bitaw nga gamay ra kaayo ko ug sweldo dre. Magbayad pa god ko sa balay. Librehon naman lang gani ko ug pagkaon ni Pareng Oscar.
(Alam mo naman ang liit ng sahod ko. Nagbabayad pa ako sa bahay. Nililibre na nga lang ako ni Pareng Oscar sa pagkain.)

Babae : Kinsa ba na si Oscar?
(Sino ba yan si Oscar?)

Lalake : Bag-o nako nga kaila. Taga Cebu gihapon. Taga Carcar.
(Bago kong kakilala. Taga Cebu din. Taga Carcar)

Babae : Daghan na diay kag amigo diha. Maau para dili ka kaayo ma-homesick.
(Marami kana palang kaibigan diyan. Mabuti para hindi ka masyadong ma-homesick.)

Lalake : Mao pud lage. Buotan man si Pareng Oscar.
(Oo nga. Mabait si Pareng Oscar.)

Babae : Taympa, unsa manang niturok sa imong ngabil?
(Teka, ano yang nasa labi mo?)

Lalake : Hain god?
(Alin dito?)

Babae : Kana gong nibotoy?
(Yang tumubo.)

Lalake : Ambot oi ug unsa ni.
(Ewan ko kung ano to.)

Babae : Pagtog-an ra god sa tinuod Perio! Namabae ka diha ba? STD na!
(Magsabi ka nang totoo Perio! Nambabae ka dyan? STD yan!)

Lalake : Paghilom ra god diha! Nitokar napud nang imong pagkaselosan da!
(Tumigil ka nga! Umandar na naman yang pagkaselosa mo!)

Babae : Kay ngano dokerok ka baya!
(Bakit? Di ka naman mapagkatiwalaan diba?)

Lalake : Kaw no wala ka gyod gasalig nako. Wala na man gani koy kwarta unya mamabae pa ko?
(Alam mo wala ka talagang tiwala sa akin. Wala na nga akong pera dito mambabae pa kaya?)

Babae : Nakadungog ra ba ko nga uso kaayo na diha sa Dubai.
(Naririnig ko usung-uso yan diyan.)

Lalake : Naunsa kana man tawon Bebe oy. Kabalo ka ba nga mag-rosaryo ko tulo sa isa ka adlaw para lang dili matental dire?
(Ano bang nangyari sayo Bebe? Alam mo bang nagro-rosaryo ako tatlong beses isang araw para lang hindi ako matukso dito?)

Babae : Ayaw god pagsinggit diha. Pakaulaw ka raman diha sa mga tao.
(Huwag ka ngang sumigaw. Mahiya ka naman sa mga tao diyan.)

Lalake : Wala na silay labot. Dili bitaw na sila makasabot ug bisaya.
(Wala silang pakialam. Di naman sila nakakaintindi ng bisaya.)

-end-

Saludo ako sa pananalig ni kabayan. Sana hanggang ngayon patuloy pa rin siya sa kanyang pag-rosaryo. Ikaw, ano ang ginagawa mo para maiwasan ang tukso?

“You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don’t trust enough” – Frank Crane

Read More

0 COMMENT PUBLISHED

Why do some posts have no comments? Is it because walang nagbabasa ng mga post na yon? Walang nag-iiwan ng comment? Or di kaya ayaw ng blog owner na i-publish ang mga comment na hindi kanais-nais?

Ikaw, matanong nga kita. Lahat ba ng mga comment na iniiwan ng ‘yong mga mambabasa ay pina-publish mo? Hindi diba? Madalas mababasa natin sa tuwing nag-iiwan tayo ng comment sa ibang blog may magpa-pop-up na message na ganito, “Your comment has been saved and will be visible after blog owner approval.”

Bakit kailangang may comment moderation? Sa palagay ko (sa palagay ko lang ha) kailangan natin ang comment moderation para hindi natin mailathala ang mga offensive comment mula sa mga taong walang magawa sa buhay kundi paninira lang. Sa mga taong hindi seryoso sa kanilang mga comment.

Sa totoo, lahat ng mga comment sa blog ko ay pina-publish ko. Wala akong tinatago kahit isa. Kahit na simpleng comment na “hi” ay pinagtuunan ko ng pansin na ipublish. Offensive man ang mga comment o mga walang katuturan pina-publish ko dahil ito ay mahalaga sa akin. Tulad halimbawa ng sumusunod:

Note: unedited
I WILL SHOW YOU IF YOU WANT A EGOTIC,SELFISH AND ARROGANT FILIPINOS,DICKHEAD,MF,single reason for hate them is for their dull and dump ass,mentality, they and their pork cooking in public oven,using office for the 3 times of brushing theirr teeth,obviously spitting and patting and creating sensual brushing and kissing in public,wearing lingeries only in public are common you bastard,if you want a debate,come to me staright,they are very slow and complaining,and very selfish, maybe some filipinos men are good,they and their dating culture,dumphead.

Posted by kalpen dubai2009 at January 20, 2009, 4:08 pm

Ito ay isang comment mula sa hindi ko kilalang tao sa post ko na may pamagat na “Filipinos are Incomparable”. Mababasa ninyo ang post na ito by following this link.

Sa palagay ninyo, kung kayo ‘yong nakatanggap ng ganitong comment ipo-post nyo kaya?

Read More

Nalulungkot ako para kay Ate PM

Nitong madaling araw, nagising ako sa isang hagulhol ng pangungulila ni Ate PM. Si Ate PM at si Ate Myrna ay iisa. 'Yon kasi ang bansag sa kanya ni Jimmy - Ate PM, meaning "Princess Myrna". By the way, si Jimmy ay isang mabuting kaibigan. Mahilig siyang magbigay ng bagong pangalan sa halos lahat ng kakilala niya. Tulad ko, pinangalanan niya akong "Dong" kasi daw bisdak ako. 'Yong isang kaibigan namin tinawag niyang "Bruha" kasi daw tulog nang tulog kahit araw. Kay Ate Raquel tawag niya "Sea Horse" kasi daw napakapayat at napakatangkad. Ang kapatid naman ni Ate Raquel tinawag niyang "Emperadora" kasi daw palaging kinakampihan nito si Ate Raquel. At kay Kuya Sam, tawag niya "Croc" as in Crocodile. Huwag niyo na lang alamin kung bakit ganun ang tawag niya. Ganun pa man, salamat kay Jimmy. Nang dahil sa kanya nagkaroon kami ng bagong pangalan. Mabait naman siya. Kaya bansag ko din sa kanya - "Dinosaur".

Well, balikan natin si Ate PM. Iyak ng iyak si Ate. Nakatanggap kasi siya ng tawag mula sa Pinas na yumao na daw ang nanay niya kaninang alas siete, Manila time. Nahihirapan siyang tanggapin ang katotohanan na wala na ang babaeng nagluwal sa kanya, ni hindi man lang niya ito masilayan bago pa man ito dalhin sa huling hantungan. Paano nga ba siya makakauwi sa Pinas? Kung inyong natatandaan si Ate ay isang hindi legal na OFW. Sinampahan siya ng kaso ng ER niya. Kung mag-voluntary surrender naman siya, tiyak na makukulong muna siya ng hindi lalagpas sa tatlong buwan bago siya ipapa-deport.

Kaya wala siyang magawa kundi ang umiyak at manalangin na sana maiintindihan ng kanyang yumaong ina ang kanyang sitwasyon. Bakas sa kanyang mukha ang pagsisisi. Nagsisisi siya kung bakit sa huling sandali di man lang niya mayakap ang kanyang ina.

Note: To know more about Ate Myrna, please follow this link.

Read More

Let's SUDOKU!

Before I was addicted to blogging, I was fond of solving SUDOKU. For those who have no idea about it, Sudoku is a number puzzle consisting, in its classic form, of a square divided into nine squares, with each smaller square divided into nine boxes, thus forming an overall grid of 81 boxes.

Sudoku appears in pages of most daily local or national newspapers. This game looks simple but it’s not unless you have the
techniques. Believe me, the first time I tried to solve one easy puzzle, I got a headache that lasted until the next day.

But I did not stop there – constant practice as most Sudoku solvers said is the best way to get into this puzzle. Now, I could say, I can solve perfectly.

Here’s how to solve it.

1. Fill the grid so that the numbers 1 through 9 appear in each row.



2. Fill the grid so that the numbers 1 through 9 appear in each column.



3. Fill the grid so that the numbers 1 through 9 appear in each 3x3 box.



4. A complete Sudoku puzzle contains the numbers 1 through 9 in every row, column, and 3x3 box.



This puzzle is as addictive as blogging. Try it! Take note: The rule of the puzzle is that each row, each column and each 3 x 3 box must contain numbers from 1 to 9. And if you are to add all numbers in each row, column and 3 x 3 box each of them will give you a total of 45.

Read More

Beware of Illegal Recruiters

Earlier this April, news about the 137 Filipino drivers circulated throughout the Emirates. These were the Filipinos who were victims of illegal recruitment agency, the CYM with its counterpart in Dubai. It was reported that these drivers paid to the agency as much as P150,000 in exchange of the promised job from the RTA of Dubai. Upon investigation the RTA said there was no order to hire them.

These drivers were forced to live in a camp near the Ajman city dump site without food since January of this year. Desperate for food, they have no other resort but to scavenge at the dump site to look for something that could be converted to cash.

This news must serve a lesson to all Filipinos. I understand the purpose of flying in to the Emirates. But you have to be extra careful. See to it that you got a reliable agency.

Thanks to the Filipino journalist serving in one of the leading newspapers in Dubai, the “Xpress” for bringing the news to the Filipino community. Without the Xpress and the Filipino Community, these drivers remain stranded in the UAE. As of this writing, they were already repatriated.

Read More

YOUR FUNERAL

I have been thinking a lot of things today. Being alone in my not-so-nice flat flooded by waste water (the drainage outside once again was blocked and the maintenance could not think of a possible solution) many strange thoughts came to my mind. One thought that caught my attention was the truth of dying. What if I die?

I think I have to clarify. I really have no intention of dying, at least not any time soon. Not today, not tomorrow. But most of us feel that way. This is the truth. We all die. How? No one knows.

But it is certain. Can you figure out the day of your funeral? Okay, let’s do some mental exercise.

Lie on your back, in a quiet room, cross your hands over your chest and pretend that you are dead. Everything is over. Relax, and clear your mind. Then envision yourself at your funeral. Do you see people crying or talking? What are they saying?

Don’t be hard on yourself. This is just a mental exercise and it's not a popularity contest. How many people have you seen at your funeral? It doesn't matter. If you don't have many people in your life, then use the people whom you’re in contact with.

These people will be talking about you. Be totally honest with what you might be hearing. Were you a generous person? Were you a loving, honest and sincere partner? Were you a loyal buddy? Were you a good neighbor? Were you a respectful employee? Were you a happy individual? Are people saying how much they will miss you? That they will miss your generosity of spirit? Are people saying that it is sad you are gone, but you really weren't a very good person? Do you hear them saying that you were successful, but at the expense of others? What may people be saying, I don’t care. This is your funeral. You have to pick the conversations.

My point on this exercise is to really look at where we are in our lives and where we gonna be for the rest of it. The effect on what we have on others is very realistic. We only get one short life. There is no re-take. So let’s must be a person we want to be remembered – a life well-lived.

Read More

THANK YOU, THE POPE, OF PALIPASAN!

I thank “The Pope” of Palipasan for passing this award to me. It’s my great honor to receive such wonderful award from a wonderful friend. This is my second award from him - flattering yet compelling. For those who will receive this award, please be ready and have a couple of minutes recalling the first day you posted your first entry because you will be compelled to do so.

Anyway, I have been tasked to write my answer to this question, “Why do I love blogging”? Is this the prize of this Neno’s Award? It seems. This requires me to refresh my memory – my deteriorating memory (huh!). I hope I can remember well enough how I started blogging.

I was not born a poet. I was not born a writer. I was not raised by IT professional parents. I am just a simple guy whose profession was not by my personal choice. I was tempted to blog early in 2008 when my brother presented to me a blog of a Filipina, a socialite housemaid (Blog ni Inday). This blog was popular during that time (even at the present). I love her blog. I love the humors. I love to laugh. From then, I read her entries everyday to keep me updated on her life with the Montemayor family.

One day, I got an idea. Why don’t I make my own blog? If Inday can why can’t I?

So, I tried to sign up with i.ph domain with this url www.ruphestimate.i.ph. Most of my entries were about Dubai – OFW’s lifestyle, information and the like. Blogging was fun, though some people dislike my blog for its design, contents and theme. But I did not give up. I feel the passion to write. Blogging gives me the freedom to impart my ideas, my observations. Grammars are not criticized. We don’t have to worry and review our subject-verb agreement in order to create an entry. No one will condemn you.

Last year, I received an e-mail from GMA TV, asking my permission to use one of my posts. Here’s the letter:

“Hi ruel. Im fidel Jimenez of GMA News TV. (www.gmanews.tv) We have this section Pinoy wherein we feature Kwentong Kapuso mo stories/contribution of Pinoys in Abroad. Someone named Richard emailed us a blog article Buhay OFW Abroad from “Maginoo Pero Bastos.” But in fairness to him, this article is linked to your blogspot. With this regard I would like to ask your permission if I can use your blog article for Kwentong Kapuso. Thanks a lot and feel free to send us your stories or observation or experience in Dubai . Much better if it’s in Filipino, para sa ating mga kababayan. Maraming salamat at mabuhay kayong mga Pinoy sa Abroad.”

Here’s the link to read my article published in GMA TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/113767/Buhay-OFW-sa-Dubai). For my original blog entry, I recommend you to click this link.

Right after the article was published, Perfect Square received more traffic. There were few who violently reacted on the issue and left their bad comments. But there were also readers who showed their sympathy. All these comments triggered me to continue what I have just started. This is a sign of a warm welcome in the world of blogging.

People read and react on what I write. This means I have been noticed. This is another reason why I love blogging. You, what’s your reason?

Now, let’s go back to the Neno Award, here are the aims and rules:

* As a dedication for those who love blogging activity and love to encourage friendships through blogging.

* To seek the reasons why we all love blogging!

* Put the award in one post as soon as you receive i.

* Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.

* Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.

* Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.

* Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.

I love to pass this blog tag awards to the following bloggers for their continued support to Perfect Square and for their inspirational posts that give me more courage to continue blogging and to those who believe that blogging can make a difference. To all you, guys, this award is for you!

Joseph of Arabian Josh
Jzerx of Natural Hunch
NJ of Desert Aquaforce
Kablogie of Kablogie.com
Mr. Thoughtskoto of Thoughtskoto
JB of Ultraelectromageticblog
Jen of Jen’s MisAdventures
Violet of Silip
Jessie of Life Moto
Mike of Mike Avenue's Pinoy Blog
Jez of On My Own
Marlon of Perspektib
Q of Pinoysbest
Pogi of Poging (ilo) Cano
John Michael of Thoughts of Juan
Elyong of Blogging Life

Read More

Not that bad

I never had a good sleep last night. My flat mate after signing off the PC put the alarm clock near my bed and accidentally reset it to three-thirty in the morning. The loud sound of the clock disturbed me and awakened all my senses. I forced and re-conditioned my mind to get back to sleep but as if something had moved me out of my bed.

It was a lazy morning. Three-thirty is not my time to get out of bed. I felt a little dizzy but going back to sleep seemed impossible. What will I do in this very early morning? My body clock is set to five and I still have more than one hour to prepare myself for work.

I went on the kitchen and grabbed my favorite mug. Off course, to have a cup of hot coffee is practical to make our body a little warmer. While enjoying the aroma of the lingzhi, I turned on my PC to read on the news headlines via rss installed on my customized toolbar.

After scanning the most recent headlines, I opened my personal e-mail at yahoo. I was surprised to see 1006 unread messages in my inbox. This is a big number of messages I ever had after joining discussions with blogcatalog and signing up with twitter. Most of the messages were coming from other blogcatalog and twitter members whom I sent invitation earlier last night.

To all my friends at blogcatalog and twitter, my million thanks. See you in the discussions and forums. Please keep visiting my blog.

Read More

How far do we go?

It is hard to get an exact description for the UAE property market at the moment. The Dubai Land Department figures continue to show a flow of regular sales albeit at distressed prices, while nobody is trying to sell at the price levels of last autumn is stuck with their real estate with no sign of a potential buyer.

According to the real estate agents 20-40% price reduction are now necessary to secure a sale. Dubai has been suffering a very sharp drop in prices, in a short period, but actually fairly typical of a market correction in an emerging one.

It is also true that lending conditions have become much tougher. I am new in real estate industry as an accountant. Almost every day I receive calls from our tenants requesting for holding their checks because they don’t have enough balance on their account, their salary has not yet transferred or processed. These are just simple alibis. As an accountant, I have no doubts that these people are telling me the half-truth. But what is more unbelievable is that when some tenants reasoned out that their personal loans have not yet approved or released by the bank. During the recession period, Dubai banks are becoming more conservative. Many banks are not granting anymore personal loans and credit cards especially to expatriates working in the real estate companies. A couple of weeks ago I was wondering why I couldn’t use my First Gulf Bank credit card. I called the customer service and found out that my credit limit was reduced. I was surprised. I did not even receive a notice about the reduction. Banks are desperate and dried up.

But it is an exaggeration to think that bank lending has dried up entirely in the UAE. Last week, my officemate received a ring from Standard Chartered Bank asking for possible customers for its mortgages. As a homeowner and without mortgages, the bank immediately agreed to lend her up to 70% of the value of her villa with a mortgage rate of around 8%.

I can see the bank’s risk is pretty low if an existing owner re-mortgages to buy a second property, but it certainly flies in the face of the idea that bank finance is impossible in the UAE right now. You might need a higher salary and require a higher deposit but it looks as if mortgages rates are already in decline. The UAE Central Bank base rate cut from 1.5% to 1% is having an impact.

Read More

How to convince people to believe in you?

Put yourself in the situation where you are in the middle of the crowd convincing the people to buy your ideas. You have done your best. You’ve shown your last weapon. The people looked convinced. But, none of them was a prospect buyer.

I envied to those people who can sell their ideas at the instant. People in the real estate industry are not just trained agents. They are like prophets in the bible. People believe exactly on what they say. Their tongues are powerful that even a single piece of an old and worthless pen can be sold at a million dollar.

Well, maybe real estate is not my field. I basically know the standard tactics and strategies of selling but I have no power to make those people believe in me. That feels so disappointing. But what it hurts most is when you said something to your love ones and they didn’t believe in you. You did explain everything and they seemed to understand but along the way, you did not expect that they have doubts in their minds. Say for example, most Filipinos are text-addicts. I am not saying that we are not doing other things in our whole life. We rely on texting because it’s not expensive and we love the art of it. Okay, the situation is like this. You informed to your love ones that for these few days you can’t text them because of your “so and so” reasons. You thought they’re with you. But you’ve found out that since you did not text them they also did the same. Have you remembered you said that they need not to text you? The information is very clear. Should you say this way, “Please text me even if I can’t text you in a few days” so that they can understand? You were not giving instructions to kids, were you? This is a problem we often encounter if the one being informed had not fully understood or had lost your credibility.

Read More

ARE YOU AFRAID TO LOSE YOUR JOB?

Well, for all those who got the most rewarding job in their life, recession may not affect them. Even their company decides to fire them they may have nothing to worry because all those good years of their service, they have stored enough reserves for this kind of contingency. But for those starters, this time is tough.

According to the latest report, in the United States of America alone, only five metropolitan areas will escape job losses this year. Ithaca, N.Y.; Fairbanks, Alaska; and St. George, Utah, are among the handful of the nation's 363 metropolitan areas expected to see employment remain flat or increase slightly.

New York is expected to take the biggest hit as thousands of jobs are lost on Wall Street. Big financial firms are slashing workers as they cope with bad debt. Other companies have gone under, like Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., which filed for bankruptcy in September.

Report said that New York area is expected to lose 181,000 jobs. The Los Angeles area is expected to see 164,000 lost jobs, in part because of the huge drop in home prices that has punctured the California economy. After New York and Los Angeles, the Miami area is expected to see the greatest loss, with a decline of 85,000 jobs. Chicago and the surrounding area are next, with losses projected at 80,000.

Unemployment is expected to top 10 percent in 70 areas, from already hard-hit cities like Detroit and Cleveland to places that had until recently been prosperous like the Riverside-San Bernardino area in California. Other big cities like Denver and St. Louis are expected to see unemployment rise above 9 percent.

For all of us who are still harvesting the fruit of our labor, we must have the courage to take the risks, and remain loyal to the company. God has plan for all of us.

Read More

SMART PLUG 'N TALK

Smart Plug ‘n talk - the best gift for Filipinos abroad! Is this a serious matter? Well, it must be.

Smart Communications Inc. (SMART), the leading communication service provider in the Philippines has launched its new innovation called Plug ‘N Talk. It assures that Filipinos abroad can now have access to an Internet phone that allows them to call any Philippine landline or mobile number for as low as P6.50 (USD.13) per minute. All they have to do is to plug the device and talk! That’s all.


As an OFW in Dubai, this device is what we need to get connected most of the time to our love ones in the Philippines. This is a great help. Why need to be slave of expensive international calls if SMART can offer us a very low rate? Indeed, this is a big saving. Imagine if I spend an average of USD110.00 per month for my calls and texts to the Philippines, with Plug ‘N Talk, I could save up to 80%. Wow! This is amazing! It is almost free!

But, I have doubts whether this device will work in Dubai. Really, I am absolutely not sure. Yes, this could be true, as what Smart had said that this device will work anywhere in the world. But, did Smart take into consideration the risk factor? I mean, will it work in places where VOIP is blocked? Dubai is a very conservative city. Etisalat, the leading communication service provider in the Emirates, is a jealous competitor. It does not allow any intruder. It blocks all forms of VOIP’s like Skype. With this regard, how will SMART Plug ‘N Talk work?

Read More

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

The nature of my work demands more time and focus, as year 2008 is about to exit. Yearly reports are to be prioritized and must be given an on-hand attention.

I’ve been very busy for the past few days, but today, I think I am much busier. I have to cope up with all these year-end problems – from receiving complaints from our tenants to computation of their dues as they are going to say goodbye from our apartments they rented less than a year ago. Their farewell is the result of the most discussed recession not just in Dubai but in other parts of the world as well.

But in spite of this hectic schedule, I have to remind myself to welcome the Year 2009. I am not certain what is in store for me in the New Year, but I am sure that something new will happen. Well, I am really hoping for good fortunes. A new year brings new life, new career, new opportunities, and new challenges. On the contrary, it may also offer things which we less expected. For sure we don’t like bad things dominating us. But as far as we have great faith in Him, everything will turn out better. I believe that by constantly attracting good and positive things into our lives, we could have a happy and wonderful life. This is a proven secret of those successful icons. Hope to have it too.

To everyone, regardless of your religion, kind, industry and location, happy New Year! Happy year of the OX!

Read More