Financial Goals for 2014: Year End Review

Before the year officially closes, reality check for these goals.

1. Complete payment of bank and personal loan - target end of January - completed personal loan just recently by realigning budget.
2. Religiously pay SK LU - was able to pay required amount for 2014 with no delays. I can't believe I have already completed paying close to 60%. 18 months to go!
3. Maintain 7k savings for lot processing/housing fund
   • Mid Year: Had to adjust last Jan. and Feb. because of other payables. So far, consistent in the succeeding months.
   • Year End: Had to adjust around July because we were transferred to another site, hence transportation expenses increased. I had been taking the cab since the transfer since on the first night I attempted to commute, my bag was slashed. Haven't recovered since then. Besides, there's always the laptop to bring home in case there are emergency calls especially in the mornings when I can't wake up early enough to get to the office on time. Also, I'll be shouldering the tuition fee of a niece so I had to start saving for this as early as I can.
4. Save 35k to add to safety fund (aka emergency fund). Target to accumulate 3 months' worth by end of year.
   • Mid Year: Changed priorities around April so new target is to complete SF (6 months) by end of this year or until Jan. 2015.
   • Year End: Changed decision again around July (all in UITF will only be for retirement fund and not for SF) so new target is to complete SF (6 months) by June 2015. Was able to save around 4.5 month's worth to date.
5. Maintain 2k/month allocation for BDO EIP - on track for 2014 target.
6. Increase MF to 20k
   • Mid Year: Still consistent with the 500/month budget but currently evaluating if I would still continue with this or just switch to UITFs.
   • Year End: Reallocated saved fund to open a BPI account. Also still thinking whether to continue or just focus on UITFs. I have to say the results are not that impressive as compared to the UITFs I placed in late 2013.
7. Add 10-20K in stock market.
   • Mid Year: Still on track. 5K added to date
   • Year End: Total of 16K to date from regular budget. Also reallocated more funds to stocks and decided to delay house project for a while.
8. Complete my version of the 52-week challenge.
   • Mid Year: Missed some weeks and switching to a lower base for the succeeding weeks to make it more realistic
   • Year End: Was not able to complete because of an increase in expenses starting July. Saved amount will be used for a want since this is savings on top of the regular savings that's already part of my budget.
9. Continue donation for church construction in my hometown where my mom was active on her last few months with us - will hand over whatever is saved for this during the New Year mass.

Six out of nine met. Not bad I guess, given the circumstances of why the other goals were not met. Up next, 2015 goals.

Cheers to more savings in 2015!

Forms of Prayer

As shared by the priest in the mass earlier.

Forms of prayer:

1. Adoration Prayer/Prayer of Praise
• Manifested in prayers like Gloria in excelsis deo, 
2. Contrition Prayer
• Prayers related to penance and asking for forgiveness.
3. Petition Prayer
• Prayers asking for things we desire. 
4. Thanksgiving Prayer
• It is said to be the prayer for the future because when we continuously give thanks, we receive more blessings. However, it is also the least used form of prayer.

The mass is the highest form of prayer and thanksgiving.

And so, thank you, Father God, for I was able to wake up early to attend today's mass and learn these things. Your will be done.

MTM Program: It's a Wrap for 1st Sem, AY 14-15

Final exam submitted! It's officially semestral break for me. I'm so glad the sem is over! Too many requirements to complete to think that I only took 2 subjects this sem. I can't imagine if there were 3. Anyway, no matter how toxic it was, there were relevant lessons learned so that is something to be thankful for.

One subject I took was on Legal Aspects of Technology Management. And yes, this deals with all the laws around Intellectual Property, taught by a lawyer, the same one who established the IPO in the Philippines. I was intimidated at first but turned out she's cool and so I immensely enjoyed her class despite all the legal jargons! So much so that my evaluation of her contains this: "She is well-versed and very passionate of her field. She shares true stories to relate to the topics so it becomes easier to understand the lesson, especially for someone who doesn't have Law background. Thank you, Ma'am! Ma-mimiss ko ang mga totoong chismis mo! At ang pagtawag mo sa amin ng "children" especially if we are too focused about being great and seem to forget other essentials in life. :)"

Misa de Gallo

Day 1 today.

Different terms used to call the 9 novena masses before Christmas.

• Simbang gabi - because it happens during night time
• Misa de Gallo -  gallo means rooster so this means mass of the rooster. Most roosters crow at the crack of dawn, the same time when the mass happens, hence the term.
• Misa de Aguinaldo - aguinaldo means gift and the gift of the season is Jesus Christ. 

The novena masses are in preparation  for the celebration of Jesus' birthday.

There is no exact record in history as to when this started but it is believed that it started in the 18th century.

Good to know.

Random Thoughts #1

• Buti naman at ayon sa latest news, humina na si Typhoon Ruby. Akala ko nung una, Ruby ang international name at Hagupit ang local name. Napaisip tuloy ako if talagang nasa letter H pa rin ba to think na December na. Ayun, boom mali! :p
• Naiwan ko ang payong ko sa taxi. Paano kaya ako makakapasok bukas kung maulan pa rin? Di rin pwede WFH kasi may face-to-face meeting naman. Olats.
• Pumepetiks na naman ako for school. Still need to complete 2 final exams and 1 reaction paper. Masyado akong nastress sa isang project that we reported last Thursday kaya sabi ko break muna sa school work. Kaso nawiwili na nyahaha. Ok, bukas gagawin ko na yung 2.
• Buti na lang take home na yung 2 exams. Ayaw ko na pumasok talaga with the traffic and all.
• Gusto kong magregalo sa mga batang mga pamangkin. Kaso ayaw kong makipagsiksikan sa mga tao everywhere! Nakaka-stress. Tanders na haha. Sa Baguio na lang siguro ako bibili.
• Di na ako mag-aattend ng year end party. Stressful din sya kesa fun eh hehehe. First time ko naman umabsent eh. Keri na. 
• Tuwing bagyo na lang, maraming nawawalan ng kuryente dahil sa mga nasisirang lines. Bakit kaya hindi nila iupdate ang technology in electrical lines? Di ba pwedeng ibaon na lang ang mga wires? HK did it. Other countries did it.
• Bakit ba ang haba-haba pa rin ng commercials kahit gabi na? Dapat minimal na pag news programs!
• Either hindi na ipapalabas ang On The Money or super delayed lang dahil sa Typhoon Ruby reports na nasisingit sa regular programs every now and then.
• Di pa final ang Christmas and New Year plans ko. Nakakatamad magbyahe sa totoo lang. Mukmok na lang kaya ako sa bahay? Ay kaso may study session pala kami ng kapatid ko.
• Next year, gusto kong mag-new year sa ibang bansa. San kaya?
• Di pa ako nakakapagdraft ng "rules" ko sa pagpapa-aral sa pamangkin ko. Susko totoo ba 'to? Wala pa man akong anak, magpapa-college na ako?! Nooooo!!! Chos! Pero naku!!!! Pag etong pamangkin ko, hindi pa tumino, ewan ko na lang! Last chance na nya 'to. Sakit sa ulo. Kay agang naglaro, ayun tuloy, nadagdagan apo ko hmp!
• Anong petsa na, hindi ko pa rin tapos ang tinetest ko. Ang kulit-kulit din ng katrabaho kong consultant. Sinabi na nung unang panahon pa ang requirement pero hindi nya ginawa. At katangahan ko rin na di ko na-explain sa kanya agad kung bakit ganong data ang kailangan at hindi yung ginawa nya. Now cramming. Toinks!
• Nakakamiss ang BCWMH. Ang tanging series na pinanood ko from start to finish!
• 17 days to go na lang pala before Christmas. May nagsabi ng Dyos ko Lord na newscaster hahaha! Pero naiimagine ko yung kanya as "juicecolored", yung mga uso ngayon, tulad din ng "whogoat" para sa hugot hahaha. Kung sino man may pakulo ng mga yan, bilib ako sa mga utak nyo!
• Talkback, overtime ka na! Asan na On The Money?! O sya, mukhang wala na talaga. Keri. 

MTM Program: Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS)

For our Marketing Plan, we decided to use the smartcard (contactless card) that will replace the magnetic cards we use in the MRT 3, LRT 1 and LRT 2 once the Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) is implemented as our product. 

Some things that I learned about the project. 

• This is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project that was awarded to AF Consortium early this year, first for 2014.
• Consortium is a group of companies that partner together for a project. A stands for Ayala and F is First Pacific. First Pacific is the parent organization of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).
• It is notable that although Ayala and MPIC are competitors in the telco industry, they joined forces for this project. Business is business.
• The PPP website is a good reference to all PPP projects.
• AFCS aims to have a smartcard that can be used in all rail systems in the metro (both current and future extensions) and eventually expand to other transports like buses and cabs and also partner with retail establishments.
• Most of the requirements in the invitation to bid document are based on standards defined by the International Organization for Standards (ISO). This means that the technology to be  implemented here would be the same as those in other countries (i.e. Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.) Finally a taste of 1st world hehe. Side note:when we visited HK in 2011, I was so amazed with their rail system and since then wished that we have the same here. I hope that with this project, it will be the start of a better rail system for us.
• Government's requirement is that there should be no supplier lock in. Good. No monopoly.
• Part of the consortium is Octopus Transactions Limited, the same company handling HK's smartcard requirements.
• A standard AFCS architecture can be summarized in 5 levels (starting at Level 0). Level 0: smartcard, Level 1: turnstiles; Level 2: station systems; Level 3: Line systems; Level 4: Central system (where all systems meet).
• Looking forward to be able to top up in other retail establishments aside from the rail stations! More convenient, less lines in the stations!
• Demographic dividend is an instance where young people are starting to enter the workforce, which in most countries signal stronger growth because they can work and spend more. (learned about this while researching for environmental factors for the AFCS project)

It was a challenging paper to write but it's good to get some bonuses such as learning about industries that's outside of my profession. Crossing my fingers that AFCS will be implemented by 2015, as targeted by DOTC and LRTA. It would be nice to be migrated to this system at the soonest possible time!

Aahhhh, now that we're done with this paper (writing and reporting about it), I am just left with 2 take home final exams before the semestral break. Can't wait! One more week!

Personal Finance: PSEi 8000: Push Mo Yan! - My Takeaways

As mentioned in my previous post, I was able to attend BPI's annual conference earlier today. I almost backed out but glad that I still attended. 

My takeaways:

• The stock market is not a one time thing. If you really want to be a stock market investor, you should invest time and effort to learn and practice it until it becomes a part of your system.
• Different strokes for different folks. Each of the speakers have different stock market strategies. There is no one strategy that works for everyone. It took them time and effort to build their own strategies until they got the right mix for it.
• A newbie investor may be overwhelmed to listen to all of them all at the same time because of the different points of view. So again, it all boils down to investing time and effort to learn the stock market if you want to go this route.
• I realized that I am more excited with stock trading. I should devote more time in studying that and find a way to try it.
• Like in everything else, planning is crucial. You have to have an entry and exit strategies, and what's next after exiting in one or more stocks.
• There are a lot of people who are willing to share their knowledge for free. Learn from them. But don't depend on them to make decisions for you. They won't and you shouldn't ask them to decide for you in the first place, so do your homework. Sabi nga nila lagi, aral muna bago invest. 
• I wish they have sessions like this several times a year. From what I know, this is just an annual event. It's worth what I paid for.
• Money is not everything but money is a tool that would empower you to do the things that are important to you. So to have such resources, it is important to know how to make money work for you.

Cheers to everyone who are taking the time to learn about personal finance, especially to the newbies like me :). May we all find that strategy that is best suited with our lifestyle and personal advocacies.

Personal Finance: PSEi 8000: Push Mo Yan!

What better way to spend a school-free Saturday (prof has prior engagement, hence no classes today) than to attend a seminar on stock market. I learned about the event from a friend who has a friend with a BPI Trade account. I think it is exclusive to BPI Trade account holders so I emailed the organizer first to check if a) they accept walk-ins and b) non-BPI trade account holders. Luckily, it was yes for both, however, we were required to open an BPI Trade account, which I really didn't mind because it has already been part of my plan to open one. 

The conference is titled PSEi 8000: Push Mo Yan! They had four guest speakers, each discussing specific topics. 

Some points I remember from each speaker:

Sir Marvin Germo

• The market will not go up forever so it is important to have a plan
• Build your skills, build your strategies, change as needed, refine if not working and do this repeatedly over a period of time
• Make trading and investing based on your lifestyle
• Leave emotions out of the door
• Create a checklist of the parameters of the stocks you want to buy and use this checklist to trim down the stock list before you start buying
• More time should be spent on pre-work while execution only minutes
• Profit is made when you have conviction. You have conviction when you have confidence. You have confidence when you did all your pre-work!
• Trade with an end goal in mind
• Follow where the cash is. Capitalize where people spend their money on
• Timing is everything

His book, Stock Smarts Stock Investing Made Easy, was also available so I was able to grab one. I'll probably read this during commutes to work.

He also has a blog, which I came across when I was searching for references on personal finance.

Sir Mike Oyson

• The party is still on-going at 11 PM (meaning it is still an uptrend in the stock market) but parties don't last forever because earnings will drive performance
• Investing is not a science but an art because Psychology comes into play
• Global flows will dominate market movements in the next 12 months
• Take note of the push (global) and pull (local) factors 
• The stock market is not really correlated to GDP but more correlated with the US market
• We need more domestic investors to drive the PH market. Right now, it is still driven by foreigners
• For long term investors, just be in the market
• For short term investors, easy money has been made but there is still some money left
• Differentiate the company and the stock (he mentioned about liking some companies but not their stocks because it is just too expensive)
• Choose entry points
• It is not about getting it right. It is how much money you put in the stock market when you are right.
• SWAN - sleep well at night
• Distinguish money for investing and trading
• Do not be a battered investor. Know when to get out
• Know what you own
• Learn and practice

Sir Tony Herbosa

• Trading is not just about percentage gains. You have to think out of the box and not linear.
• Trading is an art form-all about intuition, gut feel, instincts, inspiration
• The game is poker, not blackjack
• Bagger strategy: position trading to the max
• Entry strategies: should have a starting point
• His most striking question: When the stock price of some companies were on an upward trend, what did you do?

He had slides about the waves. He also had some slides about the stocks he is or he has invested in. He was generous in sharing his buy and sell transactions.

Sir Tony is the man behind Traders Apprentice Pilipinas FB group, and more of a trader than an investor. 

Ms. Salve Duplito

• Her topic is about value investing which is not popular but this is the strategy used by Warren Buffet.
• There is a difference between an investor and a speculator. An investor studies the company, while a speculator follows what the trends say.
• It is not all about the money. Money should be used as a tool to do more.
• Her advocacy is to help those who have lower levels of income be financially literate so they would also have the chance of making their lives better.

Ms. Salve is a resident financial adviser of the ANC show On the Money (which I regularly watch).

I emailed the organizers again to see if they can share to us the PowerPoint presentations they used today. I'll share more should they send it.

MTM Program: The Dilemma

The event: midterm exam for Technology Marketing and Commercialization

Scope: Chapters 1-9 of the reference book

Study strategies: 

• Read the book and the prof's presentation slides
• Write down notes (do not encode) for better memory retention
• Reduce sleeping hours to study longer

Next scenes: exam proper.

Prof lets us place our things in front, hands over the exam questions and gives the go signal that we can start.

Me: read the instructions, then the questions. Stared at it, read again, stared-read. Repeat for 10 minutes (or more). Take deep breaths while in my head I'm already screaming "anong sagot sa mga ito?". Heart starts to beat faster (because I don't know the freakin' answer to the questions!!!!). Me doing pep talk with myself to calm down as I try to recall the possible answers to the questions. Pampalubag loob. There were at least 2 questions that I'm sure of the answer. But, these are just 2 questions out of the 7 so it's not even 50% yet! 

After an hour: I was already tempted to submit my paper because what's the point? I don't know what else to write hahaha! But then, I stayed a little longer and tried harder to recall our other topics. 

After 2.5 hours: I give up. Time to stop pretending and submit hehe. 

After exam scenes with some classmates:

"Alam kong alam mo yung sagot sa #1 kasi part mo yun sa report. Wag mo nang sabihin please!"

"Buti na lang di ko na pinagpabukas pa ang exam kasi ganito rin lang pala! At least I did not prolong the agony."

"Ano yun????!!!! Anong mga sagot don???!!!"

"Ayaw ko na munang tignan notes ko!"

"Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!" Yes, dinaan na lang sa tawa ang lahat. 

"Tara kain na tayo. Ni-look forward ko yung pagkain don eh!" (a classmate and I agreed to eat at some resto near our place after the exam)

On the way home, still thinking about the exam. Biglang bumulong ng "yamot, may wrong spelling pa ako!" Hahaha!

Syempre pag-uwi sa bahay, di ko matiis at chineck ko notes ko. Lahat ng sinagot ko after the first hour, sablay na hahaha! Siguro di na alam ni Sir kung iiling ba sya, tatawa, mayayamot o kakamot na lang ng ulo sa mga sagot ko hehehe.

So anyare? I don't know. Best effort yung pagrereview ko dito. Itong subject na ito ang pinaglaanan ko ng matagal sa pagrereview. It's just that there are so many concepts even in one chapter (so imagine all the 9 chapters) that it's hard to remember everything. Plus maybe, my note taking wasn't that effective still. Or maybe, I need to read the book a hundred more times to remember half of the concepts. Kung dito, ganito na, paano pa ang comprehensive exam! Waaaahhh!!!

The dilemma? Di man lang ata ako makaka-experience na ng kahit isang UNO sa grad school! Amp! :p

Huwell. On the flipside, at least the exam is over and I can sleep longer tonight! Time to move on to all the paper writing stuff!

P.s. Dear Sir, pwede po bang sa final exam, take home na lang parang nung R&D subject dati?  Pa-Christmas mo na sa amin hehehehe!

Salamat

Thank you Lord that I was able to get home safely tonight, at the comfort of a cab to boot. Thank you for the provision to do so. I did not even notice that it rained earlier to think that at my back in the office is a window. Kaya po siguro maraming mga pasahero pa rin akong nadaanang naghihintay ng jeep.

Thank you for the easy to prepare meals at home. Happy tummy after only a few minutes! Thank you for making me realize these things, despite the many heartaches brought about by work. I pray that I get the correct and expected results in my testing.

Thank you rin po pala for the yellow butterfly I saw this afternoon. I'd like to believe that it was my mom saying hi. Maybe, even now that she's gone, she still knows the pain I'm going through right now.

Lastly, please help me understand quickly all the things I'm reviewing for my exam. Gusto ko po talagang mag-exam na this Thursday. Amen.

MTM Program: Sector Study Report...Check!

Yey! One down, more to go! I didn't realize how much this paper stressed me until after our report when I finally was able to breathe normally and feel happy and light despite close to hibernating! LOL! I don't understand why I was tense the whole day when I'm not usually like this. Maybe because we were so traditionally corporate looking with our attires! I had to wear blazer just to have the required look but I am not used to it since it's not my normal. Anyway, I'm just glad it's over! Time to get some sleep and start preparing for midterm exams before going back to working on another long group paper! Whew! 

Someone is Doing Something Nasty

I got so frustrated (yet again) yesterday because of two things at work. A lot of email exchanges going around for an issue we encountered since Monday, with me just having to wait because it's something that our team does not have control over. In one of the emails, I saw this:

When I read it at first, I thought the sender sent it to the wrong recipients because the message sounded like that of hacked sites hehe. But then, checking it again, it was an email meant for us. Well, at least now I know that even the servers we use have those type of messages. I wonder if those could be changed to something like "Caught in the act! Stop right now! I have captured your profile and currently sending it to your HR department!". Hehe

Brain Dump

My brain is starting to freeze with all this researching and writing for our Sector study (a requirement in one of my classes), hence, this quick break to write about random things.

• I haven't seen my favorite anonymous family during the mass this morning. I wonder if they changed schedule. I was used to seeing them and usually sit behind them in the morning mass. I just love seeing them especially the brother who is so caring to his siblings. Peg family.

• There is a 3-day sale going on in Megamall, so I was trying to stay as far away from it as possible. It's not because I might impulsively shop again. I've had my fair share of being one but generally, I just shop when I need something. I just don't like to be squeezed in between too many people. However, I need some groceries and I need a blazer for this Thursday's group report. I don't need it at work so I never bothered to buy one before. Anyway, I went straight to the mall right after mass and surprise! There were already a lot of people waiting for the department stores to open. Arrived there 10 minutes before opening so we had to wait for a few more minutes. Unfortunately for me, no blazer at 50% off but good enough that the one I bought has a 10% discount, and it's made by one of my more favored brands.

• I have been searching for closed shoes for the office for more than 3 months now but I just can't find anything that says "buy me! buy me!" My current pair is on the verge of retirement. The sole is already thin that sometimes I feel the pavement when walking hehe. Hopefully, before it totally gives way, I already have a new pair.

• From the news minutes ago, I have confirmed that some scenes of Forevermore, a new teleserye by ABS-CBN which will be aired soon, are shot in Baguio, specifically near our place. I had an inkling when I first saw the trailer, then a cousin posted her pictures with the cast staying in their lodge. Ok, I may watch that because I'm interested to see how our place looks like on TV haha!

• I want an Ipod just so I have something to listen to while on my way to work. Our team was transferred to another building, farther from where I leave. I just feel it's a waste of time doing nothing while waiting for the trains or just seating in jeepneys weaving through the traffic. I'm thinking of making this a reward to myself IF I am able to do a challenge for 21 days hehe. PUSH.

• I should really start updating my resume. It's been years since the last time I did it. 

• I am having lots of pimples for the past weeks. I think it started since we transferred to another site. It's a longer travel time hence, more pollution to catch. Bring us back to Manda please!

• Sometimes, I want to drop one of my subjects. Work has been more stressful lately and I'm having a hard time juggling. Funny thing was, another classmate is thinking of doing it too. But then, we all agreed that it's really a waste of money and that we'll still go through the same thing the next time we enroll in the class again, so better not prolong the agony and finish it now. Oh well.

And now, I need to go back to that paper while there's still time left this Sunday.

Be Careful

I was on a retreat earlier this week to disconnect with my daily grind for a bit. While I was busy writing in one of the nipa huts at the retreat house, I heard Please Be Careful With My Heart being played so I had to stop for a while and write the short note below haha!

***

 OMG! Naririnig ko yung Please Be Careful (song) - may nanonood dito sa retreat house! Waaaah mukhang exciting ang episode ngayon awww. Shocks!!! TV nga yun! Grabe namang test of everything 'to haha! I'm tempted to go check it out kaso I'm on a retreat and I'm supposed to be disconnected with my normal day to day life and BCWMH is part of that so...makakain na nga ng lunch hahaha. Sakto nag-bell na. Pero gosh talaga. Ang hirap magpigil haha! Pero sabi nga ni Sister, mahirap pero kakayanin kaya kakain na ako bago pa ako malate sa 1PM session namin hehe.

***

So upon catching up of the episodes last night, the song was played while Manang Fe was sharing her love story with the Lim household in Tuesday's episode hehe.

Note: The TV is for the staff only. No visible TV on areas accessible by those undergoing retreat. 

One Assumption Day

August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption. During my elementary years, we always celebrated this in school since my school then was run by the Religious of the Assumption sisters. It was a community celebration hence our families were encouraged to attend. Of course, we start the celebration with a mass. We usually have selected students choreograph most of the songs during the mass.

After the mass, there were parlor  games which the students and parents can participate in. Lucky for me that in the only game in my entire elementary life where my mom and I participated, we won first prize. I can’t remember what grade I was or what the prize was but I clearly remember the game and my mom’s happy (and bragging) voice while she was explaining how she won. I don’t know the official name of the game but let’s just say that it’s “Find your daughter” game. It was played in pairs -  1 child and 1 parent. The parents were blindfolded while searching for their kids. The kids were positioned away from their parents and they were not allowed to move. Only the parents should move. And so less than a minute after the go signal, my mom found me. How was she able to recognize me? With my blouse that day. She knew that the sleeves of the blouse I was wearing went beyond my fingers so we usually fold it inside so it won’t be that long.  When she felt that there was excess cloth tucked in my wrist area, she raised our hands indicating that she found her kid.

Now that I think about it, I don’t know if she was able to check out the other kids before they were blindfolded. I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t the only one wearing a blouse with long sleeves before as it was usually colder where I came from. So maybe, together my blouse, it was also her mother’s instinct that worked that day.

Note: No, this post is not to discuss the feast day of the assumption. I would just like to document this particular memory of my mama (which coincidentally happened during Assumption Day), simply because these are only what I have now…just memories of her, after losing her so quickly and without any premonition more than a year ago. It is in the hopes that by doing this, I would be able to slowly move on with my life because unfortunately for me, I’m having a hard time doing that until now.

** Credits to the owner of the image.**

Light of our Home

We lost the light of our home more than a year ago and since then, I've been treading on semi-darkness, sometimes in total darkness even. I didn't know it will be this hard. I miss you Mama...my shield, my strength, and my guide. 😢💔 by @sierrayoana

Financial Goals for 2014: Mid-year Review

Before June officially closes, reality check for these goals.

1. Complete payment of bank and personal loan - target end of January - completed personal loan just recently by realigning budget.
2. Religiously pay SK LU - no delays so far.
3. Maintain 7k savings for lot processing/housing fund - had to adjust last Jan. and Feb. because of other payables. So far, consistent in the succeeding months.
4. Save 35k to add to safety fund (aka emergency fund). Target to accumulate 3 months' worth by end of year. - Changed priorities around April so new target is to complete SF (6 months) by end of this year or until Jan. 2015.
5. Maintain 2k/month allocation for BDO EIP - still on track.
6. Increase MF to 20k - still consistent with the 500/month budget but currently evaluating if I would still continue with this or just switch to UITFs.
7. Add 10-20k in stock market - still on track. 5K added to date.
8. Complete my version of the 52-week challenge - missed some weeks and switching to a lower base for the succeeding weeks to make it more realistic
9. Continue donation for church construction in my hometown where my mom was active on her last few months with us - missed some months but will still make it up for a bigger donation by end of year.

Keeping my fingers crossed that I would be able to meet these goals this year. However, I'm expecting something that will again impact my budget but hopefully, it won't cause so much deviation from my goals. MUST complete #4!

Will update by year end.

Happiness and Sadness

Vice Ganda shared his realization recently. In their show It's Showtime, they always encourage their audience to be happy and to stay positive. However, with the events in his personal life lately, he realized that it is ok to feel sad, that it is okay to cry and be angry. But after that moment, we should find the courage and the reason to be happy again.

So today, I'm allowing myself to feel disappointed and frustrated with how things are currently at work. Unfortunately, I'm not getting what I need, there is no direction for one of the projects, there are a lot of people to talk to but I feel that there is communication gap and that they don't really make an effort to understand what I'm asking them. And then I'm just so demotivated to rectify these situations. Mostly, my reaction is to feel bad and frustrated instead of staying objective like what I usually do in the past. Hopefully though, this feeling will be over in the coming days.

Breakaway

If you want to do it, do it now.
Do not delay.
Do not prolong the agony.
Do not be afraid to step out into the unknown.

Go, search for what your heart truly desires.
Go, confront yourself with what happened almost a year ago if only to get you back on track.
Go, search for what will help heal you.
Go, do what you think will help you find your direction.

It's your life, be your own CEO.
It's your life, be your own CFO.
It's your life, be your own COO.
It's your life, be your own sailor.

Just go. Just do it. After all, it's your life.

Floating Market in Mekong River

The floating market in Chai Be, Mekong is one of the smaller ones and is the nearest to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The owners of the boats attach a sample product in the bamboo post in their boats. This allows buyers to know what goods they are selling. The goods are only for wholesale and the minimum is 20 kilos. The owners of the boats are either farmers selling their own produce from their farms or traders selling produce that they bought from farmers. (Source: shared by tour guide) by @sierrayoana

A Cruise Along Mekong River

The Mekong River is one of the longest rivers in the world passing by six countries: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China, Myanmar, and Vietnam. The one in Vietnam is the widest and deepest. There is flooding in Vietnam at least 1.5 months in a year but the locals don't mind for two reasons: a) because of the silt (soil) flowing into their farmlands making it more fertile for the next planting season; and b) there are more fishes to catch. (Source: shared by tour guide) by @sierrayoana

MTM Program: Franchising

Part of the requirement in our Technology Entrepreneurship class is to submit a reaction paper based on an article. Here's mine on Franchising, the one that got the highest grade so far.

*****

Franchising is one way of doing business especially for people who would like to start a business but would need guidance most especially in the beginning because a potential franchisee can leverage on the well-formed and established brand and operating system of the franchisor. 

It is good to know that in the Philippines, there are official and legal organizations related to franchising focusing on guidelines in doing franchising in the country. In the recent years, there are also many events related to franchising. When used the correct way, this gives Filipinos more options on income opportunities. From a 2012 article, the PH franchising industry was the world’s 3rd in terms of jobs created, next to the US and Japan, and the 10th in the world in terms of revenue. With the ASEAN integration in 2015, it opens a wider footprint of needs creation and market opportunities regionally and then eventually, globally.

However, like anything else in life, the success of the franchisee depends on the effort he puts into the business. First, having a mentor in the form of the franchisor doesn’t give the franchisee the license to just rely on the franchisor. The franchisee should put as much effort in learning the ins and outs of the business until he has acquired the required skills in operating the business and keeping and improving it to meet its targets and goals. 

I also think that it takes time to establish a franchise, contrary to what most advertisements on franchising imply. Before even jumping into the bandwagon, the franchisee should be equipped with the appropriate training and game plan before going on full-blown operations. In this way, unnecessary risk can be avoided. Of course, the time it takes for the preparation should be reasonable so that we don’t lose opportunities as well.

Lastly, I strongly agree that more than the profits, one should go into franchising because he believes in the mission and vision of the franchisor. Being aligned at this level would help both in focusing on the things that to be done to achieve the common goals. And although the franchisor is the one establishing the brand and the operating system, it would also be helpful if the franchisee is able to provide constructive feedback to the franchisor, given that one of the franchisee’s roles is to market the brand and operating system, hence, he has closer ears and eyes to the perception of the customers.

Needing Mama's Opinion

Dear Mama,

A visit to a friend's place today had me thinking yet again. I want something but I'm not sure if it is a wise buy. I know that you weren't so keen on the last major decision I made last year. I'm now regretting that I didn't ask further as to why you were not so amenable.

Now, I'm at the crossroads again, badly needing your advice. If I push for it, would you agree to it? I wish there is a way to know what you think. I know you'll still say it's up to me but I would really like to know your opinion. Let me know in my dreams please?

By the way, Jen graduated the other day with her MS in Chemistry in Ateneo. It's also my dream to go to Ateneo and someday wear their blue toga! After UPD perhaps. Anyway, she invited me to her celebration (and house blessing of her sister's condo), and during the cab ride, a song that you used to sing (I forgot the title) played in the radio and it made me cry and miss you more. :( I was also able to talk to her mom and she was amazed at Jen's school. She said it was beautiful! And I agree with her! And then it hit me again that on my own graduation in UP, you won't be there to attend it na :(. Hay Mama, nagsaor ka nu maminsan ta inbatim dagos dakami. Kunak nu sika ti kadwak nga bumaket tani kasla met awan mangkayat kanyak ngem kapanao ka met nga dagos. Hanko ammo ti ikastak ketdi idiay balay ko tatta.

Anyway, back to my concern. Ano sa tingin mo mother? Good decision kaya? Butterflies please please please mother! I love you forever. Please continue watching over us. And I don't mind seeing you in my dreams.

Mama, What's Your Number?

Dear Mama,

I woke up to my birth month with a little sadness because this time, I know that I won't be receiving any birthday greeting from you starting this year. Tanging ikaw lang pa naman ang bumabati sa akin sa family. Wala bang cellphone dyan? O kaya makitext ka na lang kay Lord hehe. O kaya pwede mo rin akong batiin sa panaginip ko. Please, Mama...

Miracles Do Happen

I know it happens. But it's so overwhelming if it happens to someone you personally know. My friend gave birth to a bouncing baby boy today! They have been waiting for this gift of theirs from the moment we became colleagues almost 8 years ago. I am a witness to all the things they had to go through, all the decisions they had to make, even cried with them during the times of their losses. They were always included in my prayers especially during the many times they had to embark on their TTC (trying to conceive) journey. This is because I have always believed that if there are couples who had the right to have babies, it is them for I know that they will be responsible, loving and well, doting parents :). And today, after those months of infanticipating and worrying and going through all the injections, their baby boy is finally here!

Dear Renzo,

Welcome to the world! I am so happy and amazed that you're finally here. I can't help but cry as I look at your picture together with your Nanay. You are truly God's best gift for your Nanay and Tatay. Be strong always. I can't help but be excited for you as you discover the world. Know that you are loved by many. And know that you will be in my prayers forever. 

Love, 

Tita Mylene

Again, having been a witness to my friend's journey, the following have been reaffirmed.

• Miracles do happen!
• It will be given to you, no matter how long it takes and no matter how difficult the journey is sometimes. You just have to work hard for it ALWAYS, and keep on moving forward.
• Take the journey as a couple. It's much better to share the joys and it helps ease the pain when you know your better half is with you in this journey.
• Keep the unwavering and strong faith in God. He never fails you.

On a personal note, thank you, Dear Lord, for showing me that life is still beautiful despite the pain and that losses can be replaced with new and beautiful beginnings. I am forever grateful.

MTM Program: Old versus New with New Toys

Old school versus contemporary using new toys. I have scanned the book and I must say it looks like an easy read for something that's too geeky :p. Now, off to tackling that assignment!

11th

Spent most of today's shift setting up the new laptop issued to me hence I forgot that it was my 11th year anniversary with my present employer. How far can I still go? That remains to be seen. It all depends on where this year will take me hehe. Right now, I'm just focusing on finishing my masters with a lot of things learned and not just for the sake of the title. I miss travelling though. Hopefully, planned travel for this year will push through.

On another note, I'm a bit challenged on how to juggle 3 projects right now, plus assisting a newbie on the side. Two of those are with different clients whose business processes I'm not yet familiar with. Also, one should go live by July this year. I know I need to read on vendor selection process and all the other stuff that come with it but I'm still struggling to find the perfect balance. But I must find it the soonest.

Lastly, looks like I'll be in Makati for most of the days at least in the coming weeks. Raaawwrrr! It means longer travel time and may be more expensive because I may need to take the cab especially if the MRT is already closed.

Ok, enough blabbering.

MTM Program: Strategic Entrepreneurship

Part of the requirement in our Technology Entrepreneurship class is to submit a reaction paper based on an article. Here's mine on Strategic Entrepreneurship.

*****

When I first heard of the phrase strategic planning at work, it got me uneasy because it was so jargon to me. Fortunately though, it wasn't as scary, contrary to what I first expected. It was an opportunity to be in the world of leaders, planning for the future of the company. The expected outputs of that session were short-term, medium-term, and long term plans for our team. So basically, it was a list of goals and the ways by which we would be able to attain those goals. The most important thing to note though in all those planning sessions was that, all our plans should be in support of the company’s corporate objectives. Initially, I thought that having the corporate objectives is just how the company does things. However, I came to realize that it has basis when in one of our readings for TM 204, it was mentioned that strategies should be anchored to the corporate objectives.

In one occasion, our CEO came over for a visit and shared to us his journey in the BPO industry. He mentioned that there is a big difference on how things are done today as compared to 10 or 15 years ago, in relation to the industry. A lot of new ways of doing things have been introduced, and old processes and practices have to be revised because these does not already fit the present time. And he is sure that in the future, there will still be more changes. And so he stressed the importance of being able to foresee what the next big thing is in the future and being able to get ready for that “next big wave of change” at least in relation to the BPO industry. In 2012, he acquired another company with the primary reason that that company has an established technology which the CEO thinks will be the “in thing” in the future. So for him, rather than start from scratch to replicate that technology, he saw acquisition as the way to have that technology be implemented in his other companies.

In another session, the Global Strategy guy shared that they have set up a “pilot laboratory” in one of the sites to experiment on the best setup of workstations for agents to help them become more productive, given the nature of their work. This is based on the feedback they got from agents. Ten years ago, who would have thought that even workstations would need pilot laboratories? 

In hindsight, I think strategic entrepreneurship has already been a practice years ago. However, it is only in recent times that researchers are focusing on this study, and trying to link it with different other concepts which may or may not have a relation to the concept. Nevertheless, I would like to think that we should only not focus on strategy because no matter how good the strategy is, if it is not executed seamlessly and unexpected risks that we have not prepared for happens, then there are big chances for the strategy to fail. As the famous line goes…failing to plan is planning to fail.

Financial Goals for 2014

Happy new year!

After all the drama in 2013, and all the realizations when my mom left us to join our Creator, my 2014 will now focus on improving my financial status to become more liquid. And so, here are my goals.

1. Complete payment of bank and personal loan - target end of January
2. Religiously pay SK LU
3. Maintain 7k savings for lot processing/housing fund
4. Save 35k to add to safety fund (aka emergency fund). Target to accumulate 3 months' worth by end of year
5. Maintain 2k/month allocation for BDO EIP
6. Increase MF to 20k
7. Add 10-20k in stock market
8. Complete my version of the 52-week challenge
9. Continue donation for church construction in my hometown where my mom was active on her last few months with us

Will update by mid-year on my status.