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!