Sunday, May 31, 2015

Made in the Philippines: Why I Only Buy and Use Pinoy-Made Stuffs




Filipinos love imported stuffs: kahit na Made in China basta galing sa USA, okay na okay! But as I grow older, lived and worked in a different country surrounded with different cultures, I came to realize that I love being a Filipino. I love and appreciate our culture. Sure, Philippines isn't perfect- far from it I'm telling you- but this is home to me and this is where I belong.



Since Philippines isn't perfect and heck, I don't have the power to make it perfect,I made a personal decision to help. Sure, this thing that I'm doing isn't too big or too profound but I'm surely helping our economy a little bit at a time, as what they said, "Constant dripping of water wears away the stone."

What is it that I'm doing? I buy Made in the Philippines stuffs. I buy local. I support Pinoy-made stuffs.Simple, isn't it?

From toothpaste that I'm using (hello there, Unique), body lotion (hello there, Human Nature) to where I shop for clothes (I only bought two basic t-shirts since I came back) are all made in the Philippines. What I buy, use, eat should be local, made exclusively by Pinoys and should be from the Philippines.


Why am I doing this? This is a way to help our economy, thus showing my love to our country. As we buy local stuffs, we help create jobs and when we create jobs, the salary of the workers go straight to our economy by means of spending and when we spend, and hopefully buy local, we create more and more jobs. No need to go abroad, right?



As I stopped buying imported stuffs and go local, I realized how hard this decision is (gosh, I still miss Nutella!) But on a bigger picture, I'm happy that I made the conscious decision to support and go local.



Do you plan on going local?






Saturday, May 30, 2015

Wet Market Sunday



  • Banana: Php 40 (Php 45 per kilo)





  • Mango: Php 40 (1 kilo)





  •  Veggies : Php 85 





  • Ground Pork: Php 50 (1/4 kilo)





  • Pork bones for Stark and Pepper: Php 30





  • Chorizo: Php 20




  • For Workers:

- Baker's Best American Bread (Php 22.25 each) Php 133.50 ( 6 pcs)
- Tang Litro Pack (Php 8.95 each) Php 35.80 (4 pcs- 2 pcs in the other pic)




  • Surf Laundry Bar: Php 17.70
  • Dazz Dishwasher Bar: Php 6.30
  • Steel Wool: Php 8.95




  • Magic Sarap: Php 27.55 (100g)
  • Brown Sugar (for workers' morning coffee) : Php 19.90




  • Star Bread: Php 40 (5 pcs for Php 20)



As a treat, I got myself some Bubud kamanting, Cassava cake and Maja Blanca which I already ate. Been craving for puto sikwate though, but I don't know where to buy 'em. Can't find any in the market.





We still have rice at home ( bought 3 kilos last week and we still have leftovers from previous week, so I didn't buy more.)


Total : 569.71


Note: My brother only eats at home twice everyday. He works on night shifts and I don't have to worry about his breakfast coz, whenever he arrives home, he already ate his share of breakfast. And me? Well, I usually have fruit shakes for breakfast.


Ciao for now.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Wet Market Sunday: Food of the Week


Yep, it's not Sunday. Well, my laptop is kind of broken that's why it took me a while to post this ( I keep getting error whenever I open Blogger. Did Restore Factory Setting but the problem is still there.)  So I decided to blog using my Ipod. Nope, can't use my favorite font style. Well, it is what it is!

FOOD OF THE WEEK:

Eggs:  Php 4  each ( Php 48)




• Dried Fish: 1/4 kilo = Php 10



• Fruits:

Banana: 1 kilo= Php 35
Mangoes: 1 kilo= Php 50



• Veggies: Php 95




• Baker's Bread American Bread: Php 22.25 each (4 pcs.) Php 89
•Powdered Juice Litro Pack: Php 8.95 each ( 5 pcs.) Php 44.75



• Australian Carne Norte: Php 18.65 each ( 5 pcs) Php 93.25
• Winner Beef Loaf: Php 13 ( 2 pcs) Php 26
• Plastic Bag ( for dog poop) : Php 12.75
• Plastic bag for Ice Water ( for panday) 3x10x20 size: Php 11.10
• Brown Sugar: 1/2 kilo Php 19.90
• Blend 45 Coffee 100g Php 65.35
• Lucky Me Pancit Canton Php 8.70 each (4 pcs) Php 34.80
• Homi Pancit Canton Php 7.70 each ( 2 pcs) Php 15.40




• Broken Rice of Ganador: Php 32 per kilo ( 3 kilos) Php 96


TOTAL: Php 746.30

A week supply of food for me and my brother, snacks for pandays and veggies for Stark and Pepper


Ciao

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

LOGOS HOPE: A Floating Bookstore ( Temporarily in Cebu)




My friend dragged me here last night and it was awesome! 

Apparently this ship goes around the world to sell books. All the people who work here are all volunteers (there are Mexicans, French, etc.. you can see where they came from through their IDs.)


The ship arrived here in Cebu last May 5th and they'll leave this May 29th. Subic is their next destination.


They usually closes for rest day on Monday and opens until 9PM.


Location: Near Terminal 1 at the back of Plaza Independencia/ MalacaƱang (going to SRP.) Parking area is at the right side.

Entrance Fee: Php 20





The Ship


The Actual Bookstore



I bought Almost Amish by Nancy Sleeth for 200 units (Php 200):




Books are priced by units: 100 units = Php 100; 200 units= Php 200 and so on..



Go check it out. It's kind of an awesome experience!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

PLDT HOME DSL: Finally Got an Internet Connection!






Yup, almost 4 months here and I just recently decided that I should have my own internet connection. Blame it on cheapness!



2MBPS = Php 1,299 per month (including phone line)


Installation fee : Php 1,100
Wi-fi modem      : Php 1,200

Note: The installation fee + Wi-fi Modem (Php 2,300) is payable on your first billing, not right away.


Requirements I submitted:
  • Photocopy of the Title of the house
  • Photocopy of my two valid IDs

Installation is about 7-10 working days. I submitted my requirements last Monday and the PLDT guys came here today ( Wednesday.) That's 2 days!

The installation process was an hour long. Gave the guy Php 100 for a tip.



Why choose PLDT? Because we should support the company we are investing , right? Haha!




Saturday, May 16, 2015

Life Update: Family Drama and I NEED a Job




Hey y'all! I haven't been blogging for a quiet a while now. Too many things happen in my personal life since I last posted. I will surely keep up with e-mails and comments, promise!

Here's an update for now:

  • I NEED A JOB- just to keep my sanity in check. Gosh, so this is how retirement probably feels like (not the type of retirement with all those moolah in the bank ha? Yung retirement na nagtitipid pa rin coz you know that if you splurge too much all day errday, you'll end up broke sooner rather than later.) I have been working and making my own money since I was 21 ( and hey, I just celebrated my 29th birthday last April 25, by the way) and now, naka tambay lang ako... well, there is construction going on and 2 Golden Retrievers that keep me busy everyday, but it's not the same when you go out of the house, all dress up for work ready to take on whatever  work stuff for the day... Gosh, I miss those. Naprapraning na ako sa bahay- I can't go out everyday naman coz I can't be spending my money left and right, you know. I am still cheap, that I can assure you.

  • On the bright side: that line I used to post here, this: I-want-to-work-not-because-I-have-to-but-because-I want-to line para I think I am in that stage na, but still... I need work just to keep me sane. 



  • House construction is still going on.


  • I kicked my older brother out of the house. You know, the brother I sent to rehab. So I found out that he still injects himself with Nubain ( since I saw the drug paraphernalia, I 'googled' it and that's how I found out what it's called.) Since it's my house and it's my rules- plus all the things I did for him and his family through the years- I kicked him out, and that's how the family drama got started. My second older brother came to Cebu to take my Mom with him to Albay coz we found out that my Mom has been secretly meeting my druggie brother. Instead of teaching him a lesson, she is enabling him. He is 35, for goodness sake, he is an adult, he surely can take care of himself! So my other Kuya and I decided that it would be best for all of us that Mama should be in Albay. Too many things happen, and this cost me a great deal of emotional stress. If you are a long time follower of my blog, you would have known that one of my greatest ambition was to make my family whole again coz we haven't been in one roof for over 13 years. Sadly, we are all adults with different experiences and different way of thinking and I can't make that dream of mine happen. It's sad but things happen for a reason, I guess.


  • This house that I am currently living is too big for me and my younger brother. I'm thinking of renting this out and then moving to the lot I owned in Consolacion. I will occupy the 40 sqm or less to my 80 sqm that I owned. My brother said he will try and be independent and find himself a place to live when he gets stable with his job.

  • I am so, so in love with my Stark and Pepper, my two golden retrievers though I still miss Ganni every single day.


I can already take them for a walk around the subdivision. I kept them quarantined inside the house while they were in the process of completing all their shots because I don't want them to end up catching viruses. I can't take another heartbreak.


  • I got so pissed with people who run away whenever they see Stark and Pepper coming. Like I can roll my eyes and punch them on their faces. So ignoramus people here, "ummm... hello, they are Golden Retrievers, one of the friendliest breed of dogs out there. They are huge but they don't bite. I suggest you pet a Chihuahua and you'll know what I mean.

  • I am still on the process of deciding to buy a car or not, to go used or brand new. Nope, I didn't buy a car yet. Delayed gratification right there, ain't it?

  • I still go to the wet market to get my food for the week. I'll try and update the "What did I buy Sunday."


  • I'm still thankful that I made a decision to come home for good. Sure, I don't go out much often or go to any fancy places but I sure did not regret coming home. Life here is great. The house that I currently live is paid for, I can pay my own bills, shop my own food, though I still need to follow a budget making sure I don't splurge here and there, but hey I'm used to that as you probably know by now, and frugality is a long-time friend of mine so sticking to a budget is a game I long perfected, though it surely helps that I am single. 


Ciao for now.