Registering as a Professional/Self Employed in BIR Chronicle: Getting a Professional Tax Receipt (PTR)

Professional Tax Receipt is one of the requirements to be able to register as freelancer in BIR.


Note: For the past two years, my company just automatically withheld my tax, but since the TRAIN Law is in full swing now, there are big changes with regards to my  tax payment this year and that includes registering myself as self-employed in BIR. I am so dreading to do this but I have to do this. You know naman how government offices work here in the Philippines. I'm crossing my fingers that it will go well and that I won't wait for a long time, just like the PRC renewal I did three years ago. 



How I got my PTR ( Mactan,Cebu) 

1. Go to the City Treasurer's Office located  at the 1st Floor, City Hally Main Building. Same office as where I paid my Real Property Tax. 


2. Before entering the office, get a priority number which is found near the door. Someone will assist you on this. 

3. Wait for your turn and prepare your PRC ID and Php 300 pesos. 


Note: It took me less than 10 minutes to get this because walang masyadong tao at that time. I got lucky, I guess.I went there on January 25th at around 11 AM. 

Landers: Haul and Prices & Buying in Bulk

It's been a while since I posted what I buy. Nothing much has changed. I still go to the wet market for vegetables, fruits and fish and I go to the grocery store for other goods. Well, something has changed though. I now go to Landers instead of SNR. Pareho naman sila. The difference lang is may mga store brands ang SNR, which I love. Two years ago, I bought an SNR store brand 1.5 liter of dishwashing soap. It costed about Php 400+ and until now, I'm still using the same soap. It's always good to buy in bulk. Nakaka save ka talaga. I also buy soy sauce, laundry detergent, vinegar, hand soap, cleaning supplies, etc. in bulk. I find that even though I initially pay big amount of money,  it still saves me tons. Plus, less trash is being generated. 


Note: My mom is coming to stay with me for two months, so there are things that I bought that I don't usually buy. 

 Ganador 1 sack (25kg) Php 1,459.75 ($27.65)

I used to buy Broken rice of Ganador (Php 30-40 per kilo) but I quit buying it because the more I ate it, the more, the taste seemed to get stranger. I don't know why but sometime last year, I became picky with my rice.I tried the sinandomeng and dinorado, but ganador is my favorite. 

Pedigree 20 kg Php 2,194.75 ($41.58)

I alternate between Vitality (Php 1,800- 15kg) and Pedigree OR mix them because My Baby Girl gets bored with her food so easily. 

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PanAmerican Loaf  - Php 84.75 ($1.61)(I still buy Gardenia but whenever I go to Landers, I buy their loaf because I like the taste of it. The whiter, the better. I know it's not healthy but I'm following Intermittent fasting, so okay lang naman.) 


Dog Shampoo 1000 ml Php 249.75 ($4.73)

Lily's Classic Peanut Butter-Natural 2kg  Php475.75 ($9.01) 

M.Y Fita cracker 1.5kg Php 259.75 ($4.92) ( Bought this for my mom to snack on.) 

Choc Nut 24 pcs (3 packs) Php 28.75 each ($0.54 each) (Bought this for mom as a welcome sweets. She loves this thing).

Sky Flakes  24 pcs. Php 116.75 ($2.21) (Bought this for my mom to snack on.) 

Oreo Peanut butter biscuit  Php 50 ($1) (on sale, regular price: 89.7- Bought this for my mom.) 

Lander's cookies Php 299.75 ($5.68)- 6 pcs. (Bought this for my friend) 

PLDT: How to Downgrade (FROM Telpad Plan (Php 1,699) to DSL Unli Plan (Php 1,299)

I regretted getting the Telpad Plan because I don't really use my Telpad. It's just there, gathering dust. If I could, I would drop my landline but it's bundle kasi.  Though I couldn't do anything about my Telpad Plan because it has a 3-year contract, I just waited  for the contract to end. And finally, finally it ended last September! 

Note: Cancellation of the Telpad Plan doesn't make sense to me. I have to pay more for it to be cancelled so I just waited for the contract to be over. Like I said, I regretted it BIG TIME. 


How I downgraded FROM Telpad Plan (Php 1,699)  to DSL Unli Plan (Php 1,299) :

1. I went to the PLDT office near me: 

PLDT
M. L. Quezon Highway, Bgy. Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City
Telephone number: Don't bother. The phone number you'll find on the net isn't the correct number. 


Note: You have to go to their office in person. You can't downgrade via phone or via their costumer service. 

Tip: Go a week before your contract end. If you go a month before your contract ends, pababalikin ka, promise. If you go a week after your contract ended, they'll charge you for the next month na. So timing is the key here, my friends. To know when is the end of your contract, kindly call the costumer service for that. Dial 171 using your PLDT landline. 

2. Fill up the Service Request Form 

3. There's Php 500 fee for downgrading, but you will be charged on your bill for next month. 

4. Receiving my bill after downgrade: Paid: Php 1,500+

5. Two months after the cancellation of my Telpad plan, here's my monthly regular bill: 

It's weird because the Telpad Plan has 2MBPs only and the cost is Php 1,699 but when I downgraded, my speedtest result shot up to 19 MBPS. Mas cheaper but mas stronger ang speed. Nope, wala pang fiber sa area namin. 

Well, PLDT has to get their services straight coz my third player na. 


Here's the result of my speedtest: 

Real Property Tax 2019: 100% increase

I always pay my real property tax in January to be able to get discounts. I owned this property for almost 11 years and I used to only pay less than Php 1,000. For the last three years, I paid Php 939,  but this year I paid Php 1,840.49.  That's a hundred percent increase! I don't how to feel about it. Should I be happy because my property value has increased or is this the effect of TRAIN law?


For my last year's real property tax and to know how and when to pay to avail discount for real estate properties in Mactan,Cebu, click here. 

Am I a Bad Person for Not Wanting to Contact My Family?

I’m always open to my struggles, just so my readers know that life ain’t perfect for me here in the Philippines.

Is it me or am I just not your typical Filipino? (Living alone with two dogs, not wanting to settle down and don't want to have contact with my family. SO NOT FILIPINO, right? ) 

Here are my reasons for not wanting to get in touch with my family, both immediate and extended. ( Take note "not wanting" is used here, though I still "reluctantly" meet with them.) : 

• I want to hang out with my cousins and aunts, but they expect me to pay for everything.

On several occasions, I invited my aunts just to hang out and treat them to a special restaurant, nag dala pa naman ng ibang tao. Ugh, I wanted to have intimate conversation sana. May time for big family gathering and may time din for intimate, one-on-one conversations. 

Note:I don't have the balls to say "KKB tayo". I should, right? Though I always treat my aunts, but I don't want to treat my cousins. May trabaho naman sila eh. 

• I want to call my Lola, but she always guilt-tripping me to forgive my evil brother or to get married. La, the wound is still fresh. Someday, I will be able to forgive but not now.

• I want to call my mother often, but all she do is complain and ask for more money.

• I want to hang out with my younger brother even more, but I can sense that he would rather do something than hang out with his ate whom she never even grow up with. 

Though I have good relationship with my second eldest brother. He lives in Taiwan now but we constantly contact each other via Viber. He even sent me an Adidas Superstar for my birthday! I felt super kilig! So that’s how it feels like when a family member gives you something from abroad! Hahah!

I know, family is important but I think I have the most dysfunctional family in the Philippines. Dogs won't betray us, but people do.

Netflix and Chill with my baby

At Mactan Newtown