Postcards of a bum

Sample

2011-01-20T22:19:00.003+08:00

Japan has hit a "critical point" where it risks losing investor confidence if politicians fail to reach agreement on how to rein in the ballooning national debt, a cabinet minister has warned.

"We face a dreadful dream that one day the long-term interest rate might rise," Kaoru Yosano, the new minister for economic and fiscal policy, told the Financial Times.

"So we have to be very careful [to] ensure the credibility of our economy and the credibility of our government."

His stark comments highlight government determination to introduce a sweeping reform of the tax system that would include a hike in the 5 per cent consumption tax.

Naoto Kan, prime minister, drafted Mr Yosano, a veteran opposition politician, into the cabinet last week to help build cross-party agreement on fiscal reform. Worries about Japan's fiscal future have been fuelled over the past year by the sovereign debt crises suffered by eurozone countries, with Mr Kan warning last June that Japan could end up like Greece unless it tackled its rising debt.

Japan has no difficulties financing its deficit and there is no sign that it could face a sovereign debt crisis in the near future. The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond trades at a yield of less than 1.25 per cent. But Mr Yosano warned it be would wrong to assume such a benign environment would continue indefinitely.

"Our fiscal status is at a critical point . . . the circumstances surrounding Japan may change overnight," he said.

The deep recession into which Japan plunged in 2008 has dramatically worsened its already chronic government deficits, with new bond issuance set to outstrip tax revenues for the third year in a row in fiscal 2012.

The surprise appointment of Mr Yosano, a fiscal conservative who previously served as economic policy minister under the former ruling Liberal Democratic party, has underscored the determination of Mr Kan to address the yawning state deficit. Japan's gross national state debt will soon rise above 200 per cent of gross domestic product.

Mr Yosano said he aimed to draw up a plan for funding fast-rising social security costs that could be the basis for cross-party discussion by June.

Many politicians, both in the ruling Democratic party and opposition groups, share Mr Yosano's conviction that a substantial increase in the consumption tax will be an essential part of returning to fiscal sustainability. However, opposition groups have shown little interest in joining cross-party discussions, preferring instead to put pressure on Mr Kan to call an early general election.

Mr Yosano suggested future consumption tax rises could be introduced over a period of years.

Enchanted Kingdom

2009-04-14T06:58:00.007+08:00

Enchanted Kingdom is a theme park located in Santa Rosa City, Laguna Province. It is 26 kilometers from Manila and covers 17 hectares of land. The theme park is divided into seven park zones namely: Spaceport, Portabello, Brooklyn Place, Victoria Park, Boulderville, Midway Boardwalk and Jungle Outpost. There are a total of 19 attractions you can choose from although some are not for the faint-hearted and below 42″ in height. For thrill-seekers like me, you will enjoy riding the Space Shuttle, Anchors Away and Jungle Log Jam. Be prepared to get really wet when you ride the Rio Grande Rapids. A separate fee will be required for the following attractions: Xtreme Paintball, 4D Discovery Theatre, Kart Trak, JR Kart Trak and Exodus: the ATV ride. Aside from these, there is also an arcade section called Steeplechase Arcade for those who simply enjoy playing video games, billiards or shooting.

And if you are already tired and hungry, you may eat some slices of pizza while watching some bands perform at the Bandstand during weekends. There is also fireworks display every weekends and on holidays. Enchanted Kingdom may pale in comparison to Disneyland but it still gives you the same thrill. The Enchanted Kingdom is billed as Manila’s answer to Disneyland, unfortunately it is not in the same league. Even when you compare it to Thorpe Park, Chessington and Alton Towers in the UK, it comes across as a poor relation. All this said and done, the Enchanted Kingdom proved to be a good day out for all the family. If you are looking for lots of thrills and exciting heart pounding rides, there is only Space Shuttle and Loggers Leap to satisfy you. In terms of marketing, EK has a lot to learn. Although there were plenty of stores selling gifts, the choice was very limited and the stock levels are low. The best-marketed ride was the Rio Grande, and the best gift shop was by the entertainment area.

A day at EK is not complete without watching the fireworks!

Park zones

Spaceport - Relive the glory days of the American space exploration program of the 1960s.
Portabello - A replica of Portabello, a place in Panama in the Caribbean Sea where the riches of the Incas were shipped by the Spaniards.
Brooklyn Place - Take a sentimental journey down the streets of Brooklyn, one of New York's five boroughs, as it was in the 1940s.
Victoria Park - Inspired by the era of Queen Victoria's rule
Boulderville - Discover an era ruled by dinosaurs as you enter Boulderville, a prehistoric cartoon zone designed to capture every child's imagination.
Midway Boardwalk - Coney Island, known as "America's Playground" in the 1930s, comes to life at the Midway Boardwalk.
Jungle Outpost - The heart of the Amazon is the setting of the Jungle Outpost.

Rates

Regular Day Pass -
Php 400.00 Weekdays
Php 500.00 Weekends

(source: Enchanted Kingdom Website)

Their TVC Ads

just to share some pictures of us in EK..

Sanctuario Tagaytay

2009-04-14T06:47:00.005+08:00

Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road
Brgy. San Jose, Tagaytay City (Near tagaytay circle)
Telephone Number: +63-46-4130637
Mobile Number: +63917-5404799

Sure I’ve been to Tagaytay many times. Coz I live just (I think) 10 kilometers away from this famous old tourist spot. But, its been this years before we discovered a great resto in the heart of Tagaytay. And if your looking for something new, Santuario Tagaytay is the place for you..

Great Food — check!

Great Ambiance — check!

Great Service — check!

Great View of the famous Taal Volcano — Check check!

The Santuario - Tagaytay. What amazing about this little but cute resto is the whole setting of their interiors.

Aside from one of the manager is our fraternity brother. I think, I would say this Restaurant deserves to be one of the best resto along with standard food destinations like Leslie’s along the ridge, Bag O’ Beans, Josephine’s, Teresa’s and, of course, Sonya’s Garde and the famous Mushroomburger.

Here are some of the description of the Resto:

The restaurant’s faáçade can be deceptive. Sanctuario is actually two floors’ worth of cafe and restaurant, able to accommodate as many as 50 people. Small tables and comfortable nooks make for intimate dining spaces. The walls are made out of wood, and a small bonsai garden greets visitors as they enter from the road. Jars and jars of Ms. Reyes’s bottled tuyo [dried fish] and bangus [milkfish] in olive oil are on display on shelves in the entrance foyer, as is the cafe’s bar where drinks are mixed and orders taken.

To the right of the bar is a staircase that leads to the basement, a much more exciting dining space than the one above. Here, accent pillows and tapestries from the owners’ own collections give the cafe that special homey touch. Wooden display cases, Jerry Araos-inspired benches and an odd assortment of paintings adorn the yellow and orange walls. The faint smell of incense complements the visual treat from viewing the various travel souvenirs of Messrs. Reyes and Martinez, all displayed in the most unexpected corners of the basement. As this is also a gallery, the art pieces on display, some of which are personal selections of Messrs. Reyes and Martinez, are also available for sale.

(source: https://www.yehey.com/lifestyle/culture.aspx?artid=3972)

Pamilacan, Palawan

2009-04-14T06:28:00.003+08:00

Pamalican is a small island of the Cuyo island group in the Sulu Sea, between Palawan and Panay, in the north part of the Palawan province of the Philippines. The island is set in the middle of a 7 square-kilometer coral reef. It has a length of 2.5 kilometers, and measures only 500 meters at its widest point.

The island was originally exploited as a struggling family-owned plantation. It was then purchased by Andres Soriano Jr., a successful businessman. His children then decided to build a resort on the island and leased the management responsibility to establish an exclusive resort. The island is private property and belongs in totality to 7 Seas Resort (owned by the Sorianos). It is part of the high-end resort group, Amanresorts, under the name Amanpulo.

The island is serviced by a Dornier 228-202K plane flying from Manila, which is used to ferry customers and to bring supplies to the resort. Each bungalow (called casitas) comes with a personal buggy for free circulation throughout the island. The atmosphere around the island is extremely tranquil and secluded.

Diving activities are available, allowing for nice coral viewing and encounters with large turtles and rays. Several windsurf boards and sails are provided at the "Windsurf hut" on the north shore. The shallow protected lagoon there allows for easy windsurfing on a flat surface, and is especially favourable during the northern monsoon season (November to May), when the wind blows onshore.

About 40% of the employees are from the neighbouring island of Manamoc.

The resort has been nominated as one of the best island resorts in the world.

Amanpulo Resort's
RATES

Until 31 May, 2009	1 June - 31 Oct, 2009	1 Nov - 31 Dec, 2009
Treetop Casita	US$ 880	US$ 750	US$ 950
Hillside Casita	US$ 980	US$ 800	US$ 1,100
Beach Casita	US$ 1,030	US$ 825	US$ 1,150
Deluxe Hillside Casita (39/40)	US$ 1,130	US$ 925	US$ 1,200
4 Bedroom Villa	US$ 4,000	US$ 3,500	US$ 4,300
2 Bedroom Villa	US$ 3,000	US$ 2,450	US$ 3,150
1 Bedroom Villa	US$ 2,000	US$ 1,400	US$ 2,100

A Trip In Laguna

2009-04-12T15:17:00.000+08:00

Philippines have beautiful beaches, as well as Rivers and Waterfalls. I have the chance to visit one great place in Magdalena. Magdalena is a fifth class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. It is situated at the foot of Mount Banahaw. The River is clean and the place is laid back so don't expect hotels in this area. There is no accommodation in this area. You may find one in the town of Pagsanjan. Transportation is not a problem, you can hire a tricyle to send you at the river area.

How To Get There:

From Manila, ride the bus going to Santa Cruz, Laguna. It is located 87 kilometers south of Manila and will take you about 3-4 hours before you reach the capital of Laguna. From Sta. Cruz, ride a jeepney going to Magdalena or Majayjay. Just remind the driver to drop you at the Sabang Eco-Tourism River. Then ride or hire a tricyle to take you to Sabang river. Its cost 30 pesos per head or 120 per tricyle. Cottages are available at the river area for a cheap cost of 150 pesos.

The churches of Ilocos

2009-04-05T21:56:00.001+08:00

One common denominator that bonds the Ilocos region is its churches - whether it be the opulent centuries-old Catholic churches or the newer and simpler churches founded by the Ilocano renegade Bishop Gregorio Aglipay in the late 1890’s. The churches of Santa Maria and Paoay are two of four Philippine Baroque churches inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Construction of the church started in 1704 and was completed in 1894 by the Augustinian friars led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo.

It is probably the best-known “earthquake Baroque” church in the Philippines. Large coral stones were used for the lower level while bricks were used for the upper levels of the church. The walls are 1.67 meters thick and are supported by 24 carved and massive buttresses.

The Church is a unique combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental designs.
The bell tower near the church, dating from 1793, served as an observation point of the “Katipuneros” during the Philippine Revolution in 1896 and again by the guerrillas during the Japanese occupation.

Info from: My Sarisari Store

Airline Promos

2009-04-05T10:15:00.000+08:00

ZESTAIR

experience their new acquired MA60 plane!

———————————————————————————————-

CEBU PACIFIC

Get 200 pesos off when you travel LITE (withoutCheck in Baggage)

Airline companies are giving BIG BIG discount on ‘ALL-IN FARES’ promo! You could fly to Busuanga for as low as P288 'all i'n thru Cebu Pacific or at a price of 488 for Boracay flights thru Zestair. Booking dates are April 1 -15, 2009, and the travel period is from June 1 - December 31, 2009. Hurry and avail this promo! Now I’m thinking about Busuanga!

HALIKA BYAHE TAYO!!!!

Nasugbu, Batangas

2009-04-05T10:12:00.001+08:00

Sand, sun and sea–we all want this for a hot hot summer day. So we planned for a summer getaway that can satisfy us.

it is perfect in Nasugbu, and I think beaches here is better than Puerto Galera (well in some part of Nasugbu). We stayed in Munting Buhangin Beach Camp. I would recommend this resort if your searching for calm, relax and quite beach..Aside from the clear, unspoiled beach and warm camp, Munting Buhangin Beach Camp’s 24-hectare property features a more active, challenging and fun-filled nature-based learning experience.

The nature trail gives access to the world of plants, flowers and other forms of wildlife. Further exploration of the forest familiarizes one with the generic names of the existing floras and faunas and interesting treks will lead to new discoveries that only nature can offer. It was a long trip that takes almost 4 hours for us to get there. Our plan is to have a Day trip in Nasugbu but because the travel time took us 3 hours we decided to stay over night.

When we arrived at the beach, there were but few people and I was happy because I immediately appreciated the serenity of the place. This is a perfect place to relax and enjoy. We were all excited to start the water fun after resting. After some few minutes of resting we all changed to our swimsuits and ran to the beach. The water was really crystal clear and was so good to the body. At first step you’d felt the water was cool but as we stayed longer the water turned a bit warmer and soothing. There were only very few people in the beach so this explained why the water was so clear. We really enjoyed swimming and taking turns of taking photos while the rest started arranging our foods. So after having prepared the food, everyone sat around the dining table . It all enjoyed the privacy offered by the place.

HOW TO GET THERE:

If your travelling by car it is much easier to find this place, but we decided to commute and the resort is not accessible by public transportation, so we hire a tricycle to bring us there. Here are the expenses.

From Tagaytay City to Nasugbu: Jeepney- 60 pesos/ Bus- 78 pesos

Fom Nasugbu to the Resort (Munting Buhangin) - Tricyle - 200 pesos (its a good deal because the resort is located in a remote place in Nasugbu. It will take 30 minutes to get there. If your not sure whre to get a tricyle you may contact Trike driver :Boyang” -09162652879, you may hire his trike and he gives you tips to find a good resort. You may also arrange to fetch you from the resort)

Munting Buhangin Resort Rates

Entance fee: 170-daytrip/ 190-overnight

Cottages Duplex Airecon Cottages & Family Inn Aircon - 6,800 pesos

Tree House - 2,900 pesos

Nipa Hut - 1,650 pesos

Picnic Hut - 1,100 pesos

Amenities:
Table Tennis
Billiard Tables
Kayak
Darts
Volleyball
Videoke
Basketball
Soccer
BAdminton

My Reviews: (5-best/1-worst)

Accomodations: 4

Facilities: 3

Location: 3

Accessibility: 2 (only private or rented vehicle can enter the resorts compound)

Rates/price: 4

Bring your own food because the resort offers a food at a expensive price.

I think the resort needs to change its name because its not very catchy.. =)

Tiendesitas

2009-04-04T05:00:00.001+08:00

Tiendesitas in Spanish means, “a collection of little stores”. Tiendesitas is an “everything you need” shopping center in Pasig city, Manila and Steff (a friend) and I were there last week after we’ve been to Libis. It’s only then that I got the chance to shop there, though I have been hearing a lot about it from shopaholics when it comes to shopping madness. From Eastwood city, it’s only a one jeep ride to take you to Tiendesitas. From everything you wanted, like fashion wear, accessories, antiques, art crafts, locally made products, everything! Even pets, yes, you’ve read it right! PETS.

According to its website, Tiendesitas is located on a 30,000 sq.m area inside Frontera Verde. I was fascinated by this collection of little stores especially to the antiques and handicrafts section. It showcases and promotes Philippine tourism because of these magnificent works crafted and made by Filipinos. The complex itself is a novel interpretation of the traditional “Bahay Kubo”.

As a big fan of arts and great architecture, I was wowed by the place because of its unique and neat concept where the stores have their uniform construction which made the whole shopping center organized and hassle-free. You can also rent for a “Kalesa” ride which will tour you around the place.

Tiendesitas Band Stage

During the night, shoppers get to enjoy being serenaded by different bands and singers at the event section which makes shopping more enjoyable.

Sections of Tiendesitas are as follows:

Handicrafts Village

Fashion Village

Personal Care and Novelties Village

Pets Village

Garden Village

Antiques Village

Furniture Village

Food Village

Delicacies

Exhibits

I am looking forward to shopping again at Tiendesitas. I strongly recommend it because you will find your place here, no matter how old or young you are. Truly a showcase of Pinoys’ best!

(Article source: the COCONUTER community, thanks to enjayneer)

SM Mall of Asia

2009-04-04T04:59:00.000+08:00

After the SM Mall of Asia in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City opened its doors last year, it redefined the shopping habits of Filipinos everywhere. Dubbed as the largest mall this side of the globe, it became a must-go-to destination for Filipinos everywhere.

You will be astounded by the sheer size of the mall. One day is not enough to experience all the things SM Mall of Asia has to offer. The IMAX theater that this mall houses is one of the main attractions because it is the first of its kind in the Philippines. The movies that the IMAX provided are usually in the 2D and 3D format letting you experience something akin to virtual reality. Just imagine what a fright it would be if you watch horror movies like “The Eye” inside this theater. Nightmares are almost inevitable.

Another attraction inside the mall is the Olympic sized skating rink. You can watch both amateur and professional skaters practicing their sport and you can also try skating for yourself.

But aside from the entertainment the Mall of Asia provides, the real reason that this mall is special is its location. It overlooks the romantic and historical Manila Bay. And the scenic view that will greet you especially in the late afternoon is worth the whole trip to the SM Mall of Asia.

(Article source: Hotels by the City)

Philippines Best Destination

2009-04-04T04:54:00.001+08:00

Luzon

Central Luzon

Manila

Central Mountains, Luzon

Baguio

Sagada & Bontoc

Northern Luzon

Batanes

Northwest Luzon

San Fernando, La Union

Vigan

Zambales

Pagudpud

Southern Luzon

Mindoro

Bicol

Camarines Norte And Camarines sur

Albay

Sorsogon

Batangas

Romblon

Palawan

The Visayas

Central Visayas

Cebu

Negros

Bohol

Eastern Visayas

Panay

Mindanao

It's Summer time!

2009-04-04T02:49:00.000+08:00

Summertime is my second favorite season (next to winter season) of the year! Its the season where we show off our body and have lot of fun in beach. What I hate about summer is being sweaty and of course the weather. Is really hot and the temperature is rising. But still I'm lucky to a tropical country paradise where lots of beaches as just within reach. In this blog I'll show you how to have your dream vacation without thinking of spending too much. I believe that if you want to have a real 'vacation' you should not follow the common tourist trail. Make your own way of getting to your dream paradise. Like Richard said in the movie "The Beach"--

"We all travel hundred of miles just to watch TV and check in to somewhere with all the comforts of home, and you gotta ask yourself, what is the point of that?"

Right? what the point of that, you travel hundreds of miles and then what? You feel like your still at home.. hmmm.. When traveling you should always find something new, something you haven't tried before, something that has never done before.... Me? I haven't been to anywhere, but If given a chance, I think I'd rather stay in a old wooden house for vacation rather than some fancy hotels. It's not that I can't afford, its just the experience. All hotels offers the same old brand new services anywhere you go. And it sucks! You pay the price yet your not contented.

"For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it. " -Richard (The Beach)