January, 2009

getting married and then some

January 31, 2009 * Comments(0)
i did not know what i am getting my personal records into the moment i signed our marriage certificate!  waaaah, i did not know that i was actually signing up for a massive headache due to the simple change in my status and surname.

change office records to reflect said changes — single to married; berbano to berbano-ablan.

1. now, i have a new office ID

2. and my payslip states a longer name.

3. to follow daw ang PhilHealth.

4. however, dapat ako personally mag-process ng Pag-Ibig Fund records ko (hmmm, what gives?).  I have yet to do this.

5. the blasted GSIS, ayaw ng photocopy of our personal original copy of the marriage certificate.  dapat NSO paper daw.

some friends advised me na dapat i am sure the NSO has our marriage certificate from Sarrat Civil Registrar before I order online; or else, i’d be spending for useless “certificate of no record” lang.

and so, i  emailed NSO to inquire about the status of our marriage certificate.  It’s been a week, and they haven’t gone back with me yet. I checked the website of NSO regarding my concerns and here is what i discovered:

https://www.ecensus.com.ph/Secure/frmFAQs.asp

UNCONVERTED documents are civil registry records, i.e., birth, marriage and death certificates, for the current year, that have not been converted into digital format and are not yet lodged in the Civil Registry System (CRS) database. Processing of requests for these civil registry documents undergo manual search and retrieval.
Also, although City/Municipal Civil Registry Offices (CMCROs) submit copies of civil registry records, i.e., birth, marriage and death certificates, to the Provincial Office of the National Statistics Office (NSO) based on an agreed schedule and guidelines, these records are still verified and assigned indices before they are forwarded to the Central Office archives.
For civil registry records registered in Metro Manila for the current year, kindly allow two to four months after the month of the event (birth, marriage or death) before submitting your request for a copy.
For civil registry records registered within the current year, in areas outside Metro Manila, please allow six months after the month of the event before applying for a copy. Birth, marriage and death certificates are first submitted by the C/MCROs to NSO Provincial Statistics Offices before they are forwarded to the Central Office archives in Manila.
If you need to get a copy of your son’s birth certificate, you may opt for “Advance Endorsement.” The “Advance Endorsement” procedure is done within the month after the birth record has been registered at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) of the city/municipality where the child was born. You will request the LCRO to advance (”endorse”) a copy of the birth certificate to the National Statistics Office (NSO). This means the document will be sent ahead of the regular schedule of submission of civil registry documents by the LCRO to the NSO.
You may have it forwarded to the NSO via special courier delivery; this will be to your account. The document delivery should be addressed to:
MS. LOURDES J. HUFANA
NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE
3/F VIBAL BUILDING, EDSA COR. TIMES ST.
QUEZON CITY
Thereafter, you may apply for a copy, or copies, via the e-Census website (www.e-Census.com.ph). Kindly provide the following information either via e-mail at e-census.info@mail.census.gov.ph, or via phone at 702-2975:
(1) Consignee Name
(2) Courier Name
(3) Tracking No. (provided by the courier)
(4) Date document was sent to the NSO
The “Advance Endorsement” procedure is applicable for birth, marriage and death certificates registered within the Philippines.

Since Sarrat, Ilocos Norte is definitely outside Metro Manila, I have to wait six months pa to get that coveted NSO paper and facilitate my GSIS update of records and change of beneficiary!

6. then, according to Jax, kailangan din update ng NBI records (yung pang-clearance where usually pangit ang ang photos natin?).  Unfortunately, hindi pwede yung mga sa mall satellite offices; dapat sa main — dun sa napakadaming tao na Carriedo office!  I have yet to do this.

7. then go to DFA for Philippine Passport din!  Altho, sabi ni Jax, despite kailangan ng personal appearance dun, mabilis lang ang proseso.  I have yet to do this too.

8.  Hmm, pati LTO Driver’s License pa kaya?  I was wondering if have to change my name there. Kaso, when filling up a renewal form, ano lalagay ko sa status if i’d just retain so as Berbano? Hmm.

10.  Then ang Philippine Bar.  Should I file na a petition to sign sa Roll of Attorneys and update my name and signature?  Consequently, IBP records din.  Still hesitant, pero, nakaka-O.C. to make everything uniform naman.  Also, while nasa SC pa ako, very convenient
to facilitate this update na nga rin. Hmmm.

11. At least yung new office-issued health card ko updated na (as nag-expire yung issued under my unmarried name). Buti nga para compatible na with my employment records para if i get hospitalized, tama na dapat lahat.

12. Ah basta realty, bank records, and other personal properties’ proof of ownership remain.  Besides, those are all pre-marriage and remain my by virtue of our CPG.  Kailangan nga lang meron akong ID to serve as proof ako si RCHB.

Haynakoh, ang hassle talaga!

13. Incidentally, while listing all these records I need to update, I thought of my BIR tax records.  Then, I stumbled upon a site stating that the TIN number obtained for application of Driver’s License (by virtue of E.O. 98), hindi raw automatically used for employment purposes!  What the?!  I thought isa lang dapat ang TIN number ever?  And so, I called the BIR hotline.  Ganun nga raw.  I need to go to my BIR RDO which issued my TIN number and tell them to change the ’status’ of that TIN number from E.O. 98 to employment purpose; but, remain pa rin said TIN number naman, I should not be getting a new one.  I said, hindi ba automatic yun kasi nag-re-remit naman ang office dun ng tax ko di ba, so obviously, said TIN is being used for employment.  Hindi raw automatic.  Eh, how sure am I na na-cre-credit nga ang tax deductions ko under said TIN number?  Specifically, hindi raw immediately matched ang records.  Kasi raw, ang office, in bulk ma-remit.  Thus, hindi credit-specific.  Ang hassle and incredible system naman!  And so, ano repercussion if I did not update my record.  Kung ma-abolish daw ang E.O. 98, mabubura daw ang TIN number ko.  Huuuuwaaaaat?!  And all the “record” of the sums I’ve been giving the Philippine Government? Parang ganun na nga raw.  What the heck?!

Anyone who knows better, is this exchange for real?!  Grabe talaga ang system dito sa Pilipinas!  To think, I am working for government din ah.  Wala na ngang inter-agency automatic record update; very unreliable pa talaga ang buong system per se!

KARB videos in Japan

January 31, 2009 * Comments(0)

http://berby096.multiply.com/video/item/51/Shinkansen_platform

http://berby096.multiply.com/video/item/52/Inside_the_Shinkansen

http://berby096.multiply.com/video/item/50/KARB_Crossing_Shibuya

TRAVEL PERMIT FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

January 31, 2009 * Comments(0)

When I started working in this institution, I asked if we have some sort of like a handbook.Wala raw –guided by the Civil Service Memos, SC Reso/Memo lang.

Been chided with dress code violations, been clueless with the judiciary money matters for quite a time, wasted three special leaves for not knowing they existed, and been stressed with attendance for the longest time ‘coz I did not know of the grace periods and accumulation of leave credits.After a year, I was able to attend a Seminar for New Employees. Ay, grabe, super take down talaga ako ng notes ‘coz despite being in the service for quite a time, ang dami-dami ko pa rin palang hindi alam na mga SOPs!

One thing I was majorly ignoramus about was being required of Travel Permits for International Travels.Let us just say I learned about so the hard way…and thank goodness for Uncle Ising for helping us.

Since I am very transparent, I cannot convincingly lie when an immigration officer qualifies my occupation — lawyer?Are you a government lawyer?

If answered in the affirmative, I’d better be carrying a travel permit. It does not matter if my international travel is out of my own expense, done during holidays/long weekend (and not be absent from work), and for just a short period of time.Declare to be working for the government, present a travel permit when traveling abroad…period.

Some reflections on the matter:

  1. I think kasalanan ito ng mga gahamang kawani/opisyales ng gobyerno eh — yung mga nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan at tinatakbo ang pera sa ibang bansa.
  2. Unfair sa mga honest government workers — imagine, hindi pwedeng “instant” mag-decide to just fly for a quick R&R outside the country!
  3. With the usual government bureaucracy, kailangan ng patience kasi ang daming approving signatures pa ang kailangan for a travel na wala namang kinalaman sa trabaho!
  4. Intriga may result with a travel — kasi since kailangan ng permit, na-bro-broadcast na aalis ka ng bansa.Ergo, napag-uusapang “rich” ka despite of really just availing promo air rates, cheap hotels, and planning on scrimping on food lang naman (our typical travel mode as what is important for us are photos and the fact of seeing the tourist spots we intend to visit).Oh, add pa that may expectation of giving pasalubong tuloy na pwedeng mabuo.
  5. Since may permit and furnished ang admin, sa leaves, dapat i-reflect na “vacation” leave; hindi tuloy ma-utilize ang “sick leave” credits.Eh sa amin, as much as possible, we use up sick leave credits first as our lates (tardiness) are automatically credited from vacation leaves.It can happen (as it did happen with one of my officemates) na may sick leaves pa, pero since forced declared vacation due to travel permit, tapos kulang ang vacation/special leaves to cover the period na out of the country, ayun, ma-pe-penalize for absence without leave!Tama ba naman yun?!Eh ang laki ng repercussion ng absence without leave eh — may mga monetary benefits na maapektuhan.Crazy.

UNIONBANK CREDIT CARD HORROR

January 31, 2009 * Comments(0)

I was issued a pre-approved Unionbank Credit Card when I became a member of the Ateneo Alumni Association (AAA).I haven’t used it at all that I was surprised to receive a bill charging me of P1200 annual membership.

I emailed the customer service of Unionbank (customer.service@unionbankph.com) to inquire about the matter and to cancel said credit card na nga lang as useless din naman yun for me.

I received an automatic reply stating the following: We will reply to your query within 48 hours.Correspondences receivedafter office hours, weekends, as well as Public Holidays will be responded to on the next banking day.

Several days passed, still no communication.

Tried their 84-186 24-hour Customer Service, OMG, sobrang walang sumasagot!Long after memorizing “all our customer service officers are engaged at the moment; please hold, and your call will be attended to as soon as an officer becomes available. thank you.” may naka-usap na rin ako. She told me, annual membership fee for the next year yung bill ko; wag ko raw i-terminate ang card, and they will just waive said fee.

Fine.

Next billing period.May charge pa rin, plus late payment and interest charges pa.

Email uli; still got the computer generated reply, but they never got back with me.

Endured all calling their customer service number, and when finally may sumagot – pina-terminate ko na talaga the card.I made sure that all charges should also be reversed and that my credit history will not be affected as I don’t want to tarnish my good credit due to this lousy Unionbank service/billing inefficiency.Yes to all demands.

Now comes a new bill charging me P2,222.37 — no particulars what said amount represents.

Anohbah?!Liars lahat ng mga customer service officers talaga nila!

And still, their number is just impossible to get through.

Kakapikon talaga.

So, warning, never ever subscribe to this credit card company/bank.You may die of frustration should something goes amiss with your statements of account.

Sigh, why did AAA ever merged a partnership with this credit card company/bank?And why did it ever share my personal details to them?Double sigh, kasi pati GSIS eCard Plus namin naka-tie-up with Unionbank!

What gives?Ang kapal din naman kumuha ng clients ang Unionbank yet it cannot even deliver an ounce of proper customer service!

P.S.

Aside from AAA, ano pa ba nag-she-share ng personal info?This week, I was barraged with a number of phone calls offering me pre-approved credit cards, demonstration of different products/appliances, and accident insurance. The latter, I know scam talaga.I tried to claim before, only to be ‘forced’ to listen to an insurance sales rep about other type of insurances and be given an accident insurance from a different & unknown company lang naman.

And despite blatantly saying “I am not interested; I am busy; do not ever bother me again,” the next day I get the same calls/sms!

Haynakoh!

earthdate 012509: to B(eso) or not to B(eso), that is the question

January 26, 2009 * Comments(0)
Are we back at this?!

I am tired of being made to appear as a disrespectful person na talaga.

After some thought, I figured, very self-serving for me to say otherwise; and very not worth it to defend myself in this regard as I know how I really conduct myself naman eh.

But there are some things I want to express with this seemingly unending matter (to borrow shey’s expression “utang na loob” napakasimpleng bagay pinapalaki at ginagawang issue eh).

First, no matter how bad I feel with how disrespectful they were to me, by default and good manners, I never fail to greet them.  Oh, definitely they will refute this;  but, track record with my relatives, friends, and the families of my other friends will vouch na lang for me.

Haynaku, buti nga sana if they are “normal”  to greet eh — i.e. whenever I enter houses of my relatives/friends, people therein shout out their welcome as I say my greeting — like how it is ordinarily done, unless lahat ng kamag-anak at kaibigan ko ang kakaiba sa mundong ito.  Pero, sa kanila, parang ang greeting is a kowtowing ritual — greet out loud (be sure marinig ka) and do not expect a greeting in return.  Moreover,  as concession to KRA and since I know it is due them, I now add a kiss in greeting the heads whenever I can.  Now, funny of me to add the latter condition; but, realistically, the condition exists eh.  Kasi naman, when one knows he/she is a recipient of a beso, somehow, may angling to receive so.  Pero sa mundo nila, ang weird — it’s like i have to “catch” the cheek (sigh, sigh, because nga walang effort on their end, some of my giving-respect-beso have awkwardly landed elsewhere. ew, ew).

Pero fine, persevere na lang sa ganito.  Ganbante!!

Second, a beso is a personal prerogative.  Not being a touchy-feely person, I am not comfortable to just freely give out kisses.  Add the fact that said act is quite unhygienic (what if I have bad breath at that moment? how about carriers of viruses and consequent transfers? then the warts scare?).  And so, if hindi talaga kailangan (unlike sa standard we have set na nga for the heads due to our concession), I exercise my prerogative not to make beso.  I have been like this to everyone ever since, so why change to just please some people?

Anyway, I occassionaly practiced making beso during some socials.  The act is overrated and apparently not a crucial standard.  In fact, there were many instances na tuloy parang “too forward” ako to be dishing out besos, that I even created some embarrassing air-kissing situations and was just left to make jokes to kill the awkward moments.

In view of the foregoing experiences, I believe I can live without making besos and that dishing them out is really a personal prerogative. And so, to be forced to make beso, especially to people I am not really fond of (this un-fond-ness, well, it belongs to another dissection exercise), too much!

Bottomline: nakakapikon na and I am soooo tempted to really be the disrespectful person (or in one hearsay instance, the “bitch”) they pertain me to be — for them to see the difference and as a form of my retaliation.

the inner battle between the good Berby and the evil Berby begins…

Hana Yori Dango(s), supplemental

January 26, 2009 * Comments(0)

AAAAARG! I really should have re-watched just before we left for Japan! That site is Ebisu!!!!

according to my google research: Ebisu is located near Shibuya and Roppongi with Ebisu Station being one stop before Shibuya on the JR Yamanote Line. OMG, we went to Shibuya district and rode that JR Yamanote Line. We could have gone down to Ebisu!!!

Huhuhuhuhuhu!  My bad; big time!

Hana Yori Dango(s)

January 26, 2009 * Comments(0)

Huwaaat?!  Hana Yori Dango…Korean?!  See link for more info http://www.niko-niko.net/hana/drama.html

I’m fond of many Korean dramas; but my ultimate fave series is the Japanese Hana Yori Dango (super fave that it propelled my interest to actually study Nihongo a bit and visit Japan).

I hope the Korean version will make it really different like the Taiwanese Meteor Garden, so there won’t be a big comparison like Hana Kimi Japanese and Taiwanese versions.  Hahahaha, my loyalty makes me hope hindi ma-’tarnish’ ng Korean version ang Japanese version.

All these Hana Yori Dango talk inspired me to watch my DVD again.  Hehehe.  Knowing a lot more about Inoue Mao and Matsumoto Jun (plus Arashi) makes me appreciate the whole series all over again.  Funny, before, Jax and I found the hair of “the lead guy” weird.  Hahahaha, ‘dictated’ by Manga pala kasi.  Now, being a fan of Arashi, I find that “lead guy”  kawaii!!

In Japan, I was with fervent hope to find the site where Makino and Domyouji met on their first date…like how we stumbled upon the location sites of Goong when we were in Macau.  Umuwi akong biguan.  Maski  i-Google ko dun, I can’t locate said site’s district! Arg, bitin tuloy…thus, I truly hope to go back to Japan and see said site (and siempre the other great Japan tourist spots din, hehe).  Oh, it wouldn’t hurt to see the Arashi guys too.

P.S.  Again, arigatou Chiharu-chan for the Arashi poster.  Ditto, Alissa for the one you got for me.  Ang happy!

some photos for our supposed wedding avp that i did not have time to make anymore (par. 2)

January 25, 2009 * Comments(0)

keeping it real…no frills, no make-up, no

scripts, no dramah;

with just Rosanne and Triscia taking

photos with our digicams.

subject: going back where we met — AdMU.


some photos for our supposed wedding avp that i did not have time to make anymore (par. 1)

January 25, 2009 * Comments(0)

keeping it real…no frills, no make-up, no

scripts, no dramah;

with just Rosanne and Triscia taking

photos with our digicams.

subject - a typical KARB weekend!



new doggie!

January 25, 2009 * Comments(0)


walking my new ‘temporary’ dog.

*teeheehee*

second childhood na talaga itoh! hahaha.

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