You know you are Filipino if …..

After doing extensive research on this topic, I have compiled my own “You know you are Filipino if …” list. These are the things that are true to me because no matter where I might be I am still a proud PinayPie!

In no particular order…
You know you are Filipino if …
1. You hang a rosary on your car’s rear view mirror.
2. You respond to a “Hoy!” or a “Pssst!” in a crowd.
3. You have a relative who is a nurse.
4. Your pantry is never without Spam, Vienna sausage, corned beef, and sardines.
5. You think Christmas season begins in October and ends in January.
6. You play cards or mahjong and drink beer at funeral wakes.
7. You eat fried Spam and hot dogs with rice.
8. You’ve mastered the art of packing a suitcase to double capacity.
9. You collect items from airlines, hotels, and restaurants as “souvenirs.”
10. You think a meal is not a meal without rice.
11. Everything you eat is sauted in garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
12. You have uncles and aunts named “Boy,” “Girlie,” or “Baby.”
13. You have relatives whose nicknames consist of repeated syllables like “Jun-Jun,” “Ling-Ling,” and “Mon-Mon.”
14. You can squeeze 15 passengers into your five seater car without a second thought.
15. Your middle name is your mother’s maiden name.
16. You love ballroom dancing, bowling, pusoy, mah jong, billiards, and karaoke.
17. You bring balikbayan boxes in the airport.

Pinoys and our balikbayan boxes

18. You always make too much food at parties and send everyone home with a doggie bag.
19. You hate confrontations but love drama.
20. You are smiling, easygoing thoughtful and an overall nice person!

PinayPie’s Bihon Guisado

I had this sudden craving for Bihon Guisado so I googled left and right for recipes for “Rice Sticks with Veggies” (aka Bihon Guisado). Almost all of the recipes were simple to make but had too many ingredients. So I modified the ingredients and experimented a bit.

I did not use our traditional sotanghon/bihon because for the life of me I couldn’t find it here in East Village. So I made do with I think the Vietnamese version of Rice sticks.

So here goes my Bihon Guisado Experiment
1. Rice Sticks
2. Coleslaw pack from Dole
3. Cut Chicken Breasts
4. Chicken Boullion cubes
5. Onion, Garlic, Ginger
6. Salt, Pepper, Calamansi Powder (yes we don’t have the real calamansi here in New York)

So.. turn on your TV or listen to your radio and then
1. Preparation
a) Put the Rice Sticks in water so soften it.
b) Put a bit of salt, pepper, calamansi powder to your cut chicken.
2. In a pan, saute galic, onion and ginger. Add the cut chicken breasts. Add a dash of garlic and calamansi powder.
3. In a cup of hot water, dissolve your chicken cubes. Add the water to the pan.
4. Add your coleslaw (carrots and other veggies are optional).
5. Add your rice sticks.
6. Mix. If you want your dish to be dry you can let the water dry up. If you want your dish to have a little bit of sauce, you can add more water.

PinayPie’s Adobo

This is a simple adobo recipe I use for pork, chicken or octopus.

For this recipe, I will put pork. Pork is good especially if some of the pork skin and fat are still there.

1. Boil water.
2. Put in your 1/2 kilo meat in the boiling water until turns a bit opaque. Remove meat and set aside.
3. In a saucepan, put oil and heat a little.
4. Slice 2 pieces of ginger into small horizontal strips, around 1 inch in length.
5. Sautee ginger in oil.
6. Immediately put in the meat in the saucepan. Cook for a few minutes.
7. Add vinegar and dark soy sauce to taste. Preferably Datu Puti Vinegar and Siver Swan Soy Sauce.

Tada! Super basic. It’s the ginger that gives the distinct taste.

Tips on Getting a Canadian V1 Visitor Visa

I was given a B1 Visa to go into the US for some meetings. I want to visit my friend in Toronto after my meetings. I didn’t have time in Manila to apply for a Canadian Visa so I decided to apply for a Canadian Visa here in the US.

Here are some differences I noticed between applying for a Canadian Visa in Manila and in New York

In Manila:
1. They have more requirements if you apply for a Visa in the Philippines. For instance, they would want to know if you have taken any Caregiving course. They also require a letter of invitation of you are not on package tour. Plus the person inviting you must also submit proof of his/her Canadian citizenship or residency. They also require 6 months worth of bank statements in the Philippines.
2. You have to call the Call Center and schedule an appointment or have your documents sent to the Canadian embassy via courier.

In New York:
1. You can apply for a Canadian V1 Visa in New York or other Canadian Consulate in the US if you are in the US on a B1 or B2 Visa.
2. The people in the Canadian Embassy call center in the Philippines told me that if I apply in New York I would have one week waiting period before I get my Canadian Visa. Well in my case, not true. I went to the Canadian consulate in the city without an appointment. I applied for my visa there, had my interview and received my visa in one day with no waiting period.
3. They (the call center in Manila) also told me that I have to send my application docs via courier to the Canadian Consulate. Well, I didn’t have to. I just went to their Visa Office in Midtown East (51st and 5th) with my docs and they processed my application right there and then.

Tips:
1. They only accept applications for Canadian Visitor visa between 8AM to 10:30AM.
2. Don’t use the Canadian Supplemental Application form from the Philippines. Use the Forms they give you in the New York Office.
3. Have the application fee ready. I paid $130 for multiple entry visa. Oh Btw, they don’t accept $100 bills. Prepare $50s and $20s.
4. They will give you a checklist of docs you have to have in your application. From what I remember, they ask the following:
- Forms (Application and Supplemental)
- I-94, Current and Old Passports
- Proof of Income (Certificate of Employment) or if a student (Certificate of Enrollment)
- Invitation Letter
- Itinerary
- Proof of Funds (Bank statements)
You can ask for a checklist of the required docs in the Consulate.
5. I tried calling the Consulate to ask questions regarding my visa application. It was useless. They don’t entertain questions over the phone. They will just refer you to their website -> see this link.

Two Funny Flowcharts and a Graph

I like making flowcharts. Here is a flowchart that is simple, clear, concise, true and yeah.. funny!

How do you communicate with Britney Spears? Try this flowchart and sing along …

Okay.. so I don’t get tired to 300 jokes… sue me.

Images from graphjam.com

Blackberry vs Iphone

I had a BlackBerry 8830 World Edition. I had that phone for a year and I loved it. I love that it has the Facebook app and all the Instant Messenger applications and I loved the fact that I can receive emails instantaneously. It was easy adjusting to its QWERTY keyboard. It didn’t have a built-in camera but I liked my BlackBerry. It had that “busy executive” image.

Then the Iphone came. I always thought that the Iphone was overrated and just a product of good marketing. I still stuck with my BlackBerry. Until the time when I was forced to exchange my Sprint-locked Balckberry with my friend’s open line Iphone temporarily because my Blackberry.

For a couple of weeks I cursed my Iphone because for the life of me, I had a hard time texting and its predictive text had a hard time learning my Filipino words. I also hard a hard time with its controls. Then as days pass, my complaints about my Iphone lessened as I realized the convenience of its built-in Ipod. I have now realized the importance of listening to music while walking and commuting in NYC. The Iphone apps make the hours shorter as I wait in line or wait in an airport. And of course, the built-in camera is also a plus for me. The wifi capability of the Iphone saved my on my data charges, that’s for sure. The only thing on my wishlist for the Iphone though is BlackBerry’s push email technology. When my friend and I exchanged back our phone, I got my Blackberry back and she, her Iphone, I must admit, I kinda missed the convenience of the Iphone.

Thanks to Globe’s Iphone promo where you get an Iphone 3G 16GB at around $300 at 0% interest for 12 months, I got myself a white Iphone. Now I can say that although I still like BlackBerry, now I am an Iphone convert.

Year of the Rat almost over … Hello Year of the Ox

Advance Kung Hei Fat Choi !!!!!

The Year of the Rat (this year until January 25) has been a tough year for me.    2008, Chinese astrologers say is not a good year for us born under the Year of the Monkey. Here are their 2008 Predictions. 

 1. A mixed year for the Monkey in a Rat year, on first glance many will predict a bad year but if you look deep the year can be good for the Monkey and even exceptional if you are aware of potential problems as you can avoid them and this lets you move on.
–> In other words, they predict a bad year.  Yup, it was a bad year.
 
2. Be careful of people who you thought of as friends stabbing you in the back and also be aware that the clash of elements can also cause family disharmony.
–> I was so disappointed in two people who I thought were good friends.  I did not expect it.   Yeah, and there were family issues also.

3.  This is a good year to keep low and ensure your tactful nature is on full alert. 
–> I exercised extreme tact in some iffy situations this year.   I think it paid off.
 

4.  This is a good year to learn new skills or hobby and perfect for study and taking exams.
–>  I was supposed to take the Series 65 exam this year.  Because of the financial crisis, I decided to do otherwise.

The year of the OX is fast approaching.  I wish for love, peace, success and happiness this coming year for all of us.

The exact time of the Chinese New Year, when I will don a polka-dot outfit and jump up and down will be: U.S.A. – New York January 26, Mon 02:55

Outsourcing and the Financial Crisis

 A well-known international company here in Makati has required all their employees to take exams. If an employee fails that will give the firm reason to lay off that employee. Some clients of outsourcing companies have terminated or not renewed their contracts.

If companies are bankrupt or don’t have the budget , then for certain, even if the outsourced service is cheap, they will discontinue it.  If companies are cutting costs but still have the budget (and of course are not bankrupt), then they might have to consider outsourcing. 

Outsourcing is just one option of trimming the fat from the budget.  Laying-off is the cheapest and quicket way to cut costs.  Salary cuts are also a quick easy fix.  Having a one person do multiple tasks that had been done by several people before at even a lower salary  is another way to save money.  These  are propositions  accepted by US and European employees  due to the dearth of options.  For outsourcing to be a viable option, it  has to be significantly cheaper and has to produce, right away, with a fast and cost-effective transition. 

 The fraud perpetrated by Satyam, India’s 4th largest outsourcing company, when it inflated their earnings report,  will in near-term cause an operational and contractual mess that will affect other outsourcing companies but I believe, it will not affect the viability of the outsourcing business model.  The differences in foreign exchange rate and coutry cost of living coupled with the accelerating technology is an economic reality  companies cannot ignore.  Some good may come out of the  Satyam fiasco.  This incident  tells governments to exercise better controls and put more effort in the outsourcing industry. 

In this growing globalized landscape, with cost cutting foremost on the agenda because of the financial crisis, there are more, new, different opportunities for outsourcing companies. But in this increasingly competitive economy, outsourcing companies also have to be on the look -out for new markets and new services to offer.  Medical transcription, affliate marketing and knowledge-based outsourcing are just some new trends to emerge. Government support should be palpable.  Training for professionals in the industry should be intensive.  Information and communications technology should be continuously developed and improved.

There are a lot of “ifs”, “buts” and “to-dos” for the outsorucing industry especially in this financial crisis.  But I believe this is not something the industry cannot overcome.

Slumdog Millionaire … Yay!!!

I watched the Golden Globes a few days ago. And I am so happy that Slumdog Millionaire, a movie set in India, with a relatively unknown cast of foreign actors won!!!!

Danny Boyle, Freida Pinto, Dev Patel

Truth be told, I haven’t watched the movie. What made me happy that it won Best Picture is that it paved the way for other “foreign films” out of the “Foreign Films” category into mainstream Hollywood. Year by year, this world of ours is turning out to be flatter and a more even playing ground for talented people around the world. This win will draw filmmakers to explore beyond the confines of Hollywood. Now, the ingredients of a great award winning and mass appealing movie are not just an A-list cast, a great story and a million dollar budget. The ingredients of a great movie will rightfully be – a great story, creative storytelling and talented cast.

Pinoy “Corruption Stories”

I don’t even call them “Corruption Scandals” anymore. With  corruption being in the news everyday, I don’t feel as outraged as I did, say 5 years ago. 

These are some stories that, if true, would make you want to say to the perpetrators —  ”Please, cover your tracks a little bit better.”

Hot elections cause COMELEC building to burn?

Three days before the May 14, 2007 elections,  a Commission on Elections  building where important election records were stored was burned.   

Wasn’t it suspicious that the guard in charge at that time was conveniently out of the building?  There  was a fire station one block away from the burning building but firemen came only when the fire was out of control.

Talk about timing.
Divisoria shopping in Moscow

Retired PNP comptroller , Eliseo de la  Paz  was caught by the Moscow immigration with  Php6.9 million pesos (in euros) in a bag. The retired chief told the press that it was for travel expenses. Then later they said the money was for  travel contigency.   Then again they said the money was intended for buying intelligence equipment. 

Okay, okay so buying equiptment it is.  Well, buying intelligence eqiuptment in Moscow must be like shopping in Divisoria.  You bring a wad of cash, choose what you like, and buy right away. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Using Fertilizer money to harvest votes?

Jocjoc Bolante was appointed by our good president as  the Department of Agriculture Undersecretary .  As such official, he had the  authority to disburse funds to buy fertilizers.  He gave funds to more than 100 congressmen near election time  totaling to 728 million pesos.  He can do that, right?

But, umm, some questions. Question 1: Why give money to buy fertilizer to places such as Quezon City.  I haven’t seen any rice field along Cubao.  Question 2: Bolante gave the money to the congressmen during harvest season. Why buy fertilizers during harvest season?  Aren’t you supposed to use fertilizers during planting season?