Mga sikat na Festivals in Davao: Adto ta Didto! Celebrations that make OFWs miss home!

Davao is home to a lot of our hard-working kababayans. Aside from being hard-working, kilala ang mga Davaoeño at Davaoeña sa pagiging malinis, disiplinado, masayahin, at festive. From family gatherings, such as birthdays and weddings, to community gatherings like fiestas, celebrations in Davao are definitely something to look forward to. Kaya nga hindi natin masisisi ang ating mga kababayang OFW for missing their hometown while abroad. Sino ba ang hindi makaka-miss sa masarap na pagkain sa handaan, sa sayawan at kasiyahan, at syempre, ang pagiging malapit sa mga kapamilya at kaibigan?

Related: Balik-Pilipinas: What Makes You Miss Home?

Kung kailangang mamili para sa mga handaan sa Davao, GMall ang dapat puntahan!

Send GMall Supermarket GCs using BeamAndGo!

Uuwi ka man sa Davao bilang balikbayan o bibisita bilang turista, heto ang mga celebration na hindi mo dapat palampasin:

Araw ng Dabaw

Kung uuwi ka ngayong summer, isakto mo na sa week-long celebration ng Araw ng Dabaw! Sa linggong ito, the people of Davao celebrate their foundation as a city. From March 10 to 16, kaliwa’t kanan ang kantahan, sayawan, cultural performances at competitions. Magsusulputan ang mga vendor ng local food and delicacies na siguradong nakakatakam. Hindi mawawala dito ang paborito nating Durian at iba-ibang pagkaing gawa dito.

Sa huling araw, may masaya at makulay na paradang magiikot sa Davao City. Ito ang pinakamasaya at nakaka-enganyong bahagi ng celebration na ito.

Kadayawan Festival

 

Sino pa ba sa atin ang hindi pa nakakarinig sa Kadayawan Festival? It’s one of the most popular festivals in the region and in the Philippines. Nagdadagsaan ang mga turista sa Davao para makisama sa kasiyahang ito!

Every third week of August, Davao celebrates its abundance of culture, harvest, life, and oneness of the people. Nakakatuwang masilayan ang mga tradisyon ng mga lumad, mga tribong muslim na binibigyan ng pagkakataong ipamahagi ang kanilang kultura sa Kadayawan. Makikita ang mga ito sa Tribuhaning Pasundayag Cultural Show at Tribuhanong Dula games. Sikat din ang sayawan sa street dance parade o Indak-indak sa Kadalanan. Dancer groups from all over Mindanao come to showcase their culture through music and dance. Another highlight of the festival is the pageant, Hiyas ng Kadayawan. This is where the smart and beautiful young women of Davao compete to become the representative of Davao’s colorful culture and tradition.

Like Araw ng Dabaw, Kadayawan also ends with a parade. Pamulak Kadayawan is a parade of flowers and fruits by communities, organizations, and businesses. The flowers and fruits symbolizes the abundance of bounty in Davao.

The parties and festivities don’t just stay on the streets. Different establishments, like GMall, participate during these festivals by having sales and bazaars. Mas marami kang mabibili, kahit may budget ka, kapag may piyesta!

‘Wag mong kalimutang magpadala ng BeamAndGo Supermarket GCs para makapaghanda ang iyong pamilya ng inyong mga paborito!

Related: Balik-Pilipinas 2: Kain Tayo Dito!

Aside from these festivals, the different communities in Davao and its neighboring provinces celebrate their heritage during different fiestas. Pagpapakita ito ng pasasalamat para sa mga biyaya. This is why a lot of festivals celebrate bounty and agriculture: Palay Festival, Banana Festival, Durian Festival, etc. Marami din ang fiesta para sa mga santo at santa, o mga sinaunang diyos ng mga ninuno sa Davao. But one thing Davaoeños and Filipinos are most thankful for is being with loved ones to celebrate life. Wala talagang tatalo sa piyestang Pinoy dahil nandito ang lahat ng makakapagpasaya sa atin.

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7 Tips When Living as an OFW in Japan

When asked, “Kung mag-a-abroad ka, saan ang dream destination mo?” a lot of our answers would probably be Japan. It’s one of the countries where a unique harmony between tradition and modernity take place. The Japanese are also known for developing technology that would make our lives easier, similar to how BeamAndGo wants to make the lives of OFWs easier.

Send Supermarket GCs or care packages using BeamAndGo!

Para mapadali ang stay mo sa Japan, we’ll help you prepare by sharing some tips. Get ready to equip yourself with the basic do’s and don’ts when going to or living in Japan.

1. Follow the rules.

Like we said in one of our previous blog posts, 7 Tips when living as an OFW in Singapore, it’s important to follow the rules. Minsan kasi, hindi natin sinusunod ang mga simpleng batas when it’s inconvenient for us. Sa Japan, mahahalata mong organized ang pamumuhay: from the different shops, to the busy streets, to the train stations. Mahalagang sumunod sa mga rules and regulations, whether or not we are in other countries or our very own.

2. Be Respectful.

Malaking bagay ang pagiging respectful sa mga Japanese. The best way to show respect is being polite to everyone. Maraming simple ways to show this. When meeting or saying goodbye to other people, bow politely. When addressing people, add –san after their names. When showing gratitude, offer simple tokens of appreciation. When giving something, offer it with two hands.

Hindi lang sa tao ipinapakita ang respeto sa Japan. Ang dalawang major religion sa bansa ay Shintoism at Buddhism, at pareho silang nagpapahalaga sa environment, kaya dapat natin respetuhin ito by not harming natural resources in any way possible.

3. Get ready for the cold.

Isa sa big difference between the Philippines and Japan is the weather. Kung ikukumpara sa Pilipinas, napakalamig sa Japan, kaya kailangan mong mag-stock up ng mga damit na panglamig. Marami namang choices sa pag-shopping sa Japan, but things can be relatively expensive, so spend wisely!

4. Enjoy the food.

“I-ta-da-ki-masu!” ito ang sinasabi bago kumain at “go-chi-so-sa-ma de-shi-ta!” naman pagkatapos kumain. Food is a big part of Japanese culture and the reason is obvious: masarap kasi! Healthy at tasty ang Japanese food, at marami ka pang options tulad ng sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, fugu, at madami pang iba.

5. Learn the language.

There is a growing number of Japanese trying to speak better English, but it will be easier for you if you learn simple Japanese terms at least. Maraming establishment sa Japan ay may signs na nakasulat lang sa Japanese, pero don’t worry – kung may smartphone ka naman, pwede mong i-research kung ano ang translations nito.

Alam mo bang gamit ang BeamAndGo, pwede ka ring bumili ng smartphone at ipadala sa iyong kapamilya?

6. Keep it simple.

Simplicity and minimalism are some of the attributes of Japanese culture. Usually, maliit kasi ang living spaces sa Japan, kaya ang mga necessity lang ang karaniwang gamit dito. “Less is more,” ika nga. You can have more space and more time, if you own less material things, na hindi mo naman talaga kailangan – makakatipid ka pa, diba?

For budgeting tips when shopping at the grocery, click here.

7. But don’t be afraid to try something new!

Japan is a wonderful country and it’s culture has so much to offer! Kaya siguradong mag-eenjoy ka sa pagsubok ng mga bagong bagay dito, whether it’s eating new food, visiting new places, or meeting new people. Malay mo, makahanap ka pa ng bagong paborito – gaya ng BeamAndGo na paborito ng mga Beamers in Japan. With BeamAndGo, mas madadalian kang pagpadala sa pamilya mo sa Pilipinas. Here are the supermarket and department store partners of BeamAndGo.com.

If you still don’t have a BeamAndGo account, what are you waiting for? Sign up na dito!

Panoorin ang video na ito para sa karadagang impormasyon.

The Power of Women

BeamAndGo believes profoundly in the power of women and how our sisters, mothers, and friends contribute concretely and positively to our combined future. This faith was shown to be nothing less than true when recently, two days before the world celebrated International Women’s Day last March 8, a march was held in Edmonton in Alberta, Canada with the support of no less than 40 Filipinos.

Litrato mula sa Inquirer.net

Ano ang sigaw nila? Bigyan ng mas mabuting serbisyo at pangangalaga ang mga Pilipinong nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa lalo pa ang mga kababaihan. Tulad ng marami dito sa Pilipinas, sawa na sila sa mga pangakong napapako. Sawa na rin sila sa mga artistang walang puhunan sa halalan kundi ang kanilang kasikatan sa pinilakang tabing.

“Voters really need to reflect and understand who they’re really voting for,” sabi ni Clarizze Truscott,pangulo ng Kabisig Society sa Fort Saskatchewan sa Canada sa isang panayam sa Inquirer.net.

Dagdag pa niya, “A huge source of income for the Philippines is OFW remittances. People should be reflective and vote for candidates who will serve OFW interests and who will provide them with protections (sic) and support…not just lip service as we’ve seen so many do.”

Maraming mga binubunong isyu ang mga kababayan natin sa Canada. Siyempre pa, nandiyan na ang katotohanang they had to leave their husbands and children behind to give them a better future. Hindi biro-biro iyon. Bukod pa doon, mas mahirap pang umuwi sa Pilipinas kung ikukumpara sa mga kapatid natin sa Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, atbp.

Related: Experiencing Filipino Warmth in Cold Canada ; Kwentong Beamer: Kanya-kanyang kwento ; 多謝: Salu-salo ng mga OFWs sa Hong Kong!

Litrato ni Sidney Snoeck

Marami rin sa kanila ang hindi pa permanent resident sa Canada at alam na alam nila ang takot na baka mawalan ng trabaho at mapilitang pauwiin ng Canadian government. Sa ngayon, may mga hindi mabigyan ng PR status at di nila malaman ang dahilan. Dahil dito, no choice kundi uwi na lang. Wala tuloy ang planong pagtulong sa pamilya.

Halimbawa, may isa tayong kababayan na hindi naging PR doon dahil daw sa “medical inadmissibility”. Para sa kanya, ano raw ang ibig sabihin noon? Bakit may ganoon? Kasi autistic ang anak niya. Ang lungkot at nakababasag naman ng puso na iyon pa ang ginamit na dahilan sa kanya.

Kaya nga hinihimok nila ang lahat, lalo pa ang mga kapwa OFW at ang mga pamilya nito na maging totoong mapanuri sa kanilang pagpili ng kanilang mga iboboto. Hindi na puede ang bastang sikat lang o yung nagsasabi parati ng maglilingkod daw sa masa pero wala pa namang nagagawa.

Mahalaga naman talaga ang pagboto at ang pagboto nang tama at totoong napag-isipan. Panahon na talaga na hindi lang matuwa sa dating artista o boksingero. Kailangang tanungin ang sarili: Alam kaya nito ang trabaho ng isang Presidente? Ng Bise Presidente? Ng Senador? Kongresista? Mayor? Councilor?

Hindi basta-basta ang Pinoy

Sabi ng Merryn Edwards, isa sa mga nag-ayos ng marcha sa Canada, na mismong mga Pilipina ang nagpamulat sa kanya sa kahalagahan ng kilos politika. Ipinaliwanag niya na ipinapasa lang sa balikat ng mga Pilipinang “live-in caregiver” ang responsibilidad ng pag-aalaga sa mga bata o matanda. Wala naman sanang problema iyon kung hindi nga lang ba dahil sa uri ng trabahong ito, para na rin silang second-class workers at hindi lahat ng karapatan na binibigay sa ibang nagtatrabaho ay ibinibigay rin sa kanila. Para kay Edwards, hindi ito nakabubuti sa kahit kanino – Pilipino man o Canadian.

Ikaw? Ano ang kilos na maaari mong gawin para sa higit na ikabubuti ng kapwa Pilipino? Hindi na panahon ng pagiging makasarili. Panahon na ngayon para isipin ang kapakanan ng bayan at ng kapwa tao.

Baka naman sinasabi ninyong busy kayo o ano ba ang magagawa ng isang katulad mo. Tandaan: Ang mga Pilipinang nagpamulat sa Canadian na si Merryn Edwards ay mga kapwa Pilipino, mga caregiver na tulad rin nating lahat.

Ano nga ba ang maaari mong magawa? Una, may ilang linggo pa bago maghalalan. Pag-usapan na kasama ng mga kaibigan kung anu-ano ba ang mahahalagang dapat sana’y pinagtutuunan ng pansin ng mga kandidato. Anu-anong isyu ba ang tinututukan ng mga kandidato mo? May tinututukan ba siya? Baka naman puro, “Gusto kong maglingkod sa masa!” o “Panalo ang masang Pilipino!” lang ang kayang sabihin.

Simple lang naman e: Sa bawat problema, may pagsubok ng lunas. Kahit magkamali sa solusyon (okay lang magkamali) at least dapat may plano ang kandidato mo. Marami diyang mahilig magsalita na gusto nilang tulungan ang mahihirap. Sinagot na ba niya kung paano?

Pagkatapos noon, subukan ninyong tignan kung totoo ba ang mga sinasabi nila. Halimbawa, sa Presidential Debates, may isang nagsabi na gusto niyang magkaroon ng mga agri-industrial zone para sa mga magsasaka. So, iisipin mong “Ay, oo. Tama nga naman.” Pero, hindi niya sinabing lampas na sa dalawampu ang mga agri-industrial zone ang meron ngayon sa buong bansa. Hindi naman yata fair.

O, hindi naman puro Facebook na lang. Puede tayong mag-usap ng mahahalagang bagay.

Iba na ngayon

Dati, puro mga lalaki lang daw ang dapat nag-uusap tungkol sa politika. Tapos na ang panahon na iyon. Yesterday’s news na iyon. Sino ba ang malaki ang naitutulong ngayon sa pangangalaga ng pamilya? Di ba ikaw? Dahil doon, malaki ang karapatan mong pumili ng mga pinuno natin at magreklamo sa kanilang kakulangan.

Panahon na, babae. Makialam ka. Now na.

***********

For more Philippine politics and election-related discussions relevant to OFWs globally, these previous articles by BeamAndGo may interest you:

Lowering taxes and preventing another Balikbayan Box controversy

The Right to Suffrage or Suffer

Ayan. Nagsalita na sila. The Philippine Presidential Debates

Who can you trust? 6 things Filipinos want in our next President

Who can you trust? 6 things Filipinos want in our next President

Presidential Elections! One of the most important things in the life of a Filipino. Kailan pa ba tayo maaaring makapili ng mamumuno sa atin? Dito may pagkakataon tayong sabihing “Tama na!” sa isang politiko at itulak naman sa bagong uri ng paglilingkod ang isa pa. Fun times! Kadalasan nga, fiesta pa, di ba?

Paano nga ba tayo pipili ng tamang kandidato? Marami silang ipinagsasabi diyan – ipagpapatuloy ang isinulong at ipinaglaban ng ama, mahirap lang din daw siya, sa diretsong daan daw yung iba, may kamay na bakal naman ang isa, at kung anu-ano pa. Maraming drama at maraming kwentong isinusulong para lang isipin mong naaayon sila sa mga bagay na pinahahalagahan mo.

The latest Philippine Trust Index (the one for 2015) indicates that there has been a very noticeable decline in how much trust the President of the Republic now has. In 2012, it was around 28%. Now, it’s a much lower 15%. Amusingly, trust in the Senate and the Congress is even more saddening with 10% and 8%. Paano naman ang local government? Dito medyo mas maganda. Sa mga sangay ng goberyno, ito ang pinakamataas ngayon ang rating.

Ano ngayon ito sa iyo?

Panahon mag-prioritize! Kailangan nating isipin kung ano nga mas makabubuti para sa atin, sa ating pamilya, at sa ating buong bayan.

Sabi nga ng Philippine Trust Index, ito ang mga nangungunang pinahahalagahan ng mga Pilipino:

• Ensure national peace and security
• Help the poor address their basic needs such as housing, food, and education
• Improve Philippine economy
• Put corrupt politicians in jail
• Prepare communities for disasters and calamities
• Provide better job opportunities for Filipinos

Kita mo na? Tama naman ang pinahahalagahan natin. Gamit itong mga ito, una siguro nating gawin ay salain ang mga politikong nangangako ng kung anu-ano at tignan kung may tumutugon nga ba sa mga nabanggit natin sa itaas. Game? Game!

Itanong mo ang sarili mo ang mga sumusunod:

• May mga nagawa na ba siya ukol sa binanggit natin sa itaas?
• May plataporma ba siya para sa peace, security and order?
• Ano ang masasabi niya sa pagtulong sa mahihirap para matugunan nila ang mga pangangailangan para sa tirahan, pagkain, at pag-aaral?
• May kakayahan ba siyang ipinakita na sa pangangalaga ng ekonomiya?
• May lakas ba siya ng loob at kakayahang ipakulong ang mga tiwaling mga politiko kahit kaalyado pa?
• May programa ba siya para sa tunay na paghahanda sa mga kalamidad?
• May naipakita na ba siyang kakayahan o may nagawa na ba siyang proyekto para makapagbigay ng trabaho sa mga mamamayan?

Hindi puedeng sikat lang. We’ve seen the governments of the countries we’re in. We’ve seen how they work and how they are able to get concrete change done. Hindi ba natin puedeng ipangarap ito para sa sarili nating bansa?

Maraming Pilipinong nawalan na ng pag-asa sa mga dapat naglilingkod sa atin kaya iniisip nilang sila na lang ang bahala sa buhay nila, sa pamilya nila.

It can’t be like that. We have to do our work, do our part in nation building but we also have to make sure that we elect good people to office. Hindi puedeng yung sikat lang. Hindi puedeng yung anak lang ng kung sinong sikat din. Dapat siya, may nagawa na rin. Siya mismo. Hindi rin puedeng yung namimigay ng t-shirt, kendi, o kaya pera pa.

Part of our trying to make our lives better as OFWs even if our politicians are still trying to get their acts together is making sure our own families get fed and get what they need so that they’re healthy and able to do what they want to do with their lives.

Hindi ka nga politiko pero puede ka pa ring makatulong. Paano? Nandito ang BeamAndGo para siguruhing mas makakatulong ka. Dahil mas makasisiguro kang maayos ang padala mo sa mga mahal mo gamit ang BeamAndGo, panahon na rin na ipakalat mo ang balita sa mga kakilala mo. Share mo lang sa kanila ito: www.beamandgo.com o kaya panuorin niyo lang kung papaano makakatulong ang BeamAndGo sa mga OFWs na katulad niyo.

Kaunti lang itong tulong. At least sigurado ka na ang mga padala nila sa mga kapamilya nila ay makararating nang maayos at hindi maaaring lustayin sa maling paraan.

Dinner dates and love songs: Valentine’s na uli!

Ikaw ba ay nakapulang damit?

Kilala ang mga Pilipino bilang malalambing at romantikong mga tao. Di ba nga ang pinakauri ng musika natin ay ang Kundiman – mga kantang may hugot na lungkot at pangungulilang galing sa mga salitang “kung hindi man.”

That’s how we are, di ba? We actually live and breathe love songs. Halos lahat ng mga sumikat na kanta sa atin ay tungkol sa pag-ibig – “Bakit labis kitang mahal?” “Dahil sa ‘Yo,” “Maalaala Mo Kaya?” “Wala nang Iba para sa Akin,” “You’re My Home,” at pagkarami-rami pang iba. Ngayong Valentine’s siguradong ganyan na naman.

Isipin mo na lang: Nasa dalampasigan kayo ng mahal mo at palubog na ang araw. Pagod kayo pareho pero dahil nga araw ng mga puso, dapat may kaunting pasyal at may munting date kahit papaano. Romantic sunset e. Paano ka nga ba naman makakahindi? Tapos, habang naka-HHWW (holding hands while walking) may isang magsisimula ng paghuni ng paborito o theme song. Kung wala masyadong nanonood, aba, kanta na! Kahit minsan may mga tao sa paligid, hamo lang! Bakit ba? In love naman e. (Wag nga lang sana wala sa tono, ha?)

Siguro, meron din sa ating love story naman ng mga parents ang naaalala. Sweet din naman kasi mga parents natin no? Roses, chocolates, minsan may wine pa nga e. Magsusubuan pa ng kaunting pagkain.

That’s the Filipino Valentine’s Day scene. Do you remember your last Valentine’s?

There are many of us, working for our families in other countries – Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Italy, the UK, Canada, and so many others – who have not been able to share the joy and the songs of the day of hearts. Hindi biro ang pagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa at mas lalo natin itong nadarama sa mga araw na tulad ng Valentine’s. Ang sarap kayang kumain ng hapunan – kahit ano pa ang handa – basta kasama ang pamilya.

Fact is, for most of us, we just can’t. I mean, who really wants to be apart from one’s loved ones? But when it’s financial needs that we have to face, sooner or later, the idea of leaving for another land just comes into the picture and many of us have chosen that.

Sana naman hindi ninyo nalimutang “hero” kayo ng pamilya ninyo. Miss nila kayo pero hinahangaan din. It’s no joke to be accepted for work in another country and it’s no joke to be asked to continue working in those countries.

Ngayong wala ka, paano maaaring buhayin at lubusang ma-enjoy ang Valentine’s? Subukan mong magpadala ng bagong special pack ng BeamAndGo!

Free delivery ito at puede kang magpadala hanggang February 29! Di ba? Napaka-Pinoy. Hanggang dulo ng buwan puede. May mapagpipilian kang paketeng may mga iba-ibang uring sabon tulad ng Peppermint at Lavender Aromatherapy Soap. May mga pakete namang may mga massage oil. Punta ka lang sa aming online store.

Ano excited ka na ba?

Dagdag Sahod Pang OFW: Sino ang dapat makinabang?

We recently talked about domestic workers in Singapore now having a minimum salary of SGD 550. That’s a good thing, of course but too many of us don’t know what to do with even an extra SGD 50 or SGD 100. Meron pa nga diyang nakapulot lang ng Php 20, di na alam ang gagawin.

The main idea is this: Continue to live like you were still earning your old salary. Yes, treat yourself to something good or special. Movies are expensive in Singapore so you may want to choose that. Have a nice pepper or salted egg crab dinner with cereal prawn and some satay on the side. What about a day in Sentosa, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoo, or Universal Studios? You deserve that.

However, after the little treat to yourself, go back to living frugally. This is actually your best chance to save. You do this effectively by revising that budget you started making as suggested in a previous blog post. (Find it here.) Don’t think about this money as a bonus. Think of it as an opportunity.

An opportunity for what? Marami.

There are many choices but here are some:

1) Send at least 30% of that extra to your mother and father. If you are now getting SGD 100 more, 30% is SGD 30 or Php 1,000. That’s Php 12,000 for a whole year! Hindi na masama iyon. To make things more secure, go to BeamAndGo.com and send them a gift pack they didn’t expect. Next is to make this a regular thing they can count on month on month. Get started here.

2) Put at least 30% in the bank. If you don’t have a bank account yet, open one but take note of the minimum monthly balance. DBS, POSB and OCBC are excellent banks and though SGD 30 may not seem much now but when you have SGD 360 more in your account at the end of the year, that’s definitely something to smile about. Be careful with the minimum maintaining balance. For example, you may need to have at least SGD 1000 in your account every monthly. If you can’t maintain that amount, you may get hit with a penalty resulting in your losing money little by little.

3) What about the remaining 40%? Find an investment plan. The banks in Singapore or the local insurance companies in the Philippines offer various investment products. The younger you are, the better to start because the benefits are bigger for much less money.

That 40% not enough for an investment plan you want? You can also redirect a little from your present budget to get that investment plan. Don’t think about this will result in more money leaving your pocket now. It will be a better future for you if you invest while you can.

4) One other option is just splitting the extra funds into half or a 40%-60% split. One part for your parents and one part for your investment into the future.

5) Look into medical insurance for your parents or your kids. There are different options, of course, but consult with your family doctor to determine what is the minimum needed. Need some options? You have PhilCare and Standard Insurance to choose from. Try looking here.

Also, make sure they are already enrolled properly with PhilHealth.

 

6) Send your parents or your spouse and kids a goody bag using BeamAndGo. Yes, you can’t go to the supermarket with them but with a BeamAndGo digital gift certificates (GC), it’s almost the same thing. Have you gone to Gaisano Mall or Iloilo Supermart with them? Get a GC at one of the participating supermarkets and make sure to have them send you photos. It’s not only for memories, it’s also a way to bond with them. Do that here.

Mag-shopping na para kina Tatay at Nanay!

The bottom line here is that regardless of how much money you make, you really have to have a budget and you need to stick to that budget. Though you should be happy with this new reported increase, you should also realise that on the whole, it’s not a whole lot of money and you have to make the best use of it as possible.

Many times, helping your family with the everyday necessities is part of what you can do best. BeamAndGo makes that happen and you start doing that by clicking here.

Dagdag Sahod Pang OFW: Wag ipagsapalaran

The Philippine Daily Inquirer recently ran a story saying that employers in Singapore now have to pay domestic helpers at least SGD 550. This is SGD 50 more than the former minimum amount of SGD 500. This developed after the Indonesian embassy in Singapore made an announcement that domestic helpers from that country had to be paid SGD at least SGD 550. While the Philippine embassy in Singapore did not come out with an announcement of its own, it was reportedly processing fewer applications for the employment of domestic helpers since many of the applications made mention of salaries deemed too low. What does this mean? Domestic helpers in Singapore thus get a pay raise of SGD 50 to a maximum of SGD 150 depending on how much they currently get. So, paano? Gimik na? Maybe it’s best if we begin by talking about what not to do. Pero paano mo nga ba malalaman kung paano at ano ba ang dapat mong iwasan? Siguro naranasan mo na dati na maraming lumalapit o umaaligid sa iyo basta may pera ka. Ganoon talaga. Basta meron ka, kapag tumaas ang sahod mo, may gusto agad makinabang. Ang malungkot, minsan iyong itinuturing mo pang kaibigan o mismong kamag-anak mo pa ang ganoon. What we need now is to discuss what we shouldn’t be doing with our money especially in a place that’s not our country. These things we DON’T suggest you do:

1. Be a guarantor in someone’s loan. There are just way too many stories of friendships crumbling and a kawawang Pilipino having to avoid jail time because he or she was a guarantor in someone else’s loan. How does this even start? Person A wants to get a loan because of whatever reason. Gambling is one reason and starting a new business is another. Problem is, Person A needs a guarantor so that the lender of money will allow the loan. What this means is that if you become the guarantor, you’re telling the lender that if Person A, who borrowed the money, can’t pay the loan, the lender can look at you and ask you for the money. You sure you want to be in that situation? Also, be aware that some money lenders are notorious in Singapore for resorting to scare tactics or even physical violence to get their money back. Just check the news. If someone asks that you become a guarantor, politely say “No.” If that “friend” doesn’t meet with you anymore after that, congratulations! You’ve been able to find a “non-friend” and you’re better off being far away from that person.
2. Start lending money. When some people hear that you’re now earning more, they think that it’s okay to borrow money. No, you do not become an evil person if you say “No.” This is both for Singapore friends or friends and family back home. Real friends and family will understand. Fair-weather friends who are only out to get money will leave. Best to know now who they are and find some real friends who will love and care for you regardless of how much money you have.

   

   Sabi nga ng matatanda: Walang manloloko kung walang magpapaloko.

3. Start looking for business opportunities indiscriminately. Some people will entice you with this or that get-rich scheme wherein you have to be a member of their group and pay regular fees.

   

   Naku, may extra money ka? Maraming bubulong sa iyo kung paano ka raw puede makinabang dito. INGAT! Kadalasan, yung nagbulong sa iyo ang talagang makikinabang.

   Unless you’re very business-savvy or have someone who can truly look after your welfare, don’t fall into this trap. Even those supposedly proven companies listed with the New York Stock Exchange require you to buy and sell their consumer products costing four, five, six, or even more times than your usual toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc. These products may be nice but face it, to make real money, you need to recruit more people and you just don’t have that time unless you want to risk not doing your real job.Also remember: Doing business is not for everyone and it isn’t easy. The greater majority of start-ups end up closing their doors and the owners looking for work. There is no shame in admitting that you’re really best in working with an organisation rather than leading one. Forcing yourself to lead an organisation when you are obviously not the next Mark Zuckerberg may just be disastrous. Worse, that trust your present employer has in you may forever be lost.

4. Give in to the usual requests. People will ask for what they usually ask for – chocolates, shoes, laptops, cell phones, tablets, etc. Unless it’s Christmas, give a very gentle “No.” When it is Christmas or maybe someone’s birthday or graduation, have a definite budget for gifts. Listen to requests and consider them and then put these requests beside your set budget. If they don’t fit in your budget, they don’t fit in your budget. Move on. There are more important things like looking at what your family REALLY needs.
5. Get involved in a one-way relationship. Yes, you may be lonely at times but there will always be people who truly value you who will not keep asking for material things. If you notice that in your relationship, you need to keep paying for trips, food, and even clothes, cell phones, computers, etc. you are definitely in a relationship that’s beneficial for just one party and that party is not you. Get out and find friends who don’t care how much money you have.

So ano na lang ang gagawin mo? Pag-uusapan pa natin ito at dapat mong abangan ang mga maaari mong gawin sa pera mo.

Ang una mong dapat gawin ay tignan kung ano nga ba ang mga tunay na pangangailangan mo at ng pamilya mo sa Pilipinas. Dapat sa mga ito naaayon ang mga plano mo.

Actually, it’s only in the beginning where this is an issue. You have to figure things out at the very start, stick to it as much as possible, and only changing your plans when true emergencies happen. Remember: Hindi true emergency and bagong labs na iPhone na gusto ng asawa o kapatid mo.

Ang pinakamainam mong gawin ngayon? Pumunta na sa BeamAndGo at pumili ng mga bagay na tunay na kailangan ng mga minamahal.

Working overseas and missing your mom

Your first and truest ally

Face it: When things get really difficult at work or when the people you live with prove more challenging than usual, you will normally grab your phone to have even a short talk with your mother. It’s normally just an issue of how much money you have set aside for making calls. Thank goodness for things like Facebook, WhatsApp, Skype, and Viber.

When I was still an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in Singapore, I was one of the musicians in my church. In one Mass for Filipinos, the priest focused on how each and every one of us there owed so much to our mothers. Hit with some inspiration, I began playing the notes of “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan” on the piano. When I glanced at the congregation, hardly any person there, male or female, had dry eyes.

Why does any discussion on mothers cause such a reaction? For starters, a mother is always a person’s first supporter, the first fan. If you think about it, the mother is also the first real friend and chat mate with some mothers talking to their children as early as the pregnancy stage. Many of us have the experience of our mothers knowing something was up even before we knew about it or had the gumption to talk about it.

For example, when I was seven years old, I came home and my mom just looked at me. “May lagnat ka.” I gave this quizzical look and said, “Ha?” True enough, I was running a fever even though I didn’t feel it yet.

That’s how moms are and this is one reason why we can’t hide much from them and why our mothers are normally our first and truest allies.

This is why each OFW will always have this nagging question: How is my my mom? Is she okay?

Remember the times when you were too tired that she carried you?

This question is made stronger every time an OFW comes home only to leave for work again. You just can’t get rid of that feeling that maybe just so you don’t worry about her, your mother is not telling you everything she actually needs.

This is one of the reasons why BeamAndGo came to be. Each OFW wants a good measure of assurance that things are okay back home. You’re like that, aren’t you?

The surprise and the usual

Giving your mother chocolates is a good thing. So is giving her a bag of groceries. Mothers love that their little baby is able to earn a living, live a life independently, and send a goody or two back home one in a while. She won’t tell you though. You just see the twinkle in her eye and perhaps the hastily-brushed-off tear.

With BeamAndGo, you can actually do this much more easily and more frequently. For example, if you send her a BeamAndGo gift certificate of Php 1,000 (approximately SGD 30 or HKD 160), she can easily get perhaps the following items:

1. Adult milk (600g): Php 270
2. Sugar-free Coffee (20 packs): Php 106
3. Crackers (850g): Php 147
4. Dried Mangoes (100g): Php 50
5. 5 cups of instant noodles (35g): Php 79
6. Spaghetti (450g): Php 36
7. Sweet Spaghetti Sauce (25kg): Php 22
8. Cooking oil (1L): Php 170
9. High Fiber bread loaf: Php 90
10. Cheddar cheese: Php 45

Halina. Bili na!

What’s even better is that BeamAndGo’s partner merchants offer better value than leading supermarkets. These merchants are your “neighborhood” groceries such as Gaisano Mall of Davao (Davao), Gaisano Capital (Cebu), or Iloilo Supermart (Iloilo). Knowing these guys are also on your side can truly give a whole new and meaningful importance to your hard-earned money.

She was your first companion and lakwatsa buddy.

When you miss your mother, maybe, instead of going out with some friends to burn that SGD 30 or HKD 160, you can just go to the BeamAndGo website and send your mom something that she appreciate.

What we have above most likely won’t last a month but think of it as something like your way of giving back to mom for all the times she didn’t have a lot of money but spent it on one slice of 3M Pizza or a Burger Machine cheeseburger and a bottle of Coke just so her little baby could have something to eat after a tiring day in school.

Yes, that’s your mom, nanay, mama, nanang, inay, ima, mudra. Why don’t you give her a call now and tell her something is on the way to make her smile?

Barya na lang ba ang natira?

How not to keep losing your hard-earned money

Part I

Christmas is over and we’re on the first few weeks of the New Year. Many of us now find ourselves with a lot less money than we once had. Admit it: You kinda spent a bit too much and now you’re worried about the payments you have to make. This is not the best way to start the year.

We all have to plan better and start actively managing our finances. Filipinos are too used to being galante, just living for today, or both. There’s this idea that one should always share blessings and that’s true. However, you can’t feed the entire barangay. You can’t always feed your entire extended family either.

Kailangan na bang basagin ang alkansiya mo?

Many Filipinos deal with “maraming umaasa sa akin.” Fact check: No, it doesn’t have to be like that. The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency tells new overseas Filipino workers something like this: You are not your family’s savior and you don’t have to send all your nieces and nephews to school. (Yes, I heard this myself and if you didn’t, maybe you should have.) It seems like a selfish way to think but the reality is that you did go abroad to give yourself a better life and help your family. However, that does not mean you should bleed yourself dry.

Think of it this way: If you always allow yourself to be the family’s milking cow, you may just end up with nothing and when there’s a serious situation with a real need for help, you may not have anything to help with.

What is crucial here is being able to manage your finances, planning your budget, and allocating your funds this early. In fact, no time is really early enough when emergencies strike. The time to start managing finances is obviously NOW.

Hindi naman utang lang parati sa sagot. Hindi talaga.

For this purpose, we need to assume that you are at least not in debt. Debt complicates things. Sobra. You can more effectively plan a budget for the year if you don’t have the extra burden of a looming debt payment.

The first few steps of managing your finances involve doing a budget and this is deceptively simple:

• How much do you earn? (Monthly and the bonuses separately)
• List down the non-negotiable expenses: Food, school, clothing, rent or mortgage, gas, water, medicine for parents, etc.
• How much is for leisure? (You know – dinners, movies, the occasional shopping spree, etc. You can’t be all serious.)
• How much do you set aside for savings? (You do, right? Save for the future and not so you can just spend it later.)
• Is there anything you expect to be left?

That’s just the first stage because all plans are inadequate and they are proven or disproved by the realities of life. You have to test your plan for one whole month. Nothing beats a good plan than testing it against what it’s supposed to prepare for. This way you see what else you should have planned for – maybe you forgot to allocate money for the repair of your house’s roofing or you actually wanted to do some repairs to the house since summer is around the corner and you forgot to set aside money for that. Or (who knows?) maybe you just kept spending on those unplanned getaways or shopping binges that you actually have much less than what you had expected to have at the end of the month.

What about all those things you still have to send to the family back home? Surely there’s a better way to do that. And there is. You can start doing the smarter thing by signing up now at www.beamandgo.com/member/signup. Registration is free and you also get Php 50 worth of credits you can use on your first transaction.

This and other issues are dealt with in our LearnAndGo Workshop Series. We have them in January, April, and May of this year and do have more planned. It is here you can learn not only about taking better care of your finances but also how to invest, making good investments and even taking care of your kids.

Iriga City Mayor Ronald Felix “Gang-Gang” Alfelor addresses his constituents on personal finance and saving.

Meanwhile, stay glued to these pages for the next parts of this blog post. Money is important. Let’s all learn to manage it better together.

 

Reaching out across the seas: A family’s celebration

Cookai is a 26-year old Print Producer who hails from Bulacan, a province north of Manila in the Philippines. Coming from a tight-knit family with only one sister as a sibling, she’s used to having a complete family around her most of the time. But like many Filipinos, her sister Kei chose to pursue better work opportunities overseas. A lucrative offer came from a company in South Korea and after months of prayers, she decided to take it.

Cookai and Kei enjoying some Korean street food

Cookai and her parents have visited Kei in Korea, but nothing beats having her sister beside her at all times. When Kei decided to work overseas, everything changed. Instead of all four of them together in the family – her mom, dad, Kei, and Cookai – now, it was just her parents and Cookai on every important holiday. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months until it was already three years that her sister was in Korea, but the family never really got used to Kei not being around. Not many people would know that extreme loneliness plagues both the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) and the families who are left behind.

“It’s really hard. Especially pag Christmas. S’yempre sanay kami talaga na complete kami sa bahay. Pero ganun talaga, eh.”

[It’s really hard especially during Christmas. We’re used to having the family all together at home but that’s the way it is now.”]

This Christmas though, they got a simple but meaningful surprise from Kei. She couldn’t celebrate with them, but that didn’t mean she didn’t show her love. She sent groceries that her family in Manila could use for their Christmas celebration!

“Naexcite kami sobra. Minsan naman kasi hindi lang pera yung kailangan, eh. Alam ko na si Ate, gusto niya iparamdam sa amin na she may be far, but she is thinking of us this Christmas. More than anything, yung goodies na pinadala niya, hindi lang tulad ng pinadalang pera – may effort attached to it; pinag-isipan and I find it more thoughtful.”

[We were really excited. Sometimes, it’s not really money that’s needed. I know my elder sister wanted us to feel that though she may be far away, she was thinking of us during Christmas. More than anything, it was the goodies she sent us, unlike money that is sent, that showed some effort attached to it. Knowing that there was some thought involved in it made the gesture more thoughtful.]

Food: Always a bonding experience

The fact that a loved one actually took the time to choose and buy something makes the act of giving much more personal. Yes, money is important, but a goody basket sends the very tangible message that the loved one working abroad is reaching out in the most concrete way possible. It conveys the message that each and every item sent was chosen carefully knowing what the family back home needs and will appreciate. For Cookai, it’s almost as if Ate Kei herself handed her family the groceries herself.

This is the Pinoy way of doing things, right? You reach out as much as you can and embrace your loved ones in a virtual hug that they can feel as soon as they get their package. Yes, Kei is still in another land, far away from her loved ones, but that doesn’t mean she can’t break bread with them especially during the season closest perhaps to Filipinos’ hearts. Christmas is special to all Filipinos and all it takes is a tiny reminder – a gift pack, a balikbayan box, a gift certificate – to tell those back home that all is well, that the miles apart cannot overcome the closeness of hearts.

If you want to reach out to your own family and make them feel your caring presence regardless of where you are, head on to BeamAndGo and get them a digital gift certificate for use with your chosen merchant. If you have any questions on how to get started, feel free to email us at support@beamandgo.com or send us a message using Viber or WhatsApp at +63 949 839 3322. We are getting more and more merchants to serve your family back home and this will serve to keep you closer to them.

Cookai and Kei enjoying South Korea