OFW Journals

The Punch....Or Should I Say The Punches

2010-03-18T17:04:00.000+08:00

Other boxers are famous for their patented punches, jabs, straights or hooks but Manny Pacquiao best them all with not a punch but with 2 simultaneous punches. The Pinoy champ entertained everyone when he pulled out a trick from his sleeve. Foreigners may not be familiar with it but Filipinos am sure are. Ancient action stars like Fernando Poe Jr and Lito Lapid do it all the time. "Pompyang" that's what we call it, taken from the brass cymbals used in "drum and bugle" bands. The fight with Joshua Clottey was so lopsided and surely that moment in round number 4 was the most eventful of the fight. I was laughing may arse out of the sofa. hahahaha.

Apparently, MP does it all the time....See excerpts from Sweet Science:

[Pacquiao drew] a stern admonition from referee Rafael Ramos when he slammed his fists against both of Clottey’s ears at once. Roach chalks that one up to, well, a case of Manny being Manny.

“He does it in a gym all the time,” said Roach. “I don’t think there’s been a guy he ever sparred with he didn’t try it on, and Steve Forbes, in this camp, was the first guy who’d even retaliated. When he talked about doing it in a fight I warned him ‘Manny, don’t even think about it, because they’ll take a point away if you do.’”
“No they won’t,” replied Pacquiao. “The first time I do it they’ll just warn me.”

In gym sparring, or in amateur bouts, the technique can be downright dangerous, since catching an opponent wearing tight-fitting headgear on both ear-holes at once could easily rupture an eardrum, “but I frankly don’t understand why it should be illegal in a professional fight,” said Roach. “I’ve asked a bunch of people and never gotten a good answer. Think about it: all you’re doing is throwing two punches at the same time. I can’t think of any rule that says you can’t do that".

I know that Manny's previous movies were all flops but he can make them work by giving out more "pompyangs".

Vespa Jamboree (Angono Round Up 4)

2010-03-11T20:39:00.001+08:00

It's that time of the year again where avid Vespa and Lambretta enthusiasts ride up the hills of East Metro Manila to enjoy a day of fellowship, camaraderie, music and of course... iced-cold San Miguel beer. It's an annual event and it is big as the Vespa Attack. Unfortunately and as usual, I cannot be there to experience first hand the event... I will be sitting miserably in my flat and looking at pictures and videos thinking why the hell am I here. Hahahahaha.

To the East Scooter Boys (formerly known as Angono Boys)... more power and goodluck on the Event.

My Vespa History

2010-02-24T04:12:00.003+08:00

Comparing to many enthusiasts, I consider myself a newbie in the wonderful world of Vespas and vintage scooters. I can’t remember how my fascination with these iconic scooters started; let’s say it was really an internet love affair. Here’s a brief story about my Vespa History:

I started working in Singapore July 2007 and I got rid of my old bike (Suzuki Raider) before I left for abroad. My dad still has the reliable Suzuki Step scooter which worked well for him. I made a deal with my dad that we will sell the Step in exchange for a Vespa. I saved some money and told him I will shoulder the rest though it came to be that the Step was never sold hahaha. I started posting threads in Vespinoy on what Vespa would fit a noob like me. It was more of a “brand new LML Vitto VS a second hand Piaggio PX” thing. Weighing my options and preference, I decided to get the real thing. It was around January 2008 when an avid enthusiast PM’ed me that she is selling her PX. Corinne (aka silver2tone and seangreen) was still working in the States during those times. She sent some pictures and after some haggling (LOLz) she agreed to let me have her scoot. Apparently she has 2 other Vespas and is planning to upgrade. Her PX was a lovely GT-green 1998 PX150E. When I got it, I rode the PX from Corinne family’s house in Paranaque to Frisco. Aside from the weight and changing gears by hand, I had no problems with it. I wanted to name the PX Korina in respect for Corinne but my wife did not like it. Finally, we christened her “Irene”. As a family tradition, we had it blessed by Franciscan priest at our parish. Irene was now part of my family. I learned a lot from Irene, met so many interesting Vespinoys through her. I was able to buy and sell some Vespa stuffs which took care of my plane fares . She was my first Vespa Love. Riding the PX was fun fun fun but I learned one important thing about Vespas … beauty comes with a price. Damn! The prices of the accessories are out of this world comparing to Japanese scooters. Majority of the time, Irene was just lying beneath a scooter cover in our garage because of obvious reasons.

After a year, my upgrade itch began to bother me, again. I was hunting for an automatic modern Vespa this time. I was really eyeing a Vespa GT200 but it seems no one is selling. Then, Doms (Dominic Ochoa) posted her wife’s beloved LX150 for sale. He said that this was his engagement gift to her. The plum LX150 was perfect. I have to get it. I told my wife that we’ll sell the PX in exchange for the LX. After getting the much important approval from my wife , I started to communicate with Doms through PM and YM. After some haggling, he agreed. I was overjoyed. This was around February 2009. He was kind enough to deliver the scooter personally to our house in Frisco with the help of Tops, my Vespa friend. I was not there but I was online in Skype. So, there was a time that I had 2 Vespas in our garage, a PX and and LX. My wife was able to take some snap shot of the two amazing scoots. I named the LX, Lyla from the song of Oasis, “Hey Lyla”. I had the chance to finally see her on my March 2009 vacation. I had to solo ride it to Tayabas Quezon just to finish its break-in period. The scooter is fast, sturdy and it weaves easily in traffic. It’s a modern scooter with a vintage look, what more can I ask for.

The PX was eventually sold to another newbie although my wife earlier agreed not to sell it. I thought otherwise because, now we have 1 extra scooter in the garage and it would be difficult during rainy season coz our place usually gets flooded. It was a good deal for the guy who bought the PX ‘coz I included all spares and accessories. I heard news that my old PX is now in the hands of a recording artist and he had it repainted.

They say that having an automatic and a geared classic Vespas is perfect. I miss my PX, the 2T smoke, the hand clutching the classic look. Got to get me another one… or a vintage. Now we are talking!

Home Sickness

2010-02-06T23:50:00.001+08:00

After more than 3 weeks of vacation in my native Philippines, I am back in Singapore feeling gloomy as usual. I call it “post-vacation sickness”. I know it’s a psychological thing and has no cure. It’s one of those emotional stuffs that foreign workers like myself tackle every time we go back to our respective work place. It’s really hard to get back to your usual routine after a long vacation. Lots of things to adjust to.. as for me:

- Sleeps alone in a room with only pillows to hug … I miss Baron and my wife.
- Wakes up with nothing to eat and wonders what to eat in the succeeding meals … I miss my Dad who is our cook.
- MUST do chores like washing the dishes, cleaning, laundry, ironing etc … I miss Ate Jona, our helper.
- Rides a mountain bike instead of a scooter … I miss conquering the Manila traffic on my Vespa.
- Spends most of the time playing and fooling around the internet … I miss playing with my boys.
- It’s so silent in my apartment … I miss my mother’s antics.
- Needs to walk far just to buy something … I miss Aling Cora’s sari-sari store.
- Bike rides to Tampines trails … I miss long rides on my scooter.
- Got some beer in the fridge but no one to drink with … I miss the Vespinoy round ups.
- Movies and tv shows via online streaming … I miss movie nights with my wifey.
- Spends most of the time on Skype with my family … I want to kiss and hug them.

Though I’ve been working in Singapore for almost 3 years now, it’s still hard to be away from my loved-ones. I am sure every OFW in the world is feeling the same.

Flying Budget

2010-01-13T22:17:00.000+08:00

Why am I always on vacation? People back home thinks that I have a very huge paying job but my secret is flying budget. Thanks to budget airlines, I say. Since I started working as an engineer in Singapore, I've been flying budget. Actually, I haven't tried those regular and expensive Philippine Airlines and Singapore Airlines flight... yup, not once! Why?!? 7000 pesos, that's why. On an average, a round trip flight to Changi-Manila using Jetstar, Tiger or CebuPacific cost only 8k php whereas PAL would be around 15k+. That is very convenient for us OFWs. Sometimes, these budget airlines even give out discounted fares and a round trip will only cost around 5k php. Cheap, very cheap!

Now the catch.... you should be prepared in flying budget. The seats are uncomfortable and the legroom is unspacious. It's more comfortable to ride those tourist coaches and provincial aircon buses. And there are no food and beverage served for free. Yup... you have to buy a meal. Food will range from 200-300 php and a can of soda and bottled water cost around 100 php. It's better than paying 7k, right? Some disadvantages are: in case of a long delay, the flyer will not be roomed in a hotel and you cannot cancel or change flight less than 24 hours from your departure.

My recommendations... have a hearty meal or snack before boarding. though also expensive, the restaurants and kiosks in the airport are thriftier. Next, be sure to request for a seat during check in or book for a seat when you book online. If you are the kind with small bladder, be sure to get the aisle seats. As for me, I like the window. You can also request for the seats in the exit row. The legroom is more spacious but some seats cannot be tilted. The best seats are in row no. 1 but the airlines charges you for it.

Anyway, my journey is only for less than 3.5 hours so I try to sleep through it. An electronic toy like a PSP, DS or an IPOD will be a great help to kill time. Be sure your toys are fully-charged. I see other people reading some books and mags but the best way to go through budget is flying with a friend or loved-one.

Actually, I am in Singapore's Budget Terminal right now while posting out this blog.

Happy Flying :-)

Fred Perry LXV

2010-01-12T15:51:00.004+08:00

Who is Fred Perry? The name behind my “now” favorite apparel is actually a tennis champion. Frederick John Perry (18 May 1909 – 2 February 1995) was an English tennis and table tennis player. He was a three-time Wimbledon champion and was the No. 1 player for five consecutive years. Alright then, we know that the guy was a winner but how did the famous polo shirt came to be?

Trivia : Did you know that Fred Perry, the iconic tennis player actually invented the sweatband. It started with a partnership with an Austrian footballer, Tibby Wegner. After this, they decided to make some sport shirts which was to be made from white knitted cotton pique with short sleeves and buttons down the front. The shirt was an immediate success when it was launched in 1952. The brand is well-known for the “laurel” logo in the left breast side of the shirt. The laurel was actually the old Wimbledon symbol.

The white polo shirt was only supplemented in the late 50s when the MODS of Britain picked up on it and demanded a more varied color designs. It was the shirt of choice for diverse groups of teenagers throughout the 1960s and 70s, ranging from the skinheads to the Northern Soul scene. As we all know, the MODS rode Vespas and Lambrettas. This is the primary reason why I shifted to this hip Fred Perry shirt. Fred Perry is synonymous to style, just like the Vespa. HOW COOL IS THAT?

While I was browsing the Fred Perry website, I came across this Fred Perry 100 Scooter Competition. You just need to sign up and provide some details. It’s fairly easy and the price is a Fred Perry designed Vespa LXV… HOW SWEET!!!!

Follow this link
Win A Fred Perry Vespa LXV

Rest Days At Last

2010-01-08T21:13:00.000+08:00

Rest days at last. After 6 tiring days of 12-hour shifts (4 days and 2 nights), now I can relax and catch up with my chores. My room is a mess and dirty and washed clothes all around. My mates and I work on 12-hour shifts unlike the usual 8 hours. We work in a 4 days on - 4 days off schedule. It's very tiring and can get a huge toll on your health.

While writing this, I am thinking of cleaning my room while waiting for my wife to arrive home for our daily evening video chat via Skype. Tomorrow, I hope the rain does not spoil our bike ride at Tampines trail. In the evening, I'll visit my friend, Otan who is celebrating his birthday. Drinks and Filipino food is always a treat when you are living alone here in Singapore. It's funny 'coz you have the money to spend on drinking but you have no one else to drink with, LOLz. Will do some clothes ironing on Sunday and hear holy Mass at Holy Trinity Church in the evening. Monday will be shopping day. Not mall shopping or anything like that but vespa parts shopping. I will visit again my favorite shop in Singapore (Tong Aik) where I buy Vespa parts and accessories and re-sell at Manila. Will also drop by Lucky Plaza to remit some money back home.

Will work on day shifts this coming Tuesday and Wednesday. Will fly out to Manila via CebuPacific midnight of Thursday and just in time to attend my cousin's wedding. Congratz Bryan and Christina….

Good times baby, only good times !!!!

It’s a Two-Wheeled World

2010-01-06T21:54:00.003+08:00

My fascination on two-wheeled vehicles started during my elementary days. I learned to ride a bike using a mini racer that my Dad had. I was so small that I can’t reach the pedals and used the body as the seat but I still managed. Our first family vehicle was a trike on a Yamaha RS100. After a 2 year stint in Saudi, my dad bought this as a means of living for our family. My brother and I had great memories about this trike. We would sneak out and push it off our garage to go to Catwalk at Quezon Ave for a fun night at the strip LOLZ. The tricycle is still running and is now being used by a cousin in my parent's hometown in Pampanga. I guess we never liked cars because we were not raised with one. All we had were bicycles and a trike.

I had my first scooter right after I got married. I bought a Honda Dio2 50cc scooter and used it as a commute vehicle to my workplace which is just 3km+ from our house. It served the purpose but I cannot use it on main roads because it’s a smuggled scooter which doesn’t have a registration. I upgraded to a Honda Wave 125cc after a couple of years and sold the Dio. I love that motorbike. It opened my door to joy of riding and touring. Through it, I was able to hook-up with a group of riders in Tondo, called Manila Moto Club (M2C). My first long ride was in Tagaytay using the Wave. After a year, my upgrade itch hit me and I got the fastest underbone bike in the Philippines, the Suzuki Raider 150. This bike was damn fast and I clocked in 130kph as my fastest onboard any motorcycle. I had a chance to tour Sagada with my club mates which was one-heck of an experience. Until … I had an offer to work here in Singapore. My wife and I decided to sell the Raider to my cousin and used the money to set up a computer to be used as daily communication with my family. It was July 2007. After 6 months …. I got myself the coolest scooter ever.. a VESPA. I guess I need another blog for this topic. Hahaahaha.

from left: my son's bike, Honda Dio2, Suzuki Raider and the Toyota Revo

I never liked commuting and driving cars. My parents were able to buy a white Toyota Revo in 1999 after my brother graduated from college but I learned driving late around the time my second child, Louis was born (2002). I had no choice but to learn because my brother, Kutz was getting furious for being the designated driver..always! It may sound funny and weird to anyone but I don’t get excited when I see some fancy sports car. I am the type of person who’ll go to a Moto GP instead of an F1 race, a motorcycle show rather than a car show and rather be sweating in the afternoon sun on my mesh jacket rather than cooling it out on a van. I still don’t commute when going to the office in Singapore… I ride a MarinQuad XC mountain bike. :-)

Global Pinoy

2010-01-05T11:17:00.003+08:00

Would anyone confirm, what is the number 1 export product of the Philippines? Tuna? Mangoes? Coconut oil? It must be the Filipino people.

Based on the stats from the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), in the year 2008 the Philippines produced an average of 3,377 daily deployment of worker. A total of 1.2 million Filipinos left their country, family and friends to venture to other countries hoping to find a better paying job. It is estimated that there are about 8 to 11 million Filipinos all over the world right now. WOW, that’s more than the population of Singapore.

I am sure that everyone in the Philippines knows someone who works or used to work abroad. My dad and a couple of my uncles worked in Saudi Arabia. My wife’s uncle is a seafarer and one of my close friend had a 1-year stint in Iraq and now. And he is now based in Afghanistan. We are worldwide!!!!

Why do Filipinos leave?

Simply put into perspective, the Philippines is a 3rd world country with not much improvement in the past 3 decades. There are so many issues that I don’t dare to tackle because, first..the list will be so long that this blog will be boring and secondly, I am not in the authority to do so. I am sure there are lots of answers to the question. Personally, I left the Philippines and my family to work here in Singapore to earn more. Period. Can my family survive if I don’t? Yes of course. But why? It’s a matter of personal preference and just like every good and honest Dad would say… “I am doing this for my kids’ future”.

Blue Collar Jobs

The Filipino talent is world class and one major advantage from other races is that we speak fluent English. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) often work as doctors, physical therapists, nurses, accountants, IT professionals, engineers, architects, entertainers, technicians, teachers, military servicemen, students, caregivers, domestic helpers, household maids and seafarers.

What’s in it for the Philippine government?

Overseas Filipinos sent $15.9 billion worth of remittances to the Philippines in 2008 up from the $14.4 billion in 2007, and $13 billion in 2006. This makes the country the fourth largest recipient of foreign remittances behind India, China, and Mexico. The amount represents 13.5% of the Philippines’ GDP, the largest in proportion to the domestic economy among the four countries mentioned. Without these remittances, the Philippines would be in worst condition, can you imagine that? The government calls us "bagong bayani" (modern hero) but there is no concrete plan or program for returning OFW especially those who were abused.

Blog Numero Uno

2010-01-04T12:48:00.004+08:00

I've been hooked to the internet since my uncle Boy introduced me to the digital world. We had a small desktop at home that everyone loved. If memory serves me right, it was an assembled PC running on Pentium 1, 8MB of RAM and who knows what other stuffs were in there. It had those nice old school floppy disc drives. Everyone had a great time playing games, watching movies, listening to music and learning MS Word and Excel… but that piece of hardware opened my eyes to the newest thing back then, the INTERNET.

After 15+ years of Rocketmail, mIRC, Alamak, Yahoo, Multiply, Ragnarok, Friendster, Facebook and countless porn sites ....comes my very first ‘BLOG’. Hey, what really is a blog? As per Mr. Wiki:

A blog (a contraction of the term "web log")[1] is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video

Yup, am an indie and I intend to update this regularly…and yes, some updates will come with pics and videos. So, here goes nothing… good luck to me!