Expat Living Singapore Magazine

ABBEY: Expat Living gave us free gigs many times. Now they gave us a chance to be subscribed on their publication for a year for free. Yes, for free. 

The first issue we had showcases the beautiful vacation getaways, including the famous Amanpulo in Philippines. Also in the magazine are suggestions  of beautiful furnitures like chairs, tables, and beds for your home.

WILL: Expats or expatriates are the people residing temporarily in a foreign land, Abbey and I are one of those foreigners living here in a very diverse culture and races of Singapore. Residing and blending in is not so easy to do, many adjustments should be done and should learn and that is what Expat Living Magazine is all about.

      I signed up on their newsletter so every move and news, I was updated, and we are so lucky to sign up for one year subscription for free. Yes!, you read it right, one year for FREE!

      We received May and June issue and we are very glad to see the different people living and enjoying their stay here. From  fashion to pigging out, getaways and services, recipes to home decors / home for rents and even schools for your child, they have them covered. This is an ultimate guide for foreigners.

     And you know what, this is not just a paper that you can read and forget about the contents, they also manage to put up some events to meet up with other subscriber...they are building a community and a great chance to meet a new friend!

     Please visit their website, sign-up on their newsletter, like their facebook page and subscribe!

     Thanks again EXPAT LIVING!

Passport Renewal & Change Surnames | Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore

ABBEY: Philippine embassy never failed me when I'm applying for my OEC (Overseas Employment Certificate); specially when the appointment was made online. Once booked, I only spend less than 30 minutes; much less time than my travel going there. 

I was skeptical and uneasy when we are about to get our passports renewed. As the others say, you have to queue early morning as it will only process a certain number of applicants. What? Back again to "primitive" process? But I was wrong, just like OEC, book online and go in there with proper documents -duly accomplished passport renewal form, photo copy of passport data page, IC, and DFA red-ribboned marriage certificate for wife who will change their names, and on your scheduled time (the Embassy advises to come exactly or 5-10 minutes before but not 2-3 hours before). 
Still there is a queue for those scheduled in specific time slots but it will not take you more than 30 minutes. Once the number is called, go inside for passport processing. Make sure to check your particulars printed on the screen or else you'll go back to square one and then put your best formal pose as this will be your photo on your passport for the next 5 years. Once done, go out and pay 102sgd at window 6. They will give you a receipt and claim stub as to when you can get your passport. 

Another good service from Philippine Embassy. Keep up the good work.

WILL: I am not just renewing my passport, I am also changing my surname. We are here in Singapore so we checked-out what are the requirements for it. Abbey only needed 1.Our Singapore NRIC 2.Old Passport and 3.Filled-up Form (make appointment here). For me, just the same but additional marrage certificate from National Statistics Office duly certified by Department of Foreign Affairs. I phoned my sister immediately and ask her to go to DFA that week for this requirement. It was February, and all the schedule was full until end of March. So we ended up first week of April. 
      After a week, I received the DFA authenticated marriage certificate and we are just waiting for our scheduled appointment. 
      Dear Kababayans, please observe the proper attire when going to our embassy as the shorts, sleeveless and slippers were prohibited inside. There is no queue when we went there and that was the result of proper planning done by our good embassy, the scheduling system really helps not to flock all the Filipinos inside the embassy. 
      As we approached the counter, an all-smile girl is there, checked our documents and put it on queue, she asked us to go inside the office and wait for our turn for them to take a photo of us. After the photo session and verifying documents, we were asked to pay at the counter. As easy as that, no fuss at all. 
     27th of May we got our new passports. :) This is a better service. Two thumbs up for this. 

Ang Pera na Hindi Bitin - Money That's Never Short

ABBEY: The Bible teaches us to be a good steward  with the blessings that the Lord is giving to us especially when it comes to finance. Not that we have tons of money to manage but as it is written "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much". We just want to handle our finances well. This book gives us insight supported with Biblical truths that helps us to reach our goal. The author is an example of a "debt-slave" person until he overcome and paid them and became debt-free within a couple of years. He showed that living in debt is stressful. He wanted the readers to reach financial freedom with God's help. So if you're having financial worries, maybe this is the time to grab and read this book.

WILL: This is only a P50 book and I have a feeling that my Kuya have this to me for me to save money wisely. As I remember, my mom tagged me as the most stingy person she knew but my dad tagged me that I spend money like there is no tomorrow. 2 opinions from my 2 different closest person in my life. So let me asked my husband. Wait. And his answer is, I am thrifty. 
     Maybe I am the three of those and yet I am not ashamed. 
     Not blowing my own horn, I live a life that every little girl wanted to be. I had 11 barbies (original), a books of fairy tales, as early as 10 I have a collection of wristwatch, in my schooldays my clothes were from Guess to Gap to Tokyo Fashion, all of them were branded. But when I set foot on college and told by my mother that from there I will be writing my own future, I stopped and accepted that everything might be gone. I started to save my weekly allowance. Open a bank account and started to nurture my brain to survive the fight of so called "Life". 
     So here I am, saving the the most that I can, sharing it with the people that has lesser than I have. Contented on what we have, investing some in stocks and living a simple and yet peaceful and comfortable life. 
     Thanks for this book kuya. This made me realize that at the age of 30 I have some accomplishments na pala. ;) I will lend this book to other people for them to realize that we must save for the future and to be a blessing for others. 

Borders - Final Days

ABBEY: I'm happy and somehow sad when I learned that Border's will be closing down. Happy for the book discounts; sad because the bookstore will meet its end. I got two reference books for 5sgd each when I first went to their drive. On its last days, my wife got one part of her fave novel but I had none. Almost all the reference books are gone. Its nice to be part of the last sale but I also must live to the fact that life must go on Border-less.

WILL: There is no easy way to say goodbye. Bye Borders. :( this company been great in serving the public by giving us the varieties of books the world can offer. 
      By letting them know that we support them until the end, we went at their clearance sale. And surprise, surprise my long last book was found and purchased for 70% off
     Thank you borders for the years of service and feeding our mind through good books.  

LinkedIn

Abbey:

This is what I called "Facebook" for the the professionals. Unlike other job searching sites, in here you can post updates, connect to other people with the same interest, to your friends or colleagues. Resumes serves as the profile and recommendations as testimonials.  You can also join groups for your specialties.

WILL: I am member of this LinkedIn. Well, this is indeed one of a social network, but this is for the professional side of people. 
Here in Singapore, employers uses this frequently to headhunt on their vacancies. 
      We already installed iPhone apps, why? This LinkedIn is giving us updates on the groups we are in. So happy to have this.

Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore

ABBEY:  I don't care how big or small or how beautiful the embassy is. What matters to me is that they can provide the services that must be offered to any OFW. I heard others say that its just like a bungalow house with tents on the sides. Here is where I get my OEC, a certificate that entitles an OFW to be exempted for travel taxes. What I had in mind are these suggestions on how to improve their processes:

1. Since the embassy is under construction, they should first put their notification about the change of their office days (Mon-Fri currently). They can use their website since almost all the institutions here in SG are connected via web.

2. Located at Nassim road, its a long walk from Orchard. When somebody comes to the embassy, unaware of the change of sched, he will be greeted by a 5-foot tall tarp saying that the embassy is closed.

It would be better if they will have other notices in other places along Orchard.

I saw another sign in the SSS office, but its not very noticeable unless you will have remittance or you will inquire in SSS.

3. Given that the renovation is in progress, they should set first their number system. Not by marking each form with red marker. How about those who downloaded the forms and filled it up before going at the embassy? I guess they have to fill up the forms again.

I know improvement is a long process, but I'm hoping for the better of our own embassy.

WILL: From orchard road, it will take a 15 minutes walk to reach the Philippine Embassy in Singapore and on this area also located the embassies of different countries. 
Its just like an old ancestral house with so many cars parked. But now, it is under renovation and that's the cause of Monday to Friday sked instead of Sunday-Thursday.
      I am one of the Filipino who filed my OFW here in Singapore. The requirements? NRIC ID, Passport, and $42.00.
Unlike other government employees, here, smile never left their lips, very accommodating. My OFW application and OEC just took me not more than 45 mins. :)

The Economist

Abbey:
The magazine that I received contains collection of featured article of  The Economist. This is their sample. It tells how advanced the cloning research and testing in the US. You can also read about the depressed area in other countries and how the world helps on their needs. As their name states, they tackle also the effects of mobile phones on their profits on fish. How can you sell your goods at a better price. With technology fast advancing, they can have potential buyers even if they are far away from each other. Hope I can read more on this mag.

WILL: It truly fed our mind. My expectation to this is just a ordinary magazine that will portray the life of others, but damn, I am all wrong.
      This sample magazine that Abbey received features the negative and positive in looking deeper in biology, the imbalance rate of girls and boys in China and India, and they tackle about a discovery of disease that affects the prosperity of a country.
      So informative. Currently waiting for this magazine for a fresh copy for 2011. :)

Borders - Where Minds Meet

 

 ABBEY:

After my gift from Manny (a bout with Antonia Margarita), then came the Borders. I convinced Wilma to go to the booksale, because I want her to get a new book for a cheaper price of course. :) Once there, she went her way to the novels. For me, to the computer books, trying to find a book about Oracle. After searching dozens of books, I found three, but they're worth the search :) ASM, Oracle 10g, and Oracle OCP exam tips. Di pa nga ako OCA, OCP na agad book ko. Hahaha. And as we are about to pay the books, there came my birthday surprise. "All those who celebrate their birthdays today, more book discounts." Just kidding. The announcement was all computer books will be 5SGD only. Imagine, PHP9k worth of books now only PHP150. Happy birthday to me :)

WILL: It will be unusual if it doesn't rain in our town in weekends. As in heavy rain poured down last November 14, so I am thinking not to go to Borders markdown price, but baby insisted.

      After side trip in Cosplayers in AFA X, we went to Borders Books. Ayun, so many books I don't know where to start the hunt. 

      I ended up buying 2 fiction books and Trump's for only S$5.00. But Abbey has books that have a great great discount and very helpful for his love job. 

      I hope there will be books regarding international trade for next year's sale. hehe.. I am just demanding. Tapos tag price sana S$2.00 heheehe.

 

The Power Planner

ABBEY: Alam ko very awkward yung magkanito ang isang guy, lalo na yung ganitong mga design. Hehe. Hindi naman ako katulad ni Wilma na kailangan mag-set ng mga meeting for next week, magpasa ng docs at manifest at a certain hour and day. But whenever I have an important thing na dapat tandaan, I'll just grab my phone and set an alarm. :)

The biggest perk for me ng mga planner na ito is yung mga freebies nila or discount coupons. Nawili akong kumain sa white hat, nakapunta ako sa ACE water spa, etc... Nung nakita namin yung planner ng BDJ for 2011, it was different. May mga leaf na tinanggal sa basic na planner and they can be purchased as an add-on. :( Pati mga coupons nila mostly puro discount na lang. Wala nang one-for-one. I hope hindi manatili sa ganito yung BDJ kung sakaling cost-cutting sila. It will create a negative impression sa kanila ang mga clients nila.

WILL: 2007 I already got a Guess planner from a friend but I didn't somehow maximize the importance of it. 

      2008, My boss gave us another planner from Guess ulit, then that was the start of my busy years. Kaya siguro nya ako binigyan ng planner, hehe. When u got to see the inside of it, it looks like a dump site, lots of post it(from Abbey), IDs from different events, etc. etc.

      2009 the Belle de Jour, this is my first time to buy something online. I got the idea of this when one of the accounting chose to buy a planner instead the one provided ng office. This time medyo masinop na and mas maayos na pag nagsusulat ako but the IDs, stickers, receipts, and little notes from Abbey eh di ko pa rin naiiwasan ilagay. Di na mukang basurahan, more of scrapbook na sya.

      2010. Belle de Jour pa rin, Ito malinis n tlaga. As in ang konti ng nakasulat. Why? Kasi I am using the calendar notes na sa phone. I got my to-dos na din downloaded from Apps. 

      In the coming years, planner on paper or in mobile phones, definitely, I will always be needing for one.

JK Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard

ABBEY:

Sinubaybayan ko talaga ang Harry Potter but not to the point na naging die-hard. Yung iba nga na detail ng story hindi ko na maalala. Nakakatuwa kasi nagkaroon ako nitong libro.

Tales of Beedle the Bard is one of the books in the Harry Potter series. Ito yung Grim's fairy tales natin.

The book has less than 10 stories. Magkaiba lang nga sila ng terms. Puro jargons ang sa Beedle the Bard. Hehehe. Pang-wizard and witches talaga.

And like our fairy tales, they end happily ever after.

WILL: This is my 1st surprise for Abbey when he got home. He is a big fan of Harry Potter but he got the collection of the series, so I just decided to go for this book. 

I went to some bookstores but Fully Booked at The Block just got this one. Tapos mga 3 copies n lng, so I grabbed it agad. 

The story is for children and children at heart. I found it weird when I got to see the commentaries of Albus. Kaya si Abbey na lng ang bumabasa nun. It only worth not more than Php500.00. 

Natuwa ako nung makita ko na it was published to help some less fortunate people. I am glad in buying some kind of stuff like this. May libro ka na, nakatulong ka pa!