Renewing NBI Clearance again

I rant about govt offices as I see a lot of inefficiency in the way transactions are done. In fairness, for the past 7 years that I worked, I noticed that there has been some improvement in the processes but still a lot more needs to be done. One such process is the renewal of the NBI clearance.

As part of the pre-employment requirements, I had to process the renewal of my NBI clearance again. I know that NBI has already made this process easier through kiosks in Malls and availability of satellite offices in select city halls in Metro Manila. However, I discovered a few years ago that I have a criminal namesake due to a hit in the NBI records list. This caused me to wait for a week to get my clearance unlike the usual no-hit names who can get it within the same day of application. The last time I took this was in QC city hall.

This time, my dad attempted to renew me in SM Megamall. The day he applied for my renewal, he was able to do step1-2. That is payment of the fee and the quick search. From the quick search they will let you know whether you have a common name which will most likely have a hit or you can proceed to step 3 which is verification. Mind you that the quick search is only a manual check of the officer (no checking with a database / computer).

After step 2, my dad was told that I will have to process the succeeding steps personally as my name is common and will most likely have a hit. They will also need to take my picture. The problem was that I was in the office that day (in Makati)  and they said that the receipt is valid only on that day. My Dad called me on the phone to let me know that I have to finish the renewal within the day or I would have to pay again on another day. He clarified what time the kiosk in Megamall will close.  They said 6:30 so my dad and I arranged to meet there around 5. 

On my way to Megamall on the bus, my dad called again to tell me he's already in Megamall and the NBI kiosk is closed (it was only 4:30pm)! A note says that they closed early since they ran out of receipts (wtf)! And to think that it's supposed to be a service-oriented government office. 

I got pissed that they had to close early when there are other transactions being done there aside from payment of fees. I decided to go directly to the NBI clearance center in Carriedo (near LRT) on another day to complete the process. In fact, this was what I was supposed to do from step3 onwards. It was indicated in the stamp on my receipt. My dad should not have listened to the NBI employees in Megamall, they only confused him. I did not have to go back there and I do not even have to do that on the same day.

I went early to NBI Carriedo for step3 onwards and although the lines were long, the processing was quick. I was able to finish in 15 mins. As usual, I would have to come back the next day since I have a hit which is a great improvement from before where I had to wait for a week. 

The next day I was able to claim my clearance in 5 mins. I would have commended NBI Carriedo for the fast and efficient service, but I am disappointed that there's no one manning the NBI clearance renewal card booth. I was looking forward to getting this as it will allow me to renew the next time more conveniently in malls via ATM type kiosks and get the renewal within minutes even if you have a criminal namesake. 

Am back online!

Wow... I just realized it's been a while since I last blogged. And it's been quite a busy time for the past 2 months. Busy offline I mean. It's not really by choice that I was offline for a long time. First of all, our internet connection went out. Something to do with the copper wires of our phone connection being stolen here in our neighborhood. And digitel said that the replacement will still come from China, and it took almost a month.

On another personal development, career-wise, I was busy job-hunting.  My current employer hired me within 2 weeks from application. Started work 2 days later. It's somehow like a whirlwind romance... everything suddenly happened in such a short time. I didn't even had much time to prepare the pre-employment requirements. So I had to delegate some of them to my parents :D and the rest I did before coming to work (since we can come in till 10am at the latest).

The problem with being offline for quite awhile is that emails have piled up and spam mail has already reached thousands! Bye-bye to legit emails that went into the spam folder. 

Now that I'm busy working again, I'll probably have more to write about in my blog. That is if I'll be able to find the time. I'll take it one step at a time. For now I'm just glad to be back online.

Travelling fast with Fermina's Express Bus (FermEx)

We recently went to Rene's hometown in San Carlos City, Pangasinan and based from past commute experiences, we noticed that the Fermina's Express bus lines are consistently fast.

Now I actually had concluded this a long time ago when I was still studying in UP. I had chanced by one of their buses heading to Fairview from Ortigas, and I got to Philcoa in around 15 mins!

What I noticed is that they consistently do the ff things:
1. They only stop when a passenger is either going off or about to ride the bus.
2. They drive fast to the point of swerving most of time (not good for the faint of heart).
3. The conductor asks in advance if someone is going off at a certain stop. And if none, they either use the flyover/underpass or pass by the service road without stopping unless a commuter will ride.
4. For provincial trips, their stopover is usually shorter than other bus lines.

So whenever I am about to go off at Ortigas from the jeep I was riding, I would usually already look ahead if a FermEx bus is approaching or has already stopped by. Because by then I can try to catch the eye of the conductor who usually glances at the back in case someone is still trying to get a ride. It's funny how I really wanted to catch this bus every morning because I was always running late. There was even a point I literally ran after it. And almost always when I do catch this bus, I end up arriving way ahead of time.

Another nice thing about their service is that the seats are sized just right. What I mean is the 3-seater can actually seat 3 people and not 2 or 2 and a half of an ass. Plus their buses look well-maintained, without much graffiti on the seats and the aircon is cool. It's the same for the ordinary buses (except there's no aircon of course).

I guess the only downside is the arm rest is not available on all seats. If you are sitting by the aisle, there's a huge chance that you will slip because of the swerving. Not good if you're the sleepy type.

Well, why did I even bother to write a whole entry on this bus? Wala lang. =) I guess I just wanted to give a tip for people who are in a hurry or would like to get to either Fairview or Pangasinan in the fastest possible time on a bus. Btw, I am not in anyway connected with them. I am just a regular commuter/traveller who took notice of a bus line that stood out for me.

Puzzling Village Sim (beware of some clues and spoilers)

I recently revived my interest in this addictive game which I started to play several years ago when my palm was still relatively new. I have stopped playing mainly because my palm has been defective for 2 years now particularly the touch screen which at times does not respond (especially at cold temp).

Ever since I allowed my niece-in-law to play games in my palm (because I wasn't so concerned she will break it as it is already defective) and she tried playing all the games in it, I have become interested on how the village is doing. I then started a new game of my own because from the last time I played it I was able to solve only up to the unblocking of the boulder. I had no idea what the last puzzle was. Just playing the game will give you no clue, unless you move a specifically skilled villager to a particular location. That is what I found out when I searched for clues in the LDW (Last Day of Work) forums.

Now I know what skill to prepare for my villagers and the location in order to solve the last puzzle. Finally I uncovered the last puzzle and the golden child was already born. I was now waiting for the miracle to happen. After several hours of checking whether the boulder has been moved, I started looking for the golden child and what he has been up to. But due to unknown reasons he became missing! I tried searching the net if this actually happens. But I cannot find any instances in forums mentioning about this. My guess is since the golden child is the 50th person in the tribe and the population has been reduced to 47, it might have something to do with maintaining the 50 or more population.

I tried breeding more so that I could reach the 50 population milestone but the golden child is still nowhere to be found. Now I'm thinking maybe my palm has had another bug. During the course of my game I have had some hard and soft resets which made me go back to where I last paused the game (which is rare).

I have been telling Rene about the progress of my village and my frustration and he suggested maybe there is a way to backup your game to a certain level. Then I just remembered I had a tool for that! I knew I had installed some add-ons for Village Sim a long time ago and remembered being able to save 5 games at a time. In addition I also had installed a tool wherein you could edit the current game. You can change the level of skills you are in, the skill / status / age / gender / health of each villager, the puzzles you solved, etc. Now I know how I can bring back the golden child to the tribe. I just selected the 50th person and converted him to a golden child. It's not really cheating, di ba?

Now I'll just have to wait till the cave is opened. I'm not sure what will happen next after you complete the puzzle. Is there something more to expect? I somehow feel bad it's going to end. I read though that there is a PC version with more puzzles. So maybe I will later try that.

Day 8 in Thailand: University Life (7/22/2008)

Today is Rene's last day of training. I have already partially packed our things. We did not have anything planned for today so I just called Orfa to ask if we can join them for dinner for our last night. She suggested we go to the nearby Thammasat University with them and just have photo ops around the campus. That was a great idea.

After their office work and meeting with Loren Legarda who visited AIT that afternoon, we all got together at our room where they lent us one of Orfa's bike and we proceeded to bike to Thammasat University.

The bikers


Thammasat stadium and the poles used for the different flags of competing nations


Another side of the stadium and fooling around more poles


Not sure what this is for but it makes me think of Rapunzel's tower =)


The BKK grill (if i'm not mistaken) where we had our affordable steak dinner


The models in flesh and shadow... me kasama pang aso?! =)


More fooling around at the university... mastering the spirit ball shot

The university is huge, which reminds me of my college days at UP. We noticed that buildings were marked as say, Faculty of Engineering instead of College as in the Philippines. Most of the students here also use the bike as their means of transportation (as well as in AIT). That's good for nature and for the health.

We ended the night with an ice cream break by the 108 store in AIT, courtesy of Anne. It feels good to meet fellow Filipinos abroad. Getting to know them in a few days already feels as if you've known each other for a long time. We're very grateful for all the help and companionship that our AIT friends have extended to us during our stay.



Related Entries:

Welcome to Bangkok! (7/15/2008)
Day 2 in Thailand (7/16/2008)
Day 3 in Thailand: Shopping galore! (7/17/2008)
Day 4 in Thailand: Grand Palace (7/18/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 4 in Thailand: Dinner River Cruise (7/18/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Bang Pa-In Palace (7/19/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Wat Mahathat (7/19/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 6 in Thailand: Inside the Grand Palace (7/20/2008)
Day 7 in Thailand: Future park, Patpong and Suan Lum in one night (7/21/2008)
Day 8 in Thailand: University Life (7/22/2008)

Day 7 in Thailand: Future park, Patpong and Suan Lum in one night (7/21/2008)

It's another weekday and another training day for Rene so we only had time to go out at night. For tonight our plan was to just hang out at the mall and maybe watch a movie.

I read from the net that Future park is one of the largest malls in Asia. But I guess that is because it refers to the network of malls / store within the area. It is not actually just one building like what we have in the Philippines such as the Mall of Asia. So in effect it does not seem to be as big as I expected.

We mostly just had window shopping and did not buy anything as there were not much bargains or sale. We did take some pictures.

Entrance by the fountain... the ball reminds me of the MMDA cement balls on the street

Hanging out inside the mall by the mini-fountains

We chanced by an exit fronting the fountain and found that it has a sort of lights and sound show where the water from the fountain moves with the music (somewhat like the Suntec fountain in Singapore).

Fountain show by the entrance

Since the mall was already about to close (around 9pm), we decided not to watch a movie anymore and just proceed to downtown Bangkok to do our last-minute shopping. We might not go out anymore tomorrow as we will be flying back on Wed morning. We took a taxi and asked to go to the Patpong night market.

As soon as we arrived here, a guy already approached us if we wanted to watch a show. He even had a cardboard list of shows available. I would not mention anymore what kind of show it is. Just google Patpong and you'll get the idea. I am not offended though just quite amused how very open their business is done here. In fact, that is the main reason we went here in the 1st place. I wanted to see what has been talked about here. Although we did not go in anymore as we might get ripped off. You'll already see what's going on inside the bars just walking by the bazaar. We did get to buy some items, mostly shirts and a bag made of silk.

We only spent about an hour in Patpong after which we wanted to go back to Suan Lum Night Bazaar where there are more choices of goods. Here we looked at the other side that we have not been to. We were able to buy a wrap-around skirt for about THB250 (I already bargained this but somehow I feel this is still expensive as I read somewhere that you can buy a wrap-around skirt for around THB100), and a sandal for Rene. I was eyeing also a native sandal for me that would look good with the skirt. But the price was still high and I was already tired and I felt we did not have enough money to spare so I did not buy anymore.

We found that there was also a sort of outdoor bar and live band show here. It would have been nice for hanging out and drinking beer. But of course I am not the type of person who drinks a lot so Rene and I did not stay long. We got home around 1am already.

Related Entries:

Welcome to Bangkok! (7/15/2008)
Day 2 in Thailand (7/16/2008)
Day 3 in Thailand: Shopping galore! (7/17/2008)
Day 4 in Thailand: Grand Palace (7/18/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 4 in Thailand: Dinner River Cruise (7/18/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Bang Pa-In Palace (7/19/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Wat Mahathat (7/19/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 6 in Thailand: Inside the Grand Palace (7/20/2008)
Day 7 in Thailand: Future park, Patpong and Suan Lum in one night (7/21/2008)
Day 8 in Thailand: University Life (7/22/2008)

Day 6 in Thailand: Inside the Grand Palace (7/20/2008)

After another late get-together last night with Rene's colleagues and some friends at AIT, we had difficulty waking up early for a trip to Bangkok to explore the Grand Palace. We were invited by Mae over the phone to eat breakfast at her place and to serve as a sort of "despedida" for Hertz as he is the first one to leave for Manila.

We left AIT around 10am and just took a taxi to get straight to the Grand Palace. Rene and I were already half-asleep when the driver asked us if we are to pass the highway. We got confused with his question because we are already in the highway and we just said yes. It just occurred to us later that what he meant was using the skyway where we had to pay toll fees. That was a big mistake. It cost us THB95 for the toll alone (we passed 2 tollgates and paid 55 and 40 respectively). That is in addition to our taxi fare which cost us THB320.

Democracy Monument on our way to the Grand Palace

We reached the main entrance at Na Phra Lan Road (2 days ago we went to the gate at Ratchadamnoen Ave. in which we were told is closed maybe because it is indeed not for entry) and lined up immediately at the long line we saw. But this was not actually the line for the ticket but for those who need to cover up due to the strict dress code. It's a good thing I asked a staff if the line was for the ticket. At the same time I asked him if my attire is acceptable. They have a red line indicator for your pants/skirts which should be at the red line or lower. Fortunately my pants' length was exactly at the red line. I noticed though that they accept people wearing sandals although I wore closed shoes just to be sure.

The ticket counter was still way inside the gate. Entrance fee is THB300 which includes entry into other museums such as the Vimanmek mansion (valid within 7 days) although we were not able to visit this.

On the way to the ticket counter and main entrance

The palace is indeed Grand. As Mae put it, it is difficult to capture an image of the Grand Palace that will show justice to its beauty. From my pictures alone I am disappointed that I was not able to capture its vibrant colors and intricate design. There is so much to see here but the heat will take its toll on you.

Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)


... (right) Phra Sri Ratana chedi


Phra Mondop, the library


Entrance to Phra Mondop


Kinnorn, mythological creature, half-bird, half-man and another marble mythological beast


"Yaksa Tavarnbal" or Gate-keeping Giants at each gate of the Balcony, characters taken from the Ramayana epic


A model of the Angkor Wat built under the order of King Rama IV when Cambodia was under Siamese control, later recreated in plaster by King Rama V to celebrate the 1st centenary of the Royal City


Prasat Phra Thep Bidorn, also known as the Royal Pantheon... Main building is the central Ubusot (ordination hall) which houses the Emerald Buddha carved from a single block of jade, the most important icon for the Thai people


Chedi found at each side of the Royal Pantheon... Statues found at its base

I noticed that only a few people took notice of the paintings on the wall surrounding the complex. I also chanced upon it while trying to stay in the shade (to cool off) since this area is covered.

The Balcony with a mural of the entire Ramayana epic and the columns with stone inscriptions of the verses describing the murals

Upon exiting the temple complex, we saw the next section of buildings used for Royal functions which are collectively called Maha Monthien (High Residence).

Phra Thinang Boromphiman, which serves as a guest house for visiting royalty and heads of state


Road leading to the Maha Monthien buildings


Phra Thinang Amarin Winichai (Main Audience hall)


Side gate to Phra Thinang Amarin Winichai with stone guards at each side


Chakri Maha Prasat Hall, a mix of European style architecture with Siamese stepped roofs and spires. It is used today for official functions such as a reception for foreign ambassadors


Dusit Maha Prasat (center left), an audience hall built by Rama 1 in 1789


Some marching soldier guards by the exit

After spending around 2 hours here, we decided to go home already as it was tiring to walk under the sun.

Related Entries:

Welcome to Bangkok! (7/15/2008)
Day 2 in Thailand (7/16/2008)
Day 3 in Thailand: Shopping galore! (7/17/2008)
Day 4 in Thailand: Grand Palace (7/18/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 4 in Thailand: Dinner River Cruise (7/18/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Bang Pa-In Palace (7/19/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Wat Mahathat (7/19/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 6 in Thailand: Inside the Grand Palace (7/20/2008)
Day 7 in Thailand: Future park, Patpong and Suan Lum in one night (7/21/2008)
Day 8 in Thailand: University Life (7/22/2008)

Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Wat Mahathat (7/19/2008, part 2 of 2)

Our next stop was Wat Mahathat (Temple of the Great Relic). The entrance fee here is THB60 per person. I just learned from the internet that there are actually several Wat Mahathat in Thailand. This one in Ayutthaya is actually the former capital of Thailand before the Burmese destroyed it in 1767.

Some rules to follow to show respect for the temple ruins

This place reminded me of Angkor Wat in Cambodia due to similar architecture although I haven't been there.

The one on the left is somewhat leaning... (right) A buddha face that has become part of a tree's roots

Remains of a Buddhist temple with a Buddha still well preserved in the middle




More temple ruins



Among the headless buddhas


Posing by a colorful tuktuk and cooling off after staying under the scorching sun

It was hard to go around as it was very hot. We did not put sunblock and after some time masakit na sa sa balat.

A lot of elephants for ride (~THB500) are available right outside

We went for lunch at the Ruang Rup Rong floating restaurant. It actually started to rain on our way there.

Some pics along the way, a chedi and a tuktuk, a tram crossing a bridge and a fountain in the middle of a rotonda


A large swing by the entrance and some ship models


A view of the riverboats


More riverboats


Everyone was busy talking while I was busy taking pics


Finally the food!

We were served a lot of Thai food. Their dishes seem to look like Philippine dishes with some minor differences in terms of ingredients. The preparation and taste are somewhat similar although most Thai dishes are spicy. Just when we thought everything was already served, more were coming. It's such a shame that we were not able to finish everything. I think we only consumed about 2/3 of the order. We were so full.

Although there were still some stops supposedly for the afternoon, Rene and my companions decided to skip the rest of the itinerary and just go straight to Chatuchak weekend market. I would have wanted to see the rest of the itinerary but since it was raining I did not anymore resist. Our tour guide agreed to drop us off there instead. We got there around 1:30pm and it was sunny. We gave him a tip before parting.

A lot of people at the Chatuchak weekend market

The Chatuchak Weekend Market is huge. After looking around for some time and one of our companions getting lost, we asked a vendor where we can get a map. Fortunately he had one and gave it to us. We were there for around 3 hrs. The prices here are lower than the ones in Suan Lum. The outright price here is already the discounted price in Suan Lum. Although I still did not end up buying a lot here (which is our mistake). It took me awhile to decide what to buy so I just ended up canvassing here but later on buying things at Suan Lum. Our companions on the other hand were leaving the next day so they already bought a lot of pasalubong here.

Related Entries:

Welcome to Bangkok! (7/15/2008)
Day 2 in Thailand (7/16/2008)
Day 3 in Thailand: Shopping galore! (7/17/2008)
Day 4 in Thailand: Grand Palace (7/18/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 4 in Thailand: Dinner River Cruise (7/18/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Bang Pa-In Palace (7/19/2008, part 1 of 2)
Day 5 Ayutthaya Day Tour: Wat Mahathat (7/19/2008, part 2 of 2)
Day 6 in Thailand: Inside the Grand Palace (7/20/2008)
Day 7 in Thailand: Future park, Patpong and Suan Lum in one night (7/21/2008)
Day 8 in Thailand: University Life (7/22/2008)