One Decade Down, Several More to Go!

In about 6 more hours, we'll be officially recognizing our 10th year together. Who would've thought we'd last this long? We're totally different personalities, and yet, maybe through God's grace too, we have managed to get along and "survive" each other. Quite the ride, huh?

He's the silent type. Not! Oh my, if that were true, it'll be the end of the world! Because he's the type of person who'd feel feverish if he doesn't talk in a span of at least 2 hours (except of course if he's watching a movie or sleeping). And sometimes he even couldn't help it that even if we're watching a movie he still talks every now and then, and when he sleeps he snores - very loudly - so he still isn't quiet at all. He sings a lot - and I mean a lot. Good thing he sounds decent. :) Though decent may sometimes be an understatement.

He's patient and understanding and tolerant. (Otherwise, how on earth would you think we'd pass the 10-year mark?!) And he's smart - he chose me, so that counts, right? But no, kidding aside, he really has a good working brain, if not so then he'd really be stupidly boring and I would've torn him to pieces long before we even got to be officially together. :)

Anyway, he's fantastic! And I really appreciate and love how he mostly just gives in and let's me be when I'm being annoying. (Now you really have to buy me coffee later!) He's one of the best gifts God has given me and having to share ten years of my life with him is indeed, one heck of a decade!

Now let's move on, shall we? Another decade is a looooong way to go! :)

Cupcaken - the Cupcake Haven of Cebu City

Today's a big day for Ken and Yan, not because it's the Chinese New Year,
but because today's the grand opening of their newest endeavor - Cupcaken.
As the name implies and if you haven't noticed yet, Cupcaken specializes in
cupcakes.

Aside from cupcakes, Cupcaken also serves Illy coffee in, of course, an Illy cup (Yan
says that's an italian brand and is so much better than starbucks'..)

We also had a group of foreigners check out the place, they say they passed
by a while ago and Cupcaken was still closed, so they came back. Funny
thing, these guys know how to speak in Cebuano! :)

And one more thing, Cupcaken is not just a run-of-the-mill cupcake store,
they also have couches for guests and groups who would like to be more
comfy.

They also accept orders, I think.

So come and visit us soon, Cupcaken is located on Banawa Street, beside
Nuat Thai. (If your going from Katipunan street, then it's before you reach
Paseo Arcenas.)

Think I'm gonna give one of these away on a blog contest soon enough...  :)

It's a cupcase... Put one of the cupcakes in one of these and no matter how you handle it, the cupcake doesn't lose its "beauty"...    :)

Like if you had one of these, would you want to lose the icing? At all? Right?!

Follow us on Twitter:   @CupcakenCebu

Like us on Facebook:  Cupcaken

Dear Phoenix, It's 2012!

Dear Phoenix,

It's already 2012, almost your birthday!  :)

It has been an absolutely fulfilling 2011 for me and your Daddy. We have watched you grow up from this tiny baby who just squeals and cries when needed, to this tall, long-legged baby who now drools on everything, walks like she has no tomorrow and says "cat" even while looking at a dog.

You may have not noticed but there has been so much that happened last year. One was of course, you were born, then Mommy got assigned somewhere farther and left CIAD in good hands. Daddy also got a new job and I think is still enjoying it. :)  You now have more batchmates in church, you prefer Tita Brenda over the other people in the Nursery and your Tita Yanyan is already carrying your cousin even before your Tito Ken can open CupcaKen.

Your uncles and aunts are also doing better, even though Kaye is already spamming our FB accounts with her k-pop thingy. Kuya TJ now has a job, he doesn't want you calling him uncle, you know. Kuya Bryan gained more weight and is now back in Ipil, God knows why. Papa and Mamu, as they want to be called, are doing better also, they have been the most excited grandparents this Christmas since we went there for a vacation. (And they still despise your Daddy for printing "Lolo" and "Lola" on their shirts!)

You also met several ate's this year. One of which, the oldest, kinda pinched your arm and since then denied it. Two other ate's passed until you met your Ate Phebe, who is now taking care of you. You have been so behaved up until you discovered you can very well want something and cry if you can't get it. Ever since you wandered about the room and the sala and the kitchen of Papa and Mamu's house, you have been enjoying giving a full exercise to me, Mamu and now your Ate Phebe. You want to walk around too much, and sometimes even run (and crawl-run, if there's such a word!). You now almost always want to get out and look for cats, or dogs, roosters or chickens, and this was when you started saying "cat" and "dog", "shi-ehn" and "fin-esh". You learned to kiss your reflection when asked to "kiss Phoenix" but you won't kiss Mommy nor Daddy (which is frustrating by the way...) What else will you surprise us with, in the days to come? :)

So there, as I said, it was a lovely year, and hopefully, 2012 will be so much better!



Still waiting to hear you say our names,
Mommy and Daddy

OFW remittances at an all-time high: social remittances as new currency from Global Pinoys

Remittances from Filipinos working overseas are at an all-time high. And no, it’s not just because they’re sending back US dollars, Saudi Riyals, Euros or Japanese Yen; but because our modern-day heroes are sending back what’s known as social remittances.

Social remittances refer to ideas, practices, identities and social capital that flow from receiving to sending country communities. It was coined by sociologist Peggy Levitt in her book “The Transnational Villagers and she describes social remittances being transferred by migrants and refugees that are exchanged by letters or other forms of communication that includes phone, fax, the internet or video. She suggested that social remittance affects family relations, gender roles, class and race identity, as well as have a substantial impact on political, economic and religious participation.

This concept isn’t something new for the Philippines. In the 1800s, this was already seen through the newspaper La Solidaridad and the novels of Jose Rizal. Like them whose ideas paved . In the 21st century, blogging is the new form of social remittance of Filipinos working and living abroad. Through their blogs they are publishing their stories online to inspire others. They also advocate for causes, help others and muster support from their readers to help effect change in their own little ways.

With globalization, Filipino migrants are beginning to realize the power of harnessing the potential of social remittance. They may be students pursuing a higher education, a professional with a white-collar job or a migrant working as house help; but all of them have something in common: an economic goal and aspiration.

This year the Pinoy Expat/OFW Blog Awards or PEBA 2011 is geared to recognize the contributions of Filipino bloggers abroad. This year’s theme is dubbed as "Ako'y Magbabalik, Hatid Ko'y Pagbabago." (I Will Return, I Will Bring Change) as Balikbayans not only send back their monetary remittances; but social remittances as well.

For this year PEBA opens a new blog search called PEBA’s Any Blogger, Anywhere for all Filipino bloggers in various categories, at home or abroad. This year’s blog contest will look into narratives as to how returning Expats/OFW will make use and share their social remittance or their talents, skills and fortunes to bring change to their families, communities and country. Expats/OFW bloggers who will be joining the contest will be required to write a blog entry on the said theme. There is also an ongoing blog contest for OFW supporters.

For 2011, VIPinoy, a service and perks for overseas Filipinos and OFWs offered by Ayala Malls is the biggest sponsor of PEBA. Ayala Mall is providing Trinoma Activity Center as the venue for the awards nights on December 9, 2011 and Market Market as venue for its photo exhibit from December 9, 2011. PEBA is equally supported by one of its long time partner NOKIA and communication giant Globe Telecom.


PEBA will exclusively invite some 200 guests who can make their reservation and confirmation/RSVP of their attendance through VIPinoy Lounges in the different Ayala Malls and the awarding will be watched by a thousand or more and will be telecast live for OFWs to watch.

For more information regarding PEBA, please visit http://www.pinoyblogawards.com/.

Budgeting: Every Finance Manager's Headache

Every year-end, all companies do their budgeting for the coming year. This means, actual expenses as of the cut-off date are collated, evaluated and then a budget for the following year is drawn from the proposed projects and actual operating expenses as assessed previously.

It just so happened that our company first gives all department heads to "propose" their own budgets. But then, these are subject to checking and revising and correcting, of course, by the Corporate Officers, before it gets approved.

So how come I'm writing these down? Because I'm irked. Annoyed. Irritated. That some of the department heads think that once they have proposed something, it becomes law. Hello?! What's so hard to understand that we still have to go through the checking process and the approval? Our budget cannot be approved if it didn't pass the qualifications or limits set by the authorized "approvers" - who in this case is the Corporate Finance Officer. How come you all sound so irritated that your proposed budget went down? Tell me, would you rather have the same budget as last year because we didn't budge and accepted the limits set by Management? Or will you be willing to accept the new proposed budget and stop blaming me because the figures you're seeing now are significantly lower than what you proposed beforehand?

I know. It's law that everyone should hate the Finance Manager. But hey, is this YOUR money we're talking about? Isn't this the company's? Isn't this the owners' money you're planning to spend relentlessly?

Gimme a friggin' break...