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Showing posts from 2020

14 Call Center Interview Questions & Answers

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The call center industry is one of the fastest growing in the country these days. As recently as ten years ago, there were only a few call center agents and the word call center was hardly ever used in the country. Today, almost every family has at least one member working in the call center industry. The reason for this boom is partly economics. In the Philippines, low paying jobs are very notorious and while call centers set up shop here because of the low labor costs, Filipinos decide to work for the call center industry because it pays higher than average wages. Consider this: if you are an average worker with an entry level position, you probably are getting paid seven to ten thousand a month; meanwhile, an average employee in the call center industry with an entry level position will get around fifteen thousand pesos a month, plus free dental and health benefits (HMO). Call centers also will pay your SSS (Social Security), PAGIBIG (home building fund), and PhilHealth (health ins...
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Why Does The BSP Hold Gold?

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In 2013, Ron Paul, former US congressman asked Ben Bernanke, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve why central banks held gold . The former fed chair answered that it's simply because it's a long-term tradition. During the height of the Coronavirus lockdowns, gold prices went up rapidly. This trend did not go unnoticed among Filipinos. Cebuana Lhuillier reported high turnover of rematado  (foreclosed) jewelry  during that time period.  Perhaps due to the heightened interest of gold during this time, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas received several questions regarding the purchase of gold in the Philippines and in June of 2020 decided to release an infographic where they answer some common questions that we might have about gold. Why does the BSP hold gold? The Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas gives us a more honest answer to this question compared to the Federal Reserve.  Gold is a real asset and no one's liability! It couldn't get any more honest than that. That means th...
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How To Get Better Internet Connection With Globe My Business Huawei B312-939 Modem

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My mom recently bought a Globe My Business modem which is actually a Huawei B312-939 modem in Pagadian city but said that it was too slow. She sent it to me because she thought that I would have better luck with Globe's internet signal here in Manila. I already knew that Globe's internet signal is too weak where I live but it's still usable if I closed my eyes, held my breath and counted to one hundred. Anyway, when I got the Huawei B312-939 modem, I was surprised because it was even slower than the usual slow internet I experience with my Globe Prepaid SIM which I use on my phone. I figured it had something to do with the settings since I'm using both of them in the same place. For several hours, I tried tinkering with the settings to no avail. I researched about it and found out that the Huawei B312-939 modem's settings is severely limited. Apparently, there is a wider array of options available if you logged in as an 'administrator' and not simply as a ...
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PhilPost Rates International Shipping 2020

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It has been two years since I last went to the post office. I was shocked to learn that prices have more than doubled but later I found out that prices have indeed gone up significantly but only by as much as 50% since August 2020. It turns out that the item I sent two years ago were lighter than the one I sent a few weeks ago. Here are the updated PhilPost international shipping rates for 2020. I decided to post them here since they are very hard to come by. I'm not sure if this list is complete though and I was told that not all countries are currently accepting shipments from abroad. For me, international registered mail is still one of the best options to send stuff abroad. Yes, it is slow but it is very dependable and affordable. Based on my experience, as long as it is registered (meaning there is a tracking number), your parcel will never get lost.
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SM's S-shaped Building

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I have always loved skyscrapers ever since I started playing Sim City when I was in high school. One of the things that really caught my attention when I first went to Manila were the skylines of Ortigas Center and Makati. Over the years, odd-shaped buildings have sprouted in different parts of the world but none in the Philippines. However, a few years ago SM began constructing an S-shaped building adjacent to SM Megamall, the first odd-shaped building in the country, I believe. Here are some photos of SM's S-Shaped building that I took today, my first time to visit SM megamall since the pandemic began.
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The Coffee Pouch Review

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Creating the perfect blend of coffee beans is like orchestrating a fireworks show. You don't just put everything together willy-nilly hoping for good results. For ne, the perfect blend of coffee begins with a smooth vanilla-like flavor that tingles your taste buds, climaxes to a chocolatey and nutty taste, and ends with no aftertaste. This is what Coffee Pouch seems to have captured in their Ala-Eh blend. Coffee Pouch's Ala-Eh blend is perfect for coffee lovers who love coffee with a bold taste.  Meanwhile, if you like mildly roasted coffee, you will definitely enjoy their Pure Arabica variant which is full of floral and fruity notes. The Coffee Pouch is based in Batangas, a province that is very popular for its Kapeng Barako . Batangas has been a major coffee producer in the Philippines since coffee was first introduced there by Spanish friars in the 18th century. Dedicated to delivering perfectly roasted coffee beans in excellently designed bags, Coffee Pouch's most dist...
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BSP Easing Through Credit Cards

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Starting on November 3, credit card users can only be charged a maximum of monthly interest rate of 2%. . While the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas said that there will be no more monetary easing for this year, it looks like they have done so through credit cards (annual interest rates used to be at 18 to 58%). The policy will be reviewed every 6 months. The fat cats at BSP do not seem to understand that the economic crisis we are facing today is due to the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic. They, themselves have said that our fundamentals are intact so I don't know how lowering interest rates can help the economy. I mean do you really feel like purchasing a flat screen TV these days? Of course not. Businessmen feel the same way. They won't start a business in these conditions.
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Cheap RC Cola!

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Look what I found!  Guess how much they cost? Only 99 pesos! I bought them from a  truck selling RC Cola products to sari-sari stores (a store that sells sundries) so I think I got a bulk purchase price. Yay!
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Is Rice with Black Insects Safe to Eat?

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If you received rice from the government during the period that they implemented a strict quarantine, your rice may have little black insects in them or weevils.  Although there have been reports of people receiving rice from the government already containing bukbok , I certainly did not receive them that way but noticed the infestation only after a few weeks. According to  this article , they appear when rice isn't stored properly. Apparently, you have to store rice in an airtight container (something which I failed to do). Maybe, it's because I buy rice only a kilogram at a time that I never had any problems with proper rice storage before. I do however, remember buying a lot of brown rice in the past and seeing weevils in them after a few months. So how do we get rid of them? According to the same article cited above, you may freeze your rice to kill the weevils or put some bay leaves in your rice to prevent infestation. Is rice with bukbok  safe to eat? The governmen...
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Ready For The Second Wave!

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Since the second wave of the virus is at hand and I wanted to be prepared, I decided to buy two very interesting-looking bottles of disinfectants at the convenience store today. In March, some liquor companies that produce beverages like rum and brandy said that they will start to produce disinfectants to help address insufficient supply (at that time). Looking closely, you can make out the name distilleria Limtuaco  engraved in the bottle. I'm pretty sure it used to be a state-owned enterprise during the Spanish colonial era and perhaps later bought by a Chinese since the name Limtuaco sounds like Chinese. During the latter years of the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines, the Chinese intermarried with the natives (to elevate their status in the islands) and later overthrew the Spanish regime.  
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Eli's Fresh Bakes

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I was browsing through a Facebook group which I frequently visit when I saw an ad for cakes. I decided to give it a try when I saw the positive comments from other people (herd mentality). 😏 Eli's Fresh Bakes' menu consists of the regular items like banana loaves as well as more decadent ones such as the pineapple upside down loaf. They also have sugar-free cakes. Eli's Fresh Bakes promises cakes that are freshly baked always and they didn't disappoint. The cakes were delivered to my house piping hot from the oven. Normally when  expensive bakeries in the malls  advertise "freshly baked", it simply means it isn't a day old yet and not truly freshly baked. I ordered the Moist Banana Loaf and the Chiffon loaf. The Chiffon cake is something I have been missing from my childhood days in Zamboanga city where most bakeries made them when I was growing up. I paired a slice of each with black brewed coffee and had myself a blast. Both the banana loaf and chiffon...
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Is Getting a Pneumonia and Flu Vaccine a Good Idea?

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Now that we are back in a stricter quarantine (due to the overwhelmed hospitals) and there is talk of a second wave that is just around the corner, perhaps you might be thinking of a way to better protect yourself against the virus. Aside from the usual advice of wearing a mask and physical distancing, the Department of Health also encourages people to get a pneumonia and flu vaccine. According to this article , the DOH states that getting those vaccines may lessen the gravity of symptoms if you ever contract COVID 19. Not that I believe everything they say, but I thought that it wouldn't hurt to get vaccinated. Since public transportation is scarce, it's best to look for a clinic or a hospital that is located within walking distance from where you live. Try to contact them and ask for their rates. Yes, I do believe that it is a good idea to shop around for the best rates. Based on my experience, most health centers provide FREE pneumonia and flu vaccines to senior citize...
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Repatriating My Mother and A Review Of The Wings Transit Lounge

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There is nothing sadder in the world than a near-empty airport, in my opinion. A few days ago, I went to the airport to chaperone my mom who was in transit to Pagadian city. Much to my chagrin, the checkpoints weren't very strict even though I was told that you could only enter the airport terminal if you had a flight that day (including the gates to the arrival area). I did show the security guard my mom's ticket from Zamboanga city where she was stranded since March of this year and perhaps because of her age, they let me in. I had an hour to kill so I decided to track my mom's flight using Flight Aware and Flight Radar 24. My friend recommended those websites when I was started feeling restless. Because they only let a few people board the plane at a time (physical distancing), my mom's plane departed late but maybe because there was very little air traffic, the plane still arrived on time. Looking at the Philippine map while tracking ...
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First Green Shoots Of Recovery: It's Beginning To Look Like Things Are Almost Back To Normal!

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It was in the middle of the afternoon on a payday Tuesday when I decided to go to the mall after seeing some posts on social media about different items on sale for 50% off their usual price.                           I was very surprised to see that traffic in EDSA looks almost like it used to be before the pandemic. As of this writing, the economy has been opened partially for the past four weeks (with much more relaxed quarantine measures in place). At the mall, there is significantly lesser foot traffic and there were still several stores that were closed . In the late afternoon however, an uptick in foot traffic was observed as office workers headed home. Free wireless internet was unavailable (if I remember correctly) to discourage loitering. The supermarket is still where most people go to.  Establishments like bookstores are virtually empty. I don't ...
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