Investing in Philamlife's Valuable Universal Life (VUL) Insurance

I've just received the bill for my Valuable Universal Life (VUL) Insurance in Philamlife and my due date is on May 9, 2014. That's next week. It'll be my 3rd time to pay for the premium and until now I feel like I don't know if I really made the right decision getting one.        

VUL insurance is a life insurance product with investment feature. It offers both death benefit and investment features. So if you want to get an insurance and invest at the same time, this is the best product for you...That's according to VUL financial advisors/sales agents. They would always use the 2-for-1 selling point as a marketing pitch. Admittedly, I was lured by this proposition and so I easily said yes to the Philamlife agent without any hesitation.      

Recently, however, I found a finance blog saying that it's not practical to get a VUL especially if you're still young. That's because the probability of benefiting from the insurance is not that high yet.  Also, while it offers a possibility of increase rate of return over a long period, the moment you withdraw it requires you to pay hefty taxes. And then of course the management fees, etc. and other costs that only finance/investment experts can best explain. 

But then there are also those who are saying otherwise, that VUL insurance is a good product. The debate actually continues (in most finance blogs) so I don't know which is which, who is telling what. For now, I just can't back out even if I wish to because of the possible consequences that I have to deal with if ever. So i have no choice but to continue paying my premium on a quarterly basis...and that's for 10 long years ahead of me. 
     

Lessons learned? Don't get into anything that you don't fully understand! Spend time learning by reading or asking the right persons before making decisions. With emphasis on asking the right person! And the sales agent is not, and can never be the right person! 

Sidetrip: Candido Lopez Public Market in Lipa, Batangas

How about a side trip to a public market? No, there's nothing really special about the Candido Lopez Memorial Public Market in Lipa City, Batangas. I just enjoyed my time watching around the market and taking photos of the veggies, fruits and other fresh products. I was there 2nd week of April to participate in a group development activity and part of the activity was a tour in the market. So here are what my camera phone has captured:  

Yes, tomatoes! Tomatoes are actually fruits, not veggies according to experts, and are perfect for ensalada -- green mango plus tomatoes plus bagoong!

Cucumbers or "pipino" in Tagalog are perfect for a salad recipe. Easy to prepare. Slice the cucumbers and put them in a bowl. Add salt and sugar to taste. Add a little paminta. There you have a simple cucumber salad.  

Melons are summer fruits - perfect for summer refreshments. Grate the melons and put the grated melons in a pitcher. Add sugar to taste and there you have a melon juice. You can add milk, too.  

This is the facade of the public market. On the 2nd Floor are eateries and canteens. On the 1st Floor are all you need in your kitchen!

From Bicol to Cebu via Masbate

A relative in Bicol once asked me how to get to Cebu other than the Samar-Leyte route which can be a long and tiring trip. The option is via Masbate City which is a combination of trips by land and by sea.

From any area in mainland Bicol, e.g. Naga or Nabua, you have the option not to go inside Legazpi City if you’re on-board a bus bound for Legazpi. So,

1. Request the bus driver to drop you off crossing in Banyag, Daraga.

2. Ride a tricycle and tell the driver to take you to the van terminal going to Sorsogon. Tricycle fare is P 8.00 per head. (You have the option to go to the jeepney terminal which is just near the van terminal)

3. In the terminal, ride a UV express van bound for Pilar, Sorsogon. Fare is P70 per head.

4. Van stops right in the entrance of Pilar Port. Enter the port gate (entrance fee: P15) and go straight to the ticketing office of Montenegro Lines for fastcraft (Fee: P396.00) or Denica Lines for MV Gloria motor banca (Fee: P250.00).

Montenegro Schedule (More than 2 hours trip to Masbate):

1st trip: 8:00 am

2nd Trip: 11:30 am

Last Trip: 3:30 pm

MV Gloria Schedule (More than 3 hours trip to Masbate):

Trip: 11:30 am

5. Once you arrive in Masbate Port, go straight to the ticketing office of Montenegro Lines or SuperShuttle Roro to book a ticket bound for Cebu. Montenegro ticketing office is inside the pier while that of SuperShuttle is walking distance from the port’s gate. 

Montenegro Schedule:

Trip: Daily 8:30 am

Fare: P800.00

SuperShuttle Roro

Trip: Every Wednesday 12:00 nn

Fare: P655.00

6. From here, you can enjoy your trip to Cebu City!

Visita Iglesia in Leyte, Pangasinan, Masbate, Sorsogon, Cebu

Today is Maundy Thursday and this is usually the time for Visita Iglesia. Most families, groups of friends, relatives or individuals come together visiting at least seven (7) churches and recite the Stations of the Cross. According to written sources, this tradition dates back to the Apostolic Age. And until now many are still practicing this custom in commemoration of the Maundy Thursday and Holy Friday.     

Since I cannot do this tradition this time around due to uncooperative weather, I’ll be doing my Visita Iglesia by listing down seven churches captured by my phone camera the past few months. 

1. Holy Trinity Parish in Alangalang, Leyte

This church is located right across the Alang-Alang municipal hall. I took this picture a few weeks after super typhoon Yolanda devastated some parts of Leyte including this town. Yolanda took away the church roof but the façade remained majestic.       

2. Santo Tomas de Villanueva Parish in Danao City, Cebu

I took this picture of the vintage church when I went to Camotes Islands in Cebu. This is in Danao City, couple of hours land trip away from Cebu City. You can reach Danao by riding a van in SM City Cebu public terminal. Across the church is Danao port where you can board a ferry going to Camotes Islands and Ormoc City.      

3. St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral in Masbate City, Masbate

Nothing really is spectacular about this church. But this is one of the landmarks in Masbate City. Located in Magallanes area, this church is popular among Roman Catholics in the city. Down at back of the church is the city port.

4. Our Lady of the Pillar Church in Pilar, Sorsogon

Another simple church it is. You will see this when you’re going to Pilar port. When you’re from Legazi/Daraga, you’ll see this to your left before the jeep, van or bus swerves to the right and enters the street leading to the pier. It is a little bit elevated so you have to use the stairs going up the church. 

5. St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Dagupan City, Pangasinan

It was my second time in this church when I took this picture using my celfone. I was here the first time during the wedding of an officemate whose wife is from Dagupan. The church structure is different from other churches. It’s a little “boxy”. When you’re inside, it feels like you’re in a box. The church is just near the City Hall of Dagupan.

6. Cathedral of Our Lord’s Transfiguration Parish in Palo, Leyte

This needs no elaboration assuming that you have read my previous post about this church. It’s enough to say that this is memorable to me. This serves as a landmark in Leyte as this is located in a corner lot where vehicles going to Tacloban City coming from Ormoc and Mindanao pass by.

7. Basilica Del Sto. Nino in Cebu City, Cebu

Among the churches I’ve mentioned, this is the most popular. It needs no elaboration either. It’s located right in the heart of Cebu City and a popular destination among foreign and local tourists. If you’re taking photos of the famous Magellan’s Cross, there is no reason not to visit this church as both are just in the same vicinity.      

Pacquio Vs. Bradley in Nagtahan

I'm not really a die-hard boxing fanatic but I enjoy watching boxing bouts especially when it's the best fighter of all time who's inside the boxing ring. And I'm referring to no one else but the great Manny Pacquiao. While I may not like him as a lawmaker, he has all my respect, and probably all the Filipinos, as a professional boxer. He is a great peacemaker as well. Every time he has a fight, streets in Metro Manila practically become peaceful and zero crime. 

This, if at all, is understandable. Every time Manny is on that prestigious boxing ring, all criminals...and potential victims...are glued to their TV sets or to makeshift screens set up in public places for public viewing of the fight. It happened in Nagtahan in Manila where I passed by on that hot Sunday noon. But here is not saying that people in that area are all delinquents. It just so happened that the places nearby Nagtahan are known as hideouts of snatchers, hold-uppers and other mean-spirited individuals. So during that day they might be busy cheering for Pacquaio, especially when he'd be raining punches on Bradley. 

It was my first time to watch Manny's fight along with other public viewers. Usually I would just stay in the house and watch the delayed telecast over GMA-7. But that was quite an experience. I squeezed myself into a large wild crowd just to get myself near the screen. And so there I was able to watch the fight up close together with die-hard Pacquiao followers. I was so carried away by the intense heat of the fight that I joined the crowd screaming for Pacquiao. 

What's good about watching the fight with a large crowd is that you hear so many ramblings. Everyone would instantly become a boxing analyst with just anything and everything to say about the punches, the moves, the legwork, etc. Some viewers have even ended up debating as to who really is the better fighter. In the end, Pacquiao was declared the best fighter! He was able to regain his WBO welterweight champion from Bradley in a unanimous 12-round decision!              

  

    

                   

Palo Cathedral Church for Holy Week 2014

Next week is Holy Week (Semana Santa). It's a time when most of us Catholics take time off from our busy life and make time finding ourselves and the Almighty God in our hearts (Although I think we should be doing this everyday in our life!). And what easily comes to mind every time Holy Week nearly comes? Retreat or Visita Iglesia. 

I haven't tried joining a retreat but i always make sure visiting a church during Holy Week. Now I'm thinking of where to go this coming Semana Santa 2014. If given a choice, I'd like to go back to Leyte and visit the Palo Cathedal church in Palo, Leyte.

This was taken last December 2014, barely a month after Supertyphoon Yolanda (International Name: Haiyan) struck Central Visayas, claimed thousands of lives and left many places devastated. Up until now, survivors have not yet completely recovered and are still struggling to reclaim their stolen lives. Typhoon-hit areas are still in the process of rehabilitation. And we're hearing less updates on any developments in the area including Palo where that church is situated.           

If you have noticed, this is the very same Church that greeted us on our television sets hours after the land fall of supertyphoon Yolanda. Yes, this is where Love Anover and the rest of the GMA news crew hid at a time when Yolanda was unleashing her fury. TV footage of this church are still vivid in everyone's memory. Not to mention Love Anover's breaking down to tears while reporting live on cam.         

This church served as temporary shelter for most of the survivors. It provided them temporary roof when they were left roofless. It provided them hope at a time when they needed it most. I may not be one of the survivors who sought refuge in this church but I will never forget this church. This will forever live in my memory. By the way, the church ground also serves as the eternal resting place of some of the victims as it was converted into a mass grave site.  

Security of Tenure in the Philippines

I'm surprised to find out that there seems to be a low awareness level among workers and yes, among HR practitioners, on the concept of security of tenure. We recently conducted a quick survey on employment practices and dismissal regulations among human resource practitioners and workers/union members to get some opinion on whether or not changing the existing regulations on termination will gain public support. 

Majority of the respondents are not in favor of amending the existing regulations specifically on the proposal that an employee can be terminated from work without any just or authorized cause. Of course, nobody wants the concept of termination at will! No one in his or her right mind will accept such concept. Not in the Philippines where 2.9 million are unemployed! 

Going back to the survey, respondents were asked of their idea about security of tenure. Unfortunately, most of them provided wrong answers and some did not even have any idea about the matter. Some made comments that security of tenure refers to: 

• The longer the employee works in the company, the more the benefits he/she will get

• Continues employment after complying with the required probationary and training period

• The length of service in the company/the number of years working in the company 

• Opportunity to have a regular status of employment 

• Good working condition 

• Assurance of holding the position for longer period of time 

• The right not to be terminated if the employee is a union member 

• Receiving due benefits in time of retirement         

The answers provided by the respondents are far from the true and legal concept of security of tenure, which simply means that an employee cannot be terminated from work for causes other than those provided by the Labor Code e.g. just and authorized causes and without due process. And so what are these causes?  A lot to enumerate but in the next few days I'll try to elaborate the causes here.  

Sidetrip: Dragon Fruit Farm in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte

Dragon fruit is now becoming an industry in Ilocos Norte and the picture above is just one of the dragon fruit farms that I happened to visit. It was my first time to see a dragon fruit plant which looks like a cactus and I learned that it really is a cactus plant bearing fruits at least fives times a year. 

This dragon fruit farm is located in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, at least 20 minutes ride away from Laoag City. It is not accessible through public transport though because it's farther away from the highway but once you're there it's worth the trip. Once you enter the farm for a P10 peso fee, you will be greeted by this amazing landscape - a river, a desert and a mountain all in one backdrop. 

It's really a good place to relax although it's quite hot in here specially during summer. There are cottages that you can rent though. Or if you want to get wet, there are swimming pools that can accommodate as least 50 persons. 

April 9 Double Pay

Today is April 9 and we are celebrating Araw ng Kagitingan, a regular holiday declared under the Labor Code of the Philippines.

Today is a non-working holiday for but for some this is not. So we must know the rules governing the payment of wages during regular holiday and we must be guided accordingly. 

Here are the rules:

• If you did not work today, you will be paid 100% of your salary for the day. So, Daily Rate + COLA x 100%
• If you worked today, you will be paid 200% of your regular salary of the day for the first 8 hours. So, Daily Rate + COLA x 200%.
• If you rendered overtime work today, you will be paid 30% of your hourly rate for the day. So, Hourly Rate of the Basic Daily Wage x 200% x 130% x No. of Hours Worked 

If you're a worker, don't hesitate to invoke this right. This is non-negotiable, meaning this is mandatory so no more, no less this should be given to you by your employer. Employers are expected to observe these standards. 

I Am Back!

Yes, I'm back! After so many months of not being able to visit this site, I'm here now trying to come back. And hopefully this will be forever. 

I've changed the address and the template of this space as a way of starting anew. So from here on i'll try my best to post my random thoughts on just anything and everything about life and, from time to time, upload photos that show how beautiful the world is. This is my way of connecting with and reaching out to the cyber world. 

You may not know me, I may not know you, we may not know each other. But somewhere over the rainbow, I'd like to believe there are views, interests or things that you and I may have in common. So this could be the perfect venue for us to discover our unthought knowns and unknown thoughts!