Hello? McDo? Ano ba talaga?

Few minutes back, I went to McDonald's (Assumption Road) to buy my lunch. I ordered 1 6-pc Chicken McNuggets (Large). Based on the menu board, the item costs Php160. I handed over a Php500 bill. When the cashier punched my order, the cash register's monitor reads Php162. So I asked the cashier "how come it's Php162 when it's Php160 on your menu board?" She stared at the monitor for a while and asked the cashier next to her what could be wrong. They conversed for a while. I couldn't hear what the other cashier said but after their brief conversation, the cashier who took my order shouted "VOID". The manager came and asked what happened and so, the cashier asked the manager the same question I asked her. The manager stared at the monitor and asked the cashier "ano ba ang pinunch mo?" The cashier answered the question and the manager stared at the monitor for a while then turned to look at the menu board and then back at the monitor. After what seemed like forever, the manager said "baka hindi lang na-update yung nasa board." 

And since I was in a rush, I didn't argue anymore but in my mind I was thinking "how come they are not sure whether there was a change in the price of what they are selling?"

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List of Passers in the August 2014 Licensure Examination for Teachers (Secondary Level)

LET August 2014 Secondary Level Passers by Sun.Star Philippine news

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List of Passers in the August 2014 Licensure Examination for Teachers (Elementary Level)

LET August 2014 Elementary Level Passers by Sun.Star Philippine news

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Who is to blame?

My sister and I booked flights with Air Asia last night.  Because I am not really confident about giving bank account details and the like, I chose to pay through their other payment partners.  Since SM City Baguio is so near our house, I decided to pay through the The SM Store which was one of the choices in their list of payment partners.

So this morning, my sister and I went straight to The SM Customer Welfare Desk.  That is where I usually pay my online bookings.  This time however, it's my first time to pay my booking with Air Asia.

When we reached the counter, my sister handed the printout of our booking details to one of the staff (there were were 2) and she just stared at the paper. After a while, she asked her companion to help her out. Her companion read the document and asked: Ano ito? (what is this?). I told her that it was the booking details sent by Air Asia and I need to pay for our booking to be confirmed. I guess, she was not listening. Or maybe, she did not understand what I said and so she asked: Para saan? (what for?). So I just had to repeat my answer. Then she told me that they are not accepting payments for Air Asia bookings. She probably got the hint with the look on my face so she called their supervisor/manager. After that short talk with the person on the other end of the line, she told me that they are not accepting payments for Air Asia bookings and that she was referring me to a travel agency located on the same floor. It's not my first time to travel and it is not my first time to pay for my bookings so I am not stupid to go to that travel agency knowing that they are not going to process my request anyway! What I did was to show a screen shot of  the list of payment partners and asked: So, mali ito? (So, this is wrong?) and she said, Oo (yes). And so I pointed at the signage they have and asked: So, mali rin yan? (So, is that wrong too?) and she said, Hindi (no) but we do not accept payments for Air Asia Bookings. I knew that the conversation is going nowhere and so my sister and I just left.

Just the other day, I was invited to talk about Customer Service and I got a bad one today. Well, it's not my first time to encounter such lousy service at SM. I always do. If only I had other choices for the other services I avail from them...

I wonder, are they not getting any training related to custmer service? Or they do, but they're just so stupid and they do not know how to apply it!

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At last! I have my new passport!

I usually renew my passport in October every 5 years.  This year, I thought of having my passport renewed earlier. Maybe in time for something in October? *wink* -- I am saving this for another post. I must wait until things are certain. :)

Anyway, I applied for the renewal of my passport last June 4. I was told to be at DFA-Baguio (located at SM City Baguio) as early as possible.  Some said I should be there at 8AM, others said 5AM, while someone said I should be there as early as 2AM (of course, I thought this was OA).  Okay, so Jason my love, arrived in the area earlier (5AM) than I did (545AM). He did so for me to get into the queue ahead of the others.  After more than 3 hours of queuing, numbers were distributed at 9AM.  These numbers indicate what time the applicants must be back for the processing of their papers.  My processing time was between 12 noon to 1 pm.  That means that we have 3 hours to wait. Jason and I took advantage of that time to have extra copies of my documents and have lunch.

And so at around 12 noon, I was already back at SM.  This time, I went straight to their office.  Jason had to leave for work and so I texted my sister, Ria to come see me.

It took about 65 minutes for the entire process - from lodging of the documents to the last stage which includes encoding of data, picture taking, thumbmarking, and affixing of signature. I was told that I can pick up my passport July 18. Last July 16, I have received a message that said:

 

I waited for their text message but I thought, I might not get one at all. So Jason and I decided to drop by DFA yesterday to check if my passport was already available.  In less than 10 minutes, I got my new passport!

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First Semester Starts in August... now what?

First semester starts in August. Yes, starting this year, first semester will start in August. Well, not in all schools.  Other schools opted to start in June just like how it used to.

I have so many concerns about this change.  Since I usually travel during sem breaks, concerns regarding traveling make me feel uneasy.  For one, if first semester starts in August, that means it will end in December.  I am afraid that I won't be able to travel that much this time since airfares in December can be very pricey.  Even hotels can be very expensive at that time of the year.  Second semester starts in January and ends in May.  Rainy season starts by then.    If "summer" term starts in June and ends in July, traveling can also be very difficult at this time of the year.  Though airfares can be cheaper at that time, I don't feel comfortable traveling considering all those typhoons and strong rains brought about by the southwest monsoon.

Another concern I have with this change is the fact that most of things I enjoy doing can be best done during October and also in March and April.  I am referring to running, hiking, trekking, and swimming. Surfing in December can be fun though.

Is it about time for me to look for a different set of hobbies?

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We Need These Kinds of Law

My younger sister enjoys free tuition and discounted miscellaneous fees because I am working in the same university where she is studying. And that part of her miscellaneous that she has to pay is deducted from my salary.

I am not complaining. This benefits our family.  However, as a tax-payer, I will be happier with a higher take-home pay. 

Please expedite... Turn this bill into a law!

Read this article: Tax-deductible college tuition, other fees sought

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So what's the taxi meter for?

One thing I appreciate about taxi drivers in Baguio City is that they are honest and they do not take advantage of their passengers. Well, at least, most of them are.

I just came from NCR to attend a seminar at the AFP Theater.  My students and I travelled at 2:00 in the morning last February 8 so that we would have enough time to go to places we wanted to visit and would have enough time to rest before the said seminar.  We arrived at the Cubao terminal of Victory Liner at around 8:00AM.  The other group went straight to Camp Aguinaldo where they will staying until Sunday.  The group I was with decided to eat breakfast in a nearby fastfood before going to our destination, Broadway Court Apartelle. After that breakfast, we hailed a cab along EDSA and asked the driver to bring us to New Manila where Broadway Court Apartelle is located.  He agreed but said we had to add Php50 to our fare.  Since we were all tired and we just wanted to take a shower and take a nap, we agreed to pay that extra Php50. In the afternoon, we decided to go to Solaire. So, we took a cab and travelled from Quezon City to Paranaque City.  Luckily, the cab driver did not ask us to pay extra. Same was true when we took a cab from Solaire to SM Mall of Asia. But, on our way back to New Manila, the driver of the taxi we took asked for yet an additional pay.

After the seminar, we decided to take a jeepney that would bring us to Araneta Center so we could have early dinner before going back to Baguio City.  And then again, we decided to ride a taxi that will bring us to Victory Liner's terminal in Cubao which is very near the area. After a few minutes, my Korean student noticed that the meter was not turned on and so he called the attention of the driver.  He just smirked, we were not given any answer as to why the meter was not turned on. He dropped us off in front of the terminal.  My Korean student paid Php100. We were not all sure if the meter would read Php100 if it were on.  The driver was about to call our attention. Well, I am sure he would have collected more than Php100 but we did not mind him anymore. When I turned to look at him again, he looked so furious and so was I.

Sadly, I was not able to take down the names of the cabs.  I texted the cellphone number printed on the door of two of the cabs that asked for extra pay but I did not get any reply from the operators.

I wonder how thesedrivers get to feed their family with money earned the wrong way...

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Exam Week

Exam week is almost over. After this, I will need much time to check, record, and compute midterm grades. I am looking forward to good results.

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(Bad) Customer Service

When I want or need something and I have the money to buy, expect me to visit the store where I intend to make the purchase the soonest possible time I can.  But no matter how much interest and capacity I have to buy a good or service, bad customer service will definitely drive me away.

One of worst experiences I have had is detailed here.

Have you experienced being offended by remarks like "We have bigger sizes" (when looking for clothes) or "There are cheaper models" (when looking for gadgets, etc.)?

Or, while looking at a bag that caught your attention, here comes the sales person telling you "Ma'am/Sir , Bag?"  As if you didn't know that it was a bag. Or, while at the area in the department store where the socks are displayed, here comes the sales person telling you "Ma'am/Sir, Socks?" and while you are busy looking at the white socks, he/she would say "We have other colors too!"

Have you been in a situation where the sales person ignored you even if you know so well that he/she already saw you and that you already have called his/her attention?

Or, was there a time when you were served something totally different from what you ordered and when you tell attendant that that was not your order (with the expectation that they will deliver you what you ordered) he/she just looks at you scratch his/her head and give you the I-am-sorry-just-take-this-because-I-cannot-do-anything-about-it smile.

I have experienced all these several times.

Sometimes I just walked out in disgust.  But if it happened at a time that I was not in good mood, I am sure that I have lashed out at the sales person/s.

I wonder where and how they got such training, if any; it's just so frustrating!

Business owners should know that whether their people treat their customers right or not will definitely have an effect on their sales.  Of course, if the quality of service is good, then you are assured of repeat purchase, more sales and a bigger market share.  But if service is sloppy, do not expect an increase in sales let alone a repeat purchase from present customers.

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