How to Renew Your Philippine Passport

By the latter part of 2017, my passport expired. Months prior to this, I contemplated whether or not I should renew it, considering the 10-year validity of the Philippine passport was still being talked about. But I kinda knew it would be detrimental not to renew it, given how there could be "unplanned trips" ahead. It would be SO sad if I can't go just because I didn't renew my passport when I had the chance.

I listed down the pros and cons, and yes the pros outweighed the other. Hence, despite the 10-year validity taking effect in just a few months, I jumped the gun and renewed my passport before 2017 wrapped up.

How to Upgrade Your PayMaya Account

I was on my way to Ortigas one rainy morning when I happened to see a billboard adverstising PayMaya. I nudged my companion then and asked if she knew what it was about. To cut to the chase, she told me that it was app that I should definitely download since it was something new and useful.

Intrigued, I looked it up and learned that there were various things I could do with it. Shopping online using a virtual VISA or MasterCard, booking flights, buying mobile load and paying bills were just a few of its perks. But what made me really interested in it was that it was prepaid and I could just load it up whenever I need it and through facilities that were easily accessible like 7/11, Cebuana Lhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop, ECPay, Bayad Centers or through mobile banking.

Later, I found out that there were more perks if the account was upgraded, such as being able to withdraw money (through the physical card) from Bancnet ATMs, sending money to another PayMaya user and having the monthly load limit from Php 50,000 to Php 100,000!

Ergo, the reason for this post ;)

Frisky

When I was little and just learning how to swim,

You stood at the side grinning from ear to ear,

   Oh how, I remember the excitement bursting at the seams;

It was so much like a dream!

I thought at first you were going in the water with me,

But in a blink of an eye, you pushed me in with so much glee!

I cried and told you I was telling on you,

You just laughed in my face and shrugged any worries too!

I still remember how annoyed I was with you,

But you just brushed it off as nothing new;

And then you said these words to me,

"You're angry now but someday, you'll see, 

                                          this is gonna be a fond memory."

English Words As Told in the Philippines

The Philippines is known as the third largest English-speaking country after United Kingdom and the United States. But that is not to say that we are the only ones in Asia who has adapted to the said language. It just so happened that the country was once under the US control from 1898-1946, including the years when WWII broke out. That's a long time! And the people adjusted fairly well when English became more mainstream as opposed to the Spanish language. 

You gotta know that although the Americans did not stay as long as the Spaniards to fully integrate their culture to the Filipinos, they have made their influence on the Filipinos just the same and their language was no different. In fact, they made it more accessible to the natives than what their predecessor ever did in the 333 years they were in the country. Also, the education they provided was quite liberating and progressive than what the people of that time were used to.

Unsent Letters

I wrote a letter to a friend as if time and distance didn't happen;

I wrote a letter to a friend as if I was just talking to him.

I wrote a letter to a friend detailing how my days went,

I wrote a letter to a friend with all the joys and tears 

                                                         I wish I could have shared with him.

I wrote a letter to a friend about the new friends and faces I've seen,

I wrote a letter to a friend gushing of all the places I've been;

I wrote a letter to a friend lamenting of my sorrows and woes,

I wrote a letter to a friend and imagined myself in his shoes.

I wrote a letter to a friend whilst tears streamed down my face,

I wrote letters to a friend and wondered if I sent them would he feel less betrayed?

I wrote these letters to a friend while imagining his replies;

I wrote these letters to a friend but I didn't know it was going to be our goodbye.