Whenever I start questioning God’s reasonability and His intolerance with certain things we do, I have to keep reminding myself that I am a flawed creature with flawed and significantly lower standards. Things that may not seem so bad to me doesn’t make them okay with Him. This was the hardest truth to get through to me after all these years and until now, I still find myself struggling with this.

The funny thing with Christianity is that it’s gotten the misconception of being holier and better than others, well, mostly because it’s been misrepresented that way for centuries. Truth is, believing in Jesus Christ is about dying to self over and over and over everyday. There is absolutely no self-glorification involved.

It’s not easy. It’s never been easy. The right thing to do has never been simple. Everything in life that is worth having always has a difficult path in order to achieve it. But if there’s one thing I’ve discovered, the walk isn’t so bad when you’ve got Him with you in every step of the way.

1. Yesterday, I sent an application for two short courses in De La Salle University. I scrubbed twice in the shower after that (haha, no offense, DLSU friends). I’ve been wailing on for months about how much I want to get better at making websites so I finally decided to do something about it. Hurray! New adventure!
2. I have vowed to learn how to apply basic (and decent) makeup this year. At 25 years old, it’s about time I start learning this skill. Something tells me I’m going to make a fool of myself in the first few attempts. As a child, I sucked at coloring and blending, and I can’t even draw or follow straight lines. Anyway, I’ve already started watching these awesome tutorials on Youtube. Wish me luck. This oughtta be fun.
3. Moonleaf Basic Wintermelon Tea is crack. It’s like Serenitea’s Wintermelon sweet, but so much cheaper.
4. Odin is coming home this Saturday and the Bantayan trip is in nine days. So many things to look forward to!
5. Bikram Yoga Manila has a Mother’s Day Weekend promo this May 12-13, 2012. Moms can get a First Timer One Week Unlimited introductory package for only Php 800. There’s also a  30% discount on selected packages for everyone.
6. It’s been very heartwarming to get re-posts and messages from friends, family and even complete strangers on my MAPSA experience. Good to know there’s lots of us fighting the good fight.
7. For the first time in my life, I’ll be giving my testimony at church this Sunday. I’m proud to be telling people how God changed my life for the better, but at the same time, I’m nervous to be baring myself (figuratively) t to a big group of people. It probably helps that nobody in our congregation really knows me. At the end of it, this all isn’t about me anyway.
8. I’ve long resisted jumping on the Apple-worshipping bandwagon, but I need to say it already: the iPhone 4S is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. The apps really do make life so much easier. With the Google maps app, I never get lost on the road anymore. Viber and Facetime let me communicate with people overseas for free. I get to catch up on my reading even if I forgot my book at home. I can do bank and Paypal transactions anywhere and anytime. It has a fantastic camera. Plus that wonderful MMDA app is just amazing. I love it, I love it all!
9. Last May 1 marked my third full year since I quit smoking. God is good.
10. Chris has moved here to Manila and we finally hung out last Sunday night with Lyka and Rod. I haven’t laughed that hard in a while. It’s true: you’ll never have friends like the friends you’ve had since high school.

I will always be a pain in your ass. ALWAYS.
And I will never shut up. NEVER.

Love, Ria

Before I start writing about what happened to me this afternoon, I would just like to say first that I do not wish for anyone to lose their job and that I do not want to make any false accusations. I just want to narrate what happened. And because there were things that seemed very strange to me, I am hoping somebody (hopefully in the Makati government) can clear it up. If it gets cleared up, then great! It’s just that I’m programmed to ask questions whenever strange occurrences come up. Okay? Okay.

This afternoon, approximately at 3:45pm, I drove to my condo building on Leviste St., Makati to get some clothes. My boyfriend has been in the States for the last two weeks and left his car for me to use. I just needed a few minutes to go up and grab stuff, so I found a small slot near the street corner and went up.

I didn’t even take five minutes and as soon as I went back to the car, I saw a tow truck in front of it. Gads, people weren’t kidding. These guys ARE like piranhas. I was actually quite a bit impressed, to be honest. It was only then that I realized I had parked on the red-colored part of the curb, which is illegal. Though I groaned in exasperation, I knew it was my fault and accepted it right away.

So I went over and explained that I was just getting some clothes, but the MAPSA officer (name badge said EF Zamora) said that I was illegally parked. Okay, I said, so I asked him what I should do. First, he asked for my license and so I took it out and gave it to him. He then explained that I would have to go to the impounding site to get cleared. Agreeing with him, I then asked where the impounding site is, and he said that I can just convoy with the truck to get there.

QUESTIONABLE MOMENT #1

Here’s where it first gets interesting. I asked them how much the penalty is. Mr. Zamora then looks at one of the towing guys and asks, “Magkano ba yun?”

Uh, don’t you guys do this everyday? Shouldn’t there be some fixed price for this you should know by heart by now? If not, shouldn’t you at least keep a list of these penalties with you at all times? So he and the towing dude are mumbling off different amounts, then the towing dude in green (who we will name in an acronym TDIG from now on) says “Mga one-two (Php 1,200) yan mam!”

Php 1,200 for parking in the wrong spot for five minutes. Wow. But like I said, it was my fault, so I shrugged and went to the nearby ATM machine to withdraw money. Hey, these things happen.

QUESTIONABLE MOMENT #2

As soon as I got in the car, I could tell that I should already start taking notes. I am my mother’s daughter, hence paranoia runs in my blood. I put my pepper spray within reach (which I didn’t really think I would be using, but STILL) and took note of the tow truck’s license plate (WFU 191). Mr. Zamora then says that TDIG would be riding in my car with me.

Eh? I thought I was convoying?

Maybe they’ve had people drive off after getting apprehended, so they needed some sort of insurance that I would go with them to the site. Whatever it was, I kept my pepper spray within reach and agreed to it. Zamora gives TDIG a nod to get in my car, and off we went.

I tried to make light conversation with TDIG. After all, the guy is really just doing his job. He was perspiring from taking the tow chains off the car, so I turned the AC up just a little and asked, “Okay lang yung aircon, Kuya?” And he said, “Okay lang, mam! Salamat!”

Two minutes of silence. And just when I thought this was going to be a quick ride to the site…

“Mam, nagmamadali ka ba?” he asks.

“Ah, medjo.” I reply. Which is true. Looks like I wouldn’t make it to yoga class.

And here it was. “Mam, pwede naman na magbayad ka nalang ng penalty derecho sa amin muna para wala nang abala.”

So much for the quick ride. I really do not trust private transactions with traffic officials no matter what and I will DIE first before being a source for officials to pocket cash – which is why I am more comfortable with paying in a proper office. Let’s flee temptation, shall we? I took a deep breath and said, “De, okay lang Kuya. Doon nalang sa site.”

He then tells me in a very reassuring and somewhat comforting tone, “Mam, mashado na kasing hasel kung nagmamadali ka ngayon. Pwede naman natin i-settle dito.”

Okay, that’s it.

“OKAY LANG KUYA! GUSTO KO YUNG HASEL!” In a whimsical tone. And a big grin.

Another two minutes of silence.

Then he goes off again. “Yun lang kasi mam, pwede naman tapos na ngayon. Kung hindi mo kelangan ng resibo, pwede lang talaga dito.”

I said in the same cheerful tone. “Sige lang Kuya. Gusto ko talagang pumunta. Para matuto naman ako diba? At malay natin, baka mangyari ito ulit. Medjo tanga ako minsan e. Okay? Doon nalang sa site. Kelangan ko rin yung resibo.”

This exchange happened a couple more times until I really told him that I made up my mind to go to the impounding site already. Then the silence came back.

Again, this is not an accusation, but it’s just very questionable (yes, that is the key word of this whole entry) that he would keep pushing for it even though I already told him five times that I wanted to pay at the site. Or are these towing guys just really that helpful and they would go to great and noble lengths to keep traffic violators from getting hassled? Amazing!

QUESTIONABLE MOMENT #3

We turned into this street (I’m not entirely sure which one since I was just following them and had to look in front of me the whole time) and they pulled over to the side. TDIG tells me to wait in the car and he goes out and talks to Mr. Zamora.

TDIG then comes over to my window, so I roll it down and ask about what’s happening. “Andito na ba tayo?”

Then he goes AGAIN, “Mam, pwede daw pala kami magbigay ng resibo, so pwede dito nalang tayo magsettle. Kesa mahasel ka pa doon. Maticket pa yung lisensya mo. Matagal-tagal pa yan.”

I had to take a VERY deep breath on this one. “Kuya, okay lang talaga. Hindi na ako nagmamadali. Punta na tayon doon. Sure na ako. Promise.” In my head, I was thinking “I would rather go through a five-hour process in paying for my violation than do a three-second private transaction!”

He nods and tells me not to drive too close to the truck so the motorcycles (which they also apprehended on violations) don’t land on me in case they fall out. Then he goes to the truck and climbs into the back and signals for me to follow them.

Ha? Okay, first I thought I convoying. Then I’m supposed to have him ride with me. And now, it’s okay to just convoy again? Why did he have to ride with me in the first place?

Not only that, their truck made some serious weird moves on the road. For traffic officials who make a living of catching people who violate rules, they sure don’t know how to follow rules themselves. First, TDIG signaled to me using the “twinkle twinkle” hand gesture. And I gave them a weirded out look because I didn’t quite know what they were saying. And then TDIG points to my headlights and does the “twinkle twinkle” gesture again.

Blinkers? Really? I HATE people who use their hazard lights on the road, so having to use them myself felt like gutting myself with a knife. THEN, they made a left turn from the right lane! And I had to follow them! THE SHAME! The cars behind and beside me were honking in their annoyance. I couldn’t do it, I had to turn off the blinkers, I don’t care what they say.

QUESTIONABLE MOMENT #4

We finally got to the site, which is behind Makati Med, and it looks more like a mechanic shop than an office for collection of violation penalties. The guy with the clipboard was wearing a t-shirt and puruntong shorts. Errrr, am I in the right place?

Zamora was taking notes on the other vehicles that were there, so I parked and went to the counter… er, table to get my stuff sorted out. I asked the two guys at the table on what to do, and they said they’re waiting for the officer (Zamora) to finish my documents. While waiting, I noticed that the table glass had a brochure under it that listed all the traffic violations with their corresponding penalties. I asked them if these were the violation penalty rates, and they both said no. Which is freakin confusing because they sure looked like penalty rates to me. Plus there were no other official posters or flyers that showed the fixed rates of violations in that entire place.

I was the only one at the table and I was right over it with my head hunched down, so I was obviously reading it, right? Then the puruntong guy with the clipboard gets a box with papers (which was already on the other side of the table) and places it right on top of the brochure that I was reading for no reason, conveniently covering the whole thing. Lord knows what he meant with that, but it was rude nonetheless. I gave him a look and moved the box aside and kept on reading.. and all he did was give me a smile.

Zamora and the others came to the table to finish sorting my stuff out and I watched very closely while puruntong man was filling up my form. As soon as his pen reached the “Fine” part, he wrote down Php 500.

500? The brochure says 400. It even has an underline! So I said, “Kuya, bakit 500? Dito sa brochure nyo, 400 ang nakasulat.” Nobody at the table said anything. Without looking at me, he just waved his hand and mumbled something. And I said, “HA? Bakit?” And he just said, “Basta iba yan.” And still, nobody said anything.

All in all, it was Php 500 for the violation and Php 500 for towing fee, a total of Php 1,000.

Interesting. I recall TDIG and Zamora telling me the whole amount was Php 1,200. So meaning if I had chosen to pay to them directly, that only means I would be overcharged by Php 200, right? (And before anyone tells me that Php 200 shouldn’t be something to fuss over, Php 200 is a HUGE amount for a lot of people, so don’t tell me that. Even if it was a ten peso overcharge, I’d be just as curious.)

So is there a fixed price for this? Or do the officials just decide how much we’re supposed to pay? Why put a brochure on display when those aren’t the real rates for penalties? Is there even a standard protocol on how to deal with violators?

Anyway, this entire ordeal took about a total of 15 minutes. Not exactly as much trouble as TDIG made it sound. Paying my fine is all I wanted to do and I was able to do just that.

So there… I really don’t know how these things go down in Makati. I know they’re really strict here and everything, which is great. It keeps everybody in line and keeps the streets clean and I really appreciate that.

Still, I can’t help but examine and wonder about all these inconsistencies that happened today. I think MAPSA and Makati should do something about the protocol of these violations. How many people have been mistakenly paying the overcharge for all these weeks? Months? Years? Are these officials authorized to conduct private transactions? Whose jurisdiction is this? MAPSA or the towing people? MAPSA should have posters/flyers/brochures on these penalty rates, ESPECIALLY at the impounding site. No accusations, but how else are we going to know how much we’re supposed to pay except for what the officials tell us?

As much as I don’t want to cause a hassle for others, I feel like this really should be brought into the light. My parents raised me and led by example to not stay silent during important matters just because you don’t want to cause inconvenience or trouble to others (which is one of the biggest flaws in this country). I was brought up to ask questions about anything in my environment that seemed off. This is all what this entry is about anyway: asking questions. I just hope we get some answers out of this.

—

Edit (11:13pm):

1. My former BBB coach made a good point that they didn’t need to charge me towing fee because my car wasn’t towed. I followed them to site, therefore, towing fee was unnecessary.

2. My friend Casas also said that the brochure I saw may be outdated because the penalty for illegal parking is really Php 500, according to the updated MMDA rules. Thing is, it’s supposed to be only Php 200 if the car doesn’t get towed. Which means I still got overcharged. I really should’ve just paid Php 200 for this whole thing – and I paid a grand. Ugh.

It’s a sad, sad day for hiphop.
Thank you for the music, sir.

I arranged a day trip to Virgin Beach Resort in Batangas, the same place I hit up with Odin and friends last January. That resort has really grown on me. It’s not just pwede na anymore. I really love it there and it’s fast becoming my favorite beach in Luzon.

We got lost a couple of times on the way, but we made it. Though a day trip may be a bit too short, when we got there, we just knew it was going to be worth it. We had everything we needed for a quick beach fix: a hut all to ourselves, ice cold rum cokes, and a wide, immaculate, gorgeous beach.

The sun was out, the breeze was blowing, and the water was perfect. I relished and drank every second of it as I leaned back, soaked my hair and floated. Saltwater and seabreeze – those two are the quickest ways to jolt some life back into me. Being there with girlfriends with me made it even more awesome.

Am, Carol and Joyce are all two years ahead of me in Ateneo, but what brought us together was the dorm, common friends, and countless nights of typical college chaos.

We got a beach parasol for the day (Php 1,780 divided by 4 pax), which was very comfortable and had mattresses, a garbage disposal area, and an electrical outlet. There are also several lounging beds on the beach if you want to sunbathe or sit nearer to the shoreline.

I took a glorious nap in our hut right after lunch. For some reason, naps by the sea are always ten times better. Not even sleeping in an airconditioned penthouse suite could top it in my book.

I may have grown up in the city, but my heart feels more at home, at peace and at rest when I’m in the province. It soothes my soul to see an abundance of trees instead of skyscrapers, hear the wind and the waves instead of honking horns, and smell the fresh sea air instead of car exhaust.

Back in my hometown, we are so blessed with the ability to have a quick trip to the beach anytime. In Cebu, you can go island hopping after lunch and be back in the city before dark. Lord knows how much I miss that, but I’m just as grateful to have a go-to place here in Luzon whenever my heart screams for the ocean.

If I could, I’d do this every weekend. These trips may not happen as much as I would want to, but it’s enough for me to get by.

—

VIRGIN BEACH RESORT
Telephone: (+63 2) 759 2020 / 759 2828 / 815 2584
Mobile No: (+63 917) 813 1301
Email: reservations@virginbeachresort.com
Website: http://www.virginbeachresort.com

Office hours are from 9AM to 7PM (Mon-Thur) and 9AM to 6PM (Fri).
Day trip rate is Php 950 per pax, inclusive of buffet lunch. (Not bad!) 

I just learned how to make ribbon header graphics on Photoshop. Many designers may roll their eyes at this and can probably make a much better ribbon header with their eyes closed, using the trackpad with their feet. Me, I’m still learning how to do basic things on graphic design, so I’m really happy about this. Hurray!

And that says a lot, considering I nearly failed accounting even after having a tutor for that entire semester.

Sometime last month, Enderun Colleges, together with Enderun Extension (the school’s resource for continuing education), offered slots for a one-day class entitled Money 101: Learn How To Manage Your Finances. The course description said that the class would provide knowledge with the fundamentals of personal finance management and methods of saving and growing your money through investments.

No joke, I have the IQ of zero when it comes to anything to do with numbers and money. Even my boss has to speak to me like a kindergarten teacher whenever he has to teach me something finance-related. Let’s say I have ten pencils and you have ten pencils.. – yes, like that. Once I understand the fundamental concept, it’s easy for me to go on with the process, but I need to understand things first. If things are not broken down, it’s all Martian to me.

Well, the class certainly served its purpose and I’m proud to say that I can understand some Martian now.

Look at that performance report! When I first glanced at it before class started, I almost got a nosebleed just looking at it. Good thing our two awesome teachers Rocky Laurel and Wilson Gan carefully took all of us to the basics of personal finance before getting to these alien documents.

They made it all so simple! I love that they dissected all the terms and jargon into normal English words in order for all of us to understand things better. I also realized that many of us students were too embarrassed to ask questions at first for fear of sounding stupid. Most of us have no knowledge on these things and so we were overwhelmed by the information, but Rocky and Wilson were quick to explain most things down to the tiniest detail. They discussed trust funds, stocks, insurance, all that stuff we need to prepare for old age and hypothetical future children. At the end of the class, they welcomed all kinds of questions – no matter how dumb you think you sound – and they gave step-by-step tips on how to get started with investing your money.

Gotta hand it to you Chinese people. You are the Shakespeares in the language of money! I only wish I was that articulate.

By this year, I’ll be on the wrong side of 25. It’s beyond high time that I start working on my future and do serious things for it. The class at Enderun sure gave me what I needed to catch up with the times and the other people my age who already got a headstart. I highly recommend it to anyone out there who is like me – just a big kid who is clueless on what to do with her money.

Bonus: Unlimited iced tea, coffee and sandwiches. Can’t go wrong with that! (I must have been the only one in class who ate four of those sandwiches. Haha.)

Thank you, Enderun! If you offer a class purely focused on stocks, I would gladly attend that too!

—

ENDERUN COLLEGES
1100 Campus Avenue
McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City 1634 Philippines
Telephone: (+63 2) 856 5000
Email: admissions@enderuncolleges.com

There are still Money 101 classes on May 30, June 27 and July 25, but I’m not sure if registration is still open though.

Oh nothing. It’s just that this is a tarp she made for her stall to promote her services.

And on an interesting very related note, this just happens to be my friend Kris Bacani‘s makeup portfolio.

You do the math.

Great artists steal IDEAS. Not other people’s art.
There is a big difference.

Being an artist takes guts. Whether you are a writer, a musician, a painter, a graphic designer or whatever, you know that it takes a gigantic buttload of guts to do what you do. There is no separating yourself from your work. It is not just your project that is on display, it is your heart and soul. It is hours, weeks, YEARS of pouring yourself out for the world to see, judge, and ultimately, appreciate. That is precisely why plagiarism has got to be the most unforgivable sin in the world of artistry.

For the complete story, please read Kris’s blog entry on it.
Warning: have a barf bag within reach. You’ll need it.

Summertime.

It’s my most favorite time of year. Right up there with Christmas and my birthday. While most people are complaining about the scorching heat, I am enjoying every bit of the weather, sweat beads and all. Maybe it’s just me, but the world sure is a lot prettier with blue skies and sunshine.

A few updates: I’m back living in Makati with two awesome roommates Chessy and Czar in a very lovely apartment, Odin is in the States and will be back in three weeks, and I have been getting back into the rhythm of the daily grind after that long rut.

As of now, I am looking forward to the following things to come in the near future:
- A sleepover with my best friend complete with Disney flicks and microwave popcorn
- Day trip to the beach with girlfriends on Labor Day
- Family trip to Bantayan next month (and Odin’s coming along! Yay!)

I sometimes feel like the climate had something to do with this sudden wave of enthusiasm. Now if only it were summertime all year round. If only.

More updates soon!