Binondo

It's Chinese New Year tomorrow so my friends and I went to Binondo to have even a glimpse of this Chinese festivity. The traffic was bearable but when we arrived, the streets of Binondo are already crowded. It's actually my first time to visit this place and Chinese feels are really engulfing over me. It's like I am in another country because even the establishments are written in Chinese alphabet. Binondo Church was the first thing that attracted me. I also saw "Kalesas" but we were not able to ride. We went walking to explore the place and to find a good restaurant to satisfy our hunger. On the streets we saw charms, fruits, figurines and lots of Tikoy. Dragons, big or small are also everywhere. One was dancing in front of a store and another one was doing the same on the other store. I thought that this could be a ritual to attract good luck for the business. We were able to reach Manila China Town and even more people, some are Chinese, some are half and still many are Filipinos, welcomed us there. Some stores were full of people and vendors are everywhere. We searched for a restaurant, particularly Wai Ying as it was recommended to us by a friend.

Wai Ying was also full of people. We did not even found a vacant table and seat right away. But after a few minutes, we were able to settle down  and read the menu. Their menu was quite new to us and the food are expensive. We don't usually eat at a Chinese restaurant and we are not very familiar with their menu so we asked for assistance but no one attended to us until our second call. Moreover, when we asked the crew about the food, he could not answer us. He told us that he's just new in the place. Therefore, we resorted to just picking anything that looks familiar. When the order came to us, we were quite disappointed because they are not the actual thing we have in mind. Anyway, we just ate them all up although we were not really satisfied. I also do not know if I'm just not used to eating a Chinese restaurant or the food is not really delicious. The service was also lame. The utensils given to us were not complete and orders were not recorded properly. We did not have a good time in Wai Ying but we enjoyed the Binondo experience. We would definitely go back to Binondo and will probably not consider Wai Ying anymore.

Starbucks Dapitan

Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world.
According to them, they are  committed to offering their customers the world’s best coffee and the finest coffee experience – while also conducting their business in ways that produce social, environmental and economic benefits for the communities in which they do business. I totally agree with that and personally, I admire the concept of Starbucks. I believe that it's not just about their coffee and their products, it's more of the experience that one can have in their stay just like how they treat their customers with hospitality. The employees are well trained and they know how to treat their customers. Comfortable seats are also present and they have free wifi. With these features, Starbucks is like  trying to tell everyone that it is the perfect place for us to stay and relax while enjoying our coffee and doing some other stuff may it be school, work or personal stuff. 
The company have many branches here in the Philippines, in fact in UST, Starbucks are present on mostly every corner. I have seen one in PNoval and the other in Dapitan. It is not possible that they cannibalize sales because they have different target market and if I were to suggest, I would still want another branch in Lacson or Espana because the two branches are always crowded and unlike the admirable Starbucks that I described earlier, PNoval and Dapitan branch seem to not meet it standards because it's always crowded.When we went to Starbucks Dapitan, we can hardly find a place to stay as every chair was occupied and the queue in the counter was very long. We had to wait for others to go before we can sit and since people in Starbucks usually stay long, we did not know . how long we would wait. After a few minutes, 2 seats were vacated and so we settled there. We fell in line to order our favorite Mocha Frappuccino and a pastry. I was supposed to order a Belgian Waffle but it was not available so I did not buy any pastry. Moreover, the baristas where not accommodating as they were supposed to be. Maybe because, they are also stressed about the crowd. We also planned to study but the place is too noisy and the lights are quite dim so we decided to leave as soon as we finish our frappes. Actually, I am also up for the stickers because I am collecting for a planner but I guess I won't visit there for long because I am irritated with the system and the crowd. 
Anyway, I noticed that there are different types of customers in Starbucks. The first category is those who go to Starbucks regularly in order to study. They usually look for a good place and then stay there long. In there stay, they consume at least a drink and a pastry. The other one are the people who come in groups. They usually occupy the tables and chairs but actually, they just order one drink and they can sometimes be the cause of noise and interruption to those who are studying. Some people in Starbucks are also just dropping by to buy a drink. They do not like to stay long because it's too crowded. However, they are bothered with the long queue in the counter therefore I suggest that to satisfy this kind of customers, the ordering system should be made faster. Maybe one from the crew could get their order while they line up and relay it immediately to the coffee makers so the work would be continuous. However, some customers of Starbucks are just going with the bandwagon, collecting stickers and buying when there is a promo. Starbucks could take advantage of these customers but they first have to deal with internal conflicts especially regarding customer satisfaction. 

Siena College Taytay Rizal

We moved to Pasig in 2001 so I also had to transfer to a nearer school. We went to a lot of schools in the vicinity but we were not satisfied and some were very expensive until a friend suggested Siena College in Taytay. Siena has a huge ground and a beautiful environment. Clean, green and peaceful if I am to describe it. It is run by Dominican nuns and it has a good reputation based on what I've heard. The school has amazing facilities: buildings, canteen, library, gymnasium, auditorium, court, canteen, swimming pool, garden, laboratories and many more. Formerly, Siena is an all-girls school but now, they are already accepting boys. Still, the number of girls dominates. With all these information, we decided to enroll.

My years in Siena are fun, exciting and challenging. The level of education is high and it keeps on updating every year. Most of the teachers are good and the administrators are considerate. It also has a good program and curriculum for students developing not just their mental ability but also their creativity and skills. Holistic development is what I achieved in this school. Aside from being competitive in academics I was also able to join different clubs such as Dulaang Siena, Writers Guild, Glee Club, Dance Troupe and Speakers Society. There is also annual group competitions in declamation, speech choir and interpretative dance where I was able to learn the essence of teamwork. I was also able to engage myself in sports like volleyball, swimming, soccer and many more. My leadership skills was honed when I was given a chance to be the CAT Corps Commander in our batch. Good thing about Siena is that they acknowledge even the simplest achievements of students through medals, certificates, at times banners and PA announcements. Siena as stated in its vision and mission, is technology-enabled, service-oriented, research motivated and Marian inspired. As a Dominican school, it also never fails to engage students in prayers, devotions, missions and moral acts. It encourages students to help those who are less fortunate through its missionary activities where we get involved. 

My grade-school and high school and Siena has formed me to be a diligent student, a servant-leader, a faithful Catholic, a good sport and an adventurous person who is not afraid to try new things. In the future, I would surely consider letting my children study in Siena.

Mapedes

At some point in time, one would really want to learn how to play instruments may it be just for fun or for passion. Nevertheless, for those who have studied music and decided to teach, this is a profitable opportunity. One does not need much capital in order to teach music. You just need to have an instrument and most importantly, you must be an expert. The fee that music teachers demand per hour ranges from 200-500. I couldn't imagine how much they could earn in a month especially if they have many students and if they are accredited teachers. Teaching music is not hard anyway, you just have to teach the basics especially if the student is young. Sometimes, parents intentionally enroll their child to music schools so they could do something in summer and all that these parents want is to see their child play even a simple piece. A piano teacher can teach a simple twinkle twinkle and earn a lot. Because of this, I have once thought of establishing a music school in the future but before that, I need to study music first. The instrument that I chose to study is drums because it is unusual to see a drummer who is a girl. But more than that, I am amazed at how the arms and feet coordinate to produce beats. For me, playing drums is cool therefore, my parents enrolled me one summer in Mapedes.
Mapedes is a music store that sells instruments and offers music lessons. At a rate of 10,000 pesos, I was able to take 12 sessions of drum lessons. I had the freedom to choose my schedule so I set it to twice a week. Teacher Chito, was in charge of me. He is an old man and he plays the drums well. At first I wondered how he would teach me the instrument and I was so excited.
During the first session, he assessed my skills first and introduced me to a book that we are going to follow throughout the session. He refreshed my memory with the notes, rhythm and measure. I was surprised to know that like other instruments, drums can also be based on notes. Then, he taught me the proper way to hold the stick and the right positions of my hands and feet. After that, He gave me a few exercises in order to familiarize me with the left and right hit. He was proud of me because he told me that I am a fast learner. Each session, the exercises gets harder but little by little, I learn how to coordinate my hands and feet. During the sixth session, I already knew how to play easy drum beats. In the next 6 sessions, teacher Chito taught me some variations of beats. I knew how to play Classic, Jazz, Pop and Rock by reading the note chart that teacher gives me. At the end of each session, he gives me a copy of the notes so I can practice. In the 10th session, I already played with a music. All in all. I was able to practice 3 songs and this time, without a copy of notes. My teacher was patient with me and one thing I liked about him is that we don't move to the next level unless I perfect the current lesson. I proudly finished the class with a newly learned skill. Because of this, I was motivated to buy a drum set so I can practice at home.
Playing drums is not hard as I first thought, it's actually fun. Teaching drums on the other hand, is also a lot easier than teaching other instruments. You just really have to understand the notes and know the basics. I decided not to pursue with the next level because I thought that since I already know the basics, I can just continue practicing and improve myself at home.

Executive Optical

When I was a child, I wanted to wear eyeglasses because I think it's fashionable but now that I am experiencing problems with my eye sight, I really need to wear glasses not for fashion, but for correcting my vision. There are many optical shops out there that sells eyeglasses of different styles and features. For business purposes, they have focused on making people look good in their glasses more than curing their eye problem which is why, it seems that everyone who enters an optical shop and demands for an eye check-up would hear that they really do have an eye problem even though in reality, they do not. Of course, the customers who don't have much knowledge would believe the optometrist and be forced to buy eyeglasses that costs P2000 and above depending on the grade and the brand.
Magno Optical was the first shop I went to when I first decided to have an eye check-up. Back then, it was detected that I have astigmatism so they told me that I need glasses for correction and I need to wear it all the time. They even put a feature that is UV proof so I could be protected from radiations since I told them that I often work in front of the computer. All in all, I spent three thousand pesos but It was worth it because my condition improved however, because I don't wear my glasses most of the time, my astigmatism went worst and I needed to change or upgrade my lenses.
The closest clinic to us is in Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall so we went there and searched for an Optical shop. Our first choice was Magno Optical but they charged us P5000 for the glasses so we searched for another. Not so far, is Eye Optical Shop, quite smaller and fewer people are visiting the shop. They showed me cheaper glasses but the qualities are less. Yet, I still pursued to get my eyes checked. So, I went to the machine for eye scanning and the Ophthalmologist told me that my astigmatism on one eye improved. We then went to a room where I was asked to read small letters one meter away from where I seated. I did not know if I was reading it correctly but she told me, that there seems to be no problem regarding my sight. I told her that at times, my eyes get blurred especially when reading and that I am having headaches recently. After this, she tried different lenses with different grades on me, my sight improved when wearing the lenses as compared to when I don't wear any. But before we moved on to the next process, I also tried my old glasses and it was better as compared to the lenses that they suggested. Therefore, I told her that I am not going to buy anymore. Anyway, the glasses that I am currently wearing seems better. Then she told me and my mom that my right eye went worse and that I really need to buy a new one because the problem on that eye caused my headaches. However I remembered that earlier she told us that my astigmatism improved. It sounded like she has not really assessed me correctly and she's just up for profit. I am not going to risk for an unsure process especially that the amount they were asking, P3000 is not a joke. For those who are having eye problems, I suggest that you see a doctor in a hospital or clinic instead of those who are in shops because they are just going to sell their glasses and let you believe that you have a need for it even though you don't.

Fitness First Megamall

Fitness First is a high class gym which features quality equipment, machine, classes, instructors, facilities and other services. As compared to other gyms, Fitness First bills its consumers higher but assuring them good service, attainable results and healthier lifestyle. 

My father is the General Manager at Fitness First Megamall branch and my mom is a first class member. Although dad works there, I am still not free of membership but I have the privilege of a free workout as long as I am with my mother because of her premium card. I usually go with mom to take a one-hour exercise whenever we are vacant.

When I first went there, a marketing consultant toured me to the entire place and explained thoroughly every section so I would be able to familiarize myself with the place. Megamall branch is huge and presentable and the people there are nice as they smiled at me even though I don't know them. Then, the MC introduced me to a trainer and turned me over to her. She was nice, pretty and she looks athletic. First, she assessed me by getting my height, weight and calorie count. They also have a machine which prints results of my BMI, amount of fat and muscles. France, the trainer, explained to me what are written on the paper and she told me that I need to lose this amount of fat to attain the proper body mass. She also told me how I could achieve my goal which is to tone my body. A particular work-out program was given for me to follow and she assured me that if I continuously go to gym, I would reach my goal in 6 months. After the assessment, she guided me to the machines and made me work on repetitions, speed, contractions and so on. These activities are necessary for me to have a full body work-out. I especially loved the part where I made crunches. It was the hardest but I know that the exercise would give me abs. Aside from the program given to me, I am also free to join group exercises. So every time I go to gym, I also join different group sessions. I have tried their Body Jam classes and I really enjoyed dancing and sweating all the way. Body Pump, a form of kick-boxing exercise, is also fun and challenging because it is really tiring but being able to finish one session is such a fulfillment. Yoga, is one of the best. I need this exercise to stay flexible and relaxed. I have also tried cardiac exercises such as cycling and thread-mill. The trainers also taught me how to use the machines and which machines depending on my needs. After the tiring exercises and work-out, the trainer went on a personal session with me for stretching. This part really feels good and relaxing. 

One of the coolest amenities in the gym is its spacious locker rooms which has several cabinets, shower and toilet cubicles and also sauna and steam bath. Each shower room already has containers for shampoo, conditioner and  soap. There are also mirrors and beauty tables which has hair blowers. After cleaning up, I went straight to the lounge to drink some free coffee and buy a sandwich from a stall. While waiting, I also tried to visit my Facebook account on one of the computers located there. At the end of the day, I was able to have a good workout. Whenever I go to Fitness First, I always feel healthy and relieved. 

Sun Cellular

The four of us in the family availed of a plan after seeing the need of never having to worry to text or call if there is an immediate need or emergency. My parents chose to prioritize this need especially that I and my sister are studying in a school far from home. This way, we can always update them about where we are. We chose Sun to sponsor our plan because its products are cheaper and the signal is better in our location.

I used to have plan 300 but I always go over my limits so I upgraded to plan 600 and I was better off. The 600 promises unlimited calls and texts to Sun and consumable 600 to other networks. I don't have problems regarding the plan itself, I am just not satisfied with the customer service in their branches. 

Whenever I go to Sun branches, I take  a number and fall in line. However, the wait is too long because the customer turnover is slow. With 3 consultants negotiating with customers, efficiency is not attained. It seems that they are using computerized systems so I am really wondering what takes them so long to finish one transaction. Maybe, it's the customer's multiple queries and illiteracy about the products that makes them talking to the consultant for minutes. I would appreciate if the branch provide or post information around the location so customers could just read around and search for the answers themselves. They could also provide online services so customers can view their account status any time. Personally, I am always concerned about my balance since I am afraid of overcharge. I also want to know when I can have my free phone. If these information would be present and accessible, then I wont need to line up for hours anymore. Moreover, sometimes there is no assurance that you'll get what you went there for. One time, I went there to claim my free phone and lined up for an hour and when it was my turn, the consultant just told me that they still do not have a stock of the phone I chose. What a waste of time! They should at least have another counter for queries and balance or availability checks apart from the counter where transactions are made. They could also show necessary information on product availability and offers through posters, signage or on touch screen computers so that customers could freely check on their accounts or other information. This way, all unnecessary transactions would be filtered and the process will be faster.