Saturday, May 31, 2008

Tago ng Tago: An Overseas Pinoy View!

I came across this blog from this guy named Ton Ton (http://pilipinosaabroad.blogspot.com). I find these true on the countless stories I have read and seen on TV plus the stories my aunts and uncles living in the east coast of the U.S.A. or other people from other countries tell me when I am traveling from time to time. Ton ton's blog has details on what he has endured on his stay abroad with his high hopes and dreams of making it and returning to the Philippines. Sometimes he has these pessimistic thoughts on himself but if you see it on the brighter side you can learn a lot from his thoughts in the Philippines right now.

Another of stories when I stayed in New York for a very short vacation of one month after graduating and passing my licensure exam in the Philippines. It was spring break of 2004 when my parents decided that I needed to go to the United States for me to use the tourist / business visa (B1/B2) for travel because I deserved a break for making them proud in passing the exam and graduating from college in 2004 - a double celebration for my achievements.

Eventually, I wanted a car but it so happened that they do not want me to have a car instead wanted me to have a pleasure and experience of traveling and visiting America. It was my second time to travel again and the first time to see my uncles and aunt after years of separation from them. On my stay in New York, it so happened that I met some Filipinos there from the neighborhood (most of these people migrated in the U.S. during the early 1970's to 90's. My aunt left in 1995 after their 20 year petition was granted by U.S. C.I.S. As I walked around the block I observed that mostly Hispanic and Jewish denominations live together in our area. It was a community to behold with different colors, race and creed in the United States which is a immense diversified culture.

We were having a momentary discussion with my aunt the other time when we were eating in the kitchen. The owner of the apartment where they live is also a Filipino originally from Metro Manila and it so happened that my relative where the tenants of the ground floor. On the other hand, I was curious on the persons living below us who happens to be a old man who is also Pinoy with his family. The sad truth about the family living in the basement that they are undocumented aliens in the U.S. as what my aunt said to me. In short they are TNT (tago ng tago).

These people below us where are bit hesitant in meeting us when we were there. They have their own lives. They are busy at work like what normal people do at work. They toil for a much longer period in order to make a decent pay, they got no job security, no social security numbers in their names and always on a lookout against U.S. Homeland Security personnel or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) who are on a look out for violators or undocumented aliens in their country. Incidence of being deported or caught in the East coast of U.S.A. are rare unlike in the state of California where are a majority of the Filipino immigrants in the United States lived would definitely report their own fellow Filipinos to the authorities if they found they were illegal aliens.

Indeed, tragic to the extent that your own countryman will sell you out because there is a price for confirmed tips on aliens caught but I am unsure if this is real.


Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Fueling Change, Saving on Gas: What my thoughts are.


Timeline of Oil Dependence from 1940s to the Present Times





Graph Courtesy of Fuel Focus Natural Resources Canada

Oil has become a major commodity in the world market today. It finally breach to US $135 per barrel on crude oil. In fact, we are really suffering from a chronic pain of disbelief as inflation reach its all time high of 6.2% last April of this year. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is geared in cutting down the interest rates in order to lessen the inflation increase of all commodities.

What is happening around the world, people of all walks of life are affected with this. Protests in Indonesia have erupted when the Indonesian government have cut its subsidies on oil products, Egyptians in Cairo and other cities have decided to leave their cars and depend on public transportation system available. Meanwhile, Spanish fishermen leave their fishing boats for protest against the increasing crude oil price. This is what is happening worldwide when I turned on the TV watching CNN's Fueling Change segment a few hours ago. Americans living in major U.S. cities decided to scrap their gas guzzling SUV for a smaller yet less gas consuming compact cars.

Reading the a broadsheet the other week, President Bush met with Saudi King Abdullah in order to increase the oil production but Mr. Bush's appeal was turned down by the Saudis because they are maximizing it already (see article). The demand is too high so the prices are soaring already.

The other day, I was watching the Correspondents on ABS-CBN late night, seeing the alternative fuel of some priest inventor was scrapped because limited support was given by our national government on this people. Alternative fuel is the solution here and so does becoming eco-friendly fuel products must be propagated.

Right now, I am no longer using my car often. Everything is already planned out before going out in using an automobile. I turned again to the public utility vehicles as my mode of transport. With the soaring fuel cost of P 50.00 or more per liter who would not think again about this. I wouldn't like to see myself waste my money on fuel that is no longer affordable having felt the pinch already.

I've been amused with this article from CNN Money (cnnmoney.com) on the 6 gas saving myths I have read on their weblink through yahoo the other week. You may click this link - six gas saving myths on CNN Money.

Also I have added links on history of oil discovery and dependence from Kipnotes.com which is definitely interesting and for additional knowledge for everyone.

Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The San Miguel Brewery IPO Report: My first stock investment


I recently went to San Miguel Brewery, Inc. offices last May 5, 2008. I chanced upon the advertisement on SMB IPO last April 24, 2008 at the Philippine Star. I opened on the possibility investing in paper assets while dreaming of buying some real estate in the future. It was an event I was waiting for in buying some 1000 shares of a long-time profitable food and beverage company with a proven track record that has been in the country for more than a hundred years of existence. Testing the waters, I opened an account with this company and at the same looking in trading stocks so I invested PhP 8,000.00 worth of shares (1000 shares = PhP 1.00) on this as a Local Small Investor (LSI).

I can see how profitable San Miguel beer to the local masses with production of millions in the open market and even internationally recognized as a strong seller with other well known brand names from Europe like Heineken, Carlsberg, Mexico's Corona, America's Miller and others.

I was amazed on how it jump on its initial offer of PhP 8.00 per share to PhP 8.50 will additional pesos on my paper assets of owning an a 1000 shares of San Miguel Brewery on its debut yesterday morning (May 12, 2008) at the Philippine Stock Exchange trading day. The increase was 6.25% as what was reported in the news last night beyond what I have expected from earlier reports in a famous broadsheet on the forecast that it will lose its value regarding previous IPOs. It gave me a jitter as my kept my fingers crossed from days of waiting since signing up last 5th May 2008. It did not lose ground on its first day but somehow found out on visiting the PSE's ticker tape that San Miguel Brewery with San Miguel Corporation A and B incurred some losses. I lost 10 centavos on the value of what I gain yesterday but it is a close call than losing more a PhP 1.00 value of my shares with this company.

I am glad that I was able to test the water of stock trading and will be able to understand and be vigilant in investing in hard-earned cash. Will be watching closely on SMB performance in few days or so.

About San Miguel click this link.

Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

Template by - Abdul Munir | Daya Earth Blogger Template