Wall Street Got Drunk: Humorous thought on Bush statements!

Watch this comments of George W. Bush's on Youtube during the Orson Fundraiser in Texas. I saw this segment on CNN last July 24, 2008 and a lot of people got mad. Dubya was playing funny but received terrible replies from the business sectors especially the financial people of Wall Street and even the federation of homeowners affected by the subprime crisis.

"Bato-bato sa langit ang siyang tamaan ay huwag magagalit"

Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

My Sights on JG Summit Holdings

I have my sights on this great company which Mr. John Gokongwei founded back in the early 1990s. Was reading a back issue of BizNewAsia Magazine published last May this year which regards as "Gokongwei Gambit". John Gokongwei's intent on acquiring the 40% shares of Petron made me interested in the oil and mining sector of the stock market. Oil is still profitable even if it has weakened for the past few days in the world market.

Saudi Aramco, a conglomerate of Saudi Royals and American companies decided to pull out the plug and sell the 40% share to interested entities through bidding of Petron. JG Summit is interested in this with their experience in the petrochemical production and business through JG Petrochemicals, Inc., A JG Summit Holdings subsidiary while London-based Ashmore Group has acquired 50% shares when Saudi Aramco finally sold it shares of Petron to this group. However, this government owned company with more than 40% control of the company also would like to sell it shares with the remaining 10% bloc to the other local small investor or other companies with interest in Petron to Ashmore or any other local investors. It was reported that some of the remaining shareholders have sold their shares to Ashmore at P 6.53 per share which is lower than expected in a already loosing companies which has a deficit of billions of pesos. See Ashmore's company profile (Ashmore).

At this moment, Petron is still under negotiations with JG Summit Holdings and will get most of those local small investors of JG Summit Holdings excited about if the acquisitions push through with the plans. You can view the articles on the business section of the Philippine Star (July 23, 2008).

Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

The Power Broker in Me: Putting back Real Estate back on Top

I had my few months hiatus of not being a real estate broker. It was a soul searching time for me as I finished the 2 month Registered Financial Planners Course given by Registered Financial Planning Institute - Philippines two months ago and still kept practicing.

Those months were a fulfilling moment for me in updating with new trends in medical and scientific research, learning new trades, knowing more on different types of investments and meeting new people as potential clients. Even if we are experience the downtrend in the stock market as in we are in a windfall of world recession as the U.S. is still coping up with its own problems which affected the world and us feeling the brunt of higher oil prices with inflation rate staggering at 11.4% from last month. It does hurt the pockets of consumers of all walks of life.

To admit the truth, the real estate industry felt the pinch with America as its rich market before for Filipino-Americans in selling properties have made an abrupt stop and so most major Philippine developers put their sights on other places where Filipinos thrive. They have had a second look on the European and Middle Eastern Market segment targeting Overseas Filipino Workers there and also the local Philippine market. Feeling worrisome on the downtrend in sales that I need to find alternatives of producing money other than relying from my fixed-income job which is not enough to sustain my lifestyle.

Real Estate has become a bread and butter for some older folks in the trade. I on the other hand, have a career and real estate is a part-time work for me. In two years time, I might go full-time and quit the healthcare job once I have established myself in taking over the family business.

I find it amazing as I become equipped with the words from these motivational speakers who are at the same time fellow real estate brokers from different chapters of REBAP and made millions in just a few months through real estate selling. I find it inspirational to see and hear them talk and believe in their principles even met the oldest real estate professional who is already in her late 60s who happens to have lots millions on different transaction and deals from her small beginnings in the 80s and in the present times. The topics on the seminar are relatively needed for the participants to apply these experiences in real life especially in the sales and marketing aspect in being a real estate brokers. The speakers also added new tools in creatively selling properties through the use of word of mouth, the internet and advertisements.

Another inspirational lecture given by Mr. Ricardo "Dindo" Raymundo, team manager of Alaska Aces Basketball Team. He given us some thoughts on his experiencing from managing the best basketball team through his corporate knowledge and business wisdom which kept this team the among the top teams in Philipppine Basketball Association (PBA). He also shown us a video clip of Nick Vujicic - No Arms, no legs, no worries.


Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

Government Securities: Retail Treasury Bonds

Last week, the Bureau of Treasury has formally announced its offer for a 3 year and 5 year Retail Treasury Bonds which has a coupon price 8.5% interest for the 3 years RTBs while 9% for the 5 year RTBs.

Retails Treasury Bonds are direct and unconditional obligations of the national government which primarily caters to the retail market or the end-users. They are issued by the Bureau of Treasury (BTr). They are interest bearing and carry a term of more than one year and can be traded in the secondary market before maturity.

Retail Treasury Bonds are safe, liquid and offer attractive returns to investors.

Features:
Issuer	:	National government
Term	:	3 and 5 years
Tax feature	:	Interest income subject to 20% final withholding tax
Type of income	:	Tax paid income
Rate	:	Fixed for the life of the RTBs
Coupon payment period	:	Payable quarterly in arrears
Interest computation	:	Simple interest/add-on
Manner of purchase	:	Auction or through secondary market
Retail Treasury Bonds are issued and sold at a price equal to be face value and are redeemed at maturity for the full face value of the instrument plus interest/coupon of the last period (www.mart.com.ph).

Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

Budgeting Your Money: Most common mistakes people make

It's payday time. A lot of young professionals (yuppies) are on their trail to the nearest ATMs and they would sure look forward in a night out dinner with friends or do the usual night hops to bars and places of entertainment like a movies, shopping and others. After spending some on non-essential things they become guilty of losing their money in the end with debt from credit card companies and other IOUs with friends, relatives, your local loansharks even the legitimate lending companies around.

That's spells trouble alot for those who spend too much for nothing however only a few people know where they keep track of their weekly and monthly expenses in a regular basis which basically important in managing your finances in order not to overspend.

1. "I do not know where my money went" (Never Keep track of your spendings)
Solution: Track your spending and begin with a budget

A lot of people fear money management. This problem would definitely make a poor decision making and stop you from searching for that problem. It is better to face that fear and debt in order to get back to on track. It is better to track your budget by keeping your receipts and later track on your spendings and categorize in groups like for groceries, utilities, mortgage and emergency money and non-essentials.

Better to sit down, tally and categorize those expenses you incurred, a best example is to see your last month's worth of receipts including those that do not need receipt like buying some candy in a nearby sari-sari store counts as well. Keeping track of small and major expenses is highly recommended by putting it in a notebook.

Once you find extra cash, you can now save a portion and use the others for paying debts.

2. "I am maxed out with my Credit Card" (Credit Card debts rising).
Solution: Face on your creditors and negotiate

This fantastic plastic money is here to stay. We are faced with too much product advertisement of credit cards, with sales people littering around malls giving leaflets of credit card application and of course the cold calls they make during the early afternoons to mid-morning via their call center representatives. Some of our local big banks are offering credit card for free unless you are an account holder of their institution and having been banking with them for more than six months to a year. Back in my college days, lots of teenager can apply for a credit card through this major credit card firm and were in debt already in their young life.

Don't put yourself on situation that you hadn't paid up your credit card debt. Failing to pay your bills and ducking away from creditor's call can destroy your credit standing. Better to be straightforward than hiding yourself from them.

Contact your credit card companies - it is better to negotiate with your creditors tell them forward that you are unable to pay outright with money. Learn to haggle and tell them your lowest rates that can match with another credit card company. They sometimes accept a percentage of a full amount or help you set up a reasonable repayment.

Other things to remember on lessening your credit card debt:

3.) Do not take cash advances

Cash Advances - Instant cash indeed, they have the potency to make you get it but think a lot of time before receiving that money. Advances have sky-hight interest rates and service fees. In other word it is a expensive way to get cash. Better to slash those household expenses in order to prevent that short-term cash crisis.

4.) Don't miss payment dues

Credit Card companies pay a hefty fine on late payments, it is better to try paying online banking if you are beating the deadline. In short, being late on payments would definitely affect your credit score.

5.) Don't carry too much plastic on your wallet (too many credit cards would blow a hole in your pockets).

Having lots of credit cards is an easy way of piling those credit card debts. An instance, for example is a man who carry multiple credit cards wherein he pays the credit card A with credit card B. Better to control yourself on not misusing this tool.

It is better to limit your credit cards to two cards for easier money management. The first card is used for short-term purchases that you can pay-off in a month while the second card for major purchases.

6.) Don't make the minimum payments

This will stretch out your payments, with interest on hand, this will increase your overall cost on your purchase.

People think that "Credit Card is free money" but it is NOT. They do not know the concept of the credit card system, wherein you make a major purchase on that particular item through this credit card company and later pay it on before the due date or in a given time frame.

Save Smart, Spend Smart.

Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

Philippine Stock Exchange: Less than half of 1% Pinoys invest in the stock market

When I was downloading the Red Herring from Sultan Mining IPO a month ago and came across this article from the Philippine Stock Exchange website.

Going back in early 2000, I was a 19 year old college student. I became fascinated with stock market. I played and joined with www.virtualstockexchange.com wherein high school students in the U.S. do mock trading with nothing. The concept of the website was to teach the young students on the concept of the stock market, investments and business and at the same time prepare to be in the corporate world as passive investors which would be beneficial for them in their future endeavours.

I have also read this article on Phillippine Star the other day and seen some it online through ABS-CBN News Online regarding this (See Article).

See PSE Article released on June 16, 2008.

One of the author of well-known Philippine finance blog also made comments on the PSE article. He recommends that there should education through roadshows and also setting up a basic talks in schools and fairs and I agree to that in teaching the young. In the US, some high school student already have the knowledge in trading stocks through mentoring from their teachers, corporate sponsors and other people involved in stock market.

Therefore, we need to educate the Pinoys with this. I guess, in order to let the people know the stock market is by launching a financial education among the youth. The young people are the best targets for this. Teaching them young would encourage to be more responsible and financially educated.


Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage

Why Kill the Electric Car?

As oil's skyrocketing price of US $150 per dollar with expectation of US$ 200 dollars per dollar in a few months to come. This trend sure hurts the end user / consumers pockets as inflation rate rose a notch higher from the previous months as cost for production of basic commodities are again at all time high. In my mind, these questions struck me. So you are spending a lot of money on gas and have started thinking of ways to reduce your gas bills? Or, you want to save the environment for our future generations from harmful carbon dioxide emissions?

Recently I was able to watch this video documentary made two years ago by Sony Pictures about the lessons learned on the lost of this great technology made, developed and mass produced by General Motors's - The Electric Car or EV1 model in 1996.

Going back to memory lane, I was fascinated with this technology back in the mid to late 1990s when Discovery Channel was still showing the "Beyond 2000" TV program plus its advertisement on the electric car that recharges its batteries using solar power recharging station or even in the luxury of their own home using 110 voltage of electricity.

It is tragic to see the loss of this technology when General Motors, Inc. (GM) pulled the plug on its EV1 project and scrapped out the remaining fleet to the leasee of these cars. The Honda and Toyota followed suit when they scrapped their SUV, pick up trucks and station wagon with EV1 technology for their gas powered , internal combustion engine cars.

It is amazing on seeing a few Filipinos innovators come up with the idea of reviving this lost technology. I got a glimpse of Gerry Caroro's GCar ( www.gcarmotors.com). You can view and test ride the car at Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City for P 30.00 per lap. I wish they could mass produce more of these cars but would generally wait for test result and road worthiness of these cars into the public roads for the future use of the general public.

Last year, Makati City government, GRIPP (Green Renewable Independent Power Producer), and Greenpeace launched its first electric jeepney for use as public transport. They are in for one year of test piloting their assigned routes. The e-jeepneys became successful have started operating last July 1, 2008. The e-jeepneys are locally manufactured by Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Philippines - MVPMAP.

The e-jeepneys are operational and are plying the Makati routes as follows:

Route:

• Salcedo Village – from Dela Costa St. turn right to Makati Ave., right to Paseo De Roxas, right to Villar St., left to Leviste St, left to Rufino St., right to Ayala Ave. and right to Dela Costa St.

• Legazpi Village – from Salcedo St. turn right to VA Rufino St., left to Adelantado St., left to Gamboa St., left to Salcedo St., left to Benavidez St., left to Paseo De Roxas Ave., right to Legazpi St., left to Dela Rosa St., and left to Salcedo St. (Source: www.makati.gov.ph)
  

In other parts of the country, a Dumaguete-based startup company called Insular Technologies (www.insulartechnologies.com) assembled its own version of electric vehicle with the help of Greenpeace International. The company was co-founded by Rene Tuballa. It first debut during the founding anniversary of Siliman University on August 27, 2007.

We need these zero emission, no pollution technology in this hard times as fuel prices are getting higher everyday, we need to save mother earth which we are slowly killing through global warming. How I wish that the innovations made by our Filipino scientists would not turn into obscurity as a museum pieces because we need these alternative technology now.

Copyright 2008-2009 - PinoyMoneyVantage