Typhoon Ondoy wreaks havoc

Typhoon Ondoy brought continuous heavy rains in Luzon since Friday afternoon (Sept. 25) that by Saturday morning, the flood has started to rise and many were forced to flee.

Here in Fairview, Quezon City, about 50% of the area was affected with floods. North Fairview, Sitio Ruby (Sapamanai), and West Fairview saw some parts with water rising as high as a house.

Our own area in East Fairview was also affected. We live in a condo compound and by Saturday lunchtime, we saw the waters in a nearby creek spill.  Here’s the video I took yesterday when the water outside the compound was still knee-deep.

In just a couple of hours, we saw the water come inside the condo compound. It reached the ground  floor and residents there had to transfer to the higher floors.

And this is the video taken from our window. The cars in our street were submerged.

My own parents were stranded  in Bulacan after they went to Nueva Ecija yesterday morning to attend a wedding. They left Nueva Ecija by noon because they received info that the nearby dams would release water.

It took them 12 hours to get home because they got stranded in Bocaue, Bulacan. They had to get off the vehicle because the tollway patrol already told passengers to get out.  They had to take shelter in the headquarter of the Manila Tollways.

The steep price of health care

Last Tuesday, I had to rush somebody in my family to the Philippine Heart Center because he was complaining of headaches, dizziness and nausea.

We proceeded to the Emergency  Room of Heart Center upon the advise of a relative. We arrive at 11 AM and had him checked. The ER doctor asked us if he wants be confined and we agreed.

It took us seven hours before we could get a room. In those seven hours, we had to stay at the ER because there was nowhere else to stay. It was a sad and heartbreaking sight, I tell you.

I got to talk to one patient who has been at the ER since 6 AM of that day. She said she was on a wait list because all the rooms are booked. She said she came all the way from Lucena City upon the referral of her doctor. She was accompanied by her son. She also told me that a couple of patients have also been waiting since the day before, Monday.

I assumed that these patients are waiting for a bed in the charity ward. We were fortunate because we have the ability to pay and was able to get a semi-private room even though it took us seven hours of waiting. But what about these people, who can’t afford anything?

I also saw another elderly patient in the afternoon, who was wheeled in by her grandnieces/grandnephews. They wanted to confine their grandaunt for her pulmonary condition but was unable to do so because all the rooms–all kinds!–were still booked.

I overheard the grandniece saying that FEU General Hospital in Fairview, Quezon City was also booked and the only room available is the P4,200/day kind. She said they couldn’t afford it.

It was sad and heartbreaking because it takes so much to maintain one’s health. Hospitals and medicines are very expensive and not all people can afford healthcare. When I become rich, I’ll build a hospital or donate several rooms for the less-fortunate.

40 Ways to Save Money

Starting your savings is hard. Just like anything, the first step is always the hardest. But with a little discipline, creativity and work, you can start saving money. You don’t need to do all of those. Just a few will help you kick off your saving.

These tips and tricks, gathered from different resources, are the most common ways of saving money.

1. Pay off all your debts first before saving.
2. Keep track of your expenses.
3. Bring lunch to work.
4. Say ‘no’ to sodas. Drink water.
5. Use the ‘envelope’ method for your household expenses.
6. Leave your credit cards at home.
7. Set a fixed amount that you will save every month.
8. Minimize mall trips.
9. Read personal finance books, blogs and online boards.
10. Open a savings account that does not come with an ATM.
11. Cut back on eating out.
12. Stick to your grocery budget.
13. If you want to buy something, ask yourself if this is a ‘need’ or a ‘want.’
14. Take advantage of promos.
15. If you saw something you want to buy in a mall, wait for 30 minutes to see if the urge to buy disappears.
16. Don’t bring a lot of cash in your wallet.
17. Commute. Don’t take taxi rides.
18. Treat yourself to one major splurge every month.
19. Don’t eat at pricey restaurants.
20. Take advantage of the free stuff in your office like coffee, snacks, juice, etc.
21. Fly economy.
22. Save up for big expenses.
23. Keep your hairstyle short and simple.
24. Learn to pamper yourself at home.
25. Exercise at home. Don’t go to the gym.
26. Always do your shopping list and food menu.
27. Bring your leftover food at work.
28. Use your credit card only if you can pay the balance in full. Use it for the points only.
29. Plan vacations early.
30. Car pool.
31. Stay away from sales of items you don’t need.
32. Don’t follow fads.
33. Go into business to bring more money.
34. Do the grocery once or twice a month to save on gas and avoid impulse-buying.
35. Take care of your health.
36. Look for alternatives.
37. Coffee in convenience stores like 7-11 or Ministop is cheaper than from Starbucks.
38. Don’t bring your kid when doing the grocery.
39. Buy second-hand books.
40. When going to the mall, make sure you eat at home first and that you feel full.

Buy 1, Take 1 US ticket from BPI

If you’re flying to the US anytime soon, you may want to check this latest promo from BPI WorldPerks.

Buy one Northwest Airlines ticket and get another ticket for free when you use your BPI WorldPerks MasterCard online at www.nwa.com/ph.