On Filipino Traditions : Simbang Gabi

Hey did you go to church already? I wasn't able to so I just went on writing this! ^_^

It's the time of the year where Filipinos wake up EARLY morning to attend a not so traditional mass called "Simbang Gabi". It has been practiced by Roman Catholics (which would probably be around 85% of the population of the Philippines I guess (O_o)" ) to go to church at this hour (around 3 to 5 AM) to celebrate mass until Christmas eve.

This Christmas is a little better for me, so I really have a lot to thank for. I'm not gonna be able to go to church but its okay. I don't have friends to go there with and I have tons of things to do at work. I work in mah graveyard shift so its impossible for me to go out... you know how that works right?

There are a couple of reasons why we celebrate Simbang Gabi...
Wanna see why people go there?
Check this out!

Reason #1: FRIENDS

No I ain't talkin about the show dimwit!

This early morning, they will be the ones to motivate you to go to church... aside from being holy, its only this week in a year of work that you'll get to see your neighborhood friends. Yeah I know, its either this or what I've been doing a few years ago... I was babe hunting LOLZ... coz the prettiest women also go out for this. You can't fool me you didn't do that when you were in my age heheh ^_^

Reason #2: FOOD

*Mouth waters ummmmph!*

This is also the only time of the year where it is legal to eat putobumbong and bibingka... the two most notorious rice cakes in the land! I personally like bibingka more with lotsa cheese and salted egg. Just mentioning those ingredients btw is making my mouth water... =P~ Putobumbong comes in a close second since I like the salty, sweet taste of em ground up rice with UBE... which is a root crop that makes everything violet... its violet but it makes your tongue and sweet tooth spin when you taste it. Its a fabulous ice cream flavor too. Some versions only use food coloring since its hard to prepare em. I even went to some churches before that give these treats away for free. Even free coffee and ginger tea also known as "salabat" is served for everyone. The hot scrumptious taste of community coffee will really make you pour em hotness on the cold weather. Who needs comfort food that you have to buy when you can just get it for free hahaha... I guess they are just doing their part on making people happy so they won't think of suicide at this time of the year huh? So the people called SMX or members of the samahan ng malalamig ang christmas (Christmas Loners Association lolz) won't think too much about it. People are just in a real good mood to give at these times where everything has a price. ^_^
Yum yum!

I just love this time of the year... coz it's an excuse to skip all of them diets and gym time. Why would anyone be not forgiving at this time right? ^_^ We are in the third world country, but we are a developing country... and guess what? we still rank as one of the most HAPPIEST people in the world... we laugh about problems... we don't mind them at all... we suffer the consequences but who cares hahaha.... at least we're happy right?

In behalf of my family to you... Merry Christmas!

Please leave your messages on my website http://www.kumagcow.com if you have time okay?! ^_^

Bill Consolidation for your Bad Debt

You need help when you've got bad debt!

I am quite familiar with this service. Not that I am actually using it but it seems that other B.P.O. service markets here in the Philippines are also doing bill consolidation. In this day and age, loan modification is much of a normalcy term in the eve of the supposed credit crunch. This will definitely organize some Americans who are in very bad personal debt.

Credit companies who have given ratings to the most promising banks are now suffering because they gave triple AAA ratings to ones who had too many local debts. The world is suffering now because of their policy mistakes. I'm quite sure some of their executives and board members even earned a lot and took advantage of things like this. Plans now to salvage what is left of their assets and save non performing investments to sell them is being done. The whole banking sector is in a scuffle to remain alive using the funds to be allocated by the US government as part of the billion dollar package/bailout plan. Automakers are also trying to find parts of that same fund to allocate to its ailing companies. Names like General Motors and Ford are not going to survive this year to pay off their operational costs if an additional bailout package discussed in the senate does not pass US funds they need from the national budget. They really need this just to survive this year but from what I've heard congress did not pass this legislation. It is evident that they have to take care of what they can include in this debt settlement. A non profit debt consolidation company is ready to help to fix your problems now from http://www.billconsolidation.net. The only thing you'll be given free advice through their own certified credit counselors standing by. They'll fix your personal loans and have them on a low monthly payment scheme with no premise of getting new loans.

Public Transport Fare Rollback

Public Transport Fare Rollback Yooohooo!

LTFRB has been ready day 1 in the planned rollback of fares in the aftermath of very low prices in crude oil in the world market. Starting tommorow December 15, 2008 it will only be P 7.50 for the minimum fare in jeeps from the original P 8.00 for the first 4 kilometers. It will also be P 9 .00 for public buses and P 11.00 for airconditioned ones in Metro Manila. It could have been lower if the REAL oil prices were reflected in the local oil companies, said these transport groups. There would be a stop for the 50 cent per kilometer rate buses impose and the 10 peso add on rate for local taxis. Tricycles on the other hand are somewhat unregulated and is handled by SLOW MOVING local government units. It's a good thing I don't ride one! ^_^

Blog Marketing

There are already a lot of things that are overtaking the lead of television as an advetising medium. Internet has become one of the best ways to reach an audience. Advertising on blogs is a big phenomenon. Prices of blog advertising space are somewhat dependent on the surrounding web content and relevance of the traffic that the blog receives. Linking up to some websites are needed to make them more visible in the World Wide Web. This is a good tool when you want to be listed with most search engines and want to be identified each time a consumer needs something off the Internet.

Companies started to place images or corporate logos on the side their websites to boost sales and visibility as a marketing strategy. Internationally this has been proven an effective way of getting known in a pool where millions of people spend hours of their time each day. Effectiveness of subliminal advertising and the persuasiveness propaganda is still questionable but it does bring results. If you trust a reputable company that would be able to bring results in advertising then you would not have and problems with marketing your products.

A new form of advertising that is growing rapidly is blog advertising. In this form of online advertising, linking up with a sponsor is done. It has shown a lot of promises as advertisers are able to take advantage of the demographic information and metrics for a specific site. This is also more effective than unpaid advertising or merely spreading by word of mouth. It can provide good exposure at minimal cost but the audience would be severely limited. Personal recommendations through positive reviews, spreading information like what I usually do achieves equating a brand with products. This is why companies advertise on blogs. Filipinos call toothpaste "Colgate" here. When people need fast food they never say buy me a hamburger. They usually tell other folks to buy them "Jollibee" instead. This is normal and is somewhat the goal of advertising. This is sometimes good, sometimes bad for blog marketing. There are specific requirements you can only do for an advertiser to be able to get paid. Payingpost.com is one website you can go to get the best deals advertisers can give you. Give it a try now and get the most out of your online time and spot in cyberspace. I highly recommend it if you want to make money blogging.