From the category archives:

OFW Life & Issues

NAIA terminal fees goes up to P750

by reynz on February 22, 2012

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The government is considering another hike in airport fees paid by passengers at the country’s main gateway in Manila to fund badly needed facility improvements. Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said a P200-hike in terminal fees for international passengers would be necessary to improve the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals, which [...]

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O’ Norman Sison, Dahil Lamang Sa Kulalapnit

by reynz on November 6, 2011

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O’ Norman Sison, Dahil Lamang Sa Kulalapnit By: Reyna Elena nung minsa’y nilapitan ako ng isang babaing nanunuyo tulong po aniya kailangan akong makilala dahil ako nga ay habag ako naman’y nangarag sa katutulong sa babaeng dilaw na ang paka’y pala — ay di malinaw aba si babae di pala mabait sa akin at sa [...]

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Post image for Why President Noynoy and all politicians ignore the state of education in the Philippines

99% of the sons & daughters of politicians go to the best schools in the Philippines and abroad. This is according to the study of Reyna Elena published in Paatras Magazine. The only way to solve the utterly ridiculous education problem in the Philippines is to pass a law mandating that all sons & daughters [...]

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Post image for the ugly truth about Donald Trump’s “Obama Wasn’t Qualified For Ivy League” statement

(Photo Credits: Anne de Bretagne) “I heard he was a terrible student, terrible! How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard? I’m thinking about it, I’m certainly looking into it. Let him show his records.” ~Donald Trump This statement struck a chord on me. And it’s not a good one. My [...]

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Post image for Padala: Be careful with this age old Filipino tradition

“Pwedeng mag-padala?” It’s sort of like this. A Filipino tradition which is now used by drug syndicates. How do you fight this? Simple common sense. Better, refuse any type of “padala” even from anybody. If you choose to bring it with you, inspect the “padala” especially, the “maleta”. This is not just for OFW’s. This [...]

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Mahirap maging OFW, baka kala nyo!

March 12, 2011
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Pag hindi ka tinutugis nang mga impaktong pirata sa Somalia Nanakawin naman mga food supplies nyo nang mga lecheng tiga Libya. Nakalibre ka nga sa mga sira-ulong employers sa Saudi na itutulak ka sa tuktuk nang gusali Karipas ka naman nang takbo sa nang-re-rape mong boss sa Hongkong na hindi tuli Maligaya ka na sana [...]

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Protected: How I ended up in Charleston

January 19, 2011
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There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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a night with fellow bicolanos in goose creek

August 28, 2010
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One saberdey morning nga, I went up the hill and I was looking for a dry cleaner. I ended up here at chinika ko ang Filipina who was working here, hoping na maka-chamba nang discount! Wala ‘teng! Walang nangyari sa powers ko. Siningil pa rin ako nang $1.78 per piece samantalang $0.99 lang sya sa [...]

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why it is hard to save money when working in Manila

July 16, 2010
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(Photo Credits: Here) I have a story to share. The other day kasi, I was chatting with my friend. He was asking me on what to do with his credit card debts. He said, he has been religiously paying it. But he was curious why his credit card balance continues to either be the same [...]

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The Philippine Dream should never be an American Dream

July 4, 2010
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It might already be July 5 in Manila, but today – its Happy 4th of July in the United States. Like all Filipino-Americans, I wish one Happy 4th of July to the country who gave me a lot of opportunities here, which sadly, I can’t find nor is available for me back home in the [...]

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The disappearing balikbayan box?

June 20, 2010
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We have some out-of-town visitors today. I decided to run to the nearest Filipino store to buy some stuff. Outside of the store, I noticed several boxes of balikbayan boxes for shipment. Back when my parents were still around, they would always remind us to spare a few dollars and fill a few balikbayan boxes [...]

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The Bologna Accord, our state of education and the OFW connection

June 18, 2010
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(Photo Credits: Here) It’s sad that according to one of the comments in B7, this has been in the cauldron for 10 years and yet, our education officials just sat on it and nothing was done to make some changes and/or improvements to satisfy the Bologna Accord. This is not serving us any better. There [...]

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The risks involved while applying for a job online

June 15, 2010
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Whether you are in the United States or in the Philippines, job-hunting is a tedious job. You could be spending countless number of hours on the internet and must have responded to a lot of job openings online, but you have to keep in mind, it’s a jungle out there, and you have to be [...]

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If you’re an OFW or an overseas Pinoy, here’s how to own a house or a condominium in Manila

January 8, 2010
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Photo Credits: Here Think about this. Dati, there’s about 10% of the Philippine population outside of the country nag-ta-trabaho. Ngayon? Mas marami pa! Wala kasing lecheng trabaho saten noh? As usual, the ritual goes na we all send money back home, konting ipon and hope na makabili tayo nang palasyo. But, let’s admit it. Mahirap. [...]

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U.S. jobless rate passed 10% mark

November 7, 2009

Another truly sad day in America. True, recession might be ending because the last quarter of this year will probably show another growth. If that happens, that would be 2 successive quarters of positive growth officially ending the recession. The bad news? Employers are just reluctant to hire. And the meager recovery for the last [...]

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Ely’s Philippine Imports: New Orleans Filipino Store, meeting place of Pinoys

October 14, 2009

In New Orleans, I was on a hunt. Hunting for a Filipino store. That hunt would bring me to Slidell, Louisiana. Across the bridge, across the lake, on a very rainy day. I’m sorry, I lost my camera so I don’t have a picture of this Filipino store in Slidell. She told me that there [...]

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That xenophobic and barbaric Chinese remarks

March 29, 2009

Admiration for China Who would not have an admiration for China? With their ancient civilization that continues to awe everyone of us to their meteoric rise as one global economic power capable of dictating our food on the table. One thing I like from them is how effective their anti-corruption is. They hang them. Sure [...]

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Tuliro sa trabaho si Illuminada

March 13, 2009

Occasionally, I get letters from readers. Alam nyo na yun. Wisik wisik ko sya wid my own language para itago ang engkanto nyang katauhan. Why they look at me as Dear Ate Charo, is beyond me. But as usual, pani-nindigan ko sya ever. Mas maganda ata ako ki Charo! Hmpt! Eto ang sulat nya. Share [...]

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Isang jobseeker; isang matalinong tanga

February 2, 2009

Eto ang bagong chika: Eto ang istoryang nakaka-lungkot pero nakaka-bwisit. Isang 19 anyos na babae. Ni-rape daw nang putang hapon at winasak ang kanyang bukang liwayway. Ha?! Anong nangyari? Nag-a-apply na entertainer sa Japan ang kawawang gurl. Nag-meet sila nang Japanese recruiter sa mall in Manila to hand the documents daw. Den, nag-dinner ang dalwa. [...]

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Malas ng OFW, swerte ng pulitiko

February 1, 2009

Pagpupugay sa OFW Hindi mayaman ang OFW – Akala ng marami sa ating kapag OFW o nasa abroad ay mayaman na. Hindi totoo yun. A regular OFW might earn from P50K-P300K per month depende sa lokasyon. Yung mga taga-Saudi or US siguro ay mas malaki ang sweldo, ngunit para sabihin na mayaman sila ay maling-mali. [...]

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Remittance scam: a warning to Overseas Filipinos

January 29, 2009

What’s the buzz? Remittance scam. How is this being done? This is a scam that victimizes credit card holders. The scam is done by entities falsely claiming to be remittance service providers and by unscrupulous individuals outside the Philippines. They send money to the Philippines by using credit cards of other people without the cardholders [...]

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P50,000 loan to laid-off OFW’s from OWWA

January 26, 2009

What’s the buzz? Laid off overseas Filipino workers can avail of up to P50,000 loan from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to start or expand a livelihood project, the Department of Labor and Employment said Monday. Terms? Five-percent interest per annum, no collateral, and payable over 24 months after an interest-free grace period of 90 [...]

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From the Philippines: Lica de Guzman (of Switzerland)

January 13, 2009

Let’s take a break! Oh! Mudra! Life in the Philippines is like one Harry Putragis Series. Golf balls misfired. Talcum powder sent family fueding. Cheap justices sent on vacation. Ang naguusig, sya pang inuusig. Mga sanggano sa gobyerno. Oh! Let’s not forget Channel NBN, Radio ZTE, fertilizer gums and double decker C5. I have a [...]

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Unemployed Philippines: Bahala na

January 3, 2009

11 million Filipinos will be out of work Former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that millions of Filipinos would either go unemployed or be underemployed as the export sector would continue to slow down. The number? 11 million. That’s almost the entire population of Metropolitan Manila. Electronics: Layoffs planned The electronics sector currently employs about [...]

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In defense of OFW’s: “Walang ganyan sa States”

October 12, 2008

My entry today is in response to a comment left by a certain ?pobreng_obrero? which irked me, over at Salve?s Money Smarts Blog, incidentally on the very feature of my blog article. Here?s what ?pobreng_obrero? has to say: (please click the thumbnail) Now, I will highlight the comments to OFW?s which I will clear up [...]

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Money Smarts features: Kengkay of Germany

October 9, 2008

Last week, Salve Duplito of Money Smarts, interviewed via email Filipinos working all over the world to find out how the US global financial crunch is affecting one of the major sources of the country?s liquidity?the OFWs. She is publishing this week in installments the full version of their emails. Head over to this site [...]

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Money Smarts features: That one!

October 9, 2008

Last week, Salve Duplito of Money Smarts, interviewed via email Filipinos working all over the world to find out how the US global financial crunch is affecting one of the major sources of the country?s liquidity?the OFWs. She is publishing this week in installments the full version of their emails. Head over to this site [...]

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What made you decide to work abroad and where?

October 8, 2008

Considering that I am now swamped as ever with new Overseas Pinoys, I thought I would bring to top an entry I made last year which will hit you if you are an OFW. Especially now that things seems to be not looking good on the horizon. Sana naman wag sumama nang todo ang ekonomiya [...]

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Blogger Lukaret’s Family featured in German Newspaper

October 7, 2008

Es schien wie jedes ?berseeFilipinos ist ganz ?ber den Nachrichten. Heute ist unser Mitblogger, der von der Davao-Stadt hagelt, ein langfristiger Bewohner von Deutschland, nach Berlin umgezogen. Ihr Ehemann ist ein Doktor und es schaut, wie sie das Handeln sind, das in ihrem neuen Haus in Berlin gro? ist. Sie wurden gerade in der deutschen [...]

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Bomba star na ang lola nyo!

October 6, 2008

Malaya, Ellen Tordesillas Section, Monday Edition, 10/06/2008 One of the entries I wrote about subprime and the US housing market became such a hot property that it ended up in a lot of financial forums in Singapore, the Middle East and the US. I’m glad it was a big help to a lot of non-financial [...]

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I predict an Obama landslide

October 3, 2008

The only US Vice-Presidential debate just finished a few minutes ago. In fairness, “drill, baby, drill” Gov. Sarah Palin was not a disaster tonight. But against Senator Joe Biden? I think she still came up empty. There was no match. She tried many times to “debate” Obama and has many times put Obama on the [...]

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The movie of my life

October 1, 2008

Sino ba ako? Sino daw ba ako sabi nung isang commenter. Tanggalin ko na yung reference sa sexuality issue. Bahala na ang mga katribu ko sa rainbow kung gustong maghuramentado. But I like the question. Sarili ko, kukwento ko. Masarap un eh! Hehehe! Ba?t kaya?! Bwahahaha! Kaya eto ang chance kong magmayabang ever. Conchita!!! Makinig [...]

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OFW and the current global financial crisis

September 30, 2008

I received an email from our BFF, Salve Duplito, The Inquirer’s financial whiz, editor of Money Smarts. I am inviting my very, very close Overseas Pinoy friends (yeap, alam nila sekreto ni Victorino) to help her out. They are the following: ) Roni (Sands of Time) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ) Mogli of [...]

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Filipino Rules! Super Crew: America’s Best Dance Crew Season 2

August 30, 2008

Put your hands together forever one another ever ever mga kunichiwa to America’s Best Dance Crew at walang iba kundi mga PINOY!!!! Bwahahaha! An saya saya!!! Even Season 1 Winners, the Jabbawockeez were also Filipino! Can you believe this?! Wagi ang mga Pinoy!!! They even waved the Philippine Flag on the night they won! The [...]

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Sino nga ba ang baliw?

August 23, 2008

When you think you have done your best na ma-qualify at ma-meet lahat nang requirements nang isang trabaho overseas, hold it muna kabisyo, because meron akong timang na balita. Kausap ko kasi kagabi sa fone ang friend ko sa Ortigas Control Cheezemaks Center. Meron syang isang update na napa-putang ina ako. Muntik nang maluslus ang [...]

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SONA 2008, Part 4: The true state of the nation

August 1, 2008

The Philippine internet world is awash with SONA 2008 Summary interpretations and reactions. However, there is one entry that I thought I would share to my readers. Apologies to Cielito Habito of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. I am re-posting her article without permission. It’s so that I would have her write-up in my SONA Library. [...]

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SONA 2008, Part 2: Blame it on the gods!

July 29, 2008

Continuing with the Sona… here’s the SONA 2008 Summary pointers. Let me start by giving you an example of world prices… on steel. Now, recall that the Chinese economy grew double digit for the last 10 years or more. That was consistent. Recall that even the Indian economy grew rapidly as well. Because both of [...]

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SONA 2008, Part 1: State of the Nation Address ni Reyna

July 29, 2008

Mga kunichiwa, here’s what I have about SONA 2008. Ang haba kasi nang litanya pantasya nang Gloria. Here’s the first part. Just a few months ago, we ended 2007 with the strongest economic growth in a generation. Inflation was low, the peso strong and a million new jobs were created. We were all looking to [...]

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SONA 2008, nag-mistulang Oscar Awards red-carpet chuvalais!

July 29, 2008

Nag-mistulang Oscar Awards red-carpet chuvalais ang SONA 2008 ni Gloria Arroyo mga kunichiwa. Wag na kayong mag-tanong kung bakit naghihirap ang ating mga ka-tribu. Watch na lang kayo and drool over this one! Hahahaah! Now, para di makalamang ang mga iba, nag-bahag naman ang isang mayor. Tingnan naten ang video hindi yong ari-arian nang mayor. [...]

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What’s happening at the SONA 2008

July 28, 2008

D day mga kunichiwa for SONA 2008 ni Gloria. Senate President Manuel Villar and Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr opened the 2nd regular session of the 14th Congress. In attendance were members of the diplomatic corps. Only Miriam Santiago and Antonio Trillanes were absent as well as Jose de Venecia, Jr. Prayer led by Angara, national [...]

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After all these years! Our moment to emote!

June 26, 2008

I am soooo totally enamored with this new Journey’s hit song “After all these years!”. I have been playing this over and over for the second time around once more again and eygeyn forever and ever taz rewind uli! It’s awesome! It just brings back a whole lot of beautiful memories about what you did [...]

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Istorya ng mga OFW sa Saipan, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands

June 8, 2008

Sa araw-araw libo libong Pilipino ang nangingibang bayan upang mabigyan ng magandang kinabukasan ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay sa Pilipinas. Libo rin ang umaasang isang araw ay makakaalis din sila at matitikman ang buhay ng isang Overseas Filipino Worker. Masarap bang maging OFW? Ano ba ang mga hirap na kadalasang kinakaharap ng isang OFW? [...]

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How to deal with rising food prices

May 20, 2008

Rally in Davao When I was in Davao City with Ambo, Malen, Beng and her kids, we hired a taxi going to the wharf to catch the boat that would take us to the Pearl Farm Beach Resort. That was May 11, 2008. That day, there was a strike in the city. They were demanding [...]

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Given the chance, would you still go to America?

March 18, 2008

One of the things na napag-usapan namen ni Joy on Usapang Pinoy at Future Radio in UK was the fact nga na most Pinoys are still wanting to escape the ridiculous economic disparity sa aten mga kabisyo. I know for a fact na ilang bloggers na who frequent Reyna has sent me emails on how [...]

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Anyone from Denmark?

March 12, 2008

If you think the internet dragging name that’s burning between Australia and the Philippines is the hottest scandal in town, guess again! Do you know who is CLIENT number 9? Head over HERE and find out more about the hottest! hottest scandal in this part of the globe! Meanwhile… a letter from a European barrio [...]

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Starting a business in the Philippines

February 18, 2008

Aray ko! Nauntog din ako! Believe it or not, it’s a lot easier to start your own successful business in the Philippines, compared noong panahon. True, medyo mahirap mag-start with all the lagay na gagawin ninyo, pero, let’s not let them win na mawalan tayo nang pag-asa to start our own. Di ba? Share on [...]

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I love you!

February 14, 2008

Pero… eh kanino ko naman isasabog ang bwisit na linyang to?! I remember yung last na me nag I love you saken, eh nasambit lang dahil nasa tuktuk sya nang deliryong pagmamahal. But that was a long term relationship na inabot lang nang trenta minutos! Hmpt! Share on Facebook Digg Stumble Upon Del.icio.us Buzz

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Do you have a Philippine Dream? I do.

February 5, 2008

DONT FORGET!!! I have a Philippine Dream. I want to have a house para mai-bahay ko na si Ambo. At para walang awayan, bibilhan ko rin nang magarang bahay at lupa si Malen at si Pusa. Dun sa Bukidnon. Maliit lang naman ang loteng kelangan namen ni Ambo. Yung kasya lang ang isang king-size bed. [...]

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What is the problem that you’re trying to solve POEA?

February 1, 2008

Annuncio mga kabisyo! 1.) I was nominated for Nobel Fisher Price at kelangan ko yong mga flying voters dyan! Punta kayo dito: Pinoy Blog of the Month! Ang winner gets isang kaban na polvoron! 2.) Yong pink na biik, nagmamakaawa! Bisitahin daw sa babuyan! Soon, I will be the first woman President of the Philippines. [...]

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Full day of pick and pack!

December 29, 2007

I didn’t do anything at work today but pick & pack! Yong tipo bang bagger ka sa supermarket! Nag-mistulang trash can ang buong opis ko! Nakahamblang everything, everywhere! Nawalan nang glamour! You wanna see how it looked like? Here: Share on Facebook Digg Stumble Upon Del.icio.us Buzz

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Why you should not play spirit of the glass on xmas!

December 28, 2007

I arrived work this morning, at eto ang bumulaga saken pag-bukas nang elevator: Share on Facebook Digg Stumble Upon Del.icio.us Buzz

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Do you know why Filipinos at home will go bankcrupt after New Year?

December 22, 2007

ETO: ATM withdrawals hit record high as Filipinos splurge Wasak-wasak na daw lahat nang ATM machine sa Pinas with massive withdrawals! Yupi-yupi na raw ang haligi nang mga bangko! Nag-mukhang EDSA I People Power yong mga nag-wi-widrow nang anda! Yong tipo bang eh akala mo eh bank run na yong mga bangko! Hahaha! The lines at some ATM machines [...]

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