Kape at Keso

Image from: baptisthealth.com Last Sunday while I and my friend were heading home, we saw an old man maybe in his 80's lying on his side by the road. It was scorching hot. We immediately asked him if he was okay. We couldn't understand what he was saying but he just stretched out his hand to signal that he needed assistance.  So we helped him stand on his feet and gain balance. We then assisted him towards his bike parked a few feet from us. But as he rode his bike and started to pedal, he kept losing balance. He was really trying to push himself. We felt uneasy looking at the situation so we decided to stay and watch him, and we kept asking him if he'll be fine. We stayed until he could steady and was beyond our sight. Then as we turned at the corner going home, I and my friend looked at each other and we started crying. And we both agreed, it wasn't a feeling of fulfillment for being able to help. It was a complete feeling of pity for all the other older people living...

This year's presidential elections took a toll on us. With social media magnifying the bickering of the presidential supporters, one can't help but be ashamed of what we have become as citizens. Anyhow, instead of spending time arguing on who to vote for, I just made sure that I exercised my right of suffrage.  Since I am in Japan, the process is a bit different. We received our ballots via mail two weeks prior to the election day. The envelope contained 4 documents. 1. the ballot, 2. the seal, 3. the return envelope, and 4. the instructions.  After voting for my chosen candidates, I folded the ballot and inserted it in the return envelope. I closed it and sealed it properly. I dropped it in the nearest post box on the same day. It has to be mailed soon so it reaches the embassy on or before May 9th. Another option for us was to go to the embassy and cast our votes there. Also, I could only vote for national government positions - president, vice president, 12 senators, and a ...

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who is sometimes referred to as PRRD, PDuts, or Tatay Digong will be closing his term come June 2022. He will have successfully completed his 6-year term despite oppositions wishing him ill. PRRD has received criticisms because of his war on drugs. Human rights activists are condemning him for the bloody fight against illegal drugs.  But that infuriated me. I would rally behind PRRD's back if he will be held accountable for those deaths. And I know I am not the only one. There are millions of us silently supporting him for the past six years, ordinary people who understood better what war on drugs means. I grew up in a drug-infested community. We were seven when my playmate was raped by her drug addict uncle, there is an illegal drug trade in our neighborhood, neighbors stealing just to sustain their addiction, my cousin and his partner are drug addicts and their family is wrecked, I saw by my own eyes a couple using drugs in midday.  So when PRRD...

Here I made a comparison of OFW remittance services in Japan that I and my friends have used. I only listed BDO Remit , Smiles Remit , Yehey Remit , and Wise (Transferwise) . I decided the criteria based on what I consider are the best features of a service. You may check their website to get more details.   I could say that Wise is the wisest choice among the services considering the fee and the exchange rate. The only downside to it is the time needed to transfer your money.   It would require 2-3 banking days.     Moreover, for senders who are uncomfortable using digital services but are living within Tokyo, then BDO is the best choice. If you live outside Tokyo or in a more rural area, digital services are handy. I also recommend that you enable online banking system for more convenience. And for senders whose recipients in the Philippines are living in provinces, a cash pick-up option is of utmost importance. I can guarantee that these digital service...