Motivational Author Stephen R. Covey Dies Last Monday

from Laura Zauckerman at Reuters

This is sad news indeed especially that we are still getting over the great Dolphy's passing last weekend. Now another great man has gone and I can't help but feel a little melancholy about these events. The cause of Mr. Covey's death was reportedly due to a bike accident near his home in Provo, Utah last April, in which he suffered head injuries. What a waste. Just last May, my previous team talked about having an empowerment training that would center on his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He had been a highly respected motivational speaker and author who has touched so many. 

According to his son, Sean Covey from a Huntsman Alumni Magazine interview, "He always treated everybody the same, exactly. It didn't matter if you were the CEO of a Fortune 10 company or the local barber. You wouldn't have ever known the difference."

For Utah State President Stan Albrecht, "Dr. Covey touched the lives of people around the world in very personal ways. He was an inspirational leader who was always a powerful voice for individual integrity, strong character and extreme trustworthiness in every aspect of life."

As for me, Mr. Stephen Covey will remain an inspiration to continue striking a balance in my personal and professional life. Thank you, dear sir. May employees of the future will find comfort and guidance in your books and other works. Rest in peace. 

How to Get an SSS Death Benefit Claim (Funeral)

Death will not only rip us with grief emotionally, but it will also drain us financially especially if we were not able to get insurance beforehand. So when it comes knocking on our door, we not only need to come to terms with it, we have to make financial decisions too. And, at a very fast pace at that.

So when my grandfather died last August 2010 (RIP my dear Lolo), my grandma extremely needed to get his death benefit from the SSS as soon as can be. He had been a hardworking man all his life, being a farmer during his youth and then joined the seafaring profession at a time when the shipping industry of the Philippines was still beginning. He was one of those elder folks who get tired when there’s nothing to do so even when he retired, he still continued tilling his land. He would wake up at dawn, way before the roosters make their first crows, and head to his farm which is quite a distance from their house. This habit actually helped him defy age and only succumbed to death due to prostate cancer at the age of 76, if I remember right.

He dutifully contributed to the SSS the whole 30 or so years of his working life. He tasted the fruit of his labor with P1,500 monthly allowance when he retired. During Christmas, he would be very happy receiving twice the amount at P3000. This went on for 10 years and then the allowance was increased to P2500. And he and Lola were really glad. Another increase went up to 3,500 and although it is very difficult to meet their monthly needs, it was still better compared to no increase.

After a month from his burial, my Lola then filed a claim for his SSS Funeral Benefit. The requirements were:

• Claim for Funeral Benefit (SSS Form BPN-103)
• Death certificate duly certified by the local Civil Registrar
• Receipt of payment issued by the funeral parlor
• Affidavit of funeral expenses
• Report of Death (if cause of death is work-connected)
• Photo of filer and valid IDs
• Original or certified true copies of the supporting documents should be presented during the filing of the claim.

Then, after another month, the check arrived to the relief of my Lola. Now she can  finally repay some remaining debts made during my Lolo’s wake. She also checked Lolo’s ATM and seeing as three months’ worth of his pension was reflected on the balance, she withdrew the money immediately. Un-beknown to my Lola, the process of transferring my Lolo’s pension to her name should have been filed as well, together with the funeral benefit claim. Now this is the concern, nobody from the SSS ever mentioned this fact. So when she came out of her mourning, and decided to move on with the practicalities of life, she then filed for the transfer of Lolo’s pension to her name. When alas, the process would take two years! And this was all because she was not able to file the necessary papers on time, as what SSS personnel explained to us.

So for other SSS members out there, do your research well and know your rights beforehand. Read the fine print on SSS documents, their announcements and on their official website.

For next post, I will be discussing the intricacies of how my Lola transferred her name as an SSS beneficiary to her late husband. 

7-Eleven is Now Open in Cebu!

Seeing the various buildings constructed in Cebu City these days can be confusing. With all the new names of condos, villages, offices and commercial spaces, I get the feeling that they are all converging to invade Cebu in a whole new level. Whether good or bad, I am curious as to the outcome. But one thing is for sure with these developments though, we Cebuanos, are all going to have new experiences and activities to undertake! 

So when I first glimpsed the construction of yet another commercial space along Escario, next to McDonald's, I thought it was another condotel. But lo and behold, when they started decorating the upper wall of the first edifice, I wasn't able to hide my excitement as it was forming into a 7-Eleven Store! I made a mental note to go there once it's all done. The good news is, they opened just today, July 11, 2012. 7-Eleven opened on 7-11! This just added to their awesomeness! Can't wait to taste their slurpee, get my brain freeze, and all the other goodies this store is well known for. 

Slurp, slurp and enjoy, everyone!

Getting a Travel Permit from the US Consulate Cebu

An Aunt who’s presently residing in the US, requested me to get her and her son’s travel permit on their behalf. My, another government agency to deal with. This is usually enough reason to give me palpitations because I know how thick red tape can be here in our dear country. So thick in fact that even Thor’s sword will barely penetrate a government office’s high, solid bureaucracy. But who knows? I’ll be dealing with a US Consulate after all, so maybe this time it will be different.

I first got their telephone number here and dialed to be answered by, as I expected, an answering machine. Amidst the slur este, slang of American words, I deduced that they don’t entertain calls past 12 noon. So I have to call back the next day and it better be early, only from 9am-12noon. My second call was again answered by a machine, which informed me that they are not currently entertaining calls at some certain dates (I already forgot). I then decided that I just have to go there personally even though my schedule is full smack with work. Thankfully, our company decided to exchange the May 1 holiday, to May 4. So, on I went to Waterfront via the Lahug route. Inside its massive lobby, I asked the front desk directions for the US Consulate office and they directed me to proceed to the rightmost side of the building, go down one floor (I useld the escalator), venture outside of the building, then walk left for about 5 metres and there, before an investing firm office (I forgot the name again), is the US Consulate, Cebu branch. Since it was not yet 9am, I waited for a while when I noticed a post right in the front door that they are close on that date, including other certain dates of May. They will be back with full office operations on June 8, 2012.

Fast track to July 4, when I finally had another extra time to go there. I was not expecting much from this visit but to my big relief, the office is open for normal operations! The guard asked for my ID, got my mobile phone for deposit and gave me a number tag so that I can claim it back later. He also gave me a priority number for my transaction and motioned for me to get inside the inner office. 

I heard an audible click as the automatic door instantly closed behind me. A talking voice-on-the-phone registered and I saw a mini-library on the left side while rows of waiting chairs aligned on the right. There were about 3 waiting parties already, and I was very glad as this would mean a quick transaction. So I sat in the comfort of one of their chairs and waited. From my seat, I scanned the books and magazines lined up in the library and considered reading one as two foreigners were already reading. But I decided to just stay in my seat. About 10 minutes passed without seeing any activity from behind the window in charge of our transaction. So I asked the lady sitting at my back, what is her priority number. Said she is number 12 and I was number 14 so I’m near in line then. But another 5 minutes passed so I told her, “dugay no?” to which she replied, “lagi, dugay kaayo, taod2 nato amoa papers naa na sa sulod but gipa-wait pa mi ron.” She also said that her experiences with other consulate services are faster especially the European ones. Hmmmm I concluded that the Phil. government virus of very slow service may already have infected the US Consulate so I have to maintain my composure and be patient. Or else, my temper will get the better of me and I won’t get the travel permits of my Aunt and cousin.

Finally, after about another 10 minutes, the person in charge called my number and asked what is my transaction for. After explaining to him the situation, he asked for my ID first and then the authorization letter from my Aunt and cuz. After which, he examined their approval notice and told me that he will check their names if their travel permits reached their office. When he got back (it was quick), he explained that most travel permits only reach Manila and rarely does it go through the Cebu office. I wondered how this is so since the approval notice specifically contain the Cebu Consular address there. But I didn’t ask him that because he was already giving me a number to contact in their Manila office. And what came out of my mouth was, “Is it okay to go there (in Manila office) directly?” He told me not go there yet, but instead to call the number first to be sure.

So this will be a very long process, indeed. Will update this post once those travel permits will finally be in my hands.

Meanwhile, Cebu Tours has the complete address: 

The American Consular Agency is located on the ground floor of the Waterfront Hotel at #1 Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City. The local telephone number is (32) 231-1261. From the US, dial 011+63-32-231-1261; other countries dial 00+63-32-231-1261.

For additional information, do check out http://cebutours.com/legal_capacity_cebu.htm

  

Exam for a Driver's Licence at Cebu LTO

So here's my overview when I took that exam last May:

1. Be sure to arrive there early (6.30 or 7.00 AM will do).

2. When you are done with the paperwork and fees, you will be called to go inside a room with a lecturer (who is a funny, interesting lady). So just chill and learn from her.

3. By about 10AM, the lecture will start and almost all of the road signs are written on the white board in front of you. This is an open-kudigo as it will not be erased there as you answer the questions. I believe, it has not been erased for a long time now as there are already some vague markings on that whiteboard. The first part would be identifying the road signs and traffic signals and the second or third part (I forgot) will tackle situations.

4. Just listen intently to what the lecturer is discussing because there are practical questions that will come out in the exam and your good judgment will be needed. Say for example, she will give you a situation where two vehicles are entering an intersection. Who should pass first? This does not have a fixed answer because the question may involve traffic signals. So of course, if the vehicle in front of you has the green signal has to go first and vice versa, if you are driver of the other vehicle.

5. Another question may also go like this: you see a certain sign beside the road (which means let the pedestrians pass- especially if the area has a school), what would you do? Then you will be given different situational choices. Of course, pick out the best answer.

6. While taking the exam, you also have the liberty to get a closer look of the signs on the whiteboard. Just don't block the view of other examinees. Or else, the lecturer/proctor will castrate you. *winks

7. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AT ALL TIMES. This is a computerised exam, so if you were not able to shade the choices properly, then of course, the machine will not tolerate it. BTW, take note that the exam is divided to Set A and Set B.

8. At the end of the exam, you go to the lecturer's table and have it scanned right away. You pray then that you will pass. If I remember correctly, the passing rate is 85 or 90/100, I think. So it would be ideal to aim for the perfect score so that when you get a mistake or two, you are still safe.

9. All the answers can be found on the whiteboard actually so, you just have to be confident and use common sense.

10. Do not be overwhelmed by the exam because taking it is a worthwhile experience that you should be proud of. So whether you pass or fail, its a worthy activity on its own. But, if I have done it, why can't you?

Good luck, then!

Most of these signs will come up on the exam:

Road Safety Signs

Signals

Disclaimer: This post does not guarantee that you will pass in the exam but is intended to guide you only. I hope this will help, somehow.