Posts filed under 'Philippines'
What the heck is the NBN deal all about?
Today I am about to attend a talk regarding the NBN deal and I have to admit that I still don’t have a firm stand regarding the supposed bribery and corruption that went along the said deal. I am still at a limbo on who and what to believe. For one, there are many claims and coutner-claims that surround the issue. But what I am certain about is that I am to bound to believe the side or party who can and will produce solid evidences regarding the issue.  So far, all we have are testimonial claims and evidences, which canot be a solid ground to decide upon the matter. Hearsays or testimonies can very well be corroborated.
Despite the current plight of the country on the issues on the NBN deal, we, as citizens, are duty-bound to know the issues surrounding the country’s present struggle. We must be informed and make a firm stand on the issue. We should not rely on what people or congregations say we should believe. We must personally know the issues and assess it based on our own set of values, beliefs, and understanding. As part of that duty, I am posting below the timeline, from Inquirer, of what happened during that deal. I hope that this will help in assessing the issues and, at the very least, being informed about it.
LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE BROADBAND DEAL:
JULY 12, 2006 — The Department of Trade and Industry executes a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) International Investment Ltd. to cooperate in the development and implementation of various investment activities in the Philippines, including the National Broadband Network (NBN) project.
JULY 13 — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announces at the Clark Special Economic Zone the creation of a cyber corridor covering the cities of Baguio, Cebu, Davao and Manila and Clark. The corridor will host call centers and outsourcing companies and will be supported through additional digital infrastructure.
AUG. 1 — Ms Arroyo names Ramon Sales, head of the government’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as “focal personâ€? or coordinator for the Cyber Corridor.
AUG. 7 — ZTE Corp. submits to the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), an attached agency of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), a proposal for the NBN Project.
SEPT. 4 and 6 — ZTE writes to CICT regarding clarification on the project proposal and incorporating the suggestions of CICT.
SEPT. 8 — China Eximbank, through its general manager, Li Xiaoping, writes the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) informing that they are ready to exchange opinions and explore cooperation opportunities after China Eximbank and ZTE held discussions resulting in the conclusion that they may be available for transaction on the NBN project.
OCT. 23 — CICT endorses ZTE’s proposal to the NEDA for further evaluation and action.
NOV. 21 — Secretary Michael Defensor wrote to Minister Bo Xilai of the Ministry of Commerce, People’s Republic of China, to verify and confirm the interest of Chinese companies in arranging a comprehensive solution, to include financial and technical support, for the development and implementation of the NBN and Distant Learning projects of the Philippine government.
DEC. 2 — Chinese Ambassador Li Jin Jun informs Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor through a letter that the Chinese government intends to support the NBN project and that China has designated ZTE as the contractor.
JAN. 2, 2007 — The DOTC receives a letter from Amsterdam Holdings Inc. (AHI) dated Dec. 5, 2006 informing the DOTC of its project, Orion Network, and requesting a favorable endorsement to NEDA. Also mentioned in the letter is a request for the government to designate the DOTC as the project’s coordinating agency.
JAN. 3 — NEDA requested the DOTC with TelOf (still under CICT) to take the lead in the preparation and implementation of Cyber Corridor projects taking into consideration the requirements of concerned end-user agencies. NEDA also requested for the submission of the necessary NEDA-ICC documents to facilitate processing of the project particularly the IP-based National Broadband Network Project
FEB. 13 — Executive Order No. 603 was issued by the President transferring the TelOf and all other operating units directly supporting communications from the CICT to the direct control and supervision of the DOTC.
FEB. 14 — NEDA refers to the DOTC for assistance and recommendation on the possible reconciliation of three similar proposals: 1) the Cyber Education Project (CEP) of the Department of Education (DepEd), 2) the NBN project endorsed by CICT (ZTE project proposal) and 3) the build-own-operate (BOO) NBN project of AHI.
FEB. 19 — DOTC/TelOf officials and personnel attended the meeting at NEDA Board Room to discuss the technical details and concerns on the NBN project.
FEB. 26 — ZTE submitted to DOTC copy of their NBN proposal which they have submitted to CICT and was subsequently endorsed by CICT to NEDA.
FEB. 27 — DOTC received another letter from NEDA dated Feb. 20, 2007 requesting for the submission/endorsement of a reconciled project proposal in view of the Feb. 13, 2007 joint NEDA-ICC and Cabinet meeting wherein the DOTC was instructed to sort out possible overlaps on the Cyber Education project of the DepEd and IP Based National Broadband Network Project of the DOTC/TelOf.
MARCH 1 — DOTC/CICT submits to NEDA the evaluation made on the three project proposals and recommends the implementation of a single government IP platform.
MARCH 1-20 — ZTE submits to the DOTC a revised NBN proposal with technical solution, project feasibility report, price summary, etc.
MARCH 23 — The DOTC endorses to NEDA the revised NBN proposal of ZTE.
MARCH 26 — The NBN project is presented to the joint ICC Cabinet Committee and ICC Technical Board meeting for deliberation and approval.
MARCH 26 — Ambassador Li Jin Jun writes a letter to Ms Arroyo, conveying that the Chinese government will fully support the NBN project of ZTE and the Distance Learning project of the DepEd.
MARCH 26 — AHI offered to build the NBN for the government for $242 million, questions the DOTC’s alleged bias for ZTE that offered to build the same facility under a $262-million government-to-government loan agreement. (Reported March 27, 2007).
MARCH 29 — The NEDA board approves the implementation of the NBN project.
MARCH 30 — ICT technical working group recommends the direct contracting mode in the procurement for the supply of equipment and services for the NBN project.
MARCH 31 — DOTC officials award the contract to ZTE, saying that AHI’s unsolicited proposal lacked complete documentation necessary for it to be considered.
APRIL 10 — BAC for ICT, considering RA 9184 and the recommendation of the TWG-ICT, have resolved to recommend that the procurement for the supply of equipment and services for the NBN project will be undertaken thru direct contracting and to refer the matter to the GPPB and NEDA for approval.
APRIL 16 — DOTC writes to GPPB and NEDA requesting for opinion and approval of the procurement process for the implementation of the NBN project, respectively.
APRIL 16 — TWG submits evaluation report and recommendation on the technical aspect of the draft as input for DOTC Legal Office’s final review.
APRIL 20 — Secretary Romulo Neri of NEDA writes to Minister Bo Xilai of Ministry of Commerce and Chairman/President Li Rougu of China Eximbank endorsing the NBN project for loan financing of the People’s Republic of China under the Preferential Buyer’s Credit Facility of China Eximbank.
APRIL 21 — Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and ZTE vice president Yu Yong sign the $329-million NBN contract in Boao, China, in ceremonies witnessed by Ms Arroyo.
APRIL 24 — The GPPB advises DOTC that an opinion from the Department of Justice (DoJ) may prove relevant in the DOTC’s final determination on whether the NBN contract is entered into pursuant to Section 4 of RA 9184 mandating observance of executive agreements or Section 50 of RA 9184 on Direct Contracting.
MAY 28 — DOTC requests the Department of Finance to facilitate the availment of a soft loan from the China Eximbank.
MAY 31 — DOTC requests for opinion from the DoJ on the following issues: 1) whether or not the proposed NBN project can be considered an executive agreement by virtue of MOU signed between GRP (DTI through Secretary Peter J. Favila) and ZTE and subsequent “exchange of notesâ€? between representatives of GRP and GOC and 2) granting the NBN project is deemed to be an “executive agreement,â€? would the mode of procurement fall under EO No. 423, s.2005, on alternative mode of procurement (direct contracting) or under the last sentence of Section 4 of RA 9184.
JUNE 20 — Communications Assistant Secretary Lorenzo G. Formoso III discloses at a business forum the loss of the two “sovereignâ€? contract documents — one for ZTE and the other for the CEP.
JUNE 21 — The DoJ requests for clear and legible copies of the following documents: 1) letter of Ambassador of China Li Jinjun to Presidential Chief of Staff Michael T. Defensor dated Dec. 2, 2006; 2) contract for the Supply of Equipment and Services for the National Broadband Network Project between the DOTC and ZTE Corp. and 3) the Loan Agreement with the China Eximbank.
JUNE 26 — The Senate calls for an investigation of the broadband contract, saying that ZTE has been involved in “questionable dealsâ€? in other countries.
JUNE 27 — Mendoza says the NBN contract with ZTE is still subject to review by the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance.
JULY 11 — DOTC submits to the DoJ the requested copies of 1) letter of Ambassador of China Li Jinjun to Presidential Chief of Staff Michael T. Defensor dated Dec. 2, 2206 and 2) the reconstituted NBN contract.
JULY 26 — Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez issues an opinion that says that the contract is an executive agreement and does not need to go through a public bidding.
AUGUST — Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico asks the Supreme Court to nullify the ZTE contract for being unconstitutional and to stop its implementation.
AUG. 6 — The President’s legal adviser, Sergio Apostol, says the project cannot be implemented because the contract is nonexistent, having been stolen in China shortly after the signing.
AUG. 7 — Trade Secretary Peter Favila says the supposed ZTE contract is just a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or Memorandum of agreement (MOA) and not a supply contract.
AUG. 9 — DOTC confirms it has signed a reconstituted supply contract with ZTE.
AUG. 25 — The Philippines and China sign a $1.8-billion loan agreement, allegedly including an amount for the NBN project.
AUG. 27 — Favila says $400 million of the $1.8 billion is not meant for any particular project like the NBN.
AUG. 28 – Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla lodges a criminal complaint against Mendoza and two assistant secretaries of the DOTC at the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly “giving undue advantage� to ZTE.
AUG. 29 — Padilla, citing a column by Jarius Bondoc in the Philippine Star, tags Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. as the poll official who allegedly lobbied for the ZTE broadband contract. Padilla says Abalos played golf with ZTE executives in Shenzhen and at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City just weeks before the contract was signed.
AUG. 30 — Abalos admits that he and some ZTE officials were golfing buddies and that ZTE executives paid for his trips to China. However, Abalos maintains that he never helped the company to win the deal. Abalos says he and ZTE officials met with Finance Secretary Margarito Teves at Teves’ house in Alabang, Muntinlupa, “one afternoon last year,â€? but adds that the NBN project was not discussed.
AUG. 31 — Teves confirms that he was introduced to ZTE officials at a meeting with Mendoza and Abalos and that they talked about the NBN project.
SEPT. 1 — Abalos says he called Teves and that the latter supposedly apologized for saying that Abalos was present when the project came during a discussion in Wack Wack.
SEPT. 5 — Romulo Neri, former NEDA director general and now Commission on Higher Education head, neither confirms nor denies that he was offered P200 million to support the NBN project. (A Newsbreak report would later say that Abalos offered Romulo P200 million so that NEDA would “helpâ€? with the ZTE deal.)
SEPT. 9 — Ms Arroyo talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao about the controversial NBN project on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Sydney, suggesting that Favila and Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai work together to resolve the issue.
SEPT. 10 — AHI asks the Supreme Court to compel Malacañang to give it a copy of the contract won by ZTE. AHI also seeks for a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the government’s deal with ZTE while its petition is pending.
– AHI cofounder Jose “Joeyâ€? de Venecia III says at a forum that the supply contract with ZTE is overpriced by about $130 million to cover “commissions.â€? He describes Abalos as appearing to be the “captainâ€? of those who were brokering the ZTE deal. De Venecia says Abalos offered him $10 million in December 2006 to back off from the project.
– ZTE denies bribing government officials to bag the $329-million contract, saying that its initial offer of $262 million grew to $329 million because the government’s requirements changed.
SEPT. 11 — Acting on the petitions of Suplico and AHI, the Supreme Court issues a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the NBN project.
– Sen. Panfilo Lacson calls the President the driving force behind the deal with ZTE as he came out with a “reconstitutedâ€? copy of the supply contract.
SEPT. 12 — Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile says the “reconstituted copyâ€? Lacson presented was merely a supply agreement and that the more binding contract, the financial agreement, has not yet been approved.
In a letter to the blue ribbon committee, Mendoza begs off from attending the Senate hearing on the NBN project, saying that the two pending cases in the Supreme Court seeking to block the ZTE deal prevent him from speaking out on the matter.
SEPT. 14 — De Venecia says in an affidavit dated Sept. 11 that he was wiretapped by Abalos to monitor his conversations with ZTE officials and that it was Abalos himself, in a fit of rage, who admitted the offense sometime in February. Abalos denies the wiretap allegation and says that his lawyer is preparing to file several libel charges against De Venecia.
De Venecia says that a “mystery man� is part of the cast of characters behind the $329-million contract, but says he will reveal the person’s identity only if asked at a proper legal forum.
SEPTEMBER — De Venecia says he has received threats from powerful persons, including one that supposedly came from Mendoza’s camp. Mendoza scoffs at this allegation, calling it a “fairy tale.â€?
SEPT. 17 — The President’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, boards a plane for Hong Kong on the eve of the Senate hearing on the NBN deal.
SEPT. 18 — De Venecia admits to the blue ribbon committee that the “mystery manâ€? is the President’s husband.
De Venecia says it was at the “reconciliation� meeting in mid-March at Wack Wack that Arroyo, whom De Venecia assumes was asked by Abalos to talk to him when Abalos failed to talk him out of the project, shoved a finger at him and told him to “back off.�
Other personalities present at the meeting other than himself, Arroyo, Mendoza and Abalos were Jimmy Paz (Abalos’ chief of staff), Quirino de la Torre (Abalos’ security staff), Ruben Reyes and Leo San Miguel.
In his testimony, De Venecia quoted his father as saying that Ms Arroyo asked Abalos during a golf game in Shenzhen in October last year why ZTE could not just undertake the project the way AHI had proposed (at no cost to the government).
The First Couple and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., during a 10-city visit in China, were invited by the ZTE president to play golf. Abalos was one of the guest players.
SEPT. 19 — Arroyo, through his lawyer, confirms that he met with De Venecia at Wack Wack, but says it was “a purely chance encounterâ€? that did not include his barking at the businessman to “back offâ€? from the NBN deal.
Arroyo says that he merely “reminded� De Venecia that his being the Speaker’s son made it inappropriate for him to get involved in government contracts. The President’s husband denies that Abalos was at the meeting, saying that only he, De Venecia and Mendoza were present. De Venecia says Arroyo’s version of the meeting was “totally false.�
SEPT. 20 — Mendoza confirms at the second Senate hearing that the meeting took place and reiterates what Arroyo had declared through his lawyer that Arroyo did not raise his voice.
Mendoza even describes Arroyo as “mild-mannered,� while portraying De Venecia as someone who dogged him and went to see him in his office “several times� to follow up on his firm’s unsolicited NBN proposal.
After the hearing, Mendoza tells reporters that it was the Speaker, the younger De Venecia’s father, who aggressively lobbied for his son’s firm to bag the contract.
Favila says he is open to modifying or even rescinding the NBN deal and says he will talk to his Chinese counterpart, Trade Minister Bo Xilai, to discuss other options to undertake the NBN project, including its “cancellation or abrogation.�
SEPT. 22 — The President suspends the NBN project “indefinitely,â€? but senators say they will continue the probe despite the suspension.
SEPT. 24 — Ms Arroyo allows Neri, who failed to attend the Sept. 20 hearing due to “intestinal flu,â€? to attend the Senate probe. Earlier, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Neri was part of the President’s official delegation to the United Nations General Assembly that is scheduled to leave for New York the next day, but Neri himself later told reporters that his trip had been canceled.
SEPT. 25 — The President discloses at a meeting in Malacañang that she had the NBN project “discreetly investigatedâ€? and found that the reports of bribery tainting the project were “uncorroborated.â€?
SEPT. 26 — Neri admits at the Senate hearing that Abalos offered him P200 million in exchange for giving the approval on the NBN project. Neri says he mentioned the bribe offer to Ms Arroyo, who he says told him to decline it.
De Venecia reiterates his earlier claim that Abalos offered him a $10-million bribe, which the Comelec chair vehemently denies. Abalos also denies brokering the NBN deal for ZTE.
Add comment March 12th, 2008
Hip Hop International 2007 (World Finals)
Philippine All Stars (2006 1st placer) placed 3rd
Kaba Modern (short for Kababayan or fellow Filipino) placed 2nd
Eclectik from Trinidad and Tobago placed 1st
2 comments January 28th, 2008
The Internet Marketing Bootcamp: Learn the Industry Trends
In recent years, the Internet has become a potent tool for selling products or services. It has also opened employment and income-generating opportunities to many Filipinos. So much so, Internet marketing has become the latest buzzword in the online sphere.
A series of seminars aims at sharing basic information on the creative and technical aspects of Internet Marketing. The “Internet Marketing Bootcamp� will run for six consecutive weeks from January 26 to March 1, 2008. Each session will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at RCC Center, Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City.
Some of the country’s Internet Marketing luminaries from U.S. Auto Parts Philippines (USAP) will discuss the key concepts and strategies on this emerging field:
- Michael Joseph Villar, USAP Affiliate Marketing Manager, will give a crash course on performance-based marketing, how companies and individuals can benefit from it, as well as the challenges confronting affiliate marketing.
- Email Marketing Manager Alvin Jimenez will present the email marketing campaigns and their relevance.
- Rico Sta. Cruz, USAP Creative Director, will discuss the essential principles in Web design and how to apply them to the Web.
- Copy Editing Supervisor Jennelyn Tabora will talk about online copywriting and its crucial role in attracting and building readership.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Project Managers Gabriel Libacao Jr. and Rhiza Sanchez will explain the basics of search engine marketing and how to convert visitors into sales and profits.
- Senior Web Analytics Specialist Maia Nuguid will discuss how Web analytics can help in assessing Internet marketing strategies.
Marc Hil Macalua, USAP Vice President for Marketing, will give the inspirational speech. Web Project Manager Elymar Apao will facilitate the Bootcamp sessions.
The Bootcamp is sponsored by the U.S. Auto Parts Network, the premier warehouse of auto replacement and performance part brands in the United States. One of the leading players in the Internet retailing industry, U.S. Auto Parts ranks among the top 100 online retailers in the United States in 2007.
The Bootcamp is open for all professional bloggers, Internet marketing enthusiasts, or anyone who has a background in Internet marketing. Interested persons may send their updated resumés at elymar@usautoparts.net or glibacao@mbsautomotive.com. Qualified applicants will be informed via a confirmation email.
Participants are encouraged to bring their resumes as a Job Fair will closely follow each seminar.
For further details, please visit the Internet Marketing Bootcamp site: (http://www.usautoparts.com.ph/imb/), US Auto Parts Internet Marketing Bootcamp (http://www.usautoparts.com.ph/), US Auto Parts Official Website
(http://www.jobsdb.com/). – US Auto Parts Job Listing
Contact Persons:
Elymar Apao
elymar@usautoparts.net
Gabriel Libacao Jr.
glibacao@mbsautomotive.com
Add comment January 26th, 2008
The Funky USAP scandal
Here’s what happens at the office, when the bossings are not around…[joke...the bossings are also involved in this scandal...hahahaha!]
1 comment January 25th, 2008
2008 Holidays per RA 9242
Below is a list of the different Holidays for the year of 2008. Take note that some of these holidays are moved on a Monday, in pursuant to Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s RA 9242 also known as “Holiday Economic Policy“.
January 1 - New Year’s Day
March 20 - Maundy Thursday
March 21 - Good Friday
April 7 - Araw ng Kagitingan (in lieu of April 9)
May 5 - Labor Day (in lieu of May 1)
June 16 - Independence Day (in lieu of June 12)
August 25 - Ninoy Aquino Day (in lieu of August 21)
August 25 - National Heroes Day
October 1 - Eid’l Fitr (to be confirmed by the OMA)
November 1 - All Saints Day
December 1 - Bonifacio Day (in lieu of Nov. 30)
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 29 - Rizal Day Monday nearest December 30
December 31 - Last Day of the Year
The said economic policy aims to provide a longer weekend break for employees and an undisrupted working week for businesses/employers. Well, poor for me, my work is on Tues to Sat. So I dont get double pay or at least a pay without work for said holidays because of the said schedule and policy. hehehe.
2 comments January 15th, 2008
The Phones of the Future…
The wonders of technology has bring us far more than what we can imagine…and not long from today…a simple wrist-band may be a handy cellphone for our kids. Here is a preview of the future phones that we expect to see soon in the Philippines. Start taking your pick…
1) Asus Aura
2) Beng-siemens “The blackbox”
3) Beng-siemens “Snaked”
4) Nec-tag
5) Nokia 888 Communicator
6) Nokia Aeon
7) Retroxis by Dark Label
8 ) Sky “Sleak n Slim”
9) TripleWatch
10) What you see is what you get
See more Philippine Cell Phones.
Add comment January 10th, 2008
Manny Strikes Again
We’ve seen the might of Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao in his fights in the boxing ring. But what’s more interesting is that we’ve seen his power with girls in Ituloy Angsulong Humor 101: Morales TKO due to slow hands, want proof???
Now, here’s another news update as to what Pacquiao has been doing after his lost dream for an elective position. Last December 12, 2007, he was seen partying ‘wildly’ at a Steve Aoki event. (Steve Aoki is a celebrity DJ). He was seen dancing (presumably on a date) with three ladies at that same night. How ‘macho’ and ‘gwapo’ could he be that night!
Lady #1: Well, it surely looks like Jinky, his wife. But howcome there is #2 and #3, during that same night? Hmmm…
Lady #2: Is she a dance instructor of Manny or is she teaching something else? Whatever it is, they must feel comfortable with each other, letting the lady touch Manny’s chest…and where is Lady #1?
Lady #3: Now, here we see another proof of how fast Manny’s hands could be…no wonder he wins a lot of boxing match…and some other match with girls maybe…
Whether the fact that Manny did date 3 ladies at the same night remains a question…he can be SO friendly and that’s the end of the story…otherwise, we can’t blame Jinky for being ’selosa’ or jealous. She definitely has a big fight to win. But so far, she remains to hold the title ‘Wife’, and the favor is with her.
Add comment January 10th, 2008
DOJ website hacked: NBI is now on the hunt
A felon is a felon, whether it be against a private individual or the government!
YEZ! Last thursday, Jan. 3rd, some felons greeted DOJ with a big surprise for the New Year. For a few hours, visitors of the Department of Justice’s website saw Wizard of Enchanted Kingdom, instead of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.
The DoJ website was hosted by PLDT, who has promised to investigate the event as well. As of now, the NBI is also conducting their own probing and hunt for who is liable for the hacking. Note that hacking is punishable under Republic Act No. 8792 or the E-commerce Law. As Sec. 33 of the said law provides:
“SEC. 33. Penalties. - The following Acts shall be penalized by fine and/or imprisonment, as follows:
(a) Hacking or cracking which refers to unauthorized access into or interference in a computer system/server or information and communication system; or any access in order to corrupt, alter, steal, or destroy using a computer or other similar information and communication devices, without the knowledge and consent of the owner of the computer or information and communications system, including the introduction of computer viruses and the like, resulting in the corruption,destruction, alteration, theft or loss of electronic data messages or electronic document shall be punished by a minimum fine of one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) and a maximum commensurate to the damage incurred and a mandatory imprisonment of six (6) months to three (3) years;…”
Add comment January 4th, 2008
MACBOOK PRO STOLEN on CHRISTMAS! 40K REWARD
(I’m posting this to help the victim..to what’s the least that I can do)
STOLEN: Macbook Pro 2.4GHZ, 2GB RAM, 120GB HDD - SERIAL # W8732099X92
WHEN: DEC.23,2007
WHERE: Tagaytay City
REWARD: P40,000 for recovery and information leading to recovery
CONTACT: MARK DE LOS REYES, 0917-893-2392
My sister’s Macbook Pro laptop was stolen last DEC. 23 from our home in Tagaytay. Someone had taken her laptop from a table inside our house while it was charging. Charger, and case were taken as well. My sister is supposed to graduate this coming year and all her work files were in that computer. (my christmas gift to her was an external hdd for her to back up her files, but unfortunately the laptop was stolen before she could use it.) Her thesis and a lot of her design work remains inside, so the laptop’s contents are more valuable to us than the actual laptop. The computer is passworded, so it is likely that the person who has it will bring it to a store or shop to have the hard disk reformatted.
Please spread the word among technicians and other apple stores so that this laptop may be found soon. My sister’s career depends on it.
Hopefully we can all still have a happy new year.
-Mark De los Reyes
0917-893-2392
timdlr@gmail.com
Add comment January 3rd, 2008
Indeed, a MERRY Christmas!!!
Christmas 2007 would, definitely be worth remembering. But before going to my personal insights to how my celebration of Xmas ‘07 would be, there are a few things worth mentioning and thanking God for.
First of all, a dear friend, Yay, has finally awake from her week-long sleep. Last week, a news came to me that Yay lost her consciousness, for some reason i don’t know and i didn’t get to know.  I was brought into tears by the news and was terribly worried. I tried to call some friends asking for updates, but to no avail, I tried calling Yay’s phone, hoping that some family member would pick it up and address my questions. It was after several days of trial that I was able to get through the line. Her dad texted me and told me that she had this heart and blood illness for long and that it’s at its critical stage now, that it is a matter of life and death. She can either wake up and be stronger, or not wake up at all. I don’t know why I was so concerned with her at that time, noting that she was a close friend but not really my closest peer back then. Last Tuesday, on my way home from school, I texted Yay’s dad again, asking for updates and saying my regards to their family.  No replies that night, but the next morning, I woke up with a message at my phone. When I read it, it says “Ate ceo, gising na ko…”. Yay replied herself. Prayers proved its strength and Yay woke up the other night, after exactly 7 days of sleep. My prayers were answered.
Next stop, is about my brother. I am now a tita! At that same night that Yay woke up, my brother’s wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy. I haven’t seen him personally ’til now since I usually arrive home late because of school and go to office early the next morning. They’ll come home from the hospital on saturday. A new member of the family this Christmas is indeed a great blessing. He’s name is Christian James E. Ocampo. I’ll post more of him next time…when I have his pics. ^_^
And finally, I have so much to thank about this Christmas as well. Blessings overflow for me this year, in almost all aspects of my life. For a good career, and a profession awaiting for 2011. I have an understanding and a considerate company that supports my aspirations for a law profession. Great professors and good grades. ^_^ Great family, good health, and last but not the least, a year-round of LOVE (from my beloved).
Add comment December 20th, 2007
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