Fil-Expo 2009 - Dubai

The main reason why my mom, aunt and I are going to Dubai is to buy stocks to our new bazaar. I’ll have to wait for the official memo before I can announce the what, where and when in this blog.

Another reason is to check out the SECOND FIL-EXPO 2009 in Dubai. I initially saw this on TFC and followed it up with our good friend Kuya Jerry Gratil because we were thinking of joining but due to lack of both time and funds we just decided check it out and maybe join next year.



Titik Pilipino dot com article about the 2nd Fil-Expo and OFW Zone dot come

There’s definitely more reason to join the merry festivities at The 2nd FILEXPO in Dubai: Tiangge, Bazaar, Atbp. In the line with The Filipino Channel’s 15th anniversary, we are bringing you a BIGGER, BETTER and MORE FUN-FILLED EXPERIENCE on July 2 to 4, 2009 at the Hall 3, Dubai International Exhibition Center.

The 1st Filipino Expo in Dubai and Qatar held in 2008 gathered a tumultuous number close to 60,000 attendees making it the most successful and most attended all-Filipino organized event in the Middle East to date. Shoppers and exhibitors alike had a superb experience in the event that is beyond doubt for the Filipino, by the Filipino.

This year, set your sights to the largest convergence of Philippine companies in Dubai. Expect the leading groups in the industry of real estate, banking, cargo and remittance, transportation and automobile products to offer their best deals for the Global Pinoy. Don’t get left behind with the most up-to-date offers on electronics and telecommunications. Plan your next trip with travel and leisure packages within your reach. You want ‘tiangge’? Then ‘tiangge’ it is! Get ready for more stylish apparels, accessories and cosmetics to satiate the fashion frenzy.

Other various seminars and services will be offered to the Filipinos in the UAE. Representatives of the Philippine Government will be present through the three-day affair. Employment and business opportunities are also available in the exhibition hall. Medical and educational institutions will likewise be present in the event. In addition, a DZMM Helpdesk will be at the venue as part of ABS-CBN’s public service.

And after hours of shopping, treat yourself to the soothing sounds of ASAP Sessionistas. A variety of Kapamilya artists will serenade the audience with their distinct mellow tunes paired with their authentic musical talent that is proudly Filipino. Savor the soothing vocals of crooner Richard Poon in Ballad Thursday. Meet your Pinoy Dream Academy idols Bugoy Drilon and Laarni Lozada in Pop Radio Friday. Chill with the Bossa Nova siren Sitti on Bossa Saturday. Radio DJ of WRR 101.9 China Heart will be the on-the-ground jock to provide extra entertainment to the expo-goers.

Entry to the venue is absolutely FREE. Tickets for the nightly shows are at AED 20 only. Plus, a free shuttle service will be offered to the venue. All these and more will be made possible especially for you at The 2nd FILEXPO IN DUBAI: TIANGGE, BAZAAR, ATBP.

Shopping for 72 hours and partying all night with the Filipino artists is my kind of a fun filled weekend =) See you there!

Penguins in Kuwait

A very good friend and one of the responsible for the care of the penguins; thus a reliable source has told us last week that African Penguins has arrived in Kuwait and will be ready for public by July 1 at Kuwait Scientific Center or now known as Kuwait Aquarium (?)

The 8 penguins are from Living Coasts of Torquay and are the first penguins to take up residence in the Middle East according to the Herald Express article

Mark your weekend folks and take your kids to see the penguins in their new homes.

Jazeera Airways New Price List

Found this at Mark’s Blog .

This is what I was talking about in my previous post.

Everyone loves a good deal that’s why, like Cebu Pacific Airlines of the Philippines who also offered CHEAP prices; I’ve also opted for mail flyers for Jazeera Airlines.

It’s so easy to fly out and escape from Kuwait now. If only the visa processing for other countries aren’t such a pain. Like the Dubai visa.

Thankfully we got great friends from TFC Kuwait and Dubai who is assisting us in acquiring one. We couldn’t do it without them and right now I’m sending huge positive thoughts to “The Secret” so that the next time I’ll open my email, the visa will be there ready to print.

Another visa choice is getting it from the Hotel but only if we are willing to shell out 5000 AED as an insurance fee plus 460 AED as visa fee. The former will be refunded to our credit card only after 2 weeks. We will be staying in the highly recommended Novotel for great place at a cheap price, a must for our business trip itinerary.

Zero Fare On Jazeera!

It's not really literally FREE as they advertised as upon booking I found that I have to pay for the following:

• Tax and Fuel Charges - of course!
• Baggage and Rebooking - the Light fare promo does not allow check in baggage and rebooking so if you want both you have to upgrade to Easy fare which is additional 19 KWD.
• Check in Baggage - if you opt out on the upgrade you have the choice to pay 3 KWD online for check in baggage inbound and outbound.
• Sits - nothing really is free as we have to pay 1 KWD for your seat.
• Travel Insurance - it's your choice and it's for 10 KWD.
• Credit Card - they charge 6 KWD if you use credit card to book.

A total of more or less 33 KWD per person round trip. It's still a good deal compared to other airlines so we grabbed it and next weekend we'll be in Dubai doing what we do best, shopping! LOL.

I Wonder Why

The sun and even the moon looks super extra large here in Kuwait
Photo taken at Souk Sharq along Gulf Road last Thursday at 6.30 p.m GMT+3.

Photo taken through Blackberry by moi =)
I love it! Good night Kuwait.

I'll Add 2 More Fils on Estrada

Okay. Since I worked myself out over this and remembered my brother did took a couple of snapshots, I just have to let it all out so we could all move on.

I'm disgusted how Estrada and his entourage used the Independence Day celebration to promote himself for the up and coming 2010 Presidential election in the Philippines.

I hope and fervently pray that the Filipino people won't be that gullible and stupid to let him run much more win. There should be a world wide law preventing people from entertainment media (showbiz) to run for public positions.

He went around here in Kuwait declaring empathy and sympathy to the plight of OFW's and while that is all well and good, he should not be allowed to declare statements such as "not sending anymore Filipina's in Kuwait" as it would be detrimental to Kuwait OFW at large. We have a precious balance here people and everyone is surviving the one day at a time and the best way we know how.

When he arrived at Mansouriya - I was there standing by the side line, when they introduced him - I was there rolling my eyes, when he started speaking - I was there aghast with disbelief on what I'm hearing and on how this person was allowed to run a country.

I was even more aghast when all the events of the day was shift and moved around to accomodate him and his mumbled speech. No offense to the organizers but that has got to be the most chaotic Independence day celebration ever held here in Kuwait.

Unlike the past years, I did not feel the community that should've been promoted on that day.

We thank him though for buying those plane tickets home for the OFW's who badly needed it.

Un lang po.

More Visuals - Jeep Sa Kuwait

As one of the commenter's pointed out, the blog entry regarding the Philippine Independence day needed more visuals.

So here it is.
The famous Jeepney by Qatar Airways.

Eversince I saw this parked in Kuwait City, I've always wanted to have a photo ops with it. LOL! So when I saw it parked in Mansouriya where the celebration is being held, I grabbed the chance.

For those of you who doesn't know what a jeepney is, it's my country's number one mode of transportation.
The jeepney was first manufactured due to Filipinos innate ingenuity. They built this from old war trucks and used it for business eversince. At least that's the condensed history of it.

Everyone in the country must've taken the jeepney at least once in their lives. It has become the ultimate icon of the Philippines aside from the Eagle and OFW's.

Kidding.

Seriously though, I have no photos of Estrada and his entourage for 2 simple reasons: I was busy helping out in our little business that day and most importantly, I was not interested with the Estrada's tirade on how the rich people oppressed everyone else as we all know that he's not any better with those oppressors that he was talking about. The only difference is, he was stupid enough to get caught. So there you go. My 2 cents on Estrada.

Enjoy the Jeepney photo =)

OFW in Kuwait Celebrates 111th Philippine Indepence Day

Hey Upper East Siders,

Let's greet our great nation a happy "111th Independence Day", show your being "makabayan" by getting out of your house and help celebrate this eventful day with our fellow OFW's and Erap to boot!

The Filipino community here in Kuwait is currently celebrating our independence day here at Al Arabiya Gym, Mansouriya

The program is just starting so we'll update you later. We're currently swamped with activities and rumor has it that former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada and his son Jinggoy Estrada will be gracing us with their presence together with actress Lorna Tolentino.

For more information see the flyer below
The early birds

Come na!

Meeting The Great Macoy

There are only 2 national hero in my must see list. Jose Rizal (Philippines ultimate national hero) and Ferdinand Marcos (Philippines ultimate dictator). I've not seen Jose Rizal but I've been to his house in Calamba Laguna before it was painted green by the NHS and that was enough for me so I scratched him in my list. Ferdinand Marcos was next and it was a lucky break that in this vacation, we will pass by him.

My mother and I are huge fans of Ferdinand Marcos. A fan in terms of comparing him to the Presidents that came after his regime.

In this blog though, I'll be sharing on how I got to see him face to face and not talk about his political history.
From Vigan City, we trekked another 3 or more hours (I lost count drifting in and out of sleep), we reached Marcos' hometown, Batac.

The whole place was closed when we arrived as it was still noon time. So while waiting for the Mausoleum to open, my friends and I explored the vicinity especially the Marcos's small public museum.

This portrait of him greatly answers why Imelda, the great shoe lady, swoons for him.
I remembered reading the bibliography of Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos one summer vacation when I was still in grade 3 in my great Aunt's farm.

That book immersed me to their real and reel life and whatever he may be as a President, I know for sure that he was a genius.
Isn't that sweet? If only he did it in a more diplomatic way.

One of the houses in the compound.
Photos depicting his life greeted us by the main entrance. I love old houses like these! There are like 3 of these surrounding the compound but this is the only one that's opened and was made like a small museum.

Greenery aplenty.
The place obviously is in dire need of a good cleaning and renovation. It looks like the whole thing is about to crumble around us but it also gives a feeling of low key authenticity.

In the wall of this house, there was a mural of the Marcos Family tree. We tried finding our own descendants to no avail =)
When the guard finally opened the Mausoleum, it was EERIE! I swear. It felt like you entered another dimension as the place smelt sweet and musky, the lights were dimmed, the whole place was huge and decorated with what I can only guess as antique armours, swords and all kinds of war materials, the blast of cold air completed the atmosphere.

There he was, lying peacefully in his glass topped coffin. Photo taking was not allowed and me describing what I saw is not enough. For one, most of my companions thought the cadaver wasn't really him but a wax. As the hair was combed and in perfect condition, the wrinkles on his face, the greyish yellowish tinge, it was all surreal to be actually looking at a perfect preserved body after being dead for more or less 20 years.

Standing there and gawking at him in silence and awe, I kept wishing that my mom was with me as she surely would've love the experience.

After the whole Marcos experience, we proceded on buying Ilocano sweet delicacies which I forgot to take photos of and then we're off to Pagudpod!