Christmas at Manila Ocean Park

And IT gave me the WORST Christmas experience - EVER!

And.. All i want is to give my daughter and niece to a very nice Christmas treat. It turned out that their so-called "World Class" is a fiasco after all.

Why? Here is what has happened...

1st Offence: We arrived at 4:45 PM, the line to the ticket booth is so long, the end of it was at the middle of the shed prior to the stairs. When we're near the ticket booth, a staff came to us and the conversation are as follows:

Staff: Saan kayo?
Me: Sa ticket booth
Staff: doon sa baba ang pila
Me: Doon kami galing, bakit may iba pa bang pila?
Staff: (biglang alis nang walang pasabi)

2nd offence (at the ticket booth), and because mahaba ang pila, we were able to buy the ticket at 6:00 PM. Originally we wanted to go to the oceanarium and to the penguin exhibit after. but the woman on the ticket booth told us na mahaba din ang pila doon and offered the Fountain show instead. So I said yes. then she immediately wrote the time "7:00 PM" on our ticket. This means that we only got 1 hour inside the oceanarium. (And we don't know yet that there's also a 9PM fountain show at that time - hindi man lang nag-advise si ate para sana may option kami to go to the later show).

So heto na, we went, and we went in a hurry para maabutan ang allegedly world class na fountain show at at par sa fountain show ng sentosa. We had one interesting incident inside upon which, my neice dropped AJ's bag on the crocodile pen. Si crocodile, perhaps thinking that it was food, kinagat yung bag ni AJ at dinala sa tubig. It was nakakahiya at nakakatawa at the same time. but inabot pa din kami ng siyam-siyam doon kasi medyo natagalan pa before we were given assistance to retrieve AJ's bag.

So heto na, we finished our viewing and we hurriedly went to the fountain show, ayoko ma-late kasi if it is really sentosa-like, the magic will be lost for AJ and Eunice. So it's imperative to experience it from the beginning. So, after the exit, we went up the stairs, we passed by the Penguin exhibit na maiksi naman pala ang pila. And look for the exit, kasi ang sabi nila, the show is located at the front of the ticket booth. Then we saw an exit sign, we checked it out only to find out the entrance yun ng hotel H2O. Balik kami, nadaanan namin ang bar at ang souvenir store, baba kami ng escalator, and followed another exit sign w/c bought us paikot ng tiangge na ibinalik kami sa escalator na binabaan namin. Before we stumbled upon the atrium na pinanggalingan namin sa may entrance ng oceanarium. Siyempre nag-rereklamo na ko by that time. Ang LAYO na ng naikot namin! Wala man lang short cut eh nag-package pa sila ng ganon. Tapos nalaman namin na may 9PM show naman pala. E di sana di kami nagmadali di ba?

And here comes the 3rd offence
So mega reklamo ako sa staff dun, na binastos lang kami. My niece handed her ticket to the staff, aba, bara barang ibinalik yung stub sa amin at yung iba e nalaglag na sa sahig, sabi nya "o heto na" then he took the ticket and thrown the remaing stub on my niece's stomach, I gave my ticket, then he did it again saying "heto pa". di ba, sobrang nag-init na ang ulo ko at dinuro duro ko na siya sabaya sabing "UMAYOS KA!" at sabay walk out. Kainis, I did not pay 500 pesos (x 9 Kami) para lang mabastos!

At heto pa! I was expecting a "WORLD CLASS" show. Yung at par sa Sentosa Singapore. But I for somebody who've been there, I might have been expecting too much. Konti lang yung actual cartoon na makikita mo sa fountain. Puro nagsasayaw na mascot ng starfish at naghahabulang mascot ng chef at lobster. Walang story. walang kwenta. na-bwisit lang ako lalo. Kainis

Who would blame me if sirang sira ang christmas ko because of Manila Ocean Park?

AJ's 4th Birthday

Last Sunday, we have celebrated Aj's 4th Birthday. How time really flies. Thank God I've learned to live by the moment, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to cherish every little second that I'm with her. Being a working mom makes me feel guilty everyday when I have to leave her and go to work. But somehow, It makes it all worth the effort whenever I see how independent she is. And she's becoming more and more mature (for her age) as days pass by. She even understood why were not going to have a swimming party on her birthday! Sabi ko, hindi kami pwedeng mag-swimming because it's umuulan and she's inuubo. Sabi nya, "Okay Mama, basta may balloons and Spaghetti", and She said it in a way na parang 7 years old na siya.

Haaist! She's really one of a kind. GOD is really really wonderful. I am thanking him everyday for giving me my little Baby Bear. She's the most wonderful anniversary (she was born on our 2nd anniversary) and most amazing Christmas gift EVER!

GOD IS REALLY GOOD!

AJ's playcare sessions at Little Archers Learning Center

I did not enroll AJ this school year but It doesn't mean that she does not have a chance to have some learning experiences along the the way. And Little Archers Learning Center has been very helpful. They have this Playcare sessions (for 3 hours per session) wherein the kids will be able to play and learn at the same time. 1 hour is devoted to playing and mingling w/ the other kids, so they can to hone their social skills and meet new friends, 2 hours were then devoted to singing and dancing, reading, then writing the Alphabet and also Arts! It makes learning enjoyable for AJ so she's able to easily absorb all she has learned. The teachers are ever so patient with the kids, they smile a lot w/c actually instills a good teacher-student rapport w/ the children. And to top it all, I can see Aj's improvement! She sings all the songs she learns there, she remembers the books they've read, she even knows how to use the watercolors properly (dati she would put too much water, then would brush the paper too much - ayun, butas yung papel), she also understands and speaks a bit english (LALC's medium of instruction is english vs. all-out tagalog at home).

And it's only 4 sessions a month. Unti-unti she learns while she thinks they're only playing. She even lets me leave her there so I can do some shopping/grocery. See, she has also learned some independece with that one. Hence, when I enrolled her to pre-school next year, She'll be well equipped na.

Thanks to Little Archers Learning Center!

PS: Little Archer is located at Multinational Paranaque & SM Mall of Asia (Near Nido Science Discovery Center)

Summerpointe Residences update for the nth time

It's been proven and tested. Prosperity Builders Resources Inc's Customer Service really sucks! All they really want is to get money from their buyers - the rest! Bahala si buyer magtawag at maghintay sa kawalan. I was the one who has to call them from time to time so I can get updated with the construction of my house. Nobody from their side bothered to call me up to tell me if I need to submit any updated documents or whatsoever they need from me. Pag tumawag ako, dun ko lang nalalaman na may kailangan akong i-submit sa kanila. Galing no?

And again, I called them up two weeks ago (i called and looked for Elsie but she passed me to Merlyn). This girl told me that, yun nga, I need to submit an updated copy of my payslip and my proof of billing since they will need to apply na for pag-ibig loan. I passed it last friday (I have to be absent from work but Merlyn is not in the office so I wasn't able to talk to her in person). This morning, I called up Prosperity Builders again but Merlyn is absent, so I was able to talk to someone (I forgot his name) and he told me that my house is only 85% complete. So it can only be applied to Pag-ibig in January. O di ba? I don't know who's telling the truth. Proven and tested - Sinungaling ang Prosperity Builders! I really do hope that I can have the power to reach out to their would-be buyers na wag tangkilikin and Prosperity Builders Resources Inc.

I have been dreaming to have my own house, I have been hoping that I can move in before AJ can go to school so hindi sabay sabay ang gastos. But my dreams and hopes has been trampled upon by Prosperity Builders Resources Inc. I am no longer excited. And since they are so mabagal. I don't think I can move in by next year (prior to AJ's school year) w/ all the repairs, extensions and everything. I will be enrolling AJ here in baclaran next year, so it means I need to finish the whole school year before we can move in Cavite para hindi ma-praning yung anak ko sa adjustments. Hay naku, the best thing that Prosperity Builders Resources Inc can do is ruin my life's dream.

I am not a satisfied buyer, soli nila yung 9 months worth ng MA ko! At ako na ang bahalang mag-bayad sa Pag-ibig fund.
(wishful thinking - since hindi mangyayari yung kasi mukha silang pera)