How do I get to Makati Cinema Square? I need to reach Amorsolo corner Gamboa Street in Legaspi Village, Makati. I will be coming from Monumento, Caloocan.
Fastest route would be taking the LRT in Monumento then go down the LRT-EDSA station. From there, take the connecting MRT train going to either Magallanes or Ayala Station (your choice).
You can go down MRT Magallanes take PRC jeep and get down at Makati Cinema Square then go through the KFC-Chowking Exit of the mall then cross to Amorsolo St. cor Gamboa St (near Assorti and Phil Steel Bldg)
Or get down MRT Ayala Station walk to Park Square in front of Dusit Thani or along Pasay Road take the Libertad or Mantrade jeep. The Jeep passes through Amorsolo St along MCS. Get down at Gamboa st.
Jeepney fare costs P7.50 as of January 2009.
Makati Cinema Square Mall hours are between 9:30am to 8pm.
Visit the government supported trade website, CITEM Philippines, for an extensive contact list and database of active manufacturers and exporters in the Philippines.
They have a roster of companies who are experts in wearables, handicrafts, textiles, garments, ceramics, organics, weaving, beading, looming, wrought-iron, housewares, clay, pottery and jewelry.
Camp Suki (formerly in E. Rodriguez) now located at #88 4th Street, New Manila, Quezon City Call them at # +63 2 7250819 The costume shop has been around for years and it has been in the arsenal of local production designers. They have a wide range of costumes and various themes. You need to make a deposit of 1000 pesos and the rental piece costs 700 pesos per day.
If you're creative enough, make one, design your wardrobe its much more fun! Design it then have a tailor in your neignborhood make it for you, I think that's a good alternative. Or hit the ukay-ukay stands (thrift stores)in Bambang for the vintage groove or the discarded wedding gowns.
There's also a costume and Filipiniana store in Villalobos street in Quiapo, but the selection is very limited and the generic kind.
If you have student connections, the university theater departments have Shakespearean period pieces, you can sneak out overnight.
Upon your arrival in the Philippines, all tourists are stamped with a visa good for 21 days.
You can visit your nearest Philippines Embassy or consulate in your country of origin about the immigration and visa rules of the Philippines.
In Manila, you must go to the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) before your 21 days expire (holidays included or be wary of holidays eating up your visa processing time). To secure an extension of stay, you must register with the Bureau of Immigration, and pay the necessary Immigration fees. The visa waiver will entitle you to another 59 days.
As posted at the Bureau of Immigration, Philippines: # Effective February 15,2008 all applicants for extension (tourist visa) under the VIMS (VISA ISSUANCE MADE SIMPLE) are required to pay in addition to immigration fees, Certification fee of P500, Express fee of P500 plus Legal Research Fee of P10 for every transaction.
# All APPLICANTS are required to dress properly. Applicants wearing shorts, sandos, and slippers will not be allowed entry to Immigration Office.
Please DO NOT OVERSTAY, you are merely subjecting yourself to more queues, paperwork and/or fees.
According to one expat friend, if you are unable to file your visa extension on time just exit the country on your 21st day, go to Hong Kong, Thailand or Taiwan and just make a re-entry. You get another 21 days to finish your business here or to file a proper extension.
You need to go through formal channels, but asking them to answer you back will take some time and perhaps to even personally go to their offices a couple of times with a formal request letter.
To trace anyone in the Philippines, a relative or a lost loved one provided you know their real and complete name. You may ask the NBI (National Bureau of Investgation) which keep records of any Filipino who has sought a job. Local Employers require an NBI clearance, a certificate that attests that the applicant has no criminal record. So therefore, if your relative has gotten a job or was once employed, her name will show up in their database, unfortunately which includes all her namesakes.
Second route would be the COMELEC, provided your relative has ever voted in any national election.
NSO (National Statistics Office) registers every birth recorded at any municipality in the Philippines. This includes late registrants, those who were never officially filed or registered by their mothers during the birth year.
Problem is, if a person doesn't want to be found, you'll never really find her.
For adoptees, I suggest to talk to your adoptive parents to release any further info they might have withheld like the last known address.
If your desperate, you may try to go on air and do a classic "panawagan", a plea for the missing love one to show up.
As for Missing Kids, you may try calling the DSWD or RAC or the TV stations for help.
If you are merely looking for that Pinay who stood you up on a date or for that visa money, chances are you may find her on Friendster.com
Names are a big deal in the Philippines. It often reflects the kind of parents you have.
A unique, obscure or differently spelled name can mean a curse for the kid growing up. Imagine, the horror of being picked on by the teacher every roll call on the first day of school, throughout the span of grade school to college. So choose wisely. Give your baby a name he/she would be proud of.
If you want to get in touch with your Filipino roots and give the baby a very folk sounding name, you may try patriotic Filipino Baby Names names like: • Amihan (northeast monsoon) • Araw (Sun) • Alaala (A Memory) • Diwa (Consciousness) • Diwata (Fairy) • Datu (tribal leader) • Diosa (Goddess) • Filipinas • Habagat (Monsoon) • Hiyas (Jewel) • Kisapmata (Blink of an Eye) • Lantaw (Visaya term means to View) • Likha (To create) • Luntian (Green/Lush) • Luningning (Shimmer/Luster) • Maningning (sparkly) • Matimtiman (devoted/devotion) • Makisig (Strong) • Masigasig (Persistent/Hardworking/Diligent) • Marikit (Lovely) • Perla (Pearl) • Sinagtala (Shining Star) • Sikat (Sun Rays)
These beloved pinoy names which are all lovely and culturally significant are rarely used because most parents prefer western names or whatever is popular on Philippine TV. Filipinos in the homeland are fond of mixing Western names. It also serves as an alternative name, so when the kid grows up, he may have an option to choose which name to use.
The modern trend now is to put two Western names together. Some common examples would be:
Paul Ryan, John Kyle, Keith Michael, Alisha Madison, Sabina Marie, Janis Ian.
But some of these western hybrid names end up with funny pinoy nicknames: Julia Dianne (Juday), Nicholas (Niknok),Josephine (Jopay), Kevin Jefferson (Jekjek), Paul Taylor (Putoytoy)
For a time, because of the telenovelas, the Spanish names came back in fashion: Marimar, Esperanza Cristina, Rosalinda, Maria Katrina Angela, Bettina Cassandra, Lucretia, Madrigal, Julio, Genoveva, Crisostomo, Jacobo
The classic, masa or mainstream way of mixing the parents names which often results in a strange, loving hybrid are still popular: Maricar (parents are Mario and Caridad), Edcel (parents are Eduardo and Celeste), Jejomar (Jesus, Joseph & Mary)
Or the traditional "Junior" name so the kid ends up as Junjun or Boy (yes, Boy is a popular name too, so is Girlie and Baby).
There's also the misspelled on purpose names with an affinity for the letter Hs and Es placed everywhere. - Vhong, Mharvin, Mae, Kandace, Jennipher, Eevy, Marnee, Jhonas, Kharen, Eileene, Jehzhelei, Jerweh, Enghel, Nhitz
On a side note, the Chinese in the Philippines (Tsinoys) have an odd affinity for thinkers or historic icons or Chinese symbols of wealth. Its common to encounter names like: Einstein So, Columbus Chan, Edgar Allan Pe, Armstrong Chan, Kennedy Que, Goldrich Co, Imperial Jade Sy.
The strangest Filipino names I've encountered: JoRiz (a shorthand for Jose Rizal), Homobono, Lovelita, Silverboy, Reagan Kennedy, Trovador, Joker, Bon Jovi and Jollibee.
But a medal should be given to Manny Pacquiao for naming his daughter - Queen Elizabeth :)
i was thinking about giving it as gifts to my relatives
Well, yes and no. Yes because people here drink it more for its medicinal or herbal value. Old folks believe tea can ease certain pains or illnesses. No, cause we don't enjoy it as much as coffee, we don't really have a sort of "tea time" here.
But if you are to please the relatives especially old folk or Moms, they love their "imported" tea. Get a tea selection with a variety of flavors, they enjoy trying different tastes.
The local herbal teas are Charantia and Diabet made from bitter gourd while popular diet teas Kankunis and Biguerlai are the rage among weight loss fanatics.
