What to do when there is Robbery / Hold up inside your Bus / Taxi?

Today I will share to you new things that i have learned during our PAGBA seminar in Bacolod City earlier this month. Credits go to our guest speaker Dr. Ted Esguerra. No one is safe anymore. Robbery / hold up happens almost everywhere. Armed robbers are no longer respecters of time and place. It might happen to you, your sister, brother, friend, classmate,  or neighbor, so i believe this is worthy of sharing. 

If you are riding a bus, jeepney, an FX taxi and there is 
robbery / hold up inside and underway, what do you do? 

Remember the “R” when you plan to commute: 

1. REDESIGN YOURSELF – don’t appear ‘rich.’  Avoid being a 
target. 

2. RECONFIGURE SET-UP  –  bring things which are not 
fanciful.  Backpack is better than branded hand bags 
because your arms can freely move. 


3. RE-DEFINE SITUATIONS  –  always note that the criminals 
are better than  you    in speed, street smart skills,  tactics, 
strength. 

4. RECONSTRUCT YOUR TRAVEL LINE  – Be familiar of your 
usual route as to presence of police stations, tanod outposts, church sites, crowded areas, etc.  Get acquainted with your travel lane.  Accidents and incidents happen in familiar 
places. 

5. ROBBERIES ARE USUALLY STRONG ARM ROBBERIES - 
Most robberies are considered "strong-arm" robberies and 
happen out on the street  -- meaning places like a sidewalk, 
alley way,  FX Taxi,  or in a parking lot. A mugging and a 
purse-snatching are essentially the same  thing as a strong-
arm robbery. 

6. REMEMBER THAT CRIMINALS USE GUNS MORE THAN 
KNIVES  – As per US statistics. Know how not to fight but 
know how to negotiate. 

7. REVIEW THE ‘SIGNS OF TIMES’  –  Robberies happen 
during Christmas seasons, salary dates, enrolment dates,  

8. RAT ENVIRONMENT – Robberies happen in dark places, at 
night, and in depressed areas where Police presence may 
not be common.  If your PUV passes in these areas, be 
really careful of being in the ‘ambushcade’. 

9. REAR-END, DOOR-END – Better to be seated on the rear-
end  and  near  the  doors.    If  possible,  don’t  surrender  your 
seat by sliding towards the middle. 

10.  RETRACT AND RELAX –If in a hold up situation, don’t 
be aggressive.  Don’t look at the eyes of the criminal as he 
might perceive it wrongly.  Remember, the criminals might 
be under the influence of drugs.  Relax as you negotiate that 
you must not be harmed.  When you hand your wallet or 
phone, tell the robber that you are getting your wallet.  He 
might perceive it as drawing a gun or any weapon.  

  11.  REFINE  –  Cooperate with the crooks so as to avoid 
harm. 

12.  REINFORCE –  If you have a bag, place it in between 
you and the robber as a form of a shield.  He might 
anxiously or in a clumsy manner stab you or shoot you 
accidentally.  At least, the barriers might help impede a 
devastating injury. 

13.  REMEMBER FACES OF THE CRIMINALS IF YOU 
CAN – Do it secretly when you profile the criminals. 

14.  REPORT – Report crimes appropriately so as to create 
a highway of proof as it might be perpetrated by a syndicate 
or the same criminal group 

TPLEX Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan Exit is now Open

Good news fellow motorists! Another section of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway otherwise known as TPLEx was opened earlier today (April 16, 2014) just in time for the Lenten Season. The new section is 26 kilometers long and stretches from Paniqui, Tarlac all the way to Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan. 

This Carmen Exit is rightfully situated as it connects back to Mac Arthur Highway about a hundred meters past SM Rosales which is the major cause of heavy traffic in the area. It means that you'll never get to encounter the heavy traffic congestion leading to SM.

The newly opened TPLEx section is expected to cut travel time for those going to Pangasinan by around an hour and a half. Toll fee from Tarlac City to Carmen Exit is said to P170.00. Quite expensive compared to SCTEx and NLEX fees but worth it.

Meanwhile, Section 2 of the toll road stretching another 13.72 km from Carmen, Rosales to Urdaneta in Pangasinan is expected to be opened this December.

....and the last section stretching 25.83 km from Urdaneta in Pangasinan to Rosario in La Union is reported to be completed next year. 

A Positive Attitude

 FRIENDSHIP IS NOT FREE; IT MUST BE EARNED! - Dan Anuito

We should try to do these things better: 

1.  Encourage others to talk about themselves. 
2.  Talk in the interest ranges of the things that people treasure most when talking to them. 
3.  Talk to people about themselves and recognize their importance. 
4.  Respect other peopleʼs good judgment and avoid arguments. 
5.  Never tell anyone they are wrong, we all will rationalize to the point of thinking we are 
unequivocally right. 
6.  We should criticize ourselves before other people have a chance to; if you are wrong, 
admit it! 
7.  Tread softly, you will go farther. 
8.  We should try to let our friends feel as though they have excelled us at some time or 
another. 
9.  Let others do a great deal more of the talking. 
10. Figure out why others think as they do; look at it from their viewpoint. 
11. Show compassion toward others (this is yearned for). 
12. Treat people with respect, dignity, honesty, truthfulness and willingness; they will generally emulate those feelings
13. Challenge others to do something better, never force them. 
14.Call attention to mistakes indirectly (donʼt broadcast). 
15. Make difficulties seem easy to conquer. 
16. Praise minutest improvements and inspire hidden treasures in others. 
17. Be friendly. 
18.Force yourself to smile! (You will.) 
19. Consider othersʼ good points. 
20.Make others want to follow your suggestions. 
21. Always appreciate peopleʼs time. 
22.Be interested in everyone you meet. 
23.Always remember: good manners are made up of petty sacrifices. 
24.Remember names; a personʼs name is truly the most treasured phrase to that personʼs 
ears. Use the I.R.A principles to help remember names. 
25.Try saying this three (3) times: “Act enthusiastically and youʼll be enthusiastic.” It works. 
26.Perfect yourself first, then worry about everyone else. 
27.Try to exercise a little sympathy, tolerance and kindness — it goes a lot further than a 
short fuse. 
28.Learn the difference between appreciation and flattery — one is from the heart, the other 
is from the teeth. 
29.Accept the fact that everyone is superior to you in one way or another, and learn from 
that trait. 
30.When not engaged in some definite problem-solving, most people think of themselves 
95% of the time. If we could cut it to 50%, the results would be dramatic. 
31. Why should people be interested in you and me, unless we are first interested in them? 
32.We are all interested in what we want. Be a little different: Be interested in what the other 
person wants and needs. (Get the other personʼs point of view and see things from his 
angle as well as your own. Be interested in helping others, not only yourself.)
33.Try to do things without ulterior motives. 
34.If we do things that require time, energy, unselfishness and thoughtfulness, we will make 
many friends. 
35.The ability to listen is rarer than almost any other trait. (Listen and learn.) 
36.This is an old one: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We all know 
who wrote that one. 
37.Do unto others as they would have you do unto them. 
38.When dealing with people, use little phrases like, “Iʼm sorry to trouble you…,” “Would you 
be so kind as to…,” “Wonʼt you please…,” “Would you mind…,” “Thank you.” They are the 
hallmark of good breeding. 
39.Be wiser than other people if you can, but do not tell them so. 

Man's Best Buddy

Let us try writing an article with a phablet and while i and my dog Matchi are in hammock... Everyone needs to feel loved, needed and have something to care for. Lucky are those who live with their loved ones and special someone/s. But for those who are, most of the times, companion-less like me, and those workers living nautical miles away from their family, you've got to have someone to care for, a pet maybe. You know why the boy in the movie Life of Pi not only survived the shipwreck but also kept his sanity? Because he had a not-so-friendly companion - a tiger named Mr. Parker. It is recommended to people living alone to have a pet at home because pets especially dogs are excellent chaperones.

Dogs are known to make great companions everywhere you go, they will follow you with waggly tail. They can be so playful and charming and have the ability to make a hundred faces that will surely boost your mood.

Aside from being excellent buddies, they are also great stress relievers and can make you feel calm in an instant. My dog Matchi used to live with me in my apartment. When i go home in the province, he’s my co-pilot. He always loves long roadtrips

with his window partly open breathing in fresh air. When i pull over and stop to go to the John, he guards the car and instantly it becomes off limits to strangers.. gas pump attendants included.

When we frequent my parents’ place, Matchi became friends with my mom and kidsister. One time during the rainy season, when my apartment was on the verge of welcoming floodwater, i left Matchi in the province. In my absence, my mom later became his second master. While Matchi is under my Mom’s watch, custody and care, I and my siblings noticed something different. My Mom is, more often than before, on a good mood. Truly, coming home to a furry friend after a stressful day at work can be relieving, as dogs bring about positive energy and unconditional love.

Aside from constant companionship, loyalty, and warmth, dogs will never reject a cuddle session with their beloved owner, and if you’re suffering from depression or recovering from a traumatic life crisis, your caring canine will be there to smother you with love and affection.

Dogs are territorial and therefore they are reliable home security guards. With their keen sense of smell, a dog’s nose knows when an unwanted person is approaching. They can also hear at a greater frequency and distance than humans. Clearly, with their acute senses, dogs can detect intruders faster than you can! You will be awakened by their barks shoo-ing away would be trespassers but in return, you will love that Sense of protection.

Having a dog is like teaching yourself how to be a responsible parent. As a matter of fact i tell my "just married" friends to practice on pets first to check on their preparedness to parenting before they start family planning.  Do you remember the film Marley and Me? That's what i am talking about and here are my favorite lines in the movie...

You know, there's nothing like the experience of raising your first dog. Simple joy of walking side by side with your buddy out in the fresh air.. throwin' a stick. Spending some quiet time just you and your very best friend. That’s one great experience.

A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb.

Give 'em your heart and he'll give you his.

How many people can you say that about?

How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special?

How many people can make you feel... extraordinary?

My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am.

In addition to what i said that dogs are excellent stress relievers, pets decrease our feelings of loneliness and isolation by providing companionship to all generations. Everyone needs something to care for. Many elderly citizens or people living alone will tell you their pet gives them a reason for living longer and happier.

Dating 101

Someone has emailed this to me just now and i believe it is worth sharing so here it is. Im on mobile and im writing this with my tablet so i haven't dug up who authored this just yet. Credits to the original author. 

Date a man who dreams. Date a man who doesn’t spend his money on drink, or clothes, or video games, but saves what he has to go on adventures and pursue his dreams. He might have problems dealing with everyday things but no-one sees the possibilities life holds like he does. This is a man who is ready for anything, who will drop everything on a moment’s notice to run away and get lost somewhere with you or show up unannounced to whisk you away on some crazy adventure. Date a man who sees the world in millions of colours, who has his head in the clouds and his feet on the ground.

Date a man who hasn’t got the money to spoil you or shower you with gifts but finds a way to do it anyway. You can trust that he’ll find a way to touch your heart and make you feel special in new ways. He knows that words and gifts aren’t what matters. Every time he gives you something or writes to you he is giving you a piece of his soul. And every time you give him something or write to him he will truly treasure it and understand the effort you put in to choosing the gift, the words, or even making it yourself.Date a man who sees how amazing you are even if you don’t see it yourself, who sees how good things could be for you. Because a man like this who can see the end goal, the big picture, will keep on going because no obstacle can compare to what lies ahead. 

Date a man who believes in true love, in romance. He will dream up incredible fantasies that the two of you can bring to life together. He will take you places other people can’t even imagine. Date a man who believes in you, because he will help you believe as well. He will see echoes of you in every thing of beauty, and he sees beauty in everything. A man like this will always think you’re the most beautiful girl in the world and will always be there for you.

Date a man who reads books and comics, who watches films and cartoons, who laughs at stupid jokes and knows when to fall into a reverential silence and drink in the moment with you. You can just be yourself with him and he’ll just be himself. He’ll understand why you love the things you do and he’ll appreciate them and be interested in them too, even his own passions lie elsewhere. He understands your whims and desires, because he’s seen them acted out in his mind. And whatever the scenario, no matter how bad things get, he sees how the story ends. And because he sees how it ends, he knows that all tragedies are overcome, all villains vanquished and fears are banished, no matter how desperate the situation may appear. Better still, date a man who writes.

Date a man who can’t be pigeon holed into any one category, who can mingle in any crowd but doesn’t truly fit in any one scene. He’s an individual, a man who knows what it takes to stand out from the crowd and who doesn’t mind being judged or thought of as different. That’s why he will never judge you or make lazy assumptions about you. That’s why he will always see you as your own person, as a unique and wonderful individual.Fail him. Let him down. Hurt him. He’ll do the same to you: but he knows that this is just how things go. He knows that life is made up of ups and downs. He will understand that when you lash out at him or push him away, there are many reasons why. Instead of getting mad or retaliating he’ll try and make things right. He knows when to apologise and admit to making mistakes. He’s also quick to forgive because he knows how easy it is to make mistakes. He understands that your flaws and vulnerabilities make you beautiful and strong.He knows that perfect harmony doesn’t exist and that nothing is forever. He knows that you see this too: he sees beauty and freedom in this and wants to help you see it too. He knows fear and embraces it. He knows sadness. He knows his many flaws. He is prepared to adapt and to change because he respects your values and your opinions. He knows that nobody is perfect but that doesn’t stop him trying to do his best. He knows that love needs to be worked for, that relationships are a constant flow from love and laughter to arguments and conflict, that like all things the good times come with the bad and that the dancing and loving and laughing are worth the fighting. He wants you to be happy even if it means not being with you, but in his heart he believes that he can make you happy like nobody else and so will do anything to be with you.

Date a man who remembers every little thing about you, who is intuitive, who can see when you’re happy or sad, when you need cheering up or when you want to get away from it all or just forget everything for a while. He sees everything about you. He understands that you’ll be a different person from moment to moment, that you’ll change your mind and your mood without warning. He knows that you can switch between being a baller shot caller, a kawaii otaku, an artistic auteur or a femme fatale in the blink of an eye, an that they are all a part of who you are. He loves and pays attention to each and every aspect of your personality, from the girl who needs to be cuddled and cared for to the woman with her own needs and desires.

Date a man who fights to be in your life no matter what. A man who values you and believes he should be with you will only see that you are scared of how much this could mean for both of you. This kind of guy who will always be there for you when the times are tough, who is always looking out for you even when you’re not together or when you cannot see him. Date a man who will always believe you should be together: a man who will never give up on you no matter what. Date a man you’re scared to date, precisely because you cannot think of a reason you should be scared to be with him.Date a man who knows that this isn’t about him, but about you: a man who loves you with his heart and soul. You deserve it.

Date a man who dreams. Who dreams about you.Or better yet, date a man who lives his dreams.

Traffic in Malolos City is Becoming a Nightmare

(Photo: for illustration only)

Christmas is just around the corner. In this month alone, Puregold Jr and Robinsons Place Malolos have opened their doors for your early Christmas shopping.

Yes you've read that right. A second Puregold and a second Robinsons are the newest outlet malls/supermarkets in the city and they're now open for business. BUT if you're thinking of driving to these places, you'll have a lot of traffic to deal with.

Let's take Robinsons Place Malolos as an example. Being the biggest mall in the area, it is expected to draw tens of hundreds if not thousands of people every day especially during weekends. On it's opening day, With all shoppers coming in from different places and neighboring towns, it did not take long for the traffic to become a real issue. 

At least a dozen officers (security guards and traffic enforcers) tried their best to help keep shoppers and motorists moving but their efforts proved almost futile. As expected, driving on the roads leading to the malls is a nighmare. You may find some options by taking detours to avoid heavily tangled traffic but this is not only inconvenient but also increases your commute time and that is very upsetting.

Besides the unruly traffic, i noticed that no safe U-Turn slots were installed at both ends of the baricade fronting the mall. Oddly, there were no traffic lights or traffic officers stationed to assist motorists making a U-turn on a national highway. On the part of pedestrians and shoppers taking the public transport, a footbridge should have been placed to allow them safe crossing of the deadly Mc Arthur Highway. The next thing that i noticed is- the way going to Malolos Club Royale Resort was not spared by the newly installed road-fence. The ingress or passageway to this resort/hotel was blocked... so, in order to go there or depart from it, you have to make a suicidal U-turn on either ends of the roadblock.

I hope that with these recent developments and economic progress of Malolos, the local Police’s Traffic management office together with the City Planning and Development Office and in cahoots with the management of the malls, would do something fast to address these traffic issues. Note that most of the Malls and Supermarkets in the city are erected parallel to the National Highway so they must design a clever scheme or scheme a clever design so as not to Cause so much traffic on the roads leading to these malls/supermarkets. 

I further hope that the city government and the malls' administration will get the situation figured out so the motorists can return to using the National Highway conveniently and get to their homes faster. 

Truly, Malolos is progressing and developing into a highly urbanized city. We should all have a fair share of not only the sound benefits therefrom but also of the adverse effects of getting it industrialised. Make Malolos a great city but not at the expense of the motorists and road safety.

Happy Holidays!

Now Open: Robinsons Place Malolos | What's Next?

Malolos is a first class urban center that is rapidly becoming industrialized due to its proximity to Metro Manila. It is also the banking capital of Bulacan. Believe me,  it has all sorts of banks – urban or rural banks alike.

It has a number of key supermarkets that you can choose from. So the next time your piles of groceries run low, you can go to any of the following places:

Puregold, Puregold Jr, Graceland Mall / Robinsons Supermart, South Supermarket,

Super 8 Uniwide Warehouse, and the newly opened Robinsons Place Malolos.

Malolos is also a home to mmm i guess five 7-eleven stores that i know. One in Malolos crossing, one in Tikay, one in Cabanas, one in Caltex BSU and another branch in Menzy Land. I also know of three 11-eleven stores in the area but i haven’t been there (yet).

If you want to see a movie, there used to be just one place to go to in Malolos – The Cabanas Cinemas but that’s until Robinsons Land Corporation opened Robinsons Place Malolos City last December 12, 2013.

That huge building with a classy facade houses not just two but four all-digital cinemas including a 3D cinema with a seating capacity of more than 1,000 all in all.

Robinsons Place also offers a wide selection of restaurants and fastfood outlets, fashion boutiques, tech and service stores as well as health and beauty clinics. We are also expecting Max’s Restaurant, Gerry’s Grill, Starbucks Coffee etcetera etcetera to open up a branch there.

In Cabanas Mall, there’s a giant commercial building that’s being completed and awaiting for would-be tenants. Last time i was there, there’s business going on already in the ground floor.

Another sign of economic progress is the twin commercial buildings that are being constructed in front of the Provincial Capitol Building that are, i think, one-third of a kilometer

 long.

Also there are rumors that SM Supermarket had already begun purchasing neighboring lands in the City as it is planning to open up a branch not too far from Robinsons Place. Mmmm that’s interesting.

Currently, there are 46 operational stores and 57 others are opening soon. 

The mall also features a Lingkod Pinoy Center, a one-stop facility for various government services. Lingkod Pinoy houses Pag-IBIG, Philhealth, Phlpost, SSS and TESDA.

Mall Features:

• Robinsons Department Store
• Robinsons Supermarket
• Robinsons Appliances
• Robinsons Bank
• Handyman Do It Best Center
• South Star Drug

• Daiso (Saizen)
• Robinsons Movieworld
• Food court
• Lingkod Pinoy Center
• Multi-level parking area

MALL HOURS:

Monday to Sunday 10:00am to 9:00 pm

Below is the complete directory of shops and stores (both open and under construction) in Rob Malolos:

LEVEL 1

Storename

• Adobo Connection

• Agemono Restaurant

• Argentee

• Bonchon Chicken

• CHAA

• Chef's Noodle

• Chowking

• Classic Savory

• Executive Optical

• Famous Belgian Waffles

• Fruitas

• Gerry's Grill

• Great Image

• Greenwich

• Jollibee

• Kingcorn

• Lighter's Galore

• Load-Xpress

• Mang Inasal

• Max's Restaurant

• N.C Reyes Lotto Outlet

• Pizza Hut

• Red Ribbon

• Red Ribbon (Booth Storefront)

• Robinsons Bank

• Robinsons Supermarket

• South Star Drug

• Starbucks

• Sweet Floss Express Candy

• Timezone Trackless Train

• Tita Lynn's Kitchen

LEVEL 2

Storename

• Active Vision

• Adidas

• Aficionado

• Alberto

• Bench

• Broadway Gems

• Cartsville

• CLN

• Coco Loco

• Converse

• Cool Blends

• Double Treasure

• Esguerra Tiongson Optical

• Etude House

• Expressions

• Human

• Ideal Vision Center

• Koji's Pizza

• Master Siomai

• MJ Gold & Silver

• Paras Alter Station

• Payless

• Penshoppe

• Popperoo

• Primadonna

• Reborn

• Robinsons Appliances

• Robinsons Department Store

• RRJ / Mr. Lee

• Saizen

• Sports Warehouse

• The Scents Co.

• Time Square

• Turkische Shawarma

• Watsons

• Whoops

LEVEL 3

Storename

• 360 Barbers & Beauty

• 7 Box Up

• All Phones

• Belle La Peau

• Bioessence

• Blade

• CD-R King

• Cherry Mobile

• Cloudfone

• David's Salon

• Dental Partners

• Dentista Ko Dental Clinic

• Dimsum Republic (Hongkong Fried Noodles)

• Fone Twist Cellphone and Accessories Shop

• Fonerange Telecommunications

• Hans Fragrance Gallery

• JIIB General Merchandise

• Kenko World

• Khaddison's Shawarma

• King Pad

• La Sedia

• Laserase M.D.

• Lasheenes

• LBC

• Memo Express

• Nails.Glow

• O+ Concept Store

• One Two Tea

• PHONEWORLD

• Red's Cafe

• Robinsons Handyman

• Royqueen

• Rulls Cellphone and Accessories

• Samsung Concept Store

• Siomai House

• Skin Perfect

• SKK Mobile

• sstlaptop.net23.net
  SST Laptop

• SUBSCRIBER'S PLACE

• The Sun Shop

• Torque Concept Store

• Touch & Type Electronics

• Wellcom Telecom Supermarket

• YSA Skin Care Center

LEVEL 4

Storename

• Binalot

• BL Pet Shop and Salon

• Black Pearl

• Chingu Buko House

• Core Pacific Money Exchange

• Dumpling King

• El Bonito

• Health Line

• Hongkong Style Noodles & Dimsum

• Keitaro Dimsum

• Kerrimo

• KM Express

• Kobi Entertainment Center

• Lugaw Republic

• Lutong Ilocano

• Manejkom Travel & Tours

• Mang Cha-a

• Mr. Softy

• Pao Tsin

• Potato Madness

• Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdog

• Sam's Everything on Stick

• Shawarma House

• Sisig Festival

• Sizzling DeLite (Eat Well Live Well)

• Sonyda Ichiban

• Sylpauljoyce Furniture Lights & Decor

• The Corn Company

• Timezone

• Western Union - USSC

Source of Directory: Robinson's Place Website