Beef-Wanton Mami, Siomai, Hakaw, Chicken Feet, Siopao. 

Chinese Dimsum, one of my favorite things to eat.  Ling Nam, and Chowking are only a few fast foods around here that serve these (except for the Hakaw :( ) to give you a satisfying meal.  But if you want real great and satisfying Dimsum then I recommend LE CHING TEA HOUSE!

My dad use to take us here once in a while to savor true Chinese Dimsum.  I took my wife there recently and she enjoyed it so much that we had to eat there again.

My favorite branch is in Greenhills, this branch has stood in the same spot for as long as I can remember.  No frills, no promos.  You come here not of the ambience, nor for the ultra friendly staff.  You’ll go to Le Ching because of the food. 

Le Ching Branch in Greenhills

My favorite dish here is Beef-Wanton Mami, together with an order of Siomai and Bola-bola Siopao.  Hmmmm.  I was so excited to eat their really delicious mami that I forgot to take pictures.   But still it was a real treat.  The Mami was so excellent, the noodles are the thin and long variety that gives more meaning to the term “full to the bite”.  The broth which in my opinion is the heart and soul of real mami was outstanding.  The siomai is very, very good, eat it plain, or dip it in chili sauce with a dash of Calamansi and soy sauce and you will truly enjoy it.  One order of siopao consist of 2 medium sized dumplings enough to share with a love one, or eat it all and show the world what a glutton you are…. (Like what I did. )

My wife ordered Rice toppings topped with Pork Spare Ribs.  One order has enough rice for two people, so better be careful because it really is more than enough.  No need to order an extra order of rice.  Of course it is also excellent!  The Hakaw was so flavorful that I can smell the shrimp inside it while the food was being served.  One of my wife’s favorite here is the Chicken feet my wife swear it is very delicious.  I can’t tell because I don’t have the stomach to eat claws.  So I’ll take her word for it.

One thing I did notice is this place although in Greenhills is in real need of serious  redecorating.  I think the tables and benches there are still the same ones that I had seen when my dad took me there when I was a child……. and that was about a couple of decades ago.  But as I said you don’t go there for the ambience, you go there for the food.  Before they would serve a pot of tea on your table as soon as you sat down, and they don’t do that anymore.  Which is good for them, because I remember the pot of tea going to waste, because most people would take a cup sip once, twice and forgot about it pot and all.  What a waste. 

The place is a bit pricey, but the experience was well worth it.

Craving for some nice Mami and Dimsum?  Then look no further……. It’s Le Ching!

Every pay-day my wife and I would try to eat in a new restaurant.  Although my schedule doesn’t  permit it too often    I still try my best to go to her office during lunch time and try to be adventurous. 

Sizzling Pepper Steak

Last Friday!  We tried this newly opened restaurant in SM: Mall of Asia.  OK, to be honest I don’t know if it was newly opened, but there were about 10 or 12 tables and only 2 were occupied when we ate there last Friday and that was during the lunch rush mind you.  As we took our seats a manager (I think)  approached us and took the time to explain their ordering system.  And lo and behold!  It’s a rip-off of Bubba Gump Restaurant’s gimmick  although in reverse.  The cow shaped flaps that can be seen on the end of the table serves a higher purpose.  They are not there for to look pretty, but they are there to tel the waiters that you need them.

It says stop, but the waiters will ignore you if it is positioned like this...

It says Moo-oove, but they staff will stop at your table if the cow looks like this...

Let me explain their ordering scheme first.  They give you an order pad, while you browse their menu.  You have to indicate next to the name of the dish the quantity sent to your table.  For example you want an order of Pepper rice you write the number 1 next to it.  Pretty easy right?  Now here’s the amusing and weird part. Once the order slip is filled out,  you flip the cows or Moo heads to “green” to signal the waiter that you need them.  Once the waiter verified the order he (the waiter) will flip the damn cow to “red”.  Red means go and Green means stop? (Weird! @_@)

After less than ten minutes, the food arrived.  Yes folks!  It arrived less than 10 minutes after we ordered.  Spectacular!!!!!

My Wife and her sizzlin' order

The Chips were good!, but the fish was just OK!

My wife ordered Teriyaki-Mayo Burger.  A dish served on sizzling plate, smothered with Teriyaki-Mayo sauce.  The sizzling plate came with a cardboard strip, wrapped around the plates side so that any wayward grease flickering out of the dish won’t go to your clothes!  (Nice Touch!)

I was craving for some Fish and chips, and it so happens that this restaurant has one so I ordered their version of Fish N’ Chips!  Added two orders of “Pepper Rice”  and some Iced tea and we’re ready to eat.

The Fish N’ Chips, were OK, I mean it’s delicious, but nothing outstanding!  The batter that covered the fish keeps peeling off my the poor fish, but the Chips were excellent.  But I ordered Fish N’ Chips, not Chips and Fish. 

The Hamburger was covered in Teriyaki-mayo sauce was good also, but again nothing worth writing home about.  I tried the hamburger with out the sauce, and lo and behold it’s as bland as cement.  Good thing it came with sauce otherwise, I’d be asking their staff for lots of salt.

The saddest part of all, the “Pepper Rice” which cost 4 times the regular rice in fast food chains arrived ICE COLD! I just didn’t have the time to complain about it because, my wife’s on lunch break and time’s a wasting.

I tried my best to enjoy the experience but because of the cold rice, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to be.  And they need lots of practice if they want to use the passive style of getting the waiter’s attention.  When I needed to refill my drink, it took about 3 minutes for someone from the staff to notice.  I’m not mean, 3 minutes was long enough for me because the place is not that big in fact it was so small that a person sitting down on one end of the restaurant will be able to see every diner inside the place, that’s how small it is.

So!  If you want to eat in a restaurant during your lunch breaks and take a break from fast food, then  this is the perfect place to go.  Just don’t expect much!  and be aware that the rice maybe ICE COLD, when they serve it.

Remember!  Green means stop, and Red means Go! 

Some things never change.  It happens once a year, to almost nearly all BPO companies in the Philippines. 

I’m talking about taking an absence without leave.

Many agents after they got their 13th month pay last year decided to leave the company altogether.  Nothing’s wrong with that.  I mean if you are really decided to resign.  Right?  Problem is, most of these agents didn’t resign their positions properly.  Most of them just decided not to go to work after the last pay-day of November and that was it.  No call, no shows all over the place. 

It doesn’t matter it the queue will be impossible to handle after that.  It doesn’t matter if their former colleagues and friends will be subjected to  enormous stress and burn out, as long they are happy with their little irresponsible lives, they don’t care.

This has been the problem of most Call centers after the holidays, how to fill up all those empty chairs and how to handle the large call volume that’s coming in.  In out case it’s over time to the max to those who want to render it. No limits!   Yeah, it will still mean taking a lot of calls, but can you imagine how much money you can earn? 

But as this problem happens almost every year, new agents will come in soon to give relief to the responsible ones who endured working even if it means getting tired even before the shift starts.

I would like to commend the RESPONSIBLE agents out there, that even if they got their fat salaries last year, never abandoned their companies.  They endure going through the holidays, specially New year’s eve!  My hat’s off to you noble production employees!  May the companies you made the sacrifice for reward you in any way they can.

And to those who are IRRESPONSIBLE…. SHAME ON YOU!  You know who you are.  I hope someday you’ll start to think of others as well, not only the well-being of your pathetic lives!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

Christmas has come and gone, and for the first time in years I was able to spend Christmas eve with my family.    Gosh!  It’s been quite a number of years since I was able to spend Christmas with my wife and son. 

And…..

Also this year I was able to attend simbang gabi (midnight mass) !  :D

The last time I was able to complete simbang gabi, let alone attend one was when I was still in college!

As an employee in the BPO industry, holidays are perhaps the hardest time of the year for me.  Specially Christmas and the New Years.  I remember last year.  My shift during the yuletide season was 3 pm to 12 am.  So by the time I got home everybody was already sleeping.  This year my shift was 3 am to 12 pm.  So I was able to spend celebrating the birth of our Lord with my family.  It was a surreal experience, or maybe it was the first christmas I spend at home in so many years that why I thought it was all a dream.

But still being away from my family during the holidays is something that I will never, ever (and I mean NEVER) get used to.  

I thank God that he gave me a chance to watch my son, open his christmas gifts, seeing him squeal with delight because, he got quite a load of Transformer toys this year.  I thank God for letting me kiss and greet my wife this year in person, not over the phone.

Now!  If only I can spend New Year’s eve with them this year then things will really be perfect. Don’t you think? 

Merry Christmas to All!!!!! 

It’s my rest day guys! 

After 5 grueling days taking calls from people who have Internet problems, I decided some R & R and watch a few movies at the comfort of my home. 

Cloudy with a Chance of Meat balls: is a 2009 animated film by Sony Music Animation.  Very hilarious and very heart warming.  A story of how determination can make a difference. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.  Featuring the voices of: Bill Hader, Anne Farris and Neil Patrick Harris

 2012: An apocalyptic film set  three years from now.  It is  about the 2012 Phenomenon and gives great visual effects on how life on Earth will be destroyed by a strange alignment in the Galaxy.  Great visuals effects, and the characters are believable.  Although the destruction scenarios can really make you doubt if it will really happen.  The last hour of the film was so emotional and can really affect people in some way. Directed by Roland Emmerich. Starring: John Cusack

Die Another Day:  The last James Bond film featuring Pierce Brosnan.  Truly amazing (Is that an invisible car?)  Ok, so some gadgets are a little over board, but it is still a bond film that everybody enjoyed!  It also marks the 20th film in the Bond Series.  Many reference from the old bond films were there from the first bond film Dr. No.  Directed by Lee Tamahori

Less than 5 months from now the Filipino people will go out and vote for a new president.  Less than 5 months from now more than a million people will decide who is best suited to run this country and maybe….just maybe the new president might make a diffrence this time around. There are some politicians who made the people aware that they want to run for the highest position in the land, there are some who are still treading the waters, or still undecided.

Political party members jumping ship to other parties.  Truly election fever has arrived.  More anticipated than Christmas this year.  Maybe it’s because of some of the players, there’s Aquino and Villar to name a few.  Then there’s former president Joseph Estrada who’s running again (don’t know what the law will say about this though).  

I have voted in every major election since I turned 18, 16 years ako.  There’s always that feeling of anticipation everytime I cast my ballot.  I yearned to see who won, just like eveyone else.  Like everyone else I prayed that we would have a president that will truly care for the Filipino people, one that will truly make the Philippines a great country that it used to be.

With that in mind, I decided to join the “Blog Prayer Brigade for the future President of the Philippines“  It is an effort made by Filipino Bloggers to have a more peaceful elections and to pray for guidance in choosing the next President of the Philippines.  I hope my blog buddies Maru, Callcentergal, Drea, callcenterblogger, Duskfading, Lenggai and Fester kel will spread the word around.

Prayer for Guidance in choosing the next President of the Phillipines:

Our Lord Jesus Christ:We worship you, love and treasure you.  Guide us in choosing the next president of our beloved country the Philippines, help us choose the most qualified person that will bring peace and prosperity to our country, the one that will think for the sake of the whole nation.Guide us in our quest, we ask in your name…. Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven,  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sinned against us.  Do not lead us to the test, but deliver us from evil.  Amen

Hail Mary, full of grace, the LORD is with thee, blessed are you among all women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus, Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death. Amen

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Oath:

I, Dennis/Callcenteguy, support the cause of the Blog Prayer Brigade for the election of the Future President of the Republic of the Philippines and I do solemnly promise to recite the prayer, which I wrote, in my own convenient time and regularly as possible until the 2010 Presidential Election commences. Let it be written, let it be done.

If you want to join the brigade please do the following:

1. Write a short, sincere and meaningful prayer, (in your own words and according to the customs of your religious affiliation) about asking God in guiding our country and fellowmen in choosing the right candidate to vote for in the coming 2010 Philippine Presidential Elections. It can be in your own vernacular, and can be short and long as you please. Remember, the goal of the prayer is not only for Peaceful Election but most of all “for the guidance of choosing the right Presidential candidate to vote in the election”

2, Publish the prayer for everyone to Read in your blog.

3. Go to the Blog Prayer Brigade Main Page which is located here, and get one of the badges or banners for the brigade. Place the badge or banner in your Sidebar until the 2010 Presidential Elections commence.

4. Make an oath by filling the blank below with your handle/or nameI, _____________________(name) support the cause of the Blog Prayer Brigade for the election of the Future President of the Republic of the Philippines and I do solemnly promise to recite the prayer, which I wrote, in my own convenient time and regularly as possible until the 2010 Presidential Election commences. Let it be written, let it be done.

5. Tag at least 7 Pinoy bloggers you know who haven’t done this before so that the prayer will spread wherever there is a pinoy blogger present.

6. Keep you promise of praying for the Presidential Election so that God may guide us in choosing the right leader for our country.

7. in January 2010, we will gather all the names and prayers of each participants and publish all their prayers in one Blog. We will also feature in the blog the most beautiful prayer ever composed in this project.

Last Monday I was tapped to work two hours on top of my scheduled shift.  So I have to start early 3 am from the usual 5 am.  I don’t mind the extra work, more money for me right?

So since I have a habit of leaving for work two hours before my shift starts I quietly and sleepily left our home in Malabon city at 1 am.  I have traveled around Metro Manila for quite a number of years now.  I thought I was ready….. I thought wrong.

5 minutes into the trip the jeepney that I was riding on was forced to take a shortcut into one of Malabon’s slum area as a large part of Governor Pascual Ave. is being repaired (for the last couple of months now, mind you.)  I was seated in front of the vehicle right next to the entrance and a seat away from the driver.  The man next to me got off and another man wanted to sit in front as well.  So as a good citizen, I scooted over and I was now sitting next to the driver.  A few more minutes the jeepney stopped again to let more passengers in.  All of a sudden without warning or anything the man seating next beside me got punched in the head, then another punch on his back. Punch…punch…punch!  The man beside me can’t do anything, because the man who was hitting him, has the advantage of standing outside of the jeepney, after several more punches the attacker stopped, smiled at the man he was trashing and walked  away a few feet, still smiling his silly grin as if everything was normal and beating a helpless man is an everyday thing.

I and the other passengers were shocked!  Nobody moved for a while.  Then the driver, finally getting back his senses started the jeepney and drove us out of there.  A few more minutes of stunned silenced and I picked up the courage and asked the man beside me if he knew his attacker.  The man just shook his head and with tears falling from his eyes said “I’m not even from around here…”  That means the man was just given a random beating, or what Filipinos called “napag-tripan lang“.  I have heard about these attacks since I was a kid, but I never thought I would witness one.  And you know what’s so shitty about it?  If I didn’t move next to the driver.  I would have been the one how got attacked!  For the first time of my call center life I got afraid of travelling during the wee hours of the morning.  The thought of me being attacked liked that stayed in my mind for the rest of the trip.

After transferring to another jeepney to go to Pasay,  another incident occurred, not a beating mind you.  I’m talking about…..extortion!  The jeep was already in Binondo in Tondo; Manila.  The driver stopped on the red light and was waiting for the light to change.  When a man approached the driver and demanded 20 pesos.  The driver stunned couldn’t move, so the man screamed at his face. “Bente kako pahingi!” (“Give me a 20!”).  The man was already holding the throat of the driver, ready to choke to man.  The driver, reached into the till and gave a 20-peso bill to the man.  The said “Pasensya na ha! Wala na ko pamasahe.  Paminsan-minsan lang naman.” (Sorry, I don’t have money left to pay my fare.  I only do this once in a while.).  The driver ignored the man and hit the pedal.  As we where driving away, some passengers (including me) can’t help but looked at the man who threatened to strangle our driver.  The man noticed us, stopped and pointed at us, as if we were the guilty ones,  He was shouting something at us,  But because the jeepney was too far away to understand what he said.

I arrived at the office shaken by what I saw during the trip.  I couldn’t forget the incidents up to now.

Almost all call center employees, encounter similar incidents on their way to work, even non-call center employees do.  But the call center employees, have a higher chance of seeing these kind of things because of the time of our work.

The govenment should really do something about the safety of the everybody, specially nurses, call center agents and other individuals whose time of work is erratic and are forced to travel during the wee hours of the night.

What are the cops doing?

Sleeping, maybe.  I don’t know.

I didn’t see one during those times.  I think call center companies should initiate, giving transportation to all its employees to ensure a safe trip going to work.  Or maybe a car pool?!  Where agents who live in the same area can arrange to go to work together.

What do you think?

Last September 28 was my “ty-fourth” birthday!  It was also the aftermath of typhoon “Ondoy”!  I have never been so scared in my entire life. 

Sept 26, 2009: I remember my supervisor from work texting me at around 9 am asking me how was Malabon.  I was amused and touched at the same time, but there was no floods yet so I said: “It’s ok here, lots of rain, but no floods.  See you at work later!” 

 FAMOUS LAST WORDS!  After about 12 pm I noticed flood waters creeping in past our yard.  Being from Malabon, I’m used to floods but it didn’t bother me much.  after an hour it was just above the first steps of our house.  Still I didn’t mind it.  my brother texted me around 1 pm. He said that Kamagong in Makati  is already flooded and they are already stranded in the 2nd floor of their house.  That was the first time during that day that, Kamagong was only a few blocks a way from my office.  I hurriedly sent messages to my supervisor and manager.  Office was already flooded from the outside, but people are stranded already.  Damn!   I watched the waters creeping in and still did not notice anything to alarmed with, but then my manager advised me to not go to work anymore, as everywhere was flooded!  Bless her! I immediately inform my wife. 

Still nothing out of the ordinary happened on that day

Sept. 27, 2009:  My wife woke me up and inform me that the floods are about to enter our house.  I hurriedly went out and wade in waist deep flood waters and asked help from our neighbors.  What I saw was devastating, All houses on our streets are already flooded, we were the last house to get hit!  2 of my neighbors went inside with me, and we went ahead and lifted our refrigerator to the 2nd floor of my home.  When they left I struggled to unhook my mini component and took it to high ground.  My 2 housekeepers, helped me lift the 2 sofas in the living room to the 2nd floor as well.  Then we wait…….

Less than an hour the waters started coming in.  In my 5 years of living in Malabon, I have never saw floods this huge!  The weirdest thing about it, my wife was nonchalant about it.  Maybe because she’s really the one from Malabon, she was born there.  While I was just a transplant.  Still we waited.  The floods didn’t recede until the night of the 28th of September.

September 28. 2009:  Happy Birthday! or was it?  House was still flooded.  But still I was thankful.  What I saw on television made me cry, and I can’t help but think how lucky my family and I were.  We only got flooded.  While others in Marikina, Pasig and other parts of the Metro was flooded with not only water, but mud.  I can’t believe the devastation that happened.  

 I thank God everyday that although it was flooded, electricity wasn’t cut-off in our area, no one was hurt, no one died.  It turned out that I received the greatest gift from God on my birthday……. the safety of all the people I love!