Civil (Ob)Servant

I remember two of my blogs (in fact I think they’re still posted online)… One was something I wrote around Christmas time, and it was inspired (what else was it) by my disgust with some of the “shenanigans” going on. It was like, “OMG. How utterly shameless of them! Kapalmuks!”

The other one, on the other hand, was inspired by a feeling of… I don’t actually know, but if I remember right, I was feeling somewhere at a “crossroads” of my life, and I was also getting fed up with questions on why I’m working in the Philippines, land of my birth, when others think I could actually be earning more slaving for foreign masters.

This time, I would like to share what I have learned so far, being a civil servant. For that matter, many of these, I’m sure people also learn in their own workplace.

1. I learned to be careful of speaking out on the subject of religion. Even in a predominantly Catholic country like the Philippines, there are so many other “religions” or at the very least, religious beliefs out there, so it’s not far-fetched that you may offend someone else. In fact, it’s getting kind of tricky refusing those who are pestering you to shift or adapt to their beliefs. I, for one, have always believed that one needs to respect other beliefs, therefore, I do not impose my own on them.

2. Now this is a sad fact when it comes to working for our government: the big bosses always have the right to utilize funds according to their own caprices. This is what they call, “discretionary.” This is soooooo frustrating especially when you’re expecting the office to disburse funds for some activities and they say that there’s no money, but there’s always some money for the big bosses’ activities, no matter how insignificant or irrelevant or unplanned they are.

3.  Still, when you’re one of the bosses (though not as big as those in # 2), it is your right and your duty to use funds judiciously. Don’t let the system eat you! Don’t become one of those “big bosses” no matter how tempting it may be.

4. Sometimes someone you don’t like eventually ends up as your boss no matter how incompetent or unqualified that person seems to be (to you or to other people). Is this “what goes around, comes around?” In our government, bosses are always reshuffled, so it’s definitely a very big possibility that you’ll be ending up rubbing elbows with him/her soon.

5. When you are given the opportunity to become a boss (even if it’s not as big as those in # 2), enjoy the perks of being a boss, but never at the expense of others. Always remember that some good things never last, and you were put there for a reason. Treat your subordinates as you would like to be treated by your boss. You may even treat them as friends, but have the skill to discern who among them know better than to cross the supervisor-subordinate relationship (read: healthy respect, even if it’s just for the position). 

6. If you’re a supervisor, lead by example! Learn the ropes; learn what your subordinates are doing so that you do not become totally dependent on them. Remember: you may not be a boss forever.

7. Have a private life, something that your staff isn’t privy to. This prevents you from becoming the subject of office gossip. And believe me, there’s plenty of that.

8. Even with “flexitime,” coming in early for work has its advantages. You avoid traffic. You have time to relax before everyone else. You may even have time to put on your makeup or curl your hair before the first clients come. Plus, you have the option to quit early once you've clocked the required number of hours, or extend your time a bit and get more done.

9. If you do come early, don’t look like you’re just watching the clock! Hide your packed up things, and don’t make a mad dash for the door once you see the clock hit your 8^th hour of work. Put in a few minutes more, appearing to be busy, and walk leisurely out when you finally think it’s okay to leave.

10. Some of the best and brightest minds work for the government. It's just a sad fact that our government employees are branded as corrupt, inefficient, lazy, et cetera. But workin inside gives you a chance to know that there are so many who have really studied and worked their way to the top, and you will marvel at those who have the credentials to get a job overseas that earns a lot more, but they opt to stay here to serve the people.

Have YOU ever worked for our government? What have you learned so far?

Trekking to see the Rafflesia in Barbaza, Antique

It promised to be sunny when we arrived at the Iloilo airport in March 2012. My team (from the Central Office) of two photographers Kuya Jun and Sir Joe, and Marjun our videographer were on official duty to document a certain Rafflesia species reportedly blooming in the Panay mountains. This "Queen of Parasites" blooms in full for only a few days and time was thus of essence. So the four of us squeezed into the main cab of the pickup truck that fetched us, while our information officers Artem and David sat it out at the (covered) rear, and off we sped to Barbaza town in Antique, about four hours away.

I love going to Iloilo because I love the food. I wasn't disappointed when we stopped over at a seaside eatery to have our fill of seafood, especially fresh talaba (oysters). We also stopped at a fruit stand along the way to buy some bananas and watermelons.

yummy watermelons!

fresh seafood - and kuya jun and marjun are both obviously full

Finally, after acquiring an additional pickup truck, driving through alternating rain and sun, and paying a courtesy call at one of the field offices, our truck pulled into the parking lot of the compound owned by the family of Barbaza Mayor Faith Francisco. (We were to be accommodated in their home for the two nights that we would be staying in Barbaza.) The mayor, along with her municipal environmental and natural resources officer (MENRO) Emerson Ogatis, welcomed us and oriented us on what lay ahead. 

Mayor Faith (in blue blouse and black shorts) and MENRO Emerson
welcoming and orienting us

That night, I packed my bag, complete with filled bladder (or hydration pack), and prayed really hard for good weather the next day. MENRO Emerson had warned of a five-hour trek, but assured us that the slope would be "gentle". 

Being the only female in the group had its advantages, as I had a small guest room to myself with a bathroom right outside it, and so I was quick to get up early the next morning for my final preparations. Unfortunately, some hitches caused a few delays but finally we were on the road to that barangay further inland where we would literally take off on foot. About a 15-minute hike away, we came across Camp Eupre, a small mountain resort where snacks were served to our party. 

By this time, we had been joined by personnel from our Culasi field office, media crew from the local GMA-7, mountaineer-biologists from Haribon,  Dr. Renee Galang of the Philippine Spotted Deer Foundation, and Mayor Francisco herself. Galang was the discoverer of another Rafflesia species in another portion of the Panay mountain range. (See his site here.)

Does this look like a "gentle slope"?

After partaking of the snacks and making use of the pit stop, we (minus the Mayor) continued on our way. At first, I was one of those going fast on the trail, keeping up with the mountaineers. But soon I realized I was somewhere between getting left behind by the younger men and leaving some of my teammates behind (older, hehehe), so I slowed down to join the latter.

After about three hours of trekking almost consistently uphill, with the morning sun shining brightly over our heads.... boy, was I huffing and puffing! Breathless, sweating... Not to mention that I'd drunk almost all the contents of the bladder in my bag, and I had just been sipping it. Some of the trails were narrow and the loose soil made several areas slippery, but my trusty Tribu sandals never let me down. Actually, I preferred the dryness and heat rather than rain which would make it even more slippery... Or worse, bring out those limatiks (leeches). Shudder!

About an hour later, some locals chanced upon us. One of them, a lady, offered to carry my bag and jacket so I would feel lighter. Apparently, they were from the barangay which had jurisdiction over the rafflesia site and were headed home, so they were used to the trails. 

Local folks assisting us. Manang has my backpack.

We walked again for another hour, stopping several times to catch our breath before reaching the top. The locals who were accompanying us were probably either inwardly laughing or being exasperated at how slow we were. We caught up with some of the other men from the other teams at one stop. They were joking about how even if they had the loveliest and sexiest wife waiting for them, newly bathed, at the end of the trail and they had to walk the trail each day just to get home, it would be useless as they would be bone-tired. Also, how they were going to sooooo suggest to the Mayor to have a zipline installed so everyone could have an easier time going back.

I gazed 360 degrees when we reached the top, or about 750 meters above sea level according to the Haribon guys.  We were surrounded by a view of mountain ridges of the Panay mountain range, and beyond, the sea, while the cool mountain breeze whipped my hair across my face. Kuya Jun said he didn't like looking at mountains that looked barren or logged, but I said I appreciated seeing the ridges and the jagged slopes that were bared to my eyes.

Kuya Jun gazing at the panoramic view of Panay mountain range

But we were not done! We were now to go down -- at last, downhill! For about another hour, we trudged past the cogon grass slashing at our clothes, down to a more forested area, our local companions assisting us along the way.  We let the excited voices of those who had arrived ahead lead us to the site.

There! We could spot a few reddish blooms of the Rafflesia speciosa on the sloping ground across the damp forest floor, with the teams milled about documenting the blooms and surrounding environment. Dr. Galang was busy observing a rotting bloom, and we listened and asked questions about this particular species and how it differed from the others.

Dr. Galang measuring a rotting Rafflesia flower (pic by Kuya Jun)

Mike of Haribon taking a pic of a Rafflesia in early blooming stage

He showed us other buds on the forest floor. They looked so inconspicuous, like plain forest litter, that you wouldn't probably notice them with your untrained eye and possibly just step on them. This was probably one of the reasons this flower is endangered. 

The Rafflesia bud is inconspicuous on the forest floor

The rafflesia is an awesome flower. We let the biologists point out the other flowers, in varying stages of bloom. Personally I didn't think the full-bloom flower stank, as commonly believed. Rather, it was the one past blooming stage, or getting into decomposition stage, that smelled like carrion (that's why it's also called "the corpse flower") because the large hollow center could easily store stagnant water as well as trap some animals to death. This is one of its ways to reproduce -- the stink would actually attract some animals that would spread its pollen to other areas.

Two Rafflesia speciosa - the red one in almost full bloom (within 24 hours),
the other a few days past its full bloom stage (pic by Kuya Jun)

We couldn't leave without having our pictures taken with the large flower, so we each gingerly made our way down the slope, clinging to some vines, to pose beside the nearest blooming one - the one with almost all of its large petals open.

that's me trying to get near the (almost) full bloom

I'm not going into the other features and characteristics of this flower. That's easily available on the net, anyway. (You can start by clicking on this link on Philippine rafflesia.)

Dr. Galang measuring the blooming Rafflesia speciosa
with a caliper (pic by Kuya Jun)

<groan> we still have to go up there
and that guy was just RUNNING!

We felt like our grueling trek was rewarded when we saw this flower. We realized, after all, that we were some of a few individuals on earth who had actually seen a live specimen of the world's largest flower. (The environmental conditions they live in are so far hard to replicate in artificial surroundings, thus they cannot be easily bred.) Sure, there are many from those living in hinterlands or forested areas who can say that they're familiar with it, but the problem is, they take it for granted and do not appreciate the fact that these are an endangered species. All they know is that the flower stinks and they keep away from it.

Pretty soon, we were urged to go back. I felt like I was not alone in inwardly groaning when I realized that this time, what was previously downhill would mean uphill, and vice-versa. Short though the now-uphill trek would be, our legs were aching and we felt that we couldn't take one more step, but bravely we trekked on. We had no choice anyway or we'd be stuck there, miles from civilization! At the top, we gladly - albeit wearily - plunked down on the ground, snacked on some kakanin and gladly gulped water that the locals had brought for us. 

time to rest and snack before heading back down

At this time, I kept on ribbing MENRO Emerson,  feigning indignation at his promise of "a gentle slope." In fairness, though, the steepest was probably about 60 degrees. He invited us to stay at the local barangay so we could see the Rafflesia fully open the next day. But we had to decline because we had to document Bugang River in Pandan and the mangroves of Kalibo the following day. After that we had to head to Boracay Island to view the flight of the fruit bats, too. So we said our goodbyes to him, Dr. Galang, and the rest of the teams who were going to be left behind.

(Note: Good thing we didn't stay. The next morning, it was raining so hard that we would have been stranded up there and all our schedule would have been a-kilter.)

If it was a difficult trek to the site, then it was equally difficult going back down. By this time our limbs and joints were literally stiff, and anyone who has gone mountain trekking knows that the trek downhill is really bad on the knees as you would have to constantly "brake" with your feet to prevent a continuous slide down. Still, we were able to finish the return trip in almost three hours. Ugh!

Sir Joe and Marjun leading the way back down

We feasted on ice-cold water when we reached one of the communities back down, and when we reached Camp Eupre, we gladly drank the buko juice that the owner offered us.

I could have cried later upon seeing the pickup truck where we had left it parked further down in the more populated barangay. I wanted to shout "hooray!", but all I could do was climb wearily into the cab as we headed back to the Mayor's house. There, we ate an early dinner, and I took a refreshing bath before heading off to a deep sleep.

I knew that the next day, we would feel the punishing after-effects on our bodies, but that night, I thanked God that I was able to pay homage to a queen, parasitic though it may be.

P.S. The next day, we headed to Pandan, Antique to take pics of Bugang River, one of the country's cleanest rivers. (Picture this: it was raining so hard, but the waters remained green instead of turning into muddy brown.) Then we headed to Kalibo to document one of the mangrove ecotourism sites there with century-old mangrove trees. The following day, we hopped onto a ferry in Caticlan going to Boracay to try to catch a glimpse of the flying foxes (fruit bats) - but with the windy weather, we were disappointed. Still, we were able to squeeze in some time for R & R at the beach... as you can see from this pic:

enjoying my taho on Boracay beach

Buffet 101: Where food and drinks are really unli!

Nerly and Ethel, my college buddies from UP, and I met up recently at the Buffet101 in MOA. Though a bit inconvenient for Ethel and me who had to brave and suffer the Friday afternoon jam on the MRT and LRT, MOA was convenient for Nerly who had to travel from Cavite and rush to the airport after our meet-up, to head back for France where she's settled now. 

Despite the perceived hassle of the trip, I actually looked forward to the meet-up for two reasons: (1) the three of us hadn't been together for more than two decades; and (2) I had been hearing and reading good things about Buffet101 (including on TV's Ang Pinaka). Plus, as it turned out, it was Nerly's treat. That had to be the BEST reason, haha!

Buffet101 MOA is located along Seaside Boulevard at the back of SMX. It's next to that swinging boat ride that resembles Enchanted Kingdom's Anchors Away, and beyond the MOA Eye if you're coming from the music hall/IMAX area.

We hadn't made prior reservations, so being the one to arrive there first, I took the liberty of reserving a table for us. Then for future reference, I took this pic of the resto's rates, posted at the entrance.

still empty!

The waiting time allowed me the chance to freshen up, especially after that grueling LRT trip from Central Station to EDSA, where I was practically squished against the door the entire time. So I headed to the restroom, passing the still-empty places where the service crew were busy setting the tables, both dining and buffet. The evening buffet, by the way, starts at 5:30pm.

Finally, Ethel arrived and whiled away her time taking pictures of the scene behind the resto. Nerly herself arrived soon after, and after waiting patiently for her name to be called, we were led to our table that was just beside the buffet area. Yipee!

So off we went to get what we wanted, eating while we traded stories in between courses to catch up on each other's lives. By this time, the place was filling up with a good-sized crowd.

After scanning the buffet counters, this was what I decided to eat. My first course was the Japanese cuisine, where I feasted on different kinds of maki, some fresh sashimi, and of course, healthful miso soup. 

For my second course, I took two slices of US ribs (i'm more into beef than pork, except for sisig), some mushrooms, and seafood chowder. As I was scouting the next counter, the crew was replenishing the baked oysters. I picked up three, then went to get a mango shake to wash everything down.

The ribs were okay, not really exceptional. As for the oysters, I wondered aloud (as a joke) if there was no red tide, or if the oysters weren't from Cavite which was affected by a recent oil spill. Ha! Who cares? I ate them all, anyway. ;-)

I wasn't quite sure I could eat more...  I noticed, though, that in spite of the no leftovers policy, you can easily set aside plates with unfinished and unwanted food to the side of the table where the crew can promptly pick them up. Believe me, they're quick to retrieve those plates and glasses. I guess with that kind of crowd, you'd really need to restock those clean plates FAST. They just leave the utensils behind.

Then I decided to indulge my sweet tooth and headed over to the dessert station. Here's a collage of pics from that area:

I tell you, there were too many sweets to choose from, I think I became diabetic just looking at them!

I got creme brulee, brazo de mercedes, chocolate mousse, cream puff, and another thing with a cherry on top. I didn't even touch the pannacottas, the choco fondue section or ice cream! :-)

Well, the mousse looked like a small pot of soil with leaves growing out of it... I agreed with Ethel that we didn't like it that much. The cream puff was not puffy at all; it tasted like pudding to me. (Tinapayan's cream puff is sooo much better!) I made short work of the creme brulee, the brazo, and that cherry-topped thing, and with great self-control, stopped myself from getting second helpings from the overstocked dessert station. Really.

While Ethel and Nerly talked, I stood up to take some pics of the sections. Here's a hodgepodge of some of the areas. I couldn't take a pic of the other sections, there were too many people preventing me from taking decent enough shots.

main meal areas - i didn't get a taste of that sisig pizza, dang!

seafood and japanese sections

I decided to get a slice of sweet melon, plucked some cherries off the mixed fruit, helped myself to another mango shake, and headed back to our table.

After eating, I had a funny feeling in my tummy. Really, it felt so full and HARD to the touch! I think that's the first time I've felt that way in recent memory. Not the kind where you would want to run to the toilet, but the one where you feel so full and afraid to move. Nothing that a good burp and a walk couldn't cure, though. Or maybe I should have taken some tea instead. 

Then, all too soon it seemed, Nerly, Ethel and I said our goodbyes before we parted ways for God-knows-how-many-years-before-we-see-each-other-again.

In truth, even though I like going on food trips, I usually don't like eat-all-you-can buffets because I think lugi ako especially with the no leftover policy. I mean, for the same price, I could dine a la carte and take home any leftover. I think eat-all-you-cans is best if you have someone really matakaw with you. :-)

What I like about Buffet101 is you get to pay for unlimited food and drinks. Even if I don't frequent eat-all-you-cans that much (especially on my own), I know that a lot of them offer only one round of drinks, and with a very limited choice (usually iced tea or softdrinks), if any. Here, you can choose from soda, fruit shakes, coffee, even wine and beer.

The ambience is also worth it. It feels like you're dining in a posh hotel, what with the lighting from those chandeliers and the interior decor. But unlike in a hotel resto, you can hear some of the crew singing "Happy Birthday" to some lucky - or unlucky - patrons.

By the way, I found this sign on the table, too, about discounts offered for those who like frequenting these buffets:

I haven't been to Vikings or Yakimix (Buffet101's sister company, from what I gather), but I've heard good things about them. I hope to verify for myself soon, hopefully.

For now, Buffet101 has another branch at Robinsons Magnolia. Since that's just one LRT-2 ride away from our place, I think I'd prefer going there next time. I wonder when that would be? :-)

You can click their FB account here: Buffet101 on Facebook.

Happy eating!

Giving in to vanity at Clara International

I had my first facial treatment a couple of years back. I had warts removed from my face at Flawless, since they had an ongoing promo then. As it turns out, I should have asked and researched first. Kasi, the promo pala was for flat warts only, and each elevated wart and skin tag (yes, there are many kinds) cost extra PER PIECE, and they also charged extra for those located on the eyes, which I all had, so some promo it turned out to be! I had so many warts (isn't it amazing how many are like invisible to our untrained eyes?) They decided to just slather the anaesthesia cream over my entire face, which they covered with a plastic wrap, cutting out holes for my eyes and nose.

Then some time last year, I saw another promo for wart removal on the net, and I was interested because the place was familiar to me, I would pass by it every day going to work. This time, I knew better to call first and ask if the promo included other types of warts. (In fact, every time I saw an online promo at other clinics, I would call ahead and inquire first. They would usually just cover flat warts.) When this clinic said that the promo was for all types of warts, I had no second thoughts about availing of the promo.

And when I got to Clara International, whose clinic is located along Sunshine Boulevard Plaza in Quezon Avenue (that compound where you can find Clownz Comedy Bar, just past Delta if you’re coming from Quiapo going to Quezon Circle), I was impressed by their facilities. Not ultra modern looking, but clean and comfortable. Even their restrooms were clean, not the cubicle type but really a single room like you have at your house, with toilet paper, hand soap and dryer.

But what I really liked was the treatment rooms. Where at Flawless, clients lay down on single beds arranged beside each other (with no curtains except for some where I think they would treat those who needed a bit more privacy), like in a hospital’s ward or emergency room, at Clara, each client is treated in separate private rooms. They even have a buzzer for assistance from other staff. They also provide a garterized tube-like skirt-looking garment that you put on while undergoing treatment below the neck.

My attending aesthetician or nurse (sorry, I forgot her name) had very light hands – even with my larger skin tags, when she would warn me that it might hurt, I felt just a vague discomfort that soon went away. And despite the promo being just valid for one area (face, neck or chest), she cauterized all warts she could find on my neck, chest (even under my breasts), and even armpits. No peklat too! 

The experience was really worth it so that when I received a text from them that they had ongoing promos on Deals4U, I took my chances again. This time, I availed of the Intense Diamond Exfoliation for P599. I had read a lot about microdermabrasion (that’s the technical term for this procedure, I guess), and I had never undergone a facial of any kind before, so I wanted to try this one.

I got there early, I think I was the first client there. My nurse was a different person this time. First she cleansed my face, then stroked the diamond peel wand across my face. It felt like the wand had something rough at the tip – this was the diamond dust, used to exfoliate the skin. At the same time, the wand would vacuum the exfoliated skin away from my face. For me, it felt soothing. I asked if it was whitening and she said that it only provided superficial lightening. I told her that it’s okay, I didn’t want to undergo whitening anyway because I enjoy outdoor activities and my work also requires me to go outdoors a lot.

After the exfoliation, she showed me a tissue paper with all the stuff she had removed from my face. She said it was a necessary procedure so they could show the clients what they had removed from the face. Ewness, so of course I didn't take a pic. Next time, maybe? heheh.

extracting my blackheads

The nurse then proceeded to extract my bigger blackheads. It wasn’t really that painful, just uncomfortable. She also warned me to expect a little pain because she was going to clean out a pimple at my temple – I didn’t even know I had any! But I didn’t feel much with it, just that she was removing something. My high pain tolerance really comes in handy sometimes. Afterwards, she showed me the removed blackheads. Again, no pic of this ewness. :-)

We were talking a lot of the time, and I learned that I had dry sensitive skin, although my t-zone was kinda oily. No surprise there, the blackheads are proof! She suggested for me to really make sure to use moisturizer, especially one with grape seed extract. She also suggested I get another kind of facial, the more complete one where I would undergo a more extensive facial massage, steaming to soften the impurities, and they would apply two kinds of masks to lessen the redness, because the promo did not include those. :-(

Then she wiped onto my face a cooling mask, and left me to allow some time for it to soak into my skin. Left to my own devices, I took the chance to take this picture, ha ha.

me with the mask

After removing the mask several minutes later, she wiped on some SPF cream, and reminded me NEVER to forget to use moisturizer and SPF. No worries there; moisturizer is always a part of my regimen (although I think I'll try other brands because I've been using Olay for quite some time now), and I assured her that SPF is one ingredient I always consider when buying products.

Then we were done. I dressed up and went to the restroom. With the lighting in there so much better than in the treatment room (where they use lamps for a better illumination of the area to be treated), I took an “after” picture. I liked the results. No redness and my face looks – and feels! – so fresh. 

fresh after IDE

Now I’m worried. I have two other cheaper (P299 each) vouchers for a different clinic. I wonder if I would have the same experience? I know that there will be no private room this time, just like in Flawless. I’m no expert on skin care or treatments, too, so I don’t know if I got a good deal or not, but I know I liked the experience and the way the staff at Clara treated me.

I know facials make an improvement on your face if they’re done on a more regular basis, and they’re really recommended for someone like me who’s exposed daily to pollution. And I really liked how it made my face feel so rejuvenated, kinda like the feeling you get from having a body massage. So I think I’ll click on Clara’s promo at Deals4U again. :-)

On Facebook, look for their page ClaraInternational. They have another branch in Greenhills. Once you’re a client, they text or call you for ongoing promos.