December leaves, and anticipating 2014 holidays

It's December 16 and a lot of people are still asking, "Is December 24 a holiday?"

Well then, if you don't know it yet or can't believe it is, here is an infographic of the holidays for 2013 as declared under Presidential Proclamation No. 2012-459:

As you can see, December 24th, which falls on a Tuesday, is a holiday. 

That being said, I think a lot of us will be extending their holidays starting December 21 which is a Saturday. Those who still have leaves to spare may take December 23 (Monday), 26 and 27 (Thursday and Friday, respectively), off, all the way to January 1st since December 30 and 31 are also holidays. That's a total of 12 days off, unless some extend it up to January 5, 2014 -- making it a total of 16 -- yes, sixteen!!! -- days. Lucky for those who have a lot of vacation leaves stored up (like us in the government, where our leaves just add up).

Here's a calendar of December 2013 so you can easily see what I'm talking about:

Thinking ahead, here now is a list of the official holidays for 2014, as declared under Presidential Proclamation No. 2013-655. Sorry, as of now they don't have an infographic of it yet and I'm tamad to do one myself, but here's a screen grab from that page :-)

January 31st, which is the Chinese New Year, will usher in a three-day weekend. The next official long weekend is on Holy Week-end (April 17-19). Other than these, I can see a lot of people absent on Fridays when holidays fall on at least three Thursdays: May 1 (Labor Day), June 12 (Independence Day), and August 21 (Ninoy Aquino Day), which is followed by another holiday on August 25. 

As for the Islamic celebrations Eid'l Fitr and Eidul Adha in 2014, they will fall on July 28 (Monday, hooray!) and October 4 (Saturday, awww...), respectively. By the way, those dates are based on Philippine time zones, of course. 

(Segue: I think I will always remember Eidul Adha because in 2013, it was celebrated on October 15, a Tuesday. It was the day a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck northern Bohol, my province. The holiday spared more people from getting hurt or killed in public places such as schools, because many were home at 8 a.m.)

Funnily, I find myself focusing on those last five holidays in the end, WHICH IS A YEAR AWAY! Ha. ha. ha. The government has declared both December 24 (Wednesday) and 26 (Friday) as additional holidays, but not the 29th (Monday). What? Yep! That day is as much as sandwiched between holidays as the 26th, but they "forgot" to declare it. :-) If they did declare it, then people would have an official, extra-long nine-day weekend beginning from the 24th to January 1st. Unofficially, people taking the time off from December 20th all the way to January 4, 2014 would have another sixteen-day hiatus. 

To get what I'm saying, here's a calendar showing December 2014 :

So... I guess I'll be earning my vacation leaves next year and take that option at the end of 2014. I would have deserved it by then, don't you think so?

Belle De Jour Power Planners - a must-have for Bellas out there

I've been using a Belle de Jour Power Planner from Viviamo for about 4 years now, if I remember right. I find it very useful, the sections are so fitting in managing one's lifestyle. I easily put my work accomplishments and schedule my appointments there in a fun layout that's easy on the eyes but remains organized as organized can be. I used to use the Starbucks Planner but when I tried the one from BDJ, there was no looking back!

The BDJ Power Planner is replete with special pages, like the wardrobe checklist that allows you to keep track of your fashion pieces; a gift list that helps you plan your gifts for your loved ones; and a bills and cash flow tracker page that helps you keep track of your monthly bills. Really handy! I especially find the menstrual tracker page very useful. I'm able to note my periods and track the lengths between them - very useful info when going to the OB. And how about that vacation planner page, where you list down your plans for that upcoming trip for a stress-free vacay? 

(Note, though, that some of these special pages may not be present every year - some may be there in 2013, and may be gone for 2014. I think the planner's makers listen to inputs from the users! :-) )

Plus, each month is separated by pages that contain articles on just about anything and everything. At a loss on how to spring clean your closet? Then go to the August 2013 page. Want to be a master online shopper? Then flip back to the March 2013 page. I find these pages entertaining and informative to read and review them sometimes, especially when I'm waiting for someone.

some of the special pages in the 2014 BDJ Power Planner

The BDJ Power Panner also comes with a lot of coupons (more than 80!) entitling the owner to thousands of pesos worth of discounts or freebies in selected establishments. The choices are so diverse and may vary from year to year. For 2013, you could use coupons at Ace Water Spa and their Hotel and Suites, TGI Fridays, Red Box, The Spa, Michelis jewelers, Barre3, The Beauty Bar, SM (Parisian - for bags and shoes - and Ladies Wear and GTW for clothes), Bauhaus, the Ramp Crossings, Otterbox (for your mobile case), John Robert Powers, Bulgogi Brothers, even Pet Express, to name a few (?!) Some of the coupons, I give away to my friends. :-) I miss the one from White Hat, though, because I usually give it as a treat for my nephews.

Being a coffee lover, I really like the ones from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and I use them year in and out. Free coffee or beverage, size upgrades, even a discount on their coffee maker - which, admittedly, I haven't tried because it's too expensive. But I do like their salads! 

Using up the coupons could also entitle you to huge discounts on your next BDJ Power Planner. Use up 30 coupons for a 10% discount, and 35 for 20% discount. Use up 40 and you get one FREE planner, and 50 to get two - yes, TWO - free planners. From time to time too, you could receive an email where a prompt reply could also entitle you to those discounts. 

That's no laughing matter, since the planner costs almost P600, and you have a choice of leather, smythsewn or spiral-bound. I'm pretty excited to use my 2014 planner because for the first time, they offered a personalized planner with your name printed on the front cover, and I've had mine delivered already! Hooray!

my 2013 and (personalized) 2014 planners plus Lifestyle Card

As you can see from the picture above, the Power Planner also comes with a Lifestyle Card that offers discounts in several partner establishments, with no additional purchases required. This is particularly handy if you've run through your coupons for a particular establishment. For example, for 2013, flashing your card at CBTK will entitle you to a free upgrade on your drink. Flash it at Robinsons Department Stores and get 10% off Sassa activewear items -- useful for me, who likes buying Sassa running attire because of its comfort and affordability. How about getting that coveted pair of flipflops at Flipsters? Yes, the card offers a P200 discount there. The card is automatically activated for those who ordered the planner online, while those who bought the planner in bookstores or elsewhere need to register their cards online.



While you're at it, subscribe to newsletters from Viviamo, Inc! via e-mail and stay tuned to the latest promos for bellas. Recently, there was an email inviting me to answer a survey, which I promptly did, and I was rewarded with a set of Pantene products - a daily intensive conditioner and their miracle water which is perfect for keeping my hair frizz-free during humid days. The items were delivered to my home for free!






And finally, let me say that I came across this post across their FB page where you can win goodies from BDJ. Just share this link and complete the sentence "This 2014, I promise to be a better me by ___. #choosetoshine". As for me, I promised to be better by using my time more wisely between personal and work time. It's quite a delicate balance, that's for sure!

Want to try out a BDJ Power Planner? You can order your planners thru their website. You can also preview Viviamo's other products here and through Cosmo's website here.  

Disclaimer: This is not an ad for the planner or for Viviamo. I really just love using it, with or without the coupons! I also like their To-Do List/Cash Tracker back-to-back notepads, which I received for free just by answering a survey emailed to me.